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Archives for July 2016

Know The Difference- Part III

14 Jul

picnoi-girl-waterFocus Scripture: For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (AMP)

It had been sunny all day and then all of a sudden it turned dark. A storm like I have never experienced before came out of nowhere – high winds, rain, hail.  I was getting ready to head out the door and had to stop to pray and ask God to protect me and my home. I don’t get afraid easily, but that storm caused me to become scared for a moment. It didn’t last long, just about 15-20 minutes or so, and I was out the door, off to the next thing on my agenda that day.

I arrived at my destination and it was sunny again. Everything was back to normal. I went inside and spoke to a few people, did some mingling. But after a while, something just wasn’t right. It just didn’t feel the same.

Sensing a shift, I quickly asked God what was going on. “Why does this feel so different?” I just thought I was tired from the day and the feeling would pass. But immediately the Holy Spirit said, “your time here is up.” Tears began to stream down my face. I had so many questions. “How? I love this place. I still have more to give. My pastor always says if you have a burden for something, that’s probably where you need to be ministering.” Then the Holy Spirit, calmly quieted my fears with five simple but sometimes hard to accept words. “But what did I say?” And then, right there, while at the place God was ushering me out of, it started storming outside again.

God sent oppositions.

There are times that God will send opposition your way. He does it for a number of reasons. In my case, it was to move me from a place that He knew I never would have walked away from voluntarily, had He not presented the above oppositions for me to inquire about. Since then, there have been other oppositions I have faced, as a result of me saying “yes” to Him. One was given in yesterday’s devotion regarding oppositions sent by the enemy. Although I had my reservations about saying “yes” to God and being obedient to his leading, due to fear of the unknown. Knowing that you are being obedient to Christ calms all those fears.

As I was sitting there asking God for more confirmation that it was indeed time for me to go, He reminded me of the story of Jonah in the Old Testament.

In Jonah 1:4, the Bible tells us that God caused the men on the ship to encounter a mighty storm because of Jonah’s disobedience. At the beginning of the Book of Jonah, God told him to go to Nineveh, but instead he prepared to go to Tarshish. His disobedience to God caused danger not only for himself but everyone else on that ship. Not to mention after he was thrown overboard, God once again, prepared a fish to swallow him resulting in Jonah being trapped in the fish’s belly for 3 whole days, Jonah 1:15-17.

Have you ever experienced this type of opposition? How did you respond? How will you respond differently after receiving this devotional?

Prayer: My Father, King, Leader and Friend, thank You for opening my eyes to see the truth in Your word according to Hebrews 4:12. Help me to remember that some of my opposition does come from You. I want to be able to know the difference, so I pray that You grant me Your wisdom when dealing with opposition. It is in Your Son Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!

4 Comments Filed Under: Breakfast Bites, Daily Devotionals

Know The Difference- Part II

13 Jul

opposition 2Bible Reading: Job 1:6-12

On yesterday, we talked about opposition from the enemy vs opposition from God. And let me just tell you, I have been experiencing some opposition these past few days with my BWT Guest List.

I must confess, ever since I started writing, I have encountered feelings of being overwhelmed from time to time. A number of thoughts have gone through my head, questioning if I should continue. “Should I really be doing devotionals daily? Did I get it right when I thought I heard God confirm it? What if people get bored with the devotionals because it starts to sound repetitious?” These and many other thoughts, I have entertained a time or two. And then to make matters worse, my emailing host wants to act up when I am already dealing with mental opposition.

Let me be clear, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, this is what I’m supposed to be doing. God gave me the desire, Psalm 37:4. He confirmed it multiple times, Genesis 18:10. And he is leading me through the process and never fails to give me a word to speak to His people, Matthew 10:20.

One of the enemies greatest tricks is to get you to question what God spoke to you. If he can successfully convince you to question God, then that means you will question every word you have ever believed God spoke to you. That’s exactly what he did to Eve in Genesis 3:1. I confidently know, a lot of the opposition that I am facing right now also has a lot to do with a “yes” I gave to God regarding another ministry in my life. But we will talk about that tomorrow.

If the enemy can’t succeed with stopping you from moving forward in the midst of opposition, he will try his best to distract you with a lot of meaningless concerns, busy work and fears. His strategy is to keep you engaged in things you aren’t supposed to be doing so you are distracted long enough from what you are supposed to be doing.

Another byproduct of opposition from the enemy was mentioned yesterday, confusion. You will begin to experience confusion all around you. And even worst, you will start to think you have to entertain that confusion.

