The Good News Blog

by Rick Warren

Don’t date because you are desperate.

Don’t marry because you are miserable.

Don’t have kids because you think your genes are superior.

Don’t philander because you think you are irresistible.

Don’t associate with people you can’t trust.

Don’t cheat. Don’t lie. Don’t pretend.

Don’t dictate because you are smarter.

Don’t demand because you are stronger.

Don’t sleep around because you think you are old enough & know better.

Don’t hurt your kids because loving them is harder.

Don’t sell yourself, your family, or your ideals.

Don’t stagnate!

Don’t regress.

Don’t live in the past. Time can’t bring anything or anyone back.

Don’t put your life on hold for possibly Mr. Right.

Don’t throw your life away on absolutely Mr. Wrong because your biological clock is ticking.

Learn a new skill.

Find a new friend.

Start a new career.

Sometimes, there is no race to be won, only a price to be paid for some of life’s more hasty decisions.

To terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless.

To

by Bo Sanchez

One day, Benjie went to a horse race in San Lazaro.

Before the race began, something odd happened: He saw a priest walk up to one of the horses, laid his hand on its head and blessed it.

And sure thing, when the race begun, that horse pulled away and won the race.

Benjie was very impressed.

Before the next race, he saw the priest go to one horse again and blessed it. And that horse won the race too.

Benjie couldn’t believe his eyes!

Before the next race, he saw the priest walk up to another horse, put his hand on his forehead, and even touched all four hoofs.

Benjie knew what to do. He ran to the nearest ATM, withdrew all his money, borrowed more money from everyone he knew, and emptied his wallet. And he ran to the betting window and bet on that horse all he had.

by Dr. Harold Sala

“Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”- Hebrews 13:7-8

Why God chooses to use some individuals, and seemingly ignores those with far greater talents, is always something which defies human logic. The fact is that God often uses those who have little to recommend them when it comes to entitlement through education, family connections, and intelligence. Yet the biographies of those who have made a mark for God indicate that they share three common traits: 1) They immediately and without hesitation responded to the call of God in their lives. 2) Their simple faith in God was marked by complete obedience, and 3) What they had, they gave to the Lord completely and without reservation.

Such was a man who lived centuries ago,

by Dr. Harold Sala

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

“What is faith?” asked the writer of the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. Then he answered his own question, saying, “It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead” (Hebrews 11:1, LB). Two words express this reality. The first word, translated “confident assurance,” is a very positive expression; but it is the second word which gives us a picture which enlightens us.

In the first century this Greek word elegchos was used of a title deed. For example, you buy a piece of property which you have never seen, but when the transaction is completed you are given a title deed—a legal

by Bo Sanchez

Let me ask you a question.

Do you feel like you lack stuff to succeed in life?

Like money?

Talents?

Time?

Connections?

Warning: This Bible story will blow you away.

How God Teaches You To Work

With What You Have

Once upon a time, Israel and Midia were at war.

Israel was a puny nation, barely surviving, and the Midianities were many times more powerful.

That was when God raised a man named Gideon to fight for Israel. Soon, he formed an army of 32,000 soldiers.

Seems like good news, right?

But don’t be too impressed.

We’re using the term “soldiers” in a very loose way.

These 32,000 men were actually farmers, fishermen, and carpenters who happened to carry a long stick.

On the other side of the fence, the enemy called the Midianites had 135,000 soldiers—all trained and armed to the teeth.

Not a very fair battle if you ask me.

But God looked at the situation in a very different way.

God speaks to Gideon

by Dr. Harold Sala

“So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” -Matthew 19:6

Liberals and feminists definitely are not going to like today’s commentary. Should you find yourselves in their camp, save your blood pressure by changing stations or reading no further. Today’s commentary shares the findings of two researchers who have investigated the social and economic factors relating to making a marriage work or, inversely, its failure resulting in a broken home.

Sociology Professor Steven Nock of the University of Virginia and Economist-law professor Margaret BriÅ”ig from the University of Iowa conducted a study of some 3,592 couples surveyed at random. Their study analysis entitled, Divorce and the Division of Labor didn’t exactly fit the prevalent shibboleths of our culture.

They discovered that if you wanted your marriage to succeed, you should pursue the following:

Step #1: Choose your in-laws carefully. They gave

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“He Who sits in the heavens laughs…” -Psalm 2:4, AMP

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Have you ever imagined God laughing in the heavens? Think about it for a moment. Right now, God is on the throne. He’s not mad. He’s not worried about the economy. He’s not upset with you and me. God is full of joy and laughing on the throne.

It goes on to tell us in Psalm 37 that He’s laughing because “He can see the destruction of the enemy coming.” In other words, the reason God laughs is because He knows the end of the story. He knows the final outcome. The good news is that you and I win. God always causes us to triumph!

Imagine watching the Super Bowl when you already know the outcome. You already know who is going to win. No matter how far behind the winning team falls, no matter

by Dr. Harold Sala

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” -Isaiah 40:8

It was about 1880 when a Welshman by the name of R. G. Thomas was aboard a ship that went aground off the coast of Korea. His destination of China was never realized because Thomas was taken captive and soon martyred. But before he was taken prisoner, he grabbed his Bible and took it with him.

Some time later, however, Thomas’ son gained possession of his father’s Bible, and for the first time in his life began seriously studying this book which had brought his father half-way around the world and given him comfort in his death. What happened? He was converted and followed in his father’s footsteps.

Question: Have you ever heard of anyone who said, “When I began reading books on science and technology, my heart was strangely drawn towards God”?

by Dr. Harold Sala

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” -Romans 5:8

Our need to be loved was put there by God Himself, and it was He who also made provision for that great need to be met in our families. Do you remember the familiar words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, “And now abide faith, hope, love but the greatest of these is love”?

No matter how great the need for love, it seems that our capacity really to love each other has been seriously diminished in the world of quick fixes and fractured, broken relationships.

Have you ever asked yourself, “What has happened to our ability to love?” Has it been gassed by the pernicious fumes that have polluted our environment? Or has it simply been pushed aside by our selfish desire for gratification? Have we so

by Dr. Harold Sala

“Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.” -Psalm 91:13, KJV

The King James text of Psalm 91 talks about the lion, the adder, and the dragon, over which you as God’s trusting child can triumph. All of the difficulties and challenges that you will ever face in life are represented by one of these three images. Lions are bold. They meet you head on, unplanned and unexpected. The telephone rings and the caller has bad news. You open an envelope to learn that you are being sued by your competitor. A pink slip with your pay envelope tells you that you are unemployed. Like lions, certain difficulties confront you in life, and you cower or feel like running when they confront you. The reality, however, is that there is no escape from some of the difficulties