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
2017-07-28
Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV
God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…sanctified you [set you apart]…I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Observe: (1) God knew you. The word knew means “to have intimate knowledge of.” When your delicate fingers were just a web, before your heartbeat registered on the monitor or the doctor could predict your gender, God knew all about you. “You…scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe” (Psalm 139:16 TLB). God knew what you were born to be, and provided everything you’d need to fulfil your life’s purpose. (2) God sanctified you [set you apart]. He fixed it so you wouldn’t fit in, and designed you so you couldn’t rest any place He didn’t want you to be. He intended you to wander and feel lost until you found Him. That’s why you’re uncomfortable in certain places and around certain people. It doesn’t matter how hard you try, you won’t fit in because God has set you apart for Himself. (3) God ordained you. Men may ordain, but only God can foreordain. Stop worrying about who does or doesn’t recognize your gifts. John Mason says, “Each person has been custom-made by God the Creator. Each of us has a unique and personal call on our lives…to be our own selves and not copies of other people.” God told Jeremiah, “Go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you” (Jeremiah 1:7-8 NLT). So the word for you today is: You’ve been called by God.
Soul food: Ezra 3-5; Mat 28:1-10; Ps 78:9-16; Prov 19:24-26
2017-07-27
Isaiah 54:2 NKJV
The desire to change is the key to growth in any area of life. Most of us desire improvement, yet at the same time we resist change. But you can’t have one without the other! Change is possible only if you want it badly enough. As Fred Smith, the founder of Federal Express, observed: “You are the way you are, because that’s the way you want to be. If you really wanted to be any different, you’d be in the process of changing right now.” Change is never easy. It takes lots of time, tremendous amounts of energy, perseverance, and – of course – desire. But the desire to change must translate into a decision to change. And you must make that decision day after day. It’s said that Earl Weaver, manager of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team, was unhappy with a decision by the umpire so he charged out of the dugout and yelled at him, “Are you gonna get any better, or is this it?” If you want to change, you must ask yourself a similar question. Are you going to keep working and trying to get better, or is this as good as it gets? The Bible puts it like this: “Enlarge the place of your tent; and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.” Pay close attention to the words enlarge, stretch, lengthen, and strengthen. What do they have in common? They all require commitment and persistence. That’s what it takes to change your life. And the good news is that with God’s help, you can do it – starting today.
Soul food: Ezra 1-2; Mat 27:57-66; Ps 78:1-8; Prov 19:21-23
2017-07-26
Isaiah 48:15 NIV
God told Jeremiah, “Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work” (Jer 1:5 NCV). When God decides to use you, five things happen: First, there is a call. God asks common people to do uncommon things, like Peter getting out of a boat and walking on water. Second, there is fear. When God called Moses to stand before Pharaoh, he said, “I’m not a good enough speaker; use somebody else.” Third, there is reassurance. The thought of filling Moses’ shoes must have shaken Joshua to the core, so God told him, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you” (Joshua 1:5 NKJV). Fourth, there is a decision. Sometimes we say yes to God and sometimes we say no. When we say yes we live with joy; when we say no we forfeit that joy. But there’s always a decision. Fifth, there is a changed life. Those who say yes to God’s call don’t walk perfectly, not by a long shot. But because they say yes, they learn and grow even from their failures. Indeed, their failures often become part of their ability to minister to others. And those who say no to God are changed too; they become a little harder, a little more resistant to His calling, and a little more likely to say no next time. Is God calling you? Maybe it has to do with your work, or your relationships, or your money, or facing your biggest fear. God’s call will go to the core of who you are and what you do. Saying yes to Him is the best decision you’ll ever make.
Soul food: Zeph 1-3; Mat 27:45-56; Ps 46; Prov 19:18-20
