2018-01-03
Romans 14:10 TLV
Judgment day will be characterized by two things: rewards and regrets! Jesus highlights this in the story of three servants who were given talents to invest on behalf of their master. The first two invested well and were rewarded, while the third one buried his talent and was judged accordingly. The first two considered their options, crunched the numbers, took the plunge, and were willing to risk failure. As a result their boss said, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21 NKJV). Now, God doesn’t reward foolishness. So before you make a move, talk it over with Him (See Proverbs 3:5-6). The third servant, however, said, “I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground” (Matthew 25:25 NKJV). He made the most common and tragic mistake when it comes to giftedness: He failed to benefit his Master with his talent. Some invest their talents and give God credit, while others misuse theirs and give Him grief. Some honor Him with “fruit,” while others insult Him with excuses. And how does God feel about the latter? “Get rid of this ‘play-it-safe’ who won’t go out on a limb” (Matthew 25:29 MSG). Fear is the opposite of faith, and “without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Hebrews 11:6). So this year step out in faith; God won’t let you down. Take a risk; He won’t fail you. Even if you stumble on your way to success, He encourages you to envision the day when you’ll feel His hand on your shoulder and hear the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
Soul food: 1 Thes 4-5; Matt 3:11-17; Ps 90:1-6; Prov 1:1-4
2018-01-02
Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT
Incredible though it may seem, when Israel encountered difficulties in the wilderness, they wanted to return to their old life of slavery in Egypt. The security of the known was less threatening to them than the challenges of the unknown. So the Lord said to them, not once, but twice, “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid…[of] them…the Lord your God will…go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor [forsake] you.” Why did He say that? Because it’s in taking action that you overcome your fear! When you challenge your fears, you master them. When you wrestle with your problems, they lose their grip on you. When you dare to confront the things that scare you, you open the door to the future. A wise man once said, “Take the bull by the horns until you have him screaming for mercy.” Almost without exception every man and woman in the Bible whom God called to do great things felt inadequate, and told Him so. And how did God respond to them? “I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 NLT). Author John Mason writes: “The desire for safety stands against every great and virtuous dream. Security, many times, is the first step toward stagnation. Boldness in vision is the first, second, and third most important thing. If you dare nothing, you should expect nothing.” So whatever opportunity or obstacle you’re facing today, factor God in. With Him on your side, what you have is always greater than whatever you lack.
Soul food: 1 Thes 1-3; Matt 3:1-10; Ps 116; Ecc 12:13-14
2018-01-01
Isaiah 41:10 NLT
Two of our biggest fears are – failure and criticism. And they never completely go away. You can overcome them, but they’ll show up when you face your next challenge. It’s in accepting fear as part of life’s journey instead of running from it, that you learn to conquer it. Indeed, as you look back at what you’ve already overcome, you realize that most times failure doesn’t do permanent damage – you actually grow stronger through it. If you’re anxious today, God is saying to you, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.” So trust Him, and get out of your comfort zone! An unknown poet wrote: “I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I couldn’t fail; the same four walls of busywork were really more like jail. I longed so much to do the things I’d never done before, but stayed inside my comfort zone and paced the same old floor. I said it didn’t matter that I wasn’t doing much; I said I didn’t care for things like dreams and goals and such. I claimed to be so busy with the things inside my zone, but deep inside I longed for something special of my own. I couldn’t let my life go by just watching others win; I held my breath and stepped outside and let the change begin. I took a step, and with new strength I’d never felt before, I kissed my comfort zone goodbye, then closed and locked the door. If you are in a comfort zone, afraid to venture out, remember that all winners were at one time filled with doubt.” The word for you today is: This year, get out of your comfort zone.
Soul food: Rom 13:12-14:19; John 1:1-14
2017-12-31
Philippians 3:13 NKJV
Be honest: How many of last year’s resolutions did you keep? They say, “Procrastination is the thief of time.” We keep promising ourselves we’ll do better. But “resolutions” only happen when you’re “resolute.” That means having a mind that’s made up. So here are four resolutions you need to make up your mind to keep this year: (1) Take time for what really matters. Get up earlier in order to read your Bible and pray before entering the day. Make more time for your family. Start exercising and eating right. Take better care of your body; it’s God’s temple (See 1 Corinthians 6:19). (2) Tackle one thing at a time. Taking on too many things at once dilutes your focus and makes it harder to stick with things. When you start too much, you finish too little. So start where you are and build on your successes by mastering and maintaining one thing at a time. (3) Start small. Don’t try to swallow the whole enchilada in one bite; baby steps are the name of the game. Talk in terms of what you will do instead of what you won’t. For example, instead of saying, “I’m not going to be so critical,” try saying, “Today I’m going to look for something good in everyone I meet” (See Philippians 4:8). (4) Record your progress or lack of it. You can’t manage what you can’t measure. By facing the truth you’ll see how far you’ve come, and what you still need to work on. The Bible says, “Throw yourself into your tasks so…everyone will see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15 NLT).
Soul food: Job 40-42; Luk 3:21-38; Ps 119:97-104; Prov 9:10-12
2017-12-30
Acts 16:10 TLB
The Bible says, “Next Paul and Silas travelled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us!’ So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there” (vv. 6-10 NLT). God has an “open-door policy.” When He opens a door, you’re supposed to walk through it. Note, however, that when God kept Paul from going into Asia, he didn’t hang around asking, “Why, Lord?” He kept moving. For Paul, trying something and having it not work out was no big deal. He believed that his gift to God was his willing heart and his mobility, and God’s gift to him was that He’d always guide him to where he needed to be. What God prevents is as much divine guidance as what He permits. Every door that didn’t open, every opportunity you didn’t get, and every call that didn’t come were as much God’s leadings as those that did. So knowing you can’t stay where you are right now may be the starting point for God’s leadings in your life. And such leadings often begin with a stirring and restlessness in your soul.
Soul food: Job 38-39; Luk 3:11-20; Ps 27; Ecc 12:13-14
2017-12-29
Revelation 12:11 NKJV
Irene Park became a committed Christian. Her story is remarkable. She was once a high witch in the state of Florida, seducing boys and girls into occult activities. She stated that the children she could never reach were those whose parents protected them by praying over them in the name of Jesus, standing on the merits of Christ’s atoning blood. Today the occult has made its way into some of our public school systems under the guise of “pluralism” and “free speech.” If you’re a parent, you should be concerned! It’s wise to give your child a cell phone or pager so they can stay in touch with you. But the most powerful defence you can give them is praying over them in the name of Jesus and standing on the merits of His shed blood. Jesus defeated Satan at the cross. And today He’s saying to you, “My victory is your victory, and My authority is your authority – use it!” You must acknowledge the existence of the Devil, but you must not be afraid of him because “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). To deny the existence of Satan or underestimate his power gives him the advantage over you. But God has given you the key to overcoming Satan’s power in your life: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Start declaring what the blood of Jesus has done on your behalf. When you do, you’ll begin to walk in victory.
Soul food: Job 35-37; Luk 3:1-10; Ps 116; Ecc 11:7-10
