Are You Eating and Drinking?

By Linden Mason

I never attended church consistently, and I did not have any room for God in my life. Every time I heard the gospel being preached on the radio, I would turn it off immediately because of the discomfort I felt. Who wants to hear about going to hell when life is hard enough as it is? After experiencing so many hardships in my life, my heart was convicted by the Holy Spirit to call out to the Father. After I started reading the Bible and prayed more often, I realized I deprived myself from eating and drinking God's words. I learned that if it were not for God's grace, we all would be starving unknowingly! There is a famine of the truth! And unfortunately, when we are malnourished, we make impulsive decisions that lead us to harm and destruction. Therefore, I recommend you read the Bible daily because you are who you eat.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: May 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781639033348

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Are You Eating and Drinking?

Linden Mason

ISBN 978-1-63903-333-1 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63903-334-8 (digital)

Copyright © 2021 by Linden Mason

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Acknowledgment

Introduction

Receive the Gift of God

Do Not Sow among Thorns

My Words Are Not Idle

Do Not Complain about Your Hardships

Before the Beginning of Time

The Night Before I Rose

Don’t Let Them Swallow Me!

Do Not Eat Too Much Honey

Don’t Leave Your First Love

Whose Son Is He?

You Will Be Rebuilt

A Defender of the Helpless

Do Not Fear Men

Barren and Bereaved

Abide in Me

A Sad Face Is Good for the Heart

The Silver and Gold Are Mine

To Those Who Hear Him

When the Treasure Looked at Him

Treasures of God

Make Our Treasuries Full

Break Their Teeth

All Things Are Possible

Love Covers a Multitude of Sins

Loving Is Knowing God

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Eat and Drink Him

I Give Water to My People

Go Away, Oppressor!

Away from Me

Beware of Briers and Thorns

Be My Contender

Jesus Cursed the Day He Was Born

Cursed Be the Day I Was Born!

A Light Has Dawned

The Mystery Treasure Inside the House

Those in Favor Are Taught by Abba

Uphold My Cause, and Plead My Case

He Is Elijah Who Is to Come

A Servant Is Not Greater than His Master

Choose Your Friends Carefully

What He Opens, No One Can Shut

Are My Tears Recorded?

Don’t Love Human Praise!

Our Living Hope

I Am Making a Way in the Wilderness

I Confess My Ini

The Mighty Warrior Is with You

Be Transformed, Little Children

You Should Not Be Surprised

Be There for the Weak

The Beatitudes

He Hears Our Prayer

I Will Pour My Spirit

Give Me My Pay!

Can Anyone Question Me?

Let’s Stop Biting and Devouring Each Other

Give My Bride Double

We Love Our Garments

Watch Out for the Walking Dead

All Men Are like Grass

Do Not Complain about Your Hardships

Are There Any Grapes or Figs?

He Will Keep You Firm to the End

I Am the Rose of Sharon

Hide in Christ

I Am the Lord

The Spirit of Truth

Don’t Rebuke Mockers

Unveil Our Hearts, Lord

Where Is Our Physician?

Hold Your Helper’s Right Hand

Let There Be Light

Cast All Your Cares upon Him

The Curse of the Law vs the Grace of God’s Work

Be at Rest Once More

Be Patient, Farmers

Blessed Is the One You Discipline

Come, You Children

Do Not Grieve like the Rest

Full of Grace and Truth

Do Not Forsake the Living Water

Drink and Be Exposed!

About the Author

Acknowledgment

My parents, who were born and raised in Jamaica, have shown me the beauty of faith and diligent hands. I thank them deeply for all the sacrifices they made to pave the way for Tania, their daughter, and me, their son. I would also love to thank my wife, Sarai Mason, for her resilience, endurance, and passion for God and our children. Most of all, I thank Yahweh for rescuing me. His unfailing love has transcended my expectations, and it is more than an honor to serve Him. Until this day, I acknowledge Him as my beloved Father in Christ Jesus. He is wonderful and highly misunderstood, and I pray He will continue to use me to build His precious kingdom.

