2018-07-16
Psalm 32:7 NIV
Have you ever fantasized about running away from all the stresses of today’s high-tech world? Surely there’s a place somewhere on the globe where the pace is slower and the living is easy. That dream motivated a family in 1940 to move to an island called Guadalcanal in the Coral Sea. But two years later war broke out in the Pacific, and the couple found themselves witnessing a battle – in their front yard. Obviously, they had chosen the wrong place. Where can you go to escape the noise and hubbub of city life? How about a small island in the Caribbean called Grand Cayman? Vacationers to this resort say it is the closest thing to paradise on earth. The residents there pay no taxes. The water around them is calm and warm, and there are orchids growing everywhere. Sounds good, doesn’t it? But there’s a catch. Medical studies revealed that the two major ailments suffered by the citizens of Grand Cayman are hypertension and anxiety neurosis. Life on a tropical beach is not always what it appears to be. Could it be that the stresses and pressures with which we struggle, actually come from within? Yes. And they will plague us no matter where we live, until we learn to deal with circumstances as they are. Here’s how the Psalmist did it: “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you” (vv. 7-8 NIV).
Soul food: 2 Sam 7:18-11:27; Luke 7:11-23; Ps 118:1-9; Prov 18:4-6
2018-07-15
Genesis 26:8 NASB
Back in the days when wooden ships depended on the wind to drive them, sailors had much to be concerned about: pirates, storms, and diseases. But often their greatest fear was “the doldrums” – an area near the equator characterized by calm and very light shifting winds. It could mean the death of the entire crew. The ship’s food and water supply would be depleted as they drifted for days, or even weeks, waiting for a breeze to put them back on course. We talk about something “taking the wind out of our sails,” meaning we’ve lost our momentum and we need something to get us back on course again. Your marriage doesn’t lose its momentum overnight, but over months and years of insensitivity and neglect. But it doesn’t have to be that way for you. Author Doug Fields, in his book Creative Romance, writes: “Romancing your spouse can change those patterns, and it can be a lot of fun. There’s no quick fix to a stagnant marriage, of course, but you can lay aside the excuses and begin to date your sweetheart again.” God brought this charge against the church at Ephesus: “You have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4 NKJV). Then He told them how to remedy it: “Repent and do the first works” (v. 5 NKJV). Fearing King Abimelech would kill him and take his wife Rebekah, Isaac lied and said she was his sister. What gave him away? King Abimelech looked out a window, and, “Behold, Isaac was [sporting with] his wife Rebekah” (NAS). Romance saved his life and his marriage, and it can do the same for yours.
Soul food: Matt 5:8; Ps 24:3-6; Ps 18:17-26; 1 John 3:1-3
2018-07-14
1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV
What seems like a setback is often a setup for a comeback! There’s no greater illustration of this than Good Friday. On the Saturday between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, it seemed all was lost. But it’s not over until God says it’s over! The greatest spiritual victory in history was won on the heels of its seemingly greatest defeat. All was lost, but not for long. Three days after His crucifixion, Jesus walked out of His tomb. And as a redeemed child of God, that same power lives in you today. “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11 NKJV). In God’s kingdom failure is never final. Not if you believe in the resurrection! You won’t win every spiritual battle, but the war has been decisively won. The victory was sealed two thousand years ago when Jesus broke the seal of His tomb. It was the deathblow to death itself. Paul writes, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (v. 37 NKJV). Today you are more than a conqueror (in all these things) because of what Christ accomplished for you. Yes, you’ll experience setbacks. But remember this: Without a crucifixion there can be no resurrection. So when you have a setback, don’t take a step back, because God is preparing your comeback.
Soul food: 2 Sam 3:22-7:17; Luke 7:1-10; Ps 109:16-31; Prov 18:1-3
2018-07-13
Genesis 39:3 NIV
The second credential you need when it comes to getting people to listen to you is: Success. Credibility doesn’t come from knowledge alone; it comes from results. When people want to succeed, they seek advice from those who have actually accomplished something. When you’re successful, there will always be those who want to listen to you. And if you have a proven track record in an area where they want to succeed, your credibility goes through the roof. So what does it take to be a success? Many different things. Here are a few: (1) Habits. Everybody wants to succeed, but few are willing to pay the price. You don’t determine your future; you determine your habits and your habits determine your future. The secret lies in your daily routine. To succeed you must make a habit of doing what those who are unsuccessful don’t do. (2) Opportunity. A successful person makes hay from the grass that grows under the other person’s feet! They don’t restrict their efforts to the hours when the sun shines. They recognize that success takes aspiration, inspiration, and perspiration. (3) Persistence. Success means getting back up each time you fall. Scientist and inventor Louis Pasteur said, “Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.” (4) God. Abraham Lincoln said, “I believe the will of God prevails; without Him all human reliance is vain; without the assistance of that divine being I cannot succeed; with that assistance I cannot fail.” God gave “Joseph …success in everything he did,” and He wants to do the same for you!
Soul food: 2 Sam 1:1-3:21; Luke 6:37-49; Ps 109:1-15; Prov 17:27-28
2018-07-12
Mark 12:37 NKJV
The Bible says concerning Jesus: “The common people heard Him gladly.” Why? Because His words were backed by these all-important things: His character, His conduct, and His concern for others. In short, Jesus earned the right to speak. Have you? Getting people to listen calls for: Insight. When what you say truly helps somebody, you form a connection. Benjamin Franklin, one of the most admired figures in American history and known for his homespun wisdom, had a remarkable career. Interestingly, he had little formal education. He attended school for only two years, yet he was highly respected because of his knowledge and keen insight. A voracious reader and an intellectually curious man, he became expert in a remarkable number of areas: printing and publishing, politics, civic activism, the sciences, and diplomacy. He was an innovative inventor who secured the support of France during the Revolutionary War, founded the first public library in America, served as the first president of the American Philosophical Society, and helped draft the Declaration of Independence. Biographer Walter Isaacson called Franklin “the most accomplished American of his age and the most influential in inventing the type of society America would become.” People felt a sense of connection when Franklin shared his wisdom. Here’s how this applies to you. When you love people, work hard, study, develop and share your expertise in a given area, they will learn to respect and listen to you. And when it comes to listening, you don’t get what you demand, you get what you earn.
Soul food: Eph 4:17-6:24; Luke 6:27-36; Ps 79; Prov 17:24-26
2018-07-11
1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT
There’s a legend about a covey of quail that lived in a forest. The birds were happy there except for their enemy, the quail catcher. He would imitate their call, and then when they gathered together he’d throw a net over them, stuff them into his hunting basket, and carry them off to market. Finally a wise old quail said, “Brothers and sisters, I have a plan. When the quail catcher throws his net over us, we should all put our heads into a section of the net together and start flapping our wings. That way we can lift it as one and fly off with it.” The birds all agreed, and the next day they did exactly that, making a successful escape. When the quail-catcher’s wife asked him, “Where are the quail to take to market?” he replied, “When they all got together there was no stopping them!” Writing to the Corinthian church, the apostle Paul said, “Some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels” (v. 11 NLT). Then he went on to say, “Live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions…Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.” Success in any venture calls for the death of individual ego and self-interest. So when a mistake is made, refuse to place blame. Be forgiving, and don’t allow an offense to develop into bitterness. Offer praise for other team members’ strengths, and offer help in their areas of weakness. Be conscientious and dependable and stay focused on the bigger goal. When we learn to work together there’s no stopping us!
Soul food: Eph 1:1-4:16; Luke 6:17-26; Ps 137; Prov 17:22-23
