A Heart for Christ

Monday, June 16, 2025

Recognizing Toxic Friends

You’ve probably heard people say, “Stay away from toxic friends.” But did you know that this matters spiritually too?

Sometimes, a friend might seem fun or cool at first—but if they’re always jealous, never happy for you, lie a lot, or make you feel bad about yourself, that’s a problem. Friends like that can pull you down instead of helping you grow. It could even be a sign that something deeper—like a wrong spirit—is trying to get close to you through them.

Proverbs 13:20 (NLT) says, “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.” In other words, who you hang out with matters. God wants us to have real friends, the kind that will help us to grow in Christ, make good choices, and stay close to Him.

So here’s the wisdom that God wants us to use: Be careful who you let close to you. Pay attention to how your friends treat you, as well as how they treat others. And always pray. Ask our Heavenly Father to help you see who should stay in your life and who you might need to step back from. He’ll guide you, because He cares about your heart and your future.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Monday, June 9, 2025

Don’t Give up During Troubled Times

When life gets hard, sometimes we wonder, “Why is this happening to me?” We all go through situations that feels unfair or just plain tough. Things don’t go the way we want, people let us down, or we just feel like there’s way too much on our plates. And honestly, it can make our faith feel shaky. We might even start to feel like God is far away. It may not feel like it when we’re going through it, but those tough times can actually help us grow stronger and closer to God.

Jesus never said life would be easy. In fact, in John 16:33 (NLT), He said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” So we shouldn’t be surprised when life gets rough—Jesus told us it would. But He also promised that we’re not alone, and He’s already overcome all the hard situations that we face.

The Bible also says that these challenges can help us grow. James 1:2–4 (NLT) says, “When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy… when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” That means every hard moment is actually a chance for our faith to get stronger. Like muscles growing during a workout, our trust in God grows when we go through hard things with Him.And here’s something really comforting: even though it might feel like the hard times will last forever, they won’t. Psalm 30:5 (NLT) says, “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” God sees our pain, and He promises that it won’t last forever. There’s always hope on the other side.

So if you’re going through something right now—or the next time you are—remember this: it’s okay to feel confused or sad. But don’t give up. God is with you in it. Talk to Him, even if all you can say is, “God, I need help.” He’s listening. And He’s working, even when we don’t see it yet.

Monday, June 2, 2025

Trust in God’s Promises

In the Bible, God has given us promises that show how much He loves us. They guarantee His protection, provision, and many other great blessings. One powerful promise is in John 10:10 (NLT), where Jesus says, “The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” This verse means that God wants us to have a joyful and full life, and the way that we have this kind of life is to spend it with Him. The problem is that we don’t believe these great promises right away. Even when we do, it takes a while for us to trust them in our hearts.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NLT) says “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.” We should always remember that God is faithful. He keeps His promises no matter what, and we should always have faith in this, because God cannot fail—not ever.

Even when things in life feel hard or when answers seem to take a long time, we need to keep trusting God. Our job is to pray, believe, and keep the faith. Psalm 37:7 (NLT), says,“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.”

This verse reminds us that we need to be patient. God is perfect. He’s not on our timetable and knows exactly when and how to bless us. This verse also reminds us not to focus on what others have, but to keep our focus on God and His goodness. We shouldn’t be jealous when we see other people who seem to be prospering in life. Instead, we should be thankful and excited about what God is doing in our lives. What He has in store for you is much greater than anything you can imagine.

So, in the end, we should trust in God’s promises and not get impatient. Numbers 23:19 (NLT) tells us that “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” God is trustworthy. He always keeps His Word. We can trust Him with our whole hearts because He always does what He says. All we have to do is believe and keep holding on to His promises.

Monday, May 26, 2025

The Importance of Prayer

Prayer is powerful—way more powerful than most people think. When we pray with real faith and come to God with respect, something amazing happens: we invite Him into our lives. But in a lot of cases, people don’t understand how faith works and why it matters so much. They might not realize how much it pleases God when we trust Him completely. But in Hebrews 11:6 (NLT), the Bible makes it clear: “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” That means God loves it when we trust Him and believe He’s going to help us.

Prayer can change people’s lives—including yours. When you pray, you’re asking God to step in and help. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) tells us, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace…” That kind of peace is something only God can give. So whenever you’re feeling stressed, nervous, or even thankful—talk to Him. Prayer isn’t just for big problems; it’s for everything. And the best part is that God always hears you.

James 5:16 (NLT) says “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” That means praying for others is just as important as praying for ourselves—maybe even more! We don’t always know what people are facing, but our prayers can help them in ways we can't even see. We must remember that we’re where we are in life because somebody prayed for us too. A parent, a friend, a teacher—someone was talking to God on our behalf. So let’s do the same for others. When we pray with a kind and honest heart, God listens. Our prayers really matter.

