We have a friend who began a Bible study in her community. A woman we’ll call “JoAnn,” heard a clear gospel for the first time and was wondrously saved. She was over-joyed and continued to grow through these studies. One day JoAnn asked twice if it was wrong to pray to Mary. Several grounded believers shared with her Scriptures that demonstrated Mary was only human and needed a “Savior” (Luke 1:47), that the Lord Jesus taught the principle that prayer was only to be directed to God the Father (Matthew 6:9), and that the Lord describes Himself as a jealous God (Exodus 34:14) who will not share His glory with another (Isaiah 42:8; 48:11). But JoAnn ignored these truths and clung to her practice of praying to Mary saying, “It makes me feel so good.”

How do you respond to truth from the Scripture that may conflict with established practices in your life? The marvelous testimony of the believers at Thessalonica was, “…when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (I Thessalonians 2:13). You might say these sincere believers were on a journey searching for God’s truth and were ready to obey whatever instructions the Lord gave them. It produced great changes in their lives too. They had previously worshipped false gods but had “…turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (I Thessalonians 1:9). They had come to embrace the concept that the Scriptures were “the Word of truth” (Psalm 119:43; II Corinthians 6:7; Ephesians 1:13; II Timothy 2:15). That meant any practices that conflicted with God’s Word were error and to be immediately abandoned. These believers at Thessalonica were searching for the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth from God’s Word. Other Christians had joined them on this journey. The believers at Berea were called “noble” because “…they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, [to see] whether those things [they were learning] were so” (Acts 17:11). The obvious implication is that they were not just searching for information in the Scriptures to inflate their egos with mere knowledge. They were searching for truth from God to transform their lives.

How will you respond to Scriptural truth that conflicts with something in your life? Let it be with immediate obedience.

On May 24, 2016, the Stock Exchange Commission filed a complaint revealing that a number of professional athletes had been scammed out of great sums of money by Ash Narayan. Reportedly, San Francisco Giants pitcher Jake Peavy lost $15.1 million, and Denver Broncos quarterback Mark Sanchez lost $7.8 million. Narayan secretly siphoned funds “using forged or unauthorized signatures.” He then invested those funds in a failing online ticket company in which he had a stake. “Peavy, [and] Sanchez…said “…they trusted Narayan because he was a Christian and represented several other pro athletes…”

There has been a persistent need in every age for true children of God to be very wary of the influence others have upon them. The Apostle Paul warned the saints at Colossae, “Let no man beguile you of your [eternal] reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind” (Colossians 2:18). This chapter actually reveals several ways in which false religious teachers were robbing believers of future eternal rewards. Verse 18 specifies it was through the worship of angels. The Scriptures are very clear that angels are created beings and never to be worshipped under any circumstance. When the Apostle John sought to worship an angelic messenger from God, he was immediately stopped twice (Revelation 19:10; 22:9). The saints at Colossae were also being convinced to observe Jewish dietary restrictions and holy days, which have nothing to do with our present Dispensation of Grace (Colossians 2:16). These same false teachers, who appeared to be Christian, sought to impose the keeping of all the Mosaic Law, therein making Paul’s converts “subject to ordinances” (2:20). But Paul warned these members of the Body of Christ that following these doctrines intended only for Israel would beguile, or rob, them of future eternal reward. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, the Savior will reward all who have trusted in Him alone for their faithful service to His name and obedience to His Word. But reward will be lost by many who have foolishly chosen to follow things the Scriptures teach us are inappropriate for believers today. This warning implies an urgent need for us to be knowledgeable about accurate doctrinal practices and obedient to what Scripture tells us pleases God.

Are you following religious, or even sinful, practices that will one day rob you of eternal reward? Don’t let this happen. Chose wisely now. You will be glad you did in eternity.

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A Christian man who’s wife was hospitalized with a life-threatening ailment posted on Facebook that he could not pray for these physical needs because the Pauline pattern was to only pray about spiritual things. Moreover, he did not believe God intervenes for physical needs today. Similarly, a Christian friend related to us that when his favorite Bible teacher was diagnosed with cancer, he said, “I knew I shouldn’t pray for his physical well-being, but I did anyway. I just couldn’t help myself.”

In the minds of many there is confusion about what is acceptable before the Lord to be included in our prayers. Fortunately, God’s Word gives us an abundant testimony. Philippians 4:6 encourages us to “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Here we are instructed to pray for everything, including physical needs. When Epaphroditus was “sick nigh unto death” (Philippians 2:27), God certainly intervened because Paul stated, “but God had mercy on him,” and raised him up in health so he could resume ministry (vs. 28). The Word of God indicates it is proper to pray for circumstantial things and that the Lord also frequently answers these requests. Paul said he prayed that “I might have a prosperous journey” to Rome (Romans 1:10). He also requested that others would pray for him “that I might be delivered from them that do not believe” (Romans 15:31), “that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery” (Colossians 4:3), and “that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men” (II Thessalonians 3:2). The Apostle Paul further clearly confirmed that God had answered the prayers of the saints for physical or circumstantial needs. When he described his persecution as being so severe that “we despaired even of life” (II Corinthians 1:8), he assured the saints “Ye also [were] helping together by prayer for us” (vs. 11). Second Timothy 3:10-11 is even clearer, saying, “But thou hast fully know my…persecutions…I endured; but out of them all the Lord delivered me.” These patterns in prayer continued in Paul’s teaching through the end of his life. When he referred to himself as “Paul the aged” (Philemon 9) he told the saints “…for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you” (vs. 22).

Hold fast to the practice of praying about everything. Don’t rob yourself of the divine comfort and intervention the Lord would give you. Pray about everything!

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A Russian proverb says, “If you chase two rabbits you will not catch either one.” There has been a growing business trend moving away from multitasking and toward becoming singularly focused. Many say that multitasking keeps one so distracted that it takes up to 100% longer to finish tasks, and it prevents you from becoming really good at anything. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are used as examples of success because they developed a laser-type focus on one thing: Gates on software, and Jobs on design. They chose to become like a dog chasing only one rabbit. Consequently they achieved great success.

In the realm of spiritual things, it is likewise essential to be singularly focused. This was true of one of the most successful soldiers for Christ, the Apostle Paul. He was able to present the gospel to multitudes, to see perhaps thousands trust in Christ, to plant many churches around the Mediterranean, to write thirteen books of the Bible, to mentor a band of men to carry on in ministry, and to remain both faithful and productive until death. His testimony was “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). Notice, after Paul trusted in Christ, he did not languish over the loss of friends and family, his promising future among the Pharisees, nor financial security and safety. He was able to say, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ…and I count all things loss…for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ…and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (3:7-8). Instead of focusing on these things that could have dragged him into self-pity and depression, he chose to concentrate on something different. He kept his eye on “the mark” (which describes a focal point on a target) “for the prize” (referring to a reward), “of the high calling of God” (vs. 14). Paul’s laser-type focus was on living so faithfully for Christ that he was confident that meaningful eternal reward awaited him (I Thessalonians 2:19 and II Timothy 4:7-8).

What are your goals in life? The most important goal every Christian must choose is the singular focus of living so faithfully for the Lord that eternal rewards await. Nothing else really matters. Choose wisely.

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