2018-07-08
Matthew 16:18 CEV
The Christian church is twice the size of its nearest rival. The odds against that are staggering. Suppose today a group of missionaries showed up in your town and told you that a peasant who’d been put to death was reputed to have risen again. Furthermore, He was no less than the Creator of the universe. Would you buy it? The apostles did in the pagan Roman Empire, and what’s more – they succeeded in overthrowing the Roman Empire. In the face of terrible persecution, Christianity continued to flourish. Even the attempts of Julian the Apostate to overthrow Christianity and re-establish the pagan Roman religions met with no success. When Julian’s onslaught against Christianity was at its worst, one of the emperor’s followers asked a Christian, “What is your carpenter’s son doing now?” The Christian replied, “Making a coffin for your emperor!” It wasn’t long after this that Julian was mortally wounded in battle. Falling to the ground, he picked up a handful of sand mingled with his blood, tossed it into the air, and declared, “Thou hast conquered, O Galilean.” No, the church is not perfect; that’s why people like us are welcome there! Nevertheless, there are many valid reasons why the church of Jesus Christ continues to triumph. It’s a hospital for the wounded, it’s a family for the lonely, and it’s a school for those being trained in the principles of discipleship. And ultimately, when everything temporal goes up in smoke, it’s the only thing that will be left standing (See 2 Peter 3:10-12). So commit your life to Jesus Christ and join His victorious church!
Soul food: Matt 5:7; Matt 18:21-35; Ps 103:8-18; Lam 3:22-24
2018-07-07
Genesis 50:20 NLT
At seventeen, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. At thirty, Pharaoh made him ruler of Egypt. During those thirteen years Joseph suffered terribly at the hands of his brothers. Now he held the power of life and death over them. Yet he chose not only to forgive them, but to feed them in the time of famine. It’s one of the greatest examples of forgiveness in history. As they stand trembling before him, Joseph says: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children. So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them” (vv. 20-21 NLT). Notice four things: (1) Only God understands people’s hearts, therefore only He is qualified to judge them. (2) As you become more mature, you’ll be able to see the hand of God at work in some of the situations you’ve been through; you’ll see the “good” in them rather than the evil. (3) Because you have grown spiritually, you’ll acknowledge that others are capable of growing and changing too. (4) Because of the favor and blessing that God has given you, you’ll not only speak kindly to your offender but be generous toward them. Jesus said, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44 NKJV). Are you willing to do that? Are you at least willing to pray, “Lord, make me willing?”
Soul food: 1 Sam 20:30-23:29; Luke 5:12-26; Ps 102:18-28; Prov 17:11-14
2018-07-06
Genesis 33:8 NLT
Here’s something you need to know in order to move forward. The person who hurt you may never offer an apology in the manner you desire. After Jacob cheated his brother Esau out of his birthright, things got so bad between them that Jacob went to live with his Uncle Laban in Haran. Later in life, when both brothers had become wealthy and successful in their own right, Jacob decided to seek reconciliation with his brother. At first Esau refused to accept his brother’s gifts, but when Jacob persisted, “Esau finally accepted the gift” (v. 11 NLT). Notice, Jacob never said, “I’m sorry I stole your birthright; please forgive me.” Basically he said, “I’d like to try and make amends.” At this point Esau showed real maturity by valuing his relationship with his brother over his right to exact revenge. So the family was united. There’s a lesson here. God wants you to grow up and exercise spiritual maturity. You can’t control what others do; you can only control your response. Furthermore, if you insist that someone apologize to you – in a certain way – the relationship may never be healed. As a result, you’ll be left holding a grudge. And holding a grudge is like holding a hot coal; it will keep burning you until you let it go. For example, you may want your husband to apologize for his behavior. But if instead he buys you a gift or does something extra nice for you, respond with grace instead of judging either his methods or his motives. In other words, “close the account” and move forward.
