Alive and Active Life

Some years back, I had an opportunity to lunch with a friend I hadn’t seen in several decades. This person was a special influence in my growth and development. I was truly excited about catching up. With great anticipation, I marked the calendar. When the day came, I was a bit nervous after so many years. But I found the lunch to be one of the most fun and meaningful days I’d had in a long time. And I remembered how this friend had influenced me to partner with God.

Sometimes we simply don’t know how to partner with God. It’s seems complicated, almost mystical. Since it’s not a “black and white thing,” it’s challenging to define what “partner with God” looks like.

Looking back over the years, experiences and relationships, like the lunch I enjoyed with my friend, have impacted me most. Being able to:

Such interactions form teachable moments that impact personal growth and priorities.

Remembering God’s original design helps you:

The way to live an Alive and Active life of noble character, is to partner with God as a unique individual, putting His interests above your own.

You have an invitation from God to receive forgiveness, freedom, and partnership! This partnership includes fresh learning in effective living which turns into a lifestyle of credible leading and sincere loving.

So, in order to partner with God, it means choosing a life of 4 L’s –

What’s the price or investment to gain this lifestyle?

Best intentions just aren’t enough. Pretending doesn’t count. Not even hard, earnest work cuts it. God sees to the center of every person. Since no one is good enough, the price is high for this lifestyle. Jesus paid the price at His cross.

Now He hands out invitations into partnership with Himself that include learning, living, leading, and loving. Your price or investment comes in the form of two commitments toward this partnership.

The first commitment is – believe and obey Christ.

The second is – do good to others.

These two works of partnership are critical if you want noble character.

A close relationship with God means responding differently in daily living. Pleasing God becomes increasingly important as you know Him better, which changes you from the inside out. He becomes your “First, Most, and Best” – favorite relationship.

So, what’s your best response to His invitation? Please accept! 

To partner with God means using the 4 “L’s.” Let’s look at each more closely.

Let’s talk about learning. God intends people to learn from each other, but more-so, directly from Him. His Spirit lives inside your believing heart to direct decisions, to teach His ways and their application, and to help you enjoy His friendship. Since this is true, embracing learning is being a disciple of Jesus.

What an invitation! Do you accept?

Learning from Jesus creates a new kind of living. “If you love Me, you will obey Me.” (Jn. 14:23) Because actions speak louder than words, they directly influence your living. Jas. 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Accepting God’s invitation means practicing His character as you live. He nurtures your heart when you respond with His character.

What an invitation! Do you accept?

There’s just no other way to say this. Investment in fresh learning and effective living opens doors to credible leading and sincere loving – God’s way. While doing good, not growing weary, sowing seeds for harvest that please God, you literally invest in others like God does.

So, it’s clear deliberate thought, prayer, and strategy help you apply your portion to this wonderful partnership. Christ’s church needs credible leading and sincere loving.

What an invitation! Do you accept?

I’d like to share a little more from my journey. I mentioned a lunch at the beginning of this content. I also mentioned relationships and exploring how to know an invisible God. Still, I’d like to share one more unusual memory.

BUT FIRST a few thoughts – My inspiration and direction has come from Scripture for practical decisions each day. Prayer has given much needed help and hope. As I’ve already mentioned, relationships and conversations have left significant impact in my quest to partner with God.

I’ve not had – nor sought – experiences or charismatic influences. I firmly believe God’s Word provides all I need. 2 Pet. 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” So, that’s been good enough for me.

However, I had an interesting dream years ago that brought great comfort to my heart and taught me more about partnering with God.

I was in a tent, resting. I looked out a small upper window flap and noticed movement right outside my tent. As I watched, a structure began to appear – another tent. It was being put up right next to my tent. It was BIG! As it neared completion, I noticed the shape of the tent fit exactly to the shape of my tent (or maybe it was the other way around), but its volume overshadowed, engulfed, and . . . completed my tent. I did not feel afraid, but rather comforted and peaceful. Somehow, I knew it was God’s tent.

When I woke, as I pondered the dream, I realized God was reminding me He is with me and cares deeply about all events “in my life tent.” He surrounds my tent with His own.

That He pitched His tent so close to mine, overshadowing, engulfing, and completing my life tent, gave me a message: God wants to participate in every detail of my life – in and out of my tent. Companionship. Support. Covering. Strength. All those words describe what His huge tent touching my tent felt like.

Then I remembered some Scripture.

I don’t know what you are going through. But I’m guessing you need a tent next to your life tent. You need a dependable structure of love right next to you to provide protection, comfort, peace, companionship, provision.

Because God has pitched His strong, enduring tent very close to yours, it literally fills the bends and crevices of your tent. It holds your tent in place during strong life storms. And it provides a reminder you are not alone.

God’s tent is quite literally the “pillar of cloud and pillar of fire” that stands between your tent and your enemies’ attacks against your heart. (Ex. 14:24; Nu. 14:14; Neh. 9:12)

As we explore another important strategy to partner with God, it’s time to focus on you. God created you with unique skill sets. He wants to make you a special partner. According to Scripture, you are a “servant” to God. That’s true. However, God lifted you to also be His child and His partner.

You have the privilege to decide to partner with God – back. Since it was God’s original design to let you decide, I hope you pitch your tent very close to God’s – and welcome the companionship of Emmanuel (God With Us) as you learn, live, lead, and love.

A critical practice you need to succeed:

Content developed from More E-pistles For An i-Generation – a practical, refreshing devotional guide available in our bookstore.

Visit our website for devotional materials, articles, podcasts, and resources to help grow your faith in God. Pursue noble character and an Alive and Active Life.

Do you ever wonder how you can possibly make a difference in this world? You! With your one life! But the reality is that you can have practical influence in culture and other lives. You can make a difference.

Since we live in difficult days, you need help, hope, good action steps – and they need to be tenacious. The problems and circumstances of our current world are pretty significant. It’s hard to believe that one life can make a difference with so much “big stuff” that’s gone poorly.

So, the problem is two-fold: 1. the actual state of things around you, AND (believe it or not) 2. the idea that you can’t make a difference.

