God created us to be purpose driven. In other words, our natural inclination is to operate with an intent—a motive, so to speak.

The Bible gives us a number of examples of men and women who did extraordinary things (whether for good or evil) in order to fulfill a purpose or reach a goal. Jacob, for instance, worked 14 years for the deceitful Laban in order to marry the woman of his dreams (see Gen. 29). He had a motive (espousing the lovely Rachel), which served to motivate him to work an extra seven years to accomplish his objective.

It is human nature to operate with a purpose and not wander about aimlessly. The majority of things we set out to accomplish are done with a motive. This is how the Lord created us, and this attribute of mankind extends to every aspect of our living and influences our spiritual as well as our physical lives.

It applies even to weight loss. Most people who set out to lose weight have a specific motive for doing so. Maybe the class reunion is fast approaching and you’re determined to be only 10 pounds heavier than when you graduated, not 50. Or you may have booked a Caribbean cruise and simply refuse to slip on a bathing suit without first firming up and slimming down.

Is there a wedding coming up? How about a family portrait? Whatever the case may be, all too often our motivation for losing weight is simply the desire to change our outward appearance.

But remember Proverbs 31:30 tells us “charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting” (NIV). So if your objective for losing weight is only to enhance your looks, please take my advice: reconsider your motive.

VANITY IS NOT A VIRTUE Don’t misunderstand me–there is nothing wrong with wanting to look good. After all, Queen Esther received a year’s worth of beauty treatments before going into the royal chambers to visit the king (see Esth. 2:12).

Our appearance is important, and first impressions (even second impressions) carry a tremendous impact. But there are a few reasons why appearance should not be the sole motivator for weight loss.

For starters, losing weight for cosmetic reasons is an entirely goal-oriented approach. We are determined to reach an arbitrary number on the scale or a certain size dress or suit.

Once the goal is reached (or once the vacation or the class reunion is over) we find ourselves without a motive, and we soon become unmotivated to continue doing those things we did to reach our goal in the first place–namely, eating right and exercising regularly. We have to shift our focus from the temporary to the permanent.

It’s not about achieving the temporary goal of squeezing into a dress that was two sizes too small to begin with. It’s about permanently establishing a brand-new way of living.

Ironically, another reason why appearance alone should not be the primary motivator is that many people are quite satisfied with their appearance. And because they are content with being “pleasingly plump,” they have no real desire to lose weight–even when shedding a few pounds would improve their health.

I find this is especially common in African American and Hispanic women, who are not as inclined to strive for society’s standard of an acceptable body weight as are Caucasian and Asian women.

But though this high level of self-satisfaction might guard against conditions such as anorexia nervosa, it can be a real problem when contentment leads to complacency.

In my years of medical practice I’ve encountered a number of patients with serious medical problems related to improper diet, inadequate exercise and excessive body weight. But despite being diagnosed with potentially life-threatening illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, and despite the crippling pain of conditions such as osteoarthritis, they felt satisfied with their appearance (vanity).

They didn’t want to lose weight, even when their health was at stake. I’ve had patients tell me they were afraid they would look “sick” if they lost 10 or 20 pounds, not realizing those extra pounds might just escort them into an early grave.

If you want to lose weight, don’t allow yourself to be driven by vanity. Vanity is not a virtue; it is the cousin of pride, and “pride goes before destruction” (Prov. 16:18).

THE PROPER MOTIVE Adopting a healthier lifestyle requires discipline, moderation and self-control–character traits supported throughout the Scriptures. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, for example, Paul says: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

“Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

Paul compares the Christian life to an athletic competition here and in other parts of the Bible (see 2 Tim. 4:7; Gal. 2:2). What a powerful word picture to emphasize the benefits of living a life of discipline, moderation and self-control.

These character traits are perfected through the Holy Spirit and are vital to us if we are to mature on this Christian journey. And even though the prize Paul speaks of is our heavenly reward, we can’t ignore the importance of exercising these same qualities in our physical lives.

It’s actually difficult (if not impossible) to separate these two aspects of our existence since spiritual maturation requires that we keep fleshly desires under subjection (including the desire to overeat), and that we become adept at resisting temptation (including the temptation to indulge ourselves with our favorite foods).

