Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.31.13

January 31, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

Better a poor man who lives with integrity than a rich man who distorts right and wrong.

Proverbs 28:6 HCSB

Pray
Father thank You for this day. I am grateful for the opportunity to explore new possibilities, to reach past my limits set by fear, and to bless others as You have blessed me. I pray that my days are always filled with integrity, empathy, kindness, respect, trust, patience, honor, and love. As Your servant let me always be of service to You and to Your children. In Jesus’ name I pray to You. Amen.

Reflection
These words in Proverbs clearly show you that on your way to riches and wealth, let your steps be firmly planted in integrity, so that even after you have attained your financial goals your legacy has been built on integrity. Too many people let money negatively change them. They begin doing and saying just about anything to keep it and grow it. Their love of money outweighs their love for God and His children. Don’t let this be you, and if it is you—change your ways before God changes them for you.

We must grasp the fact that as God gives He can take away. Every penny that you think you have earned can be snatched away in moments, to remind you who you are to serve and where you got your money. You can lie to yourself but God knows all. He knows what you are going to say and do before you. He also has the most amazing power to humble us.

He has done this to me a few times, reminding me that the money I made only makes my life easier and better because of Him. He reminded me that without Him I have nothing of value. Each time He has made me start from the beginning and work tirelessly to prove I was worthy of each stage that I progressed to—that is a humbling process. I see my life, material possessions, and access to money very different now.

Sit back and think about how you see money, riches, and wealth. How do you honestly see God’s role (compared to your role) in your success? If you don’t believe in tithing 10 percent of your earnings to a church each month, have you ever considered taking that money and donating it to those in need? Since God made it possible for you to earn the money, why not show your thanks by blessing others who want the same opportunity to thrive and be empowered? Blessing the least of these God’s children. Consider it.

Happy Thursday family!

Love,

Natasha

Copyright 2013. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com
breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com

Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.30.13

January 30, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

So Amos answered Amaziah, “I was not a prophet or the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman, and I took care of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’ ”

Amos 7:14, 15 HCSB

Pray
Thank You Father for placing us where we need to be, where You want us, even if that isn’t where we see ourselves. Only those receptive to You will answer the call. Only those with faith and trust in You will walk the path. I pray that I am doing what You have called me to do. I pray that I am fulfilling Your wishes. I pray that I stay on my path, and that even if I stray from time-to-time that You will lovingly redirect my steps. Let this not be about me but about You. Amen.

Reflection
Isn’t that verse amazing? Amos quickly corrected the thinking that somehow he had been a prophet and came from a lineage of prophets. Amos was a herdsman and God uprooted him from that path and placed him on a different one. Imagine that. Imagine being focused on a career or a plan that you think you’re supposed to do now and possibly the rest of your life and then God basically says, “okay enough of that, now you’re going to live your purpose for My purpose, on purpose”.

God has plans for each of us. He may have us in one area for a specific period of time and then switch us to do something else, and then there are some of us called to do something for a lifetime for day one. Have you ever met a person who since their childhood they said they felt this natural pull toward a path? There are teachers, doctors, and others who as children role-played the very things they do and love today.

Then there’s some of us that have switched careers and paths, acquiring more and more skills, to use as God sees fit. Don’t be frustrated if that’s you. There are times when I feel like God is preparing me for even more, for greater, but I must develop my ability to be patient, increase my faith, trust, and courage. I must tap deeper inside. I must get out of my way and be open totally to Him. I must stop questioning and just start being.

Smile at the lessons learned and the ability to live this experience. Think of those in the Bible who had specific careers and were on planned paths and then God changed everything. Now forever and always their names and stories are accessible to us to read, study, and reflect upon. God is awesome!

Happy Wednesday family! Go live your life on purpose embracing God’s plan for you, whatever it is—even if you still don’t know.

Love,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.29.13

January 29, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

Can two walk together without agreeing to meet?

Amos 3:3 HCSB

Pray
Father You created me and Your son Jesus has guided me. I have willingly entered the path and taken each step freely. I’m grateful for never being alone. I’m grateful that those days when I’m afraid or confused, I can count on You and Jesus to be there for me. Nothing is possible without You. Thank You Father. Amen.

Reflection
This is such an awesome passage. Two can’t walk together without agreeing to meet and walk together. This is true even with our walk with Jesus and our relationship with God, it is a mutual agreement. I smile brightly when I think of this.

