Letting Others Be Themselves
Do you give a person the freedom to be completely different from you? Or must we all sound, look, and respond alike?
These five-minute programs feature Chuck Swindoll's best stories. You'll hear his loudest laughs, his funniest experiences, and his famous catch phrases.
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Do you give a person the freedom to be completely different from you? Or must we all sound, look, and respond alike?
Sometimes we seem inundated by laws and rules, but whether or not we like them they’re usually there for a reason. The same goes for God’s Word. He gives us laws for our protection and well-being. When we go against God’s laws we find ourselves living with regret, disappointment, and heartache.
In the process of being nurtured, children learn the quality of their parents’ love (security), the limits of their own liberty (maturity), and the characteristics of a healthy independence (purity).
Clothing may polish the image, but it doesn’t polish the character. You’ve heard the statement “You never have a second chance to make a first impression,” but does how you dress have anything to do with the inside? How do you polish that?
Ever heard of the cookie jar syndrome? It’s when there is a set of beliefs very carefully in place but there isn’t the behaviour to give it authenticity. Belief and behaviour always go hand-in-hand. And they go in that order.
We’re shaped by what we think about most often. If it’s about ourselves, we’re likely to become egotistical. If it’s about others’ wrongs, we’ll become bitter. Imagine what would happen if we focused our thoughts on Jesus the most.
The “if only” list is endless. If only I had more money, more time, better-behaved kids, a bigger house, a nicer spouse...then I would be happy. True happiness doesn’t depend on any of these factors. You can find pleasure in life right now, regardless of your situation, by removing anger from your heart and turning to God for contentment.
With all we have on the go, it’s easy to get tunnel vision and only focus on our own lives. But God desires us to be winsome people who model grace and godliness to a lost and hurting world.
We seem to accept cynicism and doubt in all professions except preaching. There seems to be an unwritten law that says, “Thou shalt not doubt, struggle, or rebel.” But the truth is, pastors are human too. They need the same grace as everyone else who has questions.
The kingdom of God is inseparably linked to the Lord Jesus Christ. Chuck Swindoll shares an interesting legend to help us live with a kingdom mentality.