Graced To Do God's Will

@everydaygodswill

James 4:17 NKJV Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Scenario 1: You and your friends plan on going out to Starbucks in the morning for breakfast. This plan has been in place for weeks. The night before, something (i.e. the Holy Spirit) tells you not to go.

Do you obey that voice and risk disappointing your friends and looking antisocial? Or, do you ignore that voice, think of all the good things that could happen, and meet up with your friends?

This can be a very difficult decision for some. You don’t want to disappoint your friends, but you don’t understand why you’re being instructed not to go. Meeting up at a Starbucks is not a sin, but if we disobey the Holy Spirit’s voice and go anyway, for us, that is sin. 

Scenario 2: A movie came out that everyone is talking about. Our family, friends, and coworkers are all begging us to see this movie. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit is telling us not to see the movie. We try to logically understand why He doesn’t want us to go. Other believers have gone and told us it was a good movie. It’s rated “R,” but we’ve seen rated “R” movies before and they’ve said it’s not that bad.

If we give in to the pressure and see the movie, for us it’s sin. It may not be a conviction for everyone else, but for us, it’s sin.

Sin is not always overtly evil, negative, or perverted. We can sin by ignoring what the Holy Spirit is telling us to do. It may be okay for someone else, but for us, it’s sin.

Learn to listen for the Holy Spirit’s voice and resist the urge to please your flesh, family, or friends. If we want understanding about why we couldn’t do this or that, seek Him and He’ll give us an answer. If we miss the mark and do something we know the Holy Spirit told us not to do, we can receive God’s forgiveness that has already been made available through Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1). Just say “God, I thank You that you have forgiven me of ____________.”

#follow #Holy #Spirit

@everydaygodswill

I Timothy 1:13-14 NKJV although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

For some of us, it’s difficult to get over our former selves. We may have had a past that society considers embarrassing, shameful, or unforgivable.

Paul faced the same feelings. He approved the murder of believers and he considered himself to be the chief of sinners (Acts 8:1; 1 Timothy 1:15). But after his conversion, he understood and received the mercy of God and he did something only the Holy Spirit could inspire him to do. He chose to forget the things behind him (Philippians 3:13). On top of that, he transformed himself by renewing his mind to what God thought about him (Romans 12:2).

In order to move on from past failures, we must truly receive God’s mercy and move on. God’s mercy is accepting that we won’t receive punishment that we deserve.

It doesn’t matter if it was 30 years ago or 2 days ago, we must move on. Satan will always use our past to attempt to make us feel guilty, less than, or inadequate. As we throw away thoughts that are contrary to God’s word and receive what God says about us, our past will turn into a testimony.

God has forgiven us, forgotten our sins, and has moved on (Colossians 2:13-14; Hebrews 8:12). We should forgive ourselves, forget our sins, and move on.

#forgive #forget #free #in #Christ

@everydaygodswill

Isaiah 54:9 NKJV “For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; For as I have sworn That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, So have I sworn That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.

God is not angry with us. This was a prophetic statement made by Isaiah for all of mankind. Because Jesus took all of God’s wrath, anger, and punishment for the sins of the world, God swore not to be angry with us ever again (Isaiah 53:5).

Since Jesus died for the sins of the world, this promise is available for everyone (1 John 2:2). This is good news for the believer and the unbeliever.

If you’re an unbeliever, this promise makes God approachable. You can approach God, knowing He’s not angry with you and accept His Son as Lord and Savior (Rom. 10:9). For believers, we can still have intimate fellowship with our Father, after we’ve missed the mark, knowing He’s not angry with us. It’s a win-win for everyone who believes.

Know, realize, and believe that God is not, nor will He ever be, angry with us. God is not looking to punish us for all our mess-ups. He’s a loving Father with no more anger left in Him.

#noanger #God #loves #us

@everydaygodswill

3 John 1:5-8 NLT Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.

During the early church, John instructed believers to give to traveling teachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. A minister who profits from the gifts of people has got to be one of the biggest conflicts in the body of Christ. It was an issue back then, and some people make it an issue now (read verse 10). Although some see giving to ministers as an issue, the Holy Spirit inspired John to put it in his letter.

When we’re led by the Holy Spirit to give, even though ministers initially benefit from our gift, we’re really honoring God and expanding His Kingdom (Prov. 3:9-10). Our financial contribution also positions us to be blessed by God (Matt. 10:42).

