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When we’re in tune with God, He’ll give us dreams, desires, and visions that are big. Sometimes, they’re so big until it’s best to keep it to ourselves.

If we tell certain people about the plans God has downloaded inside of us, they’ll laugh and tell us how crazy we sound. They’ll tell us it’s impossible, illogical, or farfetched. They’ll tell us to be humble and content with where we are.

This negative feedback could cause us to doubt. It may have us minimizing the desire or plan of God to something that makes sense or something we can do in our own strength. Telling the wrong person could be detrimental to our faith and hinder God from doing some amazing things in our lives.

We can’t tell everyone about the plans God has for us. Be mindful to tell only like-minded believers. If they’re not around, just keep it to yourself.

Genesis 37:9 Then Joseph had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 He told his father and brothers, but his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream that you have had? Will your mother and brothers and I actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”

We all have desires we want from God or an assignment from God. Both require faith. Faith is moving beyond our natural senses and trusting in the written or audible word of God. The key word is “moving.” Unfortunately, some of us have been sitting on our faith. Another way of putting it is, we’ve procrastinated in using our faith.

For instance, we know we heard God telling us to apply for that supervisor position. We haven’t applied yet because it requires undoubting faith to believe for a position we’re not qualified for. Instead of applying and trusting in God, we’re sitting on our faith because we don’t want to experience the possibility of rejection. 

We heard God telling us to open a business, but we haven’t because we don’t have all our affairs in order. We sit on our faith instead of obeying God because we don’t want our business to fail.

God may have told some of us to go look at the car we desire. However, we’ve sat on our faith because we don’t want to look foolish in the dealership, knowing we don’t have the money or the credit to get the car.

During the time we’re tempted to sit on our faith is the time we must realize God’s favor is on our lives. God wouldn’t tell us to do something if it’s not going to be beneficial. We may run into challenges along the way, but ultimately it will succeed. Don’t sit on your faith. Listen to the voice of God and apply your faith where it’s needed.

Psalm 119:60 I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments.

Proverbs 18:1 (BSB) He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment.

There are people who are perfectly content being by themselves. They’re not bothering anyone, and no one’s bothering them. They can go to work, do their job, have minimal to no conversations with their coworkers, and go home. They have a few friends and they’re not trying to make anymore.

This isolated mentality is devastating to the Kingdom of God. God made us uniquely special. He’s placed abilities in us that only we can do. He’s given each of us wisdom and a perspective that needs to be voiced. As believers, how can we share the gospel, encourage others, and be a light in the world if we isolate ourselves? We don’t have to become the life of the party, but as God leads us, we should step out of our comfort zone, and socialize with others with a positive attitude.

At the end of the day, we must remember, it’s not about us. It’s about giving God glory, being a blessing to others, and not hoarding the gifts and talents God put inside of us.   

Psalm 84:5 (AMP) Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

When we’re trying to do things in our own strength, certain tasks can be stressful, burdensome, or impossible. That’s because we are not designed to do anything in our own strength. We were made to rely on God’s strength.

By relying on God’s strength, we can do anything. Nothing’s too hard for us because we’re strengthened by God.

With God’s strength, we can forgive those who mistreated us, we can start a business, we can quit smoking, and we can end toxic relationships. No matter how big the task is, we’re happy to take it on because it allows us to see the strength of God at work. Let’s rely on God’s strength and not our own.

Mark 6:1-6 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

They didn’t respect the anointing of Jesus because they knew His past. They knew He was a carpenter and couldn’t believe He was the Messiah. Because of their unbelief, they missed out and Jesus couldn’t do mighty miracles in His home town.

Be sure not to miss out on the power of God by disqualifying someone just because you’ve known them all their lives. They could be sent from God to help, but we disqualify them because they failed in their business, they got divorced, or they went to jail. Their lives could’ve been changed and God is sending them our way to help, but if we’re not sensitive to the voice of God or we’re only looking at the person, we’ll miss out on the miracle God is trying to perform in our lives.

