Words I Have Read

You can't see God. But be assured, He is very, very real. He is walking right beside you.

Worship is the recognition of God for Who He is, what He has done, and what we are trusting Him to do in the future.

Jesus has given each of us a race to run. Each of our races are different, this means that we cannot compare our race with others. At times, our race is difficult. We become tired and worn out, but then God reminds us of how much we need Him! We are not running alone!

God is waiting on our faith to show up before He does what He has already determined to do.

Dear God, The human in me says, “Why, Lord?” whenever I have to bear suffering—but the Spirit-filled me that was born again says, “I trust You, Father.”

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and He doesn’t engage in manipulation—emotional or otherwise.

A Prayer for When We Feel Tempted to Sin

Dear God,

It is so hard to fight against temptations.
The devil bombards us constantly.
Teach us how to wisely and effectively use Your Word against Satan’s strategies.
Help us keep our eyes on Jesus.
Thank you that Jesus conquered sin and Satan, and gives us power to stand against the enemy.

I ask for all of this in Jesus Most Holy Name, Amen.

When you have the capacity to meet a need, do not close your heart to the situation. Trust where the Lord is leading you.

On the Enemy

"The Devil often transforms himself into an angel to tempt men, some for their instruction, some for their ruin."
—Augustine of Hippo

"The deceit, the lie of the Devil consists of this, that he wishes to make man believe that he can live without God's Word."
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"The existence of the Devil is so clearly taught in the Bible that to doubt it is to doubt the Bible itself."
—Archibald G. Brown

"The Devil can counterfeit all the saving operations and graces of the Spirit of God."
—Jonathan Edwards

"The Enemy will not see you vanish into God's company without an effort to reclaim you."
—C. S. Lewis

"For where God built a church, there the Devil would also build a chapel."
—Martin Luther

"That there is a Devil is a thing doubted by none but such as are under the influences of the Devil."
—Cotton Mather

"The more God uses us, the more Satan will attempt to harass us."
—Dr. Charles F. Stanley

"The Devil is a better theologian than any of us and is a devil still."
—A. W. Tozer

"The Devil does not tempt unbelievers and sinners who are already his own."
—Thomas à Kempis

When your resources run dry, turn to your ultimate Source. Rely on God to provide.

No matter how desperate our situation, we can find comfort in memories of how You have helped us in the past. Preserve these memories and remind us often, we ask; in present trouble let us not forget Your proven faithfulness.

Shunning is the opposite of forgiving, God demands we forgive others it's never been an option. If we do not forgive others for their sins then God will not forgive us for our sins.

Lord, we come to you now in a moment when being alone isn’t desirable anymore. We ask you to help us get out of our confinement and meet people. God, thank you that when we call on you, you are there. Together, we no longer feel alone, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth.

The devil will do anything to distract our prayers because he knows that's where we get our power to defeat him. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you overcome distractions from the enemy.

There is no possible way a true born again Christian can be possessed by a demon. To be possessed by a demon would imply ownership and the Bible is very clear that we have been bought with a price and we have been filled with the Holy Spirit. Where the Spirit dwells there can be no demons. We see no scripture that tells us of a Christian that had a demon that was cast out of them. People want to blame everything on Satan and demons when in reality it's their own fault and their own sin that they are experiencing the chastising hand of God OR they're not really saved at all.

When we are worn out, we will trust in You. When we are fearful, we will trust in You. In anger and joy, pain and ease, boredom, and happiness, by Your grace we will trust in You.

A person is not beyond help if he is disinterested in the things of God, if his insensitivity to sin becomes normal, or if he withdraws from fellowship. But when he goes down the road of rejecting faith, he is close to the point of no return.

If you are abiding in Jesus' love and keeping your heart open to His leading, then kindness will be the fruit of Your relationship with God.

Escaped slave, abolitionist, and statesmen Frederick Douglass observed, “Between the Christianity of this land and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference—so wide that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked.”

The more we get what we now call “ourselves” out of the way and let Him take us over, the more truly ourselves we become. . . I am not, in my natural state, nearly so much of a person as I like to believe: most of what I call “me” can be very easily explained. It is when I turn to Christ, when I give myself up to His Personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own.

It’s tempting to believe we have no power over our thoughts, but this is false. Dear God, strengthen us to fight sinful, self-indulgent thought patterns. Help us resist nurturing sinful patterns.

Life with Jesus is not a business relationship. More than your time or talent, He desires your heart's devotion.

When we walk in the Spirit, the flesh will lose its ability to have the last word.

Without the power of the Holy Spirit, there would be no spiritual progress.

