Category Archives: Live Joyfully

Blog posts by Krystal R Simpson cover a variety of topics to help Christians live joyfully without fear, stress, and regret.

Is it Ok to Ask God Questions, and Will He Answer Me?

Posted by Live Joyfully, Trust In God Leave a Comment
Is it Ok to Ask God Questions, and Will He Answer Me?

Do you have questions for God and wonder if it is ok to ask Him? You may wonder what God’s will is for your life, or maybe you’re struggling with a difficult decision and would like God’s help. Whatever your question may be, don’t be afraid to ask God your questions when you pray! When we ask questions during prayer, God leads us into a deeper understanding and a closer relationship with God. As we ask questions, we gain greater clarity about ourselves and God. Most importantly, we learn to trust God more when we ask questions.

Is it okay to ask God questions and will he answer me?

When we ask God to reveal things to us, He will. He invites us to meet with Him by praying because prayer is a powerful way to connect. Sometimes, everything seems to be humming along just fine, and we may not have many questions, but no sooner than we begin to feel at ease, out of nowhere, something rains on our parade and leaves us questioning everything. Whether you have many questions today or just a few, let’s look at what the Bible says about asking God questions and then learn how God answers our questions.

What Does the Bible Say About Asking God Questions?

There are many scriptures in the Bible that speak about asking God questions, but my favorite is in Matthew, where God invites us to “ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7).” I also love James 1:5, which states, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5-6 ESV)

The scriptures invite us to ask our questions and reassure us that when we do not know something, God will not be angry with us for not knowing. He will help when you ask. As we study stories in scripture, one of our main questions as God’s children is how something will happen. We often struggle to gain wisdom or a clear understanding of “how” God will work out situations.

In the Bible, there are stories where God’s children ask questions. Jesus’ mother, Mary, asked questions to find out more about how the birth of Jesus would take place. When the angel told her she would bear the Saviour, she asked “how” questions to better understand the process.

Virgin Mary had questions

In Exodus, after God told Moses that he was to go and free the Israelites from slavery, Moses had many questions. He questioned God to know how others would believe him. He asked, “When I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them (Exodus 3:13 KJV)?”

God understands that we are humans and we have questions. When our desire is to move forward with God in faith, but we have genuine questions, it is ok. Our questions do not threaten him. We ask our questions respectfully with faith, not doubting that God can do what He says, but only seeking to understand the process better.

Can You Have Faith and Ask God Questions?

Asking God questions during our prayer time signifies a healthy relationship with God. When we ask God questions, it shows that we are humble enough to admit we don’t know everything. We pray with a humble heart, knowing that He is the Almighty God and we are His humble servant. As Christians, God patiently helps us understand what He is saying. He will not rebuke us for having questions, but when He answers our prayers, we must demonstrate faith to believe what He has said.

Asking questions shows that we are willing to seek God for answers. It demonstrates that we believe God exists and are interested in what He says. We do not have to be afraid to ask God any question. He is a loving and gracious God who wants to have a relationship with us. There are times when He answers specifically, but there are other times when He strengthens our faith to trust Him.

No matter what, as children of God, we know that Our Heavenly Father can always answer our questions. We must trust Him to do so in His way and time. Although we want to ask questions and get an audible answer right after we ask, God does not always respond that way.

There is one story in the Bible where a priest named Zechariah must have been praying for a child. When Gabriel, the angel of the Lord, came to announce that God had heard his prayer and was giving Zechariah and his wife a son, rather than celebrate the good news, the Bible says that Zechariah questioned the angel as if he did not believe the angel.

Pray and Ask Questions with Faith

Ultimately, when Zechariah asked the angel of the Lord for a sign, he received one. Zechariah’s question did not stop his blessing but delayed his ability to praise God for hearing his prayers. Zechariah was mute and unable to speak until after the child was born.

Let me be clear. Asking questions is not the opposite of faith, but if God sends His angel to announce that he has heard and is answering your prayers, we must choose to believe and walk in faith. That should be enough of a sign! It would have been better if Zechariah had responded in faith.

We must learn to trust whatever answer God does or does not give. While we can ask God questions, we must do so with an understanding that He is God, the Earth is His, and everything in it belongs to Him. We must also remember that He is a sovereign God and does not owe us an explanation. He is not our equal. We know that God is perfect, loving, and all-knowing. He will work everything out for us. Even though we would like God to explain how everything will work out, He does not work that way. We have to trust Him.

Isaiah 55:8-9 Scripture

How Does God Answer Our Questions?

When we have questions, we know to pray, but how does God answer our questions? He may speak through His Word, other people, or our experiences. God answers prayers in His own time, and we must trust that He always works for our good, even when we don’t understand His ways. We must be persistent and never give up on praying for answers. As we keep praying and seeking God, He will eventually answer our prayers in His perfect timing.

To answer our questions, God will sometimes lead us to the Bible, which is full of wisdom and guidance. The answer we need may be a scripture or a sermon from the Bible. When facing a decision, we can ask God to show us what He has to say in the Bible. God will often lead us this way, or He will usually confirm answers by using His Word so that we are sure the response is from Him.

The importance of God's Scripture when asking God Questions

God may speak to us through the people He has placed in our lives. When we struggle with decisions or have questions, God may speak to us through others, such as a trusted friend, family member, or pastor. He can also have a perfect stranger cross our path and tell us something that answers our prayers. Others may be able to offer insight and wisdom that we didn’t have before. We must pray first and after to ensure that the information is from God. God’s answers will never differ from those consistent with His Word or character.

Lastly, God may answer our questions directly through our own experience. Sometimes, He responds by giving us experiences that teach us what we need to know. For example, if you are wondering if you should move to a new city, God may lead you to meet someone who can tell you about their experiences. He can give you a dream or vision or speak directly to Your heart in an undeniably God way. We serve a powerful, loving God who knows how to get our attention.

Let’s Pray and Ask God Our Questions

We must be faithful, vigilant, and patient when we pray and ask Him questions. When we approach God with a question, it’s important to remember that He knows what we need and is always willing to provide an answer. Asking God a question and being open to whatever solution He may give us is a great way to stay connected to Him and open up other opportunities for growth and development. Let’s pray and ask God our questions today.

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How to Pray for Forgiveness and Salvation

Posted by Live Joyfully, Forgiveness and Salvation 7 Comments
How to Pray for Forgiveness and Salvation

Do you know how to pray for forgiveness and salvation? For many people, receiving forgiveness and salvation as a Christian can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. There are simple steps that the enemy wants us to think are too complex or too complicated to understand. This post will explain how to receive the forgiveness and salvation that Jesus died to give you.

How to pray for forgiveness and salvation

Sometimes, we can find ourselves stuck in a cycle of guilt and shame, feeling unworthy of God’s grace. The enemy wants us to remain confused, and he does not want us to understand how to use prayer to gain the forgiveness and salvation we seek. In this post, let’s learn the importance and power of expressing repentance in prayer to find proper redemption. You don’t have to feel alone or powerless in this journey anymore. You can use prayer as your weapon to gain true solace and peace with God.

The Importance of Forgiveness and Salvation

As Christians, our ability to be called a child of God starts with requesting and receiving His forgiveness and salvation. Salvation is available to all who ask for it. Salvation refers to being saved or rescued from harm, danger, or spiritual death. In Christianity, it refers to the deliverance of a person’s soul from sin and its consequences. Unfortunately, sometimes, we put off getting the right relationship with God until tragedy strikes.

When something like this happens, it shakes us and makes us look seriously at our lives and our beliefs about eternity. Recently, a young adult passed away unexpectedly, and the community as a whole was affected. In the face of such tragedy, we recognize our need for forgiveness and salvation, guaranteeing our eternity with God.

