goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

A Living Hope

By Linda Tancs

In Peter’s epistle he speaks of a “living hope” through Jesus’s resurrection (1 Peter 1:3). Compare that with the way we tend to sterilize hope into a wish, a thought, an idea, a concept or even just a feeling. We have something better: a hope that is alive and breathing, like oxygen, assuring us of a life to come in eternity. We overflow with this living hope through the Holy Spirit, the indwelling God of hope (Romans 15:13). Don’t settle for wishful thinking.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

What is Love?

By Linda Tancs

It’s always interesting to discover the story behind a song, like the hit I Want To Know What Love Is by the band Foreigner. The writer believes that the song, an expression of turmoil over his love life, was divinely inspired. That inspiration led to the addition of a gospel choir to the piece, and the resulting song affected millions of listeners worldwide, who found comfort in it during times of sadness and suffering. In the song, the writer asks to be shown what love is. For believers, all we need to do is look to Jesus, the embodiment of God’s love for us (John 14:8-10). He showed us that love is more than something you feel; it’s something you do. Love as He loved, and you’ll know what love is.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

The Heart of the Problem

By Linda Tancs

Sometimes the heart of the problem is a problem with the heart. If a heart is full of evil, then evil will be spoken; out of an abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45). A hard heart dulls the mind (Mark 6:52), and a troubled heart has no peace (John 14:27). Do you have a “heart problem”? Let God be the strength of your heart (Psalm 73:26) and create it anew (Psalm 51:10).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Faith-Based Business, Religion, Theology

Green Means Go

By Linda Tancs

Traffic lights are universal. Red means stop. Green means go. When the light turns green, how quickly do you move? When God “green-lights” a plan for you, don’t delay. Get moving. God won’t drive a parked car (Hebrews 10:36).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

The Opposite of Love

By Linda Tancs

What is the opposite of love? You might be surprised at the number of responses if you’ve ever queried anyone. Many will likely say that hate is the opposite of love. Others may say it’s abandonment, sadness, fear or indifference. It doesn’t really matter what you consider to be the opposite of love because anything that opposes love is its opposite. So remember to put on love (Colossians 3:14).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Hope is a Helmet

By Linda Tancs

The apostle Paul calls hope the helmet of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:8). In a suit of armor, a helmet protects and covers the whole head and has no opening except for where the eyes look through. A helmet is such an apt metaphor for hope! Biblical hope, like a helmet, shields us against the slings and arrows of worldly things so that we can gain greater insight into the riches of our inheritance with God.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Quit the Pretense

By Linda Tancs

In Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, Brutus is reminded that the fault “is not with our stars but within ourselves….” In other words, fate is not responsible for our actions; we are. God expects us to take responsibility for our actions instead of refusing to take responsibility and blaming God (or others) for our mistakes, and He aids us in facing our transgressions (Proverbs 28:13). If it were not so, then we would not be required to give an account for our life and actions (Hebrews 4:13).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

How a Movie Star Reminds Us About God

By Linda Tancs

There’s a story about the late film star Joan Crawford. Someone who recognized her from her glory days allegedly asked her if she “used to be” Joan Crawford. Imagine a curious onlooker asking you if you “used to be” YOU! Of course, you never stop being you. Long after the glory fades, the job ends, or you’re no longer on the letterhead, you’re still you. Similarly, you never stop being God’s child regardless how the world views your worth. In His eyes, value is not based on performance. It’s not about what you do; it’s about who you are in Him (John 1:12).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Favoritism

By Linda Tancs

Playing favorites is a dangerous game. As the apostle James reminds us, it’s a sin (James 2:9). After all, it’s a form of discrimination, or judgment. In one way or another, it’s looking at the outer appearance, whereas, God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Our goal is to love as God loves. Be merciful, as God is merciful (James 2:13).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Night Vision

By Linda Tancs

Many animals have better night vision than humans, so we rely on night vision technologies to increase our capacity to see in low-light conditions. God, of course, needs no help seeing in the dark; even darkness is as light to Him (Psalm 139:12). That means that nothing is hidden from Him, including the darkness of sin. It’s all laid bare and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:13). You can’t keep God in the dark about anything, so don’t bother trying.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.