2020-04-01
1 Peter 4:12 NKJV
The Bible tells us: “Do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (vv. 12-13 NKJV). In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases Peter’s words: “Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.” Times of testing feel “strange,” but they are normal and necessary! They are how you grow in grace. They are how God equips and prepares you to do great things in His kingdom. God never afflicts us, but He most assuredly tests us. And His tests measure us, reveal us, strengthen our faith, purify us, and cause us to grow spiritually. To quote the apostle Paul: “Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace” (2 Corinthians 4:15-17 MSG). If you could see the blessing that’s waiting for you on the other side of this fiery trial, you’d cancel your pity party and start planning your promotion party.
Soul food: Job 40-42; Matt 26:47-56; Ps 72:1-11; Prov 9:1-6
2020-03-31
Matthew 13:28 NKJV
The Bible says: “Another parable He put forth to them, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and…when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop…the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this'” (vv. 24-28 NKJV). We all need a spiritual wake-up call from time to time. Sometimes the problem we are dealing with isn’t of human origin. Jesus said, “While men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.” Yes, it’s foolish to blame everything on the Devil, but it’s even more foolish not to recognize when he is at work. Paul writes: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but…against the powers of this dark world and…spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground” (Ephesians 6:11-13 NIV). He goes on to say, “Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (v. 16 NIV). So the word for you today is: Recognize when Satan is at work, stand up to him, and he will flee! (See James 4:7.)
Soul food: Job 38-39; Matt 26:36-46; Ps 31; Prov 8:34-36
2020-03-30
2 Corinthians 1:3 NLT
When you lose someone you love, you go through a grieving process. And God will comfort you and walk you through it. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4 NIV). Grieving is the healthy way to process your emotions, to express your pain and move beyond it. Recovery doesn’t happen overnight; it happens in proportion to the size of your loss. Only small losses are healed quickly. Zig Ziglar says: “The longest twenty hours of my life were those right after my daughter’s death. When making her funeral arrangements, I had to listen to a salesman who was an incessant talker, and who told me thirty times that he wasn’t a salesman. Twice I had to leave the room; I simply couldn’t handle him. The night before, half asleep and half awake, I kept thinking my daughter was wondering when her daddy was coming to get her. The next morning I took a walk, praying and crying the whole way. When I returned, the Lord spoke to me in such a distinct way: ‘She’s fine. She’s with me, and you’re going to be fine too. I’m all you need. Keep walking. Keep talking. Keep praying. Keep crying.'” Grief and loss can’t be solved, but they are experiences you don’t have to go through alone. The best-known Psalm in Scripture says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me” (Psalm 23:4 NKJV). The sun will shine again. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Your joy will return – God promises it!
Soul food: Job 35-37; Matt 26:26-35; Ps 6; Prov 8:32-33
2020-03-29
1 Corinthians 4:4 NIV
Daniel was forced to decide if he was going to be a conformer or a transformer. What’s the difference? Pressure controls a conformer. If you place enough pressure on them, they’ll cave. If you put enough pressure on them, they will smoke the first joint, they will take the first drink, they will do what everybody else is doing. But principle governs a transformer. You say, “Living that way is very demanding.” Yes; and it’s very protective. God knows better than we do how to avoid pain, frustration, and destruction in our lives. Because He sees the cliff’s edge clearer than we do, He places guardrails next to the drop-off. And when we follow His commands we avoid heartache, pitfalls, and the loss of our reputation. Refusing to eat the king’s meat was not a matter of diet, but of dedication to God. Now, we’re not advocating the idea: “let conscience be your guide.” Your conscience is not always a good guide. Because you don’t think something’s wrong doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think it’s wrong. Your conscience can be damaged and it can be burned. The Bible speaks of “having [your] conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:2). Paul writes, “My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” Nevertheless, the conscience question is the first you should ask when faced with a difficult decision. Rarely do you make a good choice to do something, if you know doing so will take your conscience on the dreaded guilt-trip. So, live by your convictions.
Soul food: Matt 5:6; Isa 55:1-7; Ps 63:1-5; John 4:1-34
2020-03-28
Daniel 1:8 NKJV
The Bible says, “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank.” This particular food and wine was offered to pagan gods as an act of worship, and for Daniel that was unacceptable. He was being asked to compromise his character, and he wouldn’t do it. Daniel had good reasons if he had chosen to say yes. He was far from home and could do as he pleased. Nobody back home would ever know it. Plus, if he didn’t eat it, he would be insulting the king – not a good career move! Daniel knew God’s Word was clear when it came to idol worship, and God blessed him for it. He ended up being protected, preserved, promoted, and prospered in unthinkable ways. His philosophy was: “When God says yes, I say yes. And when God says no, I say no.” And he had established his convictions before he got to Babylon. Question: Have you decided what your core convictions are? Have you spent the good times determining what you will and won’t do during the hard times? If not, you need to. Daniel’s friends probably told him, “Nobody will know.” But his thinking was: “God will know, and so will I. I don’t have to live with you, but I’ve got to live with me.” Your thoughts and ideas must always be open to change and improvement, but your core convictions must be nonnegotiable. So, live by your convictions.
Soul food: Job 32-34; Matt 26:14-25; Ps 69:19-36; Prov 8:30-31
2020-03-27
Philippians 3:14 NKJV
Part of Paul’s amazing success was because he was so focused. “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call.” Focus can bring energy and power to almost anything, whether spiritual, mental, or physical. Sociologist Robert Lynd observed that “knowledge is power only if a man knows what facts not to bother about.” The birthing of a potential breakthrough often results from sharing many good ideas. But to take ideas to the next level, you must shift from being expansive in your thinking to being selective. A good idea becomes a great idea when it’s given focus time. It’s true that focusing on a single idea for a long time can be very frustrating, but your perseverance will pay off. The mind will not focus until it has a goal. But the purpose of your goals is to focus your attention and give you direction, not identify a final destination. As you think about your goals, make sure that they are: (1) clear enough to be kept in focus; (2) close enough to be achieved; (3) helpful enough to change lives. Paul described his goal as “the upward call.” When you think only of yourself, you’re thinking “downward,” but when you think of others, you’re thinking “upward.” These three guidelines will get you going. And be sure to write down your goals. If they’re not written, you can almost be guaranteed that they’re not focused enough. And if you really want to make sure they’re focused, take the advice of theatrical producer David Belasco, who said, “If you can’t write your idea on the back of my business card, you don’t have a clear idea.”
Soul food: Job 29-31; Matt 26:1-13; Ps 69:1-18; Prov 8:27-29
