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20 July 2023 13:04

Start early

“Train up a child in the way he should go.” Pr 22:6
 
The Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (v. 6). Observe the word “child.” You must begin early when: (1) Their will is flexible. A twig is much simpler to bend than a trunk. In the early years, your child’s will is like soft clay; malleable and flexible. You see, it’s when they’re young that you are to “set their ways,” because when they grow older, their “ways are set.” The Hebrew phrase “train up” refers to training a vine to grow in a certain shape or direction. If you wait, it will be too late! (2) There is still hope. “Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction” (Pr 19:18 NKJV). When a parent says, “My kids are hopeless,” too often you find out those parents didn’t train their children while there was still hope. Listen to the urgency in Solomon’s voice: “He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly” (Pr 13:24 NKJV). The Hebrew word for “promptly” refers to dawn, or early in the day. So, start early! Maybe you have a little darling running around in your house right now that you think is an angel. But someday those legs will grow longer, those wings will become shorter, and sometimes a little “angel” even sprouts horns! While your child is young and more apt and ready to listen to your advice and counsel, teach and train him or her how to live God’s way. If you do, you will never regret it.

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18 July 2023 07:00

Think carefully before you speak

“Talk too much, and you are done for.” Pr 13:3 CEV
 
Here is a Bible verse we should all commit to memory: “Keep what you know to yourself, and you will be safe; talk too much, and you are done for” (v. 3 CEV). Simply put, your tendency to speak without thinking will keep getting you into trouble. The story is told of a vacuum cleaner salesman who had been given a remote rural area as his territory. He was going from farmhouse to farmhouse on his first day on the job, attempting to sell vacuum cleaners. As he arrived at one farmhouse, he knocked on the door and was met by a farmer’s wife who asked him what he wanted. Without asking permission, he shoved right past her into the kitchen and said, “I’m selling vacuum cleaners.” Shocked, she replied, “Wait a minute!” But he demanded, “Ma’am, before you say anything, I want to show you something.” Then he reached into his bag, pulled out a pail of dirt, and threw it across her kitchen floor. “If my vacuum cleaner won’t pick up all that dirt,” he bragged, “then I’ll eat it!” She looked at him and said, “Then you better get busy, ’cause we ain’t got no electricity!” How often we have to eat the words we so recklessly toss on the floor of everyday living! Be careful. Jesus said one day we will give an account for every idle word we speak (See Mt 12:36). An unknown poet wrote, “Be careful of the words you say and keep them soft and sweet. You never know from day to day which ones you’ll have to eat.” So unless you want to eat your words, think carefully before speaking.

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15 July 2023 07:01

Don’t be afraid to go

“You must go…And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you.” Dt 31:7-8 NKJV
 
When God tells you to “go,” remind yourself that every detail of your future is already known to Him. Centuries ago when a mapmaker ran out of the known world before he ran out of parchment, he would frequently draw a dragon at the edge of the scroll. This was intended as a sign to explorers that they were entering unknown territory at their own risk. Many, however, didn’t regard the dragon as a mapmaker’s warning sign but instead as a prophecy. They foresaw disaster beyond the known worlds they traversed, and their fear kept them from pushing on to discover new lands and peoples. Other more adventuresome travelers, however, saw the dragon as a sign of opportunity and a doorway to new worlds worth exploring. Each of us has a mental map that contains the information we use for guidance as we begin each day. And like the maps of long ago, our mental maps have edges to them, and sometimes those edges seem to be marked by dragons or fears. We fear failing, or being rejected, or ridiculed, or that we won’t have enough, or that we will lose what we have. If that’s how you feel today, read these words spoken by God to His people when they stood on the threshold of the promised land without knowing what awaited them when they went into it. “The Lord, He is the One who goes before you.” So, write down your goal, map out a strategy, and set a deadline. Then commit it to God, believing that He has gone before you to prepare the way.

