Tag: Devotionals

Posted on

Be Friendly

44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. ~ Matthew 5:44-48

So many of us strive for friendship with the world. We want the world’s acceptance and love. Many even go out on a limb and say, “Well, Jesus was a friend of sinners.” Here’s the thing: Jesus said to be His friend is to follow the command He has given. To follow His command is to allow Him to change you from sinner to saint. Therefore, Jesus isn’t a friend of sinners but a friend of saints. What does that mean for us?

We are to do the same. There was never a time when Jesus refused to eat or drink with someone. There was never a time when Jesus mistreated or condemned someone. Jesus spoke with and ate with anyone willing to sit down with Him. But even in all of His kindness, Jesus always corrected the sins of those He ate and spoke with. He never allowed Himself to be tainted spiritually for the sake of the feelings of another (Ezekiel 33:8), but He did it with love.

He didn’t call the woman at the well an adulterous whore, no He simply told her what her sin was, having many husbands. Jesus didn’t even bring up her sin until she did. Before that, Jesus was speaking to her about the living water He had that she needed. When they came with a repentive heart, Jesus didn’t even mention their sin, like the unnamed woman who cried at His feet wiping them with her hair. Jesus simply said, though her sins are many they are forgiven. He never once mentioned what those sins were.

Often, we believe that as Christians, we need to shun those who don’t meet our standards, but the Truth of the matter is that we should be willing to speak with and eat with anyone willing to do so.

God Himself lets His sun rise on both the wicked and the righteous. In other words, His mercies are renewed each morning for both because each day is another chance to follow Christ and do better than the day before.

God Himself also sends rain on the saint and the sinner. He pours out blessings on each. God doesn’t hate anyone. He doesn’t hate the wicked, His desire is that all come to repentance and accept Him. Paul asked this:

14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

Romans 10:14

We aren’t to be a part of the world, but we are to be in the world shining the Light of Christ with all willing to hear. For if no one tells them, how are they to believe? Therefore we are to be friendly with all, but not friends with all.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Friendly.

Back to Growth?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Strive For Friendship

 12 This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. ~ John 15:12-15CSB

Jesus is often referred to as a friend of sinners, but that’s not quite right. Jesus says that the overzealous religious people of His generation accused Him of being a friend of sinners, as well as a drunkard and a glutton in that same sentence, but we never refer to Jesus as either of those last things. So, why do we refer to Jesus as a friend of sinners?

When I see this being used or referenced in today’s world, it’s being used by people justifying their own sin. They say Jesus hung out with prostitutes and deviants, but that’s not true either. Jesus was friendly with everyone. He spoke to and ate with anyone willing to listen. After being in His presence, one of two things happened: the person changed their ways, or they were left where Jesus found them.

For Jesus to be a friend of sinners is to say Jesus is a friend of the world. But this is impossible. Look at what the Scripture says:

4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

James 4:4

Jesus wasn’t an enemy of God; He was, is, and always will be God. Jesus was friendly with everyone but wasn’t a friend of everyone. Look at what He tells His disciples:

14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.

John 15:14-15CSB

This is after Jesus washes their feet. After the Last Supper and the LORD’s Supper. After Judas goes out to betray Jesus. It’s just Jesus and the eleven. They had been following Him for about 3 ½ years. Three of them had witnessed the transfiguration and saw Moses and Elijah with Him. They had all cast out demons and healed the sick. Nevertheless, they weren’t His friends until that night when He would be arrested before sunrise and killed before the next sunset.

If these men, especially Peter, James, and John, were not counted as Jesus’ friends, how can we say Jesus is a friend of sinners? Yes, it sounds good. Yes, it makes for a good talking point, but there isn’t any Truth to it. Jesus said if you are my friends, you will do what He has commanded. That means to allow Him to wash you in His blood and Word that you might no longer be a sinner but now a saint.

