Category: Food For Growth

⁴² And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward. ~ Matthew 10:42^NIV

The older I get, the more I realize the big grand gestures don’t mean as much to me as the simple day to day interactions. The little things that seem so silly usually are the things that affect us the most. Little things like just holding you when you’re struggling to even get out of bed. Or telling you good job, well done when you achieve a small goal. Simply giving a hand when asked for help without making it seem as if it’s such an inconvenience. Or sitting together watching a movie or TV show together after a rough day. Things that we don’t really think about as high priority.

Throughout my room I have quotes on my walls. The largest quote that’s in the center right over my bed says:

Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

It’s the little simple things that we do for others that impact their lives the most. The little things that say, “I’m here for you, and I care about you.” This is how we win souls. We build relationships with others and we share the love of God with them. We are to

¹⁶ … let [our] light shine before others, that they may see [our] good deeds and glorify [our] Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16^NIV

Every day, strive to be a light to someone. Start with just one small act of kindness in someone’s life. Let them see Christ through you, and in doing so, not only do you have the potential of saving someone’s soul, we are building eternal treasures in heaven. And where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21).

Dear LORD, please forgive me for not letting my life shine before others. Help me to follow in Your footsteps and be a light to others. Show me the little things I can do in this life that will point others to You. Use me LORD as You see fit. Mold me and make me whatever is needed to bring glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

⁶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to Me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. ~ Hosea 4:6

In a culture that is constantly shifting the lines between right and wrong, how can we clearly set a standard for morality? The LORD declares throughout Scripture that He does not change. If everything else around us changes, then would it not stand to reason that our morality shouldn’t be based on an ever-changing society, but on a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever?

The word translated knowledge is the Hebrew word dǎ·ʿǎṯ which means: understand, wisdom, a knowledge with a focus on moral qualities and its application. In other words, we teach a morality that is measured by the Word of God as the plumbline… NOT by society’s standards. Society does not dictate our beliefs, nor does it dictate our morality, but only God and God alone.

When we turn away from God, and reject God’s laws, and His precepts as our benchmark, and we cling to society’s loose morality standards, we are in essence thrusting God behind our backs similarly as the Israelites did in Isaiah’s day. When that happens, and we continuously ignore the warnings. We continuously ignore the prophets. We continuously ignore the very Word of God … then God will pronounce on us that which we do not want to hear.

Dear LORD, please forgive me for all of the times I have cast aside true morality for the morality the world offers as truth. Please forgive me every time I have refused to draw a line in the sand. Please give me a heart that understands and desires You and Your Kingdom. Help me to not be deceived by the lies of this world, but to discern Truth from falsehood. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

¹⁶ “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” ~ Genesis 41:16^NIV

²⁷ Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, ²⁸ but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these: ~ Daniel 2:27-28 NIV

I’ve noticed a recurring theme in the Church today. When we speak about the power of God, we always say, “I can do nothing … it’s all God …” Then we often refer to Joseph and Daniel, two great men of God who did great things in the name of God, as examples. Here’s the thing, though, they weren’t under this new and better covenant.

While God undoubtedly gave them gifts, those gifts weren’t theirs per se. Those gifts and that power still belonged to God, and those men still belonged to sin. But we, however, are no longer under the power of sin. We are no longer under a cruel and wicked master. We have been bought by a price (1 Corinthians 6:20), saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8), and are the temple of the living God (1 Corinthians 3:16).

No longer are we separated from God and kept far from His presence. He dwells in us and through us. The Son prays on our behalf (Hebrews 7:25), and because we don’t know how to pray as we ought, the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf with deep groanings (Romans 8:26). And most importantly, we have been given the keys to the kingdom (Matthew 16:19). That is why in the Book of Acts, after the Holy Spirit is poured down on all flesh fulling the promise of the LORD through the prophet Joel 400 years before it’s fulfillment (Acts 2), we don’t see them apostles saying “I can’t do this, but I know a God who can.” No. They boldly declare:

⁶ Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

Acts 3:6^NIV

Never again do we see them saying they can’t do something, but instead, they do all things in the name of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit seeking in them. Why? Because that power and authority has been given to the Church by our LORD and our God for His glory. So, let us no longer walk in the ways of Joseph and Daniel, who used gifts but did not have them as their own. Instead, let us follow in the ways of Peter, John, and Paul, who not only had those gifts but used them for the furthering of the Kingdom of God.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Avoid A False Humility.

²¹ Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molek, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. ~ Leviticus 18:21^NIV

When we think or talk about profaning the name of the LORD, rarely do we think about our actions. Usually, when we think about profaning the name of the LORD, we think about the way we speak. We think about how we use the name of the LORD, but this is a little bit more subtle than that.

