2019-07-19
Proverbs 4:25 NIV
Years ago an airliner crashed into the Florida Everglades. On its approach to the Miami airport, the light indicator for proper deployment of the landing gear failed. They flew circles over the swamps of the Everglades while the cockpit crew checked to see if the gear truly had not deployed, or if the bulb in the signal light was defective. When the flight engineer tried to remove the signal light assembly it wouldn’t budge, so the other members of the crew joined in and tried to help him. As they struggled with the light assembly, none of them noticed that the aircraft was losing altitude. As a result the plane flew right into the swamp, killing 101 people on board. All was lost because the crew fiddled with a six-dollar lightbulb and took their eyes off what mattered most. In life you’ll be tempted to choose what seems urgent over what seems important. As you try to keep your eye on the ball, this dilemma will constantly threaten your focus: “How do I choose what is best over what is merely good? Or the long-term perspective over the short-term one?” You must not lose focus; your task is too important. Solomon bottom-lines it: “Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left” (Proverbs 4:25-27 NIV).
Soul food: Acts 22-23; Matt 10:32-42; Ps 65; Prov 16:8-9
2019-07-13
John 21:20 NLT
The Bible says, “Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved – the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, ‘Lord, who will betray you?’ Peter asked Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’ Jesus replied, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.’ So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?'” (vv. 20-23 NLT). When Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” he was referring to the apostle John, who enjoyed an especially close relationship with Christ. And Jesus said, “Get your eyes off John and keep them on Me. Follow Me and you can have a close relationship with Me too.” People will disappoint you, just as you will disappoint them. But Jesus will never disappoint you if you keep your eyes on Him and follow Him. Even with the best of intentions people will give you poor advice, and you will give them poor advice. But Jesus won’t. He doesn’t merely know the way, He says, “I am the way” (John 14:6 NKJV). He says, “He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12 NKJV). So the word for you today is about one of the most fundamental principles in Christian living: Get your eyes off people and keep them on Jesus.
Soul food: Acts 12-13; Matt 9:14-26; Ps 123; Prov 16:1
2019-05-24
Luke 10:40 AMPC
One of the great buzzwords of this generation is multitasking. Used properly, it can make you more productive. Used wrongly, such as trying to text someone while you’re driving, it can kill you. You will not enjoy today, or the gifts it contains, if you don’t have a balanced attitude toward work. One day Jesus visited the home of two sisters, Mary and Martha. What a contrast! Martha was “overly occupied and too busy,” while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and soaked up everything He had to say. She was determined not to miss this precious moment. And Jesus said Mary made a better choice than Martha did. Now, He didn’t tell Martha not to work; He told her to stop getting frustrated and having a bad attitude while she worked. Jesus wants you to work hard, but He also wants you to be wise enough to realize when you should stop all activity and not miss the miracle of His presence in the moment. The Bible says, “Give your mind to what you are doing” (Ecclesiastes 5:1 AMPC). In other words, train yourself to focus your full attention on what you are involved in at any given time. Then finish it before starting something else. This kind of concentration requires discipline, but it’s worth it because being able to focus helps you enjoy the present moment. Breaking the bad habit of excessive multitasking may sound easy, but it’s actually quite difficult. So be determined to form new, balanced habits in this area. When you do, the quality of your life will improve.
Soul food: 1 Kings 16:1-18:15; Mark 9:30-37; Ps 108; Prov 12:14
2019-05-05
Romans 15:24 NKJV
The world isn’t going to devote itself to making us happy, and only when we accept that can we begin to move forward. Much of the time life doesn’t work out the way we plan. Paul wrote, “Whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you.” But he never got to Spain; instead, he landed in prison. But it was from there he wrote the epistles. So your disappointment may turn out to be God’s appointment! The Bible says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9 NIV). Aren’t you glad God’s in control of your life? Let the philosophers argue over why life works as it does; just you focus on how to live it! If you live to be a hundred, what good is it if resentment and regret keep you from enjoying it? And what good is more time, if you’re just wasting the time you’ve got? Do you know how an oyster makes a pearl? When a grain of sand gets into its shell and irritates it, the oyster wraps the sand in layers of beauty until a pearl is formed. An unknown poet wrote, “This tale has a moral, for isn’t it grand, what an oyster can do with a morsel of sand? What couldn’t I do if I’d only begin, with all of the things that get under my skin?” God is at work in what you’re going through today – for your good and His glory. All you need to do is trust Him.
Soul food: Exo 20:12; Eph 6:1-3; Matt 15:1-9; John 19:25-27
2019-04-08
Hebrews 11:27 NIV
Perseverance was really important in Moses’ life. He had to persevere when he was facing Pharaoh, the mightiest monarch on earth. He had to persevere when dealing with the stubbornness, rebellion, and grumbling of the Israelites in the desert. He persevered when criticised by Miriam and Aaron, his own family. He persevered when given the negative report by the ten spies who came back from the Land of Promise saying, ‘The giants are too big, and we are too small’ (see Numbers 13:33). In fact, his perseverance was mentioned in the list in Hebrews 11 of those with faith. And it was this faith that helped him have perseverance through some tough times. Moses kept his eyes on God – not people. And that’s what we need to do too. Paul gives us the secret to victory in the battles of life: ‘Put on God’s full armour. Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing’ (Ephesians 6:13 NCV). We need to stand strong. When the Israelites were afraid of the Egyptians who were chasing them, Moses gave them this advice: ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still’ (Exodus 14:13-14 NIV). Moses’ advice of ‘standing firm’ despite what we’re facing, is advice that we need to start putting into practice. Whatever battle we’re facing, we need to focus our eyes on God, put our trust in Him, be still, and stand firm.
Lev 23:26-25:55; Luke 21:29-38; Ps 50:16-23; Prov 10:4-7
