A Life That Thanks God Ahead of Time

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24 (NIV)

If I was given a check today for a hundred dollars, would I wait to say thank you until I knew it would clear? Unless you had reason to not trust the one giving it, You’d thank them—and then take the check to the bank.

God’s promises are better than any of our promises. Before I even receive what he has promised, I can say, “Thank you, God. I know that what you promised will happen. You’ll do what you say you will do.”

There’s a great example of this in God’s “faith hall of fame” in Hebrews 11. Remember how Joshua led the Israelites around Jericho, where the walls fell down? How did they fall down? Hebrews 11:30 says, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days” (NIV).

It says, “by faith.” The story goes like this: “The Lord said to Joshua, ‘I am putting into your hands Jericho, with its king and all its brave soldiers. You and your soldiers are to march around the city once a day for six days. Seven priests, each carrying a trumpet, are to go in front of the Covenant Box. On the seventh day you and your soldiers are to march around the city seven times while the priests blow the trumpets. Then they are to sound one long note. As soon as you hear it, all the people are to give a loud shout, and the city walls will collapse. Then the whole army will go straight into the city’” (Joshua 6:2-5 GNT).

And that’s exactly what happened. The Israelites followed God’s instructions, and the walls just fell. God did what he’d promised!

What if I’d been one of those people marching around the city for seven days? I might have been looking at those walls, getting more and more worried, wondering how God could ever bring them down. But the Bible says, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell.” They thought about what God could do and thanked him in advance.

This is the kind of life Jesus wants me to live, the thanking-God-in-advance kind of life. Jesus talked about it in Mark 11:24: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (NIV). 

When I ask God for something, why even ask if I don’t believe? It’s an empty exercise.

Jesus said that if I pray and ask God for something, I should believe he’s going to do it. Thank him in advance for what only he can do. And then look for how he answers my prayer.

In summary:

This passage teaches that genuine faith trusts God’s promises so completely that you would thank Him before the answer is seen, just as one would thank a trusted giver before a given check clears. Because God is perfectly faithful, believers can confidently pray believing He will do what He has promised, as illustrated by the fall of Jericho when the Israelites obeyed God and thanked Him in advance by faith. Jesus calls His followers to this kind of faith-filled life—praying with expectation, trusting God’s word, thanking Him ahead of time, and watching for how He answers—because prayer without belief is empty, but faith turns God’s promises into lived reality.

Bottom Line:

Live with expectant faith—pray believing God will do what He has promised, thank Him in advance, and trust Him to answer even before I see the results.

Next Step:

Intentionally practice and model visible, expectant faith—then invite others into it by choosing one clear prayer or God-given vision and begin thanking God in advance for it daily, not just asking. Then put language to my faith by sharing this publicly so others can see what “believing before seeing” looks like in real life. Align your goals with prayer, treating goal-setting as an act of trust rather than control, and take one obedient step even if the outcome isn’t guaranteed yet. This fits who I am because I'm not just called to believe privately—I'm called to lead by example, helping people move from fear and uncertainty to faith and action. When my life consistently reflects thanking God in advance, it reinforces my credibility as a leader and multiplies my impact far beyond my own story.

Two Ways to Live with Faith, Not Fear

“Everything that does not come from faith is sin.” Romans 14:23 (NIV) Imagine how Joseph must have felt when his fiancée became pregnant before they were married. The gossip in their small town would have been intense. It would have affected his family, his business, and his plans for the future. And so he decided to quietly break off the engagement to save Mary from disgrace.    “But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit’” (Matthew 1:20 NIV). Joseph could have missed the greatest blessing of his life if he had worried about the disapproval of other people. Instead, he chose to obey God and listen to his voice instead of the voices around him. Joseph decided that God’s approval mattered more than the approval of anyone else. The world is a pretty negative place to live in today. It’s easy to feed our minds with fearful things from the media, other people’s opinions, and even the lies we tell ourselves. But the Bible says fear is the opposite of faith. Romans 14:23 says, “Everything that does not come from faith is sin” (NIV). To move out of fear and into faith, I need to change the ideas I allow into my mind. There are two things I need to do. First, limit the amount of negative talk I'm consuming through the news and social media. It’s one thing to be informed; it’s another to let it negatively affect the way I see other people, the world, and even myself. Second, I need to start hanging out with people of faith. This is one of the reasons why the church is so important. When I'm fearful, other believers can remind me of my purpose and God’s goodness. When I become part of a church family and commit to fellowship, the voices of encouragement are louder than the voices that cause fear. Like Joseph, I need to choose to listen to God’s voice. As I do, my faith in his promises will grow so there is no room for fear. In summary: Fear and faith cannot coexist, and that living by faith means choosing God’s approval over the opinions and negativity of the world. Like Joseph, who risked public disapproval by obeying God rather than listening to the voices around him, I am called to trust God even when fear, gossip, or uncertainty threaten to derail me. Romans 14:23 underscores that anything not rooted in faith leads me away from God’s best, which means I must be intentional about what I allow into my mind—limiting fear-driven input from media and surrounding myself with people of faith who encourage and remind me of God’s promises. When I consistently listen to God’s voice and stay connected to a faith-filled community, my trust in Him grows stronger and fear loses its grip. Bottom Line: When I choose God’s approval over people’s opinions and intentionally guard what influences my mind, faith replaces fear—and obedience opens the door to God’s best work in my life. Next Step: This means choosing one voice to amplify and one fear to silence—this week. Share one faith-forward insight publicly (LinkedIn is the right place for you right now) that names the tension between fear and faith and models what it looks like to listen to God’s voice instead of the crowd. Invite conversation, not validation—end the post with a reflective question that helps others identify where fear is influencing their decisions. Pay attention to obedience, not outcomes. Your win isn’t engagement; it’s faithfulness. “I’m learning that faith grows when God’s voice gets louder than the noise around me.” Then take one sentence to say how you’re practicing that, and one sentence to invite others to reflect. Why this matters: This step moves me from internal conviction to external leadership. I'm not just learning to live by faith—you’re helping others do the same by example. My next step isn’t bigger—it’s braver.

