To Protect and to Serve is a statement that has been adopted as the motto for a majority of police departments in the United States. However, this was not initially the case. The history behind the famous phrase has its origin in Los Angeles, as the motto of the LAPD, ironically enough.
Believing with the heart carries with it conviction without a single hint of doubt. Believing with the heart is faith in action.
Emotional pain is real. There is no pain like the emotional pain of a divorce or separation. I wish this type of scar on no one. The key to going through the ending of a relationship successfully is trusting God.
.We go through things in life that aren’t very pleasant. Going through tough times is par for the course if you’re a living, breathing soul on this earth.
Compassion for what others have to go through in life can sometimes be overlooked when ministering to the needs of those around us. It’s great to have a genuine desire to see better conditions and circumstances for others but until we actually feel the pain of others, our sense of life from the other person’s perspective is very limited.
Endurance, as it relates to anything in life, comes down to one thing and one thing only: How bad do you want to win? Physical limitations, poor education, less than perfect circumstances, being raised in a single-parent home, the color of your skin, a lack of finances, and a myriad of other factors can only hinder your success if you allow them to.
Developing the abilities that you have hidden within you on a daily basis means more than simply becoming better at something you’re gifted in. Developing your talents means that you become a better and more skilled teammate within the Body of Christ.
Protection from the destructive forces of this world is something that’s very easy to take for granted. Particularly if you consider your life mundane and relatively uneventful.
Harmony….amazing things happen when people do things in harmony. One of the reasons why I love sitting in the first, second, or third row at church is because I have a clear view of the worship band on Sunday mornings.
Water and the act of being cleansed by it can bring feelings of rejuvenation and refreshment. Yesterday was one of those sweltering Sunday afternoons that have the ability to zap you of all of your energy. It was in the mid 90’s yesterday and there was virtually no breeze. My wife and I were feeling particularly deprived of energy yesterday because we hosted a 4th of July bash just 3 days ago where we had over 125 people in attendance.
Heaven is a place that the Christian looks forward to going after death. Traditionally, heaven is a place that we think of as off in the distant future. I won’t argue the fact that this world has nothing to offer that is anywhere close to what heaven has to offer, but I will submit to you that we can begin to build relationships with those around us that will continue on into heaven.
Answered prayers go a long way toward strengthening you. Remembering past answered prayers help stabilize your faith. Answered prayers help you overcome doubt in whatever challenges you may be facing today.
Sin, regardless of how minor you perceive it to be, if left unchecked will eventually lead to a flood. Some Christians feel that it’s OK to dabble in sin as long as no one gets hurt and all participants are consensual adults. I think it’s time we begin to live lives that are worthy of our calling.
Be strong when you’re tempted to give up, cave in and quit. Remember that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
Living life in the present tense is difficult for most of us. Our lives are governed by time. Everything we do is fit into some sort of schedule. Even when we want some down time, we have to schedule it in.
Overcoming the physical, emotional and spiritual challenges we face in life sums up the totality of existence for some believers. However, we serve a risen Savior who has walked before us. He suffered every horrendous pain imaginable and He provided us with the tools to overcome whatever challenge in these areas that might come our way.
The thief spoken of in the bible is our adversary, Satan. He’s a thief. The biblical description of the thief is pretty accurate. He kills, steals and destroys. Other descriptors that come to mine are someone who steals by deception. Someone who lies in wait of unsuspecting prey. Someone who uses trickery to take what does not belong to him.
Trusting your thoughts, feelings and emotions can be both empowering and dangerous, depending on which direction you allow yourself to be led by them.
Bringing every thought into captivity is what I thought we as Christians were supposed to do when our minds are bombarded with thoughts that run counter to God’s Word. This statement is true however, I discovered in a recent study that bringing every thought into captivity doesn’t go far enough.