OUT OF A MAN

Genesis 2:23
"At last!" Adam exclaimed.
"She is part of my own flesh and bone!
She will be called 'woman,'
because she was taken out of a man."



Women by nature are dear to men because they were created from a piece of man. Men are special to God because God breathed into man as Genesis 2:7 teaches us, “And the LORD God formed a man's body from the dust of the ground and breathed into it the breath of life. And the man became a living person.” Having God breath directly into man is what makes man so unique among all of God's creations. That unique relationship gives us the template for marital love because Ephesians 5:25 teaches, “And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church.” Now, for men to love their wives in the same way, men need to remember that Christ was crucified for the love of the church. Now that’s commitment. That kind of commitment is the truest form of love. Husbands, love your wives with that same deep commitment, through the pain, the breakdowns and the denials. If you do this in the true love that Jesus gave to the church, you'll find that God will move in your life in unimaginable ways.

START WITH WISDOM

Proverbs 9:10
Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding.



Fear of the Lord is less about being scared of God than it is about having reverence and respect for God. This means that in your actions you ought to acknowledge God’s presence and sovereignty by consulting Him through prayers. Look at the advice of wise Solomon in Proverbs 4:4-9, "Take my words to heart. Follow my instructions and you will live. Learn to be wise, and develop good judgment. Don't forget or turn away from my words. Don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment. If you prize wisdom, she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown." Everyone should start their day off with some wisdom and they should set themselves up for good decision making throughout the day. The best way to achieve this is by spending time in the Word and by having a conversation with God through prayer.

LITTLE GIANT SUCCESS

Luke 16:10
Unless you are faithful in small matters,
you won't be faithful in large ones.
If you cheat even a little,
you won't be honest with greater responsibilities.



F.B. Meyer said that, “The supreme test of goodness is not in the greater but in the smaller incidents of our character and practice; not what we are when standing in the searchlight of public scrutiny, but when we reach the firelight flicker of our homes; not what we are when some clarion-call rings through the air, summoning us to fight for life and liberty, but our attitude when we are called to sentry-duty in the grey morning, when the watch-fire is burning low. It is impossible to be our best at the supreme moment if character is corroded and eaten into by daily inconsistency, unfaithfulness, and besetting sin.” The Bible is clear that huge successes begin with the little things. Start now. Start small.

LUST

Colossians 3:5
So put to death the sinful,
earthly things lurking within you.
Have nothing to do with sexual sin,
impurity, lust, and shameful desires.
Don't be greedy for the good things
of this life, for that is idolatry.



I read a story about how an Eskimo would kill a wolf. It said, “The Eskimo would coat his knife’s blade with animal blood and allows it to freeze and layer it again with blood and another until the blade is completely concealed by frozen blood. A wolf then follows the source of the scent and discovers it; he licks it, tasting the fresh frozen blood and would lick faster until the keen edge is bare, the wolf licks the blade and does not notice the razor-sharp sting of the naked blade on his own tongue. His greedy thirst is being satisfied by his own blood.” Lust is satisfying at start, but if you engage in lust it most certainly will be your end, and you won't even know it.

ANYTHING YOU SAY

1 Peter 3:9
Don't repay evil for evil.
Don't retaliate when people
say unkind things about you.
Instead, pay them back with a blessing.
That is what God wants you to do,
and he will bless you for it.



There's an old, but still oft used adage that goes, "Me and my big mouth." In December of 1825, the Russian Czar Nicolas I sentenced Kondraty Ryleyev to be hung. Fortunately for Ryleyev, the rope was old and snapped as the sentenced man’s weight pulled him to the ground instead of leaving him dangling in the air struggling for air. An accident like this would usually result in a pardon, but as Ryleyev fell to the ground, the guards overheard him saying, "In Russia they do not know how to do anything properly, not even how to make a rope." Well, unfortunately for Ryleyev this got back to the Czar who then ordered, "Let the contrary be proven." If Ryleyev had only applied what the Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 3:9, he would have been pardoned and remained alive. Sadly for Ryleyev, the contrary was proven. Careful with your tongue, anything you say can and will be used against you.

UNITY FOR GOD’S GLORY

Amos 3:3
Can two people walk together
without agreeing on the direction?



Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” Innovative people have come to recognize that success can be achieved if people would work together. The Bible teaches this and it teaches it far more than the masses practice it. Luke 6:31-35 teaches us to, “Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” When this reciprocating principle is truly practiced, there will be unity among God’s children and people can then work together toward success. Be as one in love to gain God’s glory.

COMMIT TO SUCCEED

Proverbs 16:3
Commit your work to the LORD,
and then your plans will succeed.

The American inventor Charles F. Kettering said, “I often tell my people that I don’t want any fellow who has a job working for me. What I want is a fellow whom a job has. I want the job to get the fellow and not the fellow to get the job. And I want that job to get hold of this young man so hard that no matter where he is the job has got him for keeps. I want that job to have him in its clutches when he goes to bed at night, and in the morning I want that same job to be sitting on the foot of his bed telling him it’s time to get up and go to work. And when a job gets a fellow that way he’ll amount to something.” If we enforce our commitment to God in the same way that Kettering describes a job, our success won't be temporary, but rather it would last forever. Be faithful in doing what the Bible says, allow the Lord to own your life, commit your work to the Lord and your the plan for your life will be filled with success.

BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

Ephesians 4:22
Throw off your old evil nature
and your former way of life,
which is rotten through and through,
full of lust and deception.



The Prairie Overcomer once published a story about a subway train crash in London where 41 passengers died. The forensics expert that examined the body of train engineer Leslie Newson reported that Newson's body contained the same blood alcohol content as a motorist that would be considered intoxicated. Newson had been drinking before his train smashed into the dead-end of a tunnel at Moorgate station on the morning of February 28, 1975. Regret is always at the end of bad decisions. If you’re heading in the wrong direction, or if you’re going to crash into a wall, you can still change course before you reach the point of regret. Just throw off your old evil nature and follow Jesus. Don't be stubborn about it either; after all, He is the Way.

ENJOY YOUR WEALTH

Ecclesiastes 5:11
The more you have,
the more people come to help you spend it.
So what is the advantage of wealth
except perhaps to watch it run through your fingers!



A saying that I love is, “There is poverty in riches and riches in poverty.” Ecclesiastes 5:11 rings so true because the more we have, the more people come to help us consume it. Wisdom is needed to wisely choose the people with whom to expend it with. Matthew 26:7-13 gives us the best example: "During supper, a woman came in with a beautiful jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head. The disciples were indignant when they saw this. 'What a waste of money,' they said. 'She could have sold it for a fortune and given the money to the poor.' But Jesus replied, 'Why berate her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I assure you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be talked about in her memory.'" If you find yourself wondering which friends to expend your gifts with, remember that Jesus is the best friend you've ever had and that whatever you spend for God will have an eternal significance.

STAND STRONG

1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on guard.
Stand true to what you believe.
Be courageous. Be strong.



David Huxley was recognized as the World’s Strongest Man when he single-handedly dragged a jumbo jet more than 165 feet (50 meters). The proceeds he received for setting this world record were donated to children with cancer so that they could do some traveling before their days would end. Huxley's purpose seems pretty simple, but all of us were designed by God with a purpose not only for ourselves, but also for others. There is real joy when we finally find what God designed us for and we fulfill it, but you have to be a part of the body of Christ to find it. Stand strong and be resilient for God’s purpose in your life. The joy will be unmistakable.

NEVER USELESS

1 Corinthians 15:58
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady,
always enthusiastic about the Lord's work,
for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.



History tells us that President McKinley once had to choose between two candidates for a foreign diplomat appointment. The choice was challenging for him because their qualifications were nearly identical. The thing that helped McKinley choose was an incident that occurred during his tenure in the House of Representatives. While traveling on a crowded bus one night, an elderly washerwoman had boarded and was carrying a heavy basket. Not one passenger offered her their seat. The man seated where the old woman was standing covered his face with a newspaper so as not to see her. The young McKinley picked up her basket of washing and offered her his seat. During the appointment process, President McKinley recalled that one of the candidates was the man with the newspaper. You should already know by now what happened next. Everything we do will lead us closer or further from the blessings of God. Remember that the things you do for the Lord are hardly ever pointless or harmless. There are no coincidences in life, so make a point to do the little things right when the opportunities present themselves.

ENTRUSTED BLESSINGS

Hebrews 11:8
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God
called him to leave home and go to another land
that God would give him as his inheritance.
He went without knowing where he was going.



Have you ever wondered why parents don’t trust their kids with big stuff? It's probably because when they gave their children responsibilities to do something small, their kids didn’t always obey the instructions completely. God wants to entrust us with the many blessings that He had prepared for us from the beginning of time, but we never seem to obey His instructions fully. There's a story about when the WWII broke out where Great Britain sent requests to Australia to build ships. The Australians did not build ships, but rather they sowed seeds with the intent to reap the harvest and send food to it's motherland. Well, the incredible harvest came in and it was time to send the grain to Great Britain as help, but there were no ships available. Eventually, mice got to the waiting grain and soon after found their way to towns, villages and cities, carrying diseases with them that would damage people’s eyes and blind some, as well. The moral of that story is that an intended blessing can be a curse without obedience and if instructions aren’t followed. When we do obey, however, the blessings and the joy are entrusted without fail.

ESCAPE TO VICTORY

Galatians 4:9
And now that you have found God
(or should I say, now that God has found you),
why do you want to go back again
and become slaves once more to the weak
and useless spiritual powers of this world?



Records show that Nick Janson has escaped from 1,680 pairs of handcuffs securely locked on his wrists by genuine police officers. He has even been branded as, “The Professional Escapologist”. While this may be possible with the physical around us, this is something impossible when it comes to sin. The only way to escape sin is with God's help. Romans 3:24 says, “Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.” He loved us so much that He provided Himself as the escape plan and the victory for everyone who puts their trust in him.

WORTH SAVING

Titus 3:5
He saved us, not because of the good things we did,
but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins
and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit.



A minister told a story about a little boy who suddenly felt weak while swimming in a lake. The boy struggled to stay above water and had even gone under twice. A nearby man saw what was happening and quickly swam out to the boy to save him. While they were on the shore the rescued boy said, “Thanks for saving my life.” The man replied, “You’re welcome, son. See to it that you were worth saving.” The God of the universe came down from heaven’s glory and died on the cross to save us. Was His death worth it? There's a saying that goes, “What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.” See to it that your life was worth saving.

