Charles Stanley

• 05/05/2013

  The Alternatives to Patience

  Have you ever felt the Lord calling you to something really big—maybe some task that seemed impossible or a goal that would no doubt take years to achieve? Most likely, some aspiration or God-given promise just came to mind. As you think about it, let's consider three common courses of action.
• 04/30/2013

  Telling It like It Is

  The blind man was willing to answer questions about his healing, regardless of who was asking. Responses to his testimony varied. The neighbors argued over the genuineness of his story and demanded to know how he came to see. The man explained what had happened, with no embellishments: he'd met a man named Jesus, who gave him some instructions. When he obeyed, he was healed. Though the neighbors couldn't deny what had happened, they had trouble accepting the account, because they could not understand it. The world still does the same thing—what they can't explain, they try to deny.

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• 04/28/2013

  Telling Your Story

  The Lord will use a Christian's personal testimony in powerful ways. As we speak about how God has rescued and changed us, the Holy Spirit can heighten people's interest in spiritual matters and use our words to help them seek Christ as their Savior.
• 04/25/2013

  Personal Holiness

  If you were to randomly walk up to a man on the street and ask him if he is going to heaven, he would very likely tell you yes. If you asked why, he would probably list the good things he has done. Unbelievers and even many churchgoers cannot understand why their works are insufficient for redemption. In fact, many people do not recognize their need for redemption at all.
• 04/22/2013

  Encouragement for All Seasons

  Spring, summer, fall, and winter—these are the seasons of the year. Life also has its seasons. Some are filled with joy, while others are characterized by difficulty. Take comfort because there is a principle from the Bible that can encourage and sustain you through every season: Our God is faithful.
• 04/21/2013

  God Calls in Various Ways

  When you hear the phrase "call of God," what comes to mind? Many people assume it refers only to God's call upon the lives of professional ministers. This could not be further from truth. The Lord issues no fewer than four specific calls to every single believer.

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• 04/17/2013

  Looking Beyond Disappointment

  When disappointments come your way in life, it is easy to blame yourself or others—or even both. Frequently it is difficult to know what to say or do because you cannot quite identify the real cause or purpose of the letdown.
• 04/14/2013

  Faith vs. Reason

  Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Another way of saying that is "knowing that God will honor His Word."

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• 04/12/2013

  Triumph through Failure

  We've all made tracks through the valley of failure. What matters is how we respond: do we give up and live a defeated life, or do we believe God can restore us?
• 04/09/2013

  Our Choices Matter

  Most people who choose to walk through the wide gate don't stop to consider the pros and cons of taking the path leading to destruction. Instead, they drift onto that roadway without thinking of the consequences. The narrow gate is different—we must deliberately choose to pass through it and take the sparsely populated way to heaven.

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• 04/07/2013

  Expressions of God's Goodness

  We often think of God's goodness in terms of our tangible blessings and upbeat events. While these surely are expressions of divine goodness, we should not interpret God's love only by how He demonstrates it in positive circumstances. We often experience His goodness best in our darkest hours—in those situations, He shows Himself to be good in deeper ways, as He alone can (2 Cor. 12:9).
• 04/04/2013

  Is God in Every Circumstance?

  The Christian life is to be characterized by growth, which becomes evident as a believer progresses from spiritual milk to solid food. Once we absorb the elementary truths of our faith, we should then begin to chew on more "meaty" ones. The question of whether God is in every circumstance falls into this latter category, because the answer conflicts with human thinking. You see, God is in the tragedies as well as the triumphs of life: He either sends or permits them to happen.
• 04/02/2013

  God's Presence in Hard Times

  There are points in life when we are hurting, the situation is clearly outside our control, and we can't detect so much as a glimmer of relief for the future. At times like that, what can we be sure of?
• 03/28/2013

  Lessons We Learn in Gethsemane

  When you are suffering, do you turn to God's Word? That is the only source we can count on to bring life, hope, and promise to otherwise hopeless situations. Its principles illustrate how to—and how not to—deal with trials. When we respond God's way, the difficulty that threatened to harm us actually enriches our character and enables us to do greater works for Him.
• 03/26/2013

  Overcoming Worry

  Once we comprehend how worry undermines trust in our Father and how willing He is to remove it from us, we need to seek out ways to cooperate with Him. So let's look at some common sources of worry that we can avoid.