 

Trust God Even When You Don’t Understand

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 (HCSB)

Many people ask God to guarantee their success before trying what he’s asked them to do—but that’s not faith. Faith always requires risk.

Faith means obeying even when you don’t understand. For example, forgiveness never seems like a good idea before I do it, but it’s one of the greatest tests of my faith. When someone hurts me, it may not feel right to forgive that person; it may not appear just. But forgiveness is always the right choice, regardless of whether I understand it.

Remember when I was younger and my parents told me to do something that didn’t make sense? Later I looked back with 20/20 hindsight and understood my parents’ perspective.

That’s how it works with God too.

Faith is doing what’s right even when it seems absurd. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding” (HCSB). I'll never know the whole picture, but God does.

The Bible gives a great example of this in the story of Gideon in Judges 7. Gideon led 300 Israelites to battle 135,000 enemy soldiers. The odds were 450 to 1. God had the soldiers take torches, trumpets, and clay pots—a command I’m sure Gideon thought was ridiculous.

But then God told Gideon to put the clay pots over the torches so the light would be hidden at night. Next he told them to go surround the enemy’s camp. God’s instructions were something like this: When I tell you, blow the trumpets, smash the jars, and let the torchlight blaze out in the darkness. It will look like a vast army is surrounding the camp. The enemy will panic, fall into confusion, and turn their swords against each other.

Gideon obeyed, even though it didn’t make any sense. The Israelites blew their trumpets, broke their pots, and revealed the light from their torches. The enemy soldiers woke up in shock and started fighting each other instead of the Israelites. Because Gideon did what God told him to do—even when he didn’t understand it—the Israelites won the battle.

Sometimes God asks me to do something that seems foolish—like stepping into a difficult situation against overwhelming odds. But when I have faith, I obey him even when I don’t fully understand what he’s asking.

Like Gideon and his soldiers, I can’t live by faith without risk. But God sees the big picture with 20/20 vision. I can trust what he’s asking me to do. 

In summary:   

Faith means trusting God completely and obeying Him even when His instructions don’t make sense to me. Proverbs 3:5 reminds me not to rely on my own understanding, because I never see the full picture—but God does. Forgiveness and other acts of obedience often feel risky or unreasonable, yet they are tests of faith that God always honors. The story of Gideon shows this vividly: though God’s battle plan seemed absurd, Gideon obeyed and God brought victory against impossible odds. In the same way, God may call me into situations that seem foolish or overwhelming, but true faith requires stepping forward in obedience, trusting that God sees what I cannot.

Bottom Line:  

Faith means obeying God even when it doesn’t make sense, trusting that He sees the whole picture and will work through my obedience.

Next Step:

Identify one area of your leadership or ministry where God is prompting me to take a step that feels risky or unclear, and intentionally act on it this week in obedience. Choose something aligned with my mission—launching a small teaching segment, sharing a devotional publicly, inviting someone into a coaching conversation, or moving forward on a workshop or email series—and take the step before you feel fully ready. Acting in obedience will build my faith, sharpen my leadership voice, and move my mission forward.

The Number One Way God Speaks to You

“Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (CEV)

The number one way God speaks is through his Word.

A lot of people wish God would just write in the sky what he wants them to do. But God isn’t going to write in the sky what he’s already written in his Book!

Everything I need to know God and live a life of purpose and meaning is found in his Word. If I'm not opening the Bible and reading the Bible, then God isn’t talking to me very much—and I miss out.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live” (CEV).

God gave us the Bible for four reasons: to teach us, to help us, to correct us, and to show us how to live. Notice it says “everything” and “all of it.” Everything in the Bible is God’s Word, and all of it is useful. That means it’s 100 percent reliable and 100 percent practical. I can use it for every part of my life, for the rest of my life.

