2025-05-30
Romans 5:20 KJV
Here is an expression used throughout Scripture to describe God’s provision for us: “much more.” It assures us there is no need we will ever face that can’t be met through His abundant resources. Our tendency is to approach our needs with an attitude of “much less.” It assumes that God is unable or unwilling to meet them. No, God wants us to adopt a “much more” attitude. Much less is the language of visible things; it allows circumstances and lack to govern our lives. Much more is the language of unseen things; it invites us to live in the assurance of God’s abundance.
There is an inspiring illustration of this principle in 2 Chronicles 32. The Assyrian King Sennacherib’s forces were threatening Israel with annihilation. After he told them to look around and see what he had done to the people of other lands, he added, “How much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?” (v. 15). But instead, King Hezekiah fixed his eye of faith on God’s resources and encouraged the Israelites: “Be not afraid… for the king of Assyria, nor for all the [visible] multitude that is with him: for there be more [invisible] with us than with him: with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God” (vv. 7-8).
Although the Assyrians had a vastly superior army, verse eight says God’s people “rested themselves” (stopped worrying), believing the hand of God was much more effective than the arm of the flesh! And it’s time you developed a “much more” mentality in your life because our God is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20 KJV).
Soul food: Rev 10-14; Mark 10:35-52; Ps 4; Prov 12:25
2025-05-29
Psalm 126:6 NCV
If you cry easily, it could be that God has given you a ministry of tears. What is that? Author Liz Curtis Higgs explains: “I cry easily and often. Happy tears, sad tears, over-the-top tears, Hallmark commercial tears – you name it… I cry at church… When I hear a wondrous truth spoken or a glorious song lifted in praise, when I see a new believer step forward or an old saint read the Scriptures, I’m so overwhelmed with God’s presence that tears flow down my cheeks… While I’ve made peace with [it] many women are ashamed of their tearfulness.
A dear woman in Missouri thought her tears were a stumbling block to serving God… She explained, ‘I want to help hurting people, but the minute I hear their stories, I start weeping.’…I gave her a big hug [and said,] ‘You have a ministry of tears! The Bible tells us to ‘mourn with those who mourn’ (Romans 12:15 NIV), and to ‘comfort those in… trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God’ (2 Corinthians 1:4 NIV. Your tears don’t hurt, they help!” God can use anything we surrender to him. Laughter and tears. Joys and sorrows. Victories and mistakes. Strengths and weaknesses. We minister to others best when we offer our true selves – ‘as is’ – not waiting until we’ve cleaned up our act or dried up our tears, but right now, leaks and all.” One day “God shall wipe away all tears” (Revelation 21:4 KJV).
But until then, our tears are so precious to Him that, like fine wine and priceless perfume, He preserves them in a bottle (See Psalm 56:8).
Soul food: Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-11; Eph 4:7-10
2025-05-28
Philippians 3:14 NIV
Psychologists say the strongest influence on our present is often our past. But Paul tells us to forget the past, and focus on “what lies ahead… press on to… receive the heavenly prize” (v. 13-14 NLT). One counsellor writes: “I know you’re tired… overwhelmed… as though… this hard time will last forever. It won’t. You are almost there. You don’t just think it has been hard; it has been hard. You have been tested and retested on what you have learned. Your faith tried in fire. More problems occurred than you anticipated… You did not plan on this, yet it has been good. Part of you, [your spirit], has sensed this even when your head told you that things were out of whack… that there was no plan, that God had forgotten you. Each incident – the most painful, troubling, most surprising – has a connection.” “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 NIV).
The counsellor continues, “Things were meant to happen this way. You didn’t believe it would take this long, but it did. You have learned patience. Many moments you thought you were forgotten. Now things are coming into place. You are almost at the end of this difficult portion of the journey. You have been climbing a mountain. It has not been easy, but mountain climbing is never easy. Now, you are near the top. A moment longer, and victory shall be yours. Steady your shoulders. Breathe deeply. Move forward in confidence. The time is coming to enjoy all which you have fought for… Your struggle has not been in vain. For every struggle on this journey, there is a climax, a resolution… There will be more mountains, but now you know how to climb them.”
