Category Archive

James 4:1 From where come wars and fightings among you? come they not from here, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not.

People watch the news and see killing and wars in the world and wonder why God is allowing this to happen. They make God responsible for wars. A religious person may have some ridiculous answer saying God is cleaning up the “wicked” in the earth. Looking at the verse above, it’s not God starting wars or allowing killing. Wars are birthed from our own lusts. If a person wants something and they can’t have it, they can be influenced to kill for that thing.

We can find the answer as to why God doesn’t stop the wars in Genesis 1:26 which says, “let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Also, God has given us free will (Deut. 30:15-19). This is our earth and God has given us free will. We’re responsible for what’s going on in the earth. Not God. Just because mankind is not doing a good job at managing what God has given to us, doesn’t mean He’s going to violate His Word and take it back (Rom 11:29).

If mankind as a whole would submit themselves to God and seek Him in all our affairs the killing and wars would stop. Let’s stop blaming God about wars and submit ourselves to Him.

There are several misconceptions about God. Some misconceptions are shared by believers and unbelievers. These misconceptions can prevent a person from establishing or furthering relationship with God.

One of those misconceptions is sickness. There are people who believe that God causes us to get sick. If we did something wrong He’ll cause us to get sick or the sickness is teaching us a lesson. Let’s look at this realistically. Who would want to put their trust in and have a relationship with a person who makes them sick? No one. So why do some believe that a loving God, Who sent His Son to earth to be whipped so that we can be healed, would also make us sick? That’s a contradiction. If we really believe that God wants us sick, then why go to the doctor and take medicine? That would be fighting against God’s will.

Sickness is a byproduct of a fallen world. These attacks on our bodies are a result of sin in the earth. We’re living in a fallen imperfect world and sickness may come. For the believer, there’s hope. Our hope is in Jesus Christ. When we place our faith in the finished works of Jesus, we are guaranteed divine healing.

Just know, God doesn’t make us sick, but He made a way for us to receive healing from all sickness.

1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

John 1:12 But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.

As good as it sounds to say everyone is a child of God, that’s just not true. As we can see, there’s a prerequisite to be a child of God. That prerequisite is to receive Jesus. When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior then, we become children of God.

As children of God, we have a blood covenant right to the things of God. Just like we receive an inheritance of our earthly parents, we have an inheritance with our Heavenly Father. Our inheritance includes, divine health, prosperity, wholeness, and more. Everything God promises us in His Word, we have access to because of the sacrifice of Jesus. But, we first must receive Jesus.

Receive Jesus today and officially become a child of God.

***Spread this message to everyone.***

1 Corinthians 12: For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.

Have you ever noticed how one church or group of believers seem to focus on one area more than another? There may be a church that focuses on missionary work in foreign countries while another church focuses on feeding the homeless in their city. That’s because God placed different desires within each of us in the body of Christ as it pleased Him.

There’s no need to criticize someone or a church because you feel like they should be doing more in a certain area. We all have different functions. Just because you feel like the church should be doing more evangelizing rather than hosting gospel concerts doesn’t mean your thoughts for the church is the correct way for the church as a whole. That’s just your function.

If we can learn to respect our functions in the body of Christ and applaud the impact each function makes in this world, we can be a positive light in so many areas.

Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

The only way to see real profit from the bible is mixing what’s written in it with our faith.

Temptations of unbelief enter our minds when reality contradict the scriptures. We may read and believe by His stripes we’re healed in Isaiah 53 but, we still have fever. Temptations of unbelief also enter our minds when the scriptures go against our intellect. Reading about Lazarus being raised from the dead after 4 days or reading about Jesus flying on a cloud to heaven goes against our logic. It makes us seem like we’re believing in fairy tales. Finally, temptations of unbelief enter our minds when it contradicts our feelings. We may read where it says we’re forgiven of our sins, unconditionally loved, and protected but, we don’t feel forgiven, loved, and protected. For some, if they don’t feel forgiven, they can’t believe they’re forgiven.

