Chapter 1

When life feels steady and the path in front of you is clear, it’s almost natural to believe everything is going to work out. Even when you don’t know every detail of the future, there’s a sense of ease when your days fall into rhythm. You get used to your routine, you recognize the progress you’re making, and you can even imagine the next steps. You move forward with confidence because, for once, the pieces seem to be falling into place.

And after working so hard—after enduring the criticism, the doubt, and the words of those who said you would never make it—you feel you’ve earned the right to finally rest. You’ve proven yourself. You’ve carried the weight. And now, with the fruit of your labor in front of you, it makes sense to expect peace.

You know deep down that God created you for His purpose. Rather than being passive, you’ve chosen to step into that purpose—you’ve nurtured relationships, poured your energy into the work He gave you, spoken life over people who crossed your path, and lived with intention, not just letting life pass you by.

Enjoying the Sweet Fruits of Your Labor

Picture yourself walking through a garden you’ve poured everything into. The fragrance of roses and daisies greets you before you’ve even taken a step inside. The mangoes and pineapples you tended are ripe and sweet to the taste. A stream trickles nearby, its sound almost like a song, while the sunset paints the sky in soft oranges and purples. Every detail around you testifies to the effort you’ve put in.

In that moment, a deep satisfaction swells inside you. You whisper to yourself, “Finally, things are starting to come together.” After years of hard work—after giving your time, your finances, your energy, and even your tears—you can look at what you’ve built and say with certainty that it was worth it.

And it’s only natural to have expectations after investing so much. You don’t plant without hoping to see fruit. You don’t labor without anticipating results. To expect anything less would be unusual.

When the Garden Begins to Change

At first, the garden continues to thrive. The more it grows, the more responsibility you feel. You work harder because you believe it deserves your best. You put in longer hours, sacrifice more, and invest again, trusting that your garden will repay your effort.

But then, almost without notice, something shifts. You begin to see weeds sprouting here and there. At first, they seem harmless—easy to ignore. You tell yourself, “I’ll deal with them later.” But before long, they spread, and their presence can’t be overlooked.

You throw yourself into the work, but something strange happens—your increased effort doesn’t produce better results. No matter how hard you push, the flowers lose their scent. The fruit loses its sweetness. The birds that once filled the garden with song grow quiet. It feels as though the life of your garden is slowly slipping away, even as you invest more effort.

Confused, you start asking questions: “What am I doing wrong? Am I missing something? What do I need to change?”

When God Seems Silent

With no answers, you turn to God. You pray. You wait. You ask Him to show you what’s happening. But the silence lingers. Days pass, then weeks, yet you feel no response.

Then, one morning, you wake to the smell of smoke. The faint scent grows stronger until you’re running toward it with rising alarm. Your heart pounds and your mind races as you move closer. And there it is—the unthinkable. Much of your garden is ablaze. Flames consume the very trees you’ve cared for, and the rest are smoldering, barely standing.

Shock grips you. You can hardly process what your eyes are seeing. You reach out, desperate to salvage something, but it’s too late. The heat drives you back. You stand there, helpless, watching years of effort vanish in moments.

And as if that weren’t enough, you see the animals—creatures you nurtured, the ones that relied on you—stampeding in fear. In their desperate attempt to escape, they trample over the food you once depended on. Yams, potatoes—the very nourishment of your soul and spirit—are crushed beneath their feet.

In that moment, despair takes root. You’ve lost what you worked for, and now you feel unable to care for what depended on you.

How Could This Be?

The question rises like a scream inside you: “How could this possibly happen when I gave it everything I had? I did everything right. I worked hard, I prayed, I gave my best. Why, then, has it all fallen apart?”

The cruelest part isn’t even the loss—it’s the knowledge that you tried with everything in you. You wonder, “Would it have been easier if I hadn’t tried at all?”

You fall to the ground, your face turned toward heaven, but you can’t form words. The weight of grief is too heavy. Tears pour from your eyes as a silent cry escapes from your heart.

Time slows, and you feel trapped in the heaviness of it all. But just when the weight threatens to crush you, you feel droplets on your skin—rain falling gently from above. The fire begins to die down, slowly but surely. And with it, you sense something more—God’s presence surrounding you, not removing the pain but offering comfort in the middle of it.

You breathe—barely—as peace settles over you. Somehow, you manage to whisper, “Thank You, Lord.” You rise to your feet, weak but standing, staring at the remains of your once-beautiful garden. All your hard work went up in flames. All that remains is ashes and smoke.

When the Smoke Settles

As you walk through what’s left, the only thing that lingers is the smell of smoke. Every breath you take carries traces of it, as if the garden has entered your very chest. It stays there—impossible to remove—pressing against your heart with a weight you can’t ignore.

The longing to rebuild grows inside you. You want to make what you lost real again, but the question remains: How do I even begin to pick up the pieces?

A Naked Soul

It’s in moments like these that prayer becomes something more than words. The strongest prayers are the ones stripped of filters. When you let go of every mask, every attempt to sound strong or holy, and bring God your raw, unedited self—that’s when prayer truly begins.

Often, we think prayer is about forming sentences—telling God what we want, listing our worries, or presenting our plans. But in reality, prayer is the most honest, vulnerable conversation you’ll ever have with God.

And when your heart is too heavy to form words—when your only prayer is the silent question, “Why, God?”—that is the beginning of real prayer. That deep longing to hear God’s voice opens your mind and heart to receive a response.

Keeping the Heart Open

Think about it like this: you give your closest friend a gift you spent weeks making. It’s wrapped beautifully, tied with a ribbon, and full of meaning. But when you hand it over, they only admire the wrapping—maybe undo the ribbon—but never open the box. You’d be left asking, “Why don’t you want to see what I gave you?”

That’s what it’s like when we come to God but keep parts of our heart locked away. We let Him see the surface, but we hesitate to reveal what’s inside. Yet God is the One who gave the gift of life—the One who longs for the fullness of who you are. God wants you to come to Him, fully open, allowing Him to see and receive every part of you.

When you finally reach the point where all the layers fall off—when you’re too broken to hide, too tired to pretend—that’s when your prayer becomes real. That’s when God meets you, heart to heart.

Our Heartfelt Prayers Are Never in Vain

When your heart cries out in its most vulnerable state, God listens with a closeness you can’t experience anywhere else:

“The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.” —Psalm 34:18

Intimate time with God is required to draw closer to Him. Jesus said in Matthew 6:6:

“But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room… pray to your Father who is in secret.”

When you shut the door, you shut out distractions. You should not be afraid to express yourself, because it is just you and God in that secret place.

You are free to cry out to Him with all your heart. In doing so, you fulfill Deuteronomy 6:5:

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”

Your pain and tears are not wasted. They rise to Him like incense. If you close yourself off, you limit the depth of relationship He offers. But if you open wide, you step into the truth of James 4:8:

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

When the heart is broken and the soul groans, God leans in. He hears even the prayers without words. Romans 8:26 reminds us:

“The Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

These are the moments when deep calls to deep (Psalm 42:7).

Daily Meditation

Even if your garden has burned to the ground—if all you see are ashes and smoke—remember this: God created your garden from nothing in the first place. And if He did it once, He can do it again.

But consider this—maybe what looks like the end is actually the beginning of something different. Something smaller. Simpler. But far more powerful.

What if all God is waiting for is not the strength of your hands or the wealth of your resources, but the smallest spark of faith planted deep within your heart?

The question remains: will you trust Him enough to plant again—even if all you have is a seed?

Question to Ponder Before Moving Ahead

Was Jesus telling the truth when He said:

“If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed… nothing will be impossible for you.” —Matthew 17:20

Whatever positive experiences you've encountered in your life so far haven't occurred by mere chance; simply because the adversary would never allow it.

Adversary – English

Satan – Hebrew

It’s definitely time to swap the energy we’re investing in thinking about the unpleasant experiences we’ve had in life with the good ones - past and present. Instead of using our energy to delve into the unpleasant, we should be using it to emphasize and think upon the good.

If you ever need to be reminded of any mistakes you've made, unjust things that have happened to you, or anything that you desire to move beyond, the adversary will always be there to remind you, condemn you, and beat you over the head with it if you allow. There's really no need to dwell on experiences that have wounded you, because if you ever need a reminder, the adversary will be there to do just that.

There Is No Such Thing as Good Luck

Definitions

Luck: (a) a force that brings about good fortune or adversity. (b) the events or circumstances that work for or against an individual. (c) favoring chance. - Merriam-Webster.com

Blessing: (a) fill with benefits. (b) praise, fortune, make happy, speak well of. - Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, pp. 223-224

There is no such thing as good luck, but there is such a thing as a good blessing. We frequently employ the term "luck" to characterize something favorable or unfavorable that we perceive as occurring by chance, seemingly out of nowhere. However, when we contemplate our actuality and scrutinize our views or beliefs about the concept of "luck," we swiftly regain our rationality and come to our senses.

How many things in our life happen by chance? Do we get out of bed by chance? Do we eat, sleep, or fulfill our responsibilities by chance? We do not. All of these things occur because we decided to do them since life requires them to be done.

There are, however, forces, events and circumstances that operate for and against us, but they don’t do so by chance.

The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.  John 10:10 KJV

• The adversary/devil, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

• Jesus comes to give us life in great abundance.

If we believe in the words of the Holy Bible, we are compelled to acknowledge that Jesus informed us about the forces working for and against us.

