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How do we change our ways? How do we behave better? How do we stop sinning? These are the questions people ask who actually want more for their lives.
The answer can be found in Colossians 3:10.
Colossians 3:10 NLT Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.
By putting on our new nature, in Christ, and renewing our minds as we learn more about God, we can make the changes we desire to see in ourselves.
How do we learn more about God?
By spending time in His word. Developing a consistent prayer life. Talk to Him throughout the day. And let Him be the decision maker.
All of this can be summed up by consistently building an ever-growing relationship with God. The more we know about Him, the more we’ll learn about ourselves.
Stop using willpower to change. Grow in Him, renew your mind, and change will take place.
#real #change #transform #grow #permission #to #evolve #mature #progress #mind #renewal #God #is #good #faithful #love #peace #prosper #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
God is NOT using sickness, car crashes, or divorce to teach us something. He’s NOT using layoffs, ailments, or frustrations to correct us. The Word does all of that for us.
Anything God wants to teach us or correct in our lives can be done through His Word. He doesn’t need to partner with Satan to show us anything.
God definitely can work these negative situations out for our good, but He’s not using these things to teach or correct us (Rom. 8:28). All teaching and corrections can be done through His word.
#Word #of #God #causes #us #to transform #grow #evolve #change #mature #progress #have #peace #prosper #life #Jesus #live #in #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
A church or a group of believers emphasizes evangelism based on Matthew 28:19-20. They focus more on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ across the nation and the world.
Another church reads, “for without faith it’s impossible to please God” and “the just shall live by faith” (Heb. 11:6; Rom. 1:17). That group of believers emphasizes faith.
Another group of believers emphasizes grace. They see where Paul said in Ephesians 2:8, for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
These churches may do other things, but they emphasize either evangelism, faith, or grace.
There’s nothing wrong with placing an emphasis on certain things in scripture. The problem comes when one group of believers thinks their emphasis is more important than another. One group thinks evangelism is more important than grace. Another group thinks grace is more important than faith.
We must realize all of these topics are important. One topic is not more important than another because they’re all based in scripture.
This kind of thinking is a tool of division, sent by Satan, to make the church ineffective. Jesus said in Matthew 12:25, “a household divided against itself will not stand.”
Stop being a vessel for division based on your opinion. I can respect what you choose to emphasize and you should respect what I choose to emphasize. It’s all necessary and important to expand the Kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
#grace #faith #salvation #unity #in #Jesus #Christ #God #first #peace #joy #effective #hope #Spirit #devo #grow #growth #scripture #everydaygodswill
Hebrews 3:12-13 NLT Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.
When we see our brother or sister in Christ sinning or developing an unbelieving heart, warn them. Don’t just let them get further and further away from God. Warn them to change and encourage them to believe again.
God doesn’t go anywhere when we sin or we’re in unbelief, but sin and unbelief hardens our hearts towards God. It’s difficult for people to change or listen to wise counsel when people practice sin and are in unbelief. They want to do whatever their flesh desires and make it with whatever natural skills they have. They don’t want to depend on God and they’re deceived into thinking their lifestyle is just fine.
If we love someone, say something. They may not change the first, second, or fourteenth time, but warn them, in love, from the word of God.
#share #tellit #Word #of #God #is #Truth #good #trust #believe #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #scripture #peace #devotional #devo #growth
Hebrews 10:17-18 NIV Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
Because of Jesus, a sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. Some may limit that statement to animal sacrifices, but it’s more than that.
When people sin, they create their own version of a sacrifice as a form of punishment. They sacrifice their sleep by staying up late praying and reading their bibles all night. They deny themselves meals, fellowship, and entertainment. Some people do all the above.
As the scripture says, these sacrifices are no longer necessary. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for our past, present, and future sins. Trying to create our own sacrifice is an insult to His sacrifice because we’re telling Jesus that His sacrifice wasn’t enough.
If or when we sin, receive God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ and thank Jesus for sacrificing Himself for sin. Don’t try to punish yourself. It’s pointless and not necessary. If God forgave you, you should forgive yourself.
#freedom #no #condemnation #Jesus #paid #all #forgiven #just #believe #trust #God #receive #Christ #walk #free #from #sin #cure #freedom #growth #scripture #devo
Romans 1:8 NLT Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in Him is being talked about all over the world.
Is your faith being talked about in your home, family, or community? Or, is your faith hidden where people don’t even know you’re saved?
