Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.31.15

March 31, 2015Natasha 1 Comment

Scripture

But being aware of this, Jesus went away from there. And many people joined and accompanied Him, and He cured all of them, And strictly charged them and sharply warned them not to make Him publicly known. This was in fulfillment of what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, Behold, My Servant Whom I have chosen, My Beloved in and with Whom My soul is well pleased and has found its delight. I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall proclaim and show forth justice to the nations. He will not strive or wrangle or cry out loudly; nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets….

Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭15-19‬ AMP

Pray

Father, another day You bless me with life, resources and opportunity. Thank You. Thank You for the gift of Your Word, as It both guides and comforts me. Thank You for Your Son Jesus Christ, because He shows me the way to You. I’m humbly grateful for all that You have done, are doing, and will do for me. Today I take my next step forward in my attempt to be the servant that You need me to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reflection

Jesus told people that he healed to not tell others that he was the one that healed them. I used to wonder why, but as I became a more enlightened student of the Word it became clear. The prophet Isaiah prophesied about Jesus’s coming and how he would live and be (as God intended), and Jesus was always making sure that he adhered to those prophesies.

To be as God intended him to be meant that he wasn’t to brag and boast, self-promote, stand elevated above crowds on his ‘soapbox’ preaching loudly. God intended for Jesus to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, cleanse lepers, and spread the Word—to build God’s Kingdom through faith that came from good deeds.

Jesus wanted people to turn to and be faithful to God, his Father, our Father. Jesus wasn’t recruiting people for his own selfish gains. Jesus wasn’t building up an entourage to serve him and his desires. Jesus taught disciples so that they could do God’s Work, share His love, and bring people in to God’s Kingdom. It wasn’t for the purpose of building a congregation to adore and praise him.

Jesus knew that he was charged to be the way, the guide, to God, but he never took that to mean that he was equal to God. He never let his role, position, and title get to his head. Had he, he would have made it crystal clear who he was and Who sent him. He would’ve told the Pharisees and others who plotted against him, “I’m the son of God who sent me to redeem your souls, ” but he didn’t—because that was not God’s plan for him. That is not what Isaiah prophesied.

Jesus was 100 percent obedient. Imagine yourself with that level of commitment and obedience. When God tells you to turn left, you don’t question Him, you simply turn left. When God tells you not to eat the fruit, you don’t question Him, you simply don’t eat the fruit. When God tells you not to cross the line and become intimate with another person, you don’t question if that’s really God’s voice, you simply refrain from intimacy with the other person. You are obedient 100 percent of the time. Imagine that.

Jesus left some super huge footprints. You don’t have to try and fill them, just follow them.

Questions of the Day

1. What do you think of today’s message?

2. What would you like to add to today’s message?

3. What would you say to Jesus if you had been a follower of his during his time?

4. What has been your biggest obstacle when trying to follow Jesus’ footprints?

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,

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 3.30.15

March 30, 2015Natasha Leave a comment

Scripture

He who loves [and takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me.

Whoever finds his [lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life].

He who receives and welcomes and accepts you receives and welcomes and accepts Me, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts Me receives and welcomes and accepts Him Who sent Me.

And blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is he who takes no offense at Me and finds no cause for stumbling in or through Me and is not hindered from seeing the Truth.

Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭37-40‬ AMP; Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬ AMP

Pray

Thank You Father for this day, another day of life to serve and try to reflect You. You know my heart and what I’m trying to do. You know my desire to commit fully to You, and not waiver. Help me Father to see how to learn and live by Your Son’s words and ways, as You taught Him, so that I may do right by and for You. As a believer in Jesus Christ and a tested, yet struggling, follower of Your Word—I give You all the glory. Amen.

Reflection

The biggest hurdle as a Christian is letting go of our human ways, wants, desires, and connections—and seeking out only the spiritual life that only God can provide. Our love for our children is the love God has for us, but we’re to love Him more than our children. We’re to love Him more than our spouses, parents, and other family members. We’re supposed to cleave to Him, not them.