Because of our not so glamorous past, some people won’t value our thoughts. They’ll dismiss us, but that’s their loss.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
Ephesians 1:7‭-‬10 NKJV

Through Jesus Christ, we have everything. Let’s look at just a few things He’s made available to us.

Reconciliation with God, forgiveness forever, authority over demonic influences, the ability to release and stop things in our world, power, wisdom, faith, divine health, riches, and favor.

These things have been made available to us for free. Jesus paid the price for everything. We didn’t have to work for it, we didn’t have to earn it, and we didn’t buy it. It was given to us for free.

Take this opportunity to truly thank God for Jesus and the sacrifice He made for us. God wanted to make our lives as easy and enjoyable as possible. And this ease only comes through Jesus.

Jesus, we love You and thank you for all that You’ve done.

“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest” – Isaiah 32:18.

As we can see, peace is God’s will for us. Anything less than peace shouldn’t be accepted. There should be peace in our minds, our marriages, with our children, and other relationships.

Like all of God’s promises, our peace has to be received by faith. It’s not going to happen automatically because we’re saved. We apply our faith to receive and maintain this peace.

So, anything that doesn’t look like peace in our lives, our homes, or our marriages can be changed by placing a demand on God’s word for peace.

Confession: According to Isaiah 32:18, there should be peace in every area of my life. So, I declare peace right now, in the name of Jesus.

-Continue to confess until your life looks like God’s word.

There are two ways of living, naturally and spiritually. The natural way of living requires hard work, logic, networking, and luck. The spiritual way of living requires resting in the finished works of Jesus and relying on the word of God.

If we’re living naturally and want something, we have to work hard, save money, and hope we can get it without going into debt or missing any other bill payments. If we’re living spiritually and want something, we ask God, confirm the desire is in God’s word and believe we’ve received it until it manifests. There’s no debt or missing payments. It’s God materializing our desires without toil (Prov. 10:22).

If we’re living naturally and get diagnosed with something, we’ll possibly stress over the situation, take the prescribed medication and hope it cures the disease. If we’re living spiritually and get diagnosed, we can rejoice because Jesus has healed us from that disease and look to the Holy Spirit to lead us in our next steps. No stress necessary.

Some of us combine the two by living spiritually in some areas, but natural in other areas. God will let us live however we want to live, but He prefers if we totally rely on Him.

Stop looking at your bank account every day and stop stressing over things. Make the effort to live spiritually and totally rely on God.

Romans 8:6 (Weymouth Translation) Because for the mind to be given up to earthly things means death; but for it to be given up to spiritual things means Life and peace.

When we’re believing God for something, we usually believe God for something big or a pressing desire. We tend to forget we can release our faith for minor things.

We can release our faith for our water pipes to stop making that annoying sound. We can release our faith for a certain gas price. We can release our faith for that pain in our back to go away. We can release our faith for new shoes we may not need. We can release our faith to find our keys.

These things may not be life threatening or super serious, but we can either put up with it or use our faith to change it.

Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

James 1:6 (NLT) But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Faith is what we use to obtain the promises of God. We see a promise, we believe God has already made that promise available through Jesus, we receive it the moment we pray, and we obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit to position us to physically receive that promise.

As we’re patiently waiting, we’re living in expectation. We’re expecting that promise to come. We may not know how or when, but we’re expecting. It may take a week, a month, a year, or more, but we’re expecting. The downfall of our faith is when it takes too long and we stop expecting. That’s called doubt. And doubt will withhold God’s promises every single time.

Get those desires back out, dust them off, and expect to receive them. Don’t be anxious about them, but expect to receive them by faith.

Imagine yourself as a king or queen 2000 years ago. You have an amazing kingdom of 10,000 people. There’s an abundance of food and water. The people in your kingdom are strong and happy. The walls around your kingdom are heavily fortified and heavily guarded with 3000 of the most strongest warriors. Now, imagine seeing a small army of 100 soldiers attempt to take over your kingdom. Would you freak out? Would you begin to complain or worry? Probably not.
Why? You realize this army won’t stand a chance against your kingdom.

