If one person has known God for a long time, does that make them somehow superior to someone who has just met God? Does the fact that one grew up in a Christian home make them any better than a friend who grew up without really knowing about God? The short answer is no. If [...]

The Bible says to be “strong and courageous” many times. In the NIV translation, there are at least ten verses with this phrase. But what does it mean to be courageous? Shiphrah and Puah give us an example. Their names are mentioned only once in the Bible, and their actions are described in only seven [...]

One thing I wish I knew earlier in my teen years is that what I do will never be perfect. I am imperfect and sinful, and I need Jesus in my life! A few years ago, I was stuck in a cycle, something I like to call the “perfection cycle.” Everything I did, I'd strive [...]

Jesus reveals God's great compassion for us. As God in the flesh, Jesus had a special connection with the people He met. He truly cared for them and was interested in their problems, and He helped them in many ways. As He traveled from town to town, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of [...]

I close my eyes and I pray Lord, fill my thoughts today When I open my eyes again Don't let me turn away Don't let me ignore you As I move forward with my day I want to be consumed Each moment as I move I want to be attuned I want each breath to [...]

What makes you angry? Lots of things make me angry. Sometimes, I don't even know why I feel angry, and I try to figure it out. Other times, I do know why, but I don't think my anger is justified. Either way, I usually end up feeling frustrated and it becomes a whole huge angry [...]

Music and laughter filled the air, but Jamesh's heart was filled with darkness. He jabbed the shovel into the ground, vigorously ripping up the soil. “He runs away for months,” Jamesh growled, “squandering his inheritance and acting like a pig, while I stay here and work. And when he comes home, Father throws a party!” [...]

In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” I've heard of people working on trying to be loving and joyful and faithful because they want to make sure others can see the fruit of the Spirit in them. But this can do more [...]

How do you show someone God loves them? One of the best ways is by serving them. As we look out for others and take care of some of their needs, we can point to the God who cares about them. If we've put our trust in Jesus, we've tasted God's love for ourselves, and [...]

Sometimes it feels like everything we do is focused on the future. Many of us spend years in school trying to get good grades, hoping that one day we can get into college. We easily make the mistake of thinking our present lives aren't meaningful, that we just have to get to the next level [...]