Crumbs

     In my devotions today, the account of the Syro-Pheonician woman was referenced. This woman was part of a society that was fully aware that they were not the “chosen people”. At this point in the Bible, salvation and grace had not been extended to all people as it was later in Jesus’ sacrifice, which made it possible for both the Jew and the Gentile to come before the Lord. They had no law put in place to bring them to God such as the Israelites, and they had no hope of a Saviour to help them. It was not only the Israelites who regarded these people as below them- I think that this society also felt as though they were not worth much. Yet when this woman heard that Jesus was near, she knew that He could be her only hope. She was so moved by the desperation of her daughter’s situation, that it gave her the courage to step out on her faith and fall at His feet. We know the rest of the story- Jesus called her a dog to her face, yet she still persisted and asked for mere crumbs of His grace to be given to her. The Lord had mercy on her and healed her daughter right there.

     The Bible passage that most of the devotion was based upon today however, was in Galatians 3. Paul teaches that we are not under the law any more but under grace, and shows that the wall between Jew and Gentile has been broken down, giving us all a way to our Saviour. None of us are regarded as “dogs” any more- as Paul says we are all now joint heirs of Christ. We are all now able to come to the banqueting table and feast on more than crumbs- the feast has been prepared for us to partake freely of the riches of God!
This got me to thinking… when this woman knew she wasn’t entitled to anything from Jesus, she still had the faith to go and receive what was not yet promised to her. She received healing for her daughter. Lately I have been looking at God’s promises for healing, which are all through the Scripture and available for all to claim.
     Yet so many times we see people not believing God in this area, too content to sit things through and put their faith in earthly things around them. We, who have been promised healing and countless other promises can’t exhibit even a fraction of the faith shown in the “dog” woman! If just a crumb of God’s mercies equaled at least a healing and a deliverance, what does the whole feast of God mean for us?
     It convicted me. It was as though God was putting a magnifying glass over my heart and showing how big I often make my problems seem, when truly it is just takes crumb of God’s goodness in that area. How many times have I forgoed God’s feast for me? How often does His church disregard God’s plentiful promises to them?
     I want to encourage you to come to God’s banqueting table today. Stuff yourselves with His goodness; bring containers for that which you cannot digest yet! Partake of what God has prepared for us- His desire is for us to come into His presence for that reason and so many more!
     Eat of the meat of God’s Word today.

In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. Mark 7:25-30
Galatians 3:7-29
You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:14
He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you." Exodus 15:2
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He sent forth His word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men. Psalm 107:19-21
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Psalm 100:2
“Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." Luke 14:15b

Stirring up the Waters

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

      God has been bringing to my mind lately a time when I was younger and decided that I wanted to live in the basement. I had it all planned out- I could bring my cot down here, Dad would be able to build in a little bathroom, I had my own little kitchen planned out…. I was just positive that it would work out. For some reason however, my parents were not a huge fan of that plan. Dad wasn’t going to build a bathroom for me, mom didn’t want my cot set up down here... so I decided that I was going to slowly bring my things down there. Eventually, without mom and dad really noticing, I would be moved down in the basement. As I spent more and more time down there, I began to realize I was missing something- there was no faucet, so every time I got thirsty, I had to go upstairs to get some water.  Well, being quick on my toes, I decided to fill up an old milk jug with water. I did so and set it on a little dresser I had snuck down.  For a few days, I didn’t need the water, so there it sat. One day I was extremely thirsty, and very excited to get my first drink from my stash of water. I opened up the milk container, and a terrible stench hit my nose! All my water had gone stagnant, and soon began to stink up the whole basement. My thirst could not be satisfied by this old swampy water, and I began to realize what a terrible idea it was in the first place to try and live in the basement.

