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Do you know the spiritual season you are in? It will help if you do. Looking for the fruit of Summer in the middle of Winter, will leave you disappointed. Trying to hold on to parts of your life in Fall, when emotional leaves fall away, will make you frustrated….

Men love darkness; yet the God who is light, still loves men. Perhaps the greatest miracle that can take place in a person’s heart, is going from loving darkness to loving light. If there’s a greater miracle than that, I’ve never seen it. The Bible says, “For you were once darkness,…

Every day, God is trying to communicate with us—deep down in our spirit. The question I ask myself is, “Am I listening?” An unbelieving planet resists loudly, while the Kingdom of faith persists quietly. Romanian pastor, Richard Wurmbrand, spent 14 years in a communist prison for his faith. He once…

Are you frustrated about something? How you’d you like to get the most out of your frustrations? I’m not joking. Frustrations are actually doorways to our destiny. Until we see our lives from God’s point of view, we’ll never understand the good that’s possible because of these frustrations. If we…

All of us want to hear the voice of God. The inner voice that leads and guides our life. I’ve never heard God’s audible voice, but His inner voice and witness has been alive in my heart for 48 years, since I let Jesus be the Lord of my life….

Wouldn’t you like to never be disappointed? We all would! But, it will require you coming to terms with what God wants for your life? What’s His motive; His heart; His ultimate intention? It’s important that you and I know this! No parent wants their children to fail in life….

All of us think we know what’s best, but we rarely do. We pray, “God, if you would just do this or that, then my life will be blessed!” We bring a wish list to God, looking for Him to sign off on our requests, As if we actually know better than…

Do you think God answering your prayers will make your day? It won’t! You’ll just ask Him for something else. And the merry-go-round will continue! It’s actually the road to perpetual un-fulfillment. The satisfaction you and I looking for doesn’t come from God answering our prayers, it comes from learning…

Are you begging God to help you? Don’t. It’s a waste of time. He doesn’t answer prayers of unbelief. Are you asking God to reveal Himself to you? Now, that’s awesome! It’s a great prayer! But we shouldn’t be surprised if God doesn’t give us new revelations of Himself until…

You and I have never seen anything eternal with our natural eyes. This world is the matrix. The real world is invisible and can Only be seen with eyes of faith. So, in order to change the visible realm, we must learn to see into the invisible. Why? Because, this…

Are you convinced God wants you to be successful? He absolutely does! But only He knows what success looks like. We have no idea. We’d chase after rainbows, looking for pots of gold, only to realize we were chasing the wind and worthless illusions. God is a good Father, Sure…

Are you facing mountains of pain and discouragement? Does a mass of misery threaten to bankrupt your entire investment in God? Don’t let it! It’s been powerfully said, “Stop telling God how big your mountains are, and start telling your mountains how big your God is.” Life always comes down…

Do you feel like the rug has been pulled out from under you? It happens to all of us. When God’s at work in our lives, He prunes away what is dead and dying! When it’s a vast, eternal work, sometimes He uses bulldozers. At times, the experience can be…

Are you embracing the season you are in? If not, you’re missing God’s best for you. I’ve squandered too many wonderful days, in magnificent places, with fascinating people, because I was unable to get my heart around what was happening, and instead longed for what was not. I’ll never get…

Please don’t dismiss what I’m about to say, without hearing me out. Are you waiting for God to answer your prayers? It’s a complete waste of time! I’m waiting on God . . . not what He can do for me! God’s not my sugar daddy. The purpose of prayer…

How would you like everything in your life to work for your good? It can happen! As a matter of fact, it’s actually God’s will for every one of us! God promises that all things will work together for our good, if two things are taking place: if we love…

Are you and I blaming God for the challenges in our lives? It’s really a dead end! If we’re blaming God, it means we’re not trusting Him, but are being overwhelmed by the circumstances that challenge us every day. It means I’ve believed some lie about who God really is,…

If pleasure’s the goal in life, then everyone wins something…a measure of pleasure! The devil’s happy to give us the pleasures of Connecticut and Vermont Avenues, as long as he gets to keep Boardwalk and Park Place. But, if you’ve ever played Monopoly, you know that Connecticut and Vermont Avenues…

A pastor friend of mine asked his congregation what fruit of God’s Spirit they believed was most actively working in their lives. Out of the hundreds of responses, one fruit was glaringly absent: self-control. You may never train a lion, but there’s one thing you need to train: and that’s…

