Fresh Bread March 22: Getting R.I.D. of Doubt

The Bakery has reopened! Please eat and enjoy! To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many INFALLIBLE PROOFS, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3, KJV) Acts is part two of Luke’s book on the life and ministry of Jesus. He continues by reporting to Theophilus (whose name means: “One who exists in the love of God”) the act(ion)s of the apostles after Christ returned to His Father in Heaven. However, before Christ could send them out he had to show them infallible proof that He had indeed risen from the dead. The word infallible can be defined using the acronym “R.I.D.”. Infallible means “Reliable, Impeccable, and Dependable”. In order for Christ to convince his followers of his reality, he provided for them proof that was reliable, impeccable, and dependable. In other words, Jesus provided his followers with proof that would R.I.D them of their doubts. PRAYER: Lord, “…Show yourself alive…by many infallible proofs,” (that are able to be seen by others)… in Your Name we believe it is...
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Fresh Bread March 21: Don’t Touch that Dial!

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is READY, but the flesh is weak. (Mark 14:38, KJV) Whether you’re listening to the radio in your car or watching your television at home, the station your dial is tuned into when you turn it off is the same station that will come back on when you again turn on your car radio or your television. The word READY is a Greek word meaning: “pre-disposed” from the Latin word “prae-disponere”, which means “to set in order or adjust ahead of time”. It also means “to be in a certain frame of mind ahead of time”. Thus, Jesus teaches both His disciples and us that our spirits are always ready to watch (see the things God desires to show us – John 16:13) and to pray (communicate with God – Romans 8:26-27), if only we keep our spirit set and dialed in on God (Isaiah 26:3). PRAYER: Lord, as the Consecration comes to an end and whether I’m awake or asleep, help me to stay tuned, dialed in on Your station daily. Do not allow me to enter into the traps of temptation Satan has set daily for me (Matthew 6:13). If You would keep me tuned into You, this will be the most victorious year of my life and I will give you all of the credit. In Jesus’ name....
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Fresh Bread March 20: The Evidence Suggests that…*

Being CONFIDENT of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. (Phillipians 1:6, Today’s NIV) Today is a new day and it is the beginning of a new season. Spring is here! And though the weather does not seem to want to cooperate in terms of temperature, it will soon provide evidence that a new season truly has begun. The word CONFIDENT is a Greek word meaning: “to assent to evidence.” Assent means: to agree with, accept, adopt, allow, approve (of), buy (into), comply (with), concur (run with), conform (to), (give your )consent, defer (to), embrace, espouse, give(a high)five (to), give in (to), grant, ok, permit, recognize, sanction, say uncle (and stop fighting), subscribe (to), and do not disagree (with), or disapprove (of), the evidence (God provides season after season, and year after year) that He who started a good (God) work in you will keep on doing it until He has finished it. He will keep on… PRAYER: Lord, help me to assent to, agree with, give my consent to, conform to, defer to, recognize, and “say uncle” to by my no longer fighting the evidence that You will finish the work You have started in me despite of all of my faults and setbacks. In Jesus’ Name, Amen! TOMORROW: Please note TOMORROW the Bakery closes. It will be the final day of Fresh Bread. I invite your...
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Fresh Bread March 19: The Audacity of Hope*

And so faith, hope, love abide [faith–conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; HOPE–joyful and confident expectation…; love–true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13, Amplified Bible) Paul instructs us to cultivate these three most important virtues in the Scripture. And though there may be millions of sermons preached on the subjects of faith and love, there are far less sermons that speak on the subject of hope. And yet Senator Barak Obama’s best-selling book, The Audacity (boldness/daringness) of Hope, indicates just how desperately hope is needed in our day. The Amplified Bible translates the word “HOPE” as “joyful and confident expectation.” The word “expect” is derived from two Latin words: “ex” meaning “out”–from which derives our English word “exit”–and “specto” meaning “watch or look”–from which derives words such as “spectacle” or “spectator”. The Bible regularly describes God as being “good” (Psalm 100:5) and there are just some days when it takes boldness and a daringness to expect (be on the look out or watch) for the goodness of God (see: Habakkuk 2:1-4). PRAYER: Lord, renew my audacity to look out for Your goodness during 2008! *ONCE AGAIN: Please note that this is the final week of Fresh Bread. On this final week, I invite your...
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Fresh Bread March 18: Special Delivery*

Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “HOSANNA! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9, NIV) Whether it’s via UPS, FedEx, or the United States Post Office, receiving an item within a few days, as opposed to a few weeks, is always a welcomed experience. This is especially true if the item is needed as soon as possible. During this time of year, the word HOSANNA is read or said by people who have no idea what it actually means. It is a Hebrew word that means “Deliver us, now.” The word DELIVER is derived from the Latin word “delibero” meaning: to set free, release, acquit, cancel, get rid of (debts), cover (expenses), draw (a sword), clear (positions of hostile forces). It also means “to produce what’s expected.” PRAYER: Lord, during this special Passion Week, we cry out to you, “Hosanna!” Deliver us, set us free from our bondages and hang-ups, release us from painful memories, acquit and cancel our sins, get rid of our debts, cover our expenses, teach us how to draw the sword of Your Spirit, which is Your Word (Bible), clear the position in which we are currently located (our home, job, school, church, etc.) of the demonic forces, and please produce, as only You can, what is expected. Amen. *PLEASE NOTE: This is the final week of our 21 day consecration and thus the final week of Fresh Bread. On this final week, I invite your...
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Fresh Bread March 17: Hang In There*

The LORD is good to those who DEPEND on him, to those who search for him. 26 So it is good to wait quietly for salvation (deliverance) from the LORD. (Lamentations 3:25-26, New Living Translation) How often is the question “How are you?” answered with the words “Hanging in there!”? And “there” usually describes in whatever situation we may find ourselves both as a result of our own choices or simply life’s circumstances. In this Scripture, Jeremiah (whose name means “Yahweh Throws”) simply finds himself thrown into a bad situation, and yet he declares that God is good, with the caveat that God is good to those who “depend” on Him. The word DEPEND is derived from two Latin Words. The word “De” means “down” and the word “pendo”, from which we get our English word “pendant”, means “to hang”. Thus, this Scripture describes the goodness of the Lord being given to the person who “hangs down” onto Him. Next time you find yourself describing how you’re doing by using the words, “Hangin’ in there!” remember; on the other end of that hanger is the God on whom you’re depending. PRAYER: Lord, teach me how to depend on Your goodness. For Your goodness has earned the right to be depended on. *PLEASE NOTE: This is the final week of our 21 day consecration and thus the final week of Fresh Bread. On this final week, I invite your...
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