2024-10-21
1 Corinthians 16:9 NKJV
The New Living Translation states Paul’s words this way: “There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.” In doing the will of God, you should anticipate opposition from those who are not privy to what God has shared with you or instructed you to do. Indeed, if you are accepted and applauded wherever you go, you should reexamine either the assignment you believe God has given you or the way in which you are carrying it out.
You say, “But didn’t Jesus say that His yoke was ‘easy’?” Yes, and He was talking about a comfortable-fitting yoke around the neck of a hardworking ox that plowed from morning until night. The work was hard, but the yoke was comfortable. That means when God calls you to do something difficult, He will provide you with the grace and resources to do it. You say, “But Satan is attacking me.” Attack is a sign of respect; it means you represent a threat to the kingdom of darkness. And as you get closer to your God-given goal, expect Satan’s attack to intensify. But there is good news. The intensity of the attack is an indicator of the blessing God has for you on the other side of the attack.
And one more thought. Your greatest rewards will not come in this life but in the life to come. And that’s good because they won’t just be temporal, they will be eternal. The hymnist wrote: “To him that overcometh a crown of life shall be; He with the King of glory shall reign eternally.”
Soul food: Exo 36-38; John 4:39-54; Ps 87; Prov 27:4-6
2024-10-20
Revelation 3:8 NKJV
In seeking to know God’s will, there are two things you should never do. First, when the door is closed, get impatient and force it open. Second, create your own door. To succeed in what God has called you to do, follow the “open door policy.” The Bible describes it this way: “‘To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: “These things says He who is holy, He who is true, ‘He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens’: ‘I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name'” (vv. 7-8 NKJV).
Who does God open doors for? (1) People who “have a little strength.” So, your mistakes don’t disqualify you, as long as you’re willing to learn from them. And your inadequacies don’t limit God if you allow them to make you more dependent on Him.
(2) People who “have kept My word.” The people God opens doors for are governed by this guiding principle: “Whatever God’s Word says about it, that’s what I’m going to think, believe, and do.” If it’s not on God’s blueprint, don’t build it. If it’s not in God’s recipe book, don’t mix it in.
(3) People who “have not denied My name.” Regardless of rejection or ridicule, these people speak boldly about the things they value most in life, including their relationship with Jesus. If you want God to open doors for you, live by these principles each day.
Soul food: Acts 13:21-22; 1 Sam 16; 1 Sam 17:32-51; 1 Sam 24:1-17
2024-10-19
2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV
Paul writes, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” The giving that God rewards is purposeful giving when it’s done with a cheerful attitude. Here are three ways to do that:
(1) Put people before yourself. Every one of the things of this world, including fame and fortune, is temporary. Individuals are what matter. Your job, pastimes, and other interests will die with you. People live on. The true measure of success is not in the number of individuals who help you but in the number of individuals you help (See Galatians 5:13).
(2) Don’t let stuff own you. No one should ever become a slave to their stuff. No one should make their life’s work about obtaining more just to have more. If you want to be in control of your heart, don’t let belongings take control of you. The question is, “Do you own your possessions, or do your possessions own you?” Givers use what they own as a resource to make this world a better place to live. And they do this regardless of how much or how little they have (See Matthew 6:21).
(3) Define success as sowing, not reaping. Robert Louis Stevenson said, “I consider the success of my day based on the seeds I sow, not the harvest I reap.” That should be the way we judge not only our days but our entire lives (See 2 Corinthians 9:6-10). If you live life with the intention of enriching the lives of others, your life will be full, not empty.
Soul food: Exo 33-35; John 4:27-38; Ps 32; Prov 27:1-3
2024-10-18
Luke 6:38 NIV
If you want to become a giver, think of yourself as a river instead of a reservoir. Reservoirs continually take in water, but only to fill themselves up. In contrast, a river flows. Whatever water it receives, it gives away. Note what Jesus said about giving: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (v. 38 NIV).
When you give your time, expertise, and resources without expecting anything in return, you’re practicing what Jesus preached. And here is an interesting truth: When you focus more on the wants and needs of others, more of your own wants and needs are met. In contrast, when you choose to hoard what you have rather than give, you become the center of your own lonely universe. And you become less content, not more. As a result, you repel both people and potential blessing.
Recalling God’s goodness to you leads to gratitude (See Psalm 103:1-5). And gratitude leads to giving. Ungrateful people aren’t givers. They seldom think about others; they just think of themselves. Their days comprise searching for others to assist them, give to them, and wait on them. And whenever others fail to meet those expectations, they wonder why. Their selfishness prevents them from sowing, and their ingratitude causes them to question why they don’t reap.
In what way can you show gratitude? By taking a portion of the blessings God has poured into your life and pouring them into the lives of others. In other words, be a giver.
Soul food: Exo 30-32; John 4:13-26; Ps 100; Prov 26:27-28
2024-10-17
Psalm 91:4 NLT
When our children are growing up, their protection and safety are uppermost in our minds. But how about the families of emergency personnel, like police, paramedics, and firefighters? Any day their loved one goes to work is a day they may not come home. And how about the families of those in our armed forces, serving in foreign lands under constant threat and danger?
When it comes to the safety of the people we love, here are wonderful Bible promises we can stand on: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1 NIV). “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour” (Isaiah 43: 1-3 NKJV). “You chart the path ahead of me, and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment, you know where I am. You know what I am going to say before I even say it. You both precede and follow me, and place your hand of blessing on my head. This is too glorious, too wonderful to believe! I can never be lost to your Spirit! I can never get away from my God!” (Psalm 139:3-7 TLB).
No insurance company can come close to matching the protection God guarantees to those He loves. So be at peace today – God will keep your loved one safe.
Soul food: Lev 23:33-44; John 7:1-39; Zech 14:16-21
2024-10-16
Psalm 118:24 NKJV
One author writes: “One of the strategies I employ is to block enough time so that I’m not thinking of what I have to do next. I find it best to wait until I can invest more than a few minutes in being with someone so that the person is not frustrated with my divided attention and tight schedule.”
If you keep robbing your loved ones of time, there may come a day when they have no time for you. Ask yourself, “Is this person worth more to me than the plan, project, problem, or pressure I’m dealing with?” Learn to enjoy the moment and focus on the person you’re with. Ask open-ended questions that encourage them to answer with more than a yes or no. Listen carefully and ask additional questions. This helps people feel you are engaging with them and caring about their replies.
Yes, your thoughts may flit into the future for a few seconds, but instantly push them back into the present by rejecting those concerns. You can attend to them later. Concentrate, concentrate, concentrate. There is great pleasure in doing this after you get used to it. The poet wrote, “I wished to live deliberately… and not, when I came to die, discover I had not lived.”
To make sure that doesn’t happen to you, heed Solomon’s words: “People should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labour, for these are gifts from God” (Ecclesiastes 3:13 NLT). If you have to do with less in order to enjoy the people you love more, do it; you will never regret it!
Soul food: Exo 28-29; John 4:1-12; Ps 89:38-52; Prov 26:23-26
