2019-06-04
Genesis 1:28 NKJV
Your heavenly Father created the world – and you are made in His image. That means you are wired to think creatively. God finished His creative work in six days, then our work began. God said, in essence, “I’ve provided you with all the resources and talents you need to have an abundant life. Now do something good with it.” The sheep He made give wool, from which we create beautiful fabrics in differing colors for matching outfits. God didn’t make cheese; He made cows that give milk so that we can create cheese from it. The Bible describes the beginning of all things in these words: “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply.'” The word “multiply” means that God wants you to end up with more than you started out with. But to do that you must begin to think creatively! Instead of simply accepting what is, you need to take what is and make something more out of it. When you do that, you’re following in your heavenly Father’s footsteps. Sometimes churches pour cold water on any thought or activity that isn’t religious, saying it’s “worldly” and therefore God is not pleased with it. That’s like saying God only works within the four walls of a church. No, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1). Wherever you are, whoever you are, whatever you do in life, God wants you to put your creativity to work so that you can glorify Him and bless others.
Soul food: 2 Kings 1:1-4:17; Mark 11:27-33; Ps 1; Prov 13:1
2019-06-03
Philippians 2:13 NLT
You will only have good ideas if you value ideas. Otherwise you’ll drift through life living off other people’s ideas. Creative thinkers: (1) Explore every option. Exploring a multitude of possibilities helps to stimulate your imagination, and imagination is crucial to creativity. Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Why? Because it looks for new ways to put your knowledge to work. (2) Embrace ambiguity. Creative people don’t feel the need to stamp out uncertainty. They see all kinds of inconsistencies and gaps in life, and they take delight in exploring those gaps or using their imagination to fill them in. When you find an unmet need, you can either conclude that nothing can be done about it, or pray and look for a way to meet that need (Philippians 4:19). (3) Celebrate the offbeat. Creativity explores off the beaten path. Kingman Brewster, former president of Yale University, said, “There’s a correlation between the creative and the screwball. So we must suffer the screwball gladly.” To foster creativity, you must be willing to tolerate originality and oddness. (4) Are not afraid of failure. American philosopher Charles Frankel said, “Anxiety is the essential condition of intellectual and artistic creation.” Creativity requires a willingness to look stupid. It means going out on a limb knowing that limbs often break. Creative people know these things and still keep searching for new ideas. They refuse to let the ideas that don’t work prevent them from coming up with ones that do.
Soul food: Rev 19-22; Mark 11:12-26; Ps 129; Prov 12:27-28
2019-06-02
Genesis 1:27 NLT
Why do we celebrate the birth of our children? Because like God, we helped to create something. The famous American football coach Vince Lombardi said, “The joy is in creating, not maintaining.” It’s a mistake to believe that God is only interested in “spiritual things” and not “secular” things. Yes, you must grow spiritually. But you must also use the gifts He’s given you to fulfill His purpose here on the earth, and to bless others. You don’t have to be rich or have a high IQ in order to be creative. You could be a creative hairstylist, or come up with a new recipe, or create a job opportunity for prisoners by which they rebuild their lives. That’s not just secular, that’s spiritual! You’ll notice that the cross has two posts: vertical and horizontal. The vertical post represents your relationship with God, what He wants to do for you and what He wants you to do for Him. The horizontal post represents what He’s called us to do for each other. You say, “But I’m not very creative.” Once you discover your God-given gift, it will release your creativity. Paul writes, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them” (Romans 12:6 NKJV). Stop putting yourself down just because you are not as creative as you’d like to be. Creative thinking isn’t necessarily original thinking. In fact, people mythologize original thought. Most often, creative thinking is a composite of other people’s thoughts discovered along the way. So the word for you today is: Be creative.
Soul food: Exo 20:16; Deut 19:15-20; Rev 21:8
2019-06-01
Philippians 4:5 KJV
To have a balanced life you must live by these two Scriptures: (1) “God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to Him” (1 Peter 5:7 CEV). (2) “Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack” (v. 8 CEV). When you fail to do either of these two things, you’ve opened the door for Satan to attack you. Too much of anything, even a good thing, is a problem. For example, work is good. But too much of it causes stress, which can result in sickness, resentment, depression, and the breakdown of your relationships. Food is good. But too much of it can lead to serious health problems. It’s good to be organized. But if you become a perfectionist you can drive yourself and everyone around you crazy. Any area of your life that gets out of balance will rob you of the joy God wants you to have. Maintaining a life of balance is one of the biggest challenges you’ll face. “Let your moderation be known unto all men.” If you’re a highly driven personality, note the word “moderation.” It means “Don’t go to extremes.” Pastor, excel in your ministry but don’t neglect your family. Parent, don’t just make a living, enjoy the people you’re making it for. Always try to look your personal best, but don’t be obsessed with your looks because they’re not the true measure of your worth as a person. Take a look at your life and ask, “In what areas am I out of balance?” Then ask God to help you get back into balance.
Soul food: Rev 15-18; Mark 11:1-11; Ps 124; Prov 12:26
2019-05-31
Luke 6:23 TM
When you’ve been treated badly, always ask yourself, “What can I learn from this experience? How do I respond in a more Christlike manner? Am I willing to acknowledge my mistakes? How can I grow wiser and handle similar experiences better in the future?” When all is said and done, the answer to misunderstanding is forgiveness. Now, forgiveness doesn’t mean you necessarily agree with or want a close relationship with the person who mistreated you. But it does mean that you let it go. When you bury the hatchet, don’t leave the handle sticking up! In other words, don’t just forgive – choose to forget! Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “To be great is to be misunderstood.” And here’s an even better statement: “To be greater is to forgive the one who has treated you badly.” Paul refers to the Christian life as “the high calling of God” (Philippians 3:14). So take the high road! What does that road look like? Jesus tells us: “Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is…the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable…be glad when that happens…all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company; my…witnesses have always been treated like this” (vv. 22-23 TM). By living this way, you also take back your power by refusing to let another person dictate your mood and your outlook, and you keep your joy.
Soul food: Rev 10-14; Mark 10:35-52; Ps 4; Pro 12:25
2019-05-30
Proverbs 12:11 NLT
In The Finishing Touch, author Chuck Swindoll tells about a man he met who made a great impression on him: “With a grin and a twinkle, he whipped out his hand. It was a hand you could strike a match on, toughened by decades of rugged toil. ‘You look like a man who enjoys life. What do you do for a living?’ I asked. ‘Me? Well, I’m a farmer from back in the Midwest.’ Swindoll asked him, ‘What did you do last week?’ He said, ‘Last week I finished harvesting ninety thousand bushels of corn.’ I then blurted out, ‘Ninety thousand! How old are you, my friend?’ He didn’t seem at all hesitant or embarrassed by my question. ‘I’m just a couple of months shy of ninety.’ He laughed again as I shook my head. He had lived through four wars, the Great Depression, sixteen presidents, ninety Midwest winters, who knows how many personal hardships, and he was still taking life by the throat. I had to ask him the secret of his long and productive life. ‘Hard work and integrity’ was his quick reply. As we parted company he looked back over his shoulder and added, ‘Don’t take it easy, young feller. Stay at it!’ Hard work and integrity! Those two qualities go together, and are the essence of a life well-lived. And when you practice them faithfully, you experience the highest level of joy and fulfilment in life.” The Bible puts it this way: “A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.”
Soul food: Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-11; Eph 4:7-10
