Gifts & Strengths

Your gifts and strengths won't be of much benefit to God or anyone else if you fail to deal with your weaknesses.

Revival Defined

Revival must result in reform - or it is merely an expression of enthusiasm (which can fade quickly).

Arrogance

There is an incompatibility between blind arrogance and the presence of God in our lives. When God's presence is truly embraced, there is no room for pride - because He always makes us aware of our true selves. This is why those who know God are never more aware of their brokenness and desperate need of a Savior.

Worldliness

Worldliness is an internal disease of the heart. It has three dominant characteristics.

1. Lust for physical pleasure - preoccupation with gratifying physical desires with food, sex, alcohol, massages, entertainment, etc.
2. Lust for what we see - accumulating things.
3. Pride in our possessions - obsession with one's importance.

Unfortunately, the Bible warns us about our lust and our pride.

When Satan tempted Eve (Genesis 3:6) and when he tempted Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11), these were the three areas of attack. Can we expect that Satan has changed his strategy since the days of Eve or Jesus?

Pure Heart

When the Holy Spirit works to purify a heart He always gives self-control in area of speech. We become able to control our tongue. (James 3:9-12) And when a man can control his tongue, he will find self control in other areas of his life as well.

Spiritual Maturity

As spiritual maturity grows, the need to express my faith through buying Christian shirts, jewelry, key chains, candles, pictures and other materials - has diminished greatly. To some extent this has even been true for my need to buy worship CD's. And to think --- I used to assume that buying those things was a sign of my spiritual maturity!

Faith in Truth

We should never let intellectual agreement be our substitute for genuine faith grounded in truth. It is the difference between knowing of God or truly knowing God.

Doing God's Work

When you are doing God's work you are likely to face many obstacles. From what are supposed to be God's people though, come some of the most hurtful attacks. Expect them. don't be surprised if even your integrity and character come under attack. Most importantly, don't be deceived - what others say and what you feel aren't always true.

Useful To God

There are two ways that you can become useful to God. First - be a person in regular (daily) communication with Him. Give Him your thoughts and feelings. Let Him give you His. Second - be a person who walks with God. find ways to put into practical application what you learn from His Word.

True Worship

True worship of God is really rare on earth. We tend to think that lots of music and singing equals worship. What it equals is noise. Our notion of "good people" seems to blind us to the truth of our own disobedience, idolatry and other other evil ways that both grieve and anger the Lord. It is not possible, no matter how great the music or how loud the voices, to truly worship God while at the same time grieving and angering Him with our lives.

Faithful People

If the faithful would remain faithful, even more could become faithful. It takes faithful people to produce faithful people. So even a remnant of faithful people - even one single faithful person - can produce other faithful people.

The problem is that too many of us are only faithful in some things or at some times. Being consistently faithful would produce the most fruit. Yet consistent faith, lived out, may be the thing that eludes most Christians!

Education vs. Transformation

It is good to be educated about the Bible and what it teaches. But that education will never provide transformation. For that, I must allow the Holy Spirit to lead me through the Scriptures and reveal their truths to me. Only through the leading of the Holy Spirit can I become a different person in Christ.

Understand Evil

To understand evil, one must first understand God.

God Himself is good. (Psalm 11:7)
God created a world that fell due to man's sin. (Romans 5:12)
God will recreate the world - without evil. (Revelation 21:1)
God is stronger than evil. (Matthew 13:41-43 & Revelation 19:11-21)
God controls evil and helps us overcome it. (Matthew 11:28-30)
God uses everything for His good purposes. (Genesis 50:23 & Romans 8:28)

When we are blinded by envy or hatred (forms of evil), it is impossible to see our own sin.

God Rules

God rules over all the earth and universe. He rules even over those who don't acknowledge Him. Ironically, He even rules over those who don't know that He rules!

Bad Sin

All sin is bad. But sin that leads others astray is the worst of all.

Remembering God

Being mindful of God's past provision and protection is the best way to enable us to see His present provision.

What has God done for you in the past? How has He provided for you? How has He been there for you?

Sin & Hell

Choose to live alone apart from God is really just making a commitment to sin. If I don't intentionally choose to live a godly life, then - by default, I am choosing to live an ungodly life!

Popular Preaching

Preachers are popular when they don't ask much of us. They're also popular when they tell us that our greed, lust, or selfishness may even be good. (This is called rationalizing.) But a true teacher of God speaks the truth regardless of what the listeners want to hear.

What kind of listener are you? What kind of preachers are you drawn to?

Unholy Alliances

An unholy alliance (relationship) is an uneasy one because each party puts his or her own interests first. Each party in the relationship will focus on what the other is doing or not doing, what seems "fair," etc. This is a recipe for a very toxic relationship.

Problems As A Way of Life?

In John 5, there is the story of a man who had been disabled for 38 years. Jesus ran across this man and asked him if he wanted to get well. What a strange question to ask! Then Jesus told the man to get up and pick up his mat and walk. (He had just been healed.) Now when the man did get up and realized he'd been healed, Jesus told him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning ..." Again, what a strange thing for Jesus to say. Or is it?

After 38 years, the man's problem had become a way of life. No one had ever helped him. He had no hope of ever being healed. So when God actually did heal him - what was his predisposition? He only knew one way to live. Jesus told him not to live it. Sometimes God's healing doesn't actually change our behaviors. We have to change them apart from the healing.

Whom God Calls

Jesus said very emphatically in John 6 that no one can come to the Father unless the Father draws them to Himself. This is very puzzling for many people. How should we understand it?

When someone chooses to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior (the Messiah), he or she does so only in response to the urging of God's Holy Spirit. God does the urging; then we decide whether or not to respond to Him. It's really just that simple.

Belief in Christ is not natural. It is supernatural. And none of us has the ability to believe unless we've had this urging or drawing or calling of the Holy Spirit to do so. In other words, no one is pre-disposed to believe unless the Holy Spirit Himself pre-disposes them.

God's Will

Many sincere seekers for God are puzzled about what He wants them to do. The religions of the world are people's attempts to answer this question.

But the answer is really simple - and without religion. We must believe on Him whom God has sent. Satisfying God does not come from what we do, but from whom we believe. The first step involves accepting Jesus as who He says He is. (He is God.) All spiritual development is built on this affirmation.

Perhaps the only question that really remains is what people who believe do.

Believer vs. Disciple

An acquaintance e-mailed me last week and ask me to explain the complex differences between a believer in Jesus Christ and a disciple of Jesus Christ. To me, the answer couldn't be more simple.

Even the demons believe in Jesus Christ. So being a believer in Jesus only puts one on par with the demons. But a true disciple willingly obeys Jesus Christ. That is something the demon will never do!

Character Reflections

A person's thoughts and plans (or dreams), including daydreams, are a good reflection of his or her true character. What do you think about that?

Effective Prayer

Effective prayer, we're told in the Bible, has at least five (5) key components:

1. Praise or adoration - recognizing who God really is
2. Thanksgiving or gratitude - acknowledging what God has done
3. Confession & repentance - recognizing who I really am and what I've done
4. Specific requests - stating what it is that I want God to do for me
5. Commitment - submitting my requests and desires to His will

Ironically, heartfelt prayer usually clarifies three things:

1. Whatever problems or challenges I may be facing become much more clear to me
2. God's great power and willingness to help me become much more clear to me
3. My God-given purpose and the steps I must take to live it become clearer

When God's people pray effectively, difficult decisions fall into their proper perspective - and appropriate actions follow.

