LISTEN… PLEASE LISTEN

James 1:19 says, “My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” We were probably given two ears and only one mouth because God knew that listening was twice as hard as talking. It may also mean that listening is twice as important as talking. The Bible says in Matthew 15:11, “You are not defiled by what you eat; you are defiled by what you say and do." Imagine what could happen if we had two mouths: we could very easily destroy ourselves. I found this joke about listening in Reader’s Digest: A police officer in a small town stopped a motorist who was speeding down Main Street. "Officer, I can explain", the man said. "No explanation needed!" snapped the Officer. "I'm going to let you cool your heels in jail until the chief gets back." The man tried again. "But Officer, I have to tell you something." "Just keep quiet! You're going to jail and I'm not interested in what you have to say!" the Officer said as he grew angrier. A few hours later the Officer looked in on his prisoner and said, "Lucky for you the chief is at his daughter's wedding. He'll be in a good mood when he gets back." "Don't count on it," answered the fellow in the cell. "I'm the groom." Listen… please be willing to listen.

COMPASSION

Do you want to make a difference in the world? Have you performed any miracles lately? Jude 1:22 says, “And of some have compassion, making a difference.” So many times, Jesus has been said to have had compassion and he indeed made a difference in the lives of people by healing them, forgiving them, casting out demons and performing all forms of miracles. To Him, the actions probably didn’t feel like a miracle – they were just regular actions mirroring what Jesus had in Him for others. We don’t need to offer services to others to make a difference. After all, we’ve already got something in us that others don’t have. Whenever we extend a Godly compassion to people, it’s a miracle for anybody that receives.

BAD COMPANY

Who do you spend time with everyday? 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, "Bad company corrupts good character." I’m sure you all know at least a few of these sayings: “Birds of a feather flock together”; “Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are”; “He that goes with wolves learns to howl”; “He that lays with dogs gets fleas”; “Tell me with whom thou goest, and I’ll tell thee what thou doest”. These are pearls of wisdom that people have gained through personal experiences. Face it – your friends will either lead you to something bad or to something good. It’s been storied that President Ulysses S. Grant was to be entertained at a banquet in Houston and that all of Texas’ distinguished men and women were present at the banquet. After everyone had taken their seats, the headwaiter approached President Grant’s table and as he was about to pour out the first glass of wine for the Guest of Honor, Grant reached forward and turned his empty glass upside down. With the true spirit of Texas pride, every person present reached forward and turned their glass upside down; that night a distinguished dinner was served without a drop of alcohol being imbibed. You too can set new trends as choose your friends carefully.

EXCUSES

How often do you find yourself make excuses for things? The Bible says in James 5:12, “Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned for it.” Be aware of excuses because they usually lean toward lies, and lying leads to death and separation. I’d once read a story about a teenager that was in counseling who said, “I’m sixteen and I made up my mind not to drink… but people make it very hard for me to refuse. They keep insisting and pressing, and some even get angry if I say, ‘I’m sorry, I’d rather have a soda.’ So what’s the best way to refuse?” His counselor replied, “No need to say, ‘I’m sorry’ because you’re inviting them to persuade you if you sound like you’re apologizing. All you need to say is ‘Thanks, but I only drink soda.’ If you can just get the knack of being proud and grateful for being able to hold your standards without feeling awkward or intolerant, you’re going to be a nice example of a human being.” Let your yes be yes and your no be no. No excuses. No apologies.