We shouldn’t be guilted to give or give grudgingly, but we should give knowing we’ll make a difference in the Kingdom God and knowing we’re sowing a seed for a harvest in our own lives (Luke 6:38).
   
                  ***News Flash***
Believers are still loved by God and we’ll still go to heaven if we don’t give a thing. However, His love and His sacrifice for us should motivate us to give.

Our giving displays our faithfulness to God, but once again, give as God has purposed in your hearts (2 Cor. 9:7).

#sow #give #Kingdom

@everydaygodswill

John 1:32-34 NIV Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Him. And I myself did not know Him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

For those didn’t know, Jesus was John the Baptist’s cousin (Luke 1:36). It’s probable to believe that John and Jesus spent time with each other as they grew up.

How in tune with God did John have to be to look past the fact that his little cousin is the Savior of the world? He chose to believe this guy, who he probably played with, periodically stayed with, and saw at festivals is the Messiah, who takes away the sins of the world.

What can we learn from this? We shouldn’t ignore or dismiss anyone that God has placed in our paths to help us. We should be so in tune with God until we can look beyond the fact that he’s our relative, she’s half our age, he’s never been to college, or they’ve previously sold drugs, and believe Him when He says, this is who I sent to help, bless, or teach you.

Don’t forfeit God’s blessings or the answer to your prayers by dismissing the person or group of people that God sent just for you. 

#listen #learn #grow #wisdom

@everydaygodswill

Judges 6:36-37 NKJV So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said— look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.”

John 20:24-25 NKJV Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

What’s the commonality between Gideon and Thomas? They desired to see natural events to believe spiritual truths. Jesus lets us know blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29).

Because God is gracious, He may honor our internal desire to see something natural to believe, but this isn’t the norm. We’ve got to grow up and mature and walk by faith (believing the truth of God’s word) and not by sight (what we experience with our natural five senses) (2 Cor. 5:7).

When we believe the truth of God’s word without any evidence from our senses, that’s faith (Heb. 11:1). That’s the faith we need to obtain everything God has promised through Jesus.

It doesn’t matter if it’s manifesting healing in our bodies or recovering from heartbreak, when we only believe what God has said and act like it is so, we’ll experience every promise of God.

#trust #believe #God #faith #Jesus

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 46:1-3 NKJV God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

For application purposes, let’s update the troubles we may experience today.

Though the doctor may tell us we have a disease we’ll have to battle for the rest of our lives, though our car breaks down and our finances are low, though our relationships with our parents are problematic, though our dream marriage has become a nightmare, and though our children are making poor decisions, we will not fear. Why not? Because we’ve made God our safe place, our strength, and our help.

If the enemy can get us to fear about the troubles we’re facing, he has us trapped because we’re focused on the troubles instead of God. But if we can shift our focus on God, listen to His voice, and do what He says, our fear will be replaced with faith and our troubles will be resolved.

It doesn’t matter what the trouble is, if we make God our everything and focus on Him, fear cannot stay and troubles will die.

#focuson #God #rest #in #Christ

@everydaygodswill

John 17:20-21 NKJV “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Allow your mind to conceptualize this. We are one in Christ and Christ is in God, and in Colossians 1:27 it says, Christ is in us and in Romans 8:9 says, the Spirit of God dwells in us.

We can’t get any closer to God than this. We are one in Him.

There are some who put God far, far away. He’s not. He’s closer to us than breath. Whenever we need Him, He’s right there. And if we know He’s there, we won’t panic when trouble comes. We know He sees what we’re going through and we can call on Him for comfort, direction, and strength.

Since we’re in Him, we also know we’re protected from the evil one (John 17:15). Satan can’t arbitrarily hurt us and we’ve been given all power over him (Luke 10:19). Knowing we’re in Christ keeps us from living in fear.

Finally, notice that this oneness is not dependent upon our behavior. Jesus already paid the price for sin (1 Peter 3:18). If we sin, our sin doesn’t take us out of Him nor Him out of us. This oneness is totally His desire for those who believe.

These are the benefits we can enjoy by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord. Understand and operate in these benefits to reign in life.

#Christ #inus #God #withus #oneness

@everydaygodswill

Isaiah 14:15-17 NKJV Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit. “Those who see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms, Who made the world as a wilderness And destroyed its cities, Who did not open the house of his prisoners?’

There are some who make Satan out to be this big bad formidable foe who is on the same level as God. He’s not. They think if we provoke him, he’ll attack our health, our families, or something bad will happen to us. He won’t. 

