Tag: Daily Bread

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Fully Trust God

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Even when God is disciplining us, His thoughts are toward providing us with hope and a future. All of God’s thoughts are pleasing and pleasant toward us because God loves us. Never make the mistake of even considering that God is against you or that He does not have your best interest at heart. Just like an earthly father will discipline his child, so God will discipline us so that we can learn and not stay in ignorance (Proverbs 3 & Hebrews 12).

God has great plans for us, but we must be disciplined and not run wild and out of control. We can’t be craving and gullible. We can’t be chasing after fame and fortune and getting caught up in the things of this world. You must care about the things that God cares about. You must value what God values. Why? Because these are eternal, but the things of this world are temporary. The temporary things lead us to death because they lead us far away from God.

Trust the plans of the LORD. He may not always tell us the purpose of each and every season He has us go through, but we can have faith that it is always for our good and never to hurt or harm us. This is the promise we have from our Heavenly Father, who loves us more than we could ever know.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Fully Trust God.

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Remember Who You Follow

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. 3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. 4 They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. 5 Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. 6 And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. 7 They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’” ~ Matthew 23:1-7NLT

Jesus warned the people not to leave the temple or ignore the teachers because they taught Truth but didn’t follow what they preached. Today, so many people leave the Church because of a pastor and what he or she does. They leave the Church entirely because of someone else. Jesus is telling us not to do that. Too often, we base our own relationship with God and our faith in Him on other people’s relationship with God. We base our actions on other people’s actions.

Our relationship with Jesus should never be based on someone else. It’s only about us and Jesus. A lot of our pastors and leaders are like the Pharisees and Scribes of Jesus’ day. They teach Truth, but they don’t live it. Just like we’ll have to stand before God on Judgment Day and give an account for all that we did and didn’t do, so will our leaders. If we allow someone else’s downfalls and slip-ups to affect our relationship with God, then we’ll be judged for that on Judgement Day. Jesus told Peter a very difficult statement to come to grips with.

Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

John 21:22

We can’t control how our leaders act, but we can control how we act. We have to remember that we don’t follow men; we follow God Himself. We follow the forerunner of our faith. The one who went before us and made a way where there was no way.

Dear LORD, please help me to follow You. Help me not to be distracted by others and how they choose to live their lives. Help me to keep my focus on You. Help me to keep You and You alone as my North Star and the center of my world. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Always Use Words

17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name. ~ Acts 4:17

You’ve probably seen the text attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. Now whether he actually said this or not, I don’t know. But it is widely believed that he did.

Preach the Gospel always, and when necessary, use words.

It sounds so religious, so pious, Christians often quote it. They often publish it and republish it on their social media, and it sounds good. We should preach the Gospel always. But let’s break it down and unpack it a bit.

There is no denying that we are to preach the Gospel always, but, when necessary, use words? Is that Biblical? I believe it’s designed to shut up the Christian and fool them into being quiet. Why? Because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.

How can they believe if they have never heard? To advocate us to be silent and not speak and teach in the name of Jesus is pure censorship. They intimidate us; they have hushed us up in the schools, they have hushed us up in the workplace, they have hushed us up in government, in our malls, in our stores; we can’t even say Merry Christmas because it’s politically incorrect to do so. It is silencing the Church, and the Church is called to be the voice of Jesus, the only way to God.

People often say that God doesn’t need us, but how can they hear if no one tells them? Sounds to me like God intended for us to be His mouthpiece. Jesus did His part. It is our turn now! How, then, can we be silent? God wants the whole world to know the way to salvation, and it’s through our preaching and our teaching. There is no other plan. None.

So, don’t let them silence you; you are called to preach the good news. How would you be saved right now if someone hadn’t taught you the way of holiness? It’s time for the Church to arise and stop being intimidated and shamed into being silent while our friends, our family, and our coworkers are going to an eternity of punishment. Stand strong in your faith. Spread the name of Jesus to anyone willing to listen. And never be ashamed of the Gospel.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Always Use Words.

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Stir Up A Spirit of Thanksgiving

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

One of my favorite quotes, which I’ve been trying to do a better job of putting into practice, says, “Appreciate the little things because one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.” It’s the little things in life that lay the foundation for the big things. The only way to ever appreciate and be thankful for and grateful for the big things is to appreciate, be thankful for, and be grateful for the little things along the way.

If you’re battling an addiction and can’t seem to get free, break it one day at a time. If you’re battling fear, break it one fear at a time. When you see a victory, regardless of how small, praise. Rejoice. Give thanks. Why? Because you are now one more step closer to freedom than you were before, and that is something to be thankful for.

