Fresh Bread August 8: 08.08.08!

(1) God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (2) God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (3) God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. (4) God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. (5) God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (6) God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. (7) God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. (8) God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you…and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. (Matthew5:3-12; NLT) Today marks the beginning of the 29th Olympic Games, which will be held in Beijing, China. However, today’s date is not referred to as August 8, 2008. Today’s date is being advertised as “08.08.08” or #080808, for many people all over the world consider “eight” to be a lucky number. Though as Christians we do not believe in lucky numbers, there is the study of biblical numerology which cannot be ignored. The significance of the number Eight in the Bible is that it represents the number of “New Beginnings”. After the flood, God started over again with Noah and seven others. God placed a new dynasty over Israel using David, the eighth son of Jesse. And when Jesus was introducing the new era of His Kingdom, He began by teaching His followers eight new attitudes (rules) they needed to follow – we call “The Beatitudes”. I believe today marks the beginning of something new God has prepared for your life! PRAYER: Holy Spirit, it is Your responsibility to guide me into God’s reality (Truth) for my life (John 16:13). Please show me the new thing God desires to do within my life, which starts today, so that I might cooperate with You as You do His will and work through me....
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Fresh Bread August 6: The Seeker-Sensitive Church

Thank GOD! Call out his Name! Tell the whole world who he is and what he’s done! Sing to him! Play songs for him! Broadcast all his wonders! Revel in his holy Name, GOD-SEEKERS, be jubilant! Study GOD and his strength, seek his presence day and night; Remember all the wonders he performed, the miracles and judgments that came out of his mouth. (1 Chronicles 16:8-12, The Message Bible) This entire chapter is a psalm written by King David. It describes the attitude a person ought to have when he attends church. The 21st Century American Church has coined the phrase “Seeker-sensitive” to describe churches that are sensitive to the needs of non-church goers and the things that are a “turn-off” to them. The objective is to make them more inclined to attend church. Therefore, the service is geared more to the worshiper than to The One who is to be worshiped. Although this strategy may fill our churches with more people, our main objective should be to turn these individuals into true “God-Seekers”. A true God-Seeker is one who: (1) Tries to find God (like needed keys lost in our homes), (2) Looks for God (like a person one needs to find in a crowd), (3) Pursues God (like a man in love with one specific woman), (4) Hunts for God (like a person who goes job hunting), (5) Tracks down God (as if there’s a bounty or reward if He’s captured), or (6) Aims for God (as if one fears he will miss his life’s target). PRAYER: Holy Spirit, far too often I come to church looking for everything and everyone but God Himself. Help me! Teach me to be a God-Seeker. For, in becoming a God-Seeker, I know that my life will not be the same....
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Fresh Bread July 30: Rest!

There remaineth therefore a REST to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest… (Hebrews 4:9-11, King James Version) This is a strange Scripture. The writer of Hebrews tells us to labor (The Amplified Bible says, “exert ourselves and strive diligently”) to enter God’s REST. Labor, exert, strive to rest? This doesn’t make any sense unless we look a little deeper into what God knows about us. The word “rest” is derived from two Latin words: re meaning “back” and sto meaning “stand”. Rest simply means to “stand back”. In both Exodus 14:13–14 and 2 Chronicles 20:14-17, God’s people find themselves in dire circumstances. And yet, each time the Lord tells them to “stand still” (stand back) and experience His ability to rescue them. Like a mechanic fixing a broken car or a healthcare professional working on an emergency case, God needs us to get out of His way, give Him room, stop looking over His shoulder, and “stand back” so He can work His wonders. So why is it such an effort and labor for us to enter that place of rest where we stand back and let God work? It’s because most of us are “control freaks”! We find it difficult to get out of God’s way and let Him work out His plan His Way. PRAYER: Holy Spirit, I have to control everything! And yet I am stressed out because I realize that I control nothing. Help me! Give me Your strength to stand back, get out of Your way, and let You work out Your plan. Teach me and help me to enter into God’s place of REST....
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Fresh Bread July 22: Simplify!

