2020-04-19
Proverbs 11:14 NKJV
To succeed in life, you need wise and competent people around you, informed people with a proven track record who can assist you. But be advised: The best people with the most knowledge will challenge, stretch, and confront your previously held viewpoints. That doesn’t mean you should avoid them. On the contrary – that’s exactly why you need them! You must get over your fear of people who are smarter, more talented, and more experienced than you are, and learn from them instead. What stops many of us from approaching competent people is that we feel ignorant when we’re around them. It’s okay to be ignorant – but it’s not okay to stay that way! Don’t keep running back to familiar, mediocre interactions with people who don’t challenge you to grow. The more you move into new arenas in life, the more you need “the multitude of counselors” who will push you to be more than you are, even if it’s uncomfortable at first. Go where they are, listen to what they say, and evaluate their opinions. If you’re going to build yourself up spiritually, emotionally, and financially, you must go outside your comfort zone. If you don’t, you won’t have the information you need to move beyond the familiar and attain your future goals. Only those who are willing to be stretched achieve their dreams. And remember, the people you need most are usually busy people. Generally speaking, they won’t reach for you, so you must reach for them. And be prepared; some of them may turn you down, while others, recognizing your hunger for wisdom and knowledge, will respond and help you to succeed.
Soul food: Matt 5:7; Matt 18:21-35; Ps 103:8-18; Lam 3:22-24
2020-04-18
Romans 10:8 MSG
If you’re not careful, it’s easy to speak words of doubt that contradict what God says in His Word. Paul writes, “The word that saves is…as near as the tongue in your mouth…It’s the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us.” So, speak God’s Word over your situation and watch Him go to work on your behalf, setting things right for you. The word “confession” comes from the Greek word homologia, which means “to come into agreement with, or say the same thing.” That means you must come into agreement with God’s Word and learn to say what He says, no matter how bad things look at the time. If it’s not what God is saying, it’s counterproductive. But if it is, your words become powerful weapons. The Bible says, “How forcible are right words!” (Job 6:25). This word “forcible” comes from the Hebrew word marats which means “to press.” Just like a king’s signet ring pressed his seal of authority onto a document, your confession of faith seals the matter before God. Jesus said: “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore…whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:23-24 NKJV). Don’t just speak to God about your mountain – speak to your mountain using God’s Word! When you make God’s Word your word, your mountain will begin to move.
Soul food: Lev 23:26-25:55; Mark 2:1-12; Ps 130; Prov 10:12
2020-04-17
1 John 2:1 NLT
The moon and stars you can see on a clear night are mere drops in the vast sea of the universe. Our sun is one of more than 100 billion stars that make up the Milky Way galaxy. And there may be as many as 100 billion other galaxies – billions of which may have hundreds of millions of planets like ours. The Hubble Space Telescope relays images of galaxies as far away as twelve billion light years – that’s twelve billion times six trillion miles! And all this was created because God uttered one sentence: “Let there be” (See Genesis 1). But here’s something even more amazing: The One who created it all loves you and cares about every detail of your life. When you are weak, He is strong. When you blow it, He forgives you. The Bible says, “If anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins.” God’s grace is truly amazing, and you don’t have to do anything to deserve it. Because God is your Father, you can call home anytime and find a welcome. You’re “connected” to the One who “understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:15-16 NLT). You’re connected to unending mercy and grace – how awesome is that?
Soul food: Lev 21:1-23:25; Mark 1:35-45; Ps 127; Prov 10:11
2020-04-16
Proverbs 15:14 NLT
It’s been said that we forget more than 80 percent of what we learn in school and college. That raises the question, “Why bother? Is education really worth what we invest in it?” It is. There are many valid reasons for learning, even if forgetting will take its usual toll. Here are five of the most important ones: (1) The most important function of the learning process is the self-discipline and control that it fosters. Good students learn to follow directions, carry out assignments, and channel their mental faculties toward a constructive end. These are skills you’ll need in order to succeed in life. (2) Even if the facts and concepts can’t be recalled, you know they exist and where to find them. So you can retrieve the information when you need it later on. (3) Old learning makes new learning easier. Each mental exercise gives you more associative clues with which to link future ideas and concepts, and you are changed for having been through the process of learning. (4) Your brain is like the programming in your computer. You don’t really forget anything that is beyond the reach of your memory. The information is still stored in your brain and will return to consciousness when properly stimulated. (5) You are shaped by the influence of the people who teach you. The Bible says, “The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,” (NKJV). Perhaps you wish that an easier process for shaping the human mind could be found, rather than the slow, painful experience of education. But until a “learning pill” is developed, the old-fashioned approach will have to do.
Soul food: Lev 18-20; Mark 1:21-34; Ps 43; Prov 10:10
2020-04-15
Proverbs 21:5 NLT
Without a plan for your life, life just “happens” to you. Some of us plan our lives one day at a time. We wake up, make our to-do list, and dive into action. Some of us even plan our lives one week at a time. We review the calendar for the week, check our appointments, review our goals, and then get to work. One leadership expert writes: “At the beginning of every month, I spend a half day working on my calendar for the next forty days. Forty days works for me rather than just thirty. That way, I get a jump on the next month and don’t get surprised. I begin by reviewing my travel schedule and planning activities with my family. Then I review what projects, lessons, and other objectives I want to accomplish during those five to six weeks. Then I start blocking out days and times for thinking, writing, working, meeting with people, etc. I set times to do fun things such as seeing a show, watching a ball game, or playing golf. I also set aside small blocks of time to compensate for the unexpected. By the time I’m done, I can tell you nearly everything I’ll be doing, almost hour by hour, during the coming weeks. This is one of the reasons I have been able to accomplish so much.” The thought of planning forty days at a time may overwhelm you, so start by planning your day. Then aim for a week, a month, a year, etc. And if you consult God, “he will show you which path to take” (Proverbs 3:6 NLT).
Soul food: Lev 15-17; Mark 1:9-20; Ps 56; Prov 10:8-9
2020-04-14
Zechariah 3:1 NKJV
Sometimes Satan’s attacks are obvious. In the Old Testament the prophet Zechariah writes, “He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.” Satan usually prefers to work incognito, so frequently he will attack you through people – especially those closest to you. The Bible tells us, “The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas…to betray Jesus” (John 13:2 NIV). So what’s your best line of defense? The living Word of God. Exposed to a greater level of temptation than any of us will ever face, Jesus quoted the Scriptures to Satan three different times and put him to flight. When Satan attacks your mind with temptation, condemnation, doubts, and feelings of inadequacy, God’s Word is a shield he cannot penetrate. David said, “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished” (Psalm 119:92 NIV). Notice what happened when Jesus finished doing battle with the Enemy: “The devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus” (Matthew 4:11 NLT). You are not alone. God has placed a cordon of angels around you to sustain and protect you. And “angels are only servants – spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14 NLT). During seasons of adversity, remember you’re a champion, not a victim. Invest your words and energies into creating new goals and dreams. Stay awake, alert, aware, productive, and focused. Exude faith. And expect your faith to be supernaturally honored by the God who promised to intervene when you need Him most (See Isaiah 59:19).
Soul food: Lev 13:38-14:57; Mark 1:1-8; Ps 50:16-23; Prov 10:4-7
