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Some believers (not all) have become bitter. They get saved, but over time, they let everyone know what’s wrong in the church. They feel some kind of way when they’re not satisfied in church, and they constantly complain.
Instead of pointing out the negatives in the church (and there are some negatives), find a solution. If you feel like the youth are running wild, implement a youth program in your church. If you feel like your church should do more for the community, be on the board. If you feel like your pastor is not accurately preaching the gospel, be their advisor or start a church yourself.
Standing back and criticizing pastors and the church on social media or with your friends is not helping anyone. It’s actually causing more division in the body of Christ. As the famous quote says, “Be the change you want to see.”
Hebrews 12:15 NLT Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
#bethechange #uproot #bitterness #live #free #in #Christ #God #help #others #stopcomplaining #befree #peace #harmony #loveothers #Jesus #loves #scripture #devo #Bible #growth
Proverbs 13:11 Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.
Most of us wouldn’t mind getting $1,000,000 tomorrow. We can see ourselves doing great things with it. There’s nothing wrong with believing God to be wealthy to expand the Kingdom of God, be a blessing, and enjoy life (in that order).
In Exodus 12:36, the children of Israel went from being slaves to being wealthy instantly. They obviously didn’t know how to handle that kind of wealth because in Exodus 32, they ended up building and worshiping a golden calf.
If some of us get that kind of wealth, some of us would lose it in 5 years or less. With wealth comes responsibility. We need to seek God on where the money should go, learn how money works, and get wise counsel on how to manage that kind of money.
Once again, there’s nothing wrong with believing God to be wealthy. Just be sure to get God-given wisdom with that $1,000,000. If not, you’ll end up worshiping money instead of using it as a tool to do great things.
#learn #grow #seek #God #help #wisdom #counsel #be #wise #teachable #Jesus #Christ #Savior #King #Friend #Holy #Spirit #Counselor #Guide #lean #rely #trust #stand #on #Word #devotional #scripture
During Christmas, there are people who have a problem with gift giving. They think Christmas has nothing to do with giving or receiving gifts. They think it takes away from the heart of Christmas.
The heart of Christmas is gift giving. There would be no Christmas if God hadn’t sent His Son as a gift. God gave us His Son (John 3:16). God gave us the gift of grace (Eph. 2:8-9). We’re encouraged to give to the Kingdom and others (Luke 6:38; 2 Cor. 9:10). It’s understood that we give to our children (Matt. 7:11).
I’ll admit there are some who forget Jesus and totally make Christmas about gifts, but the concept of gift giving isn’t wrong. Don’t try to be so deep until you miss that gift giving is all throughout the bible, and it is highly encouraged. Be a giver.
Proverbs 11:25 NIV A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
#generosity #giving #be #generous #God #gave #us #His #best #Jesus #Christ #Savior #Spirit #devo #grow #scripture #everyday #devotional
Hosea 3:1 Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.”
God shows His abundant mercy to us. Even when we turn our backs on God, He still loves and pursues us. He’s not holding our sins against us or reminding us of where we missed the mark. He’s actively pursuing us.
Satan will attempt to make us feel unworthy of God’s love when we miss it. He’ll let us know God isn’t pleased with us based on our performance, or we’ll have to start all over earning our “blessing points.” All lies.
Like a husband going after a cheating wife, God sees us intentionally missing the mark, but continues to pursue us, desiring a more intimate relationship with Him. This is God’s love for us.
#unfailing #neverending #Love #God #loves #us #celebrate #Jesus #changes #empowers #restores #gives #hope #appreciate #Christ #Way #Truth #Life #Spirit #devo #grow #scripture #everyday #devotional
Before the law: Genesis 15:6 NLT And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.
During the law: Deuteronomy 6:25 NLT For we will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our God has given us.
After the law: Romans 3:22 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.
Righteous means right standing with God. Above, we see 3 types of righteousness: before the law, during the law, and after the law. Before the law, Abram believed God, and he was counted as righteous. After the law, people were counted as righteous for obeying all the commands of the Lord. After the sacrifice of Jesus, anyone who placed their faith in Jesus was made righteous.
There are some who attempt to be made righteous like Abram. They believe what God says about them. They believe God loves them and they’re a good person. The problem with this type of righteousness is that there’s no redemption. They have no Savior. They’re still separated from God because of their sinful nature (Rom. 8:8).
There are some who attempt to be made righteous by keeping the law. They believe their performance in keeping the law makes them righteous. Romans 3:20 says no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. No matter how many laws they keep, their sin makes them appear filthy in the eyes of God (Isaiah 64:6).
Then there are those of us who have made Jesus Christ Lord. Our faith in His sacrifice for us, makes us righteous. No performance is necessary to receive this righteousness.
Our faith in what Jesus accomplished should be enough. However, there are still some believers who believe Jesus died for their sin, but they also think they need to keep the law to be fully accepted by God. For them, Jesus isn’t enough. They think they must do their part to be fully made righteous. The problem with this mentality is that as soon as they miss the mark (and they will), there’s feelings of guilt, shame, and condemnation. The burden to be made righteous is partially on them.
