Jesus knows that desire is powerful. It can draw us toward love, faithfulness, and devotion—but when shaped by sin, it can become selfish and destructive.

In this message from our Keeping Score series, we hear Jesus call us away from lust and toward covenant love—a love that honors, cherishes, protects, and serves. Jesus comes not simply to restrict our desires, but to redeem them.

If you're struggling with lust and would like counseling or support, you can reach out to one of our pastors or one of the counselors below:

• Lori Payne: (512) 771-9766
• Jennifer Hicks: (512) 265-6411
• Jessica & Ryan McDaniel: info@mcdanielcounseling.com

When Jesus arrives in Bethany after Lazarus has died, Martha says to Him: "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." It is a sentence full of faith, grief, disappointment, and confusion.

This is where many of us live. We keep score of the prayers that seemed unanswered. We keep score of the losses God allowed. We keep score of the moments when heaven felt silent. Over time, grief can quietly become grievance.

But Jesus does not shame Martha for her sorrow. He meets her in it. His delay was not absence, and His silence was not indifference.

Jesus tells His followers not to worry about life, food, drink, clothing, or tomorrow. He points to birds and flowers as living sermons on the Father's care.

Worry imagines a future where God is absent, provision runs out, and we are left to carry life by ourselves. It keeps score of possibilities, threats, bills, diagnoses, conflicts, and unknowns. Worry does math without mercy.