Happy Tuesday family!

Love,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.28.13

January 28, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

Yes, their mother is promiscuous; she conceived them and acted shamefully. For she thought, “I will go after my lovers, the men who give me my food and water, my wool and flax, my oil and drink.” Therefore, this is what I will do: I will block her way with thorns; I will enclose her with a wall, so that she cannot find her paths. She will pursue her lovers but not catch them; she will seek them but not find ⌊them⌋. Then she will think, “I will go back to my former husband, for then it was better for me than now.” She does not recognize that it is I who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the oil. I lavished silver and gold on her, which they used for Baal.

Hosea 2:5-8 HCSB

Pray
Father we have sinned and had a conditional relationship with You, one of expectation and selfishness, but not of total devotion to You. Father we have not learned our lesson, because we keep repeating the same mistakes and breaking the same laws You have given us.

I humbly and desperately pray for mercy and favor. I pray for forgiveness because we know better. I pray for forgiveness because most of us can’t forgive ourselves, let alone others. Please keep molding us Father, working with us, and showing us the very mercy we don’t seem to show others. Help us to be producers and not just consumers of goodness. Lovingly remind us that You are the giver of our gifts, not man nor any god or idol. In Your name I pray as a believer in Jesus’ ways and teachings. Amen.

Reflection
The verses above speak of the people of Israel who just can’t seem to get it right in their heads about how they are to live, and how their relationship is to be with God. We today repeat these same ignorant ways.

God looked at this like the promiscuous woman who believes that her lovers not her husband supplies her with provisions and protects her from the world. The people of Israel were freed from bondage countless times—first from Egypt—and God gave them Ten Commandments to honor, obey, and pass down generationally. He made it clear that He is the only living God, and the only God that they are to worship and follow. Instead His children kept backsliding and worshipping idols and other gods. They did this repeatedly. They could be punished for it, swear allegiance back to God, and then return to their old ways. We still do this today thousands of years later.

We have not learned. We still think that man not God supplies our needs, protects us from harm, heals the sick and sinner, casts out demons, and is the giver of life. We still act as the promiscuous woman, cheating on God with other gods and idols—cheating on God with man in his limited capability. We still walk around doubting His power, presence, wisdom, and capabilities.

God’s grace and mercy keeps us here each day. He chooses to not wipe us out and start all over. He chooses not to cause destruction throughout the Earth leaving us all as bones and ashes. His love for us outweighs our disappointing ways, and lack of respect and love for Him.

What if we returned that love by doing good towards others, by worshipping and obeying only Him, by putting our trust and faith in Him, and by acknowledging that all things good received only come from Him—not man or any other god? What if we did those things, day by day?

Consider how your life could change if you gradually shifted your thinking to be more loving, considerate, thoughtful, kind, patient, understanding, gentle, respectful, nurturing, honest, trustworthy, sincere, and trusting.

What if you were less selfish, judgmental, defiant, fearful, bitter, angry, and doubtful? How would your life be? Consider that.

Now what’s stopping you from starting over right now?

Love your sister in Christ,

Natasha

Sunday Sermon Share Day: Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1/27/13

January 27, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

Welcome to Sunday Sermon Share Day for 1/27/13

Today’s Subject: Truth
Today’s Scripture selections are:

I John 3:18-24; 5:6
Psalms 86:11
Psalm 57:3
1 Kings 3:16-28
Mark 5:21-34

Highlights from Today’s Sermon:
-God is everywhere and everything apart from Him has no power.
-Sin, disease, and death have no foundation in Truth.
-Truth is spiritual, eternal substance that is never opposite of God.
Truth reveals the light.

-As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.
– God doesn’t benefit or participate in lip service because He knows all.
-If we desire holiness above all else we will sacrifice everything to receive it, and this is something that we should strive for.
-Prayer alone is not satisfactory but prayer coupled with a fervent desire leads to a full understanding.

-Matter not being the reflection of Spirit has no real entity.
-Truth is final.
– Justice, mercy, wisdom, goodness…attributes of God
– Sin will receive full penalty for what it is and what it does.
– We sustain truth by not accepting but by rejecting a lie. Truth doesn’t create propensity to lie, a lie, or a liar.
– Error can’t hide from the law of God.
– Always overcome evil with good. God will always provide an opportunity to be victorious over evil.

