KNOW WHEN TO STOP

Isaiah 2:22
Stop putting your trust in mere humans.
They are as frail as breath.
How can they be of help to anyone?



I read a silly 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 eying the license, he said to the driver, “You’re not wearing your glasses, 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 a silly, yet interesting story that's an indicator of how can humans can be seriously useless. On the issue of stop signs, it's important to understand that stop signs are regulatory signs made for specific purposes. Violating a stop sign could even cause irreparable damage. Often enough when we go through life’s challenges, we try to quickly handle the problems that come our way and we miss the stop signs that God has for us. Do yourself a favor and take a moment to stop, look to God and seek His help. After all, He knows what's best for you and He's the best friend you'll ever have.

ALL THE RIGHT WORDS

Colossians 4:6
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.

DIRECTIONS

Psalm 119:105
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 to use for directions to a destination. 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 traveling “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, the Word. It guides you through your 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.

THE PRICE OF HAPPINESS

Matthew 19:21-22
'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.



Have you ever experienced financial difficulty or been in need? Well, being in that situation may not be a bad thing for you. 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. Being broke, or better yet, broken, is God’s way of getting your attention. He shows you that there are things that are more important than money, possessions or your own personal desires. You might even have plenty today, but your life may very well be quite empty. If you're truly interested in the price of happiness, be obedient in following the Lord and your life will be filled in ways that cannot be quantified.

A RESTLESS SEARCH

John 14:1-4
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.



Do you rest well? Is rest difficult for you to find? I'm reminded of 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.”

Isn't interesting how people can search restlessly for something that they already possess? I wish that I could take a vacation every time I felt I needed one and maybe even have a few escapades in far away land. Truth be told, we may not have enough vacation time in our lives, but don’t worry – Jesus prepared a place of eternal happiness for us. A place where true happiness and some much needed rest can be found.

THE FIRST STEP TOWARD SUCCESS

Luke 14:26,33
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...
So no one can become my disciple
without giving up everything for me.



To experience major success in your life, you're going to need a proven strategy. In 1934, Joe Louis became the heavyweight boxing champ and successfully defended his title twenty five times over fifteen years. Bill Stern, who was 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 which starts with you making a full commitment of allegiance to your Commander-in-chief. To do that, however, means that there’s got to be an end to your own personal desires and plans for success. Have you already taken the first step towards the best successes that you'll ever achieve?

A THOUSAND WORDS

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.



Do you like having your photo taken? Do you like being the person behind the camera taking the photos? Can you remember the funniest photo ever taken of you? A picture really is worth a thousand words when you get down to it. I know several people that are plainly addicted to photography (my daughter’s one of them and she’s certainly not alone!) and I’m sure nearly everyone has been to an event, celebration, outing or activity where photos have been taken. Walter Baxendale once wrote a story about the pious poet, William Cowper, which expressed Cowper’s warm memories of his mother. After she passed away, Cowper was given a photo of her as a remembrance. Cowper said of that photo, "I would rather possess that picture than the richest jewel on the British crown." According to the Bible, Jesus is a picture of God Himself and having Him in your heart is priceless. Whatever you’re facing today, know that Christ in your heart makes your life truly valuable and worthy to face whatever challenges or situations lay before you.

SURVIVOR: PLANET EARTH

Psalm 37:19
They will survive through hard times;
even in famine they will have more than enough.



Can you survive the challenges you’re currently facing? We’re pressured by challenges every single day. Some people don’t survive the challenges and many others just falter and end up depressed. So, what’s the best survival technique to combat a 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.

THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER

Matthew 27:18
He knew very well that
the Jewish leaders had
arrested Jesus out of envy.



What do others have that you’re envious about? Envy is a pretty extreme experience and I think it's safe to say that envy typically leads us down a path toward the wrong things. I'm reminded of a cartoonist that once drew a field with two mules separated by a fence. Both fields were 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. What happened next is that each mules got caught their heads caught in the wire fencing and were unable to free themselves. Just like people, these mules somehow thought that the grass would be greener on the other side of the fence, even though that grass would be harder to get to. When we look at what others have and compare it sinfully to what we don't have, envy is birthed and we become entangled by all the wrong desires that lead to all the wrongs actions. Put some effort into finding contentment with what you have. After all, it’s probably pretty green right where you are.

