CONTROL

Romans 13:14
But let the Lord Jesus Christ take
control of you, and don't think
of ways to indulge your evil desires.



Our evil desires and action are what brings trouble into our lives. Peter L. Ream of Home Life said that, “If alcoholism is a disease, it is the only disease that we approved; the only disease that is licensed to propagate; the only disease that is sold and promotes crime; it is habit-forming; a disease that is spread by advertising approved by the government; and the only disease that is given as a Christmas present.” Paul said in Ephesians 5:18, “Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.” The reality is quite stark that the ways of the world can truly ruin you and all the blessings that are meant for you. Trust and obey the Holy Word and let Jesus take control of your life.

ACCOUNTABLE

Hebrews 13:17
Obey your spiritual leaders and
do what they say. Their work is to
watch over your souls, and they know
they are accountable to God. Give them
reason to do this joyfully and not with sorrow.
That would certainly not be for your benefit.



All of us are called by God to lead in some way, shape or form. Before Dwight D. Eisenhower became an American president, he would demonstrate the art of leadership with a simple piece of string. He’d put it on a table and say, “Pull it and it will follow whatever you wish. Push it and it will go nowhere at all. It’s the same exact way when it comes to leading people. People need to follow someone that is leading by example.” As leaders, the bottom line is that we're all accountable to God for our actions. The best way to lead others is to follow Jesus Christ as your own example, so that when people follow you, they’ll actually have been led by Him. Is your personal example to others one that is rooted in the footsteps of Christ?

EVIL PATHS

Proverbs 2:13-15
These people turn from right ways
to walk down dark and evil paths.
They rejoice in doing wrong, and they
enjoy evil as it turns things upside down.
What they do is crooked,
and their ways are wrong.



To paraphrase, Paul is saying, "Do not be misled, bad company corrupts good character." When the early American leader Aaron Burr was a student at Princeton, a spiritual revival swept through the college. Burr’s response to the revival was, "I follow only reason." But as the revival continued, Burr sought advice from the college president, Dr. John Whitherspoon. The college elder, however, discouraged Burr from getting too caught up in the emotion of the revival. Burr went back to his dormitory room, threw open the window, and shouted out across the campus, "Goodbye, God!" Burr had allowed the influence of his school president over the eternal influence of the Word of God. This decision would resound loudly later in Burr's life, even as he rose to the office of Vice President of the United States because he would be best remembered for killing Alexander Hamilton in a pistol duel which would effectively end his political career. His life ended in a self-imposed exile. Isn't it amazing how bad company can have a lifelong effect? What do you do to make sure that you find yourself in good company?

TREASURES

Ephesians 3:8
Just think! Though I did nothing to deserve it,
and though I am the least deserving Christian there is,
I was chosen for this special joy of telling the Gentiles
about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.



When I was younger, I was assigned to assist on four sea explorations in search of, “The Yamashita Treasures.” The faces of the treasure hunters were always filled with excitement, anticipation and hope. They would willingly pour out their time, resources and lives to find the targeted treasure. Sometimes, I can even plainly remember the feeling of danger aboard the search ships. There is, of course, a bigger treasure that will last well beyond our earthly lives and that is the treasure of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you seek His kingdom first, earthly treasures like “The Yamashita Treasures” will be added unto you. Get with the program, are you seeking Jesus' kingdom first?

THE SAME MOUTH

James 3:10
And so blessing and cursing come
pouring out of the same mouth.
Surely, my brothers and sisters,
this is not right!



Before you were a Christian, I’m sure that there were words that would emerge from your mouth without any regard as to whether or not those words would be a blessing or a curse. I remember sharing the Word of God with a boy that received the Lord Jesus as Savior. An adult that knew this boy told me that every sentence this boy spoke contained a curse word. This boy's now a man and he’s an encourager because the words he uses are blessings without curse words. Jesus says in Matthew 12:34, “You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.” If Jesus is in your heart, you’ll find your mouth speaking good things that will be a blessing to others. Have you used curse words today?