FORGIVENESS

What happens if you don’t forgive? What if you think you can’t forgive? During the Korean War, a South Korean Christian and his teenaged son, both civilians, were arrested by North Korean Communists and ordered to be shot. A young communist military leader learned that the older prisoner was in charge of an orphanage that cared for young children, so he decided to spare the father and to just have his son executed. The 19 year old boy was executed in the presence of his father. As the fortunes of war changed, the young military leader was captured by UN forces, was tried, and was sentenced to death. Before the sentence could be carried out, the Christian whose son was executed pleaded for the life of his son’s murderer. The grieved father declared that, “He was young and that he really didn’t know what he was doing. Give him to me and I’ll train him.” The UN tribunal granted the request, and that father took his son’s murderer into his own home and cared for him. That very man became a Christian pastor. If we don’t forgive, we could miss the opportunity to see a life change. So what happens if you don’t forgive? Well, Matthew 6:14-15 says, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

ABORTION

What’s your opinion on abortion? Is an embryo already a human? Abortion has been at the center of what appears to be a neverending argument. Does the embryo have the right to life or does the mother that’s carrying the embryo have the right to choose to end of the life of an embryo? There’s always been an attempt to rationalize whether or not an embryo is alive. This is the dilemma that people face when the option of abortion emerges. The solution is simple. When laws are made, legal precedent is followed. Accordingly, “Federal protection of eagles is not limited to the live birds. It extends to their eggs, nests and dead carcasses as well. Not only is it especially unlawful to kill these birds, but federal law also prohibits the mere possession of one feather from an eagle without a government permit.” Matthew 10:29-31 says, “not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.” When lined up for comparison, it’s apparent that an eagle embryo has better legal protection than a human embryo. The laws protecting eagles are certainly reasonable, but how much more reasonable would it be to value the life of a person?

A PARTY IN HEAVEN

Who doesn’t love a good party? In Luke 15:7 it says, “In the same way, heaven will be happier over one lost sinner who returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!” Everybody loves a good party. However, before the earth came to understand what a party was, heaven was already throwing huge bashes. In fact, the Bible taught us what a party feels like in Psalm 100:1-4, “Shout with joy to the LORD, O earth! Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.” At one church where I have pastored, I inherited a youth ministry with just a handful of members. My family prayed long and hard on how to grow spiritually and numerically. We had a Bible study almost every night teaching the youth group to fall in love with the Jesus. Less than a year and a half later, that group was in love with Jesus in great part to the continual studying of the Word. That small handful began an evangelistic crusade which multiplied the youth group by over 12 times where the group would gather monthly to throw a big party where many young souls were saved. When those souls returned to God, it triggered a party in heaven – the one where the heavens rejoice.

LOOKING FOR MORE

Are you looking for more out of life? Ecclesiastes 1:8 reads, “No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.” There’s a story about a poor man who went to his King and complained about his state of poverty: “These rags are all that I have.” The king proceeded to offer the beggar riches, pleasures and honor with one condition – “Give up half of what you now possess: give one of your two boys, one of your eyes, one ear, one hand, one foot.” The poor man realized that he possessed much and that he had failed to appreciate what he had. The Apostle Paul was a hi-caliber lawyer that studied under the tutelage of the best legal luminaries of his time, and I believe he was a wealthy attorney. When he met the Lord on the road to Damascus, his view of wealth was changed. In Philippians 3:8 he said, “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ.” If you’re looking for more, you’re going to find it in Jesus.

STOP

Isaiah 2:22 says, “Stop putting your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. How can they be of help to anyone?” I read this funny story about a guy who was pulled over for running a stop sign. When the police officer checked the man's driver's license he asked, "Did you see the stop sign?” As the officer was eyeing the driver’s license, he then said, “Also, you're wearing glasses on your license, but you’re not wearing your glasses now – so I’m giving you a ticket." The driver interrupted, "Officer, I have contacts." The cop angrily shot back, "Look, buddy, I don't care who you know, I'm giving you a ticket." It’s an interesting story that's an indicator of what it says in Isaiah – how can humans be of help to anyone??? Stop signs are regulatory signs made for a specific purpose and violating a stop sign could cause irreparable damage. Often enough when we go thru life’s challenges, we try hook up with people who can help us through those challenges but become dependent on what those people can provide. It’s not wrong to seek help from people, but best thing that we can do is to stop for a moment, look above and seek God’s help.

