Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Romans 12:3 (NLT) Many Christians misunderstand what it means to be humble. They’ve been taught that they have to think lowly of themselves, so they’ll say things like, I’m just a sinner saved by grace, thinking that diminishing their own worth somehow exalts Jesus. They duck compliments and quickly minimize their contributions, but this can come across as wimpy and weak to the rest of the world. This stems from a misunderstanding of Romans 12:3, which warns us not to think more highly of ourselves than we should. But that verse is actually talking about your ability, not your worth …

The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, [even then] in this will I be confident. Psalm 27:1&3 (AMPC) Holy Spirit wants to lead and guide you on this awesome adventure called life. He also wants to help you speak and act in way that causes people to fall in love with Jesus in you. We refer to this style of speaking and acting as being Spirit Contemporary. It’s adapting yourself to best relate to others, but it isn’t about being overly nice to the point where it feels like you’re trying too hard. Actually, some see that touchy-feely stuff as a …

As He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17 (NKJV) In this world we are just like Jesus, and this packs a lot of mind-blowing revelation when you really think about it. Like Jesus, you can go about your everyday life with all the power of God within you. In fact, Jesus said, I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same great works, and even greater works (John 14:12, NLT). Think about how powerful that statement is for a minute! Not only are you able to do what Jesus did, but you have been given everything you need to be like Him in character as well. What was Jesus like? Often, we think of the most …

I’m committed to pursuing God’s agenda and not My own. John 5:30 (VOICE) Do you ever feel like you’re running around like a chicken with your head chopped off trying to keep everyone happy? Christians can easily fall into this trap. It starts out as a desire to help, but the approval you get from others can be addicting. It makes you feel valuable. You begin to rely on others’ approval instead of finding worth in what God thinks of you. It’s easy to misinterpret people-pleasing as good Christian behaviour. After all, we’re taught to think of others before ourselves and to adapt to best connect with others. The difference is that people-pleasing causes us to put others’ opinions before everything—even God—and this is not …

God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. Matthew 5:5 (NLT) One word that really trips people up is the word meek. When Jesus mentioned this word, He wasn’t referring to being timid, soft-spoken or wimpy. The Greek word is praus, and means so much more than meek. There is a component of gentleness and reserve to its meaning, but also strength. It means power under control. In the Greek language, this is the same word they used to describe their war horses, which the Bible describes as magnificent creatures. Although they were tremendously powerful animals, their power was under complete control. With only a nudge of the riders’ knee or a gentle tug of the reins, the horse was …