Tag: Devotionals

Posted on

Put God Above

16 King Asa also removed Maacah, his grandmother, from being queen mother because she had made an obscene image of Asherah. Asa chopped down her obscene image, then crushed it and burned it in the Kidron Valley. ~ 2 Chronicles 15:16CSB

Many of us put family above everything, and in most cases, it’s the right order, but not in all cases. Sometimes the family member is living in sin and needs to be corrected. Sometimes, they even need to be removed from their position of authority.

King Asa was a good king. He tried to follow the LORD, even if it meant taking away the royal position of queen mother from his grandmother. King Asa knew that it doesn’t matter if they are family or not; you have to do what is right in the eyes of the LORD. You have to put God above all other things.

Nothing has changed today. God still must be honored and placed above all else because it is only He that saves. It’s only He that gives life. And it’s only He that can keep us from living a life of sin. Therefore, we must regard God above all else so that He might keep us from a sinful  life away from Him.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Put God Above.

Back to Growth?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Know How He Works

23 Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes.” ~ Mark 9:23CSB

I saw a short the other day making a joke about having anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Someone commented on the short, stating that Jesus can heal you of all ailments. This single comment upset hundreds of people. The majority of people triggered claimed to be Christians.

They claimed, “That’s not how Jesus works” or “That’s not how anxiety, depression, or ADHD works.” Their claim was then followed by a statement claiming to be a Christian with those afflictions.

What a sad state of the Church we are in. If Jesus can’t heal something as simple as depression, anxiety, or ADHD, how can He save my eternal soul from the pits of Hell? Or redeem me from my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness? If Jesus can no longer heal, then what’s the point of following Him? If you’re just as oppressed following Jesus as the world is rejecting Him, then does that not make Him a liar?

He promised life and life more abundantly. He promised us His peace. He promised whom the Son sets free is free indeed. Peter said cast your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Scripture after Scripture promises freedom from all oppression in Jesus, yet today’s Church is triggered by even the thought of such a thing.

God’s plans for us are good. They are for our welfare, not for our harm. Today, we no longer see healing and miracles because we firmly and wholeheartedly believe that that’s not how Jesus works.

Paul said we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. If we want freedom, our mindset has to change. Our thought pattern has to change. Our mind has to change if we are ever going to see God intervene in our lives. As someone who struggled with very bad anxiety and depression from childhood, I can confidently say that is how Jesus works. He still heals. He still renews. He still tears down strongholds. He is still God.

It’s not that God changed, but that our mindsets changed. God is still the same yesterday, today, and forever. No ailment is too permanent for God to free you of, but you have to first have the faith to believe it’s at least possible.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Know How He Works.

Back to Faith?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Call It Into Action

29 The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice. 30 And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. 31 Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned their way upon their heads, declares the Lord God.” ~ Ezekiel 22:29-31

God made a long list of wrongs and called out the iniquities that both the people and the priests were guilty of. But He doesn’t want to bring a swift and terrible punishment on them as He would be justified in doing.

He doesn’t do it because He does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. Neither does He find delight in punishing the guilty. God would rather bless than curse. Give than take. Help than hinder. Forgive than punish because His love is a steadfast love. Therefore, God looked for someone, anyone who would stand in the gap and intercede for those wayward people, but He could find none.

Today is no different. God is still looking for intercessors. He’s still looking for someone to stand in the gap and pray for the lost that they might be found. The love of God will move, but only if we will call it into action.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Call It Into Action.

Back to Spiritual Warfare?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Choose Your Father

24a No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. ~ Matthew 6:24a

This past Sunday was Father’s Day. On Father’s Day, I came across two entirely different father types. One drove across town to get his son a video game and card game he wanted, while the other pretended to be out of state so he didn’t have to see his son for Father’s Day.

The first father gave up his special day so he could get a gift for his son. He wasn’t a rich man. He wasn’t well off, but what he had, he spent on his son. He did his best to give his son good gifts. Possibly even striving to give his son the life he didn’t have.

The second father couldn’t spare his son (who is also a father) an hour of his time. He had the time. His wife was going out of town, and he had already agreed to go. The son even thought he was looking forward to it, but then he canceled, saying he was going out of state when he was, in fact, just home alone. To say the least, his son was heartbroken by it.

We have two fathers to choose from today: one who’s willing to give you everything and one who’s willing to talk a good talk but never follow through. Our God wants a relationship with us. He wants to be with us and spend time with us. Whereas the Devil doesn’t care about us. He only wants to use us to destroy ourselves and others.

Many of us aren’t blessed with a good earthly father who loves us, so we struggle to choose between God and the Devil, especially when the Devil disguises himself as good. I am so grateful and thankful that I have been blessed with an amazing father who spent his special day driving me to pickups for my business. He didn’t have to. He could’ve said no, but he didn’t. He did it with a smile on his face and love in his heart. He was so proud that my little business was taking off that he didn’t care that it was Father’s Day. He was just proud of me and more than happy to help me where he could.

That’s the kind of father our heavenly Father is. He is like the first dad and my dad. A father who is willing to give everything and more to the child He loves more than anything in this world. We may not get to choose our earthly father, but the choice is ours entirely when it comes to our spiritual father. So, choose wisely.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Choose Your Father.