VALUE OF SHORT-LIVED PLEASURES

2 Timothy 3:4
They will betray their friends,
be reckless, be puffed up with pride,
and love pleasure rather than God.



According to the Persians of old, after a war victory Persia would choose a slave and make him king for three days. The slave would be clothed in royal robes and treated just as the king would be treated. Everything he would wish for would be granted to his pleasure. However, and here’s the catch, after the third day he would be killed as a sacrifice for mirth and folly. This “situation” is symbolic of the short-lived pleasures of the world. If you have everything that the world can offer, you still need to understand that those pleasures are short-lived when compared to the eternal joy that God will give.

SERVE GOD WHEN CALLED

Ecclesiastes 5:4
So when you make a promise to God,
don't delay in following through,
for God takes no pleasure in fools.
Keep all the promises you make to him.



Reverend W.A. Criswell once told a story about the time he surrendered to serve God. “I stood near the platform. I was twelve. Beside me an elder must have been close to seventy who’s been running away from the calling of the LORD who now surrendered to serve GOD. He was thin and haggard. His skin was wrinkled and burned from farming. He walked with a severe limp, and his arms and hands trembled. He was the brother of the preacher. That Sunday morning, everybody gathered to hear him testify. He stood before us creaky and rheumatic. His voice was weak. His body bent. Never once did he look up at us. It was impossible to hear him past the front row, but the congregation strained to listen. It was moving, and, at the same time, it was tragic. It was a lesson that I will never forget. If you’re going to serve the Lord, you sure better do it now.” Time is a gift that's given to all of us. None of us, however, know how much time has been given to us. If God called you to serve Him, hasten to the call and serve Him when called. You certainly don't want to answer the call when your time is almost up.

LOOPHOLES

Luke 11:42
But how terrible it will be for you Pharisees!
For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest
part of your income, but you completely
forget about justice and the love of God.
You should tithe, yes, but you should not
leave undone the more important things.



An actor that was on his hospital deathbed was visited by a friend. His friend was surprised to find him reading the Bible, so he asked what he was hoping to find in the Good Book. The dying thespian mockingly said, "I'm looking for loopholes." There's some worldly reality to what the dying man said. More often than not, the world trains us to make excuses and rationalize the mistakes we make instead of conforming our lives to the Word of God. Galatians 6:7 says, “Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow!” Forget about looking for loopholes in school, home, relationships, or maybe even church. Definitely forget about looking for loopholes to heaven. Rather that expend energy on a pointless task, put your efforts into doing the right thing and you'll happily reap the best things.

NEW LIFE, NEW FRIENDS

John 15:18
When the world hates you,
remember it hated me before it hated you.



A son of a prominent family during WWI became a follower of Christ and after a tour of duty, the young man expressed fear that he might soon slip back into his old habits upon returning home. A fellow believer told the young man that if he made a public confession of his faith in Christ, he wouldn’t have to worry. The young man agreed to tell the first ten people he would see when he returned home of his encounter with God. When he returned, party invitation after invitation were sent to him and he would proclaim, "I've just become a Christian." Word had gotten around, and soon some of his friends stopped seeing him. Pretty sad, right? If you’re a new Christian, some of your old friends will turn away from you. Don’t worry about that, though, because Jesus said they didn’t turn you away, but rather they turned Him away. In probably the best of ways, it’s just time to make some new friends that won't lead you astray from the right path.

BELIEVE BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

Luke 16:28
For I have five brothers,
and I want him to warn them
about this place of torment
so they won't have to
come here when they die.



The philosopher Kierkegaard once told a story about laughing theatergoers at a variety comedy show. The show was receiving loud applause and raucous ovation from the crowd, when suddenly the theater manager came on stage announcing that the theater was on fire. The manager literally begged the people to leave the theater in an orderly manner, but the audience thought he was part of the show and they began enthusiastically clapping for the manager. When the crowd finally realized that he wasn’t part of the show, it was too late. In a very similar way, Luke 16:28 teaches us about a rich man burning in hell that begged to go and warn his brothers about their burning future. Sadly, in Luke 16:29 we learn that Abraham told the rich man, "Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read their writings anytime they want to." All of us have the Bible to tell us of the Good News and all of us need to acknowledge Christ's gift before it’s too late. The consequences are harsh and the excuses will fall on deaf ears because everyone has been duly warned.

OPPORTUNITY TO BE SAVED

Hebrews 2:3
What makes us think that we can escape
if we are indifferent to this great salvation
that was announced by the Lord Jesus himself?
It was passed on to us by those who heard him speak



I read a story about a campus revival at a university many years ago. One of the students that was convicted by the Holy Spirit to receive Christ asked the university president, “Sir, I have made up my mind to consider the claims of Christ. Now what would you do next?” The elder replied, “I would wait until the excitement of the revival had subsided, and then I would think it out.” The student answered, “That is exactly what I will do.” The tale ends with that student dying, but never coming to know the Lord. Don't let what could be a final opportunity to know Christ personally pass by the wayside. Don't let what could be a final opportunity to share the Good News of the Gospel with your friends and family members that may not be headed to heaven. Don’t gamble with time. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you. Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.’”

TRUE RICHES

Job 31:25
Does my happiness depend on
my wealth and all that I own?



