2019-04-12
Exodus 33:12 NIV
We’ve witnessed Moses talking with God like a friend, saying what he truly felt and thought, and God wanted it that way. Let’s listen in on their conversation. When Moses said, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people’…You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me'” (v. 12), he was mirroring back to God what God had just said to him. Do you remember saying to your spouse or friend, “You were the one who said [fill in the blank]”? That’s what Moses was doing here – reminding God of His own words. The truth is, God wants you to remember His promises and speak them in prayer. Not because He needs reminding, but because we do; plus His Word is the only word He’s obligated to fulfill (See Jeremiah 1:12). When you verbalize God’s Word in prayer, you’re praying in His will and you’re guaranteed a favorable hearing. So memorize Scriptures that relate to your needs and desires. Clothe your petitions in His promises. For example, when you say, “Lord, You said whatever I ask for in prayer, believing that I have received it, You will do it for me” (See Mark 11:24 NIV), it empowers your praying. The more you learn of God’s Word, the more your prayer time will conform to His will and the more closely aligned you’ll feel with Him. Keep your Bible handy when you talk to God so He can direct your thoughts to the words He wants you to pray.
Soul food: Dan 3-4; Luke 22:39-46; Ps 130; Prov 10:12
2019-04-11
Exodus 33:11 NLT
When you talk to a friend, you’re unguarded and relaxed. No need to “mind your P’s and Q’s.” You can say what you think without fear of being judged. That’s how Moses and God talked to each other – like two friends who were trusting and transparent. They said what they felt and thought. The Israelites had just created a golden calf to worship, and God was angry enough to disown them and pick some new friends. Moses had a major crisis on his hands, and he engaged God in a serious conversation. In essence he told God, “You see it one way and I see it another way. And your perspective is making me very uncomfortable.” Sounds like a candid exchange between friends, right? He wasn’t being disrespectful, he was opening his heart. God and Moses knew each other well enough to speak “face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” Do you pray like that? No posturing; just a heart-to-heart conversation with a friend you trust and feel close to. That’s what God wanted with Moses, and what He wants with you! Religious-sounding clichés and the usual run-of-the-mill prayer request list can undermine your opportunity to connect deeply and personally with God. Open up to Him instead. Get down to the nitty-gritty where you talk honestly about where you’re coming from and what you feel, think, and desire. That’s what being friends with God is all about!
Soul food: Dan 1-2; Luke 22:24-38; Ps 127; Prov 10:11
2019-04-10
2 Timothy 4:2 NIV
If you sow your seed at the wrong time, you risk losing your harvest. Why? Because you didn’t recognize what season you were in. Are you in the season of small beginnings? If you are, God says, “Do not despise these small beginnings” (Zechariah 4:10 NLT). The richness and stability that come from “small beginnings” and gradual success are more lasting than the temperamental theatrics of those who have never learned their own vulnerabilities or developed a true sense of dependence on God. If you’re not sure what season you’re in, ask God. He does everything according to a set time and purpose. In the fall you break up the ground, turn the sod, sow the seed, add the fertilizer, and look for the harvest next spring. In the meantime you wait, because the soil that has yielded so many of its nutrients is being replenished. The fertilizer that smells so bad is in the process of producing the highest quality crop. The root system that’s required for strong, healthy growth is being developed. Understand this: God gives you grace for the season you’re in – not the one you were once in, or the one you’d like to be in. When Paul said, “Be prepared in season and out of season,” he recognized that he was in the winter of his ministry. That’s why he was pouring his knowledge into his successor, Timothy. Paul wasn’t resentful about the changing seasons. No, when his days as a player were over he simply became a coach. So ask God to show you what season you’re in and how to make it the most productive season of your life.
