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....
read moreFresh 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...
read moreFresh 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....
read moreFresh 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...
read moreFresh 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...
read moreFresh 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...
read moreFresh 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...
read moreFresh Bread March 13: Getting Into Shape
God knew what He was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to SHAPE the lives of those who love Him along the same lines as the life of His Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity He restored. We see the original and intended SHAPE of our lives there in Him (God’s Son). After God made that decision of what His children should be like, He followed it up by calling people by name. (Romans 8:29, Message Bible) With the clocks having sprung forward this week and the coming of March 20th on next week, we cannot help but anticipate that Spring is in the air. Warmer weather and longer daylight during the evening hours encourage us to get ourselves into physical shape as we look forward to shedding winter overcoats. But what are we doing to get ourselves into spiritual shape? The word “SHAPE” is derived from an Old English word meaning “create or form.” As we prepare for Holy Week on next week, let us keep in mind the purpose for which God sent His Son: to take broken lives and FORM them along the same lines as the life of Jesus. In Jesus, we see the original, CREATED intent God had for the human race. PRAYER: Holy Spirit, continue to use every event in my life to shape me into the form and image God intended for my life (Romans...
read moreFresh Bread March 14: Making Peace with Your Past
“…I will PAY you back for those years of trouble. Then you will have plenty…and be full. You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has done miracles for you…Then you will know that I am among the people of Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other God. (Joel 2:25-27, New Century Version) The baby is screaming. You’ve tried feeding her, rocking her, walking her, playing her favorite music, and even making stupid faces and sounds for her. Nothing seems to work. You then put a small rubber object into her mouth. All of a sudden she’s quiet. The only sound you hear is a sucking sound soon followed by the sound of heavy breathing. She’s asleep! Every parent owes a debt of gratitude to the person who created that small rubber object we now call a “pacifier”. The word “PAY” is a word we usually associate with money. Yet it is interesting to find the original meanings of this word: “to appease, satisfy, or pacify.” It’s derived from the Latin word, “pax” which means “peace”. And thus the word “pacify” literally means “to make peace (calm, content, rest, hush)”. PRAYER: Lord, regrets from my past still trouble me. They’ve disturbed my calm, my contentment, and my rest. Let Your Spirit of Peace (Galatians 5:22) make the noise and voices from my past mistakes hush! This is the miracle I need from You today....
read moreFresh Bread March 12: A God-Assisted Life
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. (Romans 8:28, Amplified Bible; see also Jeremiah 29:11) In the game of basketball, one of the most admired statistics is assists, which keeps a count of how many times a player has helped another player to score a basket for his team. Today’s Scripture tells us that God uses all things to assist us in scoring for our benefit and, more importantly, the benefit of His Kingdom. The word “WORK TOGETHER” is the Greek word “sun-erg-e-o” which means “to put forth power (God’s ability) together with (your ability) and thereby to assist (you).” (Italics are my addition). Prayer: “Lord, help me to know that I have ‘A God-Assisted Life’. Help me to know for a fact that no matter what happens to me, Your ability is put forth together with my ability and thereby the things happening to me, good or bad, will assistant toward my good...
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