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When Transformers came out in the 80’s, their slogan was “more than meets the eye.” The premise behind the Transformers toy line is that an individual toy’s parts can be shifted about to change it from a vehicle, a device, or an animal to a robot action figure.
This concept shouldn’t be new to believers. As we renew our minds to the word of God, we are guaranteed to be transformed (Rom. 12:2). How we process things should shift, how we handle difficulties should change, and how we see ourselves should improve. We shouldn’t be the same as we were 5 years ago. Even our relationship with God should evolve.
Transformation is necessary for the believer and we should be transforming continuously.
Romans 12:2 NLT Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
#transform #grow #permission #to #evolve #change #mature #progress #God #is #good #faithful #love #peace #prosper #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Psalms 113:7-8 NLT He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people!
The concept of going from rags to riches is not new. As we can see, this has been promised by God a long time ago.
People come from different walks of life. Some people come from very poor conditions. It’s unfortunate, but that doesn’t matter to God. It’s not that He’s insensitive, but He knows that with our cooperation, He can turn that poor situation around.
Don’t think this is a message on greed. It’s just another promise to believe. By truly believing what God says, we can have everything He’s promised regardless of a poor upbringing or if we’ve messed up our finances ourselves.
When we make Jesus Christ Lord, contextually obey His word, and agree with His promises in His word, ANYONE can go from rags to riches.
#hope #in #the #Lord #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #believe #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #scripture #Word #devotional #mental #health #wellness #growth #bible
Our eternal salvation does NOT depend on if we’re givers or not. Our salvation has everything to do with our belief in Jesus. So, if we don’t tithe, give to the Kingdom of God, or give to people, but we’ve made Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, we’ll still go to heaven.
However, if we choose not to participate in giving tithes and offering, we forfeit additional blessings that are associated with giving. We forfeit all the bonus blessings God has for our lives. By not giving, there are some ideas we won’t have, unexpected promotions we’ll miss out on, or some unusual favor we won’t receive. We’ll still have a decent life, but we’ll miss out on those extra perks.
And contrary to some religious beliefs, under grace, we WON’T be cursed by not giving. We won’t get sick or have car problems because we don’t give. Jesus died for every curse ever known, but by not giving, we’ll miss out on the extras.
Don’t forfeit the additional blessings God wants you to have by not giving. Let pride, fear, and selfishness go and participate in His plan to further bless your life.
Malachi 3:10 NIV Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
#generosity #give #be #a #blessing #bekind #growthmindset
John 2:23-25 NLT [23] Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. [24] But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. [25] No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.
Even when people trusted Jesus after He performed miraculous signs, Jesus was wise enough to not trust everyone.
We may get a lot of notoriety for something we’ve received or done. We may have gotten promoted at our jobs, increased in our finances, or have been put into a position of authority. These things attract people. And because of the nature of certain people’s hearts, everyone who surrounds us is not for us.
Some people want to be associated with greatness in order to launch their own platform, some people want to get free handouts, and some people just want to be close enough to get dirt on us to see us fail.
As we become more and more successful, we need to exercise wisdom on who we have in our inner circle. Everyone can’t be trusted. Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal who is truly for you and not against you.
Moral of the Story: Don’t trust everyone.
#trust #God #be #wise #exercise #wisdom
@everdaygodswill
Psalms 39:7 NLT And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.
Politicians spend millions of dollars campaigning, hoping that we’ll put our hope in them. Pharmaceutical companies spend millions in advertising, hoping that we’ll put our hope in them. The enemy has deceived a lot of us into putting our hope in the world’s system of exchanging time for money. Therefore, our hope is in our employment to provide all our needs.
For the believer, all of our hope should be in the Lord. Our hope shouldn’t be in our political affiliation, in medicine, in our employment, or in other things. All of our hope should be in God. These systems have the potential to be corrupted, ineffective, or unreliable, but God remains constant and strong.
Let’s put our hope in God and keep it there.
#hope #in #the #Lord #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #live #believe #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #mental #health #wellness #growth #bible
Psalms 78:36-37 NLT But all they gave him was lip service; they lied to him with their tongues. Their hearts were not loyal to him. They did not keep his covenant.
Are you giving God lip service? Are you praising Him on Sunday, but you have no desire to give Him your heart?
