2020-10-06
Ecclesiastes 11:4 NIV
Should you risk investing, or wait for a “lucky break” that could make you rich overnight? Solomon answers, “Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return” (v. 1 NIV). That means invest prayerfully and wisely, and be patient because it may take “many days” before you’ll get a return.
The get-rich-quick mentality isn’t scriptural. “Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land” (v. 2 NIV). So invest, but diversify; allow for market fluctuations. This is a play-it-wise approach, not a play-it-safe one.
Be faith-driven instead of fear-driven. Fear allows the unpredictable to determine your actions. Godly wisdom, plus faith, is the key to investing. Waiting for “the ideal time” will keep you paralyzed. Success isn’t in the absence of challenges, it’s having the wisdom to manage them and keep moving forward.
The Bible says, “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.” If you let the odds immobilize you, you’ll never sow – which means you’ll never reap.
The bottom line is this: Life is full of unknowns, and just “as you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb…you cannot understand the work of God” (v. 5 NIV). You don’t have to know it all or be able to predict the outcome. Just seek God, then act on the wisdom He gives you (See James 1:5). You don’t have to understand how He’s going to work on your behalf – you only need to believe He will!
Soul food: 1 Sam 18:1-20:29; John 1:1-13; Ps 92; Prov 22:24-25
2020-06-30
Matthew 14:29 ESV
Comfort zones can be challenging to leave. We like things as they are; we don’t want change. It can feel risky to do something different. The Bible tells us that ‘Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.’ He took a risk and left his comfort zone. Will we do the same? Here are some questions to help us think about it: 1) What’s my boat? Our boat is whatever gives us our sense of security. It’s what we’re tempted to put our trust in when life gets stormy. If we’re not sure what our boat is, we can ask ourselves, ‘What would cause me fear if I had to leave it behind and step into something new?’ 2) What’s keeping me from getting out of my boat? The thing that often stops us is fear. That might be fear of people, fear of failure, fear of criticism, or fear of not having enough. In order to grow, we have to step out into new territory, and each time we do that, we’ll experience fear. But each time we get out of our boat, we become a little more able to do it the next time, and we begin to realise that fear doesn’t have the power to control us. 3) What will I lose by staying in my boat? If we stay in our comfort zones, we won’t reach our full potential and we won’t be able to achieve everything that God has called us to do. It might feel like a risk, but if we don’t take the risk then we might spend our lives wondering what would have happened if we’d stepped out of the boat.
Jer 10-13; Luke 3:21-38; Ps 95; Prov 14:29-33
2019-11-17
Romans 8:6 NKJV
Paul writes, “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit” (v. 5 NKJV). Passenger planes are designed to fly in two ways – through the skill of a pilot and the commands they receive from the control tower. To “live according to the Spirit” means obeying His promptings. You do that by going through your day with an awareness of His presence. Submit, as you feel Him tugging at your heart to take a particular course of action, even if you don’t quite understand why. You may be prompted to drop a particular conversation, turn away quickly from a certain television program, walk away from a questionable environment, or even go “by another way.” (Remember the wise men in Matthew 2:12?) Whatever it is, do it immediately. The Holy Spirit may be warning you about a temptation you’ll be unable to resist unless you obey Him there and then. Perhaps there’s someone who comes to your mind during the day, and you know he or she is going through a difficult time and could use some support. Get in touch with them. God wants to minister to that person through you, and He will bless you when you do it. The Holy Spirit may guide you to do a certain thing, or take a risk you never imagined you’d take. The wisest thing is always to submit to His plan, regardless of whether or not it makes sense to you. God knows all things, including your future, and His direction is always for your benefit.
Soul food: Josh 1; Ps 27:11-14; 2 Cor 5:6-10
2019-11-08
Ephesians 4:26 NLT
The first mention of anger in Scripture is when Cain got so angry with his brother Abel that he murdered him. Sixty percent of all murders in America are committed by family members. But anger not only kills others, it can kill you. Dr. Redford Williams, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Duke University, states: “The hostility and anger associated with Type-A behavior is a major contributor to heart disease. People who struggle with anger are five times more likely to suffer coronary heart disease, and people with heart disease more than double their risk of a heart attack when they get angry.” Of course, there’s a difference between anger and mere aggravation. A little girl asked her father to explain that difference. So he picked up the phone, dialed a number, allowed his daughter to listen in, and when the other person answered, he said, “Hello. Is Melvin there?” Back came the answer, “There’s no one here named Melvin. Why don’t you look up numbers before you dial them?” The father waited a moment, then re-dialed the number. “Hello. Is Melvin there?” The man yelled, “I just told you there’s no Melvin here! Don’t call this number again!” then slammed down the receiver. The father looked at his daughter and said, “Honey, that was anger. Now let me show you aggravation.” He dialed the number again and when a voice roared back, “Hello!” her dad calmly said, “Hi. This is Melvin, have there been any calls for me?” The word anger is only one letter short of the word danger. So ask God to help you manage your anger. He will!
Soul food: 1 Chr 19:1-23:20; John 9:24-41; Ps 115; Prov 25:26-28
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
