2023-01-22
Colossians 3:2 NIV
Marcus Aurelius said, “Our life is what our thoughts make it.” Unfortunately, you can’t stop thinking wrong thoughts just by trying harder. But you can do this: You can “set your mind.” The most basic control you have when it comes to your mind is your ability to choose what you pay attention to. At any given moment, it’s within your capacity to turn your thoughts in one direction or another. That helps explain why two people in the exact same set of circumstances can have completely different perspectives and experiences.
The following excerpts from a dog’s diary and a cat’s diary may make you smile. But hopefully they will also make you stop and think about the difference your attitude can make. Dog’s Diary: 8:00 a.m. Ate dog food. My favourite thing! 9:00 a.m. Went for a car ride. My favourite thing! 9:40 a.m. Walked in the park. My favourite thing! 10:30 a.m. Got rubbed and petted. My favourite thing! 12:00 p.m. Ate lunch. My favourite thing! 1:00 p.m. Played in the grass. My favourite thing! 3:00 p.m. Shook my tail. My favourite thing! 5:00 p.m. Ate a treat. My favourite thing! 7:00 p.m. Played ball. My favourite thing! 8:00 p.m. Watched TV with my people. My favourite thing! 11:00 p.m. Slept on the bed. My favourite thing! Now let’s look at the cat. Cat’s Diary: Day 983 of my imprisonment. My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre dangling objects. The one thing that helps me carry on is my dream of escape.
Two critters… similar situations… totally different experiences. What made the difference? One chose the right thoughts and the other didn’t.
Soul food: Gal 5:13-26; 1 Sam 17:4-51
2023-01-21
Romans 8:28 NLT
When Joseph was thrown in prison, it was hard for him to see how this road would lead to the fulfillment of his dream, but it did. That’s because God had a plan for his life. And He has one for yours too! Your current job may just be preparation for the job God really has in mind for you. Perhaps not today or tomorrow, but, if you stay faithful, there will come a time when you look back and realise how God directed your steps (See Psalm 37:23).
Refuse to embrace any concept of victimhood that would steal your contentment. Your job, in spite of its difficulties, would have been the dream of some of your forefathers. Didn’t you pray for this job you’re now complaining about? As difficult as this may be to accept, you’re where you are for a reason – and for a season. So study, do the coursework, take the tests, graduate, and move on to what God has for you next. There are certain qualities you need to take with you from your present position into your next one. Things like skill building and character development. You may need to learn computer and social media skills – plus patience and gratitude. You may need to learn how to manage an office – plus how to manage your moods.
When you’re led by God, no experience is ever wasted because “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28 NLT). God knows what He is doing, so trust Him; He uses every experience to bring about His will and fulfill our joy.
Soul food: Ecc 1-4; Luke 4:31-44; Ps 89:38-52; Prov 3:1-2
2023-01-20
Psalm 147:3 NIV
If you’re recovering from a bad relationship, it’s a mistake to rush into another one. Unhealthy people make unhealthy choices. Some wounds take longer to heal than others, but you can count on this promise: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” All God asks is that you give Him a chance.
Start by taking time to search His Word to find out how He feels about you. His opinion is the only reliable foundation on which to build your self-worth. If a perfect God with full knowledge of your struggles and shortcomings can love you, the message is – lighten up on yourself! You can only love, or be loved again, with the same wholeness with which you love yourself.
Next time make sure your choices aren’t predicated on need or the fear of being alone. And be careful: When you don’t value yourself, you attract people who won’t value you either; people who will use you for their own ends. You deserve better, so hold out for it. You train others how to treat you by how you treat yourself. And as you become spiritually and emotionally whole, you will start seeing how unhealthy some of your former choices have been.
If some people walk away, so be it. Sometimes you have to give up less in order to have more. The God who said, “It is not good for man to be alone” has new relationships in mind for you. But He is waiting until your values and self-perception line up with His. So take it step by step, one day at a time. And remember to rejoice – your best days are still ahead!
