Parents, don’t come down too hard on your children or you’ll crush their spirits. Colossians 3:21 (MSG)  It’s easy to get wrapped up in what others think of us. The problem is that we put all our focus on behaviour and forget the more important inner beliefs of the heart. We need to be especially careful of this when it comes to children because we can say things that give kids a wrong picture of who they are and who God is. For example, if we tell a child who is caught lying, “God knows when you lie,” we’re trying to modify the child’s behaviour because we’re concerned with the external act of lying. Although it’s important to deter lying, we can’t do it at …

For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. Colossians 2:9–10 (NLT) If you are a first-generation Christian, you likely have a very clear understanding of what it means to give your life to Christ. You know what your life was like before and what it’s like now. You recall the shame, condemnation and emptiness you felt and you remember the hope, excitement and passion of beginning a new life with Jesus. Second generation Christians grow up knowing Jesus from a young age. And although we’re so glad they never experienced living without Him, sometimes they can begin to take their Christian life …

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. Colossians 1:13 (NKJV) Although your physical body was born of your mother and father, you became “born of God” the moment you decided to follow Jesus. As it says in our verse today, you became a member of God’s family, rescued from the “power of darkness.” When my children were born, they were registered as members of the Fontaine family. Official documents were signed to verify that these children were “born of” Sally and I, and those documents are proof of their membership in our family. No one can take that from them. When you made the decision to give your life to Jesus, …

By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. Hebrews 11:3 (NLT) The very existence of the world is due to God speaking in faith and declaring what He desired as a finished fact. What a perfect example of active faith at work! This same power and faith God demonstrated in creation He also placed inside of us. But, just as God has showed us by example, we must declare His promises like they’re a done deal. For example, if every day I keep saying, “I will be healthy,” I’m continually speaking into the future. But 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 says now is the time! So instead of saying “I will be …

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) Evidence: it’s what detectives search for at crime scenes and it’s what every court case hinges on. It is powerful! If there’s been a homicide, detectives must gather evidence to solve the case. This evidence is critical; they must determine a timeline, suspect and motive. They investigate data from the crime scene, interview eyewitnesses and check alibis. All of this evidence must corroborate and point to a truth. Now, since we also gather evidence in our daily lives, we need to be aware of the evidence-gathering process that happens in our mind. For example, if you’re new to a church (or even if you’re …