2018-10-12
Luke 6:46 NIV
Jesus told a story of two men who built a house. The wise one built his house on solid rock; the foolish one built his on sand. When a storm hit both houses, only the wise man’s was left standing. Now, Jesus wasn’t comparing wisdom with foolishness, because we’re all apt to be wise at times and foolish at others. And He didn’t say the house that survived was a believer’s house while the one that was destroyed belonged to an unbeliever, though that’s implied. He was comparing the two foundations (See Matthew 7:24-27). So, what is your life founded upon? When things get bad; when your back is against the wall; when your survival is on the line; when you’ve used up your last ounce of strength – what is it that gets you through? Certainly not your wisdom or your church affiliation. Faithful believers sometimes flounder in the midst of life’s storms: an abusive relationship, a financial collapse, an unfaithful partner, an irreversible loss, the illness of a child, psychological and physical disability, etc. Jesus’ point was this: When the storms of life come, the only way to get through them is to do what He says! Because God always honors His Word, your obedience aligns you with His Word, His will, and His power to act on your behalf. As you walk in obedience God will enable you to come through this storm, no matter how long and hard it rages.
Soul food: Exo 16-18; John 2:1-11; Ps 23; Prov 26:10-12
2018-10-11
Galatians 6:5 TM
Sally managed a small marketing company, and when problems arose she automatically looked for a scapegoat. At sales meetings she berated and criticized her co-workers, choosing to call her tirades “pep talks.” Her associates began to resign in droves, and when company revenues declined Sally blamed it on the slow economy, inefficient staff, and bad working conditions. Finally her boss had enough and fired her. Blame-shifting was how Sally survived. It never occurred to her that she may have contributed to the problem, in even a small way. Blaming others undermines your ability to “take responsibility for…your own life.” One expert writes: “Instead of becoming stronger you become weaker. People think if they admit to being part of the problem it means they’ve failed in some way. In reality the opposite is true. It takes strength to concede that everyone involved played a part. Another side effect of blame throwing is self-righteousness. In your mind you become unassailable, different, and better than others. You think you’re the strong one and other people are flawed. Nothing could be further from the truth; the Bible says, ‘The bigger the ego, the harder the fall” (Proverbs 16:18 TM). When you blame others you lose your ability to see what’s really going on. And you’re shocked when you lose a relationship or a job because you never saw it coming…When you stop blaming others you develop compassion. You realize mistakes are natural and inevitable – and they’re just mistakes. They can be corrected. It doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you or other people.” So: “Take responsibility for…your own life.”
Soul food: Exo 13-15; John 1:43-51; Ps 131; Prov 26:7-9
2018-10-10
Romans 14:12 KJV
Ever seen a flamethrower in the movies? It’s a fiery torch designed to destroy people. “Blame throwers” do the same. When life doesn’t go their way, instead of taking responsibility for their decisions and actions they blame others. And there’s no shortage of scapegoats. For example: My business would have succeeded if the banker had loaned me more money…I wanted to be part of the ministry team but my husband didn’t like the idea…The doctor botched the operation. But when it comes to blame-shifting, there’s no wiggle room as far as God’s Word is concerned: “Every one of us shall give account of himself.” The problem with blame-shifting is that it stops you from taking constructive action and moving on with your life. As psychologist Dr. Brenda Shoshanna observes: “Each person you blame is holding on to a piece of your personal power and self-respect…Taking responsibility for what’s happening in your life is one of the most empowering things you can do. New choices become available…your anger is reduced…you see people and events with new eyes. Remember, responsibility can also be read as response-ability: the ability to respond instead of reacting.” No question – it can be intimidating to take charge of your life, but you’ll be amazed at the joy and freedom it brings. Will you make mistakes along the way? Of course! Will you stumble and fall? Sure! But there’s nothing like that feeling of stepping out in faith, and with God’s help taking the next step.
