Overwhelmed With A Desire For The Word

Recently I was reading and meditating on Psalm 119. It became evident that the psalmist loved the Word of God with all of his heart. It was everything to him. The Word was his source of joy and delight, wise advice, revitalization, comfort, and encouragement. (Psalm 119:14, 16, 24, 25,50, 52, 28) He was always overwhelmed with a desire for the Word and to walk in the Word, that is where his happiness was found. (Psalm 119:20, 35) He trusted in the Word. Early in the morning, before the sun was up he’d cry out to the Lord and put his hope in the Word. (Psalm 119:147) At night he’d reflect on the Lord, therefore he obeyed the Word. (Psalm 119:55) His confidence in God’s law and love for the Word of God is beautifully expressed in this long psalm.

Here are some of my favorite verses from Psalm 119:

“If Your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery.” Vs. 92

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Vs. 105

“You are my refuge and my shield; Your word is my source of hope.” Vs 114

“The teaching of Your word gives light, so even the simple can understand.” Vs 130

“As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in Your commands.” Vs 143

I am always greatly encouraged and comforted by this Psalm. However after read it this time I immediately began to feel concerned for other believers who don’t know the Word of God the way this psalmist does. If only they would realize that the Word of God is their source for everything. If they would spend time daily reading and meditating on God’s instructions then they would not be so weak and beat up by life’s circumstances. Instead many believers go to church conveniently and don’t pick up the Word of God between church visits. The result is a starving soul, clouded vision, and a greater susceptibility to compromising our Christian principles. We have to always remember that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4;4)

I remember what a mess my entire life was without the Word of God. My emotions were all over the place. I did not know which way to go. My perception on life’s issues was distorted by ignorant and foolish ideas that did not line up with the Word. I felt anxious all the time and I wasn’t producing good fruit in my life. My light was dim and on top of that it was hidden under a bush. I am not talking about before I was saved. This was after I received Christ. I was a dormant Christian. I was inactive because the Word was not active in my life.

I most certainly have not arrived to perfection. Anyone who knows me knows what I say is true, however today I know who I am in Christ Jesus. My confidence and my strength is strong because I have learned to build my faith and hope on the Rock, the Word of God. When the pressures and stress of life bear down on me I find joy in the Word of God. His Word is my source of hope and strength. It sustains me. I can’t imagine my life without the Word of God. If I go a day without reading it I feel like something is missing. It’s not a religious condemnation I feel, like I have to read the Word. What I feel is a longing for Him, to hear His voice through the written Word.

You see I have discovered that the Lord will speak clearly through His Word. If you want to know what God wants you to do in your life or a specific situation then seek direction and counsel in the Word of God. Sure you can go to other strong believers for counsel, but the Word of God has to be our number one source for advice. It will never lead us wrong. It will direct our step every time.

Remember that Jesus is the Word and if you draw close to Him, He will draw close to you. Make spending time with Him your priority. We should not have to fit Him into our schedules. Our schedules should begin after we have sought Him first.

“Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts.” Psalm 119:2

Be blessed..

People Do No Live By Bread Alone..

‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ Matthew 4:4

The more you draw close to the Word of God the more you will realize that you need to be feeding on the Word daily. Not snacking or picking at scriptures but reading chapters and books at a time. When we are not truly eating full portions of the Word we will become emaciated Christians. We’ll be walking around sick and defeated, needing to be cared for by others. Our faces and attitudes will show our weakness and our light will be dim. If we are feeding on the Word daily we will become Christians full of the Word ready to fight with the Sword, ready to serve, ready for whatever the Lord has called for us to do. Our faces will be bright with love and the power of the Holy Spirit. We will be living on the Bread of Life.

We need the Word of God all the time. All the answers to our life’s problems are there. If there is a struggle that we are having with a certain stronghold or hindrance the Word of God will confirm in our hearts’ that He knows that we are struggling in this area. He will assure us that we can over come all things through Christ Jesus. His Word will remind us who we are in Christ Jesus and confirm that we are no longer slaves to our old sin nature that kept us in bondage before we were delivered by faith in Christ. His Word will provide the Truth we need in every situation. His Word is Power. His Word is Freedom. His Word is Life.

His Word is should be our comfort when we are down. The Psalms can encourage our souls. Reading stories about how our Lord delivered and provided for others in the bible should give us hopeful expectation because we know His Word says that He does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is no respecter of persons. What He has done for them, He can do for us. His Word will give us hope when the world says that there is no hope.

We need the Word daily, in full portions to stay strong. If we are going to truly live life in this world more abundantly and grow into mature Christians we have got to live and abide in the Word of God.

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.“ John 15:4

This means to remain, continue, stay, and dwell in the Word. If we are constantly seeking God’s face through spending time in the Word of God, then His Word will abide in us. This is more than just reading a little devotional. I am talking about sitting down and reading the Word of God knowing that the Holy Spirit has something to tell you, sure that He wants to teach you something.

The Spirit of God wants to impart His wisdom and power in your life through the Word of God. He wants to equip you for your day. He wants to comfort you. He wants to give you revelation of His love for you. He wants develop the mind of Christ in you so that you will know what He wants you to do. All this the Spirit will do as you live in the Word of God.

Lord gives extreme hunger pains for the Bread of Life. When we have not had our daily portion of the Word remind us that we can not live on bread along but that we need to be filled daily on the truth of your Word. Thank you Lord the Holy Spirit that reminds us that we need to abide in You all the time. In Jesus name..Amen.

It's Time To Replenish

Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

What a busy year already! My mind has been going a mile a minute. It seems that I have so much going on. I have been fighting a cold for a week. Last year the Lord really had me focus on time management and putting everything that He has entrusted to me in order. He reminded me that my number one priority is my ministry to my family, then to the body of Christ and the world. Now I feel like He is telling me to learn to pace myself and take more time to replenish.