I believe that by now, everyone has acknowledged the existence of both forces of good and evil. We primarily experience these forces through human nature. There are people who willingly commit acts of goodness, and there are those who do otherwise. Though we experience these forces most prevalently in human nature, human nature is not the source of them. John 10:10 tells us that the respective sources of these forces of good and evil are the God of the Bible and the adversary.

For we are not struggling against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. Ephesians 6:12 CJB

Hence, what we are truly experiencing is not good luck, but rather, good blessings. 'Good' refers to intentional benefits brought forth by the God of the Holy Bible, while 'evil' signifies intentional harm brought upon humanity by the enemy of God’s most prized possession: man.

PSA - Public Service Announcement

If you were informed that a convicted serial killer has escaped imprisonment and is currently on the loose in your neighborhood with deadly weapons, how vigilant would you be when you're outside in your community?

You would exercise much more caution and care when outside, as a natural self-preservation response to this newly discovered threat to your existence.

Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8 ASV

In light of this verse, 1 Peter 5:8 ASV, I want to inform you that there is an adversary who is even more dangerous to your very existence than a serial killer running around in your neighborhood.

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28 AV

While a serial killer has the capability to destroy the body, they will never possess the ability to destroy the soul. The point is that since the devil has made it his primary objective to destroy you, the enemy has devised a search and destroy mission for your body and soul. Therefore, anything positive that has occurred in your life has never happened by chance. The devil will never allow anything good to happen to you, as he is on a deliberate mission to destroy you and every positive aspect of your being.

You Never Get Lucky

You Never Get Lucky; You'll Only Receive a Blessing or a Curse.

We shouldn't outlaw the word 'luck' because it doesn't truly exist; it's just a figure of speech (laugh out loud). What we should delve into is our positive experiences and dwell on them, acknowledging God for His mercy, unfailing love and unrelenting - obsessive commitment to us.  

We need to be honest with ourselves and acknowledge that any good that happens to us is because God’s army is unwavering in the battle for our souls.

He who keeps you will not slumber. Psalm 121:3 AMP

The only thing that truthfully explains the reality of bad things happening to good people, and even worse, good things happening to bad people, is the words of the scriptures. Specifically, Ephesians 6:12 and John 10:10.

While we often find ourselves inclined to believe in luck, chance, or happenstance, our blessings are deliberate, planned and triggered by specifics. They are so intentional that we possess the ability to influence the blessings that manifest in our lives. While we may not have complete power over adversity, we do have authority and control over the positive aspects. We can make decisions that invite the blessings of God into our lives.

We Have Control Over Our Blessings

There are many ways through which we control the blessings that enter and leave our lives. We possess this control over our blessings because we are created in the image and likeness of God.

Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, in the likeness of ourselves; and let them rule” Genesis 1:26 CJB

After God created man, He gave man the authority to rule and have control over his environment. One of the ways in which we have control over the blessings that enter and leave our lives is through our speech.

As God created the world with His words, so we possess the ability to create our environment and experiences with our words.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words. Proverbs 18:21   AMP

Essentially, whoever or whatever you obey is the source from which your blessings will come. Therefore, if you desire the blessings of God, you'll need to obey His words. This isn't solely due to God's omnipotence and authority, but it's also about the principle of work, payment, labor, and rewards.

Be ye strong…for your work shall be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:7 KJV

Don’t delude yourselves: no one makes a fool of God! A person reaps what he sows. Galatians 6:7 CJB

For he will pay back each one according to his deeds. To those who seek glory, honor and immortality by perseverance in doing good, he will pay back eternal life. But to those who are self-seeking, who disobey the truth and obey evil, he will pay back wrath and anger. Romans 2:6-8 CJB

If You Do God’s Work, You Receive God’s Pay

If you instruct your child to look in your secret hiding place and take out a hundred-dollar bill, but they don't obey you, they won't receive the hundred-dollar bill.

Once again, it's not about ‘do this because I said so’. It's about being obedient and being rewarded for your obedience. If we do God's work, we receive payment from God for doing His work. If we do the adversary’s work, we receive payment from the adversary.

Throughout Scripture, we are told repeatedly that our blessings come and go based on our decisions. If we want to be blessed, we must make a choice to be blessed.

Deuteronomy 28:1-2   Now if you really obey the Lord your God’s voice, by carefully keeping all his commandments that I am giving you right now, then the Lord your God will set you high above all nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and find you if you obey the Lord your God’s voice. CEB

Deuteronomy 30:15  Look! I am presenting you today with, on the one hand, life and good; and on the other, death and evil. CJB

Deuteronomy 30:19  I call on heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have presented you with life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, so that you will live, you and your descendants. CJB

During the time of wandering in the desert, God called heaven and earth to witness against the children of Israel. He presented two very simple options: life and blessing, or death and cursing. God continues to call us to choose in modern times. Our ability to make decisions is something that God has never taken away from mankind.

Some may wonder, if God is so loving, then why doesn't He just pour on our blessings without requiring anything? Anything worth having takes effort to obtain. In this life, anything you desire is in reach, but regardless of how simple it may be to obtain, you must follow the instructions necessary to acquire it.

If you want water, you must get up and head to the refrigerator or the faucet. If you want to take a walk outdoors, you must put on your shoes and step outside your door. If you desire to receive God’s blessings, you must follow God's instructions.

Why can't God simply bestow upon us all the good things and allow us to pursue whatever we desire, regardless of how reckless? Why doesn’t a parent give the car keys to a five year old and allow him to do what he wants? Parents that love their children will never do such a thing and neither will God do things that are never for the benefit of His children; those who have bowed down to Him because He is their Father and God.

We should always be aware that anyone can disobey God and walk outside of God’s realm of protection by choice; however, doing so is akin to walking outside in the rain without an umbrella on a cold day. There’s a chance you won’t get sick, but the longer you’re in the rain, that probability decreases. God is, so to speak, an umbrella — your protection on a cold rainy day.

You always have the option of walking out from under that umbrella, but be reminded: whenever you disobey God and step outside of His protection, you're in the crosshairs of a vicious and merciless enemy.

There is an adversary waiting to take advantage of an easy target, one with no protection. Once you step out from under God's protections (via some form of disobedience to His protective instructions), you're in an open field with literally no shield against an attack from your adversary, who is on a seek-and-destroy mission.

God Is Not Responsible for the Consequences of Our Disobedience

God is solely responsible for what He instructs us to do in His word. He bears responsibility towards His children, but not for the consequences of His children's decisions. This dynamic mirrors any parent-child relationship. A parent will often not face legal consequences for the bad decisions of their child. The child usually faces the consequences of his/her decisions.

God is obligated to care for us, but He is not obligated to give us a "get out of jail free" card. There are times when God will rescue us, and other times, we must learn a valuable lesson.

This is why it is important to habitually read the scriptures. They provide guidance on what you should or should not do, in accordance with God's will. The scriptures demonstrate the outcomes for people who went against God's intentions for them, and it's evident that such actions didn't lead to favorable results. The pain resulting from the consequences of their decisions always changed the trajectory of their lives in a devastating manner.

King Solomon, for example, chose to have many wives, despite God setting the precedent of one wife to one husband by creating Eve as Adam's sole partner. Solomon was led astray into idolatry, and the consequences of his backsliding are evident in the Book of Ecclesiastes and other scriptures. There is no wisdom that holds greater quality of life than the wisdom of God.

Filled with profound wisdom and regret, this is King Solomon’s conclusion: " When all has been heard, the end of the matter is: fear God [worship Him with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God and keep His commandments, for this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, every hidden and secret thing, whether it is good or evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 AMP

That was a painful experience for him, and in order to avoid unnecessary painful experiences, we're better off doing things God's way. It will not always be the easy way, but the better way.

God will not reward our disobedience. Therefore, if there is any aspect of your life in which you can be disciplined and readily obey God, it's best to start doing so immediately. It won't be easy, but it will be much easier than facing the consequences of disobeying God, walking out from under His divine protection and opening ourselves up to the adversary.

Legal Tender Worth More Than the Euro

And if you do obey these rules and observe them carefully, your God will maintain faithfully for you the covenant made on oath with your fathers: God will favor you and bless you and multiply you. Deuteronomy 7:12-14 Contemporary Torah

These blessings are commanded upon you, and God will not change His word. You might not believe this if you consider God to be a liar, but because we know and are confident that God is truthful, we can rely on this principle and exchange it for our blessings.

This law is legal tender, worth more than any paper currency, because God never leaves the faithful unrewarded. You can take God's word to the heavenly bank and receive whatever you've been promised in scripture. You may have to wait in line or wait for the teller, so to speak, but you will eventually be able to withdraw your reward.

Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:7 KJV

He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6 KJV

Thou renderest to every man according to his work. Psalm 62:12 JKJV

If you don't believe in miracles, even though you're a walking miracle, it's time to begin believing. Billions of molecules and your DNA had to be replicated with 100% precision for you to be breathing and reading this right now. If you’re alive, you’re a miracle because it took a miracle to bring you through your mother’s womb.

Nothing Good Will Ever Happen to You By Chance Because The Adversary Will Never Allow It

Let’s revisit John 10:10 once again.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Joh 10:10 AV

This verse conveys something of great significance — that the adversary, described as a thief, is on a dedicated mission. The adversary has committed to making it his life’s purpose to invest his time in stealing any goodness from your life. He is not content with merely pilfering your joy, health, or purpose.

It's not enough for the adversary to merely steal from you. The adversary feels that he must also kill and destroy you. He aims to steal, then kill and destroy you, preventing you from ever enjoying the abundance of love, peace, mercy, and the higher quality of life that Jesus died for you to have.