CONSCIENCE

1 Corinthians 8:12
And thus, by sinning against
the brethren and wounding their
conscience when it is weak,
you sin against Christ.



There are habits and practices that you had before you became a Christian that need to be unlearned because there are new believers watching you that need to be built up by witnessing your behavior. As baby Christians, they are still in the process of growing, so you should be careful to keep them from stumbling, and maybe even falling. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8:9, “But take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” Be ready to unlearn your practices that can cause your brothers and sisters in Christ to stumble. Besides, it won’t kill you to lose a few those bad habits. What bad habits do you have that you know can cause someone else to stumble?

GET OUT

Psalm 119:115
Get out of my life,
you evil-minded people,
for I intend to obey
the commands of my God.



In life, there just have to be standards to live by. If we didn't have standards, there's no telling how the free-flowing world might influence you. John Wanamaker, the department store mogul once wrote, “I made my biggest purchase when I was eleven years old. In a little mission Sunday school, I bought from my teacher a small, red, leather Bible. The Bible cost me $2.75 – which I paid in installments. That was my greatest purchase, for that Bible made me what I am today.” The New York Herald Tribune captioned its story on Wanamaker’s billion dollar wealth with, “Later deals in millions called small compared with buying Holy Writ at 11.” If you obey God’s commands and make His Word your standards, surely your life will be blessed. What are you using today to set your life's standards?

OWNED

Ephesians 2:13
But now you belong to Christ Jesus.
Though you once were far away from God,
now you have been brought near to him
because of the blood of Christ.



One of the most awesome experiences that I'm looking forward to having is to be close to God and in His presence. I remember having overwhelming feelings of expectation the first time I came face to face and met with a national political figure, spoke to him in person, and shook hands while looking him straight in the eyes. While that feeling was great and memorable, I'm positive that it’ll be nothing compared to the moment I meet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ face to face. Of course, the biggest question surrounding this topic is will you meet Jesus Christ face to face when your time of death comes? If you don’t know the answer to that question, you need to receive Him as your savior and settle any doubts. Do you truly know where you're heading should you die today?

REDEEMER

Job 19:25
But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that he will stand upon the earth at last.



We can very easily see that the human founders of different religions died and never lived again. The Lord Jesus Christ, however, stands alone as the builder of His church because, “The gates of Hell will not prevail against Him.” He even proved that he could conquer death when He rose from the dead after 3 days in a tomb. This is the reason why the road to salvation is such an exclusive path only attainable though Jesus and in no other. Jesus taught us in John 11:25, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again." Our Savior lived again and just like Him, we shall live again though we will surely face a physical death.

HOPE

Romans 15:13
So I pray that God, who gives you hope,
will keep you happy and full of peace
as you believe in him. May you overflow with
hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.



Hope is the reason that we survive the daily grind of life. As long as we have hope, there’s no problem that's too difficult. Without hope people would stop dreaming and without dreams, people would stop living. The philosopher, Immanuel Kant, tells us that there are three questions which mankind has always asked: 1.What can I know? 2.What shall I do? 3.What may I hope for? Titus 2:13 teaches us, "While we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." Jesus our Lord and Savior is coming back again and our hope is the reason to live with joy despite life’s challenges. Thankfully and mercifully, our God is a God of hope.

RESURRECTED

John 11:25
Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.”



There was a single week where I attended two funerals. Two mothers had passed away leaving their children as orphans. It’s amazing how the children received this sad event in their lives with two different types of attitudes and perspectives. One set of children were saved believers and they received their mother’s passing with loneliness, but with hope because of the promise of heaven. On the other hand were a set of unsaved children crying at their mother’s death bed without the hope of heaven, feeling that they would never see their mom again. Interestingly, there is an African Christian tribe that never says that their dead “Have died in the Lord.” Rather, they joyfully say that their dead “Have arrived!” Have you made sure that you're most precious loved ones are heading to heaven if they should pass?