I feel the Lord is telling me, “Lisa, if you want to do My will and be used by Me you need to be rested and prayed up. Allow Me to replenish you. Don’t allow yourself to be consumed by doing stuff in My name. Remember My burden is light. Your burden becomes heavy when you try to carry a load that is not yours.”

So I am going to take the rest of the week off from publishing new postings and spend time in prayer and reading His word. I really need to replenish and be still before God. I want to learn to quiet my soul while I am drinking from the Living Water.

As usual when I take my breaks I will do postings from the Archives. I love going through the archives and seeing what the Lord has been saying to me over the past year. I get encouraged all over again. It’s almost like I didn’t even write it.

Thank you all for your prayers and words of encouragement. I appreciate all the love and support. It motivates me to keep pressing forward and let’s me know that my labor is not in vain. To God be the glory..

Starting Your Day Off Right

“I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in Your words.” Psalm 119:147

Good morning! Today you may be off to work or school, or perhaps it’s your day off. Maybe you’re a stay at home my like me or perhaps you are searching for a job. Whatever your situation today you will be faced with scheduled tasks, unforeseen or unexpected events, different personalities, opportunities to share your faith, persecution, blessings, and so on. How did you prepare for today’s events?

Our Lord Jesus would wake up before daybreak and go to an isolated place to pray and spend time with the Father. This is how He prepared for His day and this is the example that we too should follow. We have to be prayed up and have a fresh intake of the Word early in the morning if we want to have a truly fruitful day in Christ Jesus. (Mark 1:35)

Jesus said, “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Matthew 6:34

Everyday has its own troubles and obstacles. Don’t be in such a hurry to start your day. Take time early in the morning to prepare for the day ahead of you. Sacrifice and present the first hour of the day to the Lord, this is your first fruit offering. Set your alarm an hour earlier and go to bed an hour earlier if you need to. This will help you remember that each day is a day that the Lord has made and you are alive and here in this world for such a time as this for His plans and purpose.

Here is a prayer I found it says:

“Dear God…So far today, I’ve done ok. I haven’t gossiped or lost my temper. I haven’t been greedy, crabby, mean, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. And I’m very grateful for that. But dear God, in a few minutes I’m gonna get out of bed, and then probably gonna need a lot more help. Amen..

When I first read this I thought it was funny but I also knew that it is so true. It’s all good while we’re still in bed and haven’t faced the world. If you are starting your day off without seeking God’s face in prayer and without a word of encouragement and instruction from the Word of God then do not be surprised when your attitude is not right or you feel like your day is a little off. You will also find that you will be more susceptible for an attack from our enemy whom we know is roaming around like a lion seeking who he may devour. Don’t forget that you are a soldier in the army of God. We are in battle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. So we have to start our day of seeking counsel and direction from The Commander of our army Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 6:12)

“Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3

“The Sovereign Lord has given me His words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning He wakens me and opens my understanding to His will.” Isaiah 50:4

If we wake up and commit the first hour of our day to praying, reading the Word, and worshipping Him we will be better prepared to face our day. He wants to have that time with us. He wants us to give Him our concerns, worries, and burdens first thing in the morning so that we don’t have to carry them around all day. The only thing he wants us to carry on us is the armor of God that Paul talks about in Ephesians 6. Our Lord just wants you to know and remember that He is waiting daily each morning to talk to you and help you through each day. So seek His face early in the morning.

p.s.

I would just like to add that during the writing of this article my 22 month old twins are the crankiest they have been in weeks. They have been screaming and fighting like crazy for the past hour. You can imagine what it’s like. If I had not gotten up early prayed, exercised, and done this study I would have already lost my mind and it is only 8:39am…lol O and did I mention that my two dogs escaped out the back door again! Lol..Have a good day!!

A Proverb A Day

My hearts desire this year and my prayer to our Lord was for Him to draw me even closer, to reveal Himself more to me, and to impart His wisdom in me. In fact God’s wisdom is something I have been praying for and seeking ever since I read the story of Solomon in 1 Kings.

When the Lord appointed Solomon as king he visited him in a dream and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” Solomon humbly saw the need for greater wisdom to rule and lead God’s people so instead of riches or a long life he asked God for wisdom to govern His people. Solomon desired to have an understanding heart and to know the difference between right and wrong. This greatly pleased our Lord so He gave him the desire of his heart. King Solomon had a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have. (1 Kings 3:5-15)

At the beginning of this year the Lord reminded me of when I used to meditate on Solomon’s teachings daily found in the book of Proverbs. I felt inspired to get back to reading a chapter of the book of Proverbs daily as part of my morning devotionals. I also felt lead to teach my children to use this as their daily devotions. We have been sharing with each other the revelations, corrections, and directions that we have been receiving through our daily readings.

When I read Proverbs 1:1-6 I realized immediately why the Holy Spirit wanted us to meditate on these nuggets of wisdom daily. Verses 1- 4 says that the purpose of the Proverbs is to:

• Teach people wisdom and discipline
• Help them understand the insights of the wise.
• Teach people to live disciplined and successful lives
• Help them do what is right, just, and fair.
• Give insight to the simple
• Give knowledge and discernment to the young

“Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles.” Proverbs 1:5-6
The book of Proverbs is a book that imparts skills for living wisely in this fallen world. The instructions and advice given in this book if applied to our lives will result in humility, fruitful relationships, sound financial practices, and gainful vocations.
I encourage you to read a chapter a day based on the date. Today is the 13th so read the 13th chapter and then tomorrow read the 14th and so on. I promise you will receive confirmation and clear instructions for daily living.

