Food For Growth Archives

September 30, 2024October 8, 2024

Allow For Sadness

³⁵Jesus wept. ~ John 11:35

There’s a movie called Inside Out. The movie is centered around a young girl, Riley, who’s having a great life when, all of a sudden, she moves from her hometown to a whole new state. Within Riley’s mind are five emotions that help Riley become Riley. Fear, Jealousy, Anger, Sadness, and Joy. The entire plot of the movie is centered around Joy trying to find a way to change and/or remove Sadness so that Riley will only feel joy. As the movie progresses and hits its climax, Joy realizes that Sadness is a necessary emotion for Riley to feel. She realizes that Sadness can actually help Riley. This is true for so many people.

We try our best to bury sadness. We don’t want to deal with the pain or grief that sadness brings because it hurts. But sadness is a part of life. When we allow ourselves to embrace and face pain, grief, disappointment, sadness, then we allow ourselves to move past these feelings. Instead of suppressing them and letting them fester. Instead of letting them grow out of hand, which then ultimately suppresses our joy.

Sadness doesn’t mean that we’re weak. It doesn’t mean that we’re depressed, nor does it mean that we don’t have joy. Allowing ourselves to naturally cycle through emotions will allow us to naturally move forward with our lives. Throughout the Old Testament we see mentions of Days of Mourning after someone had passed away. Suppressing the natural emotion of sadness won’t stop sadness, it will only begin to consume you and leave no room for joy.

Therefore, allow yourself to mourn, cry, and face the pain of this world, just don’t let it consume. Because all who mourn will be comforted. One day, we will no longer have any more pain, hurt, sorrow, or sadness when Christ wipes every tear from our eyes, but for now, we have to face the pain and lean on Christ until it is all taken away from us.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Allow For Sadness.

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To Be Crucified With Christ

¹⁹For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. ²⁰I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. ~ Galatians 2:19-21

Paul is referring to the law that says, the soul that sinneth it shall die (Ezekiel 18:20). The law brought awareness to sin, and with awareness came death. But through Christ, we have all been made alive, not to live for our own selves, but to live for our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. So, we crucify the flesh, which is a spiritual term and not a physical one. To be crucified with Christ means that we no longer live for our own selves, but we live to please Christ.

Why? Because it was Christ who loved us so much that He was willing to come to this old dusty earth to die a horrible, horrific death so that we might live in glory with Him. So, Paul is assuring us that we are not saved through close adherence to the law, but in obedience to Jesus’ commandments to “Love the LORD our God with all of our heart and all of our soul and with all our mind” (Matthew 22:37), and to “Love our neighbor as ourself” (Matthew 22:39).

Then, the Apostles and elders in Jerusalem laid down this law for us gentile believers. They said, ²⁸For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: ²⁹that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell” (Acts 15:28-29).

Paul said that he did not nullify the grace of God, but rather, he lived to please the LORD. And that is the message for today. Obey these commandments that have been given to us. Love the LORD. Love your neighbor. Don’t eat what is sacrificed to idols. Don’t eat blood. Don’t eat what is strangled. And keep away from sexual immorality. We are assured that if we keep away from these things, we do well.

Father, thank You for loving us. Thank You, LORD Jesus, for dying on the cross for us. I want my flesh to be crucified with Christ so that I can live to please the LORD Jesus. Help me as I strive to live for You, my God. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Today Is That Day

¹ Working together with Him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ²For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. ~ 2 Corinthians 6:1-2

Paul said that they, working together with Him, appeal to us. Working with whom? With the LORD God Almighty, that’s who. Paul made it clear that he was not working alone, but he was working with Almighty God to spread the Gospel of truth so that we might hear and believe and thus be saved. God is not willing for any of us to be lost. For God Himself said, “In a favorable time, I listened to you, and in a day of salvation, I have helped you.”

The greatest thing that anybody can do is to accept the salvation that is offered to him or her. For God Himself said that today is the day of salvation. You are not promised tomorrow. You are not even promised another five minutes. We are only promised the present, for once the clock ticks, that time is now in the past, and the next second is the future, and we are not promised it.

