It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2

What is Prayer? Prayer Is a Conversation between Us and God!

April 24, 2026

Genuine prayer is a conversation between us and The True and Living God, The Creator of all, He is God, and Father of all living things. Prayer is a process where we are both are speaking and listening to God as He is speaking and listening to us.  Prayer is how we make our earnest petitions to our loving Father, believing and trusting in God’s love, faithfulness, mercy and compassion for us as His children.  

Prayer is a conduit, pipeline or channel between the natural, the spiritual and supernatural. Prayer is a means of conveying things from one location to another from one person to another, us and God, it is how we operate and conduct business in both the natural and spiritual realm. 

Genesis 28: 12-13 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 

Genesis 35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”

Prayer is an intimate, personal, and often times a private conversation between us and God. But like any conversation that we have with someone we do not know very well, the conversation in the beginning may be guarded, uneasy and unfamiliar. But as we grow in our knowledge of God, and our relationship with Him, we began to know Him.  The more we converse with a person the more we get to know them, and it is the same with our relationship with God. God made us to be in a close relationship with Himself as our Father and we as His children. 

Proverbs 22:17- Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge; For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, So that your trust may be in the Lord; I have instructed you today, even you. Have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge, That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, that you may answer words of truth to those who send to you?

It is when we are in close communion with God that we will begin to know not only His acts, actions and the things He does, but we will also, begin to know Him, His ways, and understand His character. The more we look upon Him, to engage and to have fellowship with Him, the more He reveals Himself to us as being a faithful God.  The better we know Him the more we desire to be like Him and He will exchange our weakness for His strength and we will then begin to please Him.

Isaiah 40: 29-31 He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LordShall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 

When we begin to understand the character of God, we become more intimate with Him, and we will know what is pleasing and acceptable to God. Just as the more we get to know a person or the longer we live with our spouse, children, parents and siblings the more we began to know and understand them, and their ways, likes and dislikes. So it is with our relationship with God the more we know Him, engage in His word and fellowship with Him, the more we become intimate with Him and begin to better understand His ways.

Genesis 18:17-19 And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”

Daniel 11:32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

God did not hide His plans to destroy the city of Sodom from Abraham, but revealed to him His plan. God also listened to Abraham’s plea to save the city, if there were ten righteous people found there. Abraham knew his nephew Lott was there, and thought that in his family alone there would be at least ten people to save the city.  

Moses spoke with God face to face and was shown God’s form. David was called a man after God’s own heart. All these men had personal, intimate relationships with God. They had taken time to know, worship, trust and have faith in the Lord their God.  

Psalms 103:7-8 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

Acts 13:22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

God does not arbitrarily, randomly, and without reason, do things with no purpose. God has no respect “of person”, that is He does not give respect due to someone’s social status, their pedigree/ancestral line, or their financial standing. But God does have respect “for persons,” those who seek Him, who commune with Him and who want to know Him.  Abraham, Moses and David were all humble men, with great trust, belief and faith in God. They all worshiped Him through the life they lived.  There is a great distinction between those who “know of God” and those who “know their God!”

Romans 2:10-11 but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek: for there is no respect of persons with God.

1Kings 11:34 However, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, because I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of My servant David, whom I chose because he kept My commandments and My statutes.

Isaiah 37:35 ‘For I will defend this city, to save it For My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’ ”

God knew Abraham would teach his children and household to keep the ways of the Lord, to do justice and the right things. Abraham believed God, and trusted God with the life of his son Isaac, and was willing to put him to death, because God had promised that through Isaac his seed would be called. Though Abraham had other children, it was to Isaac that God had given the promise and Isaac had not yet given birth to any children. Therefore, Abraham believed God would bring Isaac back to life in order to keep His promise.  Abraham believed and trusted God’s promise, and it was accounted to him for being righteous and he became known as the “Father of Faith.” 

Genesis 18:19 For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” 

Genesis 21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called.

Galatians 3:6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

Like any relationship the level of intimacy will depend on the closeness of the relationship and true humility is one thing that honors and pleases God. It is when we are humble we are more like God. Moses was called the humblest man on earth. Because Moses was a humble man God could trust him to speak with him face to face, plainly, and for Moses to see the form of the Lord, and not get lifted up with pride.   

Numbers 12:3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

Numbers 12:6-8 Then He said “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; I speak with him face to face even plainly, and not I dark sayings; And he sees the form of the Lord. 

Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

The more we read God’s word, and the more we abide in fellowship with Him, the more we begin to recognize and appreciate His ways and not just see His actions, without understanding His integrity, qualities and character.  God called David a man after His own heart and yet we saw David, take another’s man wife and had him killed. What would the world call such a man today? But God saw David’s heart, he was quick to acknowledge his wrong, repent and turn from his wickedness,  and was quick to seek God’s forgiveness and mercy. God saw the sincerity of David’s heart.  

When David’s sins were brought before him, David was quick to acknowledge his wrong and ask for God’s forgiveness. Unlike Adam who blamed his wife and God for his wrong doings. David was a man of humility, even though he was anointed king of Israel, he honored Saul and refused to kill him because he was God’s anointed and he would not take the kingdom on his own and waited for God’s timing.

2 Samuel 24:10 But David’s heart (conscience) troubled him after he had counted the people. David said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O LORD, please take away the sin of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”

David was a worshiper and one who trusted God with his life, to protect and provide for him even when Saul was trying to kill him. Through prayer and worship, David was one who gave continued praise and thanksgiving to God with enthusiasm and vigor, so much so that he was criticized as acting inappropriately for a king. David knew all God had done for him, taking him from his meager existence caring for sheep, to being King over all God’s people.  David did not care about looking bad in their sight or small in his own eyes, but he would praise and exalt God with all his essence, and all his being. 

Psalm 108:1 A Song. A Psalm of David. O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

Psalm 131: 1 A Song of Ascents. Of David. LORD, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me.

2 Samuel 6: 14-15 Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod.  So, David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

2 Samuel 6:21-22 But David said to Michal, “I was before the LORD, who preferred me to your father and to all his house, to appoint me as ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. So I will celebrate before the LORD! And I might demean myself even more than this and be lowly in my own sight, but with the femaleslaves of whom you have spoken, with them I am to be held in honor!” 

A woman washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair and kissed and anointed His feet as acts of prayer and worship.  Jesus said she was one who loved much, because she had been forgiven much.  Those who refuse to acknowledge their sins and try to justify them, or believe they have sinned only a little and they think it is of no consequence. They are blind to their sins and do not understand or appreciate all God has done for them.  

Luke 7:44-45 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.  You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 

Luke 7:47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

The purpose of prayer is to have communion with God and to be transformed from our fallen sinful nature, into the image of Christ, so that we may operate in our created purpose as image bearers of God. It is when we get to know the true and living God and enter into an intimate and personal relationship with God our Creator as His children, that we will begin to look like and act like and talk like our Father in heaven.  Thereby, we will begin to reveal and reflect His glory here on earth. 

