2018-12-06
Habakkuk 3:18 NKJV
Pastor Jim Penner says: “I’ll never forget…as an eight-year-old sitting on the step when my mother opened the door to two men who handed her some papers…As tears rolled down [her] cheeks it didn’t take me long to figure out what happened. Money was tight…the bank hadn’t been paid and…our car was repossessed. I also carry with me another image I cherish to this day of my mother praying in her room. In the face of fear two words came through…’Thank You! Thank You!’ I thought, ‘Thank you? You just lost your car; we have no money; what’s going to happen to us?’ Her prayer continued, ‘Thank You, God, for what You’ve provided…and that we have something to eat tonight’…So it went…fifteen minutes, maybe more. Looking back, I gained a lifetime of wisdom in those precious minutes. My mother taught me an attitude of gratefulness in the midst of adversity that I’ll never forget…The tough times didn’t end overnight…but in the years to come God blessed my mother for her steadfast faith.” Gratitude isn’t a natural response to adversity; it’s a discipline you develop. The Psalmist said, “Forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). In the midst of trouble, when you don’t think God has blessed you, sit down and recall His faithfulness and you’ll end up filled with joy. Habakkuk said, “Fig trees may not grow…there may be no grapes on the vines…no olives…no food growing in the fields…no sheep in the pens and no cattle in the barns. But I will still…rejoice in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17-18 NCV). When you take time to give thanks for the blessings in your life, it will change your outlook and attitude.
Soul food: Gen 35-36; John 16:19-33; Ps 2; Ecc 3:1-4
2018-12-05
1 Peter 5:7 TLB
In the movie Limitless, actor Bradley Cooper discovers a wonder drug that opens up the entire capacity of his brain. He can learn languages and complex math in a fraction of the time it takes normal people. He can recall almost anything he’s read or seen. He can analyze more quickly and more in-depth than the best financial gurus. He is limitless. And he leverages his ability to earn millions of dollars and achieve great success. You’re probably thinking, “Where can I get some of those pills?” Seriously, today over 50 percent of people are stressed out by their relationships. Over 60 percent are stressed out by their work. Over 70 percent are stressed out by money. If you’re saying, “I’ve hit the trifecta!” here’s the word for you today: “Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.” You say, “If you saw my schedule, you’d know why I’m at the breaking point.” Who sets your schedule each day? One of three people will. Either somebody else is going to set your schedule, or you are going to set your schedule, or you can go to God and ask Him to set your schedule. One of the reasons God allows us to reach the breaking point is to force us to come to Him for guidance, for strength, and for direction. There’s plenty in life that you can’t handle, but there’s nothing in life you and God can’t handle together. The secret is in handling only the things God wants you to handle, and entrusting the rest to Him.
Soul food: Gen 32-34; John 16:1-18; Ps 130; Prov 31:28-31
2018-12-04
Romans 8:26 NLT
The twin pillars of a believer’s daily life should be prayer and Scripture. And while praying may be simple, it’s not always easy. We lack motivation, we’re easily distracted, and not always sure what we should be praying for. So recognizing our human inadequacies, God “helps” us through His indwelling Holy Spirit: “The Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father…knows…what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us…in harmony with God’s own will” (vv. 26-27 NLT). That means no matter how you feel when you pray, the Holy Spirit joins in prayer with you, and for you, transforming your feeblest prayers into powerful appeals to the Father. And when it comes to the second pillar, namely the Word of God, the Holy Spirit’s role is equally dynamic. Jesus said, “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all the truth…whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will [show] you things to come” (John 16:13). Notice, the Holy Spirit does three things: (1) He guides you as you study the Word of God and seek to understand it. (2) He takes what Jesus wants you to know and reveals it to you. (3) He opens your understanding about things that are still to come. No question, good reference books, Scripture-based resources, and skilled Bible teachers can be helpful, but they’re no substitute when it comes to hearing from the Holy Spirit for yourself and listening carefully to what He wants to tell you.