Believe in the Lord for forgiveness and salvation

God’s promises, including eternal life, apply to those who have been forgiven and have accepted the gift of salvation. There are no guarantees that we will all get to live until we are 100. We do not know when the Lord will call us home, but being “saved” makes us a child of God and ensures we can spend eternity with Him after taking our last breath on Earth.

The enemy will try to convince us that we are not worthy or that the process is too complex. We cannot listen to him. Becoming a child of God starts by asking for forgiveness and salvation. After that, we can freely receive God’s joy and peace.

The Importance of Faith in Forgiveness and Salvation

Being forgiven begins with recognizing our need to apologize, which in the Bible is called “repenting.” Apologizing to God happens when we pray a prayer of salvation or a “sinner’s prayer.” This prayer expresses to God that we understand our need for Him. The sinner’s prayer also reinforces that we believe Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection are why we have the offer of salvation. 

Forgiveness-by-confessing-our-sins

The truth is the only way to know that we are right with God is to ask for forgiveness. In God’s eyes, no sin is considered worse than the other. Thankfully, He will forgive every sin when we repent. We can not be afraid to apologize for everything.

It is not always easy to apologize. Admitting that we did something wrong can be uncomfortable. It is much easier to excuse ourselves by saying things like, “Everyone else is doing it” or “It’s not that bad.” We cannot make excuses for sin, and no one has to tell us whether we have sinned, broken a commandment, or made a wrong choice; our conscience tells us.

 After Receiving Forgiveness and Salvation

What needs to be adequately understood is that salvation is not just a one-time event but an ongoing journey. Salvation is a process that begins when we repent and accept Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. As we pray a prayer and ask Jesus to become our Lord and Savior, we begin a life of change and growth that leads us to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Salvation is not a one time event

After apologizing, we want God to lead and show us how to live His way. When we judge ourselves, we will feel sorry for our actions, and we should have the desire to change. God wants us to recognize that we need His help. We cannot fix ourselves; we need a Saviour to help get our lives right. All God wants is that we first demonstrate a desire to change.

We will never be perfect and must constantly ask God for forgiveness when we falter. God loves us and wants us to feel the love and joy of knowing we are His. By faithfully understanding God’s plan, it is possible to find the peace and understanding of God’s love that our spirit so deeply desires. It is possible to know where we will spend eternity.

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:8-10 ESV

Ways the Enemy Tries To Stop Prayers of Forgiveness and Salvation 

The enemy tries to stop prayers of forgiveness and salvation because until you become a child of God, you aren’t one. One trick the enemy uses is to convince us that we can wait until later to choose Jesus. He also tries to convince us that we can be good and do right without being saved.

Some friends and family members believe they have time to clean up their act before coming to God. Perhaps they struggle with addictions or sins, and that causes them to feel guilty. They want to try to quit the habit or fix their issues first. The enemy wants to keep them from God’s saving grace, and he convincingly tells them to wait. Waiting is what the enemy wants.

God wants us to come as we are and give Him all the broken pieces. He will help us get on the right road. The Bible says we can experience forgiveness and salvation if we confess and believe. We are not all promised a long life on this Earth, and we do not know when our time will end, but eternity with God awaits if we start with this step now.

A Simple Prayer for Forgiveness and Salvation

Let’s pray a simple prayer for forgiveness and salvation. First, we will recognize our need for salvation, and then, the Bible says we must confess and believe that Jesus rose from the grave as our Savior, and we will be saved. Salvation is a gift that we must want to receive. This prayer for forgiveness and salvation proclaims by faith that Jesus is Lord and was raised from the dead. Let’s pray today!

A Simple Prayer for forgiveness and salvation

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What Does The Bible Say About Judging?

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What Does The Bible Say About Judging?

Often, we hear people complain about feeling judged by fellow Christians and the Christian community, but what does the Bible say about judging? As I prayed and asked God about this blog post, I asked Him to give me a proper understanding of judging and judgment. As Christians, we should want to live life in a way that pleases God and encourages others to learn more about Him and His son, Jesus, but if we are not careful, we can become a stumbling block, meaning we can stand in the way of someone’s salvation.

What Does the Bible Say About Judging?

Judging and passing judgment have become a little controversial. The issue is that some people think they are permitted to judge by the Bible scripture in John 7:24, which states, “Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgment.” This scripture has led some to believe it is alright to judge if they do so correctly. 

I am concerned that too many Scriptures state “judge not” or “there is only one judge.” I believe that when we do not understand something, we must pray and ask God for Wisdom. He promises to help us understand everything from His perspective by taking us to His Word. We can learn by studying the Scriptures and examining Jesus’s life.

Some may disagree with me because now that they have experienced salvation, they feel justified in judging or passing judgment on others. Some Christians may believe they must confront others who may not be doing everything just so. These Christians want to be sure and tell others about themselves, but the Bible cautions us. We should scrutinize two things:

  1. What does the Bible say about judging and judgment?
  2. What did Christ do when faced with the opportunity to pass judgment?
Judge Not

What Does Judging Others Mean?

There is a vast difference in the Bible between judging ourselves and judging others. Whenever we see anything in the Bible about judging others, we often find the words “do not” next to them. Unfortunately, as Christians, we can unwisely and incorrectly pass judgment on others if we are not careful.

Judging others has a negative connotation and means to make a conclusion, render a verdict, or declare someone’s worth or worthiness. It implies that you, as a human, have all the information to make a correct judgment and that your opinion aligns perfectly with God’s assessment of a person or their situation. 

Judging Others Leads To Becoming Judgemental

The problem with judging is that when we judge, we place ourselves higher than others and assume that we are more morally correct than someone else. Worst still, we ultimately forget that God sent His son Jesus to save us in his mercy and loving kindness. We must never forget what God did for us. God extended a gift to us in His mercy that we did not deserve. Our thankfulness should lead us to gently and lovingly extend the opportunity to others.

Another problem with judging others is that we become judgmental and often can not see the whole picture. We do not understand the events that led to a person’s current situation, nor can we know how God plans to use the person’s life in the future as a testimony of His goodness and mercy.

Don't Be Judgmental by Judging Others

The Bible explains that we can not understand why things happen based on whether a person sins. Humans can become judgmental by incorrectly judging that a person’s condition results from sin, which can be hurtful. An example of this malicious behavior is in the story of Job, whose friends assumed that he had sinned when he fell on hard times.

A similar story exists about a blind man in John 9. In this story, as Jesus heals the blind man, the disciples ask Him who sinned to cause the man to be born blind. Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

What Should We Do To Stop Judging

As we journey through life, we will make mistakes and get off track. Whether we make intentional or unintentional mistakes, we should pray and repent as soon as we recognize our errors. When we self-examine, we can realize our errors faster and quickly find forgiveness, love, mercy, restoration, and gentleness. Learning how much we rely on forgiveness can help us know to stop judging others.

As we recognize that we are all flawed humans, we can hopefully begin to see that everyone needs grace and forgiveness often. The Bible says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23); therefore, forgiveness, grace, and love are not just some things to obtain but also something to give to others. We may feel our sins are not as bad as someone else’s, but God does not view sin this way. The Bible says all our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). We are only made righteous based on what Jesus did on the cross, and He died for absolutely every sinner. We would be wrong to accept the gift of salvation but withhold it from others because we judge others as being “too much of a sinner.”

Titus Scripture to Remind Us To Stop Judging Others

We must always remain mindful of all God has saved and delivered us from. We were once foolish and disobedient, but Jesus saved us. If we meet someone who has not experienced salvation, we can not get so lifted in pride that we forget our past. We mustn’t speak to others in a condescending or judging way. Instead, we must allow others to see the kindness and love of God so that He can save them just as he did us.

Our job is not to be a bully, not to be mean, and not to be hateful, but to allow our light to shine and to be ready with an answer when someone asks for a reason we have hope and joy. Just as the Lord delivered and helped us find peace and joy, He wants to do that for others. God depends on us to listen to His voice to reconcile others to Christ, not run them away from His love.

