Enter into His Gates with Thanksgiving

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Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. Psalm 100:4

The Lord is worthy to be praised and worshipped! The beauty of our relationship with Him is that we come to the Lord as His beloved children and we also get to honor and praise Him as the King and the ruler of all mankind! We enter into His presence with confidence and boldness because God reconciled us to Himself through the cross, and we are no longer aliens but His children. At the same time, God is holy, all powerful, and marvelous, and we enter His royal gates with giving thanks for who He is and what He continues to do in our lives.

We have much to be thankful for in our relationship with the Lord. Below are some of the reasons:

He holds our lives together, and “in Him we live, move, and having our being (Acts 17:28).”  In Him we have faith, hope, and love!  He provides us with daily manna, daily grace, daily health, daily protection, and daily sound mind. Without Him we can do nothing, and as we continue to walk with Him, we realize that it’s not worth doing anything that doesn’t have His blessing anyway. 

He is the author and the finisher of our faith. He initiated our relationship with Him, and He continues to work in our lives to become conformed to the image of His son.  He is the one who helps us navigate through life and grow up in Him. He teaches us His ways, so we can be wise in our dealings and not have to suffer the pain of trial and error, or the confusion of ignorance. He has an answer for our marriages, children, jobs, ministries, relationships, and an unsaved world. Our job is to continue to look to Him for answers and get our counsel from Him.

He stands outside of time, and He cannot be rushed because His plans are far greater than anything we can think or imagine. He is the God of History, and He is the ruler of all mankind. His lovingkindness continues to open people’s eyes to His amazing grace, and He holds the key of salvation for whosoever believes in His Son and His finished work on the cross!

We have much to be thankful for. The world seems to be changing at a faster rate everyday, but our God is unchanging, and that is something else to be thankful for.

Today, make time for quiet moments with your Savior and rest in His love and peace!What are the things that you are thankful to the Lord for!? Feel free to comment below.

Hearing God’s Voice (Part IV)

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Hearing God’s voice is not easy but it is a necessity for us as God’s children as we navigate through life. How do we know if we heard the Lord instead of hearing ourselves or the enemy? The scriptures give us direction on this important issue.

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38

God’s Idea

When the word of the Lord (through the angel) came to Mary, she was not expecting it. The message given to her was not something that she would have conjured up or thought of. The message was God’s idea, and it would have cost Mary something. When we live our lives in simplicity of faith and walk with God, the Lord has access to speak to us and to download what He desires in our lives. The voice of the Lord does not boost our ego, but it settles our identity in God. It allows us to remain dependent on the Lord and look to Him as He takes us through the journey. Mary and Joseph had to continue to look to the Lord in this process and be led by Him in order to protect the baby and raise Jesus for the purpose God had for Him.

Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.” 1 Samuel 23:2

Seek God and Remain Neutral

King David inquired of the Lord frequently, especially, as it related to going to wars with other nations. The beauty of David’s inquiry is that David did not allow his emotions to justify going to battle. His ego was not involved in trying to prove his might and his strength. He didn’t presume because Israel is God’s special people that it meant God was going to give them success in every battle. Instead, David put himself in a neutral position and allowed the Lord to speak to him. In some instances, the Lord told him to go to war and in other situations, He told him not to. David followed the Lord’s instructions and God gave Him success!

Sometimes, we are so focused on reaching our goals that hearing God takes a backseat to our agenda. The truth is that any path we take, we may experience some bumps on the road. If we have arrived there by our the strength of our will, then the difficulties along the way will challenge our decision. On the other hand,  if we have heard the Lord before moving in a certain direction, then we know that this is God’s will and we can fight the spiritual battle with God’s strength.

God’s Answer in His Timing

One of the important things in hearing the voice of God is that we cannot make it happen in our timing. If we strive in the flesh to hear God’s voice, we will eventually hear something, but it won’t be the voice of God. We may end up hearing our own desires or the enemy’s deception. We can’t force God to speak to us when we expect to hear from Him.  We need to be willing to wait and yield our will. God is going to speak when He knows it’s the right time to speak. Our job is to abide in Him, look to Him, and wait on Him.

