2021-06-01
Proverbs 21:6 NIV
One day a clergyman was walking down the street when he saw a group of boys surrounding a dog. “What are you doing?” he demanded. One of the boys replied, “He’s a neighbourhood stray. We all want him, but only one of us can take him home. So we’ve decided whoever can tell the biggest lie will get to keep him.”
The preacher declared, “You boys shouldn’t be having a contest that involves lying!” Then he launched into a sermon beginning with, “It’s a sin to lie,” and ending with, “When I was your age, I never told a lie.” There was dead silence for a minute. Then just as he was beginning to think he’d gotten through to the boys, one of them gave a deep sigh and said, “All right, give the preacher the dog!”
Seriously, here’s the downside of lying: (1) You always have to remember what you said, and your memory just isn’t that good, so chances are you’ll be exposed. (2) You have to live with yourself knowing you lied and violated your character. That’s hard to do. (3) When you decide to pray, the first thing that will come to your mind is the last thing you’ll want to discuss with God; your lies. (4) Contrary to what you may think, forbidden fruit isn’t sweet, it’s sour.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21 NKJV). You’ll have to live with the taste of that lie in your mouth. Wouldn’t it be better just to be honest?
Soul food: Rev 1-4; Mark 13:12-23; Ps 117; Prov 12:20-22
2021-05-31
James 1:3 NIV
Perseverance keeps you going when friends fail you, discouragement whispers, “Give up,” and doubt says, “It can’t be done.” It’s your anchor in life’s storms, your compass when you’re lost, and the head of steam that gets you up the next hill. James says, “The testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Perseverance, which means to “keep on keeping on,” develops your faith. When the process is complete, God will end the trial, and not before.
Meanwhile, here are three Scriptures you need to stand on: (1) “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you” (Isaiah 43:1-2 NIV).
(2) “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV).
(3) “People are watching us as we stay at our post…working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we’re telling the truth…when God’s showing his power; when we’re doing our best setting things right; when we’re praised, and when we’re blamed; slandered, and honoured; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God;…immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy;…having nothing, having it all” (2 Corinthians 6:1-10 MSG).
So persevere; everything you’re going through right now will be more than worth it in the end.
Soul food: 1 Ki 21-22; Mark 13:1-11; Ps 82; Prov 12:18-19
2021-05-30
2 Thessalonians 3:3 NIV
Most of our worries can be summed up in two words: “What if?” What if the medical tests are bad…what if the market plummets…what if my mate walks out…what if I lose my job…the list is endless. “Fear involves torment” (1 John 4:18 NKJV), and by focusing on your worries instead of God’s faithfulness, you’re letting Satan torment you.
But you don’t have to! Jesus tells us not to be “fearful…and unsettled” (John 14:27 AMPC). Paul says, “Leave no…room…for the devil [give no opportunity to him]” (Ephesians 4:27 AMPC). And Solomon writes: “The days of the…afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances]” (Proverbs 15:15 AMPC).
If you’re afraid of what lies ahead, stop and look back at God’s faithfulness. He’s “utterly trustworthy…He will…[fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you]” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 AMPC). So if you’re plagued by worry, here are some Bible promises you can stand on. “Praise…the Lord, who has given rest to his people…just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave” (1 Kings 8:56 NIV).
You say, “But I’ve failed God. Can I really expect Him to help me?” Yes, because even “if we are faithless, he remains faithful” (2 Timothy 2:13 NIV). Before God redeemed you and made you His child, He was aware of all your faults, flaws, and failures. Nevertheless, His Word says He’s “faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” So the word for you today is – don’t worry, God is faithful.
Soul food: Exo 16:1-35; John 6:30-40
2021-05-29
Hebrews 12:1 NIV
The story is told of a traveler who met a guru along the road and asked him, “Where’s the road to success?” The bearded sage didn’t speak but instead pointed to a place off in the far distance. The man, thrilled at the prospect of quick and easy success, rushed off in the appropriate direction. Splat! Down he went! He limped back, bruised and stunned. Assuming he must have misinterpreted the message, he repeated his question, and again the philosopher pointed silently in the same direction. So the traveler took off once more. This time the splat was deafening. Crawling back bloody, broken, and irate, he shouted at the guru, “I asked you which way is success! I followed the direction you indicated, and all I got was splattered! No more pointing – talk!” Only then did the sage speak. “Success is that way. It’s just a little beyond the splat.”
The fact is, all of us have experienced “the splat.” There’s no way to avoid it. But it’s what we do after the splat that makes all the difference. And perseverance always wins. The Bible says: “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Champion racer Rick Mears is attributed with saying: “To finish first, you must first finish.” So if you’ve fallen, get up again and keep going.
American educator Hamilton Holt said: “Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Half effort does not produce half results. It produces no results. Work, continuous work and hard work, is the only way to accomplish results that last.” So the word for you today is – keep persevering and you’ll win.
Soul food: 1 Ki 18:16-20:43; Mark 12:28-44; Ps 113; Prov 12:15-17
2021-05-28
1 Corinthians 7:33-34 NKJV
Doctor James Dobson writes: “Which of the following couples is more likely to enjoy the greatest physical attraction in the marriage? The couple that spends every waking hour together and focuses almost exclusively on one another, or the man and woman who has other interests, and then after some time of independence, come closer together again as the pendulum swings? Surprisingly, it’s the one that varies from time to time.
According to behavioral researchers, the healthiest marriages and those with the highest sexual voltage are those that breathe – relationships that move from a time of closeness and tenderness to a more distant posture, and then come together for another reunion as the cycle concludes. This is why it’s not always advantageous for a husband and wife to work together, or to concentrate exclusively on one another in the absence of friends and colleagues outside the family.
There is something about the diversity of interests and activities by each partner that keeps the couple from consuming one another and burning out the relationship in the short run. Marriage is, after all, a marathon and not a sprint. Husbands and wives need to maintain a regenerating system that will keep love alive for a lifetime. Cultivating a healthy interest in many things is one big step in that direction.”
How do you do this? (1) By sharing without smothering. (2) By being so secure in your love that you trust one another. (3) By recognizing that your partner’s personal growth requires some elements you cannot personally provide, and being okay with that.
Soul food: 1 Ki 16:1-18:15; Mark 12:13-27; Ps 108; Prov 12:14
2021-05-27
1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV
Have you heard the story about the woman who had a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital? On the operating table she had a near-death experience during which she saw God and asked Him if her life was over. “No,” God replied, “You have another forty-three years, two months, and eights days left to live.”
The woman was so thrilled she decided to stay in the hospital and have a face-lift, liposuction, a tummy tuck – the whole works. She even had a stylist come in and change her hair color, figuring since she had so much time left, she should make the most of it. After being discharged from the hospital, however, she was crossing the road when she was killed by a speeding ambulance. Arriving back in God’s presence, she fumed, “I thought you said I had forty-plus years left.” Whereupon God replied, “I’m sorry, I didn’t recognize you.”
Seriously, God will help you to be the best you can be, but He won’t help you become something He never intended you to be. So accept yourself, love yourself, and enjoy being the best version of yourself.
English theologian Julius Hare said, “Be what you are. This is the first step toward becoming better than you are.” When you think about it, the opposite of courage isn’t fear, it’s conformity. And nothing is more exhausting and frustrating than trying to live your life as someone you’re not. So today be who God made you to be! Rise up and declare this with the apostle Paul: “By the grace of God I am what I am.”
Soul food: 1 Ki 14-15; Mark 12:1-12; Ps 101; Prov 12:12-13
