I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are …
Oak Tree Roots
They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. – Jeremiah 17:18 An oak tree can live up to 600 years, and the roots …
She did not consider her future
Have you noticed that all of life’s choices end in victory or failure? Circumstances, environment, and access to resources can all affect outcomes but the recipe for prosperity is often effort and obedience. As the book of Lamentations opens, the nation of Israel is under Babylonian rule and the capital city of Jerusalem is lying in ruin. An exhilarating season …
It’s Not About You
There’s no denying that I’m the least important person in my home during the Christmas season. My wife proudly decorates every corner of the house the moment we finish eating our Thanksgiving meal. Our tree is full of a mix of homemade ornaments but none of my childhood decorations make the cut. We have four stockings hanging on our mantle, …
Nor Were They Thankful
One of the benefits of growing up poor is that every little thing becomes a blessing. One Christmas I remember getting a football jersey with my name and number on the back. Thomas in bold letters with the number 49 below. As I wore my new jersey to school, I felt like a big deal receiving compliment after compliment from …
100% Guaranteed
There’s a lot of uncertainty in this world but there are a few things that are guaranteed. Benjamin Franklin famously said that ‘nothing is certain except death and taxes.’ On April 17, 1790, at the age of 84, one of America’s greatest inventors, authors, and statesmen found his statement to be true. Death and eternity are unavoidable realities for us …
Seek Wisdom
Men, my challenge this week is simple and direct. Seek wisdom and reject folly. If you’re a decent man, you want to be wise. If you desire to be a great and Godly man, wisdom is the only option; all folly must be rooted out. One of the most foundational verses in the Bible is Proverbs 9:10 – Fear of …
The Victor’s Crown
You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. Romans 14:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good …
Steel Rudders
What’s the most important part of a boat? Ask 100 mariners and you’ll hear a combination of the helm and rudder; both used to steer the vessel. I’d venture to say that everyone reading this could identify a rudder on a boat especially if you grew up in the south. It’s the vertical, blade-like appendage mounted either on the boat’s stern or below …
Speak, for your servant hears
I want God to speak to me and I want to be ready to listen and act. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been camped out in 1 Samuel. It’s a great book set in the middle of the Old Testament and full of practical wisdom and wild stories. The book chronicles the life of several key leaders in Israel …