Understand any righteousness before Christ is obsolete. We CANNOT be made righteous on our own, and any attempt from us to assist Jesus for our righteousness disrespects the sacrifice of Jesus.
#jesus #is #everything #we #need #made #righteous #in #Christ #receive #Savior #Lord #trust #God #Way #Truth #Life #Spirit #devo #grow #scripture #everyday #devotional
Luke 2:10-11 NLT but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
It’s true, Jesus wasn’t born on December 25th. Some say he was born in August. Others suggest He was born in April. No one really knows the day He was born. We all should be glad He was born.
People, believers included, like to criticize people for celebrating His birth on December 25th. They say that’s a Pagan holiday or that day celebrates the birth of another god. Based on the Word, every day is a day that the Lord has made and we should rejoice and be glad in it (Ps. 118:24).
Although Jesus wasn’t born on December 25th, that’s the day most believers appreciate His birth. We should appreciate His birth every day, but that’s when most of us collectively celebrate His birth.
Christmas is not about Santa, reindeer, and snowmen. It’s about Jesus. If you don’t want to celebrate His birth on December 25th, that’s fine, but don’t criticize others who do. Let’s just make sure we all celebrate Him every day.
#celebrate #Jesus #Son #of #God #changes #empowers #restores #gives #hope #appreciate #Christ #Way #Truth #Life #Spirit #devo #grow #scripture #everyday #devotional
Daniel 11:32 KJV And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
If we pair this scripture with Hosea 4:6a, which says, “My people are being destroyed because they don’t know Me,” we can conclude that knowledge of God is extremely important.
There are people who claim to believe in God, but they don’t know God. They heard about God from others, but they don’t personally know Him. When they need a prayer answered, they hope He’ll come through, but they’re unsure. They heard about the miracles, but they don’t know if He’ll do one for them.
On the other hand, there are people who know about relating to God from an old covenant perspective, but they don’t know Him from a new covenant perspective. They still think their behavior and performance either get rewarded by God or bring punishment from God.
Knowledge of God comes through His word. God’s word tells us He loves us, and no mistake will take away His love (Rom. 8:31-39). God’s word lets us know He’ll answer our prayers when we ask according to His will (1 John 5:14-15). God’s word lets us know He’s not nor will He ever punish us based on our behavior (Rom. 4:8).
If we truly want to know God, we must accurately read His word. Don’t listen to fables or stories you’ve heard about God. Get to know Him for yourself by getting in His word.
#knowledge #know #goodFather #God #promises #protects #loves #defends #keeps #us #Jesus #Christ #the #same #yesterday #today #forever #consistent #love #persistent #grace #bible #scripture #wisdom
Genesis 17:17 NLT Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?”
We may have read or God may have told us about a promise that seems farfetched to our logical minds. It may be healing of an “incurable” illness, a house way out of our price range, or a child after 50. The promise may seem so unlikely to happen until some of us will do what Abraham did and laugh in disbelief.
When we find ourselves laughing in disbelief, that’s when it’s time to change our minds with the word of God. We need to stop considering what the doctor said, what we see in our bank accounts, and the bad decisions we made is the past and truly believe the word of God. We need to act like the word of God is powerful enough to change any situation. We need to have faith.
It may take some time to renew our minds to the word of God, but if we consistently meditate on the promise, speak the promise, and thank God in advance for the promise, God’s word will come to pass in our lives.
#have #faith #wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #manifest #possibilities #impossible #is #possible #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #renew #mind #grow #speak #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Hebrews 2:15 NLT Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
Jesus set free all who were slaves to the fear of death.
People who have made Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior have no reason to fear death. It doesn’t matter if we’re 19 or 99, we shouldn’t fear death.
The power of death was taken from Satan; all those who believe in Jesus immediately have eternal life. As soon as we leave this life, we’ll be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8).
The only reason believers fear death is because of the misconception they have of their righteousness. They think their righteousness is based on their works or performance. They think if they don’t live a certain way, their actions will send them to hell.
The only people who are going to hell are people who rejected Jesus who paid the price for sin. Anyone who has put their faith in Jesus Christ receives His righteousness. We can’t do enough righteous acts to be accepted by God, but if we place our faith in Him, we automatically become righteous (Isaiah 64:6; Rom. 3:22).
Trust God’s word. If you’ve made Jesus Christ Lord, know you’re righteous and you’re on your way to heaven once you leave this earth. So, there’s no reason to fear death because Jesus conquered death.
#no #fear #have #faith #made #righteous #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #right #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
James 2:10 NLT For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
There are still some who want to be accepted by God by keeping the law. They dress in a certain way, eat certain foods, and observe certain days, thinking they’re keeping the law. They live by a few laws, not realizing there are over 600 laws. The scripture says that if we break one law, we’re guilty of breaking all the laws.
We will never be accepted by God for keeping the law because we can’t keep the law. The only one who was able to keep the entire law was Jesus. Jesus fulfilled the law (Matt. 5:17). Our faith in Him fulfilling the law allows us to be accepted by God. Our faith in Him makes us holy and righteous (Rom. 3:22).
