THE MAKER

John 1:10
But although the world was made through him,
the world didn't recognize him when he came.



The modern world has boasted about the inventions of man throughout history. However, if we use the strictest definition of the word, “invention,” it really means that the inventor would have to create something from nothing. If that's case, there really haven't been any inventions, but rather things that have been discovered (or found) because the raw materials for inventions were already created. Thomas Edison said, “Discovery is not an invention and I dislike seeing the two words confounded.” The Bible teaches in John 1:3, “He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make.” One of the saddest realities is that only a handful of people even recognized God when He came to the world as a man. That man was Jesus the Son of God, the creator and the only true inventor that ever was and ever will be.

GREATEST LOVE

John 15:13
And here is how to measure it —
the greatest love is shown
when people lay down
their lives for their friends.



On May 21, 1946, Louis Slotin and seven others were performing a dangerous experiment in New Mexico. While working with plutonium, pieces were accidentally moved triggering an immense increase of radioactivity filling the room. Slotin with his bare hands, pulled apart the radioactive pieces to save his companions, but in so doing he exposed himself to an overwhelming dosage of radiation. Several days later, Slotin passed away from the intense radiation exposure while the others recovered from the exposure thanks to the heroism displayed by Slotin. Jesus did something similar, but on a much greater scale for all people when He offered Himself as a sacrifice for people to have salvation. It's no contest, Jesus' love is by far the greatest love of all.

LITTLE KIDS

Matthew 18:3
Then he said, “I assure you,
unless you turn from your sins
and become as little children,
you will never get into
the Kingdom of Heaven.”



As we go from year to year in our lives, we acquire tons of information on different topics ranging through education, experiences, friends, and different kinds of media that essentially mold what we believe. Because of this it becomes difficult at times for us to accept the simple truth that the Bible tells us – that the only way for us to go to heaven is through Christ. It takes a lot of unlearning for us to allow the Biblical reality. You’ve got to be like a little kid again. Jesus is the only way to heaven. Don't complicate this simple truth. Jesus is the only way to heaven.

SOLID FOOD

1 Corinthian 3:2
I gave you milk, not solid food,
for you were not yet ready for it.
Indeed, you are still not ready.



Our spiritual self should be treated just like our physical self when it comes to growth. Many Christians, however, are still suckling upon babies' milk and are not eating solid foods. A sign of this lack of growth is the envying and quarreling among Christian brothers and sisters. As a parent, this is something that I could see in my children when they were younger. They would quarrel, bicker and be envious of one another if one had a new toy. Now that they're older, I've found that they’re happier when they give something to each other. Eating solid spiritual food is just like taking the hard reality of the Word of God and applying it to our lives and how we live.
Are you eating solid spiritual food or are you still suckling upon babies' milk? If you're not sure, you're going to need to put some effort into finding out.

LOVE PEACE

Psalm 37:37
Look at those who are honest and good,
for a wonderful future lies
before those who love peace.



This world has never experienced real peace since man fell into sin because the world neglects to actually know peace. I once read about a hermit who renounced the world and lost all of his worldly possessions, yet he still found no peace. In his isolation he felt so lonely that it seemed the Lord was asking for something more from the hermit. The hermit yelled out loud, “I have given you everything!” The Lord replied, “All but one thing… your sins.” Be honest with yourself. If you are living in sin, you will never have peace. Choose peace, be honest and good. So, are you living in a sin?

UNWORTHY

Matthew 10:37
Anyone who loves his father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me;
anyone who loves his son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me



God demands a love beyond the love we have for our family. Matthew 10:37 is the verse where Jesus clearly presents who needs to be obeyed between your parents and God the Father. In Matthew 12:47-50, someone told Jesus that, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you." Jesus asked, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "These are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!" Children should obey their parents because God has given that order. Parents, however, need to appreciate the privilege that God has given them in their children, but also realize that the very privilege should not be used to cause children to disobey Him.

BAPTIZED

Romans 6:3-4
Don't you know that all of us who were baptized
into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were therefore buried with him
through baptism into death in order that,
just as Christ was raised from the
dead through the glory of the Father,
we too may live a new life.