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.Prayer should be a continues daily conversation between us and God where we give all of our praise as we put before Him our petitions, problems, fears and hopes for our future, while seeking His guidance

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Gethsemane  – Jesus’ Prayer of Submission of His Will

March 28, 2026

Many people want Jesus as just their Savior, save me Jesus! But Jesus must not only be our Savior but our Lord, Master and the One who controls and instructs our lives.  It all begins with us submitting our will to God, acknowledging our need for a Savior and then by faith choosing to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  Then Holy Spirit comes into our lives and transforms us by renewing our minds, by changing the way we think and act. 

Many people want to be free but refuse to accept the truth of God’s word. They fail to acknowledge and operate with conviction in the truth they have been shown. Jesus told Pilate that He came into the world that He should bear witness to the truth! Pilate asked the same question so many people ask today, “What is truth?” Because this fallen world system has distorted truth and the enemy has deceived many to believe the lies of this world. 

John 18:37b …Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

With every new truth we receive, we must go through the battle of submitting our will to obey that truth, which God has revealed. This is a continuous cycle of growth for every believer, as God reveals to us His word and His way. With every new revelation of God’s truth there is a moment of acceptance or rejection based on our mindset and thoughts at the time. Jesus said that we will know the truth and the truth will set us free, but it is the truth that we know, believe and operate on as a guiding principle, that is what frees us. It should not be just a head knowledge of some statement that has no impact on our thoughts or actions. 

John 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Many people may have knowledge of God’s word but they do not commit to it as a controlling, leading value of truth, one that dictates their life decisions.  We shall know the truth and it is the truth that we know, and use as a life steering principle, that is what sets us free. 

People will either receive the truth of God’s word and conscientiously and deliberately submitting their will to His word and accepting it as a life principle for their lives. Or they will dismiss it as something they heard, but will not act on it, or may say they need time to accept it. This leaves them open to the lies, winds and ways of this fallen world’s doctrine and thereby being tossed in every different direction.

In order to submit our will to God, the battle is fought in the very essence of our being, which is our will, intellect and state of mind. We must choose to pray a prayer to submit and surrender our will to God’s will and way. It is the same process of prayers that Jesus prayed during His battle of the will in the garden of Gethsemane. Many people fail to see the intensity and greatness of the agony of Jesus, as He wrestled with the truth of the cross that was before Him.  His agony, pain and suffering were not just because of the physical torment that He was about to go through, but it was the fact He would be forsaken by the Father, and the first time in His existence the Son would be separated from God His Father. The emotional and psychological anguish of being in total darkness and separated from His loving Father. 

Matthew 26:38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

Many people want to point to Jesus and say He was God, and that’s why He could live this life. But Jesus, while living on earth, limited Himself to His humanity, and operated just as all mankind, through the power of the Holy Spirit. It was in His humanity that He cried to His Abba, Daddy and asked if it is possible, take this cup away, that was His plea. Jesus prayed and made His appeal as to what He wanted, in the context of His relationship with His Abba Father. Jesus recognized God’s Sovereignty that all things are possible for God and He could, take this cup away. Nevertheless, Jesus did not superimpose His will but submitted to the Father’s will. 

Luke 22:41-44 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.  And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 

Mark 14:35-36 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

Jesus’ experience in the garden of Gethsemane was one of extreme pain, stress and misery, to the point that He was sweating greatly with such intensity that He sweated drops of blood. When the body is under severe stress, so that the blood capillaries, (tiny blood vessels located around the sweat glands) ruptures, it causes blood to exit the body through the sweat glands. Not only was His body about to be nailed to a cross, but He would be deserted, rejected and isolated in total separation and forsaken by His Father for the first time in His entire being. It was not just the physical pain that had Jesus overwhelmed in sorrow to the point of death, but also the stress of being totally estranged from His Father. The angels from heaven came and strengthened Him during His trial. In this Jesus took our debt of total separation from God, so that we may spend eternity in fellowship with the Father.

Jesus’ humanity did not want to suffer but He trusted and acknowledge God as a loving Father, and He would do what was best for all humanity.   Jesus believed that whatever the Father decided, for Him would be a decision that was just, kind, loving and for the greater good for all mankind. Then Jesus prayed a prayer of acceptance of God’s will, if it is Your will, take this cup from me, nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.

Luke 22:41-44 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

The submission of our will, is us trusting God with our lives and our future. Our ability to choose is our God given attribute, God Himself will not take this away from us. He is continuously asking us to choose whom we will serve, and to choose life and not death, but the choice is always left up to the individual. We too may need to pray as Jesus prayed, a prayer of submission, Father if this cup (the situation I’m in) cannot pass unless I drink it (experience/go through it) Your will be done. 

Matthew 26: 42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, Your will be done.

Jesus being the Son of God, went through the same test that all humanity will go through, the test of the will, to trust, obey and believe in God that He is a loving and faithful Father. This is why Jesus is a faithful High Priest not after the order of Aaron, who was of fallen mankind, but of the order of Melchizedek, the Priest who had no recorded beginning or end. Jesus has experienced the trials of obedience and is the example for us on how to persevere, and how to trust in a loving Father during our trials. Now Jesus Himself, is at the right hand of God and intercedes on our behalf. 

Hebrews 5:7-10 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.  And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” 

Jesus endured the shame of the cross, but because of the joy that was set before Him, (bringing God’s people back into the family of God with eternal salvation), in this joy He found pleasure, delight and motivation to endure the suffering.  The joy of knowing we would be spared a sentence of eternal separation from God our Father, Creator and King! We must learn, that we too can take a hit, a blow or be persecuted, for the sake of someone’s soul being saved for all eternity. These too can be viewed as light afflictions and not to be compared with the glory that God will reveal in us.  

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us

Our will is our ability to choose and only we as an individual person can make the choice to trust, believe and obey God. Or, whether to go in our own strength and ability, while leaning into our own understanding.

The three prayers of Jesus, 

  1. Jesus prayed what He wanted done. He made the appeal in regard to His close relationship with His Abba Daddy. Knowing all things are possible with God and He could take this cup away. Mark 14:35-36
  2. Jesus’ prayer of submission was trusting in the Sovereignty of God. Trusting in His knowing what is best in all things. Father, if it is Your will, take this cup from me, Luke 22:41-42
  3. Jesus then prayed a prayer of acceptance and faith in the love of a loving and faithful Father. Father, if it cannot pass unless I drink it Your will be done, Matthew 26: 42

To submit our will to God through prayer, we can pray as Jesus did. We can Submit our request to God. We also Trust in the Sovereignty of the Almighty, All-knowing God to do what is good and perfect for us now and for all eternity. Then Accept God’s way, His chosen path, believing and having faith in the love God has for us.

