What Does God Really Want From Us?

Posted by Live Joyfully, Forgiveness and Salvation Leave a Comment

We all want to know what God wants from us. Does He want us to do certain things? Is it enough to have faith in Him? Does He have expectations of us? These are common questions that have been asked since the dawn of time, and this article will provide valuable insight into understanding God’s true desires for us. This post will give a fresh perspective on what God truly wants from us.

I pray about what to write each week and ask God to help me write my posts. Today, the message seems so essential. What does God want from us? The answer is so simple that it brings me to my knees, hoping I can accurately relay God’s heart the way He revealed it to me.

What Does God Really Want From Us??

The enemy tries to convince us that being a Christian is difficult. He tries to convince us that his defiant way is better and more fun. As a youngster, the enemy successfully convinced me that there were too many rules to being a Christian. I remember feeling like there were too many things that I could not do. I now know that the enemy was causing me to focus on what I should not do so that he could tempt me. The enemy knows we can all be like little rebellious children.

What Does God Really Want From Us? 2

The enemy tries to get us to go against what God asks, and he has been running this scam since the Garden of Eden. The truth is that God created Adam and Eve (Genesis 1-3). He wanted them to replenish the earth and have dominion over the fish, fowl, cattle, and the land. God enjoyed a good relationship with Adam and Eve until they allowed the serpent to convince them to disobey the only rule that God gave them, which was not to eat the fruit of the one tree that God said not to touch.

Despite God’s provisions, the enemy could take the one thing God asked Adam and Eve not to do and make it seem irresistible. When Adam and Eve disobeyed, they lost their closeness with God, and their relationship was now different because of sin.

So, what does God really want from us? God wants our obedience and trust. He loves us and wants a loving relationship with us as our God. He wants to be our Father, but He gives us the ability to choose. When we decide to do things our way or listen to the enemy, we essentially say “no thanks” to God’s offer.

What Does God Really Want to Be to Us?

If we decide to live by our own rules, we stop God from being our leader, savior, provider, protector, and counselor. See, the question is not what God wants from us, but what God wants to be to us, and will we accept it? God wants us to be His children. He wants to adopt each of us into His family. As his children, he wants to give us a better life, eternal life.

When we think of our children, we want to protect them from harm. We love them and do not want them to experience unnecessary hurt. We want them to come to us when they need something, be it provision, protection, or counseling. As parents, we would not expect our children to look to someone else, especially not the enemy, right?

What Does God Really Want From Us? 3

To be His child, we must accept the gift of salvation by Jesus’ sacrifice. When we take God as our Father, we can have all the benefits of being a member of His family, but we must choose. As children, we may make mistakes; when that happens, we need to ask our Father for forgiveness.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 ESV

What Does God Want to Give Us?

As our loving Father, God has beautiful plans for us and does not want us to miss out. God wants to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). He also wants to provide us with eternal life in a place that Jesus is preparing for us.

What Does God Really Want From Us? Scripture 1 Corinthians 2:9

The Bible calls all who believe in Jesus the Bride of Christ. While Jesus is away preparing a place for us, we must be faithful to the relationship. He should find us ready to go with Him to our heavenly home when He returns.

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

John 14:2-3

God loves us so much that He made a way (Jesus) for us to spend eternal life with Him, but He has given us a choice to decide if we want that. We must accept the gift of salvation by faith in Jesus. We must allow God to help us. What God wants most is a loving relationship with his children.

We demonstrate love when we trust, obey, and accept His Son. Although the enemy wants to convince us that being a Christian is difficult, God wants us to know that choosing to be led to eternal life lead is much easier than listening to an enemy who is trying to lead us to destruction.

A Prayer For When We Have Gotten Off Track With God

Sometimes, we get off-track, and like Eve, we believe the lies the enemy tells us. We sometimes rely more on our thoughts or are led astray by false promises. Thankfully, God understands and welcomes us back with loving arms when we ask. Let’s pray for restoration to our rightful place in God.

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How Can We Find Joy in the Journey?

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How Can We Find Joy in the Journey?

As I look up today, I see a wooden plaque that hangs on my wall that says, “Find Joy in the Journey.” I bought this hanging at one of the summer festivals last year because I tend to rush through life.

There is a delicate balance between enjoying life and constantly striving for more. Have you ever encountered a person who never seems content? Someone who always seems to be chasing something? Maybe you can relate to this feeling. In reality, I believe that all of us can identify with these sentiments in some way. So, how can we find joy as we journey through life, and what does that entail?

How Can We Find Joy in the Journey

Find Joy in the Journey at Work and Home

We must find joy in the journey at work and home. When we feel stressed and overloaded on the job, being short-tempered, isolated, and unhappy is easy. We often feel like work adds “one more scoop of mashed potatoes” to our already full plate. The problem is that work stress can overtake us if we are not careful. For example, if we bring paperwork home or even think of all the paperwork while we are at home, we are less available for our spouse and kids.

