Unity or War

 

    The Bible commands His people to live in unity and work for peace.  However, sometimes you have to fight for peace.  Throughout the old testament God commands His people into battle and provides victory.  If you go into battle without God being your commander and chief, then you will be defeated horribly.  You have to know God's voice to know when it is time to fight or let things go.

    Your battles are not of things of this world.  Your battles ultimately come down to the spiritual.  You need to know what you are fighting and why or it is all meaningless.  Sometimes war may be necessary, but it should never be the goal.  The goal to live with and for Jesus is to have harmony, turn away from strife, and stand firm in your faith.

    There is scripture that talks about a time for war and a time for peace.  It is important to understand that they are both motivated by love for God and fighting for His purpose and standards.  To have freedom you have to give everything over to God and fight for what He tells you to fight for.  Do not fight for victory alone or to be the hero.  That belongs to God always.

    Weakness comes when you feel isolated.  You can be weak physically when you feel like you are fighting life's battles alone.  You need to give the battle to God and embrace His presence so you do not feel alone.  You may be weak spiritually.  You need to turn to God to lead you to a Christian fellowship and discipleship Group or church.  You may feel weak as a military.  You need to trust God and the people in the battle with you.  You will never thrive or do well in this world if you isolate.  It only makes you weak.

    Troops have to unit and work as one to be victorious.  Churches have to do the same.  God is the Commander of all military and spiritual groups.  If you do not accept that, then you are working against the best interest of yourself and the people you claim to be fighting for.  If you only fight for yourself, then it is pointless.  It will never go anywhere and you will end up hurting yourself.

    When it comes to God's people you are His warriors.  There is no room for division between denominations, race, or worship preferences.  If you are a true Christian, then you are all a part of His church.  He is your commander and chief.  He wants you to let go of everything that divides you to work together and be strong in His name.  If the church is not united, then you have no power in this world.  The world will tear apart your families, communities, and your nation.

    Spiritual warfare is real.  You may never go into a physical battle, bur you live in a war zone.  God and Satan are both fighting over you.  God is fighting for you to have freedom and free will.  Satan is fighting for control over you and to demolish your testimony.  You face this battle every day.  This is why starting your day off in God's Word and prayer is your strongest asset.  You have the ability to choose how your day will go to a certain extent.  Pray over what you will face before you ever leave your house.

    If you want to be empowered by God, then you have to do things His way.  You fight as He commands you and you work toward unity with your people.  If you are a Christian, then you are supernaturally equipped to do your part through the Holy Spirit.  You have to fight with other believers to be victorious and bring about unity in Jesus' name.  Pray for what is good and right in the world to prevail.  

Deuteronomy 20:1-4, Psalm 133, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Romans 13:1-5, 15:1-6, 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, Ephesian 1:12-14, 4:1-4, 6:10-12, Colossians 3:12-15, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, 1 Timothy 6:11-16, & 2 Timothy 2:1-2

Christian Empowerment

 

    When you become a true Christian you are empowered by the Holy Spirit that lives within you to do God's work.  He provides you with strength, courage, and endurance to face and withstand more than you ever thought you could.  He gives you the patience you need to be able to serve Him in a Christlike manner.  

    When you become a Christian you are a part of God's family.  That makes you a leader and a missionary, but that does not look the same for everyone.  God empowers you to be a leader representing Him in this world.  He provides you with peace to lead without looking back or questioning your choices.  He enables you to work through your grief and still feel it.

    If you are a Christian, then you are empowered by God.  However, you cannot access that power unless you are in God's Word, pray over His Word, meditation over His Word, and have people in your life that will speak His truth into your life.  You will never access His power in your life if you are not willing to live out your faith.  Faith is an action word.  You were never called to stay comfortable in this world or be complacent.

    God's Word empowers, but it also corrects, sets boundaries, and judges.  If you allow it to do it's job, then you will not be fragile.  You will be strong and bold for God.  You will show the world the love that God has for each person.  You will fight for justice, but understand that you do not live in a fair world.  

    God will use your weaknesses and flaws to become a strength for Him.  Where you feel like you can't do it, God will make you triumphant.  Where there is despair and discouragement He will use you to help people see the hope He is offering.  Jesus is the light of the world, but God uses you to reflect his light in the world.  Obedience and self-discipline is how you are empowered by God.

Joshua 1:6-9, Judges 2:18-19, 3:9-11, 6:33-35, 11:29-31, 13:24-25, Psalms 27:1-6, 133, Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 40:26-31, 41:8-10, Micah 3:8-12, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, 10:6-8, Ephesians 3:14-19, 6:10-12, Philippians 4:10-14, Colossians 1:11-11, & 2 Timothy 1:5-7

God's Story is Your Story

 

    God's Story is your story when it comes to redemption.  From the the first sin God has been trying to have a relationship with people.  He cannot change because He is all that is good, pure, and powerful.  If He changed, then He would not be God.  You are the one that changes to be able to be redeemed and have a relationship with your creator.  

