The difference between Jesus and the devil is the devil always serves his best first and then it gets progressively worse. The world, the flesh, and the devil always operate according the law of diminishing returns. What starts as a moment of pleasure always ends up as an eternity of misery. But with Jesus, He always saves the best for last. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, the best part of your existence is ahead of you–it may come after you die, but it will come. If you aren’t a Christian, this is as good as it will ever get for you.
2005
December 4, 2005
What to Do When You Run Out of Answers
We have now reached the climax of the book of Job. God finished questioning Job, and was waiting for Job’s reply. If Job had argued with God and said something like, “Yeah, I heard all of what you said, but, Lord, it’s just not fair that I’m suffering! What are you going to do about it, God?” If that had been his response that would have been the end of the story, and we probably wouldn’t even be reading the book of Job! Instead, Job finally gets it and responds to God in the proper way. If you are suffering and hurting, this is way you need to react as well.
November 27, 2005
God’s Voice in the Storm
The Bible is not a science textbook that tells us HOW we were created. It is God’s love letter that tells us WHY we were created. Man is arrogant enough to suggest how life began, but everything man says is pure speculation and hypothesis, because as God reminded Job, nobody was around to see it!
November 6, 2005
The Wisdom of Youth
If God had delegated creation to me, I would have done things differently. I would have created a world where there is no disease or accidents or, terrorism, birth defects, or killer weather. But wait—God did create a world like that didn’t He? But he also created something extremely powerful: Human choice. He gave mankind the option to be cruel and unkind, or to be loving and kind. He didn’t create us as zombies or robots who would automatically bow before Him and love Him. When mankind chose to sin, we unleashed a horrible chain reaction of natural and accidental evil into the world.
October 30, 2005
The One Thing Worth Knowing
Do you realize everything we see around us is temporary? All the mansions, all the skyscrapers, all the money, all the fame will soon be gone. But when you know Jesus you are in a permanent relationship. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:18, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
October 23, 2005
Hope in the Midst of Pain
Job used his tears as telescopes to look ahead to what God had in store for him. Even in his pain, Job confessed his belief in the goodness of God. He believed he would meet God and that God would forgive his sins. As we join Job on his journey in this lesson, notice his temptation, testimony and trust.
October 16, 2005
I Need An Umpire!
Job expressed his frustration at not being able to talk to God as an equal. He cried out for an umpire, a mediator. He needed someone to negotiate with God so His rod of punishment would be withdrawn. Too many people think they don’t need this spiritual mediator. They think they can find God on their own. But if you’ve ever committed one sinful act, or had one sinful thought in your life, you have disqualified yourself from being a mediator with God.
October 9, 2005
The Insomnia of Despair
During Job’s time of testing, he suffered from the insomnia of despair. If you’ve ever lost a night’s sleep worrying about something, maybe there’s something you can learn from this message. We’re going to consider the reasons for insomnia and then we’re going to talk about the remedy for it.
September 18, 2005
With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?
Job was the target of hostility from his friends, but he refused to direct hostility back toward them. When someone insults us, our human nature screams out to say, “Yeah? Well, the same to you and more of it!” Job refused to become bitter about his friends’ false accusations. He said, “I’m not going to treat you the way you treated me. I’m going to treat you the way I want to be treated.”
September 11, 2005
Would I Be Better Off Dead?
God can take the most terrible situation imaginable and make something beautiful out of it. Our God is an awesome God and I’m glad He is in control. Whenever you go through tough times, you can either look for the junk or you can look for the joy. And in the end, God rewarded Job’s persistence and patience.
September 4, 2005
What to Do When Your World Crumbles In
Whenever we suffer, we immediately look for someone to blame. If we can blame our suffering on our parents, our spouse, our co-workers or society in general, we can justify our bitterness, and it prevents us from moving on to becoming whole. And God gets blamed for a lot of suffering today. But in spite of his pain, and his unanswered questions, Job never charged that God was wrong.