These last few mornings, I have been getting up earlier so that I could spend a little bit more time with God, and get to work earlier. But the confusion caused by the emails not going out caused me to feel pressure to fix the problem right then. All these thoughts started going through my head. “People aren’t going to want to read the devotionals anymore. They are going to think you are incompetent.” Due to anxious feelings, originating from trying to solve the problem right then, I wasn’t able to spend quality time with God, and I was late for work. Can you believe he tried to use the very thing that he is angry about me doing, to distract me from what really mattered, building my relationship with Christ? Confusion!

Yesterday morning was different thought. I was not going to take the bait. I started to draft another apology email, but then I remembered yesterday’s email informing my subscribers what to do if we ever encountered this problem again. And then I get a text message from a reader,  also recognizing the opposition and encouraging me to continue.

Opposition from the enemy, often times causes distraction, confusion, and anxiety, all things that God is not. God is a God of order and peace, 1 Corinthians 14:33.

Think back on times where you have experienced opposition. Was it accompanied by distraction, confusion and anxiety or order and peace?

Prayer: Lord, Thank You for continuing to open my eyes to see the truth about opposition. Often times I have found myself getting discouraged by different oppositions I have faced. Father, I ask You to forgive me. Allow me to adopt the spirit of Job when I am encountering opposition. When it’s all said and done, I want You to be pleased with my posture while experiencing the things You allow me to experience. It is in the might name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!

 

5 Comments Filed Under: Breakfast Bites, Daily Devotionals

Know The Difference- Part I

12 Jul

oppositionFocus Scripture : If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. James 1:5 (AMP)

Where does opposition come from? You know the roadblocks that we are often met with that can either discourage us from moving forward or encourage us that we are just where we need be. Do they come from the devil or does God send oppositions too?

The answer is both. Opposition can come from both the enemy and God. It is important that you recognize the difference.

The book of Job is a perfect example of opposition that comes from the enemy. All throughout Job, we see roadblock after roadblock that was sent by the enemy to cause Job to lose faith in God.

As it pertains to God sent opposition. The story of Jonah in the belly of the whale in Jonah 1:4 comes to mind. The Bible tells us that God caused Jonah and the other men on the ship to encounter a storm.

Opposition that comes for the enemy, a lot of times comes when we are in the right place in God. We can’t allow discouragement to consume us when the enemy attacks us, he is only doing his job. With the enemy’s opposition comes confusion. When we are in line with what God has called us to, when lives are being changed because of our obedience, the kingdom of darkness is in great danger and the enemy is not happy about it. He will do everything in his power to deter us from moving forward.

On the other hand, opposition that comes from God, a lot of times, is to get our attention to warn us and redirect us when we are not in line with what He has called us to. God desires nothing more than for us to be in the center of His will for our lives. However, God is not going to make us do anything. He gives us the option to choose Him and a life lived in Him. He will often send opposition our way to lead us and guide us in the right direction. Although oppositions will find us, with God’s opposition comes peace.

It is very important the we understand the difference between the two. The most beautiful part about recognizing these differences is, when we truly seek God for guidance, He will make it perfectly clear where the opposition is coming from.

We all experience opposition in our walk with Christ. Can you remember a time when you experienced opposition from either God or the enemy? How did you identify the originator of the opposition?

Prayer: Lord, thank You for bringing to my attention the truth about opposition. Often times I would think that the opposition I was facing came from the devil. Not realizing that sometimes You too cause opposition in my life. Father, I pray for Your wisdom as I am identifying and understating the difference. It is in Your Son Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!

 

12 Comments Filed Under: Breakfast Bites, Daily Devotionals

Your Specific Need

11 Jul

pray specBible Reading: Psalm 145:15-16

I was praying one day and I asked God to protect me. Right before I was about to move on, the Holy Spirit said, “I have already said that I would protect you, what specifically do you need protection for?” Now, I know God wasn’t asking that question because He didn’t know. 1 John 3:20, assures us that He knows everything.

All throughout the Bible are scriptures of God promising to protect us. So when I ask for His protection and move on without specifically letting it be known what I need protection for, how will I know when He has granted that request?

We diminish God’s power in our life by not praying powerful, specific prayers according to James 5:16. We ask God to do things He already promised He would do.

“Lord protect me.” God’s response, “I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

“Lord help me”. God’s response, “I will be your ever present help in times of trouble.” Psalm 46:1

“Lord lead me and guide me.” God’s response, “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go.” Psalm 32:8

In no way am I saying that we shouldn’t ask God for protection, help and guidance, we wouldn’t be able to navigate life without them. Proverbs 15:8 tells us the prayers of the upright is His delight.  However, it is important that we are specific with our request to God. It is difficult, if not impossible, to identify God’s hand in our life when we don’t specifically tell Him what we need. John Piper once said, “Prayer is that wonderful transition where the wealth of God’s glory is magnified and the wants of our soul are satisfied.”  In order to have our wants satisfied, we have to be specific with what they are.