    You know God is the source of all power because He created this world and everything in it.  He has power over the weather and nature.  Satan has power over that too, but God can over rule him and he cannot over rule God.  He has the power to grant you salvation.  He sent Jesus to give you the opportunity of redemption.  Jesus rose from the dead without assistance.  That is power.  Jesus' story also confirms that you will not live this life completely separate from the world.  You will still experience suffering, but you will also have triumph over it.

    God is the author of life.  His whole message is redemption.  He explains why you need it, how to get it, and how to maintain it.  He doesn't dangle it in front of you where you can never grasp.  He gives you hope.  Once you accept redemption, your story becomes like His.  He uses every aspect of your life for the good of others.  

    You need redemption because you have rejected God and His instructions.  Redemption comes when you accept that Jesus is the only way and God's way is better than your own.  You repent and accept any human consequences because you know you are free from the sin with God.  You live and walk with Jesus because you love Him and value the relationship.  Your life becomes a walking testimony.  When you mess up, you own it, repent, and do better in Jesus' name.

    To go through life ignoring or rejecting God is to fall away from Him.  He is patient.  He has given you your entire life to come to Him.  The only catch is you don't know what day will be your last.  Don't turn to God because you feel rushed.  Be real with yourself.  Look at who God is and who you are in comparison.  

    Allow fear of what He is capable of into your heart and allow Him to enter in love.  It is His love that will heal all your spiritual and emotional wounds.  Once He is in your heart, you are able to start see who you are by His perspective.  It changes everything.  He empowers you to live a life for Him.

    You may feel feeble, pathetic, or unworthy.  He is the one that makes you worthy, strong, and bold.  Ignore the feeling so you can become who God created you to be.  You may feel like you don't need Him or powerful on your own.  You are wrong.  Repent before He does something to humble you.  

    One way or another God will be acknowledged.  It is always better for you to come to Him willingly.  It doesn't benefit anyone to die without a relationship with God and have to face Him to explain your life and still be thrown into the pit with Satan.  At the end of the day your life story has God in it in every way.

Genesis 1:26-30, Judges 2:11-19,  6:1-6, Psalm 66:16-20, 139:13-16, Romans 8:26-30, 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, Galatians 2:17-21, Ephesians 2:8-10, & 1 Peter 3:13-17

Problems within the Family

 

    Family problems are serious.  They can affect your relationship with God.  If you grow up in a dysfunctional home, then your perspective of God can be askew. You need to be able to see who He is and understand His character for Him to be able to help and heal you and your family.  The Bible covers siblings killing each other, incest, adultery, polygamy, and more behaviors that cause dysfunction and division in the family.  You have to face it with God to be able to start seeing change.

    If you ignore the family problems, they grow, spread, and turn into inherited sin that can last generations until someone is strong enough to address it.  When you address it with God, it is unpleasant.  You are facing aspects about yourself and family that you do not like and make you uncomfortable.  You are shining the light of truth on hidden sin and everyone who is exposed will not appreciate it. 

    Remain in God as you address the sin and problems within your family. He will protect you and give you provisions to do what you are called to do.  You may not feel strong enough to face it especially if it has been going on for generations.  It feels normal to the family, but because of your relationship with God you can no longer ignore it.  

    Relationships in the family may feel strained as you align your life with God.  You are becoming a person more like Jesus.  You may even be treating them better, so it can be confusing when they turn on you like you have wronged them.  Remember that Jesus said when they hate you it is because they first hated me (not quoted perfectly).  The way of the world and the way of Jesus will never mix well.

    If you do not address the issues within your family, then they will be what rule your family.  If you do not address the issues, then you are not being obedient to God.  The sin that is accepted will wreak havoc on your family.  Boundaries and learning how to communicate are gifts from God.  Use them and learn as you make mistakes in your start to develop them. 

    Confront your family inherited sin and issue head on and your could build a new legacy with the help of God.  You can form strong relationship and have a close family.  You can face life hardship with people around supporting and helping you.  Be bold, pray like a warrior, and endure the hard part no matter how long it may last and your entire family could benefit.

Genesis 25:1-6, 37:26-28, Exodus 2:14-17, 18:10-27, Numbers 10:29-36, 31:1-20, Judges 7:1-13, Proverbs 3:5-6, Luke 12:49-53, Ephesians 4:31-32, Colossians 3:12-15, & 1 Timothy 5:8

Settling in Christianity

 

    Christianity is about walking in faith with Jesus.  It is powerful and passionate.  It is living a life of purpose even when it is not easy.  Christianity that settles is complacent faith.  It is settling for getting into Heaven, but not reaping any of the benefits on earth.  If you are settling, then you probably look more like the world than Jesus.  It is an insult to the sacrifice that Jesus made for you.

    When you settle you never get to have the ultimate peace that Jesus provides, emotional stability, or spiritual rest.  Together these allow the Holy Spirit heal you from what the world broke.  When you embrace your faith and decide to follow Jesus life may get harder.  Life could get impossibly hard at time, but you have God right there in it with you.  You endure the trails so you can become more like Jesus.  It changes your very nature and character to be a good witness for God.

