Faith is the ability to see God in the dark.

Have you ever felt that God isn’t with you? That when life became tough and darkened God abandoned you? Such a feeling is common to many Christians. However, you must not rely on feelings; instead, you must rely on faith, knowing that God is always there—you just may not always be able to see him in your circumstances. That’s why faith is so important.

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. For example, if a family member dies, you may understandably question whether or not God could possibly be with you during such difficult times. However, by faith, you can be certain of what [you] do not see—certain that God was there watching over the whole situation.

Romans 4:19-21 describes how Abraham had faith even though it looked like God could never do what he said he would: Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

In his dark circumstances, Abraham could still see God—he had faith. That’s the same type of faith to which God is calling you.

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Be willing to let your schedule be altered if knowing God better requires it.

How can you know God better? Read his word, pray, listen for his voice, worship him. Notice that all of these things require time. In fact, improving any relationship with other people or with God requires time.

However, far too many people find themselves too busy to spend any time getting to know God better. They’ve filled their calendar with pursuits of money, wealth, success, and status. However, as Solomon discovers in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, all of these pursuits are meaningless. Solomon built many houses, vineyards, gardens, and parks; he had many, many slaves and countless pieces of gold and silver, and he was the most prestigious man ever to live in Jerusalem. Indeed, he could buy anything his heart desired. However, Solomon comes to the realization that all of these things are worth nothing in the perspective of eternity: Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

Therefore, don’t worry about any of these earthly things; instead, seek to know God better (see Matthew 6:25-34).

This poem is a good reminder of what’s really important in life.

I had always been taught
to ask God for what I needed
and that he would give me
whatever I ask for in his name.

So, I asked God for
prosperity, power, popularity,
good grades, safety, success,
good friends, health, and wealth.

In all these things,
I asked God for more of what I wanted,
but he gave me more of what I needed:
Himself.

If all these earthly things are hindering your relationship with God, alter your schedule: get rid of some things so that you can spend time knowing God better.

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The people who hear God’s voice best are the ones who know his word most.

Jesus said to his followers, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). If we hold to his teaching, meaning live in it, abide in it, and follow it, then we will know the truth. That’s exactly the way hearing from God works. When we abide in his word, we will know his voice, which is truth.

All of scripture is God talking to his people. So, in order to hear from God, you must know scripture.

God has given us scripture, and he calls it his word. It is the word of God. And we refer to it as God’s word. So, how do you know when God’s talking to you? Because he talks through his word.

In order to hear God talking to you, you must know his word. The more you know his word, the better you’ll hear his voice.

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Christ must be at the center of your relationships because He provides a stable, fixed point of reference; otherwise, your relationships will be frail and fragile.

Every relationship is based or founded on something. For example, some relationships are based on the fact that both people work for the same company, attend the same school, or sharing a similar interest in a hobby or sport.

With all of relationships, once a common bond is no longer present, the relationship will tend to deteriorate. For example, once a child graduates from high school and moves off to college, he or she will probably lose most of the relationships formed with classmates, because school is no longer a common bond and thus there is nothing holding the relationship together.

However, if your relationships are formed around a common belief in Christ, then no matter what else happens in life, as long as that common bond is still present those relationships will last.

Thus, it is clear why 2 Corinthians 6:14 instructs believers not to marry unbelievers: Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

If you want to maintain lasting, stable relationships, they must be Christ-centered.

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Giving is the only antidote to greed.

Jesus says, in Matthew 6:24, No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Jesus is making the point that our heart’s highest loyalty will be for only one thing. We can’t be equally devoted to two things; ultimately one will win out over the other.

If money is the most important thing to you (i.e., if you’re greedy), then you will serve your money more than you serve God. And you will find it very difficult to follow God’s instructions to give to others: If there is a poor man among your brothers … do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs (Deuteronomy 15:7-8).

If it’s true that no one can serve two masters, then the best way to fight against greed is to make sure that your master (your highest loyalty) is God—not money. Follow God above all else; that way your money will follow God, too.

John writes, If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? (1 John 3:17). That sounds rather harsh at first, but it’s really no different than what Jesus said in Matthew 6:24. If you love your money more than God, then you’ll keep your money for yourself rather than giving it away to help others. The only way you’ll give generously to others is if you love God more than you love your money. So, how do you know if you love God more than money? By examining what you do with your money: Do you keep most of it, or give most of it?

If you want to fight against greed (that is, if you want to love God more than your money), then you’ll follow God’s instructions to give—give to the poor, give generously, give joyfully, give liberally, and give regularly. Giving is the best weapon against greed.

