2021-01-16
Romans 12:6 ESV
The Bible teaches that God gives each of us certain gifts, and the grace to use them. But when we’re not working in our area of giftedness, we can struggle. We need to keep that in mind when we see a great achiever, or become a great achiever ourselves. Paul spoke five languages and wrote a large part of the New Testament, but he constantly struggled with what he refers to as a ‘thorn in the flesh’. When he prayed and asked God to remove it, God said no. ‘My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you’ (2 Corinthians12:9 NCV). So we need grace in the areas of our gifting, and grace for the areas in which we’re not gifted at all.
We might be brilliant in one or more areas, but that doesn’t mean we’ll be brilliant at everything. We need to remember that when we’re dealing with other people. We shouldn’t get frustrated with someone just because they struggle with something, as God will have gifted them with other strengths. It’s even likely that they’re skilled in an area where we’re weak.
We need to work at developing patience and learn to appreciate each person for the unique part they fill in God’s kingdom. We also need to remember that if God won’t remove a barrier or grant us an ability that we want, we should accept His decision, and try to understand what God’s trying to teach us through the challenges. As long as we live, we’ll soar in some areas and struggle in others, but we’ll find that God’s grace is more than enough for any challenge we face.
Exo 36-38; Matt 8:1-9; Ps 81; Prov 2:11-15
2020-10-31
Proverbs 14:23 NIV
One day a grandfather told his grandchildren the story of how he came to America. He told about the trains and ship that brought him from his home in Eastern Europe. He told of being processed along with other immigrants at Ellis Island, and how he’d gone to a cafeteria in Lower Manhattan to get something to eat. He sat down at an empty table and waited a long time for someone to take his order, but nobody came.
Finally a woman with a tray full of food sat down opposite him and explained how a cafeteria works. “You start at the end,” she said, pointing toward a stack of trays. “Then you go along the food line and pick out what you want. At the other end they’ll tell you how much you have to pay.”
The grandfather reflected for a moment and said, “I soon learned that’s how everything works in this country. Life is a cafeteria here. You can get anything you want – even very great success – if you’re willing to pay the price. But you’ll never get what you want if you wait for someone to bring it to you. You have to get up and get it yourself.”
The difference between where you are right now and where you want to be can be summed up in two words – hard work! “Does God want me to succeed?” you ask. Yes, but He won’t drop success into your lap. He promised to “bless all the work of your hands” (Deuteronomy 28:12 NIV). Countless hours, persistent effort, and constant improvement make the difference between ambition and success.
Soul food: Deut 18:9-18; Isa 47:5-15; Acts 16:16-34; Dan 2
2020-10-06
Ecclesiastes 11:4 NIV
Should you risk investing, or wait for a “lucky break” that could make you rich overnight? Solomon answers, “Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return” (v. 1 NIV). That means invest prayerfully and wisely, and be patient because it may take “many days” before you’ll get a return.
The get-rich-quick mentality isn’t scriptural. “Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land” (v. 2 NIV). So invest, but diversify; allow for market fluctuations. This is a play-it-wise approach, not a play-it-safe one.
Be faith-driven instead of fear-driven. Fear allows the unpredictable to determine your actions. Godly wisdom, plus faith, is the key to investing. Waiting for “the ideal time” will keep you paralyzed. Success isn’t in the absence of challenges, it’s having the wisdom to manage them and keep moving forward.
The Bible says, “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.” If you let the odds immobilize you, you’ll never sow – which means you’ll never reap.
The bottom line is this: Life is full of unknowns, and just “as you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb…you cannot understand the work of God” (v. 5 NIV). You don’t have to know it all or be able to predict the outcome. Just seek God, then act on the wisdom He gives you (See James 1:5). You don’t have to understand how He’s going to work on your behalf – you only need to believe He will!
Soul food: 1 Sam 18:1-20:29; John 1:1-13; Ps 92; Prov 22:24-25
2020-09-21
3 John 1:2 NKJV
We know that God wants us to enjoy life, and be successful in taking hold of His plans for us. There’s not an area of your life that God isn’t interested in. We have to remember, though, that we can block ourselves from godly success when we’re not in tune with Him. When we seek Him, obey His instructions, and do everything in a way that honours Him, He moves alongside us in what we’re doing. In the Old Testament, He said, ‘Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do’ (Deuteronomy 29:9 NIV). And in the New Testament, Jesus said, ‘seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you’ (Matthew 6:33 NKJV). When Jesus says ‘all these things’, He’s talking about our daily needs. Those verses show us that, throughout history, our God has been taking care of people. He makes sure that we have what we need, and that we see real success. But they also remind us that we have to love Him, living out that love in the ways that He instructs us to, in order to step into the success and provision that He brings. Think about someone that you have a close, loving relationship with. You want them to be happy, to have success in the things that they are passionate about. Our relationship with God is so much stronger than that, so our heavenly Father is invested in our success, right down to the details of having clothes on our back. Live with the full knowledge of that. Focus on doing what God wants, and trust that He’ll provide you with what you need. Believe that God wants you to succeed in the life that He has planned for you.
2 Cor 1-4; Luke 22:63-71; Ps 39; Prov 21:9-13
2020-07-06
Psalm 71:21 NIVUK
When we’ve experienced failure, it can be challenging to let it go and believe that one day we’ll experience success. We know we should pick ourselves up and try again, but that can be easier said than done. Our failures can weigh heavy on our minds and can cause us to doubt our abilities. We might even start to doubt our calling from God. But in order for us to move into success, we need to be willing to let go of the times we’ve failed. In Psalm 71, we find David in a bad situation. Things in his life haven’t gone well and he’s crying out to God. When we’re feeling like this, we have a choice to make. We can either dwell on our failures and fears, or we can look to God. David chose to fix his eyes on God rather than stay stuck in his circumstances. He said: ‘As for me, I shall always have hope; I will praise you more and more’ (Psalm 71:14 NIV). He chose to have hope and to worship despite his circumstances. David went on to say, ‘You will increase my honour and comfort me once more.’ David knew that, with God, there’s always a promise of better times to come. He knew that God hadn’t abandoned him, and that He was going to bring honour back into his life. When we’ve experienced trials and failures, we need to choose to look to God and have hope. Other people, and the enemy, can try and convince us that we’ve messed up too many times and that there’s no future for us in God’s kingdom, but that’s not true. God can redeem every mistake and failure. We just need to turn our eyes to Him.
Jer 28-30; Luke 5:12-26; Ps 110; Prov 15:8-9
