What a Friend

Read: John 10: 27-28

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8

John proclaims that every known breakthrough that mankind makes comes from God (John 1:3). Before God created the heavens and the earth, He had a plan for each one of us (Ephesians 1:4). We did not then, nor do we now deserve His love; but He delights in spending time with us. He looks forward to our daily chats with Him in prayer and He wants us to listen to Him without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17). He promises us through the words of James 4:8, that if we draw close to Him, He will also, most definitely, draw close to us.

What greater privilege can anyone experience than to have the Lord of the Universe loving us enough to spend time with us throughout the day. Do we go around with an unmet need, simply because we fail to trust Him to meet it? Do we pack our lives too full of trivial pursuits and fail to spend time praising Him, loving Him, enjoying His presence and listening to Him? The biggest question of all, however, is do we take the time to thank Him for everything He provides for us – for the air we breathe, for food and shelter, for soap, for a broom, for a comb or brush, for family and friends who cherish us and build us up, for twinkling stars at night and the sun to warm us all day long?

We show our love back to God by praising and listening to Him all though the day, by worshipping Him with other Believers, by living out the evidence of His love in our lives, by telling others the Gospel story, by sharing our resources with those in need and simply by inviting people to visit us at our local church. Let’s simplify our lives in order to make more room for loving God, listening to Him, worshipping Him and following His will for every moment of our day.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I love that you invited us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5: 17). You are a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24), because You live inside of each and every one of us by Your Holy Spirit. I am amazed that though You are in me, you are also on Your throne in Heaven, interceding for us with the Father and protecting us from Satan’s wiles.

Thought for the Day:

Take some time to listen to God today. He is always within us and is only a prayer away.

The Peaceful Life

Read: 1 Corinthians 3: 1-3

“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” - Romans 8:6 NKJV

Conflict is not only prevalent in modern society, but probable as well. We get so jaded in our thinking, and so fearful in our expectancy of opposition, that we end up walking through life just waiting for someone to say or do something hurtful or inflammatory. We worry that someone or something will invade our personal space and strip us of our power, control, prestige, comfort or intimacy in our relationships. Murphy’s Law is always in play; so if there is anything that can possibly go wrong, it certainly will. Nothing, not even the simplest of tasks, is ever easy.

The potential for harm is probable, and therefore, overwhelming. So, we hide behind a thick wall of suspicion and mistrust. As a consequence of living with all of this stress we bring harm to our body and soul anyway. Physically, we tend to develop ulcers, heart issues, and nerve damage; mentally, we drown in phobias, anxiety and hypochondria; as well as emotionally, we erupt with irritability, anger and defensiveness.

Our only hope of rising above the conflict is to dwell in the spiritual realm. Our goals, outlook and focus are then eternal rather than temporal. Issues that used to affect us, no longer make any impression on us at all. We recognize Jesus as the Author and Finisher of our faith, and we surrender our life to His direction. We live our days in total worship to Him.  

We can actually relax, once we realize that God has plans for us that include peace rather than disaster, plans to give us a future filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11). When negative circumstances do arise, we have the faith that God works even these destructive events out for our good (Romans 8:28). We look forward to the days, which are coming, when God raises up a righteous Branch, King Jesus, who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land (Jeremiah 23:5). Then peace and joy will flood our lives. He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All of the negative issues of life will be gone forever (Revelation 21:4).

Prayer:

Lord, help me not to allow the unknown to threaten my peace, but to totally trust in You. Help me to relinquish the control of my life to You. Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me in a level path, because of my enemies (Psalm 27:11). Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way in which I should go, for to You do I lift up my soul (Psalm 143:8).

Thought for the Day:

True peace and success only come when Jesus sets us free from the power of sin and the entanglement of this world.

Bread of Heaven

Read: John 6

“Jesus says, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” - John 6:35

In today’s society, one or both partners in a marriage earn a wage to provide for their needs. Our idiomatic term for the wage earner is also the “breadwinner.” Even in our slang, we use the word “bread” as a synonym for “money.” Bread remains, at least in our language, as a symbol of the basic provision for our needs. A number of ancient archaeological sites turned up fossilized cakes of bread, showing it’s importance in our daily life for eons of time.

Whether bread is made from rye, barley, corn, millet, wheat, rice or even potato flour, it has been served as part of the basic human diet ever since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Paradise. God pronounced a curse on man and the whole earth, because of their sin. "…cursed is the ground for thy sake; …In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground..." (Genesis 3:17,19).

