UTTERLY SUPREME OVER EVERYTHING

1 Corinthians 15:28

Then, when he has conquered all things, the Son will present himself to God, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

Ephesians 4:8 tells us about one of the reasons that Jesus came to earth: “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people." Also, Jesus came to conquer death, the greatest enemy of man because just as Paul declared in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Alexander the Great ruled over Macedonia at the age of sixteen, became a victorious general at eighteen, and ascended to become king at twenty, but ultimately he died a drunkard before he was thirty-three. He had conquered the known world of his time, but was captured by the world’s vices. When you surrender to Jesus, however, you’re surrendering to the Conqueror that has set you free from death and gifted you with eternal life.

HOW TO PROSPER IN EVERYTHING YOU DO

Psalm 1:1-3

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers. But they delight in doing everything the LORD wants; day and night they think about his law. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail. Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper.

Patrick Henry once said, “I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them and that is faith in Jesus Christ. If they had that and I had not given them a single shilling, they would have been rich; and if they had not that, and I had given them the entire world, they would be poor indeed." The promise of prosperity is there for everybody. Your only real challenge is to obey the will of the Word of God. If you're obedient in all that you do, it is certain that you will find prosperity.

LAZY PEOPLE! READ THIS!

1 Thessalonians 5:14

Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

Christians tend to get complacent with the blessings of God and with His promises. We forget that we are soldiers for Christ with marching orders to advance His kingdom. Paul reminds Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:18, “Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they give you the confidence to fight well in the Lord's battles.” In giving his testimony to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:7, he wrote, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” Be warned – while success is at hand – you don’t want to adopt a nature of laziness or timidity.

THE LORD IS ALWAYS WITH ME

Psalm 16:8-9

I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises! My body rests in safety.

A student once asked a teacher, “Instead of giving the Israelites manna everyday, why didn’t the Lord provide a years worth of manna to His people all at one time?” The wise teacher responded, “I’ll answer you with a parable. Once there was a king who had a son to whom he gave a yearly allowance, paying him the entire sum on a fixed date. It soon happened that the day on which the allowance was due was the only day in the year when the son would take time to see his father. So the king changed the plan and began issuing a daily allowance that was sufficient for that entire day. After that, the prince visited his father every morning. He didn’t just receive the daily allowance; he received his father’s much needed unbroken love, companionship, wisdom and giving! Thus God dealt with Israel and deals with us.” This is likely to be the reason why Jesus taught us to pray for our daily bread. He knew that our hearts would be filled with Joy when we are in His presence. The Lord doesn’t want to see us once a year or every so often, He wants us to be by His side everyday.

BE FREE FROM ALL YOUR FEARS

Psalm 34:4

I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me, freeing me from all my fears.

Fear is something that can completely paralyze a person. Faith and fear are "proportionally correlative", which means that when your fear is high, your faith is low. The way to decrease fear, however, isn't to increase your faith, but rather to increase one's love. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.” I remember once seeing an illustration about mothers where suddenly a snake appeared and everybody ran off except for the mothers, who instead of showing fear stayed put because of love to make sure their babies were safe. Their love for their children outweighed their fears of deadly snakes. The love in our hearts for God increases our faith in Him and makes us fearless to do seemingly impossible things. Drive out all of your fears today by increasing your love for God.

THE INCREDIBLE WEALTH OF HIS FAVOR

Ephesians 2:7

And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus.

During the reign of King Henry VIII, it was customary for each bishop to bring gifts to the monarch on New Year’s Day. Bishop Latimer went with the rest of his brethren to make his offering, but instead of a purse of gold he presented King Henry with a New Testament Bible. The greatest gift that we could ever give someone is the knowledge of Jesus because in Him is abundant life and incredible wealth. John 1:1-3,14 tells us about Jesus, “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.” If the Creator of everything is sincerely in your heart, you can be certain that you're an heir to His vast kingdom and incredible wealth.

