2019-11-14
Numbers 6:27 NLT
God’s Word is impregnated with life, wisdom, truth, power, and potential. When He created the world, He simply said, “Let there be.” Every word He speaks – contains the power to create whatever He says. Every promise He makes – contains the seeds of its own fulfillment. Those seeds have a scheduled season for fulfillment in your life, and when they’re watered with confident, faith-filled prayer, standing squarely on the Scriptures and patiently awaiting God’s timing – His Word cannot fail. Once you grasp this truth, the words “God bless you” become loaded! Speaking them releases God’s blessing into our lives. When you say, “God bless you,” God backs you up. “Whenever [you] bless…people…in my name, I myself will bless them.” So if you want to bless your loved ones, speak these words of blessing to them: “The Lord bless you and protect you…and be gracious to you…show you his favour and give you his peace” (vv. 24-26 NLT). Asking someone, “How are you?” is an expression of courtesy and care. And when you say, “Have a nice day,” you sincerely mean it. But when you say, “God bless you,” and understand the scriptural truth behind those words, God’s blessing can change that person’s life! Author Kate Nowak says: “It should be a habit, this business of blessing others…I’ve come to realize it’s one of the most powerful and practical ways for reconnecting with each other, our world and life itself…the most phenomenal way possible to lead us to happiness and success. A blessing is a sweet release from pain…an ancient key to a successful and fulfilling life.”
Soul food: 2 Chr 8-11; John 11:17-27; Ps 8; Prov 26:23-26
2019-11-13
1 Chronicles 4:9 NKJV
The name Jabez means “pain and trouble.” Can you imagine walking into a room and hearing someone say, “Here comes trouble,” or someone describing you as “a pain”? And what’s more, Jabez’ mother labelled him that way the day he was born because “she gave birth to him in pain.” But Jabez refused to wear the label or let that name define him. Instead of looking back at his past and listening to his critics, he turned to God and prayed: “‘Oh, that You would bless me…and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!’ So God granted him what he requested” (v. 10 NKJV). The label on the outside of a bottle tells you what’s on the inside. And when you let others label you, invariably they make your world too small. And once you accept the label they place on you, you start to believe that’s who you are and that you’ll never amount to anything more than that. No, only God can tell you who you are! So do what Jabez did – go directly to the source: God. He created you. He redeemed you. He calls you. He equips you. He empowers you. He rewards you. So when people try to limit you by putting labels on you, God steps in and says, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine” (Isaiah 43:1 NKJV). The truth is that God loves and accepts you, and His approval trumps everybody else’s disapproval!
Soul food: 2 Chr 5-7; John 11:1-16; Ps 83:9-18; Prov 26:17-22
2019-11-12
Luke 15:20 NKJV
The Bible says concerning the Prodigal Son: “When he was a great way off, his father… had compassion…ran…fell on his neck and kissed him.” The truth is, you’re not beyond the reach of God’s grace, so your future can be greater than your past! When he was “a great way off,” his father ran to him. Why? Because his relationship with his son wasn’t based on performance, but on the fact that he’d given him life and brought him into the family. When you think about the things his father gave him that day, you realize the significance of each item. (1) The robe. That confirmed his identity as a son. God doesn’t see you in your weakness; He sees you clothed in the righteousness of Christ (See 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 NIV). (2) The ring. This was a signet ring with the family seal that gave him back authority to do business in his father’s name. (3) The shoes. Household servants didn’t wear shoes, only family members did. He returned home thinking the best he could hope for was a job in the servants’ quarters. But his father not only restored his identity and authority, he restored him to full son-ship in the family. (4) The party. Back then when you rebelled against your father’s authority and left home, they conducted “a ceremony of shame,” which meant you could never return. Not this father – he threw a party! The point? Because Jesus took our shame! “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT). The word for you today is – come back to God!
Soul food: 2 Chr 1-4; John 10:22-42; Ps 83:1-8; Prov 26:13-16
2019-11-11
James 4:7 NKJV
Have you ever watched someone doing resistance training? They get stronger every day as they press more and more weight. That’s how to view the verse “resist the devil.” Satan is out to do three things: “Kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10). Destroy what? Everything God has given you! And he doesn’t play fair. Using a whole arsenal of weapons, he’ll attack your mind, your health, your marriage, your children, your finances, and your character. And if you’re a spiritual weakling, he’ll crush you! Satan studies you. He knows your quitting points, and he’ll push you to the brink every chance he gets. So what should you do? Push back – and keep pushing! Use every spiritual weapon God has given you – prayer, praise, His Word and fellowship. It’s time to turn the tables on the Enemy and start using him as your spiritual gym! The Amplified Bible talks about “the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17 AMPC). When you’re filled with God’s Spirit, He will fight in you, through you, and for you. When that happens, Satan reaches the place where he knows he can’t defeat you on a particular front, so what does he do? He attacks you on a different one! But with victory after victory being chalked up, you develop the boldness and strength to defeat him on that front too. With enough resistance training under your belt, you’ll experience the joy of walking in the truth of this wonderful promise: “God…will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20 NIV).
Soul food: 1 Chr 26:20-29:30; John 10:11-21; Ps 133; Prov 26:7-12
2019-11-10
Proverbs 16:32 NKJV
The Bible says, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” As a Christian you have the Holy Spirit living within you, and one of the fruits of the Spirit is “self-control” (See Galatians 5:23). That means as a Christian you can control your temper, and as a Christian you must control it. You say, “I get mad easily because I’m Irish!” You’re not supposed to live according to your old nature, but your new one! Anger is like a river. Controlled, it can generate enough electricity to power an entire city. Uncontrolled, it can overflow its banks and become a raging flood that destroys everything in its path. And as surely as a river can be controlled, so can your temper. Have you ever been in a big argument at home with your spouse or one of your kids? Suddenly the telephone rings; instantly you pick it up and answer in a soft, controlled tone, “Hello-o-o-o. May I help you?” What just happened? You proved that your anger can be controlled and tamed. The Bible says, “People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness” (Proverbs 14:29 NLT). Not everything is worth getting angry about. The more calmly you see a situation, the more clearly you’ll see how to handle it. So if you have a quick temper, here’s some good advice. When you’re angry, count to ten before you speak. And when you’re really angry, count to one hundred – then don’t say anything.
Soul food: Gen 14:18-24; Ps 110; Heb 5:5-10
2019-11-09
Proverbs 14:17 NKJV
The truth is that when your temper gets the best of you, it reveals the worst of you. The Bible says three things about unrighteous anger that you need to keep in mind: (1) It’s stupid. “A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of wicked intentions is hated” (v. 17 NKJV). Benjamin Franklin wrote in Poor Richard’s Almanac: “Take this remark from Richard poor and lame; Whate’er’s begun in anger ends in shame.” (2) It’s divisive. “A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them” (Proverbs 15:18 NLT). Occasionally we may become angry for good reason. But most of the time it’s because we’re selfish, impatient, irritated, or hurt about the way we have been treated. Humorist Will Rogers once said, “People who fly into a rage seldom make a good landing.” Instead of solving the problem, anger only makes it worse. (3) It’s destructive. “Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty. If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again” (Proverbs 19:19 NLT). That means when you keep losing your temper, you keep losing. You will lose friends, you will lose the love and respect of your family, you will lose your business associates, and it can even cause you to lose your health. John Hunter, a psychologist who had a severe heart condition, said, “My life is at the mercy of the person who can make me angry…the first scoundrel who gets me angry can kill me.” And guess what? That scoundrel can be you! So ask God to help you control your anger.
Soul food: 1 Chr 23:21-26:19; John 10:1-10; Ps 99; Prov 26:1-6
