2019-02-17
Psalm 30:5 NKJV
God is with us during our “nighttime experiences.” Think about it; you’ve been knocked down, but by God’s grace you’ve gotten back up. No matter how dark the night, you’ve lived to see the morning. Times change and relationships change, but God is always the same. He’s the one who brought you through every difficulty in the past, and He promises to be with you every day of the future. Note the words “joy comes.” That means you will rise again and rejoice again. Your drive to survive comes from a well that’s already within you, and the Lord is the One who fills that well. Let it flow! You don’t have to make it flow, just let it flow. Sixteenth-century English clergyman and historian Dr. Thomas Fuller said, “If it were not for hope, the heart would break.” No matter what you’re going through right now, don’t give up until you see the morning. It’s at the end of every dark night and every broken promise – and it always comes. After every setback, betrayal, and denial – morning will surely break. Let nothing keep you from believing that! God will dry your tears and you’ll awake with a new song. One of the greatest promises in Scripture is this: “His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion…therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him” (Lamentations 3:22-25). Yesterday ended last night. It’s a new day, so make up your mind to enjoy it!
Soul food: Gen 42-43; Luke 10:25-37; Ps 33:1-12; Prov 5:7-14
2019-02-16
Luke 9:23 NLT
Let’s consider: (1) Commitment at work. In the past, employers valued their workers and workers valued their employers. But today’s workplace has become increasingly adversarial, with workers resenting their bosses and doing the bare minimum, while bosses are often demanding and take their employees for granted. God’s way calls for mutual commitment. “Don’t just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily…with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God” (Ephesians 6:6-7 TM). If you are an employer, take note who you represent – God. (2) Commitment at church. Many folks have a casual, cafeteria-style approach to church: They pick what they like and leave what they don’t. Jesus said, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18 NIV). And membership in it calls for a covenant relationship between believers: one in which we agree to encourage, nurture, protect, cherish, pray for each other, and fulfill our mission together (See 1 Corinthians 12:12-31). (3) Commitment to Christ. Jesus made a radical commitment to us through His birth, life, suffering, crucifixion, and death, and He asks us to commit radically to Him. “Then he said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.'” That means you no longer follow your own wishes or will, but follow the Lord, His wishes and His will. That’s radical commitment, and it’s what God expects from you.
Soul food: Exo 20:3; Acts 14:1-18; 1 Sam 5:1-5
2019-02-15
Galatians 2:20 NIV
We live in a time of commitment-phobia. We want to get as much as we can while giving back as little as possible. We want to be there for others in good times but not bad ones. And our lack of commitment is reflected in the statistics. The marriage rate is down while the divorce rate is up. Involvement in church and participation in compassionate causes are both down. We’re becoming a society that fears putting itself on the line or being pinned down by responsibility and obligation. To escape the awkwardness and embarrassment of saying no, we avoid our obligations and responsibilities by simply being elsewhere when we’re needed. And we’re a “sound bite” generation with attention spans geared to fifteen-second commercials. We prefer our sermons simple, entertaining, and above all, short! Radical commitment is rare – but it’s what God wants from us! The Bible says, “It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it” (Ecclesiastes 5:5 NIV). How about commitment to marriage? God doesn’t see it as a 50/50 arrangement, but one where both sides give 100 percent. It’s a sacred covenant made before God between a man and woman, “for better or worse; for richer or poorer; in sickness and in health; until parted by death.” And it works best when both partners have learned to say with Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” That’s radical commitment, and it’s the way to a great marriage.
