Graced To Do God's Will

Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Joy and peace are available to us. It’s available to everyone who believes in the finished works of Jesus. The joy and peace that God provides is not partially given. Joy and peace are given in excess.

Like anything that God provides, we can choose to accept or reject this offer. We can allow the issues of life to steal our joy and peace or we can recognize that regardless of what’s going on in our lives, we can hold on to the joy and peace God provided. It’s up to us.

Joy and peace allow us to abound in hope. Hope in what? Everything we desire from God. Hebrews 11:1 says, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. Without joy and peace, it’s difficult to gather up the energy to hope in something. It’s difficult to go boldly before God with our desires or exercise our faith while depressed or worried. That’s why maintaining our joy and peace is so important. They are key pieces in receiving our desires.

Receive this joy and peace and don’t let it go.

You take a good friend to a fairly expensive restaurant. You allow them to order whatever they desire with no limit on cost. They order an appetizer, main entrée, and a dessert. Their portion alone cost $130.00. While you’re eating, you realize your friend only ate a few bites of the appetizer, entrée, and dessert. There’s still a lot of food left on their plate. They’re not full and they genuinely like the taste of their meal. When the waitress asks if they want to take it to-go, they decline. Most of us would be puzzled and possibly upset with our friend for leaving all of this expensive food on the table.

This is just a little taste of how Jesus may feel with some of us. Jesus paid an awesome price for us to have a prosperous abundant life. Meanwhile, some of us desire the bare minimum or we glorify poverty as if it’s a badge of humility. We leave so much on the table until it has Jesus shaking His head.

Sure, we have a house, a car, and we’re able to live comfortably, but there’s more still on the table. Wouldn’t it be great to go on more than one vacation a year without going into our savings? Wouldn’t it be nice to have enough money to pay someone else’s bills? Wouldn’t be great if we can give one of our cars away to a family in need? If we can dream it for ourselves or for someone else, Jesus paid for it.

Jesus paid too great of a price for us to be living below Kingdom standards. Live the life God wants us to have by maximizing on the benefits that God provided through Jesus. Enjoy!

Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

If we look at the events that occur during the end of days in the Bible, they’re all coming to pass right before our eyes. There are wars, division, people are lovers of money, and abusive. Seeing that all of this must come to pass before the return of Jesus, one may question the purpose of praying for the world or praying for people who seem to be “too far gone.” One may ask, “What’s the point?”

Well, the reason we continue to pray for a positive outcome in the world and intercede on the behalf of lost people, even though terrible times are inevitable, is compassion. If Jesus would have had this “what’s the point” attitude at Calvary, knowing everyone won’t take advantage of His sacrifice, we all would be lost. Jesus was able to carry out His mission, knowing all of us wouldn’t accept Him, because He had compassion on the few that would. 

That same compassion should overflow in our lives. It should overflow on the affairs in the world and the people we view as lost. Although we know everything is not going to turn out well for this world and everyone in it, we continue to intercede because of our compassion for the few. 

Our prayers are not in vain. That one prayer can change a person’s life, positively impact a community, and possibly save one soul. Every bit counts. So, don’t give up on compassion. It’s the fuel that helps us continue to do the will of God. 

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

We get it, you sinned. You had a baby out-of-wedlock. You currently watch pornography. You have a problem with lying. You gossip. You cheated on your spouse.

Regardless of the sins we’ve committed, that doesn’t disqualify us from receiving the promises of God. We can still live a blessed, prosperous life without settling. Our sins will have some consequences that may make our lives a bit more challenging, but all of God’s promises are still available to the believer.

Jesus came so that we can have an abundant life (John 10:10). Not, an abundant life unless we sin. His blood has allowed us to receive forgiveness and God’s not remembering our sins (Eph. 1:7; Heb. 8:12).

Let’s not disqualify ourselves or disqualify another just because the mark was missed several times. We can still live in a big beautiful home, have our desired career, and have enough finances to be a blessing to others.

Allow the Holy Spirit to help you get out of your current situation, allow Him to guide you into not sinning, receive the forgiveness of sins, and receive the promises of God by faith.

Romans 4:16 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the Law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.

John 8:10 Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” 11“No one, Lord.” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you.” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”

This woman was caught in the act of sin (adultery) by the Pharisees. She was brought to Jesus by the Pharisees so that they could confirm whether or not He was a doer of the Law, which commanded them to stone her for this act. However, Jesus knew the entire Law and made his famous statement, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” They all dropped their rocks and left with conviction in their hearts.

Jesus was the only One who had a justifiable right to stone her, but He didn’t. He didn’t condemn her and He graciously spared her life.

*If Jesus didn’t condemn and end the natural life of a woman caught in the act of sin, why do some Christians believe God will condemn and end our eternal lives because of sin?

