For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. 1 Corinthians 4:20 (NLT) God’s Word is so powerful. According to Hebrews 4:12, God’s Word is “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (NKJV). But its power isn’t accessed through analyzing and reasoning. The truth of God’s Word bypasses your reasoning mind to alter you from the inside out. In fact, Holy Spirit works through God’s Word to change you. The combination of God’s Word and Holy Spirit’s guidance can teach you everything you need to know about marriage, …

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. Mark 1:15–16 (NKJV) As Christians, we often call ourselves “believers,” but what does that mean? I know we’re to believe in Jesus, but even the devil believes in Jesus. What specifically are we supposed to believe? Well, our verse today says, “Believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:16, NKJV). It doesn’t say to believe in your favourite preacher. It doesn’t say believe in your spouse or your mother. If you make another person your source of truth, you’re in trouble. You’re to believe the good news of Jesus Christ. When you make the decision to turn your life over to Jesus, you become a brand new creation. Here’s …

Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. James 3:2 (NLT) Do you struggle to make decisions quickly? If you’re often indecisive, it might be because you’re afraid to make the wrong decision. The problem may be that you’re judging yourself harshly for making mistakes, but no one is perfect. One way to overcome this problem is practice. The more decisions you make, the easier it gets. Will you sometimes make the wrong decision? Yes, but through those experiences you’ll learn that the world doesn’t end when you make a mistake. Let’s use a fun little example to walk this process out. Let’s say you’re having trouble …

You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Colossians 3:9–11 (The Message) In the Middle Ages, royalty lived very differently from peasants. A child who was born into royalty could enjoy all the rights and privileges involved, and they didn’t have to earn any of it. Royalty was in their blood; it was part of their identity. Imagine if a king’s son was taken from the castle at birth and was raised in a peasant’s home. If he never became aware of his birthright, that man would miss out on all the benefits he was entitled to enjoy as a prince. That’s exactly how …

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 …