2020-04-25
Ephesians 6:7 NIV
If you think your boss is hard to get along with, imagine working for David’s boss, King Saul. The more David tried to help him, the more Saul tried to kill him. So what did David do? Every time his boss flew into a jealous rage and threw spears at him, David ducked and kept on serving him. Why? (1) Because David knew God had called him to be king, and what better place to learn the ropes than right there in Saul’s palace? The truth is, sometimes you can learn more from mistakes and failures than from the achievements of success. So David kept his head down and kept on learning and growing. (2) David recognized that because Saul had been called by God to the position he held, it was God’s job, not his, to remove him. Was that hard to do? Yes. But David understood that how you treat others when they’re in trouble determines how God treats you when you’re in trouble. And before his life was over, David got into lots of trouble and needed God’s mercy big-time! Paul writes, “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.” Instead of murmuring and complaining, work to excel on the job and pray for favour. Remember: “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes” (Proverbs 21:1 NKJV). Because David acted with grace and integrity while serving under a boss who was a nightmare, God made him the boss! And when you honor God on the job, He can do the same for you.
Soul food: Dan 8-10; Mark 4:13-25; Ps 144:1-8; Prov 10:19-21
2020-04-24
Romans 12:10 NKJV
In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died after being hurled into the icy water below. News of the disaster got worse when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn’t a technology problem like radar malfunction, or even thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship’s presence and both could have steered clear. But according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other, because each was too proud to yield. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late. If you’re a tough-minded, strong-willed, make-it-happen kind of person, think about what you’ve just read. If by winning the argument you hurt or lose the relationship, what have you gained? If you save face but lose the relationship, you end up in the loss column. So here’s the word for you today: “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another…Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men….Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord….Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (vv. 10:16-19, 21 NKJV).
Soul food: Dan 5-7; Mark 4:1-12; Ps 7:10-17; Prov 10:17-18
2020-04-23
Philippians 2:14 NLT
Chronic complainers are almost impossible to help. You can never satisfy them but they won’t let you stop trying, so you end up feeling trapped. Once you get a reputation as a chronic complainer, people avoid you like the plague, and you end up feeling lonely and unappreciated. And chances are you’ll never really understand why! Attitudes don’t just happen – you choose them. Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4 NKJV). Joylessness is something many church folks are prone to indulge in, and it’s usually not the kind of problem that gets you tossed out of the choir or removed from the church board. The psalmist writes, “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24 NKJV). Notice that he doesn’t say, “Yesterday was God’s day, how happy I was then.” Or, “Tomorrow will be God’s day, I’ll endure until then.” No, this day is a gift from God! Complaining is often self-centered; it’s about what you like and don’t like. It is self-focused. Real joy is a choice. It comes to those who devote themselves to something greater than their own happiness. There are decisions you get to make every day, like what you eat, the clothes you wear – and the attitude you project. Paul was in prison with no hope of release when he wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” His circumstances didn’t dictate his joy, his focus did! And the same goes for you. “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT). So today choose joy!
Soul food: Dan 3-4; Mark 3:20-35; Ps 7:1-9; Prov 10:16
2020-04-22
Galatians 1:10 NLT
People pleasing does two things: (1) It makes you neglect your own needs in order to meet other people’s. (2) It causes you to make decisions based on their approval. Either way, you can end up feeling like a doormat. Maybe you became a people pleaser early in life to get the attention you craved and couldn’t get any other way. Or maybe you never learned to trust your own judgment. The Bible says, “Fearing people is a dangerous trap” (Proverbs 29:25 NLT), because it always backfires. Not only do others get upset with you, you end up disappointed with yourself when things don’t work out. Peter struggled with people-pleasing. The night before the crucifixion when “a servant girl…said…’You were one of those with Jesus’…But Peter denied it in front of everyone. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about'” (Matthew 26:69-70 NLT). Afterwards he ended up weeping over his failure. When Samuel confronted Saul about his decision not to completely destroy the Amalekites: “Saul admitted…’I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded'” (1 Samuel 15:24 NLT). Paul, on the other hand, wrote, “I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” It’s good to be considerate, loving, and patient, but you can’t let yourself be intimidated and manipulated: “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power” (2 Timothy 1:7 NAS). When you yield to the fear of others you allow them, not God, to control your life. God doesn’t want you to serve people out of fear, but out of love for them – and Him.
Soul food: Dan 1-2; Mark 3:7-19; Ps 16; Prov 10:15
2020-04-21
Luke 10:42 NLT
Here are two enemies that threaten your spiritual life: (1) Boredom. Missionary and educator Frank Laubach said, “If you’re weary of some sleepy form of devotion, probably God is as weary of it as you are.” Walking with God is the most rewarding life possible. “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11 NKJV). (2) Busyness. Jesus told Martha, “You are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it” (Luke 10:41-42 NLT). And what was Mary doing? Sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him! Martha loved Jesus and she couldn’t do enough for Him. But she was so busy serving Him that she didn’t know how to relax and enjoy being with Him. Maybe like Martha, you think that unless you do the job yourself, it won’t get done right. And you may be right. But God will never ask you to do anything that takes His place in your life. He wants to be your top priority. Sometimes we approach God with a list of requests the length of our arm because we’re more interested in His presents than His presence. David said, “The one thing I ask of the Lord – the thing I seek most – is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple” (Psalm 27:4 NLT). Can you imagine having “one thing” at the top of your agenda at all times: needing and desiring to spend time with God? Think how that could revolutionize your life.
Soul food: Phil 1-4; Mark 2:23-3:6; Ps 103:13-22; Prov 10:14
2020-04-20
Philippians 4:13 AMPC
The Bible says, “Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring” (Proverbs 27:1 NLT). The truth is, when you wake up every morning you have no idea what will happen to you that day. You hope for a trouble-free day where your expectations and wishes will be fulfilled – but you know from experience this isn’t always the case. We live in a real world with real problems. Your enemy the Devil is real, and he works in every possible way to bring discouragement, fear, and failure. Knowing this, the psalmist wrote: “If you make the Lord your refuge…no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go…The Lord says, ‘I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation'” (Psalm 91:9-16 NLT). No matter what comes your way, you must trust that when it arrives God will give you the grace to handle it. Remember, Satan loves to attack those who are in line for God’s blessing. That’s why Paul wrote, “[I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me.]” Inner strength is better than outer strength. Why? Because as long as you remain strong inwardly, you can handle anything that comes against you outwardly and keep moving forward. So today – be ready.
Soul food: Lev 26-27; Mark 2:13-22; Ps 103:1-12; Prov 10:13