Are you optimistic about your life, or pessimistic? That’s an important question. How you answer it will reveal not just how your day plays out, but how your life plays out. Long ago, I settled in my heart to try and live as an optimist. Why? Because God is the…

I once heard some jolting news that could have been received as completely overwhelming. But God in His mercy quickly reminded me of my only responsibility. As I was marinating with concern about the seemingly insoluble issue I was facing, He spoke clearly to my heart, “You are in charge…

Do you appreciate all you have? I once read about an elderly American woman who died of starvation, alone in her apartment, because she didn’t have any money. Yet when the police examined her belongings, they found over $100,000 in cash buried inside the mattress she died on. How sad!…

Have you been severely wounded? At one time or another, all of us will be. But, at some point, we’ll have to decide: are we on a journey to be healed and help others, or attached to remaining a patient? In simple terms, do I want to end up being…

Most people’s desires are not God’s desires. We’ll do anything to change the way we look—to change the shell—when God wants to transform the pearl within us. Though I totally believe in doing all we can to be physically healthy, outward transformation will never make us whole. And since the…

Everyone wants to be successful! But, I’ve found out that God’s definition of success is way different than mine. Success, to God, is doing His will. Because His will for us is the best, out of all possible options. Most of us miss one of the great paradoxes of life….

Are you facing major trials? Feel like giving up? Please don’t! Trials are meant to bring out the best in us, not the worst. They throw the pass beyond our reach, but not beyond God’s intent and grace. It isn’t an accident when we feel completely inadequate to meet our…

Are your circumstances out of control? Many times, I’ve found my circumstances are. I’m more of an observer than the controller of the challenges that come my way. Even though what happens to us may seem completely out of our control, how we view our lives is always our choice….

Are you riding an emotional roller coaster? One moment you’re overcoming, and the next you’re being overcome. Frankly, I fight this every day. So, it’s a real issue for me. The most successful way I’ve found to steady my emotions is with the Word of God. The psalmist wrote, “I am…

Are you overwhelmed? A lot of us are! What if I told you God wanted to give you pleasure in your pain. Would you think I was crazy? Actually, it would mean you were believing the Word of God, more than what you were seeing or feeling. That’s what Paul…

Want to add more joy to your life? Sprinkle in a little faith! Faith is the miraculous, eternal ingredient that activates supernatural joy in each of our lives. Whereas happiness waits to see what’s going to happen, joy blissfully opens its arms to every moment and says, “God, I can’t…

Do you feel like your life has been shattered? If so, there’s only one cure. It’s a three-letter word: Joy! You could describe joy as “a deep sense of inner satisfaction that comes from seeing our lives from God’s perspective, and responding properly to the challenges and suffering of life.”…

Are you struggling receiving an emotional healing for some part of your past? There were years growing up that were so dark and hopeless, if I focused on them, they’d smother any possibility of being at peace today. That’s why, when we spend our lives dwelling on yesterday, we shouldn’t…

Are you in the middle of a storm? Do you feel overwhelmed? It’s important that we understand the value of the storms of life, and how to unpack why God allows them. Meteorologists say that, on the ground, every storm feels the same coming in—whether it brings two inches of…

Jesus said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” So, when does our suffering produce a positive change in us? We only grow through…

One of the most knowledgeable men I know, Mountain Mike Shreve, once told me, “Heavy winters bring more bountiful summers.” Hmm? So, the harder the winter . . . the more fruitful the summer! WOW! That’s quite a revelation. We all love Spring flowers and Summer fruit, but it’s the…

I don’t know what’s best for me—never have and never will. I don’t even know enough to have a strong personal preference. So, spending my life wishing things would work out is an enormous waste of my time. The smartest thingI can do… is to remain neutral: no bias, fully…

Are you at peace with your life? It’s an elusive goal that all of us are in pursuit of. True peace only comes from one Person: God Himself…the Prince of Peace. Scripture says, “While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them…” In…

Ok! This may be a hard pill for you to swallow. But, once you wash it down, it will make your life infinitely better. Would it surprise you if I said: the part of each of us that wishes things would get better is not our friend. Actually, it could…

Everyone wants to be happy. But happiness is more about a state of mind than having things work out. A man in his 90’s lost his wife of 60 years. Checking into a nursing home, an attendant described his new room to him. The old man replied, “I love it.”…

