Tag: Food For Growth

²² He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. ²³ When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly. ²⁴ He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. ~ 1 Peter 2:22-24

As Jesus was on the cross, the crowd and soldiers reviled Him. They mocked Him and spit on Him. They taunted Him and even went as far as to gamble for His clothes in front of Him. The Roman soldiers beat Him until He was unrecognizable; nevertheless, He never returned evil for evil. Jesus only responded to their evil with good. He even went as far as to pray for their forgiveness as they reviled and mocked Him. This is the love of God.

While we were still sinners, God Himself set off His Godliness and took on the form of man so that He might take our sin upon Himself. Jesus overcame the world and made a way for all people to be saved. Our God’s love for us is greater than we could ever comprehend or imagine. Never forget the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who poured out His blood for us. Give thanks and praise to the LORD who first loved us by giving His life for us on the cross.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Love He Who First Loved Us.

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²⁴ No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon. ~ Matthew 6:24

We often quote this last verse as “you cannot serve both God and money.” In doing this, we miss Jesus’ point; the love of money, greed, is the god Mammon. You can’t serve Mammon and God. When we leave it as just money, we allow this idea that money is evil or having money is evil to enter into our thoughts. Let me make this very clear; money is not evil. You don’t need to go and sell everything you have and become poor in order to be saved.

There’s only one account of the rich having to sell all that he has in order to be saved. This is because the rich man had a love of money. We can be sure of this because when it came to the rich man, Zacchaeus, Jesus never told him to sell all that he had. Why? Because Zacchaeus didn’t have a love of money. He automatically repented and promised to restore fourfold to anyone he cheated. He even promised to give half of his wealth to the poor. Money wasn’t Zacchaeus’ love; Jesus was. This is the desire of God. Not that all be poor in order to serve Him, but that all love God more than anything else in this world.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Love God Most.

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⁴ Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, ⁵ who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, ⁶ who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! ~ Amos 6:4-6

Many of us sing the popular worship songs but never change. Does that mean there’s something wrong with the worship songs we’re singing? I don’t believe so. I believe it’s a problem with us. Our hearts aren’t in it. Worship is meaningless unless the heart of the worshipper is aligned with the heart of God. If we seek God and follow Him, then our hearts will match the heart of God. And our heart will weep for what the heart of God weeps for.

Sin should grieve our hearts. The pain of others should grieve our hearts. The darkening of this world should grieve our hearts. If our hearts don’t match the heart of God, then no amount of worship will save you. You have to change by letting God melt your heart. Worship is important; it can be a gateway to the presence of the LORD, but worship only works when you leave changed. If you don’t change, if your heart doesn’t match the heart of God, your worship is meaningless and just empty words.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Grieve The Ruin of Joseph.

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¹³ each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ~ 1 Corinthians 3:13

All things we do, whether good or bad, will be manifested before God at the Final Judgment. There’s nothing we can hide from God. He is the Light in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome Him. Our lives here on this earth aren’t pointless. We were each created for a great purpose. What we do on the way to fulfilling that purpose will be placed before the LORD. God knows that we aren’t perfect. He knows that we make mistakes, so He gives grace to those who follow Him and are striving for righteousness.

On that day, when the LORD will test the works of all of mankind, He will take into account grace. The grace that comes with salvation. We should never live stagnant in fear of making mistakes; neither should we live without regard for the laws of God. We have to hold the Word of God within our hearts. We have to live with the fear of the LORD. Not fear that causes us to live stagnantly, but the righteous fear of the LORD that shows us the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness. Good and evil. The fear of the LORD that guards our hearts against evil thoughts and intentions.

LORD God, please fill me with a healthy fear of You. Help me to not count You as common or without regard to the Holiness of who You are. Help me to strive for righteousness and goodness all the days of my life. Teach me right from wrong that I might not sin against You. Please give me a Spirit of Discernment that I might discern all that comes before me. So, that on that great day of Judgment, my works might withstand the test of Your righteous fire. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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¹ Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John ² (although Jesus Himself did not baptize, but only His disciples), ³ He left Judea and departed again for Galilee. ~ John 4:1-3

The Messiah taught, led, performed miracles, healed the sick, and even raised the dead, but He didn’t baptize. Why? Because Jesus knew His call. He understood His purpose. Many of us would see baptizing people as no big deal, but Jesus saw it as straying from His call. He didn’t have time to stray from His call because He knew He only had a short time. We each only have a short time to fulfill our call; we can’t afford to do someone else’s job. This life is so short; never stray from your call and your God-given job.

We are each given a job to do, but we can’t try to do it all ourselves. We have to stick to our God-given call. This is because we are the body of Christ. The foot cannot try to do the work of the hand, or the body will be unable to properly function. Therefore, we each have to follow our God-planned road and run the race set before each of us, not the race set before someone else. If we are busy trying to run someone else’s race, we’re going to get burnt out and not be able to finish our own race. God uses more than just one person. Pray for discernment that He might show you your call and who you are in His Church.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Only Run Your Race.

