SPEAK THE DESIRES OF YOUR LIFE INTO EXISTENCE THROUGH FAITH

Mark 11:22-24 22 And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

The Word teaches that God wants His people to be healthy, wealthy, and happy all the time and that speaking the right words, in faith, compels God to deliver on his part of the covenant." So when we say with conviction the things we desire in our lives, we are granting ourselves the things we want by choosing to declare them in faith. Just believe it as we speak it into reality.

Father, I declare Your supernatural favor over my finances.  I declare a prosperity miracle upon my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren's lives.  Father, You said we can speak things into existence, so I talk about peace in my life.  Lord, I am healthy and disease-free.  Father, my eating and weight are under control; I have no additions, hate, jealousy, or envy in my heart.  Lord, my son, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will be victorious in everything they do; please strengthen their faith and help them with their unbeliefs.  Lord, I thank You for my book; bring a number one seller.  Thank You for the man You have for me, who will love You and me with all his heart.  Thank You for all the Spiritual Soldiers You have put in my life and the people You removed that were hindering my blessings.  Father, thank You for removing all political leaders, spiritual leaders, and community leaders that do not follow Your will for the people.  Lord, thank You for Your wisdom and the knowledge to implement You in my daily life. Thank You, Lord, that I will be able to retire with all I need to live comfortably.  Thank You, Lord, that all my houses are paid for and updated in maintenance and taxes. In Jesus name, Amen

REPAY NO ONE EVIL FOR EVIL

People only see the good in you when you're helping them.  But the first time you say no or get upset because of their selfishness and self-centeredness, everything you ever did for them is forgotten.  But, do not fret, argue or get upset and never try to get even with them; just leave them alone.  We do not have to go crazy or fight because when we put betrayal in God's hands, He will fix it.  Sometimes we have to cut our losses and love people from a distance to not corrupt our souls with anger, hate, or envy.  When we are good to people and misuse that goodness, they do not deserve to be in our presence, and the best thing we can do is give it to God and walk away.

Romans 12:17-21 Repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." On the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Father, Your Word brings joy when we are sad, comfort when we are weary, guidance when confused, and encouragement when we are ready to quit. That's why we need to read and study it daily.  Lord, as we study Your Word, let it nourish, encourage, and exhort us. Father, let no one use Scripture to extort money, twist people's arms or put them under a cloud of guilt.  Lord, we are told to help our brothers and sisters in need, but let us understand the difference in conditions and wants.  Lord, we confess our sins, weakness, and fears; reconnect us with You; we want to be fully alive.  So, stir in us new hearts and minds that will equip our hands, Anoint our feet, empower our voice for Your service and work. Lord, we get sometimes confused about life; we sometimes feel we are not in the right place; please give us guidance in these uncertain times.  Lord, we genuinely want to be the people You created us to be, but we need Your help. Give us the wisdom, knowledge, and faith to accomplish Your purpose in our lives. Lord, someone is reading this that is in need of a break thru, a job, financial relief, guidance, protection, healing, or just dealing with life everyday problems; we ask You to allow it manifest or pass from them, in the name of Jesus, Amen

WHY DO YOU HATE ME WE ARE THE SAME

Foolish interpretations of the Bible have created the misconception that God approves of racism and slavery, so not true.  God commands us to "judge not by appearance, but judge by right judgment." 1Corinhians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit to form one body whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free, and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 1 John 2:11 anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going because the darkness has blinded them.

Let's first define our term. Racism is about making quick judgments on the characteristics of a race to rate them as inferior or superior, demonstrating partiality or bias. Racism is a problem we can't ignore or run away from. It's an issue today, and it was an issue throughout history, including when the Bible was written.

Father, help us realize that You care how we treat each other because we're all created in Your image, and You make no distinction between the inherent value of one race or ethnicity over another.  Lord, touch the hearts and minds of those that are racist and enable them to care about people regardless of their ethnicity, nationality, and social status.  Father, thank You for not showing favoritism but accepting the people who fear You and do what is suitable for every nation.  Lord, help us understand that we were all baptized by one Spirit to form one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free, and we were all given the one Spirit, in Jesus' name Amen.