As we can see from Isaiah, those who gaze at him will be unimpressed. If we combine his underwhelming image with Luke 10:19 where Jesus says, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you,” we’ll definitely see that he’s overrated. 

Satan has no power over us. Jesus stripped him of any power he’s ever had (Colossians 2:15). Through Christ, we have all authority over him (Luke 10:19). We have the authority to use the name of Jesus over any situation he’s involved in, we have the power to speak life over dead situations, and God protects us from him (John 14:13-14; Prov. 18:21; 2 Thess. 3:3).

Let’s stop giving him more credit than he deserves. Let’s use our God-given authority over him and reverse everything that he’s touched.

#authority #in #Christ

@everydaygodswill

Acts 2:43 NKJV Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

Acts 2:46-47 NKJV So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

As believers, when we get on one accord (in unity), without any hidden agendas or false motives, with genuine love in our hearts for one another and appreciation for what Christ has done, we’ll experience signs, wonders, miracles, and more people being saved.

As long as these church members are talking bad about those church members, this pastor criticizes that pastor, and believers are only focused on themselves, we’ll never collectively see the miraculous or growth in the body of Christ. 

Let’s walk in love and live peacefully with believers and unbelievers alike. Let’s want the best for ourselves and the best for others. Let’s be on one accord because together we’re stronger against the powers of darkness. Let’s be one.

#unity #in #Christ

@everydaygodswill

1 Corinthians 3:3-4 NKJV for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

If someone says a person is carnal, we may think they’re sinful. Carnal means governed by mere human nature not by the Spirit of God. If we only focus on or are governed by what’s happening in the natural, we’re carnal. So, a person practicing sin is carnal, but believers can be carnal too.

Paul lets us know one of the biggest ways believers are carnal is through envy, strife, and division. When we have envy, strife, and division in the body of Christ, we’re displaying our carnality. If we’re divided over denominations, we’re acting carnal. If we’re divided over speaking in tongues or not speaking in tongues, we’re acting carnal. If we’re divided over healing, prosperity, or prophesying, we’re acting carnal. We may not agree on every interpretation of scripture, but we shouldn’t allow our disagreements to cause envy, strife, or division.

Paul later mentions our foundation should be Christ (v. 11). We may not agree on tongues or healing and she may be Methodist and he may be Church of God in Christ, but our foundation needs to be salvation through Christ alone. 

Let’s put away our carnal ways and get more spiritual. Because when we’re one and led by the Spirit of God, we’re unstoppable.

#unity #in #Christ

@everydaygodswill

Ephesians 6:2-3 NKJV “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”

Notice, it didn’t say little children, honor your father and mother. Also notice, it didn’t say honor your father and mother if they were good parents. It simply tells us to honor our parents. So as adults, regardless if our parents were good or present, we’re instructed to honor them.

To honor means to reverence or have deep respect. It doesn’t mean put them first, put them before our spouse, or do everything they say. We honor our parents with the help of the Holy Spirit. If He tells us to call and check up on them, call. If He tells us to send them a gift, send something. It shouldn’t matter how we feel or how they’ve treated us. We’re simply obeying the Holy Spirit, but at the same time, we’re honoring our parents.

Some of our parents could have been better, to say the least. Depending on the circumstances, we may have to honor them by faith. We honor them by faith by looking past how they’ve treated us and honoring them as if they were great. To our flesh, this is extremely difficult, but the Holy Spirit will help us with this too.

Don’t be prideful, stubborn, or disobedient. When we honor our parents, God promises us a long, successful life. Let’s begin or continue to honor our parents.

#honor #your #parents #faith #HolySpirit

@everydaygodswill

Isaiah 54:9 NLT “Just as I swore in the time of Noah that I would never again let a flood cover the earth, so now I swear that I will never again be angry and punish you.

God Almighty has sworn that He will never be angry or punish us. He’s not swearing this because we did something good. He’s swearing this because all His wrath, anger, and punishment, for our sakes, for our sin, was put on Jesus. All of it.

Since all of His anger was put on Jesus, He has no anger left to give towards us. So if we sin, instead of getting angry and punishing us, the blood of Jesus is a reminder that the punishment for our sins have been paid (Hebrews 9:12).

Religion likes to keep people sin conscious (Hebrews10:1-2). It likes to tell people that God’s going to get them for doing this or that. If they’ve made Jesus Christ Lord and Savior, that’s not true. God isn’t getting anybody. He’s already gotten Jesus.

