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Food for the Soul, devotionals to help you in your busy life, written by NEWIM board members and staff.
Long ago, a friend explained to me that a negative situation needs to have a skeleton to make sense. No, my friend wasn't talking about the skeleton in my closet. He meant that people will grab onto whatever information is available, whether true or false, to make sense of something they don't understand.
Read MoreOne evening I was quietly considering the news concerning Covid-19 when a still small voice asked, "Are you ready to die in two weeks?" I was startled and puzzled by the question and checked off some crucial things in my life:
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, who died a sacrificial death to redeem me from my sins. He was crucified, resurrected on the third day, revealed himself to over 500, ascended into Heaven and now sits at the right hand of God. Through faith in Christ, Heaven is my destination when this life ceases.
I have a will, a trust, and a long list of who gets what.
We filed our taxes.
When the kids clean out the garage, they will often say, "What was Mother thinking when she bought this?" That is the summer task that I may or may not get to finish.
So, yes, I guess I'm ready to die if the Lord calls me.
Considering that I am "of the age" not to survive this new scourge hitting the world, it is a good question for the Holy Spirit to ask. How about you? Are you ready to die in two weeks? What does your list cover?
Read More"Love is a word that can hold so much hope and so much pain" writes Betsy Cockrell. "Our perception of love impacts our thoughts, feelings, and actions. When we are confident we are loved, our lives reflect courage, security, kindness, and generosity. Feeling unloved, however, makes us respond differently—quick to anger, bitter, withdrawn, insecure, and stingy. Are you feeling loved or unloved? God has been helping me take a closer look at my heart. I want my life to reflect someone who not only is confident she is loved, but can confidently love others...To live like this, my understanding of the incomprehensible love of God needs to grow."
Read MoreNinety-five days till Christmas the newscaster said. Inwardly I groaned. Unlike Hobby Lobby who starts Christmas after the Fourth of July, it's hard for me to get motivated when Halloween (sorry, the Autumn Festival) has yet to arrive. Working in a large church has rearranged my priorities for holidays. START EARLY, OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.
Read MoreAnd of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times,
to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred;
and all their brethren were at their commandment.”
—1 Chronicles 12:32 (KJV)
Driving to work one day, I got behind a car with a double dose of stickers. Among them were a cross, a star and the ever-popular icon for the saying, “not of this world.” I thought about that for a few minutes as I waited for a light to turn green. With all the extreme events in the world, from hurricanes to earthquakes, floods and shootings, to all the other tragedies, it was good to remember this is not my eternal home. Yet even as the thought came into my head, the Holy Spirit quickly reminded me that being “not of this world” is not an insulation from reality. I can’t wrap myself in a cocoon and I can’t hide my head in the sand, especially as a leader.
The children of Issachar had the same issue. They were one of the twelve tribes of Israel, from the fifth son of Leah and Jacob. Each of the tribes were struggling to know what God wanted of them. Should they follow King Saul, who was proving to be unfit, or fall in with the new guy, David, who was emerging as God’s chosen one? From this scripture we see they knew what to do. They were a people who uniquely understood the times and seasons, as well as their position under God and what He wanted them to do. So they followed David.
It would be great if we didn’t need to worry about the myriad issues plaguing our society today. Sadly, the enemy of our souls has not stopped his quest for success. Satan wants nothing more than to limit our leadership and create chaos in our ministry. Thus, we must continue to be cognizant of anything he puts in our path.
Strive to be like the children of Issachar. Seek God in developing discernment and wisdom to understand the times in which we live. Ask for insight to see clearly the way to best utilize giftedness in meeting the needs of those living in a fallen world. While it might be easier to ignore what is happening in real life, it is our responsibility to know what we ought to do for His Kingdom and glory.
“All Christians are but God’s stewards.
Everything we have is on loan from the Lord,
entrusted to use for a while in serving him.”
—John MacArthur
