In Ephesians 1: 17-21, God promises the spirit of wisdom and knowledge of Him to all who believe.  God wants you to be wise, and also to receive the desires of your heart.  How do those go hand in hand?  Pray big, pray bold, pray and ask God to reveal Himself through you, to use you for His will, not your will.  If God can do these big things for us and open our spiritual eyes to more truth than we knew existed, why haven’t we?  We are scared.  We are afraid to ask for big things or to make ourselves wholly vulnerable in fear of God taking away worldly things that we have.  The more you have, the more you feel like you have more to lose.  Let go of your worldly things.  God will bless you, care for you, and provide greater than you can imagine.  Rip off that bandaid and trust in the Lord.

Pray boldly and do not fear.  According to His will, he may direct you in a way that forces you to sacrifice worldly things.  Let it go.  God is bigger than any earthly thing.  

“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.”

Ephesians 1:17-21 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/eph.1.17-21.NKJV

Heavenly Father, I surrender myself to you, and pray that you break me and show me your will for my life. Make me an impact to the people you put me in front of. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Being accountable to another person or persons is very important.  Why?  There are moments that happen that can be taken out of context and without someone else being with you to hold you accountable for your actions and to keep the truth, the story about that moment may be spread wrongly because of assumptions.  This means, don’t go out into the world alone.

As a guy, having other guy friends who can keep us accountable for good, checking in on each other, and making sure we are on the right path in life, is a good thing.

In a marriage, your spouse, whom you should love and trust, and should be your best friend, can also be an accountability partner, making sure you are doing the right things, acting a certain way, and saying the right things around kids, for example.

As the scripture above says, two are strong, but three are stronger.  Now, this could mean you have a couple of accountability partners, creating a great network of support and protection.  But if you have one other person, who can, and will always be your third person?

Jesus Christ. 

Jesus should always be the leader of your accountability team. Making Jesus a part of your daily walk in life and including Him in everything creates a level of accountability.  Now, he may not be the friend that physically steps in front of you and tells you to stop doing something, but the Holy Spirit in you will tug at you to stop.  If you are in line with Jesus in your life, that tug will be pretty obvious.  But as believers and Christians, we are given free will, and we still have a choice to make at that moment.

If you struggle with needing to be held accountable for your actions, and you can’t always have a friend with you, or you call them and they are not available, then you need to lean on Jesus.  But don’t put Jesus second.  He should be first.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭8‬:‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

First and foremost, lean on and turn to Jesus Christ as your accountability partner.  He will then send you one here on earth, someone in the flesh who can physically be your accountability partner.  Don’t go at things alone.  There is no need to.  Even if you think it’s something you have to do to achieve something, or be recognized by someone, don’t do it alone.

Look at long-distance trail runners.  Every one of them does it for different reasons.  Some of them do it for selfish reasons, while some may do it for charity, for others.  No matter their motivation or reason, they all have teams.  They have people who are there supporting them from start to finish.

God is your team leader.  He will help you build your team.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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How To Pray

Jesus said,

"And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭7‬-‭15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Fasting to be Seen Only by God

Jesus said,

"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others.  Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

PRAYER

In Matthew 6, during the sermon on the mount, Jesus teaches us how to pray and then goes into fasting.  Fasting and praying go hand in hand and can have very powerful effects on our spiritual lives, prayer lives, and relationship with God.

The model prayer, commonly referred to as The Lord's Prayer, isn't really the prayer of Jesus, because He would never pray that prayer.  It is instead a guideline of how to pray and what elements you should include in your prayer if you don't know how to pray or don't know what to say.  The model prayer is not meant to be prayed as is.  Jesus also begins with that teaching by making a point not to pray repetitive prayer as they become empty words.  Repeating a prayer over and over will not get you any further with God, and Jesus clearly says not to do it.

Getting into your prayer with God, you should honor Him.  If you read what Jesus spoke and break down each phrase, you will see it is a suggested structure of prayer.  Calling out to God in reverence, acknowledging His Holy name, then praying for His will to be done in our lives.  Then ask God to provide for you today and in Heaven to come.  Forgive others, and ask for forgiveness (God will not forgive you if you are not willing to forgive others first).  Lastly, in prayer ask God to keep us from temptation and evil.  Some texts add, 'for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever.  Amen'.