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A Christ centered life Powered by the Holy Spirit

March 12, 2026
  • A Christ centered life is one that is focused upon Jesus with a commitment, a pledge and obligation of loyalty, and devotion to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Master, the one who controls, instructs and direct their lives.
  • A Christ centered life, is a life well lived through fellowship with Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is vibrant worship, a good knowledge of who Jesus is and a close, intimate relationship with Him. A Christ centered life is one in harmony, unity and fellowship with others, and it is praying forboth friends, enemies and opponents alike. A Christ centered life is one of forgiveness, forgiving everyone, everything regardless of their position, whether they feel regret or not. Forgiving is being at peace with yourself and God, but it is not putting self in harm’s way by allowing people access to us. It is trusting God to vindicate, provide, protect us and give us peace no matter the situation.
  • It is hard for most people to live a Christ centered life, because Christ is revealed by the person of the Holy Spirit through the word of God and it is the Holy Spirit that gives us the power to live this life. Not many people have actually read the Bible and gone through it from Genesis to Revelations and very few read the Bible daily as a means of fellowship and hearing from God.
  • Many people will read the Bible for information to gather facts and in preparation of a message.For a lot of us the cares of work commitments, family responsibilities and daily commitments put time constraints on us giving this the time we want.Often times we will hear the word of God but will not take the time to let it take root in our hearts.
  • Mark 4:14-20 The Sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word,immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it and bear friit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
  • A Christ centered life is one that is lived by the power of the Holy Spirit, that alone makes us di)erent and strange to the world and our friends, we become the odd person out of the loop. There is fear of rejection of not being involved, or not invited by others to their gatherings, or being ostracized. The need to be accepted, may incline some people toward making an idol of self, by allowing self-centeredness to sit on the throne of their hearts instead of Christ.
  • A Christ center life is lived by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. The person of Jesus left and returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to us. The presence of the Holy Spirit that is who He is, God Himself within usthe One who can change our hearts. The Power of Holy Spirit is what He does and is seen through His work and He can change our circumstances.The person of the Holy Spirit comes to live within us to reveal and instruct us as God’s children. The power of the Holy Spirit comes upon us for the service and the work of God to a lost world.
  • God’s people are indwelt by the presence of the Holy Spirit. God’s people are endorsed, recognized, validated by His presence, it is the Holy Spirit Himself living within and through us! It is the Holy Spirit with us that will help us to re0ect and reveal God’s love. He helps, comforts, guides, teaches, counsels, strengthens, prays and intercede for us to God. The HolySpirit is the greater One inside, who bear witness to the truth and He reveals the truth that frees us from bondages and He gives us gifts to minister to the church and empowers us.
  • The presence of the Holy Spirit is what keeps us Christ centered and in fellowship with God. No one can really know Jesus unless it is revealed by the Holy Spirit.
  • 1 Corinthians 12:3-7 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are di4erences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. Butthe manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit all
  • Everyone will not respond the same way in relationship to the Holy Spirit. Some people have a high intense emotion toward God, while others a quiet since of reverence and respect. One is not more than the other. There are di)erences in culture, ethnicity, values and temperament of character, personality and appeal. God is a God of diversity and loves all humanity.
  • Some people feel the emotional excitement of the Holy Spirit, while others believe in the reserve of His presence. Some cultures are loud and expressive. Some are quiet and reserve but all have uniqueness in reverence, worship and praise to God. It is the Power of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ that brings unity and the appreciation of the beauty of uni4ed praise to God, no matter the form.
  • The power of the Holy Spirit, empowers, endorse and approved God’s message to a lost world. It is the lost who looks for signs, and signs are for the lost, but faith is for the believer.
  • The Power of the Holy Spirit is what He does! God’s message is endorsed, certi4ed and validated by the power of the Holy Spirit. Signs are given for the unbelievers. Speaking God’s word with foresight, trust, loyalty and Faith is the stamp, and trademark of believers, they do not look for signs, they operate in faith.
  • 1 Corinthians 14: 22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.

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The Bible’s Purpose Is For, Information, Transformation, and Communication  

February 13, 2026

When we read the Bible we should be clear as to the purpose of the practice.  There are many different reasons we go to the Bible and all of them are important and valid reasons, but it is good to be clear and know our particular purpose when we sit down with His Word. We study and read the Bible for information in preparation to teach or preach, we also read the Bible to get instruction on how to transform our lives to be more like Him. But, our highest calling is to commune with God through His word and to let Him speak to us as we listen intently to what He has for us individually. 

All three of these purposes and practices are very important for us to become total and complete in God’s will for our lives. We must be informed and know what God’s word says about a matter before we can go out and teach others 

Titus 2:1-4 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.  Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.  Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children..

John 21:17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

There are many ways to read the Word of God, we can read it from Genesis to Revelations as printed, or chronologically in the order that it was believed to have transpired, or in the sequence of going through the Bible in a year reading the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs as a few examples.  

We are to gather information, and study to show ourselves approved unto God, that we may pass on correct truth to those we are speaking, so as to be helpful in their life’s journey.  This is a powerful way of helping our loved ones and those God has placed in our sphere or circle of influence. We can give them truth and the principles on how to live this life according to God’s precepts, teachings and guidelines. This is a task we all have been called to do; parents teach your children; let the older women instruct the younger on how to act;  let the fathers and leaders teach the people, as good shepherd who is willing to sacrifice self and time to train, teach and protect God’s people.  

2 Timothy 2:14 Study to shew yourself approved unto God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Our Transformation, should be to change our old fallen ways of doing and seeing things and to change our old patterns and ways thinking.  This is another purpose we should have while we encounter reading the Bible or studying The Word of God. So that we ourselves may be transformed into the image God has created us to be. We all have been taught by a fallen world system and have been indoctrinated and brain washed with lies that are from the enemy of God. But, it is all we have known and were taught, so it appears as truth until our minds are “Renewed or Restored” to God’s way of thinking.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

God has birthed us into His family by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our original state was formed into the likeness of God until, the enemy came and disfigured and marred God’s children into fallen creatures that no longer reflect or revealed the love, light and unity of Him. But God, would not leave us in that fallen state and sent Yeshua, Jesus, our Rescuer and Deliverer to rebirth and restore in us that which was lost and stolen, the Holy image of God, through the Holy Spirit. 

Galatians 4:6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

In order to be transformed into the image of God and His Son Jesus, we must renew our minds to God’s way of thinking, which can only come by the washing our minds with the word of truth. As stated, Jesus cleansed the church by the washing of water with the word of God, which also cleanses us. 