People drift from God in search of more--more freedom, choices, and pleasure. But since the consequences are a hard heart, a numb conscience, and dead ears, what they end up with is less. The drifting believer sacrifices the victorious life in Christ for an existence devoid of permanent satisfaction.

Everybody wants to enjoy heaven after they die, but they don't want to be heavenly minded while they live.

When we see God for who He is, we will see this world for what it is.

A character flaw always leads to a content flaw.

Faith is at the heart of worship.

Worship is not a place or an event. It's a way of life.

God is waiting on you at times to wait upon Him. Do you trust Him?

Using our illustration of the teen/parent relationship, Satan was encouraging Adam and Eve to think like the teen who wants his parents to pay the bills, but does not want to submit to their authority.

Dear Heavenly Father, do not let injustice within Christian circles dissuade others from seeking You! Strengthen us to speak against wrongdoing and stand for righteousness, outside of the church, as well as within it.

A great sin cannot destroy a Christian, but a little sin can make him miserable.

Appeal to God's presence when fear begins to overtake you so that the emotion of fear doesn't become a spirit of fear.

How can you know God is real? One way is when He overrides your fears with His presence.

But the fact of the matter is that a simple prayer, a groan, or a yearning of the heart might be a prayer that is inspired by God.

What a difference prayer can make! Let’s take our problems and burdens and cast them upon the Lord. God ultimately will have His way. Regardless of how bleak the scenario may be, God can turn it around.

When you're tempted to fear people, problems or circumstances, God wants to remind you that you need to pray for His divine intervention

Passionate devotion to the Lord creates a legacy that will outlive you.

American culture will be reclaimed when Christians regain spiritual clarity.

(In navigating treacherous waters, we must remember that our ultimate allegiance is to the Lord and His Word. By keeping our eyes fixed on the cross and our ears tuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit, we can discern between truth and deception, ensuring that our churches remain beacons of hope in a dark and desperate world.)

"My people;" for, if God be your God, and Christ your Christ, the Lord has a special, peculiar favour to you; you are the object of his choice, accepted in his beloved Son.

God rejects all competitors. Focusing on these competitors is what the Bible calls idolatry.

(But we can’t help someone else be a disciple of Jesus if we are not first disciples ourselves.

Here’s what it comes down to: Every follower of Jesus Christ should be a disciple. And we should either disciple someone who is less mature in the faith than we are or seek out someone who is more mature in the faith to disciple us.

Discipleship is all about growing up. It’s about going to the next level. It’s about really living the Christian life to its fullest, as Jesus meant for us to live it. It’s being a disciple and, in turn, going out and making disciples of others.)

(Jesus himself teaches that no one can believe in him unless God grants it (John 6:53-65)... and ALL to whom God grants it will believe (v. 37). These passages plainly teach that Jesus alone is sufficient to save. His grace is effectual. He leaves no room from the unregenerate, natural man making good choices on his own, so as to leave no room for any boasting. Why do you think one person believes the gospel and not the other? Was one born with more natural wisdom? Or inclination to good? What makes people to differ? Jesus Christ or something else?)

(" You have no merit of your own to plead why he should pardon you, but plead his written engagements and he will perform them. Are you afraid lest you should not be able to hold on to the end, lest, after having thought yourself a child of God, you should prove a castaway? If that is your state, take this word of grace to the throne and plead it: "The mountains may depart, and the hills may be removed, but the covenant of my love shall not depart from thee." If you have lost the sweet sense of the Savior's presence, and are seeking him with a sorrowful heart, remember the promises: "Return unto me, and I will return unto you;" "For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee." Banquet your faith upon God's own word, and whatever your fears or wants, repair to the Bank of Faith with your Father's note of hand, saying, "Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.")

A sin of commission is breaking a commandment, while a sin of omission is not doing what God tells us to do.

(Let's pray. Father God, you have proven yourself to us so many times that we don't need to doubt anything in Your Word. We believe that You grant miracles in different times and places, and no one is beyond Your miracle-giving gifts. Thank you for that. And help us to carry them in our hearts and our minds so that we can be witnesses for you. In Jesus' name, amen.)

"A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out."

(If you believe in God it's an eternity for you,
If you don't believe in God it's a dirt nap or worse,
So the question is, which one do you want to rely on?)

"The best kind of friend is a praying friend."

"Obey God and leave all the consequences to him.”

If your faith is only in your speech it won't live. It's only when it's in your feet that it comes alive.

Embracing a faith that works means we bring God's perspective into every situation.

We must make the Bible the first place we go to find truth, not the last. We must be quick to hear His truth.

God is the Source. Everything else is merely a resource.

We all enter the world in the same state: dead in our sins. Only the power of Christ can give us life and change our hearts to look like His.

