Tag: Spiritual

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Cast Your Bread

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. ~ Ecclesiastes 11:1

King Solomon tells us to cast our bread upon the water and it will return to us in many days. This, in many ways, is King Solomon’s version of ‘you shall reap what you sow.’ Now, I realize that this portion of Scripture is normally applied to finances in specific, but it can also be applied to other things in general.

What if we applied this verse to soulwinning? Let’s consider this thought for a moment … Jesus is the bread of life. He said plainly that He was the living bread that came down from heaven in John 6:51. As a matter of fact, all through the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus identifies Himself as either the True Bread or the Living Bread. In fact, several times in this chapter, chapter 6, He refers to Himself as the Bread of Life (John 6:33, 35, 48, 51, 58).

So, with that in mind, what if we cast Jesus, the Bread of Life, upon the waters, with the waters representing people, what would that look like? In other words, what if we shared the Good News of Jesus with people that we meet, and people that we know?

And the many days would represent the end of time, when Jesus comes back to judge the quick and the dead. Those who eat the bread that you cast upon the waters will be there to receive life from Jesus, and you will get the credit. So, in many days, because Jesus’ return is close at hand now, all your hard work will pay off, and you will reap a great reward for soul winning.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Cast Your Bread.

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An Eternity In A Night

Leviticus 16:20-22 NIV

[20] “When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. [21] He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. [22] The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

The night Jesus was betrayed, He and His disciples went up to the Mount of Olives. He asked the eight to stay there, but He took Peter James and John with him to pray a bit farther away. Then Matthew says He began to be sorrowful and troubled (Matthew 26:37). Then He tells these three disciples

My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.

Matthew 26:28

Then He went a throw away from them and prayed (Luke 22:40-42). Luke records that Jesus prayed earnestly til His sweat became like drops of blood on His head (Luke 22:44).

Now, Jesus has already faced the flogging, crown of thorns, and cross. I want you to understand that no matter how hard His mission was on this earth, that wasn’t what He was sweating blood over asking His Father to let pass from Him if possible. Think about it for a second. There’s Christians that have been skinned alive. Others have been impaled on a pole, covered in tar, and set on fire, all still while being alive. There’s others who have been ripped to shreds by wild animals. Christians have suffered much over the years. His own disciples have been boiled alive in burning oil, yet someone survived (John the Beloved).

Jesus would not expect us to carry a burden that He Himself tried to get out of. That He Himself sweat blood over. No. Jesus was sweating blood over fulfilling (well partly fulfilling) the Day of Atonement, which was to take the sin of the world upon Himself and carry it away to Azazel. Away from the presence of God.

There’s only one place in the afterlife described in such a way, Hell. Jesus was sweating blood because of Hell. He had to endure those flames of Hell itself in order to take away the sin of the world from us. So, the LORD Himself has to go to eternity outside of time and carry such a great sin away. This eternity didn’t feel like a set time but like eternity. Christ’s sacrifice didn’t end on the cross. His work wasn’t finished. He still had to carry away the sin of the world.

Dear LORD, thank You for taking my sin away from me. Thank You for freeing me from such a cruel slave master, such as sin. Thank You for loving me enough to sacrifice Yourself for me. Thank You, God, for Your never-ending love for me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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A Weary Spirit

It was now late at night. Jesus had just eaten. He had washed the disciples’ feet. He had instituted the LORD’s supper. They had sang a hymn on the way to the Mount of Olives, and now He was on the Mount of Olives. I never really thought about it before, but the LORD didn’t sleep His last night before this death in less than 24 hours.

Think about it. If it was your last night, what are you doing? Many would say all the things they hadn’t done that they could do in that last night.” Others say they would make sure their family knew they loved them.

Think about it for a second. Jesus did none of that. Jesus spent His last night before His death with His disciples preparing them for what for what was to come and in prayer to His heavenly Father. He didn’t go see His mother. He didn’t go see His siblings. He prepared His disciples and prepared Himself for what was to come.