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13 July 2023 07:00

Grace and confidence

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence.” Heb 4:16 NIV
 
If you feel unworthy to approach God in prayer, stop and read these words: “Let us…approach God’s throne of grace with confidence…that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (v. 16 NIV). The word “grace” means “undeserved kindness, mercy, favor, and help when you need it.” Notice three important things: (1) When you need grace, you can approach God with complete confidence. Why? Because you’re coming to a throne of grace and mercy, not a throne of judgment. All your sins—past, present, and future—were paid for the moment Jesus said, “It is finished.” Satan, whom the Bible calls “the accuser,” wants you to feel condemned, guilty, and unworthy to approach God. But the moment you placed your trust in Christ, God clothed you in Christ’s righteousness. Therefore, you can always come to Him with confidence. (2) When you need more grace, pray more. God has all the grace needed to help you, but you must go before His throne and ask for it. A prayerless Christian is a graceless Christian. The Bible says, “Grow in grace” (2Pe 3:18), and if you’re not praying every day, you’re not growing in your spiritual life. So, what’s the answer? Spend more time hanging around the throne that dispenses grace. (3) God’s grace is given based on your need at that moment. He won’t give you tomorrow’s grace until tomorrow, so don’t bother asking for it. But don’t be concerned; the supply of grace you have in Christ will not run out tomorrow—or ever! That means you can’t wear out your welcome by going to the throne of grace too often.

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11 July 2023 07:00

What are they saying about you?

“It is reported…that you.” Neh 6:6 NKJV
 
To prevent Nehemiah from rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, his enemies spread rumors about him. “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king” (v. 6 NKJV). Now, you can’t control what people think, or keep them from saying it, but you can determine your response. Nehemiah did: “I sent messengers to them, saying, ‘I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?’ But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner” (vv. 3-4 NKJV). This story teaches you three important principles: (1) Refuse to give more attention to a critic than you would to a friend. To Nehemiah, the people who mattered were those who were for him rather than those against him. So instead of trying to change minds, he changed gears and moved forward. (2) Realize that with opportunity comes opposition. Paul wrote, “There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me” (1Co 16:9 NLT). Criticism is a sign of respect; if you weren’t succeeding, they wouldn’t even notice you. (3) Remember that it’s the big battles that produce the big victories. Satan won’t send you a congratulatory telegram because you have decided to do God’s will; he will fight you every step of the way. But “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1Jn 4:4). Today God is on your side, so your victory is assured.

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09 July 2023 07:00

Hearing the “still small voice”

“A still small voice…Elijah heard it.” 1Ki 19:12-13 NKJV
 
When Jezebel threatened Elijah’s life, he fled to a cave. And that’s when God said to him: “‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice…Elijah heard it” (vv. 11-13 NKJV). God can speak to you anywhere, anytime, through anybody, in any situation. But He will often share His greatest insights when you’re alone with Him. In order to hear God’s “still small voice,” two things must happen: (1) You must have silence and solitude. This calls for shutting out everything else and focusing on God. Not everyone will understand or appreciate what you’re doing, but you must if you’re to hear from Him. (2) You must get close to Him. The average person now gets fifty to one hundred texts and emails every day. Think about that. As long as you’re willing to take the time to stop and listen to others but not to God, your problems will not be solved, and your situation won’t change. The songwriter, Everett W. Sugg, put it this way: “Shut in with God in a secret place, There in the Spirit beholding His face, Gaining more power to run in this race, oh I long to be shut in with God.”

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07 July 2023 07:01

The cure for anxiety (4)

“You have been a strength…to the needy in his distress.” Isa 25:4 NKJV
 
When you start worrying about the future, recall what God has already brought you through. In situations you thought you wouldn’t survive, He caused you to thrive, right? Nothing can separate you from His love (See Ro 8:38-39). But your anxieties can rob you of the security His love brings. One writer says: “I was a person who wanted to understand everything because it made me feel I was in control. I was not good at ‘not knowing.’ My mind went on and on all day with thoughts like, Why did I act like that? I wonder what so-and-so is thinking about my decision to buy a new car? Why hasn’t God answered my prayer yet for a promotion at work? I wonder if I’m doing something wrong, or don’t have enough faith? The ‘whys’ in my mind seemed to never cease, and they made me miserable. My mind was home to all sorts of uninvited guests (tormenting thoughts) simply because I never said ‘no’ to them. I wondered, reasoned, worried, fretted, imagined, and was anxious to the point where it left me completely exhausted…God actually showed me that I was addicted to reasoning and that I had to give it up. It didn’t happen overnight, but each time I started my mental gymnastics, I said, ‘I will not worry or try to figure this out,’ and gradually I was able to trust God with my life.” Today God wants to be your provider, your guide, your adviser, your protector, and your “all in all.” So stand on His Word, which says, “You have been a strength…to the needy in his distress.”

