Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James 4:13-14

Good fishermen will leave out early in the morning, when it is dark, calm and quiet outside. Fishermen don't sleep in and they don't waste time hitting the snooze button. They make the most out of all the time that is available in their day. Their wake up call might come so early, in fact, that they could get a glimpse of a morning fog.

Just like that momentary fog on the water, our time here on earth is evaporating. Are you spending your life putting off the things God wants you to do, thinking that there's plenty of time? Or are you seizing every moment and making good use of every minute?

In the verses above, James is telling us that time has no guarantees. He's challenging us to focus on what we can do today.

What are some of the things you have been procrastinating? Who has God laid on your heart and asked you to reach out to? Don't delay. Life is too short and too uncertain. So take every opportunity you can to find and fulfill your God-given purpose here on earth.

By Ed Young

An Ordinary Man By Ed Young

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
James 5:17-18

Elijah, although ordinary, was used in extraordinary ways. Through a simple but powerful prayer, he changed the spiritual direction of an entire nation. Elijah knew how God was going to use his power to influence this nation and he was committed to doing whatever God asked him to.

God can use you in the same powerful way. But you've got to take the time to listen to God when he speaks. Can you hear him? Or is the hustle and bustle of life drowning him out? If you do hear his voice, are you committed to doing whatever he asks?

Because we are all such self-involved creatures, it's easy to forget that our purpose for being here is not for our own personal fulfillment and happiness. We were put on this earth to bring God glory, not ourselves.

If you're living with a self-centered attitude, your potential is sadly limited. But if you commit to do whatever God asks you to, then any ordinary life can truly be used in amazing and extraordinary ways.

Confidence in Prayer by Ed Young

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
1 John 5:14

The Bible not only has answers for life, but also tells us step-by-step how we can get even more out of life. God takes an interest in you as a person and is standing by, ready to hear your prayers, if they are the right ones.

How can you be confident that you're praying the right prayers? You have to know God well enough to know what he would ask for. Prayer isn't asking for what you want. It's putting yourself in a position to want what God wants. And that happens as you begin to know God better. As you get to know him better, you will be given the wisdom to know how to pray according to what he wants you to have.

Be confident in knowing that God hears your prayers. Rather than worrying if he hears you, work on getting to know him better. Show interest in who he is. Read his Word. Continue to pray. Because as you do, you will discover that God has more blessings for you than you could ever imagine