2024-01-19
Colossians 4:2 NIV
The word “watchful” is a throwback to the Old Testament-era practice of sitting on a city wall and keeping watch. Watchmen were the first to see attacking armed forces or traveling merchants. They had the optimal vantage point. They saw what nobody else saw. They saw them sooner than others saw them. That is exactly what happens when we pray. We see what nobody else sees, and we see them sooner than others see them. Why? Because prayer provides us with a God’s-eye view; it enhances our awareness and gives us a sixth sense that allows us to perceive spiritual realities.
In their classic book Geeks and Geezers, business gurus Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas make an interesting observation about a common denominator among successful leaders in every field. Bennis and Thomas call them first-class noticers. “Being a first-class noticer allows you to recognize talent, identify opportunities, and avoid pitfalls. Leaders who succeed again and again are geniuses at grasping context. This is one of those characteristics, like taste, that is difficult to break down into its component parts. But the ability to weigh a welter of factors, some as subtle as how very different groups of people will interpret a gesture, is one of the hallmarks of a true leader.”
Prayer turns us into first-class noticers. It helps us to see what God wants us to notice. The more you pray, the more you notice. The less you pray, the less you notice. It’s as simple as that. Here is a Bible formula for success in any area of life: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
Soul food: Dan 3-4; Matt 7:1-14; Ps 84; Prov 2:16-19
2024-01-18
1 Corinthians 2:10 NKJV
The Bible says, “‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit” (vv. 9-10 NKJV). The Holy Spirit compensates for our sensory limits by enabling us to conceive things we cannot perceive with our five senses. Think of Him as a sixth sense. That sense must be cultivated, matured, and fine-tuned. And that can only happen when we spend time meditating in the Scriptures and fellowshipping with God in prayer. Until we are awakened by the Holy Spirit, we are unaware of our need for God, of the spiritual warfare that is being waged all around us, and of what God is doing all around us.
One night Jacob had a dream in which God appeared to him and said, “I am with you and will keep you wherever you go” (Genesis 28:15 NKJV). When he awakened the next morning, Jacob said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it… This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!” (Genesis 28:16-17 NKJV). Jacob went to sleep and woke up in the same place, but he woke up a different person. After his wake-up call, Jacob saw God everyplace he looked.
Today ask God for a spiritual epiphany. Pray, “Lord, show me what you want me to see, teach me what you want me to know, lead me step-by-step in the path of your perfect will.” That’s a prayer God will answer!
Soul food: Dan 1-2; Matt 6:19-34; Ps 81; Prov 2:11-15
2024-01-17
Psalm 34:11 CEV
Smithsonian magazine once featured a master stonecutter from England named Simon Verity. He restored thirteenth-century cathedrals in Great Britain. As the authors watched him work, they noticed something fascinating. “Verity listens closely to hear the song of the stone under his careful blows. A solid strike, and all is well. A higher-pitched ping, and it could mean trouble. A chunk of rock could break off. He constantly adjusts the angle of the chisel and the force of the mallet to the pitch, pausing frequently to run his hand over the freshly carved surface.” Verity understood the importance of his task. He knew one wrong move could be devastating, causing irreparable damage to his work of art. His success was rooted in his ability to read the signals his stones were sending.
Parent, you need to hone your skills at listening to your children, especially during times of discipline and guidance. It takes a great deal of patience and sensitivity to interpret your child’s responses. But if you listen carefully, they will tell you what they’re thinking and feeling. And God will help you to do it: “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season” (Isaiah 50:4 KJV). Each changing season in your child’s development raises different questions, calling for different answers. To have the right answer, you must be tuned in to the question they’re asking at the time. Not only will you be imparting to them the wisdom they need at that time, you will be teaching them how to do it with their own children.
Soul food: Phil 1-4; Matt 6:9-18; Ps 79; Prov 2:9-10
2024-01-16
John 16:13 NCV
Making decisions without seeking God’s guidance is like trying to fly without radar and a compass. You can do what makes sense based on your past knowledge and experience, but what “looks right” can end up destroying what’s most important to you. The Bible says even the most profound human thinking is foolish to God (See 1 Corinthians 1:18-20). He alone knows the way, and He wants to go ahead of you.
