2025-10-05
Exodus 4:4 NIV
In Pharaoh’s palace, Moses threw down his rod and “it became a snake” (v. 3 NIV). He was so scared; he ran from it. Then God said, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail,” leaving the head, the most dangerous part, unrestrained.
One Bible teacher points this out: “During your training trip through the wilderness, you’ll probably think God is leading you the wrong way; that He’s saying something that doesn’t make sense. His commandments aren’t usually accompanied by explanation. And when you can’t figure out what He’s doing, you must trust Him. Once Moses picked up the snake by its tail, it became a rod once more, and it was never again referred to as ‘the rod of Moses,’ but ‘the rod of God’ (See Exodus 4:1-20; 17:9).
When Moses released it, the snake element was taken out of it, and it became God’s rod. The one thing Moses thought he could trust, his old, familiar, tried-and-true shepherd’s rod, had to be relinquished. And God may strip you of certain things to let you see your dependence on Him. But with that stripping comes power. There are things you want to hold on to that you have to release so God can remove the snake.”
So, what are you holding on to today? A desire to teach? Musical talent? An aptitude for business? Leadership abilities? Take your gift, whatever it is, and “throw it on the ground” (v. 3 NIV) before God. He is the only one who knows if there is a snake hiding inside it. He can remove the “flesh” element, bless it, and give it back to you as an instrument fit for service.
Soul food: Est 4:9-5:3; Heb 4:7-16
2025-10-04
1 John 4:18 NIV
God loves you unconditionally at all times – but you must receive His love. Only when you do that can you love God in return and extend His love to others. In other words, you can’t give away what you don’t have! “God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5 AMPC). That means when you commit your life to Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live in your heart, and He brings God’s love with Him.
The question is, what are you doing with that love? Are you rejecting it because you think you’re not good enough? Has it ever occurred to you that you have a relationship with yourself, and until you learn to love yourself you will never be able to love God or anybody else? John says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18 NIV).
One author writes: “I tried for years to walk in ‘perfect love’ and failed daily. I thought perfect love referred to my loving others perfectly. Then God showed me that the only ‘perfect love’ was His love for me – He’s the only one that can love perfectly! Once that became clear, I started confessing, ‘I don’t love everything I do, but I love myself as I am because God loves me that way. I know I need to change, and I want to change. In fact, I believe God is changing me daily. But meanwhile, I will not reject what God accepts. I’ll accept myself as I am right now, knowing I won’t always remain this way.”
God loves you – believe it and receive it!
Soul food: 2 Sam 3:22-7:17; John 1:43-51; Ps 23; Prov 23:4-5
2025-10-03
Galatians 5:25 NIV
The Bible says, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Problems arise when you try to understand spiritual things with your natural mind. Comparing spiritual things to natural things makes the things of God seem foolish (See 1 Corinthians 2:14 NCV). Paul says, “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God” (v. 10 NIV). And He reveals them to us in different ways.
Author Jon Walker says: “Becoming one with Jesus means developing spiritual discernment and accepting the sometimes seemingly illogical things that come from the Spirit. God speaks to us in various ways. Here are three to watch for:
(1) Stop signs: These are red flags warning you not to go somewhere. A dog I once owned helped me to understand this. He was used to being on a leash, and when I’d take him to a neighbour’s field to run, I’d simply say no when he approached somewhere he shouldn’t go. The dog hadn’t done anything wrong, and my warning wasn’t a rebuke; it was a caution for his own protection.
(2) Nudges: A Spirit-nudge can alert you to impending danger… a Holy Ghost flare to guard your heart. Once, a friend of mine was driving toward a green light when he felt strongly prompted to hit his brakes. So he did – just as a semitrailer ran a red light! If it hadn’t been for his instant obedience, he’d have been killed.
(3) Shushes: When we’re in conversation, God often warns us when we step too close to a sinful topic, an unfair comment, or gossip. And when God ‘shushes’ you – stop talking!”
Soul food: 2 Sam 1:1-3:21; John 1:29-42; Ps 131; Prov 23:1-3
2025-10-02
Hebrews 12:2 NIV
A Sunday school teacher was telling the story of how Jonah disobeyed God and ended up being swallowed by a big fish. For three days, he cried out from the depths of the ocean, and after three days and nights, God ordered the fish to spit him up on the beach. At the end of the lesson, the teacher asked the class what they had learned, and a little boy piped up, “It just goes to prove that you can’t keep a good man down.”
You don’t drown by falling into the water; you drown by staying there. David said, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord… Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him” (Psalm 37:23-24 NKJV).
When your dreams and plans get rained out, stay focused and “run with perseverance” (Hebrews 12:1 NIV). Winston Churchill said, “The nose of the bulldog slants backward, so that he can breathe in comfort without letting go.” When you focus on something, you empower and give it momentum; that’s why Satan wants you to concentrate on things that don’t matter.
Jesus looked beyond the cross. He focused on what lay on the other side of it. The Bible tells us to fix “our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Remember, God doesn’t pay by the week; He pays at the end. You will be rewarded based on how you finished, not how you started. Paul says, “These troubles and sufferings… won’t last very long. Yet… result in God’s richest blessing upon us forever” (2 Corinthians 4:17 TLB). So, stay focused – and keep on going!
Soul food: Eph 4:17-6:24; John 1:14-28; Ps 29; Prov 22:26-29
2025-10-01
Micah 7:8 NIV
One author writes: “Grit is passion and perseverance for long-term goals. It’s a marathon, not a sprint… You’re not just running, but getting hit along the way. Grit keeps you moving forward through the sting of rejection, pain of failure, and struggle with adversity. When life knocks you down, you may want to stay down and give up, but grit won’t let you quit… True grit starts with knowing what you truly want. When you know what you want and you can see it, you’ll work hard and persevere to achieve it. True grit is also driven by clarity of mind, purpose, passion, optimism, faith, love, hope and quite honestly – stubbornness.
Knowing your why, refusing to give up, ignoring the critics, believing the possible, loving what you do, and showing up day in and day out keeps you on the path toward your vision. There’s something inside each of us that wants to feel worthy and be someone of value… The truth is not everyone will share your vision and believe in your project. But always remember that the circumstances around you and the opinion of others don’t create or define you. Life is never created from the outside in. You create life from the inside out. The grit and spirit you possess on the inside will create the life you experience on the outside. If you have a vision, keep it alive. Remember your purpose. Show up every day and do the work.”
John Quincy Adams said, “Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear.” So, stay on course and keep moving forward, and you will succeed.
Soul food: Lev 16; Lev 23:26-32; Heb 9:1-14; Heb 13:11-16
2025-09-30
2 Corinthians 4:9 TLB
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania tell us that a key predictor of success isn’t talent, title, wealth, or good looks. It’s the ability to work hard for a prolonged period of time toward a focused goal; to keep moving forward despite challenges, obstacles, and failures. Paul writes: “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going” (vv. 8-9 TLB).
Here are some famous people who got knocked down but kept on going. A memo issued after Fred Astaire’s first screen test said, “Can’t act… slightly bald… can dance a little.” Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas. He also went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was four and didn’t write until he was seven. His teacher described him as “mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in foolish dreams.” F. W. Woolworth’s employers at the dry goods store said he hadn’t enough sense to wait on customers. Winston Churchill failed at junior school. He didn’t become Prime Minister of Great Britain until he was sixty-six, after a lifetime of defeats and setbacks. He made his greatest contribution as a senior citizen. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.”
So when life knocks you down, get back up and keep going.
Soul food: Eph 1:1-4:16; John 1:1-13; Ps 92; Pro 22:24-25
