We were in the basement watching old home videos on an 80-inch screen.

It is always an emotional rollercoaster doing that.

I have five children. They are precious and wonderful, and they always have been.

And I have never, ever, ever adequately appreciated that.

I see it clearly in the videos. Where I should have been constantly amazed and affirming them, I am mostly acting indifferent.

I’m indifferent to how unique and fun each of them is in their own ways.

I’m indifferent to how much they seemed to look up to me back then.

I’m even indifferent to how stinkin’ cute they were.

They are all still beautiful, but hindsight, from knowing how they’ve developed (the oldest is now 23 and the youngest is 15 on Saturday), highlights their childhood cuteness.

Ahhhhhhhhh…..sigh…..and more sighing….

Dear Lord… what am I missing now that I’ll kick myself for later?

_____

I’m sure you can relate if you’re a human.

You know you were someone then who was (hopefully) not as wise or good as who you are now.

And that brings me to the real point.

Seeing that I have changed a lot in the last 20 years reminds me I can change more over the next 20 years.

I can change for the better, or I can change for the worse.

I think, by the grace of God, I’ve changed for the better since then.

And I know it will be by His grace that I’ll do it again in the future.

But how did I change for the better in the past?

And how will I change for the better in the future?

One word.

Choices.

(Well, two words, choices and actions, but I’ll get to that.)

By the way, it is a consolation to me that the fact that I’m so disgusted with past Jeff may mean that present Jeff is really different. One can hope.

Back to choices…

After all my years as a human being struggling through a fallen world, I’m pretty sure life change comes down to choices.

Not just that choices change the outcomes of our lives.

But that choices change us. They change our brains.

My favorite Scripture for this is Paul’s to the Philippians.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Phil 4:8–9 ESV)

Check the progression here:

1. Think on certain good things (v. 8)

2. Practice them (v. 9)

This is harder than it looks.

It’s hard to think on good things in today’s world.

Because bad things, or at least meaningless things, are being hurled at you from every direction every second of every day.

We wake up in consuming mode, and we don’t get full. We just consume.

We don’t choose what we look at and think on.

So we certainly don’t make new choices. We make default choices.

But it does not have to be that way. You and I can be intentional.

We can decide what to think on. The Word of God. Important biblical and philosophical truths.

We can rehearse the facts of righteousness.

But then… but then… but then…

We have to, have to, have to make a new choice…

And importantly…

We have to take a new action.

And we probably have to take that action more than once.

Because homeostasis will drag us. It will kick and scream as we pull away from it.

The gates of hell will lock in front of us as we take a new direction, and we have to kick them down with all our might and push through (in this case I mean to get out of hell, not to break into it!).

By God’s grace, even with haphazard intention, I managed to gather some facts over the last 20 years and make some new judgments…

that led to new choices…

that led to new actions…

that changed my brain, and thereby changed me.

I am not who I was in that video.

Just like you are not who you were 10 or 50 years ago.

I hope you and I are both better.

But more importantly, there is the next 10 or 50 years to consider.

Who do you want to be?

I don’t mean different in an inauthentic way.

I mean, how do you want to be better?

1. Start with what is better.

I suggest considering the fruit of the Spirit.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal 5:22–23 ESV)

Look at that. Look at people who exhibit that. Meditate on it. Write paragraphs about your life if you looked like that.

Look at the One who embodies it. Obsess on Jesus. Read the Gospels.

Read good books about Him.

Listen to good preaching about Him.

2. Look at your life and make some new choices.

Maybe you need to change the way you talk to people.
Maybe you need to give something up.
Maybe you need to take something up.
Maybe you need to tell the truth.
Maybe you need to face a necessary conflict.
Maybe you need to confess your sins to someone and repent. First decide to.

Then…

3. Do it. Put it into practice. Follow through and take action.

Your brain will change. You will change.

You won’t recognize yourself after a while.

Science and the Bible agree about this.

I pray you have hope today that if you want to change, you can.

Look at your life.
Make the judgment.
Make the choice.
Do the choice.
Repeat.

Much love,

Jeff

Carl Jung, occultist though he may be, interests me.

His idea of shadow gives me an angle to consider the sin nature.

Shadow work gives me a way to think about confession.

I won’t explain it all here, but Jung believed that integrating the shadow leads to wholeness.

That sounds an awful lot like confession and repentance.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

So skip Jung and confess your sins.

But there’s another Jungian idea that makes sense.

Personas.

If I understand him correctly, we develop different versions of ourselves for different situations.

Different faces for different rooms.

It makes sense.

For everyone but Jesus.

Jesus had an image problem

In fact, the Pharisees said as much in their backhanded flattery:

“Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances…” (Mark 12:14)

The Greek is even sharper.

You do not “look at faces.”

You don’t adjust yourself based on who is in front of you.

You don’t read the room and become what it wants.

Jesus didn’t manage impressions.

He did not shift personas.

He didn’t perform.

“I do not receive glory from people.” (John 5:41)

He was the same person in every room.

Before crowds.

Before sinners.

Before Pharisees.

Before Pilate.

That is not normal.

But, what if I want to follow the Master? Should I learn this?

Can I learn it? Am I capable?

Only by His Spirit.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

Only by following His example to die so we can live.

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross…” (Matthew 16:24)

What do you do to take up your cross and follow in His steps? May we discuss it in the comments?

Jeff

IndieChristianBook.com | ChristianGhostwriting.com | Godspeed-church.com

NEXT WEEK - bring your whole mind to God (Even the doubting part)

There is no category for Jesus.

And that’s the problem.

I’ve come across a few people lately who don’t believe that Jesus was God (the Son).

It makes me think they are not reading the Bible.

I’m not talking about the obvious passages where He is referred to as a deity.

“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” (Colossians 2:9)

I’m not even talking about those parts where He does only the kinds of things God can do, such as walk on water or multiply fish and bread.

I’m talking about His personality.

I’m talking about who He actually is when you watch Him move through the world.

Singular.

Completely and constantly misunderstood then and now.

And the kind of person I’d like to be, but never will be this side of heaven.

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own…” (Philippians 3:12)

I’m talking about the fact that He did not care what people thought about Him, though He wasn’t detached or cold.

He never tried to win the room.

He never adjusted Himself to stay liked.

He never protected Himself at the expense of truth.

“I do not receive glory from people.” (John 5:41)

I’m talking about the fact that He only ever did what was true and right in the moment.

“I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.” (John 8:28)

“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” (John 4:34)

I’m talking about His utter holiness.

“He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.” (1 Peter 2:22)

I’m talking about how He was tortured and hung on the cross saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

I’m talking about the way it says that He,

…though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Phil 2:6-8 ESV)

Emptied Himself.

This is not normal. It’s not the world’s way. It’s not my way, but I want it to be.

So utterly focused on His Father and what He was there to do and who He was there to love and forgive.

There are a million things we could say about being disciples of this God Man, but to follow Him in this is really all there is.

So here are 5 easy steps to emptying yourself like Jesus.

Just kidding, these are all incredibly difficult, but in trying anyway, we move in a Godward direction, which is the point.

There are no steps to becoming like Jesus.

But there are ways to move in His direction.

1. Stop managing your image

Decide, ahead of time, that the approval of people is not your goal.

