Category Archives: Wisdom

Gifts of the Spirit, Healing, Inspiration, Wisdom, Word from God

A Word from God: To My Hurting People

clouds in blue sky

I usually have not made this type of blog post, but this is the first time I will be doing this. In my time with the Holy Spirit, the Lord gave me a word. I first thought the word was just intended for me, but I felt to share this on here. I strongly believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Gifts of the Spirit are available today, to those who seek and ask God for it. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 (ESV) tells us, “ For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.”.

The Lord spoke and inspired me to write this:
To my people hurting.
You are hurting in your bodies, minds, and souls.
You cry to me day and night, wondering when a breakthrough will come.
You ask, why am I still suffering?

You are asking is this not over with today?
Why am I not healed?
Why is my mind not restored?
Why is this hurt still haunting me?

You have Christ and the Holy Spirit in your life.
You pray daily.
You read my word daily.
But you are still sick and are still hurting.

You think your symptoms or diagnosis are the real problems, they are not really the problem.
You have some unfinished business to take care of.
This unfinished business has opened the door for the works of the enemy.
There is something deep down inside of you that is still hurting.

You have covered it up with your worldly habits, and may have forgotten about it.
You are still hurt from it, but you just can’t get yourself to truly deal with it.
It is like something in a box, that if you open up it will become the worst pain ever, unbearable to think about.
That is why you have it buried.

Why did you burry this problem?
Because you haven’t truly sought intimacy with me.
You think just by reading my word, praying, and singing along to worship songs is enough.
It’s not, singing along to other people’s words is where you got it all wrong.

You need to create the environment for my Holy Spirit to overflow in you.
Don’t worship with someone else’s words, but your words from your own heart.
Seek intimacy with Abba Father.
Get some quiet time and soak yourself in my presence.

Come to me empty handed my child.
Let’s heal your soul, so your new born Spirit can overtake your soul, and then overtake you on the outside.

James 4:8 (ESV) reminds us, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”.

Christianity, Inspiration, Testimony, Wisdom

Crossroads in Life

street direction sign

As I continue in my series on decision making, I would like to discuss crossroads. I was unsure of what to teach upon next in my series, and then God revealed to me to teach on crossroad decisions. This required me to take some time for me to seek God on what to discuss regarding this subject. No matter your age, you will go through a crossroad at least once in your life, if not many. A crossroad is when one must decide between something of the world and something of God. This can be anything from a job, relationship, health, or finances. It is important to recognize when you are at a crossroad and seek God to make the best choice for your life.

Sometimes in life, we get to caught up in the excitement of what is trending, and we often forget to turn to God before making decisions, both big and small. We often want everything right away, at the push of a button, or the swipe of a credit card. We see something that is on sale and we think that we must buy it, or we see someone we are attracted to and think, I must get their number. If we turn to God’s word, we can find guidance for many of the decisions we make. Sometimes a decision will take some time, it might even take getting advice from someone else. You might have been faced with a diagnosis and might need a second opinion. Regardless of the situation or circumstances one thing never changes and that is God and His word.

When it comes to making any decision in life, we can often become distracted by fear of the unknown. Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) tells us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”.  Regardless of whatever the circumstance is do not become worried, worrying does not accomplish anything. The time you spend worrying is more time lost to prayer and reading the Word of God. When praying for a need in your life or for wisdom in a decision, you must pray for your specific need with thanks to God for what you currently have, and His continued provisions for your life.  Regardless of the situation we know we have peace in God, we must allow that peace to guard our hearts and our minds.

Often when we are at a crossroad in life, it will be a difficult decision. We may not know what to do at first, or we might want to turn to what looks like the easiest route. James 1:5(ESV) tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”.  No matter what type of crossroad decision you have to make in life, turn to God for wisdom and it will be given. God’s wisdom might not be given to you right away, it might take consistent time in His Word and in prayer in the Holy Spirit.

When it comes to cross road decisions in our Christian life, there is one scripture I want to look at and that is Isaiah 30:21 (AMP), which says “Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”. There are two paths we can walk in life, one is the path of the world which is full of darkness and leads to death. The second path is the path of godliness which leads us to life. God will bless those who walk in His path. Psalms 1:1-2 (NKJV) says, “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law, he meditates day and night.”. There are two types of people in this world, the Godly and ungodly people, there is no in-between, and you cannot be both at the same time. If we read Psalms 1:1-2 from the Easy to Read Version it says, “Great blessings belong to those who don’t listen to evil advice, who don’t live like sinners, and who don’t join those who make fun of God. Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings and think about them day and night.”. If we want to be truly blessed by God we must love and follow His word, we must also meditate on it as much as we possibly can. We must also turn away from turning to advice from ungodly people. So many people follow the advice of mainstream media as to how they should live their lives. Yet much of the mainstream media is ungodly, but we still follow it to get the news on what is brewing in our government, or what the traffic or weather conditions will be like before you head into work or send your children off to school. While mainstream media can give us much useful information, we must discern with our spirit how much of the mainstream media we should let run our lives.