THE GENTLE AND LOWLY WILL POSSESS THE LAND

Psalm 37:11

Those who are gentle and lowly will possess the land; they will live in prosperous security.

Psalm 37:11 is true not only for Old Testament times, but also for today's generations. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says in Matthew 5:5, “God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them.” You also may have heard of the saying, "The horse that wins the race is the meekest on the track.” The meekest horse is the one with the most control; the horse that responds most quickly and obediently to the jockey’s guidance and command. Conversely, the self-willed horse might run faster than many others at the beginning of a race, but often will not finish the race and lose. Meekness is the proper recognition of who we are and Who is in control. God is the Potter and we are the clay. That's right, we are clay in His hands being molded into whatever He wants us to be.

REWARDS FOR DOING RIGHT

Psalm 18:20

The LORD rewarded me for doing right; he compensated me because of my innocence.

Apostle Paul said in Galatians 6:9, “don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.” In 1971, boxers Joe Frazier and Muhammed Ali each received $2.5 million to fight each other regardless of whether or not anyone actually watched the match. As Life magazine had parlayed, “it was the most money ever paid to any man for 45 minutes of work.” That statement, however, was inaccurate because both boxers worked hard throughout their careers to prepare for those forty five minutes. Work hard towards the goals God has set before you because the rewards for your good work will be waiting for you, and believe me you'll be well compensated.

IS THE END OF THE WORLD UPON US?

1 Peter 4:7

The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.

The end of the world is something that is surely coming. As for exactly when the end will occur, no person knows that information with certainty. The end is described in the book of Matthew 24:21-22 with, “For that will be a time of greater horror than anything the world has ever seen or will ever see again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, the entire human race will be destroyed. But it will be shortened for the sake of God's chosen ones.” When disaster would strike a ship of the British Navy, a bugler would play “The Still” to alert the men on board to stop, collect their senses and prepare for emergency action. That said, our bugle call has been sounded in the Word and we need to be disciplined in our prayers because an emergency is upon us and the worst is yet to come.

CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS WISELY

2 Corinthians 6:17

Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.

As a child of God you are commanded by Him to separate yourself from people that make a practice of doing the wrong things. Matthew 7:21-23 says, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” What does this mean? It means that not all people that say they are Christians actually are Christians, so choose your circle of friends with great care. A poor decision could cost you.

I WILL TAKE VENGEANCE

Romans 12:17

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.

The Roman philosopher Seneca the Younger wrote, “He who injured you was either stronger or weaker. If he was weaker, spare him; if he was stronger, spare yourself.” Differently, the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 5:39 tell us, “Don't resist an evil person! If you are slapped on the right cheek, turn the other, too.” Now this doesn’t mean that you're to allow yourself to be mistreated, but rather you get to show the world what kind of character you have. God’s part in this is clearly stated in Romans 12:19, “Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, ‘I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,’ says the Lord.” Let the Lord take vengeance for you. He does a better job than us at that, too.

LET PEACE RULE YOUR HEARTS

Colossians 3:15

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

I once viewed a painting where the artist depicted perfect peace as a bird's nest hanging on a tree branch that was sticking through a raging waterfall while the winds were whipping about. In the depiction, the bird was sitting peacefully over her unhatched eggs, safe from predatory enemies, shielded and protected by the roaring falls and high winds. Peace doesn't mean that there's an absence of challenges or problems, but rather it means that you feel safe in the midst of those very problems. Find your peace today in the arms of God, through Christ the Savior and the in encouragement of the Holy Spirit.

THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA

Psalm 90:2

Before the mountains were created, before you made the earth and the world, you are God, without beginning or end.

