2021-10-31
1 Samuel 17:46 NLT
Goliath’s ancestors were Israel’s long-standing enemies. And when Joshua entered the Promised Land, he annihilated them all, except the inhabitants of Gath where Goliath hailed from. It’s important to remember that, because it shows that if we don’t completely destroy the issues we’re facing, they’ll rise to fight again. David put ‘five…stones from a stream…into his shepherd’s bag’ (v.40 NLT) because he didn’t know how many he’d need to finish the job. And there are certain ‘stones’ we need to take with us to conquer the giants in our lives.
1) Be relentless. It might take more than a day, a month, or even a year to see results. But with God’s help we’ll win if we persevere.
2) Get God involved. David declared, ‘There is a God in Israel’ (v.46 NLT). He made sure to bring God right into the centre of the situation, and God came through for Him.
3) Keep praying and believing God for victory. ‘Prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare’ (Ephesians 6:18 MSG). Replaying and going over our hurts again and again won’t heal them, and ignoring our problems won’t solve them. But prayer will.
4) Remember earlier victories. David announced, ‘GOD, who delivered me from the…lion and…bear, will deliver me from this Philistine’ (1 Samuel 17:37 MSG). When we’re afraid of the future, we should try to call to mind God’s past faithfulness to us: ‘Remember the wonders he…performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given’ (1 Chronicles 16:12 NLT). With God’s help, we can conquer any giants that life throws at us.
Deut 18:9-18; Dan 2; Isa 47:5-15; Acts 16:16-34
2021-08-15
Mark 2:3 NCV
‘Many people gathered together…Jesus was teaching them God’s message. Four people came , carrying a paralysed man. Since they could not get to Jesus because of the crowd, they dug a hole in the roof right above where he was speaking…they lowered the mat with the paralysed man on it, When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralysed man…”stand up, take your mat, and go home”‘ (Mark 2-5, 11 NCV).
If you know someone who needs a miracle today: 1) Use your faith. Even though you’re praying for someone who might have very little or even no faith of their own, God will honour your faith on their behalf. ‘When Jesus saw how much faith [the man’s friends] had, He said to the crippled man…”Get up!”‘
2) Refuse to give up. The four friends did exactly that. The crowd was a problem – so they went around it. The roof was a problem – so they broke through it. They refused to get discouraged or give up. They needed to get their friend to Jesus and nothing was going to stand in their way. If the things you’ve tried so far haven’t worked, ask God and He’ll show you another way.
3) Look for faith partners. It took four people to get the man to Jesus. Sometimes we can’t do it alone. Find someone who’ll agree with you in prayer. Jesus said, ‘I promise…when any two of you on earth agree about something you are praying for, my Father in heaven will do it for you’ (Matthew 18:19 CEV).
So keep praying and believing that God will provide a miracle.
Eze 47:1-12; Rev 21:22-22:5
2020-12-21
James 5:16 NCV
The Bible says: ‘When a believing person prays, great things happen. Elijah was a human being just like us. He prayed that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years!’ (v.16-17 NCV). There are two things in particular for us to take note of here:
1) ‘A believing person.’ When we pray, we need to believe that God will hear and answer our prayers. ‘Anyone who comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who truly want to find him’ (Hebrews 11:6 NCV).
In Matthew 6, Jesus says: ‘When you pray, don’t be like those people who don’t know God. They continue saying things that mean nothing, thinking that God will hear them because of their many words’ (v.7 NCV). The only requirement for seeing ‘great things happen’ is to believe.
We might hear other people praying almost fiercely, full of emotion and passion. There’s nothing wrong with praying that way (as long as we’re not doing it for effect), but we mustn’t fall into the trap of thinking it’s the only way God will hear and answer us. Our feelings may move us, but it’s our faith that moves God. A simple, quiet prayer coming from a heart that believes and trusts in Him will get His attention.
2) ‘Elijah was a human being just like us.’ Elijah was righteous, but that doesn’t mean he was perfect. His prayers were effective, but he still struggled at times with fear and despair. He really was ‘just like us’. So we can pray with confidence, knowing that we don’t need to be perfect for God to listen, answer, and do great things. We just need to trust and believe.
2 Tim 1-4; John 21:15-25; Ps 47; Prov 31:6-9
2020-12-20
Romans 15:13 AMPC
The Lord has promised us a sense of joy in the midst of every circumstance we face. Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11 NIV). So how can you hold on to your joy and not lose it?
The apostle Paul tells us, “May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope” (Romans 15:13 AMPC). Notice that all-important word “believing.” It’s okay to have questions, but you must never doubt God’s love and faithfulness toward you.
One Bible teacher writes: “I remember an evening when I was feeling strongly dissatisfied and discontented. I had no peace or joy and was absolutely miserable. I read Romans chapter 15:13, and it was indeed ‘a word in season’ for me. My problem was simple: I was doubting instead of believing. I was doubting God’s unconditional love for me, doubting that I could hear from Him, doubting His call on my life, doubting that He was pleased with me. I was filled with doubt…doubt…doubt. When I saw the problem and got back into faith and out of doubt…my joy and peace returned immediately. I’ve found the same thing to be true again and again in my life. When my joy and peace seem to be gone, I check my believing – usually it is gone also.”
And the same principle applies to you today!
Soul food: Jonah 2; Luke 11:29-32
2020-10-20
Colossians 3:23 NASB
You will know that your job is your “calling” when you do what you love, and love what you do.
Philanthropist and industrialist Andrew Carnegie said: “The average person puts only 25 percent of their energy and ability into their work. The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50 percent, and stands on its head for those few and far-between souls who devote 100 percent.”
Thomas Edison loved work. In his latter years he established Menlo Park, the world’s first factory for making nothing but inventions. It was a forerunner to the private research laboratories now maintained by so many large companies. At Menlo Park Edison promised to turn out “a minor invention every ten days, and a big thing every six months or so.” At one point he was working on forty-seven things at once. Other inventors may have been richer, but no inventor has ever been more enthusiastic or successful.
When you believe that what you do makes a difference, you have a different feeling about what you do. When you believe your job has worth in God’s eyes, you’re no longer vulnerable to the critics or dependent upon the cheerleaders.
Paul said, “I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me” (Acts 20:24 NIV). One of the last prayers Jesus prayed was “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4 NIV). If you are serious about pleasing God, make that your prayer too.
Soul food: 2 Sam 20:1-22:30; John 5:1-15; Ps 15; Prov 24:7