Our faith should be evident. We should be telling our friends, family members, and coworkers what God has done for us and what He can do for them. We shouldn’t be ashamed to talk about our faith in Christ, and we shouldn’t bow down to this man-made rule of not talking about religion. Actually, we’re not talking about religion. We’re talking about our relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the benefits that come with it. The least we can do is buy a Jesus t-shirt.
Be bold as you talk about your faith in Him. Let people be uncomfortable around you because they don’t have that same relationship with God as you do. Finally, let them know they can have that same relationship with God by leading them to Christ.
#faith #share #Jesus #righteousness #right #with #God #Loved #abundant #life #peace #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo
Isaiah 26:3 NLT You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Philippians 4:8 NLT And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
People’s depression, fear, anxiety, sadness, and other negative thoughts can be resolved by keeping our mind on the Lord. When we allow our minds to wander and we meditate on what we don’t have, what the news is saying, and what experts are saying about the economy, we forfeit our peace. However, if we fix our thoughts on God and His word we’ll maintain our peace.
Some people will say, “I can’t control what enters my mind.” That’s true. We can’t control what enters our mind, but we can control what stays in our mind and what we give our attention to. If we actively resist negative thoughts, we’ll maintain our peace.
It’s a chore to keep our minds on God and His word. There are a lot of things attempting to get our mind’s attention. If we want to maintain this peace that God promised, we must use the Holy Spirit’s help to discipline ourselves to keep our mind on the Lord.
#listen #meditate #God’s #Word #life #strength #fix #mind #thoughts #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
When situations arise, some may say, “I have faith this will happen” or “I have faith things will work out.” That sounds nice, but in order for faith to be effective, it must be grounded in God’s word. If not, it’s just hoping and wishing for favorable outcomes.
Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17). Whatever we’re desiring in faith must be backed by the word of God.
If we’re desiring a better marriage, job, house, or car we can be in faith based on Mark 11:24, which says, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” If we’re in faith for our bodies to be healed, we can focus on 1 Peter 2:24, which says by His stripes we are healed. If we’re in faith for our children to be productive in life, we can stand on Psalm 112:2 which says, “Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.”
Whatever we’re in faith for must have a scripture attached. When what we desire is backed by scripture, it must come to pass because God obligated Himself to bring it pass (Isaiah 55:11).
Hebrews 11:1 NLT Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.
#faith #waiting #hope #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #live #keepgoing #believe #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Psalms 138:2 NKJV I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
As great as God’s name is, He’s magnified His word above His name. What does that mean to us? It means His word holds everything together (Heb. 1:3). His word has to come to pass in our lives. His word gives us hope. His word cannot fail.
There are hundreds of promises in God’s word. If just one those promises didn’t come to pass, everything would crumble and He couldn’t call Himself a faithful God.
It’s important to know God’s word to understand who He is to us, what He’s planned for us, and who we are in Christ. The word is everything.
#Word #of #God #changes #empowers #restores #gives #hope #study #Jesus #Christ #Way #Truth #Life #Spirit #devo #grow #scripture #everyday #devotional
Isaiah 54:9 NLT “Just as I swore in the time of Noah that I would never again let a flood cover the earth, so now I swear that I will never again be angry and punish you.
We all experience difficulties in this life. None of these difficulties is a punishment from God. Every punishment we deserve was put on Jesus (Isaiah 53; Gal. 3:13).
So, the punishment for lying, committing adultery, murder, abuse, drug addiction, and so much more was put on Jesus. Any sin you can think of was put on Jesus and He was punished for that sin. NONE of the punishment is put on us today as believers.
With that being said, there are still natural consequences for sin. If a person lies at work, they could be fired. Or, if a person murders someone, they can go to jail; but that’s not a punishment from God. These are just natural consequences.
Don’t let anyone tell you that God is punishing you for this sin or that sin. God no longer punishes mankind. The penalty of sin has been paid for by Jesus.
#Jesus #paid #all #forgiven #just #believe #trust #God #receive #Christ #walk #free #from #sin #cure #freedom #growth #scripture #devo
Matthew 24:4 NLT Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you,
Jesus tells us not to let anyone mislead us. To be misled means to cause someone to have a wrong idea or impression about someone or something.
Today, we have false doctrines, a great deception, false teachers, and sin being minimized. These are all the things Jesus was referring to regarding being misled (Matt. 24:4-14).
