2019-12-20
Genesis 12:2 NIV
God promised to bless Abraham and make his name “great” for one reason – so he would be a blessing to others. Jesus taught His disciples to be distributors of blessing and first responders to those in need. That’s why He often involved them in the miracle process; He was training them. In feeding the five thousand, the miracle of multiplication took place after the bread and fish left the disciples’ hands. Jesus was the source, they were the distributors (See Matthew 14:13-21). And God is calling you to be a distributor too. Sometimes we don’t recognize our blessing because it’s in seed form, so we conclude we don’t have what it takes. Not so. Jesus said: “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain – first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come” (Mark 4:26-29 NIV). Note the words: “The seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.” Instead of saying, “How could God possibly use me?” become aware and alert to people’s needs. You have something God can use, and when He blesses it, you’ll be amazed at your potential. The miracle of the loaves and fishes began when someone said, “These people need to be fed.” That’s when the disciples discovered Jesus could use what they had, even though it seemed inadequate.
Soul food: Mal 1-4; Matt 1:1-6a; Ps 128; Prov 31:10-13
2019-12-19
1 Corinthians 16:9 NIV
Nothing becomes truly great until it overcomes something that looks insurmountable. Paul writes, “I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me” (vv. 8-9 NIV). Great doors of opportunity always come with great challenges, and each challenge calls for greater faith and tenacity. Think about it: If outstanding success came easily, everyone would have it. And if everyone had it, it wouldn’t be outstanding success. How does a caterpillar become a butterfly? By overcoming the cocoon. And the cocoon is so essential to the process that the caterpillar actually creates it. Wouldn’t it be easier just to stay in the warmth and comfort of the cocoon? On days when the caterpillar struggles to get out of it, he probably thinks so! But deep down, he knows the price of freedom. Flight and discovery require struggle, development, and breakthrough. There is no other way! Why did Jesus send His disciples into a life-threatening storm? To teach them to trust Him in all of life’s situations. Soon He’d be leaving them, and He was using every experience to prepare them for their future. So what are you struggling to overcome right now? Instead of complaining and asking God to take it away, see it for what it is – preparation. Remember, your level of preparation indicates the level of blessing that awaits you on the other side of it. So if God is opening doors of opportunity for you, be prepared for challenges, because you can’t have one without the other.
Soul food: Zech 12-14; John 21:15-25; Ps 47; Prov 31:6-9
2019-12-18
Ephesians 3:10 NLT
Here are three of the challenges the church faces today: (1) We can’t experience a new move of God if we insist on clinging to an old one. “God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety.” The word revival doesn’t simply mean awakening something that’s asleep. It also means resurrecting that which is dead or dying, and causing it to come to life again. (2) We fear excess, so we embrace mediocrity and call it balance. People aren’t drawn to us because of our similarities, but because of the things that make us unique. When it comes to our faith and our testimony, we mustn’t downplay, soft-pedal, or sidestep the very things God has given us that make us distinctive. If we do, people will be disappointed and go elsewhere. The disciples didn’t blend in with the crowd; their message and the demonstration of its power made them stand out. (3) We need to make room in the church for risk-takers and faith-walkers. In the first miracle Jesus worked, changing water into wine, Mary told the servants, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it” (John 2:5). Our need to be liked and to be popular can lead to a religious spirit that cripples risk-taking and faith-walking. Jesus promised: “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me” (Acts 1:8). So when God tells us to “do church” differently, let’s not be afraid to step out and obey Him.
Soul food: Zech 9-11; John 21:1-14; Ps 12; Prov 31:1-5
2019-12-17
Habakkuk 2:2 NIV
Put your goals in writing. God told the prophet Habakkuk, “Write down the revelation and make it plain…so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time…Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay” (vv. 2-3 NIV). Note the word “delay,” because it’s not one we particularly like. God can give you a vision overnight, but usually it won’t be fulfilled overnight. You’ll face disappointments, discouragements, and delays. Because your vision always costs more than you estimated, and takes longer than you planned, it can become “blurred” by your circumstances and emotions. That’s why it’s so important to write it down and keep it in front of you! Why did God tell Abraham that his children would be as numerous as the stars in heaven? Because stars are something you can physically look at and count. “Where there is no vision, the people perish [languish and waste away]” (Proverbs 29:18). The word “perish” suggests something that’s slowly decaying, and that’s what happens when you don’t keep your God-given vision in front of you. If you’ve dreamed of losing weight, post a picture that inspires you on your refrigerator. If you dream of one day owning your own home, stick a picture of it on your bulletin board. And if your goal is to give a certain amount to God’s work, write a check for that amount and place it where you’ll see it every day. With a clear-cut written goal, you’ll always know where you are and remember what God has called you to do.
Soul food: Zech 5-8; John 20:19-31; Ps 67; Prov 30:29-33
2019-12-16
Psalm 38:11 NKJV
Discern who belongs in your life and who doesn’t. One of the toughest parts about reaching your goal is discovering that some of the people closest to you don’t share it or want to be part of it. You can spend years trying to convince them. You may even be able to buy their short-term loyalty, but eventually they’ll leave you, often breaking your heart in the process. Paul wrote, “All those in Asia have turned away from me” (2 Timothy 1:15 NKJV). “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world” (2 Timothy 4:10 NKJV). Can’t you hear the heartache and disappointment in his words? And when God gives you a great goal, you may experience the same thing. Somebody said, “In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends.” How true! When disaster blindsided Job, he said, “All my close friends abhor me, and those whom I love have turned against me” (Job 19:19 NKJV). David’s experience caused him to say, “My relatives stand afar off.” Solomon in his wisdom sums it all up: “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth” (Proverbs 25:19 NKJV). The truth is that people who don’t respect your goal will detract from it. You can minister to them and try to encourage them with words that strengthen and bless, but if you insist on holding on to them, like an infected tooth, they will end up hurting you. Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet” (Matthew 10:14 NIV). In order to reach your God-given goal, sometimes you have to do that.
Soul food: Zech 1-4; John 20:10-18; Ps 57; Prov 30:24-28
2019-12-15
Isaiah 43:4 NKJV
Depend on God more than on others. That doesn’t mean you don’t need other people. You do. When God calls someone to do a job, He calls others to stand alongside them. God’s promise is: “I will give men for you, and people for your life.” So ask Him who belongs in your life. In Exodus chapter 17, as long as Moses held his hands up, Israel’s armies prevailed in battle, but when his hands grew tired the battle went the other way. So Aaron and Hur stood by Moses and held up his hands until victory over the Amalekites was complete. You need people who know how to hold up your hands and strengthen you. Paul wrote, “I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. All the others care only for themselves…But…Timothy has proved himself” (Philippians 2:20-22 NLT). In fact, Paul took an entire chapter of the Bible to acknowledge and thank all those who made it possible for him to succeed in his calling. He writes about people “who risked their own necks for my life, to whom I not only give thanks, but also all the churches” (Romans 16:4 NKJV). Some of us are stubborn and self-centered; we subscribe to the philosophy, “It’s my way or the highway.” We burn through people, leaving wreckage in our wake. Don’t do it! When God sends gifted people into your life, acknowledge them, respect them, train them, motivate them, and reward them. When you do that, not only will you fulfill your goal, you will create a win/win for everybody.
Soul food: Gen 11:1-9; Phil 2:1-11
