Category: Daily Bread

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PDS

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13  But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” ~ Luke 18:9-14NIV

When we’re raised in the church, it’s very easy for us to get Pharisee Disorder Syndrome. Here’s what I mean. It’s easy for us to think ourselves better than other people. We may not like the way they carry themselves or their past. We may feel they shouldn’t even be allowed in any church because of who they are and their sin. Church isn’t meant to be a place where self-righteous people go in order to make themselves feel good or superior to others. Church is meant to be a hospital. A place of learning. A place of growth. A place to meet with and meet God.

If you go to church every Sunday and feel you’re good where you’re at and have nothing that needs to be worked on or fixed in your life, then you need a new church. When we gather together, we should see growth. We should learn something new. We should see change. Church should be like a current helping the water flow through you, the stream. If you’re remaining stagnant and you go to church every Sunday, you and your church are spiritually asleep, maybe even spiritually dead.

When Jesus comes back, He’s not looking for self-righteous, churchgoing people. He’s looking for branches that have borne good fruit. He’s looking for faith, even as small as a mustard seed. He’s looking for evangelists who went into their areas (at the very least) and shared His Gospel. He’s looking for prayer warriors who spent time on their knees, not just seeking the kingdom for themselves but praying for the underground church. He’s looking for more than just a churchgoer. He’s looking for more than just a Pharisaical believer.

Belief alone will never get you into heaven. Faith will save your soul, but once you’re saved you have to begin to run the race set before you. Faith without action is dead.

So, I ask you, “What are you doing with your faith?”

Dear LORD, please forgive me for all the times I thought more of myself than I ought. Please forgive me for being an unjust judge and believing some aren’t worthy of even hearing about You. Please help me to love the world as You love the world. Help me to no longer hide my light under a basket. Instead, help me to shine it brightly so that all who come in contact with me see Your Light shining through me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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An Eternal Longing

21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. ~ Philippians 1:21-26NIV

With each generation, the world becomes more and more wicked, straying farther and farther away from Christ. As if that isn’t enough, with each generation the rapid speed in which we flee from the LORD and His ways are increased drastically. While the world becomes more numb, the Church becomes more oppressed. Peter tells us that Lot, who lived in Sodom, was distressed by the sinful nature of those around him. Paul wrote that it was far better to die because then he would be with Christ.

The older I get, the more I long to leave this world and all of its many woes. As I ponder this and listen to the song Elijah by Rich Mullins, something clicked in my mind. We talk about logging for eternity. Longing for Christ to return. We’re longing for something that we’ve never experienced. When you really think about it, it makes Christ’s sacrifice all the more awe-striking. Well, at least to me.

See, while we long for something that we’ve never experienced or can truly even grasp, Jesus left what we’re all longing for in order to come to what we’re all seeking an escape from. Jesus, the Son of God (being in the very form of God), had never known hunger, thirst, or want as God. He had never experienced temptation or suffering. Yet, He willingly got off of His throne, took off His crown, and left Heaven. He left the very place we’re longing for. He didn’t have to. It wasn’t for His benefit. It wasn’t so He could become greater. Matter-a-fact, He put Himself into subjection to the Father. He didn’t upgrade.

Jesus didn’t leave Heaven for Himself. He left Heaven for us. He left eternal peace to be tormented. He left eternal love to be despised. He left eternal safety to be wounded and pierced. He left eternal praise to be crushed. Jesus left everything we long for because of one reason and one reason alone, us.

He gained nothing. Gave up everything. All for us. I had never thought about it like this until now. And honestly it blows my mind. His love for us is so great that He gave up everything to save us. Maybe I’m not painting a good enough picture of what He gave up. Jesus was seated on His throne and Seraphim circled Him praising Him (and the Father), but yet came to earth to be spat upon, ridiculed, and mocked. He, being in very form God, could not be physically harmed, yet He set that aside and allowed the very people He came to save beat Him, whip Him, peel the skin from His body. The Bible describes Jesus’ body as having been beaten so badly it was unrecognizable. Matter-a-fact, it says he didn’t even look human when they were done with Him. As if that wasn’t enough, they then wove together a crown of thorns and forced it into His head, and then nailed Him to a cross. Even after all of that, He still wasn’t done. He had to now take the sin of the entire world upon Himself and carry it from the presence of the LORD to an eternal Lake of Fire.

