2020-09-27
Proverbs 23:4 NLT
1 Timothy 6:10 tells us that ‘the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil’ (NIV). This verse is often misquoted to suggest that money itself is the most evil thing. The Biblical truth is that it’s our attitude to money that causes problems. With the right heart, having a lot of money can create real opportunities to do enormous amounts of good, though it’s not always necessary to have money to do Godly work. Jesus didn’t come from money. In Luke 2:22-24, we see that His family was too poor to offer the usual lamb at the time of his circumcision, and took birds instead. Jesus didn’t earn a salary in His years preaching, but He still built a network that eventually spread God’s Word around the world. However, to fulfil certain tasks in God’s Kingdom, money is necessary. As long as those involved maintain a sensible, generous heart, God can use all finances in a positive way. But if we start to love and crave money, or even develop anxious thoughts about it, money’s goodness goes out of the window. ‘All kinds of evil’ can creep in, and our attitude towards money holds an unhealthy amount of power over us. Proverbs 23:4 warns against letting our money mindset control our actions. It says, ‘do not wear yourself out to get rich’ (NIV). The most important thing is to have a prayerful sense of balance about our finances. If we’re in a season of having plenty, then we should hold loosely to what we have and share it generously. If we’re in a time where we have less, then we can use that as a reminder to rely on God, trusting that He always provides what we need.
Lev 16; Lev 23:26-32; Heb 9:1-14
2020-09-26
1 Timothy 6:12 NIV
As Christians, the devil will target us and try to steal our faith. But here are some Bible strategies for defeating him when he comes against you. 1) Think aggressively. ‘Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.’ Be prepared for a battle with the enemy, and immerse yourself in God’s Word so you’re equipped to defeat him. 2) Pray boldly. We’re told to approach God’s throne ‘boldly’ (see Hebrews 4:16). We don’t need to be shy with God. He’s our Father and we’re His redeemed children, so we can approach Him with confidence and ask for what we need. 3) Speak fearlessly. Peter wrote, ‘Speak as though God himself were speaking through you’ (1 Peter 4:11 NLT). When we’re speaking God’s Word, we’re empowered to speak with authority, which helps us stand up to evil forces and resist them. ‘Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power’ (Ephesians 6:10 NIV). 4) Give generously. ‘Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed’ (Proverbs 11:25 NLT). Whether we give our money, our time, or share our knowledge, nothing we offer is too big or too small. 5) Work intently. We shouldn’t approach our God-given work with dread and a desire to escape. The Bible says: ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance form the Lord as a reward’ Colossians 3:23-24 NIV). 6) Love unconditionally. As followers of Christ, we must try to love others as He loves them – unconditionally and sacrificially.
Song of Solomon 5-8; Luke 23:39-49; Ps 91; Prov 21:28-31
2020-09-25
1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV
When we feel like we’re experiencing a setback, we’re often being prepared for a comeback. When we feel like we’ve taken some steps backward, it can actually mean we end up moving forward afterwards. Good Friday is a great illustration of this. On the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, it seemed all was lost. But it’s not over until God says it’s over. The greatest spiritual victory in history was won after its seemingly greatest defeat. All was lost, but not for long. Three days after His crucifixion, Jesus walked out of His tomb. And as redeemed children of God, that same power lives in us today. The Bible says: ‘If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you’ (Romans 8:11 NKJV). In God’s kingdom failure is never final. We may not win every spiritual battle, but the war has been ultimately won. The victory was sealed 2,000 years ago when Jesus was resurrected. Paul writes, ‘Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us’ (Romans 8:37 NKJV). Today we’re more than conquerors because of what Christ did for us. We’ll experience setbacks – that’s just life. But without a crucifixion there can be no resurrection. Sometimes the things that knock us down are the very things that lead us to be built up stronger than ever. So when things seem to be going wrong in our lives, we can keep trusting, knowing that God is preparing our comeback.
