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7 Life-Changing Bible Verses About Truth To Encourage You Today

By Theresa Ingram

Get equipped to fight against the enemy’s lies when you study these encouraging Bible verses about truth, shared by Chip’s wife, Theresa Ingram.

I spent years feeling lost, abandoned, unloved, and afraid. I’d become convinced that I was unwanted—not pretty or smart enough to have a successful, happy life.

Somehow, I began to believe the lies that had taken root and I felt totally unworthy.

As I came to a saving knowledge of Christ and began to unpack the roadblocks that held me back, I became aware of the damage those false beliefs had caused in my life.

Can you relate? Have your negative thoughts or doubts about your self-worth caused damage to your relationships and set you up for difficulties?

Here, I’m going to share with you the life-changing truths that were revealed to me from the Scriptures that replaced the lies I had believed.

Will you meditate on these Bible verses about truth and ask God to give you great faith to believe His words about you and fight against the enemy’s lies?

God pursues His sheep. Even while we’re destitute and far from Him, God wants us. We are precious in His sight. His creation is wonderfully made. Every person has value. Our worth is not determined by our outward image. Our minds can be transformed and renewed.

7 Life-Changing Bible Verses About Truth 1. God pursues His sheep.

Every one of us was a lost sheep Every one of us was a lost sheep until we found our shepherd. Here’s the parable Jesus told:

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

(Luke 15:4–7)

Like the rebellious sheep, we foolishly run away when our shepherd is chasing after us. We misunderstand His pursuit and have a hard time believing that He really wants to help us. But instead of punishing the sheep, look what the shepherd does in this parable – he gives up everything for the rebellious sheep to be found. And, when he’s finally safe, the shepherd rejoices.

Like the rebellious sheep, we foolishly run away when our shepherd is chasing after us. We doubt He really wants to help us. But not only does he leave everything to find us, he rejoices when we’re found.

Get equipped to fight against the enemy’s lies and transform your thinking when you study these encouraging Bible verses about truth. 2. Even while we’re destitute

and far from Him, God wants us.

When I was troubled and alone, He was right there with me. Although I searched the world for the love and acceptance I was deeply craving, God’s plan was for me to find it only in Him.

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” (Psalm 23:6)

See BIBLE VERSES on Page 12

BIBLE VERSES

Continued from Page 11

3. We are precious in His sight.

Read this verse to see how God feels about you and who you are in His eyes.

“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name.

You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore, I will give men for you, and people for your life. Fear not, for I am with you.

I will bring your descendants from the east and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth— Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” (Isaiah 43:1–7)

In God, there is redemption for comfort for His people, regardless of the circumstances. We are His and He doesn’t give up on those called for His glory.

Get equipped to fight against the enemy’s lies and transform your thinking when you study these encouraging Bible verses about truth.

4. His creation is wonderfully made.

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good …” (Genesis

1:31)

That’s you! You were wonderfully made with intention and purpose, not as a clone to any other one of God’s created beings.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. That’s YOU.

Get equipped to fight against the enemy’s lies and transform your thinking when you study these encouraging Bible verses about truth.

5. Every person has value.

Since we belong to a loving Father, we ARE loved. And not only do we belong to Him, but we were also created by Him. God supervised our creation, watching over us as we were intricately knit together in our mother’s womb.

“For you created my inmost being you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are Your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with You.” (Psalm 139:13-18)

Every single person is known and loved by the Creator God.

Get equipped to fight against the enemy’s lies and transform your thinking when you study these encouraging Bible verses about truth. 6. Our worth is not determined

by our outward image.

Thankfully, the Lord looks at the heart, not at our exterior.

As humans, it’s normal to notice appearances and it’s second nature to make some assumptions. However, God asks us to go further – to look past the exterior and see each person based on their heart, just like He does.

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” (Romans

12:2)

Get equipped to fight against the enemy’s lies and transform your thinking when you study these encouraging Bible verses about truth.

7. Our minds can be transformed and renewed.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isaiah

26:3)

He has given us everything we need to renew our minds and know His will. When we study His word and know the truth, we can replace the lies with words that speak life and remind us of our value and worth in Him.

Get equipped to fight against the enemy’s lies and transform your thinking when you study these encouraging Bible verses about truth.

BIBLE VERSES ABOUT TRUTH WILL RENEW YOUR MIND

Ultimately, in our weakness and sin, we know that untruths are easy to believe. But when you study these life-changing truths from the Bible and make efforts to hear them over the lies, healing will take place. “When we spend time in

God’s Word and in prayer, the truth is revealed to us.”

It took me decades of study, meditation, and prayer, but God has given me great faith and truth has been revealed. I know for certain that my value and worth is unchanging, thanks to a loving

Savior.

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How Keystone Habits Can Improve Your Life

Come sleet or snow, hell, or high water—some people just seem to (GSD). Get. Stuff. Done. Crush a morning workout? Check. Read three chapters of a book before their first sip of coffee? Check. Stick to a zero-based budget? Big ol’ check. These unicorns complete their list of tasks (and even things beyond their list) every day. Want to hear their not-so-secret secret? They’ve developed keystone habits—and you can too.