As a mom, wife, or homemaker, even if we choose to stay home and not work outside, we can still find ourselves with a lot of work and very little time. We often have a mix of things we want to do and tasks we must do. For instance, we may need to clean the house, but our child has a project due for school the next day and needs our help. Viewing the project as another thing to add to our already heavy workload can be easy. However, we must be careful with our words and actions as our children may feel like a burden, and as a result, they may choose not to ask for help and end up getting a low grade. We need to remember the acronym LIVE to find joy in both our work and home life.

  • Laugh and smile often.
  • Invest your time and energy wisely.
  • Visualize each day from God’s perspective.
  • Envision each day as written in your biography or eulogy.

Laugh and Smile Often

It’s essential to take time to laugh and smile, no matter what’s going on in our lives. We should choose joy and make it a priority. I recently read an article that explained how laughing and smiling could help reduce stress and improve our well-being. The Bible also talks about the importance of joy as good medicine. Understanding the significance of laughter should motivate us to smile and be happy more often.

A Joyful Heart is good Medicine Scripture

Even when there is no time for anything, we must find something to laugh and smile about. A hug or kiss from a loved one, a smile or funny joke, or anything that makes us laugh can help us remember that living should be full of joy even if it is busy.

Invest Time and Energy Wisely

We all have 24 hours each day and no more. We watch as days turn to weeks, and weeks become months. Years come and go, and our children grow up. We should decide to invest our precious time and energy wisely. When our children are grown, we do not want to regret how we spent the years while they were young. The Bible reminds us that we never know what tomorrow brings and life is short. We must invest time and energy wisely by placing a high priority on enjoying “joy” moments.

yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

James 4:14 ESV
sick child laying on mom, dad drinking coffee

Visualize Each Day From God’s Perspective

As we set our goals, it’s important to visualize each day from God’s perspective. We should prioritize and ensure that our priorities align with what brings God honor and glory. We know that God would want us to pray and ask for His help rather than worry and be anxious. Doing so can increase our joy when we see how well God works in our favor. God would not want us to misbehave at home or work. Instead, God would want us to be joyful and not overwhelmed.

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Mark 12:30-31 KJV

God is love, and He wants us to show love daily. According to Jesus, two commandments are essential: we are to love God and to love others. If we ever have to decide what task to do, we should let love guide us.

So now Faith , hope and love abide ! Corinthians 13:13

Envision Each Day as Written in our Biography or Eulogy

When our days end, no one says, “I wish I would have worked more” or “I wish I would have spent less time with my family.” Whenever we pass away, what will hurt most is knowing that there is no more time with those we love. When we lay our heads down at night, we should think about the good we accomplished related to showing love. Living a life of love will increase our joy and the well-being of others.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV
Live, Love, Laugh and Find Joy In the Journey

We should live each day as if it were our last, but we should envision each day as written in our biography or eulogy. If someone writes or tells about us, we want to be described as loving, cheerful, hard-working people, not irritable, rude, or impatient.

A Prayer to Make The Most of Today

We know that each day is a gift. No one knows how many days they will be on this earth. Let us bow our heads in prayer and ask God to give us the strength and wisdom to live today to the fullest, according to His will. Let’s pray to make the most of today.

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A Prayer To Make The Most Of Today and find joy

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Tame Your Tongue and Guard Your Thoughts

Posted by Live Joyfully, Christian Living 4 Comments
Tame Your Tongue and Guard Your Thoughts

As Christian adults, we must tame our tongues and guard our thoughts to speak and think words that build up and not tear down. We must use life-giving words and guard our thoughts to protect ourselves from feeling torn down if we hear negative words.

When I was a kid, we were taught not to let the words of others affect our lives. At any given time on the playground, you could hear, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”  As I watch my children grow up, society has become more aware of the harmful effect that the words of others can have, and we now name this behavior “bullying.”

Tame Your Tongue and Guard Your Thoughts

Words matter. The words we speak and hear can build up and “speak life,” or they can steal our joy and “speak death.” The Bible compares the tongue to fire (James 3:6). Like fire, spoken words can cause destruction. We must learn to tame our tongues and guard our thoughts, but how?

How Do We Tame Our Tongue?

When we think of someone having a “potty mouth,” we mostly think of people who say curse words. The Bible speaks about many different ways to tame our tongues. Here are a few items from the biblical list.

  • Lying
  • Arguing
  • Complaining
  • Gossipping
  • Boasting
  • Betraying
  • Judging

The Bible tells us that we need to keep our tongues and mouth. We know we need to do better, but so often, exaggerations, half-truths, arguments, complaints, gossip, bragging, and boasting seem to fall out of our mouths.

Consider the Reason Behind Our Communications

Someone said we must “taste our words before we spit them out.” We may keep ourselves out of trouble if we slow down to consider the reason behind our communications. Looking at the list above, we can be tempted to lie, argue, complain, gossip, or boast because of pride. None of these communications are helpful to others and do not bring glory or honor to our heavenly Father.

