2023-10-02
2 Chronicles 20:17 NKJV
Trust what God tells you. “You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord… Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you” (v. 17 NKJV).
God’s way of resolving our problems can frequently go against our logic. Maybe that is why we are hesitant to approach Him in certain matters. Why would God instruct Jehoshaphat’s army, which was clearly no match for three armies, to show up prepared for a battle they were not intended to fight? That didn’t make any sense! God will many times tell us to “position” ourselves to deal with a demanding task or problem we feel completely inadequate to tackle. Our challenge is to obey Him and position ourselves to win. How do you do that?
(1) You “position” yourself when you choose to enter college, even though you may not have achieved well in high school.
(2) You “position” yourself when you resign from a job at God’s urging and start a new business, even though a long list of customers or clients isn’t waiting in the wings.
(3) You “position” yourself when you sit down at your computer each day to write a book you have always desired to write – without a head full of knowledge but with a heart full of faith that God will join you there with His words.
God’s instruction is to position ourselves for victory. He wants us to show up, so He can show Himself strong on our behalf (See 2 Chronicles 16:9 NKJV).
Soul food: 1 Sam 1-3; Mark 15:33-47; Ps 68:1-18; Prov 22:1-5
2023-09-28
Psalm 39:7 NKJV
Life seldom works out exactly the way we hope or think it will. When Job lost everything, he said, “I don’t have the strength to endure. I have nothing to live for… I am utterly helpless, without any chance of success” (Job 6:11, 13 NLT). Yet in the end, Job got back twice as much as he had lost. But the experiences and adversities he had gone through changed his attitude toward God profoundly. “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted… My ears have heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:2, 5 NIV).
What had Job discovered? That God is sovereign! He is not our servant, we are His servants. We must obey His Word in order to walk in His blessing – but the final outcome of all things rests in His hands and not ours.
Many of us struggle with control. We want control not only over our circumstances, but our goals, plans, relationships, and all that concerns us. Such fear is often an indication of an unconscious desire to be independent of God; to be the master of our own destiny. Sometimes it’s the result of growing up in a chaotic environment and resolving never to repeat the experiences of your earlier life.
Perhaps you think you’re in control of your life due to your educational, financial, or other achievements. It isn’t true. God enabled you to do everything that you have done. Paul writes, “But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favour on me” (1 Corinthians 15:10 NLT). Today God is in control – trust Him!
Soul food: S of S 1-4; Mark 15:12-20; Ps 13; Prov 21:22-27
2023-09-13
Deuteronomy 31:7-8 NKJV
When God tells you to “go,” remind yourself that every detail of your future is already known to Him. Centuries ago when a mapmaker ran out of the known world before he ran out of parchment, he would frequently draw a dragon at the edge of the scroll. This was intended as a sign to explorers that they were entering unknown territory at their own risk. Many, however, didn’t regard the dragon as a mapmaker’s warning sign but instead as a prophecy. They foresaw disaster beyond the known worlds they traversed, and their fear kept them from pushing on to discover new lands and peoples. Other more adventuresome travelers, however, saw the dragon as a sign of opportunity and a doorway to new worlds worth exploring.
Each of us has a mental map that contains the information we use for guidance as we begin each day. And like the maps of long ago, our mental maps have edges to them, and sometimes those edges seem to be marked by dragons or fears. We fear failing, or being rejected, or ridiculed, or that we won’t have enough, or that we will lose what we have.
If that’s how you feel today, read these words spoken by God to His people when they stood on the threshold of the promised land without knowing what awaited them when they went into it. “The Lord, He is the One who goes before you.” So, write down your goal, map out a strategy, and set a deadline. Then commit it to God, believing that He has gone before you to prepare the way.
Soul food: Eze 27:25-30:26; Mark 12:28-44; Ps 78:32-39; Prov 20:20-21
2023-09-11
Hebrews 4:16 NIV
If you feel unworthy to approach God in prayer, stop and read these words: “Let us… approach God’s throne of grace with confidence… that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (v. 16 NIV). The word “grace” means “undeserved kindness, mercy, favour, and help when you need it.” Notice three important things:
(1) When you need grace, you can approach God with complete confidence. Why? Because you’re coming to a throne of grace and mercy, not a throne of judgment. All your sins – past, present, and future – were paid for the moment Jesus said, “It is finished.” Satan, whom the Bible calls “the accuser,” wants you to feel condemned, guilty, and unworthy to approach God. But the moment you placed your trust in Christ, God clothed you in Christ’s righteousness. Therefore, you can always come to Him with confidence.
(2) When you need more grace, pray more. God has all the grace needed to help you, but you must go before His throne and ask for it. A prayerless Christian is a graceless Christian. The Bible says, “Grow in grace,” and if you’re not praying every day, you’re not growing in your spiritual life. So, what’s the answer? Spend more time hanging around the throne that dispenses grace.
(3) God’s grace is given based on your need at that moment. He won’t give you tomorrow’s grace until tomorrow, so don’t bother asking for it. But don’t be concerned; the supply of grace you have in Christ will not run out tomorrow – or ever! That means you can’t wear out your welcome by going to the throne of grace too often.
Soul food: Eze 22-23; Mark 12:1-12; Ps 78:9-16; Prov 20:11-14
2023-08-29
Psalm 37:3 AMPC
Sometimes when we have problems, we withdraw from normal life and spend all our time obsessing and trying to solve them. We talk about them to anyone who will listen. All this is unproductive activity which prevents us from doing what we should be doing, which is “doing good.” If you want to experience the benefits of God’s faithfulness, you must do two things: (1) “Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord.” (2) “And do good.”
When we have problems, it feels counterintuitive to focus on blessing others. But it’s not; it’s actually a very powerful thing to do. It takes your mind off you and your problem. Plus, you’re sowing good seed that ultimately brings your good harvest. Falling into self-pity, fretting, and talking negatively prevent God from helping you. But trusting Him and persisting in doing good for others release Him to work on your behalf.
We may know it’s wrong to worry and yet continue worrying. We must realize that none of God’s promises work for us until we actually obey His Word. Knowledge alone won’t solve your problems; you must take action and be obedient no matter how you feel. You might not feel like keeping a commitment or doing something to help someone else, but when you do it, God goes to work on your behalf. So, one of the keys to overcoming fear and worry is doing what God has told you to do regardless of how you feel.
Soul food: Gal 4-6; Mark 9:1-13; Ps 119:161-168; Prov 19:3-8
