Short Share

GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD

I have learned a lot about myself since becoming a Christian.

I’ve learned how to forgive, how to trust, how to love without expecting  anything in return.

However, the one thing I’ve had to work on, is how to get out of my own head!

In other words, how do I stop the negative thoughts concerning myself?

I sometimes question whether I’m good enough?

Am I doing everything that God requires of me?

Am I spending enough time with Him in reading, prayer and worship?

They are all good questions in helping me to become a better person but they can also cause me to be too harsh on myself.

I had to find out what the Word says about this thought process.

Romans 8:1 – “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”.

Philippians 3:12-14 – Paul said “Not that I have already obtained, or am already perfect… forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus”..

Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works…”.

So, when I have any negative thoughts, I go back to confessing that I am walking in the Spirit, pressing forward without being perfect because I have been saved through faith!

Be Encouraged!

LOVE COVERS

Well, how are we doing these days?

Is the evil of what is happening to this country bothering you?

The question I feel you should be asking yourself is how am I doing in relationship to what is happening?

In other words, what am I doing to make things better for myself and those around me?

As a Christian who loves the Lord, you should be at the least, in prayer for this nation.

To be perfectly honest with you, I am angry at the people who want to take this country down. The military person in me wants to go after them, but I cannot, and I will not since my Lord loves them as much as He loves me.

I have been talking to the Lord about the anger I am dealing with right now towards all the injustice that is going on here.  What a release I am feeling because when I pray for them and try to love them as He does, I am free inside and not so upset.

As we know, Satan has them deceived in believing the wrong things. This is very concerning and unless God’s people start to seriously pray and love, they might lose the battle.

Remember, love covers a multitude of sins. May the love of the Father be with you all!

• 1 Peter 4:8
• Proverbs 10:12
• John 13:34-35

VERSUS

I’m not referring to verses in the Bible. I am using the word that means “as opposed to”.

For example, Heaven versus Hell.

Back in the days of the fire and brimstone tent meetings, preachers got excited when describing how terrible it would be to go to hell.

I can’t disagree with that.

However, I want to talk not about what is there but what is NOT there.

Obviously, since it is a place of evil, good cannot be present. 

God is not there, Jesus is not there and the Holy Spirit has no reason to be there.

Because of that, there is NO love, NO peace, NO joy.

No more laughing, no more singing, no more dreaming of a prosperous future.

All happiness is completely gone. Only regret, anger and sadness for eternity.

If it all sounds too discouraging to think about, then maybe we should spend a lot more time praying for those who do not know Jesus.

We should also consider the importance of telling them about Him and the consequences of ignoring the message of salvation.

In Romans 1:16, Paul says “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…”

On the other side, Heaven is a place where there are no more tears, no more pain.

A place of joy, peace and love.

A home where Jesus lives and the presence of God is forever.

–         John 3:16

–         John 14:6

–         Romans 10:9-10

LATER COMES SOONER THAN YOU EXPECT

I have been known to put things off by saying, I’ll get to it later.

Greg would sometimes call me the “queen of procrastination.”

That might be okay when having to do housework but not so well when it comes to spending time with Jesus.

To have an honest relationship with anyone, we should be willing to step aside from our comfort.

The Holy Spirit does not have the same schedule as we do. There are times in the middle of the night when He calls me to pray. I always know when it’s not just a natural break from sleep because I become very unsettled and can’t go back to sleep no matter how much I try.

It is times like that when I realize I need to be a woman of my word. You see, I committed to the Lord from the beginning that I would go wherever He wanted me.

That also means listening to Him in the stillness of the night. Answers to prayer can come quickly or much later. The answer is the result of our obedience.

There is always an opportunity to prove yourself to God. How much are we willing to prepare ourselves for His will in our lives?

Saying to Him, “I’ll get to it later” could one day be too late.

Our understanding of later may come on quicker than we had planned.

This is the time for God’s people to wake up and pray!

To be an example of what He wants when He said in Matthew 26:41; “Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation; the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”.

• Mark 13:33
• Luke 21:36

STANDING YOUR GROUND

Are there days you have a hard time standing and being righteous?

Are there days you want to give up?

Are there days you want to chuck it all out the window?

Are there days when you question God and the choices you’ve made under His care?