DARKNESS

1 John 1:6
So we are lying if we say
we have fellowship with God
but go on living in spiritual darkness.
We are not living in the truth.



In the Bible, darkness is typically symbolic of nothingness, while light is usually symbolic of opportunity and a better place. For instance, plants that have enough sunlight always grow healthier than those left in complete darkness. There’s a story about a businessman who wanted to determine which of his two sons were the worthier of inheriting his company. He gave a small amount of money to each and said, “With this money you are to buy something that will fill this house.” The elder son bought the cheapest and bulkiest thing he could buy so he bought straw enough to cover the floor. The youngest son, who knew the wisdom of his father, bought candles which he took home and lit one in each room, so that their light would fill the house. The Father said, “To you, I give over my business. You have shown true wisdom.” Stay out of the spiritual darkness and know what true living is in fellowship with God in the light.

YOUR FUTURE

Psalm 31:15
My future is in your hands.
Rescue me from those
who hunt me down relentlessly.



J. H. Bomberger once told a story about a brave officer at the sinking of the troop-ship HMS Birkenhead. A young officer by the name of Alexander Cumine Russell was already safe aboard a lifeboat when he spotted another sailor swimming above the waterline close to another nearby lifeboat. Russell spotted a woman screaming out to that swimming sailor and pointing at a drowning man, “Save him! He is my husband!” There was nothing, however, that the swimming sailor could do because there was no more room for another person aboard the lifeboat. Russell looked at the woman and her children and the struggling sailor then jumped into the water to help the woman's drowning husband to his own place of safety. Russell then disappeared drowning into the sea. That sacrifice is similar to that which Jesus had given to us when He gave His life for us. We who should die, were given a chance to live and have a glorious future because of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. All along, since before you were born, your future has been in His hands.

FORSAKEN FOR YOU

Matthew 27:46
At about three o'clock,
Jesus called out with a loud voice,
"Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?"
which means, "My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?"



You may have asked at some point why Jesus was forsaken by God on the cross. Simply put, the reason Jesus hung upon the cruel cross was because He had to fulfill a purpose ordained for Him by God the Father. Paul taught in Romans 3:25, “For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God's anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times.” At the very moment of His crucifixion, God the Father who is holy was separated from God the Son who was carrying the burden of the sins of the world. Jesus was forsaken so that each and every single person could be forgiven. Jesus was forsake for wretches like us.

GIFTS

Ecclesiastes 5:19
Moreover, when God gives any man
wealth and possessions, and enables him
to enjoy them, to accept his lot and
be happy in his work - this is a gift of God.



Have you truly considered the reality that Ecclesiastes 5:19 is teaching us? There is nothing in your possession that was actually created by you. Although you’ve worked for your home, car, money or possessions, you have these things because you have a God-given life to do so. It’s fair to argue that if you’re benefiting from something without working for that thing, it’s because somebody has already done the work for you. On the other hand if you don’t believe that God created you, but rather that you evolved from animals then this would be a very difficult concept to understand. King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 26:11, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.” The Bible teaches that you were created by God and that He has given you everything to enjoy your life. Don’t be a fool and believe differently.

IGNORANCE AND UNBELIEF

1 Timothy 1:13
Even though I used to scoff
at the name of Christ.
I hunted down his people,
harming them in every way I could.
But God had mercy on me because
I did it in ignorance and unbelief.



The New York Times once covered the Humanist Manifesto II signed by one hundred and twenty religious leaders, philosophers, scientists, writers, and social scientists. The Humanist Manifesto II was highly critical of religious dogmatism and stressed that humanity alone must solve the problems that threaten mankind's existence on earth. The Manifesto also went on to say that, “No deity will save us; we must save ourselves.” There are many things that we do out of ignorance and unbelief, and we must acknowledge that the Manifesto's position isn’t new. In fact, we can trace ignorance and unbelief back to the very first man, Adam. Be leery to not make the same mistake. Jesus gave to us the embodiment of truth in His life, so get your facts straight and read the Word of God to know and understand Jesus.

