• Topic > Christian Living > Living for Christ >

    Heart Check

    When commuting into Chicago on the train, I always followed the “unwritten codes of conduct”—such as, no conversations with people sitting next to you if you don’t know them. That was tough on a guy like me who has never met a stranger. I love talking to new people! Although I kept the code of silence, I realized that you can still learn something about people based on the section of the newspaper they read. So I’d watch to see what they turned to first: The business section? Sports? Politics? Current events? Their choices revealed their interests.

    Our choices are always…

    Never Give Up

    We will always be battered in this life. Physical limitations. Cruel people. Spiritual battles. But God is with us. He promises never to abandon us. And He renews our spirits even during the struggles. We can keep going in this life and look with anticipation to the next.

    Whatever You Do

    God reveals Himself to us, and we are to mirror Him. He created, and at the end He said, “It was good.” So whatever it is that you do—do it well. Do it with purpose. Do it for Him. And at the end of the day, you can say, “It was good.”

    It’s all about our motives

    How do you handle it when you don’t get the recognition you feel you deserve? Or when others receive credit for your efforts? Today on “Discover the Word,” we will talk about the difference in doing what we do to get recognition for ourselves or doing it for the glory of God. It’s all about our motives.

    How (a close encounter with) death shaped my perspective on life

    Have you ever wondered when you might take your last breath? Mine almost came a few weeks ago. While standing on the pavement next to the road, I was almost hit by a car when the reckless driver nearly mounted the curb, missing me by inches.

    How to let God’s love shine

    As Christians, I think we’d rather be known for what we’re for, than what we’re against. Today on “Discover the Word,” we’ll talk about how we’re a greater witness to people when we allow the love of God to shine through our transformed hearts than when we try and impose our standards of moral conduct upon them.

    Trusting God to finish the work He began

    Date: Monday, February 15, 2016 Title: Discovering the Word, part 1 of 5 Text: 2 Corinthians 3 Have you ever wondered how Paul could send a reference letter commending the believers in Corinth when they were such a mess? Today on Discover the Word, we begin this week’s discussion based in Paul’s second letter to the […]

    Jesus Over Everything

    My friend’s son decided to wear a sports jersey over his school clothing one day. He wanted to show support for his favorite team that would be playing an important game later that night. Before leaving home, he put something on over his sports jersey—it was a chain with a pendant that read, “Jesus.” His simple action illustrated a deeper truth: Jesus deserves first place over everything in our lives.

    Jesus is above and over all. “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17). Jesus is supreme over all creation (vv. 15-16). He is “the…

    Leave a Legacy

    When a road-construction foreman was killed in an accident, the love of this man for his family, co-workers, and community resulted in an overwhelming sense of loss. His country church couldn’t accommodate all the mourners, so planners moved the service to a much larger building. Friends and family packed the auditorium! The message was clear: Tim touched many lives in a way uniquely his. So many would miss his kindness, sense of humor, and enthusiasm for life.

    As I returned from the funeral, I thought about the life of King Jehoram. What a contrast! His brief reign of terror is traced…

    Are You Satisfied With Your Life?

    My growing up years were tough. When my parents got divorced, my brothers and I stayed with my dad, and we had to share a bedroom in a friend’s house for some time.

    The Importance of How

    While attending Bible college, my friend Charlie and I worked for a furniture store. We often made deliveries accompanied by an interior decorator who talked with the people who had purchased the furniture while we brought it from the truck into the house. Sometimes we had to carry the furniture up several flights of stairs in an apartment building. Charlie and I often wished we had the decorator’s job instead of ours!

    During Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, three clans from the priestly tribe of Levi—the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites—were assigned the job of transporting the Tent of…

    Responding to the One who gave us everything

    Today on “Discover the Word,” we conclude the two-week discussion about doing what we can for Jesus with what we’ve been given. Through Mary of Bethany’s courageous act of passionate devotion to Jesus, we’re invited to become part of the ongoing story. Mary is our example of how the world could change if each of us gave what we had in response to the One who gave us everything.

    Ever feel like you’re on the outside looking in?

    Today on “Discover the Word,” we continue to peel back the layers of the story of Mary of Bethany and the alabaster jar. What we discover is that Mary wasn’t the only outsider in that room full of religious men. Simon the Leper had been an outcast before Jesus healed him. Ever feel like you’re on the outside looking in? Then be part of the group today right here on “Discover the Word”!