Stay Connected to the Source Whether you’re Lutheran, Catholic, Baptist, or a nondenominational believer, the question we all need to answer is the same: Are we staying connected to Jesus Christ? If you were to slowly read John 15:1–8 today and ask yourself; “What does staying connected to Jesus look like?” Could you then put His words into practice in your life today? Jesus said He is the vine and we are the branches. A branch depends on the vine for life. It cannot produce fruit by trying harder while lying on the ground disconnected from its source. Neither can we. That is why we keep encouraging people to open their Bibles. We want people to know Jesus, understand what He says, and learn to live it out. But some people hesitate because they think they aren’t ready. You don’t have to reach some level of spiritual maturity before you can begin reading Scripture. Reading it is part of how you grow. A child doesn’t learn to walk by waiting until he already knows how. Start where you are. Ask God for wisdom. Read carefully, consider the surrounding verses, and keep coming back. Some things will take time to understand. That is a reason to keep learning. The Holy Spirit helps us understand and apply God’s truth. But that doesn’t mean every thought that comes into our minds is His interpretation. We still need to test what we believe against Scripture and remain humble enough to receive correction. The same Spirit who teaches us will never lead us away from the truth He inspired. God also gives us teachers, pastors, and other believers to help us grow. I’m thankful for them. A good teacher can explain something we have struggled with for years. A good book can help us see how a passage applies to our lives. But every teacher needs to keep pointing us back to Jesus. Paul addressed this in 1 Corinthians 1 when believers began identifying themselves by the leaders they followed. Some claimed Paul, some Apollos, and some Cephas. Paul asked, “Is Christ divided?” (1 Corinthians 1:13). That question still deserves our attention. We can become so familiar with a preacher’s words that we stop examining whether we understand the Scripture behind them. We can defend someone’s teaching more passionately than we pursue the Lord ourselves. Quoting a teacher isn’t automatically a problem, and someone’s social media posts cannot tell us everything about their walk with God. But we can honestly examine our own hearts: Whose voice am I depending on? Am I allowing someone else’s understanding to take the place of knowing God’s Word for myself? That applies to anything I write, too. If you read Don’t Start at Genesis, my hope is that it helps you pick up your Bible with greater confidence. The purpose is to help you understand what you’re reading and put it into practice. Everything I teach should be examined in the light of Scripture. In Acts 17:11, the Bereans received Paul’s message eagerly and searched the Scriptures daily to see whether what he said was true. That willingness to listen and examine is a good example for all of us. We don’t need to be intimidated by the Bible, and we don’t need to pretend we have it all figured out. We need willing hearts, teachable spirits, and a growing dependence on Christ. Stay connected to the vine. Open His Word. Ask for understanding. Put into practice what He shows you. The fruit begins with Him. Prayer Father, thank You for giving us Your Word and for the people You use to help us understand it. Keep our eyes on Jesus. Where we feel intimidated, give us the confidence to begin. Where we have become proud of what we know, make us teachable. Holy Spirit, give us wisdom and discernment, and help us test what we hear against Scripture. Let everything we teach, write, and share draw people closer to Christ. Thank You for allowing us to serve You. Keep ministering to us and through us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Stop Pointing at Their Sin and Look in the Mirror | Romans 1 youtube.com/shorts/zBEuhFdXB… via @YouTube

What Does Scripture Say? 2 Timothy 3:1–5, 16–17 • 1 Corinthians 13:1–3 We can attend Bible studies, volunteer, and quote Scripture while overlooking the person standing beside us. Paul warns about having a form of godliness while denying its power. He also says that without love, even impressive gifts amount to nothing. That calls all of us to examine ourselves. Is God’s Word changing how we treat people? Today, notice someone. Listen. Make them feel welcome. Give your service the love it deserves.

The Bible Isn’t a Weapon Against “Those People” | Romans 1 youtube.com/shorts/x8Tz-NFDM… via @YouTube

Vote red.. No vote is a vote for this.

What You Refuse to Surrender Can Start Controlling You | Romans 1 youtube.com/shorts/U1ZN6QJ02… via @YouTube

Needed to be said… carefully. What Does “God Gave Them Over” Mean? | Romans 1:26-32 youtu.be/2S5yhDkn1SY?is=A4Tr… via @YouTube

What Does Scripture Say? Colossians 3:15–16 • Acts 17:11 • James 1:5 Before you commit, pray for wisdom. Read what you’re agreeing to. Ask honest questions and compare the teaching with Scripture. Stacy and I encourage people to take that uneasy feeling seriously enough to examine it. Feelings alone don’t settle the answer. Seek wise counsel and give yourself time to understand. You can respect a church and still ask questions. Your commitment to Jesus should guide every other commitment you make.

