Daily Bread Archives

February 3, 2021February 3, 2021

Thank The LORD

“¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” ~ Matthew 28:18-20

As the majority of us are Non-Jews, this verse can be very encouraging. Before His death and resurrection, Jesus said He only came to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. To His disciples, He said only go to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. But something shifted in the Spiritual when He died and rose again; Gentiles were grafted in because now, Jesus gave us The Great Commission, to go out and make disciples of all nations. Sometimes we don’t even see the bigger picture because we get caught up in how amazing it is that we, Gentiles, were grafted in. But Paul takes that a step further, from just Gentiles, but the entire Earth being grafted into the Overwhelming, Never-Ending, Reckless Love of God. Paul said in Ephesians 1:4-6 that before the world’s foundation, God chose us (humanity) to be adopted to Himself through Christ Jesus.

So, before we were separated as Jew and Gentile. Before we ever sinned. Before Adam ever ate the fruit. And before there was even a foundation, God saw that we would sin, and therefore created a way to adopt us from darkness. For every sin we’ve committed, are currently committing, and are going to commit, Jesus died for. Jesus took the weight of all of our sin on Himself, taking our place on the cross. And then 3 days later, rising from the grave and finishing it all, for death has lost its sting and the grave has lost its power over us. For now, when we die, we are called to our new home, Heaven.

Thank you, LORD, for bearing our punishment. For taking our lashing. For paying our debt. You alone could bear our suffering on your back. You alone could overcome the grave, for we sin, not fully understanding what our sin cost. Some of us refuse to even acknowledge what You went through, and yet, You still did it knowing all of this. Knowing that we would betray You, spit in Your face, and call You a liar, You still got off of Your throne and came down to Earth to save us. Thank You, LORD Jesus, for paying our debt. In Your Holy and Precious Name, Amen.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Thank The LORD.

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The Tempted

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.” ~ Matthew 4:1

A lot of people don’t realize that there is a difference between temptation and sin. The above Scripture goes on to say that Jesus was hungry, so He very much wanted something to eat. Therefore, His temptation to turn those stones into some nice soft yeast rolls with some good hot chocolate and have Himself a good ole time was very real. But He didn’t sin because He didn’t act on the temptation. Please understand that if the temptation is not appealing, then it is not a real temptation.

Jesus had just fasted 40 days in the desert and was starving, so tempting Him with a giant house wouldn’t be very tempting to a starving Jesus. The point is, in order to be a true temptation, it has to be appealing to the one being tempted, and that is not the sin. The sin happens when we act on those lustful desires called temptation. We know it’s not a sin, for Jesus was without sin, and He was tempted. So, don’t be discouraged when you are tempted; everyone is tempted, but stand strong and overcome as Jesus did.

Heavenly Father, give us the spirit of wisdom and discernment so that we may know the schemes and tactics of the evil one. Protect our minds from evil and lustful thoughts. And when we are tempted, help us to know that You will provide a way out so that we will never fall. Also, help us to understand that when we are tempted, we have not sinned. It is not until we have acted on those temptations that we have crossed the line into sin. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Remember The Sabbath Day

“⁸ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, ¹⁰but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. ¹¹For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” ~ Exodus 20:8-11

We often overlook this commandment as unnecessary. We can’t see a need for it. Why is that? We see a need for all the other commandments except this one. I may be wrong, but was this not the first commandment God Himself observed? He rested on the seventh day. Now let’s clarify, the seventh day doesn’t have to be Saturday or Sunday, but the Seventh Day of your workweek.

For instance, if you work Friday through Wednesday, your Sabbath would be Thursday. Though I do like not working on Sundays, that’s not everyone’s reality as Pastors work Sundays. Therefore, their Sabbath could not be a Sunday. Here’s what I’m getting at, God created each of these commands for our benefit. And if God needed a day of rest, don’t you think you need one as well? Pastor Robert Morris once said, “God can do more in six days than you can do in seven.” So don’t overwork yourself; take time out to rest.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Remember The Sabbath Day.

