Are We Hardwired for Happiness?

Last updated on: April 8, 2025 at 1:49 pm By Randy Alcorn

In the twentieth century, many Bible-believing churches moved from Charles Spurgeon’s “You cannot be too happy” to “God doesn’t want you to be happy.” Some Christian leaders—Oswald Chambers was one among many—saw the word happiness applied to sinful activities (e.g., people abandoning their families to “be happy”), so they started speaking against happiness-seeking. Their hatred of sin and disdain for pursuing it in the name of happiness was fully justified. But their response should have been, “God is happy and built us... Read more

Is There a Conflict Between Joy and Happiness?

Last updated on: April 8, 2025 at 1:46 pm By Randy Alcorn

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As part of a study related to my Happiness book, I recorded a series of videos, 10 to 20 minutes each, on the subject of happiness in Christ. Though the DVD is no longer sold, our ministry is now able to share all six videos on our website as a free resource. (They correspond with the Happiness Bible Study Book, which is still available from our store.) The quality of the filming was excellent, so I encourage you to consider sharing them with your small... Read more

God’s Plan to Redeem the Earth

Last updated on: April 8, 2025 at 1:43 pm By Randy Alcorn

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The entire physical universe was created for God’s glory. When we rebelled, the universe fell under the weight of our sin. Yet God did not give up on us. The serpent’s seduction of Adam and Eve did not catch God by surprise. He had in place a plan by which He would redeem mankind—and all creation—from sin, corruption, and death. Just as He promises to make men and women new, He promises to renew the earth itself. “‘As the new... Read more

Knowing Our Ultimate Destination Changes Everything

Last updated on: April 8, 2025 at 1:40 pm By Randy Alcorn

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Two years ago, I did an interview with Davey Blackburn, who hosts the Nothing Is Wasted Podcast. Both of us have wives who died: Davey’s wife Kristi was murdered, and Nanci had passed away from cancer. (Read more about his story.) We talked about the sovereignty and love of God, as well as the New Earth, and the need to lose our faith if our faith is in the wrong God, a nonexistent God. I think because the conversation was between two... Read more

Finding the Balance in Financial Responsibility and Giving

Last updated on: April 8, 2025 at 1:37 pm By Randy Alcorn

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A reader wrote our ministry, “For several years my husband and I have enjoyed giving most of our discretionary income to our church and various missionaries. But lately we have been counseled that we need to be more ‘responsible’ about preparing for our future, especially since retirement is only a few years away. How do we deal with the guilt we would feel about decreasing our giving, since we still desire to meet the needs we see all around us?”... Read more

God Makes Much of Little Things

Last updated on: April 8, 2025 at 1:30 pm By Randy Alcorn

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God isn’t just in life’s monumental things. He’s present in the little things: rain drops, the artistry of spider webs, and the sound of an acoustic guitar. A child’s laugh, surfing songs, a swing set, sprinklers, and the smell of split cedar. Maple syrup, fresh green beans, buttermilk biscuits, and homemade strawberry jam. Ripe oranges straight off the tree. Pecan pie a la mode, chocolate chip cookies hot out of the oven and a tall glass of cold milk (in... Read more

Overcoming Pornography Use and Restoring Sexual Wholeness

Last updated on: March 14, 2025 at 12:55 pm By Randy Alcorn

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I had the opportunity to be on a panel hosted by the Barna Group and Pure Desire Ministries, talking about how we can help our brothers and sisters in Christ find healing from unwanted sexual behavior and trauma. Barna also shared new research about Christians and pornography use. Christianity Report says: Majority of Christians Struggle with Pornography, Study Reveals A new study reveals a troubling trend among practicing Christians, with a majority admitting to viewing pornography. The Barna report, Beyond the Porn Phenomenon,... Read more

The Forgotten Truth: Jesus Is Full of Happiness

Last updated on: April 11, 2025 at 7:30 am By Randy Alcorn

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The Glad Heart of Jesus In the first-ever gospel message of the newborn church, the apostle Peter preached that Psalm 16 is about Christ: “David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. . . . For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. . . . You will make... Read more

How Should We Evaluate Claims Of Visions or Dreams from God?

Last updated on: March 14, 2025 at 12:38 pm By Randy Alcorn

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It’s true that far too many Bible believers are in effect anti-supernatural. Some Christians argue against the miraculous with the same scorn of atheists and agnostics. The irony is stunning, since the Christian faith is rooted in the miraculous and dependent upon it. I believe absolutely that God does miracles today. I am completely convinced, for instance, that for decades the Lord Jesus has been appearing to Muslims in dreams and visions, bringing many people to faith. The evidence is... Read more

Will the New Earth Have Distinct Cultures?

Last updated on: March 14, 2025 at 12:28 pm By Randy Alcorn

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There is no need to worry about culture shock in Heaven! The cultures and nations of the Old Earth will all have their place within God’s eternal Kingdom on the New Earth. This understanding fits perfectly with Daniel’s vision of the Messiah’s return to Earth: “He was given authority, honor, and royal power over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him” (Daniel 7:14). I interpret “every race and... Read more

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