Graced To Do God's Will

@everydaygodswill

2 Timothy 2:25-26 NLT Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

The fear of being judgmental has paralyzed some individuals in the body of Christ. They fear being honest with someone because they don’t want to lose a friend, cause tension, or strain a relationship.

As we can see, the bible lets us know we can LOVINGLY address someone’s choices that go against God’s word without being judgmental. Our goal is not to judge but to LOVINGLY bring up decisions that are leading to their destruction. Whether they listen or not is irrelevant. We’ve told them the truth in love, and now, we let the Holy Spirit continue to do His job and lead them down a path to repentance.

So, if someone you know is using drugs, drinking excessively, cheating on their spouse, practicing sexual immorality, or even eating too much and the Holy Spirit is instructing you to talk to them about their choices, don’t be afraid. Because we love them and want better for their lives, we should tell them the truth in love. 

#be #bold #kind #listen #live #abundant #life #in #Christ #truth #honest #share #tellit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #problems #Jesus #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #TheWay #Truth

@everydaygodswill

John 14:16 NLT And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.

This Advocate Jesus is referring to is the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, the Holy Spirit WILL NEVER leave us.

Some people like to create their own rules for the Holy Spirit. They believe the Holy Spirit is present in a person’s life when they’re doing right and living holy, but if that person does one too many things wrong, they’ll say, “they don’t have the Holy Spirit” or “the Holy Spirit left that person.” Jesus DID NOT put any behavior qualifications on the presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life. Jesus said the Holy Spirit will never leave us.

The Holy Spirit is an Advocate. The biblical definition of advocate is a helper. When someone has lost their way, who else do you think is present to lead them back on track? It’s the Holy Spirit.

So contrary to certain people’s opinion, the Holy Spirit is not coming and going based on our behavior. Jesus said the Holy Spirit will never leave us. Believe God’s word over anything else.

#Holy #Spirit #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #God #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Luke 8:11 NLT “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word.

God’s word is a seed. When we plant God’s word in our hearts, it supernaturally grows.

Like any natural seed, maintenance is necessary to ensure growth. We ensure the seed grows by hearing God’s word, meditation on God’s word, and confession of God’s word (Rom. 10:17, Josh. 1:8, 2 Cor. 4:13). This is necessary because the devil and the cares of life will try to steal this seed.

Satan will throw thoughts of doubt in our heads and give us every reason why the seeds we’ve planted won’t grow. He’ll tell us we’re unqualified for it, we’re too old, we’re past our prime, look how long it’s taking, we only make so much in this economy, etc. These thoughts are designed to steal the seed. As long as we don’t accept these thoughts by doubting in our hearts, the seed will continue to grow (Mark 11:23). However, if we agree with these negative thoughts, the seed will never grow. We’ll know if we agreed with Satan and doubted in our hearts because we’ll say these doubts out loud and/or we’ve stopped confessing and meditating on God’s word.

Believe the word of God and don’t allow doubt to steal the seed.

Luke 8:15 NLT And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

#plant #the #Word #Bible #watch #it #grow #Jesus #Spirit #HolySpirit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #problems #self #love #life #Christ #love #new #goodness #scripture #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Luke 8:11 NLT “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word.

God’s word is a seed. When we plant God’s word in our hearts, it supernaturally grows.

For instance, if something happens to our bodies where we’re experiencing pain, there’s seed in 1 Peter 2:24 that says by His stripes we are healed. We take that seed of God’s word, plant it in our hearts through our belief, and expect a harvest of a healed body.

Another is Proverbs 11:25, which says, “the generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” As we’re generous towards the Kingdom of God and people, we’ve sown a seed. We can expect that seed to develop into our prosperity. 

The bible is full of seeds we can sow into our hearts. Find some seeds from the word of God that you would like to see develop in your life, plant it through your belief, and expect it to grow. 

#plant #the #Word #Bible #watch #it #grow #Jesus #Spirit #HolySpirit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #problems #self #love #life #Christ #love #new #goodness #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

John 16:23 NLT At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.

Jesus lets us know we have direct access to the Father. We don’t pray to Jesus, the mother of Jesus, or angels. Through His name, we have the authority to speak directly to the Father.

We don’t need a priest or minister to do our talking for us. As born-again believers, we can approach God directly because we’re just as righteous and holy as any minister or priest. 

Go to God directly with your needs, desires, dilemmas, and disorder and allow Him to be your answer.