Do you hear the voice of the Lord unexpectedly?  When you need an answer, can you place aside your emotions and opinions and remain in a neutral position? Are you able to wait to hear Him speak?

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Image by reenablack from Pixabay

Hearing God’s Voice (Part III)

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In the last two devotionals, I have shared about the importance of hearing God’s voice. As believers, we need to have the word of God as our sword and the voice of God as our compass to navigate through life. We see even Jesus, the Son of God, had to depend on the voice of God to function successfully through life and His calling!

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” Matthew 4:1-4

Definition of Word (according to Strong’s dictionary) comes from Greek word [Rhema]: that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, things spoken, word, utterance.

Jesus’ first temptation was directed at his physical hunger. After having fasted forty days and nights, the devil tempted Him to turn the stones into bread. Just as Jesus turned water into wine, He could have turned the stones into bread. However, He refrained from doing it because He was not led by the Spirit of God!

One of the marks of following the voice of God is that it will not appeal to our flesh, and neither will it compel us to prove our identity or gifting. This is something that we all have to be aware of. We cannot allow the demands of others to push us to do something in the name of God or ministry. Those with prophetic ministry are even in greater danger of trying to prove that they can hear God or prophecy words not sanctioned by the Lord!

The devil was trying to challenge Jesus’ identity in God by prodding Him to prove that He is the son of God! However, Jesus had the self-control not to get baited by the devil. He did not need to prove anything to anyone even though it would have been tempting to do so. He could have reasoned that He needs to prove He is the son of God, so people can believe Him or take Him seriously. Furthermore, Jesus could have easily made the excuse that God would not wanted to Him suffer hunger and could have provided bread for Himself, but He chose to leave the matters in God’s hands.

I love Jesus’ response to the devil! He told Him that while food is important but hearing God’s voice is more important than eating bread! Jesus was speaking about God’s spoken word. Jesus needed to hear the voice of God, and He depended on it regularly more than eating bread. When was the last time this was our attitude in seeking God!?

In the Middle Eastern cultures, bread is an important part of every meal. Therefore, the comparison of the need for bread versus the word of God is very significant! The Middle Eastern people eat bread with every meal regardless of other starches such as rice, pasta, or potatoes. This means that people not only eat it regularly, but also they consume it at least three times a day! Basically, Jesus was stating that it is more important to hear God’s voice and be in communication with Him than to depend on the basic sustenance three times a day!

How hungry are you to hear the word of the Lord for your life? On the sermon on the Mount, Jesus stated that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled. It is God’s desire for us to be led by His Spirit. Do you make time for Him regularly? Do you see it as a necessity of life to be led by the Spirit of the Lord?

Hearing God’s Voice (Part II)

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For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:14

 

The above scripture is important in what it states and also in what it does not state! This Bible verse does not tell us that those who read the Bible are the sons of God. The truth is that we have theologians who know the Bible but don’ know the Lord! Reading the Bible without a revelation of God is like reading any good literature or history book. It is the spirit of God that quickens the word of God and allows us to see something in it that we have not seen before. The word of God, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, speaks to us, and it convicts, corrects, and exhorts us in the way we should go. This allows our relationship with our heavenly Father to develop and we grow as sons and daughters of God.

The above scripture also does not state that those who go to church are the sons of God. When the New Testament church began, people were meeting in each others’ homes to have fellowship and learn the doctrines of Christ. The church as we know it today was not formed and neither were people aiming to just show up to a building once a week to hear a good sermon. They were focused on learning about their newfound faith and what Jesus came to do for them even at the cost of their lives. While there is nothing wrong with having a nice building, but we have to be careful that buildings (nowadays campuses), their cost, and the number of people attending does not take away the focus of the church. Otherwise, it will lead a church to a corporate mentality, and it will focus on maintaining a certain stream of revenue. This would make it difficult to listen to the voice of God or be led by Him! Jesus had much to say to the seven churches in the book of Revelation.