So, do we throw the law away and live recklessly? Of course not. Sin still has natural consequences, but God is not accepting us according to our performance in keeping the law. Our righteousness is through our faith in Christ alone.
Romans 8:3 NLT The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
#made #righteous #right #with #God #through #Jesus #Loved #abundance #life #peace #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
John 11:35 NLT Then Jesus wept.
Jesus didn’t weep because He was sad that His friend Lazarus died. Why would He cry, knowing He was going to raise him up a few minutes later? Jesus wept because of the unbelief of Mary and Martha.
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were very close friends. They knew who He was, and they saw what He could do. But now, Mary and Martha are sad and upset with Jesus for not being there sooner. They believed He could heal Lazarus while he was alive, but they didn’t believe He could raise him from the dead.
The unbelief of people who were close to Jesus was so disappointing until He wept.
Do you have a limited belief in the power of God? Do you think He can do some things, but not others? Do you believe He can still perform miracles, or is that not “logically possible?”
All He wants is our total belief to be on Him. Once our absolute faith and confidence is in Him, He can manifest what’s not naturally possible. Only believe.
#have #faith #be #strong #faithfight #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Hebrews 12:1-3 NLT Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now, he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
This life is a journey. In order to be successful in this journey, we must strip off every weight that slows us down. There are sinful weights and non-sinful weights.
Sinful weights are obviously things contrary to God’s word, such as greed, sexual immorality, lying, fear, etc. Non-sinful weights are things we do in excess that distract us from growing in our relationship with God or reaching our goal. Non-sinful weights include gaming, being on social media, working, and socializing.
Both of these weights slow us down in our journey. To remove these weights, we must focus on Jesus. As we focus on Jesus and magnify what He endured for us, we’ll gladly take off these weights. Once these weights are removed, we’ll experience more of God and get to our God-given destination faster. Now, strip!
#God #first #Holy #Spirit #love #peace #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
As we get older, we may experience some aches and pains. One person may ignore God’s word telling us we’re healed and agree with the doctor’s advice and take medicine and rest for days. Another person may ignore sound wisdom, consider themselves healed, rebel against the pain, and do more damage to their bodies.
That’s why it’s so important to listen to and be led by the Holy Spirit during these issues. God knows exactly what each person needs.
One person may have knee pain, and the doctor tells him to rest for a week. The Holy Spirit may agree with the doctor and tell him to rest and declare himself healed. Another person has the same knee pain, and the doctor tells her to rest for a week. However, the Holy Spirit tells her to rebel against the pain by walking a mile a day declaring she’s healed.
Both have knee pain, but because we’re all a little different, the Holy Spirit knows exactly what each person needs to get better.
Be sure to consult with the Holy Spirit each time we have an ailment. He’ll guide us to a place where our bodies agree with God’s word that says…
1 Peter 2:24b By His wounds you are healed.
#depend #relyon #trust #God #be #Spirit #led #greaterthan #morethan #enough #Jesus #Savior #helper #redeemer #restoration #confidence #Spirit #scripture #devotional #Word #life #growth
1 Chronicles 16:12 NIV Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced,
As the year comes to an end, don’t be so anxious to move on to the next year without reflecting on ALL God has done.
He’s provided for us, He’s protected us, healing has manifested in our bodies, we’ve been delivered from sins, He’s paid off our bills, etc. With all He’s done, tell Him thank you. Give yourself at least 5 minutes to reflect on what He’s done and sincerely tell Him thank you.
Before you move on with plans and ideas for next year, reflect and be grateful for what He’s done this year. And just FYI… the year is not over. He still has time to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that you ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).
#much #more #in #store #God #is #so #good #thankful #praise #gratitude #grateful #blessed #Jesus #Christ #life #Spirit #love #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Philippians 3:8-9 NLT Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
Praying doesn’t keep us right with God. It’s Jesus.
Going to church doesn’t make us holy. It’s Jesus.
Fasting doesn’t connect us to God. It’s Jesus.
Dressing modestly doesn’t make us holy. It’s Jesus.
Reading the Bible doesn’t give us a good name with God. It’s Jesus.
Feeling guilty and punishing ourselves doesn’t cause forgiveness. It’s Jesus.
There’s nothing we can do to get us in right standing with God. All of our righteousness is like filthy rags in God’s eyes (Isaiah 64:6).
Only our belief in Jesus makes us right with God. It’s not about our performance but our faith in what Jesus accomplished for us.
#faith #Word #of #God #changes #empowers #restores #gives #hope #study #Jesus #Christ #Way #Truth #Life #Spirit #devo #grow #scripture #everyday #devotional
It’s not exercising that alleviates stress. It’s God.
It’s not being a vegan that keeps us healthy. It’s God.
It’s not our jobs that provide for us. It’s God.
It’s not medication that heals our bodies. It’s God.
It’s not our great driving abilities that keep us from a crash. It’s God.
It’s not the good neighborhood we live in that keeps people from breaking into our houses. It’s God.
It’s not our great parenting that has our children on the honor roll. It’s God.
It’s not our hustle or grind that has us with more than enough finances. It’s God.
