MORE MONEY MEANS MORE PROBLEMS

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've always admired is, “There is poverty in riches and riches in poverty.” Ecclesiastes 5:11 rings true to the point where one would require a gift of discernment just to wisely choose the people with whom to surround oneself with because of the expenses that come with people. 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'll ever had and that what is spent for God has eternal significance.

BE ON GUARD, COURAGEOUS AND 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. You read that correctly - a jumbo jet. The proceeds he received for setting this world record were donated to children's cancer charity so that children with cancer could travel before their days would end. Huxley's purpose may seem pretty simple, but we are all designed by God to fulfill a purpose not only for ourselves, but also to help others. There is real joy when we finally find out and fulfill what God designed us for, but you have to be part of the body of Christ for the purpose to be unveiled. Stand strong and be resilient for God’s purpose in your life. The joy of knowing will be unmistakable.

DRAW CLOSER TO BLESSINGS

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.

OBEY BY FAITH

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 the big things? It's probably because when they gave their children responsibilities to do something small, their kids didn’t obey the instructions completely. God wants to entrust us with the many blessings that He prepared for us from the beginning of time, but people just never seem able to fully obey His instructions. There's a World War II story about a request that Great Britain sent to Australia to build warships. The Australians chose not to build ships, but instead sowed seeds with the intent to reap a great 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 to move the grain. Eventually, mice got to the waiting grain and soon after made their way to towns, villages and cities, carrying diseases with them that would damage people’s eyes with blindness. The moral of this story is that an intended blessing can be a curse without obedience when basic instructions aren’t followed. When we do choose to obey, however, the blessings and the joy are entrusted without fail.

KNOW YOUR ESCAPE ROUTE

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 world around us, this is something impossible in the spiritual realm regarding sin. The only way to escape sin is through 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.” Our Father loved us so much that He provided Himself as the very escape plan to victory for anyone who puts their trust in Him.

YOU'RE WORTH IT

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 was suddenly overcome with weakness while swimming in a deep part of 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 help the boy. 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 all sinners. 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 is worth the sacrifice made to save your soul.

SHORT LIVED PHYSICAL 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 winning a war, 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 deadly 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 could have everything that the world would offer, you would still need to understand that those pleasures are short-lived when compared to the eternal joy that God will give. The lesson is quite simple: instant gratification does not bring long term happiness.

GOD TAKES NO PLEASURE IN FOOLS

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.

MISSING THE FOREST BECAUSE OF THE TREES

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've made 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 than expend energy on a pointless task, put your efforts into doing the right things and you'll happily reap the best things.

THEY DON'T REALLY HATE YOU

John 15:18

When the world hates you, remember it hated me before it hated you.

A young soldier that was a member of a prominent family became a follower of Christ during one of his tours of duty. After one particular tour, 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." Once word had gotten around about his faith, some of his friends stopped inviting him out and others cut communication completely. It's sad that when you become a Christian, some of your friends will turn away from you, but don’t worry about it because Jesus taught us that they're not turning from you, but rather that they're turning away from Him. In what's probably best for your life anyhow, it’s just time to make new friends that won't lead you astray from the path that God has set for you.

JUDGMENT DAY

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.

DON'T GAMBLE WITH BORROWED TIME

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. A student that was considering receiving Christ approached the university's president and asked, “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 the death of this student prior to him coming to Christ. Don't let what could be your last chance to accept Christ personally pass lazily. 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 that's been borrowed. 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.’”

THE MOST POTENT WEAPON EVER

Job 31:25

Does my happiness depend on my wealth and all that I own?

Charles Cranford became the owner of Napoleon Bonaparte’s personal sword in a purchase he made at a Swiss auction. 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 valuable in worldly terms, the Apostle Paul tells us about another sword in Ephesians 6:17 when he writes, “The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” And regarding the Word, John 1:1 teaches us that, “In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God.” Anybody who accepts the Word of God as truth, also accepts God and His righteousness. With the Word you have the most valuable and potent weapon ever fashioned for battle or peacekeeping. This is the truest wealth and the real source of true happiness and joy.

IS IT REALLY MORE THAN YOU CAN BEAR?

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 as a sacrifice, even though this son was the only seed for Abraham’s future generations. Given that reason, Abraham would have 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, 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.

ARE YOU READY FOR WHAT'S NEXT?

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, I use a story about a king who gave his jester a stick and some orders, “You’re a fool. Leave here, 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.

HIS GUARDIAN ANGELS

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.

When 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 may 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.

WE ARE NOT FIGHTING HUMANS

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.

FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN

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 first atomic bomb project, 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 to the world 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 across the entire world.

REPETITION IS THE MOTHER OF LEARNING

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.

IS IT REALLY MORE THAN YOU CAN BEAR?

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 as a sacrifice, even though this son was the only seed for Abraham’s future generations. Given that reason, Abraham would have 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, 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.

BY GRACE YOU ARE SAVED

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 see 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 gardener's rude reprimand, so she approached and asked the poor woman what had happened. The poor woman told the princess about 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 free of charge. 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.

THE REWARD IS GREATER THAN THE RISK

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 from Jesus. A command that can evoke only two answers, a yes or a no. There will always be people that will say that following Jesus is risky since Christ's very own 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 to the eyes of the those that do not know Christ personally, 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.

HEARTS FLOODED WITH LIGHT

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 to develop some strong knowledge. There’s a story that was told to me about a commanding general of a line division in Korea who was inspecting his 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.

YOUR ARMOR AND PROTECTION

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. Amazingly, 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 the 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.

STAY AWAY FROM THE LOVE OF MONEY

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 his rent to his money-loving landlord. The farmer asked his landlord 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'd 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 has blessed you with gifts and riches that ought to be used. Don't store them up for your own purposes or desires. Use those things that God has given you for the purposes He has designed for His glory. Life’s short and one day you’re going to leave it all behind. Money just doesn’t make a very good master, but it does make a pretty good servant.

MORE THAN WORDS

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 an ordinary word. Love is 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.

BE SINCERELY APOLOGETIC

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?

RELIGION WON'T SAVE YOU

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 been trying to communicate God. Men have established religion after religion to satisfy the longing hunger to know the true Supreme Being. The problem is that religion is a weak attempt by man to reach God. It's not religion that opens up the lines of communication with God, but rather it's coming to accept that Jesus is the only mediator between God and people. Without accepting Christ as the Way, man's search for a connection 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. The Son of God had to reach out to all of humanity for there to be any kind of relationship. You can't do it on your own or through a religious body. It's only through Jesus and His gift of redemption.

MIRRORING THE LIGHT

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 for 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.

QUENCH YOUR THIRST

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 refreshing brooks of water along the way for you. As a child of God, you're already victorious and He will never let you down.