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‘For what is our… crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?’ 1 Thessalonians 2:19 NKJV The second crown mentioned in Scripture is the crown of rejoicing. It’s given to those who take part in leading others to Christ. The background for this passage is written about in Acts 17, which tells the story of Paul arriving in the city of Thessalonica. He went into the synagogue, ‘and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining… that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.”’ (Acts 17:2–3 NKJV) Some of his hearers were converted, including a great...

‘They do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.’ 1 Corinthians 9:25 NKJV In describing our heavenly rewards, the Bible speaks of crowns. Let’s look at each and see what we can learn. The first is the victor’s crown. ‘And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.’ (1 Corinthians 9:25–27 NKJV) Paul points out that athletes who expect to win must...

‘For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body.’ 1 Corinthians 6:20 NASB Columnist Ann Landers wrote: ‘Girls need to prove their love through illicit sexual relations like a moose needs a hat rack. Why not prove your love by playing leapfrog in the traffic? It’s about as safe. Clear the cobwebs out of your head! Any guy who asks you to prove your love is trying to take you for the biggest, most gullible fool who ever walked. That proving it bit is one of the… rottenest lines ever invented… Someone who loves you wants whatever is best for you. But now figure it out. He wants you to commit an immoral act, surrender your virtue, throw away your self-respect, risk...

‘To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.’ Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV Why does a happy, cooperative 12-year-old suddenly turn into a sullen, depressed 13-year-old? There are two powerful forces that account for some of the adolescent behaviour that drives you crazy as a parent. The first is linked to social pressures common at that age. But there is a second source of disruption. It’s related to hormonal changes that not only transform the physical body but also revolutionise how kids think. For some (not all) adolescents, human chemistry is in a state of imbalance for a few years, causing flightiness, agitation, outbursts, and even depression. This upheaval can...

‘Be kindly affectionate to one another… in honour giving preference to one another.’ Romans 12:10 NKJV One of the real tests of character and maturity is how you react to someone else’s success. That’s particularly so when they succeed in an area where you failed or in which you’re frustrated over not having achieved greater success. FB Meyer, a well-known author and minister in England, once shared the following experience to a few of his friends: ‘It was easy to pray for the success of G. Campbell Morgan when he was in America. But when he came back to England and took a church near to mine, it was something different. The old Adam in me was inclined to jealousy, but I got my heel upon...

‘I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness.’ Acts 26:16 NKJV In baseball, the catcher tries to distract the batter. On one occasion when catcher Yogi Berra was behind the plate, Hank Aaron came up to bat. Yogi started in, ‘Hank, you’ve got the writing on the bat in the wrong place. The words should be facing you.’ Yogi kept going, ‘You better check it.’ Hank didn’t say a word. On the next pitch, Hank hit the ball over the centre field fence. He rounded the bases, stepped on home plate, looked at Yogi Berra, and said, ‘I didn’t come here to read, I came to win.’ It’s vital to know why you are here and not to let anyone talk you out of your calling or...

‘Do you want to get well?’ John 5:6 NIV What an amazing question Jesus asked this paralysed man: ‘Do you want to get well?’ (John 5:6 NIV) Who wouldn’t? You might be surprised! Kay Arthur tells of passing a beggar one day on a street in the Old City of Jerusalem. As he sat begging, his trouser leg was pulled up to reveal his terrible sores. She writes: ‘My nurse’s heart brought my feet to a halt. I wanted to bend down and shield the open wound from the dust… It should be washed, medicated, and dressed by someone who cared. My friend gently took me by my elbow and propelled me toward our destination. I was a tourist and did not know about these things. She then proceeded to tell me that...

‘Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved.’ 2 Timothy 2:15 CSB Graduates, here are eleven lessons to empower and inspire you: (1) You’re here for a reason, and the most vital thing you can do is find it. (2) Follow your passion. You may not already know what it is but make it your mission to discover it. (3) Although you might love cooking, it doesn’t mean you will enjoy owning a restaurant. (4) Don’t quit because the work is hard. Quit because deep inside you know there is something different for you to do, or you’re not improving yourself or the organisation, or you know you’re not supposed to be there anymore. (5) Learn from every experience. Each job gets you ready for...

‘The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ Psalm 118:6 NKJV Being in a position of leadership won’t give you courage, but showing courage will establish you as a leader in the eyes of others. Larry Osborne said, ‘The most striking thing about highly effective leaders is how little they have in common. What one swears by another warns against. But one trait stands out: the willingness to risk.’ Courage isn’t the lack of fear; it’s doing what you’re afraid to do. It’s having the power to release the familiar and advance into new territory. The psalmist said, ‘The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ (Psalm 118:6 NKJV) Roman historian Tacitus...

‘No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.’ Psalm 84:11 NKJV Covetousness will rob you of contentment. It works like this: you browse through a magazine, and the home you were thankful for an hour ago suddenly seems shoddy. Or you see an ad for a new motorbike, and the bike at the door suddenly looks like an old rustbucket. God expects you to have goals for your life and to provide for your family but beware of coveting things so much that you become obsessed with how to get them. When Israel went to war with Jericho, God told them everything in the city was to be destroyed. So afterwards, when Israel stormed the small town of Ai and met with a humiliating defeat,...