“You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word”. The Lord is our hiding place and shield, we can count on His word working for us as we work it. We all need to come out from under the rain from time to time to reflect, if nothing else. Taking refuge in the Lord is available to all. Once we get our heads into kingdom living (Living God’s way), our self awareness, perspective on life, and motivation changes for the better. Our hope should be in God, and Him alone concerning safety and times of refreshing as well. This life offers many choices and distractions. We could be doing a good thing in life, but not necessarily a God given thing for you to do. Everyone has been given a purpose and destiny in life, as we get busy, and I mean too busy, we can lose sight of our purpose and lose our way in general. The secret place of the Most High God is a place of refuge. There we can regroup, reset, rest, and stay on our God given course. We are protected from this world’s agitating influences and moral conflicts, because God is our refuge and shield.

“So whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”. In all things we should honor God with our actions and motives. Making God proud of you, is the desire of the mature Christian. It’s not even for the benefits that go along with the deeper dimension of the Christian walk, but because you just simply love the Lord. You can get to this point by invoking your will to seek Him like your life depends on it, and it does for total victorious living. Honoring God is a way of life once you understand how it all works together. Your conformity to God’s word in thought, purpose, and action, brings clarity of thought and purpose to your everyday life. Everything becomes more plain, and there’s less life clutter of busyness and unnecessary stuff of no value in your life. In all honesty, the Christian walk is a costly lifestyle. Anything of great value costs! There’s no greater value than God having His way in man, to bring him to a place of prosperity and blessings beyond thought or imagination. “…..He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think”. So to willingly honor God, puts us in position to receive the cup running over blessings.

God is able to do way above what we could ask or think concerning fulfilling His purpose. He is more than enough for anything, and everything we need or desire. God’s supplies never run out, He does exceedingly abundantly above what we can ask or imagine. We should never put limits on God supplying our needs or desires. We ask for a certain thing or a certain amount, but the Lord is thinking bigger than that. When we get blessed, we are to be a blessing to others. Always think bigger than yourself when it comes to receiving from God. He wants you to have more so you can be part of His supply chain to His people. We get more in life when we can handle more. You wouldn’t give a brand new top of the line sports car to a teenager who just got their driver’s license. Some people without discretion or integrity in this area would do that, but it’s not the way God works. We get from God that which we can handle, because if we’re not ready to handle it, we could wind up going away from God, He doesn’t want that. He’s got more than enough for you, but if your character and integrity aren’t up to the task of handling more than enough, then it’s not coming.

“Never give up, though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day”. Our death doomed bodies are not here forever, but your spirit never dies. God is eternal, and whatever He makes is eternal. He won’t destroy Satan, who at one time was His right hand guy (Lucifer), not the evil spirits either, who have been harassing us all along. That’s why God created hell. It was originally for Satan and his crew, but as mankind follows the evil in this world they’ll have to take the eternal punishment that goes with it. Our bodies are for this realm, earth. But when we die we lose these bodies and take on a different form, pure spirit, the real you. Our body grows weaker but our spirits grow stronger everyday. Many times we come to that point of knowing, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Go beyond your feelings to press in for the high calling in Christ Jesus and really live.

“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth”. He is close by at all times. But to utilize God’s help we must come to Him the right way. He is a Holy God and should be approached in spirit and in truth, no pretence or uncertainty. He is a God of faith, and a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. We are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body. We are spirit beings, you have what it takes to ask of God what you want and need. Being knowledgeable of His word, the bible, gives you an advantage in receiving from God and you’re not just at His mercy all the time. Be on the offensive in this life knowing God has your back. Go for that business that’s been floating around in your thoughts, go for that job you’re afraid you won’t get. Get to the point of going after something bigger than yourself and won’t happen without God behind it. Now you’re living the supernatural lifestyle. Be who you are created to be, don’t let fear take that from you. Truth is greater than fear.

“Do nothing from factional motives (through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends)”. No need to make a move when you’re feeling any of this. We all have our moods, some more funky than others, but wait for a state of lowiness of mind before you act. When we are prompted by conceit and empty arrogance instead of a true spirit of humility, the outcome of your deeds will turn rotten, it may bite us in a tender area of our makeup that leaves us bruised physically and or emotionally. When our motivation is contaminated by our funky mood, self-inflicted hurt will be coming your way. “…..let each regard the other as better than and superior to himself (thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves)”. This will help our pride issues if we practice it. The plum line of advice here is, since we are responsible for our actions, and words spoken, why not think about what you’re about to do before you do it. Don’t let the heat of the moment control you. Step back take a breath or a day to calm down, then handle your business from a humble state of mind. Selah

“Yes though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil”. Even being close to death David here, didn’t have concerns of dying. He knew God had his back at every turn. And how did David have such great trust and reliance on God, that even in the face of possible death, he was not afraid. This my friends is the catapus to total freedom and peace in the mist of a storm. When we’ve walked with God for many years there’s a deep down knowing that no matter what comes my way, I win! If I die, it is far better to be with Christ. But like Paul said”……it is better for you that I remain here on earth for your continued growth in Christ”. Faith in God is all you need. Trusting the Master to always be there is the greatest accomplishment any human can achieve. You’ll live free of restrictions man tries to put on you. Our faith can override human laws and rules when it comes to you fulfilling your God given purpose and destiny. Things go better with God. Fear not, the Father knows.

“Be unceasing in prayer(praying perseveringly)”. These are important instructions in receiving answered prayer. The prayer of thanksgiving should be our prayer once we’ve prayed in faith concerning a thing. To pray again for the same thing as if you didn’t believe God heard you the first time, isn’t good. The persistence of a believer always gets the prize. Our hearts must be in our prayers. No prayers of unbelief or with a lackadaisical attitude. You must invoke your spirit, soul, and mind in the execution of your prayer, God needs to see the burning desire of your prayer, heartfelt prayers get His attention. When you pray, believe you received at the moment you prayed. Don’t give up because it’s taking a long time for the answer to come, keep praying!

“Trust in the Lord always”. It takes time to trust someone, even Almighty God. If you don’t know someone, how can you trust them. Trusting other human beings without really knowing them isn’t a natural thing for most of us. Getting to know God equals trust and faith, believing without seeing. Your relationship with God as a christian, is a reality, you are in His family. The next step once we’ve become a christian is fellowship with Him. Spending time in prayer and worship with the Lord is a necessity for rich fellowship. It is in daily fellowship we learn about God. “God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”. He doesn’t have pressures like a man which could change His commitment to help us, He’s a Rock that is never moved by circumstances. You can always count on God for help if you are trusting Him. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding”. As we do our part in trusting and believing, He’ll do His part in helping.

“Give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you”. We are spirits, we have a soul, and we live in a body. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost. We should do our best at keeping it running in optimal condition, eating right, exercising regularly, etc. The captain of your ship should be your spirit, because all marching orders from God are delivered there first. Then our mind or soul interprets the message into our way of thinking, and our bodies physically carry out the assignment. We become a living sacrifice for the Master’s use. But the benefits are supernatural grace and favor, (things just happen to work out in many areas of your life). After all that has been done for us to have a great life, we still must make a decision to live this way. Time is short as things are getting worse in this world. It is a sure sign according to the bible we’re close to the end of this age. Choose to live clean now, or continue to wallow in the dirty lifestyle you’ve had. The appetites of your body should not be ruling you.