By Waylon Bailey Very few things in life are more important than being blessed. When Jacob stole the blessing from Esau, Esau’s pain was deep and intense. As Esau came to his father and realized that Isaac had given Esau’s blessing to his brother Jacob, he cried out in pain “bless me also my father!” The blessing had real significance. We all need to be blessed. What can you do to bless the people around you? First, catch them doing something right and commend them for it. That’s exactly what Paul did when he wrote his letter to the church at Philippi. When the the people at the church at Philippi heard Paul had been imprisioned, they received an offering for Paul and send it to him. They wanted to help Paul in his need. They even sent their pastor to stay with Paul and minister to him as he waited in prison for a verdict about his life or death. Though Paul was in prison, he saw the need to “bless” the people of the church at Philippi. He wrote to commend them and to thank them for their ministry. We are blessing others when we commend them for their good actions. Second, pray for people and their needs and let them know that you are praying. Paul told the church “I thank my God every time I remember … [Read more...]

By Steve Horn When I was a kid a popular weekend show was the Superstars. (I’ve seen a little bit of a comeback of this show this summer with actors, but these are a watered down version of what I remember as kid.) It was an ongoing competition of athletes from various sports who competed against one another in select sports. The final competition would always be the obstacle course. This series of jumps over walls, and hurdles, and water sometimes humbled the greatest of athletes. It was exciting at least in part because it made these great athletes seem human. On certain occasions the competitors would have such trouble with a particular obstacle that they would simply just go around that particular element of the race. They took their time penalty and simply went around the obstacle. Obstacles are like that. They trip us. They make us fall. At times, we even look at the obstacle and simply say “There’s no use.” It’s impossible. We even transfer the idea of impossibility to God. But, we are reminded in the Bible in several places, including Jeremiah 32, that nothing is impossible for God. What do we do when we face the impossible? We do what Jeremiah did. We talk to God about our problem and our … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey Recently, I wrote about “Once Upon A Time” and living “happily ever after.” The whole point was to make us conscious of God’s desire to bless us and for us to live obediently to Him. We can’t expect God’s blessings without following His plan for how the world works. It’s not luck or our effort or smarts; it’s God’s goodness. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. But there’s another side to this. We all know what that side is. A number of our reading community pointed it out yesterday. It’s the whole issue that Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Job, and Jeremiah faced (and a host of other faithful people as well). What do you when “the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls?” This was the dilemma of the prophet Habakkuk. He looked for God to work, but he could not see God at work even though God assured Him that He would indeed do what He had promised. This is the way Habakkuk came out: “yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the … [Read more...]

Being a father and a Type A personality myself, I look back on my parenting experiences and recall instances where I could have done a better job. I wish I could relive some of those busy days at a slower pace. Unfortunately, none of us is allowed do-overs or mulligans. … [Read more...]

By Franklin Graham America had great healthcare, the best in the world, before Obamacare. I call for our politicians to come together and put Americans first—not insurance companies and not hospitals. We don’t need government-run healthcare. If you want to see what that looks like, just look at our VA hospitals. They’re a mess. Healthcare quality and costs will only improve with more competition, and allowing insurance companies to sell across state lines would increase competition. Congress needs to cancel their summer recess until they find a solution. Let your congressman or senator know that they’ve got to get the job done on healthcare. Franklin Graham serves as president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the international Christian relief and evangelism organization Samaritan’s Purse. These views originally were posted at www.facebook.com/FranklinGraham.   … [Read more...]

By Anne Graham Lotz In all their affliction He was afflicted; . . . in His love and in His pity He redeemed them. - Isaiah 63:9, NKJV When was the last time you wept into your pillow at night, thinking no one cared? Is the pain so deep and your hurt so great that you cry night after night? In your misery and loneliness, do you think Jesus is emotionally detached? That He just doesn’t care? Or that He’s simply too busy to notice? Or that He is somewhat callous since He sees a lot of pain that’s worse than yours? Or that He couldn’t possibly understand how you feel? Or that He’s not concerned enough to meet your needs? Did you know that Jesus weeps with you? Did you know He puts all your tears in a bottle because they are precious to Him? (Ps. 56:8, NKJV) He has said in all of your afflictions, He Himself is afflicted. Why? Because He understands! And He loves you! Your suffering is His. Your grief is His. Your tears are on His face! … [Read more...]