I’m asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with Him in His House my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. (Psalm 27:4, The Message Bible) No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling (Philippians 3:13, NLT) Here we have two quotes made by two of the most effective men in the Bible. King David was considered the most effective king in Israel’s history and the Apostle Paul wrote almost half of the New Testament. What made these two men so successful in God’s eye? They SIMPLIFIED their lives. The word “simplify” is made up of two Latin words: simplus meaning “single”, which in the Latin language means “One”, and the suffix “fy” is derived from the Latin word “faceo”, which means “to do”. Thus, the word “simplify” means “to do the one thing.” When you and I stand before God, what is the one thing, one purpose for which we will have to give an account to Him (Matthew 25:21-23, NLT)? What is that “one thing” that you know God has created you to accomplish? PRAYER: Holy Spirit, You are the one who Jesus assigned to guide me into all truth (John 16:13). Show me the purpose for which God created me, and then daily remind me to stay focused on “doing that one thing”....
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Fresh Bread July 15: Scandalized!

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and immediately with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is OFFENDED. (Matthew 13:20-21, King James Version) Nobody wants to be the subject of a scandal whether he/she is the one perpetrating the scandal or the one who is being scandalized. The word scandal speaks of: public disgrace, misconduct, exposed wrong doing, embarrassment, dishonor, shame, discredit, stain, stigma. This is what Satan (whose name means our “opponent”) tries to do whenever God speaks to us. Jesus told his disciples (learners) that people will receive his teachings with joy but they must understand that trouble and persecution will come [from Satan] because of that Word. And the sad thing is people will be “offended” because that Word from God will be the cause of so much trouble. The word “offended” is the Greek word “scandalidzo” which literally means: trapped with a springing device. It’s basically a mouse trap. Satan’s goal once we receive God’s word is to test us to the point that we go for “his bait” (cheese). He then springs the trap which results in our being disgraced, dishonored, and discredited. Esau was supposed to be the one whose name was turned into “Israel” not Jacob. But Esau was scandalized; trapped with Satan’s bait of Campbell’s Soup. (Hebrews 12:16, NLV) PRAYER: Holy Spirit, I enjoy when You speak God’s Word to me through a preacher, teacher, circumstance, or simply a friend’s wise counsel. Give me Your strength when that word is put to the test in my life. Help me not to be the subject of any scandal that would discredit (make me not believe) God’s Word to my...
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Fresh Bread July 10: Choose to be a Sweetener!

Moses led Israel…to the Wilderness… They traveled for three days through the wilderness without finding any water. They got to Marah, but they couldn’t drink the water at Marah; it was bitter. That’s why they called the place Marah (Bitter). And the people complained to Moses, “So what are we supposed to drink?” So Moses cried out in prayer to GOD. GOD pointed him to a stick of wood. Moses threw it into the water and the water turned sweet. …GOD said, “If you listen, listen obediently to how GOD tells you to live in his presence…I won’t strike you with all the diseases that I inflicted on the Egyptians; I am GOD your healer.” (Exodus 15:22-26, Message Bible) During these hot days of summer, my mind often turns to a desire for two refreshing drinks: one is called “Iced Tea” (Sweet Tea to those of you from the South) and the other is a Caribbean Drink called “Mauby”. What I noticed about both drinks is that though they are refreshing during particularly hot, uncomfortable days, they both are also very bitter in taste. That’s why both sweet tea and mauby have sweeteners such as sugar, cinnamon, etc., which make their bitterness both palatable and pleasant. Life can deal some “bitter” blows both to us and those with whom we come in contact. God desires that we be the wood (tree: Psalms 1:3, NLV) that He can throw into bitter experiences. He wants to use us to change the bitterness of life into the sweet healing waters of His Presence, so that others can “taste and see that the Lord really is good.” (Psalms 34:8, NLV) PRAYER: Holy Spirit, though life at times will be extremely bitter, use me to be one of God’s sweeteners in the lives of hurting people for the sake of His Kingdom....
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