IN TIMES OF FLESHLY TEMPTATION

1 Corinthians 10:13

But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.

Here’s a silly anecdote for you: The head of a dormitory was giving instructions to the dorm residents informing them that the, “Male students are not allowed into female dorms, and female students are not allowed into male dorm rooms. Anybody caught breaking this rule will be fined $20 the first time. The second time you will be fined $60. A third time will cost you a fine of $180. Any questions?" A male student quipped, "How much for a season pass?" It's certainly a comedic statement, but in all seriousness, rules are meant to be obeyed not to be violated. God's rules even have the sovereignty of His throne. That said, in times of fleshly temptation, you need to remember that God is faithful to show you a way of resistance. If you are faithful and obedient when following Him, the way out that He provides will be obvious and easy to see.

HELP! I'M IN TROUBLE!

Isaiah 38:14

Delirious, I chattered like a swallow or a crane, and then I moaned like a mourning dove. My eyes grew tired of looking to heaven for help. I am in trouble, Lord. Help me!

Have you ever been in such deep trouble that you felt it might be the actual end of everything? King Hezekiah of the Old Testament was in the prime of his life when he became deathly ill. His power, popularity, money and everything else under his power were useless and unable to heal him. He was tired and dying, and he had exhausted everything he possessed to be healthy again. He realized that the only One who'd be able to heal and lead him out of his troubles was the Lord. You might have everything going in your life at the moment, and you may even feel that you don’t need God right now, but you really ought to thank Him for all the blessings you have because the time may come that you’ll go through what King Hezekiah experienced. God will again be the only one left to help you after you exhaust every last one of your options. If you're a believer, do not fear! After all, you've no need to be afraid because He's always been there for you in your times of need.

STRAINING TO THE END OF THE RACE

Philippians 3:14

I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.

One of my all time favorite hymns is Higher Ground which was written in 1892 by Johnson Oatman, Jr.

I’m pressing on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining every day;
still praying as I’m onward bound, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
Lord, lift me up and let me stand, by faith, on Heaven’s table land,
A higher plane than I have found; Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay;
though some may dwell where those abound, my prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

Paul wrote in Colossians 3:1-2, “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.” There's really not much more to add. If you're a believer in Christ, you're heaven bound and heading upward to higher ground.

IT'S A HARD KNOCK LIFE

Genesis 41:52

Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, "God has made me fruitful in this land of my suffering.

This story is just too good to be true, yet it's true. Joseph was sold by his brothers to become a slave, and later he was charged with and imprisoned for a crime that he didn't commit. Throughout all of this, his faith in God remained steady and he never violated the God's commands. The situation seemed impossible, but God makes ways for us. Not only was he Joseph released from prison, but in due time he would became Prime Minister of Egypt. More than half of his life was spent in the school of hard knocks, but every time he passed his tests, the Lord promoted him forward. Don't question what God has promised in the light as you pass through during the darkness of night. You can always be fruitful in every circumstance and situation.

WILLING TO ENDURE ANYTHING

2 Timothy 2:10

I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.

It was Paul who said in 1 Corinthians 2:16, “We have the mind of Christ.” Paul put into practice the example of Christ when reaching out to the masses. Jesus was radical in His way, but it was all grounded in the Truth because Jesus is the Truth. Jesus healed a sick person during Sabbath and He allowed His disciples to eat during Sabbath. He wasn't trying to be irreverent, He was just showing that above all else the rules aren't as important as the people. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He told them to begin prayer in this manner, "Our Father." Just uttering those words wasn’t even possible for the common Jew of that day. They couldn't even mumble "God," not to mention that they would need to be completely cleansed before saying “God.” Also, just to make their hallowed approach clearer, even a pen that would be used for writing "Yahweh" couldn’t be used for writing any other words. When Jesus arrived and began teaching the disciples to pray to God as their “Father,” it becomes even more evident that people were the most important thing to Jesus. Whatever the cost may be, we must do everything for every person to become a child of God. After all, Jesus paid the ultimate price for every person to come to salvation in reconciliation with God the Father.

THE ARMOR OF GOD

1 Timothy 6:12

Fight the good fight for what we believe. Hold tightly to the eternal life that God has given you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.

