Which is the Greatest Commandment?

The following comes from my book, MORE Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals

A Pharisee asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matt. 22:36). The Pharisees counted 613 commandments in the Law. They also added another 1,500 man-made laws for the Jewish people keep. Out of all those commandments, it was only natural to wonder which was the most important.

Some Jews believed the greatest was the 3rd commandment, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Ex. 20:7). That’s why they wouldn’t even mention His name. Others thought the greatest was the 4th commandment, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” (Ex. 20:8). That’s why the Pharisees created 39 categories of work that were prohibited on the Sabbath, and they always accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath.

One rabbi even taught the man-made laws of the Pharisees were more important than God’s commandments in the Scriptures. They believed that eating with unwashed hands was as great of a crime as murder, and that rubbing ears of corn together on the Sabbath day was the same sin as committing adultery.

These differences in opinions created a lot of confusion about which law was the greatest of all the commandments. You’d think Jesus would have answered him by quoting the 1st commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). He didn’t. Instead, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37).

So what is most important to God? He wants you to love Him with all your heart; that’s passion. All your soul; that’s commitment. All your mind; that’s what you think about.

It’s impossible to love God until you first believe He loves you, and you’ve received His love into your heart. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19 NKJV). Live to please God. It’s that simple.

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When You Need More Strength

The following comes from my book, MORE Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals

We can do just about anything if we’re desperate. A 120-pound computer specialist picked up a 250-pound bomb on the U.S.S. Forrestal that was about to explode and heaved it overboard. A frightened 5-foot farm wife lifted a 2,000-pound tractor to free her husband who was pinned underneath. Later it took three husky men to lift the tractor. A 12-year-old boy lifted a fallen log off the legs of his father. Four men could barely move it later on.

If people can do these incredible feats through adrenalin, think what God can do through you with His unlimited power and strength. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). He did not say, “I can do all things through me who strengthens me.” His strength came from God.

You probably won’t need power to lift a tractor off someone pinned underneath. But you will need God’s strength to get through difficult times. You’ll need His holy power to overcome temptation. You’ll need God’s supernatural strength to keep going when you feel like quitting.

When the comic character Popeye ate his spinach, he instantly became stronger. Even so, Popeye didn’t eat his spinach until he absolutely had to. And that’s the only time some people turn to God for strength—when they’re in trouble. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

The good news is God’s strength is available at all times, and not just when we’re in trouble. “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless” (Isa. 40:29). How do we receive it? By calling out to Him and receiving it by faith. He will give you what you need to get through whatever you’re going through.  

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The Copy Cats

This comes from my book, MORE Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals

President Calvin Coolidge once invited some friends to dinner at the White House. The guests didn’t know how to behave with the proper table manners, so they decided to just copy whatever the President did. 

When the coffee was served, Coolidge poured his into a saucer. The guests pulled out their saucers and did the same. Coolidge poured some cream and sugar in the saucer, so the guests added cream and sugar to theirs. Then Coolidge bent over, placed his saucer on the floor, and called for his cat.

If you choose to be a copycat, make sure you’re copying the right cat. Romans 12:2 says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” Some people spend their lives trying to become like the celebrities and movie stars they worship.

When Kay Kent of London was eighteen, she wanted to look exactly like Marilyn Monroe. She bleached her hair platinum blond, had plastic surgery, and hired makeup artists to fix her face like Marilyn. With the growth of her obsession, she learned to talk like Marilyn, walk like Marilyn, and dress like Marilyn. She turned herself into a carbon copy of Monroe. The Lookalikes Agency in London gave her a contract in 1982 and she was soon making $100,000 per year. She later became depressed and turned to liquor and pills. On June 12, 1989, she died of an overdose, just like Marilyn Monroe. She chose the wrong cat to copy.

Paul copied Jesus. He said, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). Paul followed Him. He acted like Him. Suffered like Him. And we’re also to follow in His steps (1 Pet. 2:21). Don’t copy the wrong cats. There’s only one cat worth copying and that’s the Lion of Judah (Rev. 5:5).

BIBLE STUDY: Frequently Asked Bible Questions

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It Only Takes a Spark ...

The following comes from my book, MORE Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals

In 2022, the Felicity Ace cargo ship was in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean when it caught fire. The ship was transporting 4,000 luxury cars that included 1,100 Porsches, 189 Bentleys, and Lamborghinis, from Germany to the United States. Along the way, the ship caught fire and burned for nearly two weeks until it sank.

The total estimated loss for the entire cargo was $438 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. That figure doesn’t include the cost of the ship itself. The Portuguese navy rescued all 22 crew members onboard the Felicity Ace after it caught fire on February 16. Crew members believe the fire likely started in the battery of one of the electric cars being transported. One small spark was able to sink a 650-foot ship, along with the 4,000 cars being transported.

