2021-10-01
2 Corinthians 8:7 NKJV
Paul writes, “As you abound in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us – see that you abound in this grace also.” What’s Paul talking about here? Giving! God has not called you to be a reservoir that stores up all His blessings for yourself, but a river that carries His blessing to others. Many Christians have learned how to get, but not give. If you get into a posture of being a getting Christian without being a giving Christian, your life of faith will wither and die on the vine.
There are two seas in Palestine, and both are fed by the Jordan River. One sea is fresh, brimming with life. Fish are in it, splashes of green adorn its banks and trees spread their branches over it, stretching out their thirsty roots to sip of its nourishing waters. But the other sea has no life at all. No fish can live in it. No one can drink of it for the water is foul and putrid. Yet both are fed by the Jordan River.
What’s the difference? The Sea of Galilee receives water from the Jordan, but it also gives. For every drop that flows into it, another drop flows out. But the other sea hoards its water. Every drop it gets, it keeps. The Sea of Galilee gives and lives. The other sea gets and keeps, and it’s called the Dead Sea.
Don’t miss the point here! When you hoard and keep your blessings to yourself, you die spiritually. But when you give generously, you come to life spiritually.
Soul food: 1 Sam 18:1-20:29; Luke 24:13-24; Ps 68:19-35; Prov 22:6
2021-09-30
1 Corinthians 10:33 NKJV
Here’s a group you don’t want to be part of: “In the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1-4 NKJV). There’s nothing wrong with making money. Indeed, if you honour the Lord He will help you to make more of it (See Deuteronomy 8:18, Isaiah 48:17, Luke 6:38, 2 Corinthians 9:8).
But here’s a Bible principle you must live by to walk in the blessing of God. When you have enough money to meet your own needs, you must be willing to say yes to God when He asks you to meet someone else’s need. If you’d like to conquer selfishness and become more generous, here are some steps:
(1) Give away something that you would prefer to keep. The goal is to break your emotional attachment to material things.
(2) Graduate to anonymous benevolence. Leave a needy person such as a senior citizen, a student or a single parent a cash gift in an envelope. Don’t put your name on it, and don’t tell anyone you did it. And no, you can’t claim it as a tax deduction. But God promises to return it to you many times over, and in the areas where you need it most (See Galatians 6:7).
(3) Have someone you trust monitor your progress. Meet with them throughout the year and invite them to ask you not about how much money you made, but how much you’ve given away to help others.
If you’re serious about conquering selfishness, these are steps you’ll be willing to take.
Soul food: 1 Sam 16-17; Luke 24:1-12; Ps 68:1-18; Prov 22:1-5
2021-09-29
Proverbs 19:17 NKJV
Here are four ways in which you can express kindness and generosity toward others.
(1) Giving your time. Giving a few hours of your time to someone, especially if you’re a busy person, can mean the world to a person who’s hurting.
(2) Giving your talent. Organizations like Habitat For Humanity and Doctors Without Borders marshal the talents of gifted people to relieve suffering and provide shelter to the needy. That’s Scriptural! (See Matthew 25:34-46).
(3) Giving your treasure. “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given.” Can you imagine the interest God pays?
(4) Giving your temperament. Everybody you meet, struggles with anxieties and fights battles they usually don’t talk about. So, your smile and word of encouragement can be like a lifeline that helps keep them afloat that day. Selfishness is so innate in each of us that it’s like breathing; we do it without thinking.
So, in order to change we must rearrange our priorities and reprogram our minds and decide, “I will not let this day pass until I have said or done something to help, bless, and encourage another human being.” God told Abraham, “I will bless you…and you shall be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2 NKJV).
Today pray: “Father, I thank you for every resource and advantage you have given me. Help me always to remember that these blessings are from you, and that they are to be shared with others for your glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.”
Soul food: 1 Sam 14-15; Luke 23:44-56; Ps 91; Prov 21:28-31
2021-09-28
1 John 3:17 NKJV
On a scale of one to ten, how often do you think about the needs of others and try to meet them? Before you answer, read this: “Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?”
Selfishness is defined as “the state of being overly concerned with one’s self.” Now God is not asking you to sacrifice for others to the point where you jeopardise your own health and mental well-being, then end up resentful for doing so. Nor does He expect you to meet every need that comes your way. He’s challenging the “what’s in it for me?” attitude of our age in which self-gratification, self-improvement, self-enlightenment, and self-indulgence is increasingly being promoted. Selfishness dies hard, but it’s a stronghold you must break in order to experience the peace and joy that give life meaning.
B.C. Forbes, founder of Forbes magazine, said: “I’ve never known any human being, high or humble, who regretted when nearing life’s end, having done kindly deeds. But I have known more than one who became haunted by the realization that they had led selfish lives.” James writes: “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, it is dead” (James 2:15-17 NKJV). So, think more about others.
Soul food: 1 Sam 11-13; Luke 23:35-43; Ps 13; Prov 21:22-27
2021-09-27
1 Corinthians 9:22 NKJV
Paul wouldn’t yield an inch on Bible truth, but when it came to customs, traditions, and people’s preferences, he refused to fight about them. For example, some of the Corinthian Christians thought because certain meats were offered in worship to idols it was sinful to eat them. So did Paul handle it by standing up and declaring, “I’m not going to allow you to impose your unscriptural convictions on me”?
No. He wrote: “Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as…real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do. But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble” (1 Corinthians 8:7-9 NLT). Then he bottom-lines it by saying, “I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22 NLT).
God didn’t call us to win theological arguments; He called us to win people to Christ. So be gracious toward those who don’t think like you, dress like you, or care about some of the things you care about. Be gracious toward those whose worship style and fine points of theology differ from yours. “Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3 NLT).
Soul food: 1 Sam 8-10; Luke 23:26-34; Ps 54; Prov 21:18-21
2021-09-26
Psalm 25:16 NLT
David, who committed adultery with another man’s wife, prayed: “Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress. My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all!…See how many enemies I have and how viciously they hate me! Protect me! Rescue my life from them! Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge. May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you” (vv. 16-21 NLT). How can you protect yourself in areas where you’re vulnerable?
(1) By staying close to God. When you’re lonely, distancing from God doesn’t make sense. It just increases your exposure to things like infidelity, pornography, drugs, and alcohol.
(2) By coming out of hiding. Get involved in some aspect of ministry. Be willing to be more transparent by getting to know others and letting them get to know you. Shakespeare said, “Fire that is closest kept burns most of all.” When you spend time around people who truly care about you, loneliness ceases to be such an issue.
(3) By taking the focus off yourself. Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Victory comes by reaching out to those in need; by giving of yourself, praying for them, loving and serving them.
(4) By forgiving those who’ve hurt you. Isolating yourself when you’ve been hurt just leads to bitterness. Forgive, turn it over to God, let Him deal with your offender – and get on with your life.
Soul food: Gen 24:1-51; 2 Cor 6:14-7:1
