2020-06-19
Judges 13:7 NKJV
You’re asking for trouble when you refuse to take God seriously. The angel who announced Samson’s birth said he was to “be a Nazirite,” indicating that he was to be dedicated to doing God’s will. But Samson was careless about his spiritual life. He prayed only when he was in trouble. He was impulsive; he did whatever he felt like doing. The truth is, we’d save ourselves so many problems and spare ourselves so much pain if we’d just stop and ask God for direction. Samson turned to God only when he got into a jam. It’s what we call “foxhole Christianity.” We pray, “Lord, if You get me out of this dilemma, I promise I’ll live for You from now on.” But here’s the question: Is God just an afterthought, a convenience to you? When things get tough and you’re in a tight spot you turn to Him in desperation, but when everything’s all right you ignore Him? Only when Samson was captured by the Philistines, his eyes gouged out, and he was grinding grain at a mill like an ox, do we read that he turned to God and prayed. What kind of history might Samson have had if he’d prayed right from the beginning? Why did he wait until everything fell apart before turning to God? It doesn’t have to be that way in your life! The psalmist said, “Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours” (Psalm 128:1-2 NIV).
Soul food: 2 Kings 18:17-20:21; Luke 1:57-66; Ps 139:13-24; Prov 13:25
2020-06-18
Proverbs 1:10 NKJV
You’re asking for trouble when you choose the wrong friends. Somebody wisely said, “If you want to soar with eagles, you can’t run around with turkeys.” Eventually you become like the people you spend the most time with; that’s why it’s so important to choose your friends wisely. The psalmist said, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners” (Psalm 1:1 NKJV). Samson developed unhealthy relationships and they led him astray. So here’s the question: Are your friends keeping you from living 100 percent for God? Do they tear you down or build you up? When you’re with them, do you find yourself conforming to things that violate your convictions and your conscience – things you don’t feel good about doing? The book of Proverbs warns us repeatedly about negative associations: “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.” Constant exposure to wrong attitudes and values will eventually take its toll on your life. It is always easier to pull someone down than it is to lift them up. So, what kind of friends should you keep? The kind who bring out the best in you, who lift you up, who encourage you, and make you a better person. “But aren’t we supposed to love everybody?” you ask. Yes, but you’re not supposed to lean on them, listen to them, learn their wrong ways, and become like them. When it comes to choosing your friends, here’s the scriptural rule you should live by: “[Lord,] I am a friend to anyone who fears [respects] you – anyone who obeys your commandments” (Psalm 119:63 NLT).
Soul food: 2 Kings 16:1-18:16; Luke 1:39-56; Ps 139:7-12; Prov 13:24
2020-06-17
Hebrews 11:32 NKJV
Samson had incredible potential, but he threw it all away. Why? For several reasons. He failed to control his impulses. He was physically strong, but morally weak. He deliberately ignored God’s principles, and his life became a pathetic cycle of failures. He never learned; he kept making the same mistakes over and over. For him it was a kind of game: “How close can I get to the fire without getting burned?” Delilah, a Philistine prostitute, kept pressing him about the source of his strength, and each time she got a little closer to the truth. Samson was playing with temptation by toying with her, and eventually he got burned. And we do the same thing when we say things like “It can’t hurt…just this one time.” The truth is, not one of us plans to be a failure. It comes naturally – and gradually. It’s a step-by-step process, as little by little we become weakened. Our whole lives don’t fall apart in one day. Problems build up over a period of time, because we refuse to learn from our mistakes. Maybe you’re thinking, “But this is an area of my life I have no control over. It’s just the way I am.” That’s the wrong answer. Here’s the right one: “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength” (Isaiah 40:29 NKJV). When Samson finally faced the truth, God broke his cycle of failure and gave him the power to do what he should do, and made him victorious. And God will do the same for you when you turn to Him!
