2022-06-09
2 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV
The movie Schindler’s List tells the story of one man’s efforts to make the most of a desperate situation. As the director of a munitions factory in Poland, Oskar Schindler decided to use his position to save Jewish lives. By employing them in his factory, Schindler rescued many condemned Jews from the gas chambers. But keeping them employed was costly, and little by little he liquidated his personal property to keep his business afloat. At the end of the story, the Nazis are defeated, and the full impact of Schindler’s efforts is revealed as the dead are counted and the living stagger back to freedom.
In one scene, kneeling by the railroad tracks that had carried thousands to their deaths, Schindler had a startling realization. He could have saved a few more! Overwhelmed with regret, he laments keeping the few personal assets he still owns. If only he had known when the war would end, he would have done more. Now it was too late. Oskar Schindler was a hero. He is credited with saving more Jews during World War II than any other single person. But interestingly, all he could think about was what he didn’t do. He wished he had done more.
A powerful lesson in Schindler’s story is this: Even joyful givers will look back on their lives and wish they had done more. There are also others who gave less than they could have given, or who never gave at all. Can you imagine their thoughts as they stand before God, giving an account of how they used their resources and to be rewarded accordingly? “God loves a cheerful giver,” so today look for opportunities to give.
Soul food: Rev 5-9; Matt 15:29-39; Ps 16; Pro 13:1
2022-06-08
Hebrews 4:16 NLT
Boldness. Boldness isn’t arrogance, presumption, or a sense of entitlement. It’s confidence based on who you are in Christ. Paul writes, “Let us come boldly to the throne of… God. There we will receive his mercy, and… grace to help us when we need it most” (v. 16 NLT). As God’s redeemed child, you have a right to approach Him at any time. And understanding that enables you to overcome Satan’s attempts to make you feel unworthy. It removes your natural inclination to say, “I know God can do it, but it’s hard to believe He will do it for me.” You think like that when you feel unworthy. But the glorious truth is – Jesus has made you worthy! (See Colossians 1:12).
Note also, “We… find grace… when we need it most,” and grace is simply undeserved favour. In other words, God will give you what you don’t deserve when you’re confident enough to ask Him. Plus, you’re asking in Jesus’ name, not your own. You’re presenting to the Father all that Jesus is, not all that you are.
And here is another thought: When you have hidden sin in your heart, you can’t pray with confidence. Unconfessed sin locks you in and shuts God out (See Psalm 66:18). But the good news is, when you ask God to reveal your sin, He will. And when He does, you must deal with it if you want to keep the lines of communication open. If God reminds you of a situation in which you didn’t do the right thing, don’t try to sweep it under the rug. Acknowledge it, receive His forgiveness, and then you can pray with confidence.
Soul food: Rev 1-4; Matt 15:15-28; Ps 129; Pro 12:27-28
2022-06-07
James 4:3 CEV
Right motives. The reason you pray is much more important than the words you say. The motive is the why behind the what. And having a pure heart that loves God and loves people is always acceptable to the Lord. On the other hand, selfishness is unacceptable, revenge is unacceptable, manipulation and control are unacceptable, jealousy is unacceptable, pride is unacceptable, and praying to win the lottery is unacceptable. In fact, anything that’s selfishly based is an unacceptable motive. Somebody once asked a little boy if he said his prayers every night. He thought about it for a second and replied, “No, some nights I don’t need anything.”
Sound familiar? The first and foremost reason for prayer is to develop an intimate relationship with God. Think about it: How long do you think your marriage would last if you only came home to see your spouse when you needed clean laundry, a good meal, and a little loving? Not very long, right? The same principle applies to prayer. Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7 NKJV). When you focus on “abiding” in Christ, you will get a response to your “asking.”
James writes, “Your prayers are not answered, because you pray… for selfish reasons.” The truth is, we’re innately self-centered. That’s why we need to purify our hearts on a regular basis – and that calls for examining our motives. It may be painful at first, but you must do it if you want to see your prayers answered.
Soul food: 1 Kings 21-22; Matt 15:1-14; Ps 124; Pro 12:26
2022-06-06
1 John 5:14 NIV
Knowing God’s will. John writes: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him” (vv. 14-15 NIV). One of the surest ways to know you’re praying according to God’s will is to pray according to His Word.
Use the Scriptures to back up what you’re praying for. Say, “Lord, you promised it in your Word, and I’m believing you for it.” Sometimes there are things we want to pray for, but we aren’t sure whether those things are God’s will for us according to Scripture. In that case, you need to ask God to give it to you if it’s His will – and to help you be satisfied with His decision.
Saint Augustine prayed, “Grant that I may do Thy will as if it were my will, so that Thou mayest do my will as if it were Thy will.” D. L. Moody put it this way: “Spread out your petition before God, and then say, ‘Thy will, not mine, be done.’ The sweetest lesson I have learned in God’s school is to let the Lord choose for me.”
Now you may have to wait, because God’s timing is part of His will. Be patient; it will happen. You may not see it yet, but God has promised and it’s on the way. And remember, if He doesn’t give you what you asked for, He will give you something better when you walk in faith and keep a good attitude.
Soul food: 1 Kings 18:16-20:43; Matt 14:22-36; Ps 116; Pro 12:25
2022-06-05
Hebrews 11:6 CEV
Just as the right key opens the door, there are scriptural principles that guarantee your prayers will be answered. For the next few days, let’s look at them.
Faith. “Without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and that he rewards everyone who searches for him” (v. 6 CEV). God doesn’t necessarily respond to your need. Look around and you will see that everyone has unmet needs. So what does God respond to? Your faith!
But Satan will try to fill your mind with doubts. And when he does, you need to examine your heart and see what it says. You can believe God’s Word in your heart even when your mind questions it. So stand on what’s in your heart instead of what’s in your head. Sometimes doubt begins with distraction. When you’re distracted from God’s promises, you start to doubt. And as you focus more and more on your problems, your faith begins to waver. When that happens, you must refocus like a laser on God’s promises – and merely glance at your problems.
Don’t try to deny them, but don’t give them undue attention. The Bible says: “When you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all” (James 1:6-8 CEV). Stay anchored to God’s Word, and don’t drift all over the place when your circumstances begin to change.
Soul food: Lev 23:15-22; Acts 2:1-18
2022-06-04
Philippians 3:10 NLT
Paul said, “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death.” Let’s take an in-depth look at this verse.
(1) “I want to know Christ.” In Scripture, the word “know” indicates physical intimacy between two people who love one another. For example, “Adam knew Eve… and she conceived and bore Cain” (Genesis 4:1 NKJV).
(2) “And experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.” What’s dead in your life that needs to be raised? There is no problem that Christ’s resurrection power can’t handle. And how do you access it? When you make intimacy with Christ your top priority, you tap into His power. Some of us would be more comfortable if the verse ended after the words, “the mighty power that raised him from the dead.”
But the truth is, if you want intimacy with Christ, you must be willing to “suffer with Him.” Here, the word “suffer” isn’t referring to a bad allergy season or a losing streak on the stock market. For Paul, it meant being beaten, betrayed, and beheaded. But it brought a level of intimacy with Jesus that can’t be experienced any other way. If you have ever suffered deeply with another person, you understand this principle. You will never experience true intimacy with somebody by telling them, “I only want to share the good times with you.” Often, the strongest relationship bonds come from the suffering we go through together; trials that cause us to know, love, and trust each another in a newer, deeper dimension.
Soul food: 1 Kings 16:1-18:15; Matt 14:13-21; Ps 121; Pro 12:23-24