Jesus Shows Us How To Offer Restoration Instead Of Judging

The Bible states that God sent His son Jesus not to condemn or judge the world but so that we could be saved through Him (John 3:17). There were times when Jesus could have sentenced someone for their wrong, but he did not do it. Instead, he showed us how to bear each other’s burdens in love. He showed us by example how to offer forgiveness and salvation.

One of the best illustrations of restoration in the Bible is when the crowd expects Jesus to condemn a woman caught in the act of adultery. She was guilty of sin, and according to the law, she deserved stoning. The crowd demanded an answer from Jesus about what to do. According to the Bible, in this story, rather than cast judgment, Jesus invited those who wanted to exact punishment first to examine their own lives.

Jesus Offers Restoration

Jesus loves every sinner the same way He loves each of us. He does not want any person to perish. While the Lord does not condone wrong, He came to Earth to save us, and He does so individually. My issues and propensity to sin may be different than yours. You may have weaknesses that differ from mine, but we all need His forgiveness.

In Galatians 6:1-2, Jesus commands that if a brother commits any transgressions, we who are spiritual (children of God, filled with the Spirit) should restore them in a spirit of gentleness. Jesus shows us this by example when he lovingly allowed the adulterous woman, you and me, the ability to be free from sin and its consequences that cause both shame and guilt. Instead of giving each of us what we rightfully deserve, He allowed us to experience love, forgiveness, and an opportunity to change our lives by faith.

Now that we are on the right road, Jesus wants us to help bring back a sinner from his wanderings (James 5:20 ESV). We must bear each other’s burdens and show one another love, mercy, forgiveness, and patience.

Jusus Is Our Judge

Judgment Will Come

The Bible states that there will come a time of judgment. We will give an account of how we lived and followed the Word of the Lord. The Bible says that each of us will one day die. After we die, there will be a judgment for each of us (Hebrews 9:27). In 2 Corinthians 5:10, the Bible explicitly states that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil .” 

When we reach the end of our lives, we will answer Jesus regarding how we lived. I imagine we will answer questions regarding whether we accepted His gift of salvation, how we treated others, and how we spoke to others. The Bible says that on the day of judgment, people will account for every careless word they spoke (Matthew 12:16), and we are warned not to judge others.

Jesus Will Judge When He Returns

We know that Jesus will judge us because John 5:22 says, “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son.” It also tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess to God (Romans 14:10-12). As we stand before Jesus, the Spirit will bear witness that we are children of God (Romans 8:16), and Jesus will see our name written in His book of life (Revelation 20:11-15).

We will each want to stand before Jesus, claiming as Paul did when he said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day.” (2 Tim. 4:7–8.)

I pray that we all live our lives in such a way that when we get to the end of our lives or when Jesus returns, we each get to hear Him say to us, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matt. 25:21.) 

A Prayer to Help Us With Judging And Being Judgmental

We do not want something like judging others to stop us from seeing what good things God has in store for those who love Him. Let’s pray and ask God to help us not to judge others or be judgmental. Let’s ask Him to help us treat people the way He would want us to treat them, with love and grace.

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Understanding What Christ-Like Love Really Means

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Understanding What Christ-Like Love Really Means

Growing up, I heard sayings such as, “You can catch more flies with honey.” I guess people may not say things like this as often these days, but I prayed and asked God to help me know what to write in today’s blog. He impressed upon me to write about love. Love is essential to the Christian walk. As believers, we must remember that our expressions of love will help lead others to God. How we love should line up with Christ’s teachings in the Bible. If we possess a sweet, genuine love from God, it will attract and not deter, but to do that, we must fully understand what it means to have a Christ-like love.

Understanding what Christ-like love really means

As we learn what the Bible says and apply it to our lives, it is easy for Christians to forget that He loved each of us first, even while we were sinners and a mess. Many well-meaning Christians who are zealous for Christ can fall into the enemy’s trap and forget that it is not our job to judge or condemn others but to love them. As divided as our world can be, we must remember that God’s Word calls us to love.

Love is mentioned so many times in the scriptures. The Bible specifically talks about loving God, mother, brother, neighbor, and enemies. Let’s carefully examine what the Bible says about who we should love and then pray to ask God to show us how to love as He would have us.

Christ-Like Love For God

Scripture states that if we love the Lord, we will love others. The Bible says that anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love (1 John 4:8). As we look at each verse that talks about love, it is clear that love is not just a feeling or a word but requires committed actions. God tells us not to love in word or talk but in deed and truth (1 John 3:18). We are instructed to love the Lord God with all our hearts and souls and with all our might (Deuteronomy 6:5). 

Understanding How To Love God With Christ-like Love

We know that the enemy will always fight us when we try to do the right thing, and I am convinced this is why the Bible tells us to love God with all of our might. The single most crucial action that reveals whether we truly love God is when we choose to keep His commandments (John 14:15), and He has commanded us to love others as He has loved us.

Christ-Like Love For Your Neighbor

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Galatians 5:14). When we read this statement, it is easy to quickly check it off the list and assume we already love our neighbors. The problem is that we may not understand God’s definition of neighbor. It is easy to love a neighbor when we define them as those who live close by or in our small neighborhood, but Jesus clarified the word neighbor when asked, “Who is my neighbor? To respond to the question, Jesus told a parable of the good Samaritan. 

The parable explains that a man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. A priest went down that same road, saw the man, and instead of helping, he passed by on the other side. A Levite also came to the place and saw him but passed by on the other side.

Next, a Samaritan came to where the man was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his animal, brought him to an inn, and cared for him. And the next day, he paid the innkeeper, saying, “Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.” After telling the parable, Jesus asked, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” The answer was “The one who showed him mercy.”

Love Your Neighbor -Understanding What A Christ Love Really Means

From this parable, we learn that a neighbor is whomever you come in contact with throughout your day. A neighbor is someone with whom you can share God’s love. Neighbors may not be your race or gender or have the same religious beliefs, but if we love as God commands, we will not love based on prejudices and biases. As Christians who love God, we should all be like the good Samaritan and never overlook someone who needs help. We should be looking for people God may place along our path. We must never be so busy that we pass by on the other side.

Christ-Like Love For Your Mother and Brother

When we think of loving our mother and brother, we think of our family members, but Jesus helps us understand that his definition of family includes all who love God. According to Matthew 12:46-50, While Jesus was still speaking to the people, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to talk to him. Jesus replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” and, stretching out his hand toward his disciples, said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, sister, and mother.” 

Jesus gives a whole new meaning to the family. Many times at church, we call each other brother and sister and consider each other our church family. I believe Jesus would challenge us to love the people in our household, the people in our church pews, and the Christians who attend the church down the road or across the world.

Understanding What A Christ Like Love Means for Mother and Brother

The Bible states that we cannot love God and hate our brother (1 John 4:20). It may take work to love, but this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother (1 John 4:21). In 1 Peter 4:8, we are told to keep loving each other earnestly since love covers a multitude of sins. There are times when we will be hurt by those close to us. There will be times when we must choose to show love. Those choices honor God and show that we are willing to obey His command.

Loving each other will take humility, gentleness, and patience, but we must bear with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2). No matter what, settling arguments and bad feelings is crucial. Sometimes, that is easiest to do when we remember that no one is perfect and we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We have to choose to offer forgiveness to others because God gave it to us.

Christ-Like Love For Your Enemy

We understand that we are to love others, but what does the Bible say about loving our enemies? According to the Scriptures, enemies are those who persecute us or hate us. When others try to hurt us, it is natural to want to get angry and get revenge. It is a supernatural ability that only God can give us to help us love our enemies. Jesus teaches that we are to love and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44) and those who hate us (Luke 6:27). We are to bless them and not curse them (Romans 12:14).