For a long time, there has been a big misconception in the body of Christ. Some people still believe that people go to hell because of sin. That’s not true. People go to hell because they rejected the payment of sin. People go to hell because they reject Jesus. All of our past, present, and future sins have been paid for by the blood of Jesus. There is no sin(s) (quantity or quality) that has not been covered.

When we say yes to Jesus, sin has been eliminated from our lives. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ and sins are not charged to our accounts (Rom. 8:1; 2 Cor. 5:19). We’ve been freed.

Receive the full payment of what Jesus has done (sin removal) and solidify the fact that we have eternal life in Christ.

Exodus 8:23 I will make a difference between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.

There should be a vast distinction between the people in the world and the people of God.

While there’s chaos, bickering, and fighting in the world, there should be love, joy, and peace with the people of God. While there’s financial uncertainty with people in the world, there should be financial prosperity with the people of God. While divorces are increasing with people in the world, there should be successful marriages with the people of God.

If an unbeliever can’t tell the difference between our lives and the lives that are in the world, there’s a problem. Why would an unbeliever want to be “Christian” when some Christian’s lives are just as messed up as people in the world?

This blessed life is not going to come automatically. The blessed life requires unwavering faith in God and obedience to His Word. Faith allows us to obtain God’s will for our lives in spite of what we see in the natural and obedience positions us to receive God’s best.

Distinction is necessary to attract the lost and to fulfill the will of God in the earth so, let’s allow ourselves to be separated by the goodness of God.

Exodus 7:1 So the Lord said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.

God made Moses a god to Pharaoh. Pharaoh represents opposition that stands in our way from receiving the promises of God. Since God made Moses a god to Pharaoh and He’s doesn’t show partiality, God has made us a god over our opposition.

There is no external force that can stop us from receiving the promises of God. The only person that can stop us from receiving God’s blessings is us. God has already given us all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 1:3). Our faith releases those blessings from heavenly places into the earth (Mark 11:22-24). However, if we have doubt and unbelief, we can’t expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:7).

You don’t have a college degree? So, what! Be a god over the lack of education and receive that desired career. You still don’t have children? It doesn’t matter! Be a god over infertility and declare your children into this earth. Cancer has attacked your body? Who cares! Be a god over cancer and command your healing.

Whatever opposition we’re facing, understand that we are gods over it.

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.

When most people read this scripture, a lot of people think about physical weapons such as guns and knives or the weapons of our enemies such as, slander and lies. However, this scripture also includes mental weapons from Satan himself.

Satan uses different weapons to mentally attack us out of God’s promises. For instance, one weapon is intimidation. Satan will attempt to intimidate us out of our promise. He’ll tell us we’re unqualified or unworthy to receive God’s blessings. Another weapon is delay. While we’re waiting on our promise, the devil will attempt to make us think delay means denial. Another weapon is pride. He’ll make us think we’re too good to humble ourselves before God or submit to our spouses. All of these weapons are designed to withhold God’s best from our lives.

Regardless of the weapon, it won’t prosper. The great thing about Satan’s weapons is we’re in control. If we can identify them when he strikes, we can use our faith to destroy them. We don’t have to wait until the situation changes. We can do it now. Every weapon formed against us, including Satan’s, won’t prosper.

2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Exodus 4:12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”

Entrepreneurs, visionaries, ministers, students, and athletes it’s time to go. It’s time to go and do what God has called us to do. It’s time to accomplish those dreams, put in for that promotion, apply to that school, and try out for that team. We’ve been procrastinating for far too long. Like God was with Moses, God will be with us. There’s no reason to fear.

Like Moses, we’ve been making too many excuses and attempting to wait until the time is right. If we think about it long enough, the time will never be right. We just have to step out on faith, trust God, and go.

God’s plan will never be implemented in the earth and our purpose will never be fulfilled unless we act. We were never meant to work at a job beneath our purpose for 30 years, pay bills, and die. We were created to make a difference in this world, help somebody, and to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Let’s remove all hesitation and fear and go.

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

A lot of us heard this scripture at some point in our lives, but have we really internalized it? Have we accepted this scripture to be absolute truth?

Most of us have not. Why? Because there are still dreams on the table and goals not yet finished. We haven’t obtained those dreams and goals because of fear. We fear what might happen and the loss we may experience. The fear of “what if” is the shadow of death.

If God told us to do something, He will be with us. Not only will He be with us, He will comfort us all the way through it. This is the truth.

So, what are you waiting for? Boldly act on what God has said. He will be with you every step of the way.

Jeremiah 29:11 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.

As parents, we set rules for our small children so that they can prosper and stay safe. We set these rules because we know more than our children. We know what’s beneficial and what can be dangerous, therefore, we don’t allow them to play with electric outlets, matches, and small things they can put in their mouths. Although our children may cry when we take that power cable away, we know we’re doing it for their good.