THE GOOD LIFE

1 Peter 2:15
It is God's will that your
good lives should silence those who
make foolish accusations against you.



Your best arguments in life are going to be things you've achieved and accomplished. Ultimately, your walk will always speak volumes louder than your talk. Many times I've been asked, “What’s the difference between what you believe and my religion?” My answer has always been that once you're in Christ, you become a new creation - and that is quite an accomplishment. Larry McKenzie, a poster child in the fight against polio, became an inspiration to millions as he shared his Christian testimony everywhere he went. Of his travels he said, “I've met many famous people on my tour such as the President of the United States, the chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and others, but I think often about the time I'll meet the Lord Jesus, and until then I really want to serve Him any way I can.” Larry's disability actually became a demonstration of a good walk in Christ. Talking only goes so far, so let your walk be a demonstration of a good life in Christ. Is your walk today one that's obviously in Christ?

PURE

Psalm 24:4-5
Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,
who do not worship idols and never tell lies.
They will receive the LORD'S blessing and
have right standing with God their savior.



There is a praise and worship song that goes:

A pure heart that’s what I long for
A heart that follows hard after thee
A heart that hides Your Word so that sin will not come in
A heart that's undivided but one You rule and reign
A heart that beats compassion, that pleases You, My Lord
A sweet aroma of worship that rises to Your throne.

Ironically, Jeremiah 17:9 teaches us, "The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” Paul wrote in Romans 3:10, "No one is good, not even one. This is the reason why we need to let Jesus come into our hearts in order for our heart to be cleansed.” Let God the Son, not deceitful sin, reign in your heart to achieve true praise and worship. Is God reigning in your heart today?

IN THE OPEN

Psalm 32:5
Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and
stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself,
"I will confess my rebellion to the LORD."
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.



If you try to hide your sins, your sins will eventually come to haunt you. Hiding our sins is exactly what Satan wants us to do because the only way for us to hide our sins is to lie. John 8:44 says liars are Satan’s children, but you can stay out of Satan's family for good by asking Jesus to save your soul. My mentor once told me a story about a time when he was a boy when he had a sling shot. He was practicing shooting stones when a duck passed by and was accidentally hit in the head by one of his shots. He was so sacred that he dug a pit to hide the dead duck. The following day he was asked about the missing duck and he lied about what had happened. When he was no longer able to handle the guilty feelings, he told his parents about the accident only to find that his parents had known all along. In fact, his family had already eaten that duck the night of the slingshot incident because his parents had been watching him the whole time. In very much the same way, our all-knowing God always knows the truth and nothing can be hidden from Him. Have you taken your sins and guilt to the Lord?

ANSWERS

1 Corinthians 8:2-3
Anyone who claims to know all the answers
doesn't really know very much.
But the person who loves God
is the one God knows and cares for.



If you think you've got all the answers, think again. The truth of the matter is that you can’t have all the answers because man is limited. Only God can be all knowing and for this reason the Apostle Paul taught that, “a person who loves God is the one that God cares for.” It’s believed that Augustus Caesar had given a gift to someone and that the recipient was so overwhelmed with the gift’s magnitude that he replied, “This is too great a gift for me to receive.” With a quick reply, Caesar said “But it is not too great a gift for me to give.” Don’t ever be satisfied with what you have and what you can do because God can do even more with you and He can certainly give more blessings to you.

THE PAST

1 Corinthians 10:11
All these events happened to them as
examples for us. They were written down
to warn us, who live at the time
when this age is drawing to a close.



