By David Jeremiah EL CAJON, Calif. (BP) - The late-1960s TV comedy "Get Smart" featured a lovable, bumbling secret agent, Maxwell Smart, and his partner, Agent 99. Agent 99 was smart and classy, yet humble, and was always there to rescue Smart when he bumbled himself into a predicament. Although Maxwell Smart was the comedic star of the show who always managed to blow his cover and reveal his presence to the enemy, Agent 99 was the true secret agent who got the job done in a professional way. I want to use this image to ask you to become a different kind of agent: God's "Seekret" Agent. The number 99 plays a notable role in one of Jesus' parable of the lost sheep (Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:1-7). Jesus introduces us to a shepherd who has a flock of 100 sheep. When he counts his flock, he discovers one is missing. So he leaves the 99 sheep and goes in search of the one lost sheep. God wants each of us to be that kind of "Seekret" Agent who is continually aware of the need to seek out those lost sheep that have not yet made it into the sheepfold of God's safety and salvation. Two important lessons can be drawn from the parable of the lost sheep. It is not just a parable about evangelism. It is also a parable about … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey We don’t like to wait. We have learned to think that everything should be waiting for us when we show up. That kind of mentality affects our relationship with God as well. Instead of thinking that we exist to serve God, we begin to think that God exists for the purpose of giving us what we want when we want it. What does the Bible say? When Nehemiah learned of the anguish of the people in Jerusalem, he spent time with God learning God’s will and God’s way. Nehemiah was neither a priest nor a prophet. He was a leader, a man accustomed to acting decisively when called upon. How amazing that Nehemiah gives us this lesson concerning waiting on God. What should we do? First, we should seek a word from God. Years ago, I decided that I needed to take everything to God in prayer. Of all the things I have desired for my life with God, that has been one of the most difficult. Every time I think that I will pray about all things I find myself going off on my own and leaving God out of the decision. It is hard for me to wait, but I need to hear from God and learn His way. That means waiting on God. Second, we need to practice solitude. God can speak in the middle of a busy intersection, but the truth … [Read more...]

By Scott Barkley, Georgia Christian Index For other Cartersville residents and I, it was surreal to see Trevor Lawrence, a kid who had just been known around town as “Trevor” since he was 15, on the national stage last night. It shouldn’t have been. Over four years we saw his talent at Cartersville High’s Weinman Stadium, the spirals thrown at ridiculously impossible angles with equally ridiculous velocity. Fans of the Purple Hurricanes became used to 42-0 leads halfway through the second quarter. In 2017, his senior year, Trevor and the Canes led Calhoun – a team that would later that year win the Class AAA state championship – 51-0 at the half. So when the kid many call “Sunshine” after his resemblance to the character from the movie “Remember the Titans” shone so brightly on the national stage against the favored Alabama Crimson Tide, many of us weren’t surprised. Something I do take note of regarding these young athletes are how they handle the spotlight away from the field. Keep in mind that Trevor is 19 years old. Last year’s National Championship also had a lot of young guys featured like Jake Fromm and Tua Tagovailoa. Their small towns can be a fishbowl. Get out of sorts publicly in any way, even for a … [Read more...]

By Rebecca Holloway Somewhere in the middle of the rain, the merriment, and the holiday travel, the new year dawned. And here we sit with a chance to start over again. A couple of weeks ago, the Lord had given me my verse for the year and a couple of words. (With me, it never seems to follow the pattern of a single word. I usually get multiple words.) The verse hit me like a ton of bricks as I was flipping through the book of Isaiah to another passage. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past." (Isaiah 43:18) And goodness, there are some things I need to forget. Some things I need to let go. Some things from which I need to move on. Last year I asked the Lord to make me fruitful in the land of my suffering (Genesis 41:52). I don't know how fruitful I really was, but I am ready to be out of the land of suffering. Suffering will never be gone from any of our lives, but I am ready to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead. (Philippians 3:13) How will I do that? The other words the Lord gave me were obedience and surrender. I don't know exactly what the obedience means yet. But I do know the surrender means that I need to let go and fall into the arms of the One who knows what is best for … [Read more...]

