Category: Food For Growth

⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Joshua 1:8).

God was speaking to Joshua and commanded him not to let the Book of the Law depart from his mouth. He was to speak it constantly. Today’s society says that we cannot speak the Word of God outside our homes or our churches. It is not “politically correct” to talk about Jesus or discuss His salvation in the workplace. However, God has a different opinion. He believes that we should meditate upon His Word day and night, and we are to be careful to do everything written in it.

And is it for nothing? No, God says that for then we will make our way prosperous, and we will have good success.

Do you want prosperity? Do you want good success? Seek the LORD and read and study His word, and meditate on what you’ve read and what you’ve learned. Then your way will be prosperous, and your work will be successful, and at the end of time, you will inherit eternal life.

Jesus did not come to this earth to die such a cruel death for nothing. He came so that we might have life and life more abundantly. Make no mistake, Jesus is coming back. He is coming back to get those who wait, those who believe, and those who have been redeemed by His shed blood.

Are you ready for His return? Have you been reading and meditating? Do you believe? Then Jesus is coming back for you.

Heavenly Father, please give me the desire for Your Word. Give me the zeal to keep Your commandments. Please help me in my day-to-day life so that I might not falter or fail. Thank You for all that You do for me, in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ” ² But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5:1–2).

The LORD had sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh to say to him, “Let My people go.” But Pharaoh asked a very pertinent question: “Who is the LORD?”

It’s a question that is still being asked today. “Who is the LORD that we should obey Him?”

Unlike other famous personalities, such as Socrates, Homer, Plato, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and others, whom we only know about because of a few manuscripts that attest to their existence, with a combined total of less than 3,000. Whereas with Jesus, we have more than 24,000 manuscripts that testify to the truth of the Gospel and proclaim Him as God.

So, who is the LORD? He is Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of the living God. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed many signs and wonders, miracles, and incredible acts of healing. He raised the dead, healed the sick, cleansed the leper, the blind saw, and the lame walked because of the word of His power.

He suffered and died on a Roman cross, was dead and buried for three days, but on the third day, He was raised to life again. He was seen by more than 500 eyewitnesses who were still alive at the time the Gospels were written. He ascended into heaven in a cloud, and He is coming back the same way that He was taken up.

Jesus existed before time started, and He will still exist after time is no more. Jesus is the eternal God, the creator of the heavens and the earth. Paul said that there are many gods and many lords, ^“yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist” (1 Cor 8:6).

Jesus is coming back one day to judge the living and the dead, and those who have rejected Him will be cast into the burning Lake of Fire, whose flames are never quenched, and the torment never ends. But for those who love Him and wait for His return, there will be peace and joy unspeakable and full of glory.

There will be no more hunger or thirst or pain or fear, or need, or want, for every need will be supplied and every wish fulfilled. Jesus is coming back. So, who is the LORD? He is the great God, the Savior and judge of the whole earth.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You that You sent Him to die for me. Thank You, LORD Jesus, that You were obedient unto death, even death on a cross, so that I might live in eternity with You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.

¹⁵ For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. ~ 1 Corinthians 4:15

When we read each letter from Paul to one of the Churches, we tend to take them for granted for what they truly were. See, Paul wasn’t just writing these letters just because they were important teachings, but because Paul was spiritually responsible for these churches. Each of these churches he helped plant and grow. He was spiritually invested in them. So, each letter was specifically detailed and tailored to each church.

So often, we think that one size fits all, and we miss the opportunity to truly help souls in the way that they need. We’ve forgotten the importance of discipleship. Without discipleship, there can be no growth. See, a new Christian is a baby in the faith. They’re going to make mistakes, fall prey to false teachings, and need direction and guidance in their walk of faith. We should take a page out of Paul’s book and disciple once again.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Return To Discipleship.

 

I was born on July 1^st 1997, so by definition, I’m a part of Gen-Z. Gen-Z is the generation spanning from 1997 to 2011. Gen-Z is probably the most hated on generation we have today. We talk about the annoying trends, erratic behavior, sexual promiscuity, anger issues, extreme wokeness, etc. but we never really talk about the most horrifying and heartbreaking thing about Gen-Z. Gen-Z survived a genocide.

Between the years of 1997 and 2011 there has been 19.5 million documented abortions. That’s not counting the illegal, secret, mislabeled abortions. There are currently 69.3 million Gen-Z alive today. That means that roughly 20%-28% of Gen-Z was murdered in their mother’s womb before they even took their first breath.

When those in charge are speaking against population growth and pushing a de-population belief, while simultaneously pushing abortion, it’s truly impossible to he honest and come to any other belief other than this is an actual genocide.

We are all fearfully and wonderfully made and loved by our Creator, yet we are taught, programmed, brainwashed to believe we’re just more evolved animals. That we’re not really a person until viability and viability is debatable. When we look at an entire generation losing a quarter of their population to selective pre-birth murder our hearts should break.

If our parents could commit such atrocities because of the brain washing and programming from such a young age, what atrocities will this generation commit since we are born into the program itself? It’s time we take a step back from teasing, mocking, and laughing at Gen-Z and begin to truly pray for Gen-Z.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Pray For Them All.

[18]  Hear then the parable of the sower: [19] When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. ~ Matthew 13:18-19

While Jesus sat by the sea great crowds circled Him and He told them The Parable of The Sower. In that parable, He gave us four types of people: Those that will never receive, those that will receive yet will fall away because of tribulations or hardships, those that will receive but the world will ultimately lead them astray, and those that will receive and cling to the Gospel of Christ. Now, I never really understood the first one until just a few minutes ago when it really clicked for me.

