2019-01-18
1 Thessalonians 1:8-9 NIV
Jack Eckerd, founder of the Eckerd drugstore chain, which was the second-largest drug chain in America at the time, became friends with Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship. He introduced Colson to various influential groups in Florida in an effort to bring about change in the state’s prison system. During their travels together, Chuck had an opportunity to share with Jack his new-found faith in Jesus Christ. He gave some books to Jack, including his own, and eventually prayed with him to become a Christian. Shortly after, Jack happened to be walking down the magazine aisle in one of his stores when he noticed two pornographic magazines on the rack. The presence of the magazines had never bothered him before, but now it did! Jack called the president of his company and told him, “Take those magazines out of my stores.” The president argued, “But we make a profit of three million dollars a year on those magazines.” Jack insisted, “Take ’em out.” And so it was that all such magazines were removed from his seventeen hundred drugstores in one day. When Chuck Colson asked Jack about his decision, he replied, “Why else would I give away three million dollars? The Lord wouldn’t let me off the hook.” And when you are committed to following Christ and living by the principles of Scripture, God won’t let you off the hook either. So let it be said of you, what Paul said of the believers in Thessalonica: “Your faith…has become known everywhere…how you turned…from idols to serve…God.”
Soul food: Isa 58-62; Luke 4:1-13; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 2:20
2019-01-17
2 Timothy 2:3 NKJV
There are two kinds of criticism: constructive criticism and destructive criticism. One builds you up and the other tears you down. Be wise in how you respond to unfounded criticism and gossip. When your critic wants to remain anonymous, they’re not worthy of your response. The story’s told of a pastor who received a letter that contained only one word – FOOL! Next Sunday he held it up and said to the congregation, “I received the strangest letter this past week.” He read the one-word text and said, “Somebody wrote it and forgot to sign it!” You say, “But they are attempting to hurt my reputation.” D. L. Moody said, “If I take care of my character, God will take care of my reputation” (See Isaiah 54:17). Any time you’re involved in a worthy cause, people will not only try to beat you down, but keep you down. In training Timothy for ministry, Paul told him to “endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Difficult people are placed in our path not to defeat us, but develop us. Leaders know this, so they stay and finish the job regardless of the cost. Just like the captain goes down with the ship, the true leader stays until the work is done. You say, “Then how should I respond?” By praying for them! Jesus said, “Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you…and you will be sons of the Most High” (Luke 6:28, 35 NKJV).
Soul food: Isa 53-57; Luke 3:21-38; Ps 84; Prov 2:16-19
2019-01-16
Ephesians 4:31 MSG
Some of us excel in our careers, but act like a bull in a china shop when it comes to our relationships. Then we rationalize it by saying, “I didn’t mean any harm,” or “That’s just my way.” Sorry, God doesn’t let us off the hook that easily. When someone irritates you, God requires you to do two things: (1) Be the first to reach out. You may be right, but if you’re resentful, what good is it? Instead of nursing a grudge or waiting for the other person to apologize, be first to reach out. Someone else’s response neither validates nor invalidates your decision to forgive. Think about it: If you had only a year to live, would you give such things another second of your time? No! The Bible says, “Forgiving…as God…has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32 NLT). God made the first move in forgiving us so we’d know how to do it for others. (2) Be understanding. When some of us argue our point, we bulldoze everybody and everything in our way. Purpose-driven, time-conscious, goal-oriented people can be guilty of this. The Bible says, “Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God…forgave you.” Chances are the people who get under your skin aren’t trying to complicate your life; they’re struggling to cope with their own. Once you understand there’s no ill will intended, you begin to feel compassion for them. That’s how it is with God. “He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle” (Isaiah 42:3 NLT). Today, ask Him to help you show His love toward those who irritate you.
Soul food: Isa 49-52; Luke 3:11-20; Ps 81; Prov 2:11-15
2019-01-15
Psalm 55:22 NIV
Sometimes the best thing to do is – turn the situation over to God. “Yes, but what about all those go-getters who rise with the sun, skip breakfast, and break records while I’m just ‘giving it to God’?” you ask. Good question. Look at Jesus; He didn’t get started until He was thirty. What about all those “wasted” years? He left them to God. And how did He react to those who heard His message, shrugged, and walked away? He left them to God. And what about those nitpicking Pharisees who gave Him so much grief? He left them to God as well. In The Finishing Touch, Charles Swindoll describes a time in his ministry when he felt driven and drained by never-ending demands. He writes: “If folks weren’t changing, I felt responsible. If some drifted, somehow I was at fault. If there wasn’t continual growth, I acted as if I needed to make it happen. If a sermon failed to ring with clarity and power, I struggled all of Monday and half of Tuesday. Talk about wasted energy! Time has helped; so has age. Virtually all of the things that once stole my joy and assaulted my motivation – I just leave to God. Don’t I care? Of course I care. But those cares are now placed in the hands of One who can handle them. What once bothered me, I’ve learned to give over to Him who doesn’t mind being bothered. Whereas criticism used to cripple me for days, I now do my best to sift, shift, and sail. I learn what I can – and turn the rest over to God.”
Soul food: Isa 45-48; Luke 3:1-10; Ps 79; Prov 2:9-10
2019-01-14
Mark 11:23 NKJV
In order to receive what God promised in His Word, you need to do three things. First, make up your mind. Take hold of His promise and don’t let go. Be tenacious! God responds to a faith that perseveres and a mind that’s made up: “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). Former baseball star Sam Ewing said, “Nothing is as embarrassing as watching someone do something that you said couldn’t be done.” Second, visualize your victory. Before construction starts, the architect already has a picture of the end result in his or her mind. By faith Abraham “saw” his children; he counted them every time he looked up at the stars (See Genesis 15:5). Use your memory to replay past victories, and your imagination to pre-play future ones. That’s what David did when he slew Goliath. Look your giant squarely in the face and declare, “You’re coming down in the name of the Lord.” Third, speak to your situation. Jesus said: “Whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and…cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt…but believes that those things he said will be done, he will have whatever he says.” Notice, Jesus used the word “believes” once, but referred to what you “say” three times. Could that be because we already know so much about believing, but need to learn more about how to speak in and to our situation? Don’t just talk about your mountain, talk to it! Line up what you say with God’s Word. Make His Word your word, and the mountain will become your servant. It has to – Jesus said so!
Soul food: Isa 42-44; Luke 2:41-52; Ps 74:12-23; Prov 2:7-8
2019-01-13
James 1:2-4 TLV
You’re closer than you know to becoming the person God wants you to be. By His enabling grace, you’ll make it through this trial and come out stronger and wiser. Paul says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31 NKJV). God is for you! That means you can do the thing you are afraid you can’t do. The prison bars you’re beating against are in your mind. And since you put them up, with God’s help you can take them down. God wants to set you free from the fearful attitudes that have held you back for so long; to release you to live up to your full potential. The right attitude can overcome almost any barrier. For example, the Bible says, “Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8 NIV). Why? Because love isn’t dependent on your emotions or circumstances, it’s a servant of your will. Love is a decision! Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12). And if Jesus commands it, He will enable you to do it! Beginning is usually the hard part. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; after that it gets easier. But look out; old attitudes will try to resurface and come back stronger than ever. Don’t let them. Radio commentator Paul Harvey says, “You can always tell when you’re on the road to success; it’s uphill all the way.” So be patient; it will take time to get there. But anything worthwhile is worth working for!
Soul food: 1 Sam 3:1-11; Acts 9:1-9
