Graced To Do God's Will

Acts 19:11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

The same miraculous power that flowed through Paul, flows through every born-again believer. If Paul was anointed enough to touch materials that were used to heal the sick, we can touch materials that will heal the sick or prevent sickness from occurring.

A material that everyone seems to have nowadays is a mask. If we’re dealing with or know someone who is dealing with symptoms of COVID, cancer, or any other disease, we can use God’s power residing in us to anoint that mask. Once that mask is anointed, we can stand back and expect an extraordinary miracle. An anointed mask will be a great gift for anyone.

Some may have doubts based on the antics of some televangelists, but this is scriptural. Because of Jesus, we have God’s power inside of us and that power can heal the sick (Rom. 8:11; Mark 16:18).

If God is leading you to anoint a mask or material for yourself or for another, do it. He will get the glory for extraordinary miracles.

We value teaching our children the importance of getting their education in school. We also value teaching our children the importance of exercising and eating healthy. That same enthusiasm we have for education and exercising also needs to be applied to the things of God.

It’s important to teach our children about the stories in the bible, but don’t stop there. Teach them about the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. Teach them about prayer and applying their faith to get the things they desire. Teach them about the importance of giving and being a blessing. Teach them about the importance of communion.

Our children are a blank slate. By constantly teaching them the things of God, they’ll value it and consistently apply it to their lives.

Proverbs 22:6 (NLT) Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Mathew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.

Around this time of year, a lot of us are fasting. We usually dedicate the first part of the year to God by putting away enjoyable foods and seeking Him.

Just a reminder…

1. Fasting doesn’t move God. God has already moved with all of our blessings through Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 1:20).
2. Fasting increases the volume of God. Although our flesh may be craving sweets, our spirits are sensitive to hear God’s voice.
3. Be ready. As we dedicate our time, body, and energy to seeking God during our fast, it’s important that we stay ready. God may give us an idea, tell us to do a certain task, or tell us to give. Whatever He’s telling us to do, be ready to do it.

These are just some quick reminders to think about during a fast. Enjoy being more intimate with God.

Job 9:33 Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.

In the old covenant, there was not a mediator between God and mankind. If someone did everything correctly, they got all the blessings of God. However, if they missed the mark, they experienced the wrath of God. The problem with this system is we’re born into iniquity and our flesh is set to oppose God. So, the people would experience some version of God’s wrath.

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,

Praise God for Jesus. Under the new covenant, Jesus became our mediator. He’s our middle man. When we accept Him as Lord, we get an advocate. The wrath of God, for mankind, was poured out on Jesus. He took our punishment. He goes before the Judge (God) and let’s Him know He’s paid for all of our sins. And because of His payment on our behalf, we get to live a blessed abundant life.

Praise God for our mediator (Jesus). Without Him, we would suffer.

Job 9:10 He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.

As we approach the last hours of 2020, it’s a good time to reflect on the great things of God. In spite of the pandemic, God has done some great things for us if we look closely.

Some of us still have employment. That’s a great thing. For those who don’t, you’re still alive with the potential to get another job. That’s also a great thing. Some of us got married, pregnant, or had a baby in 2020. That’s awesome. Some of us have been delivered from toxic relationships. That’s refreshing. With the shutdowns, some of us had time to achieve clarity regarding our purpose.

Depending on our perspective, we can always find something good or bad to dwell on. Why not dwell on the great things God has done for us?

Psalm 34:2 (CEV) With all my heart, I will praise the LORD. Let all who are helpless, listen and be glad.

When God blesses us, don’t hide it. Don’t try to fit in and have a commonality with friends or coworkers. Let others know what God has done.

Our friends may be having a pity party discussing how broke they are and how depressing life is. They may be trying to one up each other on how miserable their life has become.
If we know God has blessed us and we’re not struggling financially, don’t join in. Tell them how good God has been. Our friends may think we’re boasting. They’re absolutely correct; we are. We’re boasting in the Lord and all He’s accomplished for us. There’s no sin in telling everyone how good God has been.