Below are some nuggets of wisdom from the book of Proverbs that I have recently read.

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23

“Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:2-5

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then He will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10

“All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.” Proverbs 8:13

“So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you. Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.” Proverbs 9: 8-9

“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.” Proverbs 9:10

“A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays clam when insulted.” Proverbs 12:16

“Those who control their tongue will have a long-life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.” Proverbs 13:3

Happy New Year!!

Start this New Year off by rejoicing in our Lord. Rejoice because He is faithful to us. Praise Him because His mercy and grace endures forever. Lift up the name of Jesus because He continuously shows us His kindness and intercedes on our behalf. Shout for joy because we have a new year to keep fighting the good fight of faith. This year will surely be better than the last.

I am so excited to see what the Lord will unveil this year. What new revelations will I receive? How much more of His plan will He show me? How much more will I grow and be transformed? How will He choose to use me?

Every new year we have here on this earth is another year of opportunity to grow in the knowledge of Christ and help win souls for the kingdom of heaven. If there is any resolution or promise that is made this year let it be that we promise not to let the Word of God depart from our mouth; but that we will meditate on it day and night, so that we may be careful to do everything that is written in it. Then we will be prosperous and successful. If we promise to do this then everything else will fall into place. (Joshua 1:8)

As we draw closer to the Lord He will draw closer to us. As we read His Word and meditate on it Christ will be more and more at home in our hearts, He will be living in us as we trust Him. Our roots will begin to go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love; and we may be able to feel and understand, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high His love really is. We will experience this love for ourselves, though it is so great that we will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it.

This year I pray that we will grow up in the Word and continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Christ, strengthened in the faith, and overflow with thankfulness. May we live our lives worthy of the Lord and may we please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. Then we will be equipped to fulfill the Great Commission our Lord gave to His disciple and to us all.

“He told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and earth. Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you, and be sure of this-that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

So let your roots grow down deep into the Word this year and allow the Lord to continue the good work that He has started in your life. You have no idea the good things that He has prepared for you this year. He has so much He wants to show you and pour into you. Your cup will overflow so that you can pour into others. So rejoice and expect our Lord to reveal more of Himself and His love to you.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

From the Archives: Abundant Life

“The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

An abundant life is what Jesus came to give us. As believers we can live free from fear, bondage, guilt, shame, debt, strongholds, worry, and anxiety. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we have the ability to be more than conquerors. The One who lives in us is more powerful than he who lives in this world. We have been given the mind of Christ. When we are surrendered to the Word of God and allow ourselves to be lead by His Spirit we can live the abundant life that Jesus came to give us.

We don’t have to be overcome and defeated by temptation and troubles. We can live free from all strongholds and bondages. However so many Christians live defeated lives. They are struggling with alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking, pornography, consumed by debt, lying, unforgiveness, resentment, robbing God of tithe and offerings, and so much more. The enemy is just having a field day with their lives while they just stand by and wonder why this is happening to them. Telling themselves that they’re good Christians because they go to church all the time and volunteer for different ministries.

I spent many years living a scarce Christian life. I allowed myself to be defeated by addictions and destructive emotions. I was in bondage. I allowed myself to get beat up all the time by the devil and his demons. My marriage was in trouble. My family was under severe attack. I knew the Word of God. I had spent several hours, days, months, and years reading it. But I was just a hearer, not a doer of the Word. I was not surrendered to the Word of God or His will for my life. In a lot of ways I had harden my heart to His Word because I still wanted my own way. I did not fully trust Him even after all He has done for me.

I began to seek God’s face about why I was struggling so much. I was tired of playing church. I was tired of allowing the enemy to steal my joy, peace, and mental stability. I decided that instead of just sitting down to read the Word for knowledge of scripture, that I needed to sit down to read the Word expecting God to show me how to improve my life. I would pray before I began to read for God to change my heart and renew my mind through the reading of his Word. I desired more than ever for Him to search every corner of my heart, even the hidden places, and purify me. I began to long for Him to create in me a clean heart. I abandoned my own will and craved His heart and His will for my life.

If we are to walk with God and live a more abundant life now, then we need to surrender ourselves completely to Him. There’s no room for half stepping or compromise. Our emotions, problems, enemies, unforgiveness, addiction, any hindrances, and our complete will must be laid down on the altar and presented as a sacrifice to God. He will honor the sacrifice, cleanse us, and give us new heart that longs to please Him. The joy of our salvation will be renewed. Then we will be able to live this abundant life that Jesus came to give us.

Father, thank you for your sacrifice of Love. We know that this sacrifice was made so that we can live in freedom as conquerors free from any bondage or stronghold. We lay our will down at your feet and ask that Your will be done in our lives. Teach us how to live this life more abundantly. In Jesus name. Amen.

From The Archives: Pray Much For Others

Our prayer life should not consist solely of seeking God on behalf our own needs. It is our responsibility to compassionately pray and intercede on behalf of the needs of others as well. Look at Paul’s instructions to Timothy regarding interceding for others.

“Here are my directions: Pray much for others; plead for God’s mercy upon them; give thanks for all He is going to do for them. Pray in this way for kings and all others who are in authority over us, or are in places of high responsibility, so that we can live in peace and quietness, spending our time in godly living and thinking much about the Lord. This is good and pleases God our Savior, for he longs for all to be saved and to understand this truth; That God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, himself man, is between them to bring them together, by giving his life for all mankind. ” (1 Timothy 2:1-6)

We are called to be intercessors praying for the salvation of the lost, for those in authority over us and in positions of great responsibility, and also for other Christians. (Ephesians 6:18) Our prayers guided by the Holy Spirit and full of faith will make a difference in the lives of others and in the world.