The Bible clearly states that the world will hate us as it hated Christ (John 15:18-19), but we are not to act like those in the world. We are to represent God’s love and pray for others. Christ showed us this by example as He prayed for us and asked for our forgiveness while dying on the cross.

Understanding Love Your Enemy to Love like Christ

A person who is not a child of God cannot live a life of love because love is from God. Those who love have been born of God and know God (1 John 4:7). We must remember that we were not always children of God either. We must be love to others so that they can see the light of God’s love, and we must remember that we love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). God wants all to come to repentance and experience salvation, and it is our job to help shine a light into a dark world.

Let’s Pray and Ask God To Help Us Have Christ-Like Love

To love how God wants us to will require patience and surrendering wholeheartedly to God’s will. We will need to learn to look at every situation through the eyes of faith and love, which will be contrary to our knee-jerk reactions. To love as God would want us to, we must pray and ask Him to help us. Let’s pray and ask God to help us love everyone with a Christ-like love today.

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What Does It Really Mean To Serve God?

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What Does It Really Mean To Serve God?

As I prayed about the new year, I felt God wanted me to understand better what serving means. When we think about serving as Christians, it’s usually associated with tasks done within the church, such as preaching, singing, or cleaning. We often tend to picture people who carry out various roles within the church, like the Pastor, the musicians, the greeters/ushers, or the janitorial staff, but is that what serving God really means? What does it mean to serve God, and are we doing it?

When pondering the idea of serving God, I realized that God is trying to teach me that what He means is much more profound and extensive than I typically associate with the term. Serving God is not limited to tasks performed in church, for God, or on particular days; it encompasses every aspect of our lives.

What Does It Really Mean to Serve God

Defining serving God in a way equivalent to what He means is crucial. God loves us so much and wants us to understand Him and His ways. He longs to take each of us into a deeper relationship with him, but that requires detaching from our old ways of thinking and learning to see everything from His unique perspective.

In serving, I believe God is challenging me to get out of my comfort zone, and I think He is challenging the whole Christian body to rise out of self and into service. Let’s look closer at what this means.

To Serve God Means To Follow Jesus

As we live each day, we have new opportunities to choose whether we are willing to honor God and live like Jesus or not. The Bible is a clear guide for Christians who aspire to follow Jesus. Our responsibilities are twofold: to love God and to love others, which means we should serve God and others.

To Serve God Means To Follow Jesus who prayed and served others.

The Bible encourages us to choose whom we will serve (Joshua 24:15). If we try to imitate the lifestyle of Jesus, we will be compassionate towards others and help them in their needs. Ultimately, it is up to us to decide how we wish to live our lives. We can live a life driven by our selfish desires, such as pride, greed, and self-indulgence. On the other hand, we can choose to live as Jesus did by leading a life that glorifies God in all possible ways.

Following Jesus Leads Us To Serve Others

As we contemplate the life of Jesus, we understand that He maintained a constant connection with the Father through prayer. He led a life of purpose, serving as an example to all of us. Jesus served the Father and others by bringing salvation to all humanity through His death. During His lifetime, Jesus healed the sick, fed the hungry, instilled hope in the hopeless, redeemed societal outcasts, and taught anyone willing to learn.

The son of man came not to be served, but to serve scripture

Christians have specific instructions on how we should live and serve others. As we try to follow the example of Jesus, we must also learn to pray and act. Each one of us should aim to bless others with our lives. We should be a blessing to our families, coworkers, and the random strangers who cross our paths. Everything we have is considered a gift that we should willingly use to help others.

The Bible teaches us to serve God by serving others in these three specific areas. It does not limit us to serving only inside the church or on one particular day.

  • our actions
  • our resources
  • our love

Serve God with our Actions

In the Bible, Jesus washed the disciple’s feet, demonstrating that we should serve others with our actions and serve rather than be served. Philippians 2:4 states, “Let each of you look not only to his interests but also to the interest of others.” We should bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). According to the Bible, we should serve one another (Galatians 5:13) because when we help others, we serve God.

Serve God with our actions

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’‘

Matthew 25:40 ESV

We should not grow weary or tired in doing good (Galatians 6:9). Whatever we do, we work heartily as for the Lord and not for men (Colossians 3:23). We should learn to do good, seek justice, correct opposition, bring justice to the fatherless, and plead the widow’s case (Isaiah 1:17).

Serve God With Our Resources

As believers, we serve God with all the resources He has blessed us with, including our finances, talents, time, and energy. It is essential to use these resources for good, as Hebrews 13:16 states, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” The Bible also teaches us that when we serve God with our resources, He will bless us. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you.” Therefore, we must give generously and serve God with all our hearts, knowing He commands us to do so and will reward our obedience.

Use Your Gifts To Serve Others

God is very concerned with the poor and those in need, and he commands us to open our hands wide to our brother, the needy, and the poor in our land (Deuteronomy 15:11). The book of Proverbs teaches that “whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed (Proverbs 19:17 ESV)”. God promises that “whoever brings blessing will be enriched (Proverbs 11:25).” However, the Bible warns that those who hide their eyes and do not help the poor will be cursed (Proverbs 28:27, ESV).

Serve God With Love For Others

Christians must love one another as God has loved us (John 15:12). Our love for each other is the evidence that we are true followers of Christ. Although it’s not always easy to love people, especially those who have let us down or hurt us, we must still obey this commandment. 1 John 4:12 says, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is made complete in us.”

Do Everything in Love Scripture

Like Jesus did, loving others involves caring for their well-being and needs. According to the NIV version of 1 John 3:17, if someone possesses material possessions but fails to show compassion towards a brother or sister in need, then the love of God cannot dwell in that person. We love God because He loved us first (1 John 4:19). How we live and serve others is akin to shining the light of God before others. The Bible encourages us to let others witness our good deeds and give glory to the Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16). In response to everything God has blessed us with as His children, we should share freely.

Serve God Even At Church

Serving God is not just something to do at church, for God, or on a specific day. It encompasses everything we do, including our actions at church. Society often emphasizes self-reliance and encourages individuals to climb the ladder of success independently. We are encouraged to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps, be independent, and work our way up the ladder. God’s Kingdom teaches that we serve our way up by working and praying together. 

There is strength in numbers, and the power of collective effort is undeniable. We should always be willing to serve and lend a helping hand to those in need, even within our church community. There might be someone in the church who could benefit from our skills and resources, and we should strive to use them for the greater good.

As children of God, we should become active church members in a local church. We should be willing to serve our fellow Christians as if they were our brothers and sisters. Even though the church family, like any other extended family, is made up of imperfect people, our aim should be to serve our Heavenly Father. When we serve God, we must not focus solely on what we can receive, or we will overlook the blessings from giving to God and others.

Serve God

We all have a way to serve if we are willing. Each one of us has something to give to the church community. Perhaps God has blessed us with the ability to sing in tune, to keep the rhythm, to teach children, or to encourage others with our story or testimony. Whatever the case, we should be willing to serve. We must be ready to utilize our talents to benefit the Christian body.

The enemy suggests that we don’t need to attend a physical church, but we should look for a church community where we can serve. Although we can listen to sermons online, on TV or radio, read our Bible, and pray at home, we must ask ourselves if that counts as serving.

A Prayer To Know How To Serve God

Serving God requires us to follow Jesus, who teaches us to pray and serve others. To live according to God’s principles, we must seek his help because his ways differ from those of the world. While the world encourages us to be selfish and greedy, God teaches us to be generous and serve others. We’re all imperfect; even if we make mistakes, God can see our hearts. If we fall short, we must acknowledge our mistakes, ask for forgiveness and help, and try again. Let’s pray together and ask God to help us serve Him in His way.