Some parts of the Bible are hard to understand. Some parts I’ll have to study more than others. But it’s all there for a reason: to help me.

This is why a consistent quiet time—where I spend time with God and study the Bible every day—is so important. I can simply sit down every day for 10 minutes and give God my attention and focus. I read the Bible and listen to him speak. I talk to him in prayer. I get to know him and let him teach me, help me, correct me, and show me how to live through his Word.

Why is it so important? Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path” (GNT).

The Bible is like a flashlight for life. It’s not a high intensity beam that’s going to show me the next three years of my life. Instead, it’s going to give me enough light for my next step, and then I trust God for the rest.

That’s called walking by faith. And I learn to do it by studying God’s Word, doing what it says, and taking it one day at a time. 

In Summary:

God primarily speaks through His Word, which contains everything needed to know Him and live with purpose. According to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, all Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, helping, correcting, and guiding me in how to live. The Bible is 100% reliable and practical for every part of life, even when parts are challenging to understand. Spending daily time with God through Scripture and prayer allows Him to speak, shape, and strengthen me. His Word serves as a lamp that lights the next step, not the entire path—teaching me to walk by faith, one step at a time, trusting His guidance each day.

Bottom Line:

If I want to hear from God and walk in His purpose, stay in His Word daily. Scripture is His voice, my guide, and the steady light for each next step—teaching me to trust Him one day at a time.

When You’re Sinking

“But when [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” Matthew 14:30 (NIV)

When I'm going through a storm, God is not distant or uninvolved. He is with me, and he is working in my life for my good. 

When I feel I'm sinking in a storm, here are five things God wants me to do:

Have courage, because Jesus is with me.
Don’t ever argue with a fear. Just send it straight to Jesus! 

Take a risk in faith.
Don’t ask God to bless what I are doing. Instead, do what God is blessing. Ask him what he wants me to do, and then be willing to do it with him.

Stay focused on Jesus.
The moment I take your eyes off the Lord, I'll go under. Matthew 14:30 says, “But when [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’”  (NIV). If I focus on the wind and the waves—my circumstances—I'm going to sink, just like Peter.

Don’t doubt.
I don’t need great faith to make it through the storm in my life. I just need faith in the right person—Jesus Christ.

Praise God.
Even in the storm, even when I feel like I'm sinking, even when I'm scared to death—praise him all the time. Thanking God is how I make it through.

What storm is scaring me right now? What storm is sinking me? Why do I think God is letting me go through this storm?

He’s letting me go through this storm for the same reasons he sent the disciples into the storm. He wants me to know: He's all I need. I can handle anything. And I’ll come walking on the very thing that scares me the most. He is not asking me to come to him. He's going to come to me.”

If I feel like I'm sinking today, don’t fear. Just call out to Jesus. I'll find he’s with me.

In summary:

Matthew 14:30 reminds me that when Peter took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the wind, fear took over and he began to sink—just like I do in life’s storms. But storms aren’t signs that God is distant; they are opportunities to trust Him more deeply. In the middle of fear, uncertainty, or sinking moments, God calls me to take courage, step out in faith, stay focused on Him, silence doubt, and praise Him anyway. He allows storms not to punish me, but to prove that He is all I need. When I cry out, “Lord, save me,” He always comes to me—right on top of the very thing that once scared me.

Bottom Line:

When life’s storms make me feel like I’m sinking, I don’t need to have it all together—I just need to keep my eyes on Jesus and call out to Him, because He is always near and ready to save.

Faith Over Fear: Facing Giants with God's Power

“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty . . . This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands . . . and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.” 1 Samuel 17:45-46 (NIV)

If I want to be a person of great faith, with a great dream and a great life’s work, do the very things that David did to defeat the giants of delay, discouragement, disapproval, and doubt.

Remember how God has helped me in the past.
David said in 1 Samuel 17:37, “The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” (NLT).

When I remember the ways that God has helped me in the past, it gives me confidence for the future.

Use the tools that God has given me now.
David used the tools that God provided that utilized his strengths: “Then Saul gave David his own armor . . . ‘I can’t go in these,’ he protested to Saul. ‘I’m not used to them.’ So David took them off again. He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag” (1 Samuel 17:38-40 NLT).

Don’t wait for something I don’t have—money, education, or connections. Use the tools God has already given me to face my giants with confidence.

Ignore the dream busters.
Later in life, when others were speaking against him, David had to encourage himself in the Lord: “David was seriously worried, for in their bitter grief for their children, his men began talking of killing him. But David took strength from the Lord” (1 Samuel 30:6 TLB).

When I encourage myself in the Lord, it’s not just a positive mental attitude. There is a bedrock trust in God’s grace, provision, security, and power.

Expect God to help me for his glory.
David stormed the battlefield, shouting, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty. . . . This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands” (1 Samuel 17:45-46 NIV).

Make this decision, “God, I’m not the smartest guy, the best educated, or the most talented. But I’m going to trust you. And I will do anything, anytime, anywhere in faith, even when it doesn’t make sense to me.” And then let the adventure in life begin!

God will use anybody who will trust him and expect to be used by him—not because of who I am but because it brings him glory.

In summary:

To become a person of great faith and purpose like David, I must face the giants of delay, discouragement, disapproval, and doubt by remembering how God has helped me in the past, using the tools and strengths He’s already given me, ignoring those who try to crush my dreams, and stepping out in faith expecting God to act for His glory—not because of my ability, but because of His power.

Bottom Line:

Trust God fully, use what He’s already given me, and face life’s giants with bold faith—because the battle belongs to the Lord and brings glory to Him.

Slaying the Giants Within

“Everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!” 1 Samuel 17:47 (NLT)

Before David faced Goliath in 1 Samuel, he had to fight four other giants. But they weren’t physical giants; they were giants in his mind.

I'm far more likely to face those kinds of giants than an actual Goliath, but they can be just as big and intimidating. They can keep me from becoming who God wants me to be and fulfilling the dream that God has put in my heart. 

The first giant in facing my dream is delay. No dream is fulfilled instantly. It may be years before I see the fulfillment of my life dream. There is always a waiting period.

In David’s case, his dad held him back from the dream. After Samuel anointed David as king, Jesse told David to get back to tending the sheep!

When God’s plan contradicts somebody else’s plan, there’s going to be a delay, and people may try to hold me back. But God is faithful, and he will complete his work in his timing.

The second giant I may face is discouragement. Goliath created a climate of fear in Israel, and everybody was convinced they were going to lose the battle.

What people are I listening who say it can’t be done? Who’s putting down my dream, saying it won’t ever happen?

Sometimes I just need a fresh voice—a kid from the village with fresh eyes who says, “This giant is nothing. We can take him down.”

The third giant standing in my way is disapproval. In David’s case, his own brother questioned his motives and disapproved of him going after Goliath.

When God gives me a dream that scares other people and I go for it anyway, I will be misjudged, maligned, and misunderstood. That’s when I have to decide what matters most: the approval of others or God’s approval.

The fourth giant I may have to face is doubt. King Saul was an expert on war, and he told David he was crazy for thinking a boy could fight a warrior like Goliath.

Maybe the expert is saying I can’t do it, either. That’s enough to make me start doubting myself.

Besides, the experts are often wrong. Don’t let doubt hold me back from God’s dream for my life.

In summary:

Before David ever faced Goliath, he had to overcome four invisible giants—delay, discouragement, disapproval, and doubt—that threatened to stop him from fulfilling God’s dream for his life. Like David, I often face these internal giants that arise from people’s opinions, setbacks, or even my own insecurities. Delay may come from being held back by others, discouragement from fear-driven voices, disapproval from those close to me, and doubt from so-called experts. But as David declared in 1 Samuel 17:47, the battle belongs to the Lord, and with faith in Him, I can overcome these giants and walk boldly toward the purpose God has placed in my heart.

Bottom Line:

Before I can defeat the external giants in life, I must first overcome the internal ones—delay, discouragement, disapproval, and doubt—by trusting that the battle belongs to God.

The Power of Thanking God in Advance

"The king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: 'Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!'" 2 Chronicles 20:21 (NLT)

In 2 Chronicles 20:21, King Jehoshaphat had a very unusual way of organizing an army: "The king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: 'Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!'" (NLT).

Jehoshaphat’s battle plan was to put a choir before the infantry. Picture this: On one side, there are three enemy armies amassed to do battle against Israel. Then there’s the valley where they’re going to battle. Then there are the lowly Israelites. Jehoshaphat essentially says, “We’re going to take those of you who sing and make a choir out of you, putting you in front of the army as you march into battle.”

There’s a very important truth here: The Israelites were thanking God in advance for the victory. Praise and thanksgiving are verbalized faith. If I thank God after the fact, that’s gratitude. If I thank God before it happens, that’s faith.

Notice the effect of praise in verses 22 and 23: “When they began to sing, the LORD threw the invading armies into a panic. The Ammonites and the Moabites attacked the Edomite army and completely destroyed it, and then they turned on each other in savage fighting" (GNT). God confused the enemy, and they turned on each other and destroyed themselves while the Israelites looked on. There is power in expectation.

That insurmountable problem in my life—the one with the odds may be stacked against me? When i thank God after he’s solved everything, that’s called gratitude. But when I thank him before it’s all settled—right in the middle of the problem—that’s faith.

When I allow God to solve my problems, it becomes a testimony to unbelievers. The world takes notice when his followers live by faith. And God loves to demonstrate his power in those who expect him to work in their lives.

So when facing a difficult circumstance—with money, relationships, or career and feel like the odds are against me or if I think my problem is overwhelming? What do I do? I need to turn to God, who defends me.