How many of us would spend the last night of our lives on earth forsaking our freshly desires? I’m sure Jesus would’ve loved to be with His mother reassuring her it was all going to be okay. I’m sure He was exhausted and could do with a good nap.

Think about it. He was stressed and just spent the previous night and day preparing His disciples for the future. All of that would stress anyone out. It would cause anyone’s body to be exhausted, yet He didn’t sleep. He spent the night preparing. Jesus forsook the needs and desires of the flesh to tend to the desires and needs of the Spirit. Jesus understood His call. He understood His call.

A weary body can be dealt with, but a weary spirit, that’s something else.

Batman

Dear LORD, I’m sorry for all of the times I’ve put the desires of my flesh above the needs of my spirit. Thank You for never leaving me nor forsaking me. Please help me to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind. Help me to pick up my cross and follow You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

 

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Are You Betraying Jesus?

22 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people. 3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. 4 He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd. ~ Luke 22:1-6

It’s Wednesday, and Jerusalem’s still buzzing from Jesus’ grand entry on a donkey, hailed as king just three days ago. He’s been teaching daily, pouring out truth and love, even as the religious leaders plot against Him. But today, something darker stirs. Judas, one of Jesus’ closest followers, makes a choice that changes everything—he agrees to betray his Teacher for a handful of silver, 30 pieces. Can you imagine? Walking with Jesus, seeing His miracles, hearing His words, and still turning away. Luke says Satan entered Judas, but Judas opened the door, letting greed or disappointment take hold. Thirty pieces of silver—about four months’ worth of wages—was enough to trade the Son of God for a fleeting gain. It’s a heartbreaking moment, showing how close someone can be to Jesus and still miss His heart.

Yet, even on this day, Jesus keeps on teaching, keeps on loving, even though He knows He will be betrayed today. He knows that it is Judas who will betray Him. Around this same time, He might’ve shared the greatest commandment teaching: love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:28-34). While Judas chose betrayal, Jesus called for devotion, showing us the way to true life.

Today, Wednesday, three days after celebrating Palm Sunday, let us look inside our own selves and ask, ‘Are we loyal to Jesus?’ Or ‘Do we let things like money, fear, selfishness, anger, or pride pull us away?’ Judas’ story isn’t just history; it’s a mirror. We all face moments where we’re tempted to trade Jesus for something less. Every time we are disobedient or break one of His commandments, we betray Him and sell Him out to the enemy, the devil. Even when we feel the urge to repent, but refuse, we betray Jesus all over again. But here’s the Good News, we have hope: Jesus knows our weaknesses, and He’s still calling us to follow Him, to choose love and loyalty before it’s too late. As the cross draws near, let’s recommit to Him, trusting He’s worth everything.

Take a few minutes today to identify at least one temptation that pulls you away from Jesus. Whether it is a habit, a worry, or a lingering desire, if it separates you from the Savior, repent of it and leave it behind. And pray for loyalty, so that you will not fall into temptation, as Jesus told His three disciples.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your steadfast love. Thank You that one day, because of Your great love for the world, You sent Your only begotten Son into the world, to die for us. Search my heart and see if there be any wicked way in me. Bring conviction on those things that I need to repent of and give me the strength to forsake them so that I might not betray the Savior with a kiss. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Laying Down Your Cloak

8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before Him and that followed Him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” ~ Matthew 21:8-11

Picture the scene: Jerusalem is abuzz with the news. Lazarus, a man dead for four days, has been raised to life by the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. And now He’s on His way to Jerusalem. The crowd that had gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover is electric with excitement. And here He comes, Jesus riding in—not on a flashy stallion like some Roman big shot, but on a borrowed donkey, kicking up dust. The crowd rushes together and, as one man, begins to shout, “Hosanna!”—which means “Save us, please!”—now the whole company of people is joining in the chorus. The noise is so loud that it seems like it is shaking the ground, which catches the attention of the Pharisees who stand aloof, watching.

