Ecclesiastes 12:10

As I work with young people, I find myself at a lot of school plays. Once during the first act of a play I was at, It was interrupted by someone’s ringing cell phone. I didn’t think too much of it because cell phones are now just a way of life. I know personally how easy it is to forget it is on and have it ring at an embarrassing time. It did however being to bother me, when the man started caring on a conversation right during the middle of the play! He was not trying to whisper or end the conversation quickly, he just kept taking at full volume as If no one else were around. I could not believe how inconsiderate and rude this man was being not only to those around him trying to enjoy the play but also the actors on stage. This incident is a reflection of a common phenomenon in our society. People think only of themselves and their wants and needs. But before I lash out too harshly at this man, I remember that I am often just as guilty of not putting others before myself. I may no...

  Some times I stay late after the Sunday night devo to catch up on some work. It is a good time to work since everything is quite and there are usually few distractions. The only problem is when I leave my office, the building is dark. Even though I have walked down the hall hundreds of times, I still ease timidly to the exit, unsure in the darkness. I did this until I discovered a trick. If I focus on the exit light at the end of the hall and walk strait for it, I know that I won’t walk into any walls. By focusing on it, my walk stays strait and the darkness doesn’t cause me to fear.    I think this parallels our Christian walk. Hebrews 12 1-3 says, “ Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the ...

  An interesting system has been used for capturing monkeys in the jungles of Africa. The goal is to take the monkeys alive and unharmed for shipment to zoos of America. In an extremely humane way, the captors use heavy bottles, with long narrow necks, into which they deposit a handful of sweet-smelling nuts. The bottles are dropped on the jungle floor, and the captors return the next morning to find a monkey trapped next to each bottle.   How is it accomplished? The monkey, attracted by the aromatic scent of the nuts, comes to investigate the bottle, tries to grab the nuts, and is trapped. The monkey can't take its hand out of the bottle as long it's holding the nuts, but it is unwilling to open its hand and let them go. The bottle is too heavy to carry away, so the monkey is trapped.    We may laugh at the foolish monkey but we are often “trapped" by Satan the same way. We cling to the pleasures of the world so tightly, that we refuse to let go, and do the will...

  Dr. William James an eminent psychiatrist in the early 1900’s said “The deepest principle of the human experience is the craving to be appreciated.” Not all that much has change in one hundred years. Everyone likes to be credited with a job well done and know that what they do is appreciated. Even Jesus was disappointed with only one of the leapers return to thank him for being healed. (Luke 17:11-19)    We can lose the habit of gratitude. A simple thank you or compliment can brighten anyone’s day. As loving Christian it should be our goal to do good to everyone we come across. It can be a simple as complimenting the waitress on her good service,   or a husband thanking his wife with a special gift, or an employer giving a pat on the back to his employees.   Let us strive to follow the word of Galatians 6:10 “ So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith ”

There is an old joke about a man driving down the road. As he reached the top of a hill, he saw two ministers standing by the road with a sign that read, “Turn Back Now! Danger & Death Lie Ahead.” The man rolled down his window and yelled at the pair, “ Why don’t you two give it up. No one listens to that fire and brimstone talk anymore .” The two ministers looked at each other puzzled as the sound of screeching tires and crashing could be heard. The younger minister turn to the older one and said, " Maybe he's right, lets just change the sign to “Bridge Out ”    Sometimes when I am trying to share the gospel with others, I am tempted to think,” Why will they listen to me? They will think I am just some crazy religious fanatic". The problem with that thinking is it keeps us from giving the warning to those in need. The gospel is a vital message for all people. Paul said it best in Romans 1:16,” For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of Go...

          I was recently disusing with a friend about our lawn situations. Both he and I were new homeowners and for the fist time had to take care and manage our own property. He works night so he was finding it difficult to water and mow on the weeks he works late. In explaining his problem, he exclaimed “It’s not that I don’t want a nice yard, it’s just my sleep is so much more valuable!”        Many of us understand the concept of value when it comes to finances, but we often lose it when it comes to time. We live in a world that is just too busy. The demands of life and work and family can force us into a hectic existence. If we are not careful, we can find ourselves giving our time to things that are not very valuable.    Our lives here are short. (James 4:13) It is important to put our effort on the things that really matter. Jesus said that our soul is the most valuable thing we have. (Matthew 16:...