4 Guided Steps To Prayer

GOD’S PROMISE: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of Him”. 1 John 5:14-15

Praise is the first step to take in prayer. “Sing to the Lord, all the earth; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above all gods” (1 Chron. 16:23-25).

Praise, according to the Scriptures, is an act of our will that flows out of an awe and reverence for our Creator. Praise gives glory to God and opens us up to a deeper union with Him. It turns our attention off of our problems and on the nature and character of God Himself. As we focus our minds on God and proclaim His goodness, we reflect His glory back to Him. The results can fill you with peace and contentment (Isaiah 26:3) and transform your outlook on life. “It is better to put on a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:3)

We praise God because He is worthy of our praise (1 Chron. 16:25; Rev. 5:11-14). He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is our Creator, Provider, Healer, Redeemer, Judge, Defender and much more. We praise God to be obedient to Him. The Bible says God is a “jealous” God who demands and desires our praise. “You shall have no other gods before Me,” says the first commandment (Deut. 6:7). As the psalmist said, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).

Praising God helps restore us to that right
relationship, for God actually dwells in the praises of His people ( Psalm 22:3). As we draw near to the Father in praise, He draws near to us (James 4:8). We were created by God to praise Him ( Isa. 43:7, Matt. 21:16). Praise is also our ultimate destiny. When the Lord Jesus Christ returns again to earth, all creation — including prideful mankind — will recognize His glory and praise Him (Phil. 2:9-11).

PRAISE FOR PROTECTION

God also gives us assurances of additional blessings as we praise Him. When we praise God, He honors us as His children, and provides His loving protection (2 Sam. 22:47-51). Failure to praise God, however, leaves us out of fellowship with God and out of His divine protection ( 1 Samuel 2:27-32).

Our praise can also serve as a powerful witness to those who do not know the Lord (1 Peter 2:9). Also, God can work miraculously through our praises. The ancient walls of Jericho came crashing down, giving victory to God’s people, as a result of shouts of praise ( Joshua 6:1-21). The prison doors shook open when Paul and Silas praised God ( Acts 16:25-26).

OBSTACLES TO PRAISE

Praise is both important and powerful. So why is it so difficult at times to praise God? The Bible explains that, even with the power of the indwelling Jesus, our hearts are still “more deceitful that all else” (Jer. 17:9). We sometimes forget that we are always dependent on God to live victoriously in this life.

Satan therefore tries to persuade us that we will eventually reach a point where we can “do it ourselves.” The Scriptures are clear that Satan “prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Disguised as an “angel of light,” the devil and his host seek subtly to subvert the praises the children of God owe to their heavenly Father.

God, however, has given us grace in times of need, provided we humble ourselves (Matt. 23:12; James 4:5-10). Praising God allows us to defeat the strategies of the enemy. As God’s adopted children, we no longer have to remain slaves to sin (Gal. 4:6-7). We have a powerful spiritual weapon in praise, and it is guaranteed to be effective (2 Cor. 10:4-5).

Confession is the second step you will take in prayer.

Our relationship must be right with God, and with others, if we desire him to hear and answer our prayers. “Confess” means to agree with God that something is sin in our life. The wonderful promise in God’s Word is, “If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Confession of sin alone is not all that God requires. He asks that we repent, that we turn away from our sinful activities and turn instead to follow Him. Repentance can be defined as: “A turning away from sin, disobedience, or rebellion and a turning back to God. In a more general sense, repentance means a change of mind or a feeling of remorse or regret for past conduct. True repentance is a ‘godly sorrow’ for sin, an act of turning around and going in the opposite direction. This type of repentance leads to a fundamental change in a person’s relationship to God.”

The Apostle Paul notes this in (Acts 3:19-20): “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus.”

Repentance doesn’t mean we become perfect. God understands that even at our best, we may backslide at times. However, every time we seek His forgiveness, we will receive it. There is even better news for those who have learned to confess their sins, to repent and to turn to God. The Bible says Jesus Himself will come to our aid. “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2).

When sins are forgiven by God, the Bible says that God does not hold those sins against us. Psalm 103:11-12 says, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Thanksgiving is the third step you will take in prayer.

Spend some time together thanking God for some specific things he has done for you. During this time do not ask God for anything, only offer him your thanksgiving. “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess 5:18) Remember that you are not thanking God for difficult things, but you are thanking him for being with you in the midst of them.

Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:12–14)

The Bible repeatedly stresses the importance of giving thanks. “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving” (Psalm 50:14). “Let them give thanks to the Lord for His loving-kindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men! Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of His works with joyful singing” (Psalm 107:21–22). “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Thy name, O Most High” (Psalm 92:1). “Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father” (Ephesians 5:20). “

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17). “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15). Thanksgiving should permeate our speech, our songs, and our prayers.

These first three steps prepare your heart for the fourth step-Intercession.

Intercession is prayer that pleads with God for your needs and the needs of others. But it is also much more than that. Intercession involves taking hold of God’s will and refusing to let go until His will comes to pass.

Intercession is warfare — the key to God’s battle plan for our lives. But the battleground is not of this earth. The Bible says, “We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and spiritual powers in the heavens above” (Eph. 6:12). Intercessory prayer takes place in this spiritual world where the battles for our own lives, our families, our friends and our nation are won or lost.

If you are born again, you are God’s son or daughter (John 1:12). As His child, you have a direct “hotline” to God. At any time, you can boldly come into His presence (Heb. 4:16) This incredible access to God is the basis for intercession. Once you are in God’s presence, you can now discover His battle plan for the situation you are facing. Because prayer alone is not enough — you need a target for your prayers!

