True Prayer is Rewarded

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7, NLT)

The most important work that you can do as a Christian is to pray. Prayer is the instrument that God has chosen to move mountains, to restore nations, to renew churches and to save families and individuals. Moses prayed and the sea parted and the Israelites crossed on dry ground. Elijah prayed and God stopped the rain for three years. He prayed again and the heavens were opened. Daniel prayed and the lions mouths were shut. Joshua prayed and the sun stopped in its course. "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16, NKJV).

Your prayers do make a difference. Your prayers can change lives and create history.

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Don't Give Up

Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both. (Ecclesiastes 11:6, NLT)

Author John Toland received the Pulitzer Prize for his book, The Rising Sun. But before he tasted any success he had an impressive catalogue of failures as a writer.

From the time he started writing he wrote six novels and 25 plays--none of which were published!

This did not stop him. He kept diligently writing for 20-some years before he tasted success. He went on to write such best-sellers as Adolph Hitler, The Last 100 Days, Battle: The Story of the Bulge, and But Not in Shame.

As the Apostle Paul reminds us "if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest." (Galatians 6:9, GNT)

From DAY LIGHTERS by Nico Bougas. Available from Amazon.com

Take Time to Listen

Be still and know that I am God Ps 46.10

Many years ago a little boy was given a priceless possession: his deceased grandfather's gold pocket watch. How he treasured it. But one day, while playing at his father's ice plant, he lost the watch amidst all the ice and sawdust.

He searched and scratched, becoming frantic, but no watch. Then he suddenly realized what to do. He stopped scurrying around and became very still. In the
silence he heard the watch ticking.

Our lives are so busy. We frantically rush from one event to the next, and tackle a myriad of new projects before we completed the last one. There is just no time to stop and listen to the voice of God.

From DAY LIGHTERS by Nico Bougas. Available from amazon.com

Faith Like Mountains

Increase our faith! (Luke 17:5, NIV)

Two men went fishing. Every time the one fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the other fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back. The first fisherman finally got tired of seeing this man waste good fish. "Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?" he asked.

The second fisherman replied, "I only have a small frying pan."

Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throw back the big plans, big dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is too small. We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan; yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?

Whether it's a problem or a possibility, God will never give you anything bigger than you can handle. That means we can confidently walk into anything God brings our way.

From Daylighters by Nico Bougas available from Amazon.com at $3.99

Convictions

For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. (2 Timothy 1:12, NKJV)

There is a story told about the George Whitefield, the evangelist. He asked a man what he believed, and the man replied, “I believe what my church believes.”
“What does your church believe?” Whitefield asked. “My church believes what I believe,” was the answer. “Well, what do you both believe?” asked the evangelist. “We both believe the same thing!”

The man thought he had convictions but all he really had were secondhand opinions. Do you know what you believe and are your convinced that it is “the way, the truth and the life”?

The advice Joshua got when he took over the leadership of the Children of Israel was, "Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do." (Joshua 1:8, NLT)

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Prayer Priority

Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me
(Psalm 50:15, NKJV)

We often hear people say, “at least I can pray for you”. No! No! That is the most they can do for you.

Less than two months after Lincoln was inaugurated President, the Civil War began with Confederate troops in Charleston, South Carolina, firing upon Fort Sumter. The Confederate Army was unstoppable, twice winning battles at Bull Run, Virginia, just twenty miles from Washington, D.C., forcing the Union troops to retreat to the fortifications of the Capitol. It wasn't until the Battle of Gettysburg, over two years into the war, that the tide began to turn. President Lincoln confided: "I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go."

Don’t make prayer the last resort make it your priority. If you are looking for light at the end of the tunnel then turn to the light of the world.

An Inside Job

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness." (Matthew 23:27, NKJV)

Jesus declared that a religion which does not change a person on the inside is of little use. The heart of the natural man needs the cleansing that only Christ can give. Any religious profession which does not change our habits, our attitudes and our desires is false.

The Christian must live his life in the world. He must help win the world to Christ, but he does not participate in the evils of the world. A Christian must say “no” to certain things. Only the life of obedience to the Spirit of God, by a daily surrendering of oneself, by a full dedication to Christ and constant fellowship with Him, are we enabled to live a godly and an influential life in this world.

So draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. (James 4.8)

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A Heart for the Poor

Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need. (Proverbs 21:13, NLT)

There is no evidence that the farmer in the parable of the rich fool was any better than others. Having a lot of money does make a person worthy. Neither does being poor mean one is unworthy.

As he was saying to himself, “What shall I do for I have no place to put my crops?” perhaps a neighbour across this field was saying, “What can I do for I don’t even have bread for my children?” Perhaps some poor beggar was scratching in his garbage can trying to find enough food to eat to keep himself alive.

