2018-07-02
Proverbs 6:6 NLT
The Bible says: “Take a lesson from the ants…Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter” (vv. 6-7 NLT). While the queen ant is the center of attention and the mother of most of the ants in the colony, she’s not the chief ruler. The work and survival of the colony is insured by “soldier” ants. These servant-leaders are older ants that begin each new activity in the colony by doing the work themselves. The younger ants then imitate the servant-leaders and join in the work. There are no supervisors, chiefs, or officers amongst the ants. So when Solomon says the ants “have no prince, governor, or ruler to make them work,” it means the ant is a self-starter; this is a picture of the diligent person he describes in Proverbs 10:4: “Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich” (NLT). When you see an ant carrying a piece of bread several times larger than himself up a steep slope, it’s a study in diligence! No matter how many times he drops the bread, he goes back and picks it up, and starts climbing again until he gets it to where it’s supposed to go. What drives him? Hunger – God’s motivating force to labor. “It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on” (Proverbs 16:26 NLT). The stomach-growl of a hungry man or woman is often God’s way of teaching us the value and importance of being willing to work.
Soul food: 1 Sam 8-10; Luke 3:21-38; Ps 64; Prov 16:26-30
2018-07-01
Matthew 5:9 NLT
When you’re a peace lover, it generally means you’re looking out for your own interests. But when you’re a peacemaker, you’re putting yourself on the line to help others. Making peace isn’t easy. When you decide to seek the middle ground, you discover that “he who stands in the middle of the road gets hit by both sides”! Let’s be honest; sometimes it’s easier to live with the apprehension and animosity, than the threat of change that comes through working for reconciliation. “As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). That means you must learn to speak and interact with people who think differently than you do. It doesn’t mean you have to change your views or your message, but sometimes it means you have to change your approach. Peacemaking means being willing to engage in a real dialogue with two people, rather than “sound bites” by only one. Risking rejection isn’t easy for anyone. That’s why the power of peacemakers is so crucial to conflict resolution. It’s too lofty a goal to expect that all differences will homogenize into one melting pot. A realistic goal is a salad – a combined mixture of ingredients with each retaining its unique flavor and texture. True peacemaking begins in the heart, not the head. The Bible says, “Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8 NKJV). When people feel loved and understood, they take down their barriers and begin to connect with one another. And when that happens, it can not only resolve the issue, but heal hearts and minds. That’s why Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
Soul food: Matt 5:6; Isa 55:1-7; Ps 63:1-5; John 4:1-34
2018-06-30
John 18:37 NIV
When you know what your God-given assignment in life is, and that God is on your side, you become virtually unstoppable. Will you make mistakes? Sure, but God loves you enough to correct you, redirect you, and get you back on track. “How do I go about discovering my assignment?” you ask. Here are fourteen helpful questions to ask yourself: (1) What desires have been living in me most of my life? (2) What motivates me to work hard and be productive? (3) What keeps me going forward when I’m worn out? (4) What makes me refuse to quit when I meet with resistance? (5) What do I do that doesn’t seem like work? (6) What do I do that brings a positive response and support from people? (7) What am I doing or what’s happening in my life when doors seem to open automatically and effortlessly? (8) What do wise leaders and godly counselors think about my work? (9) What makes me feel good about being who I am? (10) What makes my creative juices flow? (11) What am I willing to sacrifice in order to accomplish it? (12) What am I doing that I’d be proud to offer for God’s approval? (13) What would I do without being paid for it if I could afford to? (14) What would I be willing to withstand Satan on in order to accomplish? Prayerfully consider these fourteen questions, and they will shed light on your God-given assignment in life.
