2023-01-29
1 Peter 5:7 NLT
Doug Coldiron writes: “I’m a trucker, and my Jack Russell Terrier, Dee Dee, rides shotgun on my road trips. We were playing fetch outside Atlanta when something caught her eye and she shot into the woods. I paced the perimeter calling her name. I alerted other truckers and searched until it was pitch black. Nothing. Eventually the others left; some said, ‘I’ll pray for you.’ I wasn’t so sure God was listening. I’d already been praying for hours. Next morning, I had to get on the road, and when I opened my laptop and pulled up my Facebook page, it was filled with postings: ‘We’re praying for you.’ ‘Hang in there.’ ‘Trust God.’ I felt comforted; someone besides me was worried about my dog. If only I could get back to Atlanta soon! I thought about praying, ‘Lord, get me an assignment in Atlanta… NOW!’
I knew that could take weeks, but when I clicked on my company website to check the destination for my next job… it was Atlanta! Could prayer be working? Next morning my cell phone woke me. It was Russ, the maintenance supervisor. ‘I saw your dog on my way to work.’ I couldn’t believe my ears. I had to get to Atlanta! From the truck center, Russ drove me to where he had seen Dee Dee. After searching for hours, I glanced over my shoulder… and there she sat on the doorstep of a house. She bolted over, and as I picked her up, I prayed, ‘Thank you, God.'”
The Bible says, “Give all your worries… to God, for he cares about you” (v. 7 NLT). Coldiron adds, “Who knows what goes on in a dog’s mind? One thing I know is we’re never alone. God always answers prayer.”
Soul food: Phil 2:1-13; Exo 14:5-31
2022-12-14
Daniel 1:4 NLT
When Daniel arrived in Babylon, he was a slave. But he rose to the top because of these qualifications: “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve.” To be promoted in any job, you must first prove yourself. The Bible says, “Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings” (Proverbs 22:29 NIV). Unless you believe in what you’re doing, you won’t give yourself fully to it; therefore, you have no right to expect to succeed.
Have you ever walked into a room and felt love, energy, and excitement? Your thoughts have a presence; they’re like currents moving through the air, capable of drawing people to you or driving them away. Your attitude is always sensed. That’s why in order to succeed, you must believe in what you do. If you don’t – pray and ask God to relocate you someplace where you can put your whole heart into it.
Jesus totally believed in His product. He told the woman at the well, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst” (John 4:13-14 KJV). You must take the time and make the effort to know your business. You may be anxious to sell, pocket the profit, and get on with your life. But success doesn’t happen that way. Jesus spent time praying in order to renew His understanding of His purpose.
So the word for you today is – pray and believe in what you do!
Soul food: Josh 22-24; John 16:12-18; Ps 105:1-7; Prov 30:1-4
2022-10-16
2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV
Jesus said: “I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this… world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world” (John 16:33 MSG).
Life keeps handing us problems that test our faith. How do you know how much weight a bridge can handle? By testing it. Daniel’s success made him a target. Knowing he prayed regularly, his enemies persuaded King Darius that all prayers should be made to him as the king. Yet Daniel kept praying each day – in front of an open window, no less. When the king heard about it, he threw Daniel into a lions’ den. But God turned the tables. Next morning Daniel came out, his enemies went in, and the king announced, “Daniel’s God… is the living God” (Daniel 6:26 MSG).
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the king’s idols. Even when they were warned to bow or burn, they said, “God… is able to deliver us… But if not… we will not serve thy gods” (Daniel 3:17-18 KJV). And because they walked by faith, God delivered and promoted them.
Facing Goliath, David refused to wear the king’s armor. He said, “I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them” (1 Samuel 17:39 KJV). So what did he go with? “The name of the Lord” (1 Samuel 17:45 KJV), and the rest is history.
Now, chances are you will never find yourself in lions’ den, a fiery furnace, or facing a giant, although some days it will feel like it. But when you’re under attack, (1) pray and claim God’s power, (2) walk by faith, and (3) go “in the name of the Lord.”
Soul food: Isa 61:1-9; Luke 4:16-30
2022-09-25
Psalm 119:164 TLB
A bad attitude is like a flat tire; you won’t get anywhere until you change it. Few things in life are more important than your attitude, and here are four ways you can keep a good one:
(1) Realise your attitude needs to be constantly adjusted. Anything you don’t maintain eventually deteriorates. The stronger your natural inclination is toward doubt and negativity, the more you will have to work at it. So begin each day with an attitude check, and throughout the day, look for red flags signaling that you’re not doing so well.
(2) Pray because you will need God’s help to maintain a good attitude. The Bible says: “Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper… delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord… and he will help you” (Psalm 37:3-5 NLT).
(3) Look for what’s good, and you will find it. Mother Teresa required two things from those who worked with her in the Calcutta slums: a desire to work, and a joyful attitude. Think: If she could be joyful amongst the dying and destitute, surely you can too!
(4) Look for people with faith and spend time with them. Where are they? You will find them soaring above the doubters like eagles. If you’re having a bad day, get close and “draft” behind them the way racers do. If they’re having difficulty, you be the one to get out in front and make things easier. Seven times a day David paused to praise God. Can you imagine what that would do for your attitude?
Soul food: Eph 5:21-33; Song of Sol 2:1-7; Ps 45; Prov 5:15-19
2022-08-05
Genesis 18:14 NKJV
Much of our stress is brought on by our need to know everything ahead of time – to be in control. Even after we pray and supposedly turn the problem over to God, we live by the philosophy “hope for the best and plan for the worst”! You don’t put your money into the bank and then stay awake all night worrying about it, right? Well, have at least that much confidence in God!
When you find yourself in the downward spiral of “How? What? When? Where?” stop and give it to God. Not the limited God of your understanding, but the unlimited God whose track record speaks for itself, whose faithfulness never fails, and who has earned the right to ask, “Is anything too hard for [me]?”
Jesus never suffered from the fear of failure like we do. Why? Because He never entertained the thought that He couldn’t do something that His Father had assured Him He could do. And He didn’t suffer from the fear of lack, either. Even though He lived a simple life, He was responsible for supporting Himself and a team of others. How did He do it? The Bible says He prayed morning, noon, and night, staying in constant touch with His heavenly Father. Consequently, He knew how to catch fish when they weren’t biting, and even find tax money in a fish’s mouth when He needed it.
Now, God may not provide for you in exactly that way, but He has promised to take care of you. Here is a promise you should live by today: “God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him” (1 Peter 5:7 CEV).
Soul food: Deut 8-10; Mark 2:13-22; Ps 78:56-64; Prov 16:33