To discover God’s plan, all you have to do is ask. The Bible says that “if any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5). When we ask God for wisdom, His desires will become the focus of our prayers. “Let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to Him” (Romans 12:2).

First, recognize that Jesus is in control of the situation. Jesus “rules over forces, authorities, powers, and rulers … over all beings in this world and will rule in the future world as well” (Eph. 1:21). He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Then, put on “all the armor God gives” (see Eph. 6) so that you will be ready to fight with God’s weapons. These are the “weapons of our warfare” that can pull down strongholds in the spirit world (see 2 Cor. 10:3,4). They will also protect you from the attacks that are sure to come once you begin the spiritual battle.

Next, bind the work of Satan, knowing that Jesus has given you authority “to defeat the power of your enemy” (Luke 10:19). If God shows you the identity of specific spiritual strongholds that are at work, take authority over these strongholds in the name of Jesus. And always remember that “God’s Spirit is in you and is more powerful that the one that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Finally, as you begin the spiritual battle, take comfort knowing that you are not alone: Jesus also is interceding on your behalf! The Bible says that Jesus “is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25; see also Romans 8:26,27,34).

Intercessory prayer is also prayer that doesn’t give up. It’s the kind of prayer that endures all setbacks and overcomes every obstacle. It’s prayer that “presses on” until we “apprehend” God’s will in whatever situation we are facing (see Phil. 3:12).

This kind of prayer is the key to seeing breakthroughs in your life and in the lives of those around you. Jesus gave a great model for intercession in the story of the persistent friend. Here we see a friend who knocks on his neighbor’s door at midnight to ask for three loaves of bread. The neighbor does not want to get up, but Jesus said, “because of his friend’s persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs” (Luke 11:8, NASB).

Then Jesus said, “Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be opened for everyone who knocks” (Luke 11:10). Those words mean keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking. In God’s time, your persistence in intercessory prayer will reap a spiritual harvest in your life and the lives of those around you!

God is calling Christians to join His battle plan for this world — to join in intercessory prayer. He is not looking for perfect prayer warriors, just willing hearts who want to see His will come to pass on the earth. All you have to do is turn to the Lord in prayer:

“Father, I come into Your presence and ask You to give me the heart of the intercessor. Help me to be persistent in prayer until the breakthrough comes. Thank You for this powerful weapon of spiritual warfare — and for Your faithfulness in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

The Suffering of The Righteous

Job 2:7-8 “So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes“.

Faithfulness to God does not guarantee believers freedom from trouble, pain, and suffering in their lives. In fact, Jesus taught that we are to expect it (John 16:1-4; 33). The Bible provides numerous examples of godly people who experienced a significant amount of suffering for a variety of reasons – e.g., Joseph, David, Job, Jeremiah, and Paul.

REASONS BELIEVERS SUFFER. There are various reasons why believers suffer. Believers experience suffering as an ongoing consequence of the fall of Adam and Eve. When sin entered the world, pain, sorrow, conflict, and eventual death invaded the lives of all human beings (Genesis 3:16-19). Paul affirms this: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). In fact, the entire created universe groans under the effects of sin and yearns for the time of the new heaven and earth (Romans 8:20-23; 2 Peter 3:10-13). Some believers suffer for the same reason that unbelievers do, i.e., as a consequence of their own actions. The principle that “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7) applies in a general sense to everyone. If we drive our cars recklessly, we may get into serious accidents.

If we are undisciplined in our eating habits, we are likely to have serious health problems. God may use such suffering as a means of disciplining us so that we may achieve “the peaceable fruit of righteousness”. We must always act in wisdom and in accord with God’s Word, and we must avoid whatever will remove us from God’s protective care. Believers also suffer, at least in their inner selves, because they live in a sinful and corrupt world. All around us are the effects of sin; we experience distress and anguish as we see the power that evil holds over so many lives. We must pray to God that He will demonstrate His victory over the power of sin.

Believers suffer at the hands of the devil. Scripture makes it clear that Satan, as the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), controls this present evil age. He has been given power to afflict us in a variety of ways. The story of Job centers around an upright, God-fearing man whom God permitted to be tormented by Satan with unspeakable sufferings (see especially Job 1-2). Jesus testified that one of the women he healed had been bound by Satan for eighteen years (Luke 13:11; 16). Paul recognized that his thorn in the flesh was ‘the messenger of Satan to buffet me” (2 Cor 12:7). As we engage in spiritual warfare against “the rulers of the darkness of this world” (Ephesians 6:12), we will inevitably suffer adversity. In order to deal with such assaults, God has given us spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:10-18) and spiritual weapons (2 Cor 10:3-6). We must put on the whole armor of God and pray Ephesians 6:10-18, resolving to persevere faithfully in His strength.

Satan and his followers delight to persecute believers. Those who love the Lord Jesus and follow His principles of truth and righteousness will be persecuted for their faith. In fact, such suffering for righteousness sake may be an indication of our genuine devotion to Christ. Since all true believers are called to suffer persecution and reproach for righteousness’ sake, we must remain steadfast and immovable, and keep on trusting Him who judges righteously (Matt 5:10-11; 1 Cor 15:58, 1 Pet 2:23). More positively, another reason why believers suffer is that “we have the mind of Christ”. To be a Christian means to be in Christ, to be one with Him; as a result we share in His suffering. For example, just as Jesus wept in agony over the wicked city of Jerusalem and their refusal to repent and accept salvation, so we are to weep over the sinfulness and lostness in humanity. We must thank God that just as the sufferings of Christ are ours, so also is His comfort (2 Cor 1:5).