Ephesians 5:25-26 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

It is so important to take time to commune, to fellowship, and to allow God to speak to us. Having open communication with God may be one of our the most neglected practices while reading the Bible. The Word of God can allow us to hear Him speak to us personally. We will study to teach the word of God, and we will read to know how to be transformed and more like Christ, but seldom do we sit still with the purpose of hearing from God. We should ask, speak Lord for your servant is listening!

Often times we are like Samuel when he was a child, God is calling and speaking to us but we tend to run to those around us to ask what they think or to see what they say about a matter. This is a natural thing for us as children, new in the word and the family of God, that we look and seek those who have known God and His word. But as we grow and mature in the reading and understanding of God’s word, we are to do as Eli told Samuel, go back and sit before the Lord. We must train our spiritual ears to listen for God’s voice, His words and instructions to us through sitting in His presence with His Holy word. 

1 Samuel 3:4 that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!”  So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down.

6-7 Then the Lord called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” (Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.)

8-10 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy.  Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.

Now that we have been transferred into the family of God, Jesus said He now call us friend, and we can call God, Abba Father, we are not just family but in close personal relationship with God as Father and Jesus as Savior and Friend. 

Like any good father God wants to be in constant fellowship and communication with His children. While God is the Father and Creator of all creation, He desires a close and personal relationship with those who are in the household and family of God. All who believe and trust in Him through faith and in the completed work of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. 

Ephesians 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens [outsiders without rights of citizenship], but you are fellow citizens with the saints (God’s people), and are [members] of God’s household,

Just as in the garden with Adam and Eve, their test was to see who they would believe and obey, God or Satan. That is the same test that lies before each of us today, who will we believe, the word of God our loving Father, or the tricks and lies of the enemy and our own selfishness?

1 Corinthians 1:9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

We communicate with God so that He can inform us and then transform us into His image. As with any skill, it is improved with practice.  We should ask God, help me Lord to listen to You and to know Your voice. Speak Lord, for Your child is listening!  

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God Wants A Willing Heart – To be Willing to Be on God’s Mission                           

January 23, 2026

God is looking for someone who is willing to open their heart to His purpose, which is for us to bear His Image, reflect His glory and to show His love to the unlovely, the lost and a hurting world. Our will, which is the ability to choose, is the most Godlike characteristic that we have been given. We possess the power to determine not only how we will live for God our Creator in this life, but the capability to decide our eternal destiny. 

Deuteronomy 30:19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. NIV

God does not require us to be perfect or live without faults or mishaps, that is the reason Jesus came, to live a perfect life that we could not. But God wants us to be willing to submit to His Word and His authority. We are to align our will with His way and be willing to accept His word. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior God will give us the Holy Spirit who gives us the ability and the strength to do God’s work according to His will.

Luke 24:49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

Acts 1:4-5  On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

In a time where there is so much division in the world, where the difference in opinions has become a reason and justification to dislike and even hate another. This is the culture that Satan and this fallen world system have cultivated to keep people divided in a spirit of anger, hate and fear. But God has called us to pray for those who misuse us, to love those who hate and persecute us.  

Luke 2:27-28 But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Some people may say this is unfair of God, to ask us to pray for those who hurt us. But this is not just for their benefit, it is for ours also. God is guarding our hearts from hate and bitterness. God knows you cannot maintain hate for those you are praying for.  God is asking us to pray for our enemies for our benefit, so we do not lose sight of who we are in Christ Jesus and also, not to lose ourselves in pride, which could turn to bitterness and hate and endanger and at risk of the judgment. 

Hebrews 12:14-15 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:  looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 

Matthew 5:22a But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. 

Matthew 18:33-35 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’  And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

This is not something we can do naturally on our own, it takes the power of God through the Holy Spirit to give us both the desire and the power to pray for our enemies. But it must start with us submitting our will to God’s purpose and plan for saving a lost and dying world, through the love of Christ that is within us. 

Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Most people think their goal is to live a life centered around self and to care only for themselves, their family and friends, but we are here to live a life hidden in Christ that we may reflect the life of Christ to others. To live the life Christ lived on earth, one of humility, sacrifice and as a servant to others.  He died to self-interest for the sake of others, and this is what our daily lives should look like. Except we die to the obsession and idol of self, and remove egos from the throne of our life, we will remain confused in this our life’s journey. 

A seed will multiply and reproduce once it is buried and die to its original form. The husk of the seed must be broken for it to be changed into a different form, that it may be rooted into the life-giving soil which provides nutrients that it needs to grow.   Just as we must die to our original self, where we were educated and trained in by this fallen world system that exalts self over the love of Christ. 

1 Corinthians 15:21 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. NKJ

John 12:24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

As the apostle Paul stated, he died daily and so should we.  We too should die daily, and every day by the act of our will, we must choose whether we will live for ourselves, our pride, position, or culture, or we can choose to die to it all that and let the love, mercy, forgiveness, so that the unity, from the life and love of Christ may flow through us. This is not something that is done overnight but is a process of change, of being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, from the old way of living to a new way of thinking.  We are to renew our minds to God’s way of living and thinking. We are to live in humility and in service to others, not looking just at their current needs but for their eternal souls.

It is difficult for us to turn the other cheek or to let people get by with the wrong they have done to us, but if we die to self, there will be no struggle. You can kick a dead man and he will not respond, and that is how we should live in this life. It is a process and a practiced skill to be able to hold our tongue and manage our dislikes, for the saving of another soul from possible eternal perdition or misery, which is far more important than our petty feeling of being disrespected, our pride or the need to vindicate self. 

Joshua24:14a, 15b

Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness….…then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

Every person has a God given will, that is the ability to choose the direction of our lives. Even God will not take our right to choose away, but He tells what the results of our choices are, blessing or curses. God desires to be in a relationship with His children as most parents do. Because of His love for us His Grace gives us the same choice they had in the garden, to choose who they will believe and obey. All He asks is that we choose Jesus and He will give us the power to live this life more abundantly.  

Romans 10:9-11 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.  As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 

Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

God will not force anyone to come to Him, but He is constantly asking us to choose by faith Jesus, with our heart, mind, and soul as an act of our will. 

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 Jesus Christ Is The Light of the World

January 5, 2026

People over the centuries have sung “Joy to the World, the Lord has come,” but not many really understand the significance of those words. The world was in great darkness from the time of the fall of mankind.  God’s glorious light His Shekinah glory, the indwelling Holy Spirit inhumanity, had ceased to be within them, and they were in spiritual darkness. Most historians call the “Dark Ages” after the fall of Rome, when Europe was marked by a decline economically, intellectually and culturally. But in truth the world had been living in the dark ages from thefall of humanity when the true light of the Holy Spirit departed from mankind. 

God is faithful to His promise, that a Savior would come to bring light and truth back to humanity and He would crush the serpents head and regain dominion over all that God had created. In the fullness of time Jesus was born, the Son of God, Jesus came as the Son of Man to set humanity free from darkness and the power of sin and death. 