God, the Father of us all, is a good parent. The rules He set for our lives are so that we can prosper and stay safe. He’s not trying to be mean or limit the fun we have. He simply knows what’s beneficial and what can be dangerous for our lives. So, when He tells us not to have premarital sex, not to get drunk, or to love our enemies, He’s not trying be this harsh dictator. He simply knows what’s best for us.

God’s plan is to always prosper us so, the New Covenant commands He has for our lives, are to prosper and not harm us.

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Ecclesiastes 10:19 says, “money answers all things.” Because money answers all things, everyone seems to value it. Some will go against their morals to get it and hold onto it. People like to be around it. People will do something they hate to get more of it. As much as money can do, at the end of the day, money is a tool. Money is like a tool that can fix anything.

Although money can do everything, it should not be regarded above God. A joke was told that if you were on the phone with a person who could guarantee a $50 million deal but, God called while you were on the phone, would you pick up? Unfortunately, most people said they wouldn’t answer the phone. Why? Because they value money over God.

God is our Source. Money is not a problem but, the love of money is the problem. When we seek God, focus our attention on Him, and do His will He’ll give us the power to get wealth. If money was the problem, God wouldn’t give it to us.

Love God and let money be the tool to build His Kingdom here on the earth.

“Jesus paid it all, and all to Him I owe.”    ….Or, do we?

We hear sermons and songs telling us how much we owe to Jesus based on what He’s done for us. Jesus saved our lives by sacrificing His life; He freed us from the curse of death, disease, and poverty. He’s delivered us from all our sins, and so much more. The idea is we pay Jesus back by giving our time, talent, and money to Him, living a holy life, and we do the will of the Father.

Owing Jesus is logically understandable, but it’s not biblical. Nowhere in the Bible does it say or even suggest we owe Jesus anything. The Bible lets us know everything Jesus did was a free gift from God. We didn’t earn or deserve it, but He was freely given to the world. Most people don’t make it a habit of repaying someone with their services after receiving a gift on their birthday or Christmas. Why? Because we know it was a gift given by love. God’s gift was given in the same way.

Does this mean we can live like a hellion? Of course not. I repeat, of course not. But, what we do for God is out of appreciation, not repayment. There’s a difference. If we live unto God based on repayment, there’s a possibility of guilt entering our lives when we don’t live up to the perfect standards of God. Guilt can hinder our prayers, have us feel unworthy, and not operate in our authority. However, if we live based on appreciation, we have the freedom to do the perfect will of God and even when we fall, we can appreciate God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We live a holy life, give financially, and walk in love based on our appreciation for what He’s done.

Jesus paid our debts so that we can be free. Receive this gift of freedom.

Ephesians 2:8 (AMP) For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God;

Genesis 15:6 And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith.

After attempting to force a blessing by having Ishmael, God clearly told Abram that he and his wife were going have a child (Gen. 17:16). Abram was 100 years old and Sarai was 90 years old. Sarai was not present when God made this promise to the now Abraham, but she obviously was informed by Abraham on what God said because she accepted her new name of Sarah. In Genesis 18:10, a messenger of God confirmed God’s promise by telling Abraham that he and Sarah were going to have a child the following year. This time, Sarah was present, but she laughed in unbelief. Not only did she laugh, but she lied about laughing to Abraham and God.

Obviously, Sarah had a lot of doubt in her heart and it’s logically understandable. This woman has been attempting to have a child for at least 75 years and she has never heard of a woman giving birth in her 90’s. Sarah may have had doubt, but Abraham didn’t. From the beginning, Abraham believed God.

God set a hierarchy for the family. The husband is head of the wife (Eph. 5:23). Abraham, being the head of his household, believed God and although Sarah had doubt in her heart, his belief set in motion the promise of God manifesting in their lives. By Abraham’s faith, the Lord fulfilled His promise and blessed Abraham and Sarah with Isaac.

HUSBANDS, it’s important to get in the Word of God and build up your faith. The faith you have or don’t have will help or hurt your families. WIVES, it’s important that you properly submit to a man whose faith is fully in God and God alone.

Genesis 21:1 Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.

Genesis 16:9 Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.”

Abram’s wife Sarai was unable to have children. Through the suggestion of Sarai, Hagar, a slave, was forced to have a baby by Abram. During the time of Hagar’s pregnancy, Sarai was jealous and despised her. Sarai mistreated Hagar and possibly abused her, so much so until Hagar fled from the mistreatment of Sarai. While Hagar was away, God told her to go back to Sarai and submit to her.

Why would a loving God tell Hagar to return and submit to seemingly horrible conditions? She was forced to get pregnant, despised, and abused. Could it be that God had more for her?

