2021-01-11
Romans 1:12 NCV
Next time you take a walk in the woods stop and think about what is taking place right under your feet. As the roots of the trees connect with each other they form a support system. One has access to water, another to nutrients, and another to sunlight. No single tree has it all, but together they can grow, thrive, and withstand the storms of life. “Then we will grow in every way to be more like Christ, the head of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love” (Ephesians 4:15-16 CEV). Some of us independent types have difficulty with this concept. We want to fly solo until we crash, and then we realize our need for:
(1) Encouragement. Even Paul needed cheering on: “Everyone in Asia has turned against me, especially Phygelus and Hermogenes. I pray that the Lord will be kind to the family of Onesiphorus. He often cheered me up and wasn’t ashamed of me when I was put in jail. Then after he arrived in Rome, he searched everywhere until he found me” (2 Timothy1:15-17 CEV).
(2) Sympathy. “Be sympathetic” (Colossians 3:12 GWT). We all need to be understood and have our feelings validated. But sometimes we are in such a hurry to “fix” people we don’t have time to sympathize with them.
(3) Grace. “Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (v. 13 NLT). What motivates us to extend grace to others? God’s grace to us! Remember, you will never be asked to extend more grace to someone than God has already extended to you.
Soul food: Exo 22-24; Matt 6:1-8; Ps 71:1-16; Prov 2:1-2
2020-10-23
Matthew 7:2 NIV
Jesus said, ‘Do not judge…For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you’ (vv. 1-2 NIV). We can easily fall into the habit of judging others, even though Jesus forbids it. Sometimes we might do it because we’re trying to be honest and point out someone else’s flaw or sin so that they can work on improving. There’s definitely a place for that, and the Bible does tell us to confront sins (take a look at James 5:19-20. But we have to do it in the right way, from a place of love, and with God’s help. If we become judgemental, we’re not only hurting someone, we’re also going against what God’s Word commands.
We also have to consider that the other person could already have repented, confessed their sin, and received God’s forgiveness. They might already be working through an issue with Him. If God’s already forgiven them and is helping them, there’s no need for us to keep bringing it up. We might also start to judge people because we feel insecure about ourselves in some way, so we look for others’ faults to make ourselves feel better.
But Jesus said, ‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?’ (Matthew 7:3 NIV). Jesus also said, ‘They are blessed who show mercy to others, for God will show mercy to them’ (Matthew 5:7 NCV). God shows us grace and mercy despite our faults, so we should extend the same grace and mercy to others too.
Nahum 1-3; John 6:1-24; Ps 85; Prov 24:11-14
2020-10-12
John 4:10 MSG
When the Samaritan woman met Jesus at the well, and He asked her for a drink of water, He also said: ‘If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you…living water.’
Jesus constantly showed mercy to the people who least deserved it. The woman didn’t have a spotless life. She had already had five husbands, and she wasn’t married to the man she was living with. In her society’s eyes, she was an outcast. But Jesus offered her grace anyway.
We should ask ourselves how we would react in that situation. Are we generous in sharing God’s grace with others, or are we sparing with it, only sharing it with those we think are ‘worthy’? What if God only offered His grace to those who He thought were ‘worthy’? Most of us would probably fall short. But God’s grace says, ‘I know everything about you, good and bad, I know all your shortcomings and sins, and I still love you.’
We can often live our lives as if we’re scared of God, and fearful that He’s going to punish us. We forget about His grace, love, and acceptance. That doesn’t mean we’ll escape His discipline, but His correction comes from a place of love and of wanting us to be the best we can be.
After Jesus had spoken to the woman at the well, she ran back to her village, saying, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did’ (John 4:29 NCV). Even though Jesus knew everything about her, He still made her feel loved and accepted. She wanted others to feel what she felt, and we should be just as enthusiastic to share God’s grace too.
Eph 4:17-6:24; John 2:12-25; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 23:10-14
2020-10-01
Hebrews 11:8 NKJV
The Bible says, ‘By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.’
It can be very daunting to step onto the path God’s chosen for us when we don’t know what lies on that path and what we’ll have to face. So for the next few days, let’s think about some of the things we can expect on our journey.
First, we can expect opportunities and opposition. Paul wrote, ‘There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me’ (1 Corinthians 16:9 NLT). The enemy will target us and try to make us walk away from God’s path, and the size of the task God’s given us will often determine how big and forceful the attack is. So if you find you’re coming under attack, you can look at it as confirmation that you’re following the correct path. However, if you don’t encounter obstacles and opposition, you should pray and ask God if you’re on the right track.
Second, we’ll probably encounter setbacks that are meant to derail us. Proverbs 24:16 says: ‘The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked’ (NLT). It doesn’t matter how many times we fail, as long as we’re prepared to learn from it, ask God for strength and wisdom, and try again. If sin causes us to stumble, we should confess and repent, then get back on track. It’s understandable and natural if we fail because we’re trying something new and unfamiliar. We need to draw on God’s grace, be determined to do better, and keep moving forwards.
1 Sam 11-13; Luke 24:25-35; Ps 60; Prov 22:7-11
2020-07-10
Mark 10:48 NCV
Imagine being blind all your life, then one day miraculously receiving your sight. And the first face you see is the face of Jesus. That’s what happened to Bartimaeus. Jesus was passing by the spot where he sat begging every day. Recognising this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he cried out for help. This would probably have caused quite a scene. In fact, ‘many people warned the blind man to be quiet, but he shouted even more.’ ‘Jesus stopped’ (v.49 NCV) when Bartimaeus shouted. We don’t have to shout to get God’s attention; He’s always ready to listen to us. But sometimes we need to cry out to God with everything we have. We can confidently approach God with our troubles. The Bible says: ‘Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (Hebrews 4:16 NCV). We’re told that Bartimaeus ‘jumped up, left his coat there, and went to Jesus’ (Mark 10:50 NCV). Why did he leave his coat? One reason could be that a long robe could have tripped him up. But another reason is that his clothes showed that he was a beggar. To get to Jesus, we must be willing to throw aside everything that stands in our way. Things like the shame and failure of our past, our lack and our limitations, and the labels other people have put on us. When Jesus restores us and makes us whole, we won’t have to wear those things anymore. We’re set free to live for Him and His kingdom. There’s no problem too big or too small to cry out to God about. So let’s cry out to Him and be prepared for our chains to break.
Jer 41-44; Luke 6:27-36; Ps 109:1-15; Prov 15:22
