Prayer is not an emergency hotline only to dial when we get in trouble; it is an ongoing connection with our Father so we can stay in step with His Son. If we want to learn how to pray well, we best go learn from Jesus.

Teenagers get a bad wrap in our society for being self-absorbed, technologically fixated, and unwillingly sacrificial. In our churches, we must not expect less from our students who desire to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.

If you listen to the way many Christians talk today, we sound so different from the way Jesus expected us to live and serve others. Instead of making it about Him and others, we make it all about becoming as comfortable as possible.

There are traps of sin that all of us can fall into because we are humans with desires of the flesh, but there are traps of sin that are very effective on you personally. If you want to follow Jesus in obedience, you must beware those traps.

Money is a gift from God, but if it is not kept in the right position, it will take the place of God in our lives. In our society that treasures the riches of this world in an unhealthy way, disciples of Jesus must refocus their values.

Being a disciple of Jesus is more than adherence to a set of beliefs or acceptance to a momentary call; following Christ in this world changes everything. To say “yes” to Him might mean saying “no” to other things that we love.

Our phones give us constant access to anyone or anything at any time, and they often distract us from the people around us. We are so prone to checking our phones throughout the day, but what if we treated the opportunity of prayer like that?

We all know the cringeworthy moments that can happen when a selfish person, who lacks self-awareness, says and does things that cause pain to others. It is difficult to know how to help them get their attention off of themselves, but we must try.

At some point, we will all realize that we have never graduated from the childish way of thinking, that we ought to have what we want and ought to have it right now. This quest for immediate gratification is not from Christ and must be combatted in our lives.

We live in a world that encourages you to be you; the phrase implies that you should just live however you want. In all honesty, I can’t think of a more dangerous set of instructions to incorporate as you try to succeed at what God has called you to do.

When we often think about the task of global missions, we can easily be overwhelmed by the great scope of work required. This worldwide task must begin much smaller with individual disciples taking personal responsibility for the work.

It’s great to have a personal desire to follow Jesus on the second mile but to do so successfully, you need some people around you heading down the same path. We need friendships that encourage our discipleship. It’s time to go the second mile in keeping reliable connections and directions.

Each of us lives with regrets from previous mistakes, but we can become dangerously apathetic and immobile afterward. Even if you recently messed up and are suffering from its consequences, do what you can while you can. It’s time to go the second mile and do the next right thing.

Many employees believe in a cause but get discouraged in the process when working with a directionless leader and misaligned coworkers. With a few adjustments, you can experience significant changes by coordinated efforts.

It may not sound encouraging to anticipate failure as we follow Jesus, but none of us will always get it right. We should not wonder if we will fail, but we should consider how Jesus desires us to respond when the unavoidable happens.

Stuff can’t save us, but that doesn’t stop us from thinking that the more that we have, the more contented we can become. The reality is that we must prioritize a settled disposition in our lifetime if we are going to survive materialistic traps. It’s time to go the second mile in reclaiming contentment.…

Even though prayer can be very challenging to stay consistent with focus and direction, we all know of its important for our lives. With some simple adjustments, you can create more effective times of prayer that will cause you to desire it more. It’s time to go the second mile in making better prayer times.…

Nothing strikes fear into the heart of a disciple quite like the expectation to share Christ with another person. We must learn to embrace our commitment to Jesus so much that it becomes an easy thing for us to talk about Jesus to others. It’s time to go the second mile in getting over the fear of evangelism.…

Our culture doesn’t expect much from teenagers, but that doesn’t mean that Jesus feels the same way. Throughout the pages of Scripture and over the course of history, God has repeatedly used young people in incredible ways. It’s time to go the second mile in rejecting teenage apathy.

We live in a society where we oftentimes revert to isolation rather than embracing community. Understanding that we are in need of deep relationships, we lack the prioritized time to see those connections thrive. It’s time to go the second mile in open homes and deep relationships.

Many singles feel like their lack of a romantic relationship reduces their status in life. While the desire to find someone and eventually be married isn’t a wrong thing, you must be careful not to settle. Wait for the right person and the right time. It’s time to go the second mile in wise singleness…

Jesus is not a neutral relationship to have. If you really follow Him, He will demand you to express clear allegiance. Your relationship with Him will also cause others to determine their interaction with you based on how connected you are to Him. It’s time to go the second mile in picking sides.

Whoever is nearest to you will have the greatest influence upon you. There’s no way around it. Our relationships determine how well we can follow Jesus. Without proper consideration, we can find ourselves in friendships that hinder our personal discipleship. It’s time to go the second mile in healthy friendships.…

Plenty of people struggle to keep a consistent Bible reading plan due to numerous distractions that consistently keep us from this necessary discipline. These four steps can help you stay faithful in a habit that can change your life for the better. It’s time to go the second mile in consistent Bible study.…

When someone receives the gospel, that individual starts the journey of discipleship. We often classify such new believers as spiritual infants. But what happens if those young in their faith never grow past their initial faith commitment? It’s time to go the second mile in growing up through the Word of God.…

Why can’t I do what I want to do? Mainly because I do stupid stuff. Each of us cannot be left to our personal wisdom to determine the decisions we ought to make. We require a truth that is more trustworthy than our fickle feelings and reactionary responses. It’s time to go the second mile in seeing our need for Scripture.…

You’ve heard people say that you need to read the Bible, but what if you can’t stand reading? It’s not just that book – it’s any book. If reading isn’t your favorite and the Bible is a big book, what are you to do? You’ve got to retrain your mind regarding the Bible. It’s time to go the second mile in being devoted to Scripture.…