Christ gave everything up for us. Yes, He rose on the third day. Yes, now He is seated at the right hand of the Father. But His road to get there was difficult beyond measure. Yet He counted it as worth it. Why? Because it was that sacrifice that gave us the opportunity to be saved.

When we long for eternity, we mustn’t let it get in the way of our duties on this earth. We are called by Christ to share the Gospel with the entire world. We are to do this in love. For love is what drove Christ, therefore, let it also drive us.

Dear LORD, thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for loving us more than we could ever fathom or comprehend. Please help me to love people the way You love people. Help me to not be angry with the world but to have mercy on them the way You had mercy on me. Teach me to love mankind the way You do. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I might be a light in this dark world. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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The Arguments

22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do His will. ~ 2 Timothy 2:22-26NIV

It’s been a long time since I’ve done a Bible Study for the ministry. So, I attempted to do a very basic teaching (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) that I felt wouldn’t stir up any issues, but apparently, I was extremely wrong. Whenever you post a video online, people have the right to comment and have an opinion. That’s just a part of the internet. The biggest issue I have isn’t people disagreeing. It’s people so busy trying to disagree or argue that they actually don’t listen to what is being said.

Paul instructs us not to get into stupid arguments. I’d even take it a step further with “Don’t interact with people that will take your peace.” When we first started posting on YouTube, I would respond to each comment, whether good or bad. This actually took a toll on me. Not because I couldn’t defend my beliefs but because people are rude, insulting, and will twist anything you say, as well as twist anything God has said in His Word. So, I leave them to themselves. Why? Because I avoid those kinds of arguments. I don’t engage with it; instead, I do as Jesus and King Solomon tell me and judge the fruit of the person to determine whether or not I should respond.

The enemy can’t just enter into our lives and destroy. If he could, there would be no Christians on this earth. So, he uses those around us, those who come in contact with us, and even those who are just passing by to try to get us to open a door in our life for him to enter in and cause destruction. So, what are we to do, no longer communicate with the outside world? While part of me would like to say yes, the other part knows better.

We aren’t to cut off the world, lest they be left to their own devices and perish. No. We are to engage with the world and spread the Gospel. When we share the Gospel, we don’t continuously try to force it down someone’s throat. Jesus told His disciples that if they went somewhere and the people didn’t want to listen, they were to kick the dust off their sandals, move on, and take their peace with them. We don’t try to force someone to believe or to even listen. We give them the opportunity, but if they are unwilling to listen, we move on. We don’t stand there and argue, allowing ourselves to get angry, frustrated, or even distraught. We move on. Jesus said the fields are white onto harvest.

There’s many people in the world who want to hear the good news of Christ and have a willing heart to do so. Therefore, we can’t allow those who have a hardened heart and closed ears to take up all of our time and consume our energy. We have to judge the fruit of those that we are witnessing or correcting and decide, “Is this person closed off to the Truth? Do they just want to argue, or are they truly seeking the Truth? Are they asking a genuine question?”

Dear LORD, please forgive me for all the time I have wasted arguing in pointless arguments. Please forgive me for allowing the need to correct and show others why I’m right to blind me from those you have placed in my path to help. Thank You that You have not abandoned me, but that You prune me so that I might grow in You. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I might be guided by You. Please give me a spirit of discernment so that I might be able to discern who is from the enemy to distract me and who is from You. Help me not to exhaust myself with trivial matters but instead to train myself to not grow weary but to run the race You have set before me with endurance. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Consider The Afterlife

19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ~ Matthew 6:19-21

Religion has been around from the very beginning. From Adam to Noah to Abraham, there has always been religion. One thing that each of these religions agreed on was that there was indeed life after death. They all agreed that this life didn’t end here and then we cease to exist. Each ancient religion believed in some form of an afterlife. The ancient Egyptians would bury their Pharaohs with their worldly possessions so that they could enjoy them in the afterlife. They’d even bury them with golden tongues so that they could speak with the deities in the afterlife. The Greeks would bury their dead with gold coins so that they could pay the ferryman to give them safe passage to the other side. Each afterlife was rooted in works, and most believed in the ability to take what you’ve made on earth with you. Then came Christianity.

See, all of these ancient religions, including Judaism, were based on works, whereas Christianity blatantly says salvation cannot be obtained by works because mankind is too flawed to ever reach perfection.

