In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. In creation He prepared, formed, and fashioned the heavens and earth to be suitable for all life. Everything created was for God’s pleasure and mankind was created to oversee and tend the earth (Revelation 4:11). We are gods on the earth (Psalm 82:6), and kings under King Jesus, and lords under the Lord God to rule, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, fowl of the air, and all living things on the planet (Genesis 1:26). The fact that we are made in God’s image and likeness, is exemplified through man’s involvement in dealing with others. We have the tendency to want to rule over, and even control other human beings, which is not in the original manuscript of life on earth as per God. Ever since sin entered the world, everything has been contaminated by the sinful nature introduced through Adam and Eve’s disobedience. God knew mankind would not be strong enough to resist temptation without Him, and that is why Jesus was sent to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). Now we have the opportunity to live life as God intended from the beginning. Get saved (Romans 10:9-10), and regain your dominion, and authority over the devil.

Remembering the good things God has done is a good thing.To keep in mind that God is good can help our faith in Him. Especially acknowledging how good the Lord is to you. Those times when we know it was a God thing that got us out of trouble in the past. He takes care of that which concerns us, and watches over us continuously. God’s favor gives us the advantage in uncomfortable situations. Remembering these times of the Lord’s direct help for us is important to our faith building. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God (Romans 19:17) and going through faith victories fortifies our belief system. God allows us to go through hard times to give us the tough skin we need to survive in this world. He’s good to us even in places we don’t realize we need help. May I never forget the good things He does for me.

If we cooperate with Him, God wants to will and act through us to fulfill His good pleasure. The Lord wants to have fellowship with us and that’s His reason for creating us in the first place (Genesis 1:26-27). The Bible says we are laborers together with God. We were never supposed to have life apart from our creator (1 Corinthians 3:9). There are certain areas of life that we avoid but they are necessary for our maturity. To fellowship with each other is important for stable social growth. To be separated from society for a long period can make you feel awkward trying to fit back in after a long time of solitude. We were created to have fellowship and to glean from each other’s natural truth and understanding about life in general. Without the Lord willing and working to do His good pleasure in us, we are like mere men and women, in the world without any input from God in our life. All along God’s been working in us but only to the degree we allow Him to. Him having His good pleasure in us means we will be experiencing the blessings of God on another level, a level that causes us to have victorious living on every side of life.

Jesus virtually became sin Who knew no sin, so that we could become free from habitually sinning. He took our sins to hell on our behalf so we wouldn’t have to take them ourselves. Justice must be satisfied in order for us to be with God after death. Once we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of our lives, we become the righteousness of God in Christ. Because of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross for us, we can be saved from eternal damnation. This was the plan of God to redeem His people from eternal death and damnation due to us sinning. Knowing who you are in Christ Jesus is vitally important concerning your quality of life here and now. We have authority over many things in this life but our ignorance blinds us from obvious victories. God has said, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Don’t be so caught up with this world’s way and keeping up with it, opposed to seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. In doing so, all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33), all provisions for victorious living. There’s a plan in place to help us avoid most of the struggles and horrors of life. Because of our free will the Lord won’t force it on us, you must choose life over death now before your last breath on earth.

As we continue in the things of God, concerning bearing fruit for the Lord, we must abide in Him. He is the vine and we are the branches. Fruit bearing is spreading the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and people are coming to the Lord because of you. As we remain in the vine, connected to the Lord through daily fellowship, we receive all the nutrients and spiritual edification necessary for fruit bearing. The works that Jesus did while on the earth, healing the sick, casting out demons, etc. and now we have the privilege of leading people to the Lord to be saved. I believe these are the greater works that Jesus spoke of that we would do after He left to go back to heaven (John 14:12). The miracle of changing a human spirit that is dead to God to become a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We have been changed so we can be with the Lord after death on earth. Unless we remain in Him, we cannot bear the fruit we are capable of bearing. We are the branches and Jesus is the vine, and we must stay connected to Him for proper growth and fruit bearing.

