>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.30.10

>The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Matthew 23:11-12

Pray
Father I serve You and Your children with great honor and humility. I thank You for my blessings. I thank You for the privilege to serve and be of service. Show me more ways that I can best serve as Your ambassador. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Reflection
There is no human too great to serve others. There is no one higher or more powerful than God. Those who stand before God's flock and speak as though they are equal to God, or the only way in which to gain God's glory, will be humbled quickly by Him. No priest, pastor, minister, bishop, elder, rabbi, or any leader can place themselves on a pedestal and think God won't knock them down.

These people are here to serve God and to serve us, not the other way around. We have a lot of people walking and strutting around with God and Messiah complexes; and their time will come when they have to answer to God and Jesus just exactly what they were trying to accomplish by misrepresenting themselves to the children of God.

For instance, it's kind of difficult to justify millions of dollars of worldly possessions received from the blood, sweat, and tears of others…. especially when those people are living in poverty. So think twice before jumping to raise money to "buy Pastor a new Bentley"- what purpose does that really serve? How will that get you closer to God? How will that etch out your footing in Heaven? How will that atone for your sins? Just think about it!

Good night. May you have the sweetest of dreams and wake to notice even more blessings before you! God bless you all.

Love,

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.29.10

>**Note: My apologies for the lengthy message yesterday, the Word was flowing through me so I typed until the message was clear and revealed. God bless all of you and enjoy today's shortened but poignant message.**

"If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:14-15

Pray
Father I pray for Your forgiveness. I have worked at freeing myself to forgive others who have sinned against me so that I no longer carry around the dead weight from a cold heart and closed mind. I know that I can't ask for and expect forgiveness from You if I can't find it in my heart to forgive Your children. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Reflection
Carrying around the anger and resentment from what someone did to you will only make their issues your own. That is dead weight that you don't need in your life. That is time you are wasting fixated on them, when if you really thought about it- they most likely are so far-removed from that situation that it is no longer of concern to them; some may not even remember the incident or simply don't care. If we say that God takes care of our battles, then why don't we release these trespasses to Him and allow Him to handle our grievances?

We must let go and free ourselves from that darkness. We must forgive and move on. Honestly, can you expect something you're not willing to give in return? Can you expect forgiveness from our Father although you're still holding grudges, causing havoc, and seeking revenge upon one of His children? Let the healing begin starting today, by first forgiving those who hurt you.

It's Friday and you are blessed to be reading this, to be living, breathing, blinking and thinking. Enjoy your day and your blessings.

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.28.10

>What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean…. Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'….

Matthew 15:11, 17-20

Pray
Father, being from You and not of the world I know that all that I need can only come from You. No man can protect, provide and bring purpose to my life- only You can do that Father. Protect me Lord. Protect me from myself. Protect me from allowing others fears to seep inside of me where I lose my focus on You. Protect my heart Lord. Protect it from desiring the instant gratification the world provides. Protect it from harm, from those who would want to control it and my mind. Protect me from buying into the lies that others tell. Protect me from telling lies to myself and others.

Provide me with 'clean' words of truth, even if that truth causes pain for someone else who would rather seek comfort in darkness. Provide me with the words to heal when I am in pain so that I don't hurt others, even if they are the ones that caused my pain. Provide me with the courage to walk away from anything or anyone who is not bringing Your light into my life and the lives of others.

Show me my purpose Father. Show me the path, even when I veer off in another direction. Show me how I can be the best ambassador serving You and Your children. Show me how to avoid falling in the trappings of others who are miserable because they choose not to have a relationship with You Lord. Show me how to say "no" to temptation, how to turn my head and my heart away from yearnings of the flesh. Show me the real intent of those who surround me. Show me how to remain focused on Your plan for me, and not be seduced by dreams and desires for instant gratification. Reveal to me the wolf in sheep's clothing, the seducer only out for self, and the manipulator who is around to cause havoc and gleam in victory. I thank You Father for all that You do, even when I mess up. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Reflection
We must watch what we say to and about ourselves, and to and about others. We must take responsibility for our part in our interaction with others; just because a touch, a hug, a joke, or a comment was done/shared 'innocently', that doesn't mean that it was taken that way. We can't merely say, "that's their problem" because their problem can soon become our problem. A mild flirtation from your viewpoint, can be an overt action to the person being flirted with, and to onlookers. Once again, your actions or inactions are ultimately your responsibility, because when things go wrong everything comes back to you.