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble scripture

We Need to Be Slow To Speak

When we talk without considering the consequences, we can speak recklessly. It’s essential to take responsibility for our words and recognize their power. Our communication can uplift and heal others, so we must be mindful of what we say. Unfortunately, we often see much hate and people speaking without thinking. Christians should strive to demonstrate self-control and honor our faith in every situation.

“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing“

Proverbs 12:18 NIV

We Need To Pray Before We Speak

It is not easy to watch what we say. The Bible says the tongue is unruly and poisonous (James 3:8 KJV). The only way that we can do better is to ask God to help us. We should pray and ask God to speak through us at the beginning of each day.

I work with children with speech difficulty, so my daily prayer is that I lovingly encourage them as they learn to speak clearly. I ask God to work through me so that my words and actions represent Him and bring honor and glory to His name. I also ask God to help me know when to speak and be quiet. Sometimes, silence is what is best.

Tame Your Tongue with pleasant words

How to Guard Our Thoughts

Although we are watching what we say to others, inevitably, sometimes we are faced with some not-so-kind words spoken to us or about us. Not only do we have to relinquish our desire to get even in retaliation. We must know how to guard our thoughts to protect ourselves from negativity.

Tame Your Tongue and Guard Your Thoughts Proverbs Scripture 2

Whenever someone says something to hurt us, we must learn to let go and let God. That may sound difficult, but we must only hold on to God’s words and let everything else be untrue. The Bible reminds us of the only thoughts that should occupy our headspace.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Phillipians 4:8 KJV

A Prayer to Tame Our Tongue and Guard Our Thoughts

God cares about everything we go through and will answer our prayers. No one is perfect, but based on our love for God, we should want to live a life that honors Him. Whenever we find an area that we struggle in, we need to ask God to forgive us and help us. He is faithful, and He will answer our prayers. Below is a prayer to tame our tongues and guard our thoughts. Pray this prayer, believing in your heart.

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What To Do When Life Is Falling Apart?

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What To Do When Life Is Falling Apart?

We can encounter unforeseen events that surprise us and leave us overwhelmed. Examples of such events include divorce, sudden illness, problems with our children, or losing a job. During these times, it can feel like our world is falling apart, and we may be unsure how to proceed.

What to do when life is falling apart

At some point in life, everyone experiences difficult times. Learning how to cope with such situations is crucial to avoid falling into despair. During these moments, it seems like the enemy is trying to make the pain even more unbearable by twisting the knife in our hearts.

Negative thoughts, such as fault and condemnation, may arise during challenging times. These thoughts may suggest that the situation is entirely your fault. Phrases like “This is all your fault,” “You should have seen this coming,” or “Things would have been different if you had…” are all examples of negative thoughts that may come from within. These thoughts aim to make you feel regretful, ashamed, and condemned. If we’re not careful, we may start to believe these thoughts and think that God is punishing us for our sins.

Seek The Peace of God When Life Is Falling Apart

When tough times come, God wants to give us peace. It is hard to understand that we could have peace when it feels like life is falling apart, but that is what the Bible says.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“

Philippians 4:7 ESV

To help us remember what to do when it feels like life is falling apart, we need to think of the acronym PEACE.

PEACE Acronym When life is Falling Apart

Pray When It Feels Like Life Is Falling Apart

Our first step is to pray no matter what unexpected difficulty we face. The Bible tells us to pray continually. The enemy will try and discourage us from praying. One way that the enemy likes to stop us from praying is by condemning us and causing us to think that God is punishing us.

1 Peter 5:7 KJV

People will avoid prayer during difficult times if they believe God is punishing them. The Bible teaches that God does not cause our suffering. He is not punishing us. The enemy tries to make us feel like we deserve the situations we are facing. The enemy wants to condemn and shame us. He knows that if he is successful, we will be like Adam and Eve, hiding from God and not reaching out to Him.

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

James 1:13 ESV

When we face a problematic situation, we should pray for understanding, peace, wisdom, and direction. God will help us. Even if we can not understand the situation, He will give us peace to know that we are not dealing with the circumstances alone. Anytime we ask God to provide us with wisdom and direct our paths, He will respond.

If Any Lack wisdom ask God verse

Evaluate What the Bible Says

Secondly, when it feels like life is falling apart, we need to evaluate what the Bible says to find a story or scripture that relates. For example, when we face unexpected illness, we can find scriptures that discuss healing. When our children are not making wise decisions, we can take comfort in the story of the prodigal son. (Luke 15:11-32 NIV)

Scripture reminds us that God is all-powerful and can handle every situation. God does not cause our suffering, but He is always with us to help us through. He will comfort us and stay close to those who are hurting.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted scripture

Accept and Allow God To Help

God has promised to change us to make us more like Jesus. He promises to grow us. We may not always understand the process, but we must trust God with all of the details, no matter what. Even when we do not know what is happening, we have to rest on the scriptures that tell us that God has a plan.

