All over the world, you can find monuments that have been built to remember men and women who gave their lives for a cause. It's important for us to remember the cost of these earthly battles -- but we also need to keep in mind that there's another battle raging constantly for the eternal future of our souls. Jesus gave His life to win that battle …

We tend to seek a mate first and then ask for God's blessing later. But what would it look like if we reversed that by seeking God and then allowing Him to direct our steps? When we put God first before moving forward in a relationship, He guides and directs us to the blessing of marriage the way He intended it to be.…

Before He returned to Heaven, Jesus promised that one day, He'd come back for His followers -- and it's our job to be ready and spread the word. God's desire is for every single person to know Him so that they could spend eternity with Him. Sadly, not all will choose to follow Him, but it's up to those of us who do to anxiously await our King, and …

We spend so much time worrying about our jobs, our homes, our finances, our families, and a million other things. But how much time do we really spend worshipping the King? Our sole focus should be our relationship with Jesus, because everything else we do and have stems from that. When we prioritize Him, He provides for all of our other needs.…

When we first become Christians, we're spiritual newborns. But as we grow in our relationship with God, we reach a point of "adolescence" where we begin to think we can do things on our own. The trouble is, the more we develop the rebellious attitude that goes along with adolescence, the worse off we are in the Body of Christ. At some point, we nee…

On our own, we're all slaves to sin -- but Jesus paid the ultimate price for our freedom so we could be spared from the death sentence that awaits us. For us to be freed, we first need to confess our guilt. Only once we admit that we're dirty with sin can He make us clean.Oleh Richard Ellis

We tend to think of ourselves as owners -- of our time, our finances, our talents, and more. We forget that we're merely just stewards of everything that God's blessed us with. Imagine how much more the Church could do if we'd each stop trying to own what was never ours to begin with, and instead we gave all that God calls us to give.…

In several places throughout Scripture, we read that God despises whining and complaining. Regardless of our circumstances, our trials, and our suffering, we're instructed to respond purposely with thanksgiving and praise. It's impossible to worship God and complain about our circumstances at the same time.…

1 Corinthians 1:18 tells us, "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." When we read the Gospel message -- that Jesus came to earth, lived, died for us, and rose again from the grave -- it sounds foolish. But to those of us who hear that message and believe, it becomes…

Society tells us that if there's a God, there are many ways to get to Him, and Jesus is just one of those ways. But the Bible is the Word of God, and the Bible tells us that Jesus is the only path to the Father. If we want to be in relationship with God, we first have to come to terms with the fact that the Bible isn't just some religious book -- i…

Today's culture lures us into a life of comfort and sitting on the sidelines instead of fighting for the purpose to which God's called us. When we take a stand for Christ, the world may hate us, but the cost is worth it for Him.Oleh Richard Ellis

We can't truly be free from our wickedness and sinful nature unless we trade it in for God's righteousness. The choices we make will eventually overtake us in their consequences, but God will provide a life of righteousness under His protection if we choose to depart from our wicked ways. It's up to each of us whether we remain trapped in our sin o…

The Body of Christ is made up of believers who will never again be alone once they join that Body. We always have Jesus with us, but it's important to get plugged in with other believers around us. And with that comes a responsibility to remember that the things we do and the decisions we make affect more than just us -- they affect the rest of the…

Sometimes, God turns up the heat in our lives for the purpose of making us more like Himself. When we're living in obedience to the Lord and affliction comes our way, we can be certain that He's using those circumstances to refine us and purify our hearts. No matter the struggles we face, our hope and our purpose are found in Him alone.…

Sometimes the trials we face are ordained by God for the purpose of building perseverance in us. And sometimes, the longer we fight adversity, the longer we remain caught in the middle of it! Our suffering often leads to outcomes even better than what we experienced before the hard times began -- so let's remember that God can use any struggle for …

This life is full of suffering. There's no way around it. We all carry hurts and burdens that we think nobody else knows about. But Jesus knows our pain, and He invites us to bring it to Him. When we cast our cares on God, we're not relieved of the trials we face, but we can walk in peace knowing we don't have to shoulder the load alone.…

Before God even created the world, He already had a perfect plan: He would send His only Son to die for us because He loves us more than we could ever imagine. When we choose to accept His gift of salvation, He writes each of our names in the Book of Life. He's calling us to Himself so that we can be saved from the destruction of this world's end, …