Many people might want to turn to talk show hosts on what they should do in their life. I could give a long list of ungodly talk show hosts that people follow but, that is not what is important. What is important is my question to any of you who follow these talk show hosts, is will any of these talk show host on TV get you into heaven? The answer is no, only knowing Jesus Christ as your savior and following the Word of God will get you into heaven. You must also ask yourself a similar question when you are at a crossroad in your life. Here is a list of crossroad questions that might match certain decisions you have to make now and in the future:

•    Is this job going to take away too much time from my relationship with Jesus Christ?

•    Is investing money in this worth it in the long run? Will it eat up the money I could be giving in tithes or to help those in need?

•    Will staying in this relationship hinder my relationship with Jesus Christ?

•    Will saying or doing this be of good fruit according to God’s Word?

I have been at a crossroad in my life before that was related to one of those questions. I was in a relationship with someone who was not on the same page with me biblically. I stayed in the relationship hoping I could guide them to Christ in time. It wasn’t until I was baptized in the Holy Spirit when I heard an audible voice tell me, ‘I am going to remove someone from your life’. I also knew from when I was baptized in the Holy Spirit that God had a calling on my life, but something was hindering me from moving into it and was keeping me from truly realizing there was a calling on my life. It just happened to be the day I was baptized in the Holy Spirit was the anniversary date of that relationship. Two weeks later the relationship ended mutually. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hold anything negative against that young woman I was with, it was simply not who God wanted me to be with, and He was at work in the situation even before I was baptized in the Holy Spirit to put the relationship to an end before it progressed. And I thank God for doing that in my life.

A few final points I would like to make. When we are at crossroad decisions in our life it is often to test our faithfulness to God. I strongly believe that God honors us when we make the right choice. I would also like to point out that it is important to start seeking God first for as many decisions in your life. I believe when you start seeking God for anything in life, He will do a great work according to His will if you stay in His word with steadfast faith.

Christianity, Colossians 1:21-23, decision making series 2019, Inspiration, Salvation, Sin, Wisdom

Who Am I in Christ?

person holding bible

The subject of who we are in Christ is a question that all Christians should know both individually and collectively. I would like to teach on this subject as I continue my series in decision making. You might ask what knowing who you are in Christ has to do with the decisions you make? The simple answer is truly knowing who you are in Christ helps you in your decision making in life. When Christians do not know who they truly are in Christ, they will begin to believe lies on who they are. These lies will either come from the enemy or the world.

Back when Jesus came to start His ministry on earth there was a false belief that people had that John the Baptist was either greater than or equal to Jesus. Isaiah 40:3-5 (NKJV) tells us, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.””.  This is prophesying that there will be a forerunner of Jesus Christ. If we look into John 1:19-28 (NIV) “Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” Finally, they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”  “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know.  He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.” In this example John the Baptist knew who he was in Christ, he knew he was the forerunner of Christ.  He could have believed lies on who he was in Christ, but he did not he stood firm in who he truly was in Christ.

When one becomes born again in Christ their past is gone and new things have come. The process of old sinful habits going away is not an overnight fix, it is a process. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) reminds us, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”.  Once we are born again, we must put our best effort forth in living our life according to what God commands, and not to what the world says is the way to be. If you are struggling with an addiction to sin or are in a bad relationship you are in seek God on helping you with that. I would even encourage you to seek advice from another Christian. We as Christians should not be too quick to judge each other so critically, but we should help guide each other in our weaknesses. 1 John 2:29 (NKJV) reminds us, “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.”.

