2018-05-07
Revelation 12:10 NLT
The apostle John wrote: “I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens…’For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth – the one who accuses them before our God day and night'” (v. 10 NLT). Satan has only one aim: “To steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). He’ll steal your peace, kill your dreams, and destroy your future. And he has deputized a horde of silver-tongued demons to help him. He enlists people to peddle his poison. Friends dredge up your past. Preachers proclaim all guilt and no grace. And some parents distribute it twenty-four hours a day. Long into adulthood you still hear their voices: “Why can’t you grow up?” “When are you going to make me proud?” So what’s the answer? Jesus! He’s “in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us” (Romans 8:34 TM). Let that sink in for a moment. In the presence of God, in defiance of Satan, Jesus Christ rises to your defense. He takes on the role of a priest. “And since we have a great priest over God’s house, let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith, because we have been made free from a guilty conscience” (Hebrews 10:21-22 NCV). A clean conscience. A clean record. A clean heart. Free from accusation – free from condemnation. Not just from our past mistakes, but from our future ones. “Since he will live forever, he will always be there to remind God that he has paid for [our] sins with his blood” (Hebrews 7:25 TLB). So don’t listen to your accuser – trust your advocate!
Soul food: Deut 11-13; Mark 6:45-56; Ps 37:16-24; Prov 11:30-31
2018-04-20
Deuteronomy 29:29 NKJV
The Bible says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5 NKJV). That Scripture is easy to quote but hard to live by, especially when tragedy and loss touch our lives and we don’t understand why. There are times when we pray and God gives us answers, and there are times when we pray and He gives us peace. “Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT). In times of pain and loss, here are two Scriptures you can stand on: (1) “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us.” When it comes to understanding things – we have our territory and God has His. And ours is limited to what He decides to reveal to us. Paul, who wrote half the New Testament by divine revelation, acknowledged, “We know in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9). At best, we will always be limited in our understanding. (2) “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28 NKJV). Sometimes God explains things to us, and other times He stamps them “Will explain later.” So when you’re tempted to throw up your hands in despair and say, “Who knows?” remind yourself, “God knows!” And today remind yourself that He’s working things out for your good and His glory.
Soul food: Acts 8-9; Mark 3:28-35; Ps 130; Prov 10:24-26
2018-03-15
Philippians 4:6 CEV
The Bible says, “With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then…God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel” (vv. 6-7 CEV). When you pray more, you worry less. That means you have a choice: Either pray about it or worry about it. In prayer you give the problem to God, therefore you experience more peace of mind. Does that mean you won’t worry about the problem at all? No. It means you’ll worry about it less. While your goal is to give it completely to God and not worry about it at all, you’ll only get there step by step. God’s not asking you to exist in a state of denial. “Don’t worry – be happy!” fails to appreciate the seriousness of the concerns you have. God doesn’t expect you to suddenly stop caring. Instead He offers an alternative to the pointless and exhausting habit of worry: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Does that mean a thirty-second prayer will rid you of all anxiety? No. It means start your day with prayer, and continue praying off and on throughout the day. Pray as you drive. Pray at work. Pray before your lunch break. Pray when you get that difficult phone call. Pray when you’re disappointed by something. Pray when surprises come. Pray when you triumph. Pray in the midst of painful news. Pray without ceasing – literally. Your heavenly Father, being deeply touched by your struggles, loves it when you come to Him asking for help. He’s right there, ready to step in. Just invite Him to do it.
Soul food: 2 Kings 11-12; Matt 23:29-24:2; Ps 135; Prov 7:21-23
2017-12-17
1 Timothy 1:2 NLT
Let’s face it; much of the time we don’t know what problems people are dealing with or what they’re going through. So when you decide to pray for them, follow Paul’s example, in which he asked God to give Timothy these three things: (1) Grace. In the Bible, the word grace implies two things: first, God’s unmerited favour; second, “all of God’s ability you’ll ever need to handle whatever you are facing.” Here’s a great Bible promise you should stand on in times of difficulty: “God, who gives all grace, will make everything right. He will make you strong…support you and keep you from falling” (1 Peter 5:10 NCV). (2) Mercy. A large publishing house had a machine that automatically mailed reminders to its readers when their subscriptions had expired. One day it malfunctioned and a rancher in a remote Colorado town received 9,734 notices. So he drove for miles to the nearest post office, mailed his check, and wrote, “Send me the magazine. I give up!” That’s how it is with God; He keeps sending us notices. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV). (3) Peace. The peace God gives can sustain us through the worst of circumstances. And it’s different from the peace the world offers. At best, the world offers temporary relief. But “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds” (Philippians 4:7 NIV). So when you’re not sure how to pray for someone, ask God to give them His grace, His mercy, and His peace.
Soul food: Lev 27:30-33; Num 31:48-54; 1 Cor 16:1-3
2017-08-26
Ephesians 5:17 NIV
When you know you’re in the centre of God’s will for your life, you have peace in spite of adverse circumstances. You have confidence to go to God at any time, knowing that He’ll provide what you need. You ask, “But how can I tell if I’m in the will of God?” By knowing these two things, which are clearly laid out in the Bible: (1) You must be a Christian. Paul tells us, “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14 NAS). Only as a believer do you have the Spirit’s presence within you. And you must have this inside help if you’re going to follow the will of God and enjoy the blessing it brings. (2) You must exercise wisdom. “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Ephesians 5:15-17 NIV). The famous theologian and preacher Jonathan Edwards entered Yale University in 1716 at age thirteen, and at seventeen he graduated at the head of his class. By age twenty he “resolved never to lose one moment of time; but to improve it the most profitable way I can.” At twenty-six he pastored one of the largest Congregational churches in Massachusetts. And when God decided to visit New England in the “Great Awakening,” He chose to use Jonathan Edwards because he was prepared and ready. Doing the will of God calls for staying sensitive to the Holy Spirit and living in a state of perpetual readiness. So, how are you doing with that?
Soul food: 2 Chr 32-34; Mark 8:1-13; Ps 119:161-168; Prov 22:17-19
