2017-08-03
James 1:22 NIV
Shame grows in the dark, but once you expose it to the light of God’s Word, it loses its grip on you. Feelings can be so fickle. And often they’re triggered by everyday things like a familiar song, the mention of someone who hurt you, an anniversary, a birthday, a holiday such as Christmas or Valentine’s Day. That’s why James tells us, “Do not merely listen to the word… Do what it says.” One counsellor writes: “Shame can hold us back, hold us down, and keep us staring at our feet… Many systems and people are controlled by it and want us to play their game… Compulsive behaviours, sexually addictive behaviours, overeating, chemical abuse, and addictive gambling are all shame-based behaviours… Our past experiences, and the brainwashing we may have had, put shame on us. ‘Don’t think… don’t feel… don’t grow or change… don’t feel alive… be ashamed!’ Be done with shame! Attack it. Go to war with it. Learn to recognize and avoid it like the plague.” The Bible says, “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?” (Romans 8:33 AMP). Whether you committed the offense or the offense was committed against you, “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7 NKJV). Note the word “all.” Instead of talking about how you feel, start talking about what you know! God’s Word, which is God’s opinion of you, is the greatest healing force on earth. So read it, believe it, speak it, and stand on it. As you do, you’ll begin to rise above your shame-based thinking.
Soul food: 1 Chr 1-2; Mark 1:35-45; Ps 78:65-72; Prov 20:11-14
2017-08-02
Romans 12:2 CEV
When you’ve been physically, emotionally, or sexually abused, it undermines your self-worth. You think, “If someone did that to me, there must be something wrong with me.” You feel like your soul is soiled; like you’re “damaged goods.” But you’re not! These two Scriptures are from God’s lips to your heart: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt” (Jeremiah 31:3-4 NIV). “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past… I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV). What happened to you was bad, but you are not bad! Today God says: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God” (Isaiah 43:1-3 NIV). Shame and depression go hand in hand. And while doctors can prescribe medication for depression, there’s no remedy for shame – except the medicine of God’s Word. So instead of believing your thoughts and emotions, stand on God’s Word regardless of how you feel. Being ashamed of who you are is like being perpetually punished – except you’re doing it to yourself. What’s the solution? “Let God change the way you think.”
Soul food: 1 John 3:11-5:21; Mark 1:21-34; Ps 78:56-64; Prov 20:7-10
2017-08-01
Genesis 2:15 NKJV
The Bible says God put Adam into the garden “to work it and take care of it” (NIV). So even when you have a great home environment, you’ve still got to “work it and take care of it.” Left unattended, the best garden in the world will eventually turn into a weed patch. Similarly, if you devote all your time and energy to your career and none to your marriage and family, your home life will become a trouble zone. The Hebrew word for keep is the same as our English word meaning “to guard” or “protect.” Adam’s job was to guard and protect his home. “From what?” you ask. “After all, didn’t he live in a perfect environment?” Yes, but Satan was about to show up and wreak havoc! It’s been said that “the Devil is in the details.” Look closely, and chances are you’ll see him at work in your family in certain areas of dysfunction and stress. As couples, we fuss and fight, convinced that the other person is the problem. And that’s what the Devil wants us to think! He knows you’ll never solve the real problem when the person you’re fighting isn’t the real problem. You have a spiritual problem brought on by your selfish nature, which gives Satan an entry point into your home. Marriage was instituted by God. So when you see things from His viewpoint and start operating according to His rules, you’ll have the productive, purposeful, and peaceful relationship He wants you to have.
Soul food: 1 John 1:1-3:10; Mark 1:9-20; Ps 78:40-55; Prov 20:4-6
2017-07-31
Isaiah 43:2 NKJV
Before God changes our circumstances, He often uses our circumstances to change us. Yes, He has promised to deliver us from our troubles, but not necessarily on our schedule or in the way we think. God wants to do more than just deliver us; He wants to develop us into the likeness of His Son and into the fullness of our God-given potential. Notice how often the word through is used in Scripture. To get to the Promised Land, Israel had to go through the Red Sea, through the wilderness, and through the Jordan River. Think about these two Scriptures: “As they pass through the Valley of Baca [brokenness, loss, grief, and weeping] they make it a spring…they go from strength to strength” (Psalm 84:5-7 NKJV). “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned” (Isaiah 43:2 NKJV). God doesn’t work in minutes, hours, and days; He works in seasons. The refiner knows how long the ore must stay in the fire to produce gold. The potter knows how long the clay must stay on the wheel to become a thing of value, beauty, and usefulness. Trust God; He knows what He’s doing. Be patient; while God is working for you, He’s working in you. When you get through this experience, you’ll look back and thank Him for the things He has taught you.
Soul food: Ezra 9-10; Mark 1:1-8; Ps 78:32-39; Prov 20:1-3
2017-07-30
1 Corinthians 7:33 NLT
When four-year-old Sarah attended her first wedding, she had lots of questions. At the reception her mom explained there were two cakes – a groom’s cake and a bride’s cake. “What’s the matter, Mom?” Sarah asked. “Haven’t they learned to share yet?” Seriously, the Bible says, “A married man has to think about his…wife…a married woman has to think about…her husband” (vv. 33-34 NLT). If you devote more time to your career than your relationship, there’s a good chance it won’t last. That’s why 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Understand this: When you marry someone, you marry everything they are and everything they’ve been through. It’s a package deal! And if you ask God, He will give you the wisdom and grace to enable both you and your spouse to “grow in grace.” It may not happen right away. As Shakespeare said, “What wound did ever heal but by degrees?” It takes time for even a small cut to heal. But if you let Him, God will give you the oil of compassion and the wine of love to pour into your spouse’s wounds. Never become so available at work that you’re unavailable at home. Your first calling is to your family. Your priorities should start there, then spread to your vocation and other pursuits. In effect, Paul is saying, “I release those who are married from the level of consecration I expect from those who are single, so they’ll be able to spend time working on their relationship” (vv. 32-35 paraphrase). You say, “But I need to spend time with God.” You’re called to love the Lord – and your spouse!
Soul food: Gen 14:18-20; Ps 110; Heb 5:5-11
2017-07-29
John 4:14 NKJV
The line from an old hit song goes, “Looking for love in all the wrong places.” That was true of a woman Jesus met at a well in Samaria. Here’s her story: (1) She tried religion but it didn’t satisfy her. She told Jesus, “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship” (v. 20 NKJV). So she had religious head knowledge but it didn’t satisfy the longings of her heart. Has that been your experience too? (2) She tried human relationships and they failed her. Jesus told her, “You have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband” (v. 18 NKJV). Has that happened to you too? The relationship you need most – is with Jesus. (3) She tried Jesus and He satisfied her soul. When Jesus told her, “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst,” she replied, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst” (vv. 14-15 NKJV). Religion without a personal relationship with God will leave you unsatisfied and unfulfilled. It’s like drinking saltwater – the more you drink, the thirstier you get. Religion devoid of a relationship with Christ is like a pacifier that a baby works hard to suck on, but from which no real nutrition flows. Perhaps you’ve been disappointed by Christians and hurt by the church. If so, the word for you today is: Don’t give up religion until you’ve tried Jesus, for only He can satisfy your soul.
Soul food: Ezra 6-8; Mat 28:11-20; Ps 78:17-31; Prov 19:27-29