I would also like to touch upon the subject of the belief of ‘once saved, always saved’.  I have asked God to lead me to some scriptures in my studies to use on teaching on this matter. People can assume once saved always saved by how they interpret scriptures, and with how many scriptures they read. Jesus told us in John 10:28 (NKJV), “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”. Jesus did say no one can snatch us out of His hand, but can anyone put themselves outside of Jesus’ hand? I think we can answer that by looking at John 15:6 (NKJV) which Jesus said, “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”. So yes, someone can put themselves outside of Jesus’ hand. Therefore, we must know who we are in Christ. We must know the promises we have in the Word of God.  One of the most important things we have in Christ is everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV) tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”.   So, what are you doing with your salvation, are you walking in your salvation with true faith, and making efforts to improve? Or are you abusing our salvation from the precious Blood of Jesus Christ? We all have a choice on this, God gave us a free-will. Jesus told us in John 15:5 (NKJV), “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”. I want you to really evaluate what fruit you are bearing. Are you only bearing good fruit on Sunday mornings, or are you bearing good fruit 24/7?

Colossians 1:21-23 (ERV) tells us, “At one time you were separated from God. You were his enemies in your minds, because the evil you did was against him.  But now he has made you his friends again. He did this by the death Christ suffered while he was in his body. He did it so that he could present you to himself as people who are holy, blameless, and without anything that would make you guilty before him.  And that is what will happen if you continue to believe in the Good News you heard. You must remain strong and sure in your faith. You must not let anything cause you to give up the hope that became yours when you heard the Good News. That same Good News has been told to everyone on earth, and that’s the work that I, Paul, was given to do.”. Let’s think about this scripture…  I would have to paraphrase this scripture myself as, “Before we each accepted Christ, we were in sin, which is evil and against what God wants in our lives. We have become Children of God, through what Jesus Christ did on the cross. Jesus did this for us so we could present ourselves to God as holy. This will happen IF you continue to believe in, walk in, have faith in, and not let anything get in your way with your relationship with Jesus Christ.”. Notice both the scripture and my paraphrasing of it have a conditional word on it, and that conditional word is “IF”. The condition is we must walk in faith and remain in our faith and not let anything get in the way of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our relationship with Jesus Christ is what makes us branches on His vine, and we know what happens when we don’t abide in Christ from John 15:6, we are thrown into the fire and burned. I have an illustration I have made of the condition in Colossians 1:21-23.

If condition in Colossians 1:21-23 and John 15:6.

It is not only important to know who we are in Christ by knowing what the word of God says, but also by what fruit we are bearing. We must also know if we are truly abiding in Christ, or if we are letting something get in the way of our relationship with Jesus Christ. I challenge you to truly evaluate who you are in Christ based off what the Word of God says and determine if you are truly abiding in him. Also, examine your life for anything that could be hindering your relationship with Jesus Christ. It is so important to be sure and aware of how the decisions we make impact our identity in Christ.

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Christianity, decision making series 2019, Inspiration, Salvation, Sin, Wisdom

Christ or the World

cross

I hope you read my previous teaching on the most important decision one can make in their life, and that is to accept Christ as their savior. If you have not read that teaching, please CLICK HERE to read it! As I continue my series on decision making as a Christian, I would like to discuss what our decisions in life truly reflect. Are you making decisions in your life that reflect God’s words and commandments? Are you walking in God’s plan or your plan in life? Are you deciding off sinful desires or what God desires for you? I really want you to evaluate yourself with those questions, being a follower of Christ does not mean you are 100 percent perfect all the time, but you should constantly be seeking the Lord to improve in your weakness.

Are you living your life to benefit yourself, or are you living your life to give glory to God? Are you only giving time to God for two hours on Sunday or are you spending time with the Lord daily? We live in challenging times when some people might have to work more than forty hours a week to pay their bills and put food on the table. You might be working long hours, raising children, or have a spouse. You might be a college student and working a job at the same time. Finding time for God can be a challenge at times. When I was in college, I was taking a full-time load of classes while working full-time in fast food. Later, I got an internship and managed to work at my internship during the week, and in fast food on the weekend, while still taking classes online and at night. It was not easy balancing that, along with making time for God. I probably could have made more time for God back then. But to anyone who is struggling to make time with God, assess how much time you spend on everything each day. Maybe there is something you can cut back on, or maybe you are oversleeping and can wake up earlier to read the Bible, read a devotion, pray, or worship.

