Your Uniqueness

You are unique. You are an original. There is no one else on the planet just like you. God created you to be different and special. You don't have to be a copy of someone else. God wants you to be you. Because if you aren't you, no one else will be. Your fingerprint is unlike anyone else's. So is your soulprint. Your personality, your strengths, your abilities and your passion are all gifts from God. Be yourself. Be the person God made you to be. What is it that God wants you to do that no one else can do? I believe in teamwork, but I also believe this: "For God so loved the world that He didn't form a committee." There are certain things that we can only accomplish individually. What is your life's purpose? If you're not sure, I would highly recommend Rick Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Life. It will help you in your journey of finding your purpose. Press on.

Whatever happened to sin?

Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, referred to an interesting survey in one of his recent Washington Updates. He wrote:

"A new study from Ellison Research shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans (87%) believe in the notion of 'sin' as 'something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective.' The survey, which included over 1,000 adults, also compared 30 of the most objectionable behaviors and whether respondents qualified them as 'sinful.' Adultery tops the list--81 percent of Americans consider it a 'sinful' activity. There was also a majority of individuals who believe racism (74%), drug use (65%), abortion (56%), and homosexual sex (52%) are also sins. Interestingly enough, more people believe that it's sinful to gossip (47%) or swear (46%) than engage in premarital sex (45%). The major disparities in the survey were mostly political--not religious--in nature. Among liberals, only 77 percent believe in the concept of sin, compared to 94 percent of conservatives. It's encouraging to know that in this day of moral relativism that a majority of Americans still recognize and believe that there is such a thing as sin, even if there are devils in the details."

I don't base my core beliefs on opinions and polls because they can be wrong. I base them on God's written Word because it's never wrong. Even if the majority of Americans believe certain activities are not "sinful," God's opinion is the only one that matters.

I encourage you to subscribe to Tony's updates at http://www.frc.org/.

Book Recommendations

Since I read a lot, I have been asked to recommend some books that I've enjoyed reading. If your preference is fiction, you'll have to ask my wife, Claudia. I read mostly non-fiction. Rather than doing one book recommendation or review at a time, let me first recommend several authors. I have read a number of books over the years by Dr. Charles Swindoll, Dr. James Dobson, Max Lucado and Dr. John Maxwell. I would highly recommend any of their books to you. I've been blessed by every book I've read from these four authors.

I would also highly recommend to you a great book called Rediscovering God in America by Newt Gingrich. This book gives the reader a fascinating spiritual tour and the influences of Christianity that are inscribed in buildings in Washington, D.C. such as the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the U.S. Capitol Building, the Library of Congress and Arlington National Cemetery. Mr. Gingrich and his wife have also produced a video that visually demonstrates the same information that is in the book. I wish every school in our nation would share this information with their students. I would also encourage Christian parents to educate their children about these important aspects of our history by sharing what is included in this book and video.

The Privilege of Voting

Tomorrow has been called Super Tuesday 2 because the voters in Texas and several other states will be going to the polls. There are a lot of delegates at stake in the race to the White House. But there are many other important local races as well. We need to express ourselves in those elections also. Voting in our country is a privilege. People in many other countries wish they had the right to vote. Please exercise your right. Be an informed and involved citizen. Read the voter's guides that are available and vote your values. Don't vote for a party. Vote for your principles that are based on the Word of God.

Bible Recommendations

I have often been asked which translation of the Bible is best. I grew up on the King James Version, but I have used a number of different versions since I was a teenager. The New American Standard is very accurate. The New International Version is very popular and I use it most of the time when I preach. But I also frequently refer to the New Living Translation, The Message, Good News, J.B. Phillips, the New King James Version, and the Contemporary English Version. In my devotional time, I usually read a study Bible from Genesis to Revelation along with all the study notes. I recently finished Every Man's Bible which I would especially recommend to men. I am now reading The Maxwell Leadership Bible by John Maxwell. I also highly recommend The Full Life Study Bible and The Living Insights Study Bible by Charles Swindoll. You can find many other outstanding study Bibles at a Christian bookstore, but these are just a few that I would recommend. Whichever you choose, just read! God's Word is "a lamp to our feet and a light to our pathway."