The term "coup de grace" in French means to deal a deathly blow for the purpose of ending suffering. The ultimate coup de grace took place when God chose to wipe out all of our sin in a single blow -- and in doing so, bridged the gap for us to have a new life in Him. When Jesus died on the cross, He offered a death blow to our sinful nature forever…

Scripture is filled with examples of God keeping His promises, time after time. Yet we so often doubt that He'll keep His promises to us. When God makes a promise, it's up to us to walk in faith and expectation that He'll fulfill it -- not live in disobedience and doubt.Oleh Richard Ellis

Scripture teaches us that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ; He's gone before us to prepare our forever home, and the way we live here is revealed there. If we spend our time on earth focused on the treasures of this world, then our treasure dies with us. But if we live focused on eternity, worldly riches cease to matter in light of li…

Old Testament law declares that when you harvest a field, anything left over once the harvesting process is finished should be left in the field for the orphans, the widows, and the poor. So why do we tend to hoard what God has given to us? We've been blessed with so much, but with that comes a responsibility and an opportunity for us to turn aroun…

Have you ever heard the saying, "When one sin is defended, it becomes two sins"? Just because our culture deems sinful behavior to be acceptable, doesn't change the fact that it's still sin. The Bible is clear about what it defines as sin, and as followers of Christ, it's up to us to take a stand and speak biblical truth in love -- no matter how ha…

We live in a culture that's not only made sex outside marriage acceptable -- it's made sex outside marriage the norm. The world tells us that the purpose of sex is for mere enjoyment without boundaries, but God tells us He created it for a special purpose, to be experienced within the covenant of marriage. Scripture's always been clear and consiste…

As Christians, it's our responsibility to take a stand against sin in our nation. The world is getting increasingly comfortable with things that go against God -- and too many are staying quiet. Yes, we need to get involved in choosing our leaders, but it has to go beyond that; now's the time for us to speak out boldly and stand up for what’s right…

The way we spend our money shows who -- or what -- we worship. It's easy to be selfish when it comes to our finances, but our perspective changes when we recognize that everything we have comes from God first. And when we live like money was never ours to begin with, we wind up spending it differently -- as a tool to bless others and to glorify Him…

We want God to use us to accomplish His work -- we just don't want to experience the trials that He uses to prepare us for that work. If we spend our lives running from tough times, we'll never be strengthened and refined to do great things, but we can choose instead to arm ourselves with Scripture and to face the trials head-on when they inevitabl…

Before God can use us to impact others, we first need to go to Him for wisdom in using what He's given us. Part of being a follower of Christ is allowing Him to call the shots in every area of our lives -- including our money. When we seek His will first in our finances, He not only blesses us, but He blesses others through us.…

We've all got that thing that grates on our nerves, whether it's a dripping faucet or a yappy Chihuahua! But instead of letting those little irritations get the best of us, let's consider that sometimes God allows "annoyances" in our lives so that we can respond to them accordingly. When we follow Christ's example and keep our eyes on the Lord, we …

The story of Samson is an amazing example that no matter how much we mess up our lives, God still has a purpose for us. We're all "cracked" from things in our past, but that doesn't stop the Lord from picking us up and using us to hit a home run!Oleh Richard Ellis

If we want to know God's will for our lives, we need to read His Word! He's given us clear directions on how to live, but so often we don't bother to read it and then wonder why things don't turn out the way we wanted. Scripture doesn't stop us from making mistakes, but it gives us directions to find our way back when we stray.…

The very basis of the Christian faith and the Christian life is founded and centered on the truths we read in the New Testament: that Jesus came to earth, fully human and fully God, to save us and free us from the power of sin and death. In Him, and Him alone, we have new life and the promise of an eternal hope and future.…

It's easy to complain when we don't get what we want. But the Bible is filled with examples of why complaining only hinders us from a life of trusting in God. We can either be like the Israelites, who didn't get to see the Promised Land because they chose to complain instead of obeying the Lord, or we can step out in faith knowing God's never let u…

Homing pigeons have a way of always returning home. In the same way, when we become believers in Christ, the Holy Spirit acts as a sort of "homing mechanism" inside of us that draws us back to God, no matter how far we drift. Repentance isn't just for the unbeliever -- it's a reminder for each of us who have strayed to stop where we are and return …

