by Barry Newton

Can the clarity of resolve become foggy in the crisis of decision? Conflicts of interest and the clash of values have always muddied the eyes of those who would otherwise see clearly.

We know this to be true. Those who accept a bribe will discover their heart twisted toward corruption. Ecclesiastes 7:7; Proverbs 17:23 Similarly if the lure of wealth gains a foothold, it can derail faithfulness since it is not possible to serve two masters. 1 Timothy 6:10; Matthew 6:24

When Abram told Sarai, “tell them you are my sister,” at the crossroads he chose self-preservation. Genesis 12:11-13 The cost of that shrewdness involved the weight of sin.

Ananias and Sapphira encountered an intersection when they sold some property. When they agreed to lie about the sale price of their property, presumably to gain favor and recognition as generous givers, they chose the wrong path.Acts 5:1-9 The price they paid was their lives.

King Jereboam’s decision inviting Israel to worship at Dan and Bethel involved him crumbling under the pressure to maintain his kingship by human means. 1 Kings 12:26-29 He could have chosen to trust in God and His promises. Instead his kingship sank into sinfulness.

We need to be acutely aware of the values which can tug at our heart strings so that we will recognize the crisis of decision for what it is - a challenge to our ultimate allegiance. Questions can reveal the clash of competing allegiances.

“Should I lie in order to avoid trouble?”

“Should I hide what I know is true in order to get along?”

“What should I do about the unethical practices I have discovered at work?”

“Should we go to this sporting event instead of worship?”

Such questions often boil down to trusting in God and doing what is right or capitulating to the pressure of pursuing self-advancement, acceptance by peers, greed, living for pleasure or some other value. If we are naively unaware of the crossroads of decision, we could wake up one day to “how did I get here?”

The more goals we entertain, the greater are the possibilities that we will find our service to God encountering conflict. The more important other goals might be to us, the stronger will be the temptation to make poor decisions.

Clarity of resolve involves starting with the conviction of who God is and His place in our lives. It is maintained by preventing the erection of competing allegiances in our hearts.

by Bruce Ligon

A daily routine is not a bad thing. It gives pattern, focus, and organization to one's life. Also, being busy with day-to-day activities is not necessarily wrong. But sometimes we may be guilty of neglecting to see or do things that could bless our life, or by which we could bless the life of someone else.

Let's enrich our lives by slowing down and noticing, or doing, these four things:

1. Take the time to notice the beauty of nature.

As you do this, remember that God is responsible for you having the ability to see. Think about what the beauty of nature reveals about the our God. It is God's will that we have a marvelous and majestic universe to observe. The Psalmist exclaimed, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth forth his handiwork" (Psalm 19:1 KJV).

2. Take the time to express appreciation to other people.

Often, parents will teach their young children to say thank you. But then as adults we may forget what we have taught our children. A simple word of thanks to someone who helps you, who enriches your life, or who is a friend will mean much to them. Solomon taught, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver" (Proverbs 25:12).

3. Take the time to encourage a young person.

The teenage years are a time of change. During these years young people face incredible pressures and difficult decisions. But the word of encouragement that you speak to a young person may become a memory that affects their life in a positive way. Just calling their name, and expressing an interest in their life will mean a great deal to them. The apostle Paul urged, "Be kindly affectioned to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another" (Romans 12:10 NKJV).

4. Take the time to ponder the blessings you have received from the lord.

Make it a life priority to ponder the blessings received from the Lord. Think deeply about them, and do not rush this exercise. After doing this, you will feel as the Psalmist David, "What shall I render unto the Lord, for all of His benefits toward me?" (Psalm 116:12).

Since 1995 Tennesseean Bruce Ligon preaches in Plain Dealing, La. One week every year he teaches at the Jamaica School of Preaching in Kingston.

by Warren Baldwin

Wes and I were involved in the baseball program in Cody, Wyo., with a boy whose goal is was to make it to major league baseball. He is playing college ball right now. In fact, you might have seen him on TV recently as the catcher for SMS in the college playoffs. He was an outstanding player as a kid, involved at all levels of our community program. Later, while still in high school, a coach told him, "Kid, you are good. But, if you want to go big time, you will have to go to some place with more of a population. You need to test your skills against better players." This young man had family in the Denver area, so with the blessings of his parents, he packed his bags and went to live in Colorado. Oh, one more thing ... he was recently chosen by the NY Mets.