YOU WERE MADE HOLY

Exodus 26:33
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 for the high priest once a year. When Jesus uttered 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 top to bottom. Although many interpret the tearing of the veil at Jesus’ death as the provision of access to God for all people, it more likely indicates the departure of God from the temple. The scripture proves that He moved His residency from the man-made temple to every person who would receive Him. The Bible teaches us 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." If you've received Him, never forget who you are because you were made holy by God’s presence in your life.

PEOPLE IN NEED

Galatians 6:2
Share each other's troubles and problems,
and in this way obey the law of Christ.



Helping people in need seems to be a rare act for today’s younger generations. I can remember when as a young boy, I would see kids run to help the elderly to carry something heavy or to cross the streets. I'm reminded of the story about two great painters, Apelles and Protogens. 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 his painting was almost complete. Upon leaving his home on errands, 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 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 saying, “Apelles has been here. No one could have done this but Apelles.” Helping others is a part of God’s perfect will, so work to make helping others a part of your chararacter.

GUILT FREE

Job 33:9
I am pure and without sin;
I am clean and free from guilt.



I recently read a tale about a painter who wanted to produce a portrait that would embody "innocence." He found a little child named Rupert and painted an image of him kneeling and praying beside his mother. His palms were reverently folded and his mild blue eyes upturned with an expression of devotion. The painter titled the portrait, Innocence. Years later, the same artist wanted to produce a counterpart to Innocence that would be titled, Guilt. The artist visited a nearby prison and found a wretched man lying on a damp floor of a jail cell. The prisoner’s body was horribly wasted and his eyes hollowed. In a ironic twist, the painter found out that this wretch was Rupert, his inspiration for Innocence. All of us have done things in the past that we are guilty and embarrassed of. Some things even haunt us at the mere mention of a reminder. We all need to forgive ourselves so that we won’t be imprisoned by our own guilt. After all, the Lamb of God has already forgiven and freed us. You can’t change your past, but today you can choose 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.

THE GREATEST MENTAL TONIC

Matthew 3:17
And a voice from heaven said,
‘This is my beloved Son,
and I am fully pleased with him.’



More often than not, single women tell me that they’re looking for a man with a great sense of humor. These women have apparently chosen ahead of time to be happy and to enjoy life with their future husbands even through the ups and the downs. Studies have proven that laughter is one of the greatest mental tonics for man. Laughter can break anxiety; it can help manage stress; it can cut through depression, fear and worry. It can even stimulate healing. Laughter provides strong medicinal, psychological, social and even spiritual benefits. Laughter is the second most powerful human emotion that a person can express (the first is love). Laughter brings out happiness and if we make God happy, we reap the benefits in the same way as an obedient child would from his or her parents. Obey His will and you'll certainly make God happy. And while you’re at it, take a moment to laugh about life. It’ll be worth it.

AROUND AND AROUND AND...

Ecclesiastes 1:9
History, merely repeats itself.
It has all been done before.
Nothing under the sun is truly new.



Have you ever found yourself trapped in a vicious cycle of sinning the same sin over and over again? This isn't something that's unique to you, or to the present time that we're in. The sinful things that we’re doing today are the same sinful things that people were doing for generations in the distant past. Historically, we even learned that great civilizations experienced a cyclical 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 things started – slavery. Put an end to the vicious cycle of sin by being mindful of what 1 Peter 2:16 teaches 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 conscious choice to stop going around and around in circles as slaves to sin, but rather to serve Him and gain your freedom.

YOU'RE A MASTERPIECE

Ecclesiastes 3:11
God has made everything
beautiful for its own time.