God sent so many men and women before Jesus, to prepare the people for Jesus—just for the people to reject or not protect Jesus. Consider had the masses turned on the human power structure that called for Jesus’ crucifixion, and instead loudly and broadly declared Jesus as the Son of God—how would life have been at that time? How would life be now?

By accepting and believing both Jesus and God, His Father, our Father, there would have been generational acceptance and embrace that would have changed how people interacted, dealt with issues and disputes, handled crime (which would’ve been lowered significantly), worshipped, and so much more.

Jesus sacrificed for us, but what have we done for Him and God? Turn on local, national, and global news stations and see for yourself.

Questions of the Day

1. What do you think of today’s message?

2. What would you like to add to today’s message?

3. What are your biggest struggles within your relationship with Jesus and God?

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

Love always,

Natasha

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,

Sharing a Psalm on Saturday

March 28, 2015Natasha Leave a comment

My mother shared this scripture with me, and I decided to share it with all of you—and add a pop of color so that it captures you visually. Please read, meditate on it, and share with others.

Love,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.27.15

March 27, 2015Natasha Leave a comment

Scripture

And when the demon was driven out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds were stunned with bewildered wonder, saying, Never before has anything like this been seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He drives out demons through and with the help of the prince of demons.

Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭33-34‬ AMP

Pray

Father please forgive the ignorant who see Your works and how You worked through Your Son, but still doubt that it is You. Forgive me for my moments of doubt in Your willingness to handle certain situations in a timeframe that I am rushed to meet. Forgive me for the times I’ve been swayed by mortal mind. Even when I’ve backtracked, I’ve always resumed Your course. So You know my heart. I thank You for not judging me harshly for my foolishness. I also thank You for allowing me to learn certain hard lessons, and sparing me from the devastating lessons. In Jesus’s name I pray to You. Amen.

Reflection

Imagine doing good, doing God’s work, and there are large groups of people who doubt your gifts and that they come from God. Imagine them spreading lies and propaganda about you. Imagine that while you give all the glory and honor to God, taking credit for none of the work you do, this group of people say that you’re doing the work of the enemy.

Now maybe you could handle a few weeks or months of this, but consider this happening over a span of a few years, to the point that things become so intense that now these same people are plotting and planning to kill you—oddly enough, in the name of God.

Imagine that.

Well, that’s what Jesus went through, and even on the cross being crucified he asked God to forgive these people who tormented him and doubted that God was working through him. He asked God to forgive them people who earlier praised him and were grateful for their healings, but later were part of the collective chants calling for his crucifixion.

What is sad is to think of how Jesus would be treated today if he ever walked around healing in mass numbers like he did during his time. The vast majority of the world wouldn’t believe he was Christ, and disturbingly many governments would most likely attempt to incarcerate him or place him under secured observation, isolated for you and I–like he is a science experiment or something.

So many people talk and talk and talk about Jesus’ coming, but wouldn’t know how to prepare for his arrival even if there was a step-by-step video. We have so much spiritual purging and cleansing that we need to do individually and collectively.

What kind of believer are you truly?

Questions of the Day

1. What do you think of today’s message?

2. What would you like to add to today’s message?

3. When you think of Jesus returning (or already being here and eventually making his appearance known) how do you think society will treat him?

4. If Jesus walked up to you right now, would you be prepared for that conversation?

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

Love always,

Natasha

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.25.15

March 25, 2015Natasha Leave a comment

Message from Natasha:

I found this reflection (about the scripture below) and I felt compelled to share it with all of you. The reflection was written by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel. I think that they live in London, so we will travel the globe today to hear from them. I chose to only include my prayer, but not add a reflection of my own today. Enjoy!

Love,

Natasha

And after He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly, behold, there arose a violent storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered up by the waves; but He was sleeping. And they went and awakened Him, saying, Lord, rescue and preserve us! We are perishing! And He said to them, Why are you timid and afraid, O you of little faith? Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great and wonderful calm (a perfect peaceableness). And the men were stunned with bewildered wonder and marveled, saying, What kind of Man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him!

Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭23-27‬ AMP

Natasha’s Prayer (please pray silently or aloud)

Father I’ve had my share of storms since birth and I’m so grateful that I’ve made it through, with lessons to share and wisdom gained. I’m going through a storm right now, but I’m not going to succumb to the pressure. I know where my strength lies, and that is with You. I may shed some tears. I may cry out in pain. But I will never give up. Thank You for equipping me with what I need as Your soldier. In Jesus’ name I praise and give thanks to You. Amen.

Reflection by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel

The storms of life are many and varied. They include illness, opposition, pressures at work, unemployment, relationship difficulties, loss, bereavement and persecution.

Sometimes the storms in our lives appear without warning. Jesus was in the boat with his disciples sleeping when ‘Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat’ (8:24).

Presumably the disciples were used to storms on the Sea of Galilee; it was renowned for sudden flash storms, stirring the water into twenty-foot waves. However, this storm must have been a particularly serious one because the disciples woke Jesus up and said, ‘We’re going to drown!’ (v.25).

During the storms it is natural to panic (certainly I tend to). Sometimes it appears that Jesus is ‘sleeping’ (v.24). He does not appear to be doing anything about our problems. Thankfully, we can all cry out, as they did, ‘Lord, save us!’ (v.25).

The natural response to the storms of life is doubt and fear. Jesus tells them that our response to storms should be trust (‘You of little faith’, v.26a) and that we should not be afraid (‘Why are you so afraid?’ v.26a). Jesus is quite capable of calming the storm and that is exactly what he did.

Questions of the Day

1. What are your thoughts about today’s scripture, prayer, and reflection?

2. What storms have you survived and made it through?

3. What storm are you currently in that you would like prayer from other believers?

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

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,

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.24.15

March 24, 2015Natasha Leave a comment

The Lord judges the people; judge me, O Lord, and do me justice according to my righteousness [my rightness, justice, and right standing with You] and according to the integrity that is in me.

Psalm‬ ‭7‬:‭8‬ AMP

Pray

Father thank You for today. Thank You for my countless spiritual, mental, and physical blessings. You know that I’m working on myself as You mold me. I’m working on being the person who can, without fear, stand and pray to be judged according to my righteousness and integrity. As You know, that person is within me, but I have not matured to fully become that person. With You I one day will. I know and believe this in my heart. Thank You Father for not giving up on me. Amen.

Reflection

I have to be honest with myself. I know that I would pass out if I said to God that I wanted Him to assess my rightness, justice, alignment with him, and my integrity. I’ve faltered so much in my life, even slipping up this week—choosing profanity rather than using intelligent words to describe my feelings and thinking. If God judged me instantaneously for the things I do and say, I probably wouldn’t be alive right now—or I would be in absolute misery. Imagine that.

Imagine swift justice for your actions. What if God stopped being so merciful and gracious, and instead just immediately judged us for our words and actions?

We can’t say that the day may never come when He just decides to do a clean sweep of humankind and remind us, once again, of Who He is and Who we are. So shouldn’t we work in fast track mode to get our minds, heart, and bodies aligned to where He wants us?

I’m working on my potty mouth. I know I can control it because I control it around children, the elderly, at church, and in environments where I know it’s not appropriate. I went several months not using one curse word. So I know I can stop. I’m stronger than what I give myself credit.

I say that I’m a reflection of God, but if my words don’t consistently sound like Jesus (our human example of the direct connection that we have with God) and my actions don’t consistently mirror Jesus’, then I’m not reflecting God—and if I’m not reflecting Him, then who or what am I reflecting?

Scary thought.

Questions of the Day

1.What do you think of today’s message?

2. When you look closely at yourself, do your words, thoughts and actions consistently reflect God or someone/something else? What do you base your answer on?

