Higher Aim With Dr. Curt Dodd

It doesn’t take long to feel welded tightly to people who love Jesus. The apostle Paul spent only about a month with the believers in Thessalonica, yet his heart remained deeply connected to them. This kind of spiritual bond doesn’t happen by accident. In a world that can feel isolating, God calls us to be intentionally connected to His people, not just by sitting in the same room but by investing in one another’s lives.This is where the real work of discipleship flourishes. In 1 Thessalonians 3, Paul gives us a powerful model for what it means to be a passionate encourager. He shows us that one of the most vital ministries we can have is to strengthen and encourage others in their faith, helping them stand firm in the Lord no matter what trials they face. God wants to use you to be that person for someone else.

The Apostle Paul was a man driven by a divine purpose: to see others grow in Christ and to equip them to carry the torch of faith forward. He poured his life into people like Timothy and into the churches he planted, knowing God’s plan was bigger than his own tenure. This journey of discipleship, of following and learning from Christ, is not just for apostles. God calls every believer to make an investment in the lives of others. It’s a journey that has no limits, because the impact of one life poured into another can ripple through generations.This is more than just sharing information; it is about sharing your life. In 1 Thessalonians 3, Paul gives us a powerful example of what this looks like. He reveals the heart of a passionate discipler, one whose greatest joy is seeing others stand firm in the Lord. As we explore his words, we discover the key characteristics required to equip others for their walk with Christ.

The investment of your life into the lives of your children, your grandchildren, and the people around you means everything. The word "disciple" simply means a "learning one." A discipler, then, is someone who teaches others how to follow Christ. God calls every believer to be a discipler, to invest in others and help them along the way. In 1 Thessalonians 3, the Apostle Paul gives us a powerful picture of this kind of passionate care, showing us what it looks like to invest our lives for the sake of others.

It is one of the hardest parts of the Christian life: waiting. In a world that values speed and efficiency, God often teaches His children a different lesson. Moses had a passion to free his people, but he had to wait 40 years in the desert until he was ready. The Apostle Paul, after his dramatic conversion, spent seven years in a period of discipleship before his ministry began. The Bible speaks of waiting on God over 100 times, signaling its importance in our spiritual journey.The life of Isaac is a textbook study in waiting. Just as his parents had to wait for his birth, Isaac’s entire life seemed to move from one waiting moment to the next. His story, highlighted in Hebrews 11, teaches us that waiting is not a passive action, a frustrating time spent in neutral. Instead, as we will see, it is a dynamic posture of hope, designed by God to deepen our faith and draw us closer to Him.

When you got in your car this morning, you took a risk. You trusted that you would arrive safely, but there were no guarantees. Life is full of risks. We are always looking for a sure thing, but in this world, nothing is certain except for the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This is why God calls us to live a life that goes beyond what we can see and control. It is a life of faith.The story of Abraham, the father of faith, shows us that God can use imperfect people to do extraordinary things. Abraham’s journey was not one of flawless obedience, but of learning to take one step of faith after another. His story is our story, showing that God can make any of us men and women of real faith. This journey, however, always involves risk. If there is no risk, there is no faith. Let’s explore what this life of faith truly involves by looking at the life of Abraham.

When we hear the name Noah, our minds often go to a massive ark, a world-covering flood, and a parade of animals, two by two. These are the familiar details of a story we’ve known since childhood. But when the writer of Hebrews looks back at Noah’s life, he highlights something different. He applauds Noah’s faith. Specifically, he commends him for a life of faith that stood in stark resistance to the world around him.We live in a time where pressure mounts to go with the flow, to not ruffle feathers, and to quietly conform to cultural norms. The call to simply love and accept is often twisted into an excuse for silent compromise. But the life of Noah offers a powerful counter-narrative. God is calling His people not to float along like a dead log in a stream, but to walk with Him so faithfully that our very lives resist and condemn the world’s brokenness. This guide explores what it means to build a life of faith resistance, anchored not in our own strength, but in a deep, personal walk with God.

What is faith? If you were to ask most people, you might hear that it is a form of positive thinking or an intense desire for something to happen. We often treat faith as something we must generate ourselves through sheer willpower. However, this is just wishful thinking, not the biblical faith that God calls us to. True faith is something far deeper and more powerful, and understanding its real definition is essential for every believer.To honor God and live a life that brings Him glory, we must get our minds around what true, biblical faith is all about. The book of Hebrews provides the most direct definition in all of Scripture. As we begin this series on the heroes of the faith, we must first go to God’s Word to understand the very foundation upon which their lives were built: a faith that is not man-made, but God-given.

