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FOCUS ON WHAT IS ‘ABOVE
‘Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.’
Colossians 3:2 NIV
Today we’re big on the concept of instant gratification
and acquiring more stuff. But ‘earthly things’ lose their
appeal once the bill arrives and the interest on your credit
cards starts piling up. When that happens, blessings can
turn into curses and rob you of the joy of living. One
pastor says: ‘Materialism doesn’t satisfy because it’s
tyrannical and human beings were born to be free…We find
we don’t own the house—the house owns us. We’re
married to a mortgage. We become slaves to gadgets and
garments. After they’re purchased, delivered and
installed, we enjoy a fleeting sense of pleasure, but they
still dominate, dictate and demand, ‘‘Press me, polish me,
patch me, paint me, prune me, plaster me!’’ We spend our
best years and the bulk of our money working for ‘‘things”
until…we’ve no time left to pursue life’s really enjoyable
vocations: visiting friends, having fun and going to
church…no time to do good deeds, see places, or visit the
people who give us the greatest inner joy. Paul says,
‘‘Godliness with contentment is great gain’' (1 Timothy
6:6 NIV). And to experience that contentment you need to
count your blessings every day and thank the One who
made them all possible.’ Jon Walker writes: ‘Assume
there’s an imaginary line dividing what you can see from
what you can’t see—the temporal from the eternal. Our
objective in Jesus is to look upon the things ‘‘above”, so
we can understand that what we see and feel is not a full
and accurate measurement of God’s reality…people are
eternal beings, and decisions that seem insignificant now,
when seen in the fullness of reality, are of eternal
significance.’
Number 7, Matthew 11: 1-9, Psalm 107: 1-9, Proverb 3:
13-18

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A HUNGER FOR GOD’S WORD
‘As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word …’ 1
Peter 2:2 NKJV
How does a newborn baby desire milk? With an intensity
you can’t imagine unless you’ve heard the midnight cry!
The fact that you’ve worked hard all day and are tired, or
that you fed the baby just an hour earlier, doesn’t matter.
An infant’s agenda is about as focused and uncluttered as
you can get. He or she wants to eat—right now! When was
the last time your spiritual stomach growled so much at
midnight that you just had to get up and feed your soul on
God’s Word? Here’s how Peter addressed the issue:
‘Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy,
envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the
pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed
you have tasted that the Lord is gracious’ (vv. 1-3 NKJV).
Note the words ‘if…you have tasted’. When you’ve tasted
the real thing you can’t get by on junk food. Your spiritual
taste buds won’t let you. Note, not only can you not
ignore a baby’s hunger; you can’t fool their sense of
taste. When you start mixing stuff into their formula that
wasn’t meant to be there, their taste buds and stomach
will reject it. Have you ever heard the phrase ‘projectile
vomiting’? Junk food is designed to fill a need with a
quick fix that may satisfy you for a while, but it doesn’t
provide any real nourishment. You can tell when you’re
spiritually malnourished and underdeveloped. Peter says
the symptoms are malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and evil
speaking. So open your Bible today and pray, ‘Lord, give
me a hunger for Your Word.’
Numbers 14-15, Matthew 12: 1-14, Psalm 107: 23-32,
Proverb 3: 25-26

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SEARCHING FOR SIGNIFICANCE (1)
‘…You are Mine.’ Isaiah 43:1 NKJV
Do you remember the hit song by Dean Martin, ‘You’re
Nobody till Somebody Loves You’? Such lyrics show up
our deepest concern. We want our lives to matter, to mean
something. Our deepest fear is of coming and going—and
nobody knowing! We strive with our lack of education, our
spot on the financial totem pole, and our looks. That’s
why it bothers us when a friend forgets to call, or a
teacher forgets our name, or a colleague takes credit for
something we have done. We crave attention, drop the
names of important people in conversations, and put
flashy hubcaps on our cars. Fashion designers tell us,
‘You’ll be somebody if you wear our jeans.’ So we go out
and spend half our wages on a pair of Italian jeans. But
then—horror of horrors—the style changes from tight to
baggy, faded to black, and we’re left wearing yesterday’s
jeans, feeling like yesterday’s news. Simply stated: you
can’t gain significance from the outside. It’s an inside
job. Your sense of significance must come from someone
you trust, someone you know will never change, someone
who knows the worst about you and always believes the
best. And there’s only one such source: God. So read on:
‘Thus says the Lord, who created you…who formed you…
Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by
your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the
waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they
shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire,
you shall not be burned…For I am the Lord your God…you
[are] precious in My sight’ (vv. 1-4 NKJV).
Number 16-18, Matthew 12: 15-21, Psalm 107: 33-43,

