Life Questions

Sin brings destruction into your life and relationships. A clear conscience prompts you to live honorably in order to avoid the painful consequences of sin and the humiliation of confessing wrongdoing, asking for forgiveness, and making restitution.

Losing a job is rarely seen as a good thing, especially since financial pressures can cause tremendous tensions in a marriage and family. When someone loses a job, he or she may have a tendency to blame people or circumstances or to despise God, but God promises to provide for all our needs through the riches of Christ. (See Philippians 4:19.) By seriously asking the question “Why did God let this happen?” we can begin to discern how God might bring good out of the situation. When someone loses his or her job, God may want to teach them the following: To learn to rely on the Lord for provision rather than on an employer. Scripture affirms that it is God “that giveth thee power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18), not an earthly employer. When God allows us to lose our earthly source of income, He is affirming our need to totally depend upon Him. To experience the fellowship of receiving “daily bread” rather than regular paychecks. The Lord taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11), not “give us this month our regular paycheck.” Nevertheless, we have a natural tendency to desire independence and […]

What is a Christian to do when faced with disappointment, disaster, and despair? Scripture teaches us that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Yet when we encounter difficulties, we often wonder, Why?

A teacher’s basic motivational drive is to discover and validate truth. Teachers are very sensitive to doctrinal integrity, they have great research skills, and they are sincere.

A server’s basic motivational drive is to demonstrate love by meeting practical needs. A server is diligent and willing to sacrifice his time and energy in order to complete a task.

A prophet’s basic motivational drive is to apply the Word of God to a situation so that sin is exposed and relationships are restored. Prophets might be considered the “trumpets” of the Body of Christ who sound the alarm in the face of sin and compromise.

An organizer’s basic motivational drive is to lead others to get a project done. He is able to solve problems and accomplish tasks through analysis and delegation.

A mercy-giver’s basic motivational drive is to sense and respond to the emotional and spiritual needs of others. Those with the mercy motivational gift have a divine ability to sense hurt and respond to it with love and understanding.

A giver’s basic motivational drive is to conserve and share resources in order to meet needs. Givers take special delight in discovering needs that others overlook and then meeting those needs.

An exhorter’s central motivational drive is to encourage believers to mature in Christ and to grow spiritually. Exhorters often seek to stimulate that development by discipling, teaching, and counseling others.

Anger is a symptom of something deeper, and only when we understand the root cause of our anger are we able to find the answers for resolving it.

A steward is someone entrusted with valuable possessions of another, such as an estate, a dwelling, or even one’s children. God entrusts us to be stewards of His possessions. Whatever has been given to me for my use ultimately belongs to God, and I am simply a caretaker of His belongings.

Our words have great influence in the lives of those around us, and spoken blessings can bring hope, encouragement, and direction to our families, friends, and others. Many people are experiencing stronger relationships and spiritual encouragement as they discover the power of spoken blessings.

Crying out to God is an act of desperation and total concentration. It is a fervent expression of faith in God and trust in His goodness and power to act on your behalf.

Instead of looking at others’ actions, remember that you are responsible for what you have done. Even if you are guilty of only 10% of the offense, you need to resolve the conflict in that relationship before you will have a clear conscience.

When your heart is desperate, it’s hard to simply pray a quick, soft prayer—you are more likely to cry out with emotion and passion! God promises to hear these cries for help, to work and to receive glory for rescuing us in the midst of despair. “Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalm 50:15).

Before you go to another person to seek forgiveness for an offense, repent before God and ask for His cleansing and forgiveness. Then as you go to the offended person, let your attitude and manner reflect the humility of one who is asking for something he does not deserve.

The Lord offers a great number of rich rewards for those who meditate on His Word, including success, wisdom, faith, fellowship, and victory over sin.

Understanding different levels of friendship can be very helpful in our interactions with others. Every friendship we have involves specific freedoms and responsibilities, depending on the closeness of the relationship. Friendships are important because of the tremendous influence they hold over our lives.

Following are some traits commonly observed in those who have the motivational spiritual gift of prophecy. These traits can be used to benefit others, or they can be misused and thereby cause discord in the Body of Christ.