2019-05-06
Galatians 5:22 TM
Paul writes, “What happens when we live God’s way?…[We gain] a sense of compassion…[and] we find ourselves…not needing to force our way in life” (vv. 22-23 TM). Let’s think about these two Christlike qualities: (1) You become more compassionate. You stop seeing people as objects that need to be straightened out, or avoided, or used for your own benefit. When Jesus looked at people, “he was moved with compassion” (Matthew 9:36). When that happens, two wonderful things occur. First, you conquer selfishness and become concerned with somebody other than yourself. Second, you develop a sense of gratitude for blessings you may have taken for granted. In other words, compassion expands your field of vision beyond “us-four-and-no-more” to those you’ve been too busy to notice. (2) You no longer need “to force [your] way in life.” You stop seeing people who have gentle, loving spirits as “wimps” who never achieve much. Paul wrote, “We behaved gently…among you” (1 Thessalonians 2:7 AMPC). And Paul was no wimp! Sometimes the reason we’re so driven is we fear that if we become more gentle and loving, we might stop getting ahead and fall behind in the race. That kind of fearful, frantic thinking drains the creativity out of your life – not to mention the joy. And any success you enjoy is in spite of your stress, not because of it. Look at Jesus. He wasn’t in a hurry, He seldom raised His voice, He took time for children, He loved people and lifted them. And the Bible says, “This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into” (1 Peter 2:21 TM). It’s what’s known as living “God’s way.”
Soul food: Num 30:1-32:24; Mark 5:1-10; Ps 44:9-16; Prov 11:10-11
2019-05-05
Romans 15:24 NKJV
The world isn’t going to devote itself to making us happy, and only when we accept that can we begin to move forward. Much of the time life doesn’t work out the way we plan. Paul wrote, “Whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you.” But he never got to Spain; instead, he landed in prison. But it was from there he wrote the epistles. So your disappointment may turn out to be God’s appointment! The Bible says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9 NIV). Aren’t you glad God’s in control of your life? Let the philosophers argue over why life works as it does; just you focus on how to live it! If you live to be a hundred, what good is it if resentment and regret keep you from enjoying it? And what good is more time, if you’re just wasting the time you’ve got? Do you know how an oyster makes a pearl? When a grain of sand gets into its shell and irritates it, the oyster wraps the sand in layers of beauty until a pearl is formed. An unknown poet wrote, “This tale has a moral, for isn’t it grand, what an oyster can do with a morsel of sand? What couldn’t I do if I’d only begin, with all of the things that get under my skin?” God is at work in what you’re going through today – for your good and His glory. All you need to do is trust Him.
Soul food: Exo 20:12; Eph 6:1-3; Matt 15:1-9; John 19:25-27
2019-05-04
Matthew 24:44 NIV
Jesus warned, “Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many” (v. 11 NKJV). In our generation there have been high-profile preachers who set dates for Christ’s second coming, and the press jumped all over it. That having been said, Jesus is coming again! In Scripture it is referenced more than 300 times. Charles Swindoll says: “Critics have denied it. Cynics have scorned it. Scholars have ignored it. Liberal theologians have tried to explain it away (they call that ‘re-thinking it.’) Fanatics have perverted it. And some have sarcastically said, ‘Where is the promise of his coming?’ (2 Peter 3:4). Jesus’ return has always been attacked, misused, and denied. But still it stands, solid as a rock, offering real hope in the midst of despair and unbelief. You say, ‘What should I do while I’m waiting?’ First, understand what you shouldn’t do. Don’t sit around listening for a bugle call or looking for a rapture cloud. Don’t quit your job, and don’t set a date. Instead use the time to get your act together. Live every day like it’s your last, but work like Jesus isn’t coming back for another ten years. Shake your ‘salt’ and shine your ‘light’ wherever you go (See Matthew 5:13-16). Remain balanced, cheerful, winsome, committed, and stable, anticipating the day of His return. And if you’re not sure you’re ready, get your ticket immediately. As long as they’re available, they’re free. But if you’re wise you won’t wait! What good is a ticket when the event is over?” Today accept Jesus as your Savior and be ready when He returns.