HELP US LOVE EACH OTHER LIKE CHRIST

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.  The only thing that will last is "Real love" 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 Real love doesn’t keep a record of wrongs. Real love doesn’t seek its own. Real love never fails."

When we think of love the first thing comes to mind is good feelings. But real love does not dependent on feelings. It is about so much more than how we feel about someone. Real love is selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional and it has no price on it.  You may have learned from experience that what our world calls love often comes conditionally. If we mess up, it’s gone. If we don’t pay the cost, it evaporates. Jesus taught his disciples about love:  Love is like a communicable disease, transmissible from person to person like when Christ first loved us; which in return made us love Him.  Although we had not come in direct contact with the Lord, His love is so strong that just by reading or hearing the Word spread that same love to us.

Father, You are a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in Your love, wisdom. power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.  Lord, Your love is long-suffering and kind. Your love, unlike ours, does not envy, take pride in self, does not boast, and think no evil, wickedness, or unrighteousness.  Lord, thank You, for allowing us to share the characteristic of love.  Father, whoever does not love does not know You, because You are Love.  Lord, Your love is best seen in Your grace, forgiveness, and Christ.  Lord You, died for love. You lived entirely without sin, yet You walked up a hill in Israel over 2,000 years ago and sacrificed Your life to save ours from God’s wrath the punishment we deserve for our rebellion.  Father, You have demonstrated Your love for us, while we were still sinners and we are so grateful, in Jesus name Amen

IT COULD HAVE BEEN US

It could have been us that did wake up this morning
 It could have been us homeless
 It could have been us diagnose with cancer
 It could have been us unemployed
 It could have been us who's marriage fell apart
 It could have been us  falsely incarcerated
 It could have been us shot or abuse by law enforcement
 It could have been us shoot while attending school church or movie theater
 It could have been us killed in a storm
 It could have been us who lost our home
 It could have been us with no food to eat
 It could have been our child lost

Psalm 91 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly diseases. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Father, we know nothing come to us unless it comes through You, so we thank You for your hedge of protection around us.  Thank You, that we are not apart of this fallen world, but apart of Your Kingdom, through our faith in Your Son.  Thank You, Lord, that we are able to see another day in our right minds with all our needs are met.  Thank You, for seeing fit to allow us another opportunity to get it right with You. Father, enable us to adopt a more constructive attitude, to help promote our Spiritual development.  Father, we are here, what will You have us to do, give us eyes that see Your plan for us, and ears that hear Your instructions.  Lord, our faith is our decision to be submissive to Your Word, because we trust in Your promise.  Now, Lord, we pray for those who are less fortunate and show us what to do to help.  Lord, there are enough resources for all if we were not so selfish and willing to share our blessings.  Father, open our hearts and minds to Your Word so we can become the people You created us to be, in Jesus name, Amen

WHAT CROSS ARE WE CARRYING

 Mark 8:34 Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

This verse has two different meanings, one interpretation focuses on suffering as a “witness” to the Lord. The other focuses on the suffering that we face as we “die to ourselves.”  Sometimes, when we ask God to take our cross from us, He will and sometimes He will allow us to carry our cross all the way to Calvery.   Jesus, prayed to the Father in the garden of Gethsemane just before he was arrested, "to let His cross of sacrifice pass from Him"  Yet Jesus was not spared.  because God's plan was for Him to suffer in hope His blessings and suffering will change our hearts and save us.  Paul carried a “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7). The cross that Paul carried might have been some sort of sickness or a speech impediment, God did not spare him.  But, the cross we carry Jesus carries with us, to help ease the burdens.

