Tag: Food For Growth

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Look For The Connections

5 By awesome deeds You answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; 6 the one who by His strength established the mountains, being girded with might; 7 who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, 8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy. ~ Psalms 65:5-8

A lot of people read the Bible and find it extremely boring. They find it to be a difficult read, but I find it extremely interesting. Why? Because there are so many different connections and subtle quotes, references, etc., that each and every time you read it, you see something new that you never saw before. For instance, I was reading the book of Psalms for the hundredth time, and when I read this verse, I immediately went “Wait a second!”

See, this is a song of David declaring who the LORD is. The God of our Salvation. Our Savior. When the LORD Jesus was on this earth, He didn’t come declaring, “I am God.” No. Instead, He let His works testify for Him.

23 And when He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but He was asleep. 25 And they went and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey Him?”

Matthew 8:23-27

See, this wasn’t just Jesus doing any ol’ sign. This was Jesus making a point of who He is. He’s not just another prophet. He’s not just another teacher. Not just another Rabbi. Not just another good man. He is the LORD of the Universe. The God of our Salvation.

See, talk is cheap. Talk isn’t what Jesus came for. He came to establish and build His Kingdom. And His Kingdom is not one of talk, but of power (1 Corinthians 4:19-20). Therefore, He led by example. He, the forerunner of faith (Hebrews 6:19-20), led the way by showing who He is. He didn’t say, “I am God,” and then act otherwise. No, He let His actions speak for themselves.

Today, the Church is quite the opposite. We go around saying we are Christians, but rarely do we act like it. A lot of the time, we look more like the world than the world does. We spew hatred instead of correcting in love. We mock those who disagree with us and speak all manner of evil against anyone who just annoys us. We no longer follow the way of the LORD. Instead, we’ve paved our own path that seems right but leads to death. It’s time we allow our actions to speak for us once again.

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

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Pay Attention To The Little Things

Matthew 5:23-24

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Interesting how our brains tend to focus on the little things in life. The little things that people say or do to/for us. It’s those moments that tend to really stick with us. That shape is. Yes, big things impact us, a lot, but for some reason the little things really seem to stick with us even more.

I think maybe because it’s the regular, everyday little things that make us who we are. That shape our relationships. Define our personalities. It’s not the big extravagant things that happen every single day, but the little things that seems to be build up and make more of an impression in our minds and memories.

Jesus said something profound, if your brother has something against you leave your offering at the altar and go and make it right with him before you give your offering. An offering is something big. It’s something that cost you something. But that offense, could be a small thing. A little thing, that caused big damage to someone else.

Our day to day lives should be lived with just as much care as when we’re planning something extraordinary. Our regular day to day interactions with people, what we say, do, and how we treat each other, should be done with love. We should always walk in love because those little moments, usually turn out to be the big ones.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Pay Attention To The Little Things.

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Help Someone In The Rain

1 Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. ~ Matthew 7:1-5

I recently saw a video that said:

“We don’t experience the same rain. Some have umbrellas, some have roofs, and some only have themselves. That’s why we should be kinder, slower to judge, and quicker to understand. You’ll never know how heavy someone’s rain is until you’ve stood where they are.”

Each one of our walks in this life is different. We have different obstacles, giants, valleys, and hills. Some of us have it easier, and some have it harder. This world isn’t fair. It throws everything it can at anyone it can. Some have other people that they can depend on, while others only have themselves. We don’t always know the walk someone has had before we judge them. Before we decide whether or not they are doing everything they can to keep going.

Often, the judgment call we make is much harsher than it would be if we were judging ourselves. We, as humanity, tend to judge others much harsher than we judge ourselves. Holding others to a higher standard than we hold ourselves. Why? Because it’s always easier to make a judgment call from the outside looking in. It’s easier to say what one should or shouldn’t do when it’s not you who has to do or not do it.

Therefore, God tells us to judge carefully. He warns us to first examine ourselves. He warns us that the same level of judgment we use to judge others will be the same level we will be judged with. Yes, as Christians, we are to judge right and wrong. We’re to call out sin. But we’re to do so in love. Jesus didn’t call out sin that the sinner was already aware of. When they came to Him and knelt at His feet, the sin was left there. No more talk of it. He didn’t turn anyone away from Him, regardless of how great the sin was. How can we do any less?

We need to be the salt of the earth, yes, but also the light of the world. Showing the love of Christ to others. Taking time out of our day to be a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold, an encourager; to be Christ to the world in need. The rain around us will never be the same. Some will have it harder than others, but how we treat others in the rain can make all the difference. It can change a life.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Help Someone In The Rain.

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Illuminate His Light

Acts 2:22-24, 36-37

[22] “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— [23] this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. [24] God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

[36] Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” [37] Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

All week we’ve talked about Pentecost being the fulfillment of the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  And when the Spirit, other promises or declarations became a reality, as well. For instance, Jesus declared over His followers that they are the Light of the world (Matthew 5:4), but He also declared He is the Light of the World (John 8:12). How do we reconcile this? Jesus stated He was the Light of the World as long as He was in the world. Jesus is no longer physically in the world, instead He is spiritually here through us. How? Pentecost.

