Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 1.29.15

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭1-8‬ NASB

Pray
Thank You for yesterday Lord. I thank You for today. I pray that Your mercy and grace would bless me with an opportunity to reflect You tomorrow. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reflection
I’ve shared these verses before as I share them today, to remind us to be and remain humble in our service and prayer.

Questions of the Day
1. What would you like to share or reflect upon today?

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2015. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.26.15

Do You Have Room for God?

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10, NIV

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Being fruitful means being productive and excelling in everything you do. When you’re fruitful, life isn’t a drain, it doesn’t wear you out and you don’t have to force things to happen. When you confuse fruitfulness with busyness, you can head down a path that wears you out and robs God of His glory. You can be content when you’re being fruitful because you know you’re living a life that is pleasing to God. A fruitful life blesses others and receives God’s blessings in return. This is how God intended your life to be!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
God, I know that I am often too busy for my own good. Help me to slow down when necessary and even say “no” to some things so I can give You my best. Thank You for Your love and for designing me to be fruitful! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Natasha’s Reflection
Don’t be so consumed with busyness that you become distracted from doing the business of the Lord.

Questions of the Day
1.What do you think of today’s message?
2. What busyness is distracting you?
3. What would you like to add to today’s prayer and/or reflections?

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2015. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.23.15

“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭43-47‬ NASB

Pray
Father please give me the strength to love my enemies, to love those who have intentionally harmed me, maliciously deceived me, those who have taken what is mine or trespassed against me without concern for my wellbeing or repentance for even the unforeseen harm. Help me to see them as Jesus instructed. Help me to love them as You love all. You know my weaknesses Father, help me. In Jesus’ name I humbly pray. Amen.

Reflection
Imagine loving (as Jesus commanded) the spouse who cheated on you; the mistress(es) of your spouse; the burglar who broke into your home; the rapist who stole a piece of you; the car jacker or purse snatcher; the pick pocket who had a shopping spree at your expense; the child molester; the person who siphoned away your retirement fund; the psychopath who gets their kicks off of mentally and physically torturing others; the con artist who swindled you out of your savings; the company who made a profit selling you products and/or services that they knew were inferior; the murderer who self-determined that someone else’s life wasn’t worth living–imagine loving them as you would love a family member and friend.

Can you bring yourself to be so enlightened, so strong, so honorable?

I’m not there yet. That’s why I pray to God. That’s why I pray that He helps me to get there, to see that my love for others is less about them and more about me–because my ability to love even those I find unlovable, means that I’m closer to God–and isn’t that what most of us seek and desire?

I’m a work in progress. How about you?

Questions of the Day
1.What are your thoughts about today’s message?
2. Why do you think it is possible or impossible to love your enemy as Jesus taught?
3. Please share any testimonies that you have where you have turned to loving an enemy, and what came from this act of forgiveness and love.

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2015. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.22.15

The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.”

Genesis‬ ‭13‬:‭14-17‬ NASB

Pray
Father help me to hear Your voice at all times, to be able to distinguish It from all others, and to obey You no matter what. Let me embrace Your vision even if I don’t understand it. Amen.

Reflection
God shared with Abram His vision for him, the blessings that would come to him and his families for generations beyond his human comprehension. Imagine what God is trying to show and share with us but we’re too distracted by fear, pain, anger, sadness, other people, and other things.

Every day we should stop and make the time to sit in absolute silence (by our understanding of their word) to listen and speak with God. Make the time to be open and receptive to whatever He wants you to see, hear, feel, or experience. Let’s not forget that our journey does not just impact us, it impacts generations yet unborn.

Questions of the Day
1.What do you think about today’s message?
2. What would you like to add to today’s prayer and/or reflection?
3. Honestly, what would you have said and done if you were Abram and God said these same words to you? Would you think you were hallucinating or imagining it? Would you doubt it was God’s Voice?

