Played: 1 | Download | Duration: 00:02:38

Appreciate Your Job!

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Psalms 105:1

Before you complain about your job, look at the regulations employees at Mt. Corry Carriage and Iron Works were asked to follow in 1782: a) employees will daily sweep the floors, dust the furniture, shelves and show cases b) each day fill lamps, clean chimneys and trim wicks, wash windows once a week c) each clerk will bring a bucket of water and a shovel of coal for the day's business d) make your pens carefully. You may whittle nibs to individual taste e) this office will be open at 7 am and close at 8 pm daily, except on the Sabbath f) men employees will be given an evening off each week for courting purposes, and two evenings if they go regularly to church g) every employee should lay aside from each pay, a sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so that he will not become a burden upon the charity of his betters h) any employee who smokes Spanish cigars, uses liquor in any form, gets shaved at a barber's shop or frequents public halls will give good reason to suspect his worth, intentions, integrity and honesty i) the employee who has performed his labors faithfully and without fault for a period of five years in my service, and who has been thrifty, attentive to his religious duties, and is looked upon by his fellow man as a substantial law-abiding citizen, will be given an increase of five cents per day in his pay, providing that just returns in profits from the business permit.

So, what do you think? Maybe your job is not so bad after all: 'O give thanks unto the Lord.'

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Thank you for the job I have and that I have a job. Help me to help others who are not as fortunate as I am. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 18 | Download | Duration: 00:02:40

Fixing God's Word in Your Heart

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Deuteronomy 11:18

God wants you to fix His Word in your heart. That happens by:

1. Turning knowledge into action! Your Bible knowledge may be ten times greater than someone else's, but if you are not ten times more loving, patient and joyful, what good is it? The right doctrine with the wrong spirit will turn people away from Christ every time.

2. Taking one thought with you through the day! The Psalmist says that the way to prosper, is through meditating on Scripture '...day and night' (Psalm 1:2). But you cannot meditate fast! There are no Evelyn Wood courses in speed meditating: 'I can meditate 700 words-a-minute with a 90 percent comprehension rate.' The Bible likens meditating to a cow chewing cud or roots drawing up moisture from deep well-springs. When God impresses a thought on you, live with it all day. Make it your first thought in the morning and your last thought at night. Try that for 365 days and see what happens. You will love the results!

3. Allowing it to wash you daily! Listen: 'How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word' (Psalm 119:9). His fellow monks used to ask Martin Luther why he spent so much time in the confessional. After all, he lived in a monastery, what could he have to confess? Chanting off-key? No, Luther was aware of his own cleverness at self-justification. God's Word is the only detergent strong enough to get down into the deepest levels of our thought, imagination and motives and cleanse us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to fix your Word in my mind and daily activities so that I can grow in service to You and others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 23 | Download | Duration: 00:02:36

Agnes - Happy Birthday

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10

Late one night while travelling in an unfamiliar city, Tony Campolo wandered into a cafe where the only other customers were a group of prostitutes. He overheard one of them say that tomorrow was her birthday. So the next night he came back with a cake and a sign that read, 'Happy Birthday, Agnes.' Campolo says, 'The door swung open and in came Agnes...never have I seen a person so flabbergasted. Her eyes moistened...and she started to cry. Not knowing what else to do I said, "What do you say we pray?" Looking back...it seems more than strange for a sociologist to be leading a prayer meeting with a bunch of prostitutes in a cafe! But it felt like the right thing to do. I prayed for Agnes: for her salvation, that her life would be changed. That God would be good to her. When I finished, the man behind the counter said, "What kinda church do you belong to anyway?" I replied, "The kind that throws birthday parties for prostitutes." He waited a moment, and then answered, "No you do not. There's no church like that. If there was, I'd join!"'

