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Showing posts from August, 2016

Overwhelmed and Defeated? Try the ‘Samuel Solution’

VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIVING: Overwhelmed and Defeated? Try the ‘Samuel Solution’ Life has always been filled with challenges. Handled correctly, they can leverage you to a better place. Handled unwisely, the demotion can be swift. What about when the enemies and problems proliferate? Like the ‘verbal bombs’ of the culture war, the spread of violent jihadism, and rise in temperature at global ‘hot spots?’ Why are once great nations being humbled by a much smaller enemy in this asymmetrical war? When the troubles, pressures, and the enemy comes in like a flood (Isaiah 59:19), what do you do? For the God-fearer, the question should be: Is there a Word from the LORD? Short Answer: Yes! It’s the ‘Samuel Solution’ Solomon wisely observed that there is ‘nothing new under the sun’ (Ecclesiastes 1:9). What we see in our day has a parallel in Biblical history. During the time of Samuel, the last judge of Israel, there was great distress in the land. Their sworn-en

Be Strong & Of A Good Courage: Why Study the Book of Joshua

Despite so much talk about ‘leadership’ today, there is a curious absence of the most important character quality: courage . Without courage, you cannot go forward, overcome obstacles, suppress fear, and make it safely to your destination. In short, without courage, you cannot lead. Remember that courage is not bravado, bullying, biceps, or bluster. Courage is the mastery of fear, a steeling determination to go forward, to take one’s focus off the obstacles and aim it clearly at the prize. No turning back. To live as a Bible-believing Christian in an increasingly hostile world takes courage, conviction, and consecration, while willing to turn one’s back on comfort, convenience, and cowardice. In order to become ‘strong and courageous,’ one needs to learn the Bible, God’s Holy Word. A great inspiration for this is the Book of Joshua. It is the first of a series of historical books in the Bible. The Book of Joshua has a victorious theme: After centuries of exile in Egypt,