2024-02-29
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
What would you like to change about yourself? How would you change it? To ask it another way, what would your spouse like you to change? Maybe that would be more enlightening. How would you end the sentence, “It’s just like me to… “? Always be late? Not stay on a diet? Say the wrong thing? Burst out in anger? Be sad? Jeremiah puts it this way: “Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil” (Jeremiah 13:23 NLT).
You say, “I guess it’s hopeless.” No, this is where God’s life-changing power comes into operation: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV). Once we commit our lives to Christ, we’re not the same any longer; a new life has begun. That’s why the Bible calls it being “born again.” We immediately have a new nature, plus the indwelling Holy Spirit. A set of “spiritual batteries” is included to supply the power! That makes all the difference.
Just as your first birth was the beginning of your life, so the new birth is the beginning of this new life. And it’s followed by a lifelong process depicted in Romans 12:2: “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-make you so that your whole attitude of mind is changed. Thus you will prove in practice that the will of God is good, acceptable to him and perfect” (PHPS).
Soul food: 1 Kings 15; Matt 18:15-35; Ps 96; Prov 6:12-15
2024-02-28
Ephesians 1:16 NIV
Bible prayers are powerful. They put things into perspective. For example, Paul prayed that God would give the Ephesians “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation… that you may know him better…. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you… and his incomparably great power” (vv.17-19 NIV).
With this model in mind, JoHannah Reardon writes this: (1) Make your prayers God centered. The creator of the universe has given you the privilege of bringing your requests to Him. When you tell God how great He is, you’re filled with an expectancy that something great can happen because you’re talking to the One who can do anything.
(2) Make them praise filled. Paul starts by saying, “I have not stopped giving thanks for you.” The key isn’t to focus on your troubles, but to thank God and praise Him because He knows what He is doing. Learn to say, “I don’t know why I’m having this problem, Lord, and I would love for you to change things. But if you don’t, I know you will use it for good in my life.”
(3) Make them life changing. Most of our prayers are asking God to change our circumstances. But maybe He wants to change you. That doesn’t mean He won’t ever intervene; He supplies needs, opens doors, and heals people in incredible ways every day. But when you spend years praying for something that never happens, it may be a clue you’re not praying the right way. Paul found joy in a prison cell, and when God opens your eyes, you will find joy in your situation too.
Soul food: 1 Kings 14; Matt 18:1-14; Ps 58; Prov 6:10-11
2024-02-27
Proverbs 23:18 NIV
Are you surrounded by people whose mission is to inject “a dose of reality” into your life? They continually point out how tough the economy is, how dismal the job market is, and how the sky is falling down.
Jon Walker writes: “I remember my high school English teacher telling me not to apply to Cornell University because they wouldn’t accept me, and if they did, I wouldn’t be able to do the work… I almost didn’t apply, but a few days later a former teacher said, ‘If you get in, go. You can do it.’ His words made all the difference. I applied and was accepted… The world needs more optimists, encouragers, and inspirers to speak into the hearts of others and say, ‘I believe in you. Follow your passion and live your purpose. If you have the desire, you have the power to make it happen. Keep working hard. You’re improving and getting better. The economy is tough, but you can still grow your business. The job market isn’t great, but you’ll find the right job… Even if you fail, it will lead to something even better. You’re learning and growing.’ The difference between success and failure is belief, and often that belief is instilled in us by someone who encouraged us.”
The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish [lack faith and focus]” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV). Vision is a desire to move ahead; without it, you stay stuck where you are. It doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks; God says, “There is… a future… for you,” and when you look to Him, He will give you the strength to go forward.
Soul food: 1 Kings 12-13; Matt 17:14-27; Ps 53; Prov 6:9
2024-02-26
James 3:17 NLT
Flexible people are happy people. They experience a lot less stress than the rigid types who insist on things always being done a certain way. One of the reasons inflexibility is so stressful is that we have to achieve our goals through thinking human beings who often have their own ideas, ideas different from ours. If you’re not the type who is receptive to new ways of doing things because you view them as a personal rejection of your own ideas, ask Jesus the Great Physician to perform some corrective surgery on you.