God Himself may use suffering in our lives as a catalyst to spiritual growth or change. He often uses suffering to call His straying people to repent of their sins and renew their faith and trust in Him. We must confess known sin and examine our lives to see if there is anything that displeases the Holy Spirit. God sometimes uses suffering to test our faith, to see whether we will remain faithful to Him. To test Job’s faith was the reason He allowed Satan to afflict him (see Jon 1:6-12; 2:1-6): would Job remain committed to the Lord, or would he curse God to His face? James calls the various trials we face “the trying of your faith” (James 1:3); through them our faith in Christ becomes more mature. We must realize that the genuineness of our faith will result in “praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 peter 1:7). God uses suffering not only to strengthen our faith, but also to help us to grow in Christian character and righteousness. According to both Paul and James, God wants us to learn patience through suffering.

In suffering we learn to depend less on ourselves and more on God and His grace. We must be attuned to what God may want us to learn from our suffering. God may also send us pain and affliction so that we might be better able to comfort and encourage other sufferers. Thus, the effectiveness of our ministry deepens and increases. We must use our experience of pain to encourage and strengthen other believers. Finally, God can and does use the suffering of the righteous to further the cause of His kingdom and His plan of redemption. For example, all the injustices that Joseph experienced at the hands of his brothers and the Egyptians were part of God’s plans “to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance”. The prime example of this principle is the suffering of Christ, “the Holy One and the Just’ (Acts 3:14), who experienced persecution, agony, and death so that God’s plans of salvation might be fully realized. This does not excuse the wickedness of those who crucified Him (Acts 2:23), but it does indicate how God can use the suffering o0f the righteous at the hands of sinful people for His own purposes and to His own glory.

GOD’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE SUFFERING OF BELIEVERS The first thing to remember is this: God is involved in our sufferings. Even though Satan is the god of this world, he is able to afflict our lives only by the permissive will of God. God has promised in His Word that He will not allow us to be tried above what we are able to bear. God has also promised to bring good out of all the sufferings and persecution of those who love Him and obey His commandments. Joseph recognized this truth in his own life of suffering, and the author of Hebrews shows how God uses the painful parts of our lives for our growth and benefit. In addition, God has promised to stand by us in our pain, to walk with us “through the valley of the shadow of death”. He does so by His Holy Spirit, who comforts us in all our trouble. To each one of His children, He sends sufficient grace so that they can bear the trials of life.

Finally, do not forget that the Lord Jesus shares your pain. When we pray to Him, we have sympathetic high priest who Himself experienced the various dimensions of our trials and sufferings (Hebrews 4:15). He has indeed “borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4); there is healing for our own sufferings through the sufferings that He bore on our behalf (Isaiah 53:5)

VICTORY OVER PERSONAL SUFFERING Now we must address an important issue: when experiencing trials and affliction, what steps can we take to cope with such suffering so as to be victorious over it?

(1) First, consider the various reasons why human beings suffer and how those reasons apply to you. If you can identify a specific reason, then follow he appropriate response.

(2) Believe that God cares deeply for you, regardless of how severe your circumstances are. Suffering should never lead you to deny God’s love for you or to reject Him as your Lord and Savior.

(3) Turn to God in earnest prayer and seek His face. Wait upon Him until He delivers you from your affliction ( see Psalm 27:8-14; 40:1-3; 130).

(4) Expect God to give you the grace that is necessary to bear your affliction until deliverance comes (1 Cor 10:13; 2 Cor 12:7-10). Always remember that “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us”. The Christian faith lies not in the removal of weakness and suffering, but in the manifestation of divine power through human weakness.

(5) Read the Word of God, especially those psalms that give comfort in times of affliction (e.g., Psalms 11; 16; 23; 27; 40; 46′ 61; 91; 121; 125; 138).

(6) Seek revelation and discernment from God regarding your particular situation through prayer, the Scriptures, the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, or the counsel of a godly and mature believer.

(7) During the time of your suffering, remember the prediction of Christ that you will suffer trouble and affliction in your life as a believer (John 16:33). Look forward with eager anticipation to that time when “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain” (Revelation 21:4).

The Reason For Trials

Before facing a major trial, most Christians seem to believe they have a pretty good grasp on Romans 5:3-4 and could easily apply it to their lives when difficult times come. Then everything changes. In this verse Paul lists “tribulations” as one of the blessings of our salvation in Christ. The word “tribulation” refers to all kinds of trials which may press in upon us. This includes such things as financial or physical need, trying circumstances, the pressure of sorrow; sickness, persecution, mistreatment, or loneliness. In the midst of these afflictions, God’s grace enables us to seek His face more diligently and produces in us a persevering spirit and character that overcome the trials and troubles of life. Instead of driving us to despair and hopelessness, tribulation brings forth perseverance, perseverance brings forth proven character, and proven character results in a mature hope that will not be disappointed.

God’s grace enables us to look beyond our present problems to a fervent hope in God and a certain hope for the return of our Lord to establish righteousness and godliness in the new heaven and earth (1 Thessalonians 4:13; Revelation 19-22). In the meantime, while on this earth, we have the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit in order to comfort us in our trials and bring Christ presence near (John 14:16-23).

You may experience the loss of a loved one, start having problems in your marriage, or get a phone call from the doctor saying, “You have cancer”. It’s in these moments that we often realize how weak we are… and those can be some dark times. But in these moments, we have a choice. We can turn our backs on Christianity, run from reality, or accept that our circumstances are from God. We have to persevere. We have to trust that God–Who knows the number of hairs on our head–cares enough about us to take care of us, no matter what. And we have to remind ourselves of that each morning.