In 1 Corinthians 10:11, Paul reminds us about the mistakes people have made in the past and the purpose of those mistakes. I recently read about a famed criminal lawyer and self-proclaimed atheist dying upon his deathbed who called for clergymen from three different types religious institutions. He said to them, “Gentlemen, I have written and spoken many things against God and churches during my lifetime. Now, I wished that I hadn’t! Now I realize it is entirely possible that I may have been wrong. So I should like to ask a final favor that each one of you intercede for me with the Almighty.” This was his final appeal and a last ditch effort to learn from his past. We all need to learn from our past before it’s too late. At the end, God will always be your best possible partner. Have you learned at all from the mistakes of your past?

HOMELAND

Hebrews 11:16
But they were looking for a better place,
a heavenly homeland. That is why God
is not ashamed to be called their God,
for he has prepared a heavenly city for them.



What kind of place is Heaven? Dr. Billy Graham once said, “Heaven is home which is beautiful beyond every imagination. Heaven could not help but be so, because God is a God of beauty. It is a place of happiness because there will be nothing to make it sad. In Heaven families and friends will be reunited. God’s house will be a happy home because Christ will be there. He will be the center of Heaven. To Him all hearts will turn, and upon Him all eyes will rest.” Make God your God because He prepared a place in heaven for you, and heaven is your true homeland.

LOVE GOD?

1 Corinthians 2:9
That is what the Scriptures mean
when they say, "No eye has seen,
no ear has heard, and no mind has
imagined what God has prepared
for those who love him."



I heard a story about an elderly man who many years earlier was the recipient of his aunt’s will which read, “To my beloved Steven Marsh, I bequeath my family Bible and all it contains, along with the residue of my estate after my funeral expenses and just and lawful debts are paid.” Once all the funeral expenses had been settled, Marsh was only left with his aunt’s meager pension and Bible. 30 years later, he was preparing to live out his years living with his son so he began cleaning out his attic. He found the Bible inherited from his aunt and as he opened it, he was amazed to find hundreds of bills of cash scattered throughout the pages worth thousands upon thousands of dollars. Ironically, had he bothered to even opened the book just to peruse it's pages, he would have realized the monetary blessings 30 years earlier. In Marsh's case, the blessings were truly meant only for someone who would bother to get to know God.

PRICELESS

Philippians 3:8-10
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 and
become one with him.
I no longer count on my own goodness
or my ability to obey God's law,
but I trust Christ to save me.
For God's way of making us right
with himself depends on faith.
As a result, I can really know Christ and
experience the mighty power
that raised him from the dead.
I can learn what it means
to suffer with him,
sharing in his death.



I’ve wondered to myself what the richest people gave up to amass their wealth. Is it really a gain to have such large sums of money that could still be lost in a snap upon losing your life? After 13 years as the wealthiest man in the world, Bill Gates is no longer on top. That honor now belongs to his friend and occasional bridge partner Warren Buffett. The Word of God teaches us about the priceless gain beyond money that believers can obtain by knowing Jesus as Lord. If you know Jesus as your Lord, when your physical life ends you don’t lose your treasure – you actually realize your treasure fully and completely. Are you fully realizing your treasures today?

TESTIMONY

Philippians 2:15
So that no one can speak
a word of blame against you.
You are to live clean,
innocent lives as children of God
in a dark world full of crooked
and perverse people.
Let your lives shine
brightly before them.



Robert Ingersoll was an agnostic that gave lectures teaching against God and the Bible. Ingersoll had an old friend that was an alcoholic with a broken family, but from of the healing that could only come from Jesus Christ, his old friend’s life was changed and he was reunited with his family. He wrote to Ingersoll saying, “Old friend, would you speak against the Savior who stooped and lifted me, rebuilt my home and brought joy to my wife and children?” Mr. Ingersoll read the letter that night before a large audience and then said, “I have nothing to say against a religion that will do this for a man. I am here to talk about a religion that is being preached, but not practiced by so many. You can find fault with the church, but there stands One supreme! No man can point his finger at Christ and find any fault with Him!” When we let our testimonies shine, even the staunchest of critics will bend their knee and see the truth. Is your testimony shining through to nonbelievers today?