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How To Have A Personal Encounter With God

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How To Have A Personal Encounter With God

Do you know how to have a personal encounter with God? As we live each day, we can experience “God Encounters.” These moments are our individual and unique experiences with God that help define and solidify our relationship with Him. There are times that help us know with absolute certainty that God is real, He is truth, and He is good.

A God encounter ultimately becomes our testimony when we allow God to become our everything. For some, God will become a deliverer, rescuing them from sins. God will be a comforter or provider for others during grief or desperate need. God will be faithful as we allow Him to help us through each situation. He will deliver us from sins, protect us, and fill us with His Spirit. He can be everything to each of us because He is God and the I AM.

How To Have A Personal Encounter With God Scripture God is I AM

What Is My Part In Having An Encounter With God?

In the Old Testament, whenever God showed himself to others in an undeniable way, the people in the Bible would build an altar, a place of worship that would also help them remember the encounter. Noah built an altar when God brought him and his family out of the ark (Genesis 8:20). Abraham built an altar when tested to give Isaac back to the Lord. Through this encounter, Abraham learned how God faithfully provides. Lastly, Jacob built altars after having undeniable experiences with God (Genesis 32-35).

The altars represent worship experiences, and God still likes worship. The Bible tells us that He inhabits the praises of His people. Although we do not sacrifice like they did in the Old Testament, we should still praise and worship God. These days, God wants us to do our part, explained using the acronym PART.

  • P- Pray
  • A- Ask
  • R- Receive
  • T- Thank
God Wants Us To Do Our Part to have a personal encounter

How to Encounter God In Prayer

Prayer is a key that grants us full access to God’s power and grace as it helps us learn more about His character (who He is), His competence (ability), and His covenant (promises). Praying initiates an encounter with God, and the Bible says God wants us to pray so that He can answer us and show us great and mighty things (Jeremiah 33:3). When we take the time to pray, we choose to set aside time and opportunity to have an encounter with God in our daily life.

Praying is not just a one-way conversation. Prayer changes things; something happens when we pray that would not happen if we did not pray. When we pray, we can listen and learn from God. God wants to show himself to us undeniably, and when we pray to our Heavenly Father, we acknowledge He is the one we want to help us.

God wants to be our source of hope, life, and wisdom. Praying starts with praising God for who He is, worshipping Him for what He can do, and reminding ourselves of the promises He has given us in His Word. When we encounter God in prayer, He can help us ask for what we need and bless others because when we truly open up to God in prayer, we invite the Spirit to help us pray.

How to Have a Personal Encounter With God Bible Verse

How To Encounter God When We Ask For His Help

We can encounter God when we ask Him to help us through various situations. Countless examples of answered prayers exist in the Bible, but when we ask God to help us, we gain the personal experience that God answers prayers. When we read our Bible or attend church, we learn who God is, but praying and asking God to help in our situations means we are willing to take the next step. When we ask God to answer our prayers, we move from believing what we have learned and invite God to show us who He is by giving us experiential knowledge. Having experiences with God through personal encounters allows us to grow our faith and believe in Him more profoundly.

We exercise our faith and practice what we believe about our knowledge of God when we pray. Our prayers will always align with what we think about God’s character, competence, and covenant. If we believe that God is loving, patient, forgiving, and generous, we will pray for forgiveness and ask Him for whatever we need.

When we believe that God is competent, we recognize He can meet our needs because He is all-knowing and all-powerful. Understanding what God can do should lead us to ask God for his help in every area because we learn to trust Him to be whatever we need at all times. We will learn about His faithfulness as we pray and ask God to meet our needs.

Knowing that God has granted us a covenant relationship with Him through Jesus helps us ask God for a deeper understanding of His Spirit. Learning more about God comes from the Holy Spirit, who better equipped us to do our part for the Kingdom of God. As we grow in a deeper relationship with God, we become more sensitive to His Spirit and will pray for others in our sphere of influence.

What Our Prayer Says About Our Belief in an Encounter with God

How Do We Receive An Encounter With God?

When we pray and ask God to help us, we must believe that He hears and has sent an answer to our prayer. God promises to listen to the prayers of His children. We become His children when we accept His gift of salvation. After we pray, we should wait expectantly to receive the answer to our prayer. God is sovereign, and He knows what is best for us.

Sometimes, the answer to our prayer differs from what we expect, or it takes longer to receive than we would like. When the answer to our prayer is quickly received, we receive God’s blessings gladly, but we must learn to rejoice in everything. We must surrender our prayers and allow God to respond in His timing and as He sees best.

We have to realize that God is there even in hard places. We will receive a greater faith and understanding of God’s character, competence, and covenant if we go through the process. Sometimes, God allows us to go through situations to understand Him in a way that will help us share that knowledge and bless others.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Bible Verse About Praying

How Do We Give Proper Thanks After an Encounter With God?

When we encounter God, we give proper thanks because we recognize that He allowed us to experience Him personally. Our encounter with God is individual. We will encounter God differently, starting with how we got saved. God knows how to get our attention, and He loves us enough to do so. Each of us should have a testimony of how we met God.

God’s goodness does not stop with salvation. If we are willing to do our part (pray, ask, receive, and give thanks), God will continue to respond to our prayers. We have to be sure that we are giving proper thanks to God. The Bible says He will not share His glory (Isaiah 42:8), and we can never get full of pride acting as if we blessed ourselves because that leads to destruction (Proverbs 16:18).

God wants to build our faith with each blessing and help us understand who He is. Our answered prayers become an opportunity to celebrate His goodness. If we pray, God will move mountains, break addictions, bless us with provisions, and bring us inexplicable peace and joy despite our circumstances.

My God Encounters

God met my need for a new vehicle when I couldn’t help myself by blessing me with ten crisp one-hundred-dollar bills accompanied only by a letter stating the person wanted to pay it forward. God blessed my 18 year-daughter to be healthy, although she was born a preemie at 24 weeks gestation, weighing 1 pound 2 ounces. He has blessed me with my education, delivered me from bad habits, restored my health, and reconciled my relationships.

As I share a small part of my testimony, I pray that it helps explain further that a God encounter is a unique experience that teaches us about God. I have learned that God is good. He has shown me that He can provide finances, wisdom, healing, protection, deliverance, restoration, and reconciliation. I will praise Him for the rest of my life and am determined to share this good news!

Pray For An Encounter With God

God knows how to bless us and will do so repeatedly when we learn to do our part. Because God’s answers to our prayers are life-changing, we owe it to Him to remember to give thanks. Let’s pray, ask Him for what we need, and thank Him in advance for the blessings He will provide in His timing and wisdom.

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Are You Running From God or Towards Him?

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Are You Running From God or Towards Him?

When we are running in a natural and physical state, we understand that we can only travel in one direction at a time. We can go left or right, east or west, north or south, but we can not do both. Similarly, when we run this Christian race, we can either run toward God or away from Him. God does not want us to run from Him, but there are at least five instances where the enemy tries to convince us to run because he wants us to feel alone. Each time we feel as if we are all by ourselves, we must ask ourselves whether we are running from God or towards Him.

When we think of running from God, many of us instantly think of the story of Jonah, who ran from God’s directions to go to Nineveh. Because of Jonah’s actions, he found himself alone in the belly of a big fish. This timeless story was taught to many of us as children to remind us not to be disobedient, but the Jonah story should also remind us that God loves us so much that He relentlessly pursues us even when we run. Like Jonah, when we run from situations, we will inevitably feel alone, which is precisely what the enemy wants.

Even when we feel alone, the truth is God is always right there running towards us, waiting and hoping that we will realize how much He loves us. God longs to have a relationship with us. He is good. He is for us, and He loves us eternally. He is so committed to us that He sent His son to save us and His Spirit to guide us.

