Category: Daily Bread

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Seek The LORD

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,

Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15).

Paul is not stating an absolute fact here; he is claiming a principle. How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? Or how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard?
These are legitimate questions to ponder. For indeed, how shall they believe if not told? Here is the thing, though. Jesus is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that which we can ask or even think. He can use whatever means He so chooses to use.

There are stories of Jesus coming to Muslims in dreams. Even in prison cells. Jesus is God, and He can use whatever means He wishes.

Now, here is the point. If Jesus can and will, and has used dreams, visions, and other means to reveal Himself to unbelievers, how much more will He reveal His good and perfect will to those who do believe? We are not abandoned; we are loved, and God desires a relationship with us. But if we say that we see or know Jesus, yet we do not seek Him, or have no desire for Him, then our belief is in vain. But if we put our own desires aside and seek His face, He will gladly reveal Himself to us.

So, do not be dismayed, and do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is for you and not against you. He will deliver you from the fowler’s snare, and pull you out of the pit. Your job is to seek Him while He may be found, and call upon Him while He is near. Do it now. Do it today. You will not regret it.

But someone might say, “I am seeking.” But they never really pray. They never worship. Seeking is more than just mere words; it is building a sincere and sure relationship with the LORD Jesus. So, do it today. Set a time and place of prayer, and let nothing steal your time and your friendship with the LORD Jesus.

Father, please deliver me as You have promised. LORD Jesus, come and abide in me that I might abide in You. Teach me how to worship and teach me how to pray in Your name. Amen.

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Study The Old

For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: “This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.” ~ Psalms 132:13-14NKJV

When God says that His dwelling is in Zion forever, I think we overlook what He’s actually saying. Because what He’s saying is absolutely beautiful. The LORD isn’t talking about an earthly Kingdom. He isn’t talking about something physically here on earth right now. Nothing from this earth. Nothing that had been corrupted, but that which is not created by human hands. Something uncorrupted. Something created by the hands of the LORD and brought down out of heaven at the End of Days.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 21:1-2ESV

When we read the New Testament, we often think it’s just new revelations, but it isn’t, at least not in the way we think. It’s confirming all that we have with us and further explaining it. Giving us more insight. Scripture interprets Scripture. These concepts throughout the New Testament aren’t brand new ideas and revelations. These are the Old Testament without the veil.

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.

2 Corinthians 3:12-15ESV

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Study The Old To Understand The New. 

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Prepare A Hedge

Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.” ~ Job 1:9-10ESV

Sometimes when you’re having victory after victory, and you’re not falling for the Devil’s usual schemes, he uses those around you to knock the joy right out of you. You don’t have to be a non-believer to be used by the Devil; Peter was arguably Jesus’ best friend, and he was used by Satan at the Last Supper. Judas was a follower of Jesus, and Satan entered him. You don’t have to be unsaved to be used by the enemy; he just simply needs an open door in your life to use you. And sometimes that’s what happens.

Paul tells us that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood but against the spiritual realm. The unseen world. The enemy and his kingdom. Their goal is to separate you from God, but because they can’t do it themselves, they try to force you to do it through temptation and trials. When temptation doesn’t work, they use those around you to try to steal your joy, your peace, your love. They try to steal your fruit because if you aren’t producing fruit, then the Father will cut you off of the Vine, who is Christ Jesus. So, he goes after your fruit when temptation doesn’t work.

So, be on guard. Put up a hedge of protection around you. How? Through prayer. Through worship. Through speaking the Word of God over your life, your family, your household, your relationships, your job. Speak the Word of God over all that is in your life so that it might be covered and protected.

We are not unaware of the Devil’s schemes, so don’t play his game. Don’t allow him to steal your joy. Your peace. Your love. Once you’ve covered all in your life, cover yourself. Put on the full Armor of God. Be prepared for battle at all times. Don’t give him anything the LORD has promised you; He has promised all the fruit to those who follow Him and allow Him to transform us into a new creation.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Prepare A Hedge For The Attack.

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Blind Servant

Who is blind but My servant, Or so deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is so blind as he that is at peace with Me, Or so blind as the servant of the Lord? ~ Isaiah 42:19NASB1995

If you think about this statement by the LORD, it is pretty frightening. He is not talking about the blindness or the deafness of the heathens, or those who hate Him. No, God is talking about His own people. His own servants. These people who are supposed to be working for Him. The ones who should have a close relationship with Him. But instead of closeness we find distance. Instead of intimacy, we find lukewarmness.

Just because we claim a relationship with the Almighty God does not mean we have one. God’s people, the ones who should know Him intimately and serve Him wholeheartedly, are the very ones who are trampling the blood of Jesus underfoot and making the name of His Holy One something common. That’s why God asks the question in Isaiah 1:5: “Why will you be struck anymore?”

