2022-04-14
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 NIV
David was ‘on a roll’. He kept winning battle after battle. It seemed like everything he touched was successful. But success can go to your head, and David wasn’t exempt. He started wondering, ‘Just how strong are we?’ At that point, he conducted a census and discovered he had ‘one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword’ (1 Chronicles 21:5 NIV). That could tempt any of us to think, ‘With an army this size, and given our track record of success, who needs to pray for God’s help or ask Him for a plan?’ That was the point at which God stepped in and judged David, and seventy thousand Israelites died needlessly (see v.14 NIV).
So here’s another aspect of responsibility and leadership that we need to be aware of: our mistakes have the potential to hurt others. We’re not just accountable to those who have authority over us; we also have responsibility to those who we have authority over. If our good decisions have the ability to bless and guide people, our bad decisions have the potential to harm them. ‘David said to God, “Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I, the shepherd, have sinned and done wrong… let your hand fall on me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people”‘ (v.17 NIV). God graciously answered David’s prayer, and judgment was lifted from Israel.
We need God’s guidance for our own sake, the sake of the people around us, and to give us the grace to accept responsibility when we make a mistake or fail. We shouldn’t try to hide our failures, blame others, or run from God. Instead we should acknowledge them, grow through them, and go on to become wiser.
Lev 24-25; Luke 23:18-25; Ps 69:1-6; Pro 10:5
2022-02-22
2 Timothy 4:7 NKJV
Seneca the Younger said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” As you read in Scripture about the people God used to accomplish great things, you discover that much of their time was spent preparing for what seems like a relatively brief assignment. The ego in each of us craves two things – limelight and longevity! But with God only one thing matters: doing His will. When you can say like Paul, “I have finished the race,” you have lived successfully.
So, who does God use? Those who are prepared! Whether you’re called to business, art, education, politics, medicine, or ministry, this principle is immutable: Opportunity comes to the prepared. That means every experience in life has potential value. Disraeli said, “One secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his time when it comes.”
And it’s not enough to simply get prepared; you must stay prepared. Solomon writes, “Hold on to instruction…guard it well, for it is your life” (Proverbs 4:13 NIV). Knowledge in most fields doubles about every five years, and unless you keep growing, you will end up with outdated skills that don’t match the challenges of the world you live in.
And here is another thing: Preparation doesn’t start with what you do; it starts with what you believe. When you believe that tomorrow’s success depends on today’s preparation, you see today differently. Queen Elizabeth I reputedly offered the royal physicians up to half her estate if they could extend her lifespan. But of course, they couldn’t. That’s why the Bible says it’s important to recognize “how short our lives really are so that we may be wise” (Psalm 90:12 NCV).
Soul food: Isa 58-62; Luke 11:1-13; Ps 36; Pro 5:21-23
2022-01-25
1 Corinthians 4:7 NIV
Your success isn’t found in your similarity to others, but in your difference. Instead of comparing yourself with somebody else and competing with them, try to discover your point of God-given difference, for that’s where you will excel. Singer Pearl Bailey said, “There are two kinds of talent, man-made and God-given talent. With man-made talent you have to work very hard. With God-given talent, you just touch it up once in a while.”
Paul writes, “God has…given each of us different gifts” (Romans 12:6 CEV). Would you rather fight to develop skills where you have a small natural gift, or run with the talent God has given you to find out where it takes you? Dreams don’t come true because you do something well every once in a while. They’re fulfilled because you perform with excellence day after day. And that happens only if you work within an area of strength.
You can’t be like the high school home-run hitter who received an invitation to spring training from a major league baseball team. After the first week, he emailed home to say, “Leading all batters. These pitchers aren’t so tough.” The second week he boasted, “Hitting .500. Looks like I’ll be starting in the infield.” The third week he wrote, “They’re starting to throw curveballs today. Will be home tomorrow.”
You can’t achieve success without consistency, and you can’t achieve consistency working outside your God-given strengths. It will take all the talent you have to achieve your God-given dream. Following that talent will give you the best chance to be consistently good at what you do. So the word for you today is – build on your strengths.
Soul food: Ecc 1-4; Luke 5:27-39; Ps 100; Pro 3:7-8
2021-12-15
Ephesians 1:11 NKJV
God can make the wrong decisions of the people around you to work in your Favour. So instead of looking for someone to blame, try to see the hand of God at work in your situation. Joseph discovered three things: (1) When God wants you in a palace, nobody can keep you in a prison. (2) Your future isn’t in the hands of others; it’s in the hands of God. (3) Your God-given assignment in life doesn’t call for the cooperation or approval of everyone, but it does require the cooperation of one person – you.
Joseph’s brothers made a wrong decision by resenting him. Potiphar’s wife made a wrong decision by falsely accusing him. And the butler made a wrong decision by turning his back on him. But God did the right thing by him! He arranged every step Joseph took, all the way to the throne. After years apart, Joseph stood face-to-face with those who had treated him so badly, and said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20 NIV).
Try to understand this: The purposes of God will eventually overcome the plans of men. No one can prevent God from using you, blessing you, and giving you success, except you. So keep your heart and your attitude right! Paul writes, “Long before we first heard of Christ…he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone” (Ephesians 1:11-12 MSG). So look for the hand of God in “all things.”
Soul food: Micah 5-7; John 19:30-42; Ps 105:23-36; Prov 30:15-19
2021-09-12
Psalm 112:8 NKJV
To achieve success in life there are three obstacles you’ll have to be aware of and overcome: (1) Weariness. It’s reputed that during the Kentucky Derby the winning horse runs out of oxygen after the first half-mile and runs the rest of the way on “heart.” So, look into your heart today and see if you are truly committed. “Do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:35-36 NKJV).
(2) Fear. When it comes to commitment, there are four kinds of people. (a) Cop-outs: people who have no goals and who don’t commit. (b) Hold-outs: people who don’t know if they can reach their goals so they’re afraid to commit. (c) Drop-outs: people who start toward a goal but quit when the going gets tough. (d) All-outs: people who set goals, commit to them and pay the price to reach them. Which one of the four are you? Fear and faith will always be present in your life, and the one you choose will determine whether you succeed or fail.
(3) Complacency: Successful businessman Ray Kroc said, “As long as you’re green, you’re growing. As soon as you’re ripe, you start to rot.” If you’re wise, you’ll take regular rest periods to refresh, renew, and refocus. But you must not settle for yesterday’s successes, or coast on today’s momentum. Be like Paul: “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race” (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT).
Soul food: Jonah 1:10-2:10; Matt 12:38-42
