• Where God is, love is. (1 John 4:7-8)

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

  • We love Him because He first loved us.

  • Sharing the Good News. In season and out of season.

  • Hope in God. An anchor for the soul.

Anchor

User-friendly devotionals with audio

  • 15 Sep

    Set Apart

    Words from Jesus

    Audio length: 11:40
    Download Audio (10.6MB)

    You have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.—Colossians 3:9–10

    You have been called, chosen, and appointed to a life beyond the ordinary. It takes courage to decide that you’re not going to be conformed to the ways of this world—even when they seem appealing or comfortable—if they don’t fit with the life I have called you to. You have been called to be transformed, which means not being blown about by the winds of the teachings and trends of this world (Ephesians 4:14).

    Many people aspire to rise above the norm and make their lives count and make a difference in meaningful ways. But for those whom I have called, that may not mean receiving recognition, praise, or the applause of the world around you. For I have called you to a better way.

    Many helpless souls are trapped and being swept along by the current of the ways of this world, and I have sent you into the world to reach the lost. Although you are in the world, you are not of it—even as I was not (John 17:14–16). As you go forth in My name, I will keep you from the miry mess around you and place you on higher ground.

    Setting goals

    Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.—2 Corinthians 8:11

    Life is full of decisions, lessons, experiences, challenges, and ups-and-downs, which is why it is often called a journey or an adventure. Setting goals for yourself is an important part of striving for growth. But remember that your spiritual growth and transformation is a process, so don’t get discouraged or set your goals so high that they seem unattainable.

    The best way to set long-term goals is to break them down into small, attainable goals. It takes many learning experiences, and trials and tests throughout life to learn and grow. So don’t get discouraged that it takes time, but count it all joy, knowing that in the process you gain endurance, perseverance, and wisdom (James 1:2–4).

    When it feels like a struggle, remind yourself that in times of testing and challenges, your learning and growth are often accelerated. So keep persevering and moving forward one step at a time and keep your eyes on the goal. If you feel your determination lagging, come to Me and I will give you rest and strength for the next leg of your journey, until that glorious day when you will be with Me forever (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

    Flee temptations

    If anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be … set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.—2 Timothy 2:21–22

    One of the best ways to resist temptations is to simply avoid them by minimizing ungodly influences in your life. Of course, you can’t put blinders on and shut out the world and everything that is going on in the culture around you. Nor do I call you to do so, because I have sent you into the world to reach the lost, and so many people are in need of Me and the truth.

    But if you’re finding it hard to say no to some of the world’s ungodly diversions and distractions, the advice in Proverbs 4 will be just as applicable for you today as it was when it was first given: “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil” (Proverbs 4:25–27).

    Don’t allow yourself to get pulled off course—avoid temptation and flee from it. “Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way” (Proverbs 4:14–15).

    If you want to stand strong against the Enemy’s temptations, ask Me to help you, and I will—every time. I’ll light your way and help you to keep your eyes on the goal and not get sidetracked. Remember that the path of the righteous is like the morning sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day (Proverbs 4:18).

    Chosen by Me

    Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.—2 Peter 1:10

    You may feel that you’re unworthy or you don’t measure up, or that what you do is not significant in comparison to some of the people of faith of the past, such as the apostles Peter and Paul. Always remember that I have called and chosen you, not to be a sinless saint, but to be My ambassador of love and hope to the people I bring into your life.

    When I was on Earth, I poured out My heart everywhere I went, through My deeds and words of love and truth. The ones who benefited from the miracles I performed and those who had the blessing of hearing and understanding My words weren’t perfect by any means. Even Paul wrote that he had not yet attained, nor was he perfect, but he continued to faithfully press onward (Philippians 3:12–13). My love compelled him to walk in love and to care for people.

    Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do or say, do it all for My glory and to further My kingdom (1 Corinthians 10:31). Let all your things be done from a place of love for Me and love for your neighbor—those around you (1 Corinthians 16:14). Trust that My love never fails and I will work in and through you to fulfill Your purpose and calling.

    The Lost Will Be Found

    Have dearest friends passed away,
    A friend, a sister, or an older brother,
    A father, child, or mother?
    You felt the loss and struggled within.
    “Will nothing in this life ever be found
    That will stay the same, and hold its ground?”

    Only I, dear one, will always last,
    Even the heavens and earth will someday pass.
    But everyone who is Mine, I preserve forever,
    In My eternal kingdom of lasting peace and treasure.