Do you ever feel like you're constantly fighting a battle? If so, your gut feeling is echoing what reality already knows.

Who will protect you from bombardments and assaults on your life?

Only the forces of good; the forces of the living God can aid you. While having support and help from others is valuable, ultimately, only God can truly assist you in winning this battle.

According to the truthful Holy Bible, which has maintained its integrity and correctness for thousands of years, specifically within the books of Revelation and First John, it is written that we have already won this war.

And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony. Revelation 12:11 AMP

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world. 1 John 5:4-5 ESV

Who is it that is victorious over [that conquers] the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on that fact? 1 John 5:5 AMP

Even though the war is already won, you still have smaller battles to fight. Be confident in God, walk in victory and enjoy the abundance of prosperity Christ died to give you in every aspect of your life.

Tough Love

God protects you from dangers that you weren't even aware were awaiting you.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Fight For Your Well-being

Since you are not fighting against a visible enemy, you will need the appropriate weapons.

2 Corinthians 10:4

AMPC For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds.

CJB Because the weapons we use to wage war are not worldly. On the contrary, they have God’s power for demolishing strongholds.

As is often said, it's unwise to bring a knife to a gunfight.

A Spiritual War Requires Spiritual Weapons. These are just a few of the weapons you must use to win this war for your life, your mind, soul, loved ones, and anything that holds significance in your life. Read the scriptures, specifically the book of Daniel to consistently learn more about spiritual war.

The Amor of God So take up every piece of war equipment God provides; so that when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist; and when the battle is won, you will still be standing. Therefore, stand! Have the belt of truth buckled around your waist, put on righteousness for a breastplate, and wear on your feet the readiness that comes from the Good News of shalom. Always carry the shield of trust, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the Evil One. And take the helmet of deliverance; along with the sword given by the Spirit, that is, the Word of God; as you pray at all times, with all kinds of prayers and requests, in the Spirit, vigilantly and persistently, for all God’s people. Ephesians 6:11-17 CJB

The Holy Spirit of God. Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 KJV (The Holy Spirit is the part of God that is always with us).

Reverential fear of the Lord The fear of Adonai is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7 CJB . Fear of the Lord opens us up to the wisdom, knowledge, and instructions from God.

Prayer and Fasting But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:21 AMPC. Prayer and fasting do what no other weapon can do: they break the pattern of any stubborn elements in your life.

Stand Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious] Ephesians 6:13 AMP.

Have Confidence in God Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward Hebrews 10:35 KJV. Have confidence in God and stand firm after you’ve done all the Holy Bible says to do.

Have Faith in God But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Hebrews 11:6 KJV. Demonstrate your confidence in God by following His guidance and consistently walking by faith.

Obedience to God’s word A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. Deuteronomy 11:27-28 KJV

Take Action to Fight For Your Well-being

•Take at least 5 minutes, twice a day, to reflect on positive experiences you've had, no matter how small they may be. Did you wake up in good spirits? Have you heard any distressing personal news today? If not, contemplate those aspects. Replaying our positive experiences is significantly more advantageous for our mental health and our future.

•Rehearse Bible verses that (1) speak of God's blessings towards you and (2) provide instructions on how to fight this battle.

•Take 15 minutes daily to study the instructions and laws concerning blessings and curses. You may begin with Deuteronomy 28 and 30.

•Recite these verses and memorize them. Set an alarm to read these Bible verses before bed.

1. To him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. Proverbs 11:18 KJV

2. Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. Jeremiah 31:16 KJV

3. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. Ruth 2:12 KJV

4. Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:7 KJV

In summation, whenever we encounter a positive experience, we don't always delve into the details. We don't ponder the specifics; we simply accept the goodness and move forward, feeling joyful. However, we don't often approach negative experiences in the same manner. We question God and ourselves, analyzing the issue from every angle.

While we should retrace our steps to identify areas for improvement, we shouldn't excessively dwell on our negative experiences. This is because we tend to reinforce whatever we consistently replay in our minds.

An essential aspect of recognizing our positive experiences, far more than dwelling on the negative ones, is that we emphasize how blessed we truly are. Since nothing good happens to us by chance, we must celebrate and savor each goodness and its provider with daily gestures of thanksgiving and praise.

Prayer Appointment

• Make thanksgiving and praise a part of your daily prayer appointment.

• Ask God to show you how He is continually blessing you throughout the day.

• Ask Him to lead you step by step in developing a particular method that will help you learn how to focus on your positive experiences and blessings.

Answered Prayers Journal

What prayers has God answered this week? Did He answer them in ways that you were expecting?

What are three things God has done this month that you know did not happen by chance?

References

Contemporary Torah. Deuteronomy 7:12-14. Retrieved from https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.7.13?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Draper, Ph.D, C., Owen, Ph.D, C., & England, Ph.D, A. (Eds.). (2003). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, Tennessee: Hollman Bible Publishers.

Scriptural Evidence

Genesis 1:26    Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, in the likeness of ourselves; and let them rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the animals, and over all the earth, and over every crawling creature that crawls on the earth.” Complete Jewish Bible

Deuteronomy 7:12-14   And if you do obey these rules and observe them carefully, your God will maintain faithfully for you the covenant made on oath with your fathers: God will favor you and bless you and multiply you—blessing your issue from the womb and your produce from the soil, your new grain and wine and oil, the calving of your herd and the lambing of your flock, in the land sworn to your fathers to be assigned to you. You shall be blessed above all other peoples: there shall be no sterile male or female among you or among your livestock. The Contemporary Torah

Deuteronomy 30:15 “Look! I am presenting you today with, on the one hand, life and good; and on the other, death and evil. Complete Jewish Bible

Deuteronomy 30:11-16 For this mitzvah which I am giving you today is not too hard for you, it is not beyond your reach. It isn’t in the sky, so that you need to ask, ‘Who will go up into the sky for us, bring it to us and make us hear it, so that we can obey it?’ Likewise, it isn’t beyond the sea, so that you need to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea for us, bring it to us and make us hear it, so that we can obey it?’ On the contrary, the word is very close to you — in your mouth, even in your heart; therefore, you can do it! “Look! I am presenting you today with, on the one hand, life and good; and on the other, death and evil — in that I am ordering you today to love Adonai your God, to follow his ways, and to obey his mitzvot, regulations and rulings ; for if you do, you will live and increase your numbers; and Adonai your God will bless you in the land you are entering in order to take possession of it. Complete Jewish Bible

Deuteronomy 30:11-16 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. King James Version

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 “I call on heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have presented you with life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, so that you will live, you and your descendants, loving Adonai your God, paying attention to what he says and clinging to him — for that is the purpose of your life! On this depends the length of time you will live in the land Adonai swore he would give to your ancestors Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov.” Complete Jewish Bible

Psalm 62:12 Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work. King James Version

Psalm 121:3-5 He will not allow your foot to slip or to be moved; He Who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand [the side not carrying a shield]. Amplified Bible Classic Edition

Ephesians 6:12-18 For we are not struggling against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. So take up every piece of war equipment God provides; so that when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist; and when the battle is won, you will still be standing. Therefore, stand! Have the belt of truth buckled around your waist, put on righteousness for a breastplate, and wear on your feet the readiness that comes from the Good News of shalom. Always carry the shield of trust, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the Evil One. And take the helmet of deliverance; along with the sword given by the Spirit, that is, the Word of God; as you pray at all times, with all kinds of prayers and requests, in the Spirit, vigilantly and persistently, for all God’s people. Complete Jewish Bible

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of Adonai is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. CJB

Proverbs 11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. King James Version

Jeremiah 31:16 Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. King James Version

Matthew 17:14-21 When they approached the multitude, a man came up to Him, kneeling before Him and saying, Lord, do pity and have mercy on my son, for he has epilepsy (is moonstruck) and he suffers terribly; for frequently he falls into the fire and many times into the water. And I brought him to Your disciples, and they were not able to cure him. And Jesus answered, O you unbelieving (warped, wayward, rebellious) and thoroughly perverse generation! How long am I to remain with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to Me. And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked privately, Why could we not drive it out? He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith [that is, your lack of firmly relying trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. King James Version

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. King James Version

Revelation 12:11 And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing]. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

Why would such loving people choose hell over eternal salvation?

God will not kidnap us and take us into Heaven. Spending eternity with God is a decision we make and, from then on, demonstrate daily. When we say a prayer for salvation, engage in baptism, participate in other acts of worship, and live in obedience to God’s word, we are deciding to spend eternity in Heaven with God, one decision at a time.

God Is Not a Slave Master

Definitions                     

• Slavery: (i) submission to a dominating influence. (ii) the practice of slaveholding.   Merriam-Webster    

• Slave: (i) a person who is completely subservient to a dominating influence. (ii) held in or forced into servitude. Merriam-Webster    

• Slave, Servant: Person totally responsible to and dependent upon another person. Holman Illustrated  Bible Dictionary

If you were counting on God to force you into heaven, luck is something you've run out of.

Because you are not a slave, you will need to accept God’s salvation and choose, hour by hour, day by day, to live according to what God deems acceptable.

You see, slaves have an extremely limited autonomy, possessing only what is granted to them by their master. They are unable to make any decisions beyond what their master deems acceptable. Their master controls every aspect of their lives: they have no say in what they eat, when they sleep, their manner of speech, or even when and how to stand and rise (please disregard the exaggeration : ).

Now, based on historical context, along with the biblical and secular definitions of slavery, as well as the concept of being a slave, it becomes evident that it is not a favorable condition. Slavery is not an inherently good thing. As we accept this undeniable truth, we can understand why God did not created us into slavery. As you read further, you will gain an understanding of the significance of keeping these definitions in mind.