To truly benefit from the Word of God, we have to nonsensically throw away our logic, our feelings, and what our senses tell us and believe God’s Word. It may seem foolish to put all our eggs in one basket but, that’s how we benefit. God doesn’t want partial belief and partial skepticism. He wants 100% belief in His Word.

Believe in God and believe in His Word.

Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

People may have the bible on their nightstand or in their cars, but having it in our possession is not enough. We can read the bible and know all the stories and characters, but having head knowledge of the bible won’t do it. Scholars claim the bible has some good moral points and ideas, but that’s all. People have this great book, but they’re not seeing real benefit from this book.

The only way to see real benefit from the bible is mixing what is written in it with our faith. We can read by His stripes we’re healed in Isaiah 53:5 or my God shall supply all my needs in Philippians 4:19, but if we don’t believe that, we’ll never experience the supernatural in our lives. Also, context matters. If we’re reading the scriptures out of context, it makes it difficult to believe.

So, read the bible and let these scriptures profit you by mixing it with faith. Believe it to be the Word of God. Believe what these scriptures say about you and apply these scriptures mixed with faith to your life.

Psalm 51:14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
*David is speaking to God after he had the husband of Bathsheba killed in battle to take her for himself.

If we have a heart for God, the sin we knowingly commit will leave us feeling guilty and ashamed. If we’re not mindful, this guilt can weigh us down and leave us in depression. If this guilt is not checked, it can ultimately have us running from God instead of running to God.

We deal with the guilt by acknowledging God’s righteousness. God’s righteousness is only through Jesus Christ. It’s because of Him and Him alone that we are righteous. Jesus’ sacrifice has made us righteous from our past, present, and future sin. Our acknowledgement of our righteousness will cleanse our conscious from guilt and shame. If we sin, immediately, we can operate in God’s righteousness. We declare, “Father, I thank You for my righteousness through the blood of Jesus. I am forgiven. It’s because of His blood that I am cleansed from the guilt of my past, present, and future sins.” From that point on, we continue to live our life as if we’ve never done anything wrong. There’s no time of penance. There’s only receiving our righteousness through Christ.

David didn’t have the chance to experience the righteousness we have today. He only had temporary moments of righteousness through burnt sacrifices. We, on the other hand, have everlasting righteousness through Jesus Christ. Praise God for Jesus.

Psalm 105:5 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

It’s important to remember the things God has done for us. Why? Because the devil will attempt to magnify everything we don’t have and minimize everything God has done. He’ll use our limited memory to make us forget all that God has done.

Based on his attack, it can be beneficial to keep a record of all the significant things God has done in our lives. Write down that job God blessed us with, that money we didn’t expect, or that house we didn’t think we would get. Write the date it happened and a summary surrounding the blessing.

This record will help us appreciate God even more and help us never forget all that He has done.

Matthew 6:13 And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

The word amen is not just something we say at the end of a prayer just to say it. It has significance. The word amen means, “so let that be” or “let that be done.”

Imagine a king giving commands to his staff. They may say, let there be a statue of me in the courtyard or plant trees around the castle. After the request, they expect their staff to get that done.

Well, we are kings in this earth and faith is our servant (Rev. 1:6; Luke 17:5-10). When we make a request to God (prayer) and finish it with amen, we’re telling faith to go to the heavenly realm and get what we requested. We may request a house, a spouse, or better employment and we should expect that to be done by our servant (faith).

It’s important to understand why we say amen. We’re using our God-given authority combined with the power of our speech to declare our requests be done in this earth.

A good mechanic will tell us how to get the best out of our vehicles. They’ll tell us to change our oil every 3000 miles, rotate our tires every so often, change our fluids, and get a vehicle inspection after so many miles. We have no problem following the instructions of the mechanic because we believe they know what’s best for our vehicles based on their expertise and experience.

