Dr. Dobson is reminded of a touching life lesson he learned many years ago involving a stray cat unsuccessfully fending for itself, and how it offers parallels to how we should consider the plight of many "stray" young people who are trying to find their way in a hostile world.
Money, fame, power, and glory (with all their destructive associations) are just a few of the things that I see other people chasing after—and if the truth be known that I’ve chased after myself. Chasing after those four things seems a bit—well—worldly, doesn’t it. But what if I told you that God knows you need those things, even if you aren’t supposed to chase after them? Sound crazy? Or at least confusing? But it's only confusing because we don't understand how something given to us through God is so very different than the exact same thing taken by us through our own devices. Money, fame, power, and glory can be sought after and obtained through human effort; people do it all the time—and most of the time to their own detriment. But money, fame, power, and glory can also be given to us by God. When all these things are given to us through God, they come to us as a blessing. But when we chase after all these things apart from our relationship with God, they come to us as a curse.
God does not want to share you (or me) with all the things of this world that we chase after. Yes, He promises to give us whatever we need in this life to prosper both us and the work He has for us. But when we begin to use HIm to chase after these things (most of which He already said He would give us), something strange happens. What might normally be just another healthy need becomes an unhealthy lust. It's not that we're necessarily asking for the wrong things, it's that we're asking with the wrong motives. And when we ask with wrong motives, then what we are seeking becomes like an idol to us—even though there may be nothing wrong with what we are seeking apart from our motives. When God is our source for “all these things” and all these things flow naturally out of our relationship with Him, those needs remains healthy needs. But the minute we try to outsource any one of those needs or try to manipulate God to get them, something destructive is triggered within us. And what would normally be a good thing flowing out of a desire for God, becomes a bad thing sought as a priority over God. givemethatmountain.org/article/faith-and-unbelief-day-forty-four/
I regret my selfishness back when I first became a Christian. But I was extremely self‐centered back then—and, sadly, for many years following. I had no clue as to how much it would have pleased God to put a priority on our relationship. But I was more interested in what He could do for me than I was in Him. If you can ever get a revelation of just how much you have valued your relationship with God for what He can do for you, rather than for who He is … well … it will break your heart. And strangely—but also gloriously—after your heart is broken He will begin to reveal Himself to you in a way that will make “the things of earth grow strangely dim,” as Helen Lemuel said in her hymn, “Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus.” Do you want to know why you (and me) seem to be compelled to dig and scratch and claw to get what you want (and often at the expense of those around you)? Did you ever consider the possibility that God is jealous for your love? “What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don't they come from the cravings that are at war within you? You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.” (James 4:1–2a HCSB) Does this not explain just about every evil in the world today? What is the source of all the wars among people—whether between people in the same household or people in different nations? We fight because we want what we think we can get only by taking from somebody else. We demand that our spouses give us respect, or love, or
In this interview Darren talks about his second DVD Furious Love. Great video to watch. Copyright belongs to It's Supernatural. Enjoy! God bless, yourpraiseshop.com
In this interview Darren talks about his second DVD Furious Love. Great video to watch. Copyright belongs to It's Supernatural. Enjoy! God bless, yourpraiseshop.com
Great interview with Darren Wilson done by Sid Roth in It's Supernatural. In this interview Darren talks about his second DVD Furious Love. Great video to watch. Copyright belongs to It's Supernatural. Enjoy! God bless, yourpraiseshop.com
You can be clothed in the sense of your own virtue (self-righteousness), but to be so, is to be like the emperor with no clothes, for true virtue, comes from true love and God is, the divine, supernatural presence of absolute, true love.
We may not have much invested in our relationship with God, but He has everything invested in His relationship with us. And this covenant relationship God has made with us can be far more intimate than any kind of sexual relationship between human beings. I say “can be” because it remains a one‐sided relationship until we pursue God. While we can't know Him intimately until we pursue Him, He already knows us better than we know ourselves. “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.” (Psalm 139:1b–6 NKJV) So it's not like He doesn't know us well enough, that when we cheat on Him, He just treats it like a lunch date.
Walking up to random people on the street to talk about life and love is, at first, one of the scariest, most awkward things we could do...until those same people decide to sit down and share. That’s when something beautiful happens.
Everyday we pass strangers on the sidewalk. We see differences, we make assumptions. World Race Films’ very own Zack VanderWall went to the square and sat down with some strangers to find out what their thoughts were on beauty, love, and more in some very unconventional conversations.
We have some crazy product warnings here in the United States. Like the sign above the urinal in the men’s bathroom that reads: “Do not drink the water.” Who are these men, anyway, that would mistake a urinal for a drinking fountain? While it's hard to believe that any rational human being would require these more ridiculous warning labels, the need for such labels must have some basis in reality—a few folks are apparently a little short on the rational. I used to be a little short on the rational when it came to using faith in God. I needed a warning label that read: “Warning! It is not in your best interest to use faith to pursue your own self‐interest!” When I became a believer, I was mainly interested in promoting my own self‐interest. But using faith to pursue my own selfish interests has proven to be as misguided as not using faith at all. “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:29–34 NKJV) As long as I would only
Have you ever worried you don’t have enough time in your day? Have you ever wanted to add another day to your life? Step into the future—and back into the past—and take a step of faith with Pastor Doug Batchelor and Amazing Facts of Faith.
In the late 1600s, Port Royal in Jamaica was known as the "Wickedest City on Earth." Built on a sandbar in one of the world's best natural harbors, Port Royal was the home of the most feared pirates in the Caribbean. At 11:43am on June 7, 1692, came the Great Earthquake. The quake affected the entire island of Jamaica, but Port Royal suffered the greatest damage. During this earthquake, Lewis Galdy was swallowed up by the sand as the city sunk into the ocean. While buried alive he prayed to God, and then something miraculous happened that would forever change him.
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