Soul food: 1 Sam 18:1-20:29; Luke 5:1-11; Ps 102:12-17; Prov 17:7-10
2018-07-05
John 17:4 NKJV
The ant literally dies working. Now let’s be clear, the Bible doesn’t promote a workaholic lifestyle that endangers your health and causes you to neglect your family. Too many marriages fall apart when a couple subscribes to that philosophy, and too many children grow up resenting the fact that their parents never had time for them. That being understood, the contemporary concept of retirement can’t be found in the Bible. Yes, you may retire from a job, but you never retire from work. As long as you’re alive, there’s always work God wants you to do. Harvard University commissioned a study of some of its graduates. One group of one hundred participants retired at age sixty-five, while those in the other group worked to age seventy-five. In the first group seven out of eight were dead by age seventy-five. In the second group, of those who continued to work – only one in eight had died by age seventy-five. Researchers consequently concluded that retiring too early can reduce longevity. Stop and consider the three-and-a-half-year ministry of Jesus. At the end of it, He said, “I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” Has it ever occurred to you that salvation is available because Jesus proved Himself a faithful laborer who stayed on the task until the job was done? Again, rest, relaxation, and retirement are worthy and well-deserved rewards for a life of hard work. But the truth is, as long as you’re alive God has something for you to do! And in doing it you’ll not only find joy and fulfillment, you’ll bless those around you too.
Soul food: 1 Sam 16-17; Luke 4:31-44; Ps 102:1-11; Prov 17:4-6
2018-07-04
Proverbs 10:4 NLT
A leaf-cutting ant may carry up to fifty times its own weight more than a hundred meters. That’s the equivalent of a ninety kilogram man carrying five tons on his back for twenty seven kilometers! In a single summer, a large colony of ants may excavate thirteen to eighteen kilograms of earth to make a nest, and carry 2200 kilograms of material back into the nest for food. It can make as many as four round trips a day to food sources that may be more than hundred meters from the nest. That’s roughly equivalent to a person walking 100 kilometers. If the ant had the stride of a man, it would be capable of bursts of speed in excess of 32km per hour. One thing about an ant you can count on: He always gives his best and pulls his share of the load. Teach your kids that their reputation will never rise above their work ethic, and how people view them as workers. The success of the Walt Disney empire is based on the philosophy of its founder: “Whatever you do, do it so well that when people see you do it, they’ll want to come back and see you do it, and they’ll want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do.” Teach your children to work hard, always finish the job, and always give their best. If they learn that lesson well, you won’t have to teach them much about success – it will be their constant companion.
Soul food: 1 Sam 14-15; Luke 4:14-30; Ps 98; Prov 17:1-3
2018-07-03
Proverbs 14:23 NKJV
The ant never sees work as menial or beneath his dignity. Whether it’s moving dirt or carrying bread crumbs, he merrily goes along doing his job. How unlike that are many people today! Someone has quipped, “If you want to keep your teenagers out of hot water, put some dirty dishes in it!” All work can and should be done for the glory of God (See 1 Corinthians 10:31). The sum of the matter is found in this simple Bible statement: “In all labor there is profit.” Teach your children the old-fashioned way of getting money – working for it! The word “vocation” comes from the Latin word vocare, which means “to call.” So every job or vocation, regardless of what it is, is a calling from God. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. rightly declared, “Not all men are called to specialized or professional jobs; even fewer to the heights of genius in the arts and sciences; many are called to be laborers in factories, fields, and streets. But no work is insignificant.” As a parent you are preparing your child for their work life, so prepare them well. If you don’t, they’ll have a life of grief, and create a life of grief for others. Plus, they may end up back on your doorstep! Bosses don’t pay workers who don’t work. So before you give your child an allowance, give them some chores like making their bed, cleaning their room, helping around the house, taking out the garbage, getting good grades in school, and doing their homework on time. Reward without responsibility is indulgence. And if you love your child you won’t do that!
Soul food: 1 Sam 11-13; Luke 4:1-13; Ps 95; Prov 16:31-33