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

Love always,

Natasha

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,

I Think I Figured Out The Glitch

March 23, 2015Natasha Leave a comment

I’ve been having issues with posting my Breaking Bread messages, and I think that after updating and rebooting the system, that all things should be working fine. My apologies for the scattered and missing posts.

Warmest wishes and love,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.23.15

March 23, 2015Natasha Leave a comment

Take no part in and have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds and enterprises of darkness, but instead [let your lives be so in contrast as to] expose and reprove and convict them. For it is a shame even to speak of or mention the things that [such people] practice in secret. But when anything is exposed and reproved by the light, it is made visible and clear; and where everything is visible and clear there is light.

Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭11-13‬ AMP

Pray

Father please make clear my eyes, thoughts, and hearing, so that I can not only distinguish light from dark but also see the path that You intend for me to walk on. I want to see early on and steer clear of those who make the choice to walk in darkness. I don’t want to disappoint or dishonor You.

Father You know my heart and intent, and You also know my weaknesses and that although intent matters, my consistent actions shows where I need to be corrected so that I can be strengthened to overcome. Only You can achieve this and I thank You for the molding process that You are putting me through. I thank You for forgiving my slip ups. I thank You for Your mercy, and know that it is not my right but a privilege that You offer me. I’m working on my obedience Father, as I’m exhausted from the consequences of my disobedience. In Jesus’ name I praise You. Amen.

Reflection

God speaks to and through us in the simplest of ways, our intuition–that gut feeling you have, that small Voice within that steers you one direction over the other–but do we consistently listen and obey?

My dad used to tell me all of the time that I needed to listen, trust, and obey the Voice, because it was God. He shared with me a real-life story of a woman who back in the 1950s (I think) used to sit in her backyard and pray aloud to God. She would pray through conversation, not a rhythmic chant or poem that many have grown to emulate. She would just speak as though she was having a one-sided conversation with another person.

Many of us participate in a verbal and mental tug-of-war (reasoning and rationalization) with that inner voice, not knowing that this is us conversing with God. Many people feel comfortable with short bursts of communication with God, like:

“God please forgive me!”

“God bless you”

“What did I do to deserve this God”

“God d****”

“God please help me”

“God I promise that if You do _____, that I will never do ____ again”

“God is good all the time…and all the time, God is good!”

Hopefully you get the gist of what I’m saying. We’re conditioned to accept short phrases, but we’re uncomfortable and sometimes outraged when we hear people make reference to speaking with or hearing God’s Voice speaking to them. We roll our eyes, suck our teeth, and try to avoid these people at all cost. Case in point when you hear someone say:

“God told me yesterday to ______”

“I heard God’s Voice tell me to_____”

We’re less comfortable with that but more comfortable with:

“I heard a small voice tell me to _____”

“My gut said to ____”

“My intuition said ____”

Why are we comfortable with these versions of God speaking to us than the earlier versions I shared? Because we have been hoodwinked to believe that only certain, special people, have a close enough relationship with God to speak to Him, and vice versa. Only men and women of the religious cloth can have that type of communion with Him, but not the rest of us.

We forget that every story and parable in scriptural text is of a man or woman who were regular Joe and Jane. Those who heard the Voice tell them where to go or whom to speak with, were just like you and I. Even those who eventually were given titles or commands of authority, were regular people like us that God touched and elevated to a status of high regard.

We want to limit God’s ability to communicate with billions of people at one time. In our limited thinking, we want to say that God couldn’t possibly have this capability, because we don’t, and so at most He could only be speaking to a few hundred or a few thousand people of one or more religious denominations. Then those chosen come before us and somehow translate and connect us to God, and His unique and individual messages to us. So anyone who claims to have their own relationship with God, admits to speaking silently or aloud to God, must be crazy.

We believe in ghosts and spirits, but we can’t fathom God’s active engagement in our lives. Now that’s lunacy!

