Can God Save You from Suffering?

If you’re at the end of your rope and are wondering where God is or why He’s not delivering you, you are not alone. It doesn’t matter how much faith you have. At such times, it’s only human to feel frustrated and angry. To be human is to doubt at times whether He’s there at…

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Has Happiness Become an Idol?

When we look in the Old Testament and read how easily the Israelites were seduced into idol worship, it’s easy for us to judge. I’ve never come home after a long day of work and said to my wife, “Honey, just stay right here. I put a little statue in the back room, and now…

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What Does It Mean that God Is Sovereign?

God’s sovereignty means that there isn’t anything that will enter your life that God does not either decree or allow. And nothing will ever enter your life that, if you are willing to trust in him, he cannot work out for your good.

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How to Be a Christian in the Trump Era

In this era of anger and polarization, how can Christians really live like Christians? This pastoral word provides practical ways to live out our faith in these turbulent times. Whether on social media or around the dinner table, discover how you can bring light rather than heat to the conversation.

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How Can I Have a Personal Relationship with God?

Beginning Your Relationship with God The fact that you clicked on this and that you’re asking this question may be the greatest decision you’ve ever made. You know, I didn’t grow up as a Christian. I didn’t understand what it meant to have a personal authentic relationship with God. But I would like to share…

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Why Should I Get Married?

  The True Meaning of Marriage   Do you ever wonder why we should get married? After all, isn’t it just a piece of paper? Most of the world views marriage as only a contract. It says that marriage is when two people enter into a contract and stay together as long as it’s working.…

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What Does it Mean to Really Love Someone?

  Love is a Choice Do you ever wonder what it means to really love someone? We’re bombarded today with movies and videos and romance novels that give us a false image of what it means to love. If you think about it, most secular songs and movies all say the same thing in different…

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What Does God Think About Divorce?

  Divorce Isn’t ‘An Option’ Perhaps you or someone you care about is thinking about getting a divorce and you’re wondering what does God think about divorce? First, we need to get one thing straight. God hates divorce, but He loves divorcees. God loves us as His children, no matter what, but He does not…

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How Do I Know If I’m Really in Love?

  Love is a Choice   People who are dating or struggling in their marriage often ask the questions: “How do I know if I’m in love?” and “Is this really love?” In our culture, we’re taught (through the media, music, movies, etc.) that a person is in love when he or she has good…

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How Can I Get My Marriage to Work?

  Hint: It’s Not About Changing Your Mate Is your marriage on the rocks? Do you often find yourself wondering, “If only she would just be more affectionate” or, “If only he would clean up after himself” or “If only she would take more initiative” then our marriage would work? The truth is you have…

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What is God Really Like?

  What is God Really Like? Have you ever wondered what God is really like? And how would you really know? Growing up, I often wondered what God was like. For me, church was a wipeout experience that only left me with more questions than answers. So I often wondered, “God, if you exist, what…

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What Does it Mean to be a Christian?

The True Meaning of Being a Christian Do you know what it truly means to be a Christian? If one of your friends asked you this question, what would you say? Would you tell him or her, “Oh, it means that I start going to church?” Or, would you say, “To be a Christian means…

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Is the Bible Really True?

The Reliability of the Bible Do you think you have to throw your brains in the trash to believe in the Bible? Many people are skeptics when it comes to believing in the truthfulness and accuracy of the Bible as the infallible and inspired Word of God. This is especially true of Christians who perhaps…

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Who Is Jesus, Really?

  Who is Jesus?   Is Jesus just a teacher, a good man, a prophet? Or is he the “divine Christ” inside of all of us? Is he someone who just came to this earth to enact some moral laws and to make the world a better place, or is he the person the Bible…

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Why Isn’t My Christian Life Working?

Why Isn’t My Christian Life Working? Do you ever feel frustrated because your Christian life just isn’t working out? Do you hear other people talking about having the peace of God, but you just don’t feel it? Or maybe you hear them talking about victory over sin, but no matter how hard you try to…

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How Do I Forgive?

  The Three-Step Process of Forgiveness When you’ve been hurt or betrayed, do you find it difficult to forgive? Many people do. In fact, forgiveness is an issue that both Christians and non-Christians struggle with mostly because it is often misunderstood. Many times, we struggle with forgiving someone because it feels like we’re agreeing with…

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Why is Community So Important?

