plants

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.

- Isaiah 40:8 (NIV) 

 

My grandmother and my mother could make any plant thrive.
When I was growing up, my mother had no less than 30 plants that she nurtured every day.
Some went outside in the spring and came back in during the fall, and some were inside all the time.

There were begonias, violets, airplane plants, aloe plants, spider plants (EWWWW) and even several kinds of cacti.
On the other hand, I can kill a plastic plant without effort. 

I’m not kidding.
Every plant I have ever had has died a noble death, but the word of God, it’s not going to die.
You can’t over water the word of God. 
You can’t give the word of God too much sun. 

The word of God does not freeze.
I may not be able to make a plant grow, but I can share the undying word of God and watch people grow in Him.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

so many

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

- John 10:16 (NKJV)

 

At least twice in this century attempts have been made to form a continuous human chain across the contiguous United States.
You may or may not remember the campaigns in 1976 and again in 1986 called Hands Across America.
The unrelated events had different goals and results, in 1976 the plan was to celebrate the Bicentennial if the United States, but organizers only succeeded in setting up 8-10 miles of chains in and around Chicago.
In 1986, the campaign organized 5-6.5 million people hold hands for 15 minutes, donating $10 per person that were donated to local charities to fight hunger and homelessness.
For 15 minutes, everyone was the same. 

We are all His sheep, not one of us is better than the other.

God loves each one of us, loves us enough to run after us when we are lost.
We are one flock, and we have one Shepherd. 
Listen for His voice. 

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

I can’t, but God can

Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

- Genesis 18:14 (NKJV)

 

I struggle a lot.

There are times where nothing I do is right, and I let down the people around me.

I fail.
There are days that I simply can’t crawl out of bed to face all the people that are disappointed in me.
I can’t, but God can. 
Sarah was 90 years old when she gave birth to Isaac. 
David killed a giant with a rock. 
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not burned when they were thrown into a blazing fire.
Nothing is too hard for God. 
Even when I can’t, God can. 
He is the hope that gets us through every day. 

 

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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

weeds

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

- Galatians 6:7-8 (NLT)

 

We all have people in our lives that will try to fool us into believe things that are not true.

Perhaps we are hearing some vicious gossip about a coworker or a story about someone we know that is laced with just enough truth that we are inclined to believe them.

These people are not good, and they will try to sway you by sowing seeds of discontent in your garden.

Heck, even the devil quoted scripture!

Don’t let people spread bad seeds in your garden because once weeds start growing it is hard to get them under control, (just ask my strawberry plot!).

When someone starts to plant the wrong things in your mind and heart, respond with the Spirit of God, let your heart be filled with His glory and overcome the weeds.  

 

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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

chosen and unashamed

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

- John 15:16 (NKJV)

 

We are all chosen by God to do something for Him.
We don’t always know what it is we are supposed to do. 
Sometimes we don’t even choose to follow God, no matter how hard He tries to show His love for us.
Some people know that they were chosen to share the Gospel, even if it means their death.
I heard a story at an event this past weekend, I researched it and found multiple variations, but the origin is clear, the story was found in the desk of a pastor in Zimbabwe who was killed for his faith.
I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed.

I have the Holy Spirit power.

The die has been cast.

I have stepped over the line.

The decision has been made - I’m a disciple of His.

I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure.

I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity.

I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded.

I now live by faith, lean in His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and I labor with power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions are few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me.

And, when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. . . my banner will be clear!

How many of us can say that we live unashamed?

Do we still believe in what we are preaching?

We are called to be carriers of hope, hope that is powerful, that gives us strength, the light at the end of the tunnel.

We may not have chosen Him. But He chose us.

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

count them

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!

- Malachi 3:10 (NLT)

 

Have you heard the expression “count your blessings”?

Usually, it is said to someone who is complaining about their current situation, to encourage them to think about how lucky they are compared to others.

Or how much worse things could be.  
How often though, do we count our own blessings? 
Here is a new song (yes, new! Just released in 2024!) by Seph Schlueter called “Counting My Blessings”:
It's like it was yesterday

I was a praying for a miracle

Scared to have a little hope

And now looking back today

Seeing all the things You've done

I can't even add them up

One, two, three up to infinity

I'd run out of numbers

Before I could thank You for everything

God, I'm still counting my blessings

For all that You've done in my life

The more that I look in the details

The more of Your goodness I find

Father on this side of heaven

I know that I'll run out of time

But I will keep counting my blessings

Knowing I can't count that high

And I know that seasons never last forever

So, God I will remember all of the reasons

My heart has to be grateful

All the times You've been faithful to me

God, I'm still counting my blessings

For all that You've done in my life

The more that I look in the details

The more of Your goodness I find

Father on this side of heaven

I know that I'll run out of time

But I will keep counting my blessings

Knowing I can't count that high
I first heard it on my way to the office, a couple of weeks ago. 
I am very cranky about going into the office, I would much rather work from home.
But you all know how God sends the right words at the right time. 
I am blessed to have a job. 
I am blessed to have the ability to work from home when the weather is bad, or I am not feeling well.
I am blessed to have a vehicle to get to work when I do need to go in. 
I am blessed to have a great boss (if you have been reading my “daily bread” for a while you know that was not always the case).
I am blessed. 
When I stop being selfish, look around my world and start to count my blessings, I quickly realize that I can’t count that high.
And it is not just because counting is math and I don’t do math, I really cannot count all the blessings I have been given in this life.
I bet, if you’re honest, you can’t count that high either. 

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

good morning

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

- Psalm 30:5 (NKJV)

 

This is such an amazing and comforting verse; I am surprised that it only appears in my “daily bread” three times since I started it in 2016.

Really it is the second half of the verse that is so poignant.
Joy comes in the morning.

I have had so many nights that I spent in sadness, fear, discouragement, or dismay to find that answers and subsequently joy came in the morning.

Recently in church we have been singing Thank God for Sunday Morning, released in 2022 by Cochran & Co.

Neon lights and stained glass windows

Old bar stools and back row pews

I ran to one more than the other

But I couldn't out-run you

Trying to fill up all the empty

Trying to numb the pain inside

Thinking you'd never forgive me

For all those Saturday nights

But thank God for Sunday morning

Thank God for 316

And the words in red that say you bled

And gave your life for me

Thank God for a choir singing

And the voice saying, "Come back home"

Saturday night looked like the end of the story

But thank God for Sunday morning

Now I know that you're no stranger

To the broken hearts like mine

It's what you do, yeah, somehow you

Bring dead things back to life

And it might look like it's as over

As a stone over a grave

But I've seen you move, I'm living proof

You still roll stones away

Thank God for Sunday morning

Thank God for 316

And the words in red that say you bled

And gave your life for me

Thank God for a choir singing

And a voice saying, "Come back home"

Saturday night looked like the end of the story

But thank God for Sunday morning, oh...

Sunlight through the stained glass window

Feels like freedom on my face

Really is a new beginning

It really is amazing grace

Thank God for Sunday morning

Thank God for 316

And the words in red that say you bled

And gave your life for me

Thank God for a choir singing

And a voice saying, "Come back home"

Saturday night looked like the end of the story

Oh

Saturday night looked like the end of the story

Mm-mm

But thank God for Sunday morning

Thank God for Sunday morning

Y’all.

How many times have you been in this place?

How many nights, Saturday or otherwise, have felt like the end of the story only to find joy in the morning?
We are so lucky to have a Father that loves us so much that nothing we can do will keep His love from us.
Thank God for every morning. 

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible