Category: Daily Bread

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Strive To Fully Dwell

Mark 16:17-18

[17] And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; [18] they 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.

Jesus said that in His name we would do many miraculous things. But do we actually fully understand what Jesus meant by “in my name they will…”? Here’s what I’m getting at. When someone speaks in tongues, they don’t start by saying “in Jesus name.” But when it comes to casting out evil spirits or healing the sick, we believe you HAVE to say “in Jesus name” or “in the name of Jesus.” But what if that isn’t what Jesus was talking about?

See, anyone can invoke the name of Jesus and get results. We saw this with the Seven Sons of Sceva, at least until they faced something stronger than they were prepared for. I don’t think Jesus is just talking on the surface level of “Say my name and x, y, and z will happen for you.” Jesus is not a magical genie that will perform commands you give, or grant any wish you make simply because you use His name.

Jesus said “in my name you will…” You have to be dwelling in His name to see results. You have to be dwelling in His name for the spirits to recognize you and the authority you have through/in Christ Jesus. It’s not about whether or not you say His name, it’s about whether or not you are dwelling in that name.

Here’s an example. Towards the beginning of their ministries both Paul and Peter use the name of Jesus when performing a miracle. Peter when healing a lame man and Paul when casting out an unclean spirit. Fast forward in their ministries when they have grown in Christ and are truly dwelling in His name. Peter’s shadow is healing the sick. Handkerchiefs that touched Paul’s skin is casting out demons.

The very two things they once had to speak to and invoke the name of Jesus in order to see results was now coming to fruition without even a word being spoken. The LORD was working through them. Jesus was dwelling through them. It’s the greatest example of “it’s no longer I who live, but Christ who lives through me.” That is what we are aiming for. That’s what we’re running towards. That’s what we are striving for. To be so in tune with God that our shadows are charged with His Spirit. Our skin is charged with His Power.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Strive To Fully Dwell.

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Don’t Take It For Granted

Deuteronomy 29:29

29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

I think that a lot of the time, as Christians, we forget that the Scriptures weren’t written in English. Our favorite or preferred translation is just that, a translation. It’s not perfect. It’s not flawless. And a lot of times, it misses the deeper picture the author was trying to get across to his audience. Does that mean that we shouldn’t read translations? Or trust them? No.

I’m saying, don’t just read one translation and ignore all the other ones. Don’t just take the translations at face value either. Dig deeper. Use those online resources that we have available to us. The entire Bible in its original language (the documents that were translated) are available for anyone to see. They have definitions, root words, etc.

We miss so much, not because we don’t read, but because we cling to one single translation and shun all of the rest. No one translation is perfect. Only the original is. Therefore, search the original. Don’t just accept what someone has translated, check their translation. See if there is something more going on in the original language.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Take It For Granted.

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Relight That Dwindling Fire

Hosea 10:12

[12]  Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

So many of us desire revival. We want to see the Church on fire for the LORD and the book of Acts our reality once again. But little of us truly understand and comprehend that revival will cost you something. It’s not free, but costly.

What will it cost you? Rest. Me time. A missed meal or three. Your free time. Your relaxing time. Your “TV” watching time. Your “eating” time. And your time enjoying a good outing. It requires more than just a desire to see it take place. It requires a discipline that refuses to live without seeing it.

So, what are we to do? First, we must revive ourselves… before we can revive others, we must… ourselves be revived. We must enjoy being in the Presence of God again. Enjoy reading and studying His word. Enjoy the gathering of ourselves together. We must nurture the burden of prayer. We must have a love and a burden for lost souls. Our desires must be Christ-centered, not me-centered.

In other words, we have to light the fire again. We have to break up that fallow ground and return to our first love. We have to get off of the fence and choose to make and be a difference.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Relight That Dwindling Fire.

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Forget About The Season

2 Timothy 4:1-2 ESV

[1]  I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: [2] preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

Paul warns Timothy that he needs to be prepared in and out of season. What does that look like? The best example of this, is Jesus Himself. Jesus came to Israel and the fig tree didn’t have any fruit on the tree. So what did Jesus do? He cursed it.

The fig tree represented the Israelites. The physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When Jesus came to them, they weren’t ready for the Messiah. They didn’t recognize Him. Instead, they hated Him. Accused Him and had Him killed. They weren’t prepared out of season.

The LORD is returning. He’s coming at a time we wouldn’t expect. At a time that just may not be when we’re in season, so what are we to do? Bear fruit. The LORD uses us and calls on us to be prepared whether we think the timing is good or not. So what are we to do? Bear fruit.

