2019-12-14
Proverbs 3:5 NIV
Trust in God more than in yourself. That doesn’t mean you should go through life doubting and second-guessing yourself, or being afraid to move in case you make a mistake. When you recognize and embrace God’s plan for your life, you tap into the power you need to fulfill it. False humility will handicap you spiritually, mentally, and emotionally, and keep you from moving forward. When God called Jeremiah to be a prophet, he protested, “I am a child” (Jeremiah 1:6). But listen to what God told him: “Say not, ‘I am a child'” (v. 7). As surely as “the tongue can bring death or life” (Proverbs 18:21 NLT), you must learn to speak God’s Word over the vision He has given you. Yes, it’s a mistake to think you can play God’s role or that He will play yours. But once you understand your personal assignment and tap into His power, you can start believing for success, regardless of what obstacles may stand in your way. When you know you’re in the will of God, doing what He told you to do, you can stand confidently on these Scriptures: “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6 NKJV). “One man…shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, as He promised” (Joshua 23:10 NKJV). “In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul” (Psalm 138:3 NKJV). You’re not alone today – God is with you!
Soul food: 2 Tim 1-4; John 20:1-9; Ps 105:37-45; Prov 30:20-23
2019-09-28
1 Peter 5:5-7 NLT
Somebody quipped, “The trouble with success is that the formula is the same as the one for a nervous breakdown.” The Bible gives us the real formula for successful living. It encompasses three areas: authority, attitude, and assurance. “Accept the authority of the elders…humble yourselves under the mighty power of God…Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” Let’s look at each of the three areas: (1) Submit yourself to those who are wise. Listen to their counsel, become accountable, accept reproof, take suggestions, respect experience, and follow a worthy example. Only when you can take advice will you be qualified to give it. Only when you respect and submit to leadership will you be qualified to lead others. (2) Humble yourself. In Scripture the “hand” of God symbolizes two things: His discipline and His deliverance. When you humble yourself before Him, you’re accepting His discipline as being for your good. You’re also acknowledging His willingness to answer your cry for help and deliver you by whatever means He chooses. (3) Throw yourself on God’s mercy and care. Trouble and disappointment will surely come, and when they do you need to throw yourself on the Lord. The situation may be too big for you, but it’s never too big for Him. Does that mean there’s no place for planning, goal-setting, and hard work? No, it just means you’re willing to do things God’s way, which is always best.
Soul food: 1 Sam 27-31; Matt 28:11-20; Ps 63; Prov 22:17-23
2019-09-05
John 18:37 NKJV
Standing before Pilate, Jesus said, “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.” Jesus knew why He was born and what He was called to do, and He focused on it like a laser. And you are called to follow in His footsteps (See 1 Peter 2:21). There are three types of people: (1) Those with no life purpose. They are drifters, aimlessly cruising through life. They go to school, get a job, switch jobs, find a spouse, switch spouses, move from house to house and place to place, retire, and eventually die. They don’t really live; they just exist. (2) Those who have the wrong life purpose. They may be super achievers, people who have climbed the ladders of financial, political, and social success only to find their ladder was leaning against the wrong wall. They either discovered too late or never realized that they missed a purposeful life that positively influenced others. (3) Those who have the right life purpose. They know why they were created. They know why God put them on this earth, and they are all about fulfilling that purpose. That is the life that brings a smile to the face of God. That is success that lasts. It has nothing to do with popularity, power, or possessions. It has everything to do with purpose, because that is the only thing that brings a God-given assurance of success. So do you know your life’s purpose? If not, ask God and He will reveal it to you.
Soul food: Ezek 34-36; Matt 23:23-39; Ps 78:1-8; Prov 20:7-10
2019-08-22
Deuteronomy 29:9 NIV
Two men were talking and one said, “Do you know the secret of success?” The other replied, “No, what is it?” The first man said, “I can’t tell you.” His friend asked, “Why?” The first guy said, “Because it’s a secret!” Success, as God defines it, is not a secret. He repeatedly says in His Word that He wants us to be successful in life. But as our faces differ, so does God’s plan of success for each of us differ. Success is simply discovering God’s will for your life and doing it. Consider high definition television (HDTV). This technology makes possible an additional hundred lines of resolution on a screen so that the picture is virtually lifelike. The industry calls it “super clarity.” Whether you stand ten feet away or two feet away, the picture looks perfectly clear – no fuzzy lines, no distortions, no shadows. What would a successful life look like in high definition? In order to find that level of clarity, you need to dig into God’s Word and find out what He thinks about success. “Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do.” When God created man, one of the first things He told him to do was “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:22). In the book of Job we read the words, “Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly” (Job 8:7 NKJV). But God-ordained success comes with a caveat, and it’s non-negotiable: God will bless you – in order to make you a blessing to others.
Soul food: Amos 1:1-5:17; Matt 20:17-28; Ps 119:137-144; Prov 18:22-24
2019-08-09
1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT
When William Carey first began considering the possibility of going to India as a pioneer missionary, his father pointed out that he possessed no academic qualifications for the job. Carey answered, “I can plod.” And he did. When he went to India this was his typical day: He arose at 5:45 a.m. to read a chapter in the Hebrew Bible and have private devotions. At 7:00 a.m. he led family prayers in Bengali, read Persian with a tutor, and a portion of Scripture in Hindustani. After breakfast he translated Sanskrit into English. At 10:00 a.m. he went to college to teach until 2:00 p.m., then translated into Bengali until dinner time. After an early supper, he translated into Sanskrit and studied the Telugu language until he preached to an English congregation at 7:30 p.m. About 9:00 p.m. he returned to translating for two hours, wrote to a friend in England, read a chapter from his Greek New Testament, and then finally went to bed. Carey is credited with doing more than anyone else in taking the message of Christ to India and establishing the church there. And he did it because he was a plodder! Here are two Scriptures plodders stand on: (1) “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9 NKJV). (2) “My dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless” (1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT). These Scriptures could be reduced to five words: Keep plodding and you’ll succeed.
Soul food: Judg 1-3; Matt 15:29-39; Ps 119:49-56; Prov 17:18-21