A KIND WORD

Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” A pilot landed a plane with a rather rough and bumpy landing. As part of his job he was required to stand by the terminal door and say goodbye to the passengers as they exited the airplane. He was afraid that someone might say something about his rather less than perfect landing, but everyone left without saying a word except for one passenger, an elderly lady that slowly approached the pilot after most passengers had exited the plane. She asked, "Did we land? Or were we shot down?" Our words are powerful; they can make or break the people that we speak to. Everything was created by God through the Word as mentioned in John 1:1-3, “In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make.” The Word here is Jesus, the Truth and the Life. Let Jesus live in our words, so that from our lips will emerge truth and life.

GPS

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.” A GPS is one of the most powerful pieces of equipment for people to use when trying to find a place they’re looking for. I was invited one time by one of my friends to speak in Virginia and one of my church members let me borrow two of his travelling “musts”: 1. an EZ pass which pays tolls without stopping or delays; and 2. a GPS that maps and leads you to your destination. During the road trip, we were on one of the interstate highways and there was a really bad accident which stalled traffic. I was forced to exit off the interstate onto small local streets without knowing where I was, but immediately after I exited, the GPS “recalculated” my position and began telling me where to go. While the places were still foreign to me, I trusted the GPS and ended up just enjoying the view of mountains, fields and the beauty of God’s creations without worrying about directions. Thank God for the GPS when it comes to travel, but regarding life, I’d recommend the God Positioning System. It guides you through our journey of life. The Bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.” Now that’s a GPS worth having.

ARE YOU BROKE?

Are you broke, bankrupt or in debt? Well, being broke isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, when I was a kid, being broke was just about the only thing that I knew when it came to money. If I had a penny when I was a kid, I’d feel like a rich man. I remember at one Christmas, we had a youth fellowship where everyone was asked to bring a gift and the only gift that I could afford to buy was a small bar of soap. During the gift opening, I felt terrible as I heard a sarcastic comment from the person who got my little bar of soap. Ironically, you could also feel just as bad if you were really wealthy. A rich man in Matthew 19:21-22 was told by Jesus, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." But when the rich man heard this, he went away sadly because he had many possessions that he didn’t want to give up. Being broke is God’s way of getting your attention. He shows you that there are things that are more important than money and possessions. You might have a lot today, but your life may be quite empty. Don’t be sad about being broke; just follow the Lord and your life will be filled abundantly with happiness.

REST

Have you had a vacation recently? Is rest an illusive commodity? J.H. Bomberger used to tell the story of Rasselas by Dr. Samuel Johnson:

Rasselas was a prince of Abyssinia who lived in a beautiful valley called Happiness. Even though the valley was beautiful and conditions favorable for those who longed for happiness, the prince became restless, and longed to go abroad in search of something different. Despite remonstrance from his friends, Rasselas took his sister and set out in search of happiness which would fully satisfy his mind. Through many lands he wandered, visiting many cities everywhere inquiring for the whereabouts of happy people, but everywhere he went he met the same spirit of restlessness and discontent. At last he said to his sister, “Let us go back to our own home in the valley of Happiness, for there is nothing better under the sun.”

I wish that I could take a vacation every time I needed one and maybe even have a few escapades in far away land. Isn’t it true, though, that after you’ve gone on vacation you usually return with an exhausted body and the thought of, “Home, Sweet Home” upon arriving home? John 14:1-4 teaches us, "Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know where I am going and how to get there." We may not have enough vacation time in our lives, but don’t worry – Jesus prepared a way to eternal happiness for us.

A STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS

Do you want to experience some major successes? Well, what’s your strategy? In 1934, Joe Louis became the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion and went on to successfully defend his title twenty five times over fifteen years. Bill Stern, the sports voice of Louis’ day, asked Louis how he’d been able to knock out his opponents so quickly in almost every fight. After a few moments, the champ answered, “Two things – first, I study my opponent until I know him better than he knows himself; and second, I make a plan of attack.” Jesus told the disciples and his followers a classic and effective strategy to attain victory. First, you must give your full commitment and allegiance to your Commander-in-chief. Luke 14:26 says, "If you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, more than your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.” Secondly, in Luke 14:33 Jesus teaches us, “So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me.” There’s got to be an end to your personal desires and plans for success; you have to succumb to the Master’s strategy for your success.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Do you like having your picture taken? Do you like shooting photos? Do you remember the funniest photo you’ve ever taken? A picture is really worth a thousand words. I know a few people that are addicted to photography (my daughter’s one of them and she’s certainly not alone!) and I’m sure that almost all of us have been to events, celebrations, outings and activities where we’ve taken pictures or been photographed. Walter Baxendale once told a story about the pious poet, William Cowper, expressing Cowper’s warm affection for his mother’s memory when after her death he was presented a picture of her. Cowper said, “I would rather possess that picture than the richest jewel on the British crown.” The Bible says in Colossians 1:15, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation.” Jesus is the picture of God himself and having Him in your heart means possessing everything that would make the wealthiest people of the world a picture of worthlessness when compared to Him. Whatever you’re facing today, know that Christ in your heart makes your life truly valuable and worthy to face whatever lay before you.

SURVIVAL MODE

Can you survive the challenges you’re currently facing? Psalm 37:19 says, “They will survive through hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.” We’re pressured by challenges every single day. Some people just don’t survive the challenges and many others falter and end up depressed. So, what’s the best survival technique in this money mad and mundane world? Well, there’s a story about a crow that was just about dying of thirst. He spied a water pitcher that was nearly empty; the water was so low that he was unable to reach it with his beak. The crow even tried to break the pitcher by turning it over, but his strength was already tapped. While weak but not discouraged, the crow saw a number of small pebbles close by and he wisely began to drop them into the pitcher one by one, until the water rose to the brim. Once the water had risen high enough, he was able to easily quench his thirst. The crow never became discouraged despite the challenge before him. Discouragement is the biggest hindrance blocking our eyes from seeing the simplest of answers to the challenges before us. It’s the reason why Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “that is why we live by believing and not by seeing.” Believe in Jesus and refuse to be discouraged about the challenges before you, and you will survive all the challenges that come your way.

IS IT GREENER OVER THERE?

What do others have that you’re envious about? Matthew 27:18 says, “He knew very well that the Jewish leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.” Envy will always lead us to do the wrong things. A cartoonist once drew two mules in two fields separated by a fence. Both fields were about the same size and each had plenty of the same kind of green lush grass. Even then, each mule had his head through the fence eating grass from the other mule’s pasture even though they both had fields with plenty of grass. Somehow these mules thought (much like us!) that the grass was greener on the other side of the fence, even though that grass was harder to get to. What happened next is that the mules got caught in the wire fencing and were unable to free themselves. When we look at what others have and the failures that we have, envy is birthed and we become entangled by the wrong desires that lead to the wrongs actions. Be content with what you have – it’s probably pretty green right where you are.

YOU ARE HOLY

Exodus 26:33 says, “When the inner curtain is in place, put the Ark of the Covenant behind it. This curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.” No one was permitted to enter the interior of the Most Holy Place except the high priest once a year. When Jesus said His very last words on the cross, the temple veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was ripped into two pieces from the top to the bottom. Although the point of the veil tearing at Jesus’ death may be that God provides access for all people into His presence, it more likely indicates the departure of God from the temple. The scripture proves that He moved His residency from the temple made by hands to every person who would receive Him. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” Never forget who you are, you were made holy by God’s presence in your life.

