2022-02-16
Proverbs 8:9 NLT
King Solomon wrote: “Everything I say is right, for I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception. My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding” (vv. 6-9 NLT).
We usually embellish the truth in order to get these two things: the attention and the approval of the listener. But eventually, it backfires. Over time, people discover your propensity to stretch the truth, and you lose your credibility with them. And once you lose that, it takes a long time to get it back – if ever. Sweeping statements like “Everybody does it,” or “You never,” or “You always” cause people to discount you and eventually slot you as untrustworthy.
It’s okay to say something with enthusiasm but avoid exaggeration. Stick to the facts and resist the urge to be the center of attention by engaging in this form of lying. Joseph’s brothers resented the favor of God that was on his life. So, they threw him into a pit, dipped his coat in blood, then took it back home and showed it to their aging father. They didn’t say a word. They simply let the old man conclude that his son had been devoured by a wild beast. And what’s more, they allowed him to live with that cruel lie for years.
Revelation 22:15 says, “Whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” is lumped together with “sorcerers…whoremongers…murderers, and idolaters” (KJV). So, unless that’s the company you want to be identified with, tell the whole truth. Today make your prayer, “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and…a deceitful tongue” (Psalm 120:2 NKJV).
Soul food: Isa 38-41; Luke 9:57-62; Ps 149; Pro 4:25-27
2022-02-04
Mark 4:19 CEV
In the parable of the sower, Jesus said the seed fell into four different places. Today we’re looking at one of those place: ‘The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are…people who hear the message. But they start worrying about the needs of this life. They are fooled by the desire to get rich and to have all kinds of other things. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything’ (v.18-19 CEV).
What are some of the things that can keep God’s Word ‘choked out’ of our lives? 1) Thinking that we can’t trust God and worrying that He won’t take care of us. 2) Thinking we’d be happier if we were richer, had a better phone, the latest trainers, a better car, and so on. But it doesn’t work that way. The more ‘things’ we have, the more we have to protect, look after, and worry about. And often we find that once we have the thing we thought would make us happy, we move the goalposts and say, ‘If only I had a bit more money/the phone that’s just been released/a newer car…etc.’ Worrying about material things can ‘choke’ the life out of us.
Real peace and true happiness come from trusting God for what we need, and knowing that if something is right for us, He’ll provide it; and if it’s not, He has a better plan. The closer we get to God, the more we realise we can trust Him. Jesus said, ‘Seek the Kingdom of God above all else…live righteously, and he will give you everything you need’ (Matthew 6:33 NLT). Let’s make prayer and Bible reading a priority so we can draw closer to God and see our worries shrink before Him.
Isa 1-3; Luke 8:1-15; Ps 108; Pro 3:31-32
2021-12-04
Jeremiah 23:16 NKJV
You don’t get to decide God’s purpose for your life, you discover it. How? Through prayer. God says, “I know the plans I have for you” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT). Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. You may be overwhelmed with problems, but God sees your potential.
David’s family didn’t think he would amount to much. But where they saw a shepherd boy, God saw a king. Looking back, David wrote: “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me… I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!” (Psalm 139:16-18 NLT).
You’re unique – and so is God’s plan for you. It’s encouraging to read stories and listen to great achievers and think, “If they can do it, so can I!” However, the secret is to learn from others without trying to duplicate them. It’s not enough to have a good idea; it must be the will of God. You don’t get to decide what your vision will be; you discover it by seeking God for direction. And His Word says He will give it to you: “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:21 NKJV). That way you know it’s “from the mouth of the Lord.”
Soul food: Jos 19:24-21:45; John 16:12-18; Ps 2; Prov 28:25-28
2021-12-03
1 Timothy 4:15 NIV
How much of our hearts have we handed over to God? Are we wholeheartedly seeking Him, or has He lost His place as priority in our lives? God wants us to be devoted to Him. That means God should be more to us than any other person or thing. It means we surrender to Him and His plans for our lives. It means we let Him lead us rather than trying to do life our own way.
David was someone who was devoted to God. He still made mistakes, like we all do, but his heart was in the right place. In fact when talking about David, the Bible says: ‘The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart’ (1 Samuel 13:14 NIV). David was a man after God’s heart. He wanted to seek God and be close to Him. He wanted to be devoted to serving Him. David actually prayed: ‘Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name’ (Psalm 86:11 NIV).
Is our heart undivided? There are many things which can try and steal parts of our heart away. We might focus on things like our relationships, work, family, and hobbies. They can all try to distract us from God. It’s not bad to have these things in our lives, but God still needs to be our priority. We should love God above everything else. In the New Testament, we’re told: ‘Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful’ (Colossians 4:2 NIV). We should be desiring to spend time with God in prayer. It’s a great way to deepen our relationship with Him. We shouldn’t be praying only when we need something, but because we long to spend time talking and listening to Him.
Jos 16:1-19:23; John 16:1-11; Ps 130; Prov 28:21-24
2021-08-28
Psalm 34:6 NLT
J.C. Penney was a rich businessman who founded a famous chain of department stores across America. But despite his wealth and success, he suffered setbacks, bereavement, financial ruin, and deep depression. At his lowest point he cried out to God. He said: ‘When I was brought to humility and the knowledge of my dependence on God…it was like a light illuminating my being. I cannot otherwise describe it, than to say it changed me as a man.’
When things fall apart in our lives, and we don’t know what to do or whether we’ll be able to recover, God is only a prayer away. It’s amazing to think that the creator of the universe is so close to us. Even if we’ve neglected our relationship with Him and tried to rely on our own strength and wisdom, He joyfully welcomes us back to Him when we realise that we need Him in our lives. ‘The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth’ (Psalm 145:18 NIV).
When we’re in the depths of trouble, we can sometimes think that God’s abandoned us. But the opposite is true. ‘The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed’ (Psalm 34:18 NCV). In times of brokenness and despair, we can draw strength and comfort from His presence. ‘He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust”‘ (Psalm 91 ESV). The psalmist wrote: ‘In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles.’ God will do the same for us.
Eze 5-9; Luke 18:18-30; Ps 119:169-176; Prov 19:9-10