August 28, 2005
Surrounded by God’s Hedge of Protection
August 21, 2005
The Peril of Fair Weather Faith
What kind of faith do you have? Is it a fair weather faith? As long as things are good, you’re okay with God? Or do you have a foul weather faith–when a crisis comes you go running to the Lord? Jesus said that the Heavenly Father makes it rain on the just and the unjust alike, so make sure you have an all-weather faith.
August 14, 2005
Setting Your Life on God’s Cruise Control
Has there ever been a time in your life when you consciously surrendered control of your life to God? After studying the life of Joseph, I’ve learned it isn’t about Joseph; it’s about what God did for Joseph. It’s not about you and it’s not about me, it’s about what God can do in and through us.
July 31, 2005
Revenge: The Danger of Road Rage
Joseph suffered an incredible amount of frustration on the road to success. He could have easily become the poster child for road rage. He didn’t do what came naturally–he did what only comes supernaturally–he forgave them. Just because revenge is a natural instinct doesn’t make it right. God will eventually sort out the business of rewards and punishment. When we try to be the judge and jury in regard to unpleasant treatment we’ve received, we usurp God’s plan. Three important lessons about revenge.
July 24, 2005
God’s Detours: Enjoy the Scenery
Whatever you’re going through right now, don’t forget God has a plan for your life. His plan doesn’t always take you directly from point A to point B. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, but the shortest distance between misery and joy is knowing and loving God. Joseph discovered that, and you can, too. Four similarities between life’s detours and actual traffic detours on the highway.
July 17, 2005
Temptation: Don’t Run God’s Stop Signs!
Before you give in to any temptation you need to ask yourself this question: How much is this going to cost? How much is this going to cost me? How much is this going to cost those around me? For years, I’ve been quoting a little verse that helps me fear sin. It says: Sin will take you farther than you ever wanted to go; sin will keep you longer than you ever wanted to stay; and sin will cost you more than you ever wanted to pay. An examination of the temptation in Joseph’s life.
July 10, 2005
Surviving the Sinkholes of Life
The glorious truth about Joseph’s life is that God was with him all the way. God was with him when He was a cocky teenager, full of pride. God was with him when he was sulking in the pit of despair. God was with Him when he was unjustly thrown in prison. And God was with him when he ruled as Prime Minister in the Palace. If you have surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, you can be sure God will never leave you nor forsake you. He is there with you when you find yourself in a sinkhole.
June 26, 2005
Pay Attention to God’s Speed Bumps!
April 24, 2005
Is There HOPE for My Fractured Family?
We are attached to Jesus by a lifeline of faith. A lifeline is not that crease in the palm of your hand. A lifeline is not a phone call you make on a television quiz show. A lifeline is our faith connection with Jesus Christ who is already in heaven. Sure, there are waves and storms out here, but there is safety and security in the harbor. Jesus, our anchor has been firmly established there, so it’s our job to hang onto hope.
April 17, 2005
Is There Any HOPE When I Feel Like Quitting?
We all have problems. Some are big problems and some are small problems. Do you know the difference between a big problem and a small problem? A big problem is anything I’m going through and a small problem is anything you’re going through. It’s like minor surgery–it’s never minor when it’s on you! If you isolate yourself from others, you become an easy target for the devil’s discouragement.
April 10, 2005
Is There HOPE When I’m Afraid?
If you let your mind run away, you can start entertaining all kinds of thoughts about bad things that could happen. As you look toward the rest of this year, is there a feeling of fear of what might happen? As you look toward the next couple of years, is there uneasiness in your spirit? That feeling didn’t come from God. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and a sound mind.” God is not the author of fear. The devil is the sinister minister of fear. He knows that if he can keep you in fear, you’ll be ineffective as a Christian.
April 3, 2005
Is There HOPE When I’ve Messed Up?