Soul food: Gen 30:25-31:55; John 15:18-27; Ps 65; Prov 31:25-27
2018-12-03
John 14:16 NIV
There are many benefits to receiving the Holy Spirit. In the New Testament Jesus told His disciples, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” The Greek source for the word “Comforter” is Paracletos, which means one who comes alongside you to strengthen, encourage, and advise you. Think about it. When you feel discouraged, confused, and powerless you have access to a wise, compassionate, competent helper who will show up to support you and supply you with what you need. So instead of struggling to go it alone, learn to lean on Him, trust His power, and ask Him to do His mighty work in you. Here’s another Holy Spirit blessing. Paul tells us, “The Holy Spirit…will tell you where to go and what to do…then you won’t always be doing the…things your evil nature wants you to” (Galatians 5:16 TLB). The battle of the Spirit versus the flesh is constant. And however well-intended, our fleshly nature can never be subdued by human thinking; that just produces defeat and discouragement. And another advantage of the indwelling Spirit is that you qualify for a Spirit-directed lifestyle. The Bible says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God…are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). Praying and taking your best guess isn’t God’s way. The Holy Spirit’s guidance – not your guesswork – should direct your lifestyle.
Soul food: Gen 28:1-30:24; John 15:5-17; Ps 14;
Prov 31:22-24
2018-12-02
John 16:7 NKJV
Even as the disciples’ hearts ached about Jesus’ departure, He assured them it was to their “advantage” because it would open a new era of power and authority for them (See John 14:12). Being “under new management” wasn’t the end, but a continuation of Christ’s ministry as the Holy Spirit took the baton from the Son’s hand and placed it in theirs. The Son would leave, but the Spirit would “abide with [them] for ever” (John 14:16). This was their “advantage.” The Spirit would enter their human bodies and live permanently in them! This is no tentative, vague connection. It’s God’s Spirit choosing us as His permanent dwelling place. Have you ever considered the “advantage” this gives you? For example, you might awake tomorrow feeling stressed, weary, and irritated, and these feelings could easily dictate your day. But because the Spirit lives in you, these things don’t have to control you. Paul writes, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you?” (1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV). Once you accept that promise by faith, you become God’s temple. You can be at work, driving the kids to school, walking the dog, waiting for biopsy results, or attending the funeral of your best friend, and as you go about your everyday life God’s Spirit is living in you. Can you see now why Jesus told the disciples it was good for Him to leave and send the Holy Spirit? Whatever you do, don’t let this life-changing truth slide by you!
Soul food: Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1-44; John 12:1-3
2018-12-01
John 14:16 NKJV
Do you remember dinner without cell phones? Your family enjoying each other’s company, uninterrupted by technology? We’re a generation that’s losing the art of communication – and intimacy – and it’s also impacting the time we spend alone with God. Although Jesus preceded the high-tech age, He was in constant demand; the multitudes pursued Him at all hours of the day and night. Nevertheless, the Scriptures tell us, “A great while before day, he…departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35). Jesus made time to be alone with His Father. It requires spiritual discipline to be still and listen; to deliberately eliminate life’s noise and racket. But if we’ll practice it, we’ll discover a heart-satisfying fellowship with the resident Holy Spirit. Invest a few minutes reading John chapters 14-16, and let your spirit absorb Jesus’ message. Notice, He wants His disciples to have peace, and He comforts them with the assurance that they’re never left alone. These are all blessings He wants us to share too. Question: How can you find this peace and comfort? Answer: “It’s an inside job,” because the Holy Spirit lives in you. Jesus told His disciples, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” It may be Christianity’s best-kept secret, that the Holy Spirit is available to and indwells every true believer, providing everything we need to handle life’s difficulties and opportunities. The “Comforter” was promised by the Son, sent by the Father, and today He’s ours by faith. Embrace Him, trust His power, experience His peace, and follow His guidance.
Soul food: Gen 25:19-27:46; John 14:26-15:4; Ps 146; Prov 31:18-21