    Not a sparrow falls that I do not see,
    Each hair on your head is known by Me.
    I’m more than able to keep you in your calling.
    As you continue to seek and save the lost,
    And bring others to Me at any cost.
    And in due course, when time ceases to be,
    Those you have lost will be found safe with Me.

    Chosen before the world was formed

    Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. …So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.—Ephesians 1:4–6

    I loved you and knew you before the world was formed, and I placed you on Earth for a special calling and purpose. I know at times you wonder whether you have fulfilled My calling on your life and whether your life has made a lasting difference, but I ask you to trust in Me. Know that I am the one who works in your life to fulfill My good purposes.

    Come to Me when you feel weary and weighted down, and I will give you rest, joy, and peace, and My light will shine through the clouds hanging over your heart. Take time to tell Me everything that is on your heart that is weighing you down. Seek My presence and study My Word, and it will be thirst-quenching water to your soul. Meditate on My Word and it will bring refreshment to your soul whenever you need it and make your ways fruitful (Joshua 1:8).

    If you make the decision each day to place your relationship with Me first and to seek My kingdom above everything else, you can trust that the rest will fall into place (Matthew 6:33). Remember that I have not called My disciples, those who love and serve Me, My servants, but I have called you My friends (John 15:15). So rejoice in your calling and in My unfailing love for you.

    Originally published in 2000. Adapted and republished September 2025. Read by Jon Marc. Music by Michael Dooley.

  • Sep 12 We (Still) Walk by Faith
  • Sep 11 God’s Gifts of the Spirit
  • Sep 8 Communication in Marriage
  • Sep 5 Looking Heavenward Transforms Our Sorrow
  • Sep 4 Better Days Ahead—Part 8
  • Sep 2 Stamped with God’s Image
  • Aug 29 Learning to Dance in the Darkness
  • Aug 28 Gifts and Callings
  • Aug 27 A Pandemic of Loneliness
   

Directors’ Corner

Faith-building Bible studies and articles

  • 16 Sep

    The Life of Discipleship, Part 3: Abiding in Christ

    Abiding in Christ is an important aspect of our discipleship that encompasses loving God with our whole being, studying and abiding in His Word, aligning our lives according to its principles, and following Jesus’ teachings and example.

    In Jesus’ Farewell Discourse the night before His death, He spoke to His disciples about the need to abide in Him and the blessings and benefits of doing so. He expressed the importance of keeping a close connection with Him, emphasizing that doing so will cause us to bear fruit. Disciples are meant to bear fruit, and when they do so, it brings glory to God, as Jesus explains in John 15:

    Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples (John 15:4–5; John 15:8 NKJV).

    Jesus then goes on to highlight the connection between loving Him and keeping His commandments and the blessings and joy that come with abiding in Him.

    As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full (John 15:9–11).

    If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him (John 14:23 NIV).

    Jesus made a distinct connection between our love for Him and obedience to His teaching in saying, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). The Greek word translated as keep in this passage means to attend to carefully, to observe. In other words, if we love Jesus, we will observe, comply with, and follow what He has taught and apply its principles to our lives. Our love for Jesus is manifested through keeping His words, putting them into practice, and patterning our lives around their principles.

    In the Gospel of John, we read that abiding in Jesus’ words is a defining factor of discipleship as Jesus says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31). Of course, that can be much easier said than done when it comes to some of the hard sayings of Jesus, such as “Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27 NIV), followed a few verses later by “any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33).

    In these verses, Jesus is laying out the spiritual principle that heeding God’s call, following Him, and doing His bidding is of first importance. Jesus calls us to commit our whole lives to Him—to trust Him alone for our salvation, and then to follow Him as His disciples. When Jesus says “Follow Me,” the path He calls you to follow is your path of discipleship. It’s an individual path, and each follower of Jesus has a distinct path. The principle is that the disciple belongs to God, his first allegiance is to God, and he loves and follows God with all his heart, soul, and mind.

    The Lord doesn’t call everyone to the same forms of service, to the same manifestations of discipleship, nor does He ask the same commitments or sacrifices of all His children. Throughout history, there have been many examples of people who did great works for the Lord amidst varying circumstances—including foreign mission fields, government, business, wealth, some from a sickbed, in poverty and dire physical circumstances, some in front of a classroom, some world-famous, and many unsung heroes. The common thread through each testimony of Christian commitment and discipleship that inspires and motivates us is the love for Jesus that each had, and their faithfulness to the calling the Lord gave them.

