2020-12-20
Romans 15:13 AMPC
The Lord has promised us a sense of joy in the midst of every circumstance we face. Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11 NIV). So how can you hold on to your joy and not lose it?
The apostle Paul tells us, “May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope” (Romans 15:13 AMPC). Notice that all-important word “believing.” It’s okay to have questions, but you must never doubt God’s love and faithfulness toward you.
One Bible teacher writes: “I remember an evening when I was feeling strongly dissatisfied and discontented. I had no peace or joy and was absolutely miserable. I read Romans chapter 15:13, and it was indeed ‘a word in season’ for me. My problem was simple: I was doubting instead of believing. I was doubting God’s unconditional love for me, doubting that I could hear from Him, doubting His call on my life, doubting that He was pleased with me. I was filled with doubt…doubt…doubt. When I saw the problem and got back into faith and out of doubt…my joy and peace returned immediately. I’ve found the same thing to be true again and again in my life. When my joy and peace seem to be gone, I check my believing – usually it is gone also.”
And the same principle applies to you today!
Soul food: Jonah 2; Luke 11:29-32
2020-12-19
Matthew 14:22 NIV
When “Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side,” did He know there was a storm brewing? Yes. So why did He send them into the middle of it? To learn, to grow, and to stretch their faith.
The Bible tells us: “Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him…they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost’ they said…But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid!'” (vv. 25-27 NIV).
There are three important lessons here: (1) Serving the Lord doesn’t exempt you from life’s storms, but it protects you when you’re in them. Jesus promised, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV).
(2) What you perceive as another problem heading your way, may be the Lord coming your way. The disciples thought Jesus was a ghost, when in reality He was their deliverer.
(3) Jesus may not show up when you want Him to, but He will always show up on time. The disciples had been in the storm for hours before Jesus appeared. And when He appeared, He said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Notice that before Jesus dealt with what was troubling them on the outside, He calmed them down on the inside. That’s how He works. First He changes us – then He changes our circumstances. As a result, we grow in faith and end up better equipped to handle the next storm that blows into our lives.
Soul food: Micah 5-7; John 21:1-14; Ps 12; Prov 31:1-5
2020-12-18
James 1:19 NKJV
Most men are “fixers” by nature. They fix cars, washing machines, and leaky faucets. So when it seems like their wives would rather talk about problems than fix them, they get frustrated. Often they don’t realize that what she needs is emotional validation more than a solution. And that means sitting down and listening patiently about how she feels. When men do this, their wife’s entire outlook changes. Has the problem been solved? Not necessarily. But an important need has been met.
In the wife’s eyes, the man who pursued her, took her out on romantic dates, and hung on her every word, is letting her know that her feelings still matter to him. The husband who learns this sooner rather than later, will find himself with a happier wife.
Think of it this way: Sometimes our prayers don’t change the circumstances, but we feel better when we’ve prayed, right? That’s because we’ve shared it with the One who’s able, and cares enough to listen, so we come away with a changed outlook. It’s the reason Paul wrote: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave…[His time, attention, support, encouragement, and His life] for her” (Ephesians 5:25 AMPC).
Men who soar in their careers are often clueless about this marriage principle. But it’s not too late to learn. Now, the first time you try it don’t be surprised if your wife seems wary, looks confused, or faints and has to pick herself up off the floor! Her reaction will be proportionate to the length of time you’ve been emotionally absent. So hang in there, and give it time. The rewards will far outweigh the investment.
Soul food: Micah 1-4; John 20:19-31; Ps 67; Prov 30:29-33
2020-12-17
John 11:41 AMPC
Before raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus prayed, “Father, I thank You that You have heard me.” When you know your prayer is in harmony with God’s will, you can wrap it up with the same words: “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.”
Understand this: After you’ve prayed, the Devil wants you to go away and wonder whether or not God actually heard you, or if He’s willing to grant your request. But when you know God has heard your prayer, you have confidence. You think, act, and speak differently. Anxiety is replaced with peace.
Here are a few Scriptures for you to meditate on: “When you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6-7 NIV). “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15 NIV). “If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them…whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:23-24 NIV).
Today begin to thank God that He has heard your prayer, and that He will answer it in the way that’s best for you.
Soul food: Neh 11-13; John 20:10-18; Ps 57; Prov 30:24-28
2020-12-16
Ephesians 4:31 NLT
The words “get rid of all bitterness” paint a picture of a surgeon cutting out a malignant growth in order to save the patient’s life. Another translation, “Looking carefully…lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble” (Hebrews 12:15 NKJV), commands us to be vigilant lest a tiny seed of bitterness becomes a root that springs up and causes problems.
Bitterness has many sources: an absentee or abusive parent we can’t forgive; a nasty divorce we keep reliving; the careless words of a friend who’s not even aware of their effect; a boss who passed us up for a promotion. What’s the answer? Forgive, before the problem becomes embedded in your emotions and starts feeding off your memories.
Paul writes: “Make a clean break…Forgive one another as quickly…as…Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32 TM). And the sooner you do it, the better! Harboring bitterness won’t change the other person, but it will change you – and not for the better.
The heaviest thing you’ll ever carry is a grudge. It will make you a misery to be around because your driving desire will be to see the guilty party punished, especially when you or someone you love is the perceived victim.
What happens is this: Satan enters the picture and convinces you it’s okay to harbor resentment. After all, you’re just protecting yourself from getting hurt again, right? When that happens, you dig in, justify your position, and get comfortable living with resentment. That is, until it destroys you.
But that doesn’t have to happen to you, because there’s no emotion so deeply rooted that God’s grace can’t reach down and remove it. So the word for you today is – “Get rid of all bitterness.”
Soul food: Neh 8-10; John 20:1-9; Ps 105:37-45; Prov 30:20-23
2020-12-15
Psalm 119:104 KJV
True understanding comes from God – it’s a gift only He can give. That’s why Solomon asked God for understanding instead of relying on his own. And God will bestow understanding on you through His Word. “For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6 KJV). David said, “Through thy precepts I get understanding.”
The Bible was written that we might have understanding and be able to interpret life the way God does. Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, told Timothy, “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” (2 Timothy 2:7).
As you immerse yourself in Scripture, God speaks to you. In essence He says, “This is how I see it, and this is how I want you to see it.” In other words, He gives you His insight into the situation. In the Bible you will discover how to become truly successful. You will find the answer to your financial troubles, how to cure worry, and how to solve relationship problems. It will direct you in your family relationships – the chain of authority in the home, including the position of the husband, the wife, and the children. It contains the cure for nervousness and depression. It’s even a purging tool for removing sin from your mind and life. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).
In short, your Bible is the greatest success manual in the world! The psalmist said, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (v. 130). So if you want true understanding, meditate on the Scriptures today.
Soul food: Neh 5-7; John 19:31-42; Ps 105:23-36; Prov 30:15-19