Also, the scripture does not state those who are pastor’s kids or grandkids are the sons of God. As a matter of fact, Jesus rebuked the religious people because they were comfortable and confident with their status in their community but missing the work of Christ among them. Sometimes being part of a religious system, blinds people to their lack of relationship with Jesus. People around them prop them up and shelter them from the work of God in their lives. In addition, some people within a religious system can assume that the voice or the opinion of their leadership is the voice of God, and they rely on it more than they rely on the spirit of the Lord!

One of the marks of any good relationship is communication. If we profess to have a personal relationship with Jesus, then it means that we are in two-way communication to Him. This relationship causes us to want to know Him and hear what He has to say concerning all areas of our lives.  The Lord is looking for those who sincerely want to be in relationship with Him and desire to communicate with Him. How good is your communication with the Lord!? In the above scripture, the Lord tells us that those who are in tune with hearing God’s voice and His leading are His children.  His children remain in relationship to their heavenly Father. They are not running ahead of Him nor lagging behind Him. They don’t come to God only when they want something from Him but remain in continual relationship with Him.

Hearing God’s voice and being led by His Spirit is evidence of a personal relationship with God. It shows that we have learned to abide in Christ, and Jesus has full access to us to direct us a certain way. We have learned to remain in tune with Him, and, on a regular basis, we surrender our plans into His hands for His leading and direction.

Are you led by the Spirit of God? If not, what hinders you? Do you make time to seek Him on a daily basis? Are you able to surrender your plans and allow the Lord to direct your steps? Do you consider any other person’s voice to be the voice of God in your life?

Hearing God’s Voice (Part I)

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In the last series of devotionals, I shared about the benefits and the necessity of studying the word of God and learning God’s ways through His word. The word of God gives us tangible guard rails that help us to stay within God’s prescribed boundaries and protects us from the world, our old nature, and the attacks of the enemy. However, we need more in life to live a successful Christian life. We need to be able to hear God’s voice and sense His guidance every step of the way to ensure we are in step with His purpose!

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  John 10:27

In the book of John, Jesus declared Himself as the good shepherd! He then continued by telling the disciples that His sheep hear His voice! In the natural, the sheep follow their shepherd by listening to his voice. Can you imagine if sheep decided to go their own way and not follow the voice of the shepherd!? First of all, it would be chaotic and the shepherd would not be able to lead them or protect them. Secondly, the sheep can get lost or fall prey to various predators. It is critical for the sheep to hear and recognize the voice of their shepherd to stay protected from harm and get their needs met.

Similarly, we are in need of hearing Jesus’ voice clearly. Obviously, we need to read our Bibles, but we are still in need of hearing His voice to determine how to navigate the forks in the road. For example, if we are seeking an employment, we should have a sense if a position is the right job for us. If we just concentrate on the salary or the title, we may miss God’s direction. If we plan to move out of the area, we should give it time until we have a sense of direction from the Lord. We shouldn’t just move because we don’t like our surroundings or are looking for an excitement. The Lord has the answers, and He knows what is best for us.

Hearing God is not always easy. Sometimes, the Lord is silent because He wants to do something in us before He answers our questions. Consequently, He calls us to just follow Him for a while without giving us an answer. The best thing to do in those times is to follow the Lord joyfully and thanking the Lord for being the good shepherd. The Lord will not let us get derailed if we are following Him wholeheartedly.

How well do you hear God’s voice? What do you do when you don’t hear God’s voice right away?

 

 

 

told His disciples that His sheep know His voice. The sheep have learned to hear the voice

 

The Benefits of the word of God (Part IV)

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All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

We live in a world that is completely antithetical to the Kingdom of God. The spiritual battle is all around us, and it requires our focus, attention, and skill to overcome the obstacles on our path.  The above scripture tells us that not only the word of God establishes, corrects, and instructs us, but it also prepares us to live an overcoming life that is fruitful and pleasing to the Lord.

