2019-01-27
James 1:8 NKJV
If you’re afraid to make a decision in case it’s wrong, read this Scripture: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally…and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (vv. 5-8 NKJV). President Reagan enjoyed telling the story of how he learned to make firm decisions. When he was a boy, his aunt sent him to a cobbler to have a new pair of shoes made for him. When the shoemaker asked, “Do you want a square toe or a round one?” he hemmed and hawed, so the cobbler said, “Come back in a day or two and tell me what you want.” Later the cobbler saw Reagan on the street and asked what he had decided about the shoes. “I haven’t made up my mind yet,” he answered. “Very well,” the cobbler said, “your shoes will be ready tomorrow.” When Reagan got the shoes, one had a round toe and the other a square toe! Reagan said, “Looking at those shoes every day taught me a lesson. If you don’t make your own decisions, somebody else will make them for you.” Worst case: If you get it wrong, you’ll learn what not to do next time. Bottom line: To succeed in life you must pray for wisdom, and then make a decision.
Soul food: Eze 47:1-12; Rev 21:22-22:5
2019-01-23
2 Peter 1:13 NIV
A pole vaulter only discovers how high he can jump when he clears the bar. Then he sets it higher. God does that too. He stretches your faith to what seems like your breaking point. Pastor and author Jon Walker says: “At one point I sensed God stretching my faith. Specifically, He told me to stop receiving a regular paycheck and start living by faith…So with radiant certainty that God would provide because He told me He would, I did what He said and started looking for His provision. I kept a log of every way God took care of me, and the list grew joyfully impressive. God was moving me from a tentative ‘I hope it will happen,’ to a certain ‘I know this will happen.’ Yet within months I was literally staggered with doubt. I’d lost my focus…and started scrambling for ways to generate income…believing it was my responsibility to make things happen because God may or may not come through…You may be further along than I am in learning to trust God; then again, you may have experienced exactly what I’m describing.” Understand this: A faith that cannot be shaken comes only from a faith that has been so severely shaken that it is now sure, certain, and steadfast. Our greatest concern is getting our needs met, but God’s greatest concern is developing our faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). That’s why Peter wrote, “I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth…It is right to refresh your memory” (2 Peter 1:12-13 NIV). So, keep reminding yourself that God is faithful.
Soul food: Rom 7:1-9:16; Luke 5:12-26; Ps 96; Prov 3:5-6
2019-01-19
Philippians 3:13 NLT
In order to move forward with confidence on your life’s journey, you need a reliable road map. In the Bible this is called a dream or a vision. For Moses, it was leading God’s people out of slavery and into the Promised Land. For Florence Nightingale, it meant bringing healing and hope to wounded and dying soldiers in Crimea. For Thomas Edison, it was illuminating the world with incandescent light. The fact is, anyone who ever made a difference in life started with a dream, and eventually it became their life’s passion. For the publishers of this devotional, it’s putting God’s Word into the hands of as many people as possible in every nation on earth! How can you tell if your vision is from God? It will bless you and benefit others. Now, if your dream is only to live in a mansion and accumulate a fortune for yourself, don’t count on God to underwrite it. Furthermore, your dream is worth only what you’re willing to pay for it. Inspiration without perspiration is just a daydream. Forty percent of the people you meet have great ideas, but all they do is talk about them. Another 40 percent work hard and would be willing to give their all for a great dream – but they don’t have one. Only the remaining 20 percent have a dream and the faith to make it come true. And even if you’re part of that group, there are no guarantees you’ll succeed. But you have a good chance – better than 80 percent of those around you. So go ahead – dare to dream.
Soul food: Isa 63-66; Luke 4:14-30; Ps 89:15-37; Prov 2:21-22
2019-01-05
Psalm 119:2 NIV
The Bible says, “Love the Lord…with all your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV). “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5 NIV). “You will…find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV). Do you love the Lord with all your heart? Are you trusting Him with all your heart? Are you seeking Him with all your heart? Only the burning effect of a vision will keep you from losing your way, or getting swallowed up by temporal things that make no difference in the light of eternity. Consider the birthing table; it’s designed to hold the mother in position in spite of pain and discomfort. The question is: Can you maintain a position of faith even when it means being exposed to pain and pressure? That’s what consistent prayer and Bible reading do; they hold you in place when you’d otherwise be tempted to give up, or step out of the will of God. Maybe you’re thinking if you don’t risk again you can’t be hurt again. But that also means you can’t be fruitful again! God told Eve, “In pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband” (Genesis 3:16 NKJV). Notice, at the end of the labor and pain God said He would renew the relationship between the woman and the man by restoring her desire. The point is this: There’s no cure for past pain like present desire. So whether you’re exhausted by your victories or discouraged by your defeats, allow God to draw you back to Himself. Let Him rekindle within you a desire to be all He wants you to be.
Soul food: Isa 12-16; Luke 1:39-56; Ps 10:12-18; Prov 1:17-19
2018-11-25
Malachi 3:10 NIV
God is a meticulous planner. For example, He scheduled a banquet called “the marriage supper of the Lamb” two thousand years in advance (See Revelation 19:9). He instructed Noah to build the ark “450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high” (Genesis 6:15 NLT). He gave Moses the specific colors and fabrics He wanted used in constructing the tabernacle (See Exodus 26). And look how precisely He orders the seasons and positions the stars. Can you imagine such a God having no plan for your finances – the product of your work life? Surely not! In Scripture He says: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse…Test me in this…see if I will not…open…heaven and pour out so much blessing…you will not have room enough for it.” The original word for “whole” is “unbroken”; that means before taxes and other deductions. Why? Because He wants to be first in your life in everything – including your finances. God also told His people, “You have robbed Me…In tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:8 NKJV). Stop and think about the word “offer.” When you sell a house you decide whether or not to accept the “offer” the buyer is making. And in this Scripture God is saying, “Until you give Me what’s rightfully mine (the tithe), why should I accept any other ‘offering’?” Tithing isn’t just about money; it’s about faith and obedience. When you tithe your income, you can expect God to pour out His blessing on you as He promised. You can live under an open heaven; the choice is yours. God says, “Test me in this.” Put God to the test and see what happens!
Soul food: Luke 1:26-56; Luke 2; Luke 2:41-52; Luke 8:19-21
