2024-05-30
Judges 6:14 NIV
The Bible says: “When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.’ ‘Pardon me, my lord,’ Gideon replied, ‘but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?’… The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’ ‘Pardon me, my lord,’ Gideon replied, ‘but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’ The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive” (vv. 12-16 NIV).
Do you feel fearful and inadequate? Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress (v. 11), afraid of the Midianites. Yet God called him a “mighty warrior.” God sees things in you that others don’t, that even you yourself don’t! Read these words carefully: “I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure'” (Isaiah 46:9-10 NKJV).
God sees things in their completed state – including your ultimate victory. And today He is saying to you, “Go in the strength you have… Am I not sending you?” When God sends you, your success is guaranteed in spite of all the obstacles, the enemies, and all the limitations you are so aware of. If you’re unwilling to move until things “look better,” you won’t win. Start where you are and use what you have, then God will give you more.
Soul food: Gal 4-6; Mark 12:13-27; Ps 101; Prov 13:20-23
2024-05-29
Matthew 6:31-33 NLT
A survey was taken of Americans over fifty years old, and half of them had less than thirty thousand dollars in their retirement fund. Since we are all living longer, that means (a) a lot of people are going to be dependent on the government for their survival, and (b) a lot of people who had planned on retiring are going to have to keep working. And this is not just an American problem, it’s a worldwide problem. So, what should you do?
(1) Cut back where you can and start saving more. “There is desirable treasure… in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it” (Proverbs 21:20 NKJV).
(2) Find a financial planner to help you assess where you stand, and the level of income and expenses you’re likely to have during retirement. That way, you can customize a plan suited to your financial goals. “In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but in the revenue of the wicked is trouble” (Proverbs 15:6 NKJV).
(3) Honor God with your finances. “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty” (Proverbs 3:9-10 NKJV). Tithing brings God’s blessing!
(4) Trust God to take care of you. “Don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:31-34 NLT).
Soul food: Gal 1-3; Mark 12:1-12; Ps 128; Prov 13:17-19
2024-05-28
John 1:14 NKJV
Some of us major in grace but neglect confronting people with the truth lest we offend them. Others of us major in truth but fail to show God’s grace to people. But Jesus was “full of grace and truth,” and that’s the balance you must strive for!
A man with little interest in spiritual matters related casually to the Christian who lived next door. They talked over the back fence, borrowed each other’s tools, and stuff like that. Then sadly the nonbeliever’s wife was stricken with cancer and died. Here is part of a letter he wrote afterward: “I was in total despair. I went through the funeral preparations and the service like I was in a trance. After the service, I went to the path along the river and walked all night. But I didn’t walk alone. My neighbour – afraid for me, I guess – stayed with me all night. He didn’t speak; he didn’t even walk beside me. He just followed me. When the sun finally came up over the river, he came over and said, ‘Let’s go get some breakfast.’ I go to church now. My neighbour’s church. A religion that can produce the kind of caring my neighbour showed me is something I want to find out more about. I want to love and be loved like that for the rest of my life.”
Any farmer will tell you that before you sow your seed, you must prepare the ground. “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them” (Romans 12:9 NLT). When you treat people with grace, they will open their hearts and minds to the truth you want to share with them.
Soul food: Judg 19:16-21:25; Mark 11:27-33; Ps 45; Prov 13:13-16
2024-05-27
Proverbs 17:17 KJV
Two men were traveling down the road together when a bear appeared out of nowhere. Before the bear could spot them, one guy ran for a tree at the side of the road, climbed into its branches, and hid. The other man, who wasn’t as nimble as his tree-climbing companion, threw himself on the ground and pretended to be dead. The bear came up, sniffed all around him, and appeared to whisper something in his ear. The man had always heard that bears won’t touch a dead body, so he lay perfectly still and held his breath. Sure enough, the bear took him for a corpse and left. When the coast was clear, the guy in the tree came down. Curious, he asked his buddy what the bear had whispered when it put its mouth directly to his ear. His friend replied, “He told me never to travel with a friend who deserts you at the first sign of danger!”
It’s easy to be friends with someone who is successful, has it all together, and is riding the crest of the wave. But what about when that person falls, or fails, or loses their connection to Christ, or deliberately disconnects and causes all kinds of ugly consequences? The Bible says, “A friend loveth at all times.” When you’re “up,” they’re not envious, and when you’re “down,” they’re not condescending. They’re compassionate and considerate whether or not you are. American writer Elbert Hubbard said, “Your friend is the man [or woman] who knows all about you and still loves you.” If you have a friend like that, treasure them and tell them often how much you appreciate them.
Soul food: Judg 16:1-19:15; Mark 11:12-26; Ps 47; Prov 13:11-12
2024-05-26
Romans 12:18 MSG
The Bible says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32 NKJV). You say, “But what they did to me was unfair, unkind, and unwarranted.” Exactly – and God feels the same way about some of the things you have done! Any attempt to avenge a wrong is a violation of God’s Word. That includes bad-mouthing them, giving them the silent treatment, making sarcastic remarks, refusing to help them, and resorting to physical violence or verbal attacks.
If you were hurt by someone at work, it includes taking company resources without authorization, applying workplace rules more stringently to the offending employee than others, and deliberately slowing your pace to frustrate them. If you were hurt by your mate, it includes brooding, making them walk on eggshells, and withholding your love and affection.
Paul writes: “‘Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath… Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. ‘I’ll do the judging,’ says God. ‘I’ll take care of it'” (Romans 12:14, 17-19 MSG).
Repaying evil for evil won’t bring you satisfaction. Besides, have you considered that the person who hurt you may have genuinely changed? What if God continued to hold your transgressions over your head? Retaliation just destroys your peace of mind because you know it displeases God. Today pray: “Father, I release any desire to get even. I want to walk in your peace, extend your grace, and allow you to avenge all wrongs done against me. Amen.” (So be it!).
Soul food: Gal 5:23; Isa 40:9-11; Isa 42:1-4; Eph 4:1-3
2024-05-25
Psalm 51:2 NKJV
There is bad news, and there is good news. The bad news is, when David tried to hide his sin, God exposed it to the entire nation. The good news is, when he repented of his sin, God forgave him and expunged his record. And what God did for David, He will do for you. All you have to do is get down on your knees and pray, “Cleanse me from my sin…Create in me a clean heart, O God” (vv. 2, 10 NKJV).
If you want to know how God responds to such a prayer, here is what He said to Solomon, David’s son: “If you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel'” (1 Kings 9:4-5 NKJV).
Today you may feel that because of your sin you are beyond hope and redemption, that you have forfeited the opportunity to be useful to God and to fulfill your destiny. Don’t believe it! You can recover. You can be restored. You can be forgiven. You can regain your integrity. You can be healed and become whole again. You can sing: “There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.”
The word for you today is – God will forgive and restore you. All you have to do is ask Him.
Soul food: Judg 12-15; Mark 11:1-11; Ps 97; Prov 13:9-10
