God has said and is saying today, I Am here to help you. Fear not because the Lord of Host is here to help us. He is the God of battles and knows how to deliver or advance His army (Zechariah 4:6). We are in the army of the Lord and have active duty everyday. The word of God says, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Ephesians 6:10). Taking courage, or insisting on being courageous is the way of the warrior. You may be new to the things of God, but you’re not new to trouble. Learn of God, His yoke of carrying life burdens is light (Matthew 11:28-30). We are laborers together with God, we don’t have to carry life’s burdens, challenges, or crises by ourselves (1 Corinthians 3:9). Even when there’s no one else around to help, you can make God more real in your life if you do the work. How bad do you want it, or I should say, how bad do you need it. Every next level in God is dependent upon the constant renewing of our minds with God’s word (causing us to think more like God). A washing of water through the word of God (Ephesians 5:25-26). Once we’re on board behaving more like God, we’ll be at the right place when He manifests the help we’ve needed for so long. So fear not, the Lord is there with you to help.

When we encourage one another and build each other up, we add life and appreciation to that person. When we discourage one another and tear each other down with our words or bad behavior we depreciate them (Proverbs 18:21). People do better in life when they are not reminded of their failures and shortcomings. Others with wrong intentions and even malicious intent are here to bring us down real low, even to the depression stage due to that person’s abusive words and actions. That kind of behavior is off the rocker mentality; designed to stop us from reaching our God given purpose in life. We don’t need any negative help in slowing us down, that happens naturally because we’re human. But hanging around people who lift us up when we’re down is priceless. Some people get it where encouragement is concerned, and understand the importance of lifting others up. God has not given us a spirit of timidity or an unclear mind, but power, love, and a clear thinking mind, able to discern when people start to come against us (2 Timothy 1:7). Building people up is a part of our calling as Christians, watch your words.

Our words are very important to the point of hurting or comforting someone. How we use our words can be very effective. Speaking words out with attitude or harshness makes a difference in getting someone’s attention, making sure they’re hearing you. Every expression of our verbage should be good and helpful to others, not to tear down a person’s confidence or make them feel worse off after talking to you. We don’t want to let any foul or polluting language proceed out of our mouths. The Bible says, how can blessings and cursing proceed out of the same person’s mouth, it shouldn’t be that way (James 3:10). Our speech should be seasoned with salt and grace, so you may know how to answer everyone (Colossians 4:6). Let your speech be geared towards the spiritual progress of others. Speaking words of life, declaring and decreeing God’s word, and rightly dividing God’s word to bring change to every bad situation or circumstance. Words are powerful, use them well.

Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord. God is very concerned about the poor and uses us to get them help. God wants the poor fed and properly provided for but He has to work through mankind and the limitations of God’s authority in the world. He has no authority over anything without a man or woman’s permission, or prayers (Genesis 1:26-28). You see God gave authority over the earth to mankind in the beginning. Adam and Eve had the authority in the earth but they disobeyed God in the garden. Their disobedience gave the devil, (whom Adam and Eve obeyed by eating the forbidden fruit) the legal authority in the earth to influence people, and run the world system, which is quite corrupt. A change of authority happened when mankind disobeyed the Lord. So God’s help is like He has to play chess. Moving people or situations around in life to our advantage and favor. God can legally work through men and women that are praying for things to change. So when ignorant people say, how could God let this happen, they haven’t gotten the biggest memo in life, the Bible. Then you have to do what it says to get the results you want for victorious living. This is why we have the poor, they may not have known God’s ways or didn’t care. So with the bad attitude of “I’m gonna do me, and do it my way”, which can get a person homeless being hard headed. On the last day we will be without excuse for not helping the poor or for being poor.

The same way we can’t change the nature of a dog from barking anymore, you can’t change the nature of a spiritually dead person from sinning, doing wrong. But thanks be to God who can change the nature of the person whose human spirit is dead to God. Dying spiritually was introduced through the disobedience of Adam and Eve where mankind began to die (Genesis 2:17). After a person reaches the age of accountability the grace is gone, you die spiritually. Once you have the ability to know right from wrong not like a child anymore, you’re responsible for your destiny after death. Once the Lord knows you can choose Him or turn Him down, you’ve just entered into eternity’s open arms for your destiny after death (the walking dead without Jesus). For God to create in you a clean heart, we must all come the same way by faith. To confess with your mouth Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, and to believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead for your justification, you will be saved (Romans 10:9-10), and your heart will be clean. Even with the new birth for a life with Jesus in the afterlife, our flesh, our mind, our souls, our thought patterns haven’t been touched. We must learn who we have become and start reaping the benefits as Christians. Our spirits become steadfast, persevering, and in right standing with God.