God definitely can use these things to enhance our lives, but be sure to give the credit and praise to God, not to the tools He’s using.
Psalms 20:7 NIV Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
#trust #God #promises #protects #loves #defends #keeps #us #Jesus #Christ #the #same #yesterday #today #forever #consistent #love #persistent #grace
Hebrews 12:15 NLT Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
Bitterness can potentially take root in different ways. Bitterness can stem from our parents not being around, getting treated poorly, or not getting what we think we deserve.
Thoughts of bitterness about situations will show up, but it’s up to us if we allow bitterness to take root.
We couldn’t control our parents actions, but we can control our response to their actions. We can’t control our job picking someone else for that promotion, but we can control our response to them picking someone else.
Bitterness can’t take root if we focus on Jesus. If we focus on what He’s done for us, how He’s made a way for us to be in God’s family, how He sacrificed Himself for our sin, made us righteous, healed us, blessed us, and give us access to all of God’s promises, bitterness can’t stay.
We’ll realize although our parents weren’t the best, God is a Father to the fatherless (Ps. 68:5). We’ll realize God is the source of our promotions (Ps. 75:6-7). We’ll realize God’s promises are still available regardless of what we didn’t get in the natural (2 Cor. 1:20).
Ask the Holy Spirit if bitterness has taken root in your heart. If so, work with Him to uproot that bitterness and live an enjoyable abundant life (John 10:10).
#bitter #uproot #bitterness #live #free #in #Christ #God #helps #us #forgive #befree #release #hurt #loveothers #Jesus #loves #scripture #devo #Bible #growth
Proverbs 24:26 NLT An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship.
It’s important that we’re honest with everyone. We should be honest with our children, honest with our spouses, honest with our coworkers, and honest with ourselves.
People lie for multiple reasons. They lie to spare a person’s feelings, they lie to “preserve a child’s innocence,” or they lie to avoid consequences. At the end of it all, a lie is based in fear. When a person lies, they’re afraid the truth will somehow harm them or the other person.
As we can see from scripture, honesty does the opposite of what we think. We think being honest will push people away, but it actually draws them closer to us. Honesty proves we can be trusted. If we lie about one thing, how can we be trusted in other areas?
Stop lying to “keep the peace.” Stop lying to make yourself look good. Stop lying to avoid consequences. Be honest with everyone to keep your conscience clear and to display your integrity.
When someone asks you a question, be completely honest with them.
#honesty #truth #love #behonest #nolie #kindness #God #Jesus #Spirit #peace #scripture #Word #growth
1 John 5:4 NLT For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.
God’s word tells us that, through Christ, we are victorious in every situation and every circumstance. Romans 8:37 says, we’re more than conquerors.
If we’re honest, there are situations that make us question our victory. If we get denied a promotion, how is that victory? If we get diagnosed with a disease, how is that victory? If our marriage ends up in divorce, how is that victory?
To understand our victory, we must step back and look at things from God’s point of view. From His vantage point, He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). For that denied promotion, there could be a number of victorious reasons we can’t see now. There could be a better promotion somewhere else, our faith and patience is being strengthened, or that denied promotion is bringing us closer to Him. All of this is victorious in God’s eyes.
It’s similar to a marriage that ended. A marriage ending could give us peace that God desires for us (John 14:27), a more compatible spouse could be available for us, or once again, the divorce could bring us closer to Him.
From God’s vantage point, every circumstance ends in victory. Even our natural death or the death of a loved one. Every born-again believer leaves the suffering of this world and ends up with Him. That’s victory.
Instead of getting upset with God or questioning the validity of God’s word concerning victory, take a step back and look at things from God’s point of view. And by faith, receive the victory He’s made available through Christ Jesus.
#perspective #victory #by #faith #in #Jesus #trust #God #first #enjoy #life #love #experience #Spirit #freedom #Christ #new #scripture #Word #devotional #blessing #people #growth
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NLT If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
There are believers all over the world who read their bibles, consistently pray, give financially to the Kingdom, and serve in some way. They do all these wonderful things, but what’s their motivation?
Is it so they can get blessed? Is it so they can get healed? Is it so they won’t get punished by God? For every good spiritual thing we do, the motivation should come from love. Love for God, love for people, and love for the Kingdom.
First of all, every spiritual thing we do should come from our love for God. When we pray or read the bible, this shouldn’t be done out of obligation or fear of punishment. This should be done to become more intimate with our Father. This should be done to fellowship with Him and get to know Him more.
Secondly, because of our love for Him, we do what He says. He tells us to love one another (1 John 4:7-8). Every time we feed the homeless, share the gospel of Jesus Christ, or encourage our friends, we’re doing it out of our love for God and love for people.
Since we love God, we should love His Kingdom. Every believer has a responsibility in the Kingdom of God. This includes financing the Kingdom, expanding the Kingdom, and recruiting for the Kingdom.
The motivation for all these wonderful things should be love. Let love be the motivator, not fear or obligation.