Due to God’s curse on the ground as the result of sin, whether we till the land or participate in any other “breadwinning” activity, it involves hard work in an uncooperative environment. God’s Word reminds us that, ". . . if any would not work, neither should he eat" (II Thessalonians 3:10).

Bread is also a continual theme throughout the Bible. The term "bread" in the Bible refers to food in general or is used symbolically as well. Abraham shared bread and wine with Melchizedek, king of Salem, which was a customary expression of peace and fellowship. To break bread with someone was an act of communion (Gen. 14:18).

Unleavened bread reminds us of the Israelites exodus from Egypt to a new life in Canaan (Exodus 12:39). For Christians, this trek is symbolic of our walk with the Lord in the Kingdom of God.

Also, the Bread of the Presence, or showbread, was placed daily in the Holy Place in both the Tabernacle and the Temple. One of the Levites’ duties was to tend to this sacred bread (1Chronicles 23: 29). This showbread reminded the Jews that God was their provider and sustainer, and they lived constantly in His presence. The showbread is only mentioned twice in the New Testament in Hebrews 9:2, and in Matthew 12:4 where it is called "The Consecrated Bread". Christians know that in Jesus, who is our True Bread of Life, our lives are lifted up above the mundane, earthly level, and we live with him "in the spiritual, heavenly realm" (Eph. 2:6).

Also, we have the manna in the wilderness. When the Israelites needed food, God promised to “rain bread from heaven” (Exodus 16:4). The next morning, when the dew lifted, there remained behind on the ground “a small round substance, as fine as frost. It was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey” (vv. 14, 31). Even in the face of the rebellion of Israel not to enter the Promised Land, God sustained them. He gave them bread from heaven that preserved their lives (Exodus 16:2-4).

The manna trained the Jews to completely depend and rely upon God for their daily bread. In the prayer that Jesus taught his apostles, He prayed, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). We learn this obvious lesson from God’s manner of providing the manna. No matter how much effort a person invested to obtain it and no matter how much manna they gathered, each person ended up with his precise nutritional needs for a single day.

Those who attempted to store up manna for the next day, found that their "savings" spoiled during the night. This speaks to us of trusting God for our daily provision and to not store up treasures on earth, where rust and moth destroy, but in heaven instead (Matthew 6:19). The manna was actually called "the corn of heaven," and "angels' food" (Psalm 78:24-25).

Our bread of heaven, Jesus Christ, nourishes our lives and keeps us safe as we sojourn on this earth toward eternity with Him in heaven. Bread is a powerful symbol of God’s provision. John 6:31-51 gives us an abundance of symbolism, which includes Jewish historical tradition, as well as their cultural associations. Jesus taught that belief on Him is equal to eating spiritual manna, which is far superior to the Old Testament manna.

Manna gave temporary life to the Jews for one day only. However, Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread (heavenly manna) of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven..." In John 6:35, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

Jesus not only spoke the words of God, but He IS the Living Word of God. God stated “…man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live" (Deuteronomy 8:3). The New Testament tell us that our life is in Jesus (John 1: 4).

Another instance of the use of Bread in scripture is found in the account of Jesus rebuking Satan in the wilderness temptation, "It is written," He said, "That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4). The Words of God’s Scripture are not only spiritual bread, but also honey and milk and meat (Hebrews 5:12). As we feast on the words of Scriptures, they give us life for our soul. As Jeremiah said: "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart" (Jeremiah 15:16). Or, as Job stated: "I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food" (Job 23:12). And in the longest psalm, there is this testimony: "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalm 119:103).

After the Korean War, a Korean orphanage soon discovered that, although the children enjoyed three solid meals a day, they had great anxiety about whether they would have food the next day. To help resolve this problem, the relief workers in one particular orphanage decided that each night when the children were put to bed, the nurses would place a single piece of bread in each child’s hand. The children held onto the bread as they went to sleep. It provided them with a “security blanket”, reminding them that tomorrow held adequate provision for their daily needs. Sure enough, the bread calmed the children’s anxieties and helped them to sleep.

Likewise, Jesus gives us security to lay down in sweet repose and to awaken the next morning with faith in His provision. We take comfort in knowing that our physical needs are met, and that He “Gives us our daily bread.”  These words teach us to come to God in a spirit of expectant dependence, asking Him to provide our needs and to sustain us each day. We make our needs known to Him, and then trust that He will provide.

Another Biblical illustration using bread is the parable of the loaves and fishes in John 6:1-15. Verses 12-13 tell us, “When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.” Jesus supplied their need in abundance, and He will do the same for us.