We have to be thankful. We have to stir up the Spirit of Thanksgiving within us. This isn’t always a simple task. Sometimes this is rough, but it’s something we strive towards because the LORD loves and blesses a grateful heart.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Stir Up A Spirit of Thanksgiving.

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Live In The Now But Live For The Future

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ~ Philippians 1:21

Live in the now, but live for the future. This is a difficult statement to understand. At first glance, it almost seems contradictory, but it’s no different than the statement, “Live in the world, but don’t be a part of the world.” We’ve been called out of the world, yet we’ve been called back into the world in order to witness to those still of the world. Therefore, as long as we live on this beautiful green earth the LORD has given to us, we must live in the present, for it is a gift from God. We have to enjoy the short time we have with our family and friends. We have to witness to as many people as possible. We have to constantly lift up the name of as many sinners and saints as possible through prayer in supplication. There is much to do in this short time on the earth, and the only way to do that is to live in the now.

But because this world will soon come to an end and with it, all of these temporary temptations will soon perish, we must live for the future. To live is Christ, and to die is gain. We’re living for a much greater and grander life. One that we cannot grasp or imagine. Therefore, while we should enjoy the blessings and gifts from God while on this earth, we must never get lost in the temptations and the pitfalls set before us. These temporary luxuries of this earth will not last. They’ll soon pass away, as will this earth. We live for a much greater reward than what the world can offer us, which is why we must store up treasure for ourselves in Heaven. A place where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Live In The Now But Live For The Future.

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He’ll Still Hear

36 And leaving the crowd, they took Him with them in the boat, just as He was. And other boats were with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” ~ Mark 4:36-40

Even though Jesus intended and expected the disciples to have enough faith to calm the seas, when they called for Him, He still came to their rescue. Why? Because they ran to Jesus when they felt they couldn’t hang on and do anything themselves. Jesus scolds them for their lack of faith and their succumbing to fear, but He doesn’t leave them. He only corrects them. He disciplines them because He loves them.

Today, many of us are in the middle of a storm. The wind and the seas are blowing. The boat is threatening to flip with us in it, yet Jesus is asleep. He’s at peace in the stern, but we are wide awake and being tossed about on deck, watching in horror as the wind and the seas get more violent. Jesus isn’t awake; He’s asleep. Why? Because He has given us authority through His name to calm the wind and the seas. This is our test. Jesus is still with us, asking if we have the faith. We’re not alone in our test; the Teacher may be silent, but He is with us. He is asleep because He is expecting us to take His powerful name and calm the storm that is threatening to sink us. So, be not afraid. Even the faith of a tiny mustard seed can move the largest mountain. Nevertheless, if your faith fails you, run to the master. Scream out His name. Call on Him. Seek Him, and He will awake. He will calm the winds and the seas, and you will be saved. This promise from God you can stand on.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Calm The Raging Seas.

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Always Move Forward

20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ~ Romans 5:20-21

God is a Holy and righteous God. He demands perfection from His children, but because He knows that we in this mortal body could never be perfect gives us grace. What does that mean? Not every person is on the same level of restoration. In other words, we are all His clay pots because we are all His creation. Some of us are more broken with more dents and scratches than the others.

God is the Potter. He molds, rewords, and restores the clay pots with love and great attention. Some of us, God has been working on for a while, so our sins are (or should) no longer holding us in bondage the way they once were. Therefore, we should require (and He does give) less grace. Why? Because we should be overcoming more often and falling into pitfalls and traps set by the enemy less.

Whereas the clay that is only now getting remolded and reworked is going to struggle more. They’re going to trip up more. Why? Because they’ve only now begun to change. They’re babies in the faith still on milk. Those of us who have known the Truth for so many years should no longer be on milk but meat. We should be teachers and mentors to those young in the faith. We should no longer be on the same level as when we first started.

To those who have only just begun, be encouraged, be hopeful, and be strengthened in the Joy of the LORD. Always strive for perfection because even if you miss, you’ll land among excellence. To those who have been faithfully running the race set before you for a while, don’t grow weary of doing good. Continue to progress with confidence and endurance. Focus on the race set before you, but don’t forget the new believer. Always be seeking to mentor, teach, and guide the new believer through their journey. Always search for new fields to harvest, for the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Regardless of where you are in your faith, always press forward and never look back.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Always Move Forward.