“If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)

This shows up in small moments. What you say. What you don’t say. Whether you correct something or let it stand.

Jesus was free because He was not curating Himself.

2. Tell the truth in the moment you see it

Not harshly (with yourself or anyone else). Just honestly.

“Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)

He didn’t wait for the perfect setting. He didn’t soften truth to protect Himself.

He lived aligned with reality at all times.

3. Surrender the outcome before you act

The outcome of the truth is the right outcome.

“Not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42)

Most of our self-protection is outcome control.

Jesus obeyed knowing the result would go His Father’s way.

4. Love: Move toward people instead of away from them

Especially the ones who cost you something.

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Emptying yourself is not withdrawal. It’s presence and it’s costly.

It is choosing love when it would be easier to stay distant.

5. Give up your right to keep score

Release the need to be repaid, recognized, or vindicated.

“When he was reviled, he did not revile in return.” (1 Peter 2:23)

“Father, forgive them…” (Luke 23:34)

This is the deepest.

This is where you could truly start to become like Him.

None of this is natural. None of it is efficient. None of it is how the world works.

Which is exactly the point.

But there’s a real question here.

But Why?

Why should we be like Him?

Why was it good that He was like He was?

Why not just be a little more guarded, a little more strategic, a little more like everyone else?

What looks like loss in Jesus is life.

What looks like weakness is actually strength.

What looks like emptiness is actually fullness.

“Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25)

We spend most of our lives trying to hold ourselves together.

Jesus does the opposite.

And He is the most alive person who ever lived.

Life.

He is not showing us an extreme version of humanity.

He is revealing the nature of God.

Self-giving.

Unafraid.

Full of truth and mercy at the same time.

“God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

So when Jesus empties Himself, He is not acting out of character.

He is showing you what ultimate reality is like.

Because this is what you were created for.

There is a reason something in you wants this, even as another part of you resists it.

You were designed for it.

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” (Romans 8:29)

This is not about becoming less yourself.

It is about becoming your true self.

The self that does not need to grasp or prove anything.

The self that is free to love.

Because this is where freedom actually is

We think freedom is getting what we want.

Jesus shows that freedom is not needing to protect yourself at all.

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Free from the need for approval.

Free from fear.

Free from the constant pressure to prove you belong here.

You don’t belong here. You belong where He is.

And furthermore!

This is how the world changes.

Jesus did not change the world by controlling it. He changed it by giving Himself.

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32)

The world is full of people trying to win.

Very few are willing to love like this.

So what now?

This is not a call to try harder.

It is a call to look at Him long enough that you begin to trust Him.

“And we all… beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

You become like what you behold.

So look at Him.

Watch how He moves.

Watch how He speaks.

Watch what He refuses to grasp.

And then, in one small moment today, let go of something you’ve been holding too tightly.

Just as we were heading off for Good Friday services at church, all our phones went crazy and the town sirens fired up.

This is not a test. Take shelter.

Now we’re in the basement waiting for it to pass. Service has been postponed.

Shelter…

Shelter in place…

Take shelter…

You do not debate a warning like that. You grab your kids and animals and move downstairs, even though outside it doesn’t seem like the wind is blowing at all.

Shelter.

The Hebrew word (one of them, at least) is machseh.

It’s not a casual word. Not a metaphor you use when life is easy.

It means refuge. The place you run when something is actually coming for you.

Scripture says God is that.

Not an idea. Not an inspiration.

A place.

There is another word. Seter.

The hidden place.

Not just protected, but covered and held somewhere the storm cannot reach.

And underneath both of those is an image that shows up again and again.

Rock.

Something that does not move when everything else does.

Tonight, the town told us to take shelter, and we did.

We did not argue. We did not hesitate. We didn’t try to stand out in it and prove something.

We went down and took cover.

Good Friday says the same thing.

Not about weather.

About judgment. About sin. About death. About everything we cannot outrun, or outthink, or outwork.

Take shelter.

And then it tells us where.

Not in our strength.

Not in our goodness.

Not in our control, but in a special place.

In Christ.

The cross is not just where forgiveness happens.

It is where we go.

It is our machseh.

Our refuge.

Our shelter.

Tonight, the sirens told us to take shelter.

Good Friday tells us where it is found.

I guess I paused again.

Not on purpose, but there is a reason I haven’t written here.

I can’t think of anything else to say right now.

I started this blog with a lot on my mind, wrote every day, and sorted it out. I’m proud of the body of work here, and I stand by it.

But whenever I sit down to write now, I start fishing for something to say, and it sounds an awful lot like something I already wrote about.

For now, Merry Christmas. One of my favorite things I’ve ever read about the Incarnation came from J. I. Packer in (I think) Knowing God.

I’ll paraphrase: you should have no trouble believing in the miracles of Jesus if you can grasp the biggest one. God was made flesh and dwelt among us.

Indeed.

God bless, and I will continue writing weekly on The Newsletter for Christian Writers.

And if I get a blinding flash of insight worth sharing, I’ll come back and put it here.

If topics come to mind that you’d like to read about from me, post them in the comments, and I’ll happily oblige.

JBM

I could have called my blog, “Christian” since a Biblical Human is simply a Christian.

A Christian follows Jesus, believes He is God’s Son, that is, God the Son, and He died for us having taken us into Him, sins and all, and hung on a cross to die a death that destroyed death.

And He rose again, authenticating that death-destroying death.

A Christian discovers this and repents from sin and seeks to follow Jesus as King and embody the ways of His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.

By the power of His Holy Spirit given to us.

But of course, “Christian” is a loaded term that will mean many things to many people.

So I call what I am a Biblical Human.

One that follows Jesus and uses the Bible to understand Him.

“Human” because that’s what “I am.”

“Biblical” because that and the reality of creation is all I have to know God.

How do you define being a Christian?

Thanks for waiting.

I paused Biblical Human a few weeks ago to see what it would be like not to write it.

I continued to publish my Newsletter for Christian Writers on Tuesdays, but I missed thinking more broadly about what it means to live on earth as a Christian—in a body, with a job, in a family, among neighbors, inside a complicated world.

So, without fanfare, it’s back.

Launching out again, I thought I’d write a brief and high-level manifesto—a definition of sorts—of what it means to me to be a biblical human. This way you will know what to expect in the near future from this blog.

A Biblical Human Is…

• Someone who chooses to live—and takes their life seriously
  
  

• Someone who loves God, not from duty, but from desire
  
  

• Someone who stewards their body, mind, spirit, work, wealth, relationships, and influence
  
  

• Someone who lives with clarity and intention
  
  

• Someone who values joy as a real spiritual indicator
  
  

• Someone who is honest, not just about what they believe, but about how they’re doing
  
  

• Someone who respects themselves and others as image-bearers of God
  
  

• Someone who grows, repents, builds, forgives, contributes, and keeps showing up
  
  

• Someone who lives in light of eternity, but doesn’t try to escape today
  
  

• Someone who lives whole, not fragmented—rooted in Scripture, connected to reality, open to the Spirit
  
  

I can and will come up with 100 more, but that’s it for now.

This isn’t about perfection.

It’s about integration.

It’s about becoming the kind of person whose life invites trust, whose work produces value, and whose faith touches down in every corner of existence.

That’s what I’m trying to become.

That’s what this space is about.

“…that the man [or woman] of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

— 2 Timothy 3:17

More soon.

