1 Corinthians 2:2

For I made the decision to know nothing (that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential thinks and opinions while) among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (and meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection).

Sometimes it is better to know nothing when it comes to learning from God.  When our minds are open to learning and understanding the word, we are not stifled by philosophies or theological doctrine.  We can trust the word of God without the interference of the opinion of man.  We then can be fully persuaded of and open to the redemptive power of Jesus and the cross. 

1 Corinthians 1:9

God is faithful (He is reliable, trustworthy and ever true to His promise-He can be depended on), and through Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 

When we have faith in God, we have faith in His reliability.  The more we experience the faithfulness of God, the more we will step out in trust and knowledge that His word is true.  We all believe in something, whether saint or sinner; however, the God kind of faith overcomes in this world.  Our future depends on what we believe, and so does our direction.  

Psalm 34:15-16

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous (those with moral courage and spiritual integrity) and His ears are open to His cry.  The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

Like a parent watching over a child, God watches over us to hear our cry.  We are never alone or isolated with God and His word beside us.  Encouragement is only a turn of the page away when we read our bibles.  Our faith comes as our eyes view the word of God, and it gets into our hearts, building us up.  

Psalm 103:2-4

Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget any of His benefits; who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you (lavishly) with lovingkindness and tender mercy.  

The benefits of the Lord are real and available for the believer.  The greatest lie the devil can promote is that God does not care for us or that we are insignificant.  Be confident in the Lord and His love for us.  Keep the words of God’s love for us in front of your eyes.  So if the time of trouble comes, we can say….It is written….. and overcome any obstacle.

Mark 11:22

Jesus replied, “Have faith in God (constantly).

Christianity is the faith of persistence! To grow and do what God wants to do through us, we must have constant faith.  We must believe when others would give up and hope in what cannot be seen.  We have insider knowledge of how God works and how the world works.  God is the God of miracles, and we are His people.  

Mark 7:14-15

After He called the people to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen (carefully) to Me, all of you, (hear) and understand (what I am saying): there is nothing outside a man (such as food) which by going into him can defile him (morally or spiritually):  but the things which come out of (the heart of) a man are what defile and dishonor him.  

Keeping our hearts focused on what is pure and lovely is essential.  We need to be diligent in what we hear and come before our eyes to persuade us or lead us away from the word.  What we believe in our hearts comes out of our mouths and affects the direction of our lives.  

Matthew 7:24

So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, will be like a wise man (a far-sighted, practical, and sensible man) who built his house on the rock.  

Building a solid foundation on the word of God is one of the most important things we can do.  The word gives us knowledge of the promises of God and prepares us for the ups and downs.  Knowledge is power for our lives and strength to our souls. 

Matthew 4:17

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent (change your inner self-your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.    

The old way of thinking always needs an update.  Just like our lives move forward, so should our faith by renewing our thinking.  Growing continually takes up more space, and so should the word in our lives and mind.  As the mind updates, so do the way we live and how we see our purpose. 

Habakkuk 2:3

For the vision is yet for the appointed (future) time. It hurries toward the goal (of fulfillment); it will not fail.  Even though it delays, wait (patently) for it, because it will certainly come; it will not delay.

Sometimes waiting for the promise can be challenging.  Time seems to slow down as we expectantly wait for the promise.  We can’t give up.  We must keep holding onto the word from God and remind us of His faithfulness.  The vision is coming, and sometimes God has to move circumstances into place.  Stand in faith; the promise will appear.  

Psalm 20:4-5

May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans.  We will sing joyously over your victory, and in the name of God we will set up our banners. May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.  

God wants to bless us and help us with our plans.  We all have dreams and goals that we want to accomplish, and God wants to be right there with us, helping us succeed.  When we need the wisdom to make a decision, all we have to do is ask.  When we need encouragement to keep going, God will give it to us.  Nothing is too hard for God.