MAJOR MIRACLES & MINOR RULES

John 5:10,11

So the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, "You can't work on the Sabbath! It's illegal to carry that sleeping mat!" He replied, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Pick up your sleeping mat and walk.'"

John 5:10-11 focuses upon a man that had been crippled for 38 years. He would sit beside a pool where an angel would come stir the waters and the first person that would go down into the water after the stirring would be healed. However, since this man was crippled others would always pass him by and go before him. For 38 years he was there hoping and waiting until Jesus came with a compassionate voice asking the man, “Do you want to get healed?” The man immediately replied, "Yes," which prompted Jesus to reply, "Stand up, pick up your sleeping mat, and walk!" Now THAT’s a miracle! A cripple waiting next to a pool for 38 years for healing was now walking! The Jewish leaders of the day, however, told him, "You can't work on the Sabbath! It's illegal to carry that sleeping mat!" Now wait just a moment here. Did they miss the fact that the crippled man was actually walking? Some people choose to see the negative in situations, and they end up missing out on the good that's so obvious. Put some real effort in seeing the good in people and situations. After all, you wouldn't want to miss a major miracle because you we're busy thinking about a minor rule.

SPEAK NO EVIL & TELL NO LIES

Job 27:4

My lips will speak no evil, and my tongue will speak no lies.

Almost every word that comes out of our mouths comes from the heart, manifesting who and what we truly are. The Bible says that as a man thinks, so is he. Well, there was a minister who had a friend that was an actor who was drawing large crowds while the minister was preaching to just a handful of congregants in the church. The minister asked his actor friend, “How is it that you draw great crowds, and I’ve barely an audience at all? Your words are total fiction while mine is the unchangeable Truth.” The actor gave the simplest of replies: “I present my fiction as though it were truth while you present your truth as though it were fiction.” Christians, do you want to know how to influence many people? Just present the truth by speaking and living the truth.

MIRACLES ARE FOR THE FAITHFUL

John 20:29

You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven't seen me and believe anyway.

I read this funny story about a clergyman who was delivering a sermon to his parishioners that mentioned how in Matthew 14:21 our Savior fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two small fish. Instead of saying "five thousand" though, he accidentally said "five hundred". One of the altar boys told him after the service that he had made a mistake because the Gospel says "five thousand". The clergyman said to him, “Be quiet – they’re already having a hard time just believing in five hundred.” We can all identify with that at some level, can’t we? Reading a story about a miracle is one thing and living out your life believing in miracles is another thing entirely. A lack of faithful belief is why miracles don’t happen to many people. The bold truth is that miracles really do happen, but you have to faithfully and sincerely believe.

SLOW TO SPEAK & SLOW TO ANGER

James 1:19

My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

Matthew 15:11

You are not defiled by what you eat; you are defiled by what you say and do.

We were probably given two ears and only one mouth because God knew that listening would be two times more difficult than speaking. It may also mean that listening is twice as important as talking. Imagine the negative possibilities of what might happen if we had two mouths - we could very well destroy ourselves in less than 24 hours. I found this joke in Reader's Digest about listening: A police officer in a small town stopped a motorist who was speeding down Main Street. "Officer, I can explain", the man said. "No explanation needed!" snapped the Officer. "I'm going to let you cool your heels in jail until the chief gets back." The man tried again. "But Officer, I have to tell you something." "Just keep quiet! You're going to jail and I'm not interested in what you have to say!" the Officer said as he grew angrier. A few hours later the Officer looked in on his prisoner and said, "Lucky for you the chief is at his daughter's wedding. He'll be in a good mood when he gets back." "Don't count on it," answered the fellow in the cell. "I'm the groom." Life would truly be easier for everybody, if only we would all be willing to take the time to stop and listen.

THE POWER OF COMPASSION

Jude 1:22

And of some have compassion, making a difference.

If you want to make a difference in the world, try being compassionate. Time and time again, Jesus showed compassion for those in need, making a difference in their lives by healing them, forgiving them of their sins and performing an array of miracles. Jesus' actions mirrored what He felt for the painful lives of others. When we show compassion toward others, we don’t need to offer products or services to others to make a difference because our actions speak boldly. After all, we’ve already got something in us that others don’t have. Whenever we extend a Godly compassion to people, it’s a miracle for anybody that receives it. Have you shown how compassionate you can be today?

BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD CHARACTER

1 Corinthians 15:33

Bad company corrupts good character.

