2019-03-01
2 Corinthians 8:21 NIV
There’s a cartoon depicting some hogs feeding while the farmer is busy filling their trough up to the brim. Overhead in bold letters a sign reads, “Premium Bacon Company.” In the cartoon one hog says to the others, “Have you ever wondered why the farmer is so good to us?” Question: Do people have to wonder about your motives? They shouldn’t! The apostle Paul defines integrity like this: “In honour preferring one another” (Romans 12:10). Integrity always seeks the good of others. It believes that if something isn’t good for both sides, it’s not good for either side. Solomon warns, “Exploit the poor or glad-hand the rich – whichever, you’ll end up the poorer for it” (Proverbs 22:16 TM). If you want to test the depth of your integrity, consider these questions: How transparent are you with others? How well do you treat people from whom you have nothing to gain? Do you assume different personas depending on who you’re with? Do you put others ahead of your own personal agenda? Do you love people and use things, or love things and use people? Do you make difficult decisions even when it costs you personally? When you have something to say about somebody, do you talk to them or talk about them? Are you accountable to anybody other than yourself? These are important questions, so take time to consider them prayerfully. And remember, you may succeed momentarily because of what you know or do, but you’ll only succeed permanently because of what you are.
Soul food: Exo 19-21; Luke 12:49-59; Ps 70; Prov 6:26-28
2019-02-28
Psalm 42:5 NIV
Some of the godliest people in the Bible and in church history battled depression. Job experienced it through the back-to-back losses of his children, his wealth, and his health. Moses “spoke face to face [with God] as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11 NKJV). Yet the pressures of leading Israel overwhelmed him to the point of despair. Elijah conquered the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, and afterwards became so depressed that he wanted to die. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers who ever lived, called depression “the black dog” that followed him all his life. Depression, in some form, will touch each of us at some point in life. Long-term depression takes longer to get over. But the longest road in the world is shorter when you take the first step, and that step is turning to God. Whether your depression is caused by the pressures of responsibility like Moses, or by losing things you love like Job, or feeling drained on the heels of a great success like Elijah, you must turn to the Great Physician and let Him make you whole. It’s what the psalmist did: “My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you” (Psalm 42:6 NIV). David doesn’t deny his emotions; he expresses them to God in prayer. “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” (v. 11 NIV). But he doesn’t stop there. He says, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Notice, depression lifts and hope returns when you begin to praise God and trust His goodness.
Soul food: Exo 16-18; Luke 12:35-48; Ps 66:13-20; Prov 6:23-25
2019-02-27
Ephesians 1:4-5 NIV
We all have a need to belong, to be part of a family. One pastor writes: “I know couples with hearts of love who yearn to focus it on some little one, but no little one arrives. When these couples find children to adopt, they don’t tell the children they’d better measure up to expectation if they want to stay in the family. There’s no such thing as three strikes – then back to the agency. No, they accept them with open arms and joy-filled hearts because they love them. They take them into their homes forever, give them the family name, and make them legal heirs. Long before we even knew we needed God, He “predestined us to adoption as sons [and daughters] by Jesus Christ” (NKJV). Earthly parents get divorced, go separate ways, and start new families. But not God; you never have to worry about your standing and relationship with Him. Regardless of race, color, creed, or background, when you repent and accept Christ as your Savior, your adoption becomes binding and permanent. You’re part of His family. And to prove it, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16 NKJV). Do you realize what that means? You never again have to walk around feeling intimidated and fearful, or live under a cloud of condemnation, because you are a child of God and a “fellow [heir] with Christ” (v. 17 NAS). The word “heir” means you can claim every blessing and benefit Christ purchased for you at the cross. Every single one without exception!
Soul food: Exo 13-15; Luke 12:22-34; Ps 66:1-12; Prov 6:20-22
2019-02-26
Proverbs 4:23 NLT
When Satan sets out to destroy you, he starts by planting wrong thoughts in your mind. Jesus illustrated this when He said, “The law of Moses said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say: Anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28 TLB). Before you surrender to sin in reality, you entertain it as fantasy. Evil thoughts aren’t really yours until you allow them to “move in and rearrange the furniture.” Left unchecked to ramble through your mind, a thought can attach itself to an incident in your past or a proclivity in your present and feed on it until it’s like a tumor growing inside you. Paul warns, “Take captive every thought…make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV). And Solomon writes, “Guard your heart…for it determines the course of your life.” Don’t give wrong thoughts an inch or they will take a mile. Evict them before they weaken your commitment to Christ and leave you in the place of regret. Generally speaking, when we clean house we focus on what others can see and inspect. Imagine how much mental junk we collect because we think nobody sits in our heads examining our thoughts. But God does! David said, “Lord…you know all about me” (Psalm 139:1 CEV). Knowing that should lead you to pray: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord” (Psalm 19:14).
Soul food: Exo 10-12; Luke 12:13-21; Ps 61; Prov 6:16-19
2019-02-25
Job 22:21 NIV
Here are two things that happen when you recognize God’s greatness: (1) You’re not tempted to analyze Him and reduce Him to manageable terms. (2) You’re less likely to try and manipulate Him and His will, or explain Him and His ways. Think carefully about that for a moment! How many times does God have to tell us, “My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9 NKJV) before we actually get it? How often must He explain that He’s the shepherd and we’re the sheep; that He’s the vine and we’re branches, before we kneel down in surrender and say, “Have thine own way, Lord”? If Jesus, the Son of God, found it necessary to pray, “Not my will but thine be done,” wouldn’t it be wise for us to pray those words too – every day? (See Matthew 26:39). How long has it been since you took time just to sit silently in His presence; to catch a glimpse of the One who is truly awesome and incomprehensible? Job 22:21 says, “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.” Do you know God? If so, how well do you know Him? Would you like to know Him better? If your answer is yes, it won’t just happen. You must put it at the top of your priority list and pursue it each day. When you do, you won’t be disappointed because His Word guarantees you: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8 NKJV).
Soul food: Exo 7-9; Luke 12:1-12; Ps 58; Prov 6:12-15
2019-02-24
John 14:26 NIV
Why would we describe the Holy Spirit as the plus factor? Three reasons: (1) The Holy Spirit determines the gifts and skills you receive. “It is the one and only [Holy] Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have” (1 Corinthians 12:11 NLT). So if you feel like a square peg in a round hole, ask the Holy Spirit to show you what your gifts are. Then ask Him to open the door and give you favor with the right people. He’ll do it. (2) The Holy Spirit knows where you belong. The Bible says, “They, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia” (Acts 13:4). Where you are matters. For example, if you’re a whale you were born to swim in the ocean. If you’re a bird you were born to fly in the air. During a famine God sent Elijah to the brook Cherith, saying, “I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there” (1 Kings 17:4). If Elijah had decided he’d rather stay where he was, he’d have missed his miracle. You don’t have to do anything to experience God’s love, but you must know His voice and follow His direction to experience His blessing. (3) The Holy Spirit can be offended. “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 4:30 NIV). When a dove (which represents the Holy Spirit in Scripture) returns to its nest, it won’t land if the nest is out of order. So ask God to make you more conscious of the presence of His precious Holy Spirit, and make your heart a place where He always feels at home.
Soul food: Exo 20:4; Isa 44:6-20; Rom 1:21-25