I have been a Christian for 47 years and guess what?

I am still working on the things I need to change in my life to be a better Chrisitan.

As we walk with the Lord, He shows us what needs to change to be the person we need to be.  There is a process that we go through to become who we should be to do His will. Some things are harder than others.

For example, I had a problem judging people based on what I thought they should be like.

When I made the commitment to the Lord to change, I asked Him to give me His heart and how He sees people.  Well, be careful what you ask for from God.

I began to see the pain in the individual’s life that I was judging, and I could feel what they were experiencing.  I started to feel God’s heart for them, and I started to cry, a lot.  

My prayers changed and rather than asking for the Lord to change them, I asked for Him to be with them in grace and mercy.

I praise God that He trusted me enough to give me the responsibility to now have compassion over all people, no matter what they looked like or acted like.

This brought on the next phase of my own purification, I want to say it is not always easy.

That just makes me more determined to be as clean in my own heart and to love others as I want to be loved.

Do you want your walk with Jesus to be one that both you and the Lord can be proud?

I encourage you to seek the Lord with all your heart, look deep into yourself before you spend any time pointing your finger at someone else.

Read – Jeremiah 29:13

               Matthew 6:33

               Romans 2:1

KNOW JESUS?

When I ask someone if they believe in Jesus, I get a lot of different
responses. Some say they do and a lot say they just believe in God and
that being a good person is enough.

Then they proceed to say that the worship of a higher power is in every
religion. My response is yes, that’s true but the only way to go to God is
through Jesus Christ. Typically, that ends the conversation.

The subject or the name of Jesus makes so many uncomfortable. Why?
Is it fear of the unknown or is it that we have been programmed to think
we are not good enough or don’t really need any help from an invisible
deity.

When I became a Spirit-filled Christian, after living a life of absolute
rebellion, friends and family had two reactions. Either I had lost my
sense of reality or I was so weak minded that I needed something to
make me feel better about myself.

First let me say that following Christ is nothing close to weakness. As a
matter of fact, it takes more strength to stand against the norm by having
to try to live a righteous life. It’s not always easy but it is worth every
day knowing that you have Him with you every single day in the good
and the bad times.

The more I spend with Him in reading and prayer, the better I get to
know His unconditional love for me. What else could you possibly want
in life? I am NEVER alone!

The Bible has numerous scriptures that tell us how much we need a
relationship with the Savior, Jesus Christ.

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

Acts 4:12 – And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

I Timothy 2:5 – For there is one God and one mediator, the man Christ Jesus.

There is so much more to say but if we humble ourselves, repent and ask
Him to come into our life, we are guaranteed to be with Him in heaven.
There is nothing you have ever done that will keep Him from coming to you and loving you!

CHRISTIANITY

Are you a good Christian?

Do you believe in the Word of God?

Do you do what the Bible tells you to do?

How do you live your life?

Do you make your mind up to what is good or evil and do you follow the Word?

Do you know who God really is?

Do you know that our God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow?

Do you know how your God dealt with His own people, the Israelites?

If you do, it should scare you to know whether you are doing the right thing or not.

Do you know that without faith, it is impossible to please God?

Do you know the important things that you must exercise every day about faith?

Do you know about the lives of the prophets in the Old Testament, like Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel? What did God require of them?

Do you realize that the Old Testament is just as important as the New Testament?

Please read the Word and don’t just rely on everyone else to tell you about it.

You must know what it says for yourself.

You can ask a pastor to show you where things are in the Word.

But they are only there to guide you when you have questions about what you read.

It is time for the Church of God to come alive and start living with knowledge and wisdom, not just being comfortable depending on someone else.

All this is very important to live as a Christian.

If all this made you uncomfortable, it is meant to do just that.

Pray about how to understand what you are reading.

Ask Him for the Spirit of Wisdom every time you do.

Please read the Bible!

Become knowledgeable and live a better life, the one the Lord wants you to live.

Remember – God loves you!

MAKING COMMITMENTS

So here we are at the start of another new year.

Thinking of making any new commitments? Me too!

The biggest one that I can think of is the commitment I make to the Lord.  Although for me, I renew that commitment almost weekly because I realize how important my responsibility is to the Lord.  You see, I know that I will not receive any answers to my prayers without exercising my faith.

