Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit Philippians 2:3 Empty Conceit – What images come to mind with “empty conceit?” Did you picture an arrogant, boasting person, full of opinions without substance?” Or did you think about someone who is never wrong – and therefore, never humble?” I remember a greeting card years ago that…
that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality 2 Corinthians 8:2 Joy – Talk-show host Michael Savage once commented, “There are no rules for happiness.” He’s right, but not for the reasons he suggested. Happiness has no rules because happiness is…
Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden to Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Genesis 2:15 Put – There are two fundamentally different views of life’s purpose, but they are hidden in the same methodology. Because the process needed to reach these goals looks identical, it is easy…
He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Proverbs 13:20 Companion – Life is really pretty simple. God’s way is not obscure, confusing or exhausting. In fact, God actually promises to assist us in every way when we wholeheartedly obey Him. Since human beings are creatures…
By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing. 2 Samuel 11:11 By Your Life – Uriah died because he was a man of principle. When we read his story, we acknowledge this fact. But I wonder if we appreciate it. David’s affair with Bathsheba results in pregnancy. David…
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 Devour – Peter uses a mixed metaphor. When he suggests that the devil acts like a hunting lion, we expect a word like “devour.” That’s why it is surprising to…
and whatever is not from faith is sin Romans 14:23 Whatever – Paul must have been a crazy fanatic! How could he say something like this? Do we really believe that everything that does not arise from faith is sin? That’s what Paul says, whether we like it or not. The Greek is pan, as…
Surely there is a latter end; your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 23:18 Will Not Be Cut Off – It’s all about the end game. The biblical perspective never stops on this side of the earthly horizon; but maintaining that perspective is the most difficult part about living. The Bible implores us to…
The one who loves pleasure is a destitute person Proverbs 21:17 (Waltke) Pleasure – Long before psychiatrists and brain chemistry researchers discovered the concept of addictive tolerance, the Bible already knew why addicts never get enough. Tolerance is the mechanism of the body that adjusts to expected levels of the addictive substance. Once the body…
Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. John 11:38 Greatly Disturbed – How well do I manage my emotions? Christian answers often contain a misunderstanding of the biblical view of emotional maturity. We see emotions from a Greek perspective. The Greek feared…
