2025-06-05
Psalm 127:1 KJV
One Bible teacher writes: “Satan doesn’t mind when we build, as long as he’s the head contractor. He’ll make sure we smear God’s name all over our dreams, then when they fail, it’ll look like He failed. Romans 8:14 says, ‘As many as are led by the Spirit… are… sons of God’ (KJV).
It’s important to know God’s plan, as well as when, where, and through whom He wants it accomplished. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of ministry and run ahead of Him. The key is to stay in constant communication and let Him lead you step by step so that everything is in place for a successful outcome.
Like the military, the troops may be informed about the mission, but they must wait for their commander to tell them when and how to accomplish their assignment. A soldier doesn’t attend one briefing and then run off and accomplish the plan alone. He stays in contact with his commanding officer, who coordinates the mission and leads him and his fellow soldiers to victory. It’s vital to stay in touch with headquarters so you know the master plan, stay on course, and achieve victory.”
If you’re inclined to go it alone, make this your prayer: “God, it’s foolish to get ahead of you – but putting that into practice isn’t easy. Show me how I can spend more time with you and become more sensitive to your voice. If I go off on my own, have your Holy Spirit check and correct my spirit. I don’t want to build in vain. I want my ministry to be an extension of you, so you get the glory.”
Soul food: 2 Ki 7-9; Mark 12:13-27; Ps 132:1-10; Prov 13:4-6
2025-06-04
Mark 2:22 NKJV
As a new creation, you’re no longer controlled by your old behaviour but by your relationship with Christ. Jon Walker writes: “A few miles from my house there’s a convenience store that went through a makeover. However, the employees may have missed the makeover memo. The kid behind the counter wore a new uniform… but he also wore the same sullen look I’d seen before. It made me think about how we try to put new wine into old wineskins. Jesus says we’re bound to fail because ‘the wine will burst the skins, and both… will be ruined’ (NIV).
But don’t we [do the same] when it comes to our Christian walk? The new wine of honesty-at-work, poured into the old wineskin of cutting corners. The new wine of unconditional love, poured into the old wineskin of hatred for the family two doors down. The new wine of worship, poured into the old wineskin of idolizing money, power, music, or the latest video game. The new wine of Bible study, poured into the old wineskin of ‘gotta-go-pop-tart-for-breakfast’ busyness. The new wine of humility, poured into the old wineskin of conceit. The new wine of forgiveness, poured into the old wineskin of bitterness. The new wine of others first, poured into the old wineskin of selfish ambition. The new wine of joy, poured into the old wineskin of jealousy and factions. The new wine of peace, poured into the old wineskin of discord.”
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s time to ditch the old wineskin and let God make you a powerful, new, clean vessel.
Soul food: 2 Ki 4:18-6:33; Mark 12:1-12; Ps 48; Prov 13:2-3
2025-06-03
Acts 1:8 NKJV
You say, “If Christ lives in me, why do I still think and act the way I do?” A Christian leader explains: “The answer is illustrated in a story about a lady who had a small house… at the turn of the century. She was quite wealthy but also quite frugal… People were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home. Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked her if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. ‘I’m wondering if you can explain something to me,’ he said. ‘Your meter shows scarcely any usage. Are you using your power?’ ‘Certainly,’ she answered. ‘Each evening when the sun sets, I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off.’ She’s tapped into the power but didn’t use it. Her house is connected but not altered.
Don’t we make the same mistake? We, too – with our souls saved but our hearts unchanged – are connected but not altered. Trusting Christ for salvation but resisting transformation. We occasionally flip the switch, but most of the time we settle for shadows. What would happen if we left the light on? What changes would occur if we set about the task of dwelling in the radiance of Christ? No doubt about it: God has ambitious plans for us. The same one who saved your soul longs to remake your heart. His plan is nothing short of a total transformation.” “He decided… to shape [our] lives… along the same lines as the life of his Son” (Romans 8:29 MSG). Today, use your God-given power.
