• Even a single candle can make a difference in the darkness.

  • God is good. All the time.

  • The future is as bright as God’s promises.

  • Put your hand in the hand of God.

  • The world will pass away, but God's Word will abide forever.

Anchor

User-friendly devotionals with audio

  • Creation: God’s Design and Plan

    Treasures

    Audio length: 12:22
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    For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.—Romans 1:20

    The Bible teaches that “the heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). A close inspection of creation in all its intricacy and balance reveals that there was a Designer who created it. If we analyze our world with a reasoning mind, it quickly becomes apparent that someone designed it, patterned it, and assembled it. Our world, the planets, the solar system, and the universe didn’t just happen by accident or randomly come into existence. Somebody had to plan it and synchronize it.

    God’s creation works so beautifully, in such synchrony, so systematically and perfectly, because God designed it; everything was created by Him. When you look at the sea, the sky, the clouds, the mountains, the valleys, the trees, and the flowers, they’re all virtually shouting, “There is a God. Look at what a beautiful world He made for you to live in!” The existence of our invisible God is clearly seen through the beautiful world He made.

    Theories of evolution and other explanations for the beginning of the universe often attempt to explain away the role of a Creator in creation by claiming that it all happened by accident and somehow just randomly came into being. Evolutionary theory became the general theme of modern scientific theory regarding the Earth’s beginning, taught in schools and university as indisputable fact, and yet, the theory of evolution has not been proved.

    As biochemists discover more and more about the awesome complexity of life, it is apparent that its chances of originating by accident are so minute that they can be completely ruled out.—Sir Fred Hoyle (1915–2001), English astronomer and mathematician

    The lack of fossil evidence

    The theory of evolution postulates that small, incremental, beneficial steps propel the evolutionary process forward. It is much like a device where only one component of that device is modified at a time, so as to improve the efficiency of the device in some way, while at the same time allowing the device to remain functioning without any other modifications. But what if the upgrade requires more than one improvement at a time? Evolutionary theory cannot accommodate this.

    Paleontologist Niles Eldredge wrote: “If life had evolved into its wondrous profusion of creatures little by little, then one would expect to find fossils of transitional creatures which were a bit like what went before them and a bit like what came after. But no one has yet found any evidence of such transitional creatures.”1

    The creation account in Genesis and the theory of evolution could not be reconciled. The story of the fossils agreed with the account of Genesis. In the oldest rocks we did not find a series of fossils covering the gradual changes from the most primitive creatures to developed forms, but rather in the oldest rocks, developed species suddenly appeared. Between every species there was a complete absence of intermediate fossils.—Biochemist D. B. Gower2

    Proponents of atheistic theories have their faith bolstered every time a new discovery is made that seems to support them, only to have their faith shaken when that new evidence is proven scientifically unsound. Creationists, on the other hand, have their faith rewarded every day. From the synchronization of the cosmos to the wonders of nature and the intricacies of the DNA molecule, everything points to the hand of an intelligent designer behind this universe of ours.

    In the 1900s, astronomers developed what is known as the Big Bang theory, which proposes that the universe began as just a single point, then expanded and stretched to grow as large as it is right now—and it is still stretching.3 This theory supports the premise of biblical creationism that our universe had a beginning. In the 1990s, the theory of intelligent design was developed, which holds that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as the theory of natural selection of Darwinism. These modern scientific theories serve to support the biblical narrative of creation—intricately designed and created by the supreme intelligence—God.

    Creation: The visible manifestation of God

    The Bible teaches that God’s eternal power and divine nature have been made visible by the things that He created (Romans 1:20). His invisible existence is manifested or evidenced by the things you can see—His creation. “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Hebrews 11:3). The existence of our invisible God is clearly seen and understood by His visible creation.

    That is why many people reject creationism and opt to believe in other theories for the origins of the world such as evolution. If the world and its inhabitants are God’s creation, then He is sovereign over the world and over every creation in it. But in Romans, we read that “they did not see fit to acknowledge God” and “they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25–28).

