Comparison doesn’t lead to joy. It steals our joy. In fact, studies repeatedly show a strong link between social media scrolling and decreased self-esteem and poor self-image—including other problems including anxiety and depression. The Bible warns us repeatedly to be happy with what we have and to shut down any tendency to compare ourselves to others. 

If you’re feeling vulnerable and rootless today because of the ever-changing tides of culture and the sweep of violence and sometimes evil that often clutches onto this world, take heart. He was, He is, and He will always be. Hold tight to Him, and everything will be as it should: good, right, and part of God’s ultimate purpose.

We cannot care for others unless we ourselves are in a position to care. When we care for ourselves, we are showing ourselves love, we are honoring the gift of life that our Creator God offered us, and we are equipping our bodies and minds to serve others in a multitude of ways.

One of the most basic yet profoundly deep names for God is revealed to us in the Bible as “I Am.” God first revealed this name to Moses during their encounter at the burning bush, just before God called Moses to lead the people out of slavery.

Moses, who saw the bush ablaze but not consumed, had been astounded at the sight and crept closer for a better look. God then called Moses by name, identifying Himself as “the God of your father” and, further, “I Am who I Am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14).

“I Am” is a powerful, mighty name for God, for as we are told in Genesis 1, God is the creator of all—heavens and earth, darkness and light, and in Revelation 1:8, “the Alpha and the Omega … who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

He is all, everything. The world started through Him and is all according to His perfect and good design.

But many people don’t know there are other, parallel “I Am” statements in Scripture, these all spoken by Jesus Christ, the Messiah and the Son of God. Jesus—who is also God, part of the holy trinity that is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—made seven “I Am” statements in the Gospel of John. Each of these teach us something about the open, loving, accepting, and divine nature of the Lord.

What are the seven “I Am” statements of Jesus? And what do they signify?

What Are the Seven ‘I Am’ Statements of Jesus?

The seven “I Am” statements all appear in the Gospel of John. In each, Jesus proclaims His essence: I am the bread of life (John 6:35), the light of the world (8:12), the gate (10:7), the good shepherd (10:11, 14), the resurrection and the life (11:25), the way and the truth and the life (14:6), and the true vine (15:1).

Each signifies a different aspect of His divine nature, and many of them appear to be tied to a miracle or important teaching moment that had just been offered, perhaps as illumination.

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We might “keep the Sabbath” by going to church or not going in to the office. But if we spend the rest of the day knee-deep in work-as-usual, are we truly honoring God’s command or just paying lip service? Here are some ways (in addition to church) to practice Sabbath-keeping in today’s nonstop world.

God made us human, a mixture of emotion and reason. Sometimes, intellectually attempting to understand something helps us know it better in our soul, or vice versa. Questioning God means to ask Him the meaning of something so we understand it better. It helps us wrap both our hearts and minds around the matter.

You might have heard it before, God’s “secret plan,” and perhaps it sounds like the plot of a spy movie or root of some conspiracy theory. But the Bible uses the term numerous times throughout two key epistles to the early church, and it’s hinted at throughout Scripture.

Both in Ephesians and Colossians, the writer talks about God’s secret plan, or mystery, which has been revealed to him and which he is now tasked to share with the world.

But what is God’s secret plan? And what does it mean for today’s Christian?

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Whichever way we choose to refer to God does not change God’s nature, and it is the same with the Holy Spirit. As long as we are in full understanding that the Holy Spirit is a person, a full and complete part of God, that is what matters.

I know my friend meant well when she said "God won't give you more than you can't handle!", but why did it hurt to hear?

Here are six encouraging psalms we can tuck into our hearts to help us stay strong and faithful in everyday life. They all circle back to one crucial, all-encompassing truth: God is the only sure thing.

In every instance of God "remembering," we see that it always includes an action. God never forgets His promises or His people — He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, and the creator of the universe. He doesn’t suffer from memory lapses.

Barnabas truly was a “man of encouragement.” He gave his life to the church and sacrificed much for the faith. He, along with Paul and other Christian leaders of his time, was instrumental in spreading the gospel across the land and converting great numbers, both Jew and Gentile.

Reading the Old Testament with an eye on the New Testament indicates another perspective about the violence throughout the earth’s earlier days. We know God’s ultimate plan involves rescuing His people through His Son, Jesus Christ.

The Messiah, Jesus Christ, is precisely why it is important for Christians to be aware of eschatology, for the entire purpose of the Christ is wrapped up in God’s final plan for humanity. Jesus Christ as part of God’s end-times plan for His people is hinted at throughout the Old Testament, but most strongly in the prophets, where the hope of the Messiah is a recurring theme.