James 5:16-18 says, “The prayers of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results. Elijah was as completely human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and one half years! Then he prayed again, this time that it would rain, and down it poured and the grass turned green and the gardens began to grow again.” (1 Kings 17:1-7, 18:36-39)

The Lord wants to use us to intercede on behalf of others who have not yet come to know Him. Our prayer should be for God to have mercy on them and for those satanic blinders to be removed from their eyes so that they can see how much God truly loves them and wants to save them. We should pray for them to realize that they are sinners in need of a Savior and that God’s kindness to them has been meant to lead them to repentance.

It is in our best interest to pray for our president and our government. We want to be governed wisely and for God’s will to be done in our country. Praying for those directly in authority over us such as our managers, bosses, and owners is vital to the condition of our daily work environment. Your prayers for the company and its employees will help prosper everyone there spiritually and financially.

Someone right now needs us to stand in the gap for them. Maybe it’s our friend who lost faith, our boss who is going through a divorce and is losing their children, or our widowed landlady who is full of bitterness. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to use us to intercede of behalf of whoever God puts on our heart.

Lord thank you for the privilege we have to come before you not only for our own needs but on behalf of the needs of others. Fill our hearts with compassion and confidence to pray for those around us and in authority over us. We know that our faith filled prayers will help change people’s lives now and forever. Thank you for the power of prayer. In Jesus name..Amen.

Don't Take The Bait

My husband and I had been in prayer and fasting regarding specific decisions that we needed to make for our family. After seeking our Lord’s face we were sure that He would make it clear to us what direction we needed to take. He has always been faithful to guide and lead us down the right path so we trusted Him to give us direction and to show us His will.

It has been several months now and an option has presented it’s self. But is it God or are we being baited and lured by a temporary solution that only ends in bondage? After reviewing the possibilities of the offer presented to us we realized that it was a trap. At first glance it seemed that the proposal would provide freedom and relief. It was appealing and tempting, too good to be true. My father in law said to us, “I always say if it looks too good to be true then it probably is.”

After digging deeper into the substance we were able to find the hidden hooks that would have hindered and kept us restricted from the freedom that we need. Had we of taken the bait and accepted the offer our circumstances would have changed for the better temporarily, however there were consequences and repercussions for accepting this false promise of peace. We thanked God for giving us wisdom, common sense, wise counsel, His Word, and His Holy Spirit to help us properly evaluate the situation. It became clear to us which way to go.

This isn’t the first time that the enemy as tried to divert us from taking the right path. The enemy will come to us all of with His alluring temptations full of false promises of hope and relief. He makes his offers so tempting and sound so good so as even to deceive, if possible, God’s chosen ones. His goal is to get us off tract and distracted from following God’s will for our life. We must be prepared to properly discern every claim, temptation, and offer the enemy presents.

In the past I more easily fell for the enemy’s lies and deceptions because I desired my own way more than God’s way. I did not read the Word of God daily and therefore I was not meditating on it either. My mind was worldly and full of selfish desires. I was easy prey. I was easy to deceive. Not any more! The enemy has to come correct and tactful now.

Don’t foolishly disregard what I am telling you. The enemy desires to blind us with deception, bind us, and keep us from achieving all that God has for us. I am not giving the enemy too much credit. I am just keeping it real with you and reminding you that this is a spiritual battle. Our enemy, satan is real. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. (1 Peter 5:8-9)



Don’t fall for the enemies tricks. Stay on the right path, the narrow road. Know the Word of God and what it means. This is the sword that you will use to defeat the lies of the enemy. His Word assures us that we are on the right path. It is the light that guides and leads us. We are more then conquerors in Christ Jesus and we have the mind Christ to help us discern truth from deception. Don’t take the bait. (Psalm 119:105, 1 Corinthians 2:16)

Surrender Daily

When we ask Jesus to come into our lives it should be because we acknowledged that we have sinned against God and disobeyed His laws. We go to Him broken with a contrite spirit, humbly sorry for our sins. Asking Him to forgive us, restore us, transform us and create in us a clean heart. It has become apparent to us that we need Him to help us because our ways of doing things in our lives have lead us down the wrong path. Heart ache and pain are the result of our own selfish and rebellious nature. Tired of this way of life we turn to Him and ask Him to take the wheel. We want him to be our Lord and Savior so we surrender to Him and confess our sins, repent, and ask Him to come into our hearts to live and rule.

This attitude of complete surrender that we have when we realize that we are sinners and hopeless without Him is one that we need to have on a daily basis. The definition of surrender is to give oneself up to another’s power or control. In order to be effective, victorious, powerful Christians then we must choose to surrender daily to the Lord’s will, His Spirit, and His Word.

Our Lord gave Joshua specific instructions when he was promoted as the new ruler of Israel after the death of his mentor Moses. His directives were to 1) be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy, 2) obey God’s Word, 3) always remind the people of God’s Word, and 4) daily read, study, and meditate on God’s Word. Joshua followed our Lord’s instructions and he conquered his enemies and successfully ruled God’s people. This advice is still good today. We can apply these instructions to our Christian walk so that we can be mighty conquerors just like Joshua was. (Joshua 1:6-8)

The writer of Psalm 119 also understood that it was vital to know God’s Word and to submit to it.

“Blessed Lord, teach me your rules. I have recited your laws, and rejoiced in them more than in riches. I will meditate upon them and give them my full respect. I will delight in them and not forget them.” Psalm 119:12-16

“Keep me far from every wrong; help me, undeserving as I am, to obey your laws, for I have chosen to do right. I cling to your commands and follow them as closely as I can. Lord, don’t let me make a mess of things. If you will only help me to want your will, then I will follow your laws even more closely.” Psalm 119:29-32

“May I never forget your words; for they are my only hope.” Psalm 119:43

If we will choose to meditate on and surrender to God’s Word daily we will desire His will and His way of doing things for our lives. His Word will rise up in our hearts and minds and then flow out our mouth producing life. We will be changed and empowered to live victorious Christian lives.