Therefore, don’t allow the twisting of Scripture to confuse you. Don’t allow your ears to be tickled by the deceived. Seek a true relationship with Christ, a true friendship that will change you. If your religion doesn’t change you, then it doesn’t save you either.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Strive For Friendship.

Back to Growth?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Be Gentle

23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. ~ 2 Timothy 2:23-26

I’ve seen many people claim to be Christians while mocking, ridiculing, and demeaning anyone who doesn’t agree with them. Sometimes, the argument isn’t even over something that is life and death but trivial matters, such as Satan, Lucifer, and Leviathan; the Nephilim and their origin; Abaddon and his identity; things that don’t impact your salvation. Yet they’re filled with anger and pure rage when you don’t agree with them and have Scripture for reasons why.

Of all the fruit of the Spirit, love is the most important. Of all the commands in Scripture, love is the most important. Without hope, we can’t have faith, and without faith, no one can please God, yet love is still greater than these. Yet the Church struggles with love. We either live like the world and refuse to correct, or we love like the world and spew hatred. Rarely do we see Christians love people like Jesus did.

Jesus corrected without insult and hate; He didn’t just watch the world continue in darkness without showing them the Light. He didn’t make sure they knew how perfect He was; He made sure they knew how much God loved them by sharing the opportunity to change and better themselves.

Love is patient and kind; it doesn’t boast or delight in evil but rejoices in Truth. Love never fails. When we can define love accurately, that’s when we can begin to truly love as Jesus loves.

Therefore, we don’t react as the world reacts to arguments. We defend our case with gentleness and kindness, using Scripture rather than our own opinions. When we do this, we give people the opportunity to see the Light of God and turn from their false beliefs.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Gentle.

Back to Spiritual Warfare?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Be Chosen

12 During those days He went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God. 13 When daylight came, He summoned His disciples, and He chose twelve of them, whom He also named apostles: ~ Luke 6:12-13CSB

When we think about the twelve disciples being called, we think about them being Jesus’ only disciples, but that wasn’t the case. Jesus had many disciples. Many people were following Him because of the great miracles and healing He was doing. Because of the great wisdom and authority, He was preaching with.

Jesus didn’t just see them and instantaneously pick them as the Twelve. No. They were called to follow Him like many others were. Then, they followed Him like many others did. It wasn’t until Jesus spent all night in prayer, most likely specifically about this, that He then chose the Twelve.

Jesus called many people. There was a large crowd following Him, yet only twelve were chosen. James, the brother of Jesus, understood this when he wrote:

8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

James 4:8CSB

James wasn’t one of Jesus’ apostles. James wasn’t even one of Jesus’ disciples. He didn’t draw near to Him, and he missed his opportunity. When Jesus taught that He was the bread of life and they must eat His flesh to be saved, many left because they couldn’t understand the teaching. When Jesus looked at the others, they asked them if they would leave Him, too. Peter replied:

68 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

John 6:68-69CSB

Many are called, but few are chosen. Few hold on when they don’t understand. Few continue to seek when finding is hard. Few believe when they can’t see. Few stay strong when their faith is tested. Few run the race set before them.

Jesus said He’s knocking at the door, waiting for us to open our hearts to Him. He didn’t say He knocked on only red doors or blue doors. He said that He was knocking. That means He’s knocking at the door of all of our hearts. He’s calling all of us, but very few even accept the initial call. And even fewer continue to follow and carry their cross.

Which one are you? This earth is filled with reasons not to believe and follow Christ. It’s filled with distraction after distraction. Evil after evil. Wickedness and lawlessness rule our land. There’re so many reasons not to believe, but as Peter said, where else can we go to find the Words of Life? Words that redeem and Sanctify. Words that heal what is broken and restore what has been crushed. Only in Christ do you have a hero die for the villain to save his soul. There’s no other story like our story.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Chosen.