Jeremiah 29:11

Choose To Have Faith

As Christians, we often speak of having faith. Defining faith can be difficult. We often define faith as hope, but faith is more robust. Faith is confidence. Faith knows that things will fall into place even when life falls apart. Faith is confident that God will gather the pieces even if life falls apart.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

Encourage Yourself And Others

Praise God through the storm. While going through difficult times, you must find encouragement in God. He will bring you comfort, strength, and peace. Do not try to figure it all out whenever life falls apart, but pray and hold onto God’s promises.

Encourage yourself with worship music that reminds you of the better day that is coming. Pray continually and focus your mind on God’s promises. Find scriptures that you can use in your prayer time and those that are uplifting.

Scriptures of Encouragement when life falling apart Infographic

Whatever the situation, the hurt and pain will diminish, and God will help you. Trust and praise Him in advance and speak words of victory. When the difficulty passes, you must encourage someone else. We should always be willing to pray for others and share our testimony.

A Prayer For When Life Is Falling Apart

When life is falling apart, sometimes it is falling into place. We must trust God even when we are hurting. Pray and ask God to help. Below is a prayer for when life is falling apart. Pray it aloud or quietly from your heart, believing that God hears you and will answer.

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A prayer For When Life is falling apart


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How To Correctly Pray Like Jesus Taught

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How To Correctly Pray Like Jesus Taught

Have you ever wondered whether you pray like Jesus taught? Do you wonder if you are praying correctly or saying the right words when you pray? If we want to know how to pray correctly, we should read the Bible. The Lord often spoke of prayer in the Bible, and we can see exactly how to pray as Jesus taught. Jesus demonstrated what to pray for, who to pray for, and when.

How To Correctly Pray Like Jesus Taught

In the Bible, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Jesus explained how we should pray by giving us an outline. He gave us a model or sample prayer called The Lord’s Prayer.

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

Matthew 6:9-13 KJV

When Jesus taught us to pray, he told us not to pray to be showy. He doesn’t want us to repeat the same prayer repeatedly (“vain repetitions” ). Jesus taught us the Lord’s Prayer, and this outline demonstrated four components of a good prayer. We should think of the acronym PRAY to remember each part of the prayer easily.

How To Pray Like Jesus Taught Infographic

Pray Like Jesus Taught By Praising God

“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”

Matthew 6:9 KJV

When we begin our prayer, we start it with praise and worship of God. Our worship demonstrates that we have faith that God exists and that we know his character.

Praising God builds our faith. We praise God because He is loving, holy, all-knowing, and all-powerful. When we praise God, we remind ourselves that we are speaking to the God of the universe, and we declare our beliefs by faith.

Pray First

We call on God by name. Jesus demonstrated that we should address God as our Heavenly Father. We recognize by faith that God can answer our prayers and thank Him for the blessings He has already given. When we remember what God has done, we should be able to praise and worship God in advance for hearing and answering our current prayer requests.

Pray Like Jesus Taught By Repenting

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

Matthew 6:12 KJV

When we pray, we must ensure that we are in the right standing with God. To have the right relationship with God, we must repent, which means asking for forgiveness. Praying from a forgiven state is critical because the enemy likes to convince us that God will not hear our prayer if we have sinned. The Bible teaches that all have sinned, and while sin separates us from God, Jesus has given us a way to repent and be forgiven.

The Bible teaches that the “prayers of the righteous availeth much.” To be righteous, we must only repent and accept forgiveness through Jesus. We achieve righteousness simply by asking for forgiveness and believing God forgives us.

Confess Your Faults One to Another James 5-16 KJV

Knowing that God forgives us of our sins, we must be willing to forgive others who have sinned against us. God does not want us to be bitter, angry, or judgmental of others. We are all a work in progress. God sees our hearts and wants us to pray for each other so that He can intervene.

Pray Like Jesus Taught By Asking God The Father

 “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Matthew 6:11 KJV

When we pray, we can ask God to meet our needs. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray for our physical needs, forgiveness, and guidance. We can ask God about anything important to us, but we must pray within God’s will.

Ask

We can see from Jesus’ example that He prayed often. Jesus prayed before eating, before a great trial, and for others. When we pray like Jesus, we can pray alone or in a crowd. Sometimes, we need to pray by ourselves, yet the Bible tells us that there is strength in numbers.

Pray Like Jesus Taught By Yielding

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

Matthew 6:13 KJV

When we conclude our prayer, we should end it as we started by praising God and exchanging our desire with His will. As we pray, we yield by surrendering to God and permitting him to reign. We accept and trust God’s plan, wisdom, and timing. Yielding our will and preferences to God’s will protects us against praying for something God knows is not best for us.

End Prayers In Jesus’ Name, Amen

The last few words of our prayer are “In Jesus’ name, Amen.” When we end our prayers this way, we proclaim our faith in the Gospel story of Jesus. We are stating that we understand that because Jesus died and rose, He granted us access to come to God in prayer.

A Simple Everyday Prayer

As we start each day, we should begin with a prayer. I have written a simple prayer for today to help. Pray this prayer aloud or in your thoughts from your heart. If you want to download or print the prayer, click the link below.