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05 July 2023 07:00

The cure for anxiety (2)

“Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it].” Ps 55:22 AMPC
 
Hannah Whitall Smith tells a story that took place about a hundred years ago, yet it’s as up to date as tomorrow morning’s newspaper. A farmer with a horse and cart notices a man walking along with a heavy sack on his back, so he offers him a ride. The stranger accepts and climbs up onto the cart. But as they proceed down the road, he is still bowed beneath the weight of his sack. The farmer says, “Why don’t you set the sack down?” The stranger replies, “That would be too much to ask. I’m grateful that you’re carrying me, but I would never expect you to carry the sack also.” That’s what we do when we accept God’s offer of salvation but insist on carrying all our burdens ourselves. “Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you.” God won’t begin working on the problem until you turn it over to Him; He gets involved when He gets invited. We wait until we’re falling apart, then wonder why God doesn’t help. “You do not have, because you do not ask” (Jas 4:2 AMPC). Have you asked God for help? Have you placed the problem in His hands, confident that He will work it out for your good, patiently waiting for Him to do it? This doesn’t mean you become passive and sit around doing nothing. You need to do what you believe is right and what you have peace about doing. Learn the difference between your part and God’s part and stop frustrating yourself by trying to do what only God can do.

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03 July 2023 07:00

God’s amazing love for you

“May you have the power to understand…how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” Eph 3:18 NLT
 
Paul writes: “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand…how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete” (vv. 16-19 NLT). In spite of our best intentions, we still sin. As a result, we feel bad about ourselves. And Satan uses our feelings of guilt and condemnation to make us doubt God’s love for us. But if God loved you enough to send His Son to die on your behalf while you were a full-blown sinner, you can be sure He won’t change His mind about you when you’re His redeemed but struggling child. Feeling bad about sin is actually proof that you truly are God’s child. When you were born again, you became a regenerate spirit living in an unregenerate body. So when you permit sin to enter your life, your regenerate spirit rises up and says, “Get that out of here, it’s incompatible with who I am.” It’s not that God doesn’t love you when you sin, but that sin is an unwelcome guest that makes you feel bad about yourself and robs you of confidence toward God. So if you have sinned, repent, receive God’s forgiveness, and move forward stronger and wiser.

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01 July 2023 07:00

Trust God, and do good

“Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness.” Ps 37:3 AMPC
 
Sometimes when we have problems, we withdraw from normal life and spend all our time obsessing and trying to solve them. We talk about them to anyone who will listen. All this is unproductive activity which prevents us from doing what we should be doing, which is “doing good.” If you want to experience the benefits of God’s faithfulness, you must do two things: (1) “Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord.” (2) “And do good.” When we have problems, it feels counterintuitive to focus on blessing others. But it’s not; it’s actually a very powerful thing to do. It takes your mind off you and your problem. Plus, you’re sowing good seed that ultimately brings your good harvest. Falling into self-pity, fretting, and talking negatively prevent God from helping you. But trusting Him and persisting in doing good for others release Him to work on your behalf. We may know it’s wrong to worry and yet continue worrying. We must realize that none of God’s promises work for us until we actually obey His Word. Knowledge alone won’t solve your problems; you must take action and be obedient no matter how you feel. You might not feel like keeping a commitment or doing something to help someone else, but when you do it, God goes to work on your behalf. So, one of the keys to overcoming fear and worry is doing what God has told you to do regardless of how you feel.

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29 June 2023 07:02

Sin is bad for you
“We can come to God with bold confidence.” 1Jn 3:21 NLT
 
When you knowingly sin, it puts your body under stress. There is actually no such thing as a “lie detector test.” The fact is, the test cannot determine if someone is lying. It simply measures how a person’s response to certain questions impacts their nervous system. God designed our system to glorify Him (See 1Co 6:19-20). So when you sin, it negatively impacts your body. Even if you have never taken a polygraph exam, you can agree that when you have lied, you probably experienced an increase in your heart rate. So when God tells you not to sin, He is not trying to steal your joy but preserve it. Sin robs you of three things: (1) Comfort. “‘There is no peace for the wicked,’ says the Lord” (Isa 48:22 NLT). When you knowingly violate your values, you become uneasy in your own skin. (2) Character. Your reputation is how others see you, but your character is what you see when you look at yourself in the mirror each day. Your thoughts determine your deeds, your deeds determine your habits, your habits determine your character, and your character determines your destiny. (3) Confidence. Nothing in life is more important than to be able to approach God with confidence. “If we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him” (1Jn 3:21-22 NLT). So the next time Satan tempts you to sin, stop and do the math. By looking at the bottom-line result, you will be able to make the right choice every time.

