2018-12-12
Habakkuk 2:3 NLT
Has God promised you something and humanly speaking you see no way it can come to pass? Are you having a hard time waiting? Read this Scripture: “If it seems slow…wait patiently, for it will surely take place.” God does things on schedule, and your appointment is still on His calendar. Be assured that nothing the Enemy does can preempt the plan of God for your life. When He gives you a promise, it’s like a seed. First it must fall into the fertile soil of faith and be given time to grow. Then it must be watered regularly through prayer and the Word of God. It won’t come to pass because you push and try to manipulate: “[It’s]…not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord” (Zechariah 4:6). If God has promised you something, stand on His Word and remind yourself, “My life can’t end before this comes to pass.” The story of Joseph’s life could be summed up in this Scripture: “Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him” (Psalm 105:19 NKJV). Why test something? To reveal its strength; to see if it holds up or falls apart under pressure. What has God promised you? Do you believe Him? How strong is your faith? If it’s weak, God will put you back into the school of faith so you can learn the lessons, pass the tests, and graduate. “Without faith it is impossible to please [God], for he who comes to God must believe that He is…a rewarder” (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV). The word for you today is: Keep believing God, and it will happen.
Soul food: Gen 47-49; John 19:25-42; Ps 150; Ecc 5:10-12
2018-12-11
Psalm 19:1 TLB
Whether you look at the universe through a telescope or a microscope, you discover that God is the great designer. Let’s look at three of the things He designed: (1) Temperature. The sun’s surface is 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and we’re 93 million miles away from it – just the right distance. If the earth’s temperature was 50 degrees hotter or colder all life would cease. Think about it: Why wasn’t the earth placed twice as far away, or twice as close? (2) Rotation. We rotate 365 times a year as we pass around the sun. Suppose we only rotated 36 times? Well, our days and nights would be ten times as long. We’d be terribly hot on one side, unbearably cold on the other, and life as we know it would cease. (3) Air. Oxygen constitutes 21 percent of our atmosphere: the precise balance of air we need to breathe. Why not 50 percent? Because the first time somebody lit a match we’d all be toast! So ask yourself, is the 21 percent by accident or design? And if there’s a design then it follows that there must be a designer. And there is. Would you like to know Him? You can. At creation He revealed His great power, but at the cross He revealed His great love (John 3:16). Through Jesus His Son you can know the great designer personally and receive the gift of eternal life. If you don’t, you’ll enter a lost eternity. Any chance you’ll be an exception? None! The people in heaven will be those who got there by choice, not chance.
Soul food: Gen 44-46; John 19:1-24; Ps 148:7-14; Ecc 5:4-6
2018-12-10
Hebrews 12:3 NIV
Do you remember the old hit song by Elvis Presley, “Don’t you step on my blue suede shoes”? You won’t get too far in life before somebody does that very thing, and steps on your toes. But before you get discouraged and throw in the towel, take another look at the life of Jesus. Though He was perfect in all ways, He was criticized continually. His enemies called Him a “glutton and a drunkard” (Matthew 11:19 NIV). They even accused Him of being possessed by a demon (See John 8:48). Yet He never allowed bitterness or discouragement to defeat Him. To Him, every obstacle was an opportunity to demonstrate grace and grit. His heart was broken by those He loved, yet He understood and comforted others. He saw disease as an opportunity to heal those who were sick; hatred as an opportunity to love His enemies; temptation as an opportunity to overcome the carnal impulses we all deal with; and offenses as an opportunity to forgive. He went through life turning trials into triumphs – and He’s our example. The Bible says, “Consider him who endured such opposition…so…you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Pick up your Bible and reread His teachings. In His famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst…Live generously and graciously toward others” (Matthew 5:43-48 TM). That’s how Jesus lived – and that’s how He wants you to live too.
