Christians are called to live their lives by believing and trusting in God’s Word and in His promises.  In other words, Christians are called to live by faith.

For we live by believing (by faith) and not by seeing. (2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT)

 … hold up the shield of faith … (Ephesians 6:16 NLT)

 Living by faith means going through life believing that God will do everything that He says He will do.

 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.  (Hebrews 11:1 NLT)

When Christians stop believing the promises of God and depend on their own understanding they have dropped their shield of faith and are open to Satan’s attacks.

… hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  (Ephesians 6:16 NLT)

Stay alert.  Don’t drop your shield.  Never lose faith.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NLT)

How do we as Christians keep from dropping our shield?  How do we keep from losing faith?

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  (Hebrews 12:2NLT)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
(Proverbs 3:5 NLT)

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God wants us to have a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. He wants us to enjoy all of the blessings that come from that relationship.

God wants everyone to be saved and understand the truth.

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.  (2 Peter 3:9 NLT)

… God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4 NLT)

Jesus wants a personal and intimate relationship with His people.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.  (Revelation 3:20 NLT)

Jesus wants to give rest to the weary.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  (Matthew 11:28 NLT)

Jesus wants us to have a rich and satisfying life.

My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. (John 10:10 NLT)

God wants to give people a future and a hope.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

or

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

Jesus wants His followers to live with Him in Heaven forever.

When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. (John 14:3 NLT)

Summary:

• God wants everyone to be saved and understand the truth.
• Jesus wants a personal and intimate relationship with His people.
• Jesus wants to give rest to the weary.
• Jesus wants us to have a rich and satisfying life.
• God wants to give people a future and a hope.
• Jesus wants His followers to live with Him in Heaven forever.

But to all who believed him (Jesus) and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12 NLT)

You may also want to read, “Whoever Believes …”

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Recently I had cataract surgery.  The surgery resulted in noticeably clearer, sharper vision.  For the surgeon, the process was routine and was completed in a short period of time.  However, this is a procedure I could not have done myself. I needed someone to do the procedure for me.  I am so glad I asked the surgeon to perform the surgery.  My vision has improved tremendously.

Sometimes our spiritual vision is clouded.  We have trouble understanding Biblical principles.  We need clearer, sharper spiritual vision.

“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light.  But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!”  (Matthew 6:22-23 NLT)

 Spiritual blindness is a condition we cannot fix.  We need to ask God to open our eyes so that we can turn from darkness to light.  Our prayer should be:

Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.  (Psalm 119:18)

 Jesus can do for us as he did for the two men on the road to Emmaus.

Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him… (Luke 24:31 NLT)

Do you need spiritual eye surgery?  Do you want clearer, shaper vision?  Ask God to open your eyes to His wonderful truths in the scriptures.

Ears to hear and eyes to see—
both are gifts from the Lord.
(Proverbs 20:12 NLT)

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Are you going through tough times?  Picture yourself being carried in God’s arms.

He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
He will carry the lambs in his arms,
holding them close to his heart.
He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young. (Isaiah 40:11 NLT)

The Bible has many encouraging promises for Christians.

God made us and we are His.

Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  (Psalm 100:3 NLT)

Jesus knows us by name.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me …” (John 10:14 NLT)

 … the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  (John 10:3 NLT)

As sheep belonging to Jesus we have all that we need.

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. (Psalm 23:1 NLT)

Jesus promises us eternal life.  We will never perish.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, (John 10:27-28 NLT)

REMEMBER:

• God made us and we are His.
• Jesus knows us by name.
• As sheep belonging to Jesus we have all that we need.
• Jesus promises us eternal life. We will never perish.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.”  (John 10:11 NLT)

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Many people see value in physical exercise.   Exercise, a healthy diet, and a good night’s sleep are necessary to maintain healthy bodies.

The body of Christ also benefits from exercise.

All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.  (1 Corinthians 12:27 NLT)

Romans 1:8-14 reminds Christians of seven things they should be doing for the church, the body of Christ.

• Thank God for other believers.

Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. (Romans 1:8 NLT)

•  Pray constantly for each other.

 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, … . (Romans 1:9 NLT)

•  Fellowship with other believers.

 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. (Romans 1:10 NLT)

•  Equip others to do God’s work.

 For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. (Romans 1:11 NLT)

• Encourage each other.

When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. (Romans 1:12 NLT)

•  Look for spiritual fruit in others. (Look for good in others.)