#love #one #another #for #God #so #loved #us #freelove #Jesus #Christ #scripture #devotional
2 Corinthians 4:13 (AMP) Yet we have the same spirit of faith as he had, who wrote in Scripture, “I believed, therefore I spoke.” We also believe, therefore we also speak,
When we clean the kitchen with Clorox spray or Fabuloso, we typically spray it without a thought. There could have been raw meat on the counter, but when we spray that cleaning product, we believe that it will destroy every germ or bacteria on that counter. No one takes the time to take these cleaning products to a lab to ensure that each bottle contains bacteria killing properties. We just spray and go.
The same faith we have in these cleaning products is the same faith we should have in God’s word.
When we read, God supplies our needs, just believe it (Phil. 4:19). Act on what you believe by declaring your needs are met. Even when we don’t know how our bills will be paid, we say what God’s word says. God’s word says by His stripes we are healed (1 Pet. 2:24). Just believe that word and act on what you believe by declaring that you’re healed. Even if pain is going all through your body, declare you’re healed.
We don’t have to wonder how it’s going to happen. We don’t wonder how that cleaning product kills 99.9% of germs, so we don’t have to wonder how these promises will come to pass. Just believe and act on what you believe by boldly declaring what God’s word says.
#have #faith #justbelieve #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
2 Timothy 4:2 NLT Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
If you had to teach the word of God to a congregation, most of us would prepare to minister God’s word. The week before, we would pray longer, consistently study the word of God, and spend more time with God to see what He had to say. We would prepare ourselves because we want people to get something out of what we’re teaching.
Most of us don’t have a platform where we’re ministering to other people. Because we don’t have a platform, we don’t devote as much time in the things of God. The same way we would prepare to minister is the same way we should be all the time.
We should stay prepared because you never know when God may have us ministering to that coworker, that family member, or that person on social media. We should stay prepared because you never know when tribulations may come. We should stay prepared so that we can accurately hear from God and obey expeditiously.
Don’t become lazy in developing your relationship with God. Be ready in every season and for every circumstance.
#stayready #Word #of #God #changes #empowers #restores #gives #hope #study #Jesus #Christ #Way #Truth #Life #Spirit #devo #grow #study #scripture #everyday #devotional
Exodus 34:14 NLT You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.
God is jealous for us. Like real jealous. He doesn’t want us worshipping or serving any other god besides Him.
He doesn’t want anything or anyone coming before Him. He doesn’t want work, children, or extracurricular activities coming before Him. He doesn’t want us to do anything without Him. He wants to be a part of our work day, our parenting, and in our marriages. He doesn’t want anything to take His place, including our logic and emotions.
His jealousy is not so His ego can be stroked. His jealousy is rooted in His love for us. He knows anything or anyone coming before Him is detrimental to us. If we do anything without Him, there’s a possibility of failure, heartbreak, and disappointment. It’s only by His grace things don’t fall apart when we don’t include Him or put Him first.
Be sure to put God first and put Him in every part of your life.
#loving #good #faithful #kind #true #God #first #Holy #Spirit #love #peace #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Hebrews 10:18 NLT And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.
Sin consciousness in the body of Christ is high. Daily, believers look for areas where they’ve sinned. They attempt to please God with their performance instead of accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
As a result of sin consciousness, some believers offer their own versions of sacrifices. After sinning, some may shut themselves up in the house all weekend to study God’s word. They really don’t want to study that long, but they do it as a punishment for missing the mark.
Other believers don’t allow themselves to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. They don’t socialize with friends, they don’t watch sports, or they don’t go out to eat.
Unfortunately, some believers even abuse themselves after missing the mark. They hit themselves on the head and call themselves stupid or worthless.
God doesn’t need our sacrifices to show we’re sorry. He desires that we accept His Son’s sacrifice as the payment for sins and move on. Isolating ourselves, depriving ourselves, and beating ourselves up about sin DOESN’T please God. It creates distance in knowing who God really is and it minimizes what Christ has done.
So, if you sin, be grateful for the sacrifice of Jesus that paid for that sin.
#Jesus #paid #it #all #forgiven #just #believe #trust #God #receive #Christ #walk #free #from #sin #guilt #condemnation #cure #freedom #growth #scripture #devo
Most people would say they aren’t prideful. Most people aren’t going around saying, “Look how great I am.” Pride is not limited to magnifying one’s self and their achievements. Pride can be hidden.
One form of hidden pride is… not apologizing. If you’ve made a mistake (minor or major), apologize. This is big in parenting. As parents, we don’t always get it right. When we miss it, apologize to your children. Don’t be so prideful that you allow the authority you have to override an apology.
Pride is… not asking for help when help could be beneficial. If you’re going to work, cooking, taking the children to practice, and cleaning the house without asking your spouse for help, that’s pride. You may think you’re doing your spouse a favor by not “bothering” them, but in actuality, you’re applauding yourself and showing the world you can do it all on your own. If you’re single, these tasks must be done, but you can remove pride by asking the other parent for help or asking a friend or family member for help.
Pride is… not wanting to be celebrated. If people want to celebrate you, let them. You may think you don’t want to inconvenience people by being celebrated, but essentially, you’re saying, “I’m above your celebration.” Allow people to celebrate your birthday, anniversary, and achievements.