The crowd rips off their own cloaks and throws them down as others run to cut palm branches, and run back to lay the palm branches down in front of Jesus along with their cloaks, turning the road into a makeshift red carpet as He slowly makes His way up the hill toward the Temple. Those cloaks weren’t just old rags. For many, a cloak was protection from the sun, a blanket at night, a cover from the wind, or maybe it was their one decent piece of clothing. Laying it down was a sacrifice, a way of saying, “Jesus, you’re worth more than my comfort.”

Ask yourself, what’s my cloak? Is it your schedule, packed so tight there’s no room for God? Your reputation, where you’d rather look good than be real? Maybe it’s a grudge you’re wearing like a second skin. Laying it down means trusting Jesus enough to let go, but it might just cost you something. Now consider this for a moment. The crowd that day is all-in, shouting “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the LORD!” They’re actually calling Jesus the Messiah, the King of Israel, the one they’ve been waiting for. The problem is, they wanted a king to fix their problems their way—kick out the Romans, make life easy, give us self-government. But Jesus isn’t here for their script. He’s on a donkey, not a warhorse, heading toward a cross, not an earthly throne.

How often do we cheer for Jesus when He fits our plans—a better job, healed relationship, smooth sailing—but get shaky when He leads us somewhere uncomfortable? Palm Sunday’s a gut-check: Are we welcoming the real Jesus, or just the version we’ve dressed up in our heads? And then there’s the shadow hanging over the party.

Jesus knows this crowd is fickle. Some of these same voices yelling “Hosanna” will scream “Crucify Him” in five days. He knows that all too well. But it’s not just about them—it’s us, too. We’ve all got moments where we’re loud for God at a worship night or when life’s good, but we go silent when the job’s stressful, the diagnosis hits, or following Jesus means standing out in a way that feels risky.

The cloaks on the road are a beautiful gesture, but Jesus isn’t after our stuff—He’s after our hearts. Not just for a parade, but for the long, messy road to the cross and beyond. So, what does it look like to lay down your cloak not just for a moment, but as a way of life? Maybe it’s choosing to trust Him daily, even when the path feels uncertain. Maybe it’s admitting you don’t have it all together and letting Him meet you there. Palm Sunday is a mix of joy and tension—celebration, surrender, and a hint of what’s coming. It’s Jesus saying, “I’m your King, but I’m doing this My way, for your sake.” And it’s us, invited to join the crowd—not just with our voices, but with our whole lives.

Heavenly Father. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the Cross for us. Thank You for Your obedience to the Father, LORD Jesus. I praise You for all You did, and all You went through for us. Help me to live for You now, and forever. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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An Unleavened Feast

14This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. 15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you. 17 And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever. 18 In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. 20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread. ~ Exodus 12:14-20

After the Passover lamb was slaughtered and the people of Israel partook in the Passover, the next day they were to remove the leaven from their homes. Anyone who did not would be cut off from Israel. Why? Because the Passover lamb foreshadowed Jesus and partaking in Passover foreshadowed accepting His free gift of salvation. So, what about removing the leaven? The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years. They had been influenced by the Egyptian culture and religion as they had no leader, judge, king, or law to guide them during these years. So, they began to take on and participate in the sins of their slave masters, the Egyptians.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread was a reminder of the LORD bringing the people out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. God was saying, I am physically removing you from slavery, now remove the leaven from among you so that I might foreshadow that one I will remove you from spiritual slavery. Leaven is a representation of sin (1 Corinthians 5:6-7). When the Passover lamb was slaughtered and the Israelites partook in the Passover, they were spiritually partaking in the taste of the salvation that has come through Jesus Christ, our final, perfect Passover Lamb.

There is nothing in the Bible that the LORD has done or said arbitrarily. Each and every thing was done with a purpose. It was done to foreshadow the good things to come. It was done to foreshadow the terrifying things to come. Each and every moment, no matter how insignificant it may seem, was done in order to prepare us for what has come and what will come.

