2018-11-15
Psalm 18:39 NIV
Each of us is fighting a battle of some kind, but not all of us are winning. Those who win come in many different varieties but they all have one thing in common: a faith that refuses to quit! Nobody had more struggles in life than David, and he understood the importance of maintaining the right perspective. He said, “You armed me with strength for battle.” The grace you receive from God will always be equal to the challenges you face. Always! Did you know that Lord Nelson, England’s famous hero of the sea, suffered from seasickness all his life? Yet this man who sank Napoleon’s fleet refused to let his personal struggles rob him of his destiny. He not only learned to live with his weakness, but to conquer it every day. All of us have our battlegrounds. And while nobody pins a medal on us for winning, nothing can diminish the satisfaction of knowing we didn’t quit, or the joy of knowing we overcame by God’s strength. Whose strength? God’s! “You armed me with strength for battle.” The story’s told of a little boy who lost his right hand in an accident. When the doctor questioned him about his handicap, he replied, “I don’t have a handicap; I just don’t have a right hand!” Later the doctor discovered the boy had gone on to become one of the leading scorers on his high school basketball team. His philosophy in life was: It’s not what you’ve lost but what you have left that counts! That’s the winning attitude, and with God’s help you can develop it.
Soul food: Rom 9:17-11:36; John 10:22-42; Ps 83:9-18; Prov 29:23-27
2018-11-03
Genesis 37:3 NKJV
Let’s look at the three different coats Joseph wore, as they present a picture of your life as a Christian. First, the coat of salvation. Notice, it was a “gift” from his father; Joseph never paid a penny for it, or sewed a stitch, or provided an inch of fabric. And that’s the story of our salvation, isn’t it? The Bible says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV). Motivated by jealousy and resentment, Joseph’s brothers threw him into a pit and dipped his coat in the blood of a goat in order to convince their father that he had been devoured by a wild beast. Are you getting the picture here? “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7 NKJV). In Old Testament times, when someone sinned they brought a sacrificial lamb to the altar and the priest shed its blood as payment for their sins. But the priest did not examine the person, he examined the lamb. If the lamb was “worthy,” the person was accepted and their sins were atoned for. So the moment you acknowledge your sin and pray, “Father, I come in the name of Jesus, the Lamb of God,” you are totally forgiven and accepted. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV).
Soul food: Isa 38-41; John 7:45-53; Ps 9; Prov 28:13-16
2018-10-16
Exodus 3:11 NIV
When God told Moses He was going to use him to deliver the Israelites from slavery, the conversation went like this: “‘So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ And God said, ‘I will be with you'” (vv. 10-12 NIV). Moses summarized his fears and insecurities in one question, “Who am I?” But that’s the wrong question. It’s not about who you are, but Whose you are! That day God revealed His name to Moses as “I AM.” His name is the solution to every problem and the answer to every question. His name calms every fear, seals every prayer, and wins every battle. At His name, angels bow and demons quake. At His name, our sin is vindicated and our authority is validated. Who you are is absolutely irrelevant. God doesn’t use us because of us, but in spite of us. It’s not like heaven is going to go bankrupt if you don’t tithe. And if you take your talents elsewhere, it’s not like the kingdom of God is going to go under. But for reasons that will only be revealed on the far side of the space-time continuum, God has chosen to accomplish His purposes through ordinary people like us. Are you afraid of stepping out in faith in case you fail? Does the situation seem impossible for you? It’s not for God. Trust Him, stand on His promise: “I will be with you,” and move ahead!
Soul food: Exo 25-27; John 3:22-36; Ps 89:15-37; Prov 26:20-22
2018-09-27
1 John 5:4 NLT
The Bible says, “Every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” To live victoriously you must do these three things: (1) Restrict the Devil from moving in your life. Jesus said: “I promise you that God in heaven will allow whatever you allow on earth, but he will not allow anything you don’t allow. I promise that when any two of you on earth agree about something you are praying for, my Father in heaven will do it for you. Whenever two or three of you come together in my name, I am there with you” (Matthew 18:18-20 CEV). Satan doesn’t want you to know you have the God-given power to restrict his movements in your life, but you do. Use it! (2) Dare to believe and reach for what God has promised you. Paul says, “Whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV). A seed is anything you plant for a desired result, and a harvest is anything you decide to receive back from God. And both require an act of faith. Not only is God your source of supply, He’s unlimited, impartial, and generous. (3) Wake up the dreamer within you. The Bible says, “Your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days” (Joel 2:28-29 NIV). Your season of life and your gender are no problem for God. Just ask Him to rekindle your faith and refocus your vision. Choose to live victoriously!
Soul food: Zech 9-11; Luke 23:13-25; Ps 34; Prov 24:29-31
2018-09-25
Psalm 40:2 NLT
When an earthquake struck Haiti, an aid worker trapped under a collapsed hotel prayed, “Lord, I haven’t been in touch with You lately. Now I need You more than ever.” He writes: “I heard a sound. ‘Who’s there?’ I shouted. ‘Jim,’ a man replied. He and five others were trapped too. ‘Would you like to pray with me?’ I asked. ‘Yes,’ he answered. So I said, ‘Lord, we’re asking You for a miracle. Please rescue us.’ I was drifting off to sleep when rhythmic thumping woke me. Helicopters! We waited, but nobody came. I felt drained. No food and water for twenty-four hours and I needed a doctor…I closed my eyes, sure I’d never open them again…A voice shouted and I jolted awake…a survivor had contacted a rescue team through a small hole…An hour passed, then two…I banged on the wall. No response. ‘I’m going to die here, and there’s nothing I can do.’ Then this thought came to my mind: Worship Me. I began singing: ‘Great is Thy faithfulness; morning by morning new mercies I see.’ I sang: ‘Be still my soul.’ Praise songs…to the One who knew exactly where I was. I felt God’s presence…and heard Him whisper, ‘Trust me with everything’…and I let it all go. ‘Your will be done, Lord’…Hours later a team of rescuers came down the elevator shaft, hoisted me to safety, and took me to the hospital. My wife was waiting. ‘I thought you were dead,’ she said. ‘Me too,’ I whispered. And I would have been if it hadn’t been for what I had with me in that dark place – like my faith that’s more alive than ever.”
Soul food: Lev 23:33-44; John 7:1-40; Zech 14:16-21
