“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; “ – Rom.3:23

1 John 3:14 says, “sin is the transgression of the law”. And what it does is awful beyond description. Sin produces slavery to our lust (Ja. 1:14), sorrow in out lives (Psa. 32:10), and separation from the Lord. Every person is born with a sinful nature. He is spiritually dead – separated from God and condemned by God. Thankfully God has provided Christ to redeem us from sin and reconcile us to God. By being born again we become a child of God and have an eternal relationship with Him.

There are a lot of ways to describe life and no one word describes everyone. Perhaps the closest I can think of is the word “struggle”.  From the cradle to the grave we struggle. As Job 14:1 says, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.” An old song describes it like this, “Troubles and trials more than enough, Sometimes my way gets rugged and rough,” indeed it does. We’ve all been there.

Miss Edna Dean Proctor (1829-1923) wrote a poem wherein a child asks her father, “What is life father?” He responds by saying life is a battle, where many fail and yield. The girl then asks, “What is death, father?” When the father describes it as the rest which comes at the end of the strife, the girl says, “Let me die, father, I fear to live”.

I suspect a lot of folks have similar feelings. They “fear to live”. They feel as though they are pushed to their limit and that they can’t bear anymore. They are weak, weary, and worried. They feel battered and broken. Life is a burden rather than a blessing. They know this is the common lot of man and that it is unreasonable to expect better, but the yearning for relief won’t go away. Sometimes we feel as Cain when he said, “My punishment is greater than I can bear” (Gen. 4:13). Even if we know it isn’t punishment the pain is just as real. Making it all the more difficult, we can’t understand the purpose for it.

So, how do we survive the struggle? How do we endure the experience? How can we suffer successfully? Obviously it is possible, for others have done it. History is filled with examples of people who have suffered greatly and yet lived life to the fullest. Their example is encouraging, but we have something even better than that. As Christians we have God’s precious promises to rely upon, and they never let us down (2 Pet. 1:4). Trusting them transforms us. It might not change the circumstances, but it changes the Christian. We are sustained by the grace of God which is sufficient for every need. ( 2 Cor. 12:9) – HDS

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

“The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.” – Psa. 145:18

We live in a wicked world that fails to provide what we need. Most children are forced to grow up without getting the kind of attention they need. That’s heartbreaking. One of the great things I love about my wife is her love for children. She loves to make them feel special. She gets agitated when she sees people not paying attention when a child is speaking. I’ve watched her, in amazement, giving her full attention to a child who was speaking. There can be a room full of adults talking to one another, but her attention is riveted on what that child is saying, and she interacts by asking questions. You would think she was conversing with the president.

The sad truth is that not everybody gets the attention they need or desire. It’s true that some people have unrealistic expectations – always wanting the spotlight on them, but most folks have a legitimate desire for the right kind of attention. All around us there are those who are yearning for someone to notice them and to show that they care. And it’s not just children in need. Some are sitting in nursing homes feeling like they are but nothing more than discarded trash. Whether you are a child or a senior or anywhere in between it hurts when others pay you no heed. 

The good news is that we can get God’s attention. The truth is, we can’t escape it. Numerous scriptures tell us that God takes an interest in us. We are always in His thoughts, especially when we pray. Not only is God here, he is near and He hears. It is a blessed thought to know that we have God’s attention. That makes every moment a WOW moment. Regardless of the nature of our need it is of interest to God. He knows, He cares, and He can help. Call upon Him today. He will not ignore you! – HDS

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

“And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?” — Matt 15:16

In this chapter our Lord teaches that true Religion is certainly not a matter of eating and drinking or outward ceremonial. It is the intention of the soul, the continual drawing from Christ the life-power needed for our work and ministry to others. – – Our Lord did not under-estimate the outward observance of the forms of religion; He set us a definite example by His attendance at the Synagogue and the Temple services, by nights spent in prayer, by constant reference to Holy Scripture—but these were only the outward and natural expression of His unbroken fellowship with His Father. Human love does not consist merely in outward expression, but in the hidden purpose of the heart, and yet, if there be no outward expression the spring will dry up!

Perhaps the two greatest definitions of pure religion are these—the first from the Old Testament: “Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with thy God.” And the second from the New Testament: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” But to fulfil each of these we need the aid of the Holy Spirit.

To be truly religious is within the reach and scope of us all; but we must avail ourselves of what Jesus Christ has done to bring us to God. In Him there is absolute forgiveness for all the past, and infinite help and grace for the future. He is willing to be our Surety, Friend, and Helper. Through Him we may become partakers of the Divine Nature, and escape the corruption which is in the world through lust.

Give unto me, gracious Lord, the pilgrim spirit that I may be in the world and not of it. Give me Thy grace to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. May I ever walk worthy of the heavenly calling. Amen. – F B Meyer

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

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”- 1 Peter 2:2-5

I’ve noticed something about babies—they don’t need to be persuaded to eat. When a child gets to be two or three years of age, that can change. But little babies are very eager for their food. In many ways it is the same with believers. I’ve seen so many new Christians who couldn’t wait to read and study and hear the preaching and teaching of the Word. They desired it with all their hearts. Yet as time passed, rather than wanting to learn more and more, they became “picky eaters” who only wanted the parts of Scripture that tasted good to them. It is a tragedy for any child of God not to love and desire the Word of God.

Robert Chapman wrote, “The great cause of neglecting the Scriptures is not want of time, but want of heart, some idol taking the place of Christ.” All of us have more than enough to do to fill our time day after day. How then do we prioritize? What is truly most important to us (not what we say is most important) is what gets done.

If in our heart we truly desire the Word, we will make the time to read and study it. How many Christians have fallen into sin and gone away from God because they allowed their desire for the Word to grow cold? Renew your love for the Book, and you will stay close to the Author. Read the Bible with fresh eyes and ears today, – desiring to hear what God has to say to you. – Daily in the Word

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