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27 June 2023 07:00

You have only two options: forgiveness or bitterness

“How often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” Mt 18:21 NKJV
 
The Bible says, “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him…‘up to seventy times seven’” (vv. 21-22 NKJV). Seventy times seven equals 490 times. And it’s your “brother,” someone you have to live or work with, whom you’re called to forgive. In essence Jesus was saying, “Forgive, and keep on forgiving if you want to have a relationship with this person.” Let’s face it, we all make mistakes because we’re flawed in different ways. Perfection only exists in God. Recall Jesus’ words: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34). Truer words have never been spoken, and very few concepts are more significant to remember in a relationship. While it’s perfectly normal to feel anger, and a natural human reaction to feel mistreated, there is a big difference between healthy anger and the corrosive emotion of bitterness. Bitterness is relational cancer. As Dr. Maya Angelou said, “[Bitterness] feeds upon the host. It does nothing to the object of the displeasure.” In this case, the “host” is your relationship, and forgiveness is the medication and the cure. Jesus said, “As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Lk 6:31). Offering the degree of forgiveness you wish to receive ensures that your relationship stays healthy and free from the disease of bitterness. Is it sometimes hard to do? Yes, but if you pray, God will give you the grace to do it!

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25 June 2023 07:00

All you need to know

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Ps 46:10 NIV
 
If Job had a weakness, it was his tongue. He talked excessively. Not that you could blame him. After being hit by calamity, there wasn’t a wall standing in his house or a loved one living. And his wife, empathetic soul that she was, told him to “curse God, and die” (Job 2:9). Then his four friends with the bedside manner of drill sergeants told him he had probably brought all this trouble on himself. We’re thirty-seven chapters into the book of Job before God speaks a word. Chapter 38 begins, “Then the Lord answered Job.” And after God got through speaking, Job said, “I am not worthy; I cannot answer you anything, so I will put my hand over my mouth” (40:4 NCV). Notice, before he heard from God, Job couldn’t talk enough. But after he heard from Him, he couldn’t talk at all. The only thing Job got right was: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (13:15 NKJV). Sometimes the best way to handle your problem is to trust and not talk. To submit and not speak. Job didn’t know it at the time, but God’s plan was to give him twice as much in the end as he had lost. And it happened when he stopped focusing on his own problems and started praying for his friends (See 42:10). So, be still. Be open and willing. God is still on the throne. He is in control of every detail of your life. Even in the worst of circumstances, He has your best interest at heart. “The Lord will vindicate me” (Ps 138:8 NIV). That’s all you need to know!

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23 June 2023 07:01

Pray for wisdom (3)

“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.” Pr 4:7 NIV
 
Why does the Bible talk so much about Solomon’s wisdom? Because it’s not human wisdom raised to a supernatural height; it’s supernatural wisdom lowered to human understanding. Lest you think the water is too deep and wisdom is beyond you, listen to what Solomon, the wisest man in the world, said: “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you” (vv. 6-8 NIV). Along those lines Haddon Robinson observes: “Since 1955 knowledge has doubled every five years…High school graduates today have been exposed to more information about the world than Plato, Aristotle, Spinoza, or Benjamin Franklin. In terms of facts alone, neither Moses nor Paul could pass a college entrance exam today. Yet, by everyone’s standards, even with all our knowledge…society today is peopled with a bumper crop of brilliant failures…men and women…educated to earn a living often don’t know anything about handling life itself. Alumni from noted universities have mastered information about a narrow slice of life—but couldn’t make it out of the first grade when it comes to living successfully with family and friends. Let’s face it. Knowledge is not enough to meet life’s problems. We need wisdom, the ability to handle life with skill.” Spurgeon once said, “There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool; but to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.” Bottom line: The more information you’re exposed to, the more you need to pray for wisdom.