But before we dive into the what, where, why and how, we need to introduce you to the who: author and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Charles Duhigg. He first showcased keystone habits in his book The Power of Habit, which went on to become a New York Times bestseller. We’ve gathered some of Charles’ best tips and tricks so you can learn how to develop keystone habits and improve your life.

What’s a Habit and a Keystone Habit?

A habit is a routine behavior. It’s almost involuntary, meaning you do it without thinking. And we’ve got all kinds of habits to make our everyday lives easier. Habits are valuable because the less time you spend thinking about what action to take, the faster you can act.

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Then, there are keystone habits—the big ones that kick-start other habits. These don’t have to be complicated or out of reach. They simply get the ball rolling for you to create even more habits to help you become the best version of yourself.

Why Are Keystone Habits Important?

Charles explains how keystone habits can change your life with a simple example: exercise. Let’s say you decide you want to lose 30 pounds, so you make an exercise plan and start hitting the gym three days a week. When you sit down for dinner after working out, you find yourself reaching for the salad mix more often than the leftover pizza.

And since your eating habits are changing, you become more conscious of what you put on your grocery list. You start to choose more fresh foods and limit impulse buys (like your favorite ice cream or candy bar) during your trips to the supermarket. Before you know it, you’re even sleeping better because you’re tracking your sleep schedule.

See what’s happening? What started as just a simple exercise routine (the keystone habit) caused a ripple effect of other (secondary) positive habits. And secondary habits don’t necessarily have to be related to the original keystone habit. Charles shares that research has found that people who start exercising regularly also improve in other areas of their lives. He points out that better habits, like using credit cards less (or not at all) and doing the dishes more, are possible unexpected bonuses of developing a keystone habit.

“When you start to change a habit, it sets up this chain reaction,” Charles said in his interview with EntreLeadership. “Both on the job and on the home front, keystone habits get you focused on one area you can improve and lead to progress in other areas.

Keystone habits tap into something you care about deeply, and they’re powerful enough to trigger secondary habits. Because you’re working on yourself, the secondary habits you didn’t even mean to create start appearing in both related and unrelated areas of life. And just like that, these habits have become a part of your everyday life through what Charles calls a habit loop.

What Is a Habit Loop?

A habit loop is how habits are created. Charles breaks the loop down into three parts:

A cue: a trigger telling your brain to act on something. Cues can be centered around a location, time of day, emotions, people around you, or a previous action. For example, a stop light turning red is your cue to stop.

A reward: something that satisfies a craving that we may or may not know we have. This can look like sitting down to watch a TV show after cleaning the house or something as simple as getting a snack when your brain tells you you’re hungry.

A routine: the actions you take triggered by a cue to get a reward. If you want to feel awake by the time you get to work in the morning (reward) because you’ve noticed you barely get anything done before lunch (cue), your routine might look like going to sleep earlier the night before and eating a balanced breakfast when you wake up. If you write down your routine, you’re more likely to stick to it. And be sure to post it where you’ll see it every day!

We all use habit loops every day—even if it’s as simple as making that first cup of coffee in the morning to become a functioning human again. These loops can become so unconscious and engrained in our lives that they help us complete some tasks automatically (even complex ones)—like when you go on autopilot driving home and safely roll up to your driveway.

How Do I Make a Keystone Habit?

This is important: You can’t squash a habit. You can only change it. Charles’ golden rule of habit change is to use a similar cue to one you’re already used to. And when you see or hear that cue, practice the new routine slowly over time. Then

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reward yourself with something you crave. As you do this more and more, you’ll create a new habit loop that sets you up for lasting change.

These four simple steps can help you get started: 1. Identify an emotionally charged need.

Keystone habits have emotions at their core. Emotions are the fuel that takes our old, lifeless routines and supercharges them into keystone habits. In his interview on the podcast, Charles said, “For a keystone habit to gain power, it must change our self-image . . . It must be something that ties into our values.” He explained that anything that helps you see yourself differently is a great candidate for a keystone habit.

So, what do you want to improve in your life or your work that gets you fired up? It could be having the energy and health to enjoy your loved ones more, doing work that matters, or giving hope and help to others. The sky’s the limit. Tap into the desires and needs that get you excited, and then write them down on a goal tracker.

2. Create a new habit loop.

Identify a cue, practice a new routine, and determine a reward for completing the routine. Just like babies crawl, then walk, then run, your keystone habit needs to be doable enough that it doesn’t overwhelm you. Over time, one action done regularly can turn into a superpower. Pro tip: If you change one habit loop at the start of your day, you can boost your actions for the rest of day. Create a plan for your new habit loop, make it easy to start and go for it!

3. Create a sense of urgency.

Most people aren’t motivated to change until something shakes their core. The best way to bring about change is to tie it to an urgent need and paint a clear picture of the obstacle in your way. Set the stakes! What will it cost you and the people around you if you bury your head in the sand? What do you stand to gain by changing your behaviors through keystone habits? Identify areas you can grow in and take charge.