It may seem super small when you compare the impact of your life to the needs of a community, a nation, or the entire world. However, your one life is what you have to offer each day. If more people would identify this and begin to do small things that matter each day, there would be a shift in this world. In other words, your one life really does matter. You can make a difference.

If you examine all the resources and tools at your disposal, which one(s) would you select as most powerful? Most influential? With broadest impact? Most flexible?

The Scriptures say God’s grace is the greatest resource for making a difference in small ways and global challenges. It is powerful, influential, has broad impact, and is flexible – when applied in one life each day. That one life can be yours.

General dictionary definitions of grace include things like, “unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration. A state enjoyed through divine assistance. A special favor…or act…of kindness, courtesy, goodwill, or clemency.”

Wow. From regular dictionaries! Those definitions suggest grace is:

In addition to general dictionary definitions, how much more convincing is grace defined by God – and made freely available?

Those two statements are the nutshell of today’s content. Please read them again!

There is a verse that calls you to pro-actively engage God’s grace. In fact, it commands to lean so deliberately into God’s grace to find a strength you didn’t have before. And guess what. It’s the same arrangement God always has. This application of grace is only activated by faith!

Here’s the verse. “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 2:1) Notice it’s a command. You so strongly choose the resource of God’s grace in Jesus that you literally become stronger than you were before! You choose. God strengthens!

Why not plant yourself in God’s grace? Why not train to be tenaciously stubborn about staying in grace? Here’s what you do to accomplish that:

From our previous discussion, God’s grace is powerful, influential, has broad impact, and is flexible. It encourages you and helps you endure hardship. God’s grace also develops incredible character you could never attain otherwise. In other words, God’s grace will really make a difference.

All these things happen when you become a living sacrifice. We said – you choose. God strengthens. Surrender is the proof of your faith! God takes your surrender seriously, and He responds with transformation.

Because God’s grace also helps you “clue into” other things immediately around you, it helps you be more “present.” Things to enhance your community, nation. And things – small as they may seem – to reach into the world. Let’s look at these three categories.

What kinds of things fall in this category? Let me try to prime your pump a bit. How about things like:

Sometimes this is harder to figure out. But, let’s consider things like:

Since reaching beyond your borders takes a little work, what about these starter ideas:

So you see – these are “starts” in Things Immediately Around You, rippling out into your Community and Nation, and then proving you are wide-eyed about the conditions of The World.

Now that we’ve explored practical applications of how your one life can make a difference, let me ask – have you begun to identify possibilities of involvement? What is your portion? It helps to look at things going on inside you to partner with God and make a difference.

Things mentioned so far, and things you add to the lists, are like the pull cord on a lawn mower. They actually start your motor to get the job done. Plus, they center you in God’s grace – where you need to be to make a difference.

These simple practices inside you prove your desire to make a difference, whether in small bite-size chunks or bigger pieces.

There are 2 focuses needed to make a difference with your one life:

Everyone must address daily temporary issues (food, clothes, bills, plans, chores, etc.). However, eternal issues are critical, too (salvation, encouragement, hope, purpose). God cares about both focuses.

God’s economy of scales is different than the world’s. Let’s look.

The world focuses on:

In addition to these noble standards, God also focuses on:

While the work of practical things is easier to invest in, work of the heart/spirit is often undervalued and not well-marketed in the world. But it’s still yours (and mine) to address.

Since God’s economy of scales is active now and focuses on-going, both eternal and temporary matter.

Content developed from More E-pistles For An i-Generation – a practical devotional guide available in our bookstore.

Visit our website for devotional materials, articles, podcasts, and resources to help grow your faith in God. Pursue noble character and an Alive and Active Life.

So, what’s “the skinny?” Apparently, the skinny on something is “the true information about someone or something that is not known by most people . . . Give me the inside/straight/real skinny.” (Merriam-Webster) The skinny is revealing some secret information. With that in mind, what’s the skinny on sinning?

The word “skinny” has really evolved over the decades. It appears that in order to keep up with “skinny,” a person needs to continually stay current with new definitions. Merriam-Webster defines skinny like this:

Do you remember those definitions from years past? I do. There was a day when it was popular to be skinny. People with skinny legs and tummy were “in.” But most of us aren’t like that. In fact, one definition above says the opposite of skinny is to have a certain “desirable bulk.”

There was also a reference to having “desirable qualities and significance.” That one caught my attention. And how about the mention of skim milk? I remember that, too. In fact, I can give you the skinny on some awesome recipes I’ve kept over the years that use powdered skim milk. The best Hot Chocolate drink mix and a Healthy Candy that makes your mouth water!

Well, if you talk about “the skinny” now, you don’t mean what Merriam-Webster defines the word “skinny” as. It’s a new definition all its own. These days, the skinny is the secret, inside scoop, as mentioned in the introduction for today’s content. It’s the not commonly known morsels about various topics. More like secret information. Vocabulary.com says it’s an informal meaning “from military slang during World War II, probably from the idea of naked or undisguised truth.”

So, we’re not referring to what you see in the mirror – or the ability to get through a very small passage.

With this newer meaning, I ask again – what’s the skinny on sinning?

Let’s take this new definition and get some practical application out of it. That means spending time where the rubber meets the road in daily life. Since none of us is perfect, that also means everybody should take a look at the skinny on sinning.

Scripture gives the skinny on sinning. The verse that comes to mind quickly is – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) It also says, “The wages (penalty) of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23)

Most people, myself included, don’t like being stuck in a sin place. So we look for a way out. Scripture says that way out is Jesus. He, Himself, said He is the way out. “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (Jn. 14:6)

The way to the Father is the opposite direction of sinning. So we have a really good way out! And we are supposed to keep walking away from sinning and stay in this “really good way out.” In other words, you can’t walk with God and keep sinning.

According to God’s Word – that’s the skinny on sinning. It’s also the skinny on hope.

So, what happens if a person keeps deliberately sinning? Maybe a better question is – Why do you keep on sinning? Answering this question exposes a person’s heart and motives. God is more concerned about motives than a perfect performance and sin record.

