2022-04-22
James 5:16 NCV
While vacationing in England, D.L. Moody visited a London church that was spiritually dead. The pastor recognized him and asked him to preach at the morning service. Reluctantly, Moody agreed. Afterward, he told a friend the congregation was so unresponsive it was all he could do to finish his sermon. Later, he remembered he had committed to preach there again that night. Wishing he had never interrupted his vacation plans, he spent the afternoon dreading what was ahead.
But behind the scenes, something was happening that Moody knew nothing about. After the morning service, an elderly lady met her invalid sister for lunch and told her about Moody’s upcoming visit. Her sister’s eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, “I’ve been praying God would send Moody to England! Put away the lunch, Sis. We’ll spend the afternoon fasting and praying for tonight’s service.”
When Moody took the pulpit that night, an “electric” sense of God’s presence filled the sanctuary. He preached like a man on fire, and when he issued an invitation for people to follow Christ, five hundred responded. Thinking they had misunderstood, Moody had them sit down while he re-explained the gospel call. But when he issued a second invitation, the same five hundred stood to receive Christ. That Sunday initiated one of the greatest revivals ever to sweep England.
What helped make it happen? Two elderly ladies who understood their church desperately needed the fire of God’s Spirit. They believed God’s promise, “When a believing person prays, great things happen.” Today, tap into the power of prayer. Your prayers can help ignite the fire of God and make great things happen.
Soul food: 1 Cor 12-14; Luke 24:50-53; Ps 103:1-12; Pro 10:13
2022-04-21
Matthew 6:18 NKJV
Have you ever been to a concert where they used the latest audio-video equipment? Chances are, you were blown away by the multidimensional sights and sounds, and afterward, left talking about the amazing skills of the performers. If the performance went without a hitch, you probably didn’t think about the sound and lighting techs. Usually we only notice them when the equipment fails. They’re the invisible element; the people who do their job by making the star look and sound great. The real accolades go to those in the spotlight. That’s the order of things in the kingdom of man.
But the kingdom of God operates on the principle that “the last shall be first, and the first last” (Matthew 20:16 KJV). Jesus said when you fast, pray, and give without looking for recognition, “your Father who sees [your actions] in secret will reward you openly.”
On a big ship, only the captain and a handful of officers are visible on the bridge. But the crew below deck determine the ship’s progress for most of the voyage. And in God’s church, it’s the “engine-room crew” who faithfully carry out much of the work: janitorial staff, nursery workers, bus drivers, parking lot attendants, nursing home visitors, prison outreach workers, and prayer warriors.
While high-profile people tend to get most of the kudos, God reserves special recognition and rewards for the below-deck crew! And if you’re one of them, soon enough you will hear His public announcement, “Good servant… you have been faithful in a small matter” (Luke 19:17 CEB). And when that happens, everything else will pale by comparison!
Soul food: 1 Cor 10-11; Luke 24:45-49; Ps 130; Pro 10:12
2022-04-20
Proverbs 24:16 NIV
If you have ever seen a child learning to walk, you know that falling down is an important part of the process. Getting back up again is crucial to developing the child’s balance and muscle development. Likewise, a boxer isn’t disqualified because he gets knocked down; he’s disqualified because he doesn’t get back up. Boxers know they will go down, so they focus on the art of falling safely and getting up quickly. Children and boxers both learn this: It’s all about getting up again.
The Bible tells us that falling is common to both the righteous and unrighteous. It’s getting up again that sets them apart: “If good people fall… they will get back up. But when trouble strikes the wicked, that’s the end of them” (v. 16 CEV). The unrighteous stay down – the righteous get up again!
In Scripture, some of God’s greatest servants fell into personal failure. Abram lied to Pharaoh about his wife, Sarai (See Genesis 12:11-17). Jacob deceived his father and stole his brother’s birthright (See Ge 27:17-29). In anger, Moses disobeyed God by striking the rock (See Numbers 20:7-12). Yet instead of being disqualified, they “were all commended for their faith” (Hebrews 11:39 NIV).
