From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. Matthew 11:12 (ESV) When you love something enough, you’ll fight for it. That’s what today’s verse is talking about. I love how The Passion Translation fleshes it out: “From the moment John stepped onto the scene until now, the realm of heaven’s kingdom is bursting forth, and passionate people have taken hold of its power.”   I think Satan’s most powerful tactic is to get people lulled into a comfortable, ho-hum state of living because that’s where we’re least effective. We need a militancy on the inside of us that causes us to get up each morning, determined to eagerly take possession …

Where there is no vision, the people perish: Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) Do you have visions for your life?   We are incredible beings designed to envision and pursue the direction we want to go. When we don’t, we become like Daytona 500 race cars idling around a mall parking lot. God has created us to go places in life, but we need to envision our goal and then start driving toward it.   For example, if you don’t read the Bible often, it’s likely because you haven’t planned for it. You need to develop a vision of what you want to do and then move toward it.   Maybe you’ve been thinking, “I feel I need to renew my mind.” So, find yourself some books …

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5–6 (NLT) God designed us to get up and go for Him. But sometimes, we become caught up in thinking that pursuing a comfortable life is God’s best for us. With that mindset we tend to stick to the paths of least resistance.   For example, if there’s a fork in the road, and one option looks challenging while the other way seems effortless, we might not even wonder about God’s will. We may automatically assume, “God would want me to take the easier path because He loves me.”   I understand the …

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12 (NKJV) Do you think having a strong enough faith will keep you out of life’s valleys?   Sometimes, we can mistakenly think that as long as we have enough faith, we won’t get attacked or experience any negative stuff in this world. But is that scripturally accurate?   Does God’s Word say that all who live godly lives will tiptoe through the tulips of life and bypass any storms or trials? No, although that would be awesome, today’s verse tells us that persecution is a given for followers of Christ.   Now, to be clear, I’m not saying that persecution comes from God or that He plans brutal …