Humor works best when it brings joy to others.

Some of the best quotes in the world are about humor (and they aren’t even that funny). Here’s a sampling:

“Humor is the shock absorber of life; it helps us take the blows” (Peggy Noonon).
“A good laugh is sunshine in a house” (William Makepeace Thackeray).
“Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand” (Mark Twain).

The Bible doesn’t say a lot about humor, but there are plenty of principles regarding joy. Humor for humor’s sake is often pointless and sometimes demeaning. When humor brings joy to others, it serves a worthwhile purpose. You give people something rather than taking something away.

When you use humor to bring joy to others, you help relieve them of sorrow (Jer. 31:13) and you refresh them (Philemon 7). Most of all, you connect them with God (Psalm 16:11).

We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy.

Psalm 126:2

The measure of a good sermon is the listener’s response, not the pastor’s speech.

How does God talk to you? Through the Bible and the inner voice of the Holy Spirit, sure. But don’t forget that God also speaks to you though the sermons that you hear.

Most of us make the mistake of sitting in church like we are members of an audience. (We are there to be entertained by the musicians and motivated by the speaker.) That is the wrong approach. When we worship at church, God is the audience, and we are the participants. True worship includes responding to the message that is preached–not just listening–but actually applying what we have heard to our lives.

God is speaking to you through the sermons that you hear. Don’t rate the quality of the preacher’s performance (like a judge at an ice skating competition–8.6 for technical ability and 9.2 for style). Your role is to hear the message and to respond.

Then [Jesus] said, “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!”

Mark 4:8-9

Prayer without effort will be insincere. Effort without prayer will be ineffective.

Prayer involves more than just kneeling at a bedside with hands folded and eyes closed. It goes beyond just standing on a mountaintop with arms outstretched and head lifted toward the heavens. While these are great postures for prayer, the images are incomplete.

Prayer involves effort (and we don’t just mean grunting to bend down on your knees or the exertion to climb the mountaintop). Sincere prayer requires a willingness to put some action behind what you are asking from God.

Maybe God intends to use you to accomplish the result you are praying for. After you pray for your family and neighbors, do something tangible to show your love for them. After you pray for those who are sick, do something to help them. After you pray for world peace, show kindness to someone.

Saying “Amen” doesn’t end your prayer. It’s the signal for your action to begin.

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.

James 5:16

A true friend doesn’t ask anything in return.

Everyone wants to enjoy the loyalty, support and companionship of a friend. Friendship works like a two-way street. You are there for your friends, and they are there for you. But what if you get stuck with a friend who doesn’t play by the rules? What about friends who are always around when they need you, but can’t be found when you need them?

Jesus defined true friendship when He said: “Love each other in the same way that I love you” (John 15:12). There are no limits to how much energy you should put into a friendship. Ultimate friendship requires that you would be willing to sacrifice your life for your friend. You may never be asked to die for a friend, but there are many other ways you can make personal sacrifices for the benefit of your friends through your time, energy and resources.

“I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it–the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.”

John 15:12-13

Lots of things come automatically with age, but wisdom isn’t one of them.

There are two kinds of wisdom: worldly wisdom and spiritual wisdom.

Worldly wisdom involves applying knowledge and human understanding to certain factual situations. This type of wisdom can usually be explained in the context of benefits and detriments. (For example, it is not wise to insult your boss due to the detriment of unemployment.)

Spiritual wisdom doesn’t rely on human understanding. In fact, spiritual wisdom refers to a belief system that can be comprehended only through spiritual insight. (For example, those who do not know God cannot understand how it is possible to sense His direction when He can’t be seen or heard.)

Worldly wisdom can be obtained through experience and gives you insight into human nature. Spiritual wisdom comes through the Holy Spirit and gives you insight into God’s nature.

The wisdom we speak of is the secret wisdom of God….But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:7,10

Question: I’m in a bad way financially, and I haven’t been able to tithe on a regular basis (and when I do, it’s not very much). I feel very guilty, because I know we’re supposed to give 10% or more. Does God hold you back from increase if you’re not giving what you should? I would so appreciate an answer!