Our faith or belief in the Lord is probably the most valuable thing in our lives that will move the hand of God on our behalf.

Matthew 13:58 – “And He did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”

Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.”

So for this New Year, study scriptures regarding faith and you will be encouraged to make new promises. Believe me when I say that it is not hard and it will produce the best of anything in your life. Take that step and you will not regret it!

FAITH

I felt that we needed to revisit the topic of faith. We tend to blame God when we don’t get what we are asking for or it takes too long.

It is never God’s fault if you don’t get or don’t see things you ask Him for right away.  Let me go over some of the scriptures for you.

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

Why is it important to please God? Because He loved us so much He sent His only son to DIE for you. Who would send his own son to die for the world? So, we need to thank Him all the time for saving us thru His son. Do you want Him to answer your prayers? Then do what is right and true in your life.

The second thing I feel that is so important is how do we get faith?

• Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

We have to spend time with Him. Know His word and understand who God is. He is a demanding God with rules to follow. If you want God to answer your prayers, you need to follow Him and get to know Him and His will for your life.

The third thing you need to understand is the definition of faith.

• Faith is the substance of things hoped for (the confident expectation), the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Finally – The just shall live by faith. (Galatians 3:11 & Hebrews 10:38)

So I hope you see it is more than just asking for things. You need to know the word and ask accordingly with the right frame of mind.

Other scriptures and examples of faith through the years:

Matthew 21:22

Mark 11:24

Hebrews 10:36

Hebrews Chapter 11

JUDGING OTHERS

One of the hardest things I have had to struggle with is judging others.

I was always looking to see if they were the type of person I want to trust.

A good practice that has served me well in the past, however, sometimes that practice of profiling would lead me into judging them. I had in my head that if they didn’t have the same standards as I did, they weren’t someone I wanted to hang around. Does that sound like a Godly principal? Nooooooooo, not at all.

Not a very good way of showing the love of God that I would preach about.

That is why I wasn’t always receiving answers to prayers.

I had to alter my expectations from my own standards to God’s values.

The only way to know what God requires was to pray and find the answers in the Bible. Once I started reading about what God wanted from me, I was humbled to realize I needed to make a huge change in my attitude toward others.

After repenting for pride and unrighteous judgment, I became a very different person. I am much happier and I have enjoyed meeting people without fear.

I thank God for loving me so much to show me what I needed to do to be in His will.

When you look at an individual, you should look at them to recognize the good in them and not just the bad. We all have both! Then you can treat them as Jesus would, with patience and love.

Matthew 7:1-2 – Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Romans 2:1 – You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

It is so easy to just look at a person and begin to form an opinion about them.

John 7:24 – Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

We should learn how to tell the difference between righteous judgment and unrighteous judgment. Think about the following when being critical:

How does it make you feel?

How would you want someone to treat you?

Do you love others as you want to be loved?

TRUST

From the day we were born, we learned how to trust our parents, family, teachers, doctors, friends and spouses. Unfortunately, that trust is sometimes challenged.

We quickly find out that people do not always behave trustworthy and this causes us to stop believing in honesty.

So when we ask Jesus into our heart, we praise Him and say we love Him.

Until…trials and tribulations enter into our lives. Again, how can we trust someone who allows us to suffer?

This is where our trust in God is tested. The word trust means to believe in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone. We build a confidence and reliance in Him no matter what we are feeling.

Psalms 46:1  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 91:1-2   He that dwells in the secret place of the most High will abide (rest) under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.

The word trust is mentioned 134 times in the Old Testament. Must be important!

There are numerous examples in the Bible to encourage us in times of worry or difficulty. In all of them, we are warned to first commit ourselves to praising Him and prayer for His help. Then we wait patiently for His answer, without complaining.

First, develop your relationship with Him. Spend time in worship and thanking Him.

Communicate with Him in prayer. Read His Word about how to build your trust.

Read the following scriptures and meditate on what they mean for you.

Psalms 9:10, 28:7, 31:14-24, 33:21-22, 37:5-7, 56:4

Proverbs 29:25

Isaiah 12:2, 26:3-4

Jeremiah 17:7

Ephesians 1:12-13

SANCTIFICATION

Several decades ago, the Lord told me to sanctify myself. Why? And how do I do that? I thought only God can sanctify someone.