If they can’t handle God blessing our lives without being jealous, they’re not meant to be our friends. If we can’t handle criticism after receiving a head-turning blessing from God, don’t ask God.

Don’t go down to their level. Give them an opportunity to use their faith to get whatever they want and need from God.

God is always doing things for us. Some of them just so happen to be more noticeable than others. We can easily identify God blessing us with an unexpected raise or a new car, but it’s equally important to identify God in more common ways.

For instance, when we get a front row parking space, that’s God. When we could have injured ourselves playing basketball but we didn’t, that’s God. When we come home to a drama-free house, that’s God. When our children come home safe from school, that’s God.

Don’t take these moments for granted. That’s God in our corner working for our good (Rom. 8:28). Identify the more common areas where God is consistently blessing our lives. That way, we’ll never be deceived into thinking God isn’t doing anything for us.

Psalm 103:1-2 (MSG) O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name! O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing!

Acts 8:29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.”

When we pray, it’s important to allow God to talk back to us. As we’re listening to God, it’s even more important to not make assumptions about what God is saying.

For instance, God may say “business.” Just because God said “business” doesn’t mean we should quit our jobs and start a business. Let God provide the full set of instructions. He may say “business” for a week during our time in prayer. Just meditate on that for now. The following week, He may tell us to invest in a particular business. We could have made our lives problematic if we would have assumed God meant for us to start a business.

Just know, God is not going to lead us astray. He’ll provide clarity in what He wants us to do. Ask Him 3 times if necessary. Don’t be anxious and assume. Be sure, and know what the Lord is telling you.

Inspired by Creflo Dollar

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Merry Christmas! Remember, today is all about Jesus. It’s not about presents, food, or being off of work. It’s about God sending His Son to save mankind from their sins and giving us abundant life.

Take a moment to think about what God has done through Jesus. Worship God with your family. Sing songs about Jesus. Even if everything’s not perfect, reflect on the perfection of Jesus and what He means in your life.

Jesus we honor You, we thank You, and we praise You. And although December 25th is not technically Your birthday, we choose to celebrate Your arrival on earth this day. Thank You God for Jesus.

1 Corinthians 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

As we celebrate Christmas and the new year, it’s important to keep our bodies in check. Around this time of year, we tend to cook a lot of food. We all want to be healthy and live long. One way to do that is to eat well. That means, being led by the Spirit with what we eat and how much we eat.

If God says don’t get a second plate, let’s keep our flesh in check, and resist the temptation of a second plate. If God says don’t eat a certain thing too late, don’t eat it.

We have to understand God is looking at the big picture and is lending a helping hand with our overall health. Let’s listen to Him and keep our flesh in check.

Some people don’t want to listen to anyone who hasn’t experienced anything. They don’t want to listen to parenting advice from someone who doesn’t have children and they don’t want to get business advice from someone who doesn’t own a successful business. With that attitude, they tune people out who could really help them or worse, they tune out the vessel God is speaking through.

Look at Paul. In Ephesians, Paul gives us parental and marriage advice. Paul wasn’t married and he didn’t have any children. We accept this because it’s in the bible, but God is still speaking through people.

Don’t get caught up in the qualifications of the vessel. It could be a child, a person who was married 3 times, or a drunkard. God can use anyone. Listen to their words. If it aligns with the word of God, receive it with gladness. Let’s keep our ears and our heart open to hear God’s word.

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

Sometimes, it can get a little difficult to comprehend the word of God surrounding His promises. One way to fully internalize God’s promises toward us is to add “I Promise” to every promise found in scripture, and imagine God speaking directly to you.

Example:
Isaiah 54:17(a) says, no weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.

Imagine God saying this to you…
I PROMISE, no weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.

Isaiah 53:5 says, But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Add an I PROMISE to it and make it personal.
I PROMISE, He (Jesus) was wounded for your transgressions, He was bruised for your iniquities; The chastisement for your peace was upon Him and by His stripes you are healed.

Adding that I PROMISE and personalizing the scriptures just makes it easier to realize God is speaking directly to us. Praise God for His word and His promises.

Jonah 2:7 “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord ; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple.