So what, you say, if that's not what's happening in my prayer life? Then you should examine your prayer life and make some changes. Who would want to pray ineffectively!

What'll Keep

Everything that is worthless and sinful will ultimately be destroyed in God's wrath. Only what is good, dedicated to God and righteous will be saved. Which camp do I live in?

Timeless Faith

It's easy to define faith. But it's a much taller order to live it. Faith means resting in what Christ has already done for us. But it also means trusting Him for what He will do for us both in the present and in the future. For my faith to be relevant, my confidence in Christ must be timeless.

Living Laws

God's laws live in us - written on our hearts. The Holy Spirit reminds us of them, activates our conscience, and influences our motives and desires. He makes us want to obey God. this is why, for a true Christian, doing God's will is something we desire - not dread or regret.

God's Point

We miss the point of God's Word when we read His rules for living in the Bible without trying to understand why He made those rules. Scripture is to be wrestled with. Without the wrestling - there is often too little understanding. You see, He isn't a god of rules. Rather He is a god of purpose. His rules have purposes, and if we miss those purposes, then we most likely miss God's point.

Sanctification

Have you ever thought much about sanctification? Random House dictionary defines it as a process to be made holy, set apart as sacred, to purify or free from sin, to make productive of or conducive to spiritual blessing. So what does that really look like? it is the process of moving toward holiness and righteousness --- and away from ungodliness and sinfulness. It is not the state of being without sin ... until it is completed.

So all Christians or Christ-followers generally know that we are in the process of sanctification. All too easily though, we lose sight of the fact that those who are in the process of sanctification are also not without sin. No, we are moving away from sinfulness and ungodliness --- and moving toward righteousness and holiness. But until this process of sanctification is completee --- we aren't there.

Wisdom's Children

Jesus said in Luke 7:35 that "... wisdom is proved right by her children."

What do you suppose He meant by that? I think that most of us want wisdom to be respected in the moment. We assume that because wisdom is good and right, it will get the respect and approval that it deserves. But I think Jesus was telling us that wisdom isn't usually proven to be wisdom until it bears fruit. So it would seem that wisdom cannot be right in the moment. Only time --- and the fruit of wisdom --- will prove that it was truly wisdom in the first place.

Pride's Role

Pride seems to intensify all of my sin in that I cannot repent from any sin unless I can first get past my pride. How is it that pride has gained such power in my life?

Childlike Faith

The childlike faith that Jesus commands us to have is faith that is without doubts or reservations. It is faith that takes God at His Word, and doesn't anticipate His potential failure to show up. In fact, children are so adept at this kind of faith, they have the ability to place such faith in things that don't exist (like the Easter bunny or Santa Claus)!

How able am I to believe the unbelievable?

Succession Planning

Godly leaders prepare their people to function without them by discovering those with leadership potential, providing the training they need and looking for ways to empower and encourage them as leaders. Said differently, godly leaders will see themselves as shepherds to tomorrows leaders.

Idol Worship

The Bible speaks much of idol worship. I suspect that in today's culture, most of us breeze right through those passages. We think because we don't have a golden calf in the yard or aren't bowing to a statue, that these Scriptures don't really apply to us. But idol worship begins whenever we focus more of our attention on anything that is created - than we do on the creator Himself.

So anytime my focus on anything created is greater than my focus on the creator, I'm guilty of idolatry!

Growth By Default?

If we are not actively seeking to grow closer to God, then we are drawing farther away from Him by default. It's like a moral compass that drifts to the left. Our moral compass is automatically set by our sin nature to drift away from God. So unless I intentionally steer it toward Him, I am off course.

Christian Character

My limitations help develop my Christian character. They also seem to help deepen my worship. As we admit to our limitations and weaknesses, and turn to God for help to overcome them, we affirm God's strength and power in us. That said, His power is truly shown in my weakness.

Experience had taught me that I am capable of little. And the things I do seem to be capable of I am also capable of screwing up. So unless the Lord shows up to help me make something good or do something good, I have little hope that it could turn out well.

Hope's Source

Hope can only come about when we are willing to overlook the unpleasant circumstances that surround us and focus on the eternal truths of God. Any other perceived path to hope is false and fraudulent.

It has been said that forgiveness can only come when we are willing to give up the hope that the past can be any different. And so forgiveness and hope seem to be similarly rooted - and require us to stop focusing on the circumstances, past or present.

I suspect that focus on future circumstances would be equally unrewarding.

Preaching Cautions

If you hear someone preaching (or teaching) about himself or herself - or about their own ideas, beware. Whenever a preacher or religious teacher is teaching about anything other than Christ or biblical truths (which you can find in the Bible) - he or she is probably a false teacher at that time. This is true even if they sometimes preach otherwise.

So there's the human dilemma: false teachers usually aren't always false teachers. Sometimes they preach the truth. Sometimes they preach what's biblical. Our human mind wants to label someone a false teacher and then never listen to them. God never said not to listen to false teachers though. He just said to test everything that we're taught (against His Word). And He said for the false teachers to repent.

So who will confront the false teachers --- and then still have the ability to listen to them?

Understanding Wisdom

As Christians, we can spend a lifetime accumulating information and yet never have any wisdom. The problem with God's wisdom is that it is so simple, few can understand it.

Take salvation, for example. The way to receive salvation from God is so simple that anyone who wants to can understand it. Nevertheless, millions upon millions don't understand it. What's up with that!

An intimate relationship with Christ can only come from spending time in His Word, listening to Him and being in His presence often. So then it might be that understanding salvation, for instance, might require us to spend time with salvation, listening to salvation's message and coming to the presence of salvation often. (How many Christians know how to do those things?)

Acquiring Forgetfulness

As we grow to be more like Christ, we will acquire God's ability to forget the confessed sins of the past. Put another way, the sins that others have committed against us will become forgettable when they have been confessed by one who committed them --- and when we become more Christ-like.

Educating Fools

Proverbs 17:16 tells us that it is "senseless to pay tuition to educate a fool who has no heart for wisdom." What this means is that we shouldn't waste our time trying impart knowledge or wisdom to someone that won't appreciate and be a good steward of it.

Too many times we spend time trying to impart our knowledge to someone else. If we're honest we are likely to find that the motive behind such efforts is a belief that the knowledge we have for them will change their perspective, their behavior or maybe even their being. But rarely is life-changing information ever intentionally given to one person by another.

Living Long

People usually live longer when they live right and have proper diet, exercise and rest. It's the living right part that we usually struggle with the most though. Living at peace, with joy, free of guilt and condemnation ... those are the secrets to good living.

Overcoming

We cannot be overcomers unless we have something to overcome.

Conviction & Belief

Your convictions are only strong if they hold up under pressure. They must be tested in order to be proven. Your beliefs are only beliefs if they actually form the basis for your decisions and behaviors.

It has long been said that people don't always do what they say, but they will always do what they believe. So ... reversing that is a good way to see what you believe --- just watch what you say and do. Your decisions and behaviors will always expose your true convictions and beliefs.

True Obedience

A person has not shown true obedience until he or she has had the opportunity to disobey. Has your obedience been proven in such a test?

