2024-03-13
1 Corinthians 16:13 NAS
Jesus said: “Count yourselves blessed every time people put you down… or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens – give a cheer, even! – for though they don’t like it, I do!” (Matthew 5:11-12 MSG).
If you’re thin skinned, you will have a rough time in life because you will be an easy target for the devil. Paul endured desertion by his friends, ugly letters from the Corinthians, disappointment with the Galatians, mistreatment in Philippi, mocking in Athens, and finally imprisonment and beheading in Rome. The Bible gives us these four principles for victorious living:
(1) Be on the alert. Why? Because you have an adversary who is out to get you (See 1 Peter 5:8). What’s he after? The God-given potential he knows lies within you. You’re a seed capable of producing a harvest of blessing.
(2) Stand firm in the faith. Why? Because you can’t stand on your feelings, your circumstances, or the opinions of others. Those things change constantly, so you must stand firm on the Word of God.
(3) Act like men. Why? Because being childish won’t cut it when the battle is raging. It’s time to grow up; if you’re still making the same mistakes twenty-five years later, you’re not learning enough.
(4) Be strong. Why? Because weakness is an invitation to the Enemy. It always precedes surrender – and quitting is not an option for you. God told His people the promised land was theirs – but they would have to fight for it. And you will too!
Soul food: 2 Kings 7-8; Matt 23:1-14; Ps 27; Prov 7:10-13
2024-03-12
Ephesians 4:16 CEV
You have probably heard that unless you’re the lead dog, the view seldom changes. The problem is, however, not everybody can be the leading man or woman. And it’s better to be a working actor than an out-of-work star; at least you get to be in the play! Besides, most great achievers, if they are honest, will tell you they couldn’t have done it alone; they needed the contributions of each member of the team.
So if God has placed you in a supporting role today, accept it without complaining. Do your part to make the entire production stronger. Not only will you learn all about team spirit, and that’s important for when you do get to lead, you will also learn the Christlike virtue of humility. The Bible says you will “grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head of the body… [who] holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly” (vv. 15-16 CEV). So, put your heart into your part. Stop and think about how you’re living your life.
Are you giving it everything you’ve got, or are you holding out, hoping somebody else will recognize your talent? It’s not about the greatness of the part you have been given, it’s about how much effort you put into doing it. If God has placed you in a supporting role rather than a starring one, it’s because He recognizes that the team needs your particular strengths and talents. Ask Him to help you accept the role He has given you – whatever it is – and learn to fulfill it with gratitude and dignity. Contribute from wherever you are today.
Soul food: 2 Kings 4:18-6:33; Matt 22:34-46; Ps 112; Prov 7:6-9
2024-03-11
Genesis 33:5 NKJV
Due to the divorce rate today, both inside the church and outside, couples are falling in love and facing the challenge of blending two families into one. Here are some of those challenges: visiting rights, custodial care, court intervention, and ex-in-law involvement. Add to that a mountain of paperwork and legal specifications, and it’s like negotiating an international peace treaty.
You chose to marry your new spouse, but your children didn’t get that choice. So, it’s not enough to bring them all together under the same roof and say, “Play nice.” Their world has been turned upside down, and you must allow them time to digest the situation and find their place in the new order of things. “Love will solve all our problems” is a nice sentiment, but it’s not true. You say, “But the Bible says, ‘Love never fails'” (1 Corinthians 13:8 NKJV). Yes, and it also says, “Love suffers long and is kind” (v. 4 NKJV). You’re going to need truckloads of patience and kindness to make this work.
So: (1) Prepare yourself and your children for the changes that are about to take place.
(2) Listen to your child’s fears without saying, “Don’t be silly, everything will be okay.” For as long as they need to talk, that’s how long you need to listen.
(3) Pray, pray, pray! Ask God to give you His plan, so that this merger can be as painless and stress-free as possible. Your new mate may meet your personal needs for love and security – but remember that your children have those same needs too.