Texas millionaire Charles Cranford became the owner of Napoleon Bonaparte’s personal sword in a purchase made at an auction in Switzerland. His winning bid was never revealed, but experts agree that the sword is worth a small fortune. While I'm sure that the value of Napoleon's sword is arguable, Paul talks about a sword in Ephesians 6:17 that's worth countless times more, “The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” And regarding the Word, John 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God.” Anybody who accepts the Word of God as truth, accepts God and His righteousness. With the Word, you have the most valuable and potent sword ever fashioned for battle or peace. This is the truest wealth and the real source of true happiness and joy.

READY TO DIE?

Luke 12:20
"But God said to him, 'You fool!
You will die this very night.
Then who will get it all?'"



This verse is from a parable that Jesus taught about a man who prepared for this life but was not ready for the next life to come. Whenever I'm invited to speak at a funeral service, I use a story about a king who gave his jester a stick and some orders, “You’re a fool, leave, take all the money you need, don’t come back until you find a bigger fool than yourself.” Many years later, the jester came back because he learned that the king was dying. When he visited the king, the king said, “I am going away.” The jester asked, “Are you prepared, O king?” And the king replied, "No." The jester handed the stick to the king saying, “Take it. I’ve found a bigger fool than myself.” Like the king in this story, you may have prepared yourself for this lifetime, but are you ready for the next life to come? Sincerely accept the gift that Jesus has for you and preparations for the next life will be taken care.

ANGELS ALL AROUND

Psalm 91:11-12
For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go.
They will hold you with their hands
to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.



Elizabeth Elliot gave a testimonial about her father’s life experience. She said, “My father, when he was a small boy, was climbing on an upper story of a house that was being built. He walked to the end of a board that was not nailed at the other end, and it slowly began to tip. He knew that he was doomed, but inexplicably the board began to tip the other way, as though a hand had pushed it down again. He always wondered if it was an angel’s hand.” I'm sure that many people reading this also have similar stories of miraculous situations where God's messengers altered a potentially bad, or even tragic, situation. It should make you wonder what His will is for your life and what you were meant to do with the life He gave you. The stark reality is that God loves His children so much that he has charged His angels to watch and care for his children, and to have a presence all around us.

A SPIRITUAL BATTLE

Ephesians 6:12
For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood,
but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world,
against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world,
and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.



History tells us that during the coronation of King Edward VI, the new king was presented the three swords symbolizing his reign over the British Isles. Edward, however, was dissatisfied with the presentation and asked for an additional sword. The people were curious about Edward's request and his officers inquired about the purpose of the fourth sword. Edward explained that the additional sword was for, “The Bible, The Sword of the Spirit which is to be preferred before these swords.” The Bible commands us in Ephesians 6:17 to, “Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” A wise leader knows that we are not really fighting against flesh and blood, but rather in the spiritual realm, and the only way to a true victory is to have the Sword of the Spirit.

HOW TO GAIN PEACE

Isaiah 9:6
For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
And the government will rest on his shoulders.
These will be his royal titles:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.



Dr. Robert Oppenheimer, supervisor of the creation of the first atomic bomb, was invited to appear before a Congressional Committee which asked him if there were any defenses against the atomic weapon. “Certainly,” the great scientist said. The expectant, quite audience was waiting for the completion of the answer, and the scientist continued and said, “Peace.” Jesus came as the Prince of Peace. John 1:11 says, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” The reason that Peace does not prevail throughout is because the Prince of Peace has not been invited to the negotiations. If people, nations and governments would receive Him into their hearts, peace would exist all throughout every relationship.

LEARNING FIRST

Deuteronomy 6:5-9
And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart,
all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit
yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving
you today. Repeat them again and again to your children.
Talk about them when you are at home and when you are
away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you
are getting up again. Tie them to your hands as a reminder,
and wear them on your forehead. Write them on the
doorposts of your house and on your gates.



I remember being told a story about a young mother who had her infant boy in her lap and was reading her Bible to her little one. A curious person asked, “Do you think the baby understands?” The young mother said, “I’m sure that he doesn’t understand now, but I want his earliest memories to be that of hearing God’s Word.” I remembered the saying, “The hands that rock the cradle hold the nation.” We need to learn about Jesus first to teach about Him. If we make sure that our children learn about God first before other things, surely we will have a moral Godly nation and world. This little change can change everything.

THIS MIGHT HURT A BIT

Genesis 22:12
"Lay down the knife," the angel said.
"Do not hurt the boy in any way,
for now I know that you truly fear God.
You have not withheld even your beloved son from me."



God asked for Abraham’s only son to be offered to Him – the only seed for Abraham’s future generations. With that, Abraham had every reason to disregard God's command because at that moment in time the request really made no sense and it didn’t conform to God’s promise that Abraham would become a father of many nations. But because Abraham feared the Lord, he obeyed God's command. F.B. Meyer said, “Never be afraid of God, unless you are sinning against Him. Always believe that behind what seems difficult and mysterious, there is God’s heart, as true and tender as the heart of the sweetest, gentlest woman that ever pressed her child to her bosom. Nay, all the love in all women's hearts together, compared to the love of His heart, is as a glowworm’s torch compared to the sun at noon-tide.” Even if it doesn't make sense, if it doesn't line up with what's promised to you, even if it hurts more than you think you can bear it, be obedient and do God’s will. It's worth it because you'll find your trusting in God reciprocates several times over in blessings upon your life.