By Steve Horn Here we are a few days into 2019. The first Sunday of the New Year is upon us. Now is the right time to ask yourself the penetrating question: “Will Jesus be the center of your life in 2019?” That phrase comes from a song I like to sing. Here are some of the lyrics to that song: From my heart to the heavens Jesus be the center It’s all about You Yes, it’s all about You From my heart to the heavens Jesus be the center It’s all about You Yes, it’s all about You From my heart to the heavens Jesus be the center It’s all about You Yes, it’s all about You From my heart to the heavens Jesus be the center It’s all about You Yes, it’s all about You Most people would probably like to think of their lives as lots of boxes of different sizes. The label on one box reads family. Another box is labeled career. Yet another box is labeled hobbies, perhaps, until all of the components of one’s life have a box. Most people even conclude that one of those boxes needs to be labeled God. A person with right priorities might even recognize that the “God box” needs to be the largest box. The separate box analogy, however, is not sufficient to describe a right relationship with God. God does not want to have one … [Read more...]

By Lane Corley The Bible is full of resolutions. Our reading of the Bible should be to see the gaps between ourselves and God’s will and close that gap with resolve. The difference between worldly resolution and Biblical resolution is that as believers we have the promise of God’s presence with us to empower and encourage us as we resolve to walk with him. So let’s be resolute in 2019. Here are four Biblical Resolutions in way of reminder and challenge. Devote yourselves to Prayer… Colossians 4:2 Prayer works every time it is tried. God promises to hear and to answer the praying believer, who prays in faith (Matthew 7:7; James 1:5-8; 1 John 5:14-15). Resolve to be a person of prayer in 2019.  Ideas: Set your alarm for 10:02am as a reminder to pray for your church and for more laborers for God’s mission (see Luke 10:2). Get your church’s directory and pray for one page per day. Sign up for Daily Prayer List of the International Mission Board Sign up for BlessEveryHome.com and pray for your neighbors everyday  Every man mature in Christ – Colossians 1:28-29 The resolve of the apostle Paul was to move EVERY PERSON in his sphere of influence closer to Christ. What a resolution!? Our influence as … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey Almost everyone makes New Year’s resolutions, and almost no one follows through. In fact, most people don’t even make it through January for their hoped for new way of living. If you want to start something new, you have to do something different. What are some things you can do to make significant changes in your life? First, invite God to be a part of your change.  Ask Him to help you do the things you already know you need to do. Many of the changes we need to make in life have to do with spiritual things. For example, if you want to make your relationships better, that is something God has already wanted for you. Let God bless your change. Pray about it everyday. Don’t let it simply be what you want; look to Scripture and find what God wants in your life. Second, invite other people to encourage you in your relationships. James Clear in Atomic Habits shows some things we have known in the church for years: we become like the people around us. Therefore, find a group of people who eat right, go to the gym, pray and read Scripture, and seek integrity and compassion in their lives. Over time you will pick up their dreams and habits. Third, read books that will help you learn and grow. What … [Read more...]

By Greg Laurie ”You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” - Isaiah 26:3 If you want to overcome fear and worry, then you need right thinking. In other words, think about what you think about. We’re told in Philippians 4:8, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (NLT). If you want personal peace, this is where it begins. Why is the mind important? It’s command central. With our minds we reach to the past through memories, and we reach to the future through imagination. We need to learn how to think properly and biblically. As 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ” (NLT). The next time you’re troubled, you might try talking to yourself. We need to tell ourselves to think biblically, because it doesn’t always come naturally. For example, we see the writer’s despair in Psalm 42: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?” But then the writer continues, “I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!” (verses 5–6 NLT). Many of the Psalms are songs and prayers. They … [Read more...]