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Psalms 77:10-12 NLT And I said, “This is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me.” But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.
When we’re going through a difficult situation, the devil will throw thoughts in our mind that contradict God’s nature and His will for our lives.
Satan will tell us God’s not listening, He’s turned His back on you, this situation may be too much for God to fix, or this promise is not meant for you. As always, he’s a liar.
When those contrary thoughts come, take the time to remember what God has done in your life. Remember how He healed your body, remember how He blessed you with that job, remember how you received favor with your supervisor, and remember how much peace God gave you during that last difficult situation. Not only remember those things, but keep them constantly in your thoughts.
As we recall all that God has done for us, we can be encouraged that He’ll do it again and again and again. Don’t let the devil win the battle of the mind. Recall what God has done and be in faith that He’ll do it again.
#faithful #God #keeps #His #promises #trust #Jesus #have #faith #keep #believing #recall #goodness #scripture #devo #bible #growth
2 Timothy 2:9-10 NLT And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained. So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.
Paul endured some terrible things for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, and kicked out of a city for preaching the gospel. How could he endure those things and still keep going? He made Christ bigger than himself and bigger than his suffering.
Most of us won’t go through half the stuff Paul went through to spread the gospel, but we still may go through some things. We may lose some friends, have to overcome embarrassment and rejection, endure name calling, and possibly physical attacks.
Some of us may look at this list and tell ourselves sharing the gospel isn’t worth going through these things. The way we overcome this mindset is to make Christ bigger than all the things we can possibly endure. Make Him bigger than embarrassment, fear of rejection, and our reputation.
The way we make Christ bigger is to read and meditate on all the things He’s done for us. This will build a greater appreciation for what He’s done and get us to the point where our appreciation is bigger than our reputation or feelings.
Share the gospel with anyone God puts on your heart and make Christ bigger than anything else.
#share #tellit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #sickness #problems #self #share #love #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Definition
Protocol – the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions.
Psalms 100:4 NLT Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
The protocol for entering God’s presence is with thanksgiving and praise.
Before asking for a thing, thank God for what He’s done. Thank Him for food, clothes, and shelter. Thank Him for that raise you got last month, praise Him for His love you receive from your family, and thank Him for someone to talk to when things are tough.
This is not a law. Obviously, if we need Him immediately, we can always go to God and say, “help!” However, if time permits, let’s show our appreciation to God for what He’s done before we provide a list of our needs and desires.
#saythanks #say #thankyou #grateful #gratitude #God #is #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
2 Corinthians 7:5-6 NLT When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.
Bills that are overdue, children fighting sickness, desires not being received in the time we expected, and goals not being achieved can leave us discouraged. Discouragement may tempt some of us to give up on God and for others, discouragement may tempt us to give up on life altogether.
Instead of doing either, when life gets difficult, look to the One who encourages us. Look to our Heavenly Father. Ask Him the questions you really want to know. How come this happened? And, why did that happen? We’re not questioning God in doubt. We’re questioning Him for information.
Once He provides an answer, accept that answer and continue to trust Him. Trust that He will make all of this discouragement work out for your good (Rom. 8:28). Trust that His plans are still to prosper you and not to harm you (Jer. 29:11). Remember to give all your cares to Him (1 Pet. 5:7).
As we continue to rely on our Father, discouragement will turn into encouragement. And our encouragement will motivate us to reach our full potential.
#discouragement #faith #waiting #hope #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #live #keepgoing #believe #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Every now and then, you have to give yourself a pep talk. A pep talk is nothing new. It’s been around from the beginning. For the believer, a pep talk is nothing more than saying what God says about you.
Situations can have you feeling like you can’t accomplish your goals or have your dreams. That’s when a pep talk is in order. We have to tell ourselves that we can make it, with God all things are possible, and don’t give up because we’ll reap a harvest if we don’t quit.
These kinds of pep talks do two things. They remind us where our help comes from (God) and they keep our faith alive.
It’s not weird to talk to yourself. They do it in sports and other competitions, so why not do it to faith fight for your dreams? If you feel like your faith is low, give yourself a pep talk.
1 Samuel 17:46 NLT Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!
Romans 8:37 NIV No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
#have #faith #wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Hebrews 10:14 says, we were made holy through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:15 says, but now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. So which is right? Are we made holy or do we have to be holy. The answer is both.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.