Good morning Holy Spirit welcome into our hearts and minds.  Guide us through this day and order our steps in Your will.  Lord, we surrender our freedom, our desires and our flesh to You.  Father, let Your Word be a lamp to our feet and the light to our path.  You are so worthy of our praise and worship; You are our beginning and our end, You are able to keep us from falling and present us to the Father without fault.  Lord, we hear Your Words “Take up our cross and follow me,” so help us pack the things of the Spirit so we will be submissive and follow You.  Father, we commit to You all our problems and burdens, so we do not grow weary under the weight of our cross.  Lord, help us deny ourselves, the self we put on for others or the self-centered self that wants it all for ourselves? So, Father, baptize us in the Spirit so we will be able to obey Your will. Lord, we need Your grace and mercy to be able to deal with our day to day struggles. Lord, we remember that You empowered Your disciples and others who decided to follow You, and we believe that You will do likewise for us. In Jesus name Amen

Inspired by Lucille Pianese

EVENING PRAYER

Now that our day has come to an end, Lord, we thank You for the hedge of protection You have around us.  Father, bless those who did not make it through this day and fill the hearts of the loved ones who were left behind with comfort, understanding, justice, and peace.  Father, thank You for this cross You have allowed us to carry; please give us Your strength and Job faith to persevere, so that we may bring glory to Your name while we stand under the burden of its weight.  Thank You, Jesus, for allowing us to share in Your suffering and our Father's Kingdom.  Thank You, for all the Spiritual Soldiers You have sent to help us bear our cross.  Lord, we pray for every thorn in our flesh be removed and replaced with the things of the Spirit.  Holy Spirit, change our fears into Trust, change our hate into love, and change our past into Your future.  Father, let us not get so caught up in our own concerns but seek Your will through prayer, courage, and faith.  Lord, less of us and more of You, so we can be more like Your Son, willing to struggle and sacrifice for others.  Lord, please help us save our children, show us how to get You back in their schools, the workplace, and our homes; and forgive us for not teaching them the way to go.  Father, as we lay down to sleep, we embrace our cross with love and abandon ourselves totally to Your will, in Jesus name, Amen

STAY HUMBLE

“James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” 

Humility before God is not complete unless there is also humility before man. A true test of our willingness to humble ourselves is the willingness to share with others the weaknesses we confess to God. Wisdom, however, dictates that we do so with others that we trust.

Lord, we humbly adore You, our King, and redeemer; You are Lord of everything, to whom we give all the praise.  Lord, let Your light shine through us, that they may all see Your good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven.  Father, help us to understand, Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill them.  Father, You sent Your only Son, bearing gifts of grace; through His sacrifice to become our Savior and we are so grateful.  Lord, thank You for the bread of life, by which we are fed; that nourish Your dwelling place and cleanse our souls.  Lord, You died to save us now You live in us to give sight to the blind and to strengthen our faith and help us with our unbelief.  Lord, hear our humble cry, grant us unity; make us one in heart through our faith in You so we will lift each other up instead of tearing each other down.  Now with thanksgiving and the right attitude, we patiently and humbly wait for Your return in Jesus name, Amen

THE ENEMY IS NOT ONLY THE FLESH

Sometimes fighting the enemy means we may have to leave people and things alone, especially those that are double-minded to free ourselves from the enemy.  People think the enemy is the flesh only, but fighting an enemy, could be the Devil, a demon, or anything else.  The struggle is not just against the flesh, but against the powers of darkness and against spiritual forces of evil.  We are fighting the enemy of envy, hate, jealousy, covert, greed, pride, fear, and doubt.  Now most of us can deal with the enemy of the flesh, but it is the struggle with principalities, darkness, and Satan that we need Christ help.