Think of the workplace sexual harassment claims, they are real and growing rapidly. I know of someone who is facing a huge lawsuit from an intern because his actions and inactions were misconstrued. She kept a journal, has emails and some other 'evidence'. There was even a voice mail left by him that has been considered questionable. That's the 'uncleanness' of the heart seeping through. I have learned over time that I should refrain from doing or saying anything to people that could be misconstrued by others as inappropriate, and I also must not form relationships with people that could be deemed as inappropriate. We don't have time to be side-tracked from God's plan!

We must always be prayerful. We must immediately change our thinking when something negative seeps in; we must say "you are a liar" and force the negativity out. We must not allow our hearts to be misled. If our focus is on God, and we pray to Him constantly throughout our day- then we can tell the difference between something of God and of the world. We can tell the difference between God's voice and His light, and that of our mortal mind that is clouded and fractured. Before we say or do something, let's first stop and think about God; think about whether we'd do and say this in front of His son, Jesus. If you have to think about it, then You know you're about to be on a slippery slope of 'uncleanness'. Stop and walk away.

If you haven't grown in your relationship with God and Jesus to strongly consider this, then ask whether you would do or say this in public, in front of your closest family members, your children, your boss, co-workers or employees? Would you want what you did or said put on the Internet and on every television news station? Would you want to see it in the newspapers? If the answer is no, then walk away and don't do it. Don't send that compromising picture, letter, card, email or text message, don't make that phone call or leave that voice mail. Don't angrily drive over to someone's home or workplace to confront them. If you wouldn't want to explain yourself and your actions afterwards, then opt to not do it. Our 'dirt' has a way of slamming us in the face when we least expect it! We can never take back something we have said or done.

When put that way, it may seem more simple to comprehend. God wants you to do right, to live right, and to represent Him the right way- so whatever positive and righteous methods you need to take to do this, then do it. I needed to read this scripture I found today. I simply turned to it and my eyes saw the passages, and I began to type as I prayed and reflected on the verses. Maybe this message was meant for you, maybe someone you know may benefit from reading it. I don't know. I simply share what flows through me. One day it may be a short message, and then there's days like today where I pray and reflect until everything is said.

It's Thursday, a new day- make the most of it and stayed prayed up!

Lovingly,

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.26.10

>For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

2 Peter 2:21

Pray
Father I don't want to make a mockery of Your holy name, of Your goodness and kindness, of those before me that You sent to spread Your Word and build Your Kingdom. Before I speak let me pray to You for Your words to flow through me. As I listen to your children, let me listen for Your voice as a filter. Let me see that everything in life is about You, not me, not the people I know or anyone else. The sun rises and the moon grows full because of You Father. Winds blow, water flows, flowers bloom, and stars twinkle because of You.

Thank You Father for another day, another breath, my blinking eyes and beating heart. Thank You Father for my mind that I might reason, and make the decisions to live righteously or not. Thank You for all of my experiences, good and not so pleasant. They have taught me so much about myself, about You, and about my purpose. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Reflection
God sent us His son so that we may know Him. Many of us still don't see the correlation, still don't study God's Word, or follow Jesus' examples. We can quote, share parables, and pretend that we truly understand and embrace our walk. We can make bumper stickers and calendars, write books, preach and teach, and give speeches, all while living unrighteously.

We need to stop being hypocrites and start living the lives God put us here to lead. We need to stop misleading others with our lies and deceit. We need to stop being selfish and start being selfless, putting others needs first before our own- thinking how we can best serve others rather than how we can best benefit from the equation. We need to focus intently on putting God and Jesus first before all others. Our days should begin, end, and be filled with prayers, thoughts, and thanks to God and Jesus. Some people feel that they are gods because they are rulers and leaders of governments and organizations, but God has a special treat in store for them! There is none greater than our Father.

If you continue to resist change, resist God's molding hands, resist those people God placed in your life to make you a better person, resist doing things that feel uncomfortable to you- although they serve God's plan- then you were better off not knowing the way to righteousness. Instead of just keeping track of the good things you do, stop from time-to-time and take note of what you don't do, didn't do, and won't do; who you refused to listen to, who you hurt simply because you could, who you didn't love fully, who you neglected and ignored. If you don't have time for God's children how can you say you are devoted and have time for Him? If what you didn't do and refused to do outweighs or totals what you have done in life, then the good deeds you have done have been for naught. Just think about it.

Love,

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Some Posts Not Visible

>Some Posts Not Visible

For some unknown reason a couple of days did not post here on this blog. I will correct this issue and attempt to re-post. Sorry for the delay.

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. All Rights Reserved.

Natasha L. Foreman, MBA
Business & Entertainment Consultant
Certified Personal Fitness Trainer

http://natashaforeman.info
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>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.25.10

>Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in that world by lust.

Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge; and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness; and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Wherefore I shall be ready always to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the truth which is with you.

