“He that winneth souls is wise.” (Proverbs 11:30) I am not a financial genius. Far from it. But over the years I have learned a few things about money. The first concept someone explained to me was that the earlier we invest, the longer our money will have to compound and grow. Through the years, small amounts become larger as our investments grow. The second piece of advice was that to succeed we must hang in there through downward trends and reversals. Don’t panic in the lean times. It’s all long-term, they said. Some of us did not understand these investment concepts when we first began working, so we missed the opportunity for long-term growth. Of course, when I look back at how much I made on that first job, I understand why investing wasn’t a priority for me. MOST VALUABLE COMMODITY While I still am limited in my knowledge of investments and finance, I do know the most valuable commodity that exists. Its value is much greater than gold bullion or flawless diamonds. This thing of incomparable worth is the soul—mine, yours, the sinner’s. According to the Bible, a soul is more valuable than the entire world. “For what…

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” (II Thessalonians 3:16, ESV) Is it possible to feel peace even while living in our fast-paced and stress-filled world? When we find ourselves becoming anxious and overwhelmed, is there a way to find that inner peace we so desperately desire? The Source of Our Peace True peace comes from God, the source of all peace. As our Prince of Peace, He desires to give us peace in our lives. Although He really wants us to live a peace-filled life, so many people today live in fear and uncertainty. Life often brings times of confusion and trouble, and peace seems in short supply. It is during these times that the enemy tries to steal our peace by weighing us down with negative emotions. We may find ourselves battling things such as fear, stress, anxiety, conflict, shame, bitterness, or regret. These emotions do not come from God. First Corinthians 14:33 assures us that He “is not the author of confusion, but of peace.” Peace in Tribulation Many assume that peace comes with the absence of conflict, but that is not…

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (I John 4:10-11, NKJV) Although the ministry of Jesus drew large crowds, He often interrupted what He was doing to minister to just one person. He wasn’t afraid to touch the ones society often overlooked or marginalized—the poor, the infirm, the untouchables, the tormented, and those burdened by guilt and shame. Some of our best-known Bible stories tell of Jesus interacting with those society would consider unimportant or without worth. Yet, He showed compassion and mercy regardless of a person’s station in life. He made time for them. Let’s look at just a few of those He ministered to one-on-one. A Determined Woman A woman with a bleeding disorder (Mark 5) had suffered for twelve years with this infirmity. She was exhausted—emotionally, physically, and financially. Although ceremonially unclean due to her condition, desperation caused her to press through the crowd to find Jesus. She resolutely reached out to touch the edge of His garment. He could have rebuked her or ignored her, but He…

“Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God” (Job 37:14). Does it feel like you are in a perpetual rush, never finding time to “stop and smell the roses”? Our society expects everything instantly. We have microwaves, instant coffee, fast food, and fast lanes. We become impatient when things don’t move quickly. Yet the faster we pace ourselves, the less time we seem to have. As has been humorously stated, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.” All of us have observed this phenomenon and, if we are honest, are probably just as guilty as the next person. Where I live, drivers are well known for their disregard of stoplights. It is common for one, two, or even three cars to scoot through as yellow turns to red. Drivers are much too rushed to stop for a little something like a stoplight. quality time — or not Is it possible that our impatience and haste have carried into our spiritual lives as well? Have we become too rushed to spend quality time with God and listen to His voice? I was once startled to hear someone giving tips on how to speed read the Bible. That is not…