Devotionals Archives

December 28, 2020December 28, 2020

The Love of Money

“⁸But if we have food and clothing, with these, we will be content. ⁹But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” ~ 1 Timothy 6:8-10

One of the worst strongholds a person can have is the stronghold of greed. The love of money will destroy not only the person it is affecting but also those around them. Paul isn’t telling Timothy it’s bad to have money but to only strive for money. He’s saying even if we aren’t rich, but we’re going to sleep with full bellies and comfortable PJs, then we should be content. We don’t need more, but it’s okay to have more. Placing money on a high mantle will ruin friendships, relationships, marriages, even jobs. Because money easily becomes a god, replacing the one true God.

So, don’t feel bad if you have money, but don’t let it control you. If we allow God to use us and place Him above everything else, making Him our one and only God, He will bless us. He will bring us to the next level. He will take us out of poverty, but first, we must lay everything down and place Him above all.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Love Not Money.

Back to Strongholds?

Back to Daily Bread?

The Beginning of The End

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” ~ Matthew 24:6-8

Jesus starts out by saying what is not a sign of the end: wars and rumors of wars, famines, and earthquakes. Even deceivers claiming to be the Messiah. These are the beginning of the end; the end is yet to come. Have you thought about the end? I believe we are there; the beginning of the end has already begun. Are you making preparations for it? What about your children? Have you taught them how to store up treasure in heaven that will last for all eternity? Do they know the saving grace of Jesus yourself? Today is the day of salvation; tomorrow is promised to no man.

Heavenly Father, You told us to store up treasures in heaven that will last for all eternity. Help us to see the urgency of the late hour. Let that great and dreadful day not overtake us like the floodwaters did the multitudes in the days of Noah. Please be patient and kind and forgive our sins when we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Back to Cleansing?

Back to Daily Bread?

Pay Attention To Blockades

“When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the Lord was merciful.” ~ Genesis 19:16^NLT

Sometimes God gives us a little push so that we may be saved from ourselves. Lot chose the land of Sodom, even though it had a bad reputation. He chose men for his daughters in the land of Sodom, even though the men of Sodom were wicked. Lot looked at what he could gain, not what his soul could lose. Sometimes we look at everything we could have instead of looking at everything we could lose.

How many sought after the glamorous life of Hollywood started out as Christians and now are on drugs, completely far away from God, living in sexual immorality, and have become so blinded that they can’t even see that. Or how many sought after a glamorous job but became filled with lust for more and more power. More and more money. So much so that they spiritually corrupted themselves.

Sometimes God places blockades in our path because that’s not the path for us. Because He knows we’re meant for so much more. Because He knows what we’ll lose. It’s his way of grabbing us by the hand and rushing us to safety. But we don’t always take His hand and go, sometimes we jerk away, and we stay, as Lot’s sons-in-law did. And in the end, we are Spiritually destroyed. Awaken and look around. Is this what God has in store for you? Is this good for your Spirit? Don’t be deceived by beauty because Sodom was beautiful and seemed to flourish on the outside, but on the inside, it was wicked and spiritually dead.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Pay Attention To The Blockades.

Back to Spiritual Slumber?

Back to Daily Bread?

Hold Your Peace

³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the LORD God will give to Him the throne of His father David, ³³ and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. ~ Luke 1:32-33

Jesus was not simply an ordinary man. Don’t get me wrong, Jesus was fully human, but that wasn’t all He was. Jesus was also fully God, but He set aside His Godliness and took the form of a helpless baby. He didn’t have to, He could have easily stayed on His throne in Heaven, but He didn’t. No, instead, He humbled Himself and took the form of a human so that we could live with Him forever.

Jesus didn’t get off of His throne so that He would have an everlasting Kingdom because His kingdom would’ve been everlasting whether He came to earth or not. He came to earth so that we would be with Him in His kingdom forever. He came so that no matter how hard life got, no matter how scary the times seemed, we would always have the hope of everlasting life with Him. That’s why Jesus came, not so that He would be rewarded, but so that we would be able to live. So, that His creation that He molded and formed and placed in their mother’s womb would have the opportunity to spend eternity with Him forever. His one goal on this earth was to save mankind.

When life feels too difficult, too bleak, too much to handle, look to God. Look to Jesus and remember He is still on His throne. No matter what happens in life, God is still seated on His throne. No one can move Him. No one shakes Him. God’s dominion and throne will never come to an end. It is from everlasting to everlasting.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Hold Your Peace This Christmas.

Back to Encouragement?

Back to Daily Bread?

Look For Your Star

“²saying, ‘Where is He who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw His star when it roseand have come to worship him.’” ~ Matthew 2:2

God set forth not only a sign for the Wise Men that Jesus had come but a star that led them straight to Him. God sets before each of us our own star that leads us to Salvation. A star that leads us to our call. And a star that leads us to every step we need to take in life, yet we don’t always see our stars.

We don’t always look up to see where we’re going or where to go next. Sometimes we’re too focused on what we want and what we think that we don’t take a second to look to the Heavens to see what God wants or thinks. This Christmas, look for your star, whether it’s a star leading you back home, to your call, or to your next step in life.