Back to Growth?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Use Words

12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me—then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—then I could hide from him. 13 But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. 14 We used to take sweet counsel together; within God’s house we walked in the throng. ~ Psalms 55:12-14

In this passage, David has come to the sudden and heartbreaking realization that it’s not an enemy or some obscure adversary that has opposed him but his familiar friend who walked in the throng up to the house of God with him.

Today, that would equate to a fellow Christian. A fellow pastor. Someone you used to worship with in church. You attended Bible studies together, and as iron sharpens iron, so you all would encourage each other. Now, that person has turned their back on you. They are in a backslidden state and are causing confusion in the Church.

They propagate holy and pious-sounding mysticism like, “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words when necessary.” I have no clue where that saying came from, but I’m hard pressed to believe it was Saint Francis of Assisi, whom it is often attributed to.

St. Francis was committed to a life of poverty as an itinerant preacher begging for his food while preaching, and apparently, a very powerful preacher at that. It’s said that he would sometimes preach in up to five villages in a single day. Often speaking from a bale of straw or a granary doorway in the country, and from a box or on the steps of some building when he preached in the town. Even more, it is said of him that he preached with such passion that his feet moved as if he were dancing.

Doesn’t sound to me like someone who said, “Don’t talk about the Gospel, only live it.”

No, that comes from the silencers. Those who want to hush up the Gospel. They will attribute things like that to heroes of the faith, and Christians will grab hold of it and propagate it, silencing the Church without even realizing what they are doing.

Thus, they become the silent watchers themselves. Because, after all, you cannot preach the Gospel without words.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Use Words.

Back to Spiritual Slumber?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Tending Sheep

10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” ~ 1 Samuel 16:10-12

Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, all except for his youngest, David. The first was tall and strong; surely God must be pleased enough with him to make him king. But no, he was not chosen. The others passed in like manner, but they were not chosen either. Finally, Samuel asked, are these all of your sons? No one even thought about calling David. He is young, giddy-headed, just a keeper of sheep; he will never be chosen. These big sons of mine have fought in the army. They have followed Saul to war. Surely, God will choose one of them. But God did not choose any of them.

Sometimes, people, even your own family, may not see your potential; they may just think of you as a child keeping the sheep. They may see you as worthless, no good, or in the menial task you are performing now. That is because they only see the raw material, but the cool thing is that God sees the finished product. Maybe the CEO of a corporation, or the next senator, or President. Maybe the next successful small business owner with a huge outreach. He sees you for who you are, not where you are.

It does not matter where you are right now physically; it matters where you are spiritually. God wants to bless you and use you. So, continue tending those sheep to the best of your ability until your anointing brings you your crown. For if you are faithful, God will open the door of opportunity. Just be faithful in the little things, and God will give you big things in your time. That needed job or promotion you’ve been praying for is on its way. So, hold on, hang in there; your Samuel is on his way.

Father, bring peace and joy to the hearts of your people as they labor in the fields, waiting for their door of opportunity to open. We believe You are a faithful God who delights in giving His children good gifts. Thank you for hearing us today. In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.

Back to Encouragement?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Notice The Weeds

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.” ~ Matthew 13:24-25

Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. This didn’t just happen randomly. It wasn’t out of nowhere. It was while his men were sleeping. And that is where the Church finds itself today … just waking up from a long nap and finding weeds have been sown among the wheat.

Because the enemy came and sowed weeds in our wheat field while we were asleep. While we were busy dividing ourselves by race and political parties. While we were busy following the media and celebrities instead of reading the Word of God. Now, we find ourselves surrounded by weeds and unable to differentiate between Truth and lies.

Jesus told us that we will know true believers by the fruit that they bear, but how can we do that if we’ve been asleep so long that we don’t know what fruit is. We’ve allowed words to define themselves, most famously:

Love is love.

What does that even mean? How can you define a word by repeating a word? While we were sleeping they’ve been able to remove the definition of the most important fruit that we can bear. Love is the only mandatory fruit that we must bear, yet we lost the ability to define what it is.