In other words, why continue to rebel after He has redeemed you with His own blood, and now you’re receiving just punishment, punishment that He takes no pleasure in. It is not God’s will that anyone perish, but that all come to repentance. But we refuse to draw close to God because we love the pleasures of the world. Let us forsake evil and turn from feeding our lukewarmness and cling to God in pursuit of holiness.

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Live Your Testimony

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17ESV

I recently had a conversation with a young man online about how Christians should and should not act. See, he had commented an insult on one of my videos for no reason other than just being mean. When I clicked on his profile I was met with his bio: “God First, Family Second” and then on the third line he had all of the Fruit of the Spirit written out. This actually really angered me. See, his comment didn’t upset, the fact that he had the audacity to have Christ in his bio, making him a representative of Christ, while spewing hatred online. When I corrected him, not rude or aggressively I might add, I was met with denial that he did anything wrong and then he continued to push the insults, and then I was met with anger.

He was angry because I had corrected him and he said he is a grown man and therefore, doesn’t need correction. The problem with that? Everyone needs correction. None of us are perfect. None of us are not in need of growth. Not one of us. He didn’t realize that the entire Bible was literally written as a correction to adults men and women as well as an example for children to be taught by.

When we allow our flesh to control us, we throw hate at people for absolutely no idea. We allow any kind of talk to come out of our mouths. We allow our actions to taint our testimony. To keep us from witnessing to others. Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So, pray for workers. In another place He said the fields are white for harvest. In other words, it’s not because the world has refused to believe in Christ that people aren’t getting saved. It’s because we claim to follow Christ but we act like the Devil. We don’t follow in His footsteps, and the world sees. It notices. We’re so caught up in our own flesh. In our own selves, that we don’t even try to harvest, we just think about ourselves. We have become our own biggest enemy. For we have one main goal as the Church, and that is to get souls saved.

Therefore, don’t just be a Sunday Christian. Don’t just put up verses in your bio. Live your life as a testimony. Be like Daniel pure and innocent to the point where they could not even lie on him. Your testimony isn’t just what you say. It’s how you live your life. It’s how God now lives through you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Live Your Testimony. 

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Make Your Life

1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. 5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. 6 So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. ~ Genesis 39:1-6a

20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed. ~ Genesis 39:20-23

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt. ~ Genesis 41:14, 37-45

One of my favorite characters of all time said:

Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not.

Uncle Iroh

Sometimes life feels unfair. When we’re in the valley, we just want to get out. We don’t want to make a life in the valley. We don’t want to spend any time there. We just want to move on to a better life, but sometimes you’re in the valley for a while.

See, Joseph made a life as a slave in Egypt, and because he made the best of a terrible and unfair situation, God honored him and elevated his position. When he was wrongfully taken to prison, he made the best of that unfair situation as well, and God elevated him to second in command to Pharaoh.

Life happens wherever you are. No matter if it’s fair or not. Whether you’re on a hill or in a valley. It doesn’t matter. Life still goes on. Therefore, we have to make the best of wherever we are because God is with us wherever we are. And He will always work things out for your good if you remain faithful to Him.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Make Your Life.

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Continue Doing Good

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. ~ Ecclesiastes 11:1

King Solomon tells his readers to cast their bread upon the waters, and in many days it will be found. I used to think that that meant that if you treated others well, others would treat you well, but I’m not so convinced of that anymore. See, I think that King Solomon was saying that when you cast your bread upon the water, if you keep looking for it, then you’ll find it. If you continue treating others the way you want to be treated, then even when others mistreat you, God will work it out for your good. When people take advantage of you or cost you something important, God will send help your way if you continue doing good. If you continue treating others as you want to be treated. Paul says it this way:

9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

Bad things aren’t going to stop happening to you. People aren’t going to stop taking advantage of you. There’s still an enemy out there whose goal is to destroy you. To get you to give up on your race. To get you to sin so that you might never see an eternal reward from your God. So, hold fast and don’t give up. Keep turning the other cheek and treating others the way you’d like to be treated, regardless of how they have treated you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Continue Doing Good.

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Test Your State

13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” ~ Ephesians 5:13-14

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. ~ Romans 13:11-14

Spiritual slumber and spiritual death are two frightening states to be in. I’d say the most frightening, if I’m being honest. Why? Because in the state of spiritual slumber and spiritual death, you don’t even realize that you have fallen into that place. You’re unaware you’re asleep. You have no idea you’re dead. You think you’re okay. You think you’re good, but you’re asleep. You’re dead.

