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
2020-06-13
2 Peter 1:3 NIV
Peter writes, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life” (v. 3 NIV). Living life to the fullest requires three things: (1) A little extra. This is the extra mile principle Jesus taught (See Matthew 5:41), and it calls for two things: (a) Extra effort. Life coach and author Art Williams said, “You beat 50 percent of the people by working hard…the other 40 percent by being a person of honesty and integrity and standing for something…the last 10 percent is a dogfight.” If you want to win, make up your mind to always do “a little extra.” (b) Extra time. “Though [your vision] linger, wait for it; it will certainly come [to pass]” (Habakkuk 2:3 NIV). Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor who created the Mount Rushmore memorial to America’s presidents, was asked if he considered his work to be perfect. He replied, “Not today. The nose of President Washington is an inch too long. It’s better that way, though. It will erode and be exactly right in ten thousand years.” (2) Your best effort. Andrew Carnegie said, “There’s no use trying to help people who won’t help themselves. You can’t push anyone up a ladder unless he or she is first willing to climb it.” (3) The right mentor. Paul writes, “Pattern your lives after mine” (Philippians 3:17 NLT). Good mentors lead by example; they know that to be followed, they must first be respected. They know whether you learn visually or verbally. They know whether you need a pat on the back or a kick in the seat of the pants. If you have such a mentor, you’re blessed. If not, ask God to send one into your life today.
Soul food: 2 Kings 4:18-6:33; Mark 16; Ps 80:12-19; Prov 13:13-16
2020-06-12
Psalm 123:2 NKJV
It’s always nice to be appreciated for the work you do, and when that doesn’t happen, it can affect your sense of self-worth. That’s why the Bible says, “As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters…our eyes look to the Lord our God.” Your true worth comes from God, not your boss. And when you forget that, you set yourself up for frustration in the workplace. Taken to the extreme, you become less effective on the job because you’re not willing to make decisions and take risks in case it negatively affects what others think about you. In essence, you become a “yes” man or woman who nods and agrees with everyone just to please them and have them like you. Consequently, your value to the company plummets because you’re not utilizing your God-given gifts to the fullest. Whatever your position, it’s only a small part of who you are, a spoke radiating from the center of your identity as a son or daughter of the King of kings. You’re not the hub turning the wheel. Knowing who you are, apart from what you do, is as essential to your success in the workplace as your credentials and your skill set. When others know that you constantly need approval, it empowers them to manipulate you, define you, and influence your self-worth. That’s too much power to give anybody! Whether you’re pushing a broom or planning a multi-million-dollar project: “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT).
Soul food: 2 Kings 1:1-4:17; Mark 15:33-47; Ps 80:1-11; Prov 13:11-12