A professional athlete practices discipline, moderation and self-control whether she feels like it or not. Her body does not call the shots–she does.

In other words, she engages in rigorous training on a regular basis, no matter what the circumstances, and no matter what her “flesh” would rather be doing. The same is required of any woman attempting to modify her lifestyle to improve her health.

Our flesh ought not to control us. But without discipline, moderation and self-control, you’ll soon discover how easy it is for the flesh to overtake you and for your worthy plans of living a healthier life to fall by the wayside.

It requires self-discipline to crawl out of a warm and cozy bed for a brisk 30-minute walk. It requires moderation to stop at one scoop of ice cream or one tablespoon of gravy. And it requires self-control to keep on driving past your favorite fast-food restaurant.

HONOR GOD WITH YOUR BODY When you start with discipline, moderation and self-control, and then add the proper motive, you will certainly see results. If you refuse to be motivated by vanity but let your main desire be to improve your health (or maintain the good health you already have), then you’re on the right track.

Think about it this way: As believers, our bodies are the living temples of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 6:19-20). So taking care of our bodies is one way we honor God. Losing weight as an effort to maintain the temple of God is an honorable endeavor; any other reason borders on self-centeredness and vanity.

Let’s compare it to the act of giving. We can give our tithes and offerings with a selfish, goal-oriented mind-set, focusing on the “good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over” return promised to us in Luke 6:38. But this is giving with the wrong motive.

The Bible says to “honor the Lord with your wealth” (Prov. 3:9). So giving is an act of worship, a way of honoring God.

It shouldn’t be a selfish act prompted by the promise of how much we will get in return. The same holds true for any of the other ways we honor God.

Remember in the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus described people who fasted and prayed just to call attention to themselves? He said their reward would be from men and not from God. The problem was that their motive wasn’t to have fellowship with God through prayer and fasting but to receive recognition and attention from other men.

Everything–yes, everything–we do as believers ought to honor God, including our motive for wanting to lose weight. The incentive to adhere to a healthy lifestyle should be to honor God through caring for our bodies, His temple, and not any self-centered desire to improve our looks.

If we end up looking a little nicer in the process, then that’s great, but it shouldn’t be our primary motivation.

KEEP FOCUSED ON THE GOAL I’m convinced that one of the reasons so many people are unsuccessful with long-term weight loss is they are operating with the wrong motive. Keep the proper focus. Purpose in your heart that you will honor God by taking care of your body, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and start making a change today.

A dear patient once assured me that she was going to dramatically change her lifestyle by eating right, exercising and losing weight right after the Memorial Day holiday. She was planning a large party that weekend, a culinary feast for more than 100 guests.

The only problem was that she gave me this promise not in late May but in the first part of April! She failed to understand that the best time to start changing bad habits is the present.

Caring for our bodies is not a thing we decide to do on some future date or for a limited period of time. Honoring the Lord should be our present and continual lifestyle, whether we’re honoring Him in our worship, our giving, our service or even through taking care of our physical bodies.

Make a commitment today that you will rely on the Holy Spirit to strengthen your resolve. Then go ahead and break those old, bad habits and replace them with new, healthier practices that you’ll follow for the rest of your life.

Don’t even entertain the thought of how much better you’ll look with a slimmer physique. Remember this–when the presence and the glory of God shines through you, you already look good no matter what the number on the scale. Once you get your motives in order, be prepared to reap the benefits of better health.

Kara Davis, M.D., is a physician and professor of medicine who combines medical knowledge with biblical wisdom in her approach to patient care.

Many Christians believe that if they are not at the forefront of ministry, preaching, teaching or standing before a crowd leading worship, their gifts are somehow less important. How untrue. Your contribution to the body of Christ is not based on your status in church. God has uniquely designed each of us to work for Him. We all have a job to do for the kingdom, but we must know our purpose and walk in it. To join a discussion about destiny, purpose and doing God’s will, listen to this podcast.

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Linda Page, author of the book Detoxification, explains why there is a need to help your body detoxify itself: “The environmental toxins of modern-day life that we’re exposed to—the pollutants, chemicals, other synthetic substances—are more than the average body can handle. The body doesn’t know what to do with foreign substances, so it will store them outside of the regular elimination system, so we don’t get poisoned. Those poisons start building up in our body fat.”