Instrument of God

It is possible for someone to be an instrument of God - carrying out His work and His will - without being obedient to God - without being God's servant. We can be very active in our work for God and still not give the heartfelt obedience that God desires of us. So this is a double-edged sword. God can use the disobedient. At the same time, the religious aren't necessarily of God!

Love Confronts

We've all heard the phrase "speaking the truth in love." The problem is that most of us don't really know what that looks like. So we speak the truth in something else. It might be pride. It may be resentment or bitterness. It could be in judgment. Or maybe we just don't speak at all, thereby avoiding confrontation.

Speaking the truth without the love is just mean. But being silent in the name of love, and allowing the other party to go on deceiving or even destroying themselves isn't any better. It may be the worst perversion of real love.

Love means that sometimes we must confront those we truly care about. Both authenticity and personal concern are needed when dealing with people who are ruining their lives with sin. So if you see someone caught in a sin, ask yourself, "How much do I really love this person?" And then act on the strength of that love.

Succession Plan

Godly leaders prepare their people to function without them. They do this by identifying those with leadership potential, providing them the training and mentoring they need to develop it, and looking for ways to encourage them. Godly leaders understand that the greatest act of leadership they can commit is to identify and equip other godly leaders.

Praise & Worship

Praise is expressing to God our comprehension and appreciation of His greatness. It is thanking Him for each aspect of His divine nature. (Do you even know what the aspects of His divine nature are?) Our inward attitude becomes outward expression when we praise Him.

And so it is impossible for us to be involved in praise and worship if we are simply watching or listening to someone else do it. Despite however much those things may delight us or stir the good feelings in us, they cannot express our heart for us. No, that we must do by ourselves.

Secure Salvation

You cannot lose your salvation - once you have it. so the only question is whether or not you really have it. We should look for a growing awareness of Christ's presence and power in our life. Then we will know if we are true Christians - changing from the inside out - or just "going through the motions."

If I am truly "saved," then I belong to Christ. I should see Christ-likeness emerging in me. My mind should be more like His. My life should look more and more like His. If it doesn't, then perhaps I need to ask myself what the strength of my commitment to Christ as really been.

On Doubt

Doubt is a spirit and hope destroying aspect of humanity. It gets fed with unanswered questions. Some people choose to live with their doubts, ignoring them and moving on with life as best they can. Others become cynical and hardened - bitter because of their doubt. They want to believe but the unanswered questions are just too intimidating and so they succumb - never living what they can't believe.

But there are those who reject these options and continue to ask. They understand that doubt is something to be challenged and wrestled with. They confront the unanswered questions and continue seeking answers. It may take the rest of their lives - but ultimately they know that God will lead them to the answers. They trust in that ultimate provision from God. They realize that ambiguity is never permanent for Christ-followers.

No, He has never been a God of unanswered questions. He just asks us to live a life with them for now. Truly trusting in God means truly believing that all questions have answers and that one day those who maintain hope will find the answers. So truly trusting in God leads each of us to a quiet, peaceful hope. The unanswered questions and doubts don't create bitter, cynical resignation. Rather they create intrigue and anticipation about when and how God might answer them!

World Peace

You've often heard someone (usually beauty pageant contestants) talk about their wish for "world peace." We hear Christians and other religious people admonish us to pray for world peace. The thing is, I don't believe these folks really comprehend what they're asking for.

We often think of peace as the absence of conflict. It is not. Especially for a Christian, peace is much more. First of all, the Christian understands that broken people living in a fallen world are bound to have differences. So he or she knows that an absence of conflict just isn't something that's going to happen no matter how hard we wish or pray. But for a true Christ-follower, peace is completeness, health, justice, prosperity and protection. The world cannot provide these things. In fact the world doesn't want to provide these things!

Real peace only comes from faith in God and relationship with a loving God. The Bible calls this "peace that transcends understanding." It is peace that makes no sense, actually. And it exists in the midst of conflict and chaos. So to find peace of mind (i.e., peace with our circumstances) and peace with each other, one must first find peace with God.

Strong Decisions

The strongest moral decisions (e.g. the ones that last) are the ones that we make before we have to make them. In other words, they are the ones we make before temptation strikes. We must consider the temptations and challenges that could confront us --- and decide ahead of time how we will respond to them.

So, for example, if there is someone who always seems to "push my buttons" and "get under my skin," I should consider the godly response to such a person when they're not around. I should think hard about what words and actions I'll use when I am confronted with their incessant button-pushing. That way, when I'm in the moment, I won't need to worry about getting it right! I'll have a morally strong decision already made, in my pocket and ready for use!

Helping Others

I have a very dear friend who is in the executive coaching business. He often uses the phrase that he is "helping good people do great things." As corny as that may sound, I think it is a worthwhile aspiration for a godly man.

A person's greatest accomplishment in life might just be helping others accomplish things. But conversely, a person's greatest failure in life could be that they prevented others from achieving greatness.

Are people better off because they know me? Does knowing me help their relationship with God? If so, then perhaps I am achieving a measure of greatness myself!

On Revenge

Revenge is an uncontrollable monster. It is a boomerang that cannot be thrown without cost to the thrower. The revenge cycle can only be halted by forgiveness - which suffocates resentment, bitterness and jealousy. So when I find myself dreaming of revenge against someone, it would seem I need to start by forgiving them.

Success of Leaders

The success of a good leader really rises and falls on his or her devotion and obedience to God. Leadership style, personal strengths, age, wisdom and other factors are just never determining criteria. Even people who are weak in those areas can be good leaders when they devote themselves to God and obey Him. After all, He is the ultimate leader!

So here's the deal: Being a really good leader means letting God guide you in all aspects of your life --- not just at work or at the church or wherever you see yourself as a leader.

Temptation

Temptation is often the combination of a real human need combined with a possible doubt --- which creates an inappropriate desire in me. So to better stand up to my temptations, I can't just try to suppress my inappropriate desires. I must also look at what my real needs are and what God's plan for providing them is. I can focus on why it is that I have any doubts about anything as a Christian, and begin to repent of that sin of unbelief. Focusing on God's provision for my needs, and shoring up my doubts will eliminate my inappropriate desires --- thereby defeating my temptations.

Sin & Love

Sin diminishes my capacity to love God. It separates me from Him. So the more I sin, the more separated from God I become, the less I am able to love or respond to God --- and perhaps worst of all --- the less I am able to hear God and the less likely it is that He will listen to me! So if I want my prayers answered, I must remember that sin cloud's God's ability to hear me.

Sin also diminishes my capacity to love others. All sin has an element of selfishness. The more the sin is played out, the more my selfishness is played out. Sin turns my focus onto me - away from God and away from others God has placed in my life. so it is that I cannot truly love God or anyone else if I think only of myself and indulge my sinful nature.

God's Provision

God's provision is never given so that we can rest upon it. Consider what purposes God may have for the provision and blessings He has poured out on you. Very rarely is it so that you can simply consume it. No, God's blessings have a purpose. Unless we strive to see that purpose lived out in the ways God provides for us, we are in danger of squandering God's blessings!

Peace's Source

Peace is not the absence of conflict. Rather it is the result of what godly people do with conflict. Peace cannot be genuine unless it is rooted in a belief in God --- and love for Him --- and submission to Him. Lasting peace is not possible with those who are enemies of the good and the true. It only comes from knowing God who gives it to us.