Situations in life can have us feeling like there’s no way out. Times can get so rough until all we can think about is ending it all. It’s during those times when we need to remember the Lord.

Thinking about His goodness, His power, and His ability to change any situation can give us enough faith to last another day. Remembering how He brought us out the last time will encourage us to press on.

The devil will magnify the problems in front of us, but it’s up to us to remember the Lord in times of trouble.

So don’t end it all and don’t sink into depression. Remember the Lord, call on Him, and He will answer.

John 7:27 However we know where this man comes from, but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he comes from.”

Background: The people in the crowd are trying to figure out if Jesus was the Messiah. One person says, “no one will know where the Messiah comes from.”

Where did he get this from? It doesn’t say anywhere in the Old Testament that no one will know where the Messiah will come from. He may have convinced someone not to believe in Jesus with that statement.

Today, we still have untruths, myths, and assumptions coming out of the mouths of people in and out of the body of Christ.

We have…
“Money is the root of all evil.” This statement has people believing God wants us poor. It says, “the love of money is the root of all evil.” (1 Tim. 6:10). That’s a big difference.
We also have…
“God helps those who help themselves.” That’s not true. God says, before we call, He will answer (Isaiah 65:24). He’s always there to help.
Let’s not forget about…
“The bible condones slavery.” This alone has so many black people turning their backs on God. Slavery of bible times was very different from the slavery we know and hate. It actually would have been much closer to indentured servitude. Slaves were not expected to be enslaved for life (Ex. 21:2).

These are just a few statements thrown around, but it can impact those around us and have people believing a lie. In context, let’s validate every statement we hear with the word of God and speak the truth.

1 Samuel 7:3 Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and Ashtoreths among you, prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only. And He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away the Baals and Ashtoreths and served only the LORD.

10 As the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel, Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering. But that day the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel.

The Israelites worshipped false gods and they had no interest in God until things got too difficult for them with the Philistines. But as soon as they turned to God and asked for help, God immediately stepped in and helped them.

What does this mean for us? No matter how long we’ve turned our back on God, as soon as we turn to Him, He’s there to help us. As we seek Him, He’ll fix our problems, guide us through our shortcomings, and help us become better people.

Don’t let your past hold you down or define who you are. Turn to Him and He’ll be there to help.

Colossians 4:17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”

We all have a God-given ministry. Some of us are assigned to a ministry within the church such as, pastors, ministers, and church staff, but the majority of us are assigned to a ministry outside the four walls of the church.

We are teachers, lawyers, engineers, business owners, politicians, and more. Some may think of this as a job, but it’s a ministry. As born-again believers, we are to bring the Kingdom of God in those areas. That means we pray for God’s protection, supernatural increase, and efficiency in our ministry. We work unto the Lord. We allow the Holy Spirit to direct us in our decisions. We bind and rebuke demonic influences that cause drama. And we loose peace and joy in our ministry.

It doesn’t matter if we’re working in a fast food restaurant or on the board of a fortune 500 company, our responsibility is to complete the ministry we have received in the Lord.  

Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

Spouses, children, siblings, and friends should all receive prayer from us. We always should be praying for someone else. As much as we want to succeed and prosper, we should want the same thing for others.

We should desire that they succeed and prosper in their families, their businesses, and their health. We should want them to fulfill the purposes God has for them. We should want them to mature and grow in the things of God.

There’s enough God to go around for everyone. We have to stop thinking about ourselves only and take the time to intercede on the behalf of others. Let’s sincerely pray.  

There are so many people who get so serious when they talk about God. It’s fine to be serious about God, but it’s also okay to have fun with God.

When it comes to God and the things of God, we can have fun. Praying can be fun. We should talk to God like we talk to our best friend. Listening to God’s Word can be fun. People like Jeremy Foster and John Gray incorporate humor in their message. Even reading the bible, yes the bible, can be entertaining. When reading about the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, with a smile on our face, we gladly appreciate Him.

When it comes to God, we don’t have to get deep and serious all the time. Laugh, smile, and have fun with God. He enjoys us so, we should enjoy Him too.