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” NIV

Upon Jesus arrival on the earth, the Angel appeared to the shepherds, who were one the lowest in their societies and culture, to announce the birth of the Son of God, our Savior and King. It was truly good news of great joy, an amazing fact, that born in the city of David was The Savior, who is The Christ. The One who will save His people, who will bring light into darkness and set the people free from the lies of Satan with His truth. 

Luke 2:10-11 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. NKJ

Satan came as a thief and stole the dominion God had given mankind and enslaved them into darkness and sin. God in His mercy and grace saw us in our sin and would not leave us in our fallen state. 

Through mankind’s disobedience they fell into depravity, wickedness and corruption, but God would not leave us without Hope. God The Father,sent His Son Jesus into the world and He came that we might have life, a more abundant life, and not just existing. But with all things it is a matter of the will, every person will choose life or death, blessing or cursing if not by words they will by their actions and deeds.

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. NKJ

Jesus is the living word of God. He came to bring truth and light into the world that humanity should no longer live in darkness. God promised a Savior who would redeem humanity and bring the light of God’s salvation back to His creation. 

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” NKJ

When we by faith through the grace of God accept Jesus as our Savior we receive the Holy Spirit within us and then we become God’s light in dark places. Then we become the light to a world in darkness.

John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” NKJ

Matthews 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. NKJ

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The Soul and Spirit of Mankind-Made by God  for God! 

November 20, 2025

Mankind is a tri-part being, body, soul and spirit. The body came out of the earth, the soul and spirit are from God.  Our soul is the essence of who we are, it is what gives us our individuality and uniqueness as a person. The soul is where our will, conscience, intellect, thoughts, feelings and emotions are held, the soul is the very core of our being. The spirit of man came from God when He breathed His life-giving breath into mankind and we became a living soul. The spirit is what attached the soul to its source (God). The soul/will is what governs and directs the body, be it through the living spirit that is within us, or in death without the spirit. 

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. KJV

The body came out of the earth and mankind was given rule and dominion over the earth, as he was created from the dust of the earth. The soul and spirit of mankind came from God and weremade for God, so that humanity could navigate in the spirit and earthly realm. God’s Spirit, was breathed into mankind and he became a living soul and spirit. The body returns to the earth when it is dead, just as the soul and spirit of mankind returns to its source when it dies, where it will give account and/or be rewarded according to the life it lived in fulfilling its created purpose. 

 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

There is a spiritual realm where God, angels and all other spiritual beings exist in the heavens. God created a natural dominion, the earth, that consists of physical things. Mankind was created to exist in both the spirit and earthly realms and they are very real places with different principles and laws that govern their territory. We need to understand these principles in order to navigate, negotiate and live in both of these spheres. God created mankind to co-exist in both realms.

Genesis 28:12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. NKJ

Humanity’s natural life is attached to the earth, because the body was formed from the ground, created in God’s likeness and it is fed and nurtured by the living sustenance of the earth, the ground, from where he was taken. Without these life-giving nutrients the body would die, because it would lack the source it needs to continue. 

 

Genesis 1:27-28 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” NKJ

 

The spirit and soul of mankind came from God, and they had the Shekinah Glory of God upon them and God’s Spirit within. When God blew His breath of life into mankind, they became a living soul. The soul and spirit of mankind was alive and in full connection with its source, the Spirit of God, just as their natural bodies were connected to its source, the earth.Mankind’s body, soul and spirit was living in completeness with its purpose, his body fully connected to the earth and his soul and spirit fully connected with God. The body, soul and the spirit all were living attached to their source, earth and God, to fulfill their purpose, which is to replenish the earth with living souls that would be connected to God, the Creator and King. 

 

Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of a person is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the innermost parts of his being. NAS

 

The very day mankind rebelled against their life-giving source, God, their God-like spirit left, because light and darkness cannot occupy the same space.  The spirit of mankind died, when the Shekinah-Glory of God left them, because its spiritwas no longer attached to its source. Therefore, the created God-like man no longer existed. As when a plant is uprooted from the soil or a fish is taken out of the water, they die. The God-Spirit in man surely died that day, and their souls were no longer attached to their life-giving source. 

 

Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” NKJ

 

Genesis 3:23-24 therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.  So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. NKJ

 

Mankind was then driven out the garden of Eden and were no longer in that close relationship with their Creator-God. God had to drive them out of the garden, because of the evil state of fallen mankind. Had they eaten from the tree of life, to live forever in a life full of sin and depravity, it would be even moreof a horrifying state for this world to be in. 

God’s mercy He did not allow fallen mankind with all of itsdestruction and devastation to have the ability to live forever in the earth. God’s love and mercy would not allow that to be.  Instead, He provided a way for mankind to be delivered, through faith in Jesus Christ, and to be reunited with theirSource, their God, Creator and King. 

 

Romans 6:17-19   But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness

 

Fallen mankind lost their God given Shekinah glory, after obeying Satan, and they were transformed, mutated and transfigured into the likeness of their new master, Satan and sin. In their obedience to Satan, they gave all their God given authority and dominion over to Satan and the world fell into chaos, death and destruction.  

 

God did not create this world of confusion, death and ruin, it was the result of the choice of mankind and their disobedience to God’s instructions. With the death of mankind’s God-like spirit, man became the living dead, because its spirit and soul were no longer attached to its source. The death of the spirit and lost soul is the dead that Jesus was speaking of when he told the man, “Let the dead bury their own dead.” In this fallen state mankind’s spirit is dead and his soul is lost. 

 

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?  

Luke 9:59-60 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” NKJ

Mankind’s “will” is part of their soul, it is their ability to choose, and it is their God given right, characteristic and attribute. Satan cannot take humanity’s ability to choose, though he may lie to deceive them to make the wrong choices. God will not take away their ability to choose, even though their choices may be wrong, toxic or fatal. In the beginning it was in their God given power to choose, whether to obey God or Satan. Humanity’s ability to choose, “their will” is at the very core of who they are, their being. The will of mankind is atthe very heart of their soul and spirit. The body was made to function on the earth, but the soul was made to commune with their God through the spirit to fulfill its purpose, but the spiritof mankind died at the fall. 

 

Ephesians 2:4-5, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 

 

The soul is constantly looking for a connection and is trying to find purpose and meaning for life, because it became lost and unattached to its Source, God’s Spirit. The soul is looking for love, value and purpose in all the wrong places. Humanity will not find true love, purpose and value until their spirit is revived by the Holy Spirit, through faith in the completed work of Christ.    Once again God sends His life-giving Holy Spirit into mankind, and they become a living soul, re-connected to theirlife-giving source (God) and his created purpose, to reveal the love and life of God upon the earth. 

