We’ve heard stories of, God’s gonna get you for acting up, or “God don’t like ugly”. But do you have an informed opinion, do you know the Lord for yourself, that’s what really matters. Since it’s a personal relationship with God once you’re a christian, we must seek Him out for ourselves, not basing what someone else said about God, opinions vary from person to person. Find out for yourself, taste and see that the Lord is good. There’s more to God than He’s gonna get you for being bad. Come to the Master for the truth about things, if you can handle the truth. Otherwise seek Him out for your own peace of mind. He is our refuge in times of trouble, He can make a way out of no way, He can and will turn things upside down to get to the person with faith filled words of determination. He’s good because He has our backs even when we don’t realize it was Him that got us out of a jam. He has prepared provisions for our lives before we were born, taking care of that which concerns us. Taste and see for yourself that the Lord is good.

“Since we live by the Spirit let us keep in step with the Spirit”. Our flesh (or bodies), still have the godless human nature with its passions and appetites and desires. When you become a christian, the only part changed of our three part makeup, is our human spirit, it is the real you. Our flesh or bodies were created to be able to survive here on planet earth. Your soul (your mind) has not been changed by the new birth either, and we should renew our minds with the word of God, doing things and living life as He subscribes. To keep in step with the Spirit, we must be vigilant in our time spent with the Lord. We recharge when we pull away from it all, and get alone in quality time with God, being still and knowing He is there. Your life is your own, full of choices, and distractions, agitating spirits, and moral conflicts. We need a governor to watch over our lives, to regulate, and keep us during confusing times, and then we can keep it together more easily. That governor, that intermediator, that goes between us and God, is Jesus. He dealt with everything we as humans have to deal with, and was victorious through it all so we can be as well.

We are all a part of the body of Christ. Each member has its own function and purpose. Some of us are pillars for the local body (local church), and some of us are more boots on ground soldiers for God’s army in the field. All members are important regardless of the fame and glitter of the position. Some are sent out into the worst parts of the world to the mission field. Some are local missions people that evangelize locally but outside the local church. Regardless of your position in Christ you are important. If one part of the body of Christ is suffering, we take part in the suffering. If another part of the body is rejoicing, we should all take part in that. We are many parts and members, but of the same body. Once you’ve received your assignment from God, no matter how different it may be to others, follow God’s command no matter what. Everyone may not agree with your assignment from God, but they don’t have to for you to carry it out. We’re on the same team, and don’t need friendly fire because of another’s ignorance of your God given assignment. So at this time I’d like to ask all the gossipers, naysayers, itching ears simple people, one perspective type understanding person to stand down, and let us do our job.

“Be alert and on your guard; stand firm in your faith……..Act like men and be courageous; grow in strength”. We must invoke our will to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Help is available for all, but sometimes we just have to man up to live the faith life God has prescribed. It is a life of adventure, with ups and downs, but through it all your faith is being developed which is your most valuable asset for a supernatural victorious lifestyle. Your enemy searches throughout the world seeking to devour weak minded simple people who don’t know who they are in Christ. Once you’ve learned how to weld the power of God to push back your enemy, your troubles won’t be over, but you’ll know how to fight every battle and win. You’re in the army of the Lord. Learn how to fight the good fight of faith, because you are a victor in Christ, you are more than a conqueror in Christ, you are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. This is what God has said about us, as we follow His life plan. Trouble is coming, learn how to handle it once and for all.

“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead”. To experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead, we must suffer with Him, sharing in His death. Now that’s not a literal command, sharing in His death. To suffer with Him can mean to suffer something said to you that was offensive or hurtful, letting trivial unnecessary confrontation go. To keep the peace in a bad situation could be a suffering moment. Suffering persecution from telling the truth, is part of knowing you’re on the right track. Sharing in His death is indicative of christians keeping the flesh under control. The flesh being, your emotions, or appetites of the body, over eating, unnatural sexual behavior, over indulgence in drinking alcohol, etc. Suffering with Christ is the next level up of Christian maturity. The apostle Paul wrote this verse to the Philippians, he also wrote two thirds of the new testament in the bible. He yearned to be like Christ in every way. Are you eating meat yet, or are you still on the milk of God’s word? Come up higher.