God is omnipresent. God is in the eternity past and in the eternity future. He was there when you were born and is even now in the future on the day of your physical death waiting to start an eternal life with you. Herbert Fisher said in A History of Europe that, “Men wiser and more learned than I have discovered in history a plot, a rhythm, a predetermined pattern. But these harmonies are concealed from me. I can see only one emergency following another, as wave follows upon wave – there can be no generalization. There is only one safe rule for the historian – that he should recognize in the development of human destiny the play of the contingent and the unforeseen.” We are limited in all ways, but our timeless God already knows the paths that we’ll take. Let Him hold your hand and make His Word a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path. You can start it off simply by making Him your Lord and Savior.

DON'T LET YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED

John 14:1

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

Are there situations in life that are just completely and totally beyond your control? I've personally been through so many of those situations and even as I write these words I’m in one of those situations again. As I started this day with the Word of God, the first words that He showed me were, “Let not you heart be troubled.” Before I could even make a single decision, He already gave comfort to my heart with a gentle reminder that He's in control. An extraordinary nurse that served patients for more than twenty years for very little pay was asked by one of the doctors she worked with, “Why don’t you make them pay you more?" He added, "You ought to have at least a little more. God knows you’re worth it.” There was a short pause and the nurse smiled and responded, “Doctor, if God knows I’m worth it, that’s all that matters!” The Bible says that being promoted through the ranks comes from the Lord. Just be patient, because there are going to be situations are beyond your control. God knows what you're going through. Always remember, He is a righteous and just God.

THE UNDESERVED BLESSING OF GOD

Romans 5:2

Through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Grace is the undeserved blessing of God. He has given us an "all access pass" to enjoy this grace, even though we’re unworthy, because of our Savior Jesus Christ. It’s believed that when John Newton, composer of the hymn Amazing Grace, was asked his opinion regarding grace he said, “When I was young I was sure of many things; there are only two things of which I am sure now: one is, that I am a miserable sinner; and the second is that Jesus Christ is an all-sufficient Savior.” You might know all the right people and you might even have access to all the right places, but only Jesus can give you that "all access pass" to the amazing grace that leads to the heavenly places.

A PRECIOUS AND PRICELESS FAITH

2 Peter 1:1

I am writing to all of you who share the same precious faith we have, faith given to us by Jesus Christ, our God and Savior, who makes us right with God.

A valuable heirloom is typically handed down over generations from a person near and dear to you. Peter teaches us about a precious and priceless faith given to us by Jesus, whereby if any person receives that faith, their lives are guaranteed to change. There's a story I'd once read about a wealthy old man who died and willed everything from his estate to be auctioned off. The first item to be auctioned was an image of the old man’s son drawn in crayon by what was obviously a child's hand. The people attending the auction came only for the well known pieces of art and they certainly weren’t going to waste time bidding on a scribbled drawing of a person they'd never seen before. Silence came across the room as no bids were made on the drawing until a weak old voice emerged from the rear of the room. It was the old nanny of the rich man's son, and she knew exactly who the person was in the portrait and how much the old man loved and valued his precious son. She said, “I’ll bid for that drawing,” and easily won the bid without competition. The auctioneer handed the silly looking drawing over to the nanny and then heavily pounded the gavel announcing, "The auction has ended." The other attendees shouted, screamed and complained about the auction ending early and yelled that they wanted to bid on the other treasured pieces in the rich man's catalog. The auctioneer told the angry crowd, “The deceased’s will was that whoever bid and won the drawing of his son would get all the paintings.” What's the moral of this symbolic story? Simple. If you want the beauty and treasures of life, you first have to claim the precious Son as the foundation of your life.

DEVELOP YOUR BUSINESS FIRST

Proverbs 24:27

Develop your business first before building your house.

