Writing Samples- Daily Devotionals

Bearing Fruit

Today’s Scripture:

“But the worker answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer on it. Then if it bears fruit next year, very well, but if not, you can cut it down.’” (Luke 13:8-9 NET)

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree is just one of many parables that Jesus taught his followers. He shares this one at a time when he was teaching about the importance of repentance. In the parable, a man (or God) plants a fig tree (or us) in his vineyard (the world), after three years it bears no figs, the man tells his gardener (or Jesus) to cut it down, but he (the gardener) asks for one more year to prepare the tree to bear fruit. This comparison really hit home. Jesus is constantly interceding with God on our behalf, his desire for us is that we ‘bear fruit’ and He gave everything so we could. Today, think of a way you can be a ‘fig bearing tree.’

Today’s Prayer:

Jesus, thank you for being the gardener of our heart and for taking the time to prepare us so that we may ‘bear fruit’ as you desire,  Teach us daily how we can ‘bear good fruit’ in our lives. Amen.

Branching Out

Today’s Scripture:

“It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.” (Luke 13:19 NIV)

The parable of the mustard seed is a powerful meditation. It reminds me of a song that has been sung by many children. “Faith as small as a mustard seed will move mountains, moves mountains….Believe what Jesus said was true...wait and see what God will do as you pray, as you pray.” It's amazing to think that faith as small as a mustard seed can do such powerful things. In this version of the parable though, Jesus compares the mustard seed’s growth into a tree to the kingdom of God. It reminds us that the kingdom of God is always growing and ‘branching out’ for all those willing to accept it. Today, ‘branch out’ in your faith and trust that God will be there as you do so.

Today’s Prayer:

Jesus, today we want to ‘branch out’ in our faith and move mountains just as you have. Show us how our faith can play a role in doing this for your glory. Thank you for always encouraging us in our faith. Amen 

  

Believing More

Today’s Scripture:

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many , I tell you, will enter and not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’” Luke 13:24-25 (NIV)

It is God's desire that all of his children join him at the banquet table one day. In this parable, Jesus encourages his followers to ‘make every effort to enter through the narrow door.’ He encourages them, and us, to keep our eyes on the right path. He reminds us that if we do not live as we should when that day comes, we may be the one standing outside the gates of heaven knocking and pleading.  It is up to us to put forth the effort to trust him more with each day we are given. Doing this teaches us to ‘branch out’ in our faith and to ‘bear fruit’ as we should. Take a moment to ask yourself “am I walking through the ‘narrow door’ in my faith?”

Today’s Prayer:

Jesus, each day you teach us something new about our faith. Give us the opportunity today to put our faith fully in you. Show us what it will take to enter the narrow door with each day that passes by. Amen.

This Post is Property of TheGospelDaily.com

Writing Samples- Articles

What is a Eunuch in the Bible? 

What is their background/history in terms of scripture?

A Eunuch can literally mean “Keeper of the house or Chamberlin.” While many believe that Eunuchs were the “castrated ones,” there is more to the meaning than just those few words. There are really three different types, the ‘natural’ Eunuch, the ‘forced’ Eunuch and the ‘voluntary’ Eunuch, as described in Matthew 19:12.

A Literal Translation

 The Eunuch typically refers to the male gender and can literally mean “Keeper of the house or Chamberlin.¹” Many believe that Eunuchs were the “castrated ones” meaning they had been deprived of the external genitals. This was done in order to preserve the purity of the royal line and to remove the Eunuch’s sexual desire. By doing this the Eunuch could serve the women of the house properly without the need to resist the physical desire to be with a woman.² The Greeks and Romans were well known for keeping this tradition and even do so today in some cases.¹ The term Eunuch is used in several places in the Old Testament, (Esther 2:3; Deuteronomy 23:1; 2 Kings 9:32), to help us identify the role of a Eunuch in the ancient biblical times. They were seen as very trustworthy members of the royal court and were given great respect by those entrusted to their care.

The Old Testament Connection to Esther

The Eunuchs Hegai and Hathach played significant roles in the story of Esther and King Xerxes. In fact, without their help Esther would not have been able gain the attention of the King and bring freedom to her people. Their stories can be found in Esther chapter 2 and chapter 4. The Eunuch Hegai was placed in charge of all of the women King Xerxes brought in to his home while looking for a new queen. Esther found favor with Hegai immediately and provided her with special treatment (Esther 2:8-9). Hathach was Esther’s life line to Mordecai (Esther’s Uncle) and the person who reported the plan for the destruction of the Jews that Haman (The Kings Royal Official) secretly put together (Esther 3 & 4).