Soul food: 2 Kings 13-15; Luke 1:26-38; Ps 139:1-6; Prov 13:21-23
2020-06-16
Matthew 25:45 NKJV
The Bible teaches that one day God will evaluate and reward each of us according to how we treat those around us who are hurting and needy. And that’s why you need to get serious about helping them. Thomas Barnardo believed that, and he became one of the great Christian heroes of the 1800s. During his work among the poor and homeless in London’s East End, he built a home for destitute children that housed four hundred boys and girls. He turned the Edinburgh Castle Gin Palace and Music Hall into the Coffee Palace, a center for evangelistic and Christian activities. He built a village for girls that served more than nine thousand of them during his lifetime. In all, more than sixty thousand children benefited from the vocational training centers and homes he built. In extreme cases where he found children in the hands of cruel people, he would “abduct” them – a policy which, where parents were involved, was against the law. But he felt bound by a higher law – God’s law. This made him vulnerable to criminal charges and bitter custody battles, but eventually the law of the land was changed, not Barnardo. His successful “graduates” included lawyers, doctors, musicians, naval commanders, businessmen, and colonial ministers of state, all of whom had once been destitute and were rescued. How do you change the world? Starting today, you can do it one life at a time.
Soul food: 2 Kings 10-12; Luke 1:11-25; Ps 73:17-28; Prov 13:20
2020-06-15
Genesis 25:28 KJV
Sibling rivalry in a family is normal, and handling it calls for sensitivity and wisdom. Unfortunately Isaac and Rebekah lacked those two qualities. “Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob” (NKJV). Joseph’s troubles began with these words: “Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a coat of many colours” (Genesis 37:3 KJV). But it doesn’t have to be that way in your family. It’s neither necessary nor healthy to allow your children to attack each other and make life miserable for those around them. You may not be able to harmonize their relationship entirely, but by practicing impartiality, at least you can avoid making it worse by inflaming the natural jealousies between your children. Ever since time began, siblings have resented each other’s successes and competed for their parents’ attention. So you must be careful to avoid casual comments that favour one child over another, especially in these three areas: (1) Physical attractiveness. (2) Intelligence. (3) Skills and athletic abilities. Those are the three raw nerves on which self-esteem hangs. Referring to a girl as “my pretty daughter” or to a son as “the smart one” can set off raging emotions in other children, who perceive themselves to be ugly or dumb. Sensitivity in those areas will reduce the antagonism between your children and create a more harmonious tone for every member of the family. Paul told Timothy, “Obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favouritism to anyone” (1 Timothy 5:21 NLT). That was a “church rule,” but it’s also a “house rule!”
Soul food: 2 Kings 7-9; Luke 1:1-10; Ps 73:1-16; Prov 13:17-19
2020-06-14
1 Timothy 4:8 NKJV
As you move into your forties, fifties, and sixties, you’ll tend to become more sedentary. One woman made a lifelong commitment not to sweat. Another one joked that the only reason for jogging was to look better at her funeral. A driver put this bumper sticker on his car: “I’m pushing fifty, and that’s enough exercise.” The Bible says, “Bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” Does that mean taking care of your body isn’t important? No, it means you must stay in balance! What’s the point of working to develop the virtues of a saint if you die before your time with blocked arteries? You say, “But I don’t like jogging or lifting weights.” Then here’s some good news. A recent medical study found if you spend forty-five minutes a day doing household chores such as mowing the lawn, you’ll enjoy greater longevity than those who are inactive. It’s even better if you do some push-ups and sit-ups, but it’s not necessary. If you fail to maintain your car, you have no right to blame the manufacturer. And if you fail to maintain your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, you have no right to blame God. You say, “But I believe in divine healing.” And God promises it to you in His Word (See James 5:14-15). But He expects you to use faith – and wisdom. So put down the TV remote control, get off the couch, and do a little home cleanup or repair. Not only will your house look better, but you’re likely to live longer.
Soul food: Rev 19:11-16; Acts 3:1-16; Phil 2:5-11