^… I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit… (Romans 1:13 NLT)

•  Remember what God has done for you and commit to serve Him by serving others.

For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. (Romans 1:14 NLT)

Seven Body Building Exercises

• Thank God for other believers.
• Pray constantly for each other.
• Fellowship (practice community) with other believers.
• Equip others to do God’s work.
• Encourage each other.
• Look for spiritual fruit in others. (Look for good in others.)
• Remember what God has done for you and commit to serve Him by serving others.

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8 NLT)

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The death of a loved one leaves us with mixed emotions.  The Bible is a source of encouragement for Christians who are experiencing the loss of a loved one.

Jesus is preparing a place in heaven for all Christians.

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.  And you know the way to where I am going.” (John 14:1-3 NLT)

 Anyone who has accepted the gift of salvation will spend eternity in heaven.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17 NLT)

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13 ESV)

“Jesus said …, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.’”   John 11:25

Grieving the loss of a Christian is different from grieving the loss of an unbeliever.

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.

 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

 Therefore encourage each other with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14 & 18 NLT) 

A partial description of heaven in scripture is found in Rev.21: 4 which says, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

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We were not created to be served by God.  We were created to serve God.

How do we serve God?

Scripture tells us that we are serving God when we are serving others.

 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.  For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.  I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.

 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?  Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?  When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’  (Matthew 25:34-40 NLT)

Are you looking for ways to serve?   You could:

Feed the hungry.

Care for the sick.

Visit prisoners.

Give clothing to the poor.

Give a drink to the thirsty.

Invite a stranger into your house.

You don’t have to look far to find opportunities to serve others.

Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 

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Too many Christians are living in fear.  Fear varies from person to person, but it seems that almost everyone fears something.  Some people have a fear of failure.  Some fear criticism.  Some fear financial insecurity.  Others fear the unknown.  This list of fears could go on and on.

In the scriptures, God repeatedly tells His people to “fear not”.

“be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic … . For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT)

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NLT)

David faced many dangers but he knew that God was watching over him and protecting him from his enemies.

The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart. (Psalm 28:7 NLT)

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
so why should I tremble?  (Psalm 27:1 NLT)

 As Christians, we are God’s children.

 …  you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”  For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.  And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. (Romans 8:15-17 NLT)

 As God’s children and heirs to God’s glory we should not be living in fear of anything.

 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)

 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.  (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)

STOP LIVING IN FEAR!

Even when I walk through the darkest valley I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.  (Psalm 23:4 NLT)

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Recently I watched a potter working with a lump of clay.  In a very short period of time this skilled artisan transformed a worthless lump of clay into an attractive functional vase.  Every bit of the work was done by the potter.  The clay did nothing.

In Scripture, God is described as the potter and we are described as the clay.

 And yet, O Lord, you are our Father.
We are the clay, and you are the potter.
We all are formed by your hand.  (Isaiah 64:8 NLT)

 We are God’s masterpiece.

 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.  (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

 Scripture tells us that it is foolish to deny that God is our creator.

How foolish can you be?
He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay!
Should the created thing say of the one who made it,
“He didn’t make me”?
Does a jar ever say,
“The potter who made me is stupid”?  (Isaiah 29:16 NLT)

 Take some time right now to recognize God as your creator.  Thank Him for creating you.

 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. (Psalm 139:14 NLT)

Make sure that Jesus is in the “potter’s seat” of your life.

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.
Does a clay pot argue with its maker?
Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying,
‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ (Isaiah 45:9 NLT)

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.  (Matthew 16:24 NLT)

… As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.  (Jeremiah 18:6 NLT)

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God has provided Christians with the armor needed to resist Satan’s attacks. (Read the post “Know Your Enemy”) We just need to put this armor on and stand our ground.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  (Ephesians 6:13-17 NLT)

The armor needed by Christians to resist Satan’s attacks:

Belt of truth
          Know God’s truth (scripture) and act with integrity and truthfulness in all you do.

Breastplate of righteousness
          Maintain a right relationship with God (through Jesus).

Sandals of peace
          Stand firm and confident knowing that your relationship with Jesus Christ will give you peace in any conflict.

Shield of faith
          Believe and trust in God’s Word and in His promises.

Helmet of salvation
          Know that in Christ you are a part of God’s family and Jesus is your hope and strength.

Sword of the Spirit
          Know and use God’s word (your most powerful weapon) to fight Satan and his demons. 

Remember
Never stop praying.
(1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT)

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