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Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

We don’t listen to the word of God so that God is pleased with us and we don’t listen to the word to check some religious box. We listen to the word to build and strengthen our faith.

The more word we hear, the stronger our faith. If we listen to the word on healing, we’ll have strong faith to know we are healed. If we hear the word of God on prosperity, we’ll have faith for prosperity.

We need our faith to be strong because we have an enemy who wants to destroy us. He doesn’t want to see us saved, healthy, blessed, or at peace. Our faith can counterattack his thoughts,  ideas, and suggestions. Also, negative situations in life will come and having faith in the word of God helps us look beyond those situations and focus on God’s promises. 

If you want to live a defeated life, don’t listen to the word. However, if you want to live a victorious life, get a daily dose of word. Remember, it’s not for God. It’s for you to be equipped with the neccessary tools to win.

Jonah 2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish.

Jonah 2:10 Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.

Whatever predicament we’ve placed ourselves in, God can hear us and help.

We may be in the bed with someone else’s spouse and God will hear us. We may have gotten ourselves deep in debt through disobedience and God will help when we cry out. We may have turned our backs on God, but He’s still available when we turn towards Him.

No matter what we’ve done or how far we’ve strayed, when we call out to God, He’ll hear us and help us.

If you were unsaved, what would draw you into Christianity? Would it be the message of the cross? Would it be eternal life? Or, would it be abundant life?

All of these are awesome reasons to give your life to the Lord, but one of these can be currently displayed. The message of the cross is awesome, but we reap the benefits of Jesus’s sacrifice after we transition. Eternal life is good, but how can that benefit us now? What can be displayed now is abundant life.

Abundant life can be displayed in multiple ways. It can be displayed in our attitude. It can be displayed in our giving. It can be displayed in our marriages. It can be displayed with luxury living. When unsaved people see this kind of living, they’ll want Jesus now. It’s hard for some to believe that Jesus saved them from hell and we’ll live forever, but they can easily see Jesus providing an abundant life.

Why would anyone want to be in God’s family full of broke grouchy people with toxic marriages? They wouldn’t. We don’t have to be perfect, but let’s understand, access, and believe for the abundant life Jesus provided so that we can display it for the unsaved world.

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

God has some difficult commands in His word. Let’s look at a few.

Matthew 5:44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Psalm 37:1 Don’t be angry because of those who do evil, do not be jealous because of those who commit iniquity.

Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Depending on the circumstance, these are some difficult things to do on a consistent basis. It’s pretty hard to truly love someone who’s hurt us to the core or not be envious of someone’s success, knowing how they treated others.

We were never meant to fulfill these commands in our own strength. We were always meant to rely on the help of the Holy Spirit.

When a crooked boss looks over all our hard work and promotes someone else, we need to look to God and ask for help to love that person. When an ex-spouse is attempting to defame our character in front of our children, we need to ask God for help on being kind to them.

Nothing will successfully be done for an extended period of time without the help of the Holy Spirit. Look to God for help in difficult situations.

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Romans 8:25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.

You may not have the big paying career yet but be patient my friend.
You may not have a painless body but be patient.
You may not be married with children yet but be patient.

Every promise of God requires some type of patience. There are several things we can learn while being patient. We learn to wait with a positive attitude. If we’re waiting on a house or car, we can learn all the details on how to best manage and maintain that house or car. If we’re waiting on better employment, we can learn what we need to learn to be an outstanding employee. If we’re waiting on a spouse and children, we can learn how to better ourselves to be the best spouse and parent.

On the other side of our patience is our breakthrough. Don’t stop believing because it’s taking too long. Know that it’s available and it will manifest in our lives.

Imagine God blessing you with your greatest desire. It’s something you wanted for a long time. Imagine holding that desire in your hands or seeing it with your eyes. Imagine yourself praising God for that desire. Imagine yourself crying, raising your hands, and worshipping
God because somehow some way He made it happen. Imagine yourself telling God how good He is and how you love Him and thank Him. Just imagine.

Now… that praise and worship you just imagined yourself doing… do it now. Praise Him now. We can praise Him now with the same intensity we imagined because of 1 John 5:14-15 which says, this is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him. We can and should sincerely praise Him now because we know we have whatever we asked for. It may not have materialized yet, but we have it. It’s only a matter of time and a constant belief in God’s word before what we imagine will come to pass.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14‭-‬15 NIV

Acts 17:11 (NLT) And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.

There are some of us who listen to ministers speak on a regular. It’s important to listen to them and search the scriptures to confirm what they’re saying is true and in context.