But, when God gives us instructions/commands on how to best live our lives, some of us will question God’s every command. Some of us will do the opposite, thinking that we know what is best for us. Like the mechanic, God is not giving us instructions for the sake of giving instructions. He’s giving us instructions so that we can maximize this life. He’s not trying to be mean or stop our fun, but the Creator knows what’s best for His creation.

Let’s change our perspective on God’s commands. He’s only trying to help us. Let’s obey His written and audible Word.

Isaiah 48:17 This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.

Love your enemies (Matt. 5:44). No sex before marriage (1 Cor. 6:18). Forgive others (Matt 6:14-15). Don’t use foul language (Eph. 4:29). Do good to those who persecute you (Luke 6:27-36).

These commands from God seem foreign, outdated, and seemingly impossible to achieve in the times we’re living in today. Times may have changed, but God and His commands have not.

So, how do we accomplish God’s commands when temptation seems stronger now, than ever before? One thing we must remember is, God is not asking us to follow these commands in our own strength. He’s asking us to rely on His strength. God knows in our own ability, we’ll fall short every time. When we have a willing heart to follow God’s commands, His Word says, He’ll give us the power to do what pleases Him. This is a win-win situation. We can please God by using His power.

Honor God enough to rely on His strength to do what pleases Him.

Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.

Luke 10:38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus, God in the flesh, was inside the house of Martha. Despite having this great presence in her home, Martha was busy working and making preparations. Meanwhile, Mary realizes she’s in the presence of greatness and she’s soaking up Jesus’ every word. Martha valued preparations more than His presence, but Mary valued being in the presence of God.

Do you find yourself so busy with life until it seems too difficult to be in the presence of God? We may have work, chores, athletics for our children and we can’t seem to make time to go to church, have quiet time with God, or even read a devotional. If all our time is spent outside the presence of God, we’ve become like Martha. We’re missing out on great opportunities to spend with God. This time can provide us with plans for our future, ways to balance our lives, or investment ideas. However, if we’re always busy, we’re like a person in a rocking chair. We’re moving, but we’re not going anywhere.

Let’s start valuing our time with God. Those other things will get done. If they don’t get done this week, it’s okay. It’s not the end of the world. But, God’s presence can positively impact our world.

Inspired by Brie Davis

If we say we trust in a big God Who has an infinite supply for all of our needs, then why do some of us having a hoarding mentality towards money? Why do some of us hold onto money as if it’s running out?

If we trust in God, like we say we do, our views on money should change. We should view money like a continuously flowing river instead of a pie that’s eventually going to run out each time we use it. When we realize God gives us the power to get wealth, gives back whatever we give out in abundance, and always gives seed to the sower, we’ll never look at money the same. We’ll give to those in need knowing that God is going to give back to us. We’ll give our tithes and offering not worried about what the church is doing with the money. We can be a blessing to others.

I’m not saying we should be reckless with money, but knowing Who our God is and His promises towards us, we won’t ever fear it running out.

Deuteronomy 8:18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

2 Corinthians 9:10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.

Deuteronomy 11:18 “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

As we can see, it’s important to teach our children the Word of God, but we can’t teach something we don’t know or learn ourselves. This means, we have to study God’s Word and get a revelation from the scriptures for ourselves in order to teach it to our children.

We see the importance of our children reading, doing math, or learning a second language at an early age, but what about the Word of God?

Instead of allowing our children to watch their favorite TV show every night, why don’t we spend family time teaching them the Word of God. It’s THE most important foundation we could ever provide for them.

Proverbs 29:23 A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

How do we think God’s going to materialize a blessing in our lives? It’s not going to drop out the sky. It’s not going to grow on a tree. It’s going to come through a person.

Whatever need or desire is going to come through a person. God’s going to raise up somebody, somewhere, to use their power and their ability to help us. However, if we’re full of pride, we’ll miss God’s blessing every time.

