Dwight L. Moody, the world renowned evangelist from the latter part of the nineteenth century, once said two and a half persons were converted to Christ at one of his meetings. A friend asked if he meant two adults and a child. The fact was just the opposite—two children and an adult—because a whole life is saved when a child is led to Christ. Do you know the following statistics?...
A farmer in Thailand will plant a bamboo seedling and will not see any growth for the first year. He will patiently continue to water and tend the seedling for the next three years. Then suddenly, in the fifth year, the bamboo tree will begin to grow. In fact, it will develop so rapidly that it will shoot up to two-and-one-half feet each day for six weeks until it reaches some ninety feet in height! Although he could not see it with the human eye, the past four years the tree was developing an underground root system, many miles long, beneath the surface. It now has a foundation established to provide for the significant growth that would eventually occur. 2012 is a year for you to experience God-given dreams and visions you received years ago...
Change is hard for most of us. We are naturally resistant to it. But we must constantly be ready to embrace change when it comes. Human nature has always resisted change. For example, read the following letter written January 31, 1829 by Martin Van Buren, then governor of New York, to President Jackson, concerning an “evil” new business enterprise threatening our nation...
A man of God once wrote, “The holiday is called Thanksgiving…not Thanks-feeling.” Giving thanks is something we give, not always something we feel. But I feel really grateful right now. This past year 2011 has been a pretty tough year for us…
I read the book of Acts again this week. Love that book of the Bible! I remember saying years ago, “When you read the book of Acts, everywhere Paul and the apostles went there was either a revival or riot.” There was no time in the early church for boring religious tradition. They knew that [...]
Did you know that Thomas Edison tried over 200 different elements before he figured out what was the right element to use in the light bulb? And in 21 years, baseball great Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs but he struck out 1330 times? He struck out nearly twice as often as he hit a [...]
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick” says the writer of Proverbs (Prov. 13:12). We all experience times of longing for something that doesn’t turn out the way we had planned; the pain of unmet expectations. And our “heart” feels sick. I sat with a pastor and his wife one evening, and she blurted out, “I hate last suppers!”...
I heard Heidi Baker say this week, “Copies are worthless, but originals are priceless.” How true! I struggled for years comparing myself to others who had gifts, abilities and opportunities that I simply did not have. I tried to be a copy. And then it dawned on me...
It seems like everywhere I turn, I find myself talking to someone who feels they are in the “land in between.” They know God has something for them in the next season, but find themselves waiting…living in a season “in between.” My wife LaVerne read a quote to me this morning that put this all in perspective...
I talk to myself all the time. Self talk has taught me to believe the truth of God’s Word instead of the lies based on my emotions and limited ability. The Bible says...