By Joe McKeever “God is Watching.”  –sign over the door of Gwen Williams’ home in Picayune, Mississippi. John Ed Mathiston told his congregation in Montgomery, Alabama a story about kindness. “Not long ago, a man from the Middle East walked into a new car showroom and asked to speak with a particular salesperson.  The receptionist called for him, the fellow walked to the front, and they greeted each other. The foreigner said, “I’d like to buy some trucks.” Some trucks. That caught the sales guy’s attention. “What did you have in mind, sir?” “I want to buy 750 heavy duty trucks and 250 pickups.” The salesman is stunned.  Surely someone is pulling a prank.  This cannot be happening. The Middle Easterner pulls out a letter of credit with a huge American bank.  It is legitimate. This is the real deal. The salesman says, “Sir, you know you can go to Detroit and buy those trucks at a huge discount.” The customer said,”Sir, ten years ago I was a college student in your city.  Being from the Middle East made it hard for Americans to befriend me.  I soon discovered you have to have a car in America, so I came to you.  I picked out a car.  You said to me, ‘I can sell you that car and I’ll make a nice … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey John Adams, our second president, was a man of deep belief. This is what he said about the Word of God and the power of the Gospel: “Suppose a nation in some distant Region should take the Bible for their only law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and charity towards fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward Almighty God. . .What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be.” Samuel Adams, signer of the Declaration of Independence and father of the American revolution looked forward to the coming of God’s Kingdom: “I conceive that we cannot better express ourselves than by humbly supplicating the Supreme Ruler of the world that the end of tyrants may be broken to pieces, and the oppressed made free again; that wars may cease in all the earth, and that the confusions that are and have been among nations may be overruled by promoting and speedily bringing on that holy and happy period when the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may be everywhere established, and all people everywhere willingly bow to the sceptre of Him who is … [Read more...]

By Ron F. Hale “This is for Allah!” shouted the assailants as seven people were killed on London Bridge and the Borough Market with 48 other people injured. Three attackers were shot dead during their rampage of indiscriminately stabbing people. This deadly incident follows on the heels of the May 22nd act of Islamic terrorism at Manchester Arena. Today, key leaders around the world exhibit emotionally disjointed thinking in dealing with the threat of ISIS and radical Islamic terrorism. Without clear objectives by national leaders, their subordinates find it difficult to organize priorities in the war on terror. WHAT WOULD WINSTON DO? Winston Churchill would have never allowed Nazi soldiers to casually fly in and out of London’s Croydon, Gatwick, and Heathrow airports in the throes of WWII. Yet, the recent suicide bomber in Manchester, England, was free as a feral pigeon flying back-and-forth from the Middle East despite being on a terror watch list. This lack of strategic action is criminal and 22 Brits, many of them children, are dead. After their deaths, grieving families were subjected to the dead bodies of their loved ones being warehoused for examination. Yet, who is examining the minds and hearts of government … [Read more...]

By Judy A. Bates, GuideStone Financial Resources A father’s love will shape a man’s life—even if it doesn’t come from his own dad. Just ask Elvis Durrill. Elvis was born in 1933 in the midst of the Great Depression. One of nine children born to Otha Earl and Minnie Durrill, his young life on the farm was hard and filled with manual labor. His father was not a religious man, but taught his children not to lie, steal or cheat. It was from his mother that Elvis learned of God’s loving care. However, it was the pretty blond girl sitting a few pews ahead of him that had drawn him to church that day. By the time the preacher finished the sermon, Elvis forgot about the girl because God had gotten ahold of his heart. He made a profession of faith and 12-year-old Elvis ran home to tell his mom about his salvation experience. His excitement was short-lived. As Elvis burst through the door shouting with exhilaration, he heard his dad in the backroom laughing at him. “I told you he was simple-minded,” Elvis remembers his dad saying to his mom. The joy in his heart was immediately doused and it would be many years before Elvis would be open to God’s tug on his heart. A short year later, Elvis found himself living on the … [Read more...]