In the book of Jonah, we read the story of how God told Jonah to go and preach to the city of Ninevah. But, Jonah didn’t want to do what God told him to do, so he decided to run the other way. He bought passage on a ship going the other direction, and eventually…
Author: Joshua Goodling
God’s Word Is True!
I hate it when people take a poll of only 1000 people and then use the results of that poll to make claims about everyone in America or even the world. The news media always does that, and every time I hear them say, “We took a poll, and 35% of the people in our…
Faith In God
The captain of a steamer ship tells of his experience of meeting George Mueller. “One of the most extraordinary things happened which, has completely revolutionized the whole of my Christian life. Up to that time I was one of your ordinary Christians. We had a man of God on board, George Mueller, of Bristol. I…
God Is In Control
If we work for a company that is run very well, and the people who are in control of the company know what they are doing, we as an employee of that company don’t sit there at our desk all day worrying about whether the company is being run well. We don’t spend sleepless nights…
The Source of Our Strength
We live in an age of technology where almost everyone carries a cellular phone with them. We can do all sort of things with our cell phones that would have been impossible to think about 100 years ago, and our cell phones make a lot of things in our lives easier and more convenient. Of…
God, What Have You Done?
In Daniel chapter 4, we find an interesting story about King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was the king who had built the golden statue of himself and declared that at the sound of music everyone should bow down and worship his image. We know that three Hebrew young men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, did not…
Why Does God…?
As a Bible teacher, speaker, and a Christian in general, one of the most frequent questions I’m usually asked starts with these three words, “Why does God…”? It is most often, “Why does God allow bad things to happen?” But, then it is sometimes, “Why doesn’t God do something about…” or “Why does God let…
Make NO Provision
Paul wrote in Romans 13:12-14, “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy….
Brighten the Corner Where You Are
In 1 Samuel 16, we find the story of the prophet Samuel annointing David to be the next king of the nation of Israel. The Lord told Samuel in verse 1, “I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons” When Samuel arrived, Jessee had his…
Increase Your Faith
J. C. Ryle wrote about faith, “Make it your daily prayer that you may have an increase of faith. According to your faith will be your peace. Cultivate that blessed root more, and sooner or later, by God’s blessing, you may hope to have the flower. You may not perhaps attain to full assurance at…
Seek Him Continually
The Bible tells us in 1 Chronicles 16:11, “Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.” I recall one time about 10 years ago while in a meeting, a co-worker yelled at me and openly disapproved of the work I had done on a particular project, just because they didn’t like the way…
The Opportunity of a Lifetime
Suppose a multi-billionaire came to you and said, “I am going to make you an offer. If you’ll come work for me and be my ambassador to the world, everything I have will be at your disposal if you need it. In fact, all of your needs will be provided for. You won’t ever have…
Does It Please God?
In Daniel chapter 1, we find the story of Daniel and his friends who were brought captive by King Nebuchednezzar to Babylon to serve in the King’s palace after Nebuchednezzar had overthrown the city of Jerusalem. Now, the King had brought these and many other young men back to Babylon to train them in the…
God Sees…
William McKinley was a Congressman before he was elected the 25th President of the United States. One day, while on his way to his congressional office, he boarded a streetcar and took the only remaining seat. Minutes later, a woman, who appeared to be ill, boarded the car. Unable to find a seat, she clutched…
Make The World A Better Place
J. C. Ryle (1816 – 1900) said, “I charge you never to neglect the duty of brotherly love, and practical, active, sympathetic kindness towards every one around you, whether high or low, or rich or poor. Try daily to do some good upon earth, and to leave the world a better world than it was…
He Can Supply
The summer after my sophomore year of college, I had a couple of speaking engagements lined up that were a couple of hundred miles from home. However, I didn’t have a car or any way to get to those meetings. I knew that if God had provided the speaking engagements, He would provide a way…
Warped Values
In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus said, “”Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there…
Guaranteed Promises
In Philippians 4:19 we read this amazing promise, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” When we give Him our life and do what He commands us to do, His promises to us are never failing and guaranteed. George Mueller, who faithfully trusted God and…
Who Has Your Heart?
While teaching what is commonly called the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) In Psalm 119:2, David wrote, “Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart”. How we grow in our Christian life all depends on…
Unclean!
“And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’” (Mark 1:40) Leprosy is a terrible disease that causes lesions to form on one’s skin. When untreated, it can cause permanent damage to one’s skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes,…
I’ve Heard It Before…
While living here in His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ spent more time in the city of Capernaum than any other place. And the people of Capernaum flocked to hear Him. They wondered at his teachings and delighted in seeing His miracles. Capernaum was a small fishing village on the northern shore of the Sea of…
WAIT!
Amy Carmichael, missionary to India in the early 1900’s wrote, “Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace…If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you know what His…
It Costs Too Much??
Recently, a man was released from prison after serving 17 years for a crime he never committed. He had been wrongly accused and quickly sentenced and sent off to serve those years, until finally evidence was brought forth that proved he didn’t do it. Can you imagine the pain and anguish he must have gone…
Is The Storm Over Yet?
Almost all public buildings that you enter have a fire alarm switch that says something like “In Case Of Emergency Pull Down”. Now, if we pull this switch and there isn’t an emergency we get into trouble because these are only to be used in a real emergency. Likewise, we also have 911 that we…
You Already Have All You Need!
William Randolph Hearst, the legendary newspaper publishing magnate, was one of the wealthiest men of his time. His great wealth allowed him to spend millions of dollars collecting art treasures from around the world. One day he read the description of a valuable piece of art and promptly dispatched his agent abroad to locate the…
The GREATEST Story!
I love reading biographies. Especially biographies of people whom God greatly used to do wonderful things and to impact and changes lives. I love reading about George Mueller, who trusted God completely to supply his needs and through prayer and faith in Almighty God was able to build great orphanages in England and impact thousands…
He’s EVERYTHING!
It’s frustrating at Christmas time or on one’s birthday when you get a gift and open it up all excited about using it, only to find that it doesn’t come with the necessary batteries, or it needs an additional part to actually work. I’ve seen the disappointed look on a kid’s face when they realize…
It Matters!
This weekend, I was quite busy around my condo, cleaning out some stuff, doing laundry, working on some updates to my websites, and thinking and focusing on God and what it means to truly follow Him and TRUST Him. While cleaning out some stuff, I came across this book that I had bought over a…
Time For Surgery?
Everyone has kidneys in their body. And kidneys are fine – their is nothing wrong with them. But, suppose one of our kidneys gets a disease and soon that disease spreads to other parts of our body. We go to the doctor and they tell us that first they have to fight the disease that…
True Compassion
I think one of the best ways to illustrate compassion is to relay a true story found in the Bible. The story is found in the Book of Mark, chapter 2: “When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so…