The Pharisees were the epitome of perfectionism and inflexibility. When they accused Jesus of not keeping the Sabbath, He said, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27 NLT).
Question: How flexible are you? Are you so specific at home that your family stays on edge for fear of violating one of your endless preferences? Must the towels always be folded in a certain way? If plans need to be changed, does it send you into a tailspin or do you stop and consider that God may have a different plan?
Don’t try to justify your behavior by hiding under the cloak of “excellence.” Yes, you would like to see things done in the best manner possible; however, seek to understand when your behavior leaves the realm of being excellent and begins to border on being an inflexible perfectionist who not only creates stress for yourself but for others as well. The word for you today is – relax. Bend a little. Try going with the flow.
Soul food: 1 Kings 10-11; Matt 17:1-13; Ps 40:9-17; Prov 6:6-8
2024-02-25
Ephesians 6:18 NLT
Your spiritual armor must be put on correctly so that all the pieces fit; otherwise, you’re vulnerable to defeat at Satan’s hands. So, how do you do that? Paul tells us how: “Pray in the Spirit at all times.” Your clothes closet is where you find what you need to wear in the natural realm, and your prayer closet is where you find what you need to wear in the spiritual realm. Only through prayer do you become clothed for spiritual warfare, so don’t go into battle undressed.
Paul writes, “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh” (Romans 13:14 NIV). That’s one of the most effective verses in Scripture when it comes to winning over temptation.
Professionals who train dogs to listen and obey their commands no matter what, start by throwing a piece of red meat in front of the dog. The untrained dog immediately goes for it, but eventually the trainer teaches the animal to give him its undivided attention regardless of what’s put in front of it. When the training process is complete, the dog will not take its eyes off its master even when temptation is right under its nose.
There is an important lesson here for you. If you keep your eyes on Jesus, it won’t matter what kind of lie or temptation Satan throws your way. Every now and then you may want to “go for it,” but if you stay focused on Jesus and listen to His voice alone, you will be victorious in the fight.
Soul food: Exo 20:15; Josh 7:1-26; Tit 2:6-10; Eph 4:28
2024-02-24
Ephesians 6:13 NLT
Let’s look at the next three pieces of spiritual armor God has provided for us to live victoriously:
(1) “You will need faith as your shield” (v. 16 TLB). For what? “To stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan” (v. 16 TLB). Do you remember in the old western movies the battles between Native American Indians and the settlers? The settlers circled the wagons, and the Indians shot flaming arrows into them. They both understood that you can’t fight fires and fight foes at the same time; flaming arrows are a distraction. Satan uses the same tactic. But faith (focusing on God’s Word) snuffs out those flaming arrows.
(2) “Put on salvation as your helmet” (v. 17 NLT). This helmet protects your mind. When Satan whispers, “If you were really a Christian, you wouldn’t have… ,” you repel his attacks by knowing your identity in Christ – a blood-bought, totally forgiven, seen-as-righteous, heaven-bound child of God.
(3) “Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (v. 17 NLT). “The word of God” referred to here isn’t logos (the written word) but rhéma, which means “utterance.” It calls for speaking God’s Word to defeat Satan; utilizing the right Scripture at the right time to deal with the problem. That’s why Satan fights you so hard over Bible reading. Three times he attacked Jesus in the wilderness, and three times Jesus answered, “It is written” (Matthew 4:4-10 KJV). He demolished Satan with Scripture! The Devil can outargue you, but he has no defense against the Word of God. So, memorize the Scriptures, and use them as a weapon to defeat him.
Soul food: 1 Kings 8-9; Matt 16:13-28; Ps 40:1-8; Prov 6:1-5
