God is all about using imperfect families to carry out His purpose in the world. When we decide to follow Jesus, we get to share that with our families and set a new example for the ones we lead. Choosing Jesus means two things: 1) we're automatically part of His family, and 2) no matter how chaotic your family might be, God can still use it to mak…

The devil's only mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. He spends every moment plotting to keep us trapped in the snares of sin. There's life after death -- eternal life with God -- but so many people don't even know it exists, or believe they have a chance at that life. It's our job to fight against the devil's lies and spread the Word during our…

Salvation secures us from being lost and separated from God forever. But our spiritual journey doesn't end there! When we give up our lives for the sake of following Christ, we gain heavenly rewards that can never be taken away.Por Richard Ellis

Ever heard the phrase, "Do as I say, not as I do?" The Bible is clear in calling out hypocrites who teach one way to live, and then live out something completely different themselves. It doesn't matter how we look or act on the outside if on the inside, our heart isn't right with God -- and when we have a genuine relationship with Him, it'll be evi…

Throughout the Bible, there are stories of people who felt overwhelmed and wanted to quit the tasks God had given them. We all have those moments when we’re ready to throw in the towel, but God is still working. Even when we feel like we’re done fighting and struggling, He is never "done" with us.Por Richard Ellis

We can study the Bible all we want, but until we're given fresh eyes through the Holy Spirit, we will never be able to truly see and know God. In order to grow deeper in our relationship with Him, we can start by asking Him to reveal Himself to us through His Spirit in Scripture.Por Richard Ellis

When we're born again as new Christians, it's important that we receive "milk", or spiritual nourishment, from more mature believers. But eventually, we have to be weaned off and learn to chew on "solid food"! As we grow in our relationship with God, we're then able to turn and help feed other new Christians in their faith.…

The most effective way for someone to become a truly great leader is for them to already be following someone else. And when we follow Jesus Christ, we're called to become leaders ourselves, make disciples, and teach others to do the same. Discipleship and leadership have to be the focus of the Church -- otherwise, we get out of focus and lose our …

When God gave us Scripture, He documented His works and His promises in writing -- all so that we might believe and be changed. But knowing the Word of God and believing the Word of God are two different things. And when we believe it, the power of His Word transforms our lives and we bear spiritual fruit as a result.…

There's a difference between saying "I'm sorry" and actually meaning it! Just because God offers us mercy and forgiveness doesn't mean we get to take it lightly. True repentance comes with deep sorrow when we realize what we've done wrong -- and genuine change follows as a result.Por Richard Ellis

God isn't interested in sharing the glory He deserves. That's why we often experience situations that require us to put our full trust in Him and Him alone. We need to first start believing that He's for us, not against us -- and then we need to put that faith into action. When we trust God in seemingly impossible circumstances, we get to see His g…

God's Word has the power to work in us to expose our hearts -- and our sin. But it also has the power to renew and redeem us. Instead of running from biblical conviction, let's lean into it with a desire to be more obedient to Him.Por Richard Ellis

All over the world, you can find monuments that have been built to remember men and women who gave their lives for a cause. It's important for us to remember the cost of these earthly battles -- but we also need to keep in mind that there's another battle raging constantly for the eternal future of our souls. Jesus gave His life to win that battle …

We tend to seek a mate first and then ask for God's blessing later. But what would it look like if we reversed that by seeking God and then allowing Him to direct our steps? When we put God first before moving forward in a relationship, He guides and directs us to the blessing of marriage the way He intended it to be.…

Before He returned to Heaven, Jesus promised that one day, He'd come back for His followers -- and it's our job to be ready and spread the word. God's desire is for every single person to know Him so that they could spend eternity with Him. Sadly, not all will choose to follow Him, but it's up to those of us who do to anxiously await our King, and …

We spend so much time worrying about our jobs, our homes, our finances, our families, and a million other things. But how much time do we really spend worshipping the King? Our sole focus should be our relationship with Jesus, because everything else we do and have stems from that. When we prioritize Him, He provides for all of our other needs.…

When we first become Christians, we're spiritual newborns. But as we grow in our relationship with God, we reach a point of "adolescence" where we begin to think we can do things on our own. The trouble is, the more we develop the rebellious attitude that goes along with adolescence, the worse off we are in the Body of Christ. At some point, we nee…