Matthew 6:33 (WEB) tells us, “But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.”. Are you seeking God first, or are you seeking your own desires first?  I don’t know about you, but I would rather seek God first, than my own desires. Once we are born again, we are new in the Spirit.  2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) tells us, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”. Additionally, Ezekiel 36:26 (KJV) tells us, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”. when we are born again, we should be living in the Spirit, and not of the flesh. The desires and works of the flesh lead to sin. Galatians 5:19-21 (NKJV) reminds us, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,  envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”. Many of these items listed are things this world deems as okay or the way to be. Are there any of these items from Galatians 5:19-21 that you are tolerating in your life? If you are allowing sin to run any part of your life, how can you expect the blessings of God to overflow in your life? God wants no one to be in sin, but because of Adam and Eve, we have free will. If you are falling short to an item listed in Galatians 5:19-21, seek the Lord and repent. Also get out of the habit of that sin, it might not be easy, it may involve having to get guidance from another Christian. As Christians, we must stick together and build each other up.

It might be difficult to get out of a sinful habit, maybe because the world views it as okay. As true followers of Christ, we should not be concerned about what the world thinks, we should be concerned about what the word of God says. 1 John 2:15(KJV) tells us, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”. Additionally, Romans 12:2 (ESV) reminds us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”. When you become less worldly and more like Christ, it is normal to expect the people of the world to turn against you because of your beliefs. Often this is when we can become tempted. With the culture war going on in not only America but the world, Christians are constantly having an agenda of sin pushed on them constantly. Christians in America are even being personally attacked for their beliefs. Some Christians are just accepting it as the way of the world. While yes, we are still to love one another, even the sinners, but why are people in the body of Christ, adapting to the sinful way of the world? I am about to say something extremely bold, but my Spirit is telling me it must be said, if the Body of Christ continues tolerating the world, the world will begin to dominate the body of Christ. As the saying goes, what we tolerate will dominate. Let’s start being more true followers of Christ in this year of 2019. The world might be against us, just like it was when Christ lived on earth. John 15:19(ESV) says, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”. We should not be jealous of what the sinful people of the world have, they should be jealous of what we have in Christ.

As followers of Christ, we are to lead by example in all we do. While yes it can be hard. There is a spiritual battle between evil and the body of Christ, that has been brewing for far too long. The body of Christ is having stronger opposition from evil. We don’t have to fight back physically, we must fight back individually and together in prayer and with the word of God. Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) reminds us, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”. Also, Matthews 24:14 (KJV) instructs us, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”. You might not be able to travel the world and teach the Gospel to everyone, but why not the people in your neighborhood or surrounding communities, or other parts of your own country? With the many advancements in technology, it is now more possible than ever before to reach more people with the Gospel. I challenge you to not only lead by example as a follower of Christ but spread the Gospel in as many ways as you can. Also, pray for our leadership in our country, and also for an end to the wickedness in our country and world.

Christianity, Fruit of Spirit, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration, Sin, Wisdom

How is Your Goodness

basket of fruit

It is hard to believe this is the last fruit of the Spirit for me to cover in my current series. I am hoping that these teachings have blessed you and helped you grow in your relationship with God. The last fruit of the Spirit for me to cover is goodness. Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV) says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”. As I have said previously the fruits of the Spirit go hand in hand with each other. Applying them all in your life should result in goodness and will let you be of the Spirit and not of this world.

God expects us to walk in goodness, because of the goodness he provides to us. Psalms 31:19 (WEB) “Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have worked for those who take refuge in you, before the sons of men!”. As true followers of Christ, we must fear God. Proverbs 8:13 (KJV) tell us “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”. As this scripture tells us to fear God, we must hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverted speech. My question to you is do you truly hate those things I just listed? Many of those things I listed are deemed “okay” in our society. Or they are labeled as “the way to be”. We can all be guilty of these things at times, I will admit that I myself am not perfect either. But we must recognize our flaws so that we can apply as much goodness to our life so that we can walk in the Holy Spirit.

In America’s society today, we are dealing with a culture war, it has been going on for years. However, this culture war has gotten stronger with evilness. In my lifetime so far, I have seen so many perverted movies and entertainment come out, and yet people that call themselves Christian indulge in this type of content. There are many people who indulge in the evil way, one of the parts of the evil way is witchcraft. In the early 2000s, a woman by the name of J.K. Rowling started releasing the Harry Potter book series. These books are easy for anyone, especially children to access at the bookstore or the school library. These books make their way home with children. Little do people know these books teach witchcraft but appear in the form of entertainment to make it look innocent. There are many Christian parents who permit this content to enter their homes. I am going to say something very bold here, these books have an evil Spirit about them, bringing this book into your home opens the door for the enemy to work in your life. Leviticus 19:31 (KJV) tells us, “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.” If we want to walk in the fruit of goodness, we must be careful of what we watch, listen to, read, speak, and think. Even the best Christians can fall short of this (even I myself fall short at times), but we must constantly analyze what we bring into our lives. If we tolerate evil, it will dominate our life! I don’t know about you, but I want the promises of God to dominate my life and not the evilness of this world.

