The case for self-control

After his indiscretion with Bathsheba, King David was finally honest and confessed his sin to Nathan the prophet. 'Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However...by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme"' (2 Samu…

Healing for someone you love

When someone we love hurts, we hurt. One of the greatest things we can do is intercede in prayer for those who need healing. God can use us as agents of healing: 'Pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can acco…

Be master of your debt

Good credit establishes your future buying power. But when you misuse debt, you experience anxiety each month as you pull the envelope from the letterbox with the credit card bill that says you've spent more than you can afford. And what about the unexpected challenges of life? Your car needs a …

Trust God over people

Sometimes we make the mistake of placing our trust in people when we should be placing our trust in the Lord. And since God cannot fail and people can, we end up getting hurt and disappointed. The Bible says that King Asa of Judah had a perfect heart towards God. Yet when an enemy nation came ag…

Give your all to Jesus

With the national coffers depleted from a series of costly wars, King Frederick William III of Prussia found his nation seriously short of funds as it attempted to rebuild. He refused to capitulate to his enemies and couldn't face disappointing his people. He asked the women of Prussia to bring …

Be content

A newspaper cartoon was drawn of two fields divided by a wire fence. Both were the same size, each with plenty of lush, green grass. Each field had a mule whose head stuck through the wire fence, eating grass from the other's pasture. Although each mule was surrounded by grass, the neighbouring …

Pray for your children

In the Bible we read: 'God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble' (Psalm 46:1 GWT). We don't have to look far to see times of trouble, close to home and further away. It's why we need to pray for the physical and spiritual safety of our children; that they may 'gro…

Seek reconciliation

Here's something we don't think about enough - but should! How we treat those we're in relationship with influences our relationship with God. Jesus spelled it out clearly: 'If you bring your gift to the altar [if you serve in the church, pay particular attention here!], and there remember that …

For the glory of God (2)

Here are two more things you need to know about your calling. (1) The anointing is for each one of us. In Bible times, anointing oil was poured only on the heads of prophets, priests and kings, symbolising that God's presence rested on them in a special way. But the anointing is not confine…

For the glory of God (1)

When it comes to your calling, observe these two things: (1) God doesn't call the qualified; he qualifies the called. God will call you to do something you're not smart enough to pull off. A God-ordained dream will always be beyond your ability and resources. Why? So, you have to rely on Go…