So, how do you test your spiritual temperature? You pay attention to your reaction to the LORD. To His Word. His Church. And even the World. Does the Word of God move you? When you worship, does the Presence of God fill the atmosphere? Do the things of God excite you? Are you falling asleep every time you’re in church? Do you become disinterested in a conversation when the things of God are brought up? Does God stir you?

When the Presence of God came down in the Old Testament, the ministers had to stop ministering. His Presence was just too much to continue. How much more should we, the Church, usher in the Presence of the LORD with our worship? We have the very Spirit of God dwelling in us. We are the Temple of the Living God. When the Spirit fell on the early Church in the New Testament, they were filled with power from on high and spoke in tongues. They were alive. They were awake. They were moving in the Spirit of God Almighty.

Today, so much of the Church is spiritually dead. Spiritually asleep. The Word of God has become just mere words, and worship has become just singing. What good is knowing the Scripture if it doesn’t change you? What good is worship if it doesn’t usher in the Presence of God? When we are spiritually asleep or spiritually dead, we make His Word void. We make His Presence cold. We remove the Power of God from our midst, and we allow darkness to reign in our lives, our homes, our communities, and our nation. It’s time the Church awakens from its deep sleep and rises out of the depths of its grave.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Test Your State.

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Get The Tank Ready

18 Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty. ~ Matthew 13:18-23ESV

Have you ever tried getting a fish tank ready for some fish? You gotta make sure you wash out the tank, cycle the water, add live plants for oxygen, and set up a filter, pump, thermometer, and heater to keep the water at the right temperature. Then, once the tank is ready, you gotta make sure you pay attention to the kind of fish you buy, or they’ll attack, injure, kill, and eat each other. There’s a lot to getting a fish tank. Much more than people think. And there is a lot to Christianity as well, much more than people think.

Just like it’s not: get a tank, fill it with water and fish, and you’re done; Christianity is not: believe and then say a prayer, and you’re done. Once you believe and say a prayer, now it’s time to get to work. It’s time to work on you. What’s in my life that needs to change? What’s in my life that needs to be rid of? Is my temperature too cold? Am I on fire for God? Are those people in my life bringing me up or bringing me down? Am I stagnant or am I growing? Am I being the Salt of the Earth? Am I being the Light of the World? Am I witnessing? Do those around me know I’m a Christian?

There is so much more to Christianity than belief and a single prayer. And just as the fish will die in a tank that isn’t properly set up, so will a Christian spiritually die if they don’t properly set up their lives for Christ. We have to pray, fast, worship, read our Bibles, study our Bibles, grow in Christ, be transformed by the renewal of our mind, change our environment, and purify our surroundings. We don’t listen to the same music we once did; we don’t watch the same shows we once watched; we don’t remain in the same sin we were once in. We grow. We move forward. We purify ourselves and our surroundings through prayer, fasting, worship, the Scriptures, and change.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Get The Tank Ready.

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Philippians 2:12-13ESV

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Bring God Down

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” ~ Revelation 21:1-4

There’s currently a video of a Jewish man explaining that Judaism is different from other religions because it’s not about getting into Heaven, but about bringing God down to Earth. I see this circulating on Christian profiles as a way to further hate the Jewish people. The comment section is filled with self-proclaimed Christians spewing hatred towards the Jews. Bringing up the crucifixion, half-quoting Paul, calling them Satan, the Synagogue of Satan, all while not realizing that that is the goal of the Christian as well.

Not one time in Scripture, either Old Testament or New Testament, has the goal of the Hebrew or Christian been to get into Heaven. Not at any point in time. This is a relatively new belief. A belief based on Church Tradition, not Scripture. Our eternal home has never been Heaven. No. Our eternal home has always been Earth. The Earth, however, has been corrupted by sin, so what does God do? Make Heaven our new eternal home? No. No, He doesn’t. He creates a New Earth for us to dwell. And what does God do? He comes down to the New Earth and dwells with us. He even goes as far as to say that His dwelling is with mankind.

Just because someone says something that you don’t understand doesn’t make it evil. It doesn’t make them evil. Sometimes, you’re blinded by your own hatred and/or ignorance of the Truth. Therefore, seek the Truth in Scripture. Widen your knowledge and understanding of God’s Truth. Don’t allow Church Tradition to control your beliefs. Instead, let your beliefs be founded upon and rooted in Scripture and Scripture alone.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Bring God Down.

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.

Genesis 17:7-8

44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. 45 I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

Exodus 29:44-46

20 When the sticks on which you write are in your hand before their eyes, 21 then say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. 22 And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms. 23 They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 24 My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. 25 They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. 27 My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Ezekiel 37:20-27

1 And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. 3 Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain. 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. 6 Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts? 7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

Zechariah 8:1-8

16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

2 Corinthians 6:16-18

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