-The story of the woman with plague of the blood had faith that if she touched Jesus she would be healed. She did it and Jesus knew immediately that he had been touched. He then asked who did it and all his disciples could see was a crowd of people. But when Jesus turned around he looked at the woman. She was fearful of what she did, but Jesus said to her that her faith (and action) made her whole and healed. Jesus demonstrated his spirituality while his disciples ignorance revealed their materiality.
-Jesus healed based on his knowledge of God’s ability to make all things whole.

-“…Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”
-Escape from the bondage of sin, sickness, disease and death
– You have a divine right to be free
-Christ heals the sick and casts out evil
-Darkness can’t comprehend the Light. There is no freedom, rationality, or logic in darkness.
-Truth makes people free, error (lies) enslaves them.
-Obedience to Truth gives man power and strength, and peace.

-The purpose and motive to live right begins right.
– Truth is overcoming error in your daily walk, and you can do so knowing and saying that you put up a good fight and will definitely prove to be a better person for it.
– When we wait patiently on God, He directs our path.
– We either listen to or turn away from God’s still, small voice.
– For Truth to be revealed it only needs to be practiced.

Message and Reminder from Natasha:
Be sure to share highlights from sermons at your church or place of worship. Feel free to also visit and contribute to our community chat room where we can have healthy, positive, dialogue on today’s sermons, Breaking Bread daily posts, or issues impacting the Christian community. Remember there is absolutely no preaching, passing judgment, converting, recruiting, or focus on any specific church or religious leader. Those are the rules. We’re here to share words of love and peace inspired by the Word of the Bible. We’re here to uplift and never tear down. If you can roll with that, then you can roll with me and the Breaking Bread family! Visit the chat room here:

http://chatroll.com/embed/chat/breaking-bread-with-natasha?id=lCL-CHvZOne&platform=wordpress-com

Have an amazing week family. Love you all!

Natasha

Saturday Recap: Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1/21/13 to 1/25/13

January 26, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

Happy Saturday family!

Are you ready to jump into the Saturday Recap? Then let’s begin.

Monday- 1/21/13
Hebrews 13:1, 2 HCSB

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-21-13/

Tuesday- 1/22/13
Matthew 5:6, 7 HCSB

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-22-13/

Wednesday- 1/23/13
Daniel 6:3-5 HCSB

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-23-13/

Thursday- 1/24/13
Daniel 6:19-24 HCSB

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/24/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-24-13/

Friday- 1/25/13
Daniel 6:26, 27 HCSB

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-25-13/

Don’t forget that tomorrow is our Sunday Sermon Share Day. If you hear or take part in an awesome sermon, please share your notes, highlights, scripture, or reflections with the rest of us. I intend to do the same. I will also direct you to our community chat room (http://chatroll.com/embed/chat/breaking-bread-with-natasha?id=lCL-CHvZOne&platform=wordpress-com) to allow for further healthy dialogue. This is such an exciting walk family!

Love you all!

Natasha

Copyright 2012-2013. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com
breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.25.13

January 25, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

“…For He is the living God, and He endures forever; His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His dominion has no end. He rescues and delivers; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, for He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

Daniel 6:26, 27 HCSB

Pray
Father I praise You, for You are the only living God, the only God with dominion and power. There are no other gods that can bring life, heal sickness and disease, deliver from sin, or raise up the lowly.

Father You are the reason for the skies and all of the living creatures above and beneath. You are the reason why I am here each day, and I humbly thank You Father. I thank You for quieting my nerves and drying my tears, and for protecting me from harmful situations. I will always try to listen for Your voice, and follow Your angels as You direct. As a believer in Jesus Christ and a child who attempts each day to follow his ways, I pray and give thanks to You today and always. Amen.

Reflection
I know that it has been about three days of Daniel 6 readings, and hopefully you haven’t grown tired from studying Daniel’s story. I think that his story is important and powerful because he is an example for all of us. Daniel was given a talent that far surpassed others who supposedly had similar talents. These people grew envious and resentful, and then spent their days trying to find a way to tear Daniel down so that they could be in the limelight again. Each of us have or possibly will experience a similar situation in our lives.

Your focus should not be on what those other people are doing or saying to you, that’s not what matters. It’s how you respond to what those people are doing and saying that matters. It’s whether or not you turn to God for guidance, protection, and enlightenment—or if you take things into your own hands. That’s the key.

