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“If it ain’t one thing, it’s another.”
This statement is a negative perspective that magnifies the problems we’re experiencing. Instead of magnifying the problem, highlight our God in the solution.
Change your perspective and say the following:
It’s another opportunity for God to show Himself mighty.
It’s another opportunity to experience the favor of God.
It’s another opportunity to see God provide.
It’s another opportunity to experience God’s healing power.
Negative things will happen, but our response to those negative things will determine who we trust.
Psalms 68:28 CEB Summon your strength, God! Show how strong you are, God, just as you’ve done for us before,
#God #is #good #faithful #perspective #shift #trust #Jesus #Christ
Proverbs 13:15 KJV Good understanding giveth favour: But the way of transgressors is hard.
Life has difficulties on its own, but sometimes, we make our lives harder than necessary. The bible promises a hard life when we knowingly and intentionally go against God’s word just to satisfy the flesh. We may think we’re having “fun,” but we’re actually making our lives more difficult.
Intentionally going against God’s word creates health issues, financial problems, bad habits we can’t seem to stop, and relationship issues. People have been deceived into thinking these negative events are a part of life, but they are not. They’re natural consequences for going against the word of God. All of these things can be minimized, if not eradicated, just by making a decision to honor God with our lives. We’ll never be perfect, but our efforts to honor God are applauded, and if we do miss the mark, His grace abounds (Rom. 5:20).
Life can be so much easier and enjoyable by doing things God’s way. Give God’s way a try, and He guarantees you’ll be living the abundant life Jesus wants you to have (John 10:10).
#trust #God #with #all #your #heart #follow #Christ
Exodus 3:15 NLT God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.
Abraham was called by God, and he had a covenant with God. He obeyed God, and he was willing to sacrifice his Son Isaac for God.
Isaac relied on, honored, and worshipped God (Genesis 26:24-25). Because he was the son of Abraham, he also had a covenant with God.
Jacob, on the other hand, was a trickster. He deceived his poor sighted father into giving him his older brother’s blessing. In spite of Jacob’s deceptive ways, God chose to honor the blessing that was passed down from Isaac. God eventually gave Jacob land, descendants, protection, and a supernatural business (Genesis 28-30).
Some of us may not have been as honorable as Abraham and Isaac. Some of us have a past similar to Jacob. We may have lied, cheated, and deceived, but guess what? God made a covenant with Abraham and Jesus (Gal. 3:16). Our faith in Jesus allows us to reap the benefits of this covenant. So, even though we’ve done wrong, our faith in Christ allows us to have protection, provision, blessings, etc. Regardless of what we’ve done, because God honors His covenant, He still chooses to be our God.
Thank God He’s not using our behavior to determine how good He’ll be to us. Praise God He is also the God of Jacob.
#as #Jesus #is #so #are #we
Some people look at themselves and think they’re undeserving of God’s love, grace, mercy, and blessings. They look at themselves and see a work in progress. They see their imperfections, shortcomings, and sins. They even compare their “good behavior” with someone else, but God’s not comparing us against each other. He’s comparing us to His holy standards. And if we fail in one area, we’re guilty of breaking them all (James 2:10).
Here’s good news. Anyone who hasn’t met God’s perfect holy standards is qualified for His grace. The fact that we don’t have it altogether qualifies us to receive the best of God. He’s not looking at our righteous ways. He’s looking at the righteousness of Christ. When our faith is in Christ, God treats us as if we’ve kept His law perfectly. And no, it’s not a mixture of our righteousness and Jesus’s righteousness. It’s all of Christ and none of us.
When we recognize that our righteousness is pathetic and our only hope is to rely on Jesus, who perfectly kept God’s standards on our behalf, then we’re qualified for everything God has for us.
Romans 3:22-24 NLT We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
#Jesus #paiditall #God #so #loved #us #perfectplan #is #Christ #salvation #righteousness #hope #peace #joy
Luke 10:19 NLT Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.
Jesus has given us authority of all the power over the enemy. Satan can’t just walk down the street and put cancer on him, dementia on her, panic attacks on them, and syphilis on us. He can’t do that. The power has been given to us.
At the same time, whatever we allow in our lives will be allowed. Whatever we forbid in our lives will be forbidden (Matthew 18:18). Since we live in a fallen world, negative things will naturally happen. If we don’t use our authority, negative things will remain.
When we’re experiencing something we don’t like, WE have the power to literally remove it from our lives. It’s not God’s responsibility. It’s ours.
Don’t just allow life to happen to you. Use the authority to change any outcome.
#use #your #authority #in #Christ
John 12:3 NLT Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.
