Category: Daily Bread

Posted on

Plan For Eternity

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.” ~ Matthew 2:1-2

These wise men, or astrologers, packed up and made over a 1600-mile trip following a star. A trip this distance would take the travel somewhere around eight months or more one way. And that is, if they were coming from the Babylon area, it would be even longer if it was from Susa.

Now, they just didn’t jump in the car or call a transport service and drive to the airport, they had to walk or ride some type of animal, and usually, it was camels for such long distances. Camels were preferred because they didn’t need watering as often as horses.

So, these men as soon as they saw the star and began packing and preparing for a year-and-a-half round trip journey, it would take them a while to organize all of that. They would have probably taken their meat on the hoof. Their milk on the hoof, whether it was cow milk or goat’s milk. Then they had to make sure they had enough water and enough food to sustain all of those animals and themselves. They probably had to bring workers to care for the animals and to pack and unpack. And they probably had some type of bodyguard with them as well. I mean, they were carrying gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This was a huge entourage. This wasn’t just some weekend getaway.

There was a lot of pre-trip planning and preparation that went into preparing for this journey. Today, people have no plans for eternity. Christmas has come and gone. Jesus has been born in Bethlehem. He was crucified, He has risen from the dead, and He has ascended into Heaven.

In other words, His star has risen; are you now seeking “Him who is born the King of the Jews?” Don’t let the pressures of life distract you. Don’t let the lure of wealth divert your attention. Don’t let the length of the journey intimidate you. Don’t let the treacherous and perilous road keep you from starting.

I admit serving Jesus is not always fun and games. It isn’t always blessings and mountain tops, sunshine, and cool breezes. It will have ups and downs, valleys and rain, dark clouds, and persecution. God didn’t promise us a happy-go-lucky life. We are called to do His will, whatever that will is, because His will for us is good and perfect. Then if we endure to the end, He has promised us a perfect eternity, which is by far, much, much better than anything we could ever imagine or think.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Plan For Eternity.

Back to Growth?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Love With Perfect Love

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel. ~ Genesis 3:15

Isaiah prophesied about the coming Messiah 7 centuries before His birth, that’s some 700 years. He saw with clarity where He would be born and when He would be born. And how He would be born. Isaiah was only echoing the prophecy first announced by God Himself to the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

God said the woman’s offspring, and not the man’s offspring; therefore, it had to be a virgin birth. And let me just throw this in real quick. The reason it had to be a virgin birth is because sin is passed down from generation to generation through the man. Therefore, our sacrifice had to be a sinless one; thus, a virgin birth was necessary.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. A child is born, but the son is given. 16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). From the very beginning, God knew that the only way to save His creation was to give us His only Son as our perfect, sinless sacrifice, and He was willing to do so.

God gave us His only Son, but we struggle to give Him a moment of our time. From the moment that His creation sinned and chose to leave Him, God could’ve written us off and told us to fend for ourselves, but He didn’t. He gave us a prophecy. He gave us a promise. That at the perfect time, He would send His only Son to take our place on the cross and bear our punishment for our sins. This is the definition of perfect love. This is the kind of love that we should strive to have for God. A selfless love that’s willing to give up everything to be with Him because we love Him. We love because He first loved us.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Love With Perfect Love.

Back to Growth?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Can You Recognize God?

7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. ~ Luke 2:7

Imagine if the Christ was born in our time. Would you be able to recognize Him? Let’s put this into perspective. Approximately 385,000 babies are born every day around the world. That’s approximately 140 million every year. Would you be able to recognize which child was the promised Messiah out of 140 million? The majority of people missed the birth of Christ. They missed the promised Messiah when He was born. Matter of fact, the innkeeper had the opportunity to give the Messiah a room to be born in, but instead gave Him a stable to be born in.

The birth of a tiny baby in the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, and laid in a manger sounds so insignificant. What is that in the scheme of things? 140 million babies are born every year; what’s the significance of this one? This one just so happened to be the promised Messiah. The importance was that without the birth, we couldn’t have the death. Without the death, we could not have eternal life. Just because it doesn’t seem significant to us doesn’t mean it’s not significant to God and His plan.

If the Messiah was born in our world today, would you be able to recognize Him? Here’s the point of that question. Things don’t always seem important to us, but if we knew the heart of God, then we’d see the importance in the little things we overlook. The Messiah already came 2000 years ago, but He’s coming back again. Do you know God enough to recognize the Messiah and the little things that makeup God’s plan?