GOING TO HEAVEN IS FREE

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.



I read a story about a poor woman who went to the king’s gardener to buy grapes for her sick child. Now, as she tried to purchase the grapes, the gardener deliberately ignored her. She cried and begged but she was just reprimanded for doing so. It just so happened that the king’s daughter heard the rude reprimand by the gardener so the princess approached and asked the poor woman what had happened. The poor woman told her the story of her sick child and the princess said, “Lady, you don’t understand. My father is not a merchant, but a king; his business is not to sell, but to give.” The woman received the grapes she’d desired for free. In the same way, Heaven is not for sale, anyone can go there free of charge because Jesus paid your way to heaven by His death.

FOLLOW JESUS

John 21:19
Jesus said this to let him know what
kind of death he would die to glorify God.
Then Jesus told him, "Follow me."



This verse leaves all of us with a command and there are no choices to make about that command. There are going to be people that will say that following Jesus brings the risk having a bad ending to one's life, after all Christ's life ends with a tragic crucifixion and the horrifying demise of His disciples: Matthew was slain with a sword; Mark was dragged through the streets and killed; Luke was hanged; John was scarred in a cauldron of boiling oil and imprisoned; Peter was crucified upside down; James the Greater was beheaded; James the Less was beaten to death; Bartholomew was flayed alive; Andrew was crucified; Thomas was lanced to death; Jude was shot with an arrow; Barnabas was stoned to death; Matthias was stoned and then beheaded; and last but not least, Paul was tortured and beheaded. Ironically, while these deaths may appear tragic in the eyes of the unsaved, the world in the here and now has been changed forever by their obedience to God's call. For the faithful children of God, it should be understood without argument that when we follow Jesus, the world ceases to be our home and that we inherit Heaven as our eternal and joyous home.

GROW IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

Ephesians 1:17-19
“Asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding,
so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light
so that you can understand the wonderful future
he has promised to those he called.
I want you to realize what a rich and glorious
inheritance he has given to his people.
I pray that you will begin to understand the
incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him.
This is the same mighty power”



To be a success in life, you’re going to need real knowledge. There’s a story that was told to me about a commanding general of a line division in Korea who was inspecting the troops when three sniper bullets from a nearby hill whizzed past his head causing the general to dive into a bunker. “Locate that sniper,” the general shouted. The field sergeant replied, “We know exactly where he is, sir.” The general then asked, “Then why don’t you shoot him?” The sergeant responded, “Well, sir, that fellow has been sniping at this hill for six weeks now and hasn’t hit anybody yet. We’re afraid if we kill him, they might replace him with someone that can shoot.” Now there's some smart thinking! We have an experienced enemy in the devil. He knows our weaknesses and he knows how to hit his targets. He also knows that we have a great inheritance from God. To defeat him and be successful in life, we’re going to need knowledge and wisdom from God. Grow in that knowledge and wisdom, and you'll find your successful victory in life waiting for you.

OUR GOD IS STRONG

Psalm 60:5
Use your strong right arm to save us,
and rescue your beloved people.



Scientists believe that a bird’s wing muscles are over 100 times proportionately stronger than the arm muscles of the strongest men. A swallow can fly thousands of miles stopping not for fatigue, but only for nightfall. Psalm 91:4 teaches us that, “He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with his feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” Our God is strong and powerful, never needing rest and never tiring. In Him, you can find rest knowing that our God is strong.

UNITED WE STAND, SEPARATED WE FALL

John 17:22
I have given them the glory that you gave me,
that they may be one as we are one



The Golden Gate Bridge spans across San Francisco Bay and carries an incredible amount of traffic, but it’s only supported by two cables. Each cable, however, is reportedly made up of some 20,000 separate smaller cables twisted into the incredibly powerful braids that support the massive levels of bridge traffic. Each of these smaller cables are capable of only supporting the weight of a single modern car. Isn't this the same principle that Jesus preached to His disciples and followers? Each child of God is just like one of these smaller cables, gifted to do some wonderful things, but if believers are woven together with God, our wonderful abilities become extraordinary when brought together. Unity with God is always powerfully strong and a person can achieve anything if united with God. It's a simple premise: united with God, we stand; separated from Him, we fall.

USE YOUR MONEY WISELY

Hebrews 13:5
Stay away from the love of money;
be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
"I will never fail you. I will never forsake you."



There was a farmer who went to pay rent to his money-loving landlord. Upon paying his rent, the farmer asked if he could see all of the money that the landlord had hoarded inside his safe. With great pride, the landlord opened his safe and showed the farmer how much he's accumulated. After looking at the stacks of cash inside the safe, the farmer said to his landlord, “Now that I've seen your money, I've realized that you and I have something in common because all you do is look at the money without using it, and I just did the same exact thing.” God's gifted you with gifts and riches that need to be used. Don't store them up for your own purposes or desires. Use whatever God has given you for the purposes He has designed you – for His glory. Life’s short and one day you’re going to leave it all behind. Money doesn’t make a good master, it makes a good servant.

LOVE IS AN ACTION WORD

Mark 12:30
And you must love the Lord your God
with all your heart, all your soul,
all your mind, and all your strength.