So, thank Jesus for taking our place to receive God’s punishment and anger. He swore He’s not going to be angry or punish us, so believe it. And know, all He has left to give is love and righteousness.

#Jesus #bore #our #sin

@everydaygodswill

2 Corinthians 4:17 NKJV For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,

Negative circumstances have an expiration date. It’s just for a moment. It could take a week, a month, or a couple of years, but God guarantees an expiration date on our afflictions. 

Until that date comes, our responsibilities are to focus on the finished works of Jesus. We need to meditate on God’s Word and see and believe how Jesus made us righteous, perfect, and holy. We need to see and believe how Jesus healed our bodies, how Jesus prospered us, and how we’re delivered from God’s wrath.

If our affliction stems from the behavior or lifestyle of our children, we need to see and believe that our children are taught of the Lord and great is their peace (Isaiah 54:13). And see and believe Psalms 112:2 which says, our children will be successful everywhere.

Our meditation of God’s Word counteracts what we’re experiencing in the natural and it gives us something to look forward to. Praise God for the expiration date of our afflictions. 

#meditate #on #Bible #Word #Truth

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 2:11-12 NKJV Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Way back in Psalm 2, David prophetically speaks of Jesus. When we honor, reverence, and respect Jesus as Lord and Savior, we’re in right standing with God. If we don’t, we can expect the wrath of God. It’s as simple as that.

God sent His best gift to save mankind. Rejecting that gift, which is currently still on the table, is an insult to Him and heaven.

There’s no amount of literature we can read or stories we can hear that will make us believe. We’re just going to have to accept His sacrifice by faith.

Don’t be deceived by logic and reasoning. Don’t think you’re more intellectually superior than those who believe. Don’t let the wrath of God be poured out on you based on stubbornness. Accept the free gift that God sent in His Son Jesus by believing He sacrificed Himself to save us from the penalty of sin. Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.

#receive #Jesus #Christ #Savior #God

@everydaygodswill

2 Timothy 1:7-8 NLT For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.

Have you wondered what’s stopping every believer from sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with others? It’s fear.

A lot of us like to isolate verse 7, which is good because we shouldn’t fear anything. But in context, it’s talking being free from fear to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

God knew that fear and shame will be the biggest things that stop the believer from talking about our Lord Jesus Christ. In biblical days and in certain countries today, it’s fear of physical punishment or death for sharing the gospel. For many of us now, it’s fear of what other people will think about us sharing the gospel. Regardless of the reason, God didn’t give you the spirit of fear. So, by default, it’s Satan who implants the spirit of fear in us to stop us from sharing the gospel. 

So be bold and unashamed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and don’t let fear hold you back.

#boldly #share #Jesus

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 18:39 NLT You have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet.

For most of us, our battles aren’t natural. To the ones who are fighting natural battles for our country, He’s given you strength. (Also, thank you for your service.)

For the rest of us, all of our battles are spiritual. 1 Timothy 6:12 says, “Fight the good fight of the faith” and Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

God not only equipped us with strength for natural battles, but spiritual ones too. These battles include battles with depression, battles with alcohol, battles with pornography, and battles with suicide ideation. Whatever spiritual battles we’re facing, He’s equipped us with strength to fight. We don’t have to let these things dominate our lives. And if we’re committed to focusing in on God’s word and doing what it says, He’s guaranteed us the victory (2 Cor. 2:14).

Don’t let Satan keep feeding you lies. You can win, you can overcome, and through Christ, you’ve already gotten the victory. 

#victory #through #Christ

@everydaygodswill

Some believers have done an excellent job at explaining scriptures away. They’ll see a scripture, in context, and explain how that doesn’t mean what it clearly says. 

For instance, some will see Isaiah 53:5 which says, “by His stripes we are healed” and say this is related to our spirit being healed but not our physical bodies. They see how every believer is not physically healed, so they explain how this scripture can’t mean we’re healed in our bodies.

Isaiah 53:5 is referring to being healed in our physical natural bodies. We know this because in Matthew 8:17, Jesus fulfills the prophesy of Isaiah when He heals the physical bodies of a man with leprosy, the servant of the Roman Officer, and Peter’s mother-in-law.