Thanks for being here,

Jeff

www.ChristianGhostwriting.com

www.IndieChristianBook.com

www.Godspeed-Church.com

Dear Friends,

Happy Independence Day. I hope you’re getting to relax and blow stuff up today.

In today’s post, I’m announcing a pause on this newsletter.

I love writing about all things biblical humanity. I’m learning constantly and I love sharing as a way to continue learning and conversing about what I learn. Things about:

God

Living

Loving

Working

Parenting

Churching

Citizening

…and so much more!!!

But I feel moved to pause this project for two reasons:

1. I’m in a phase where I’ve said everything I know for sure and it’s all backlogged on here in back issues. I hope and pray people find it useful. I want to break for a while and come back as whoever I am in a year, or 3 or 5 years and start spilling again all I need to say.

2. I feel called to focus my energy in writing on (the subject of) writing. I hope you follow my Newsletter for Christian Writers. I will continue to write regularly there.

I discovered recently through quality time with God that all the things I love about pastoring a church and writing about biblical humanity, I get to live out with my clients at ChristianGhostwriting.com and students in my writing program and Tuesday writing community. It’s church. It’s the body of Christ.

While my main calling will always be pastor/church planter, God has seen fit to sneak up on me with this writing life. What started as a hobby, writing for dirt cheap on Fiverr.com (I’m still on Fiverr, but no longer dirt cheap 😁.) became a career.

At first, it seemed like tent making, a way to afford to do ministry.

But gradually, it became ministry. I began to connect with clients and students on the deepest of levels—and why not? Writing is powerful, personal, and perfect for going deep. To help people in the process is profoundly rewarding (how many more “P” words can I fit into this paragraph!). This is ministry, even if not the pulpit.

Not only that, but I realized something recently. Though I have planted two churches and pastored another, thereby preaching the gospel to thousands over 23 years, I have already reached multiples of that number through helping my clients publish through ghostwriting, coaching, and now publishing at IndieChristianBook.com. If stewardship is the goal of the Christian life, then I must steward this gift with my whole heart.

That’s why I’m pausing my two other newsletters, including this one.

And that’s why I’m asking you: If you don’t already subscribe to the Newsletter for Christian Writers, I’d be honored if you would join me there. Much of what I write about is relevant for any art, including the art of living, which is what I’ve tried to write here.

I believe with all my heart God will give me the go-ahead to come back to Biblical Human when the time is right, and only He knows when that will be.

So God bless you and I thank you for reading Biblical Human. It still amazes me that you would give me your time and attention. I’m leaving the account active and all previous posts will stay there. If you read my Christian Business Persons’ Newsletter on Substack, I’ll be reposting this there for the same reason.

God bless you and I hope to see you at the Newsletter for Christian Writers and back on here again someday.

Jeff

www.WriteAndServe.com

www.ChristianGhostwriting.com

www.ChristianWritingCoach.net

www.IndieChristianBook.com

Last week I wrote about anger.

I'm interested in anger because I'm interested in emotions.

I have misinterpreted the Bible's call to self control as a call to be Stoic (Gal 5:23).

My confession and declaration is that I want to be emotional. I’m starting to think being emotional is being alive.

Driven by emotions? Yes and no.

I heard the other day that when people with high intellect get brain damage and can't feel emotions, it takes them 4 hours to decide what to eat for breakfast.

Ponder that.

Keep pondering.

Just a little more pondering.

My wise and beautiful wife of nearly 30 years told me she suspected I was avoiding emotions. I had bragged that I try to respond in all situations like A.I. I had noticed that A.I. doesn't get upset, just makes the next right choice. I admired that about these robots. I thought I could be that way, and it sort of works.

But it's an attempt to avoid emotions.

I don't want to be mad. I don't want to be sad. I mean, I really, really don't want to be sad. I'll do almost anything to avoid being sad.

I don't want to be scared, and I do not want to be disappointed.

However, I like to have joy, but not if it's going to make me lazy!

Oh…

Ponder that.

I like to feel love, but not if I might not get loved back.

But I think this is living and life without all those feelings is meaningless.

Not only that, but the best decisions come when the intellect invites the emotions into the conversation.

"Remain in me“ He said, “and bear fruit…” (John 15:4).

I, my mind, my heart, and the Holy Spirit have some work to do, my friends.

While we’re here, there is a wrong way to be driven by emotions. It’s the unconscious and dishonest way. I at least know that much.

It looks like this: You feel emotions, and you’re driven to ignore what they are actually telling you and to numb them with all kinds of things: food, drugs, approval seeking…and so much more!

But the honest way is to pay close attention to your heart and the Holy Spirit, and do whatever thing needs to be done because of it—which is often a hard thing, but a good thing.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about it. Where are you in this conversation?

Jeff

www.ChristianGhostwriting.com

www.ChristianWritingCoach.net

www.IndieChristianBook.com

www.Godspeed-Church.com

I don’t know anything about emotions, except that I should probably hide them, or try not to have them.

This is true about me and, I think, totally wrong.

I’m not here today to tell you how to be. We’re just talking. I wouldn’t dare pretend to be a guide on this one, just a traveler.

I think it is probably a big problem that I have, and I’m grateful the resistance to emotions hasn’t manifested some big problem in my life. Thank you, God.

The one I’m most afraid of (Hey! An emotion!) is anger. I don’t want to be angry. My version of Jesus never gets angry.

Even his outburst in the temple was controlled, I say.

But that’s probably not the case. He was probably expressing a real feeling, but that scares me.

It scares me because deep down I believe that if I were to express anger I’d leave the whole world in rubble, and I don’t really want to do that.

But I think that is a lie from the devil. I don’t know for sure, but I think it is.

Since I am not an authority on this, let’s go to the only true authority, God. I’m drawn to the Psalms for answers.

Maybe I've been reading the Bible wrong my whole life.

I think holiness means emotional control.

Spiritual maturity means never raising your voice, never clenching your fists, never wanting to break stuff.

But David, the one God chose, the one who wrote most of our worship songs - this man prayed things that would get you kicked out of church.

"O God, break the teeth in their mouths" (Psalm 58:6)

Not "God, please change their hearts." Not "Help me forgive them, Lord." Just straight-up: Break. Their. Teeth.

And it gets worse. Or better. I don't know.

In Psalm 109, David goes on for verse after verse, asking God to:

• Make his enemy's children orphans

• Make his wife a widow

• Let his family line be cut off

• Have no one show them kindness

• Let creditors seize everything he owns

Twenty verses of pure, unleashed fury. In Scripture. In the songs we're supposed to sing.

I'm starting to wonder if my fear of anger is actually more dangerous than anger itself.

There. I’ve let you in. Whatchu think about all this? What’s your opinion? What has God taught you about feeling stuff? I’d like to know.

Jeff B. Miller

of

www.godspeed-church.com

www.ChristianGhostwriting.com

www.ChristianWritingCoach.net

www.IndieChristianBook.com

I am a future oriented person.

This serves me well in some areas. It means I save money, don't eat too much, do some exercise-the kind that won't wear me out in old age.

I think constantly about what I'm building and where I'm going.

This is my wiring.

Anything I do for the present is driven by an emotional impulse.

This is not good, but it's also normal.