If you were to write out your prayer, the outline for your prayer could be:

1. Matthew 6:9 - "Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name."

2. ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭10 - "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

3. ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭11 - "Give us this day our daily bread,"

4. ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭12 - "and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."

5. ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭13 - "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

6. ‭‭With an extra reminder about forgiveness - “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

You can build your prayers out from that outline.  There have been full devotionals built around this guidance from Jesus.  Now it's time to take His teaching as He meant it.

FASTING

So what about Fasting?  In the sermon, Jesus tells us to fast in private and not make a big deal about it or be all dramatic about it.  Fasting, these days, can take on any number of formats, from just water to only fruit and nuts, to no meat or alcohol.  You should pray to God and ask Him to show you which form of fasting to do and for how long.

When you fast, you need also to pray.  So, after you have decided which fasting version you will do and for how long, commit to it and use the guideline that Jesus taught for prayer.

To secure the power of Christ in your prayer, always finish your prayer with "in Jesus' name", making sure Jesus is included in your prayers.  He will go with them to God.

If you are married, combining fasting and praying and doing these things together is powerful and should be a regular part of your spiritual and relationship growth.

Heavenly Father, Almighty God, we honor You in studying Your word.  We pray the Holy Spirit teaches us Your wisdom through the teachings of Jesus Christ.  May Your will be done in my life today.  I know You will provide for my family and me.  Open and close doors in my life and guide me.  Protect me from temptation and lead me down the narrow path you have cut for me.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

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“God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭MSG‬‬

God is love.

Those three words are bigger than life itself because they are of God.  God’s love for you is boundless and endless.  He teaches us how to love others by loving us.  I think many people miss this and don’t put two and two together to see that the love God gives us is supposed to be reflected in our lives, and toward others around us.  It’s not easy.  It’s not supposed to be.  But because of God, we are given the courage and wisdom to approach tough situations with love.  With God, not everything is a challenge to us.  We are blessed with things and people in our lives that make loving easy.  For those, we give God all of the glory and thank Him for that gift.

Remember to smile.  Show people, you are full of God’s love.  When someone asks why you smile all of the time, you get to tell them, “it’s because God’s love is in me.”

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God knows the desires of our hearts.  He knows our dreams, He knows what makes us happy.  Be faithful to God, surrender every day to Him, and pray for God’s will for your life to be revealed.  Love Him, and because He loves you, He will give you the desires of your heart.

“Some of you were locked in a dark cell, cruelly confined behind bars, Punished for defying God’s Word, for turning your back on the High God’s counsel— A hard sentence, and your hearts so heavy, and not a soul in sight to help. Then you called out to God in your desperate condition; he got you out in the nick of time. He led you out of your dark, dark cell, broke open the jail and led you out. So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves; He shattered the heavy jailhouse doors, he snapped the prison bars like matchsticks!”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭10‬-‭16‬ ‭MSG‬‬

His love is so big that he forgives when you ask for forgiveness.  His love will break any chains you have and will free you from anything that is holding you back from loving Him more.  If you feel like you are stuck, it may be time to reflect on what you are doing in your life that may be getting in the way of your time with God.  Big or small, surrender it to God, and He will help you overcome it.  Give God the glory and give Him time for prayer.

“My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬

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The Bible teaches us that the sabbath is important.  In the beginning, it was about a day of the Sabbath.  It was part of the Law of Moses.  Even the Pharisees later had a specific day, in keeping with the Law of Moses, and had strict man-made rules around the Sabbath.  But God taught us about the sabbath to teach us how to rest.  This turned into teaching us how to make time for others, like ourselves and our family, and most importantly, make time for God outside of our busy lives.

Jesus later taught us that it’s not about a specific day of the week, but rather that we make time to rest, whenever that is.  But what do we do when we rest?  What should we be doing?  Making time to rest doesn’t necessarily mean sleeping in and not doing anything at all.  This is a time to spend with God and spend time with family, like having a game night or going on a walk.  It’s a nice time to do projects around the house, mow the lawn, or just sit and enjoy the fruits of your labor.  The Sabbath really is about making time to spend with God.  A prayer, devotional, and Bible reading routine is good to have daily, but on the sabbath, allow yourself time to read a book that will help build your spiritual life, or read more of the Bible.  You can never go wrong with reading more of the Bible.