    The book of Romans goes on to explain that in deciding to do without God and the Bible, “they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:21–22). Paul warned believers to avoid the “contradictions of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’” (1 Timothy 6:20–21). “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but … will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Timothy 4:3–4).

    Theories that propose that the universe came into being randomly—that it all just somehow fell together without any design or intelligent creator orchestrating it—require more faith than belief in God. Walter Bradley, professor and co-author of The Mystery of Life’s Origin, wrote: “I think people who believe that life emerged naturalistically need to have a great deal more faith than people who reasonably infer that there’s an intelligent designer.”

    Just as there had to be a watchmaker behind the synchronized perfection and order of every watch, it is logical and reasonable to assume that there had to be a Creator behind the synchronized perfection of the universe.

    For myself, faith begins with a realization that a supreme intelligence brought the universe into being and created man. It is not difficult for me to have this faith, for it is incontrovertible that where there is a plan there is intelligence. An orderly, unfolding universe testifies of the truth of the most majestic statement ever uttered: “In the beginning God...”—Dr. Arthur H. Compton (1892-1962), Nobel Prize–winner in physics

    In the beginning, God

    The Bible teaches us our true origins: “In the beginning, God,” not chaos, not some nebulous cloud of gases, but “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). We read this in the first verse of the first chapter of the first book of God’s book, the Bible.

    The Bible then goes on to say that “God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). The first human beings did not resemble apes or monkeys, or fish or birds. “The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).

    Creation is the premise and preface and foundation of the entire Bible. “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4:11). In the book of Psalms, we read, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. … Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:6–9).

    God is the only one who can give meaning to the universe, purpose to the planets, love to our hearts and peace to our minds, health to our bodies, rest to our spirits, purpose to our lives and joy to our souls. The Bible teaches that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10). When we reverence and acknowledge God, we find wisdom.

    Do you question the existence of God? Take a look at the beauty and the intricacy of the world around you, the vastness of plant and animal life, the sea, teeming with life critical to the survival of the planet, and the sky above! Do you wonder whether God loves you? You can see His love and you can experience it in the beautiful world He’s given you to live in.

    And that’s not all. Those who have made a personal connection with the Designer through His Son, Jesus Christ, can experience His loving presence. Through the truth He reveals to us in the Bible and answers we receive to our prayers, our faith is continually strengthened.

    If you don’t yet know the Creator but would like to, you can start now by accepting Jesus as your Savior and inviting Him into your life. Simply pray: Jesus, I want to know You personally, so I invite You to come into my heart. Thank You for dying for me that my sins may be forgiven and so I can have the gift of eternal life in the world to come. Amen.

    From an article in Treasures, published by the Family International in 1987. Adapted and republished October 2024. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.


    1 Niles Eldredge, “Missing, Believed Nonexistent,” The Manchester Guardian (November 26, 1978), 1.

    2 D.B. Gower, “Scientist Rejects Evolution,” Kentish Times [England] (December 11, 1975), 4.

  • Oct 8 Healing a Broken Heart
  • Oct 3 Rebounding with Praise—Part 1
  • Sep 30 Walking in the Love of Christ
  • Sep 27 Give Them Time to Grow
  • Sep 26 Prophecy Fulfilled: Proof That Jesus Is the Messiah
  • Sep 25 When God Doesn’t Heal Now
  • Sep 20 Forgiving What You Can’t Forget
  • Sep 18 Not Just Adam and Eve
  • Sep 17 God Inhabits the Praises of His People
   

Directors’ Corner

Faith-building Bible studies and articles

  • Virtues for Christ-Followers: Goodness

    Goodness is the sixth virtue in the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. Goodness, which is very similar to kindness, is mentioned in only a few places in Paul’s writings. Goodness is an attribute of God, and part of His very nature, as we read in Psalms:

    “He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”1

    “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”2

    In the New Testament, we read of the wonderful goodness exemplified by Jesus coming to earth and dying for our sins: “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”3

    Christians filled with the Spirit of God are given strength to emulate the goodness of God and to live lives of goodness and of moral beauty, which shines into the needy world, as the following articles highlight.

