2022-05-25
Luke 8:48 NKJV
The Bible says: “Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years… touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped… Jesus said, ‘Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.’ Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden… she declared… she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately” (vv. 43-44, 46-47 NKJV).
There are three important lessons for us in this story: (1) Recognize and seize your moment of opportunity. This woman understood that Jesus was visiting her town and might not be back. There are “God moments” in life when you must rearrange your priorities, overcome your fear, and exercise your faith. If you don’t, you will miss God’s best.
(2) Be willing to try a different approach. Since she couldn’t get Christ’s attention because of the crowd, this woman touched the hem of His garment and was healed. Many times, faith calls for stepping into the unknown, doing something you have never done before, and discovering God’s grace at work in ways you never expected.
(3) Establish a precedent for others to follow. Until this time, no one in Scripture had been healed by touching Jesus’ garment, and this woman’s faith opened a door for others to follow her example. “People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed” (Matthew 14:35-36 NIV).
The fact is, God is looking for people who are willing to break with tradition. And when He finds them, He uses them to unlock new dimensions of His power so others can be blessed and made whole.
Soul food: Heb 9:1-11:16; Matt 12:15-21; Ps 97; Pro 12:1-3
2022-04-06
2 Timothy 1:7 MSG
The foundation of good leadership is security. Paul told Timothy, “God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.” You must know with certainty that God called you, equipped you, and guaranteed your ultimate success. And you must keep this in mind when people stop liking you, when funding drops, when morale dips, and others reject you. If you feel insecure, fear will eventually cause you to sabotage your own leadership.
Confident leaders see what is, while maintaining their vision of what can be. They’re rarely content with things the way they are. As President Ronald Reagan once quipped, “Status quo… is Latin for ‘the mess we’re in!'” By definition, “to lead” is to be out in front, breaking new ground, vanquishing new worlds, and proceeding away from the status quo.
Dissatisfaction with the status quo doesn’t mean having a bad attitude or complaining; it has to do with a readiness to be different and to take risks. A person who won’t risk change is someone who fails to grow. A leader who loves the status quo is someone who soon turns into a follower. Raymond Smith of Bell Atlantic Corporation once remarked, “Administrators are easy to find and cheap to keep. Leaders – risk takers – are in very short supply. And the ones with vision are pure gold.”
Many people are more comfortable dealing with old troubles than doing what it takes to find new solutions; risk seems dangerous to them. The secret lies in having a winning attitude – one that comes from being secure in who you are and what you have been called to do. Think about it!
Soul food: Lev 8-10; Luke 22:14-23; Ps 50:1-15; Pro 9:10-11
2022-03-10
John 11:26 MSG
At the graveside of His friend Lazarus, Jesus told his grieving sisters Mary and Martha two all-important things: (1) “Your brother will rise again” (John 11:23 NAS). (2) “Everyone who lives believing in me does not… die at all. Do you believe this?” (v. 26 MSG).
So, what’s going to take you beyond death and into your heavenly home? Sterling character? Charitable giving? Going to church? No. While those are all commendable, only by placing your trust in Christ can you have the assurance of resurrection and eternal life. You see, Jesus conquered death and the grave for you.
You may be reading these words today fighting tears of sorrow. Perhaps you have lost your mate of many years, or your child to a tragic accident, or a loved one to some dreaded disease. Like no other, Jesus understands your grief. He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities (See Hebrews 4:15). Or perhaps you sense that death is near to you. If you haven’t placed your trust in Christ, you must take care of that right away.
Don’t wait for a more convenient time. Do it today, and you will be saved; that means that when you breathe your last breath, you will pass from death to life – heavenly life. When you trust in Christ, there is no reason to fear what lies beyond the grave. He is already there. And He has prepared a place for you. It’s ready! Inexplicable, unending joy will be yours forever, thanks to Jesus. You can exclaim with Paul, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). Think about it: Immediately following death – glory!
Soul food: Exo 33-35; Luke 15:1-10; Ps 112; Pro 7:6-9
2022-03-02
James 5:17 CEV
Elijah got so “down” that he was ready to end it all. And it happened on the heels of his greatest victory. He had just called down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel, when he went from exhilaration to exhaustion. We forget that even when we’re successful and love what we do, it can be physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. So, if you’re a purpose-driven person with no boundaries, pay attention!
(1) Exhaustion made Elijah lose perspective. He had just defeated 850 false prophets (See 1 Kings 18:19), and now he was running from one woman: Jezebel. General George Patton Jr. said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” When fatigue walks in, faith walks out! It distorts our thinking and makes us overlook God’s power and His promises. Mental fatigue coupled with physical exhaustion is a deadly combination that invites hopelessness and creates the illusion that we have no options.
(2) Fear made Elijah isolate himself. Leaving his servant in Beersheba, he went into the wilderness and told God, “I am the only one left… now they are trying to kill me” (1 Kings 19:10 NIV). At that moment, Elijah was in the worst possible company – his own! When you feel down, that isn’t the time to isolate yourself. That’s when you need to reach for God and the people who love you and can help you get back up. Even Paul needed help. After writing, “[In] Macedonia, we… found trouble all around us… fighting on the outside and fear on the inside,” he added, “But God, who comforts those who are troubled, comforted us when Titus came” (2 Corinthians 7:5-6 NCV).
So, who do you need to call? Who do you need to reach for? Don’t keep putting it off – do it!
Soul food: Exo 13-15; Luke 12:35-48; Ps 66:13-20; Pro 6:23-25
2021-12-13
Ephesians 4:25 MSG
Many people have no one who loves them enough to tell them the truth. That’s because it’s easier to say nothing when others are messing up. But it’s not the loving thing to do. The Bible says, ‘Giving an honest answer is a sign of true friendship’ (Proverbs 24:26 CEV). Usually we know what needs to be said, but fear keeps us from saying it. However, if you knew the brakes on a car weren’t functioning properly, would you allow a loved one to drive it? In a similar vein, Paul wrote, ‘If someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again’ (Galatians 6:1 NCV).
More often than not, when an issue arises that might cause tension, it’s glossed over to preserve the peace. We don’t want to ruffle any feathers, so it never gets resolved. Here’s how Paul addresses this: ‘No more pretence. Tell…the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected…When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself’ (Ephesians 4:25 MSG).
But let’s be clear – honesty doesn’t give us permission to be rude or hurtful and say whatever we want. Thoughtless words can wound people. ‘Don’t be harsh or impatient with an older man. Talk to him as you would your own father, and to the younger men as your brothers. Reverently honour an older woman as you would your mother, and the younger women as sisters’ (1 Timothy 5:1-2 MSG).
In short, we should be thoughtful and gracious in the way we speak and the words we use. When a difficult issue comes up, caring means getting involved in an honest and loving way.
Neh 11-13; John 19:1-16; Ps 105:8-15; Prov 30:5-9
