Category Archives: Bible Studies

Bible Studies, Passages of the Bible, Scripture Memory

Working, Sleeping, and “Baking some Bread.”

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In my early years as a Christian, I memorized this passage. Since then I’ve quoted it as inspiration to get out of bed – many times.

I thought I’d post it real quick, and paste some commentary on it from a couple of different sources. Enjoy, be blessed, and may the Lord grant you rest when it’s time to sleep, and energy when it’s time to work. Your labors will be rewards both Spiritually and physically.

(See also Proverbs 10:4; 20:4; 23:21)

Hebrew Bible Study App, “The expression “you shall be satisfied with bread” means you will have enough to eat; you will be sustained and your basic needs will be met. In the context of the verse, King Solomon is teaching us about the importance of diligence and effort:

• “Do not love sleep” — Don’t be lazy or spend all your time sleeping (or by extension, being idle).

• “Lest you come to poverty” — If you avoid work and effort, you may fall into poverty.

• “Open your eyes” — Be alert, active, and seek opportunities to be productive.

• “And you shall be satisfied with bread” — If you put in the effort and are diligent, you will have your needs provided for; you’ll have (at least) enough bread to satiate your hunger, meaning your sustenance is secured.

Deeper meaning: “Bread,” in Jewish tradition, symbolizes the basic necessities of life. The verse is not just about food, but a metaphor for being provided for in all ways—physical and perhaps even spiritual.

Perek Shirah—which is a collection of praises recited by natural creatures—references this verse in one of the calls of the rooster, according to some versions. The rooster calls upon people not to oversleep and miss Torah study or mitzvot.

In summary:
“…you shall be satisfied with bread” means: If you are alert and industrious, God will provide that you have your fundamental needs met.

Gill, “Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; sleep is a very great natural blessing; it is a gift of God, what nature requires, and is desirable; it is to be loved, though not immoderately; it is sweet to a man, and what he should be thankful for; yet should not indulge himself in to the neglect of the proper business of life; nor to be used but at the proper time for it; for the eye is made for sight, and not for sleep only, as Aben Ezra observes, connecting the words with the preceding; and therefore should not be kept shut and inattentive to business, which must necessarily end in poverty and want; see Proverbs 6:9; and so spiritual sleep and slothfulness bring on a spiritual poverty in the souls of men, both as to the exercise of grace and the performance of duty;

Open thine eyes, and thou shall be satisfied with bread; that is, open thine eyes from sleep, awake and keep so, and be sedulous and industrious in the business of thy calling; so shalt thou have a sufficiency of food for thyself and family; see Proverbs 12:11. It may be applied to awaking out of sleep in a spiritual sense, and to a diligent attendance to duty and the use of means, whereby the souls of men come to be satisfied with the goodness of the Lord, and the fatness of his house; see Ephesians 5:14.”

Bible Studies, Devotionals, Passages of the Bible, Proverbs, Work

Learning from an Ant

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Proverbs 6:6–8 (NKJV) “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.”

What a shame that we have been degraded to the point of having to be taught Bible truths by bugs! Imagine that…instructed by insects – but it is helpful – and I think at times, necessary for some.

1. Notice the ant’s inner Motivation (v. 7)
Having no captain, overseer, or ruler, meaning there’s no one pushing them, no one watching them, and yet they continue to work productively. No one has to tell them, “Ok, chop, chop, break’s over, get back to work.” No, the ant has a heart to work, honestly, and productively, they need no external motivation.

Christians should be the hardest and most faithful workers of all because we’re aware of the fact that ultimately, we work for Jesus. 

Ephesians 6:5–6 (NLT) “Workers, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.”

2. Notice the ant’s thoughtful Preparation (v. 8) 
They’re “go-getters,” and they’re “gatherers” As go-getters they don’t sit back with a sense of entitlement saying mom, dad, family, friends, society, and government owes it to me. No, they go out and get it, they labor…they work for it.

We’re to do the same – and on the flip side, we should not support the lazy. Don’t misunderstand me, I know the Bible encourages that we give generously to the poor, but not to freeloaders interested only in handouts. We read in:

2 Thessalonians 3:10, “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.”

Amen!

Warren Wiersbe said, “The biggest thieves of all are the lazy people who could work but won’t, the people who consume what others produce but produce nothing for others to use. The “sluggard” and the “slothful man” are mentioned at least seventeen times in Proverbs, and nothing good is said about them. We need to recognize the fact that work is not a curse. God gave Adam work to do in the Garden, even before sin entered the scene.”