There are no beauty contests when it comes to God’s love. There is nothing you can do to earn God’s love. He knows me for who I really am, and He still loves me–warts and all. I think that’s one reason why the animation movies Shrek and Shrek 2 are so popular. Fiona was once a beautiful princess who lost her beauty. But ugly old Shrek loves her for who she is on the inside, not on the outside. And in a way, his love makes her beautiful. That’s the kind of love Jesus has for you.
March 27, 2005
Is There HOPE for My Broken Heart?
Hope is what gives people the reason to go on even when their hearts are broken; that’s exactly what Jesus does. He gives out hope to everyone who encounters Him. Has there been such pain and disappointment that you’ve wondered, “What’s the use?” Jesus is willing and able to heal your broken heart, but you’ve got to be willing to give him all the pieces.
March 20, 2005
What Kind of Person Should I Be?
The greatest tragedy in the church today is there are thousands of people who claim to be Christians, but they are stuck in a level of spiritual immaturity. They are spiritual babies. We all love babies. We love to ooh and ahh over them. But there’s nothing attractive about a 40-year-old baby.
March 13, 2005
God’s Personality Profile
We are finite people. It’s hard for us to even grasp the concept of an eternal God. Our lives are defined by beginnings and endings. But God didn’t have a beginning and He’ll never have an ending. When the Bible says God is infinite, here’s the plain meaning: God isn’t limited by time or space. He doesn’t wear a watch. He’s never been late–or early. God doesn’t occupy any space, yet He occupies it all. He’s never had to stop and ask for directions because He’s never been lost.
February 20, 2005
How to Answer a Sarcastic Skeptic
Don’t be surprised when you encounter skeptics who mock and ridicule you because you believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This isn’t some fantasy doctrine that has been dreamed up in the past 100 years by nutty American preachers. Since the beginning of the creation, God has been moving this world toward an event that will serve as the culmination and climax of His dealing with mankind.
February 13, 2005
Lessons From Sick Dogs and Slimy Hogs
A pig returns to its mud because it is the nature of a pig to love mud. Don’t be surprised when you see some people start attending church, and seem to clean up their lives, only to go running back into the same old filthy, sinful lifestyle. Their nature was never changed. A counterfeit Christian is like that old pig. The lesson of the prodigal pig is this: You can clean a person up on the outside, but unless their inner nature is changed, they will always return to sin.
January 30, 2005
How to I.D. Counterfeit Christians
Our faith is more precious than gold, but counterfeit Christians possess a false faith–it’s like fool’s gold. Their faith may appear to be real on the surface, but when it is put to the test it is found to be fake. When a counterfeit Christian faces the heat, they generally give up on God–because their faith is not genuine. But when a genuine Believer endures painful trials, their faith stands the test.
January 23, 2005
Surrender Your Treasure
God wants each of us to come to the point in our lives where we say, “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give.” It’s not about money. God doesn’t need your money. You need God. Truthfully God doesn’t want your money–He wants YOU! He wants you to surrender fully to Him. Have you come to a place in your life where you have said, “God, I offer myself to You?” When you do that, your faithful and generous giving will be a natural result of your surrender.
January 16, 2005
Surrender Your Thinking
Too many times, we’re asking people if they want to find Jesus, and they wonder if Jesus is lost. If we’re going to present the claims of Christ to this generation, we have to start talking in ways they can understand. We must start asking the right questions and listen to their questions so we’ll know the answers they’re looking for.
January 9, 2005
Surrender Your Trust
You often hear the statement, it doesn’t matter WHAT you believe, as long as you’re sincere. Not really. You can be sincerely wrong. In other words, you can have a great faith in the wrong thing, and it won’t help you. But a little faith in the right object of your trust can make all the difference.
January 2, 2005
Surrender Your Time to God
In sports and business, we are taught to play hard and to never quit. Sadly, we sometimes transfer this same competitive, win-at-all-costs attitude to our Christian faith. Because of our proud human nature, surrender doesn’t come easy, but when it comes to your relationship with your Creator, surrender is the ONLY pathway to peace and victory.