How many times have you reacted to another person and later regretted your decision? That’s because God wasn’t in that process. Now let me clarify, if you reacted negatively and in your mind you find it acceptable, I want you to stop and check your heart, and then tell me that both Jesus and God would have encouraged you to make that decision. That should help clear things up.

Do we count on God to help us or do we take the reigns in our own hands? Don’t try jumping ahead of God and then expect Him to dig you out of the hole you fell into.

Love your sister in Christ,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.24.13

January 24, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

At the first light of dawn the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he reached the den, he cried out in anguish to Daniel. “Daniel, servant of the living God,” the king said, “has your God whom you serve continually been able to rescue you from the lions? ”

Then Daniel spoke with the king: “May the king live forever. My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths. They haven’t hurt me, for I was found innocent before Him. Also, I have not committed a crime against you my king.” The king was overjoyed and gave orders to take Daniel out of the den. So Daniel was taken out of the den, uninjured, for he trusted in his God.

The king then gave the command, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions’ den — they, their children, and their wives. They had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Daniel 6:19-24 HCSB

Pray
Father it is amazing what You can, have, and are doing for me and for Your other children. You can do the impossible and create the unimaginable. You have the ability to create life, quiet a storm, and move mountains. You can tame the wild, give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and can make the mute speak clearly. You protect those in need and see that justice is always served, on Your time, Your way. I thank You Father. Amen.

Reflection
God will always take care of you. Trust and believe. Daniel walked into the lions den not screaming, crying, and tussling. He did not beat on the walls in terror. I can admit that I would have. I probably would have passed out in fear. Amazingly Daniel simply trusted in God to take care of him as He saw fit. The lions did absolutely nothing to Daniel. Not a scratch, wound, tear, or blemish. They were as tame and as calm as a well-trained house pet. God tamed them.

This reminds me of accounts of human children who have been raised by wild animals, and human adults who have been embraced by wild animals– normally known to be vicious and ready to attack. What those animals sensed could be considered God’s loving light and innocence within those humans. What else could cause wolves, bears, guerrillas, orangutang, and other wild animals to decide not to attack a human? What else could cause these wild animals to choose to embrace, love, and take care of a human that is clearly not of its species? Instead of attacking and eating the human, there are stories of humans being taken in and treated as a member of these animals family’s.

It can only be God in my humble opinion.

Isn’t He absolutely amazing?!? Praise Him. Thank Him. God is awesome and does good all of the time. Now please, although what I am about to say is humorous, I am also being very serious in my plea. Please don’t take it upon yourself to run into the zoo, wild animal park, or some other place and test whether or not a wild animal will attack you. Test your faith another way. Have an amazing Thursday family!

Love you always,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.23.13

January 23, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

Daniel distinguished himself above the administrators and satraps because he had an extraordinary spirit, so the king planned to set him over the whole realm. The administrators and satraps, therefore, kept trying to find a charge against Daniel regarding the kingdom. But they could find no charge or corruption, for he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him. Then these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”

Daniel 6:3-5 HCSB

Pray
Father I pray that no matter what I face in life that I always try my best to represent You well. Father if I face persecution may I have the courage to place total faith in You to see me through. Even if there are people around me who don’t like the light that shines from me, may You keep me standing strong and walking straight in Jesus’ name. I only want to serve You best Father. Amen.

Reflection
Daniel was given a gift by God that others were envious of, so they plotted against him in hopes of destroying him. Many of us have had people plot to ruin our reputation, livelihood, and well being, but how was your response during those times of personal attacks? Did you stoop to their level or did you rise above them and place all things in God’s spiritual hands? We can’t possibly reflect God’s Love and Light if we stoop down into darkness. Pray for strength and courage to persevere, and believe and trust in God enough to stay out of His way. Happy Wednesday family!

Love you always,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.22.13

January 22, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, for they will be filled. The merciful are blessed, for they will be shown mercy.

Matthew 5:6, 7 HCSB

Pray
Father I want to see myself as You see me. I want to love like You love me. I want to give freely to others as You give to me. I want to walk in grace letting go of past pain and hurt, releasing myself and others from guilt, shame, and the twisted cycle of revenge. I want to touch others with love and I want to walk in Your light, so that all of Your children see You in me. I don’t want to exist in fear. I want to live in courage. I don’t want to settle for lies, I want to thrive in Your Truth. Touch me Father. Free me. Amen.