Walking in goodness does not only apply to what we allow into our lives but how we treat others. Matthew 12:35 tells us, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”. As followers of Christ, we want to bring forth good things, at times because we are never perfect, we can sometimes fail at this. When we fail at this, we must recognize our error and improve upon it. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (WEB) reminds us, “He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.”. I would like you to take some time and reflect on the following questions:

  1. Am I lacking in goodness? If so, where?
  2. Am I allowing the evilness of the world to come into my life by any means (literature, music, entertainment, words, thoughts)?
  3. Does my goodness reflect all the time?

Once you ask yourself these questions, work on improving. That might involve giving up the music you always listen to, instead listen to Christian music, or have the bible read to you from your phone. Have you participated in any evilness in your life? f so that means you must remove that evil activity and spend more time in prayer and in the Word of God. You may also want to revisit my previous teachings on the fruits of the Spirit and determine if you are weak in any of those. Remember that God is your strength, and nothing is impossible.

Christianity, Fruit of Spirit, Inspiration, Wisdom

What About Self-Control?

bible opened on tablet with pencil and notebook.

As I continue my teaching of the nine fruits of the Spirit, I have two more fruits that I have not talked about yet. I would like to discuss the term self-control. The scripture listing of the nine fruits of the Spirit is in Galatians 5:22-23(ASV) which says: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such, there is no law.”.  Self-control is simply how someone controls themselves both in their thoughts, words, and actions. Someone’s ability of self-control can be reflected in how they handle difficult situations.  So how are we as followers of Christ to control ourselves? And how does being born again in Christ change our self-control?

When you have accepted Christ as your savior the old in you is gone, and the new in you has started. You might feel you won’t ever have self-control from poor habits of sin, but when you accept Christ as your savior the past is the past, and you have a new beginning ahead by staying in His word. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) tells us, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”. We are saved or born again through our faith in what Jesus Christ did on the cross for us. Like the scripture tells us that old things are gone and everything following our salvation becomes new. This is not as simple as just saying the sinner prayer, you must believe the Word of God with faith, and read the word of God, and live according to the Word of God. Ephesians 2:8-9 (WEB) tells us “for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast.”.  Acting in faith and believing go hand in hand, therefore we must believe in Jesus to have eternal life as it is written in John 3:16 (WEB), “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”.

Like the scripture tells us through our faith when we become saved, all things of the past remain old, and everything following our salvation is new. You might ask how this is possible? Can a criminal become saved and be made new in Christ? Absolutely! Of course, any criminal will have to face a punishment for their wrongdoing according to the law of the land in which they live in. You might ask how someone’s sinful past can just go away, especially if their sin was a bad habit. Of course, there will be memories of actions done and words said in the natural world, but in the spiritual world after proclaiming your life for Christ you start a clean slate as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that I quoted earlier. Romans 12:2 (ESV) tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”. When we live according to the nature of the world which is full of sin and darkness that starts to overrule our life in the natural world, which in turn will overrule our life in the spiritual sense. But when we live according to what the will of God is, by knowing his word we renew our mind and know what is right and wrong. This change first happens in the spirit realm, then this can overrule the natural realm. Colossians 3:2 (KJV) tells us: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”. The things of this earth are only temporary. We won’t have the things of this earth when we pass away. So why worry so much on the stress of this world if our focus should be on the word of God, which is eternal? This all comes down to self-control.

When we become saved through Christ, all things are new for us in our Spirit. When we become saved what does God give us in our Spirit? The answer is in 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV), which says “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”.  A sound mind sounds a lot like what I talked about in my teaching of God is Our Peace just recently. However, let’s look at the Amplified Bible on this scripture. 2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP) “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control] .”. Notice in the Amplified Bible it uses the term self-discipline which means self-control.  2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”. Once we are saved, we must know the Word of God by our minds and heart, so we can apply it both to the spirit realm and the natural realm. Psalm 119:10-11 (WEB) tells us “With my whole heart, I have sought you. Don’t let me wander from your commandments. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”.  We must also apply an important scripture in the book of James that will help us with self-control. James 1:19 (KJV) tells us, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”.

