2024-10-12
Matthew 4:19 NKJV
Most people who decide to grow personally find their first mentors in the pages of books. That is a great place to start. For that matter, it’s a great place to continue. And the wisdom that’s found in Scripture makes the Bible the best mentor’s manual ever written. If you are not reading it daily, you are robbing yourself of the greatest source of inspiration and illumination. And at some point, if you’re wise, you will also look for a role model to mentor you. No matter how gifted and experienced you are, you will go further with the right mentor than you will on your own.
Jesus, the greatest mentor of all, discipled a group of men who changed the world forever. “And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him” (vv. 18-22 NKJV). Note the words “follow Me, and I will make you… “
Just as the right mentor can make you, the wrong mentor can break you. So you need to pray about this. Then you must do something about it. Why? Because if you follow only yourself, you may find yourself going in circles and getting nowhere.
Soul food: Lev 16; Lev 23:26-32; Heb 9:1-14; Heb 13:11-16
2024-10-11
2 Timothy 4:16-17 NKJV
One of the things leaders know is that while many people will never step up to be the leader, there are plenty of folks willing to criticize any steps toward leadership you might take and tell the whole world how they know better and why you did it wrong! While you will always accomplish more while working with others, you can’t always count on being supported or liked by everyone. No matter what you do, some people will be difficult and negative. So, you must stay focused on your God-given goals, be who you are, and trust God to do what you cannot do.
Real leaders make tough decisions, even when it means they end up less than popular. The road to true leadership can be lonely. But once you reach your goals, the rewards are enormous. Paul writes: “No one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear… And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom” (vv. 16-18 NKJV).
When others forsake you, the Lord will stand with you. The Lord will strengthen you. The Lord will deliver you. The Lord will reward you. You are called to love others and work with them. And if you find that you’re inadvertently doing things that alienate, discourage, or drive wedges, ask God for wisdom and insight to rectify the situation. But know this: When you have no one left but God, you will discover that God is enough!
Soul food: Exo 19-21; John 2:12-25; Ps 110; Prov 26:13-16
2024-10-10
Exodus 20:17 NLT
Envy, in essence, accuses God of being unfair, a respecter of persons, and unaware of what’s best for our lives. Therefore, we should engage in an all-out campaign against envy when it appears in our life. Here are six ways to do that:
(1) Confess and repent of your impure intentions for wanting something other than for the glory of God. “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth” (James 3:14 NIV).
(2) Count your blessings. Envy is rooted in dissatisfaction. Frequently we are so upset at the good fortune of others that we can’t see our own blessings and advantages. Somebody previously said, “Envy is the habit of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.”
(3) Understand what envy is telling you about what needs to be changed in order for you to reach your destiny. Pray, “God, grant me the serentiy to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
(4) If feasible, spend time with the person you envy and learn more about their secrets of success. In the process, you may realize they have a multitude of problems that will reduce your envy.
(5) When anyone is mentioned with appreciation and admiration, instead of making a negative comment about them, try speaking words of praise.
(6) Reject seeing another person’s success as your failure. Instead of thinking their blessings came at your expense, start believing that the God who blessed them wants to bless you too.
Soul food: Exo 16-18; John 2:1-11; Ps 23; Prov 26:10-12
2024-10-09
Philippians 4:13 NKJV
Self-help books sometimes claim you can change your life in five or ten simple steps. It takes a lot more than that to make substantial and lasting changes in your life. First, change comes by drawing on a power greater than your own – God’s power. Paul writes: “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (vv. 12-13 NKJV).
Second, change comes from steady and determined hard work and effort. “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9 NKJV). The key is to understand that a bad day does not make you a failure; it doesn’t last, it’s just a bad day. After you have had one, and all of us have, you just start back on track the following day. Don’t quit. Life is a sequence of ups and downs, stops and starts. Tomorrow is a brand-new day. What’s necessary now is to revive your promise to make changes in your life and start from the place you left off. If you need to, seek God’s forgiveness, forgive yourself, and begin walking forward again. Make your goal your focus, not the fact that you fell off the wagon. Don’t get caught up blaming others or yourself. Let it go and move on. Realize that the next time you come up against a difficult situation – and you will – in God’s strength, you will handle it better.
Soul food: Exo 13-15; John 1:43-51; Ps 131; Prov 26:7-9
2024-10-08
John 6:35 NKJV
After World War II, Europe was devastated with hungry, homeless children who had been orphaned by the battles. They were put in large camps where they were given food and care. Yet they didn’t sleep well at night; they were nervous, fearful, and fidgety. The caregivers were baffled until a psychologist taught them to offer each child a piece of bread every night, not to eat, but to hold in bed. The outcome was astonishing. The children slept through the night because they realized they wouldn’t go hungry the next day. Clutching the bread gave them a sense of protection (they were safe), importance (somebody cared about them), and happiness (there will be more bread tomorrow).
Those three things were what those children needed – and they are what you need too. And all three can be found in a relationship with Jesus. When He said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger,” He was saying, “I am to your soul what food is to your body.” Bread is one thing most of us have in common. It doesn’t belong only to a particular region or nation. It’s available in all shapes and sizes. In the UK, it may be scones; in South America, tortillas; in New York, bagels; and in Ethiopia, injera. In a simple statement, Jesus reminds us that He is our nourishment, everywhere, every time. So, be sure to read your Bible every day; it’s your daily bread.
Soul food: Exo 10-12; John 1:29-42; Ps 29; Prov 26:4-6
2024-10-07
Proverbs 18:22 NKJV
Perhaps you have heard the joke about the lady who told her friend, “I didn’t know what real happiness was until I married my husband, and now it’s too late.” Seriously, that doesn’t have to be your story. Through God’s wisdom, love, and grace, you can rebuild your marriage. To do it, you will need to learn the art of openness and allow yourself to be vulnerable, transparent, and ready to trust again. The only path to truly connect with someone is to genuinely allow that person to fully know you – your worries, struggles, lack of confidence, hopes, and dreams.
It is natural, especially after you have experienced hurt or rejection, to want to shield yourself and your heart from more pain. Doing this makes complete sense in other parts of your life, but in marriage, shutting down your soul to your spouse will definitely result in further pain.
Like property increasing in value over time, your marriage builds equity over the years. Like methodical investments into a savings account, modest deposits add up. Your shared experiences, such as the day when your child drove off to college, the company the two of you sacrificed and saved to start, the death of your parent after a lengthy battle with cancer, the birth of your children, or a surprise weeklong trip to celebrate your birthday – it all counts. These experiences come together as a beautiful canvas of intimacy that portrays your lives together. They also bring God’s blessing. “He who finds a wife [or husband] finds a good thing, and obtains favour from the Lord.”
Soul food: Exo 7-9; John 1:14-28; Ps 92; Prov 26:1-3