The Gospel Herald once printed a story about a little boy who said that he loved his mother, “With all his strength.” A reporter asked the boy what he meant by, “With all his strength.” He answered, “You see, we live on the fourth floor and our building doesn’t have an elevator, and the coal is kept down in the basement. Since my mother is busy all the time and she isn’t very strong, I see to it that the coal hold is never empty. I haul the coal up four flights of stairs all by myself and it takes all my strength to get it up there.” Love isn’t just a word, it’s an action word that requires effort to portray. Ephesians 5:25 tells us, “And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church. He gave up his life for her.” How much action do you put behind your proclamations of love? Ironically, the amount of action that you put behind your love tells you about how much you value that which you love. In the simplest of terms, if you really love something or someone, your actions will speak louder than your words.

PEACE CAN BE ACHIEVED

Titus 3:2
They must not speak evil of anyone,
and they must avoid quarreling.
Instead, they should be gentle and
show true humility to everyone.



During the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japan’s foreign minister said, “(The Japanese) feel a deep remorse about the unbearable suffering and sorrow Japan inflicted on the American people and the peoples of Asia and the Pacific during the Pacific war, a war that Japan started with the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Japan waged war against the United States because of the reckless decisions of our military. We can’t get over our deep sorrow.” The Japanese foreign minister was willing to recognize the faults of a government administration long past. When we as individuals apply the same biblical principle of recognizing our faults, and being sincerely apologetic for sins we have been committed, we can finally reach a place where a peace with God can be achieved. Are you at peace with God today?

BETWEEN GOD AND MEN

1 Timothy 2:5
For there is only one God and one Mediator
who can reconcile God and people.
He is the man Christ Jesus.



Since the beginning of time, people have tried to reach God. Men have established religion after religion to satisfy the longing hunger to know the true Supreme Being. Religion, however, is just a feeble effort by man to reach God. Unless we learn and accept that Jesus, not religion, is the true and only mediator between God and people, the search for a way to God will never end. 1 John 5:20 says, “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we are in God because we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.” Reaching God is something that people aren't capable of pulling off on their own. Man had to be reached out to by the Son of God to enable any kind of relationship, and Jesus Christ alone is the mediator between God and men.

REFLECTING GOD’S GLORY

2 Corinthians 3:18
And all of us have had that veil removed so that
we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord.
And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us,
we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.

J. H. Bomberger wrote that, “In Scotland on Stonaway bay, there is a lighthouse without a lamp, but simply a mirror reflector, at night a light from another lighthouse five hundred feet away beams and is reflected to an arrangement of prism. Through them the light converges to a focus outside the lantern, from which they diverge in the necessary direction.” Would you believe that this is the same exact principle that faithful Christians follow. Matthew 5:16 says, “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Our faithful walk is a reflection of God working in us to those that we shine His light upon. Keep growing to become more like Him everyday and you'll find yourself reflecting God onto the lives of those around you and those that you interact with.

A BROOK ALONG THE WAY

Psalm 110:7
But he himself will be refreshed from
brooks along the way. He will be victorious.



French art critic Jean Francois Raffaeli once had an opportunity to watch artist Jean Baptiste Corot paint a meadow while they sat in a field. Raffaeli saw that Corot had painted a small lake, even though there wasn't a lake in the field before them. He asked Corot, “Is it acceptable to paint a lake when there is no lake?” Corot replied, “Young man, I have been here in the field since six this morning. I became very thirsty, so I put water in the picture to refresh myself.” If you're a child of God, you don't have to worry about conjuring up your own thirst quenchers because as you travel the journey of life through this sometimes dry and thirsty land, be rest assured that God will place brooks along the way for you. As a child of God, you're already victorious and He will never let you down.

THE FACE OF JESUS

2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness,"
has made us understand that this light is the brightness
of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.



Miss Fanny Crosby was one of the most prolific hymnists in history, writing over 8,000 hymns despite becoming blind shortly after birth. Crosby once said, “There is one hymn I have written which has never been published. I call it my soul’s poem. Sometimes when I am troubled, I repeat it to myself, for it brings comfort to my heart.” The lyrics to that hymn are, “Someday the silver cord will break, and I no more as now shall sing; but O the joy when I shall wake within the palace of the King! And I shall see Him face to face, and tell the story – saved by grace!” Crosby knew that when the moment would arrive that she'd see the face of Jesus, the reasons for everything that occurred in her life would become clear. There are things that have happened in our lives that are just unexplainable, painful and sometimes awful. Take comfort that our time on earth is short because we're really just passing through. There's peace in knowing that when the children of God see the face of Jesus it will be an unbelievably joyous affair where all unanswerable things will be explained, and all the things of the past will become blurry and distant memories of a time not even worth thinking about.

DEPARTURE

2 Timothy 4:6
For I am now ready to be offered,
and the time of my departure is at hand.



At the airport, you can usually hear travelers' names as people are being paged over the loudspeaker system. You can see signs for arrivals and for departures going to and from anywhere imaginable. Recently, my aunt left for a different destination as she called home to be with the Lord. The memories that I have of her leaving this world are wonderful because I already knew she was headed to heaven and just the day before she died we had the happiest time together. I shared the gospel with her and talked to her about forgiveness. I think she was in need of a refreshing word from God to remind her to forgive, and that by just hearing the Word it was as if a thorn in her heart had been removed. Every single one of us will depart from this world one day, but not everyone knows where they're headed. The Bible said we’ve all sinned and that according to Romans 5:10, “We were enemies.” Have you sincerely asked for God’s forgiveness? Paul said he was ready to be called home. How about you? Ask for God’s forgiveness and whenever your departure is called, you’ll be ready for the next part of your journey.