In summary:

I read In 2 Chronicles 20:21, how King Jehoshaphat demonstrated bold faith by sending singers to lead his army into battle, praising God in advance for the victory. This act of worship wasn’t just symbolic—it was a declaration of trust in God’s power before the outcome was visible. As the people sang, God caused their enemies to turn on each other, proving that faith-filled praise can unlock divine intervention. The lesson is clear: thanking God after a breakthrough shows gratitude, but praising Him before the breakthrough shows faith. When we trust God in the face of overwhelming odds, He not only fights for me but also uses my faith as a testimony to others.

Bottom line:

Praising God before the victory is an act of faith that invites His power to turn the battle in my favor.

Living with Purpose: Setting God-Sized Goals

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” Ephesians 3:20 (MSG)

The Bible tells us that Jesus set goals. In fact, he often announced publicly what his goal was for the next phase of his ministry.

So why should I set goals? There are six reasons to set goals, here are the first three.

I need to set goals because it is a spiritual responsibility.
If I don’t have goals, I have already decided to let other people run my life. In other words, when I don’t decide in advance what’s important, I'm letting other people decide for me. I end up wasting my life because I never clarify how I want to grow as a follower of Christ.

The Bible says that to be spiritually mature, I need to set a goal and move toward it—always keeping my eyes focused on it. The apostle Paul said it this way:

“I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. . . . I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. All of us who are mature should think in this same way” (Philippians 3:12, 14-15 CEV).

I need to set goals because they are statements of faith.
If I'm a believer in Jesus Christ and I set a goal, I'm saying, “I believe that God wants me to accomplish this by this time. This is what I believe God is going to do in my life.”

Goals aren’t just statements of faith; they also stretch my faith. The bigger my goal, the more my faith will be stretched. And that pleases God.

The Message paraphrase of Ephesians 3:20 says, “God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (MSG).

I need to set goals because they focus my energy.
Focus is the key to an effective life. If my energy is scattered across too many things, I end up making little to no impact. But if I focus my life, it’s going to be powerful—and it can change the world.

Besides I don’t have time to do everything. But here’s the good news: God doesn’t expect me to! The key to being effective in life as a man of God is to do what matters most and forget everything else. Goals help me maintain that kind of focus.

That’s why Paul put it this way about living with focus and purpose: “I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air” (1 Corinthians 9:26 NCV). 

So I'm to stay focused on my goals and ask God to guide as I commit to living out his purpose for my life.

In summary:

Setting goals is a vital spiritual practice that reflects my commitment to living purposefully for God. Jesus modeled goal-setting, and Scripture encourages believers to do the same to grow in maturity, express faith, and focus their energy. Without clear goals, I risk letting others dictate my priorities and wasting the life God gave me. When I set goals in faith, I'm declaring my trust that God can do far more than I could imagine, as Ephesians 3:20 reminds us. Goals not only stretch my faith but also sharpen my focus, helping me live effectively and intentionally. Like Paul, I'm called to run with purpose and pursue the prize of God’s calling in Christ.

Saved by Grace Through Faith

“God says he will accept and acquit us—declare us ‘not guilty’—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like.” Romans 3:22 (TLB)

The Bible says, “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life’” (Romans 1:17 NLT).

God’s Word also says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

The Good News is that the death and resurrection of Jesus give us access to God. In other words, we can only get to heaven by trusting in God through his Son, Jesus Christ.

To express faith in Christ, here’s a simple, biblical guide:

Admit I need a Savior.
I can’t get to God on my own. We’re all sinners. We’ve blown it. Heaven is perfect and we’re not. But the Bible says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV).

And the apostle Paul tells us, “God says he will accept and acquit us—declare us ‘not guilty’—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like” (Romans 3:22 TLB).

Believe in Jesus.
The Bible says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31 NLT). That means I believe Jesus is who the Bible says he is, and I trust him for my future with everything I have.

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).

My belief must be specific in Christ: “If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from death, you will be saved. For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved . . . As the scripture says, ‘Everyone who calls out to the Lord for help will be saved’” (Romans 10:9-10, 13 GNT).

Confess my commitment to Jesus.
Tell Jesus I trust him with my life. Confess that I believe in him and his promises. Jesus said, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark” (John 12:44-46 NLT).

Depend on God’s promises.
I can rely upon God’s promise in John 3:16: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (TLB). No matter what I've done or how long I’ve done it, God promises that everyone who believes in Jesus will live with him in heaven forever.

Pray a prayer of commitment to Christ.
Trust in Jesus and commit to following him, no need to wait. Pray this prayer:

“Dear God, I believe Jesus Christ is your Son. I confess I have sinned, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died to take away my sins and that you raised him to life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

In summary:

Salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ—not through my own efforts or good deeds. God offers forgiveness and declares me "not guilty" when I trust Jesus to take away my sins, no matter what I've done. To receive this gift, I must admit my need for a Savior, believe in Jesus as the Son of God who died and rose again, confess my faith in Him, and depend on God’s promises. Accepting Christ is a personal decision, and through prayer and faith, I can begin a new life with Him and be assured of eternal life.

