Category: Daily Bread

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Ask If You’re Good

John 10:1-5 ESV

[1]  “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. [2] But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. [3] To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4] When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. [5] A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

A thought I posed to a young woman today was, Are you good? Not, have I done good works? Am I a nice person? But am I good? Am I saved? See, none of us are good. All of us deserve Hell. We’re all unrighteous sinners, that’s why Christ came 2000 years ago.

It’s not about whether or not you do good deeds or whether or not you pray daily. Muslims pray 5 times a day and do good deeds. Hindus and Buddhists meditate daily. It’s not about praying or about good deeds. Salvation is about Jesus. It’s about who you follow.

Be honest with yourself, are you truly following Christ? Are you living in sin or are wrestling with it? Are you dwelling in His Presence through the Son of God or are you jumping the gate? Are you following the Messiah or do you just believe He is the Messiah?

Remember that faith without actions is dead. You need to have faith and you need to act on your faith.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Ask If You’re Good.

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Keep Moving Forward

5 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. ~ Psalms 126:5NIV

For 7 years, I’ve cried and mourned the death of a very close loved one. Her heavenly birthday became a day of deep, dark depression that would turn into a week-long. If not longer. But this year, I just feel different. The sadness of missing her is still there, but the heaviness isn’t.

I think I’ve allowed myself to actually mourn. To finally allow myself to let go of the pain. Pain is a really weird emotion because it often comes with a lie. The lie that if you don’t give in to pain, then somehow you aren’t honoring their memory. If you keep moving forward in life, then you’re somehow acting as if they don’t matter. But that’s not true. Life is never supposed to solely revolve around those who have passed. Yes, we are to remember them. But life is for the living. It’s for us to do as much as we can while we can.

We’re all born to die. That’s the path of this life, but when we have Christ, it doesn’t end there. It doesn’t end with just death. To die is to gain, because we are united to our LORD, Savior, our God. We are also reunited with saved loved ones who have gone on to be with Christ before us.

Yes, mourning is necessary, but prolonged pain and suffering isn’t. It’s okay to move forward with your life. You’re not forgetting them. They wouldn’t want you frozen in time with them. They’d want you to live out your life following the plan God has for you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Keep Moving Forward.

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Do Not Believe In Vain

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain (1 Corinthians 15:1–2).

Paul was writing to the Corinthian church to remind them of the Gospel he had preached to them. The Gospel of Jesus and Him crucified. They had received that Gospel, and were standing on its truth, and were now being saved because of what he had preached and what they had believed.

Now, this is a very interesting statement …and by which you are being saved … That is the Greek word sōzesthe that finds its root in the word sōzō, which is rich in meaning. It is the only time that this particular morphology of the word sōzō. Sōzō is a complete healing of body, soul, and mind. In Mark 5:34 Jesus told the woman with the issue of blood, that her faith had made her well (sōzō). And Matthew, speaking about Jesus, said in Matthew 1:21 that He will save (sōzō) His people from their sins. And one more, the disciples in the storm cried out to Jesus, “LORD save (sōzō) us! We are perishing” (Matthew 8:25).

What am I saying? I’m saying that we are being saved (sōzō), we have not already been saved. We are being saved and will be saved if we hold fast to the word that was preached to us. If we do not hold fast, then we will believe in vain.

Therefore, do not believe in vain, brothers and sisters, but rather hold fast to what you believed in. Believe that Jesus, being Creator God, came to earth as a little baby, grew to be a man, and went around doing good. He suffered and died, crucified for the sins of the world. He was buried and rose again on the third day. Ascended to the right hand of God the Father and is returning one day to get all those who wait for His return. Believe this and hold fast, and you will be saved.

Father, thank You for loving the world so much. Thank You, LORD Jesus, for loving Your Church so much that You brought us sōzō. Please keep us faithful as we hold fast to that which we have believed, in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Light Another’s Candle

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.

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A Time For Mercy

2 Peter 3:9 ESV

[9] The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Ezekiel 33:11 ESV

[11] Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?