That’s what trouble is. Trouble is a small army attacking our large heavily protected kingdom. We don’t just have any old protection. We have the best defense and weapons ever assembled. We have God Himself backing up His word (Isa. 55:11). We have angels protecting us and waiting to obey the voice of God’s word (Ps. 91:11-12; Ps. 103:20). We have the blood of Jesus keeping us free from guilt and shame (Rom. 8:1). We have faith attached to our mouths to release anything we desire or don’t desire in our world (Matt. 18:18).

So, we don’t need to worry when we experience sickness. We don’t need to freak out if we lose our jobs. We can keep our cool when negative situations occur. They’re minor in comparison to what we have at our disposal. As kings and queens of God, we can totally rely on Him.

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

If you’re truly wanting to do the will of God and experience all that He has promised, there will be some assignments from God that may feel foolish.

For instance, God may have us look at a house we desire, knowing we can’t afford it (yet). God may have us telling people about Jesus in a Walmart parking lot. He may have us look at some property for a business, knowing you don’t have a business plan in place.

That feeling of foolishness comes directly from Satan in order to dissuade us from obeying God. Satan knows if we obey God, God’s will is being accomplished through us, God gets the glory, lives around us are changed, and we reap a harvest of blessings. It’s a win for everyone, but him.

Let’s overcome that feeling of foolishness and do what God says. It may feel foolish at first, but if we obey in faith, we’ll experience a fantastic outcome.

Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

II Samuel 2:5‭-‬6 NKJV So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “You are blessed of the Lord , for you have shown this kindness to your Lord, to Saul, and have buried him. And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing.

The men of Jabesh Gilead were blessed by God because they showed kindness to Saul.

Showing kindness is something we can always control. At any point in our lives, we can show kindness. We can send a text to check up on someone. We can open the door for someone else. We can compliment someone’s clothes or shoes. We can pay for someone’s meal or groceries.

Our kindness activates a principle of God. When we’re kind to others, God is kind to us (Ephesians 6:8).

Acts 19:11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

The same miraculous power that flowed through Paul, flows through every born-again believer. If Paul was anointed enough to touch materials that were used to heal the sick, we can touch materials that will heal the sick or prevent sickness from occurring.

A material that everyone seems to have nowadays is a mask. If we’re dealing with or know someone who is dealing with symptoms of COVID, cancer, or any other disease, we can use God’s power residing in us to anoint that mask. Once that mask is anointed, we can stand back and expect an extraordinary miracle. An anointed mask will be a great gift for anyone.

Some may have doubts based on the antics of some televangelists, but this is scriptural. Because of Jesus, we have God’s power inside of us and that power can heal the sick (Rom. 8:11; Mark 16:18).

If God is leading you to anoint a mask or material for yourself or for another, do it. He will get the glory for extraordinary miracles.

We value teaching our children the importance of getting their education in school. We also value teaching our children the importance of exercising and eating healthy. That same enthusiasm we have for education and exercising also needs to be applied to the things of God.

It’s important to teach our children about the stories in the bible, but don’t stop there. Teach them about the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. Teach them about prayer and applying their faith to get the things they desire. Teach them about the importance of giving and being a blessing. Teach them about the importance of communion.

Our children are a blank slate. By constantly teaching them the things of God, they’ll value it and consistently apply it to their lives.

Proverbs 22:6 (NLT) Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Mathew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.

Around this time of year, a lot of us are fasting. We usually dedicate the first part of the year to God by putting away enjoyable foods and seeking Him.

Just a reminder…

1. Fasting doesn’t move God. God has already moved with all of our blessings through Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 1:20).
2. Fasting increases the volume of God. Although our flesh may be craving sweets, our spirits are sensitive to hear God’s voice.
3. Be ready. As we dedicate our time, body, and energy to seeking God during our fast, it’s important that we stay ready. God may give us an idea, tell us to do a certain task, or tell us to give. Whatever He’s telling us to do, be ready to do it.

These are just some quick reminders to think about during a fast. Enjoy being more intimate with God.

Job 9:33 Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.

In the old covenant, there was not a mediator between God and mankind. If someone did everything correctly, they got all the blessings of God. However, if they missed the mark, they experienced the wrath of God. The problem with this system is we’re born into iniquity and our flesh is set to oppose God. So, the people would experience some version of God’s wrath.

