Whether you are racing, raising kids, or reaching for your goals, a good start is a big help in achieving success. So it is with a life well lived. But we need to remember that that a life is made up of “days”. What we do with our days determines the outcome of our lives. Wasted days = wasted lives. And, how you start your day has a great effect on how it turns out. So, how do you start your days? How did you start this one?

Did you start today by allowing God to speak to you through His Word? Did you speak to Him through prayer? Have you spent any time today giving God thanks and praise? Chances are good that the answer is “No”. And that is a big mistake! Hopefully that’s not the norm for you.

The outcome of such failure is predictable, and it’s an ugly picture. Such neglect means, less resistance to temptation, more sin, decrease of joy, increase of worry, more complaints, and less contentment— just to mention a few. A great many people live defeated lives needlessly. Their defeats and failures could have been easily prevented, had they got off to a good start. Don’t misunderstand– Bible study and prayer is not some magical formula that insures success, but it sure goes a long way in helping get us there. No Christian, not even a pastor, can live victoriously without prayer and Bible study. Yet most people refuse. Communion with God is the lifeline for successful living (John 15:5). Refuse it and you drown in defeat.

Too many people are concerned about a better life when they should be concerned about a blessed life. They ought to be more concerned about better ways than better days. A successful life is a life lived for God, but never forget— how your life ends depends greatly on how our days begin. A good start can lead to a strong finish. Finish well my friend! -HDS, 5-6-14

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

THE GIFT OF LIFE
 “- – he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.”– Acts 17:25

Every day I thank God for the gift of life, the gifts of life, and the Giver of life–Christ. While I doubt that we give the attention we should to any of these, I suspect that the first is the most neglected.

We speak of “life” as one of our “inalienable rights” in the Declaration of Independence, but I fear that we often forget that life is a precious gift from God. I don’t know about you, but I kind of like it. Actually I love life. We should be thankful for it and we should  use it wisely. As has been said, “A life is a terrible thing to waste”. Life is God’s gift to us. What we do with it is our gift to God.

Being able to live is a great privilege, but it is also an awesome responsibility. Seeing that we received it from God we ought to spend it for God. We have no right to live as we please– unless we are pleased to please the Lord. The same God who gives us life holds us accountable for how we spend it. To waste our life would be a shame— and a sin.
Someone said, “Life is like a coin. You can spend it anyway you want, but you can spend it only once”. How are you spending it? Different people do different things with their lives. While some use it to the best advantage, others are not so smart— they find a way to waste it. As one fellow said, “If you give one million people a paper clip, 2 will find a way to kill themselves with it”. Even so many do basically the same thing with their lives. While they start out with the same opportunities as others, they find a way to make themselves perfectly miserable, hurt others, and waste away what could have been of great eternal value. How smart is that?

It seems strange– some people who don’t know what to do with their life, and complain about everything under the the sun, want to live forever. Why? They are merely existing rather than truly living. They spend all their days without a sense of purpose, never finding any lasting peace or satisfaction. That is truly tragic! and senseless. Life doesn’t have to be that way. Through Christ you can have peace that passeth all understanding, joy unspeakable and full of glory, and a purpose in life, plus much more. It can be more satisfying than you ever imagined. Invested in Christian living it is not in vain. It pays eternal dividends! – HDS

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

There’s an old song that says, “Need a little help? No help wanted. I can handle this job all by myself”. But, the fact of the matter is, that isn’t true! We all need help and not just “a little help”. Forget all the talk about being “a self-made man”– that’s nonsense. There is no such thing. No one got where they are without help. From the cradle to the grave we need help, and thank God for the helpers! But we need more help than what man is able to provide. We need divine help–all the time.

God has imposed strict standards on man and given him responsibilities far beyond what he is able to do on his own. Perhaps you’ve never thought about it, but it is impossible to live the Christian life without God’s help. It takes a miracle. Jesus said, ” But I say unto you, Love  your enemies, bless them that curse  you, do  good to them that hate  you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute  you;”(Matt. 5:44). No one in their right mind would claim that he is able to do that without divine aid. Like I said,”It takes a miracle”.

Thankfully God has provided exactly what we need. He has made Himself available to assist us. Sad that so many fail to see this. They go through life living far beneath their privileges as a child of God. Having God as your Father is no minor matter. It makes all the difference in the world. It is no small thing to have such a big God, One who  “that is able to do  exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think , according to the  power that worketh  in us,”(Eph. 3:20). Let us talk no more about the things we can’t do and burn these words on the walls of our mind–“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth  me.” (Phil. 4:13). How about that? – HDS, 6-8-14

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