Soul food: Isa 63-66; Luke 4:14-30; Ps 89:15-37; Prov 2:21-22
2023-01-19
2 Corinthians 13:11 NKJV
The Brady Bunch was a popular television show where a mom and dad with six kids created one big happy family without conflict or rivalries. The problem is it seldom happens that way. So, if you’re planning to remarry, here are three challenges you will need God’s help with:
(1) It’s common for kids to see a new stepparent as a usurper. Their loyalty to the memory of their departed mother or father can be intense. For them to welcome a newcomer feels like an act of betrayal. This can place the stepparent in a real bind.
(2) It’s common for one child to move into the power vacuum left by the departing parent and see themselves as a surrogate spouse. The status and power that come with this supportive role is very strong, and a youngster can be unwilling to give it up.
(3) Each of us is irrationally committed to our own flesh and blood while being merely acquainted with others. So when conflict arises in the family, parents are almost always partial to those they brought into the world. And when children sense this tension between parents, some of them will try to exploit it to their advantage. That’s why, statistically, second and third marriages have a higher failure rate than first ones.
But there is good news: “With God all things are possible” (Mt 19:26). What should you do? Seek professional counseling as early as possible. Yes, it costs, but a divorce will cost you even more. And include God; He can give you the patience, wisdom, and love you need. “Live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11 NKJV).
Soul food: Isa 58-62; Luke 4:1-13; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 2:20
2023-01-18
Luke 4:13 NIV
Observe this: (1) Temptation comes when you’re alone without support. Just as a wolf looks for the sheep that wanders from the safety of the fold, when you neglect Christian fellowship and cut yourself off from other believers, the Enemy rejoices. You say, “But I have the Lord with me always.” Yes, but here is how the Bible teaches us to overcome temptation: “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT). We are born, and born again, to walk this journey with others. Paul writes, “The body is not made up of one part but of many…. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!'” (1 Corinthians 12:14, 21 NIV). Walking in step with other believers increases your protection against Satan.
(2) Your greatest weapon in the hour of temptation is knowing God’s Word. Jesus repelled Satan’s attacks by quoting it. Satan is rendered powerless when he is confronted by a believer who declares, “It is written!” You must decide to take a stand, but it’s your stance on God’s Word that makes the Enemy retreat. When Satan approached, Jesus didn’t go looking for a Bible; He quoted the Word He knew by heart. That’s your key to victory. John says, “I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God’s Word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one” (1 John 2:14 NLT).
Soul food: Isa 53-57; Luke 3:21-38; Ps 84; Prov 2:16-19
2023-01-17
Luke 4:2 NIV
Here are some practical pointers from Jesus for handling temptation: (1) Your temptations are like the ones He faced. “Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are” (Hebrews 4:15 CEV). You say, “But you don’t understand how bad my temptations are.” No, but Jesus does. The fact that “He was tempted in every way” means He has been there, felt the urge, and understands your vulnerability firsthand. You can turn to Him when temptation hits, confident He has walked the same path and He will help you.
(2) Temptation often comes after spiritual victory. Jesus had just been baptized, the Holy Spirit descended on Him, and God declared His pleasure in His Son – then Satan struck full force (See Matthew 3:16-17; 4:1-11). High spiritual moments can leave you with your guard down, susceptible to attack. Paul says, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV). People often crash and burn after big accomplishments. Ministers, for example, can be prone to temptation after delivering a great sermon.
(3) Temptation comes when you’re exhausted. Forty days without eating had left Jesus physically depleted. When your resources are drained, you’re a target for attack. Lack of sleep, unhealthy diet, stretching yourself too thin, no exercise, anxiety, and discouragement can open the door to temptation. When you feel down, your focus blurs, your awareness is dulled, your spiritual edge diminishes, and you’re not on guard against the Enemy’s approaches and schemes.
The Bible says, “Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up” (1 Peter 5:8 MSG).
Soul food: Isa 49-52; Luke 3:11-20; Ps 81; Prov 2:11-15