The most important thing a community can have are solid churches led by solid pastors who take the Word of God seriously.

We are called to walk with God, not just visit Him.

God's calling on your life is bigger than what you can see. Walk by faith.

The power behind you is greater than the task ahead of you.

God is faithful to bring good from even our hardest times.

The greater the crisis, the greater the destiny.

To worry about tomorrow is to forfeit your joy today.

Sometimes all you have is hope. If that's you, hang on. He is faithful.

God often won't show you His secrets until He sees your faith.

When you come to the end of yourself, God can give you the strength to keep going.

Many believers say to God, "Show me and I'll believe." But God says, "Believe and you will see."

Don't magnify your problem. Magnify your God. He is bigger than anything you are facing right now.

God's Word assures you that Christ is in your crisis. Focus on Him.

No Christian is anonymous to God. You matter. He knows you by name.

Nature preaches us a sermon of God's glory. Glorify Him.

Your greatest lessons in faith will often be learned in the dark.

As you are being a blessing, you are setting yourself up to be blessed.

God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.

God has you on earth at this very moment for a reason. Live on purpose.

The chaos around you shouldn't override the calm within you. Rest in Jesus.

As powerful as your enemies are, they are no match for your Lord Jesus Christ.

Accept one another in the Lord just as Jesus Christ has accepted you.

Hope is not the absence of fear. Hope is the presence of God. Look to Him.

Hope is joyful expectation about the future.

Your circumstances might knock you down, but they shouldn't knock you out. Get up, and live by faith in the living Savior.

Faith doesn't make sense. It makes miracles.

You may not be in an ideal situation, but you have an ideal God.

Heaven rules. Earth never has the last word.Dr. Tony Evans - If the devil can't hinder you with difficulties, he'll choke you with distractions. Stay wise to his schemes.

Truth is the foundation of good character and kingdom values.When life drags you down, your ability to rise above it hinges on your intimate communion with Christ.

The way to see the plan for your life is in your relationship to the Planner. Pursue God. He will show you the plan.

People don't reject the Bible because it contradicts itself. They reject the Bible because it contradicts them.

Never look at only what you have right now. Consider what it can become. God is able.

Truth does not need your emotions to approve it or validate it. Truth comes from God.

Anything that God tells you that does not seem good, keep in mind it's for your own good if you are His follower.

God is fighting for you. Rest, as you trust Him.

Peace doesn't mean that you will not have problems. Peace means that your problems will not have you.

Pray when you feel like it. But also pray when you don't.

God doesn't want to be your life coach. He wants to be your God.

Most of the chaos we are facing today is due to a lack of personal surrender to the legitimate authority of God's rule.

Seek God's presence in spite of your problem. You will discover He is with you even when things don't always make sense.

You are what God declares you to be, not what your situation is.

The power is in the gospel, and the gospel is about the grace of God in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.

Keep your eye on the Shepherd and you will make it through the valley.

Hang in there, my friend. God's got it.

God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.

Brokenness is often the road to breakthrough.

Where God is taking you is much bigger than what you have left behind.

Ask how God can sanctify the job you have, the skills He has given you and what you can do to advance His kingdom.

A husband who refuses to align himself under God’s agenda and value, appreciate, and utilize the contributions of his wife cannot expect God to answer his requests.

Give God a plan that you want Him to bless, and allow Him to adjust it as He sees fit.

When we emphasize spiritual revival we will begin to see God's hand of blessing and provision and power.
God gives us all the tools and resources we need to accomplish His kingdom work.

Remembering what God has done yesterday gives us hope for what He can do today and how He can change our tomorrow.
 

Trust the truth you know--the truth that God cares enough about you to care for you in any and every way you need Him to.

To worry is to focus on the wrong thing. It is to honor the wrong authority.

Leaving God out of the planning leaves you on your own. Including God in the planning means living with a kingdom focus.

Contentment is a discovery. It's a process of learning how to be at ease with what the Lord has provided to you.

When we apply heaven's perspective to earth's realities, we are able to solve things in the way they ought to be solved.

When duty replaces devotion, you have shifted your focus to a fatal attraction for the world.

 When you are faced with a decision to follow God or to follow the world, your choice will reflect which one you love most.

God is not instructing you to avoid the world. Rather, He is instructing you to live in the world without loving its ways.

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

The way ahead may seem blurry but you know deep within you that God has asked you to travel this path.

God looks at your future while the enemy tries to keep you focused on your past.

There is always hope when you have God on your side.

Tear down the walls of Jericho. Don't remodel them.

Grace is all that God is free to do for you based on the work of Jesus Christ on your behalf.