Finding Where You Fit In God’s Big Picture Do you realize that the eternal God of the universe has an agenda for your life? Many of us may already know that God has a “master plan” for the world, but often we struggle to discern how our unique purpose fits into His greater plan. To give us some clarity, I’d like to invite you to go back to the beginning of creation and then to the first century where we’ll discover what God’s agenda has been all along for all people. It all started when God created humankind in His image and ignited the greatest love story ever. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin and its consequences entered the world, God had grace for them. At that very moment, God began an unstoppable wave of grace – one of reconciliation, redemption and atonement. He clothed Adam and Eve who were still in their guilt and shame and set them outside of the garden because He didn’t want them to eat from ... |
How To Make It Through Anything Have you ever gone through a difficult period in your life when all hope seemed lost and you just wanted to give up? Maybe it was when you went through a divorce, lost your job, or buried a family member. Or perhaps you’re going through something like this right now and you’re desperately wondering, “Where is God in all of this?” When life gives us trials that seem too difficult bear, it’s easy to want to give up and to believe the reason we’re suffering is because God is punishing us or that He doesn’t really love us. But God wants us to know the truth about adversity and how we’re supposed to deal with it. Here’s what God says about adversity:
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VIDEO BLOG: December Donations are Matched Dollar-for-Dollar up to $570,100 This December, seventy-one people from across the country have come alongside Living on the Edge and committed to match all donations up to $570,100. This is the largest match campaign in our history! God is challenging us to stretch our faith and grow our ministry. This year’s campaign represents an important step toward fulfilling a God-sized vision of increasing our reach by 10x!
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Why You Can’t Afford to Live Without Integrity Everyone – both believers and non-believers – wants to see positive change in their life. There’s a multi-billion dollar “self-help” industry that caters to this universal longing. So why is it that genuine and lasting change so rarely occurs? Here’s why. Imagine an iceberg. The iceberg represents all that we want to change in our lives. All to often, we only deal with the tip of the iceberg – the part of us that is visible to others. When we try to project a false image or cover up what we don’t like about ourselves, we neglect what is beneath the waterline – the most significant part of who we are. In order to experience lasting change, we must learn how to live authentically. Authentic living means that our words and our actions tell the same story on a consistent basis. When you’re committed to living authentically, you’re able to recognize and own the mistakes and failures that take you off track ... |
What Does It Really Mean To Be Spiritual? Many of us were raised in churches where we were taught that being “spiritual” meant going to church every Sunday, praying long prayers, and memorizing lots of Scripture. At some point, we began to equate spirituality with discipline, following rules, and lots of hard work. But this was never God’s idea. This is the world’s idea of spirituality, characterized by rules, laws and traditions, rituals, and confidence in our own abilities. The focus is external – our self-effort and religious activity. Unlike worldly spirituality, true spirituality, according to the Bible, focuses on the internal – our connection with God. In fact, the whole goal of our spiritual life is summed up as this: to know Christ and to have a relationship with Him. Our spirituality is not based on human efforts but by the means of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Likewise, being spiritual isn’t about what we ... |
Learning What Total Commitment Looks Like Millions of people across the globe say they love God, but their lives tell a different story. In fact, over 90 percent of Americans say that they believe in God, but only 10 percent live in such a way that their lives reflect their beliefs. Even in the church, there’s a huge discrepancy between what most people think being a Christian means and what an authentic follower in Christ actually looks like. Although many professed Christians are indeed saved – which means they’ve accepted Christ as their savior – they haven’t truly surrendered their lives to Him. They’ve given God their heart in some areas, but held back in others. If you can relate, then at one time or another you might have wondered: What does God want from me? The answer is simple. What God wants the most from you … is you. In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul writes, “I ... |
VIDEO BLOG: Responding to Corruption (5 of 5) Let’s face it - the values of our fallen, broken world are upside down and in many cases life truly isn’t fair! Most of us face a variety of situations and relationships where things simply aren’t right. Sometimes that unfairness affects something small during the course of our day … like a blip on the radar. But other times, things are wrong on such a massive level that you find yourself navigating deep-seeded corruption. It’s easy to become cynical when you’re living amidst corruption. Many believers choose to retreat completely into a Christian “bubble.” But God tells us that we how we respond to corruption is an opportunity to reflect His love to a hurting world that desperately needs His truth.
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VIDEO BLOG: How to Change Your Mate for the Better (4 of 5) Have you ever felt as though your marriage was “off balance?” It’s hard to keep a positive outlook on life when you feel like you carry an unfair share of responsibility or burden over things like finances, family, church or even your relationship with your spouse. Often those around us add fuel to the fire, affirming the inequity we feel and sometimes even encouraging us to give up the fight. In 1 Peter we find that God gives very specific direction for both men and women about how we can actually change our mate for the better … and it’s not what you might expect.
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VIDEO BLOG: Dealing with an Impossible Boss (3 of 5) Have you ever had a boss who was completely unreasonable - or even impossible to work with? Most people experience this at some point and it can be tough to know what to do. Our tendency may be to bad mouth them behind their back or respond passive aggressively … but God’s direction for this situation brings new perspective to our response. Our broken world has a lot of broken workplaces - but God promises to equip you for it and use you through it.
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VIDEO BLOG: Responding to the Government (2 of 5) Dealing with unfair decisions made by people in authority - especially when the results deeply impact your life - is a particularly challenging situation. 1 Peter offers specific guidance for believers on this, and it’s not what you might expect. It begins with our respect for those very leaders who may be at the root of the problem. That respect is not the result of the credentials or performance of those in authority - but instead is based on our trust and respect of God’s sovereign will. God tells us that it is possible to conduct ourselves in a way that honors Him, even when we disagree with the values and actions of our leaders. Allow this truth to penetrate your heart and you’ll gain renewed perspective about the Biblical response. And in the process, you’ll become an even more effective advocate for change. Keep Pressin’ Ahead, |
