Tag: Food For Growth

⁶⁰ Many of His disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” ⁶¹ Jesus was aware that His disciples were complaining, so He said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶² Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? ⁶³ The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ⁶⁴ But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and He knew who would betray Him.) ⁶⁵ Then He said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.” ⁶⁶ At this point many of His disciples turned away and deserted Him. ⁶⁷ Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” ⁶⁸ Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. ⁶⁹ We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” ~ John 6:60-69 NLT

Jesus made many disciples of those who would follow Him. Some of these were even chosen before the Twelve Apostles, yet they walked away because of a difficult teaching to grasp. Many of us in the Church today do the same thing. We want to follow Jesus. In fact, we’ve been following Him for many years. Some our whole lives, but then we come across something that we just can’t wrap our minds around, and it causes us to run from God instead of to Him. A very famous celebrity couldn’t come to grips with how God could be jealous, so she not only walked away from Him, but she created an entirely new religion. And in doing so, she has led so many others astray as well.

See, God’s thoughts are far above our thoughts. His ways are far above our ways. In other words, it’s difficult for us mere mortals to grasp all that Jesus said. So, instead of seeking God for understanding, we get upset and walk away. Many of us have down this. It could be a simple verse or an entire theology, but nevertheless, we walk away because of a lack of understanding. This is dangerous. Why? Because there’s no evidence that those disciples who did this repented and came back to follow Christ. The LORD warns that if we refuse to follow His ways, we’ll be given over to a reprobate mind. Therefore, love the LORD and all of His ways. Serve the LORD with gladness. He will never withhold good from you. His desire is for your good. Therefore, trust in Him, and He will guide you into paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Be Offended By The Word.

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¹⁷ But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name. ~ Acts 4:17

You’ve probably seen the text attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. Now whether he actually said this or not, I don’t know. But it is widely believed that he did.

Preach the Gospel always, and when necessary, use words.

It sounds so religious, so pious, Christians often quote it. They often publish it and republish it on their social media, and it sounds good. We should preach the Gospel always. But let’s break it down and unpack it a bit.

There is no denying that we are to preach the Gospel always, but, when necessary, use words? Is that Biblical? I believe it’s designed to shut up the Christian and fool them into being quiet. Why? Because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.

How can they believe if they have never heard? To advocate us to be silent and not speak and teach in the name of Jesus is pure censorship. They intimidate us; they have hushed us up in the schools, they have hushed us up in the workplace, they have hushed us up in government, in our malls, in our stores; we can’t even say Merry Christmas because it’s politically incorrect to do so. It is silencing the Church, and the Church is called to be the voice of Jesus, the only way to God.

People often say that God doesn’t need us, but how can they hear if no one tells them? Sounds to me like God intended for us to be His mouthpiece. Jesus did His part. It is our turn now! How, then, can we be silent? God wants the whole world to know the way to salvation, and it’s through our preaching and our teaching. There is no other plan. None.

So, don’t let them silence you; you are called to preach the good news. How would you be saved right now if someone hadn’t taught you the way of holiness? It’s time for the Church to arise and stop being intimidated and shamed into being silent while our friends, our family, and our coworkers are going to an eternity of punishment. Stand strong in your faith. Spread the name of Jesus to anyone willing to listen. And never be ashamed of the Gospel.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Always Use Words.

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²¹ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ~ Philippians 1:21

Live in the now, but live for the future. This is a difficult statement to understand. At first glance, it almost seems contradictory, but it’s no different than the statement, “Live in the world, but don’t be a part of the world.” We’ve been called out of the world, yet we’ve been called back into the world in order to witness to those still of the world. Therefore, as long as we live on this beautiful green earth the LORD has given to us, we must live in the present, for it is a gift from God. We have to enjoy the short time we have with our family and friends. We have to witness to as many people as possible. We have to constantly lift up the name of as many sinners and saints as possible through prayer in supplication. There is much to do in this short time on the earth, and the only way to do that is to live in the now.

But because this world will soon come to an end and with it, all of these temporary temptations will soon perish, we must live for the future. To live is Christ, and to die is gain. We’re living for a much greater and grander life. One that we cannot grasp or imagine. Therefore, while we should enjoy the blessings and gifts from God while on this earth, we must never get lost in the temptations and the pitfalls set before us. These temporary luxuries of this earth will not last. They’ll soon pass away, as will this earth. We live for a much greater reward than what the world can offer us, which is why we must store up treasure for ourselves in Heaven. A place where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Live In The Now But Live For The Future.

