well, that hurt

You can trust what your friend says, even when it hurts. But your enemies want to hurt you, even when they act nice.

- Proverbs 27:6 (ERV)

 

I chose the Easy-to-Read Version translation for this verse because I wanted to get your attention.
The King James Version reads “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

I do not like shopping, and I especially dislike shopping for clothes because I am always afraid that I will pick out something horrid and embarrass my husband when I wear it.
So, much to his dismay, I will beg him to go shopping with me. 
Lots of friends have offered to go with me but I really trust my husband to give me his honest opinion, no matter how much it might hurt my feelings.
What a weird analogy for a Bible verse. 

But wait, there’s more.
I hear a lot of people say that they don’t go to church because the church is full of hypocrites.
People say that they don’t believe in organized religion. 

Some say that they can read the Bible just fine by themselves, they don’t need someone to tell them what it says.
Well guess what? 
That is exactly what the enemy wants you to believe. 
If I come to you and say that you need to find a church home, I am saying it out of love.

We can’t learn the Bible on our own, we need the knowledge and understanding of others to help us along the way.
When your friend tells you that you don’t need a church, or a Bible study, or like-minded friends, they aren’t really your friend, they are trying to pull you further from God’s word.
As Christ followers we need to encourage others to follow Christ too, even when they feel that we are being mean.
I saw this on Facebook a few weeks ago: 
Satan says: You have disappointed God too many times. Give up.
God says: I knew everything you would do before you were born, and still called you. I’m not finished with you.

Let that sink in.  

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

copycat

Follow God’s example in everything you do just as a much loved child imitates his father.

- Ephesians 5:1 (TLB)

 

Copycat!!!!
Those were words you never wanted to hear as a child. 
Honestly, most adults don’t want to hear them either because it really has a negative connotation.
People who become copycats are generally lacking self esteem, they want what someone else has so they copy that person to try and get it.
Then there is the expression “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” which is saying that the copycat is complimenting the person they choose to copy.
It is a completely different idea when we imitate God – we should imitate God! 
In fact, the New King James Version of this verse reads “Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children”, but I chose The Living Bible translation for a purpose.
In 1994 Phillips, Craig and Dean released the song I Want To Be Just Like You, here are some of the lyrics:
He climbs in my lap for a goodnight hug

He calls me Dad and I call him Bub

With his faded old pillow, a bear named Pooh

He snuggles up close and says, "I want to be like you"

I tuck him in bed and I kiss him goodnight

Trippin' over the toys as I turn out the light

I whisper a prayer that someday he'll see

He's got a father in God 'cause he's seen Jesus in me

Lord, I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be just like me

I want to be a holy example

For his innocent eyes to see

Help me be a living Bible, Lord

That my little boy can read

I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be like me

Got to admit I've got so far to go

Make so many mistakes and I'm sure that You know

Sometimes it seems no matter how hard I try

With all the pressures in life I just can't get it all right

But I'm trying so hard to learn from the best

Being patient and kind, filled with Your tenderness

'Cause I know that he'll learn from the things that he sees

And the Jesus he finds will be the Jesus in me

Lord, I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be just like me

I want to be a holy example

For his innocent eyes to see

Help me be a living Bible, Lord

That my little boy can read

I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be like me

Right now from where he stands, I may seem mighty tall

But it's only 'cause I'm learning from the best father of them all

Lord, I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be just like me

I want to be a holy example

For his innocent eyes to see

Help me be a living Bible, Lord

That my little boy can read

I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be like me

We’ve always said that children live what they learn, (that is a completely different quote), so shouldn’t we want them to see us imitating God?

Think about who else might be watching when you do things, who might follow your lead.
I’ve written about the “pay it forward” concept before, how what one person does can cause a chain reaction or a ripple effect of good deeds.
Now think about the opposite, how terrible it would be if people saw something terrible and went on to do something equally awful.
In 1889,  Oscar Wilde said “Life imitates art far more that art imitates life” and he argued that rather than merely copy, life imitates art because life craves a kind of expression found in great art.