Looking at verse 10, God promised Hagar that her descendants will increase if she returned. Without any evidence of this increase, taking God at His Word, Hagar obeyed God and returned. Eventually we see God honoring His Word to Hagar. God was with Hagar’s son, Hagar’s son was married, and God made Hagar’s son into a great nation (Gen. 21:17-21).

What would have happened if Hagar disobeyed God and magnified her negative experiences over God’s promise? Look at what she and her son could have missed out on.

We all face negative situations in life. One of our first instincts is to leave that negative circumstance. In a turbulent marriage, some immediately want to get a divorce. At an unfulfilling job, some want to quit. Unhappy at our church, some want to leave. However, if God tells us to face that situation, we must realize He has more for us than we can currently comprehend.

We may feel like we can’t take it and the situations is worsening, butif God tells us to stay and submit, He has given us the grace handle it and our reward will be greater than the trials we face. Stick with it and see the promise of God.

Hebrews 6:15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

For over 70 years, Abram and his wife, Sarai desired a child, but they could not have one. At the age of 76, God promised Abram and his wife, Sarai a son (Gen. 15:4). After 10 years of waiting, they became impatient, and agreed to force a blessing by having Abram have a child with Sarai’s slave Hagar.

This was not God’s best so after 13 years, after Hagar had her child, God told Abram a second time that he will have a child by Sarai (Gen. 17:16). Eventually, at the age of 100, Abraham and Sarah gave birth to Isaac. At his and his wife’s age, Abraham nor Sarah didn’t know how birthing a child was going to happen, but he was convinced and believed what God had promised.

One of the biggest enemies of faith is delay. There are going to be times of delay in our lives where it seems as if God’s promise is not going to come to pass. Don’t doubt or make the mistake of Abram and attempt to force a blessing. Patiently wait on what God had promised.

For those who are waiting on a husband or wife, don’t settle with someone you know is not the one. Wait patiently for the person God has for you. For those who are looking for a better career, don’t accept any old job just because it’s something different. Wait patiently on the career God has for you. Don’t allow delay to make you settle for less than God’s best. From healing in our bodies to a child, if God promised it in His Word, it will come to pass.

Matthew 8:26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

Jesus told the disciples they were going to the other side. While traveling, they were in a severe storm, however, Jesus was asleep. The disciples were afraid and decided to awaken Jesus and question His care for them. Prior to rebuking the storm, Jesus made a point to question their fear and belittle their faith.

The disciples were questioned and their faith was belittled because, although He was with them, the disciples did not truly believe in the Word of Jesus and His concern for their well-being.

Many of us face little faith moments in our lives as well. When we’re in problematic moments, some of us tend to panic, become fearful, and question God’s love for us although He assured us He’s always with us (Matt. 28:20). The presence of God in our lives accompanied by the finished works of Jesus is all the confidence we need to overcome any situation.

Transform your little faith into great faith by realizing God is always with us, He loves and cares for us, and His Word will come to pass in our lives.

Matthew 28:20 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.”

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

As we can see, faith is important to our livelihood on earth. We should walk by faith, live by faith, and please God through our faith. In Galatians 3:14 the promises of God are received by faith. Seeing the importance of faith, the most targeted area in our lives by Satan is our faith.

Satan’s weapon of choice against our faith is doubt. If Satan can get us to doubt God’s Word coming to pass in our lives, he was successful in his attack. When trials and tribulation come, Satan’s goal is to have us doubt God’s ability to deliver. If someone gets laid off at their job, Satan’s goal is to have us doubt God’s ability to deliver provision. If someone gets sick in their body, Satan’s goal is to have us doubt God’s ability to deliver healing. If a dearly loved born-again believer unexpectedly dies, Satan’s goal is to have us doubt God’s existence.

Don’t be ignorant of Satan’s method of attack (2 Cor. 2:11). He’s after our faith. If he can capture our faith, he can control our lives. Regardless of what we see and regardless of the circumstances, take your faith back and place it in the ability of God.

Under the Law, to receive a promise from God there was an “obey, then” clause. If we did our part (obeyed) then God did His part (bless).

Deuteronomy 28:1 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. (Also see Isaiah 1:19; Exo. 18:23)

Under grace, to receive the promises of God, we have a “believe, then” clause.

Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Also see Luke 8:50; John 14:12)

Although we’re under grace, a lot of people still have this “obey, then” mindset. They pray to God and believe for the promise (Matt. 21:22), but they will also fast, pray longer, and diligently read their bibles to get God to move on their behalf. It’s as if they’re working to receive a blessing. If we thoroughly read our roles under grace, we’re to ONLY believe. Believe in what? The finished works of Jesus.

