2020-01-22
Psalm 119:50 NLT
When you are in pain. Sometimes God lifts you out of your situation. Other times, He carries you through and makes you stronger by proving His love and faithfulness to you. Sometimes He relieves you of the pain; other times He sustains you in the midst of it. If you’re in pain today, read these promises from God’s Word and stand on them: “Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.” “Let your unfailing love comfort me, just as you promised me, your servant. Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live” (vv. 76-77 NLT). “Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress. My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all! Feel my pain and see my trouble” (Psalm 25:16-18 NLT). “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!” (Psalm 34:17-20 NLT). “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise” (Jeremiah 17:14 NKJV). Notice, God’s promises revive and comfort us in all of our troubles. Your Bible is a prescription from the Great Physician Himself, and the label on the bottle reads: “Take as often as needed for pain.”
Soul food: Exo 36-38; Matt 9:1-13; Ps 89:38-52; Prov 3:1-2
2020-01-21
Jeremiah 1:12 NKJV
When you are facing danger. David said: “This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety…my God and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you…If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up…so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone…The Lord says, ‘I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation'” (Psalm 91:2-16 NLT). Note the phrase, “This I declare about the Lord.” When you speak God’s Word over your life, you release the power contained in it. So stand firm today, and expect God to honor His Word!
Soul food: Exo 33-35; Matt 8:28-34; Ps 89:15-37; Prov 2:21-22
2020-01-20
Philippians 2:4 NKJV
If your only motive for giving to someone is to see what you can get back, you will be disappointed. The Bible says, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” When you give yourself to another person for that person’s development and well-being, you are truly giving and God will bless you for it. If you’re married or a parent, you know this from personal experience. What does your husband or wife value most highly? Money in the bank, or your time freely given? What would your children rather have? A toy, or your undivided attention? The people who love you would rather have you than what you can give them. It’s wise to invest in yourself and your career, but never at the expense of those who matter most. If you succeed in your career but fail with your loved ones, your success will be hollow and your regrets real. Solomon was famous for his wealth and wisdom. Yet he wrote, “As I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless – like chasing the wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:11 NLT). Learn from his mistakes. Don’t invest in things, invest in relationships. Here is how most relationships often play out: “I win, you lose – I win only once. You win, I lose – you win only once. We both win – we win many times.” When you seek the good of others, God promises that good things will come to you (See Ephesians 6:8).
Soul food: Exo 30-32; Matt 8:18-27; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 2:20
2020-01-19
Genesis 4:4-5 NIV
Cain cultivated the ground, planted the seed, gathered the harvest, and offered God the fruits of his labors. He thought God would be impressed, and that He would feel obligated to bless him. But that’s not how it works! Abel, on the other hand, told God, “I did nothing. You created the lamb I’m offering. I’m just giving You back what’s Yours, and asking You to bless it.” And God did! You can tell a lot about somebody by how they approach God. Some of us act like God owes us something. Others among us are so impressed with our spiritual status and accomplishments that we feel the need to approach Him with lofty phraseology and high-sounding “thee’s” and “thou’s.” But God isn’t impressed, so let’s get real! “The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering.” That’s because unlike his brother, Abel wasn’t seeking credit for anything. He wanted God to have all the glory. That’s the kind of offering that moves God’s heart and invites His richest blessing upon our lives. So what are you offering God today? Your achievements? Your denominational credentials? Your self-reliance? Your shallow emotion? If you are, don’t bother! The only thing He asks is that you humbly open your heart and let Him recreate you in the likeness of Jesus. When you do that, something wonderful happens. By downplaying your own self-interests and giving God an acceptable offering, not only will He receive and respect it, He will bless you and equip you to bless others too. That’s how it works!
Soul food: Luke 2:8-20; Prov 3:13-18; Ps 119:161-168
2020-01-18
Psalm 102:28 NLT
When you ask parents about their future hopes for their kids, you’ll hear words like happy, secure, and self-confident. Those are nice sentiments, but not guarantees. But what makes that kind of adult? A childhood filled with trophies and good grades? A life in the country, far away from the crime-ridden city? Enriching pastimes like travel and music? The truth is, not one of these things predicts later happiness. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t encourage children to study and excel; having parents who value knowledge makes a difference. The important qualities, however, aren’t external, they’re internal. Psychologist Dr. Edward Hallowell says to feel secure, your children need to develop two crucial skills: (1) The ability to overcome adversity. (2) The capacity to sustain joy. He says, “Life is full of disappointments. Only by failing the first time and learning to try, try, and try again will a person get the most out of their abilities.” But how do you teach your kids to be joyful in the face of adversity? There’s only one way to do it: Introduce them to the source of joy. Isaiah said, “My soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with…salvation” (Isaiah 61:10). David said, “In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). Jeremiah said, “Thy word was unto me the joy…of mine heart” (Jeremiah 15:16). God never promised us a life without problems, but His Word says, “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives…joy” (Galatians 5:22 NLT).
Soul food: Exo 28-29; Matt 8:10-17; Ps 84; Prov 2:16-19
2020-01-17
Romans 12:2 NCV
What we consume determines our performance. That’s why you need to be careful what you feed your body, your children, your pets, and even your car. But what you feed your mind is equally important, especially when you consider these two laws that operate in life: (1) The law of cognition. Your thoughts influence your emotions and your behavior. The Bible says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Jesus said a good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit (See Matthew 7:18). In other words, good thinking can’t produce bad results, just as bad thinking can’t produce good results. (2) The law of exposure. The Bible says, “Do not…be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking.” You’ll always think about what you are exposed to the most. And given the violence, lust, and greed portrayed by the media, it’s not surprising that crime and immorality are on the rise. You can’t just say, “I’m going to read this magazine, watch this program, listen to this music, but it won’t affect me.” Social science now confirms what God said all along – it does affect you! Where you go, what you read, (or don’t read), what you watch, and the dreams you entertain all shape your mind. Paul writes, “Remember what Christ taught and let his words enrich your lives and make you wise” (Colossians 3:16 TLB). So when you need the right mind-fuel, remember: “God whose gracious Word can make you into what He wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need” (Acts 20:32 MSG).
Soul food: Exo 25-27; Matt 8:1-9; Ps 81; Prov 2:11-15