     Now, a lot of times, we act like I did as I built my “home” up in the basement. We get so caught up in our own ideas of what we want and how we want our “home” in this world that we soon begin to get annoyed because things like spending time with God and taking the time out of our day to read our Bibles doesn’t fit into our plan. Just like I did with my water, we begin to think of “brilliant” ideas to “store up” on God so that we don’t have to be “filled up” as often. We think things like “oh God, I forgot to pray today, so I’ll fast tomorrow for You”. Sometimes I catch myself saying “Well Lord, I didn’t read my Bible. I guess I’ll have to read twice as much tomorrow!”  But sooner or later, we’re going to realize that this doesn’t work. See, the children of Israel already tried this idea. They attempted to “double up” on the sustenance that God gave them as they travelled from Egypt. In Numbers it talks about God giving the Israelites miraculous food in the middle of the dessert. All they had to do was gather it every morning (with the exception of the Sabbath). Some of the people got tired of going and getting it every single morning; they decided one day to gather twice as much manna as normal so they could just eat of that stash the next day. When they got to their manna the next morning, it was rotten, and not able to be eaten.

     This is because God has called us to live a life more than that of just stagnant waters. He calls us to search deeper into His word to discover what He has for us. He doesn’t want us just to go with the flow, to follow the motions… instead He would have us “study to show ourselves approved”. For instance, if you don’t know why you believe something, search the scriptures, take the time to study, and cry out for God to reveal His heart to you! Our Christian walk gets too much like that leftover manna, where we think that if we meet the minimum requirements that God has given us, such as reading the Bible and praying, we can survive off of bread alone. But as it quotes in Matthew, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”.

     I know that God has been personally challenging me lately to study the scriptures and get a deeper understanding of what He has called us to. Instead of using my spare time to surf the internet, stalk all my friends on Facebook, watch a movie, or read a book, He wants me to be searching out the answers to the questions that I have in my faith. See, it’s not wrong to have questions, so long as are trusting God to provide the answers. But “trusting God” is an active phrase- we need to be pushing in, brushing the dust off of our bible and sharpening up our swords. God says He will not despise a contrite heart and also says that Christ is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. God promises not to turn a deaf ear to us when we come to Him and seek Him. He will stir up the stagnant waters of our faith as we come before Him, put aside our own little scheme of things, and seek His face.

     Another reason that we need to stop being stagnant in our faith is the same way that I figured I couldn’t live in the basement. The world sees what we have in Jesus. They see the hope that should lie within us, the peace that should encompass us, and the joy that should exude from us, just as I saw what should have been that refreshing water I desired so much to quench my thirst. But what happens when they come to us, looking for a drink of the water from “the well springing up to eternal life”, and all they get is a whiff of our own, stinky rotting flesh, in the middle of what God has sanctified to be a vessel used by Him? God has called us to be a light unto the nations. One of my favorite verses on this is in Matthew: “The people which sat in darkness saw great light, and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, a light is sprung up”. Yet how will they see this “great light” if we are not letting His light shine? How is the “shadow of death” going to be released from the eyes of those held in captivity if we are not going and showing them the way of eternal life? When people come to us, we need to be able to “be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us”.

     God has challenged me to show myself approved before Him and to make my walk with Him deeper. A deeper walk with Christ isn’t easy, but the reward is so worth everything we are called to give up for Him. Christ is our great reward, and He is all that we need. 

     Make Him your focus, and take Him up on the challenge He has presented to all who have come to follow Him.

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-18
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17

… He rewards those who diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6b
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14
The people which sat in darkness saw great light, and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, a light is sprung up. Matthew 4:16

