What is success?
For Christians, success cannot be measured simply by money. It’s not about becoming the richest or most famous, but about using the talents God has given us to the best o... »
Ronan Keane
Ronan Keane is the executive editor of the Activated magazine.
The mountaintop
In his very last speech, given in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 3, 1968, the day before he was assassinated, Martin Luther King imagined God asking him what era he would l... »
Living the angels’ message
In this weary world of ours, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the recurring bad news of terrorism, war, natural disasters, and suffering. The message of Christmas—peace... »
God outdoes Himself
The baby’s first cry rings out, the umbilical cord is cut, and the proud parents and everyone else present—whether it’s an obstetrician and attendants in a gleaming hospi... »
God’s promises
In the book of Genesis, chapter 12, when Abraham was 75, God promised him descendants. And again in chapter 13. “Some time later,” in chapter 15, God promised him a son a... »
Laying bricks
One of the most mind-boggling questions is “How does God relate to time?” The Bible does its best to give us God’s perspective. “Don’t forget that for the Lord one day is... »
Boulders and burdens
In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was known as a master trickster and the most cunning of men. Eventually, the gods were so displeased with his craftiness and deceitfulness th... »
Tasting the fruit
A few years ago, Activated published a special series on what Paul in his letter to the Galatians called the fruit of the Spirit. [[See Galatians 5:22–23.]] One issue was... »
Knowing God
God has a problem! Lots of people say they believe in God, but they don’t really know who He is. To many children, God is something of a cross between a superhero and a f... »
To the world and yourself
The Bible teaches that we are responsible to do our best with the talents and abilities that God has given us. [[See the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14–30.]] He... »
Best friend forever
The Bible lets us know that we can expect to go through some difficult times while we’re on this earth. [[See John 16:33.]] The good news is that it also promises that we... »
Facing the unknown—together
Like most people, I like predictability. Change can mean stepping into the unknown and losing my comfortable routine, and that's frightening. It also means I have to give... »
A Christian’s hope
Most people understand hope as wishful thinking, as in I hope something will happen. But this is not what the Bible means by hope. In the Bible, hope is used in the sense... »