I’m sure we've all heard at least a few of the following sayings: “Birds of a feather flock together”; “Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are”; “He that goes with wolves learns to howl”; or, “He that lays with dogs gets fleas”. These little pearls of wisdom were developed over time through people's personal experiences. It's a simple concept that doesn't require a deep explanation. I'm reminded of a story about a banquet honoring President Ulysses S. Grant in Houston where Texas’ most distinguished men and women were present. After everyone had taken their seats, the headwaiter approached President Grant’s table, and just as he was about to pour out the first glass of wine for the Guest of Honor, Grant reached forward and turned his empty glass upside down rejecting the alcoholic beverage. With the true spirit of Texas pride, every person present reached forward and turned their glass upside down; with a simple twist of Grant's wrist, a distinguished dinner was served without a drop of alcohol being imbibed. You too can lead or be led as you choose your friends carefully and wisely.

YES MEANS YES & NO MEANS NO

James 5:12

Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned for it.

How often do you find yourself making excuses for things that don't need excusing? We all need to be leery of making excuses for things because excuses typically lean toward lying, and lying leads to eventual separation from God. I’d once read a story about a teenager in counseling for alcoholism who said to a counselor, “I’m sixteen and I made up my mind not to drink… but people make it very hard for me to refuse. They keep insisting and pressing, and some even get angry if I say, ‘I’m sorry, I’d rather have a soda.’ So what’s the best way to refuse?” His counselor replied, “No need to say, ‘I’m sorry’ because you’re inviting them to persuade you if you sound like you’re apologizing. All you need to say is ‘Thanks, but I only drink soda.’ We all need to be more comfortable, proud and grateful for being able to hold up good standards without feeling awkward or intolerant. Do this and you’ll be a nice example of a human being.” Let your yes be yes and your no be no. There's no need to make excuses and there's no need to apologize for holding up good standards.

THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO

Matthew 6:14-15

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

During the Korean War, a South Korean Christian man and his teenaged son, both civilians non-combatants, were arrested by the North Korean military and ordered to be executed. A young communist military leader learned that the older prisoner was in charge of an orphanage that cared for young children, so he decided to spare the father and to just have the teenager executed - while the boy's father watched. As the fortunes of war changed, the young military leader would later be captured by UN forces, brought up on charges, and be sentenced to death. Before the sentencing could be carried out, however, the Christian man whose son was executed pleaded for the life of his son’s murderer. The grieved father declared that, "He was young and that he really didn’t know what he was doing. Give him to me and I’ll train him." The UN tribunal granted the request, and that very man took his son’s murderer into his own home and cared for him. That young man found guilty of murder would later go on to became a Christian pastor dedicated to sharing the holy Gospel. The moral of the story is that if we don’t forgive, we could miss an opportunity to see a life change before our very eyes. So what happens if you don’t forgive? Well, Matthew 6:14-15 is pretty clear about what will happen the next time you ask for forgiveness.

HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW

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Matthew 10:29-31

Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.

Abortion is at the center of what appears to be a never ending legal and political debate over whether a human embryo has the right to life or does a woman carrying that very embryo have the right to choose to abort an unwanted pregnancy? The moral dilemma that emerges for people when opting for abortion might be answered by the laws already in place for wildlife. Note the following law protecting an eagle embryo: "Federal protection of eagles is not limited to the live birds. It extends to their eggs, nests and dead carcasses as well. Not only is it especially unlawful to kill these birds, but federal law also prohibits the mere possession of one feather from an eagle without a government permit." When lined up for comparison, it’s apparent that an eagle's embryo has better legal protection than a human embryo. The laws protecting eagles are certainly reasonable, but how much more sense would it make to value the life of a person?

GET YOUR PARTY ON!

Luke 15:7

In the same way, heaven will be happier over one lost sinner who returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!

I firmly believe that everybody loves a great party with close friends and loved ones. The Bible even teaches us what a loud and happy party feels like in Psalm 100:1-4, “Shout with joy to the LORD, O earth! Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.” There was one church where I'd inherited a struggling youth ministry with just a handful of members. My family prayed long and hard on how to grow spiritually and numerically. We were led to hold a Bible study almost every night of the week teaching the youth group how to fall in love with the Jesus. Less than a year and a half later, that group was in love with Jesus in great part to the continual studying of the Word. That small handful began an evangelistic crusade which multiplied the youth group by over 12 times where the group would gather monthly to throw a big party where many young souls would be saved. When those souls returned to God, it triggered a party in heaven – the kind of happy and loud party where the angels in heaven rejoice.