This verse's big challenge can be traced back to the "smaller" issues facing families. Modern families are sometimes set up with the wrong priorities. We find kids blaming their parents, and parents blaming grandparents, and so on and so forth. It’s truly just a vicious cycle of blame. King Solomon said that there’s nothing new under the sun and I've even heard some preachers say, “It’s just the same old stuff happening to new people.” A preacher who was solemnizing a wedding asked the bride, “Do you take this man for better or worse?” The bride responded, “He can’t get no worse, and there's no hopes of his gettin’ any better, so I'll take him ‘as is.’” When someone enters into a marriage unprepared, or just prepared for the status quo, a seed for future problems is planted. King Solomon said that a person's business should be developed first and this means that you should fix yourself first before you start building a house, a home or a family. So, how do you fix you? That's easy, get right with God and seek His righteousness first.

CREATED AS EQUALS

Genesis 5:2

He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them "man".

Isn’t this verse interesting? Contrary to what most of the world grew up thinking, this verse shows the equality of man and woman as God’s creations. The only differences are the roles and the birth rights, which is why a male's role is to be a father and a female's role is to be a mother. The male is the root of the word therefore the provider, and the female via birth is the life giver. Author, poet and artist, John Ruskin said, “All that I have ever taught of art, everything that I have written, whatever greatness there has been in any thought of mine, whatever I have done in my life, has simply been due to the fact that, when I was a child, my mother daily read with me a part of the Bible, and daily made me learn a part of it by heart.” Men should respect women as equals. After all, that’s how God intended it to be.

THE FOOLS CLAIM TO BE WISE

Romans 1:22

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.

Technological advances have made the world smaller. Centuries ago, nobody would've thought that man would one day venture into outer space, that man would be able to see every part of the world via satellite, or that man would communicate faster and clearer without wires by cellular phones. Through new technology, these types of things became possible and it makes us feel pretty smart. Interestingly, I’d read this joke about a foolish woman who met the angel of death after being killed in a car accident. She said to the angel, “I’m still young and have plans for my life, so please give me more time to live." The angel granted her wish and revived her. As soon as she regained consciousness in the hospital, she asked the attending doctors if she could have plastic surgery performed to make her look like Marilyn Monroe. The doctor complied with her request, but as she was released from the hospital and crossing the street, she was tragically hit by a car and killed again. Meeting the angel of death again she asked, “Did you make a mistake because you just gave me a life extension?” The angel replied, “Marilyn Monroe?!? I thought I took you already.” It’s a silly story, but the reality of it is that we just can’t play around with our lives and still find success. The world might seem smaller, and we may be more technologically advanced, and we may certainly feel more intelligent at times, but we need God's wisdom to prevent us from making silly and frivolous decisions. Let God guide you with His wisdom so you won’t be fooled.

I CAN DO ALL THINGS

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

When I was in the third grade, I lived near a ranch with several fruit trees. One day, I went onto the ranch to pick some fruit unaware of grazing bulls on the ranch. The bulls saw me before I saw them and they began to charge towards me. I literally ran for my life and escaped harm by scaling over a six foot tall barbed wire fence in just a few seconds flat. I never knew that I could move as fast I as did that day. Every single person has tremendous God-given capabilities. The Key that catalyzes those hidden abilities is God Almighty. Paul said "I can do all things" through Jesus Christ. In Christ you have the ability to do anything and everything. Anything and everything. Just use your imagination. How far can your imagination take anything and everything?

IT'S SUPPOSED TO FEEL PERSONAL

Romans 1:25

Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.

I read about a small weekly newspaper that was having a tough time filling one of their weekly columns. The senior editor had his compositor set up the Ten Commandments, and the newspaper ran them without making any editorial comments. Three days after that edition was released, the senior editor received a letter saying, “Please cancel my subscription. Your newspaper is getting too personal.” When the Word of God is no longer accepted as the voice that can correct man, people begin to feel that they can run their own affairs without Divine guidance. We say to God, “Mind your own business.” George Washington wrote, “It is impossible to rightly govern without God and the Bible?” Telling God to mind His own business is a really bad idea. Instead, acknowledge that He is in control of your life and accept that He can bless your life.

EVERYONE WHO SINS IS A SLAVE

John 8:34

I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave of sin.

