2018-04-02
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 CEV
It’s not easy being a Christian parent in a world where peer pressure feels as if it’s crushing down on you at a million pounds per square inch; where values are at an all-time low and immorality at an all-time high. But with God’s help you can do it! To lead your children to Christ, do these five things: (1) Begin when they’re young, and read Bible stories to them each night. Let them hear you pray for them to know Jesus personally, constantly thanking Him for dying for their sins. (2) As you take them to church, explain what the various rituals and seasons (Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, Easter, and Christmas) represent, and why they’re observed and celebrated. (3) Be sensitive to every spiritual question they ask, and take the time to answer their questions in a way they can understand. (4) Buy them Christian DVDs and cartoons that will present Bible truths on their level. (5) Trust the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom at the right time to present the gospel to them, and pray for their salvation continuously. On one occasion D. L. Moody reported “two and one-half conversions” at a service he conducted. Someone said, “I suppose you mean two adults and one child.” “No,” Mr. Moody replied. “I mean two children and one adult. The children can give their whole lives to God, but an adult has only half a life left to give.” And remember, the things we learn best are the things we hear most. So: “Memorize his laws and tell them to your children over and over.”
Soul food: Jer 14-17; Matt 28:11-15; Ps 69:1-18; Prov 8:27-29
2018-03-10
Acts 6:4 NKJV
In Disciplines of a Godly Man, pastor and author R. Kent Hughes says: “Jay Sidlow Baxter once shared a page from his own personal diary with a group of pastors who had inquired about the discipline of prayer. He began telling how…he entered the ministry determined he would be a real man of prayer. However, it wasn’t long before his increasing responsibilities, administrative duties, and the subtle subterfuges of pastoral life began to crowd prayer out. Moreover, he began to get used to it, making excuses for himself. Then one morning it all came to a head as he stood over his work-strewn desk and looked at his watch. The voice of the Spirit was calling him to pray. At the same time another velvety voice was telling him to be practical and get his letters answered, and that he ought to face the fact that he wasn’t one of the ‘spiritual sort’ – only a few people could be like that. ‘That last remark,’ says Baxter, ‘hurt like a dagger blade. I couldn’t bear to think it was true.’ He was horrified by his ability to rationalize away the very ground of his ministerial vitality and power.” Understand this: Minutes invested in prayer will give you a greater return than hours spent in ceaseless activity. The New Testament apostles understood that. As the church grew bigger and they became busier, they made a life-changing decision: “We will give ourselves continually to prayer and…the word.” As a result the church grew and multiplied. So make prayer a priority!
Soul food: 2 Kings 1:1-4:17; Matt 22:15-33; Ps 106:24-48; Prov 7:3-5
2018-03-05
Ephesians 4:27 GNT
Avoid the things that tempt you. Stay away from situations that weaken your self-control. If you do not want to be stung, stay away from bees. Plan in advance to avoid situations that you know are going to cause temptation in your life. Don’t keep candy in the cupboard if you are trying to diet. Don’t acquire credit cards if you are an impulse spender. Get rid of your access to pornography if you are struggling with it. If you are a teenager, the time to begin thinking about self-control is not when you’re in the back seat of a car with someone who turns you on. Question: What do you need to avoid? Or get rid of? Magazines? Books? DVDs? A relationship? The Bible says, “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV). Avoid people and situations that tempt you. You may need to change your job because a relationship there is wrong and harmful to you. That’s a drastic measure, but you may need to do something that drastic in order to avoid whatever is tempting you at this particular time. If you have lived through years of repeated failure, then it’s time to get honest. And humble. It’s time to pray: “Lord, I’m not strong enough to resist this temptation by myself. Help me!” He will! “I patiently waited, Lord, for you to hear my prayer. You listened and pulled me from a lonely pit full of mud and mire. You let me stand on a rock with my feet firm…Many will see this, and they will honor and trust you, the Lord God” (Psalm 40:1-3 CEV).
Soul food: Rev 1-4; Matt 20:17-34; Ps 70; Prov 6:26-28
2018-03-04
Galatians 6:2 NLT
Make yourself accountable to someone. Alcoholics Anonymous has a “buddy system” in which you are encouraged to call someone whenever you feel the pressure building to return to an old, destructive pattern. And it’s scriptural: “Share each other’s troubles” (v. 2 TLB). You may not like this step, but if you are fighting a losing battle you need it. Find someone who will check up on you, pray with you, and encourage you in areas where you want more self-control. “Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone” (Ecclesiastes 4:12 GNT). Every church needs “buddy” relationships in which people are accountable to each other; relationships in which people encourage one another in the Lord. Having someone hold you accountable is tough, but it works. What should you look for in a “buddy”? First, they should be the same gender as you. You don’t need to place another temptation in your path by sharing personal problems with someone of the opposite s3x. Second, you should look for someone you can depend on to follow through on this commitment – someone who is faithful. Third, look for someone who will keep your problem confidential. Don’t choose someone who is known to talk too much. Fourth, tell your buddy that he or she has permission to check up on you from time to time and ask, “How are you doing with your problem?” Knowing that someone will be asking about your problem is an additional incentive not to give in to temptation. That may be the extra push you need to get you moving on the road to victory and self-control.
Soul food: Exo 20:16; Prov 24:28; Matt 5:33-37; Acts 5:1-11
2017-12-20
Matthew 18:19 TM
The Bible says, “When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action.” Becky Smith was eighty-four years old and her sister Christine was eighty-two. The years had taken sight from the first and bent the body of the second, so they couldn’t attend church. Yet their church needed them. They lived on the Isle of Lewis off the coast of Scotland, and a spiritual darkness had settled on their village of Barvas. The congregation was losing people, and the youth were mocking the faith, speaking of conversion as a plague. In October 1949 the Presbytery of the Free Church of Scotland called upon their members to pray. But what could two elderly, housebound sisters do? Quite a lot, they determined. They turned their cottage into an all-night house of prayer. From 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. two nights each week, they asked God to have mercy on their city. After several months, Becky told Christine that God had spoken these words to her: “I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground” (Isaiah 44:3 NKJV). She urged her pastor to conduct a revival and invite the well-known evangelist Duncan Campbell to speak. When Campbell refused to come, she insisted: “God says he’s coming and he’ll be here in a fortnight.” And it happened! For five weeks Campbell preached every night to overflowing crowds at 7:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m., midnight, and 3:00 a.m. Sinners were converted, pubs closed for lack of patrons, and the Isle of Lewis tasted the presence of God – all because two women prayed in agreement.
Soul food: Job 11-14; Luk 1:26-38; Ps 47; Ecc 9:16-18
