2020-07-29
Deuteronomy 28:1-2 NKJV
Many of God’s blessings come with conditions: “Diligently obey…all His commandments.” When you put God’s Word into action, you obtain His blessing. Blind Bartimaeus was begging when Jesus passed by. So he cried out, “Lord, that I might receive my sight” (Mark 10:51 KJV). He knew God’s blessing wasn’t automatic, but it was within his reach. In a Peanuts cartoon, Charlie Brown is practicing his archery. In addition to a bow and arrow, he carries a paintbrush and a bucket of paint. He shoots the arrow toward the target, and wherever it lands he paints a bull’s-eye around it. When Lucy asks Charlie about this, he says, “This way I always hit my target!” One author writes: “This is the way some Christians live…wherever the arrows of life happen to land, they claim was their destination all along. How badly do you want the blessing of God? How committed are you? The desires God placed in your spirit and the goals He set in His Word won’t be fulfilled automatically, but they’re attainable. First: You must build a strong foundation by becoming established in God’s Word. Second: Expect to increase one step at a time. Paul says, ‘Walk in the steps of…faith’ (Romans 4:12 NKJV). Results won’t appear overnight, but they will come and you’ll see the rewards of your diligence. Third: Aim high, expect God’s best, and be willing to give Him your best. Peter says, ‘Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue…knowledge…self-control…perseverance…godliness…brotherly kindness…and…love'” (2 Peter 1:5-7 NKJV).
Soul food: Acts 24-26; Luke 10:1-12; Ps 78:9-16; Prov 16:25
2020-07-28
Romans 4:22-24 NKJV
To understand the word “imputed,” picture funds being transferred from one account to another. Banks do it every day. Imagine yourself totally destitute and unable to pay your debts. Then in an astounding act of grace someone assumes all your debts, and at the same time transfers to your account such “abundance” that you never have to work. That’s what happened at the cross when God “imputed” all your sins to Christ’s account, and “imputed” all His righteousness to your account. Mind-blowing, isn’t it? Would you say, “I can’t allow you to pay all these debts alone, so I’ll work to prove myself worthy of your grace?” We do that when we “add” our good works to Christ’s finished work. Salvation is like health food labeled “no man-made additives.” Paul writes, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV). In the same sense God “made” Jesus who never sinned, to “be” sin, He “made” you who could never be righteous enough, to “become” righteous in His eyes. “But I feel such guilt when I sin.” You’re supposed to! But when Christ took away all your sin, He took away all your guilt. So what are you feeling? Inner conflict! Your regenerated spirit is telling you that you can’t indulge in sin; it’s not who you are anymore! Why did God do it this way? Because any righteousness we could achieve falls far short of what He requires. Rejoice – today God sees you clothed in the righteousness of Christ, therefore you’re always loved and accepted by Him.
Soul food: Acts 22-23; Luke 9:57-62; Ps 78:1-8; Prov 16:23-24
2020-07-27
Proverbs 11:3 NKJV
After leading the Nation of Israel for forty years, the prophet Samuel didn’t get a retirement party and a gold watch. He got something much better in the form of this commendation: “You have not cheated or oppressed us” (1 Samuel 12:4 NIV). He led them, instructed them, and blessed them, but not one time did he take advantage of them. How refreshing! How remarkable – particularly in today’s world of business and politics. C. S. Lewis said, “Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man a more clever devil.” So before you set your goals, determine your values. Values are like guardrails on the highway; they keep you from veering off the road and over the cliff’s edge. They determine how far you’ll go on questionable issues. Knowing what matters and what you truly value is the key to living a life of meaning and purpose. For most of us the problem isn’t having values, the problem is living them out. We all value honesty, integrity, and forgiveness, but when we’re pressed, do we really live them out – especially when it costs us? Pursuing a life of values comes with a price. But what we get in exchange is the ability to hold our head high during the day and sleep well at night. And perhaps just as important – it allows us to relax and be ourselves. The mental toll of cheating, lying, and stealing is draining. Trying to remember the lie you told someone last week, so that today’s lie will match up, can literally wear you out. When you live a life of integrity, you don’t have to worry about such things!