Mary was so moved by who Jesus was and what He’s done for her until the common “thank you” wasn’t enough. Mary’s gratefulness led her to worship Jesus in an unusual way. Mary took this expensive perfume and wiped the feet of Jesus with her hair and tears.
When we know God and only God has done great things, our worship should match our gratefulness. We shouldn’t limit our worship to raising our hands and shedding a few tears. We can go beyond that. Like Mary, we can worship Him by freely giving something of value towards His Kingdom. We can commit to getting up 30 minutes earlier every day just to worship Him. If you paint, worship Him through painting. Worship Him while you workout. We can do whatever He puts in our hearts to show our appreciation.
Our worship shouldn’t be limited to a Sunday experience. Worship Him out of your gratitude. Worship Him because you love Him. Worship Him because He’s good. Worship Him in your own way.
#praise #posture #worship #God #daily #ineverything #givethanks
Psalms 71:15-18 NLT I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words. I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign Lord. I will tell everyone that you alone are just. O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.
It has become very popular to talk about our struggles. Counseling is common, and in the body of Christ, we’ve developed small groups to discuss the challenges in life. This is a good thing and it’s very beneficial.
At the same time, discussing the goodness of God is being pushed to the back. No one really talks about our victories and the good things God has done. In some circles, it’s seen as the sin of boasting.
This shouldn’t be. Anything God has done in our lives is for His glory. We may have gotten the new job, a new house, or a baby, but God gets the glory. We shouldn’t be ashamed or silenced for what He’s done just because others are experiencing His blessings. If anything, our testimony should encourage them to go all in and totally rely on God.
It’s important to talk about our temptations, but also the testimonies. Don’t forget the miraculous things that God has done because He gets the glory.
Inspired by Pastor Jackie Groves
#testify #testimony #God #is #good #share #goodnews
Psalms 50:14 NLT Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
In this chapter, God let His people know He didn’t need the sacrifices of bulls and goats. Instead, He wanted thankfulness to be their sacrifice.
Thankfulness is not something we do only on Thanksgiving. Thankfulness should be our lifestyle. Thank Him for making it home safely. Thank Him for having a home. Thank Him for the necessities. Thank Him for family and friends. Thank God for sending Jesus to sacrifice Himself for the sins of the world. Thank Him for adopting us into His family. Every time our heart beats or we inhale is an opportunity to be thankful. Thank God for EVERYTHING.
Our gratitude to God will keep us focused on the wonderful things He’s doing. Thankfulness keeps sadness, fear, and depression away. Thankfulness is what He desires. So if you want something to do for God, even though He doesn’t require it in the new covenant, make a sacrifice of thankfulness.
#begrateful #thankful #say #thankyou #meditate #on #goodness #of #God
Proverbs 4:20-22 KJV My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.
Notice what it didn’t say. It didn’t say only the healing scriptures are health to all our flesh. It said God’s Word is health to all our flesh.
That means our health is maintained by reading the story of David and Goliath, the book of Revelation, and the Song of Songs. Whatever we read and meditate on in the Word of God is health to our bodies.
So, whether we have minor aches and pains or stage four cancer, all of God’s Words provide health to all of our bodies.
Inspired by Joseph Prince
#meditate #on #scripture #be #healed #Word #has #power
Psalms 107:20 NLT He sent out His word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death.
For every negative circumstance that we could imagine, God’s word has been made available for us to hold on to. If we can hold on to His word without letting go, we’ll have what it says.
It doesn’t matter if the problem is financial, health related, a lust problem, an eating problem, or problems with our children, God’s word is available for us to use. Whatever the problem is, a solution can be found and applied in His word.
God’s word has been made available for everyone. Take the word by faith and read it, study it, and meditate on it and receive what it has to offer.
#Inthebeginning #wasthe #Word #Jesus #is #life #more #abundantly #freedom #healing #joy #peace
Isaiah 40:29 NLT He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
Pick up the kids, go to work, cook, grocery shopping, clean up the house, cut the grass, and serve at church. All of these adult responsibilities can be exhausting.
When we’re tired, look to God and receive His strength that He’s made available through Jesus Christ. Simply say, “God, I receive Your strength to get through this day.”
Now, we also have to have corresponding actions to our faith. We should go to bed at a decent time and eat well.
Don’t get overwhelmed by the responsibilities. Rely on the supply of our Heavenly Father to strengthen us each and every day.
#strength #to #conquer #each #day
Hebrews 4:11 NLT So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.
God’s word instructs us to labor to enter that rest. What this means is that we rest when everything in us wants to do something about the natural problem.