“‘This is God’s Message. Be careful, if you care about your lives, not to desecrate the Sabbath by turning it into just another workday, lugging stuff here and there. Don’t use the Sabbath to do business as usual. Keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. They never did it, as you know. They paid no attention to what I said and went about their own business, refusing to be guided or instructed by me.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17‬:‭21‬-‭23‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Do you make time for God?

I believe we take for granted everything God does in our lives.  We go about our days sometimes, distracted by our surroundings, and forget to give Glory to God.  We get stuck in situations that are not fun or enjoyable and just complain instead of reaching out to God, giving the situation to Him, and giving Him the Glory for the struggle.

Our own creator of heaven and Earth, does so much for us, and for everything around us, yet we forget Him at times we should be thinking of Him the most.

So, to help with making sure you are doing your best, feed yourself with Christian, edifying music, listen to audiobooks about growing your spiritual life, or listen to devotionals.  Make time in the morning, to start your day with God in it.  Make a point to be in a habit of prayer and thanksgiving.  Surrender your day to Him daily, while you are brushing your teeth first thing in the morning, getting dressed, or better yet before you even get out of bed.  Make God the center of your actions.  Get beyond these behaviors as just a habit, and make them second nature, a part of who you are.  As a child of God, this should be your desire.

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭30‬-‭33‬ ‭MSG‬‬

“It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭MSG‬‬

“But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭13‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Do you make time for your spouse?

“Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They’re really doing themselves a favor—since they’re already “one” in marriage. No one abuses his own body, does he? No, he feeds and pampers it. That’s how Christ treats us, the church, since we are part of his body. And this is why a man leaves father and mother and cherishes his wife. No longer two, they become “one flesh.” This is a huge mystery, and I don’t pretend to understand it all. What is clearest to me is the way Christ treats the church. And this provides a good picture of how each husband is to treat his wife, loving himself in loving her, and how each wife is to honor her husband.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭25‬-‭33‬ ‭MSG‬‬

These verses in the Bible clearly instruct us as married people how to treat one another.  Just as making time for God is important, so is making time for your spouse.  This includes intimacy, or just having conversations, planning sessions, sharing dreams of your future together, planning date nights, or spontaneously taking a date, making weekend trips to someplace special to you two, reading the Bible together, praying together, and even spending time with other Christian couples.  Make time for each other.  Plan as much as you can, and also allow time for spontaneous things.  But most importantly, love one another.

Do you make time for your children?

“Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭127‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Children should be cherished, even if they are not being obedient.  Be patient with them and love them.  Show them they are loved.  Because their attention spans are a bit more sporadic these days, be flexible.  When they speak to you, make eye contact with them.  Show them that you are listening, even if you are in the middle of washing dishes.  Children should be able to look to parents and see positive examples of how to be.  If a child doesn’t have that exposure at home, that is where church leaders, friends’ parents, and teachers have the opportunity to be that example.

We should never miss an opportunity to make time, even if it’s a minute here and there, for children, especially if they are our own.  The effort may not seem appreciated at the moment, but long term, it makes all of the difference.

“The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: “Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Do you make time for your family as a whole?

Making time for God should teach you how to make time for everyone you care about in your life.  God will help you make time for those you love.  As your challenge as a spiritual leader in your family, or amongst your friends, you get the opportunity to speak out.  Make time to say a prayer.  It can be a quick prayer, like before a meal, or it can be a quick prayer before a meeting, or it can be a long prayer where the needs may seem greater.

“Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It’s a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness that no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ. Wake up from your sleep, Climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light! So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬-‭17‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Give God time first, and He will help the rest fall into place.

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Jesus said…

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Do you ever feel like you have hit a wall in some aspect of your life?  Your marriage?  Work?  Relationships with your kids?  Your own motivation to do the right thing?  That’s the evil one, our enemy, Satan, getting in the way, causing that wall to appear.  Many times it starts out so subtle you don’t realize it’s there at first.  If you do not pray regularly, you may never see that wall for what it is, and that is when things begin to fall apart.  Stay in prayer so you can see the walls Satan puts up before you, so God can go before you and clear a way for His will for you.

The thief, the enemy, comes only to steal.  He will swoop in and steal your motivation, your attention, your loving heart, and kindness towards others, and will attempt to kill you through hatred, idolatry, being unfaithful in a relationship, or being mean towards people.  This is what the enemy wants.  To destroy you and your house, one brick at a time until you are a pile of rubble.

