2026-01-24
Galatians 5:13 NKJV
In 1881, shortly after Booker T. Washington became head of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama that trained schoolteachers, he was walking past the house of a wealthy family. Assuming that Washington was one of the yard workers her husband had hired, the woman of the house asked him if he would chop some wood for her. Professor Washington smiled, nodded, took off his coat, and chopped the wood.
When he carried the armload of wood into the woman’s kitchen, a servant girl recognized him and rushed to her mistress to tell her of his identity. The next morning the woman appeared in Washington’s office. Apologizing profusely, she said repeatedly, “I did not know it was you I put to work.” Washington replied with generosity, “It’s entirely alright, madam. I like to work, and I’m delighted to do favours for my friends.”
The woman was so taken with his manner and his willingness to forgive that she gave generous gifts to the institute. She also persuaded many of her wealthy friends and acquaintances to do likewise. In the end, Washington raised as much money for the institute from this one act of chopping wood as he did from many other fundraising events.
The Bible says, “Through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself'” (vv. 13-14 NKJV). What can we learn from Booker T. Washington? Two things: (1) Every seed of kindness you sow brings an eventual harvest of blessing into your life. (2) The way to get ahead in life is to love and to serve others.
Soul food: Num 1-2; Luke 5:27-39; Ps 100; Prov 3:7-8
2026-01-23
Hebrews 10:35-36 NKJV
In the early 1950s, Irwin W. Rosenberg, a junior naval officer, was discharged from military service after he was diagnosed with cancer – standard military procedure at the time. The loss of his job was quite a blow, but he was determined to get back both his health and his job. With faith and determination, he battled the disease that tried to take over his body. At one point he was given only two weeks to live, but eventually his cancer was brought under control.
Irwin then focused his attention on his desire to become a naval officer. He discovered, however, that regulations forbade reinstatement of a person discharged with cancer. Everyone told Irwin, “Give up. It would take an act of Congress to get you reinstated.”
That gave him an idea – he would pursue an act of Congress! After months of knocking on doors and jumping through legal hoops, President Truman signed into law a special bill that allowed Irwin to reenlist in the navy. Then guess what happened? Irwin W. Rosenberg went on to become a rear admiral in the United States Seventh Fleet!
The saying goes, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” When you have a relentless faith, and your will lines up with God’s will, all things become possible. “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.”
Soul food: Jam 3-5; Luke 5:12-26; Ps 96; Prov 3:5-6
2026-01-22
James 4:2 NKJV
Some people think we’re not supposed to ask God for too much; otherwise, it’s selfish. But God wants you to ask. “You do not have because you do not ask.” If you’re not asking – then you’re not releasing your faith. Jesus said, “According to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29 KJV). You need to learn to pray bold prayers and expect and believe God for greater things. “Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession” (Psalm 2:8 NKJV). That’s a bold prayer! But if God tells you to pray it, it’s because He is willing to answer it.
You may have a dream in your heart but don’t see how it could ever happen. Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. He is a God of multiplication. He can multiply your time and help you to get more done. He can multiply your wisdom and help you to make better decisions. He can multiply your finances: “May He who supplies seed to the sower… multiply the seed you have sown” (2 Corinthians 9:10 NKJV).
Instead of being satisfied with merely surviving, God wants you to thrive. A survival mentality will keep you from God’s best. Shake it off and say, “God, you promised that what was meant for my harm, you would use to my advantage (See Romans 8:28 NIV). I may have been through the fire, the famine, and the flood, but I know it’s my time of favour. It’s my time to see more of your goodness in my life.” Believe God for greater things.
Soul food: Jam 1-2; Luke 5:1-11; Ps 91; Prov 3:3-4
2026-01-21
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NKJV
The word “edify” means “to build up, strengthen, encourage, and motivate.” There are probably people in your life right now who need someone to speak blessing over them. You don’t know how much it will mean when you give them your approval and let them know you are proud of them and that you think they can do great things. Everyone needs to be edified.
So, what kind of seeds are you planting in your children, in your husband or wife, in your friends? Do you believe in anyone? Have you let them know? Are you taking an interest to find out how you can improve their life? Have you listened to their dreams? Have you found out what they believe God has put in their heart? Have you let them know that you’re behind them? That’s what an edifier does!
Henry Ford was introduced to Thomas Edison as “the man trying to build a car that runs on gasoline.” When Edison heard it, he said, “A car that has its own power plant; that’s a brilliant idea.” Until then, no one had encouraged Ford, and he had just about decided to quit. And then Edison stepped in, who spoke faith into him. That was a decisive moment in Henry Ford’s life. He said, “I thought I had a good idea, but I started to doubt myself. Then along came one of the greatest minds that’s ever lived and gave me his complete approval.”
You don’t understand the power you hold or how much it means when you tell somebody, “I believe in you. You have what it takes. I’m behind you 100 percent.”
Soul food: Dan 11-12; Luke 4:31-44; Ps 89:38-52; Prov 3:1-2
2026-01-20
Matthew 5:12 NKJV
The historian Edward Gibbon tracked the speedy progress of Christianity in the days of the Roman Empire, and points to five reasons for it: (1) The fervour of the early Christians. (2) The power of miracles. (3) The pure morals of the Christians. (4) The compact church organization. (5) The belief in future rewards. The Bible often speaks about our rewards in heaven.
Here are a few examples: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice… for great is your reward in heaven” (vv. 11-12 NKJV). “The Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” (Matthew 16:27 NKJV). “Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name… will by no means lose his reward” (Mark 9:41 NKJV). “Let no one cheat you of your reward” (Colossians 2:18 NKJV). “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Revelation 22:12 NKJV).
Here is the sequence of events: The Lord will come in the air, the dead in Christ will be resurrected, the redeemed still alive on earth will be caught up with them, and we will receive our glorified bodies and then our eternal rewards. “The fire will test each one’s work… If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward (1 Corinthians 3:13-14 NKJV). “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour… is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV).
Soul food: Dan 8-10; Luke 4:14-30; Ps 89:15-37; Prov 2:21-22
2026-01-19
Ephesians 2:8 NKJV
Jack Welch, who guided the General Electric company through some of its most profitable years, wrote a book called Winning. Compiling many of the different questions people had asked him along with his answers, he wrote a book of management principles. One question was this: “Do you think you will go to heaven when you die?” In response, Jack listed some of the mistakes he had made in business and in life, including two divorces. Then he said, “So as far as heaven, who knows? But if there are any points given out for caring for people with every fiber of your being and giving life all you’ve got every day, then I suppose that I might have a shot!”
But going to heaven is not about caring for people or giving life all your energy every day. It’s about putting your trust in Jesus Christ – and in Him alone. Maybe understanding this truth is harder for successful businesspeople than for others, due to their own drive, vision, and energy that have helped them attain success.
But when it comes to heaven, those traits don’t count. No one earns heaven; it is a gift. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 NKJV). Hebrews 6:4 calls it “the heavenly gift.” And the apostle Paul writes, “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV).
Soul food: Dan 5-7; Luke 4:1-13; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 2:20