Reflection
Seek out goodness and reflect it for the world to see, embrace, and spread. Smile even through moments of pain because you don’t know who might need to receive that smile. Speak as though you are on the receiving end. I cringe at the thought of someone playing back tapes of some of the things I’ve said and done over the years. So I work each day to treat people as though I’m being recorded. I think twice before I speak and act. I think twice before I make a decision. I’m learning to pray more for guidance and insight.

Goodness can really spread faster than ugliness. Try it and see for yourself. Acts of kindness and dignity-rich interactions. Do your part to make our world a better place. Don’t make excuses for why you can’t be the change you want to see. Either you want to be more like Jesus or not.

Today I visited the Frederick Douglass house in Washington D.C. and watched a short film about Mr. Douglass’ life. As I child I read his autobiography and soaked up his other writings in amazement. Here was a man who lived with dignity, and reached out to help others free themselves from the shackles of mental and physical slavery. He did what he was called by God to do. I pray that I stay true to what God calls me to do, and that whenever He tells me to change directions, switch paths, or continue on my trek that I will obey.

I wish you all peace within and a vision to pursue life passionately and with purpose.

Love you always,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.21.13

January 21, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

“Let brotherly love continue. Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.”

Hebrews 13:1, 2 HCSB

Pray
Father thank You for this day. A day that I opened my eyes and took a breath because of You. Father touch my heart so that I may always express Your love to all of Your children, even in moments when I’m feeling hurt, angry, fearful, or disappointed. Let me always see each of Your children as blessings sent by You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Reflection
As I reflect about my life I ask myself, “how could I have been a better servant, and how can I be better?” I consider the strangers I ignored, rushed, or didn’t speak to or smile at—what if they were one of God’s angels. What if they were placed before me to see how I would treat them, help them, or be impacted by them. So I say to you what I tell myself, don’t be too busy or too distracted to stop for even a moment to connect with one of God’s children. Don’t be so skeptical that you second-guess the intentions of others based on their circumstances or their appearance.

I have been in Washington D.C. for the presidential inauguration since yesterday and have taken the time to learn more about our country’s history and the history of those in office as public servants. I have taken the time to learn more about D.C., the struggles from the past and the possibilities of tomorrow. I look inward to see what I can do as an individual to better serve my community, and I pray that I live up to God’s expectations for me.

So yes, I will enjoy the official inaugural ball tonight and other festivities thereafter, but I will gain the most pleasure from making the time to see life and the world through other eyes. As long as there are poor and broken, we can never relax. I will keep marching as God’s soldier. I hope and pray for the best for each of you. Remember, you never know who the person is in front of you or around you, treat each person like they could be one of God’s angels.

Love always,

Natasha

Saturday Recap: Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1/14/13 to 1/18/13

January 19, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

Happy Saturday family!

Are you ready to jump into the Saturday Recap? Then let’s begin.

Monday January, 14, 2013 – Friday, January 18, 2013

Monday- 1/14/13

Colossians 3:23, 24

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-14-13/

Tuesday- 1/15/13

Isaiah 45:5, 6

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-15-13/

Wednesday- 1/16/13

Daniel 3:24-28

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-16-13/

Thursday- 1/17/13

Psalms 103:13

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-17-13/

Friday- 1/18/13

Matthew 26:59, 60

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-18-13/

Love you all!

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.18.13

January 18, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death. But they could not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward….

Matthew 26:59, 60 HCSB

Pray
Father calm the waters, settle the restlessness, heal the hurt, and mend the broken. I pray for these things for myself and for others, that we may all walk peacefully—free from mortal mind’s shackles that would confuse us and bring chaos. Let us have the strength to withstand all attacks. Let us seek out change and growth through You. Remove the fear that would hold us back. Remove the fear that would have us sabotage our lives. In Jesus’ name I humbly pray. Amen.

Reflection
We all will face attack on some level. We all will have someone near and far focused on snatching the rug from beneath our feet, or determined to push us into a pit of despair. It is our relationship with God that determines the outcome.

Is our relationship with God negatively fear-based, as we are more focused on self, or is it love-based, being focused on God and fearing disappointing Him?

