2021-08-21
Romans 8:6 NIV
The Bible says: ‘Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace’ (Romans 8:5-6 NIV). In other words, the Holy Spirit is the presence of God working in our lives. We can either let external influences and circumstances have control over our minds, or we can allow the Holy Spirit to have control. So what would a life with a Spirit-controlled mind look like?
Imagine not being so fearful anymore. Imagine facing an angry person with inner poise and resolve. Imagine hearing bad news and coming up with constructive ways to solve the problem rather than spiralling through the worst-case scenarios. Imagine facing rejection and obstacles without giving in to discouragement. Imagine acknowledging the mistakes you’ve made and moving confidently into the future. And imagine doing all this with God as your partner.
Imagine people around you coming to you when they’re upset or discouraged because your peace of mind is contagious. That’s part of what God’s called each one of us to do every day. When we bump into people who are stressed and transmitting that stress to others, we’re supposed to be spreaders of peace. Jesus carried peace with Him wherever He went. When the disciples were terrified by the storm, He said to the waves, ‘Peace, be still!’ (Mark 4:39 NKJV), and it happened. Peace doesn’t come from finding a sea with no storms; it comes from knowing Jesus is on the boat, because with Him on board, no storm can take us under.
Gal 4-6; Luke 16:1-18; Ps 119:113-120; Prov 18:10-12
2021-08-20
James 4:10 NKJV
Paul defines humility in these words: ‘Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves’ (Romans 12:3 NLT). The Bible says, ‘God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life’ (Genesis 2:7 NIV). God’s intention for us was to live in Paradise and enjoy His presence every day. But we disobeyed Him and decided to live by our own rules instead of His. And the result was that God said, ‘For dust you are, and to dust you will return’ (Genesis 3:19 NIV).
It’s a very humbling thought – there’s little value in our earthly bodies, and no matter what we achieve, what we have, and what we own, they’ll finish up how they started. But humility doesn’t mean we have no value at all. We know that God values us, because He paid such a high price for our salvation. ‘Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we could become right with God’ (2 Corinthians 5:21 NCV).
Humility also doesn’t mean that we just let people walk all over us, or that we need to be weak, without our own convictions and opinions. True humility means acknowledging God as the source of everything we have, and everything we need, and always remembering to give Him credit and thanks for both. ‘Everything comes from the Lord. All things were made because of him and will return to him. Praise the Lord forever!’ (Romans 11:36 CEV).
Paul wrote: ‘May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Galatians 6:14 NIV). Let’s try to keep that attitude too, and give God the glory for everything.
Gal 1-3; Luke 15:11-32; Ps 119:105-112; Prov 18:9
2021-08-19
Acts 27:14 NLT
The ship Paul was sailing on to Rome was wrecked by a powerful storm called a ‘northeaster’. Here are some valuable lessons we can learn from his experience.
1) God can make a bad situation work for our good. Because of this shipwreck, Paul ended up on Malta, and shared the gospel with people who hadn’t heard it before. Plus, when he and his followers left the island, ‘people supplied [them] with everything [they] would need for the trip’ (Acts 28:10 NLT). Sometimes a problem can provide a platform for God to work in ways that’ll amaze us. Our future isn’t in the hands of people, and it never will be. It’s in God’s hands, and what He owns He protects and provides for.
2) We’ll have to sail through storms to reach the destination God’s set for us. Paul said, ‘All hope that we would be saved was finally given up’ (Acts 27:20 NKJV). There’ll be days when we wonder how we’re going to make it, but with God’s grace we will (see Psalm 37:34).
3) Storms reveal how well we know the Lord. Paul said, ‘Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, “Do not be afraid, Paul”‘ (Acts 27:23-24 NIV). In difficult times we discover how strong our connection to God is.
4) He can bring success from what looks like failure. Notice two particular things in this story: a) We might have to throw some things overboard to reach our destination (see v.18). b) Despite our best efforts, occasionally we’ll run aground (see v.26). That’s when we must remember what God has promised, believe it, and trust Him.
