The Bandjoun nomad

Scared of Dying : "Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying." (Hebrews 2:15 NLT) We all know that confidence is one of the most important attributes we can display. Employers look for it. Romantic partners look for it. Co-workers look for it. If confidence is so important for our success in life, why do we do often not have it? In the last few devotionals, I've shared with you some of the roadblocks to confidence that were evident in the lives of the disciples right after the Crucifixion. They were a mess. The first two roadblocks to confidence we can see in their lives were fatigue and failure . The third roadblock - and the most critical - is fear . The Bible says in John 20:19, "The disciples met together locked behind closed doors in fear of the Jewish leaders" (TLB). The first disciples had seen what happened to Jesus, and they were afraid they were next. They were playing the "what-if...

Let God Be God in Your Children's Lives : "In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world." (John 17:18 MSG) Jesus released the disciples to serve God's purposes. As a parent, I am responsible to protect my kids as they're growing up, but that doesn't mean I protect them from taking risks for the glory of God. You can be so over-protective that you do not release your kids emotionally or maybe even physically to do what God wants them to.  You say, "Sure, I want my kids to serve God, as long as they stay here in the area" or "Yeah, I want my kids to do what God wants them to do. They can follow his plan and purpose for their lives, as long as they live down the block. They can do whatever God says as long as they don't do something that's dangerous, where they could be hurt or killed." It is natural as parents not to want your kids to be hurt. But let me ask you this very fra...

F-35 to replace most US combat aircraft by 2020 : Washington (AFP) May 13, 2012 The Pentagon plans to have the F-35 fighter jet replace most of the combat aircraft fleet of the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps by the end of the decade. The single-engine fighter is considered a fifth-generation aircraft because of its advanced software and stealthy attributes aimed at evading radar in hostile territory. US strategists often mention China's growing military power

The Great Reversal: the Last Will Be First : "And so it is, that many who are first now will be last then; and those who are last now will be first then." (Matthew 20:16 NLT) One day there will be the great reversal . Some of the people you envy on Earth will be at the back of the line on judgment day! We've been talking about how the sin of envy keeps you from living out your purpose: Envy denies your uniqueness: "God, you knit me together in my mother's womb .... Your workmanship is marvelous .... You watched me as I was formed in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born." (Psalm 139:13-15 NLT) Envy is an insult to God: "Who are you, a mere human being, to criticize God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who made it 'Why have you made me like this?'" (Romans 9:20 NLT)                              ...

When You Envy Others, You Deny Your Own Uniqueness : "You knit me together in my mother's womb . Your workmanship is marvelous . You watched me as I was formed ... in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." (Psalm 139:13-16 NLT) God has a custom life just for you, and that means you don't have to imitate someone else's lifestyle! If you focus on God's plan for your life and on pleasing him, you won't be bothered with envy. The Bible says the solution is to see yourself as God does. Psalm 139:13 says, "You knit me together in my mother's womb" (NLT). You are unique and different, and there is nobody like you in the world, so why compare yourself to somebody else? Making positive changes in life and helping others is always good, but when you strive to be the person God made you to be, that's when you'll f...

Be Grateful, Not Regretful : "It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else." (Ecclesiastes 6:9b GN) In order to overcome envy, you and I need to rejoice in what we have. Instead of focusing on what you don't have, you should be grateful for what you do have. Your "wants" will pale in comparison when you realize that what you already have is more than enough. Too often we think, "I have this, but if I get more, I'll be even happier." That's just not true. We are taught to be discontent, but we don't have to be if we focus on what good things we already have. Does that mean we'll never have a hard time handling the success of other people? Of course not! We all do from time to time. In fact, human instinct will always cause us to ask, "Why did that person get a promotion when I didn't?" or "How come they're having a wedding and I'm still single?" o...