These are the people who no matter how much evidence you show them. No matter how many sources, documents, etc. you show them, they will refuse to believe. It will be as if you showed them nothing. These are the people whom Jesus was speaking about. Those who have hardened their heart so hard towards God that the Holy Spirit no longer even draws them to Himself.

When you share the Gospel with someone or you show someone blatant evidence of Christ and they refuse to believe, it’s not because you failed or somehow it’s your fault. Some people have Pharaoh Syndrome. They’ve hardened their heart so much against God, that the LORD has turned away from them and given them over to their own desires.

So, what are we to do? I believe two main things: find good soil (keep spreading the Gospel to anyone willing to listen) and pray that the LORD would have mercy on that soul that has rejected Him.

Dear LORD, please soften my heart to the world. Open my eyes so that I might see the world as you do. So that I might care enough about their souls that I might share Your Gospel with them. That I might share Your Truth with them. Help me not to speak damnation upon them out of anger or frustration but that out of love I would pray for their soul. Show me the good soil that I might know whose heart is willing to accept You. Who only needs to hear because their heart is ready for You. Help me to grow stronger in You that I might be a light in this dark and hopeless world. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

¹⁹ Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ~ Matthew 6:19-21

We brought nothing into this world, and we will take nothing out. All that we will have in eternity is what we send on ahead of us. And that is the reason why Jesus warned us to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven.

This world and the things of this world will pass away. We can’t take what is perishable with us to a place that is imperishable. Eternity is forever. This earth is not. So, why are we obsessed with what the world has to offer? The LORD has in store for us treasures and joy that none can even imagine. Therefore, focus on eternal treasure, not the temporary treasures of this world.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Focus On Eternal Treasures.

³ For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. ~ 2 Timothy 4:3-4

The King James says that, “… they will not endure sound doctrine …” People don’t want to hear sound doctrine but want their itching ears scratched. They leave the Truth of the Church and cling to a lie because they love this world and want their own lusts and passions satisfied. But friend, this world is passing away and eternity is hurdling toward us at a breakneck speed.

Now, hear me… eternity is forever. Jesus is coming back. Paul said that a crown of righteousness is laid up for all those who love His appearing and look forward to it (2 Timothy 4:8). These earthly desires (the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life) are all of the evil one, the devil, and those who are of him will cling to the fables of this world.

But as for us we are to remain sober-minded. We are to endure suffering. We are to win souls. We are to be ready to suffer for the sake of the Gospel if necessary. We must run our race with endurance and finish our course in victory. Then we will receive the crown of life that is laid up for us.

Don’t get caught up in the things of this world and miss out on all the good things God has in store for us. Greed is sweeping the pulpits and washing over the congregations. The Gospel is being twisted into a self-help, wealth-building message that reduces God merely to a means of personal gain.

I’m not preaching against prosperity. I believe in sowing and reaping, but when the blessings of the LORD are being sold from the pulpit. When the increase of wealth without repentance is trumpeted. When the promise of power without purity is condoned. We’ve corrupted the Word of God. The Church is not all about the here and now, but the here and now in preparation for eternity.

We brought nothing into this world, and we will take nothing out. All that we will have in eternity is what we send on ahead of us. And that is the reason for Jesus’ warning to us:

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Build For Eternity.

Matthew 22:37-40

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the great and first commandment. ³⁹ And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰ On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.

Jesus said that all of the Law and the Prophets depend on two commandments: Love the LORD your God with all your heart, mind, and soul; and love your neighbor as yourself. In other words, you can do all things for God, preach and teach accurately, you can even give your life for the sake of the Gospel, but if you do not have love, you are a resounding symbol and you gain nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

And if we keep all the law, but we fail in the part of loving our neighbor as ourselves, what will become of us? We will be found without fruit. The LORD said that if we don’t bear fruit, we will be cut off and the thrown into the fire (John 15:1-6). So, what are we to do? Love. Love as Jesus did. He didn’t condemn. Insult. Demonize. Demean. Instead, we share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. Yes, we need to point out sin. But we have to do it without condemnation and insult.

So many of us claim to be Christians but insult and tear down others. What kind of testimony is that? If we, who are supposed to be Christ to the world, can’t do the basic foundational act of loving our neighbor (which is everyone), how can we expect the world to change? How we treat others matters. How we love matters.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Watch How You Love.

³ Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. ~ Numbers 12:3

Moses was referred to as meek. Many believe that means weak, but Moses was far from being weak. Moses was actually a powerful leader, and Israel prospered under his leadership. But to say he was weak is not a statement that can be attributed to Moses, the man of God.

For instance, Moses was up on the mountain with God for forty days and forty nights, during that time the people of Israel created for themselves a god. So, what did Moses do? He took the god that they had made, the golden calf, and burned it with fire, and then ground it to powder and scattered it on the water, and made the people drink it.

That meek man does not sound like a weak man because he wasn’t. He did not back down from confrontation. He was not skirmish about fighting battles in the time of war, nor was he timid in correcting insolence against God.

What he was meek in doing was defending himself and rising up against any and all false accusers against him. A lot of the time, we Christians spend too much time fighting the small things. We feel the need to defend ourselves because, after all, if we don’t, who will? But Moses did not have that desire.

He did not feel the need to defend himself when his sister and his brother, Miriam and Aaron, spoke against him.

But God, his defender, came down and straightened the whole thing up for him. He didn’t even have to ask or pray about it. God rose up and defended him. Because Moses was no longer his own, he was completely and totally sold out to the service of God.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Learn Meekness.