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2015. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.21.15

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭17-20‬ NASB

Pray
Father I pray for a stronger conviction, thicker emotional skin to handle life’s roller coasters, and the courage to walk even when I cannot see my feet. Peel back my fears Father. Help me to see all that You want me to see. As Your humble servant I praise Your name. Amen.

Reflection
Jesus did not sugar coat to his disciples the spiritual and physical realities that they faced. He had a level of expectations for them that far-exceeded their imagination. They could not merely be fans, groupies, or even mentees—they had to step up and put in the work of Christ, not just testify to what they witnessed. Jesus expected them to be more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees, and if they weren’t, he made it plain and clear that they wouldn’t make it into Heaven. Imagine that.

It wasn’t good enough to tag along with Jesus. You couldn’t just be his sidekick or member of his entourage. Reciting the Word and mastering the art of poetic prayer, wasn’t sufficient in Jesus’ eyes. As his disciple, you had to surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus didn’t accept mediocrity and conditional commitment to God.

Consider this– Jesus had more than one hundred disciples, but as time went by they began to fall off and away as their dedication waned and their faith withered. You can’t fake it for long with Jesus. You can’t just be a Sunday service Christian, then a heathen backslider in the church parking lot less than 20 minutes after service ends. You can’t even be a Sunday and Wednesday Christian. You have to be committed each and every day to the walk, the journey, the calling, and the expectations that have been set on and before you.

For the vast majority of us we can breathe a sigh of relief that we aren’t disciples. Imagine our inability to achieve the level of righteousness expected of a disciple.

Questions of the Day
1.What do you think of today’s message?
2. If you were one of Jesus’ disciples, how would you have reacted and responded when you heard his comments about righteousness?
3. How are you serving as an ambassador for Christ?

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2015. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.20.15

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch.

Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark-you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female.

Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.

‭Genesis‬ ‭6‬:‭5-8, 11-14, 17-19, 22‬ NASB

Pray
Forgive me Father for not being strong, brave, and obedient like Noah. Forgive me for thinking more about my feelings and my inability to see human loss as spiritual gains. Forgive my weaknesses Lord. I truly do not want to disappoint You. Amen.

Reflection
How faithful am I to our Heavenly Father? How faithful are you? Are you unwavering in your commitment to do as He says regardless of the perceived human impact?

Consider this:
Noah had friends, neighbors, and extended family members when God told him to build the ark. Noah knew that God intended to flood the entire earth and in that flooding all humans would be killed. Noah had to look into the eyes of people he knew and loved, and people he never met, and not say a word. Noah had to look at newborn babies, toddlers, and children with big dreams—and not say a word. He also had to trust that the dimensions and specifications that God gave him for the ark would be sufficient for he and his family, and all of the animals God requested.

Noah had to do all of this without questioning God. He didn’t defy God and smuggle his other family members and friends on board, which would make him feel better, and ensure a faster repopulation of humans once the flood went away. Instead he obeyed. Could you?

I must admit that I don’t think I would have done even a decent job with this. I don’t think I have what it takes, the fortitude and conviction, to sit back and watch my other family members and friends run for their lives just to painfully drown. My human connection is my weakness, my Achilles heel, that prevents me from being the believer that Noah was.

Questions of the Day
1.What would you like to add to today’s prayer and/or reflection?
2. What do you think about today’s message?
3. Are you like Noah or more cowardly like me?
4. In what ways can you step out of your way and be more like Noah?

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2015. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.19.15

Press Through

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.”

Matthew 7:7 AMP

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
In Mark, chapter five, there was a woman who had been sick for twelve years. The doctors gave her no hope. But, she heard that Jesus was coming through her town. Something deep on the inside said to her, “This is your season. This is your time to get well.” In the natural, when she saw all the people around Him, she thought, “I’ll never get to Him. It’s so crowded and I’m weak. I just don’t think I can do this.” She almost missed her season. But instead of dwelling on those negative thoughts, she started reminding herself, “If I can just get to Jesus, I will be whole.” She made the choice to turn her thoughts in the right direction. She kept pressing her way through the crowd until she got just close enough to Jesus to reach out and touch the edge of His robe. Instantly, she was made whole. This is what Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has made you well.”