Can you not be anxious about anything in life? Yes, but not without the Lord’s help. We get anxious or tend to worry when a situation or circumstance starts to go south; gone very bad. If our life seems threatened, that will definitely cause some worry and anxiety. Once we know who we are in Christ Jesus, the reality check is different. Knowing our authority in Christ gives us the advantage over worry and anxiety. Having the Lord of Host, (the God of battles) watching your back and ready to strike on your behalf is cause enough not to worry. But if you do not know and trust this knowledge as a reality in your life, anxiety will have an open door to your soul. Renewing our minds with God’s word will cause our thinking processes to conform to God’s way of thinking. Peace will flood the soul of the faith believing Christian who count on God for everything. Do not be anxious about anything, because God is taking care of everything.

Many times we wonder why we haven’t gotten the promotion we think we should have. You’ve been at a particular job or assignment from God for a long time, and you haven’t seen any real advancement or promotion opportunities. How have you been handling your present assignment or regular 9 to 5 grind. Have you been faithful to not take small things from the job like extra pens, or supplies intended for the company but you’ve been helping yourself to those items without the boss’s knowledge. We must be faithful over the little things before being trusted over larger things for better opportunities and promotion. Our integrity, and character meter must be at an acceptable level for advancement in anything worthwhile. He who is dishonest and unjust in little things is dishonest and unjust in bigger things. Can you be trusted while you’re alone and no one’s watching. Our witness for Christ and our witness to the world must be the same, no two faced christians. That of honesty, truthfulness, tried integrity, and well proven character are necessary attributes for all promotions in life. The promotion could be held back because of what God sees you doing behind the scenes where no one else is watching. Be faithful in little things and God will make you ruler over much (Matthew 25:23).

In the day of trouble do you take refuge in, and trust God for deliverance, or do you just wait without doing anything until it passes. Next time trouble hits home, there’s a strength and stronghold to help if we ask the Lord for it. Most people, Christians included, don’t involve the Lord in their everyday affairs. God said; “Acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will direct your path” (Proverbs 3:6). The word also tells us, the footsteps of a good man are ordered by the Lord (Psalm 37:23 KJV). So our participation in living the word of God is vitally important in obtaining the help of God. Today’s verse starts out by saying; The Lord is good,… We must always strive towards being like our heavenly Father who is good. All things work together for the good of those who love God (Romans 8:28). Finding a way to deal with crisis, calamities, hurtful relationships, sickness in your body or mind, lack of finances, and simply just being happy in life is all connected to our faith in God. The more faith, the less unnecessary trouble. The more prayer you participate in, the less unwarranted attacks will come from your enemies. Prayer clears the way in avoiding future mishaps that are out of your control.

David proved to himself through his relationship with Almighty God that He is the Rock of our salvation and a firm foundation to build our lives on. David discovered through the many battles he encountered that the Lord was truly his refuge and his shield. God was David’s high tower, enabling David to see his enemies before they got to him. Through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we have all this and more than David had. We have God living on the inside of us. After Calvary the Lord dwells in the new recreated human spirit of all who chose Jesus for salvation. Jesus has saved us from burning in hell and living beneath our rightful position in this life. God is our refuge and shield for a reason. If we’re not engaged in some sort of struggle and conflict because of our God given purpose, something isn’t right. The devil has little interest in the christians who hardly know God (he’s just hugging you tighter). All trouble stems from the demonic influences in this world and people who are spiritually dead to God. God is more to us than we know. Jesus said learn of me, take my yoke upon you because it is light (Matthew 11:29). David wouldn’t move a muscle without knowing God was with Him, how about you?

As we wait for and expect the Lord to move on our behalf, He will be on His way to you. Once we stop waiting, expecting, and hoping for the Lord’s help, it won’t be coming. Everything with God is by faith. We believe in our hearts that which we want, and confess with our mouth with true belief into the atmosphere, God’s words of change. The release of faith filled words produce change. We can have what we say (Mark 11:23-24) when our hearts are in it. Mental assent to God’s word or anyone’s word doesn’t produce anything positive. It’s a heartfelt confession that brings the power of God on the scene. Our hearts should take courage in knowing that Almighty God has our backs in everything concerning life (2 Peter 1:3). We are used to the microwave instant answers, and quick responses from others. God doesn’t move on our time schedule in this microwave pace world of instant gratification. Learn to wait on the Lord and be strong, letting your heart take courage. The Bible says; “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:19). It is through faith and patience we obtain the promises of God (Hebrews 6:12). It is your confident favorable expectation that fuels your faith and expectancy of your desired outcome.