Human-wisdom-encouragement is when our performance — or noting the poor performance of others, encourages us. The second kind of encouragement is when the Spirit freshly convicts us of our human-wisdom-dependency. This is Jesus-dependency-encouragement. Human-wisdom-encouragement is well-intentioned but harmful, addictive. Jesus-dependency-encouragement is beneficial, and also addictive, because it’s so indescribably delicious — a taste of Heaven.…

Because we hope He’ll change our circumstances to EASY? No. Because He COMMANDS us to. Whyzat? Because He knows that only THANKers experience the benefit of His sovereign reign in their daily lives, and that the happiest Christians are THANKers — curious/expectant to see what Jesus does NEXT in them, others, circumstances, experiencing the other-worldly…

when I’m forced to trust Jesus in the face of uncertainty — my human-wisdom wants me to UNDERSTAND, so I can KNOW what to do. It HATES me trusting Jesus. HATES me being so pathetically dependent on Jesus. Thinks Jesus is a CRUTCH. How embarrassing for a grown man. And seculars are not compelled by…

When humans appear to be in charge, Jesus does NOT appear to be in charge. Human-wisdom informs our reality, not Scripture, so we Christians typically go through our day without the benefit of Jesus in THIS life. Reading or listening to Scripture can be used of the Spirit to bring sanity to our souls in…

Stop trying to do better, believe better, follow Jesus better, be a better spouse, parent, employee, boss. Instead CONFESS your failure. The Christian life is SIMPLE, but our human-wisdom makes it complicated. Just CONFESS. WHY do we want to be better, do better? Seems so noble to wannabe better. Because Jesus is not ENOUGH for…

are not coming to Jesus left and right, is He ENOUGH for me as EvangelistDave? A huge desire of my heart is to see conversions among seculars around me, but the dark side of that motivation is pride — the need to feel WORTHY as a Great Commission activist. When I’m disappointed with my performance…

using us powerfully in ministry can expose how circumstance-dependent we are for our joy and peace. Our human-wisdom wants us successful in every area of our lives. Ministry idolatry sucks the life out of us human-wisdom-dependent Christians. Only Jesus-dependents have a healthy indifference to outcomes. Only the unusually-self-aware even recognize the problem. Anything we can…

of what an egregious sinner you are as you go through your day, Jesus will not be a big deal to you during your day. Your human-wisdom and the human-wisdom of others, will be the big deal. You will be circumstance-dependent for your joy and peace — not Jesus-dependent. The imputed worthiness of Jesus to…

I’m like every atheist, confident-I-know-what’s-best, wise in my own eyes, leaning on my own understanding — human-wisdom-dependent, not Jesus-dependent. My human-wisdom thinks it knows what’s best for me, those I love, my country, the world. And the Church. But when the Spirit freshly convicts me of human-wisdom-dependency, I’m momentarily clueless about what would be best,…

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold; I’d rather be His than have riches untold; I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands; I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand Although American hymnals show Rhea Miller as the author of this song, Swedish sources attribute the original to Prince Oscar Bernadotte. In 1888…