Soul food: Rev 5-9; Mark 10:23-34; Ps 121; Prov 12:23-24
2025-05-27
Proverbs 16:24 NIV
Read this: “I remember when I took your new car on the road and wrecked it. I thought you would be livid and come down hard on me, but you didn’t. I remember when we went to the beach, and you didn’t want to go because you said it was going to rain. We went, and it rained. I was sure you would rub it in and say, ‘I told you so!’ But you didn’t. Then there was the time when I spilled blueberry juice down the front of your new white tuxedo. I knew you would be upset and blame me. But you didn’t. And remember that formal evening? I was mistaken and told you it was casual. You wore blue jeans and felt like a fish out of water. I was sure you would storm out in anger and leave me standing there. But you didn’t. I wanted to tell you how much I loved you and how much I appreciated you for all those things when you returned from Afghanistan. But you didn’t.”
Don’t spend the future regretting unspoken words someone needs to hear. “Gracious words are… sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Few things are more effective than the right word at the right time. By the same token, words of kindness withheld are a heavy burden to live with. That’s why the Bible says, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad” (Proverbs 12:25 ESV). Don’t let shyness or fear of rejection keep you from saying what needs to be said. Tell them while you still can.
Soul food: Rev 1-4; Mark 10:13-22; Ps 117; Prov 12:20-22
2025-05-26
John 5:39 NLT
To be used by God, you must know two things:
(1) Who God is. A little girl in Sunday school was asked by her teacher what she was drawing. She replied, “A picture of God.” The teacher said, “But nobody has ever seen Him.” Confidently she replied, “They will when I’m finished!” Please understand this: The only God some people around you will ever see is the one they see in you each day. And to know God, you must spend time with Him. Not leftover time, but quality time, daily time, prioritized time!
(2) Who you are. When God called Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt, he asked God two things:
(a) “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13 NLT). “God replied to Moses… ‘Say this to the people of Israel: I am has sent me to you'” (v.14 NLT). In order to know who you are, you must first know who God is – then you will have credibility.
(b) “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me?” (Exodus 4:1 NLT). “Then the Lord asked him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A shepherd’s staff,’ Moses replied. ‘Throw it down on the ground,’ the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake!… ‘Perform this sign,’ the Lord told him. ‘Then they will believe'” (vv. 2-3, 5 NLT).
Moses already had what he needed! And so do you. Bottom line: To be used of God, you must know who He is and who you are.
Soul food: 1 Ki 21-22; Mark 10:1-12; Ps 82; Prov 12:18-19
2025-05-25
1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT
An unknown author wrote these poignant words: “Their wedding picture mocked them from the table, these two whose minds no longer touched each other. They lived with such a heavy barricade between them that neither battering ram of words nor artilleries of touch could break it down. Somewhere, between the oldest child’s first tooth and the youngest daughter’s graduation, they lost each other.
Throughout the years each slowly unravelled that tangled ball of string called self, and as they tugged at stubborn knots, each hid his searching from the other. Sometimes she cried at night and begged the whispering darkness to tell her who she was. He lay beside her, snoring like a hibernating bear, unaware of her winter… She took a course on modern art, trying to find herself in colours splashed upon a canvas, complaining to the other women about men who are insensitive. He climbed into a tomb called ‘The Office,’ wrapped his mind in a shroud of paper figures, and buried himself in customers.
Slowly, the wall between them rose, cemented by the mortar of indifference. One day, reaching out to each other, they found a barrier they could not penetrate, and recoiling from the coldness of the stone, each retreated from the stranger on the other side.
For when love dies, it is not in a moment of angry battle, not when fiery bodies lose their heat. It lies panting, exhausted, expiring at the bottom of a wall it could not scale.” So, the word for you today is – don’t let a wall build up between you.
Soul food: Exo 20:15; Exo 22:1-4; Prov 6:30-31; Luke 19:1-10
