2022-05-04
1 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV
When you read God’s Word and believe it and act on it, it’s like seeds growing inside you. Those seeds have life! In the natural world, you don’t have to understand the process by which seeds grow; you just have to water, nurture, and protect them. And it’s the same with Scripture.
Paul writes, “You welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe” (v. 13 NKJV). Note the phrase “effectively works in you.” God’s Word is self-sustaining; it doesn’t require others to validate it. In the New Testament account, when Jesus was walking on the water toward His disciples, Peter said, “Lord, if it’s you… tell me to come” (Matthew 14:28 NIV). Jesus gave him one word, “Come” (v. 29 NIV), and Peter started walking. The other disciples probably didn’t believe Peter could do it. That’s because they didn’t understand who was speaking to Peter. “They thought [Jesus] was a ghost” (Mark 6:49 NIV)!
There is a lesson here for us all. When God speaks to you through His Word, don’t expect everybody to understand, agree, or support you. It’s only human to want certain people to see what you see and believe in what you do. But in this Scripture, God prepares us for rejection by those who don’t understand what God has told us. If you’re not careful, people’s opinions can make you doubt what God has said. Sometimes He confirms what He told you through others, and sometimes He doesn’t. But as long as you feed on His Word and believe it, it “effectively works in you.”
Soul food: Num 3:1-4:33; Matt 5:27-37; Ps 2; Pro 10:30-32
2022-05-03
John 6:63 NKJV
God will speak to you through His Word. Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life,” but don’t go cherry-picking for feel-good Scriptures. To grow in faith, you must spend time each day reading through your Bible. You can’t arbitrarily decide that one verse applies to you while another doesn’t. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives… God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT).
To profit in business, you must know your business thoroughly, otherwise you will be out of business. And the way to succeed in your Christian life is to make it your business to know your Bible. It’s like the analogy of the sperm and the egg. Neither the male sperm nor the female egg is capable of reproduction. It’s only when the sperm impacts and is embraced by the egg that conception occurs, leading to life and birth. And it’s the same with your spiritual growth.
When God’s Word and a receptive heart get together, something is going to happen! You can’t beat prolonged exposure to Scripture. Without it, you won’t hear what God is saying to you. You will always be dependent on somebody else’s interpretation. Can you imagine communicating with your husband or wife on that basis? How long do you think your relationship would last? The same principle applies to your relationship with God. Today let God speak to you personally through His Word.
Soul food: Num 1-2; Matt 5:13-26; Ps 35; Pro 10:28-29
2022-05-02
Philippians 4:19 KJV
How can you tell when you’re depending on people rather than God? When you get upset with your boss because you didn’t get the raise you think you deserve. When you become angry with a loved one because he or she turned you down for a loan. When you do things like that, you’re sitting at the wrong door waiting for your blessing! Yes, it hurts when your efforts aren’t acknowledged. But you must understand this: God will use people as instruments to bless you, but He alone must always be the source of all your blessings!
Ponder these Scriptures: “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18 NIV). “When God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them… this is a gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 5:19 NIV). “She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her… silver and gold” (Hosea 2:8 NIV). What was her problem? She ignored God and forgot that He was her true source.
We generally pursue and nurture relationships that are rewarding – and that’s important information. Why? Because only when you recognize God as the source of all your blessings will you commit to nurturing your relationship with Him. That’s why Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33 NIV). When you pursue God, sow generously into His kingdom, and expect Him to meet your needs – your efforts will be blessed.
Soul food: Jam 3-5; Matt 5:1-12; Ps 94:12-23; Pro 10:27
2022-05-01
Psalm 37:21 NIV
Your desire for financial security can discourage you from giving. Why? Because each dollar you give away feels like it’s no longer available for your protection. But the opposite is true. Our sense of freedom and security actually increases when we give, because giving is a declaration that our security rests someplace other than the bank or our own earning capacity.
Giving is an act of confidence in God, and it’s the only way to overcome financial insecurity. Think of all the things in life over which we have little or no control. Illness. Accidents. Job losses. Economic conditions. No wonder we’re insecure! The Bible says: “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:24-25 NIV). To the rational mind it sounds counterintuitive, but to the kingdom mind it makes good sense.
Paul writes: “A few seeds make a small harvest, but a lot of seeds make a big harvest. Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don’t feel sorry that you must give and don’t feel… you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give. God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8 CEV).
In your hand, a dollar will never be worth more than a dollar. But when you sow it into God’s kingdom, it begins a harvest you can reap when you have a need. Giving is truly the key to financial security.
Soul food: 2 Kings 4:42-44; Mark 6:30-44
2022-04-30
Deuteronomy 4:40 NCV
As a parent, you’re constantly transmitting your values to your children, so do these: (1) Let them see you pray. Help them to understand that prayer is how we build a lifelong friendship with God. And they will need His friendship when you’re not around to help them. God said, “When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them” (Psalm 91:15 NLT).
(2) Show them what God is like. Your child’s concept of God is formed by you. Whether you’re loving and protective or distant and cold, they will grow up understanding God through the interactions they have with you. Some examples are that God is never too busy to listen, He constantly tells us He loves us, and He is never abusive. Getting the idea?
(3) Help them to see God in others. When kids are encouraged to see God at work in their own lives, they begin to discern Him at work in the lives of others too. When that happens, they will value and respect others and be valued and respected in return. That will help them to be secure and successful in life.
(4) Don’t send them to church; take them. Children need to believe – and belong. Teach them that just like a limb dies that’s disconnected from a body, we die spiritually unless we are connected to a local church. “Belonging” means they will always have a place to go. The Bible says, “Obey his laws… that things will go well for you and your children” (Deuteronomy 4:40 NCV). Helping your kids to find the right path is the greatest gift you can give them.
Soul food: Jam 1-2; Matt 4:12-25; Ps 94:1-11; Pro 10:24-26
2022-04-29
Philippians 2:4 NKJV
Unselfishness does three things for you: (1) It improves the quality of your life. It gives you an appreciation for life and a comprehension of its higher values. Seeing people in need and giving to meet those needs sets a lot of things into perspective. One leader writes: “There is no life as empty as the self-centered life. There is no life as centered as the self-empty life.” If you want to enhance your world, focus your attention on assisting others.
(2) It makes you part of something greater than yourself. In the mid-1980s, Merck & Company, the global pharmaceutical corporation, developed a medication to cure river blindness, a disease that infects and causes blindness in millions of people, mainly in developing countries. While it was a good product, potential customers couldn’t afford it. So, what did Merck do? It produced the drug anyway and announced that it would give it free to anyone who needed it. As a result, they gave away more than 250 million tablets. George W. Merck says, “We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. It’s not for the profits. The profits follow, and if we have remembered that, they have never failed to appear.” The lesson to learn? Simple. Instead of attempting to be great, be part of something greater than yourself.
(3) It creates a legacy. Jack Balousek, former president of True North Communications, said, “Learn, earn, return – these are the three phases of life.” When you think unselfishly and invest in others, you gain the opportunity to create a legacy that will outlive you. And that should be your goal.
Soul food: Dan 11-12; Matt 4:1-11; Ps 144:9-15; Pro 10:22-23