I have seen many Christians who thought they knew the word of God, but they didn’t! They assumed because they were around the Bible and the church that they knew the Bible, but in reality they didn’t have a practical knowledge of the word of God that helped them to live an overcoming and fruitful life. The scriptures are not meant to be just preached by a pastor or be heard in a Sunday school class. Christianity is a not a spectator sport. The devil does not engage only with those who want to engage with him. The scriptures tell us that he is like a roaring lion looking for whom he may devour (1 peter 5:8). That means whether an individual is engaged in the game or not, the enemy wants to win the battle over every person’s life! Nothing can replace our time in the word of God where the Lord uses the scriptures to equip us to live a fruitful and victorious life and learn how to fight in a spiritual battle waged against every soul! This requires every Christian to take their walk with God seriously and learn how to be equipped for living a God-honoring and fruitful life!

The scriptures equip us in variety of ways. Some scriptures warn us on issues such as foolishness, jealousy, lust, deception, and corrupt speech. These scriptures take the weeds out of our lives, so we can be prepared for the good seed of the word. Other scriptures are seeds to help us grow and bear good fruit. For example, the word of God shows us that as we abide in Christ, we can develop the fruit of the spirit and grow in love, joy, peace, patience, self-control, and many other Godly attributes. There are other scriptures that protect us from harming ourselves and others. For example, forgiveness protects our hearts, preserves our relationships, and equips us not to get baited by the enemy.  In Ephesians 6, Paul gives a description of the armor of God that teaches us how withstand the attacks of the enemy and our old nature. It tells us about the helmet of salvation, breastplate of righteousness, belt of truth, shield of faith, sword of the spirit, and our feet shod with the gospel of peace. All the elements of the armor are the equipment that the believer needs to be able to live a victorious life.

Without the knowledge of the word of God, we would not be equipped for battle and we would become a pawn in the devils’s hand. The word of God helps us to be alert, wise, and discerning. The better equipped we are, the better prepared we are to handle people and situations in a Godly manner and escape the corruption that is all around us.

Are you being equipped by the word of God? Do you put the scriptures to work in your practical day-to-day life? How well do you discern between your own ideas, the schemes of the enemy, and the will of God!?

 

 

 

The Benefits of the Word of God (Part III)

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All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

I am so glad that the Lord does not leave us to figure out the Christian life on our own, but He has provided us His instruction book to grow and learn from! While we are saved through the work of Jesus, the walk of righteousness requires us to know His ways. One of the benefits of the word of God is that it instructs us in living a life that is pleasing to the Lord and is peaceful and pure!

The Holy Spirit uses the word of God to become our teacher and counselor. Some of us have not had good Christian role models., so we do not know how to live the Christian life. The Bible gives us the blueprint for right living by teaching us about many topics such as integrity, love, work, finances, forgiveness, purity, patience, and many other useful principles.

There are some who have never seen a good Godly marriage. The Bible teaches us about love and respect in a marriage and gives us prescription for a good marriage. This doesn’t mean that every problem is solved right away, but it helps us to understand that if we want the victory God has for us, we need to remain on His narrow path and look for His provision, deliverance, and blessing as we walk with Him.

“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways.
Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. Proverbs 8: 32-33

It’s interesting that we have no problem taking courses that benefit our education or furthering our career! Most of us are very intrigued and interested in learning, growing, and keeping ourselves up to date and marketable. However, if we are told that we need to learn how to study the word of God, we can find many excuses not to take a class or attend a Bible study. Jesus called us to make disciples, but a person needs to be willing to put themselves in a position to be discipled followers of Christ, and that includes being instructed with His word! His word is a blessing to us, for by it we learn God’s ways and learn to walk in them. We cannot have Godly wisdom apart from knowing the word of God and obeying it!

Unfortunately, we have many people in the body of Christ that are illiterate when it comes to the word of God, but they assume they’re spiritually mature because they’re older. The problem is when someone corrects them on a view or lifestyle that does not line up with the word of God, they can get easily offended or feel judged. This leads them to even going further away from the teaching/instruction of the Bible and opens the door for the enemy to have a field day with them.