On June 22, 1772, Lord Mansfield, the chief justice of the King’s Bench, handed down the famous decision that effectively abolished slavery from the soil of the British Isles. The decision, however, did not impact slavery in any of the British colonies. Not until 1833 when William Wilberforce (who had been deeply influenced by John Newton, the composer of the famed hymn Amazing Grace) succeeded in getting Parliament to ban the slave trade and abolish slavery throughout the entire British Empire. It’s only through the amazing grace of God that we can be free because true slavery is not physical, but spiritual. When a wretch can be lost, but then found and freed from slavery of sin, it's truly supernatural. That freedom is yours is to be had, but you’ll have to accept the gift of Christ to gain it.

HE HAS MADE US ACCEPTED

Ephesians 1:6

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

One of the greatest challenges facing a young person is acceptance. It’s the reason why people choose to be part of organizations, brotherhoods, fraternities, sororities, etc. People have a longing in their hearts to be part of something bigger because God designed us with a desire to be close to Him and a part of the body of His believers. We try and try to replace that longing with other things like work or hobbies, but the fulfillment is not quite the same as the fullness found in God. The enemy once successfully tricked Adam and Eve which separated man from God. That’s why the beloved Son came to earth to reconcile us with God. Romans 5:10 says, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Come to God, you’ll always find acceptance in Him because he made you acceptable.

SERVANTS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

Luke 22:26

Those who are the greatest should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.

Translator Doug Meland and his wife worked as missionaries to a village of Brazil’s Fulnio Indians. At the outset, the Fulnio received the Melands negatively and insultingly called Doug, “The White Man”. They had experienced other white men before that had burned down their homes and stolen their land. Nevertheless, the Melands stayed focused, learned the Fulnio language and began to help the villagers with medicines and new techniques. When the Fulnio began to see that the Melands had only good intentions, they began calling Doug, “The Respectable White Man”. The Melands even began adapting to the local customs of the people, and when that happened Doug became “The White Indian”. One day Doug was spotted washing the dirty, blood caked foot of an injured Fulnio boy and the villagers said, “Whoever heard of a white man washing an Indian’s foot?” From that day on, whenever Doug would go into a Fulnio home, he would be announced with, “Here comes the man God sent us.” Because the Melands chose to serve first, the people of a remote part of the world were changed. It's proof that servants can change the world. If you served with a true servants heart, you'd change the world, too.

SET YOUR EYES ON YOUR PRIZE

Joshua 14:14

Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the LORD, the God of Israel.

Of the 12 spies sent by Moses, only Caleb and Joshua believed the Promised Land could be taken by the Israelites. The remaining ten were pessimistic and fearful because of the perceived “giants” already living on the Promised Land. For being optimistic and faithful, Moses promised Caleb a mountain as an inheritance. When Caleb was eighty five years old, he told Joshua in the book of Joshua 14:10-12, "Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise – even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. So I'm asking you to give me the hill country that the Lord promised me.” Caleb's eyes were always focused on his prize, the promise of God. What's God’s promise to you? Have you set your eyes on your prize? It may take some faith, and others may not be able to catch the vision, but God's promise and prize are completely worth your remaining focused.

SO THAT I MAY HAVE CHRIST

Philippians 3:8

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ.

What’s important to you? What keeps you going everyday? Is it money, power, maybe popularity? You'll have to settle the issue of "what’s really important" and believe me when I tell you that it’s not something you should decide upon haphazardly. You’ve really got to give it some some serious thought. Moses, who led a nation out of bondage and already had everything as a prince, chose the value system that's clearly described in Hebrews 11:26: “He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the great reward that God would give him.” Moses established his value system to be based upon something that would be priceless and would last forever. You can make that same decision for yourself and guarantee your own great reward for your entire life and beyond. Choose wisely. It might cost you.