Answer: The subject of “tithing” is a very important one, and easily misinterpreted. There are many preachers (in churches and on television) who will tell you that you need to “give to get.” They say that the only way God will bless you is if you give to Him. Even more, they say that the reason you should give is to get God’s financial blessing.

This has no basis in Scripture. In fact, tithing is more of an Old Testament concept (under the law) than a New Testament concept (under grace). The principle that should guide our giving is a willingness to give. The Bible says that God loves a “cheerful” giver, not one who feels obligated, or who is simply giving to get something material in return.

At the same time, if this is something that’s bothering you, you can always give something. God would never want you to go further into debt in order to give, but perhaps there is something you can do. Jesus commended the widow who gave a very small amount above those who gave out of their wealth. Here’s the story from Mark 12:41-44:

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

This has to be between you and the Lord. Pray and ask for wisdom. Don’t be foolish, but on the other hand, listen to your heart. The Holy Spirit may be prompting you.

Change the way you treat others before you question the way God treats you.

God knows what poor judges we are, so He asks us not to judge. He also knows we can’t help judging others, so He has intensified His request by reminding us that we will be judged according to how we judge others. Ouch. Now He’s getting personal.

God has a right to do this, of course, and we have no right to question Him and how He does things (Isaiah 55:8). But neither should we think He isn’t being fair. Everything He does is for our own good. In this matter of judging and being judged, what God is essentially asking us to do is put ourselves in the other person’s shoes. Just like we don’t want to be judged unfairly, we shouldn’t judge others unfairly. And if we do, we can expect unfair judgment to come our way.

“Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them.”

Matthew 7:1-2

The time to find moments of stillness and quiet is when it’s the most difficult to do so.

Have you ever sat behind a young child in church? After sitting still for a few minutes, the fidgeting begins. Then the child transitions into the wiggling stage. After a while, the kid is crawling over the chair like it’s a jungle gym. The parents were hoping that the child would benefit from being in church, but the child was too busy wriggling to hear what was being said.

That squirming child can be a metaphor for our lives with God. We are usually so busy fidgeting with the activities of live that we miss hearing what God wants to tell us. Even worthwhile activities that benefit our family, our church, or our community can distract us from spending time with God.

Stop fidgeting for a few moments each day. Read the Bible, and listen to what God is saying to you. You will have difficulty hearing Him unless you sit still.

The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him.

Lamantations 3:25

There are two ways to acquire power: on the outside or from the inside. God offers power from the inside.

The way people normally acquire power is on the outside. They work out with a bunch of weights and gain the power of strength. They go to college for a long time and gain the power of knowledge. They work their way to the top of a company and gain the power of prestige. Or they run for political office and gain the power of position. All of these things equal power, but they develop on the outside, and they take many years to acquire.

God doesn’t need all of these outdated devices to give you more power, and He doesn’t need a lot of time, either. When you enter into a personal relationship with God through Christ, something very amazing happens: You receive the power of the Holy Spirit, and it happens from the inside. No one is exempt. The Bible says that “we have all received the same Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13).

“But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power.”

Acts 1:8

You can handle wealth if you are more concerned about sense than dollars.

How much is enough? Madison Avenue tells you to have the newest, the best, the biggest, and the most. Society seems to judge people by what and how much they own. To avoid the quest to possess, should you deprive yourself of every convenience, or should you take a vow of poverty and give every piece of clothing with a designer label to the missionaries?

Jesus wasn’t too concerned about possessions. He was born in a borrowed stable; He fed five thousand people with a borrowed lunch; He was even buried in a borrowed tomb. But don’t think that Jesus was setting a pattern that requires you to rent your furniture rather than purchase it.

The question is not whether you rent or own. It is not even how much you have. The relevant issue is whether you are depending upon your possessions for your security or your happiness. Are you?

“Real life is not measured by how much we own…Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Luke 12:15,21