2021-08-27
Ephesians 6:18 NIV
To help you remember these four fundamental elements, think of the acrostic P-R-A-Y.
(1) P – praise the Lord. Before you petition God, spend time praising Him. There’s a specific protocol involved when approaching a president or prime minister, and it’s the same when you approach God. The Psalmist said, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him” (Psalm 100:4 NIV).
(2) R – repent of your sins. Just like the heat from a furnace forces the impurities in metal to surface so that the refiner can remove them, prayer brings to light attitudes that must be changed, habits that need to be broken, and barriers to spiritual progress that must be removed. And what if you forget some of your sins? Paul tells us, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness…he who searches our hearts…intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27 NIV).
(3) A – ask for yourself and for others. Your prayers invite God into the situation, and your faith activates His power to change it. There’s no distance in prayer, and no language barrier it can’t overcome. Like throwing a switch and getting power, light and heat, things start to change when you pray. Jesus said, “I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven…whatever doors you open on earth shall be open in heaven!” (Matthew 16:19 TLB).
(4) Y – yield to God’s will. If you don’t know what God’s will is, prayer is the starting point. And if you already know and you’re not doing it, prayer will convict, correct, and channel you in the right direction.
Soul food: Eze 1-4; Luke 18:1-17; Ps 119:161-168; Prov 19:3-8
2021-08-26
Isaiah 54:3 NIV
God told His people: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV). So, if you’re asking God for a vision, or to enlarge the one He’s already given you, you need to make room mentally. “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left” (Isaiah 54:2-3 NIV).
Somebody said dreams always come a size too big so you can grow to fit them. Don’t settle for mediocrity in your work, your relationships, or your walk with God. Mark Twain said: “Twenty years from now you’ll be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do, than by the ones you did. So throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the wind. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Even if you come from a background of addiction, poverty, depression, abuse, and low self-esteem, God can enable you to rise up and put an end to that old mindset of defeat.
In biblical times, animal skins were made into wine containers. At first they were flexible and easy to work with, but over time they grew rigid and lost their ability to expand. That’s why Jesus said, “No one pours new wine into old wineskins. [It] would…burst the old skins…New wine must be put into new wineskins” (Matthew 9:17 CEV). Throw out your old wineskins! God won’t infuse a fossilized mind with fresh ideas, but He will change your life when you line up your thinking with His.
Soul food: Amos 5:18-9:15; Luke 17:20-37; Ps 119:145-160; Prov 19:1-2
2021-08-25
Acts 13:2 NKJV
The Bible says: “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then, having fasted…prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away” (vv. 2-3 NKJV).
Notice three things: (1) Barnabas and Saul were in church when God called them. And the Holy Spirit still speaks to us when we gather to pray, worship, and hear God’s Word. One reason we don’t have clear direction for our lives, is because we aren’t in the place where God can speak to us objectively through His Word, and subjectively through His Spirit.
(2) Their calling was confirmed by proven leadership. Those who laid hands on Paul and Barnabas confirming their calling, were leaders who took time to pray, fast, and seek God’s will. Such people are a gift. They won’t necessarily tell you what you want to hear, but they’ll tell you what you need to hear. They’ll counsel, correct, and comfort you when you need it, and confirm God’s will for you. So, do you have such relationships in your life? If not, get busy and find some.
(3) God doesn’t play hide-and-seek with His will for your life. God called Paul and Barnabas by name. Yes, He knows your name, where you live, and the circumstances you’re in. Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress (to hide it from the Midianites) and Peter was out fishing when God called them. Your lack of “ministry” experience doesn’t limit God. That’s because He doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. So wait on God, and when the time is right He will call you.
Soul food: Amos 1:1-5:17; Luke 17:11-19; Ps 119:137-144; Prov 18:22-24
2021-08-24
Philippians 1:10 NKJV
Excellence requires two things: extra time and extra effort. It calls for going “above and beyond” what is required of you by others, because you consider it a matter of character and integrity. Now we’re not talking about striving for perfection. That can drive you crazy, and everybody else around you. Perfectionism is based on self-centeredness. It seeks approval and applause.
Your goal should be to perform every assignment or endeavour as if God Himself required it of you and will be evaluating and rewarding your performance. The old adage, “Out of sight, and out of mind,” does not apply to God; He is mindful of your every activity. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24 ESV). That means doing the best possible job, even when the boss is not around.
And here’s an important thought: avoid people with poor work habits, or who pooh-pooh your efforts to be excellent. Do you really want to be like them? Are you achieving the kind of results in life that you desire for yourself? If God is your heavenly Father, then you carry His name. “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth” (Psalm 8:1 KJV).
Today pray: “Father, give me the desire for excellence in all my endeavours. Help me to live with a constant awareness of your evaluating and loving eye, so that I may do everything as unto you and not unto man. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”
Soul food: Lam 3:40-5:22; Luke 17:1-10; Ps 119:129-136; Prov 18:21
2021-08-23
Daniel 5:14 NKJV
Even though Daniel lived in captivity, he refused to settle for mediocrity. This brought him to the attention of the king of Babylon who said, “I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.” What a résumé. What a reputation. And what a rebuke to those who “just want to get by.” The Bible says, “Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people” (Proverbs 22:29 NLT).
The way to get noticed and to get ahead in life is to study, grow, and sharpen your skill set. Question: Do you have a mediocre attitude toward your work, your relationships, and your life in general? If so, consider the level of frustration you’d experience if the people who served you had a “that’ll do” attitude. What if a waiter served your food cold and your drink in a dirty glass? Do you think you’d complain? If so, imagine how people feel when you give them shoddy workmanship and a “could care less” attitude.
They say “excellence is its own reward.” Yes, you’ll be rewarded for excellence, but your biggest reward will come from knowing you did your best. Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Observe the lives of people who excel in their fields. Study their habits and learn from them. Identify their character traits and seek to develop them. Bottom line: only when you have done your best, can you trust God to do the rest.
Soul food: Lam 1:1-3:39; Luke 16:19-31; Ps 119:121-128; Prov 18:13-20
2021-08-22
Psalm 19:8 NIV
How you approach reading the Bible is crucial. You must do two things: (1) Approach it with integrity. When a new Christian in a Bible study group said, “I’ve had a hard time believing some parts of the Bible,” the others smiled and applauded. They didn’t do it because unbelief is good news; they did it because he’d finally gotten honest enough to admit his doubts. Don’t worry; God’s not upset with you. Until you’re willing to talk about your doubts, you can’t resolve them. When Thomas questioned the resurrection, Jesus showed up just to convince him. And He will show up for you too! It’s a mistake to try to force yourself into believing something or avoid reading it so you don’t get disturbed. Jesus said, “When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth…He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you” (John 16:13-14 NIV).
(2) Read it with expectancy. Once you’ve been to a book signing, met the author and gotten his autograph, you feel very different about the book. You treasure it. And when you read the Bible with an expectant heart, the author shows up. As you read His words you begin to sense His presence and realize He is speaking to you personally. Jesus said, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you – they are full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:63 NIV). When you come to the Scriptures with a hunger and an expectancy, you never go away disappointed.
Soul food: Josh 2:1-24; Acts 9:20-30
