2020-02-20
2 Chronicles 20:15 NIV
Fourth, learn to relax in faith. Notice how God responded to Jehoshaphat’s prayer: “The battle is not yours, but God’s.” Many of us wear ourselves out trying to fight God’s battles in our own strength. In the initial flush of becoming Christians, we’re eager to win the world to Jesus, and want to go out and singlehandedly bring about His kingdom. That’s because we don’t realize what’s involved. Then after we’ve worked hard under our own steam, reality sets in. We end up crawling back on our hands and knees, disappointed, because we think we’ve let God down. But He reassures us, “You didn’t let Me down, because you weren’t holding Me up.” The truth is, we don’t hold God up – He holds us up! We don’t have Him in our hands, He has us in His hands! And He’s telling us to relax in faith and let Him do the work through us. Paul wrote, “As you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him” (Colossians 2:6 NIV). In other words, remember how you first became a believer – by simple faith in the finished work of Christ – and continue to live by simple faith. You didn’t become a Christian by striving for perfection and doing good works. Good works have nothing to do with it! Salvation is a free gift. God doesn’t need us to micromanage things; He has everything under control, and He wants us to relax and let Him live through us. Bottom line: Victory in life is a gift from God! “Thank God, who always leads us in victory because of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14 GWT).
Soul food: Ecc 1-4; Matt 15:29-39; Ps 33:1-12; Prov 5:7-14
2020-02-19
2 Chronicles 20:3 NKJV
Third, take your problems to the Lord. In the midst of his crisis, Jehoshaphat “set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast.” Prayer is often the last thing we think of. Why? Because we want to work our problems out on our own. A deacon approached the pastor one day and said, “Pastor, we’ve got a problem we can’t solve. We’ve tried everything and nothing works.” The pastor said, “Well, I guess all we can do is pray about it.” The deacon replied, “Pastor, has it really come to that?” When you’re facing life’s battles, prayer should be your first resort, not your last! And sometimes when the problem doesn’t yield to prayer alone, God leads you to add a second element: fasting. Ever tried it? Fasting isn’t something mystical and mysterious; it’s about focus! It’s saying: “Lord, I can do without food and other things, but I can’t solve this problem without You. So instead of eating, I’m going to spend time seeking Your face until I have an answer.” Cornelius, a Gentile, fasted and prayed for four days, asking God for direction. As a result, God sent Peter to his house to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and in the process changed the course of history (See Acts 10). In order to know whom to appoint to leadership positions, the New Testament church fasted, prayed, and asked God for guidance. And as a result, one of the most dynamic evangelistic teams of all time, Paul and Barnabas, was born (See Acts 13:2-3). When you get serious enough to fast and pray about your problem, God will show you the solution.
Soul food: Rom 15-16; Matt 15:15-28; Ps 28; Prov 5:3-6
2020-02-18
2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV
Second, admit your own inadequacy. The only people God can’t help are those who don’t think they need His help. King Jehoshaphat said, “We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” Often our eyes are on everything and everyone – except God – the One who can solve our problems. Your circumstances are like a mattress: If you’re on top you can rest easy, but if you’re underneath you can suffocate. Keep your eyes on the Lord and you’ll win out over your circumstances. Remember, it’s “not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord” (Zechariah 4:6 NIV). You can’t live the Christian life in your own strength because you have a power shortage. You need the power that comes from letting God’s Spirit live through you. Try to imagine a glove. On its own, it is limp and powerless. But once a hand fills that glove it becomes useful and effective. Jesus said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8 NKJV). Jesus often spoke of the Holy Spirit as “the Helper,” so when you don’t know what to do, stand on His promise: “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name…will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26 NKJV). If you fight in your own strength, you’ll lose. But when you draw on the power of God’s Spirit that’s within you, you’ll win.