How do you combat this?

Prayer, and reading the Word of God - the Bible.

“…I came that they have life and have it abundantly.”  What a difference!  Don’t you want to have life, be healthy, and happy, keep your marriage and relationships strong, and keep your house together and on a firm foundation?

Pray without ceasing.  Never stop.  Don’t give the enemy room to come close.  Pray, and read the Word.  Put on your armor of God!

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?

“Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭7‬-‭12‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Dear Father in Heaven, Our Protector, and Teacher, You are our general in this spiritual army.  You strengthen us and guide us.  Give us the continued strength and wisdom to spend time in prayer with you, to keep our armor strong and conditioned, and ready for battle against the enemy, and to fend off the thief.  We love you and thank you, Lord, for all you do to protect and guide us.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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“Am I enough?” Has God ever asked you this?

Is God enough, even if nothing else is going right?

“I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.”

‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In my past, I had moments where I felt nothing was right, and everything was falling apart because of things I did, or didn’t do.  I called out to God, and expected an immediate answer.  I didn’t get anything, or at least I didn’t think I did.  I also did not know how to listen for His voice back then.  He worked in me, knew my stubbornness, guided me, and comforted me.  Thinking about all of this now, I know Satan was doing his work in me and filling my head with self destruction, self loathing, and causing me to think I wasn’ good enough anymore because things I had done.

I feel like a lot of lessons have been learned since that chapter in my life, and a lot of spiritual and personal growth, too.  But one thing that I really did learn is realizing that God is enough.  When everything seemed to be falling apart, or not right anymore, and I just wanted to run away from it somehow, He pulled me back and reminded me, He is enough.  He is enough to keep me going even when it seems nothing else can.

In Matt Maker’s Song, “Your Grace is Enough”, though a straight forward and otherwise simple song of praise, these words are there, and couldn’t be more true:

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

Isaiah‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When you struggle with things not going how you expected, or you find yourself so deep in repentance you don’t feel like God will ever forgive you for everything, and you worry the people around you will never understand or forgive you either, just remember, God is enough.  He is enough to forgive you always.  He is enough to help you overcome these things.  He is enough to prepare the hearts of those around you so you can confront those you need to confront.  God is enough.

“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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“These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. “But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.”

Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭24‬-‭27‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Take a moment to examine your life.  Is God the center of your daily living?  Is God the center of your relationships, or even your marriage?  Is God the center of your daily work?  Is God the center of your daily decisions, and big life decisions?

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Making God your foundation, where everything in your life is built, will ensure your life will be firm and stable.  This doesn’t mean you won’t experience storms.  It just means when you do, you will sustain little to no damage and God will be with you.

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Living here on Earth is not perfect.  Only in Heaven will everything be perfect.  So, we still see bad things happen around us, like fighting, war, death, bad people, and really the effects of Satan on this planet.  Satan has power on the Earth, but he doesn’t have reign over the people.  The choice is ours to make.  He will try to influence as much as possible through temptation, and every temptation will be followed by destruction because that’s all he knows how to do, and cares to do.  Satan doesn’t like you, and he definitely hates the Christ follower.

Keeping God in the center of all aspects of our life keeps us strong amidst temptation and evil.  God gives us the power of prayer to seek Him, His Son Jesus Christ, and ask for wisdom through the Holy Spirit.  As One Body, the Trinity, we have access to amazing power, strength, and wisdom.  We need to constantly seek God.  Discern all things in your life through prayer, and Let God guide you.

“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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We only have so much room in our lives before we get overwhelmed.  If we are not intentional in our walk with God, our lives will fill up with the things of the world.  When we get overwhelmed with the things of the world, that is when our lives become a mess, a disaster.  We miss things, and fall short of the glory of God.  This worldly state will pour out of us onto others, but will not be positive, or uplifting, or wholesome in the sight of God.  It will be destructive, you may find yourself getting stressed more, angry more, having trouble getting along with people, and family members.  Why does this happen?  Because the world is Satan’s domain.  By letting the world into your life, especially to the point of being overwhelmed by it, Satan takes pleasure in this and will destroy you and everyone and everything around you.  That is his way and his desire.