Thank you Lord for your Word that gives us power and courage to produce fruitful Christian living. We will daily surrender our will and lay it at your feet. Your way is what we desire most. Thank you for your power and wisdom. In Jesus name. Amen.

Abundant Life

“The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

An abundant life is what Jesus came to give us. As believers we can live free from fear, bondage, guilt, shame, debt, strongholds, worry, and anxiety. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we have the ability to be more than conquerors. The One who lives in us is more powerful than he who lives in this world. We have been given the mind of Christ. When we are surrendered to the Word of God and allow ourselves to be lead by His Spirit we can live the abundant life that Jesus came to give us.

We don’t have to be overcome and defeated by temptation and troubles. We can live free from all strongholds and bondages. However so many Christians live defeated lives. They are struggling with alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking, pornography, consumed by debt, lying, unforgiveness, resentment, robbing God of tithe and offerings, and so much more. The enemy is just having a field day with their lives while they just stand by and wonder why this is happening to them. Telling themselves that they’re good Christians because they go to church all the time and volunteer for different ministries.

I spent many years living a scarce Christian life. I allowed myself to be defeated by addictions and destructive emotions. I was in bondage. I allowed myself to get beat up all the time by the devil and his demons. My marriage was in trouble. My family was under severe attack. I knew the Word of God. I had spent several hours, days, months, and years reading it. But I was just a hearer, not a doer of the Word. I was not surrendered to the Word of God or His will for my life. In a lot of ways I had harden my heart to His Word because I still wanted my own way. I did not fully trust Him even after all He has done for me.

I began to seek God’s face about why I was struggling so much. I was tired of playing church. I was tired of allowing the enemy to steal my joy, peace, and mental stability. I decided that instead of just sitting down to read the Word for knowledge of scripture, that I needed to sit down to read the Word expecting God to show me how to improve my life. I would pray before I began to read for God to change my heart and renew my mind through the reading of his Word. I desired more than ever for Him to search every corner of my heart, even the hidden places, and purify me. I began to long for Him to create in me a clean heart. I abandoned my own will and craved His heart and His will for my life.

If we are to walk with God and live a more abundant life now, then we need to surrender ourselves completely to Him. There’s so room for half stepping or compromise. Our emotions, problems, enemies, unforgiveness, addiction, any hindrances, and our complete will must be laid down on the altar and presented as a sacrifice to God. He will honor the sacrifice, cleanse us, and give us new heart that longs to please Him. The joy of our salvation will be renewed. Then we will be able to live this abundant life that Jesus came to give us.

Father, thank you for your sacrifice of Love. We know that this sacrifice was made so that we can live in freedom as conquerors free from any bondage or stronghold. We lay our will down at your feet and ask that Your will be done in our lives. Teach us how to live this life more abundantly. In Jesus name. Amen.

Prayer Hindrances

The Lord longs for us to pray and to seek his face. He wants us to cast all of our cares on Him because He cares for us. He has told us that what ever we ask in His name we will receive. He assures us that if we seek we will find and if we knock the door will be opened. He tells us that our heavenly Father will most certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them. So we can be confident that when we pray that he hears our prayers and He will be faithful to answer them. (John 16:24, Matthew 6:7-12)

But do you ever feel like your prayers are not being answered or God can not hear them? What if there is something blocking our prayers from reaching the throne room? What if our prayer line was clogged or contaminated? Is that possible? Yes..there are hindrances that can creep into our lives and clog or block the communication lines with God keeping our prayers from being heard and answered. Prayer hindrances. The bible speaks clearly of these prayer blockers. So what are they?

Ø Iniquity and unconfessed sin (Isaiah 59:2, Psalm 66:18)
Ø Unforgiveness (Matthew 18:23-35, Matthew 6:14-15)
Ø Selfish prayers & prayers with wrong motives (James 4:3, Luke 22:42)
Ø Husband and wives mistreating each other (1 Peter 3:7, Ephesians 5:22-24)
Ø Wrongs not made right (Matthew 5:24-24)
Ø Unpaid tithe and offering (Malachi 3:7-9)
Ø Disobedience and rebellion (1 Samuel 15:23, Deuteronomy 1:41-45)

All of these will hinder our prayers and our relationship with the Lord because they keep us from God’s will.

When we go into the presence of the Almighty God we must remember that He is holy and righteous. Therefore we should enter into his presence with thanksgiving, praying with holy hands lifted up to God, free from sin, anger, resentment, and asking forgiveness for our hidden faults and deliberate wrongs. (2 Timothy 2:8, Psalm 19:12-14)

“But how can I ever know what sins are lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. And keep me from deliberate wrongs; help me to stop doing them. Only then can I be free from guilt and innocent of some great crime.” (Psalm 19:12-13)

“Who may climb the mountain of the Lord and enter where he lives? Who may stand before the Lord? Only those with pure hands and hearts” (Psalm 24:4)

The Word of God and the Holy Spirit work as our filter system helping us to keep our prayer lines clean. These prayer hindrances do not need to have a stronghold on us. With the power of the Holy Spirit, the truth of God’s Word, with daily repentance and confession of our sins we can be free from any prayer hindrances. (1 John 1:9, Psalm 51)

Lord, we thank you for your Word because we know it is true and teaches us what is right, helps us realize what is wrong in our lives, it straightens us out, and helps us to do what is right. Show us if there is anything hindering our prayers. We long to come into your presence free from any obstructions or distractions. In Jesus name..Amen.