    In whatever ways the Lord calls each of us to follow and serve Him, the principle of abiding in Jesus refers to the continuous nurturing of an enduring relationship with Jesus. Jesus called His disciples to abide in Him, to have His words abide in them, and to obey His teachings. And as we do so, we will abide in His love, we will bear fruit, and we will have His abiding joy in us as His disciples.

    More than a Coffee Break

    Jesus said that we must abide in Him, for apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:4–5). Many of us are willing to have a “coffee break” with Jesus, but “abiding” means much more than a brief visit. In the original Greek, “abide” means to dwell, to continue with. … As you linger in His presence, God reveals more of His mind to you. He grants you a greater revelation of Himself, His plans and purposes for your life…

    [We need to] make ourselves available to God as the number one priority of our lives. As we put away the distractions, which can range from our work to the filling of time with futility (such as hours before a TV set), He increases us in spiritual power. As you walk before the Lord, He makes you spiritually robust. As Isaiah wrote: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).—K. A. Paul1

    Connecting

    J. C. Ryle describes abiding in Christ as “a habit of constant close communion with Him.” Just like grafted branches need to artificially be sealed to the root with tape until the cells merge and take hold to the vine, these habits may feel artificial at first.

    However, if we focus on the purpose of these habits—remaining and abiding in Christ as our life source—and not the habits themselves, they can help us develop a lifelong bond in Christ that becomes more natural with time.

    Some of these habits include:

    • Connecting to God through listening to Him speak through His Word.
    • Communing with God by responding to His Word through prayer.
    • Rehearsing Gospel truth that reminds us of His great love for us.
    • Developing a moment-by-moment awareness of your need for Him in every situation.
    • Trusting in Him when you are tempted to find your own solutions for your problems.
    • Submitting to Him in obedience—whether refraining from sin or pursuing righteousness—when His path seems different than yours.
    • Persevering in endurance with the company of saints with your eyes fixed on our Savior as you run the race (Hebrews 12:1–2).—Vera Christian2

    Abiding in His Word

    An important component of abiding in Jesus is reading, studying, meditating on and memorizing His Word. God has revealed Himself to us through the Bible. It is within the pages of the Bible that we learn about God and His love for humanity and His plan for our salvation. God tells of His love for us and how we as imperfect and finite beings can be in relationship with Him. In the Bible we hear the teachings of Jesus, see the example of His love, and are invited to be born again and become a child of God, thanks to His sacrifice for us.

    The more we abide in His Word and let His Word abide in us, the more we learn and grow in our understanding of how to live our lives in alignment with His will and in a manner that reflects Him and His love. The time we take each day to read the Bible and other devotional resources opens us up to letting Him speak to us through what we read, to receiving His instruction and guidance, and His help through life’s problems and difficulties. His Word reminds us of the moral code that we are meant to follow and provides us with guidance when we are faced with decisions.

    As we abide in His Word, we become more aware of the value He places on each individual, and the love and compassion He has for every human being. As we absorb the truth contained within these pages and apply them to our daily living, we anchor our lives on Him. We become like the wise man who built his house upon the rock in the parable Jesus told. The rain came down, the winds blew and beat against that house, but his house did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Jesus summarized His point in this parable by saying, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24–27 NIV).

    Taking time daily to read what God has said to us in His Word provides a way to navigate through the maelstrom of information and input that we are flooded with each day. It enhances our spiritual ability to discern truth and falsehood. It makes it easier to keep our hearts centered on the things that are important for living our lives in accordance with God’s will. It helps us to survive and overcome all that life brings our way.

    Making the time to read and study God’s Word daily is not an easy task—it requires self-discipline. But taking regular time to read Scripture and commune with God strengthens us spiritually and makes us stronger Christians, who are grounded in God’s truth and love. Jesus said, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). The connection with God that we forge as we read His Word helps us to be Spirit-led in our interactions with others, in our decision-making, and in our ability to stay strong in the face of daily temptations.

    If we want to abide in Christ, then we need to take time with Him and His Word. It is through the regular deep absorption of the water of His Word in our hearts that we are gradually renewed and transformed to become more like Him. It is through the application of what we read and meditate on that we have the grace to align our lives with His will. For His Word is “a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path” (Psalm 119:105).

    Learning to Abide

    It really isn’t until John 15:10 that we get a picture of what it looks like to abide in Jesus. “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” To abide in Jesus means to keep his commandments and to keep his commandments means to love God with all our hearts and souls and minds and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–39). One way that we display our love for God is through our trust, prayer, and devotion to him. We abide through relationship. We pursue in love. We pray in love. We obey in love.