Judg 19:16-21:25; Luke 15:1-10; Ps 119:97-104; Prov 18:6-8
2021-08-18
Joshua 9:14 MSG
When we talk to God before making decisions, it keeps us out of all sorts of trouble. Joshua learned this the hard way. He had just conquered Jericho, the biggest city in the Promised Land. The Israelites were elated and full of their victory, and didn’t feel like they needed to consult God about their next move. But over-confidence can be dangerous.
The Gibeonites, one of the enemy nations in the Promised Land, realised they couldn’t win against God’s people, so they sent negotiators in to make peace with them. And it worked. Joshua assumed they were telling the truth and signed a treaty. But the Gibeonites were lying. It proved to be one of the biggest mistakes of Joshua’s life. From that day on the Gibeonites were a constant thorn in Israel’s side, and Joshua must have regretted that he ‘didn’t ask GOD about it’. An old hymn contains a very important truth about this: ‘O what peace we often forfeit; O what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.’
There’s a fine line between God-given assurance and self-sufficiency, and when we cross that line it can cost us dearly. If you tend to move too quickly, rely on your own strength and skill, or forget to involve God, read these words carefully and prayerfully: ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the LORD in all you do, and he will give you success. Don’t depend on your own wisdom. Respect the LORD and refuse to do wrong’ (Proverbs 3:5-7 NCV).
Judg 16:1-19:15; Luke 14:25-35; Ps 119:89-96; Prov 18:1-5
2021-08-17
2 Corinthians 6:4 CEV
Being Christians doesn’t mean we’ll be free from troubles and battles, but God will help us get through them when they come. Paul described it this way: ‘In everything and in every way we show that we truly are God’s servants. We have always been patient, though we have had a lot of trouble, suffering, and hard times. We have been beaten, put in jail, and hurt in riots. We have worked hard and gone without sleep or food. But we have kept ourselves pure and have been understanding, patient, and kind. The Holy Spirit has been with us, and our love has been real. We have spoken the truth, and God’s power has worked in us. In all our struggles we have said and done only what is right. Whether we were honoured or dishonoured or praised or cursed, we always told the truth about ourselves. But some people said we did not. We are unknown to others, but well known to you. We seem to be dying, and yet we are still alive. We have been punished, but never killed, and we are always happy, even in times of suffering. Although we are poor, we have made many people rich. And though we own nothing, everything is ours’ (2 Corinthians 4-10 CEV).
When our faith is tested, it attracts God’s power and brings His grace into the situation. He’ll fight for us on our battlefields, take us through our storms, and turn our seasons of trouble into seasons of growth. The Bible says, ‘Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered’ (Hebrews 5:8 NLT). He knows what it’s like to face challenges, so He’ll be there to strengthen and guide us when we face our own.
Judg 12-15; Luke 14:15-24; Ps 119:81-88; Prov 17:27-28
2021-08-16
2 Chronicles 26:5 NLT
Success comes in all different shapes and sizes. Everyone probably has a slightly different idea of what success looks like. But a very basic definition is achieving our aims (whatever they may be). We often tend to think of success in terms of having a good job, being rich, and having influence. Today, let’s consider what God thinks about that type of success.
1) We can be successful and spiritual at the same time. We might think that humility only really comes when we don’t have much and we have to rely on God to provide for us. But if we believe that ‘everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory’ (Romans 11:36 NLT), we’ll realise that everything we have really belongs to God, not to us, and we can be thankful for whatever He’s blessed us with, whether it’s a lot or a little. The Bible tells us that ‘As long as [Uzziah] sought guidance from the LORD, God gave him success.’ The king’s success came from being humble enough to ask God for help and not just rely on his own strength and wisdom.
2) We shouldn’t be afraid of success. As soon as someone achieves or gains something, there are often people around who are jealous of their success, and ready to criticise and tear them down. Having success and influence comes with a lot of responsibility, and we might not feel qualified or even want that pressure. But Paul wrote, ‘We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going’ (2 Corinthians 4:9 TLB). If God’s granted us success, we can be certain we’re right where He wants us to be, and we can (and should) turn to Him for guidance, support, and encouragement.
Judg 9:34-11:40; Luke 14:1-14; Ps 119:73-80; Prov 20:25; Ecc 5:4-6
