Everyday Truth with Kurt Skelly

Do the math!

If you can understand sixth grade biology or even second grade math, then you can understand how temptation works in your life. In fact, when you discern the process by which people are tempted to sin, you will find yourself better equipped to face that temptation effectively and victoriously. Have a listen!

Trials are escalators.

Escalators can take you up or take you down, depending on where you need to go. God uses trials in the exact same way. Sometimes we need to be brought low, and trials will take us there quickly. Other times we need to be raised up in encouragement, and (as strange as it might sound) trials can take us there too! Listen in!

Look up so you can see down.

Trials can be a huge benefit when we allow them to humble us and reveal our lack of sufficiency. They should cause us to *look up* to God so that He can help us *look down* on them from His perspective. Wisdom. And what a view we get when He does just that! It's your faith He's perfecting. Learn to see it the way He does.

Finding joy!

How many times has your joy been stolen by unplanned trials, frustrating detours, and irrational people? Truth be told, joy thieves lurk everywhere waiting to steal even our most meager reserves. But amazingly, joy is not only our resource in spite of trials, it can be our resource *in* trials and even *because of* trials. 

Titles and Positions

Few things seem as hollow as the ways by which we congratulate ourselves and our friends with titles and positions. "Dr. Somebody did something amazing!"  And if you don't believe it, just ask him. He'll tell you all about it. In one fell swoop, James cuts at the root of his own claim to fame, and he does a pretty good job taking the rest of us down a notch as well!

Before you say, "I do."

The Word of God places a huge premium on marriage choices. After all, humanly speaking, whom you marry is the most important relationship choice you'll ever make. And it carries with it the greatest implications for future generations. If we're not careful, our own children will speak an entirely different language.

Drive-thru closed.

I will admit that I have attempted to order lunch at the drive-thru at Chick-fil-A on a Sunday! My excitement about no waiting in line was immediately dashed by the fact that they were not open! Although sabbath laws do not legalistically apply to our New Testament lives, there were some pretty serious principles and applications for God's people back in the day. Listen to how Nehemiah shut down the drive-thru window!

Why did you do it?

What we do is important. Why we do it is more important still. Years after he had presided over a tremendous spiritual renewal, Nehemiah faced the tough task of rebuking the people for their apathetic backsliding. What energized him to do even the unpopular things?

Eviction notice!

Can you imagine cleaning out a special room in your church and allowing the church's biggest critic to move in? That's exactly what the people of God did in Nehemiah 13! How did Nehemiah respond? Better question: how do you respond when it becomes clear that there is a detrimental guest lodging in your heart?

Something to sing about!

Can you picture two choirs marching in separate directions on top of a wall? Nehemiah led one, and Ezra led the other! And when they converged to enter Jerusalem, their shared volume could be heard from far away! What a concert that must have been! What was all that singing about?