Continue reading the remaining passages of Matthew and see Jesus’ reaction and responses to those who verbally, psychologically, and physically attacked him.

He knew who he was and Whom he belonged to, and that no matter what those people did to his body, they would never have and control his mind and wellbeing. They could never remove him from his rightful place with God. They could never change his mind about his Father.

It never mattered what people said to or about him, or what people did to him—what mattered to Jesus was what God said and did. That is the place we all need to be. Turning things over to God, with our focus only on serving Him and staying true to Him. Staying true to God is the only way we can possibly remain true to ourselves. His Truth is the only Truth.

With growth comes change. It’s inevitable. You can’t grow without changing. You can definitely change without growing. Yes indeed, backslide and see that you don’t change for the worse.

Without strengthening yourself through God, you will change in all the wrong ways. But change through growth is always an awesome thing. It’s always a God-thing. You can’t get better without God’s will and grace, and you have to open yourself up to truly recognize and marvel in this great blessing.

So just as Jesus prayed for his enemies, nonbelievers, and critics—pray for those known and unknown culprits who don’t want to change their ways. Pray that they see and feel God’s light and allow Him to move them to a higher level of thinking. Then pray the same for yourself. Stop dwelling in the past. Stop making excuses for not getting your life together. Stop letting past hurts keep you from growing, changing, and living God’s plan—on purpose!

It’s Friday family. Enjoy every second of it, but don’t get lazy on the job. Work like it’s Tuesday!

Love always,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.17.13

January 17, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

Psalms 103:13 HCSB

Father thank You for this day. Thank You for clearing paths, moving obstacles, and revealing Your Truth. Thank You for Your love, patience, and favor. Thank You from sparing me from punishment. Thank You for showing me each day why my life is so great, and why I am so blessed. No matter how rough my days can get or my life can be, I still smile. Thank You Father.

Reflection
You know that God’s grace has saved you when you have done wrong and He didn’t let you fall off a “cliff”. You know that God is protecting you when you avoid disaster. When you’re in pain and this calming energy cloaks you, that’s God. Now smile and enjoy your day!

Love always,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.16.13

January 16, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm. He said to his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire? ”

“Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” they replied to the king. He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed; and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

….When the satraps, prefects, governors, and the king’s advisers gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men: not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent His angel and rescued His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

Daniel 3:24, 27, 28 HCSB

Pray
No matter what I face in life You will deal with it. My enemies have no power or control over me. This walk is between us Lord. You determine the details and I focus on obeying. I will keep pushing myself each day believing in Jesus’ teachings, and being the person that You expect.

Reflection
No matter what someone else perceives to be true, God determines how things play out. You have a choice–to follow Jesus down God’s path—or believe the enemy.

Don’t allow doubters fill your mind with their nonsense. Don’t let cheaters steal your joy. Don’t let anyone enslave your mind.

Happy Wednesday Family!

Love,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.15.13

January 15, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God but Me. I will strengthen you, though you do not know Me, so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is no one but Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other.

Isaiah 45:5, 6 HCSB

Pray
Father these things written in the book of Isaiah I believe to be true. I don’t want to ever consider differently. I don’t ever again want to question the when, why, who, and how when it comes to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reflection
God made it crystal clear didn’t He? You can read it twenty thousand times and it will still be as clear as the first time. He is IS. He is ALL. He is God. None before, none during, and none after. He has you.

Happy Tuesday family! Today is the birth date of many great people, one of which only few truly knew but millions have admired, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Happy birthday sir!

Love,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.14.13

January 14, 2013Natasha 2 Comments

Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23, 24 HCSB

Pray
Father I’m praying for the strength and courage to take the next steps needed to be where You want me to be. I want to step up today and say that from this point on everything that I do will be in Jesus’ name, and I will do these things enthusiastically and with passion. I’m not saying that there won’t be times that I’m afraid, confused, or reluctant—but I know that with Your will and grace, I can approach even the things I fear, with an intensity that allows me to push through, conquer, and succeed. I’m tired of being stagnant in areas where You expect my movement and success. I’m tired of being tired. I’m walking forward Father in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reflection
What if we invested the same amount of time and energy in the things we dreaded and feared as we do the things we are passionate about? What could we achieve? Where could we go? What could we see? How would our lives change if we passionately jumped into life with both feet and hands?

Makes you wonder why you keep slow poking around doesn’t it?