Look at God at work. This guy is relatable to a generation that I too want to share Jesus with. Praise You Lord. You came for the broken. Thank You.

What Happens When We Replace God? Romans 1:18-25 youtu.be/-GipyxG0HBY?is=0Toe… via @YouTube

Does Creation Leave Us Without Excuse? | Romans 1 youtube.com/shorts/tg_mX7E4Q… via @YouTube

Did You Find God?—or Build One Who Agrees With You? Romans 1 youtube.com/shorts/G35YdvFQN… via @YouTube

I truly believe this❤️

Yes Yes and Yes!! Scratch whatever title you’re using or chasing… father, son, brother, friend… Nope… servant supersedes them all. 🔥

Would You Still Serve God If Nobody Noticed? | Gideon youtube.com/shorts/s-cdhN_K7… via @YouTube

1 Corinthians 1:10–13; 3:1–9 Imagine someone who knows little about Jesus reading Christians’ conversations online. They see insults, accusations, and people questioning one another’s faith over every disagreement. What are they learning about the Savior we claim to follow? Paul confronted that problem in Corinth. Believers were dividing themselves around Paul, Apollos, and Cephas. His response brought them back to the cross: Who was crucified for you? Jesus Christ. Later, Paul identifies envy, strife, and division as evidence that they still need to mature. That gives me something to examine in myself before I apply it to someone else. Am I helping people understand Scripture, or am I defending my side? Can I listen without preparing an attack? Does my response reflect the patience I want others to show me? Knowing someone’s denomination does not tell me how spiritually mature they are. Paul’s concern is the pride and rivalry that turn fellow believers into competing camps. Those attitudes can appear in any church, including among people who claim no denomination at all. We can hold convictions, discuss important differences, and correct error with care. We can also recognize that a brother or sister who understands something differently is someone to love. Their growth matters more than our opportunity to win an argument. Paul and Apollos had different assignments, but they served the same Lord. One planted, another watered, and God gave the growth. That is work we can share today. We can open Scripture together, encourage someone who is struggling, and explain the gospel to someone who has never understood it. We can speak honestly while remembering whose name we carry. Jesus, You are the Lord of one body, and You gave Yourself for us. Forgive me when pride turns disagreement into rivalry or makes me dismiss someone I should love. Thank You for brothers and sisters who serve You through different gifts and experiences. Help us grow in truth, patience, and unity. Teach me to speak with grace, receive correction, and work alongside others for Your glory. Amen.

This guy would not survive our back yard. Athletic risk takers only. 🤣🤣

Why would God pick me youtube.com/shorts/8-kyIqhox… via @YouTube

Oh Lord.. I need You. Every day I need You.

Have you been measuring your faith by someone else’s gift? Where could you serve faithfully with the abilities and opportunities you have today? It is easy to look at another believer’s gift and wonder whether something is missing in our own walk with God. They seem able to do something we cannot, and we begin questioning ourselves. Paul gives us a different way to understand it. There are different gifts, different ministries, and different activities, but the same God is working through all His people. The Spirit distributes gifts individually as He wills, and He gives them for the benefit of others. Paul asks in this chapter whether everyone teaches, works miracles, has gifts of healing, or speaks in tongues. His questions make the point: we do not all have the same role. A particular gift should never become a test of someone’s worth or a reason to treat them as a lesser member of Christ’s body. Stacy and I were talking about how freeing that is. I do not need to imitate someone else’s experience to serve faithfully. I can pay attention to the opportunities God gives me, receive feedback from trustworthy believers, and keep learning how to help people. We also need care when identifying gifts. Knowing Scripture well does not automatically establish that someone has the particular “word of knowledge” Paul describes. And discernment calls for testing what we hear and observe, rather than confidently assigning a spiritual cause to another person’s struggles. Humility leaves room to learn. The question I want to carry today is simple: How can I use what God has given me to strengthen someone else? Perhaps I can explain a passage, offer wise encouragement, or support another person’s ministry. Whatever my role, Paul reminds me that the purpose reaches beyond me. Father, You wisely bring different people together through the same Spirit. Forgive me when comparison makes me doubt my place or pride makes me overestimate my understanding. Thank You for the gifts of others and for giving me a part in serving Your people. Help me recognize and use Your gifts with humility, discernment, and love. Teach me to value every member of Christ’s body. Amen.

Faith Does Not Mean No Planning youtube.com/shorts/CPhxzuksk… via @YouTube