…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.
Category: Understanding
Be sure to listen to God, not another Christian.
And the man of God said to the king…For I was commanded by the word of the Lord… – 1 Kings 13:8-9, Amplified Bible In 1 Kings 13 an unnamed prophet of God met Jeroboam, King of Israel, at Bethel to chastise him for turning his back on The Lord. As part of the chastisement,… Continue reading Be sure to listen to God, not another Christian.
Be ready to defend your faith.
…Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully. – 1 Peter 3:15, Amplified Bible My family recently attended a Bible study and dinner party hosted by a dear family from our church. During the get-together,… Continue reading Be ready to defend your faith.
Don’t look behind you.
Jesus said to him, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [to the things behind] is fit for the kingdom of God. – Luke 9:62, Amplified Bible It is so easy to look back, and we do it all of the time. God gives us a work to do, and… Continue reading Don’t look behind you.
Beware of the microwave mentality.
There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David… – 2 Samuel 3:1, Amplified Bible The microwave oven was invented in 1947 by a man named Percy Spencer, but the countertop microwave so common in American households today didn’t hit the market until 1967. Since then, Americans have lived… Continue reading Beware of the microwave mentality.
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.
Thanks for the offer to serve God over there, but He’d rather you help Him over here.
Go and tell My servant David, Thus says the Lord: Shall you build Me a house in which to dwell? – 2 Samuel 7:5, Amplified Bible Every now and then, you’ll have a strong desire to do something for The Lord, but He just won’t let you do it. Your motives are pure, and you… Continue reading Thanks for the offer to serve God over there, but He’d rather you help Him over here.
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.
Wait for your Samuel. God has things under control.
It’s when you are under pressure that you make the mistake. You’ve waited and waited and waited on The Lord to provide. Seemingly nothing has happened, and your circumstances are tightening around you slowly like a boa constrictor squeezing its prey. Something must happen, and it must happen NOW, or all will be lost. Or… Continue reading Wait for your Samuel. God has things under control.