Of these 7 reasons, #1-5 are not as serious. Since Scripture teaches no one is perfect except Jesus, everyone needs a Savior. For those who humble themselves to confess their sins and repent with sincere sorrow for making God sad – there is forgiveness. That’s why Jesus died and rose. His blood covers all sin.

NEVER should this be used as a cheap excuse to keep on sinning. Part of sincere repentance is committing to implement changed behavior that pleases God.

It’s reasons #6 and #7 that are deeply concerning. They reveal a self-focused, hard heart that says, “I don’t care that I sin or that Jesus died for me!”

If you are person #6 or #7, you don’t get forgiveness. Why? Not because God has not gone to extremes to provide it. But because you don’t want the costly provision – and walk away!

There is no other provision!!

Let’s explore some examples that illustrate this response when God’s great sacrifice isn’t good enough for you – 

That’s the skinny! This response is serious. It’s not on God. It’s on you!

If you find yourself using reason #6 or #7 (wanting what you want more than God, or realizing you have a hard heart) you need to ask yourself a couple more good questions:

Heb. 10:29 says, “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” God’s words, not mine!

Has it occurred to you that staying in reason #6 or #7 is enabling you to trample the Son of God who loves you so much? He left the unspeakable glory of God to become human. He was born on the skinny! A stable. Hay. Cows and sheep. Manger. No baby clothes – just swaddling wrappings. No birthday party. Just a mom and dad chosen by His Father to raise Him into a man.

And Jesus did grow up into an amazing man. He said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. And to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mt. 20:28; Mk.10:45)

As we close this content, let’s focus on the kind of person God is. That gives us a model for what we should aim for. Here’s a great list to help:

As far as God is concerned, that’s the skinny on everything that matters. Your life matters to Him.

Since we all need good life tools, why not check out the above three e-books in our bookstore? They contain helpful action steps for a life of noble character.

And now you know. That’s the skinny.

Visit our website for devotional materials, articles, podcasts, and resources to help grow your faith in God. Pursue noble character and have an Alive and Active Life.

When I was a kid, I had an effective way of finishing a milk shake. A straw worked for most of it. But when I got down to those final noisy slurps, I worked with gravity. Turning the cup upside-down brought last drops to me. But when that was over, I stuck my tongue in as far as I could to gather up remaining morsels. THEN – my cup was truly empty! Nothing left! Satisfying, but also disappointing. Sometimes life drains your cup. That’s when you feel empty. It can be satisfying, but also disappointing.

Life is full of opportunities. You can drink your fill, but then often feel empty, especially after a season of pouring out. After working hard to accomplish something, you need to fill your tank again. Here are some examples people pour into – and then often feel empty:

The “empty feeling” is like getting to the end of your milkshake. You may find yourself standing on the sidelines, feeling satisfied, but also disappointed. You wonder what’s next.

It’s tiring to pour into each day. The wear and tear effect stacks up alongside the rewards of your hard work. Faithful investing takes consistency to build a productive, meaningful life.

In addition to providing for physical needs each day, there are other realities. Interactions in relationships, tending to nature (your yard or garden), career, skill development, ministry to others, and personal interests – all require energy. Keeping balls in the air and everything current requires consistent investment. Even planning vacations and rest takes energy, thought, planning.

Next thing you know, you feel empty again. Your cup is empty. Your milkshake is gone.

But – not to worry! God has some “Best” provisions for you when you feel empty.

Since God designed humans, He knows how to help. So, He provided a human example. His best man: Jesus.

What did Jesus do as a human being? Well, He did a lot! Scripture is filled with stories of His life and examples of what He accomplished. He poured into each day with passion while engaging expressions of love and service to every person. Jesus loved weddings and grieved at funerals. As a practical person, He met immediate physical needs – disease, hunger, and thirst. He walked a lot, talked about meaningful things, had fun, and loved kids! Jesus loved nature. And He was always talking about His Father and eternal life.

Jesus claimed – “Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (Jn. 17:3) He was saying . . . Knowing God is eternal life!

Christ, fully human, was faithful to a “T.” So, He likely often felt depleted, maybe empty. What did He do?

First, Jesus often departed to be alone with His Father. There, He found refreshment and renewal. This “favorite relationship” filled His heart with joy and purpose. He let God pour into Him and replenish His milkshake.

Second, Christ poured into God’s principles:

Third, Jesus cares about you and wants to help when you feel empty. Following His example, He wants you to let God pour into you. And He wants you to pour into God’s principles. Col. 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” Like Jesus, why not accomplish God’s desires over your own. 

Fourth, Jesus wants you to balance your life with rest the same way He did.

These practices help when you feel empty.

Jesus promotes REST. He engaged rest Himself and invites you to join Him. Mt. 11:28-29. “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Jesus is your resting place when you feel weary, burdened, empty. He is gentle and humble in heart.

Life is hard – especially when you suffer. Perhaps you worked for years with little observable results. But when you make God – your “favorite relationship” – you enter rest daily. He replenishes you and fills your cup again.

Whether things go well or terribly, aligning your life with Scriptures means “getting more milkshake.”

Have you wondered about the tradition of choosing an expensive, aged bottle of wine only to throw it at the hull of a ship and watch it break, splattering all over the vessel? Poured out to christen. We are to be a poured out offering. (2 Tim. 4:6; Phil. 2:17) That phrase comes from the Old Testament Levitical reference to a poured out drink offering offered by the priests. (Gen. 35:14; Ex. 29:40-41; Lev. 23:13, 18, 37).

The drink offering was literally poured out on the ground or altar. It was a ceremony that appeared meaningless to the uninformed. The dirt lapped up the excellent offering – and that was it. Gone! No one turned the cup upside-down and licked out every drop of the choice drink.

A drink offering was a statement that God is worth even the most extreme sacrifice, pouring out.

There is a valuable nugget in this wine (or milkshake) image. Perhaps you have done everything you know in your situation. Yet, you find things won’t shift. Perhaps a marriage, family situation, job, health issue, etc.

Whatever it is, your situation can become your drink offering – pouring out your life to accomplish God’s desires over your own. Still, you may feel empty. Wondering what’s next.