No matter what it is, put your faith and trust in God, not yourself or others, for God’s will for your life is perfect. And if you follow His star, you’ll find everything you could have ever wanted or needed.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Follow Your Star.

Back to Encouragement?

Back to Daily Bread?

Look For The Invisible

“³By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Hebrews 11:3

We believe that God created everything out of nothing. He spoke light into being. Birds. Fish. Trees. Grass. Etc. He created everything from nothing. He is a God that does not change. If He could create light out of nothing, He can create a path to your next step out of nothing. When you’re trapped in a situation, and you don’t know how you will be able to get out of it, God has a plan.

Even if you can’t see it, God can create a door where there is no door. If you can’t pay your bills. If you’ve just lost your job. No matter the case, if you place your trust in Him, He will create for you a path to victory, even if you can’t see it yet.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Look For The Invisible.

Back to Faith?

Back to Daily Bread?

Your Christmas Miracle

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’” Luke 2:8-10

Shepherds were keeping watch over their flock one night when all of their lives changed. They were where they were supposed to be, doing what they were supposed to be doing. But suppose they had said, “Let us not stay out in the fields tonight; it’s way too cold out.” They would have never heard the Good News. They would never have seen the great miracle that the whole nation was waiting on.

God has ordained something special for you, as well. He has ordained a special place for you to be doing a special thing. Don’t be afraid to be where you are supposed to be, doing what you are supposed to do. It may be a promotion at work, and you may be afraid of all the new responsibilities. Maybe it is the dream of starting a new business, which is always scary. But if God is in it, it can’t fail. You have to be where you are supposed to be to see your miracle.

Heavenly Father, I pray for promotions and work decisions today. I pray for new business ventures and for ideas to become realities. I pray for confidence and for boldness for Your mercy on all business deals for Your people today that they may receive their Christmas miracle. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Back to Encouragement?

Back to Daily Bread?

Prophecy of The First Christmas

“⁶For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ⁷Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” ~ Isaiah 9:6-7

The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, wrote this prophecy, as he was moved by the Spirit of God some 700 years before the birth of Jesus. In the midst of rebellion and insurrection against God and fear of invasion from their enemies because of idolatry, God had a plan to redeem not only Israel but all mankind by sending a Savior. But not only a Savior, but God Himself. How do I know that for sure? Look again at the verse above. Isaiah boldly proclaims that one of this Savior’s Names is Mighty God. That is truly amazing, since God, through Moses in Deuteronomy 6:4 said: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”

Who is this Savior or Messiah? Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The One who was born 2000 years ago and who was crucified for the sins of mankind, who rose from the dead on the third day and is seated at the right hand of the Father. What’s more, He is coming back again, and soon. Praise the LORD!

Father, thank you for sending Jesus to die on the Cross. I pray that the eyes of doubters will be opened and harden hearts repent. That they may receive that very first Christmas present, The Presence of God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Back to Hope?

Back to Daily Bread?

The Sign of The First Christmas

“¹⁴Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” ~ Isaiah 7:14

Isaiah told king Ahaz to ask the LORD for a sign. Any sign he wanted would have been done for him to see that the LORD God was going to deliver Judah out of the hands of the king of Syria and the king of Israel. But king Ahaz said no thank you, I will not ask. How often do we get the opportunity to ask for something, but we don’t, for whatever reason, and we miss out on a blessing? James said in his epistle that we have not because we ask not.

I remember many years ago, we were doing a 21-day fast, and we had maybe about 21 people participating. One night while praying and worshiping with everyone, I felt like the LORD was saying, ask me for anything you want. So, I told everyone there what I felt. I am not sure if anyone there asked. I was so caught in the moment; I never did ask for anything.

Ahaz, on the other hand, sounded so pious when he said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.” But Ahaz was into idol worship and didn’t want to give them up because he rathered relying on the king of Assyria, whose gods he was worshiping. But this is what James said, “You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask:” (James 3:2).

But, God said, you know what, I’m going to give you a sign anyway because this sign is not for you alone, but for all people past, present, and future. What seems like an impossible task is what brought us salvation, for what is impossible with man is possible with God. This Christmas, put all doubt aside, cancel all reservations, and put the LORD God to the test and ask.

Heavenly Father, give Your people the confidence to approach your throne of grace with confidence and boldness that they may ask, claiming the promises You have promised us. And when we ask, please hear, and when You hear, please answer. Thank you for the sign of the first Christmas. We accept Your salvation, in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Back to Spiritual Warfare?

Back to Daily Bread?

Imitate Jesus’ Speech

“²⁹Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” ~ Ephesians 4:29

As Christians, we often ask why we can’t say certain things or why we can’t joke a certain way. But Paul made it quite clear, let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, why? Because what comes out of your mouth reflects what is in your heart. If your talk is dirty and filled with corruption, then your heart is dirty and corrupted. If your heart is dirty and corrupted, then your soul is dirty and corrupted.

As Christians, we can’t expect to talk and act like the world when we are supposed to be separate from the world. We have to follow in God’s footsteps, not the world’s. Our speech should imitate Jesus’; our walk should imitate Jesus’. We should be like Jesus.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Imitate Jesus’ Speech.

Back to Cleansing?

Back to Daily Bread?