Love That Sweats

We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV)   *** *** *** ***   Today’s guest devotional is provided by Jon Walker –   When Jesus loves, he works up a sweat; he rolls up his sleeves, gets on his knees, and washes our feet with his blood, sweat, and tears.   He labors at love, though his love is never like labor. He’s a giver, not a taker, loving us into being with a …

Jesus and the Brooklyn Dodgers

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. Colossians 2:16 (NIV) *** *** *** ***   Today’s guest devotional is provided by Jon Walker –   During World War II, a common practice among U.S. guards was to ask questions that, presumably, only someone from the U.S. would know (in the days before the Internet and worldwide television).   They’d ask a question like, “What league does the Chicago Cubs play in?” One legitimate U.S. general was held for several …

Surviving Your Schedule

An intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions. Proverbs 17:24 (TEV)   *** *** *** ***   Do you ever get to the end of your day and think “Did I accomplish anything today?” Where does all the time go?   If you don’t master your schedule, it will master you. Here are three suggestions from the Bible for reducing the stress of your schedule:   Line up your priorities. Obviously, you don’t have time to do everything. You must make choices. You must decide what’s really important and what isn’t. Take some …

Breaking Through the Sound Barrier

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29 (NLT)   *** *** *** ***   Poor communication is the most frequently mentioned problem in marriage counseling. To really communicate, you must give up three things.   You must give up your assumptions. We get into trouble when we start assuming we understand the meaning of what people say to us. The truth is everything you hear goes through a filter. Your filter is determined by your past experiences and …

True Confidence: Part 1

“I’m too young” “I’m too old” “I don’t have enough education” “Is this really what God wants for me?’ Voices We all have an mp3 track that plays over and over in our heads sometimes telling us that we are not good enough to accomplish our goals and passions in life. When you are at the starting line and the gun goes off, that is not a time to hesitate. When you are at the free throw line and your team is down with a few seconds left, that is not a time for uncertainty. When you ‘re on the …

What’s Your Excuse?

The lazy person is full of excuses, saying, “If I go outside, I might meet a lion in the street and be killed!” Proverbs 22:13 (NLT)   *** *** *** ***   It’s rare to find people today who are willing to take complete responsibility for their actions. In the victimization that’s present in our culture, our problems are always someone else’s fault.   You can blame whoever you want – the government, your parents, the school you went to, television, your boss, or the rest of society. There’s no need for you to feel bad; anywhere you look there …

Living the ‘Good Life’

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)   *** *** *** ***   A few years ago the planned community of Mission Viejo, California launched an advertising campaign to attract home buyers. They used phrases like “Mission Viejo: the California Promise” and “The place to live the Good Life.” Although “the Good Life” is a well-worn phrase in our culture, I wonder how many people have ever stopped to define what exactly it is.   For some …

A Word to Fathers about their Daughter's Clothes

I started working on an article today based on Paul’s words to Timothy in regarding how women should dress. I came across this incredible word to fathers on C.J. Mahaney’s blog. Dads, I want to urge you to take responsibility for your daughters’ dress. Fathers are absolutely essential to the cultivation of modesty. When a young lady dresses immodestly, it usually means her father has failed to lead, care for and protect her. Without a father’s care and protection, she may be daily exposed to the lustful minds of men. My three daughters are grown and married now, but from …

The Time of Your Life

Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Ephesians 5:16 (MSG) *** *** *** ***   Why is it that time drags when you want it to pass quickly and flies when you need more of it? It’s not very cooperative!   Time is the great equalizer. We all have the same amount of it. The difference between successful people and average people is this: Achievers manage their time wisely. Rather than wasting time or spending time, they invest time. They make the most out of each moment.   In these difficult days, people are realizing …

Faith Is Active

When will you ever learn that “believing” is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith. James 2:20 (LB)   *** *** *** *** Is faith simply a frame of mind? Some see it that way … a passive attribute of a Christian waiting to see what God has in store for you: a promotion, cancer, depression, betrayal, blessing, wealth, or injustice. They might say, “I’ll just wait to see what God is going to do for me and go with the flow.” That’s crazy talk.   Faith …