REGRETS

Matthew 27:5
Then Judas threw the money onto the floor of
the Temple and went out and hanged himself.



Have you done things in the past that you wish you could just erase? Matthew 27:3 says, “When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and other leaders.” It was just awhile back when I received an emotional phone call from my sister who was crying really hard when I answered. She began telling me that my brother had gotten into a drunken fight and was heading out with a knife looking for revenge. She did all she could do to stop him and to convince him to forget revenge and to just forgive, but my brother had already made up his mind. Today, he lives in prison cell, regretting the fateful decision he had made in a drunken state. It’s a hard lesson. A painful lesson. Still, regrets are easy to avoid. All you have to do is have the right relationship with Christ, be sure to never make emotionally rash decisions, and regretful decisions will be few and far between. I know my brother feels that way, and most certainly, Judas felt the same.

LAUGHTER

Psalm 126:2
We were filled with laughter,
and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,
"What amazing things the
LORD has done for them."



There's a silly joke about a teacher, a garbage man and a lawyer who wound up together at the pearly gates of Heaven. The gatekeeper let all of them know that in order to get into Heaven, each would have to answer a question. The gatekeeper asked the teacher, "What is the name of a famous ship that sank after crashing into an iceberg? There was even a movie was made about it." The teacher answered quickly, "The Titanic," and the gatekeeper let him through the gate. The gatekeeper then turned to the garbage man and asked him a tougher question: "About how many people died at the sinking of The Titanic?" Fortunately for him, the trash man had just seen the movie, so he responded, "About 1,500," and was immediately let through the gates. The lawyer excitedly asked, “What’s my question?” The gate keeper wryly asked, "What were the names of every person that died at the sinking of The Titanic?" I know you’re (at the very least) giggling a little bit. Laughter is one of the greatest mental tonics known to man, and in my opinion, it's second only to love. Laughter can dispel anxiety and it can help manage stress, depression, fear and worry. Laughter provides strong medical, psychological, social and even spiritual benefits. Physically, it enhances the respiratory system, helps oxygenate the body, relaxes tense muscles, and is an all-around pain killer. It will lower your pulse and blood pressure. Laughter can pave the way for a new and exciting outlook on life. It is the universal communicator that can cross all boundaries of race, culture and generations. We can always laugh and rejoice just knowing the many wonderful things that God has done for us. Laugh a little today. It's worth it!

THE PERSON WHOM GOD LOVES

2 Corinthians 9:7
You must each make up your own mind
as to how much you should give.
Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure.
For God loves the person who gives cheerfully.



The first giver and first lover is God alone. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love him, because he first loved us.” There was a father who wanted to develop his little son’s character, so he gave his son a penny and a quarter on their way to the church. The father told the child, “Son, you put whichever one you want in the offering plate at church.” Before the offering came the boy heard the preacher say, “The Lord loveth a cheerful giver.” After the church service, the father asked the child which coin went into the plate and the boy replied, “I knew I could give the penny a lot more cheerfully than I could give the quarter, so I gave the penny.” God gave everything to us, even His own Son. Even His own Son. How much do you give back to Him?

DO NOT BE DECEIVED

2 Corinthians 11:14
But I am not surprised!
Even Satan can disguise himself
as an angel of light.



Ever heard of the Trojan Horse? Ancient Greek legend tells us that to infiltrate the well secured city of Troy, General Ulysses ordered a huge wooden horse to be built and then hid soldiers inside the gigantic horse. The horse was left the outside the walls of Troy as a “Gift” as the remaining Greek armies pretended to sail away. Troy celebrated their victory and brought their “Gift Horse” within the city walls. At night, while the city slept, the Greek soldiers hiding inside the horse emerged from the horse and opened the city gates from the inside out, letting the rest of the Greek army in to capture Troy. Do not be deceived about what the world has to offer you. The glittering appeal just might be a trap and you may find yourself corrupted and enslaved by what you’ll allow into your heart. Much like Troy, you don't want to find yourself celebrating victory while the enemy is waiting to destroy you from the inside. Be leery of what may appear to be too good to be true because it usually is too good to be true.

A FAIR ACT

Matthew 7:12
Do for others what you would like them to do for you.
This is a summary of all that is taught
in the law and the prophets.



A rabbi once taught me, “Do not do to thy neighbor what is hateful to thyself.” Socrates said, “What stirs your anger when done to you by others that do not do to others.” Confucius said, “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” You will notice the difference between Jesus’ approach and these well known philosophies. Jesus’ teaching is positive in nature and action-oriented while the others are negative in nature and passive response-oriented. He said to act and "do" something, as opposed to refraining to "not do" something. A fair act is not about being passive, but rather it's about being positive and active. James 4:17 said, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” Be like Jesus, be fair, positive and pro-active in nature. It can change your entire outlook. It can change the world around you.

LYING SPIRITS

1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly
that in the last times some will
turn away from what we believe;
they will follow lying spirits and
teachings that come from demons.



