2020-08-23
2 Corinthians 5:9 NIV
Paul writes: “We make it our goal to please him…For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (vv. 9-10 NIV). If pleasing people is your main goal in life, you’ll be disappointed. The moment you stop pleasing them, chances are they’ll criticize you or leave you. Plus, they won’t be with you when you stand at the judgment seat of Christ to be evaluated and rewarded! Bottom line: You’re not assigned to everybody! So once you discover your God-given gift, ask, “Lord, to whom are You sending me?” “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’ So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God” (Acts 18:9-11 NIV). To whom has God sent you? As surely as a plant only thrives in the right kind of soil, you’ll only succeed in the place to which God has assigned you. Peter did well preaching to the Jewish people, whereas Paul writes, “God…was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles” (Galatians 1:15-16 NIV). You must love people, and listen to the right people. But when it comes to your calling – you must be led by God! So go where He sends you and trust Him to take care of you.
Soul food: Job 2:7-10; Job 40:1-5; Job 42:7-17; Jas 5:10-11
2020-08-22
1 Corinthians 12:5 NKJV
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in ministry is to compare yourself to someone else. In fact, it’s been said that if any two of us are identical, one of us may be unnecessary! The apostle Paul writes, “There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.” It’s true that without help from others, you’ll never become all you can be, but God wants you to be mentored, not cloned. He has called each of us to emphasize certain truths at different times. For example, John emphasized love, Solomon emphasized wisdom, and Paul’s major emphasis was grace over law. The need determines the emphasis. If God calls you to be a pastor, it’s like being a general practitioner. If He calls you to be an evangelist or a teacher, He’s calling you to be a specialist. “For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (vv. 8-11 NKJV). Not everyone will understand or appreciate your style of ministry. And that’s okay – it’s not a popularity contest. You’re called to be a servant, not a star. And a major prerequisite for ministry is “that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2 NIV).
Soul food: Judg 12-15; Luke 16:19-31; Ps 119:121-128; Prov 18:13-20
2020-08-21
Luke 17:3 NKJV
Sometimes you are called upon to confront behavior that negatively affects you. Jesus said, “If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” Now, that doesn’t give you the right to vent your anger or charge in like a bull in a china shop. Jesus also said, “And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him” (v. 4 NKJV). And here’s another thought: Respect the other person’s decision not to pursue a relationship with you. They may not belong in your life, and you may not belong in theirs. Think about the last time you went shopping. Did you purchase every single item you examined? Of course not. Did you reject them because they were inferior? Surely not. You simply decided they were not for you. Of course, if you experience a pattern of rejection and you’re baffled about the cause, you may want to consider finding out why. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6 KJV). Sometimes it’s wise to ask, “I’d like to get some feedback from you for my personal development. My objective here is not to resume our relationship. I would just like to ask what it was that made you decide to terminate it. I’d really appreciate your honest feedback.” Be sure to project an upbeat attitude, not a negative one. Listen objectively, and don’t be defensive. You are gathering information. And be willing to change if there is merit to what they say.
Soul food: Judg 9:34-11:40; Luke 16:1-18; Ps 119:113-120; Prov 20:25; Ecc 5:4-6
2020-08-20
Proverbs 31:18 NKJV
The mistakes you have made may be big, bad, and oft repeated. But they haven’t changed God’s mind about you. “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. I will build you up again, and you…will be rebuilt” (Jeremiah 31:3-4 NIV). Yes, God will correct you when you need it. But His correction is not rejection – it’s proof of His love. “The Lord disciplines the one he loves” (Hebrews 12:6 NIV). God’s purpose in discipline is to develop you to your highest potential. So don’t let anyone put you down. Be your authentic self when you’re with others. Focus on what you have to give, rather than on how others perceive you. Don’t put on airs, brag, or name-drop in an attempt to level the playing field. You are already equal – even if you don’t have a similar education, experience, financial status, social standing, or background. Since when did such things make anybody inherently superior to another – especially in the eyes of your heavenly Father? If your goal in life is to please everyone and have them speak well of you, your self-worth will always be at their mercy. Solomon describes the qualities of a virtuous woman. Here’s one of them: “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” This woman wasn’t prideful, she was just confident in who God had made her to be and the assignment He had given her to fulfill. Her confidence came from within, not from without. Solomon ends the chapter in these words: “Honour her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise” (Proverbs 31:31 NIV).
Soul food: Judg 7:1-9:33; Luke 15:11-32; Ps 119:105-112; Prov 18:10-12
2020-08-19
Psalm 139:14 NIV
In order to overcome fear of rejection, you must firmly believe that God designed you physically, intellectually, and temperamentally, and gave you an assignment no one else can fulfill. Putting yourself down may seem humble, but it’s actually a form of pride because it’s causing you to reject God’s design and plan for you. So begin to emphatically declare with the psalmist: “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God” (vv. 14-17 NLT). Where did you get the idea that you are “less than”? Whether it started with critical parents, condemning clergy, unwise teachers, cruel classmates, or a verbally abusive spouse, remember that Satan is the “father of lies” (John 8:44 NLT). He used someone to lie to you about your worth and potential. Repeat: “It was a lie! It was a lie! It was a lie!” Decide to reject that lie now. In other words, reject rejection! Make a list of every God-given gift, asset, advantage, or other benefit you possess that is, or could be, a blessing to others. Don’t use worldly systems in developing your list. Focus on character issues such as integrity, loyalty, generosity, discernment, wisdom, and patience. Think of ways you can use each one of these features to glorify God and be a blessing to others.
Soul food: Judg 4-6; Luke 15:1-10; Ps 119:97-104; Prov 18:9
2020-08-18
Isaiah 43:4 NIV
Jesus experienced rejection: “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11 NKJV). But He didn’t sit around and lick His wounds; He moved on to where people gladly received Him. And He told His disciples, “Whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet” (Matthew 10:14 NKJV). Repeated rejection tends to validate the fear that we are inadequate. This is particularly so when it comes to the opinions of those we place value on. But the irony in operating out of the fear of rejection is that it ultimately results in the very rejection you were trying to avoid. When people realize you hold yourself in low regard, they deal with you accordingly. You teach people how to value you by how much you value yourself. If you never express a preference, a boundary, or any other limitation on how others interact with you, they will assume you have none, and behave toward you in that manner. Notice, even though Jesus was rejected He never responded in a way that encouraged continued rejection. He didn’t stay where He was tolerated; He went to where He was celebrated. In other words, He went to where people recognized and received His person, His purpose, and His power. He had God’s full acceptance; therefore, He did not fear man’s rejection. And you have God’s full acceptance too. “You are precious and honoured in my sight, and…I love you.” The first step to overcoming rejection is to keep God’s opinion of you in your mind at all times.
Soul food: Judg 1-3; Luke 14:25-35; Ps 119:89-96; Prov 18:6-8
