"Spiritual Baggage"

Here is a verse that caught my eye recently that I thought we could all take a look at. It speaks about how even though we enter life with spiritual hindrances - attitudes, character traits, and just all-around nasty stuff - God provides us with a way to lay down these life-long burdens in real, tangible, life-altering ways. I hope we'll each take this opportunity to examine our own hearts for these kind of hindrances and respond accordingly to the call God is giving us here. 

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3-7

Here in the first part of this passage, we see our former condition apart from the love of God. This is what I would like to call "spiritual baggage." We all have it - sometimes we are the victims of such things, and sometimes we are the victimizers, and this is a hindrance to us spiritually. But in this verse, we also see a hope, a way to escape this condition that we find ourselves in. This way of escape, of course, is Jesus Christ. But how does this change come? According to this verse, this change comes "...through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our savior."

So, you may be asking, what does this mean? Quite simply this: that when we come to Christ, He gives us God's Spirit, and through this Spirit, our lives begin to change. We are washed and cleansed. Something so deep and NEW happens within us that the closest thing we can liken it to is rebirth and renewal. This is what Jesus was talking about when He spoke about being "born again." He was not talking about physically being born again - rather, He was talking about a change within ourselves so deep and new that "reborn" is the only word that can adequately describe it. The bottom line of this is that Jesus brings us God's Spirit, and this Spirit brings us healing and restoration - rebirth and renewal - from these burdens that we saw listed above.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

So if you are tired of carrying those burdens around everywhere, those burdens of foolishness, slavery, malice, hate, etc., Jesus is the One who is willing and able to take those burdens away from us. He gives us rest and freedom, and when He went up to heaven, He send us His Spirit to be with us and offer us this radically new and fresh life change - this renewing and re-birthing of our souls. This is not just conceptual or metaphorical, either; this is the real, visible, life-trans-formative power of Jesus Christ in our lives here and now; and He's just waiting for us to come to Him and seek Him for it.

For Further Study: Read John 3:1-8

• In this passage we see Jesus teaching Nicodemus about being "born again." From today's study verse, what is the unavoidable condition of all who are NOT "reborn" or "born again" of the Spirit?
  
• In verse 3, Jesus makes it clear that this "rebirth" by the Spirit is a prerequisite for entry into heaven. Why do you think this is so?

• We cannot SEE the wind, but we can clearly see and acknowledge its presence by the effect it has upon the visible world (a tree swaying in the breeze, a devastating hurricane, etc.). According to these verses we read today, what visible signs might accompany the Spirit's presence?
• Do you see these visible evidences of the Spirit in your own life? If not, how can Matthew 11:28-30 above give you hope for this?

Blessings in Christ Everyone!
Andrew

"Parasites"

We have all done many terrible things in our lives. I know that I am not proud of some of the things I have done. And just like you, I would probably go back in time and change them if I could. Well, we can dream all day, but we know that's not the way it works.

Cause you can’t change the past, only the future.

Parasites are real creatures that live off a host by leeching into its life force. Eventually the parasite will grow big and strong if not curbed while its host grows weaker and eventually dies. Paints a creepy picture doesn’t it.

While parasites are very real, we also have metaphoric ones. Metaphoric parasites do the same as their real counterparts—except the damage is much worse; they end up consuming our very souls and minds. And they are much harder to get rid of than real ones.

Parasites can be anything; addictions like porn, gambling, violence, drugs, or alcohol; idols like money, people, jobs, technology and other material things. Basically anything that becomes something you revere more than anything else. So you can’t ‘live’ without your cell phone or computer? Are you spending more time with those things over spending time with things that really matter? How about spending so much time at your job you have no more time other than Sunday for spending moments with God? Parasites can get in the way of the more important things, and while they seem fulfilling and pleasurable for awhile, after every dose you begin to feel empty, and so continue in order to get more. But keep drawing and the harder it will be to stop. Keep drawing, and you will eventually lose yourself…

Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 1 Samuel 12:21

They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their fathers and the warnings he had given them. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, "Do not do as they do," and they did the things the Lord had forbidden them to do.” 2 Kings 17:15

They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. Psalm 106:36

Parasites get in the way of not only our lives, but the one thing we need to keep first at all times; God. "This is what the Lord says— Israel's King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Isaiah 44:6

If we truly want to be Christians, if we truly want to live genuine lives, then we must have God first. He must be in every aspect; He must be behind everything that we do. We cannot allow idols or parasites to take His place.