There’s a time coming, the next age where, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away”. This verse from revelations in the bible is God talking, letting us know what to expect in the next age. After this world has passed away as we know it, the new theocracy will take over. That’s when after the rapture and after Satan has been locked up in the lake of fire, with his followers, a new world order with the Lord running things begins. That’s why we need to make sure our thing with God is secure before we leave this earth. Make sure the Lord knows you on the last day. The time is coming when the lion will lie down with the lamb and not eat him. That’s when God’s running things. Just imagine no more hurt, crying, bad health issues, or relationship problems. To be sure you’re in that number going to heaven, ask Jesus into your life right now, and to forgive you for your wrong doings and He will, and then, tell someone you did it to validate your submission to the Lord.

“We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God”. By bringing every thought into captivity under the scrutiny of the knowledge of Christ, we protect truth. Many people have theories of God, and the way He is from a perspective totally out of line with His truth. A theory is nothing more than a supposition established upon ignorance of the subject under discussion. They don’t know God from a personal relationship with Him, a big difference. We have no control over the thoughts that come into our minds, but they should be dealt with immediately before we act on them. Every thought should be brought into subjection of the knowledge of God’s word first. Some thoughts are strong thoughts of temptation which aren’t easy to resist but can be done. The bible says, “resist the devil and he will flee”. The words before that verse say, to first be submitted to God, and then Satan will leave. Without God’s help, the devil is just hugging you a little tighter. The battleground of our thought life takes place in the mind, which we are instructed to renew our minds to conform to God’s will. The fight is in your mind first, and then you are more than a conqueror.

“The harvest is great but the workers are few”. There are people starving for God but don’t know that’s what they want. Our souls are connected to our human spirit, and they are not the same thing. Your soul has your intellect and emotions, your spirit is the real you that connects with God. When people say, I had a feeling I should have done that or something told me not to do that, those are the moments God is trying to download in us inside help. The harvest is people that are ripe to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Deep down in our spirits there’s a longing for the creator, God. We don’t recognize that’s the problem so we turn to drugs and alcohol trying to satisfy the hunger. We are three part beings like God. What is focused on in this world is the body and soul. This world would have you think there is no human spirit that can receive help directly from God. As we hear from God, to be sure it’s God speaking to you and not some other voice, we must spend time in the bible. God’s words in the bible always agree with the words you hear in your spirit or it’s not God. Get your marching orders and go collect God’s harvest.

“But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” Love your enemies, is that possible? Not outside of God’s help. Sometimes it’s best to love them from a distance. Loving them doesn’t have to mean spending time with them on a regular basis, but how about helping them when they’re down and out, even though they did something to you that seems unforgivable. Can you still be a good humanitarian in spite of an offensive act done to you. Can you remain the same way no matter what’s been done to hurt or harm you. Can you be a loving person regardless of your circumstances. For this consistency of love in your life, you’ll need a strong presence of God’s agape love working in you. The kind that put Jesus on the cross, and He was blameless. He shouldn’t have had to take punishment rightfully due us, but out of His love for us, He did, (we were His enemies, sinful). He had to decide to do that for us, He willed it, and it wasn’t easy for Him, as He asked God to remove the cup of a crucified death on the cross. And we get offended by someone’s nasty words towards us.The wisdom of God in you is the governor of our battles, choose wisely when to confront, and when to love instead.

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have perfect peace and confidence”. In this world we have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration, but the good news is Jesus deprived this world of its power to harm us. We give this world power over us by our association with it, and agreeing with things of this world we shouldn’t. Our peace in this world is in our own hands. The peace that passes all understanding is ours as christians, everything around us can be in disarray and out of control, but once God’s peace is ruling your inner self, your mind won’t freak out like most people under pressure. The key to peace is invoking your will to seek after it first. This could mean eliminating certain people out of your life, because they love drama. If you’re into the hype and gymnastics of drama then the peace of God isn’t for you. Even separating yourself from drama people, that alone won’t get you the peace that passes all understanding, but spending time with the peace maker is vital. Ask Him for this peace, and then, diligently go after it.