Learning From Jesus’ Example

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 (NIV)

Nobody lived a more balanced and healthy life than Jesus. He wasn’t consumed with stress. He was never burdened with a heavy load. His life was a model for me on how to live with purpose and peace.

In Matthew 11:29 Jesus says, “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (NIV). It’s as if he’s saying, “Study me. Watch how I do it.”

His answers to stress and anxiety include coming to him and taking on his yoke by giving up control. Next, he invites me to learn from him—this is the third solution to reducing stress.

Jesus doesn’t say, “Learn from me. I’ll teach you endurance and stamina, confidence and courage, or time management and goal setting.” He says, “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble.” He wants me to watch him and replicate what he did.

But learning from Jesus, following his example of gentleness and humility, doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process that takes time. I must learn to reduce stress.

Two of the biggest causes of stress in life are arrogance and aggression. These are the opposites of humility and gentleness.

Aggression happens when I do things too quickly. I don’t wait or think things over. I just jump right in with both feet and I get over-committed.

Arrogance happens when I try to control everything. Arrogance is thinking I know what’s best and everyone’s lives would be easier if they followed my plan.

The truth is when I try to do it all, have it all, be it all, and experience it all, I'm living with an aggressive and arrogant attitude. I'm acting like superman. The antidote to aggression and arrogance is gentleness and humility—the kind of life Jesus modeled for me to live.

So how do I learn to be gentle and humble like Jesus? I learn to do it by growing my faith. And when my faith grows, my stress goes down.

How do I grow my faith? Faith grows by spending time in the Bible. The more I get God’s Word into my life, the more my faith will grow. The Bible says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17 NKJV).

I need to hear the Word, read the Word, and think about the Word of God on a daily basis. If I do, my faith will increase, my stress will decrease, and my life will begin to look a lot more like Jesus’.

In summary:

Jesus offers a different path to peace and rest—one rooted not in striving, but in surrender. Matthew 11:29 invites me to learn from Jesus, who lived with gentleness and humility rather than stress and pressure. Instead of chasing productivity or control, He modeled a life of balance and dependence on God. His “yoke” is light not because life is easy, but because His way leads to inner rest. The key to reducing stress, according to his teaching, is not mastering time management but cultivating a humble and gentle spirit by following Jesus' example.

Two major causes of stress—arrogance and aggression—they stem from trying to do too much, too fast, or trying to control everything myself. These are the opposite of the peace Jesus offers. To move away from this mindset, I am called to grow my faith, which starts by continuing to spend regular time in God's Word. As I internalize Scripture, my trust in God grows, my need to control lessens, and my stress begins to fade. In short, a gentler, humbler, more Christlike life begins with deepening my relationship with Him through faith and the Bible.

When It Comes to Goals, Be Specific

“Swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.” Genesis 24:3-4 (NLT)

Eleazar’s example is a roadmap for how to succeed in reaching my goals.

In Genesis 24, there are several steps to success in the story of Abraham, Isaac, Eleazar, and Rebekah. One of the steps in getting where I want to be is to describe exactly what I want.

Vague goals are never accomplished. When I am specific, I figure out not only what I want but also what I don’t want.

Abraham was very specific in the task he set before Eleazar. Genesis 24:3-4 says, “Swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac” (NLT).

I have a dream for my life, so I need to ask myself: What do I want to be or do or have? Why do I want it? 

Don’t ask how. We’re always so concerned about the how. How am I going to do it? How am I going to pay for it?  How am I going to find the time?

In life, never confuse the decision-making phase with the problem-solving phase. Most people try to solve all the problems before they set their goal. Bad idea. If I try to solve every problem first, I'll never move forward.

God says I need to ask why first, not how.

Knowing what is not enough. I can set all kinds of goals, but if I don’t know the why, I'm never going to achieve them. The why keeps me from giving up when times get tough. It’s when I know the why that God shows me how.

He is always faithful to help me succeed.

So I need to ask God to help me clarify what I want to be or do or have in life. Then take the time to figure out why I want it. Learn to be specific.

In summary:

In Genesis 24, Abraham gives his servant Eleazar a clear and specific mission: to find a wife for Isaac from his own people, not the local Canaanites. This story emphasizes the importance of setting clear, specific goals. Vague goals rarely succeed, but when I know exactly what I want—and what I don’t want—I can better focus my efforts. Like Abraham, I must define my objectives with clarity to make progress. This helps me recognize the right path and filter out distractions that don’t align with my purpose.

However, knowing what I want isn't enough—I must also understand why I want it. Too often, we get stuck trying to figure out how to achieve something before even deciding on the goal. But God encourages me to start with the why, because a strong purpose keeps me going when challenges arise. Once I’m clear on the why, God will show me the how. Success starts by partnering with God to define my vision and motives, and trusting Him to guide me step by step.

