April 2024
Steve Russo

There are times when we all want to ask God what – and why – He allowed something to happen. It’s a common response when a major natural disaster happens someplace in the world. And it’s often compounded with the unnatural disaster of after-effects that were not expected to occur – whether on a large scale or in our personal lives.

How can we explain the unexplainable? Is there a way to make sense of the catastrophic suffering experienced by so many? These are some of the oldest, most common questions that seem to describe a hunger we have for faith in someone or something bigger than ourselves.

A paradox of sorts happens in times like these. There is a cry of “God – what were You thinking?” and another –often with the same lips – “God, we beg You to help us!” The answer is a mystery – an exercise in faith. The Bible provides us with a number of things to consider in this faith journey. Think about this verse in Isaiah 55:8. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” (NLT)

God is infinite. We are not. He has a plan and purpose for our lives – that includes tragedy. The hard part for us is wrestling with the unexplainable, in a complex situation, with a finite mind. We have the option to keep asking God ‘why’ and try to figure things out on our own. Or we can decide to ask God ‘what next’ and put our hope in Him.

That’s why the message of the Gospel is so important. An early follower of Jesus wrote his letter to other Christians who were struggling under the pressures and adversities of life. “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation.” 1 Peter 1:3 (NLT)

We can live with great hope – in spite of what’s going on in our life or in the world – by putting our faith in the One who conquered death. This confidence is based on what God has done for us through Jesus.

This hope is not only for the future, but it begins the moment we surrender our lives to Jesus.

March 2024
Steve Russo

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most significant event in human history. It has awesome possibilities for our lives on this planet and for eternity. But so many people today don’t understand its significance. The resurrection shook the foundations of human history – has it shaken yours?

Skeptics ask: “Does it really matter if Jesus rose from the dead? Can it really make a difference in my life?” The answer’s found in the Biblical account of the very first Easter morning.

When a couple female followers of Jesus went to his tomb early Sunday morning they found the stone covering the entrance had been rolled away and his body was gone. Two men appeared to them in ‘dazzling robes’ and said, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!”
Luke 24:5-6 (NLT)

The meaning of the resurrection for you is determined by how you personally answer the same question: “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?”

Lots of people spend time looking for meaning and purpose in life in the wrong places – dead ones that our culture offers. Films, music, TV shows, books and web sites are filled with advice on how to get the most out of life. But purpose in life isn’t found in beauty, power, or money. Jesus is the only one who can satisfy and give your life purpose.

Because Jesus conquered death we can be forgiven for our sin, receive a new quality of life and a new power for living. It’s the same power that brought Jesus back to life from the grave and is available to help us face the challenges of life.

The resurrection also gives us hope – a huge need with people of all ages today. In spite of what’s going on in the world or our personal life, we can be optimistic if we’ve decided to live our lives for and like Jesus. Our hope is found in Him (Psalm 62:5).

Has the resurrection changed your life? It can & will – if you put your faith and trust in Jesus.

February 2024
Steve Russo

Have you ever noticed how people look for love in some of the craziest places?

Take Mary for example. She was driving to work on the freeway one day when she spotted Kevin, a Marine recruiter, three lanes over on the highway. “It was bumper to bumper traffic,” Mary said. “He got out of his car, crossed three lanes of backed up cars and handed me his business card. He was really cute.” They’ve been dating ever since.

Where do you find love? Have you discovered a significant relationship that gives you the security, significance and acceptance that you really want?

The love we all desire will never be found on the “freeways” of life. The unreserved, consistent, unselfish love we all long for can only be found in one place. The Bible teaches us that God is love and true love comes from Him (1 John 4:7-8). Without a personal relationship with God, through His son Jesus, we will never find the love we need to be fulfilled.

In every human heart there’s a hole that only God can fill. Has this hole been filled in your heart yet?

Because the quality of God’s love is so different than the human kind, it’s sometimes hard for us to understand. But once we begin to experience God’s love for ourselves, it will start dramatically transforming our relationships with others. And the best source we have for gaining an understanding of the nature of God’s love is found in His word.

The Bible describes God’s love as unfailing (Psalm 52:8), unconditional (John 3:16) and God’s love is also sacrificial (Romans 5:8). It’s difficult to comprehend how wide, how deep and how high God’s love is for each one of us (Ephesians3:18). Don’t forget – God loved you before you even turned to Him to receive His free gift of eternal life, forgiveness, hope and purpose.

Millions of people wander through life each day with deep desires that could be met if they would only spend less time looking for human companionship and more time seeking God.

Consider looking for love in the right place and you’ll never be sorry.

January 2024
Steve Russo

It happened again – another school massacre – this time at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. There are no words to describe the heartache felt across the nation over the senseless loss of 20 precious children along with teachers and administrators. Evil has once again reared its ugly head.

