cannyben

“This small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 (GNT) When we go through difficulties in life, the first thing we often try to do is blame somebody else. But it doesn’t matter where your problem came from—God still has a purpose for it in your life. Even when you do something foolish, God can use it. Even when other people hurt you intentionally, he can use it. Even when the Devil tries to mess things up, God can bring good out of it. God’s purpose is greater than your problems and your pain. He has a plan! You need to look past the temporary pain and look instead at the long-term benefit in your life. Romans 5:3-4 says, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that . . . they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady” (TLB...

“We must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (CEV) When you go on a diet, what’s the first thing you do? Many people go straight to the refrigerator, take out all the junk food, and get it out of the house. They want to eliminate the junk so that they are set up for success in their diet. When you realize you need a life reset, eliminating anything unhelpful or unhealthy is an important step. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “We must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won’t let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete” (CEV). We often worry about junk food and what it does to us. But what about mental junk food? If you want to change your life, maybe you need ...

The mountains may move, and the hills may shake, but my kindness will never depart from you. My promise of peace will never change . . . I will rebuild your city with precious stones. I will reset your foundations with sapphires. I will rebuild your towers with rubies.” Isaiah 54:10-12 (GW) There is only one place in the Bible where the word “reset” is used. It’s found in Isaiah 54. The nation of Israel had lost a war to Babylon, where they were taken as captives and would remain for 70 years. The Israelites were pretty discouraged—not just because they had lost but because their Holy City, Jerusalem, had been destroyed. In the midst of all this, God did not want them to forget that he was still with them. He loved them, and he was going to rebuild—or reset—their lives. God says in Isaiah 54:10-12, “The mountains may move, and the hills may shake, but my kindness will never depart from you. My promise of peace will never change . . . I will rebuild your city with precious stones. I wi...

Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” Proverbs 4:23 (GNT) Are you looking for a fresh start? I don’t mean moving to a new town. I’m talking about a reset in any area of your life that is stuck. You will go through many resets in your life. That’s because God didn’t just create you. He also wants to transform you into what he’s always intended for you to become. To reset and experience a transformation in your life, the first thing you need to work on is your mindset—how you see yourself, how you see others, how you see your problems, and, most importantly, how you see God. If you don’t change your mindset first, a change in your location or a change in your scenery is not going to help much. Because you could go to the ends of the Earth, but you will still take you with you wherever you go. For example, let’s say you’re stressed, so you decide to go to Hawaii for relaxation. But you just end up taking the stress with you because it’s in your body. If you don’...

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” James 4:1 (NIV) Every second of your life, there’s a battle in your brain. There’s a mental battle going on! It could be between right and wrong, between what’s easy and what’s hard, or what’s healthy and what’s unhealthy. All your negative emotions—stress, depression, anxiety, loneliness, fear, jealousy—are a mental struggle. All of your internal conflicts start in your mind. In fact, so do all of your external conflicts. James 4:1 says, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (NIV) That battle going on inside your mind between conflicting desires can continue even when you are sleeping, as you experience restless sleep and bad dreams. It’s a battle that rages 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This battle in your brain is constant and intense because your mind is your greatest asset. You are your thoughts, your will, you...

“If your thinking is controlled by your sinful self, there is spiritual death. But if your thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 (ERV) Making changes in any area of your life requires that you change the way you think. That’s because your brain is where God’s Spirit works in you. God’s Spirit doesn’t work in your toes or your lungs or your nose. He works through your mind! We often use the metaphor of our heart being the place where God works. For example, we say, “I invited Jesus into my heart.” But your heart is really just a symbol for your brain. Your brain is where you think—so it’s in your mind that God begins the change process. It’s where the reset takes place. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:23-24, “Let the Spirit change your way of thinking and make you into a new person” (CEV). You were created to be like God. But that doesn’t happen instantly. To grow into someone who’s more like Jesus, you’re going to have to go through a lot of change in...

Brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV) You can learn a lot about a person’s physical health by simply looking at their physical diet. Are they eating a variety of whole foods? Are they eating a lot of fast food? Is their diet full of food that help them grow strong and have energy, or is the food they consume wearing them down? The same is true spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. You can know a lot about your spiritual, mental, and emotional health by looking at your mental diet. Proverbs 15:14 says, “A wise man is hungry for truth, while the mocker feeds on trash” (TLB). You have a choice—and every day, you must choose to feed your mind with the best thoughts. Philippians 4:8 gets specific about the kinds of thoughts that are best for your mental, emotional, and spiritual health: “Brothers and si...

Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ.” Ephesians 4:15 (CEV) The Bible says in 1 John 1:8, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth” (NLT). This is the first step to change: You have to admit that there is a problem and that the problem is in you. When you blame others or refuse to accept the truth, you’re just fooling yourself—and establishing dangerous habits. Personal change requires you to not only learn the truth about yourself but to also face it and take the steps necessary to move forward. In fact, learning to face the truth about yourself is the most loving thing you can do for yourself, for others, and for God. Ephesians 4:15 says, “Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ” (CEV). Ephesians 4:15: “Love should always make us tell the truth.” If you love yourself, if you love God, if you love other people, then you ...

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT) Jesus says in John 17:17, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (NIV). What does sanctify mean? It simply means to grow up and to be made more like Christ—to get a reset. After you choose to follow Jesus, you’re not the same person. You’re different. You’re being sanctified. How are you sanctified? By God’s truth. The more you incorporate God’s Word into your life, the more you’re going to be transformed and made new. With the help of the Holy Spirit, you will be able to reset the areas of your life where you want to experience change. Making a change will always require you to know God’s Word. It’s the manual for resetting your life! When you decide that you don’t like the way you’re living and...

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) Jesus didn’t just come back to life and then go straight to heaven. After the resurrection, he spent 40 days traveling in Jerusalem and talking to people—one time to a group of 500 people! Because he appeared to so many, the Gospel spread rapidly over the Roman Empire. Right before he went back to heaven, Jesus gave his last instructions to his followers. These commands, known as the Great Commission, are not just meant for priests or pastors or ministers or missionaries. They apply to everyone who follows Jesus. These are Jesus’ instructions: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them i...

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28 (ESV) Like any loving father, God doesn’t want to lose any of his children. And there are a lot of evil forces in the world that would like to try to hurt his children. It is common for people who want to give their lives to Christ to be afraid they won’t be able to keep that commitment. They say, “There are so many temptations in my life, I’m doubting that I can keep myself saved.” But just as you can’t save yourself from your sins, you can’t keep yourself saved. That is Jesus’ job. He has made sure that no matter what happens in your life, your salvation is secure. He has ensured that you will make it safely to heaven to live with God forever. Jesus says in John 10:27-28, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch t...

“There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so. And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am.” John 14:2-3 (GNT) The night before he went to the cross, Jesus wasn’t focused on the agony and pain he was about to go through. He was thinking about you. And this is what he said: “There are many rooms in my Father’s house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so. And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am” (John 14:2-3 GNT). Jesus said he was going to prepare a room in heaven for everyone who believes in him. The world is a beautiful place. Even in all its brokenness, it still contains some incredible sights. If a broken place can still be so beautiful, imagine what a place of perfection will be like. In fact, that...

I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) Dreaming plays an essential role in developing your faith and helping you become the kind of person God made you to be. There’s an important connection between dreaming and believing, between your imagination and your growth. Without a dream, you get stuck. But with God-inspired dreams, you have almost limitless possibilities. Your dreams profoundly shape your identity, your happiness, your achievements, and your fulfillment. But God-inspired dreaming offers far more than just these benefits. Dreaming has eternal implications too. Dreaming is always the first step in the process God uses to change your life for the better. Everything starts as a dream! In many ways, a great dream is a statement of faith. You’re saying, “I believe that things can change and can be different, and I believe that God will enable me to accomplish it.” Wh...

“Pause a moment, Job, and listen; consider the wonderful things God does.” Job 37:14 (GNT) The first phase God uses to grow your faith is when he gives you a dream. But to hear this dream, you have to listen for God’s voice—and that means you have to silence the noise around you. The Bible says God speaks in a still, small voice, so you can’t hear him in the whirlwind of a chaotic life. You can’t hear God with the TV on or when you’re distracted by all the things you need to do today. You may think God never speaks to you. But perhaps it only seems that God never speaks to you—because you’re never quiet enough to listen to him! Something is always going on in your mind—you’re thinking through the week’s schedule, scrolling through social media, or replaying a difficult conversation you had with your boss. So while God is trying to get through to you on the telephone of life, he’s getting a busy signal. To hear from God, you’ve got to get quiet and reserve time alone with him. The Bibl...