In the song Elijah, Rich Mullins sings:

But the Jordan is waiting
Though I ain’t never seen the other side
Still they say you can’t take in the things you have here
So on the road to salvation
I stick out my thumb and He gives me a ride
And His music is already falling on my ears

True salvation can only be obtained through faith by grace. It is the grace of God coupled with our faith in Him that saves our soul from eternal damnation. So, on the road to salvation, we have nothing. We can’t buy our way in. We can’t bribe the doors when we get there. So what is there left to do but stick out our thumb and catch a ride from God?

We spend a lot of time building up treasures on this earth, which isn’t in itself a bad thing, but it should never be our main focus. Christ said seek the Kingdom of Heaven first and then all of those things will be added to you. As Christians, we should be storing up treasure in Heaven.

One day, this life will come to an end, and each one of us will have to stand before the throne of the living God. We will have to then give an account of our lives. We’ll be judged by our words and our actions. All things that we have built up in this life will be tested by fire. If our focus is just building up earthly treasure, it won’t pass the fire test but instead will be burned up. Why? Because this earth will not last forever. On that day, it will flee from the presence of God and will pass away, and with it, all of its treasures. But the Kingdom of God is an Everlasting kingdom and its treasures are eternal ones.

It’s easy to get caught up with the things of this world, but we must put our flesh in subjection to Christ. We must live to Christ and seek Him and His kingdom above all else, lest our treasures be burned up in the fire.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Consider The Afterlife.

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Share Christ

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth. ~ Ecclesiastes 11:1-2

King Solomon tells us to not only cast our bread upon the waters but to give a portion to seven or even eight. Why? Seven is the number of completion, meaning you do as Paul did and try to share the Good News with every single soul that you meet, and eight, the number of new beginnings, means start all over again, and witness to those you’ve already witnessed to.

In other words, follow-up. Disciple.

We have to understand that eternity is a very long time, and once you’re there, you are there for good. There is no getting out. There is no parole. There is no reduced sentence. There’s no time off for good behavior. Once you are there, you are there. Your last breath was your last chance. There’s no getting out. Eternity is forever. We are to be the light in the darkness by sharing Christ with others.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Share Christ.

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Get To Know Them

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.” ~ Acts 17:22-23 NIV

I want you to notice that before Paul spoke to the people of Athens he first walked around carefully looking at their objects of worship. Paul was literally studying their religion in order to explain the Gospel to them. He didn’t just randomly walk up to them and start preaching. He first learned about who their god(s) were and what their culture was. Why? So that he could better explain Christ to them.

Today, the majority of Christians don’t take the time to actually learn what other people believe so when they encounter others, they’re arrogant in their speech and usually misrepresent or misquote their beliefs. As Christians we have to be ready to give a defense for each of our beliefs. And as Christians, we have to go out into all the world and share the Gospel. When all we do is say this is the way. This is the way, but never explaining why this is the way and their way is not, then we fail to see people converting to the Truth.

Each letter Paul wrote was specific to that Church and the culture they were in. Paul didn’t do a “one-size-fits-all” kind of evangelism. No. Paul wrote specific things to specific people. He never changed the Gospel, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying Paul personalized his evangelism.

Jesus did the same thing, as did Peter. Jesus used the Law of Moses and the Prophets in order to show He was teaching Truth and that He really was (is) the Messiah. Peter did the same. As did James, John, and Jude. They tailored their writings to their audience. They knew whom they were speaking to. They knew the beliefs and culture they were talking to.

Why today do we just write off others’ beliefs and then tell them they’re wrong? How does this save souls? It doesn’t. When we get to know someone else’s beliefs and we don’t just discount them as fables and lies, but instead show them that there is error in these beliefs and then show them the Truth (Jesus, Peter, James, Jude, and Paul all did), we’ll begin to see a change. We’ll begin to see a revival in the world.

Dear LORD, please help me crucify my flesh and build my spirit daily so that I might grow in Your Word and in wisdom and understanding. Help me to have patience with the world so that I might be able to be the light of the world, as You called me to be. Teach me, LORD, to not just dismiss other people’s beliefs, but instead to be able to show them the error of those beliefs and the Truth of Your Word. I pray that You would be me with boldness and confidence. I pray that You would lead me, guide me, and watch over me. That I might not keep Your light hidden away in me, but that I might let it shine brightly for the world to see. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Prepare For Battle

11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. ~ 2 Corinthians 2:11NIV

I often hear the statement that the Devil is already defeated. That the Devil is just a toothless lion. But I want you to think about that for a second. The Devil is a defeated enemy, but woe to the earth and the seas, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath? The Devil is a toothless lion, but he’s also a roaring lion prowling around seeking someone to devour?