If he had only looked around him he could have found many a way of using the abundance that he had. But he forgot about others. He was blind to the needs of those around him.

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Enemy Tactics

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8, NIV)

It would be a very simple thing if the devil came to us honestly and said, “Good morning, I am Satan and I want you to get into something that is going to cause you a lot of misery and wretchedness and will dishonour your Saviour. If you will only listen to me and obey me I will be able to accomplish this.”

We would have no difficulty in saying, “Get behind me Satan!” But he does not come that way. He is transformed into an angel of Light and he seeks to deceive us. He is an old campaigner. He knows exactly how to approach every individual as he comes with his crafty methods. He may not appear as an evil villain so be alert and be aware of his tactics.

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REMORSE

And to this day, there’s not a trace of remorse, not a sign of reverence, nobody caring about living by what I tell them or following my instructions that I’ve set out so plainly before you and your parents! (Jeremiah 44:10, The Message)

Secret sin can take away your appetite for the righteousness of God.
That secret sin that you committed has cost a price. You always thought that you had got away with it, but the remorse of it still remains in your heart. Those veiled resentments you harbour against your neighbour! The failure to forgive those who have wronged you! When the heart is filled with wickedness, there is no room for God. The jealousies, the envies, the prejudices, and the malices will take away you appetite for the things of the Spirit.

When your heart is filled with the husks of prejudice and the chaff of resentment, you can have no thirst for righteousness. If you allow your heart to be filled with Satan's rations, you will have no desire for heaven's manna.

DAY LIGHTERS by Nico Bougas available from Amazon.com

Evil is Doomed

Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.(Matthew 25:41, NLT)

Evil is finally going to be destroyed. Satan may seem powerful and irresistible. We may sense him going around as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour but he is on the losing side. The Word of God tells us that he is going to be cast into the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

All that is negative, sinful, destructive and in rebellion against God will be destroyed. Our God is going to establish a new Heaven and a new earth that is filled with righteousness. The final outcome is sure, skip to the end of this book and you’ll see – our side wins. The good guys come out on top. We are going to reign with Him forever and ever. One day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father.

From: DAY LIGHTERS by Nico Bougas available from Amazon.com

Kite Flying Exercise

A little one shall become a thousand, And a small one a strong nation. (Isaiah 60:22, NKJV)

Bridge builder, Charles Eliet, had a contract to build a suspension bridge across the Niagara River. One of the first problems he faced was how to stretch his first cable across the wide expanse of raging waters. If a boat tried to cross the river it would be swept over the falls. Eliet thought of a simple idea. If a kite could be flown to the opposite bank using a light cord, a stronger cord could be attached and pulled across, then a stronger cord pulled across and so on until a cable could be attached and drawn across.

Eliet called for a kite flying contest and a young man named Homan Walsh succeeded on his second attempt. Charles Eliet's simple plan worked and the bridge was built.

In life every Christian has an important part to play. It all adds up in the numerous "little things" we are called to do every day.

Keeping the Commandments

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." (1 John 2:6, NKJV)

A ruthless businessman once said to author Mark Twain, "Before I die I mean to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I will climb Mount Sinai and read the Ten Commandments aloud from the top."

"I have a better idea," Twain remarked, "You could stay home here and keep them."

Talk is cheap. It's what we do that counts--not what we say--and when our words don't match our actions, we are, as the Apostle Paul put it, only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

As St Francis of Assisi said, “Preach Jesus and, if necessary use words.” Later quoted and attributed to Mother Theresa.

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Courage to Lead

THE COURAGE TO LEAD

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9, NIV)

Leaders know that the best way to ensure success is to take chances. While the average man or woman fears stepping out into a new opportunity. Being overly cautious leads to failure because caution can lead to missed opportunities.

Tom Watson Sr, founder of IBM, understood this principle. A junior executive with the company once managed to lose over $10 million in a venture that was considered risky even by company insiders. When Watson found out about the disaster he called the young man into his office. Upon entering, the young man blurted out, “I guess you want my resignation?” Watson allegedly responded, “You can’t be serious. We’ve just spent $10 million educating you.”

You can’t lead without taking risk. You won’t take risk without courage. Courage is essential to leadership.

DAY LIGHTERS by Nico Bougas- thoughts to ignite your day. available from amazon.com

The Visible Church

For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. (2 Corinthians 5:10, NLT)

The visible church embraces people of every kind. True believers and mere professors; spiritual Christians and dead formalists; the hypocrites, the deceiver of others and of himself, all may be found within the general body of those that call themselves Christians.