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Know God To Recognize Him.

Back to Cleansing?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Do You Have Room For Him?

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ~ Galatians 4:4-5

Jesus gave us the first Christmas present. It is the gift that keeps on giving because it’s the free gift of life. From the very beginning, God had in mind what He would do to redeem mankind. Though it was dark and gloomy, though it was hopeless and without light, and yet a light shone in the darkness. The light of Jesus Christ.

In the words of the old beloved Christmas carol “O Holy Night”:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til He appeared, and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born

That is the true meaning of the promise of Christmas. The salvation of the world was born. God Himself came to redeem all of mankind. He came at the perfect time. He wasn’t late. He wasn’t early. He came at the exact perfect time. But the world wasn’t prepared for Him. So on that night when Jesus the Christ came as a little helpless baby, born in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

The same is true today. Jesus is knocking at the door of our hearts, but there’s no room for Him in our busy lives. There’s no room for prayer or for devotions. There’s no room for Bible reading or meditations. There’s no room for church. In other words, there is no room for Him in the inn of our lives. Little do we realize that without the Light of the World, our world will remain in sin, error, and darkness.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Make Room For Him.

Back to Cleansing?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Don’t Miss The Big Picture

2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” ~ Genesis 22:2

God told Abraham to take his only son Isaac. I want you to think about that. Does that not sound a little contradictory? “… Your son, your only son Isaac …” Remember, Abraham has another son, Ishmael. But God doesn’t count that son because it’s the son of the promise and not the son of bondage that Abraham’s descendants are counted.

You see, Sarah caught Ishmael mocking Isaac at his weaning party, and so she sent Ishmael, Abraham’s firstborn son, and Hagar, Ishmael’s mother, out of their home. But Abraham was very distressed over the matter because he loved his son Ishmael as well, probably not as much as Isaac, but he loved him all the same. After all, Ishmael was his son too.

But God brings Abraham’s focus back to the promise of Christmas. He said, “Look, Abraham, this is what it’s really all about. It’s through Isaac that the promise of Christmas will come. Therefore, it’s Isaac who God recognizes as Abraham’s only son because the promise of Christmas wouldn’t, couldn’t, and didn’t come through Ishmael but through Isaac.

Sometimes, we get caught up in the details, and we miss out on the bigger picture that God has planned for us. We want to include people, places, or things that aren’t intended to forge the way to our promise. But don’t worry, God doesn’t forget people because even though the promise didn’t come through Ishmael, God still made a way for Ishmael’s descendants to be blessed through the promise. How? Because Christ came to redeem all people from every nation that would call on His name.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Miss The Big Picture.

Back to Growth?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Be A Part of The Multitude

5for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. ~ Genesis 17:5–6

God told Abram that He would make him into nations. That he would be the father of a multitude of nations. This promise isn’t just about being the physical father of the Jews but the spiritual father to every believer in every nation. In fact, God said, “It’s already done.” But Abraham hadn’t seen it; Sarah hadn’t given birth yet. Nevertheless, God said, “I have made you a father of a multitude of nations.”

Please understand that God did not say a multitude of people; He said a multitude of nations. Abram and Sarai had already tried to help God out with the promise, and Ishmael was the result. The son of the slave woman. But God’s promise is not enslaved; neither does He need help to bring to past that which He has declared.

Although, at the time, Abram might not have understood the full promise, The Promise of Christmas, Abraham, the new man, the covenanted friend of God, he understood; for he longed to see Jesus’ day, and Jesus said that he did see it and rejoiced. In other words, Abraham saw the promise of Christmas. Abraham longed for this day, and it has come. Christ came 2,000 years ago. The Messiah has come. The Christ has come. Abraham’s seed has come. He died. He rose. He ascended. And He is coming back for His people. He’s coming back for the multitude promised to Abraham. Don’t miss out on the fulfillment of this promise, like so many missed out on the fulfillment of the first promise.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be A Part of The Multitude.

Back to Hope?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Do You Pant For God?

1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? ~ Psalms 42:1-2

Many of us started out our Christian walk with a strong desire and love for God, but the longer we serve Him, the more we begin to take God for granted. So much of the Church today has a watered-down love for God. A very basic surface-level love that has grown cold. A love that doesn’t consist of action but only talk. Why? Consider the things you did when you first got saved and see if they equal what you’re doing now. Do you feel the passion that was there in the beginning? Is your soul still panting for God as a deer pants for water?

