Raising the sails
Anything that we want to do well at in life requires effort, including growing in Christlikeness. It takes work to consciously and deliberately develop godly beliefs, hab... »
Peter Amsterdam
Peter Amsterdam has been active in Christian service since 1971. In 1995 he became co-director (together with his wife, Maria Fontaine) of the Christian community of faith known as the Family International. He has authored a variety of articles on Christian faith and theology. (Articles by Peter Amsterdam used in Activated are adapted.)
Christmas Shalom
One of the portions of the Nativity story that I find most beautiful and meaningful is when the angel appeared to the shepherds and announced Jesus’ birth, followed by a... »
Salt and light
Jesus opened the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes, which provide an overview of how He intends for those who follow Him to live their faith. Throughout the rest of... »
Money management
A pastor once said, “Living right financially isn’t complicated; it may be difficult, but it isn’t complicated.” It’s difficult because living right financially is more t... »
Ask, seek, knock
Matthew chapter 7, the last chapter of the Sermon on the Mount, contains a number of succinct statements, which make important points for believers. The focus is on praye... »
A compass for life’s journey
The Bible covers God’s revelation about Himself, His love for humanity, the means of salvation, and the relationship He wishes to have with humankind. It also contains in... »
Non-retaliation
Jesus started the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes, [[See Matthew 5:3–12.]] which spoke of blessings for the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who h... »
Jesus—His life and message
When the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law, so he could set us free from the Law, and we could become God’s children... »
Christmas prequel
The Gospel of John doesn’t tell the story of Jesus’ birth, but it tells us the prequel—the story that precedes what we are told in the birth narratives. This Gospel takes... »
Looking outwards
Life can be so incredibly busy, and that can hinder our spiritual lives. It can be a struggle to find the time to commune with God, to spend time in His presence and in H... »
The prayer principle
“Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’” [[Luke 11:1 ESV]] Prayer was an integral part of... »
Joy, fulfillment, happiness
We all have many opportunities and possibilities to move forward in our faith, our relationships, our work, our inner lives, and more. Of course, making progress in any a... »