To believers out of fellowship with God, as with the elect nation of Israel, the spiritual bread that God sends can be very bitter. The Bible speaks, for example, of "the bread of tears" and "the bread of sorrows" (Psalm 80:5; 127:2). God disciplines whom He loves and chastized those who are His Sons (Hebrews 12:7). "Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel" (Proverbs 20:17). Those who participate in careless and unfruitful living, "…eateth not the bread of idleness" (Proverbs 31:27) and"..eat the bread of wickedness" (Proverbs 4: 17). The Bible also mentions the "bread of affliction" (I Kings 22:27), "the bread of adversity" (Isaiah 30:20), and "the bread of mourners" (Hosea 9:4).

All of our food, spiritual and physical, is provided by God through Jesus, "who created all things by Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 3:9). In one sense, the Lord Jesus is in His entire creation, for "by Him all things consist" (Colossians 1:17) and He is now "upholding all things by the word of His power" (Hebrews 1:3). Even Paul expounded to the philosophers in first-century Greece, that the God who created the world was "not far from every one of us: For in Him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:27-28).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I will give thanks to You, for You are good. Your loving kindness endures forever. I give thanks to You, Lord, for Your unfailing love and Your wonderful acts to the children of men, for You satisfy the thirsty soul and You fill the hungry soul with good things (Psalm 107:1, 8-9).

Thought for the Day:

“Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)

Trials Are Blessings in Disguise

Read: Luke 22: 31-32

"Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly." - Philippians 1:14

So often we view negative issues in our life as obstacles, when they are actually designed by God as blessings in disguise. When people come to Christ they believe that life will now turn into a sweet scented rose garden. Well, it does…but they are forgetting about the thorns! Jesus warned us that as long as we live in this world, we will experience troubles and dangers (John 16:33). However, He did not leave us alone or hopelessly lost in depression. He also stated, "But be of good cheer! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). He won the war, so that we can enjoy the victory.

Just look at some of the Biblical characters as examples. Every one of them had trials and tribulation. Job wins the prize for the most persecuted man in history. However, many people overlook the fact that in the last half of Job’s life, God blessed him with increased wealth, family and goods that exceeded what he lost during his trials.

Paul was beaten, jailed, hunted, stoned, shipwrecked and lost at sea (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). Paul endured his troubles by changing his focus from his miserable conditions to God’s promises (Romans 8:18). He was so blessed by doing this that he actually sang in jail! Paul’s life shows us that God uses our attitude during our trials as examples and an encouragement to others who suffer in this life (Philippians 1:14).

Jesus told Peter this same thing, when Satan wanted to sift him like wheat (Luke 22: 31-32). You probably know people whose lives are a testimony to the power of God in spite of their circumstances. Their faith in and love for God barely waiver in the face of debilitating difficulties.

Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery to get rid of him; but God used their malevolent behavior to bring Him glory, to bless Joseph’s family and for Joseph’s good. The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did all throughout his life (Genesis 39).

Some people mistakenly believe that God promises never to give us more trials than we can bear. They quote 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 when they say this. But if you actually look at the words in these verses, the word is temptations, not trials. God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear.

God does promise, however, never to give us more trials than HE can bear (John 16:33). So, do not be discouraged when you encounter difficulties. Life is full of them. We are either in a trial, just finished with one or are about to go into one. When we pray, God removes some of our trials like mountains crumbling into the sea. However, God uses other complications to test our faith, to strengthen us for future trials or to prove that His grace is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for using our trials to make us stronger, to increase our faith and to draw us closer to You. Shine Your light through our life. This way people will glorify You, when they see us trust in You with a positive attitude and Godly behavior in spite of our unbearable circumstances (Matthew 5:16).

Thought for the Day:

View your trials as opportunities to bring glory to God.

Let God Be God

Read: Hebrews 11: 1-40

 

“Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee.” Ps 143:8 KJV

People curry God’s favor for many reasons and in many different ways. Most of us agree that we need God, but the way in which we relate to Him tells a great deal about our relationship with Him.

Some people treat Him like a genie in a lamp and entreat Him for what He can do for them. They trust in Him as their “fire insurance” to keep them from going to hell. They blame Him when things do not go their way, especially in the way in which they expected them to transpire.

Others create God in their own image. They ignore Him or curse His name in their everyday conversation. If pressed, they would say they and God have an understanding: He won’t bother them and they won’t bother Him. They only call on God when they make a bargain with Him to bail them out of some type of trouble they got themselves into; although, they never seem to keep their end of the promise in the bargain.

Then there are those who deny God’s existence. They do not blame Him, nor do they go to Him in their time of need. They may take His name in vain, but they do not believe that He has any more reality than the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus.