See, the Israelites weren’t going through the streets using the name of the LORD as a cuss word or even to curse people. It was their actions that profane the name of the LORD. In this specific verse, the Israelites took their young children and forced them to go through the fire as a sacrifice (a burnt offering) to the demon (a false god of the Ammonites), Molech. They didn’t curse God as they did this. No. They simply took part in the wickedness of the world around them, refusing to separate themselves from the wicked acts of those people.

Today is no different. We are covered by the name of the LORD (Proverbs 18:10). We literally dwell in His name. The LORD cleared the way before Moses by going before Moses and speaking His own name and attributing His own good deeds He had done to reclaim Israel as His own  (Exodus 34:5-7). When we are saved, we are known to the world by the name of Jesus (Matthew 24:9). So if we are dwelling in the name of the LORD, and the world can see that, our actions directly affect the name of the LORD.

If we refuse to give up our sin and deliberately continue sinning, then we have now profaned the name of the LORD that we are dwelling in and represent. Our actions represent Christ to the world. Jesus said show your good deeds to men that they may praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Our actions directly impact the way the world sees Christ. For instance, Mahatma Gandhi originally sought out Christianity because he desired to know Christ better. When he went to enter a church in Durban, South Africa, in the 1890s, a white South African man refused to let him in because of the color of his skin. He denied the man the opportunity to hear the hope of the Gospel because he felt Gandhi was the wrong race and, in doing so, profaned the name of the LORD. This interaction solidified Gandhi’s search for spirituality in Hinduism instead. He even went on to say these famous words about Christians:

I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.

We represent Christ to the world. Our actions, especially the way we treat others, directly impact their opinion of Christ. Our actions don’t impact us alone. They either glorify the name of the LORD or profane it.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Do Not Profane His Name.

²¹ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²² If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴ but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. ~ Philippians 1:21-26^NIV

With each generation, the world becomes more and more wicked, straying farther and farther away from Christ. As if that isn’t enough, with each generation the rapid speed in which we flee from the LORD and His ways are increased drastically. While the world becomes more numb, the Church becomes more oppressed. Peter tells us that Lot, who lived in Sodom, was distressed by the sinful nature of those around him. Paul wrote that it was far better to die because then he would be with Christ.

The older I get, the more I long to leave this world and all of its many woes. As I ponder this and listen to the song Elijah by Rich Mullins, something clicked in my mind. We talk about logging for eternity. Longing for Christ to return. We’re longing for something that we’ve never experienced. When you really think about it, it makes Christ’s sacrifice all the more awe-striking. Well, at least to me.

See, while we long for something that we’ve never experienced or can truly even grasp, Jesus left what we’re all longing for in order to come to what we’re all seeking an escape from. Jesus, the Son of God (being in the very form of God), had never known hunger, thirst, or want as God. He had never experienced temptation or suffering. Yet, He willingly got off of His throne, took off His crown, and left Heaven. He left the very place we’re longing for. He didn’t have to. It wasn’t for His benefit. It wasn’t so He could become greater. Matter-a-fact, He put Himself into subjection to the Father. He didn’t upgrade.

Jesus didn’t leave Heaven for Himself. He left Heaven for us. He left eternal peace to be tormented. He left eternal love to be despised. He left eternal safety to be wounded and pierced. He left eternal praise to be crushed. Jesus left everything we long for because of one reason and one reason alone, us.

He gained nothing. Gave up everything. All for us. I had never thought about it like this until now. And honestly it blows my mind. His love for us is so great that He gave up everything to save us. Maybe I’m not painting a good enough picture of what He gave up. Jesus was seated on His throne and Seraphim circled Him praising Him (and the Father), but yet came to earth to be spat upon, ridiculed, and mocked. He, being in very form God, could not be physically harmed, yet He set that aside and allowed the very people He came to save beat Him, whip Him, peel the skin from His body. The Bible describes Jesus’ body as having been beaten so badly it was unrecognizable. Matter-a-fact, it says he didn’t even look human when they were done with Him. As if that wasn’t enough, they then wove together a crown of thorns and forced it into His head, and then nailed Him to a cross. Even after all of that, He still wasn’t done. He had to now take the sin of the entire world upon Himself and carry it from the presence of the LORD to an eternal Lake of Fire.

Christ gave everything up for us. Yes, He rose on the third day. Yes, now He is seated at the right hand of the Father. But His road to get there was difficult beyond measure. Yet He counted it as worth it. Why? Because it was that sacrifice that gave us the opportunity to be saved.

When we long for eternity, we mustn’t let it get in the way of our duties on this earth. We are called by Christ to share the Gospel with the entire world. We are to do this in love. For love is what drove Christ, therefore, let it also drive us.

