2019-08-24
Galatians 2:20 NKJV
A man who inherited an antique grandfather clock with a brass pendulum watched as it pushed the big heavy weight back and forth. “What a burden for a 100-year-old clock to bear,” he thought. So one day he opened the glass case and unhooked the pendulum. “Why did you remove my weight?” the clock asked. The man replied, “It was heavy and I wanted to lighten your load.” The old clock exclaimed, “What you don’t understand is, it’s the weight that keeps me going!” Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and…I now live…by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” God allows us to experience frustrations and burdens in order to develop our patience and humility and make us more dependent on Him. Unlike us, He knows “it’s the weight that keeps us going.” That’s why: “The child he loves…he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating…training us…discipline isn’t much fun…It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later…it pays off…for the well-trained…find themselves mature in their relationship with God” (Hebrews 12:6-11 MSG). What “weight” is God using to produce the nature of Christ in you? Paul goes on to say, “Mortify…your members which are upon the earth” (Colossians 3:5). The word “mortify” comes from mortuary – a place where there’s nothing but dead, inactive bodies. In other words, instead of letting your earthly nature rule, ask the Holy Spirit to bring forth new life in you.
Soul food: Ezek 1-4; Matt 21:1-11; Ps 119:161-168; Prov 19:3-8
2019-08-03
Exodus 33:16 NLT
The world expects Christians to be different from those who don’t profess to know Jesus, and that’s as it should be. Believers should set an example when it comes to serving others and showing love. Jesus said, “People will know…you are my followers if you love each other” (John 13:35 NCV). In the Old Testament when the Israelites broke God’s covenant by worshiping a golden calf, Moses pleaded with God not to give up on them. His argument was this: “How will anyone know that you look favorably on…your people – if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people…apart.” What made Israel unique among the nations was the evidence of God’s presence as He journeyed with them. And God’s presence should set you apart too! When Jesus told His disciples, “I will be with you always” (Matthew 28:20 NCV), He demonstrated His presence through the Holy Spirit who dwelt in and empowered them. So much so, that their enemies said they had “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6 NKJV). But as pastor and author Mark D. Roberts observes: “This doesn’t give us grounds for pride or boasting. God’s presence is an expression of His grace, not our worthiness. In fact, our confidence in God’s presence…gives us a strong conviction of our high calling to serve Him in every capacity of life. It gives us courage to live according to His kingdom…to serve others in His name…if God is with us on our side, what do we have to fear?” So today thank God for His presence in your life, and decide never to take it for granted.
Soul food: Deut 30:1-32:28; Matt 14:1-12; Ps 119:9-16; Prov 17:4-6
2019-02-24
John 14:26 NIV
Why would we describe the Holy Spirit as the plus factor? Three reasons: (1) The Holy Spirit determines the gifts and skills you receive. “It is the one and only [Holy] Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have” (1 Corinthians 12:11 NLT). So if you feel like a square peg in a round hole, ask the Holy Spirit to show you what your gifts are. Then ask Him to open the door and give you favor with the right people. He’ll do it. (2) The Holy Spirit knows where you belong. The Bible says, “They, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia” (Acts 13:4). Where you are matters. For example, if you’re a whale you were born to swim in the ocean. If you’re a bird you were born to fly in the air. During a famine God sent Elijah to the brook Cherith, saying, “I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there” (1 Kings 17:4). If Elijah had decided he’d rather stay where he was, he’d have missed his miracle. You don’t have to do anything to experience God’s love, but you must know His voice and follow His direction to experience His blessing. (3) The Holy Spirit can be offended. “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 4:30 NIV). When a dove (which represents the Holy Spirit in Scripture) returns to its nest, it won’t land if the nest is out of order. So ask God to make you more conscious of the presence of His precious Holy Spirit, and make your heart a place where He always feels at home.
Soul food: Exo 20:4; Isa 44:6-20; Rom 1:21-25
2019-01-20
1 John 1:7 NKJV
Blood is the one element that reaches every part of the body. Its precious cargo of oxygen and nutrients carries life, energy, nourishment, and healing. The white cells function like paramedics, cleansing wounds and healing disease. They serve as a militia fighting off potential attackers. There’s a spiritual lesson here! We each need the life-giving blood of Jesus to cleanse us, protect us, and sustain us. And we need it every day. The Bible says, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light…the blood of Jesus Christ…cleanses us from all sin.” That means as you continue to walk with Jesus, His blood continues to cleanse you from all your sin. Ask any doctor: Blood determines who a child’s real father is. And the blood of Jesus proves you are God’s redeemed child; otherwise you’re just a pseudo-heir trying to receive promises reserved for members of the family. Every one of our heavenly Father’s blessings flows to His children through the blood. It’s what enables each of us to stand before Him, righteous and qualified to receive His blessings. Thank God for the emphasis on the Holy Spirit today. But unless we understand that God accepts us because He sees us through the blood, we’ll be empowered but insecure, using our spiritual gifts but living under needless condemnation. Counselor, tell your hurting clients that by the power of Jesus’ blood they can tear down every stronghold in their family and break every chain that links them to the past. Take a moment today to thank God for the blessings of Jesus’ blood.
Soul food: Judg 16:23-31; 2 Cor 12:3-10
2018-12-01
John 14:16 NKJV
Do you remember dinner without cell phones? Your family enjoying each other’s company, uninterrupted by technology? We’re a generation that’s losing the art of communication – and intimacy – and it’s also impacting the time we spend alone with God. Although Jesus preceded the high-tech age, He was in constant demand; the multitudes pursued Him at all hours of the day and night. Nevertheless, the Scriptures tell us, “A great while before day, he…departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35). Jesus made time to be alone with His Father. It requires spiritual discipline to be still and listen; to deliberately eliminate life’s noise and racket. But if we’ll practice it, we’ll discover a heart-satisfying fellowship with the resident Holy Spirit. Invest a few minutes reading John chapters 14-16, and let your spirit absorb Jesus’ message. Notice, He wants His disciples to have peace, and He comforts them with the assurance that they’re never left alone. These are all blessings He wants us to share too. Question: How can you find this peace and comfort? Answer: “It’s an inside job,” because the Holy Spirit lives in you. Jesus told His disciples, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” It may be Christianity’s best-kept secret, that the Holy Spirit is available to and indwells every true believer, providing everything we need to handle life’s difficulties and opportunities. The “Comforter” was promised by the Son, sent by the Father, and today He’s ours by faith. Embrace Him, trust His power, experience His peace, and follow His guidance.
Soul food: Gen 25:19-27:46; John 14:26-15:4; Ps 146; Prov 31:18-21