The Transition to the New Testament Connection

The New Testament shows us more of a spiritual side to understanding the Eunuch and his role in the scriptures. In Matthew chapter 19:12 Jesus says the following words to his disciples when they ask Him about marriage and divorce:

“For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

Here we learn that there could be more to the concept of a Eunuch than we see in the Old Testament. We are given three different types of Eunuchs. First, we have those that “were born that way.” These are those that have been born without the ability to reproduce or those that are ‘naturally’ Eunuchs. Next, we have those “who have been made that ways by others,” referring back to the common Old Testament Eunuch and the purity of the royal line. Finally, we have those “who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven,” or those who voluntarily choose living a celibate life in order to focus more of their energy on furthering Gods kingdom.³ All three types of Eunuchs have a place in scripture and add value.

Biblical Examples of the three types of Eunuchs

The life of Paul, or even Jesus, is a very good example of the ‘voluntary’ Eunuch. He chose to remain single his entire life so that he could focus on furthering God’s Kingdom. The story of the Ethiopian Eunuch is a great example of a ‘forced’ Eunuch (Acts 8). He encountered Phillip on the road from Jerusalem and became a believer after learning about true worship. Zachariah, while he did eventually have children, could have been considered a ‘natural’ Eunuch in the beginning because he had no children. He prayed for children and doubted when the Angel promised him a child (Luke 1). In the end, Zachariah’s wife gave birth to the man that would baptize Jesus himself and begin preparing the way for Christianity - John the Baptist.

The Conclusion

Eunuchs have a small, and yet, important place in the heart of the scriptures. Some of them saved lives (Jeremiah 38:1-13), others were the first Gentiles to convert and follow Christ (Acts 8:25-40), and others provided protection and shelter for God’s chosen (Esther 2, 4).⁴ Part of Isaiah’s vision in Isaiah 56 shows the eunuch no longer complaining of being “a dry tree,” because God will reward the faithful eunuch with a lasting monument and name in the temple which would be far better than sons or daughters (Isa. 56:45).³ While the actual definition of Eunuch is seen in a different light from the Old Testament to the New Testament, it is the literal translation that shows us its true definition - “The Keeper of the House.” All through scripture Eunuchs of every type are given positions to serve in their perspective ‘Houses’ or ‘Kingdom’ to the best of their ability.

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1.      Easton, Matthew George. "Entry for Eunuch". "Easton's Bible Dictionary". .

2.      Arndt, 323, 324; AIs, 121; K. A. Kitchen, Ancient Orient and Old Testament (1966), 165, 166.

3.     Brand, Chad, Charles Draper, and Archie England. "Entry for Eunuch." Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible, 2003. N. pag. Print.

4.      http://www.compellingtruth.org/Bible-eunuch.html#ixzz3ZU2KSibc

Writing Samples- Devotional Thoughts

The Seen and Unseen...

I was reading a Scripture the other day that I cannot get out of my mind. Sometimes, I wonder why these scriptures come to mind. There is always a reason but I haven't completely figured this one out just yet...

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (47.4.16-18 NIV)

As I think about this passage my thoughts are focused on the last few words, "what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal". Interesting few words to think about aren't they? Tonight my wife and I attended our second prayer meeting at our new church and I was reminded of this passage yet again (hence why I'm posting about it). As I said, I am still connecting the dots but I thought I'd share a what I have so far...

Life can take many things from us and when they are gone, we tend to focus on why they were taken in the first place. When we do this we lose sight of what really matters, believing in what God may have for us. We lose heart and if we are not careful we can create an emptiness inside that will eat away at our very soul. What is in front of us matters so much we let the eternal promises Gods has given us fade way into the darkest parts of our heart.

Our momentary troubles don't have to define who we are. The reality is, they don't really matter in the long run do they?  If we focus more on the eternal and on our relationship with the Father (the unseen), these momentary troubles (the seen) truly are only temporary. We can begin to open our eyes and gaze upon the big picture that God is painting all around us and can be encouraged, knowing that even though we may not see what He is doing, that he is doing something.

I have more to work though on this passage but for now I will leave you with this challenge...

Fix your eyes not on what is seen (temporary things), but on what is unseen (your faith journey).


Simplistic Faith...

There is  a story in the 5th chapter of Mark that I really think can help us understand this concept of Simplistic Faith. I don't typically write about stories like this but it came to mind when I was asking myself what tonight's post should be about. When we first come upon this story in scripture it is right after Jesus calms a storm and crosses the Sea of Galilee, a few times. It is also just after Jesus cast the demon out of the farmer and into the pigs that ran of the side of the mountain. As you can see, Jesus has been ministering in many miraculous ways leading up to this time in "His Story."

This story actually shares with us two miracles and both apply to "Simplistic Faith".  The First part of this story involves a man names Jairus and his daughter. The second part is about a woman who has had a severe bleeding issue for 12 years, many would call this a hemorrhage today. Both of these stories teach us just how much "Simplistic Faith" can effect our circumstances. On the one hand with Jairus, we have his daughter on her death bed and on the other we have this woman who's been in severe pain for most of her adult life. Here is what these two have to say about faith...