When we agree with what’s being told to us, even if it contradicts the Word, we’re being misled. When we come to the conclusion that we don’t have to be legally married to be with someone, we’re being misled. When we accept that we don’t need the church that Christ built to find God, we’re being misled. Any idea or thought that we accept that doesn’t line up with God’s word is a tool for being misled.
Stay with God’s word, and you’ll never be misled.
#transform #grow #Word #of #God #is #Truth #good #faithful #love #peace #prosper #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
When people think of idolatry, they usually think of worshiping statues, objects, or animals, which is true. Idolatry also includes putting anything before God such as, money, social media, work, or family. If we’re putting these things before God or making them more important than God, that’s idolatry.
Here’s another perspective on idolatry. When people make statements like, “I wouldn’t serve a god who didn’t accept me as I am” or “my god doesn’t allow people to go to hell”, that’s idolatry. They’re creating a god and telling themselves they would only serve him if he fits in their little happy box. Instead, they need to accept the God of the bible and recognize God is love, and everything He’s done is out of love.
If people would truly read the bible, in context, and recognize how loving and good God is, they wouldn’t need to create a god in their mind. He’s already better than we can imagine. The only time people want to create a god is to justify their unholy behavior. But, if they understood that the unholy behavior they want to engage in is detrimental to their lives, they could see a loving God who wants to protect them.
Accept God the way He is and don’t make an idol.
1 John 5:21 NIV Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
#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
1 Peter 3:1-2 NLT In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives.
Whether we know it or not, people are watching us. They’re watching how we carry ourselves, how we handle conflicts, and how we treat others.
What we do could motivate or divert someone from accepting Christ as Lord. If they see us lying, being disrespectful to our spouse, and acting like the world, what motivation do they have to repent and submit to God? However, if they see us respect people who have disrespected us, give to those in need, and work unto the Lord, they’ll see a difference in us and want to know our God.
People are watching. They may not enter a church or listen to a sermon online, but they’re looking for authentic believers who operate in love. Give them something good to observe.
#represent #reflect #Christ #livingexample #receive #share #Jesus #righteousness #life #peace #found #in #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Luke 4:13 NLT When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.
Satan will tempt us the same way he did Jesus. With thoughts, ideas, and suggestions, Satan will tempt us to walk in the flesh. He’ll tempt us to be depressed, be sad, feel inadequate, engage in sexual immorality, look at pornography, etc. We all have something he can tempt us with.
Like Jesus, we must resist Satan by declaring what’s written in the word of God. If it’s depression, we must say “the joy of the Lord is my strength (Neh. 8:10)”. If it’s sexual immorality, we must declare “I walk in the Spirit and do not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16)”. If it’s a bad attitude, we must declare that we have the fruit of the spirit of self-control (Gal.5:23).
Satan’s temptation could last for a couple of hours or a couple of weeks. As long as we resist him and submit to God, we’ll get the victory (James 4:7).
One thing to remember is he’s coming back. He may tempt us with the same thing or something else. It’s our responsibility to be ready for his attacks by equipping ourselves with the word of God. Don’t wait until the attacks happen to arm yourself. When everything is good, stay in God’s word. We’re arming ourselves for another battle.
As long as we’re alive, we’ll face these temptations. Don’t get frustrated or overwhelmed. Use the tools in God’s word to overcome the temptations.
#overcomer #in #Christ #depend #relyon #trust #God #Jesus #Savior #helper #redeemer #restoration #confidence #Spirit #scripture #devotional
Proverbs 1:5 NKJV A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
Wise counsel is greatly undervalued because of pride. People take pride in accomplishing something by themselves with little to no help. But if things don’t turn out like they hoped, they have to dig themselves out of a hole and overcome the temptation of being embarrassed. A lot of unwise choices could’ve been avoided by attaining wise counsel.
The first wise counsel should be from God. The Holy Spirit is our counselor and He will show you things to come (John 16:13; John 14:26). He’s not the only counsel we should seek, but He’s the first. He may give us the guidance we need to be successful or instruct us to attain additional wise counsel from others.
When we seek wise counsel from others, be transparent with your plans, be mature enough to accept constructive criticism, and be humble enough to make adjustments.
Let’s minimize the unwise choices we make by seeking wise counsel.
#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
Acts of the Apostles 4:11-12 NLT For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
There are people who like to include all religions when it comes to God. They’ll say, “There are many pathways to God, Jesus is just one of those pathways.” That’s a lie. As peaceful as they make Buddha seem and as disciplined as the Muslim seems, their pathway doesn’t lead to the true and living God. There’s only one way to God, and that’s through Jesus Christ.