#bigger #than #problems #talk #to #God #plus #Jesus #Life #found #in #Christ #Spirit #new #faith #direct #communication #nolimits #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #salvation #eternal #eternity #live #forever

@everydaygodswill

Imagine this. You’re at a restaurant you frequent 3 times a month. You know the waiting staff, they know your name, and you know all about the place. A person comes up to you wanting to know where the restrooms are located. You direct them to the back and tell them it’s to the left on the other side of that plant. The same way you directed that person to the restroom is the same way we can direct someone to Christ.

To lead others to Christ, the best thing we can do is get to know Him ourselves. We can’t lead people to Someone we don’t know. We get to know Jesus through His word. In His word, we can read about what He’s done for us and how much He loves us. We can also get to know Him by spending time with His Father. Jesus and the Father are one (John 10:30). When we get to know the Father, we get to know the Son.

Once we spend quality time with the Father and His word, like an usher, we can easily direct people to Christ.

God cares about people, and He doesn’t want anyone to go to hell (2 Pet. 3:9). Be the guides for God leading others to Christ.

Matthew 28:19-20 NLT Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

#share #tellit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #sickness #problems #self #share #love #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Isaiah 30:21 NLT Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.

Isaiah prophesied about a time where we will be led by the Lord. We’re living in that time now through the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:14). We don’t have to do anything on our own. We can get God involved in all our our decisions.

We can let Him tell us when to go and when to stay. We can let Him decide what we should wear. We can have Him tell us when to buy a new car. And we can let Him tell us who to marry and when we should get married.

A lot of our decisions have pros and cons. They also can seem logical no matter how you look at it. Instead of guessing what you should do next or how you should do it, consult with the Holy Spirit and let Him tell you what to do in all things.

#peace #Spirit #HolySpirit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #problems #self #love #life #Jesus #Christ #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

2 Corinthians 7:8-9 NLT I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.

If we truly love someone and we want to see them change for the better, we’ll have to have difficult conversations with them.

It could be a conversation from a parent to a child about the foolish choices they’re making. It could be a conversation from a child to a parent on how their criticism makes them feel. It could be a conversation (not an argument) between a husband and a wife on how they can improve. It can even be a conversation from a believer to an unbeliever about salvation.

Difficult conversations are necessary if we want to see improvements in a person’s life. Don’t be afraid to have conversations with these people and let the Holy Spirit tell you what to say.

#be #bold #kind #listen #receive #Christ #Savior #salvation #share #tellit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #problems #self #love #life #Jesus #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #TheWay #Truth

@everydaygodswill

There’s Christianity, but people say Christianity is a copy of a more ancient religion. There’s Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. There are people who follow the stars and people who call on their ancestors. These are just a few options people can choose for their spiritual journey.

With so many spiritual options, there are some who don’t know what to believe, so they ignore everything spiritual, focus on the natural, and make statements like, “I’m not religious.” They may live decent lives, being kind to people and being a productive member of society, but living a good life and ignoring THE only One who can save WILL NOT keep that person out of hell.

Some may think that’s harsh or unfair, but The Way out of hell has been put on the table and that person chose to reject it.

There’s a reason most people aren’t on street corners encouraging people to turn to Hinduism, but they are for Christ. There’s a reason most people aren’t being mocked, spat on, arrested, or killed for sharing the message of Islam, but they’re willing to for Christ.

Jesus paid the ultimate price to exchange our sin for His righteousness. All He wants us to do is accept that payment through our belief in Him as Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” When we believe, we’ll be saved and destined to heaven.

John 14:6 NLT Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.

#listen #receive #Christ #Savior #salvation #share #tellit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #sickness #problems #self #love #life #Jesus #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #TheWay #Truth

@everydaygodswill

2 Timothy 2:7 NLT Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.

When it comes to spiritual and natural matters, God will help you understand. He’ll help you understand why this happened, and why that didn’t happen, and why it took so long. No need to run to a psychic or check your horoscope. All understanding can be found in God.

Contrary to religious beliefs, we can ask God questions for clarity. He’s not unreasonable or too proud to answer our questions. A God who can’t answer questions is not a God worth serving.

From understanding statistics in school to understanding why your father died when you were young, seek God’s help on anything you don’t understand and be in faith for the answer.

#seek #God #first #above #all #ask #wisdom #in #Christ #Jesus #have #faith #belief #scripture #devo #bible #growth

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 77:10-12 NLT And I said, “This is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me.” But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.

When we’re going through a difficult situation, the devil will throw thoughts in our mind that contradict God’s nature and His will for our lives.