We’ve lost so much while we were sleeping. It’s time for a wake-up call. It’s time for the sheep to separate from the goats. It’s time for the sheep to sound the alarm when wolves in sheep’s clothing are near. It’s time for the Church to wake up and return to Christ.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Notice The Weeds.

Back to Spiritual Slumber?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Burn Em With Coals

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, 22 for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you. ~ Proverbs 25:21-22

Have you ever been hurt by someone, and all you want is revenge? All you want is to get even and make them hurt the way they hurt you? This is our flesh coming out in us, not our spirit man. Our flesh wants revenge, but our spirit man is in tune with God, so it wants to give it to God, for He said, “Vengeance is mine.” Our flesh wants to take everything into our own hands because it’s our flesh that’s been hurt. The reality is we must crucify our flesh and build up our spirit man.

We do this so that our actions will be more in tune with God’s desires. Vengeance is God’s because He isn’t wicked and cruel like we are; He is just and righteous. He is loving and merciful. So what’s our job then? We are to love our enemy and pray for those who persecute us.

In doing so, we not only crucify our own flesh, but we heal burning coals on there’s. Why is that good? Because we are refined, tested, and purified with fire.

Burning coals is a type of fire. A burning coal cleansed Isaiah’s lips and atoned for his sin (Isaiah 6:5-7). When we heap burning coals on someone by showing them love instead of hatred, then we are spiritually destroying their flesh as well as our own. For Paul said don’t be overcome by evil, but instead overcome evil with good (Romans 12:19-21).

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Heap Burning Coals.

Back to Spiritual Warfare?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

Return O Sinner

21 Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. 22 I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. ~ Isaiah 44:21-22

Israel had forsaken the One True God and began to chase after worthless idols. Even though they had turned their backs on Him, God was still pleased to forgive, not willing to completely blot out their name from under heaven. He told them that they will not be forgotten by Him, but He will blot out their transgressions and their sins.

And it is the same with us, because God is a respecter of no persons. God loves everyone and treats everyone alike, and give each the same chances, which is really good for us. Because sometimes we mess up, sometimes we slip up, and sometimes we fall down. Sometimes, we even willingly wander far away from God, but He does not want us to stay gone. For He is compassionate and forgiving. He wants us to return to Him.

No one is too far away from God. You’re not too far away or done too much that He won’t forgive you. You are still called to what God has called you to. Just remember His Word in Isaiah 44:21-22 and insert your own name or the name of the one you’re praying for.

Return to God _____, He has not forgotten you. Return and have your sins forgiven and your transgressions blotted out.

Heavenly Father, forgive me, for I have transgressed. Teach me Your ways that I might walk in them. Remind me that I am Your child and that You love me unconditionally. Thank You for redeeming me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Back to Cleansing?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Posted on

God’s Favor

5 For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. ~ Psalms 30:5

If God loves you, and He does, He will discipline you, and that is how you know you are a son or a daughter because God does not discipline an illegitimate child. But know this: when God does discipline you, it’s only for a short time because He loves you. But His favor, His love, and His mercies last a lifetime; they are forever.

His favor will open doors that were once closed; His love brings that promotion that was out of reach. His mercies will protect the wayward child and restore the broken relationship. His kindness is the reason why weeping will only last a night, but when the sun comes up, it brings joy, new hope, renewed mercies, and fresh blessings.

Here is a truth: God does not want to be angry; He would much prefer to be generous. And when He is angry, He will always look for ways, or for someone to stand in the gap so that He will not have to carry out the deserved punishment. Whatever God does, it is always for our own good.

Rejoice in the fact that God loves you and cares for you. Rejoice that He notices you among all the billions of other people that inhabit Earth. We are like His pride and joy, and He loves us.

Be blessed today, be joyful today, and be hopeful and optimistic today; God loves you and cares for you.

Father, we, Your children, come and present to You the offering of praise. Receive it today and leave behind a blessing. Thank You, in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Back to Encouragement?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

Like and Share This:
Proudly powered by WordPress