When I was younger, I thought to “have faith” in God meant trying to believe that His promises were true, exerting mental or emotional effort to convince myself. As I get older it seems to me that faith in God is much more about knowing Him personally and trusting Him—who He is, His character, His goodness—and less about only trying to believe His

The central work of Jesus as He lived His daily life was to rest in and to stay with the Father.

I talked negatively about myself endlessly, even in my prayer journal. I thought I was practicing humility, but negative self-talk isn’t humility; it’s pride and self-obsession. God doesn’t want this from us. He wants metanoia, that simple turning to recognize Him as real, present, and in us. He wants confession. Confession involves telling the

Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the ability to do what is right, good, and true even when we feel fear. Courage is the foundational virtue, and Jesus’ courage was rooted in knowing His Father was with Him, in Him, and would be the words in His heart and the actions of His hands.

Jesus ate our death so that we might live His life. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

When Jesus said, “Come to Me,” He didn’t mean solely, “Come to the Bible and read about Me.” In fact, He told the Pharisees, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (John 5:39–40).

In the new covenant we are filled with this resurrection power. The old way is flipped upside down, and holiness now doesn’t depend on my self-fueled human effort. The Ten Commandments become ten promises. I’ll have no other gods before me because Christ in me protects me. I’ll love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength because Christ in

Abiding dependence is a walk with God more than a quick-fix formula.

Dependence on His indwelling Father is the biggest identifying stamp of the earthly life of Jesus Christ. It’s the root of His love, compassion, authority, and power. Independence, self-effort, and self-will found no home in Him; temptations couldn’t win because Jesus knew the source and wellspring of life. He was battered by temptations, but He