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² Attention! Let all the people of the world listen! Let the earth and everything in it hear. The Sovereign Lord is making accusations against you; the Lord speaks from His holy Temple. ³ Look! The Lord is coming! He leaves His throne in heaven and tramples the heights of the earth. ⁴ The mountains melt beneath His feet and flow into the valleys like wax in a fire, like water pouring down a hill. ⁵ And why is this happening? Because of the rebellion of Israel—yes, the sins of the whole nation. Who is to blame for Israel’s rebellion? Samaria, its capital city! Where is the center of idolatry in Judah? In Jerusalem, its capital! ~ Micah 1:2-5 NLT

The whole world was judged because of one nation, divided into two. The nations of Israel and Judah brought condemnation upon the entire world. Their actions caused the wrath of God to come. In fact, it brought the accusations of God against the entire world. Why? Because Israel and Judah, being God’s chosen people, were His spiritual, moral thermometer in a sense. Because God dwelled with His chosen people, and no other nation did He make Himself known to in the same way, they became the soul of the whole world.

Today, that is the Church. We are the moral compass of the whole world. We are the soul of the whole world. Why? Because we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). Therefore, if the light that is within the Church is actually darkness, how great is that darkness (Matthew 6:23)? The Church today has become so lukewarm and powerless that we have become the Church at Laodicea, that Jesus said He would spit out of His mouth.

The actions of the righteous have always either moved the hand of God towards wrath or rewards. Curses or blessings. Why? Because the righteous are the light, and if the light becomes darkness, then darkness takes over. Darkness reigns. Darkness overruns the Church and enslaves them, both physically and spiritually. This is why we, the Church, have to get down on our knees and repent for all of the sin we have allowed to enter into our homes, communities, towns, cities, states, and nations. We have to beg for forgiveness for being lukewarm, refusing to call sin sin, not praying or supplicating, not reading our Bibles or worshipping, for having hardened hearts, for being unfruitful, and for quenching the Spirit. We have to get our house in order so that we might be able to move the hand of God away from wrath as Moses, King David, King Rehoboam, and King Hezekiah did.

This is the mantle we have been passed. It’s on us to carry it and fulfill our duties as prayer warriors, the body of Christ, and the light in this dark and dying world. So, pick up your mantle and raise it high. Carry it with pride and high esteem that the LORD God would choose you to represent Him on this earth and to be a light in the darkness. Don’t be discouraged by the weight because when we are weak, that’s when He is strong. That’s when He carries us. That’s when He shoulders our burden. So, stand tall and don’t be discouraged or intimated. You have been chosen by God for such a time as this.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Carry Your Mantle.

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¹⁴ And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him. ~ 1 John 5:14-15

If you need something from Jesus, find it in Scripture, petition it before God, and believe that He will give it to you. The faith the size of a mustard seed, even though it is the smallest of seeds, is enough to move a mighty mountain because of Pentecost. Because the Spirit of the LORD has been poured down on us. Not just the Jews, not just the Gentiles, but all believers. All who are willingly to believe and follow Jesus have the Holy Spirit within them. And if they have the Holy Spirit within them, then they have the power of the Holy Spirit within them just waiting to be fanned. Just waiting to be stirred up.

We have all been given a Spiritual Gift. Not just the early Church. No. These Spiritual Gifts are for all generations. Why? How do we know? Because the Spirit of the LORD Himself has been poured out on all of mankind. Because Jesus has overcome the grave, and there is power in the name of Jesus. There is power in the Church, but only if we fan the flame instead of quenching it. And this is Pentecost Sunday, a time for signs, wonders, miracles, and many acts of healing.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Come Receive The Power of The Spirit.

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¹⁷ And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover. ~ Mark 16:17-18

I heard a story about an eagle who lived his life as a chicken. It goes like this:

A pair of eagles made their nest on a large mountainside. They had 2 large eggs inside the nest. One day, an earthquake rocked the mountain, causing one of the eggs to roll down to a chicken farm located in the valley below. The farmer found the eagle egg and placed it under one of his setting hens. Eventually, the eagle egg hatched along with all the other chicks, and a beautiful eagle was born. Being chickens, the chickens raised the eagle to be a chicken. The eagle loved his home and his family, but it seemed his spirit always cried out for more.

One day, the eagle looked to the skies above and noticed a mighty and majestic bird soaring high above. “Oh,” the eagle cried, “I wish I could soar like that bird.” The chickens roared with laughter, “You cannot soar like those. You are a chicken, and chickens do not soar.” The eagle continued staring at his real family soaring high up above, dreaming that one day he could be just like them. Every time the eagle talked about his dreams of soaring high above the clouds, he was told it is impossible, it will never happen, you are nothing more than a chicken, and chickens cannot soar.

Eventually, the eagle accepted what he was taught and learned to believe it. After a while, the desire of the eagle to soar was quenched, and he stopped dreaming and just continued to live his life as a chicken. Finally, after a long life as a chicken, the eagle passed away, never living up to his full God-given potential.

We, Christians, are full of God-given potential. We are called to make disciples of Christ. That means that we are called to heal the sick, raise the dead, and to drive out demons. But the chickens say signs and wonders ceased when the last Apostle died. They try their best to discourage eagles from expanding their wings of faith. Keep your wingspan short, they say.