A HELPING HAND

When was the last time you sincerely helped another person? Galatians 6:2 says, “Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” Helping another person is a rare act for today’s younger generation. I remember as a boy, if I ever saw an elderly person carrying something heavy, kids would run to help. When the elderly would cross streets, someone would assist them. A husband would open doors and pull chairs for wife, and even seat her at the dining table. There’s a story about two great painters, Apelles and Protogens from the island of Rhodes in the Mediterranean. Apelles was known to be far and away the more talented, but Protogens wanted to paint a portrait that would surpass Apelles’ brilliance. Protogens worked night and day until the painting was almost complete. Leaving home to take care of a few things, Protogens left the painting for several hours just before he was about to apply his finishing touches. While he was out and about, Apelles stepped in to help. He took a brush and added a few touches to the painting making it even more beautiful than Protogens had ever dreamed. When Protogens returned home, he was amazed at its perfection crying out, “Apelles has been here. No one could have done this but Apelles.” Helping others is God’s perfect will. Make helping others a part of who you are.

GUILT

Are you imprisoned by guilt over anything? Job 33:9 says, “I am pure and without sin; I am clean and free from guilt.” I read a tale about a painter who wanted to produce a portrait of innocence. He found and painted a little child named Rupert who was kneeling beside his mother at prayer. The palms of his hands were reverently folded; his mild blue eyes upturned with an expression of devotion and peace. Of course, the painter named the portrait, Innocence. Years later, as the tale told it, the same artist wanted to produce a portrait named Guilt to be the counterpart of his earlier portrait, Innocence. With a purpose, he visited a neighboring prison and found a wretched man lying on the damp floor of a jail cell. The prisoner’s body was horribly wasted and his eyes were hollow. In a twist of irony, the painter found out that this wretch his inspiration for Innocence – it was Rupert. All of us have done things in the past that we are guilty and embarrassed of. These things haunt us to the very moment of mention. We need to learn to forgive ourselves so that we won’t be imprisoned by guilt. After all, Jesus has already forgiven us and freed us. You can’t change your past, but you can choose right now in your present to do something about your future. Repent and ask God for forgiveness, and forgive yourself as well. Your mental, emotional and spiritual freedom is hanging in the balance.

MAKE GOD HAPPY

Matthew 3:17 says, “And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him.’” I really love seeing my kids in a happy mood. On the other hand, if they make me happy it becomes so easy for me to just give them whatever they ask for. I don’t feel in any way that I should repay the joy they’re giving me, but I think that’s just the way it is when a person makes you happy – it’s just so easy for you to give that person what they ask for. More often than not, single women have told me that they’re looking for a man with a sense of humor. Apparently, these single women are choosing ahead of time to be happy and to enjoy laughing with their future husbands through life’s ups and downs. Studies have shown that laughter is one of the greatest mental tonics for man. It’s the second most powerful human emotion that people express, with the first being love. Laughter can break anxiety; it can help manage stress; it can cut through depression, fear and worry. It can stimulate healing. Laughter provides strong medicinal, psychological, social and even spiritual benefits. Laughter brings happiness and if we make God happy, we reap the benefits in the same way as a child would from his or her parents. Obey His will and make God happy today. And while you’re at it, find a moment to laugh about life. It’s definitely worth it.

GOING AROUND IN CIRCLES

Have you ever found yourself in the vicious cycle of sinning the same sin over and over again? Ecclesiastes 1:9 teaches that, “History, merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.” There’s really nothing new happening on earth – only old things happening to new people. The sinful things that we’re doing today are the same sinful things that were done in years long past. If you study history you’ll find that the great civilizations have lasted about 200 years and that the timetable mirrors a journey: people go from slavery to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to apathy; from apathy to dependence; from dependence all the way back to where we started – slavery. You can put an end to this vicious cycle by being mindful of what 1 Peter 2:16 tells us, “You are not slaves; you are free. But your freedom should not be an excuse to sin. Live as servants of God.” Make a choice to stop going around in a circle as slaves to sin, but rather to serve and gain freedom.