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Simple Everyday Prayer

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Precisely How To Build Up Our Confidence

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Precisely How To Build Up Our Confidence

At times, we come across individuals who exude self-assurance. They seem to navigate life easily, projecting confidence and a positive self-image, leaving us wondering how they manage to do it because we want to know how to build our confidence.

Confidence refers to a feeling of trust in one’s capabilities or the abilities of others. Most of us believe that we must rely on ourselves to succeed. We understand the need to overcome our fears and be confident in our skills and abilities, but often, we struggle to figure out how to build our confidence.

Precisely How To Build Up Our Confidence

Whenever we do something that we have done repeatedly, we gain a certain amount of confidence and feel more assured in our ability. Whenever we start something new, we have courage and a willingness to try, nothing else. The opposite occurs when we are doing something for the first time and unsure what to do or how to do it. When doing something for the first time, we feel shaky and uncertain, so how can we be confident? These three steps are precisely how to build up our confidence. We need to complete these three steps and complete them often.

  1. Resist negative thoughts and fear.
  2. Pray and have faith in God.
  3. Praise God for helping.

Build Confidence By Resisting Negative Thoughts and Fear

When I was completing my degree, the enemy attacked my confidence. I believe the enemy always tries to flood our minds with negative thoughts. When I was completing the last step of finishing my degree, I began to question whether I could write a dissertation, and fear grabbed me. “What if I couldn’t do it?” “What if I failed?” The enemy was working overtime, and my doubt increased every time I had my paper sent back to me with more corrections (which is just part of the process). Whenever the enemy attacks, we need to have a plan of defense. We should build confidence by resisting negative thoughts and fears and mustering the courage to try.

The best way to resist the negative thoughts of the enemy is by using God’s word to negate the enemy’s thoughts. For example, when the enemy causes you to doubt your ability, stand on the Word of God that says, “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.” If the enemy tells you that you are not strong enough or the battle is too difficult, stand on the word that says, “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the World” and “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.” Speaking and reading positive scriptures help build our confidence and will help us resist negative thoughts and fear. We can say these scriptures aloud to the enemy to help remove negative thoughts and replace them with the positive message that God wants us to hear.

Confidence in What The Bible Says Infographic

Build Confidence By Praying and Having Faith in God

Prayer is our secret weapon, and we must remember to pray about everything. We should pray if we are starting something new or want to do something better. We must ask God to help us in every area of life. No matter how able we think we are, God stands ready to help us be even better. Imagine the kind of parent we could be with God’s help. We could be better parents, students, athletes, and even better Christians if we ask. We build confidence by praying and having faith in God. Each time we trust God, we gain more confidence in His ability and faithfulness.

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us

1 John 5:14 ESV

We must believe that God hears us and will answer our prayers when we pray. By praying, we demonstrate to God that we have faith in Him, not ourselves. God wants us to have trust and confidence to know that nothing is too hard for Him. While the world tells us that we must be self-confident, God wants Christians to demonstrate confidence in Him, which is faith. Faith is fundamental to God.

Impossible to please God without faith Hebrews 11:6 KJV

If we believe that we can accomplish something on our own, we won’t pray. Feeling that we do not need to pray is wrong, leading to pride and arrogance. God has clarified that He wants us to be humble and not prideful. When we realize that God is in control and that we may not do well without Him, we will humbly bow our heads in prayer.

Build Confidence By Praising God

After following the Bible’s steps to resist negative thoughts and fear and praying, the remaining step is to praise God. We praise God because we are confident in His ability. We praise Him for hearing our prayer and answering us in a way that He sees fit in His all-knowing and loving way. God wants us to be confident in His power and ability. We should strive to have God-confidence, superior to any self-confidence we can try to muster.

I wll praise thee with my whole heart

A Prayer For Starting Something New With Confidence

As we look ahead, I am sure many of us have goals and dreams we want to accomplish. Perhaps you want to start a new job or career, kick a bad habit, start a weight loss program, or return to school. It takes courage to take a step and try something new. The enemy will send fear and convince us we are not enough. The enemy wants us to believe we are not intelligent, wealthy, or young enough. Whatever lies the enemy throws our way, we must stand firm and dare to try. Next, we must pray.

Prayer is effective against the enemy, so he will attempt to convince us not to pray. The enemy wants us to rely on our limited strength rather than the unlimited potential of God. The enemy will make prayer seem too hard. Do not believe the enemy’s lies. As you read the prayer below, say it aloud or to yourself from your heart. Let these words become yours, but always feel free to add your own. Just remember to pray from your heart. Be blessed!

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A Prayer For Starting Something New With Confidence

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Understanding the Gift of Salvation

Posted by Live Joyfully, Forgiveness and Salvation 4 Comments
Understanding the Gift of Salvation

I have recently started reading the entire Bible in one year. It’s interesting that humans tend to want to know everything, yet we struggle with obedience. Reading the story of Adam and Eve, I realized that we might have made the same mistake if we had been in their place. However, I am grateful that God is willing to save us. But my question is, what does it mean to be saved? As Christians, it’s essential to understand the gift of salvation and what it truly means.

