Tag: presence

Wisdom Comes from God

Wisdom Comes from God

If anyone needs wisdom, ask the Lord to give it to you, for all wisdom comes from our Heavenly Father. 

Wisdom, especially spiritual wisdom, is not just about knowing what’s good for you, but it’s about applying that knowledge to your everyday life circumstances.

The Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  (Pro 2:6 CEB)

17 I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God. 18 My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and you will understand the hope given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all God’s people.  (Eph 1:17-18 CEV, emphasis added)

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.  (Jas 1:5 ESV)

We increase wisdom by walking with God.  As we revere and respect God, live in awe of His presence and power, make our choices based upon His Word, and love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, His wisdom grows and matures within us.  Reading the Bible regularly and memorizing Scripture passages plants wisdom in our hearts and nurtures it.

And of course, if we need God’s guidance or direction in a specific circumstance, all we need to do is pray and ask Him for His wisdom, and He will hear and answer us.

We Must Bear Fruit to the Father’s Glory

We Must Bear Fruit to the Father’s Glory

How does a Christian bear fruit?  If, as believers, we pursue goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love, we will be fruitful no matter where we are called.

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.  (Joh 15:8 NIV)

 I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God.  (Phil 1:11 CEB)

I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in me while I abide in him produces much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.  (Joh 15:5 ISV)

When we bear fruit, we bring glory to God the Father, and we prove ourselves to be the Lord’s followers.  The key to fruitfulness is abiding in Christ and being aware, moment by moment, of His presence and His love at work in our lives.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  (Gal 5:22-23)  Every GOOD tree bears GOOD fruit.  (Mt 7:17)  Each and every believer is a good tree, and every believer has been given the fruit of the Spirit.

The Lord tells us clearly in John 15:5:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” 

We must abide in Christ always, because without Him, we are powerless and can accomplish nothing.  But with Him, nothing is impossible!  Hallelujah!

Overcomers Acknowledge Jesus

Overcomers Acknowledge Jesus

Overcomers are people who are born of God and have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  We acknowledge Christ—both who He is and what He has accomplished on the earth.  Let’s see what the Bible says.

Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.  (1 Joh 5:5 NIV, emphasis added)

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  (1 Joh 4:15 NIV)

So you will be saved, if you honestly say, “Jesus is Lord,” and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death.  (Rom 10:9 CEV)

“But I tell you, the Son of Man will acknowledge before God’s angels everyone who acknowledges me before people.”  (Lk 12:8 ISV)

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.  (1 Joh 5:1 NKJV)

Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer has made us overcomers through Him.  We are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19), and His presence is always with us.

As we continue to live in wholehearted faith and in obedience to the Word of God, we have assurance of eternal salvation.  We are therefore, called, the children of God.  (Joh 1:12; Rom 8:16; 1 Joh 3:1; 4:4; 5:2)  Glory to God!

The Holy Spirit in Us

The Holy Spirit in Us

As the Scriptures tell us, the Lord has placed His Spirit within all believers.  In some places, the Bible even says that God poured out His Spirit upon us!

 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.  (Ezek 36:27 NKJV)

And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord God.  (Ezek 39:29 NKJV)

Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.  (Ac 2:33 NKJV)

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?  (1 Cor 3:16 NIV)

The person who keeps his commandments abides in God, and God abides in him. This is how we can be sure that he remains in us: he has given us his Spirit.  (1 Joh 3:24 ISV)

We need to listen for the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit daily.  We need to be continuously sensitive to His presence within us.  The Holy Spirit was given to all believers to be a helper and teacher, and to guide us into all truth.  (Joh 14:26; 16:13)

The Holy Spirit within a believer is the source of our revelation, wisdom and power.  (1 Cor 2:10-11; Jas 1:5; Ac 1:8)  The Holy Spirit supplies spiritual gifts to believers.  (1 Cor 12:7-11)  God, the Holy Spirit, has specific roles and obligations in the life of every believer.  Take time as soon as possible to study this key feature of your salvation.  God bless you!

What Makes the Enemy Run?

What Makes the Enemy Run?

What makes enemies run away?  The presence of the Living God! 

What about God’s presence in us and with us causes our enemies to “perish at His presence”?

When my enemies turn back, they shall fall and perish at Your presence.  (Ps 9:3 NKJV)

This verse tells us that the enemies begin to run away (‘turn back’) and then they fall and then they perish (or die).  God’s power, perfection, and glory have this devastating effect on those who work in defiance of God and of His will.

You will make them turn their backs when you aim your arrows at them.  (Ps 21:12 NCV) 

They run from God in fear and terror because the enemies of our souls are aware that God is always victorious, and His arrows never miss their targets.

You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes.  (Ps 18:40 NIV)

The explanation for this verse is that the enemy (satan) sets ambushes for people and aims arrows of lack, sickness, strife and fear at God’s people.  God’s arrows are the power of His spoken Word, His living Word, and His written Word.   With the power and authority of Jesus Christ and His finished work of salvation, the Lord overcomes and overpowers the enemy easily as we trust in Him, and speak His Word in faith and power into our circumstances.

Rejoice in the goodness and the mighty power of our God!

God’s Great Love for Us

God’s Great Love for Us

Something that we, as followers of Jesus Christ, may not meditate upon enough is His great love for us.  This article will help us focus on that today.

“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says the Lord who has compassion on you.  (Isa 54:10 NASB)  The Lord is saying that even when immovable objects (like hills and mountains) start shaking and even being removed, that His loving peace and kindness will NOT leave His children.  The Lord says that He has compassion upon us.  What a blessed promise!

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.  (Mt 18:20 NIV)  When believers in Jesus come together and meet as Christians, the Lord reminds us that He is right there among us.  His presence abides with us.

For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  (Heb 13:5 NKJV)  This is the Lord’s promise that He will never leave us nor abandon us—under any circumstances.  This is a promise that can be relied upon.

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  (1 Cor 6:19 NKJV)  Here the Bible reminds us that all who have accepted Jesus as our Savior, have become the temple of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit lives within the children of God.  We are children of God.

Rejoice in the precious promises that God has given to all who love Him.  Take some time to reflect upon God’s great, abiding love for you, and thank Him for it.  God bless you.

Being Far Off

Being Far Off

All mankind was, at one time, far off from God.  We were far off from His presence, from His righteousness, and from His standards for living.  Occasionally, it’s beneficial for us to remember how very far we have come by God’s mercy and grace.

Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6) who brought all believers near to God through the reconciliation of the cross.   (2 Cor 5:18)

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  (Eph 2:13 ESV)

All who have made Jesus Christ their Savior and Lord have been brought near to God through the blood of the Lamb.  (1 Pet 1:19)  Jesus is the Lamb of God.  (Joh 1:29, 36)

For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.  (Ac 2:39)

The gift and promise of salvation is offered to every human being upon the earth—to every race, tribe and nation.  The Lord calls all people to salvation, but not everyone accepts His free gift.   

. . . and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.  (Eph 2:16-17)

Jesus, our Prince of Peace, has put to death every hostility, unfriendliness, and antagonism by preaching peace to all.  He has reconciled (reunited) us with our Father God.  What an awesome gift from God! 

We are no longer far off, but we have been made the children of God.  (Joh 1:12; Rom 8:16; 1 Joh 3:1-2)  All glory to God most High!