This woman that my dad told me about (from circa 1950s) was having her private time with God, and a neighbor, not understanding clearly that we all commune differently with God, misunderstood this to mean that the woman was insane. In the neighbors mind, ‘who in their right mind would be sitting down talking to God as though He had the capability of answering, and we had the capability of hearing?‘ So because she was obviously an expert in what God could and couldn’t do, and the capabilities of the average human, she (the neighbor) had this woman of God committed to the insane asylum for speaking with God.

This of course was during an era where anyone could get a person committed for just about anything deemed “abnormal”. I’m sure that the vast majority of you appreciate the laws that now protect us from this hastiness.

I share this lengthy reflection today because we highlight and protect people doing evil every day in their homes, businesses, hotels, and throughout the communities where we raise our families. We are playing an active role in darkness. We are condoning it. Yet we marginalize people who are actively walking with the Lord. Why must we tone down our talk about God to make others (nonbelievers and conditional believers) feel comfortable? Why are eyes rolled when a person who speaks highly and frequently of God enters the room, but people rush to the side of the person who pimps and takes advantage of others?

I would rather be known and admonished by humans for trying my best to walk with and obey God, to speak and listen to Him daily, and sharing His Word with whomever will receive it, than be clumped in and associated with who or what’s hot on reality TV this season–and then have to face God and explain myself.

I am trying to consistently follow the light. We should be embracing the person praying aloud to God, regardless of where they’re praying and regardless of how they are praying. Chastise the person using His name in vain, not the person praising It!

Questions of the Day

1. What would you like to share about today’s message?

2. What are your thoughts, feelings, opinions about today’s prayer or reflection?

3. Why do you think we struggle with accepting God in our lives and instead of fully accepting our connection with Him, we are more inclined to say that we made certain decisions based on gut instinct?

4. What testimony would you like to share with us?

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

Love always,

Natasha

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.18.15

March 18, 2015Natasha Leave a comment

Giving Back to God

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.”

(Leviticus 27:30, NKJV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Everything we have has been given to us by God. He entrusts us with His resources and wants us to be good stewards of what we have. In scripture, Jesus talks about some men who were entrusted with some resources. They all had different amounts but they were supposed to be faithful and increase what they had. How do we increase what we have? By sowing, by giving, by being faithful and obedient to Him. Just like planting a seed in the natural yields a harvest of increase, when you sow finances to God’s work, you’ll receive an abundant harvest in return.

Remember, God wants to bless you. He wants to increase you. When you give, when you sow, when you honor Him with your first fruits, that’s when you’ll see the windows of Heaven open. That’s when you’ll see His hand of provision and blessing in your life. Give back to God, be a faithful steward, and He will give back to you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for blessing me with seed to sow. I choose to be faithful. I choose to obey Your word. I choose to be a giver knowing that You will increase me in every area of life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Natasha’s Reflection

There’s something that happens internally when you give, whatever it is you soon feel it all over your body. Spiritually you can call it peace, joy, and love. Scientifically I know they can tell us which hormones trigger the physical response that we notice. But even they don’t know the why. The why is clear, it’s our connection to God. Giving is serving God. Giving is our reflection of God. The more we give the better we feel, and the more we receive. It’s a win-win scenario, so why don’t we do it more often?

Questions of the Day

1.What do you think of today’s message?

2. What would you like to add to today’s prayer and/or reflections?

3. In what ways have you been giving back to God?

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

Love always,

Natasha

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.13.15

March 13, 2015Natasha Leave a comment

Message from Natasha

First, let me start off by making an acknowledgment. Yesterday’s scripture was shared by my mom, Gwen Foreman. I was absent-minded and forgot to give her credit for sharing with the Breaking Bread family. Thank you mom. I love you!!!

My friend Juanita sent me today’s message that was written by Joel and Victoria Osteen. My personal reflection that follows may also hit home for many of you. Enjoy!

It’s All on the Inside

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“…The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

(1 Samuel 16:7, NIV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

When you become a believer in Christ, He begins to work in and through you automatically. Inside, you are becoming a completely new person. No one else around you may notice the change, at least immediately, because people usually only see the outside of a person and what they can see and hear. Sometimes, you yourself may not even see or feel the change. But the fact is that God changed you when you became a believer, and He is still changing you because you belong to Him.

