​Paul was a man of humility.  But he wasn’t what we’d consider a quiet man.  No!  He was quite bold with the gospel.  In fact, some first century Gentiles might have considered him a bit obnoxious.  Paul held nothing back, but was all in and extremely bold in his ministry.  He loathed timidity in God’s work, but was 100% committed to the ministry God had given him and the people in it.  

​Are you excited about the divine weapons God has given us to destroy strongholds?  Are you feeling more victorious in your daily battle against evil?  Or do you feel inspired by the fact that we can destroy strongholds, but don’t believe that you personally can do it?

​Do you ever feel like every day is a struggle?  Are you ever worn out by the hardships, demands, and cares of each week?  Don’t worry!  You’re not alone.  The Bible clearly tells us that we’re in a war each and every day.  While you may think that it’s a war against life circumstances, bills, fighting siblings, and opposing political forces, the truth is that we’re in a spiritual war not a physical one.  Our enemies are not our parents, siblings, in-laws, landlords, or annoying co-workers, but rather spiritual forces of evil and Satan’s cohorts.  As Ephesians 6:12 reminds us:

​Have you ever noticed the fine line between trust and stupidity?  Or have you wondered at the sometimes vague divide between walking in wisdom and faith?  Our topic lately has been generosity and the fact that God loves a cheerful giver.  But while we’re encouraged to give generously to the work of the Lord, we’re also commanded to be wise stewards of the resources God has given us.  So how do we balance the two?  It would not be wise to give everything to God’s work, but at the same time, we cannot be a cheerful giver if we hoard all that we’ve been entrusted.

​Giving.  Tithing.  Money.  Finances.  All these are sensitive topics and can ruffle quite a few feathers and rattle people’s consciences.  Many people have opinions on these subjects and share them freely, while others don’t want to be told how to manage their money or how and where they should give.  No matter what our stance is on these various points, we must always look at what God’s heart and desire is in these matters.  We must seek out how God wants us to handle our finances, abundance, and generosity and not let people and the world dictate how we manage these areas. 

​“You reap what you sow.”  This phrase is so true.  It is farming basics.  A farmer cannot expect a high yielding crop if he does not plant a grain.  Likewise, we cannot expect much in life if we do not invest ourselves in the people around us and in the opportunities God places in front of us.  You reap what you sow in all areas of life.

​How often do we get excited and passionate about a vision, idea, or project but then quickly lose interest and forget about the whole thing?  Or, how many times do you commit yourself to something but then after more thought back out?
 
I’ve been there, done that.  There have been projects and ideas that I’ve been so excited about but then never bring them to fruition.  Life happens.  We get busy.  And before we know it, we never finished that great idea or fulfilled all our commitments.