2024-12-13
2 Samuel 6:14 NKJV
In 2 Samuel 6, David had just been crowned king of Israel. He had defeated the Philistines and recaptured Zion. Now he is bringing the ark of the covenant, the ultimate symbol of God’s presence among His people, back to Jerusalem. After years of living without it, the sight of it overwhelmed David with joy, causing him to strip off his kingly robes and dance before the ark with abandon wearing nothing but a loincloth.
Yet, when you get excited about God, don’t expect everybody to get excited with you or understand your excitement. David’s wife, Michal, was such a person. The Bible tells us two things about her. (1) “Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart” (v. 16 NKJV). (2) “Therefore Michal… had no children to the day of her death” (v. 23 NKJV).
Seemingly, worship is foolish, isn’t it? Singing to somebody you can’t see. Lifting up your hands to somebody you can’t touch. Or, in David’s case, failing to act with kingly dignity and decorum. An old proverb says, “Those who hear not the music think the dancer is mad.” That’s what is going on in this story. David hears the music and worships God with abandon. Michal doesn’t and forfeits what she longs for most.
Don’t miss the point here. When you discount the critics and naysayers and decide to worship God with all your heart, you begin to thrive spiritually. When you don’t, you end up spiritually barren.
Soul food: Gen 50; Hag 1-2; John 20:1-18; Ps 105:1-7
2024-12-12
Romans 12:17 KJV
In his poem “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost writes, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.” Sadly today, the road less traveled is honesty in small things and honesty in all things. According to Psychology Today, 70 percent of high school students and almost half of college students admit to cheating. USA Today stated that 91 percent of Americans lie regularly.
Our culture says, “If you want to get ahead, you have to break a few rules.” But the Bible warns that “the little foxes… spoil the vines” (Song of Songs 2:15 KJV). Solomon is referring to little sins that whet our appetite, distort our values, and lead to bigger sins. Bible commentator Matthew Henry writes, “Adam’s eating forbidden fruit seemed but a little sin, but it opened the door to the greatest.”
Are you being tempted to compromise your character? Tempted to deceive classmates? Pressured to be untruthful at work? Caught up in an “innocent little relationship”? Evangelist Charles Finney said, “A person who is dishonest in little things isn’t really honest in anything.” Unless the small, secret areas of your life are governed by your convictions, you endanger them to corruption from your compromises. One of the greatest promises made in Scripture is to those who are faithful in small things. “Well done… you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things” (Matthew 25:21 NKJV).
Guard your thoughts; they become your deeds. Guard your deeds; they form your character. Guard your character; it decides your destiny.
Soul food: Gen 47-49; John 19:25-42; Ps 150; Ecc 5:10-12
2024-12-11
Psalm 145:4 NKJV
Fanny became blind at six weeks old at the hands of a fake doctor. But her grandmother Eunice resolved that Fanny would never grow up feeling disabled or deprived. Eunice devoted years to training Fanny in all kinds of things – teaching her the Bible, assisting her in exploring nature, and enabling her to develop incredible powers of memory. Fanny memorized large sections of the Bible. From that treasury of Scripture, she later produced some of the best-loved hymns we sing today. “Blessed Assurance,” “To God Be the Glory,” “All the Way My Saviour Leads Me,” and “He Hideth My Soul.”
In the Bible, Timothy had a grandmother named Lois, whose prayers and example helped mold him into none other than the apostle Paul’s successor. Paul writes, “I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother” (2 Timothy 1:5 NKJV).
Never underestimate the influence you have as a grandparent. As you pour yourself into your grandchildren, you may be molding servants of the Lord. If you are a grandparent, claim this promise from the Scriptures: “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” Perhaps your children have disappointed you and failed to raise your grandchildren in the ways of the Lord. Don’t be discouraged, and don’t give up. “I sought for a man among them who would… stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land” (Ezekiel 22:30 NKJV). Your prayers are God’s invitation and entry point into the lives of both your children and your grandchildren. So, “stand in the gap,” and believe God for the salvation of your family.
Soul food: Gen 44-46; John 19:1-24; Ps 148:7-14; Ecc 5:4-6
2024-12-10
1 Peter 5:8 NLT
Peter writes, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith” (vv. 8-9 NLT). The word Christ means “the Anointed One.” So as a Christian, you are anointed by the same Spirit that rested upon Christ. Satan tempted Christ, and he will tempt you. Satan targeted Christ because he feared His destiny; likewise, Satan has discerned your destiny, and he’s out to stop you from reaching it. When he reminds you of the failures in your past, it’s to discourage you and keep you from reaching for the future God has in mind for you.
Paul wrote, “He chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan” (Ephesians 1:11 NLT). This means God has chosen you to fulfill a certain purpose, He has a specific plan for your life, and He is making everything work according to that plan. Satan also knows this, and that’s why his attack against you will never let up.
C. S. Lewis said, “There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God, and counter-claimed by Satan.” There is no middle ground. It is only a matter of time before you must join one side or another. And it is preferable to predetermine your position with a decisive intention than have it selected for you by passive default. So each day, when you awake, dress for battle and prepare for attack knowing that in God’s strength you will win.
Soul food: Gen 42-43; John 18:19-40; Ps 148:1-6; Ecc 5:1-3
2024-12-09
John 2:25 NLT
In Scripture, we are commanded to love everyone, not trust everyone. Jesus is our example in this. “Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did… many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because… he knew human nature… what mankind is really like” (vv. 23-25 NLT). These words were not spoken concerning the crowd that followed Jesus but those who claimed to be His disciples. While Jesus gave Himself to them relationally and lived life with them, He knew that they were not perfect. He understood human nature, and He did not trust Himself to them in an unbalanced way.
When you place in people the trust that should only be placed in God, you set yourself up for disappointment. We can only go so far in any human relationship; beyond that, we will likely be hurt. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that some people will never hurt us, only to be disappointed when they don’t live up to those standards. There are basically two types of people. The first are users. As long as your interests line up with theirs, they are trustworthy. The second are true friends. “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17 NKJV).
But because of human weakness, even true friends will let you down. So here are two good rules to live by: (1) When it comes to people, “trust but verify.” (2) When it comes to God, “trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV).
Soul food: Gen 40-41; John 18:1-18; Ps 147:12-20; Ecc 4:9-12
2024-12-08
2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT
You can have 20/20 vision in the natural world yet be blind in the spiritual world and fall prey to Satan’s schemes. But when you turn to God in prayer, He can open your eyes and give you a strategy for victory.
Notice what happened when Elisha and his servant woke up in the city of Dothan to discover that they were surrounded by hostile armies. “When the servant of the man of God… went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. ‘Oh, sir, what will we do now?’ the young man cried to Elisha. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ Elisha told him. ‘For there are more on our side than on theirs!’ Then Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!’ The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. As the Aramean army advanced toward him, Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, please make them blind.’ So the Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked” (2 Kings 6:15-18 NLT).
Are you fearing defeat? Are you confused and don’t know what to do? Do you feel like the odds are stacked against you, and you won’t succeed? The Bible says, “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4 KJV). Get alone with God and pray, “Lord, open my eyes.” And stay there until He does it. When it happens, you will discover that the forces of heaven are on your side, and the resources of heaven are available to you. How do you access them? By faith!
Soul food: Matt 4:21-22; Matt 17:1-9; John 19:25-27; John 21:20-24