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Above Average

Average. Something in that word just makes me cringe. The connotation implies that the object of this adjective is nothing more than anything else. Nothing sets them apart. Nothing makes them unique. Nothing makes them of any worth.
Lately I even heard a song playing on the radio that portrayed this idea as well- singing of the longing to be something desired, chased for, and valued. The chorus  from “Someone Worth Dying For” by Mikeschair says “Am I more than flesh and bone? Am I really something beautiful?...I wanna believe that I'm not just some wandering soul that You don't see and You don't know… Yeah I wanna believe”.
I think we all go through times where that’s all we feel like. I know that I struggle with the feeling of just being “average” at a lot of things. Close friends of mine have shared in my dismay that there seems to be nothing that we excel at. The general consensus is that we feel like we are mediocre at a lot of things… everything.
Walking through the kitchen tonight, something triggered to my mind the t-shirts that people say that go something like this. “I’m proud to be a….” Nerd, geek, football player, cheerleader, an American. Fill in the blank. And as I was cleaning up some cookie dough that my brothers had strewn around the kitchen, I thought to myself “What would I be proud to be?” I looked back through hobbies, things that might be considered talents. I enjoyed math and took harder courses than most, but I was nowhere near to being a genius in that. I couldn’t in good conscience write that. I enjoy singing and playing piano, but coming from a very musically talented family and church, I can see very clearly my deficiencies in my own music. Again, I honestly couldn’t write musician. I mulled on this for a while, and suddenly it hit me in one of those “oh duh” moments. My t-shirt would say “I am proud to be a Christian”.
See, the thing about being a Christian is that none of your Christian walk can nor should it be about yourself. It is by grace we are saved, not by works, lest any man should boast. In fact, He even says that all our works of righteousness, or our “good” things or deeds, are as filthy rags before Him. Therefore, because I know that it is by the grace of God and Him working in and through me, changing my life, breaking down my walls, crucifying my flesh…. Because of all of that, I can say I am proud to be a Christian. I am proud to be in the process of becoming like my Savior, who looked down from His cross and saw little mediocre me. Who had His hands and feet nailed to the cross because of the sins that insignificant average JoHannah has committed. Who gazed at me with such love in His eyes that He allowed Himself to be pierced as He whispered “It is finished”. For me.

In Christ, we are new creations. The old things have passed away. I have become something worth dying for because there is Someone worth living for. In Christ, we are more than conquerors. That means that the next time I face the onslaught of worthlessness, ruthlessly tearing me apart to show me all my insignificance, I can stand against them because I am a daughter of God!
This doesn’t mean that I can march right up to my old math teacher and ace all of his examinations. This 
doesn’t mean that I’m going to go sing on American Idol and win a million dollars. But what it does mean is that I can be who Christ made me to be, because it’s the reflection of Him living in my life that I want the world to see.
And He promises this to all who come to Him. God doesn’t reject us because we aren’t unique enough. He doesn’t cast us away because we don’t always seem to fit in. He promises that very thing in His word.
Why?
Because all of Him is more than enough for all of us.


For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6
Consequently, I entreat you by the compassion of God, brothers, to present your bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason. And quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and complete will of God. Romans 12:1-2
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 1 Corinthians 5:17
In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. Romans 8:37
All that the Father giveth Me shall come to me; and him that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out. John 6:37

Word

Give a carpenter the tools, and he can create almost anything. When a chef concocts a meal, the most important thing to do first is to get all the ingredients. Given the right stuff, a person can accomplish almost anything.
God created the heavens and the earth in seven days. On the sixth day, he created man. Now, most people get this confused; when people ask ‘where did man come from?’, the routine answer is dust (And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7). But the truth is, God did not have to stoop to our level of creating something out of something.
There is an old joke that I have heard for years. A scientist studies life for years and years, and one day, he creates something living out of nothing but a partical of dust. He laughes at God and proclaims “See God? I am just as good as you!” God laughs down from heaven and replies “Go get your own dust”.
As funny as this may seem, it is so true. The something that God created everything out of was His own Word! And God said “Let there be light”. And guess what, there was light! God’s very word is living and active, sharper than any 2-edged sword; God’s Word has more than enough substance to create everything around you! Praise God for His never ending promises!
God’s Word wasn’t just used for creation. God did far more than create the world and let it wind down. He gave us His Word, and His Holy Spirit dwells in His followers. The Bible is so much more than just another book to collect dust on our bookshelf; if we realized just how much power that Word has, I doubt we would ever let that book out of our grip until we had memorized every single jot and tittle! God’s Word never fails, and it never returns to us void. When God promises us something in His scripture, He will fulfill it. When the impossible seems to loom above you, God’s very Word is more than enough to conquer it. He not only can provide for you, He will provide for you; not only is He able to heal you, is will heal you. When He says He has separated your sins from Him as far as the east is from the west, you no longer have to live in condemnation! And why is that? Because He promised so in His Word!
And then, He left His Holy Spirit to dwell in us, like He assured us with His Word. This is the very same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, and it lives in us! Not only do we have the life-breathing Word of God to guide us day to day, but we also have the full assurance of the dead-raising Spirit within us! Don’t ever tell me that something is too hard for God; He has conquered the grave, both physically and spiritually, within our hearts and in our lives.