Satan will tell us God’s not listening, He’s turned His back on you, this situation may be too much for God to fix, or this promise is not meant for you. As always, he’s a liar.

When those contrary thoughts come, take the time to remember what God has done in your life. Remember how He healed your body, remember how He blessed you with that job, remember how you received favor with your supervisor, and remember how much peace God gave you during that last difficult situation. Not only remember those things, but keep them constantly in your thoughts.

As we recall all that God has done for us, we can be encouraged that He’ll do it again and again and again. Don’t let the devil win the battle of the mind. Recall what God has done and be in faith that He’ll do it again.

#faithful #God #keeps #His #promises #trust #Jesus #have #faith #keep #believing #recall #goodness #scripture #devo #bible #growth

@everydaygodswill

2 Timothy 2:9-10 NLT And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained. So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.

Paul endured some terrible things for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, and kicked out of a city for preaching the gospel. How could he endure those things and still keep going? He made Christ bigger than himself and bigger than his suffering.

Most of us won’t go through half the stuff Paul went through to spread the gospel, but we still may go through some things. We may lose some friends, have to overcome embarrassment and rejection, endure name calling, and possibly physical attacks.

Some of us may look at this list and tell ourselves sharing the gospel isn’t worth going through these things. The way we overcome this mindset is to make Christ bigger than all the things we can possibly endure. Make Him bigger than embarrassment, fear of rejection, and our reputation.

The way we make Christ bigger is to read and meditate on all the things He’s done for us. This will build a greater appreciation for what He’s done and get us to the point where our appreciation is bigger than our reputation or feelings.

Share the gospel with anyone God puts on your heart and make Christ bigger than anything else.

#share #tellit #trust #God #is #greaterthan #sickness #problems #self #share #love #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Definition
Protocol – the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions.

Psalms 100:4 NLT Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name.

The protocol for entering God’s presence is with thanksgiving and praise.

Before asking for a thing, thank God for what He’s done. Thank Him for food, clothes, and shelter. Thank Him for that raise you got last month, praise Him for His love you receive from your family, and thank Him for someone to talk to when things are tough.

This is not a law. Obviously, if we need Him immediately, we can always go to God and say, “help!” However, if time permits, let’s show our appreciation to God for what He’s done before we provide a list of our needs and desires.

#saythanks #say #thankyou #grateful #gratitude #God #is #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

2 Corinthians 7:5-6 NLT When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.

Bills that are overdue, children fighting sickness, desires not being received in the time we expected, and goals not being achieved can leave us discouraged. Discouragement may tempt some of us to give up on God and for others, discouragement may tempt us to give up on life altogether.

Instead of doing either, when life gets difficult, look to the One who encourages us. Look to our Heavenly Father. Ask Him the questions you really want to know. How come this happened? And, why did that happen? We’re not questioning God in doubt. We’re questioning Him for information.

Once He provides an answer, accept that answer and continue to trust Him. Trust that He will make all of this discouragement work out for your good (Rom. 8:28). Trust that His plans are still to prosper you and not to harm you (Jer. 29:11). Remember to give all your cares to Him (1 Pet. 5:7).

As we continue to rely on our Father, discouragement will turn into encouragement. And our encouragement will motivate us to reach our full potential.

#discouragement #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

@everydaygodswill

Every now and then, you have to give yourself a pep talk. A pep talk is nothing new. It’s been around from the beginning. For the believer, a pep talk is nothing more than saying what God says about you.

Situations can have you feeling like you can’t accomplish your goals or have your dreams. That’s when a pep talk is in order. We have to tell ourselves that we can make it, with God all things are possible, and don’t give up because we’ll reap a harvest if we don’t quit.

These kinds of pep talks do two things. They remind us where our help comes from (God) and they keep our faith alive.

It’s not weird to talk to yourself. They do it in sports and other competitions, so why not do it to faith fight for your dreams? If you feel like your faith is low, give yourself a pep talk.

1 Samuel 17:46 NLT Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!

Romans 8:37 NIV No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

#have #faith #wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Hebrews 10:14 says, we were made holy through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:15 says, but now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. So which is right? Are we made holy or do we have to be holy. The answer is both.

2 Corinthians 7:1 Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.

We are tripartite beings. We are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body. When we get born-again, our spirits are the only thing that is holy and righteous. Our souls and bodies are still waiting to be transformed. Our bodies won’t be transformed until we’re in the presence of the Lord, but our souls can be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2).