Therefore, it would behoove each one of us to make our election sure. It is essential for us to ensure that we are right with God. Why? Because there is coming a day when the LORD Jesus will come back to get all of those who love Him and are watching and waiting for His return. Those who love Him will be with Him forever and ever, but those whose name is not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be sent to the Lake of Fire, and there they will spend their eternity.

Maybe you have been saved for many years now, but your love for Jesus has waxed cold, or maybe lukewarm at best. You go through the motions, not realizing that you have drifted away from Him. Paul is appealing to you, do not receive the grace of God in vain. Do not let your love for Him grow limp, or your strength grow weary in doing good. But work hard for the LORD, do what He has called you to do, for you do not know the hour on which He will return.

So, remember, today is the day of salvation. Now is the time to get right with your God; you may not get another chance.

Father, I ask for Your forgiveness. I repent of my sins and renounce all of my transgressions. Help me to live my life for You and not be left behind. I understand that today is the day of salvation, now is the acceptable time. I want my life to reflect You, LORD Jesus, so help me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Seek Out His Power

¹⁵And He said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. ¹⁶Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” ~ Mark 16:15-18

Notice that there are five signs that Jesus said will follow the believer. Now, the number five is the number of the Church. Meaning that these signs are for His Church. They are for us. Jesus said as much when He said, “And these signs will accompany those who believe.”

Who is that? The “… those who believe…” It is us, the Church. The Church of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Also, I want you to please notice that Jesus did not say, these signs will accompany you, or these signs will accompany my apostles, or my chosen ones, or any specific set of people. But rather, Jesus said these signs will accompany those who believe and use His Name.

Oh, wait, brother Kenny, Jesus did not say to use His Name. Okay, granted, but He sure inferred it or implied it when He said,

… those who believe: in my name, they will …

Meaning that, first, you have to be a believer. You can’t be a believer without believing. Christians were called believers before they were called Christians. Then He says, “In my name, they will …” Meaning that we must use His name to accomplish the things that we have been given authority over.

Now, that also means that these signs were not for a specific people for a specific time as those who have no power try to advocate. They claim that all those signs ceased to exist when the last apostle died. But the Scriptures does not say it was for a specific time nor was it only for the apostles, but for those who believe. Jesus was very specific with that. When we operate in the power of Jesus, then signs will follow.

In short, no power, no signs. Therefore, we must seek the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul said the Kingdom of God isn’t a matter of talk but power. Jesus said that walking in power is a sign that you follow Him. So, why would we not seek the power of God?

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek Out His Power.

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Good Desires Are Not Always God Desires

⁸ However, the LORD said to my father David, “Since it was your desire to build a temple for my Name, you have done well to have this desire. ⁹ Yet, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own offspring, will build the temple for my Name” ^CSB ~ 2 Chronicles 6:8-9

Solomon is referring to 2 Samuel chapter 7, where it states that after David had built himself a fine palace made out of cedar and God had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, he considered where he was living and where the Ark of God dwelt. The Ark was actually in a tent, while David lived in a fine house. He was convicted of it because David loved the LORD.

So, David calls Nathan the prophet and explains what he was thinking. Basically, he wanted to build the Temple of God. Nathan hears and thinks to himself this is a noble desire and to be sure it is a noble desire. So, Nathan the prophet said to David the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you” (2 Samuel 7:3). But that night, the Word of the LORD came to the prophet Nathan and basically said that it was not David’s job or assignment to build Him a house, or the Temple of God. He had too much blood on his hands, so God would raise up his son, Solomon, to build the Temple.

Here is the moral of the story. Good desires are not always God’s desires. No matter how noble the cause, or how Godly the outcome, a good desire is not always a God desire. Meaning that what was in David’s heart was indeed noble and Godly, but it was not placed there by God because God had reserved that job for someone else, namely, David’s son Solomon.