Soul food: Gen 42-43; John 18:19-40; Ps 148:1-6; Ecc 5:1-3
2018-12-09
Ephesians 4:31 NKJV
In 1882 a New York businessman named Joseph Richardson owned a narrow strip of land on Lexington Avenue. It was 5 feet wide and 104 feet long. Another businessman, Hyman N. Sarner, owned a normal sized lot adjacent to Richardson’s skinny one. He wanted to build apartments that fronted the avenue, so he offered Richardson a thousand dollars for the slender lot. Richardson was deeply offended by the low offer and demanded five thousand dollars. Sarner refused, and Richardson called him a tightwad and slammed the door on him. Sarner assumed the land would remain vacant and instructed the architect to design the apartment building with windows overlooking Richardson’s land. But when Richardson saw the finished building, he resolved to block the view; no one was going to enjoy a free view over his lot! So seventy-five-year-old Richardson built an apartment building on it, 5 feet wide, 104 feet long, and four stories high. Upon completion he and his wife moved in. Only one person at a time could ascend the stairs or pass through the hallway. The dining table was eighteen inches wide. A newspaper reporter of some girth once got stuck in the stairwell, and after two tenants were unsuccessful in pushing him free he exited only by stripping down to his undergarments. The building was dubbed “the spite house.” Richardson and his wife spent the last fourteen years of his life there. In 1915 it was torn down. Revenge builds a lonely house with only enough space for one person. The lives of its tenants are reduced to one goal: Make someone miserable. They do. Themselves!
Soul food: Matt 4:21-22; Matt 17:1-9; John 19:25-27; John 21:20-24
2018-12-08
Romans 12:6 AMPC
God has given you certain relationships, skills, experiences, and attributes that He wants you to use to fulfill His purposes. He used a beauty pageant to position Esther as Queen of Persia and stop the genocide of the Jews. He used Nehemiah’s diligence as the king’s cupbearer to position him for royal favor that would parlay into rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. He used David’s musical ability to give him access to the king of Israel. He used Joseph’s imprisonment and his ability to interpret dreams to save two nations from famine. He used the zeal of a mass murderer named Saul of Tarsus to spread the gospel via three missionary journeys while writing half the New Testament. And if God used them, He will use you too. And He wants to. In fact, He’s cultivating talents within you that will serve His kingdom purposes in ways you are unaware of right now. It may be your God-given athletic abilities or music proclivity that God uses to give you a platform to give Him praise. It may be your creative genius. It may be your idiosyncrasy. It could just be your good old-fashioned work ethic. No matter what it is, it’s a gift from God that is to be used for God. Success is doing the best you can, with what you have, where you are. It’s not based on circumstances, wealth, power, or platform. It’s not based on past experience or future potential. It’s stewarding every opportunity, in every way, every day. So today, use what God has given you.
Soul food: Gen 40-41; John 18:1-18; Ps 147:12-20; Ecc 4:9-12
2018-12-07
Isaiah 50:7 NLT
In a small Wisconsin town on the southern shore of Lake Superior, the annual dogsled derby was about to begin. The racers were all children – from older boys with several dogs and big sleds, to one little boy who had only a small sled and a dog. On the signal, the sleds took off and the little fellow was soon so far behind that he hardly seemed to be in the race at all. Then about halfway through the race when the second-place team tried to move into first place, the sleds got too close and the dogs began to fight. As each of the other sleds in the race came upon the fight, more dogs got involved. The scene was soon one big seething knot of kids, sleds, and dogs. All thought of racing had vanished from the minds of the racers. However, the one little guy and his dog managed to skirt the others and went on to win the race. RightPath founder and business coach Jerry Mabe tells employers that when they hire managers, they should look out for “shiny object” people. Why? Because like children, they are easily distracted by other things and the job suffers under their watch. To succeed you must stay focused on what’s important, and pursue your goals without wavering or hesitating. Keep your eyes on the finish line, trusting God to help you. He will. His Word says so: “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.”
Soul food: Gen 37-39; John 17:1-26; Ps 147:1-11; Ecc 3:5-8
