What did you have for dinner yesterday? How about lunch? How about lunch last Tuesday? If you’re like me, you like to eat. You enjoy a good meal. You enjoy being full and satisfied. Even if you don’t, let’s face it…everyone has to eat. Now if last Tuesday I had steak, could I realistically tell my body you know what, I had a great meal last Tuesday, so I don’t think I’m going to eat for a while… no, probably not.
Despite my mind trying to telling my stomach that I don’t need food, the fact remains that I need food to survive. Granted some meals are better than others (steak versus anything of the green variety in my case), and I don’t always remember what I eat days or sometimes just hours later, but good nutrition on a daily basis is key to a healthy lifestyle.
If eating meals has become a habitual practice for us without even thinking about it, why is it so difficult for us to nourish our spiritual bodies on a daily basis as well. Why do we often assume that being fed God’s Word Sundays and sometimes Wednesdays is enough? Big meals twice a week does not keep our spiritual minds and bodies healthy….And sometimes….if you’re looking for it… it’s the smaller, one-on-one meals with God that can have the biggest impact on our lives.
Christ is the bread of life (John 6:48), and we are called to renew our minds daily (Romans 12:2). Have you allowed God to fill you lately? If so, how?
Encourage all those who read this by sharing a verse and something you’ve learned this week during your quiet, personal time with God.
One phrase stuck out to me this morning as I was reading 2 Peter 1:13. I kept coming back to the phrase, “the tent of this body.” The idea that our bodies are just mere tents as we live for a short time in this world was a great reminder for me that I should have the same focus as Peter had in this verse….heaven. I was reminded this morning that if we have a relationship with Christ our home is heaven, and my daily actions should reflect that reality.
“Food for thought”…..I am so hungry right now! I’ve been working and haven’t stopped to eat…now that I am famished I want to eat junk and lots of it…but if I do, I will regret it later…I am ashamed to say that I see application in my spiritual life as well….I concentrate on works until I am empty and then I seek a quick spiritual snack instead of filling up on God’s word. Just as it takes time to prepare a good meal, it takes time, daily time, to allow God’s word to nourish me…
This past week, one passage that jumped out at me was in Deuteronomy 10:12-15. Working backwards through these verses is how God connected with me…God reminded me that He is the owner of all…everything. Just like He chose Israel as His people, He has chosen me, in Christ. My response to God being the owner and that I am chosen is to live a life that He is pleased with. God tells me how and why in verses 12 and 13: Do I fear God? Do walk in His ways? Do I love Him? Do I serve God with all that I am?…and here is the why: living this way is for my own good…God has earned the right to show His love for me by instructing me on how to live!
This week, with all of the election advertising bombarding my senses, the Lord comforted me that He is in control. Even when the ungodly seem to be winning! “He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them,” (Psalm 1:4). Another good verse I read is Psalm 49:12: “But man is his pomp will not endure; he is like the beasts that perish.” God can even use ungodly rulers and authority figures for His purposes, like He did with King Nebuchadnezzer in Bible times. He was first used by God to bring judgment on the sinful and idolatrous Jewish nation when he led Babylon to destroy Jerusalem and take many of its inhabitants captive. Later, through the prayers of God’s people and Daniel, God changed King Nebuchadnezzar’s heart and he acknowledged Him as the Supreme Authority. Nebuchadnezzar later promoted Daniel and his companions into powerful positions within the Babylonian Empire. As God reminded me of this, I felt comforted. No matter what happens, God is accomplishing His purposes and I can be a part of His plan if I am open to His leading.
found this on a website:
doesnt actually go with the “bread of life” topic but,
very very cool.
about Daniel, and how he predicted the war in Iraq, and what is to happen next over there.
1.. Daniel was a teenager approx. 18 years of age when he interpreted the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, the prophecy of chapter 2. He was approx. 61 years when he had the vision of chapter 7, and this vision of chapter 8 is approx 13 years later at age 74. It is important to consider these age periods when making any conclusions as to what the dreams mean.
2.. The event in the vision takes place at the ‘stream Ulai’ which is situated in Iraq near the place of Basra on todays map which is not far from Kuwait.
3.. The first beast is a Ram, with two horns, the HIGHER horn coming up LAST or later. Vs 20 refers this to Media and Persia. These kingdoms, if transferred to todays map covers Iraq and Iran. (Arab States)
4.. The Ram (Iraq/Iran) is attacked and defeated by the GOAT (Western Allience – US / GB coalition) power, which comes from the WEST, across the earth without touching the ground. (War Planes)
This war is staged near the ‘stream Ulai’ – Traditional Bible commentaries refers the GOAT to be Greece, and the large horn to be Alexander the Great as the first king.. However, Alexander the Great defeated the Medes and Persians on the Plains of Arbella, approx 1000 miles distance from Ulai, and Phillip the third was the king before Alexander. Which makes it difficult to reconcile traditional applications to this prophecy. What’s more; the event takes place vs 17. “AT THE TIME OF THE END’ which cannot possibly be 321 BC when Alexander the great ruled the area, also he only ruled one part of the world, NOT the entire world.