Soul food: Rom 12-14; Matt 15:1-14; Ps 5; Prov 5:1-2
2020-02-17
2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV
With God’s help, King Jehoshaphat overcame not just one army, but three! And his victory teaches us how we can win life’s battles. First, identify the enemy. Many of us have no clue who the real enemy is. We think it’s the person who is interested in taking our job, our spouse, or our money. But many times the enemy is our own attitude! It’s not so much what’s happening that gets us down, it’s our response to the situation. Before you can win on a personal level, you must identify the enemy. Note how Jehoshaphat reacted when he heard “a vast army” was coming against him. He was “alarmed” (vv. 2-3 NIV). It’s a fairly typical human response. We see a big problem, panic, and become fearful about what’s going to happen to us. And in truth, fear isn’t all bad unless we deal with it in the wrong way. We can use it to motivate us to conquer the problem and drive us closer to God. It’s when we get discouraged, give up, get angry, and start asking, “Why me, Lord?” that fear defeats us. If you’re in a situation that’s filling you with fear and anxiety today, remember – God doesn’t respond to need; He responds to faith. So stake your faith on His unshakeable Word and stand on His promise: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV). Unshakeable trust in God’s Word is what brings His help.
Soul food: Rom 9:17-11:36; Matt 14:22-36; Ps 149; Prov 4:25-27
2020-02-16
Psalm 29:11 NKJV
Why is evening drive time called “rush hour,” when nothing moves? The real rush hour occurs when we arrive home. Early evening is a time when everyone is hungry and tempers are short. Two working parents usually come home irritable and tired, but their children are unsympathetic and need immediate attention. It’s a setup for conflict. There are some things you can do to help defuse this rush hour time bomb. First, call your children before you leave work in the afternoon. This can give you a head start in dealing with any troubles that might be brewing at home. Second, make a conscious effort during the commute home to disengage from the responsibilities of the job and the cares of the day. Third, concerning the dinner meal, it’s wise to do as much as possible in the morning or the night before. Slow-cooker type dinners that have simmered all day, or those that can go straight from the refrigerator to the oven, will relieve pressure at a time when stress is the greatest. The quicker everyone can eat and raise their blood sugar, the better. Then spend some time with the kids before homework and bath time begins. You might take the dog out on a neighbourhood walk or play ball in the backyard. Finally, get the kids in bed and reserve a few moments of tranquility for yourselves. There’s no easy way to get through rush hour five nights a week, but with a little planning, it can be less stressful. And here’s a rush hour promise: “The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.”
Soul food: Isa 40:9-11; Isa 42:1-4; Ps 18:31-35
2020-02-15
Philippians 2:14 NLT
In an old Peanuts comic strip, Lucy announces, “Boy, do I feel crabby today.” Her little brother Linus, always the peacemaker, responds, “Maybe I can help. Why don’t you just take my place in front of the TV and I’ll fix you a nice snack? Sometimes we all need a little pampering to make us feel better.” A few minutes later, Linus brings Lucy a sandwich, some chocolate chip cookies, and milk. “Is there anything else I can get you? Anything I haven’t thought of?” he asks. “Yes,” snaps Lucy, “There’s one thing you haven’t thought of. I don’t want to feel better!” The truth is that some people don’t want to feel better – they just want attention, and complaining is how they get it. Do you know anyone like that? The Bible repeatedly tells us to stay away from complaining. It takes gut-level honesty to ask yourself: “How much of what I say focuses on complaining about the situation instead of trying to improve it? Have I built my life around people who feel the same, people who’d probably be upset if I decided to grow and adopt a better attitude? Am I living in the past, nursing old wounds, refusing to forgive others and myself?” Time alone doesn’t heal – insight does! Jesus said knowing the truth sets us free (See John 8:32). Once you’re willing to face the truth about your attitude and do something about it, your life will start to improve. And one more thought: Paul says, “Rejoice always…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV). This is God’s will – so do it!
Soul food: Rom 7:1-9:16; Matt 14:13-21; Ps 145:14-21; Prov 4:23-24