Through Jesus’ sacrifice, all the promises of God have been made available for the taking (2 Cor. 1:20). Obedience to God is important, but it’s not the prerequisite to the promise. Once we’re confident the promise is ours and we’re patient, we’ll receive whatever we believe in due time. No works are needed. Receive every promise through belief.

Unfortunately, marriage has been diminished to a piece of paper in the world’s eyes. People have been convinced that marriage is a modern form of slavery, it’s archaic, and it’s unnecessary for today.

Marriage is a beautiful creation by God. It’s where two people become one in holy matrimony. Its design was established in earth before people could receive tax benefits and be beneficiaries.

Since marriage is a creation of God, of course Satan will attempt to destroy His creation. What better way to destroy a creation like marriage than to convince people that marriage is a waste of time, money, and energy? What better way to pervert marriage than to “act” married, but not officially be married? What better way to stop people from getting married than to instill the fear of divorce?

As we can see, Satan has done a great job in minimizing marriage because people haven’t recognized the spiritual benefits of marriage.
A Holy Marriage Produces:
-Unconditional Love (Eph. 5:25).
-Lifetime Companionship (Gen. 2:18).
-Favor from the Lord (Prov. 18:22).
-Help (Ecc. 4:9-11).
-Agreement (Matt 18:20)

If people will magnify the promises from God in marriage instead of being convinced otherwise, more people can maximize on the abundant life Jesus provided.

Hebrews 13:4 Let marriage be kept honorable in every way, and the marriage bed undefiled. For God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery.

Commit to doing things God’s way.

God’s way is opposite, weird and unusual from the world’s way, therefore, don’t expect it to always make sense. If someone wrongs us, the world will tell us to hurt them back, however, God tells us to love, pray for, and forgive them. If we desire to increase in our finances, the world will tell us to work longer and hold on to everything we receive. God, however, tells us to give a portion of our finances away and trust Him.

God’s way is not always going to be appealing. If we have that lustful itch, the world will tell us to scratch it, however, God tells us to resist temptation. Or, if we know we had enough food, but, it just feels good to have one more slice of cake, God will tell us to discipline our flesh.

God’s way is unusual, not always appealing, and sometimes even difficult, but it’s not to be mean. It’s for our own benefit. When we commit to doing things God’s way, our life is not as stressful, we position ourselves to hear God clearly, and we will enjoy more of life.

While the world continues to live in a manner contrary to the will of God, continue to hold up the righteous standard and do things God’s way.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

Hebrews 2:18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

There are all kinds of temptation and we face temptation every single day. People are tempted to lie, tempted to cheat, tempted to lust, curse, and so much more. Of course we want to overcome every temptation, but there are times when temptation wins and that’s frustrating.

Regardless of the temptation, the Word of God says Jesus will come to our aid when we’re tempted. It doesn’t matter how enticing the temptation is, when we call on the name of Jesus, His grace is available to help us overcome. We have to first want to overcome the temptation and secondly, we must remind ourselves Who to go to when temptation is present.

Jesus is our help. He overcame temptation, therefore, we can overcome temptation. Jesus overcame temptation by speaking the Word of God. We overcome temptation by speaking the Word of God at our temptation using, our authority: the name of Jesus.

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:18‬ “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

When we fully receive God’s love for us, we no longer live life in fear because we understand that He loves us so much so that we don’t have to worry about anything.

For example, when we understand that God loves us, we aren’t afraid to give our resources to others because we know that God is our provider and will cause others to give to us when we give (Luke 6:38).

Or, when others wrong us and God tells us to continue to be kind and demonstrate His love to them, we can do so without fear of looking foolish, or being taken advantage of, or not getting the satisfaction of putting those people in their place because, we know that God has us covered and has promised to fight our battles (Romans 12:19).  

Or, when the world says we should worry about our children, we don’t fear because we know that God loves our children more than we do. So we pray and trust Him and proceed with confidence that He keeps our children protected and that the seed of the righteous is blessed (2 Thessalonians 3:3, Psalm 112:2). 

When we receive God’s perfect Love, we live life with no fear; we trust Him completely and live a life of love freely. 

There are people who complicate salvation. Salvation can be summed up in these three scriptures.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
*John 3:16 provides a reason why God decided to save us. God’s motivation to save us was based on love. Also, this scripture tells us Who saved us.

Romans 10:9 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.
*This scripture is the crux of Christianity. It gives us step by step instructions on how to be saved. Declare Jesus is Lord, believe God raised Him from the dead, and receive salvation.

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
*This scripture lets us know salvation is not anything we’ve earned or deserve. It’s God’s free gift to us.

By combining these scriptures regarding salvation we can say:
God loved us enough to send and sacrifice His Only Son on our behalf and if we declare “Jesus is Lord” and believe God raised Him from the dead, we’ll receive the free gift of salvation.