We are to constantly be on guard, bearing fruit, seeking the LORD, so that we might be ready for anything. Why? Because the LORD doesn’t work according to our time, but according to His own. Therefore, we must always be ready for the LORD.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Forget About The Season.

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Don’t Bow To A Place Holder

14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. ~ Genesis 1:14-19

In the Old Testament, God is referred to as our sun in Psalms 84:11. Here’s what I find interesting about this: almost every single civilization worshipped the sun at one point in time. Even ancient Israel. In fact, God told Ezekiel that this was the greatest of the abominations the house of Israel was committing (Ezekiel 8:16). The worship of the sun had even penetrated the house of Israel. I believe that the sun was created as a sign to all of humanity and to be a type of symbol for God, if you will. I don’t believe it was ever created to be worshipped.

So, when the people of Israel began to choose the representation or symbol or foreshadowing instead of the actual God of the Heavens and Earth, the LORD’s anger began to burn against them. I believe that this is why the sun will eventually be no more. Isaiah 60:19-20 and Revelation 21:23 actually prophesy that the true Light of the World will take His rightful place as the only sun. The only separation of light and dark. The only Light that can truly destroy darkness.

There’s so much in our lives that are just a foreshadowing of the good things to come, and those things, oftentimes, actually end up taking away from the true essence that is to come. We cling to the temporary happiness of the world instead of the everlasting joy of the LORD. The lust of the flesh instead of the love of the LORD. This world promises so many counterfeits and pushes temporary but immediate pleasures that we forget the everlasting promises of the LORD. We trade the eternal for the temporary. The spiritual for the flesh. So, what are we to do? We search the Scriptures and seek the LORD for the good and perfect things to come to His people.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Bow To A Place Holder.

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Act On Love

1 Samuel 1:4-8 ESV

[4] On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. [5] But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. [6] And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. [7] So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. [8] And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”

This love story, though extremely short, is my favorite. I talk about this all the time. It’s not just that it says He gave her a double portion because he loved her, but the way he tried to console her. You can hear the love in his words. The desperation to fix this problem and ease his wife’s pain.

My only problem with this story, is that Hannah is praying by the temple alone. She’s by herself. Elkanah is no where to be found. It never once says that he prays to the LORD on her behalf to open her womb.

See, we can love someone but not put that love into action. True love isn’t just words, it’s actions. It’s not just wiping the tears away, it’s faith, praying, going before the LORD seeking His intervention.

So, this Valentine’s Day, bring your relationship before the LORD. Ask Him for His help, His guidance, His direction in your relationship. Let God be a part of your love story.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Act On Love.

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Fight So He Will Fight

Genesis 29:31

31 When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

When Jacob first met Rachel, Jacob weeps. He then willingly works 7 years for her, and because of how much he loves her, it feels like just a few days. When it comes time for Jacob to marry Rachel, her father, Laban, tricks him by giving him Leah instead. This now puts Leah in an uncomfortable situation. A very difficult one.

Now, we know the rest of the story. Jacob finishes his marriage week with Leah and then he receives Rachel, his one true love, as his second wife. The LORD saw the trickery take place. He saw the deceit and deception of Laban, and defended the innocent in his schemes.

See, sometimes, the enemy schemes against us and is successful. Sometimes, he puts us in a situation where we are unloved, unseen, or under appreciated. Now, granted, sometimes we do this to ourselves as well, we put ourselves in situations we shouldn’t have. Here’s the thing. God still sees you, even if others don’t.

Leah could have easily allowed resentment and anger fill her and consume her, but instead she chose to love, even when he (Jacob) didn’t love her. She chose to not give up, even when she saw her younger sister receiving all of the love and attention.

Leah’s story is a sad one. She really did nothing to deserve the hand she was dealt, but that’s life. We can’t always control what happens to us, but we can control how we react. Leah reacted with persistence and love. And the LORD saw her from above and blessed her.

Leah is blessed with seven children, none die during childbirth, and she doesn’t die during childbirth either. Jacob honors her in the end. She’s buried with him and his ancestors. In fact, the Messiah comes through her, but her sister.

Leah may not have been loved the way Rachel was, but the LORD wouldn’t allow her to be forgotten. He wouldn’t allow her to be overlooked and pushed to the side. God made sure she was honored as the wife of Jacob. And in the end, I do believe Jacob honored her as his wife, as well.

Sometimes we’re in difficult situations that make us want to give up, give in, and claim defeat, but when we fight for our marriage, God begins to fight with us. When we pray for our spouse and we love even when it’s hard, God sees. He steps in and does the heavy lifting that we can’t do on our own. He makes a way where there is no way, softens hearts, and changes minds. God does not overlook us.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Fight So He Will Fight.

