2018-08-09
Romans 10:17 NKJV
Every day fear and faith will arise inside you, and you get to decide which one will prevail. Somebody wrote, “Two natures beat within my breast; the one is foul, the other blessed. The one I love, the other I hate; the one I feed will dominate.” Fear and faith will always be present in your life, and the one you feed will come out on top. You can’t expect fear to simply disappear. If you focus on your fears, entertain them, and give in to them, they’ll increase. The way to overcome them is to starve them. Don’t give them your time or energy. Don’t feed them with gossip, negative news reports, or frightening movies. Focus on your faith, and each day feed it through God’s Word (See Romans 10:17). The more energy and time you devote to your faith, the stronger it will become. Anytime you feel afraid of something but do it anyway, you reprogram your attitude. In other words, when you feel afraid, it means “go” instead of “stop”; it means “fight harder” instead of “give up.” The most important step you can take to overcome fear is trusting God to do the thing you think you can’t do. No matter how strong a hold fear may have on you, it can be overcome. That’s because fear is in your mind, and your mind can be renewed by the Word of God. Here’s the key: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2 NKJV).
Soul food: 1 Chr 6:1-7:19; Luke 12:1-12; Ps 119:9-16; Prov 20:19-21
2018-06-24
Psalm 23:5 NKJV
When the Psalmist said, “The Lord is my shepherd” (v. 1), he was affirming that he had a very personal relationship with God; one that was unique. God has given each of us a one-of-a-kind personality, gifting, purpose, and calling. And He wants a relationship with you that is unlike the one He has with anybody else. Just like your fingerprints are unique, so also is God’s interaction with you. Therefore you need to learn how to hear His voice and to know when He is speaking specifically to you. The Psalmist goes on to say, “You prepare a table before me.” Think about it this way. When you’re waiting for a table in a restaurant and your name is on the waiting list, sometimes the hostess will give you a pager to hold. Then when it’s time to be seated, the pager will vibrate or light up. In the meantime, you have every confidence they are preparing a table for you, and that if you’re patient, when it’s ready the pager will vibrate and let you know. Are you getting the idea? As you read God’s Word and spend time with Him in prayer, something begins to vibrate and light up in your spirit. That’s “God’s pager” leading and guiding you, and preparing the circumstances just for you. Paul writes, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NLT). How many of your personal needs will God provide? All of them! So stop worrying so much and instead put your trust in Him!
Soul food: Matt 5:5; Num 12:1-15; Ps 37:1-9; Phil 2:5-11
2018-02-07
1 Samuel 14:6 NIV
During the early days of Saul’s kingship, the Philistines controlled the western border of Israel, and battle lines were drawn at the pass called Michmash. Saul seemed content to sit on the sidelines, but Jonathan wanted to be on the front line. “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side” (v. 1 NIV). There was only Jonathan and his armor bearer, so the odds didn’t look good. But when you make a move that is motivated by God’s glory, it moves the heart and hand of God. What it requires is a step of faith. And often it’s the longest, hardest, and scariest step you’ve ever taken. Usually when Israel’s kings went into battle it was because they had received a word from the Lord assuring their victory. Jonathan had received no such word. He simply said, “Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf.” Most people operate out of the opposite mentality: “Perhaps the Lord won’t act in our behalf.” They let fear dictate their decisions instead of faith. So they end up with Saul, sitting on the sidelines. And how did the battle turn out for Jonathan and his armor bearer? “So the Lord rescued Israel that day” (v. 23 NIV). All it took was one daring decision! That’s all it ever takes. When you move, God will move on your behalf. And if you don’t move, you’ll always wonder “what if?” Our longest regrets are our inaction regrets – the things we would have, could have, or should have done but did not do. So the word for you today is: Trust God, and act!
Soul food: Num 25-26; Matt 13:1-9; Ps 120; Prov 3:33-35
2017-09-08
Ephesians 1:11 NLT
The Bible says, “The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right” (Psalm 84:11 NLT). Sometimes we pray for a certain thing, believing it’s good for us. But God, who has a plan for your life, knows what would be “good” and what wouldn’t be. Billy Graham’s wife, Ruth, said if God had answered all her prayers when she was young, she’d have married the wrong man – several times. Two teardrops were floating down the river of life. One asked the other, “Who are you?” The second replied, “I’m the teardrop from the girl who loved a man and lost him. Who are you?” The first teardrop replied, “I am the teardrop of the girl who got him.” That’s the way life goes, isn’t it? We cry over what we don’t have, not realizing we might have cried twice as hard if God had given it to us. The expression “walking by faith” means trusting the plan God has already worked out, and will reveal to you on a need-to-know basis. Paul said, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11 NKJV). Clearly his contentment didn’t come from his surroundings, since he spent all but seven years of his ministry in prison. So where did it come from? The knowledge that God “makes everything work out according to his plan.” Does that mean Paul understood every detail of God’s plan? No, but when he didn’t understand the plan, he trusted the Planner! And that’s where Paul’s peace, joy, and contentment came from. The same goes for you.
Soul food: Col 1-2; Mark 11:1-11; Ps 78:9-16; Prov 23:22-25
2017-09-03
Joshua 1:9 NIV
When it came time for Joshua to take the place of Moses, God said to him, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” And today God is saying the same to you. He wants you to pursue the dream He has put in your heart! Alfred D. Souza wrote: “For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, and a debt to be paid. Then, life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.” When you encounter obstacles, you discover things about yourself you never knew. You discover the depth of your faith in God – and in yourself. Every problem introduces you to yourself. Obstacles are merely a call to strengthen your position, not surrender your dream. When you look back on your life, you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the ones you did. So when your dream looks impossible, trust God and act as though it’s impossible to fail. Why? Because “with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27 NKJV). That means if you’re going to climb Mount Everest, make sure to bring the flag with you. Don’t listen to those who tell you, “It can’t be done that way.” Or to those who say, “You’re taking too big a chance.” Ignore what people say can’t be done and focus on what God says can be done.
Soul food: Gen 11:1-9; Phil 2:1-11; Ps 133