The enemy tries to push us to run away, but we mustn’t listen to him. Like a runner, we must pay attention to the direction we travel as we run. We should watch and be mindful of the enemy’s tricks. If we are not conscious of where we are going, we can be distracted and may not even realize that we are running in the wrong direction. God does not want us to run from him and the blessings He has planned for us as His children. We need to learn to see everything from God’s perspective.

God Does Not Want Us to Run Away From Him When We Feel Ashamed

There are times when we find ourselves “in our feelings.” which can happen as we think about the past but is especially true when we fall short or do something we are not proud of. It is easy to pull away from God and others in those moments because we are ashamed. The enemy knows this, so he convicts us and sends condemnation to cause us to respond with shame. His goal is to repeatedly replay what we have done, hoping that it causes us to disconnect from those who love us. The enemy wants us to run and hide from God or deal with our feelings negatively and incorrectly. God does not want us to hide in shame. God wants to cover us and help pick us back up.

The behavior of running and hiding whenever we are ashamed started in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:7-11). When Adam and Eve bit into the fruit, their instinct was to hide. Their act of disobedience caused them to feel naked and exposed. As Christians, this is still our first response, but just as God clothed Adam and Eve, He wants to cover our imperfections if we allow Him.

Commit Thy Way Unto The Lord

Another example of hiding in shame occurs when we read the woman’s story at the well in John 4. This woman had a history of five failed relationships. She purposely came to the well to draw water at noon in the day’s heat. Perhaps she wanted to go alone to avoid the feelings of ridicule, the whispers, and the gossip. Jesus met her by the well one day and invited her to ask Him what she needed. She listened to Jesus, believed, and responded, and that same day, Jesus redeemed her sin-wrecked life and her shame. She asked Jesus to give her His living water, and her encounter with Jesus was life-changing for her and many others in her Samaritan town.

God Does Not Want Us To Run Away From Him When Others Mistreat Us

As we live this life surrounded by other imperfect humans, sometimes the actions of others can have a devastating effect on us, and it is easy to find ourselves suffering from the consequences of another person’s actions. We can feel insignificant, helpless, and alone at that moment, but we must rest assured that God sees us even though the enemy tries to convince us otherwise.

Hagar demonstrates a biblical example of the enemy trying to make us run when others mistreat us. God told Abraham that he would have a son, but because his wife, Sarah, could not have children, she gave her Egyptian slave to Abraham to have a son through her, which was not God’s plan. After Hagar was pregnant, there were problems between her and Sarah. While pregnant, Hagar ran from home to avoid the mistreatment she suffered from Sarah.

Running From God Is Running In the Wrong Direction

Hagar ran from a situation that was beyond her control. She was a slave without rights and must have felt alone and scared. The Bible says that the angel of the Lord met Hagar in the wilderness when she ran and told her that He had a plan for her life and that she should return and submit to Sarah (Genesis 16:6-10). The angel told her to name her son Ishmael, which means God hears. The story of Hagar reminds us that we have to trust that God hears us when we pray, even when we feel wronged, like Hagar. God hears and sees each of us, even in hard places. It doesn’t matter if the messes we find ourselves in are our own or someone else’s; God knows, sees, hears, and will rescue us. 

God Does Not Want Us To Run From Him When We Do Not Understand

God chose Abraham, Sarah’s husband, to be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:5), and He had a miracle awaiting Sarah to be the mother of many people. Although Sarah could understand Abraham’s calling, past years of infertility caused her to devise a plan that was not God’s. Sarah’s insecurities and lack of ability to have children in the past caused her not even to consider the possibility of a miracle. She mistakenly tried to figure out everything independently and decided to create a child through Hagar, her slave.

Seek The Lord, Stop Running From Him

Like Sarah, when we do not know or understand God’s plan, the enemy encourages us to create something on our own using our wisdom rather than consulting with God. Additionally, if we wrestle with insecurity, it may be easy to see how God could bless others, but we may question whether God will perform a miracle for us. The enemy wants us to doubt and forget that our God is a miracle worker. We won’t always know how He will solve situations, but we must trust that God does and He will.

God Does Not Want Us To Run Away From Him By Running Ahead of His Timing

We must remember that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He loves to watch us run away from our place of blessings and protection. The enemy wants us to believe we can do life just fine without God because he knows we can not defeat him in our strength. He will surely try if the enemy can convince us to go it alone.

Think about the prodigal son. In this Bible story, a father had two sons. One day, the younger son decided not to wait until his father passed away to gain his inheritance, but he wanted his portion early. He wanted his share now. The father granted his son’s request, and ultimately, the younger son wasted the inheritance and found himself destitute, impoverished, and repentant.

Running Can Be a Race, When God Joins It is called Grace

As we examine this story, we can relate to wanting things when we want them. Waiting is not something anyone enjoys doing. Even the most patient people choose to wait because they believe in and trust God’s timing. No matter what, we can not run ahead of God’s timing and try to figure everything out in our strength and mind.

God Wants Us To Run Toward His Blessings

We must be mindful of our need to connect with God. Just as God had blessings, protection, and provisions awaiting Hagar, Sarah, and the prodigal son, He will provide blessings for each of us if we are willing to run towards him and trust Him. Unfortunately, there are times when life gets busy, and we can not hear God’s whispers. Sadly, when our backs are against the wall, sometimes, we finally look toward heaven.

Are You Running From God or Towards Him 4 1 1024x538 1

During quiet prayer times with God, we can stop the busyness of life and reflect on God’s plan for our lives. If invited, He will come in and give our life a reset. If we allow Him, God will direct our path, but we must find a way to stop hiding from Him, stop running ahead of Him, and start running toward Him. Whether we have sinned or been sinned against, the best way out of loneliness is by inviting God in. We will never be alone if God is there with us.

A Prayer To Help Us Run Towards God

We can see from the scriptures that the way through alone times and feelings of loneliness is always prayer, but the enemy wants us to choose his alternate route, leading to shame and self-destruction. Let’s remember that even Jesus had to get away and pray. As we bow our heads in prayer, let’s ask God to help direct our steps, knowing that He hears and sees each of us right now. 

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How to Accept and Deal With Change God’s Way

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How to Accept and Deal With Change God’s Way

I recently celebrated a birthday, and as the day drew close, I began to feel like my age had caught up to me, and I was not too fond of the changes that came with age. In other words, the enemy bothered me and made me feel old. They say that age is nothing but a number, but I noticed the wrong numbers when I looked in the mirror. There were more wrinkles, more weight, and less energy, speed, and strength. As I prayed out to God and asked Him to help me accept these changes more graciously, God helped me understand that change is good and not harmful.

How to Accept and Deal With Change God's Way

God lovingly helped me understand that the problem was I was looking at my changes the way the enemy wanted me to see them. The enemy always wants me to see everything as a loss. He works overtime to make me feel like I have lost my beauty, youth, strength, and anything else that sounds negative.

The enemy wants each of us to feel bad, down, and depressed, and one of his go-to weapons is to try to convince us that we have missed out on God’s goodness. If the enemy can cause us to believe that we are too late, defeated, or not enough, he thinks we will give up and stop trying, but God will not let that happen.

Understanding Change From God’s Perspective

God sees change differently than the world sees it, and He wants us to see it as He does. If we understand everything from His perspective, we will automatically start thinking of change more positively. As I pondered the idea of change as a Christian, God began to show me that there is beauty in change when we look at it His way.

Instead of change, meaning that we pine over what we have lost, we must begin to look at it in a way that causes us to examine what we have gained, or more precisely, we must evaluate whether we have evolved or become better.

For My thoughts are not your Thoughts Bible Verse

In response to my prayer, God challenged me to look at my life, acknowledging that I am changing and will continue to change, but He caused me to ask myself whether or not I am evolving. I pray that I can convey all of what God taught me in a way that is helpful to others. We must individually answer whether we are evolving, no matter how old we are. The truth is, it would be a shame to change without becoming better.