Luke 9:1Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  Luke 10:19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

Father, we stand on Your promise that “No weapon formed against us shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against us in judgment You shall condemn.  Lord, through You we will push down our enemies; through Your name, we will trample those who rise up against us. For we will not trust in our strength, but in You who saved us from our enemies, and have put to shame those who hated us.   Lord, we will boast all day long, and praise Your name forever because You are our Savior who gives us guidance and protection.  Father, examine our hearts and let not the Devil have a foothold in our lives so we do not act unworthy of Your grace.  Lord, with Godly sorrow we ask for forgiveness and seek forgiveness of those we may have harmed by our words or actions, in Jesus name Amen

OUR LACK OF FAITH

Faith is not belief without proof or belief despite the evidence; rather, faith is a complete trust or confidence in someone or something. That trust or confidence we have in Christ is built up over time as He proves Himself faithful time and time again. We demonstrate our lack of faith daily to Christ when we allow fear to set in; because this is the time we give the Devil a toe whole.   When Sarah ran ahead of God giving her bondservant to Abraham to bear his son, the promised seed; the whole affair was a sin before God, a sin all three were guilty of. Sarah distrusted God when she resorted to such a wicked expedient, the same thing we do when we have fear.  As children of faith, do we not know that God is able to raise up children out of stones? Sarah’s attempt to secure the Child God Promised her by Hagar was the result of a lack of faith in God. Then, Hagar, although the least free and the least responsible, should not have yielded to such an unholy alliance merely to gratify Sarah ambition. What sorrow, anguish, and loneliness Hagar reaped for her compliance in such a plan to forestall God’s promise, we too are punished for following people when we know they are wrong. We cannot make God’s plan work for us, because we do not know His plan or why He wants to do this His way.  But, what we should know is our lack of faith will make us do some crazy things, which will change God’s plans for our lives.

Luke 8:25 and he said unto them, Where is your faith? And being afraid they marveled, saying one to another, Who then is this, that he commanded even the winds and the water, and they obey him?

Father, please do not let us be overcome by our fears and lack of trust in You.  Lord, we have already seen that Sarah’s folly had its root in unbelief, let us not fall into the same trap. Like Sarah, we too are impatient and want Your promise without delay. Lord, our unbelief became contagious to those who are weak around us and we make them, just as guilty for our unbelief, please forgive us.  Father, do not let us get ahead of You because we have fallen into the meshes of unbelief, let us not yield to an unholy alliance merely to gratify our ambitions.  Lord, help us adjust our lives to what we have learned from Your Word, because the more we practice the stronger our faith becomes.  Father, increase our faith and help us live a life that reflects absolute trust in You.  Father, we thank You and trust in Your ability to do just what You promised us.  So give us eyes that see the difficulties in our lives from Your perspective and help us focus on You and Your power that removes all fears and lack of faith.  In Jesus name, Amen

R. Kelly - The Storm Is Over Now

Then Jesus rose and rebuked the drama and the adversity in our lives then there was a great calm. And we marveled, saying, “Thank You Lord, we know it was You" even through our problems and our struggles we have peace with Him.

Matthew 8:23-27 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him

LAY DOWN OUR WILL FOR HIS WILL

John 10:18 No men take it from me, but I lay it down of myself.  I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again.  This is the commandment have I received from my Father.

Jesus had the power to stop His crucifixion at any time, but His love for the Father and for us made Him lay down His life in obedience to the Father.  Sometimes we have the power to crush those who want to harm us.  But instead, we lay down our will and be obedient to the Father, and let His will be done.  Jesus death was not the results of people crossing Him or an event went wrong, but it was the will of God to change our hearts and minds, through our belief in His Son and His promise.  He took His Son’s life and gave us grace; a New Covenant and the opportunity to be a part of His family with the same rights as Christ 

Father, thank You for the cross and grace, through the death of Your only Son.  Lord, thank You for love, understanding, and peace; thank You for the Holy Spirit that gives us strength, to be submissive to the Word.  Lord, forgive us when we fall short of Your grace, mercy, and favor because we are still sinners in need of Your guidance and direction.   Father, let the Spirit take us out of ourselves and into You; so You can use us as vessels to help build up Your Kingdom and others.  Lord, encourage us to study, pray, and worship You daily, so our relationship will stay strong and healthy.  Father, let Your Word nourish our Fruit, to help it develop and make us more Christ-like; so we will become the people You created.  Father, we choose to lay down our will for Yours; although You gave us the power to choose our will, we want to be obedient to You,  in Jesus name, Amen