God loves you and will fill you up again. He is working in ways you cannot see. Because He is good and faithful, you can relax in what you cannot yet see. You can also:

When you pour out your life in the spirit of a drink offering, it’s a fragrant offering to God. (Eph. 5:2) Then when you feel empty, God fills you up again. This pattern produces a depth of worship and purpose precious to God.

Poured out offering. The very essence of your identity, heart, and worth constantly overflowing and being lapped up by the dirt as you serve God in whatever season you are in. What makes you, you . . . willingly poured out with no thought of the cost or waste. This is being a living sacrifice.*

Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it.” (Mt. 16:25; Mk. 8:35; Lk. 9:24)

Losing your life for Christ also means getting rest and renewal. It means getting your milkshake filled up to the very top again. That’s BEST news!

So, God gives:

* Today’s content is featured in Reach Back, p. 157-160 (a quality study for Jesus followers). Check it out in our bookstore. This wonderful study takes you through concepts that never grow old no matter how mature you are in Christ.

Visit our website for devotional materials, articles, podcasts, and resources to help grow your faith in God. Pursue noble character and an Alive and Active Life.

Remember when you made your first friend as a child? Or maybe you had a roommate you just clicked with when you went to college? It may have been a person you connected strongly with on your first job assignment. Whoever and wherever – you just got this feeling inside – “I think I like you!” It may come as a surprise but that’s how God feels about you. God likes you!

Yes, God likes you. Since He designed and created you, it’s only natural. God intends to bless your life as you live within His intended design. He also wants you to be a blessing to others in the world. So, because God really likes you, His blessing lands on you in those two ways.

Since this is true, let’s look at some questions to kick off today’s content:

Whatever you think of yourself, the very essence of who you are makes you unique, special, and the only-one-of-a-kind on earth. God designed – and likes it that way.

Here’s another list that shows specific things about you that God likes:

Jesus designed you. He is the great Creator. Since He makes no mistakes, you can be assured your unique personal design is pleasing to Him. He wants you alive on earth. And – He wants you in Heaven with Him for eternity.

Consequently, God developed principles about you that can’t be changed:

Because God intentionally designed you and loves you, don’t be embarrassed about being yourself. Don’t wish to be someone else. And don’t be arrogant. Simply be you!

It doesn’t matter what your beginnings were. The fact that you exist here and now is a strong case God has plans for you on the globe in this timeline.

Your uniqueness pleases God. No one else on earth is like you. Since you are one-of-a-kind, why not thankfully serve God your own unique, creative way – even in simple, small things?

Since you have specific spiritual gifts, personality, skill sets, and valuable experience, you can explore ways to serve the Lord. Why not figure out your intended life purpose? When you ask God for wisdom, He helps you know how to impact your world.

It’s time to relax into Christ. Time to prayerfully seek and pursue what God created you to do. Thoughtful living means being the best “you” possible for God’s glory.

Your most credible work on this earth is to believe and obey God – no matter what happens.

You are part of God’s thrust into His global interests. Others need something you have to give. People next door. People on the other side of the world.

Here ways to employ your resources, local and abroad:

You are a living example, a representative, of Jesus. (Jn. 13:15; 1 Cor. 11:1; Titus 2:7) Do others see Christ’s love in your life? Have you explored what you can do to portray the Lord to a broken world?

Since God likes you, you should like yourself. Your life matters, and you decide how that will look. But God has great ideas to help. Let’s use an example of a jar and different sizes of rocks to illustrate how to fill your life with things God values and things people need.

It can be puzzling to fill your life jar with the right rocks, the best size, and in the right order. Which do you choose? There are principles and action steps to help you decide. Your life jar matters!

God tells His children, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (Is. 30:21) He’s proud of who He created you to be and wants to help!

To prove God loves you so much, He became human – like you. Jesus gives an example of the most important things to include in your life – the big rocks – to be a healthy person.

During His life on earth, Jesus filled His own life jar. His life work helps you fill your life jar with big rocks first. He:

Each day, Jesus adds middle-sized rocks to your life jar:

As proof Jesus has on-going interest in little rocks of your life, He adds blessings to fit into tiny spaces of your life jar:

All these rocks (big, middle-sized, and little) fill your life jar. However, in the cracks between the rocks, Jesus gives a divine cushion of sand:  peace, joy, intervention, comfort, hope, and more.

Since He likes and loves you, Jesus gives help in the face of the bullies that make your life tough! He gives wisdom and understanding to handle your life problems. Of course, He also adds unexpected blessings that surprise you.

Because He is human like you, Jesus has intimate exposure to your sufferings, challenges, and losses. He identifies with you through first-hand experience. In every way, He is like you – except without sin. Human to His middle! God to His middle! Not only does Jesus fill your life jar with big rocks, middle-sized rocks, and little rocks. He fills remaining space with divine sand of His grace.

Above every other person, Jesus understands you. He practices mercy, faithfulness, and grace toward you, while serving the interests of His Father on your behalf.

You have a Father who is loving, wise, strong, committed, sacrificing, and bully-smashing. He is also your High Priest, Counselor, Mentor, Companion, and Friend. All these to fill your life jar because God likes you!

Many people don’t believe these things about God. They don’t want His help and doubt God’s heart toward them. And they certainly don’t think God likes them. So their life jar is filled awkwardly – unbalanced.

Visit our website for devotional materials, articles, podcasts, and resources to help grow your faith in God. Pursue noble character and an Alive and Active Life.

We hear about prominent figures, television personalities, world leaders, famous authors. But most of us are ordinary people – not famous. We care about the state of our world as we hear of countries being ravaged and individuals without food, water, medicine. We sigh as the news highlights tragedies in our own communities. Many ordinary people care about showing God’s love in practical ways. So, a question we ask: How can I ever make a difference in this huge world? I’m one of the ordinary people!

We already identified a main question ordinary people often ask – How can I ever make a difference in this huge world? Followers of Jesus should be asking questions. Maybe you’ve asked some of them, yourself:

Where did you find yourself in those questions? What does your part look like with so many diverse people? How can you help make communities better, provide practical help, touch a world for Christ? How do you effectively set aside differences to achieve common goals?

