Being a doer of God’s word is much more than a mental assent. Our hearts must be in it to get the Lord’s attention. He responds to our faith not our intellect. He doesn’t even respond to our tears, but He does collect them (Psalms 56:8). Moving the hand of God requires believing without seeing, or touching, or tasting. We are to simply trust every word in the bible is God’s own Spirit breathed words of revelation about Himself, and the way He does things in dealing with mankind. Better understanding is available to those that don’t get why God allows babies or “good people” to die too soon, etc. We are the Lord’s wise men and women when we build the foundation of our lives on Kingdom principles. Since the word of God is conditional, we must first have an understanding of His word. Then we practice using His word in our everyday lives. Believe God for a close parking space, or trust Him for a situation that’s not going to be comfortable to help you get through it. Small victories in faith believing, are the beginning of great exploits for the Lord. Therefore everyone who hears these words of God, and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock.

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. People will not change many times based on what was established long ago by that period in time. Times have changed since Jesus walked the earth. Today we live in the dispensation of grace. For example, before Jesus came and died on the cross, punishment for your sins was almost right away. An eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth was the rule of thumb before grace came along. Things have changed because of the finished work at Calvary. God reserves justice being satisfied for after our death when we all will be judged for our time on earth. Mankind has taken the Sabbath in some cases to be the everyday norm when it comes to not doing certain aspects of work. Putting you into a bondage which stops the flow of our God given purpose. The Sabbath was established as a sacred day for God, in that mankind would rest from doing any physical labor, and respect God’s wishes under the law. We are no longer under the law which was established by God’s dealings with Moses. Today the Sabbath can be a form of blocking what God wants done in and through us. Things change over time and so must we.

Once God’s presence goes with us anywhere, we are moving in the light of life which clears away any and every demonic entity or activity around us. They can’t stand the presence of the Lord. Jesus defeated Satan in hell, giving him the only holy beat down (Colossians 2:15). This took place in front of all the devil’s cohorts, which put them all in fear of the Creator like never before. So when God’s presence shows up in us, we have full Godhead authority over evil and its activity. Once God’s presence goes before us, He will give us rest. In that rest there’s restoration, and much peace of mind from the battles of life. When God was with the Israelites, when they went to war they would always destroy the enemy regardless of their numbers. So even though what we’re facing in life right now is almost unexplainable, it is not bigger than our God working in is. If His presence is with you, you become like Israel back in the day always overtaking your enemies in battle. We must face battles to experience the goodness of God. How can we really appreciate the sunshine without rain once in a while. The battles we face today are designed to strengthen our faith, and without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). It is by faith we win battles and attain the rest God promises. We believe by faith for God’s presence to be in our hearts where it starts. The more of God in our lives, the more His presence will reside in us. Get to praying, and get to studying His word, and that wonderful presence of God will manifest in your life.

One major reason for not sleeping well, or not at all is because of a crisis in your life. If you’re dealing with anything of the sort there’s hope, help, and higher reasoning available to out smart your trouble, and to live above evil (John 17:15). Our minds must be renewed based on the teachings and precepts of God’s word. Knowing the Lord on a personal level puts us in God’s good graces for right now help. It’s like when you haven’t spoken to a friend for a long time, and out of the blue you call them for help. Now they will probably be thinking, we haven’t spoken for months and now you need me. So when we go to God and it’s been a long time since we’ve even said anything to Him (but you’re His child), how does He react? Put it this way, when we’ve cultivated a strong relationship with the Lord, we are always in His good graces. He is a sovereign God, He can be swayed by our actions one way or another. Where do you think we get it from, we were made in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). In peace He will cause us to lie down and sleep. Knowing Him is knowing you are safe, and because of that secure mentality and settled consciousness, our sleep will be sweet (Proverbs 3:24). All that pertains to life and Godliness has been provided in the kingdom of God. Knowing what’s yours in Christ will come as you meditate in God’s word day and night (Joshua 1:8).

We are encouraged to do things in a just manner before God, and to love kindness and mercy. Humbling ourselves and walking the path of humility towards others. Doing what is right isn’t always easy to do. Why? Because there’s so much evil all around trying to influence us to do wrong. And there is our flesh, those inordinate desires of our bodies which have not been redeemed yet (Romans 7:21-25). Our bodies are still trained under the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). We will receive a glorified body once we get to heaven. These bodies of ours are earth bound and everything concerning creation is in the fallen state due to the sin of mankind. This carries over to us being created from the dust of the earth. But we have been redeemed from our past ways of living. It is up to each person to make a decision to receive this deliverance from habitual wrong doings. We couldn’t do what was right before God, we didn’t have the capacity to be kind and humble towards others based on God’s love. Since we’ve been redeemed from the curse of the law, we are free to live the clean life. The power of sin no longer has control over you once you have been saved, born again. The capability has been restored so we can do what’s right by God, and we can love being kind to others and live humbly.