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21 June 2023 21:26

Pray for wisdom (1)
“Now give me wisdom.” 2Ch 1:10 NKJV
 
When King Solomon ascended to the throne, God told him, “Ask! What shall I give you?” (v. 7 NKJV). Imagine: Solomon was given carte blanche by the One in whose dictionary the word impossible doesn’t occur. But there was a catch! God was testing Solomon to find out what was in his heart. An arrogant person would have asked for fame. A worldly person would have asked for wealth. A self-seeking person would have asked for power. What did Solomon ask God for? “Now give me wisdom.” So, God granted Solomon’s request and gave him something more gratifying than fame, more extravagant than wealth, and more thrilling than power. As it turned out, all the material blessings Solomon enjoyed were by-products of the gift of wisdom. An anonymous thinker wrote: “Tell me your dreams, and I will tell you the riddle of your life. Tell me your prayers, and I will write the history of your soul. Tell me your askings, and I will tell you your gettings. Tell me what you seek, and I will tell you what you are…I do not wish to know your possessions…only your wants. I do not care to know what you have, only what you have not and desire to have; not your attainments, but what you have not yet attained and follow after; that which comes to you in your victories by day and your dreams by night, the ideal you set before you, the things you approve as excellent, what you seek after and have given your heart to, these are the measure of a man.” So, pray for wisdom.

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19 July 2023 07:01

God blesses hard work, not laziness

“The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” 2Th 3:10 NIV
 
Compassion without accountability is just indulgence. The Bible teaches that we have a responsibility to feed those who are truly hungry and can’t provide for themselves. But let’s face it, there are some folks who would rather go hungry than go to work. Solomon writes, “Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger” (Pr 19:15 NKJV). Centuries later the apostle Paul was even more explicit: “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.’” Listen to what Solomon says about the sluggard: “The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting” (Pr 12:27 NKJV). “A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again” (Pr 19:24 NKJV). Talk about laziness! He wants his bread buttered, but he wants someone else to butter it for him. If he kills a deer while he is hunting, he won’t even clean the meat and cook it; he wants someone else to cook it for him and serve it to him. What’s the Bible talking about here? It’s talking about the person who never starts a job; and if you give them one, they either won’t finish it or they will do it only halfway. Then Solomon wraps it all up in one final zinger. “The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor” (Pr 21:25 NKJV). There are no two ways about it; if you want God’s blessing on your life, you have to be willing to work!

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17 July 2023 12:38

How do you raise a juvenile delinquent?

“Sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind.” Hos 8:7 NKJV



According to one Christian leader, here is how: “(1) When your child is still an infant, give him everything he wants. This way he will think the world owes him a living. (2) When he picks up swearing and off-colored jokes, laugh at him, encourage him. As he grows up, he will pick up cuter phrases that will floor you. (3) Never give him any spiritual training. Wait until he is twenty-one and let him decide for himself. (4) Avoid using the word ‘wrong.’ It will give your child a guilt complex. Later, when he is arrested for stealing a car, [he will think] that society is against him and he is being persecuted. (5) Pick up after him—his books, shoes, and clothes. Do everything for him so he will be experienced in throwing all responsibility onto others. (6) Let him read all the printed material he can get his hands on—[don’t monitor his internet use or TV programs]. Sterilize the silverware, but let him feast his mind on garbage. (7) Quarrel frequently in his presence, and then he won’t be too surprised when his home is broken up later. (8) Satisfy his every craving for food, drink, and comfort. Every sensual desire must be gratified; denial may lead to harmful frustrations. (9) Give your child all the spending money he wants. Don’t make him earn his own. Why should he have things as tough as you did? (10) Take his side against neighbors, teachers, and policemen; they’re all against him. (11) When he gets into real trouble, make up excuses for yourself by saying, ‘I could never do anything with him; he’s just a bad seed.’ (12) Prepare for a life of grief.”

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14 July 2023 07:00

The two rules

“From any tree of the garden you may freely eat.” Ge 2:16 NAS
 
Adam had the perfect job, perfect home, perfect marriage, and the perfect environment; all the things we strive for. So how did it come about? As a result of his relationship with God! God basically gave him two rules to live by: “From any tree of the garden you may freely eat; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will certainly die” (vv. 16-17 NAS). So, the two rules are these: (1) With God, what you get back is always greater than what you give up. “From any tree of the garden you may freely eat.” But what we so often do—and what legalistic religion does—is look at that Scripture and similar Scriptures and focus on what we can’t do. The truth is, when our list of can’t do’s exceeds our list of what we’re free to do, we have gone far beyond what the Scriptures intended. The Christian life should be measured by what you’re free to enjoy, not by what you’re denied. (2) When you live your life according to God’s Word instead of your own impulses, you’re blessed. “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to…keep all my commands…so that it might go well with them” (Dt 5:29 NIV). The only thing God denies us is the right to determine for ourselves what’s “good or evil,” because He knows we’re not qualified to do it. We must live by divine revelation rather than human inclination. God in His love and wisdom set this limitation in place to protect and bless us.