We rest, trusting that God has already worked it out if we’re feeling anxious because we’re not seeing a change in our financial status. We rest, receiving His peace, when our marriages are not working out the way we thought they should. We rest, trusting that God healed us, when the doctor gives us a negative report.
Whatever we think we can handle on our own, in our flesh, don’t do it. Trust God’s word and His timing and rest until the situation is worked out or until He tells us to move.
#trust #God #and #rest
Luke 15:1 NLT Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.
Sometimes, people who may be considered second-class citizens to others don’t feel welcomed in the house of God. Like the Pharisees, other believers don’t make them feel welcomed for whatever reason. They move away from them because they smell like smoke or alcohol. They look at them funny because they walk in the church with t-shirts and tattoos. This shouldn’t be.
Believers, we should make everyone feel welcomed. Just because we’ve been saved for a few years doesn’t make us better than anyone else. We all need His grace.
For those who desire to get right with God, just come. Like the sinners in this verse, come without caring what anyone else thinks. Come because you desire a relationship with God. Come because you want a better life. Come to be healed and delivered. Don’t let the opinions of others stop you from getting what God gas for you.
Come.
#comeasyouare #to #Jesus #loves #saves #heals #mends #forgives
Jeremiah 33:3 AMPC Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).
Anytime we call on God, we’re liable to have a supernatural experience. We’re not twisting God’s arm or begging Him to show us amazing things. He obligated Himself to show us mighty things.
When we call Him, He’ll show us a better way to do our taxes. Call Him, and He’ll show us a healthier eating plan. Seek Him, and He’ll show us where to invest. Call Him, and He’ll show us how to be a great parent to all of our children.
Name the topic, have patience, and stick with Him, and He’ll show us great and mighty things.
#God #gives #wisdom #insight #favor #understanding #resources #health #LOVE
Hebrews 6:12 NIV We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
God’s word works. In any situation under any circumstance, God’s word works.
God’s word says we can lay hands on the sick and they shall recover (Mark 16:18). We can cast out demons (Mark 16:17). We forbid or permit things in the earth (Matt 18:18). We can have what we say (Mark 11:23). We can live a long and satisfying life (Psalm 91:16).
The thing that usually causes us to doubt God’s word is delay. When we lay hands on the sick and nothing happens. When we speak to our situation for a week and nothing appears to have changed. These are the things that tempt us to doubt the power in God’s word.
The key is to stay with the word of God. If we stay with the word regardless of the delays and what we see, God’s word will come to pass. Have faith and patience and God’s word will come to pass.
#faith #and #patience #trust #and #believe #Word #of #God #will #come #to #pass
Psalm 23:4 GNT Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me. Your shepherd’s rod and staff protect me.
Most of us don’t thank God for the things that didn’t happen. We don’t thank Him because we’re not aware of what He protected us from.
Having a nervous breakdown, being paralyzed in a car crash, being robbed at gunpoint, being abducted and sexualy trafficked, getting diagnosed with an “incurable” disease, getting a limb cut off in a freak accident, or dying.
These are things we may not have gone through. Be grateful that these things didn’t happen.
And if you did experience these things, be grateful that you’re alive, thinking soundly, to tell your story of how God kept you.
Every now and then, we should take some time and thank God for the things that didn’t happen in our lives.
God, we’re grateful.
#grateful #God #loves #restores #keeps #His #children
Romans 7:17 PEV So really, it’s not us that does those bad things. It’s that bad part of us that is inside us.
We are spirits. We have a soul, and we live in a body. When we get born-again, our spirits are the only thing that changes. Our bodies, which are prone to sin and opposed to God (the flesh), can never be redeemed. Our souls, which consist of our mind, will, and emotions, can be transformed by the word of God or negatively influenced by our flesh.
Our sinful behavior is the result of our flesh getting its way due to an unrenewed mind. When we find ourselves engaging in sinful behavior, don’t identify with it. It’s not us. Remember, we are born-again spirits, which mean we’re righteous, holy, and sanctified in Christ Jesus. There’s no amount of sin that can make us unrighteous. So, even if we have a sinful binge, we can look ourselves in the mirror and say we’re righteous.
When we identify who we really are (the righteousness of God) and renew our minds with the word of God, our actions will line up with our true identity (2 Cor. 5:21).
#right #through #Christ #Jesus #only #righteous
2 Timothy 1:7 NLT For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Deciding to no longer drive after being involved in a major car crash. Not getting married because of past hurts in relationships. Not attempting to have children because of miscarriages.