So next time you can’t seem to find the right items to fill a need in your heart; next time you seem overwhelmed by the insurmountable, remember where each breath you breathe comes from. When you can’t seem to make sense of anything, remember that Christ made something of everything- when there was no possible way. It’s time we start living in the power that Christ gives to us, and we claim the victory His Spirit has already conquered.

Genesis 1
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:11-12
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Romans 8:11
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. John 5:21I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper. He will give you this Helper to be with you forever. John 14:16I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12

Gone Fishin'

Comfort zone

In your own little world all alone

The world is passing you by

Let’s just ignore that the time is nigh

We’re created of world-centered “me”

And we never just open our eyes to see

All that the Lord has planned for us

Because we fear it will create a fuss

Lord, break our hearts for what breaks Yours!

Don’t let life be about fulfilling all our chores;

Let’s see the world through the vision You do

Let’s start lighting our hearts for You!

People walk around us so lost in the dark

All we seem to care about is life as a walk in the park

Lord, destroy our comfort zone!

Let us only rely on You alone

This world is so lost without You.

Lord, sometimes it seems as though Your followers are too

Stir up Your Spirit within us again;

Help us become Your fishers of men.

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 8:12
The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. Matthew 5:16

Peculiarily Unified

Unity: Harmony or agreement between people or groups

In this day and age, people are told over and over to do what they want. The classic Disney theme is to “Follow your heart”. It seems to me as though much of the Christian church has also adopted that concept, although they rephrase it slightly: Do what you think is right, and God will honor that. Sometimes this overarching principal stretches to include other religions; I mean, after all, all roads lead to Rome, right?
Wrong. God has granted us with free will, and has gifted us with individuality. He has made us all unique- I mean, when has there ever been 2 matching fingerprints? But God has not given us different standards to live up to. He has never given people differing definitions on what was right and wrong in His eyes, and He has always help people accountable to them. When Moses wrote the 10 Commandments, God did not then give Moses the freedom of choosing 5 of those commandments to follow. Instead, He set people in charge who were to help everybody follow these laws so as to have a set standard. Why does God do this?
He brought His people to unity through this. Everyone was serving God; no one could serve their golden calves anymore because it was common knowledge that there was to be no other gods before God. Parents could lead their families better, because everyone knew to honor their father and mother. His people were of one mind.
And that’s how it is to be today. Our God does not change. So why would His calling for His people change? When the church of God has the same purpose, the same goal, the same heart, He is able to accomplish more through us. When we allow too much freedom for not being under the law, we are hindering the body of Christ by allowing more room for contention, division, and skism.
Don’t get me wrong here; we are no longer under the Law. However, sometimes people get what happened on that Cross mixed up. Christ’s coming did not break the Law- instead, Jesus fulfilled the Law to it’s greatest extent. In this way, we have redemption through His blood! However, that did not then give us the freedom to go and murder people, to commit adultery, to lie, and so on and so forth. While we are no longer under a law, we still are called to obey the law of Christ.
In following the law of Christ, people sometimes get concerned that this will overshadow the love and the freedom of Christ. This should not be the case; when walking in the Law of Christ, we experience the freedom of following God. However, freedom in Christ is different than what the world calls “freedom”. When following Christ, we will be different than those around us. We may be called odd, and we may not be able to do many of the things that the world promotes. But that is why God called us a peculiar people! Jesus stood out from others, and was even crucified because His differences rubbed people the wrong way.
Leonard Ravenhill puts it this way. "Why in God's name do you expect to be accepted everywhere? How is it that the world couldn't get on with the holiest Man that ever lived and yet it can get on with you and me? Are we compromised? Have we no spiritual stature? Have we no righteousness that reflects on their corruption?"
We will be different when we are unified under the Law of Christ. It won’t always be the most comfortable thing for our flesh. But, it brings peace to our souls. It helps us function together as one body, instead of being crippled by confusion.
In conclusion, Philippians 2:5 sums it up pretty well. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus". Jesus followed God whole-heartedly, and had the mind of God in Him. Let's be unified in both heart and actions, with the mind of God.