I recently watched a video of a man calling for people to pray for God’s vengeance. He said it’s time the Church gets angry and prays for God’s vengeance if we want revival. He even went as far as to say that if you pray for Charlie Kirk’s killer to find Jesus and repent, then you are a masochist freak who believes they have to lose every battle. He said we should be praying that he meets Jesus and Jesus melts him for all eternity. As I watched, I realized this is why there will be so many people shocked on Judgment Day. There will be so many people shocked at the Second Coming of Christ.

Instead of searching the Scriptures for the heart of God, we create our own version of what we want God to be in our own minds. Imagine saying all of this and firmly believing that it is the will of God that this man die in his sin, and then proceed to pray it. That’s not the will of God. The Father sent the Son so that the whole world would be saved. God says He takes no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked. God says His desire is that none perish, but all come to acceptance.

When you don’t know the heart of God, you allow the evil in your heart to influence your idea of God. When you don’t know God, your own evil desires paint a false picture of God that lines up with what you want, not who God is. If this young man in custody is in fact the killer, I pray he admits it, takes responsibility, and repents. I truly do. Hell isn’t a place we should wish on anyone. It isn’t something we should pray anyone experience. The wrath of God is fierce. It’s like nothing on this Earth because He’s not of this Earth.

Therefore, we should pray for God’s mercy on his soul. Yes, I do believe in the death penalty on this earth for a crime of this magnitude, but I do not wish the death penalty on his eternal soul. May the LORD have mercy on him and may he turn from his sin and run to Christ, who already canceled the debt of sin for us all on the cross.

Christians who are seeing the revival right now, aren’t the ones seeking God’s vengeance but His mercy. There’s a revival going on across the world right now. There’s atheists, lukewarm believers, agnostics all deciding to go to church again, some after as long as 30 years others after 10 years of not setting foot in church. The churches were packed Sunday. Worship has broken out all over the streets in cities across the world. We don’t need the LORD’s vengeance for revival. We need God’s mercy, grace, and love.

Dear LORD, thank You for Your mercy and Your grace. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins against You. Help me not to desire judgment, but seek mercy. Help me to see the True You and not the You I have created in my own mind. Show me who You are, oh God, teach me Your ways. Soften my heart to the things of You. Let my heart break for what breaks Yours. Let my heart not grow weary and my angry get the best of me. Instead, LORD, help me to understand righteous anger isn’t against humanity but against the dark forces behind it. For our enemy is not flesh and blood but spiritual beings in the unseen realm. Help me to remember that LORD. Teach me to pray. Teach me to love. Teach me to forgive. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Still Tarry

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.

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Wait To Renew

31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; And they shall walk, and not faint. ~ Isaiah 40:31KJV

God is omnipotent. Meaning, God is All-Powerful. Now, this word, translated as ‘power,’ refers to physical strength. It suggests the giving of physical might or strength to someone who is weary or lacks the physical fortitude to exert the force necessary to perform some specific function.

It is all about God providing strength to the weak, the powerless, the weary, the tired, and those who lack physical strength. God goes on to explain that even the young and the vigorous, the strong and the mighty, will eventually become tired and weary; they will become so totally exhausted that they will fall to the ground and collapse because of their fatigue. Sometimes our race can be taxing, our road can be burdensome, and our struggle real.

We become tired and weary. We become exhausted with doing good. And because of our fatigue… We can begin to lose hope. But those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Wait To Renew.

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Take A Breath of Life

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.

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Don’t Wait For Peter’s Arrest

1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. ~ Acts 12:1-5

The last two days have felt like a nightmare that we just can’t wake up from. The kind where you’re moving in slow motion. Nothing quite makes sense. And you keep trying to wake yourself up but just can’t. No matter what you do, your body stays asleep. That’s how it feels right now. That’s how it felt since around 1:30pm on Wednesday afternoon. Just limbo. The craziest part is, I’ve never even met Charlie Kirk. I’ve never even had the privilege of attending one of his events. Yet I feel such a great heaviness of loss as if he were a close friend or family member.

I’ve seen others express the same feelings, so I know I’m not the only one. As I sit here writing this devotional, all I think is, why? Why was his death so impactful? Why has it burdened so many hearts? Was it the way he was murdered? Was it the gruesome heart-wrenching video? Charlie Kirk wasn’t just your average person, just another face in the crowd. He was a voice of Truth on college campuses, a hero of many young and old, and a courageous defender of the faith.

