joana hamilton

Feel Abandoned, Worship God Anyway

If God never did anything else for you, he would still deserve your continual praise for the rest of your life because of what Jesus did for you on the cross. God's Son died for you! This is the greatest…

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)

Seeking Feeling is Not Worship

God has not promised "you will always feel my presence." In fact, God admits that sometimes he hides his face from us. (Isaiah 45:15) This is a normal part of the testing and maturing of your friendship…

Job 23:8 (NLT), Job 23:9 (NLT), Job 23:10 (NLT), Isaiah 45:15 (NLT)

God Is Real

It is easy to worship God when things are going great in your life - when he has provided food, friends, family, health, and happy situations. But what do you do when God seems a million miles away? How…

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT), 1 Samuel 13:14 (NLT), Psalm 10:1 (NLT), Psalm 22:1 (NLT), Psalm 43:2 (NLT), Isaiah 8:17 (NLT)

Don't Give Up

! When God gives you a dream, you can be sure you'll run into delays, difficulties, detours and dead ends along the way. They are a natural part of life. But you can be ready for them. Now if anybody…

2 Chronicles 16:9 (NLT)

Shortcuts Are Short-sighted

One of the pitfalls you will face as you chase your dreams is the temptation to take shortcuts. You'll be tempted to cut corners as you run toward your goals, but these shortcuts will only get you off…

Genesis 6:22 (NLT)

To Hear God, Get Near Him Noah built the ark in faith. "He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before." (Hebrews 11:7a NLT) How did he believe these things that had never happened before would actually happen? Because Noah could hear God! So how do you do that? You say, "I want to trust God, but I don't hear him.' To hear God you've got to get near God. You don't hear God when your mind is filled with a thousand other distractions. You've got to get alone with God and be quiet. The Bible says, "Be still and know that I am God." That means sit down and shut up. That's how you hear God and get near to God. You got to sit alone and just be quiet with your Bible, and say, "God, is there anything you want to say to me'? You read God's Word and you talk to him about what's on your heart. Pray -- God, I want to listen to you, not the voices of doubt. I want to hear you, and I promise to then obey you. I want to be one of the people that you can use and bless in the next ten years. I want those years to be a decade of destiny for me and my family.

Noah built the ark in faith. "He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before." (Hebrews 11:7a NLT) How did he believe these things that had never happened before would actually…

Listen to God, Not Your Doubts

Have you noticed that the moment you establish a goal in your life you start hearing people say, "Who do you think you are'? "It can't be done, forget about it?" I call them DreamBusters. DreamBusters…

Hebrews 11:7 (NLT)

Make a Difference by Being Different

One of the most important tests we all face as we try to achieve what God has called us to do is cultural distraction. For instance -- The distraction of popularity -- If you are always worried about…

Genesis 6:5 (NLT), Genesis 6:6 (NLT), Genesis 6:8 (NLT)

Wise People Look Ahead

Many people in life start out well but they end up poorly because they don't plan for the pitfalls. But the Bible says the wise man looks ahead. We all face pitfalls as we make plans for our future,…

Proverbs 14:8 (NLT)

You Are a Work in Progress

Spiritual maturity is neither instant nor automatic; it is a gradual, progressive development that will take the rest of your life. You are a work in progress. Your spiritual transformation in developing…

Ephesians 4:13 (NLT), 1 John 3:2 (NLT)

Molded into Godly Character

God uses his Word, people, and circumstances to mold us. All three are indispensable for character development. God's Word provides the truth we need to grow, God's people provide the support we need…

Ephesians 4:24 (NLT)

God's Work in You

It is the Holy Spirit's job to produce Christlike character in you. You cannot reproduce the character of Jesus on your own strength. New Year's resolutions, willpower, and best intentions are not enough.…

Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

A God-Fashioned Life

Many religions and New Age philosophies promote the old lie that we are divine or can become gods. Let me be absolutely clear: you will never become God, or even a god. This desire to be a god shows…

Ephesians 4:22 (NLT), Ephesians 4:23 (NLT), Ephesians 4:24 (NLT)

Becoming Like Jesus

In all of creation, only human beings are made in God's image. This is a great privilege and it gives us dignity. We don't know all this phrase covers, but we do know some of the aspects it includes:…

Romans 8:29 (NLT)

Heaven Waits For You

When King David says, " and I will live in the house of the Lord forever," he's saying that God has prepared a place for him in Heaven. That's one of the most important connections we see in the Bible.…

Psalm 23:6 (NLT), 2 Corinthians 5:1 (NLT)

Bad Temper is Contagious

Is anger contagious? Yes. Can you be infected by somebody else's anger? Certainly. Ever been in a situation where they get loud and you do too? What's happening? There's a transfer of energy. It's contagious.…

Anger: Repattern Your Mind

The way we act is determined by the way we feel. The way we feel is determined by the way we think. If we want to change the way we act, we've got to change the way we think. If we want to change a habitual…

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

Resolve to Manage Your Anger

The Bible says, "Love is not easily angered." It doesn't say love never gets angry at all. In fact, sometimes the loving thing to do is to get angry. Jesus became angry in the Temple when he saw his Father's…

1 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT)

Celebrate Your Uniqueness

Your shape was sovereignly determined by God for his purpose, so you shouldn't resent it or reject it. Instead of trying to reshape yourself to be like someone else, you should celebrate the shape God…

Romans 9:20 (NLT), Ephesians 4:7 (NLT)

Keep Developing Your Skills

If you don't exercise your muscles, they weaken and atrophy. In the same way, if you don't utilize the abilities and skill God has given you, you will lose them. Jesus taught the parable of the talents…

Matthew 25:28 (NLT), 1 Corinthians 9:25 (NLT), 2 Timothy 1:6 (NLT)

Your Personality Reveals Purpose

A way to determine how you can serve others is to ask yourself such questions as: What do I really enjoy doing most? When do I feel the most fully alive? What am I doing when I lose track of time? Do…

Galatians 6:4 (NLT)

Give God Your Best

God shaped you for a purpose and he expects you to make the most of what you've been given. He doesn't want you to worry about or covet abilities that you don't have. Instead he wants you to focus on…

Ephesians 5:17 (NLT)

Fix Your Thoughts on Jesus

When you are tempted, do whatever is necessary to turn your attention to something else. Satan can't get your attention when your mind is preoccupied with something else. That's why the Bible teaches…

Proverbs 4:23 (NLT), 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NLT), Philippians 4:8 (NLT), Hebrews 3:1 (NLT)

Don't Give Temptation Power

Have you ever watched a food advertisement on television and suddenly felt you were hungry? Have you ever heard someone cough and immediately felt the need to clear your throat? Ever watched someone release…

2 Timothy 2:22 (NLT)

Don't Be Reluctant to Show Mercy

In Biblical fellowship, people will experience mercy. Fellowship is a place of grace, where mistakes aren't rubbed in but rubbed out. Fellowship happens when mercy wins over justice. We all need mercy,…

2 Corinthians 2:7 (NLT), Colossians 3:13 (NLT)