That’s it. It’s not living a holy life for a year, being baptized, or speaking in tongues. If we understand why we’re saved and how to be saved, we can enjoy an abundant, liberating life.

*Share this scripture with those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and with those who lack understanding of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:18 “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient—”‭‭

Since we’ve all faced different challenges and circumstances, we all have a different story on how God blessed, used, and delivered us.

Our story of God blessing, using, and delivering us can inspire someone else. Personally, I can’t speak on being delivered from an abusive situation because I never went through that, but someone else can. That testimony of deliverance creates hope for someone else. That hope turns into faith and faith is the tool for deliverance from their abusive situation. Don’t lie or over exaggerate the truth. What God has done is just enough.

If God has done anything in your life, tell your story. Our stories will cause others to believe, encourage people to submit to God, and replace people’s fear with faith.

Romans 15:2 Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me.”

When was the last time you did anything nice for someone without expecting something back? When was the last time you simply wanted to be a blessing? When was the last time you gave someone a “just because” gift? As the majority of the world is thinking of themselves, it’s important for the believer to please someone else.

Being a blessing to someone else can go a long way. Our kind act could be the very thing that encourages someone else to get through the rest of the week. We could be the blessing they prayed for, thereby solidifying their faith in God. Our actions could be the beginning of a ripple effect that blesses someone we’ve never met.

Our kind acts won’t go unnoticed by God. God promises to reward us knowing that whatsoever good thing any person does, the same shall they receive of the Lord (Eph. 6:8). So go out and be a blessing.

The disrespect to God seems to be at an all time high. People confidently confess God is a myth, Jesus was just a man, the Holy Spirit seems to be a joke, and the Bible is a fairy tale that’s similar to Harry Potter. The spirit of the antichrist is strengthening and the standard of God is lax.

These signs are proof we are in the very last days. Based on the signs, the window of salvation through Jesus Christ is slowly closing. As believers, our responsibility is to lead others to Christ while there’s still a chance. Unfortunately, the Bible lets us know that people will become lovers of only themselves which means, the love that goes into sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ may be hindered (2 Tim. 3:2).

We must recognize this temptation to only think of ourselves and our immediate family and continue to hold up the standard of righteousness. We must continue to let the world know that God is real, Jesus is The Only Way, the Holy Spirit is our Helper, and we must continue to walk and tell the truth in love. We can’t stop the disrespect to God from everyone, but we can do our part by continuing to be a light in a world that’s getting darker by the day.

Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus knew He was going to be beat, whipped, separated from the Father, and die and yet, He still maintained His joy. What gave Jesus joy was knowledge and faith. Jesus knew and believed His sacrifice would save mankind whom He dearly loves. Jesus also knew and believed His sacrifice would honor the Father, therefore, rewarding Him with the name higher than any other name, a seat at the right hand of the Father, and The only Way to God. For these reasons, Jesus maintained His joy and endured the cross. 

If Jesus can have joy in that situation, we too can have joy. If we follow the same pattern of Jesus, in any situation, we can maintain our joy. When facing negative situations that impact our joy, we must know and believe there’s a promise of victory over that situation. After a breakup, we must know and believe the blood of Jesus can remove the hurt from our consciousness and God has a spouse available for us (Hebrews 9:14; Mark 11:24). After a layoff, our joy is held together by believing God will supply all our needs and we will receive our desired career (Philippians 4:19; Mark 11:24).  

Whatever the situation is, maintain joy by knowing and believing in the promises of God coming to pass in your life. 

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Although it appears like death can strike at any moment, death no longer has dominion over those who believe. Jesus redeemed us from the curse of death. Like any promise found in the word of God, our faith must be applied to receive this redemption. If we doubt or don’t believe that Jesus defeated death for us, we can’t expect to reap the harvest of long life (James 1:6-7).

God, Himself, promised us 120 years (Genesis 6:3). Now that we’re redeemed from the curse of death, we don’t have to be worried about what may happen to us. We can calmly go into the worst neighborhood at night because we know we’re covered. We can maximize our abundant life by trying new things and traveling to exotic places because we’re protected. We can live a fear-free life because death is defeated.

Apply faith to this promise and receive a high quality abundant life.

There are a lot of us who chase after our dreams with a Pit-bull like intensity. We’ll move to a different city, work long hours, and are willing to live below our means just to see that dream come to pass. Some may applaud us for going after our dream while others question if it’s worth it. Regardless of what other people think or say, we’ll vigorously go after that dream.

The same tenacity and intensity a lot of us have when going after our dreams is the same tenacity and intensity we should have when going after God. We should make time for God, be willing to live below our means to give to God, and die to our flesh to please God.