It’s our responsibility to renew our minds with the word of God. The good news is the Holy Spirit will help us (Eph. 4:23). As we renew our minds, we’re exercising holiness. We’re following the scriptures and being (continuous process) holy.

We’re not being holy to be approved or accepted by God. That was done through our acceptance of Jesus Christ. We’re being holy to respect and honor God. Our holy behavior is a way to say, thank You for all You’ve done. Our holy or unholy behavior is not putting us in heaven or hell, but it is a way to reverence God and appreciate the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ.

So, receive your holiness through Jesus Christ and be holy to show your appreciation for all He’s done.

#God #is #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Ephesians 4:22-23 NLT throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

When we get born-again, our spirit is brand new however, our soul and flesh are still the same. So, if we had challenges with lust before, we’ll still have challenges with lust after salvation. If we had problems with anger before, we’ll most likely have problems with anger after. There are some instances where habits and temptations can be totally removed from our lives, but for the most part, they’ll still be the same.

In order for our soul (mind, will, imagination, emotions, and intellect) to change, we must renew our minds (Romans 12:2). God, being the loving Father that He is, won’t make us do this by ourselves. His Spirit will help us renew our thoughts and attitudes.

The Holy Spirit will help us control our emotions when we want to curse someone out or punch them in the face. God’s Spirit will provide another alternative instead of looking at pornography on the computer. He’ll help us lose weight, be financially wise, and be a better parent.

Our responsibility is to listen to the Spirit and do what He says. His instructions may seem strange and go against how we feel, but if we obey, we’ll act in ways that honor and please God.

#mind #renewal #draw #near #to #God #victory #through #Christ #success #Jesus #bebetter #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Before someone opens a business of any kind, they see that business being successful. They see lots of customers, they see themselves shipping their products, or they see their business in multiple locations. The positive images they see motivate them to actually open a business.

In the first year, what they actually see may contradict what they envisioned. The customers may not be lined up out the door, the product may not be shipping out, and they’re barely making enough to maintain what they have now.

The business owner has a decision to make. Will they close down their business or hold on to the successful image they’ve envisioned and continue on? Unless they’re out of money, most entrepreneurs wouldn’t let contradicting things stop their quest for success.

For the believer, we have a book of promises from Almighty God that He wants us to put in our imagination. He wants us to see ourselves healed, forgiven, blessed, and prosperous in all things. As we meditate on His promises, these promises should motivate us to believe for them to come to pass in our lives. Like most businesses, we’ll have things that contradict God’s promises. Our bodies may experience sicknesses, our finances may appear limited, and our marriages may seem toxic.

During this contradiction, we have a decision to make. Will we give up on our faith based on the contradictions or will we allow those promises we meditated on to encourage us to keep our faith in God’s word?

A mature believer will continue on regardless of the contradictions they see. An immature believer will accept what they see and say those promises aren’t meant to be. Which one are you?

Hold on to God’s promises regardless of what you see and watch them come to pass in your life.

2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

#have #faith #wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

John 4:50 NIV‬ “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at His word and departed.

Take God at His word. Stop looking for signs and confirmation from people that God’s word will come pass. If He said it, that’s what He will do.

It doesn’t matter if you’re in your 40s, if your desire is to have a baby, He will give you the desires of your heart (Mark 11:24).
If you’ve been dealing with back pain for 60 years, take God’s word and start confessing you’re healed (1 Peter 2:24).

Stop accepting whatever life throws at you and doubting God’s word to overcome it. God’s word is greater than anything else.

#have #faith #wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #power #authority #through #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

In this world, things will happen. Air conditioning units have to be repaired, cars have to be fixed, sickness may attack our bodies, and relationships may be problematic. Some adversity comes back to back to back.

Regardless of the type of adversity, the spirit realm is waiting to see how we’ll respond.

Do we let the devil win by being frustrated and having a defeated mindset and quitting on our dreams? Or, do we have a winner’s mindset to tell adversity no matter what happens, God still gets the glory and His promises will come to pass?

We’ll all be tempted to be frustrated, but if we can catch ourselves before going down that rabbit hole of despair and begin to praise God, we’ll maintain our hope and joy to continue on.

Choose to trust God regardless of the circumstance and know that if we’ll remain in faith, we’ll always win.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

#have #faith #wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

In the Kingdom of God, 1+1 doesn’t always equal 2. 1+1 could equal 4, 6, or 8. How? Because of the God factor.

There are many instances in the bible where God multiplied things. The most famous one was the story of Jesus multiplying 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread to feed at least 5,000 people (Matthew 14:13-21). In Matthew 15, Jesus multiplied 7 loaves and a few fish to feed 4,000 people.