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

Ever want to make something ugly into something beautiful? Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that, “God has made everything beautiful for its own time.” Deep down on the inside, I’m a frustrated artist. There was this one time that I had “painted” a portrait of a farm in a nature setting mostly because I like looking at nature in motion. As my portrait was developing, I realized that what I had painted was neither nature nor farm. In a bout of frustration, I handed my “painting” off to my wife, who is a trained fine artist. She began to retouch it with her imagination and artistic hand. She added some plants, trees, clouds, and mountains. She put some depth into it and presto (literally!) it became a masterpiece. There wasn’t, however, any trace of my original portrait. This reminds me that whatever I’ve made of my life – even if I’ve made a complete mess of it – if I place my life into God’s hand, the hand of The Master can do something beautiful with my mess. There’s a wonderful song that says, “Something beautiful, something good. All my confusions He understood. All I have to offer Him is brokenness and strife. And He made something beautiful of my life.” Hand over your messy life with all of the stressful difficulty to Jesus and He’ll turn your life into something beautiful – He’ll turn your life into a masterpiece.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

Have you ever tried counting the little things that you have? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” After church services on Sunday, my wife and I would occasionally take our kids out to eat. At an early age they were taught to say short prayers before meals, so I’d ask my young son to pray and thank the Lord for the food. He was only about three or four years old then, but he would start praying for everything: “Lord, thank You for the plates, the spoons, the forks, the fried chicken, the fish, the rice, the sodas, the water” and on and on and on. When he couldn’t name the individual vegetables, he would say “Thank You for these... plants.” We couldn’t help but laugh out loud over his prayer for meals. I’m sure, however, that God was more than pleased with his prayers. He wants us to be grateful for everything that we have. Start thanking God for everything that you currently have – especially the little things – and you’ll feel and see the difference of your thankful heart. As Colossians 4:2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart”.

LIVE PASSIONATELY

What is it that you desire to accomplish with your life? Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Many have committed to die for causes they believed in. The WWII Kamikaze pilots shocked the world with their passionate belief that their mission was to destroy and die for their country. Differently, here are some well-known missionaries that declared their passion through their prayers:

• GEORGE WHITEFIELD, famous English evangelist said, “O Lord, give me souls, or take my soul.”
• HENRY MARTYN, missionary, cried as he knelt on India’s coral strands are, “Here, let me burn out for God.
• DAVID BRAINERD, missionary to the North American Indians, 1718-1747, declared, “Lord, to you I dedicate myself. Oh, accept of me, and let me be yours forever. Lord, I desire nothing else; I desire nothing more.”
• DWIGHT L. MOODY said, “Use me, then, my Savior, for whatever purpose and in whatever way you will require. Here is my heart, an empty vessel, fill it with your Grace.”
  

God is not looking somebody to die passionately for Him, but rather for those who would live passionately for Him.

GAIN CONTROL

Are you in control of the situations in your life? Do you want to be in control? A University President made this arresting statement to a class of graduating seniors: “It gets easier and easier for man to dominate his universe... and harder for him to dominate himself.” He went on to say, “It matters little what you learn or express if in the end you cannot find some ways of working things out with your neighbors.” Well, the truth of the matter is that individually, we can't dominate the universe, but, with God’s help, we can dominate ourselves. It’s pretty widely believed that man’s greatest enemy is… man. Paul mentions it in Romans 7:19-20 when he says, “When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. But if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it.” In order for us to have control, we must remove sin from our life. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Gain control of your life by giving in to Jesus and removing sin from you life.

ABUNDANCE

How much do you have in the bank? Do you have a lot saved? Are you really rich? In 1976, the Swedish pop group Abba sang “Money, Money, Money.” Money has been the pursuit of almost everyone the world over and is considered a very hot commodity. We all wish that we had a lot of it at times, right? I know the feeling. I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t like money. Jesus told a story about a man who wealthy and had planned out the perfect way to have more. In Luke 12:16-21 it reads, "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. In fact, his barns were full to overflowing. So he said, 'I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store everything. And I'll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get it all?’ Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God." That man had an abundance of money and savings but a large deficit in his relationship with God. Do not be deceived – invest more on your relationship with God rather than worldly riches. A great relationship with God is where you’ll find true abundance.

