2021-09-27
1 Corinthians 9:22 NKJV
Paul wouldn’t yield an inch on Bible truth, but when it came to customs, traditions, and people’s preferences, he refused to fight about them. For example, some of the Corinthian Christians thought because certain meats were offered in worship to idols it was sinful to eat them. So did Paul handle it by standing up and declaring, “I’m not going to allow you to impose your unscriptural convictions on me”?
No. He wrote: “Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as…real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do. But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble” (1 Corinthians 8:7-9 NLT). Then he bottom-lines it by saying, “I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22 NLT).
God didn’t call us to win theological arguments; He called us to win people to Christ. So be gracious toward those who don’t think like you, dress like you, or care about some of the things you care about. Be gracious toward those whose worship style and fine points of theology differ from yours. “Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3 NLT).
Soul food: 1 Sam 8-10; Luke 23:26-34; Ps 54; Prov 21:18-21
2021-09-26
Psalm 25:16 NLT
David, who committed adultery with another man’s wife, prayed: “Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress. My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all!…See how many enemies I have and how viciously they hate me! Protect me! Rescue my life from them! Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge. May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you” (vv. 16-21 NLT). How can you protect yourself in areas where you’re vulnerable?
(1) By staying close to God. When you’re lonely, distancing from God doesn’t make sense. It just increases your exposure to things like infidelity, pornography, drugs, and alcohol.
(2) By coming out of hiding. Get involved in some aspect of ministry. Be willing to be more transparent by getting to know others and letting them get to know you. Shakespeare said, “Fire that is closest kept burns most of all.” When you spend time around people who truly care about you, loneliness ceases to be such an issue.
(3) By taking the focus off yourself. Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Victory comes by reaching out to those in need; by giving of yourself, praying for them, loving and serving them.
(4) By forgiving those who’ve hurt you. Isolating yourself when you’ve been hurt just leads to bitterness. Forgive, turn it over to God, let Him deal with your offender – and get on with your life.
Soul food: Gen 24:1-51; 2 Cor 6:14-7:1
2021-09-25
Ephesians 3:17 NLT
Did your parents fail to make you feel loved? Did your partner desert you? Were you physically, sexually, mentally or emotionally abused? These are painful experiences. And recognizing their source is crucial, especially when it’s a root of rejection. You can resort to all kinds of tactics from people-pleasing to work-a-holism to make yourself feel better, but without a root system of healthy self-esteem, nothing works. Flawed roots produce flawed fruit: feelings of inferiority, worthlessness, anger, inability to trust, and fear of intimacy.
How do you change those fruits? By addressing the root of the problem. How do you do that? “He will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong” (vv. 16-17 NLT).
The assurance of God’s love can bring healing to your emotions – and He doesn’t just “replant” you, He “re-parents” you. That means you no longer have to draw your security and self-worth from your family of origin, for: “Now are we the sons of God” (1 John 3:2). But remember, it’s a process.
Strong roots require three things: (1) Time to grow. Becoming confident in your identity as God’s child is like breaking in new shoes. You must walk in them till they become comfortable. (2) Protection from things that can kill. Surround yourself with people who build you up instead of tearing you down; people “who share the same precious faith” (See 2 Peter 1:1). (3) Spiritual nourishment. Learn to pray and feed yourself regularly from God’s Word (See Job 23:12).
Soul food: 1 Sam 4-7; Luke 23:13-25; Ps 52; Prov 21:17
2021-09-24
Hebrews 5:4 NKJV
When it comes to knowing what God has called you to do in life, you have two options. (1) Speculation. Dr. Hugh Moorhead, who heads the philosophy department at Northeastern Illinois University, wrote to two-hundred-and-fifty well-known philosophers, scientists, writers and intellectuals, asking them the time-honoured question: “What is the meaning of life?” Then he published their responses in a book. Some offered their best guesses, some admitted they had made up a purpose for life, and others were honest enough to say they were clueless. In fact, a number of them asked Moorhead to write back and tell them if he himself had discovered the purpose of life. Thank God there’s a scriptural alternative to speculation!
(2) Revelation. “No man takes this honour to himself, but he who is called by God.” When you know God has called you to do a certain thing you can be confident He will provide the resources, wisdom, connections and strategy. And here’s the great thing – you can find all of these in His Word. The Bible is the original owner’s manual when it comes to explaining why you’re alive, how life works, what to avoid, and what to expect in the future. It explains what no self-help or philosophy book could possibly know.
Paul writes, “God’s wisdom…goes deep into the interior of his purposes…It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest – what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us” (1 Corinthians 2:7 MSG). You’ve been genetically wired to fulfill a certain purpose in life. And to discover it, you must turn to God’s Word and not the world’s wisdom.
Soul food: 1 Sam 1-3; Luke 23:1-12; Ps 34; Prov 21:14-16
2021-09-23
2 Timothy 1:7 NLT
The Bible says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” Overcoming fear begins with understanding that fear is a “spirit”, and it doesn’t come from God. Each time you realize that, you’re less likely to give in to it. So, what has God given us in place of fear?
Three things: (1) Power. Now we’re not simply talking about self-help techniques and stress management. This is deeper than anxiety reduction to make your life more pleasant. It’s a settled conviction that goes down to the core of your being, that all things that concern you are in the hands of a loving God who has only the best in mind for you. Therefore all things will be well, and you can live free of worry.
(2) Love. The Bible says, “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18 NKJV). Only when you realize that you are loved unconditionally by a God who never changes His mind about you, will you learn to love and accept yourself, and then be able to love and accept others. Can you imagine the effect that would have on your fear of people, fear of rejection, and fear of criticism? This kind of love is more than a “feel-good” emotion; it’s a life-changing force.
(3) A sound mind. Paul writes: “We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 MSG).
These three things are God’s answer to worry.
Soul food: Song of Sol 5-8; Luke 22:63-71; Ps 39; Prov 21:9-13
2021-09-22
1 John 4:18 NKJV
Modern science confirms the truth of the Scripture: “There is no fear in love…perfect love casts out fear.” Love and fear are incompatible; they can’t co-exist. Children have two basic needs: (1) A need to explore. That’s how they learn, grow and develop. (2) A need to feel safe. If they don’t feel secure, they won’t explore. Every human being needs a secure base from which to investigate and grow. Research confirms that, generally speaking, one parent more than the other will push a child to take chances, run risks and learn that a little danger is a good thing, while the other parent tends to be the comforter, the soother, the safety net. But the truth is any parent can give a child both gifts.
When we’re afraid, our body activates its sympathetic nervous system. Our heart races, our breathing becomes faster and shallower and our muscles tense up. So we run to our non-anxious presence: our comforter, protector and parent. And as we are held, reassured and loved, the parasympathetic system takes over. Our heart rate slows, our breathing becomes deep and even, our muscles relax and blood flows back to our brain. In essence, a little voice inside us says, “I can go out and face the world again.”
It’s a fact in the physical realm that “perfect love casts out fear.” And it’s also true in the spiritual realm. With a God who is tender enough to love and comfort us, yet strong enough to be our rock and our fortress, we can face what life throws at us and grow stronger as a result.
Soul food: Song of Sol 1-4; Luke 22:54-62; Ps 3; Prov 21:4-8
