Topic > Christian Beliefs > Salvation > Faith >
How to embrace the life of faith and keep our eyes on Jesus
Salvation comes the moment we accept the promises of God. But taking that first step of faith isn’t always easy!
The struggle involved when deciding to follow Jesus
Faith doesn’t always come easy. Many people need to see physical proof in order to embrace the Christian faith as their own.
An illustration of how faith plays an important part in loving the unlovely
God calls us to love one another, but it’s not always easy! Perhaps there’s someone you need to reach out to, but you’ve been holding back.
Barrier-Free Love
Not long ago I heard the distressed chirping of a bird coming from the side of my neighbor’s house. I discovered that a nest of baby birds was inside a vent covered by a screen, placing a barrier between the mother bird who was trying to feed her hungry chicks. After I told the neighbors, they removed the screen and took the nest and chicks to a safe place to be cared for.
How our life goal is the same as the men and women of the Bible; those heroes of the faith
They killed giants. Survived world-wide floods. Fathered nations! The miraculous exploits of men and women in the Bible often make it difficult to relate to them. While our circumstances may not be the same, our life goal is precisely the same as those heroes of the faith.
Looking at God’s plan of salvation throughout the Old and New Testaments
Salvation through Jesus isn’t limited to modern believers, it’s for all people in all generations! Let's help bridge the gap between the Old and New Testaments by looking at God’s plan of salvation throughout the entire Bible.
Let’s take another look at God’s incredible grace and forgiveness
It’s hard to believe that a perfect God would accept us solely on the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. Can it really be that easy?
Let’s take a look at God’s remarkable forgiveness towards those who least deserve it
When someone has hurt us, it isn’t always easy to forgive. And yet God extends His grace and mercy to us every single day.
Confidence In Troubled Times
Some kids love to brag about their dads. If you eavesdrop on neighborhood conversations, you’ll hear children saying, “My dad is bigger than your dad!” or “My dad is smarter than your dad!” But the best brag of all is, “My dad is stronger than your dad!” This boast is usually in the context of a warning that if kids are threatening you, they’d better beware, because your dad can come and take them all down, including their dads!
A Difficult Place
When a sudden change in technology made his job obsolete, a highly trained scientist found himself working in a fast-food restaurant. One evening after our Bible study he described the situation as difficult and humbling. He said, “One good thing I can say is that the young people there seem very interested in my faith.” A member of the group responded, “I admire you for being humble. I know your faith must have something to do with it.”
Seeing God In Familiar Places
Because of where I live, I’m treated to spectacular displays of the magnificent, creative glory of God. Recently, on a drive through the woods, I was struck with a breath-taking display of deep rich reds and a variety of yellows that decorated the trees of autumn—all artfully arranged against the backdrop of a brilliant blue sky.
Belonging
My dad was full of stories about his hometown. So you can imagine how excited I was as a child when he took our family there every summer. We fished the St. Joseph River together and visited his boyhood farm where all of his stories came to life. Although that place was never really my home, whenever I visit that town—now with grown children and grandchildren of my own—it fills me with a nostalgic sense of belonging.
The Rules Of Disengagement
In her book Throw Out Fifty Things, Gail Blanke outlines four “Rules of Disengagement” to help people clear the clutter from their lives. The first rule states: “If it . . . weighs you down, clogs you up, or just plain makes you feel bad about yourself, throw it out, give it away, sell it, let it go, move on.”
Find out how to respond to those who act Christian, and yet don’t know Christ
Your neighbors down the street may not be followers of God, but they are really good people! So how do we share the need for Jesus with folks leading moral lives? Let's look to Romans 14 to find the answer.
Bouncing Back
On January 18, 2012, the longest winning streak in US intercollegiate varsity sports history—252 consecutive victories—ended when Trinity College lost a squash match to Yale. The morning after the team’s first loss in 14 years, Trinity’s coach, Paul Assaiante, received an e-mail from a friend, a prominent professional football coach, who wrote, “Well, now you get to bounce back.” Ten days later, that football coach’s team lost in one of the most widely seen athletic events—the NFL Super Bowl. All of us must cope with defeat.