We need to be intentional with our walk with God so that our lives become more filled with Jesus Christ and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, who will begin to guide us more knowingly.  Getting overwhelmed with God in our lives means an abundance of blessings, and these will pour out of our lives unto others.  This is the life we should strive for.  Your life with God, pouring unto others, will bring peace, love, kindness, forgiveness, success, and blessings.  And the greatest of these is love.

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God of all creation, we thank You for being present in our lives, even when we struggle with making time for You.  Help us to be intentional in our walk with You, our Heavenly Father, so that we may be delivered from evil, and guarded from temptation.  “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬ ‭ESV‬‬), but that doesn’t mean You are not with us, and that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive every moment of every day to be intentional to You, Lord.  Help us to make the time, big or small, to be with You.  We love You and praise You.  In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

#Prayerful-Patriots

The idea of keeping up with the Jones’ has been in our culture forever.  But having material things is not a measure of your love, or a measure of the blessings God has given us.  This doesn’t mean we can’t have nice and fun things.  It’s about what is in your heart.  Is that “thing” a form of measurement in your life?  That’s idolatry.  That’s a sin.  Turn your heart to God, don’t let possessions, be your measure.  Give your heart and your mind to God, and he will bless you, and you will enjoy your possessions even more, because of Him.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In Matthew, the story of the rich young man, the man asks Jesus what else he needs to do to be saved?  Jesus tells him to keep the Commandments, and tells the man what those are.

“The young man said to Him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The man couldn’t give up his possessions, so he went away.  God wants you to put Him first.  He wants you to not let idolatry be your sins.

“And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Dear Heavenly Father, creator of Heaven and Earth, comfort me in your presence that I may not seek worldly things for comfort.  Help me to seek you always and to obey your commandments.  And if You ask me to give up my possessions, so I will do.  I love You and praise You.  In Jesus’ precious and powerful name, Amen.

#Prayerful-Patriots

Do you talk to Jesus? Do you imagine Him sitting next to you while you pray, or walking next to you while you are out for a walk, or sitting in the car next to you on your way to work or the grocery store? If not, you should. Why? Because, He is always with us.

Jesus is with us wherever we are, and we should pray to Him, and talk to Him whenever we can. Trusting in Him that He will protect us from evil, or lead us to a divine encounter. When you are focused on Jesus and keep Him active in your life, He will reveal much to you. This will also keep you focused on doing the will of God.

“and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.”
‭‭Philemon‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison — ”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Praying to Jesus, or having a conversation with Him, is something all believers strive to be better at. Your prayer doesn’t have to be this perfectly scripted prayer, it can be a conversation. Even the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Then, just as it’s important to pray to God and talk to Him, it’s just as important to listen. Have an ear for the Lord Jesus Christ. Let the Holy Spirit fill you, and see what God has for you. The beauty of listening is, even if you may be expecting this long diatribe of instruction, or something like that, instead you may feel the Lord telling you to “be calm,” or simply “rest.”

“Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”
Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Many times we are reaching out to God when we are in trouble or struggling. He wants us to trust in Him, to believe that He will be there for you. Then listen for God, and know that His answer, His response, may not be at all that you have floating in your head. Praise God for whatever He gives you.

Dear Heavenly Father, Counselor, Teacher, God of Heaven and Earth, teach us to pray. May the Holy Spirit fill us and give us the words to say to you. Help us to be mindful of your presence, Lord Jesus, and may we always seek you in our days so that You can reveal Your will for us, and guide us, and show us how you want to use us for your Glory. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The word ‘appreciation’ means to recognize the full worth of someone, and to be grateful for someone or something. This is not a word that should be taken lightly or used flippantly. Having appreciation for someone is a big deal. Recognizing the full worth of someone means you see their value as a person in their character, personality, and who they are in your life.

The word ‘appreciation’ doesn’t have the initial weight as it should. Telling your kids that you appreciate them doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it truly is, especially as they get older. Whether they feel they need to seek your approval or not, and we know the current generations struggle with showing respect to parents sometimes, we as the parents need to still be the bigger person and let our kids know that we love them and appreciate them, and mean it.

