Tag: Holy Spirit

Protect Your Peace

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Have you ever considered that we should be stewards and protectors of our own peace? This is a different mindset than being a peacemaker between people. This kind of stewardship is about the protection of our own personal peace.

The world is full of chaos and hurt, so we most certainly need to protect our peace. What does that mean and how do we achieve that?

Peace is being tranquil, calm and free from disturbances. To protect our peace means to first identify what or who causes us to feel disturbed? Once we identify what or who is disturbing our peace, we need to pray about what steps to take to protect our peace. This may mean that we need to put distance between ourselves and the person/thing, we may need to take a break from seeing or talking to someone. We may need to stop spending so much time scrolling on our phones or watching television.

Focusing on how someone or something makes us feel is the key to protecting our peace. Once we realize that we are becoming less peaceful, we need to better protect our emotions. In those moments, we need to remind ourselves that the peace we have is from Jesus. It cannot be taken from us (Romans 8), but we can hand it over.

In John 14:27 Jesus says, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” Stop handing what Jesus gave you away to those people and things that do not have the right to have your peace.

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, help us to stop handing away the gift Jesus has given us, peace of mind and heart. Grant us wisdom in how to protect our peace and what steps to take to keep peace surrounding us in our lives. Thank You for Your love and for the cross. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Easter 101

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Why do we have a day called Easter? There is one constant in all of humanity across time: past, present or the future. People will lie, cheat, steal, cause pain, be greedy, and not show love. This is the state of every single person who has ever lived and ever will live, we are all born into sin. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23).

Our state of being born as a sinner started with Adam and Eve when they made the decision to disobey God. As a sinner, we are all going to hell when we die because we fail to meet the standard to go to heaven. The standard is perfection. No human being, no matter how perfect they may think they are or you may think they are, is good enough to avoid hell. We are all imperfect. Mark 9:47 describes, “hell, 48 ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.” How then can anyone avoid living all eternity in hell, filled with unimaginable suffering?

It is quite simple. Believe in Jesus. He is the Son of God and came to earth to die for you and me. He became our sin. That means He was perfect and he chose to drink in our sin to then sacrifice His perfect life for you and me. Jesus willingly laid down His life on Friday, went to hell on Saturday to conquer hell for us and then rose to life on earth on Sunday, what we now call Easter.

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, help us to believe in Jesus. Our lives on earth are short, but eternity is forever. Once we die, it is too late – we are either going to heaven or hell. Help us to understand Your love for us and that You sent Your Son because You love us. You want us to be in heaven with You and the only way is belief in Jesus. Thank You for sending Jesus. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

The Way to Life

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Life is full of problems and troubles and hurt. Even if you are living your life in a way that brings glory to God, you and I are living in a fallen world. That means we are surrounded by sin, we also commit sin and live each day faced with the consequences of our sin and the sins of others. Many days it is hard enough to just survive, let alone thrive in this fallen world. So how is a believer, (someone who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior), to live every day showing love and life when there is so much sin? We are to apply what Jesus taught us:

When there is chaos in the government, obey 1 Timothy 2:2. “Pray . . . for all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.”

If there is a person or people causing chaos in your life, obey Matthew 5:43. “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”

When you are surrounded by fighting or disagreements, follow Matthew 5:9. “God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.”

Apply Romans 13:8 to all people you encounter each day. “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.”


When you are confused about your purpose in life, remember Matthew 28:19. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.”

When you have had enough and feel alone, tired, weary or just need a reminder of the very last words Jesus said to you, read Matthew 28:20. “And be sure of this: I [Jesus] am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Jesus is right here, holding your hand, He will never leave you, never.

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, help us not to be discouraged by this fallen world we live in. Help us to walk by faith in You and Your Word. Help us to show love and speak life into those around us. Help us to trust in Your plan and pray for those who are not showing love or compassion. Lord, help us to grow in You and to be aware of the evil in this earth so we may stand firm in Your love. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Do not let what you see around you discourage you.

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Do not let what you see around you discourage you from answering God’s call. When King Cyrus issued a proclamation and called the remnant to rebuild the temple, only those whose hearts were moved responded to the call.  Ezra chapter 1 says, “In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom: 2 “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Any of you who are his people may go to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you!” Not everyone went to rebuild the temple.

There will be times when an invitation to do something for God is issued. Or perhaps an unexpected opportunity to bring God glory interrupts your day. Not all will heed the call or accept the invitation, including believers in Jesus. If you are burdened to do something for God, do it. If you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to say something, say it. Do not compare your actions and words with what others are saying or doing, compare your actions and words only to Jesus.