Recovering My Vision with Prayer

“They said to him, ‘Lord, let our eyes be opened.’ And Jesus . . . touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.” Matthew 20:33-34 (ESV)

What is my perspective these recent days? Am I living with a sense of contentment and gratitude or am I stuck in a negative pattern of thinking and have lost my sense of direction. God wants me to recover my vision. But it will only happen with prayer.

Am I into a habit, hurt, or hang-up, and I can’t see my way out of it. Maybe it’s an unhealthy work habit, a bad attitude, or a way of living. No matter what it is, with prayer, I can recover my vision and see things I’ve never seen before.

There’s a story in the Bible about two blind men who recovered their sight when they prayed. The Bible says, “And when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, ‘Lord, have mercy on us!’” (Matthew 20:30 ESV). This was a passionate prayer.

But the crowd told the blind men to be silent. Yet they prayed even louder, and Jesus stopped and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Matthew 20:32 ESV). I love that. Jesus let them set the agenda. And he’ll let me do the same. He wants me to tell him what I need. And any time I tell Jesus something, I'm praying.

Then they answered, “‘Lord, let our eyes be opened.’ And Jesus . . . touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him” (Matthew 20:33-34 ESV).

Doesn’t that sound like a good pattern? Pray, recover, and follow Jesus. When I start looking at life from God’s viewpoint, I'll see things I've never seen before. I'll see my spouse, friends, family, coworkers, and even strangers as valuable, acceptable, and forgivable. I'll also see those things about myself. My entire perspective changes.

The Bible says in Mark 6:34, “When Jesus . . . saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (NIV). That’s the way Jesus sees people—with compassion. And he wants to recover my compassion for myself, my loved ones, my community, my country, and the rest of the world.

Today I will ask God to restore my vision so that I can follow him and see people the way Jesus does.

In summary:

Two blind men demonstrate unwavering faith by persistently calling out to Jesus for mercy, despite the crowd's attempts to silence them. Their heartfelt plea, "Lord, let our eyes be opened," moves Jesus to compassion, leading Him to restore their sight immediately. This narrative underscores the power of earnest prayer and the readiness of Jesus to respond to those who seek Him with sincerity.​

Similarly, in Mark 6:34, Jesus observes a large crowd and is deeply moved by their plight, recognizing them as "sheep without a shepherd." His compassion compels Him to teach them many things, addressing their spiritual needs. These passages collectively highlight the importance of approaching Jesus with genuine faith and the transformative impact of His compassionate response, guiding believers to view others through a lens of empathy and understanding. 

Approach Jesus with Persistent Faith: The blind men did not let the crowd's discouragement deter them; they persistently called out to Jesus for mercy. In your own life, don't be discouraged by obstacles or opposition when seeking Jesus' help. Approach Him with unwavering faith and persistence. ​

This encourages me to be specific in my prayers, to trust in Jesus' compassion and power, to follow Jesus wholeheartedly and to see others through Jesus' eyes.

Learning to Do Exactly What God Tells Me to Do

“Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.” Genesis 7:5 (NIV)

Noah didn’t just hear God’s Word; he acted on it. He lived life according to God’s will.

Am I doing that? Do I ask, “Lord, what do you want me to do today? What do you want me to do in this meeting? What do you want me to do with this opportunity?” Noah always sought God’s guidance in his actions.

If I lived in Noah’s time and God asked me to build an ark. I'm sure I'd have some big questions. Here are four:

What’s a flood? The Bible says it had never rained before Noah’s time. Genesis 2 explains that God watered the earth from below, like morning dew. When God told Noah about a flood, it was a completely unimaginable concept.

How do you build an ark? In those days, there were no hardware stores or home depots. Noah had to cut and prepare every single piece of timber himself. That’s why it took decades to build the ark.

How do you move a massive ark to water? Noah lived far from the ocean. The Bible says the flood came not just from rain but also from underground springs bursting forth. The waters rose long after the rain stopped, solving the problem of moving the ark.

How do you gather all the animals? If God created the universe, bringing animals to Noah wasn’t a challenge. The real miracle was Noah’s obedience. Genesis 7:5 says, “And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him” (NIV).

What can I learn from Noah? God blesses obedience, even when it doesn’t make sense. Faith means trusting God when I don’t fully understand his plan. In life, I’ll face tempting shortcuts, especially during long periods of waiting or discouragement. Noah waited 120 years to see God’s plan fulfilled. His persistence reminds us that God’s timing is perfect. Don’t take shortcuts—trust and obey him completely.

“[Noah] obeyed God and built a large boat to save his family” (Hebrews 11:7 NCV). God honors unwavering faith and total obedience. When I follow his commands without compromise, he will bless me beyond my imagination.

