2019-11-26
Jeremiah 45:3 NLT
Some of the people we admire in Scripture experienced times when they felt “worn out,” yet unable to rest. Jeremiah said, ‘”I am overwhelmed with trouble! Haven’t I had enough pain already? And now the Lord has added more! I am worn out from sighing and can find no rest'” (v. 3 NLT). The psalmist put it this way: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13 NKJV). Then he goes on to say: “I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!” (Psalm 61:2-4 NLT). If you’re feeling overwhelmed today, take a minute to pray this prayer: “Lord, it feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders and I know this isn’t Your will. Teach me to cast my worries and concerns on You, knowing that You have promised to take care of me (See 1 Peter 5:7). Give me courage to change the things I can, grace to accept the things I can’t, and wisdom to know the difference. Never let me become so busy that I forsake my quiet time with You. Teach me to be still and know that You’re my God (See Psalm 46:10). Thank You for being my refuge; a very present help in this time of trouble (See Psalm 46:1). In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.”
Soul food: Josh 1-4; John 14:1-14; Ps 118:10-18; Prov 28:1-4
2019-11-25
Psalm 37:34 TLV
In farming, there’s a time for sowing, a time for growing, and a time for reaping. It’s the same in God’s kingdom. One missionary tells of hearing a group of seasoned leaders discussing their shared experiences from which a fascinating five-stage process emerged. Stage 1: The birth of the vision. Initially each of them was given a vision by the Holy Spirit, accompanied by an excitement and abiding awareness that it was from God. Stage 2: The preparation. This is the stage where dreams are often aborted because we don’t want to do the necessary preparation. When God gives you a vision, there must be some action on your part or it will never amount to anything more than a passing daydream. Stage 3: The wilderness and the struggle. One of our biggest misconceptions is that if something is really from God, there’ll be no struggle involved. That’s a myth! You can almost guarantee a significant amount of struggle will be required. This stage is the proving ground of our faithfulness, and there’s no substitute. Stage 4: The realization of the vision. This is where we finally get to enjoy the fruits of our diligent preparation and God’s faithfulness. Stage 5: New beginnings and vision. These leaders all found themselves challenged again with fresh vision from the Holy Spirit. As a result, they concluded that their lives had been a continual cycle of ever-expanding vision, and as God entrusted them with more, it would take even greater amounts of preparation and the intensity of the battle would increase. Now you understand the stages of your vision!
Soul food: 3 John; Jude; John 13:31-38; Ps 118:1-9; Prov 27:23-27
2019-11-24
Romans 8:26 NAS
Paul writes: “The Spirit also helps our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (vv. 26-27 NAS). So what is this “weakness” in prayer that we are subject to? It’s that sometimes we don’t know how to express the depth of our desires and feelings, nor do we even realize what we need. Sometimes we’re so exhausted in spirit, mind, and body, that we can hardly muster the energy to open our mouths. There are instances when discouragement has taken such a strong hold of your heart that you can’t imagine a way out of your circumstances. That’s when you need to ask for the Holy Spirit’s help! When you are a believer, the Holy Spirit supplies you with the two things you can’t live without: (1) The ability to know what God is saying to you. Sometimes you can’t trust your own wisdom or the advice of those closest to you. (2) How to have an intimate relationship with God. One of the most wonderful things Jesus said was, “I have called you friends” (John 15:15). But friendships aren’t built on a hit-and-run basis; they take time and communication. Jesus described His relationship with the Father like this: “The Father loves the Son and shows him everything” (John 5:20 NLT). And not only does the Holy Spirit show you what to do, He empowers you to do it. So seek His help today.
Soul food: Ecc 11:7-12:1; Ps 39:4-13; 2 Tim 4:6-8
2019-11-23
John 14:26 NKJV
Jesus said, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit…will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” So the Holy Spirit has these two functions: (1) He teaches you how to walk with God. (2) He reminds you to do it each day. As redeemed children of God, we constantly need to be taught how to walk with Him, and to be reminded of the blessings that await us when we do and the trouble we get into when we don’t. If you’ve raised kids, you know the routine. They have to be taught their ABCs so they can read and write; then they have to be reminded until they master it. They have to be taught to walk, and falling down hundreds of times is just part of growing up. The Bible says, “A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again” (Proverbs 24:16 NKJV). Just as you don’t tell your child, “Forget it, you’re never going to learn to walk,” your heavenly Father doesn’t give up on you either. Your child had to be taught personal hygiene and cleanliness. Likewise, the Holy Spirit will remind you of the importance of reading God’s Word each day. Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3 NKJV). And the psalmist wrote, “How can a young man [and an older one too] cleanse his way? By taking heed…to Your word” (Psalm 119:9 NKJV). If you’re wise, you’ll start each day by praying, “Holy Spirit, teach me what I need to know, and remind me of it throughout this day.”
Soul food: 2 Chr 35-36; John 13:18-30; Ps 114; Prov 27:20-22
2019-11-22
Galatians 5:16 NLT
Dr. Charles Stanley says: “During a photographic trip my group had been traveling up a trail for almost three hours, and I began to have a funny feeling that we were going in the wrong direction. I asked the guide about it and he assured me everything was fine. Not wanting to be presumptuous, I kept walking. After a few minutes, I noticed that my sense of uneasiness persisted; in fact, it was growing stronger. I pulled out my compass and looked at the map. Sure enough, we were headed away from our intended destination. It took us close to an hour and a half to return to where we’d taken the incorrect turn. Sadly, this meant by the time we got to the site, our window for taking photographs was cut short. The event helped me realize two valuable lessons. First, when we sense an internal witness encouraging us to take a certain course of action, we should listen. Second, when you and I choose people to guide us, we must be certain they know the path ahead better than we do. Have you ever felt something alerting you to pay attention or pulling you in a particular direction? Perhaps you were listening to a sermon and you sensed God telling you to follow Him in obedience. Or maybe you walked into a restaurant and were filled with dread, as if you should leave quickly. If you’re a believer, most likely these feelings were the promptings of the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart, warning you about danger, and encouraging you to submit to God’s purposes.” Today, “Let the Holy Spirit guide [you].”
Soul food: 2 Chr 32-34; John 13:1-17; Ps 95; Prov 27:17-19
2019-11-21
Titus 1:5 NKJV
The fourth issue you find among pastors who quit the ministry is this: They teach others how to build strong families without necessarily knowing how to build one themselves. Or they’re not willing to pay the price to do it and eventually it becomes a problem. The greatest sermon you’ll ever preach is at home! Pastors’ wives can slip into despair and depression because they feel like the ministry robs them of all their husband’s time and attention. Their neglected children get tired of hearing, “I’m doing this for the Lord,” so they rebel against God and the church, and act out in ways that embarrass the parent who has no time for them. Your wife and children should always be able to reach you. If the church takes up seven days out of your week, it’s not the church’s fault – it’s yours! You need to start making changes! And if you think this is a phenomenon of living in the 21st century, think again. Read the stories of leaders like David and Samuel, and you discover it’s possible to succeed on the job, yet fail miserably on the home front. Too many preachers value the approval of their peers more than the love and respect of their families. Bear in mind that you won’t always be the pastor, but you will always be the husband of your wife and the father of your children. So be there when they need you – and they’ll be there when you need them.
Soul food: 2 Chr 29-31; John 12:37-50; Ps 102:18-28; Prov 27:13-16