Examine yourself to see if pride has hidden itself within you. If so, allow the Holy Spirit to help you uproot it.
Proverbs 13:10 NLT Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.
#nopride #nofear #askforhelp #receivelove #receive #God #Jesus #Christ #love #life #joy #peace #goodness #scripture #devotional
Romans 12:12 NIV Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
This scripture teaches us the mindset we should have with hope, affliction, and prayer.
HOPE
This scripture, first of all, lets us know we should have hope. Hope is having an expectation of something good happening in our lives. If you can’t forsee anything good happening in the natural, turn to the bible and build your hope in the word of God.
Once hope is developed, be joyful in that hope. Don’t let delay and unfortunate circumstances steal your joy. Hope joyfully now. Hope joyfully forever.
AFFLICTION
We all want affliction gone immediately, but it doesn’t always work like that. During times of affliction, we must be patient. Patience is having perseverance as we rely on God’s word to create the change we desire to see. Whether it’s sickness in our bodies, trials in our marriages, or financial struggles, remain patient in affliction expecting things to align with God’s word.
PRAYER
Prayer doesn’t notify God about the situation. Prayer allows God to get involved in our situation. We should be faithful in prayer. That doesn’t mean we keep praying about the same situation. It means we pray about it once and remain faithful to be thankful that the situation has been handled. Simply say, “Father, I thank You that You handled ___________ .”
As we remain joyful, patient, and faithful, we’ll experience abundance, peace, and a more intimate relationship with God.
#joyful #patient #faithful #hope #in #God #experience #peace #abundance #fullness #relationship #Jesus #Christ #Word #scripture
1 John 3:21-22 NLT Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from Him whatever we ask because we obey Him and do the things that please Him.
Satan is known as the accuser (Revelation 12:10). Day and night, he accuses us of all our wrongdoing. He’ll show us how we should have been more respectful to our spouse and how we should have worked harder yesterday at our jobs. He’ll lie to us and say our blessings are limited because of the abortion we had or the adultery we committed.
If we’re not mindful of what Christ has done for us, Satan’s accusations can turn into guilt and condemnation. This guilt can affect our confidence to approach our Father.
Knowing there’s no sin that has not been cleansed by the blood of Jesus means everything in our relationship with God. Through Christ, God has forgiven ALL our wickedness and He remembers our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12).
Although we may have missed the mark two hours ago, we don’t need to sit in timeout from God and think about what we’ve done. We can boldly and confidently approach God and receive mercy, grace, help, and blessings.
Don’t let Satan’s accusations separate you from God. Jesus’s sacrifice for sin will maintain our relationship with God forever.
#freedom #no #condemnation #Jesus #paid #all #forgiven #just #believe #trust #God #receive #Christ #walk #free #from #sin #cure #freedom #growth #scripture #devo
2 Samuel 2:1 NLT After this, David asked the Lord, “Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?” “Yes,” the Lord replied. Then David asked, “Which town should I go to?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered.
When making any decision, it’s important to consult God. It doesn’t matter if it’s a major decision like moving to another city or a minor decision like, what to wear. Consult God in all your decisions.
As a result of David consulting God, he was put in a position to be king of Judah.
2 Samuel 2:4 Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah.
As a result of our consultation with God, we may be put in a position better than we could’ve imagined. We could be promoted, find our spouse, or be in a position to be a better witness for the Kingdom of God.
Consult God in whatever you do and whatever He tells you to do obey.
#consult #Spirit #HolySpirit #trust #God #is #directing #leading #guiding #us #love #life #Jesus #Christ #obey #thrive #new #peace #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Hebrews 9:14 NLT Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered Himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.
Jesus offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. We no longer are being punished for the sins we commit on a daily basis. Jesus took our punishment. The sins we commit aren’t being charged to our account. They were put on Jesus’s account. So, if we sin, we don’t have to beat ourselves up about it. We should recognize and be grateful that the payment and punishment of sin was put on Jesus.
Does that mean we can live recklessly and practice sin? ABSOLUTELY NOT. The payment for sin was not meant for us to abuse. Jesus paying for and taking the punishment for our sins was for our conscious to be clear. It’s difficult to serve and worship a holy God when sin is on our conscious. It’s hard to build a relationship with God when you’re constantly thinking of how much you’ve sinned against Him. The guilt of sin won’t even allow us to ask God for anything (1 John 3:21-22).
Understand the payment and punishment was put on Jesus so that we can be free from the mental, physical, and emotional bondage of sin.
#Jesus #paid #it #all #forgiven #just #believe #trust #God #receive #Christ #walk #free #from #sin #guilt #condemnation #cure #freedom #growth #scripture #devo
Satan is not going to sit back and allow us to have the promises of God without a fight.
In the middle of our fight to receive the promises of God, we should be doing what the word says. We should maintain our faith in God’s word (Rom. 10:17), stay in love (Gal. 5:6), declare what we desire to see (Prov. 18:21; Ps. 45:1), envision ourselves with the promise (Gen. 15:5), and obey the Holy Spirit’s instructions (Rom. 8:14).