That day when the Holy spirit came down and filled those in the Upper Room, the Church was filled with the Spirit of the living God. The Spirit that dwelt in Christ. Therefore, it was at that time Jesus’ declaration truly became a reality for us, because it was at that time that we began to be molded and transformed into the Image of God, which is Christ Jesus. The Light of the World. That is why He is the Light of the World, as long as He’s in the world. He’s now passed that torch, that mantle onto us to carry in and through His name.

It’s now up to us to teach, preach, and evangelize. It’s now up to us to reach the masses and spread the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. Jesus did His job. He made a way where there was no way. He died, rose again, ascended, and then sent The Holy Spirit to us. He did the hard part. Now, it’s time for us to step up and take up the torch and be Christ to the World.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Illuminate His Light.

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Become Fine Flour

Leviticus 23:15-22

[15]  “You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. [16] You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord. [17] You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as firstfruits to the Lord. [18] And you shall present with the bread seven lambs a year old without blemish, and one bull from the herd and two rams. They shall be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. [19] And you shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old as a sacrifice of peace offerings. [20] And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. [21] And you shall make a proclamation on the same day. You shall hold a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a statute forever in all your dwelling places throughout your generations. [22] And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.”

Pentecost is the fulfillment of Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks. The Feast of Weeks was during the Wheat Harvest. They were to not just bring a blood sacrifice from lambs and goats, but a bread offering. Two loaves of bread made from fine flour. It wasn’t just any old flour they used. The flour took more work to produce.

It had to be carefully ground and sifted. Wheat was, apparently, more prestigious. It wasn’t the common grain. Barley was. Pentecost fulfilled this by taking two groups of people: the Israelites and the Gentiles. These two groups of people were brought before the LORD as one body in Christ.

No longer did it matter whether of not you were a Jew, but it is now about your heart. That’s why it’s not just common grain. It’s grain that’s harder to grow and take care of. And that’s not enough. It has to be ground. Sifted. And made fine. It’s not enough to just say you follow Christ or you believe in God. You have to do more than that. You have to deny your flesh. You have to go through the fire. You have to be ground and sifted. Not just anyone can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Many are called, but few are chosen.

Pentecost is the day the Church was born by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Blood of Christ. It is the day two people’s were waved before the LORD as one. The day the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh and the grinding and sifting process of our soul could truly begin. That is Pentecost. It is hope. Hope of changing for the better. Hope of becoming one people in Christ. Hope of becoming a wave offering to the LORD.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Become Fine Flour.

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Know How To Defend Pentecost

Acts 2:1-4 ESV

[1] When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. [2] And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. [3] And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. [4] And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

There are seven feasts given to the people of Israel, by the LORD Himself. The fourth feast is the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot. It was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down like a mighty rushing wind. Today, however, the Jewish people believe the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) is about the giving of the Law of Moses on Mt. Sinai.

So, let’s just say, for arguments sake that that’s true. Okay. It looks back at the giving of The Law and forward to the fulfillment of the giving of the Holy Spirit. The seal of our salvation or our new and better covenant.

When the LORD came down and gave the Ten Commandments, He first spoke it to the people of Israel. He came down as fire on the mountain (Exodus 19:18). When the Holy Spirit came down on those in the Upper Room, He came as fire tongues resting on their heads. As Daddy always points out, when Moses came down and saw the golden calf, three thousand Israelite men were slain that day (Exodus 32:28). On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached his first message, and three thousand souls were saved (Acts 2:41).

If the Jews want to believe it looks back to the giving of the Law of Moses, by all means. What better fitting foreshadowing of the giving of the Holy Spirit than that? For no matter what you say it looked back at, it can never change what fulfilled it. You can try to twist Scripture, but you can never change it. You can never rewrite it, for the Word of God will never return to Him void.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Know How To Defend Pentecost.

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Don’t Force The Hand of God

1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. ~ Jonah 2:1-2

I recently rewatched The Hunger Games series for the millionth time and each time I watch it Prim’s death is just hard. Then I remind myself that her death was a necessary loss. See, if Prim hadn’t died, Katniss would’ve never killed President Coin and the people of Panem would never truly be free. She would’ve just been satisfied living the rest of her life in peace with her family. She would’ve missed her purpose of bringing freedom, peace, and security to everyone without fear of oppression.

So many of us are Katniss Everdeen. We have this giant call on our lives that forces us to become more than we think we are. To travel so far outside of our comfort zone that we feel like we won’t make it. The walls feel like they’re closing as the weight of the world crushes our shoulders. But we have to keep going. Even if it takes someone else pushing us to that place where we will become exactly who we’re supposed to be. Who we’re meant to be.