 

We often hear the terms, the lost soul, the wandering soul, or no peace for the soul, that is because God’s plan and purpose for mankind did not change. Because of the fall, God’s original purpose for mankind took an alternate course in following Satan, but God’s purpose did not change. Humanity still has a will and their God given right to choose, again whether to return to God or to continue in a life of chaos and destruction. 

 

It was God’s mercy and a Father’s love for His creation and His children that caused Him to send Yeshua, Jesus as our Rescuer and Savior, so that we could be restored back to a relationship and into the family of God as His children. God provided a wayfor His children to be set free from Satan’s mutated, distorted and perverse state of being.

 

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

 

There is nothing we can do to make God love us more, no work we can perform to make us holy, righteous, or saved on our own. We are saved and made holy and righteous because of what Christ has already done. No one can stand before God according to their work or performance, our best efforts are filthy in His sight. We all stand on the same ground, at the foot of the cross of Christ in need of a Savior. It is because we are love by God and have been saved through faith that we now go and serve a lost world. We are not trying to earn God’s love, we already have it, but it is our love for God and His Son Jesus that we now go out to show that love to a lost and deprived world. 

 

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

 

The renewed Holy Spirit of God lives in us through faith in Jesus Christ.  We can show His mercy, grace, forgiveness and love to others because this is what we have received from God. We do not work to obtain God’s love, it is His gift, we cannot earn it.  It is because we have received God’s love that we now show His love, mercy and grace to a lost and dying world. 

 

1 Corinthians 15:45 So it is written [in Scripture], “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL (an individual);” the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving spirit [restoring the dead to life]. AMP

 

The first Adam, became living with the Spirit of God and his will/soul was connected to God. Adam rebelled against God and the Spirit of God left and his soul was disconnected from its source. Jesus, the last Adam became the life-giving spirit, reviving the dead spirit of mankind and reconnecting his soul/will to its Creator and restoring God’s original purpose, for humanity to be the image bearer of God and replenishing the earth with His likeness. 

 

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Kingdom of Heaven and Earth to Co-Exist Within You

October 29, 2025

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth there was a continuous flow or gateway between heaven and earth where God and mankind had open access to one another. God’s original plan for humanity was for mankind to rule and reign in the physical realm of earth as God rules and reign in the spiritual realm in the heavens. All authority and dominion were given to mankind for the purpose of transforming the earth into a place where God’s presence and likeness would be seen throughout the whole earth. 

Genesis 1:26-28 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” NKJ

God took man out of the dust of the ground, (earth) and formed him into the image of God’s likeness. God breathed into mankind His breath of life,who was given a will and the ability to rule and reign over the earth he also had the capacity to make choices and decisions regarding his life.   Wherever God reigns and God rules is called the kingdom of God. God’s kingdom spanned from the heavens to earth, as God ruled in heaven and the Godlike-man ruled in earth, both were part of the Kingdom of God. God’s kingdom territory, like most kingdoms, is wherever the King has dominion and rules.  

Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. NKJ

In God’s original creation, God, mankind and nature were in perfect harmony with one another.  God’s living spirit resided within mankind and His presence was in fellowship with both mankind and nature, until the rebellion of mankind against their God and King. That was the day the Godlike mankind spirit died. The spirit of God that was breathed intomankind ceased to be and was separated from the body. Then the soul of mankind lost it perfect unity and connection with their Creator. 

Light and darkness cannot occupy the same space, with their disobedience to God and obedience to Satan, then came the fall into sin and thereby the transference of the dominion and rule from the Godlike man into the hands of Satan. The earth which was the kingdom of God fell into darkness andinto the hands of Satan the prince of darkness.  

Romans 6:16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. NLT

Luke 1:78-79 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.” NKJ

Jesus came to earth, being fully God and the Son of Man, bringing both the kingdom heaven and God’s rule back to earth through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told them that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, and that it was near because He had come. Wherever the Spirit of God lives in the earth, that becomes part of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus told them to repent, which means to change the way, the direction you are going or to change the way you think about what you are doing.  To repent is to turn from your old ways of doing things and to agree with God’s word and His direction. It is not just about feeling sad or it regretful it is about changing one’s heart and mindset.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” NKJ

Through faith in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection we can receive the Holy Spirit of God to be born again in the likeness of God through His Spirit. Then we are now in fellowship with God and have entered into the kingdom of heaven. God’s kingdom is where God’s presence and earth join. Just as it was in the original state when God created the earth, His presence was in the earth and He would walk with mankind in the garden in the cool of the day. God’s presence was in the earth and His kingdom reigned upon the earth. 

1 Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Genesis 3:8-9 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

God has always desired fellowship with His creation and He knewbeforehand that mankind would rebel and turn away. It was because of the love God had for us, that He would not leave us in our fallen state. He sent Yeshua, Jesus our Rescuer and Redeemer He provided a way for all humanity to return to Him. God provided a way for mankind to revert back to their created purpose, which is to resemble, reflect and reveal the love of God in the earth. By God’s grace we are saved, through faith in the completed work that Jesus did on our behalf. Jesus lived a perfect life, that we could not. He died a death that we deserved. He paid the cost for our rebellion and sin, that we owed.  Through faith in Jesus, we can now again be in fellowship with God and receive the Holy Spirit of God to live within us.

Luke 17:20-21 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

The kingdom of heaven is not something you can observe or see with the naked eye. It is not demonstrated by what you eat or wear, nor any self-righteous acts that we may try to do to obtain access to God’s kingdom. The kingdom of God is within us when the Holy Spirit is living in us. Then the presence of God is in these earthen vessels, God’s presence and dominion and kingdom has come once again into the earth. And because His kingdom and dominion we now have the power and are able to live a life God had ordained in the beginning through the Holy Spirit. We have the power to forgive, to love, to show mercy and to have peace and joy in the midst of a crooked and perverse world.  

Romans 14:17-18 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

1 Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

God and earth are joined together in our earthly bodies and thereby, the kingdom of God is now living within us. How that kingdom is displayed,will be seen through the degree we allow His kingdom ways and His Spirit to have preeminence in our lives.  

Matthews 13:23But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” NKJ

 

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1Peter Chapter 5

August 18, 2025

Shepherd the Flock: 

Those in leadership, teachers and pastors are told to serve them that they have been entrusted. Elders are to serve all God’s people with a willingness out of love for God and not out of a duty that must be performed. It should not be for the prestige or the status of being a minister over the people, nor for dishonest gain, or just for the paycheckwhich we have seen in many situations.  

1 Peter5:1-4 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:  Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;  nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;   and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. NKJ

Jesus as the Chief Shepherd and God as our Father and King, is the spiritual awareness and likeness that we must rise. Jesus’ example muststand above our natural sympathies or kinships, it is by His standard thatGod will be exalted and His kingdom ways and principles will be elevated above all else. It is an ambassador’s lifestyle that speaks to others about their country, and it is how they live out their nation or kingdom laws that makes them different.  Our actions are the loudest and best representation as ambassadors of God, especially to those who are still being taught in this fallen world system.