These are examples of people catering to trauma. They’re allowing fear to control different areas of their lives. No part of our lives should be governed by fear. Sure, we’ll experience unfortunate circumstances every now and then, but God’s word is still the truth and will dominate any situation.
No matter how many miscarriages a person had, God promises us, at some point, we won’t miscarry (Exodus 23:26). We may have been involved in a few accidents, but trust in the angels of God for protection as you drive (Psalm 91:11-12). Even if we’ve had difficulties in previous relationships, God will give us the desires of our hearts, including a wonderful marriage (Psalm 37:4).
Don’t allow fear to win. It’s restricting and the tool the enemy uses for destruction. Be fearless by having faith in God and live a life of freedom.
#nofear #trust #God #faith #Jesus #live #life #fully #abundantly #in #Christ
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 NLT Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?
We can be saved and still act carnal. Carnal essentially means led by the senses. If a person limits themselves to what they see, hear, feel, or experience, they’re acting carnal.
If we want to fight anyone who looks at us funny, we’re acting carnal. If we get highly emotional because we didn’t get something we wanted, we’re acting carnal. If we freak out after hearing a negative report from the doctor’s office, that’s carnal too. None of these responses impact our salvation. We can love God and be appreciative of the sacrifice of Jesus, but still act carnally.
What limits or completely stops a Christian from acting carnal is being led by the Spirit and understanding what’s been freely given to us in Christ (Romans 8:9; 1 Cor. 2:12).
Listening to the Spirit of God telling us to “let it go” will keep us from getting into altercations. When we know we can have whatever we desire that aligns with godliness when we ask Him according to His will, we won’t be distraught when we don’t immediately get what we wanted (Mark 11:24; 2 Pet. 1:3; 1 John 5:14). We’ll realize it’s just a matter of His timing before it comes to pass (Gal. 6:9). That doctor’s report won’t move us because we’ll realize we’re healed through Christ (1 Pet. 2:24).
Because we live in this flesh, which always wants to oppose God, thoughts of acting carnal will always come up, but we don’t have to act on it. The more we allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit and the more we know about what God provided through Christ, the easier it will be to act more spiritual in those situations instead of carnal.
#carnal #versus #Spirit #minded #know #who #weare #inChrist #life #godliness
2 Chronicles 26:8, 16 NLT
[8] The Meunites paid annual tribute to him, and his fame spread even to Egypt, for he had become very powerful.
[16] But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar.
King Uzziah started off right. He honored and pleased God. As he honored God, he became more and more successful. His fame grew all over the land. The fame went to Uzziah’s head and caused him to unapologetically rebel against the Lord. He died as a leper, isolated from everyone.
As we put God first and honor Him, His word declares we’ll prosper (Joshua 1:8; Matt. 6:33). Don’t let the success and prosperity go to your head. If we’re not mindful, like Uzziah, pride will set in, and we’ll feel like it’s okay not to honor our commitment at church. We’ll intentionally disobey God or disrespect someone else. We’ll feel like “we made it” therefore, we don’t have to be as faithful as we once were. This is a demonically influenced mentality.
The more successful we become, the more disciplined we’ll have to be to keep God first. It’s easy to have a relationship with God when you need something from Him. But when everything is going well, it can be tempting to dishonor God.
No matter where you are in life, value the presence of God and prioritize Him.
#keep #God #first #honor #reverence #commune
Isaiah 57:20-21 NLT “But those who still reject me are like the restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt. There is no peace for the wicked,” says my God.
For various reasons, people reject God. They may see the horrific events in the world and think, “There is no God.” They may have gone through traumatic experiences as a child and think if God was real, why didn’t He save me from that. They may think God isn’t real because science hasn’t proven His existence.
The rejection of God leaves people without peace. They may have $1 billion, but they don’t have peace. They always feel like something is missing from their lives. They’re never satisfied. Ultimately, their rejection of God will leave them in a place eternally separated from God.
The reason why they don’t have peace and they’re never satisfied is God made us to need Him (Acts 17:25). The rejection of God leaves people with a void in their spirits.
To have ultimate peace and satisfaction, accept God and accept His Son (Jesus). Accept the sacrifice His Son made for mankind and accept His forgiveness forever.
#realpeace #need #God #receive #Jesus #walk #in #peace #freedom #joy
Psalms 78:11 NLT They forgot what He had done— the great wonders He had shown them,
The scripture says the Israelites forgot what God had done for them. I submit that they didn’t literally forget, but the significance of what He had done diminished.
