Tag: Food For Growth

⁷ So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. ¹¹ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” ~ John 10:7-11

In this devotional series, we will explore what Jesus meant when He said He came so we might have life—and have it more abundantly—and how we can experience this abundant life.

Jesus declares He came so that we—those who accept Him as LORD and Savior—might live an abundant life. What does that look like? It’s more than spiritual vitality alone. It includes your spirit, yes, but also your physical health and emotional peace. You’re not living abundantly if illness traps you in bed or limits what your youth should enjoy, nor if setbacks steal your joy. The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy—through disease, despair, or temptation—but Jesus, our Door, leads us to green pastures. He feeds our souls.

As His sheep, we face a spiritual battle, but through Him, we overcome. He laid down His life, took our chastisement for peace (Isaiah 53:5), and left us His peace (John 14:27). So don’t let the world’s troubles conquer you. Lean on Him in prayer when storms hit, trusting His strength to carry you. Fix your eyes on His promises—like Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”—to rise above fear or failure. With His Spirit, we are more than conquerors through Christ, who saves and strengthens us.

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for sending Your beloved Son to die on Calvary for us. Thank You, Jesus, for being obedient even unto death so that we might have life and life more abundantly. Teach me how to rely on Your grace so that I might be an overcomer. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

[9] Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: [10] If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. [11] Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? [12] Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. ~ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12^NIV

I saw a video the other day entitled, What We Mean When We Say Marriage Is Hard. In the video, it was a husband and wife playing a game together. There were 5 bottles on top of 5 hidden bottles. They had to work together in order to find the pattern of the 5 hidden bottles. Every time the husband made progress, the wife would argue with him and undo the progress on her turn. She’d tell him that he was wrong and (apparently) that even the judge was wrong. What could’ve been a quick, easy win within just a few moves turned into a difficult uphill battle.

Who you choose to spend your life with and who you choose to keep around you will either build you up or tear you down. They will either help you reach your goals or hold you back.  They will either propel you towards your God-given call, or they will become an obstacle blocking your path. They will either lift the load or add to it. So be careful who you invite into your private world. Be careful who you invite into your private circle.

We are to be uplifting and encouraging towards each other, only building up and never tearing down. We are the body of Christ; we can’t work together if we’re fighting one another. We can’t be one if our desire is to destroy and dismantle anyone who isn’t exactly like us. We should never be dictators or narcissists in our relationships. Our actions should always point others back to Christ. They should always point back to the love of God. They should always cause those around us to see the Light of Christ in us.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Choose Wise Partners.

1 John 4:8 ^NIV

[8] Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

John’s statement that “God is love” is often overlooked by Christians and non-Christians alike. This single phrase differentiates Christianity from all other religions. There are approximately 10,000 different religious and spiritual beliefs out there, and not one has ever claimed God is love, except for Christianity.

Our God is not like any other god in all of creation. Our God left the splendor of heaven to save us and redeem us from our sin. He didn’t just leave us up to our own devices. No. He came to us and gave Himself for us. Why? Because God is love.

He doesn’t just do acts of love. He doesn’t just say words of love. This idea of a God whose very nature is love, rather than just one who acts lovingly, separates our God from all other gods. There is no one like Him.

Out of thousands of religious and spiritual belief systems, Christianity alone explicitly states that God is love in an ontological sense—meaning that love is not just something God does, but what He is at His very core. That kind of claim is profound. This idea is so central to Christian theology, shaping everything from the doctrine of the Trinity (a God who is relational within Himself) to the Incarnation (God becoming human out of love) and salvation (offered through sacrificial love).

The uniqueness of this concept really sets Christianity apart in a way that makes you stop and think. Our God is often mocked and ridiculed for being human to die for the world, but in reality it is the single greatest example of His nature. Love.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Know His Nature.

⁴² And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward. ~ Matthew 10:42^NIV

The older I get, the more I realize the big grand gestures don’t mean as much to me as the simple day to day interactions. The little things that seem so silly usually are the things that affect us the most. Little things like just holding you when you’re struggling to even get out of bed. Or telling you good job, well done when you achieve a small goal. Simply giving a hand when asked for help without making it seem as if it’s such an inconvenience. Or sitting together watching a movie or TV show together after a rough day. Things that we don’t really think about as high priority.

Throughout my room I have quotes on my walls. The largest quote that’s in the center right over my bed says:

Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

It’s the little simple things that we do for others that impact their lives the most. The little things that say, “I’m here for you, and I care about you.” This is how we win souls. We build relationships with others and we share the love of God with them. We are to

¹⁶ … let [our] light shine before others, that they may see [our] good deeds and glorify [our] Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16^NIV

Every day, strive to be a light to someone. Start with just one small act of kindness in someone’s life. Let them see Christ through you, and in doing so, not only do you have the potential of saving someone’s soul, we are building eternal treasures in heaven. And where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21).