THE PRICELESS GAIN OF KNOWING

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Ecclesiastes 1:8

No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.

There’s a story that I'd heard about a pauper who went to see the king to complain about being poor. He said to the king, “These rags are all that I have.” The king proceeded to offer the beggar riches, pleasures and honor with one condition: “You must give up half of what you now possess. Give up one of your two sons, one of your eyes, one ear, one hand, one foot, etc.” Thinking it through, the poor man realized that he had more than just the rags on his back and that he had failed to appreciate what he had. The Apostle Paul was a legal expert and I believe that at the height of his career he was likely a wealthy lawyer. However, when he met Christ on the road to Damascus, his view of wealth was changed as we learn in 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.” If you’re looking for more out of your life, you’re going to find that the best that you have in you begins not with grades, jobs or a wealthy standard of living, but rather it begins with a life in Christ.

WORDS CAN MAKE OR BREAK PEOPLE

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Colossians 4:6

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

There was a pilot that gave his passengers a rather rough and bumpy landing. As part of his job, he was required to stand by the terminal door to say goodbye to the passengers as they exited the airplane. He was afraid that someone might say something about his rather less than perfect landing, but everyone left without saying a word except for one passenger, an elderly lady that slowly approached the pilot after most passengers had exited the plane. She sarcastically asked, "Did we land or were we shot down?" Our words are powerful, and they can make or break the people that we speak to. Everything was created by God through the Word as mentioned in John 1:1-3, “In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make.” The Word here is Jesus, the Truth and the Life. If we would let Jesus live in our words, from our lips would emerge love, truth and life, not brokenness, pain or anger. That said, be careful of the words that come from your mouth.

LIGHT THE PATH

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Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.

I was once invited to speak at a church that was located a few hours away from where my family lives. A church member lent me two of his traveling must-haves: 1. an EZ-Pass which gets you through tolls without delay; and 2. a GPS that maps and leads you to your destination. While driving on the interstate, there was an accident which forced traffic to exit off the interstate onto small local streets. Immediately after I exited, the GPS recalculated my position and began telling me where to go. While the places were still foreign to me, I trusted the GPS and just enjoying the view of mountains and fields, and the beauty of God’s creations without worrying about directions. Thank God for the GPS when it comes to travel, but regarding life, I recommend the God Positioning System - the Bible. Just like a GPS, the Bible guides you through life. The Bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.” Now that’s a GPS worth having.

GIVE IT AWAY, GIVE IT AWAY NOW

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Matthew 19:21-22

'If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' But when the rich man heard this, he went away sadly because he had many possessions that he didn’t want to give up.

Have you ever experienced financial difficulty or been in need of money? Interestingly, being in that situation may not be that bad a thing for you. In fact, when I was a kid, being broke was just about the only thing that I understood when it came to money. If I had a penny when I was a kid, I’d feel like a rich man. I remember at one Christmas, we had a youth fellowship where everyone was asked to bring a gift and the only gift that I could afford to buy was a small bar of soap. During our Secret Santa gift exchange, I felt terrible as I heard the sarcasm from the person who got my little bar of soap. Being broke, or better yet, broken, is God’s way of getting your attention. He shows you that there are things that are more important than money, possessions or your own personal desires. You might even have plenty today, but your life may very well be quite empty. If you're truly interested in the price of happiness, be obedient in following the Lord and your life will be filled in ways that cannot be quantified.

VACATIONS, REST and RELAXATION

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John 14:1-4

Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know where I am going and how to get there.

Do you rest well? Is rest difficult for you to find? Isn't interesting how people relentlessly search for a peace that they already possess? Believe me when I say that I wish that I could take a vacation every time I felt I needed one and maybe even experience a few escapades in far away land. Truth be told, there probably isn't enough vacation time in our lives, but don’t worry – Jesus prepared a heavenly place of eternal happiness for us. A place where true happiness and some much needed rest can be found. After facing pressures and challenges for a lifetime, an eternity of rest and relaxation at the Father's house sounds just about right.

EXPERIENCE MAJOR SUCCESSES IN LIFE

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Luke 14:26,33

If you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters — yes, more than your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me.