Change Means We Are Evolving and Maturing

God clarifies that He wants us to commit to lasting change where we develop from baby Christians to more mature ones. If change means maturing, this should be a lifelong process. To remain stuck in any way would mean that we are not allowing God to make us more like Jesus.

We all start as babes in Christ. When we are babies, we are fed milk to grow (1 Peter 2:2). We cannot understand some things as a baby Christian, but we can more easily understand them when we mature. Understandably, we do some things when we are children, but as adults, we should put away childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11 KJV).

How to Accept and Deal With Change Gods Way 7

Looking at change from God’s perspective, we realize that change is desirable because it is equivalent to becoming more like Jesus and growing into our predetermined purpose and calling. Therefore, rather than dwell on feeling pessimistic about our dwindling youth, we should thank and praise God for the changes in our lives, knowing that He has blessed us with good things and the future He has for us is still full of many more blessings (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV).

Change Your Thinking and What You Value

All change starts in our minds (Romans 12:2). To change for the better means that we must correct the way we see ourselves, but to do that, we need to change how we measure ourselves and what we value in life. As we live in this earthly world full of darkness, if we are not careful, we can easily fall prey to loving only what the enemy does: worldly possessions and vanity.

When I was younger, I thought that success in my life was equivalent to a big house and a fancy, expensive car. I believed that having a big home and an expensive car would prove I had arrived. If this were my measuring stick, the enemy could use that against me to cause me to feel bad because I come up short. The same thing will happen if I value youth over maturity in Christ.

Change: Do Not Be Children In Your Thinking Bible Verse

The Bible reminds us that we should store up Heavenly treasures rather than earthly ones (Matthew 6:19-20 ESV). What holds a special place in our hearts is what we value. As we mature in Christ, our relationship with Him should take center stage, and then we will find that what we want is what He wants for us.

Earthly and material things lose their shine in the light of Jesus. In the 9th chapter of Acts, we find a Biblical example of change that occurs in the life of Saul. Saul was forever changed when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He could no longer hold on to his worldly possessions, such as his education and theological teachings, because this encounter changed him forever and caused him to understand who Jesus was. We must all be willing to change for God as Saul did.

Change to Live According to the Spirit Scripture

In another biblical example, a wealthy person was not willing to change. He was a rich young ruler who had it all together, at least from worldly standards, in that he had great wealth (Matthew 19:16–30). When the young ruler came to Jesus, he asked Jesus what he needed to do to have eternal life. When Jesus told him to keep the commandments, the rich ruler stated that he had already done that and had kept the commandments from his youth. He asked Jesus what else he needed to do, and he was not happy with Jesus’ response.

Jesus challenged the young ruler to continue changing and becoming perfect by selling his possessions and following Jesus, but the young ruler was unwilling. The wealthy man could not let go of what he held dear. God wants to know that we are willing to walk away from materialistic ideals and the comforts of what is familiar to us and that we will be ready to trust His plan. God also wants to know that we are willing to keep growing and changing.

A Prayer to Help Embrace Change

God can use someone old or young, and the Bible tells us that there is a season for everything. As we live life as Christians, we want our lives to be pleasing to God at every stage and season, which will require us to change and perfect our lives as He deems them.


It is impossible to change ourselves, and we do not have to. Jesus will help us to become more like Him, but we must respond to His leading. Jesus often calls us to let go of what we think, get up, take up our bed, and walk (John 5:8). He commands us to think differently and not stay stuck.


Ultimately, what is important is not our age but our willingness to allow God’s Spirit to lead us and help us see change correctly. Let’s pray and ask God to help us learn to embrace change more positively.

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What Does It Mean To Move Forward With God?

Posted by Live Joyfully, Christian Living 8 Comments
What Does It Mean To Move Forward With God?

What does it mean to move forward with God when life is so full of changes? Sometimes, we change jobs, move to new cities, or walk away from something as we reach for something different. Embracing change is not always easy. It is best when the change results from something positive in our lives, such as getting a promotion or buying a new house, but sometimes change means walking away from bad situations or poor choices. How do we let go of the past and move forward with God successfully?

What Does It Mean To Move Forward With God?

We will experience change as we learn to trust God properly. To truly walk with God, we must be willing to grow. We evolve and go from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18), which means we continually change into who God created us to be. As we become closer to God, we begin to live closer to the example that Jesus showed us.

Moving Forward With God Means Letting Go Of What Is Familiar

Moving forward can mean letting go of the comforts of what feels familiar and reaching toward something unknown. We let go of our plans when we experience loss or when things do not work out as we hoped. Sometimes, we walk away without fully understanding what’s next. For example, sometimes, when we lose jobs, or a relationship ends. No matter what happens, we must remember that God never changes. Moving forward with God means we are willing to remember that God is good, loves us, and has a plan.

When we move forward with God, we cannot expect everyone to understand our choices, and we can not make decisions based on whether or not we gain their approval. For example, if we decide to go to church and receive salvation. Some friends may not understand the idea. When family and friends do not support our desire to change, it may be hard for us to accept that they do not, but we mustn’t seek to live solely for the applause of others.

Ask God for Help to do what is right

Moving forward can be challenging, and we will feel resistance from ourselves and others. Our old ways, which are familiar to us, may seem more straightforward, and at times, we may question whether going back would be easier than change.

When we know that we are striving to better ourselves and live as Jesus commands, we must look forward and learn not to look back. The temptation to look back will be great, but we must let go of the old and reach for the new. We should not want to remain stuck in any area of our lives, and we can not live life in reverse.

Moving Forward With God Means Walking Toward Our Divine Purpose

The closer we get to our breakthrough and Divine purpose, the more the enemy will try to distract us. He will attempt to send naysayers or negativity to convince us that we should turn back, but we must hold on to the fact that God has our future planned if we let go of the past. Moving forward with God means walking into our Divine purpose, which God determined even before we were born (Jeremiah 1:5 KJV). As we progress, the enemy will attempt to persuade us that change is impossible. The enemy wants to convince us that our best days are gone, but God has a track record of giving new life even when it seems too late, just as He did with Abraham.

Move Forward with God Toward His purpose

In Genesis, the Bible tells the story of Abraham. In summary, God told Abraham to leave His country and go to a land that God would show Him. God promised to make Abraham’s name great, and Abraham obeyed and allowed God to direct his steps. God blessed Abraham abundantly, but Abraham and his wife, Sarah, did not have children. It would seem that they were too old for child-bearing, but God promised to give Abraham a son and did just that even when they were old—allowing Abraham to become the “father of many nations.” Nothing is impossible for God.

Just as Abraham fulfilled his destiny, we are each born with a purpose and must strive to do what God calls us to do. God knows how to bring people and opportunities to our lives and will move us as He sees fit. We must trust Him and allow Him to direct our path. There are things assigned to our lives and even people and territory that God created us to reach.

Our obedience to God can unlock blessings in our households, jobs, or communities. Heaven’s angels wait to back up the Word of God over our lives (Psalm 103:20), but it takes our willingness to have faith, speak God’s Word over our lives, and get moving.

We were created to walk with God

Moving Forward Means We May Stumble At Times

The best change we can make comes when we ask God to help us walk away from past sins, failures, heartaches, or disappointments. When we accept salvation and live for Christ, we must keep our eyes fixed on Christ. We must become a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV) and let go of our old ways (Isaiah 43:18 ESV).

Remembering that Jesus came to give us all a second chance is helpful. Ultimately, Jesus wants to save us from missing Heaven or the disaster of perishing without salvation, and He wants to give us an abundant life, but we can not see what that looks like until we surrender and trust Him.

