Devotionals

Leaders must go beyond analysis to action. One cannot lead without energy, motion, risk. Leaders are pathfinders, road makers, action takers.

Cowardice, to put it bluntly, is an ungodly trait. God is not passive in the face of evil, nor is He indecisive.

The Psalms are full of powerful lyrics that give us a clear portrait of the Lord God. Never is He portrayed as a mild-mannered, passive Deity, hoping and waiting for things to happen. Always He is aggressively engaged in an all-out war against injustice and inequity.

Deuteronomy 31

Getting a big job done calls for heart. Having a high IQ is not essential. Neither is being a certain age. Or possessing a particular temperament. You don't even need the backing of the majority. History books are full of incredible stories of men and women who accomplished remarkable feats in the face of unbelievable odds.

Matthew 6:25-34

When you face an impossibility, leave it in the hands of the Specialist! Refuse to calculate. Refuse to doubt. Refuse to work it out by yourself. Refuse to worry or encourage others to worry. Stand against that.

Instead, say, "Lord, I'm carrying around something I cannot handle. Because You are not only able but also willing, take this off my hands. It's impossible to me, but is as nothing with You." Persevering through the pressures of impossibilities calls for that kind of confidence.

Hebrews 13:1-3

Who really cared? His was a routine admission to busy Bellevue Hospital. A charity case, one among hundreds. A drunken man from the Bowery with a slashed throat. The Bowery...last stop before the morgue.

The derelict's name was misspelled on the hospital form, but then what good is a name when the guy's a bum? The age was also incorrect. He was 38, not 39, and looked twice that. Somebody might have remarked, "What a shame for one so young," but no one did. Because no one cared.

Mark 6

"Grab here, amigo." I grabbed. "Hold on tight." I held on. "When you come back toward the shore and I blow whistle, you pull cord pronto!" Within seconds I was airborne. A loud "whoosh," a long strong jerk, and I was three hundred feet or so above the picturesque beach at Puerto Vallarta.

You guessed it...my first try at parasailing. Four-and-a-half minutes of indescribable ecstasy sandwiched between a few seconds of sheer panic. Talk about fun!

Psalm 147

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Scripture is a verse containing much emotion: "From the city men groan, and the souls of the wounded cry out" (Job 24:12).

The scene is a busy metropolis. Speed. Movement. Noise. Rows of buildings. All that is obvious, easily seen and heard by the city dweller.

Psalm 127

How's it going with you and the kids? Maybe that question doesn't apply to you. You may be single, or you may not have children, or you may have already raised your brood. If so, bear with me while I address those of you who are still in the process of training and rearing.

So, how's it going? What word(s) would you use to describe your overall relationship with your offspring? Challenging? Strained? Pleasant? Impossible? Angry? Threatening? Adventurous? Heartbreaking? Impatient? Exciting? Fun? Busy?

Are you living every day (as if it's your last) for His glory? Do you work diligently at your job and in your home (as if He isn't coming for another 10 years) for His name's sake?

Do you shake salt and shine the light every chance you get?

Do you remain balanced, cheerful, winsome, and stable, anticipating His return?

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Cynthia and I were enjoying a quiet evening at home. The house was unusually still, and we were sitting there sipping freshly perked coffee and having a quiet conversation. You know, one of those priceless moments you wish you could wrap up and bring out again when you really need it.

Philippians 2:3-5

This may shock you, but I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me, or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. The attitude I choose keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there's no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.