Let’s be real. God is the One who gave us our dream. It would make more sense for us to go after God to receive instructions on how to make our dreams come to pass. Make God the prize and our dreams will follow.

Psalm 42:1 For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah. As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.

Proverbs 13:22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

Just because God promises the believer wealth doesn’t mean wealth is going to automatically fall into our laps. The scripture says, “Wealth is stored up for the righteous.” To access this wealth, it requires faith. Like our money is stored up in a bank and we need a debit card and a PIN to access this money, likewise, to access the promise of wealth, we need faith (Heb. 6:12).

Faith is not magical and it’s not some cheap trick. Faith simply believes what God has promised us through Jesus Christ in spite of our surrounding conditions. We may not have a dime to our name naturally, but if we continue to believe for the promise of wealth, obey God to position ourselves to receive wealth, and have patience, we’ll eventually receive this promise.

Does this mean that everyone will be a millionaire before they die? No, but, everyone has the potential to receive millions if they work the process.

Enhance the quality of life by standing in faith for wealth.

Romans 13:9-10 “For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

God is love, therefore, it’s safe to say, He created us to love. Love is so potent until it fulfills all the commandments of God. If we love a person, we wouldn’t steal from them. If we love a person, we wouldn’t murder them. Love is all God requires.  

Not only will love fulfill the commandments of God, but since we were created by Love with love, love will bring fulfillment in every area of our lives. It’s something about love. It feels good to love. If feels good to help out that person who is less fortunate than ourselves. It’s exhilarating to give and receive genuine love from our family. It feels good to know that love made a difference in someone’s life. 

Finally, love provided salvation. God so loved the world that He sent Jesus. Love kept Jesus fulfilling the will of the Father. Love kept Jesus on the cross instead of sending a host of angels to destroy everyone abusing Him. Love, through Jesus, provides us eternal life with the Father. 

Magnify love. Love the Father, love yourself, and love everyone else. 

Luke 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

When Jesus instructed Simon to go out into the deep and let down his nets to fish, it was at the inappropriate time. It was at the hottest part of the day and Simon, a fisherman, already attempted to catch fish at the appropriate time, night. But because of his obedience and his belief in Jesus, Simon caught more fish than he could ever imagine (v. 6).

In Matthew 9:20-22, we see God healing the woman with the issue of blood at the inappropriate time. According to the Law, the woman was not supposed to be outside her house or touching a Rabbi while bleeding nevertheless, when she touched the garment of Jesus, at the inappropriate time, she was healed.

What can we learn from this? God can bless us at the inappropriate time. When people and statistics say it’s the inappropriate time to believe for this or that, we have contextual proof that the time is irrelevant to God. If we’re 45 years old and we desire a child, we can receive that child if we’re willing to undoubtingly believe God’s Word. If our credit is bad, statistics say it’s the wrong time to desire a house, however, if we’re willing to believe God, we can receive that house even with bad credit. People say it takes 2 years of experience before it’s best to put in for a promotion, but with God, we can receive that promotion within a few months.

Even if the time is inappropriate, we can we receive the promises of God if we’re willing to believe.

Everyone gets angry at some point in their lives. People get angry while driving, angry with their spouse or children, angry with their co-workers, or angry with situations.

If we break down anger, we’ll discover the root of anger is fear. If we’re angry with our spouse, we’re really afraid that we’re being taken advantage of in some way. If we’re angry in traffic, we’re fearful that the other person doesn’t respect our positioning. If we’re angry with a boss, we’re fearful that we’re being disrespected.

Anger is a normal emotion but, God doesn’t want us harboring anger for more than a day (Ephesians 4:26). Anger is a gateway emotion to all other ungodly emotions (hate, bitterness, etc.). We manage and dismiss our anger by magnifying God and His Word within the situation. If we’re angry with our spouse, do what the Word says in spite of our anger. Continue to love, honor, and respect them and trust that God will help us not become so sensitive or trust that God will deal with our spouse. If we’re angry with that rude person in line, we must remind ourselves who we are in Christ, and continue to love that person in spite of their actions.

Let go of the anger by rebuking the fear in our lives.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

There’s a reason why the Word of God tells us to seek God and His righteousness first. The main reason we seek God first is because it makes God a priority in our lives and we don’t allow anything or anyone else above Him. 

A second reason why “first” is in this scripture is because there will be something else we’ll have to do secondly, thirdly, etc. After seeking God first, there will be instructions God gives to us pertaining to our situation. 

For instance, if someone desires a job, the first thing they should do is seek God on how to obtain that job. After seeking Him, God may secondly tell us to network with people we know in that field. Thirdly, He may tell us to search for jobs online. Finally, He may tell us to apply. The problem occurs when we go out of order. If we desire a job and immediately begin searching online, applying online, and after getting the job, we seek God for help in the job, we’re working out of order. 