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January 31, 2021January 27, 2021

Let Your Legacy Point To God

“Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them. ‘I know the Lord has given you this land,’ she told them. ‘We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.’” ~ Joshua 2:8-11^NLT

Rahab was a woman living in sin behind the walls of Jericho. Even though she didn’t know the LORD, she heard of Him and what He did for the people of Israel. Even behind the walls of Jericho, she was able to see God at work in the lives of the Israelite people. Imagine the walls of Jericho as a spiritual blinder keeping anyone inside of them cut off from any word of God. This is what the world is today. It’s surrounded by giant walls that try to keep out the Holy Spirit, but if we allow God to work in our lives, the walls of Jericho will begin to open, and they will be able to hear of the good news.

God can’t reach others without you. Though that sounds blasphemous, God doesn’t move without partnering with someone first. God could have easily destroyed Pharaoh, removed His people from Egypt, destroyed all the inhabitants of the land without Moses, Aaron, or Joshua, but God uses people. He uses us so that He can build a relationship with us and use that relationship to reach others. Allow God to do the miraculous through you so that His Name and His Greatness may be spread throughout the world, even passed the great walls of Jericho.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Let Your Legacy Point To God.

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Pick Up Just Enough

“Then Moses told them, ‘Do not keep any of it until morning.’ But some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them.” ~ Exodus 16:19-20^NLT

While in the wilderness, God rained down Manna for the Children of Israel to eat. Now God made a strict rule, only pick up enough for that day and don’t keep any until morning. But not everyone listened, so what they picked up spoiled and was filled with maggots. I believe God did this to build trust. He was saying, “look, I got you, okay? I got you. I will provide food for you every day. You don’t have to worry. You don’t have to wonder what you will eat tomorrow because I will provide for you. You just have to trust me.”

I believe that’s what He still does today. He tells us not to take on too much and trust Him, yet we work on Sundays, we work overtime because we have the fear that we won’t be able to pay the bills. And I’m not saying that isn’t a real fear, but God said to put Him first, and He will provide everything you need. So don’t miss Church or miss time with God because of work, work but make time for God, and you will never be without. You will have enough to pay your bills and buy food. Just place your faith in God instead of yourself.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Pick Up Just Enough.

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Pray Like The Spirit Ceased

“²⁶Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” ~ Romans 8:26

Even as Christians, we still have weaknesses. Our main weakness, in my personal opinion, is prayer. Prayer is our main way of communicating with God, yet the majority of us don’t pray often, and the rest of us give the excuse that we don’t know how to pray. While I believe that everyone should pray multiple times a day, not because of strict religious beliefs, but because communication is the way you keep a relationship alive. Without communication, the relationship will die, and you will no longer know God, and God will not know you, as it is in our human relationships.

Here’s our saving grace, though. If we pray, even if we say we don’t know how, we are reassured that the Spirit will intercede for us. How amazing is that? The Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. When we don’t know what to pray or how to pray, the Spirit will pray on our behalf. So don’t give up praying; the Spirit will teach you how to pray. And in the meantime, while you don’t know exactly what to say or how to say it, the Spirit will intercede on your behalf. So pray in confidence. Be encouraged, Jesus didn’t leave us here to fend for ourselves but sent us the Helper.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Pray Like The Spirit Ceased.

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No Person Is An Island

“Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:13-14

Paul writes two letters to Timothy, encouraging him as he oversaw the work in the Church of Ephesus as well as other Churches in Asia. Paul takes the time to encourage Timothy, as well as to strengthen him. This was the purpose of these letters, to strengthen and encourage a young man in a difficult call. But Paul doesn’t tell Timothy to try to do it himself. No, in fact, he tells Timothy to follow his sound or healthy words, with faith and love in Christ Jesus, and to guard or earnestly strive to do the call through the help of The Holy Spirit.

Sometimes we try to do things on our own without the help of anyone, but no person is an island. No human being can succeed in anything completely alone. Your call may be hard. It may even seem impossible, but if you rely on the guidance of a trustworthy and Godly mentor, faith and love in Christ Jesus, and endurance through the Holy Spirit, you will succeed. So don’t be discouraged today, but be encouraged, for you are not alone.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Strive To Fulfill Your Call.