Schools across North America got the jitters. Parents were fearful to send their kids back to school while students were uneasy to be on campus not knowing if they would be the next victims of a random act of violence.

Schools have become physical battlefield with things like bullying and students being robbed. And then there are the moral conflicts on these same campuses. We’ve become a culture that believes truth is relative; everything should be tolerated and angst is the norm. So what’s the solution?

King David asked a similar question centuries ago. “The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do? But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven” Psalm 11:3-4 (NLT).

Politicians and leaders seem to be racking their brains to figure out what’s happening. The answer is obvious to a follower of Jesus. We are experiencing what happens when you ignore God – making every effort to remove Him from the core of our lives. It shouldn’t be a surprise to us.

So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. Romans 1:24 (NLT)

We cannot remove God from our lives and society and not expect any serious consequences. It doesn’t work like that.

The way out begins with a conscious decision to turn back to God and take the Bible seriously. Then change will start to take place one person at a time. Our culture will be healed when we bring God back into the center of our individual lives and families – and even our schools.

It’s about being peacemakers and respecting others – even if we disagree. We need to be available for those who are angry, hurt and confused. Let’s do all we can to influence others to live their lives for Jesus.

December 2023
Steve Russo

Unless you’ve been around a farm, you’re probably not familiar with a manger or feeding trough. But one plays a significant role in the Christmas story.

Luke, author of the Biblical book that bears his name, mentions the feeding trough three times as he tells the Christmas story. Two of these are found in the following verses.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
Luke 2:6-14 (NLT)

Why was the manger so important? Consider: Jesus came into the world with nothing; it was a sign to the shepherds so they would know when they found baby they were looking for; it proved what the angel said was true and reminds us he didn’t come to be a King on earth because his kingdom is not of this world.

It’s another human touch to the Christmas story. Think about a young mother with a brand new son finding a feeding trough ready to lay her baby in. It was a humble beginning for the Savior of the world. Imagine God coming down to the chaos and mess of real life. What an amazing display of His love for us!

This Christmas when you see a Nativity scene, be grateful that you have a God who can completely relate to and understand the challenges in your life.

November 2023
Steve Russo

Each person is an amazing and unique creation complete with specific talents, desires and needs. Even if you have an identical twin, you still have a unique set of gifts and abilities that no one else has. But there are also some “basic” needs we all share –indispensable necessities in life.

For example, we all need to be able to say “I matter.” But lots of people struggle with a terrible, disfigured self-image that robs them of their contentment and motivation. Each one of us is fearfully and wonderfully made – put together in our mother’s womb one piece at a time by the living God (Psalm 139) – created with a plan and a purpose in mind (Jeremiah 29:11). Do you realize how much you matter to God?

Everybody has the need to “fit in” somewhere. It’s part of the need to belong and the community we all want to experience for our lives. It’s been said that no one is an island. God did not create us to live in isolation. He demonstrated this back in the beginning of human history when He created the first man and woman – Adam and Eve (Genesis 2). Are you trying to go it alone or have you found a place where you belong?

And we all need to be confident that we can accomplish opportunities God puts in front of us. Lacking confidence in God’s power and provision in our lives can be unsettling. It can keep us from achieving all that God has called us to do. The Bible reminds us that apart from him we can do nothing. But we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength ( Philippians 4:13).

God responds to all these needs and more at the cross. We matter because Jesus paid a huge price to rescue us from our sin. He is the only one who could bridge the gap between a holy God and sinful people (1 Timothy 2:5). We belong because we’re part of God’s family (John 1:12). And we have power through the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

Trust God to meet all your needs and empower you to become the person you were created to be.

October 2023
Steve Russo

What’s gone wrong in our world? Web sites, magazines and news programs are filled with stories of people at their absolute worst. Teenagers shooting their parents, mothers drowning their children, bombs going off in shopping centers…shootings on school campuses and in movie theaters…violence in our homes…bullying on the rise…fractured families…confusion, chaos, smash and grab burglary, dognapping, out of control wokeness and evil is everywhere. But why should we be so surprised about what’s happening – especially when we as a culture have been ignoring God’s principles for living clearly outlined in the Bible. We are a post-Christian culture and continue to disregard God’s basics for life.

The world today is far different than God’s original creation.

In the beginning of human history, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they brought evil into the world as a result of selfishness and rebellion. And throughout the ages this lawlessness has continued from one generation to the next. Our world is not in the condition that it should be – the way God designed it – because sin separates us from Him. Sin breeds wickedness which keeps us from experiencing God’s purpose for life.

Albert Einstein said, “I do not fear the explosive power of the atom bomb. What I fear is the explosive power of evil in the human heart.” God reminds us in Jeremiah 17:9 that our hearts are desperately wicked above all things and beyond cure. Our hearts have been inclined toward sin from the time we were born. Because of God’s great love for us He has provided a remedy for our sin in the cross of Jesus Christ and the power for overcoming wickedness in His resurrection.