I'm intentionally living my days in light of my future, but those days are punctuated by some unconscious behavior.

The reason I say it's not good is that the things I do on impulse are not usually the best and wisest things I could be doing.

It also means that the only time I'm present, I'm not that present.

Does this make sense to you? If you're like me you understand the paradox. When I'm planning, I'm conscious. When I'm not planning, I'm not paying attention…or intention.

I'll spend three hours mapping out next year's church or business strategy. Then I'll eat half a pizza because I'm "taking a break."

I'll calculate compound interest on my retirement savings. Then I'll buy something stupid on Amazon at 11 PM.

The present only gets my attention when my emotions override my plans.

This creates a weird split. My future self is wise, disciplined, strategic. My present self is a toddler with a credit card.

I'm either building tomorrow or sabotaging today. There's no middle ground.

The thing is, every future is built from present moments. If I'm only conscious when I'm planning, and only unconscious when I'm living, what am I actually building?

It's like being an architect who draws perfect blueprints but gets drunk every time he picks up a hammer.

The present isn't the enemy of the future. It's the only material we have to work with.

But I treat it like an interruption.

My solution to this problem is remembering that all life is is living.

These could be our best days. Right now. And we might miss all of it. I’m a Christian. I know our best days are after this life has passed. And yet, I sense that those days will be even better if we get good at living this days in Christ.

I've written about prospection and I stand by it. Yes, imagine the future. Yes, pull it into the present by removing from your life what doesn't belong to the future you. Cut out the behaviors, habits, and commitments that don't align with where you're going.

But then what?

Then the fun begins. The fun of actually living a moment.

I don't mean to sound woo woo. But we Christians are eternal beings. We're destined for an eternal existence. Think about that. Would you want to spend eternity planning? Eternity thinking about what's next?

At some point—and that point is now—we have to live.

Not unconsciously. Not by emotional impulse. But by decision.

The decision to enjoy this moment in the presence of God.

God who was, is, and is to come. He's not just the God of tomorrow. He's the God of right now. This breath. This second.

When I remember this, something shifts. The present becomes intentional without becoming heavy. I can be here, fully here, without abandoning wisdom or throwing hammers through windows.

I can eat a meal and taste it. I can have a conversation and hear it. I can take a walk and feel it.

Not because I'm taking a break from real life. But because this is real life.

The future will come. It always does. But it will come to someone who knows how to be here when it arrives.

Here’s something to think on:

James 4:13-15: "Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'"

Psalm 118:24: "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Matthew 6:34: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

Revelation 1:8: "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

Ephesians 5:15-16: "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."

Colossians 3:17: "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Proverbs 16:9: "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."

Luke 12:20-21: "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God."

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13: "I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God."

What is the secret to building a great life?

I can think of a few obvious ones, but lately I realized the desire to live is the place to start.

Once you know you desire to live, the rest is just stacking life-affirming items. To be clear, faith is the most important…

…but lots of people with faith settle for a crappy life.

You may be protesting now, "but what about God? What about Jesus?"

What about them?

They are important. They are the most important. Your Christian faith is the most important thing about you.

But I know many who fit this description:

• Saved and going to heaven some day

• Faithful in church, prayer, and Bible reading

• Fairly good people

• Fairly healthy with no chronic illness

• Miserable

Why miserable?

That's the question, and if you ask them, they will give you the wrong answer. I mean, the untrue one.

I don't mean they're lying, just that they don't know.

They will say, "We live in a fallen world. There is so much evil and hatred. So much injustice. So many terrible things."

They will say, "Satan is a liar and he attacks me every day. He lies to me and even makes bad things happen to me."

They might even say, "God gives me a lot of suffering, mostly emotional suffering, to test and grow me. I have the joy of the Lord, which is not the same as happiness."

They won't say they feel crappy all the time, but they do.

They won't say that they run to church every week because they feel terrible and distant from God and they can't wait to get away from this world, that church is at least something like heaven where there are no problems.

They won't say that, because they don't know that.

(And please don't get me started on how many churches don't give life-saving answers to people's problems; they give church attendance as the answer. Churches thrive on not helping people change, but making people dependent on church or church life. ((And I also love the church and am a pastor!)))

But people are miserable because they don't understand the point of life.

The point of life is living.

(Note: I affirm the old catechism point that the point of life is to glorify God. But I am talking about the point of life from an earthy, minute-by-minute, what to do angle.)

"No," you might be saying, "the point of life is Christ."

That is very true and very biblical (Philippians 1:21). But the way most people interpret that is that it is somehow sinful to care about their quality of life.

Make no mistake, Christians who think this way will usually strive for a certain quality of life. They'll want as much as they can justify having, but they will need a religious calculus to justify it. They'll want a large and nice home so they can show hospitality to others. Or so they can rest up from doing the gut-wrenching work of ministry in the trenches.

They will want to look good so they can relate to the culture and reach it for Jesus.

They will want a lot of money so they can give a lot away. Then they will have to have some reason to justify keeping some of it. Their reason might be that they give so much—that they could have so much more for themselves if only they weren't so generous. They'll say that they prayed about it, and God told them that He, their good, good Father, wants them to have some nice things. But deep down, they won't be entirely sure God really did say that. They may need a pastor to tell them that they're giving enough and it's okay to keep their nice things. And the pastor will indeed tell them that if he wants them to stay at his church, where they will now run to each week to make sure they're okay with Jesus. Only, since they're still not sure God really said they didn't have to listen to Jesus say to give everything, they will be a little bit miserable as a penance for keeping too much of God's money.

While we're at it, they will struggle with the use of their time. They will have to figure out how much to pray in order to justify how much time they spend working to earn mammon, or recreating with their families, or just wasting time with their phone or TV. They will try to pray and read the Bible more than others, but since it's not all the time, comparison will only get them so far. In the end, they will be back to doing penance, that is, feeling miserable as a way to make up for all the good God does for them and for their own lack (in their own eyes) of faithfulness.

On top of all that, there is the world and the constant reminders that someone else is doing better than them—has a better marriage, better kids, better vacations, better bodies, better everything. Just check social media and keep score. Now they have to justify their lack of success, which they do by claiming they are a Christian and they don't care about that stuff. They also need to spend plenty of time repenting fruitlessly of caring about that stuff, which they have no way to stop.

In my humble opinion, this describes the average Christians I've known to some degree or other.

But there is an alternative to this crappy Christian life.

It's a great Christian life.

Of course it starts with the Christian part, which won't be that much different to our friends previously described.

Jesus died for you. He took your sins into Himself and hung on a cross to pay for them. If you believe and receive His free gift of salvation, repenting of your sins and turning to God, you will live forever with Him. He will stand in your place at the judgment.

But as for a great life on earth, that's just values and choices.

God created man and put Him on earth to live. Just like He put every living creature on earth to live.

Another way to say live is "thrive." Thriving is not crappy.

A plant will thrive if possible, and we don't say it has an idol.

A cat will thrive, and we don't say it's following a prosperity gospel.

A plant and cat don't thrive by sowing seeds of faith to God in return for a good life.

They don't thrive by following God's arbitrary plant and cat rules. They thrive by obeying God's non-arbitrary causal ways.

Plants have a desire to live well and they have values that lead to that end.

Plants value sun, which makes them thrive.

Plants value soil, which makes them thrive.