Lip service is when you recognize what He’s done in your life. You see how He’s blessed you, healed you, and protected you, but you still want to live life your way and not His. This shouldn’t be. The goodness of God should lead to repentance, not further rebellion (Rom. 2:4).
Rebellion usually is a lack of trust. We think our way is better than God’s way. We have ways that seem right, but they ultimately lead to destruction (Prov. 14:12). To overcome rebellion, we must renew our minds to believe and trust that God’s way is the best way (Rom. 12:2).
Give God praise with your lips and your heart and watch your life turn out wonderfully.
#listen #repent #receive #Christ #Savior #walk #inthe #light #trust #God #above #self #love #life #Jesus #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #TheWay #Truth
It seems like failure is all around us. Our parents may have failed us, the educational system may have failed us, relationships have failed, and our government has failed.
Seeing all of this failure can sometimes make us think that God will fail us, too. We may have heard some stories or been through situations where God seemed like He failed us. We may have heard how someone died believing God would heal them, or we may have thought God would work out a situation differently, but the outcome was unfortunate.
Magnifying these so-called failures can lead us to doubt and unbelief. This is what Satan wants us to focus on. But if we get determined to believe God’s word regardless of what we’ve been through and regardless of what we heard, we’ll get God-results.
Our total belief and commitment to God will allow us to obtain (in this life) all of the promises of God. Make the choice to believe in the unfailing word of God. God’s word will NEVER EVER fail.
Luke 1:37 NLT For the word of God will never fail.”
#oh #how #Heloves #us #have #faith #and #believe #waiting #hope #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #live #keepgoing #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #bible #truth #life
Luke 1:37 NLT For the word of God will never fail.”
The word of God will NEVER fail. If we find a promise in God’s word and believe that promise will come to pass in our lives, we’ll have that promise. It’s that simple. It has to…It must…It will come to pass.
It doesn’t matter if it’s provision, health in our bodies, deliverance for our children, or peace in our minds. If we stick with that promise from God, we’ll have it.
We WILL NOT be experiencing the manifestation of that promise if we give up and quit on the word. If we think it’s taking too long or we’re believing natural facts above God’s word, we WON’T have what He said.
So, we have two options. We can totally believe God’s word and experience a blessed abundant life or don’t and take whatever life throws at you. The choice is yours. I suggest you believe God’s word because His word never fails.
#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
1 Samuel 17:50 NLT So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword.
David was successful with only a sling and stone. David didn’t focus on his sling and stone. He focused on God’s ability to guide His sling and stone. David was convinced that the Lord would grant him victory.
If we choose to ignore what we have or don’t have in the natural and focus on God’s ability in us, we can be successful regardless of the circumstance. We can be successful with only a high school diploma. We can buy a house with only a credit score of 600. We can raise wonderful children with only one parent in the house. We can have a successful church with only 30 members.
Don’t limit God by focusing on what you have in the natural and thinking it’s insignificant. In the hands of God, anything we have can be a tool for success.
#all #things #are #possible #just #believe #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
1 Samuel 17:48 NLT As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him.
David ran towards Goliath. He didn’t cautiously approach him or wait until he attacked. David was the aggressor.
What caused David to be bold enough to run towards this giant? His confidence in God’s ability on him to get the victory.
When we have giants in our own lives, run towards them. We run towards our problems by boldly believing and declaring what God’s word says over our circumstances. We don’t allow the circumstances to dictate how we live or let it wreak havoc in our lives. Kind of like David in verse 45, we tell our circumstances that our victory comes from the Lord. Then, we let the Lord fight our battles by trusting and believing His word.
Whatever problems you’re facing, run towards them by having confidence in God’s word to defeat your biggest issue.
#nofear #have #faith #bebold #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Matthew 6:27 AMPC And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life?
This question can be asked in multiple areas of our lives.
Who of you by worrying and being anxious can make their child feel better?
Who of you by worrying and being anxious can get the money to pay the bills?
Who of you by worrying and being anxious can know how they did on an exam?
Who of you by worrying and being anxious can protect your children when they’re out of your presence?
Worry and anxiety cannot fix any problem. It actually creates more problems for the worrier. It’s been proven that worrying weakens our immune systems and allows toxins to flow through our bodies.
Since worrying doesn’t do anything but cause more problems, there’s no need to do it. Stop worrying, give your concerns to God, and let Him handle them.