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12 July 2023 07:00

Sacrifice and simplify

“Talk of them when you sit in your house, [and] when you walk by the way.” Dt 6:7 NKJV
 
Dr. Armand Nicholi, a psychiatrist from Harvard University, was invited to speak at a White House conference on the status of the American family. He explained how an overcommitted lifestyle that makes parents inaccessible to their children produces much the same effect as divorce itself. Cross-cultural studies say that parents in the United States spend less time with their children than parents in almost any other nation in the world. For generations fathers have devoted themselves exclusively to their occupations. But today, mothers have joined the workforce, rendering themselves exhausted at night and burdened with domestic duties on weekends. As a result, no one is at home to meet the needs of the lonely preschoolers and latchkey children. Nicholi stressed the undeniable link between the interruption of parent-child relationships and the escalation of psychiatric problems we are seeing. “If the trend continues,” he said, “serious national health problems are inevitable.” Year after year we are seeing more and more children suffering from depression, anxiety disorders and panic attacks. And that figure will continue to grow with the incidence of divorce, child neglect, child abuse, and child molestation continuing to soar. You say, “What’s the answer?” Sacrifice and simplify! Even if it means sacrificing certain material things and simplifying your lifestyle, spend time with your children! God told the Israelites, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house.”

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10 July 2023 07:01

The right people and the right environment


“He put them all outside.” Lk 8:54 NKJV
 
The Bible says: “Someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, ‘Your daughter is dead’…when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.’ When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, ‘Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, ‘Little girl, arise.’ Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately” (vv. 49-55 NKJV). There is an important lesson here for you. To experience the resurrection power of Christ, you need the right people and the right environment. Just as oil and water won’t mix, neither will faith and doubt. Notice, Jesus took Peter, James, and John into the house with Him, and put all the others outside. Might some have been offended and criticized Him for this? Sure, but when you’re in a crisis, you need to surround yourself with people who can stand with you on God’s Word and believe Him for the answer. When Jairus heard that his daughter had died, he doubtless would have thought, “That’s it; nothing more can be done!” But that’s not what Jesus thought. In the original Greek text, Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid; only believe, and keep believing and she will be made well.” You need people who will keep believing God with you for the answer.

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08 July 2023 07:00

Are you praying for your children?

“Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?” 2Ki 20:19 NKJV
 
The Bible says: “Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: “Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated…shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,” says the Lord. “And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”’ So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, ‘The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!’ For he said, ‘Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?’” (vv. 16-19 NKJV). Hezekiah heard that the things he had inherited from his forefathers would be lost and his children would live in slavery to their enemies. But instead of being concerned and praying for God to intervene on their behalf, he said, “At least I will have security and comfort during my lifetime.” Why did he say that? Was he callous and indifferent? Was he being selfish, thinking only of himself and not about the welfare of his children? Was he being fatalistic, thinking, “The prophet has declared it, and there is nothing I can do to change it?” Earlier in this chapter when the prophet Isaiah told him, “Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live,” he cried out to God to spare his life and was given an additional fifteen years of life (See vv. 1-6 NKJV). It seems he was more concerned about his own future than his children’s future. How about you? Are you praying for your children?

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06 July 2023 07:00

The cure for anxiety (3)

“Do not worry and be anxious.” Mt 6:31 AMPC
 
It’s good to have a goal for the future and a plan for reaching it. But it’s not good to project into the future and worry about all the things that could go wrong. That’s anxiety, and it should have no place in your mind as a redeemed child of God. “Do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear? For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all. But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own” (vv. 31-34 AMPC). Those Scriptures could be reduced to one line: “Live trusting God each day to take care of you, and stop projecting into the future.” Each morning God gave the Israelites a one-day supply of food. If they tried to gather more, it rotted. God’s message was simple: “Each day I will guide you and provide for you.” Anxiety can consume you. So when you feel anxious, stand on this Scripture: “It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness” (La 3:22-23 AMPC).