Someone may want to pay for our groceries. A prideful person may say, “that’s okay, I’ll pay for it myself.” The money we could have saved by allowing someone to pay for our groceries could be a missed opportunity to build our savings account. Someone may offer us a ride to work. A prideful person may deny the offer. That conversation we could have had with the person offering us a ride to work could be the wisdom (blessing) we need to open our desired business.

Don’t miss out on God’s blessing by being prideful towards another person. Let pride go and experience God’s best.

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shallprosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.

We hear this verse all the time, but if we truly internalized it, we’d be free from worry, fear, and anxiety.

We would realize that whatever we’re facing is only temporary and it won’t end up as the worse case scenario. We may be facing sickness, but that sickness won’t kill us or permanently cause damage. We would understand that our financial shortages won’t be the story of our lives. We would realize the crazy behavior of our child today won’t be the end product.

When God says no weapon will prosper, that means no weapon whatsoever. So, don’t freak out about what comes in our lives today, it’s only temporary.

Psalm 105:37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

Surprise! Surprise! We’re getting older. Although we’re getting older, we don’t have to accept everything that comes along with getting older according to the world. The world will say, “I’m getting older so, my back is tight, my legs are sore, and I can’t move like I used to.” You can believe that if you want, but I choose to believe the Word of God.

God brought over 3 million people out of Egypt and not one of them was lacking physical strength. When Moses was 120 years old, he still was strong and had great vision (Deut. 34:7). If God can do it for them, He can do it for us (Acts 10:34). Psalm 91:16 says, with long life He will satisfy us. How satisfied would any of us be if we’re senile, sickly, and weak in our old age? What kind of quality of life would that be?

Age is just a number. As we get older the quality of our lives doesn’t have to change. With our faith in God’s Word, we can enjoy a healthy pain-free quality of life with all of our mental faculties.

Proverbs 4:20-23 (AMP) My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

Consistency in the Word of God is the key to a long-lasting healthy productive life. The Word of God is alive and not void of power. It has the power to change any situation for the better. The Word is also a seed for our desires. That seed must grow (not optional). If we consistently hear the Word on healing, divine health must enter and remain in our lives. If we hear the Word of God on forgiveness, we’ll develop a heart to forgive. The more Word we hear, the more beneficial it will be to our lives.

On the other hand, if we hear the Word only once a week or read it as if we’re doing God a favor, the impact it has on our lives is limited. Faith comes by hearing, therefore, limited exposure to the Word limits the strength of our faith (Rom 10:17).

Throughout the day, let’s get a healthy dose of the Word to experience God’s best in our lives.

Mark 4:30 Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”

When we read or hear the Word of God, it may not seem like it’s doing much. It may seem counterproductive because our situation hasn’t changed yet. It may even seem repetitive due to the fact we’ve been taught to continuously confess the Word over every situation. It may not seem beneficial.

But just like a natural seed, give the Word some time to work. Give it some time to develop. It may seem like nothing’s happening at the moment, but that Word is producing a harvest in our lives bigger than we can imagine. That Word is doing exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think (Eph. 3:10). That Word is changing our situation for our good (Rom. 8:28).

Time spent in the Word may seem insignificant or even boring, but it’s the most important and impactful thing we can ever do. Let’s increase our time reading and hearing the Word of God.

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

We should get to a place where we have a desire to do good, change our ways, and to please God. However, the company we keep can impact our spiritual development. If we keep friends around who oppose the idea of change or have no desire to change themselves, we’re the ones who will become corrupted. It’s not a possibility, it’s a guarantee.

We may want to be a loyal friend or not appear high and mighty as we go deeper with God, but at some point we may have to make a decision. We may have to love our friends from afar until we get ourselves together. We may have to distance ourselves from naysayers or friends behaving in dishonorable ways. Sure, they may call us fake or “self-righteous” and we may even lose a few, but having God on our side is better than any person who won’t support our spiritual development.