It’s a mistake to assume that every opportunity that comes along is from God. Paul says, “Satan changes himself to look like an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14 NCV). And while his invitations are packaged to look like he has your best interests at heart, his way invariably leads to ruin (See John 8:44). God’s Word was designed as “a lamp for [your] feet and a light for [your] path” (Psalm 119:105 NCV) to guide you in the ways of righteousness. That’s why it can be fatal to pursue a path that seems right to you without first consulting Him.
Jesus said, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth. He will not speak his own words, but… only what he hears, and he will tell you what is to come” (John 16:13 NCV). The truth is that most of us don’t naturally seek God. It’s only as His Spirit speaks to our hearts that we start desiring His will. Take time to seek the Holy Spirit’s direction. Trust Him. He understands the ramifications of your choices. He will show you “the big picture” and help you stay on the right road.
Soul food: Lev 26-27; Matt 6:1-8; Ps 74:12-23; Prov 2:7-8
2024-01-15
Galatians 5:26 RSV
Paul cautioned the early church about envy, and it’s still a problem. Your coworker gets a raise, a friend’s kid wins a scholarship, a neighbour takes a dream vacation. Do you rejoice with them, or force a tight smile? We’re human; an occasional flicker of envy is normal. But beware of harboring a chronic sense of being shortchanged. Tacitus said, “When men are full of envy, they disparage everything… good or bad.” When somebody else prospers, before you ask, “Why not me?” ask yourself if you would be responding the same way if some tragedy had befallen them. Jealousy is like a moth; it nibbles away at clothes until they’re ruined, except envy destroys irreplaceable things like relationships and families.
One author reminds us: “When we’re… in the valley, it is human to envy those… [on] the mountaintops. It is easy to forget [they] didn’t fall there – they climbed there. Behind the success story is always a courageous decision and a gallant action… If we want to reach them… we have to… climb. Inspiration from someone else may get us started, but the success is in the climbing.”
Imagine a runner striding out; he is fast, focused, and ahead of the pack. Then he starts looking at the competition. Before long he stumbles, loses his momentum, and drops out. That’s what happens when you let jealousy distract you from completing the course God mapped out for you. Paul writes, “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?” (Galatians 5:7 NIV). Keep your eye on the prize, and don’t get distracted by what others have and don’t have. That’s none of your business.
Soul food: Lev 23:26-25:55; Matt 5:38-48; Ps 74:1-11; Prov 2:6
2024-01-14
Proverbs 13:18 NLT
Solomon said, “If you accept correction, you will be honoured.” Charlie Shedd gives us ten ways to grow through criticism:
(1) Criticism is often a compliment. The barbs in daily life strike only those who raise their heads above ground level. Jesus said, “Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down… it means that the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable” (Luke 6:22 MSG).
(2) Accept that you have faults which are open to censure. Stay humble, and criticism won’t rattle you.
(3) “The words of the godly save lives” (Proverbs 12:6 NLT). Invite criticism from friends; then when it comes from your enemies, you will be broken in.
(4) Let criticism make you better. When you burn with anger, you destroy the passport to your own improvement. “When you do right and suffer for it… take it patiently” (1 Peter 2:20 RSV).
(5) Some criticism should be ignored, especially if it stems from false motives. Never give unhappy people the key to your happiness.
(6) Keep it in perspective. Everybody hasn’t heard. Most people don’t care. One bad word doesn’t cancel the good in you.
(7) Let criticism make you kinder. Remind yourself that you have criticized others too. Is this a boomerang that started in your own heart?
(8) Pray for your critics. It will improve them and neutralize your bitterness. Hate destroys your health and steals your happiness.
(9) Check with the Master Critic. What does God say? How do things look deep in your soul?
(10) When you have checked to make sure you’re right, move ahead. In quiet confidence finish what you started, because God’s promises are to those who endure (See Hebrews 6:12).
Soul food: Exo 20:4-6; Deut 7:17-8:2; Isa 40:18-31; Col 3:5-10