BORN THIS WAY

Hebrews 11:24

It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be treated as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

You shouldn't try to be something or someone that you’re not because God created your life for a specific purpose and He's got a plan specifically designed for you. Despite being a prince of Egypt, Moses still knew who he was and He even "refused" to be called "Prince." Moses cut himself off from the promise of being the next Pharaoh because he refused to live a lie and he wanted to live out what God had purposed for his life. The world can offer you fame and fortune, but you'll likely never be satisfied with what the worldly glory. You’ve got to be yourself to find fulfillment. Remember that you belong to God and His purposes. Outside of His glory, your endeavors can't truly find fulfillment.

CHILDLIKE IN YOUR FAITH

Psalm 116:6

The Lord protects those of childlike faith.

Children are very trusting and in their innocence they don't worry much about the ramifications of life's challenges. When they find themselves in need, the first people they run to are their moms  and dads. This is the type of behavior that our Father in heaven wants from us – to totally rely on Him and to run to Him with our needs. Matthew 18:4 says, “Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” There's really a lot to learn from kids. Author Robert Fulghum once said that, "Most of what I really need to know about how to live and what to do, and how to be, I learned in kindergarten. Like: Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together." These are such simple rules for living, right? Do the right thing and be childlike in your faith in Christ.

DO THE RIGHT THING THE RIGHT WAY

Proverbs 16:25

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

Have you ever tried doing the right thing the wrong way? For that matter, how would you even know if you were choosing the right way to do something if you were unfamiliar with what you were dealing with? The best of intentions are usually at the heart of our decisions, but even with the best of intentions the results could end up being wrong. In 1912, one of the builders of the Titanic publicly said, “God Himself could not sink this ship.” Naively, the general public would go on to believe that the Titanic was actually unsinkable and upon the Titanic's very first journey the captain had to give the order to abandon ship. 1,515 people perished that day on a ship deemed unsinkable by man. Ultimately, we ought not boast about the things we do and we really have to acknowledge that man's overall capabilities are limited. Focus your efforts on doing the right things in the right ways. The best way to do this is to begin by seeking the will of our all-knowing God for your life and then to read His Holy Word for all the guidance you'll ever need.

IF YOU RECEIVE

James 5:5

You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every whim. Now your hearts are nice and fat, ready for the slaughter.

Luxury sometimes has a negative vibe to it because it gets identified with a lust for material things. It’s rumored that in 1887, the King of Siam spent $500,000 to build a bath at the Golden Temple of the Menam River for his ten-year-old son to take a single ritual bath. The structure was used that one time for the Prince of Siam and was never used again. The Temple of the Bath is surrounded by four smaller Pagodas, all encrusted with heavy plates of gold and gems. In the center is a fabulous marble and gold swimming pool where the solemn bath was taken. This is indeed luxurious living, but isn’t that how a king is supposed to live? The Bible teaches us in John 1:12 that we are children of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords if we receive Jesus. Upon receiving Christ, we become heirs to the luxuries of our Father. In the meantime, however, be sure to share the blessing of the Good News with all that don't know.

DON'T STOP BELIEVING

Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust in him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

In 1860, a huge crowd gathered to watch the famous tightrope walker, Blondin, walk across Niagara Falls. He had performed this stunt (a 1,000 foot walk, 160 feet above the raging falls) numerous times before, but this time he asked the crowd if they believed he could carry a person on his back while walking the rope across the falls. To no one's surprise, the crowd roared back with encouragement. Blondin then approached one of the howling spectators and asked him to get on his back, but the man refused! You see, reality hits home when things get personal and your life is on the line. David, who was called "a man after God's own heart" could have given up on God’s promise to him that he’d become king because for nearly 20 years he was on the run from the authorities. Well, that’s pretty personal now, isn’t it? David just kept on believing that God would be faithful to him through his trials and that he would emerge victorious. David eventually emerge victorious and, amazingly, it's pretty personal when your victory becomes realized, too.