Plants value water, which makes them thrive.

When God gives His people commands, He presents them as the choice between life and death.

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live." — Deuteronomy 30:19

God says choose life, what then is wrong with doing just that? Would any of us want our children to do anything else but choose what leads to life and not death?

What leads to life? Life-affirming activities. The things we value like a plant values water. Not just food, but good food. Tasty food that will give us energetic bodies.

Not just friends, but good friends who give us life when we're with them.

Not just work, but meaningful work that helps people (therefore they pay us) and allows us to buy the things we truly value.

And what about comparing ourselves to those on social media (or anywhere else)?

We don't need to do it. Plants don't compare themselves to other plants. A lily does not try to be a crocus. It would never enter a cat's mind to try to be a dog instead.

They somehow know they are what they are and their values must reflect what they actually are.

What do humans need to thrive?

• Work we don't hate

• People to love who love us back

• Healthy bodies that serve us

• Rejuvenating hobbies and art that inspires us toward all of the above

• Oh, and plenty of money

Maybe I had you until I said, "plenty of money." Or if you're on my side here, you may already be justifying it in your mind by how much you can give away if you have it.

But not so fast! I love giving. I love it. It's a blessing to be able to give to people and causes and churches.

But before we go there, let's just once and for all, admit that money is nice to have.

More money is even nicer. Why? Because most things cost money. Not having enough money is stressful when we need stuff (like healthcare) and especially when we want stuff (like better healthcare).

Many of our life-affirming values cost money.

Why then are Christians so afraid to want money?

Because they are right that money can become an idol. How do you know when it has become an idol?

You have all you need for your true life-affirming values which have nothing to do with impressing others, and you still think you need more.

This probably means you are either comparing to others to measure your worth, or you are living in fear and lack.

I’m not saying you have to stop building and working when you have enough for your values. You may have other reasons to keep building. Stewardship is a biblical principle and being faithful with what you’ve been given will often lead to more than you currently need. You will have more money at that point to deploy in further and greater faithfulness.

So how do we build this life without guilt, without the religious calculus, without the misery-as-penance cycle?

1. Reframe Your Theology of Thriving

God created a world of abundance, not scarcity. Jesus said "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). The early church shared from abundance, not guilt.

Remember the feeding of the 5,000? It wasn't about everyone getting crumbs—there were 12 baskets left over. God doesn't do scarcity. He does pressed down, shaken together, running over.

2. Values Clarity Without Religious Gymnastics

Here's a simple framework:

• What brings life to me and others?

• What drains life from me and others?

• Make choices based on life-giving vs life-draining, not complicated religious formulas

Stop the mental gymnastics. Stop needing three Bible verses and a prophetic word to buy a couch. If a good couch helps you rest, welcome people, and enjoy your home—buy the couch. Thank God for it. Move on.

3. The Money Question Resolved

Let's address it head-on: Money is a tool for life-affirming choices. Period.

The idol test is simple: Are you using money to create life or to fill a void?

Buying good food that nourishes your body? Life-affirming. Buying status symbols to feel superior? Void-filling.

Having savings that reduce anxiety? Life-affirming. Hoarding wealth while others suffer? Void-filling.

See the difference? It's not about the amount. It's about the purpose.

4. Replace Penance with Purpose

Instead of feeling guilty about good things:

• Gratitude replaces guilt

• Stewardship replaces religious calculation

• Joy replaces penance

You don't need to feel bad about your blessings to prove you're spiritual. That's not humility; it's ingratitude.

5. Practical Life-Building Steps

Ready to stop settling for crappy? Here's where to start:

1. List your actual life-affirming values (not what you think they should be). What genuinely makes you come alive?

2. Audit your current choices against those values. Where are you choosing death instead of life?

3. Make one change this week toward life. Just one. Maybe it's saying no to that draining commitment. Maybe it's finally joining that gym (or staying home from the gym!) Maybe it's having that hard conversation.

4. Find community that celebrates life, not just endures it. You need people who cheer when you thrive, not people who spiritualize your suffering.

The Bottom Line

The God who created plants to reach for sun and cats to purr in contentment created you to thrive. Not after you die. Not only on Sundays. But today, in this real life, with real choices that lead to real flourishing.

Stop doing penance for being human. Start choosing life. Because a thriving Christian is a better witness than a miserable one. And a God who wants His children miserable isn't the God of the Bible—He's the god of religion.

Choose life. God already did when He chose you.

The secret to building a great life? It's simpler than you think: Desire to live, then make choices that affirm life. Stack them up, day after day, without guilt, without religious gymnastics, without penance.

Just like a plant reaching for sun.

Just like God intended.

I like Dr. Benjamin Hardy and his books. I especially like the books he wrote with Dan Sullivan. One of them, Be Your Future Self Now is powerful, especially when you think of it through the lens of the Gospel.

Hardy uses the term prospection to discuss the human tendency to think about the future and attempt to predict it.

The problem is that we are usually wrong.

His evidence is that 10 years ago, you could not have predicted the self and life you are now.

You can see the past fairly clearly, but the future, not so much.

It doesn't stop us from trying, and usually predicting wrong stuff that is harmful to our actual future.

If you tend to worry, then you are prospecting.

And your prospection is causing some of your future, and it is certainly affecting your quality of life.

Hardy's point: Why not be intentional about it?

Most people, he says, just don't have imagination.

Develop imagination regarding your self and circumstances.

Then………

Pull your future self, and in some cases, circumstances, on in to the present!

It's about identity. You identify with the future self you have prospected and you become him or her much faster.

Wow! This is powerful.

But it is even more powerful when you look at the same process through the amazing and wonderful Christian lens.

Living the Christian life is all about identity.

We get a new identity in Christ when we believe and receive His free gift of:

Life eternal!

Life abundant!

Adoption as sons and daughters of God!

We should all be doing really great all the time in light of this.

But we aren't all doing really great all the time, because we don't know how to prospect our future selves.

We have the right to be in Christ. To be new creations. "Children of God, for that is what we are!" (1 John 3:1)

But we live in the past instead.

Or in a present defined by the past! No, no, no! We mustn't!

Because, what a waste!

God has given us the right to look into who we'll be when Christ returns and "we see Him as He is..." (1 John 3:2), when the Trumpet sounds and we are changed "in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Corinthians 15:52)!

We look into that future and pull that future self into the present.

This takes imagination, even though it's totally true. Why? Because we were wired to look at the past, but not to be fortune tellers. We just don't know how to actually predict the future because we've never experienced it.

So what would it take to fire up your imagination for this very real image of the future you?

Journaling? Daydreaming?

How often? Daily? 3 times, 4 times, 10 times a day?

Try it now. See yourself as God sees you. Prospect.

Don't feel bad that it's difficult. Use your God-given imagination to prospect into Christlikeness. It's your birthright.

P.S. Are you a writer? You might be interested in my 5 day free webinar where I'll teach you how to write and publish your Christian book. www.writeandserve.com

This week there was an article about an abusive church in my city. All of those who spoke about it were people who left long before the pastor got to the level of bullying that he is at now.

I know many first-hand accounts of those who left recently under incredible circumstances, and they were (likely) afraid to say anything about it. They have been carefully trained to believe:

"Divisiveness in a church is a cardinal sin."