What if we craved the kind of expression we see in Jesus, and we started to imitate Him?  

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

a fresh start

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.

- Proverbs 21:30 (NIV)

 

I don’t have the best memories of junior high or high school.

Up until my senior year, I was the fat girl that no one liked, that people liked to embarrass.

The mean girls and guys in my school put some of the movie and tv show mean girls to shame.

I begged my parents to let me switch schools so I could have a fresh start.
Looking back, it would not have made a difference, evil lurks in all corners of any city, I would not have gotten away from the mean girls.

No matter how fresh the start nor how great the plans we have made, if we do not walk with God, nothing will be a spiritual success.

It is time for a new year, a fresh start if you will.

As we receive this gift of a new year, let's commit to serve the Lord.

As we make plans for the coming days ahead, let's make sure that those plans are made based on what is revealed to us in Scripture.

Let’s be in prayerful consideration of what our God wants us to accomplish.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

don’t do it

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

- Romans 12:21 (NKJV)

 

Difficult people are everywhere.

At your work, at the store, driving on the roads, in your family and even in your church!

I read somewhere that the number one goal in dealing with difficult people or circumstances is this: Don't become what you hate.

We aren’t talking about hating the difficult person, it means that we don't want to become evil, wicked, petty, vindictive or sinful in our actions and motivations.

We don't overcome the devil by underhanded and dishonorable means.

We don’t treat others poorly just because they are horrible to us.

We overcome evil and drive it back by doing what is right and filling our hearts and lives with goodness.

There is no greater example of overcoming evil with good than Jesus.
He is the best overcomer of all. 

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

best gift ever

Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan.

- Ephesians 1:11 (NLT)

 

All the gifts have been unwrapped, some trees are put away for the season, and we are off to a great start for 2024 because we have been given an inheritance from God.

What we do with it is up to us.

As crazy as the past few years have been, even I have to admit that there have been amazing things that have happened.

People got married, had babies, bought houses, started new jobs, went on the vacation of a lifetime.

There were 365 days last year, something good had to happen to you on at least one of those days.

I challenge you to find that good thing, no matter how small, and let the joy of it grow within you.

God did choose you, and He does have a plan, and it will work out in His time.

Hang in there and embrace the gifts He has given you.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

harmony

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

- Romans 12:16 (NIV)

 

"Don't be conceited!"

Well, that must be a command for someone else, right?

I don't think that I've ever met someone who felt he or she was conceited.

Many times, when we’re looking for someone with whom we want to associate, we seldom look for someone ignored by the crowd, forgotten by the pretty people, and easily overlooked by others.

We want to hang around with those who are important, the superstars, or at least someone who carries some clout.

We believe we deserve to be noticed and valued, too, and many times we will go to extremes to show others that we deserve to be “top dog”.

Oh, I guess that's where the commands in this verse come from!

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

happy new year!

Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

- Isaiah 43:18-19 (NKJV)

 

Happy New Year!
Go into today knowing that God is bringing good and wonderful things to us this year.
Will I continue to write in 2024? 
I mean, sometimes I get serious writer’s block and i just don’t know what to write. 
Sometimes my heart is so heavy I just can’t find anything to say that doesn’t sound hurt or angry.

Sometimes I feel like no one reads these and it doesn’t make a difference if I write or not.

But God.

When I am starting to feel like I should stop writing, God sends a message through a reader that says, “your words touched me”.

When I feel like no one is listening, God sends someone that says “Are you ok? Your message seemed sad today”.

When I am at the end of my rope, God tells me I am not done yet, keep writing.

So, we are here in 2024, a new beginning, new plans, new adventures and more of my daily ramblings.

Thank you for being a reader, a friend and sometimes a critic.

With that being said, don’t continue to agonize over last year, move on!

God is making all things new, just wait, His word tells us we will be made new. 

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible