All of society goes in one direction, but since you follow Jesus, you must go in a different direction. In such a situation, there are two great struggles: Who am I and how will I make it?
The believers at Pergamum struggled to live a life honoring God. Since their society was so vehemently opposed to God’s ways, it was an identity struggle as well. They constantly faced rejection because of their faith in Jesus. God promised two things to them: Hidden Manna and a white stone with a new name. (Rev 2:17) These were promises of sustenance and identity.
Surely it is a war within us when we go against the flow of the society. The one who overcomes will be sustained by God. This was represented by the words “hidden Manna” as the Manna sustained God’s people through the wilderness.
Your identity as God’s child is also firm. There’s not need to fear, no need to doubt. The believers at Pergamum were also reminded that they will be given a white stone with a new name. The new name is their identity as God’s child.
So go ahead and face society head on. Live a life pleasing to Christ. He will sustain you. You are his child.
Your Turn
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Alexi George is a pastor, teacher, and writer. He is devoted to helping people live their potential.
* For a Malayalam video of this post, visit my Facebook page.
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* For a list of books that I’ve recently read, here is my Reading List.

In the situation that you’re facing today, how do you need God to respond? Do you require a powerful, fierce approach that knocks out everything that threatens you? Or do you need a gentle touch from God that soothes your soul?
John experienced both facets of God. Here is what happened when he saw the powerful, magnificent side of God:

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one.” (Revelations 1:17)

This duality of God is wonderful. His magnificent power is beyond compare. When he observed the fierceness of that power, John fell at his feet as though he was a dead man. But at the same time, God remains kind and compassionate.
What are the difficulties you face today? What impossibilities have blocked you and kept you from moving forward? Our God is awesome and fully capable of intervening on your behalf.
In what areas do you need God to be fierce? How about his mercy and gentleness? In each of those areas, God will place his hand on you and speak according to your need. 
Your Turn
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Alexi George is a pastor, teacher, and writer. He is devoted to helping people live their potential.
* For a Malayalam video of this post, visit my Facebook page.
* If you enjoyed reading this post, please share it with others who may benefit from reading this.
* For a list of books that I’ve recently read, here is my Reading List.

Are you troubled about the way the world is headed? Does it seem like everywhere you turn, God is ignored? For many, God’s grace is used as a crutch or license for their sinfulness. Someone said “God likes to forgive and I like to sin.” You look around you and realize that there is no fear of God.
Then you look within you and notice all your inconsistencies. Your good intentions just fall apart in the face of trials and temptations. In the past, you judged the world around you for its total disregard for God. You even judged the family of God for their lack of commitment to God’s ways. But now you realize you are guilty of the same things.
What can you do? Some will suggest you try harder to live holy and righteous. Others will condemn you for you inconsistencies. You have looked within and realized that the situation is helpless.
The Bible says Jesus is the only one who can keep you from stumbling and present you blameless before the presence of God. (Jude 24,25) Throw yourself at his mercy. That’s when his grace will begin to work in you to transform you into the image of God’s son, Jesus.
Are you still trying to please God? He is already pleased with you because of Jesus and what he did on the cross. Now as a result, he has given you his Holy Spirit to transform you from within.
Your Turn
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Alexi George is a pastor, teacher, and writer. He is devoted to helping people live their potential.
* For a Malayalam video of this post, visit my Facebook page.
* If you enjoyed reading this post, please share it with others who may benefit from reading this.
* For a list of books that I’ve recently read, here is my Reading List.