James writes, “The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell” (James 3:5-6 NIV).

Hateful words can destroy someone like a small spark can destroy a forest or sink a ship. One short sentence can grow into a full-blown argument., which can lead to total destruction. Notice how the fire gets started—it is set on fire by hell. Satan lights a match and drops it into our minds.

If we don’t verbalize the hateful thoughts Satan plants in our minds, we blow out the match that could have started a forest fire. If we refuse to say a single insult or sarcastic remark, no demon from hell will be able to throw gasoline on the fire. Stop and think before you speak.

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The Polish Swimmer at the Olympic Trials

The following comes from my book, MORE Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals  

In the 1930s, a Polish immigrant’s son lived in a dreary apartment in Chicago. Because the boy only spoke broken English, he had no friends and no one to encourage him.

One day as the youngster was walking home, a man standing outside the YMCA called out to him. He worked at the facility and invited him inside to see the Olympic-sized indoor swimming pool. He asked the young man if he could swim. The boy said he could not. “Would you like to come here after school and learn how to swim?” the man asked.

The boy accepted his offer, learned to swim, and spent hours every day at the pool. As the months passed, the young man became a proficient long-distance swimmer. He entered a swimming contest and won the competition.

A few weeks later, the teenager won again. Two years later, after becoming the best distance swimmer in Illinois and then in the Midwest, he was excited to receive a letter bearing the Olympic seal. It was an invitation to join twenty of the nation’s best swimmers to compete to represent the USA in the upcoming Olympics! The two fastest swimmers would receive spots on the team.

On the day of the competition, the swimmers waited for the start signal and dove into the pool. As the swimmers swam their laps, the young man from Chicago kept up with the leaders for most of the race. However, he slowly slipped behind and was unable to keep up with the fastest swimmers. He finished in 4^th place, which meant he would not be going to the Olympics.

But if you think about it, finishing in 4^th place is nothing to be ashamed of. Not for someone with only one arm.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Whatever you do, do it wholehearted as though you were doing if for the Lord and not for people” (Col. 3:13). The Lord calls you to do your best, even if you have a disability such as only having one arm. In God’s eyes, finishing in 4^th place can be the same as winning a gold medal in the Olympics.

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The Man Who Signed the Guest Book

The following comes from my book, MORE Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals

Tom Stonewall was speeding through a small town one night, looking for a public restroom. Finally, he came to a funeral home. Tom used the facilities, then paid his respect to the deceased. The funeral director, spotting Tom, insisted he write his name and address in the guest register. Tom thought it was a lot of trouble to go through just to use the bathroom, but he did it anyway.

Three weeks later, Tom got a call from a lawyer in the small town. It turns out that Tom had visited the funeral home on the night the town’s richest citizen was laid to rest. The rich man had no family or friends. In his will, this man had stipulated that whomever came to his funeral would inherit his entire estate. Tom was the only name in the guest register that night, so he received the full inheritance. (Small Miracles, 1997, 57-60)

The deceased man spent his entire life accumulating his wealth, and Tom did nothing to deserve it. He received the inheritance because the man stipulated the heir would be the name written in the register. Those who inherit God’s kingdom don’t deserve it either, but receive it because their names are written in God’s book of life (Rev. 21:27).

However, God doesn’t leave His inheritance to everyone. “The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9). Only those who receive Jesus Christ will receive this inheritance. “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:16-17).

By God’s grace, Jesus shares the inheritance with those who put their trust in Him. Like Tom Stonewall, we get it because our names are recorded in the book. As fellow heirs with Christ, everything in His kingdom will be ours forever.

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Monkey Prayers

The following comes from my book, Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals  

Chimpanzees have actually been taught how to use sign language, and what they have to say is revealing. A chimp named Nim gave this message: "Nim eat Nim eat. Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you."

When we examine the chimp's messages, two things stand out. First, Nim tends to say the same things over and over. Second, nearly every sentence Nim utters is a request for something he wants.

Now suppose that chimps were taught to pray to God. What would their prayers sound like? Reflecting on Nim's examples, we can assume chimp prayers would be repetitive and self-centered: "Me banana You banana me You give banana me eat.” And if humans prayed like chimps, it would sound like this: “Car new me drive. Lottery win Powerball please. You answer. Soon amen."

I'll admit that I sometimes sound like Nim when I pray. I've prayed monkey prayers, repeatedly telling God what I want. Jesus instructed us to not get caught in that trap. "And when you are praying do not use meaningless repetitions as the Gentiles do" (Matt. 6:7). Then He taught us the Lord’s prayer, and we turned it into a meaningless repetition.