To experience major successes in your life, you're going to need a proven strategy. In 1934, Joe Louis became the heavyweight boxing champ and successfully defended his title twenty five times over fifteen years. Bill Stern, who was the sports voice of Louis’ day, asked Louis how he’d been able to knock out his opponents so quickly in almost every fight. After a few moments, the champ answered, "Two things – first, I study my opponent until I know him better than he knows himself; and second, I make a plan of attack." Jesus told the disciples and his followers a classic and effective strategy to attain victory which starts with making a full commitment of allegiance to God. To do that, however, means that there’s got to be an end to your own personal desires and plans for success. Have you already taken the first step towards the best successes that you'll ever achieve?

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

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Colossians 1:15

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation.

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

SURVIVING THE HARD TIMES

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Psalm 37:19

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

Every single day, we feel the pressure of life's challenges. There are those that don’t survive these challenges and many others that just falter ending up depressed. I'm reminded of a story about a crow that was dying of thirst. He spied a water pitcher with a little bit of water left in it. In fact, the water was so low that the crow was unable to reach it with his long beak. The crow even thought to try and break the pitcher by turning it over, but his strength was already tapped. The weak bird, however, refused to give up. Nearby, he spotted a number of small pebbles and he wisely began to drop them into the pitcher one by one. Once the water had risen just high enough, he was able to easily quench his thirst. Discouragement is the biggest hindrance blocking our eyes from seeing the simplest of answers to the challenges before us. It’s the reason why Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “that is why we live by believing and not by seeing.” Believe in Jesus and refuse to be discouraged about the challenges before you, and you will survive all the challenges that come your way.

GREEN WITH ENVY

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Matthew 27:18

He knew very well that the Jewish leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.

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

A HIGH PRICE WAS ON YOUR HEAD

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Exodus 26:33

When the inner curtain is in place, put the Ark of the Covenant behind it. This curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

Except for a high priest once a year, no one was permitted to enter the interior of the Most Holy Place. When Jesus uttered His very last words on the cross, the temple veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was ripped into two pieces from top to bottom. Although many interpret the tearing of the veil at Jesus’ death as the provision of access to God for all people, it more likely indicates the departure of God from the temple. The scripture proves that God moved His residency from the man-made temple to every person who would desired to receive Him. The Bible teaches us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." If you've received Him, never forget who you are because you were made holy by God’s presence in your life.

THE ART OF HELPING OTHERS

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Galatians 6:2

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

Helping people in need seems to be a rare act for today’s younger generations. I can remember when as a young boy, I would see kids run to help the elderly to carry something heavy or to cross the streets. I'm reminded of the story about two great painters, Apelles and Protogens. Apelles was known to be far and away the more talented of the two, but Protogens wanted to paint a portrait that would surpass Apelles’ brilliance. Protogens worked night and day until his painting was almost complete. Upon leaving his home on errands, Protogens left the painting for several hours just before he was about to apply his finishing touches. While he was out and about, Apelles stepped in and added a few touches to the painting making it even more beautiful than Protogens had ever dreamed. When Protogens returned home, he was amazed at its perfection saying, “Apelles has been here. No one could have done this but Apelles.” Helping others is a part of God’s perfect will, so work to make helping others a part of your character.

DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR FUTURE

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Job 33:9

I am pure and without sin; I am clean and free from guilt.

I recently read a tale about a painter who produced a portrait of a little child named Rupert kneeling and praying beside his mother. His palms were reverently folded and his mild blue eyes upturned with an expression of devotion. The painter titled the portrait, "Innocence". Years later, the same artist wanted to produce a counterpart to Innocence that would be titled, "Guilt". The artist visited a nearby prison and found a wretched man lying on a jail cell floor. The prisoner’s body was horribly wasted and his eyes hollowed. In a ironic twist, the painter would come to learn that this prisoner was Rupert, his inspiration for "Innocence". All of us have done things in the past that we feel guilt over and are likely embarrassed about. Some things even haunt us at the mere reminder of the past. In spite of these emotions, we all need to forgive ourselves so that we won’t be imprisoned by our own guilt. After all, the Lamb of God has already forgiven and freed us. You can’t change your past, but you can always choose to do something about your future. Repent and ask God for forgiveness, and forgive yourself as well. Your mental, emotional and spiritual freedom is hanging in the balance.