God Will Not Override Your Free Will

Adam and Eve were free to choose God. They were doing just that until the serpent came along and made them question what God had told them. While some may believe that God should have told them several times and given them a more thorough explanation as to why the fruit of the tree shouldn't be eaten, the truth is that it isn't about the number of explanations God provided. It was about whom they chose to believe. They chose to believe the serpent, which is what led to their being cast out of a perfect place.

“Did God really say, ‘You are not to eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1  CJB

Adam, led by his wife, chose to believe the serpent, and as a result, they both experienced the very painful consequences of their belief.

Now, the question is, did they realize that when they began to deliberate on what God had told them, they were actually contemplating whether or not to exchange their absolute freedom for partial slavery? Would they have believed the serpent had they known that fact?

They were entirely free to make any choices they wanted, but after believing the serpent, they became partial slaves to sin.

Lessons:

• It wasn't how many times God advised them not to eat the fruit; it was whom they chose to believe.

• We are always free to make whatever choices we desire, but we are never free from the consequences.

•Eve had the option of eating the fruit. Just because we have the choice to do something doesn't necessarily mean we should exercise that choice, especially if we don't comprehend the consequences. While this might be an extreme example, the choice to commit murder is accessible to every human being on the planet. However, out of the nearly eight billion people, less than five percent choose to exercise this option.

God will not override our free will because He is God. He is the God of all truth, mercy, and love. Yes, He is all-powerful, the “I Am,” omnipotent, and all those other intricate terms we use to describe Him. And because He encompasses all these attributes and so much more, He is not a slave master.

Psalm 103:8-10  The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. KJV

Psalm 145:8-9   The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.  The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. KJV

The one thing we can all acknowledge as an absolute truth is that God is not a slave master, and He will not override our free will - our ability to choose. Everyone has the capacity to make choices, even a murderer.

Though the murderer may face harsh consequences for committing such a heinous crime, they still retain the ability to choose.

Why Does Such a Loving God Send People to Hell?

As evidenced by life and conventional wisdom, God sends no one directly to hell and destruction. It’s the choices we make daily that bring us to such a place. It’s no different than any other aspect of life.

If we daily choose bad foods instead of healthy ones, we eventually end up in a health crisis. If we choose bad relationships over healthy ones, we eventually end up in an emotional crisis.

Once, again, because God is neither a slave master nor one to allow the guilty to go unpunished, He has prepared a place for those who trust and obey Him, as well as for those who choose otherwise. We will all eventually experience the consequences of our beliefs.

Adonai is slow to anger, but great in power; and he does not leave the guilty unpunished. Nahum 1:3 CJB

The question of why God sends people to hell has led many to ponder the nature of God's character.

We tend to believe the parts of scripture that we hear most. We often hear more about the loving and kind God – the God who never gives up on those whom He loves, the God who sent His only begotten son to die for a people whose sins reach unto the heavens.

The "loving & kind God" gospel is true. God is loving, kind, patient, long-suffering, and forgiving, among other qualities. However, He has also destroyed kingdoms, cities, and peoples who rebelled against Him without repentance.

Tough Love

God will not kidnap you and drag you into heaven. Choosing to be with God is your decision.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 ESV

Fight For Your Well-being

I wish that obeying God at all times were easy, but surely that is not the reality. It's relatively straightforward to follow God's commands in areas where we have established discipline, but it becomes challenging when we encounter temptation in areas where our discipline is lacking or where we lack the necessary knowledge to navigate beyond the challenges we confront.

When we ask God how to proceed, sometimes He directs us to others who can better assist us. Other times, He directs us to study His Word because more often than not, the initial steps we need to take are found within one of those sixty-six books of the Holy Bible.

Take Action to fight for your wellbeing.

1. Create a Bible reading schedule and stick with it. Begin with 10 minutes and gradually increase the duration over time.

2. Consider using a study Bible and a Bible dictionary. Utilize the scriptures to elucidate their contents. When you encounter concepts that appear unclear, seek out additional passages that relate to your current subject.

Read the Bible every chance you get. It's wonderful to listen to ministers of the Word of God, but it's even better to read it yourself. You might not fully grasp what you're reading at first. However, as with anything you undertake, consistency is key to mastering it.

Prayer Appointment

Say a prayer for your salvation:

"Dear God, I come to you in faith, recognizing my need for a Savior. I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son, that He died for my sins on the cross, and that He rose from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that you raised Him from the dead. I ask for your forgiveness and the gift of eternal life that only you can provide. I repent of my sins and turn to you. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior and Lord. Thank you for your grace and mercy. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen."

Share Your Progress

Was there a time you wished that God would kidnap you and deliver you from a bad habit, harsh words, or an issue you were struggling with?

How were you able to rise above the issue with God’s help one day at a time?

Answered Prayers

Is there something that God has brought to your attention this week that has made your realize he has not forgotten your prayers?

References

Draper, Ph.D, C., Owen, Ph.D, C., & England, Ph.D, A. (Eds.). (2003). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, Tennessee: Hollman Bible Publishers.

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Slave. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved August 15, 2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slave

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Slavery. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved August 12, 2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slavery

Scriptural Evidence

 Isaiah 59:2   But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Nahum 1:1-3  CJB   This is a prophecy about Ninveh, the book of the vision of Nachum the Elkoshi:

Adonai is a jealous and vengeful God.  Adonai avenges; he knows how to be angry. Adonai takes vengeance on his foes and stores up wrath for his enemies. Adonai is slow to anger, but great in power;

and he does not leave the guilty unpunished. Adonai’s path is in the whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Romans 10:9-10 ESV   Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

John 3:16 ESV   For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV   For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Acts 2:38 ESV   And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 3:7-10   But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies[b] will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Revelation 3:20 ESV   Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

22 And Terah bowed down to his gods, and he then went away from them, and Abram, his son, went away with him.

23 And when Abram had gone from them he went to his mother and sat before her, and he said to his mother, Behold, my father has shown me those who made heaven and earth, and all the sons of men.

24 Now, therefore, hasten and fetch a kid from the flock, and make of it savory meat, that I may bring it to my father's gods as an offering for them to eat; perhaps I may thereby become acceptable to them.

25 And his mother did so, and she fetched a kid, and made savory meat thereof, and brought it to Abram, and Abram took the savory meat from his mother and brought it before his father's gods, and he drew nigh to them that they might eat; and Terah his father, did not know of it.

26 And Abram saw on the day when he was sitting amongst them, that they had no voice, no hearing, no motion, and not one of them could stretch forth his hand to eat.

27 And Abram mocked them, and said, Surely the savory meat that I prepared has not pleased them, or perhaps it was too little for them, and for that reason they would not eat; therefore tomorrow I will prepare fresh savory meat, better and more plentiful than this, in order that I may see the result.

28 And it was on the next day that Abram directed his mother concerning the savory meat, and his mother rose and fetched three fine kids from the flock, and she made of them some excellent savory meat, such as her son was fond of, and she gave it to her son Abram; and Terah his father did not know of it.

29 And Abram took the savory meat from his mother, and brought it before his father's gods into the chamber; and he came nigh unto them that they might eat, and he placed it before them, and Abram sat before them all day, thinking perhaps they might eat.

30 And Abram viewed them, and behold they had neither voice nor hearing, nor did one of them stretch forth his hand to the meat to eat.

31 And in the evening of that day in that house Abram was clothed with the spirit of God.

32 And he called out and said, Wo unto my father and this wicked generation, whose hearts are all inclined to vanity, who serve these idols of wood and stone which can neither eat, smell, hear nor speak, who have mouths without speech, eyes without sight, ears without hearing, hands without feeling, and legs which cannot move; like them are those that made them and that trust in them.

33 And when Abram saw all these things his anger was kindled against his father, and he hastened and took a hatchet in his hand, and came unto the chamber of the gods, and he broke all his father's gods.

34 And when he had done breaking the images, he placed the hatchet in the hand of the great god which was there before them, and he went out; and Terah his father came home, for he had heard at the door the sound of the striking of the hatchet; so Terah came into the house to know what this was about.

35 And Terah, having heard the noise of the hatchet in the room of images, ran to the room to the images, and he met Abram going out.

36 And Terah entered the room and found all the idols fallen down and broken, and the hatchet in the hand of the largest, which was not broken, and the savory meat which Abram his son had made was still before them.

37 And when Terah saw this his anger was greatly kindled, and he hastened and went from the room to Abram.

38 And he found Abram his son still sitting in the house; and he said to him, What is this work thou hast done to my gods?

39 And Abram answered Terah his father and he said, Not so my lord, for I brought savory meat before them, and when I came nigh to them with the meat that they might eat, they all at once stretched forth their hands to eat before the great one had put forth his hand to eat.

40 And the large one saw their works that they did before him, and his anger was violently kindled against them, and he went and took the hatchet that was in the house and came to them and broke them all, and behold the hatchet is yet in his hand as thou seest.

41 And Terah's anger was kindled against his son Abram, when he spoke this; and Terah said to Abram his son in his anger, What is this tale that thou hast told? Thou speakest lies to me.

42 Is there in these gods spirit, soul or power to do all thou hast told me? Are they not wood and stone, and have I not myself made them, and canst thou speak such lies, saying that the large god that was with them smote them? It is thou that didst place the hatchet in his hands, and then sayest he smote them all.