Soul food: 2 Ki 1:1-4:17; Mark 11:27-33; Ps 1; Prov 13:1
2025-06-02
1 Samuel 16:7 NLT
Jesus was rough on Pharisees: “People look at you and think you are saints, but beneath… you are total frauds” (Matthew 23:28 MSG). They put on a good front but were devoid of grace, mercy, and compassion. And Jesus called them on it!
Because we live in an appearance-focused society, Jesus warns us about the dangers that come from dwelling on the outer life at the cost of developing the inner life. So, how do you keep that from happening?
(1) Follow Jesus’ example. He spent His life ministering to the hurting, the forgotten, the lost, and lonely.
(2) Keep in mind that even though you’re a Christian, you will still struggle in certain areas, and don’t try to act like you “have it all together.”
(3) Ask God to reveal behaviour patterns that are appearance oriented instead of heart oriented.
(4) Surround yourself with transparent people who encourage you to be real and correct you when you need it.
Marybeth Whalen writes: “The painters painted the wall leading downstairs… A week later I discovered, while the wall had been repainted, the habits hadn’t changed. The kids were still dragging their dirty hands behind them, making what was white and clean, grey, and dirty. Like that wall, if I’m not careful I can cover up what’s there… wear the Christian tee shirt, carry my Bible, smile like everything’s great, and talk a good game about my walk with the Lord. But deep inside the ugly habits are waiting to be revealed the moment life gets messy. I can become a modern-day Pharisee who focuses on the whitewash and ignores the dirty stuff underneath.” So, be real.
Soul food: Rev 19-22; Mark 11:12-26; Ps 129; Prov 12:27-28
2025-06-01
2 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV
Be careful to make the distinction between the “earthen vessel” and the “treasure.” Paul says, “We have this treasure”; he doesn’t say, “We are this treasure!” Anytime you allow people to think of you as the treasure, God is not pleased, and you’re setting yourself up to fail. When God deposits a treasure within you, it means two things: (1) He expects a return on His investment. (2) You’re called to a higher level of responsibility and accountability.
Sometimes people think leaders are immune to life’s tests and trials. Not so! Because someone has talent doesn’t mean they don’t struggle in certain areas. Their struggles may be unseen, but they’re real.
Let’s face it; God uses people we would have censured and thrown away, like Rahab working as a prostitute in Jericho. But when she placed her faith in God, He used her to help win the battle of Jericho. Then He included her in the family line of Christ (See Hebrews 11:31). And how about Jephthah? He was born to an unwed mother, rejected as illegitimate by his half brothers and sisters, and ended up living in a cave with a gang. Yet God used him to deliver Israel and become one of its youngest leaders (See Hebrews 11:32).
God specializes in restoring broken vessels. He takes things that aren’t productive – marriages that don’t work, people with problems – and teaches them how to be victorious and fruitful in His service. Knowing that gives you the strength and tenacity to face whatever comes because you understand that when God places His treasure within you, He protects it, uses it, and blesses it.
Soul food: Exo 20:16; Deut 19:15-20; Rev 21:8
2025-05-31
Matthew 7:11 KJV
Try to imagine the abundance God has prepared for you (See 1 Corinthians 2:9). Then decide that the language of your heart will be the “much more” of faith, not the “much less” of unbelief. Observe:
(1) Your salvation supersedes your sin. No matter how sinful your history, “if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God… which is by…J esus Christ, hath abounded unto many” (Romans 5:15 KJV). Rejoice! You’re “much more” forgiven.
(2) Christ’s life in you continuously saves you. If He lives in you, His salvation remains actively at work in you. “If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Romans 5:10 KJV).
(3) The Holy Spirit will be in you abundantly. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13 KJV). He gives the Spirit “much more” to His children.
(4) You can triumph in life through Jesus. “Much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17 KJV). By God’s grace, you can walk in “much more” victory.
(5) All you need, He will provide. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father… give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11 KJV).
As you develop a “much more” mentality, you will begin to enjoy the “good things” God provides.
Soul food: Rev 15-18; Mark 11:1-11; Ps 124; Prov 12:26