When God does amazing things like, giving us the resources to pay our bills, instantly healing our bodies, or allowing us to get the job, we’re initially grateful and in awe of what He’s done and how He did it. But over time, and as more things come up, the significance of what He’s done dwindles. We experienced the pressure because we had to have that breakthrough 2 years ago, but now, 2 years later, it doesn’t seem like such big of a deal.
When the significance of what God has done goes away, our reverence can follow. The sensitivity to hear from God may decrease. We may be slow to respond to His requests. And we may devalue quality time with Him.
Let yourself go back to that time when you needed God the most, and He showed up. Remember how He made you feel when your faith in Him paid off. Remember those wonderful things and keep your zeal for God.
#remember #goodness #of #God #bestill #and #know
Matthew 23:25 NLT “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!
From the platform to the floor, be mindful of hypocrites. They’ll say one thing, but do another.
They’ll tell us not to fornicate but have romantic relationships on the side. They’ll tell us not to drink alcohol, but they have hidden liquor cabinets in their houses. They’ll even state we should feel guilty about a sin for a period of time. Meanwhile, they’re attempting to shake the guilt off for something they’ve done as quickly as possible.
These hypocrites make people not want to honor God. People see their deception and realize the phoniness of it all and create their own truth.
Let God’s word be the standard instead of actions of mankind.
Proverbs 3:6 GNBUK Remember the LORD in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.
Prioritizing God above everything else is more beneficial to us than Him. He doesn’t need us to pray, study His word, or worship Him to still be God. He’ll still be God even if we don’t do any of those things. But, our participation in maintaining a good relationship with Him will significantly benefit us.
Prioritizing God will remind us how much He loves and cares for us when we’re facing difficult times. It will remind us of His promises when it doesn’t seem like they will come to pass in the natural. Prioritizing God allows Him to communicate and reveal things to us. Prioritizing God will maintain our joy during sad times.
Prioritizing God may feel like a chore to our flesh, but it’s highly beneficial to our spirits. And what benefits our spirits will positively impact our lives.
#spiritual #benefits #make #keep #God #first #prioritize #time #with #Jesus
Adult responsibilities include work, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, spending time with family, investing in our children’s education, and going to our children’s practices, games, and events.
The desires of our flesh don’t have to necessarily be sinful, but they distract us from the things of God. Our desires include watching our favorite show, hanging out with friends, scrolling through social media, shopping, playing games, reading books, and fishing.
Between adult responsibilities and desires of our flesh, we must make an intentional effort to put God first. In a sense, we have to go get God and put Him in front of the line of our mind.
Don’t allow adult responsibilities and the distractions of our flesh to minimize your relationship with God. On a daily basis, make an effort to spend time in His word, communicate with Him through prayer, and praise and worship Him.
Psalms 86:12 NLT With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever,
#make #God #first #priorities #use #your #time #wisely
Matthew 7:15-16 NLT “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Some believers are quick to call a person a false prophet. There are some false prophets out there, but most of the time, these people call ministers false prophets who don’t meet the biblical definition of a false prophet.
They usually call ministers false prophets when they don’t agree with their interpretation of scripture or some of their decisions. Some ministers are being labeled false prophets because they have a lot of money, they go to secular concerts and movies, or because they’ve sinned publicly. Jesus and Paul give us biblical criteria of a false prophet.
When a person interprets scripture out of context with the intent to deceive for their own interests, that person is a false prophet (see Matthew 24:11; Romans 16:17-18; Acts 20:29-30; 2 Peter 3:16). This is a big one. Most of us don’t know the intent of the minister interpreting scripture. They could be attempting to deceive, or they’re unintentionally teaching in error. We shouldn’t be so quick to call them a false prophet because of their interpretation of scripture. Let the Holy Spirit reveal if a person is a false prophet or not.
We can see in Matthew 7:15-16 that if a person’s actions consistently contradict God’s word, they’re a false prophet. We also see in Matthew 7:21-23, where Jesus says if a person’s heart is far from God, even though they perform miracles, they’re a false prophet.
1 John 4:1-3 advises that a false prophet is a person who doesn’t acknowledge that Jesus Christ came in a real body.
In Acts 13:6-8, Bar-Jesus is a false prophet. What made him a false prophet? He was trying to stop the governor from believing in Jesus (v.8).
In Mark 13:21-22, Jesus lets us know a person is a false prophet if they claim another is the Messiah.
1 John 4:3 says, “But if someone claims to be a prophet and doesn’t acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.”
The scriptures above and other scriptures like this are what make a person a false prophet. It’s not because they have a large congregation, a lot of money, a few questionable interpretations of scriptures, or a public sin. Some people think they’re trying to help, but quickly calling people false prophets without biblical grounds is causing division in the body of Christ.
#falseprophets
Psalms 119:165 TPT There is such a great peace and well-being that comes to the lovers of your Word, and they will never be offended.
The word of God helps us to not be offended. When we study God’s word and understand the benefits that come with our faith in Jesus Christ, it makes it difficult for us to be offended.
If someone rejects us, we don’t have to take it personally. We can read how they rejected Jesus, and the word prepares us to be rejected too (Luke 10:16; Matthew 10:22). Simultaneously, the word comforts us by letting us know we’re 100% accepted by our Father (Romans 15:7).
If someone talks bad about us, spreading lies about us, the word helps us understand why. We’ll see that these individuals are demonically influenced, and they’re deceived by the devil (Ephesians 6:12; Revelation 12:9). So, instead of being offended at them, we can use our God-given authority, which is found in the word, to rebuke the demonic influences and have compassion for people who are deceived (Luke 10:19; Ephesians 4:32).
Any offense that may attempt to ignite in our lives can be extinguished with the word. Use the power of the word to overcome any offense.
#the #Word #is #power
Colossians 3:23-24 AMPC Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, Knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One Whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah).
Whatever gifts God has given us or skills we’ve aquired should be used to benefit, advance, and expand the Kingdom of God. These gifts and skills aren’t limited to ministering or singing. It could be any gift or skill we have.
If we have the talent to fix things, we should find opportunities to fix things in a church or for a Christian-based organization. If we easily understand finances and how money works, we should be teaching financial literacy to the citizens in the Kingdom of God. If we enjoy law enforcement related activities, we should use those skills to protect individuals who come into the house of God.
This doesn’t mean we can’t use our gifts and talents in the world, but we should also be using them to benefit the Kingdom of God. Let the Holy Spirit show you what area to be in and do it for the Kingdom.
#gifted #gifts #talents #use #for #kingdom #advancement #serve #grow #bea #blessing
Acts 16:27-28 NKJV And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”
When the jailer thought he was in a terrible situation by letting the prisoners escape, he was about to end his life. Miraculously, after the prison doors were opened, Paul saved the jailer’s life by letting him know no one escaped.
Unfortunately, there are some people who left this earth prematurely because they believed they were in a hopeless situation. There are some people reading this who have contemplated ending their life due to being in a terrible predicament.
For anyone who has felt this way, I’ll echo the words of Paul. “DO YOURSELF NO HARM.”
Just like the jailer, God can perform the miraculous and make terrible situations seem insignificant. He can level mountains and make crooked places straight.
Give God a chance. Don’t make a permanent decision based on a temporary circumstance. Don’t believe the lies of the enemy telling you it will never get better. No matter what you’ve done or what you’re going through, God’s grace will change you and your situation. Trust Him and live.
#life #freedom #found #in #Christ #live
Psalms 119:60 NLT I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands.
God has given all of us a task. This task is part of our God-given assignment and purpose. Our purpose could be a great homemaker, starting a business, or promoting at our company. It doesn’t even have to be life altering. It could be taking out the trash, eating an apple twice a day, or washing the car.
Whatever God instructs us to do, it’s important to obey without delay. Our obedience is attached to something greater. Our children may see us being great homemakers, and that will influence them to do the same. Someone may benefit from our business, and it could change their lives. Eating that apple twice a day could have health benefits as we age.
If we delay obeying God’s instructions or disobey them altogether, we’re stopping God’s will from being accomplished, we’re minimizing God’s blessings in our lives, and we’re not being a blessing to others.
Our obedience has more impact than we know. Let’s obey God so that He’s glorified, we obtain His promises, and we can be a blessing.
#obey #without #delay #God #is #faithful #listen #Holy #Spirit #leads #us #Jesus #loves
Mark 4:16-17 NIV Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
When we receive the word of God in our hearts, we should expect opposition. It could be a word regarding finances, health to our bodies, sweet sleep, or deliverance for our children. Whatever word we’ve received, we should expect opposition. Satan is not going to sit back and let us receive God’s promises without a fight.
Satan’s ultimate goal is to steal the word from our hearts (John 10:10). For instance, if we’re believing for our children to have a relationship with God based on Isaiah 54:13, Satan may influence them to be more disrespectful. He wants us to look at our children acting out and doubt that God’s word can change their behavior. It’s the same method when we’re believing God for increased finances, better health, etc. He’s going to allow us to see or experience something contrary to what we’re believing for. However, if we stay with God’s word and we’re not moved by what we see or experience, God’s word will prevail.
Understand, any negative situation is designed to steal the word from our hearts. Don’t let it. Stay with the word no matter what you see, hear, or experience.
#plant #the #Word #and #let #it #grow #trust #believe #rely #on #God #Jesus
Job 1:6 NLT One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.
Satan is the accuser. That’s one of his job titles. Daily, he accuses us of the wrong we’ve done. Even if our sin is minimal, in his accusations, he attempts to make us feel guilty for what we didn’t do.
For instance, Satan will use scripture to try to make us feel guilty. He’ll point out Matthew 22:37, where it says, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’” If we’ve studied the word for 2 hours, he’ll accuse us of not doing 4. If we’ve fed 500 people, he’ll accuse us for not feeding 600. If we listen to his accusations, we’ll literally drive ourselves crazy trying to “please God.”
We must realize through Christ, God is already pleased with us. There’s nothing more we can do to get God to love us more. Through Christ, He’s 100% pleased with us, and no amount of wrong or works will change that.
Simultaneously, while Satan is accusing, the Holy Spirit is advocating for people who made Jesus Christ, Lord.
John 14:16 NLT And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.
An advocate is someone who publicly recommends or supports something or someone. In the courts of heaven, the Holy Spirit is informing the Judge of our righteousness through Jesus Christ. He’s letting everyone know we’re delivered, righteous, and saved. No matter what we do on earth (good or not so good), He’s advocating for us.
He’s personally letting us know how righteous we are, how much God loves us, and the power we have to overcome any situation. When Satan attempts to make us feel bad for not doing something, the Holy Spirit reminds us of who we are in Christ.
Now, who will you be listening to? The accuser or the Advocate? The choice is up to you.
#voices #listen #to #Holy #Spirit #through #Christ #Jesus #God #greatly #loves #us
Luke 8:11 NLT “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word.
The seed of faith is where we take the word of God (in scripture) and plant it in our hearts (our spirits). We plant it in our hearts through unwavering belief. We water that seed by meditating on God’s word, imagine that word coming to pass, and using the power of our words to confess God’s word over our lives. We do this until the manifestation of God’s word comes to pass.
Planting the seed of doubt is similar in practice. It’s where we take anything that opposes God’s word and plant it in our hearts. We plant it in our hearts through unbelief. We water the seed of doubt by meditating on what God didn’t say (worry), we imagine what God didn’t say coming to pass (fear), and we say what God didn’t say.
In every situation, both seeds will be present. It’s up to us to determine what we’ll plant in our hearts. It’s important to know God’s word. That way, we’re not inadvertently planting seeds of doubt in our hearts.
#know #Word #of God #plant #it #Christ #Jesus #loves #us
Isaiah 46:4 AMPC Even to your old age I am He, and even to hair white with age will I carry you. I have made, and I will bear; yes, I will carry and will save you.
As we get older, we don’t need to worry about how we’re going to make it, who’s going to take care of us, and where we’ll be living. God took the responsibility to take care of us even in old age.
The same way He took care us when we were younger is the same way He’ll take care of us in old age. We don’t need to rely on our relatives, social security, or the government to take care of us. All we need to do is rely on God to be God in old age.
We may retire from working for a paycheck, but God still vows to supply all of our needs.
#well #supplied #by God #through #Christ #Jesus #loves #us
Psalms 100:5 TPT For Yahweh is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you— so kind that it will astound you! And He is famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for He keeps His promises to every generation!
We must be mindful not to think God’s mercy and man’s (mankind) mercy are similar. They’re not. They’re not even close.
Man’s mercy, at the max, may only have three strikes. If we wronged someone three times, they’ll usually cut us off or attempt to punish us in some way. Most people won’t give you three strikes. They’ll unfriend you after one conflict.
If we think God’s mercy is like man’s mercy, we’ll think He has a cut-off point. We’ll think after so many mess ups, He’ll cut us off, leave us to fend for ourselves, won’t protect us, or punish us. None of these things are true. In our humanity, we can’t conceive the mercy of God. We can’t comprehend the amount of times God genuinely forgives us. Do you realize we can intentionally go against God 275,000 times in a row, and God’s grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness are still available as if we’ve done nothing wrong? That’s mind-boggling.
God’s mercy is only available because of Jesus. Jesus took God’s punishment for every mistake, mess up, and wrongdoing we would ever do. He was punished for ALL of humanities’ past and future sins (Isaiah 53:10-11).
If you’ve messed up in the same area multiple times and feel like God has abandoned you or He’s not going to bless you, you’re believing a lie. The wrath of God was poured out on Jesus. He has no other punishment to give. His grace and mercy are available for you forever.