To have self-control as a new creation in Christ we must first know the word of God, apply it to our lives both in the spiritual realm and the natural realm, and we must also act according to the Word of the God. When you are born again and acting in your faith according to God’s word, people will notice a positive change in you. People will often notice something that is different within you, this can often open the door to you bringing someone to Christ. I challenge you as a follower in Christ to assess the areas in your life in which you are lacking self-control? Once you identify those areas seek God to help you grow in your weakness. You can also look up specific scriptures to help you with what you are lacking, it is very easy to find scriptures today with modern technology. Also, you can seek help from other believers, as believers we must stick together and help build each other up. Hebrews 10:25 (ESV) tells us, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”.  Once you identify areas in self-control in which you are weak, identify areas where you are weak in the other eight fruits of the Spirit. In my next teaching, I will talk about the fruit of goodness and putting all the nine fruits of the Spirit together.

Christianity, Fruit of Spirit, Inspiration, Wisdom

Wait Times

clock with question mark

As I continue my teaching on walking in the Holy Spirit by applying the nine fruits of the Spirit to our lives as true Christians, let’s take some time to reflect on the ones that I have already covered. I have recently talked about peace, which as Christians our peace comes from God. Next, I have also talked about kindness, love, and gentleness, which all have their similarities in how we can apply them to our lives, even though we can struggle with them. I have also talked about faith, which sometimes we lack during times of trouble. The first fruit I talked about was joy, which likewise with faith it can be hindered from us during times of trouble if we let something steal our joy.

There is one fruit of the Spirit I think everyone can say they are not perfect at applying, and that is patience or also called longsuffering in the King James Version. Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP) says, “But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love , joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things, there is no law.”. Note what the Amplified Bible says about patience and that is ‘how we act while waiting’. So how do you act while you are waiting for something? Are you quick to anger? Do you give up too quickly?  What do you say under your breath while you are waiting? Is what you say or do while waiting pleasing to the Lord? This is something I am sure all of us can improve on one way or another.

By walking in the Spirit with the fruit of patience, God expects us to act a certain way while waiting. Exodus 34:6 (ESV) says, “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,”. This verse right here explains how God expects us to act when we need to wait. You might be waiting to be seen by the doctor, you might already be angry because you aren’t feeling good or the doctor is running late. God wants us to be slow to anger and be gracious.

You might ask, why does God want me to be patient? God has shown us patience during the time he waited for us to repent and accept His only Son as our savior. Romans 2:4(ESV) says, “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”. This is also confirmed in 2 Peter 3:9 (CSB) which says, “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”.

Since God has been patient with all of us, we should be patient to others as true followers of Christ. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (ESV) tells us “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. 5 Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it.”. You should remember this scripture from my teaching on the fruit of love, love, and patience go hand in hand. During the times of your sinful repetitive cycle, God has been patient with you for you to repent and correct your sinful nature. You may not realize how patient God has been towards you through His love, but just think how far you were for Him before you repented and accepted Christ. List every sin that was between you and God before you got saved, then imagine yourself at church right in front of the altar, for each sin take a step back. God waited during your sinful times for you to repent become saved, so that distance between you and God could be removed. He desires each person so much to have eternal life. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”. 

I challenge you to take some time and think back to when you were dealing with a situation that you had a wait time for, how did you act? Was it pleasing to the Lord? How can you improve for your next wait time? Take some time and reflect these questions. Ephesians 4:31-32(ESV) says, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”. If you are struggling with patience, which I know I can at times, remember to always seek the Lord to help you in your weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 tells us “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”. God is our strength in our weakness, God can help you show His love during your time of waiting.

Christianity, Fruit of Spirit, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration, Testimony, Wisdom

God is the Source of Our Peace

mountains picture with sun reflecting on clouds.

As I continue with my discussion on walking in the Spirit, I would like to talk about another fruit of the Spirit which is peace. The listing of the fruits of the Spirit can be found in Galatians 5:22-23 which says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”. So how do you apply peace to your life when walking within the Holy Spirit?

Peace is defined as having “harmony and accord brought about by cordial relationships. It has its source in God through Christ and the Holy Spirit” (Barbour’s Bible Dictionary & Concordance.). In John 14:27 (ESV), Jesus said “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”. When you face a troubled time in your life do you turn to something to give you peace or do you turn to the Lord? If Jesus is offering us peace through Him, I would want that than something of this world. We all know this world is full of darkness. Often times we consume ourselves with things of this world that influence a negative culture on us that can hinder our peace that comes from the Lord. In John 16:33 (ESV) Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”. This world will give us trouble, it is unavoidable, but with what Jesus did on the cross and through rising from the dead he overcame the world for us. How does one benefit from this peace within Christ? You must believe in Him and have accepted Him as your savior.  Titus 2:11-12 (NIV) says, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,”.

