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Showing posts from August, 2025

Reconnected by Grace

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Part 2 of the “Created to Connect” Series Ephesians 2:1–10 by Bart Denny When Life Won’t Click Together Have you ever stepped on a LEGO in the dark? You don’t forget it. But here’s something else about LEGO bricks—they’re not meant to exist by themselves. A single piece might look fine sitting on a table… but it doesn’t fulfill its purpose until it connects. That’s the idea behind this series: God didn’t create you to live disconnected. He created you to connect—to Him and to one another. Last week, we saw that clearly in the words of Jesus: “I am the vine; you are the branches…” (John 15:5, NIV) Life only works when we stay connected to Him. But that raises an honest question: If we were created to connect… why do we feel so disconnected? Why does it feel like we’re trying—but something just won’t come together? When Trying Harder Doesn’t Work If you’re honest, you’ve probably felt this. You know the right things. You’re doing the right things. From...
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How Much More? Praying with Persistence

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by Bart Denny Have you ever noticed how persistence changes outcomes? Parents know this all too well. A child wants a cookie before dinner, or a toy at the store, and the answer is “no.” But the request doesn’t stop there. They ask again. And again. Eventually—sometimes just for the sake of peace—we give in. Persistence works. But here’s the question: if persistence can move us—imperfect parents and imperfect people—what happens when persistence is brought before our perfect, loving, just heavenly Father? That’s the point Jesus drives home in Luke 18:1–8. He tells a parable “to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” The story contrasts two characters: a corrupt judge with no fear of God, and a powerless widow who had no advocate but one weapon—persistence. And persistence won. If a widow could win justice from an unjust judge simply by refusing to quit, how much more can God’s children expect from the most just Judge of all when we persist in prayer? Let’s expl...
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Give Us This Day — Trusting God with Our Needs

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  by Bart Denny Have you ever noticed how the Lord’s Prayer shifts gears? It begins with God — Our Father… hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. It’s all about His holiness, His priorities, His will. But then, without skipping a beat, Jesus invites us to pray something incredibly down-to-earth: “Give us today our daily bread.” — Matthew 6:11 That’s not just a request for food. It’s an invitation to trust. 1. Trust God Daily — He Knows What You Need Jesus could have said, “Give us a year’s worth of provisions,” or “Fill my retirement account now.” But He didn’t. He taught us to ask for daily bread. It’s a reminder of how God fed Israel with manna in the wilderness — just enough for each day, no stockpiling. Why? Because God was teaching them to depend on Him one day at a time. We like to plan ahead. We want the five-year blueprint. But Jesus says, “Live in the now. Trust Me for today.” Practical step: Each morning this week, pause before you check your pho...
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A Dangerous Prayer

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Praying, "Your kingdom come" realigns everything! by Bart Denny When was the last time you had a moment that silenced the noise and clarified what really matters? Maybe it came during a health scare, a late-night heart-to-heart, or a snowy Michigan road. In those moments, the trivial fades and the essential stands tall. And if we’re honest, we need those moments—not just in life but in our prayer life too. Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6 to begin prayer not with ourselves, but with God: “Our Father… hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done.” Let’s focus on just those three powerful words: “Your kingdom come.” It’s more than a phrase. It’s a spiritual posture. It’s a dangerous prayer. Praying “Your Kingdom Come” Means Yielding to God’s Rule In Us We often pray for the world to change, but Jesus starts by calling for change within. Luke 17:21 reminds us: “The kingdom of God is in your midst.” That means the kingdom begins when we surrender our hearts t...
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