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
2019-11-08
Ephesians 4:26 NLT
The first mention of anger in Scripture is when Cain got so angry with his brother Abel that he murdered him. Sixty percent of all murders in America are committed by family members. But anger not only kills others, it can kill you. Dr. Redford Williams, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Duke University, states: “The hostility and anger associated with Type-A behavior is a major contributor to heart disease. People who struggle with anger are five times more likely to suffer coronary heart disease, and people with heart disease more than double their risk of a heart attack when they get angry.” Of course, there’s a difference between anger and mere aggravation. A little girl asked her father to explain that difference. So he picked up the phone, dialed a number, allowed his daughter to listen in, and when the other person answered, he said, “Hello. Is Melvin there?” Back came the answer, “There’s no one here named Melvin. Why don’t you look up numbers before you dial them?” The father waited a moment, then re-dialed the number. “Hello. Is Melvin there?” The man yelled, “I just told you there’s no Melvin here! Don’t call this number again!” then slammed down the receiver. The father looked at his daughter and said, “Honey, that was anger. Now let me show you aggravation.” He dialed the number again and when a voice roared back, “Hello!” her dad calmly said, “Hi. This is Melvin, have there been any calls for me?” The word anger is only one letter short of the word danger. So ask God to help you manage your anger. He will!
Soul food: 1 Chr 19:1-23:20; John 9:24-41; Ps 115; Prov 25:26-28
2019-11-07
Philippians 3:13 NIV
The Bible says that the greater the offense, the greater the need to forgive your offender in order to go on with your life. Remember when you were growing up, how your parents would tell you to close the door? That’s because in winter you were letting in the cold and in summer you were letting in the heat. Forgiveness shuts the door on your past! Paul, who martyred Christians before becoming one, writes, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching…unto those things which are before.” Only when you release your grip on the past can you secure your grip on the future. Forgetting is a decision, one you sometimes have to make daily or even hourly. Bottom line: You need to forgive every time the issue that’s hurting you rears its head (See Matthew 18:21-22). Complete healing can take months or years. When someone hurts you deeply, you must purpose in your heart to keep forgiving them until you’re free from their influence. No matter what they took from you through abuse, abandonment, betrayal, manipulation, or deceit, bitterness will take more! Like making a rod for your own back, unforgiveness lets the person who hurt you keep doing it. So until the issue is resolved, you may have to get down on your knees every day and pray, “Lord, by an act of my will, I forgive ________ and ask You to bless them. I’m turning them over to You and getting on with my life.” There’s no shortcut – it’s the only path to freedom!
Soul food: 1 Chr 16-18; John 9:13-23; Ps 105:1-15; Prov 25:23-25