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³ My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his majestic steed in battle. ~ Zechariah 10:3

We are all given different responsibilities in life. Some of us are given more responsibility than others. And when we’re put in places of leadership, it’s on us to guide the sheep to plains of green pasture regardless of whether the sheep want dry, dead lands or lush green pastures. They can always stay there, but you can’t let the 99 die in the dry, dead land because 1 wants to stay in the wilderness. You have to first get the 99 safely to lush green pasture, and then you go after the 1.

As a shepherd, you can’t sacrifice the 99 for the 1. You can’t put the entire flock in jeopardy because one wants to live in sin. You have to teach them all the Truth even if they don’t want to hear it. That’s the job of the shepherd. You’re supposed to lead the sheep. Why? To whom much is given, much is required.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Lead The Sheep.

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

Paul said to seek the higher gifts, and he would show us a still more excellent way. We can never know too much of and about God. There will never be a time when we get bored with God. His ways and thoughts are higher than our ways and thoughts. But the only way to see higher and greater things is to seek higher and greater things.

So many of us are missing out on the greater things God has in store for us because of doctrines created by men and not God. These false doctrines keep us blinded just like they kept the Pharisees blinded during the time of Jesus. They were so blinded in fact, that they couldn’t recognize God when He came as flesh and stood before them. God is standing before us with something greater in store for us, don’t miss it.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Miss Out On God’s Greater Things.

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⁶ and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, ~ Matthew 1:6

No matter what version you read, Solomon is always recognized as the son of King David by the wife of Uriah. Uriah wasn’t a Jew. He wasn’t even a descendant of Abraham in any way, shape, or form. Uriah was a Hittite; nevertheless, the LORD always remembered Uriah. Why? Because it’s not about race, ethnicity, or where you’re from. It’s about who you are as a person. It’s about the choices that you make. Because it’s your actions that make you who you are. It’s your actions that make your legacy.

You could be born into the perfect family. The perfect life, but your heart is far away from God. God doesn’t need a perfect person born into perfect circumstances. God can use anything and anybody. He can use even the most bent out-of-shape vessels. All God needs is a willing heart, and He can use you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Let God Use You.

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¹⁷ You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?” ~ Malachi 2:17

Today’s Church has become haters of good and lovers of evil. We’ve pushed away the Truth of our God for the lies of our enemy. Why? Because we desire to please, satisfy, and justify the flesh. No longer do we see correction as love. Instead, we see it as an awful judgment that we haven’t been called to make. I believe this is because it’s easier to offend a seemingly silent God than a friend that is speaking their truth in our ears.

When we justify sin and fill them with the lie that God just wants them to be happy, or that He made them that way, or that it’s not anyone’s place to judge, we not only plague them with false hope and security, but we lie about God. God Himself is Truth. God Himself is Light. God Himself is Good, so when we say that good is evil and evil is good, light is dark and dark is light, Truth is lies, and lies are Truth, we’re calling God a liar. We’re saying that we know better, and God, who created us, doesn’t know what’s best for us. In fact, He doesn’t even want what’s best for us.

Contrary to popular belief, God’s desire is that none of us stay in our old ways, but all of us strive to become that new creation in Christ Jesus. We strive for perfection. Why? Because our desire should match God’s desire, for He is good, and there is no darkness in Him. This should be our goal. This should be our desire to imitate and be like God. Not be God, but like Him. Like His goodness, mercy, grace, justice, and love.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Imitate His Character.

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¹¹ And He said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. ²⁵ Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, ²⁹ but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ ³¹ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” ~ Luke 15:11-12, 25-32

The Prodigal Son is one of the most well-known parables in the world. Most focus on the dangers of self-desire that corrupted the youngest son and led him to a place of filth and sin, but very few focus on the older brother, who never left his father’s house. See, both of these sons represent the Church. One stayed faithful, but one left and corrupted himself. When the younger son returned home, and the father welcomed him home with great joy and celebration, the oldest son was offended by the father’s act of love. Many of us are like the older son. We don’t leave the faith. We remain as faithful as we possibly can, so when we see someone who is in and out of the Church return and receive blessings and maybe even start preaching or leading in the Church, we become indignant because we don’t feel they deserve it. If someone deserves recognition, we feel it should be us.

We’re like the older son. We’re so focused on all the blessings and favor someone else (who we don’t believe deserves it) is getting that we overlook all the blessings and favor we’ve received. The oldest son walked out of his father’s house, but there is no record of him returning to his father’s house. We have to understand that our Heavenly father blessings all of us, but some of us miss out on blessings simply because we haven’t claimed them. Just as the father told his oldest son that all he was his, Jesus is telling us the same thing. He already purchased our healing, freedom, peace, blessing, favor, etc., but sometimes we miss out even though we’ve never strayed. Maybe we’ve taken everything for granted. Maybe our faith wasn’t strong enough. Maybe we didn’t know how to claim our inheritance.

Regardless of the reason, we can’t be envious of someone else’s gifts and blessings. They weren’t ours to begin with, so how can we expect to decide who receives them? Rejoice with the prodigal regardless of their past. Rejoice because your brother (or sister) in Christ was dead, but now they’re alive and home in the arms of our Heavenly Father.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Leave The Celebration.

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