2026-01-26
Acts 5:16 NKJV
Before Jesus left this earth, He told His disciples, “The works that I do [you] will do also” (John 14:12 NKJV). And they did. “Through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done… so that they brought the sick out into the streets… that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people… and they were all healed” (Acts 5:12, 15-16 NKJV). Someone may say, “Oh, that was only in the beginning of Acts, for the purpose of confirming their word regarding Christ’s resurrection.”
Then let’s turn to the last chapter in the book of Acts and read what was happening in the church thirty years later. “In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed” (Acts 28:7-9 NKJV).
The New Testament church was following one of the last instructions Jesus gave His apostles before returning to heaven: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature… And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name… they will lay lands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:15, 17-18 NKJV). That means you can pray in faith, and believe God for healing.
Soul food: Num 3:1-4:33; Luke 6:1-16; Ps 104:1-23; Prov 3:9-10
2026-01-25
Zechariah 4:10 NLT
Juan grew up in Puerto Rico, the son of a sugarcane plantation foreman. One of a family of eight, he lived in a three-room shack with a dirt floor and no toilet. His first job, at age six, was driving oxen to plow the cane fields. He worked eight hours a day and earned one dollar. Juan said it was in the cane fields that he learned important lessons like being on time, work hard, and be loyal and respectful to your employers. His job and small income were a great source of self-esteem.
At age seven he got a job at a golf course spotting balls for golfers, and he began to dream of playing golf and earning enough money to buy a bicycle. The more he dreamed, the more he thought, “Why not?” He made a golf club out of a guava limb and a piece of pipe, then hammered an empty tin can into a ball. Next, he dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth between them. He practiced his “golf” with the same intensity he put into his job in the cane field, and he got good – very good.
In his thirty-one years as a pro golfer, Juan “Chi Chi” RodrÃguez won eight PGA tour events and twenty-four major tournaments, and he was the first Puerto Rican to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. What can we learn from him? Two things: (1) Be willing to start small. The Bible says, “Do not despise… small beginnings.” (2) Be willing to think big because you serve a big God (See Ephesians 3:20).
Soul food: Gal 5:22-23; Ps 37:7; Pro 16:32; Eph 4:2
2026-01-24
Galatians 5:13 NKJV
In 1881, shortly after Booker T. Washington became head of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama that trained schoolteachers, he was walking past the house of a wealthy family. Assuming that Washington was one of the yard workers her husband had hired, the woman of the house asked him if he would chop some wood for her. Professor Washington smiled, nodded, took off his coat, and chopped the wood.
When he carried the armload of wood into the woman’s kitchen, a servant girl recognized him and rushed to her mistress to tell her of his identity. The next morning the woman appeared in Washington’s office. Apologizing profusely, she said repeatedly, “I did not know it was you I put to work.” Washington replied with generosity, “It’s entirely alright, madam. I like to work, and I’m delighted to do favours for my friends.”
The woman was so taken with his manner and his willingness to forgive that she gave generous gifts to the institute. She also persuaded many of her wealthy friends and acquaintances to do likewise. In the end, Washington raised as much money for the institute from this one act of chopping wood as he did from many other fundraising events.
The Bible says, “Through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself'” (vv. 13-14 NKJV). What can we learn from Booker T. Washington? Two things: (1) Every seed of kindness you sow brings an eventual harvest of blessing into your life. (2) The way to get ahead in life is to love and to serve others.
Soul food: Num 1-2; Luke 5:27-39; Ps 100; Prov 3:7-8
2026-01-23
Hebrews 10:35-36 NKJV
In the early 1950s, Irwin W. Rosenberg, a junior naval officer, was discharged from military service after he was diagnosed with cancer – standard military procedure at the time. The loss of his job was quite a blow, but he was determined to get back both his health and his job. With faith and determination, he battled the disease that tried to take over his body. At one point he was given only two weeks to live, but eventually his cancer was brought under control.
Irwin then focused his attention on his desire to become a naval officer. He discovered, however, that regulations forbade reinstatement of a person discharged with cancer. Everyone told Irwin, “Give up. It would take an act of Congress to get you reinstated.”
That gave him an idea – he would pursue an act of Congress! After months of knocking on doors and jumping through legal hoops, President Truman signed into law a special bill that allowed Irwin to reenlist in the navy. Then guess what happened? Irwin W. Rosenberg went on to become a rear admiral in the United States Seventh Fleet!
The saying goes, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” When you have a relentless faith, and your will lines up with God’s will, all things become possible. “Do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”
Soul food: Jam 3-5; Luke 5:12-26; Ps 96; Prov 3:5-6
2026-01-22
James 4:2 NKJV
Some people think we’re not supposed to ask God for too much; otherwise, it’s selfish. But God wants you to ask. “You do not have because you do not ask.” If you’re not asking – then you’re not releasing your faith. Jesus said, “According to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29 KJV). You need to learn to pray bold prayers and expect and believe God for greater things. “Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession” (Psalm 2:8 NKJV). That’s a bold prayer! But if God tells you to pray it, it’s because He is willing to answer it.
You may have a dream in your heart but don’t see how it could ever happen. Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. He is a God of multiplication. He can multiply your time and help you to get more done. He can multiply your wisdom and help you to make better decisions. He can multiply your finances: “May He who supplies seed to the sower… multiply the seed you have sown” (2 Corinthians 9:10 NKJV).
Instead of being satisfied with merely surviving, God wants you to thrive. A survival mentality will keep you from God’s best. Shake it off and say, “God, you promised that what was meant for my harm, you would use to my advantage (See Romans 8:28 NIV). I may have been through the fire, the famine, and the flood, but I know it’s my time of favour. It’s my time to see more of your goodness in my life.” Believe God for greater things.
Soul food: Jam 1-2; Luke 5:1-11; Ps 91; Prov 3:3-4
2026-01-21
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NKJV
The word “edify” means “to build up, strengthen, encourage, and motivate.” There are probably people in your life right now who need someone to speak blessing over them. You don’t know how much it will mean when you give them your approval and let them know you are proud of them and that you think they can do great things. Everyone needs to be edified.
So, what kind of seeds are you planting in your children, in your husband or wife, in your friends? Do you believe in anyone? Have you let them know? Are you taking an interest to find out how you can improve their life? Have you listened to their dreams? Have you found out what they believe God has put in their heart? Have you let them know that you’re behind them? That’s what an edifier does!
Henry Ford was introduced to Thomas Edison as “the man trying to build a car that runs on gasoline.” When Edison heard it, he said, “A car that has its own power plant; that’s a brilliant idea.” Until then, no one had encouraged Ford, and he had just about decided to quit. And then Edison stepped in, who spoke faith into him. That was a decisive moment in Henry Ford’s life. He said, “I thought I had a good idea, but I started to doubt myself. Then along came one of the greatest minds that’s ever lived and gave me his complete approval.”
You don’t understand the power you hold or how much it means when you tell somebody, “I believe in you. You have what it takes. I’m behind you 100 percent.”
Soul food: Dan 11-12; Luke 4:31-44; Ps 89:38-52; Prov 3:1-2