It is evident and is being displayed daily, the fact that people imitate evil, which is direct proof they have not seen or known God. The admonishment here is to imitate good which is proof of knowing God. We are influenced one way or another by our surroundings. If you don’t control the narrative of your life, you will be swayed by whatever’s dominating the moment of your circumstances. Temptations are all around us, and if we’re not strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, we will fall (Ephesians 6:10). When you get that eerie feeling from your gut, that’s a sign of evil’s entrance into your space. That feeling isn’t there without reason. Some people are more sensitive to that intuition than others but it can be cultivated with the word of God for a more sure discerning of His voice. God speaks to us all the time. Understanding and recognizing that gut feeling, or some call it that still small voice, can save your life. Satan has come to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came to give us life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10). We can easily fall into imitating evil before we realize we’re in it. Practicing doing good is the best deterrent to evil’s invitation (Galatians 6:10). Do good, because we know the Lord, and we’re His Ambassadors. Let’s do Him proud today imitating good because we have tasted for ourselves, and can see the Lord is Good!

‭The mind of the flesh (the carnal natural mind), is sense and reasoning without the Holy Spirit which leads to death. A death that comprises all miseries that stem from sin. Those miseries will haunt you in this life today, and after your death if you still don’t have Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. This is a hard pill to swallow for many. The truth of these words can be found by you, in the bible through study and meditation on it. Your mind will be governed by one of two different sources, and it will also depend on what’s dominating your heart at the time. We are influenced by good or evil, and for those who think they’re not, you are not fully acquainted with the truth. The deception of this demonically ruled world system affects us all in one way or another unless we willfully decide to follow God. We don’t have the capability of going through life with ease without having to deal with moral conflicts and agitating spirits. We all can be easily deceived if we are not rooted in the things of God. The mind of the Holy Spirit is peace in your soul today, and after your death on earth where it counts most. This takes the renewing of your mind with the word of God. You will know the truth and be in a position to rule and reign on a whole new level that is elevated, prosperous, and will produce victorious living now, and in the hereafter.

Because of God’s gracious favor, our offenses, our sins have been remitted. All of the things we’ve done that have hurt people, and the bad things we’ve done and not been conscious of, have been forgiven by God. Why? Because He sent His only begotten Son Jesus who was sinless, to the cross as the sacrificial lamb (without the sin nature) to satisfy justice on our behalf. Now we can stand before the Lord in confidence knowing there’s no condemnation being in the family of God, His kingdom is truly a judgement free zone. The blood has always been the sealing component of any covenant agreement. He is the King of kings, and we are kings under His kingdom to prosper here and now on planet earth. Being delivered from habitual sin has become available now for over 2000 years since Jesus came to earth. There will be no other way or part to play by God concerning our salvation. The great commission is for all God’s family members to go out and preach the gospel to everyone. It is our one true first priority in life, saving souls and not breezing by what the Lord did to deliver us as if it’s not a big deal. People are dying and going to hell. Let’s do our part. Your redemption draws near, and time has mostly run out before the Lord’s return. Calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13) gets you delivered out of darkness, and translated into the Son of God’s love (Colossians 1:13).

‭Even God rested on the seventh day of the week. That word “rested” is indicative of stopping to appreciate and observe His work to see that it was good (Genesis 1:31). God was not tired, He doesn’t get tired like us and needs to sleep. He never sleeps nor slumbers (Psalm 121:4). There should always be a time when we pull away from it all and rest. Vacation is very important even if you can’t vacate your regular surroundings, do something totally opposite and fun from working your job. Workaholics are not much different than substance abuse challenged people. A bondage is a bondage regardless of the chain being used. Anything that keeps us from a more balanced lifestyle is not the way towards victorious living. I believe God set the example of taking at least one day a week to chill, and actually do nothing but reboot, restore, and refresh ourselves. From time to time we think we are God, or indestructible (being made in His image and likeness, it is inherent in our thoughts) but we still must sleep and rest. You can die faster from lack of sleep than you can from not eating. There are examples all throughout the bible on how to live a Godly life with less troubles and headaches. God has said in His word, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Make the seventh day your own, and make it a day to be hollowed, empty the day of any work. We can get caught up into being overworked before we realize it’s happening. So have designated a day to be hollowed in your life. You’ll never have time, if you don’t make time.

The Lord is saying to us, be still and know that I am God. Because of our busy lives we don’t slow down enough to be still and know that He is God. The enemy will try keeping us so busy we can’t be sensitive enough to recognize the Lord’s presence in us. We are to operate from the instructions of that still small voice of God which speaks to us all the time. Discerning whether it’s your thoughts or God speaking takes time in prayer and meditation in his word. God’s voice will always agree with His word, so we must know His word, the bible. Once we’ve cultivated our relationship and fellowship time with the Lord, we operate in real time living his word as Jesus did when he walked the Earth. At this level in Christ you can be still and know He is God. All the outside noise won’t matter anymore because you’ve come to a new level in God. This new level brings a different understanding about life, and how to master it for our good. If we do the work, and begin to know He is God in our lives, all things will work together for our good (Romans 8:28). God will be exalted among the Nations and in the Earth. Be still and know that He is God for yourself.