Understanding the Gift Of Salvation

Salvation is a concept that the enemy doesn’t want us to understand, and he does not want us to explain to others. I believe God wants all Christians to explain salvation clearly to as many people as possible because it is a gift God wants us to have. Others can not accept this precious gift without understanding the gift of salvation. Most of us avoid explaining salvation to others; the enemy knows it. The enemy convinces us that someone else is the “expert.”

Luke 6:40

As I write this post, I must tell you I have to stop and pray because the enemy is very busy and does not want me to feel comfortable writing these words about salvation. It is easy to think that someone with more authority in the church should explain this idea, but God is challenging me and all of us to share what we have learned about salvation with a world that may not know anything. Sharing what you know may encourage others to attend a church where they can learn more. It may help them to pick up their own Bible. We should all be willing to do anything to point others to Jesus.

What Does it Mean to Accept the Gift of Salvation?

When sin entered the world, it separated us from having a relationship with our Holy God. As a result, we all were born into sin, and no matter how hard we try, we sin against God. We can not “be good” or avoid sin on our own.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Romans 5:12 ESV
For the wages of sin is death Scripture

The word “salvation” is synonymous with “redeemed,” “justified,” and “forgiven.” God knew that we were in a hopeless condition, and because He loves us, He sent a way to save us from the death our sin requires. God sent a gift of salvation, which is His son Jesus. Jesus died in our place and created a way for us to have a relationship with God. All we must do is accept the precious gift, and we will be redeemed, justified, and forgiven. It is that easy.

The enemy wants us to believe that salvation is hard. He wants us to think that this gift requires something difficult. The enemy also wants us to feel that we are too far gone, or maybe we should wait. Each of us has to decide to accept Jesus as our Savior. It is a personal decision made individually.

Salvation a cross in the cloud

The Bible teaches that to receive the gift of salvation, we must confess Jesus with our mouths and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead. Whatever our issues or hangups are, God wants to help. He understands and wants to save us from our sins. Jesus died for all of us!

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:9 KJV

A Prayer For Salvation

When we pray, we should always speak from our hearts. God knows if we mean what we are saying. He understands that we may think we do not know how to pray. Below is a prayer for salvation. Say it aloud, believing, or say something like this, and you will be saved!

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A Prayer for Salvation

I Accept the Gift of Salvation. What Are The Next Steps?

After accepting Jesus and getting saved, celebrate and share your decision with others. The angels are rejoicing in heaven for you. Share your choice for salvation with other believers who will want to welcome you into God’s family. After that, I would recommend the three following steps. Be careful about believing that any of these are optional. 

  1. Pray regularly, asking God to teach, lead, and guide you so that you learn how to live for Him. Prayer is how we communicate with God, and we want to open our hearts to Him and allow Him to help us in every area of our lives.
  2. Going to a loving, Bible-preaching local church is essential to continue learning more about God, Jesus, and what the Bible says. You should be willing to attend a local church to bring your gifts and talents to the church. You will be an encouragement to others, and you will be learning alongside a church family.
  3. Get baptized according to Bible teaching. Some feel that baptism is not necessary. I am not sure why because baptism is biblical. Being lowered into the water symbolizes that our old life is buried. When we rise out of the water, it represents Jesus’ resurrection and that we have been given a new life in Christ.
I confess and believe girl praying

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What Does it Really Mean to Trust God?

Posted by Live Joyfully, Trust In God 15 Comments
What Does it Really Mean to Trust God?

Christians often say, “Don’t worry, trust God,” but most of the time, we mean, “Be patient.” We understand that we must trust God’s timing, but many of us use this saying to keep praying while waiting for God to do what we want. When God asks us to trust Him, He asks us for more than our patience. So, what does it mean to trust God?

What Does it Really Mean to Trust God

As Christians, we know that we need to have faith and trust in God, but I am convinced that we do not fully understand what it means to trust God. The definition of trust is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. I believe that God wants to make this critical idea plain and simple.

If we trust in God, we must firmly believe in God’s ability and not our own. There are three critical areas in which we are to trust God.

  1. Trust God and His Wisdom
  2. Trust God and His Love
  3. Trust God and His Plan
Trust God

Trust God and His Wisdom

Adam and Eve were privileged to have God walk with them. They could have trusted the wisdom of God and left the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil alone, but they did not. So here we are, still trying to get things right. We are all like Adam and Eve in that we struggle to obey. We are still trying to rely on our thoughts and understanding, but we must trust God and His wisdom.

