Topic > Christian Living
Living out our faith with other believers
In our individualistic culture, it’s sometimes hard to ask for help even when we need it the most. Let’s talk about why Christianity is not a faith to be lived out all by our lonesome. The “fellowship of believers” is not a social club—it’s an “us” versus “I” living organism, designed by God, to bring healing and grace even in hopeless situations.
3 Lessons on Loving Difficult People
Loving some people can be hard, especially when they’re unlovable. But that doesn’t mean we can just shrug our shoulders and shrug off our responsibility. It’s been said that we are the only Jesus people see.
How God goes before a crisis
When cancer strikes, most people feel overwhelmed, incapable of coping. Yet for those who turn to God they often find He’s already gone ahead and prepared the way, easing their burden. Let’s discuss how sometimes it takes a crisis for us to look back and see how God has orchestrated certain events for His purposes and our spiritual growth.
Did Jesus Really Tell Us Not to Judge?
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” We’ve all read Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:1. It’s a popular verse that’s often used to rebuke Christians for judging the lifestyles, practices, or values of other people.
Not My Worry
A man worried constantly about everything. Then one day his friends heard him whistling happily and looking noticeably relaxed. “What happened?” they asked him in astonishment.
He said, “I’m paying a man to do my worrying for me.”
“How much do you pay him?” they asked.
“Two thousand dollars a week,” he replied.
“Wow! How can you afford that?”
“I can’t,” he said, “but that’s his worry.”
While this humorous way to handle stress doesn’t work in real life, as God’s children we can turn our worries over to Someone who has everything perfectly under control even—especially—when we feel it is not.
The prophet Isaiah reminds us…
Spiritual Checkup
To detect health problems before they become serious, doctors recommend a routine physical exam. We can do the same for our spiritual health by asking a few questions rooted in the great commandment (Mark 12:30) Jesus referred to.
Do I love God with all my heart because He first loved me? Which is stronger, my desire for earthly gain or the treasures that are mine in Christ? (Col. 3:1). He desires that His peace rule our hearts.
Do I love God with all my soul? Do I listen to God telling me who I am? Am I moving away from self-centered desires? (v. 5).…
Love Comes First
One evening my friend showed me one of the three decorative plaques that would be part of a wall arrangement in her living room. “See, I’ve already got Love,” she said, holding up the plaque with the word written on it. “Faith and Hope are on order.”
So Love comes first, I thought. Faith and Hope soon follow!
Love did come first. In fact, it originated with God. First John 4:19 reminds us that “We love [God] because he first loved us.” God’s love, described in 1 Corinthians 13 (known as the “love chapter”), explains a characteristic of real love when it says, “Love never…
The Forgiveness Of God
Without the assurance of forgiveness, feelings of guilt and regret can weigh you down. In this booklet, Mart De Haan helps you discover how God’s forgiveness can lift the burden of guilt and shame to give you freedom and peace to move forward in life. Gain a better understanding of God’s love and mercy, as you explore the elements of His forgiveness.
Why Jesus sees us as Beautiful
Hello Beautiful! If someone said that to you, would you look behind you to see who they were really talking to? Since 96 percent of women surveyed don’t see themselves as beautiful, this would be a common reaction. We’ll make the case that “beautiful” is the way God made us to be. We may feel ugly, but Jesus sees us as beautiful. Do you believe that?
A Crushed Dream that Led Me back to God
Every so often, articles about high achieving students from such-and-such university or country catch my eye. You might think I’m being overly ambitious, but it has always been my dream to be featured on such lists.
How to Trust God in the Season of Job-hunting
I spent six months of my life as a couch potato. By the time I started my new job, I knew which online channels you could surf for the latest television series.
Unclear Vision
My friend Meaghan is an accomplished equestrian, and I’ve been learning some interesting things about horses from her. For instance, despite having the largest eyes of all land mammals, horses have poor eyesight and can see fewer colors than humans. Because of this, they can’t always identify objects on the ground. When they see a pole, they don’t know if it’s a pole they can easily step over or a large snake that might harm them. For this reason, until they are properly trained horses are easily frightened and quick to run away.
We too may want to run from alarming…
3 Work Realities We’re Bound to Face
I read about 10-15 resumes a day as a recruitment manager in my company, which engages around a hundred part-time trainers monthly. Many of them begin or end with this line: “I hope you can seriously consider my application as this is my dream job.”