I think the shock, that something like this could happen in America. Today. A free country, really does add weight to his assassination. Things like this just don’t happen. Yet it did. For the entire world to see. Even more so, he was a faithful Christian. He spoke of Jesus and the goodness of God every opportunity He had. As Christians, watching one of our own fall defending and proclaiming Truth is hard. It’s personal. It’s close to the heart.

I’ve seen comments and videos saying it’s time to become radical. It’s time to fight back. But the only thing we should become radical in is prayer. The only fight we should take up is with a spiritual weapon. When James, the brother of John, was mercilessly killed by the sword under King Herod, he didn’t stop there. He then had Peter arrested. He was preparing to kill Peter as well. They’ve just taken our James. It’s not time to allow the weight of grief, pain, or fear overtake us. It’s time to do what the earlier Church did and pray effectual fervent prayers. We are to bombard heaven with cries of mercy and protection for the saints of God. For all who speak for righteousness. For all who stand up against evil. It’s time to become radical, absolutely, but not in the flesh. Not with guns. Not with hateful words. But with prayers. Prayers for the LORD coming to defend His people. Prayers for the LORD to bring justice. And prayers for the salvation of the wicked because they truly don’t know nor understand what they do.

Dear LORD, as we mourn, grieve, and ponder in disbelief, come to our aid. Strengthen the hearts of the broken hearted. Wipe away the tears of the grievers. Hear us from heaven, oh God, and heal our land. Let justice prevail. Let what has been done in darkness be brought to light. Let what has been done for evil be turned to good. Let this horrific assassination cause a revival in the world, especially the United States of America, like we have never seen before. Comfort our broken and tired spirits. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Never Forgotten

1 Peter 3:8-12,

[8] Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. [9] Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. [10] For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; [11] let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. [12] For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Today we remember the day the Earth stood still. The day thousands lost their lives. A day that horrified the world and forever changed life as we know it. Yesterday, Wednesday the 10th, Charlie Kirk was shot and pronounced dead. Another tragedy. Another heartache. Another light seemingly snuffed out.

I watched as people commented on social media cheering his death. As they laughed and mocked. I even read one that said it should be on pornhub because it’s good stuff. He’d even screenshot the moment the bullet hit Charlie Kirk’s neck and made it his profile picture. Others laughed and said he’s now burning in Hell. Thousands upon thousands rejoiced as they saw a great man of God fall yesterday.

When I saw the video, it didn’t even look real. The body just went limp. I’ve never seen horror like this before. This was what they were rejoicing for? A young husband and father of two young children is no longer with us, and we rejoice because we don’t like his opinion. We don’t like what he says. I felt rage and anger try to overtake me as I watched it do to so many others. So many people commented back death on those mocking Charlie Kirk’s death. They responded with anger, rage, wrath, and hate. They spoke death over them and their families. I could feel my blood begin to boil as well, but something caught my spirit first. We are called to more.

We are called to turn the other cheek, yet be violent in the spirit. We are called to bless those who curse us and pray for those who persecute us. We are never called to bring a curse upon anyone’s head no matter how justified it may seem. Why? Because God is our avenger. Vengeance is the LORD’s. And the LORD will not be mocked.

Just as the world has not forgotten 9/11 but has memorialized it forever, so will we never forget the assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025. May it go down as a day that changed the entire world just as 9/11 did, but this time for the better.

Dear LORD, forgive us for returning railing with railing, wrath for wrath, evil for evil, curses for curses, and hate for hate. Please break every curse, death, harm, sickness, and disease spoken over anyone yesterday and today. Let Your Light shine through us. Let the world see that we are different from them. That we act in love and not hate. That we for life and not death. That we desire peace and not war. LORD our country is broken. It’s divided on every angle. Hate fuels both sides. Oh, LORD, come into our midst. Bring peace. Bring healing. Bring revival. Let Charlie Kirk’s death not be for nothing. Let it lead to revival. Let it lead to a great Holy Spirit awakening like we’ve never seen but only heard of in the early Church. Heal our land oh God. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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