Trying to help address global problems seems like continual crisis management.

I think it helps to start where God starts. Here are some ideas He came up with.

He made you different than any other person – with a unique personality, individual skill sets, custom-designed passions, very specific purposes. And it pleased Him.

Since Christ is not divided, He has a plan that encompasses all personalities, abilities, skill sets, and view-points He created. God’s brilliant strategies involve each individual and organization. His agenda is to gather up the globe’s greatest treasure: human souls!

Best results occur when ordinary people strategize using God’s Word. We often don’t see the full picture as we build together. But God sees it. When we agree with God, we are also agreeing with each other.

Making a global difference is like a puzzle Parts that are identical don’t connect together well. They stack and they line up neatly. But they are not effective because they don’t “fit” into one another. They need an “opposite puzzle piece” to join to.

This differentness completes the partnership of our work together to make a difference in Jesus’ name. Together, we can put the global puzzle together.

Your “individualness” matters, even as an ordinary person. But your part looks different than other person’s (or organization’s) parts. That’s God’s strategic design. Different pieces interconnect. We just need to find one another and deeply appreciate our different shapes. God knows how the puzzle will look. Putting many ordinary pieces together can make an extraordinary picture! So –

Puzzle pictures become increasingly engaging as they are assembled. Sometimes you might work a border with others. Another time, you may form a corner or center portion that becomes clear enough to define. Still, there are times you search and search for missing pieces that seem to be hiding. There is joy in finding, placing, strategizing, partnering. Your contribution as an ordinary person makes such a difference in the whole picture.

Without you, the final picture has a hole.

Again, let’s just say – global diversity starts where God starts. Here are more of His ideas:

As an ordinary person, it takes pensive exploration to see how your life fits into a world scenario. Because you are a global citizen, explore how to integrate a meaningful life for yourself and pour into making the world a better place for others.

As ordinary people ponder how approaches, methods, and resources can promote unity and practical action steps, global citizens joined across the world can accomplish the enormous scope of the task.

Since you (and I) have limited wisdom, two things help gain it:

Your inner reflections and desires are important. God gave them to you. But if you experience them only inside you, they have little effect on the world. They can be devotional for you – but it does nothing for anyone else. How can your life affect a huge globe? Connect with your design, and move globally in a constructive manner.

God wants to build up and edify:

The model prayer Jesus taught His disciples starts with, “Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” And it ends with, ”For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.”

So connect your design with God first.

God cares for all His children – for you. So many people are suffering and lost. Jesus sacrificed Himself for all people, globally, across all centuries. He invites each of us to partner with Him in His reach to others. It may be in another country. But it might be down your street!

Since we want to be practical as we engage relevant and reasonable action steps, here are some ideas to prime your pump as an ordinary, caring, global citizen:

Best results are determined when you prayerfully set a direction and target your portion to make a global difference – as an ordinary person.

The above ideas and action steps provide your practical application for this content. So, to engage these action steps, go back through this material and seriously ask yourself what you can and will do to be an ordinary, caring global partner. Creatively use your mind, skill set, resources, and experience to make a global difference.

Why not be a global partner, even as an ordinary person?

Visit our website for devotional materials, articles, podcasts, and resources to help grow your faith in God. Pursue noble character and an Alive and Active Life.

Have you seen white clouds so fluffy you could reach out to touch them? Think about huge sequoia trees that take about 20 people holding hands to form a circle around the base. What about a simple, dainty butterfly alighting your arm for a moment. Waterfalls, majestic mountains, colored leaves, music of songbirds. No doubt – nature is beautiful! Inspiring. What a privilege to absorb the displays, relax in its calm, and explore its wisdom, precision, and wonders. With numbered days, we should ponder Nature’s Diamonds often.

The beauty of creation is all around us. Its wonder is a testimony of God’s glory and presence even in our broken world.

When I take time (not nearly enough!) to sit near my garden – perhaps with a cup of coffee, at times with my Bible opened to read, or with a letter from a friend – I see, hear, feel, and smell the glory of nature. And I’m reminded her diamonds are all around me, waiting to be noticed, holding secrets for my heart. If God cherishes creation’s treasure, shouldn’t I? Shouldn’t you?

God deeply values His creation. I believe Jesus immensely enjoyed each tiny glory when He lived on earth. Here is a Scripture that shows how Nature’s Diamonds point directly to God’s existence and glory. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.“ (Rom. 1:20)

The wonders of the heavens fill the Psalmist’s writings. Ps. 8 says, “You have set Your glory in the heavens . . . When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place what is mankind that You are mindful of them . . . ?”

Moments of indulgence in nature’s diamonds help when we need encouragement while living in shadows of life. Sometimes shadows are deep and long. We barely remember the glorious sights, sounds, smells and feel of better days.

Nature’s Diamonds renew our hearts if we let them. If we remember them. In dark times, God can refresh you with droplets of loveliness still present in the world. Sorrow’s shroud can’t eliminate Nature’s Diamonds. Are you looking for them?

God’s own beauty, goodness, love, and faithfulness are yours in real time – and in memory – when you have a difficult path of shadows.

You’re not the only one that suffers from a fallen world. Rom. 8:22 says. “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” All of nature’s treasure is waiting for a special day when things will be made perfect again.

When you walk in life’s shadows and dark days pull you down, God wants you to remember He loves you. When you are lonely or desperate, nothing can separate you from His love. Scripture declares, “. . . neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:39)

So Nature’s Diamonds are here to stay. God had humanity in mind at the dawn of creation.

I’m reminded of an experience I had at my most favorite place of residence. I’d like to share it with you.

One day, early on a cool, quiet summer morning, I was having my quiet time with the Lord on my front porch. It rained the night before. Everything was fresh. Inviting. Ever-so pleasant.

With a mug of coffee, my Bible, and pen jotting in my journal – I noticed something in my peripheral vision. Plants in the garden were “moving.” Every few minutes, ever-so slightly. Yet, enough to catch my attention. Not the steady, tender sway from a slight breeze.

