2018-10-20
Exodus 4:2 NIV
The Bible says, “Moses answered: ‘What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, “The Lord did not appear to you?”‘ Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A staff,’ he replied. The Lord said, ‘Throw it on the ground.’ Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake” (vv. 1-3 NIV). Throwing down your staff, the thing you lean on, is frightening and counterintuitive to all of us who are control freaks. But as long as you hold on to it and try to control it, God can’t use it. In golf, when an amateur wants to drive the ball farther they grip the club tighter, but it has the opposite effect. The key to a long drive is loosening your grip. Moses’ staff represented his identity and security. It was the way he made his living as a shepherd, and the way he protected himself and his flock. So when God told him to throw it down, he was asking Moses to let go of who he was and what he had. Question: What are you not willing to let go of? Answer: You don’t control whatever it is you’re holding on to, it controls you. If you don’t throw it down, your staff will forever remain only a staff. But if you have the courage to surrender it to God, it can become the lightning rod of His miraculous power. What’s in your hand today? You can hang on to it and see what you can do, or hand it over and see what God can do. Today let God use what you’ve got.
Soul food: Exo 36-38; John 4:39-54; Ps 87; Prov 27:4-6
2018-10-19
Genesis 19:17 NKJV
One time in the West Indies five ships, one of them British, were anchored in the harbor when a monster storm rolled in. The British captain immediately raised anchor and sailed out to meet it. Two days later, battered but still intact, he returned to the harbor and discovered that the ships that hadn’t sailed for fear of the storm had all been driven ashore and destroyed. Generally speaking, as a leader the best way forward is to face challenges head-on and “not look behind you.” Author Jon Gordon points out six important things: (1) Who you are makes a difference. People follow the leader first and his vision second. (2) It’s all about relationships. Pastor Andy Stanley said, “Rules without relationship lead to rebellion.” You can implement all the rules in the world, but if you don’t develop a relationship with the people you’re leading, they’ll rebel. (3) It’s not just about what you do, but what you can inspire, encourage and empower others to do. You bring out the best in people by sharing the best in yourself. (4) Lead with optimism, enthusiasm, and positive energy. Guard against negativity and teach people to focus on solutions, not complaints. (5) Recognize that you don’t have all the answers, and build a team of people who either have the answers or will find them. (6) Accept that success is a process, not a destination. John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach, recognized that winning was an offshoot of great leadership, teamwork, focus, commitment, and implementing the basics.
Soul food: Exo 33-35; John 4:27-38; Ps 32; Prov 27:1-3
2018-10-18
Matthew 25:21 TLV
Nicole Unice, director of women’s ministries for Hope Church, says: “There are ideas I know would be beneficial, yet I hesitate to share too much or dream too big. What if they don’t work? Or people don’t like them? What if the people above me second-guess hiring me? One day I scrawled on my office wall: So what if it fails? Question: What are you yearning to try and haven’t because you’re afraid you’ll fail? What programs do you keep alive even though they aren’t serving their purpose? What technology are you avoiding? What learning are you circumventing because you feel old and rusty? If you don’t have anything on the horizon that might fail, you’re failing as a leader. Unless you push for innovation and creativity you’ll keep attracting the same people. When you ‘Begin the…tasks [God] assigned to you’ you’ll have to push boundaries and try things that might fail.” John Mason writes: “Don’t be afraid to fail…if you’re not failing you’re not growing. When successful people stop growing and learning, it’s because they become less willing to risk failure. Failure is delay, not defeat. A temporary detour, not a dead-end street. We all make mistakes – especially those who do things. As Paul says, ‘God…gives us the victory through…Christ’ (1 Corinthians 15:57 NKJV), and failure is often the first step toward success. Unless you’re willing to take a risk, you won’t get the chance to succeed.” Today trust God and step out in faith!
Soul food: Exo 30-32; John 4:13-26; Ps 100; Prov 26:27-28
2018-10-17
Revelation 21:27 NCV
One night in 1912, Titanic, the largest passenger steamship in the world and considered by many to be unsinkable, struck an iceberg and sank in the icy Atlantic. Many people died. Following the disaster the scene outside the White Star Line office in Liverpool was one of anxiety and grief as friends and relatives of those on board the ill-fated vessel thronged the building. On both sides of the main entrance notices were posted. One said, “KNOWN TO BE SAVED”; the other said, “KNOWN TO BE LOST.” From time to time a company official walked out with a piece of paper which contained the name of another passenger. When he held it up, a deathly stillness swept over the crowd as loved ones of the missing waited to see which side he would write the name on. The day Jesus was crucified, God looked down from heaven, wrote “KNOWN TO BE SAVED” on the cross, and started writing names in “The Lamb’s Book of Life.” And the message of the cross hasn’t changed. You don’t have to be a scholar to understand it. In fact, most people who come to Christ don’t know a lot about the Bible. All they know is they need a Savior, and God loves them. All you have to do to receive eternal life is repent of your sin and put your trust in Jesus. The instant you do that, God writes your name “in the Lamb’s book of life” and you become a member of His family, guaranteed a place in heaven. And it can happen for you today.
Soul food: Exo 28-29; John 4:1-12; Ps 89:38-52; Prov 26:23-26
2018-10-16
Exodus 3:11 NIV
When God told Moses He was going to use him to deliver the Israelites from slavery, the conversation went like this: “‘So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ And God said, ‘I will be with you'” (vv. 10-12 NIV). Moses summarized his fears and insecurities in one question, “Who am I?” But that’s the wrong question. It’s not about who you are, but Whose you are! That day God revealed His name to Moses as “I AM.” His name is the solution to every problem and the answer to every question. His name calms every fear, seals every prayer, and wins every battle. At His name, angels bow and demons quake. At His name, our sin is vindicated and our authority is validated. Who you are is absolutely irrelevant. God doesn’t use us because of us, but in spite of us. It’s not like heaven is going to go bankrupt if you don’t tithe. And if you take your talents elsewhere, it’s not like the kingdom of God is going to go under. But for reasons that will only be revealed on the far side of the space-time continuum, God has chosen to accomplish His purposes through ordinary people like us. Are you afraid of stepping out in faith in case you fail? Does the situation seem impossible for you? It’s not for God. Trust Him, stand on His promise: “I will be with you,” and move ahead!
Soul food: Exo 25-27; John 3:22-36; Ps 89:15-37; Prov 26:20-22
2018-10-15
Psalm 103:13 TM
To see God as a loving Father may not come easily, if you carry the scars of a neglected or abusive childhood. Perhaps you had so many unmet needs growing up: affection, security, trust, comfort, material necessities, etc., and your lack of these things makes it hard to believe God will provide for your needs now. What to do? Recognize that your “father-image” is flawed and in no way resembles your heavenly Father. Even the best earthly father can’t measure up to Him. He wants you to approach Him as a caring, sensitive, generous, dependable, loving Father. That’s why Jesus taught us to call Him “Our Father,” not just “Almighty God and Lord.” Like a good father, God understands your needs and makes full provision for them (See Matthew 6:25-34). And just as a good parent recognizes the unique characteristics of each of his children, He knows your distinctive personality, gifts, thoughts, and feelings. “As parents feel for their children, God feels for those who fear him. He knows us inside and out, keeps in mind that we’re made of mud” (Psalm 103:13-14 TM). God’s care is tailor-made to your specific gifts – and weaknesses. And like a loving father, He accepts and fulfills His responsibility to provide for you. So what’s your role in the relationship? To act like the child of a trustworthy, generous, permanently-loving Father!
Soul food: Exo 22-24; John 3:1-21; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 26:17-19