"Saying anything bad about a church leader is grumbling and gossip."

"Only bad people rebel."

That is what we're all taught.

And so, good people stay in churches and ministries where they are routinely abused, say nothing, and allow wolves to keep eating sheep.

This is B.S.

If Christians aren't going to call out the Church, who should do it?

Grumbling, gossip, and slander are bad.

But telling the truth about a church and a church leadership that is misrepresenting Jesus and all the rest of us is not only good, but crucially important. The world is watching.

How does it look when the courts discover what the church has known for decades? Not good.

Church leaders (like myself) need to know that we will be held accountable for every decision made and word uttered. That's just how it is.

If you don't want to be judged, stay out of ministry.

"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." — James 3:1

"Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep?...Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand." — Ezekiel 34:2,10

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck..." — Matthew 18:6

I could go on, because the Bible does.

The fact is, I've made many mistakes myself for which I still have to repent when I find out how I once hurt someone with a stupid decision or a word that sprang from my immaturity and errors in my theology.

I need to hear it when someone has a grievance against me.

I hope that if you are on the fence about calling out an unworthy shepherd, you won't be afraid to speak out.

There is no authority on earth who can hold church leadership accountable other than the sheep. Sure, denominational leaders can help, but more often they are not on the side of the sheep.

If church leaders won't give power to their members to keep them accountable, they intend to abuse them.

If church bylaws only protect the leadership, they intend to abuse.

Oh, by the way, I started that abusive church and then laid hands on the guy who would cause so much harm. I know I am answering and will continue to answer for that.

"Come on, Christmas. Hurry up."

I heard this a lot when I was a kid.

Walking somewhere behind a grownup who was in charge of me and in more of a hurry than I was.

Later, in an Air Force cargo warehouse, I learned to walk around fast with a clipboard to look busy, even if I wasn't actually going anywhere particular.

Later still, I learned to go places as fast as possible. The world had finally taught me what it wanted me to learn. Hurry up, be impatient, get there and don't stop until you do.

Now that I'm getting old(er), I enjoy the excuse to slow down again (because, hey, old people are slow! Right?)

And when you think about it, why not?

What's the point of hurrying when God's in charge anyway?

And furthermore, hurrying is how I miss what God is actually doing.

Every Christian, at this point, will say, "I know, I know. I should slow down."

And they won't.

Mostly, we just don't believe it's okay. We don't believe we could run our life on slow.

But I could never be so productive, if I didn't go really slow through life.

I have friends who think I do a lot. The only time it feels like I do a lot is when I fail to slow down, surrender to God, and respond to Him.

When I do that, I accomplish far more than my hurried self ever could. Not because I'm working faster, but because I'm connected to the Source of my calling. The tasks that matter rise to the surface. The distractions fall away.

By refusing to rush, I've found a productivity that doesn't deplete but replenishes. The challenge isn't learning how to slow down. It's trusting that when we do, we're not falling behind—we're finally moving in rhythm with the one who created time in the first place.

The Biblical Wisdom of Naval Ravikant

One of my favorite non-believing thinkers is Naval Ravikant. Though he's not a Christian, he seems to have lived into some biblical wisdom. In his pursuit of meaning, he's stumbled upon truths that Scripture has been teaching for millennia that pertains to our topic this week.

"Impatience with actions, patience with results," Naval advises. This echoes James 5:7-8. "See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth." God's timeline often works at a different pace than our anxious rushing. ”Impatience with actions” simply means, once you know what to do, do it, but don’t get hurried, and don’t think you can rush results that only work in God’s timing.

Naval also reminds us to "Slow down, life is long." Ecclesiastes already told us "the race is not to the swift." Hurrying doesn't guarantee success.

When our hurry exists, because we are trying to frenetically earn the money to afford an ever expanding lifestyle, Naval reminds us that, "People who live far below their means enjoy a freedom that people busy upgrading their lifestyles can't fathom"

Jesus said the same: "One's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."

What Naval found through reflection, Scripture has taught for thousands of years. Believers receive these truths as revelation. When I slow down I'm aligning with God’s rhythm that governs all creation.

How Does Surrender Fit in Naval's "Biblical Non-Christian" Philosophy?

Naval Ravikant’s secular philosophy ultimately arrives at surrender—a core biblical concept—though through a completely different path.

Naval speaks of acceptance as the ultimate mental freedom: "The phrase that I probably use the most to myself in my head is just one word: accept." This mirrors Philippians 4:11, where Paul writes about being content in all circumstances.

Naval frames surrender practically, saying, "Just focus on the one or two really really important things, and everything else, just surrender to it. Just take it as it comes." He sees surrender not as weakness but as strategic wisdom. Only by letting go of control in most areas can we truly focus on what matters.

For Naval, surrender creates space for presence. "The fewer desires I can have, the more I can accept the current state of things, the less my mind is moving," he observes. This echoes Psalm 46:10: "Be still, and know that I am God."

Where Naval approaches surrender as a philosophical choice for mental freedom, Christianity frames it as relationship. We surrender not just for our benefit, but because we trust the One to whom we surrender.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5 ESV)

Naval discovered that attachment to outcomes creates suffering: "Desire is a contract that you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want." Jesus taught this too when he warned about anxiety in Matthew 6: "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?"

The difference? Naval's surrender is horizontal—acceptance of what is. Christian surrender is both horizontal and vertical—accepting reality while trusting God with outcomes.

All truth is God’s truth, so maybe it’s not that remarkable that these different paths converge on the same paradoxical truth: only by surrendering control do we find the freedom we seek.

The world won't tell you to slow down. It won't encourage surrender. But the Kingdom of God has always been upside-down to the world's way of thinking. But even in the world, the truth is the truth is the truth.

Doing more starts with doing less. Sometimes to move forward, be still. Sometimes surrender is the greatest victory.

— Jeff

P.S. Are you a writer? I have something for you in June if you’ve always wanted to write a book. It’s free, but will cost you an hour and half for 5 days. I’ll tell you more in a couple of weeks!

Works Cited

Jorgenson, Eric. "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant." Naval, 15 Sept. 2020, https://www.navalmanack.com/

Ravikant, Naval. "Impatience with actions, patience with results." Twitter, 18 June 2018, https://twitter.com/naval/status/1008533213919133697

Ravikant, Naval. "People who live far below their means enjoy a freedom that people busy upgrading their lifestyles can't fathom." Twitter https://twitter.com/naval/status/846774878195757057

Sloww. "Naval Ravikant: 15 Timeless Thoughts & 50 Naval Quotes." Sloww, 8 Mar. 2022, https://www.sloww.co/naval-ravikant/

This week, Shane Parrish from The Knowledge Project Podcast talked about Henry Singleton of Teledyne, saying,

He compared all options against each other. “I won’t pay 15 times earnings,” he said. “That would mean I’d only be making a return of 6 or 7 percent. I can do that in T-bills.” Every capital allocation decision was measured against alternatives.

This is quite a powerful way to think about…everything.

Life is a constant series of trades.

Every choice we make — every “yes” we give — is also a “no” to something else.

The wise don’t just ask, “Is this good?”

They ask, “Is this better than my other options?”

Singleton knew: Every allocation of resources — time, money, energy — should be measured against the alternatives.

That’s not just wise investing. It’s biblical living.

