Trials That Produce Patience Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. James 1:2-3 (NLT) Trials are an inevitable part of life, but in God’s hands, they have…
Your Thoughts Determine Your Destiny A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. Luke 6:45 (NLT) God teaches us that what is inside of us determines…
We Reproduce What We Are “And what the priests do, the people also do. So now I will punish both priests and people for their wicked deeds. They will eat and still be hungry. They will play the prostitute and gain nothing from it, for they have deserted the Lord to worship other gods.” Hosea…
Don’t Use People, Build People For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28 (NLT) Jesus’ model completely transforms the way we see people. In a world where many seek to use others for their own benefit,…
Small to Serve, Great to Dream “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,” Matthew 20:26 (NLT) In the Kingdom of God, the path to greatness begins with service. The world teaches that to be great one must be recognized, admired, and exalted, but…
God Provides an Escape from Temptation The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)…
Prayer to Avoid Falling into Temptation At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.” Luke 22:45-46 (NLT) Jesus taught His disciples a fundamental truth:…
Do Not Compare Yourself Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Romans 12:3 (NLT) One of the most common traps…
To Him Who Has, More Will Be Given “So take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what…
Contented Yes, Complacent No For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast. Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate. Proverbs 15:15-17…