For instance, a minister may read Matthew 6:15 which says, if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. That minister may tell us we won’t be forgiven if we don’t forgive others. Well, that’s not true. In Matthew 6, Jesus was speaking to disciples living under the law. A minister saying something like that can bring fear and condemnation. Under the new covenant, Ephesians 4:32 says, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. It’s important to forgive, but our forgiveness from God is not dependent upon our forgiveness to others. Through Christ, we’ve been forgiven. It’s already done.

Don’t take anyone’s word for truth. Validate what they’re saying with the Word of God.

2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Sowing and reaping is a law that God established in the earth. Whatever we give (small or large), will be given back to us (Luke 6:38). It’s no different than Newton’s third law of motion that states; “what goes up must come down.” It has to happen.

That’s why it’s so important to give as God instructs us to give. He’s encouraging us to activate this law. A benefit to giving as God leads us to give is He obligates Himself on our return. God’s return is always greater than what we’ve given. In Luke 6:38 it tells us when we give, it shall be given back in an overflowing manner.

So, whether God’s prompting us to give a few dollars to a homeless person, give to a friend, or give to the church, do it and expect God to return what we’ve given in abundance.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

A lot of us spend a lot of time playing the “If I” game with ourselves. We make statements such as, if I had more money, I can buy nicer things for my family. If I had a better house, I wouldn’t hear the neighbors next door. If I had a better job, I could have more opportunities for promotion. These statements may be factual, but this game leads to ingratitude.

We may not have all the money we want, but at least we can pay our bills and have the necessities. We may not have the house we want, but praise God, we have a roof over our heads. We may not be working where we ultimately desire, but we’re employed.

There’s nothing wrong with having desires, but don’t let those desires minimize or belittle what God has currently provided. Be grateful.

In order to truly follow the plan of God, we have to keep an open mind. We can’t bind ourselves with specific rules from the day before. We must be fluid and flexible with what He instructs us to do today.

What God tells us to do today may be different from what He told us to do yesterday. Yesterday, He may have told us to take medicine for a cold. Today, He may tell us to only drink orange juice. It seems illogical, but do it. On interviews in the past, He may have told us to tell our life’s story and we got the job. Just because it worked last time doesn’t mean we need to do the same thing again. On our upcoming interview, He may tell us to keep our answers short and brief.

Following the plan of God may be different from one day to the next. Keep an open mind and be flexible to make the appropriate adjustments.

Genesis 22:2 “Take your son,” God said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

Instruction Change:
12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”

Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

Psalm 146:3 Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.

As we see, we’re not meant to completely trust any human. There’s no exception to any human. That includes ministers.

Unfortunately, there are some not so great ministers out there. Because of their title and position, some of us trust them entirely. We trust they hear from God and believe they have our best interest at heart, but that’s not always the case. Some of these so called ministers provide poor unscriptual advice, tell all our business after we’ve confided in them, and don’t practice what they preach. And if our trust is betrayed, we don’t want anything to do with the church or God. God never intended for us to live this way. 

This all could be avoided if we remembered to place our trust in God and not man. As God leads, we can give a portion of our trust to a person, but always remembering they’re a person who intentionally or unintentionally will miss the mark. Place your trust in God.

Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

Psalm 146:3 Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.

A lot of us have experienced hurt mainly because we’ve placed our entire trust in people. Some of us have been hurt by our parents, ministers, politicians, spouses, and children.

We can avoid all this hurt by trusting in the only One who cannot change. Place your trust in God. God won’t let us down. He has no hidden agenda and He’s not manipulative. He only wants what’s best for us.

As for people, God will tell us who we can give a portion of our trust to. He’ll tell us who we need to keep an eye on. He’ll even reveal some things about a person, through discernment, that were never spoken.

As much as we’d like to trust in the people closest to us, in the back of our minds we must remember that they’re humans living in a fallen world and cannot be trusted completely.

Mark 16:14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.

If Jesus was displeased with the unbelief of the disciples regarding His resurrection, how disappointed is He is with those who choose not to believe other promises that He obtained for us?

His sacrifice provided us with salvation, healing, deliverance, authority, desires, and so much more. All He asks is that we believe. He’s not asking us to work for it or buy it. Just internalize His promises and believe.

Don’t let His sacrifice be in vain and don’t allow His promises to go unclaimed. Believe and receive everything He promised you.

There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.
Mark 15:40‭-‬41

Unfortunately, there are certain denominations in the body of Christ that minimize women. Even in the bible, because of the time period, they were rarely mentioned. Although women were rarely mentioned, we still have some beneficial scriptures that should encourage and inform others about women’s roles in the body of Christ.

As we can see from the scripture above, there were women disciples. Not only did they follow Jesus, they ministered to Him. Yes, they ministered to the Son of God. How awesome is that? I can’t think of anyone else who ministered to Jesus.