Opportunity cost isn’t just a business concept — it’s a deeply spiritual one.

The Bible constantly invites us to compare — not just accept whatever option is in front of us.

Jesus himself framed life in terms of opportunity cost:

“What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”

(Mark 8:36)

In other words:

You could win everything you think you want… and still lose what matters most.

Throughout Scripture, God constantly framed the lives of His people in the language of choices and costs:

“I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live.”

(Deuteronomy 30:19)

God doesn’t simply ask His people to obey — He teaches them to recognize the stakes.

Every decision is a crossroads:

Life or death. Blessing or curse. Wisdom or foolishness.

In fact, every decision we are making is a decision between life and death. At least, it’s on a spectrum of life and death.

I’ve been writing about this since beginning this newsletter. It’s all about life and death. A good choice based on your true values is a move towards life, and a poor choice is poor because it is a move towards death.

Biblical thinking means:

• Measuring options not just by surface appeal, but by their true return.
  
  

• Asking: “If I give my heart to this — what am I giving up?”
  
  

• Remembering that every “yes” is also a “no” to something else.
  
  

Biblical Examples of Opportunity Cost Thinking:

1. Mary vs. Martha (Luke 10:38–42)

• Martha was busy with “many things” — good things!
  
  

• Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet.
  
  

• Jesus said Mary had “chosen the better portion,” and it would not be taken from her.
  
  

• Opportunity Cost: Martha’s busyness cost her the chance to be with Jesus. Mary chose life.
  
  

2. The Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:17–27)

• He wanted eternal life but wasn’t willing to give up his wealth.
  
  

• He chose earthly treasure over heavenly treasure.
  
  

• Opportunity Cost: He walked away from life itself, clinging to possessions.
  
  

3. Paul’s Life Reorientation (Philippians 3:7–8)

• Paul counted all his earthly achievements as “dung” compared to knowing Christ.
  
  

• He realized that holding onto reputation and status would cost him intimacy with Christ.
  
  

• Opportunity Cost: He chose the greater treasure. He chose life.
  
  

What if we thought more biblically about opportunity cost in everyday life?

• Every hour spent mindlessly scrolling is an hour not spent growing, loving, or serving. It is dying.
  
  

• Every dollar spent feeding our ego is a dollar not invested in the Kingdom, but in our death.
  
  

• Every decision to pursue comfort might be a decision not to pursue calling, which is a key component of life.
  
  

Biblical humans are wise stewards who think beyond the immediate, and ask:

“What’s the real trade happening here?”

And the stakes are higher than we realize.

In the small daily choices, as well as the big life decisions, we are always choosing:

Life or death. Blessing or curse. Growth or decline.

You can live your life on autopilot, saying yes to whatever is loudest…

Or you can live intentionally, choosing “the better portion,” like Mary did.

Jesus invites us to think like investors of the soul:

To allocate our lives toward the highest return — Him.

Every decision is an investment.

Choose life.

Choose the better portion.

What About You:

Where in your life are you making automatic trades — accepting the easy or the urgent without thinking about what it’s costing you?

May I pause today and measure our decisions not by urgency, but by a LIFE we will live eternally.

Jeff B. Miller

www.Godspeed-Church.com

www.ChristianWritingCoach.com

www.ChristianGhostwriting.com

Clark Kent always knew he was Superman, even as he hid it from everyone else. The problem with this comic strip is that for it to properly illustrate the reality of the Christian life, it should have been the other way around; it should have been mild mannered Clark looking in Merlin’s mirror and seeing Superman revealed.

In medieval Baghdad, the mighty Caliph Harun al-Rashid would sometimes set aside his royal robes and walk among his people disguised as a commoner.

He'd wander the streets, listen to complaints, and observe injustice firsthand.

The Caliph understood: sometimes the most powerful position is one of deliberate hiddenness.

This reminds me of Colossians 3:3-4: "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

What does it mean that our lives are "hidden with Christ"?

When Harun donned commoner's clothes, he didn't become less of a ruler. His authority remained intact. He was still the richest man in Baghdad.

In the same way, your life hidden with Christ doesn't mean your true identity is diminished.

It simply means it isn't always visible to those around you.

Or even to yourself on your worst days.

Here are 5 Keys to Living the Hidden Life

1. Embrace Death as the Doorway to True Life

There's no hidden life without first dying. "For you have died," Paul says.

This isn't morbid but liberating. Our old identity defined by performance and comparison has been crucified with Christ.

If the Caliph (or Clark Kent!) wanted to move freely, he had to "die" to his visible royal identity.

2. Find Security in Divine Concealment

Your life is "hidden with Christ in God."

Could there be a more secure location?

The Caliph's disguise provided some protection.

Your concealment is infinitely more comprehensive. Your worth and future are held in the ultimate stronghold. You don't have to frantically prove your value, because it is a forgone conclusion, even though hidden.

3. Live From Identity Rather Than For Identity

The Caliph didn't disguise himself to become important.

He already was important.

We don't serve to become God's children.

We already are His children.

This shift transforms motivation.

You're not working toward a status but from a status already secured.

4. Recognize the Strategic Advantage of Hiddenness

Harun discovered he could accomplish things incognito impossible in royal robes. It reminds me of Undercover Boss.

When people didn't recognize him, they spoke freely.

Similarly, there's power in not needing credit or recognition.

When your life is hidden with Christ, you're freed from self-promotion.

You can serve without the burden of making sure everyone notices. The Caliph didn’t need to be known for what he was doing. It wasn’t about that; it was about accomplishing his purpose.

More importantly, Christ did the same. He did not want His true identity revealed until the proper time. Which brings up #5…

5. Anticipate the Reveal

"When Christ appears, you also will appear with him in glory."

The hiddenness is temporary.

The Caliph always returned to the palace and revealed his true identity. The best part of Undercover Boss is the reveal.

Your hidden life will likewise be fully disclosed, not as vindication, but as completion of what God has begun in you.

We live in a visibility-obsessed culture.

Followers, likes, influence - the metrics of seen-ness dominate. Those of us in business must wrestle with how to make people know we exist, and how to stay hidden in Christ.

But the most transformative work happens in hiddenness.

The seed grows underground before breaking the surface.

The most important foundation stones are never seen.

Your life is hidden with Christ in God.

This isn't diminishment - it's placement in the most secure position possible.

Live boldly from that hidden place.

What others see or don't see matters infinitely less than what is already true of you in Christ.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Jeff Miller

www.Godspeed-Church.com

www.ChristianGhostwriting.com

www.ChristianWritingCoach.com

Here's what I used to think it meant to be a human and celebrate Easter.

Jesus died for me. He wants me to think really hard about that this weekend.

He also wants me to invite more people to church.

For 40 days prior (Lent), He wanted me to give up something and try to be less happy about stuff and happier about Him (but sad that He was betrayed, tortured, and died [which I am!]).

He probably wanted me to pray the whole weekend.

He wanted me to celebrate like crazy on Sunday, probably baptizing new converts, and singing the happiest worship songs before moving on to another Monday with the Easter season behind us and nothing much to do until Christmas.

I would be doing all these things not as well as I could or should be doing and asking for forgiveness, remembering that, well, this is just the sort of thing He died for—my less than perfect devotion.

Religion, am I right?

The fact is, all those things are good. I'll do most of them this weekend.