As believers, we are called to be life-long learners. It doesn’t matter if we accepted Jesus yesterday, or we have known Him for the last forty years. Also, it is not significant if we were a pastor’s kid or we’re in a position of authority in the church right now. We all have more to learn, and we need to remain teachable. When we remain humble before God and hungry for the word of God, the Lord will teach us and guide us with His truth!

Do you know how to study the word of God? How often do you study the Bible? Do you attend a Bible study? What are new truths from the Bible that you have learned recently?

 

 

The Benefits of the Word of God (Part II)

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All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

In the last devotional, I shared about the first portion of the passage that the word of God is profitable for it establishes us.  When the winds of various doctrines and false teachings blow, we can be firmly rooted and grounded in the word of God through being taught the scriptural doctrine.

Paul goes on to tell Timothy in the above passage that the word of God is also beneficial for reproof and for correction.

Definition of reproof (According to Strong’s Dictionary): a proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested, conviction.

Reproof and correction go hand in hand. The word of God gives us the opportunity to know the truth. His word re-calibrates our conscience and brings it into alignment with the will of God. We begin to develop greater sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. The Lord uses His word to speak to us personally and,  at times, to convict and correct us. If we don’t know the word of God, we can easily get off course.  In addition, we may think we are doing just fine, but not be in obedience to God!

I was just speaking with a relatively new believer who said that he just wants to make God smile! I asked him, “How do you know what pleases God and what makes Him smile!?” He gave an example that when we’re generous towards other people, God is pleased! I explained that being generous is an aspect of pleasing God, but the Lord has a lot to say to us in His word that we need to know and obey. The truth is that we may sincerely think that we are pleasing God, but still be clueless about what pleases Him! It is like having a vision issue but not not knowing what we can’t see.  Only when we put on corrective glasses, do we find out how much we missed and how much more clearly we can see everything!

For example, Ephesians 4:29 tells us, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth…” When I read that verse, it causes me to examine my words and my recent conversations with people around me. If I have allowed gossip, attitude, half-truths, or disrespect come out of my mouth, the word of God will convict and correct me. He is telling me that if I want to please Him and reflect His love to others, I need to stop behaving in that manner. Now that I know this truth, making Him smile becomes more tangible and substantive rather than offer up a sweet little prayer and walk away feeling good about myself!

We have many people who claim to know God, but they do not know His word! They are just content with a short daily prayer making them think that they have a good relationship with the Lord. Praying is definitely an important aspect of a believer’s life, but it is the word of God that sets a plumb line for our lives, and it shows us God’s way of doing life!  His word corrects our course, so we won’t cause spiritual collisions for ourselves or others. Furthermore, the scripture tells us that when we pray according to the will of God that the Lord hears us, so we need to know what His will is in order to pray according to His will!

Make time for the word of God daily and allow it to build your conscience with His truth! Make room for the Holy Spirit to use the word of God to convict and correct you as you life your life!

 

The Benefits of the Word of God (Part I)

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But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.  But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 2Timothy 2:13-14

We live in uncertain and fast-changing times. We are continually bombarded with onslaught of new information where many times, it is difficult to discern what is true or false anymore. Interestingly, Paul knew that these uncertain times would come, so he instructed Timothy by writing to him the value and the significance of the word of God. He first warned Timothy of the perilous times and perilous people who would have no regard for truth or godliness. He then expounded by stating that evil men and imposters will continue to increase. Paul stated that these individuals are deceived, and in turn, they will deceive others with false teachings and ideologies. Hence, Paul admonished Timothy in valuing God’s word.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

In the above passage, Paul reminded Timothy that the word of God is inspired by God. Men did not write the scriptures on their own, but they were led by the Lord to pen what He directed them to write. The word of God is alive and active, and it has the power to transform us! Since the scriptures are inspired by God, they are profitable for God’s people. Do we treasure the word of God more than silver, gold, or diamonds!?

