Daily Bread - June 12, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Monday, 12 June 2017 10:52

Exodus 15:11 - Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? The Almighty God is unique and distinctive from all other things, dwelling in a realm which is separated from everything unlike Himself, and in this His holiness is defined (Exodus 15:11; 1 Samuel 2:2). It is not possible for anyone to approach unto this holiness; but even though man cannot come to Him, the Lord in His mercy comes to them (man, both male and female), that they may be made holy by His presence (Exodus 19:23, 20:18-20, 24:8, 25:8, 26:33, 28:36; Deuteronomy 33:2-3; 1 Timothy 6:16). It is in the tabernacle of holiness that God will meet with man (Exodus 25:22, 29:42, 30:6, 36). Through the New Covenant, God has made us holy and imparted His life and Spirit into us, making us His dwelling place (Luke 1:74-75; Ephesians 4:24; John 3:6; Romans 8:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16). He commands us that we be holy, even as He is Holy (1 Peter 1:15; 2 Peter 3:11; Ephesians 1:4; 5:27; Colossians 1:22).

 

Daily Bread - June 10, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Saturday, 10 June 2017 11:34

Romans 10:8 - But what does it say? The Word is near you, in your mouth, and even in your heart; this is that word of faith that is proclaimed. God's people have the power that framed the universe poised and ready to accomplish great things. All we must do is believe in our hearts, and confess with our mouths; and we will begin to participate with God's miracle. Out of this realm of the Spirit comes forth the miracle of miracles -the presence of Jesus, and the salvation that He brings. When Jesus came into our hearts, the miracle power of the word of faith was established there. The Spirit of the Living God wrote His words of faith upon our hearts and minds. As we speak His words of faith by the Spirit, all the miracles of His will begin to take shape. When we hear the Word of God, we are hearing the faith of God. This testimony of faith was first announced at Sinai. All of Israel audibly heard the words of the Almighty at that first Pentecost in the wilderness (Exodus 19-20). The Word of God was revealed as the mountain shook with His presence, and the earth was filled with the sound of His voice declaring His Word. They knew first hand that God had spoken, and not man. All they needed to do was to simply agree with what God had said, and all of the blessings that He had promised would have been theirs (Deuteronomy 30:1-14, 6:6-9; Exodus 13:16). Today, the Word of God is present in our hearts and in our mouths, if we have been transformed by the Word of God. All we need to do is to speak out those things that the Word of God proclaimed, and the blessings of salvation will be revealed in our lives. It was the word of faith that created the vast expanse of the Universe; it was the word of faith that brought forth our salvation; and it is the word of faith that will cause us to possess all those righteous things which God has promised (Psalms 33:6; Hebrews 11:3). Too many of God's people speak things that have nothing to do with the Word of God. They agree with disappointment, and speak out a future of failure and demise. We must learn to speak only those things that God has said, and not agree with our adversary and the disappointing circumstances that we may find ourselves in. We live our lives much too earthly; and so when things are going good, we are happy and speaking words of life; and when things go bad, we are sad, and begin to declare reproachful things. God desires to turn all the bad around and fill you with a sound of continual thanksgiving. So, keep your tongue from evil, and do not allow your lips to speak out words of doubt and disappointment; depart from evil and pursue His peace (1 Peter 3:10; Psalms 34:13). Let us only speak the truth the Word of God, and say with the men of faith and wisdom: "All of the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing arrogant or perverse in them" (Proverbs 8:8). God is a God of faith; and without faith, we cannot please Him (Hebrews 11:6). There is no good thing that He will withhold from those who walk upright; so be in expectation that all that God has promised will be fulfilled in you (Psalms 84:11; Proverbs 28:10). Do not faint, neither grow weary (Isaiah 40:30-31; Galatians 6:9). Rather, let the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart be acceptable in the sight of your Strength and Redeemer (Psalms 19:14). It is by our words that we are condemned, or justified; therefore, we must be careful to only speak the words of truth, the words of faith (Matthew 12:37; Proverbs 13:3, 18:21). Our confession must be what we truly believe; and for those born of the Spirit, we believe the truth as it is revealed by God, not by circumstance!