WANTED: SOMEONE TO MAKE ME LAUGH

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Matthew 3:17

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

More often than not, a single woman would say that she's looking for a man with a great sense of humor. Studies have shown that laughter is one of the greatest mental tonics for man. Laughter can break anxiety, help lower stress levels, reverse depression and take the worries away. It provides strong medicinal, psychological, social and even spiritual benefits. Laughter brings out happiness and if we make God happy, we reap the benefits in the same way as an obedient child would from his or her parents. Obey His will and you'll certainly make God happy. And while you’re at it, take a moment to laugh about life. It’ll be worth it.

STOP THE VICIOUS CYCLE

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Ecclesiastes 1:9

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

Have you ever found yourself trapped in a vicious cycle of sinning the same sin over and over again? The sinful things that we’re doing today are the same sinful things that people have been doing for generations. From history, we've even learned that great civilizations experienced a cyclical journey:

1. people go from slavery to spiritual faith
2. from spiritual faith to courage
3. from courage to liberty
4. from liberty to abundance
5. from abundance to selfishness
6. from selfishness to apathy
7. from apathy to dependence
8. from dependence to repeat where everything started – slavery

Put an end to the vicious cycle of sin by being mindful of what 1 Peter 2:16 teaches us, "You are not slaves; you are free. But your freedom should not be an excuse to sin. Live as servants of God." Make a conscious choice to stop going around and around in circles as slaves to sin, but rather to serve Him and gain your freedom.

TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE

Ecclesiastes 3:11

God has made everything beautiful for its own time.

Ever transform something ugly into something beautiful? Maybe you didn't like the way a room looked and you rearranged it; or maybe you had a work area that was in disarray and you organized it? As for me, deep down inside I’m a frustrated artist and I was working on a portrait of a farm. As the portrait was developing, I realized that my painting was quickly going nowhere and in a bout of frustration, I handed the work off to my wife, who is a trained artist. She began to retouch it by adding some shrubbery, skylines and natural backdrops. She added the missing depth and it was transformed. There wasn’t, however, a single trace of my original portrait which reminded me about my life in Christ. You see, whatever mess we make of our lives can still be made into something beautiful if we placed our lives into God’s masterful hand. There’s a wonderful song that says:

Something beautiful, something good.
All my confusions He understood.
All I have to offer Him is brokenness & strife.
And He made something beautiful of my life.

Hand over your messy life, all of your stressful situations and difficult challenges to Jesus and He’ll turn your life into something beautiful. He’ll turn your life into a masterpiece.

IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS

1 Thessalonians 5:18

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

Have you ever tried counting all of the little things that you've been blessed with? After church services on Sunday, my wife and I would sometimes take our children out to eat. At an early age, my children were taught to say short prayers before meals and occasionally I’d ask my young son to pray and thank the Lord for the food. He was only about three or four years old then, but he would start praying for everything, “Lord, thank You for the plates, the spoons, the forks, the fried chicken, the fish, the rice, the sodas, the water” and so on and so forth. When he was unable to name specific vegetables he would pray, “Thank You for the... umm... plants.” Thinking back, it's hard to not laugh about his prayers for meals. I’m sure, however, that God was more than pleased with his prayers. After all, God wants us to be grateful for everything that we have - especially the little things. Start thanking God for everything and you’ll begin to see the difference in you when you have a thankful heart.

LIVE PASSIONATELY

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

What do you want to accomplish with your life? There are many brave people that have committed themselves to die for the causes they believed in. From an extreme perspective, the kamikaze pilots of WWII shocked the world with their passionate belief in their suicide missions for Imperial Japan. From a vastly different perspective, two well-known Christian missionaries publicly declared their passions for Christ:

David Brainerd - “Lord, to you I dedicate myself. Oh, accept of me, and let me be yours forever. Lord, I desire nothing else; I desire nothing more.”
Dwight L. Moody - “Use me, then, my Savior, for whatever purpose and in whatever way you will require. Here is my heart, an empty vessel, fill it with your Grace.”

God isn't looking for somebody to die passionately for Him, but rather for people that would live passionately for Him. How passionate is your life for God today?

WHEN I TRY NOT TO DO WRONG, I DO IT ANYWAY

Romans 7:19-20

When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. But if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it.

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

MONEY CAN BE SO ALLURING

Luke 12:16-21

A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. In fact, his barns were full to overflowing. So he said, "I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store everything. And I'll sit back and say to myself, 'My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!'" But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get it all?’ Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.

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

THE LITTLE LIE THAT NEVER STOPS HURTING

Genesis 2:16-17

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

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