Dear LORD, thank You for making a way for us to come to You. Thank You for all Your many blessings upon me. Please help me to not just partake in the Passover meal, but to remove the leaven from my home as well. Help me to crucify my own flesh, so that Your will might be done in my life. Help me not to make Your sacrifice null and void because I refuse to remove the leaven. Help me to live for You, LORD Jesus. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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A Hardened Heart

21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.” ~ Exodus 4:21NIV

I’ve heard many people say that God creates people for destruction and others for reward. To prove this, many like to use Pharaoh in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, as an example. I personally believe they’re not fully understanding what Paul was saying.

I believe that God gives each person the chance to repent until judgment has come, then He turns them over to their own desires. If we look at the story of Pharaoh and the Exodus from Egypt, Pharaoh’s heart originally was not hardened by God. Pharaoh, when told what the LORD said, not only said “who is the LORD that I should obey Him?” but he made their slavery and oppression even harder.

The Bible recounts that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. It’s not until the plagues begin to play out, and they’re halfway over that we set the LORD harden the heart of Pharaoh and seal his fate.

The LORD says that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:32 & Ezekiel 33:11). Peter testifies that the LORD is patient towards us, not desiring that any should perish (2 Peter 3:19). This is the great it the LORD, true love for His creation, but He is also good and just in all His ways. Therefore, He is bound by His own nature, which is law, that He must punish the wicked.

So, when Pharaoh hardens his own heart time and time again and refuses to see the LORD’s signs, repent, and let His people go, the LORD turns him over to a hardened heart. Why? So that judgment might be brought out upon him, his people, and his gods.

This isn’t the only time we see this either. Paul prophesies a coming Great Delusion from the LORD. A turning over of all the wicked to their own wickedness that they might be judged because of their own wickedness.

So, what are we to do? We, as my aunt so eloquently said this past Sunday, must break up the fallow ground of our hearts so that His Word would fall on good soil and not on hardened soil. The LORD places before each of us life and death. So choose life. Tomorrow is promised to no man. We never know when we will take our last breath, neither do we know when we will be turned over to our own desires and harden our heart, as He did Pharaoh’s, sealing our fate

Dear LORD, please forgive me for every time I have hardened my heart against Your word. Please break up the fallow ground of my heart that I might not be against Your Word. Show me what is in me that needs to be removed. Renew in me a right spirit, oh LORD, that I might not be lost to my own desires. Help me to crucify my flesh daily so that I might be with You for all eternity. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. 

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Plagues For Punishment

Exodus 3:18-20 NIV

[18] The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.’ [19] But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. [20] So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.

Ten plagues were shown as ten signs, and after each sign the Pharaoh said he’d let the people of Israel go, if the plague was just removed. Ten times he promised and ten times Pharaoh broke his promise. This is significant.

Ten is the number of covenant. Ten promises to let the LORD’s people go only to refuse after each one. Pharaoh, without realizing it, had set himself up against the LORD as an enemy. Pharaoh kept the Covenant people of God in slavery away from Him. So, what did God do? He brought down ten plagues on Egypt, its Pharaoh, and its gods. Pharaoh kept the Covenant people of God away from God, so God punished Pharaoh.

Pharaoh still refused to let the people of God go, even go as to change his mind each time he agreed to let them go. Pharaoh eventually drowned with his men in the Red Sea.

When we refuse to bow our knee to God, we set ourselves up against Him as His enemy. And when we set ourselves up against God, then we stand no chance of winning, for who can defeat the creator of the universe and all within it?

Dear LORD, please forgive me for each time I have hardened my heart against You and refused to let go of my flesh. Soften my heart. Give me a new heart and renew a right spirit in me. Hear me from Heaven, LORD. Forgive my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Help me to follow You with all that is within me. Help me to love You with all that is within me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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A Friend In High Places

Exodus 7:10-13 NIV

[10] So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. [11] Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: [12] Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. [13] Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.

Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and gave him a sign that the LORD had spoken to them. Aaron took his staff, threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent. This didn’t impress Pharaoh, as he understood that the enemy also had power. So, he called in his magicians, and they did the same thing by their magic arts.