Jesus was born from a virgin by the incorruptible seed of God. He lived a perfect life and fulfilled the law of Moses. He died a death meant for every sinner. And our belief in His sacrifice for us gives us a direct pathway to God.
As loving as it seems to include everyone when it comes to God, if they haven’t made Jesus Christ Lord over their lives, they don’t know God. Encourage those around you to make Jesus Christ, Lord, so that they can have a real relationship with God.
#receive #share #Jesus #righteousness #right #with #God #Loved #abundance #life #peace #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
God is not solely interested in behavior modification. God is interested in a relationship with us through Jesus Christ. As we develop our relationship with Him and become more intimate with Him, our behavior will modify itself.
A lot of Christians stay stuck on behavior modification as the only way of pleasing God. In their minds, the more they can do right, the more God is pleased. The problem with this mindset is in our flesh, behavior modification has no end, and it can be exploited by Satan.
If someone starts on a journey of behavior modification, they’ll start with the obvious things such as no drinking, smoking, cursing, or sexual immorality. Then, they’ll move on to modifying what they watch and listen to. If they get past that, they’ll need to work on being critical, judgemental, or negative. Another layer is being kind and being a blessing. The list goes on and on.
A lot of people try to modify their behavior using only will power. Where is God when will power is used? Now, we’re back to keeping the law, which was only designed to show us how sinful we are and our need for a Savior (Rom. 3:20).
At the same time, Satan will point out our faults and attempt to make us feel condemned or guilty. For some, this guilt and condemnation is too much, and they find themselves giving up on pleasing God altogether. Or, they’ll pick and choose what they can do in their own strength.
Behavior modification is good as long as it coincides with a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. When we internalize what He’s done for us, we don’t want to dishonor Him. As we get closer to Him, He’ll tell us what areas to work on without guilt or condemnation, and He’ll empower us to do what pleases Him (Rom. 8:1; Phil. 2:13). He’ll remind us of our forgiveness through Jesus Christ if we miss the mark (Heb. 8:12). And He’ll let us know how much we’re loved (Eph. 5:2).
Let’s not get so focused on behavior modification without developing a relationship with God. Continously develop your relationship with God, and your behavior will change.
Philippians 2:13 NLT For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.
#real #change #transform #grow #permission #to #evolve #mature #progress #God #is #good #faithful #love #peace #prosper #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
2 Corinthians 2:14 NLT But thank God! He has made us His captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now He uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.
As born-again believers, our responsibility is to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere. In order for us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, we must know the knowledge of Christ. The knowledge of Christ is in God’s word.
Some believers like to spread what they heard from church or what a family member told them. They may or may not be true. Get in God’s word and personally obtain the knowledge of Christ.
Once the knowledge of Christ is obtained, we can accurately spread it with boldness everywhere. We can spread it at the store, the airport, or at school. Wherever the Holy Spirit is leading you, spread the knowledge of Christ like sweet perfume. Be a fragrance spreader for the Kingdom of God.
#share #Jesus #God #Holy #Spirit #be #kind #show #love #speak #life #Christ #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
1 John 4:16 NLT We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
Trust in God’s love. Trust that everything He does for us is because He loves us. Trust that every immediate blessing or delayed blessing is because of His love for us.
It’s easy to trust in His love when we receive blessings immediately, but it can be a little more difficult to trust in His love when we experience delays. When delayed manifestations happen, it’s not because God is mad at us or because we don’t have enough faith. It’s often related to optimal timing where getting that blessing any sooner would hurt us or hurt those around us. So, when we trust in His love, we’ll realize every delay is for our good.
It’s beneficial to trust in God and trust in His love. Trusting in His love means we trust everything He does in our lives.
#faith #waiting #hope #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #live #keepgoing #believe #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Hebrews 2:1 NLT So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.
There are things that are vying for our attention. Everything vying for our attention is not necessarily a bad thing, but it could distract us from listening to the truth.
There’s social media, shows on Netflix, sports, and gaming. If we spend most of our time with these things, we have no anchor. If we have no anchor, we can find ourselves drifting away from the things of God.
Be sure these things are not pulling you away from spending time with God. If we don’t listen to God’s word, we can’t apply it to our lives. If we can’t apply it, we can’t reap the benefits from it. These things keep us firm in faith, established in love, and resilient.
Spend time with God and don’t drift away.