#anxiety #worry #stress #fear #have #faith #wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
2 Timothy 2:25-26 NLT Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
The fear of being judgmental has paralyzed some individuals in the body of Christ. They fear being honest with someone because they don’t want to lose a friend, cause tension, or strain a relationship.
As we can see, the bible lets us know we can LOVINGLY address someone’s choices that go against God’s word without being judgmental. Our goal is not to judge but to LOVINGLY bring up decisions that are leading to their destruction. Whether they listen or not is irrelevant. We’ve told them the truth in love, and now, we let the Holy Spirit continue to do His job and lead them down a path to repentance.
So, if someone you know is using drugs, drinking excessively, cheating on their spouse, practicing sexual immorality, or even eating too much and the Holy Spirit is instructing you to talk to them about their choices, don’t be afraid. Because we love them and want better for their lives, we should tell them the truth in love.
#be #bold #kind #listen #live #abundant #life #in #Christ #truth #honest #share #tellit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #problems #Jesus #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #TheWay #Truth
John 14:16 NLT And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.
This Advocate Jesus is referring to is the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, the Holy Spirit WILL NEVER leave us.
Some people like to create their own rules for the Holy Spirit. They believe the Holy Spirit is present in a person’s life when they’re doing right and living holy, but if that person does one too many things wrong, they’ll say, “they don’t have the Holy Spirit” or “the Holy Spirit left that person.” Jesus DID NOT put any behavior qualifications on the presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life. Jesus said the Holy Spirit will never leave us.
The Holy Spirit is an Advocate. The biblical definition of advocate is a helper. When someone has lost their way, who else do you think is present to lead them back on track? It’s the Holy Spirit.
So contrary to certain people’s opinion, the Holy Spirit is not coming and going based on our behavior. Jesus said the Holy Spirit will never leave us. Believe God’s word over anything else.
#Holy #Spirit #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #God #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Luke 8:11 NLT “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word.
God’s word is a seed. When we plant God’s word in our hearts, it supernaturally grows.
Like any natural seed, maintenance is necessary to ensure growth. We ensure the seed grows by hearing God’s word, meditation on God’s word, and confession of God’s word (Rom. 10:17, Josh. 1:8, 2 Cor. 4:13). This is necessary because the devil and the cares of life will try to steal this seed.
Satan will throw thoughts of doubt in our heads and give us every reason why the seeds we’ve planted won’t grow. He’ll tell us we’re unqualified for it, we’re too old, we’re past our prime, look how long it’s taking, we only make so much in this economy, etc. These thoughts are designed to steal the seed. As long as we don’t accept these thoughts by doubting in our hearts, the seed will continue to grow (Mark 11:23). However, if we agree with these negative thoughts, the seed will never grow. We’ll know if we agreed with Satan and doubted in our hearts because we’ll say these doubts out loud and/or we’ve stopped confessing and meditating on God’s word.
Believe the word of God and don’t allow doubt to steal the seed.
Luke 8:15 NLT And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
#plant #the #Word #Bible #watch #it #grow #Jesus #Spirit #HolySpirit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #problems #self #love #life #Christ #love #new #goodness #scripture #devotional #devo #growth
Luke 8:11 NLT “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word.
God’s word is a seed. When we plant God’s word in our hearts, it supernaturally grows.
For instance, if something happens to our bodies where we’re experiencing pain, there’s seed in 1 Peter 2:24 that says by His stripes we are healed. We take that seed of God’s word, plant it in our hearts through our belief, and expect a harvest of a healed body.
Another is Proverbs 11:25, which says, “the generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” As we’re generous towards the Kingdom of God and people, we’ve sown a seed. We can expect that seed to develop into our prosperity.
The bible is full of seeds we can sow into our hearts. Find some seeds from the word of God that you would like to see develop in your life, plant it through your belief, and expect it to grow.
#plant #the #Word #Bible #watch #it #grow #Jesus #Spirit #HolySpirit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #problems #self #love #life #Christ #love #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
John 16:23 NLT At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.
Jesus lets us know we have direct access to the Father. We don’t pray to Jesus, the mother of Jesus, or angels. Through His name, we have the authority to speak directly to the Father.
We don’t need a priest or minister to do our talking for us. As born-again believers, we can approach God directly because we’re just as righteous and holy as any minister or priest.
Go to God directly with your needs, desires, dilemmas, and disorder and allow Him to be your answer.