    Goodness—The Exemplary Fruit

    Christians are expected to be good people. In fact, many non-Christians expect more from Christians than they do from themselves or anyone else. Jesus Himself told His first followers, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”4

    This is certainly a tall order and one that is not easy to live up to. Sad to say, as Christians we can take on the mistaken idea that we're supposed to be perfect, which no one is, of course, or can be. We're far better off if we honestly and humbly admit our faults and mistakes, and then give God the glory for anything good that is accomplished. “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”5

    As you work to exemplify His goodness to others—trusting God to work in and through you—His goodness will shine through.—Rafael Holding6

    What Is True Goodness?

    Growing up, we were often told to “be good.” Maybe this looked like helping your mom with the household chores or getting good grades in school. I think the true meaning of the word “goodness” is commonly overlooked, though. Goodness is action; it’s not something we do only for the sake of being virtuous.

    When we strive to be “good” only for our own benefit, it is not truly goodness that we possess. In Greek, the word goodness, “agathosune,” means “an uprightness of heart and life.”7

    When we act out of true goodness of the heart and reflect the fruit of the Spirit, we are obedient to God’s commandments and seek the benefit of others. Our actions come from a place of selflessness, and we place the needs of others before our own.

    The life of Jesus Christ is the perfect example of goodness, as He died on the cross for the sins of humanity in order to give us the gift of eternal life. His ministry and sacrifice are an example of God’s goodness toward mankind. After all, the term “gospel” means “good news.”

    Peter, a disciple of Jesus, talks about the goodness of Jesus’ ministry in Acts 10:38: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” In addition, Jesus is called the “good shepherd” in Scripture, because He laid down His life for His sheep.

    We are called as Christians to live in a way that reflects the character of Christ. Matthew 5:16 says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

    Goodness is not about doing elaborate things to gain recognition. Oftentimes, it is the small acts of goodness we do throughout our day that mean the most to those around us. Is your friend having a bad day? Write them a note to let them know how much you care about them. Is someone putting you down? Pray for them.

    It is in these acts of goodness that we reflect Christ’s character and possess the fruit of the Spirit. While it may seem like no one notices, God does. Ultimately, when we show goodness, we bring glory to God’s name.—Lauren Abraham8

    The Fruit of Goodness

    The sixth fruit of the Spirit is goodness. What exactly is goodness? The word “good” is used so frequently in our everyday lives that it almost loses its meaning. For example, how many times a day do we say, “good morning” and “good luck” and “good work”? But, the Bible tells us that the word “good” actually means holy, pure and righteous. Literally, goodness is godliness.

    Goodness can often be seen in our actions, but our heart also has to be pure. The goodness of Christ is to be demonstrated in our lives every day. Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

    God calls us to be filled with goodness from the inside out, being holy in what we do and say because Christians should have a heart that seeks goodness. We are not to just do good works, because doing good works without a good heart is empty. The “goodness” described as a fruit of the Spirit is not merely moral behavior, but an excellence of character. This goodness is only possible through God’s grace and mercy.

    We often say, “God is good all the time. And all the time God is good.” Does this mean that our lives are always good? No, of course not. It means that … God is good, and He wants us to grow in the fruit of goodness so we can live a fulfilling life full of righteous love.—Kelly Wise Valdes9

    God at Work

    Doing good for the purpose of blessing or benefiting others occurs when the Holy Spirit makes us alive in our spirits. It is an act that stems from our very soul or being. No one is good except God (Mark 10:18), so it is the indwelling of God Himself in the believer’s life that generates good deeds.

    The Bible is clear that in and of ourselves, mankind is incapable of being or doing good (Isaiah 64:6; Titus 3:5; Ecclesiastes 7:20). It is God who works in a believer’s life to become more like Jesus (Galatians 5:16), which is the whole point of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23)—to make us into the image of Christ.