The person who trusts in the Lord, and whose trust is the Lord is blessed. We can become sold out to trust the Lord no matter how bad things get in life. As things begin to go down hill in life, that is our opportunity to trust God even if seemingly on the way down to our demise. Never stop trusting God until you have what you’re believing in Him for. Stubborn faith is sometimes necessary when dealing with stubborn demons. They test how long you’re willing to wait before you give up. But God, His angels, and the mighty cloud of witnesses from heaven are all routing for us (Hebrews 12:1). Trust comes after loyalty has been established. Trust deepens through many hardships and harsh storms of life designed by Satan to take us out, but designed by God to make us stronger. Never give up while you have the Master living inside your heart, stir up the gift inside you and SHOW THE DEVIL WHO YOU ARE! (2 Timothy 1:6-7) Our trust is the Lord because He said He’s our strength and our shield (Psalm 28:7-8). He’s our refuge and sustainer of life to go forward until He decides our time on earth is done. Get the bigger picture and live like there’s always a safety net to catch us every time, if we fall.

Above all, love each other deeply, that’s where we’re going today. Can you truly love another person while spreading gossip about them behind their back. That’s not a friend nor does that express the love of God in any way. When we are living out the love of God in our everyday lives, no matter what comes against us, we’re ready to love deeply. With God’s unfailing love, we have the willingness to disregard, and forgive others of their shortcomings. To love unlovely people deeply, is a ministry not many are willing to take on. If your stuff isn’t in order, in other words, if you haven’t been developed in the agape love of God, you’re not ready to love deeply. To love deeply is to love no matter what another person does to you or to a loved one, you won’t treat them any differently than if you were talking face to face with Jesus (1 Corinthians 13:7). Getting over our own flesh and then someone else’s, takes conquering lots of bad experiences, and personal hurts. After what they did to Jesus on the cross, it’s a walk in the park to walk in love. Above all things have intense, and unfailing love for one another. This is not a request, it’s a command from the Lord. It’s for our own welfare, safety and successful outcomes towards our God given purpose.

Do you have the power to endure anything that comes your way with a good temper? Here-in requires a deepened love walk with God. Since we are God’s chosen people, He says to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. These are the off spring of agape love. Once a believer begins walking in these attributes of God’s character, nothing can stop you. We overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). We are the Lord’s own hand picked representatives for His kingdom, to represent His way of living on planet earth. Our behavior will demonstrate our character, and hopefully our character will give a mirrored reflection of the Lord. Because we have this treasure in earthen vessels (our bodies), we are encouraged to look inside our hearts with the knowledge of His word to guide our every move (2 Corinthians 4:7). Being led by our spirits and not by our flesh will keep us on the straight and narrow pathway to victorious living. As God’s chosen people clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, throw in some self-control and nothing can stop you (Galatians 5:22-23). The devil won’t see you, he’ll only see the Lord, because you’re clothed in God’s character.

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your mind and heart and with your entire being, and might. There’s no room for anything else to get in the way when we love the Lord like this. Because of our humanity we must focus all of our energy, spirit, mind, soul, and bodies towards one goal regardless of all the temptations or distractions. To invoke one’s will into action to love the Lord can be challenging when we don’t feel like it. Here’s where obeying His teachings and precepts come into play. Having your lifestyle already in place of living by God’s word, makes everything easier. Sooner or later you have to do the work of keeping your emotions and behavior under control. To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength is doing the work. We must all fight the good fight of faith to live for the Lord and be able to keep His commandments, and to complete our personal assignments from Him. To love, is to act, it is a moving part of Christianity that gets overlooked because we get caught up in this world’s affairs and drawn away from our Christian duty. Love the Lord and everything else pertaining to your life will fall into place.

As Christians we want to do our best in presenting ourselves to the Lord as approved, as workers who do not need to be ashamed. Rightly dividing the word of truth is vitally important. Once we begin to grow in the things of God and mature in our daily walk with Him, we become bold for Jesus. To be ashamed of God is positioning one’s self for God to be ashamed of you (Luke 9:26). Study to show yourself approved so when trouble comes you will know the right scripture verse to stand on. God only requires our best effort as we fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12). Get used to acknowledging the Lord in all your ways and He will direct your path towards victorious living (Proverbs 3:6). The word of truth is sharper than any two edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). It can cut through whatever needs to be removed from your life that’s not of God. Living by His word keeps us safer from the start. Renewing our minds with God’s word keeps us approved by God and far from being ashamed of Him. Be bold, and be strong, for the Lord thy God is with you always.