Planning and Preparation (Part Two)
CGG Weekly by Mike FordAllen Saunders, an American writer, journalist, and cartoonist, once said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." So, why bother with planning? ...
Planning and Preparation (Part One)
CGG Weekly by Mike FordA Yiddish proverb reads, "Man plans, God laughs." A variation on it advises, "If you want to hear God laugh, tell him you have a plan." ...
Vision (Part One)
Commentary by John W. Ritenbaugh'I Dreamed a Dream' from Les Miserables is a poignant reminder of the personal devastation that comes from not committing to a long-term vision of a good life.
Our Final Performance Review
Sermonette by Bill OnisickWithout well-defined plans, projects become quickly derailed. Both time and energy are wasted in the absence of carefully established goals.
Make Every Day Count
'Ready Answer' by Mike FordTime is perhaps our most precious commodity, and once it passes, it is lost forever. Even so, we tend to waste it at a profligate rate. With the tragic story of the Donner Party's journey to California as a background, Mike Ford encourages us make wise use of the time we have left because it is inexorably running out.
Setting Spiritual Goals
'Ready Answer' by StaffBusiness advisors and self-help books recommend that we set goals and make plans to succeed in our endeavors. Why do we not do this to help us overcome sin?
Legacy
Article by Richard T. RitenbaughGod tells us that a good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children. What kind of legacy will we leave our descendents? Will it be just a material legacy of money and heirlooms, or will it also be a spiritual legacy of devotion to God?
Do You Feel Lucky?
Article by Mike FordIs there such a thing as luck? Is the world subject to pure coincidence or blind fate? Mike Ford tackles this philosophical subject with the truth of God's Word, concluding that, when it comes to His chosen people, God leaves nothing to chance!
Vision (Part Two)
Commentary by John W. RitenbaughWe must protect ourselves from toxic information overload by keeping the vision of our calling in front of us, living for the future. We cannot be distracted.
Seeking God (Part Two): A Foundation
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughChristians need to have a conscious plan in seeking God. Here are several essential qualities that must be included in any successful course of action.
Christianity Is a Fight! (Part 4)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe sanctification process requires us to cooperate with God in order to produce Christian works and character, preparing us for the Kingdom of God.
How Much Does the Snowflake Matter?
Commentary by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, focusing on Proverbs 21:5, which teaches that diligence leads to plenty while haste leads to poverty, cautions that this principle applies to far more than just money and wealth, but also to the creation and maintenance of societal institutions. As one snowflake does not cause an avalanche by itself, wisdom …
Be Prepared
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, asking us about our preparedness as we made plans for the Feast of Tabernacles, asks us if we plan ahead when we understand God's purpose for the feast. All of us planned, anticipating needs, imitating this cardinal godly trait of our heavenly father. Preparations are made in everything we envision. Life is …
The Present and Future Crisis (Part One)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, reflecting upon escalating energy prices, urges caution and self-control in spending and taking on debt. If the supply of oil should be drastically cut, all vital services would shut down, and our quality of life would deteriorate. In 1971, the U.S. reached the state of "peak oil" (when supply could no …
The Spiritual Hard Hat Zone
'Ready Answer' by David F. MaasWe may not realize it, but our Christian lives are constantly under construction. It is this point of view that will make it easier for us to deal with both spiritual setbacks and progress.
Preparing for Bad Times (Part 2)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIt makes prudent sense to emulate the ant (Proverbs 6:6), preparing in good times for the possibility of bad times that are going to follow. To assume that God will take care of us without our making an effort to provide for ourselves is a dangerous presumption. Our first priority is to keep, build, and preserve our relationship …
Seeking God's Will (Part Six): Forethought
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe Pilgrims were unprepared for the bitter New England winters. They had very little practical foresight, paying a heavy toll for not counting the cost.
The Seven Laws of Success
Herbert W. Armstrong BookletMen have searched for centuries for the keys to success in life. Many have found rules to live by to bring them physical wealth and well-being, but all of them have neglected the most important factor: God!
If the Lord Wills
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeDo we prefer to take matters into our own hands, make our own plans, and look to God for a blessing only after we have decided what needs to be done?