Jesus said,
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭12‬:‭28‬ ‭ESV‬‬

To an older kid, or young adult, this can be very empowering, uplifting, and can even take down any walls that may have been put up between you. We should be praying for our kids daily. We should be praying for God to soften our hearts, to show love and mercy towards our kids, and with the little ones, pray that we make time for and acknowledge them when they call on us.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Just as God is always there for us as our Father in Heaven, so we too need to reflect that to our kids. Because I was writing this, I made a point of telling my kids that I love them and appreciate them today. Even if it doesn’t sink in right away, the more they hear that, the more they will believe it, see it, and reciprocate in their behavior. Why does this work? Because, hopefully this means you are praying for your kids daily, and God will bless them, and you, and your house, and do great things in their lives.

“Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭8‬:‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God wants us to to be consistent, diligent, and persistent in our prayer to Him. It will not always be smooth sailing. Satan will try to distract, derail, and destroy our efforts, and that is where the battle comes in, and that battle belongs to the Lord. The glue that will keep your family together, is prayer.

Next time you get a chance, or right now, let your kids, your loved ones know that you love them and appreciate them.

Heavenly Father, thank you for today. I surrender my day to you, and I surrender my heart to you. Show me how to love my kids and family more. Teach me to pray for them always, and to reflect my appreciation in my own behavior towards them. It’s not always easy, but by Your Grace, Lord Jesus, I can be a better parent to them. I thank you, Lord, for your love for me and the examples you set for how we are to love each other. Continue to teach me Your wisdom by the Holy Spirit that is in me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

(PS. If you got the CSNY reference in the title, cheers!)

Anyone who is or has been married knows that the early years can be difficult for some. If you and your spouse struggle, and God is centered on your marriage, then trust that God will step in and help. You just have to keep Him centered in your marriage. If God is not a part of your marriage or not the center of it anyway, then that means Satan is in there and will continue to drag you down. It’s a simple principle, but many of us were not taught this when we first got married, or didn’t have a solid church home, or mentor couples to lean on when things got tough. And if you were fortunate enough to have this guidance in the beginning of your marriage, then Bless you!

Having a group of couples that are believers that you can share with is super important for any couple. The support network that is there is invaluable. There is prayer support, and even intervention support, like taking the kids for the evening so the parents can go have an overdue date night. Or having a couple over for dinner for fellowship and bonding over food and drink. These are healthy practices. If you do not have a couples group that you can lean on, or even just one couple you can call to in need, then pray for God to open the doors to some. In addition, look for married Christian couples who look like they could use some fellowship. You never know how a positive get-together could really help a couple grow, possibly in ways you didn’t even know you were helping. That’s where God comes in.

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God is always working behind the scenes, and He will use you for the benefit of others sometimes. Having a community of married Christian couples will give God opportunity for Him to use you, or someone else, for the benefit of the group, or another individual or couple who might be struggling.

Jesus said…
“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the amazing marriage you have gifted my spouse and me. I pray that You use us to bless others. Give us the resources and means to be available for couples whether it’s for time to counsel, time to celebrate, or time to fellowship and study the Word of God. We pray for the married couples out there, that they seek You, Jesus Christ, to be the center of their marriage and to turn to you daily for guidance, wisdom, thanksgiving, and love. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When you are in a room with others, whether it’s at work, family, church, or even the grocery store, how do you carry yourself? Are you aware of the smile you have on, or the sour face you walked in with? Are you slouched over without realizing, or do you stand up tall? Being self-aware is important when exposing yourself to others. Your attitude, behavior, and even choice of words can make or break a moment, or someone’s day.

Pray to God that the Holy Spirit will fill you with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, and also be aware of these things. Your presence around others while reflecting these things can light up a room. And, it’s not just about your impression to others and what other people think. This kind of self control and awareness also lifts your own spirit and attitude. You character and personality brightens, you will be happier.

If you practice these things all of the time, you will eventually create a habit of good and positive behavior, and will change your life. This is much better than having a sour face, droopy posture, not speaking confidently, not being kind or good. You will create a habit of negativity and will project onto others, really bringing down a room. Not to mention, Satan loves it when you are negative, so he will reinforce it with situations to make matters even worse.

By staying positive and faithful, smiling, being kind and gentle in your actions and words, the Lord will bless and use you in situations to help you and others grow. You will become an example of Christ, and will have opportunities to share His Gospel and love.