If we trust God and His wisdom, there will be times when God’s intentions do not align with our thoughts and desires. Sometimes, we ask God for something and feel that He is not responding. God asks us to trust his wisdom, even when the answer is not what we think is best. We must trust God and His wisdom and timing by surrendering to Him and not holding on to what we think we know.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart Proverbs 3:5

We must accept that God knows much more than we do. Even when bad things happen, and we do not understand how God works, He asks us to trust. Imagine when Jesus died on the cross; our human minds would have seen this as the end, but in God’s wisdom, it was a new beginning. Through Jesus and the knowledge of God, we have the gift of salvation.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV

Trust God and His Plan

We must trust God and His plan. From the beginning of time, God had an idea. He had a plan for this world, Jesus, and us. God is asking us to trust Him. God’s ultimate plan is so good that we cannot imagine what God has in store for us.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV
Trust

No matter what today looks like, God can turn things around, suddenly or slowly. He can give you the desires of your heart or exceed your expectations. Trust Him and give Him the wheel, invite Him to work in your life, and help you live out His plan.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Trust God and His Love

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 KJV
cross and Bblle

Many of us may have heard the scripture: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). However, it’s essential that we let some of the words soak in and truly understand the depth of God’s love. He demonstrated His love for us even in times of pain and suffering. It can be easy to feel God’s love when things are going well, but we must learn to trust His love even amid pain and tears. Sometimes, He may work in ways we can’t understand, but we must hold onto our faith in Him and know that one day, He will wipe away all our tears.

A Prayer To Trust God

God calls us to trust His wisdom, plan, and love. Be careful not to rely on your blessings, such as your education, riches, and ability. Learn to depend on God. Here is a printable prayer to help you trust God. Read this prayer aloud or in your heart, and believe He hears you.

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A prayer to trust God

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Overcome Procrastination and Fear

Posted by Live Joyfully, Trust In God Leave a Comment
Overcome Procrastination and Fear

Procrastination and fear are two of the most common obstacles people face. They can keep us from achieving our goals and living our best lives. But there are ways to overcome them. We must learn the three main ways that the enemy sends procrastination and fear and how to combat them with the help of God.

As we go through the year, for many of us, there are always a few items we can’t quite check off our list. While it feels great to complete a project, sometimes it can be a struggle because we have not learned to stop procrastinating. Often, what causes us to procrastinate is fear. God will help us move forward and overcome procrastination and fear when we admit that we need help and ask. Simply put, it’s time to recognize these obstacles and equip ourselves to take action and realize our dreams.

Overcome Procrastination and Fear

We all have that “one thing” we must do this year. For some, it is to get healthy and kick some bad habits. To others, it is to go back to something, like school or church. The one thing that needs to change may involve starting something new, like a business or career. Whatever it is, I am here to encourage you as I motivate myself.

Procrastination and fear try to keep Christians from God’s blessings. As Christians, we must guard against procrastination and fear every time it occurs. The enemy wants us to avoid taking action by causing us to perceive that a task is too complex, time-consuming, or costly. When we know that God is pushing us to do something and not do it, we are not obedient. God will bless obedience, and He will help us when we try.

Overcome Procrastination

The tasks we try to avoid are probably the most important to our destiny and blessings. That is the reason the enemy is trying to stop us. The enemy wants to trap and convince us that we can’t, shouldn’t, and won’t succeed. We must learn how to overcome procrastination and fear. We must learn to take steps of faith rather than be paralyzed by procrastination and fear.

Every Accomplishment Begins with the Decision to Start

How the Enemy Sends Procrastination and Fear

There are three main ways that the enemy sends procrastination and fear. First, the enemy sends anxiety and doubt. The enemy tries to paralyze us with negative thoughts to stop us from taking a step in the right direction. I think of this type of procrastination as my “what if” trap.

When we look at only the negatives, such as “What if I do not do well?” or “What if I don’t get the job,” we can use these thoughts as the reason not to try. We have to look at the positive. We should think, “What if I succeed,” and “What if this opportunity is the answer to my prayers.” Positive thoughts are always better than negative ones.

Dont let doubt, anxiety, and negative thoughts keep you from your blessings

A second way to procrastinate is by having poor time management. Waiting and putting off tasks is easy when we have plenty of time. Sometimes, we falsely believe we have plenty of time, so we wait. Poor time management will cause us to misjudge how long a task will take.

Instead of thinking that a project will be quick, we sometimes envision the job as too time-consuming and complicated. If the tasks seem daunting, it is easy to find ourselves doing what we consider fun rather than taking the time to complete the job. The enemy sends distractors to keep us off-task and procrastinating.

I must work the works of him that sent me

Lastly, the third way the enemy causes procrastination is rooted in a lack of faith. Sometimes, we do not want to start something until we feel assured we will succeed. We must be willing to take a step when God nudges us, even when unsure of the outcome.

Overcome procrastination and trust God

Sometimes, we feel the urge to take action, but we may not understand its reason. However, we cannot wait until everything becomes clear. Instead, we should trust and believe that God is always with us. We should let God guide us in the right direction. When God asks us to step in faith, He may not reveal our entire path. Instead, He might show us only the next step we must take. If we wait for every detail, we are not walking in faith but procrastinating.

Be Blessed and Overcome Procrastination and Fear

Sometimes, God is trying to bless us, but the enemy is trying to block the blessing. The enemy loves to convince us that we can’t, but that is when we must dig deep. We must reach for God’s truths, not the enemy’s lies and discouragement. Taking faith will help us be blessed and overcome procrastination and fear.