What teaches us the most in life? The answer may upset you. But, if you can receive it, I believe it will bless you. Malcolm Muggeridge, the famous British journalist and author, wrote near the end of his life, “Contrary to what might be expected, I look back on experiences…

Are you living the abundant life Jesus promised? It’s not some overstated promise, it’s God’s will for each of our lives. If we are genuinely following Jesus and allowing His Spirit and Word to wash our hearts and minds every day, we can live victorious, resurrected lives. So, will you…

Are you resisting the gift of pain? That’s right…the gift of pain! Why do we second-guess the perfect plans of an all-wise Creator? Many times, it’s our shallow understanding that causes us to miss the point and purpose of our challenges. All that happens then is we needlessly repeat the…

During these challenging days, we all find ourselves praying more. So, can I make a recommendation about prayer. Instead of praying for things to work out, what if you prayed to be content? None of us really know what “things working out” looks like anyway. Frankly, only God does. Why don’t we…

In the middle of so many of life’s struggles, we can feel that life has cheated us! But, the truth is, none of our setbacks are worth dwelling on! The greatest lessons in life come from learning to respond properly to what we think is a “failure or loss”. God alone…

With all the challenges and uncertainties happening in our world, some of you are at a really low point in your life? I get that. I’ve have had some incredibly low points in my life as well. But, what do we do when we hit bottom? When we feel that we’re…

Have you been feeling sorry for yourself lately? There have been significant periods of time in my life when I did as well. But, I’m reminded of an old Chippewa Indian saying that my twin brother Joseph once told me that greatly inspired him: “Sometimes I go about feeling sorry for…

Whenever you find yourself wondering why something’s happening, realize it’s never a coincidence. It’s invariably God working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him. Actually, WHY is typically the wrong question; WHAT is the word we should be asking. “God,…

Would you like to increase your long-term value? I think all of us would. That’s why avoiding pressure and even some measure of pain will only decrease our value. It’s the difference between coal and diamonds. Every diamond starts out as coal! And the world’s loaded with coal! But diamonds…

We all want to navigate life in peace. That’s why blaming God is one of the greatest deceptions and misconceptions in life. Contentment means trusting Him no matter what’s happening. It’s more of a decision than a consequence. It’s the opposite of the victim mindset and makes me responsible for…

What do you do when God feels far away? When I first received Jesus, I was so elated I thought I’d never come down. But within a month, the feelings began to fade. God knew I needed to sense His presence in a significant way. But that wasn’t His end…

Do you feel like you’re losing the battle for life? A famous general once said that in fierce battle both sides, at one point, feel defeated. But the one who rises for a final surge wins the day. Such is true in war and even in the Christian life. Shadrach,…

Do you feel like you’ve been short-changed by God? I used to feel that way, but now I reject it as the lie it is. The truth is, each of us have been lavishly over-paid. Believing this will not just affect how you process your past, but how you view…

I love this story! And the fact that it actually happened. On a hot July day, a 33-year-old truck driver decided a change was needed in his life. He’d been sitting around for months doing nothing. So, he attached 42 helium balloons to a lawn chair and lifted off. Just…

Incredible as it sounds, a man lived in a wooden shed with a metal roof, 3 feet wide, by 4 feet long, and 5 feet high for decades. He lived in this shed for many years until he died at age 80. Though he could afford to move, he chose…

Do you need vision for your life? We all do! Every day! We all need a reason to get out of bed in the morning. A purpose to work hard! A reason to step out in faith! A fresh start, in order to experience what we’ve never experienced before. Initiative…

At the entrance of a manufacturing plant, a sign read: “If you’re like a wheelbarrow, going no further than you’re pushed, you need not apply for work here!” God has hidden the precious things on Earth in such a way that finding them is a reward to the diligent ….

ATTACHED TO GOD’S PREFERENCE – One of the most dangerous mindsets I’ve ever had is being attached to my preference. Preferences can be really dangerous. Why? Because I’ve never known what’s best for me. Only God does. Sure, I’ve been attached to lots of things, but they weren’t what I…

There’s only one reason why you and I don’t trust God. It’s because we don’t know Him . . . But, the reverse is also true; you can’t know someone unless you first trust him. If we knew God, we’d certainly love and trust Him; and that means trusting that…

Just as beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, so is bondage. I always have a choice in how I see my life. No one, and no situation can force me to be depressed or discouraged . . . angry or bitter. Every one of these deformed responses to…