Success is not what you have done compared to what others have done. Success is what you have done compared to what you were supposed to do.
Whenever you exclude God and the value system that He represents out of the equation of a life, of a family, or a culture, you create a spiritual vacuum. Nature abhors a vacuum. It must be filled with something.
A name is so important in biblical settings that Scripture frequently mentions God Himself changing someone's name to reflect a new reality. Abram, which means 'exalted father,' was changed to Abraham, meaning 'father of a multitude.'
We're going to have to become very aggressive in addressing justice issues that have to do with fairness and doing that which is equitable and honoring to God.
Im afraid that when it comes to the Christian life, and especially the issue of assurance, too many of us adopt the Barney Fife approach. That is, we let the enemy bully us into believing that were only safe as long as were wearing our Christian 'uniform.'
If the church adopts a school, and the school has kids, and the kids have parents, well, then you've reconnected the hub of a community, because you've brought together its three most fundamental institutions - church, schools, and family.
People from different backgrounds may not have natural affinity, but when the Word of God is treated right and the Holy Spirit is allowed to engage, it can bring together things, people, backgrounds, histories, races, colors, and cultures and hold them together in a way that natural affinity may not be able to do.
There are two answers to every question - God's answer and everybody else's - and everybody else is wrong when they disagree with him.
We don't apologize for who we are. We do what we do as Christians. Our faith isn't hidden. There should never be a separation between God and good works.
The history of our country has been driven by a Judeo-Christian worldview, and so that has dominated the landscape. So it's important that we recognize the lordship of Jesus Christ without apology in our emphasis on prayer.
God has a team. It's made up of African-American, Anglo, Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern, and a variety of other people and cultures. He never wants you to make your distinction, your history, or your background so precious to you that it messes up His team.
Human nature being what it is, if you told me you were going to give me one dollar with no strings attached, I probably wouldn't question the gift too much. But if you told me you wanted to give me one hundred dollars with no obligation, I'd have to think about it for a minute before accepting.
I've talked to men who feel like they're overly sexual and, therefore, are attracted to any female who walks down the street. I will not excuse his activity with every female just because he feels driven in that direction.
The exclusion of God automatically means the inclusion of evil.
God created the races. He created different backgrounds and cultures. But He created them all to operate under His authority.
God has a kingdom. It's made up of citizens: some black, some white, some red, yellow, Spanish backgrounds. His intention was never that the individual uniqueness would cause them to lose sight of the flag flying over them - the flag of the cross.
Football is oneness in action. When played well, it is unity on display. Players come from different races and different backgrounds. However, when they get on the field, they harmonize their differences toward a common goal.
Prayer is God's backstage pass into a personal audience with Him.
I could have ended up a casualty of a broken family, like so many of the kids around me in inner city Baltimore. But my life was forever changed the year I turned 10. That was the year my dad turned to Jesus.
Black lives matter, as a subset of all lives matter. So any injustices to a particular group must be addressed specific to that group but under the banner that all life is created in the image of God.
