Wives, Be Supportive Of Your HusbandsLikewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives.— 1 Peter 3:1When the apostle Peter wrote about the needs of husbands and wives in First Peter 3, he knew exactly what he was writing about. Peter had been married for a very long time when he wrote th...  Read More

Wisdom — God’s Guarantee!If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.— James 1:5 Yesterday we learned from James 1:5 that if you and I lack wisdom, we have the right to go to God and insist that He give us the answers we need. In fact, the Greek tense used in that verse tells us that God actually commands us to come...  Read More

If You Lack WisdomIf any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.— James 1:5Have you ever had a time in your life when you needed answers for a problem you were facing, but it seemed that you just couldn’t come up with the right solution? Even though you tried hard to figure things out, did it seem like the right answe...  Read More

A Bitter Root Produces Sour Fruit!Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.— Hebrews 12:15When a person becomes offended and doesn’t deal with that offense correctly, that bitterness often churns so long in a person’s soul that it turns into a root of bitterness. This is exactly what Hebrews 12:15 is...  Read More

Do You Know What You Are Called To Do?Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.... — Philippians 3:12I have no doubt as to what God has called me to do with my life. He has called me to preach the Gospel and to help establish the Church in regions of the world that are unstable, difficult, and unchurched. That is my calling, and I am very confident of this fact. But for me...  Read More

A Hard Lesson About Paying Attention!After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. — Acts 16:7As I lay down on the hotel bed to take a one-hour nap before we left for a church service in a large Midwestern city, I kept feeling a “tug” in my heart to stay home from the meeting that night. But I wanted to go hear the special speaker that evening. ...  Read More

Confess Your Faults One to AnotherConfess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed....— James 5:16     I remember how glad I was when I finally admitted that Satan was trying to drive a lie into my head! Even though I knew that the lie I was hearing was untrue, the devil wouldn’t let up. He just kept pounding my mind hard and fast, one blow after another, as he t...  Read More

Do You Esteem Others Better Than Yourself?Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.— Philippians 2:3When I was a young university student, I attended a small church where many college students worshiped. One day while attending a leaders’ meeting where several issues were being discussed, I began to express my views abou...  Read More

If You Give Mercy, You’ll Be Shown Mercy!Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.— Romans 15:7Have you ever been taken totally off-guard by someone who behaved in a way that was far different from what you expected from him? When this occurred, did you walk in love and forgive that person for what he did?I’ve learned through the years that most people who a...  Read More

How To Respond To a Financial AttackAnd let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. — Galatians 6:9One area where many people struggle is in the realm of finances. Financial stress is one of the most difficult pressures that can be experienced in life. If you’ve ever experienced the stress that comes from financial pressure, you know how difficult it is whe...  Read More

It’s Time for You To Start Confessing ‘Good Things’ About Yourself!That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. — Philemon 1:6What kind of things do you say about yourself? Do you speak well of yourself, or are you hyper-critical of your appearance, your weight, your intelligence, your talents, your skills, and e...  Read More

Five Important Steps To Move From Fear to Faith, From Turmoil to Peace, And From Defeat to Victory!Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgivinglet your requests be made known unto God.— Philippians 4:6I vividly remember a time in my life when I was very concerned about something that was about to occur. Although the challenge before me really wasn’t so li...  Read More

Are Worry and Anxiety Trying To Seize or Control You?Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgivinglet your requests be made known unto God.— Philippians 4:6Do you ever have moments when anxiety tries to creep up on you and seize your heart? I’m talking about those times when you are thrown into a state of panic about things that concern you — such as your ...  Read More

Taken Captive by the Devil To Do the Devil’s Will!And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. — 2 Timothy 2:26Every once and a while in the local church, someone gets so bent out of shape and upset with the church leadership that he behaves in a way that is shocking to everyone. Often this person has served faithfully in the past; y...  Read More

Location, Location, Location!But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. — Hebrews 11:6All over the world, the golden rule of real estate is location, location, location. Property situated in the best areas is most desirable because it has the greatest value and demands the highest ...  Read More

Never Forget How Good God Has Been to You!When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.— Hebrews 3:9What kind of impact do you think it would have on your life if you personally witnessed a continuous stream of nonstop miracles in your life? Would you like to have that kind of experience?Well, that is exactly what happened to the children of Israel when they left Egypt and...  Read More

Do You Know People Who Talk Out of Both Sides of Their Mouths?Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre. — 1 Timothy 3:8Have you ever known a person who agreed with whomever he was talking to at the moment? When he was with you, he agreed with you. But when he was with someone else who had a different opinion, he agreed with that pers...  Read More

I Am in a Strait Betwixt TwoFor I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the fleshis more needful for you.And having this confidence,I know that I shall abide and continue with youall for your furtherance and joy of faith.— Philippians 1:23-25Have you ever been so exhausted from the never-ending problems of life t...  Read More

Love Never Fails!Charity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own,is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things,hopeth all things, endureth all things.Charity never faileth....— 1 Corinth...  Read More

Love Bears All Things, Believes All Things, Hopes All Things, Endures All ThingsCharity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all...  Read More

Love Rejoices Not With Iniquity, But Rejoices With the TruthCharity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.— 1 Corinthians 13:4-6Have you ever secretly rejoiced when you heard tha...  Read More

Love Seeks Not Its Own,Is Not Easily Provoked, Thinks No EvilCharity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.— 1 Corinthians 13:4,5In First Corinthians 13:5, Paul continues his message about the agape love of God. The seventh character...  Read More

Love Vaunts Not Itself,Is Not Puffed Up,And Does Not Behave Itself UnseemlyCharity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly....— 1 Corinthians 13:4,5When Paul wrote First Corinthians 13:1, he alluded to “super-spiritual” people in Corinth who boasted of great spirituality but who exhibited very lit...  Read More

Love Is Patient and KindCharity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not.... — 1 Corinthians 13:4During the next six Sparkling Gems, I want to speak to you about Paul’s words in First Corinthians 13:4-8, where he speaks of love. These powerful verses are like a mirror. If you will be brave enough to look honestly into that mirror, you will find that Paul lists fifteen powerful...  Read More