The point is, God goes beyond natural logic, reasoning, or math to get things done for us and His Kingdom. If we limit God to the natural laws of this earth, we limit the miracles we’ll experience.

Other examples of God going beyond natural logic are how He blessed Abraham and Sarah to have a baby in their 90’s, Jesus and Peter walked on water, and Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.

Even in our own lives we’ve seen Him bless us with jobs we weren’t qualified for, somehow stretched our money to cover all our bills, or receive an unexpected increase in our finances.

Don’t limit God to natural logic or natural laws. Believe to go beyond that to experience the miraculous.

Matthew 14:17-21 NLT “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered. “Bring them here,” he said. Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!

#believe #in #miracles #Jesus #Life #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #faith #provision #logic #nolimits #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #salvation #eternal #eternity #live #forever

@everydaygodswill

2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Some people like to live their lives based on “signs.” If this happens, that was a sign. If that happens, that was a sign. The problem with living by signs is a lot of fears are disguised as signs.

If a few family members get into car accidents at night, some people take it as a “sign” to not drive at night. That’s not a sign. That’s fear leading that person into a decision to not drive at night. If every person they know got a messy divorce, some take it as a sign to not get married. That’s fear telling them what happened to everyone else is going to happen to them.

If these “signs” don’t line up with God’s word, it’s fear and superstition and we shouldn’t govern our lives by them. In the case of driving at night, believe God’s angels will protect you in all your ways (Ps. 91:11). Instead of letting the fear of divorce control your relationships, believe that God will help you have a wonderful marriage (Ps. 121:2). If it’s not specifically stated in God’s word, let the Holy Spirit lead you in every decision you make (Gal. 5:16).

#believe #follow #Jesus #Life #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #Holy #nofear #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #salvation #eternal #eternity #live #forever

@everydaygodswill

John 3:36 NIV‬ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

This scripture let’s us know that anyone who believes in the Son (Jesus) has eternal life. That means from the time we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we’ll live forever with the Father. We’ll never die. For the believer, our “natural death” is not death at all. The bible says the believer’s natural death is falling asleep because Jesus defeated death (1 Cor. 15:6, 26).

However, anyone who rejects Jesus as the Son of God, will not see life. That means they’re the walking dead. They haven’t begun to live and God’s wrath remains them. God’s not punishing them, but they’re punishing themselves because of unbelief.

That’s why we must minister the gospel to everyone because we don’t know who’s born-again or not. And since God wants His creation to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4), we should do our best to spread the word about His love, His forgiveness, and His grace through Jesus Christ.

#believe #in #Love #Jesus #Life #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth #salvation #eternal #eternity #live #forever

@everydaygodswill

Monday morning quarterbacking is a term that originated in American football and it refers to someone who criticizes a player or an event in the game after it has been played. Most of the criticism comes from spectators who have never played the game at the highest level, but they criticize a player or an event as if they were in the Hall of Fame.

The same way some people like to Monday morning quarterback a game is the same way some believers like to Monday morning quarterback a pastor and their sermons. Like football, most of the criticism comes from spectators who have never pastored a church or consistently taught the word of God, but they criticize like they’re a hall of fame prophet.

What’s the intent of the criticism? If the intent is to lovingly correct someone in error, that’s fine because that’s scriptural according to 2 Timothy 3:16-17. But if the intent is to insult a pastor who is sincerely attempting to lead people to Christ and make them appear to be a false teacher or a deceiver, that is wrong and unscriptural.

If you’re constantly criticizing pastors or supporting someone who does, check your heart. Be sure you’re not one of the people who is causing division in the church.

‭‭Matthew 7:1-2 AMPC‬ DO NOT judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.

#walk #in #Love #Jesus #peace #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Proverbs 22:6 NKJV‬ Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Every parent feels they know the best way to train up a child. Some parents focus on education, some parents focus on healthy eating, and some parents focus on athletics. These are all good, but once again, these are ways to train up a child.

There’s only one way that is truly best to raise our children. That way is introducing them to Jesus Christ. In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

When we introduce our children to Jesus and tell them all the wonderful things He’s done for us, we’re leading them down a path they won’t abandon. Also, this provides fulfillment for our children, educational success, social victories, and possibly athletic success.

Raise up a child God’s way and in the end, they won’t go wrong.