By having salvation through the grace of God through His son, Jesus Christ, we can have and walk in peace. This does not guarantee that we will live a trouble-free life. Romans 8:28 (NKJV) tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”. As true Christians, we are to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord. When we love our God and serve Him with all our heart, all things will work for good when we are in troubled times. During prayer in troubled times speak the scripture Romans 8:28 and say that it is written. When the Lord works through in a situation give thanks to Him and remember what he did for you in that situation. In the book of Deuteronomy chapter 8, it talks about remember what God has done for you, in the context of chapter 8 it refers to when God lead the people out of Egypt. Deuteronomy 8:15-16 (NKJV) says, “who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock;  who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end”. I would like to challenge you to keep a small journal and jot down all the provisions God has provided for you through troubled times. As you continue listing more items, refer back to them periodically and give thanks for those items. Also refer back to the blessings the Lord has given you when you are going through troubled times.

During troubled times when we might be lacking peace, it might be due to fear, worry or anxiety. This world can definitely tear us down from the stresses of work, finances, and our health. When you are dealing with fear and worry take your circumstances to the Lord in prayer both as a request and thanking Him in advance for what He will do in the situation. Philippians 4:6 (AMP) says, “Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.”. When talking about having peace through the Lord by walking in the Holy Spirit, we know we have reassurance in our hearts through our savior Jesus who has overcome the world. Philippians 4:7 (ESV) says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”.  We have the reassurance of peace because God is the source of our peace. Philippians 4:9 (ESV) says, “What you have learned[a] and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”.

In troubled times we also must apply our faith, which is through God’s promises within His word. Hebrews 11:1 (CSB) reminds us, “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.”. In troubled times worry often finds us and hinders our peace because we cannot see what is ahead of us, but God sees what is ahead and He has the final say. I am sure there is one spot in your life where you could be lacking peace in whether it is with your job, health, or finances, seek the Lord for peace because he is the source of peace. As you apply the nine fruits of the Spirit to your life, I challenge you to find one area in your life where you are lacking peace. Once you identify that area in your life, seek God to give you peace for it and to provide provisions according to His will. As the Lord provides peace for you along with His other provisions keep a journal of how He has been moving in your life, revisit it often and reflect upon it. Also, use this as encouragement for yourself and others.  

2018, book review, Christianity, Inspiration, Salvation, Testimony, Wisdom

My Favorite Books of 2018

Along with reading the Bible daily I also find myself reading other faith-based books as well. I would like to talk about four books I read in 2018 that I would like to personally recommend to you. I am also going to provide a link to purchase these books from Amazon. It is also important to note that we must read faith-based content that has biblical truth, so we must be careful not to give into false teachings. I have saved the best book for last!

Book image What on Earth Am I Hear For by Rick Warren


#1: Devotion Recommendation: What On Earth Am I Here For? By Rick Warren
Like many true Christians who read the word daily, you might be one who also likes reading a daily devotion. There are many daily devotions available. Some devotions go by the calendar year, while some can be read at any time of the year. There is one book, in particular, I would recommend as this type of devotion and it would be ‘What on Earth Am I Here For?’ by Rick Warren. God has given us each a unique purpose for our life, God never once says ‘oops’. This is a great 42-day devotion that will help guide you with your God-given purpose. At the beginning of the book, it talks about Ephesians 1:11 which says “In him, we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will,” (CSB). God knew us before we entered this world, and He has a plan for you, you just need to receive it and walk in it. Rick Warren has done a great job with this book, it also features links to audio lessons which give you more than 30 hours of additional teachings. If you are looking to learn more about what God’s word says about seeking your unique purpose I would highly recommend this book. This book will also make for a great graduation gift!

Christ the Healer by FF Bosworth Book cover


#2: Christ the Healer by F.F. Bosworth
‘Christ the Healer’ is another book every believer needs to read. I wish I would have read this book sooner in my walk with Christ. This book provides in-depth teachings of the healing scriptures and provides many great examples. This book also discusses aspects of our life that can hinder us from receiving healing according to the will of God. Bosworth also discusses how to apply healing scriptures to your life. We must be reminded that Isaiah 53:5 (GNT) says, “But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he received.”. As you read Bosworth’s book, I highly recommend taking notes and highlighting scripture in your Bible, there is so much powerful information in this book to absorb.