Perhaps we need to learn to pray in a new way.  Instead of repeatedly telling God what we want (you give banana me eat), maybe we need to intercede for someone we've never prayed for before. Can you think of someone on this planet who needs your prayers? Anyone? Maybe if we'll spend more time interceding for others, God will also give us what we want, even if we don't ask for it.

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Your Final Performance

The following comes from my book, MORE Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals.

In the early 1900s long before television, the most popular entertainment was vaudeville performances on stage. Entertainers in vaudeville had to face some tough audiences, so many of them ended their acts with show-stopping moves to ensure applause at the end.

One performer named Eddie Leonard announced at every performance that this was his last show. He figured that few people would be heartless enough to boo a man who was performing his last show. And so, at every city for the next 20 years, the announcement that “this is my last show” guaranteed a standing ovation to close his act!

Everyone is performing on life’s stage. Shakespeare said, “All the world’s stage, and all the men and women merely players.” There’s some truth to that statement, and it’s also true that there are two audiences. One audience is visible, while the other is invisible. You may not be famous on earth, but heaven is watching you.

Professional baseball pitcher Dave Dravecky said that his father told him, “Dave, when you get into that stadium and 55,000 people are watching you, just remember that your only audience is Jesus Christ.”

This is the first day of the rest of your life, and it also could be the last day of your life. Eddie Leonard’s “final” performance is a good example about how to live. View every day as if it’s your final performance on earth, and you’re seeking to receive God’s applause. No one is guaranteed another day on earth, but if you happen to make it to tomorrow, live that day as if it’s your last performance. Keep giving God your best, “to please Him in all respects” (Col. 1:10), even if you perform for another 20 years.

BIBLE STUDY:  End Times & Bible Prophecy

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The Miner's Old Shack

The following comes from my book, MORE Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals.

An old recluse lived deep in the mountains of Colorado. When he died, his relatives came from the city to collect his valuables. They drove up to a dilapidated old shack with an outhouse in back. Inside the shack, next to the fireplace was an old cooking pot and some mining equipment. A cracked table holding a kerosene lamp and a three-legged chair stood next to a tiny window. In a dark corner of the little room was a cot with a dirty bedroll on it.

The relatives picked up a few relics and started to leave. As they were driving away, an old friend of the recluse flagged them down. “Do you mind if I help myself to what’s left in my friend’s cabin?” he asked. “Go right ahead,” they replied. “We’ve already taken everything we want.”

The old friend entered the shack and walked directly over to the table. He reached under it and lifted up one of the floorboards. He then proceeded to take out all the gold his friend had discovered over the past 53 years, which was enough to build a palace. The recluse died with only his friend knowing the secret of how much he was truly worth.

As the friend looked out the little window and watched the cloud of dust behind the relatives’ car, he muttered to himself, “They shoulda’ got to know him better.”

Why would God reveal His secrets to those who really don’t care about getting to know Him? When Jesus walked on earth, He didn’t look like the Creator and Savior of the world. The religious leaders, who opposed Jesus, totally missed who He was. He told them, “You are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life” (John 5:40).

If the rulers of this age had understood who Christ was, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8). One day they will stand before Him and be judged by Him. I guess you could say, “They shoulda’ got to know Him better.”

BIBLE STUDY:  Can we pray to the dead?

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What's Stressing You Out?

The following comes from my book, MORE Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals. 

Steve Irwin was “The Crocodile Hunter” on the television show by that name. On one episode, he was trying to catch a cobra with his bare hands. He put on sunglasses because cobras can spit venom at a person’s eyes with incredible accuracy. If the venom hits the eyes, it can cause permanent blindness. As expected, the cobra’s poison landed directly on his sunglasses. Most people would be freaking out, but Irwin exclaimed, “Wow, I love doing this!”

Wouldn’t you like to catch a cobra? Probably not. What’s stressful for one person can actually be fun for someone else. The difference is found in the way we view the situation. A study showed that 80% of our stress is created solely in our minds. Stress comes from constantly thinking about our problems and how we’re going to deal with them. And therein lies the answer to the stress problem—the way we think about the problem and finding help to handle it.

Psalm 121:1-2 says, “From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Since God created the entire universe, He has the power and wisdom to solve any problem. To reduce our stress, it’s absolutely essential to put our problems in God’s hands and trust Him to take care of each difficulty.

After doing this, we must change the way we view our stressful situations. A Christian friend of mine has a very stressful job. I asked him, “How can you possibly enjoy your job?” He laughed and replied, “I love my job. I just view it as a game.” He’s learned to enjoy life instead of letting his problems eat him alive.

Don’t let stress make you miserable. View your challenging situations as a game that you will win.

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