Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12–13 (NIV) If you’re like most Christians, you have a heartfelt desire to please God, but sometimes you get frustrated because you feel like you’re falling a bit (or a lot) short. You want to be a good spouse, parent, friend…but often feel that the characteristics you want to develop are just outside your reach. You may even feel like you are flawed somehow, like something is wrong with you, or you have to alter your personality or change the way you’re wired. It’s not …

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) Does your life feel like a mess sometimes? Maybe you feel like nothing has changed since you decided to follow Jesus because you still have all the same bad habits and problems. This may seem true, but you need to realize that you were created “anew” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT). You still may have beliefs to change and habits to overcome—we all do—but as a spiritual being, you are not at all who you were before you gave your life to Jesus. The truth is that the more you learn about this new identity you have as a result of giving your life …

And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:3 (NIV) The whole earth is filled with God’s glory. It’s in all that He has created, so it’s around us everywhere we go. God’s glory doesn’t just apply to church-related, spiritual things. All of God’s creation brings Him glory. Every budding tree, every little hummingbird, every mountain and river…it all brings Him glory. The next time you’re in awe of a beautiful building or a great song, recognize that it can all bring God glory if you have the right focus! If the whole earth is full of His glory, then so are you! When you succeed at something, using the …

But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” Luke 9:55–56 (NKJV) God has made us more than conquers (Romans 8:37). This means we have the power to conquer in every area of our lives. However, we need to understand what kind of conquerors we are. We are not empowered to dominate or control others. You see, there is a big difference between power and force. Some leaders force people to follow them through control and manipulation. But Jesus wasn’t that kind of leader. He didn’t overthrow those who came against Him, and yet you’ll never find someone more filled with power. In …

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:14 (NKJV) As a believer, you are a son or daughter of God. This is an incredible revelation, with so many layers to discover. God is your Father and you are loved no matter what. Nothing you ever do will cause Him to love you less. Does this reality cause you to be in awe of God? In Isaiah 6, Isaiah received a vision from God: “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two …