2021-09-15
Romans 6:12 NLT
Paul writes: “Consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ…Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires…[or] let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God” (vv. 11-13 NLT).
If you let it, your body will lead you astray. It’s not that it’s evil, but it has certain appetites which are always ready to respond to surrounding stimuli, all of which are terribly appealing and temporarily satisfying.
Chuck Swindoll writes: “Life on earth is really nothing more than a string of moments…And I don’t want my testimony for Jesus Christ to be shattered by a single moment of indulging my flesh. I don’t want one moment of rage or pride or lust to cast a shadow over a lifetime of walking with my Lord. Frankly, I fear that possibility. And do you know what? I want to fear that possibility. When I stop fearing it – I’m in grave danger.”
So how do you deal with your carnal appetites? The only way is to make God’s Word your code of conduct and refuse to compromise. And if you need a role model you won’t find a better one than Jesus. He said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves” (Matthew 16:24 NIV). Each day, look for an opportunity to deny yourself in some small area. You’ll be surprised how hard it is! But the payoff comes later when you need to deny yourself in a big area of life that has much more riding on it.
Soul food: 2 Cor 1-4; Luke 22:1-13; Ps 78:56-64; Prov 20:25
2021-09-14
Psalm 122:1 NKJV
The psalmist said, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.'” Do you feel that way about God’s house too? And if not, why not?
Paul writes: “God is building a home. He’s using us all – irrespective of how we got here – in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day – a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home” (Ephesians 2:19-22 MSG).
There are times when you need to be alone with God in prayer; there are times you’ll only find the answer you seek when you’re with God’s people. When those who are indwelt by God’s Spirit meet for worship, teaching, encouragement and service, God shows up in a powerful way. You grow spiritually as you experience His presence, hear His Word, and fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Every time you gather with other members of Christ’s body, it reminds you again that you’re on the winning side.
It’s hard to celebrate by yourself. When you’ve something worth celebrating you generally call folks together so you can share the joy, right? Jesus is so excited about His victory at the cross, that He calls us together every week to celebrate what He accomplished for us. And celebration, like spiritual growth, is a group project.
Soul food: Eze 46-48; Luke 21:25-38; Ps 78:40-55; Prov 20:22-24
2021-09-13
2 Timothy 4:16-17 NLT
When someone you love dies, divorces or deserts you, it hurts deeply. Even Paul wasn’t exempt. Here are some of his last words: “Timothy, please come as soon as you can. Demas has deserted me…Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me…Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm…The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me…But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength…he rescued me from certain death. Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and bring me safely into his heavenly Kingdom” (vv. 9-18 NLT).
The fact is, you can survive without others but you can’t survive without God. That’s why He strips away things that make us dependent on people. He sends certain individuals into your life to help build your faith and develop your character, and when they’re gone, to leave you with the assurance that God is in control.
The loss of loved ones: (1) develops your spiritual muscle; (2) tests your resilience; (3) shows you the scope of God’s power. When Moses died and Joshua was left in charge, God told him, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you” (Joshua 1:5 NKJV). That’s something Joshua could never have learned while Moses was still in the picture. And it’s a lesson you can’t learn while you’re looking to someone else for your answers. So, turn to the Lord. Let the one who said, “Peace be still” to the storm on Galilee, speak peace to the thing that’s troubling you today.
Soul food: Eze 43-45; Luke 21:12-24; Ps 78:32-39; Prov 20:20-21
2021-09-12
Psalm 112:8 NKJV
To achieve success in life there are three obstacles you’ll have to be aware of and overcome: (1) Weariness. It’s reputed that during the Kentucky Derby the winning horse runs out of oxygen after the first half-mile and runs the rest of the way on “heart.” So, look into your heart today and see if you are truly committed. “Do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:35-36 NKJV).
(2) Fear. When it comes to commitment, there are four kinds of people. (a) Cop-outs: people who have no goals and who don’t commit. (b) Hold-outs: people who don’t know if they can reach their goals so they’re afraid to commit. (c) Drop-outs: people who start toward a goal but quit when the going gets tough. (d) All-outs: people who set goals, commit to them and pay the price to reach them. Which one of the four are you? Fear and faith will always be present in your life, and the one you choose will determine whether you succeed or fail.
(3) Complacency: Successful businessman Ray Kroc said, “As long as you’re green, you’re growing. As soon as you’re ripe, you start to rot.” If you’re wise, you’ll take regular rest periods to refresh, renew, and refocus. But you must not settle for yesterday’s successes, or coast on today’s momentum. Be like Paul: “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race” (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT).
Soul food: Jonah 1:10-2:10; Matt 12:38-42
2021-09-11
1 John 4:8 NKJV
Love is not just a noun; it’s a verb. It’s not what you think or feel; it’s what you do.
When Mother Teresa arrived in Calcutta in 1948, one of the first things she did was pick up five abandoned children and bring them to her “school.” Before the year ended she had forty-one students learning about hygiene in her classroom, which was in a public park. Soon her work became known as “The Missionaries of Charity.” Within two years their attention was turned to the care of the dying, and a beggar found dying on a rubbish heap was picked up and brought to her. Hunger and suffering had reduced him to a virtual skeleton. Mother Teresa took him home and put him in bed. When she tried to wash him, she discovered that his body was covered with worms. Pieces of skin came off as she bathed him. For a brief moment the man revived. In his semiconscious state he asked, “Why do you do it?” Mother Teresa responded with two words that were the hallmark of her life: “For love!”
Busy person, it’s easy to see people as irritants and inconveniences standing in the way of your getting things done. What’s hard, is to rise above your self-centered feelings and love them. Maybe you think this is no big deal! Think again; The Bible says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (vv. 7-8 NKJV).
Soul food: Eze 40:10-42:20; Luke 21:1-11; Ps 78:17-31; Prov 20:15-19
2021-09-10
Proverbs 3:3 ESV
Before the Passover meal, all the disciples forgot to wash Jesus’ feet. Bad performance! And after Jesus explained how the bread and wine symbolized his upcoming crucifixion, they started arguing about who would be the greatest in the Kingdom. Bad performance! Jesus also knew that within hours they’d fall asleep on him in the Garden of Gethsemane. Bad performance! And He knew Peter would deny him. Bad performance!
So how did Jesus grade them? He didn’t! He doesn’t grade people. And you don’t have to either. You’ll find wonderful rest in your soul once you stop grading people, and instead start loving them from where they are to where they need to be.
Rather than rebuking the disciples, Jesus compliments, rewards, promotes, and puts them on heaven’s honour roll. Even after they failed to wash his feet He still desired to eat Passover with them (See Luke 22:15). Nourished by their love, He said, “Ye are they which…continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom…that ye may eat and drink at my table…and sit on thrones” (Luke 22:28-30 KJV).
On his most agonizing night He passed out Christmas gifts, and gave his very young disciples more than He ever gave anybody in terms of honour and glory. In His eyes they were all great. He didn’t grade them on their performance, but on their love that motivated them to forsake all and stick with Him through thick and thin.
Reimar Schultze says, “Don’t set up standards for yourself. That can kill you. As Jesus loved His disciples then, so He loves them now. So stop fussing and nitpicking at yourself and others!”
Soul food: Eze 37:1-40:9; Luke 20:41-47; Ps 78:9-16; Prov 20:11-14