Satan will use the delay and tell us these spiritual things mentioned above aren’t working. He’ll remind us how long we’ve been confessing God’s promises in our lives and attempt to convince us it’s not working because nothing’s changing.
The devil is a liar!!!
We may not see the change, but things are happening behind the scenes. These spiritual things are changing us. They’re changing our perspective, and it is changing the situation. It’s just a matter of time.
Be patient. Confessing the same thing over and over and remaining positive can get old to our flesh, but the alternative leads to doubt and unbelief, which will get us nothing (James 1:6-7).
Ephesians 6:13 AMP Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
#have #faith #be #strong #faithfight #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
You have a desire. You followed biblical instructions according to Mark 11:24 and John 16:23. You asked the Father, in the name of Jesus, and you believe that you’ve received it.
Here comes the fight. Satan is not going to just allow us to have our desires without resistance.
Satan will throw every thought in our minds on why it won’t happen. He’ll tell us our past or present sins will prevent us from having that desire, he’ll say our faith isn’t strong enough, we didn’t fast, pray, or read our bibles long enough, or we’re unworthy. This is just a short list of tricks he uses. These thoughts will go on until we quit or until the desire comes to pass.
People with little faith accept these thoughts and choose to believe Satan’s lies instead of the word of God (Matt. 14:31). People with strong faith combat these thoughts by confessing the word of God.
How do we get strong faith? From consistently hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17).
For every lie of Satan, there should be an attack with the word of God. If he said you’ll never recover from that disease, we confess, by His stripes, we are healed (1 Pet. 2:24). If he says it’s been two years since you’ve prayed for that, it’s obviously not meant to be, we say, I inherit God’s promises through faith and patience (Heb. 6:12).
This fight can go on for years, but if we continue confessing God’s word to combat the lies of the enemy, we’ll experience victory and everything our hearts desire.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 KJV For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
#have #faith #bebold #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Peace is available for EVERYONE. Yes, EVERYONE. No matter if you’re going through a divorce, having mental or physical health issues, or struggling financially. We ALL have an opportunity to have and maintain peace.
How? Not worrying, but instead praying about everything, telling God what you need, and thanking Him for what He’s done. When we do those things, God promises peace.
If you’re not experiencing peace, you need to ask yourself, are you praying about EVERYTHING? Or, are you trying to fix things yourself? Are you telling God what you need, or are you trying to meet your own needs? Are you thanking God for ALL He has done, or are you just thanking Him for the major things? It’s difficult to worry and be thankful.
Never worry again and maintain a lifetime of peace by praying about everything, telling God what you need, and thanking Him for everything.
#no #worries #worryfree #maintain #perfect #peace #consistent #joy #free #in #Christ #Jesus #Yahweh #God #provider #supplier #Word #life #scripture #devo #growth
Matthew 10:42 NLT And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of My followers, you will surely be rewarded.”
God takes note and rewards the little things we do for one another. The person may not know what we’ve done and they may not say, thank you, but God sees us and will reward the good we do.
Being used in the Kingdom of God doesn’t always have to be some big extravagant gesture where we get millions of views or thousands of people are being blessed by something we’ve done. It could be little things that God puts on our hearts to do for each other.
So, keep holding doors for people, let them go ahead of you in line, pay for someone’s meal, or give a couple of dollars to that homeless man. God sees the good we’re doing and His word guarantees our reward.
Inspired by Andrew Wommack
#be #a #blessing #share #kindness #give #and #glorify #God #generous #generosity #Jesus #bible #growth #Word #Christ #believers
Job 22:23 NLT If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored— so clean up your life.
Psalms 30:2 NLT O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health.
Joel 2:25 ESV I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.
Psalms 85:1 NLT Lord, you poured out blessings on your land! You restored the fortunes of Israel.
At the bare minimum, God restores our health, our fortunes, the time we may have lost, and our lives altogether.
Health
If we’ve battled some longlasting illness or pain in our bodies, by placing our faith in His restoring power in His word, we can be healed and whatever damages we’ve faced from that illness will be restored.
Fortunes/Finances
We may have lost a lot of our fortunes in a divorce, made some bad investments, or were unwise stewards over our finances. Regardless of what happened, God has restoring power over our fortunes. If He did it for Israel, He can do it for us.
Time
God will restore the years we may have essentially lost because of demonic attacks. This restoring power can allow couples to get pregnant in their 50’s, have people receive promotions that were long overdue, and things work out faster than anticipated. With God, all things are possible (Matt. 19:26).
Our Lives
When we return to God, He can restore every part of our lives. We may have messed up in so many areas, but He can restore every part of our lives. He can restore marriages, broken relationships with our children, our minds, and our livelihood.
Whatever needs to be restored, God can do it. Come to Him, do what He says, and have faith to believe that He is THE Restorer.
#depend #relyon #trust #God #greaterthan #morethan #enough #Jesus #Savior #helper #redeemer #restoration #confidence #Spirit #scripture #devotional #Word #life #growth
As a father of two little girls, when my children get off the bus from school, without thinking about it, they immediately give me their backpacks and run home. The same way they give me their backpacks is the same way we should give our cares to God (1 Peter 5:7).