Unity's Source

Faith in Christ and obedience to Christ are the unifying elements in any Christian church. Without these, there can be no real unity in the church. Moreover, we should not mistake passivity or indifference (or apathy) for Christian unity. Said another way, silence does not mean consent on today's Christian churches. So look for unity that refuses to remain silent. It speaks volumes in its actions of love.

Purpose

Without a goal (or purpose), discipline is nothing but self-punishment. So it is that discipline requires a purpose in order to be useful. If you discipline yourself in some way, or you discipline someone else, make sure you know the purpose. Make sure the purpose is worthwhile!

Human Rights

When your focus is on living for Christ, your rights become comparitively unimportant.

Roots of Sin

Unbelief is the root of many sin patterns in our life. It often lies under many of the mental, spiritual and emotional issues we face in life. So what is it that we don't believe? Typically it is God's hard truths - which may be inconvenient to believe.

Another root of sin is selfishness. In fact, look at every type of sin and one will usually find some dimension of selfishness or self-centeredness.

So if I want to address the sin in my life, I might want to start by reconciling my thinking (beliefs) with God's truths and by investigating the level of selfishness that reigns in me.

Body & Spirit

Just as our spirits impact our bodies, so our physical bodies affect our spirits. We cannot commit any sin with our body that doesn't damage our soul. The spiritual dimension is not immune to the physical dimension.

This is true of individuals. But it is also true of communal bodies, such as the church. When parts of the body of the church commit sin, the spirit of the entire church suffers.

True Humility

True humility is not about convincing yourself that you are worth less. Rather it is recognizing God's work in you. It is having God's perspective on who you are and acknowledging His grace in developing your abilities. So in reality, true humility is only possible when we realize our true worth.

On Appetites

Many people think that life is about satisfying their appetites. If they earn enough money to live the way they want - they think they are "living the good life." But such things do not satisfy our deepest longings in life. In the end, they leave us empty and dissatisfied. Real life comes from total commitment to God. It requires discipline, sacrifice and hard work - which is why most people never find it. Those things run contrary to satisfying any of our human appetites.

Changed Hearts

If our hearts are not changed (from their natural, sinful state), then doing things God's ways will be unpleasant and difficult. Our spirit will rebel against being told how to live. It will want to live life on its own terms. The Holy Spirit, however, gives us new and right desires - such that we want to obey God (Philippians 2:12-13). With a changed heart, serving God and living life His way becomes our greatest joy. This is what Jesus meant when He said, "My yoke is easy and the burden is light." Surrendered people don't struggle to live life God's way.

But of course, this all starts with the changed heart. It is not possible to be transformed by something with which we are not familiar - or by someone whom we do not really know. How familiar with God's Word am I, really? How well do I really know God?

On Curiosity

Sometimes curiosity can cause us to stumble. It is too easy to get drawn into subtle temptations of seemingly harmless practices. So to resist curiosity about harmful practices would require restraint and submission. If accomplished, it would reveal discretion and obedience. (Does this mean that the obedient are less likely to act on their curiosities?)

True Worship

The essence of true worship is honoring Christ for who He is and willingly giving Him what is valuable to you.

Sucess & Failure

No man is worthy to succeed until he is willing to fail.

No man is morally worthy of success in religious activities until he is willing that the honor of succeeding should go to another if God so wills.

-- A. W. Tozer

(And isn't it that no man is worth of religious success until he is willing that the credit for that success should go to God?)

Effective Preaching

When it comes to preaching, the persuasive power is in the story - not in the preacher. So preacher, whose story are you telling?

Divisive Differences

God calls us to live in unity with one another, at peace with one another, overcoming our differences. There is a difference between opposing views and being divisive. No group of people will agree on everything. Our human-ness is just to diverse. but we can work together harmoniously if we agree on what truly matters - God's truth.

I find that the key to overcoming the differences is not to focus on them. Instead, choosing to focus on points of agreement seems to pave the way to overcoming our differences. I can always find reasons to disagree with you. And if I focus on those reasons, we can be truly divided. It may require a little more effort to find reasons to agree with you, but if I'm willing to put forth that effort, that is where we can find unity with each other.

God's Grace

Grace is God's free gift of salvation given to us in Christ. Receiving it brings us peace. True peace of heart and mind is then available to us through faith in Jesus Christ. Anyone without that peace is also without that grace - since the two are tightly connected.

Knowing God

The more we know about what God has done in the past, the more we will comprehend the true nature and character of God. The more we know God's nature and character, the easier it is to have confidence in Him and to trust in His ways.

There was a time when I thought the key to having confidence in God and trusting in His ways would be to understand Him. It turns out I was very wrong about that. The secret to being able to put my faith in God then is simply to focus on His nature and character.

Sincere Love

Sincere love requires concentration and effort. It's not just a feeling. It if is "easy to love" someone - you may be missing the mark! Sincere love means that you sacrifice to help others become better people, to help them overcome the challenges that keep them from living as God created them to live. This demands all our time, our convenience, our money - and definitely our personal involvement. (Writing a check is not sincere love.)

So when you find yourself thinking that you love someone, ask yourself how you are enhancing their life and what that is costing you. That is where you'll find the measure of your true love for them.

Self Esteem

Healthy self esteem is of course very important. But an inflated sense of self is deadly. The key to an honest and accurate self-evaluation is in knowing the basis of our self worth - our identity in Christ. Knowing who I am in Christ is sufficient to maintain a healthy self esteem, without becoming proud or arrogant.

If I try to base my self worth on anything else though, I am most likely going to end up with a perverted sense of self - and either live in self condemnation or live in denial. Either way, it's a deadly game. So it would seem that being grounded in how Christ defined me on the cross is the most important thing I can do to maintain a healthy sense of self.

Now here is a big irony about self esteem: People who are genuinely focused on others instead of just themselves rarely suffer from low self esteem. So it seems the death of selfishness and self centeredness brings life to self esteem.

Spiritual Blindness

Some people, who are quite religious, are spiritually blind. Others, who have never been in church, are often more receptive - and responsive to God's messages. So does religion have the potential to blind us and deafen us to God's voice?

The only way to earn salvation is to be perfect and without sin - which of course is impossible for human beings. So it would seem that the most religious people would be looking - and listening much more intently than they do.

Sin's Discrepancy

Sin is really just a discrepancy between who we are and who God created us to be (in His image). So it would seem that our job in life is to reconcile the discrepancy.

Being "born again" only takes a moment of faith. But becoming Christ-like is a life-long reconciliation process that we engage in. The Holy Spirit leads and assists us in this life-long process (if we let Him). It's called sanctification, and it begins with that moment of faith.

Life's Reflection

If we claim to be God's people - then our lives should reflect what God is truly like. If they don't make such a reflection, then perhaps we are wrong about being God's people!

God's Patience

Most of us, if we're honest, are more likely to be amazed at God's patience with others (who sin) than we are humbled at His patience with us (in our sin).

Is God's patience with others really more remarkable than His patience with me? Or am I just more impressed with the sin of others than I am with my own?