2 Peter 1:2-12

Pray
To know You is to love You Lord. I have not forgotten the sins I have been cleansed of, nor have I forgotten the sins I have recently committed that I am asking to be forgiven and cleansed of by You. I need to be constantly reminded of my role, my purpose, my commitments, and of Your expectations Father so that I may come to a place in my life where I won't stumble and fall, but see clearly what lies ahead, and make the right decisions. Thank You for your loving guidance, Your angels that protect me and show me the way, and for Your son who is the ultimate example. I love You Father. Amen.

Reflection
We know what is right and wrong, but we all need constant reminders of what is expected of us and our roles if we are to be a part of God's Kingdom. We must change starting right now. None of us are perfect, so every day we should work at being better children- more patient, loving, nurturing, forgiving, and understanding. We should correct ourselves when we lean towards judging others, expecting others to conform to our wants and needs, and not placing God first in all of our decisions.

We are to conform only to God, so check yourself if you have forgotten your primary position as His child and follower. No one should ever place another human, animal or object before the Lord. All decisions should be made on what He says, and what His son, Jesus Christ, would say and do if you asked him for advice and direction. There is only one way. You must choose to be God-centered or ego-centered. Which will you choose?

Lovingly,

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.22.10

>I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Revelation 1:8

Pray
Father You are the beginning and the end, the first and the last, the past, present and future. You are my everything. Father I thank You because when I can't count on anyone or anything to be what they appear, I can always count on You. Father I am praying for Your comforting touch to see me through. The only truth I need comes directly from You Lord. There is no other truth, no other light, no other answer, and no other way. Thank You for Your constant presence in my life. Thank You for blessing me every single second of every day. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Reflection
No matter where we are, what we're doing, and what we're going through- God is there and no one can separate us from His love. Turn to Him to have revealed the truths of life.

Bless you all and have a beautiful evening.

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.20.10

>But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned:

1 Timothy 1:5

Pray
Father touch my heart. There are times when I may not think before I speak, but You know my heart. Father I want to love genuinely, deeply, and with an intensity that is impossible to measure. I want to love during good times and bad. I want to love passionately, even when times would dictate otherwise. I want to love my neighbor as I love myself. I want to live without guilt, do right and do good, and not just when it is convenient, but at all times. And let my faith never sway, but stand firmly knowing that You are always here for me- not just in good times, but also times of pain and frustration. In Your son, Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Reflection
We're to love without hesitation or doubt. We're to love fully, not rationing it out like payments. God doesn't ration out His love to us, so why do we think it's okay to ration it to others? Why do we think it's okay to ration it to Him? Why do we convince ourselves that our conditional faith in Him is acceptable? A good conscience is only achievable when we aren't participating in unsavory activities. When your focus is on speaking, thinking, and doing good, then your conscience is always clear.

Let's lift each other up. Let's share our heart with others. Living a dignified life and sharing dignity with others should be your daily walk. Today is Global Dignity Day. Every year on October 20th people young and "seasoned" all around the world, celebrate our daily focus on building people up, not tearing them down. We all deserve to live with dignity! To learn more visit www.globaldignity.org

Bless all of you, enjoy your Wednesday, and share your heart with someone today!

Love,

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.19.10

>And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority.

Acts 1:7

Pray
Father, Your son, Jesus, made it clear that we are not to be concerned with what time of day or year that You will show favor upon us. You are the ultimate authority. You make the decisions, and determine when something will or won't take place, and when something will or won't be done. Father, being in (or maybe admittedly of) the world, I had become dependent upon clocks, watches, calendars, and seasonal changes. I have developed a certain expectancy, and because of that I haven't realized that You reign supreme over all time, place, thing, and circumstance.

Things will happen when You say so. Father, show me how to free myself from my ignorance, and dependence upon the concept of time and how I believe it impacts my life. I pray for the patience of Jesus. I pray for his humbleness and meekness. Thank You Father for answering my prayers. Amen.

Reflection
We are an impatient species. The Bible is thousands of years old, and there we find countless stories of impatient people, always questioning God as to when, how, why, where, who, and what. Instead we should be focused on being ready. We wear watches, but are late. We have calendars, and still miss important dates. We're so busy doing one hundred things at once, that we forget some of the most important things. We want to know when we're going to get that raise or commission at work, get the new car or home, get married, get pregnant, get the vacation- and the more we push God for results, the more He makes us wait.

I was a very impatient person. I wanted things before I even finished conceptualizing what it was I actually wanted. I couldn't wait for a person to finish their sentence, because in my mind they were thinking and speaking too slowly. I bought in to the fast-food way of life about everything in my life. My one, 5, and 10 year plans were not to be messed with. They had to take shape at the designated times. I remember in my early 20s I said that I had to be married with children by or before my 30th birthday. I remember that I was adamant that I graduated by or before I was 21. I was determined as a teen to have my first car at the age of 16, and it had to be a Ford Mustang with a red or pink bow on it.