Jairus' Story
...“My little daughter is dying,”...“Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” Mk. 5:23 NLT

Woman's Story
...“If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Mk. 5:28 NLT
The result...

Woman's Story
 "Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition." Mk. 5:29 NLT

"And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.” Mk. 5:34 NLT

Jairus' Story
"Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around!..." Mk. 5:41-42 NLT
The reality of these two stories in scripture is that these two characters showed a huge amount of faith. They believed 'wholeheartedly' that by simply touching Jesus' hand or robe that their circumstances could change and the result of this faith truly did change the circumstances each character was facing. I know that in the world today we can't actually touch Jesus' hands or his robe but I believe we can have faith like this today.

It's hard sometimes to have this faith in something as simple as a touch, but the end result can be the same for us as it was for the two people I have shared about today.  We can change our circumstances in life if we place our hope in the right place. God has so much in store for each of us. All he asks in return is that we love Him and believe in His unending power.

Writing Samples- Ahavah Writings

What you are about to read are sample from a book that will be publicly released on May 25^th, 2015. This book is titled Ahavah Writings for the Journey. This book is based off of my devotional blog and was written as a devotional/inspirational book and a ministry tool. I have given you little ‘glimpses’ of each of the sections of this book for your convenience are review.

Glimpse 1- The Letters

Through the years, as I have kept in touch with you, I have seen your once beautiful light fade. I long to see that light shine brightly again.  It was such a beautiful light and I know that life has not given you the best of circumstances. But life isn't about reacting to those circumstances; it’s about giving God the glory and letting your light shine in the darkest of places.  I encourage you to seek God and strive to experience His presence with all that you are. Humanity can do some pretty terrible things, but God can take those things and turn them into so much more. He wants to take those horrible experiences you've endured and make them beautiful. I know it’s hard to let go, but once you do, you will never regret it.

Glimpse 2- The Devotionals

My mother once told me that, “Without hope there is no faith and without faith it is impossible to love.” I never really understood what she meant, but in recent years I have been learning the meaning of her message. I believe she was saying that the three form a continuous circle in our lives. It starts with a slight nudge of the heart that tells us, “There’s something more out there.” Then, that nudge begins to grow and we begin to believe that there is something more. After that, the nudge is so big that we cannot help but form an attachment to God, a belief in Him.  This is where we begin to love. Finally, because of that love, we find ourselves hoping for more. This leads to a belief that we can become a part of something bigger than ourselves.

Glimpse 3- The Reflections

Our great God is more than able to do amazing things; believe that He is guiding your path. In the end, if you trust in Him completely, He will purify your heart. Open your eyes to the wonderful plans He has envisioned for you. Only then can His divine will begin to mold you into what you have been created for. Be aware that others will try to drive you away from Him. Don’t let them, or even yourself, take the best pieces of your heart. Remember to glorify His name in every way.

Writing Samples- Kedoshim

What you are about to read are little glimpses into a series I have been working on for quite some time. The only ‘glimpse’ that has been edited is the first one.  This series is titled Kedoshim: The Untold Journey. It is a four part biblical historical fiction series that will follow the story of the book of Acts. This series was put on hold when I began to write another book. Ahavah Writings for the Journey is a devotional content book. I have also attached samples of is as well and it will be publicly released on May 25^th, 2015.

Glimpse 1- June 2014

Nathaniel sat in front of a solitary window, his mind a swirling mixture of uncertainty and doubt. He held his staff in one hand and a quill in the other. As he searched the depths of his soul for a purpose in writing his memoirs, fresh rain began to fall outside the window.  This sound was a comfort to his troubled mind as he paused to watch it. It almost seemed as though this rain, like many before it, fell from the very heavens. If only this rain could flood his weary heart and clear his unsettled thoughts.  As he listened to the beat of each drop hit along the path he had traveled so often before, he could smell the indescribable beauty of the moment before him.  A moment that would remind him of days past, these were the days he often thought upon, the days his heart truly longed for..
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Glimpse 2- December 2014

Nathaniel began to weep in the midst of his whirling thoughts and thanked his brother for his uplifting words saying “I know your right brother and I am sorry, am just ready for something new and my mind is playing tricks on me. I hear what is going on outside this window, and it is as though the wind and the rain are mocking me but my heart knows best. God’s timing is always perfect, I forget that sometimes.” Seeing that Nathaniel was beginning to calm down Zadok took a moment to console his beloved brother.

Glimpse 3- March 2015

Jabin their former master had sold their father to the highest bidder and forcefully taken their mother for his own selfish desires when they were all younger. She was a beautiful creation, radiant and full of life, with hair that simply fell perfectly upon her shoulders; she had eyes that seemed to glow and a figure that any man would envy. Elena didn't see it but Nathaniel and Zadok feared for their sister because she was the splitting image her mother and in many ways could be even more beautiful if she wanted to be. Some would have said the hooded cloak was Elena’s way of following her brother’s wishes and the only reason why Jabin didn't take her as well.