2019-01-01
Genesis 42:9 NKJV
The dream God gave Joseph sustained him through experiences that would crush many of us. He was resented by his family, repeatedly tempted by his boss’s wife, then thrown into prison for thirteen years for a crime he never committed. Yet at his lowest points God was with him, arranging each step he took and positioning him to fulfill his calling as the deliverer of his people. The psalmist talks about the strange way in which God led Joseph: “Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them – Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character” (Psalm 105:17-19 NLT). Your gender does not limit God, and your age is no problem to Him. Society may glamorize youth and marginalize old age, but your season of life doesn’t limit God. But in order to have confidence that God will fulfill your dream, you must know that it was born of His Spirit: “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8 NKJV). Your dream cannot be born out of your unmet ego needs, or a selfish desire to have the same level of success as someone else, or your need to “prove” something to someone like your ex, or your family, or your boss, or your peers, etc. Check the source of your dream, because when God is the source, He will provide all the resources necessary to fulfill it. Do you have a dream? No? Ask God to give you one!
Soul food: Rom 13:12-14:19; John 1:1-14
2018-11-29
Hebrews 12:2 MSG
Concerning Jesus, the Bible says: “Because he never lost sight of where he was headed…he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever…When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again” (vv. 2-3 TM). It’s your vision that fuels your passion. Ever notice how God often transforms the worst of sinners into His greatest servants? That’s because they’re passionate, and once that passion is harnessed and redirected they become effective in His kingdom. Now you understand why the Enemy has tried so hard to destroy you. He knows once you line up your passion with God’s plan, there will be no stopping you. Passion is spiritual energy; without it you’re as limp as a wet noodle and as bland as hospital food. So instead of trying to stifle your passion, let God redirect it. Jesus told the end-age church, “You are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!” (Revelation 3:15 NLT). Who is He speaking to? Professing Christians who live, marry, have children, buy cars, accumulate stocks, and do all the things their modern-day counterparts do, but without passion. They were simply going through the motions! The Bible says, “Taste and see” (Psalm 34:8); in other words, step up to the plate and swing the bat! So what if you miss? The fact is you’ll miss for sure if you don’t swing! Your instinct for self-preservation can rob you of the only chance you may ever get at life. So if you’re down today, get back up. If you failed, try again. Ask God to rekindle the fires of passion within you.
Soul food: Gen 20-23; John 14:1-14; Ps 118:10-18; Prov 31:10-13
2018-11-27
Proverbs 18:24 MSG
One day two cows looked over a fence and saw these words on a passing milk truck: “Pasteurized, Homogenized, Vitamin A added.” One cow said to the other, “It makes you feel a bit inadequate, doesn’t it?” Seriously, is that how you feel today? There’s too much to do, and not enough of you to do it? Or you don’t think you have the skill or resources? Remember the old Beatles song: “When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybody’s help in any way…Help me if you can, I’m feeling down, and I do appreciate you being round. Help me get my feet back on the ground; won’t you please, please help me?” In a perfect world Adam still couldn’t make it by himself, so God said, “I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18 NIV). Sometimes the solution requires more than prayer or counseling; it requires a friend who understands – especially one who has fought the same battles and won. In Acts chapter three God used Peter and John to bring about the healing of a lame man sitting at the temple gate. But there was another miracle earlier that day. Peter had just denied Jesus, fallen flat on his face, and decided to return to his old fishing job. But John refused to let go of him. As a result, Peter was restored, a lame man was healed, and three thousand people were won to Christ. You don’t need a lot of people in your life; you just need the right people. So ask God for a “true friend” who will stick by you; then you do the same for someone else.
Soul food: Gen 13-16; John 13:18-30; Ps 114; Prov 31:1-5
2018-05-03
1 Chronicles 4:10 NKJV
When Jabez prayed, “Enlarge my territory,” he was saying, “Lord, I want more than I’ve got, and I’m asking You for it!” This man had great ambitions, and God blessed them. There are three common misconceptions that can keep us from having great ambitions: (1) We confuse fear with humility. We say, “Oh, I could never do that,” and think we’re being humble. But that’s not humility. That’s fear; that’s lack of faith. A truly humble person would say, “With God’s help I can do it. With God’s blessing I will do it. I may not be able to do it on my own, but with God’s help I can.” That’s real humility. (2) We tend to confuse laziness with contentment. We quote Paul: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11 NIV). But this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t set goals. Paul wasn’t saying, “I don’t have any ambitions or future plans.” Just the opposite, in fact! He spoke of “reaching forth [to] those things which are before” (Philippians 3:13). If you don’t have a dream or a goal, ask God for one. (3) We confuse small thinking with spirituality. Some people say, “I serve God in my little way.” Why don’t you start serving Him in a bigger way? Why not let Him use you more? Other people say, “Well, I’m just fine the way I am. That’s the way God made me.” It’s wrong to blame God for your lack of growth, because He has provided all the tools and ideas you need in order to grow. Bottom line: Think big or you’ll get in God’s way!
Soul food: Deut 3-4; Mark 6:7-13; Ps 2; Prov 11:22-23
2018-03-25
Hebrews 6:1 NLT
Is what worked in the past not working for you now? Maybe it’s a job you’ve outgrown, or a relationship you need to reexamine, or a method you need to change. Regardless of what it is, don’t become so settled that you can’t let go and move on when you need to. They say the hermit crab looks for a shell that fits him, and lives there until he outgrows it. At that point he has to scurry along the ocean floor and find a bigger one – a process that repeats itself throughout his entire life. So here’s the question: Are you clinging to something that no longer fits you just because it’s easy and familiar? David said, “You…freed me when I was hemmed in and enlarged me when I was in distress” (Psalm 4:1 AMPC). You must be willing to move out of your comfort zone and deal with a little “distress.” That’s what makes you grow. Patience and persistence are admirable qualities, but they don’t work in situations you’ve outgrown. Instead of “hanging in” and trying harder, at certain points in life you have to stop and ask yourself, “Is this situation good for me?” If you’re not sure, ask God for “an understanding heart so that [you] can…know the difference between right and wrong” (1 Kings 3:9 NLT). And when He tells you what to do – do it – even though at first it won’t feel comfortable. When God says it’s time to move on, it’s because there’s another shell out there designed to fit you even better.
Soul food: Matt 21:1-16; Ps 118:19-29