Let’s keep a circle of friends who will support, uplift, and motivate us to better ourselves.

Judges 7:7 The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”

Gideon is about to go to war with a great number of men. God instructs him to reduce his number of men from 32,000 to 300.

Human logic says, the more people you have, the more chance there is to secure the victory. As usual, God went against human logic to do the supernatural. God wanted the credit for the victory. At the end of the chapter, without losing a soul, God gave them the victory.

The things God requires of us may seem strange and illogical, but by complying with His requests, we’re guaranteed the victory. He may have us look at houses, knowing we don’t have the money or good credit yet, but when we obey, the miraculous could happen. He may have us buy our boss a gift, knowing they recently gave us a bad evaluation, but when we obey, that same boss could be a good reference to promote us within the company. God may have us apply for a position where we don’t qualify, but when we obey, His favor could get us the job.

It may not always be as smooth of a victory like we see in Gideon’s story, but at the end of the day, God gets the glory and God’s promises are ours.

Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

Every single day, some part of our flesh wants to rise up and take over our lives. The flesh includes lust, greed, fear, or anxiety. Daily, if not hourly, we need to destroy the desires of the flesh. Why? In our flesh dwells no good thing and from our flesh we cannot please God (Rom. 7:18; 8:8).

If we tolerate those fleshly desires, it may take over and potentially ruin our lives. The next thing we know, some of us may have a 10-year addiction to pornography or we’ve become a mean bitter person because we refused to keep negative comments to ourselves. Or, we’ll become a nervous wreck because we allowed fear to take over our lives.

If we die to those cravings of the flesh and resist the temptation to sin, we’ll experience a better quality of life.

One of the things Satan is after is our joy. If he can steal our joy, the quality of our lives will decline. In extreme cases, we could lose our will to live.

Satan can steal our joy by tempting us to magnify the problems in our lives. We can have a nice place to live, great health, and a good job but because we have a car that’s giving us problems, he’ll make us think our whole world is in disarray. God could bless us with something nice but since most of our thoughts are focused on what’s wrong, we’ll give God a half-hearted thank you and return our attention back to our problems.

If we find ourselves focusing on our problems rather than God’s promises, we must recognize that Satan is attempting to steal our joy. Let’s change our perspective. Let’s look at all the good things God has done for us and realize if He blessed us in these other areas, it’s only a matter of time before the “problematic” areas must change for the better. Recognize the thief and don’t let him steal your joy.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Judges 6:3 Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”

The biggest question people have is why. Why did my mom get cancer and die? Why didn’t God save my marriage? Why didn’t I get that job I prayed for?

The question of why can cause people to doubt God’s ability, question God’s existence, and lead them down a path to unbelief altogether.

Why, is a valid question. Answers for why can vary from, disobedience, to unbelief, to basic trials of life. If God can’t answer the question of why, He should cease to be God.

The questions we should ask ourselves is, are we willing to listen to the answer, wait on the answer, or accept the answer that is given to us? Our emotions may be so involved until we’re not willing to calm ourselves and listen to God’s answer. Someone may have prayed for their mother to be healed of cancer, but what they didn’t know is their mother was in so much pain until she would rather be pain-free with the Lord. Our prayers can’t override another person’s desire.

Some answers may not be given for another 5 years. Are we patient enough to wait on the answer?

Finally, are we willing to accept that God may have something better for us if we didn’t get exactly what we prayed for. Psalm 84:11 says, no good thing will he withhold to those who walk uprightly. If He withheld something from us, that wasn’t a good or good enough thing for us.

Trust in God’s answer. Know that whatever we go through, God has our best interest at heart. We can ask why, but don’t let that why turn into unbelief.

Revelations 2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”

There must be a willingness to hear and receive God’s Word in our lives. If we listen with reluctance, skepticism, or doubt, we won’t reap the full benefit of the Word.