On our own, we're all slaves to sin -- but Jesus paid the ultimate price for our freedom so we could be spared from the death sentence that awaits us. For us to be freed, we first need to confess our guilt. Only once we admit that we're dirty with sin can He make us clean.Por Richard Ellis

We tend to think of ourselves as owners -- of our time, our finances, our talents, and more. We forget that we're merely just stewards of everything that God's blessed us with. Imagine how much more the Church could do if we'd each stop trying to own what was never ours to begin with, and instead we gave all that God calls us to give.…

In several places throughout Scripture, we read that God despises whining and complaining. Regardless of our circumstances, our trials, and our suffering, we're instructed to respond purposely with thanksgiving and praise. It's impossible to worship God and complain about our circumstances at the same time.…

1 Corinthians 1:18 tells us, "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." When we read the Gospel message -- that Jesus came to earth, lived, died for us, and rose again from the grave -- it sounds foolish. But to those of us who hear that message and believe, it becomes…

Society tells us that if there's a God, there are many ways to get to Him, and Jesus is just one of those ways. But the Bible is the Word of God, and the Bible tells us that Jesus is the only path to the Father. If we want to be in relationship with God, we first have to come to terms with the fact that the Bible isn't just some religious book -- i…

Today's culture lures us into a life of comfort and sitting on the sidelines instead of fighting for the purpose to which God's called us. When we take a stand for Christ, the world may hate us, but the cost is worth it for Him.Por Richard Ellis

We can't truly be free from our wickedness and sinful nature unless we trade it in for God's righteousness. The choices we make will eventually overtake us in their consequences, but God will provide a life of righteousness under His protection if we choose to depart from our wicked ways. It's up to each of us whether we remain trapped in our sin o…

The Body of Christ is made up of believers who will never again be alone once they join that Body. We always have Jesus with us, but it's important to get plugged in with other believers around us. And with that comes a responsibility to remember that the things we do and the decisions we make affect more than just us -- they affect the rest of the…

Sometimes, God turns up the heat in our lives for the purpose of making us more like Himself. When we're living in obedience to the Lord and affliction comes our way, we can be certain that He's using those circumstances to refine us and purify our hearts. No matter the struggles we face, our hope and our purpose are found in Him alone.…

Sometimes the trials we face are ordained by God for the purpose of building perseverance in us. And sometimes, the longer we fight adversity, the longer we remain caught in the middle of it! Our suffering often leads to outcomes even better than what we experienced before the hard times began -- so let's remember that God can use any struggle for …

This life is full of suffering. There's no way around it. We all carry hurts and burdens that we think nobody else knows about. But Jesus knows our pain, and He invites us to bring it to Him. When we cast our cares on God, we're not relieved of the trials we face, but we can walk in peace knowing we don't have to shoulder the load alone.…

Before God even created the world, He already had a perfect plan: He would send His only Son to die for us because He loves us more than we could ever imagine. When we choose to accept His gift of salvation, He writes each of our names in the Book of Life. He's calling us to Himself so that we can be saved from the destruction of this world's end, …

The term "coup de grace" in French means to deal a deathly blow for the purpose of ending suffering. The ultimate coup de grace took place when God chose to wipe out all of our sin in a single blow -- and in doing so, bridged the gap for us to have a new life in Him. When Jesus died on the cross, He offered a death blow to our sinful nature forever…

Scripture is filled with examples of God keeping His promises, time after time. Yet we so often doubt that He'll keep His promises to us. When God makes a promise, it's up to us to walk in faith and expectation that He'll fulfill it -- not live in disobedience and doubt.Por Richard Ellis

Scripture teaches us that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ; He's gone before us to prepare our forever home, and the way we live here is revealed there. If we spend our time on earth focused on the treasures of this world, then our treasure dies with us. But if we live focused on eternity, worldly riches cease to matter in light of li…

Old Testament law declares that when you harvest a field, anything left over once the harvesting process is finished should be left in the field for the orphans, the widows, and the poor. So why do we tend to hoard what God has given to us? We've been blessed with so much, but with that comes a responsibility and an opportunity for us to turn aroun…

Have you ever heard the saying, "When one sin is defended, it becomes two sins"? Just because our culture deems sinful behavior to be acceptable, doesn't change the fact that it's still sin. The Bible is clear about what it defines as sin, and as followers of Christ, it's up to us to take a stand and speak biblical truth in love -- no matter how ha…