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,

Praise God for Jesus. Under the new covenant, Jesus became our mediator. He’s our middle man. When we accept Him as Lord, we get an advocate. The wrath of God, for mankind, was poured out on Jesus. He took our punishment. He goes before the Judge (God) and let’s Him know He’s paid for all of our sins. And because of His payment on our behalf, we get to live a blessed abundant life.

Praise God for our mediator (Jesus). Without Him, we would suffer.

Job 9:10 He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.

As we approach the last hours of 2020, it’s a good time to reflect on the great things of God. In spite of the pandemic, God has done some great things for us if we look closely.

Some of us still have employment. That’s a great thing. For those who don’t, you’re still alive with the potential to get another job. That’s also a great thing. Some of us got married, pregnant, or had a baby in 2020. That’s awesome. Some of us have been delivered from toxic relationships. That’s refreshing. With the shutdowns, some of us had time to achieve clarity regarding our purpose.

Depending on our perspective, we can always find something good or bad to dwell on. Why not dwell on the great things God has done for us?

Psalm 34:2 (CEV) With all my heart, I will praise the LORD. Let all who are helpless, listen and be glad.

When God blesses us, don’t hide it. Don’t try to fit in and have a commonality with friends or coworkers. Let others know what God has done.

Our friends may be having a pity party discussing how broke they are and how depressing life is. They may be trying to one up each other on how miserable their life has become.
If we know God has blessed us and we’re not struggling financially, don’t join in. Tell them how good God has been. Our friends may think we’re boasting. They’re absolutely correct; we are. We’re boasting in the Lord and all He’s accomplished for us. There’s no sin in telling everyone how good God has been.

If they can’t handle God blessing our lives without being jealous, they’re not meant to be our friends. If we can’t handle criticism after receiving a head-turning blessing from God, don’t ask God.

Don’t go down to their level. Give them an opportunity to use their faith to get whatever they want and need from God.

God is always doing things for us. Some of them just so happen to be more noticeable than others. We can easily identify God blessing us with an unexpected raise or a new car, but it’s equally important to identify God in more common ways.

For instance, when we get a front row parking space, that’s God. When we could have injured ourselves playing basketball but we didn’t, that’s God. When we come home to a drama-free house, that’s God. When our children come home safe from school, that’s God.

Don’t take these moments for granted. That’s God in our corner working for our good (Rom. 8:28). Identify the more common areas where God is consistently blessing our lives. That way, we’ll never be deceived into thinking God isn’t doing anything for us.

Psalm 103:1-2 (MSG) O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name! O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing!

Acts 8:29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.”

When we pray, it’s important to allow God to talk back to us. As we’re listening to God, it’s even more important to not make assumptions about what God is saying.

For instance, God may say “business.” Just because God said “business” doesn’t mean we should quit our jobs and start a business. Let God provide the full set of instructions. He may say “business” for a week during our time in prayer. Just meditate on that for now. The following week, He may tell us to invest in a particular business. We could have made our lives problematic if we would have assumed God meant for us to start a business.

Just know, God is not going to lead us astray. He’ll provide clarity in what He wants us to do. Ask Him 3 times if necessary. Don’t be anxious and assume. Be sure, and know what the Lord is telling you.

Inspired by Creflo Dollar

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Merry Christmas! Remember, today is all about Jesus. It’s not about presents, food, or being off of work. It’s about God sending His Son to save mankind from their sins and giving us abundant life.

Take a moment to think about what God has done through Jesus. Worship God with your family. Sing songs about Jesus. Even if everything’s not perfect, reflect on the perfection of Jesus and what He means in your life.

Jesus we honor You, we thank You, and we praise You. And although December 25th is not technically Your birthday, we choose to celebrate Your arrival on earth this day. Thank You God for Jesus.

1 Corinthians 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

As we celebrate Christmas and the new year, it’s important to keep our bodies in check. Around this time of year, we tend to cook a lot of food. We all want to be healthy and live long. One way to do that is to eat well. That means, being led by the Spirit with what we eat and how much we eat.