5.. The Large or notable horn between the eyes of the Goat is broken,(This notable horn is the Leader of the Western Allience or the leader of the UNSC – UN – GB/US led war) Tradition says this is the death of Alexander the Great, and the four others which arise, but lacking strength represent his four generals who divided up the region and commenced what is known as the Roman Empire. Two points don’t measure up in this application: (a) The Roman Empire was not lacking in strength, and (b) Rome could not be regarded as ‘FOUR KINGDOMS’ vs 22 it was ONE kingdom, under ONE Emperor and ONE Senate rulership. UPDATE- The four horns to arise after the notable horn is broken could represent the NEW WORLD ORDER under the four division heads- see chapter 7. and the UNC-Sanhedrin newly set up in Jerusalem)
6.. vs 21. GREECE; All Bibles have carried forward the incorrect translation OF ARAMAIC/Hebrew of the word for Greece, which in the original text is ‘YAVAN’ which is “Parallel” to the word for Greeks, but in fact refers to all “Gentile Nations” see attached links; also :
7..Gen 10 – YAVAN – is the same word ‘Yavan” that is given to the son of Japheth the son of Noah, and his progeny were the founders of the ‘Gentile’ nations NOT JUST a small place called GREECE which did not exist at that time- it says that it includes ” ISLANDS OF THE NATIONS WHICH WERE SEPERATED IN THEIR LANDS EACH ACCORDING TO ITS LANGUAGE, BY THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR NATIONS. Gen 10:3.” ‘ Gomar, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras, sons of Japheth. Sons of Javan Elishah Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim – Kittim was the founder of Cyprus, Syrians, and Romans.
8.. Now if we put the symbols of this prophecy into proper perspective, we have the following:-
a) A war is to take place at or near Basra/Kuwait in the Persian Gulf. UPDATE- This prophecy has started to be fulfilled (IRAQ-IRAN TERRITORY) Iran will be involved next
b) The war is between the Gentile Nations of the world and Iraq/Iran (Arab States) and the Goat power (Western Allience) has to come from the west without touching the ground.( UPDATE- The US/GB coalition comes by air and sea from the west)
c) The war will take place over two parts represented by the two horns of the Ram) The second part of the war represented by the ‘Higher’ horn coming up some time later will be Iran
d) The Ram (Iraq/Iran Arab States) is eventually defeated but it will trigger a world war. What’s more, if it’s the divine will, then no “man-made” peace deal will hold it up for long, and there will no doubt be a complete financial collapse world wide.
e) This war has to take place in the time frame which is; “Time of THE END” or as in some Bibles referred to as “The end Days” or “End Times” It cannot take place in 321 BC with Alexander the Great as traditional Bible commentaries and Judaism Commentaries dictate.
f) Then the notable horn ‘leader of the Gentiles’,or leader of the US / GB war is broken- and triggers another set of wars..The BEAR beast of chapter 7 continues the wars.(The Bear represents Russia (Gog and Magog) probably includes China.
g) Then comes FOUR other kingdoms (Ruling Powers) who have no power of their own. This is obviously the (New World Order which divides the world into 4 sectors) which will be governed by a central committee,the UNC and the Sanhedrin, much the same as the UN treaties already dictate to all Governemnts in the Western Allience what they must legislate.
h) Then comes a Persecuting Ruthless Power leader arising out of the four but again does not have his own power, which means there is a governing body to authorise this rulership also, probably the W.C.C.-UN- however, it appears the newly appointed UNC will be this power (See Chapter 7, Terrible Beast)
i) About this rulership it says vs 23-25: “at the end of their (four horns) kingdom, when the sinners are annihilated, a brazen faced king and understander of mysteries, will arise, his power will grow, but not through his own power, and he will destroy mightily, he will succeed and accomplish, and will destroy mighty ones, and the nation of holy ones, because of his cunning, and because he will proceed with deceit in his hand, he will grow proud in his heart, he will destroy many in peace; but he will stand up against the Master of Masters and he will be broken, but not through a human hand.” (If its not broken by human hand then it’s by the hand of Yahweh God same as the total result is also mentioned in the prophecy of Chapter 2) ALSO note that the Lion ,Bear, and Leopard powers are permitted to live for a season and a time whilst the “Terrible beast power’ is destroyed in Dan7.
9. . If one can be bold in making a further application to this prophecy, which fits the jig-saw of events the the following is possible:
a) NEVER in the history of mankind DID the entire World (28 Nations) with GB (Great Brittain) and US (United States America) under the banner of the UN go to war against one little country called Iraq as it happened in 1991, and defeated it by coming over the from the West by ships and planes without touching the ground. This war began at Kuwait and at Basra – This fits items a. b. & c. much more precisely than the old 321BC application of Alexander the Great.. UPDATE- Now the US/GB UN coalition attack on (old Medo Persia- IRAQ/IRAN and Arab States will happen again.The prophecy states that this event is divided into two parts, not one part as it was with Alexander the Great.
b) The first horn (IRAQ) was defeated, by the UN forces in 1991, but the second horn ?? is yet to show itself, and then the SECOND stage of this war will continue.
UPDATE (May 2006) The SECOND horn is ready to show itself in the present war with Iraq/Iran. (It is feasable that the second horn could represent IRAN coalition with other arab nations under the Islamic radicals)
c) There’s little doubt that the events of September 11 instigated by the NWO powers is part of a the trigger that will bring on stage two of this conflict…UPDATE- Stage 2 has started on 20-3-03 The NWO and the UNC have set the stage by creating a world boogy-man and war on terror so they can legally set in place new draconian laws to persecute people in all Countries with detention camps ready to hold millions of people.