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Don’t Trample The Blood

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? ~ Hebrews 10:26-29

God didn’t just choose a righteous man to die for all of the unrighteous people of the world. God chose His Son. He chose the one who bore His very Image from before the very beginning. God chose someone who bore His very own Divine Nature. So, 2,000 years ago, God the Son set off His God-Divine nature and took on our nature. Our weak, easily tempted, ignorant, finite flesh. Why? One word, love.

He loved the creation He had created, for nothing was created without Him, and all things were created through Him and for Him. This is who died for us. The very Word of God became flesh to die for a wicked, ungrateful, evil, slothful, and treacherous world. The love of God is shown through this single act of love because even as they mocked Him and laughed at His pain, Jesus prayed for them.

He prayed for the forgiveness of the Father on their behalf. He prayed that they might be shown mercy instead of the righteous wrath of God that they deserved. Every time we sin and give into temptation, we trample on the blood of Jesus, yet just as He prayed for those mocking Him that day on the cross, He prays for us now. Not just for mercy but that the Spirit of Grace might convict and lead us back to Him. What can we do to repay such a great love? Nothing we have of value but this life He has given us. Therefore, the only way to pay Him back is to give ourselves to Him. This is all He requires in return. Love for love.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Trample The Blood.

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To Do Nothing, Is To Do Something

43 When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation. ~ Matthew 12:43-45

I once saw a vlog of a man who had been in the music industry. He was a producer and songwriter. He used to be into witchcraft and demonic trances of sorts, which is how he wrote his songs. One day, he got saved and put all of that behind him. While his soul may have been saved, his career was now at a loss. Why? Because he could no longer write any songs without the demonic influence guiding him.

So, as time went on, he began regressing in the faith. In other words, he simply stopped praying. It didn’t happen instantaneously, but over time as he slowly stopped seeking God, his writing skills returned to him. He didn’t have to open up a door. He didn’t have to do a demonic or Satanic ritual in order to get the demonic power back. All he had to do was end his communication with God. His house was clean, but it wasn’t filled.

I realize and fully understand that demonic oppression is a touchy subject in the Church. Nevertheless, it’s an important subject in the Church. We are all under spiritual attack. This is the importance of spiritual armor. Some of us have opened doors to demons, evil spirits, and unclean spirits in our lives as well as in us.

Anger, quick-temperedness, lust, greed, gluttony, sexuality, sensuality, certain infirmities/illnesses/sicknesses, etc., plague the Church, yet we don’t want to acknowledge them. The more we turn a blind eye, the more we give it root to dig into us and bring friends. Sometimes the open door is just refusing to fill yourself with the Spirit of God. To fill yourself with God. Humans weren’t created to remain empty. What we fill ourselves with is based on our own actions or the lack thereof.

Dear LORD, please help me to fill my house that it may not leave any room for demonic or satanic interference. Open my eyes that I might see any spiritual doors that I have opened, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Help me to close those doors indefinitely that I might not give a foothold for the enemy to come into my life. Build up a hedge of protection around me that I might not be under constant attack. Please give me the Spirit of Discernment that I might accurately discern between good and evil, right and wrong, Truth and error. Please guide me in all that I do. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Who Do You Say Jesus Is?

13When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” ~ Matthew 16:13-20NKJV

Jesus was passing through Caesarea Philippi with His disciples. Now, Caesarea Philippi was like the center of Baal worship. It lay at the foothills of Mount Hermon, a place of long history. From the very beginning, this area was known as the gateway to the spiritual world, and it seems like false-god worship and sexual immorality struggled with goodness and blessings there. In the time of Moses and Joshua, this area was known for Baal worship. At the time of the Greeks, this area was known for Pan worship. Apparently, the people did detestable things in their worship of Pan, like religious prostitution and even having sex with goats in Pan’s honor.

This is where Jesus and His disciples were passing through when Jesus asked His disciples who they say that He is. Today, we live in a world where any religion is more acceptable than Christianity. Sexual immorality is rampant, and the deep state is trying its best to legalize and normalize pedophilia. The signs of the time indicate that Jesus’ return is close at hand. Jesus is still asking, “Who do you say that I am?” You have to make a choice. You have to declare who Jesus is and make a stand in these last and final days before His coming. Because it’s at His coming that free choice is removed and judgment is poured out.

Dear LORD, please give me the strength, confidence, and desire to serve you with all that I am. Please give me a new heart and renew a right spirit within me. Help me to make a stand for You, even if no one else will. Help me to declare who You are with the same confidence Peter did. Give me the strength to stand for righteousness and give me a Spirit of Discernment that I might rightly discern Truth and error. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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