Beggar & Bread Podcast and Blog

08/11/2022

We often ask coffee to do more for us than we ask of God.

24/09/2022

Ligonier Ministries’ “State of Theology” bi-yearly report was released this week—and it’s disheartening.

While it seems that religious defense of pre-born/unborn life is growing, it seems that U.S. Evangelicals are trending away from traditional theological truths, such as the immutability of God.

If God is bound to this world by adapting to it—in other words, not sovereign or at all times, in all ways, Himself—then we must forfeit every other belief about Him.

Despite traditional beliefs about s*x and a pro-life ethic, U.S. Evangelicals are increasingly forgetting the God which they follow.

We must return. Dig deep in the Scriptures. Test your faith and theology against the authority of Scripture. In a world trending away from the biblical God, we must be holistically, biblically minded.

Life in the womb (and beyond it) is sacred. Marriage is God’s highest-intended co-human covenant, and should be honored as such. But without a right view of God, we forfeit everything else.

24/06/2022

This is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Rejoice!

Remember, in a tumultuous future, we—the Church—must rise to the occasion. We must be pro-life, holistically.

Now is the time to act as Christ’s body, caring and providing for the needs of mothers, women, fathers, men, the unborn, and others who need our help.

Legal action can’t do everything God desires. His church is the mobility of His love, His justice, His mercy.

Now, as ever, be the Church.

26/03/2022

Words of wisdom for your weekend.
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08/03/2022

One of the two is always virtuous. The other rarely is.
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One of the two is always honorable. The other is not always honorable.
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One of the two is what we were created for. The other is not.
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One of the two is our heart-song, the other is the song of sinful man.
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One of the two is true Christianity. The two, together, is Christian nationalism.
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Church, we’ve got to break away from this.
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Solus Christus!
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26/02/2022

No situation is so important that a political "I told you so" is more powerful than a biblical "neither do I condemn you" (John 8:11).

23/02/2022

Many people live as though the directive of Christian ministry is to win arguments, not souls.

20/02/2022

Will God indeed dwell on earth?
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Will the sin-sized (eternal) gap between God and man be closed? That is the question of the Old Testament. God promised to “be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jer. 30:22). Will this promise be personal, or a far-off supremacy?
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The Temple is built. God’s dwelling place is there and His people have access to it!
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But—is there more?
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Will God only dwell with His people within the confines of the Ark, resting in the Temple?
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No.
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His intentions are far more plentiful in blessing than even Solomon understood.
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God indeed dwelt with His people in the Temple. Then, Solomon’s descendants felt a richer experience of His presence with Christ—God incarnate. How could it get better? The Holy Spirit descended, promising to dwell WITHIN.
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God has indeed heard. He has fully forgiven. And now the third person of the Trinity indwells every soul bound to Christ.
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Yes. God indeed dwells on the earth. But even more, He dwells in every life surrendered to Him.

18/01/2022

In the book of Job, two are blameless (God and Job) but only one is holy (God).

18/01/2022

Thoughts from this morning’s Bible plan reading:

Our God makes the most-fearsome, mythical creatures His pets. Our God plays with Leviathan.

(Job 41:5)

05/01/2022

Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, but the One we behold.

02/01/2022

It’s a New Year.
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Today is the day everyone hits the gym. Everyone starts their diet strong. They turn the first page of that book they have been waiting to read. They try to think more positive thoughts or help people more. These are all good things—virtues. But their accomplishment cannot rely on the individual resolving to do them.
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Christian, you can only become better as Christ makes you more like Himself. That is a power that He alone possesses.
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So this year, as you think of resolutions, let your first one be to rely wholly on God. With His help, by His power and in His name, you will grow to be more like Him this year.
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Happy New Year!
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#2022

27/12/2021

Thoughts from this Christmas:

20/12/2021

As seen at a church in Dallas, Texas this morning. The church that former President Donald Trump attended.

29/11/2021

Today marks the beginning of Advent, a period leading up to Christmas Day in which Christians refocus, recall, and prepare for the celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ.
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This long-running traditional practice has been used in many ways (such as Advent calendars with small gifts that lead up to a big gift on Christmas Day), but the true gift of the Advent season cannot fit into an inch-wide cubby.
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Advent is a time to celebrate the coming of Christ thousands of years ago while we expectedly, hopefully await His second coming.
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There are many Advent devotionals and resources available online. Some that I suggest are:
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“Joy to the World: Daily Readings for Advent” by John Piper
“Come, Let Us Adore Him: A Daily Advent Devotional” by Paul David Tripp
“From Heaven: A 28-Day Advent Devotional” by A.W. Tozer
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Comment what you’re doing for Advent this season!
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As the church, we can joyfully behold this wondrous mystery.