4. Believe change is possible.

The major difference between wanting to change and changing is believing you can. This is huge. We avoid going backward when we believe deeply that we can change permanently. Charles says any habit can change. Any habit. Regardless of how old you are, what background you come from, or how deep-rooted a habit is, you can create keystone habits that transform you. Don’t let toxic words, setbacks or a negative mindset have the final say over who you are and what you accomplish. Be optimistic. Cheer for yourself. Every win proves you’ve got what it takes.

Where Do I Start?

Here are some examples of how you can level up your common habits into keystone habits.

Habit: Quickly making your bed in the morning as you rush to start your day.

Keystone habit: Carefully making your bed in the morning to kick sloppiness and poor time management in the butt.

Habit: Rushing into morning meetings or events with little to no preparation.

Keystone habit: Taking a few minutes before entering meetings and events to breathe, smile (yes, literally), and commit to bringing your best to others.

Habit: Popping open a drink and planting yourself in your favorite chair when you get home at the end of the day.

Keystone habit: Greeting your family with hugs when you get home and asking if anyone needs help with dinner or homework. —Or if you’re single, changing straight into workout clothes instead of lounge pants when you get home.

Habit: Hustling out of the office at the end of the day without any plan for the next day.

Keystone habit: Closing each workday by reviewing your calendar for the next day and making a simple priority list and game plan.

Habit: Watching TV or reading your favorite book until bedtime.

Keystone habit: Turning off the TV or putting the book down a couple of minutes before bedtime to clear your thoughts and journal your wins and lessons for the day.

What’s Next

What intentional habit shifts will you make to improve your life? Your set of keystone habits should be as unique as you are. Start small, picture the thrill of victory, and create a plan for success—then watch the domino effect of those positive habits changing your life.

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Seven Principles For Loving Our Neighbor

By Angie Lewis

I know what you’re thinking, you’re thinking, I don’t need someone to tell me how to love – I already know how to love. Yes, you’re probably right. But most of us only know how to love superficially – it’s not real. Did you know that Jesus commands us to love others and He teaches us how to love appropriately? Real love is based upon principles. When we are serving others, we need to ask ourselves, is this what Christ would do? Let’s look at some important principles about loving.

1. Love Your Neighbor As You Love Yourself (James 2:8)

Christians are called to serve one another in whatever ways God has blessed them with. I’m not sure if taking our brothers and sister to court is serving them very well. One great principle that Christ teaches us is to get rid of the sinful nature we have towards our neighbors, such as spite, envy, jealousy, and covetousness. That’s not loving our neighbor when we harbor these negative emotions, is it? The best way to love our neighbor is to let them see Christ working in us.

2. Be Compassionate and Humble (1 Peter 3:8-9)

Christ taught us how to be compassionate and walk in humbleness. Isn’t that what He did? What better example do we have than Christ himself? Self-righteous and proud behavior does not help anyone see Jesus Christ in us, but only reflects our own sinful nature. Pride and selfishness can take a precedent in our heart sometimes, so we must allow God to take these negative thoughts away from our mind and refresh us with loving, humble thoughts.

3. Be Forgiving (Luke 6:30-31)

Would you want to be forgiven? The greatest attitude to have about loving others is the golden rule principle. “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you”. Ask God to help you forgive in its completeness. God wants us to forgive so we will be free to love.

4. Do Not Be Self-Seeking (I Corinthians 13:4-6)

We can’t love anyone if we’re only looking out for ourselves. Christ teaches us that loving others is exactly the opposite – we are to look out for others. I think this principle works, because if we are new in Christ than we can love properly and that means that Christ takes care of our needs – we don’t need to look out for ourselves – He is already doing it! We all have needs. How can you serve somebody and help them to get their needs met?

5. Do Not Seek Revenge – (Leviticus 19:18)

Jesus has taught us to turn the other cheek and walk away. But how often have we done the exact opposite? Is there someone you can’t seem to forgive and now are giving the silent treatment to? Have you ever taken someone to court just because of your unforgiving heart? Why are Christians seeking revenge? It is wrong. Seek Christ’s forgiveness for yourself so you can forgive your brothers and sisters in the Lord.

6. Carry Each Other’s Burdens – (Galatians 6:2)

Sometimes we think we’re the only person or family with problems in this life. But everyone, at some time in their life, has distresses and discomforts that challenge their faith in Christ or belief system. We all have been given gifts, talents, and abilities to use for encouraging, helping, and teaching others. What is your gift? Are you using it to help others find Christ, or helping other Christians who are having difficulties in this life? Christ wants us to use our gifts to help others carry their heavy burden. We will be rewarded for our efforts. 7. Love Others As Christ Has

Loved You – (John 15:12-13)

How can we truly love others in the same way that Jesus Christ has loved us? It just doesn’t seem possible. Would that mean we have to suffer and die for our friends, family, and fellow brothers and sisters? Yes! It means we must throw off the old person and allow that person to die and then be reborn a new spiritual person in the Lord. This is the only way we can give up our selfish lifestyle and love others appropriately in the Lord. This is how we learn to love unconditionally. We first must repent and be forgiven for our sins before we can truly forgive and love others.

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness knowledge, and to knowledge self-control; and to selfcontrol, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ”.

(II Peter 1: 5-8)

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