We want revival, but we refuse to spend time in prayer. You’re not panting like the deer; our souls are not thirsting for God. We aren’t striving for the only source of living water. We’ve lost our desire. It’s like when we want to lose weight, but we don’t have the willpower to eat properly and proportionately. We don’t have the discipline to exercise. We want to get good grades in school, but the desire to study is not there. Without desire, there is no discipline or self-control.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Pant For God.

Back to Spiritual Slumber?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Don’t Be Bullied

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ~ Ephesians 6:10-12

Bullying has always been and will probably always be. There are those who will hate you and say all manner of evil about you because of that hate. There are others who are envious of what you have, whether it is earthly possessions or your family love (your home life).

They will hate you because of your relationship with Jesus. There are all sorts of reasons that will cause them to bully you and even spread all sorts of rumors about you. But it’s not unique here in America; it’s all over the world. We all fight the same demons.

So, what exactly is bullying?

Erling Roland, a professor at the University of Stavanger’s Centre for Learning Environment and one of Norway’s leading researchers on bullying, describes bullying as:

A “longstanding violence, physical or psychological, conducted by an individual or a group directed against an individual who is not able to defend himself in the actual situation.”

Ah, it’s the weak that the bully targets. I guess you never see a linebacker being bullied, or a 220-pound state championship wrestler being bullied. They prey upon the weak, those who are unable to defend themselves.

It may start small, but every day it will grow and get more and more intense. This is the need for the Armor of God. Unless we are fully covered in the Armor of God, then we are the weak. That’s when we became targets of opportunity for the devil and his minions. Therefore, armor up so that you won’t be overcome by the enemy.

Peace. Love. Go Froth and Don’t Be Bullied.

Back to Spiritual Warfare?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Don’t Fear That Day

33 Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Think carefully about what is right and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:33–34

Even though God is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, He still punishes the guilty and does not just let them go free. So, don’t let anyone tell you that you can live and do whatever you want because their god will never send anyone to hell.

People who say such things do not know the one true God. They think they know God, but to their own shame, they do not! Because everyone will be called to give an account of all, they’ve said and done. Don’t be confused because God blesses the righteous and the wicked alike. He will let both the moral and immoral dwell together on this earth until the time of the Judgment, and then He will separate them.

On that day, it won’t matter how much good you’ve done. It won’t matter how much evil you’ve done. It won’t matter if you were an upstanding citizen or a useless street bum. The only thing that will matter on that day is whether or not you followed Christ while on this earth. All other things will be irrelevant when the LORD separates mankind between believers and nonbelievers. Between actual followers of Christ and those who just speak of Him.

Don’t let the Day of Judgment hold you in fear or catch you unawares. Prepare for this day in Christ Jesus so that you won’t fear the Judgment. So that you will be able to stand before the LORD in full confidence of who He is and who you are in Him.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Fear That Day.

Back to Cleansing?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Jump Out of The Water

12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. ~ Proverbs 14:12

If you have spiritually fallen asleep, you will not recognize that you are on the wrong path because the thing that is presented to you might feel good. It might even seem good, but the end of that road is death. Snow White had no clue the apple was poisoned; otherwise, she would not have partaken.

You see, sometimes we get so caught up in the disguise that we don’t see the evil inside until we have taken a bite, and it’s much too late because the poison has already entered our body. This is how evil is presented to us. Nice and beautiful. Delicious and sweet. Like a red shiny delicious apple, and we take a bite, and we don’t even know that we have fallen asleep.

It’s not presented as evil by the most wicked person we can think of. Neither does it come from a man with horns and a pointy tail, dressed in a red suit waving a pitchfork. But rather, it comes like an innocent old lady. A grandmother type with a basket of beautiful red delicious apples.

Evil is presented by a family-friendly entity that appears harmless that seems to have good morals and good intentions. But the reality is, it’s the devil in disguise. Disney movies, from the beginning, are filled with spells, curses, hexes, magic portions, and invocations. From innocent-looking Snow White to Beauty and the Beast to The Little Mermaid. The majority of us have all seen these presets designed to lull us into accepting darker and darker magic. It’s not giving it to us all at once, but instead, it’s like the proverbial frog in hot water. You won’t know you’re boiling in water until it’s too late.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Jump Out of The Water.

Back to Spiritual Slumber?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Proudly powered by WordPress