Category: Daily Bread

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Bear

John 15:1-6

[1]  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. [2] Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. [3] Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. [5] I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. [6] If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

Jesus isn’t talking about the world when He refers to the branches that will be cut off. Jesus is talking about the Church. Jesus is the True Vine and we are the branches. If we bear fruit, the Father will prune us, so that we might bear more fruit, but if we don’t bear fruit, then He will cut us off and throw us away.

What fruit is Jesus talking about?

Galatians 5:22-23

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

If we don’t bear these fruit then we cannot remain in Christ. We are called to bear all of these fruit, but at the very minimum, we are called to bear love. If we don’t bear love, then we do not have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

Love is the foundation for every other fruit, and is the fruit absolutely required in order to remain in Christ. Therefore, don’t be deceived by man-made doctrines, we must work in Christ if we are to remain in Christ. The gift of salvation is free to everyone who believes but to continue in the faith means you must do more than believe. You must change. You must bear fruit.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Bear.

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Let Hope Fuel You

Mark 5:25-29

[25] And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, [26] and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. [27] She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. [28] For she said, “If I touch even His garments, I will be made well.” [29] And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

You know what blows my mind about this story? She didn’t speak. She didn’t ask. She didn’t scream. Shout. Beg. Cry out. Nothing. She simply reached out in hope. She hoped with all that was in her. She didn’t know Let Hope Fuel You if it would work, yet she still tried.

Her faith was in her action powered by her hope. Sometimes we may not even fully believe it will work, but as long as we reach out in hope that little mustard seed of faith will be rewarded.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Let Hope Fuel You.

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A Forgiving Heart

27 But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 32 If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. ~ Luke 6:27-36

For the past year I have been selling items on eBay. For the most part it’s been good and I do enjoy doing it, but every now and then I have to deal with a scammer. People, who instead of getting a job and actually working hard try to scam hard working people out of their hard earned money.

It’s so easy to angry and want to wish bad things upon these kinds of people because they deserve it. Then I’m reminded of two things.

  1. I deserve Hell just as much as them because I sin constantly. My nature is evil. The only difference between me and them is Jesus Christ has delivered me, sanctified me, and changed my heart so that my conscience will not allow me to continue in my sin blatantly. Instead, when I do slip up, I repent, and strive to not do it again.
  2. No matter what evil I could with upon them, nothing can bring forth justice and vengeance like the LORD God, who says that vengeance is His. And He will repay. That says that He will defend us. That says that He is the final Judge whom all the world will have to stand before on that last day and give an account to.

It’s easy to become angry and want an immediate judgment against blatantly wicked people. Why? Because your flesh wants to get even. It wants to see those who have harmed you or tried to harm you put in their place. It’s filled with pride convincing you that the you are better than others, when in reality it’s not that you’re better than others, but that the God dwelling in you and through you is.

Dear LORD, please forgive me for speaking evil against those who are still in their wickedness being used by the devil. Please forgive me for wanting (or speaking) a curse of any kind against someone who has done evil to me. Please forgive me and change my heart. Give me a new heart that is soft and loving. One quick to forgive and understand. One that loves the way You love and is humble before You. I pray that You would renew a right spirit within me so that I might have a conscience guiding me into Your righteousness. I pray that You would have mercy on all whole have wronged me and soften their heart so that they might repent and turn from their evil ways and run to You. Keep me in Your arms and safe in the shadow of Your wings. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Seek Refuge In Him

1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. ~ Psalms 46:1

The Psalmist encourages us that no matter what is going on in our lives, we’re not alone because God is our refuge and strength. A lot of the time, it may feel as if the entire world is crashing in on you, and you can’t keep going. It may feel like all Hell has broken loose against you, and you have no defense. It may feel like you have a target on your back and nowhere to hide. But these are just the feelings the Devil and his kingdom throw at you so that they can overcome you. Why?

Because if they can get you to believe you are defeated, then you’ll give up, give in, and allow them to win. The enemy has no victory over us unless we choose not to fight. Not to keep going. Not to try.

Each day is a new opportunity from God to try again. To keep going. To overcome. Don’t allow the enemy to discourage you. Don’t allow his lies to pollute, corrupt, and overwhelm your soul. Your God is for you, so who can be against you?

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek Refuge In Him.

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Mature

Hebrews 5:12-14 ESV

[12] For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, [13] for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. [14] But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Christianity is many things but it’s not about easing your conscience. So, what’s it about then? It’s all about growing and maturing in the things of God, making disciples, and equipping the saints for good works.

We have the greatest heritage ever, because we have the LORD Jesus, and He has given us His Holy Spirit. And has endued us with power from on high!

We are Spirit-filled! Water baptized and running for our lives!

That is what gave Jesus the confidence to say, “…All things are possible for one who believes (Mark 9:23b). Therefore, don’t continue on milk. Strive to grow. Seek out the meat of the Word.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Mature. 

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Begin To Work

13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. ~ Romans 2:13

Rain doesn’t fall on empty ground and then magically bear fruit. Fruit only bears fruit after the rain falls on the prepared land … Revival doesn’t come to those who merely listen to good preaching. It comes to those who obey the voice of God.