#time #priorities #Holy #Spirit #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #God #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Hebrews 2:1 NLT So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.
John 17:17 says, “God’s word is truth.” If we don’t consistently listen to God’s word, we may drift away. We can find ourselves doing things we have no business doing, listening to things we shouldn’t be listening to, and saying things we shouldn’t be saying.
Drifting away doesn’t always include “big” sins such as, sexual immorality or murder, but it could include a callous heart towards people, a negative attitude, or doubt.
Listening to and studying God’s word keeps us close to Him, and it produces the faith we need to overcome the world (Romans 10:17; 1 John 5:4).
#transform #grow #Word #of #God #is #Truth #good #faithful #love #peace #prosper #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
John 17:17 NIV Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
People say facts, but call it truth. They’ll say they’re sick, the country is going to hell, they’re struggling financially, they’re depressed, or they’re worried.
These may be facts, but it’s not the truth. The things in God’s word are the truth. Using the same examples from above, the truth is we’re healed (1 Pet. 2:24), this nation is blessed (Ps. 33:12), we’re abundantly supplied (2 Cor. 9:8), we have joy (Gal. 5:22), or we’re worry-free (1 Pet. 5:7).
What God says about us in His word is the truth. To fully benefit from this truth, there are a few things we must do. First, we must be saved (Rom. 10:9). None of this works without salvation. Secondly, we must believe in the finished works of Jesus. Everything that comes with salvation is ours. Finally, we must act on what we believe. There are a few things we must do to display our belief and trust in God’s word.
Here are some examples. Through our salvation we’re healed, being abundantly supplied is connected with our giving, and being worry-free is associated with giving our cares to God.
Once we’ve done our part of accepting Jesus Christ as Lord, believe in the finished works of Jesus, and act on His word, we can boldly tell the truth.
God’s word is truth. Stop magnifying facts and tell the truth.
#transform #grow #Word #of #God #is #Truth #good #faithful #love #peace #prosper #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
James 4:2 NIV You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.
If God requires us to ask for what we want or else we won’t have it, surely we need to ask each other for what we want or else we won’t get it.
So many people are going without simply because they haven’t asked. People are remaining single because they haven’t asked the person they’re attracted to if they’re single. People are not receiving a raise because they didn’t ask their supervisor for it. People are not being fulfilled in marriages because they’re not asking their spouse to love them the way they want to be loved.
Some of us don’t ask because we don’t want to get disappointed. However, when we rely on the timing and the favor of God, we’ll never be disappointed. For instance, if we’re seeking a promotion at work, we ask God first. As soon as we asked God, we know we have it (1 John 5:14-15). Now, we seek God on the timing to ask our boss for that promotion. God may tell us to ask them next Friday. From the time we received our instructions, we’re in expectation for the favor of God to work on our behalf. When next Friday comes, we ask our boss and they agree to our promotion.
Someone may ask, “What if you don’t get the promotion on Friday?” We stay in faith, expecting the favor of God to work on the heart of our boss and/or expect the favor of God to bring additional resources into the company that will supply the finances for our promotion.
Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. We have God, His word, His favor, and angels working on our behalf.
#faith #waiting #hope #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #live #keepgoing #believe #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Romans 3:21-22 NLT But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 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.
So many people want to add something to what Jesus has done to equal righteousness.
They want to add Jesus + Behavior Modification, Jesus + Fasting, Jesus + Church Attendance, or Jesus + Bible Reading.
All of these are good, but they don’t need to be added to Jesus to become righteous. Our belief in Jesus paying for our sins on the cross and our belief in His resurrection making intercession for us makes us righteous. Everything else is a byproduct of our righteousness.
Don’t get me wrong, changing bad behavior and reading the Bible are good things, but that doesn’t produce righteousness. Our belief in Jesus alone makes us righteous.
#receive #Jesus #righteousness #right #with #God #Loved #abundance #life #peace #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Proverbs 17:9 NLT Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.
People will do things that can hurt us. It could be parents, spouses, children, or close friends.
Regardless of what they do, it’s highly necessary to forgive them. We don’t forgive them because of how kind we are. We forgive them because of God’s love, grace, and forgiveness towards us. Forgiveness also gives us peace of mind.
On the other hand, not forgiving them and dwelling on what they’ve done to us will cause separation and division. Our unforgiveness doesn’t represent God or His forgiveness towards us. Unforgiveness also takes a toll on us mentally, emotionally, and physically.