Another example is in 2 Corinthians 8:9 which says, “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.” Some read this as well as Psalm 112:3 where it says, “wealth and riches are in our house” and explain that this is spiritual wealth and riches. Nothing about either of these verses have to do with spiritual riches. It’s referring to natural riches. 

Just because believers aren’t experiencing what the scriptures says doesn’t mean we need to explain what it clearly means away.

It’s a fact, certain scriptures have been taken out of context, but not everything. Let’s read the scriptures, in context, and not explain it away based on what we’ve naturally seen or experienced. 

2 Timothy 2:15 NLT Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

#study #the #Word

@everydaygodswill

Galatians 5:16 AMPC But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).

In the world, there’s always been this do what you feel and let your flesh have its way mentality. That’s to be expected because they’re without God. However, some of that mentality has come into the body of Christ.

Despite Hebrews 10:25 where it says, “let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do,” if some don’t feel like going to church, they won’t. Although Jesus lets us know we can’t serve God and be ensalved to money, if our flesh wants to withhold our money because we’re skeptical about giving, some of us will. Even though we’re instructed to forgive in Ephesians 4:32, some of us choose to go through life with unforgiveness in our hearts. 

Obviously, there is no law under Christ so, I’m not trying to condemn anyone, however some of us need to get back to a place where God’s word is more influential than how we feel. Just because our flesh desires something or we feel a certain way doesn’t mean that it’s beneficial to our lives.

We can go to heaven without stepping one foot in a church, but why wouldn’t we want to collectively worship our Savior and share our talents in His church? God will still love us even if we didn’t give a dime, but why wouldn’t we want to advance His Kingdom with our financial support? We don’t have to forgive, but studies have shown that unforgiveness negatively impacts our physical bodies.

Let’s not operate based on how we feel. If God’s word says it, we must believe that it’s good for us and it brings glory to Him.

#obey #God

@everydaygodswill

1 Corinthians 6:12 NLT You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.

Through Christ, we have the freedom to do anything. We can stay up late, eat whatever we want, go to a club, drink alcohol, or work 80 hours a week. But like the scripture says, everything is not good for us.

Staying up late gives us sleep deprivation. Eating whatever we want could cause health issues. Going to a club could cause us to engage in activities that don’t honor God. We could become dependent on alcohol to get through the day. And working 80 hours a week will cause serious fatigue which impacts our immune system.

Some of these things aren’t sinful on the surface, but they’re definitely not beneficial to our overall wellbeing. The point is, we must be mindful of the things we’re doing. We don’t want to allow our flesh to be in control and we don’t want to put anything before God.

As always, it’s best to be led by the Spirit in all situations. If He allows us to stay up late, go ahead and stay up late. But if He instructs us to go to bed (since He knows everything about us and what we’ll have to experience the next day), it’s beneficial to obey. Same thing with the club. If He allows us to go, go ahead and go, but if He tells us to stay home, please stay home. He could be protecting us from getting into an altercation.

Be led by the Spirit and don’t be deceived by the freedoms we have.

#freedom #in #Christ #Spiritled

@everydaygodswill

2 Timothy 4:6 NLT As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near.

Our lives should be an offering to God. How we live, how we serve, how we parent, and how we treat one another should be an offering to God.

Part of our offering should be ministering the gospel of Jesus Christ in some way. We can minister to people in person or create a social media platform where we minister the gospel.

We can be the hands and feet of Jesus by feeding the hungry, ministering to prisoners, providing shelter to the homeless, and helping the sick (Matt. 25:35-40).

We can encourage and be accountable to one another. It’s difficult for some to stay encouraged or be motivated to do the right things by themselves (1 Thess. 5:11).

Another part of our offering is denying the flesh to honor God. If we know what we’re doing or about to do dishonors God, we should choose to honor God with godly behavior.

Our offering to God will be a sacrifice. This doesn’t indicate we run ourselves ragged giving God an offering, but it may not always be convenient. Let the Holy Spirit guide you on what to offer God and when to offer it to Him.

#sacrificialliving #Spiritled #sacrifice #to #God

@everydaygodswill

Religious people will say no one knows who will make it to heaven. They use sin, behavior, and lifestyle as a reason why a person may not make it to heaven. 

Our salvation is not dependent upon our behavior or the sin in our lives. Our salvation is solely based on our belief in the Lord Jesus.

When we’ve made Jesus Savior and Lord over our lives, there’s a guarantee we have eternal life. It’s not because of our goodness or the lack of sin in our lives. It’s by belief only.