Finally, there are those who believe in God by faith. They actually stake their existence on the validity of His authenticity. They live a life of faith in His will and obedience to it. They let God be God in His own timing, wisdom, and manner in their lives. They trust in Him alone, regardless of what He provides or promises. Their faith rarely waivers, because it is built on the Rock of Christ, rather than on the sand of life’s circumstances and the behavior of others.

I suppose you can say that I held a membership in each of these groups. I shared all of these viewpoints for a short span in my lifetime. Then, I joined the ranks of Hall of Faith in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. I came face to face with the Savior. Now, His abundant holiness leaves me awestruck. His graciousness humbles me. His loving kindness meets me anew every morning and blesses me all through my day. His peace holds me above troubled waters and His joy is my only source of strength.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for authoring and finishing our faith. Guide us each day, and help us to trust You more. Let our light so shine that others will see our good works and glorify You as their Father also. Commission us to do Your will each day of our lives and use us to further Your Kingdom in the earth.

Thought for the Day:

Faith alone, without works to back it up, is dead.

Metabolizing Faith

Read: John 4: 34-38

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-7 NKJV

When I hit my forty-fifth birthday, I quit! I quit striving, contriving and controlling my life, and just let go and let God. I finally realized that I am a person too with valid needs and desires that God wanted to supply. Jesus knew what it meant to do the will of our Father without contrivance or stress. He simply walked peacefully in the way, which His Father revealed to Him. I learned from His example.

When I started to trust God on a minute-by-minute basis, my budding faith started to affect my physical, emotional and spiritual health. I felt better physically because I avoided illnesses brought on by negative emotions such as stress, fear and anger. I felt better emotionally because I had a more positive focus on events in my life and the people who caused the turmoil. I felt better spiritually, because I completely trusted God with my insecure future.

Little pinpoints of light broke through the darkness. I started living in peace that transcends all human reasoning, in spite of the fact that my whole world got turned upside down. Each day, exhibiting joy and a positive outlook on life became easier and more habitual. I started living in the moment, rather than fearing the future or feeling resentment over the past. The rays of light eventually formed a pattern that made it easier for me to see what God really wanted to do in my life. I learned to relish each blessing as God brings it my way.

Even if Satan tries to rob me of my faith, by disguising the blessings in negative circumstances, I continue to trust God and to wait on His perfect timing, actively looking for the miracle in each trial. This faith energizes me mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually and helps me to accomplish so much more for the kingdom of God.

Prayer:
Lord, help me to continue to look for the miracle in each event in my life. Even the most horrifying circumstances hold the seed of faith for something new that You are doing in my life. As I sit daily in Your presence, continue to increase my faith and make me an instrument to spread Your peace to everyone I meet.

Thought For The Day:

Faith is immensely impractical, but completely crucial as it reveals to us the impossible as tangible.

Misplaced Trust

Read: 1 Chronicles 21:1-8

"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." - Isaiah 12:2 (NIV)

Sometimes I resist God's leading when I sense that it may endanger my personal security. I place my trust in what I can see, rather than in God and the outcome that only He can see. This lack of faith also allows me to compromise with the world and allows Satan to influence my thinking. Over time, the original insecurity I felt grows, and my mind imagines all sorts of horrible things that actually may never even happen.

As a shepherd boy, David did not think twice when God told him to defeat Goliath with only his trusty sling. Yet, as an adult, King David made a big mistake and did not follow God's leading with all of his heart. He trusted in his own wisdom and power instead. He disobeyed God and counted his soldiers before committing to battle (1 Chronicles 21:1-8). Woefully, David’s decision caused some of the citizens of his kingdom to reap the consequences of his behavior.

David's compensate quality, however, lay in his willingness to repent when God pointed out his mistakes. In verse 24 of this same chapter, we see that David was not willing to take a gift of land offered to him by one of his subjects in order to build an altar to the Lord. Instead, David insisted on paying for the land. He said, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”  I love his attitude and I want to remember his example.

God continued to bless David throughout his life, in spite of his failings. God forgives us, as well, and will bless us as long as we humble ourselves and place our trust in Him. We really have nothing to fear in trusting the Lord. Whenever I surrender my will to God’s, He always works everything, even the negative things, out for my good. 

Prayer:

Father, we never want to willingly sacrifice to you something that costs us nothing. Fill us with your joy and peace as we trust in You, so that we overflow with hope by the power of Your Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

Thought for the Day:
We can guard against misplacing our trust, if we keep our eyes focused on Christ's redeeming love.