28/11/2021

“There is no purer or more thrilling delight to be known this side of heaven than that of having Christ’s joy fulfilled in us, that our joy may be full. His glory awaits us to complete our fellowship, for His Church shall sit with Him upon His throne, as His well-beloved bride and queen.”

— Spurgeon, “Morning & Evening,” Morning, November 23.

23/11/2021

20/11/2021

Christians should denounce the “Let’s go Brandon” trend. It’s mockery; it’s slander. It’s definitely not uplifting, loving, or compassionate. It has nothing to do with the Gospel and should NOT be chanted in church, as we saw recently.

Pick up the cross. If you have to drop the flag, so be it.

17/11/2021

“Yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”

Proverbs 2:3-5

16/11/2021

If the death of Jesus is the focal point of His love, then His resurrection is the concentrated point of His power. Jesus died and was buried in our sins, but He rose clothed in everlasting life. Only God could do this; only Christ could accomplish what He did on the cross.

02/11/2021

They may try to shut you up as you preach. They may try to cuff your hands as they do good deeds. But they can never take away mindful prayer.

14/10/2021

ON THE INTEGRITY OF CANCEL CULTURE.
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To those Christians on the fringes of popular coverage who claim—lovingly—that they oppose the ideology of the LGBTQ+ Community, this article from The Spectator (and similar responses) will be disheartening.
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Known for his crassness, Dave Chappelle, in his recent special for Netflix, attacks the ideology, not the person, of transgenderism.
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But he gets away with this because he elevates another issue: racism.
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Meanwhile, the Christian wields the correct diagnostic tool to respond to both issues rightly: the Bible.
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The Bible and the Gospel therein tell us that oppression of any kind and anti-biblical marriage and s*xuality are wrong. Where people find the Gospel so offensive is that it calls for complete change. Merely changing the institutions of our nation isn’t enough; your heart, your life, your words, and your desires must be molded into Christ’s.
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11/10/2021

As Christians, we are all somewhat like Jacob. After wrestling with God, He revealed to us our frailty. He struck both side and heart, vowing to carry us through this life until we never limp again.

22/09/2021

Cancel Culture will never forgive you of your sins. They tip the scales to weigh heavy on justice, because they do not know the one who balances justice with mercy.

17/09/2021

Personality tests might tell you exactly who you are, but the Gospel tells you exactly who you need.

27/08/2021

WITH SKYWARD HANDS.
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Over the last few weeks, the most pressing—and difficult—topic on my mind has been prayer.
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I’ve learned, through different lessons, that I can only do so much to make change in this world. Sometimes, the only thing I can do is pray. Too often, we Christians forget the power and necessity of prayer. Jesus prayed almost constantly. He cried out to God in real, raw prayers littered with obedience, and we must do the same.
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Realize that telling someone you’ll pray for them or posting a “pray for ___” hashtag is not prayer itself. Prayer is characterized by intimate conversation with the Lord. Whether in a group setting or one-on-one, prayer should be done with passion and reverence.
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What a beautiful truth it is that we have conversational access to God. We pray to a God who listens. We pray to a God who cares about what we think and how we feel. One of the most powerful and rewarding ways we can fight against the darkness of this age is through prayer.
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Prayer is a necessity in the Christian life. Paul charges us in Ephesians to pray “at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Eph. 6:18). If we feel inadequate, like we don’t have the words to say, he reminds us that even prayer—an act done by the Christian—is not a work wholly reliant on man, but on the Holy Spirit:
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“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom. 8:26-27).
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Prayer is not wishful thinking. It is a humble cry to the highest being, the only one who can bring about real, lasting results.
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Don’t ignore communication with your Father, the almighty God. Don’t worry that his holy ear might not hear your feeble cries. While the responsibility to obey in prayer is yours, the Spirit does the true work.
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Humble yourselves and fight with skyward hands.

19/08/2021

PRAY FOR AFGHANISTAN.
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The last two weeks have been heavy. The world has watched as a nation falls, helplessly.
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There’s not much that we can do, especially if we have no ties to Afghanistan. But there is one thing we MUST do: pray earnestly.
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The chaos of the Taliban overtaking the government is a global glance at sin. The helplessness of Afghani people is a disheartening look at the need for a Savior—not merely from the powers that be, but from the power of sin.
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Knowing what we know of the situation, we must pray for a few things, at least:
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1. Afghani safety.
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People are not safe. They are under forceful oppression, unable to live normal lives. We must pray for their physical safety.