43 And Abram answered his father and said to him, And how canst thou then serve these idols in whom there is no power to do any thing? Can those idols in which thou trustest deliver thee? can they hear thy prayers when thou callest upon them? can they deliver thee from the hands of thy enemies, or will they fight thy battles for thee against thy enemies, that thou shouldst serve wood and stone which can neither speak nor hear?

44 And now surely it is not good for thee nor for the sons of men that are connected with thee, to do these things; are you so silly, so foolish or so short of understanding that you will serve wood and stone, and do after this manner?

45 And forget the Lord God who made heaven and earth, and who created you in the earth, and thereby bring a great evil upon your souls in this matter by serving stone and wood?

46 Did not our fathers in days of old sin in this matter, and the Lord God of the universe brought the waters of the flood upon them and destroyed the whole earth?

47 And how can you continue to do this and serve gods of wood and stone, who cannot hear, or speak, or deliver you from oppression, thereby bringing down the anger of the God of the universe upon you?

48 Now therefore my father refrain from this, and bring not evil upon thy soul and the souls of thy household.

49 And Abram hastened and sprang from before his father, and took the hatchet from his father's largest idol, with which Abram broke it and ran away.

50 And Terah, seeing all that Abram had done, hastened to go from his house, and he went to the king and he came before Nimrod and stood before him, and he bowed down to the king; and the king said, What dost thou want?

51 And he said, I beseech thee my lord, to hear me--Now fifty years back a child was born to me, and thus has he done to my gods and thus has he spoken; and now therefore, my lord and king, send for him that he may come before thee, and judge him according to the law, that we may be delivered from his evil.

52 And the king sent three men of his servants, and they went and brought Abram before the king. And Nimrod and all his princes and servants were that day sitting before him, and Terah sat also before them.

53 And the king said to Abram, What is this that thou hast done to thy father and to his gods? And Abram answered the king in the words that he spoke to his father, and he said, The large god that was with them in the house did to them what thou hast heard.

54 And the king said to Abram, Had they power to speak and eat and do as thou hast said? And Abram answered the king, saying, And if there be no power in them why dost thou serve them and cause the sons of men to err through thy follies?

55 Dost thou imagine that they can deliver thee or do anything small or great, that thou shouldst serve them? And why wilt thou not sense the God of the whole universe, who created thee and in whose power it is to kill and keep alive?

56 0 foolish, simple, and ignorant king, woe unto thee forever.

57 I thought thou wouldst teach thy servants the upright way, but thou hast not done this, but hast filled the whole earth with thy sins and the sins of thy people who have followed thy ways.

58 Dost thou not know, or hast thou not heard, that this evil which thou doest, our ancestors sinned therein in days of old, and the eternal God brought the waters of the flood upon them and destroyed them all, and also destroyed the whole earth on their account? And wilt thou and thy people rise up now and do like unto this work, in order to bring down the anger of the Lord God of the universe, and to bring evil upon thee and the whole earth?

59 Now therefore put away this evil deed which thou doest, and serve the God of the universe, as thy soul is in his hands, and then it will be well with thee.

60 And if thy wicked heart will not hearken to my words to cause thee to forsake thy evil ways, and to serve the eternal God, then wilt thou die in shame in the latter days, thou, thy people and all who are connected with thee, hearing thy words or walking in thy evil ways.

61 And when Abram had ceased speaking before the king and princes, Abram lifted up his eyes to the heavens, and he said, The Lord seeth all the wicked, and he will judge them.

Source: The Book of Jasher 11:21-49

Scriptural Evidence

Jasher 11:21-49

Joshua 10:13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

2 Samuel 1:18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

- Mark Twain

According to the Holy Bible “ Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, ^]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].”   Hebrews 11:1 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

For a definitive explanation of faith as well as examples in the Holy Bible, take a moment to explore Lack Of Faith Will Cost You Everything - Doubt Is Too Expensive.

James chapter 1

AMP ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord, ⁸ being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].

KJV ⁵ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. ⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. ⁸ A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

James 1:5-8 gives us insight into the level of faith we need to have when asking God to accomplish things in our lives. In these verses, the Book of James discusses the act of asking God for wisdom with unwavering faith.

What particularly stands out are these two sentences: "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering... For let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord."

Now, let us combine these verses with Hebrews 11:6. It reads as follows: "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering... For let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord... (For) without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

It is useful to read parts of the Holy Bible, but it is best to read the entire work. As you can see, putting these sentences together provides us with a benchmark, criterion or standard that informs us of the level of faith we need to have.

Having faith is crucial because it directly impacts our ability to function effectively in different areas of life. If we lack the required level of faith for a specific aspect, we are more likely to experience significant difficulties and struggles in that area. Therefore, cultivating faith is essential for our overall well-being and success in various aspects of life.

In other, more veracious but equally disciplined words, if we demonstrate faithlessness in our relationship with God, we won't get the results we desire. If we demonstrate faithlessness in our finances, the same is true. Wherever we demonstrate faithlessness, we will receive very little return on the investment of our efforts or outright failure. The same is true of FAITHFULNESS. You will always thrive in the aspects of your life where you are faithful, diligent, disciplined and utilize wisdom to go forward. If you focus on and nurture a specific aspect of your life, that's the area where you'll experience growth and success.

A Harsh Truth - Nothing Wavering

Don't ask if you haven't decided to believe God. 'Nothing wavering' is a biblical requirement. There is a difference between believing in God and believing God for what you've asked Him for. While we believe that God exists, we must also believe that 'if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us' (1 John 5:14 NKJV).

The Bible makes it very clear that if you are not ready to increase your knowledge, understanding, belief, etc., and have faith to believe God for whatever you're requesting, then simply don't ask. Don't ask God for anything you don't have faith He will give you."

Go Out on The Limb to Get The Fruit

Irrespective of how much you may need God to fulfill a request, how much loss you've already experienced, or the amount of pain you're experiencing, you must have faith as small as a mustard seed and believe God for what you've asked Him for.

Furthermore, in demonstration of your faith, it is necessary for you to take the appropriate steps toward what you believe in, or else you will remain without what you need and continue to experience loss.

Why does God require us to believe in Him despite the odds, even when we face the worst circumstances? Ask yourself this: how often do you make plans, seek godly guidance, and invest time and money into pursuing something you don't truly desire? If you genuinely want what you're asking God for, you will dedicate quality time and thought to obtain it.

You can stand on the ground and collect whatever falls off the tree. However, you can also expedite the process of obtaining ripened fruit by venturing out on the limb to retrieve it.

God Cares About Our Suffering, Our Pain, And Our Losses

Matthew 5:3   "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Psalm 34:18   "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit."

Psalm 51:17   "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise."

Jeremiah 31:3   "The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: 'Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.'"

Faith Is the Currency You Need To Purchase God’s Promises

If you go to Mexico, you may need Pesos to make purchases.

If you go to Europe, you may need Euros.

If you go to Japan, you need the Yen.

If you’re in South Africa, you need the Rand.

If you go to God, you will need faith.

All Talk and No Action

You can't say you have faith and have no action. For scripture and life tells us and repeatedly demonstrates that " For as the human body apart from the spirit is lifeless, so faith apart from [its] works of obedience is also dead." Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

Your faith is the gasoline of your spiritual life. Selah. You’re relationship with God can’t be on fire if you don’t pour gasoline on it.

Furthermore, you demonstrate your faith based on your actions. "I will show you my faith by my actions!" James 2:18

Jeremiah 29:11   For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

The key here is an 'expected end.' God plans to give you the ending you're expecting. God already has good plans for you. Now, all you need to do is align your faith with the good plan that God has. At this point, you should expect God to be good to you. God is going to give you beauty for ashes if you remain faithful to Him.

Isaiah 61:2-4

“To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

God Never Forgets

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8 New International Version (NIV)

God takes our sufferings into consideration, but our suffering does not change our circumstances. Our suffering changes our mindset. Our faith changes our circumstances. Our faith commands God's hands to move on our behalf to bring change into our circumstances. Once again, God is not an invader of the body, mind, spirit, or emotions.

God will not kidnap you and drag you into heaven, neither will he kidnap you and drag you into faith. It really is up to you to decide where you want to be and how much faith you have in God’s ability to get things done for you. God will not rob you of your free will or the opportunity to not believe in Him. Your faith gives God permission to work in your body, mind, spirit, and emotions, and change your circumstances and your life overall.

Read God Will Not Kidnap You and Drag You Into Heaven - Kidnapping Is Illegal on Earth As It Is In Heaven

Faith – The Stop Loss Order

In the realm of financial securities, you can place a particular order called a Stop Loss Order. A stop loss is a type of order that investors or traders use to limit their potential losses in the stock market. It works by automatically selling a security when its price reaches a certain level, known as the stop price. This helps traders avoid larger losses if the price of the security continues to drop ("Stop Loss Meaning and Definition", Forbes).

After you've invested time, prayer, emotions, etc. into your goals, you need to invest time in building up your faith because your faith is the stop loss order of your life. When doubt, unbelief, and other ungodliness creeps in to steal a piece of whatever you're believing for, you need your faith to put a stop to the loss. We all feel doubtful and wonder if things will work out from time to time, but you must not allow your feelings to keep you from believing what God told you about your future achievements.

Never allow your feelings to bully you and rule over you, thus making them gods over your life. Don't bow down to your feelings and worship them.

It's important to point out two very impactful factors that influence your circumstances. Unlike a stop-loss order on a stock, which can yield immediate tangible results, a stop-loss order on your life may not produce apparent or observable changes right away. However, it's crucial to note that the moment you have faith, things begin to change in the dimension of reality that we cannot see.

