“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize?  So run to win!”  1 Corinthians 9:24 (NLT) The Christian life is like a race.  When you come to Christ, you don’t sit in the stands and watch others run. God has a race marked out for you.  Faith is more than an attitude.  It’s an attitude that leads us to action.  How well are you running your race?  God wants us to run to win! In 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NLT), the Bible says, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize?  So run to wi ..read more

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)   “Today when you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts.” Hebrews 4:7b (NLT) We’ve increasingly become more heart-conscious today.  It’s a good thing and causes me to consider what I’m eating more than before.  Is it heart-healthy?  Will it increase my cholesterol?  What’s the fat content?  We read all the labels and try our best to make the best decisions for ourselves and the ones we love.  But, beyond the physical condition of our hearts, there is a m ..read more

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”  2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV) Have you ever prayed for strength?  Strangely enough, sometimes our prayers may hinder our faith more than help it grow. One of the greatest expressions of faith in prayer is thanksgiving.  When I examine my own prayer life, I’ve discovered that I’ve often asked God for things He’s already done or promised.  What I should be doing is thanking Him for the provision He has already supplied.  For example, have you ever prayed, “Oh God, be with me today ..read more

“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV)  What defines you?  When you look into the mirror of your soul, what do you see?  Are you defined by your past? If so, you’ll never live in the present or see a future with hope that God has for you.  Are you defined by a hurt or experience th ..read more

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19 (NIV) Last week, we talked about how to weather the storms of life. But what about when relationships go through storms? What causes some to survive, even thrive, during those storms, while others are pulled apart?  Maybe you are going through a violent storm that is threatening the very core of your relationship with your husband or wife, a son or daughter, or even a parent or friend. Christ followers are assured in God’s Word that we have a hope, like an anchor, that keeps our lives firm and secure through the ..read more

“Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.” Matthew 7:24-25 (NLT) Living on the Gulf Coast means storm-proofing your home.  It’s not a matter of if a storm will come but when and am I prepared?  Storms in life are inevitable.  That’s why Jesus concluded His famous Sermon on the Mount with this practical illustration contrasting two lives, one who builds his life on the ..read more

“Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.”  Daniel 12:3 (NLT) How many stars do you know in the world of entertainment that have flamed out?  Once brilliant, they’ve lost their luster only to realize the temporary nature of fame.  Daniel tells us how we can be eternal stars!  He says the real stars of heaven are those who are wise and lead many to God’s righteousness.  That righteousness, the Bible says, can only be found in God’s Son, the Lord Jesus.  He is the righteousness o ..read more

“But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him..”  Daniel 9:9 (NLT) Grace is getting what we don’t deserve.  Mercy is not getting what we deserve!  Billy Graham once said, “When you stand before God, it’s not justice you want but mercy!”  Of all the attributes of God, His mercy is the most outstanding to me!  It’s so counterintuitive.  In the Old Testament, a prophet named, Habakkuk, prayed for Judah just before their fall to the Babylonians.  Knowing that Judah had long since departed from God and was deserving of ..read more

“One day Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.”  Luke 18:1 (NLT) Spiritual delays are confusing.  Sometimes, they can leave you feeling disillusioned with God and wondering, even if prayer works.  But these are times when God is often at work in the greatest way in our lives.  Spiritual delays teach us persistence in prayer.  In fact, Luke tells two stories about shameless persistence in prayer in Luke 11 and 18.  In both cases, we get a better understanding of why God permits spiritual delays in answer to prayer ..read more

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11 (NIV) Maybe you’ve heard the expression, “He who gets too big for his britches will soon be exposed in the end!” Such was the case for Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon. He had exalted himself as one worthy of worship.  He made a 90-foot gold statue of himself that was nine feet wide and required everyone to bow down and worship it. He led Babylon to become the world power of his day conquering all his enemies including Israel, destroying the Temple and the city and deporting the J ..read more