What was causing the movement?

Crystal-clear, pregnant droplets of rain were gracefully falling from plant leaves to soak into the ground below. As a drop let go of a leaf, that action caused the leaf to bob and sway. Then the leaf slowly returned to its normal stillness.

One droplet in particular caught my eye. It was ready to gently let go and journey down to the earth. But it lingered – a very long time. As I read my Bible, I kept watching that beautiful, translucent sphere of water. Any second.

Defying my expectations, it made its journey, trailing the leaf horizon. Not the natural path in front of it. How much easier to simply let go and softly drop. Through its journey along the edge, it barely clung, overcoming inevitable gravity as the breeze teased the leaf. Anytime. Surely, a release.

That pristine droplet seemed to have a “will” about its direction – a mind of its own. Meanwhile, beautiful clear droplets fell from other leaves, as expected, in the garden. I was fascinated by this unusual diamond phenomenon.

My quiet time ended with the droplet still lingering . . . clinging . . . waiting . . . deliberately not dropping. And I realized how similar this garden event is to our current world situation.

There is noticeable movement around the globe. Not pretty like the scene in my garden. Events catch our peripheral vision as we pour into daily lives. Terrorist groups. Horrific accidents. Storms taunt and wreak havoc. Earthquakes hungrily swallow. Somehow, we continue normal lives despite looming reports – unless we are victimized in an event. Then we grieve and try to rebuild lives.

Centuries before His first visit, God made a promise to come. When the time was right, He gently dropped into the human race as a babe in a manger. What He did during His lifetime changed everything! He followed His unique path along the edge of human issues, addressing them from God’s perspective – not our natural path. Then His cross connected humanity back to God.

Jesus ascended to Heaven, saying He was going to prepare a place – “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” (Jn. 14:3) Strong hint: another visit is imminent.

When will He return? Jesus predicted – “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars . . . there will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences . . . fearful events and great signs from Heaven.” (Mt. 24:6; Mk. 13:7; Lk 21:11)

It appears Heaven’s Glorious Diamond is taking an unsuspecting path down time’s leaf edge. Not predictable. Defying human logic. A mind of His own. Waiting . . . lingering . . . holding out for last minute decisions to accept His treasures.

But at just the right moment, like a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:2), He will quietly and definitively let go of the place He has fastened Himself to (not willing that anyone should perish – 2 Pet. 3:9) and descend in brilliant glory and power into our unsuspecting, scheduled lives. Clocks will be irrelevant. Responsibilities will diminish. Everything will completely change.

I never saw the diamond droplet fall as events of my day called. Yet that tiny Nature’s Diamond still reminds my memory.  I’m sure – when the time was right – it quietly let go of the leaf and made its descent to the unsuspecting ground. And I missed it!

Nature’s Diamonds urge not to miss the glory of each day, the hidden treasures that co-exist alongside sorrows and shadows, and especially the glory of the Son’s return.

Everything will change. You don’t want to miss it.

Visit our website for devotional materials, articles, podcasts, and resources to help grow your faith in God. Pursue noble character and an Alive and Active Life.

I’m thinking about people I’ve met over the years, some from childhood. Though I can’t remember some of their names, there’s a kind of “imprint” of the kind of person they impressed me to be. The impressions have to do with attitudes they portrayed. There is such power in attitudes that affect your life – and other lives, too. In fact, they can set your path for a long time. That’s why we should be aware of them and choose carefully.

To put it simply, attitudes are habits of thought a person chooses to adopt and practice. But because attitudes also inhabit territory of your heart, they have direct influence over the kind of person you are. You can manage attitudes, even change them. Why would that be? Because you can renew thoughts and refresh your heart. Rom. 12:2 says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Attitudes are elements of life that reveal additional information is present. They don’t just happen. They are responses to other data points – choices a person makes as they navigate through each day. The power of attitudes is enough to turn the direction of an individual, a culture group, a community, even an entire nation. So the power is significant.

Attitude power can be a very positive force or a negative force. Sometimes it’s a force with devastating effects. Attitudes are also powerful enough to make life enjoyable, even adventurous, despite less than desired circumstances. When we take responsibility for our own attitudes, we begin to wield the power they contain.

There are 3 main components that make up an attitude. These components are basic human processes that you and I engage hundreds of times every day. These important parts of our lives make us the people we are.

The good news about attitudes is that we can conform each attitude into something that makes life better. Even when suffering or being persecuted, the ability to “train” an attitude is a unique power – and a privilege.

More good news! Often with a simple “tweek,” you can change an attitude. Just a slight shift can help change one’s attitude to become a positive, healthy power that serves us well and the people around us who share our lives.

In other words – you can choose!

Prov. 15:13a says, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” A happy heart is a choice – a decision any person can make. I just want to make a notation: this is a bit different than when tragedy strikes your life and you find yourself in the stages of grieving.

Eph. 5:20 says, “. . . always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” So, no matter the circumstances, a person can decide how they will conduct themselves.

Prov. 15:1 talks about the power to turn a situation onto another path. “A gentle answer (soft, sensitive, kind, mild) turns away wrath, but a harsh word (vengeance, flared temper, anger, quarrelsome, fury) stirs up anger.”

1 Thess. 5:16-18 is a list of helpful choices that directly influence attitudes.

This verse promotes the attitude of gratitude. God loves when His children are thankful. This attitude brings out the best in a person and connects them to God’s original design.

Let’s briefly summarize the content so far:

There is a saying – “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll

This famous quote is a reminder we don’t need to be controlled by circumstances. Guess where attitudes fit into that saying. They do not fit in the 10%. They fit in the 90%. That means – you do have a lot more control than you may realize. Even when things go poorly, attitudes can be the power that keeps you on track as you respond to life.

Let’s look at a longer, powerful passage. Hab. 3:17 says, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer’s; He makes me tread on my high places.”

