Achievements and success rarely fall into your lap. And when they do, they are often undervalued and quickly lost. Easy come — easy go. Spiritual strength is no different. It does not drift into your life. It is pursued.

Do you have a major threat looming on your horizon? What lessons can we learn from King Jehoshaphat? Face the reality that you can't fight this one yourself.

King David lost the joy of the Lord's salvation. We can lose our Christian joy too. We need to get alone with God and if we have sinned, we must confess the sin before the joy will ever return.

You may not be familiar with the acronym - ADL. Workers in care homes or rehab units, or those who do assessments on how well a person is able to function each day, know the term well. Missing from most lists is God. See how you score on the ADL list.

Friends may not feel comfortable sharing their stories or escapades when you walk into the room. They may feel restricted in expressing themselves when you are around. You may feel like you have entered an unwelcome space. But if your Christian testimony is what it should be, they will be glad to turn to you in a crisis.

Some Christians can view current trials and troubles from a different perspective. What do they perceive at a deeper level that gives them the buoyancy they have? How can they peer through the dark clouds to see the invisible? What is their secret?

The motif of shepherds and sheep is prevalent throughout the Bible. What constitutes good shepherding and Biblical shepherding in the context of a local church? When sheep go missing, is there a good shepherd who doesn't give up on them?

Living for Christ means your lifestyle will be different from most that you interact with on a daily basis. You will experience being an "outsider" at times. What encouragement can you get from the Scriptures?

There are many beautifully decorated Christmas trees. Many ornaments are heirlooms of great value. But there is one tree that defines history, and upon it hung One of infinite value.

The virgin birth of Christ and the Christmas story stands alone among all belief systems for its beautiful uniqueness. Consider the details of His identity, His birth and the reason He was born to die.