Crumbs for the Soul

31/10/2025

God is our refuge and strength...

28/10/2025

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT
When Good Intentions Go Wrong
Scripture Text: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." - Proverbs 14:12

The Cobra Effect
During British rule in India, the government attempted to address the issue of excessive cobras in Delhi. They offered a reward for every dead cobra. It seemed like a clever plan, but soon people started breeding cobras just to kill them for money. When the government found out, they stopped the program, and the breeders released all the snakes. In the end, there were more cobras than before. This became known as the "Cobra Effect" - when a solution ends up making the problem worse.

The same can happen in our spiritual lives when we act with good intentions but without God's wisdom.

THREE CRUCIAL LESSONS
1. Good Intentions Are Not Enough
The British officials wanted to solve a real problem, but they didn't think through the consequences.

Lesson: Before acting, seek God's guidance.
Sometimes we also act out of good intentions: trying to fix relationships, control others, or improve ourselves without asking God first.
James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God." Only His wisdom prevents our good intentions from turning into spiritual cobras.

2. Hidden Motives Can Corrupt Good Plans
The cobra breeders saw an opportunity to profit. Their wrong motives spoiled the plan. Likewise, even in ministry or service, selfish motives - pride, recognition, or control - can ruin something that started well.

Lesson: Check your heart motives before your actions.
Proverbs 16:2 - "All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits."

3. True Solutions Come from God, Not Human Wisdom
Human plans often fail because they rely on limited understanding, but God's solutions are perfect. He sees beyond what we can see.

Lesson: Trust in God's plan, even when it doesn't make sense.
Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding."

Conclusion
The "Cobra Effect" reminds us that without God, even our best ideas can backfire. On the other hand, when we trust in Him, pray for wisdom, and act in humility, He turns our good intentions into lasting blessings.

25/10/2025

18/10/2025

WHEN GOD DOES A SEEN MODE

KEY VERSES:
Exodus 3:16-17
16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt; 17 and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”

THEME:
Trust God’s timing even when you feel ignored, unseen, and unheard.

Our Seen Mode VS. God’s Seen Mode

Three VERBS
I have visited
I have seen
I will bring you out/up

I. Reference Text: V.16..I have surely visited you...

In Hebrew, "paqad", meaning:
to attend
to intervene
to take action

God is not distant. He is the God who shows up.
When God visits, He comes with purpose — not just to observe, but to change things.

We may feel forgotten, but His silence is not His absence.

LESSON No. 1
Trust God’s timing because;
His visitation will bring you a turning point (changes)

II. Reference Text: V.17..I have surely seen what is done to you...

What were your injustices in life?
God has surely seen them
God surely understood them
God surely perceived them with justice in mind

God doesn't just see the pain — He sees what is done to you.
God sees every injustice, every tear, every cry you couldn’t even put into words. And because He sees, He will act.

LESSON No. 2
Trust God’s timing because;
His perception will bring you justice

III. Reference Text: V.17..I will bring you out of your affliction.....I will bring you up to the land flowing with milk and honey...

This is both geographic and symbolic. Egypt was a low place; Canaan was higher.

To "bring up" implies elevation—from slavery to freedom, from sorrow to joy.

Don’t settle in Egypt when God is calling you to Canaan.
Trust His timing and leadership even when the journey is long.
Remember: God's “bringing up” often includes a wilderness — but it leads to promise.

God’s destination is always better than our current situation.

God’s blessings are not vague; they are specific, intentional, and timely.

LESSON No. 3
Trust God’s timing because;
His deliverance will bring you abundance

SUMMARY:
Trust God’s timing even when you feel ignored, unseen and unheard because;

1. God’s visitation will bring you changes
2. His perception will bring you justice
3. His deliverance will bring you abundance

FINAL THOUGHT:
When we do a seen mode, it means to ignore and do nothing. But when God does a seen mode, it means changes, justice, and abundance.

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15/10/2025

Shout out to ou new followers! Excited to have you onboard! Lhan T Reyes, Para Sirot, Gerald Kamato, Azarmabeth Cabreros, Dina Loreño Codilla, Dolly Christina, Deopante Il Gino Magtibay, Dodee Lopez, Ramil C. Sergio, Punnavich Kongjam, Paul Raymond Anabo, Joseph E. Maga, Jong Dalo

12/10/2025

BUILT FOR BOLDNESS

KEY VERSE:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

Fear doesn’t come from God — but courage, strength, love, and mental stability do. You are not wired to shrink. You are equipped to stand.

1. Fear is Not Your Inheritance

“God has not given us a spirit of fear…”

Fear is a thief: It steals your peace, your voice, your progress.

Timothy was facing pressure, possibly feeling timid or unqualified — Paul cuts straight through the emotion and reminds him: that fear didn’t come from God.

Important distinction: There’s a difference between caution (which is wise) and fear (which is paralyzing).

TRUTH 1: If fear is dominating your decisions, it's not from God — and it doesn't get to stay.

2. You’ve Been Given Power

“…but of power…”

The word here is dunamis — not just inner strength, but God’s supernatural enabling.

Power to speak, power to serve, power to endure, and power to break free from spiritual stagnation.

This isn’t about being naturally bold — it’s about being Spirit-empowered.

TRUTH 2: You’re not running on empty. God has already filled your tank with what you need.

3. You’ve Been Given Love

“…and of love…”

Not love as emotion, but love as a weapon — selfless, bold, steady.

Fear makes life all about you — love flips it and focuses on others.

Paul reminds Timothy: You can’t lead well or fight right without love.

TRUTH 3: If you’re not operating in love, you're operating out of alignment — no matter how right you think you are.

4. You’ve Been Given a Sound Mind

“…and of a sound mind.”

This isn’t just mental health — it’s spiritual clarity, self-discipline, calm thinking in chaos.

The Spirit of God brings focus when the world goes foggy.

When fear screams, your God-given mind says: Peace. Trust. Step forward.

TRUTH 4: You don’t have to live reactive. You can live steady.

Summary:
You are not called to cower — you’re called to carry power, walk in love, and think with clarity.

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11/10/2025

STAND STILL

SCRIPTURE:
“Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.” – Exodus 14:13 (NKJV)

INTRO:
There comes a point in every believer's life when the way forward seems impossible, and going back is not an option. It’s the moment between fear and faith, between panic and peace. Israel found themselves in such a place — standing between the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh's army closing in behind. And in the midst of their fear and confusion, Moses gives them a powerful word from the Lord:
“Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.”

This is not just a word for ancient Israel — it is a word for us today.

1. "Do Not Be Afraid" — A Call to COURAGE

Fear is a natural response when we feel outnumbered, overwhelmed, or out of control. Israel had just been freed from slavery, but now their past — Pharaoh and his army — were chasing them down.

But God says: “Do not be afraid.”

This is not a casual encouragement — it's a command. Why?
Because fear paralyzes faith. Fear makes us forget who God is. Fear makes us think we’re alone.

Yet all through Scripture, God tells His people, “Fear not, for I am with you.” (Isaiah 41:10)
So today, whatever is chasing you — be it sin, shame, debt, disease, or despair — hear the word of the Lord: Do not be afraid.

2. "Stand Still" — A Call to TRUST

In times of crisis, our instinct is to run, to react, to do something. But sometimes, God says, "Stand still."
Why?

Because the battle is not ours — it belongs to the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:15).
Standing still is not passive — it’s an act of trust. It’s saying, “God, I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on You.”

Standing still means refusing to act in panic. It means choosing to wait for God’s direction instead of forcing your own solution.

Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do in a battle is not fight — it’s to trust.

3. "See the Salvation of the Lord" — A Call to WITNESS

God didn’t bring Israel out of Egypt just to abandon them. He brought them out so He could show them something they had never seen before — His salvation.

God was about to part the Red Sea — a miracle that would mark His people forever.

Notice that Moses didn’t say, “Watch what you can do.” He said, “Watch what GOD will do.”

The salvation of the Lord is not earned — it’s revealed. And when God moves, He moves in a way that no man can take credit for.
When the Red Sea parted, Israel didn’t fight their way through — they walked. God made the way.

Today, you may not see a path forward. But God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If He parted the sea then, He can do it now.

4. "The Egyptians You See Today, You Will See No More" — A Call to FREEDOM

What a promise! The very thing that haunted Israel for over 400 years — the slavery, the oppression, the whip on their backs — God says, “You will see them no more.”

This is not just a physical deliverance — it’s symbolic of spiritual freedom.
God doesn’t just want to get you out of Egypt — He wants to get Egypt out of you.

There are some enemies God is about to remove permanently from your life.
Some addictions, some fears, some strongholds — once God delivers you, they won’t follow you into your future.

CONCLUSION:

Your Red Sea Moment

Today, some of you are standing at your own Red Sea — pressed between a problem in front of you and your past behind you. And maybe fear is rising in your heart.

But I came to remind you what God told Moses:

Do not be afraid
Stand still
See the salvation of the Lord
For the Egyptians you see today, you will see again no more forever

God is about to make a way where there is no way.

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09/10/2025

EXPERIENCE HIS GOODNESS

TEXT:
Psalm 34:8 – “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.”

1. TASTE THE LORD
“Taste the Lord” is an invitation to personally experience God.
You can't truly know the flavor of something by looking at it or hearing about it—you have to taste it for yourself.
In the same way, God invites us to go beyond knowledge and enter into a relationship with Him.

Taste His grace through forgiveness.
Taste His love through answered prayer.
Taste His presence in worship.

You don’t have to take someone else’s word for it—God says, “Come and see for yourself.”

Faith begins with personal experience—have you truly tasted His goodness?

2. SEE THE LORD
After tasting comes “seeing.” This is about recognition—realizing who God is and how He’s moving in your life.
When you start to look with eyes of faith, you’ll begin to see:

God’s hand in your past,
God’s faithfulness in your present,
And God’s plans for your future.

So often, we miss what God is doing because we aren’t looking. But if you open your heart and eyes, you’ll begin to see that He’s been with you all along.

Seeing the Lord changes how you see everything else.

3. TAKE REFUGE IN THE LORD
Life gets hard. Storms come. But God doesn’t leave us without shelter.
He is our refuge—our safe place in times of trouble.

When fear rises, take refuge in His peace.
When sin tempts, take refuge in His strength.
When life breaks you down, take refuge in His presence.
God is not a distant observer—He is a present protector.

Refuge in God isn’t a last resort—it should be our first response.

4. EXPERIENCE HIS BLESSINGS
The verse ends with a promise: “Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.”
When we taste, see, and take refuge in the Lord, we begin to experience His blessings:

Peace that passes understanding.
Joy in the midst of pain.
Hope that doesn’t disappoint.
Purpose in every season.

These blessings aren’t just material—they are deep, spiritual riches that come only from living close to God.

The greatest blessing is not just what God gives, but who He is.

Taste and see that the Lord is not just good—He is everything your soul longs for. When you take refuge in Him, you don’t just find safety—you step into a life of true blessing.

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