Oh the dates and deadlines I created over the past 25 years have been elaborate, ridiculous, and stressfully draining. Some things I accomplished, and a great deal more I did not. The more I pushed, the more I expected, the more God showed me that nothing takes place before He makes it happen. I look back on things now, and I am so grateful that certain career and relationship goals I established never came to fruition. God has plans for me, and just because He isn't showing me His outline, doesn't mean I'm supposed to make my own decisions in hope of speeding up His plan. Some people mold faster than others. Some people need longer because we resist Him so much and so often. I know that I'm the latter.

Over the past two years I have noticed that I am more patient, less focused on time and beating some invisible clock, and more focused on pleasing God. It is not for me to know the times or seasons. I'm only to be ready.

Have a blessed Tuesday family!

Love,

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.18.10

>And he came into all the region round about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, And every mountain and hill shall be brought low; And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Luke 3:3-6

Pray
Last night Father Your message came through loud and clear, guiding me to Zechariah 4:7. I prayed for my mountains to be flattened to nothingness. Today, Father I pray for this same demonstration. I want to see clearly, even with obstacles in my way. I want to see through them, because they are not Your reality, so they can't possibly be mine. I'm claiming this victory today Lord in Your name I humbly and sincerely pray. Amen.

Reflection
Every twist and turn, bump and dip, God has the power and the grace to make all things straight, smooth, and level. When you're lost, God will show you the path out. Every day we must demonstrate our faith in Him, and His ability to meet our needs and exceed our expectations. We must thank Him for all of our blessings, even the ones that we haven't received yet.

Think about the small things that are actually huge when you no longer have use of them- like the sense of smell, taste, sight, hearing, and touch; thank Him for the ones you actively have use of, and thank Him for the ones that are heightened as they make up for the ones you no longer have full use of. They are all gifts from our Father. You may not have money to pay your bills, but thank God for providing for you. Thank Him for those coins you ran across in your home, car, on the bus, or on the street. Thank Him for the gift card you forgot about, that made it possible for you to buy food, gas, or toiletries.

Thank Him for touching the heart of your debt collector, who opts to accept payment arrangements with you, rather than dragging you down the debtor's path of shame, ridicule, and torment. Whatever you do, don't take for granted God's gifts to you. Don't grow an attitude of expectance, where you don't think you have a role in this blessing besides receiving His gifts. If you owe money to someone, don't just say, "God's got this" and then don't take the steps to contact the person you owe the debt, make payment arrangements, offer a good faith payment of a lower amount, paying off the debt as more money comes in by God's favor.

Our Father doesn't do laziness. You have to be a hard working and diligent steward in His Kingdom. You can't walk around with your hand out like a spoiled child. You must work. You must push yourself to the threshold, and then keep pushing.

At the same time, God doesn't look favorably upon those of His children who show no grace to others, but expect to receive it from Him. If someone owes a debt to you, show compassion. Remember those people and companies you have and still owe money to- what would you pray that they would do if you had difficulties paying them on time or at all? Don't forget, to receive a blessing we must be a blessing. Life is a constant cycle. What we put in it we get out of it. If you're late paying bills, guess what? Someone is going to be late paying you. If you make a habit of only paying a fraction of a bill, don't be surprised when your paycheck is short. When you don't tip your server adequately, don't be surprised that you get mediocre service elsewhere. It is a cycle.

God's always doing His part, but we must do ours also if we expect to see the fruits of our labor, and to be prepared for the bounty of blessings that He has planned for us. So why don't you focus this week on doing your part to make the cycle of life work not only for yourself but your fellow brothers and sisters. Do your part to make those crooked paths straight, to raise those deep valleys, and lower those mountains and hills flat.

I love each and every one of you, and pray that you have an awesomely blessed Monday. God bless you! Don't forget, that every day there is a message from me, so if you haven't received one, simply visit my blog breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com to get your fix of God's word!

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.17.10

>Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

Zechariah 4:7

Pray
Father thank You. Nothing and no one is greater than You, and You show me this every single day. Some days I'm in total awe of Your greatness, and other days when I've given up, and my faith wanes, I don't always see Your grace. Father forgive me. Fill me with Your love and grace so that I can conquer my 'mountains'. Help me to believe unconditionally all of my days, not just some days. Amen.

Reflection
God turns mountains into mole hills. He can turn our gigantic problems into nothingness. Another name for 'grace' is 'favor', and when we believe in God all of the time, not just some of the time; when we look at that mountain and know that God is bigger than that or any other mountain, or any other thing, we then realize that our problems are only big in our small, human minds. God had a solution long before we recognized we had a problem.