Skeptics listen to find contradictions and to scoff at things that seem illogical. There’s no benefit to that. Our willingness to hear can provide revelation, direction, and guidance in areas that we can’t even imagine.

Secondly, we all are different and we get inspired differently. You may get inspired by the teaching style of one minister and I may get inspired by the teaching style of another minister and that’s okay. There’s different types of people, therefore, there’s different styles of teaching. Just as long as we have a willingness to hear.

Let’s open our hearts to hear God’s Word to receive inspiration, revelation, and guidance to navigate this thing called life.

Colossians 1:23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Every obstacle we face is designed to get us into unbelief. Everything from sickness in our bodies, financial shortcomings, to a problematic marriage are all designed for us to question is God’s Word real? Does it really work? Is it for me? The answer is yes.

Despite the situations we face, our responsibility is to believe God’s Word. Some of us start out in faith, but due to fatigue or not seeing results quickly, we begin to doubt God’s Word.

Hold on and keep the faith. Don’t let situations sway you from one side to another. If God said it, that settles it. Even if we have to wait for years, God’s Word will come to pass. Keep the Faith!

Numbers 20:11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink. 12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.”

Moses was with the children of Israel for years. They complained and were constantly disobedient. After so many years with them, Moses was frustrated. He was frustrated to the point of disobedience. When God told him to speak to the rock for water, he hit the rock. That one act of disobedience due to frustration cost Moses the opportunity to enter the promised land.

There will be times where we’ll experience frustration. We can be frustrated at our jobs, at home, and within ourselves. During these times, God will continue to give us instructions. God’s instruction may be unrelated to what we’re frustrated about. Here’s 3 steps to overcome frustration.

Frustration Elimination:
1. Recognize the areas of frustration.
2. Ask God to give you a plan of action regarding overcoming frustration.
3. Despite your feelings, continue to do what God told you to do.

Don’t miss out on a blessing because of frustration.

Just like it’s beneficial to do physical exercises, it’s even more beneficial to do spiritual exercises. One main spiritual exercise is exercising our authority to use the name of Jesus. When we use the name of Jesus everything must bow. Everything must comply with the Word of God. This includes, sickness, lack, negative experiences, and insecurities.

Also like physical exercise, a good way to spiritually exercise is to exercise with music. Put on your favorite worship song and speak the name of Jesus over every negative situation. Speak Jesus over the hurt that was caused from that divorce. Speak Jesus over not knowing what to do next. Speak Jesus over our children who are trying to find themselves.

When the name of Jesus is called, things have to change. It’s not a possibility, it’s a guarantee. They have to change. Ready, set, exercise!

Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

Christ is bigger than tattoos, piercings, and wardrobes. Christ is bigger than cigarettes and alcohol. Christ is bigger than gold jewelry, weaves, and makeup. Christ is bigger than homosexuality, abortions, and adultery. Christ is bigger than secular music, movies, and TV shows. Christ is bigger than church attendance, giving of tithes, and baptism.

There are believers who will condemn others for one or some of these categories above. They’ll say God is not pleased with us and some will say they’re going to hell. Based on the correct context of the Word of God, this is not true. Christ is bigger than it all. The sacrifice of Jesus redeemed us from ALL sin. There’s not one thing we can do that Christ didn’t suffer and die for. When people condemn others, or tell people they’re going to hell because of this or that, they’re essentially saying, Jesus didn’t pay for that sin. Who are we to tell others the extent of God’s grace?

As believers, our responsibility is to encourage others to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Legitimate salvation teaches all of us how to change our behavior to better the quality of our lives (Titus 2:11-13).

1 Timothy 2:1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,

Have you ever dreamed about a person you haven’t spoken to in a long time? Has someone randomly came into your mind and you wonder how they’re doing? This may be God prompting us to pray for them. People post happy pictures on social media and smile in our faces, but we never really know what they’re going through.