Excuses or Blessings?

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:13

A Prayer to Overcome Procrastination and Fear

Whether it is the beginning of a new year or not, we must pray as we begin a task to overcome procrastination and fear. Praying is a weapon to remind the enemy that we believe God is on our side. God’s grace and Spirit will help us be successful when we ask. Trust that God has been and will always be good to us.

Overcome procrastination A prayer for the new year

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The Gift of Prayer: 5 Points to Remember

Posted by Live Joyfully, How To Pray 2 Comments
The Gift of Prayer: 5 Points to Remember

Anyone who knows me will say that I am quite the talker. In my house, my spouse usually receives my many words. My loving husband listens to my hopes, dreams, and frustrations. As understanding as my husband is, there is generally a limit to his ability to listen. I am sure others can relate. Thankfully, we have the opportunity to share everything with God. He has given us the gift of prayer.

The Gift of Prayer 5 Points to Remember

As we celebrate Christmas and are thankful for many gifts, we must be grateful for Jesus Christ. The birth and death of our Savior is why we can now pray to God the Father and know He hears us. Jesus came and died to remove the barrier of sin that separated us from God. Now, we can have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Prayer is how we communicate with God, and it is a gift.

Praying to God is like talking to someone who never gets tired of listening and promises to help when we pray. Prayer works, and it is a special gift from God. Praying is crucial, and we should build prayer into an everyday routine. We need to know how to pray to create a better prayer life. Just remember these five points:

  1. Prayer is a conversation with God.
  2. There are many reasons to pray.
  3. Be yourself when you pray.
  4. Prayer should be a two-sided conversation.
  5. Praying becomes easier with practice.

Prayer is a Conversation with God

Just like we have conversations daily with others, praying should be something we often do. Think about how we communicate with a friend, companion, or spouse. We often tell these trusted few the good, the bad, and the ugly. Great relationships rely on good communication, which should occur frequently.

Prayer is one of God's many gifts to us

There are Many Reasons to Pray

Like there are many reasons to have conversations, there are many reasons to pray. I can get busy in my house and forget to do something my husband has asked, so sometimes the conversation starts with me saying, “I’m sorry,” again! I am sure there are times I need to tell God sorry, too. I ask God to forgive me for anything I might have done, thought or said is not okay. I know He has also given us the gift of forgiveness, for which I am thankful.

Sometimes, everything is going great, and I want to praise God. Prayer allows me to thank God for his gifts, such as my family, friends, and health and strength. Knowing how essential words of gratitude are to me helps me remember that God deserves to hear my thanks, too.

When-Trouble-Has-You-Down-winter-1

There are times when everything is not perfect. There are occasions when I feel sad, frustrated, or confused. God invites me to access the gift of prayer and talk to Him no matter what. God wants a relationship with me, and He is not a fair-weathered friend. He will be with me through it all. Although it is nice to speak to my spouse, God has the strength and ability to change the situation. So why would I not run to God in prayer?

Be Yourself When You Pray

Remember that no two conversations are ever alike. Although we were given the Lord’s Prayer as a guide, prayer is talking to God as an individual, and God wants you to be yourself and authentic. He doesn’t want you to memorize and repeat the same prayer repeatedly. God also doesn’t want us to keep going on as a way of calling attention to ourselves publicly.

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”

Matthew 6:7 KJV

Prayer Should be a Two-Sided Conversation

Prayer and all good conversations must be two-sided, meaning one person can not do all the talking. My husband reminds me of this because he sometimes says I am doing ALL the talking. The Bible is God’s Word to us, and when we incorporate what the Bible says, it is like letting God know that you are listening to His side, too. Knowing what the Bible says also helps us pray within God’s will.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

1 John 5:14-15 KJV

When we pray and say things like, “God, you promised to hear me when I pray, and I need some help right now with …..” I like to think that it shows God that I am reading my Bible and remembering what he said. I remind God of his promises to me, almost like telling my spouse of a promise made. I know God likes to answer our prayers, especially when we pray for things consistent with His Word. We need to pray more often.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

Praying Becomes Easier with Practice

Imagine the first conversation you had with a close friend or companion. It may have felt awkward, and you may have struggled to be yourself, unsure how they would react. As time passed, you likely became more relaxed and comfortable communicating with that person. You could share anything with them without fear of judgment or misunderstanding. Similarly, God understands you as no one else can, and speaking to Him can become easier with practice. Trust Him as your confidant and friend.

A Prayer at Christmas

I wrote this prayer at Christmas time and hope it is a blessing to all who read it. Even when it is not Christmas time, prayer is still important. We should always be willing to thank God for our blessing and ask God to continue to bless us and others.

A Prayer at Christmas

4 Simple Prayers to Help Pray Often Printable

When something seems complicated, ask God for help. I have created a printable of four simple prayers as a simple gift to help you. Use these as a guide to help as you learn to pray from your heart. Remember, there are no right words, only right hearts. Pray from the heart.

Pray More

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