2. The Afghani church.
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True persecution is being experienced by the Church in Afghanistan. These are our brothers and sisters! We must pray for their boldness in the Gospel to be surprisingly unwavering, and pray that God uses it for His glory.
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3. Justice
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We need a mortal representation of the immortal Judge. We need someone, some organization, to stand up and make things right by the power of God.
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For more information on the situation, check the highlight on my profile. Brothers and sisters, let’s pray for our Afghani brothers and sisters. Pray that the Gospel surges forward and people are saved.

11/08/2021

THE TOTALITY OF DELIVERANCE.

Only we who serve the Lord can truly say that He will deliver us from EVERYTHING.
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Whether you lose a job, a family member, or even your keys, there will be a time when you are delivered from all of it.
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I can’t wait to be delivered from the consequences of my sin, but it goes further than that. Even the stain that sin leaves on our souls will be washed white.

Deliverance comes from the Deliverer. Jesus, both God and man, lived a life perfect in the eyes of the Father. In dying on the cross, He infinitely paid the price for sin that everyone owed. In being raised from the dead, He solidified deliverance, rendering death powerless.
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Only the biblical Jesus can deliver from every affliction, self-inflicted or otherwise. Trust in Him today, that He alone is strong to save. He will deliver you.

10/08/2021

Now on YouTube!

A listener asks what the Christian's obligation to loving fellow believers is. I think that looking at Jesus Christ's example of love is most important. I al...

09/08/2021

Looking at the example of Jesus Christ, the church in Acts, and Paul’s letters to answer a tough question. Stream now!

‎Show Beggar & Bread, Ep Do I Have to Love Christians I Can't Stand? - Aug 8, 2021

09/08/2021

‎Show Beggar & Bread, Ep Do I Have to Love Christians I Can't Stand? - Aug 8, 2021

07/08/2021

Listen for some encouragement this weekend:

‎Show Beggar & Bread, Ep Ten Minute Takeaways: God is Good - Jan 10, 2021

07/08/2021

New episode, “Do I Have to Love Christians I Can’t Stand?” is coming out this Monday. Check back here to listen!

03/08/2021

ON SELF-HELP.
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Our society today is deeply grounded in individualistic interests. Movies, books, and social media are all catered to the person looking for “something for me.”
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This makes the Bible stand tall, like a pine tree among rose bushes. Though many twist the Bible to mean different things, it is not ultimately a book about self-help. The thesis of the Word of God is a bold statement read by self-centered eyes, saying, “YOU CANNOT SAVE YOURSELF.”
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This book, however, does not leave us without hope. Contrary to the irrational amount of weight self-help tactics put on the shoulders of fragile people, the Bible says that true salvation has been achieved by God alone.
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Christ lived a life you can’t, shattering the expectation of perfection. Christ died a death in your place, showing love and humility that no one else could embody. Christ rose from the dead, binding the power of death and sealing the promise of salvation.
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Don’t give in to the ‘self-help’ mindset. It’s an unrealistic expectation that will only leave you more disappointed in yourself. Entrust your life—your help, your salvation, your security—to the Savior of the helpless.

30/07/2021

My latest episode is now on YouTube! Check out my review of an episode from a year ago, as well as updates to the COVID-19 situation.

Over one year ago, I released an episode imploring Christians to wear a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now I’d like to look back to see if I would change...

26/07/2021

John Calvin is credited with saying, “the human heart is a factory of idols. Every one of us is, from his mother’s womb, an expert in inventing idols.”
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This might come as a surprise to some, but I suspect many can feel this deeply. Years of placing hopes and dreams in people, desirable goals, or things with perceived worth leads to the realization that all of them are puny gods.
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Sin brought about a reversal of roles. Living people try to breathe life into dead gods, rather than a living God breathing life into dead people.
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The divine restoration of these roles was realized when Christ—the truly living God incarnate—came to breathe life into His people. After living a life worthy in the sight of the Father, He served His beloved to the uttermost, sacrificing Himself. But He proved that He is the only Living God, rising from the dead and claiming life for those who believe in Him.
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I urge you, do not serve a dead god. Turn to the living God, that He might breathe life into you.

22/07/2021

Monday’s episode, which gives an update on my thoughts about COVID-19, is live on YouTube!

Over one year ago, I released an episode imploring Christians to wear a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now I’d like to look back to see if I would change...

22/07/2021

The YouTube version of my recent commentary on Pride Month and engaging with the LGBTQ+ Community is now live! Share it and show some love if you feel so compelled. I hope this blesses you.

June is Pride Month. American Christianity has taken to social media to offer a rebuttal of the LGBTQ+ Community’s celebration with the popular hashtag, ...