Life is never a straight line. If we are honest, our journey of faith often feels more like a series of unexpected detours than a clear, direct path. We face relationship challenges, financial pressures, health crises, and cultural shifts that can leave us feeling disoriented and uncertain. We plan for one route, only to find ourselves on a completely different road. In these moments, it can be tempting to grow rigid, frustrated, or fearful, wondering if we have lost our way.But God’s Word offers us a different posture. In the midst of every detour, God Himself reaches for our hand. The prophet Isaiah reminds us of this promise: "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you" (Isaiah 41:13). This promise is not for a life free of twists and turns, but for a journey where we are never alone. God does not want us to be paralyzed by the detours, but to learn how to dance with them, moving with a spiritual flexibility that is rooted in His unwavering pre

Have you ever considered where your first image of God came from? For many, that initial picture is formed through the grid of the relationship we have with our earthly father. If you had a great dad who taught you what it meant to walk with Christ, you are immeasurably blessed. But for others, that relationship may have been difficult, which can make it a struggle to trust God. It is important to remember that God is not like any earthly father. He is the perfect Father, a good, good Father who wants to guide and direct every one of your steps.The reality, however, is that our steps are often full of detours. Life rarely goes exactly according to our plans. You may be in one of those detour moments right now, wondering why God has allowed you to be in this situation and asking Him for relief. The truth is, God often uses the detours in our lives to shape us. He is not surprised by them, and He has a purpose in them. As the Lord promises in Isaiah 41:13, He takes hold of our hand and says, “Do not fear; I will

Have you ever watched a child fall and, instead of crying, erupt into laughter? It is a moment of pure, unfiltered joy. Dr. Dodd recently had that experience with his four year old grandson while kayaking. After getting confident on the water, his grandson slipped, fell into the lake with a huge splash, and came up dying with laughter. In that moment was a profound spiritual lesson. How many of us, when we get unexpectedly wet in life, can come up laughing?Life is full of detours. We have a plan, a strategy, a direction, and suddenly we are stopped, redirected, or left confused in a fog. The key to navigating these moments is not rigidity, but flexibility. As we trust in the Lord, our God, we can learn to dance with the detours. He promises to take hold of our right hand and guide us, reminding us not to fear, because He will help us. This is the promise that anchors us when our own plans fall apart.

Has your life gone exactly like you thought it would? For most of us, the honest answer is no. Our lives are full of unexpected turns, delays, and detours. We plan our steps, but we must also learn to wrestle with the stops. As believers, we need to build a biblical framework for when curveballs are thrown our way, so we can navigate them with confidence and make sense of it all.The great theologian Arthur Pierson once found himself in the study of George Mueller, a man renowned for his faith. Looking through Mueller’s personal Bible, Pierson came to Psalm 37:23, which says, “The steps of a godly man are ordered by the Lord.” In the margin, Mueller had written, “And the stops too.” This profound insight reminds us that God is not only in our forward motion but also in the moments He brings us to a halt. When we face a detour, we can trust the promise of Scripture: “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you” (Isaiah 41:13).

A story is told of an old woman in Scotland who would travel between villages selling thread. Whenever she came to a fork in the road, she would toss a stick into the air and follow whichever path it pointed to upon landing. One day, a traveler saw her repeatedly tossing the stick, picking it up, and tossing it again. When asked what she was doing, she replied, “I am trying to figure out which road to take. This one over here looks very rough. I don’t want to go down that road. And so I am throwing that stick until it points in the direction that I want to go.”This simple story reveals a profound truth about the human heart. We often say we want to be in the will of God, but what we really want is for God’s will to align with our own preferences. We want the easy path, the comfortable journey. But a life surrendered to Christ is not about bending His will to ours; it is about joyfully aligning our will with His. As Scripture shows us, God’s will is not a mystery to be solved but a truth to be embraced, leadin

An old poem captures the heart of a believer’s deepest desire: “In the center of the will of God, here I take my stand. There cannot come any secondary causes. All must come from his dear hand.” To know God’s will and to live fully within it is the safest and most fulfilling place a person can be. Yet, we often complicate the process, thinking God’s will is a mysterious code to be cracked rather than a relationship to be lived. We ask, “God, just show me your will, and I’ll do it,” when the reality is quite the opposite.The truth found in Scripture is that God’s will is more about being than doing. Out of who we are in Christ, our actions will naturally align with His purposes. By delighting ourselves in the Lord, His desires become our desires. This guide explores the clear, biblical principles that transform us from the inside out, allowing us to test and approve what God’s will is: his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Christian comedian Mike Goodwin tells a story about the spiritual wisdom his grandmother shared. She told him, "Son, there's only two things you need to worry about: whether you're healthy, or whether you're sick." She continued down a funny but insightful path that eventually led to a choice between heaven and hell. In the same way, when it comes to finding God’s direction for our lives, there are really only two things to concern ourselves with: whether we are in God’s will right now, or whether we are not.The good news is that God’s will can be found. His Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (Psalm 119:105). He has a plan for you, a purpose He is working out in everything (Ephesians 1:11). Aligning with that plan is the most important thing in your life, because it is the source of true peace, protection, and purpose. But before we can begin doing the will of God, we must first focus on being. Our doing flows from our being, so we must first ask ourselves what state we need to be in to know