Soul food: Exo 10-12; John 1:29-42; Ps 29; Prov 26:4-6
2018-10-09
Exodus 3:5 NKJV
Jewish scholars used to debate why God revealed Himself to Moses in the middle of the desert. Why not a highly populated or religiously significant place? The consensus was that God wanted to show “that no place on earth, not even a thorn bush, is devoid of God’s presence.” Pastor and author A. W. Tozer wrote: “God is above, but He’s not pushed up. He’s beneath, but He’s not pressed down. He’s outside, but He’s not excluded. He’s inside, but He’s not confined. God is above all things presiding, beneath all things sustaining, outside all things embracing, and inside all things fulfilling.” And here’s the best part: “God…works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 NKJV). Today God is living within you, working within you, and giving you a desire to do the things that please Him. And here’s an interesting thought. Since God lives within you, don’t go anywhere that you know He wouldn’t be pleased to go, or get into situations you know He wouldn’t be pleased to be in. When you feel wrong about being with a certain person, or in a certain place, pay attention. It may be the Holy Spirit telling you that you don’t belong there and you shouldn’t be doing that. Is God being narrow-minded? No; He wants only the best for you, so He’s protecting you from harm. The Bible says, “For the Lord God is a…shield…no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11 NKJV). Today wherever you go, remember that God is there!
Soul food: Exo 7-9; John 1:14-28; Ps 92; Prov 26:1-3
2018-10-08
Isaiah 40:31 NKJV
Describing the emotions evoked in having to address an audience, a respected writer says: “Public speaking is listed as [our] number-one fear, before death at number five, and loneliness, which weighs in at number seven. That means that most of us are less afraid of dying alone than of making fools of ourselves in front of others. Fear is a powerful motivator…There is the fear of being seen as exceptional and different; the fear of the unknown; the fear of being a fraud; the fear of forgetting everything you were going to say; the fear of being at risk publicly; and the fear of being up there alone. They all come together for most of us in public speaking.” In The Bible on Leadership, author Lorin Woolfe writes: “Leadership takes an almost bottomless supply of verbal energy; working the phones, staying focused on your message, repeating the same mantra until you can’t stand the sound of your own voice – and then repeating it some more, because just when you start to become bored witless with the message, it’s probably starting to seep in.” If you do a lot of teaching, preaching, or public speaking, you’re probably smiling and saying “Amen!” The fact is, you can’t fill an empty bucket from a dry well. In order to keep giving out you must keep your batteries charged spiritually, emotionally, and physically. And the Bible tells you how: “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
Soul food: Exo 4-6; John 1:1-13; Ps 63; Prov 25:26-28
2018-10-07
Genesis 27:28 NIV
Let’s look at the next two ingredients of a father’s blessing: (1) The power of prayer. Here’s how Isaac, who was a farmer, prayed for his sons: “May God give you of heaven’s dew and earth’s richness – an abundance of grain and new wine.” Dad, have your children ever heard you praying for them to succeed in life? Perhaps they’ve heard cutting and critical words like: “How could you be so stupid? Don’t you ever think? You’ll never amount to anything!” If so, apologize and ask their forgiveness. Then create opportunities for them to hear you talk to God about them by name; to hear you speak blessing over them. What a powerful thing is a father’s prayer of blessing over his family! (2) The vision of a glorious future. The Bible says, “When there’s no vision, the people get out of control” (Proverbs 29:18 CEB). School counselors grieve over the lack of vision in their students. Many of today’s kids see nothing ahead for them but economic gloom, unemployment and hard times. They need somebody to believe in them; to assure them they can succeed and live happy lives; to know their best days are ahead. Isaac didn’t wait for his boys to devise their own vision for the future. No, he prayed for their future success, for their rise to prominence, and for respect with their family and society. Dad, your kids need you to motivate them in the right direction.
Soul food: Heb 11:8-12; Gen 17:1-27; Gen 22:1-18; James 2:21-24