Soul food: 1 Sam 4-7; Luke 3:11-20; Ps 59:9-17; Prov 16:23-26
2018-06-29
Proverbs 14:34 NKJV
The well-known atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair once said, “Nothing good has ever come from Christianity. And if Christianity hasn’t, in fact, done good and produced good we must reject it.” Even Christ Himself said, “You shall know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16 NKJV). But with every word of Christ that’s been preached, lives have been transformed and incredible good done for society. Take science, for example. As one expert pointed out, science could never have originated in any other culture. It couldn’t possibly have originated in the Muslim culture because of its belief in fatalism, which absolutely prevents any concept of scientific progress. Nor could it have originated among the Buddhists, or the Hindus of Asia, because of their belief that the physical world isn’t real, that nothing exists but God, and that all this is merely imagination. Only through Christianity could science have come to be! Think about those who have gone into the slums to rescue the derelict, like the Salvation Army, the City Mission, and the YMCA. Christians have given themselves to such people as these. Today with the removal of Scripture from much of our culture, we’re seeing decay and corruption set in. So what’s the answer? Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13 NKJV). So get your saltshaker out and start spreading the life-changing truth of God’s Word! Jesus also said, “You are the light of the world” (v. 14 NKJV). There’s not enough darkness in the whole world to extinguish the light of one small candle. So let your light shine.
Soul food: 1 Sam 1-3; Luke 3:1-10; Ps 59:1-8; Prov 16:20-22
2018-06-28
Judges 3:31 NIV
Because the Israelites disobeyed God, they ended up enslaved to the Philistines who ruled them by fear and intimidation. But Shamgar refused to be intimidated. He decided to disrupt the status quo, and he did it with an oxgoad – a long stick used by farmers to prod animals. He refused to let what he could not do, keep him from doing what he could. After all, God plus one equals a majority. And if God is for you, who can be against you? (See Romans 8:31). So Shamgar grabbed his oxgoad and charged six hundred Philistine soldiers. The enemy probably chuckled at his makeshift weaponry until he started wielding it. Then the look in his eyes struck fear into their hearts. Courage doesn’t wait until the situation favors you, or the plan is perfectly formed, or the tide of opinion turns. Courage only waits for one thing: a green light from God. And when God gives the go, it’s full steam ahead, no questions asked. It’s about attacking the problem with whatever oxgoad God has given you. It’s an all-out assault on the forces of darkness, by deciding to become “salt and light” where God has placed you. It’s more than pointing out the problems, it’s committing yourself to be part of the solution. It’s more than just having a heart for Christ, it’s deciding to take action and become His hands and feet. Instead of sitting on the sidelines because you believe others are more qualified, it’s using what God gave you and asking Him to bless it. As the songwriter said, “Little is much, when God is in it.”
Soul food: Song 5-8; Luke 2:41-52; Ps 21; Prov 16:16-19
2018-06-27
Colossians 3:17 NKJV
When it comes to serving God, and others, set your heart on being faithful instead of trying to be prominent. The Bible says, “Promotion…come[s] from…God” (Psalm 75:6 TLB), so don’t try to promote yourself. Few things in life are worse than being in a slot to which you were never called and are ill equipped to fill. Josh McDowell, who has spoken to millions of university students worldwide and authored scores of books, began his lifetime of service to Christ in a more humble fashion. His first assignment at the headquarters of Campus Crusade for Christ was cleaning the main entryway floor. He wasn’t meeting with ministry leaders; he was busy scrubbing up the dirt from their shoes. Josh’s introduction to ministry was equivalent to the guy in the Old Testament who carried the tent pegs when they moved the tabernacle from place to place. Not exactly a high-profile position! Without a proper perspective on motivation for ministry, it’s easy to get our feathers ruffled when we’re given an assignment we feel is beneath us. So how do we stay motivated about serving God? By remembering the promise that one day we’ll reap what we sow (See Galatians 6:7). God has promised that at the judgment seat of Christ He’ll reward our faithful service. So if He has called you to serve Him by serving others, keep your heart focused on faithfulness – not pride of place. Live by this Scripture: “Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks [for the privilege]” (Colossians 3:17 NLT).
Soul food: Song 1-4; Luke 2:34-40; Ps 17; Prov 16:12-15