So, God told Nathan to go back to David and tell him that he did well to want to build the temple, but you are not the one to do it. Instead, here is what I will do for you. I will build you a lasting house, a dynasty that will last forever. The Promised Messiah will come through your lineage, and through Him, your throne, O David, will be established forever.

Here is the takeaway. If David had persisted on doing that good thing even though it was noble and righteous, he would have been out of God’s will, and therefore, he would be in blatant rebellion against God. Therefore, whatever we do, no matter how noble or how God-focused it may seem, take it to God in prayer. You may not be the one called to do that particular thing. God may have someone else slated for that job. The bottom line is, whatever you do, first, season it with prayer. Talk to God about it.

Heavenly Father, please help me to know Your good and perfect will. May I always remember to take my plans to You in prayer that I may be sure that I am in Your good and perfect will. Thank You that I can be a part of what You are doing in the Earth, and that You have chosen me as part of it. Help me to know my part and not falter nor fail in what You have called me to do; in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Spread The Good News

¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. ¹⁶Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” ~ Mark 16:15-18

This portion of Scripture is known to Christians as “The Great Commission” commanded by Jesus Himself to His disciples, and basically to all believers, then and now, just before He was taken up into heaven.

I want to make it clear that this command was not just for Jesus’ disciples. This command is for every Christian, and not just His twelve Apostles, but every single Christian is to proclaim the Gospel.

In other words, we are to tell others of the Good News, what Jesus has done for us.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Spread The Good News.

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Get Up And Witness

¹⁵And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. ¹⁶Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” ~ Mark 16:15-16

This is called The Great Commission. Jesus instructs the believers to go into all the world and proclaim or preach the Gospel. In other words, go, tell the Good News, and tell all people how much God has done for you. Then, He explains the difference between the believers and non-believers. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. Notice that He did not just leave it there with whoever believes. No, Jesus adds this little addendum, “…and is baptized…” they will be saved.

Therefore, it is safe to assume that it is not just a belief in who Jesus is but a belief coupled with action. Once you come to the realization of who Jesus is, then you must act. You must be baptized, which means you must not only be submerged in water, but you must actively live the life of a Christian and obey the commandments of Jesus, which includes witnessing or preaching the Good News.

Please understand that I am not advocating that unless you are baptized with water, you are not saved. I don’t believe that to be Biblical. If you do have the opportunity, you must, by all means, be baptized, but if there is no opportunity to be baptized after conversion and the person passes away, I believe that person has died in Christ and will be raised again at the last trump.

So, I challenge all armchair Christians who believe that their belief in a man named Jesus is enough; I challenge you to get up, shake the dust off, and begin to witness for Him. Share the Good News. Tell somebody about Jesus, for he who saves souls is wise, is what the proverb of Solomon says.

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving Your Son as a sacrifice for whomsoever will. I accept that free gift. Now, give me the boldness to witness, confidence to speak, and wisdom to share. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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The Joy of The LORD

⁹And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. ¹⁰Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” ¹¹So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” ¹²And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them ~ Nehemiah 8:9-12

The Jews had only just begun to return to their homeland from the Babylonian captivity. Yes, the temple was finished and dedicated, and the wall was also finished but had not yet been dedicated. The people gathered, and Ezra, the priest, read from the Book of the Law of Moses. While Ezra read from the Book of the Law, the Levites explained the meaning to the people. When the people heard and understood the words that were being read, they began to mourn and weep. So, Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites who were teaching the people began to tell them, “Do not mourn or weep, for this day is holy to the LORD your God. It was the first day of the seventh month. In other words, it was the Feast of Trumpets. It was a day of celebration with joy.

After that, Nehemiah sent the people home and told them to go, eat, drink, celebrate, and share with others who do not have. Then, he instructed the people not to grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. So, here is the thing. When you get stressed out from either grieving, mourning, or anxiousness, it drains your physical strength. If you get really stressed out, you become anxious, and some people will even become depressed. It affects your immune system and your sleep, it will give you headaches, and it can even make you sick. It can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, and even stroke. This takes a toll on your body. It will physically weaken you.