Don’t ever wonder if you’re going to make it to heaven or not. Just believe in the sacrifice that Jesus made for sin and we’ll have eternal life.

1 John 5:11-13 NLT And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.

#eternity #through #Jesus

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 147:10-11 NLT He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.

The reason God takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might is because it pushes Him out of the picture. God wants our total dependence on Him.

Unless God directs us, He doesn’t want us working 3 or 4 jobs, He wants us to depend on Him for provision. Unless God directs us, He doesn’t want us taking a crazy amount of medication, vitamins, and visiting the doctor multiple times a year. He wants our dependence on Him for good health. He didn’t even want our efforts in keeping the Law in order to be righteous. He wants our righteousness to be based on our belief and dependence on what Jesus accomplished on our behalf.

Whether we’re building a business, desiring protection, or raising children, when we start with God, continue with Him, and end with Him, then God is pleased with our actions.

#depend #rely #trust #God #alone

@everydaygodswill

John 2:1-2 NLT The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration.

At the wedding celebration, Jesus turns water into wine (John 2:3-11). This was the first recorded miracle of Jesus. The miraculous wouldn’t have happened if Jesus, wasn’t invited.

For believers, we have the luxury of having another comforter and helper always with us. We have the Holy Spirit. He’s not coming and going. The way we “invite” Him to events is by acknowledging and being sensitive to His presence. Like the wedding, when we acknowledge Him and His presence, miracles could happen.

This acknowledgement and sensitivity to His presence shouldn’t be limited to church functions. The Holy Spirit’s invitation should be for every area of our lives. We could be at our child’s basketball game, but since we’re sensitive to the Holy Spirit, He could tell us to pray for a parent who is struggling financially. At the grocery store, He could tell us to lay hands on that person in a wheelchair. He could tell us to introduce Jesus to that unsaved person at work.

When going through life, be sure to acknowledge and be sensitive to the presence of the Holy Spirit.

#invite #acknowledge #HolySpirit #Helper

@everydaygodswill

Habakkuk 3:17-18 NLT Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

When nothing seems to be going right, we can either focus on all that’s going wrong and become sad, depressed, and feeling defeated or we can choose to be joyful because we have a great opportunity to trust God. 

Unfortunately, most people, believers included, tend to focus on the negative. We magnify how bad it is instead of focusing on how good God is. A lot of us feel sorry for ourselves and want others to pity us too. People do face difficulties, but pity doesn’t help.

When things aren’t lining up the way we desire them to, we need to rejoice. We need to get in God’s word and rejoice over His promises. Rejoice that through Christ we’re healed if we’re sick. Rejoice that He supplies our needs if we’re in lack. Rejoice over the deliverance of our children if they’ve gone astray.

We can look only in the natural and feel down and depressed because of our circumstances. Or, we can look in God’s Word (which is spiritual, but can change the circumstances in the natural) and then rejoice over the upcoming changes. The choice is yours. 

#rejoice #breakthrough #is #imminent

@everydaygodswill

John 14:31 NLT but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.

Jesus knew His assignment. His job was to save the lost by sacrificing Himself for the sins of the world (Luke 19:10). How did He know His assignment? How did He know what’s required of Him? By spending time with God.

We all have assignments while we’re here on earth. Life is more than working at a job, having a family, then dying. There’s a purpose for us all.

To know our assignment, we must spend time with the Father. He’ll reveal what’s required of us. Once revealed, we should obey. It could be to feed the homeless, to help stop sex trafficking, to change our nation by going into politics, or to minister to young married couples.

The assignment usually is bigger than we can handle on our own. God is necessary to start, maintain, and fulfill our assignment. Our impact will last longer than our lifetime.

Get with God to see what’s required of you. It doesn’t matter if you’re older than 70 or feel like you’ve made too many mistakes in life. There’s something you can do for His glory and to advance His Kingdom. 

#for #His #glory

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 150:6 NLT Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!

The common theme throughout Psalms is praise. We praise when things are going well, and we praise when things could be better. We praise when we’re in a happy place and we praise when depression attacks. In any situation and in any circumstance, we’ll always have the opportunity to praise the Lord.

Our flesh will not feel like it sometimes, but if we override the feelings of our flesh, we’ll find any reason to praise God.

We can praise God for sight even if we’re paralyzed in a wheelchair. We can praise Him for family even if we don’t have a dollar to our name. If the closest person to us dies, with tears in our eyes, we can praise God because they’re in the presence of our Father.