#speak #teach #Jesus #Christ #life #peace #found #in #Son #of #God #Spirit #trainup #parenting #success #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

John 17:26 NIV  I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Jesus is talking to the Father. Jesus was innocent, sinless, and obedient and God loved Him tremendously. Jesus loved us so much until He wanted us to experience the Father’s love for ourselves.

Jesus didn’t need to ask the Father for this request, but He wanted us to to know the Father as intimately as He did.

God’s love and the love of Jesus is NOT dependent on our behavior or performance. Their love is freely available to anyone who is willing to receive it.

Don’t be deceived into thinking God’s love is only for those who have it altogether. Receive His love no matter where you are on your journey and His love will mature you to a better place.

#receive #Love #Jesus #joy #abundance #life #peace #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

John 17:13 NIV‬ “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 

We have the joy of Jesus. At times, we may not feel like it, but we shouldn’t govern our lives by how we feel. Our lives should be governed by the word of God and the word of God says we have the joy of Jesus.

This joy combats depression, fear, and sadness. This joy helps us when loved ones transition, if we lose a job, or if we go through a divorce.

Receive this joy by faith and activate it with the words of your mouth. Simply say, “today, I receive the joy of Jesus.”

#declare #expect #speak #Jesus #joy #abundance #life #peace #found #in #Christ #Son #of #God #Spirit #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

John 14:27 NIV‬ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Before Jesus leaves this earth, He gives His disciples His peace. If we’re following Jesus, we have access to the peace of Jesus. Although every believer has access to the peace of Jesus, every believer doesn’t maintain their peace. Why? We pay more attention to what’s going on around us, instead of focusing on His peace.

Focusing on the word of God allows us to maintain the peace of Jesus. When we focus on our children not departing (Prov. 22:6), all of our needs being met (Phil. 4:19), and being victorious over every situation (1 Cor 15:57), we won’t lose our peace if our children are acting up, if we see lack, or if we feel defeated.

Understand this: Jesus left us His peace. When we understand what God promised us, nothing should rattle us and steal our peace.

“If something robs you of your peace, it’s too expensive.” -Creflo Dollar

#God #is #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #found #in #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

One way a lot of us can be selfish is knowing the gospel of Jesus Christ and the goodness of God and keeping it to ourselves. Daily, we (myself included) walk past numerous people and we don’t ask if they’ve made Jesus Lord, we don’t tell them about the love of God, or the benefits of salvation. That’s selfish.

It can be awkward to strike up a conversation about Jesus with a random person, but it doesn’t have to be. When we remove pride, ego, and how we’re being perceived and replace it with love and compassion, it’s not awkward. The person in front of us is a person God loves unconditionally and we’re the only way He can reach that person.

If they reject the gospel or don’t want to have a conversation about “religion,” don’t get offended. They’re not rejecting you. They’re rejecting Him. Just tell them, “God loves you” and pray that they’ll make Jesus Christ Lord.

Don’t be ashamed or intimidated to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone. That shame and intimidation comes from the devil. Be bold and compassionate enough to share the gospel with people.

‭Romans 10:14-15 NLT‬ But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

#God #is #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #share #gospel #truth #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Proverbs 14:34 NLT Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

If godliness makes a nation great, surely godliness can make a career great, a marriage great, and a family great. If you want to experience greatness in something, do things God’s way.

There will always be a temptation to do things our way or in our own strength, but when we resist those temptations and do what God says, we’ll experience greatness.

We can find how God wants things done in His word. In His word, there are instructions on how to be a husband or a wife, how to be good parents, how to be a good employee, and how to be an humble person. For everything else not specifically mentioned in His word, we have the Holy Spirit who teaches us all things (John 14:26).

Let’s be on a path to greatness and do things God’s way.

#God #is #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

‭Psalms 145:9 NLT‬ The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.

It didn’t say the Lord is only good to those who honor and serve Him. It said the Lord is good to everyone and He’s compassionate to all His creation. This includes, liars, homosexuals, murderers, and thieves. No wonder the wicked and the “undeserving” seem to prosper. Since He created them, He’s decided to be good to them.

Now, before some of you go off on a “that’s not fair” tangent, at one point we experienced God’s goodness when we didn’t “deserve” it. In fact, none of us deserve anything. Everything was given to us by His grace. We all experienced promotions, protection, or blessings when we weren’t thinking about God.

So, what’s the point of His goodness? God’s purpose for His goodness is repentance. Romans 2:4 says, ‭do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

God’s goal is for everyone to look at the good in their lives and realize it was Him keeping them all along. He desires that His goodness will lead to repentance and eventually a relationship with Him.