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January 27, 2021January 27, 2021

Let Your Heart Beat Again

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” ~ Psalms 73:26

Even though our heart fails, and we feel hopeless, God is our portion. In other words, no matter how low you feel, how sad you are, or how much you miss a loved one who has passed on, God is holding you. When your heart fails, He revives your heart and strengthens it. No matter how many times your heart fails, God will always be there to tell your heart to beat again. Place your pain and suffering into His hands, and He will restore you and strengthen you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Let Your Heart Beat Again.

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Should I?

“⁷And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, ‘Bring me the ephod.’ So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. ⁸And David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?’ He answered him, ‘Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.’” ~ 1 Samuel 30:7-8

Everything that King David did, he first asked God if it was what He wanted. When his family was taken by the Amalekites, which included all of his wives and children, and he saw the entire city of Ziklag (where they were staying) burned to the ground, first, he encouraged himself in the LORD. Then he asked God if he could pursue the Amalekites.

The majority of us would think that that is a no brainer, of course, pursue. You’re a strong warrior of God. You’ve won many, many battles, go pursue the Amalekites and save your family and your men’s families, but King David knew God’s plan was best. King David knew what it was like to follow his own heart and his own desires. He knew what it was like to lose someone he loved because he followed his own desires instead of following God’s plan.

When it came to something that seemed right for King David to do, he still waited for God’s okay. King David wanted to build the Temple; the Prophet Nathan even told him it was a good idea.

¹Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.’ ²And Nathan said to David, ‘Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.’ ³But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, ⁴‘Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in.’
1 Chronicles 17:1-4

Imagine if King David began building the Temple after Nathan gave him the okay. He would have been outside of the will of God. But it seems as if he waited for a yes from God Himself because he didn’t go straight into building after Nathan’s yes. What would be the reason for that, other than waiting on God?

Things may seem like a given. Like God should want you to do it, but it may not be for you. Building The Temple seemed like a good idea, but it wasn’t for King David. It was for King Solomon. Saving his family seemed like a given. Why even question it? Because King David knew what it was like to be outside of The Will of God, and he didn’t want to feel that again. Things aren’t always what they seem. The Bible says to test the Spirits, so test them and see if your desires and new thoughts match the will of God.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Ask, Should I?

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God Understands

He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.” Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” ~ Luke 9:59-62^NLT

Jesus called a few people to follow Him, but they all made good excuses not to go, at least initially. Whether or not they were planning to go later, or after they had accomplished the things they said they needed to accomplish, is left to be seen. Jesus, on the other hand, equated it to putting their hand to the plow and looking back. Now, no one can deny that these men had some really legitimate reasons not to go.

The first man requested that he go and bury his father. To us, who are living in the 21^st century, it would appear to us that his father has either just died or is about to die. The fact is that he was requesting a leave of absence to go home and perform his earthly duty as a good son, more than likely, firstborn son, that is, to take care of his parents until they died. We can’t argue the nobleness of that gesture. Yet Jesus says there are more important things to be done.

What about the other man? All he wanted to do was to say goodbye to his parents. Again, maybe in the time we are living in that would entail sticking our heads into the front door and yelling, “Bye.” But not in that culture. They would have a goodbye celebration that could take days.

These are all good excuses. What about us today? We have the same legitimate excuses not to follow or do what we are called or asked to do. And we say something like, “God understands.” Yes, you are right; God does understand. He understands that He has called you, and He wants you to respond right away without excuse. We’re only fooling ourselves when we say, “God understands.” It’s just another excuse to ease our conscience and let us feel that we have a legit reason not to obey. So the truth is, what God understands is that you do not want to do what He has told you to do or called you to do, and He understands that that is called putting your hand to the plow and looking back.

Heavenly Father, I ask You to help us make good, righteous decisions when we are called or asked to do something for Jesus. Help us to not to make excuses or to fool ourselves into believing that You overlook everything. Yes, LORD, You are merciful, and we thank You for that, but You expect us to be obedient as well. So, help us, Father, to fulfill our calling in Jesus’ name, amen.

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