How come? Because they acknowledged their sin and received God’s forgiveness. In other words, they fell, but they got up again. And when you fall, you can get up again too. That’s the “faith” part of your journey. Staying down is failure accepted – getting back up is faith activated!
Soul food: 1 Cor 7-9; Luke 24:36-44; Ps 127; Pro 10:11
2022-04-19
2 Corinthians 5:19 NIV
God created us to enjoy unbroken fellowship with Him and each other. (And he designed marriage as the epitome of human relationships.) That’s why Satan’s first ploy was to separate us from God – and from each other. Using things like pride, stubbornness, confusion, resentment, and selfishness, he drives wedges and polarizes relationships. What starts out as a misunderstanding often ends in angry standoffs or toxic silences that last for hours, days, and sometimes years.
Furthermore, we delude ourselves by thinking it’s nobody else’s business. The fallout can’t be contained. It affects every relationship in our lives – all because we’re determined to prove we’re right and the other person is wrong. And it’s not just a psychological problem; it’s a sin problem in need of a divine solution!
Here is how God handles polarized relationships. Paul writes, “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.” Sin destroyed our relationship with God. Yet He took the initiative by giving Jesus “as a ransom [price paid] for many” (Mark 10:45 NIV), in order to reconcile us to Himself. Reconciling means bringing back together what belongs together! Notice this: God doesn’t count “people’s sins against them.” Neither does He trivialize or ignore our sin debt. He canceled it at the cross and stopped holding it against us. And it didn’t end there. He “made us agents of… reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19 PHPS) by calling us “to settle our relationships with each other” (v. 19 MSG).
Sometimes that means eating humble pie, becoming the reconciler, taking the initiative, and ending the standoff. Are you ready to do that today?
Soul food: 1 Cor 4-6; Luke 24:25-35; Ps 43; Pro 10:10
2022-04-18
Colossians 3:13 CEV
Building a successful relationship calls for focusing on the other person’s strengths instead of their weaknesses. Concerning marriage, Benjamin Franklin said, “Keep your eyes wide open beforehand and half shut afterwards.” It’s a mistake to rush into a lifetime relationship without taking time to get to know the other person. Without due diligence on the front end, you are sure to have problems on the back end. But an important relationship principle lies in learning to forgive and forget.
American politician Edward Wallace Hoch is attributed with saying, “There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it hardly behooves any of us, to talk about the rest of us.” Forgetting can be harder when the offense is great. Small offenses can usually be forgiven quickly; big ones involve a healing process. But until you decide to forgive and forget, the process can’t even start.
Paul writes: “Be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. Put up with each other… forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. Love is more important than anything… It is what ties everything… together” (vv. 12-14 CEV). One author puts it this way: “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.” In other words, when it comes to facing facts you can’t change, pray for grace and learn to live with them.
Why do we need to forgive and forget? Because God says so! You are not designed to carry the physical and mental stress that comes with harboring resentment. Added to which, “You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out” (Galatians 6:1 MSG).
Soul food: 1 Cor 1-3; Luke 24:13-24; Ps 56; Pro 10:8-9
2022-04-17
1 Corinthians 15:4 NLT
“Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 followers at one time… Then He was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all… I also saw Him” (See 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NLT).
Some of history’s greatest intellectuals started as atheists and ended up putting their trust in Christ. Why? They examined the evidence! If Jesus was who He claimed to be, God incarnate, taking upon Himself human form, dying for our sins and rising again, then they knew they had a life-changing decision to make: either accept Him or reject Him. And you must make that same decision.
Peter told his listeners on the day of Pentecost: “You nailed him to a cross… but God… raised him back to life” (Acts 2:23-24 NLT). They said, “What should we do?” Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God” (Acts 2:37-38 NLT). That day three thousand souls were won to Christ and the church was launched.
Bottom line, Jesus died for your sins and rose again to represent you as an advocate before the throne of God. If you are wise you will accept Him as your Lord and Saviour knowing that He will give you an abundant life now, and eternal life in heaven.
Soul food: 1 Cor 15; Luke 24:1-12