When I'm faced with a 'hiccup' in life, I feel the "liar" trying to climb on my shoulder and whisper in my ear, "it's time to panic Natasha", but what I have grown through strength and faith to do is simply breathe, stare at that mountain of chaos, and say, "I refuse to worry about you. I refuse to lose sleep over you. God is my solution, and He always has my back." From that point, when thoughts try to creep in and distract me, I can block them out and think only of God's grace, and how great I will feel watching that mountain crumble to the ground into a thin sheet of dirt.

Let us look at our 'mountains' this week, and stare and pray them down into absolute nothingness!

Have a wonderful evening, and wake up refreshed Monday, ready to spread God's Word and share how great He is in your life.

Love you all,

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.16.10

>And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Mark 4:37-41

Pray
Father, quiet me when I begin to utter fear-based words, and when thoughts of fear begin to surface in my mind. Show me how to stop, relax, release, and not be concerned with troubled waters- for they don't last long, and are never a sign that You aren't with me. I want to be more like Jesus. I want to rest during the storms that take place in my life. I want the peace and surety that all is well, even when the mind and eyes see otherwise. I thank You now for these blessings Father. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Reflection
Sit quietly and let the storm pass, rather than worry how it will affect you. If you truly believe that God is your all-in-all, your protector, and your guide- then have faith in Him and in His son, Christ Jesus to lead the way. If you're going to walk in fear not faith, and worry instead of standing firm in your convictions, then why continue to pray to God? If you're consistently in prayer, then why be fearful or worried? You can't straddle the fence. You can't live in both realms. Either you are faithful or fearful. Choose.

Lovingly I send this late night message that it may radiate like sunshine through you. Sweet dreams.

God bless you all!

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.15.10

>But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1 Corinthians 15:10

Pray
Father thank You for Your grace. I am what I am because of You. I bless others because You first blessed me. When life gets rough, and there doesn't seem to be a smooth passageway ahead, I know that You will always help me get through those rough patches. When I'm tired and don't feel like giving it my all, I can turn to You Lord for strength to see my way through to the end. When there doesn't seem to be an answer, I know to look closer, and You will always provide a solution. When one door closes, You will open another one. When that door closes, You will open a window. Thank You Father for always providing and guiding me. I love You Father. I praise You Lord. Amen.

Reflection
Love unconditionally, pray constantly and consistently, work harder and smarter than others, and seek God in all that you do. Put God first in your life and everything and everyone that is meant for you will be provided by Him. God's grace is always with you.

Lovingly,

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.14.10

>Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.

Matthew 13:24-26

Pray
Father thank You for blessing me with another day. One more day You have allowed me to be a blessing to someone else. One more day You have allowed me to prove my devotion to You and Your Kingdom. As I plant my good seeds in the ground, water them, and make sure they have adequate light from Your sun, and protected from the chill of cold at night, I cannot keep my eyes on my crops every second of the day. I cannot protect myself and my crop from my enemy, motivated by the "liar", who slithers in like a snake to destroy my work that I have done in Your name.

Father I pray for Your protection. I pray that the tares don't squeeze the life out of my wheat, that the sight of those ugly weeds don't cause me or someone else to uproot the entire crop prematurely, or abandon them and sow seed elsewhere. Help me to see as in this parable, that once harvested, I can gather the tares in bundles and burn them, then take my wheat to store in my barn. With You Lord I can save my crops. Show me the way, teach me how to be patient, and to see through the weeds my enemy has planted, straight to my crops of sustenance. Amen.

Reflection
We all have enemies, clear and present, and some that are silently waiting in the darkness. You can't control what they say or do to you and your crops. You can't keep them from planting tares next to your wheat. You can't keep them from spreading lies about you. What you can do is wait for harvest. Wait for your wheat to grow healthy and strong, and then you swiftly and effectively snatch those tares and burn them to nothingness…exactly what the "liar" is- NOTHING!

You need to let God's truth and light shine over your enemy's lies and darkness. Don't hastily try to fight this battle alone. Don't jump and snatch up the tares before harvest, and risk killing off your valuable wheat! Don't rush to dispel lies against you, let the truth be revealed and let that proof squash your enemy like a disease-ridden bug!

At the same time, don't look at the tares and give up on your wheat, thinking that they won't grow healthy, then decide to sow seed elsewhere. Continue to water, fertilize, protect and nurture your seeds. So don't waste a moment not being open and honest with the one you love. Don't split your time between two or more fields. Focus your time and attention on that one field, building that one relationship. Don't let your focus be on someone else planting something, that makes what you have look any less desirable. What that other person brings might be tares, they may be your enemy and not your friend. Tend to the field in your relationship, and watch the fruits of your labor come harvest!

Have a beautifully blessed Thursday.

Love,
Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
Bible passage rights excluded.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.13.10

>This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

I John 1:5-10

Pray
Father there is no hiding the truth from You. I have sinned many times in my life. I even sinned today. You saw me sin. You heard me sin. You knew I was going to do it. I knew You would know, but I did it anyway. Father forgive me. In my moments of weakness I listen to the "liar" who says, "no one will know. Do it this one time." But I forget that You and Your son always know. Instead of turning to the light for strength, I hide my face in shame in the darkness. Cleanse me Father. Turn my heart towards You when I am seduced by the"liar" to do wrong. Turn my eyes to focus on You and where I'm supposed to be, when my attention is caught by something or someone unrighteous.

Father also please forgive me for deceiving your children I claim to love. When I say one thing yet do another, let me see the err of my ways immediately that I may correct my missteps. Help me to be open, honest, and sincere in my dealings with all people. Steer me away from playing games with people's hearts and lives. Humble me Father. In Your Kingdom there is no room for my selfish lifestyle and behavior. I want to live righteously Father. In Your son's name I pray. Amen.

Reflection
It is amazing how God works. After a lengthy conversation earlier today with two dear friends about marriage, the game-playing in relationships, and some of the basic principles of healthy relationships being, love, sacrifice, trust, honesty, transparency, and devotion, among other things- I left to run errands for a couple of hours. While I was driving I had a lot on my mind, and my heart grew heavy. My two friends shared some great stories of love, overcoming temptation, and how they built a healthy relationship with God as their foundation. They knew soon after meeting their spouses that they were meant to marry them, and love them for life. I reflected on what my friends had to say and their advice. I began to pray. I prayed for a healthy relationship, a marriage, with a man that would stand the test of time, resist temptations of the world and the "liar", and meet God's requirements for a union. I prayed that God would provide my relationship with all of the tools and weapons to fight off anything and anyone who would attempt to interfere.

Before I got home I received a disturbing dose of the harsh realities of living in and of the 'world' by a close friend who is in a great deal of pain over a person they love deeply, and who they thought felt the same way about them. God doesn't intentionally hurt us. The truth in the light may reveal some things that hurt us because we were blindly walking in darkness- and seeing reality for the first time feels more like a dream state…like a nightmare. Without sharing all of this friend's sad story, I will share the root of their issues and reconnect it to today's scripture.

This friend has been feeling weary about their loved one for several weeks now. They have been prayerful, and asking God to reveal the truth about this other person, their honest intentions, and whether this relationship was for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Gradually 'bread crumbs' of truth have lined a path that is revealing a reality far from the dream land my friend has been living in for almost a year.

Notes, cards, and other correspondence from so-called "friends" have surfaced; phone calls that have sounded strained and awkward (and at awkward times of the day and night), and other irregular behavior has sent up 'red flags' that my friend has naively been labeling as jealousy and insecurity on their part. They have been in denial. So-called "friends" are turning out to be much more, and this relationship that seemed to have been built on truth, love, and respect, may slide from under their feet because it is actually built on lies, deceit, selfishness, and fear. Simply put, sin is eating away at their relationship.

My friend is asking God what they did to deserve this; why they had to be subjected to this pain and embarrassment.

We always deserve the truth. We always deserve to have God point us in the right direction, and let us know when we're going in the wrong direction; and when the wrong people are in our lives to lead us astray. It is the light within us that makes another person led by the "liar" to deceive, manipulate, and hurt us, in hopes of drowning out that light with darkness. The "liar" has one goal, and that is to keep you from the truth, to keep you in the dark- oblivious, ignorant, and lonely even when you're not alone.

You can't control what someone else does, says, or thinks. But you can walk away from their darkness, and step into God's light. You have choices in life. You can freely sin and walk in darkness, content with being misled- as long as it makes you feel complete having someone by you that falsely claims to love you. Or you can walk upright, with your head and heart in the right direction- pointing towards God and His son.

We pray for the truth. We pray for enlightenment. God always delivers. We may not like what is revealed, but it is better to walk in the light of truth than in the deception of darkness.

I pray for my friend and their significant other. I pray that if the significant other does not see the err of their ways, acknowledges and repents for the lies, game playing, and other sins- and asks God for forgiveness- then they should do my friend a favor and simply walk away. No one wants to invest in a relationship (by any name or label) just to find out that the other person isn't fully committed.

We barely have enough hours in our day. Time devoted to God, self, family (significant other included), and career must also be balanced with time for real friends, and our work in the community. How in the world can a person conceivably find a way to fit in one or more so-called "friends" who clearly aren't on God's VIP list in your life? The time and energy you waste on a 'secret love' or pretend 'friend' is the time and energy you could be investing in your significant other; and together you could be working towards building God's Kingdom as Jesus instructed.

To my friend, I love you. I pray that God cleanses and restores you. I pray that this experience doesn't taint your view on love and relationships. I pray that if your relationship is restored righteously, that it be protected from future attacks. I also pray that if instead, your significant other continues to live a life of lies, continues to sneak behind you having relationships on the side and calling them by any other name but what they are, that God removes that person from your life, so that He can replace them with a person who is deserving of your love.

I wish this for all of you. If you aren't being loved with the intensity, quality, and quantity of love that God intends, then may God bring the right person to you at the right time. Please don't commit a sin in a knee-jerk reaction to something someone else did or didn't do to (or for) you. Let God handle those battles for you.

If you are the person not giving 100% of your love, devotion and respect to the person you claim to love, then turn to God for a healing cleanse. Don't let the handful of attractive qualities that someone else possesses turn your head and heart away from God, and His child He placed in your life (and you chose) to love and honor. Don't let the "liar" keep you from receiving all of the blessings you deserve. Repent and be cleansed!

Have a blessed evening and be a blessing to others. Walk in the light!

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.12.10

>Note: This message was never posted for 10.12.10 so today you are receiving two messages. Now isn't that a blessing?!? Enjoy!

Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:1-7

Pray
Father thank You for Your grace. Thank You for Your son. Thank You for my life, my experiences, and the people that You have and will place in my life. Thank You for showing me the real, the light, the truth, and the way through Your son. Thank You for revealing people's true self to me so that I may not lose focus or be dismayed when they aren't the caliber of people I assumed them to be. I want to be obedient Father. I want to be totally and completely devoted to You and Jesus. Continue molding me Lord, and thank You for not giving up on me especially in moments when even I think I'm an irretrievable lamb lost deep in the forest. Father, in Jesus' name I pray to You. Amen.

Reflection
It is a daily struggle to be obedient to God. We barely make it through the day obeying man's laws. How many of you were speeding today, texting while driving, didn't yield to a pedestrian, made an illegal turn, or are driving without adequate (or any) car insurance? How many of you 'fudged' facts or figures on your income tax return or other financial document? How many of you claimed to have more on-the-job experience on a resume than you actually have?

Yet, we wonder why we struggle and fail countless times trying to be obedient to God's laws. It is a daily walk. Don't stop trying, don't give in to the "liar's" words of temptation that claim it's better on the other side. It's never good being on the wrong side of God and Jesus. There is no better than our Father and His Son; and no place better to be than with them. So whatever wrongs you did today, work to do right tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. It is your consistent effort, your desire, and commitment that keeps you in God's grace and care.

Have a wonderful day!

Love,

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.11.10

>"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

Genesis 1:1
Revelation 22:21

Pray
Father everything You have done has had a specific purpose and plan. Everything is done at a specific time, designated only by You. You laid the foundation, made us to respectfully have dominion over all other creatures, and You presented us with Your laws (that we repeatedly and consistently have disobeyed). You sent Your son, Jesus, to show us the way, but we were too blinded by our fears and lusts to follow him. You sent us the Holy Spirit/Ghost, and that reality was too deep of water for us to want to dive into.

Father from the very first (acknowledged) published sentence in the Bible to the very last sentence published, You have given us the tools, the laws, the examples, and the parables to learn from. I want to see Lord. I want to learn. I want to be the best example I can be as a steward in Your Kingdom. Father open me up so that I can see inside. I thank You now for this blessing. In Your son Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Reflection
From beginning to end God has us in His hands. How did it feel last night before going to bed, reading the daily message I posted? How did you feel this morning? What was the first thing that came to mind? When my eyes open, for me it is simple…"thank you" is my first thought; thanking God for another day. Sometimes it may be, "is it true? Am I dreaming?" as I'm so grateful for this blessing.

Jesus wants us to help build God's Kingdom, to build and protect our church- Jesus' church- not just the physical structure, but the spiritual one, found only through him. The last words published in the Bible are so inspiring, encouraging, and uplifting. Jesus' grace will be with with all of us, not some of us, but all of us. Up every mountain, down every valley, through every forest and desert, in the sky and in the water, and even low below the deepest depths of the earth- Jesus and God are with us. We can leave our planet, this galaxy, and guess what? Nothing changes as far as Jesus and our Father are concerned. Is that not amazing? They show up and show out every day for us, what would life be like if we showed up and showed out representing them to the fullest? The world truly would be a better place!

Why not do our parts and start today! Nope, I didn't say tomorrow…I said TODAY!

Enjoy the rest of your Monday. Breathe in that beautiful smell of life and love, provided by our heavenly Father.

Love you all,

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection 10.10.10

>In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.

And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead. Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?

And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:

Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

2 Chronicles 1: 7,8,10-12

Pray
Father touch my heart that I may be as humble as Solomon. Bless me Lord with what I need in order to be a better ambassador for You and Your Kingdom. I thank You now for Your blessings. Amen.

Reflection
This is a late night post, so that before you go to sleep you have God on your mind and in your heart; and that when you wake up He is the first thing you think of to get your day started right. Tonight ask yourself what you truly need in your life. What do you need to be a better person?

Pray to God for what you need to be a better ambassador. God knows what is in your heart. Your heart will always reflect your truest self. Hopefully it also reflects our heavenly Father. Be the example you want to see in others, the example you know God expects to see consistently.

Have a blessed evening and be prepared to begin your Monday with a fresh start and a new outlook on life.

Lovingly,

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scriptures, Prayers and Reflections for 10.9.10

>And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Galatians 6:9-10

Pray
Father thank You for providing me with the strength that I need to continue doing good in Your name, even when the pains of life clamp down on me. To receive blessings, one must be a blessing. Father keep my eyes open to those of Your children who have the least, so that I may be a blessing to them. I thank You now. Amen.

Reflection
You may only have $5 in your wallet; I have been there countless times before, but did not hesitate to give $1-3 to another person in need. Although it was all the money that I had in my wallet, I knew that wasn't to be the last $5 I would ever possess. It was and is my faith in God, my constant provider, that I knew that parting with $1-3 would not cripple me, or cause me to be homeless or helpless. I also knew that it wouldn't make me any less protected by God. What I knew then was that by blessing someone else with the $1-3 meant they could possibly get something to eat or drink, or take public transportation somewhere- they now had more options.

Sure, they also could use it for drugs and alcohol, but it is not my place to judge and dangle money with restrictions. That is between them and God. If they want to play a hustle of needing food, but using it to poison their body, then they must answer to God. All I know is I don't want to answer to Him or His son, Jesus, when asked, "why didn't you feed my sheep?" I also don't want to answer the question, "why were you being stingy with the money I provided to you?"

How can you explain to God why you were being stingy with His money? He gave you that $5. He gave you your car and the gas that it runs on, the roof over your head, your clothes, the bed and bedding you rest on, the food and drink you put in your body- everything you possess He gave it to you, everything is on loan to you, so when He puts someone in your path who obviously has less than you in the material-sense, then you should not think twice to give freely, what you can, of what you possess.

I remember one day, not too long ago, I had three one dollar bills, and a handful of coins (probably $1-2 worth) in my car. A man with a sign asking for money for food, was blessed with my handful of coins, a woman got two of my dollar bills, and I bought myself an $0.89 burrito from Taco Bell using the last dollar bill…at the end of the day we were all taken care of in some way.

God is good all of the time. Stop trying to do His job, just be his steward and love His children as you would want to be loved in return.

Have a blessed Saturday. Get out of your head, and let God lead your heart.

Love,

Natasha

Natasha's Daily Scriptures, Prayers and Reflections for 10.9.10
Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com

>Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer and Reflection for 10.8.10

>Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised. The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, Who will bring me down to the ground? Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord.

Obadiah 1:2-4

Pray
Father free me from being prideful, greedy, envious, spiteful, arrogant, vain, superficial, and a lover of money, power, and material possessions. Keep me humble Lord. I know that what I possess in this world is by Your doing and Your blessings. When I forget my place, and refuse to walk righteously, it is Your will that grounds me and snatches me back down to the place of humbleness. Thank You Father. Amen.

Reflection
Never get too full of yourself. Never get comfortable enough to say, "I did this", when the truth is, God is your source, your knowledge and wisdom, and the reason you have your many gifts and talents. Your declaration should always be that you have something or did something because of God's will and grace.

Your material riches are God-given, and just as He gives He can take away. So be sure to give freely of your time, money, and other resources to those that lack what you have. Don't be so quick to say, "I did it, so they need to go out and get theirs on their own like I did!" God has many ways to snatch you from your high-placed nest, and rest you at the same level or below the very people you looked down on.

Remember that you get what you give!

Enjoy your Friday, and work these last hours at your place of employment like it is Tuesday…give it your all, focusing more on doing an excellent job than staring at the clock waiting to leave the building so you can begin your weekend. There are millions of people without jobs, thousands would gladly take your position. So work like you are honored to have it! I don't care if you have given notice or were given notice, let your last moments be some of your best!

Love,

Natasha

Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved.
breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com