    When you become passionate in your walk with Jesus you obtain inner peace, the ability to resolve conflict, and hold onto the ability to start over.  Conflict and strife are hard.  They may make you uncomfortable, but learning how to handle conflict and stay passionate is important.  You cannot serve God unless you are willing to face conflict in His name.  You are settling in your faith if you are not willing to obey God completely and sometimes He will call you to face opposition or people with different perspectives in life.

    If you are strong in your faith, in God's Word, and have an active prayer life then the Holy Spirit will provide you an equilibrium in facing the uncomfortable and hard moments in life.  Hold onto you the promises that God has given and you know what you are fighting for.  You do things God's way and you will be victorious.  

    Christians that settle allow injustice to prevail.  They become tolerant of what makes God angry.  They don't care what happens in the world as long as their world stays safe and secure.  What they do not realize is that God will allow the issues to come to their door if they pretend they do not exist.

    When you are called to obedience Satan will be there to tempt you to do the opposite.  His way will appear more enticing at the moment, but God's way will lead to the freedom that you need.  His way is best, safest, and reasonable, but to get to the final destination you will have to face hardship, conflict, and trails.  You will have to trust God to finish your life journey well.  Life is a marathon, so you have to focus on the end goal or you are likely to give up too soon.  

    If you are complacent in your faith you are likely to fall for the idols, always be in spiritual turmoil, act like a victim(oppressed), and become weak in your faith.  Satan will leave you alone because you are no threat.  You become the kind of Christian that give Christianity a bad reputation.  The worst part is one day you will have to face God and explain yourself.  

Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 10:12-13, Judges 6:7-10, 21:25, 2 Samuel 7:8-11, Psalm 119:89-96, Matthew 5:25-26, 1 Corinthians 6:3-8, Colossians 3:12-15, & 1 Peter 5:10-11

Complacent Faith

 

    When God's people become complacent they loose their strength in unity, closeness to God, and in wisdom.  Complacent Christians become more like the world than the church that God designed for them.  If you are a complacent Christians, then this is why you are not moving forward.  

    Complacency makes you susceptible to be more likely to do evil than good.  You start doing what you think is right instead of what God said was right.  It will lead to oppression and devastation in your life.  God is not an idea that you have in your head.  He is the once that created your head and everything else.  He is seeking a close relationship with you, but if you choose yourself over Him then you will be the one missing out.

    God's love for His people is boundless.  His love for you is greater than you know.  He provides mercy, strength, protection, and more while knowing where you are weak or unstable.  Where you are struggling, God is trying to help.  Will you let Him?

    You need to understand, not just know, who God is and His character to be able to live passionately for Him.  You trusting God and stepping out in faith can change everything in your life and the lives of the people around you.  Live a complacent life and you are a slave to the whims of people in the world.  You were not brought in this world to be a slave to anyone or anything.  God is waiting to empower you, but you can't be complacent in your walk with Jesus or life.

    God gives you what you need to be victorious in His name.  You can't ignore or neglect God's commands and expect to be blessed.  You have to be obedient even when you don't understand the command, afraid, or feel that it is unfair.  God is justice.  It will prevail in some way.  Your calling may be intimidating, but running away will only make things worse.  You may be an underdog, but if you have God supporting you then you can't lose.  Ignore God in complacency and there is no end to all that could go wrong.

Deuteronomy 7:1-6, Judges 1:19-36, 6:20-21, 21:24-25, Psalm 20:4-8, Proverbs 1:28-33, Isaiah 32:9-15, Amos 6:1-7, Zephaniah 1:12-13, Romans 12:9-13, 1 Corinthians 15:56-58, & Revelations 3:15-19

Partaking in the Lord's Supper

 

    The Lord's Supper is church practice for true Christians only.  It is done to celebrate Jesus, remember his sacrifice, and face who you are in comparison to him.  It is not something that everyone in the church should partake in.  Not even all true Christians should partake at certain times because of unforgiveness, division, or living in open sin.  It is a declaration of your salvation covenant with God.

    To honor God and Jesus means that you need to live a life that is true and faithful.  It is how you live everyday that matters.  The Lord's supper is only a small action to recognize that Jesus is the only way to God and salvation.  Before you declare you are worthy do a self-examination to make sure you can face God without regret.

    Partaking in the Lord's Supper is an exercise of your faith where you declare to the church you are ready to face God today.  Jesus loved you enough to die for you.  As a Christian you are saying you are willing to die for the church like Jesus did.  When you partake in the Lord's Supper you are declaring yourself a living sacrifice.  Your are declaring that your life belongs to God to do with it as He sees fit.  You are claiming your righteous birthright to be with Him for eternity.

    Jesus' blood provides atonement.  If you accept the gift from God, then you are accepting all the responsibility of being a part of God's family.  You are a representative of Jesus.  Come to him in God's Word for your daily nourishment.  The best thing for you is to turn away from your sins and follow Jesus.  

    When you have examined your heart and life you face who you are in the light of the truth of God.  If you are ready, then you are to partake in the Lord's Supper.  When you do you are declaring you are a servant for the church and no longer living for yourself.  If you are true in your actions, then you are accepting God's blessings that come with being a humble servant: fellowship, unity, health, strength, boldness, and more.    

Matthew 26:26-29, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:20-34, Ephesians 3:20-21