1.Parents don't give car keys to five-year-olds.

2.If you've been living in faithlessness for years, it may take years to see the results of your faithfulness.

Point 1: God knows what you are ready for and what you aren't ready to handle. Just as it would be irresponsible (if not illegal) for a parent to give car keys to a five-year-old, it would be equally irresponsible for God to put you in a scenario that you are not prepared to handle or give you something you are not yet ready for. This is why you must always prepare yourself for where you want to be. For example, if you are training for a marathon, you can't expect to win or cross the finish line by preparing only a week in advance. You must train well in advance to condition your body to meet the necessary demands even to cross the finish line.

Never force God to provide something or put you in places or circumstances for which you are not ready. For some, it's a lesson learned; for others, it's an unforgettable embarrassment. Practice ending your prayers with "according to Your will, Lord," so that God will always grant your desires when you are ready and prepared to receive them. Many have preceded God and assumed His role, trying to control their own lives. They may have obtained what they wanted, but it often leads them to say, "If only I knew," "Being married doesn't make sense," or "God gave me what I wanted, but I'm still unhappy." Trust God to act in His own timing. He possesses information you lack and can see far into the future. Remember, most of the time, you are not waiting on God. In fact, God is waiting on you to prepare yourself for your goals or life's assignments.

Point 2: If you have run your health into the ground by not getting enough rest, drinking enough water, eating healthy, or exercising, it can take years to maintain consistency in habits to repair your mind and body. It’s the same with living in unbelief. You may have started your walk with God before you were a teenager, but if you have spent years not believing God for specific things or for God to do His best in your life, you’ve run your faith into the ground. It can take years to repair, but if you prefer, it can take days.

When thoughts of disbelief and doubt enter your mind, be purposeful in reminding yourself that they are sent by the adversary. If you want to help the devil in destroying your life, go ahead and believe and allow those thoughts and past hurts to replay in your mind. But if you want to help God rebuild your faith, you can quote scriptures or simply say, “No, thank you. I’m believing God for ___." Go ahead and fill in the blank.

If someone came up to you and knocked you in the face, you would have some kind of response. You may not have a violent response, but you would speak up. Do the same when the adversary attacks your faith.

Tough Love

Go to God believing, or don't go to God at all

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

Fight For Your Well-being

Believing in God for something great is not always easy. While it may come easily to some, it can feel like climbing Mount Everest for others. What's even more challenging is when God has designated what you're believing for as your life's assignment. It's at this critical juncture that all the devils come out to do their best and ensure you don't have a smooth journey in starting and finishing what God has entrusted to your care.

Take Action to fight for your Well-being

Fight The Good Fight Of Faith 1 Timothy 6:12

The best way to fight for your well-being is to have faith in God, no matter how grave the circumstances appear. If you saw a random stranger on the street getting attacked and you were in a position to help them, you would. If you can fight for others, you can fight for yourself.

You cannot afford not to have faith. Life is going to continue whether or not you do. You might as well choose to embrace life with high expectations of God's ability. When something doesn't work out as you'd hoped, the conclusion is always that God has something better than what you wanted. Look back over your life and think about anything you've had faith for that didn't work out. Didn't God always have something better?

God has a track record of accomplishing the impossible, and He has no plans of giving up on you or breaking His long-held record, so the naysayers can even remotely feel like they’ve won.

Have fun having faith! God will thoroughly reward you for it.

Prayer Appointment

What prayers has God answered this week? Did God meet or exceed your expectations?

Pray that God will remind you of times when you've asked for something, didn't receive what you expected, but instead received something better than what you expected.

Share Your Progress

Have you practiced, on purpose to expect the best that God has to offer?

How have you been able to handle your emotions and expectations when you believe that God has not answered your prayers?

Answered Prayers Journal

What prayers has God answered recently? Did God meet or exceed your expectations?

Forbes. (n.d.). What Is a Stop Loss? Meaning and Examples. Retrieved 7/15/2023, from Forbes Advisor

Scriptural Evidence

(from the New King James Version except where otherwise noted)

Genesis 4:9    Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.

Psalm 34:18   The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as [a]have a contrite spirit.

Psalm 51:17   The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.

Jeremiah 31:3   The Lord has appeared [a]of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

Isaiah 61:2-4 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To [a]console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Matthew 5:3   Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 17:20 KJV And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Hebrews 11:6    But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

1 Timothy 6:12   Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

James 2:18 CJB   But someone will say that you have faith and I have actions. Show me this faith of yours without the actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions!

1 John 5:14   Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

(1) Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  Hebrews 11:1 Authorized Version

(2) Contemporary English word "faith" derived from the Latin fides. Today faith denotes trust. (Holman Bible Publishers, 2003, p. 547)

(3) Hebrew Terminology: The most significant Hebrew word for faith is aman, a root word that denotes reliability, stability, and firmness. Aman concretely meant to support or to uphold, as for example the strong arms of a parent would uphold an infant. (Holman Bible Publishers, 2003, pp. 547-548)

(4) Alternative expressions for the Latin word fides are trust, belief, confidence, loyalty, reliance, honor, allegiance, etc.

The above definitions and description of faith are meant to assist your mind in grasping an in-depth understanding of what it means to have faith. It is imperative to define the word “faith” in specificity due to the nature of seriousness with which the scriptures hold the concept of faith. While there are secular definitions of faith, the biblical definition holds the most significance.

It is impossible to read a book in the canon of writings classified as the Holy Bible without encountering some resemblance or exemplification of faith in action. Faith is central to our very existence, and according to scripture, it has eternal consequences. I place emphasis on this because if you don't know what it truly means to have faith in God, you are living your life without God, possibly engulfed in a realm of frustration and emotional suffering. You may feel as though your spirit dwells in a desert with little or no understanding of how you got there and how to get out.

Facts About Faith

• Faith is the currency of heaven. Faith is used to purchase God's promises. Faith acts as the direct connection to heaven's network, functioning like a telephone line.

• God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith. Romans 12:3 American Standard Version.

  Everyone is given a portion of faith. No one can truly say they have no faith because it is already freely given to them as a gift from God. While some may not have faith in God, they have faith in someone or something. It is up to each individual to utilize the measure or portion of faith they have been given. Just because we have been given something doesn't mean we automatically use it. It is our responsibility to exercise our faith.

• The mustard seed is all you need. "And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye would say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou rooted up, and be thou planted in the sea; and it would obey you.” Luke 17:6 American Standard Version

• Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 Authorized Version

  It is safe to say that if faith comes by hearing, it can also leave by hearing. Your faith depends on what you choose to entertain with your ears. Keep your hearing attuned to the word of God, just as a horse has its hearing tuned to its rider.

• Jesus can be likened to an antenna, and your faith acts as the signal. Depending on your proximity to the antenna, the signal can either be strengthened or weakened. In essence, the scriptures serve as an amplification device that prevents signal attenuation when there is distance between the signal and the antenna.

They Put a Stop to Jesus' Miracle Working Power

Who can stop Jesus from working miracles one might ask? The common answer to this question would be, "no one". But not so, according to the Bible.

He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

- Matthew 13:58 American Standard Version

Let's focus on Matthew 13:54-58

⁵⁴ When he came to his hometown, he taught the people in their synagogue. They were surprised and said, “Where did he get this wisdom? Where did he get the power to work miracles? ⁵⁵ Isn’t he the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother named Mary? Aren’t James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers? ⁵⁶ And his sisters, aren’t they here with us? Where did this man get all this?” ⁵⁷ They were repulsed by him and fell into sin.

But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are honored everywhere except in their own hometowns and in their own households.” ⁵⁸ He was unable to do many miracles there because of their disbelief. Common English Bible

There are two ways this passage can be interpreted:

(1) Their lack of faith acted as an electrical resistor (hindrance) to the miraculous power of Jesus. Their unbelief prevented Jesus from performing miracles. Essentially, their faith was so resistant to the power of Jesus that He was unable to work. (An electrical resistor is a component that resists the flow of electrical current in a circuit. It acts like a barrier, making it more difficult for the electric current to pass through).

(2) Due to the Nazarenes' lack of faith, Jesus made the decision not to continue performing miracles. Their disbelief caused Jesus to lose any motivation to assist them.

The latter interpretation appears to be the original conveyance of the text based on John 12:39. Either way, the miracles that could have taken place did not occur.

There is a bold lesson to be learned before we begin to pray and believe in God to do something for us:

If we believe that something good is going to happen to us, not only are we open to entertaining a cheerful spirit, but we also tend to become happy, smile often, and treat others kindly. On the contrary, when we believe something bad will happen, we are more vulnerable to being sour and unkind toward others.

The point is that we are more likely to adjust our attitude and actions based on what we believe. The people of Nazareth lacked faith in God's power. Hence, they adjusted their attitudes and actions to their unbelief, which resulted in a lack of faith in Jesus.

They didn't believe He could make it happen, so in the case of the Nazarenes, they got what they were believing for, which wasn't much. They didn't receive their heart's desire. They may have experienced a few miracles, but it was nothing compared to what Jesus was prepared to do.

Are you prepared to receive what Jesus is prepared to give?

If you are believing to see God do something in your life, adjust your face, attitude, and behaviors to match your beliefs, and your faith will inevitably fall in line.

For the Nazarenes, their faith manifested according to their beliefs. This is also true for numerous individuals who suffered from blindness, illness, or spiritual disconnection. Throughout His ministry, Jesus continually repeated, “Your faith has healed you”, not mine. Your faith was the thing that brought healing to your body.