Dear LORD, please forgive me for not letting my life shine before others. Help me to follow in Your footsteps and be a light to others. Show me the little things I can do in this life that will point others to You. Use me LORD as You see fit. Mold me and make me whatever is needed to bring glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

⁶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to Me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. ~ Hosea 4:6

In a culture that is constantly shifting the lines between right and wrong, how can we clearly set a standard for morality? The LORD declares throughout Scripture that He does not change. If everything else around us changes, then would it not stand to reason that our morality shouldn’t be based on an ever-changing society, but on a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever?

The word translated knowledge is the Hebrew word dǎ·ʿǎṯ which means: understand, wisdom, a knowledge with a focus on moral qualities and its application. In other words, we teach a morality that is measured by the Word of God as the plumbline… NOT by society’s standards. Society does not dictate our beliefs, nor does it dictate our morality, but only God and God alone.

When we turn away from God, and reject God’s laws, and His precepts as our benchmark, and we cling to society’s loose morality standards, we are in essence thrusting God behind our backs similarly as the Israelites did in Isaiah’s day. When that happens, and we continuously ignore the warnings. We continuously ignore the prophets. We continuously ignore the very Word of God … then God will pronounce on us that which we do not want to hear.

Dear LORD, please forgive me for all of the times I have cast aside true morality for the morality the world offers as truth. Please forgive me every time I have refused to draw a line in the sand. Please give me a heart that understands and desires You and Your Kingdom. Help me to not be deceived by the lies of this world, but to discern Truth from falsehood. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

¹⁶ “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” ~ Genesis 41:16^NIV

²⁷ Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, ²⁸ but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these: ~ Daniel 2:27-28 NIV

I’ve noticed a recurring theme in the Church today. When we speak about the power of God, we always say, “I can do nothing … it’s all God …” Then we often refer to Joseph and Daniel, two great men of God who did great things in the name of God, as examples. Here’s the thing, though, they weren’t under this new and better covenant.

While God undoubtedly gave them gifts, those gifts weren’t theirs per se. Those gifts and that power still belonged to God, and those men still belonged to sin. But we, however, are no longer under the power of sin. We are no longer under a cruel and wicked master. We have been bought by a price (1 Corinthians 6:20), saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8), and are the temple of the living God (1 Corinthians 3:16).

No longer are we separated from God and kept far from His presence. He dwells in us and through us. The Son prays on our behalf (Hebrews 7:25), and because we don’t know how to pray as we ought, the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf with deep groanings (Romans 8:26). And most importantly, we have been given the keys to the kingdom (Matthew 16:19). That is why in the Book of Acts, after the Holy Spirit is poured down on all flesh fulling the promise of the LORD through the prophet Joel 400 years before it’s fulfillment (Acts 2), we don’t see them apostles saying “I can’t do this, but I know a God who can.” No. They boldly declare:

⁶ Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

Acts 3:6^NIV

Never again do we see them saying they can’t do something, but instead, they do all things in the name of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit seeking in them. Why? Because that power and authority has been given to the Church by our LORD and our God for His glory. So, let us no longer walk in the ways of Joseph and Daniel, who used gifts but did not have them as their own. Instead, let us follow in the ways of Peter, John, and Paul, who not only had those gifts but used them for the furthering of the Kingdom of God.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Avoid A False Humility.

²¹ Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molek, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. ~ Leviticus 18:21^NIV

When we think or talk about profaning the name of the LORD, rarely do we think about our actions. Usually, when we think about profaning the name of the LORD, we think about the way we speak. We think about how we use the name of the LORD, but this is a little bit more subtle than that.

See, the Israelites weren’t going through the streets using the name of the LORD as a cuss word or even to curse people. It was their actions that profane the name of the LORD. In this specific verse, the Israelites took their young children and forced them to go through the fire as a sacrifice (a burnt offering) to the demon (a false god of the Ammonites), Molech. They didn’t curse God as they did this. No. They simply took part in the wickedness of the world around them, refusing to separate themselves from the wicked acts of those people.

Today is no different. We are covered by the name of the LORD (Proverbs 18:10). We literally dwell in His name. The LORD cleared the way before Moses by going before Moses and speaking His own name and attributing His own good deeds He had done to reclaim Israel as His own  (Exodus 34:5-7). When we are saved, we are known to the world by the name of Jesus (Matthew 24:9). So if we are dwelling in the name of the LORD, and the world can see that, our actions directly affect the name of the LORD.