Praise God for His goodness, grace and mercy!

#God #is #good #kind #faithful #love #peace #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #repent #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

‭‭1 Timothy 3:16 AMPC‬ And great and important and weighty, we confess, is the hidden truth (the mystic secret) of godliness. He [God] was made visible in human flesh, justified and vindicated in the [Holy] Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, [and] taken up in glory.

Some people believe Jesus was only a prophet, Jesus was only a holy man, or Jesus was only the created son of God.

The scriptures tell us Jesus was God. He was 100% God who came in the form of a man. ‭Matthew 1:23 says, the virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ This man is the Christ who died for our sins. Our belief in who He is and what He’s done gives us access to the Father and heaven (John 14:6).

Don’t be deceived by other religions who minimize who Jesus was while He was on the earth. Jesus is God, Savior, and Lord.

#Jesus #is #God #Savior #Lord #Christ #Life #salvation #freedom #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Habakkuk 2:2-3 MSG‬ And then God answered: “Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.

Whatever God has put into your heart, write it down. Write down what the desire is and the date He put it into your heart.

Believe for that God-given desire to come to pass. It could be a home, a business, a ministry, or a child. To assist in your belief, find and focus on scriptures pertaining to that desire. That way, any time you’re tempted to be discouraged, you get to read what God has promised in His Word.

Speaking of being discouraged, the biggest discouragement is delay. We don’t know when these desires will come to pass. Only God knows. When the devil lies to us and says it’s not possible or it’s not going to happen based on how long it’s taking, we can respond with what is written in Habakkuk. We can say, God promised it’s on its way and the timing will be perfect.

Believe and remain in faith for these God-given desires to come to pass and don’t let delay ruin your day.

#wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

‭Psalms 68:34 NLT‬ Tell everyone about God’s power. His majesty shines down on Israel; His strength is mighty in the heavens.

When God does something good for you, tell someone about it. Don’t be ashamed. Tell someone.

Satan wants us to think that our testimony would be considered prideful or too insignificant to share. He’s a liar. Anything God has done, is worth sharing. You never know what that testimony can do for someone else. They could have been on the verge of giving up on their dreams or giving up on life altogether, but our testimony on the greatness of God could be the encouragement for them to trust God a little bit more.

Tell others about the greatness of God so that God can be trusted and praised.

#share #tellit #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Matthew 6:23 PEV‬ But if you always want to look at bad things, then you will think about bad things, and you will be spiritually blind, and you will not live God’s way. It will be like you are living in the dark. And if you are spiritually blind, with no light from God, it will be really bad for you.”

When we focus on bad things or have a negative perspective on things and don’t consider the good things in God’s Word, we’re spiritually blind.

For example, if we look at the problems we may have in our health and think this is what we’ll have to face for the rest of our lives, we’re spiritually blind to the truth that by the stripes of Jesus we’re healed. If we look at our finances and come to the conclusion we don’t have enough and not consider the riches that have been made available through Christ Jesus, we’re spiritually blind. If we accept any negative thing in this three-dimensional world as a fact, we’re spiritually blind.

To remove the blindness, we must get in God’s Word and understand all the things God has made available to us through Jesus. We must study who we are and what we have in Christ until God’s Word becomes more real than what we see, feel, hear, or experience. Magnify God’s Word above anything else and never be spiritually blind ever again.

#magnify #hopein #trust #believe #God #Spirit #Jesus #Christ #fulfill #purpose #manifest #miraculous #miracles #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Proverbs 29:25 GNBUK‬ It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the LORD, you are safe.

When we’re concerned about what people think about us, we’re limited to what we can do or be. We become a slave to people’s opinions.

A lot of us have ideas, inventions, and concepts we’re not implementing because we’re concerned about what people will think of us. We can hear them saying how unwise it was or how risky it is to do this or that. However, if we trust in the Lord and choose not to be concerned about what people think of us, we can change the world.

Philippians 2:7 says, Jesus made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and changed the world. If He can do it, we can too (John 14:12).

Don’t worry about what other people think about you. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you to be yourself and to do the things God has called you to do.

#befree #from #people #trust #follow #God #Spirit #Jesus #Christ #fulfill #purpose #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

‭Galatians 6:1 NLT‬ Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.

When we see someone getting off track and missing the mark, we shouldn’t just watch them go down the wrong path and not say anything. How unkind is it to see someone drowning in their sin and not help them?
On the other hand, when we see someone missing the mark, we shouldn’t condemn them and make them feel worthless or unloved by God.