God wants to be first, then He’ll tell you what to do secondly, thirdly, etc. Prioritize Him and trust His plan for your life. 

Many believers claim they want to go “deeper” in God, however, a lot of people don’t actually know what that means. Some may say it’s reading our Bibles more or spending more time in prayer. In actuality, the Bible defines this “deepness” a lot of us are trying to obtain.

1 Corinthians 2:10 But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

This deepness comes as a result of our relationship with the Holy Spirit. When we pray in the Spirit and are being led by the Holy Spirit in all our decisions, we make ourselves available to receive “deep” revelation from God.

In 1 Corinthians 2:1-10, it tells us by praying in the Spirit, we speak the hidden wisdom of God. We speak the things that “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” God can tell us what to prepare for in our future, when to act, and how to act.

This deepness is not privileged to those who appear to have it all together. It’s for anyone who is willing to receive it. Look at Noah. Noah was sensitive to the voice of God. Noah received and acted on detailed instructions from God about building a boat to escape a flood before rain ever existed.

Let’s strengthen our relationship with the Holy Spirit and gain this deepness with God.

Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love.

As a believer, we all want to be used by God and receive our desires from God. God’s Word tells us we can heal the sick, raise the dead, and perform miracles like Jesus (Matt. 10:8; John 14:12). God’s Word also tells us we can receive the desires of our hearts (Mark 11:24). At the end of the day, we want to experience supernatural results.

To obtain supernatural results, we must have faith (Rom. 4:16). But as we can see, faith works by love. Some of us believe God for the supernatural to take place in our lives, but we have bitterness, anger, and hatred in our hearts. That’s why some of us aren’t experiencing the supernatural. How can we say we believe God for our marriage to be made whole, but we have hatred towards a parent? How can we say we believe God for a new job, but we’re envious of a friend who appears to be enjoying his career?

We can’t have faith in God meanwhile, harbor emotions contrary to God. Experience supernatural results by walking in love and removing negative emotions today.

Luke 10:27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”

Jesus was so impactful in the earth due to His love for God and His love towards us. ~Smith Wigglesworth

Jesus loves the Father and He loves us so very much. This love compelled Him to push His agenda aside and honor the Father with His life and sacrifice Himself on our behalf. Jesus’ love for the Father stopped Him from dishonoring God by falling into temptation. Jesus’ love for people compelled Him to stop and heal the sick wherever He went. Jesus’ love kept Him on the cross when He could have called angels to smite everyone doubting, mocking, and beating Him. Jesus’ love was a difference maker.

Jesus commands us to love the Father and love people. If we can develop the love that Jesus had towards the Father and towards others, we can accomplish similar goals of Jesus and more (John 14:12). Our love for the Father will keep us from engaging in activities that go against His nature. Our love for people will see a hurting person, and with compassion, declare healing in their bodies. This is how we make an impact in the world.

Love is how we make a difference in the world. Faith works by love (Galatians 5:6). No love, no faith. No faith, no manifestation of miracles. No miracles, no hope. Love is all we need.

Psalm 91:1 Whoever goes to the Lord for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, 2 can say to him, “You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust.”

Psalm 91:11 For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways.

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn.

As human beings, one of the biggest needs we have is security. Wherever we go, we want to know that we’re safe and our families will be safe.

In so many ways, God has vowed to keep us safe from all hurt, harm, and danger. God protects us, His angels protect us, and He told us no weapon formed against us shall prosper. The question is do you believe Him?

To maximize on God’s protection plan, we must believe that God can and will protect us. This protection plan won’t work if we doubt God’s ability to protect us. This protection plan won’t work if we feel like we need to help Him out by over-doing it with natural security (alarms, weapons, etc.).

We must believe God loves us. By knowing that God loves us, we can be convinced that He will protect us. Leave the fear of being vulnerable behind and receive God’s love accompanied with His protection.

Whether we believe it or not, everyone has faith. There’s a lesson of faith all around us.

A good example is when we’re at a red light. When we’re at a red light, we have to have faith that people won’t disregard their red light and cause us to have an accident. A lot of  us do this mindlessly. When our light turns green, we’re not worried or fearful that people will run the red light. We truly believe that people will stop at a red light.

If we have faith to believe that people will stop at a red light, how much more faith should we have in God fulfilling His promises in our lives? It’s the same process.

The reason we have so much faith in people stopping at red lights is because we’ve seen them stop time and time again, therefore, we have boldness to begin driving when our light turns green. God has fulfilled His promises to us countless times in our past, therefore, there should be a boldness to place our faith, hope, and trust in God. Don’t be afraid or worried. What God said He will do, will come to pass.

Exercise this red light faith with God.

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.