Idolotry

Most idolaters are not aware of their idolatry. They may be sincere - but they are sincerely wrong. The truth is that our modern day idolatry actually starts with our rejection of God and His ways. And the fact is that most of us drift into that state of thinking without even realizing it. So it would seem that idolatry is a sneaky thief, who overtakes us in underhanded ways.

You see, the common denominator for all idolaters is that they worship things that God has made instead of worshipping the Creator Himself. And when people worship the created instead of the Creator, we lose sight of our own identity - as spiritual beings made in God's own image.

Wisdom Defined

Wisdom is both the ability to discern what is right or best - and it is the strength of character to act upon that knowledge - using the right criteria for each decision that's made. Wisdom is only effective when it is put into action (with strength of character). So without character, wisdom is useless.

God Revealed

Nature shows us a God of might, intelligence and intricate detail; a God of order and beauty; a God who controls mighty power. This is a general revelation of God. Through special revelation of God though (the Bible, the birth of Jesus, etc.) we learn about God's love and forgiveness and the promise of eternal life. These are the revelations of God that are led - and enabled by the Holy Spirit. Nature could never reveal these things to us on its own.

Role of Missionaries

Most of us know about missionaries. We may even support some of them. But what do missionaries do? What is their purpose? If our church sends them out, or God just calls them, what mission are they on?

It seems to me that a missionary has to accomplish some specific things:

1. Sensitively expose sin and point people toward Christ.
2. Help persuade people about the Gospel and help them understand the consequences of their choices.
3. Help the church obey the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-24).
4. Teach people how to effectively relate to God (and not just know of Him).

So when I financially support a missionary or pray for them or serve and support them otherwise, I need to have these objectives in mind. They represent the body of Christ (of which I am part) - engaged in these specific objectives.

Moral Government

It has been said that the moral test of government is how it treats ...

... those who are in the dawn of life (children),
... those who are in the twilight of life (elderly),
... those who are in the shadows of life (sick, poor, handicapped).

- Hubert Humphrey

Moral Behavior

People's moral standards are always better than their actual behavior. But doesn't that begin to challenge the definition of a moral standard? Or does it just expose a crack in human nature?

God's Transformation

God wants to remove the sin and restore the sinner - and He is fully able to accomplish that in me. However, that only happens if I don't stubbornly distort or reject the absolute truth that He reveals in me and to me. Absolute truth, it seems, is what challenges me most.

Impacting Others

To have an impact on people's lives, you must first love and believe in them. It has been said that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. But this isn't just a religious rehetoric. It's a fact of human nature. Grace precedes transformation in all human beings, in any setting.

Practical Christianity

The Christian life has practical implications that will affect how we choose to behave every day. It is not enough to know the gospel; we must allow it to transform our thinking and our lives. We must let God impact every aspect of who we are and how we live. I wonder how many Christians have.

Having Friends

You will gather other around you - having many friends - only by giving yourself away to them. Who are you giving yourself to today? How are you giving yourself to them?

Being Patriotic

Be careful with patriotism. Being patriotic can also include being selfish and arrogant. At its best, patriotism can include a level of pride that doesn't acknowledge God.

Being Saved

People talk of being "saved." The problem with just believing in Jesus as the Messiah is that people often don't comprehend the work of the Holy Spirit. Being a Christian is more than just believing. (Even the demons have accomplished that!) Rather being a Christian involves true repentance from all sinful ways and true surrender to Christ in obedience. Without those things, so called "believers" are incomplete - and their salvation may not be as secure as they would like to think!

Problem Talk

We can always tell God about our problems. However, it may be more effective to tell our problems about God. Rejoicing in times of trouble is an incredibly effective life tool. Why is that? It is because when we are overwhelmed with our problems, reminding them of who God is the best way to put them in their place - and put God in His rightful place.

What's Important

It is always important to know God's will for us and to align our motives, direction and objectives with His. Ironically, it is equally imporant to know what God does not want us to do and where he does not want us to go!

God's Evidence

God never leaves Himself without at least one witness. There is always evidence of God in our midst and in our circumstances. Are you noticing it?

Obedience & Risk

Sooner or later, true obedience to God involves taking risks. The more obedient one is - the greater the risks he or she will be taking.

Dealing With Truth

When confronted by a disturbing truth, people often turn away and refuse to listen. But if we turn away from truth that the Holy Spirit has used someone else to confront us with, we are in danger of pushing God's truth so far away that it cannot transform us.

Or didn't you know that truth has a purpose?

Anger

Anger is like a double-edged sword. Used improperly it can can wound and destroy. But godly anger has a different look and purpose. It accomplishes much.

So what is the difference? Well, I notice that Jesus' anger accomplished much. But His anger was never about what was happening to Him. He was mistreated, misjudged, slighted, cheated, mocked, and even murdered. None of those things ever made Him angry. Isn't that odd?

How does that contrast with the things that make us angry?

Jesus got angry when people weren't showing proper respect and reverence for God. He also got angry when people were oppressing, cheating, hurting or otherwise taking advantage of the poor, the helpless, the sick, the children.

So it would seem that the anger I feel over the things you do to me is not godly and could never accomplish much. But anger I feel over the things you do to others is godly and could accomplish much. Now, will I take the time to discern the difference and apply myself accordingly?

Accomplishments

It is a human tendency to over estimate what we can accomplish ourselves and to under estimate what we can accomplish by truly teaming with others. I think it is the complexity of relationships that causes us to think, "I should just do this myself."

But what would a fool say?

God's Leading

Often we think the Holy Spirit (God) is leading us one way or another. We must be careful though, not to confuse our subjective feelings with the Spirit's leading. Being led by the Holy Spirit involves desire to hear God's Word and the readiness to obey God's Word. Moreover, it involves the sensitivity to discern between your feelings and His promptings?

Many have made choices based on how they thought God was leading them. Unfortunately, even the most spiritually mature will find themselves wondering, "What did God say? What did I hear?" And they begin to question what was really leading them - God or their own selfish desires. We must get better at questioning that before making our choices in life.

Love's Motivation

Love for others and for God is the response of those whom God has forgiven.

When we are not motivated by love, we become critical of others. We stop looking for the good in them. Instead, we focus on their faults and flaws. We focus on their wrongs. We don't forgive.

Is love then not possible without forgiveness?

Spotting Lies

A twisting of the truth is considerably more difficult to spot than an outright lie.

How then are we to keep from being deceived?

Religious Wrong?

In a free society, people must have a right to their religious opinions. but this doesn't guarantee that their ideas are right.

So religious freedom really just gives everyone the right to be wrong.

New Options

There is nothing so exhilarating as knowing that new options await. It fuels the anticipation that those new options will produce a better life. So it is fair to say that having options seems to give us hope in the future.

Good Old Age?

A life without God is likely to produce bitterness, loneliness and hopelessness in old age.

Growing In God

We learn more about God and are drawn closer to Him in difficult times than in times of prosperity.

It is said that everyone has a price. But those who are truly wise and godly cannot be bought at any price.

Bribes and extortion are used to hurt those who speak the truth --- and to help those who oppose the truth.

Meaningful Words

I have noticed that the more words we speak (or write), the less meaning each of those words has. I think then that it is better to be a man of few words.

Satisfying Work

Work done with the wrong attitude will leave us empty. When we are feeling unfulfilled in our job then, it is probably not that job that's the problem!