Sometimes we have to lose everything in order to become more. We all have a call on our lives. Something that demands more of us than we thought we could be. And when we won’t keep going, we need a push that’ll force us to keep going like Katniss Everdeen and the Prophet Jonah. Don’t force God to push you. Jonah lost his very life because he refused to step up to his call. Katniss lost her sister because she couldn’t see the new enemy rising. An enemy worst than her current one.

Your call doesn’t have to take everything from you, if you are willing to give it all in order to fulfill it.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Force The Hand of God.

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Fill

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV)

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Nothing is of value without love. In other words, nothing has any profit if there is no love. No amount of tongues. No matter how many spiritual gifts. No prophecy. Not even a good and correct understanding of all Scripture. Not even faith… and without faith, it is impossible to please God, so just imagine now how important love is.

So, in other words, the house has to be filled. You have to be filled. With what? The love of God. Not worldly love that had no definition, but Godly love. Love from God that brings you closer to Him. Closer to His heart.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Fill.

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See The Need For Justice

18 You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. 19 You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. 20 Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you. ~ Deuteronomy 16:18-20

15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers. ~ Proverbs 21:15

I recently had a very short conversation with the daughter of someone who had gotten into a car accident. Thankfully, there was no serious damage to her vehicle and no injury to her. We were all talking about how the man who hit her car from behind was so scared when the police showed up. They were driving without a license, as well as having entered the country illegally. Her daughter felt that he shouldn’t have any punishment at all, that it’s just a car, and her mom is fine, there’s no need for him to be arrested or charges pressed. I can’t lie, this genuinely annoyed me.

Now, don’t get me wrong. This lady, the daughter, is probably the nicest person I’ve ever met. She’s a genuinely nice person. She’s not someone who comes across as disingenuous or fake, but just a genuinely nice person. Here’s my issue. When we remove consequences from actions, we invite anarchy. We invite chaos into our society. The lack of laws and the lack of enforcement of laws have always led to more problems than good. Just look at the past couple of years. Stores have been looted over and over again. Businesses have shut down because of theft issues that keep happening due to a lack of enforcement of the law.

Yes, we’re thankful that her mother wasn’t harmed and that her car wasn’t too damaged (and was covered by insurance). All of those things are true. But what else is true is that the law was broken, and repercussions are necessary. Someone could have been killed, but by the grace of God, no one was harmed. Enforcing the law doesn’t mean that we don’t forgive them. That doesn’t mean that we don’t love them. That means that we are holding people accountable for their actions, which is the only thing that keeps a society safe. The laws of the land have to be enforced.

We as Christians aren’t to just overlook each and every person’s actions. That’s not how the LORD works, nor His Church. The LORD never just overlooks sin. That was why Christ came, died, and rose again. He cancelled our debt and washed us clean by His blood. He was pierced for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. Yes, as Christians, we are to turn the other cheek, but we aren’t to ignore laws. We don’t seek personal revenge but rely on the justice system of the land. Without justice, a nation is lost.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and See The Need For Justice.

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Look Deeper Than The Surface

16 The heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but the earth He has given to the children of man. ~ Psalms 115:16

I recently saw a video of a girl eating out at a restaurant, showing that she refused to drink her drink with a plastic straw in order to save sea creatures. When she put her drink down, she pulled her plate of food in front of her and started to eat. What was she eating? Louisiana Seafood Boil. Crab Legs. Shrimp. Crawfish. There were so many comments and reaction videos to this video, making fun of her. And in all honesty, I thought the same thing when I first watched the video, but then I started to think about it. And I actually get her point.

See, she isn’t against fishing and/or catching sea life. She’s against the pollution of plastic killing off, injuring, and hurting sea life. We were put on this earth to take care of the earth and the animals on it, yet the LORD told Noah and Peter to kill and eat. There was never a point in time when the LORD set a law not to kill and eat.

See, fishing isn’t the issue. Hunting isn’t the issue. Overdoing those things is. Pollution is. Think about this, more than one hundred thousand sea mammals and approximately one million seabirds die from plastic pollution each year. An estimated 8 to 14 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean annually, with projections suggesting this could triple within the next two decades. Recent research indicates that as few as six pieces of rubber can kill 90% of seabirds, while 29 pieces of plastic are often lethal to sea mammals. Plastic has been found in the digestive tracts of nearly 1,300 sea species, including all sea turtle species and every family of seabird and sea mammal. Discarded fishing gear, known as “ghost gear,” kills hundreds of thousands of animals annually, with 640,000 tonnes of such gear entering oceans each year. In fact, scientists warn that by 2050, the weight of plastic in the ocean could exceed the combined weight of all fish in the seas.

This isn’t how we should treat the home the Good LORD above gave us. This isn’t how we should treat His creatures. Eating seafood isn’t the problem; how we treat the earth and the sea is, though. It’s easy to quickly cast a judgment and not really think about what’s being said or what’s happening. We have to learn to think deeper and contemplate more.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Look Deeper Than The Surface.

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