Partiality based on appearances is wrong, it is not for the church. The Lord Jesus in John 7:24 began to speak to the multitude about John the Baptist: “What did you go out to see?” He was telling them not to judge by the way things look.

The letter of James is extremely practical and helpful for believers looking for specific guidance in the Christian life. He did not address the letter to just one single church, but to the twelve tribes of Israel scattered among the nations (1:1). James was Jesus’ half-brother who came to faith in Christ after Jesus’ resurrection. He became an early leader of the Jerusalem Church and died as a martyr in AD 62 or 69. He was known as James “the Just” because of his exceptional virtue.

2020 will always be remembered as the year of the global COVID-19 pandemic. During this unprecedented year many dreams where shattered. Restaurants were closed, concerts cancelled, weddings shrunk, and holidays cancelled, just to name a few. Perhaps, you too, had a dream shattered in the last months. So how should the believer respond to a shattered dream?

Are you in need of breakthrough? Perhaps you have been on the same level at work for many years and though you know can do more, you are unable to see a path forward. Maybe your marriage has been trending downward and you see no light at the end of the tunnel. Or you are stuck in a never-ending cycle of debt and financial shortage and don’t see a way out.

Parenting during “normal” times can be daunting enough as is, but when moms and dads take on the additional role of homeschooling, while bringing work from the office at the same time, the toll that this take on families and marriages has been evident.

Are you someone who gives to so many others, yet you struggle to receive for yourself? Do you consider receiving help from others a sign of weakness? Maybe you feel uneasy and undeserving of someone else’s care for you. You’re not alone.

Having a friend who struggles with their mental health can feel daunting at times, because though we may care, we just don’t know how to help. Here are 4 key things we can do to be a supportive friend when someone in our lives is struggling with their mental health.

I have been a Christian for over 30 years, and in many of my early years I barely read the Bible at all. I used to feel guilty as a young Christian about how I didn’t spend much time reading the most important book ever written.

Sometimes in our brokenness, imperfection, and past experiences, we ask ourselves if we can ever be used by God and whether we matter to Him. We might feel like a shattered pottery piece beyond hope and repair.

There are two important questions for everyone: Who am I? Where do I belong?

Godly living is not about your high level of human understanding, but in whom you put your ultimate trust. If we trust God, we also acknowledge him daily and we can be assured that He will lead us down the right path.

2021 could possibly be the year to begin a prayer of commitment and thankfulness to Him each night.

Like many over the past few weeks, I’ve been watching this season of The Crown recently released on Netflix. These new episodes focus mainly on the life of Charles, Prince of Wales and his marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales. Even though their happily ever after ending was not to be, the life of Prince Charles continues to capture the world’s interest and fascination as it has since his birth over 70 years ago.

Many cultures have the tradition of making birthday wishes before blowing out candles on the cake. It is also not unusual to find coins of every currency at the bottom of water fountains, thrown in with the hope of better fortune. From wishing wells to genies in a lamp, tales of worldly wishes coming to pass are all too common in children’s stories.

A few years back my family and I went white water rafting together as part of our family vacation. We figured it would be a great opportunity for team building and family bonding – and it certainly was! Thankfully we had a guide to navigate and direct us on the boat. When the waters seemed calm, some of us took turns sitting at the front tip of the boat at the guide’s instruction. To be honest, I didn’t want to go, but after much encouragement, I decided to go for it. As I sat and held onto a rope between my legs, I thought to myself, I’m definitely secure for whatever happens next. 

You need to think about…. what you think about. In order to access this power, we need to change our focus. Paul gives us a helpful guide on the type of thinking that pleases God.

While exploring a nice neighbourhood last week, I noticed a house with a run-down façade, and big nailed plywood sheets covering the windows. Its garden was fenced and unkept, and of course it was not inhabited. I wasn’t sure if the house was deemed condemned or was being prepared to be torn down. Then I wondered about the fate of this property. Would it be destroyed to build something new or would it be bought by someone to restore it?