But that is the kind of church Jesus came to build. Grace is the one thing it offers that cannot be found anywhere else. He 'came to find lost people and save them,' because He loves to salvage and recycle the hurting, the throw-aways, the left-out, the used-up and the put-down. And that is news they are waiting to hear outside the church doors!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, renew that fire within me to go to seek and to save those who are lonely and lost – by sharing your Mercy, Your Compassion, Your Presence. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 25 | Download | Duration: 00:02:21

Taking Control of Your Time

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalms 90:12

Your priorities determine how you spend your time, so set them prayerfully and maintain them carefully. Wisdom consists in the elimination of non-essentials. You can have certain things, but you cannot have everything! You have to choose! Excellence comes from doing the right things right, and letting the rest go. If you are not sure what the right things are, pretend you have only six months to live - you will figure it out!

Let's face it; there are a lot of things vying for your attention. Have you ever noticed that the people with nothing to do usually want to spend their time with you? Advertisers want you to spend your money on their products. Even your own desires can be so diverse and your attention so scattered, that you are not sure what should get your attention. That is why you need to focus on your God-given purpose - daily.

By focusing on the top 20 percent of your priorities, you generally get an 80 percent return on your effort. So, you need to get up every morning and say, 'Today, I will prioritize my life according to God's will and give my energies to those things that help me fulfill it.' Your greatest possession is your next 24 hours. How will you spend it? Will you allow TV, pointless e-mails, unimportant tasks, telemarketers, Facebook, the wrong crowd, or other distractions to consume your day? Or will you take control of your time and make today yours? If you do not decide how your day will be spent, count on it - someone else will!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to take control of my time – which is really your time that you have given me, so that I may use it purposely to Your Glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 37 | Download | Duration: 00:02:34

Staying In Your Strength Zone

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. Colossians 1:16

People do not pay for average, they try to avoid it! You have to stay in your strength zone! If you are not sure what your strengths are, here are some suggestions:

1. Talk to God. After all, who knows the product better than the manufacturer? Contrary to popular books, gurus and seminars, you will not discover your life's meaning by looking within yourself. You have probably tried that. You did not create yourself so there is no way you can tell yourself what you were created for. If someone handed you a gadget you had never seen before you would not know its purpose. The gadget itself would not be able to tell you either. Only the manufacturer (or the owner's manual) can tell you that. Are you getting the idea?
   
   
2. Trial and error. Remember how you learned to walk? You spent more time on your bottom than you did on your feet. Eventually you succeeded because you were born to walk. But a word of caution: anytime something seems to be all 'trial' and you never make any progress, consult God, and be prepared for some new instructions.
   
   
3. The counsel of others. Solomon says, 'The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice' (Proverbs 12:15). Never be too proud to seek help. Asking others for feedback is not always fun, but it is essential. But again a word of caution: choose people who have no agenda other than to help you. Bottom line: the more you stay in your strength zone, the more fruit God will bear through you.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Show me and teach me your ways – and give me understanding to use that which you have enabled me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 28 | Download | Duration: 00:02:57

May I Repeat

Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. – Mark 1:16-20 

A dear friend and one time co-worker once pointed out to me that what has come to be known as ‘The Great Commission’ was only spoken by Jesus once (as recorded in Matthew 28:19-20 and elsewhere). However, Jesus’ call to ‘follow me’ occurs repeatedly throughout the Gospels. Up to that point this simple observation had eluded me. Like so many before I had been so captivated by the grandiose vision of going to the ends of the earth that I’d missed the more mundane…and infinitely more challenging call to simply follow Jesus.

For most of us going to the ends of the earth is a big, hairy, audacious goal that, truth be told, we’ll probably never accomplish. So we satisfy ourselves with stories from missionaries and the occasional, or even regular, financial gift toward global outreach. And I’m in no way denigrating those efforts. But today let’s focus on the words Jesus so often repeated…’Follow me.’

I say this is infinitely more challenging because it calls us to a daily pursuit of Christ. It is a challenge to lay down our (nets, plows, tax accounts, fill in the blank with what occupies your time, mind and heart) and take up the cause of Christ. More to the point, the cause Christ has called you to, personally. It is a call to go where he leads and realize that, when you’re surrendered to His will, where ever you go today is where he leads. I don’t know where today will take you, but Christ does. Will you follow?

Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, strengthen me each day to not only hear your call to follow but to heed it, as well. By your Spirit give me the courage to lay down those things that distract and chase after you with all my heart, soul, strength and mind. Amen.

Played: 25 | Download | Duration: 00:02:46

Always Alone

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
– Psalm 62:1-2

Some time ago there was a popular bumper sticker floating around Christian circles that announced ‘God is My Co-Pilot’. Originally the title of a book by Brigadier General Robert L. Scott, Jr. about his exploits as a WWII pilot, it became a catch phrase and, the aforementioned bumper sticker. I would be hard pressed to think of a more offensive statement with regard to God’s position in the life of a believer. God is no one’s co-anything. Placing ‘co’ before a title indicates equality one with another.

Now I don’t think people who sported that sticker on their bumpers, or Robert Scott for that matter, were declaring equality with God. But how often do we inadvertently communicate a message about God that simply isn’t true? And we do it in arenas where there’s no chance for conversation or clarification... like on the backside of our cars as we whiz by at sixty miles an hour. Far better that we enter into relationships with friends, family, co-workers and neighbors where we can speak the truth such as was so eloquently wrought by the Psalmist. That way we can avoid the confusion that comes when we reduce our relationship with God to a snippet or a sound bite. Let’s jealously guard the truth.

God alone is my salvation. God alone is my rock. God alone is my fortress. For God alone my soul waits. Not God and a co-pilot. If you’ve been misled by a bumper sticker and you find yourself waiting for God and someone else... your pastor, your spouse, your parents, your boss... as co-equals to be your salvation it’s time for you to trust in God. Alone. And let everyone see that!

Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the times I may have communicated, even inadvertently, that there is any situation where we are equals. You alone are my rock and my salvation. For you alone my soul waits. Amen.

Played: 35 | Download | Duration: 00:02:54

Ritualistic Religion – Part 3

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8

Before leaving the subject of 'ritualistic religion,' here are two more questions:

1. Am I growing weary of pursuing spiritual growth? Speaking of the Pharisees, Jesus said, 'They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders...' (Matthew 23:4). 'What is boundary-marker religion?' you ask. Stephen Mosley writes, 'Our morality calls out rather feebly. It whines from the corner of a sanctuary; it awkwardly interrupts pleasures; it mumbles excuses at parties; it shuffles along out of step and slightly behind the times... it is often regarded by our secular contemporaries as a narrow, even trivial, pursuit.' Then he captures the essence of boundary-marker religion in these words, 'Tragically, conventional religious goodness manages to be both intimidating and unchallenging at the same time.' Intimidating - because it may involve 101 difficult rules about so-called spirituality. Unchallenging - because we may exhaust ourselves trying to keep all these rules, yet never experience the true joy Jesus offers. This is why people inside the church so often get weary. Conforming to boundary-marker religion is simply not a rewarding enough experience to fill the void in our hearts

2. Am I measuring my life in superficial ways? When asked, 'How is your spiritual life going?' what is the first thing that comes to mind? Prayer? Bible reading? Church attendance? Tithing? Good answers, but they are by no means the whole story. Jesus said, '...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full' (John 10:10). Nothing attracts the spiritually hungry and hurting, like someone who lives the 'Christ-life.' So, are you living it?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me focus on how you define spiritual growth. Help me each day to be more and more like you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 31 | Download | Duration: 00:02:41

Ritualistic Religion – Part 2

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8

To know if you suffer from 'ritualistic religion' ask yourself:

1. Am I real? A little boy in Sunday school knew the sort of answers you are supposed to give. So when the teacher asked, 'What is brown, furry, has a long tail and stores up nuts?' he muttered, 'I guess the answer is Jesus, but it sure sounds like a squirrel to me.' So often we try to say spiritual sounding things to impress each other, when the world hasn't a clue what we are talking about. Be real!