Receive it.
#God #LOVES #us #immensely #and #irrevocably #His #love #never #fails #Jesus #saves #redeems #makes #new
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
This should be a familiar verse to us. We tend to focus on the “plans to prosper you” part, but God also promised to give us hope. Hope is the goal setter. If we’re not hearing any goals for ourselves, we’re lacking communication with the One who gives hope.
Hope is having something to look forward to. As we consistently spend time with God, He’ll give us something to look forward to. It could be a business, a new house, children, a spouse, or even losing weight. With hope, God will give us something to look forward to.
Are you just going through the motions in life of work home work home? If so, get with God and He’ll give you some hope. He’ll give you something to look forward to. Then, apply your faith to obtain the desire you hope for (Heb. 11:1).
#hope #commune #with #faithful #God #keeps #promises #live #faith #believe #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Matthew 4:23-24 NLT Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all.
We may hear people say, “I want to experience the supernatural.” If we’re born again, we experience the supernatural daily. Every time we pray to God, we’re experiencing the supernatural. Every time we hear instructions from God, we’re experiencing the supernatural. When faith comes after hearing God’s word, we’re experiencing the supernatural.
When people say they want to experience the supernatural, what they really mean is they want to experience the spectacular. They want to receive a $10,000 check in the mail. They want that chronic pain they’ve been dealing with to suddenly be gone. They want their wayward child to return, wanting salvation. These things may not happen daily.
Don’t devalue the supernatural by always looking for the spectacular. If we value the supernatural occurrences we receive on a daily basis, we’ll eventually experience more and more of the spectacular.
#nothing #is #impossible #through #Christ #just #believe #trust #God #expect #the #miraculous
Galatians 3:11 ESV Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Romans 10:17 says, faith comes by hearing the word of God. What good is it to hear the word of God daily, go to Christian conferences, and read your bible consistently if we’re never going to apply our faith to our lives.
Let’s say someone has read about and heard messages on healing for months. Two weeks later, the doctor tells them they have a disease where they would have to take a lot of medication and there’s no guarantee that the disease will go away. This is their time to apply their faith. But the choice is still up to them. They can choose to believe the doctor’s report or apply their faith for divine healing in their bodies.
Some people don’t want to apply their faith to anything because they don’t want to be embarrassed, feel disappointed, or possibly get rejected. These are demonic thoughts thrown in our minds.
Faith has to come to pass. The only way it won’t work is if WE quit. Delay and situations worsening, usually get us to quit. But if we apply our faith to any situation without quitting, we’ll see what we desire come to pass.
Stop stalling and apply your faith to unfortunate facts.
#by #faith #all #things #are #possible #to #those #who #believe #and #trust #God #through #Jesus #Christ #scripture #devotional
Romans 10:17 NKJV So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Every now and then, you may hear someone say, “Increase my faith.” What they’re really saying is help me to believe.
Increasing in faith is not magic, and it’s not automatic. God has dealt to everyone the same measure of faith (Rom. 12:3). What this means is that we all have the ability to believe. How much we believe is entirely up to us.
Since faith comes by hearing the Word of God, the more Word we hear, the more faith we’ll have. If we expect to move mountains after only hearing a 30-minute sermon on Sunday, we’re deceiving ourselves. For our faith to increase, we must consistently meditate in the Word of God daily.
If it’s difficult for you to believe in supernatural healing, financial increase, casting out devils, or raising the dead, increase your faith by meditating in God’s Word more regarding those subjects.
#meditate #on #Word #listen #believe #trust #God #first #repeatedly #rehearse #scriptures #Jesus #power #to #move #mountains
Deuteronomy 33:25 CEV and have strong town gates with bronze and iron bolts. Your people will be powerful for as long as they live.
This is God’s promise to us. We will be strong as long as we live.
This is contrary to what we see or hear about. Most elderly people we see are weak and feeble, but that doesn’t have to be our story. If we believe for, focus on, and receive this promise in God’s word, we can expect a long and strong life.
This is not the only promise that points to strength in our old age. We can look at Moses. In Deuteronomy 34:7 it says, Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eyesight never became poor, and he never lost his physical strength. Since God doesn’t show favoritism, what He did for Moses, He can do for us too. Psalms 92:14 says they will be like trees that stay healthy and fruitful, even when they are old.
We have at least 3 scriptures that support strength in our old age. Will you believe what you see with your natural eyes (weak and feeble), or will you believe the word of God (strong and healthy)? The choice is yours.
#healthy #strong #agewell #strength #in #old #age #through #Christ #havefaith
Graced To Do God's Will 