Therefore, we must be doers of the word, and not hearers only, [and thus] deceive ourselves (James 1:22). It’s not enough to sit in a pew every Sunday and nod in agreement. It’s not enough to sing the songs and clap your hands. It’s not enough to ease your conscience with religious routines.

We can talk about revival with our mouths while resisting it in our hearts. We can sing about fire falling while keeping the altar of our lives cold and empty. But unless we humble ourselves, repent, and obey, revival will never come (2 Chronicles 7:14). We must yearn for it. Long for it. We must hunger and thirst after it. We must forsake our mediocre Christian life.

Jesus is coming back, and He’ll be looking for something … You had better know what He is looking for. It’s not a game. And it’s not a joke. It’s not a vacation. It’s eternity! We are laborers in God’s vineyard. We are workers in His grain field. Therefore, we had better start laboring.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Begin To Work.

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Seek God’s Moral Standard

6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. ~ Proverbs 22:6

Whenever I think about these wise words of Solomon, I usually think about them in terms of teaching your child the things of God, which I agree with, but I think it’s a little bit deeper than that. I often hear atheists claim that Christians actually have no morals because they only do what’s right because they’re afraid of a Hell. Honestly, I think this is quite a silly argument when you think about it.

If we remove God from the equation, we’ve now removed the standard for right and wrong. Morality will no longer be based on an immovable line, but on an ever-moving line. See, when we remove God, morality becomes subjective. Right and wrong are controlled by whoever is in charge, and no one can actually villainize another person because they’ve done something they believe is wrong. Because now it’s just opinions and no fact or Truth. Therefore, without God, there is no morality.

Christians don’t do good and avoid evil simply because they’re afraid of Hell, but because their hearts have been changed. The majority of people don’t come to Christ because of a fear of Hell, but because Christ has touched their hearts. The reason we even have a sense of morality is because God has written His Law on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). If we look throughout the world, we’ll see that cultures differ greatly, yet we feel deep within us that something is wrong. Why? Because the Law of God has been written on our hearts.

This is why it’s important to train up a child in the way he or she should go.

We’ve been taught right and wrong from a young age. Why? So that when we’ve grown up and we’re on our own, we’ll hear the conscience inside us and listen to it. God gave us a warning of Hell just as our parents gave us a warning of a time out or a spanking, and when we’re older, we are promised jail time if we break the law of the land.

Morality isn’t something subjective left up to each person. Morality is measured by an immovable standard, or it’s no longer morality, it’s now subjective opinions and propaganda. Therefore, without God, there is no morality.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek God’s Moral Standard.

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Forgive To Uproot

[5] Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. [6] For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, [7] so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. [8] So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. [9] For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. [10] Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, [11] so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. ~ 2 Corinthians 2:1-11

I never really realized that this well-known verse I’ve quoted so many times was originally in the context of forgiveness. Unforgiveness sows seeds of bitterness within us. Seeds that are easily watered and grow into large strongholds giving birth to anger, pain, envy, and much more.

We forgive because the LORD God has forgiven us. He has given us another chance, taking our sin upon Himself so that we might not perish but have everlasting life.

Pride is one of the easiest strongholds to give into. It’s one that speaks to the flesh, and builds up the desires thereof. It promises to protect you and give you everything you’ve ever wanted. It consumes you and puts you into a spiritual sleep that keeps you from seeing the enemy’s attacks. He’ll use anyone and everyone he can in order to get bitterness planted within you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Forgive To Uproot.

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Build On The Rock

Matthew 7:24-27

[24]  Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. [25] And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. [26] And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. [27] And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

Over the years I’ve debated many different belief with many different people. Each and every debate started with the other person telling me I was wrong. And each time ended with me showing them Scripture after Scripture of why I wasn’t wrong to which they, 90% of the time, get upset, deflect, or straight up insult me then refuse to believe what the Bible says. Now, I don’t say all of this to make myself sound more than I am but show that it’s more important to base your beliefs on the Word of God than on our own personal opinions and feelings.

When we argue and debate on options and feelings instead of the word of God, it’s now no longer seeking Truth but seeking to prove yourself right out of pride. No matter how wise, smart, knowledgeable, or a genius we think we are, we cannot even compare to God’s foolishness, let alone his wisdom.

Therefore, build your life on the Word of God in Jesus, not on yourself. You, just like all of humanity, is only dust. We one day use all stand before the Creator and Judge wiser beyond comprehension or understanding. How can we try to compare ourselves to the Creator of knowledge and wisdom, when we are like the flower, here today and gone tomorrow?

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Build On The Rock.

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A Leader Matters

[12] Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. [13] But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. [14] Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” ~ Daniel 10:12-14NIV

When Daniel was in the land of Persia under the reign of the pagan leader his prayers were held up by spiritual beings in the heavenly realms that had authority over the land because of the king. Paul tells us to pray for our leaders and those in authority over us so that we have peaceful lives living in all godliness and holiness (I Timothy 2:1-2).

Therefore, when there is a president or leader in office that aligns with your views, it’s not the time to back off or relax. It’s time to push in because it’s at that time that we have more opportunity to get our prayers answered.

Dear LORD, please guide the hand of the leader of our nation and those who make the laws and judge our people. Please open their eyes to Your Truth and soften their hearts to things of Your Kingdom. Direct their paths that they might not seek evil but chase righteousness. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. 

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