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A Seasonal Perspective

October 17, 2012

The author of Ecclesiastes looked around him at situations where justice and righteousness should be evident, only to observe that “wickedness was there” and “iniquity was there” (verse 16). Maybe he was thinking about courtrooms, government halls, and the marketplace, or maybe he thought primarily of the human heart. Or all the above. Evil was everywhere.

But he did not despair over this; he went on: “I said in my heart, ‘God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time…for every purpose and for every work’ ” (verse 17). Even when injustice and corruption appear unhindered in their pollution, a seasonal perspective enables us to hold on to God’s hope. He will, in His perfect timing, make things right—preparing the way for the triumph of every good purpose and every good work.

The believer in Christ [ … ]

SNEAK PEEK: Upside-Down Prayers For Parents by Lisa Tawn Bergren

October 16, 2012

Because God Loves Them Even More Than You Do

Click here to download chapter one of Upside-Down Prayers For Parents.

What if we didn’t just pray for God to protect our child? What if we prayed, Lord, mold this child into the person you designed him to be. Whatever it takes. I trust you with his present and his future through even the hardest circumstances. [ … ]

Praise

October 16, 2012

Praise includes adoring God and admiring Him for who He is and what He does.

Praise can be quiet and meditative. But it can also be celebrating and exulting in the Lord’s majesty and splendor, His sovereignty, His limitless power, and His bountiful love—which we do not in the least deserve. In praise we extol our wonderful God; we exalt and magnify Him.

Praise includes speaking highly of God to other people as well as directly to Him.

Excerpted from A Treasury of Praise by Ruth Myers

Daily Reflection: How do you praise God for all that he is and does?

SNEAK PEEK: Sent by Hilary Alan

October 15, 2012

Two words from Jesus change everything.

Click here to download chapter one of Sent.

Sent tells the story of ordinary Christians who accepted two words from Jesus at face value and found that it changed everything. In Jesus’s call to “follow me,” the Alans discovered answers to the most pressing human needs: meaning, purpose, vocation, significance, and God’s plan for the future. For the Alans, it meant selling nearly all their belongings and moving with their children half-way around the world. For you, the particulars will be completely different, but no less significant.

Click here to download chapter one of Sent.

Eternal Significance

October 12, 2012

So where do we begin in our efforts to find our true significance, to live meaningful lives that fulfill our eternal potential every day? I believe that this fruit of significance begins with the seeds of hope that God placed within us all. Like David, we begin by tending those seeds—or Cs, as I like to call them—and cultivating them in five key areas: developing confidence, being a person of character, concentrating on God’s will, cooperating with God (and others) in carrying out his plans, and participating in  community.

Excerpted from A Significant Life by Jim Graff

Daily Reflection: What can you do to continue cultivating your seeds of hope from God (the five Cs)?

SNEAK PEEK: I Am Not But I Know I Am (Trade Paperback) by Louie Giglio

October 11, 2012

God is looking for ordinary people to play significant roles in His story.

Click here to download chapter one of I Am Not But I Know I Am trade paperback edition. 

Our God is more expansive and powerful than we could ever imagine, the all-mighty creator of galaxies beyond our reach. But He is also the loving creator who has formed and fashioned you.  Yet, as valuable as you are to Him, God’s best for your life is to invite you into a story that is all about Him.

Now updated with all new content to encourage you in your quest to live for what matters most.

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Become a Well

October 10, 2012

To be fully alive is not simply to drink deeply of life and to be satisfied. It’s to become a well, offering Life to the world around you. That is what it means to be fully alive. It is not only to experience a glimpse of God for yourself but also to become a glimpse of God and to create communities that are glimpses of God.

Excerpted from Spark by Jason Jaggard

Daily Reflection: In what specific way can you become a well for your family and friends?

Greater than Baseline Living

October 9, 2012

Baseline living is not okay. Not for a believer in Jesus. There’s a price to pay for Christian complacency. If you keep living on this level, your heart is going to shrivel. It might already be shriveling. Your dreams are going to die. They may already be on life support. Will you look up one day and be overwhelmed by the stack of regrets staring back at you? The frustration that’s simmering on the back burner right now might boil over one day, and you’ll be bitter about the opportunities you missed. Opportunities to be used by God, to touch lives, to get outside yourself and be a part of something greater. I know it’s not easy. But don’t tell me it’s not possible. Jesus Himself said it was.

The fact is, we are so much better than we’ve become, [ … ]

Giving of Yourself

October 8, 2012

The late Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing before the age of two due to illness, but she went on to become a world-renowned author, speaker, and social activist. This great woman said true happiness comes through “fi delity to a worthy purpose.” What does that mean? For me, it means being faithful to your gifts, growing them, sharing them, and taking joy in them. It means moving beyond the pursuit of self-satisfaction to the more mature search for meaning and fulfillment. The greatest rewards come when you give of yourself. It’s about bettering the lives of others, being part of something bigger than yourself, and making a positive difference. You don’t have to be Mother Teresa to do that. You can even be a “disabled” guy and make an impact.

Excerpted from Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic

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