If we can breathe, we can praise. Don’t let circumstances dictate your praises. Give God glory no matter what season you’re in.

#praise #the #Lord

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 149:4 NLT For the Lord delights in His people; He crowns the humble with victory.

When we think we don’t need God to handle this or that, that’s not humility. That’s stupidity. Our flesh may not like how God handles certain things or we may feel like God is taking too long, but we can’t argue with His results. Everyone benefits. He gets the glory and we get a solution.

When we feel like we know all there is to know about a subject or something, that’s not humility. Even if we’ve done something 1,000 times, we must still position ourselves to hear from God and be teachable. This is especially necessary for believers who’ve been saved for a long time. If we feel like we know something because we’ve heard it or done it before, we tend to tune out a person when God is speaking through them. There’s always new revelation in God’s word. As we listen to God, we can get another degree of wisdom.

We don’t and we won’t know it all. True humility is recognizing we need God in every area of our lives. As we learn how to continously and consistently humble ourselves, we’ll experience greater victories.

#experience #greater #listen #godly #wisdom

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 148:14 NLT He has made His people strong, honoring His faithful ones— the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the Lord!

Whether we know it or not, as God’s people, we are strong. We’re not strong because of how disciplined we are or how focused we can be. We’re strong because of Him. We have the God of the universe living inside of us and through Him, we can do all things (Phil. 4:13).

Through Him, we can overcome bad habits, we can change our personalities, and we can discipline our flesh. Using His power working through us, we can stop literal storms, change atmospheres, and raise the dead.

The only thing that holds back the strength we have is our ignorance, unbelief, and doubt.

Ignorance: If we don’t know we have certain strengths, we’ll never use them. Get in God’s word and see what type of strength and authority we have.

Unbelief: If we see ourselves as only human and don’t believe we have the strength to do something, God’s power will not flow through us. Meditate in God’s word about the strength we have in Him until unbelief becomes faith.

Doubt: Doubt is similar to unbelief. It’s faith that has been tainted. Maybe we’ve tried to use our strengths in certain areas, but for whatever reason, it didn’t work. Doubt then enters our hearts and short circuits our strength. Hear and meditate on our strengths in God’s word until convinced of our authority. Don’t let experience change the truth in God’s word. 

As God’s people, we are strong. Know and exercise your strengths for God’s glory and to make this world better.

#we #are #strong #in #Christ

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 147:3 NLT He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.

The transition of a loved one, a divorce, or continuous issues in life can leave us brokenhearted. We may not know where to go and we may not feel like living anymore.

It’s during these difficult times when we need to see God as a loving Father. He’s not just the God of the universe, but a loving Father who wants to care for us and help us through tough seasons. 

We can tell Him everything we’re going through and everything we’re feeling. Even if we’re mad at Him, He’s able to take it.

After venting, if we rely on Him during these moments, He’ll provide comfort and give us strategies to get through each day. Eventually, we’ll get to a place where the memory of the event is there, but the pain is gone.

He’s a healer of not only our bodies, but our emotions too.

#God #heals #restores #redeems #renews

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 146:3-4 NLT Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.

Presidents, Prime Ministers, kings, queens, and other politicians have made promises to people. Unfortunately, a lot of people have put their confidence in the promises and plans of these powerful people. So much so they’re willing to literally fight for their political party and in some cases, take the life of another person. This is carnal.

Psalms 146:5 But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.

As we can see from verse 5, our hope should be in God. If the title is removed from these individuals, they’re just basic people with flaws. God has been and will always be perfect. He has no faults and He has all the best answers.

Based on that, wisdom should tell us to put our hope in God instead of people. Even if they’re currently powerful, their power is miniscule compared to God. If our hope is in people, we’re only looking in the natural, which is carnal. Our hope should remain in God.

So regardless of what a “powerful” person does or doesn’t do, we’re not shaken. We can still maintain friendships and be cordial with people regardless of their political association because our hope is in God.

#hope #trust #in #God #alone

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 145:2 NLT I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever.

Every single day, there’s a reason to praise the Lord. Here’s a list of the most basic reasons to praise God:
Jesus’s sacrifice
Air to breathe
Food
Clothes
Functionality of our limbs

When facing challenges, the devil tends to magnify the challenges and minimize the blessings we currently have. If we fall for this trap, it can seem difficult to praise the Lord.

There will always be a reason to praise the Lord and nothing should stop us from giving Him praise. 