So, if anyone has a problem with women and their ministerial roles in the church, direct them to these scriptures. And women, if God has called you to minister, go with God and let Him deal with your adversaries.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

As we can see, one of the gifts of the Spirit is self-control. Self-control should be applied in multiple areas such as eating, sleeping, and parenting. One of the biggest areas where self-control is truly needed is self-control in our spending.

Some of us have a bad habit of spending our hard-earned money on the newest, latest, and greatest items. There’s a feeling like we’ve got to have it now (whatever it is). That’s a lack of self-control. People are going into debt because they can’t control their spending. That debt impacts their credit where they can’t make major purchases like a house or obtain the financial backing to start a business.

If we desire something, go to the Holy Spirit. Ask Him if it’s okay to buy the item. He’ll tell us to stand in faith for the item, yes, or not now. That desire may change in a couple of months. Don’t buy stuff to be with the cool crowd. Buy it because you like it and the Holy Spirit has given you permission. Have self-control.

Psalm 9:1 (AMP) I WILL praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth (recount and tell aloud) all Your marvelous works and wonderful deeds!

There are those who feel like sharing what God has done for them is boastful. They feel like it’s a lack of humility and you’re rubbing the less fortunate’s nose in it.

As we can see, with the right motives, we’re expected to show and tell others all the marvelous things God has done. It didn’t specify the type of person. They can be older or younger, richer or poorer, or believer or unbeliever. God’s word simply tells us to share what God has done in our lives with others.

Trying not to show or share what God has done doesn’t bring God any glory. Hopefully, our testimony will encourage others to trust God to fulfill their desires. Share your story.

If you had $500, and had to let someone keep it for the day, would you give it to someone you didn’t know, or would you give it to your spouse? Most of us would give it to our spouse because we trust them. We’ve developed trust by getting to know them over time.

When we first get saved, we don’t trust God in every area. We may trust Him to save us from hell, but we don’t trust Him with our money, in raising our children, or our careers. Like our spouses or anyone else close to us, we develop our trust in God by spending time with God. We spend time with God through worship, prayer, meditation, studying His word, and having conversations with Him throughout the day. Eventually, we’ll know God to the point where we’ll trust Him in every area of our lives.

The more time we spend with God, the more we’ll trust Him. Once we’ve spent quality time with God, we won’t be intimidated with scriptures that tell us to trust God with all our hearts or give God 10% of our paycheck. Why? Because we know Him which allows us to truly trust Him.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

Inspired by Apostle Hilliard

Can you understand the mysteries surrounding God All-Powerful? They are higher than the heavens and deeper than the grave. So what can you do when you know so little, and these mysteries outreach the earth and the ocean?
Job 11:7‭-‬9 CEV

God is different. His ways are often illogical. He tells us to love the people who hate us. He tells us to give to get. He tells us humble ourselves to be honored. These are just illogical commands found in scripture.

Through the Holy Spirit, He’ll tell us to do uncommon things like buy land when it’s a seller’s market, open a business without all the necessary business plans, or wait another year to marry the person you’re in love with.

As He requests something illogical, we must trust Him. It may not make sense and it may go against everything we were taught, but we must believe His way is best. Understand He’s different, but trusting His different ways will lead us to a prosperous stress-free life.

When military personnel are out in their uniforms, people will approach them and thank them for their service. They’re thanking them for positioning themselves in harm’s way to guard, defend, and protect our freedoms.

Jesus wasn’t the first soldier, but He was the ultimate soldier. He positioned Himself to fight on our behalf. Instead of the enemy attacking us, they attacked Him. He was beaten, tormented, and separated from the One He’s known for all eternity. He fought for us all the way to the point of death and won.

If a military officer can be thanked, surely we can thank our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for His service. Every time we see a cross, we should thank Jesus for His services to us.

Thank you Jesus for going over and above the call of duty so that we can be saved.

Colossians 2:15 (CEV) There Christ defeated all powers and forces. He let the whole world see them being led away as prisoners when he celebrated his victory.

Colossians 3:15 (AMP) And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].

Poor decisions can affect our current state and our future. It can impact our children and even our grandchildren. Poor decisions can slow down what God desires to do in our lives. What may normally take a couple of years to do may take ten years to complete because of our poor decisions.

Before we make any decision, we must complete the following steps:

1. Confirm our decisions align with the word of God.
2. Let peace be the determining factor if it’s not directly mentioned in the bible.
3. Be directed by the Holy Spirit on when, where, and how a certain thing should done.

As we make good decisions, we can live a stress-free life knowing we consulted God in everything.