I remember the time we purchased this house we live in. The deal was finalized, the papers were signed, and we owned the home. But the previous owners asked to stay one extra day. That was not a problem, and the next day, they moved out and we moved in. Of course, they had to move out before we moved in. In fact if they had not moved out, we would not have been able to move into our own home.
Although our lives were corrupted by sin, Jesus purchased us by his death on the cross. Now that we belong to him, he asks us to die to self so He may live and reign in us. Paul referred to this by saying that he was crucified with Christ.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  (Gal 2:20)

We must die to self as Christ wants to live in us. That dying to self is a daily process. Jesus said: “…if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
Jesus wants to live in you every day. But for that to happen, you’ve got to die to self. As long as that doesn’t happen, Jesus stands at the door of your heart knocking, unable to come in. (Revelations 3:20)
Daily, let’s die to self, so Christ can live in us. He’s waiting at the door of your heart to move in.
Your Turn
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Alexi George is a pastor, teacher, and writer. He is devoted to helping people live their potential.
* For a Malayalam video of this post, visit my Facebook page.
* If you enjoyed reading this post, please share it with others who may benefit from reading this.
* For a list of books that I’ve recently read, here is my Reading List.

Is it possible to suffer in extreme circumstances and still claim that it is well with your soul? Can people suffer extreme physical and emotional pain and still say that their inner person is strong and stable?
John’s third epistle was written to Gaius, a man who was facing many difficulties in his life. Even while selflessly supporting those who have given their lives for the ministry, he faced opposition from within the church. He was literally crushed between these situations. It was to this Gaius that John wrote:

“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” (3 John 2)

As a child of God, the condition of our souls can be well beyond our physical circumstances. We can live above our circumstances. Let the opposition come. Let the difficulties come. Whatever comes our way, we can live beyond all of that, and our souls can be well.
The key is that our relationship with Jesus keeps our soul in peace. John follows up the verse above with the affirmation that they are walking in the truth. Jesus affirmed that He is the truth when he proclaimed “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
As we continue to grow in our relationship with Jesus, we are fully engrossed in a new realm. This realm takes us (our soul) beyond the circumstances of life. We continue to face all the difficulties of life, but simultaneously enjoy the realm of our souls engrossed in relationship to Jesus.
Your Turn
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Alexi George is a pastor, teacher, and writer. He is devoted to helping people live their potential.
* For a Malayalam video of this post, visit my Facebook page.
* If you enjoyed reading this post, please share it with others who may benefit from reading this.
* For a list of books that I’ve recently read, here is my Reading List.

Don’t you hate it when you fall into sin? There is this feeling of guilt that gnaws at you and pulls you down. You find it difficult to face others and to communicate.
John wrote: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
So it is clear that we are not to sin, but if we do fall into sin, we have Jesus as our advocate. So this gives us confidence to move on without guilt or fear, because our weaknesses are covered by Jesus.
But is our life to be full of trying and failing, trying and failing? We have all had our fill of trying to be good, but that just is not enough.
John goes on to say: “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected” (1 John 2:4-5).
The key is not to try harder, but to grow in your love to God. The word “perfected” can be seen as a process rather than a one time event. As your love for God grows, our desire and leaning toward sin begins to shift. Our focus changes and gets permeated with God’s love.
So forget trying harder not to sin. Just grow in your love to God and let his love permeate your whole being.
Your Turn
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Alexi George is a pastor, teacher, and writer. He is devoted to helping people live their potential.
* For a Malayalam language video summary of this post, visit my Facebook page.
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What are you weeping about today? What are the things in your life that cause deep sorrow and agony? We often think we are alone in our pain, that no one understands us. But the fact is that Jesus not only understands, he also weeps with us because of our sorrow.
John records that at the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus wept (John 11:35). Since Jesus clearly knew that he was about to raise Lazarus from death, there was no sadness within him about the death of his friend Lazarus. Jesus wept in response to the deep sorrow of Mary, Martha, and all the people gathered there. Though their sorrow was due to their lack of faith in Jesus to handle the situation, he wept with them.
So, the next time you experience painful situations, remember that Jesus experiences the same sorrow along with you. He fully understands your situation.
But there is a difference. His perspective transcends the current situation. He knows what’s on the other side of your sorrow. The best part is that he is there on the other side of your difficulty.
What are you weeping about today? Remember Jesus is right there with you experiencing the pain along with you. Just hold on to him.
Your Turn
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Alexi George is a pastor, teacher, and writer. He is devoted to helping people live their potential.
* For a Malayalam language video summary of this post, visit my Facebook page.
* If you enjoyed reading this post, please share it with others by using the sharing buttons below.
* My book recommendations on various topics are available at my Resources Page.
* For a list of books that I’ve recently read, here is my Reading List.

