2020-02-01
Luke 22:40 NIV
You can put on your best game face in an attempt to convince others you’re doing better than you are, but deep inside you know the areas where you’re most often tempted and fail. In fact, if you are gut-level honest, chances are you keep a mental scorecard. Others may give you an A or B on your report card, but you give yourself a failing grade. And when that happens often enough, you reach the place where you start thinking, “What’s the point in asking God for forgiveness? I’m just going to repeat the same sins over and over and have to go back to Him again.” There’s a solution. Jesus told His disciples, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation” (See Matthew 26:41). In other words, pray before the temptation comes and you’ll be strengthened and fortified to handle it. “But I have prayed!” you reply. Then increase the dosage and pray more! Before Jesus calmed the storm on Galilee, He spent the whole night in prayer. Turn off your TV, your computer, your iPhone, and any other outside connections, and spend time with God. What did the old-timers mean when they talked about “praying through”? Simply this: You can reach a point in prayer where you “know” God has given you the strength you need and victory is assured. Paul said, “Let us…approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NIV). What do you need when you keep failing? God’s grace to forgive you – and His help to overcome temptation. So pray before temptation comes, and God will make you an overcomer.
Soul food: Isa 30-33; Matt 11:20-30; Ps 107:23-32; Prov 3:25-26
2020-01-31
1 John 1:9 NIV
At some point we’ll all make mistakes because we’re human. The Bible tells us that ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:23 NIV). None of us are perfect, but we don’t need to despair. When we tell God about our mistakes, and when we’re truly sorry for them, He loves to forgive us. In 1 John, we’re told: ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness’ (1:9 NIV). When God forgives us, we might not feel forgiven. The enemy wants us to feel guilt and shame so that we think we’re still separated from God. If we don’t believe that we’ve truly been forgiven, we might think we’ve got to earn God’s love and acceptance again. We might think we’ve blown our opportunity to do anything for God, and just give up on the plans He has for us. So we have to believe the truth that we’re forgiven, even when it doesn’t feel like it. We might not feel worthy of God’s forgiveness, but God’s forgiveness isn’t based on our worthiness, but on Christ’s. We don’t need to earn His forgiveness. It’s by grace. Grace means ‘undeserved favour.’ So even though we don’t deserve it, He loves to give us the gift of forgiveness. When God forgives us, let’s honour Him by forgiving ourselves and moving on. Jesus said: ‘If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you’ (Matthew 6:14 NIV). We can’t accept God’s forgiveness for ourselves, but neglect to show grace and mercy to those around us. So let’s believe we’re forgiven, and let’s show grace to those who have hurt us.
Isa 26-29; Matt 11:10-19; Ps 107:17-22; Prov 3:21-24
2020-01-18
Ephesians 2:8 NIV
We can feel insecure when we’re not sure who we are and we not sure that we’re good enough to be loved. It can affect all of our relationships, including our relationship with God. If they’re not dealt with, our insecurities can damage our relationships and we can end up trying to earn love and approval. But in Jesus we have a secure identity. Through Him we can be: 1) Secure in our appearance. God created us in His image, and He doesn’t make mistakes. We might not look like the people we see in magazines, but that doesn’t mean we’re not beautiful. The Bible says: ‘I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Psalm 139:14 NIV). 2) Secure in our purpose. God created us with a purpose in mind. He’s given us gifts and skills for us to use to advance the kingdom and glorify Him. Sometimes we can feel like we’re not good enough to be used by God, but that’s not true. We each have our part to play, and we can know that God has things for us to do, even if we’ve messed up in the past. 3) Secure in our future. Once we’ve accepted Jesus and surrendered our lives to Him, we can be secure in our eternal future. We don’t need to earn our salvation. It’s a gift from Him. The Bible says: ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.’ We need to believe the truth that we’re loved, chosen, and accepted. When we know exactly who we are in Christ, we’ll be secure in our identity and able to focus on the things God’s called us to do.
Exo 28-29; Matt 8:10-17; Ps 84; Prov 2:16-19
2019-12-06
Esther 4:14 NKJV
Moses began his ministry when he was eighty. Esther started hers as a teenaged girl. When she heard the words of Mordecai – “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” – she could easily have said, “Give me time to grow up, get married, have children, and fulfill my dreams before asking me to put my life on the line to save the Jewish people.” But she didn’t. She said, “I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish” (v. 16 AMPC). Often what God does in you while you’re waiting is more important than the thing you’re waiting for. Sometimes you think you’re ready but God knows you’re not, so He puts you into the school of faith. That’s where you learn to listen to “the teacher” (the Holy Spirit), study your lessons, pass the tests, and graduate so that God can use you. It’s not a comfortable place to be, but God is more interested in your character than your comfort. Missionary Nancy Cockrell writes: “It was God’s plan all along to bring you here to serve Him, by using your gifts to minister to others – for such a time as this. He has given you the grace to reflect the love and character of Christ, to be a light in a darkened world – for such a time as this. You have a unique place of service in God’s kingdom, touching lives as only you can do – for such a time as this.” So here’s the question: Is God telling you today – your time has come?
Soul food: Col 3-4; Philemon; John 17:13-26; Ps 148:1-6; Prov 29:11-15
2019-11-26
Jeremiah 45:3 NLT
Some of the people we admire in Scripture experienced times when they felt “worn out,” yet unable to rest. Jeremiah said, ‘”I am overwhelmed with trouble! Haven’t I had enough pain already? And now the Lord has added more! I am worn out from sighing and can find no rest'” (v. 3 NLT). The psalmist put it this way: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13 NKJV). Then he goes on to say: “I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!” (Psalm 61:2-4 NLT). If you’re feeling overwhelmed today, take a minute to pray this prayer: “Lord, it feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders and I know this isn’t Your will. Teach me to cast my worries and concerns on You, knowing that You have promised to take care of me (See 1 Peter 5:7). Give me courage to change the things I can, grace to accept the things I can’t, and wisdom to know the difference. Never let me become so busy that I forsake my quiet time with You. Teach me to be still and know that You’re my God (See Psalm 46:10). Thank You for being my refuge; a very present help in this time of trouble (See Psalm 46:1). In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.”
Soul food: Josh 1-4; John 14:1-14; Ps 118:10-18; Prov 28:1-4
