2020-10-05
Philippians 2:16 NLT
We must be prepared to give up instant gratification for long-term achievements.
Paul wrote: ‘Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.’
Nothing is more important in life than the choices we make. The Bible says, ‘Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain’ (Genesis 13:12 NLT). Lot prospered for a while, but in the end, everything he worked for was destroyed. Then, ‘the LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him: “Look around from where you are…all the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever”‘ (vv. 14-15 NIV). Lot chose to settle in the wrong place and lost everything, but Abraham chose the right direction and gained everything.
When we’re faced with a choice, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of asking ourselves a few questions: ‘How will this choice affect my character and my self-respect? How will this choice affect my family and people who might look to me for a role-model? How will I feel when I tell God about my choice?’
The Bible says: ‘We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race before us and never give up. We should remove from our live anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back. Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect’ (Hebrews 12:1-2 NCV).
1 Sam 16-17; Luke 24:45-53; Ps 63; Prov 22:17-23
2020-09-28
Romans 4:12 NKJV
The Bible talks about those “who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had.” How do you walk like that? (1) Abraham believed “God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (v. 17 NKJV). When God makes you a promise, He has the power to bring it to pass, even when all the evidence and surrounding circumstances run contrary to what He said. (2) “Who, contrary to hope, in hope believed…that he became the father of many nations” (v. 18 NKJV). When all reason for hope was gone, Abraham still hoped. Why? Because his hope was in God! If you’re feeling hopeless today, think about these words: “Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you” (Zechariah 9:12 NKJV). (3) “Who…believed…according to what was spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be'” (Romans 4:18 NKJV). Note the phrase “according to what was spoken.” When God makes a promise, it contains the self-fulfilling power to bring it to pass. “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and…prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11 NKJV). (4) “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith” (Romans 4:20 NKJV). The word “waver” tells us Abraham didn’t dither, vacillate, argue within himself, or let other people’s opinions influence him. Instead, he remained resolute and steadfast. That’s how you walk by faith!
Soul food: 1 Sam 1-3; Luke 23:50-56; Ps 68:1-11; Prov 22:1-2
Romans 4:12 NKJV
The Bible talks about those ‘who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had’. But how do we walk by faith? 1) Abraham ‘believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing’ (v.17 NLT). When God makes a promise, He has the power to make it happen, even when all the circumstances say that it’s impossible. 2) ‘Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping – believing that he would become the father of nations’ (v.18 NLT). When it seemed like there was no hope left, Abraham didn’t give up, because his hope was in God. When we’re going through times when things look hopeless, let’s think of these words: ‘Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you’ (Zechariah 9:12 NIV). 3) ‘For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have”‘ (Romans 4:18 NLT). When God makes a promise, it contains the power to make it happen. ‘The same thing is true of the words I speak. They will not return to me empty. They make the things happen that I want to happen, and they succeed in doing what I send them to do’ (Isaiah 55:11 NCV). 4) ‘Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God’ (Romans 4:20 NLT). Abraham didn’t doubt God, argue within himself, or let other people’s opinions influence him. Instead, he remained steadfast and trusted God. And by doing that, he glorified God. So let’s use him as our example of walking by faith.
1 Sam 1-3; Luke 23:50-56; Ps 68:1-11; Prov 22:1-2
2020-09-18
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
We usually think of faith in terms of getting answers to our prayers and receiving from God the things that He alone can provide. And that’s okay. But there’s a more important reason for building up your faith. Faith is about pleasing God! “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” What pleases God? Your faith! What displeases God? Your lack of faith! In the past, Christians sometimes described praying passionately as “storming the gates of heaven.” It was a sincere sentiment, but it wasn’t completely accurate. The battle isn’t between you and heaven! You have a red-carpet welcome to approach God at any time. “Let us…come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV). If there’s a battle, it’s between you and the forces of hell (See Ephesians 6:12-18). Why are our prayers sometimes not effective? The Bible says, “The word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Hebrews 4:2 NKJV). Yes, God is moved by your needs, but He responds to your faith. That is why nothing is more important than building up your faith. And how do you do that? “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17 NKJV). It works like this: Get into God’s Word, get God’s Word into you, pray, and things will begin to change for the better in your life.
Soul food: Num 29:1-6; Rev 11:15-19; 1 Cor 15:50-58; Matt 24
2020-09-05
Psalm 13:1 NIV
When Kelly James and two climbing buddies died on Oregon’s Mount Hood, his brother Frank, a professor of theology, admitted: “It’s one thing to talk about death in the abstract. It’s another to cope with the death of someone you love…Death is ugly. We can’t – and shouldn’t – try to make it palatable with pious platitudes…One question haunts me, ‘Where was God when Kelly was freezing to death?’ For me not to ask would be a failure to take God seriously…I’m not suggesting mere mortals stand in judgment of God…God doesn’t report to me. But an honest question from a broken heart is a good and righteous thing.” David wasn’t afraid to ask God, “How long will you hide your face?” Then a few verses later the same distressed David declares, “But I trust in your unfailing love” (Psalm 13:5 NIV). Frank James continues: “Amid all the spiritual consternation God manifested Himself in my grief. Somehow He’s found in the disappointment, confusion, and raw emotions. This doesn’t exactly make sense to me, and I don’t like it. But my concept of faith has become Abrahamic…I must trust God even when I don’t understand…as Christians have confessed for centuries, ‘We look for the resurrection of the dead’ (See 1 Corinthians 15:42)…Amid enough tears to fill an ocean…we’ve had to bury loved ones. But we bury them with this promise, ‘For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive’ (1 Corinthians 15:22 NIV). It doesn’t indemnify us against grief…It does, however, take faith to depths where hope begins to poke through the heartache, like a sunbeam piercing a cloudy sky.”
Soul food: Eze 14:1-16:52; Luke 20:9-19; Ps 112; Prov 20:1-4
