For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God]. 1 John 5:4 (AMP) Over my 40 years in the ministry, I’ve noticed that those who come from a more colourful past seem to have an easier time operating in the miraculous. Why is that? I believe it’s because they know they can’t earn God’s grace, so they don’t even try. Meanwhile, I know people who live so well, I can’t find a thing wrong in their lives—yet they’re pickled in religion. They can’t get away from a sinking feeling that they’re not enough, and they struggle to experience the miraculous.   Here’s the …

For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 1 John 3:20 (NKJV)  Do you struggle with a persistent feeling of guilt? Maybe when you examine yourself, you always seem to fall short somewhere. If that’s you, you’re not alone. Many people—believers included—struggle to feel good about themselves.   When the deepest beliefs of your heart are negative, they will trouble your emotions and rob you of peace. You’ll be more easily tempted into sin, and when you slip up, the vicious cycle of condemnation continues. So how do we interrupt the cycle and quiet our troubled hearts? The Voice translation of today’s verse gives us a place to start: “Even though our inner thoughts may condemn us with …

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NLT) As a young pastor, I was invited to speak at a successful men’s conference. Many of the other speakers were men whose books and messages had changed my life in a powerful way. I couldn’t think of anything better than getting a chance to sit with them and ask them questions.   But when I met several of these men in the conference green room, my awe quickly faded. I found that they didn’t live up to the glowing picture I had of them. I remember thinking …

So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:6 (NLT) Today in Canada, we honour the men and women of our armed forces who courageously risk their lives to defend and protect freedom. We remember those who paid the ultimate price by giving their lives. We also thank those who continue to serve every day, putting the interests of our country ahead of their own.   I have tremendous respect for these men and women, and we can learn a lot from their example. You see, soldiers value the cause at hand more than they value their own comfort and preferences. If they didn’t, every battle would be lost …

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (ESV) When you spend time with God, are you reminded of everything you’ve done wrong? If your faults and shortcomings keep coming to mind, there’s a problem.   Some people think that God brings up all the sin in our lives when we spend quiet time with Him, but that’s not true. If your mom or dad only talked about your shortcomings when you spent time with them, would you look forward to that time? No! You’d probably avoid it.   God isn’t a guilt-inducing kind of father. When you spend all your prayer time looking at your faults, you’re not even spending time with God. You’re actually thinking about you.   Think of it …