Exodus 20:1-17
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. Psalms 133
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 1 Corinthians 1:10
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 1 Corinthians 12:25
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Philippians 2:1-3
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5

Leaving the Nest

A bird has to move beyond it’s comfort zone in at least 2 ways in its life.
When a bird is first laid in its egg, it has all the provisions it needs. The place he is growing in is perfect to nurture and develop the young bird. It grows stronger and larger, until one day, he grows too large for his shell. And he cracks that shell open, little bit by little bit, to face a whole new world.
Once the new chick has hatched, he is still surrounded by things just right for him. He has parents there to provide food, and to teach him important things. He has warmth when surrounded by his family. He has safety in the center of his nest. He grow stronger and larger, until one day, it’s time for him to fly off on his own.
However, a strange phenomenon often happens when his time to leave the nest occurs. This young bird will stand at the edge of his nest. He will watch his parents fly off, and maybe flap his wings once or twice. But, most of the time, he will not step off into the vast unknown areas before him. In fact, most of the time, his parents have to push him right out of the nest into nothing but a free-fall before he gets the courage to fly! How’s that for parenting…
Now, I’m not usually a nature freak. I’ve tried bird watching, and I fall asleep, oh, about 100% of the time. So why am I talking to you about the habits of birds?
I was sitting on my couch praying; I was seeking the Lord for a number of things that I needed direction on. I opened my eyes and saw my mother’s bird cage with her small finch inside of it, and I felt a correlation line up between the habits of birds, and the habits of Christians.
God sets us up in the ideal situations for growth. When we are babies, He gives us the true milk of the Word- even tells us to desire it. He nurtures us through His Spirit, until we get to a point where we need to break out of our shell, and continue seeking Him actively. It may be scary at first, but when we get out of the shell, we realize that once again, God has placed us in a perfect place for where we are in Him. He surrounds us with brothers and sisters in Him, in church families, and continues to feed us. Sure, things may not be perfect. The storms may come and drench our nests; the enemy may slither up the tree unexpectedly. But God is still in control, and He meets all of our needs.
But the time comes when God asks us to leave our comfort zones. He calls us out of everything we may have known, or have been comfortable in. Whether that’s in a physical move, a new job setting, a different school selection, a new church body, or any other thing the Lord is laying on your heart- God is calling us to move. He wants us to fly out and discover the new things He has for us every day!
But, we stand at the edge and wait. We sit, we squawk. We make every excuse not to move. The Lord doesn’t want to have to push us out- He desires children that are strong in Him, and will to walk by faith, and not by sight.
I was sitting there again, and I began to think of what happens when a bird isn’t willing to move. In order for a bird to survive, he must first break out of his egg. Just to get the all important breaths he needs for simple life- he must first leave all that he knows. Otherwise, he suffocates from the inside out. And a bird needs to leave his nest to grow! To live on the inside, he needs to find what’s in store for him. Otherwise his nest becomes like a cage, and he becomes content to play with the little toys stuck inside, and to eat the processed foods to keep him alive. Yet he’s dead to all else.
And for a young believer, it’s much the same. One can be starved to death if all they are is content with the milk that God provided for them. They are meant to grow to eat the meat of His Word! And the become too content to sit through Sunday morning services, to pay $10 into the plate as it passes, and to go back to their everyday ordinary life.

Come and find your life in Christ! Take the step of faith into the vast unknown! God always has the perfect place for you to grow in Him! It’s time to stop being content with what’s being served to us on a silver platter.
It’s time to grow up!

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. 1 Peter 2:2For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for  the mature, who because of practice have their senses  trained to discern good and evil. Hebrews 5:12-14So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9