Pray Much For Others

Our prayer life should not consist solely of seeking God on behalf our own needs. It is our responsibility to compassionately pray and intercede on behalf of the needs of others as well. Look at Paul’s instructions to Timothy regarding interceding for others.

“Here are my directions: Pray much for others; plead for God’s mercy upon them; give thanks for all He is going to do for them. Pray in this way for kings and all others who are in authority over us, or are in places of high responsibility, so that we can live in peace and quietness, spending our time in godly living and thinking much about the Lord. This is good and pleases God our Savior, for he longs for all to be saved and to understand this truth; That God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, himself man, is between them to bring them together, by giving his life for all mankind. ” (2 Timothy 2:1-6)

We are called to be intercessors praying for the salvation of the lost, for those in authority over us and in positions of great responsibility, and also for other Christians. (Ephesians 6:18) Our prayers guided by the Holy Spirit and full of faith will make a difference in the lives of others and in the world.

James 5:16-18 says, “The prayers of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results. Elijah was as completely human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and one half years! Then he prayed again, this time that it would rain, and down it poured and the grass turned green and the gardens began to grow again.” (1 Kings 17:1-7, 18:36-39)

The Lord wants to use us to intercede on behalf of others who have not yet come to know Him. Our prayer should be for God to have mercy on them and for those satanic blinders to be removed from their eyes so that they can see how much God truly loves them and wants to save them. We should pray for them to realize that they are sinners in need of a Savior and that God’s kindness to them has been meant to lead them to repentance.

It is in our best interest to pray for our president and our government. We want to be governed wisely and for God’s will to be done in our country. Praying for those directly in authority over us such as our managers, bosses, and owners is vital to the condition of our daily work environment. Your prayers for the company and its employees will help prosper everyone there spiritually and financially.

Someone right now needs us to stand in the gap for them. Maybe it’s our friend who lost faith, our boss who is going through a divorce and is losing their children, or our widowed landlady who is full of bitterness. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to use us to intercede of behalf of whoever God puts on our heart.

Lord thank you for the privilege we have to come before you not only for our own needs but on behalf of the needs of others. Fill our hearts with compassion and confidence to pray for those around us and in authority over us. We know that our faith filled prayers will help change people’s lives now and forever. Thank you for the power of prayer. In Jesus name..Amen.

The Model Prayer

Continued From Instructions on How to Pray

After giving us instructions on how to pray Jesus then gives us an example of what to pray. We know this prayer as the Lord’s Prayer.

Matthew 6: 9-13 “In this manner, therefore pray:

"Father in Heaven, Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

Jesus tells us in verse nine to pray along these lines. This is our model prayer so we must meditate on what Jesus prayed and learn to apply the principles in our own prayer lives.

Vs 9 “Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name.”

We should enter into God’s presence knowing that He is our loving Heavenly Father acknowledging that He is Holy and to be revered. We are to enter into his presence with thanksgiving and praise: being thankful to him, and blessing his name. (Psalm 100:4)

Vs 10 “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it as in heaven.”

One day Jesus will set up His kingdom here on earth and His will be done here on earth just as it is in heaven. (Rev. 20) As believers we know that we are already part of God’s kingdom. We should pray that God’s will be done in all areas of our lives. We should long to be ruled by His kingdom now and not this world’s kingdom, or our own kingdom.

Vs 11 “Give us this day our daily bread”

We need to acknowledge that our Lord is the One who provides for our daily needs. We should always trust Him to meet every one of our needs and thank Him in advance for providing for us.

Vs 12 “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”

We are new creations in Christ Jesus, however we will still sin because we are living in these sinful bodies and fallen world, therefore we need to ask forgiveness for our sins daily. Just like our merciful God forgives us when we sin against Him, we also need to forgive those who have sinned against us. Jesus warns us that if we refuse to forgive those who have sinned against us our Heavenly Father will not forgive us either. So we must choose to forgive daily and then ask God to forgive us also.

Vs 13 “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.”

Jesus is not saying that God leads us into temptation, but for God not to allow the enemy to lead us into temptation. This is a reminder that this is not a battle with flesh and blood but with principalities and spiritual rulers in high places. We need to ask the Lord to give us a discerning spirit, wisdom to see when a trap is being set for us, and for Him to provide a way of escape. We must remember that our enemy is real and he prowls around seeing who he may attack and devour. (Ephesians 6:12, 1 Peter 5:8)

Vs 13 “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

We know that no weapon formed against us will prosper because our God who lives in us is greater than he who lives in this world. We need to praise God for the His power and His Holy Spirit in our lives. He deserves all the glory now and forever. So let us always close our prayers with words of praise and worship. (1 John 4:4, Isaiah 54:17)

Lord, thank you for setting the example for us to follow. You are Amazing and All Knowing, preparing and equipping us in advance to bring glory to your Son. Remind us of how Jesus prayed when we set ourselves to seek your face in our prayer time. In Jesus name..Amen.

Instructions on How to Pray

Jesus gives us clear instruction on how to pray in Matthew 6: 5-8. He says..

Vs 5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.”

 He does not want us be like the religious men of that day who prayed out in the open because they wanted everyone to see them and think that they were so holy and righteous. The only reward they would get would be the praises of the people who thought much of them. Their prayers were hindered because they came from a selfish and insincere heart.

There are times for public prayer, but we must remember that our prayer is to God, not to please those around us. We must always pray from a sincere heart seeking God’s face, not the praises of men.

