Your Spiritual Appetite

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“Your Spiritual Appetite”

Deuteronomy 8:3 “So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” [NKJV]

Jesus also quoted this scripture in Matt 4:4. “But He answered and said “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”. [KJV] The oblivious message of this scripture is that there is a hunger and thirst in the soul for God’s word.

God supplied the Israelites with manna each day to feed and provide nourishment on a daily basis. As manna provided daily nourishment to the physical man, the word of God can provide daily nourishment to the soul and spirit man.

Do not be deceived, nor let no one suppose spiritual survival is possible for long without nourishment from the word of God.

1st Peter 2:2 declares that God’s word is as essential to the believer as milk is to a new born child “As new born babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” [NKJV]

It is the word of God that will satisfy the hunger and thirst of our souls. That is why believers have to spend time reading the bible each day.  

Psalm 42:1,2 “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. Vs 2 My soul thirsts for God, the living God.” [NKJV]

Spending time in the word of God should a top priory in starting our day.        

Psalm 63:1 “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water”. [NKJV]

We as believers should be excited about reading, and experiencing the benefits of the word of God.

Father in heaven, thank you for your word that satisfies the hunger and thirst of our “spiritual appetite”, in Jesus name…Amen!

Continuing in His service…Rev

Treasures

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Treasures

gold watch and pendant on brown wooden box

Matthew 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Jesus makes it very clear that having the wrong treasures (values) can lead to the heart being in the wrong place. What someone treasures (values) the most can control that person, whether that person admits it or not.

Ambition which is healthy, if not controlled can lead to greed which is unhealthy.

When a person has ambition, there is a strong desire to do or accomplish a goal that has been set. To accomplish the goal, determination and hard work will be required.

On the other hand if someone is driven by greed, ambition has turned into a selfish desire…having an uncontrolled longing for an increase in material gain, power or status.

When a person becomes greedy, that greediness can become an uncontrolled driving force that if not controlled, can lead someone do anything or “whatever it takes” to get what they want.

Colossians 3:1-2 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above; where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Vs 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things of this earth.”

Keeping focus on heavenly things and not earthly possessions, will help a person to have the right perspective on what should be treasured. There is nothing wrong with desiring to have nice things, but greed can be a driving force to do anything to obtain them.

2nd Corinthians 4:18 “while we do not look at the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Earthly possessions are temporary. A person has to look past what can be seen, and by faith look to see what is unseen, looking past the present to the future.  

Psalm 84:11 “The Lord is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will he withhold from those who walk up rightly.”

Having a lifestyle of righteous living, can open doors from heaven to receive multiple blessings.

3rd John vs 2 “Beloved I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.”

Having the right values will lead to prosperity and being in good health to enjoy prosperity.

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your work to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.”

Putting ambition in its proper perspective will be beneficial in being successful.

Father in heaven, help us to remain focused on your treasures which are in heaven, in Jesus name…Amen!

Continuing in His service…Rev

Faith

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“Your Spiritual Muscle”

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

A good definition for faith is; having complete trust, dependence and confidence with a firm belief in something or someone for which there may be no tangible proof of existence.

In the 11th chapter of Hebrews, the word faith is used 24 times.

In that same chapter of Hebrews the words “by faith” are used 19 times.

I heard someone describe faith as:

  • Seeing the invisible
  • Hearing the inaudible
  • Touching the intangible
  • Believing the impossible

If faith is looked at as a believer’s “Spiritual Muscle”, a comparison can then be made to the muscles in the human body.

Muscles in our bodies become stronger when we feed and exercise them. The same rule can be applied to our faith, the more we feed and exercise faith in our lives, the stronger our faith will become.

The bible gives scriptures that will help with feeding, building and exercising faith giving needed strength to our “Spiritual Muscle”.

2nd Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.“

Walking by faith is remaining focused on what we believe and not what we see. The more we walk by faith, the more our “Spiritual Muscle” is exercised and becomes stronger.

Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Often times people will put more faith in what people say than what the word of God says.

If a weather report states that there is a 30% chance of rain, many people will leave home and take a umbrella because of the weather report they heard, even though the sun is shining when they leave the house.

Remaining focused on what the word of God says helps our “Spiritual Muscle” to become stronger.

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Believing that God exists not only sets believers up for a reward from God, it also builds up strength for our “Spiritual muscle”.

Hebrews 12:1-2 “1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Vs 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.“

Having a strong “Spiritual Muscle” will give believers the endurance needed to run, and finish the race set before them.

Father in heaven, thank for remaining faithful to your people. In Jesus name…Amen!

Continuing in His service…Rev

The Tongue

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The Untamable Tongue

James 3:8 “But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” [NKJV]

In the book of James chapter 3 verses 1-12 the author  writes about the tongue and gives practical instructions about what a person says, and the words that they use.

A person should always try to use wisdom with their words and speech. Once words have been said, they cannot be taken back. What is said can be encouraging, comforting and supportive or, can do damage that can be irreversible.  

The tongue is one of the smallest members of our bodies but has enormous power and if allowed, it will take full control of what is said or done.

James chapter 3 gives several descriptions about the tongue:

Vs 3 compares the tongue as bits that guides horses

Vs 4 compares the tongue as a rudder on large ships

Vs 5 describes the tongue as a little member that boasts great things

Vs 6 describes the tongue as a small fire that can be the cause of a great fire

Vs 6 also describes the tongue as a world of iniquity that can defile the whole body

Vs 8 the tongue is untamable and full of deadly poison

Vs 9 with the same tongue blessings and curses proceed out of the mouth

James chapter 1:19 “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath”

Paying close attention to what is being said helps with slowing down an angry response.

James chapter 1:26 “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but decides his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.”

We can’t always respond with the first thing that comes to our mind.

James chapter 4:11 “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law.”

Words spoken about someone should be positive and uplifting.

Colossians 4:6”Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”

In our daily conversation with others, the words that are used should be holy, courteous, desirable, full of wisdom and respectful. The words that are used should not only honor God, but also be encouraging to others that are around us that can hear what is being said.

Proverbs 15:1-2 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Vs.2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.” [NKJV]

Father in heaven, may our speech and the words are said out of our mouths, always magnify and glorify You and Your kingdom, in Jesus name…Amen!

Continuing in His service Rev