  The Importance of Community In the book Bowling Alone, author Robert Putnam said the greatest social epidemic in American life is loneliness. This statement may resonate with many Americans who feel alienated, lonely, and depressed, and who go home every night to watch T.V. and eat on couches by themselves. But is this really…

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How Do I Stand Strong As a Christian?

How to Overcome Temptation? This world is full of temptation. As Christians, we’re even more aware of temptation and what’s right and wrong. Yet, for many of us, sin feels like a losing battle. We don’t want to lust, but somehow we find ourselves lusting. We may notice that everybody at the office leaves early…

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Does God Have a Specific Plan For Me?

How to Discover God’s Plan for Your Life Do you believe that God has a specific plan for your life? Maybe you already do, but do you know how to find it? If left to ourselves, without God, we as humans will get caught in the endless cycle of trying to be better, doing things…

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What About My Friends Who Don’t Believe?

  Will I Have to Give Up My Friends to Follow Jesus? Well, first, let’s look at this question a little bit. It makes a couple of assumptions, that if you really follow Christ, you’re going to become this boring, irrelevant person and your friends won’t be around you anymore. I’m not sure that’s true.…

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How Do I Begin Reading the Bible?

How To Start Reading the Bible When I became a Christian, I didn’t know how to read the Bible, and I remember feeling intimidated about where to begin. So, let me give you a few suggestions that might really help you.  First, start in the New Testament. Get a translation that’s easy for you to…

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I’ve Received Jesus, But My Life Doesn’t Seem Any Different. Why?

Why doesn’t my life doesn’t seem any different? That is a very important question, and as I’ve taught this, it always comes up. And it’s a pretty significant theological issue, and when people ask $25,000 questions, you know, here in two or three minutes max, I don’t want to give you a 25-cent answer. But…

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Why Is It So Hard to Surrender My Life to Christ?

Why Is It So Hard to Surrender my Life to Christ? I deeply understand how tough it can be to truly surrender your life to Jesus. I struggled with this personally and as a pastor for many years. Yeah, this is a journey, on the one hand. What you need to really understand is what’s…

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Why Does God Allow Suffering?

  Don’t Ask, ‘Why?’ Ask, ‘What?’ One of the most difficult issues in the world is the issue of suffering. Most everyone has probably asked at one time or another: “Why is there suffering – and if God is good and if God is powerful, then how can there be such evil and suffering in…

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How Do I Respond to Depression?

  Learn How to Break out of Depression One of the things that we all struggle with from time to time is depression. Not clinical or major depression, but the depression that is characterized by general feelings of being sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Unfortunately, they way most people deal with…

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Where Do I Find Hope When My Life is Falling Apart?

  Where do I find hope when my life is falling apart? Is your life falling apart? Are you or someone you know feeling really discouraged and depressed, like nothing’s working out? Maybe your marriage is falling apart or you lost your job. Where do you go for hope? The world will tell you that…

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How Should I Respond When I’m Betrayed?

God’s Way of Responding to Betrayal One of the most difficult things we will ever face is how we respond when we are betrayed. So how are we supposed to respond when someone betrays us by walking out on us, lies about us, or gossips about us? The common response is to return evil for…

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God’s Power and Our Preparation

Insight on Power and Preparation Veteran pastors Chip Ingram and Francis Chan discuss the importance of a deep, rich relationship with God for believers and leaders. Together they examine how having a right heart is essential to draw on His power and speak on His behalf.

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Addressing Taboo Topics

Insight to Address Taboo Topics Experienced pastors Chip Ingram and Francis Chan discuss the balance between sensitivity and truth when it comes to speaking about taboo and often polarizing topics. They examine the need to seek first to understand and offer Godly ways to address strong responses to sensitive subjects.

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Pursuing Growth

Insight for Pursuing Spiritual Growth Chip Ingram and Francis Chan share a conversation about what it takes to pursue lifelong growth as a man of God and a leader. Together, these seasoned authors and pastors examine the pivotal role of consistent, healthy growth and how it contributes to holiness and relevance.  

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What Is the Secret of Leading a Small Group that Changes Lives?

Small Groups that Change Lives As a small group leader, do you ever wonder, “What’s the secret to having a small group where people’s lives really change?” We all know that small groups are not always synonymous with authentic community. Many groups may appear authentic, but over time, not a whole lot of transformation occurs.…

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