Bad days. Terrible things out of your control. That passage paints a dismal picture. But the conclusion is all about an “adopted attitude.” This individual insists they will make choices that influence their attitude. Notice the words “rejoice” and “take joy.” These are decisions, not feelings. That’s why you can make them yours, no matter what your feelings or circumstances are. If you use this power from God’s original design, attitudes will triumph over feelings! Say that again to yourself – out loud!

With this kind of approach, you can use all your circumstances to develop noble character – no matter what happens. You can be a master of your attitudes, not a victim. It’s up to you. Why not choose noble attitudes?

Scripture says, “. . . take every thought captive.” (2 Cor. 10:5) This includes attitudes.

Here’s another saying, and it’s a choice you can make with attitudes that don’t belong.

“Drive the occupiers out!” (President Zelensky)

Rom. 12:2 talks about being a living sacrifice and connecting with your original design. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” 

By dying to self, you can be more alive than ever. Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mt. 16:25; Mk. 8:35; Lk. 9:24) So why not give up what you cannot keep to gain what you cannot lose.

A famous missionary who gave up his life to tell a people group about Jesus said – “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” (Jim Elliot, October 28, 1949 journal entry)

What words, choices, attitudes do you want to be known for when your life ends? Why not be an influence of noble character by using one of the strongest tools God gave you – your attitudes?

Visit our website for devotional materials, articles, podcasts, and resources to help grow your faith in God. Pursue noble character and have an Alive and Active Life.

Have you ever been told – “You always have to be right!”? There’s likely been at least one time in your life when this has been said to you. And chances are, you’ve said it to someone else. To have to be right seems to be a human issue.

Does it ever “bug” you that a certain person just always has to be right? Maybe you are that person. If so, does it bother you that you pursue this image of being right – no matter what? And here’s the hard question. Is it even on your radar how it affects others that you have to be right?

You know how it is talking with a “have-to-be-right person.” In those conversations, even arguments, you begin to realize – “Here we are again! They just have to be right!”

Perhaps it’s a group project with multiple, intelligent, creative people. Maybe a business meeting, a community organization, a neighborhood or family gathering. It could even be a friend. But “that person” takes the helm and tries to convince everyone their approach is best.

The topic could be about anything. Finances, cars, property, relatives, politics, religion – to name a few. The scenarios are endless – because – you soon realize it really isn’t about the topic. It’s about the person that has to be right. More examples where “that person” may insist they have to be right:

It’s annoying to have a situation deteriorate to a place where a person argues and just won’t let it go. In fact, as we already identified – it ceases to be about the conversation, topic, or plan. For some odd reason, it has become about that other person – again! – who feels they have to be right.

It’s as if their well-being or life-value is somehow connected to being right (in their mind). Some people have even figured out how to always be right in a socially acceptable manner – a “nicey” kind of clever, sugary way.

We need to start in the right place. It always starts with “me” whatever side of the issue you are on.

1.  If you are sometimes “that guy,” ask yourself good “inner person” questions:

2. If you are stuck on the other end with “that guy,” those questions can help you, too. That’s because the tension “that guy” creates develops conflict, irritation, and unrest. It literally makes people bristle. But coming to terms with your inner person helps you know how to respond. You can maintain peace even if “that guy” isn’t at peace. So PAUSE and ask the questions.

3. Whichever guy you are, managing your heart increases inner peace. It elevates self-confidence, and reinforces the life-value God has already given you. Plus, by willingly standing down, re-evaluating, and making adjustments to your approach, you do three important things:

As far as managing interactions with the other person who always needs to be right, well – it takes a pensive approach to be positive and practical. This approach is a skill good managers learn in order to empower staffs, teams, and departments. It’s a skill critically needed by families, friends, and neighbors, too. Parents need these skills with strong-headed toddlers and overly-confident teens. Really, everyone should figure out how to interact with others who always have to be right.

Here are a few helpful tips to remember when selecting responses to “that guy:”

That’s a short list on how to interact with another person who just has to be right. But when we feel we just need to be right, a PAUSE helps to look at perspective and managing oneself.

Do you know why looking in the mirror (looking inside yourself) is best practice when managing the tension of having to be right? Well, simply put –

In the end, you win if you maintain Christ-like character. And you lose if you go after your own agenda.

What about when others persecute you? What if you have humbled yourself and are still judged by the standards others have? How does a person handle being slandered, gossiped about, made a fool to others who don’t know the situation. Even in persecution, it’s best to not get caught in the cycle of “I have to be right!”

This is when it gets challenging to do the right thing and where a price is paid for extreme growth and personal training. You can become skillful at working through difficulties with others – especially if you work to solve the issue without compromising your character.

How does one maintain peace and joy even under the onslaught of others who judge and criticize? Best responses come from the person who lived His entire life like this. Jesus is a fabulous example of how to live misunderstood – but always right.

You don’t “have to be right” to follow His example. Know why? Because God already sees what’s right. He knows the details. Even more important, He sees and knows your heart. If a person thinks they have to be right, the heart is the best place to begin.

Let’s find some guidelines from Ps. 49:3 to establish and measure good action steps. “My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.”

Conversely, if you “have to be right,” you are serving self, not God who gave you life and purpose. This conduct means your character will not be Christ-like, but rather serve yourself – and the enemy.

There is one time it is always right to dig in – at the place of surrender to God. Being completely aligned with God helps you think, speak, and act when you deal with “that guy.” In this place, you are always right!

Visit our website for devotional materials, articles, podcasts, and resources to help grow your faith in God. Pursue noble character and an Alive and Active Life.

Keeping track of all the details in life is challenging. How do you track things in your life? Your workload, diet, property care and home chores? What about bill deadlines, healthcare appointments, fun with friends. To stay on top, you need a good tool. Tracking your spiritual development and growth in noble character requires a good tool, too.

Sometimes when you start working with a new resource – like a “quick-reminder device” tool or a “back-hip-pocket reference” tool – you stumble onto something great.

That tool is ACM for spiritual development:

ACM is one of those great finds. This tool measures what’s going on inside you, quickly assesses, and helps you immediately slip into noble character.

As a Christian counselor, I have noticed lots of believers struggle to break free from old patterns and launch into new successful patterns. So, I asked God – “how can we help?”