Her weekend detox program involves drinking fruit juice—a whole lot of juice and little else—which, according to her, pushes these toxins out of your system.

She also recommends taking herbal laxatives, colonics, probiotics that replenish healthy bacteria and antioxidants during a weekend-long detox. Relaxation techniques such as massage therapy, sauna, aromatherapy, deep breathing and walking help to boost your body’s ability to detox, she says.

Allergic to hair color?

A group of European dermatologists recently reported that incidences of allergic reactions to hair dye are on the rise. One doctor reported that the number of allergic reactions diagnosed in his clinic had doubled in the last six years. They attribute the increase to the fact that more and more teens are coloring their hair these days.

Allergic reactions are usually caused by PPD (para-phenylenediamine), a common chemical ingredient in permanent hair dyes. According to a WebMD Medical News article by Salynn Boyles, “PPD is found in more than two-thirds of commercial many of the top-selling brands” (“Hair Dye Allergies on the Rise,” ).

Patients with PPD reactions usually develop painful rashes around the hairline or on the face, which often require treatment and can occasionally lead to hospitalization. In some of the European cases, teens experienced allergic reactions so severe they had to be hospitalized, one in intensive care. Facial swelling is another common reaction.

According to the Cosmetics, Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CTFA), following the warnings and instructions for skin testing on the hair color packages is the key to avoiding a serious reaction. In a statement rebutting the European dermatologists’ report, the CTFA noted: “If a consumer is positively identified as allergic to a hair dye ingredient, they can (and they should) avoid use of all permanent hair dyes and consult a physician before any further use.”

Linda Page, author of the book Detoxification, explains why there is a need to help your body detoxify itself: “The environmental toxins of modern-day life that we’re exposed to—the pollutants, chemicals, other synthetic substances—are more than the average body can handle. The body doesn’t know what to do with foreign substances, so it will store them outside of the regular elimination system, so we don’t get poisoned. Those poisons start building up in our body fat.”

Her weekend detox program involves drinking fruit juice—a whole lot of juice and little else—which, according to her, pushes these toxins out of your system.

She also recommends taking herbal laxatives, colonics, probiotics that replenish healthy bacteria and antioxidants during a weekend-long detox. Relaxation techniques such as massage therapy, sauna, aromatherapy, deep breathing and walking help to boost your body’s ability to detox, she says.

Allergic to hair color?

A group of European dermatologists recently reported that incidences of allergic reactions to hair dye are on the rise. One doctor reported that the number of allergic reactions diagnosed in his clinic had doubled in the last six years. They attribute the increase to the fact that more and more teens are coloring their hair these days.

Allergic reactions are usually caused by PPD (para-phenylenediamine), a common chemical ingredient in permanent hair dyes. According to a WebMD Medical News article by Salynn Boyles, “PPD is found in more than two-thirds of commercial many of the top-selling brands” (“Hair Dye Allergies on the Rise,” ).

Patients with PPD reactions usually develop painful rashes around the hairline or on the face, which often require treatment and can occasionally lead to hospitalization. In some of the European cases, teens experienced allergic reactions so severe they had to be hospitalized, one in intensive care. Facial swelling is another common reaction.

According to the Cosmetics, Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CTFA), following the warnings and instructions for skin testing on the hair color packages is the key to avoiding a serious reaction. In a statement rebutting the European dermatologists’ report, the CTFA noted: “If a consumer is positively identified as allergic to a hair dye ingredient, they can (and they should) avoid use of all permanent hair dyes and consult a physician before any further use.”

If the Iranian government knew Christians were learning how to grow a church in the middle of their Muslim nation, the converts could lose their freedom—or worse, their lives.

But that hasn’t stopped pastors with the underground church in Iran from secretly attending classroom sessions led by Dave Anderson, a founder and longtime trainer for EQUIP, the organization led by Christian leadership guru John Maxwell.

“Some of them are arrested trying to leave Iran to attend training and some are arrested when they try to re-enter,” says Anderson who has taught biblical leadership in 13 other countries. “Some are on death lists, but they still come.”

The pastors, many of whom are business people or related to high-ranking government officials, travel to a secret location to learn how to grow their churches, build a team and find people to join their churches.

