Thou Shalt Not Be Petty - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) August 22, 2023

How many of us have the perfect clapback for any situation? We've got the type of zingers that will quickly silence anyone who 'tries' us and we're proud of it. If we care to be honest, nobody can out-petty or out-scheme us. This is because no disrespect is too small for us to deal with in a way whereby the rude person is left with a rude awakening.

But what if I tell you that although the world expects us to react this way, the Word doesn't?

1 Peter 3:9 - Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

We previously learned that we don't need to defend ourselves because God wants us to let Him avenge us. Today's lesson is that it's okay to look foolish when someone says something offensive and uncalled for to us. Our God doesn't need us to retaliate. We can simply walk away, lift the issue up in prayers, and let God handle it.

Instead of a petty response being leveled like a surgical tool to slice and dice the offender, we should remember the instruction to believers - that our words should be seasoned with spiritual salt as stated in Colossians 4:6. No matter what is going on, we are to remember that as Christians, we should take every opportunity to reflect Christ and what He stands for to others. Would retaliating with petty words of deeds accomplish this?

It is not easy to ignore an insult whether delivered directly or subtly, but God will help us if we ask Him for His assistance. Sure the other person may feel like they got us good, but this is where faith comes in. We have to remember that we serve a God who has said "vengeance is Mine" (Deuteronomy 32:35). Do you really think your petty reply could ever compare to what God will do to those who purposefully hurt you with their words and actions as if for sport?

Let us not repay evil with evil but allow our God to deal with those who mess with us. God can be more than petty when dealing with the wicked. Step out of His way - stand still - and let Him do what He wants to do. Psalm 91:8 - You will look and see how the wicked are punished (GNT). This means God doesn't require anything from us for Him to do what His word promises - that the wicked will get their just deserts. Instead, let us "repay evil with blessing" so that we "may inherit a blessing" from the Lord.

This is the promise of God and He will do it if we obey. God bless you!

To learn more, please read:

• God will Defend You

• God, The Avenger

• God, our Defender

• Idle Words Block Blessings

Turn Your Challenges Into Praise Points - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) August 18, 2023

The last few weeks have been very busy and have presented challenges that I wish I didn't have to deal with. They forced me to dig deep into what I knew of God and fight to not forget who He is and what He is capable of.

One day, while looking at an old journal of mine, I saw a simple and practical instruction I'd received years earlier while spending time with the Lord. It was - Our issues are actually praise points as they are an indication of the miracles coming our way. Although the sentence was written in my handwriting, I realized this lesson was one I'd never actually put into practice. Well, as I thought about the words, I knew it was time to change that.

I wrote down the main challenges I was facing in that moment and as I did, the Holy Spirit gave me scriptural references that spoke of God's promises on each issue. I jotted those down too. Then, I took a deep breath and started writing. I turned each problem into a praise point that incorporated scripture and reflected my faith and hope that God had already taken care of it for me. I then set to read that list once a day.

Praise God that in two days, my first praise point came to pass! seeing how God did it for me encouraged and reassured me that I will see what He does with the rest of my praise points shortly.

I want to encourage you to turn your prayer points into praise points. Those problems that have been weighing you down and seem like they will never be resolved are the very ones God wants you to give unto Him. Not just in prayer but also in praise. Acknowledge His might and power by thanking God in advance for the resolution He has already set into motion. Resolution that you will witness and rejoice for.

Do not forget that in taking this approach, I was armed with scripture. I strongly recommend that you do the same. If you don't know what scripture to use, please let this be a reminder that it is time for you to find it in the Bible. After all, faith without works is dead. So, please take the time to marry your faith with the works of seeking the scripture you need.

Take the issue you have and search for that term in the Bible. Also search with related words to pull up the verses that tie to your particular predicament. Don't just pull up random verses though, be sure to ask God for guidance and read the chapter containing the verse to see if it actually applies. If it doesn't, keep searching. It is best to patiently find what you need than to apply the wrong approach.

As a starting point, here are a few verses that are helpful to have in a believer's arsenal. They include

Psalm 23:1 - The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

Philippians 4:19 - And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (NKJV).

There are many more. God has liberally given us scripture for every circumstance. Ask Him to lead you to the weapon in His word that will turn your praise point into a ballistic missile that will break through everything standing in the way of what you are waiting for. A godly missile that will reach God and become a sweet-smelling incense that pleases Him.

God bless you.

Don't Break Faith with God: Jesus - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) August 15, 2023

Over the last two weeks we have examined the issue of not breaking faith with God. We have learned that breaking faith occurs when we dishonor and/or cheapen the Lord in the presence of others by what we say, how we act, or a choice we make. This is so important because God has called us to be witnesses who testify to His glory and might. We learned how Moses and Aaron struggled with this, yet God showed them mercy. We also reviewed Ezra's experience and saw how He avoided making the mistake. It was the same with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who stared down a fiery pit and defied the most powerful man in the world so as not to break faith with their Creator.

Jesus Christ also provides a crucial example on how to be successful in this regard. And we can easily replicate what He did in all manner of situations.

He fasted for 40 days and nights and at the tail end, the devil showed up, knowing that His mortal flesh would be weak. However, the devil didn't anticipate He would be filled with spiritual food and the Spirit of God Himself. So, when satan asked Jesus to prove He was the Son of God by turning a stone to bread, "... Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” (Luke 4:4). And when the devil tried to get him to worship it in exchange for earthly power, the Savior didn't mince words. He again spoke scripture, saying, ...“It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’” (Luke 4:8).

Jesus illustrates that the word of God is a practical tool to help every Christian avoid breaking faith with their God. When the devil shows up during our weakest moments, as it did with God's Son, we have to proclaim scripture because satan has no comeback for that. It is God's word that brings power and therefore causes the devil to flee. We must have some familiarity with scripture. This is why it is essential to study the Bible before the challenges of life come rushing at us. In such situations, it is only the word of God that can effectively resist the devil and neutralize its weapons. And because Jesus is our High Priest, when we pronounce the word, He puts it to work for our benefit.

God's word is the ultimate gem in our spiritual arsenal to keep us from breaking faith with the Almighty. He has promised to keep His word on our lips so it is essential we make it a priority. He said in Isaiah 59:21 - “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the LORD. Thus, if you start and keep gathering the word of God, you will always have it! May the Lord be with you and cause you to prosper in His Spirit, His word and His love. We shall not break faith with Him, IJMN, Amen.