Some chickens even believe in healing but refuse to drive out demons. They have nothing to do with the casting out of demons, and just to talk about it makes them sick to their stomachs. They expect us, with so much potential. With so much authority. With such a wide wingspan. With so much mountain-moving faith to live our life as chickens. We are not called to scratch the ground, pecking for our food, eating whatever we find. We are called to soar high above the clouds seeing for miles and miles and miles. We are eagles. Our potential is for greater things than even Jesus did (John 14:12).

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Settle For Being A Chicken.

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¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, ¹⁸ and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹ Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. ~ Daniel 2:17-19^NLT

Daniel’s gift was the interpretation of visions and dreams, not the telling of visions and dreams. Nevertheless, he prayed for that gift. He sought higher and greater gifts than he was given. And the LORD not only heard his prayer, He answered it.

Daniel didn’t look at the times he was in and say to himself, “This is impossible.” No. Daniel looked only to his God and said, “All things are possible for those who believe.” His faith was strong. He knew in whom he believed. Daniel sought what no one else was given. He didn’t think it was prideful. He didn’t think it to be selfish to seek what no one else had. No, Daniel understood that God desires to give us good gifts from above. Gifts that will help us and make us grow closer to Him.

God promises that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. So, begin to seek God with all that’s in you. Seek out His wisdom, His fruit, His gifts, and His understanding. Begin to seek Him. When you earnestly seek God and His kingdom, your life begins to change. You begin to change. And God begins to use you in ways you didn’t think possible. Don’t settle for what you have. Always seek more from God; that’s why He came, to give life and life more abundantly.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Ask For More.

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³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself.” ~ Acts 2:38-39

The promise of Salvation and the promise of the Holy Spirit were for those in the time of Peter and for those of us who were a far off as well. God did not exclude anyone, not even us Gentiles (Acts 10:45). Because God poured out His Spirit on the day of Pentecost with signs and wonders and miracles, and the promise of prophecy and visions, and healing, we too can have signs and wonders and miracles and the promise of prophecy and visions and healing in our ministries as well. We are not inferior, for God is a respecter of no person. Meaning He does not differentiate between Jew and Gentile (Romans 10:11-13).

God bestows His riches on ALL who call on Him. The word translated as ‘riches’ does not necessarily mean financial wealth, though, in some cases, God does pour out an abundance of financial wealth on His servants according to His own will. This, however, is actually referring to His true riches, His signs, His wonders, His miracles, and His healing. God is a God of the miraculous. He’s a God of the impossible. A God that does not change. Therefore, if He did the miraculous in the past when His Spirit wasn’t poured out on all of mankind, how much more will He move in the miraculous now that His Spirit has been poured out on all of mankind and dwells in those who believe and follow? The Spirit of God still has power. The name of Jesus still has power and authority. He will reveal His Spiritual gifts to you if you fan the Spirit within you instead of quenching it.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Fan The Flame.

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²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ²⁸ And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. ~ 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

Paul says not to quench the Spirit and then tells us not to despise prophecies. There are currently entire denominations that not only despise the prophets and their prophecies of our day and age, but they build an entire platform and following by only making videos bashing and degrading them. Yet, Paul tells us not to despise prophecies and not to quench the Spirit. The only way to not quench the Spirit is to embrace the Spirit by stirring up your God-given Spiritual gifts.

The Gifts of the Spirit are built on our fruit. That doesn’t mean that they’re optional. They are mandatory. We have all been given a Spiritual Gift from God, and if we refuse to use it, we will be thrown out into outer darkness as well. This is because we are quenching the Spirit. We’re stifling and putting out the flame within us when we are called to stir it up and flame it. We’re called for more than just to exist. These gifts are to build us up, as well as to build up the Church. Therefore, when we refuse to use these Spiritual Gifts, then we quench the Spirit and therefore weaken ourselves as well as others around us.

Once we stir up the Spiritual Gifts already given to us, then we keep going. We keep seeking more. Why? Because there will never be a time when the LORD will run out of levels to elevate us to. The LORD gives out of His abundance. He is eternal. His ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Therefore, God can never run out of new things to show us, teach us, and give us.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Never Be Satisfied.

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¹ But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. ~ 1 Corinthians 12:31

God didn’t pour His Spirit on all flesh so that He could take it away again. God didn’t fill us with His Holy Spirit so that He could remove the gifts of the Spirit. No, God poured out His Spirit so that we might be filled with Him, including His power. Why? So that we wouldn’t be left alone. So that we wouldn’t be without defense or offense. So that the people of God might be able to fight back against the enemy.

The gifts of the Spirit didn’t end with the early Church. They didn’t magically disappear because they were no longer needed. They’re still here today, but we have to pray for them. We have to desire them. We have to seek them out. Paul urged us to pray for the greater gifts so that we might build each other up.

Don’t let doctrine created by man keep you from what God has in store for you. His purpose is for you to go from one degree of glory to the next. It’s not for you to be a sitting duck in this spiritual war. Pick up your spiritual gifts. Take hold of them. And seek for wisdom and understanding that you might be used mightly in the Kingdom of God.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek Your Gift.

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