Deuteronomy 30:20

By loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding closely to Him; for He is your life (your good life, your abundant life, your fulfillment) and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord promised (swore) to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

We can follow many things in this life, but none has promised to give us the reward that God has when we follow Him.  When we follow God, He shows us how to rise above and walk through the circumstances.  God will deliver us and keep us safe when we listen and obey His voice.  One word from God and a revelation and our vision clear, and we see our future change.  

Deuteronomy 7:9

Therefore know (without any doubt) and understand that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who is keeping His covenant and His (steadfast) loving-kindness to a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.  

God loves us more than we probably can comprehend.  We may even not understand the full implications of what the covenant relationship means.  We have the right to call on Him and fellowship with Him.  God wants to help us so we can fulfill His plan for our lives.   God is the love that does not fail for us and our lives.

Proverbs 16:23-24

The heart of the wise instructs his mouth (in wisdom) and adds persuasiveness to his lips.  Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet and delightful to the soul and healing to the body.

Our words are the sword to the battle.  David came at Goliath with words before he ever threw a stone.  If a battle looms large, we need to take out our sword of the word and speak it.  Our words were spoken to either remove the problem or make it seem more significant.  We need to practice speaking the word and building ourselves up, so victory comes when we throw our stone.  

Hebrews 3:13

But continually encourage one another everyday, as long as it is called “Today” (and there is an opportunity), so that none of you will be hardened (into settled rebellion) by the deceitfulness of sin (its cleverness, delusive glamour, and sophistication).

We all need encouragement from fellow believers, whether it is by fellowship, bible study, devotions. The encouragement helps us stay away from the sin that is less than God’s best.  The heart hardens as it turns from God justifying sin.  However, when we encourage each other in love, sin then holds no appeal.  

James 5:16

Therefore, confess your sins to one another (your false steps, your offenses), and pray for one another, that you may healed and restored.  The heartfelt persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much (when put into action and made effective by God-it is dynamic and can have tremendous power.  

The devil doesn’t like a church to pray for people because they will see results.  Prayer moves mountains and invites God to work on behalf of the person in need.  We all have come up short somehow, but we can overcome the obstacles as a group working together to help each other.  

James 5:7-8

So wait patiently, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord.  The farmer waits (expectantly) for the precious harvest from the land, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains.  You too, be patient strengthen your hearts (keep them energized and firmly committed to God), because the coming of the Lord is near. 

The farmer does a lot of preparation before planting the seed into the ground, just as faith produces what it believes for, like a seed with an expectant harvest to come in due season.  We, too, must practice patient and planting of our faith like a seed, so it grows and strengthens.  So that when uncertain times come, we have a firm foundation knowing that the coming of the Lord is near and we have nothing to fear. 

Ezekiel 20:11-12

I gave them My statutes and explained My ordinances to them, which, if a man keeps, he will live.  Also I gave them My Sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know (without any doubt) that I am the Lord who sanctifies them (separates and sets them apart).

Christians are meant to be set apart.  Our ways and habits are meant to be different from those who are not.  Our observance of Sunday church and resting is a sign between God and us.  By keeping the Sabbath Holy, we continue to honor God and His ordinances.  Sunday is a day to refresh ourselves in the word and God. 

2 Peter 3:17-18

Therefore, (let me warn you) beloved, knowing these things beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men (who distort doctrine) and fall from your own steadfastness (of mind, knowledge, truth and faith), but grow (spiritually mature) in the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

When we increase our knowledge of the Bible, we grow our spirits and renew our minds.  It is harder for us to be deceived when we have built ourselves up and practice our faith.  God gave us the Bible as a way to avoid the pitfalls of life.  By keeping our guard up, we can distinguish the good doctrine from the bad.  

Mathew 7:7-8

Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened.

Faith is persistent and diligently seeks the answer to any need by praying and asking God for the answer. We may not get a response to the first request.  Sometimes we don’t even know our covenant rights or what we can ask for from God, but God doesn’t say ask once! He says keep on seeking and knocking and requesting until the answer comes.

Mathew 5:3

Blessed (spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired) are the poor in spirit (those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (both now and forever). 

When we have a teachable spirit willing to learn, we can learn so much from God.  God has infinite wisdom to give us, but we also must be willing to receive the knowledge.  When we leave our own preconceived ideas behind and open ourselves up to God and His ways, we gain wisdom.  A humble spirit opens doors for us to grow.