Notice, it was her faith and her persistence that connected her with God’s power, and the same is true for us today. No matter what you are facing, don’t give up! Keep praying! Keep asking! Keep seeking! God is faithful! Stay determined because He will meet your faith with His miraculous power when you continue to press through!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, I come to You today with an open and humble heart. I ask You to fill me with Your strength, peace and joy so that I can press through to victory today. Show me the good plan You have for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Natasha’s Reflection
Today we honor and celebrate the life and legacy of a civil rights leader and pioneer, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who’s life was snatched away by an assassin for reasons that we may never know. Dr. King and the numerous other civil rights heroes and sheroes of his time, were passionately focused on healing our world of the sickness of racism, the hopelessness of poverty, and the devastation of war.

Marching steadfast in his convictions of equality for all regardless of race, religion, sex, color, and creed–Dr. King was led by faith, faith in God and a belief in His deliverance of the voiceless in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. King sacrificed because he believed that God would provide the balanced playing field. Dr. King sacrificed because he believed that God saw and loved all people equally, and Dr. King wished that for all of us.

Each victory in the 1960s meant that the civil rights movement was one step closer to success, and that our country was one step closer to being healed. We’re not there yet and it may not be in my or your lifetime, but if we remain positive like the woman in Mark, and just focus on getting to Jesus, getting those victories, then one day we will become whole just as she did. If we are cynical, it will not work. If we are resistant and negative, it will not work. Only in our faith and commitment is it possible. Only in our sacrifices is it possible. Only through the investment of time, talent, and resources is it possible.

Questions of the Day
1.What would you like to add to today’s prayer and/or reflection?
2. What do you think about today’s message?
3. What would you like to say in recognition of Dr. King and other civil and human rights leaders, past and present?
4. Are you optimistic or cynical about the future of civil rights in America as it relates to equality in race, income, and education? Why?

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2015. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.16.15

Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

“As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him. After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

Matthew‬ ‭3‬:‭1-2, 11, 13-17‬ NASB

Pray
May I always be of humble service to You and the least of these Your children, so that I may live the life that You have chosen for me. Use me Father. Let all things be Your will and not mine. Amen.

Reflection
John the Baptist was a humble servant, knowing his place in life, he was not arrogant or pompous, and he did not go around seeking accolades from others. Instead he served tirelessly preaching the Word of God and telling of the coming of Christ, Jesus, the Son who would be our redeemer.

Then what happens when Jesus walked up?

Did he expect fanfare? Did he try to be the center of attention? Did he treat John the Baptist like a servant? No. No. No.

Jesus always saw himself as a servant, there by God’s power and command, doing as he was told. Jesus never made any circumstance about him, even when on the cross and in his moment of weakness he cried out to God—he promptly changed his thinking and asked God to forgive those who were intent on killing him.

Jesus didn’t self-promote or get others to promote for him. His mission was to bring as many people over to the light to serve as soldiers for God. Jesus knew and said that none of this was about him, and all of this was about our Heavenly Father and His Kingdom. He was sent to save everyone not just a select few. He was sent to show everyone how to love, live, act, behave, think, pray, heal, and be tolerant.

Jesus didn’t demean people. He lifted people up in thought, word, and deed. He never carried himself as though he was better than anyone else.

We say we want to be more like Jesus, well we have a lot to learn and a great deal of change ahead of us!

Questions of the Day
1. How would a modern man approached John the Baptist, compared to Jesus?
2. We hear people all over who claim to be “servants” and are here to “serve” yet they seem to speak more than they do, why do you think that is the case?
3. How can we toss away the fad of insincere “servants” and help to convert them (and us) to actual servants, humble as Jesus?

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2015. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.15.15

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs‬ ‭1‬:‭1-7‬ NASB

Pray
I pray for the courage to always seek answers and the wisdom to follow instruction. Let me hear, see, and embrace Your messages from whomever You use to deliver them. Humbly I pray for these gifts. Amen.