I honestly think the scene from The Prince of Egypt truly does a great job embodying that moment. The chief priests and magicians came in the power of like 20+ gods, but Moses (and Aaron) came in the name of only one. The chief priests and magicians were so caught up in trying at their own power and authority over Moses and Aaron that they didn’t even realize that their serpents were swallowed up by the one serpent.

It truly doesn’t matter how many gods you come in the name of. It doesn’t matter how important you believe you are. There is only one God and He alone has all the power and all the authority. Darkness may be able to mimic certain things He does, but never can they truly mimic the power. The prince of Egypt shows but two serpents, but I believe that their were more than just two high priests and magicians standing over Moses and Aaron taunting them with their staff that has now turned into a serpent.

And Aaron’s staff ate each and every one of them. Darkness may be able to imitate the appearance of God, but it can never Imitate His power. There is only one God and only one name by which we can be saved. The world can try to duplicate or imitate salvation, peace, love, joy, etc. but these things can truly only be found in the LORD.

Dear LORD, please forgive me for all the time that I sought the world to fill me instead of you. Please forgive me for all the times I didn’t go in your power but tried to do it in my own. Please open my eyes so that I may see that it is You and You alone that holds the power and authority. Help me to seek You and Your Kingdom and my own. Help me to seek You, oh LORD, and not the things of this world that are mere temporary imitations of the real gifts You have promised me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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The World of “Who?”

1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” ~ Exodus 5:1-2

A new Pharaoh had risen to power in Egypt during the years that Moses had spent in Midian. When Moses and Aaron present their case before him, the very first thing Pharaoh says to them is “Who is the LORD?” Let that sink in for a second. Pharaoh wasn’t just saying, “explain to me who your God is because I have never heard of Him.” Pharaoh is saying, “I don’t care who your God believes he is. Who is He to command me to let Israel go? Does He not know who I am?” Keep in mind that Pharaoh wasn’t just a regular king. His magicians turned their staffs to serpents, water to blood, and even called up frogs on the land just as Aaron had done, so Pharaoh knew that he and his gods had some form of power. The problem was that Pharaoh’s pride didn’t allow him to hear out the God of Israel. He didn’t feel the need to take a chance on hearing what the GOD of gods had to say to him.

Today is no different. We have those in power who enslave and oppress the people of God. We have people who don’t even want to acknowledge or give a single second to the LORD God Almighty. And, much like Pharaoh, God then turns them over to their own hearts’ desires. A heart that desires nothing of God, but only hates Him and His people.

But just as Pharaoh was brought low and humbled before the LORD, so will those who refuse to listen to the Words of the LORD and refuse to let the people of God go. Their slavery and oppression don’t always look blatantly like slavery and oppression, especially here in the West. Today, that slavery and oppression are more times than not, found in the spiritual form of depression, anxiety, and suicide. Our average college students, according to a study a few years ago, have the same anxiety levels as someone who was hospitalized and placed in an asylum less than 70 years ago.

The Church we are today is very much oppressed and enslaved. It feels like pastors are being exposed and falling from grace every other day. Well-known Church people are falling victim to suicide’s lies. And what does the world continuously say to anyone who would dare suggest Jesus as freedom? “Who is the LORD that we should obey His voice?” But just as Pharaoh was humbled, so will the world be humbled in our generation, but only when His people who are called by His name will humble themselves, repent of their sins, and cry out to the LORD for help.

Dear LORD, I’m sorry for all the times I have accepted defeat and allowed myself to remain enslaved because it felt to hard or too impossible to see a victory. Please forgive me. Please cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Please hear my cry, oh LORD, and send a deliverer. Send someone who can speak on our behalf so that we might be freed from this present darkness. Please help me to learn to pick up my spiritual armor and fight this spiritual battle that I cannot avoid nor can I ignore. I pray that You would always be with me and guide me throughout the rest of my days. Help me to fulfill what You once told Peter that when I turn back to You, I will help strengthen my fellow Church members. Thank You, LORD, for never giving up on me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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