Love That Looks Like God

 Love That Looks Like God

1 Corinthians 13:4

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud."

Love Is Not a Feeling — It Is a Character

In modern culture, love is treated as emotion. If we feel warmth, attraction, excitement, or affection — we call it love.

But Scripture does something very different.

Instead of describing love as a sensation, the Bible describes love as behavior.

Paul does not say love feels patient. He says love is patient.

This means love is measurable. Observable. Testable.

You can prove love without saying a word.

God’s definition removes love from romance and places it into spiritual maturity.

Real love is not proven by intensity. It is proven by consistency.

Love Is Patient — The Strength to Endure People

Patience in Scripture is long-suffering restraint when you have the power to react.

It means you don’t retaliate quickly, you don’t give up easily, you don’t punish emotionally, and you don’t keep score.

Patience is love refusing to expire under pressure.

Love Is Kind — The Choice to Bless

Kindness is a deliberate decision to act for another person’s good.

Kindness asks, “What would help them?” not “What do they deserve?”

Patience absorbs negativity. Kindness returns goodness.

Love Does Not Envy

Envy competes, but love celebrates.

Love says, “Your victory does not take anything from me.”

Love Does Not Boast

Boasting seeks attention. Love seeks people.

Love works quietly because it is fueled by purpose, not validation.

Love Is Not Proud

Pride elevates self. Love serves.

The greatest evidence of spiritual growth is humility expressed through love.

— Carl Mathis

Faith & Personal Growth Writer

The Narrow Road: Why the Right Path Is Rarely the Popular One

 The Narrow Road: Why the Right Path Is Rarely the Popular One

Matthew 7:14 — “Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus presents a principle that runs against nearly every cultural instinct: the way that truly leads to life is not wide, comfortable, or crowded — it is selective, disciplined, and often lonely.

Most people spend their lives trying to make the path easier. Christ taught us to make our lives straighter.

This verse is not about exclusion. It is about direction.

1) The Wide Road: Effortless but Dangerous

The wide road represents the default human pattern — living by impulse, preference, emotion, and social consensus.

It requires no examination of the heart.

No repentance.

No surrender.

No obedience when obedience costs something.

It is wide because it accommodates everything:

Pride without accountability

Pleasure without restraint

Belief without transformation

Religion without commitment

Faith without obedience

A wide path must continually widen because it bends to people instead of people bending to truth.

The tragedy is not that the road looks bad — it looks attractive. It promises freedom while quietly removing purpose.

2) The Narrow Road: Intentional Living

The narrow road is restrictive by design. Not restrictive to harm you — restrictive to guide you. Truth, by nature, is precise.

The narrow path requires:

Self-denial — choosing what is right over what feels good

Consistency — faith lived daily, not occasionally

Humility — correction instead of defensiveness

Obedience — trusting God over personal logic

The narrow road is not about perfection. It is about alignment.

3) Why Few Find It

Jesus did not say few enter — He said few find. Finding requires seeking.

Many people want blessings, peace, purpose, and eternity — but they do not want surrender.

4) The Paradox of the Narrow Way

The narrow road feels harder at first but produces freedom later.

The wide road feels free at first but produces bondage later.

Final Thought

Every day we step onto one of two roads — not by what we claim, but by what we choose.

The narrow road is not found accidentally. It is found intentionally.

#Faith #PersonalGrowth #Purpose #Discipline #Leadership #Character #Mindset #ChristianLiving #Growth #Wisdom

— Carl Mathis

Faith & Personal Growth Writer

Faith In Motion: The Legacy of Reverend Jessy Jackson.

Faith In Motion:  The Legacy of Reverend Jessy Jackson.

The passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson marks the closing of a powerful chapter in the American story — a chapter written in courage, conviction, and relentless faith.

He stood in places where standing was dangerous.

He spoke when silence was safer.

He marched when fear told others to stay home.

Rev. Jackson did not simply preach hope — he practiced it. From the civil rights movement to economic justice, he reminded generations that dignity is not granted by systems but affirmed by God. His life echoed the belief that every person carries divine worth, regardless of race, class, or background.

He taught us that faith must move — into streets, into policies, into compassion, and into action. Not a faith of comfort, but a faith of responsibility.

Today we honor not only a leader, but a witness:

a witness that prayer and protest can walk together,

that conviction can outlast opposition,

and that the arc of justice bends only when hands are willing to pull it.

May we not only remember him —

may we continue the work.

Rest in peace to a servant who spent his life reminding the world that equality is not a political idea… it is a moral truth.

Carl Mathis

Discerning the Voice: Recognizing False Guidance in a Loud World

 Discerning the Voice: Recognizing False Guidance in a Loud World

Matthew 7:15

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” — Matthew 7:15

We live in an age of voices.

Podcasts advise us.

Influencers motivate us.

Leaders promise direction.

Even friends attempt to interpret truth for us.

But Jesus did not warn us about obvious evil — He warned us about deceptive good.

Not wolves dressed as wolves.

Wolves dressed as sheep.

That distinction matters more today than ever.

The Nature of Spiritual Deception

A false prophet rarely appears dangerous at first glance.

They speak kindly, sound wise, and often quote truth. That’s what makes them effective.

Deception in Scripture is rarely loud — it is persuasive.

A lie works best when it stands beside truth.

Satan did not tempt Eve with rebellion.

He tempted her with reinterpretation.

“Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1)

False guidance does not always oppose God openly.

Often, it simply reshapes God into something more comfortable.

Less conviction.

Less accountability.

More self-centered spirituality.

Sheep’s Clothing Today

In our time, sheep’s clothing often looks like:

• Messages that never confront sin

• Teaching that prioritizes feelings over truth

• Spirituality without repentance

• Encouragement without transformation

• Popularity replacing obedience

The danger is not harsh voices.

The danger is affirming voices that slowly separate us from Scripture.

A message can feel peaceful and still be spiritually harmful.

Not everything that comforts you comes from God.

How Jesus Said to Identify Them

Jesus didn’t tell us to judge appearances — He told us to inspect fruit.

Not charisma.

Not followers.

Not presentation.

Fruit.

A teacher’s life will eventually reveal their doctrine.

Godly fruit produces:

Humility, repentance, reverence for Scripture, growth in holiness, dependence on Christ

False fruit produces:

Pride, self-exaltation, Scripture twisting, moral compromise, dependence on personality

Truth leads people to Christ.

False teaching leads people to the teacher.

Why Discernment Matters

Believers are not only called to love — we are called to discern.

Love without discernment becomes vulnerability.

Discernment without love becomes harshness.

God calls us to both.

The goal is anchoring in truth so deception becomes obvious.

The closer you know Scripture, the faster you recognize counterfeits.

The Responsibility of the Believer

We cannot outsource spiritual judgment.

Not to a pastor.

Not to a platform.

Not to popularity.

Every believer is responsible for testing what they hear.

Truth is not confirmed by volume.

Truth is confirmed by alignment with God’s Word.

A comforting lie is still a lie.

A convicting truth is still mercy.

Final Thought

Jesus didn’t give this warning to create fear — He gave it to create protection.

False prophets are dangerous not because they hate God openly, but because they misrepresent Him convincingly.

Stay rooted in Scripture.

Stay sensitive to conviction.

Stay closer to Christ than to personalities.

Because sometimes the greatest spiritual threat is not persecution…

…it’s persuasion.

Carl Mathis

Faith & Personal Growth Writer

You Will Seek Me and Find Me

You Will Seek Me and Find Me

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:13

There is a difference between looking for God and seeking Him.

Looking is casual.

Seeking is intentional.

Looking is convenient.

Seeking costs something.

In Jeremiah 29:13, God makes a bold promise:

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

This verse is not a suggestion. It is a guarantee. But notice the condition — with all your heart.

The Context Behind the Promise

This scripture was written to the Israelites while they were in exile in Babylon. They were displaced, discouraged, and living in a season that didn’t make sense. God had allowed them to go through hardship, yet He also promised restoration.

Before verse 13, God says:

“For I know the plans I have for you…” (Jeremiah 29:11)

But between the promise and the fulfillment was a period of seeking.

God wasn’t hiding from them. He was waiting for their full attention.

Half-Hearted Seeking Produces Half-Hearted Results

Many people want God’s blessings but not His presence.

They want answers but not intimacy.

They want breakthrough without surrender.

You don’t find God accidentally.

You find Him intentionally.

Seeking with “all your heart” means:

• Not just praying when you're in trouble

• Not just worshipping when you feel good

• Not just believing when it’s convenient

It means pursuit. Passion. Priority.

hen God becomes your first response instead of your last resort, everything changes.

Why God Requires the Whole Heart

Because God is not competing for space.

He does not share the throne of your life with fear, pride, doubt, or distraction.

When you seek Him with your whole heart:

• Your motives align.

• Your priorities shift.

• Your peace increases.

• Your clarity sharpens.

The transformation happens before the breakthrough.

And sometimes, finding God doesn’t mean He changes your situation — it means He changes you in the middle of it.

The Promise Still Stands

If you feel distant from God, ask yourself:

Have I truly sought Him — or have I just wanted Him to fix something?

God’s promise is not that you might find Him.

It is that you will find Him.

But wholehearted pursuit unlocks it.

Practical Ways to Seek God With Your Whole Heart

1. Daily Time in His Word – Not out of obligation, but expectation.

2. Focused Prayer – Not rushed. Not distracted.

3. Worship Beyond Sunday – Let it become lifestyle.

4. Remove Competing Distractions – What gets most of your time gets most of your heart.

5. Obey What You Already Know – Revelation increases with obedience.

God responds to hunger.