Joy, on the other hand, boosts your immune system, supports longevity, and promotes an overall healthier body, soul, and mind. Therefore, the joy of the LORD is our strength. Joy is much different than happiness. In short, happiness depends on circumstances, while joy depends on the LORD. We don’t need anything else to make us joyful, except to know Him and know that He loves us and cares for us and that He is coming back to get us one day, and there we will be with Him forever and ever. Therefore, we don’t let stress take over our lives; we hand it over to Jesus. As that old hymn says, “What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.” He told us in His Word to cast all of our cares and anxieties on Him because He cares for us.

So, the next time you feel that age old enemy bringing stress on you, do not bend your back and submit to its load, but get on your knees and carry your burden to Jesus. Begin to worship, being to praise, sing songs of worship, and recite encouraging Psalms, like Psalms 23 and others. Heavenly Father, please help me not to submit to stress, anxiety, or depression. But rather, when I feel it coming on, help me to fight on my knees, give me the strength to seek Your joy, that I might be strengthened. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Always Pay Attention

¹⁰You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life. ~ Habakkuk 2:10

This word cutting off is the Hebrew word (qā·ṣā(h)). It means to scrape, i.e., destroy an object, as a figurative extension of scraping an object. The word is used in Leviticus to scrape the plaster off so as to remove mold or mildew. In other words, it’s not removing the whole thing, only the part that is infected. In other words, removing or destroying the offending part of something.

Our Scripture said, “You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples.”

Please notice that it did not say by killing or murdering, but by scraping many people. Could this be applied to free speech? Free speech is being targeted. All speech is not censored; only the offending part is scraped off and destroyed. And it’s not only here in America but all around the world, including Europe.

Our freedoms (freedom of speech, religion, etc.) are being cut off. They’re being scraped away. They are being targeted. Once we have no more freedom, what will be left of us? Fight for your freedoms. Don’t just give them up blindly. Stand up for your rights because when they are gone, then it will be almost impossible to get them back.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Pay Attention.

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Pray For The Plunderers

⁸ Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them. ~ Habakkuk 2:8

Why were they plundered? For The Blood Of Man. In other words, they have shed innocent blood. This word man is the Hebrew word, ʾā·ḏām, meaning human, male or female regardless of age. It is simply referring to the whole human race.

Habakkuk said that the thieves who plundered many nations will also be plundered because of all of the bloodshed and violence that they have caused upon the earth and in the cities and to all who dwell in them.

In other words, what they sowed, that shall they reap. The wicked may seem to be thriving right now. They may seem to be winning in life, but spiritually, they are dying of starvation. Spiritually, they are poor without hope.

Oftentimes, we look at the world through our temporary lenses. We see them as only what they physically have and not what they spiritually lack. They may have much on this earth, but in eternity, they won’t even have a drop of water to quench their thirst. How devastating of an eternity they will face, all because they thought they were too big to reap the evil they have sowed.

It’s very easy to say they’ll one day get their just rewards, but that’s not the desire of God. God’s desire is that all come to repentance in Christ Jesus. He doesn’t take pleasure in punishing the wicked, so why should we feel pleasure or comfort in their punishment? The only difference between us and the wicked is that we’ve accepted Christ. That’s the only difference. Otherwise, we’d be right next to them in Hell, away from God for all eternity. Without Christ, we’d reap exactly what we’ve sowed, which is evil. All have fallen astray, and not one of us is good.

Therefore, don’t rejoice in their downfall, nor take pleasure or comfort in their punishment. Instead, pray for their souls that they might repent and escape the punishment that is to come. Pray that their hearts might be softened and they turn from their evil ways. Not only would their souls be saved, but if the wicked who plunder the nations are saved, then there would be no one left plundering the nations, and our world would be a better place.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Pray For The Plunderers.

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Category: Food For Growth

Allow For Sadness

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