• 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.

Sanctification (or being freed from sin) means to make holy. Yes, you can make yourself holy.

• John 17:19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

I think we have an obligation to ourselves, family and others to be the best person we can be. So you see, I am talking to the church here. We need to become better at what we do and who we are in Christ.

• Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

How can we expect non-Christians to want to know anything of God if we are not good examples? I feel we compromise and enable people to do the wrong thing time and time again. So let’s examine who we are in Christ, sanctify ourselves on a daily basis and do what the Lord has called us to.

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

One of the most controversial subjects in the church is whether or not the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is real or necessary.

The first scripture mentioned here is where John is talking about Jesus coming to baptize the people with the Holy Spirit and fire. Notice that John refers to when he baptizes them; it is with water for repentance.

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

(Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33)

Jesus tells His disciples “But, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you”. (John 14:26)

Jesus also said: “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” and “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” (Acts 1:5 & 8)

“When they (Peter and John) arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:15-17)

“And he (Paul) said to them, did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? And they said no, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. And he said, into what then were you baptized? They said, into John’s baptism. And Paul said John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him (John), that is, Jesus. On hearing this (from John), they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And (But) when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.”

(Acts 19:2-6)

When you read the above, you can see that Jesus, Peter, John and Paul taught the people there were 2 baptisms. The 1^st was from John with water and repentance and the 2^nd was the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

We repent and ask Jesus to come into our hearts, renewing our own spirit with His and then we ask for the baptism in the Holy Spirit which teaches us and gives us power. The baptism in the Holy Spirit also comes with gifts which we will talk about another time.

IS LOVE BLIND?

Recently, we’ve noticed parents having a hard time keeping control of their little ones in stores. While they are screaming and stamping their feet, mom and dad look terribly frustrated. Sometimes people seem to be afraid to take control with a quick smack on the bottom or the “wait until I get you home” message with just a stare. More often than not, they just give in and give them whatever it is they are yelling for.

Are we so deceived that we can’t see when we enable someone to do the wrong thing? They say love is blind, but are we so blind that we overlook when our child is in rebellion. How many over protective parents say he’s a good child, he’s just misunderstood or he’s hanging out with the wrong crowd.

Do you realize that it could be your son or daughter that is the leader of that “wrong crowd”? Other parents who are saying the same thing might be talking about your child. If you won’t admit to yourself you need to be more aware and active in their lives, you do not really love them. The Bible has a lot to say about this.

Proverbs 13:24 – “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.”

Proverbs 22:15 – “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.”

Proverbs 23:13-14 – “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die. Punish them with the rod and save them from death.”

Please know that we are not saying you need to beat your child every time they do something wrong. Anger can take “discipline” too far.

Also, you can’t begin to spank your teenager now after letting them get away with bad behavior when they were younger. That sends a mixed message that makes them ignore what you are trying to do.

Ephesians 6:4 – “Do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the training and instruction that comes from the Lord.”

It is so important for parents to be the adult in the relationship. Teach them how to respect you, their teachers, bosses, other adults. It is not a good idea to try to be their friend and give them whatever they want. Young people need to learn that life is not always fair and sometimes can be very hard. They should be taught there is a price to pay for doing wrong.

Proverbs 22:6 – “Start children off on the way they should go and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

This scripture gives a promise that if you show them the right way, they will eventually remember how much good you wanted for them.

The commandment that says to “Honor your father and mother” is also saying to “Respect your father and mother”. That is not easy for them to obey when their parents are not living what they preach.

1 Peter 4:17 – “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the Lord’s commandments?”

Live with no deception or lying to ourselves so we can have the courage to do what is right, no matter the outcome. We need to be the people God has called us to be and we should want the same for our children. That is true love!

GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL

We are living in a time when calling on God could be the most important decision we make. The “new normal” is the popular catch phrase of the day.

But if we are praying for God’s help to stop the chaos, then why would we want it to be a new normal? Normal to God is whatever is in His plan. It is up to us to pray as Jesus taught. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

That is why we say God is still in control. Because no matter what is going on in front of us or what we watch on the news, He still has all things under His control.