Dear Lord, Heavenly Father, guide us in our words, our actions, and our presence around others. And also help us to be self aware of these things, even when we are alone. Teach us to love ourselves, to stand up proud in our faithfulness, and to seek you always, in everything we do, in every situation and environment we are in. Make us an instrument of peace and happiness for others by making us happy as we embrace your Word and love. In Jesus Christ’s holy name, amen.

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Jesus said,
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭11‬:‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God wants to hear from us. God wants us to pray to Him. God wants us to call to Him when in need, or even in thanksgiving. Prayer is so important. Your prayer can be in a formal setting with a group, or individually in your own space. Prayer is how we talk to God. Praying to Jesus Christ, and being touched by the Holy Spirit is part of our walk as a believer, a Christian, a saint.

Prayer can bring peace, comfort, and calmness. With others, prayer can also bring connection, and witness to the power of many in prayer at once.

Prayer can be a few simple words as you are walking into work, or a whole conversation with God in the car, or a plea for help at home when you feel lost and in need.

If you don’t know what to pray, or how to pray, but you know you need to pray, the Holy Spirit knows your heart and can step in to help.

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When you conclude your prayer, be thankful. Even during your struggles, and amidst your tough days, thank God for everything, for being with you, and trust that He is there and working to get your through. And of course, thank God when things are good, because you know all good things come from Him.

“give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Jesus said,
“Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭11‬:‭23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Dear Lord, teach me to pray always, and not try to hide my desires, because you know our desires before we even speak them. May the Holy Spirit be in my heart and remind me to seek you wherever I am. I love you and praise your Holy Name, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

The more we seek the Word of God, and pray for the Holy Spirit to teach us God’s wisdom in the scripture, He will begin to use us more. We know God has the power to take a criminal and make him a prophet, and we believe He still does that. As believers we are already there, followers of Christ, now we must learn the Word, so that we can confidently speak of the truth to others, knowing scripture suitable for the moment, and knowing how to pray.

“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 ‭ESV‬‬

“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God will meet you where you are, and he will use the least of us to share His truth to people around us. We must unashamedly embrace the call of evangelism, for God is with us.

“At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison — ”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

As Christians, we should not only be ready for any opportunity to share the gospel of Christ, but we should be praying for opportunity to do so. God knows our strengths and weaknesses and He will use us appropriately, either with our strengths or using our weaknesses to help us grow.

Heavenly Father, Creator of all, show me how to be a witness for you. Teach me how to be an outward example of your love, and to show and teach people about your truth. I thank you for making me who I am and using me for your Glory, to spread the Gospel of the Lord. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.”
Psalm 18:19 ESV

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV

Being a good parent, a good father, and even a good stepfather, I am trying to learn what else I can do to show my kids I love them. What are some simple, but effective habits I can learn to show my kids I like being around them, I like having them with me, and that I care for them, respect them, and love them?

Sure, there are some days when I just want to run an errand to get out of the house away from the chaos. Then my 7-yr old stepdaughter will ask if she can go along. My impulse response is usually, no. But I see how much she wants to go along and realize, it isn’t just about going on the errand, it’s about being in the presence of her stepdad. I remember as a kid wanting to go to the hardware store with my dad just so I could go for a ride with him in his truck, and be around him, just tag along. And of course, we would end up talking about things.

To adopt God’s behavior towards us and how He loves us, is what we should strive for. In the Bible, we see that God truly loves us, and HOW He loves us. Even though God can’t give us a physical embrace, the spiritual embrace can be just as warming and comforting. Through His power of the Holy Spirit within us, and through the relationship with Jesus Christ, we have a very well-rounded love from God.

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to express my appreciation and love to my kids more openly and not be afraid of their reactions. For them to know that there is affection in our relationship, and in our house, is important. And help them to learn and know that the love I share with them comes from You, God Almighty. In Jesus Christ’s holy name, Amen.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James 1:2–4 ESV

We will all be challenged with testing of our faith. Any testing of our faith is to be embraced. Stay focused on God, stay prayerful, and reach out to other believers to share your struggles so they can pray for you. Like the Bible says, let steadfastness have its full effect. When you exercise and you are consistent, eventually you have to push yourself more and more in order to keep challenging yourself. If you don’t push yourself, you will become complacent and lose site of where you are going. Spiritually, staying in prayer, experiencing fellowship with other believers, and reading the Word of God, will continue to push you to grow and to be better and better as a Christian.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;”
James 1:5–7 ESV

