Daily Bread

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward
Another Friday to give that present to God. Stop withholding that gift. It’s another week, and you are safe , and most importantly, you are loved.

Psalm 107:1 (ESV): “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”

It’s no surprise that His love is unwavering and endures forever, for He is love. So today we are to thank God for that-that in Him there will never be a shortage of love. No matter how much hate the world or people give you, His love stands firm.

And if you are in an unwavering situation or on shaky ground, you are welcome to hold on to His love. If you have a million, you can bet on it. I am joking. But let us thank God today for His steadfast love that endures forever.

Takeaway: God is good, and this is not just a statement. He is good, and you should be grateful for that.

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name, Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

Yesterday, I spoke about how waiting requires strength; today, I am here to tell you that sometimes it may feel as if you are not being strengthened, but continue to wait. As long as you wait, strength will find you. And remember, we are waiting for the LORD. So today, we will examine one of the famous scriptures.

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV): “But they who wait for the LORD will renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

What’s interesting is what Isaiah says in the previous verse: “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall” (Isaiah 40:30), which means men (human beings) can only go so far with their own strength; sooner or later, they will faint. But those who wait for the LORD will walk and not faint.

So for my people who are waiting, know that we must wait so that we won’t faint.  As long as we can do it by our own strength, sooner or later we will rely on that, and sooner or later we will faint. Therefore, let us take joy in our waiting.

Takeaway: Do you know how it feels to soar on wings like eagles?

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name, Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

We are approaching the sixth month, which means half of the year is nearly gone, so for my fellow waiters, it feels daunting. I found myself contemplating the following question: Am I waiting for God, or am I hoping something will come my way while I wait? You wait differently when waiting for God versus waiting for something to arrive. One reason we become frustrated during our waiting season is that we are not waiting for God; rather, we are hoping something will come our way. That’s why, when the small things you believe you deserve pass you by, they frustrate you.

Psalm 27:14 (ESV): “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”

You must be strong while waiting for the LORD. Why? Because God does not operate according to our timeline.  Just because you are anxious and shaking does not mean God has to be anxious as well. Paul told us, “Do not be anxious about anything…” This means that in this world, nothing will cause God to be anxious. We simply need to have the strength to persevere while waiting for the LORD.

Takeaway: What situation or thing threatens your waiting season? Ask God for strength.

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name, Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

Another week to be thankful. I have come to the conclusion that once you stop being grateful, you start to complain. Have you ever wondered how it feels to go through an entire week without peace of mind?

Colossians 3:15 (NIV): “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

If you are in Christ and the peace of Christ is not ruling your heart, it is because you have not allowed it to. We were called to peace; what a privilege it is. So today, let’s take time to say, Abba, Father, we thank You for the peace of Christ. Sometimes, if not most of the time, it seems as if you are out of touch with reality when you live in this peace. It doesn’t make sense to those around you when you are at peace , but the situation does not permit you to be at peace.

Takeaway: What are you grateful for today?

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name, Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

“Are we actively aligning our actions and decisions with God’s will?” is a question we should ask ourselves daily. It is better to involve God in every step of the process so that we won’t have to call on Him when things go south. If we pray only when we are in trouble, then we are in trouble. Read that again.

Psalm 37:5 (ESV): “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.”

We want God to act, but we don’t do our part. This is the formula:
Commit + Trust = Act
One of the hardest aspects on our side of the formula is trust. This is what I have learned: if you lack patience, you will struggle to trust. Furthermore , in order to commit, you must trust, and to trust, you must commit; therefore, there’s no shortchanging our part.

Takeaway: What have you committed to the Lord today?

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name, Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

She said, “We have arrived at her place.” He answered, “We can sit down.” Once you think you have arrived, you become comfortable, and you don’t see a need to commit yourself. As we become like Christ Jesus, we will never reach a point where we are fully like Him as long as He hasn’t returned. This means we have to keep straining toward what is ahead.

Philippians 3:13 (NIV): “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,”

Forget what is behind; you need to be focused if you want to be committed. When we tend to be distracted, we struggle to fully commit ourselves to a cause. One thing is certain: you will be distracted; that’s why Paul said, “Forgetting…” meaning the distraction won’t just go away by itself; you have to take action. No matter how committed you were last year, last year is over; you must forget and focus on fully committing yourself this year.

Takeaway: What are the things you are struggling to forget, whether good or bad, that are preventing you from moving forward?

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name, Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

We can all claim commitment, but it is in our obedience that we see who is truly committed. Being fully committed pays off, whether in your career, school, or to God. Those who are committed are recommended. This week, we will focus on commitment, as we are living in times when people jump from one thing to another in a short span.

1 Kings 8:61 (NIV): “And may your hearts be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.”

It is non-negotiable that when we commit our hearts to God, we must do so fully. There’s no room for partiality, and some of us struggle because our hearts’ commitment to God is intertwined with other commitments, preventing us from fully committing to Him. Remember, He is a jealous God, and this is not a secret.

Takeaway: Are you living by the Holy Spirit, or are you treating the Holy Spirit like a policeman? He is only needed when there is trouble. Obedience will truly take you places; you can trust that.

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name, Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

Another Friday to be grateful. The week is about to end, and here we are, preserved once again. I believe there might have been some ups and downs, but in the midst of that, we still say thank you, God. As today marks the second day of the fifth month, God has been faithful, and His grace has kept us.

Psalm 118:8 (ESV): “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.”

“Ma’on” is a Hebrew word meaning “dwelling place” or “refuge.” Today we want to thank Him for being our refuge, a place where we can always run to or even dwell in. Remember that you need not put your trust in men; even in the darkest hour, remember to take refuge in the LORD.

Takeaway: Where is your dwelling place? Read Psalm 90:1 and meditate on it.

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name, Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

No one wants to receive from someone who is giving unwillingly because it doesn’t truly feel like receiving whatever is being offered. If you know you can only give 30 minutes of your time willingly and we need 2 hours, it’s better to give 30 than to give 3 hours with an unwilling heart. Otherwise, you might end up damaging the work or not doing it as needed, since only 30 minutes of your 3 hours is done wholeheartedly; for the remaining time, you will just be dragging yourself to do it under compulsion. What do we have today?

2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV): “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Allow me to say that “cheerful givers” get the work done.  That’s why, at times, we struggle to complete tasks; we work with people who are reluctant, making it seem as if they are forced to perform the work.

Takeaway: Are you a cheerful giver? In all aspects of your life, not just with money. Conduct a self-inventory today.

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name, Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

Imagine giving someone one million and even forgetting that you gave them that kind of money. The same applies to the love you give, kindness, etc.  However, the problem is that we have made our right hand so close to our left hand that whenever the right hand gives, we want to ensure that the left hand knows.

Matthew 6:3 (ESV): “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”

Even if they don’t clap, you are not giving for their applause. It saddens me that people can struggle in church and prefer to seek help from outside rather than reach out to their brothers and sisters within the congregation. I believe it’s because we have created a culture where givers want to be celebrated, and receivers feel ashamed to receive.

Takeaway: Let us learn to give and remain in the unknown. Humble yourself; you give because you have received. And as for us receivers, there’s nothing wrong with needing; it is merely a situation, not your position.

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name, Ameni!