2022-02-22
2 Timothy 4:7 NKJV
Seneca the Younger said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” As you read in Scripture about the people God used to accomplish great things, you discover that much of their time was spent preparing for what seems like a relatively brief assignment. The ego in each of us craves two things – limelight and longevity! But with God only one thing matters: doing His will. When you can say like Paul, “I have finished the race,” you have lived successfully.
So, who does God use? Those who are prepared! Whether you’re called to business, art, education, politics, medicine, or ministry, this principle is immutable: Opportunity comes to the prepared. That means every experience in life has potential value. Disraeli said, “One secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his time when it comes.”
And it’s not enough to simply get prepared; you must stay prepared. Solomon writes, “Hold on to instruction…guard it well, for it is your life” (Proverbs 4:13 NIV). Knowledge in most fields doubles about every five years, and unless you keep growing, you will end up with outdated skills that don’t match the challenges of the world you live in.
And here is another thing: Preparation doesn’t start with what you do; it starts with what you believe. When you believe that tomorrow’s success depends on today’s preparation, you see today differently. Queen Elizabeth I reputedly offered the royal physicians up to half her estate if they could extend her lifespan. But of course, they couldn’t. That’s why the Bible says it’s important to recognize “how short our lives really are so that we may be wise” (Psalm 90:12 NCV).
Soul food: Isa 58-62; Luke 11:1-13; Ps 36; Pro 5:21-23
2022-02-21
Hebrews 11:5 NKJV
When you grow up with rejection, it can manifest itself in a need to isolate and withdraw or in a drive to constantly “prove yourself.” One man said it like this: “I can still hear my father yelling, telling me I’d never be any good, never amount to anything. The more he yelled, the more determined I became to prove him wrong.” Are the wrong voices speaking to you? If they are – read on!
The Bible says Enoch “had this testimony, that he pleased God.” How? “By faith” (v. 5 NKJV). God sees you differently than your parents or peers do. Their acceptance is often based on your performance, whereas God’s acceptance is based on your position. Paul writes, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us…that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV). God sees us wrapped in the righteousness of Christ; therefore, we’re always acceptable.
That doesn’t mean you don’t work hard; it means working for the right reasons. Instead of striving for God’s approval, you serve Him out of gratitude. Once you know that your identity and worth aren’t tied to the car you drive, the home you live in, how much you earn, or the people you mix with, it changes your motivation. Instead of being concerned about the neighborhood you live in, you become concerned about your neighbors. Instead of focusing on how much money you make, your focus becomes financing God’s kingdom. Instead of worrying about your job title, your goal becomes performing with excellence and integrity. In other words, instead of just working hard, you’re doing it for the right reasons.
Soul food: Isa 53-57; Luke 10:38-42; Ps 33:13-22; Pro 5:15-20
2022-02-20
Ephesians 6:6 NIV
The word “slave” has a negative connotation, but not in this Scripture. Knowing how pressures and people distract us from our God-given purpose, Paul uses the strongest possible language to remind us that we’re supposed to be “enslaved” to doing God’s will.
Jesus loved people so much that one day He would die to redeem them, but that didn’t stop Him from saying no when He needed to. Pleasing and appeasing people to win their approval is never a good idea because it puts someone other than God in the driver’s seat of your life. Instead of letting Himself be sidetracked, (1) Jesus refused to let other people’s idea of what was important keep Him from His mission, (2) Jesus recognized that doing God’s will was more important than trying to meet everybody else’s expectations, and (3) Jesus made prayer and uninterrupted time with His Father a top priority.
Was that easy? No, and it won’t be easy for you either! Early in His ministry when word spread about His miracles, a “whole town gathered…and Jesus healed many” (Mark 1:33-34 NIV). The next morning another crowd was waiting on His doorstep! And how Jesus responded this time might surprise you. “While it was still dark, Jesus…left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!’ Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else…so I can preach there also. That is why I have come'” (vv. 35-38 NIV).
Jesus was enslaved to doing God’s will, and you must be too.
Soul food: Ps 23; John 10:7-18
2022-02-19
Jeremiah 29:12 CEV
Because they disobeyed God, the Jews spent seventy years as slaves in Babylon. They lost their joy, their freedom, and their identity; all the things that make life worth living. But God wasn’t through with them. He told them this: “After…seventy years, I will be kind and bring you back to Jerusalem, just as I have promised. I will bless you with a future filled with hope – a future of success, not of suffering. You will turn back to me…ask for help, and I will answer your prayers. You will worship me with all your heart, and I will be with you and accept your worship….You feel secure” (vv. 10-15 CEV).
Maybe you have veered off course. We all have at one time or another. But when you read biblical accounts of the people God blessed and used, you discover that failing isn’t unusual. Often, it’s part of the learning curve. The fact is, there is nothing in your past or present that God can’t use.
When we come into this world, none of us knows exactly what we’re supposed to do with our lives. And that’s okay. Just start where you are right now. When God puts your life back on track, He starts by giving you a sense of hope, because only God-given hope will sustain you through the rough times. If you’re wondering whether you will ever get to where you’re supposed to be in life, go back and reread what God promised His people: “A future filled with hope” (v. 11 CEV). And the God who gave Israel another chance will give you one, too, when you turn to Him.
Soul food: Isa 49-52; Luke 10:25-37; Ps 33:1-12; Pro 5:7-14
2022-02-18
Psalm 119:18 NIV
The key to Bible study is to do it daily, systematically, and prayerfully. The psalmist prayed, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” This involves three things:
(1) God will show you the truth about Himself. You will discover His nature, His opinions, and what He values. And if you grew up with an absent or abusive parent, you will discover that your heavenly Father is entirely different – lovingly different!
(2) God will show you the truth about others. You will begin to understand and appreciate their places in your life. You will also learn to recognize and anticipate their needs and the role God wants you to play in helping them. You see, when God blesses you, it’s always to make you a blessing to others (See Genesis 12:1-2).
(3) God will show you the truth about yourself. You will start to grasp and appreciate how important you are to Him. Yes, He will point out your problems and weaknesses. But He will do more than that. He will show you the possibilities He sees in you and the plans He has for you (See Jeremiah 29:11).
So, set aside time each day to study your Bible. And spend part of it simply reading, without trying to delve into complex theological concepts. Read and absorb what God has to say, and let His Spirit speak to your heart. And here is an additional thought: Since the Bible is the only book God ever wrote, and one day you’re going to stand before the author Himself, wouldn’t you like to be able to tell Him you have read His book?
Soul food: Isa 45-48; Luke 10:13-24; Ps 28; Pro 5:3-6
2022-02-17
James 3:16 NCV
When a well-known pastor was asked by a skeptic, “Do you believe there is such a thing as a real devil?” he smiled and replied, “Have you ever been to an annual church business meeting?” Seriously, if you have been a church member for any length of time, you know that strife rears its ugly head in the family of God just like it does everywhere else.
Paul and Barnabas, a brilliant ministry team, allowed their differences over John Mark to separate them to where they could no longer work together. Later Paul changed his mind, but the die was already cast. He appealed “to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News” (Philippians 4:2-3 NLT).
Strife hinders our prayers, takes our focus off lost souls, and makes us ineffective in our ministry. We must learn to respect each other’s talents, perspectives, and positions instead of envying them. In other words, learn to disagree without being disagreeable. The Bible says: “Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace” (James 3:16-18 KJV).
God blesses peacemakers (See Matthew 5:9), so when strife arises in your church, make it your mission to sow seeds of peace!
Soul food: Isa 42-44; Luke 10:1-12; Ps 5; Pro 5:1-2