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04 July 2023 07:01

The cure for anxiety (1)

“Casting all your care upon Him.” 1Pe 5:7 NKJV
 
Anxiety is excessive concern. And if left unchecked, it can rob you of important things like confidence, joy, peace, humor, and perspective. Anxiety comes from obsessing over something; trying to figure out what happened, needing to understand what people are thinking, struggling to decide what to do. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Pr 3:5-6 NKJV). Trust requires living with unanswered questions, being satisfied in knowing that God knows what you don’t know. You will never have all the answers. You will never have perfect understanding of things. Even the apostle Paul acknowledged, “We know in part” (1Co 13:9). The cure for anxiety begins with accepting these three things: First, that God knows everything. Second, that God is never surprised. Third, that God is never without a solution. So here are your options: Carry the burden yourself or cast it on the Lord. “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully” (1Pe 5:7 AMPC). Note the words “all your anxieties…once and for all.” Learning to live this way takes patience and practice, so don’t expect an overnight miracle. The secret is in giving your anxiety to God one more time than you take it back. Learn to catch yourself in the act. When anxiety comes, say, “Lord, this is not mine, it’s yours. So, I’m giving it to you.” Try it for the next thirty days and see what happens.

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02 July 2023 07:01

Keep a positive attitude

“A heart at peace gives life to the body.” Pr 14:30 NIV
 
Keeping a positive attitude isn’t always easy; it requires mental discipline. Let’s face it, 95 percent of what we see and hear on the news today is negative. And while you can’t bury your head in the sand, you must protect your mind against the gravitational pull of negative influences around you. This calls for constantly doing two things: (1) Arresting the wrong thoughts. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2Co 10:5). Take your wrong thoughts captive; otherwise, they will take you captive! (2) Activating the right thoughts. “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things…and the God of peace will be with you” (Php 4:8-9 NKJV). Knowing that God is in control of your life and that He is directing your steps will enable you to keep a good attitude when you’re faced with things like long lines, bad weather, difficult relationships, illness, trials, and adversities. Your attitude not only affects the quality of your life but also the length of it: Solomon said, “A heart at peace gives life to the body.” “A relaxed attitude lengthens…life” (Pr 14:30 TLB). Medical science has proven that people with a strong faith who are diagnosed with terminal illness tend to outlive their prognosis and their predicted life span. So, the word for you today is—keep a positive attitude.

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30 June 2023 07:00

Pray for the desire to forgive

“Turn thou me, and I shall be turned.” Jer 31:18
 
When we have been hurt, our first instinct is to retaliate. We know it’s wrong because the Bible says we must forgive in order to be forgiven (See Mk 11:25). We also know that bitterness can hurt us physically and emotionally. But sometimes we can’t bring ourselves to forgive, so we keep wrestling with it in our mind. Stop and think what happens in a wrestling match. You focus on your opponent, clinging to them and trying to control them. Your aim is to put them on the mat and bring them into submission, and it requires all your energy. Plus, you risk getting hurt in the process. The only real power you have over someone who hurts you is the power of forgiveness. So for your own sake, forgive them and move on! Even though you don’t feel like forgiving, pray, “Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.” In other words, “Lord, make me willing to forgive.” The old saying, “To err is human, to forgive is divine,” is the truth. Now, small offenses can be forgiven quickly, but big ones require divine assistance. And you can have it: “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Php 2:13 NLT). Yes, you may want your offender to suffer, but when your greatest desire is to please the Lord, He will give you the grace to forgive. When you realize the blessings God has in store for you in the future, you will refuse to spend another moment stuck in the past.

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28 June 2023 21:42

Do something!

“Let us not love in word…but in deed.” 1Jn 3:18 NKJV
 
When a multimillionaire was asked how much money it takes to be happy, he replied, “Just a little more.” Now let’s assume you’re not like that, and you care about others. Why are you not more involved in meeting their needs? “Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?…let us not love in word…but in deed” (vv. 17-18 NKJV). That Scripture could be reduced to two words: Do something! In the parable of the Good Samaritan, two different ministers walked past a dying man on the Jericho road without stopping to help. Why? Wasn’t this a great opportunity to “practice what you preach?” How did they become so insensitive and uncaring? Did they think, “The problem is too big, there is nothing I can do about it?” Were they so focused on their church’s agenda that they didn’t want to commit the time or the resources necessary to get this man back on his feet? Jesus said: “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him” (Lk 10:33-34 NKJV). Note the word “compassion.” The Good Samaritan was willing to get emotionally involved. You must too. Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision, once prayed, “Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God.” The word for you today is—do something!