Reflection
Asking for counsel from those who enable your negative behavior only counteracts what God is trying to have you do, and only proves how much of a fool you truly are.

A fool refuses to change and does not see that with growth comes change. A seedling must change in order to grow and become a tree. We change within the wombs of our human mothers, and in our growth we continue to change. Our thinking about certain topics changes as we learn more and consider other ways and viewpoints.

Only the wise are willing to change, because only the wise realize that only through change can we live and be as God intends. The more we resist change, the harder our journey.

The wise person seeks counsel from those who seek to sharpen them by God’s standards of the Spirit, not man’s limited perception guided by the flesh.

The wise person listens to and follows their gut, knowing that it is God directing their path, rather than following the knee-jerk emotions of the enemy. Revenge is the enemy. Adultery is the enemy. Rationalizing adultery is the enemy. Committing fraud is the enemy. Abuse of any kind is the enemy. Greed is the enemy.

Are you a soldier for Christ in God’s army or a minion for the enemy? We all have a choice.

Questions of the Day
1. What do you think about today’s message?
2. What have you been struggling with lately that you seek prayer and counsel?

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2015. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.14.15

The Spring of Laughter

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst — not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.”
(John 4:14, MSG)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
When you make Jesus the Lord of your life, God puts within you an eternal well that will never run dry. You have an unlimited supply of good things inside you which should be continually bubbling out of you. But Satan doesn’t want your joy, happiness, or laughter to flow freely. So he comes along and throws a stone of, say, worry into your well. You may think, “That’s just one little stone. It’s not hurting anything. The water is still flowing pretty well.” But Satan will be back soon with another stone, whether it’s fear, self-pity, or hopelessness. If you haven’t dealt individually with each of these stones and gotten rid of them, your nice, free-flowing well of good things will become clogged. Take the time today and every day to evaluate your well. Ask God to give you revelation and to help you keep your well clean!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, thank You for the spring of eternal life and joy that You have placed within me. Help me deal with the stones that can block the free flow of goodness, joy, and laughter. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Natasha’s Reflection
We have a choice to either be soldiers for Christ, or pawns for the enemy. We can choose to either hold tight to our joy and dance in the storm, or let the enemy steal our joy and tear away at our faith.

Our tests in life include temptation and fear, and how well we stand up against these anti-Christ principles. Will you give in and rationalize your decision? Or will you stand firm in your conviction and trust that God has everything handled? Will you worry or be confident?

Questions of the Day
1.Do you have a testimony to share? If so, please do.
2. What came to mind as you read today’s message?
3. If you were to add anything to today’s prayer and/or reflections what would it be?

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2015. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.13.15

Enjoy Life

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

Psalm 23:6, KJV

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Many people never really manage to enjoy their lives. They spend day after day just going through the motions, hoping things will get better. Maybe you’re one of them. If so, listen to this: Your life can be better. You can be the happy, healthy, victorious, and overcoming champion God made you to be! Everything you need to start enjoying life is already inside you. You just need a little help to bring it to the surface. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you and help bring out the best in you — because it’s already there!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, I know that You have promised to give me everything I need to live a joy-filled life. Thank You for Your blessings, and help me to live a life of joy beginning today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Natasha’s Reflection
Stop fighting God’s plan for you. Stop fighting the urge to smile, laugh, praise, and celebrate even the smallest of things. Stop draining yourself in the pit of darkness, and start reaching for and dancing in the light.

Your lack of faith is apparent in your inability to praise even the storms that will definitely come your way. You’re supposed to praise God because you know that even with the strongest of winds and rains, when things settle down, life blossoms again. God always restores. Your lack of praise signifies your lack of belief and faith in Him.

You can’t only believe and praise in the best of times, and then expect to have an unconditional and rewarding relationship with Him. Give more than you take, and then you will always receive in abundance.