If God says don’t get a second plate, let’s keep our flesh in check, and resist the temptation of a second plate. If God says don’t eat a certain thing too late, don’t eat it.

We have to understand God is looking at the big picture and is lending a helping hand with our overall health. Let’s listen to Him and keep our flesh in check.

Some people don’t want to listen to anyone who hasn’t experienced anything. They don’t want to listen to parenting advice from someone who doesn’t have children and they don’t want to get business advice from someone who doesn’t own a successful business. With that attitude, they tune people out who could really help them or worse, they tune out the vessel God is speaking through.

Look at Paul. In Ephesians, Paul gives us parental and marriage advice. Paul wasn’t married and he didn’t have any children. We accept this because it’s in the bible, but God is still speaking through people.

Don’t get caught up in the qualifications of the vessel. It could be a child, a person who was married 3 times, or a drunkard. God can use anyone. Listen to their words. If it aligns with the word of God, receive it with gladness. Let’s keep our ears and our heart open to hear God’s word.

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

Sometimes, it can get a little difficult to comprehend the word of God surrounding His promises. One way to fully internalize God’s promises toward us is to add “I Promise” to every promise found in scripture, and imagine God speaking directly to you.

Example:
Isaiah 54:17(a) says, no weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.

Imagine God saying this to you…
I PROMISE, no weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.

Isaiah 53:5 says, But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Add an I PROMISE to it and make it personal.
I PROMISE, He (Jesus) was wounded for your transgressions, He was bruised for your iniquities; The chastisement for your peace was upon Him and by His stripes you are healed.

Adding that I PROMISE and personalizing the scriptures just makes it easier to realize God is speaking directly to us. Praise God for His word and His promises.

Jonah 2:7 “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord ; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple.

Situations in life can have us feeling like there’s no way out. Times can get so rough until all we can think about is ending it all. It’s during those times when we need to remember the Lord.

Thinking about His goodness, His power, and His ability to change any situation can give us enough faith to last another day. Remembering how He brought us out the last time will encourage us to press on.

The devil will magnify the problems in front of us, but it’s up to us to remember the Lord in times of trouble.

So don’t end it all and don’t sink into depression. Remember the Lord, call on Him, and He will answer.

John 7:27 However we know where this man comes from, but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he comes from.”

Background: The people in the crowd are trying to figure out if Jesus was the Messiah. One person says, “no one will know where the Messiah comes from.”

Where did he get this from? It doesn’t say anywhere in the Old Testament that no one will know where the Messiah will come from. He may have convinced someone not to believe in Jesus with that statement.

Today, we still have untruths, myths, and assumptions coming out of the mouths of people in and out of the body of Christ.

We have…
“Money is the root of all evil.” This statement has people believing God wants us poor. It says, “the love of money is the root of all evil.” (1 Tim. 6:10). That’s a big difference.
We also have…
“God helps those who help themselves.” That’s not true. God says, before we call, He will answer (Isaiah 65:24). He’s always there to help.
Let’s not forget about…
“The bible condones slavery.” This alone has so many black people turning their backs on God. Slavery of bible times was very different from the slavery we know and hate. It actually would have been much closer to indentured servitude. Slaves were not expected to be enslaved for life (Ex. 21:2).

These are just a few statements thrown around, but it can impact those around us and have people believing a lie. In context, let’s validate every statement we hear with the word of God and speak the truth.

1 Samuel 7:3 Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and Ashtoreths among you, prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only. And He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away the Baals and Ashtoreths and served only the LORD.

10 As the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel, Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering. But that day the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel.

The Israelites worshipped false gods and they had no interest in God until things got too difficult for them with the Philistines. But as soon as they turned to God and asked for help, God immediately stepped in and helped them.

What does this mean for us? No matter how long we’ve turned our back on God, as soon as we turn to Him, He’s there to help us. As we seek Him, He’ll fix our problems, guide us through our shortcomings, and help us become better people.

Don’t let your past hold you down or define who you are. Turn to Him and He’ll be there to help.