#bigger #than #problems #talk #to #God #plus #Jesus #Life #found #in #Christ #Spirit #new #faith #direct #communication #nolimits #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #salvation #eternal #eternity #live #forever
Imagine this. You’re at a restaurant you frequent 3 times a month. You know the waiting staff, they know your name, and you know all about the place. A person comes up to you wanting to know where the restrooms are located. You direct them to the back and tell them it’s to the left on the other side of that plant. The same way you directed that person to the restroom is the same way we can direct someone to Christ.
To lead others to Christ, the best thing we can do is get to know Him ourselves. We can’t lead people to Someone we don’t know. We get to know Jesus through His word. In His word, we can read about what He’s done for us and how much He loves us. We can also get to know Him by spending time with His Father. Jesus and the Father are one (John 10:30). When we get to know the Father, we get to know the Son.
Once we spend quality time with the Father and His word, like an usher, we can easily direct people to Christ.
God cares about people, and He doesn’t want anyone to go to hell (2 Pet. 3:9). Be the guides for God leading others to Christ.
Matthew 28:19-20 NLT Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
#share #tellit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #sickness #problems #self #share #love #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Isaiah 30:21 NLT Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.
Isaiah prophesied about a time where we will be led by the Lord. We’re living in that time now through the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:14). We don’t have to do anything on our own. We can get God involved in all our our decisions.
We can let Him tell us when to go and when to stay. We can let Him decide what we should wear. We can have Him tell us when to buy a new car. And we can let Him tell us who to marry and when we should get married.
A lot of our decisions have pros and cons. They also can seem logical no matter how you look at it. Instead of guessing what you should do next or how you should do it, consult with the Holy Spirit and let Him tell you what to do in all things.
#peace #Spirit #HolySpirit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #problems #self #love #life #Jesus #Christ #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
2 Corinthians 7:8-9 NLT I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.
If we truly love someone and we want to see them change for the better, we’ll have to have difficult conversations with them.
It could be a conversation from a parent to a child about the foolish choices they’re making. It could be a conversation from a child to a parent on how their criticism makes them feel. It could be a conversation (not an argument) between a husband and a wife on how they can improve. It can even be a conversation from a believer to an unbeliever about salvation.
Difficult conversations are necessary if we want to see improvements in a person’s life. Don’t be afraid to have conversations with these people and let the Holy Spirit tell you what to say.
#be #bold #kind #listen #receive #Christ #Savior #salvation #share #tellit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #problems #self #love #life #Jesus #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #TheWay #Truth
There’s Christianity, but people say Christianity is a copy of a more ancient religion. There’s Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. There are people who follow the stars and people who call on their ancestors. These are just a few options people can choose for their spiritual journey.
With so many spiritual options, there are some who don’t know what to believe, so they ignore everything spiritual, focus on the natural, and make statements like, “I’m not religious.” They may live decent lives, being kind to people and being a productive member of society, but living a good life and ignoring THE only One who can save WILL NOT keep that person out of hell.
Some may think that’s harsh or unfair, but The Way out of hell has been put on the table and that person chose to reject it.
There’s a reason most people aren’t on street corners encouraging people to turn to Hinduism, but they are for Christ. There’s a reason most people aren’t being mocked, spat on, arrested, or killed for sharing the message of Islam, but they’re willing to for Christ.
Jesus paid the ultimate price to exchange our sin for His righteousness. All He wants us to do is accept that payment through our belief in Him as Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” When we believe, we’ll be saved and destined to heaven.
John 14:6 NLT Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.
#listen #receive #Christ #Savior #salvation #share #tellit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #sickness #problems #self #love #life #Jesus #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #TheWay #Truth
2 Timothy 2:7 NLT Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.
When it comes to spiritual and natural matters, God will help you understand. He’ll help you understand why this happened, and why that didn’t happen, and why it took so long. No need to run to a psychic or check your horoscope. All understanding can be found in God.
Contrary to religious beliefs, we can ask God questions for clarity. He’s not unreasonable or too proud to answer our questions. A God who can’t answer questions is not a God worth serving.
From understanding statistics in school to understanding why your father died when you were young, seek God’s help on anything you don’t understand and be in faith for the answer.
#seek #God #first #above #all #ask #wisdom #in #Christ #Jesus #have #faith #belief #scripture #devo #bible #growth
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.
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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.
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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
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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!”
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Graced To Do God's Will 