2026-01-20
Matthew 5:12 NKJV
The historian Edward Gibbon tracked the speedy progress of Christianity in the days of the Roman Empire, and points to five reasons for it: (1) The fervour of the early Christians. (2) The power of miracles. (3) The pure morals of the Christians. (4) The compact church organization. (5) The belief in future rewards. The Bible often speaks about our rewards in heaven.
Here are a few examples: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice… for great is your reward in heaven” (vv. 11-12 NKJV). “The Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” (Matthew 16:27 NKJV). “Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name… will by no means lose his reward” (Mark 9:41 NKJV). “Let no one cheat you of your reward” (Colossians 2:18 NKJV). “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Revelation 22:12 NKJV).
Here is the sequence of events: The Lord will come in the air, the dead in Christ will be resurrected, the redeemed still alive on earth will be caught up with them, and we will receive our glorified bodies and then our eternal rewards. “The fire will test each one’s work… If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward (1 Corinthians 3:13-14 NKJV). “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour… is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV).
Soul food: Dan 8-10; Luke 4:14-30; Ps 89:15-37; Prov 2:21-22
2026-01-19
Ephesians 2:8 NKJV
Jack Welch, who guided the General Electric company through some of its most profitable years, wrote a book called Winning. Compiling many of the different questions people had asked him along with his answers, he wrote a book of management principles. One question was this: “Do you think you will go to heaven when you die?” In response, Jack listed some of the mistakes he had made in business and in life, including two divorces. Then he said, “So as far as heaven, who knows? But if there are any points given out for caring for people with every fiber of your being and giving life all you’ve got every day, then I suppose that I might have a shot!”
But going to heaven is not about caring for people or giving life all your energy every day. It’s about putting your trust in Jesus Christ – and in Him alone. Maybe understanding this truth is harder for successful businesspeople than for others, due to their own drive, vision, and energy that have helped them attain success.
But when it comes to heaven, those traits don’t count. No one earns heaven; it is a gift. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 NKJV). Hebrews 6:4 calls it “the heavenly gift.” And the apostle Paul writes, “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV).
Soul food: Dan 5-7; Luke 4:1-13; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 2:20
2026-01-18
Proverbs 10:9 NLT
In preparation for a dinner party, a woman stopped by a small butcher shop to buy meat for the meal. She had decided to stuff and roast a chicken as the main course. When she asked the man at the counter for the largest chicken he had, he reached into the cold-storage compartment, grabbed the last chicken he had, and placed it on the scale. “This one weighs four pounds, ma’am,” he said. The woman thought for a moment and then said, “I’m not sure that will be enough. Don’t you have a bigger one?”
The attendant put the chicken back into the compartment, pretended to search through the melting ice for another bird, and then brought out the same chicken. This time when he weighed it on the scale, he discreetly applied some finger pressure to the scale. “Ah,” he said with a smile, “this one weighs six pounds.” The woman frowned, and making some mental calculations, brightened as she said, “I’m just not sure. I’ll tell you what – wrap them both up for me!”
There is no doubt about it, “honesty is the best policy.” And that is so in this life, and the life to come. Concerning this life, the Bible says, “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall.” And here is what the Bible says about the life which is to come: “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts” (1 Corinthians 4:5 NKJV).
Soul food: Gal 5:22-23; Isa 26:3; Rom 5:1-2; 2 Cor 13:11
2026-01-17
Mark 3:25 NLT
“Lord, your Word says, ‘A family splintered by feuding will fall apart.’ Satan is attacking my family, and I’m turning to you for help. Your Word says, ‘When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will [be my defence and] lift up a standard against him’ (Isaiah 59:19 NKJV). Touch the hearts and minds of every member of this family, and draw them closer to you.
You said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God’ (Matthew 5:9 KJV). I commit myself to be a peacemaker in this situation, and ask you for the wisdom to know what to say and do. Deliver my family from selfishness, pride, and bitterness. Give us the sort of love that covers all sins and weaknesses (See Proverbs 10:12).
Help us to know when a disagreement is about to open a floodgate, and give us the grace to drop the matter before the clash gets out of control (See Proverbs 17:14). Your Word says that avoiding a fight is a mark of honour, and that only fools demand to quarrel (See Proverbs 20:3). Lord, put an end to the strife that is wreaking havoc in our family. I take authority over every contentious spirit.
I ask you to help my family start to pursue things that produce peace and the things we can use to edify and build one another up (See Romans 14:19). Your Word says that there is nothing too hard for you (See Jeremiah 32:17). So, I’m praying and believing for healing and restoration in my family. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Soul food: Dan 3-4; Luke 3:21-38; Ps 84; Prov 2:16-19
2026-01-16
Genesis 2:22 NKJV
“Father, when Adam was lonely, you made Eve and brought her to him. And just as you knew what Adam needed, I’m struggling with loneliness, and you know what I need too. You said in your Word, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’ (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV). There is a part of me that can never be satisfied or fulfilled by any relationship other than you. But you also created me to be sociable and need interaction with other people.
Help me to admit and stop any negative behaviour on my part that may cause people not to enjoy and to accept me, such as being critical, envious, hot-tempered, judgmental, or unforgiving. Please give me the tongue of the learned so that I will know how to speak appropriate words in season to others. Please open my ears to listen to them with real understanding (See Isaiah 50:4). Help me to overcome shyness and the fear of rejection and to reach out to others believing that you can speak to their heart and cause them to be open and accepting.
Teach me how to accept their love, help, and generosity. Help me to understand the importance of caring for my relationships and not just paying attention to friends when it’s convenient for me. Help me to be a reliable friend (See Proverbs 18:24 NIV). You know what I need in a relationship. You put David and Jonathan together, and Ruth and Naomi together. So, I ask you to put me together with the right person or persons. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Soul food: Dan 1-2; Luke 3:11-20; Ps 81; Prov 2:11-15
2026-01-15
Ephesians 6:4 CEV
Opposites often attract, marry, and then have to deal with their differences – especially when their children become teens and they run up against boundary issues. Boundary disputes test the parents’ capacity to negotiate differences in deciding what’s right or wrong for their child. You let her do whatever she wants… You’re driving him away with your strictness… She needs more discipline… He needs space to be a kid. Both parents love their children and want only the best for them, but they disagree on how to accomplish it. In his book Boundaries with Teens, Dr. John Townsend gives some helpful and practical suggestions.
(1) Agree that your teen comes first. Calmly, honestly, and selflessly discuss your differences together. The winner should always be your child! Agree, even compromise, on setting limits that protect your teen and promote his or her best interests.
(2) Defer to one another’s strengths. Each of you has areas you’re better equipped to handle. For example, whichever one is better at organizing, listening objectively in heated moments, or calming a troubled teen should help the other one with these issues.
(3) Don’t triangulate your teen. It’s easy to pull your child into conflict on your side. Typically the other parent then responds by pampering the child with gifts, privileges, and liberties in order to regain their approval. That strategy guarantees everybody loses! Agree to sort out your differences. And if you can’t, seek the help of a wise friend, pastor, or counsellor. Your child’s life and future are what matter – not which one of you wins the popularity contest!
Soul food: Phil 1-4; Luke 3:1-10; Ps 79; Prov 2:9-10