Right or wrong, baptism has become a religious symbol and many feel that when you’re baptized, you become part of a “religion”. Some religions would baptize infant children (christening), while the child has no sincere understanding of what’s even happening. This is the complete opposite of what the Bible teaches through Jesus’ example because Jesus was baptized as an adult. Baptism is a conscious act of declaration that you’ve received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and you now desire to be identified with Him. This means that a baptism should only take place when a person has consciously accepted that they’re a sinner and they’ve received the crucifixion of Jesus as their means of salvation. Baptism is a public and symbolic gesture that your old personality is crucified with Him and His resurrection is the beginning of your new life in Christ.

AGREEMENT

Amos 3:3
Do two walk together unless
they have agreed to do so?



An agreement is a contract that binds two parties together and accountabilities are established to help all parties involved realize the purpose of the contract. The Bible teaches us about two men who walked in agreement with God: Enoch and Noah. Enoch never experienced death and was brought up to heaven by God in Genesis 5:24 as a result of his walk with Him. Noah became the root of the world’s generations after the Lord sent the flood that drowned all the people for not repenting from their sin. Enoch and Noah are proof that agreement with God gives amazing results. Find out and carry through what His will is for you and you’ll find yourself in agreement with God. The results of your agreement will likely be amazing.

SERVE MORE

2 Corinthians 11:23
They say they serve Christ?
I know I sound like a madman,
but I have served him far more!
I have worked harder,
been put in jail more often,
been whipped times without number,
and faced death again and again.



In the Christian walk, as you look back on your life before Christ, you were probably quite bold when it came to doing things unpleasing to God. You probably disobeyed your parents many times especially if you were forbidden from doing something specific. You may have even tried vices that you knew were bad for you like alcohol, smoking, gambling and many others. You were likely taught to tell the truth, but you learned and chose to lie anyway. When Christ came into your life, you likely began to notice changes in your decision making. You probably began to make good decisions instead of poor decisions. That’s great, but now that you know what the right things are, you may have suddenly lost the guts you had before when it came to the sinful things. You can still use that spirited side of your personality, but you should use it for Christ and His Kingdom. Have the guts to serve Him more.

HOME

1 Peter 3:18
Christ also suffered when he died
for our sins once for all time.
He never sinned, but he died for sinners
that he might bring us safely home to God.
He suffered physical death,
but he was raised to life in the Spirit.



Man’s problem isn’t money, health or any worldly item that can be pursued. Even if you’re able to achieve or amass all the things you want, you’d still find yourself lacking and you would still want more. There’d always be an incomplete feeling of something missing from your life. The thing that's missing is the personal cleansing from sin and having the presence of God in your life to feel that cleanliness. Until you are cleansed from sin, there’ll be no satisfaction with your pursuits. The death of Jesus gives you the cleansing that you desire deep in your soul – the desire to travel safely home to God.

FAITH

1 Peter 1:7
These trials are only to test your faith,
to show that it is strong and pure.
It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold —
and your faith is far more
precious to God than mere gold.
So if your faith remains strong
after being tried by fiery trials,
it will bring you much praise and
glory and honor on the day when
Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.



Trials will test your faith to make it stronger. Faith is so important to God that in Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Romans 14:23 says, “And everything that does not come from faith is sin.” Don’t let any trials or challenges leave you feeling defeated. Always remember that the trials are a test to make your faith stronger and not to crush you. Your faith is so precious to God and He just want to build upon it. How strong is your faith today?

QUIET

1 Thessalonians 4:11
This should be your ambition:
to live a quiet life, minding your
own business and working with your hands,
just as we commanded you before.



The church at Thessalonica was a loving and ideal church. However, there were some who were idle gossipers that disturbed others with their uncontrolled tongues. These people, instead of working, would go from house to house, gossiping and becoming a burden to others. They would continually meddle in people’s lives under the guise of religion. James 3:8-9 says, “But no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God.” Be ambitious and try to tame your tongue. Be mindful of your own business and you’ll live a quiet life. Is your tongue tamed?

FINDING INTEGITY

1 Chronicles 29:17
I know, my God, that you examine our hearts
and rejoice when you find integrity there.
You know I have done all this with good motives,
and I have watched your people
offer their gifts willingly and joyously.