Philippians 4:4 (MSG) Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

Matthew 5:44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

When a relative or a close friend tells us about how they were hurt by another person, we usually get upset with the other person.

Some of us don’t talk to them anymore. We may talk bad about them to others. In some cases, we hope they fail. They haven’t done anything to us, but they hurt someone close to us. For that, we don’t like them.

Guess what? They still need prayer. They should receive grace and mercy just like we need grace and mercy. They still need to know they’re loved by God, they’re forgiven by God, and loved by us.

It’s not popular and it can be difficult at times, but that’s the Christian thing to do. If we don’t pray for them, who will? If we don’t extend grace and mercy to them, how will they become a better person? How can they fix their mistakes if someone doesn’t lovingly show them their faults? We needed grace and mercy when we hurt someone else, so extend that same grace and mercy to others.

There are some of us who want to do the right thing. We want to please God by being a good servant for His Kingdom, acknowledge God in all our ways, be a good spouse, and be a good parent.

It’s a good thing to want to do the right thing, but sometimes we miss it. We desire to do good, but our flesh gets in the way and we miss the mark. That’s not the time to beat ourselves up or believe Satan’s lie that we’re going to miss our blessing. We must extend grace to ourselves.

Step 1: Acknowledge that we missed the mark.
Step 2: Receive God’s forgiveness and His forgetfulness of the mark we’ve missed (Heb. 8:12).
Step 3: Understand if God has forgiven us and forgotten our sins, we should too.
Step 4: Continue on with life as if we haven’t done anything wrong.

By extending grace to ourselves, the devil can’t hold anything over our heads (condemnation). Follow these steps to experience complete freedom from everything we’ve done wrong.  

Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

Job 8:7 Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.

We may have an efficient vehicle, decent employment, and a moderate house, but our dreams are humongous.

Don’t get down because your dreams are not matching your reality yet. Continue to trust in God for your desires. Continue to believe that you received them. Prepare, in whatever way you can, to receive what you envision for your life.

It may look small or basic now, but it won’t always be like this. Keep your faith in God and expect an abundant future.

The best way to discredit someone is to mock them, belittle them, make fun of them, and tell someone else how ridiculous they sound. It’s bad enough we do this to people, but some of us (saved and unsaved) have done this to the Holy Spirit.

In some circles, He’s a running joke. He’s been reduced to jumping, dancing, and fainting. Some pretend to jerk their bodies and talk in tongues.

Who’s behind this discrediting? Answer: Satan.

Satan has discredited the Holy Spirit because he knows if we properly use the Holy Spirit, his attacks will be instantly defeated. He knows we’ll have an abundant life, tap into our purpose, and advance the Kingdom of God.

So what does Satan do? He makes people feel foolish if they consult with and pray in the Holy Spirit. He causes division in the body of Christ about the Holy Spirit’s role. He influences believers and nonbelievers to make a mockery of Him.

Don’t get caught in this trap. Study and learn about the Holy Spirit. Learn about His role to assist us in obtaining a prosperous life. Jesus lets us know the Holy Spirit is a gift and our helper. So why wouldn’t we use Him?

Acts 1:3 After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

The next time you pray, be mindful of how many times you use the words, me, my, and I. There’s nothing wrong with praying for yourself and your desires, but don’t forget about others.

Pray for that relative who hasn’t accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Loose ministering spirits that will encourage them to receive salvation. Pray for your friend’s child that may be stressing your friend out. Pray for the President. Pray that He makes decisions that align with the word of God.

There are so many other people and situations to pray for outside of ourselves. Equalize your petitions. Instead of always saying me, my, and I, include, he, her, and them.

Psalm 71:18 (CEV) Don’t leave me when I am old and my hair turns gray. Let me tell future generations about your mighty power.

*Let’s set the record straight, God will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5).

As we get older, it’s important to tell the next generation about the goodness of God. How will they know God is the Savior, the deliverer, and the healer if we don’t tell them?

We’re old enough to have testimonies of our own. We can tell them how God came through when the situation seemed impossible. We can tell them how God answered our prayers better than we could have imagined.