    And here is the good news: We love Jesus because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). We didn’t choose him; he chose us, and he chose us to walk out our faith in obedience to him (John 15:16). Apart from Christ, we cannot do anything (John 15:5). This is also good news to the weary person who thinks he must muster up strength to pursue and know Christ (and to love his neighbor—a fruit Jesus emphasizes). He provides the grace and the strength…

    Jesus reminds us that there is no greater love than someone laying down his life for his friends. He then says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:13–14).

    Jesus tells us that we are his friends (let that soak in for a minute) if we obey his command to love, and that command is fulfilled through abiding. … And the offer to be Jesus’s friend—the author and perfecter of our faith, the Alpha and Omega, the Beautiful One, the one who bore our sins and transgression—the offer to be his friend is irresistible for the Christian.

    Abide in him, and he will abide in you. He who began a good work in you will complete it (Philippians 1:6). He who called you is faithful; he will surely do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).—Trillia Newbell3

    The “abide in Me and I in you” principle is the foundation of our relationship to God and our walk with Christ and connects with the principle of loving Him with all our heart, soul, and mind. If you love someone, you want to spend time with them. Disciples are called to walk as Jesus did. We read in John’s first epistle: “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:6). We do so by endeavoring to follow the example Jesus set and to study and apply the principles of His words and actions to our lives.

    Jesus set the example for us, as He took on humanity and lived the life of a human being, and did so perfectly, without sin. In the book of Philippians we read that “He, being in very nature God, took on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:6–7 NIV). His earth life was the image and very example of God living a human life, and “in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Colossians 1:19). What better example to pattern our lives after, what greater role model could there be, what more excellent guiding principles could exist than the life of Jesus and His teachings!

    Thoughts to Ponder

    The phrase abiding in Christ pictures an intimate, close relationship, and not just a superficial acquaintance. In John 15:4–7, Jesus tells His disciples that drawing life from Him is essential, using the picture of branches united to a vine. Without that vital union with Christ that salvation provides, there can be no life and no productivity.—Got Questions4

    To be a healthy disciple of Jesus, feeding on God’s Word must be your first priority. Jesus called it “abiding.” … No other habit can do more to transform your life and make you more like Jesus than daily reflection on Scripture. As we take the time to contemplate God’s truth, seriously reflecting on the example of Christ, we are “transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory.”—Rick Warren

    Abiding in [Christ] means receiving and believing and trusting in the words of Jesus. It means receiving the love of Jesus for the Father and for his people and the joy that Jesus has in the Father and in us.—John Piper

    What the Bible Says

    “We have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4:16).

    “Whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:5–6).

    “Seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1–3).

    A Prayer to Abide

    Thank You, Jesus, that You are the Vine and I am a branch. Help me day by day to abide in You and to be fruitful in all I say and do. I know that without You I can do nothing, but I also know that as I rest in You I can bring forth the sort of fruit that is pleasing to the Father. I want to abide in You and rest in You and remain in You. Amen.5

    1 K. A. Paul, Left for Dead (Encourager Media, 1997).

    2 Vera Christian, “How to Abide in Christ,” https://www.verachristian.com/connecting-the-dots/how-to-abide.

    3 Trillia Newbell, “Learning to Abide in Christ,” Desiring God, June 10, 2014, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/learning-to-abide-in-christ

    4 “What Does It Mean to Abide in Christ?” GotQuestions.org, https://www.gotquestions.org/abide-in-Christ.html.

    5 “Prayers on Abiding in Jesus,” Knowing Jesus, https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-on-Abiding-in-Christ#.

     

  • Sep 2 1 Corinthians: Chapter 13 (verses 1–13)
  • Aug 12 The Life of Discipleship, Part 2: Loving God with Our Whole Being
  • Jul 29 1 Corinthians: Chapter 12 (verses 12–30)
  • Jul 15 The Life of Discipleship: An Introduction
  • Jul 1 1 Corinthians: Chapter 12 (verses 1–11)
  • Jun 17 1 Corinthians: Chapter 11 (verses 17–34)
  • May 20 1 Corinthians: Chapter 11 (verses 2–16)
  • Apr 22 1 Corinthians: Chapter 10 (verses 16–33)
  • Apr 8 1 Corinthians: Chapter 10 (verses 1–15)
   

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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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