Integrity equals truth and the best way for us find integrity is by integrating Jesus into our lives and letting Him into our hearts. I remember a quote that says when sin is inside, it’s because the Son is on the outside. Jesus is God the Son, the Truth as we know from John 14:6. With Him in our lives, we do all the good things with all the right motives. Without the Son on the inside of our lives, Isaiah 64:6 tells us that, “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our sins, like the wind, sweep us away.” Get the Son on the inside and your life will be filled with truth and integrity.

LUSTFUL DESIRES

Ephesians 2:3
All of us used to live that way,
following the passions and
desires of our evil nature.
We were born with an evil nature,
and we were under God's anger
just like everyone else.



Ephesians 2:3 speaks about our human nature before God gave us a new life in Christ. Anybody who will give their life to Jesus, according to 2 Corinthians 5:17, “is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” But the choice to become this new creation or to remain the old creature is still ours. The only way to escape from the lustful desires of our evil nature is to choose the new nature offered to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. Are you succumbing to your lustful desires or have you chosen to become a new creature?

ONE WAY TICKET TO HELL

2 Peter 2:4
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned,
but sent them to hell, putting them into
gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment.



The Word of God tells us all about the punishment for being disobedient. This isn’t something that the Lord loves doing, but His attribute of justice demand it. On the other hand, His attribute of love tells us to forgive. This dichotomy helps us to understand the teachings of Romans 2:4, “Don't you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Or don't you care? Can't you see how kind he has been in giving you time to turn from your sin?” Jesus said in Luke 5:32, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Ask God’s forgiveness and let Him rule your life – before it’s too late. The punishment for never repenting is a gloomy dungeon cell in hell.

POWER AND CONTROL

1 John 5:19
We know that we are children of God
and that the world around us is under
the power and control of the evil one.



While this verse unveils is a hard reality, it still speaks the truth. It explains why people sometimes behave the way they do. Everyone in this world is either under God’s power or the evil one’s power. The way for us to be under God's power is to be reconciled through the Lord Jesus Christ. Outside of Jesus, you fall under the power of the evil one. Romans 5:10 tells us, “For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” If you’re seeking victory and peace, be sure to place yourself under the power and control of God.

IN LOVE

John 15:10
When you obey me,
you remain in my love,
just as I obey my Father
and remain in his love.



John 15:10 is crystal clear. Obedience is what makes us remain in God’s love. It doesn't mean that when we disobey God that the Lord doesn't love us. It simply means that you're shutting His love out of your life. For example, I'll always love my kids, but when they disobey me it simply means they’re not doing what I've asked them to do. Whatever plans I’ve made for them, however good they may be, are not going to happen because of their disobedience. Our God is an all-knowing God and He knows what's best and perfect for each of us. He wants us to experience His plan because He loves us. Obey the Lord and remain in God’s love. You’ll be happy that you did.

FORGIVENESS

Luke 11:4
And forgive us our sins —
just as we forgive those
who have sinned against us.
And don't let us yield to temptation.



As Christians we need to remember that our journey takes us toward the success that God has designed for us. If our walk is straight, we can reach our goal at the exact time God designed. However, there are two things that can delay or hinder this journey towards success: temptation and an unforgiving spirit. When we fall into temptation, blessings are slow to come and we find ourselves in need of God’s forgiveness. An unforgiving spirit requires you to follow God’s command and forgive those who have sinned against you. To remove this hindrance, tell the person that wrong you, “You’re forgiven,” and never speak of that trial again. Are you harboring any unforgiving feelings today? What's stopping you from having a forgiving spirit?

NEVER LACKING

Psalm 34:10
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the LORD
will never lack any good thing.



Lions have always been considered “King of the Jungle” because they’ve always lived at the top of the food chain. Few animals ever dare to challenge a lion, even during periods of extreme hunger. The Bible, however, says sometimes lions “go hungry but those who trust in the Lord will never lack any good thing.” This has been God’s design from the beginning. Genesis 2:16 says, “And the LORD God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden.’” If you’re lacking in any area of your life, then you’re lacking trust. What does that mean? It means you’ve not given your entire life over to God to manage so that he can provide all your needs. Trust Him and you’ll find yourself never lacking.