We must look beyond the things that we do in life to the reasons that we do them. We must look to the purposes that they fulfill in us. Even worthy pursuits can be futile with the wrong motives.

Death's Sifting

The certainty of death makes all human achievements futile. The only lasting legacy is achievement of the spiritual being that each of us are. What is your spiritual being accomplishing?

Life's Desires

Life without God is a long and fruitless search for enjoyment, meaning and fulfillment. This happiness (or any of these things) is not within human power to attain though. Our sin nature means we will always want more - and never be satisfied. Only God can calm that insatiable desire (for more) in a man or a woman.

Worry

Worrying about things to come shows that you do not really trust God with your circumstances.

This is not a judgment. Rather it is a call to repentance.

Pride & Generations

Price often keeps older people from trying to understand younger people. But it is also pride that keeps young people from listening to those who are older (and wiser).


Who could know that pride is the root of the generation gap mankind continues to struggle with?

Sin of Believers

God most often allows believers to sin and then experience the consequences. He does this for several reasons:

1. To show us our own potential for sinning.
2. To encourage us to turn from sin and encourage us to focus on Him.
3. To prepare us for even stronger temptation to come.

Even believers need this earthly discipline (judgment) in order to grow in Christ.

Peace's Secret

Too often we see peace as merely the absence of conflict. And we think of peace-making as a passive role (i.e., "have a peaceable spirit"). But an effective peace-maker actively pursues peace by building good relationships. He (or she) knows that peace is a by-product of commitment. So the real peace maker anticipates problems and deals with them before they occur. When conflicts arise or are encountered, they are readily dealt with out in the open before they grow into unmanageable or explosive (i.e., divisive) dilemmas.

Making peace can be harder than waging war. But it is worth it.

Become vs. Overcome

We often like to think and talk about what we become in the future. but in the present, our duty to God is to overcome. So in reality - we must overcome in order to become!

So stop thinking and talking about what you'll become. What have you overcome? What are you overcoming now? What will you overcome? The answers to those questions point to whom you will become.

Bad Luck

There are a variety of reasons why bad things happen to good people. But one possible cause is our own unpleasant behavior or poor choices. It may take careful thought or wise counsel to determine the real cause of our suffering.

Salvation's Basis

The basis for our salvation is our belief in Jesus Christ. But the basis for our judgment is how we have lived. Do you know the difference between salvation and judgment? Shouldn't you?

Real Values

When we are in pain or our lives are threatened, our real values clearly show up. This is why the behavior of people in a disaster tends to deteriorate - their real values get exposed by their desperation.

God's Grace

The good news is that God's compassion, mercy and grace toward us are not limited by our faithfulness to Him.

Think of Me

I don't want anyone to think more highly of me than what they can actually see in my life and in my message. In other words, when you draw conclusions about me, make sure they're based on facts and reality. Don't be deceived about who I am.

Following Jesus

The Bible says that all who follow Jesus must be prepared to suffer like He did (Mark 8:34-35). How many of us are in touch with this sobering reality when we supposedly choose Christ?

I suspect that most people choose Christ because they don't want to burn in hell - and not because they know who He is or are attracted to Him or His ways. Does this make such "decisions for Christ" selfish?

On Suffering

Suffering comes from a few distinct sources:

1. A direct result of our own sin.
2. Caused by our foolishness and/or ignorance.
3. The result of living in a fallen world filled with broken people.
4. The result of God's punishment (which is meant for good).
5. The result of someone else's sin, foolishness or ignorance.
6. "Mother Nature."

I wonder if we can discern the difference. I wonder if we should even try.

Christians & Jews

The Christian church does not cancel the Jewish heritage or faith. Rather it fulfills it. Thus Jews who turn to Jesus Christ become "completed Jews."

If this is true, why aren't Christians and Jews getting along better than we do?

Sincere Love

A self-centered person can not truly love others. This is because sincere love involves selfless giving. So to get to true love, one must be able to set self aside.

Organizational Leadership

In any organization - a church, a business, government or just a family - the climate comes from the top. The people become like their leaders. So, for example, if the wicked are in charge, sin will prevail.

Public morality is impossible without knowledge of God. He is the only source of truth and knowledge about what is right and wrong. so if the leaders don't know Him - or don't consult Him, they'll themselves be deceived about their own leadership - and so will the people that follow them.

People in leadership who anesthetize themselves with alcohol or other vices will eventually compromise their own principles. The fact that they are willing to turn to vices like alcohol or sex proves their selfishness and self-centeredness above all else.

Excuses & Desire

To keep your excuses from making you useless - stop making useless excuses.

Human desire is never satisfied. So don't waste any time trying to satisfy it.

Old Age

Today is a milestone birthday for me. I'm finding that old age isn't nearly as intimidating as I had expected. It isn't prophecy ... but an observation.

When I was a young man, old age was something to dread. It seemed to be an enemy. But apparently experience gives one the opportunity to make peace with old age. Now it seems like a familiar friend that I'm extremely comfortable with. I wonder how that happened.

Fools & Proverbs

A fool will not feel the sting of a proverb because he or she does not see how it applies to his or her life. Instead of taking it to heart, they will think of someone else whom they are sure it applies to.

What are you doing with the proverbs you're reading?

Issues & Gossip

When we have an issue with someone else, lack of self confidence often moves us to discuss it with third parties before we discuss it with them. When we do this, however, we are probably sincere in seeking to check our thinking with those whom we consult. Still, it looks like gossip. And the more people we consult - the more like gossip it becomes.

Proverbs 25:7-9 tells us to address the issue directly with our target without telling anyone else.

Gaining Knowledge

The people who are most likely to gain knowledge are those who are most willing to listen. It is a sign of strength to be a good listener.

Common Transformation

It is a fact of human nature that people tend to become like those with whom they spend a lot of time. Who are you spending time with?

Generous People

Generous people aren't always faithful to God. However, truly faithful people are always generous.

Team Leader?

the very skills and behaviors that make someone a good team player sometimes also make that same person a very poor leader.

Borrowing Money

A loan that you can easily handle is enabling. However, a loan that you cannot easily handle is enslaving. You should know the difference before you become a borrower.

Spending Money

Anyone who spends all that he (or she) has is really spending more than they can afford. How much are you spending?

Learning from Mistakes

It is usually better to learn from the mistakes of others than to learn from our own. Whose mistakes are you learning from? How much learning do you take from the mistakes of others versus the mistakes of your own?

On Gossip

Even if you do not originate gossip, you become responsible when you pass it along. this is especially the case if the gossip isn't true. You may unknowingly be passing along a lie - and you are responsible for that.

Understanding Things

There are some things in life that we will not understand until much later. there are other things that we will never understand.

No one can say which things are which because there is a third category of things - those that we may be able to understand - but which are adept at eluding our understanding. It may take research and hard work to understand this third category of things. It may also take much time.

Finally, there is a fourth category of things that is even more troublesome. These are the things which can be understood, but which are ultimately able to evade our understanding them no matter how much work or time we put into it.

How much work then should we apply to understanding? How do we assess the value of understanding and prioritize it based on the likely ROI?

Wisdom & Understanding?

Wisdom and understanding are not the same thing. But how are they related? I can understand a situation - but have no wisdom about it.