Every morning and throughout the day, continously praise our God.

#I #will #praise #God

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 144:1 NLT Praise the Lord, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle.

It’s our decision to allow God to be our rock. A rock is stable ground that is impenetrable and can be built upon.

When everything around us is shaken, we can place our hope in the rock. We may not know where we’re going to get the money or how we’ll recover from these health issues, but we can find peace in the rock.

Everything else around us is sinking sand. The economy, the promises of politicians, the medical field are all unstable. The only thing that we can truly depend on is God Almighty. 

If we find ourselves worried, stressed, or confused, it’s because we’re depending on something other than the rock. Depend on and maintain your dependence on our Father, Who is the rock.

#depend #on #God

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 143:4 NLT I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear.

Psalms 143:7 NLT Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don’t turn away from me, or I will die.

During our time with God, it’s highly beneficial to be honest, open, and transparent with our emotions. With God, we don’t have to act like we have it altogether. We can tell Him our fears, worries, and concerns. If we can’t be real with God, Who knows everything about us, who can we be real with?

We don’t just vent to God and get everything off our chests and leave. We wait and listen for His comfort and solutions. 

For instance, after expressing our concerns to God about what the doctor said about our health, we wait for His comfort and solutions through the Holy Spirit. His comfort and solutions may sound something like this…

It’s okay. No need to concern yourself with what the doctor said. I have already made healing available for you through Jesus. Find and read every scripture in the Bible about healing. Do this for a week. Don’t tell anyone else about your health concerns. Just declare you’re healed. 

If we’re honest with God and follow His instructions, we’ll experience peace in the midst of a difficult situation. Secondly, we must choose to not let those concerns or fears back in our lives. Every time a concern enters our minds, we must declare what the Word says about that subject. When we do what God said, we’ll experience the manifestation of what we desire.

#castcares #on #God #gain #peace

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 142:2-3 NLT I pour out my complaints before Him and tell Him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me.

People like to say don’t tell God about your problems, but tell your problems about God. There’s a time for that, but it’s advantageous for us to initially give all our problems to God (1 Peter 5:7). We do that during our time of intimate fellowship with Him.

When life puts us to the test and we feel like we’re at our wits’ end, we can turn to God and tell Him all about it. We can tell Him our worries, cares, concerns, and fears. Once we vent and get our cares off our chest, we need to wait and listen for His guidance and direction. We can even write down His instructions. 

There’s no need to complain about life to our friends or family. And unless God instructs us to, it’s unnecessary for us to go see a therapist. We can get all the help we need from God.

Maintain your peace, joy, and sanity by consistently having intimate fellowship with God where we tell Him about the problems we’re facing. But be sure to wait on His guidance and direction.

#therapy #sessions #with #God #heals

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 141:5 NLT Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don’t let me refuse it. But I pray constantly against the wicked and their deeds.

We’re living in a time where it seems like no one wants to be corrected. As a result of this lack of correction, some children are acting out in schools because they can’t be corrected by teachers and they rarely receive correction from their parents. Certain adults can’t keep a job because they can’t accept correction. And some marriages are ending in divorce because some view correction as an attack.

Scripturally, correction is a good thing. When our brothers and sisters correct us in love, it’s beneficial to our character. Correction is helpful to our spiritual development, it helps us be more tolerable, and helps us be more useful in the Kingdom of God.

Let’s put down our pride and ego and learn to receive correction. It only make us better. 

#godlycorrection #profitable

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 140:13 NLT Surely righteous people are praising your name; the godly will live in your presence.

When we get born-again by making Jesus Christ Lord and Savior, we’re made righteous (Rom. 5:1). Godliness is a way of behaving while we’re righteous. We see this in 1 Timothy 6:11 where Paul instructs Timothy to pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

For those who are righteous, God is not only with us, but He lives in us by way of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13). And He said He’ll never leave us nor forsake us (Heb.13:5). With this understanding, we can clearly see from scripture that every believer remains in the presence of God.

So, contrary to some religious teachings, God is not coming and going based on our behavior and we don’t have to get in His presence through song. For us, we get to live in His presence. 

So, whatever we want or need, at anytime, we can go to God. He’s always there. If we need help in any situation, He’s there. We don’t need to wait until we’re out of options to ask for help. Be efficient with your time by going to Him first.

Praise God that every born-again believer will forever be in the presence of God.

#living #in #God #HolySpirit