Pride's Control

Whenever I find myself wanting to do things my way or looking down on other people disapprovingly, I am being controlled by my pride. Only when I eliminate my pride can God help me be all He meant me to be.

Rationalize & Justify

People can rationalize anything if they have no standard for judging right from wrong. We can always "prove" that we are right. Often it starts by simply saying something like, "There's nothing wrong with ...."

Wise People

The person who has wisdom is loving and faithful. He trusts in the Lord, puts God first, turns way from evil, knows right from wrong, listens and learns, and strive to do what's right. He possesses knowledge and discretion, hates pride, arrogance and evil behavior. He respects and fears God, gives good advice and has common sense. He loves and accepts correction, is teachable and knows God. (Proverbs 3 & 4, Proverbs 8:9)

Where Glory Lies

The glory of a battle is in the hope of winning. But the glory of peace making is that it may actually produce two winners - who realize that it is far better to be reconciled than it is to be right (or to "win").

Achievements

Achievements are simply examples of what God can do through someone's life. The most effective leaders spoken of in the Bible had little awareness of the impact of their lives on others. They were too busy obeying God to keep track of their own successes.

Great leaders, through whom God does great things, put themselves in positions to be used by God like that because they dedicate themselves to studying God's Word, they lead with the intent to make practical application of God's Word, they are purposefully obedient to God's Word and finally, they teach God's Word to others. It is through this "to do" list that they become most useful to God.

Remembering God

I must intentionally remember all that God has already done for me - and it's a lot - so that I won't be drawn away from Him by the world's pleasures. The world's "gods" are enticing with power, influence, sex, money, fame, etc. But God is much more than all of that together even. He is the desire of my heart. Let my head be conscious of the truth in my heart every minute of every day.

Heart of Evangelism

It is said that some of us have a spiritual gift of evangelism. But I'm not sure that's really accurate. It seems to me that when we truly comprehend God's majesty and goodness, we cannot help but tell others about Him. Witnessing comes naturally when our hearts are full of appreciation for who God is and what God has done.

Strong Believers

Psalm 92:10 says, "But You have made me as strong as a wild bull. How refreshed I am by Your power."

God's true followers are upright, strong and immovable. We are not moved or swayed by our circumstances. God's Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ in us, make us that way. We are defined that way. When we place our faith firmly in God, we can have this strength and vitality in our everyday lives. We can live true to who we are in Christ. If I live any other way, then I am not living as Christ intended. Jesus' death on the cross was purposed for my victorious life.

Expensive Obedience

The Bible calls each of us to be submitted and obedient to the will of God. What many of us fail to realize though is that obedience will always cost you something. It is never free. But the thing is, often we can't know the price of obedience before we commit ourselves to it. So can you commit to something before you know it's price? That is precisely what God calls His followers to do.

Sinner's Prayer

Dear Lord, how can I know all the sins that may be lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from hidden faults. Keep me from deliberate sin. Don't let them control me. Help me to rise up against the darkness that wants to control me - from within me. And may the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be please to you, Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Children

Dear Lord, I pray for my children - as I have so many times before. They are dear to me, Lord. They are embedded in my heart forever. Perhaps that is why my heart aches when I see them making wrong choices that threaten their ability to lead victorious lives in Christ.

Conflict's Root(s)

Wherever there is conflict, there is sin. The challenge is to find the sin and identify it's owner(s). Then of course the sin must be confessed, repented of, turned from, etc. Conflict has that firm of a foundation.

How God Works

God seems to work in the world through one of three different ways.

1. Natural Order - where God sets in action (through creation) a normal working of the universe and everything in it. This includes His revealing His will to people through His Word and even through their consiences.

2. Miracles - where God breaks into the natural order of things to respond to expressed needs of the people.

3. Providence - where God overrules the natural order to accomplish something that His people may or may not have asked Him for. (This often looks like coincidences or irony.)

Leadership's Greatness

The greatness of a leader is usually limited to the quality of his advisors.

Non-Believers vs. Believers

Non-believers (in Jesus) are victims of life, swept along by its current and wondering if there is any meaning to it. Believers, however, can use life well because they understand its true purpose. For believers, even death holds no terrors --- Christ has conquered all fears.

Sin's Foundation

Temptation (to sin) is very often the combination of a real need coupled with a possible doubt --- which creates an inappropriate desire.

Hearing & Listening

We hear with our ears. But there is a deeper kind of listening with the mind and heart that is necessary in order to gain spiritual understanding from Jesus' (God's) words. Without this deeper kind of hearing, we can never really comprehend Biblical truth. (Mark 4)

Forgiving Others

As Christians we should forgive as we have been forgiven. Matthew 6:12 and Ephesians 4:31-32 tell us about that. True forgiveness means that we treat the one that we've forgiven as we would want to be treated - or even better!

Prayer Requests

You may ask God for what you want. But don't be surprised if, instead, He gives you what you need.

My Future

It is not God's nature to reveal my future to me. Rather He walks with me as my future unfolds.

Believing Jesus

Jesus performed many miracles so that people could easier believe in Him. People today need to see Christ's power in transformed lives, through fresh encounters with His Spirit, etc. in order to fully believe and to live out what they believe.

Seeing Self

When we truly understand who Christ is, our pride and self importance melt away. And finally, we have ourselves in the proper perspective.

Believing

Believing does not occur in the mind. Believing is an action. It is making decisions and living out choices that would fail if our beliefs were not based on what is true.

Christian Suffering

In the second century, the church father Tertullian wrote that, "The blood of Christians is the seed of the church." He'd observed that because of the persecution of the church, it just grew even faster. So today, if I suffer in doing God's work, it helps me know Christ better, makes me more determined, etc. Beyond me though, it actually makes the global church and the overall Christian faith grow stronger.

Self Righteousness

Self righteousness is usually something that creeps up on us. It occurs when we believe that we deserve something ... maybe just respect. But self righteousness is a dangerous tool. It usually leads to pride, causes us to not really love others and most of all - it prevents us from learning anything from God.

Self righteousness comes about when I am focused on how right I am (or how wrong you are). But it is blinding. How right I am is rarely the point.

Stages of Belief

There are four (4) stages of belief:

1. See it as impossible to believe. Perhaps a fairy tale?
2. Investigate the facts but still unconvinced. Maybe want to believe but just can't.
3. Encounter Jesus personally on this issue and He begins to provide the belief.
4. Commit myself to Jesus and to serving Him, then begin to fully understand and live the reality of what I now believe.

True Faith

True faith is simply a complete trust in and loyalty to God that results in an open and ongoing willingness to do His will. Do I have that?

Godly Correction

To rebuke someone means to bring sin to a person's attention with the purpose of reconciling him or her to God and other people. When I rebuke someone, it is NOT about putting them in their place, calling them out, etc. So when I rebuke someone, I must check my attitude before I speak. Do I love that individual? Am I willing to forgive that individual? Is love the real motive that I have for speaking to them about this sin that I observe in their life?

Financial Priorities

If your financial goals and priorities and/or your possessions hinder you from giving generously, loving on others, or serving God - sell whatever you must to bring your life into proper perspective. Similarly, if your lifestyle is so large that it hinders your obedience to God - downsize and live a simpler life. It is what God expects of you.

Measuring Greatness

The level of care and genuine concern that we show for others will be revealed in the amount of action that we take as a result of that care and concern. Moreover, our care for others is a measure of our own greatness.