Our words do not have to be loud or boisterous but the way we live and walk before our families and friends can quietly portray to our communities a godly lifestyle, as a representative of the kingdom of God that we are demonstrating and embodying. 

Submit to God – Resist the Devil: 

1 Peter 5:5-6 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but give grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, NKJ

The name Christian is a label the world gave to the followers of Christ in the early church but now the world has used this label to skew, twist or change the image of how the true followers of Christ are viewed. Many people label themselves as Christians but choose to live like the world. They are self-centered and self-focus living in fear. Their only concern is about themselves, while refusing to help or assist others. Unlike the true followers of Christ who are willing to share with others believing in God’s provision.

God has called us children who are born-again into the family of God. He is the Almighty God, El Shaddai, the Inexhaustible One, the One who pours out boundlessly and whose source is unlimited and everlasting. God gave us a position not a label. We are children of the Most-High King and we are in His family and we are to look like our Father. Though labels may change but God as our Father and our being born-again and part ofHis family will not change. Just as children in the natural take some resemblance or likeness of their parents, so do we as we grow more knowledgeable through the Spirit, into the image of Christ, the Son of God.

1 Peter 5:7-9   Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. (KJV)

The enemy is looking for someone who will give him permission to come into their lives and to devour them. We give him permission by the choices we make in disobedience to God. The lion’s roar is so loud and intimidating that its prey may become fearful. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but His Spirit of power, love and a sound mind. God tells us how to resist the devil, by submitting to the truth of His word. It is a one-step process when we submit to God we also are resisting the devil and he will flee. Most of us do not take the time to know God’s word, so we do not know how to submit to it. This is how the devil gets permission to come into our lives because of our lack of knowledge concerning God’s word. When the enemy roars like a lion, some become afraid, panic and can be paralyzed by fear. Instead, we should trust and have faith in God’s word and casting those fears, concerns and anxieties on God in prayer.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. NKJ

Unfortunately, we are living in a fallen world system with an enemy who hates the true and living God and all who are created in His image. The Bible says Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Satan is the enemy, it is not our neighbor, coworker, boss or those of a different race or culture. It is Satan who plants seeds of hate, pride and tempts us to forsake the care of a person’s souls for the sake of money or material things, he is our enemy. Satan comes and plants lies and deceptions to cause disunity and cultivate hate among the brethren. He wants to destroy the very thing we are created to be, an image bearer of God’s love.

1 Peter 5:10 -11  But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Many may say they want to know Jesus, to walk like Him and be in fellowship with Him, but may not realization what that really means. As true followers of Christ we must be willing to take on the hardships of life and endure these situations, as we display God’s love toward others. This is part of the fellowship of His suffering.  As Christ followers we must change our perspective, the way we evaluate the things that are happening to us and around us. We must change the way we view life and our expectations in life in light of God’s love for us and others. 

Every child is born with a pure heart but it can be twisted by life experiences and by the things they are taught. The most important responsibility of every parent and adult is to train and teach children that are entrusted to them, who they are in Christ, as an Image bearer of God. Their purpose is to be the love of God in the earth and to show His love to a lost and deprived world.

It is easier to destroy a young life of royalty before he has matured into a crown prince, than it is to destroy the one who knows his purpose and is committed to his true destiny. For this purpose, Satan has attacked the lives and minds of children and those responsible for their instruction. To have people preoccupied with the things of this world rather than the training and protection of their children.

Satan is not all knowing, but he has been observing mankind from the beginning. The enemy has seen the whole human race tendencies, bents, propensities and appetite, so he tries to use those things to lure and tempthumanity into his snares. That is why we must control our bodies so as not to give the enemy an avenue to come, trap or entangle us into evil and depravity. 

It is our adversary who comes to wreak havoc over our lives, causing death and destruction but God has provided a way of escape through us living according to His word. The world has cultivated a pattern of over indulgences, which seeks to fulfill every whim or desire without restraint. This leads to an undisciplined life that seldom tells the body, no to its extravagances and excesses. But God tells us to seek first His kingdom and righteous living and all our needs will be met. 

As followers of Christ, we should exercise our will and minds and say no to our body’s cravings and appetites. We do this so that we may run this race and win against the temptations of this world.  No one can run a marathon on the first try. It takes discipline, training and continued practice to run this race. Just as living a life under control is a practiced skill, it is not achieved overnight. 

Humility is simply recognizing that we were created by God for His purpose and by allowing God to be all sufficient in all we do. Jesus displayed this when He became the Son of Man, being in submission to God the Father by taking on the body of a man, giving God honor and the glory that was due Him through obedience.

The constant and relentless theme of Jesus’ teaching was that His life’s work was to do the will of the Father. The Almighty God and Creator could use Him and work through Him to redeem mankind. Jesus emptied Himself and resigned Himself of His own will and power, so that God could do all He wanted to do in and through Him. Jesus lived a life relinquished of self in absolute submission and dependence on The Father to do His will and not His own.

Jesus understood He had lost nothing by submitting all to God and by humbling Himself before men. Jesus knew His Father and that God would highly exalt those who humble themselves before Him. This is a spiritual principle, those who will exalt themselves God will bring down and those who humble themselves God will exalt. Jesus submitted Himself to every railing, beating and even the death of the cross all while trusting God to be faithful to His promise. Jesus was exalted to the right hand of God on high. God honors those who trust Him.

Proverb11:2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.

Proverb 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. NKJ

The humility Jesus displayed is a state of mind and a disposition of the soul. It is one that deliberately denies self and dies to prideful exaltation, while knowing that The Almighty God Jehovah is engineering and orchestrating every detail of our lives. This humility does not question the Creator or ask, “What have You done? Why am I here? Why have You made me this way? Humility recognizes the Potter’s authority to fashion the clay into whatever is needful and without question.

Isaiah 53:4- Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. NKJ

Some things we experience are for the glory of God. Our ability to walk through the hard challenges of life in love and in meekness may be the very thing God uses to help someone else to make it through life challenges. Just as Jesus experienced, railing and ridicule against Himself, it was not because of anything He did, but for our benefit. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and we can have peace because of His chastisement. This is humility, Jesus is our standard and not our experiences or the sayings of this world.

1 Peter5:12-14 By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. She who is in Babylon, elect` together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Peter closes with a reminder that we should greet one another in the spirit of God’s love for us. And to all who are in Christ, walk in peace, with yourself and others. 

 

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Christ Is The Example For Us to Follow: 1 Peter Chapter 4

August 5, 2025

Christ came and lived on the earth in the body of a man, He laid aside His Godly glory and restricted Himself as man, to the same power and authority as mankind, which is through the power of the Holy Spirit. Some people sneer at the command for us to live like Christ, saying course He could live righteous, because He is God. But Jesus lived and suffered as a man and only operated through the same power of the Holy Spirit that humanity have accessed to. This is the same power we have access to through faith and obedience to the Holy Spirit of God. 