MONEY IS NOT ENOUGH

Ecclesiastes 5:10
Those who love money
will never have enough.
How absurd to think that
wealth brings true happiness!



The phrase, “Counting your chickens before they’re hatched,” comes from the story of Alnaschar, a character from the classic The Arabian Nights. Alnaschar dreamed of investing all of his money in a basket of glassware and he planned on using his sales profits to make even more money until he'd become wealthy enough to marry a high ranking official’s daughter. In his dream, however, he became angry and kicked his imaginary future wife accidentally causing his basket of glassware to fall, breaking all of his wares. The hard lesson for people is that money will never be enough to realize your dreams. If you pursue money in this way, you will just become a slave to the pursuit. Instead, love the Lord your God and use your money as your servant.

PROSPERITY

Job 36:11
If they listen and obey God,
then they will be blessed with
prosperity throughout their lives.
All their years will be pleasant.



Andrew Carnegie once said, “Millionaires who laugh are rare. My experience is that wealth is apt to take the smiles away.” On the other hand, the Word of God teaches us in Ecclesiastes 5:19, “It is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life – that is indeed a gift from God.” Knowing and enjoying one's place in the world is such a rarity for modern folks. Be sure to listen for and to obey God’s instruction because if you're sincerely content with where you are, He will bless your pursuits with the desires of your heart. If you really consider everything, it doesn't seem so appealing to be a person that pursued their own wealth only to live a life without joy and laughter. It'd be better to have all your years pleasant and prosperous in the obedience of the Lord. Which path do you find yourself pursuing today - yours or God's?

FADE AWAY

James 1:11
The hot sun rises and dries up the grass;
the flower withers, and its beauty fades away.
So also, wealthy people will fade away
with all of their achievements.



Before you pray to become rich or create a new startup to make your first million dollars or purchase that elusive multi-family investment property, understand that while you’re in the process of pursuing worldly riches you’re moving closer to the time of your death. Hopefully, the money you will have accumulated would be left behind to people that you love. Otherwise, your efforts would have been an exercise in futility. Do yourself a big favor and be sure to seek God’s plan for your life and then fulfill move execute the plan. Just imagine what it would be like if the Lord God Himself would be your capital partner. It would give the term "guaranteed returns" a whole new meaning. So are you taking the time to execute God's plan for you?

WISE LEADERSHIP

Proverbs 11:14
Without wise leadership,
a nation falls;
with many counselors,
there is safety.



When Moses was leading the Israelites out of Egypt, problems were as numerous as the number of people being led. Moses, however, was tried to solve all of the problems by himself. His father in law recognized it in Exodus 18:13-14, "The next day, Moses sat as usual to hear the people's complaints against each other. They were lined up in front of him from morning till evening. When Moses' father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, 'Why are you trying to do all this alone? The people have been standing here all day to get your help.’ And his father in law said 'find some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as judges over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.'" Choose capable, honest and Godly people to help you be a success. Without wise counsel, success can’t be guaranteed.

FOOLING YOURSELF

Galatians 6:3
If you think you are too important
to help someone in need,
you are only fooling yourself.
You are really a nobody.



Galatians 6:3 addresses something that people seem to forget during the good times. Basically, you can’t brag about anything or convince yourselves into thinking you're important. Paul is teaching us not to be self-absorbed when helping others, but rather to boast in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:31 says, “As the Scriptures say, ‘The person who wishes to boast should boast only of what the Lord has done.’” The ability to help others is a privilege that God has given to us. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can take the credit. In the grand scope of all things, you're almost nothing.

SHOUT

Psalm 66:1
Shout joyful praises
to God, all the earth!



I read a story about a little girl who had been attending her church's kindergarten class. Every day before the children were dismissed, they would sing the Doxology. The famed hymn reads as such:

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

This particular little girl, however, loved to sing her own shortened version which went like this:

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures, HERE WE GO!

As we all go about our daily lives doing whatever it is that we do, we should shout for joy and sing his praises. This is a major piece of the puzzle to a happy and better life.