Soul food: 2 Kings 1:1-4:17; Matt 22:15-33; Ps 106:24-48; Prov 7:3-5
2024-03-10
Romans 12:3 NKJV
An old, tired looking dog wandered into a woman’s yard. She could tell from looking at him that he had a good home. He followed her inside, down the hall, and promptly fell asleep. Two hours later, he went to the door and she let him out. The next day he came back, resumed his position, and napped for a couple of hours. This went on for a week. Curious, the woman pinned this note to his collar: “Every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.” The next day, the dog showed up with a note that read: “He lives at home with ten children – apparently he needs some quiet time. Can I come with him tomorrow?”
If you’re a mother, you can relate! Carla Barnhill, author of The Myth of the Perfect Mother, writes: “I just can’t do it anymore. I can’t keep trying to be SuperMom. I wasn’t all that good at it to begin with. I’ve tried to be the perfect combination of devoted mom… loving wife… solid Christian… and have failed miserably… But even if I had been able to pull all of that off, I’m not convinced any of us should… we don’t have to be impressive… [or] follow some random rules about what motherhood should look like. Grace means we already matter to the One who matters most, our good, loving, and grace-filled God! So let’s drop our capes, put down our halos, retire our medals, and let ourselves be the sometimes flawed, sometimes awesome moms God made us to be.”
In other words: “Try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities.”
Soul food: Exo 20:17; 2 Kings 5:1-27; Ecc 5:10; Luke 12:13-31
2024-03-09
Philippians 2:14 NIV
Some cancers, like skin cancer, are more obvious and you can remove them. Then there is the kind that grows undetected and it destroys your body. Complaining is like that; it impacts your health and sabotages your success. Paul says, “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.”
Dr. Ann Shorb writes: “If you find yourself… feeling negative and down… listen to what’s being said around you. Is there a lot of grumbling and complaining? Are the people you spend time with constantly expressing discouraging thoughts and feelings?… Maybe you are the one… griping and complaining… Many times we become our own worst enemy by developing angry or bitter attitudes… Your thoughts and attitudes are your choice. Where you put your mind is up to you!… Follow what the apostle Paul wrote about putting off the negative and putting on the positive (See Colossians 3: 1-15 and Ephesians 4:20-32) …Acknowledge that there are problems… but don’t dwell on them… Do what you can to remedy the situation. Remember… you can never change another person, only yourself and your attitudes… Find the positives… Focus on these and be thankful that God promises to be with you… through the hard times… Use Bible verses and inspirational sayings to re-focus when your thinking starts to go [downhill]… By changing your thinking you change your outlook, and by changing your outlook you change your life.”
To one person the world looks desolate; to another the same world looks rich and interesting. What you see depends mainly on what you look for. Make up your mind not to complain for a day. Then challenge yourself not to complain for a week. You will be amazed at how much better you feel.
Soul food: Rev 19-22; Matt 22:1-14; Ps 106:1-23; Prov 7:1-2
2024-03-08
Romans 12:10 NKJV
Do you get upset when you cannot control others? Or moody and irritated when people don’t do what you want? Do you react when your mistakes are pointed out? Or try to force people to comply with your demands? Do you exaggerate your pain, sickness, or need in order to gain attention or sympathy? Or criticize the opinions and choices of others, and position yourself as superior? Do you become angry and abusive when someone disagrees with you or challenges your authority? Are you reluctant to compliment others, but quick to try and fix something you think is wrong in them? Do you find it hard to say, “I need you”? Do you try to drive a wedge between your loved ones and anyone else who gets close to them? Do you “give orders” to those you interact with, rather than using the simple courtesies of “please” and “thank you”?
If your answer to these questions is yes, then the word for you today is – don’t be so controlling! The Bible says, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another” (v. 10 NKJV). That means stopping to consider how your behavior affects other people. You say, “But I just happen to have a strong personality.” Sorry, that doesn’t let you off the hook! “A servant of the Lord must… be gentle to all” (2 Timothy 2:24 NKJV).
So if you’re a controller, start changing your ways! And if you’re allowing yourself to be controlled because you fear anger and rejection, it’s time to draw a line in the sand. When the controller realizes you will no longer permit it, they will stop doing it.
Soul food: Rev 15-18; Matt 21:33-46; Ps 136:13-26; Prov 6:32-35