We are tripartite beings. We are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body. When we get born-again, our spirits are the only thing that is holy and righteous. Our souls and bodies are still waiting to be transformed. Our bodies won’t be transformed until we’re in the presence of the Lord, but our souls can be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2).
It’s our responsibility to renew our minds with the word of God. The good news is the Holy Spirit will help us (Eph. 4:23). As we renew our minds, we’re exercising holiness. We’re following the scriptures and being (continuous process) holy.
We’re not being holy to be approved or accepted by God. That was done through our acceptance of Jesus Christ. We’re being holy to respect and honor God. Our holy behavior is a way to say, thank You for all You’ve done. Our holy or unholy behavior is not putting us in heaven or hell, but it is a way to reverence God and appreciate the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ.
So, receive your holiness through Jesus Christ and be holy to show your appreciation for all He’s done.
#God #is #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Ephesians 4:22-23 NLT throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
When we get born-again, our spirit is brand new however, our soul and flesh are still the same. So, if we had challenges with lust before, we’ll still have challenges with lust after salvation. If we had problems with anger before, we’ll most likely have problems with anger after. There are some instances where habits and temptations can be totally removed from our lives, but for the most part, they’ll still be the same.
In order for our soul (mind, will, imagination, emotions, and intellect) to change, we must renew our minds (Romans 12:2). God, being the loving Father that He is, won’t make us do this by ourselves. His Spirit will help us renew our thoughts and attitudes.
The Holy Spirit will help us control our emotions when we want to curse someone out or punch them in the face. God’s Spirit will provide another alternative instead of looking at pornography on the computer. He’ll help us lose weight, be financially wise, and be a better parent.
Our responsibility is to listen to the Spirit and do what He says. His instructions may seem strange and go against how we feel, but if we obey, we’ll act in ways that honor and please God.
#mind #renewal #draw #near #to #God #victory #through #Christ #success #Jesus #bebetter #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Before someone opens a business of any kind, they see that business being successful. They see lots of customers, they see themselves shipping their products, or they see their business in multiple locations. The positive images they see motivate them to actually open a business.
In the first year, what they actually see may contradict what they envisioned. The customers may not be lined up out the door, the product may not be shipping out, and they’re barely making enough to maintain what they have now.
The business owner has a decision to make. Will they close down their business or hold on to the successful image they’ve envisioned and continue on? Unless they’re out of money, most entrepreneurs wouldn’t let contradicting things stop their quest for success.
For the believer, we have a book of promises from Almighty God that He wants us to put in our imagination. He wants us to see ourselves healed, forgiven, blessed, and prosperous in all things. As we meditate on His promises, these promises should motivate us to believe for them to come to pass in our lives. Like most businesses, we’ll have things that contradict God’s promises. Our bodies may experience sicknesses, our finances may appear limited, and our marriages may seem toxic.
During this contradiction, we have a decision to make. Will we give up on our faith based on the contradictions or will we allow those promises we meditated on to encourage us to keep our faith in God’s word?
A mature believer will continue on regardless of the contradictions they see. An immature believer will accept what they see and say those promises aren’t meant to be. Which one are you?
Hold on to God’s promises regardless of what you see and watch them come to pass in your life.
2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
#have #faith #wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
John 4:50 NIV “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at His word and departed.
Take God at His word. Stop looking for signs and confirmation from people that God’s word will come pass. If He said it, that’s what He will do.
It doesn’t matter if you’re in your 40s, if your desire is to have a baby, He will give you the desires of your heart (Mark 11:24).
If you’ve been dealing with back pain for 60 years, take God’s word and start confessing you’re healed (1 Peter 2:24).
Stop accepting whatever life throws at you and doubting God’s word to overcome it. God’s word is greater than anything else.
#have #faith #wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
In this world, things will happen. Air conditioning units have to be repaired, cars have to be fixed, sickness may attack our bodies, and relationships may be problematic. Some adversity comes back to back to back.
Regardless of the type of adversity, the spirit realm is waiting to see how we’ll respond.
Do we let the devil win by being frustrated and having a defeated mindset and quitting on our dreams? Or, do we have a winner’s mindset to tell adversity no matter what happens, God still gets the glory and His promises will come to pass?
