“As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;” – Deut. 32:11-13

We assume that we know what would be best for our life, but we don’t. Life is far too complex for us to figure it out. We prefer all sunshine and no storms, but God knows both are necessary. We must therefore walk by faith rather than sight. We must trust that God does all things well – that He makes no mistakes. The following from Senior Living describes what I’m talking about.

   If you ever get a glimpse inside the nest of an eagle, you’ll see something fascinating. A mother eagle starts building with thorns, broken branches, sharp rocks, and other items that seem entirely unsuitable for the project. Then she lines the nest with a thick padding of wool, feathers, and fur from animals she has killed, making it soft and comfortable for the eggs. By the time the growing birds reach flying age, they don’t want to leave because of the comfort of the soft nest. So the mother eagle begins pulling up the soft carpet, baring the sharp rocks and branches. As more of the bedding gets plucked up, the nest becomes more uncomfortable for the young eagles. This encourages them to leave their home and move on to more mature behavior.

   In order to move forward, the young eagles must be made uncomfortable. And in order for us to move forward into spiritual maturity, sometimes God does the same thing: He gets you out of your comfort zone and puts you in a place where you have to jump out and trust Him to help you soar!

Wherever God is pushing you from being comfortable today, see it as a chance to develop a deeper trust in Him and soar on the wings of faith He’s given you. Pray that God would show you where He wants you to jump out and trust Him to bring you to a new level in your spiritual journey.

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. – Isaiah 40:31

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” – Prov. 3:13

It is worth our while to study what the Bible says about happiness, and how to get it. All people want to be happy—but most miss the mark.

Yet those who follow the Bible rules for happiness, will never be disappointed. “Happy is the man who finds wisdom.”

Wisdom is a large word. It is not merely knowledge. A man may know so much, that he is a walking encyclopedia, and yet not be happy. He may pursue knowledge into all its nooks and hiding-places, dig it out of the rocks, extract it from the minerals, gather it from flower and plant, draw it down from among the stars—and yet not find happiness. Knowing a great many things—does not make one wise!

Wisdom is knowledge applied to life. He has found wisdom—who has learned to live well. To live well—is to live according to God’s laws, which are summed up in one word, love—love to God and love to man. No one is happy who does not recognize God and do His will. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

Likewise, no one can be really happy who does not love his fellow-men. Happiness never is found in selfishness. Those who seek happiness in thinking, toiling, and striving only for themselves—will have a vain quest! It never lies that way. He only has found wisdom—who has found rest in Christ. ( J. R. Miller)

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”– 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

When someone asked Pastor Jack Graham, “What is the Gospel?” he responded by saying, “The Gospel is Jesus Christ.”

   Now what do I mean by that? Well, think of it this way: you can take Buddha out of Buddhism and still have the basic tenants of that religion. You can take Muhammad out of Islam, and you’d still have the same principles. But if you take Christ out of Christianity, there is nothing left because our faith is not in a system, but in a person.

   Christianity at its very heart is not a code; it’s not a cause; it’s not a creed; and it’s not a church. Christianity is Christ! It is the Gospel concerning Jesus. So when we’re asked that question, “What is the Gospel?”, we know our answer doesn’t consist of a list of rules or a philosophy on life. The Gospel is a person.

Stop trying to just live according to rules. Instead, live according to the life of Christ in you. Allow Him to determine your steps. And as you press into Him, He’ll transform the way you think, how you act, and will give you joy like you’ve never experienced!

R. G. Lee was right when he said, “There never was a name like the name of Jesus – so representative of sacrificial love at its best. And someday, “every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord . . . to the glory of God the Father.”

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346