God wants to handle everything for us. If we give our cares to Him, He will perfect everything that concerns us (Psalm 138:8).
In Exodus 14:14, it says, “The Lord Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” We don’t need to try to handle any situation on our own. God wants us to leave it alone and let Him handle it.
Even for the unbeliever, God wants the unbeliever to give Him their sin, and He’ll exchange it for His righteousness through Jesus Christ (Romans 3). And if we as believers should sin, God doesn’t want us holding on to shame and guilt and internally punishing ourselves. He wants us to come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Heb. 4:16).
This goes against what a lot of people believe. They think we have to do as much as we can do, and when we can’t do anymore, then let God handle it. That’s not it. God wants us to give our cares, our battles, and our sin to Him immediately and let Him work it out.
Now, whatever instructions He provides to resolve the issue, do it, but we don’t need to worry ourselves over anything. Give it to God and live a carefree life.
1 Peter 5:7 AMPC Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
#sweetsleep #nofear #castcares #meditate #on #trust #God #is #greaterthan #problems #self #love #life #Christ #love #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
When we’re in faith and we’re desiring blessings from God, we usually are expecting a new house, a new car, a new job, and more money. There’s nothing wrong with expecting these things because God promised them in His word. But in between these “big blessings,” be grateful for the consistent blessings from God.
Be grateful that we have a functioning vehicle and we consistently get to our destinations without getting into accidents. Be thankful we’re employed and God supplies our needs through a consistent paycheck. Be grateful for a drama-free life and God’s peace being present in our lives. Be thankful our bodies consistently function effectively.
These consistent blessings from God may not get a lot people shouting “amen” during testimony service, but it displays the consistent faithfulness of God. And that’s something to be grateful for.
Psalms 86:15 NLT But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
#grateful #blessed #thankful #choose #joy #have #faith #trust #believe #thank #God #in #all #things #glory #Jesus #Christ #greaterthan #sickness #problems #life #Spirit #love #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Acts 17:10-11 NLT That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.
Some people get spiritual advice from pastors, close family members, or friends. Depending on what was told to them, they end up confused, deceived, or hurt. They take what that person is saying as the gospel truth.
As believers, we need to verify if what a person is saying is scriptural. Certain things may sound deep and spiritual, but they’re either taken out of context or are untrue altogether. It could be our sweet grandmother or our mentor or a pastor giving us wisdom. However, if what they’re saying is not backed by scripture, let it go.
To prevent hurt, confusion, deception, and the spreading of lies, search what ANYONE is saying for yourself. Be sure that what anyone is telling you is backed by scripture.
#wise #scriptural #counsel #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #live #keepgoing #believe #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Hebrews 1:14 NLT Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.
A lot of people hold angels in high regard. They think they’re a step below the Godhead. As we can see, angels are servants for believers.
They protect us (Ps. 91:11). When we speak the word of God, they ensure that it comes to pass (Ps. 103:20). They deliver messages to us (Luke 1:26-38). And they care for us (Heb 1:14).
Angels may have the ability to do some powerful things, but God created them to serve us. Get God’s angels involved by releasing your faith and allowing them to serve you.
#angels #protect #guard #defend #believers #protection #God #Loves #Jesus #Christ #covers #Word #growth #scripture #devotional #devo
Hebrews 2:8 NLT You gave them authority over all things.” Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority.
God has given us authority over all things. Nothing is left out. We have authority over sickness, disease, death, division, hate, anxiety, depression, fear, worry, and any other negative things.
If God’s word says we have authority over all these things, why is it that so many believers are being dominated by fear, depression, and worry? Why are believers being dominated by sin, sickness, and commitment issues?
It’s because we’re not using all the authority given to us. Some of us have been deceived into thinking we can’t help what’s going on around us. We’ve been taught to cope with life’s problems instead of overcoming them.
To truly maximize on the authority that’s been given to us by God, we must establish and develop a relationship with God. Secondly, we must get into His word to understand how to operate in our authority. Finally, we must receive sound biblical teaching on how to accurately apply our authority in our lives.
When we understand our authority and operate in it, nothing will dominate us. Nothing can stop us, and nothing can hold us back. Use the authority God has given you to live a victorious life.
#strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Galatians 5:6 NKJV For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
So many of us have applied our faith to certain desires. We’re believing God for a new house, a new job, a better marriage, or health in our bodies. It’s great that we’re believing God for these things, but our faith won’t work unless we put “batteries” in it. The battery to faith is love.
If we’re in faith for certain things, but we’re not loving people properly, our faith won’t produce anything. Proper love can be found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 where it says, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
We can’t be in faith for a new house, but we still hate our ex-spouse for what they’ve done to us. Our faith to be healed of that chronic pain won’t work if we’re rude to waiters at restaurants. The faith we’re applying to get that new job will be ineffective if we’re boastful of our talents.
The battery to faith is love. If we get our love together, we’re guaranteed to receive everything God provided, through Christ, by faith.
Inspired by David Winston
#faith #works #by #Love #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #live #keepgoing #believe #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #hope #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Graced To Do God's Will 