2020-03-14
2 Corinthians 6:17 NKJV
Stop and think about the products we once considered not only to be harmless, but actually beneficial: asbestos, lead, mercury, etc. A generation later we are still treating sick workers who installed asbestos and breathed in its toxic fibers. With that illustration in mind, beware of the toxins in your workplace and don’t get infected. The Bible says, “‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.'” Now, God is not telling you to separate yourself from your co-workers. And He’s most certainly not telling you to adopt a spiritually superior attitude. He’s telling you to watch out for toxic attitudes, toxic behaviours, and toxic values. What are the toxins in your workplace? The obvious ones are complainers, gossipers, backbiters, and harassers. When these agents come your way, do whatever you can to distance yourself from them. Just being associated with them can be dangerous to your emotional health and spiritual health. And beware of the toxin of workaholism, whether it is the expectation from your boss or self-induced. Be willing to go the extra mile when it’s required, but maintain clear boundaries between your work life and your home life. Learn to separate business from pleasure. If you don’t allow yourself time for physical rejuvenation and spiritual restoration, you’ll burn out. As a result, Satan will be able to trip you up. The most effective antidote to toxins is good nutrition. And spiritually speaking, that calls for daily prayer, Bible reading, and fellowshipping with believers who strengthen and encourage you.
Soul food: Gen 47-49; Matt 22:34-46; Ps 26; Prov 7:26-27
2020-03-13
Isaiah 54:3 NKJV
Today God may be saying to you what He said to His people Israel: “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left” (vv. 2-3 NKJV). Most people automatically stay within lines, even if those lines have been arbitrarily drawn or are terribly out of date. Remember, most limitations we face are not imposed on us by others; we place them on ourselves. Lack of creativity often falls into that category. If you want to become more creative, challenge your boundaries. One inventor said, “All human development, no matter what form it takes, must be outside the rules; otherwise, we would never have anything new.” When you want something you don’t have, you must be willing to do something you haven’t done yet. You say, “But I don’t have his education,” or “I don’t have her talent.” You don’t need someone else’s talent or education. When God made you, He deposited within you everything required to fulfill your destiny; you just need to unlock it and put it to work. “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness’…Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over…every living thing that moves on earth'” (Genesis 1:26-28 NKJV). Note the word “likeness.” There’s a part of you that’s like God. You have divine DNA. You’re capable of being creative, so lift the limitations on yourself.
Soul food: Gen 44-46; Matt 22:23-33; Ps 24; Prov 7:24-25
2020-03-12
Proverbs 23:23 NKJV
In the early 1970s, the Iraqi government arrested a group of American students on trumped-up espionage charges. In order to elicit admissions of guilt, they tortured them. They were told that if they confessed they were spies, they would go free. In other words: “Compromise the truth – admit to a lie.” One by one, as the pressures and the pain mounted, they all confessed to crimes they had not committed – except for one student. The torture intensified and the loneliness of isolation became unbearable, and he came close to breaking. But he didn’t. Finally they announced that they were finished with his case, and that he could simply confess or die. A confession lay before him as they raised a pistol to his head, cocked the hammer and started the countdown. He had heard executions from his cell and knew what his captors were capable of. “Sign your name,” he was told, “and you will live,” but he refused. He closed his eyes, grimaced and prepared to die. They pulled the trigger. When he heard the click, he thought he was dead. The gun, however, had not been loaded. The student was eventually released, but he discovered afterward that every other prisoner who had confessed was hanged in the public square. He was the only survivor. That day he learned a valuable lesson about facing tough times: Compromise represents a far greater risk than courage. So the threefold word for you today is: (1) It is always right to do right. (2) It is never wrong to do right. (3) It is never right to do wrong.
Soul food: Gen 42-43; Matt 22:15-22; Ps 135; Prov 7:21-23
2020-03-11
John 13:1 NLT
Let’s look again at how Jesus loved His disciples and how you should love your wife. He never stopped loving them. The Bible tells us that Jesus “had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth…and now he loved them to the very end.” Do you remember the marriage vows you took? “For better, for worse…for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death us do part”? If the magic has left your marriage and you feel like you’ve fallen out of love with your mate, pray: “Father, my love for my spouse is at an all-time low. I know Your Word says unfailing love is patient, kind, humble, not rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs (See 1 Corinthians 13:4-5). I confess that I’ve kept records of offenses and had little patience with my mate’s shortcomings. Forgive me for my spiritual immaturity. I ask You to permeate my heart and love my spouse through me. Help me to let go of resentment and make our marriage a model of how You loved the church and gave Yourself for it. Work in us, Lord, both to will and to do Your good pleasure (See Philippians 2:13). Heal and restore our relationship for Your glory. Guide us as we follow the pattern established in Your Word for regenerating and restoring lost love: remembering the things we used to do together, repenting of our failings, and rekindling the fire of love we had in the beginning (See Revelation 2:5). Only You can change a person’s heart, and I submit my heart and emotions to You now. ‘Turn…me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God’ (Jeremiah 31:18). In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.”
Soul food: Gen 40-41; Matt 22:1-14; Ps 27; Prov 7:10-20
2020-03-10
Proverbs 5:18 NKJV
The Bible says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ…loved the church” (Ephesians 5:25 NKJV), so let’s take another look at how Christ loved the founders of the church, His twelve disciples. He recognized their gifts. He rejoiced in their successes. He supported and encouraged them to grow to their full potential. Are you willing to do that? When you truly love someone, you won’t try to hold them back or seek to control them because of your insecurities. You’ll recognize their gifting, help them become everything God called them to be, release them, and celebrate their successes. And should their light shine brighter than yours, become their biggest cheerleader. If this wasn’t modeled in your family of origin, chances are, you’ll have to work at it. And if you had an unfaithful partner in a previous relationship, you may need to ask God to heal your heart and give you a new level of trust. Building this kind of relationship calls for a level of humility and honesty you’re probably not used to. It may require overcoming your male ego, admitting your fears, and saying to your wife, “I love you and I really want to trust you. Will you please help me?” Until you get through this stage and feel more secure about your relationship, a marriage partner who truly loves you will go the extra mile when it comes to telling you where they’ve been and who they spent time with during the day. The truth is, sometimes you have to fight for your marriage – but it’s worth it, because in the end, you both win!
Soul food: Gen 37-39; Matt 21:33-46; Ps 112; Prov 7:6-9
2020-03-09
Deuteronomy 24:5 NKJV
The Bible says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25 NKJV). And since the disciples were the original church founders, let’s look again at how Jesus treated them. He spent time with them, talking and listening. Old Testament law required: “When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, and bring happiness to his wife” (Deuteronomy 24:5 NKJV). Imagine, a whole year of doing nothing but loving and getting to know each other! Why did God plan it that way? Because no battle you’ll ever fight, and no business you’ll ever be involved in, is more important than building a lasting relationship with your spouse. A leading cause of divorce today is among couples who don’t set aside time at the end of the workday to sit down together, free from the TV and telephone, and share their thoughts and feelings. Do you know what never grows old? Caring, communicating, assuring your spouse that of all the places you could be right now, you’d rather be with them. Many times your wife will share problems with you, but it’s not because she wants you to “fix” them. Truth be told, some of the problems she discussed with you months ago remain unfixed, and she’s okay with that! What she’s looking for is empathy, understanding, and support. When you listen attentively to her concerns, she feels loved and valued, and nine times out of ten, the problem fades into obscurity. It’s a big return – on a small investment!
Soul food: Gen 35-36; Matt 21:18-32; Ps 106:24-48; Prov 7:3-5