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God Knows What You've Done


'...God will bring every work into
judgment, including every secret
thing, whether good or evil.'
Ecclesiastes 12:14 NKJV
One of the chief attributes of God
is His omniscience. It’s a word
comprising two parts. The first
part, ‘omni’, means ‘all’, and the
second part, ‘science’, relates to
knowledge. That means He is an omniscient God who
knows
everything you say, everything
you think and everything you do.
The story is told of a wealthy
grandfather who had a hearing
aid fitted. When he went for a routine check–up, his
doctor
commented, ‘Your family must be
happy to know that now you can
hear.’ The grandfather said, ‘Actually, I haven’t told them
about the hearing aid. I just sit around and listen to their
conversations—and I’ve already changed my will twice!’
God wants to bless you, but sin and
disobedience can keep that from
happening.
When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, he tried
to conceal it. But God exposed him. In God’s
eyes the only thing that’s worse
than sin is your unwillingness to
own up to it. Finally, David came clean and prayed,
‘Against You,
You only, have I sinned, and
done this evil in Your sight…’ (Psalm 51:4 NKJV) Then he
added, ‘Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash
me, and I shall be whiter
than snow.’ (Psalm 51:7 NKJV)
Note two important words:
‘hyssop’, which spoke of a
branch dipped in blood during
Passover, and ‘wash’. David needed a spiritual bath and
God gave him one. The fact is, God knows your ‘every
work… whether good or evil’, and no matter how badly
you’ve failed He will cleanse you, forgive you, and restore
your joy.
SoulFood: Num 25-26, Luke
8:16-25, Ps 120, Prov 3:33-35

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Caring for the Needy



'Blessed is he who considers the
poor...' Psalm 41:1 NKJV
One of the most common
excuses for not giving to the
needy is: ‘I had to work hard for
what I’ve got; so should they.’
True, the Bible teaches that if
you’re not willing to work you’re not entitled to support (2
Thessalonians 3:10). But did you
know:
(1) Six million children under five die every year of
starvation?
(2) One out of seven people goes to bed hungry every
night?
(3) The three richest people on the planet have more
collective wealth than the combined gross national
product of the world’s 48 poorest
countries?
General Booth, who founded the Salvation Army, said,
‘How can you convince a man of
the love of God if his feet are
perishing with the cold?’ If your
prayers aren’t being answered,
here’s something to consider. The Israelites fasted and
prayed,
then complained that God wasn’t
answering their prayers. That’s
when He told them: ‘The kind of
fasting I want is this: Remove the
chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the
oppressed go free.
Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to
the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have
nothing to wear… Then My favour will shine on you…and
your wounds will be quickly
healed. I will always be with you
to save you; My presence will
protect you on every side. When
you pray, I will answer you.’ (Isaiah 58:6–9 GNT)
When you care for the needy, the Lord promises to ‘deliver
[you] in times of trouble’ (Psalm 41:1 NKJV)— and you
can take that to the
bank.
SoulFood: Num 27-29, Luke
8:26-39, Ps 67, Prov 4:1-2

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How God Works (1)



'Indeed, the "right time" is now.'
2 Corinthians 6:2 NLT
The story of this incapacitated man’s healing is rich in
lessons.
Let’s look at them for the next
few days:
(1) He was in a beautiful situation but he wasn’t enjoying
it. ‘…A man who was lame from birth was being carried to
the temple gate called
Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg…’ (Acts 3:2
NIV)
When you have a stubborn problem, even if you’re in a
beautiful situation, you can’t enjoy it.
(2) He was close to the answer but it was beyond his
reach. Every day he sat at the Temple gates watching
others go in and be blessed. But because of his condition,
the Law of Moses prevented him from doing the same. Is
that where you are
today—in church, but not able to
receive what God has for you?
You sing the songs, pray the prayers, and listen to the
sermons, but you still have the same old problem?
(3) When his moment of deliverance came, he needed help
to seize it. ‘Peter said…“In the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, walk.” Taking him
by the right hand, he helped him
up…’ (Acts 3:6–7 NIV) This man
had no reason to think that today
would be any different. He didn’t
know God had earmarked it on His calendar as the day of
his deliverance. And this could be your day! ‘At just the
right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped
you.’ (2 Corinthians 6:2 NLT) The ‘right time’ for you is
now. But it won’t happen until you acknowledge your
need of God and get ready to receive His help. That means
keeping your faith strong, your heart open, and speaking
God’s promises over your situation.
SoulFood: Is 53:1-12, Acts
8:26-40

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How God Works (2)



A man who was lame from
birth was being carried to the
Temple gate...to beg.' Acts 3:2
NIV
The Bible says: ‘When he saw
Peter and John…he asked them
for money…Then Peter said,
“Silver and gold I do not have,
but what I have I give you. In the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by
the right
hand, he helped him up, and instantly…he jumped to his
feet
and began to walk…’ (Acts 3:3–8
NIV)
This story raises three questions:
(1) What’s your area of weakness? That’s important to
know, because a handicap in one area can cripple you in
other areas. Apart from lacking strength in his ankles this
man was normal, but his weakness stopped him from
living a happy
life. We all struggle with something. ‘The temptations in
your life are no different from what others experience…’ (1
Corinthians 10:13 NLT)
(2) How are you handling your
weakness? This man was at the
Temple gate to beg. Why are you
there? You need to know that,
before you can get up and move
on. Refuse to settle there; rise up and say: ‘This may be
who I am
now, but by God’s grace it’s not
who I’m going to be!’
(3) What are you expecting? A crutch to help you live with
your problem? A way to avoid doing what’s necessary to
become whole? This man was looking for handouts,
not healing. But handouts won’t
get you back on your feet.
Furthermore, when your focus is
limited to what people can do for you, it can cause you to
miss
what God can do for you. By
God’s power this man got up and
walked—and you can, too.
SoulFood: Num 32:25-33:56,
Luke 9:1-17, Ps 134, Prov 4:5-13