PRAYER FOR THE NATION

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 – King James Version)

This is a scripture (and a song) that many churches use as a prayer for healing of the United States. When reading the context of this scripture, I read that the Lord appeared to Solomon and told him that he heard his prayer and in 7:13 said “if I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;” then the Lord said in 7:14 “If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Then in 7:19-22, the Lord gave him a warning about what would happen if the people turned away and did not observe His statutes and commandments. At that time, it was a lesson for the people of Israel that God had a condition for the healing of their land.

But when praying for our own nation, we need to remember that the United States is a nation of believers and non-believers. As children of God, we must continue to humble ourselves and pray for the salvation of others. We should always turn away from wickedness and seek God and His will for our lives.

As a whole people of this nation, we (and I include Christians) have turned away from the statutes and commandments of God. We can point the finger to the unbelievers, but there is evidence of complacency and self-righteousness in the church.

I am not condemning any one person or congregation, I am also preaching to myself. But as we become genuine examples of the life of Jesus Christ, many people who are looking for a better way to live will one day ask us what it is that gives us hope. I have a strong sense that once the people of God turn back and repent, He will begin to heal the United States of America.

WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES (2 Samuel 12:1-15)

Are we a generation of people that has become afraid to talk plainly and truthfully?

In 2 Samuel 12 we see Nathan coming to David and telling him a story about 2 different men, one rich and one poor. After hearing the story, David made a judgment about the one man, only to find out that person in question is David himself.

Nathan was not afraid to tell David what God wanted him to know. Are we afraid to tell the truth for fear of rejection? David had Uriah sent to the front line of battle to have him killed, only to get his wife for his own. Nathan told David that the sword will never depart from his house and the son that David had with Bathsheba eventually died.

If you read from verse 16 to 24 it tells you what God did to David’s household.

But, if you know anything about God’s love for David, you know that He judged David but still had mercy on his household and gave him Solomon. You still pay a price for sin and bad judgment but after repenting, God will show you mercy and grace as well.

God is not a God who lies; he is the same today, tomorrow, and forever. We all make mistakes, I fear that we don’t see our mistakes or we just don’t care anymore.

How many people in Washington are doing the same thing only to consume that power for them selves and not consider the needs of the American people? Let’s pray for all the lawmakers in Washington, to lay there own agenda aside and do what is right for us all.

DEALING WITH ANXIETY

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 – King James Version)

When I read this scripture, I was wandering what caused Paul to say that to Timothy. Was Timothy having anxiety or nervous about something? I had to read the beginning and the end of his conversation in order to know why he was encouraging him not to have fear.

In the beginning of chapter 1, Paul talks about wanting to see Timothy and remembering him crying. He asks him to remember his mother and grandmother’s faith, which is also in him. Then he encourages Timothy to stir up the gift of God, which was already there from the time Paul laid hands on him and prayed.

He later tells him not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord…but be part of the difficulty that comes with preaching the gospel. Then, reminding him that it is according to the power of God; who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace.

It’s important for us to know the reasons behind the scripture. We can memorize snippets of the Bible or parts of what we hear in a teaching. But, do we really understand what was said?

A good example of this would be if you were to come up to two people discussing a subject and all you hear is “I know he really liked that part of the movie”. What movie? Who liked it and what did they like about it? You would be lost in the conversation.

This is what can happen if we don’t spend the time to get the full picture. It’s always a good idea to read the chapter before, the one after and then find other scriptures that are similar.

I would imagine that after reading Paul’s letter, Timothy was feeling a lot more positive. This is how we should feel after reading God’s word. There are times that we question who we are and how our future will look. The words to Timothy telling him that God didn’t give him a spirit of fear should be words that we take to heart everyday.

We should hold on to the fact that God gave us a Holy Spirit to live in us and that Spirit has power. It has lots of love, both for us and to give away. It also helps us to have a healthy mind set regarding any negative that comes at us.

Also read Romans 8:14-18 and be encouraged!

PRAYER

“…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

(James 5:16 – King James Version)

A number of people that I speak to about prayer say they don’t know how to pray. I understand that feeling. You can get intimidated, thinking it has to be perfect because it seems that it comes so easy to others, but not to you.

I mentioned the scripture from James above because this was one of the first places I had read about prayer. My first bible was the King James Version and that in itself was intimidating. I quickly learned that using a Strong’s Concordance by James Strong was a great study tool. It gives you an understanding of the original words and the meanings.