If you truly want to love a God who truly loves you, then surrender your everything to Him and let Him shine from your very core.*

Surrendering,

Whitney

Gangrene - 12/30/08

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 2 Timothy 2:15-18 NIV

This is one of those verses that has saved my bacon many, many times, and will save it many times in the future. In this passage, Paul is warning Timothy not to indulge in godless chatter. But he's not just telling Timothy this because God forbids it, but as with all sins, there are reasons why it should be avoided. With this particular sin, godless chatter, the results are that it leads to further ungodliness and spiritual death. Paul even compares the results of this sin to gangrene - it causes death, and then that death spreads if it is not quickly cut off. We even see examples of two men who have indulged in godless chatter (Hymenaeus and Philetus), and we can see the fruits of this for ourselves: they destroy not only their own faith, but the faith of others as well. And what caused - or at least contributed to - this in the first place? Wandering away from the truth through godless chatter.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV

I may be the only one who resounds with this teaching of today, but I tend to doubt it. I'm sure we've all been in the position where someone rubs you the wrong way, and you have two choices: you can either choose to dwell on and gossip about the wrongs of this person (and sometimes they can even seen justified), or you can pray to God and ask Him to calm your heart so that you can love that person and build him or her up. If you choose the latter, although it is much more difficult to do (indeed, we need to rely on God's help to make this choice), you will be allowing God to use you for good. But if you choose the former, not only will it slander and tear down the other person, but you will be contributing to your own spiritual destruction. You will be giving yourself gangrene.

I don't know about anyone else, but I've been in this position many times - and unbeknownst to me, I was participating in my own self-destruction. I find that when I do this, I can get stuck in ruts of bitterness for days, weeks, or even months, that I can only be rescued from when I come to the end of myself, surrender to God, and allow Him to pick me up and clean out my wicked, gangrene-infected heart.

Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. 2 Timothy 2:16-17

It's no fun having spiritual gangrene; in fact, it's a rather miserable experience for all parties involved. However, I think you would agree that it is so much easier to avoid the entire situation completely by following these words of wisdom that Paul offers to Timothy, and each and every one of us as well. Avoid it, do not indulge in it, but rather seek to build one another up in love - it really is the better way.

Blessings in Christ,
Andrew

"Purity: To Proclaim Liberty To The Captives" 4-1-08

Here let's dig deeper into Matthew 5:8 and talk about purity. Specifically, we're going to discuss the dangers of an impure life, and learn how to live purely in Christ.

But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die. "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. (Ezekiel 18:24-26 ESV)

And of course, this raises the age-old question: can we lose our salvation? And this is a very good question to ask (indeed, I would encourage you to seek God to find the answer to this); however, it is not the purpose of this message. Rather, the purpose of this message is to bring to light the impending doom of living an impure lifestyle, turning from our righteousness, doing injustice, and committing the same abominations of the wicked.

Remember that Christ is our righteousness - when we turn away from Him, as this verse makes clear, we shall surely die. Without Christ we are nothing! But I would like to pose the question: is not remaining in an impure lifestyle in itself turning from Christ? Is not seeking satisfaction from "broken cisterns" that cannot satisfy, rather than from the Lord who is the spring of living water, turning from Him? I am not talking about momentary turns or stumbles, either; I am talking about a steady pattern of sin, a kind of lifestyle. Habitual sin, you could say. This is a question to which I do not know the answer, for only God sees the heart of a person and is able to make that judgment (and He is the only one who should), but one thing we know for sure: sin, especially this "habitual sin", can separate us from Him and will leave us unsatisfied and longing for more.

"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." (Jeremiah 3:2)

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare." (Isaiah 55:1-2)

Truly, why spend money on what is not bread, and labor on what does not satisfy? The deceitfulness of sin is indeed very tempting - just look at the story of the adulteress in Proverbs 7. She offers promises of satisfaction and joy - and the foolish youth follows her, "like an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know it will cost him his life." Sin is deceitful, and it is tempting, which is why many times people fall into this pattern of sin - and often times, they hide it away deep within themselves, and even those closest to them may not have any idea of the struggle within - but God knows. Nothing is hidden from His sight. We may be able to fool our church, our friends, even our family, but we cannot fool God. Or maybe, we aren't even aware that we've adopted a kind of sin lifestyle, and we need the Lord to reveal this to us.

Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14 ESV)

Are you currently drinking from broken cisterns that cannot satisfy? Are you turning from the living waters of Christ to the deceitfulness of sin? Is there a portion of your heart that is hidden in the darkness? Ask yourself this. Indeed, sin takes many forms - Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 ESV) All of these can become idols in our lives, places that we turn to for momentary comfort which, of course, never lasts.