OUR VICTORY IS IN CHRIST

Victory in the flesh is perishable, but victory in Christ is eternal.  To follow Christ is not an easy journey, it is filled with dark valley, trespasses, temptations, and evil; but when we pursue God’s purpose for us “to triumph over sin” we are given an imperishable crown "1 cor 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the crown? Run in such a way as to get the crown. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
 
When we receive self-control, His Word ministers to us His power, glory, joy, and peace.  We learn to appreciate our Spiritual investment in Christ and our faith when people see Him in us; as they follow us back to Him, so He can prepare them for victory too.  That’s the crown we should value overall, our victory in CHRIST “that is eternal” Matthew 6:19-21 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Father, we thank You for saving us and helping our Fruit develop, the Fruit of the Spirit; that will renew our hearts and minds, and make us vessels for Your use.  Lord, we have seen Your glory, we have witness Your power of transformation; we have felt Your presence when we needed comfort.  Lord, we have seen You trample over our enemies, while You prepared our table before them.  Father, thank You for Your wisdom and the knowledge of how to be a servant to You and others. Lord, let Your light shine through us, for others to see and be lead by the Spirit to You.  Father, save our young people like You saved us, and forgive us for not training them in the way to go; so they would not have strayed so far from You.  Lord, thank You for not judging us as man does, but by our hearts in which You dwell.  Father, teach us how to pray and walk in Spirit so we will not desire the things of the flesh.  Lord, give us a Christ-like character that gives us self-control and discipline that we need to walk in victory with You, Amen

WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR PEACE

Hebrew 12: 14 make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord.

Let there be peace on earth and let it start with us.  Let there be peace on earth because we are children of God; so that makes us brother and sister, which makes it easier for us to love each other.   We can love through the Holy Spirit, because “we” have been removed and replaced by the things of the Spirit.  The Spirit allows us to walk together in harmony, with God as the head of our family.  “Let peace begin with me” Let peace be our movement, with every step we take, let peace be our vow; take every opportunity to show God’s goodness, by living in peace with all His children.

 If we ask God, He promises us HIS peace "that passes understanding"!  So, the best thing we can do when we are filled with anxiety, worried, or just overwhelmed with life.  Stop everything, find a quiet spot to study, pray, and meditation on His world, that gives us peace.  Colossians 3: 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Father, right now this Country is so out of line with You.  Hate and evil are spewing from the mouth of our government; which You put in place, so we ask You to intervene and restore us back to You.  Search our hearts and remove all that is not of You and fill us with the things of the Spirit so we can live in harmony and peace.   Lord, let not Your followers pay back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else and our rewards will come from You.  Father, let not Deceit fill our hearts so we do not plot evil, but promote peace and You.  Lord, help us be more like You so we will treat others like You treat us, in Your wonderful name we pray Amen

Jonathan Nelson ft Sha Simpson - How Great is our God (HD Quality)

Jeremiah 10:6 There is none like You, O LORD; You are great, and great is Your name in might.  1 Chronicles 16:25 for great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above all gods

In our weakness, He gives us His power to sustains us.  In our despair, He gives us His peace and love.  In our pain, He gives us His comfort and allows us to feel His presence.  In our hopelessness, He gives us eyes that see His goodness.  When the day to day pressures of life becomes overwhelming, this is when God takes the opportunity to show us His greatness

FEAR OR FAITH

Believers have two ways to live, the way of fear or the way of faith.  When we live a life of fear normally it is because our relationship with Christ is weak.  So our fears cause us to panic at the first sign of trouble and seek ungodly counseling, or try to find a way out ourselves.  But God never misses an opportunity to minister to us.  In our times of fear and helplessness, God has always been there to sustain us; this is the time He also invites us to experience His comfort and peace.  So why do we have so much fear, is it because we really do not have faith in God or do we depend too much on our own strength.  When we live by faith, we progressively move from panic to trust by seeking His face through the Word and prayer.   Our faith is what gives us endurance and confidence that God will keep His promise, even when it seems hopeless.  When we give way to the Holy Spirit in the midst of adversity instead of fear, God gives us the patience and peace that enables us to wait and believe in Him