Always remember that it is important to pray with faith in God. In Matthew 21:22 (NLT), Jesus Christ says,“You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.” This doesn’t mean God gives us everything we ask for exactly the way we want. That’s not faith. This verse is telling us that God hears us and responds when we trust Him. Having a real prayer life—where we talk to God often and believe in His power, this brings us closer to Him. And when we keep praying and don’t give up, we’ll be amazed at the things God can do.

Monday, May 19, 2025

Getting Rid of Bad Habits

Today, while I was cleaning out my closet, I started thinking about some habits I should work on changing. I even made a list of things I want to do better. As I did that, I realized that God also wants us to get rid of bad habits—especially the ones that slow us down in our walk with Him.

You might be wondering; how do I know if a habit is something God doesn’t like? One way to find out is to talk to God through prayer or fasting. Ask Him to show you if there’s anything in your life that’s getting in the way of your relationship with Him. In Romans 12:2 (NLT), He tells us “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” This verse reminds us not to follow what the world does. Instead, we should read and study God’s Word and let it change the way we think.

When we do this, we live in a way that makes Him happy. God has chosen us to be His children, and like this verse tells us, we shouldn't pick up habits just because everyone else is doing them. God wants to help us live better and make choices that bring us closer to Him. This is what gives us a peaceful and fulfilling life.

Sometimes bad habits are hard to break, but the good news is that we don’t have to do it alone. Philippians 4:13 (NLT) says, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” So if you’re struggling with a habit that’s not good for you, ask God to help you. He will give you the strength you need to let go of it.In the end, it’s important to always try our best to live in a way that honors God. And when we mess up, we can go to Him for help and start fresh.

Monday, May 12, 2025

Truly Believing in God’s Word

Sometimes we read the Bible, go to church, and hear about God’s commandments, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself, “Do I really believe all of this?” A lot of people read the Bible and even memorize verses but believing it deep in your heart is something different.

Romans 10:17 (NLT) says, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” That means that when we read God’s Word or hear it at church, it helps our faith to grow. But sometimes, even when we read the Bible, we can still feel unsure. That happens to a lot of people, even adults.

One way to find out if you really believe God’s Word is to pray and ask Him to show you what’s going on in your heart. You might not even realize you’re struggling to believe something until you’re in a tough situation. Like, maybe something happens and a Bible verse comes to mind, but you’re not sure if it really applies to you. That’s a sign to talk to God about it.

Psalm 119:18 says, “Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.” God wants us to understand His Word, and He’ll help us if we ask.

So if you're ever having a hard time believing what the Bible says, don’t be afraid to tell God. He already knows, and He loves you no matter what. Keep reading His Word, praying, and asking questions. That’s how your faith grows stronger. ■

Sunday, May 4, 2025

“Keep God First—Not Money”

A lot of kids think that if you don’t wear expensive sneakers and name brand clothes, you’re not worth being their friend. They base everything on how much money a person is spending to look the part, but God teaches us in His Word that this is the trap of idolizing money and what it can buy you. It leads us to focus on the outside instead of what really matters—our heart towards honoring God through Jesus Christ.

Our Heavenly Father doesn’t care about how fancy our clothes are or what shoes we wear. He cares about how kind, loving, and honest we are. This is what’s very important to Him. He looks at our hearts, but when we’re spending all our time trying to impress others with stuff, we can forget who we are in Christ. We should never want to do this. When we truly follow our Lord and Savior, we learn that our true worth comes from being God’s child, not from things that don’t last.

When we’re thinking about money, and what it can buy us, all the time, we’re idolizing it. Being selfish with money, always wanting more, even when we already have what we need, and not being willing to help others, even though we’re in a position to give—these are the signs that we’ve made money an idol.

The Bible says in Hebrews 13:5 (NLT): “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’”This verse reminds us that we don’t need to chase after money, because God promises to take care of us. He’s our Heavenly Father, and we should be leaning on Him, not money. When we learn to be thankful for what we already have, we stop focusing on getting more, and we start to trust God more.

In 1 Timothy 6:10 (NLT), the Bible also says, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” It’s not that money itself is bad. It becomes evil in our hearts when we love it so much that it starts to lead us away from God and toward selfishness, pride, and even fear.

God doesn’t want money to become more important to us than He is. That’s what it means to idolize something—when it takes God’s place in our hearts. So, let’s always make sure our hearts are focused on God. If you ever feel like money is becoming too important in your life, talk to God about it. Ask Him to help you keep Him first and to be generous and thankful. Trust that He will always provide everything you need.