Happiness is a by-product of our response to God's calling, coupled with our determination to connect with the Father, the Son, and the whole spiritual family.

Life is difficult to navigate. Adversity is a common part of life, yet now, having been called by God, we must work hard to overcome and conquer these challenges.

None of the heroes of faith lived a settled life. They experienced continual change to their circumstances, yet they soldiered on and emerged victorious

Acts 27 teaches that we must distinguish among several types of suffering. Regardless of the type of suffering, we must remember that God will deliver us.

A Christian can be content because his faith and trust are in the trustworthiness of the supreme God. The world is not spinning wildly out of control.

Greek and Roman myths have shaped the world view of Western culture, including our attitude toward hope, a concept which is often abused and distorted.

Great luminaries of faith all wrestled with devastating despair. We must face depression with honesty, compassion, and unwavering trust in God.

Even loyal servants of God have had to contend with depression and discouragement. Antidotes include rest, refocus, right expectations, and obedient actions.

Those who call Christ 'Lord, Lord' yet fail to do what He says face ruin when disaster strikes, while those who do what He says will weather the storm.

Contentment does not come without work, but must be developed as the result of weathering trials by the faith of Christ.

God has given time to mankind as a gift, manipulating its use for us. The bad as well as the pleasant aspects of life are fashioned for our ultimate good.

If we trust God, we do not have to worry about the future. Having abundance and having need both have their unique problems and difficulties.

If we are not receiving God's correction or chastisement, we should be concerned! God's chastening is what He uses to sanctify His spiritual children.

We are mandated to live by faith, being given trials of faith in order to chisel our character. We must totally and unreservedly accept God's sovereignty.

We need to realize the seriousness of the times, waking ourselves out of our zombie-like slumber, casting off the works of darkness.

How involved in man's affairs is God? Is He merely reactive, or does He actively participate—even cause events and circumstances, particularly in the church?

In the Bible, character is not affirmed until action takes place-namely obedience to God's commands in which faith or trust in God is the dominant ingredient.

Prayers often become difficult because we fail to add thanksgiving, praise or adoration toward God. Thankfulness is an obligation to which we are bound.

Even when we exercise free moral agency, God engineers circumstances and outcomes so that we are virtually forced to make the right decision.

Materialism has never led to anything but increased sorrow. True lasting joy is based neither on material accumulation nor in physical accomplishments.

Contempt manifests itself in bad feelings and wrong attitudes against the source of the problem and against God and the purposes He seeks to accomplish.

Jesus' miracle of walking on the water contravenes everything we know about natural law, showing that God is sovereign and more powerful than the laws He made.

We learn from Abraham's experience to trust God even when we have incomplete information. When we attempt to take the expedient way out, we will run into trouble.

Faith permitted Enoch, Noah, and Abraham to receive God's personal calling. Like our patriarchs, we were called while we lived in the wicked world.

Even though we have the free moral agency to run counter to God's purposes, we court disaster if we presumptuously plan against these purposes.