Back to Cleansing?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Tear ‘Em Down

28 Jehu eliminated Baal worship from Israel, 29 but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit — worshiping the gold calves that were in Bethel and Dan. 30 Nevertheless, the Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my sight and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in my heart, four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.” 31 Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit. 32 In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory 33 from the Jordan eastward: the whole land of Gilead — the Gadites, the Reubenites, and the Manassites — from Aroer which is by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan. ~ 2 Kings 10:28-33CSB

Jehu did good in certain areas but not in all. He removed the house of Ahab and the high places, but he allowed for other idolatry to remain. Jehu, though he corrected one aspect of his kingdom, didn’t clean his full house. The LORD honored the good job he did when he obeyed the LORD and removed the house of Ahab, but he continued in sin, forcing the LORD to punish him.

Many of us believe that we can live our lives however we want as long as we go to church, give thanks for our food and day, and occasionally read our Bibles, but that’s not the desire of the LORD. He desires us to remove all sin from our lives. We are expected to be perfect like God is perfect. We have to tear down all strongholds, not just the ones written out blatantly for us but the ones we have to seek God to find. The ones deep within us that we don’t even realize.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Tear ‘Em Down.

Back to Strongholds?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Allow God To Plant

6 Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord made David victorious wherever he went. ~ 1 Chronicles 18:6CSB

The LORD described David as a man after His own heart. In other words, a man seeking the heart of God above all else. David knew that the LORD knew what was best. That God’s ways were above his own. So the LORD blessed David.

David flourished where he was planted. He didn’t argue. He didn’t try to do it a different way. No. He put all of his trust and faith in the LORD and the LORD turned around and blessed him and gave him victory over his enemies.

Today is no different. If you want the LORD to bless you and fight on your behalf giving you victory over your enemies, you have to allow Him to plant you in good soul where you flourish. It may not always make sense at the time, but it is always for your good.

Peace. Love. Forth and Allow God To Plant.

Back to Faith?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Seek His Heart

8 They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read. 9 Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.” ~ Nehemiah 8:8-10CSB

It had been years since the Word of the LORD had been read in their presence. They didn’t know what to expect. As Nehemiah and Ezra read the Scriptures and began instructing people on how they were living compared to how the Scriptures said, the people began to weep.

See, they loved their God. They had a desire to know Him and dwell in His love. Today, the Church only has the desire for off-brand, unsatisfying love that is only of this world.

The enemy will even go a step further and call God’s love and His commands evil. Then, people will justify the enemy’s lies by saying the Scriptures are outdated, no longer necessary, and have no true place in our world today.

If we want to please God, we need to seek to have what breaks His heart to break ours, what angers Him to anger us. We need passion and desire for the things of God if we are going to dwell in His presence.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek His Heart.

Back to Cleansing?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Be In Tune

15 Elisha responded, “Get a bow and arrows.” So he got a bow and arrows. 16 Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Grasp the bow.” So the king grasped it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 17 Elisha said, “Open the east window.” So he opened it. Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. Then Elisha said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, yes, the arrow of victory over Aram. You are to strike down the Arameans in Aphek until you have put an end to them.” 18 Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” So he took them. Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck the ground three times and stopped. 19 The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have struck down Aram until you had put an end to them, but now you will strike down Aram only three times.” ~ 2 Kings 13:15-19 CSB

Elisha told the king to do two very specific actions: shoot an arrow and then strike the ground with arrows. After the first command, Elisha explained the meaning of the action, but the king missed the importance of the second action.

See, Elisha told the king that the first action was a sign of his victory over Aram, but the king didn’t take into consideration that the second action would be tied to his victory. Therefore, he only struck the ground three times.

The king’s spirit man was asleep. It wasn’t in tune with the Spirit of God, so he missed his opportunity to completely defeat his enemy. Today, we are given the same kind of commands. We are urged by the Holy Spirit to act, but it’s not until we’ve obeyed or it’s too late that we find out the reason for the command.

The only way we can be sure to never miss the opportunity of the LORD is to awaken your spirit man and grow him until he is in tune with the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who guides, leads, and protects.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be In Tune.

Back to Spiritual Slumber?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Experience More

20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 2:20-21

To be sanctified simply means to be set apart as holy. Matter-of-fact, we’re not just set apart as holy, but we are set apart as holy because we have been brought into the arms of God, into the Kingdom of God. This is why we will be recognized by our fruit, because unless we are transformed by the renewing of our mind, then we aren’t sanctified. We are still in darkness.

Jesus didn’t come into this world so that we can remain in the world and never change. Jesus came to redeem us out of the world into His Glorious Light. Christ came and suffered so that we might be sanctified through Him.

Don’t allow the lies of the world to keep you from being transformed into a new creation in Christ Jesus. Don’t allow them to keep you stuck in the darkness, unable to encounter the Light and experience the Truth and Love of God.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Experience More.

Back to Growth?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Take Back Control

19b … that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice. ~ Genesis 18:19

God chose Abram not because he was the wealthiest man, the wisest man, or even the most righteous man. God chose Abram because God foresaw that Abram would teach his children and their children to follow the Word of the LORD. That was it. God knew that Abram would lead his household in the ways of righteousness in a way that it would be passed down from generation to generation.

Understand that the job of the father in the home is to command His children and his household in the things of God. Fathers, we don’t leave that up to the mothers to do. That is not their job. It is our job to command our children and our household in the things of God.

We are to teach and instruct. We are to guide and lead. That is the basic duty of a father. Statistics show that a child is more likely to stay in the Church when they grow into an adult if their father is an active member of the Church. Don’t leave your fatherly duty up to anyone else. We are to lead our families by following God and living our lives for Him, so that we might be an active example for our households.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Take Control.

Back to Growth?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Proudly powered by WordPress