We can pray for their well-being, their family, a better relationship with God, and their salvation. It doesn’t have to be long and drawn out, but a quick prayer over their lives will work. Even if it’s someone who hurt us, we can use this time as a maturing process to pray over their lives.

Be a blessing to someone by sincerely praying for them.

Having intelligence in math, science, and history can be beneficial. It can provide better ways of doing things and make life easier for all of us. However, there are individuals who are ruled by their intelligence. Their intelligence is their god. At the same time, they look at individuals who believe in a God they cannot see as ignorant. They see people who follow an ancient book with “multiple inconsistencies” as fools.

Some of the questions they have and some of their ideas about the Bible are valid. If we listen long enough, it will make us question why we’re believing what we’re believing. It’s just a difference in what each of us choose to believe. Believers choose to believe in a book (the Bible) as the truth while, intellectuals choose to believe in books based around math, science, and history as the truth. There’s not 100% factual evidence that either book is 100% true, but it’s what we choose to believe. There’s only one difference. What we choose to believe, even if we’re wrong, won’t hurt us. In fact, we can be intelligent in math and science and still maintain our belief in the Word of God. But for most intellectuals, what they choose to believe accompanied by the rejection of the Bible, can have them spending eternity in hell.

Don’t get persuaded by teachings that appeal to our logic and reject the Bible. It can be devastating to our lives here on earth and disastrous for our eternity.

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

People may see our house, our cars, the happiness in our families, or know our financial situation and say, “we’re blessed.”

What they didn’t see is what I like to call “the trenches.” In times of war, the trench was a hole in the ground that sheltered soldiers from artillery. It was a hectic time. Shots were being fired at soldiers and within that trench, they had to learn how to fire back.

In our own lives, the trenches are times of spiritual warfare. It’s when the enemy (Satan) may be attacking our health, the peace within our family, or our finances. We must spiritually fight to keep our trust in God, our sanity, and remain in faith for what we’re believing God for. People see us now, but they didn’t see when we had to pray over our child for divine healing. They didn’t see how we had to confess our marriage is blessed when our marriage was headed towards divorce. They didn’t see how we had to meditate on the promises of God when our finances were in disarray.

It’s a fight to maintain this blessed life that Jesus provided for us, but the best part about this fight is we win. If we remain in faith, confess God’s promises over our lives, and praise God in advance for the victory, we win (1 Cor. 15:57).

If people compliment our lives or inquire about how we got to a certain place in our lives, give them the whole story. Be transparent. Let them know it was God Who brought us through the trenches.

We can’t tolerate curses in our lives because we are blessed. For those who are in Christ Jesus, we are blessed. The most common curses we see today are defeat, financial hardship, and poor health. According to Deuteronomy 28:15-68, these are considered curses.

Why are these curses tolerated? Because we don’t want to do the necessary things to remove these curses from our lives. The necessary things are not positive thinking, working harder, and healthy eating. It’s deeper than that. These are spiritual forces attacking our lives. The necessary things are resisting those forces with the Word of God. It’s confessing daily that we are blessed, healed, and prosperous. It’s feeding our souls by reading/hearing the Word of God. It’s being in tune with the Holy Spirit to determine what He wants us to do to experience manifestations of God’s Word. The negative experiences we see may not leave instantaneously, but if we remain consistent in the things of God and know who we are in Christ, the curses must leave our lives.

Believe and receive all that God says we are and expect the curse to leave our lives.

Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

God is and has been so good to us. He took some of us out of a pit of despair. He removed our fears, got us out of depression, and prospered us. With all that God has done and all that we expect Him to do, we should praise Him.

For those who are in a rough place right now, everything in our flesh will tell us not to praise God. The enemy will magnify the difficulties in our lives and pose the question…“What’s the point?” The point of praise it to keep our souls in check. It’s to get us out of that funk. It’s to remind ourselves of God’s ability. It’s to live in expectation of Him doing great things in our lives again.

Wherever we are in life, open up your mouth on a consistent basis (not just at church) and praise the Lord.