We often encourage people to read God’s Word daily, but we rarely provide people with assistance so they can experience success. As you think about your personal time in the Word, do you have a plan that will help you grow in your personal discipleship? It’s time to go the second mile in rethinking Bible reading plans.…

Women face unique challenges in our culture. The call of the Word contradicts the claims of the world. The Bible provides clear guidance for how to transform an individual life, a group of friends, or even a church’s ministry geared toward raising godly women. It’s time to go the second mile in rethinking women’s ministry.…

The Word calls men to be bold leaders for the Kingdom of God, but the world calls men to be passive followers for the kingdom of self. Our churches cannot continue to allow the slide for men to progress. We must lead them according to God’s standards. It’s time to go the second mile in rethinking men’s ministry.…

In the midst of many opportunities for spiritual growth, we can lack a needed sense of alignment. What if we are guilty of widespread efforts that only provide shallow understanding? Focus might be the component we’ve been missing. It’s time to go the second mile in pursuing alignment.

We are on the verge of one of my favorite times of year - it is the Thanksgiving long weekend. Regardless of your specific traditions, these days are often characterized by food, family, and football, but for many of us, it's also known for frustration. It's time to go the second mile in having a peaceful family gathering.…

We are all in unique spiritual places. While we all need to be encouraged, we all don’t need to be encouraged in the same way. Depending upon how we are wired and what is happening, we need something different from those around us. It’s time to go the second mile in offering intentional encouragement.…

Children in today’s culture have numerous forms of opposition against them. The challenges seem to increase by the year. But out of all the sources of stress, sometimes it is their parents who should provide support and actually create more issues. It’s time to go the second mile in helping our children.…

You cannot avoid criticism in this life. Even if you seek to follow Jesus well, people will have issues with you and discuss it with others or confront you. How should we filter through these critics? We must decide to learn from some and ignore others. It’s time to go the second mile in filtering criticism.…

If you are trying to make progress in your walk with Jesus, you will often find that the opposition increases. We tend to think that good intentions should remove any unnecessary obstacles, but we often experience the exact opposite. It’s time to go the second mile in addressing increasing opposition.…

Humanity has been pointing fingers at others since the Garden of Eden. We rarely want to take responsibility for our actions but would rather blame someone else for our issues. At some point, each of us must decide how we will own up to our dilemmas. It’s time to go the second mile in taking ownership.…

You don’t mean to let your temper take control. You never wanted to lash out the way you did, but you did it anyway. And you did it again. Maybe you feel like you are stuck in a cycle of regretting temperamental outbursts. It’s time to go the second mile in taming your temper.

Sometimes my mind is like a nonstop whirlwind of audacious ideas, nagging reminders, and unfortunate regrets. While my brain is on overdrive of varying thoughts, I lack clarity on what it is exactly that I need to do and am unsure of what to do next. It’s time to go the second mile in writing yourself clear.…

If you undertake a massive project, you must create some reasonable steps along the way. If you don’t, you will get overwhelmed with the immensity and never make any progress. Don’t allow the project to keep you from the next task. It’s time to go the second mile in making a big project manageable.

Jesus taught that before you build a tower or wage a war, you better count the cost. When it comes to tackling a major project, like planning sermon series one year at a time, you have to put together a plan that is workable and scalable. It’s time to go the second mile in planning a year’s worth of sermons.…

Each of us experiences temptation throughout our lives. We have an intentional enemy who knows where, when, and how to attack us in vulnerable areas of weakness. Ignoring his tactics will not make you impervious to personal setbacks.

Your past doesn’t have to define you. The mistakes you have made or those that others made and caused you to suffer consequences don’t have to determine your future. But to avoid that, you must consider how you must pivot as a result. It’s time to go the second mile in rerouting tragic legacies.

Your closest relationships will direct your most pivotal decisions. That’s why it is so important to consider the type of people you give the right to speak into your life. Have you ever considered how your relationships are encouraging you? It’s time to go the second mile in considering peer standards.…

You can’t make it far in life without having wise guides pointing out good directions on uncertain paths. I pray you have had parents, pastors, coaches, teachers, and bosses who have guided you, but are you following their instructions? It’s time to go the second mile in adhering to wise counsel.

Good, bad, or indifferent, we all have learned lessons from our parents. Yours might have been intentional or even estranged, but you can’t deny that their life has made an impact. Have you ever considered what to do with what you’ve learned? It’s time to go the second mile in learning from parental examples.…

We have all faced the looming decision that increased our anxiety. When we have to make the call, our values will come to the forefront without warning. So, before you make that next decision, have you ever considered what God desires you to do? It’s time to go the second mile in prioritizing God’s direction.…

Any event that you make it to in your life is one you put on a calendar. We arrive where we plan to go. We meet with who we schedule to see. The same is true in your relationship with Jesus. If you want to know Him better, you must make the time. It’s time to go the second mile in putting Jesus on the calendar.…

We often see friendships as a benefit but rarely a necessity. The reality is that we were not meant to live life alone. For many of us stalled out in our faith, the problem is not that we don’t love Jesus, we’re just not surrounded by others who do as well. It’s time to go the second mile in needed friendships.…

It’s that time of year when camp is happening, and many students are praying that the change lasts this time. Don’t waste the momentum. If you or your student ministry is growing in Christ, it doesn’t have to stop once you go home. It’s time to go the second mile in camp commitments.