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
2020-10-09
Proverbs 15:18 NIV
In the book of Proverbs, we’re often advised to be patient, or slow to get angry (take a look at Proverbs 14:29; 15:18; 16:32). That doesn’t mean that being angry is always wrong. There are only a few times in Scripture when Jesus showed anger. He got angry with the money changers and merchants in the temple, who weren’t charging fair prices and were treating the holy place as a market. (You can read about this in Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-18 and John 2:13-22.) He was also angry with the Pharisees in Mark 3:4-5 when they wouldn’t answer His question about whether it was right to heal someone on the Sabbath. Jesus got angry with unfairness, corruption, and hypocrisy, especially when those involved should have known better. But He never became angry about what someone did to Him, and never retaliated or lashed out at people who wronged Him. Even as His executioners nailed Him to the cross, He prayed, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing’ (Luke 23:34 NLT).
We should follow His example. Proverbs 15:1 says: ‘A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare’ (NLT). During an argument, what usually happens is the people involved tend to match their tones of voice, so when one shouts, the other shouts back. But if someone takes a moment to check their tone, and replies to a shouted, angry comment with a calm, gentle reply, it can take some of the heat out of the situation, and avoid it becoming a furious confrontation where the people involved achieve very little beyond upsetting each other.
So let’s follow Jesus’ example, and try to be patient, calm and gentle, even when we’re dealing with angry, hurtful people.
1 Sam 27-31; John 1:43-51; Ps 23; Prov 23:4-5
Proverbs 15:18 NKJV
Solomon repeatedly advises us to be “slow to anger” (Proverbs 14:29; 15:18; 16:32). Take your Bible and read those Scriptures slowly, thoughtfully, and prayerfully. Pay close attention to the occasions in Scripture when Jesus got angry (which are few), and something will immediately jump out at you. He never became angry over what someone did to Him. He never retaliated or lashed out at people who wronged Him. Even as His executioners nailed Him to the cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34 KJV). Pretty amazing, right?
So if you’re serious about following Jesus, you must learn to follow suit! The Bible says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1 NKJV).
Have you ever noticed how professional firefighters almost never fight fire with fire? Most times water is a much better tool. In the same way, a soft reply to an angry comment is like pouring the cool water of calmness on the fire of a hot temper.
A Kenyon college speech research unit confirmed through a series of experiments that when people are yelled at, they almost always yell back. The research also proved that you can control another person’s tone of voice, depending on the tone you adopt. If you keep your voice soft, not only will you avoid becoming angry, but most likely you will prevent the other person from getting upset too.
Do you want to be more Christlike and more successful in dealing with others? Then the word for you today is – “Be slow to anger.”
Soul food: 1 Sam 27-31; John 1:43-51; Ps 23; Prov 23:4-5
2020-10-05
Philippians 2:16 NKJV
You must give up short-term gratification for long-term fulfillment. Paul bottom-lines his life and ministry in this verse: “That I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”
Nothing is more important in life than the choices you make. The Bible says, “Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom” (Genesis 13:12 NLT), and for a while he prospered. But in the end, everything he worked for went up in smoke. Next we read: “The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: ‘Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are – northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you'” (vv. 14-15 NKJV). Lot chose the wrong direction and lost. Abraham chose the right direction and won.
Choices! Choices! Choices! When it comes to choosing, make a habit of asking yourself, “How will this choice affect my character, my sense of self-respect, and my confidence when I approach God in prayer? How will it affect my influence and respect with other people? How will it affect my family, and those who are following in my footsteps?”
The Bible gives us the answer: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT).
Soul food: 1 Sam 16-17; Luke 24:45-53; Ps 63; Prov 22:17-23
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