But it sure makes it feel like these things are the point of the Christian life.

But they are not the point of the Christian life.

Because as important as Holy Week is, it's still just religion.

It's good religion if…

…I don't forget what it's actually about. And what would that be?

Being.

Is there anything different about Easter from any other day?

Not really.

Which day do we not live in the reality that God made us, saved us, and loves us?

On which day should we not remember the Gospel and live out of the truth?

On what day are we not made in the image of God?

When do we not wake up and walk in the Spirit, fulfilling our callings as delegated authorities over the earth, making stuff and making stuff happen?

Is there any Tuesday we aren't called to love our neighbors, brothers, and enemies?

What I'm Not Saying

I'm not saying that it's not helpful to have seasons in the Church. I think most of us benefit from the annual reminders on the Church calendar. All those things in my introduction are good things as long as they don't become the point.

The fact that some who consider themselves Christians only go to church on special days tells me that it is the human tendency to mistake our relationship to God with a duty-bound obligation to His religion, even if it's poorly lived out.

Being baptized Christians is just our eternal reality at this point. Everything we do is worship, because we are constantly bearing His image and glorifying Him. The only way not to do that is to sin, which you can only do when you are forgetting who you are and Who He is.

Religion can help us not sin, and that's the point. Everything about being, is remembering.

There is tremendous freedom in giving up religiousness. And because you and I struggle to know when we're prioritizing religion over relationship, here are 10 ways to know if that's what you're doing:

1. You feel more obligated than invited. Religion says you should. Relationship says you get to.

2. You're more concerned with appearance than authenticity. Who's watching becomes more important than who you're meeting.

3. You compartmentalize "sacred" and "secular." Monday has nothing to do with Sunday.

4. You're driven by guilt rather than gratitude. Shame is your main motivator.

5. You focus more on rules than relationship. Getting the traditions right matters more than presence.

6. You measure spiritual success by activity rather than identity. Your worth depends on what you do.

7. You struggle to rest. Downtime makes you feel spiritually unproductive.

8. You compare your spiritual life to others. Your spiritual growth feels like a competition.

9. You're more familiar with doctrine than love. You can talk theology but struggle to embody it.

10. You forget to live in the present. You're stuck regretting the past or anxious about the future.

And a Bonus: You are always ashamed, even when you didn’t do anything wrong.

This is why Paul said, "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection" (Philippians 3:10).

He didn't say, "I want to know about Christ." He didn't say, "I want to perform rituals for Christ."

He said, "I want to know Christ."

And specifically? "The power of his resurrection."

This is practical resurrection life. It's not about checking religious boxes. It's about experiencing resurrection power in your daily life.

It's living as if death has already been defeated.

Because it has.

The miracle of Easter isn't just that Jesus rose then. It's that resurrection life is available now.

Every day.

In traffic jams.

During arguments.

While washing dishes.

Watching Netflix.

Resurrection isn't a concept—it's reality. Death, sin, and religion no longer have the final say.

So attend services. Sing songs. Remember the cross. Celebrate the empty tomb.

But don't forget Monday morning isn't a return to "regular life" after a spiritual holiday.

It's another day of being who you already are—a resurrection person.

That's the freedom Christ died and rose to give us. Not freedom someday.

Freedom today.

Thanks for reading Biblical Human Daily! Subscribe for free to receive new posts.

—Jeff B. Miller

www.Godspeed-Church.com

www.ChristianGhostwriting.com

www.ChristianWritingCoach.net

People were spilling out joyfully into the warm spring evening carrying their palm leaves. Palm Sunday is tomorrow, and in one of the most unified times of the year for the church, Christians are participating.

In what?

In worship. In liturgy. In observance. In rhythms of reminding of our Lord, who He is, what He's done, and what it means for us.

This is a good thing.

Except, it's not a good thing if the religious practices are mistaken for following Jesus.

Before crossing that parking lot, my daughter had already asked me why so many Christians don't act like Jesus.

My answer was that if we're in a culture where it makes sense to be a Christian, that is, makes social sense, then some people are probably going to sign up, though they actually don't fear God or even believe in Him.

And it all makes me think about the question: What's the point of religious practices (which I actually love)?

They are supposed to be helpful in shaping us into the kinds of people we are hoping to become in Christ.

But isn't it so easy to forget that and think it's about the religious practices?

The church services

The morning devotions

The Bible reading plans

The prayers

The *way* we pray

The confessions

The meditations

If we do these things a lot we think we're being good Christians, but I don't think so.

Instead, I think that if we can love our enemies.

Tell the truth.

Be generous.

Serve graciously.

Be patient. Kind. Gentle. Self-controlled.

May our religious practices lead us to bear the fruit of the Spirit.

May our Easter egg hunts lead us to love our neighbors (I know an Easter egg hunt is not a religious practice.).

I love church and all the things that go with it, but if I ask God to search my heart, I'm not asking Him to show me how committed I am to church, but how much like His Son I'm being. And I need lots of help with that, so I'll go to the church services, I'll do my morning devotions, prayers, Bible reading plans, and all the rest.

Happy Palm Sunday and I pray you have a great one.

By "healthy" I mean a church that is healthy for its members.

"A healthy church is led by a leadership team (elders and staff) who don't think they own the members, but are accountable to them."

A healthy church cultivates:

1. Gathering

2. Around the Truth of the gospel and the Bible

3. Building Christ-centered relationships,

4. Loving the whole body of Christ across time and place,

5. Making disciples who make disciples,

6. And spiritually and materially benefiting the community where it belongs.

A healthy church equips members to take responsibility for their faith and lives, and assists in whatever way possible for them to live out God's call for them.

In short, church should be awesome.

What doesn't matter as much:

1. Quality of production (nice, but not necessary)

2. Exact doctrinal stances on secondary issues and beyond (though your church may disagree with that)

3. Worship style (nice if you get what you like, but less important than other things)

Let me park on #2, because that is where I get the most pushback.

Do you really think you have no reason to doubt your stance on when the millennium happens and where we are in the process?

Do you really think you can't fellowship with someone who thinks Communion should be once a month, when you like it every week?

If Christ said "that is your brother because of my blood," is there any good reason not to do life together?

We have brothers and sisters all over the place that we live together with and worship Jesus forever and ever. Let's get used to each other. Maybe Jesus will even let us know when church governmental structure is the right one (elder led congregational, of course!) when we get there and it doesn't matter anymore.

What else doesn't matter? What does matter? Let's have a conversation in the comments, because I'm certain I left out some things.

Bonus Section: 5 Steps to Find a Church to Join

Step 1: Find One Close to Your House Proximity matters. A church you can actually attend regularly beats a "perfect" one across town.

Step 2: Know What Actually Matters Leadership that serves and respects members, gospel-centered teaching, and genuine community trump production quality. Also, see my list above.

Step 3: Don't Get Hung Up on Secondary Doctrines Does this church believe in and love Jesus and take the Bible seriously? That's the foundation. The rest is negotiable.

Step 4: Watch How People Treat Each Other Real Christ-centered relationships matter more than programs. Look for authentic friendships, not just events.

Step 5: Check for Disciple-Making and Community Impact Healthy churches help people grow and serve their cities and neighborhoods, not just run Sunday services.

Remember, no church is perfect. I pray you find family, not perfection.