Worthy Words

My Grandad would say to me after witnessing some of my bone-headed youthful foolishness, “Ed, use your head for something besides a hat-rack!” The more he said that to me I began to realize he wasn’t making fun of me, he was attempting to teach me a very important life lesson. I need to generate clear thinking before stepping off into the situations of life. Often I think back on those situations and say, “What caused me to do that? What was I thinking when I flew off the handle like that? What was I thinking when I did that foolish thing?” If pressed to respond, I suppose the answer might be, “I guess I was thinking that no one would notice. Or that the rules don't apply to me. Or what I do today is not that important—who really cares anyway.” Grandad was telling me the same thing the apostle Peter was saying to Christ-followers in the first century church. Before you follow through, think it through. “So think clearly and exercise self-control. Set your hope fully on the ...

Different people gauge spiritual maturity in different ways. There are some who think if a person can play the guitar, has a good voice, and can write good songs, he or she must be very spiritual. There are some who think if a guy can get up in front of a group, tell some good stories, make you laugh, make you cry, and make you think a little, he must be a spiritually mature person. There are those who think if you use a lot of religious clichés, talk a lot about religious things, everyone will get the impression that you must be a very spiritually mature person. Well, it doesn't work that way. Spiritual maturity is not about how much you know, or how much talent you have, or how captivating your personality may be. True spiritual maturity is evidenced not by knowledge or signs and wonders, but by love. That's what Paul says in the love chapter 1 Corinthians 13. That's why, after he talks about spiritual gifts and their place in ministry, he says, "And now I will show...

I've known Christians who insist on hanging on to their negative outlook on life. I've done it myself—a lot. Here's what I've discovered. In order to be a “good” pessimist, you have to believe that God's promises aren't really true. God promises for his people power and goodness and victory, and if you believe that, it's impossible to have a negative outlook on life. Someone once said that Christianity is a system of radical optimism. Christ-followers radically believe that the Word of God is true, that the claims of Christ are true, that the promises therein are true and they act accordingly. If you are a Spirit-filled believer who is walking faithfully with Christ you cannot help but be an optimist. The Bible is full of reasons why Christ-followers have every cause to be optimistic. There is one verse that conveys a promise you can build your life upon. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who a...

In planning your life there are two mistakes to avoid. One is to spend your whole life focused on the future to the extent that you miss out on the significance of today. The other is to spend your life living only for today with total disregard for the future. The Bible warns against both. There is, however, a happy medium — a balance that can be achieved. The key is to live today like it matters for all eternity — because it does. Every day of your life has eternal significance. What you do today will make a difference in how you perceive the value of your life when your time on earth is done. What's more, what you do today will continue to be significant even thousands of years from now. The Bible says, “The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways.” (Proverbs 14:8) I believe with all my heart that if you are committed to doing God's will in your life, God will give you a dream of what you can accomplish. He will also give you the ability to do it — if...