From our children to our grandchildren, let’s position ourselves to tell the next generation about God and His wonderful works.

If an old friend we haven’t seen in a while asked about our mother, father, or siblings, most of us have no problem giving them an update. However, if that same friend asked our relationship with God, some of us may get squirmy and uncomfortable. Some of us may even say, “that’s private.” How is asking about our relationship with God any different from asking about our relationship with members of our family? 

We shouldn’t feel uncomfortable talking about our relationship with God. If it’s great, tell them how good God’s been. If it can be better, be honest and let them know. If it’s nonexistent, tell them that too.

The only one who doesn’t want us to talk about God is devil. He’ll do everything in his power to make talking about God weird, uncomfortable, or problematic. In fact, in a corporate setting, people say don’t talk about religion (God) and politics. Where do you think that line of thinking originated?

Let’s normalize speaking about our great and mighty God. He’s the One who helps us, blesses us, and implemented a plan to save us through Jesus. So, why wouldn’t we want to talk about our Heavenly Father? He is our everything.

Isaiah 63:7 I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us– yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.

Some people act like they don’t understand faith. But honestly, they’re displaying faith every day. We wear our mask, based on someone else’s word, to avoid a virus we can’t see. If that’s not faith, I don’t know what is.

If we can have faith in a thin piece of cloth covering our faces, based on the word of humans, surely we can place our faith in the word of our Creator. We believe in the word of an imperfect human so, why can’t we believe in the Word of a perfect God?

Stop trying to complicate faith. It’s believing and acting on the word of God. Whatever He tells us to do in His written or audible word, do it, and believe it’s in our best interests. If we can have faith naturally (wearing mask), we can have faith spiritually (believing and acting on God’s word).

2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people,

Matthew 25:21 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

Some of us desire a promotion or a pay increase in our careers. The best way to get it is to faithfully work unto the Lord. What does that look like? Work, knowing your performance is being reviewed by God.

God sees what we’re doing and what we’re not doing. He notices things our natural supervisors may not have noticed. He notices if we skipped a step, half did something, or treated a customer unkindly.

We are to operate by faith and faith without works is dead (Heb. 10:38; James 2:20). If we desire promotion and a pay increase, we must work as if we already have the promotion and increase. Understanding that God sees all, and our promotion or increase is tied to our corresponding action, it’s in our best interest to faithfully work unto the Lord. Don’t wait until you get the increase or promotion to work diligently. Start now.

God has done some amazing things in our lives. He’s opened up doors for us, He’s healed us, He’s delivered us from that bad habit, and He’s prospered us in our finances. Everything could be going well, but here comes the devil. Out of all the things God has done, the devil will point out and magnify the few things we don’t have. If we’re not mindful, our entire focus will be on those few things.

We can’t let him control our thoughts. We must shift our focus on all the wonderful things God has done for us. Think about the ways He’s made, the Savior He provided, and the promises that came through.

When we excite ourselves about what God has done, we keep ourselves joyful, at peace, and grateful for all He’s done.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

John 16:33 (NIV) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

One of the biggest misconceptions in the body of Christ is the misconception of a problem-free life. Some of us have been taught that once we get saved and become totally submitted to God, we’ll have a problem-free life. We think flat tires, layoffs, attacks against our health, and lost items happen to unsaved people or carnal Christians. And when we get hit with a problem or two, we try to figure out what we’ve done wrong or we blame God for not stopping bad things from happening to us.

Jesus tells us, in life, we will have problems. That’s a promise. So, we can’t get mad when problems show up. Now, for totally submitted Christians, these problems won’t be the death of us or eternally ruin any area of our lives. It will just be a slight inconvenience. As we place our faith in God and put His Word above what we’re facing, we’re guaranteed the victory (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Problems will happen. Just don’t put these problems above His promises.

Numbers 8:1 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in front of the lampstand.’” ³ Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand, just as the Lord commanded Moses. ⁴ This is how the lampstand was made: It was made of hammered gold—from its base to its blossoms. The lampstand was made exactly like the pattern the Lord had shown Moses.