What are you going to be specific with God about today?

Prayer: Father God, thank You for reminding me of the importance of being specific in my prayers to You. God, You can do anything but fail and in order for me to see You answer prayers in my life, I have to be specific in my request. I declare supernatural boldness on today as I operate radical faith in believing that You can and You will answer every prayer I pray, despite how difficult I may think it is. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!

 

 

11 Comments Filed Under: Breakfast Bites

Fun Lunch Friday- An Expression of Hate

8 Jul

Expression of HateAlthough today is Fun Lunch Friday, these last few days have been anything but fun. As I sat done to prepare for Fun Lunch Friday, I just couldn’t get my spirit together. Something just wasn’t right and I had to get it out before I could move on. Today, we will not have an audio devotional. But instead, below are the thought that I processed while trying to grasp all this. I encourage you to take some time and process your thoughts as well. I have a diverse audience and in no way is this post intended for one group of people. We are ALL children of God and He loves us ALL the same. Be blessed and have a safe weekend.

I  hate that I woke up with that feeling in my stomach.

I hate that I’m expected to carry on with my day; life as usual.

I hate that we are being programmed to view this as normal.

I hate that as I walk through my office and pass the desks of black men, who come to work proudly to accomplish the “mission” and assist in the protection of this country, they can’t expect the same protection of their lives.

I hate that today, I have spent countless hours trying to analysis, rationalize and make logical sense of all this.

I hate that I have come up with nothing.

I hate that every time I passed someone, other than a black person, I thought, “do you even know?”

I hate that I’m not surprised that another black man has become a hashtag.

I hate that every time this happens, I feel like I’m not doing enough.

I hate that today, as I watched the news in the cafe at work, a caucasian lady talking to someone else mentioned how sad and crazy it was and she would have never thought to pull her phone out to video record the incident.

I hate that this has now become OUR reality.

I hate that I questioned even saying anything at all, due to fears of who I might offend.

I hate that my choice to operate my First Amendment Right, may be looked upon as a threat to some.

I hate that even though I know the Bible says, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away,” I still have these feelings.

Biblical Reference: Revelation 21:4

 

 

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Fun Lunch Friday

Not Why, But Yes

7 Jul

whyBible Reading: Ephesians 6:10-20

Focus Verses: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:12-13 (NKJV)

I was driving through Baltimore one evening last year, trying to maneuver various road blocks and street shutdowns due to the riots regarding Freddie Gray’s death. As I was driving, I couldn’t help but think and question God. “Do You see what has been going on? Do You even care? Why would You allow this to keep happening?” Another black man killed while in the presence of law enforcement. Law enforcement, who’s responsibility is to protect and serve. Sadly, I can’t say that I was surprised, but it definitely does hurt, BAD!

I’m not surprised, because as Christians we know that these things have to come to past in order to fulfill the prophecy of the 2nd coming of Christ. The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 3, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. However, I have always struggled with what we should do in the meantime. “Is it even worth it”, was my question. My conclusion, yes! Just because we know in the end we win, doesn’t mean we don’t fight during the process. And we prepare for the fight according the Ephesians 6:13-20.

The answer to my question “why”, I never got an answer of explanation. But God never commanded us to understand, only to trust and obey Him. So as we continue to trust in God with all our heart and lean not to our understanding, we focus not on “why” but “Yes Lord!”

Yes, to every call You have placed on our life. Yes, to interceding for our country, leaders and citizens. Yes, to seeking the salvation of those we come in contact with. Yes, to showing the love of Christ even to those we don’t consider worthy of loving. Yes, to forgiving, just like Christ did, even until death. Yes…

Prayer: God, I am sadden. Sadden by all the injustice among our world. I struggle to understand, how and why. But I’m never able to come to a sensible conclusion. Some things are not my responsibility to understand. I can’t allow the distraction of trying to figure it out, keep me from doing what You did call me to do. In the midst of my frustration, allow me never to get to the place where I am no longer compassionate. I want to continue to be able to say “yes” and act on it until You return for me. I bless You. It is in Jesus’s name I pray, Amen!

 

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Breakfast Bites

Fun Lunch Friday- Milk Vs. Meat

1 Jul
https://breakfastwithtiffani.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Milk-Vs-Meat.mp4

Biblical Reference: 1 Corinthians 3: 1-2

9 Comments Filed Under: Fun Lunch Friday

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Hey Sweets, I'm Tiffani, with an "i"! The Co-founder of Breakfast With Tiffani, a Christian lifestyle blog, created to promote a well balanced Christian lifestyle filled with The Father, Faith, and copious amounts of Fun!
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