Introduction

As we examine the Bible, we will discover the Lord always uses images and metaphors to describe a deeper meaning. I never knew that eating associates with intimate fellowship. When the Lord Jesus instructed His disciples to eat His flesh and drink His blood, they took offense to that. He was merely giving them an invitation to know Him more intimately. Remember, man does not live on bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. (John 14:23). I will come in and eat with that person, and they with Me. (Revelation 3:20). That is why this devotional book is titled Are You Eating and Drinking? Right after the Lord’s resurrection, He walked with two men on the road to Emmaus, explaining the scriptures. Because of their unbelief, He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter His glory? And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning Himself.’ (Luke 24:25–27). The Lord offered Himself in a manger for us to eat. The Lord is the Bread from heaven we need to hunger for because Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6). Enjoy eating and drinking our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Receive the Gift of God

You were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.

—Ephesians 1:13–14

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the Gift of God, which is in you.

—2 Timothy 1:6

This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.

—2 Timothy 1:9

It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the Gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

—Ephesians 2:8–10

We have this Treasure in jars of clay to show this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

—2 Corinthians 4:7

Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

—Romans 4:4–5

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

—2 Peter 1:19

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened.

—Ephesians 1:17–18

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.

—Philippians 1:9–10

Lord Jesus promised that He will send us an advocate to help us understand our new identity. We will know that we are redeemed adopted children of the Most High. With the Lord’s presence inside our hearts, we also learn that we are blessed with supernatural gifts and abilities to help our Father gather His lost redeemed children. This is better known as bearing fruit. We do not take credit at all because we know that all the supernatural gifts and traits come from Christ, the hope of glory. It is by grace that we were given an assignment.

Do Not Sow among Thorns

Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord, I will frown on you no longer, for I am faithful, declares the Lord. I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt—you have rebelled against the Lord your God.

—Jeremiah 3:12–13

Return, faithless people, declares the Lord, for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.

—Jeremiah 3:14–15

Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts.

—Jeremiah 4:3–4

The ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

—Mark 4:18–19

Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.

—Jeremiah 6:16

And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it.

—Isaiah 30:20–21

We are recovering addicts. The more we are enlightened with God’s wisdom and knowledge, the more we are able to see from the truth’s perspective. We finally see and understand that we are marred and wounded by the sins we committed against our King. I always like to use this analogy. After watching a matinee movie, we are instructed to exit the theater after the movie ends. The moment you enter the parking lot, your eyes will be overwhelmed by the light. It is so painful at first. Eventually, your eyes will finally adjust to the light, and you will be able to see normally again. The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day (Proverbs 4:18). We need to ask our Father to help us separate from our old lifestyle of indulging in selfish pleasures. He is calling us out of the darkness to help us understand that gratifying our own pleasures is destructive not only to ourselves but to others as well. Lord wants us to be committed to Him because He is the only way to joy and peace. Once He becomes your ultimate desire, then all these desires will fall into place appropriately. It is painful and uncomfortable at first when we battle self-denial. Abba continues to afflict us for the rest of our days here on earth. To comfort us in this painful process, He provides us teachers to point us in the right direction. This is better known as the sanctification process. We get to sweat it out even if our bones ache. Therefore, My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life. (Proverbs 6:20–23)

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. (Psalm 119:105–106)

My Words Are Not Idle

Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.

—Deuteronomy 32:2

They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land.

—Deuteronomy 32:47

You will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.

—Proverbs 2:9

Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.

—1 Kings 19:7

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good.

—Isaiah 55:2

Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

—Deuteronomy 8:3

We have the tendency of believing that if we have an intellectual understanding of God’s Word, we don’t need to continue listening to the same verses over and over again. In fact, we need these words of encouragement to help us grow in His grace. Our Creator spoke words to put this universe together by faith. Now He is speaking words to regenerate us according to His faithfulness. Every time we hear Him, we are transformed into His likeness. Therefore, listen to Him carefully, and ask Him to apply His words to strengthen you and prepare you for the upcoming trials and tests.

Do Not Complain about Your Hardships

Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when He heard them his anger was aroused.

—Numbers 11:1

They did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance.

—Psalm 78:22

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus.

—Hebrews 3:1

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

—James 1:2–3

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does