We’ll all be tempted to be frustrated, but if we can catch ourselves before going down that rabbit hole of despair and begin to praise God, we’ll maintain our hope and joy to continue on.
Choose to trust God regardless of the circumstance and know that if we’ll remain in faith, we’ll always win.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
#have #faith #wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
In the Kingdom of God, 1+1 doesn’t always equal 2. 1+1 could equal 4, 6, or 8. How? Because of the God factor.
There are many instances in the bible where God multiplied things. The most famous one was the story of Jesus multiplying 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread to feed at least 5,000 people (Matthew 14:13-21). In Matthew 15, Jesus multiplied 7 loaves and a few fish to feed 4,000 people.
The point is, God goes beyond natural logic, reasoning, or math to get things done for us and His Kingdom. If we limit God to the natural laws of this earth, we limit the miracles we’ll experience.
Other examples of God going beyond natural logic are how He blessed Abraham and Sarah to have a baby in their 90’s, Jesus and Peter walked on water, and Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.
Even in our own lives we’ve seen Him bless us with jobs we weren’t qualified for, somehow stretched our money to cover all our bills, or receive an unexpected increase in our finances.
Don’t limit God to natural logic or natural laws. Believe to go beyond that to experience the miraculous.
Matthew 14:17-21 NLT “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered. “Bring them here,” he said. Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!
#believe #in #miracles #Jesus #Life #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #faith #provision #logic #nolimits #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #salvation #eternal #eternity #live #forever
2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Some people like to live their lives based on “signs.” If this happens, that was a sign. If that happens, that was a sign. The problem with living by signs is a lot of fears are disguised as signs.
If a few family members get into car accidents at night, some people take it as a “sign” to not drive at night. That’s not a sign. That’s fear leading that person into a decision to not drive at night. If every person they know got a messy divorce, some take it as a sign to not get married. That’s fear telling them what happened to everyone else is going to happen to them.
If these “signs” don’t line up with God’s word, it’s fear and superstition and we shouldn’t govern our lives by them. In the case of driving at night, believe God’s angels will protect you in all your ways (Ps. 91:11). Instead of letting the fear of divorce control your relationships, believe that God will help you have a wonderful marriage (Ps. 121:2). If it’s not specifically stated in God’s word, let the Holy Spirit lead you in every decision you make (Gal. 5:16).
#believe #follow #Jesus #Life #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #Holy #nofear #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #salvation #eternal #eternity #live #forever
John 3:36 NIV Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
This scripture let’s us know that anyone who believes in the Son (Jesus) has eternal life. That means from the time we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we’ll live forever with the Father. We’ll never die. For the believer, our “natural death” is not death at all. The bible says the believer’s natural death is falling asleep because Jesus defeated death (1 Cor. 15:6, 26).
However, anyone who rejects Jesus as the Son of God, will not see life. That means they’re the walking dead. They haven’t begun to live and God’s wrath remains them. God’s not punishing them, but they’re punishing themselves because of unbelief.
That’s why we must minister the gospel to everyone because we don’t know who’s born-again or not. And since God wants His creation to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4), we should do our best to spread the word about His love, His forgiveness, and His grace through Jesus Christ.
#believe #in #Love #Jesus #Life #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #salvation #eternal #eternity #live #forever
Monday morning quarterbacking is a term that originated in American football and it refers to someone who criticizes a player or an event in the game after it has been played. Most of the criticism comes from spectators who have never played the game at the highest level, but they criticize a player or an event as if they were in the Hall of Fame.
The same way some people like to Monday morning quarterback a game is the same way some believers like to Monday morning quarterback a pastor and their sermons. Like football, most of the criticism comes from spectators who have never pastored a church or consistently taught the word of God, but they criticize like they’re a hall of fame prophet.
What’s the intent of the criticism? If the intent is to lovingly correct someone in error, that’s fine because that’s scriptural according to 2 Timothy 3:16-17. But if the intent is to insult a pastor who is sincerely attempting to lead people to Christ and make them appear to be a false teacher or a deceiver, that is wrong and unscriptural.
If you’re constantly criticizing pastors or supporting someone who does, check your heart. Be sure you’re not one of the people who is causing division in the church.
Matthew 7:1-2 AMPC DO NOT judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.