When we say things like “the Devil is already defeated,” we give ourselves a false sense of security. We let our guard down. We stop holding up that shield of faith that extinguishes all the fiery darts of the evil one. We stop praying and fasting, which causes demons to flee and strongholds to be broken. When we believe our enemy is already defeated, we stop fighting.

This is one of the best lies the enemy has told because it’s not out there destroying the world. No. It’s out here destroying the Church. The Church no longer prays, fasts, or worships the way it should, and why should it if there is no enemy to fight? So many of our Church leaders fall into sin because the enemy is already defeated, and what God has me, no one can take away. So what happens? We stop watching ourselves. We just start blindly talking. We just start blindly going. And if we are going blindly, we’ll fall into the pit.

This life for Christians is destined for trials, tribulations, and many attacks by the enemy. It’s not an easy, cushy life. It’s a hard life. A life that we must deny ourselves and pick up our cross every day. A life where we have to run the race set before with endurance. A life where we have to go to battle on behalf of ourselves and our loved ones. The life of a Christian is not an easy one. Why? Cause the enemy is still here. The enemy is still fighting us. The enemy is not yet defeated. Therefore, we must keep fighting. We must keep watching. We must keep seeking God. We must keep running the race set before us.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Prepare For Battle.

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Answer Truth

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” ~ Genesis 3:1NIV

They say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. No one embodies that quote better than Satan. The very first temptation started with the question, “Did God really say…?” Satan honestly hasn’t changed his approach. Today, it’s the same thing. Did God really say that? How do you know? Don’t you know the Bible has been changed and rewritten multiple times? Books have been taken out and added back. It can’t truly be trusted.

Satan didn’t ask this to Adam. Why? Adam was there when God gave the command. Eve, on the other hand, was not yet created when God gave this command. It’s the same with us today. When God breathed the Word of God to the authors of the Bible, we were not there. So, what does Satan do? He asks us the same question he asked the woman. Did God really say…?

So what are we to do? We are to build our faith. How do we do that? We study the Scriptures. We learn them inside and out so that they might be written on our hearts. So that when Satan uses someone to say, “Did God really say …?” We can not only confidently say what God has said, we can explain it and defend it.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Answer Truth.

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Distribute The Bread

Mark 8:6-10 NIV

[6] He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. [7] They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. [8] The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. [9] About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, [10] he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

The Gospels say that Jesus gave thanks, broke the bread, and then gave it to His disciples to pass out. Then He did the same with the fish. To me, it sounds like to everyone else after His prayer of Thanksgiving, nothing happened. It doesn’t sound like the bread multiplied then. It sounds like he broke it in half, gave it to the disciples, and they then distributed in obedience. Now, I could be wrong, but that’s how it sounds to me.

It doesn’t sound like the miracle took place before they started passing it out, but because they were obedient to Christ they did as He commanded. It wasn’t necessarily about their faith, but about their obedience. We can see this when He tells them to cast their nets on the other side. They didn’t believe it would do anything, but they were obedient anyways.

Our faith doesn’t have to be super strong to see miracles. It just has to be tied to obedience. Most of us will never see a miracle because of disobedience. Whether it’s disobedience of not going or doing a specific action because we don’t fully understand the why in that moment or because we don’t do the basic requirements of loving God.

When we walk in obedience, whether we realize it or not, we are walking in faith. Obedience is faith in action. We may not see it in that very moment, just like the disciples didn’t see it in the moment Jesus broke the bread, but if we are obedient, we will see it.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Distribute The Bread.

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How Do You Love?

Matthew 20:25–28

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

While the world asks, “What is in it for me?” Christ-followers asks, “How can I serve you?” While the world shrinks away from generous giving, the Body of Christ gives unconditionally.

And again, while the world is looking out for number one, and fighting to climb up the corporate ladder, the Church endeavors to be last, the servant of all and considers others more important than ourselves.

We are called to a Selfless kind of Love. A love that is sacrificial and requires the giving of oneself.

Our religion teaches that in order to be first, we must be last. In order to rule we must take the place of the lowest servant.

Just like Jesus came not to be served, but to serve, we too are not called to be served, but to be servant all.

  • Ours is a sacrificial love
  • It is a selfless love
  • It is a giving-of-ourselves kind of love

So, this Valentine’s, don’t ask what your loved one can do for you, but how can you serve your loved one.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

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