Ever want to make something ugly into something beautiful? Maybe you didn't like the way a room looked and you rearranged it; or maybe you had a work area that was in disarray and you organized it? As for me, deep down inside I’m a frustrated artist and there was a portrait I was painting of a farm set in nature. As the portrait was developing, I realized that my painting was going nowhere fast and in a bout of frustration, I handed the work off to my wife, a trained artist. She began to retouch it by adding some shrubbery, skylines and natural backdrops. She added the missing depth and it became a masterpiece. There wasn’t, however, a single trace of my original portrait which reminded me about my life in Christ. You see, whatever mess we make of our lives can still be made into something beautiful if we placed our lives into God’s masterful hand. 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, all of your stressful situations and difficult challenges to Jesus and He’ll turn your life into something beautiful. He’ll turn your life into a masterpiece.

GIVE THANKS

1 Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks:
for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you.



Have you ever tried counting all of the little things that you've been blessed with? After church services on Sunday, my wife and I would sometimes take our children 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 individual vegetables, he would say, “Thank You for the... umm... 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. After all, God wants us to be grateful for everything that we have. Start thanking God for everything that you currently have – especially the little things. You’ll feel and see the difference when having a thankful heart. As Colossians 4:2 says, "Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart."

LIVE WITH PASSION

Galatians 2:20
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.



What do you want to accomplish with your life? There are many brave people that have committed themselves to die for the causes they believed in. The WWII Kamikaze pilots shocked the world with their passionate belief in their mission to destroy and die for Imperial Japan. Vastly different in nature, here are some well-known Christian missionaries that declared their passion through their prayers:

George Whitefield - “O Lord, give me souls, or take my soul.”
Henry Martyn - “Here, let me burn out for God.
David Brainerd - “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 - “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 isn't looking for somebody to die passionately for Him, but rather for people that would live passionately for Him. How passionate is your life for God today?

HOW TO GET A GRIP

Romans 7:19-20
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.



Do you want better control of your life and the things that go on in your life? During a graduation address, a university President once told the graduating class that, "It gets easier and easier for man to dominate his universe... and harder for him to dominate himself... 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 we can't individually dominate the universe, but with God’s help we can dominate our own lives. After all, it’s widely believed that man’s greatest enemy is himself. In order for us to have that kind of control, sin needs to be removed as a factor in our lives. 1 John 1:9 teaches us that, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Get a grip on your life by giving in to Jesus so that sin can be removed from you life.

A HOT COMMODITY

Luke 12:16-21
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.



Money has been a pursuit of almost everyone the world over and people that have money are considered a hot commodity. Some of us even have an inner desire to have large sums of money at their disposal just for the mere pleasures that it can bring. I know that feeling and I’d be lying if I said, "I don’t like money." Jesus told a story in Luke 12:16-21 about a wealthy man that planned out a perfect way to have even more, but he had a poor or non-existent relationship with God. Don't be deceived by the lure of money. Invest more into your relationship with God rather than worldly riches. A great relationship with God is where you’ll find true abundance.

FALLING OVER AND OVER AGAIN

Genesis 2:16-17
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.



Have you ever told a little white lie? The reality behind lying is that we never know the actual effect of a lie until all the after effects are fully manifested. I'm reminded of a story about a minister that ended his sermon with some homework saying, “Next Sunday I’m going to preach about lying. In preparation, I’d like you all to read Mark, Chapter 17.” The following Sunday, the preacher began his message asking, “Can all of you that read Mark 17 please raise your hands?” As nearly every hand in the congregation shot up, the preacher replied, “Well, my message is on lying and you’re the very people I want to talk to because the Book of Mark doesn’t have a 17th chapter.” Lying is the very reason why man fell into sin and in Genesis 3:4-5 we learn about the very first lie ever told, “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.” Isn't it amazing to see how that very first lie has resulted in generation upon generation of sin and that the results aren't even final? Do your best to remain honest and true, and remember that when you lie, the actual result is a self-inflicted wound.

FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS

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.