Song of Solomon 1-4; Luke 23:32-38; Ps 13; Prov 21:22-27
2020-09-24
Matthew 12:20 NIVUK
God is a mender and not a discarder. With Him, broken lives aren’t the end of the story. When we feel broken, useless and that we’ve gone too far away from the path that God wanted us to go down, there’s hope. God doesn’t give up on us. We’re never too broken for Him to restore. In Matthew it says: ‘A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.’ This is actually a quote from the prophet Isaiah (have a read in Isaiah 42). In this chapter, Isaiah’s prophesying about Jesus. The ‘bruised reed’ represents people who feel weak and fragile, while the ‘smouldering wick’ represents people who have almost burnt out, their light is fading and their hope is nearly gone. Jesus doesn’t give up on us when we’re feeling like that, instead He works to gently restore us. He gives us the opportunity to start again, however badly we think we’ve failed Him. And the truth is that we all fail at some point. The Bible is full of people who failed. Abraham lied and put Sarah at risk. Jacob was a cheat and self-promoting con artist. Moses determined to do things his own way and ended up a fugitive. David cheated on his wife and betrayed a faithful friend. Peter turned his back on Christ. But, the thing is, God used each of them. And He’ll use us too. He’s the God of unlimited grace. As long as we recognise our failures and desire to start again, He’ll begin the process of restoring us. No matter how broken we’re feeling today, let’s grasp that offer of a second chance.
2 Cor 11:16-13:14; Luke 23:26-31; Ps 54; Prov 21:18-21
2020-09-23
Joshua 1:8 NKJV
In the Bible, we see a lot of people defining their success as knowing what God wanted for them, and then working towards it. For the Israelites in the Old Testament, success meant getting to settle down in the land that God had promised them. For Joshua, this was the goal that he was chasing. In Joshua 1:6-9, God instructs him to ‘be strong and courageous’ three times, and also focused on him following the instructions laid out for him in Scripture, saying, ‘be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do’ (NLT). We see these instructions, to be brave and follow God’s commands, throughout the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land. We have to notice, though, that not everyone who followed God’s instructions made it to the end of the journey. Moses obeyed God to the end of his life, and passed on his task. He didn’t get to finish the mission, but he’s considered to be an immensely successful agent of God. Following what God wants us to do should be the real measure of whether we’re prospering in life. Sometimes we play a part for a limited time, and that is our success. We don’t always get to be involved in the whole picture, or see the end result. Real success isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. It’s the joy created by progress. It’s knowing that you’re fully on track when it comes to God’s plan for your life.
2 Cor 9:1-11:15; Luke 23:13-25; Ps 52; Prov 21:17
2020-09-22
Psalm 8:6 NIV
God cares about our lives because He created us. Genesis 1:26 shows God saying, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us’ (NLT). Not only are we made by God, we’re made to reflect Him, and to become more and more like Him. When we’re thinking about God being in all aspects of our lives, we have to remember that He’s in us. God poured His own mind, power, and love into us. He’s in the very image of our being, so it goes without saying that we have His attention and affection on the deepest level. In Psalm 139, David is worshipping God. In verses 17-18 he says ‘How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them’ (NLT). Those words are true about each one of us, too. God has so many thoughts and plans for us that they simply can’t be counted. He lovingly contemplates every small detail of our lives. If we invite Him in, He is ready to be at work in each of those details. In addition to that, He has placed us in a world that was made to be ours. Psalm 8:6 says, ‘You put us in charge of you handcrafted world, repeated us to your Genesis-charge’ (MSG), referring back to Genesis 1:28, where God instructs humans to ‘fill the earth and subdue it’ (NIV). The earth is made by God, and given to us. Wherever God has placed us, and whatever He plans for us to do, He has given us His authority to allow us to succeed in His work. He made us to be like Him, and has given us the whole world to work with.
2 Cor 5-8; Luke 23:1-12; Ps 34; Prov 21:14-16