Every day that we endure trials we grow in our abilities to persevere through difficult times. Persevering is something we’re commanded to do often in Scripture. So growing in perseverance is nothing to take lightly! Paul tells us that perseverance we gain from suffering also produces character. As we face our suffering and live through them, we become stronger people. We develop firm beliefs and we are reminded of our own strength. People who have endured suffering can be less easily swayed by the opinions of others. They can persevere through difficult moral conflicts and temptations because they have persevered through struggles. That’s a precious gift that each of us receives as we go through storms in our lives.

Finally, we are told that character produces hope. We have hope for the future and for each day because we know that our God is watching out for us. And Paul tells us this hope will not disappoint. All our suffering is ultimately producing a hope that is fulfilled every day in Jesus. There is nothing better for us to glory in!

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for using my suffering to make me more like Your Son. Help me to persevere, grow in my character, and find hope in You. Give me faith that You are building me into a better person through my trials. Thank you for Your grace when I fail. In Jesus name. Amen

How Important Is Your Faith?

How is important is faith? It takes faith to even believe in Christ. It takes faith to believe that what God says is always right and true and it takes faith to trust and walk in that everyday. However, if your faith doesn’t continue to grow in your relationship with Christ, then you won’t have the faith to see God’s Kingdom; not only in your life, but in the lives of those around you. If you don’t have faith for God to move, there’s a good chance you won’t be looking for anything to take place. Do you realize that the message of your life is what you spend your time, money, and energy on will scream how much faith (belief) you have put in Christ?

When we read all through the Gospels, we see how Jesus loved and always responded to anyone that had faith. He loved it! He loved it when those placed their full trust in Him (Matthew 8:5-13, Matthew 15:21-28, Mark 5:21-24, Luke 19:1-10). Also, what’s so amazing is that Jesus said you don’t even need a lot of faith. Jesus, in fact, said that just a little amount can move mountains. In other words, just a little faith can do amazing things in your life and in the lives of those around you. Jesus said our faith could be compared to a mustard seed. What’s interesting is that a mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds. But it is also a seed. A seed is worth more when it continues to grow. You water and feed the seed of your faith by giving it nourishment. We get nourishment by reading God’s Word; worshipping and praying. All those things feed the seed of faith in your life (Matthew 17:20).

Having a strong faith in God should compel you enough to share God with others. If you don’t share your faith in Christ, something is completely wrong. God is looking for faithful people. God is physically, visibly, and actively taking the initiative to look for faithful people He can bless. 2 Chronicles 16:9 states; “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him”. This has been one of my life verses and I’ve learned that if you make yourself useable, God will wear you out. If you get blessable, He will bless your socks off! God is looking for faithful people He can use. A lot of people talk the talk but they don’t trust God. They trust their credit card instead. They say they believe in God but they don’t trust Him when it comes down to their finances, health, kids, or job.

Psalm 53:2-3 says this; “God looks down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back; they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no , not one”. The Bible often speaks of the importance of faith in knowing God. For example, Ephesians 2:8 teaches, “For by grace are ye saved through faith”. And that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. But why does God require faith? One way to answer why God requires faith is because He is our Heavenly Father. Our relationship to Him is like other relationships in the sense that it includes trust in the other person, time together, love and respect. Because we cannot fully know another person, let alone an infinite God; all relationships require some degree of faith (trust).

God is our Father and it takes faith to believe that He loves us and that He provides for our needs. Faith is important because God is not visible to humanity. Faith is necessary to please God; it leads to reward; eternal life, heavenly rewards, and experience of fullness of life on earth (John 10:10). Faith is important for believers to obey the Lord. For example, Adam and Eve had been given a command to not eat from a particular fruit (Genesis 2:15-17). Because their faith wavered regarding this command, they ate the forbidden fruit and sinned. God requires faith because it allows humans the ability to choose or reject Him. Without the ability to make choices, humanity would cease to be human as we know it. People can choose to have faith or not to have faith but there is a way for God to know those who have believed in Him and those who have not.

Faith in God is not “blind faith” as some argue. Instead, it is a choice based on the available information. The Bible, the created world, the changed lives of believers, Jesus Christ, and other ways God operates in our world; provide sufficient evidence for people to choose faith in God. A belief is rooted in the mind. Faith is based in the heart. We act in faith when there is no guarantee, no certainty. No one knows what kind of life an infant will have, yet, people continue to have children. Many people are doubters that don’t believe that they will receive what they asked. And when He does not answer, they wonder why, yet, they keep praying and praying even fasting days and nights. Mark 11:22-24 states; “For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore, I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them”.

Faith is a shield from world wickedness and it is a sure victory and freedom from fear, worries, danger of sudden death and pain. By faith, God forgives sin. The truth is that though we are justified by faith alone; the faith that justifies is never alone, it produces moral fruit; it expresses itself “through love” (Galatians 5:6). It transforms one way of living, it begets virtues thus works. Our faith laid upon what the Word of God says. If you don’t have the Word, therefore, you cannot have faith in God. The Word of God is the very fuel that propels our faith in God. It’s the very thing that we turn to whenever we feel like our faith is down due to life’s bad circumstances, which clearly underlines how we should rely on the Word on a constant basis. One of the key aspects that stands out to me the most regarding our faith is that it cannot fail since the person in Whom our faith is placed can never fail. Faith can transform people’s lives from the inside out in a marvelous fashion. Believers are a clear example of what faith can bring about.