But in the Lord, there is hope. Are you currently struggling with sin in this manner, or is there some place other than Christ that you will turn to in times of trouble? If so, remember that there is hope in Him. Focus your eyes upon Him, and He will satisfy your soul. There is hope in none other. If you would like further study on this topic, I would recommend you to a ministry I know of called http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/, a Christ-centered web-ministry that offers Bible studies ranging from regular Christian living to freedom from living a lifestyle of sin. I can tell you from experience that they exalt Christ and His Word above all else.

"You have exalted above all things your name and your word." (Psalm 138:2)

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:18-21 ESV)

Watch these chains fall from my hands Then you will understand, then you will understand. Watch me walk through these prison bars Then you will know my heart is free, Then you will know my heart is free.

~Watch, by Seven Places

Blessings,
Andrew

The Cup of the Lord - 3/3/08

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. 1 Corinthians 10:21-23 ESV

This is very similar to when Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other..." (Matthew 6:24) Have you ever sat at the table of demons and partook of the cup of greed, or taken a sip from the chalice of lust? Have you sought satisfaction in any source other than the Lord? I am sure that we all have on some level. Thankfully, because of the great sacrifice of Christ, His blood purifies us from all unrighteousness and enables to us to live free from these stumbling blocks. This is why "All things are lawful," because there is no sin that the blood of the Lamb cannot cleanse from our souls - but as Paul said in Romans,

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Romans 6:1-2 ESV

So then, let us not provoke the Lord to jealousy, and seek only those things which build up. You can rest assured that if you have dined at the table of demons, should you cry out to Him, His blood will make you white as snow, but this is no reason to continue in our sins. As we draw close to Him and find satisfaction in Him through "drinking the cup of the Lord," dining at the table of demons, although still a temptation, will soon lose its hold on our lives. If we truly know Christ and allow Him to fill up our souls to the point of overflowing, the empty pleasures of this world lose their glamor as the deceptions of Satan are revealed for what they are by the Light of Christ. (And if they do not, the question may need to be raised,: Do we truly know Him?)

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32 ESV

Cheers!
Andrew

2/13/18 - Fruit of the Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

When we first began Our Daily Bread, it was based off of a thing I was doing called 'Fruit of the Day'. It wasn't a daily devotional; rather, whenever the Lord pressed something on my hart, I shared it. The Lord then decided to expand that ministry into what it is today.

So in remembering how it began, I recalled 'Fruit', and decided what better thing to do but to analyze and apply the Fruits of the Spirit to our lives. This will cover about 10 days. Before we study on the nine fruits however, this daily bread will first reflect on the verse as a whole. Then we shall break it down.

First Paul describes the 'acts of the sinful nature'.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)

Then a few verses later he says if you apply the Fruits of the Spirit to your life, you will, in a sense, 'crucify', or wipe away those sinful entities.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. For we 'belong to Christ' by giving our hearts and confessing with our mouths that He is Lord; therefore, we now live by the Spirit by applying these fruits to our lives, and as Paul explains, must continue to apply them to our lives lest we fall and not 'inherit the kingdom of God'.

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:21-26)

Let us eat of the Fruits of the Spirit, for they are fruit for our souls.*

Eating the Fruit,
Whitney

2/12/08 - The Righteous And The Wicked

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3 ESV)

Let's list the characteristics of this man described here: he does not take counsel from the wicked, he does not wander onto the paths of sinners, and he does not scoff at the misfortune or mistakes of others. He delights in the law of the Lord, and he meditates on it day and night. He yields his fruit in season, never withers, and in all that he does, he prospers. Literally everything he undertakes is prosperous, but not because God is just some miracle machine giving him everything he ever desired (if this was the case, we'd all be winning the lottery every other day!), but because he conforms his will to that of the Lord, whose plans cannot be circumvented. I want to be this man! Don't you? Now let's look at the contrast between this man, and the wicked mentioned in verses 3-6.

The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalms 1:4-6 ESV)

Now let's list the characteristics of the wicked: they are like chaff (straw, or worthless matter), driven away by the wind. They will not stand in the judgment, nor will they stand among the righteous; they will ultimately perish. Boy, aren't you glad we don't have to be this way? I am so thankful that I have been given a new heart and that the blood of Christ has cleansed me from my evil ways, for this is exactly how we are before Jesus: sinful, unable to be in the presence of righteousness, and doomed to perish.

But now, through His sacrifice and gift of love, we no longer have to be like the wicked, but we have the opportunity to be like the righteous man described in verses 1-3. We deserve nothing more than to perish for our wickedness; but this is the amazing-ness of the grace of God! Have you experienced this grace in your own life? If you have not, you know where to look: Jesus Christ, who gave Himself that we all might be able to receive these awesome gifts of grace, mercy, and hearts made new.

Blessings,
Andrew