Many people are looking for worldly profits by pursuing to make more money, get promoted, or win the lottery. They think if they can make it big, all their problems will be solved, and they can live life happily ever after. This thinking is also true for some believers. While they may speak of wealth, status, and promotion as not being important in life, but if you watch their lives and their choices, you’ll find that their priorities are not much different than the world’s except possibly attending church on Sundays!

God’s word is profitable because it brings order to people’s lives. It removes confusion and make the path of life clear and simple. The word of God gives us doctrine and foundational teaching about who God is and what He desires for His children. Being taught in doctrine is like laying a solid foundation for a house. It is not visible by others, but it is very important for the stability and the reliability of the building. When the winds and the rains come, a solid foundation allows the house to stand and not cave in to the pressure of the circumstances.

Similarly, doctrine establishes us and allows us to get settled and secure in our knowledge of God. Without solid doctrine, we can be like a ship tossed to and fro with every wind of teaching and doctrine that emerge in each generation. The scriptures give us a blueprint for who God is, what Jesus did for us, the role of the Holy Spirit, the problem with sin, Satan’s work in the earth, eternal life and judgment, and many other valuable foundational teachings.

Do you know how to study the scriptures? Do you find them profitable for your walk as a believer? Have you studied the various doctrines of your faith? Do you know the scriptures that back up your beliefs?

 

 

 

 

 

Success in Relationships (Part III)

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So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.  Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:15-20 (NLV)

Having success in relationships is not easy, and we all have to do our part to ensure our relationships are thriving. In addition to being wise with our time and being thoughtful, the scripture tells us that we should be filled with the Holy Spirit rather being drunk with wine. Being drunk with wine does not help our relationship with the Lord or with others. As a matter of fact, it opens the door to the enemy to tempt us in variety of ways. However, being filled with the spirit makes us more aware of God’s purpose and will in our lives, and it helps us to remain in tune with Him!

The truth is that man in his carnal nature continues to crave for things that feed his/her flesh.  Our flesh is satisfied primarily with worldly things such as food, alcohol, sex, and entertainment. People out of boredom or curiosity crave various experimentations that lead them to alcohol, smoking, drugs, and pornography, and many find themselves bound to it. The things that feed our carnal nature do not feed our spirit man, and as a result we don’t have anything spiritually valuable to give our loved ones!

A lifestyle that feeds the flesh does not produce any good fruit, and it certainly does not provide the opportunity to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Instead, an atmosphere of worship fills us with His spirit, peace, and joy.  This gives us a greater desire to remain in His presence and continue to worship Him and sing songs to Him. Our flesh continues to be weakened the more we feed our spirit man and allow Him to rule and reign in our lives!

In an environment that people are under the influence of worldly vices, the relationships are not only weakened, but they can also be fractured because people speak and act in foolish and hurtful ways. On the other hand, when we are singing psalms and worshipping the Lord together, it allows us to keep our focus on Jesus and takes our eyes off of each other. This brings greater clarity to the issues at hand, and we no longer are bound by the dictates of our soul because we have been in the Lord’s presence! This is the environment that helps us to renew and reconcile our relationships with one another!

In the above passage, Paul ends by telling us to give thanks in everything! Giving thanks allows us to change our negative perspective and see God’s blessings and provision in our lives! One of the main areas of giving thanks should be for our loved ones. Imagine if you gave thanks to the Lord for your spouse everyday and actually mentioned the specific things that they bless your life with!  How about if you reached out to those that you have a difficult time with and told them that you love them and thank God for them!? How often do we give thanks for our loved ones especially when we are frustrated with them?

When we put the above passage to work in our lives, we will see change and transformation in our attitude as well as our relationships! Subsequently, when we focus on the passage in (Ephesians 5:21-33) about husbands and wives and how they should relate to one another, it’s a lot easier to live it out. We are not resenting the fact that we have to submit ourselves to our husbands or that husbands need to lay down their lives for their wives. Our marriages have a good foundation by using time wisely, being thoughtful about our choice of words and actions, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and continually giving thanks to God for everything including one another.  

Mediate on the above scripture and use it daily for a week or a month and be amazed at the results in your spiritual life as well as in your relationships!