If you start believing God today for those little things that need changing, before you know it, you will have faith that moves mountains in your life. Faith is developed over the years by the various trial and testings’ that God allow in to our lives. Many Christians have wrongly chosen to associate faith with their feelings. This kind of emotional faith can survive only if life is understandable and within their control. But what happens when the rug of human understanding is pulled out from under them and events in their lives turn chaotic or uncontrollable? When you choose to wallow in fear and doubt; however, faith is weakened. All unbelief and all debate concerning the integrity of God must be repented of and all argument and controversy concerning God’s promises must be abandoned. You must choose by faith to believe that God will forever be true to His Word. God is not only the AUTHOR of our faith, but He is also the FINISHER of our faith. Faith begins and ends with Him. It is not something that we can manufacture within ourselves but something that resides in our personality or something that is determined by heredity, intelligence, or even religious belief.

Your choice to believe is based upon the character of God. We are asked to believe in, act upon and walkout God promises by faith. Even if you may not see them being fulfilled in the way you thought, He still call us to believe. #TheFaithWalk

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How To Discover Your God Given Purpose

In life, we all have been created with a specific purpose in mind for God. God has a plan for us all. Are we just living or existing? Since we were created with a divine purpose, we must take steps to define and live in that purpose. One of the best ways to discover God’s purpose for your life is to simply read the Bible on a daily basis. Growing up, I didn’t know what I wanted to be but I knew that there was something more and I wanted to experience what that more was. It’s amazing to me how so many people want to discover God’s will for their lives, yet, find little or no time reading about Him in His Word.

We will never fully know the mind of God because God is infinite and we are infinite. God reveals Himself in His Word. Discovering God and His purpose for your life is discovering His Word. You will never know God’s purpose for your life if you are not reading God’s textbook written to mankind; the Holy Bible. Some people wander aimlessly in their Christian life not knowing what they should be doing for God. The better we know the will of God, the more likely we’ll find God’s purpose for our lives.

When God is revealing bits and pieces of your purpose through the seasons of your life, remember that even if He has told you how you will ultimately serve Him, it doesn’t mean that the fulfillment of your purpose will happen in a straight line. Instead, you might feel like you are going in loop-de-loops and circles; like you are wandering. This is OK. God won’t waste any of your experiences. In Romans 8:28, it says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose“. And even if some of your “circles” seem unrelated to God’s calling, He will weave them into His purpose for your life. Rest assured, He is still in control and will perfect that which concerns you (Psalm 138:8).

While God is unfolding your purpose, sometimes you may not only feel like you are wandering in circles but you will also have to do some waiting. That’s not a bad thing though. There are a few things more painful that waiting for God to reveal your purpose; especially if you wait without hope. Without hope, waiting for God to act can feel like torture. But with confidence in Him waiting can feel like joyful anticipation. Isaiah 30:18 says, “And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all who wait for him.” Waiting on God shows Him where we belong in serving Him.

God has graced us all with unique gifts and talents to be used to glorify Him and serve others. Our shared and primary purpose is to become disciples of Jesus Christ. Our secondary calling is unique and birthed out of our submission to the primary calling. Do you find yourself struggling to find your God-given purpose in life? If so, you’re not alone. Years ago, I found myself questioning why I was here on this earth. God has left us a wealth of knowledge in the Bible to help us. I’m sharing the knowledge of what has been revealed to me through my personal lessons in life. I must admit, I don’t have all the answers but I can point you to the source that can help you find your God given purpose.

Many people ask themselves, “What is God’s will for my life”? I’ve asked this many times. We want to know why we are here on this earth. We desire to know what our unique purpose in this lifetime since we are on this earth. When you look up the word “purpose”, it says; “the reason why something exists”. All people realize sooner or later that there has to be a greater purpose in life than just to be born, grow up, get an education, work on a job, have a house and a family and just die. The answer is, of course but only God and the Word of God can give us the answer to what our God given purpose is here on earth.

Let us be women and men who act. Let us plan and make concrete goals. Many people spend their lives trying to create a lasting legacy on earth. We want to be remembered when they when we are gone. Yet, what ultimately matters most will not be what others say about you but what God says. We were not put on this earth to be remembered. You were put here to prepare for eternity. Living to create an earthly legacy is a short-sighted goal. A wiser use of time is to build an eternal legacy. Remember, one day, you will stand before God and He will do an audit of your life, which is the final exam before you enter eternity. Your relationship with God on earth will determine your relationship to Him in eternity.

The purpose of our lives is far greater than our own personal fulfillment; it is far greater than our peace of mind or even our happiness. It is far greater than family, career, or even wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were paced on this earth, you must consult God. We were all born by His purpose and for His purpose. Purpose is the essence of life; it directs us in the course of our journey through life. A life without any purpose is like being lost at sea or lost in the desert. When your purpose in life is not the same as the purpose of God, even though you may have a purpose; you are still lost because the wrong purpose directs you in the wrong direction. You may be going somewhere but it is not where you are supposed to be Our salvation through Jesus Christ leads us to our true purpose in life.

That’s Not Fair God: Trusting God When Life Seems Unfair

Where is God when life seems unfair? My colleague Crystal was wondering just that. “My husband is living with some woman in Atlanta’, she told me bitterly. He doesn’t seem to have a care in the world. In the meantime, I’m struggling to make ends meet for me and my kids”. My heart went out to her. It wasn’t fair that she was struggling under this burden alone while her husband of 15 years- after leaving his family and living for himself-seemed to be better off. Or was he? The situation just didn’t seem just. Where was God? And why didn’t He seem to care?