Conversely, could I have wisdom about anything which I don't understand? Many times teen-agers say to their parents, "You don't understand!" And that may be so. Would that also mean that the parents have no wisdom (about their children or the subject at hand)?

Does experience differentiate wisdom and understanding? Or maybe God is the only differentiator. How does one apply wisdom to understanding? What should one do when we have one without the other?

Living in Peace

To live in peace for generations, God's people must learn to respect and submit to authority. They must also respect and learn to build strong families.

Making Decisions

There are three basic principles for making sound decisions:

1. Get the facts before answering. Be informed - and not ignorant.

2. Be open to new ideas. Think outside the box. Don't allow status quo to be your guide.

3. Make sure you hear both sides (or all sides) of the story before judging or reaching any conclusion. Remember that perspectives are human - and therefore flawed.

These three principles all center around seeking additional information - which is hard work.

The only alternative, however, is prejudice - which is simply judging, making decisions or drawing conclusions ... without the facts.

Pain & Misery

Pain and misery are not the same thing. Misery is the choice we make - what we make of the pain that is natural to all of life. I may experience pain. But I can decide about misery. It is a choice.

Human Logic

God doesn't always follow human logic. In fact, much of what will be right in God's eyes will not line up with human logic or reasoning. What does that tell you about human logic?

Lonely in Crowds

Being in a crowd usually just makes people more aware of their isolation. Feeling lonely? Don't immerse yourself in a crowd!

Knowing Friends

There is a vast difference between knowing someone well and being a true friend to them.

Finding Fault

It is not at all difficult to find fault in others. However, as Christ-followers, we must be willing to disregard the faults of others.

Love To Argue?

Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin.

Proud People

Proud people seldom can see that pride is their problem. At the same time, humble people seldom can see that humility is their virtue.

Evil's Fate

Evil is just a temporary condition of the world. One day God will remove it. Don't ever forget that.

Work Life

As Christ-followers, we must maintain a delicate balance of trusting god with our work as if everything depended on Him - but engaging (working) as if everything depended on us.

On Rationalizing

People can actually rationalize (and justify) absolutely anything - if they have no standards for judging right and wrong.

Right Answers

Proverbs 16:1 says that we can gather (or process) our thoughts, but (only) the Lord gives the right answer. I believe this means that as a computer, my brain is incapable of processing my thinking accurately. My thinking processes are too flawed to be dependable.

Converting Others

When we introduce someone to God, we increase our own awareness of God. But only with a vital relationship with God can we really pass on the excitement of letting God lead in one's life. Simply put - you can't sell what you don't believe in. Similarly - you can't sell what you don't have.

Solving Problems

Some problems in life can be solved by careful thought or by rearranging our priorities. some can be solved by discussion with good counsel from others. But some problems can be solved only by prayer.

Argue in Whisper

Have you ever tried to argue in a whisper? It is equally difficult to argue with someone who insists on answering gently.

Spending Time

Spend time with people you want to be like. You and your closest friends will inevitably come to resemble each other.

Greater Order

Every decision that I make to obey God's Word brings a greater order to my life.

Life Without God

I've often said that I would not want to live my life without God. That is because I remember so vividly the life I did live without Him. Although troubles come to the godly, with God we are able to see beyond those troubles and move ahead in spite of them. My troubles lose their power over me when I am surrendered to and walking with God.

But without God, people are quite ill-equipped to handle their own problems. That's how life works.

On Friendships

Godly people are cautious in friendships. So are wise people.

Ironic Life

The more that I surrender my life and my will to God, the more ironic life is.

Words Build or Destroy

Every person that you meet is either a demolition site or a construction opportunity. Your words will make the difference. Will your words be weapons of destruction - or will they be tools for construction?

God's Wisdom

If a person follows God's wisdom, God can rescue him or her from trouble. But a person who shuns God's wisdom has natural consequences of bad choices to be experienced. And God will do nothing to rescue us from the natural consequences of our own poor choices. And if you're not sure what "poor choices" are ... they are the ones that we make without seeking God's wisdom, considering His will or using His standards to make.

Resisting God

After spending a lifetime resisting God, you may find it impossible to turn to Him. Hope for you is being lost - one day at a time.

Ignoring God

If you continually ignore God's voice, eventually you will be unable to hear it at all.

On Stubbornness

Stubbornness is usually self-centered. Know someone who is stubborn? Then you also know someone who is self-centered. He or she is probably also selfish.

Wise Person?

Are you a wise person? One can usually tell by the way you respond to criticism. A wise man will not respond with an angry or clever retort when he is criticized. Instead, he will reflect on what has been said and seek God's perspective on the matter.

Strategy for Life

The real strategy for effective living starts with God's wisdom. It requires moral application and practical application - both on a day-to-day basis. This is what results in effective living.

Secret Sins

Our youth pastor taught the sermon one recent Sunday and his topic was "secret sins." It occurs to me that harboring secret sins means that you are tolerating evil within yourself. Would sane, rational people really do such a thing?

Going Places

Don't ever let your body take you to any place that your mind isn't capable of keeping you.

How God Leads

Although God is all powerful and He can do miracles, spectacular usually isn't what we expect from Him. God typically prefers to guide us with wise leadership that He places over us. He prefers to work in us through team efforts - in community that He offers us. Perhaps most overlooked is the fact that God wants to bless us ... as we submit to one another in that community He's provided us and as we submit to that wise leadership He's placed over us.

Purpose Driven

The person who has no purpose in life is simple-minded. If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything (aka "a fool"). Without aim or direction - a purpose in your life - life is empy, unstable and vulnerable to ungodly temptations. Want to live a virtuous life? Get a purpose. Be about something. Stand for something. Live your purpose.

Sexual Sin

Sexual sin, besides the obvious risks, carries other more subtle risks. We may lose our ability to fulfill commitments. We may lose our ability to feel sexual desire. We may lose our ability to trust and to be entirely open with another person. Our capacity for sexual intimacy is damaged, perhaps irreparably, by sexual sin.

Pride Defined

Pride is simply thinking or believing that our wisdom is flawless or just better than that of others or of God's. Without regard for God's perspective on something - and without considering the possibility that our perspective isn't always complete or accurate - we will fall into the sin of pride as we decide about it.

Marriage Happiness

Real happiness in a marriage comes when we decide to find pleasure in the spouse God has given us and to commit ourselves to meeting his or her real needs in life.

Of course, this requires that I give up the notion of the spouse I've always dreamed of, felt I deserved and want to demand.

So here's a question: Do you know what your spouse's real needs are? What will it take for you to find out? What will it take for you to become willing to meet them?

Developing Wisdom

People don't develop all aspects of wisdom at the same time. For example, some people may have more insight than discretion. Other people may have more knowledge than common sense. Wisdom is a journey, and we all travel it differently.

Knowledge & Wisdom

In this age of information, knowledge is very plentiful. But we people seem to be more starved than ever before for real wisdom.

There is a path that seems logical. It starts with reality, expressed in data. The data becomes information and that evolves into knowledge. The final leap is when knowledge (including experience) is transformed into wisdom. Most of us would like to think we can automate, using logic and reason, to move through this process. But alas, it seems that it requires God to take us through the final step. After all, true wisdom can only come from God - and not from manipulated data.

Human Behavior

While we should be accepting of others, we all need to reserve a healthy skepticism about all human behavior. Humans are, by their very nature, flawed in their thinking.