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How God Works (3)



'Taking him by the right hand, he
helped him up...'
Acts 3:7 NIV
A few important observations:
(1) Peter allowed God to change
his plans. ‘…Peter and John were
going up to the temple at the time
of prayer—at three in the afternoon.’ (Acts 3:1 NIV)
Is prayer important? Yes, it’s all–
important! But you can get so
caught up in church activities that
you walk past hurting people sitting on the church’s
doorstep.
You must be sensitive to people’s needs, available to
God, and
willing to change your plans at a
moment’s notice.
(2) Peter used the name that’s bigger than any problem.
‘…In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’ (Acts 3:6
NIV) And he did!
Paul writes, ‘…At the name of Jesus every knee should
bow…every tongue should confess that Jesus…is
Lord…’ (Philippians 2:10–11
NKJV) You say, ‘What’s in a name?’ In this case—
everything!
At the name of Jesus hell trembles, sin is forgiven,
sickness is healed and stubborn habits broken.
(3) Peter did more than pray; he extended a helping hand.
‘Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and
instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He
jumped to his feet and began to
walk.’ (Acts 3:7–8 NIV)
Today you’re surrounded by people
who need help to get back on their feet spiritually,
emotionally, physically, and financially. Reach
out in love and lift them! They don’t need you to spend the
rest of your life supporting them.
They just need a hand up—and
an introduction to the One who’s
able and waiting to meet their need. God used Peter to
bring deliverance to this man, and He will use you too.
But you have to be ready.
SoulFood: Num 34-36, Luke
9:18-27, Ps 138, Prov 4:14-17

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GIVE GOD THE ‘FIRST-FRUITS’ OF YOUR TIME
‘…I require…the first-fruits and the choicest of your
contributions….’Ezekiel 20:40 AMP
In the Old Testament, the first part of the harvest was to be
offered to God in gratitude. So when God says, ‘…I
require…the first-fruits and the choicest of your
contributions…,’ it means instead of fitting Him into your
agenda you must put Him at the top. Notice: He wants
your ‘first-fruits’, not your leftovers. One Bible teacher put
it like this: ‘I’ve trained myself to start each day by giving
God the first-fruits of my time. I’ve realised that I’m not
going to get through the day peacefully if I don’t…So, each
morning I get coffee, and usually while still in my
pyjamas, I spend as much time with God as I need to in
order to feel I can behave properly and walk in the Fruit of
the Spirit throughout the day. I’ve learned to use the best
part of my day to give God the best part of my heart.’
Giving God the first moments of the morning helps keep
my priorities straight for the rest of the day. Don’t use this
gift of time with God to meditate on your problems…set
your heart as the Psalmist did: ‘…I trusted in, relied on,
and was confident in You, O Lord; I said, “You are my
God. My times are in Your hands’’’ (Psalms 31:14-15
AMP). Note the words ‘my times are in Your hands….’
Each day will bring times of joy, times of testing, times of
challenge, and times of temptation. That’s why you need
to pray, ‘Lord, each hour of this day I’m depending on
You. Let my words, my attitudes, my decisions, and my
actions bring glory to You.’
Number 34-36, Matthew 13: 47-58, Psalm 138, Proverbs
4: 14-17

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HOW TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS (1)
‘When I heard these things, I sat down and wept...’
Nehemiah 1:4 NIV
In spite of impossible odds and implacable enemies,
Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in just fifty-two
days. It was an incredible accomplishment! And he wasn’t
even a builder; he was a waiter in the palace of King
Artaxerxes, a heathen monarch. Robert Goddard says,
‘It’s difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of
yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of
tomorrow.’ So before you say, ‘It can’t be done,’ or ‘I
don’t have the qualifications,’ examine Nehemiah’s story.
In fact, that’s what we’re going to do for the next few
days. The first lesson we learn is: you must find a need
that moves you. ‘They said to me… “The wall of
Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been
burned with fire." When I heard these things, I sat down
and wept. For some days I mourned…fasted and prayed
before…God…’ (vv. 3-4 NIV). And what did Nehemiah fast
and pray for? ‘…Give your servant success…’ (v. 11 NIV).
When you find a need that moves you to tears and causes
you to say, ‘Something must be done about this!’ the
chances are that God’s calling you to do something about
it. You may be a leader like Nehemiah, or you may simply
be like one of the followers who helped him. Either way,
when God stirs your heart about a need, He’s calling you
to get involved and take action. If you’re willing to say
‘Yes!’, He will place the resources of heaven at your
disposal. When your heart says, ‘This is what I was born
to do,’ you may have found your life’s vision.
Jonah 1-4, Matthew 14: 1-12, Psalm 141, Proverb 4:
18-19