My conversation with Crystal had me thinking about God’s way and how situations are not always as they seem. And it brought to mind a principle from Scripture, written by David, a man who was promised the kingdom of Israel but waited years before God handed it to him. A man who was upright in his ways and yet waited on God’s timing to bless him. A man, anointed King, who slept in caves and was hunted for years like a wild beast because the current King was insanely jealous of him and wanted him dead. That man in humility, wrote: “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked” (Psalm 84:10).

King Saul was dwelling richly….in kingly tents. David was sleepng on the hard, rocky ground, probably in caves. King Saul was eating whatever his heart desired. David was skimping, catching his own food, living off the land. It wasn’t fair. It didn’t seem like justice. Yet, the rightful King said in so many words, “I would rather live simply, and without much, being close to my God, than have it all out there on my own”. You may feel you are living simply, skimping and barely getting by while someone else who seems to have no regard for God- is living high on the hog! But God sees your heart. And if you are truly bent on being obedient to Him, even during tough times when things don’t seem fair, He will raise you up at the right time…perhaps even into the king’s palace, in a manner of speaking.

James 4:10 tells us: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up”. There is a timing factor to all that we go through in life. If we are humbling ourselves and God is not exalting us, our time hasn’t yet come. Trust Him. Wait on Him, not your circumstance. And cast all your anxiety on Him. Why? Because He cares for you. Keep holding that door for the Lord. Keep doing the small things in His presence and with a joyful heart. Keep providing for your children the way you do. And keep a pure heart. As you do, delight in the fact that you are living simply.

When people see things as unfair in society, they often call for change. But what is just and what is expected are often confused. And in times of change, our sense of unfairness increases. God may not seem fair at times. He calls His people to be ‘set apart’, both in their attitude and expectations. He calls them to use their gifts not to selfish ends, but in service to others and to His praise. To those who follow Jesus as the Christ, God has not promised prosperity, but a cross-a burden of suffering, a reflection; however pale, of Christ suffering on His cross. So whatever’s going on in your life today— whatever you’ve endured and whatever doesn’t seem fair–I want you to know that you’re not invisible to God. He sees you, He knows exactly how much you can take, and He will deliver you at just the right time. He won’t be a moment too late! Remember, God is the only One who can truly vindicate you. He is the God of justice, and He can take your wrong thing and make it right!

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Evaluate Your Mindset

If you stop and evaluate where you are in life, what would you see as your mindset? Are you a positive, can-do person who has set goals and believes you can achieve them? Or are you the opposite-aimless, with a negative attitude and very little clue how to reach your goals, if you even have any? Sometimes it take a shift: you must change your mind in order to change your life. What happens around you and to you is often shaped by your thoughts- your view-of what life presents to you. You’ve heard many times that your attitude can determine what you get out of life, the heights or the depths you will reach. Your attitude is a function of your mindset. It may be difficult to accomplish, but changing your thinking can greatly affect your life. It is totally within your power to control the way you react to life. This is controlling your mindset! Having a specific mindset will determine whether situations will control you or you control them.

Two people can experience the same set of circumstances, such as extreme poverty, but the outcome may be completely different because of the way they respond to their circumstances. Their mindset determines their course of action. For years, whenever I had a problem, people would tell me, “Well, just give it to God”. Now, that’s great and true! But I never understood exactly how to do that…until now! Daily, I go through these steps (and sometimes two or three times a day if I’m in a particularly hard situation). At those moments when I am dealing with doubt, hurt, fear, pride, bitterness, resentment, anger, and any other negative feelings, I’m often too emotional “to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

I need some guidelines to help me through. Having these steps handy has made all the difference in the world. Going through these four steps every time we are confronted with a thought or a feeling, “that is not of faith”, is the only way we can stay cleansed and open vessels so God’s life can continue to flow and He can use us. We have to allow God to manifest in our lives as we follow His footsteps to guide us and see us through our situations. The steps are as follows:

1. Recognizing, acknowledging, and experiencing our ungodly thoughts and emotions as they come in.
2. Confessing our sins and choosing to “turn around” from following them.
3. Giving over to God all that He has shown us is “not of faith”.
4. Reading His Word and replacing the lies with the truth.

Just think, if we didn’t have Christ in our lives, all our fights with loved ones, all our guilt, our failures, mistakes, ungodliness, errors, wrongs, immorality, and every sin we have ever committed would always be with us. We would try to bury them and forget about them, but they would always be there to motivate our actions. We could never get away from them or have a fresh new start. No wonder so many relationships “without Christ” fail. I weep at the thought because those miracles, that answer, that cure and love is there. Most of the things that God shows us are “of the flesh”, and will usually go away immediately or at least within a few days if we are faithful to go through these cleansing steps.

The renewing of the mind is the single most important factor in living the transformed life. If we will change our minds, we can change our lives. If we can change our lives, God can change our world through us. #Transformyourmind #RenewYourMindsetInGod #BeYeTransformedByTheRenewingOfYourMind #EvaluateYourMindset

Come To Know Christ

Do you have a relationship with Christ? Growing up, even though I grew up in the church, I didn’t really have an understanding of who God really was nor did I have the relationship with Him that I needed to have. I prayed all the time, went to church but didn’t know how to build a relationship with Him until one Sunday morning I heard my Pastor preach a sermon about building a relationship with Christ and how we should all come to get to know Christ on a personal level. After hearing that sermon, I reevaluated my relationship with God and come to find out there was a lot that I was missing. Our gracious God desires all to know Christ through repentance, forgiveness, faith and a lifetime of loving intimacy. Jesus came the first time to earth as our Savior. Before He was crucified, He promised that he would prepare a place for us in His Father’s house and that He will come back and take us to be with Him that we also may be where He is (John 14:2-3)

Christ will come again as our Judge. However, our Heavenly father who is patient and merciful, delays His Son’s return. Jesus waits so the unredeemed have time to believe and become sons and daughters of the Almighty. God’s will is salvation in Jesus and not an eternity in hell apart from Him. Like the door to Noah’s Ark eventually closed, so the opportunity to trust Christ is slowly slipping away for many. The flood waters, meaning death will one day drown us. Will we be ready? Salvation and safety can only be found in our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. “The Lord is compassionate and gracious; slow to anger, abounding in love” (Psalm 103:8). Yet, the Lord’s patient love invites us to repent, trust, and not perish but He also says that even though He abounds in love and forgives sin and rebellion; yet, He does not leave the guilty unpunished (Numbers 14:18).

