Zane Hodges Library

There are 3 real estate robbers in the kingdom of God, wrong priorities, greedy selfishness and thief of hearts. We all tend to pursue our material necessities first, and to give those things our basic priority. If we do that, then we are no different than the unsaved world around us. We should be different, because our Father in heaven already knows that we need these things. Seek the kingdom of God and all these material needs will be added to you. Why should we seek the kingdom of God? God wants to give His kingdom to us. Who is qualified to possess the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is designed to be possessed by disciples of Jesus Christ who are generous, unselfish and self-sacrificing. Other passages mentioned: Matthew 6:33; Acts 4:32-5:10; 2 Timothy 2:12.

There probably isn't a person who doesn't have a few secrets that he wishes could remain buried forever. Even if you have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for the free gift of everlasting life and are a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ, the fact is that there are no permanent secrets. Hypocrisy does not pay, for every secret thing and every secret word will someday be revealed. Even Christians can fall into the trap of hypocrisy, where we are more concerned about what others think of us than we are concerned about what we really are in the sight of God. Forgiving our sins is not the same as keeping those sins a secret. In the future world there will be no hypocrisy. For Christians, all secrets will be revealed when we stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Other passages mentioned: 2 Kings 11:14; 2 Samuel 11:1-12:13.

God wants us to regard Him as the kind of heavenly Friend that we can go to in times of emergency at any hour of the day or night. One the most valuable things we can do, is to cultivate friendship and intimacy with God through prayer. A persuader is a man who knows that he has a generous heavenly Friend, who comes to Jesus Christ for the needs of his friends, and who comes to God in boldness. Other passage: Hebrews 4:16.

What are the ABCs of effective Christian prayer? (A) We focus on the name of God. (B) We submit to the purposes of God. (C) We live under the shadow of God. Other passages: Psalm 91:1; Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12.

If you think it is bad to lose communication with a partner in marriage, then it is even worse to lose communication with God. Did you ever stop to think what a tremendous privilege it would be to have Jesus Christ as a guest in your home? That was exactly the opportunity given to two ladies in this passage by the names of Mary and Martha. When we turn our attention to the Word of God, it ought to be as if God and I are alone in the world. God must have our undivided attention. The more you complain about your lives, the less you will be able to hear God speaking to your heart through His Word. One of the main problems that we have in the Christian life, is that we think we need to do lots of things, that we do not need to do. We overload ourselves with things that we do not have to do, so that we do not have time for the things we really need to do, that is time for the Word of God. Other passages mentioned: John 11; John 6:4-13; Matthew 14:32-38.

A very real spiritual identity crisis often lies at the root of the frustrations and failures that we experience in Christian living. Sometimes under the pressures of life, we forget who Jesus is and what He is like. We forget the greatness of His power, the sufficiency of His strength, the abundance of His mercy and the plenitude of His grace, and Jesus becomes like a stranger. Jesus Christ has everything we could possibly need or want and yet He is always right there right besides us. The shortest way to the end of our frustrations, difficulties and perplexities, is the companionship and friendship and the presence and power of Jesus Christ, the Almighty Son of God. The Lord Jesus Christ gives Himself to us first as our Savior when we trust Him for that, and then as we learn to obey Him, as our Brother, our Companion and our Friend.

Imitation of our Lord Jesus Christ is one of the secrets of the Christian life. Jesus through prayer was dependent on God, discerning in His relationships with men, and dynamic in His service to others. Prayer expresses our dependence upon God, our need for His discernment as we relate to people, and our urgent reliance upon God's power to work in and through us. Other passages mentioned: Philippians 4:8; Proverbs 16:7; Luke 6:40.

Sometimes we get the chance to pretend to be something we are not. John the Baptist had the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to play the role of the Christ of God. What is really important in life? It isn't you, it isn't your personal affairs, and it isn't even the work that you do for God. What is really important in life is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Savior and Lord. Happy is the Christian man and woman who paints Jesus at the very center of the canvas of their lives. Other passages mentioned include: Matthew 14:1-12; Matthew 11:7-11; and 2 Timothy 1:12.

For believers, the Lord Jesus Christ is not only our Friend, but also our Brother. When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that is the greatest act of friendship that was ever done. We should be challenged so that we resemble our Brother, the Lord Jesus Christ. Two of the great themes illustrated by the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ are the themes of submission and humility. Expressing submission and humility is not something that we naturally do the best, but it is the only way we can resemble Jesus Christ in this world.

Other passages mentioned: John 15:13; Hebrews 2:11; Romans 8:29; Revelation 21:2-3; Philippians 2:5-8; Ephesians 5:21; Luke 22:27.

Elizabeth and Zacharias are obeying the word of God. They are united by the strongest tie that can bind parents together. They are deeply committed to the will of God for their child, John. Blessed is the home where God is working and where the neighbors can see it. The only way to be a good neighbor is to have a home filled with the obedience and worship of God and where the mercy of God is magnified before men.

Other passages: Psalm 127:3; Luke 1:13-7.