materialize the mind book cover by JP Price


#3: Materialize the Mind by JP Price
I saved the best one for last! ‘Materialize the Mind’ is a book that just came out towards the end of 2018 by a friend of mine who is a church pastor. He has composed a great book that discusses your God-given purpose in life along with examples from his life testimony. He also provides you with steps for transforming your inner self with in-depth teaching. A good new years resolution would be to transform yourself for what God has in store for you, this book written by JP is a great tool to have along the way. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”. In his book, JP also discusses the importance of enduring hardship which God can use to help strengthen us for what is ahead. Often times we don’t move ahead in life like we would like to because we are not fully prepared for what is next, this book helps explain this concept in detail.  2 Timothy 2:3-4 (NKJV) says, “You, therefore, must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”.

I would encourage you to put these three books on your reading list for 2019, along with reading the whole Bible. There are many tools online that can help you create a Bible reading plan that works for you. I would like to challenge you to make 2019 the year that you discover more of what God’s purpose is for you on earth, and walking in His plan for you according to His will for you! Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”. You might be making a New Years resolutions that will impact your outer self, but spending time with the Lord will improve your inner-self. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV) says,  “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”. Let’s make 2019 the year of inner growth, and show it as examples to non-believers so they might be drawn to Christ!

Christianity, Fruit of Spirit, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration, love, Sin, Testimony, Wisdom

Are You Lacking Love

cross in middle of snow covered hill.

As I continue my series on the fruits of the Spirit, I would next like to discuss the fruit of love. Let’s first look at our main scripture for the fruits of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”. God loves every single one of us, whether or not we are a true Christian. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world,  that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”. God loves everyone no matter who you are, this is why he gave us His only son so that if we stay true to Him we can have eternal life. Mark 12:30 says, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”. Since God loves us so much and has given us all His best, which is our savior he expects us to love Him back to the best of our ability. If you read the next verse in Mark 12 it says, “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”. As followers in Christ, we are to show love to others, even though it can be challenging at times.

You might ask what difference will it make if I show everyone love or not? The answer can be found in John 13:34-35 where Jesus said:  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”. In this scripture Jesus is talking to his disciples, the word disciple has the following synonyms: adherent, believer, admirer, devotee, and follower. If you are a follower of Christ then you should show love to the people around you along with walking in the other fruits of the Spirit. In order to be successful followers in Christ, we must lead by certain characteristics, which one of those is love. 1 John 4:8 says, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”. God is love, so we must show love to others.

Aside from loving a family member or a spouse, the Bible provides a very clear definition of love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.”. This scripture gives us a great definition of how we are to act with love. We can all take away one thing if not more from this scripture that we can improve upon. Colossians 3:14 says, “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”. Love keeps us together, many families fall apart often because of lack of love, because they have fallen short of something mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

The main reason families start lacking love is because of works of the enemy. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”. Sometimes we will have an aspect in our life that opens the door for the enemy to work. For instance, if you are in any sin, this opens the door for the enemy to work in your life. If you are thinking negative thoughts, this opens the door for the enemy. If you are listening to music that has lyrics that promote sin, that also can open the door for the enemy in your life. Even as followers of Christ we can open the door for the enemy to try to oppress us which can hinder our walk with God. When our walk with God becomes hindered we can start to lack the fruits of the Spirit, which include love. When we do this we will often have problems with our family or friends.  Often when families fall apart because of a lack of love, it is because one or more people in the family have an open demonic door for the enemy to work. This is why as followers of Christ we must stay true to His word and commandments. This is why by reading the word of God daily and walking in the Spirit will help us keep demonic doors closed. Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”. Do not worry about what the world says is the trend, worry about what God’s word says the trend should be for every follower of Christ. God loved us so much, that He gave His only son to undo the works of the enemy. 1 John 3:8 says, “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”.

Even when we may not have open doors for the enemy trouble can still arise. This is when we must use our faith and seeking God to overcome the situation. During troubled times we must show love to others because as it is written in 1 Corinthians 13 ‘love bears all things’. We might need to show love to others who are going through a difficult time. Helping others in difficult times is a great way to help build their faith up or even lead them to Christ. One of my favorite scriptures for when you are going through a challenge is Romans 8:28 which says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a] for those who are called according to his purpose.”. I leave you with a couple of challenges.

  1. Are there any open doors for the enemy in your life?
  2. Are you lacking showing love to others as Christ commanded?
  3. Are there any parts of the definition of love in which you are weak in as listed in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8?

Once you go through these questions, spend time with God in prayer on the next steps of walking more in the Holy Spirit.