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Be Patient In Love

19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. ~ Genesis 25:19-21

Isaac is a patriarch who gets mentioned, but it’s almost like it’s by default. Like he isn’t mentioned because of something he did, but because of when he was born. He’s the son of Abraham and the father of Jacob. So, when we mention who God is the God of, it’s almost like we only mention Isaac by default because outside of that, he feels very overlooked. But Isaac had some great qualities.

One specific quality he had was that he truly loved Rebekah. He didn’t just brush off her feelings, her desires, her needs. When Rebekah was barren and couldn’t conceive, Isaac stepped up as a husband and prayed for her. He prayed to the LORD his God to open her womb so that she might have children. And because of that, the LORD heard his prayer and Rebekah conceived.

Now, let’s contrast this with Jacob’s response to his wife, whom it says he loved greatly.

1 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2 Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” ~ Genesis 30:1-2

Instead of stepping up as a husband and praying for her to be able to have children, Jacob became angry with her. He scolded her. This is the woman he loves, whom he worked an extra seven years for, and they were as if only a few days to him because of the love he had for her. He didn’t have patience for her emotional breakdown. He couldn’t sympathize with her pain and her agony.

Yes, sometimes we, as women, are a little overemotional, but we were created by God to be more emotional than men. We were created to balance each other out. I personally believe that this is what Peter was explaining in his first letter.

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered (1 Peter 3:7).

Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church. Have patience with her. When something overwhelms her and makes her emotional, don’t be angered by that emotion; instead, take your place as the head of your wife and pray to God on her behalf. Love isn’t just loving when it’s easy. Love is for all times, especially in times that are harder and more stressful.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Patient In Love.

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Love God Above All

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. 9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. ~ Job 2:7-10

Job’s wife gets a bad reputation. She’s often the butt of the joke. The hidden villain. But when we look at this in context, she really wasn’t the villain. At least, she wasn’t trying to be. Think about it. She’s now lost all of her children. Her husband’s wealth is all gone. The lifestyle she was used to vanished. In a single day. Now, her husband’s health is under attack.

His entire body was covered in loathsome sores. Job describes his skin as turning black and falling off (Job 30:30). He was in agonizing pain. And the crazy thing is, they both seem to understand that it was a spiritual attack. His wife is probably in fear that he will die. That she will lose her husband just like she lost her children. So, she’s telling him to curse God and die from this. I don’t believe she meant a physical death. Otherwise, she’d have nothing and no one. I think she’s referring to spiritual death. Similar to the death threatened in the Garden of Eden. A death that would separate him from God but end his suffering.

I genuinely don’t believe this was from a place of evil. I think Job’s wife couldn’t take anymore of the suffering she’d endured, and she’d seen her husband endure. We often talk about Job’s suffering but never his wife’s suffering. It was her children as well. It was her wealth as well. She carried and bore each and every one of those children. She nursed them. Raised them. Watch them grow up, and then in a single day, they were gone. All of them. Not a single one spared. Now her husband is under attack. Do you not think she was desperate to save him?

Sometimes, our love for others can make us arrogant towards God, even if we don’t intend it to be. Even if we don’t mean to do so. Yes, it may have been with good intentions, but what is wrong is still wrong regardless of intention. When we go through hardships, when we suffer loss, when we are struggling to watch our loved one go through a test, we have to make sure our love for God is never lowered below the love of them. We can’t sacrifice following Him for the sake of the physical comfort of another. God must come first. When He comes first, we learn true love for others.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Love God Above All.

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Find Comfort In Each Other

62 Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel 65 and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. ~ Genesis 24:62-67

Sarah has died. Isaac is now a fully grown man. So, what does his father do? He sends his servant to the land of his fathers, to the city of Nahor, to find a wife for his son, Isaac. Now, fast-forward to the servant returning with Rebekkah, Isaac’s future wife. She sees him in the distance, immediately dismounts, and asks who he is. Then she covers herself with her veil when she finds out who he is.

What does Isaac do after he finds out who she is? He takes her to his mother’s tent and marries her. He finds comfort from the loss of his mother in Rebekah. Usually, men are the comforting ones in the relationship. Usually, it’s wives who go to their husbands to be comforted, and that’s the way we see it being at all times, but Isaac, the strong one in the relationship (as we see men), was comforted by his wife.

Love is a two-way street. It’s give and take. No one can be strong 24/7. No relationship can survive on just one person being there for the other every single time. We have to find comfort in each other. We have to be there for each other. We have to learn to be one.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Find Comfort In Each Other.

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