God gave Moses detailed instructions to give to Aaron on how to arrange and construct the lampstands. This was seemingly minor in the grand scheme of things, but the rules were followed precisely.

God, through the Holy Spirit, will give us detailed instructions in different areas of our lives. He’ll give us instructions for very important things, but He also wants to instruct us on minor things. It’s up to us to listen and follow His instructions. Following His instructions positions us to reap maximum benefits.

Remember, no matter how great or small the task may be, consult God on what to do and how to do it and we’ll prosper every time.

Proverbs 17:14 (CSB) To start a conflict is to release a flood; stop the dispute before it breaks out.

As we can see, starting conflict is problematic. Unfortunately, there are some who enjoy conflict. It excites them to tap into their emotions and cause someone else to tap into their emotions. Some people think conflict adds spice to their marriage. This type of thinking is twisted. The goal of any relationship is to be drama-free.

We can’t be drama-free if we’re willing to argue about everything we don’t agree with. We can’t be drama free if we’re intentionally trying to pick a fight with those closest to us.

If we’re always arguing or desiring to pick a fight, we must look inward. We must ask ourselves, is this God’s best? Our flesh may enjoy it, but is God pleased? There has to be some deep underlying issue that likes conflict. Conflict could be what we saw growing up as a child. We may think starting conflict is how we show love. Starting conflict could be a defense mechanism to avoid being hurt. Whatever the reason is, allow God to show it to you and follow His instructions to root conflict out.

Genesis 15:5 Then the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

God gave us an imagination for a reason. Like Abraham, God wanted us to imagine ourselves with His promises before they materialize.

God wants us to imagine ourselves healthy and healed from cancer, lupus, or acne. God wants us to see ourselves delivered from pornography, alcoholism, and the bondage of people’s opinions. God wants us to imagine ourselves with all our needs met, having the home and cars we desire, and having surplus to give to others.

Our imagination helps combat thoughts of doubt and unbelief because it may take some time before our desires manifest. However, if we can believe God’s Word about His promises and imagine ourselves with those promises, we’ll maintain the faith to eventually receive God’s promises.

Children are not the only ones who should use their imagination. Every believer should be using their imagination daily.

John 8:24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

This is Jesus speaking. Jesus says, if we don’t believe that He is the Son of God who came to die for our sins, we will die in our sins. It’s that simple.

Notice what it doesn’t say. It doesn’t say if we don’t go to church, fast, or get baptized we’ll die in our sins. If we don’t believe, we’ll die in our sins. For salvation, all God requires of us is our belief in His Son Jesus.

Receive salvation by believing in Jesus and receiving everything He’s done for us. If you’re already saved, don’t be selfish. Share this message with your friends and family to ensure they won’t die in their sins.   

Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

1 Corinthians 14:4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

*Praying in the Holy Spirit and praying in tongues means the same thing.

Praying in the Holy Spirit is a tool God has given to believers to stay on top. When situations in life have us mentally and physically exhausted, we can recharge our batteries by praying in the Holy Spirit. We build ourselves back up when we’re praying in the Holy Spirit. Praying in the Holy Spirit compels us to maintain a positive attitude when things aren’t going our way and it keeps our faith free from doubt. Not only that, 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 says when we pray in the Holy Spirit, we declare the hidden wisdom of God about our futures.

If you’re waiting for this to make logical sense, you’ll be waiting forever. This doesn’t make sense. It’s faith and faith is a spiritual thing.

Don’t let the thought of looking foolish stop you from praying in the Holy Spirit. Use all the tools God has provided to live a victorious life.

Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

Jesus tells us to live by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. This includes His word that we like and makes us feels good, but it also includes His word that challenges us and our flesh hates.

We all love to hear that God eternally loves us (Rom. 8:38-39), God has forgiven us of our past, present, and future sins (Rom 6:10), and we’re made righteous because of our faith in Jesus (Rom. 5:1). But, if we only read scriptures that make us feel good, we’ll never be challenged to do better.

On the other hand, if we only hear scriptures such as, be holy (1 Pet. 1:16) and the rules under the Law of Moses in the old covenant, we’ll never fully appreciate God’s grace and we’ll constantly live in a state of condemnation.