Very early one morning as I was waking, I was connecting with God in prayer. This wake-up pattern has become a great way to start – and end – the day.

As I prayed, I sensed God laying ideas on my heart about this dilemma of people who struggle. Still waking, I remember thinking – “Wow. I better wake up fast and pay attention!” In fact, I got up and started writing. This is when ACM came to be.

What is ACM, and how does it work? These are questions I want to answer for you.

I didn’t realize, but ACM had been loosely alive in my heart a long time. I recognized the concepts God shared that morning. Interesting! I’d been using these “check points” and “action steps” for decades. In fact, this information helped me change when I was desperate for it.

ACM is a measurement tool – an acronym for 3 critical components of noble character. Each component helps assess where you are – right now. It’s simple to remember and easy to use. And it’s built on principles that will never change.

The ACM tool brings great results. It’s built on the idea of living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1). “Living sacrifice” doesn’t quickly connect for most of us. It seems like an oxymoron. Yet, it’s the key to succeed with patterns for an Alive and Active Life.

Let’s look at some hand-made visuals and then define things.

What do you want more than anything – in every situation as it happens? Agenda is the plan, the desire, the “idea-thing” inside that you must have! Agendas can be good – or not-so-good.

Everyone has an agenda. Many people haven’t identified theirs. They just exist each day as some undefined force inside sort-of steers them. Some would say their agenda is what they live for – a bit like a purpose statement.

Severe sacrifices – and sometimes unhealthy compromises – have sometimes been made for an agenda. People want what they want, and that’s what they go after. But that’s why a tool is helpful – to identify if your agenda is worth the sacrifice.

God created you with agenda as part of His original human design. While millions of people pursue their own agenda in a mixed-up world, a few have discovered this secret. When your agenda lines up with God’s agenda – the plan, desire, “idea thing” starts to make sense as you discover who you are in Christ.

In this discovery, deep satisfaction grows as you are assured of God’s love. Life takes on purpose and joy. It’s an exchange – giving up an incomplete, undefined, broken, self-focused agenda for the original agenda you were created for. It nurtures a life of noble character. Nice exchange!

The good news? You have absolute control over your agenda.

Christ-like character is a measure of what should and shouldn’t be present in your soul. In other words, whatever is not God’s character goes. Whatever you would find in Jesus’ character stays and increases.

As rotten as humanity is, Jesus paid for all ungodly character at His cross. The person who “gets this” is ready to receive character from Christ in every situation because they are grateful for what Jesus has done.

Working at patterns of godly character (and it does involve work) in life scenarios while asking God to change you, helps you step away from old patterns. ACM provides maximum help.

The miracle of Christ’s character becoming your own character is near.

The good news? You have absolute control over your character.

What force pushes your choices? Underneath everything, what is most important? Why do you do things you do? Say things you say? Leave things undone?

This root – your motive – is under your agenda as your character is practiced. It’s the DNA of your choices. The good news? You have absolute control over your motives. You get to decide what you will or will not do.

There’s a special transformation that takes place in a person who chooses motives that please God. Asking God to transfer His motives into your own heart brings change. It’s like an organ transplant, but at the “root” of your soul.

A root will grow up into what it is. If the root (the motive) is God’s – it will yield a huge harvest in that person. If it has not come from God, it will yield evil patterns.

So, you’ve got a 3-prong, free-moving piece of Agenda-Character-Motive joined by your will, all pinned to the “clock face” of your life. But that’s only 2-dimensional.

Let’s contemplate 3-dimensional. Picture this resource as a sphere with 3-prong hands that twirl in every direction at the center, touching every point in the sphere of your life as it spins.

Using the 3-prong arrow concepts – Agenda, Character, and Motive – becomes a simple, meaningful way of “checking up on yourself.” This arrow spins in a large circle – your life – your “Servant Sphere.”

If you picture the hands of a clock (hour hand, minute hand, and second hand) that have landed exactly at 12 – 4 – 8, this is what the 3-prong arrow looks like – almost! And they are joined in the center as part of each other. That central “join” is where your will exists. It’s your decision center where you maneuver to make life choices.

Directly over that joint is the cross. When you superimpose the cross of Jesus (your choice) over your own personal will, you connect your Agenda, Character, and Motives. As a result, you are transformed day by day.

It’s a real-time, revolving-spinning, “quick check” that helps you know what to correct to get out of an old pattern of bondage and into a new fresh pattern of freedom.

Have you noticed the absence of feelings in our discussion so far? There’s been no mention of them. Does that mean your feelings aren’t important? Of course not! It means to have a balanced Alive and Active Life, a person needs to be whole with or without feelings that are pleasing or comforting.

Think about it. Life is filled with so much difficulty and sorrow. No one escapes it. Troubles fill up each day. How sad for the person who tries to address hardships of their life based only on their feelings.

It’s better to go with what is real, what will prevail, and what should be done. Feelings will come along – eventually. It’s like the dog illustration I’ve used in a number of publications. (terrible drawing – but it works!)

People who live by feelings “serve” those feelings in their Servant Sphere. However, when you rise up, despite feelings, and do the right, admirable thing – you learn to healthily manage feelings and “serve” God with noble character through Living Sacrifice.

On our dog, notice Faith is the head where you make decisions about your Agenda, Character, and Motives. The body is Follow Through where you carry out your decisions. And wagging back and forth is the tail of Feelings. They eventually follow along.

God cares about you, including your feelings. God designed humanity to function with feelings as indicator lights to help know what’s going on . . . then decide what to do. In this healthier place, feelings can be deeply appreciated – and even enjoyed.

Think of world heroes – people who did what needed to be done, despite their own personal feelings. They often saved situations. The satisfaction of accomplishing good, despite feelings, is something many people never experience.

Heroes change things despite how they feel.

Remember the good news. You have absolute control over your Agenda, Character, and Motives. You can change. God will help you. Phil. 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Because you need encouragement, and hope each day, why not enjoy these articles/episodes from our recent “Faith Series?”

Visit our website for devotional materials, articles, podcasts, and resources to help grow your faith in God. Pursue noble character and have an Alive and Active Life.