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, help us not to be discouraged by the lack of enthusiasm or willingness from those around us to show love to all people. Help us to walk by faith in You and Your Word instead of being beat down by all that we see going on around us. Help us to trust in Your plan and pray for those who are not showing love or compassion. Lord, help us to grow in You and to be aware of the evil in this earth so we may stand firm in Your love. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Did you know demons attend church?

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Yes, it is true. Demons attend church, know Scriptures, know Jesus and they know you. Demons also fear God and believe there is only one God. Are you able to quote Scriptures and do you attend church regularly? Do you study about and know Jesus? Do you have the fear of the Lord?

How do we know demons hang out in religious places? Read Mark 1:23 as an example, “Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out”. The demon who was in the man was in the synagogue. How do we know demons know Scriptures? Satan quoted Scriptures to Jesus during the time of temptation in the desert. Read Matthew 4:1, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, 6 and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.”

How do we know demons know who Jesus is, read Mark 1:34, “So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he was, he did not allow them to speak”. James 2:19 says, “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.” Demons believe in one God and have the fear of the Lord.

Let’s pray. Lord, please help us to know You, hold You in reverent awe, to learn and know Scriptures, and to attend church regularly. Lord, help us to grow in You and to be aware of the evil in this earth so we may stand firm. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Living in Times of Chaos

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There are many situations occurring all around us each and every day that cause chaos. Chaos is defined as complete disorder or confusion. God is not a God of confusion, 1 Corinthians 14:33 says, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. . .” Yet we find ourselves unsure of what will occur day by day and how our lives will be impacted from one minute to the next. How should we behave in chaotic times such as these?

Stand in the truth, God’s word is the only source of truth. In it, we discover the steps on how to live in times of chaos.

  1. Trust in God, not what is going on around us. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6. Submit to Him and he will guide you in the path that you should walk. Focus on what you are doing, saying and how you are behaving. . . we are to show the world Jesus.
  2. Shine His light into a dark and dying world for all to see. “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. 14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”  Matthew 5:11-16

3. Anchor to the peace of Jesus. Jesus promises us that we will have trouble in this world, but we are not to fall into the chaos and confusion like all those around us. We are to anchor to His peace and be courageous, take heart in standing firm in the truth Jesus gave us. “I have told you all this, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

4. Recall Genesis chapter 1. “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” Genesis 1:1-3. God brings order to chaos, that is what He does…in His time and in His way. When you feel impatient or confused, refer back to step #1.

Let’s pray. Father- Help us not to be confused or discouraged by the current times, or what will occur in the future. Instead, let us trust in Your plan and stand firm in Your word. Give us strength. Help us to pray for those who think differently and stand for things that are contradictory to Your word. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

Pursuit of Bad Wisdom

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Ever since humans were created, we desire to know things. We want wisdom. Eve wanted wisdom, so she took a bite of the fruit. Genesis 3:6 says, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”

Proverbs 8:22 describes who Wisdom is, where she spends her time and how she was created.  “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; 23 I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. 24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water; 25 before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth 26 before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. 27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, 28 when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, 29 when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.30Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence,31 rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.”

Wisdom was there as God created the earth, and before He created humanity, He created her. In God’s word, we are told to pursue Wisdom at all costs and cherish her. Proverbs 4:7 says. “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” And in Proverbs 8:10, “Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.”

What is wisdom as God’s word defines it? Proverbs 9:10 explains wisdom and understanding as, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Fear of the Lord is described in Proverbs 8:13, “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I (Wisdom) hate pride and arrogance,  evil behavior and perverse speech.”

If God’s word says to pursue wisdom at all costs, than why did Eve’s pursuit of wisdom turn out so poorly? Two reasons, the first is what humans think will give wisdom does not always align with God’s word. The second reason is that Eve was pursuing something God told her not to. There are times in life when what we are pursuing is not for us – whether it is intended for someone else or God has told us in His word it is not good for us.

As we choose to invest time, treasure and talent into the pursuit of what we think is wisdom or good for us, we need to pray to God and first seek His Will. All that we have is His and we need to ensure that we are following His purpose and intended use for those gifts.

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for the gifts You give us – time, treasure and talent. Thank You for the gift of wisdom, Lord help us to know what is the good and true wisdom You would have us pursue. Help us to reject what the enemy may tell us is good for us or wisdom-giving. Give us the wisdom and discernment we need to follow Your path for our lives. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.