2. Am I judgmental? John Ortberg writes: 'As soon as we start to pursue virtue, we begin to wonder why others are not as virtuous as we are. It reminds us of the reply Homer Simpson's neighbors gave when Homer asked them where they had been: 'We went to a Christian camp; we were learning how to be more judgmental.' Have you been to that camp? Does a little voice inside you categorize people: this one's needy and despondent - stay away. That one is bright and has much to offer - try to connect. Why do we constantly find ourselves rating people, as though we were in some kind of contest?'

3. Am I approachable? Speaking of the Pharisees Jesus said, 'they love...to have men call them "Rabbi"' (Matthew 23:7). In Jesus' day, some Rabbis had the idea that true spirituality required you to distance yourself from people. Ironically, the only Rabbi the outcasts could touch, turned out to be God Himself. Jesus was the most approachable person they'd ever seen. How about you?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Help me to be approachable and touchable to a world so in need of your love. Work through me as a beacon of your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 30 | Download | Duration: 00:02:49

Ritualistic Religion – Part 1

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8

When it came to 'ritualistic religion' the Pharisees were experts: circumcision; dietary laws; dress codes etc. These practices allowed them to decide who was 'in' and who was 'out.' And worse, the insiders became judgmental toward the outsiders. Sound familiar? Dallas Willard writes, 'How many people are radically and permanently repelled by Christians who are unfeeling, stiff, unapproachable, boringly lifeless and dissatisfied? Yet such Christians are everywhere...Spirituality wrongly understood or pursued, is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God.' When our lives are not marked by genuine joy and devotion to Christ, we start looking for substitute ways of distinguishing ourselves from those we classify as 'worldly.' Jesus did not do that. When asked to identify what the law was about, He simply replied 'Love God and love people.' Paul said, 'If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal' (1 Corinthians 13:1). It is possible to think you are becoming more spiritual when in fact you are becoming what Mark Twain called 'a good man, in the worst sense of the word.'

Winston Churchill once had a political opponent called Stafford Cripps, a man widely disliked for his smug self-righteousness. One day, so the story goes, Churchill saw Stafford Cripps passing by and remarked, 'There but for the grace of God, goes God.' The strongest argument for Christianity is Christians drawing life from Christ. The strongest argument against Christianity is Christians who are smug, judgmental and complacent. So, what kind of Christian are you?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Keep me from any behavior or attitude that I am better than anyone else because I am a Christian. Teach me to love as You have loved me. In Your Precious Name, Amen

Played: 41 | Download | Duration: 00:02:37

Maintain a Good Attitude

The earth is filled with your love, O LORD; teach me your decrees. Psalms 119:64

Each morning you have to tell yourself, 'Today I will make whatever adjustment is necessary to keep my attitude right.' Here are some guidelines:

1. Realize that your attitude needs daily adjustment. Anything you do not maintain deteriorates. The stronger your natural inclination to be negative or doubtful, the more you will have to work at it. So begin each day with an attitude check. And watch for red flags throughout the day, signaling that you are not doing well.

2. Ask God to help you. Someone sent me this humorous prayer: 'Dear Lord, so far today I have not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or self-indulgent. But in a few minutes I am going to have to get out of bed, then I will need all the help I can get.' The truth is, you will need God's help to maintain a good attitude, so seek it!

3. Always look for what is good. Mother Teresa had only two requirements for those working with her in Calcutta: a desire to work and a joyful attitude. Think: if somebody could be joyful amongst the dying and the poorest of the poor, surely you can too!

4. Seek out faith-filled people. They are everywhere. You will find them soaring above the doubters like eagles. If you are having a hard day, get close and into the slip stream behind them the way racers do. And if they are having difficulty, you should be the one to get out front and make things easier. To maintain a good attitude the Psalmist said, 'Seven times a day I praise you' - try it!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to have a God Honoring Attitude today – to the right things, to think the God honoring things, and to show your Mercy and Compassion to those you place before me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 34 | Download | Duration: 00:02:29

Make The Decision!

Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing. 1 Kings 18:21

The 'winners' in God's kingdom are those who settle their critical issues early and manage them daily. That way they do not have to keep revisiting them. That is a good idea for two reasons:

1. It takes the emotion out of the decision. If we are not careful we will make life-altering decisions based on temporary situations, rather than on God's will for us. Or worse, we will base our decisions on our feelings. By setting our life's priorities before we have to, we can set them without our emotions manipulating and controlling us. When we do that, we are more likely to set them with integrity.

2. It makes managing your life easier. Once you nail down the important decisions, you can live based on them. Let's say you are a compulsive gambler and you decide to quit. Your task will then be to order your life in the light of that decision. That probably means not hanging out around racetracks or moving to Las Vegas. Or if you want to build a better marriage, it may mean spending less time on the golf course or at work, and planning a date night each week. It takes honesty, born in prayer, to know what your real issues are, and make good decisions accordingly. It also takes character and perseverance to determine what happens after those decisions are made. The great thing is, once you decide and commit it to the Lord, He will give you the strength each day to live by your decisions.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Help me, in my life, to put into place those priorities, those values that come from you and help me order my life around your principals. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 27 | Download | Duration: 00:02:36

Success Myths – Part 2

let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance - Proverbs 1:5

Here are three more success myths that trap us:

1. We believe success is the result of opportunity, so we wait for it. Many people who work hard but do not seem to get anywhere, believe that the only thing they need is 'a break.' Their motto is, 'if only.' If only my boss would cut me some slack... if only our church was in a better area of town... if only I had start-up capital... if only I had married someone different. Sound familiar? People who do nothing more than wait for opportunity, are neither able to see it or seize it when it comes.

2. We think success comes from having leverage, so we work for it. This idea is reinforced by the words of people like industrialist Andrew Carnegie: 'Success is the power with which to acquire whatever one demands of life.' So we take that a step further, assuming all successful people have taken advantage of others to get to where they are, and begin to look for ways to manipulate people too. We believe we can force our way to success, but it does not work.

3. We believe success comes from connections, so we strive to make them. People who believe in connections think they would have 'had it made,' if only they had been born into the right family or met the right person. But those beliefs are misplaced. Knowing good people has its rewards. But connections alone will not improve your life if you are off track. For followers of Christ, success comes by seeking God's will and following His plan for your life!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me understand that success is not something someone else does for me but rather what You enable me to do – always giving glory to you! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 39 | Download | Duration: 00:02:35

Success Myths – Part 1

let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance - Proverbs 1:5

Let's look at some common success myths:

1. We believe success is impossible, so we criticize it. Because we want to believe that life should be easy, we assume anything that is difficult must be impossible. Then when success eludes us we are tempted to throw in the towel and say, 'Who wants success anyway?' And if success is achieved by anyone we consider less worthy than ourselves, we really get 'steamed'.
   
   
2.  We believe success is mystical, so we search for it. The problem is, we want the rewards without paying the price. Seth Godin says, 'We need to stop shopping for lightning bolts. You do not win an Olympic medal with a few weeks of intensive training. There's no such thing as an overnight opera sensation. Great companies [and great churches] do not spring up overnight...every great thing has been built in exactly the same way: bit by bit, step by step, little by little'.
   
   
3.  We believe success comes by chance, so we hope for it. We say, 'She just happened to be in the right place at the right time.' Wrong! The chances of that happening are about as good as your chances of winning the Lottery - 18 million to one. If you are really serious about success, you will agree with one small business owner who had a sign posted that read: 'The 57 Rules of Success.' Rule One: Deliver the goods. Rule Two: The other 56 do not matter.' That is why Paul said to Timothy, 'Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress' (1 Timothy 4:15).

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me give my all to your will, work hard, be diligent, and give all glory to you! In Your Precious Name, Amen

Played: 37 | Download | Duration: 00:02:41

Fasting From Criticism - Try It!

Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalms 141:3

In A Closer Walk Catherine Marshall writes, 'One morning last week God gave me an assignment for one day. I was to go on a "fast" from criticism. I was not to criticize anybody or anything. 'For the first half of the day I simply felt a void, almost as if I'd been wiped out as a person. This was especially true at lunch. I listened to the others and kept silent. In our talkative family nobody seemed to notice. Bemused, I noted that the Federal Government, the judicial system, and the institutional church could apparently get along just fine without my personal observations! But still I did not see what this "fast from criticism" was accomplishing - until mid-afternoon. 'In the afternoon God gave me a new vision for my life. And it had His unmistakable hallmark on it - joy! Ideas began to come to me in a way I hadn't experienced in years. Now it was apparent what the Lord wanted me to see. My critical nature had not solved a single one of the multitudinous things I had found fault with. What it had done was to stifle my own creativity.'

Listen, ' Words kill, words give life...you choose', (Proverbs 18:21). Negative words create an atmosphere in which positive people cannot live, and creative solutions cannot be found. Only in a climate of faith and acceptance can risks be taken, progress be made, and dreams be fulfilled. That is why you need to pray today 'Take control of what I say, O Lord...' (Psalm 141:3).

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me today to take a fast from criticism – and help me make it for MORE THAN a day! Keep me focused on the positive things and on ways in which I can be an instrument of yours for the good of others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 35 | Download | Duration: 00:02:42

Open To New Ideas

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out. Proverbs 18:15

One idea can change everything! Bill Gates had an idea, but when he went looking for investors some of his big-money friends called it 'too risky'. Can you imagine how they feel now? Good ideas are great. God ideas are even better! You see, what God initiates, He backs up with resources of heaven. Paul said, '...my God shall supply all your need according to his riches...' (Philippians 4:19). According to what? Imagine being empowered by God, and underwritten by The Bank of Heaven!

God's problem has never been lack of ideas; it is finding people who will leave their comfort zone and act on them - people like Abraham, who, 'By faith...when called to go...went, even though he did not know where he was going' (Hebrews 11:8). And what was his reward? Listen, '...all the families of the earth will be blessed through you...' (Genesis 28:14).

Usually God gives us His ideas when: a) ours have failed b) we've laid aside our pre-conditions, and we are willing to do whatever He says c) we are willing to risk d) we are committed to giving Him all the glory. Think what one of God's ideas could do for your business this year! Or your ministry! Or your family! Listen, '...what I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that will I do' (Isaiah 46:11). God's already spoken certain things over your life. Seek Him and He will reveal them to you.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me be open to Your ideas, Your ways, even when I have no idea how it will all work out – trusting and knowing You do! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 41 | Download | Duration: 00:02:23

Do Not Look Back

Remember Lot's wife! Luke 17:32

When the Sunday school teacher told her class, 'Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt,' one child responded, 'That is nothin'! My mum was driving home yesterday, and she looked back and turned into a telephone pole!' Lot's wife only appears briefly in one scripture, so why did Jesus tell us to remember her? Two reasons:

1. She invested her life in something that had no future. John writes, 'This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever' (I John 2:17). God tried to get Lot's wife out of Sodom, but she couldn't get Sodom out of her. When she thought of what she was leaving, she looked back and turned into a lifeless monument. When God says it is time to move, do not hesitate! Do not become like those who once walked with Him, witnessed on the job, stood out as shining lights in their communities, but now have turned cold and unresponsive
   
   
2. Your decisions have consequences. If Lot's wife had kept moving forward she'd have been there to protect her daughters when they got to the cave. Instead they became victims of abuse and incest. Before you lose your children, poison your marriage, and tear up your life by refusing to break with your past, 'remember Lot's wife.' She did not make it to safety, but she did make it into scripture long enough to warn us about three things: a) complacency b) involvement with the wrong things c) a divided heart!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me learn from Lot’s wife and not repeat those mistakes. Help me keep moving! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Played: 35 | Download | Duration: 00:02:49

It Is Well!