    As the characteristic of goodness grows in a believer, it is acting out God’s love to others by helping others. It manifests itself from within the heart, so a believer does everything heartily (from the soul), as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23). This can only occur through the living out of the Holy Spirit in our lives.…

    God, by nature, is inherently good. He is the ultimate example of goodness (Psalm 34:8). … The Goodness of God is evident in all His creations and accomplishments (Genesis 1:31). We cannot earn and do not merit His goodness. It is available to us just because of who God is (Psalm 145:9). And God’s goodness is personal. He is good to each of us personally, in ways that meet our individual needs (Psalm 119:68).

    God is our perfect role model. Being good, demonstrating good, for the purpose of benefiting others, is what God demonstrated to all of mankind (Romans 5:8). ... Goodness is not a quality we can manufacture on our own (James 1:17), neither for us nor by us. Allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us, we grow the characteristic of goodness. As others see our good works, they will praise our Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16).

    The Holy Spirit indwelling us allows us to experience the fullness of God’s goodness (Psalm 84:11) in the fullness of His time. When the Holy Spirit indwells us, seals us, and grows His fruit within us, we can state with the Apostle Paul that we are full of goodness (Romans 15:14). It is He who is good.

    It is He who can transform us into good. It is the fruit of the Spirit that allows us to demonstrate zealous goodness to help and benefit others so that they may have a strengthened relationship with God Himself.—Randy DeVaul10

    *

    We see from these articles that the virtue of goodness is not based on our own goodness, but the goodness of God. Reflecting God’s goodness to others is a part of our witness and being the salt and light that He has called us to be to bring people to Jesus and transformation to the world around us, as the following excerpts from the “Force for Good” series I wrote some time ago highlight.

    Manifesting God’s love to those whom the Lord places in our path each day is at the heart of becoming a force for good. As the apostle Paul said, “the love of Christ compels us.”11 In whatever specific ways the Lord leads each of us to reach our part of the world with His love, He has called us as Christians to be “the light of the world.” He has told us to “let your light shine before people, so that they will see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”12 Letting that light shine in such a way that people will see your good works and see them as a reflection of God’s love is at the heart of the concept of being a force for good in your community, in your neighborhood, and in the lives of others.

    Throughout the centuries, since the earliest days of Christianity, Christians have often reached the world through becoming known as a force for good in their community. Even when others didn’t necessarily embrace the Christians’ faith or understand their religion, or when they were persecuted and maligned, their kind deeds and good works shone brightly before all men, resulting in people wanting to know what made them so different from much of society. As the apostle Peter said in his Epistle, “Live such good lives among the [unbelievers] that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God.”13

    As we each strive to reach out to share the good news with others; as we provide assistance—spiritual or practical, or both—to those the Lord puts in our path; as we do our part to bring God’s love to others and to better their lives in whatever ways we are able, our witness and our works will grow and serve as a “candle on a candlestick” to shine forth His light and a “city set on a hill” to draw others to Him.14

    Reaching our part of the world is ultimately about reaching our neighbors (whether they’re those who live near us or those who don’t) and translating our faith into tangible actions and “good works” that express our love and concern—being a living example of our faith and God’s love, which is manifested in “walking the talk.” Showing our neighbors, colleagues, and community that we genuinely care, in ways that are meaningful to them and that tangibly express our faith and our values, provides a real-life application of our witness.15

    Cultivating the virtue of goodness in our lives starts with reflecting on the goodness of God and His wonderful works in our lives and in the world around us, as the following quotes bring out:

    Occasionally it’s helpful to spend a few quiet moments looking back over our lives to review how indebted we are to God for His goodness and mercy. Of course, no two personal histories are the same. But we can all echo the words of David in Psalm 23:6: “Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” If we are trusting Jesus Christ, those few words sum up the whole of our experience in life.—Vernon Grounds

    Praise consists in the love of God, in wonder at the goodness of God, in recognition of the gifts of God, in seeing God in all things He gives us, and even in the things that He refuses to us; so as to see our whole life in the light of God; and seeing this, to bless Him, adore Him, and glorify Him.—Henry Edward Manning

    God’s goodness imparts what we don’t deserve; His mercy withholds what we do deserve. In times of pain and sorrow, our heavenly Father faithfully meets our needs, comforts our hearts, and gives us strength to bear our burdens. Although we are believers, we still sin and fall short of the holy standard set by His Son, Jesus Christ. Yet He keeps on pouring His forgiveness into our souls as we confess our sins. We may think of ourselves as decent people, but we must still admit that “we have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done” (The Book of Common Prayer).