Viewing Problems

Look at your problems in the light of God's power - instead of looking at God in the shadow of your problems.

On Success

To achieve anything truly worthwhile in life, we must have God's word in our hearts.

Apathetic Believers

If people are apathetic about God, it is because they lack a realization of who God really is and what He has done for us. They may also not really comprehend how we benefit from truly knowing God.

Honest Feelings

Only when honest feelings and emotions are shared can people be really known, loved and helped. But this won't work when just one person is honest with everyone else. In fact, it only occurs when the honesty of feelings and emotions is shared mutually. So, for example, your brutal honestly can offend or hurt me. But if I am not honest with you about that fact, we miss the benefits and depth of relationship that God intends.

God's Will

God can overrule the evil intentions of people to bring about His intended results. At the same time, God can manipulate the evil intentions of people to bring about His intended results. Bottom line? Evil doesn't get to prevail unless God allows it.

Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual warfare must be fought with prayer. But it also offers battles that must be fought with teamwork between courageous people who are faithful - and a mighty God.

Appreciate Ugly

Those who are strong, attractive and talented often find it easier to trust in themselves than in God - who gave them those gifts. So I guess I should thank God for not giving me any of those gifts. What an odd expression of gratitude to have!

On Greed

When you finally realize that all good things truly come from God - you will stop trying to grab them for yourself.

Basis of Fear

The real basis of our fears is the inability to believe that God will take care of us - that He will make sure all of our needs are met.

On Temptations

When we are tempted, we should consider the sin against God first and foremost. All other excuses or reasons for not giving in to the temptation can be easily rationalized away. But having something be a sin against God cannot be rationed away - unless I'm willing to disregard God!

On Compromise

Compromise has a way of destroying convictions. Be wary of it and make sure you don't engage in it without first seeking God's counsel.

Addressing Jealousy

The time to deal with jealousy is when you first notice yourself "keeping score" of what others have or make or get.

Character Judged

Parents are usually the best judges of their adult childrens' character.

Victory & Struggle

There is no victory unless there is first a struggle. You cannot prevail with God when you have no problems to prevail over.

Social Customs

The fact that a custom is socially acceptable does not mean that it is wise or right. Sometimes God calls us to stand against our culture.

Patience

Patience is hardest when we need it the most.

Parental Wisdom

Most parents are an excellent source of good advice for their children. This is true for at least two (2) reasons:

1. Parents have a lifetime of insight into their children's' character.

2. Parents have more life experience and more life lessons learned than anyone else that their children know well.

Finally, your parents, for the longest part of life, are most likely the wisest people that their children know.

On Jealousy

Jealousy is a dividing force strong enough to tear apart the mightiest of nations and the closest of friends. It forces you to separate yourself from what you were longing for in the first place - community and fellowship with others. Jealousy ignores the blessings that we have and puts all our focus on what we don't have.

Circumstances & Decisions

Sometimes we exaggerate our circumstances - and that appears to provide decision criteria that we then use to make poor decisions. This can happen when we are overwhelmed by our circumstances. The pressure of the moment distorts our perspective and makes the decision seem urgent. We can feel such pressure in one area that it seems nothing else matters. That's when we lose our (appropriate) perspective and end up with poor decisions.

Role Model

What are my peers, family, friends - or even my enemies, learing about God from watching me live my life? (They are learning something!)

Blessings' Purpose

Most often we think of blessings as something to be enjoyed. But God's blessings on us always have at least one other purpose - to overflow us and benefit others as well.

So if you are thankful that God has blessed you, whom are you blessing in return?

On Escape

Escape of some sort is usually the tempting solution to our problems. My mother used to say that she wanted to "run around to the land of 1,000 islands and spend a week on each one of them!" So it is true ... even a mother can be tempted.

Affective Prayers

Our prayers are only as effective as the lives we lead. So if I'm frustrated by seemingly unanswered prayers, I should look in the mirror.

Prayer Perspective

To pray for anything is okay - with the basis of understanding that God's answers always come from God's perspective. (And God's perspective is usually not the same as ours!)

Godly Needs

Even the most godly people on earth still deserve God's justice - and need His grace.

Prayers Change

Our prayers most often don't change God's mind. They may, however, change our minds. Prayer helps us better understand God's mind on a subject. It helps align our thinking with His. I believe this occurs as we pray and share our hearts with God. He provides peace and serenity be either agreeing with us and giving us what we ask for - or aligning our thinking with His such that we are not bothered when He says, "No."

God's Desire

God desires our dependence, trust and faith in Him --- not faith in our ability to please Him.

Fear & Lying

Fear is the most common motive for lying. We are afraid - if we'll be honest about it - that our inner thoughts and motives or emotions will be discovered. We are afraid that our mistakes will become known. Even if we believe we can avoid direct consequences, we wish to avoid being known for our mistakes and dishonorable thoughts or motives.

Ironic Life

Watch your walk with God. The closer you can follow Him, the more ironic your life will become.

Live for God

Life for God and you're much more likely to find yourself in the right places at the right times.

Relating To God

A right relationship with God is based on faith - which is the heartfelt, inner confidence that God is who He says He is - and does what He says He'll do. Once we have this faith, right behaviors and thinking will follow.

On Conflict

Christians often bicker while Satan is at work all around them. Rivalries, arguments and other sorts of disagreements often break out amongst foolish Christians. These behaviors are destructive in three ways:

They damage goodwill, trust and peace (serenity), which are the foundations of good relationships.

They hinder progress toward important goals - distracting us from what really matters in life.

they cause us to be self-centered rather than love centered on others. Quarrels all have a selfish dimension to them.

On Nakedness

Shame with nakedness is only possible because of sin. Genesis 2:25 shows us that the original man and woman were naked - but had no shame. Later, we see these same people ashamed of their nakedness. What changed? Sin is the only thing that was different between their not being ashamed of their nakedness and their being ashamed of their nakedness.

If I'm ashamed of being naked in front of my spouse - perhaps sin is the problem?

In God's Image

We were created in God's own image. That is to say that we have a spiritual, everlasting dimension to us - like His - that no other creation shares.

People are always facing great choices in life. Obedience to God is only possible when those choices are faced with God's will as a priority. Making choices and living life God's way makes life fulfilling and satisfying. The victory as we yield to God is sweet.

The only way to enjoy the benefits of God's promises is to obey Him. And when we obey Him, we find peace with ourselves, with others and - most importantly - with God Himself.

At the end of your life, it will be too late to ask for advice.

On Desires

Our desires can quite easily be manipulated. They are not the best basis for decisions or actions.

On Sin

We will ourselves become victims of sin if we do not master it. (The Holy Spirit - Christ in us - can help us master it too!)

Sin tends to escalate. That is its nature and its character. We must ask God to help us master little sins before they escalate into bigger sins - and become tragedies.

If left to ourselves, people tend to get worse instead of better. (That is our nature and character.) This illustrates the continuous development of sin as time passes.

On Influence

Influence is dominant. We will either influence others or be influenced by others.

Proverb Defined

A true proverb is a short, wise, easy-to-remember saying that calls people to action. A proverb contains deep spiritual insights that are drawn from life experience. Finally, a proverb does not argue about basic spiritual and moral beliefs. It assumes that we already hold those.