The disciples of Jesus, including John, gave up everything in life so people of their day may come to know Jesus. Thus it was a matter of great rejoicing when John finds people who walk in the truth of Jesus. (2 John 4)
Walking in the truth of Jesus must be accompanied by loving one another. Living for Jesus assumes loving one another, demands loving one another, or requires loving one another.
If we claim to walk in the truth of Jesus but don’t love one another, we have a serious problem. John was delighted to now that those he brought to Christ, his children, were walking in the truth. But they didn’t talk about it, they lived it by loving one another.
That’s why John said “I rejoiced greatly.” In other words, “I am so happy” that you walk in the truth…and love one another.
I want the Father to look at us and say “I am so happy that you walk in the truth…and love one another.
Your Turn
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Alexi George is a pastor, teacher, and writer. He is devoted to helping people live their potential.
* For a Malayalam video of this post, visit my Facebook page.
* If you enjoyed reading this post, please share it with others who may benefit from reading this.
* For a list of books that I’ve recently read, here is my Reading List.

Have you been able to live the life God has for you? Some wait for things in life to get settled: Jobs, family and other matters. For many, they’ve wanted to live up to the potential that God intended, but the cares of this life have taken over.
There is more to this life than just making it through, fulfilling all your responsibilities. We can live a life pleasing to God. Our life can be centered around God’s purposes for us. We can live our lives to the full potential that God intended for us. Unfortunately, the world (the cares of this world) have overcome us and our priorities.
The Bible makes it clear that “everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1John 5:4-5)
When we are born of God, we become his sons and daughters. As the Son of God, Jesus lived in this world and overcame the world. Whenever we sense that the world is taking over our thoughts, priorities and our entire life, it’s time to look to Jesus.
He was the Son of God who lived this life and overcame the world. Therefore, since we also are children of God, we can overcome the world. Our faith in Jesus will sustain us and help us to live an overcoming life.
Your Turn
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Alexi George is a pastor, teacher, and writer. He is devoted to helping people live their potential.
* For a Malayalam language video of this post, visit my Facebook page.
* If you enjoyed reading this post, please share it with others who may benefit from reading this.
* My book recommendations on various topics are available at my Resources Page.
* For a list of books that I’ve recently read, here is my Reading List.

I have a confession to make. After claiming to have known Jesus for over forty years, I now question that claim. Oh, it’s nothing serious — but maybe it is.
You see, John wrote: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves God has been born of God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8)
If I claim to have a relationship with God, I should love others Just like Jesus loved. That means I should live a life of complete forgiveness because true love demands it. God’s love has no place for holding grudges of any kind toward anyone.
Love also demands that I accept everyone for who they are. Even if their behavior is unacceptable to me, I must love and accept them for who they are – in spite of their unacceptable behavior. Even if their behavior does not change, I need to love.  
By the example of Jesus, love demands that I give till I die. My giving is not to be limited to money, but time, energy, and myself.
Really, this love thing should not be taken too far. How much can one give? If you keep giving like that, it can only lead to death.
And that’s what Jesus did.
Your Turn
Join the discussion and add your thoughts. What have you learned?
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Alexi George is a pastor, teacher, and writer. He is devoted to helping people live their potential.
* For a Malayalam language summary of this post, visit my Facebook page.
* If you enjoyed reading this post, please share it with others who may benefit from reading this.
* For a list of books that I’ve recently read, here is my Reading List.