Colossians 4:17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”

We all have a God-given ministry. Some of us are assigned to a ministry within the church such as, pastors, ministers, and church staff, but the majority of us are assigned to a ministry outside the four walls of the church.

We are teachers, lawyers, engineers, business owners, politicians, and more. Some may think of this as a job, but it’s a ministry. As born-again believers, we are to bring the Kingdom of God in those areas. That means we pray for God’s protection, supernatural increase, and efficiency in our ministry. We work unto the Lord. We allow the Holy Spirit to direct us in our decisions. We bind and rebuke demonic influences that cause drama. And we loose peace and joy in our ministry.

It doesn’t matter if we’re working in a fast food restaurant or on the board of a fortune 500 company, our responsibility is to complete the ministry we have received in the Lord.  

Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

Spouses, children, siblings, and friends should all receive prayer from us. We always should be praying for someone else. As much as we want to succeed and prosper, we should want the same thing for others.

We should desire that they succeed and prosper in their families, their businesses, and their health. We should want them to fulfill the purposes God has for them. We should want them to mature and grow in the things of God.

There’s enough God to go around for everyone. We have to stop thinking about ourselves only and take the time to intercede on the behalf of others. Let’s sincerely pray.  

There are so many people who get so serious when they talk about God. It’s fine to be serious about God, but it’s also okay to have fun with God.

When it comes to God and the things of God, we can have fun. Praying can be fun. We should talk to God like we talk to our best friend. Listening to God’s Word can be fun. People like Jeremy Foster and John Gray incorporate humor in their message. Even reading the bible, yes the bible, can be entertaining. When reading about the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, with a smile on our face, we gladly appreciate Him.

When it comes to God, we don’t have to get deep and serious all the time. Laugh, smile, and have fun with God. He enjoys us so, we should enjoy Him too.

Philippians 4:4 (MSG) Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

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

When a relative or a close friend tells us about how they were hurt by another person, we usually get upset with the other person.

Some of us don’t talk to them anymore. We may talk bad about them to others. In some cases, we hope they fail. They haven’t done anything to us, but they hurt someone close to us. For that, we don’t like them.

Guess what? They still need prayer. They should receive grace and mercy just like we need grace and mercy. They still need to know they’re loved by God, they’re forgiven by God, and loved by us.

It’s not popular and it can be difficult at times, but that’s the Christian thing to do. If we don’t pray for them, who will? If we don’t extend grace and mercy to them, how will they become a better person? How can they fix their mistakes if someone doesn’t lovingly show them their faults? We needed grace and mercy when we hurt someone else, so extend that same grace and mercy to others.

There are some of us who want to do the right thing. We want to please God by being a good servant for His Kingdom, acknowledge God in all our ways, be a good spouse, and be a good parent.

It’s a good thing to want to do the right thing, but sometimes we miss it. We desire to do good, but our flesh gets in the way and we miss the mark. That’s not the time to beat ourselves up or believe Satan’s lie that we’re going to miss our blessing. We must extend grace to ourselves.

Step 1: Acknowledge that we missed the mark.
Step 2: Receive God’s forgiveness and His forgetfulness of the mark we’ve missed (Heb. 8:12).
Step 3: Understand if God has forgiven us and forgotten our sins, we should too.
Step 4: Continue on with life as if we haven’t done anything wrong.

By extending grace to ourselves, the devil can’t hold anything over our heads (condemnation). Follow these steps to experience complete freedom from everything we’ve done wrong.  

Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

Job 8:7 Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.

We may have an efficient vehicle, decent employment, and a moderate house, but our dreams are humongous.

Don’t get down because your dreams are not matching your reality yet. Continue to trust in God for your desires. Continue to believe that you received them. Prepare, in whatever way you can, to receive what you envision for your life.

It may look small or basic now, but it won’t always be like this. Keep your faith in God and expect an abundant future.

The best way to discredit someone is to mock them, belittle them, make fun of them, and tell someone else how ridiculous they sound. It’s bad enough we do this to people, but some of us (saved and unsaved) have done this to the Holy Spirit.

In some circles, He’s a running joke. He’s been reduced to jumping, dancing, and fainting. Some pretend to jerk their bodies and talk in tongues.

