Author: admin

Our desires clearly reveal our heart. What we want reveals what we value. People who desire wealth are legion. But their testimony is that accumulating many possessions is always ultimately dissatisfying. Wealth certainly can make life easier in some ways! Being able to buy what you need, or want, can alleviate certain pressures from your life. Being able to pay your bills on time is a great blessing. But when we begin to love wealth rather than use it, we set ourselves up for disappointment.

There are some things you can never have too much of. Love, laughter, and joy do not diminish in value when you have them in abundance. Experiencing God’s power in your life or watching God advance His kingdom through your life is not something that becomes mundane or boring after you have experienced it many times. In fact, it is just the opposite. The more you have of some things, the more you desire them.

But though material possessions and wealth clamor for our loyalty to them, they continually prove to be disappointing. How much wealth must you accumulate before it fills your life and home with joy? Always just a little more! Too many people are on the never ending treadmill of the pursuit of that which does not satisfy. Instead of piling up additional reserves of dissatisfying possessions, pursue that which will uplift your soul.

Dreams and words can be noble and good—if they lead to action. Often it is an exalted dream or inspired words that mobilize people to accomplish significant tasks. People who have been passionate about sharing their dreams or eloquent in speaking to others have mobilized people to accomplish enormous undertakings.

Yet at times, people are better at dreaming or talking, than acting. They can hold court all day telling people what they would do, but they never actually accomplish anything. Such people love to talk. They often enjoy surpassing the dreams and aspirations of others. But they have an aversion to paying the price required to act. Such people live their lives in vain.

That is why the fear of God can save us from our dreams and words. Living our lives knowing we will be held accountable for our actions compels us to not merely talk about obeying God, but to obey! When our fear of God is greater than our dread of action, we will act! Are you known for your dreams or your actions?

Talk is cheap. We can speak words all day that cost nothing and mean even less. Some people have developed the unfortunate habit of saying things they don’t really mean. Shallow compliments, false promises, and meaningless piety all flow from their lips. Yet people who know these talkers have come to recognize that the words being spoken mean nothing.

While we might get away with empty words spoken to others, God refuses to be treated so flippantly. He hears our every word. He listens carefully to each promise we make to Him. He refuses to be treated for a fool. He of course knows if we are sincere. He also knows whether we’ll follow through on our promise. God is never pacified by an empty promise. We would be better off never having promised God anything, than to make a vow and then fail to follow through.

Consider the commitments you have made to God. Have you kept them? Are you presently working on them? What do your unfulfilled promises reflect about what you think about God? Beware! He will hold you fully accountable for what comes out of your mouth!

People can tell a lot about our heart by listening to what comes out of our mouth! We can’t help ourselves. Whatever is on our mind inevitably finds its way out of our mouth!

This can lead to a number of potential dangers. One is the hurt and conflict it causes others. Our words can be a vicious weapon, if used for attack. Even careless words can cause deep wounds. God, who made our mouth, knows full well the negative means by which it can be used.

That’s why Scripture warns us to let our words be few. The fewer words we speak, the less likely we’ll say something we regret! Unfortunately, some people love to talk! Their mouth is in drive, regardless of whether it has anywhere productive to go! Inevitably words are spoken that would have been better left unsaid. The wise person realizes that no pleasure that results from constantly speaking is worth the pain that is caused to others when we say too much. Strive to be someone who speaks when they have something worthwhile to utter, and who remains silent when the words they had at hand would only have caused others pain.

The world celebrates wealth and possessions. God honors wisdom. In our society, it is possible to accumulate money without necessarily being wise. An athlete might be able to run fast with a ball in his hand, but be seemingly incapable of making wise decisions with his life. Someone might be good at earning the top dollar, and yet be destroying her family or offending her friends with every word she speaks. Just because someone has been successful at making money, does not mean they are people we should emulate.

At times people achieve leadership positions and assume they are the experts and have no need to learn from others. Such foolish people have position and influence, but no wisdom. The truth is that it is far better to have little wealth and much wisdom, than much wealth and great foolishness.

A fool with money or power will always have flatterers close at hand. A fool will readily listen to them. It is easier to listen to a flatterer than to take a hard look in the mirror to determine the nature of reality for ourselves. Yet many a leader has ultimately fallen because, though they had achieved a measure of success, they did not learn from it and maintain humility. Success closed their mind so failure was not far behind.

