Because this was in your heart and you have not asked for riches… – 2 Chronicles 1:11, Amplified Bible We often lament the horrid spiritual state of our culture, and rightly so; it is horrid. One of the reasons it is so horrid, however, is that we Christians have done an awful job of being… Continue reading Here’s the key to impacting the culture around you.
Category: Righteousness
God is serious about people keeping their promises.
It is on account of Saul and his bloody house… – 2 Samuel 21:1, Amplified Bible In Joshua 9, Joshua made perhaps the biggest mistake of his life. Before entering the Promised Land, God commanded the Israelites to utterly destroy the inhabitants of the land. Joshua, however, after being deceived, broke God’s commandment by vowing… Continue reading God is serious about people keeping their promises.
God would rather you not rebuild Jericho.
In his days, Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho… – 1 Kings 16:34, Amplified Bible Merriam-Webster.com defines the word “stronghold” as a “a fortified place” or “a place of security or survival.” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stronghold) The word “fortification” is derived from the Latin words fortis, or “strong,” and facere, or “to make.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stronghold) So, the intent of a… Continue reading God would rather you not rebuild Jericho.
Watch those itching ears. They’ll get you into trouble.
…I hate him, for he never prophesies good for me, but evil. – 1 Kings 22:8, Amplified Bible Years ago we had a missionary visit our church who told us about one of the many interesting plane rides he had experienced in his career. During the flight he was seated next to a man from… Continue reading Watch those itching ears. They’ll get you into trouble.
As a man thinks, so is he.
…thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed… – Leviticus 19:19, KJV In his audio recording The Strangest Secret, Earl Nightingale provides a perfect illustration of how the human mind works. Nightingale likens the mind to a field that a farmer plants. The mind, like the field, will return what the farmer plants. It… Continue reading As a man thinks, so is he.
You are a source of great joy — and great pain.
…you have utterly scorned The Lord… – 2 Samuel 12:14, Amplified Bible We can be such a great source of joy to our God. And, we can be such a great source of pain to Him. God Himself described David as a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22), and it’s not hard to see… Continue reading You are a source of great joy — and great pain.
Let God tell you what it takes to become exceptional.
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his [own]… – Luke 14:26, Amplified Bible What does it take to become great at anything in life? Practice and focus. When we read the stories of champion athletes, outstanding musicians, and successful businesspeople, we detect a pattern of work that is shared across professions, passions,… Continue reading Let God tell you what it takes to become exceptional.
Don’t do what is right in your eyes. Do what’s right in God’s.
And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah. – Judges 17:1, KJV The book of Judges is replete with the phrase “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” The man Micah of Judges 17 is a prime example. Micah had some pretty strange ideas about worshipping God.… Continue reading Don’t do what is right in your eyes. Do what’s right in God’s.
Try not to hide in the baggage when God calls.
And the Lord answered, Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage. – 1 Samuel 10:22, Amplified Bible When it came time for him to be declared king in Israel, Saul marked the occasion with a less than impressive performance: he hid himself in the baggage. Intimidated by the weight of the position he had… Continue reading Try not to hide in the baggage when God calls.
You’d better count the cost before you do that.
But Jesus said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go (enter) into peace [in freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin]. – Luke 7:50, Amplified Bible I remember learning on the first day of Economics 101 class in college the following truth of life: there’s no such… Continue reading You’d better count the cost before you do that.