#walk #in #Love #Jesus #peace #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Proverbs 22:6 NKJV Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Every parent feels they know the best way to train up a child. Some parents focus on education, some parents focus on healthy eating, and some parents focus on athletics. These are all good, but once again, these are ways to train up a child.
There’s only one way that is truly best to raise our children. That way is introducing them to Jesus Christ. In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
When we introduce our children to Jesus and tell them all the wonderful things He’s done for us, we’re leading them down a path they won’t abandon. Also, this provides fulfillment for our children, educational success, social victories, and possibly athletic success.
Raise up a child God’s way and in the end, they won’t go wrong.
#speak #teach #Jesus #Christ #life #peace #found #in #Son #of #God #Spirit #trainup #parenting #success #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
John 17:26 NIV I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
Jesus is talking to the Father. Jesus was innocent, sinless, and obedient and God loved Him tremendously. Jesus loved us so much until He wanted us to experience the Father’s love for ourselves.
Jesus didn’t need to ask the Father for this request, but He wanted us to to know the Father as intimately as He did.
God’s love and the love of Jesus is NOT dependent on our behavior or performance. Their love is freely available to anyone who is willing to receive it.
Don’t be deceived into thinking God’s love is only for those who have it altogether. Receive His love no matter where you are on your journey and His love will mature you to a better place.
#receive #Love #Jesus #joy #abundance #life #peace #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
John 17:13 NIV “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
We have the joy of Jesus. At times, we may not feel like it, but we shouldn’t govern our lives by how we feel. Our lives should be governed by the word of God and the word of God says we have the joy of Jesus.
This joy combats depression, fear, and sadness. This joy helps us when loved ones transition, if we lose a job, or if we go through a divorce.
Receive this joy by faith and activate it with the words of your mouth. Simply say, “today, I receive the joy of Jesus.”
#declare #expect #speak #Jesus #joy #abundance #life #peace #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
John 14:27 NIV Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Before Jesus leaves this earth, He gives His disciples His peace. If we’re following Jesus, we have access to the peace of Jesus. Although every believer has access to the peace of Jesus, every believer doesn’t maintain their peace. Why? We pay more attention to what’s going on around us, instead of focusing on His peace.
Focusing on the word of God allows us to maintain the peace of Jesus. When we focus on our children not departing (Prov. 22:6), all of our needs being met (Phil. 4:19), and being victorious over every situation (1 Cor 15:57), we won’t lose our peace if our children are acting up, if we see lack, or if we feel defeated.
Understand this: Jesus left us His peace. When we understand what God promised us, nothing should rattle us and steal our peace.
“If something robs you of your peace, it’s too expensive.” -Creflo Dollar
#God #is #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #found #in #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
One way a lot of us can be selfish is knowing the gospel of Jesus Christ and the goodness of God and keeping it to ourselves. Daily, we (myself included) walk past numerous people and we don’t ask if they’ve made Jesus Lord, we don’t tell them about the love of God, or the benefits of salvation. That’s selfish.
It can be awkward to strike up a conversation about Jesus with a random person, but it doesn’t have to be. When we remove pride, ego, and how we’re being perceived and replace it with love and compassion, it’s not awkward. The person in front of us is a person God loves unconditionally and we’re the only way He can reach that person.
If they reject the gospel or don’t want to have a conversation about “religion,” don’t get offended. They’re not rejecting you. They’re rejecting Him. Just tell them, “God loves you” and pray that they’ll make Jesus Christ Lord.
Don’t be ashamed or intimidated to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone. That shame and intimidation comes from the devil. Be bold and compassionate enough to share the gospel with people.
Romans 10:14-15 NLT But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
#God #is #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #share #gospel #truth #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Proverbs 14:34 NLT Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
If godliness makes a nation great, surely godliness can make a career great, a marriage great, and a family great. If you want to experience greatness in something, do things God’s way.
There will always be a temptation to do things our way or in our own strength, but when we resist those temptations and do what God says, we’ll experience greatness.
We can find how God wants things done in His word. In His word, there are instructions on how to be a husband or a wife, how to be good parents, how to be a good employee, and how to be an humble person. For everything else not specifically mentioned in His word, we have the Holy Spirit who teaches us all things (John 14:26).
Let’s be on a path to greatness and do things God’s way.
#God #is #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Graced To Do God's Will 