Oceans Of Praise
Whenever I see the ocean (which is not often enough), I am awed by its sheer volume and beauty and power. Great ships loaded with oil or food or merchandise make long journeys across its vast surface. Fishing vessels, working near the shore or hundreds of miles at sea, harvest its rich provisions: lobster and crab, tuna and swordfish. Beneath its churning surface is a storehouse of wealth of all kinds, some still undiscovered.
A Significant Impact
John Wesley was convinced that the prayers of God's people rather than his preaching accounted for the thousands who came to Christ through his ministry. That's why he said, "God will do nothing except in answer to prayer." An overstatement? Yes. But the fact is that our praying is a powerful weapon in the war between God and Satan.
In God's Hands
In 2 Samuel 16:5-14 we read of King David being cursed by Shimei. This happened while David was fleeing from his son Absalom, who wanted to kill him.
Work: A Narcotic
A friend told me that he feels closest to God when he's the busiest. He explained that when demands are the greatest, he finds himself most reliant on the Lord's strength. He pointed out, however, that unless he takes time for daily worship, his work can quickly become an escape.
Hearts Lifted Up
It's tragic to witness someone starting out well in life and then finishing poorly. That's the life story of Uzziah. He had been appointed king at the tender age of 16. Despite being so young, we read that "he did what was right in the sight of the Lord . . . . He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper" (2 Chronicles 26:4-5).
With God All The Time
It was the summer between Melissa's sophomore and junior years of high school. She and her friend Mandy were in Spain on a trip with their Spanish class, and they stayed up one night in their hotel room for a serious discussion. They had just seen a report on the BBC about some teens who had died in an accident, and they started talking about death.
Focus
Missionary pilot Bernie May writes, "One of the most difficult lessons to teach new pilots about landing on short, hazardous airstrips is to keep their eyes on the good part of the strip rather than on the hazard. The natural tendency is to concentrate on the obstacle, the danger, the thing he is trying to avoid. But experience teaches us that a pilot who keeps his eye on the hazard will sooner or later hit it dead center."
Does He Care?
If you are ever tempted to write yourself off as insignificant among the billions of people on earth, consider this: You are a one-of-a-kind creation of God (Psalm 139:13-14). That's true even of identical twins. There never has been and never will be another person exactly like you.
"I Spy!"
My wife and I have some friends who used to play a game with their children called "I Spy." If a family member saw what appeared to be God at work in their surroundings, he or she would call out, "I spy!" It might be a beautiful sunset or some special blessing. These experiences reminded them of God's presence in the world and in their lives.