To add fuel to the fire of doubt and unbelief, Jesus, being a product of Nazareth, came from a town that was not known for its intellectuals or body of knowledge. In fact, in John 1:46, Nathanael said to Philip, 'Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?

It suffices to say, 'What you see is what you get.' If you choose to see Jesus for who He is, the Son of God, then you are choosing to see faith.

Note: To read more on the lack of faith and unbelief people had in Jesus read the following: Matthew 13:58, Matthew 17:20, Mark 6:6, Mark 16:14

Faith Is a Decision

What are you going to believe?

More significantly, who are you going to believe and agree with: God or the adversary, Satan (a Hebrew term, a proper noun, which translates to "adversary" or "accuser" in English)?

Now, let's focus on what the Bible says about faith, as we have previously done with its equally potent counterparts: mistrust and unbelief. I will also replace specific words that are aligned with what the adversary actually desires us to believe.

Jude 1:20

The Bible says: beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

The adversary says: beloved, tearing down yourselves on your most holy doubt, praying in the evil spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:7

The Bible says: for we walk by faith, not by sight

The adversary says: for we walk by doubt, and by sight.

Do your mind, emotions, and actions align with what the adversary says? If not, it means you have decided not to turn your back on God because you are clearly choosing what God says over what the adversary says.

Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38 all repeat the theme that “the just shall live by faith.” If we rewrite the text to say the opposite we get this: “the unjust [dishonest] shall live by doubt.” Are you living by doubt? If you are not unjust or dishonest why are you living by doubt instead of faith?

As you can see, it will always be up to you to decide which option to live your life by, for it is only you who will experience the consequences of your choice. You are free to live based on what the Bible says, or you can do what is contrary to the word of God. If you believe what the Bible says, you must not only say it, but you must also believe and behave in a manner that demonstrates that what the Bible says is true.

Our Power to Render Jesus' Miracle Working Power Inoperable

When our faith rejects Jesus, He will not enter our soul and destroy our free will, forcing us to have faith in Him. Jesus is not a violator of the body, mind, spirit, or our emotions. Therefore, having faith in Jesus will always be a choice. God will not use His Son to rob us of our ability to choose between faith and mistrust. He will not hold us hostage and say 'have faith in me or else'.

God will never hold us hostage against our will. It will always be our decision to invite Jesus into our circumstances or choose to face them alone, relying on our own efforts, which are unlikely to produce the desired results.

I am not saying that we should not strive to do our best, as the scriptures plainly tell us that 'faith without works is dead' (James 2:26).

Fight For Your Well-being

You must fight for your well-being because faith is a decision.

It's a consequential decision concerning:

• life and blessing, or death and cursing. Deuteronomy 30:19-20  

• your qualify of life. You can speak in faith or speak in unbelief and doubt, and eventually you will produce what you say. Proverbs 18:21

• the building up or tearing down of your most impactful relationships because your pain impacts other. And since we know this, it is safe to say that your healing will also impact other. As you build yourself up in faith, you’re also building up your relationships in faith.  Jude 1:20

• a decision to please God. God is not pleased with the faithless. Hebrews 11:6

Without faith it is impossible to please him (God).

Hebrews 11:6 KJV

Take Action to fight for your Well-being

Placing mistrust in God is the absolute worst decision one can make. If you are not trusting God, don’t look for things to get any better because in due season they will get worse.

I don't know about you, but I would not knowingly displease someone who, when called upon, can cause the sun and moon to stand still. Just as the Lord did for Joshua during his fervent battle with the Amorites, you should not doubt that He will do the same for you when you are in right standing with Him because God does not entertain the enemies of His children. Refer to Joshua 10:12-14 for more details.

Tough Love

Jesus will not kidnap you and drag you into heaven. Having faith in Jesus is your decision.

Prayer Appointment

Ask God to continually increase your faith in accordance with the challenges you face daily. Humbly ask the Lord to dismantle any barriers of impossibility that may exist within your thoughts and actions.

Share Your Progress

Can you remember a time in your past when you were filled with faith and hope?

Has your faith experienced growth or decline since then?

Share the circumstances that led to the augmentation or diminishment of your faith in Jesus.

Answered Prayers Journal

What prayer has God answered this month?

Is there something you forgot to pray for and God gave it to you anyway?

Are there things you forgot you asked God for and God reminded you that He’s still working on it?

Scriptural Evidence

From the Authorized Version unless otherwise noted

Deuteronomy 30:19-20   I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.    

Joshua 10:12-14   On the day the Lord gave the Amorites into the power of Israel, Joshua spoke to the Lord in the presence of the Israelites:

“Sun, stand still at Gibeon!
        and Moon, at the Aijalon Valley!”
The sun stood still and the moon stood motionless
        until a nation took revenge on its enemies.

Isn’t this written in the Jashar scroll? So the sun stood motionless in the middle of the sky. For a whole day, it was in no hurry to go down. There hasn’t been a day like it before or since, when the Lord responded to a human voice. The Lord fought for Israel. Common English Bible

Proverbs 18:21   Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Habakkuk 2:4   Behold, his soul [which] is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Matthew 13:54-58    And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?  And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Matthew 17:20   And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Mark 6:5-6   And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.  

Mark 16:14   Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat,1 and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

John 1:43-51   The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

John 10:37   If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

Romans 1:17   For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Romans 10:17   So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 12:3   For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

2 Corinthians 5:7   For we walk by faith, not by sight

Galatians 3:11   But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Hebrews 10:35-39   Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:6   But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

James 2:26   For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Jude 1:20-21   But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

• Prayer is a dialogue, not a monologue.

• Prayer is a respectful heart to heart conversation with God.

• When petitioning God for your needs, practice the correct protocol.

Prayer: Dialogue between God and people, especially His covenant partners. (Holman Bible Publishers, 2003)

In its simplest form, prayer involves talking to God and awaiting a response, much like engaging in a conversation with someone whose words hold significance to you. You eagerly anticipate their response, aiming to absorb the information they convey.

Prayer is a respectful conversation between you and God, where one speaks while the other listens.

All conversations deserve and require a certain level of respect to be maintained in the long run. When engaging in conversation with God, who you have acknowledged as having authority over your life, an even greater level of respect is required. These fundamental protocols form the basis of prayer: speaking to God respectfully from the depths of your heart and listening to Him with equal respect.

Some days are challenging, filling our cup with issues, while in our cup of solutions remain only dregs. On these days, it's only right to want to pour out your heart before Him. Let it all out. Tell Him everything on your mind. Pour out your heart to Him and empty it of all its anxieties and concerns, but don't forget that as you’re pouring out your heart you must also pause to listen for solutions. Once you’ve had your chance to speak, respectfully give God the floor. Give God His due respect. Give Him His turn to speak and answer you.

I am not here to tell you what you should pray or how you should pray. God reveals His desired methods of communication with us through various verses in the Holy Bible, and as one of His vessels, I am here to relay that message. I am simply helping you to establish your personal framework of prayer based on the Holy Bible. The original message concerning how to pray is coming from God. I am just here to relay the message.

The Lord’s Prayer

Jesus gave us an introductory prayer that we should pray in the morning, afternoon, and night, or at any time we feel the need to pray and may not know what to say.

 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. ¹⁰ Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. ¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread. ¹² And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. ¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13

However, the Bible instructs us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17 ). So, what do we pray after we've recited the Lord's Prayer?

We engage in a conversation with God regarding every aspect of our lives. This is the main approach to maintaining the vitality of prayer. Prayer can never become monotonous because you are continuously pouring out your entire heart to God while also attentively listening for His response. This exchange of heartfelt dialogue keeps you eagerly anticipating the next time God communicates with you.

God does not always answer a prayer while you're in your prayer closet, on your knees, or at the altar, or other places for prayer. There are times when God responds to our prayers through supernatural miracles, fulfills our requests through other people, or employs other unique ways of answering them.

It is evident that God does not operate in a mundane manner. Just take a moment to observe your surroundings. No two human beings have the exact same genome, fingerprints, or personality. This is an important aspect of God to keep in mind because He may not respond to your prayers in the same way as He has done before. God deeply appreciates variety and difference and rewards us accordingly. He loves and delights in communicating with you through various means.

A.S.K acronym. The ask, seek and knock of prayer.

When asking God for anything we must phrase our requests in the form of a question. When you ask God for things, you place Him in a position where you may later find yourself thanking Him for prayers He hasn't answered, or perhaps answered in a way different from your expectations. When you approach God with your requests, He acts as a loving and wise father who wouldn't give car keys to His five-year-old daughter/son because He understands the immediate and long-term consequences. I hope my analogy is clear to you.

After asking God for the things we have need of, seek His direction. Allow God to lead your steps.

When God is leading us, we must often take action and at times, we must do so repetitively. Hence, knock and keep on knocking. Continue going on the route God has placed you on. You can never go wrong following God’s guidance and His leadership.

Read more in depth on Matthew 7:7-8, The Correct Protocols For Prayer.

Fight For Your Well-being

If you're going to win the war for your soul, you must fight for your well-being. When you're knocked down by obstacles or opposition, fight back in the spirit as if you were physically attacked. Remember that “though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.”  2 Corinthians 10:3 King James Version

When we respect someone, we don't just go to them and tell them what we want them to do for us; instead, we humbly ask them. If you respect God, you will ask Him for the desires of your heart, while also respecting His final decision.

Take Action to fight for your Well-being

Open Your Ears After You’ve Opened Your Heart

Pray as many times as you can throughout the day. After you’ve prayed, listen. It is unlikely that you will hear the audible voice of God but listen in your spirit-man. Ask God to give you a reigning spiritual ear tuned to His voice. A part of prayer is respecting God enough to listen after you’ve spoken. You’ve had your turn to speak, now allow God to respond.