Have you ever found yourself doom scrolling, swiping through endless videos on social media? It is easy to get lost in a sea of content, but sometimes a story cuts through the noise. One such video showed a man at a gas station humbly asking for just two dollars to get to his sick mother. The first person he asked responded with anger, telling him to get a job. But a second person, witnessing the harsh refusal, kindly offered a twenty dollar bill.The man with the gas can was so moved by the unexpected kindness that he revealed the truth: he was not out of gas. He was looking for a generous person. He then pulled out ten thousand dollars in cash and gave it to the kind stranger, rewarding his generosity. This story, whether real or staged, touches on a profound biblical truth. Jesus talked a great deal about money, stewardship, and the posture of our hearts. He taught that God desires for us to be generous givers, not because He needs our resources, but because the act of giving transforms our hearts to be more

In the early 1800s, Ludwig van Beethoven was commissioned to compose his Ninth Symphony. It is considered by many to be the zenith of his life’s work, a masterpiece of music. Yet, there is a stunning detail often missed in the story of its creation. Beethoven wrote his greatest symphony when he was completely deaf. At its premiere performance on May 7, 1824, he could not hear the orchestra, the chorus, or the thunderous standing ovations from the crowd. He was so oblivious to the applause that a young soloist had to turn him around so he could see the audience’s adoration.Beethoven’s story is a powerful picture of giving your greatest gift, not for the applause you might receive, but from a deeper motivation. It reminds us that no matter our condition, we have something to give. This is a core principle of the Christian life, one that Jesus addresses directly in the Sermon on the Mount. He knew we would struggle with the tension between wanting to honor God and wanting to be honored by people. In Matthew 6, H

Life is a journey, and where God leads you is of the utmost importance. There is no happenstance in the life of a believer, no life of pure chance. God is in charge of what you go through, how you go through it, and the purposes behind it all. After the resurrection, the disciples found themselves asking, "Where do we go from here?" Their world had been turned upside down, and figuring out what God had for them was a journey of one step at a time.Like them, we often wonder what is next. The good news is that we serve a God who orders our steps. As we learn to follow Him, He provides principles to guide our path and help us get a handle on what happens next. The journey ahead is not a mystery to be solved, but a walk of faith to be embraced.

How do you know you belong to your family? You might share a last name, certain physical traits, or even a few quirky habits. This resemblance, this shared DNA, gives you confidence in your identity. In the same way, God wants His children to have a deep, settled confidence that they belong to Him. This is not a matter of wishful thinking but of spiritual reality.The Apostle John wrote his first letter for this very purpose: “These things have I written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). This knowledge is not just intellectual; it is an intimate, internal assurance. As we explore the Scriptures, God gives us clear spiritualmarkers, a kind of family resemblance, that confirm we are truly His children.

The weather can be wildly unpredictable. One day might be warm and sunny, the next a blizzard, and the day after that, temperatures could soar. Many people live their spiritual lives with similar instability, tossed back and forth by feelings and circumstances, never truly certain where they stand with God. They might depend more on a weatherman to decide how to dress than on God’s Word to find their security.But God does not want His children living in a state of spiritual confusion or fear. He desires for us to have complete confidence in our salvation. The entire book of 1 John was written for this very purpose: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). One of the clearest signs that we belong to Christ is a heart that reflects His own compassion for a world in need.

The application of biblical directives is vital in every generation, especially in uncertain times. When we look at the world stage, it is easy to feel unsettled. The Bible, however, gives us a worldview to understand these events, reminding us that we could be on the edge of the end of days. Scripture tells us that one day, all nations will turn against Israel, and America is not mentioned as standing with her in that final battle.What could cause such a scenario? While nations may fight over resources like oil, the Bible points to a spiritual reality. If Christ were to return for His church today, would you be ready? More importantly, are we living as people who are ready? This is not a time for fear but for focus. We must have a biblical worldview that prepares us for what is to come and empowers us to live faithfully in the present. As sojourners with citizenship in heaven, we are called to be salt and light until He calls us home.