Yes, we still have to warn others of the Judgment to come. Some will mock, others will act indifferent, but a few will find refuge in Jesus. Most will “show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4). Billions of people who have done religious things, “prayed the sinners prayer, given money, served in churches will be eternally lost because they have never made Jesus Christ the Lord of their life. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12). There are true and false disciples as we hear Jesus say: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord’, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:21-23).

The patience of our Heavenly Father is the model for us to follow. We are surrounded by a sea of those who need salvation. They are drowning in their sin. By offering them the life preserver of faith, hope and love for Jesus, we can rescue the perishing. A life preserver, however, is useless unless it is thrown into the waters and reached for by those who are drowning. It should be our fervent daily prayer to ask the Father to convict the lost through the Holy Spirit. And that He would give us His wisdom to lead those He places in our paths, so we can teach them from Scripture how to receive salvation through the saving blood of Christ. Once saved, we help them grow in their faith and in the knowledge of what the Bible teaches, so they can live a fruitful life for the Lord. God loves us and does not want anyone to perish. Jesus showed love throughout His ministry but He also knew those who would and would not follow Him. One day as He was speaking of the Pharisees He said: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules” (Matthew 15:8-9). And He continued: “Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind. both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14).

We must step out in obedience and do what the Lord say do. In order for us to come to know Christ, we must do the following: Confessing our sins and seeing our sinfulness and realizing our desperate need for the Savior. Accepting Jesus as your personal Savior and believing with your heart and not just your head relying on, but fully trusting in, leaning upon, and resting in Him. Believing that He is our Savior first and allowing the Holy Spirit to help you make Him your Lord too. Believing that there is no other way to the Father in heaven except by Jesus. Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

I accepted Jesus as my Lord and personal Savior at the age of 13. Throughout my life, I strayed away from the body of Christ and straddled the fence for quite some time. I felt like the Prodigal Son in some sort. My uncle was a pastor and he really taught me how to rightly divide the word of truth. This is when I really became to know Christ. If there was anything I needed clarification on in the Bible, I went to him to give me an understanding of God’s Word. I called him, “The Walking Bible”, because he didn’t need the Bible to give you the answer you needed. He gave book, chapter and verse. The Bible clearly states in James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him”. But, through all the trials and tribulations I experienced throughout my life, it brought me to my knees for repentance where I waved the “white flag” of surrender and cried out to God to save me. The peace He gave me truly passed all understanding.

I realize every day that I must count on God’s grace, His peace, and His love to continue to follow Him or I am doomed. The most important thing we can do-young or old-is develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If we do, we will always be comfortable with ourselves. Any questions of self-esteem and self-worth will diminish and we will have a quiet confidence that will see us through any trial. In Jon 16:33, Jesus says, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”. What is the greatest need in the world? The greatest need in the entire world is for every person to have a personal, ongoing, daily, continuing relationship with the Savior. Having such a relationship can unchain the divinity within us and nothing can make a greater difference in our lives as we come to know and understand our divine relationship with God. #ComeToKnowChrist #TheSecondComing

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The Renewing Of The Mind

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2)

When we begin to change our mindset and our thoughts, we have to begin to SPEAK the true Word of God over our lives! What does the Word of God say about you? Who does God say you are? Dive into the Word today and find out just who you are in Christ. Once you know who you are and whose you are, it becomes easier to change your thoughts and words from negative to positive. God’s Word, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us” (2 Timothy 2:12). We must begin confessing what the Word has to say about our lives and circumstances, instead of what those in the world may speak about the situation.

When you change your words, you change your world. If you continually speak negative words over your life, then eventually defeat will be the result. In the same way, if you speak words of faith and victory, you will see a harvest of blessing not only in your own life but also in the lives of those around you. Remember your mother telling you: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”! That was good advice. Don’t give life to your negative thoughts by speaking them out. You can’t continue to speak negative words filled with doubt and unbelief and expect to have a positive life full of joy and hope. You can change your situation by changing your words.

As Christians, we have so many struggles we are dealing with that we may get caught up with battles in our minds. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”. But where the reality hits the road- we fall short-especially in our thought life. The old way of thinking has not gone away. Many still struggle with temptations in their mind, bitterness, depression, fear, hopelessness, frustrations, problems, and putting it bluntly-evil thoughts. To be a successful Christian means to follow Jesus, to obey His teachings, to love others, to grow spiritually. But this battle still rages in the mind. God’s solution to this battle is not simply to pray more. Prayer is important but we need to do more than pray.

To be honest, it is a struggle in this world we live in and if we don’t keep our minds stayed on the Word of God daily, then we are easily to get off track. Once we renew our minds, God has some great benefits and rewards for us. We will not just be transformed and cleaned up on the outside but also on the inside. You will understand God’s will for your life then. My mind needs a refresher everyday by reading and studying the Word of God. I also have to ask the Lord to guard and direct my mind daily. My mind is the place of my intellect, reasoning, and intentions. My behavior begins in my mind and my mind is where spiritual transformation happens.

