Date:
February 28-March 3, 2020Taking Responsibility
Nehemiah was known and respected for his diligence as a contractor and builder, while his contemporary, Ezra was a dedicated scribe and priest.
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Christian Living
The Christian life is difficult sometimes, isn't it? God asks us to leave behind our selfishness and devote ourselves to Jesus Christ in the service of others. This journey has a clear beginning and an even clearer end, but its path is littered with dangerous obstructions and precarious curves. Thankfully, its destination provides lasting, eternal rewards.
Chances are you have experienced the difficulty of losing your way on the journey. We've all been tempted to stray, to step away from the fundamentals of authentic Christian living toward the more immediate fulfilments we desire for ourselves. But God calls us to a life devoted to studying the Scriptures, to prayer, and most important, to knowing Christ Himself.
Let these resources remind you that the goal isn't just reaching our heavenly destination but walking closely with Jesus as we get there.
Bad Attitudes
Do you have an unpleasant outlook on life? If so, are you aware it’s defiling the air around you? If you’re living like this, you’re hard to live with. It’s never too late to change your ways—to be sweet instead of sour.
Demonstrating Wisdom
This is the story of David and Abigail—of a strong man who admired a strong woman; a wise man who listened to an even wiser woman. This can be our story too, if we’re wise enough to follow her example and adopt her motto.
Never Quitting
“Never give up, never give in.” This could have been the motto of Paul’s life. Quit simply wasn’t in the man’s vocabulary. We ought to erase it from ours as well. And we can if we’ll hear and heed Paul’s last words to his friend, Timothy.
Having a Positive Outlook
Inventor Thomas Edison refused to be bitter, even when fire destroyed his life’s work. His response to disaster boils down to one word— attitude. Having the right attitude makes all the difference in the world.
Sustaining Enthusiasm
“Familiarity breeds contempt” is an old cliché because it’s nearly always true. However, before contempt, familiarity breeds complacency—a ho-hum attitude that is satisfied with the status quo. If we’re not careful, complacency will then breed cynicism, which is a kissing cousin of contempt.
Stop Criticizing Earth and Start Contemplating Heaven
Since heaven will be our ultimate destination, we need to spend less time complaining about our struggles and trials on earth, where we temporarily live, and more time learning as much as possible about heaven, where we will live forever.
Stop Lying and Start Acknowledging
Of all the bad habits we could address, few are more prevalent yet more acceptable than lying. As painful as it may be to hear it, ours is a nation of liars. The majority of North Americans find it hard to get through a week without lying.
Stop Acting Perfect and Start Being Vulnerable
In our image-conscious society, there is an enormous emphasis placed on appearing to be someone you’re not. Playing such a role is not just inauthentic; it also encourages us to keep others at a distance.
Stop Resisting and Start Submitting
There are times when defending one’s rights is essential; to do less would result in chaos. However, we are not addressing those issues in this message, but rather the sin of standing in stubborn defiance against and questioning any and all authority that has the right to confront, correct, or instruct us.