There truly is safety in numbers! The world in which we live is dangerous. Enemies abound. There are countless people who would rob you and take advantage of you if they thought they could. Despite the numerous security systems, protection agencies, and police departments available today, it is almost impossible to avoid being harmed by others at some point in your life.

That is why it is crucial to surround yourself with trustworthy friends and associates.Your one pair of eyes may not be adequate to detect all of the dangers lurking around you! Others may see things you missed. People may have various experiences and expertise that you lack, so they are alert to dangers you are oblivious to. It is far more difficult to take advantage of someone who has a healthy supply of friends and counselors!

Are you currently attempting to handle your affairs by yourself? Have you left yourself vulnerable? Are there issues you are unprepared to handle on your own? If a crisis occurred, would you be unprepared to handle it? In these uncertain and turbulent days, you cannot afford to walk alone.

God did not design us to be loners. Some people tend to gravitate toward solitary lives. They don’t make much effort to obtain friends. They avoid social gatherings. They don’t open themselves up to others to share their pain or fears. Neither do they seek to know others or extend help to them. These people are content to live life in their own, self-imposed, bubble. After all, if you don’t relate closely to anyone, then you don’t have to worry about being hurt by them, right?

But, regardless of how introverted, or shy, or reclusive we might feel, God did not create is to live alone. He made us social animals. We cannot experience all of God’s goodness for us, if we refuse to connect with other people. For, just as friends and family can bring us our greatest pain, they also can produce our most delightful joys.

If you have been hurt in the past by people you were close to, you may tend to steer clear of new relationships. Nevertheless, God did not design life to be “played” safely. The goal of your life ought not to be to avoid pain. It ought to be spent enthusiastically embracing everything God has for you. Look around you. Are there potential relationships that could bless your life richly, if only you gave them a chance?

We humans like to flatter ourselves that we are a special creation, set apart from the rest of nature. While in some respects that is true, it is also a painful reality that we are subject to the identical laws as the animal kingdom. We shall surely die just as every creature on earth inevitably breathes its last. Just as every animal, regardless of its lethal power, will ultimately return to dust, so we too, despite the glory of our humanity, will eventually be reduced to dust as well.

These are crass, disturbing truths that most people are loath to contemplate.

While it can be morbid to dwell upon our mortality, it can produce a profound humility. For we will not live forever, or even necessarily long. Our health can deteriorate at any time. We can be victimized by accidents or illness at the most unexpected of moments.

However, rather than becoming cynical or pessimistic, these facts ought to provide us with a sober view of our life and purpose. We should not live our lives as if we have plenty of time to do what must be done. We must passionately seize each day that we have been granted. We must savor relationships and the simple pleasures of life. We must not presume we have ample time to make mend broken relationships. Rather, we must live as creatures of dust who have limited time to accomplish God’s purposes. Knowing our future ought to inspire our present.

You do not need to be a private investigator to be able to discover evil in your world. It is everywhere. Along with evil, is injustice. One of the most troubling of humanity’s questions is this: Why does a loving and holy God allow injustice in this world? Why does He not punish the evildoer and rectify every wrong committed against the innocent?

The sagacious writer of Ecclesiastes found the answer. God will deal with evil and wicked people, in His own time. Just as there is a specific season and time for every purpose of God, so there is a divinely appointed time of accountability, both for the wicked as well as the righteous. We needn’t worry about wicked people getting away with their crimes. We ought not to fear that innocent victims will never see justice. For God has an appointed time in which every sin will be fully accounted for. No injustice escapes His holy gaze.

As surely as spring follows winter, so God’s judgment will follow humanity’s sin. The key is to trust His timing. He does not always act as quickly as we might like. But His timing is sure.

It can be heartbreaking to watch your efforts of years go up in smoke in minutes. The company you built from scratch; is dismantled by its new owners. The organization you carefully constructed; is led to ruin by the new CEO. The beautiful yard you meticulously cultivated; is overrun with weeds under its new owners. Few things are as disheartening as seeing your efforts being treated casually or scornfully.

Unfortunately, such is the fate of many. Few people care as much about our work as we do! People have their own priorities. Others will not appreciate the sacrifice and labor we invested. Such a harsh reality ought not discourage you from giving your best effort. But it should cause you to consider carefully where you make major investments.

The only place you can invest yourself that will always outlast you, is God’s activity. His work is eternal. Ten thousand years from now you will be running in to people your life impacted for God. No one can diminish that or take it from you! Invest wisely!