So what should we do?
The bible uses the word “gently.” When we see someone missing the mark, our responsibility is to gently help that person back on track. We can gently and kindly show them the error of their ways.

After attempting to get them back on track by speaking the truth in love, they may get offended, not speak to us, or call us judgmental. We can’t be worried about that. We gently gave them the truth to help them and how they respond is none of our concern. On the flip side, they could thank us for loving them enough to tell them the truth.

Be bold enough to tell people the truth about their shortcomings to get them back on track. Just be sure to do it in a gentle loving kind way.

#gentle #bold #kind #helpful #God #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

In 2018, I had a comfortable life with my wife and child living in a house we built in Frisco, TX. I had job security and seniority. We had a wonderful church family, where we were living was blossoming, and we were expecting child number two.

In October 2018, God instructed me to apply for and accept a job in Houston, TX. My family lived in Houston, but the job required me to take a $6,000 pay cut, go through the process of selling my house, move my growing family in with my mom and grandma until our house sells, and learn something totally new. Despite all of that, I trusted and obeyed God.

After two months of living with my mom and grandma, our house sold and we found a house in the suburbs of Houston. The house was a new construction house that gave us everything we currently wanted in a house and neighborhood. Two years later, the favor of God caused a job I desired for fourteen years to become available in Houston. The favor of God caused people I was working with, but didn’t really know personally, to vouch for me. Those same people were tweaking my resume in order for me to be considered for the job. That job that I originally took a pay cut for allowed me to gain the knowledge and experience I needed for this new job. By the grace of God, I received that job.

Today, I make twice as much as I did when I first moved to Houston which allows me to be a blessing to the Kingdom of God, be a blessing to people, and enjoy the abundant life Jesus made available for us. What looked like a demotion was actually a setup for a promotion. Always remember, whatever God instructs you to do is never meant to harm you, but to prosper you.

‭Jeremiah 29:11 NIV‬ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

#wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #prosper #progress #abundant #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Lamentations 3:25-26 AMPC‬ The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him [inquire of and for Him and require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God’s word]. It is good that one should hope in and wait quietly for the salvation (the safety and ease) of the Lord.

28 Let him sit alone uncomplaining and keeping silent [in hope], because [God] has laid [the yoke] upon him [for his benefit].

If you’re a believer, you should be living by faith (Rom. 1:17). If you’re operating in faith, you should be expecting something from God. It could be a house, a spouse, a closer relationship with your children, a deeper walk with God, debt freedom, or the manifestation of healing in your body. Regardless of what it is, from the time you prayed, you’re going to have to wait. It could be a day, a week, a month, a year, or years. No matter the time, we’ll have to wait.

There are three kinds of waiters.

1. The one who waits, but quits on God when it gets too difficult to wait.
2. The one who waits, but waits with a bad attitude. They complain about how long it’s taking and they compare themselves with other people who are getting “blessed.”
3. The one who confidently waits, knowing with a rock solid expectation that what they prayed for will come to pass.

Obviously, we should be like the 3rd waiter, but it takes some spiritual maturity to get to this level for everything we’re believing God for.

To gain this maturity, it’s best to find, read, and meditate on scriptures that will encourage you to not give up on God. Scriptures such as, Mark 9:23 “Anything is possible if a person believes” and ‭Mark 11:24 which says, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

Another way we can grow spiritually is feeding our faith. ‭Romans 10:17 says, so faith comes from hearing the word of God. Find a few good ministers who accurately teach the word of God, so your faith can come and remain.

Finally, get some like-minded believers who can agree with you on your promise (Matt. 18:19).

When we understand who we are and what we have in Christ, we can be like the 3rd waiter. We can wait patiently, without complaining, expecting God to fulfill His word.

#wait #expect #trust #faithful #God #keeps #promises #strength #life #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 68:35 NLT‬ God is awesome in His sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to His people. Praise be to God!

Fatigue, weariness, and exhaustion are real things. When those times come, ask God for power and strength to continue on. If His word says He’ll give it, we would be foolish not to take it.

Like anything else we desire of God, simply ask for power and strength in prayer and, by faith, expect to receive it. We may not feel it immediately, but as we go throughout our day, we’ll realize we’re making it with little to no rest.

So, whether you’re managing a newborn, working lots of hours, or having trouble sleeping, request power and strength from God and believe that it will get you through the day.

#God #gives #power #strength #energy #Jesus #Christ #Spirit #love #others #new #goodness #grow #scripture #Word #devotional #devo #growth