1 Peter 4:1-6 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

We are told to ready ourselves with the same mind as Jesus, that we will no longer go after the things of this world, the lust of the flesh or the pride of man. We are to stop doing the things we use to do before we came to faith in Christ. Our old friends will think us strange or may even call us fools because we no longer live like them. We are to let God judge them and defend us as we live according to God’s Holy Spirit living in us. 

We must understand when the Spirit of Christ is in us, the world is in opposition to the God that lives in us. When the world attacks us, they are attacking the Christ in us. We are to be considered blessed when we are criticized because of the glory of God is so upon us. That is why the world begins to attack us as they did Jesus because the spirit of God being reflected in the earth through us.

When Christ followers go through fiery ordeals we are not to set up a pity party for ourselves, thinking we are the only ones experiencing such hardship.  Our focus should not be on ourselves and all that we are going through. Instead, our focus should be outward toward the betterment of others and to the bringing glory to God in that situation, and to not let self be the main focus.

Our perspective is everything, it is the bedrock of who we are and will determine how we view ourselves, and the people and things around us. Thereby our perspective will dictate our actions, thoughts, responses and feelings in every situation. The natural fleshly perspective is fear and to see everything as it relates to self, or to have our focus only on self. The problems we go through, be it a loss of a job, home or loved one, most people’s attention is on themselves as though something strange was happening to them.  

Serving for God’s Glory:

1 Peter 4:7-11 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.  And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”  Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.  As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 We are to live this life with eternity in mind, being prayerful and watchfulknowing that the time of Jesus’ return is near. We are told to be eager and enthusiastic in loving others who may not look like us or talk like us or believe like us. We are to show love, and it is with the love of God by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to love those who have offended us. The Holy Spirit will give us the love of God and enable us to showlove, so that we may forgive many sins and not find fault. 

 God has given us gifts and we are to use these gifts to bless others. Many people think their gifts are only for themselves, to make a name or earn wealth for themselves. But we are told we have received these gifts to minister to others as good stewards of God’s grace. We are to do all things with the light of the glory of God in mind that others may glorify Jesus because of our faithful work.     

When we begin to understand that we are in a spiritual battle for the souls of men, then we can begin to operate in purpose. We are able to become a servant to those who should be serving us. We can be at peace though we are going through trials, hardships or troubles because we understand our purpose and the eternal ending to this voyage and expedition we call life.   We realize these attacks, sufferings and distresses are aimed at us, but the battle is really for the souls of those who are persecuting and abusing us. Our afflictions, tribulations and persecutions are considered light, in comparison to the purpose of saving another person’s soul from eternal destruction. 

Suffering for God’s Glory:

1 Peter 4:12-19 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?  Now “if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and sinner appear?” Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. NKJ

We are told not to think it a strange thing when there is a testing of our faith, because our faith is only validated when it is tested. Some people will say they are children of God and believers of Christ but when the truth is tested in their lives then we will see what they truly believe in their hearts through their actions. Some will say they love God and His people, but when tested to do what is righteous by the marginalized and destitute some will forfeit their beliefs for what will benefit themselves and their finances. It is then that their true beliefs are revealed. They will allow the cares of this world to choke the word of God from their lives because they do not really trust God to provide.  Some may give up saying there is no use in trying and they will choose the immediate satisfaction of the moment over the promises and eternal peace of God.

Some people will go through their hardships and trials, thinking that they will be blessed in the end. But actually, the blessings are byproducts of us accomplishing God’s goal. Which is for us to show His love in the middle of the trial, being patient and being His light in dark places. Thereby they will be showing God’s mercy and forgiveness in those difficult situations. God’s purpose and plan for our lives is to show His compassion and love in these hard and difficult times. It is in these situations that we demonstrate our faith and trust in God by showing the likeness of Christ in the face of adversity. 

Some people when they have hard times respond in a way that says God has failed, that He did not come through to protect or provide. But the spiritual perspective of faith is to understand life is chaotic, that Satan is an enemy and that sin is in this world. These problems and suffering are part of the fallen life we live, but we can use these things to bring God glory when we persevere and become victoriousthrough faith believing that God would provide in every situation.

 Our perspective and outlook on a situation will often dictate our response to what we are going through. Life is more about how we view what we are going through, than what we are actually experiencing. When we view life’s problems through the lens of God’s word we realize that what is actually happening to us is nothing strange, but how we respond to the matter is of the utmost importance!

With every new truth God reveals to a believer it could start a new spiritual cycle of validating His truth. It is when we hear the word of God that the seed of that truth and life is planted into our hearts. The enemy or life’s struggles will come to test our belief in that truth.  We are able to stand when we continue to speak God’s word over the situation and know His truth on the matter. The Bible says, though we be troubled on every side, we are not to be distressed; though we are persecuted, but we have not been forsaken. These afflictions are but for a time and a season. Once we persevere through this cycle, the experience and faith that we gain will work in us and through us as an exceeding and eternal weight of triumph.

We cannot speak what we do not know. The Holy Spirit is in us constantly bringing new truth to us in different areas of our lives and these truths will be tested, but we can stand by the power of God’s word. The spiritual cycle of life is when a truth of God’s word is planted into our spirit.  Then we must choose to die to the old self and persevere through the testing of His truth. When we stand on these truths, the world will see God’s glory manifested in our lives and thereby giving hope to those in the earth. This is a continuous cycle that will begin when a new truth is given by the Holy Spirit and as we are being transformed into the image of Christ.

No matter the situation, we can trust God to bring us out and be victorious. To be content in our circumstances is to say we trust God and His faithfulness to meet our needs exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or think. It is our contentment that confirms our trust in God. When we seek God’s kingdom work first and not the fame of the world, we will show that we trust God with our lives and for our provisions.

To seek God’s kingdom is to look for God in every situation, in every trial, in every test. God has a kingdom purpose in everything that is done. God is transforming us into the image of His Son and He is showing that Imageand that light, to a dark world through us. If we faint in unbelief or fear when we go through trials, we respond no differently than the world and God’s glory is not revealed. When we have peace during trials with contentment, people will know there is something different, a different Spirit, a Kingdom Spirit that is in us. This is not a natural thing, as we all can attest. To have peace in trials and to be content happens by the God in us and the power of the Holy Spirit.

God does not create the evil that is in our lives. There is evil that is in the world because of sin. We may go through this process, but we are to show the light of God that is in us to a dark world, because we respond differently, by faith in God. He will not allow evil to overtake us beyond what we are able to endure, through the power of the Holy Spirit. God has promised to provide a way of escape from every difficult situation and temptation but the decision remains ours, to seek God and to take the wayHe has provided.

 

 

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