I like what one person said, “Work is the meat of life, and pleasure is the desert.”

Another said, “It’s better to wear out than rust out, so beware of handouts.”

When there’s a genuine need – praise God that so many are sensitive to the Spirit and they give to the helpless, but if a man needs to learn to walk and work, we musn’t get in the way…we might cripple him for life.

Ants are “go-getters” and they’re “gatherers” (savers). Notice again what we read in:

Proverbs 6:8, “Provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.”

I realize this isn’t always possible for all of us, but I know of one young man who prior to the pandemic had close to 6 months of wages in his savings account. When the virus hit, and his industry was hit, he was furloughed and lost his income, but he was okay financially until he found another job, because he was a go-getter and a gatherer, a saver…like the ant.

God help us to be hard workers, go-getters, and do all that we can to save up for a rainy day. May we learn from the revelation of creation…even an ant.

Love you! Your brother in Christ, 
– Manny

Bible Studies, Devotionals, Humility, Instagram Post, Passages of the Bible

The Prideful Truth

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Proverbs 29:23 (NKJV) “A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.”

You’ve may have heard that story about a minister, a Boy Scout, and a computer expert who were the only passengers on a small plane. The pilot came back to the cabin and said that the plane was going down but there were only three parachutes and four people. The pilot then said, “I should have one of the parachutes because I have a wife and three small children.” So, he took one and jumped.

The computer whiz said, “I should have one of the parachutes because I am the smartest man in the world and everyone needs me.” So, he took one and jumped.

The minister turned to the Boy Scout and with a sad but sure smile said, “You’re young and I’ve had a blessed life, by God’s grace I know I’m saved, so you take the remaining parachute, and I’ll go down with the plane.”
The Boy Scout said, “That won’t be necessary, sir, the smartest man in the world just picked up my backpack and jumped out!”

A satirical story to illustrate the truth of today’s Proverb, “A man’s pride will bring him low (very low), but the humble in spirit will retain honor.”

We all have it, and it challenges us every day…pride resides within us and fights to take over. The dictionary defines it as, “A high view of oneself; a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.”

The world is proud of their pride, but Christians shouldn’t be. Pride is the root of all sin.

When I think of humility I think of honesty. I know who I am apart from Christ, a weak, wretched, wicked man. I don’t deserve anything good, and I’m not entitled. The truth is, I am NOTHING and can do NOTHING without HIM (John 15:5), but God has been gracious to me.

May we swallow the pride and walk in humility. We’ll be blessed by the results.

Your brother in Christ,

  • Manny
Bible Studies, Devotionals, Salvation

More than Food? (Sowing and Reaping)

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John 4:37-38, “For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”

I’m not a farmer, per se, but I think I know how to plant seeds. Every once in a while, I’ll reap, I’ll pull a lemon, a kumquat, or different pieces of fruit off my friend’s trees, even though I didn’t plant those trees.

Well, just as that’s true physically, Jesus is saying this is true spiritually. We should be sowing and reaping for the salvation of souls.

Jesus went out of His way to win the Samaritan woman and then the subsequent village to salvation. This was His heart, His mission, His passion. He wanted His disciples to have that same heart, to the point that evangelism and soul-winning would be more important to them than food – that this type of activity would be their satisfaction and sustenance…but they needed to know about spiritual agriculture, the general pattern. Jesus told His disciples, “One sows and another reaps.” Jesus was sending them to reap in a great harvest, but others had labored and sown before them. I can’t recall exactly where I heard this quote, but someone once said, “This truth brings humility to the reapers and encouragement to the sowers.”

Christian friend, whoever you are, keep sowing seeds, loving on people, fishing for men and women, praying for their salvation, and don’t be discouraged if you’re just sowing seeds. If you do get to see some come to faith, stay humble, knowing that others have labored in the field of that heart before you, but praise God you were used by Him, for salvation is of the Lord.

Jesus has a heart for the lost – and He wants us to have that same heart. Even though we’re not all gifted as evangelists, we can all do the work of an evangelist (2 Timothy 4:5).

Can you think of anyone in your life who needs to be saved? Is the Holy Spirit laying anyone on your heart? Are you looking for those “open doors” of opportunity each day to plant or reap? I hope so. I pray this would be more important to us than the very food we eat each and every day (John 4:32-34).

Until the whole world hears…your brother in Christ,

– Manny