Jesus taught us in Luke 17:6 that, “Even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May God uproot you and throw you into the sea,’ and it would obey you!” Everything in life is a part of a larger spiritual battle. Paul said in Galatians 4:3, “And that's the way it was with us before Christ came. We were slaves to the spiritual powers of this world.” You may find this odd, but our physical body is just an instrument used to carry out what the spiritual body desires and dictates. Freedom from the powers of the spiritual realm is achieved by believing in the salvation offered by Jesus Christ alone. To win the fight, you must have eternal life brought about by your faith in God. Your physical life is all about a spiritual faith battle, so train up, put on the armor of God and be prepared for what's coming at you.

A LOVE FILLED WITH PASSION

1 John 4:10

This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

I read this incredible story about a mother who was trapped by a prairie fire while carrying her baby on her back. The wildfire was moving so fast and the woman realized that there was no possible escape. Quickly taking the baby off of her back, she began digging a hole in the ground with her bare hands. She then placed her child into the hole and covered the hole and child with her body. Later, when the field was being searched, this woman was found dead, but the child was alive. I truly believe that every loving mother would do the same for her children. This kind of self-sacrificing love is a physical reflection of God, the source of all love. "For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).” If you're looking for what real love looks like, look no further.

YOU DID THE CRIME BUT WON'T SERVE TIME

John 5:24

I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

There is no condemnation for anyone who believes and receives the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers get an early verdict on death and pass from death directly unto life. Paul recognized this amazing work of Christ when he wrote in Romans 8:1, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” The condemnation according to Romans 6:23, “Is death.” That condemnation gets replaced by God's gift of eternal life given to us through Jesus Christ. If you haven’t accepted the gift of eternal life, you’re just existing on borrowed time. Listen to the message of Jesus, believe God's promises and live an amazing eternal life without condemnation.

NO MORE STRESS, PRESSURE AND DEPRESSION

Hebrews 4:9

So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God.

Over the years I've consistently heard people tell me that they're stressed out, tired or depressed. I can understand what's happening with those folks because they're under the constant pressures of life's daily grind. The average person has a rent or a mortgage, utility bills, insurance, groceries and so many other expenses. Sometimes it feels like we’re alive just so we can work. Once pressure and depression hits you, the sleepless nights aren't far off. Some even rely on medication just to find some rest. If you've got God on your side, however, He has a special rest waiting for you. If you're a believer, I encourage you to sit back and commune with God during the difficult moments. Philippians 4:7 teaches us, “If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” He can give you rest from stress, pressure and depression. He can give you the special rest that can only be found in Christ. Just let Him carry you.

DON'T THINK YOURSELF SO WISE

Isaiah 55:8-9

"My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Having all the right college degrees and all the right experiences in life still can't make a person knowledgeable about everything. Make no mistake about it, only God knows everything. I'm reminded of a story about four teenage students that cut classes to go and hangout. After lunch, they told their teacher that they had a flat tire and that was the reason that they weren’t at their morning classes. The teacher smiled and said, "Well, you guys missed a quiz today, so take your seats apart from one another and take out a blank piece of paper." The four followed the instructions and the teacher wrote a single question of the board: Which tire was flat?" They looked at each other and hung their heads because they knew their alibi didn't work and that they had been caught in their own lie. In Romans 1:22 Paul writes, “Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.” Even the brightest among us have to follow God’s way presented by His Holy Word because only God knows what's best for each and every one of us at each and every possible moment.

DOOMED TO REPEAT HISTORY

Hebrews 3:8

Don't harden your hearts against him as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested God's patience in the wilderness.

In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul reminds Christians of the past mistakes made by God's chosen people. They had rebelled against and disobeyed Him on their way to the Promised Land, and the consequences were pretty harsh because not a single one of the original Israelites who had come out of Egypt were allowed to set foot upon the Promised Land. Philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” By learning from the Bible, you can break the chain of repetition and move onto glory. Believe, learn and obey the Word of God. Trust all of His promises. Do not harden your heart and never doubt Him if you want to touch and see the blessings God has meant for your life. Always be mindful of your actions because you may not even realize that you're being rebellious or disobedient.

ON YOUR MOST DESPERATE DAYS

Jeremiah 17:17

Lord, do not desert me now! You alone are my hope in the day of disaster.