LYING

When was the last time you lied? Have you been lying about anything in particular? Many people don’t know the effect of a lie until the result of it is manifested. A minister closed a service one morning by saying, “Next Sunday I’m going to preach on the subject of liars. And with this, I’d like you all to read Mark Chapter 17.” The following Sunday, the preacher began his message asking, “Can all of you who did you homework and read the Mark 17 please raise your hands?” Nearly every hand in the congregation went up. To this the preacher responded, “Well, my message is on lying and you’re the very people I want to talk to because Mark doesn’t have a 17th chapter.” Lying is the very reason why man fell into sin. In Genesis 2:16-17, God spoke the truth: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Another false instruction was given in Genesis 3:4-5: “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil.” Jesus who is the Truth himself said in John 8:44 that it was because of Satan’s lie that man faced death. Satan was a murderer from the beginning and his weapons a lies. The next time you find yourself lying, know that the result of your lie is you killing yourself.

HUMILITY

Are you a humble person? What is humility? A young foreign military commander, travelled to Europe while on a special mission. Upon his arrival, he decided to hold a lavish party at one of the best hotels where he would invite notable dignitaries for a fancy dinner. At the end of the banquet, the young host rose to say a few words as dictated by his own national custom saying, “I am greatly honored by your presence tonight. However the food is meager and simple and I may have slighted you, for which I wish to offer my apologies.” When the guests were gone, he was presented with a bill and, to his great surprise, a claim of defamation by the chef because he had publicly slandered the culinary reputation of the best restaurant in the country. The young commander’s self expressed humility was offered at the expense of other people. True humility is meekness of oneself for the benefit of others. Jesus is the perfect example of humility because it was at His expense that the world would benefit. The Bible says in Philippians 2:5-8, “Your attitude should be the same that Christ had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross.” When we humble ourselves just like Jesus it will benefit others. It will benefit the world.

JUSTICE

Has life been unfair? Have you ever been betrayed? Have you ever been misunderstood? If justice were an actual person, he would already have died from the job-related stress or from heart failure due to the global demand for justice in all things. The downsides of trying to find or provide justice are the reason why Jesus told us not to be judges. Matthew 7:1-4 says, "Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged.” Ouch, that reality hurts! However, when it’s taken from the proper perspective, living this way actually relieves us of the very stresses of distributing our brand of personalized justice. You see it isn’t for us to judge whether life is unfair, or to feel ill will towards those who’ve betrayed us, nor to pass judgment upon those who’ve misunderstood us because our minds are both limited and inadequate to postulate any righteous solutions. 2 Timothy 4:8 tells us that Jesus is our righteous Judge and He will award you on that great day of his return. And that prize is not only for you, but for all who eagerly look forward to His glorious return.

HEALING

Sick? Not feeling well? Maybe something’s bothering you? Hmm… you may need some healing. “One morning a physician observed his comedian patient and said, “You seem to be coughing with more difficulty.” The comic answered, “That’s surprising because I’ve been practicing all night.” There isn’t a person in the world that doesn’t need some kind of healing. This is the reason pharmaceutical companies are the one of the biggest industries in the world. Man will forever search for a cure for an ailment, thus beginning a vicious cycle: after finding a cure to one ailment, a new one will likely emerge and then the cycle repeats. It is a curse to the human body that ate the forbidden fruit of God and only God can reverse that curse. We learn from David in Psalm 41:4: “O Lord, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you.” The very source of sickness is sin and the only cure is repentance. Ask God for forgiveness, and just start doing what’s right and you’ll find healing.