 

Daily Bread - June 9, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Friday, 09 June 2017 10:26

Galatians 5:6 - For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision matters; but faith working through love. Faith works through love because it is only through our love relationship with the Father that we are enabled to walk in this glorious salvation. If we love him, we will do what He has asked us to do; and we will find a love relationship that will result in union with God (John 14:15, 21, 15:10). We discover that in the bond of this love relationship with God, we will ask whatever we want, and God will do it for us (John 14:13-14; 1 John 3:22) -just as the centurion asked Jesus, and the love that was in the asking resulted in his servant being healed. Never was this faith that works by love more beautifully expressed as when the woman kissed and washed Jesus' feet with her tears, which then resulted in His gracious words: "your faith has saved you" (Luke 7:36-50). From the beginning of God's communication with man, He has called out to mankind for his love (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). He created Adam to walk with Him in this love, but Adam refused (Ephesians 1:4). Enoch was willing to walk with God in this love relationship. As a result, he was taken into heaven and has been there with the Father for about 5000 years (Hebrews 11:5). You will never find God outside the realm of love, for love is the presiding force and motive of everything He is and does (1 John 4:7-8). In this interaction of love and adoration, you will find that the power, the strength, and the glory of faith will overflow with its rich supply to your every need (2 Corinthians 9:8; Philippians 4:19; Mark 12:29-30; Matthew 6:33).

 

Daily Bread - June 8, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Thursday, 08 June 2017 08:24

1 Peter 1:15 - But according to His holy calling, you shall also be holy in every behavior. Holiness is our whole way of life in God. Our hearts have been united with the heart of God through the miracle of the new birth. This is not holiness by the law or by human efforts, but true holiness that has come to us by the Holy Spirit. Holiness is the fire of God that fell upon the acceptable sacrifice of a new creation by the spirit of holiness -the Holy Spirit. Holiness is the nature of God, the Spirit of Christ, and the proof of sonship (Romans 1:4; 8:14, 16; Galatians 4:6; 5:16, 25). The Heavenly Father is the God Who has always answered by fire (1 Kings 18:24; Leviticus 9:24; Deuteronomy 4:24; Matthew 3:11; Hebrews 12:29). His presence and His glory is as a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:33; 5:24, 26; 9:10; 18:16). When an offering was holy and acceptable to Him, He caused His fire to fall upon it, and it was consumed with His presence. The fire of God never fell upon an offering that was unclean, or in anyway unacceptable. When the fire of God fell on any person who was not acceptable to God, they were destroyed (Leviticus 10:1-3; Numbers 16:35-38; 2 Kings 1:9-10). Through the blood of Jesus we were washed from all our uncleanness, and made an offering acceptable unto God. The Spirit of Holiness fell upon us and brought forth a new creation. The new creation becomes the holy offering that can instantly and continually be baptized in the Holy Ghost and fire through the ministry of Jesus.

 

Daily Bread - June 7, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Wednesday, 07 June 2017 09:39

1 Corinthians 3:15 - If anyone's work shall be burned up, he will suffer loss; but he will be saved from death, but as it were by fire. The fire of God is seen throughout the Bible as part of the glory cloud that surrounds God (Deuteronomy 4:24, 33, 5:24-26, 9:3,10, 18:16; Exodus 13:21-22, 14:24; Numbers 9:15; Ezekiel 1:4; Psalm 50:3; Revelation 4:5). It is in this fire of His glory and presence that we have been baptized by Jesus, and are commanded to remain and continually be filled with those things that belong to God. Every offering in the Old Covenant that was acceptable to God was presented in the fire. The fire either fell on it from God, or fire was taken off of the altar of God. The fire of God consumed it from off the altar, and transferred it from the earthly into the heavenly (Leviticus 9:24; 1 Kings 18:24; 1 Chronicles 21:26; Romans 12:1; Joshua 13:14). In the fire of God, no earthly thing can remain. Every false work and every earthly work likened unto wood, stubble, or hay will be burned up. Only those things that are of the nature and character of God, which last forever, can remain in the fire of God. Those things like faith -that is likened unto pure gold-remain, and are perfected in the midst of the fire of God's presence (1 Peter 1:7). If you will let the fire of God fall on you, every false work will be burned up; and you will begin to participate in those things that have an eternal reward (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16; Acts 2:3; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15). God the Holy Spirit is calling out to you to purchase for yourself a life of purity and truth that is likened unto gold on fire in the fire - so that your spiritual garments may be spotless and clean (Revelation 3:18, 19:8; Isaiah 24:15).