When desperate people completely lose hope, it's not out of the question to find them thinking about suicide. The main reason that the desperate would even consider such a tragic "solution" is that they're just not able to see any hopeful bright spots with everything feeling dark, painful and hopeless. The concept of hope represents something unseen in the future that a depressed mind just can't materialize in their present situation. Only God knows the things that are hoped for because He is present in the eternity past and the eternity future at the same exact time. This makes God able to simultaneously see that which is hoped for and know whether or not it materializes into reality. God is even able to see if what we hope for is good or bad for us. The prophet Jeremiah recognized the value of hope in Jeremiah 17:17. His prayer was for God to rescue him because God was indeed his only hope. Without question, if God is in your life, even your most desperate days have bright spots because of the hope that God places in your heart.

BEAUTY SECRETS

1 Peter 3:3

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.

An attractive older woman was asked about her beauty secrets. Her reply was this: "I use for my lips, truth; for my voice, kindness; for my eyes, compassion; for my hands, charity; for my figure, decency; for my heart, love; for any who do not like me, prayer." Notice the ties to what Jesus teaches us in Mark 7:14-15, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.'" I guess it can be argued that what comes out of us is entirely dependent upon what we allow to be put into us. If we take a stance to fill ourselves only with good things, and we ask Jesus to truly live in our hearts and lives, then only true beauty could come out of you. At the end of the day, nothing that you can adorn yourself with can make you beautiful the way Jesus can. Nothing.

YOU ARE A MIST

James 4:14

You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

A doctor that had been desperately trying to contact one of his patients was finally able to speak with the man via phone. The doctor told his patient, “I have the results of your tests. Which do you want to hear first: the bad news or the very bad news?" His patient responded, "Well, I guess I'll take the bad news first." With that the doctor replied, "Well the bad news is, you have only 24 hours to live." His patient in a state of shock asked, "24 hours to live? That's horrible! What could be worse than that? So what's the very bad news?" The doctor replied, "I've been trying to contact you for 23 hours." It’s a really silly story, but the Bible tells us that our lives are like a mist appearing for a short while and then vanishing quickly. Let’s be real about the fact that your life can end at any point. Because life is short, you need to be ready for whatever tomorrow brings by entrusting your life to God. He knows your story, He knows what you really need and He's an expert on everything.

IS THE TEMPTATION TOO MUCH?

Matthew 6:13

And don't let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Jesus demonstrated how to face the temptations that the devil uses on us as we try to walk with Christ. Jesus was brought to the desert where food and drink are scarce, and where one's physical needs are overwhelming. That scenario is symbolic of what most people are experiencing in their lives right now. Times are difficult and Satan will likely offer you something desirable or something that your heart would desire. Satan said to Jesus in Matthew 4:9, "I will give it all to you, if you will only kneel down and worship me." Ironically, Satan’s statement unveils the key to our connection with God: worship. Our enemy understands that when we worship our Father in Heaven, He is moved to provide all of our needs. When Satan tries to get you to worship something other than God, he knows that you won't be blessed. Jesus responded bluntly to Satan when He said, “Get out of here, Satan. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God; serve only Him.’” When temptations appear before you, know that Jesus experienced the same exact challenges you're facing. Face it, He came to down to earth and lived as a man, so He understands the temptations you're facing. Stay strong and be devoted in your worship of God, your Father.

SINFUL DESIRES

Romans 7:5

When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced sinful deeds, resulting in death.

How would you know if what you were doing were right or wrong? Some situations are really easy to determine, but others can be really tough. Because of this difficulty, some may say that truth is relative to the situation. It's even possible that whatever passes as a proper practice in one culture might even be deemed wrong in another culture. Paul writes in Romans 7:25, “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.” Jesus Christ is the truth and the life according to John 14:6, therefore making His word the standard for truth. If you know the Truth and are obedient to Him, you will not fall into your old sinful nature. When it comes to Jesus, the truth is never relative because His truth is absolute.

KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH

1 Peter 3:10

For the Scriptures say, “If you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies.”

When God created us, we were given a full life with almost everything tailor made just for us. Paradise was created just for us. God even gave us the authority over everything that was created for us. Everything was perfect until sinful lies became a part of our makeup. In fact, paradise was lost because Adam chose to believe the father of lies (see John 8:44) instead of the Father of truth (see John 14:6). To begin the road to regaining the full life that you were meant to live, there's a simple solution: know your Father of truth personally. When you know and understand the truth, center your tongue to speak no evil words and to keep your lips clean and free from lies.