Happy Monday family. Don’t let life pass you by. Share your thoughts. I look forward to some healthy dialogue and reading your reflections and comments on today’s message.

Love,

Natasha

Sunday Sermon Share Day: Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1/13/13

January 13, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

Welcome to Sunday Sermon Share Day for 1/13/13

Today’s Subject: Sacrament
Today’s Scripture selections are:

Mark 10:35-45
II Corinthians 13:14 (to 1st .)
Micah 6:6–8; Jeremiah 7:21 (to ;), 22 I spake, 23
II Thessalonians 2:16,17

Highlights from today’s sermon:
Baptism is purification in Spirit, submersion by Spirit.
John the Baptist prophesied the coming of the immaculate Jesus, the Messiah who would baptize with the Holy Ghost.

Think about this, Jesus had John the Baptist baptize him—this baffled John, because he thought that he wasn’t worthy of this and if anything John should be getting baptized by Jesus. Jesus took part in material processes and methods for the advancement of spiritual good.

Through repentance, spiritual baptism, and regeneration, mortals put off their material beliefs. The purification of sense and self is proof of spiritual progress.

Message and Reminder from Natasha:
Be sure to share highlights from sermons at your church or place of worship. Feel free to also visit and contribute to our community chat room where we can have healthy, positive, dialogue on today’s sermons, Breaking Bread daily posts, or issues impacting the Christian community. Remember there is absolutely no preaching, passing judgment, converting, recruiting, or focus on any specific church or religious leader. Those are the rules. We’re here to share words of love and peace inspired by the Word of the Bible. We’re here to uplift and never tear down. If you can roll with that, then you can roll with me and the Breaking Bread family! Visit the chat room here:

http://chatroll.com/embed/chat/breaking-bread-with-natasha?id=lCL-CHvZOne&platform=wordpress-com

Have an amazing week family. Love you all!

Natasha

Saturday Recap: Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1/7/13 to 1/11/13

January 12, 2013Natasha Leave a comment

Happy Saturday family!

I hope that your week was productive, peaceful and positive. Today is the day to invest the extra time into your spiritual studies, as you prepare yourself for next week. Remember what I said last week— the Saturday Recap is, “the time when you can dig deeper in the messages, and consider how the lesson applies (or applied) to you or someone you know. Let the Saturday Recaps help you to fill in any gaps, use your critical thinking skills, and challenge yourself. These Saturday Recaps are also for those of you who like to flag the daily posts and go back to read and recite them. Now you will have the entire week at your finger tips, without going back to your inbox and trying to sort through hundreds of daily and weekly emails.”

Be willing to explore each book beyond the passages that I have shared. Twice this week we read from the book of Daniel. Why not continue reading further? You never know what might pop out and connect deeply with you.

Are you ready to jump into the Saturday Recap? Then let’s begin.

Monday January, 7, 2013 – Friday, January 11, 2013

Monday- 1/7/13
Colossians 3:14-17 HCSB

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-7-13/

Tuesday- 1/8/13
Daniel 1:17 HCSB

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-8-13/

Wednesday- 1/9/13
Jeremiah 17:7, 8 HCSB

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-9-13/

Thursday- 1/10/13

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-10-13/

Friday- 1/11/13
Daniel 3:12-18 HCSB

Read the daily message here:
https://breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/natashas-daily-scripture-prayer-and-reflection-for-1-11-13/

Don’t forget that tomorrow is our Sunday Sermon Share Day. If you hear or take part in an awesome sermon, please share your notes, highlights, scripture, or reflections with the rest of us. I intend to do the same. I will also direct you to our community chat room (http://chatroll.com/embed/chat/breaking-bread-with-natasha?id=lCL-CHvZOne&platform=wordpress-com) to allow for further healthy dialogue. This is such an exciting walk family!

Love you all!

Natasha

Copyright 2012-2013. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.blogspot.com
breakingbreadwithnatasha.wordpress.com

Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

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Month: January 2013

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.31.13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.30.13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.29.13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.28.13

Saturday Recap: Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1/21/13 to 1/25/13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.25.13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.24.13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.23.13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.22.13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.21.13

Saturday Recap: Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1/14/13 to 1/18/13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.18.13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.17.13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.16.13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.15.13

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.14.13

Saturday Recap: Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1/7/13 to 1/11/13