Following Christ English

1. Unplug from social media and the news. Screen addiction is a real thing, and while these avenues may be informative, they’re also competing for your emotional and spiritual bandwidth. Give it a rest for an hour, a day, a week—whatever you can realistically spare. Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Isaiah 26:3: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” 2. Go for a walk, and pay attention to God’s creation. God feeds the birds and dresses the flowers (Matthew 6:25-34). “Are you not much more valuable than they?” Think about that as you walk through your neighborhood or simply sit and gaze from your back porch. Matthew 6:33-34: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow,

In moments of doubt, choose to believe the truth of God's Word. Psalm 145:7-9 Life can hit us with the most unexpected and undesirable circumstances. When that happens, we might wonder, Does God really care about me? Here are three truths to remember: 1. Scripture tells us, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). This means His very nature is characterized by compassion and concern. Love originated with God, and He is the greatest example of how to express it. Together with the reality that God is holy, this means our Father is perfect in His love—He’ll never make a mistake in the way He cares for us.  2. God loves us because He calls us His children. “To those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” writes John in his gospel (John 1:12 NIV). Sadly, for some who’ve had a difficult upbringing, this may not be encouraging news. But God is the perfect parent, and He loves us perfectly. 3. God gave the supreme demonstration of His love at the cross. God’

“He gave us his Son—will he not also freely give us all things?” Roman 8:32  ( He who did not spare his own Son but delivered him up on behalf of us all, how will he not also with him freely give us all things? –Romans 8:32 ) Do you like to collect Bible promises for challenging times? When your collection seems inadequate, do you add to it, thinking, “I just haven’t found the right promise yet?” Claiming the promise without understanding the all-sufficiency of the Promiser can disappoint you. Since there is no lack in God, He is all you need. And He is all you will ever need! The Bible says, He can do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20 ). Seeking relief during a difficult time in life, author Hannah Whitall Smith visited a respected Bible teacher, hoping to find an answer. After listening attentively, the teacher told her, “Yes, all you say may be very true, but then, in spite of it all, there is God.” Frustrated, Hannah responded, “Surely you d