We may relish moments of solitude—but a lifetime of it? No way! Many of us, however, are too fluent in the language of loneliness. The kids used to need me…the business once needed me…my spouse never needs me. Lonely people fight feelings of insignificance. What do you do? How do you cope with such cries of insignificance? Some stay busy; others stay drunk. Some buy pets; others buy lovers. Some seek therapy. Yet only a few seek God. He invites us to do so. God’s ultimate cure for the common life takes you to a manger “…and they shall … Listen Now
God gives gifts, not miserly, but abundantly! And he doesn’t give gifts randomly, but carefully, “to each according to each one’s unique ability” (Matthew 25:15). Remember, no one else has your talents. No one. God elevates you from common-hood by matching your unique abilities to custom-made assignments. “Well done good and faithful servant,” Jesus will say to some (Matthew 25:23). Maybe your dad never praised you or your teachers always criticized you, but God will applaud you! And to have him call you good… well, when he does, it counts. Only he can make bad sinners good. And only he can make … Listen Now
Tucked away in the cedar chest of my memory is a Sunday school teacher in a small West Texas church. She gave each of us a can of crayons and a sketch of Jesus torn from a coloring book. We didn’t illustrate pictures of ourselves, we colored the Son of God. We used what she gave us. No blue crayon for the sky? Make it purple. If Jesus’ hair is red, the teacher won’t mind. She taught us to paint Jesus with our own colors. God made you to do likewise. He made you unique so you could illustrate Christ. … Listen Now
For the love of more, you might lose your purpose! Just because someone gives you advice, a job, or a promotion, you don’t have to accept it. Let your uniqueness define your path of life. Isaiah prayed, “You, LORD, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3). Before you change your job title, examine your perspective toward life. As the Japanese proverb says, “Even if you sleep in a thousand-mat room, you can only sleep on one mat.” Success is not defined by position or pay scale but by this– doing … Listen Now
Jesus warns, “Be on your guard against every form of greed” (Luke 12:15). John D. Rockefeller was asked, “How much money does it take to satisfy a man?” He answered, “Just a little more.” Wise was the one who wrote, “Whoever loves money never has enough money; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). Urge your mate to choose satisfaction over salary. Better to be married to a happy person with a thin wallet than a miserable person with a thick one. Besides, “a pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life … Listen Now
Be careful! In a desire to be great, one might cease being any good. Not every teacher is equipped to be a principal. Not every carpenter has the skill to head a crew. Not every musician should conduct an orchestra. A promotion might promote a person right out of their sweet spot. For the love of more, a person might lose their purpose. Greed makes a poor job counselor. Examine your gifts; know your strengths. Romans 12:3 says to “Have a sane estimate of your capabilities.” Proverbs 15:16 says, “It is better to have little with fear for the LORD than … Listen Now
Listen to the way God described the builder Bezalel, “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, intelligence and skill in all kinds of crafts. . .” (Exodus 31:3-5). Can you hear the pleasure in God’s voice? When you do the most what you do the best, you pop the pride buttons on the vest of God. In the movie Chariots of Fire Eric Liddell defended his devotion to running by telling his sister, “God made me fast, and when I run I feel his pleasure.” When do you feel God’s pleasure? When do you look up … Listen Now
The apostle Paul said, “Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life” (Galatians 6:4-5). Before Thomas Merton followed Christ, he followed money, fame and society. He shocked many of his colleagues when he exchanged it all for the life of a Trappist monk. Many years later a friend visited the monastery and could see no important difference in him. “Tom, he said, “you haven’t changed at all.” “Why should I? “Here,” he said, “our duty is to be more like ourselves, not less.” God never called … Listen Now
God made you and broke the mold! Every single baby is a brand-new idea from the mind of God. Scan history for your replica; you won’t find it. God tailor-made you. You aren’t one of many bricks in the mason’s pile or one of a dozen bolts in the mechanic’s drawer. You are it! And if you aren’t you, we don’t get you. The world misses out. You offer a gift to society that no one else brings. When you and I do the most what we do the best for the glory of God, the Bible says that we … Listen Now
Are you living in your sweet spot? Doing what you do well—what you’ve always loved to do? That last question trips up a lot of folks. God wouldn’t let me do what I like to do—would he? Yes he would. “God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13). “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). Your Father is too gracious to assign you to a life of misery. See your desires as gifts to heed rather than longings to … Listen Now
