Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. Colossians 3:10 (NLT) As believers, God’s Spirit within us causes a strong desire to function more like Him in every way—not only morally, but in the areas of our health, finances, peace, joy and love too. Now, notice I did not say to be God, but to function like Him. Functioning like God doesn’t mean you have to grow a beard or wear a flowing robe, the way He is sometimes illustrated in pictures. That is not what today’s verse is talking about. It means that through an increasingly mature relationship with our Heavenly Father, we truly begin to comprehend our identity in Him, and His …

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) When you give your life to Jesus, today’s verse says you become a new creation. Now, this is not talking about your body. If you are bald when you give your life to Christ, you do not instantly gain a head full of hair. If you enjoy a triple-tall latte, you still like them after giving your life to Christ. The people you love remain the same. Accepting Christ transforms our spirits completely, not necessarily our physical bodies or our minds. Once you give your life to Christ, your new spirit—alive with the power and presence of Jesus—becomes …

“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ Matthew 25:21 (NLT) Complacency is dangerous. Merriam-Webster defines it as, “self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies.” Often people confuse complacency with peace, but the two are very different. Complacency involves apathy. It turns a blind eye to issues that need attention. On the other hand, you can be at peace while you are planning, solving problems and working at creating a better future. God doesn’t want us to be complacent. This is clear when you read Jesus’ parable of the talents. In the story, the master …

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11 (NKJV) I’m always inspired by the kids from Watoto Ministry who travel from Uganda to sing and raise funds for their ministry. Many of these kids share testimonies of being abandoned and left to fend for themselves before being taken in by Watoto. Despite the hardships these kids have endured, the joy on their faces as they talk about Jesus is palpable. They light up as they share about the great future they have in Christ and I can’t help but be in awe of their tenacity and strength. We’ve all been given so much. When …

The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. Deuteronomy 28:8 (NKJV) Do you ever talk yourself out of being blessed? What you repeatedly say about yourself influences you.  If you say, “I’m just not good with people,” you’ll stop expecting to develop rewarding relationships. If there’s distance in your marriage and you’re always saying, “We’re just too different,” you’ll stop working at closeness. Negative words such as, “I’m just not smart enough,” or “I’ll never get ahead,” will cause you to talk yourself out of the blessings Jesus died to gain for you. Meanwhile, it’s not your …