Even members of one congregation may sit side by side, they may unite in the same prayer, they may hear the same preaching. Yet God sees the heart of all and it is by the heart of man that He judges. Much that is respectable in the eyes of man is rejected by God.

Let no one be deceived. Let none stifle his conscience, let none decide that everything will simply work out okay in the end. The Word of God is clear -"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment," (Hebrews 9:27, NKJV)

DAY LIGHTERS by Nico Bougas - thoughts to ignite your day. Available from amazon.com

Heavenly Investment

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:19-20, NKJV).

A high society woman lived in a fine mansion and employed her own gardener who worked for her for many years. Eventually he died. The wealthy woman arranged a fine funeral for him. When she died she went to Heaven. She was shown to her quarters and then taken on a tour of the other accommodations. She was staggered to find her old gardener living in a huge mansion.

She immediately went to lodge an objection to the housing angel. “You have given me this small plain little cabin and you have given a mere gardener a huge mansion. There must be some mistake.”

“No madam,” he said, “there is no mistake, the cabin we made is all we could do with the materials you sent us.”

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Great than God

Who is so great a God as our God? Psalm 77.13

A riddle has been making the rounds. When asked this riddle, 80% of preschoolers got the answer, compared to 17% of university graduates. Here's the riddle:

What is greater than God, more evil than the devil, the poor have it, the rich want it, and if you eat it, you'll die?

What is it?

The answer is 'nothing'. Nothing is greater than God, nothing is more evil than the devil, the poor have nothing, the rich want nothing, and if you eat nothing you will die!

It seems so obvious. Maybe that's why younger children have an easier time answering it than educated adults. As we get more educated and more sophisticated, we look for deeper answers. But Jesus said that true, genuine faith is uncomplicated like that of a little child.

Greater than God

Who is so great a God as our God? Psalm 77.13

A riddle has been making the rounds. When asked this riddle, 80% of preschoolers got the answer, compared to 17% of university graduates. Here's the riddle:

What is greater than God, more evil than the devil, the poor have it, the rich want it, and if you eat it, you'll die?

What is it?

The answer is 'nothing'. Nothing is greater than God, nothing is more evil than the devil, the poor have nothing, the rich want nothing, and if you eat nothing you will die!

It seems so obvious. Maybe that's why younger children have an easier time answering it than educated adults. As we get more educated and more sophisticated, we look for deeper answers. But Jesus said that true, genuine faith is uncomplicated like that of a little child.

Day Lighters by Nico Bougas available from amazon.com

My Dad Says

"Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:24, NKJV)

Lieutenant John Eisenhower, son of the late General Dwight Eisenhower, was a member of his father's staff during Word War II. On one occasion General Eisenhower gave his son a message to deliver to a colonel on the front line.

The young lieutenant said to the colonel, "My dad says to watch your right flank." The puzzled officer replied, "Really? And what does your mommy say?"

Obviously the colonel didn't know who young Eisenhower was. Eisenhower didn't make himself known.

It is important that we are known for who we are—not by rank or title—but by our fruit. And think how much authority you have when you come in the Father’s name. When you pray in Jesus name. When you do things in the power and name of the Holy Spirit.

You are a child of the king, you are not a nobody.

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The Land of the Living and the Land of the Dying

THE LAND OF THE LIVING AND THE LAND OF THE DYING

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

Psalm 116.115

Realizing that he would soon be gone from this world one day, the evangelist, D. L Moody said to a friend. “Someday you will read in the papers that D.L.Moody is dead! Don’t believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now...”

In his final hours before passing to his reward he awakened from a sleep and said, “Earth recedes. Heaven opens before me. It this is death. It is sweet! There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go…” And his final words were, “This is my triumph this is my coronation day! It is glorious.”

Is death the end for you or the beginning?

"And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment," (Hebrews 9:27, NLT

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MAJORITY AND MINORITY

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. (Matthew 7:13, NIV)

We like to go with the majority. It feels so much more comfortable and secure. But as the famous American politician William Jennings Bryan once said, “Never be afraid to stand with the minority which is right, for the minority which is right will one day be the majority : always be afraid to stand with the majority which is wrong, for the majority which is wrong will one day be the minority.”

By becoming a Christian you are making a break with the world and with the vast majority of people. The true Christian way of life is not popular. It never has been popular, and it is not popular today. On the other hand, crowding through the wide gate and travelling along the broad way is the thing that everybody else seems to be doing. You must deliberately get out of that crowd and start making your way towards this narrow gate, alone. You cannot take the crowd with you into the Christian life: it inevitably involves a break.

"There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough; look again—it leads straight to hell. " (Proverbs 14:12, The Message)

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