Vs 6 “ But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

 Prayer can be done anytime and anywhere, however we should set aside a time daily where we can be alone with the Lord away from any distractions. We should do just as Jesus has said. Go into our room or somewhere where we won’t be disturbed. Then worship, pray, and praise our Lord without any hindrances. We need this intimate time alone with the Lord. We will be blessed by being in God’s presence with peace, love, and faith. These are just some of the rewards.

Vs 7 “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.”

 There are many religions that use incantations or repeat the same prayers over and over again thinking that God will hear them. We are not to pray in this manner. It’s foolishness. We have been given access to the throne of grace because of Jesus Christ. So we can now go boldly before God with our sincere and heartfelt prayers so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Vs 8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

 The Lord knows our needs before we ask, but He wants us to ask anyways. He wants us to be confident in Him, knowing that when we pray that He hears our prayer and answers. “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” (1 John 3:21-22)

Lord, thank you for giving us counsel on how to pray. Your words are full of wisdom and power. Let us receive your instruction and incorporate them in our lives. In Jesus name..Amen..

Pray Without Ceasing

The Lord has laid it on my heart to study and teach on prayer. This is the first of a series of postings on prayer. May Our Lord teach us what we need to help us with where we’re at on our journey. In Jesus name...Amen!

Prayer is a vital part of our Christian lives. Prayer is simply talking with God. He wants nothing more than for us to spend time talking and listening to Him just like we do with anyone we love. The more time we spend talking with God the more we will learn to know Him, love Him, and recognize His voice. Our faith, confidence, and trust in Him will grow as we see our prayers being answered. Just knowing that He hears our prayers and cares about every detail of our lives should cause us to want to spend more time talking with Him.

“But certainly God has heard me; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not rejected my prayer nor removed His mercy and loving –kindness from being [as it always is] with me.” Psalm 66:19-20

We are to be in a constant state of prayer; praying without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) I don’t mean walking around looking like a crazy person. I mean we need to be aware that we are not ever alone. His Holy Spirit is with us all the time. The Lord has given us His Spirit to guide and leads us all the days of our lives. He is there when we wake up, when we are driving to work or school, while we are going through our day, and when we come home. He is always with us not only protecting us and watching over us; He is there wanting to be the first one we call if we just want to talk or are going through something.

Psalm 139:7 “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?”

Joshua 1:5, 9 The Lord said, “I will not leave you nor forsake you.” “The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Almighty God is our Heavenly Father who cares about everything that goes on with us. He wants to provide for ALL our needs. That’s why He says, “Do NOT fret or have any anxiety about ANYTHING, but in EVERY circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) This scripture should give us confidence that we can talk to Him about everything and anything. We can talk to Him about our jobs, our bosses, our enemies, our friends, our spouses, and children. We can ask Him to give us more patience, understanding, wisdom, and compassion. We can request direction and guidance for our lives. There is nothing that we can not talk to our loving God about.

Prayer keeps us dependant on Him. He doesn’t want us to fret, worry, or have anxiety. He wants us to cast all of our cares on Him through prayer, trusting Him to care for our needs. Prayer is our stress relief because once we have prayed and spent time in his presence the peace of God which surpasses all understand will guard our minds and our hearts as we trust Him. Then we can begin to mediate on the fact that He has always been faithful to answer our prayers in the past and we can rejoice and praise Him for His faithfulness and mercy. (Philippians 4:7)

Lord, you are an Awesome God that loves us so much that you long to talk to us and spend time with us through prayer. Remind us that you are always there ready to listen and answer our prayers. Thank you for your Son who as given us full access to your throne room. In Jesus name..Amen

It's All About A Relationship

True followers of Christ understand that Jesus died in our place for our sins and because of the blood that was shed at Calvary we now have right standing with God. We are made righteous with God because of what Christ Jesus did. We can now go boldly before the throne of God so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. We now have the opportunity to have a real relationship with the Creator of Heaven and Earth. (1 Peter 1:18-19, Isaiah 53:5-6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:16)

Do you really understand what that means? Christianity is NOT about religion or about being religious. Christianity is all about having a relationship with the Almighty God! It’s about spending time with Jesus through reading the Word, prayer, and fellowshipping with other believers resulting in becoming more like Christ.

Don’t let anyone complicate the simplicity of Christianity. It helps me to always remember the following things:

Ø We are all sinners and guilty of breaking God’s laws. The wages of our sin is death. (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 59:2, Romans 6:23)
Ø If we believe in Jesus Christ, repent of our sins, and confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord we will receive forgiveness for our sins and be saved from hell, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.( John 3:36, John 11:25-26, Psalm 50:22, Psalm 25:18, Luke 15:10, Romans 10:9, Matthew 22:12-13, Matthew 24: 50-51, Luke 13:27-28)
Ø We are sons and daughters of God Almighty. He is our Heavenly Father who is always watching over us and constantly thinking good thoughts towards us. He has good plans for our lives. He is our Helper and our Deliverer. We can put all our trust in Him because He cares for us. (Romans 8:14, Galatians We 4:5-7, 1 John 3:2, 2 Chronicles 16:9, Peter 3:12, Psalm 139:17-18, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Psalm 27:8-10, Psalm 37:39-40, Psalm 54:5, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 4:5, Psalm 2:12, Psalm 84:12, Proverbs 30:5, 1 Peter 5:7)
Ø The Holy Spirit lives in us and we are the temple of God. We are called to live holy and clean lives. We are to be living testimonies for others to read. (Ephesians 2:22; 1 John 3:24; 4:13, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Ø The Word of God is what renews our minds and changes us so that we become doers of the Word and not just hearers. Our bible needs to be our best friend. It has all the answers and comfort we need. (Romans 12:2, James 1:22, 2 Timothy 3:16, Psalm 119:50, Romans 14:4, Psalm 1:1-3, Psalm 119:165)
Ø We are no longer slaves to sin. The temptations in our life are no different from what others experience. God is faithful and will not allow the temptation to be more than we can stand. When we are tempted, he will show us a way out so that we can endure. (Romans 6, 1 Corinthians 10:13)
Ø All we need to do is seek God first and everything else will follow. We will change and our circumstances change as a result of seeking God’s face and spending time with Him. We’ll never be perfect until we get to heaven, but that’s still our goal. (Matthew 6:33, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 3:10-14)