Soul food: Acts 20-21; Luke 9:46-56; Ps 46; Prov 16:20-22
2020-07-26
Psalm 46:10 KJV
Let’s take a look at this Scripture. (1) “Be still.” Activity born out of anxiety actually prevents God from showing Himself strong on your behalf. That doesn’t mean you can be passive or lazy; it means doing what God leads you to do without running ahead of Him. It means submitting to Him by slowing down and waiting. Why? To make sure you have a sense of peace to go along with the ideas you believe He’s giving you (See Colossians 3:15). Ask Him to reveal His will; then “be still,” acknowledge that He’s in charge and He knows what He’s doing. (2) “Know that I am God.” This means acknowledging that you are not God! When you don’t obey God, consult Him, or recognize His timing, you remove Him from the throne of your life and end up trying to take His place. And you know how well that works, right? We hear a lot about goal-setting and vision. And it’s a scriptural principle, for “where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV). But the Bible also says, “The vision is…for an appointed time…Though it tarries, wait for it” (Habakkuk 2:3 NKJV). You’ll never fulfill your vision without the help of the One who gave it to you. Nineteenth-century American clergyman Henry Ward Beecher said, “The strength of a man consists in finding out the way God is going, and going that way.” Remember, there’s no time lost in waiting if you’re waiting on the Lord. So don’t let a “how to” seminar or a “type A personality” stampede you into getting ahead of God, or attempting to forge ahead under your own steam.
Soul food: Gen 39:1-39; Gen 45:1-13; Gen 50:22-26
2020-07-25
Matthew 26:41 NKJV
Why did Jesus tell His disciples, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”? Because He knows that without the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, we’re not equal to the temptations that come our way. Jesus didn’t doubt the disciples’ love for Him or their willingness to serve Him, but He knew they couldn’t do it in their own strength. And you can’t either. When you fight the flesh in the power of the flesh, you end up fighting yourself – and you lose every time. Note the words “lest you enter into temptation.” You’ll never be exempt from temptation, but you don’t have to “enter into” it. Indeed, your regenerated spirit can’t “enter into” it because sin has no appeal to it. But your unregenerated “flesh” will always be attracted to sin. And becoming a Christian increases the frequency, variety, and intensity of the temptations you face. Why? Because Satan, “the tempter,” doesn’t give up control easily. He will fight you constantly, and on different fronts. The Bible speaks of “manifold temptations” (1 Peter 1:6 KJV). The word “manifold” means there are “many kinds” of temptation. What’s the answer? “Manifold grace!” (1 Peter 4:10 KJV). The moment temptation rears its head, and before you have time to “enter into” it, draw on God’s grace. How do you do that? Jesus said, “Watch and pray.” The New Living Bible says, “Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you.” Sheep don’t have the strength or skill to overcome the wolf. But they have the strategy! They just draw close to the Shepherd and He deals with the wolf.
Soul food: Acts 18-19; Luke 9:37-45; Ps 42:6-11; Prov 16:17-19
2020-07-24
Psalm 27:14 KJV
David had reached his breaking point. “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13 NKJV). Can you identify? Have you reached your breaking point? If so, you have two options: Break down or break through. It all depends on what you do. There’s an old saying, “The same sunshine that melts the butter hardens the clay.” When trouble comes, you can either turn against God because you served Him and don’t understand why He’s allowing it, or turn to Him for strength and understanding. That’s why what David says next is so important: “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart.” Sometimes God changes our circumstances; other times He uses them to strengthen us. Try to understand this. It’s not just about you, but those God wants to reach through you. “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others” (2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT). Nothing catches God off guard, and nothing’s too hard for Him to handle. The situation you’re in right now can become a platform for Him to demonstrate His love and care for you. “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance; therefore I will hope in him!’ The Lord is good to those who depend on him” (Lamentations 3:22-25 NLT).
Soul food: Acts 16-17; Luke 9:28-36; Ps 42:1-5; Prov 16:16