Today, don’t be discouraged if others around you don’t seem to notice the work God is doing in your life. You just remember that a life-changing transformation has taken place in your heart. God sees the difference, He knows what’s inside you and He is bringing victory to every area of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

God, thank You for Your life-changing power and strength. Give me eyes to see myself and others the way You see them, from the inside out in Jesus’ name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Natasha’s Reflection

I’m grateful for today because I am alive, another day. Today’s message hit me hard because there are days when it seems as though those around me take me for granted, or only value the work (that I do) when it directly benefits them, yet they dismiss my other work.

I am constantly serving the least of these God children, yet I am encouraged to give my time freely to those who are thriving, only wanting not needing my help. My teeth grind because someone would have the audacity to place a value on my time and talent, and tell me how to use them. If I am to give freely of my time and talent, then I choose to give them to the poor, needy, homeless, helpless, hopeless, and those barely holding on to hope. I would rather see the light spark within someone who is dismissed by the masses of the world, than invest time in people who live with a sense of entitlement and expectation.

There are days when my time is clearly not valued. I’m worn out and drained. I question if this is them or me. Did I present myself in a way at some point where I was somehow someway “Super Woman”, and that I would always make and have the time for others, dropping my important to-dos for theirs? Or do they plain and simply value my time less than their own?

God has been working on me, molding me, instilling values and an understanding of myself and my mission deep inside of my mind and heavily on my heart, so that I can’t easily forget or dismiss. Instead of being upset when those around me pull me in multiple directions for their self-benefit, I will instead smile.

I will smile because they are pulling at me for all of the gifts and talents that God has given me.

Instead of feeling like cursing at these people and shutting them out, I will be inclined to praise my Heavenly Father-Mother. I will just stop and thank God and pray for the strength and vision to press forward.

I know what God is doing to, for, and through me and I have to trust that He has already mapped out how to deal with those people who lovingly (or narcissistically) try to pull me off of my path onto their paths.

It doesn’t matter if other people can see what God is doing in your life. All that matters is that YOU see and know it, and that YOU obey Him over all others. It’s not easy. It’s not supposed to be easy. This is what separates those who walk the walk from those who talk the talk. Just smile and keep marching forward!

Questions of the Day

1.What do you think of today’s message?

2. What would you like to add to today’s prayer and/or reflections?

3. Please share your testimony as it pertains to persevering even when others didn’t see God’s Work in your life.

4. What have you been struggling with lately?

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

Love always,

Natasha

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,

Just Discovered Glitch and Missing Posts

March 13, 2015Natasha Leave a comment

Good afternoon Breaking Bread family!

I use an app to upload my posts that are shared to your email inboxes and directly on my Breaking Bread site, and in the past I have had issues with my posts getting stuck in limbo, but I could quickly resolve the issue. Well today I discovered that my March 11th and 12th posts never posted, and I’ve been struggling to get today’s post to upload. So please be patient as I attempt to untangle this technological mess.

Thank you.

Warmest wishes,

Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.12.15

March 12, 2015Natasha Leave a comment

God is always before us and beside us. He is everywhere at every time, always working on our behalf. Trust God and do good; seek happiness in Him and He will give you your hearts desires. Glory!

Psalm 37:3-4

Pray

I don’t need to physically see You Father to believe in You and Your Works. I know that You are with me. I feel Your presence every moment of every day. I thank You for all that You have done, are doing, and will do for me. I pray to You as a believer in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Reflection

God is the only dependable source. God is the best listener and biggest giver, the fastest and most consistent, the only endless supply of the priceless. He is beginning, middle, and end. He is all in all. What more could you ever want or need?

Questions of the Day

1.What do you think of today’s message?