In summary:

For me, this passage encourages living with a heart of obedience to God, even when His plans don’t fully make sense or when the path ahead seems uncertain. It challenges me to ask, “Lord, what do you want me to do today?” and to seek His guidance in every decision, big or small.

Just like Noah, I will face situations where God’s instructions seem difficult or unclear. But the message here is that God honors unwavering faith and obedience. Even if I don’t understand the full picture, trusting in His timing and following His lead without taking shortcuts is key.

In my own life, it might mean persevering through challenges or long waits, trusting that God’s plan is bigger and better than what I can see in the moment. When I choose to obey, even when it’s tough or doesn’t make sense, God will bless me in ways I can’t imagine.

Listen to the Voice of God, Not the Voices of Doubt

“It was by faith that Noah heard God’s warnings about things he could not yet see.” Hebrews 11:7 (NCV)

Voices of doubt will try to dissuade, detour, and derail me from my purpose in life. I must listen to the voice of God, not the voices of doubt.

Imagine Noah’s life—building a battleship-sized ark in his front yard while everyone else carried on with their lives. His neighbors must have thought he was crazy. “What’s this guy doing? Building the Queen Mary in his yard? Where’s the homeowner’s association?”

Even Noah’s family probably questioned him.

His sons might have said, “Dad, the ark is embarrassing. Why can’t you get a normal job? Everyone’s laughing at us!”

Could you endure that kind of ridicule? Noah did, for decades, with no encouragement. But he listened to God, not the doubters.

Dream busters will always show up in life. Critics, cynics, and even loved ones may question my God-given vision. Often, they’re wrong. 

But the biggest dream buster is often myself. The words I speak to myself matter. If I talked to my friends the way I talk to myself—saying things like, “I’m no good,” “I should’ve known better,” or “I’ll never succeed”—I wouldn’t have any friends.

The truth is, we lie to ourselves all the time. The Bible says, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9 NLT). We convince ourselves things are fine when they’re not, or hopeless when they’re not. That’s why I must listen to God—because he always tells the truth.

Hebrews 11:7 says, “It was by faith that Noah heard God’s warnings about things he could not yet see” (NCV).

Notice the word “heard.” Noah trusted what he heard from God, even though he couldn’t see the future. Similarly, I can’t see my future, but I must trust God. His Word is my guide. Faith is believing in what I can’t see—my destiny and my eternal future.

The Bible says, “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT). 

Focus on what lasts forever, not on temporary troubles. Noah’s faith was counter-cultural, standing against the disbelief around him. How did he maintain such faith? He heard God.

You might say, “I don’t hear God!” The solution? Get closer to him.

The Bible says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 NIV). Turn off distractions. Sit quietly. Pray.

Only when I draw near to God can I truly hear his voice. Listen, and follow him. “Noah . . . walked faithfully with God” (Genesis 6:9 NIV).

In summary:

Faith requires trusting God's guidance, even when faced with doubt and ridicule. Like Noah, who built an ark despite mockery, we must focus on God's voice and not the negative voices around us. Doubters, including ourselves, can hinder our dreams, but by listening to God’s truth, we can persevere. Faith is believing in what we can't yet see, and to hear God clearly, we need to quiet distractions and draw near to Him. Trusting God's direction will help us stay focused on what truly matters—our eternal purpose.

How to Face Your Fears and Indecision

In Proverbs 3:5-6 it says, “Trust the LORD with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the LORD in all you do, and he will give you success.” (NCV)

The root of all indecision is fear. We all struggle with different kinds of fears. We’re afraid we’ll make mistakes and embarrass ourselves. We’re afraid we won’t be able to finish what we’ve started. We’re afraid we’re not good enough.

One of the fears that keeps us from making decisions is the fear of disapproval. Proverbs 29:25 says, “Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety” (TLB). The moment I start worrying about what other people think, it’s over, because fear of disapproval is always worse than disapproval.

So how do I get rid of a particular fear? There’s only one way: Face it, and move against it. You do the thing you fear the most!

But how should I make that move? In faith. The only antidote to fear is faith. I have to step out in faith. I’ve got to trust God and start moving.

Courage is not the absence of fear; courage is moving ahead in spite of my fear. If I’m not afraid, I don’t need courage. Courage comes because I’m scared to death but I am also sure of what God wants me to do, so I do it anyway.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust the LORD with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the LORD in all you do, and he will give you success” (NCV).

God supports those who move in faith. So here’s the question I need to consider: Where do I need to trust God? I haven’t truly trusted him until I’ve attempted something I can’t do on my own power.

In my next decision, I need to prepare for it and then step out in faith. Because my choices determine my character and destiny. Commit myself to the Lord, and he will give me the wisdom and courage to make the decision that will bring me closer to who he made me to be.

How have your fears kept you from moving forward in life?

Is there a decision you need to make that requires you to trust God?

What step of faith do you believe he is telling you to take?

If you committed every decision to the Lord, how do you think your life would look different than it does today?