2019-09-15
Luke 4:43 NIV
Focus on one thing at a time. Are you being pulled in different directions? People constantly tried to do this to Jesus and distract Him from His goal in life. The Bible says, “At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them” (v. 42 NIV). Jesus was about to leave and they tried to make Him stay. Here’s how He responded: “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom…to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” He refused to be distracted by less important matters. Indeed, He was a master at this. Everybody tried to interrupt Him. Everyone had a Plan B for His life. But in essence He responded, “No, I must keep moving toward my goal.” And He kept right on doing what He knew God had told Him to do. He was determined. He was persistent. He was focused. So when you have a dozen different things to do, pick the most important one and stick with it until it’s complete. Then pick the second most important and do the same thing, until you’ve completed the list. When we diffuse our efforts we’re ineffective; when we concentrate our efforts we’re more successful. Diffused light produces a hazy glow, whereas light that’s concentrated produces fire. Jesus didn’t let interruptions prevent Him from concentrating on His goal. He didn’t let others make Him tense or stressed or irritated. And He is your example!
Soul food: Gen 24:1-51; 2 Cor 6:14-7:1
2019-09-14
John 8:14 NIV
Know what you want to accomplish. Jesus said, “I know where I came from and where I am going.” Can you say that too? Unless you plan your life and establish priorities, you’ll be pressured by other people to do what they think is important. Every day you either live by priorities or you live by pressures. There’s no other option. Either you decide what’s important in your life or you let other people decide for you. It’s easy to operate under the tyranny of the urgent, to come to the end of your day and wonder, “Have I accomplished anything at all? I used up a lot of energy and did a lot of things, but did I achieve anything important?” Busyness is not necessarily productivity. You may be spinning in circles but not accomplishing anything of real value. Preparation causes you to be at ease. Or to put it another way, preparation prevents pressure, whereas procrastination produces pressure. Good organization and good preparation reduce stress because you know who you are, who you’re trying to please, and what you want to accomplish. Having clearly defined goals simplifies life. So spend a few minutes at the beginning of every day talking with God in prayer. Then look at your schedule for the day and decide: “Is this really the way I want to spend a day of my life? Am I willing to exchange the next twenty-four valuable hours for these activities?” The right answer to those two questions will lower your stress level by helping you prioritize.
Soul food: 2 Cor 11:16-13:14; Matt 25:31-40; Ps 19; Prov 21:3
2019-09-13
John 5:30 NIV
Know who you are trying to please. Jesus didn’t try to please everybody, so isn’t it foolish for you to try to do something even God doesn’t do? It was a settled issue with Jesus: “I’m going to please God, period!” And God replied, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). When you lose sight of who you’re trying to please you’ll always cave in to three things: Criticism, because you’re overly concerned about what others think of you. Competition, because you’re afraid somebody will get ahead of you. Conflict, because you’re threatened by anyone who disagrees with you. Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things [that you’re stressed out over] shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). By focusing on God’s will you simplify your life! You’ll always be doing the right thing, the thing that pleases Him, regardless of what anybody else thinks. We love to blame stress on other people and on our obligations: “You made me do…I have to…I’ve got to.” Actually, there are few things in life apart from our jobs that we must do. So what we’re really saying is, “I choose to [you fill in the blank] because I don’t want to handle the consequences.” Rarely does anybody make us do anything, so we can’t blame other people for our stress. When we feel pressured, we’re choosing to let others put us there. The fact is, we’re not victims unless we allow ourselves to be pressured by outside demands.
Soul food: 2 Cor 9:1-11:15; Matt 25:22-30; Ps 24; Prov 21:1-2
2019-09-12
John 8:25 NLT
Jesus was constantly under pressure. There were grueling demands on His time. He rarely had personal privacy, and He was constantly interrupted. People repeatedly misunderstood, criticized, and ridiculed Him. He was under enormous stress, yet He remained at peace under pressure. How did he do it? He based His life on eight sound principles of stress management. So for the next week let’s look at them and see what we can learn. Know who you are. “‘Who are you?’ they demanded. Jesus replied, ‘The one I have always claimed to be.'” If you don’t know who you are, others might try to tell you who they think you are. If you don’t know who you are, you’ll subconsciously let other people pressure you into believing you’re somebody you’re not. A lot of stress comes from our hiding behind masks, living double lives, being unreal with others, and trying to be somebody we’re not. Insecurity always produces pressure in our lives; when we’re insecure we feel coerced into performing and conforming. We set unrealistic standards for ourselves, and even though we work, work, work, we still can’t meet them. So what should you do? You must know who you are, and Whose you are! You’re a redeemed child of God, put on this earth not by accident but for a purpose. You are deeply loved and fully accepted by God. He has a plan for your life; therefore you are significant. To overcome stress you must know who you are, and until you deal decisively with this issue you’ll be plagued by it.
Soul food: 2 Cor 5-8; Matt 25:14-21; Ps 78:65-72; Prov 20:26-30
2019-09-11
Isaiah 1:17 NIV
In New Testament times society had no welfare system. That’s why the apostle James wrote, “Religion that God…accepts…is…to look after orphans and widows” (James 1:27 NIV). This could be the kind of ministry you’ve been looking for! The only qualification you need is the memory of how it feels to “be left out” and the compassion to “do something about it.” The following poignant letter, “The Story of Widowhood,” was written by a lady whose husband died. “First numbness, then busyness. A million things to settle. Endless death certificates and things to sign. Friends are so considerate; caring support from relatives. You keep busy. But at night you pound the empty side of the bed in grief. Finally you close your eyes, throw his toothbrush into the garbage, and toss out the old work shoes you brought home from the hospital in a plastic bag. You empty the closet and give all his things away. It’s heartache like you wouldn’t believe. Every suit in his closet reminds you of a special place or time you shared together. A year has passed; you’re still in one piece. Then the blow! Your friends celebrate a birthday – all couples. You’re not included because you’d be a ‘fifth wheel.’ Some wives may even consider you a threat. Please remember us. Don’t treat us like excess baggage. We’ve been handed a rotten break, and we need friends. Signed, Forgotten.” Think of the difference you could make today in somebody’s life by being willing to seek out those that society so often overlooks and forgets.
Soul food: 2 Cor 1-4; Matt 25:1-13; Ps 78:56-64; Prov 20:25
2019-09-10
Judges 11:1 NKJV
Sociologists tell us that human behavior is largely determined by two things: our parents and our environment. Judging by that, they’d have written Jephthah off as a lost cause! But not God. His Word says, “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing” (Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV). When Jesus becomes Lord of your life, neither genes nor environment can prevent you from becoming everything He intends you to be. Before his life was over, Jephthah became famous as Israel’s youngest governor, and is listed among the Bible heroes in Hebrews chapter 11. That’s because God is a turnaround specialist! Maybe you were born in less-than-ideal circumstances, and you’re wondering if you can ever overcome them. The answer is yes! So the next time someone tries to use your past to put you down, remind them about Jephthah. The truth is, our God is awesome! He can lift the disadvantaged higher than those who have had every possible advantage. His strength is revealed and released in our weakness (See 2 Corinthians 12:9). He specializes in using those who have been rejected. He used Joseph, a man thrown into a pit by his brothers and written off by his father as dead. He used David, a shepherd boy alienated and ignored by his family. He used Jesus, “the stone the builders rejected” (Psalm 118:22 NIV), who went on to become “the chief cornerstone” (Luke 20:17). And He can do the same for you. So be encouraged; God has a plan for your life and as you spend time with Him He will show you what it is.
Soul food: Ezek 46-48; Matt 24:36-51; Ps 78:40-55; Prov 20:22-24