BREAK THE VICIOUS CYCLE NOW

John 14:27

I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid.

In a pressure-filled world, two of the greatest challenges facing you might be stress and depression. The daily grind can test your ability to cope with everything going on. Things begin to take on the appearance of a survival-of-the-fittest battle featuring people living guarded lives out of a fear of losing their worldly possessions. Because of these hard and cold realities, Jesus offered us something priceless: His peace. When a person receives Jesus into their heart, Paul taught in Philippians 4:7 that, “You will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.” His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live under Christ Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Just imagine your life as stress-free, joyous and peaceful. That life is fully possible - if you accept the free and gracious gift of eternal life from Christ.

LOVE ALWAYS LEADS US BACK

John 10:28-29

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. So no one can take them from me.

Our Father loves His children so much that He'll just never let us go. We might even leave Him while on the journey of life, but His love always leads us back to Him. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:14, “Whatever we do, it is because Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live.” We've been secured in His love, so just love Him back. It’s really so easy.

STIMULATING LUST

2 Timothy 2:22

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. Follow anything that makes you want to do right. Pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

The devil's greatest detour for today’s youth are relationships built on bad timing. Anything not delivered at what we deem to be at just the right time can be plainly annoying, so many young men and women rush into sexual relationships and marriages resulting in infidelity, divorces and unwanted pregnancies (which typically end in abortions) that are the result of poorly-timed relationships. Take the time to build the relationship between you and God. Don't complicate matters with high-speed and lustful relationships that you may not be prepared for emotionally, financially, spiritually and so on. It's just like the Apostle Paul taught us when he wrote that we should run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. You can ignore this very principle, but the consequences are still there to deal with if that principle is violated.

IN HIS HANDS WE BECOME MIGHTY

Isaiah 62:3

The LORD will hold you in his hands for all to see — a splendid crown in the hands of God.

Legend has it that when Saladin laid his eyes upon Richard the Lionhearted's sword, he was amazed that such a common sword could make a man so great. An English officer retorted, “It was not the sword; it was the arm of Richard.” If we allow God to hold us like a sword, He could perform mighty acts through us. Isaiah 64:8 teaches us that, “You are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the Potter. We are all formed by Your hand.” In the hands of our mighty and powerful God, common clay like us can become great and mighty, too. All you have to do is let His good hands craft and shape your life.

GET RID OF EVERYTHING HOLDING YOU DOWN

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.

Success is not measured by how we start a race, but rather by how we finish it. Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” Many people are great starters but poor finishers. The Apostle Paul became a great finisher simply because He came to personally know the Author and Finisher of life. For Paul, working for and with Christ gave him the proper perspective and knowledge as to how to run the race of life. He wrote in Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Start with Jesus and run the best race within you, striving until the race of life is over.

A DEEP AND LOVING COMMITMENT

Genesis 2:23

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

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

SET YOURSELF UP

Proverbs 9:10

Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding.

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

BE AT YOUR BEST AT THE SUPREME MOMENT

Luke 16:10

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

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

LUST AND DESIRES

Colossians 3:5

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

I read a story about how Eskimos lure and kill wolves. The article said, “The Eskimo would coat his knife’s blade with animal blood then allow it to freeze. He would repeat this process again and again until the blade would be completely concealed by frozen blood. A wolf then follows the source of the scent and discovers it; he licks it, tasting the fresh frozen blood and licking it faster until the keen edge is bare. The wolf licks the blade and doesn't even notice the razor-sharp sting of the naked blade on his own tongue. His greedy thirst has been satisfied by it's own blood.” Lust is satisfying at start, but engaging in lust and shameful desires will most certainly will be your end, and just like a lured wolf, you won't even know it and you won't have anybody to blame but yourself. Your only way out is to do a full 180, repenting of your ways and coming clean to God.

DON'T REPAY EVIL FOR EVIL

1 Peter 3:9

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

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

A LOVING MIND

Amos 3:3

Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?

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

MAKE A COMMITMENT FOR SUCCESS

Proverbs 16:3

Commit your work to the LORD, and then your plans will succeed.

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

YOUR OLD EVIL NATURE

Ephesians 4:22

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

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