As part of my daily prayer, I ask God for the Holy Spirit to teach me His wisdom, and to show me what I need to learn when reading the Word of God, the Bible. I don’t expect immediate answers, or even specific answers. But I stay steadfast, and trust the Lord will respond and teach me in His time. Yes, we are to pray expectantly, but we also need to have faith, and trust in the Lord that He will respond in His way, not ours.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”
Luke 2:52 ESV

Just as we will grow and mature spiritually as we seek God daily, our stature, will change. There will be a level of confidence deep within that will cause us to have a better attitude, make us more approachable, make us a better teacher, a better speaker, a better spouse, parent, employee, friend, and family member. That stature, born from the wisdom if God inside us, makes us more in shape for God to use us how He needs.

Heavenly Father, thank you for all that you do. I thank you for the Word of God that you have provided for us to be closer to you. I pray the Holy Spirit opens my eyes to your wisdom in the Bible to better my life, my spiritual walk, and to make me a better instrument for you in our world, however you need me, Lord. I love you, thank you, and praise you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

And Jesus said,
“And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.””
Mark 4:4–9 ESV

Be consistent, persistent, patient, and don’t give up. There will be times of false hope, and times where things seem to stagnate. These are moments of practice, times of testing, your chance to trust in God. There are many challenges we choose to put on ourselves, things to accomplish, whether it’s health things, or creating new habits, or breaking bad habits. These challenges take work. They will never come easy, nor should they. Having the discipline to keep going, even when things don’t work out, forcing us to lean on God is exactly what is supposed to happen. Those that don’t trust in God in their challenges will just continue to struggle and likely give up. Or, worst case, they find another crutch or bad thing to help them get through the challenge, only making things worse than they were to begin with, and putting them back in the same position they were in — it becomes an evil cycle, and Satan loves that. He loves to see us fail, get destroyed, hurt, and take out our frustrations on other by blaming them or even adopting verbal and physical abusive behavior.

God wants us to trust in Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Proverbs 3:5 ESV

Pray often, read the Word of God, spend time in devotional study, journal to reflect, and fellowship with other believers. Use these things as your tassel to remember that God is with you always.

“And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.”
Numbers 15:39 ESV

Jesus Christ died for our sins. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23). We are not perfect, we are human. We will be weak sometimes. But Jesus is always there.

So, trust in God, pray to our Lord Jesus Christ, and let the Holy Spirit guide our hearts.

Dear Heavenly Father, I trust and know that You are with me always. Help me to not be discouraged, and to keep my discipline to go after the challenges set before me. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13). Be my strength, my guide, my motivation, and my encouragement. I love you Lord for all that you do for me. In Jesus Christ’s holy, precious, and powerful name, Amen.

The importance of fellowship with other men is overlooked and underrated. It’s important, whether it’s with one other guy or a group, that fellowship is had between men, to share their struggles, know they are not alone in things, and to build camaraderie. Have that relationship with other men is strengthening, uplifting, and as long as it is with other believers, it can be spiritually powerful.

The idea and picture of having a group of men truly focused on God, doing their best in their lives, with their families, their work, and dealing with all kinds of things, sharing with one another and praying together is very encouraging and uplifting.

In fact, I think groups of Godly men getting together in fellowship is such a threat to Satan that he will do whatever he can to keep it from happening. I have been a part of a couple of startup men’s groups that just don’t last long. One thing men need is consistency, something they can count on. When it waivers, or isn’t often enough, the commitment level falters and crumbles, and eventually dies. It takes devoted leadership, whether it’s one person or a few, to really commit to keeping something going, no matter who does or doesn’t show up.

Heavenly Father, I understand the value of Godly men getting together in fellowship, whether it’s one on one, or a whole group. Jesus told us, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20), but many times the trick is just getting together in the first place. Lord, block Satan and his demons from getting in the way of men gathering in your name. As men of Your Word, Godly men in our families, among friends, bless us, Lord. Be with us, fill our hearts with compassion, help us to be humble, understanding, and to love others around us. Teach us to pray and to be silent to hear your voice, and teach us to be mindful of you so we can see Your will for our lives. I trust you Wonderful Counselor, I love you Prince of Peace, I believe in You Mighty God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
1 John 4:20–21 ESV

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
Proverbs 27:17 ESV