    May gratitude continually fill our hearts, because God’s goodness and mercy will follow us all the way to glory. We are indebted to Him forever.—Vernon Grounds

    A Prayer for God’s Goodness

    Loving Savior,

    Help me to live your goodness and kindness each day. Remind me that my actions express who I am even more than my words. May I love as you love. Let me be good to those who wish me harm, forgive those who need forgiveness, and reach out in kindness to all I meet so they can experience the unconditional love of God. Set our hearts on fire for you. Amen.16

    Food for Thought

    “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8 NKJV).

    “We should be astonished at the goodness of God, stunned that He should bother to call us by name, our mouths wide open at His love, bewildered that at this very moment we are standing on holy ground.”—Brennan Manning

    “Pursue righteousness [true goodness, moral conformity to the character of God], godliness [the fear of God], faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11 AMP).

    “We cannot become good on our own. We need to abide in Jesus, depending on the empowerment of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. The Spirit can transform our inner being so that God’s goodness flows out of us.”—Joel Kime

    (To be continued.)


    Note

    Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


    1 Psalm 33:5 NKJV.

    2 Psalm 145:9 KJV.

    3 Titus 3:4–5.

    4 Matthew 5:14–16 NLT.

    5 Philippians 2:13 NIV.

    6 “Goodness—The Exemplary Fruit” (adapted), Activated, July 2013.

    7 Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995).

    11 2 Corinthians 5:14 NKJV.

    12 Matthew 5:14, 16.

    13 1 Peter 2:12 NIV.

    14 Matthew 5:15, 14 KJV.

    15 From “Becoming a Force for Good” (adapted), Anchor, May 2013. https://anchor.tfionline.com/post/becoming-force-good/

  • Sep 17 1 Corinthians: Chapter 4 (verses 15–21)
  • Sep 3 Virtues for Christ-Followers: Kindness
  • Aug 20 1 Corinthians: Chapter 4 (verses 6–14)
  • Aug 6 Virtues for Christ-Followers: Patience
  • Jul 23 1 Corinthians: Chapter 3 (verses 3:18–4:5)
  • Jul 9 1 Corinthians: Chapter 3 (verses 10-17)
  • Jun 25 1 Corinthians: Chapter 3 (verses 1-9)
  • Jun 11 Virtues for Christ-Followers: Peace
  • Jun 4 Seeing God in Your Suffering
   

Beliefs

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  • The Family International (TFI) is an international online Christian community committed to sharing the message of God’s love with people around the globe. We believe that everyone can have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, which affords happiness and peace of mind, as well as the motivation to help others and to share the good news of His love.

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  • The primary goal of the Family International is to improve the quality of life of others by sharing the life-giving message of love, hope, and salvation found in God’s Word. We believe that God's love—applied on a practical level to our daily lives—is the key to resolving many of society's problems, even in the complex and fast-paced world of today. Through imparting the hope and guidance found in the Bible’s teachings, we believe that we can work toward building a better world—changing the world, one heart at a time.

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    We believe that our faith is meant to be lived in community and camaraderie with others. We seek to cultivate a spirit of unity, love, and brotherhood. Together we can do more.

About TFI

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1 and 2 Thessalonians
A study of Paul’s epistles to the Thessalonians and how these teachings apply today.
The Heart of It All: Foundations of Christian Theology
A book compiled from a series of articles covering the basics of Christian doctrine.
Living Christianity
Applying the teachings of the Bible to our daily lives and decisions.