We live in a culture that's not only made sex outside marriage acceptable -- it's made sex outside marriage the norm. The world tells us that the purpose of sex is for mere enjoyment without boundaries, but God tells us He created it for a special purpose, to be experienced within the covenant of marriage. Scripture's always been clear and consiste…

As Christians, it's our responsibility to take a stand against sin in our nation. The world is getting increasingly comfortable with things that go against God -- and too many are staying quiet. Yes, we need to get involved in choosing our leaders, but it has to go beyond that; now's the time for us to speak out boldly and stand up for what’s right…

The way we spend our money shows who -- or what -- we worship. It's easy to be selfish when it comes to our finances, but our perspective changes when we recognize that everything we have comes from God first. And when we live like money was never ours to begin with, we wind up spending it differently -- as a tool to bless others and to glorify Him…

We want God to use us to accomplish His work -- we just don't want to experience the trials that He uses to prepare us for that work. If we spend our lives running from tough times, we'll never be strengthened and refined to do great things, but we can choose instead to arm ourselves with Scripture and to face the trials head-on when they inevitabl…

Before God can use us to impact others, we first need to go to Him for wisdom in using what He's given us. Part of being a follower of Christ is allowing Him to call the shots in every area of our lives -- including our money. When we seek His will first in our finances, He not only blesses us, but He blesses others through us.…

We've all got that thing that grates on our nerves, whether it's a dripping faucet or a yappy Chihuahua! But instead of letting those little irritations get the best of us, let's consider that sometimes God allows "annoyances" in our lives so that we can respond to them accordingly. When we follow Christ's example and keep our eyes on the Lord, we …

The story of Samson is an amazing example that no matter how much we mess up our lives, God still has a purpose for us. We're all "cracked" from things in our past, but that doesn't stop the Lord from picking us up and using us to hit a home run!Por Richard Ellis

If we want to know God's will for our lives, we need to read His Word! He's given us clear directions on how to live, but so often we don't bother to read it and then wonder why things don't turn out the way we wanted. Scripture doesn't stop us from making mistakes, but it gives us directions to find our way back when we stray.…

The very basis of the Christian faith and the Christian life is founded and centered on the truths we read in the New Testament: that Jesus came to earth, fully human and fully God, to save us and free us from the power of sin and death. In Him, and Him alone, we have new life and the promise of an eternal hope and future.…

It's easy to complain when we don't get what we want. But the Bible is filled with examples of why complaining only hinders us from a life of trusting in God. We can either be like the Israelites, who didn't get to see the Promised Land because they chose to complain instead of obeying the Lord, or we can step out in faith knowing God's never let u…

Homing pigeons have a way of always returning home. In the same way, when we become believers in Christ, the Holy Spirit acts as a sort of "homing mechanism" inside of us that draws us back to God, no matter how far we drift. Repentance isn't just for the unbeliever -- it's a reminder for each of us who have strayed to stop where we are and return …

We all look up to someone -- and we all have people looking up to us in one way or another. That's why every single one of us, as leaders, need to both see and be good examples of leadership. When we listen to wisdom from those who have gone before us, we can lead those who are following behind us. And when we make mistakes, it's important to repen…

Hebrews 6:19 talks about hope in Christ being an anchor for the soul. That's because when we put our trust in God alone, we're held fast through all the storms of life. It's only by clinging to Jesus through our trials that we'll develop perseverance, character, and eternal hope.Por Richard Ellis

This world of broken people is waiting for us to acknowledge the weight they carry, and to bring them the answers that can only be found in Jesus. God's always working on the other side of the situation, even when we can't see Him -- that's why we've got to obey Him when He calls, knowing other people's lives are at stake.…

When it comes to being silent even amidst suffering, Jesus was the perfect example -- and the perfect sacrifice. He willingly endured death for our sake. When suffering comes our way, one of two things will happen: God will either shear us from the "fluff" of our lives, or He'll defend us from the enemy that seeks to come against us.…

When we receive the free gift of salvation through Jesus' death and resurrection, we're promised the reward of Heaven -- period. But the way we live between now and eternity is a choice we have to make daily. If you could skip to the end of your life and look back to today, how would it look different based on the decisions you make?…