Who’s behind this discrediting? Answer: Satan.

Satan has discredited the Holy Spirit because he knows if we properly use the Holy Spirit, his attacks will be instantly defeated. He knows we’ll have an abundant life, tap into our purpose, and advance the Kingdom of God.

So what does Satan do? He makes people feel foolish if they consult with and pray in the Holy Spirit. He causes division in the body of Christ about the Holy Spirit’s role. He influences believers and nonbelievers to make a mockery of Him.

Don’t get caught in this trap. Study and learn about the Holy Spirit. Learn about His role to assist us in obtaining a prosperous life. Jesus lets us know the Holy Spirit is a gift and our helper. So why wouldn’t we use Him?

Acts 1:3 After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

The next time you pray, be mindful of how many times you use the words, me, my, and I. There’s nothing wrong with praying for yourself and your desires, but don’t forget about others.

Pray for that relative who hasn’t accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Loose ministering spirits that will encourage them to receive salvation. Pray for your friend’s child that may be stressing your friend out. Pray for the President. Pray that He makes decisions that align with the word of God.

There are so many other people and situations to pray for outside of ourselves. Equalize your petitions. Instead of always saying me, my, and I, include, he, her, and them.

Psalm 71:18 (CEV) Don’t leave me when I am old and my hair turns gray. Let me tell future generations about your mighty power.

*Let’s set the record straight, God will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5).

As we get older, it’s important to tell the next generation about the goodness of God. How will they know God is the Savior, the deliverer, and the healer if we don’t tell them?

We’re old enough to have testimonies of our own. We can tell them how God came through when the situation seemed impossible. We can tell them how God answered our prayers better than we could have imagined.

From our children to our grandchildren, let’s position ourselves to tell the next generation about God and His wonderful works.

If an old friend we haven’t seen in a while asked about our mother, father, or siblings, most of us have no problem giving them an update. However, if that same friend asked our relationship with God, some of us may get squirmy and uncomfortable. Some of us may even say, “that’s private.” How is asking about our relationship with God any different from asking about our relationship with members of our family? 

We shouldn’t feel uncomfortable talking about our relationship with God. If it’s great, tell them how good God’s been. If it can be better, be honest and let them know. If it’s nonexistent, tell them that too.

The only one who doesn’t want us to talk about God is devil. He’ll do everything in his power to make talking about God weird, uncomfortable, or problematic. In fact, in a corporate setting, people say don’t talk about religion (God) and politics. Where do you think that line of thinking originated?

Let’s normalize speaking about our great and mighty God. He’s the One who helps us, blesses us, and implemented a plan to save us through Jesus. So, why wouldn’t we want to talk about our Heavenly Father? He is our everything.

Isaiah 63:7 I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us– yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.

Some people act like they don’t understand faith. But honestly, they’re displaying faith every day. We wear our mask, based on someone else’s word, to avoid a virus we can’t see. If that’s not faith, I don’t know what is.

If we can have faith in a thin piece of cloth covering our faces, based on the word of humans, surely we can place our faith in the word of our Creator. We believe in the word of an imperfect human so, why can’t we believe in the Word of a perfect God?

Stop trying to complicate faith. It’s believing and acting on the word of God. Whatever He tells us to do in His written or audible word, do it, and believe it’s in our best interests. If we can have faith naturally (wearing mask), we can have faith spiritually (believing and acting on God’s word).

2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people,

Matthew 25:21 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

Some of us desire a promotion or a pay increase in our careers. The best way to get it is to faithfully work unto the Lord. What does that look like? Work, knowing your performance is being reviewed by God.

God sees what we’re doing and what we’re not doing. He notices things our natural supervisors may not have noticed. He notices if we skipped a step, half did something, or treated a customer unkindly.

We are to operate by faith and faith without works is dead (Heb. 10:38; James 2:20). If we desire promotion and a pay increase, we must work as if we already have the promotion and increase. Understanding that God sees all, and our promotion or increase is tied to our corresponding action, it’s in our best interest to faithfully work unto the Lord. Don’t wait until you get the increase or promotion to work diligently. Start now.