Our Heavenly Father will continue the good work He started in us. He is going to be working on us daily if we allow Him to. God is our Heavenly Father who is constantly teaching us principles for living. He is preparing us daily for war against the enemy. He gives us tests and rewards. He is loving and protective over us. Our Heavenly Father will also discipline and chastise us. You are in a relationship with the Creator of Heaven and Earth because of Jesus’ loving sacrifice. Meditate on that daily. (Isaiah 55:11, Philippians 1:6, Proverbs 3:11-12, Hebrews 12:7-13)

So don’t be burdened by the idea of a religion. Take heart knowing that the Almighty God is your Heavenly Father who just wants to love and teach you. Allow Him to truly be Lord over your life and you will see that Jesus is truly The Way, The Truth, and The Life. (John 14:6)

The Secret To Successful Christian Living

James 1:25 says, "But if anyone keeps looking steadily into God's law for free men, he will not only remember it but he will do what it says, and God will greatly bless him in everything he does." I truly believe that the secret to living a successful Christian life is in reading the Word daily.

Reading and meditating on the Word of God renews our minds and our thinking so that we do not deal with life the way we did before we accepted Christ. The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right. It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Joshua was appointed to lead the children of Israel after Moses died. Joshua had big shoes to fill. He was scared, but God encourages him to be strong and courageous. Then our Lord gives him the secret to becoming a great leader. He instructs Joshua to read the Word day and night. “This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

God promises us that if we will steadily (reliable, unwavering) keep looking into His Word that we will remember what the Word says. Not only will we remember, but we will begin to do what the Word says. Then because we are remembering His word and applying the principles of the Word to our lives He will bless us in everything we do. It’s a win win situation!

Make reading the Word a priority in your life and you will see that your attitude, your speech, and your mind will change. You will have more peace, hope, and direction as you draw closer to God.

Renewing Your Mind

As new creatures in Christ we are called to be transformed (changed) by the renewing of our mind. Romans 12:2 says,

2Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

Renewing your mind can not be done over night. It takes times and most of all the Word of God to change the thoughts, language, habits, actions, and reactions that we have developed over the years when we were of the world. This process requires feeding our spirit by spending time daily reading the bible.

Jesus is the Word that became flesh. (John 1:1 & 14) When you spend intimate time reading and meditating on the Word of God you will be truly changed because you are spending time with Jesus. Look at the affect that spending time with Jesus had on the twelve disciples. They became servants of God spreading the Gospel all over the world full of faith and power. They cast out demons and healed the sick. They knew who they were in Christ and it was evident in their lives.

Going to church on Sunday’s and Wednesday’s is not enough to keep us feed spiritually. We are our stunning our own growth and remaining baby Christians, always needing someone else to feed us. We have to start growing up and feeding ourselves daily if we want to live successful lives and grow into mature Christians. (Hebrews 5:12-14) Without the daily nourishment of the Word we will eventually find ourselves stuck wondering why we are trying so hard to change certain things in our lives but can’t.

The Word of God is living and active! (Hebrews 4:12) It is through the power of the Word of God that we are truly changed. The Word gives us everything we need:

Life & Freedom – John 6:63, John 8:31-32, 2 Peter 1:3-4
Counsel & Direction – Psalm 119:24, Psalm 119:105, Proverbs 3:5-6,
Comfort & Encouragement – Psalm 119:50, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Correction & Discipline – 2 Timothy 3:16, Proverbs 6:23
Wisdom & Understanding - Psalm 119:98, Psalm 19:7-9 , Psalm 119:130 Proverbs 2:1-5,

I challenge you to start reading your bible daily and see for yourself how spending intimate time with Jesus will transform your mind and your life.

Are You A Christian?

We have so many ideas of what a Christian is suppose to be. So many people call themselves Christian but are they really? The Word tells us that we can be sure that we belong to him by looking in ourselves and asking, “Are we really trying to do what he wants us to? Those who do right are His children. 1 John 2: 4 says, Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, and am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep and obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth [of the Gospel] is not in him.

We have got to stay close to God so that we are obedient to him. The more you spend time with God in prayer and reading the Word you will begin to love God more and more. You will also begin to obey him. So if we stay close to him, obedient to him, we won’t be sinning either; but as for those who keep on sinning, they should realize this; they sin because they have never really known him or become his. (1 John 3:6)

Being a Christian and loving God means doing what he tells us to do. This is not really that hard because He has given us is Holy Spirit and faith which helps to defeat sin. He will not allow the temptation in our lives to become more powerful than we can stand. He always provides a way out, but the choice is ours. We must practice self control in our lives and resist sin.

Whoever is living a life of sin and doesn’t love his brother shows that he is not in God’s family; for the message to us from the beginning has been that we should love one another. (1 John 3:10) If a person is not loving and kind it shows that they do not really know God. We must not just say that we love one another but show it with our actions. We need to reach out to our brothers and sisters in the Lord and help them when they are in need. We need to comfort one another when we are hurting. Sometimes a person just needs us to listen. If you have more than enough financially to help someone else then don’t hold back what God has given you, bless someone else.

So let us be true Christians showing our love for God by obeying Him and loving our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Let us practice being kind and loving one another because God is love.

Scripture Reference: The entire book of 1 John


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