As Christians, we will make mistakes and suffer losses or failures. Truthfully, we may need many “second chances,” but we must keep moving forward by acknowledging any errors, repenting, and asking God to help give us strength and direction. God wants us to move forward and not look backward. He specializes in healing, making us whole, and making everything work out for our good. He wants us to trust that He will make things right in His timing and as He determines.

Move Forward toward Abundant life

Moving Forward With God Means Walking in Faith and Not Fear

To move forward, we will have to be courageous and not fearful. Holding on to the past can sabotage God’s future, and waiting until everything makes sense will make us disobedient. When God calls us to move forward or asks us to make some changes, fear will cause us to stay where we are and not move forward with God.

Sometimes, we fear what people think, or perhaps we fear whether we heard God correctly. When unsure of anything with God, the best thing to do with God is to pray and ask for wisdom and guidance. God will answer, and He will help shine a light on the path He has for us, and He will not leave us. We can not let fear win.

Fear Not God will help us move forward

The Bible says we should fear God and not man. To fear God means we revere and love Him so much that we do not want to disobey Him. In this way, we would be willing to do what God calls us to do even if we have to fight feelings of negativity like fear and do it scared. Our love and fear of God become more significant than our desire to feel comfortable, so we choose to have faith.

Faith obeys God because we believe and trust that His Word is accurate. When we begin to trust God and try to live obediently, He will be there holding our hand, and we will understand more about who God is and how much He loves us. As we take the first step in faith, it will be easier to take the next, and soon, we will choose to care more about God’s acceptance than anyone else’s.

A Prayer To Help Us Move Forward With God

No matter what life brings our way, God wants to help us move forward. He will help us live for Him. He will be with us when it feels like we are starting over, moving on, or making necessary changes. All we have to do is pray. We do not have to struggle in any area of our life. When life feels like it is crushing us or we don’t know how to go, we need to pray with faith, expecting God to hear us and answer. Let’s pray together now and ask God to help us move forward with Him.

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What It Really Means To Have Faith The Size Of A Mustard Seed

Posted by Live Joyfully, Have Faith 4 Comments
What It Really Means To Have Faith The Size Of A Mustard Seed

I believe God wants us to understand what it really means to have faith the size of a mustard seed. As Christians, there are times that we question whether we have or understand mustard seed faith. We know that we must trust God, believe His Word, and not doubt. The issue is that sometimes, when we have done all we know to do, the situation may not work out as we expected, and that may lead us to question faith.

What It Really Means To Have Faith The Size Of a Mustard Seed

If we are not careful, the enemy will sneak in and cause us to doubt when we should hold onto our faith. For example, we might ask God to answer prayer; in doing so, we may even ask others to pray. Although we may genuinely feel that we have prayed in faith and not doubted, the prayer may seem unanswered in the way that we anticipated. When this happens, sometimes, we begin to question the reason why. Thus, Christians may ask questions such as:

  • Why didn’t this work?
  • Did God not hear my prayer?
  • Did I not pray correctly?
  • Is God mad at me?
  • Did I do something wrong?
  • Is my faith not strong enough?

Faith is a highly complex word and idea. I believe that God wants us all to understand faith because it is impossible to please Him without it (Hebrews 11:6). What’s more, God tells us to have faith, walk in faith, build our faith, and proclaim our faith. He does not want us to question or doubt our faith and promises to give wisdom when we ask.

Understanding Our Measure Of Mustard Seed Faith

Therefore, we can possess, live out, grow, and ultimately share faith with others. Because spiritual ideas are complicated for the natural man to comprehend, Jesus spoke in parables to the people, and he often used seeds, more specifically, the mustard seed.

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.

Matthew 13:31-32 ESV

According to Romans 12:3, God gives each of us a measure of faith. As Christians, we know that God loves us and gives good gifts to His children. He blesses those who love Him with more than enough and distributes gifts as He sees fit. He does not want us to become boastful, and He does not want us to waste anything that He gives.

The measure of faith that God gives us could be the size of a mustard seed, but there is might in the tiny amount, and God expects it to grow. The Bible explains that the mustard seed can grow into a tree, and that tree eventually can grow to provide shelter for and affect others. Therefore, every gift from God should be valued, nurtured, and shared to benefit others.

A small amount of faith can move mountains because the strength comes from God. He multiplies the small amount, and it becomes unlimited. God can take the slightest size of faith, which is our limited ability to take Him at His Word and not doubt and mix it with His unlimited ability. This way, God can do great and beautiful things even through our minor acts. Like the widow who gave two small coins, which was all she had, God determined that she gave more than everyone else, and He honored her. In this way, small can be much in the Kingdom of God.

What-It-Really-Means-To-Have-Faith-The-Size-Of-a-Mustard-Seed-Scripture

Walk Through Life With Mustard Seed Faith

Faith is defined in Hebrews 11, ‘”now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” As Christians, we understand that faith requires believing and trusting God even when what we see suggests the opposite. Thus, faith is believing for good even when it looks impossible to our human senses.

As we live our lives, we must walk by faith rather than sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Even when it looks like our prayers are left unanswered, we must understand that God is still in control, and our prayers will be answered in God’s timing and according to His will. At that moment, we have to continue to believe and not doubt. There will be times of faith-testing to prove that we will remain steadfast (James 1:3).

What It Really Means To Have Faith The Size Of a Mustard Seed Quote

Whenever I forget that sometimes God has to say no, I think of Jesus in the garden before his crucifixion. Like Jesus, we can ask God anything, but we must honor God with our submission to His will. For example, Jesus asked God to take the cup away; God could not say yes to this request as it was the only way to save us. Just like Jesus, we must be willing to tell God not my will but Your will. God sees and knows more than we do, so we must always trust His plans as we walk through life with mustard-seed faith.

Build Our Mustard Seed Faith

The Bible says that faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). When we hear the gospel message and decide to accept Jesus as our Savior, we join the family of God by faith, and at that point, we are ready to understand the things of God. After salvation, we are ready but still can not fully comprehend every spiritual concept all at once. Just like babies, we all need to start with milk and then progress to meat. Spiritual milk is like the foundational truths of Christianity and leads us to salvation, and then we grow from there.

The Bible states that the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he does not understand them because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). Therefore, as we walk with God, continue to hear his Word and apply it, our faith will grow, and we will progress in our understanding of more complex biblical truths.

Mustard Seed Faith Bear Fruit 2 word quote

Faith is like a seed sown on good ground. It is supposed to grow and produce fruit. After speaking in parables about sowing seeds, Jesus explained to the disciples that the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears His Word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and another thirty (Matthew 13:23). So our faith is supposed to grow.

Proclaim Mustard Seed Faith To Others

Ultimately, we must proclaim faith to others. We all need the Word of God to live this life and to live eternally. The Bible says that man can not live on bread alone but by every Word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). God wants us to be able to give an answer to others about our faith. He wants us to share the Good News and for our lives to be an example of His love and goodness.

Proclaim Faith Bible Verse

Salvation comes when we call on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13). God does not want anyone to perish; instead, He wants everyone to accept the gift of salvation (John 3:16). The Bible makes it plain that Jesus brought salvation, and we can not enter Heaven without being born again (John 3:3).

If the natural man cannot understand the things of God and have faith without hearing the Word of God, then someone must share the Word of God with them. As disciples of Jesus, we must willingly proclaim our faith. 

Every Christian should willingly share their faith with others. The enemy will convince us that we should remain quiet, but we must live as Jesus did and taught His disciples to do. We must be willing to tell others of God’s goodness so their faith can also grow.

A Prayer to Activate Our Mustard Seed Faith

God loves us so much that He has provided everything we need to live this life, but the enemy wants to rob us of our assurance. So, let’s pray this prayer to activate our mustard seed faith and declare our proper place in the Kingdom of God.

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A Prayer to Activate Mustard Seed Faith

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