There needs to be balanced diet of the Word. We should honor God with our behavior, decisions, and attitude, but also, receive His love, grace, and forgiveness if we miss it.

There are some extremely intelligent people in this world. They have numerous degrees, a lot of education, and a lot of experience. Here’s where it becomes an issue: some people are so intelligent and knowledgeable until their intellect can slowly push God out of the picture. They rely on their intelligence instead of relying on God.

When a problem comes, they don’t turn to God. They attempt to figure it out using all the knowledge they’ve accumulated over the years. If it works, they’re more likely to use their intellect again and again.

This is not a bash against intelligence. This is a reminder to put intelligence in its proper place. When a situation comes (great or small), go to God first. Once we’ve gone to God, He’ll show us what intelligence tool to use to fix the problem. He may even give us something we’ve never thought of before. That’s wisdom.

There’s nothing wrong with getting a great education and being knowledgeable, but be intelligent to know to go to God first about any situation and let Him show you the solution.

Proverbs 3:7 (GNT) Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the LORD and refuse to do wrong.

Romans 5:1 (ESV) Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

By faith, we’re justified. Justified means we’re righteous or made right with God. We’re not made righteous because of actions and works. We’re made righteous because God’s Word says we’re righteous when we believe.

Satan loves to point out all our flaws. He loves showing us how we missed it in this area, how we sinned in that area, and how we could have done better in another area. If we’re not mindful, these flaws he’s pointing out can give us a sense of unrighteousness. We must understand there is nothing we can do to make us any more righteousness than we are now and there’s nothing we can do that can take away our righteousness. We’re righteousness through Jesus Christ.

So, if we messed up a couple of times this week or we’ve been sinning for years, if we believe in the finished works of Jesus, we can boldly say, “I am righteous.”

John 6:28 Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God? 29 Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”

Followers of Jesus wanted to know the works of God. They wanted to know all the rules and regulations they must follow so that God would be pleased. In return, Jesus told them the work of God (just one). The work of God is to believe in Jesus.

As followers of Jesus, that’s our assignment as well. We are to believe in Jesus and everything He accomplished for us. We are to believe He’s the Son of God, He was whipped and beaten so that we can be healed, and He was punished and died for our sins. Through Jesus we’re forgiven, obtain mercy, we’re made right with God, we experience unearned favor, we’re redeemed and so much more. When we believe in Jesus and believe in everything He did on our behalf, we’re aligning our lives with the will of God.

It doesn’t take much. Jesus simplified it. Believe in Jesus and God is pleased.

Psalm 41:1 Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. 2 The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. 3 The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed.

Let’s face it, there are some people who are extremely poor. They don’t have money for food, clothes, water, or shelter. Some of them made bad decisions that caused them to be poor and others were born into poverty. Regardless of how they became poor, it’s God’s desire that we, the believers, help them.

Look at the promises God has for those who consider the poor. There’s happiness, preservation, blessings, health, etc. Proverbs 19:17 says, whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done. With all these promises listed for helping the poor, it’s easy to see God is compelling us to be a blessing to the poor.

So, with all the promises of God we’re standing in faith for, don’t forget about the poor. God hasn’t forgotten about them and neither should we.
Be a blessing.

James 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Faith is believing that all the promises of God have been made available to every born-again believer. We act on that belief by verbally agreeing with God’s Word (confessions).

Now, demonic forces will bombard our minds and five senses with things contrary to the Word of God. This is the testing of our faith. The question is, will you still believe?

God’s Word says we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
You go to the doctor and they say you have COVID-19. Two days later, you’re coughing a lot and it’s difficult to breathe. Do you still believe you’re healed? Do you declare you’re healed or say you’re sick with COVID-19? We pass if we say, in the midst of all those symptoms, that we’re healed. Caving in under the pressure of all those symptoms and declaring we’re sick instead of healed lets us know our faith needs to be strengthened.

We strengthen our faith by continuously reading the Word of God until we’re convinced that God’s Word is greater than anything we can see or experience. Pass the test by believing God’s Word.