So, let me break it down for you in layman’s terms:

Effectual can also mean effective or successful. There is nothing better than having a successful talk with God.

Fervent is to have a passionate intensity. You should always be intense about anything you pray about. If it’s important to you, it’s important to Him.

Prayer of a “righteous” man – this part may be a block for anyone who thinks they aren’t righteous enough to go to God. The very first time you prayed, you weren’t a righteous individual, I know I wasn’t. But God knows our hearts and He knew you were modest enough to ask for help. Showing humility is a great start to righteousness. It means you are in a “right” state before the Father.

Availeth much means it will produce a great result.

The Bible has so many other scriptures about prayer. But for now, the simplest way to pray is to just talk. We talk every day to family, friends, and co-workers. Make it that simple. Have a nice conversation.

We don’t always need to ask for something. Thank Him or talk about your day. Make it successful by expressing yourself in a passionate, intense and humble way before Him.

Remember: His reason for creating us was for fellowship. You can’t get to know someone if you never speak to them.

RACIST

Am I a racist? Are you a racist?

Let’s look at the definition: racist – a person who is prejudiced against another on the basis of their ethnic group.

Another definition says: prejudice – preconceived opinion that is NOT based on reason or actual experience.

When we look at other people thru the eyes of racism, are we not judging that person? And when you call a person a racist, are you not judging them as well?

Matthew 7:1-2 – Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Are you any better than that person you are judging?

Acts 17:26 – From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth…

Let’s keep in mind that we all are in this world together. Not one of us is exempt from being a flawed human being. Maybe, we can find some common ground and live a better life by treating others as you would like to be treated.

Matthew 7:12 – So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…

Please, pray for one another!

FEAR

Should Christians have fear about their lives?

In this age of Covid-19, riots and unrest, there is plenty to be concerned about.

But God is still in control of your lives – if you let Him.

The only fear you should have anytime is the fear of the Lord.

(Psalms 56:11, 112:1, 112:7 and Proverbs 1:7, 9:10)

Who can send you to hell? There is only one who can do that, God.

(Psalms 118:6, Luke 12:4-5)

Remember: God has not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and love, and a sound mind.

(2 Timothy 1:7)

If we want to be happy, live a productive life and raise our children in the comfort and protection of the Lord; then we need to practice and not have fear other than the fear of the Lord. Somehow that gives me peace and I will take that all day long.

SALVATION

Before we go any further, I feel it should be pointed out that at some point you will need to ask Jesus into your life. You cannot get into heaven with out Him.

• Romans 10:9 – Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart and you will be saved
• John 3:3 – If you are not born again, you can’t even see the kingdom of God
• John 3:5-8 – No one can enter the Kingdom of God unless you are born of Water and of the Spirit
• 1John 5:4 – This talks about overcoming the world by your faith

As you progress through, you will find yourself getting more pure. If you are sincere, the love of God will grow and grow making you a force to contend with the evil of this world. So my thoughts and prayers go with you so you can be the person God created you to be.

FAITH

Now that you know Jesus, one of the important things to do is build yourself up in Faith. The following are some scriptures regarding Faith:

1. The just shall live by faith (Galatians 3:11)
2. Without faith it is impossible to please God… (Hebrews 11:6)
3. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17)
4. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1)
5. Hebrews chapter 11 has examples of faith through the years

At this point, nothing is more important then reading the Word of God.

CONFESSION

Now that you have the basics of faith, let’s dig into some of the problems that cancel faith in our lives.

• In order to receive the things we ask God to do for us, we must get our minds and thoughts in line with God’s Word.
• The most powerful thing we can do is watch what comes out of our mouth.
• Watch out! This can be harder than you think.
• CONFESSION is the key! Be positive; try not to do a lot of complaining.
• There is power in the tongue. What comes out of your mouth is what you really believe.

Scriptures regarding confession:

1. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21)
2. Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life. (Proverbs 13:3)
3. Let no corrupt talk come out of your mouth. (Ephesians 4:29)
4. But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart. (Matthew15:18)
5. For by your words you will be justified. (Matthew 12:37)
6. Jesus encourages us to have faith in God and believe that you receive what you ask for. (Mark 11:22-24)
7. If you confess Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10)