Anderson says the idea behind EQUIP’s curriculum is to pass it on to others. “We teach the most influential people,” he says. “And they teach other people, who then teach it to others—and it really has an exponential effect.”

If the Iranian government knew Christians were learning how to grow a church in the middle of their Muslim nation, the converts could lose their freedom—or worse, their lives.

But that hasn’t stopped pastors with the underground church in Iran from secretly attending classroom sessions led by Dave Anderson, a founder and longtime trainer for EQUIP, the organization led by Christian leadership guru John Maxwell.

“Some of them are arrested trying to leave Iran to attend training and some are arrested when they try to re-enter,” says Anderson who has taught biblical leadership in 13 other countries. “Some are on death lists, but they still come.”

The pastors, many of whom are business people or related to high-ranking government officials, travel to a secret location to learn how to grow their churches, build a team and find people to join their churches.

Anderson says the idea behind EQUIP’s curriculum is to pass it on to others. “We teach the most influential people,” he says. “And they teach other people, who then teach it to others—and it really has an exponential effect.”

The Sea of Galilee is one of the most popular tourists spots in Israel. Yeshua stood on its shores—and sometimes on the sea—and performed many miracles. He saw Peter and Andrew casting their net into the water and said, “‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men'” (Matt. 4:19, NKJV); He walked on water (see Matt. 14:22-33), and fed more than 5,000 people with five fish and two loaves of bread (see Matt. 14:13-21). To learn how to cast your net in this ancient sea, click below to watch the video.

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It’s easy for a Hollywood celebrity to stand next to a starving child, stare into a video camera and remind us that children are our future. It’s much more difficult to nourish that child—on a regular basis—with enough food, clothing and education to help him grow up and truly shape the future.

The same principle applies to caring for widows, immigrants, the impoverished and other people groups who, for various reasons, need assistance for a better life. In Israel, dozens of organizations have been birthed specifically to reach this swelling segment of the Jewish population. Amid the politics of the most contested land in human history, the following five humanitarian aid organizations have dedicated themselves to being a consistent presence in the Holy Land to shape a brighter tomorrow for the next generation of Jews.

Leket Israel

Many Christians are unaware of the poverty that exists in Israel. About one-fifth of Israeli families live below the poverty line, while 36 percent of Israeli children and 25 percent of Israeli Holocaust survivors live in impoverished conditions, according to a 2008 National Insurance Institute report.

Leket Israel (formerly Table to Table) seeks to care for Israel’s needy, while showing them God’s love, by offering a variety of food distribution efforts across the country.

Last year, the organization diverted 5,700 tons of produce and perishable manufactured food items from destruction and redistributed it to 230 nonprofits working with needy Jews. It also spared and gave out 700,000 unused, unpurchased meals from restaurants, mall food courts and hotels that would have been thrown away.

One of the ministry’s food pickups is turned around in five hours to feed 500 shut-ins, and more than 1 million sandwiches have been provided for school children from dysfunctional homes in 24 cities. In fact, Leket’s reputation for its care of Israel’s poor is such that last year a major grocery chain asked the organization to redistribute an overstock of cereal for the chain. Leket answered the call and rerouted 100,000 boxes of cereal to the needy.

“Think about the story of feeding the multitudes,” says Ray MacDonald, one of Leket’s directors. “What did Jesus say after everyone was fed? He wanted the leftovers picked up. Why? I believe He didn’t want to waste.”

Leket uses three methods to redistribute food: nighttime pickups from restaurants and other food outlets, gleaning from producers, providing meals for Israeli school children. For the gleaning, farmers leave 10 percent of their fields, usually the corners, for Leket. The total of school children fed with a sandwich, fruit and drink has now topped 1 million youngsters in less than seven years.

Leket’s efforts have indirectly helped a hospice for autistic adults improve its facility. “[The hospice] told us recently that because of the food we help them with, they are able to spend money on other things like beds, staffing and programming,” MacDonald says.

More than 40,000 people in a year donate their time to Leket, making it the largest volunteer organization in Israel.