2. What are you grateful for today?

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

Love always,

Natasha

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.10.15

March 10, 2015Natasha 2 Comments

Appointed Favor

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
(Ephesians 2:10, NASB)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

God has already prepared paths for you to take in your future! When God laid out the plan for your life, He lined up the right people, the right circumstances and the right breaks. In your future, He’s already released favor, supernatural opportunities and divine connections. The breaks you need in life have already been preordained to come across your path. If you will stay in faith and go out each day and be a person of excellence, you’ll walk into these appointments of favor. It will be just as if you stumbled into God’s blessings!

When you really understand this principle, you’ll begin to get excited about every single day! You’ll have a spring in your step as you think about what blessing is coming next! It could be today. It could be tomorrow. It could be next week. Keep expecting. Keep believing. Stay focused on the fact that God has already released into your future everything you need to fulfill your destiny. Start declaring seasons of increase over your life. Declare that favor is on you and opportunities are coming. As you do, you’ll move forward into the favor and blessing God has ordered for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, thank You for setting up a good life for me. Thank You for ordering good things for my future. Help me to understand Your goodness more so that I can trust You and follow Your path for me all the days of my life in Jesus name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Natasha’s Reflection
Every day I open my eyes I thank God for another day of service. I then live each day serving others in His name.

Be grateful and show your gratitude, and watch how God works for and through you.

Questions of the Day
1.What do you think of today’s message?
2. What are you excited about today?
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

Love always,
Natasha

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.9.15

March 9, 2015Natasha Leave a comment

Message from Natasha:

Let me start off by saying that I have missed all of you, and missed this time to engage with you and pray together. I took a break from my posts, as I have done in the past, to recharge myself. This journey is not an easy one and there are times when I need to take a break and work on myself and reflect. I thank you for your constant support and encouragement, and for understanding when I need these breaks.

This morning I saw this message from Joel and Victoria Osteen and decided to share it instead of my own. I hope that it stirs something within you that encourages you to share a testimony and/or expand on the prayer or reflection. Enjoy.

With Love,

Natasha

Established in God

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved.”

(Proverbs 12:3, ESV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Do you ever feel tossed around by the storms of life? Have you ever seen a tree in a hurricane? The winds and the rain blow the leaves from the branches, and sometimes the branches are torn off or the tree is blown over. But, the tree’s roots are protected from the weather by being firmly established in the ground. The same is true in our lives. If our thinking is not in line with the Word of God, we become vulnerable during the difficult times. But when our thoughts are in line with God’s thoughts, He plants a righteous root within us. We become firmly established. Our thinking becomes clear so we can be strong and overcome the storms of life.

God wants you to be solid. He wants you to be steady. He wants you to have an established life and character. He wants your roots to grow deep in His Word. He wants you to be righteous in Him. Ask the Lord today to show you any areas of your thought life that might need to be firmly planted in God’s Word. As you develop your relationship with the Lord, you will grow deep spiritual roots and stand victoriously against the storms of life.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your plan for my life today. Help me to grow deep roots in my relationship with You. Cause my thoughts to be Your thoughts so that I will be strong and established. Thank You for Your favor and blessing in my life today in Jesus’ name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Natasha’s Reflection

We all go through ups and downs in life. We all have failed at something, at sometime in our life. Some of us just failed at something today. This is our journey. It is not what we’re going through that matters, it’s how we respond, react, and recover. How are we built, rooted, and reinforced?

Are you rooted in God’s firm, healthy soil, or are you rooted in sinking sand?

Questions of the Day

1.What do you think of today’s message?

2. What testimony do you have to share that reflects how your roots in God’s Word helped to stabilize you during one of life’s ‘storms’?

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

Love always,

Natasha

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,

Breaking Bread With Natasha

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Month: March 2015

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.31.15

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.30.15

Sharing a Psalm on Saturday

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.27.15

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.25.15

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.24.15

I Think I Figured Out The Glitch

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.23.15

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.18.15

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.13.15

Just Discovered Glitch and Missing Posts

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.12.15

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.10.15

Natasha’s Daily Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection for 3.9.15

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