I have experienced periods of mental oppression that seems almost physical. A feeling of heaviness accompanies my self defeating thoughts. Most of the time, I realize that I am engaged in a spiritual battle of some sort, but I cannot immediately free myself of it. I pray. I confess. I read God’s Word. I pray some more. ( It should be noted that in my case this is not clinical depression and, if it were, I would seek medical treatment). Eventually my mind is unencumbered, but it is not because I thought positively enough or talked myself out of it. That may work temporarily, but it won’t root out the problem. I know who the enemy is and I also know the only One who can defeat him. Recognize the enemy and fight him with God’s power and with Scriptural truth. I had to learn how to replace self-focused thinking with a God-focused mindset.

“For those who live according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit, set their minds on the things of the “Spirit” (Romans 8:5). If each Christian would do their part, then God the Father would only be too anxious to complete this transformation process for you through the power of the Holy Spirit. If you decide that you really want God to start the process, then all you have to do is go to God in prayer with sincerity and tell Him you really want the transformation to occur over the rest of your life down here on earth, then you will see the process begin. When this starts to occur, it may be a bit painful at times. It was hard for me and still hard at times but it’s all about being able to endure the process.

But let God do His inner surgery on you through the Holy Spirit and you will be much better off for it in the long run. God wants us to be so in depth with Him, so He can transform our mind, body, and soul. It’s nothing like having a renewed mind in God!

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Your Purpose Matters For Eternity

Many people spend their lives trying to create a lasting legacy on earth. We want to be remembered when we are gone. Yet, what ultimately matters most will not be what others say about you but what God says. We were not put on earth to be remembered. You were put here to prepare for eternity. Living to create an earthly legacy is a short-sighted goal. A wiser us of time is to build an eternal legacy. Remember, one day you will stand before God and He will do an audit of your life, which is the final exam before you enter eternity. The Bible says, each of us will stand personally before the judgment throne of God to give personal account to God (2 Corinthians 5:10). Fortunately, God wants us to pass this test, so He has given us the questions in advance.

Living life on purpose is the path to peace. While life on earth offers many choices, eternity only offers two: heaven or hell. Your relationship with God on earth will determine your relationship to Him in eternity. If you learn to love and trust God; Jesus Christ, then you will be invited to spend the rest of eternity with Him. On the other hand, if you reject His love, forgiveness, and salvation, then you will spend eternity apart from God forever. This life is preparation for the next and life on earth is a temporary assignment. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, God is not promising us that there will not be trials and tribulations a long the way, but He has promised that when this time occurs, He will be with us all the days of our life.

The purpose of our lives is far greater than our own personal fulfillment; it is far greater than our peace of mind, or even our happiness. It is far greater than family, our career. or even wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this earth, you must consult God. We were all born by His purpose and for His purpose. Purpose is the essence of life; it directs us in the course of our journey throughout life. A life without any purpose is like being lost at sea or lost in the desert. When your purpose in life is not the same as the purpose of God, even though you may have a purpose, you are still lost, because a wrong purpose directs you in the wrong direction.

You may be going somewhere, but it is not where you are supposed to be. Our salvation through Jesus Christ leads to our true purpose in life. Without Jesus Christ, a person is lost and therefore has no true purpose in life. As we surrender our lives to Jesus, He leads us according to His purpose. We may not fully understand God’s purpose, but through our faith in Him, “We know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Everything in life we go through may not seem good to us, especially the trials and sufferings, but we know that as we trust God, the good and the bad work together to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives.

What is stopping you from fulfilling God’s purpose for your life? Is it ignorance, selfishness, pride or unlovingness towards God? At the end of your journey, what is it that you want your life to be? Is it a life without purpose; a life opposing God; a life perishable or do you want to live a life pleasing God, fulfilling His purpose, loving and serving Him for eternity? God even delays the coming of the end of the world so that more people would have the opportunity to know Him and be saved: “The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but all come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

I have watched Christians go to pieces when they have lost a loved one. The pain is REAL. I can reflect back 4 years ago when I lost my best friend and her unborn in a tragic accident the same day I was in her presence and 10 days later I lost my cousin in law in a tragic event in which I was also in her presence before it happened. I got a chance to see both of them. That was a hurtful and painful feeling! I was so devastated at that point, which opened my eyes to see things clearer knowing that God had a purpose for my life. The hurt and pain I felt drew me closer to God surrendering my life fully to Him asking Him what it was He wanted me to do. I was tired of running from God’s purpose for my life. Sometimes it takes tragic events to get our attention! And from that day forth, I have been walking in my purpose that God has laid out for me.

The truth of the matter is that God is no respector of persons and He treats and loves us all the same. If we are going to be used by God, then the first thing we need to do is understand the purpose of our lives. By going through those emotions, feelings and grief, I was ready to work for the Lord. Something I should have been doing a long time ago, but I had to experience loss, grief, hurt, disappointments, etc. to get to my breaking point. The Bible clearly makes it clear in Ephesians 1:4-5, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world , that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will”. Not only does God want us to be a part of His family, but He also wants us to spend eternity with Him.

So what is life here about? Life is a preparation for eternity and your purpose matters. God has a long range of plans for our lives. Life is a dress rehearsal. We all need to get prepared for eternity by getting to know God, becoming more like Jesus and letting God use you to fulfill His purpose here on earth. Make your life count today! #DiscoverYourPurpose #YourPurposeMattersForEternity

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