A man is a fool to trust himself! But those who use God’s wisdom are safe.” Proverbs 28:26 (TLB) In this series, we’re learning how God takes us through the Six Phases of Faith—a dream, decision, delay, difficulty, dead end, and deliverance—over and over again throughout our lives to grow our faith and develop our character. The second phase God uses to grow your faith is when you decide to follow the dream you believe God has given you. Nothing happens with your dream until you move forward in faith! God gave Moses the dream of leading the children of Israel out of 400 years of slavery—but Moses had to make the decision to confront Pharaoh. God gave Noah the dream of saving the world from the flood—but Noah had to make the decision to build the ark. God gave Abraham the dream of building a new nation—but Abraham had to make the decision to leave everything and go out into the unknown. Just like these people in the Bible, you’ll never realize God’s dream for your life until you come ...

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17 (NIV) When God gives you a dream, you won’t just accidentally fulfill it. You have to be intentional in making several critical decisions that will help grow your faith and move you toward fulfilling the dream God created you to dream. Here are two decisions that are necessary: First, you need to invest. You have to decide to invest your time, your money, your reputation, and your energy in the things that will advance your pursuit of God’s dream. In other words, you need to stop making excuses and take the plunge. This is when you say, “God, I’m not going to procrastinate any longer. I’m going to do what you’ve told me to do.” Second, you need to let go of security. You can’t move forward in faith while holding on to the past. A great picture of letting go of security is a trapeze artist. She swings out on one bar—bu...

Rest in the Lord; wait patiently for him to act . . . Don’t fret and worry—it only leads to harm.” Psalm 37:7-8 (TLB) It’s frustrating when you’re in a hurry and God isn’t. And God is never in a hurry! The Bible says a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day to God. One of the most useless things to try to do is to speed up God. When we try to take matters into our own hands and help God out, we get in trouble. Proverbs 19:2 says, “Impatience will get you into trouble” (GNT). When you get a dream from God and make the decision to go for it—but then are forced into God’s waiting room—you may start trying to figure out ways of fulfilling God’s dream on your own, without his help. But the Bible says to trust God’s timing: “Rest in the Lord; wait patiently for him to act . . . Don’t fret and worry—it only leads to harm” (Psalm 37:7-8 TLB). Resting can be an act of faith. It means you’re waiting on God. One day Jesus and his disciples were in a boat caught in a ragin...

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 (NIV) When you go through delays in life, don’t get discouraged. Don’t lose heart. Don’t give up! The Israelites did, and it delayed their entrance into the Promised Land. Numbers 14:2-4 says, “All the Israelites grumbled against Moses . . . ‘If only we had died in Egypt! . . . We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt” (NIV). They gave up on their dream. They had been rescued after 400 years of slavery but then wanted to go back because they were being delayed. Like the Israelites, some people would rather live in slavery than face the fear of freedom. They are not willing to push through and work on the problem until they get it right. They want to give up. Don’t settle for less than God’s best for your life! If that means going through a tunnel of conflict, take the tunnel. In the middle of the tunnel, it will be dark, and you will want to run back to t...

“I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me.” John 15:5 (CEV) It’s better to rest in God’s goodness than to be overwhelmed with work and worry. But it’s also easier said than done. It can be hard to take the steps that lead to rest and the abundant life God has for you. Here are four daily habits that will help move you from overwhelmed to overflowing. 1. Stay connected to Jesus every day. “I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me” (John 15:5 CEV). If you try to go through life on your own power, you’re going to be overwhelmed. You cannot fulfill your purpose and enjoy God’s goodness unless you’re plugged in to his power. 2. Replace your complaining with gratefulness. “Do everything without complaining and arguing” (Philippians 2:14 NLT)....

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 (NIV) God is not only able to meet all of your needs; he’s eager to meet them! But when you forget how committed God is to help you, it’s easy to stop asking for his help and to start depending on yourself. Perhaps you only ask God for the “big stuff” and not the “small stuff.” Guess what? Everything is small to God. None of your requests are big in God’s eyes. He has every hair on your head numbered, and he knows how many fell out in the sink this morning. You’re not bothering God when you give him your requests; he’s the one who set up the system of prayer in the first place. That’s why the New Testament tells you more than 20 times to ask for whatever you need in prayer. Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (NIV). Sometimes, instead of asking God for something, you just worry about it. But if...