Goals. One definition the dictionary provides for goals is "the terminal point of a race." If you’ve ever run track you know that "terminal point" is the ribbon stretching across the track. We call that "the goal line." The terminal point.

Do you have any terminal points in life? I state this in the plural because I actually have several goals. I have educational goals, financial goals, family goals.

For example, one goal I want to achieve with my family is to tour the New England states before my children grow up and leave home. These are all, in a sense, terminal points for me, ribbons stretched out there somewhere in my future. I have my eyes on them. I’m racing toward them. And someday I’ll achieve them.

But one thing is most definite: I will never achieve any of them unless they are indeed terminal points set for me to reach.

We rarely stumble into success.

We don’t stumble into retirement financially set -- we have to prepare for it.

We never stumble into educational accomplishment. If you want that degree, you have to make it a goal and work toward it.

And, I will never stumble into Maine with my family. As far as that is away from here, we will have to plan for it.

Terminal points.

But, I have one terminal point, one goal, that overrides all the others. Every other goal must play second fiddle to this one. Every other goal must in someway further me along the track toward this ribbon. You know what I am speaking of: Heaven.

Jesus set heaven as a goal for his disciples. Before he left them he said, "In my Fathers house are many rooms ... I am going there to prepare a place for you." John 14:2. A goal. A terminal point.

I don’t believe I will stumble into heaven anymore than I will stumble into the state of Maine. I have to set my sights on it, plan for it, and live for it. I hope you will do that, too. It gives us something to live for. A terminal point.

by J. Randal Matheny

Some people are afraid of being happy. At least, it seems that way. They are their own worst enemies. They sabotage their own efforts toward a happier life.

Perhaps they tried to be happy before and found only failure. Perhaps bad habits or unhealthy thinking holds them prisoner, and they can't see beyond their warped, but comfortable zone.

The Bible, however, presents fear as the key to being happy.

"PRAISE THE Lord! (Hallelujah!) Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who fears (reveres and worships) the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments" (Psalm 112:1, AMP).

While some are afraid to be happy, others are "afraid" in order to be happy. Those who fear the Lord are fortunate, indeed. Fear of the Lord, as the above version indicates, is profound respect, reverence, consideration for who the Lord is, the all-powerful, all-knowing Creator, Almighty God.

Such as these don't consider God's commandments as burdens too heavy to bear, but find pleasure in his instructions. The know that the Lord orders what is always best for his chldren.

Which group do you belong to?

by Emmett Smith

We hear a lot these days about addiction. An addict, according to one dictionary, is one who is "a slave to a habit or vice, especially a drug."¹ This definition pretty well sums up the idea, doesn't it? Thus, people are referred to as addicted to gambling, sex, and other behaviors in addition to substance abuses. This slavery to harmful behavior patterns is certainly not a novel concept. Jesus addressed this very subject in his discussion with the Jews, after they protested His statement that the truth would make them free.

John 8:34 (ESV) Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin."

The Jews didn't like to think that they were in bondage to anyone. They were Abraham's seed! But Jesus reminded them that bondage to sin is a universal problem. Unfortunately, even though the text says that they "believed on him" (cf. John 12:42), it also says they sought to kill Him because His word had no place in them. It sounds as if they were determined to die in their sins by rejecting mankind's only possible remedy. And so it is with many today.

However, there's really no choice as to whether we'll be slaves. We simply must choose one of two masters (Romans 6:16_vff). In 1 Corinthians 16:15,16 (KJV) the Apostle Paul wrote, "I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)  That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.".

Brother Paul simply wanted the Corinthians to develop good addictions rather than evil ones. What are you addicted to?

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