Genuine Faith
"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."- 1 Samuel 16:7
Genuine faith is about getting closer to God. It's about spiritual intimacy with God and being honest with ourselves. When we focus too much on the outward aspects of our faith, we can distort what it means to have an authentic relationship with God.
Years ago, I had the opportunity to tour Universal Studios in Los Angeles. As we walked through the sets of some of TV's most popular shows, I noticed something interesting. When I stepped inside the houses on the various sets, they were just a facade. From the outside, they looked like real homes.”beautifully crafted, with all the details you'd expect. But when you walked around or peeked behind them, you realized there was nothing there. They were just big pictures painted to look like real houses, with no substance behind them.
This experience made me think about how easy it is to fall into the trap of living a faith that's all about appearances. It's tempting to focus on doing all the right things”going to church, reading the Bible, saying the right words”without paying attention to what's happening in our hearts. We can look good on the outside, but if there's no real connection with God behind it, then what's the point?
Jesus warns against this kind of empty faith. He didn't come to create a religion of surface-level believers who follow rules and rituals without experiencing true transformation. He came to invite us into a relationship where we can be real—where we don't have to pretend we've got it all together.
Don't let your faith become a facade. Don't settle for just looking good on the outside. Take the time to build an authentic relationship with God, one that goes beyond appearances and touches the deepest parts of who you are. Real faith isn't about perfection; it's about honesty, vulnerability, and letting God work in your life in a genuine way. When we do that, we're not just painting a pretty picture”we''re building something real that lasts.
Genuine faith is about getting closer to God. It's about spiritual intimacy with God and being honest with ourselves. When we focus too much on the outward aspects of our faith, we can distort what it means to have an authentic relationship with God.
Years ago, I had the opportunity to tour Universal Studios in Los Angeles. As we walked through the sets of some of TV's most popular shows, I noticed something interesting. When I stepped inside the houses on the various sets, they were just a facade. From the outside, they looked like real homes.”beautifully crafted, with all the details you'd expect. But when you walked around or peeked behind them, you realized there was nothing there. They were just big pictures painted to look like real houses, with no substance behind them.
This experience made me think about how easy it is to fall into the trap of living a faith that's all about appearances. It's tempting to focus on doing all the right things”going to church, reading the Bible, saying the right words”without paying attention to what's happening in our hearts. We can look good on the outside, but if there's no real connection with God behind it, then what's the point?
Jesus warns against this kind of empty faith. He didn't come to create a religion of surface-level believers who follow rules and rituals without experiencing true transformation. He came to invite us into a relationship where we can be real—where we don't have to pretend we've got it all together.
Don't let your faith become a facade. Don't settle for just looking good on the outside. Take the time to build an authentic relationship with God, one that goes beyond appearances and touches the deepest parts of who you are. Real faith isn't about perfection; it's about honesty, vulnerability, and letting God work in your life in a genuine way. When we do that, we're not just painting a pretty picture”we''re building something real that lasts.
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2026
January
When God Feels Silent but is Still at WorkHow to Rebound After a Crushing LetdownWhen Your World Falls Apart After You Did Everything RightGod Is Still Building Roads in the DesertThe Chapter That Comes After TraumaWhen Hope Feels GoneWhen Your Words Start Working Against YouGod’s Resume Is Bigger Than Your SituationWaiting on God is Not Doing NothingBefore Circumstances ChangeGetting In Your Bag When Life Feels UnfairWinning With a Bad HandOverlooked, Insulted, and Still ChosenPrepared in the Field Before the Giant AppearsYou Were Trained for This MomentTaking Off Armor That Does Not FitFormed in the Field, Not on the StageWhen the Battle Is Not Actually YoursWhen You Feel the Urge to Go Through God’s PhoneFaith After Disappointment Still CountsKeep Showing Up Even When You Are ConfusedLocked Doors Do Not Stop JesusWhen You Need an Encounter for YourselfDoubt as a DoorwaySaying What Hurts When God Is in the RoomWhere Faith and Fear CollideShutdown Does Not Mean FinishedWhen Opposition Shows Up Mid-ProgressBuilding Without Responding to the MockeryA Mind to Work in the Middle of WearinessThe Wall Rose Because the People Did Not Quit
2025
January
Plenty of RoomThankful for Your SeatWho God Invites to the TableThat’s the PointWe Do Not Have a Monopoly on GodStop Talking So LoudLet God Handle the Guest ListA Long-Awaited ReunionSeeing Jesus for YourselfIn Possession of a Personal PromiseGet in the Right PositionReady to ReceiveAligning Your Life for God's PromiseWaiting with ExpectancyGrounded in PrayerStrength in PrayerPatience Through PrayerStay Focused Through PrayerGod's Conditional PromisesGod’s PriorityGrounded in FaithTrusting God's TimingThe Assurance of God's PromisesIs It Well With Your Soul?Health vs. HealingStewarding Your BodyA Holistic View of SpiritualityGod Cares About Your BodyWhat You Put in MattersNourishing Your SoulThe Power of Prevention
February
The Power of a ComebackHealing from the PastStop Blaming and Start TrustingBury the Past to Claim the FutureFacing Trauma with TruthCelebrate That You SurvivedRepair What is BrokenNothing God Can’t FixDon’t Swing at Bad PitchesStick to God’s PlanDon’t Let Desperation Drive YouShift Your WeightWho Knows Best?A Good Idea Isn’t Always a God IdeaPeace in God’s PlanFinding Purpose in God’s PlanProsperity in God’s PlanTrusting God’s Plan, Pace, and ProcessKnowing When to PivotGod Hasn’t Given Up on YouNext-Level Faith Requires PerseveranceA New Revelation of GodIt’s Not All About YouNext-Level ConnectionsNext-Level CommitmentA Prayer That Moves GodPrayers That Carry a BurdenPray With Boldness
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