2022-03-10
Matthew 6:18 NKJV
Have you ever been to a concert where they used the latest audio-visual equipment? Chances are, you were blown away by the multidimensional sights and sounds, and afterwards, left talking about the amazing skills of the performers. If the performance went along with no problems, you probably didn’t think about the sound and lighting techs. Usually we only notice them when the equipment fails. They’re the invisible element; the people who do their job by making the star look and sound great. The real accolades and honours go to those in the spotlight. That’s the order of things in the kingdom of man.
But the kingdom of God operates on the idea that ‘the last shall be first, and the first last’ (Matthew 20:16 KJV). Jesus said when we fast, pray, and give without looking for recognition, ‘your Father who sees [your actions] in secret will reward you openly’.
On a big ship, only the captain and a handful of officers are visible on the bridge. But the crew below deck influence the ship’s progress for most of the journey. And in God’s church, it’s the ‘engine-room crew’ who faithfully carry out a lot of the work: caretaking staff, nursery workers, bus drivers, car park attendants, nursing home visitors, prison outreach workers, and prayer warriors.
The high-profile people tend to get most of the credit, but God recognises and appreciates the faithful workers behind the scenes, and says to them, ‘Well done, my good servant’ (Luke 19:17 NIV). And God’s approval is the best reward of all. So whenever we feel our work isn’t noticed or appreciated, let’s remember that God misses none of it.
Exo 33-35; Luke 15:1-10; Ps 112; Pro 7:6-9
2022-03-04
Proverbs 14:30 NLT
Is it hard for you to compliment others on their achievements? When someone’s name comes up in conversation, do you feel good because something bad has happened to them? When you hear something complimentary about another person, do you feel the need to say, “Yes, but…” and proceed to point out their negative traits or failures? Do you keep comparing yourself to other people? Are you preoccupied with what they’re doing, buying, wearing, and who they mix and mingle with? Do you trust the people you love, or are you always checking up on them?
The Bible says, “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones” (v. 30 NLT). Note the word “healthy.” If you want to be mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically healthy, don’t give place to jealousy or it will consume you. The most miserable people in life are filled with jealousy. It eats away at them and steals their joy. They think of little else but the things somebody else has that they want, which in turn leads to resentment and strife.
How do you conquer jealousy? (1) Acknowledge you have a problem. (2) Repent and ask for God’s help. (3) Pray for the person who is the target of your jealousy. At first it will feel awkward, but as you keep doing it, God will change your heart and replace jealousy with love. Start celebrating other people’s successes with them and make a point of complimenting them.
Remember, nobody else is as good at being you as you. So, you have no competition. When you’re secure in who you are before God, you don’t have to be jealous of anybody.
Soul food: Exo 19-21; Luke 13:1-17; Ps 77; Pro 6:29
2022-02-26
Jeremiah 31:18 KJV
The Bible tells us: “Isaac’s servants dug…a well…But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, ‘The water is ours.’ So…they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also….And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called it…Rehoboth, because he said, ‘For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land'” (Genesis 26:19-22 NKJV).
What a great example of practicing forgiveness. During a drought, Isaac dug wells and his enemies moved in and claimed them. It wasn’t fair, but instead of retaliating, he moved on and dug new wells – and God blessed him greatly. The truth is this: God will fill the emptiness in your life when you forgive those who have hurt you.
Let’s face it; as long as we share this planet with other imperfect human beings, they will hurt us. There is no way to avoid it. And when the hurt goes deep, it can be hard to forgive. Does that mean you should go around pretending that nothing is wrong, and denying how you feel? No, the first step toward healing is acknowledging your feelings. And Jesus gives us the second step: “Pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:28 NIV).
When you do that, something unexpected happens. Your heart softens and you start to see the offender through God’s eyes instead of your own raw emotions. “But I don’t want to forgive them!” you say. Then here is step three. Acknowledge your unwillingness to forgive and ask God to make you willing. Pray, “Turn thou me, and I shall be turned.”
Soul food: Exo 4-6; Luke 12:1-12; Ps 58; Pro 6:12-15
2022-02-13
Hebrews 12:11 ESV
Healthy confrontation calls for putting the other person’s well-being above your own interests. So how do you confront someone in the right way? By doing these three things:
(1) Be sure. There must be a good reason to confront. And it should be a rare event, not an everyday one. You shouldn’t relish the experience. If you do, you need to examine your motives. Are you feeling superior? Are you redirecting your anger toward this person over a completely different issue? Are you lifting yourself up by putting them down? Before confronting someone, you must answer these questions truthfully.
(2) Be specific. Vagueness leads to an uncertain outcome, no matter how tactful and gracious your words may be. Make sure you know the reason for the confrontation; then make it clear to the other person.
(3) Be sensitive. Every situation is different, so a season of soul-searching and prayer should precede any face-to-face encounter. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for problems, and the other person will sense uncertainty and uneasiness in your words. Don’t run that risk. If you haven’t taken the time to pray and get counsel beforehand, don’t jump into the situation on your own. We have all seen this type of Clint Eastwood “Go ahead, make my day” approach. Without fail, it leaves confusion, resentment, and a trail of wounded souls. Make sure your words and tone of voice are attuned to the person you’re dealing with. And try to keep your personal agenda in check; none of this is about you! Pay close attention to timing, choose your words carefully, and, for sure, pray for guidance. Remember, Christlike confrontation brings the right result every time.
Soul food: Isa 9:1-7; Luke 2:1-7; Matt 4:12-16
Hebrews 12:11 ESV
Healthy confrontation calls for putting the other person’s well-being above our own interests. Here are three things that can help us confront others in the right way: 1) Be sure. There must be a good reason to confront. And confrontation should be a rare event, not an everyday one. We shouldn’t get pleasure out of the experience. If we do, we seriously need to examine our own motives. Before confronting someone, we must answer these questions truthfully: Am I feeling superior? Am I redirecting my anger towards this person over a completely different issue? Am I putting this person down in order to feel good about myself?
2) Be specific. No matter how tactful and gracious our words might be, if we’re vague about the reason for the confrontation, we’ll never get anywhere in helping the other person to improve. We need to be sure of the reason for the confrontation, and then make it clear to the other person.
3) Be sensitive. Every situation is different, so a season of prayer should always happen before any face-to-face encounter. Otherwise, we’re setting ourselves up for problems, and the other person will sense uncertainty and uneasiness in our words. Don’t run that risk. If we haven’t taken the time to pray and get God involved, we absolutely mustn’t jump into the situation on our own. Without God’s input, we’ll leave a trail of confusion, resentment, and wounded souls.
Another important bit of advice is to make sure our words and tone of voice are adapted to the person we’re talking to. So in short, if you need to confront someone, pay close attention to timing, choose your words carefully, and most importantly, pray for guidance.
Isa 9:1-7; Luke 2:1-7; Matt 4:12-16
