Category: Food For Growth

⁵ Better is open rebuke than hidden love. ⁶ Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. ~ Proverbs 27:5-6

Open rebuke is better than hidden love. If you are receiving a profuse (An abundant, Excessive, Overflowing). Extravagant amount beyond necessity number of kisses, they just might be from an enemy and not a friend. Evaluate your situation. The truth never lies. Listen, real love involves honest and constructive criticism rather than deceitful kindness.

Please understand that true love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth ^NIV (1 Corinthians 13:6). Look, a Christian’s main objective is all about your eternal soul. Your soul will spend eternity in one place or the other forever. If you break God’s commandments because a man, or a woman told you it is okay to do so… that will not stand up in God’s court as a valid excuse.

That is why I always, always encourage people to read the Bible for yourselves. It is imperative. It is crucial. It is essential. It is vital. It is critical. It is most important. That you understand for yourself: what you must answer to God for. Realize this: you will answer to God, your own self, for your own actions, and nobody else will give an account for you or stand in your place.

You must be like the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul was teaching was true → In other words, they searched to make sure that Paul was not misinterpreting the Scriptures but rather, that he was indeed preaching truth (Acts 17:11) … They didn’t just take his word. They confirmed his words. We cannot use the excuse that we didn’t know, or that we didn’t realize.

We have Bibles upon Bibles in every English translation that we can imagine. There is Old English. New English. Contemporary English. Paraphrase translation. Dynamic Equivalence. Formal Equivalence. We have what they call Hybrid Translations. We even have Interlinear Bibles.

What I’m saying is, we have… NO excuse. We, who live in the West, the so-called Free World, have no excuse, and of all people, we will probably be held to a higher standard than most because of it. To whom much is given, much is required, and we have been given much.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Accept Rebuke.

Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

[14]  You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

As we all stood together in memory and honor of Charlie Kirk, one single candle was lit and that one candle was used to light hundreds of other candles. It was passed from one to another. And you know what? The original candle that lit all the others never died out. It didn’t lose its flame. It wasn’t quenched. With each other’s candle that was lit by that flame, it grew brighter as they touched.

When we share Christ. When we give. We don’t lose. We don’t go wanting. We are that candle with the flame. The flame is God. When we show love. We show God. When we show compassion. We show God. When we turn the other cheek. We show God. When we give mercy. We show God. And when we do all of these things, the world notices. Because it’s watching us. It’s judging our actions to see if we actually live what we preach.

The only way we can ever lose the light of our candle is if we allow the flame to die by no longer spending time with God, by forsaking the flame itself. That’s it. But to give and show love and mercy and grace. You’re not losing. It may feel like it. But in that moment, you are sharing God with someone else.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Light Another’s Candle.

² Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till He has mercy upon us. ~ Psalms 123:2

To wait for the LORD is to have our eyes fixed upon Him for the slightest movement. For the slightest gesture. We don’t move until we get the signal or get the nod to go ahead. It is having the understanding that God’s clock runs perfectly, even if it doesn’t align with ours. And it probably won’t.

But still, Psalms 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Although it may take longer than we expected. Still, we tarry. Although it seems like it is being dragged out. Still, we continue to abide obediently. Although it feels like our prayers are going unanswered. Still… we wait patiently in full hope and complete surrender. Always remaining in His Presence. And yielding to His will in complete submission.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Still Tarry.

Isaiah 40:29-31 ESV

[29] He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. [30] Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; [31] but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

When pain becomes debilitating, that’s when you have to stop and take a moment with God. That’s your sign that your spirit is troubled. Your soul is crying out for help. So don’t ignore it. Press in. Take extra time in prayer, worship, and seeking the face of God.

Our strength isn’t found in anything else. We can’t recharge away from God. He is our source. He alone can spiritually recharge us so that we can keep going. So, today, take some time for God. Take a breath with Him. Let God breathe into you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Take A Breath of Life.

Matthew 5:38-42 NIV

[38]  You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ [39] But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. [40] And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. [41] If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. [42] Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Apple and Samsung are the two largest rivals when it comes to phones. Everyone either has an Apple phone or a Samsung phone. Here’s what I find interesting about them: Samsung sells its OLED screens to its biggest rival, Apple. Let that sink in for a minute. Instead of refusing to sell to their rival and therefore making their product have a step up on their opponents, they sell to them. And you know what? They make a lot of money doing that.

See, when we stop focusing on how we can destroy our enemy and instead focus on how we can better ourselves, it doesn’t matter what the enemy does, we cannot be stopped or overcome. We can even help our opposition, or competitor and still be prosperous. We don’t have to force someone else to lose in order for us to win.

There’s always room for everyone. We can all succeed. We can all be great. Your opponent isn’t always your enemy, sometimes they help you get better and sometimes you can help them. Therefore, if God is for you, who can be against you? And if none can be against you, don’t worry about what the enemy or competition got going on. Worry about you. Are you doing what you need to do? Are you pushing forward?

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Help Out Of Your Abundance.

[14]  You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. ~ Matthew 5:14-16^NIV

We Christians are on display for the whole world to see. Some are cheering us on, while others are just watching, but some are hoping and praying that we stumble and fall. So, let us throw off all that hinders and all that fetters us, so that we can run this race with strength and endurance.

We have all that we need to live, A Life of Excellence through Jesus’ divine power, so that we can be certain of where we will spend eternity.

In everything you do, always remember that eternity is looming large in front of each one of us, and eternity is a long, long time.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be An Excellent Light.

[6]  Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon him while He is near; [7] let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. [8] For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. [9]  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ~ Isaiah 55:6-9

Many people believe the Bible is boring or a tough read, but honestly, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. See, the Bible is like an onion it has many layers and with each layer the potency of who God is becomes stronger and stronger. When it comes to God and His Word, there are layers. Each story, character, event, punishment, reward, proverb, song, saying, word in the Bible was specifically chosen by God for us in order to lead us to His salvation and reveal to us who He is.

When you begin to understand that there are more than just the basic surface level teachings and reasons for the recorded events and reasons for the recorded events and people in the Bible, that’s when you begin to understand there’s so much more to the surface level meaning you’re reading. Why? Why are there so many layers?

Because God is a God you have to seek out. You have to seek Him to find. Call on His name to hear from Him. He’s laid it all out for us but it’s on us to seek it out. This is because even though you may have a high IQ and are naturally gifted, it doesn’t mean you’ll understand the spiritual aspects of these stories. You need God’s Spirit through His Son Jesus in order to begin to understand and get to know Him.

See, our wisest things we can come up with can’t even compare with the foolishness of God. So, in order to tap into that understanding, you need God to help you and guide you into it. And because God is so far above us in wisdom and understanding we, in this finite state, will never truly understand every layer of every verse in the bible.

Now, don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying there’s no way we’ll understand the Bible. I’m saying there are several secrets and mysteries that we won’t understand or receive a revelation of, in this lifetime. But I do believe on that day when He returns and we are caught up to Him in the air and we are changed in the twinkling of an eye into the perfect incorruptible body we long for, all will be revealed.

God’s Word is layered so that we might seek Him out and for to know Him. There’s never going to be a time you know everything you need to know about God, so study His Word. Seek wisdom and understanding while you still can.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek While You Still Can.

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.