If we refuse to give up our sin and deliberately continue sinning, then we have now profaned the name of the LORD that we are dwelling in and represent. Our actions represent Christ to the world. Jesus said show your good deeds to men that they may praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Our actions directly impact the way the world sees Christ. For instance, Mahatma Gandhi originally sought out Christianity because he desired to know Christ better. When he went to enter a church in Durban, South Africa, in the 1890s, a white South African man refused to let him in because of the color of his skin. He denied the man the opportunity to hear the hope of the Gospel because he felt Gandhi was the wrong race and, in doing so, profaned the name of the LORD. This interaction solidified Gandhi’s search for spirituality in Hinduism instead. He even went on to say these famous words about Christians:

I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.

We represent Christ to the world. Our actions, especially the way we treat others, directly impact their opinion of Christ. Our actions don’t impact us alone. They either glorify the name of the LORD or profane it.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Do Not Profane His Name.

²¹ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²² If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴ but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. ~ Philippians 1:21-26^NIV

With each generation, the world becomes more and more wicked, straying farther and farther away from Christ. As if that isn’t enough, with each generation the rapid speed in which we flee from the LORD and His ways are increased drastically. While the world becomes more numb, the Church becomes more oppressed. Peter tells us that Lot, who lived in Sodom, was distressed by the sinful nature of those around him. Paul wrote that it was far better to die because then he would be with Christ.

The older I get, the more I long to leave this world and all of its many woes. As I ponder this and listen to the song Elijah by Rich Mullins, something clicked in my mind. We talk about logging for eternity. Longing for Christ to return. We’re longing for something that we’ve never experienced. When you really think about it, it makes Christ’s sacrifice all the more awe-striking. Well, at least to me.

See, while we long for something that we’ve never experienced or can truly even grasp, Jesus left what we’re all longing for in order to come to what we’re all seeking an escape from. Jesus, the Son of God (being in the very form of God), had never known hunger, thirst, or want as God. He had never experienced temptation or suffering. Yet, He willingly got off of His throne, took off His crown, and left Heaven. He left the very place we’re longing for. He didn’t have to. It wasn’t for His benefit. It wasn’t so He could become greater. Matter-a-fact, He put Himself into subjection to the Father. He didn’t upgrade.

Jesus didn’t leave Heaven for Himself. He left Heaven for us. He left eternal peace to be tormented. He left eternal love to be despised. He left eternal safety to be wounded and pierced. He left eternal praise to be crushed. Jesus left everything we long for because of one reason and one reason alone, us.

He gained nothing. Gave up everything. All for us. I had never thought about it like this until now. And honestly it blows my mind. His love for us is so great that He gave up everything to save us. Maybe I’m not painting a good enough picture of what He gave up. Jesus was seated on His throne and Seraphim circled Him praising Him (and the Father), but yet came to earth to be spat upon, ridiculed, and mocked. He, being in very form God, could not be physically harmed, yet He set that aside and allowed the very people He came to save beat Him, whip Him, peel the skin from His body. The Bible describes Jesus’ body as having been beaten so badly it was unrecognizable. Matter-a-fact, it says he didn’t even look human when they were done with Him. As if that wasn’t enough, they then wove together a crown of thorns and forced it into His head, and then nailed Him to a cross. Even after all of that, He still wasn’t done. He had to now take the sin of the entire world upon Himself and carry it from the presence of the LORD to an eternal Lake of Fire.

Christ gave everything up for us. Yes, He rose on the third day. Yes, now He is seated at the right hand of the Father. But His road to get there was difficult beyond measure. Yet He counted it as worth it. Why? Because it was that sacrifice that gave us the opportunity to be saved.

When we long for eternity, we mustn’t let it get in the way of our duties on this earth. We are called by Christ to share the Gospel with the entire world. We are to do this in love. For love is what drove Christ, therefore, let it also drive us.

Dear LORD, thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for loving us more than we could ever fathom or comprehend. Please help me to love people the way You love people. Help me to not be angry with the world but to have mercy on them the way You had mercy on me. Teach me to love mankind the way You do. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I might be a light in this dark world. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

¹ Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. ² Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth. ~ Ecclesiastes 11:1-2

King Solomon tells us to not only cast our bread upon the waters but to give a portion to seven or even eight. Why? Seven is the number of completion, meaning you do as Paul did and try to share the Good News with every single soul that you meet, and eight, the number of new beginnings, means start all over again, and witness to those you’ve already witnessed to.

In other words, follow-up. Disciple.

We have to understand that eternity is a very long time, and once you’re there, you are there for good. There is no getting out. There is no parole. There is no reduced sentence. There’s no time off for good behavior. Once you are there, you are there. Your last breath was your last chance. There’s no getting out. Eternity is forever. We are to be the light in the darkness by sharing Christ with others.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Share Christ.