We all look up to someone -- and we all have people looking up to us in one way or another. That's why every single one of us, as leaders, need to both see and be good examples of leadership. When we listen to wisdom from those who have gone before us, we can lead those who are following behind us. And when we make mistakes, it's important to repen…

Hebrews 6:19 talks about hope in Christ being an anchor for the soul. That's because when we put our trust in God alone, we're held fast through all the storms of life. It's only by clinging to Jesus through our trials that we'll develop perseverance, character, and eternal hope.Oleh Richard Ellis

This world of broken people is waiting for us to acknowledge the weight they carry, and to bring them the answers that can only be found in Jesus. God's always working on the other side of the situation, even when we can't see Him -- that's why we've got to obey Him when He calls, knowing other people's lives are at stake.…

When it comes to being silent even amidst suffering, Jesus was the perfect example -- and the perfect sacrifice. He willingly endured death for our sake. When suffering comes our way, one of two things will happen: God will either shear us from the "fluff" of our lives, or He'll defend us from the enemy that seeks to come against us.…

When we receive the free gift of salvation through Jesus' death and resurrection, we're promised the reward of Heaven -- period. But the way we live between now and eternity is a choice we have to make daily. If you could skip to the end of your life and look back to today, how would it look different based on the decisions you make?…

Our sin doesn't stop God from loving us. But in order for us to have a relationship with Him, we have to first come to a place of repentance so we can receive the forgiveness He offers. God's love, grace, and mercy know no limits -- let's respond to that and live in an abundance of gratitude.Oleh Richard Ellis

Though trials and struggles will come our way, God's got a purpose in everything: to make us holy. Christ's death paid our debt and made us free, but God desires for us to choose to stay with Him. There is no one who will take better care of us than the Lord when we give ourselves as slaves to Him.Oleh Richard Ellis

The nature of sin means that as soon as we're born, our lives are headed into a nosedive. As we grow, we can make the choice to continue in that downward spiral, telling ourselves the lie that we can fix it on our own. Or, we can realize that only Jesus can give us the power to turn "nose up" and head in a different direction by allowing Him to wor…

The story of Job depicts the epitome of extreme hardship and loss. Yet he chose to worship God in the midst of his trials, and God restored even greater blessings to him and his wife. It doesn't change the pain Job suffered, but God carried him through, and He offers His same companionship to us in all that we endure.…

As Christians, we live in a fallen world that's constantly drawing us away from God and His design for our lives. The devil's always trying to take us out -- but God's given us the armor to fight back. When we arm ourselves with Scripture and start each day strengthened by His Word, we're better able to resist the schemes and attacks of the enemy.…

Racism isn't a government problem or a culture problem -- it's a Church problem. It's our job as Christians to treat all believers as family; there is no distinction between brothers and sisters. No matter our differences, love triumphs over all things in the body of Christ.Oleh Richard Ellis

When we consider that the Bible is God's Living Word to us, it becomes more apparent why it's so important for us to read it over, and over, and over again! It takes effort to understand Scripture and develop a love for studying it. But none of it will make sense unless we ask Him to reveal Himself within its pages, and when He does, we discover wa…

God chooses people who are humble and willing to obey Him, no matter how ignorant they might feel. He doesn't want to use us because of all the great knowledge we can obtain, He wants to use us so that He gets the glory. The only qualification we need in order to do His work is a spirit of humility -- He'll take care of the rest.…

God wants to use us to do His work, but we get so busy doing our own thing that we wind up exhausted! When we obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit, we do the things that He gives us strength to do. Not only that, but He'll lead us into times of rest, too -- times that allows us to focus on who we are in Him.…

We all have dates in our lives that are etched in our memories forever -- whether it's for better or for worse. And when it comes to the grief, sorrow, and pain that some of those more difficult days hold, it's especially important for us to remember that it's still a day that the Lord's made, and therefore, that we can rejoice in it. When we're te…

Repentance happens when we not only confess our sin, but we also change our behavior. And that can't happen without God. We all make mistakes, but true repentance starts with confession and continues with a changed heart and a changed mind.Oleh Richard Ellis

To live passionately for Jesus means that not only will you be rejected by the world -- you'll also be rejected by "religious" people. The call to follow Christ means being prepared to give up everything in order to pursue Him, but the price we might pay to is nothing compared to all that we gain.Oleh Richard Ellis