Run to meet her and ask her, 'Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?'" "Everything is well," she said. 2 Kings 4:26

In 1871, when fire ravaged the City of Chicago leaving 300 dead and 100,000 homeless, attorney Horatio Gates Spafford, a friend of D L Moody, helped its people get back on their feet. After two years of tireless effort he and his family decided to take a much needed vacation. They planned to travel to England and join Moody in an evangelistic crusade; then go on to Europe. When Spafford got delayed he sent his family ahead planning to meet them on the other side of the Atlantic. But they never made it. Near Newfoundland their ship collided with an English sailing vessel and sank within 20 minutes. Spafford's wife, Anna, survived by clinging to some floating wreckage but all four of their daughters drowned. Next day Spafford received this terrible two-word telegram from his wife: Saved Alone! He immediately went to be with her.

Later in the course of relating their story to D.L. Moody, Spafford said quietly, 'It is well, the will of God be done.' In fact it was those days of overwhelming grief that inspired him to compose the beloved hymn that has comforted so many of us: “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea-billows roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say: It is well, it is well with my soul!” Can you sing those words? Have you come to the place in your life where you know for sure that if you were to die today, you would go to heaven? You can, by surrendering your life to Jesus, and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you to Jesus as your personal Savior. Why not do it today!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, each day is a gift from you. Help me use today to bring honor to you knowing that when I end this life I will spend eternity with you. Amen

Played: 31 | Download | Duration: 00:02:22

Polluters and Purifiers!

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Romans 14:19

We have a tendency to adopt the attitudes of those we spend time with. That is why Paul wrote, '...your faith will help me, and my faith will help you' (Romans 1:12). Fred Smith points out that there are two kinds of people in any group: polluters and purifiers. The polluters are like smoke stacks belching out dirty smoke all the time. They hate clear skies. No matter how good it gets they find a way to make it gloomy. When the people around them breathe their toxins they feel sicker and sicker. The purifiers, on the other hand, make everything around them better. It does not matter what kind of rotten atmosphere they encounter. They take in the toxic words of polluters just as everyone else does, but they filter them before passing them on. What goes in gloomy and negative comes out fresh and clear.' So, are you a polluter or a purifier? When you spend time with others do they walk away feeling better or worse? Do you clear the air giving them fresh perspective and encouragement, or do they leave you feeling hopeless about things? Watch how people respond to you and you will know which group you belong in.

Bottom line: doubters usually get what they expect. So do believers! Looking for God's best in every situation is not only scriptural; it helps you to see opportunities that you would otherwise miss. Seeing people through God's eyes causes them to be attracted and open to you. Is that important? Absolutely! Your attitude will reach them long before your message does.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to be an agent of yours to make things better, brighter, and more hopeful! In Your Precious Name, Amen

Played: 25 | Download | Duration: 00:02:52

Growth – Part 2

let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance - Proverbs 1:5

If you are serious about growth, here are four things you must do:

1. Make a commitment to change. Most of us want things to get better without having to change anything. To grow, you must commit yourself to not only accepting change but to seeking it! Listen: 'Let us...go on to maturity...' (Hebrews 6:1)

2. Focus on your strengths. Peter Drucker said, 'The great mystery is not that people do things badly, but that they occasionally do things well. The only thing that is universal is incompetence. Strength is always specific. Nobody ever commented that the great violinist, Jascha Heifetz, couldn't play a trumpet very well.' If you try to be good at everything, you will end up good at nothing. God gave you specific gifts. Find them and use them for His glory!

3. Put yourself in a growth environment. Certain fish grow according to the size of their environment. Put them in a small aquarium and they remain small. Release them into the ocean and they grow to their intended size. And you are the same! If you spend your time with the wrong crowd in the wrong place doing the wrong things, you will never experience growth.

4. Learn to enjoy the journey. Most Grand Masters of chess learn and relearn their moves over a period of 15 years before winning their first world title. That is almost a fifth of their lives! If you are going to spend that much time doing something, you had better like it. If the destination appeals to you but you are not enjoying the journey, you would be wise to seek God's guidance and make sure you are heading in the right direction.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Help me to not look at mistakes or failures as the end but to see them as things I can learn from and go forward with. Thank you for being with me in the good and the bad. In Jesus’ Name, Amen