Soul food: Num 27-29; Mark 4:26-41; Ps 44:1-8; Prov 11:9
2019-05-03
Luke 12:15 NKJV
In Jules Verne’s The Mysterious Island, five men escape a prison by hijacking a hot air balloon. Quickly they sense the wind is carrying them out over the ocean. They see the horizon receding and realize they are losing altitude. Since they have no way of heating the air in the balloon, they begin to throw some of the excess weight overboard. Shoes, coats, and weapons are reluctantly discarded, and they rejoice when the balloon begins to rise. Soon they draw dangerously close to the waves again and begin to toss their food overboard. A third time the balloon begins to descend, and this time one man suggests they tie together the ropes that connect the balloon to the basket in which they are riding, then sit on the ropes and cut away the heavy basket. The very floor they had been standing on falls away, and the balloon rises once again. Suddenly they spot land. With not a minute to spare, they jump into the water and swim to an island. Their lives were spared because they learned what they could live without. Why did Jesus say, “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses”? Because what you think will be a blessing can end up being a burden. What you strive for today, you may stress out over tomorrow. Jesus said, “Your heavenly Father…knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else…and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:32-33 NLT).
Soul food: Num 25-26; Mark 4:13-25; Ps 37:32-40; Prov 11:7-8
2019-05-02
1 Kings 19:11 NIV
When Elijah reached his lowest point, God told him two things: (1) “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord.” He helped Elijah to quit thinking about himself and his problems and start thinking about God. When God has your ear, He can speak into it. When He has your heart, He can minister to it. That’s why Scripture reading is so important. If life is dragging you down and you’re ready to stand back up, climb into God’s Word, claim His promises, ask for His help, and talk plainly to Him. (2) “Anoint Elisha…to succeed you as prophet” (v. 16 NIV). Take the focus off yourself and look for someone to minister to. You’re not the only one in the world who has problems; there are people worse off than you are. They need someone like you to come alongside them, and, if nothing else, let them know you can relate to how they feel. They need someone like you to minister to them, to encourage them. If you want to see the fog of depression lifted, quit looking in the mirror and start looking out the window. The famous psychiatrist Karl Menninger was asked, “What would you advise a person to do who is experiencing depression and unhappiness?” He replied, “Lock the door behind you. Go across the street. Find somebody who has a need and do something to help them.” It’s so simple, yet we keep missing it! The truth is – by helping others you help yourself.
Soul food: Num 22-24; Mark 4:1-12; Ps 37:25-31; Prov 11:5-6
2019-05-01
Micah 7:8 NIV
We all get despondent from time to time. It can happen on the heels of a great success or victory. Counselors say that for every high there is a corresponding low. Or it can be caused by disappointment in people; someone we trusted lets us down and we experience anger and resentment. When we lose a job, we don’t just lose our financial security; sometimes we lose our identity and sense of worth as a person. The cause of our despondency is often physical. When we don’t get enough rest, proper food, and exercise, we get run down. Sometimes the cause is chemical. When the brain’s chemical messengers that are called neurotransmitters are healthy, we are too. But when some of those transmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, are absent, low, or imbalanced, we struggle and feel depleted. In this case medication may be needed to correct the chemical imbalance. And the cause can also be spiritual. Jesus said that Satan comes to “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10 GNT). That’s why the Bible says, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against…spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV). Often spiritual warfare is either at the root of our problems or is exacerbating them. So each morning when you get dressed, be sure to put on your spiritual armor and draw on “His mighty power” throughout the day. When you’re down, that’s how you get back up.
Soul food: Num 19-21; Mark 3:20-35; Ps 37:16-24; Prov 11:4
