1 Corinthians 13:2

And if I have the gift of prophecy (and speak a new message from God to the people), and understand all mysteries, and (possess) all knowledge; and if I have all (sufficient) faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love (reaching out to others), I am nothing.  

Love is the gold standard of how to measure our attitude toward others.  If we don’t seem to be getting our prayers answered or feel blocked with God, check the love.  If we are angry and frustrated with life, check our attitude; are we in love.  Love isn’t a feeling. It is a choice and a driving force in our faith walk.  

1 Corinthians 13:1

If I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have not love (for others growing out of God’s love for me), then I become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (just an annoying distraction). 

Paul, who did so much in spreading the Gospel of Jesus, says everything that he has done is nothing without love.  Walking in love towards others represents what Jesus died for here on earth.  People won’t believe our witness is authentic without the Love of God being expressed to others in how we act and what we say.

Psalm 20:1-2

May the Lord answer you (David) in the day of trouble! May the name of God of Jacob set you securely on high (and defend you in battle)! May he send you help from the sanctuary (His dwelling place) and support and strengthen you from Zion! 

May the Lord answer all that pray to Him in trouble.  May the hand of God reach down and touch the troubled heart and bring it peace.  The Lord stands up for all who call to Him in faith and keeps them from harm.  God will be your strength and send wisdom from His sanctuary.  

Psalm 5:5,7

The boastful and the arrogant will not stand in Your sight; You hate all who do evil.  But as for me, I will enter Your house through the abundance of Your steadfast love and tender mercy; at Your holy temple I will bow (obediently) in reverence for you.  

Those who do sin and do evil have slipped on blinders’ light sunglasses.  They can no longer see or want to see what they are doing as evil.  A spirit that remains soft and in contact with Jesus, and the word remain in the love of God.  We remain obedient and repent of sin, and reverence God.  Our reward is everlasting life.

Job 19:25-26

For I know that my Redeemer and Vindicator lives, and at the last He will take His stand upon the earth.  Even after my (mortal) skin is destroyed (by death), Yet from my (immortal flesh) I will see God.

Praise the Lord our redeemer lives!! And He is coming to take a stand on this earth, and sin will be no more.  The devil is running out of time, but he was never any match for the living God.  We can take reassurance that God will always take care of His people.  The day is coming when we will see God in our immortal flesh.  Hallelujah!

Matthew 5:11

Blessed (morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness) are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of (your association with) Me.

Jesus went against the grain in His ministry here upon the earth, and we will as Christians.   Jesus calls us blessed when we are persecuted for His name’s sake because we stand for the living God.  We stand for the light in the darkness and the redemption of man. And Jesus is standing by our side.  

Mathew 4:4 

But Jesus replied, “It is written and forever remains written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.”

Everything God did on this earth He spoke into being.  He had the bible written down so we could also speak His words.  That is how we live the word of God by speaking it and calling those things that be as not as though they were.  Yes, food keeps us alive, but the word of God makes us thrive and overcome.  

Isaiah 14:14

I will ascend above the height of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. But (in fact) you will be brought down to Sheol, to the remote accesses of the pit (the region of the dead).

We need to get it into our minds that we are fighting an already defeated foe.  God, through Jesus dying as a substitute for us, gave us dominion over the devil.  When we walk in our authority, we walk all over any evil that tries to hurt us.  Our profession of faith by using God’s word is the key.  

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty (whose power no enemy can withstand).  I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust (with great confidence, and on whom I rely).”

When we keep close to God and follow His word, we remain under His shelter.  The protection of God is around us because we are concentrating on our relationship with God.  We can rely on God to help us cast down doubts and remind ourselves that He is our refuge and fortress.

Psalm 67:1-3

God be gracious and kindhearted to us and bless us, and make His face shine (with favor) on us. That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation and deliverance among all nations.  Let the people praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

The devil has always tried to cover up and hide the goodness of God.  God needs us to walk in His ways and show people around us what the goodness of God is.  Many people don’t know that salvation and deliverance are possible, let alone that God loves them.  But we do!