Soul food: Gen 40-41; Luke 10:13-24; Ps 28; Prov 5:3-6
2019-02-14
1 Thessalonians 5:12 NLT
If you want to encourage your pastor: (1) Cut the criticism. Most workers are evaluated each year based on their job performance; pastors are evaluated every week. Remember, if a particular sermon doesn’t scratch where you itch, chances are somebody else needs to hear it. (2) “Remember your leaders who taught you the word” (Hebrews 13:7 NLT), and pray for their spiritual growth. Goethe said, “If you treat a person as he is, he’ll stay that way. But if you treat him as what he ought to be, he’ll become what he ought to be and could be.” (3) Write a note. Especially when something your leader says or does ministers to you. Verbal encouragement is good, but a note can be read many times over. (4) Put your talents to work. For example, if you’re mechanically inclined, service the pastor’s car. If you’re technologically savvy, help them improve their computer skills. Instead of saying, “You need to do this,” say, “I’d like to help by doing.” Ask where your skills are most needed and become an active participant. (5) Squash gossip. James said, “If you…don’t control your tongue…your religion is worthless” (James 1:26 NLT). Counter negative talk with positive comments, and correct misinformation with truth. If all else fails – walk away! (6) Be openly responsive. Nothing encourages leaders like seeing people respond to their preaching and teaching. (7) Lose the measuring stick. Instead of expecting them to be a mirror image of their predecessor, thank God for your pastor’s individual style to minister to those in need.
Soul food: Gen 37-39; Luke 10:1-12; Ps 5; Prov 5:1-2
2019-02-13
James 4:8 NKJV
Author Reimar Schultze writes: “No man can become much like God, accomplish much for God, be intimate with God, be used much of God, unless he has learned to be much alone with God…and what a classroom you’ll find yourself in. You won’t become a carbon copy of other Christians, because there’ll be no one in the class but you and God. In church you can say, ‘This isn’t for me; perhaps it’s for someone else’…Here time is designed to meet your particular needs, to equip you in your unique calling…to fine-tune you…to draw the foolishness out of you…and mold you into His likeness. He may start with a chisel, but eventually He will only need sandpaper…Jesus said, ‘My sheep hear my voice and…follow me’ (John 10:27). He’ll not only teach you to hear His voice…He’ll show you what’s hindering you from hearing it. He’ll teach you as quickly as you surrender to Him, yet slowly enough so you don’t miss a lesson. He’ll teach you what it means to be yoked together with Him and to walk at His pace and in His time. Of course the Devil will fight you every step of the way. He’ll give you rational and religious excuses to delay [but you don’t have to act on them]. Resist him! He’s a liar and a deceiver…There’s a price to be paid for neglecting God. Some have lost children and grandchildren to the world, endured hardships, disappointments, financial crisis, and marital breakups…Some of our lives revolve around getting ahead, instead of getting around God…Repent and start doing the right thing now – you’ll never regret it.”
Soul food: Gen 35-36; Luke 9:57-62; Ps 149; Prov 4:25-27
2019-02-12
Romans 5:20 NIV
Bill Wilson and Bob Smith, co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, once visited an attorney who was a hardened alcoholic. Confined to bed because of violent behavior, the man had no choice but to listen to their stories of recovery. But as soon as they started talking about a “Higher Power,” the attorney shook his head and said, “It’s too late for me. I still believe in God but I know He no longer believes in me.” How sad – and misguided! Are you worried that God won’t accept you because of your sins? You don’t have to be! Paul says, “Where sin increased, grace increased…more.” And he should know, because before his Damascus Road conversion he was “Public Sinner Number One” (1 Timothy 1:15 TM). Afterwards God used him to reach the world with the gospel (See Acts 17:2). “Grace” was so central to Paul’s message that he mentions it in the very beginning of all his Epistles. That’s because he understood that by trying to stand on your own merit before a Holy God, every time you mess up you feel like a failure – unloved, unworthy, and unaccepted. Psychologists say we try to conform to the image of us that’s seen by the most important person in our lives. So can you imagine what would happen if you started seeing yourself as God sees you? The truth is, you’re His redeemed child and He sees you through the blood of Jesus, which cleanses all your sins (See 1 John 1:9). There’s nothing you can do to make God love you more, and nothing you can do to make Him love you less! And that’s the good news!
Soul food: Gen 32-34; Luke 9:46-56; Ps 145:14-21; Prov 4:23-24
