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Is Jesus Really the Only Way to Heaven?

Jesus is the only way a person will enter heaven. In these days of conformity and inclusivity, however, people rail against anything exclusive.Yes, Jesus is exclusively the only way to heaven, butallhumans areinvited to accept Him as Lord and Savior.

7 Micro-Habits That Build Your Faith

Faith is like a muscle in our bodies. We are given all we will ever need at the point of our salvation, but if we don’t often use or exercise that muscle, it will become weak and ineffective.Jesus said faith the size of a mustard seed could move mountains (Matthew 17:20). Yet, if we want that minuscule-sized faith to move mountain-sized objects or circumstances, we need to strengthen it by using it in the small things so it grows to conquer the big things.In a parable in Matthew 25, Jesus said if we are “faithful in a few things” we will be given more (verse 21 NIV). He also said, “For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have [or, does not use what one has], even what they have will be taken from them” (verse 29). I believe that applies to our faith as well as our gifts and talents. As you and I exercise faith in the little things, then we will be in tip-top faith shape for the bigger things.If your faith is sagging a bit from not using or exercising it, it might be time for a faith lift. Here are seven small habits to build your faith.Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/RomoloTavani

8 Things the Devil Doesn’t Want

Satan's desire is to thwart and hinder the growth and impact of the child of God to the point of uselessness. So, what does our great adversary not want in the life of a believer?

5 Biblical Ways to Break Free From a Spirit of Ungratefulness

We all grumble from time to time, whether it's about the traffic, the weather, or the lines at the grocery store. However, when we are constantly complaining, unhappy, or discontent, we probably need to break free from a spirit of ungratefulness.The truth is ungratefulness concentrates on the negative. It skips over the blessings of God and focuses on life's problems. Often, it repels those we love most because nobody wants to be around it.I can write about this today because my nature is to grumble and complain. I've struggled with this my whole life, yet God has been gracious in helping me recognize negative thought patterns and turn them into patterns of praise.If you feel bound by a spirit of ungratefulness, here are five biblical ways to break free.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Doucefleur

Why How We Dress Matters as Christians

Friends, our Father in Heaven cares about every detail of our lives. From our inner thoughts and motives to our outward appearance, we are His representation to this world. If how we dress matters to Him, let’s act and dress in a manner worthy of this holy calling.

3 Ways to Be Thankful During Grief

The holiday season often becomes a season of renewed grief. The passing of a loved one, whether fresh or years past, becomes raw again as their absence is felt anew. This will be the third season without my mom, and I keep functioning under the idea that it will get easier. Perhaps, in some ways, it does. But in many ways, I feel the aching emptiness of the spaces she filled.I’ll be honest. Mom wasn’t that great of a cook or baker. She wasn’t bad, but there wasn’t anything exceptional either. But now, I miss her freshly baked gingerbread cake and homemade lemon sauce. I miss her turkey and the way she despised making it. I miss her laughter as she sat down to wrap Christmas gifts and shooed me from spying on her. I miss addressing all the Christmas card envelopes while she handwrote a note in every card.I miss her. When they say grief can physically hurt, I understand that now. The weight on my chest bears down. The unshed tears make my throat sore. The mustering of smiles hurts my cheeks. The rhythm of my heart seems to make it crack a little more with each successive beat.But I’m also learning something new. A reframing of my perspective. A way to enter the holidays with joy—true joy—while also not denying myself the reality that my grief exists. Finding ways to be thankful during grief is not easy. Especially this time of year. But it can bring about a healing to the grief that is oh, so very important.
Photo credit: © Getty Images/Kerkez

Did God Create Hell?

Hell is a place of separation from the goodness of God, and all the good which He has created. How could we say that God could create such an awful place? We begin to answer this question when we consider who hell is for.

Are You Rooted and Grounded in God’s Word?

“How Firm a Foundation” has long been a popular hymn, especially in the North American Church. Charles Hodge, the great Princeton theologian, was so overwhelmed by the fourth verse that he could only gesture the words.

7 Helpful Ways to Make and Keep Friends

At the age of twenty-one, I moved far from home with my husband, who served in the Air Force. It was the first of many transitions in my adult life. Bereft of friends and extended family, I floundered in loneliness until I learned how to make and keep friends. In our current culture, where we can work, shop, go to church, and socialize in isolation online, many people find themselves caught in a lonely wilderness between a plethora of virtual “friends” and a dearth of real relationships. Even worse, many contemplate using new AI technology to create an artificial connection tailored to their exact specifications.All these efforts at friendship fall short of God’s plan for the people He created. God designed us to live in relationship with others."Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT)Human relationships are messy and sometimes unpredictable. Many feel ill-equipped—or maybe even a bit afraid—to jump in. Sometimes, we sit back and wait for someone to drop into our lives. But we don’t need to endure the loneliness of pseudo relationships.Why not consider implementing these seven ways to make and keep friends to enrich your life?Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Zorica Nastasic

5 Types of Wildernesses We May Go Through in Our Christian Lives

A wilderness is an uninhabited and inhospitable region. There are many types of wilderness on the earth, but hardly any of them are places we would choose to live for extended periods of time.My husband and I lived out west in Wyoming and Utah for a few years. This Arkansas girl had a hard time adjusting to the weather at 8,000 feet above sea level. Winter blahs plagued me as mounds of snow surrounded our house. Travel required chained tires and careful driving.The space between cities was a vast wasteland to me. In winter, the snow-covered ground spread for miles against the horizon with nothing in sight but the glistening of barren whiteness. In the summer, the same areas were blanketed with dust and produced nothing but scrubby grass. The sight of city lights after driving through isolated, inhospitable, and desolate areas was always a welcome relief.There are instances when our spiritual condition can mimic a wilderness season. We can feel dry, frozen, immovable, and hopeless. Many of our biblical counterparts lived through circumstances that reflected a desert experience. I’m sure they didn’t enjoy the events at the time, but they left a legacy to show us how they persevered, and these incidents strengthened them.As fellow human beings, we are not immune to encountering the same soulish attacks. Here are five types of wilderness experiences we may go through as Christians.Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Smileus

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