2022-11-25
Revelation 2:4 NIV
Jesus told the church at Ephesus three things: (1) Remember. “Remember… from what heights you have fallen” (v. 5 AMPC). Instead of focusing on the depth to which you have fallen, think about the height you once knew. Not the worst of times, but the best. Recall when spending time in prayer and the Scriptures was the highlight of your day. What were you doing then that you’re not doing now?
(2) Repent. This word means to change your mind, your direction, and your actions. You can’t solve a problem with the same thinking and behaviours that caused it; new thinking and actions are required. When the Prodigal Son reached the pigpen, he realised he had hit the bottom. That’s when he said, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you'” (Luke 15:18 NKJV). And his father forgave and restored him. How does his story end? He exchanged his rags for the robe of sonship and took his rightful place at the family table. And that can happen for you too.
(3) Repeat. “Do the things you did at first” (Revelation 2:5 NIV). Make a list of the things you did when your relationship with the Lord was great, then prayerfully commit yourself to doing them again each day. And don’t wait until you feel like it. Do it until you feel it, until the joy of your first love re-ignites. Do you doubt that God will be gracious to you? Read this: “You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful… rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them” (Nehemiah 9:17 NLT).
Soul food: 2 Chron 9-12; John 11:28-37; Ps 102:18-28; Prov 27:13-16
2022-10-19
Romans 12:3 NKJV
It’s easy to give in to negative thoughts and fears about how things will turn out based on your past experiences. As Jesus pointed out, we live in a “faithless” generation (Matthew 17:17 NKJV). That means you must constantly fight the defeatist attitude portrayed by the culture, the media, the educational system, the workplace – and sometimes your own friends. Unless you recognize this, it can wear you down by diluting your faith. That’s why you need to feed your faith daily on God’s Word. Jesus said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move’… and it will” (Matthew 17:20 NKJV).
Notice, Jesus isn’t referring to a mountain you encountered years ago. He said, “Say to this mountain.” He wants you to exercise your faith today! He said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed… nothing will be impossible for you” (v. 20 NKJV). A mustard seed is so tiny, it can get stuck between your teeth. But Jesus said although it’s “the least of all the seeds,” it grows into a tree big enough for the birds to nest in (See Matthew 13:32 NKJV).
You say, “I don’t have any faith.” Yes, you do. Paul says, “God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” And when it’s activated, miracles happen. Even if you have only an ounce of faith left, you have what you need to prevail. But faith only works when it becomes the language you speak and the attitude you maintain. The Enemy doesn’t want you to know that, because when you do, you won’t just think about what’s happening, you will start thinking about what’s possible!
Soul food: 2 Sam 7:18-11:27; John 4:27-38; Ps 32; Prov 23:29-35
2022-09-27
Psalm 119:103 NIV
The fact that we now enjoy the vegetables we hated as children indicates that as we mature, we can cultivate a taste for healthy, life-giving food. And since the Bible is soul food, you can cultivate a taste for that too. Eugene Peterson writes: “Christians feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. Christians don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in… a way that it gets metabolised into acts of love.”
Consumer research indicates the average Bible owner has nine Bibles and is looking for more. What’s wrong with this picture? The unexpressed secret is that many people find the Bible boring. This is quite a recent problem – and a serious one. Ancient Greek, the language of the New Testament, has no word for boredom. The word didn’t acquire its current meaning in English until the last few centuries. When we consider the ancient world – no television, internet, movies, and virtually no books – we’re inclined to think how boring it must have been. But the ancients weren’t bored.
We’re the generation that gets bored, because capacity to focus our attention and delight our minds in prolonged thought has been diminished by dependency on external stimuli. We have too many tempting alternatives. That’s why becoming a faithful Bible reader begins as a discipline, continues as a duty, and finally becomes a delight. “How sweet are your words… sweeter than honey to my mouth!” And that can be your experience, too, when it comes to reading God’s Word. You just need to get serious about it.
Soul food: 2 Cor 11:16-13:14; Mark 15:1-11; Ps 54; Prov 21:18-21
2022-09-23
Proverbs 4:11 NKJV
Sometimes we feed our pets bad things – things they shouldn’t be fed. And when bad things go into a pet, bad things come out of a pet. We know that about our pets but forget it when it comes to our minds. Every day we are bombarded with messages from the media, employers, coworkers, people we date, books, music – and from our own thoughts. Satan works in two ways. First, he tries to feed you with stuff like temptation, depression, and worry. Second, he tries to keep you from noticing what you’re putting into your mind. A healthy mind feeds on healthy thoughts. Jesus said He came to give us “life more abundantly” (See John 10:10).
Instead of constantly striving for self-worth, peace of mind, joy and happiness, your mind can overflow with these things. But first you must pay attention to what your mind is focused on. Jeremiah said, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight” (Jeremiah 15:16 NIV). One of the greatest gifts God has given us is Scripture – but we frequently turn it into a burden. “Do I have to read the Bible every day?” That’s the wrong question. You need to ask, “What can I feed my mind on today so that it will flourish?”
The psalmist said that when you delight in God’s Word, you will prosper in whatever you do (See Psalm 1:1-3). In order to have what successful people enjoy, you must first do what successful people do. And according to the psalmist, successful people delight in the Word of God day and night.
Soul food: 2 Cor 5-8; Mark 14:53-65; Ps 34; Prov 21:14-16
2022-08-26
Psalm 48:8 KJV
Seventy-one times in the book of Psalms we read the word “Selah” at the end of a Scripture. What does it mean? To “pause and calmly think about it.” You can’t rush into Bible revelation. You can’t skim the surface and discover the treasure hidden within it. That’s why David wrote, “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:10-11 KJV).
When you hide God’s Word in your heart through meditation and memorisation, you’re able to stand on it when you have a particular need. Meditation involves taking time to reflect; to “pause and calmly think about it.” It’s a time-tested method God put in place for you. He wants you to learn to pray the Scriptures and meditate on them because these habits will help you to experience all He has for you.
The most important thing you can ask yourself when you face life’s challenges is, “What does God say about this in His Word?” Why is asking that important? Read these two Scriptures, and you will find the answer: “Your word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89 NKJV). “The word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8 NKJV).
God’s Word is His will! When God called Jeremiah to leadership, Jeremiah had reservations about his ability. So God said, “I have put My words in your mouth” (Jeremiah 1:9 NKJV). Then He told Jeremiah, “I am ready to perform My word” (v. 12 NKJV). The only thing you can count on for sure is that God will keep His Word. Selah!
Soul food: Judg 16:1-19:15; Mark 8:1-13; Ps 119:129-136; Prov 18:21
