2023-03-17
Psalm 51:7 NIV
Do you remember when most restaurants had opening and closing hours? It was their schedule, and not your appetite, that decided whether you ate or went hungry. Not anymore: now you can pop into many of your favourite eating places anytime your appetite hits. That’s how God operates; He is available 24/7. And although praying isn’t limited to set times, there are certain times when it’s vital that you talk to God.
Here are two: (1) When you have sinned. Your emotions of guilt and shame, plus Satan “the accuser,” will tell you to avoid God. But turning to Him is the only solution to sin. Burdened by adultery, deception, and murder, David realised he needed to confess his sin to God. “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow… Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (vv. 7, 10 NIV). John said God is “faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV). Have you sinned? A fresh beginning is only a prayer away.
(2) When you’re worried and afraid. You don’t have to look too far to find things to worry about; they’re all around you. Financial, professional, health, and family concerns can make you stressed-out and anxious. Where to turn? Prayer is God’s answer to fear and anxiety. “Don’t worry over anything whatever… tell God every detail of your needs in thankful prayer, and the peace of God, which surpasses human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds” (Philippians 4:6-7 PHPS).
Soul food: Job 1-4; Luke 18:1-17; Ps 11; Prov 8:4-5
2023-03-01
Proverbs 14:17 NIV
You overslept, the car wouldn’t start, you were late for work, your computer crashed! These things can make you angry, but only if you let them. Solomon said, “A quick-tempered person does foolish things,” so if you fly into a rage, expect a rough landing! The Bible says, “Patience is better than strength. Controlling your temper is better than capturing a city” (Proverbs 16:32 NCV). Anger always comes back to bite you and ends up doing more damage than the thing that triggered it.
David said, “Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar” (See Psalm 5:3). Start by offering your day to God, then you will be less likely to react in anger when things go wrong.
One pastor writes: “Our time here is short. What a shame to let something that happened – twenty years or twenty minutes ago – ruin your day. I’ve made up my mind to enjoy every single one. I may make mistakes; things may not go my way. I may be disappointed, but I’m going to live my life happy. I’m not going to let what does or doesn’t happen steal my joy. Every morning I say, ‘Father, this is going to be a great day. I thank you that I have discipline, self-control; that I make good decisions. I may not have done what I could have yesterday, but that day is gone. I’m going to do better today.”
Ever wonder why a car’s windshield is big and its rearview mirror small? Because what’s behind isn’t nearly as important as what’s ahead. So keep looking ahead, and no matter what happens today, don’t lose your peace.
Soul food: Exo 10-12; Luke 12:22-34; Ps 66:1-12;
Prov 6:20-22
2022-12-08
Jeremiah 31:26 NKJV
Sometimes the most “spiritual” thing you can do is get to bed earlier and wake up refreshed so you’re ready to fulfill God’s purposes for the day. When you constantly run on low battery power, it shows up in your attitudes, your relationships, your performance, and your health. That’s why the Bible talks about the importance of sleep: (1) “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones” (Psalm 127:2 NLT). (2) “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe” (Psalm 4:8 NLT).
Sleep is an act of trust: When you go to sleep, you acknowledge that the world is in God’s hands, not yours. And it will get along very well, even if you’re not awake to control things. And when you awaken tomorrow morning, just like God giving Israel fresh manna, He will give you what you need for the day. Jeremiah said, “I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was sweet to me.”
Have you ever tried to pray when you were suffering from a sleep deficit? It’s hard to do. Before Elijah was able to spend prolonged time in prayer, the angel of the Lord made him take not one, but two long naps. Contrast that with the disciples in Gethsemane who couldn’t pray because they kept falling asleep. It’s hard to think, feel, and act like Jesus when you lack sleep. That’s why the Bible says, “God gives rest to his loved ones” (Psalm 127:2 NLT).
Soul food: Josh 8:30-10:43; John 14:15-25; Ps 147:1-11; Prov 29:1-5
2022-09-08
James 3:18 NKJV
Satan knows that God’s Word can only be received by a heart and mind that are at peace, so he will do everything he can to keep you upset. He loves it when you get into an argument just before church and spend the entire service feeling bad. That’s why you must do whatever it takes to keep your peace. There is power in peace! If the devil can’t get you upset, he has no power over you. He only “gains” control when you “lose it.” He keeps you upset in order to steal your peace, confuse you, and make you run in circles. Don’t let him do it!
Next time you get worked up about some issue, stop and ask yourself, “What’s the Enemy trying to do here? If I give in to these emotions, what will the result be?” When you’re stressed out, you lose your joy. And when you lose your joy, you lose your strength, because “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10 KJV). So it’s essential that you exercise self-control and try to keep your peace.
James writes, “The wisdom that is from above is… peaceable” (James 3:17 NKJV). In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases this Scripture: “Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterised by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings… You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other” (vv. 17-18 MSG). Now getting along with others can be hard work, but it’s worth it to have peace.
Soul food: Ezek 14:1-16:52; Mark 11:1-11; Ps 112; Prov 20:1-4
2022-05-04
1 Corinthians 2:16 NIV
Did you know there’s a natural mindset and a spiritual mindset? If we want to live in a way that really honours and reflects God, we need to develop our spiritual mindset. The Bible says: ‘The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God… and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit… But we have the mind of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 2:14, 16 NIV).
As we tune our lives to the pitch of God’s Word and consciously submit ourselves to His will every day, He’ll plant His thoughts in our minds. And that’s a massive advantage! For example, someone criticises you and your feelings get hurt. In that moment God speaks to you and says, ‘Yes, your feelings are hurt, but we can deal with that together. I love you, and the way I see you isn’t at risk. The person who criticised you might see a flaw, but you don’t have to pretend to be perfect or try to please others. I’ll help you use this experience as a chance to grow!’
Even though there are elements of pain in these kinds of thoughts, with God’s perspective they energise us rather than trapping us and bringing us down. They’re true, they give us something to stand firm on, and we realise that if we can keep our minds centred on them, the right feelings and actions are more likely to flow from them. We’ll start to live out the promise, ‘You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!’ (Isaiah 26:3 NLT). Instead of focusing on our critics, we should focus on God, on our spiritual growth, and on what we can learn from the experience.
Num 3:1-4:33; Matt 5:27-37; Ps 2; Pro 10:30-32