Are you a humble person? Better yet, what exactly is humility? I'm reminded of a story about a young foreign military commander that traveled to Europe for a special mission. Upon his arrival, he held a lavish party at a grand hotel and invited notable dignitaries to be honored guests. As the banquet came to an end, 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 was meager and simple, and I may have slighted you, for which I wish to offer my apologies.” After the guests had left, he was presented with a bill and to his great surprise, the chef's claim of defamation. The chef felt that his culinary reputation, and the reputation of his restaurant had been publicly slandered. 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 a perfect example of humility because it was at Christ's expense that the whole world would benefit. Take the time to humble yourself like Jesus because it is completely for the benefit of others' salvation and the relationships that are needed to spread the Good News.

JUDGE AND JURY

Matthew 7:1-4
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.



Has life ever been unfair to you? Have you ever been misunderstood? Have you ever been betrayed? If justice were an actual person, he would've already died from job-related stress from everyone's demands. The downside of trying to provide judgment is the reason why Jesus told us not to judge. Living without judging others relieves us of the stresses of personalizing justice. You see it isn't our job to judge others because our minds are both limited and inadequate to postulate any truly righteous solutions. 2 Timothy 4:8 teaches us that Jesus is the righteous Judge and that He will reward us on the great day of His return. That prize is not just for those that you might deem worthy, but for anyone that eagerly awaits His glorious return.

HEALING TOUCH

Psalm 41:4
O Lord, have mercy on me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you.



Have you been ill? Not feeling right in some way? Do you have any kind of pain? If you're like most people, you answered "Yes" to at least one of those questions. I'm reminded of an exchange between a physician and a patient that happened to be a stand-up comic. The doctor said his patient, “You seem to be coughing with more difficulty.” The comedian replied, “That’s surprising because I’ve been practicing all night!” It's a silly anecdote, but there isn’t a person that doesn’t need healing in some way. Pharmaceutical drug companies earn billions of dollars taking advantage of people's desire for healing. In fact, man will forever be caught in the vicious cycle of searching for cures while creating ailments. In God's eyes, the very source of sickness and ailment is sin and the cure is repentance. So if you're looking for the kind of healing that only supernatural healing could provide, take up your Bible and get right with God.

THE VAST CELESTIAL

John 14:1-3
Let not your heart be troubled:
ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father's house are many mansions:
if it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again, and receive you unto myself;
that where I am, there ye may be also.



A little city girl visiting the countryside for the first time looked up to see a starlit night sky. She asked herself, “If heaven’s so beautiful on the wrong side, what’s it like on the right side?” Since the beginning of time there's been a debate over heaven's existence, but is the argument really all that important when heaven’s existence is already obvious when gazing upon the vast celestial? A famous evangelist once described heaven as a spiritual home, a promised home, a home beautiful beyond all imagination, and a home with no sadness. In heaven, family and friends will be reunited with Christ at the center of it all. Unto Him, all hearts will turn, and upon Him all eyes will rest. The very first sentence of the Bible teaches us that, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." The little city girl that saw that saw the beauty of heaven from the dark side of life saw the hope of heaven because it must truly be more glorious on the other side. Do you know if you'll ever get to see heaven? Put your life in God's hands and you’ll learn the answer.

HOW TO ACCOMPLISH THE IMPOSSIBLE

Mark 9:29
And he said unto them,
this kind can come forth by nothing,
but by prayer and fasting.



When the disciples tried to heal people in the way that Jesus did, they found that they hadn't yet attained the ability heal anybody. In fact, people were still bringing their sick loved ones to the disciples for healing when someone complained to Jesus saying, "Teacher, I brought my son for you to heal him. He can't speak because he is possessed by an evil spirit that won't let him talk. And whenever this evil spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground and makes him foam at the mouth and grind his teeth and become rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn't do it." Christ gave the prescription on how to accomplish the impossible in Mark 9:29 and it’s by two keys components: prayer and fasting. Since this is the solution and the Bible speaks no lies, what’s keeping you from praying and fasting so that you can accomplish the impossible?