House of David

The combined ministries of House of David initiate and execute a number of humanitarian-aid projects for the people of Israel. Projects range in scope from distributing food boxes to the poor of Sderot-a town in southwest Israel that is a target for rocket attacks from the nearby Gaza Strip-to arranging for shiploads of needed food stuffs and supplies to be transported from the United States to Israel.

House of David differs from Israel-based humanitarian organizations in that its home operations are in Oklahoma. Curt Landry, founder of House of David, is an American pastor and former apple broker in Washington state who launched My Olive Tree () in Israel to provide jobs for local residents and benefit Israel economically.

The trees, which are sponsored for $299 each, are cared for by an Israeli business, thus employing local business managers and professional olive-tree caretakers. The anticipated fruit is to be used for eating as well as for making olive oil and even anointing oil, thereby reinvesting the donated trees back into the economy.

For Christians, the project is a chance to give “a gift that keeps on giving-olive trees live for thousands of years,” Landry says. To date, more than 2,000 trees have been planted. “Last year we took a tour group to [see] some of the trees. It was very emotional.”

“We are sold out in dedicating our lives for the future of Israel,” says Landry, who founded House of David in 2000 with his wife, Christie.

House of David is also dedicated, as Landry says, to be a “support of Zion’s children.” To do this, it educates Israeli youth through two ministry emphases.

One is Young Adult Disciples, or YAD-which is similar to the Hebrew letter yod, meaning “hand.” YAD’s mission is to prepare a “special force” of young men and women to fulfill Matthew 28:18-20, influencing all nations for the kingdom of God.

The other is a focus on children, whom they categorize into five age groups: Genesis: birth-2; Mustard Seeds, 2-3; Kingdom Kids, 4-kindergarten; .com (Children of Messiah), grades 1-5; and Heirborne, grades 6-9.

“Our goal is to disciple, train and send young men and women who are fully submitted to the Lord and committed to serving Him,” Landry says. “We train them to become proficient in areas that will help them answer the call-such as prayer, foreign languages, culture and protocol, spiritual warfare, utilization of the [spiritual] gifts, fundraising, humanitarian aid and preaching the gospel.”

Landry’s hope for training kids at an early age is strategic: “When you teach them the truth at an early age, they go nuts with it.”

Vision for Israel

Founded in 1994 by Barry and Batya Segal, the nonprofit Vision for Israel (VFI) is an international humanitarian-aid center operating in the Judean hills outside Jerusalem, primarily through its distribution outlet, The Joseph Storehouse. Each week, orphans and widows, homeless and handicapped, elderly and geriatric, new immigrants and victims of terrorism all receive food, clothing, toiletries, kitchen and household items, blankets, towels, linens and toys from the ministry.

“We have helped serve about 350,000 individuals in Israel, both Jewish and Arab, with humanitarian aid assistance in some form,” Barry Segal says. “Most people don’t know about the poverty. Israel doesn’t pride itself in letting people know. The country is perceived as a mighty nation and wants to present its best face.”

Segal says the primary aim of VFI is to distribute what it brings in, not to be a storehouse only. By touching people’s “hearts and physical lives” at the same time, their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being all are improved, he says.

The ministry also gives to children through its Operation Pack to School, in which school kids once a year are provided a backpack containing pens, pencils, paper, ruler and eraser. Since 1999 the ministry has equipped 140,000 children with the packs.

VFI’s other ministries include Lonely Soldiers-for men and women who have no family or come from a high-risk home or environment; Family Welfare; Emergency and Medical Relief; and weekly food deliveries.

“Some of the recipients have tears in their eyes when we provide their goods,” Segal says, adding that about 90 percent of VFI donations come from Christians-a gesture that usually touches the hearts of needy Jews. “They often say they didn’t realize Christians love Israel.”

Dugit

As a trailblazer among born-again sabras, or native-born Israelis, Avi Mizrachi opened Dugit as an evangelistic outreach in Tel Aviv, Israel’s most cosmopolitan and worldly city.

“The youth in Tel Aviv are so lost,” Mizrachi says. “They are into New Age, free sex, drugs and sexual violence. Tel Aviv is very secular, very dark. Like many major U.S. cities, Tel Aviv never sleeps.”

Dugit, which means “small fishing boat,” has many avenues with which to reach out, including running a coffee house in the heart of Tel Aviv, acting as a base for visiting groups to evangelize the city, providing Messianic literature in a variety of languages and being a hub for local believers to gather for fellowship, discipling and encouragement.