Read more about: Things To Be Mindful Of As You Pray

Prayer Appointment

Be careful of what you demand of God

Have you ever experienced being grateful for a prayer that God didn’t answer in the way you wanted Him to? If you have, welcome to the club.

There are times we believe that God didn’t show up for us. There are people who are actually angry at God because God didn’t do what they believe they needed. However we view this, they have legitimate concerns. In regard to this, it’s best to remember that God always has our best interest at heart. Even when we can’t see how based on the circumstances we may be facing.

Ask God to help you develop a consistent prayer life that aligns your heart with His.

Answered Prayers

It’s always best to ask God for what we need. We can only see but so far unless God gives us special insight or discernment outside of scripture, but specifically for our circumstances. However, this special insight must but align with scripture and not contradict it. Due to this particular fact, we should allow God to make final decisions on what’s best for us.

What are 3 things you can remember that you asked God for but later thanked Him because he did not give you what you wanted?

What prayers have God answered this week?

How do you believe God is currently working to answer your previous prayer?

Scriptural Evidence

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall ^[a]direct your paths. New King James Version

Isaiah 55:6  Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call on Him [for salvation] while He is near. Amplified Bible

Matthew 6:33  But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also. Amplified Bible

Matthew 7:7-8  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone who keeps asking receives; he who keeps seeking finds; and to him who keeps knocking, the door will be opened. Complete Jewish Bible

Matthew 13:58  He was unable to do many miracles there because of their disbelief. Common English Bible

Luke 11:9-10   And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Authorized Version (of KJV)

2 Corinthians 10:3-5  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;). Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Philippians 4:6   Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

James 2:17  So too, faith, if it does not have works [to back it up], is by itself dead [inoperative and ineffective]. Amplified Bible

James 2:26  For just as the [human] body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works [of obedience] is also dead. Amplified Bible

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Even though our understanding of each other may be limited or unfamiliar, we are always connected through our shared faith in Christ. Have you ever noticed yourself saying or thinking the same things as another believer?

When you are in Christ, you are spiritually connected to His mind and the minds of other believers. Jesus serves as the access point to our spiritual connection. He is the access point akin to the internet of people. Being connected to Jesus often leads us to have similar thoughts about God, similar desires, and analogous responses to circumstances.

Genuinely Loving yourself and others is the first step in initiation.  Initiation into what exactly? You’re being initiated into loving people the way Christ said to love people. You are also being initiated into loving yourself according to God’s initial plan for your life.

Hence, The Love Cult, also known as the Children of God.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples. John 13:34-45 King James Version  

Tough Love

If you cannot be identified by your individual way of expressing the love of God to others, it’s possible that God does not identify you as a disciple of Christ.

Our Religion & God’s Word

Oftentimes, we make up our own religion and rules, but if we study what scripture says about a particular topic, we quickly find out that what we believe may not be what’s actually written in scripture. In the same respect, we tend to make up our own mind about how we ought to love others. If we are to be known by Jesus as the Children of God, we must be consistent in Christ’s definition of love and not our own.

Though sarcastic in name, The Love Cult consists of people who believe in the way Christ defines love, based on His words and deeds, not based on our opinion or feelings.

Though we tend to fall short when difficult people make it difficult for us to love them, we choose to forgive them, speedily, without any reservation. We choose to repel offense and pray for those who hurt us. We choose to love them and desire the best for them, even when we feel they most assuredly do not deserve it. We choose to love them despite their shortcomings, even when it means loving and praying for them from a distance.

We’ve Decided for Ourselves Instead of Allowing Others to Decide For Us             

Loving yourself and others is a contemplated decision that you must one day make. You must decide whether you will follow your feelings, the behaviors and attitudes of others or follow Christ wholeheartedly.

Being a part of The Love Cult, we’ve made our choice. We choose what Jesus says over our feelings because we have decided that God knows best. We obey God, surrender our hearts to Him, and incarcerate our feelings when they get in the way of carrying out God’s word.

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. King James Version

Becoming fully immersed in The Love Cult requires time, as well as perseverance, unwavering determination, and a profound love for God. Because God is on your side, He sent me to tell you He loves you. This message of love is to assure you that He loves you deeply.

I hope you accept this package of love that God delivered in this message!

Prayer Appointment

Pray about everything because God is concerned about what concerns you!

Here are questions that may trigger you to pray about the relationships you value most.

1.      How has God instructed you in loving yourself, according to His original purpose for your life?

2.      How has God influenced others to express their love for you?

3.      Have you been able to recognize and value the love that others have expressed in the way they intended?

4.      In what ways did their expression of love differ from your expectations?

5.      How would you prefer your loved ones to demonstrate their affection, care, and understanding for you?

It is important to remember the people who God uses to express love towards you. Keeping yourself reminded of the people who God uses to show honest - genuine love helps you to stay focused on those who sincerely care for you and diminishes the thoughts of people who are actually against you.  

Journal Your Answered Prayers

What prayers have God answered this week?

It may feel difficult, if not impossible, to not worry about circumstances that we fear the most. You may be afraid to commit yourself to God because you don’t know if you will be able to keep such a commitment. It may be that you don’t see a good way out of your circumstances, don’t know what to do, how to move forward, or where to turn for help. Regardless of the circumstance, whether small or great, the fears you have are real. And you shouldn’t worship a God that you don’t believe is massively greater than your greatest issue.

If a genie appeared and offered to do anything you desired, absolutely anything, what would you ask? Would there be any limit to what you could think of?

Have you thought of several things you wish you could change in the past or present? The past is yesterday, gone with the wind. Tomorrow hasn’t arrived, so ask yourself, “Why haven't I started planning today to ensure the past doesn’t repeat itself?”

Do you have an idea for a business, ministry, or a way to enjoy life more but haven’t started yet?

If you’re denying yourself the opportunity to live the life your heart longs for, it is highly likely that you're operating under a spirit of fear. If you are not operating under the spirit of fear, what’s stopping you from getting started?

Who Do You Believe?

We get into our vehicles and drive. Unless the check-engine light comes on, we usually take no thought of its condition. We don’t inspect under the hood, verify the integrity of the frame, etc. We get in and head toward our destination. Rarely, if ever, do we inspect the chair before we sit in it. We naturally trust the chair is safe unless we can see that something is wrong. Have you ever tested the integrity of your shoes before deciding to wear them? Unless you’re making a first-time purchase, do you ask yourself, “Are these shoes safe for me to walk in?” We often rely on blind faith when using our vehicles, chairs, and shoes, without inspecting them beyond their surface appearance.

Blind faith is the act of accepting the validity of something or someone without any evidence, logical reasoning, or critical examination. Instead of relying on empirical data or substantial evidence, the foundation of belief is based on intuition.

Now the question is, do we have the same attitude and notion when it comes to God? Do we place as much blind faith in God as we do a vehicle, a pair of shoes or a chair? Do we have the same level of trust in God? Are we willing to place blind faith in Him, or do we doubt Him when we can't see what He's doing?

If we're honest with ourselves, we may not always have complete trust in God.

When we fully trust someone, we don’t doubt them. We may verify the information that person provides us, and we may even have questions for them to answer. However, we remain steadfast in trusting them and put doubt aside. When doubt begins to speak, we can use our faith and silence doubt when it arises.

When God doesn't answer our prayers immediately, or when we're unable to see what He's doing, we may feel worried, fearful, or anxious.

How is your attitude after you’ve prayed, fasted, obeyed God and done all that you can do?

Do you still trust God without contemplating your problem, just as you’ve trusted the chair (you’re likely seated in right now) without first confirming its safety?

Just as we put on our shoes and walk without validating their reliability, we can put on our faith, trust God and walk in peace, expecting that whatever the outcome of His final decision, God has our best interest at heart.

 We can intentionally prompt ourselves that since we love God and are called for His purpose, He is continually orchestrating everything for our good, as the Scripture says, "all things work together for good." (Romans 8:28). We have a deep knowing that even when circumstances appear to be working against us, God is causing them to work for us.

Even when we don't fully understand each step He takes, we know that things are working for us, not against us. We can also put our faith on autopilot and maintain our integrity, our happy demeanor, kindness towards others, and a big bright beautiful smile.

Whenever you find yourself stuck in the trap of worry, say this quietly to yourself, “I command my mind, body and spirit to be at ease. Lord, you are always working things out for my good even when I don’t fully understand and can’t see each step you take to resolve my issue so that I can worship you for it.”

Help yourself against the onslaught of negative thoughts bombarding your mind daily by simply reminding yourself that your prayers are never in vain.

One may imagine this school of thought as nonsensical, but the point is that if we can have faith in everyday objects without much thought or consideration, why not program our minds and spirit to have the same level of faith in God?

Never quit believing that God is working on whatever you’ve prayed about. Your prayers are never in vain. God made the ear. He is not deaf.

After you’ve asked, sought and knocked (Matthew 7:7), move on to saying prayers of victory that demonstrate the joy you now possess because God is working things out in your best interest.

Let's trust Him and put our doubts aside, knowing that He's always working for our good.

Tough Love: Pray, Only if you are ready to believe.

Scriptural Evidence:

James 1:6-7 NIV: But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Mark 11:24 KJV: Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Mat 7:7 KJV: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Hebrews 4:16 NIV Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Heb 11:6 KJV But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.)

The Trap of Worry

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Luke 12:25-26 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?"

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."