Because God is ultimately in control, we don’t need to be pessimistic. He is eventually going to make a new heaven and earth that will be free from sin, sickness and evil.

In the meantime, as followers of Jesus, we have the responsibility to speak out – and do something – when evil appears to be overtaking ‘good’ and strive to live by God’s design. Ask the Lord to start using you right where you are as an instrument to help combat wickedness in our world.

September 2023
Steve Russo

How many headliners from the recent past do you remember? For example:

1. Who are the five wealthiest people in the world?
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Who were the last five winners of the Miss America crown?
4. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
5. Who won the World Series each year for the last decade?

Very few of us remember the headliners of yesterday. There are no second-rate achievers on the list I just mentioned. They’re the best in their fields. But the fame fades and the applause soon dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be successful and wanting to be the best in your field. But you can’t live in the past. God wants us to think and live forward. In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul writes: “But I focus on this one thing; Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus is calling us.”

There can also be another part to our past that’s not so pleasant. We have all done things that we are ashamed and wish somehow we could change what we did. Sometimes we may even be prisoners to the past trying to imagine how different our life might have been.

When our hope is in Jesus we can let go of past guilt and look forward to what God wants us to become. Instead of dwelling on the past – whether it was positive or negative – concentrate on growing in your relationship with God right now and becoming the person he designed you to be. Recognize that you are forgiven or thank God for what he allowed you to accomplish in the past – then decide to move on. Look forward to a life of meaning and purpose because your hope is in Jesus.

August 2023
Steve Russo

There was a lot of talk by religious people, church leaders and media personalities about a performance from the artists who won the award for Best Pop Duo at the Grammys. The criticism was strong due to lyrical content and a devil-like costume. It was indeed a rather distasteful performance.

Unfortunately, I didn’t hear one person mention that we should be praying for this Pop Duo. It was as if they didn’t deserve God’s love and forgiveness because of their ‘sinful’ music. Apparently, the prevailing thought was these entertainers were not worthy. Why would we not want to pray for them?

I was invited to attend a networking meeting where business and ministry leaders get together to discuss ways to advance God’s kingdom. The objective is for business leaders to use their expertise to help ministries maximize, grow and develop.

One of the presentations that night focused on the major “toxic threats” in public schools. The presenter firmly announced that public schools were too far gone and can’t be fixed. He offered two options: put your kids in a private Christian schools or homeschool them. Being an attorney, he offered help in navigating around the legal issues that can arise with homeschooling. He had resource materials available that could help you fly under the radar to avoid legal problems.

Are there problems with public schools today? Absolutely. But I’ve also connected with some great dedicated teachers and administrators across the country. And we also have to be honest about some of the weaknesses with Christian schools and education.

Once again neither the presenter nor anyone in attendance even mentioned how important it is to be praying for the situation in schools and for the staff. Why wouldn’t we want to pray for all schools and teachers?

The Bible reminds us in 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT) us that: “God does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

We may not like or agree with the lyrics someone sings, the way they dress, their politics, values or even worldview. God doesn’t ask us to approve of the way others live. However, he does call us to accept them and love them as Jesus does.

July 2023
Steve Russo

Lots of people want to be an influencer. It’s someone who wants to be able to generate interest in almost any kind of consumer product including gaming or even beauty tutorials, by posting mainly videos on social media. Some become ‘instafamous’ while others utilize a strategy to buy “followers” and “likes.” Many of the top influencers today have millions of subscribers.

There are agencies you can find online that will help you develop ‘authentic’ influencer communities. YouTube can be a huge tool in growing your own brand. The content can involve just about anything like crazy challenges or expensive stunts. Some influencers push the limit in what they think will generate more interest in their content to help them become popular.

When you influence it means you will have an effect on someone. It could be on their character, their behavior or even their development. But whether you strive to be one or not, everyone’s an influencer of some kind.

So, what kind of influencer are you? Who are you influencing and what are you hoping to accomplish? Even if you don’t have a huge following on social media, you’re still having an effect on other people. But what’s your motivation? Is it just for self-promotion or is it about something greater than you?

If we claim to be a follower of Jesus, then it seems natural that we should be influencing others for the Kingdom of God. Mathew, an early Jesus follower, gives us some specific instructions about the kind of influencer we should be.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

Light affects a dark room. Once you bring light into that room, it’s no longer dark. The same is true when we carry the light of the Gospel into the darkness of the world. God’s light changes the condition of the crazy, dark world in which we live.

Prayerfully ask God to use you to carry the light of the Gospel into the dark corners and recesses of life in our culture. Ask Him to make you a changemaker in a world that’s lost its way.