There is no benefit in living in unforgiveness. Forgiveness represents God and His love.
#God #helps #us #forgive #be #free #release #hurt #loveothers #Jesus #Christ #loves #scripture #devo #Bible #growth
Psalms 22:24 NLT For He has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned His back on them, but has listened to their cries for help.
When we face difficult situations and hardships, Satan likes to accuse God of ignoring our cries for help. That’s a lie.
God has not, nor will He ever, ignore our cries for help. Even if we haven’t done everything right and we put ourselves in that unfortunate circumstance, God will help us by providing instructions to overcome.
Our way of escape may not come immediately, but as we listen to His voice and follow His plan instead of ours, we’ll experience victory.
Don’t let the enemy lie to you. God hears our cries for help, and He’s there to rescue us every time.
#faith #waiting #hope #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #live #keepgoing #believe #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Ephesians 4:23 NLT Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
When we get saved, our spirits are born-again. However, our thoughts and attitudes are still the same.
In order to change our thoughts and attitudes, we must allow the Holy Spirit to change them. The Holy Spirit will tell us not to say something, apologize to that person, don’t watch that reel, or forgive him or her. The Holy Spirit can only make suggestions. Ultimately, it’s up to us to apply His suggestions to our lives.
The Holy Spirit’s instructions will agree with the written word of God. He’s not going to tell us to get them back, worry about that, or treat someone better than someone else. Everything He tells us will align with the word of God.
Renewing our thoughts and attitudes is a lifelong process. Don’t think you have ever arrived. As long as we can be negatively influenced by the flesh, the Holy Spirit will be there to counter those influences with the word of God.
#transform #grow #permission #to #evolve #change #mature #progress #God #is #good #faithful #love #peace #prosper #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have the victory. Through Jesus Christ, we have the victory.
We have the victory over everything. We have the victory over sickness, victory over impatience, victory over lack, victory over fear, and victory over drama. Any negative situation we’re experiencing, through Christ we have the victory.
Our victory is not automatic. Our victory comes from believing who we are in Christ, believing what we have in Christ, and acting on what we believe through our speech and Holy Spirit-led actions. This is known as faith. By faith, we have the victory over everything.
Stop looking at negative situations and circumstances thinking this is your new normal. If it doesn’t line up with the word of God, by faith, change it and have a victorious life.
In the name of Jesus, we have the victory!
#victory #by #faith #in #Jesus #trust #God #first #enjoy #life #love #experience #Spirit #freedom #Christ #new #scripture #Word #devotional #blessing #people #growth
Isaiah 55:9 NLT For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
A lot of the things in the Kingdom of God are counterintuitive. We give to get, mentally let go of our concerns to get them handled, forgive and love to be healed of hurt, and don’t react to receive vengeance. This goes against everything in our flesh and everything we’ve been taught in society. This is so counterintuitive until it doesn’t compute in the minds of some people, believers included.
Regardless of whether it computes or not, this is the way in the Kingdom of God. We are either going to comply with it or risk forfeiting some Kingdom benefits. By not complying, we’ll forfeit peace of mind, abundance in finances, our health related to unforgiveness, and we limit God’s ability in our lives because we don’t trust His ways.
This is not a heaven or hell issue. This is a quality of life issue. We’ll go to heaven holding on to everything we have, worrying about everything, and living in unforgiveness, but the quality of our lives will be poor. Start trusting the ways of God and enjoy the abundant life He wants you to have (John 10:10).
Proverbs 16:3 AMPC Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.
#peace #quality #life #more #abundantly #trust #God #first #enjoy #Jesus #love #experience #Spirit #freedom #Christ #new #scripture #Word #devotional #blessing #people #growth
2 Samuel 9:7 NIV “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”
For those who don’t know, Johnathan was a great friend to David. When Johnathan’s father, king Saul, lost his mind and tried to kill David, Johnathan would warn David of king Saul’s intentions. When David became king, he desired to show kindness to anyone in King Saul’s linage for Johnathan’s sake.
It’s important to be kind and loving to everyone simply because we’re children of a kind and loving God. But our kindness could potentially impact people associated with us.
Our child may get a job based on how we treated the hiring manager’s father when we worked at that company. Our grandchildren could receive unexpected money from the church receptionist based on our positive interactions with her. Even when we leave this earth, God will ensure that someone associated with us will reap the harvest from the positive seeds we’ve sown.
So, be kind to all because our kindness will be a blessing to people associated with us.
