2022-05-23
Romans 13:14 NIV
Since first impressions are important, we’re encouraged to “dress for success.” And that’s a good thing. But as a redeemed child of God, your first concern shouldn’t be how you look to others, but to God. Just like a mirror reflects your physical appearance so that you can make adjustments, the Bible reveals your spiritual condition and tells you what to do about it.
James writes: “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror… goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do” (James 1:23-25 NIV). You must spend time each day in the Scriptures; otherwise, you will run around spiritually threadbare. Paul writes, “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh” (Romans 13:14 NIV).
As Chuck Swindoll observes: “The number one enemy of change is the hard-core, self-satisfied sin nature within you. Like a spoiled child, it has been gratified and indulged for years, so it will not give up without a violent temper tantrum… The flesh dies a slow, bitter, bloody death – kicking and struggling all the way down.” Lasting change takes place in first gear, not overdrive. So expect occasional setbacks, and don’t let them derail you. When you feel like throwing in the towel, get down on your knees and ask God to help you get back on track. He will do it.
Soul food: Heb 1-4; Matt 11:20-30; Ps 88:9b-18; Pro 11:27-29
Romans 13:14 NIV
First impressions are important, so we’re often encouraged to ‘dress for success’. But as redeemed children of God, our first concern shouldn’t be how we look to others, but to God. Just like a mirror reflects our physical appearance so that we can make adjustments, the Bible reveals our spiritual condition and tells us what to do about it. James wrote: ‘Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do’ (James 1:23-25 NIV).
It’s important to spend time every day in the Scriptures; otherwise, we’ll run around spiritually threadbare. Paul wrote, ‘Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh’ (Romans 13:14 NIV).
Author Chuck Swindoll wrote: ‘The number one enemy of change is the hard-core, self-satisfied sin nature within you. Like a spoiled child, it has been gratified and indulged for years, so it will not give up without a violent temper tantrum… The flesh dies a slow, bitter, bloody death – kicking and struggling all the way down.’
Lasting change takes place in first gear, not overdrive. In the journey of lasting change, we should expect occasional setbacks and refuse to let them throw us off course. And if we feel like giving up, we should ask God to help us get back on track. He will do it, and give us all the help we need.
Heb 1-4; Matt 11:20-30; Ps 88:9b-18; Pro 11:27-29
2022-03-21
Luke 6:37 NLT
Once you understand that parents aren’t always capable of giving their kids what they didn’t get themselves – namely love, nurturing, acceptance, and physical affection – it becomes easier to forgive them.
Author Stormie Omartian says: “Sometimes what one parent didn’t do hurts as bad as what the abusing one did. A parent’s uninvolvement or unwillingness to step in and rescue you feels like a betrayal. Unforgiveness for that uninvolved parent is more difficult to recognize but is more common than we think. Ask God to show you any unforgiveness towards a parent who didn’t come to your rescue. If it’s there, you have to deal honestly with your feelings… We can’t go back in time and get someone to hold and nurture us, and we mustn’t demand it from a spouse or friends because they can’t do it. It [must] come from our heavenly Father… The first step… is to receive [His] forgiveness and let its reality penetrate the deepest part of our being. When we realize how much we have been forgiven… we have no right to pass judgment on… another. Being forgiven and released from everything we’ve ever done is such a miraculous gift, how could we refuse to obey God when He asks us to forgive others? Forgiveness is a two-way street. God forgives you, and you forgive others… We base our decision not on what we feel like doing but on what we know is right.”
Jesus said, “Do not judge…and you will not be judged… Forgive… and you will be forgiven” (v. 37 NLT). Choosing to forgive and not let somebody else’s sin dictate how you feel and what you do frees you to live in peace.
Soul food: Job 11-14; Luke 18:31-43; Ps 116:12-19; Pro 8:10-13
2022-03-17
Romans 12:1 CEV
Paul writes, “God is good. So… offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice… Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him” (vv. 1-2 CEV). There are two ways to understand God’s sovereignty: (a) through His initiative, and (b) through our response. In essence, Paul is saying this: (1) Resist the pressures of a world system that pulls you in the wrong direction. (2) Renew your mind every day through prayer and reading God’s Word. (3) Recognize His will for you and live accordingly.
But Paul doesn’t stop there. He writes: “Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself. Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of… needy people… Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you… When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad. Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Don’t mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, and do your best to live at peace with everyone” (vv. 9-18 CEV).
God’s sovereignty doesn’t release us from personal responsibility. It doesn’t mean we should lose interest in current affairs or in making informed decisions. God still expects us to strive for excellence and show concern for a lost world. Acknowledging God’s sovereignty sets you free from playing God and enables you to enjoy walking with Him.
Soul food: Job 1-4; Luke 17:20-37; Ps 11; Pro 8:4-5
2022-02-26
Jeremiah 31:18 KJV
The Bible tells us: “Isaac’s servants dug…a well…But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, ‘The water is ours.’ So…they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also….And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called it…Rehoboth, because he said, ‘For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land'” (Genesis 26:19-22 NKJV).
What a great example of practicing forgiveness. During a drought, Isaac dug wells and his enemies moved in and claimed them. It wasn’t fair, but instead of retaliating, he moved on and dug new wells – and God blessed him greatly. The truth is this: God will fill the emptiness in your life when you forgive those who have hurt you.
Let’s face it; as long as we share this planet with other imperfect human beings, they will hurt us. There is no way to avoid it. And when the hurt goes deep, it can be hard to forgive. Does that mean you should go around pretending that nothing is wrong, and denying how you feel? No, the first step toward healing is acknowledging your feelings. And Jesus gives us the second step: “Pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:28 NIV).
When you do that, something unexpected happens. Your heart softens and you start to see the offender through God’s eyes instead of your own raw emotions. “But I don’t want to forgive them!” you say. Then here is step three. Acknowledge your unwillingness to forgive and ask God to make you willing. Pray, “Turn thou me, and I shall be turned.”
Soul food: Exo 4-6; Luke 12:1-12; Ps 58; Pro 6:12-15
