2020-01-14
Psalm 34:1 NIV
When we’re feeling overwhelmed by our circumstances, the last thing we often feel like doing is praising God. But it’s the first thing we should do, because praise gets our attention off ourselves and onto God’s miraculous power. Jehoshaphat faced an army he had no hope of defeating. He didn’t know what to do. But He went into the battle with worship leaders at the front of his army singing, ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever’ (2 Chronicles 20:21 NIV). While they were praising God, his enemies destroyed each other while he looked on in amazement. When Paul and Silas praised God in prison, their chains broke and the doors opened (take a look at Acts 16). We need to start to acknowledge the power of praise and choose to worship God regardless of how we feel. We can praise God too little, but we can never praise Him too much. David writes, ‘From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised’ (Psalm 113:3 NIV), and ‘I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.’ Peter wrote that challenges come so that ‘the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed’ (1 Peter 1:7 NIVUK). When we face a challenge, we can praise our way through. Because of the challenge, our faith is strengthened, and that’s something to praise God about. Whatever we’re facing right now, let’s keep praising God through it all.
Exo 16-18; Matt 6:19-34; Ps 74:1-11; Prov 2:6
2019-11-02
Mark 11:23 NKJV
Jesus said: “Whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (vv. 23-24 NKJV). Now, Jesus didn’t relocate any physical mountains during His ministry, so what was He talking about here? The problems we face in life! And notice something important: He talks only once about our need for “faith” – and three times about our need to “speak” His Word. Why? Because if you don’t have enough faith to move your mouth and speak God’s Word, you won’t have enough faith to move your mountain! The Bible says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17 NKJV). Something wonderful happens when you verbalize God’s Word. Your ears hear it, your mind is renewed, your focus is changed, and the thing God responds to – faith – rises up within you. And when you hold that position of faith, refuse to budge, and keep speaking God’s Word, the mountain in your life starts to shift. As long as you keep saying what you think and feel in your natural mind, the mountain will keep standing like an immovable object. But when you stand on God’s promise and declare, “I may not know how or when, but I know you’re coming down in the name of Jesus,” your mountain will move!
Soul food: 1 Chr 6:1-7:19; John 8:21-30; Ps 86; Prov 25:8-12
2019-10-29
Psalm 1:2 NKJV
When you go beyond simply reading your Bible and take the time to meditate each day on its truths, you begin to think like God. And when that happens your life changes for the better. Peter was so dependent on the words of Jesus that he said, “To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). And Job said, “I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread” (Job 23:12 NIV). Question: When was the last time you forfeited a meal in order to spend time meditating on the Scriptures? As you meditate on God’s Word you develop a mindset that enables you to rise above your fears. “My word…will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11 NIV). Did you get that? God’s Word will accomplish God’s purposes in your life! That’s why Satan will battle you over finding time to read your Bible. The truth is, you don’t find time, you make it! The prophet Isaiah said, “Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will” (Isaiah 50:4 NLT). In a world that’s often devoid of commitment, God promises: “I won’t give up on you. I’ll keep working on you until you’re clear in your perceptions, strong in your faith, and balanced in your spiritual walk. As you meditate on My precepts, you’ll start to move in a new direction. And when that happens, your life will begin to prosper.” So beginning today – meditate on God’s Word.
Soul food: 1 Chr 1-2; John 7:45-53; Ps 9; Prov 24:30-34
2019-09-03
Proverbs 22:6 CEV
A mother who smokes passes on the nicotine to her baby in her breast milk. Unintentionally she pollutes her child with her own vices. And it’s the same when we pass on things like bitterness, guilt, and insecurity to our kids. That’s why we need God’s help; only He can bring healing to the root of our problem and break the cycle. No one else can teach faith to your children like you. The foundation must be laid by you and built on by them. And don’t just teach them your doctrine; expose them to your faith. Tell them Who brought you through the tough places. That way, when they encounter their own tough places they’ll be armed with more than a set of religious rules; they’ll have confidence in God for themselves. And stop beating yourself up over past mistakes; there are things all of us wish we’d done differently. The truth is that God can alter the effects of your past and prevent tragedy in your future. He’s the God of restoration who makes “all things new” (Revelation 21:5 NKJV). He can bring right out of wrong, good out of bad, and enable you to pour His wisdom and love into your children. This is your chance of a lifetime – seize it! Let go of yesterday and take hold of tomorrow. Your children are your tomorrow; they’re being shaped by you. Give them a taste of the things of God when they’re little, and when they grow up the world will never satisfy them.
Soul food: Ezek 27:25-30:26; Matt 23:1-12; Ps 112; Prov 20:1-4
2019-07-03
Psalm 27:1 NKJV
Author Jon Gordon says: “There was a time [as children] when we jumped from the jungle gym and went on roller coaster rides. No goal was unattainable. Then [when we grew up] the doubters dissuaded us from going after our dreams…’You’re crazy…it’s too hard…play it safe…dreams weren’t meant for people like us.’ They instilled their insecurities in us…and with so many people saying we can’t…and so few saying we can, we let fear into our lives. We’re so scared of losing what we have that we don’t go after what we want. We hold on so tightly to the status quo that we never experience what could be…I call this ‘playing to lose.’ We see it in sports. When a team has the lead, they start thinking about how not to lose instead of how to win. They play safe and scared while the other team takes chances, plays without fear, and wins. David said, ‘The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ Living a life [of faith] means overcoming fear and adopting a ‘play to win’ mindset…one that says even if you do fail you won’t give up or let your dreams die. Success isn’t automatically given to us, it’s pursued with all the energy and sweat we can muster. Obstacles and struggles are part of life…they make us appreciate success. If everything came easy we’d never know how it feels to succeed. Obstacles were meant to be overcome. Fear was meant to be conquered. Success was meant to be achieved. They’re part of life, and those who succeed refuse to give up till the game is over.”
Soul food: Jer 45-48; Matt 6:9-18; Ps 110; Prov 15:8-9