There's a silly story I'd heard about a man explaining why he never bought into the idea of calling on the spirits of the dead. There was a time that he'd visited a medium and asked her to call upon a friend, a man who was a great scholar of extreme intelligence. When the alleged spirit arrived and spoke, the man asked the spirit, “Are you my friend?” The spirit replied, “I sure is.” The man said “You are not, because if you were the friend that I know, you would have used proper grammar.” That’s a silly anecdote, but there are many people that believe in fortune telling. Truth be told, fortune tellers themselves don’t even know their own fortune. The Bible tells us that these are lying spirits. Just trust in God and everything will be fine. Leave horoscopes and fortune telling for those that wouldn't know any better.

SOURCE OF STRENGTH

Haggai 2:4
But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD.
Take courage, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
Take courage, all you people still left in the land, says the LORD.
Take courage and work, for I am with you, says the LORD Almighty.



There’s a mythological story about a young boy who would pick up a newborn calf everyday while in the field. Now, as the calf’s weight increased a little bit each day, the youth didn’t notice the increase. The boy’s strength grew with the calf’s weight so that he could still lift it even after the calf had grown into a full-sized bull. The weight of the problems that we face each day is allowed by the Lord in order for us to grow and He assured us that He is with us as we carry that very load allowed to us. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light." When your yoke seems heavy, remember to take up Jesus’ yoke instead so that He can be your source of strength.

END ALL YOUR FAILURES

2 Chronicles 7:14
Then if my people who are called by my name
will humble themselves and pray and seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways,
I will hear from heaven and
will forgive their sins and heal their land.



Galatians 4:7 says, “Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, everything he has belongs to you.” We have to be a child of God first, and then humble ourselves before him both praying and seeking his face. So how do we get this done? Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Wickedness has no part in God’s kingdom, so when we find God’s kingdom you’ve found the beginning of success and the end of failure. The kingdom of God is manifest by Jesus through the prayer He taught to His disciples when He said, “Pray in this manner, our Father who is in heaven…Your kingdom come.” Ask the Lord for His kingdom to come to you and end all your failures.

LEADING WITH GENTLENESS

Galatians 6:1
Dear brothers and sisters,
if another Christian is overcome by some sin,
you who are godly should gently and humbly
help that person back onto the right path.
And be careful not to fall
into the same temptation yourself.

Falling into sin or making mistakes is not exclusively a Christian Waterloo. The difference between a Christian's "sin" and a non-Christian's "mistake" is that God can always gently guide the Christian back onto the right path because Christians are His children. J.C. Penny’s first business as a boy was hogging, and when he sold his first hog and made a profit, he bought more hogs and made even more profit. The neighbors, however, began to complain about the smell and noise coming from the nearby pigpens. His dad told him to sell everything. Penny argued and rationalized, but his father kindly told him, “You have no right to make money if by so doing you are taking advantage of other people.” At that moment, Penny's father had gently taught him how to walk the path of success. This approach eventually became one of Penny's core business principles. You can make this a core part of your Christian walk, too. Just be sure to be gentle with your brothers and sisters that have fallen into sin or made mistakes.

YOUR OWN GLORY

1 Corinthians 15:41
The sun has one kind of glory,
while the moon and stars each have another kind.
And even the stars differ from each other
in their beauty and brightness.



Every creation of God has its own glory and man is one of those creations. In fact, man is so unique in design because God breathed into man giving each person a living soul. Our souls are the reason that we are so loved by God, so don’t compare yourself to others because we are all unique individuals in God's eyes. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:12, “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” Life is a long journey, don’t try to measure what is immeasurable. You just have to remember that as a creation of God, you have your own glory in Him.

OVERPOWERED

Luke 22:46
"Why are you sleeping?" he asked. "Get up and pray.
Otherwise temptation will overpower you."



For a man to earn the hand of the Greek female mythological character Atlanta, he would have to win a footrace against her. If that man, however, should lose the race, Atlanta would earn the right to kill him. The man that finally won her as his wife was advised by the gods to use three golden apples during the race to tempt the huntress. Each time Atlanta would run ahead, he would throw a glittering golden apple to distract and charm her. Atlanta stopped to pick up the apples each time and eventually lost the race. Jesus woke up the disciples to pray because through prayer we become connected to our all-knowing Father. Even if a glittering temptation should present itself, God immediately impresses upon us that those worldly things are worthlessness compared to what He has prepared for us with Him. Don’t be overpowered by temptation, commune with God and have His mind.

FAMINE

Amos 8:11
"The time is surely coming," says the Sovereign LORD,
"when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of
bread or water but of hearing the words of the LORD.



The desire to read and listen to the Word of God is totally different from the body’s physical desire for food. Physically, if we don’t eat we get hungry, and if we’re hungry we crave for food. Spiritually, Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every Word of God.” When we talk about spiritual famine, not eating and not reading the Word of God is amplified. I remember an anonymous quote that said, “The Bible will keep you away from sin, but sin will keep you away from the Bible.” When you say “No” to God’s Word and “Yes” to sin, you can be sure that a famine is on its way.

GOD REMAINS THE SAME

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today, and forever.



Whatever God had planned in the past will still happen irregardless of your mistakes, failures or successes. It becomes apparent in Genesis which says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” while in Revelation 21:1, John writes, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.” The fall of man between the book of Genesis and the book of Revelation was remedied by Jesus’ death on the cross to reinstate man to His original creation - fit for the new heaven and the new earth. Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever.” You may change, having your good days and bad days, but He will always be perfect and remain the same.