Dear LORD, thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for loving us more than we could ever fathom or comprehend. Please help me to love people the way You love people. Help me to not be angry with the world but to have mercy on them the way You had mercy on me. Teach me to love mankind the way You do. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I might be a light in this dark world. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

¹ Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. ² Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth. ~ Ecclesiastes 11:1-2

King Solomon tells us to not only cast our bread upon the waters but to give a portion to seven or even eight. Why? Seven is the number of completion, meaning you do as Paul did and try to share the Good News with every single soul that you meet, and eight, the number of new beginnings, means start all over again, and witness to those you’ve already witnessed to.

In other words, follow-up. Disciple.

We have to understand that eternity is a very long time, and once you’re there, you are there for good. There is no getting out. There is no parole. There is no reduced sentence. There’s no time off for good behavior. Once you are there, you are there. Your last breath was your last chance. There’s no getting out. Eternity is forever. We are to be the light in the darkness by sharing Christ with others.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Share Christ.

Matthew 20:25–28

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

While the world asks, “What is in it for me?” Christ-followers asks, “How can I serve you?” While the world shrinks away from generous giving, the Body of Christ gives unconditionally.

And again, while the world is looking out for number one, and fighting to climb up the corporate ladder, the Church endeavors to be last, the servant of all and considers others more important than ourselves.

We are called to a Selfless kind of Love. A love that is sacrificial and requires the giving of oneself.

Our religion teaches that in order to be first, we must be last. In order to rule we must take the place of the lowest servant.

Just like Jesus came not to be served, but to serve, we too are not called to be served, but to be servant all.

• Ours is a sacrificial love
• It is a selfless love
• It is a giving-of-ourselves kind of love

So, this Valentine’s, don’t ask what your loved one can do for you, but how can you serve your loved one.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

²³ Don’t continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. ~ 1 Timothy 5:23

Timothy had frequent illnesses, even though he was a leader in the church and was Paul’s son in the faith. Paul didn’t tell him to make sure to pray about those frequent illnesses. He didn’t tell him to fast about it. He told him to drink a little wine for it. What does that have to do with anything? So often, we pray about our illnesses and fast about them without ever doing anything to physically fix them.

The LORD has given us the necessary means to help our illnesses. Not all things need laying on of the hands. Sometimes, it is our diet that needs to change or our routine or a specific action that is the source of an issue. If we continue in the same way, even if we pray or fast, nothing will change. Therefore, sometimes, it’s not a spiritual issue; it’s a physical one that needs to be dealt with in the physical world.

Dear LORD, please open my eyes and give me discernment so that I might know the difference between physical and spiritual ailments. So that I might know when it is me (my flesh) and when it is a spirit. Please give me wisdom and understanding in all of these things so that I might help myself and, in turn, help others live a more fulfilling life. Thank You, LORD, for all of Your many blessings. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (James 5:16).

We are a unit. We are one people. We can’t prosper while in division, but we thrive in solidarity. There is great strength in the power of agreement. Therefore, if we offend someone, go to that person and apologize. Clear the airways, so to speak. The old saying, “No man is an island” is certainly true. God did not intend for us to be hermits, or to exist alone. God created us to be members of a close nit society. Ecclesiastes chapter 4 explains that two are better than one, because they can help each other, and they will have a better reward for their labor. But the drawback with going at it alone is if he or she falls, who will lift them up, but if they had a companion that person would definitely help them back to their feet. Solomon goes on to explain that if two people lie down together they can help keep each other warm, but if one lies down alone, how can he or she keep warm alone? Then there is the power of agreement if any two agree on the earth about anything, it will be done for them.

Therefore, do not limit yourself to you alone because of pride. Do not let little things leave you divided from friends, family, or loved ones. There is more power in company, than in isolation. Do not let your prayers be held up because of pride. Go to the person who is offended, even if it’s not your fault. You do not want hindered prayers. And according to James, the brother of our LORD, we can hold up our own healing. When we are in unity, our prayers are powerful, working miracles and yielding much results.

Sometimes we offend people without us even realizing it. I remember one time years ago, when I was in my twenties, I worked with a woman, whom I liked very much. She was really nice and non-confrontational. She was showing me some pictures of the home she and her husband were building together. I thought it was funny to say, “Wow! What a nice house Robert (not his real name) is building. And it was a nice house. But that offended her and I didn’t even know until years later. I was only teasing her by not including her with her husband. I use to tease her all the time and did not realize that this time I obviously went too far. She never said a word about it for years, then one day she confessed. I never knew and I never meant to hurt her. She was my friend and coworker, I only knew her husband through her.

So, the moral of the story is, our words can hurt people even if we don’t realize it. We must be careful of how we carelessly sling our words around. We never know who will get hit even if we are not aiming at them, or intend to do harm. I apologized to her when I did find out and I’m happy to think that the incident did not strain our relationship, praise the LORD.

Heavenly Father, help me to see those whom I have offended without even knowing. And help me to be quick to confess and apologize. Help me to keep a close inventory on my words and my actions to make sure that I am in complete harmony with those in my circle of influence, in Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.