Not perfection.

Not performance.

Hunger.

And when you seek Him with your whole heart, you won’t just find answers — you’ll find Him.

And finding Him is everything.



About theAuthor

Carl Mathis is a Christian author and motivational writer committed to encouraging others through faith-driven personal growth. His work focuses on discipline, mindset, spiritual maturity, and practical wisdom for everyday life

When the Impossible Isn’t the End

                                                                   CARL MATHIS

                                                             Faith. Discipline. Growth.

                                           ────────────────────────────

                                                        When the Impossible Isn’t the End

                                                                      Matthew 19:26

                                           ────────────────────────────

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”

There are moments in life when reality feels immovable.

A diagnosis.

A financial crisis.

A broken relationship.

A dream that seems too far gone to recover.

From a human perspective, some situations simply don’t add up. The math doesn’t work. The resources aren’t there. The strength feels gone. Eventually, we reach the edge of our own ability.

That is exactly where this verse speaks.

Jesus does not deny impossibility. He acknowledges it.

“With man this is impossible…”

Human strength has limits. Discipline has limits. Strategy has limits. Even faith can feel strained when we rely only on what we see.

But Jesus finishes the sentence:

“…but with God all things are possible.”

That shift changes everything.

The Context of the Impossible

In this passage, the disciples had just witnessed the rich young ruler walk away. They were confused. If someone blessed with influence and resources struggled, what hope was there for anyone else?

Jesus reframed the equation. Salvation and transformation are not products of human effort alone. They are the result of divine power.

This is not motivational optimism. It is spiritual truth.

The Difference Between Human Effort and Divine Power

Human effort depends on skill, timing, connections, money, and personal strength. All of these matter—but all of them are finite.

Divine power is not limited by probability, exhaustion, past failure, or lack of resources.

When we rely only on ourselves, we eventually hit a ceiling. When we surrender to God, there is no ceiling.

Faith Does Not Ignore Facts

Believing that all things are possible does not mean pretending difficulty does not exist.

The diagnosis may be real.

The debt may be real.

The disappointment may be real.

But so is God.

Faith does not erase reality. It elevates perspective.

When God Does the Impossible

Sometimes the miracle is visible—doors open, healing comes, provision arrives.

Other times the miracle is internal—peace replaces panic, courage replaces fear, perseverance replaces the desire to quit.

The greatest impossibilities often become testimonies.

Final Encouragement

Matthew 19:26 is not a promise of ease. It is a reminder of authority.

With man, it may be impossible.

With God, it is never final.



About the Author

Carl Mathis is a faith-driven author and motivational voice committed to inspiring growth, discipline, and resilience. Through biblical principles and practical life lessons, he encourages readers to think higher, live stronger, and trust God fully in every season of life.

 

The Power of Doing Good: Why Small Acts Matter More Than You Think.

 The Power of Doing Good: Why Small Acts Matter More Than You Think

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” — Hebrews 13:16

In a world that often celebrates success, status, and self-promotion, this verse offers a different blueprint for a meaningful life. It doesn’t point us toward wealth or recognition. It points us toward goodness and generosity.

Not grand gestures. Not spotlight moments. Just doing good — and sharing.

Goodness isn’t complicated. Many people delay kindness because they think it has to be big to count. But goodness shows up in everyday moments — checking on a friend, encouraging someone who’s struggling, sharing a meal, or simply being present when someone needs support.

Often, the smallest sacrifices carry the greatest impact.

The verse uses the word “sacrifice,” and that word changes everything. A sacrifice costs something — your time, comfort, energy, or resources. Doing good isn’t always convenient. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable. Sometimes you give when you’d rather rest. But that’s exactly why it matters.

If it costs nothing, it means little. If it costs something, it becomes meaningful.

Here’s the beautiful paradox: when you give, you grow. Serving others softens your heart, widens your perspective, and strengthens your character. You begin to see people differently and appreciate what truly matters.

You don’t need wealth, status, or a large platform to make a difference. You just need willingness. Some of the most powerful acts of love happen quietly — unseen and uncelebrated — yet they change lives forever.

This verse doesn’t say God is pleased by perfection. It says He’s pleased by goodness and sharing. That means kindness matters. Compassion matters. Generosity matters. Your everyday choices matter.

A kind word might stop someone from giving up. A shared meal might restore hope. A small sacrifice might change a life.

So today, don’t forget to do good. Don’t forget to share. Because sometimes the simplest acts are the most sacred.

About the Author

Carl Mathis

Carl Mathis is a writer, speaker, and personal growth advocate passionate about helping others develop discipline, confidence, and faith-centered purpose. Through his books, blog, and digital content, he encourages readers to live intentionally, think positively, and take daily action toward becoming their best selves.

Some  books by the author: Carl Mathis