#plant #sow #kindness #watch #it #grow #Jesus #Holy #Spirit #trust #God #is #generous #love #life #Christ #love #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #blessing #people #growth
2 Peter 1:12-13 NLT Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live.
As believers, we will hear similar messages from ministers. Familiar topics include salvation, faith, forgiveness, love, and holiness. Don’t minimize messages you’ve heard before. View them as reminders.
God’s word is always giving birth to new revelation on similar topics. He may reveal something to us in a scripture we’ve never seen before. Also, Romans 10:17 says, faith comes by continously hearing. So, don’t tune out messages you’ve heard before. These messages are building your faith.
These reminders have been divinely placed in our lives to help us grow in those areas. These reminders can help us learn it to the point where we can teach others.
Praise God for His reminders in His word.
#refresh #renew #listen #again #hear #Word #Life #Jesus #Christ #receive #revelation #freedom #Spirit #of #God #fall #fresh #scripture #devo #grow
Psalms 57:2 NLT I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill His purpose for me.
A big question a lot of us have is, what’s my purpose? Is it sports, entertainment, the medical field, ministry, graphic design, or something else?
Instead of living in wonder or going from industry to industry trying to see what feels right, go to God who fulfills His purpose for us. When we surrender ourselves to Him and become a willing vessel, He’ll tell us our purpose. He’ll tell us what major we should have in college and what industry He wants us to be in. If we’re beyond school, He’ll tell us our purpose based on where we are currently. It’s never too late.
It’s just wise for us to go to our Creator to see why He created us. Go to God for purpose.
#purpose #filled #life #ask #Spirit #led #trust #God #is #directing #leading #guiding #us #love #life #Jesus #Christ #obey #thrive #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Has God ever told you to do something and you didn’t see the point? For instance, He may have told you to wear a red shirt. Out of obedience, you wore it, but nothing really happened. No one complimented you in it. There wasn’t anyone you could share the gospel with because they commented on it, and you didn’t see anyone you could give it to. When you get home, in your head, you’re saying, what’s the point?
This is obedience practice. In obedience practice, God teaches us a few things.
1. We practice sensitizing our spiritual ears to know God’s voice. John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
2. We practice denying our flesh. You may have wanted to wear the blue shirt that day, or the white shirt would be more logical based on how hot it is, but you denied the flesh and submitted to God’s will.
3. When we obey, we practice being in expectation to receive good from God. Isaiah 1:19 says, “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land.” God promises good will happen when we obey so, even if nothing immediately happens because we wore a red shirt, we can expect something good from God.
Ultimately, we’ll be put in a serious situation where our obedience matters, and we’ll be able to make the right decision. We’ll know His voice, we’ll deny logic and how we feel about the situation, and we’ll expect good results.
Don’t dismiss the seemingly insignificant things God tells you to do. It’s obedience practice, and it will benefit in the long run.
Acts 9:10-11 NLT Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now.
#peace #Spirit #HolySpirit #trust #God #is #directing #leading #guiding #us #love #life #Jesus #Christ #obey #thrive #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Ephesians 5:12 NLT It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.
Did you hear, Lisa cheated on John. I heard John started selling weed to make a little extra money. John’s brother, Roy, got locked up for doing the same thing. That whole family is a mess.
No, what’s a mess is a believer gossiping about the things ungodly people do in secret.
If we know someone is not saved, how do you expect them to act? A sinner will sin. Instead of talking about them behind their backs, go talk to them about making Jesus Lord over their lives, pray for their deliverance from the enemy, or see if they’ll go to church with you.
Don’t spread awareness of the problem. Lead them to The Solution to their problems. Lead them to Christ.
#share #Jesus #God #Holy #Spirit #be #kind #show #love #speak #life #Christ #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
1 Timothy 5:17-18 NLT Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”
There have been pastors and preachers who took money that was designated for church affairs for themselves. The media highlighted it, the pastor went to jail, and now a lot of people don’t give to the church or they’re very skeptical when giving.
At the same time, there are pastors who work hard, ensuring their congregation and communities have meals, money to pay their rent, clothes, transportation, spiritual and natural education, visits at the hospital, funerals, and so much more. The media doesn’t cover it, but because of the pastors mentioned above, people don’t give to the church or the pastors doing the hard work.
It’s wise to know where our money goes, which is why we should attend a church with full transparency. But if we see our pastors working hard for the congregation and the community, why not pay them? With the sacrifices they make, why shouldn’t they be living comfortably?
