The Universities of North Carolina and Toronto did a fascinating study of 84 people. All 84 participants were given the same set of math problems, but half were placed in a bright room, while the other half were seated in a dark room. The ones in the dark room performed better on the test. Why?…
R.C. Sproul wrote, “If Jesus has one complaint, it would be, ‘My bride never talks to me.’” Notice something Jesus said three times, just before offering us the Model Prayer. “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites” (Matthew 6:5). “When you pray, go into your room” (6:6). “When you pray, do not babble…
Willpower won’t work. Dr. Dean Drosnes explains: “Why is surrender, not willpower, the key to recovery? The answer lies in brain science. Prolonged [instances of addictive behavior] damage the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in problem-solving, self-awareness, and controlled behavior. Addiction damages the very part of the brain that could enable the addict to stop.”…
Let’s talk about giving. Start with this truth: Giving is not about what God wants from you, but what God wants for you. Do you really believe Jesus had your best interests at heart when he said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35)? If you answered “yes,” than make your…
One of the most famous stories in the Bible is that of David and Goliath. You will remember that as a child, David was anointed the future king of Israel. Not long after that, Goliath led the Philistines into battle against Israel. Of course, it was David who slayed the giant, paving the way for…
President Theodore Roosevelt was an avid outdoorsman. In 1902, he was invited on a hunting trip in Mississippi, which he was delighted to join. When hunting dogs cornered a small bear, and several hunters managed to tie that bear to a tree, the scene was set for the President to make an easy kill. But…
On September 20, 1965, American soldier Jerry Curtis was captured in Viet Nam. He would spend the next 7.5 years in prison, suffering from indescribable malnutrition, torture, and isolation. What saved him was a pinhole in his prison cell, through which a tiny light illuminated an otherwise dark existence. Through that light, Curtis found hope.…
At a national conference for farmers, Farmer Jones introduced a new method of farming to the crowd. His assignment for the next year was to go around the country and teach hundreds of other farmers his new technique. At the convention the next year, Farmer Jones was brought onto the stage. They asked him if…
In a group call with several pastor friends, one of them made a profound statement that has stuck with me: “God will never give you a life where he’s not needed.” Rick Warren said it like this: “You never know God is all you need until God is all you have.” And Jesus declared, “Apart…
My first car had a lot of things that didn’t work well, including the gas gauge. I had two choices: fix the gas gauge (which would have cost more than I paid for the car), or always be near a gas station. I chose the latter. It is important that we stay near our power…