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You are valuable not because of who you are, but because of whose you are.

What is it that makes you valuable? What makes you feel important? Is it your wealth? The fact that you’re well educated? Do you feel important because you get lots of cell phone calls, so that must mean you’re popular? Or do you feel valuable because you have a high position of leadership at work?

While it certainly isn’t wrong to be wealthy, well educated, popular, or in leadership, we must not let those things define our worth and value, because things can (and likely will) fail us. Cars break down; houses burn down; profits sink down; and with them, our self-worth falls down.

But God declares that you’re worth everything to him — you’re worth all Christ offered. You are not your own; you were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). That price is the life of Jesus.

You are precious in God’s sight — you’re his child (Ephesians 1:5). Almost every parent would agree that his or her child is the most precious thing in the world; and that’s the way God views you! It’s no wonder God labels his people as his treasured possession (Deuteronomy 14:2).

Don’t let wealth, education, popularity, status, or anything else define your value. Know that you worth everything to God, because you’re His.

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Life is short… and it’s not about us. Eternity is long… and it’s all about God.

When God made the universe, he intended that everything in it would point praise back at Him. Every glittering star, every speck of sand, every ocean wave, every strand of DNA—everything was designed to declare how great God is. Even in making humanity, God really wasn’t too concerned about us; he was thinking mostly about Himself. God was focused on how we would magnify and glorify Him (see Isaiah 43:7).

God is most concerned about Himself. In essence, God approaches every decision with this question: “What would bring me the most glory and honor and what would make me look the best in this situation?” Then he acts accordingly.

God declares, “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols” (Isaiah 42:8). God made everything, and He made all of it to give glory to Himself.

We far too easily forget the truth that this entire universe is about God, and instead we try to hijack the spotlight to focus on us. We spend our short, little 60, 70, or 80 years here on Earth trying to make much of us, forgetting that all of creation is designed to make much of God.

God made you for a purpose, and He sent Jesus Christ into this world to invite you to join His purpose for your life, which is to magnify His name. So, don’t waste your life magnifying something that is like a wisp of vapor or a puff of smoke, which is visible for a little while and then disappears into thin air. Instead, leverage your life as part of the eternal story of God—a story in which every second lifts up and magnifies God.

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JOY comes by putting Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last.

Everyone wants to enjoy life. Many people place the source of their joy in what they own, in their reputation, in their status, or in other worldly things. Yet, all of those things are unstable and can easily evaporate, taking joy with them. In the end, we will depart this world just as we entered it–with nothing (Ecclesiastes 5:15). So, although all of these sensual pleasures may provide short-term happiness, they clearly fail to provide genuine, lasting joy (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11).

On the other hand, true joy is offered in Christ. In John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Living life to the full includes living it overflowing with joy.

It’s no wonder that the psalmist wrote, you will fill me with joy in your presence (Psalm 16:11). And You have filled my heart with greater joy … (Psalm 4:7).

In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus quoted the first few verses of Isaiah 61 and applied it to Himself. In Isaiah 61:3, that quote continues by saying that he (in this case, Jesus) came to provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

One of the side effects of Jesus coming to Earth was that we could have lasting joy. Indeed, the gladness and joy that so many people so desperately want can be found only in Jesus.

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Your outer life is your reputation with people, but your inner life is your reputation with God.

It can be easy to compromise one’s inner life in hopes of maintaining a good outer life. While there is certainly nothing wrong with a good outer life, we can’t allow our reputation with others to become more important than our reputation with God — He desires to be the most important thing in every person’s life.

King David knew the importance of putting God first in order to maintain a good inner life. In Psalm 27:4, he wrote, One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life. David made God — and spending time in God’s presence — the one thing he wanted. For David, his inner life was more important than his outer life.

1 Peter 3:4 says that your beauty should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

While it is by no means wrong to have a good outer life and to look good outwardly, God values inner beauty much more. That’s because your outer life is your reputation with people, but your inner life is your reputation with God.

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When you refuse to love people because they’re hard to love, you forget the fact that God always loves you, even though you’re not always easy to love.

God’s love for you is unconditional and everlasting. God loves you exactly as you are, and He loves you no matter what you do. God doesn’t love you because you are a “good” person; instead, God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

God is abounding in love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6).

In 1 John 4:9-11, we are told that, because of God’s love for us, we ought to love one another: This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

“One another” even includes those that are hard to love. Remember, God loves you even though you’re not always easy to love. Therefore, you, also, ought to love others, especially those that aren’t easy to

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