2024-10-24
Matthew 7:1 NKJV
This happened when Chuck Swindoll was speaking in California: “A gentleman came to him and said, ‘I have waited so long for this week, I am going to eat up everything you have to say.’ Swindoll thanked him. Sunday night… the man started nodding [off]. Swindoll figured that he’d had a long drive and was probably tired. It happened each night until the conference ended. As a preacher… it didn’t feel good to see someone sleeping on him.
On Friday morning, the lady who was sitting next to him came to Swindoll and said, ‘I want to thank you for the ministry this week. Oh, and by the way, I am sorry about my husband sleeping on you… He has terminal cancer and the doctors have just given him a couple of weeks to live. When we talked about what he wanted to do before he died, he said, ‘I want to go hear Chuck Swindoll.’ But you see, Dr. Swindoll, the doctors gave him medicine to keep away the pain, and the medicine makes him sleep. I wanted to apologize to you that he has been sleeping, but I wanted you to know you made this the best week of the last part of his life.’ Swindoll later said he could have crawled under a rock, because he had made a judgment and without any investigation he reacted.”
Why did Jesus say, “Judge not, that you be not judged”? Because there may be circumstances and factors at work in a person’s life that you don’t understand. So instead of judging them, extend to them the same grace God has extended to you.
Soul food: Isa 4-7; John 5:31-47; Ps 5; Prov 27:13-16
2024-10-23
Ecclesiastes 3:7 NLT
Calvin Coolidge, the thirtieth US president, was known as a reserved man who spoke very little. One day when a reporter attempted to interview him, the conversation went like this: Reporter: “Do you wish to say anything about the war threat in Europe?” Coolidge: “No.” Reporter: “Do you have anything to say about the strike in the clothing factories?” Coolidge: “No.” Reporter: “Do you have anything to say about the League of Nations?” Coolidge: “No.” Reporter: “Would you care to comment on the farm production problem?” Coolidge: “No.” As the reporter was leaving the room, Coolidge unexpectedly called him back and said with a smile, “Don’t quote me!”
The Bible says, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven… A time to be quiet and a time to speak” (vv. 1, 7 NLT). Never allow yourself to be pressured into saying something you don’t want to say, or get drawn in when you don’t feel like talking. Silence isn’t a lack of communication; it’s a form of communication and can be a very effective one!
Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.” One thing is for sure, what you don’t say today, you won’t have to explain or apologize for tomorrow. If your tendency is to speak without thinking, or when you have nothing constructive to add, weigh the situation carefully and ask God for wisdom before deciding if you should speak or be quiet. Remember: “Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise; as long as they keep their mouths shut” (Proverbs 17:28 MSG).
Soul food: Isa 1-3; John 5:16-30; Ps 15; Prov 27:10-12
2024-10-22
Psalm 141:3 NLT
When William Gladstone was Chancellor of the Exchequer in Britain, he requested that the Treasury send him certain statistics upon which he might base his budget proposals. Unfortunately, the statistician made a mistake, and Gladstone was so certain of this man’s reputation for accuracy that he didn’t take the time to verify his figures. As a result, Gladstone went before the House of Commons and gave a speech based on the incorrect information given to him. His speech was no sooner published than the inaccuracies were exposed, and he became the brunt of terrible public ridicule.
When the chancellor sent for the statistician who had given him the inaccurate information, the man arrived full of fear and shame, certain he was going to be fired. Instead, Gladstone said, “I know how much you must be disturbed over what has happened, so I have sent for you to put you at ease. For a long time, you have been engaged in handling the intricacies of the national accounts, and this is the first mistake that you have made. I want to congratulate you, and express to you my keen appreciation.” Can you imagine the sense of relief, gratitude, and hope the man felt that day as he walked out of Gladstone’s office?
It takes a Christlike person to extend mercy, to listen as well as talk, and to think before jumping into action. So instead of retaliating in anger today, pray, “Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.” When you begin to pray that way – and really mean it – it indicates that you’re growing in grace.
Soul food: Exo 39-40; John 5:1-15; Ps 41; Prov 27:7-9
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