Soul food: Phil 1-4; Luke 22:14-23; Ps 43; Prov 10:10
2019-04-09
Luke 5:4 NKJV
The disciples fished all night and caught nothing. Then Jesus said, “‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets’…And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish” (Luke 5:4-6 NKJV). Notice three things here: (1) Working harder isn’t necessarily the answer. The disciples “toiled all night.” Nobody could have questioned their work ethic. But when you fish in water that’s too shallow, no amount of effort will bring results. (2) You need to obey God even when you don’t understand His plan. Peter, a seasoned fisherman, had to set aside his pride and say, “Nevertheless at Your word I will…” In 2 Kings chapter 5, Naaman had to humble himself and bathe in the Jordan in order to be healed of leprosy. In Gethsemane Jesus displayed the same attitude when He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42 NIV). (3) Going deeper always works. Jesus said two men built houses, but only one house survived the storm because the builder “dug…deep and laid the foundation on rock” (Luke 6:48 NIV). Author Phil Yancey’s former pastor said he sometimes felt like an old hand-operated pump. “Everyone who came along would reach up and pump vigorously a few times, and each time he felt something drain out of him. Finally, he had nothing more to give. At a ministry retreat he expressed his thoughts to a very wise nun, expecting her to offer soothing words about what a wonderful sacrificial person he was. Instead she gave him some great advice: ‘There’s only one thing to do when your reservoir is dry. Go deeper!'” And that’s the word for you today!
Soul food: Lev 26-27; Luke 22:1-13; Ps 56; Prov 10:8-9
2019-04-08
Hebrews 11:27 KJV
The life of Moses can be summed up in two words: “He endured.” He endured despite the contempt of Pharaoh, the mightiest monarch on earth. He endured despite the stubbornness of the Hebrews, who grumbled, blamed, and rebelled. He endured despite the criticism of Miriam and Aaron, his own family. He endured despite the negative report of the ten spies who came back from the Land of Promise saying, “The giants are too big, and we are too small” (See Numbers 13:33). How did Moses do it? Answer: “By faith…he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” He kept his eyes on God – not people! Paul gives us the secret to victory in the battles of life: “Having done everything…stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13 NAS). Stand firm when your enemies seem to prosper. Stand firm when the wicked seem to be winning. Stand firm when big people act small and little people demand authority they don’t deserve. Stand firm when no one would ever know you compromised. Spiritually speaking, where are you today? Are you feeling shaky in areas where you once stood strong? Are you giving in to temptation, fear, mood-swings, or the opinions of others because you’re tired of their disapproval? Stand firm! Moses endured even when he was in his eighties “because he saw him who is invisible” (NIV). He kept his eyes on the Lord. He continually reminded himself that his sole purpose in life was to please the Lord, obey Him, glorify Him, and gain His approval. So the word for you today is: Stand firm!
Soul food: Lev 23:26-25:55; Luke 21:29-38; Ps 50:16-23; Prov 10:4-7
2019-04-07
Hebrews 6:1 CEV
Paul writes: “May God himself…who makes everything holy and whole…put you together – spirit, soul, and body, and keep you fit for the coming of…Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 TM). Are you growing into spiritual maturity? Before you answer, read these words: “Maturity is the ability to control your anger and settle your differences without violence or resentment. Maturity is patience; it’s the willingness to pass up short-term pleasure for long-term gain. It’s the ability to ‘sweat it out’ in spite of heavy opposition or discouraging setbacks. It’s the capacity to face unpleasantness and frustration without complaining or collapsing. Maturity is humility. It’s being big enough to say, ‘I was wrong,’ and when you are right, never needing to say, ‘I told you so.’ Maturity is the ability to make a decision and follow through with it instead of exploring endless possibilities and doing nothing about any of them. Maturity means dependability, keeping your word, and coming through in a crisis. The immature are masters of alibi; they’re the confused and the disorganized. Their lives are a maze of broken promises, former friends, unfinished business, and good intentions. Maturity is the art of being at peace with what you can’t change, having the courage to change what you can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” The Bible says, “We must try to become mature and start thinking about more than just the basic things we were taught.” So the word for you today is: It’s time to become mature.
Soul food: 2 Kings 5:1-27; Matt 6:19-34; Acts 5:1-11