Questions of the Day
1. What do you think about today’s message?
2. What would you like to add to today’s prayer and reflections?

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2014. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.12.15

O LORD, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me.

But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. I was crying to the LORD with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah.

Salvation belongs to the LORD; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.

Psalms‬ ‭3‬:‭1, 3-4, 8‬ NASB

Pray
Father I pray for strength and courage to endure and overcome. I pray for discernment to see clearly the intent of those around me, and the direction that You seek for me to take. I choose to be obedient to You and not a pawn for the enemy. To You I praise for all things and all experiences. Amen.

Reflection
God knows who has set out to attack, diminish, humiliate, and possibly destroy your faith in Him. He knows the end of the story before you realized you were starring in the soap opera. Rather than react to people and circumstances, we must stand strong in prayer and reflection, to hear and respond to God’s voice and not our weak human pride. God balances all things, so let Him do His work on His time.

Questions of the Day
1. What is your opinion about today’s message?
2. What would you like to add or emphasize in today’s prayer and reflection?
3. If you have a testimony, please share it so others may learn of and from your healing journey.

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2014. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.7.15

For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ NASB

Pray
Father I pray for discernment to know Your voice from all others. Father bless me with the ability to recognize the enemy’s voice, words, and ways that would lead me astray. I pray to honor You always in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reflection
Do not pay attention to and obey those voices that would lead you astray, trying to convince you that somehow you can do something, experience something, be something without God’s will and grace.

Our world is so confused and chaotic, filled with people who struggle daily to find the God particle, struggle with their inability to play God, and aren’t quite sure why they can’t be God on some level. That’s the enemy convincing them that they have the capability to be God’s equal. Don’t fall for the foolishness. Protect your mind, heart, spirit, and soul.

Questions of the Day
1. What do you think about today’s message?
2. What would you like to add?
3. What examples or testimonies would you like to share?

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2014. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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 1.6.15

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment. Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, “Behold, the LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded, ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun.

Deborah said to Barak, “Arise! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hands; behold, the LORD has gone out before you.” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.

Judges‬ ‭4‬:‭4-6, 14‬ NASB

Pray
Father I pray for insight and discernment to make sense of the senseless and see through the facades; that I might have the courage to take all paths that You lay before me, and the strength to endure. I pray for these things in Jesus’ name, as a believer in Christ. Amen.

Reflection
Let me start off by wishing my aunt, Debborah Foreman, a very happy birthday. I love you Debbie!

My aunt Debborah is a devoted child of God, with insight and wisdom that she never takes for granted. Her humility is beautiful. In a world of arrogance and greed, we can be turned away by the vileness of the dark we see and experience, so when I see light I stop and appreciate it for as long as possible.

I value my aunt’s strength and courage. I value her love for family and justice. She is a giver and has taught me so much about giving and serving, and listening to God’s voice within. I regret the numerous times over the years when I didn’t heed her warnings and take her advice, where she clearly stood in as a intercom system for God.

What if Barak hadn’t listened to Deborah? Imagine the numerous other times when Deborah was of great service to others, but her stories have been edited out of the version we possess.

Do you have a Deborah or a Debborah in your life that you would like to acknowledge and honor?

Questions of the Day
1.What would you like to say about the Deborah/Debborah in your life?
2. What would you like to add to today’s prayer?
3. What came to mind as you read today’s message?

Feel free to share your answers, prayers, comments, and reflections in the comment section below. You can also send me an email at: breakingbreadwithnatasha@gmail.com

Please also feel free to share this post with others. We’re never quite sure who needs to hear and see what, and when! It would be awesome if whenever you run across a prayer, message, or scripture that moves you, you would kindly share it with the rest of us. You can post it on this blog or send me an email.

Love always,
Natasha

Copyright 2013-2014. Natasha Foreman Bryant. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha Foreman Bryant, unless otherwise noted. Prior posts from 2009-2013 are copyrighted under the name Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.(www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “CEB” and “Common English Bible” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

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.