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26 June 2023 07:01

Overcoming temptation

“Temptation…is common to man.” 1Co 10:13 NKJV
 
The Bible says, “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (v. 13 NKJV). Our minds are like a hotel. The manager cannot keep someone from entering the lobby, but he can keep them from getting a room. And it’s the same with temptation. When God redeemed you, you became a regenerate spirit living in an unregenerate body. And you were “sealed [by the Holy Spirit] unto the day of redemption” (See Eph 4:30). When you seal an envelope, its contents are protected until it’s delivered to its destination. Getting the idea? Satan can’t prevail against your regenerate spirit, so he attacks you through your lower nature. Paul acknowledged this: “I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway” (Ro 7:19 NLT). You will never be immune to temptation, but you can overcome it. Notice three things in this Scripture: (1) “God is faithful.” Like a shepherd who never abandons his sheep, when you go astray, He will bring you back to the fold. (2) “Will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.” Like a good coach training you, God will permit the weight of your temptations to strengthen you but not break or destroy you. (3) “With the temptation will also make the way of escape.” If you choose your own way, you will go down in defeat. God’s “way of escape” is through prayer, His Word, Christian fellowship, and Spirit-filled living. That’s how to overcome temptation.

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24 June 2023 07:00

Pray for wisdom (4)

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God.” Jas 1:5 NKJV
 
Here is a time-tested and proven formula for obtaining wisdom: (1) Acknowledge that you need it. Benjamin Franklin correctly said, “The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of your own ignorance.” (2) Go to the right source. “The Lord gives wisdom” (Pr 2:6 NKJV). He alone can give you true wisdom, because He alone has true wisdom. Indeed, His wisdom makes ours look like foolishness. Paul says, “The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom” (1Co 1:25 NIV). Think about that. If God were capable of a stupid thought, which He is not, it would still be wiser than the wisest thought we could ever conceive. (3) Ask for it. God doesn’t hoard his wisdom; He is ready to give it away. Solomon says: “If you call out for insight…cry aloud for understanding…look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Pr 2:3-6 NIV). James writes: “If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking. But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all” (Jas 1:5-8 CEV). Today, pray for wisdom.

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22 June 2023 07:02

Pray for wisdom (2)

“Wisdom is worth much more than…anything else you desire.” Pr 8:11 CEV
 
When King Solomon asked God for wisdom instead of power, fame, or riches, God told him: “You could have asked me to make you rich or famous or to let you live a long time. Or you could have asked for your enemies to be destroyed. Instead, you asked for wisdom and knowledge to rule my people. So I will make you wise and intelligent. But I will also make you richer and more famous than any king before or after you” (2Ch 1:11-12 CEV). Did God keep His promise? Well, consider this: What would you get if you crossed Mickey Mouse, an Arab oil sheikh, the president of the United States, and Socrates? The most famous, richest, most powerful, wisest person on the planet! That’s a fitting description of King Solomon in his time. He ruled the world’s greatest empire. His merchant ships plied the seas, bringing him back the treasures of the earth. He designed and built some of the world’s most important buildings, including the temple. He constructed reservoirs, parks, gardens, and vineyards. He mastered commerce, science, and literature. He became a poet laureate, a distinguished writer, and a gifted musician. He learned the incredible worth of wisdom, enjoyed all its benefits, and wrote: “Let instruction and knowledge mean more to you than silver or the finest gold. Wisdom is worth much more than precious jewels or anything else you desire” (Pr 8:10-11 CEV). There are thirty-one chapters in the book of Proverbs—one for every day of the month—so here is a suggestion: Why don’t you read a chapter a day for the next twelve months and become wise?

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20 June 2023 07:01

How to protect your family

“Take…blood and smear it on the sides and top of the doorframes of the houses.” Ex 12:7 NLT
 
On the night of the Passover, God told Moses that the angel of death would come and eliminate all the firstborn males in Egypt. Then He gave a specific plan of protection to the children of Israel. He said each household must take a lamb and spread its blood “on the sides and top of the doorframes of the houses.” Try to imagine that! On the night of judgment when the angel of death looked at their houses, because they were “under” the blood, “surrounded” by the blood, and “seen” through the blood, they were saved. Sometimes when we pray, we say, “Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus and on the merits of His shed blood, and I ask you to…” Why do we pray that way? Because the Bible tells us that God responds to (a) the name of Jesus, whose sacrifice on our behalf He has fully accepted, and (b) the blood of Jesus, which satisfies all His claims against us—past, present, and future. Among the many things that you may be able to do for your family, none is more important or significant than praying for them every day. When you say, “Father, by an act of faith, I cover this member of my family with the precious blood of Jesus,” you protect them from spiritually destructive influences that if left to their own devices can tear your family apart. You say, “I don’t quite understand all of that!” You don’t have to. Just do it—and God will honor you and bless your family!