“Our heart is to preach, reach out in any way we can,” says Mizrachi, 49, who went to the U.S. in 1984 to make money but found his Messiah instead and later was led by the Lord to return to Israel and found Dugit.

One of the ways Dugit reaches out to the poor and needy is through the ministry of its Agape Distribution Centre, which provides food and clothing to the elderly, poor families and new immigrants.

Many of those who come seeking assistance are Russian immigrants and Tel Aviv’s homeless. The center offers basic foods such as oil, rice, sugar, flour and more, as well as clothes for all, toys for orphans, household items and toiletries.

The distribution center complements Dugit’s Messianic Outreach Center, a base for street outreaches and a safe place where Israelis can hear the gospel over a cup of coffee. Both are points of connection with the wider Tel Aviv community.

Mizrachi is also the senior pastor of Adonai Roi Congregation in Tel Aviv. He and his wife, Chaya, are graduates of Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas.

Tents of Mercy

Providing goods to Russian and Ethiopian Jews living in the Galilee region is the focus of Tents of Mercy, a registered charity in Israel and network of five Messianic congregations located across Galilee.

Eitan Shishkoff founded Tents of Mercy in 1989 after having a vision in which he saw an oasis with tents full of provisions of every kind. He says God told him this represented his call to set up a place of refuge and healing for Jews immigrating to Israel.

Many of the immigrants would arrive with few economic resources. Shishkoff says God promised to “restore the tents of Jacob and have mercy on his dwelling places,” referencing Jeremiah 30:18.

Six years later, Tents of Mercy was a reality. Today the organization derives its support from its congregational network, which comprises Tents of Mercy in Kiryat Yam, Shavei Tsion in Haifa, Netzer HaGalil in Nazareth Illit, Katzir Asher in Akko and Poriya Congregation in Poriya Illit. All are committed to helping the poor.

Primarily Tents of Mercy helps people in their 50s and 60s who live on state welfare. For the nearly 300 Israelis assisted by the charity each month, any goods are a help and a blessing—whether pasta, sugar, flour, clothing or furniture.

“We have embraced the prophetic mandate to share our food with the hungry, house the homeless and clothe the naked,” says Shishkoff, who leads the Tents of Mercy congregation. “We provide food, clothing, household goods and counseling to anyone in need, no strings attached.”

Larry J. Leech II is a ghostwriter, freelance writer and editor based in Longwood, Fla.

5 Ways to Sow Into Israel’s Future

1) Pray. “We’re under tremendous stress and pressure,” says Avi Mizrachi of Dugit. “There is a lot of spiritual warfare here.” Barry Segal of Vision for Israel suggests subscribing to the online newsletter Jerusalem on the Line () as a source for prayer needs.

2) Engage. Last year 3 million Christians visited Israel through various programs. Yet 99 percent never took the time to visit and spend time with a Jewish believer.

3) Donate. For Leket Israel, every $1 donated generates $5 worth of food. A gift of $20 provides one child with a school backpack, including the necessary school items.

4) Volunteer. Nearly every organization depends on volunteers to help the full-time workers accomplish the mission and vision of the charity.

5) Participate. Help create jobs for Israelis by participating in programs such as My Olive Tree ().

To Help these organizations …

Give your “Aid for Israel” donation securely online at . Or send your donation to: Christian Life Missions, P.O. Box 952248, Lake Mary, FL 32795. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100 percent of every donation received will go directly to the five organizations.

Watch how these organizations are changing Israel at

Nothing can replace the longing we have for intimacy with Christ. And the moment we attempt to substitute our relationship with religion, we feel distant from Him. Don’t allow anything to keep you from knowing Jesus. Pray and read your Bible, but seek to go deeper than that. Ask Him to affirm in your heart that you belong to Him. Watch the video below.

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When God shows up center stage in our lives and directs us through the difficult times, we mistakenly think that being a “good” Christian is what prompts Him to act. That’s not true. Our righteousness is like stain-covered rags. His unconditional love and our acceptance of His Son compel the Father to take up permanent residence in our lives. Stop struggling with being good enough for God. Watch the video below.

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