Don’t be deceived into not giving to the church, thinking all preachers are taking people’s money. Do your homework and check to see if the pastor and the church are doing what they said. If they are, pay the preacher.
#God #first #Kingdom #giving #Holy #Spirit #generous #kind #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo
God instructs us to pray, study His word, fast, and be led by the Holy Spirit. These things are designed to constantly develop a more intimate relationship with God.
Some of us don’t value or see the benefit of following these instructions. We put other things in front of the things of God. We put things that are appealing to our flesh, such as TV, games, social media, and socializing with our friends. It’s difficult to develop an intimate relationship with God when we only read a quick devotion, maybe a verse or two from the bible, and 60 seconds of prayer. If we truly understood the benefit of the things of God, we would do it more often.
As we seek and prioritize the things of God, we not only develop a solid relationship with God, but we’ll receive guidance and direction for our lives, we’ll have more peace and wisdom, and we’ll position ourselves to receive everything God has promised (Matthew 6:33; John 16:13; Isaiah 26:3; 1 Corinthians 2:12-14).
Let’s maximize our time with the things of God to further develop our relationship with our loving Father.
James 4:8 NLT Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
#time #priorities #God #first #Holy #Spirit #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
1 Thessalonians 5:18 PEV Always thank God, no matter what happens to you. You see, you belong to Jesus Christ, so God wants you to do those things.
Some people let situations steal their thankfulness. They could have been recently divorced, laid off a job, struggling financially, or their children are misbehaving. One may think they’re exempt from being thankful. They’re not. We can always find a reason to be thankful. Certain situations make thankfulness difficult to find, but it’s possible.
If a person got a divorce, they can be thankful there won’t be any arguments in front of the children. Got laid off? Be thankful God promised to supply all our needs and we’ve developed some work experience (Phil. 4:19). If you’re struggling financially, be thankful for the wisdom and discipline to budget the little finances you have. Be thankful your financial struggles won’t last forever. If your child is misbehaving, be thankful you have a child.
There will always be a reason to thank God. We just have to put our emotions aside and give God thanks for what He’s done.
#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
A lot of us are busy. We either internally make ourselves busy to pass the time, or we’re organically busy based on the life we’ve established.
Our busyness is a detriment to hearing the voice of God. God is constantly speaking to us, but we’re so busy until we can’t hear His voice. We’re too busy if don’t have time to sit still and have a conversation with God. If the only time we talk to God is when we’re multitasking with other things, we’re too busy.
God wants us to handle our responsibilities, but if our responsibilities come between us and Him, we need to let some things go. We need to reduce our social media time, limit the activities we put our children in, reduce our social activities to one night a week, or minimize the games we play.
Whatever needs to be done to consistently have quality time with God is what we need to do. This includes getting up earlier, staying up later, fasting once a month, or just saying no to some things.
Let’s unbusy ourselves to spend time with our loving Father.
Luke 9:18a (NLT) One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone…
#time #priorities #Holy #Spirit #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #God #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Proverbs 6:16-17 AMPC These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
One of the things God hates is a proud look or a spirit that makes one overestimate themselves and underestimate others.
The world will try and make you think that you’re better than someone else because of your financial status, education, the amount of influence you have, or the house you live in. God hates it if we take on that spirit of superiority. No matter how educated we are, and no matter how much money we have, we are not better than ANYONE else.
In the body of Christ, there are people who take on this spirit of superiority. There are believers who see other believers struggling with sin, but because they don’t sin like they do, they internally elevate themselves above that person. There is no sin greater than another. We’re all one Jesus away from eternal damnation, so there’s no reason to make ourselves appear superior based on anything we’ve done. Don’t look down on them. God hates that. Pray with and for them.
Leave this proud spirit of superiority in hell. It doesn’t benefit the Kingdom of God, and it doesn’t benefit any of us.
#saved #by #faith #God #is #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Isaiah 42:8 NLT “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.
God will not, nor should He, share His glory with anyone or anything else.
When something good happens to us, give Him all the glory. Don’t split His glory with counselors, medicine, mentors, education, supervisors, or our experience. Give Him all the glory.
Of course, we can honor the people God used to help us, but ultimately the glory belongs to Him (Rom. 13:7).
For every good thing that happens to us, let’s give Him all the glory and praise.
#share #tellit #magnify #God #is #greaterthan #sickness #problems #life #all #glory #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth
Graced To Do God's Will 