Ephesians 2:10

For we are His workmanship (His own master work, a work of art) created in Christ Jesus (reborn from above-spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used) for good works, which God prepared (for us) beforehand (taking paths which He set), so that we would walk in them (living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us).

We are works of art!  A piece of art is created to shine and stand out as its creator designed it to be.   That means we are unique and have a purpose set out before we were born by God.  We are to do good works because we are transformed in our spirits and endued with the power to produce good fruit.  Our self-image changes to shine and reflect the light of Jesus.  

Ephesians 1:17

(I always pray) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation (that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight) into the true knowledge of Him (for we know that Father through the son).

God designed us to fellowship with Him, just as He did with Adam in the garden.  As Christians, wisdom, and revelation that we gain from God are nuggets of gold for our lives.  When God speaks to our hearts with knowledge, we see a clearer picture of His wisdom and love.  Our time spent with the bible opens us up to revelation and insight into God.   

Psalm 3:3-6

But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory (and my honor), and the One who lifts my head.  With my voice I was crying to the Lord, and He answered me from His holy mountain.  I lay down and slept (safely); I awakened, for the Lord sustains me.  I will not be intimidated or afraid of the ten thousands who have set themselves against me all around.  

Our strength and power in this life come from God.  God is the one who lifts our heads when we are downcast.  We need to raise our heads and lift our voices filled with the word and walk in our covenant rights.  A silent believer is a defeated believer, and we are more than conquers through Jesus Christ.  Be encouraged and strengthened with the word of God.  

Daniel 9:4

I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and extends lovingkindness toward those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed wrong, and have behaved wickedly and have rebelled, turning away from Your commandments and ordinances.  

Daniel knew what caused the people of Israel to be taken into captivity.  Daniel had read the book and could read the times and knew the number of years of captivity.  He also knew the covenant relationship they had with God and prayed in repentance.  We also have a covenant right to call upon Jesus in our time of need.  If repentance is needed, repent but don’t lose hope, but call out to God, and God will raise us.

Ezekiel 20:16

Because they rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they did not walk in them; they even profaned My Sabbaths, for their heart continually went after their (worthless) idols.

In bible times, an idol was an image of something that people worshipped besides God.  Today, we don’t necessarily worship an image, but we focus on things other than God, to the point that God gets crowed of our lives.  An idol is meant to distract us from our actual purposes here on earth and, in most cases, leaves us unsatisfied and lesson our spiritual power—a challenge to clean out the idols and put God back as our primary focus.

Genesis 2:3

So God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it (as His own, that is, set it apart as holy from other days), because in it He rested from all His work which He had created and done. 

God rested after all His work.  The seventh day was set apart as a holy day from the other days and a sign of the covenant.  It is good for man to rest just like God from all our work. The world would prefer to make it just another day without a God to reflect upon or a day to rest.  We as believers need this day to reset, reflect and refuel and set ourselves apart.  

Galatians 5:6

For (if we are) in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but only faith activated and expressed and working through love.  

No matter where we are in the faith walk, we need to make sure we are firm in our faith and love.  They are the cornerstone and bedrock to our foundation in the Word of God.  If we have any fear, offense, anger, doubt, search the Word and remove them from our thought life.  These things hold back the ability for God to work in our lives, but when we are in faith backed by love, we are a powerhouse.  

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 have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (just an annoying distraction).

God is love and the best example of how we treat others no matter how ugly they can be.  Love separates feelings from the actions of others and loves them and not their behavior.  Love teaches us not to take offense and quickly shed any offense.  When we walk in love, we maintain our peace and model the love of God for us.

Romans 4:20

But he did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, be he grew strong and empowered by faith, giving glory to God. 

Fear is faith in the opposite direction.  Fear believes more in the circumstance than the ability of God to change the circumstance.  Faith in God and His promises are the powerhouse to our lives.  Faith cannot operate when we have fear in our lives about anything.  The stronger our knowledge of the promises of God, the less fear will have a chance.  

John 8:31-32

So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My Word (continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then) you are truly My disciples.  And you will know the truth (regarding salvation), and the truth will set you free (from the penalty of sin).

The deeper we go into the Word, the more real it becomes to our lives.  The Word shows us a path to follow and sets us free from the penalties of sin.  We can’t skate along the surface of the Word and expect to see results.  God is for us full-time in our lives, and we must be the same for Him in our partnership.