Psalm 150:1 Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! 2 Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! 3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp!

John 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Notice what it doesn’t say. It didn’t say reading the truth shall make us free or hearing the truth shall make us free. It said knowing the truth shall make us free. That means the truth should be understandable and easily accessible.

Now, let’s determine what is the truth. John 17:17 tells us God’s Word is truth. So, anytime we have the Word (in context), we have the truth. The truth is, we’re righteous, we’re healed, we’re blessed, and whatever else God’s Word tells us we are. There may be facts in our lives that are contradicting the truth, but as we continue to apply our faith towards the truth in God’s Word, the truth will override the facts.

Just like we know how to operate our smart phones or operate our social media accounts, know God’s Word and know how to apply God’s Word in every area of your lives.

2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

God’s faithfulness has nothing to do with us. It has nothing to do with our behavior, our performance, or our abilities. His faithfulness has everything to do with Himself.

God wants to establish a reputation of 100% faithful. Regardless of what we’ve done, He’s not going to remove His faithfulness from our lives. That’s good news. That means no matter how far we’ve strayed or how many times we’ve missed the mark, His faithfulness remains available to us.

Whenever we miss it, know God’s faithfulness remains. Grab hold of that faithfulness and receive God’s forgiveness and continue on with life.

Psalm 107:17-19 Fools, because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses.

Suppose, you were disappointed with your child. They’ve been making poor choices in school, having bad attitudes, and they have tested your patience. You tell them to take the trash outside. As soon as they get outside, they scream…Dad! or Mom!… SNAKE!!! Out of love for your child, you run outside, grab a shovel, and kill the snake. You may have been disappointed with your child’s behavior but when they cry out, you run to their aid.

God’s the same way. We may have strayed from His will but any time we call, He’ll hear us and come to our rescue. He’s never going to forsake us or have us figure it out on our own. He’ll always be there to hear and respond to our prayer.

Deuteronomy 10:21 He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.

When we face negative experiences, we have two options. We can complain and worry about the situation or we can praise and worship God. Complaints don’t create change. but praise is associated with the promises of God.

It’s important to praise and worship God during trying times because it reminds us Who God is in our lives. It lets the devil know that we know where our blessings come from. It allows us to get into God’s presence. It forces us to meditate on His promises. It allows us to recall all the times He’s brought us out before.

On the other side of praise and worship, is a positive attitude and strength to endure another day. You may not feel like it, but worship God in the middle of your negative experience.

Psalm 41:10 But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up, That I may repay them.

God lifts us up. Not only does He lift us up, but He has the ability to keep us up. Through all the political drama, with the rise and fall of the economy, and even the severe temperatures in the weather, God lifts us up.

Staying lifted above all the negativity that’s occurring in the world depends on us. If we’re worried or fearful about how we’re going to make it, our faith is not in God. If our faith is not in God, there’s no guarantee of God keeping us lifted. A negative mouth and attitude doesn’t guarantee God keeping us up. If we’re speaking negatively towards this person or that person, or that business, we’re sinking to the world’s level.

Whatever negativity we see around us doesn’t have to be our fate. God can and will keep us lifted above it all.

Psalm 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

We hear this verse a lot in church, but this is not the easiest thing to do.

• When we receive a promotion, bless the Lord. When we get laid-off, bless the Lord.
• When we have a baby, bless the Lord. When our child has a difficult time following instructions, bless the Lord.
• When we have the finances to take a 4-day vacation, bless the Lord. When we don’t know how we’re going to pay the bills, bless the Lord.
• When we’re full of energy, bless the Lord. When we’re too tired to talk, bless the Lord.

It’s easy and quite natural to bless the Lord during the good times, but it takes disciplined effort to bless the Lord during difficult times. In the midst of negative situations, we don’t bless the Lord because of the situation. We bless the Lord because He is the One Who can instantly change the situation.

So whatever state you’re in, remember to bless the Lord.