2Corinthians 12: 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Father, we cry out to You asking for freedom from our fears and doubts.  Lord, please do not allow our fears to hold us back from Your purpose.  Lord, give us Your courage and strength to combat our fears that keep us in bondage and hinders our blessings.   Lord, we understand that fear is a tool the enemy uses to keep us from walking into Your plan.  So we decree and declare that we will stand on Your Word that "You have not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind." Father, the Word tells us that we will have troubles in this world, it's a guarantee. However, You also promises that we have victory through our faith because Jesus Christ has overcome the world.  So we will remain form in our faith when the deluge of deceitful tactics from the enemy comes against us. In Jesus name, we claim it Amen

HANDLE IT WITH PRAYER AND FAITH

Relationship problems handle it with prayer

Financial difficulties handle it with prayer

Sickness handle it with prayer

Looking for employment handle it with prayer

Children need guidance handle it with prayer

Seeking Christ handle it with faith

Prayer is one of the most important things we can do. Prayer is the way we communicate with God and it should be taken very seriously. While there is deep theological meaning in prayer, prayer is as simple as you talking to me.  "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, let Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive our trespassers, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil."  We do not have to be a prayer warrior to get God's attention, all we have to do is approach Him with a clean heart and mind and believe His promise and He will hear our prayers.  

Father, I pray that whatever I write reflex You and Your Word, so those that read it will receive Your transforming powers.  Lord, bless us indeed and enlarge our territory, thank You for being with us, and keeping us from evil, in Jesus name, Amen

WHAT DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

What temptation do you struggle with: the little white lie that caused your marriage to fail, the casual glance that turned into lustful desires; that food craving that causes us to overeat, or our fleshly desires that take us out of God’s will.  We have to understand that temptation do not just happen, it comes from our fleshly tendency even after salvation, the dark and lost world around us, and the evil and demonic forces that seek to kill and destroy us are always present.  So what can we do to help fight off temptation?  Our sins and temptations begin as a thought, when we entertain sinful thoughts disobedience will take root then the act of sin occurs.   Temptation never comes from God, actually, God gives us an escape from all temptation; God will strengthen us to help us resist the Devil so he will flee, if we stand form in our faith we will overcome the temptation of the flesh and this world.

Father, help us halt our temptation at our first through of sin, by calling out to You for Your strength to stand form in obedience to Christ.  Lord, You have suffered from temptation, so You understand we need Your help when we are being tempted.  Father, You know our ability to resist temptation is weak, so  You have provided us a way to escape when we call on You for help.   So, help us put on the whole armor of Christ so we will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, we take up the whole armor of Christ so we will be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, we can fight off temptation, in Jesus name, Amen

Artwork by Ron Watson

THE DANGER OF POOR COUNSELING

Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

The consequences of poor advice, we may guide people away from God’s will.   When we give advice to anyone it should be pray, study, and worship God; “never say what I would do” because what we might do could be wrong.  We have to be careful to not examine what people say, but what God says, that what leads us to righteousness and change.   It’s natural to try and be a marriage counselor to a friend in need, but it is imperative we do not put our feelings into the counseling, but God’s Word.  When we give poor advice people will try to fulfill His promise their way and that’s when all hell breaks loose.  The advice to give to those in need of help, depressed, sick, or broken is “follow me to the cross and give it to God.”  Pray with them to let God’s will be done so we will be in line with His plan for their lives.

Father, let us examine the advice we have learned from Your teachings, instead of listening to man.   Lord, when we face hardships and adversities, it natural for us to turn to family or friends; but we must give our cares to You, who can and will direct us.   So, we will receive guidance and protection as Christ walks with us through the storm.  Lord, give us the patience of Abraham so we won't heed the advice we want to hear; so give us ears that hear Your soft voice.  Father, give us wisdom and the knowledge to let You instructed our lives, in Jesus name, Amen