Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]? Romans 2:4 (AMP) What is repentance? Many of us think the word “repentance” just means “I’m sorry.” While it does include remorse, repentance also means to turn or change your mind and do differently. It’s an inward turning that goes beyond regret. Some reports even claim that “repent” was a Roman military command which called for a 180° turn or an “about face.” Years ago, we held alter calls. Coming to the front of the church signified remorse for sins and rededication to God. We thought deep sorrow for our sins would …

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find… Matthew 7:7 (NKJV) When we find what we’re looking for, we stop searching. As a teenager I dated other girls before meeting my wife. But when I met Sally, I fell in love and didn’t want to meet anybody new—I had found her! Some might view marriage as a long prison sentence with the same person, but I didn’t see it that way. My attitude was, “I get to marry Sally. Seventy years? Bring it on! I want that!” I dreamed of a future building a home, family, and everything with her. I was ready to work hard to carve out a life for us and couldn’t imagine life without her by …

You will know the truth, and that truth will give you freedom. John 8:32 (VOICE) Is there a clear path for us to become the person we’ve always dreamed of—a person who walks in joy, self-control, peace, and all the fruit of the Spirit? The path is laid out in Galatians 5:22–23, where it talks about the fruit of the Spirit. These characteristics are not developed through self-help or by just thinking about them. They are born out of our recreated spirit, made alive in the Spirit of God. Many go through life lost to addictions or emotions. But having a relationship with God and getting into His Word changes everything! We discover freedom from addictions and a supernatural ability to handle the stresses we …

Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37–39 (NLT) God is love. When asked what the most important commandment was in the law of Moses, Jesus didn’t mention one of the Ten Commandments. Instead, He gave two new commands, in today’s verse, which all the other  ten can be summed up in. Imagine: if we love our neighbour, we’re not going to murder them or commit adultery with their spouse. Love takes it to a higher level! Now some of us were raised to believe we need to continually love God more. We think …

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. Philippians 2:13 (NLT) Each of us moves around in different spheres of influence throughout our lives. As believers, wherever we go, God flows through us to impact others. I’ll never forget meeting one particular guy who gave his life to Jesus while battling heavy addictions. The following weekend he was telling everyone at a party about it. Now some might think, “Maybe he needs to get his life together first before he starts telling others,” but guess what? The next Sunday, he brought a bunch of people with him to church, many of whom accepted Christ too! You see, he held influence in the circle that he …