Romans 7:18-19

For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh (my human nature, my worldliness-my sinful capacity). For the willingness (to do good) is present in me, but the doing of good is not. For the good that I want to do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil I do not want.

God instructs us to place guards on our eyes, our ears, and even where we go. When we put on the whole armor of God, we fend off the attacks against us that can lead to sin. When we read the Bible and renew our minds to remember God’s promises, we will not practice evil. And if we fail, let us confess and return to the protection of God.

Isaiah 59:1-2

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save, nor His ear so impaired that it cannot hear. But your wickedness has separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. 

When we allow ourselves to drift away from God, the distance makes it harder for Him to hear from us. The static of sin can interfere with our communication, and we may have just turned off the receiver. Our relationship with God depends on us doing our part and staying connected so He can do His part and keep us on the right path. 

Psalm 116:1-2

I Love the Lord, because He hears (and continues to hear) my voice and my supplications (my pleas, my cries, my specific needs). Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long as I live. 

If we want a close relationship with God, we should start by praying as we rise from bed in the morning. Offer some praise or say ‘good morning. ‘Continue through the day and talk to God and then listen because He hears us when we speak and will talk to us. Call on Him, fellowship with Him beyond the morning devotion, and become God-conscious all day long. And keep listening!

Psalm 113:5-6

Who is like the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high, who humbles Himself to regard the heavens and earth. 

God takes time, thought, and energy to care for His creation. We here on earth have been given many second chances, both personally and as people living in the world. There is only one God who will bless us when we don’t deserve it and save us. Praise the Lord Most High God. Praise His holy name!!

Psalm 107:12-14

Therefore He humbled their hearts with hard labor; they stumbled and there was no one to help. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the deep (deathly) darkness and broke their bonds apart. 

Do not harden the heart toward God, and strive to remain humble. God is our helper, deliverer, and guide, and only God has the power to raise us and break our bonds. If anything happens to us in life, our first thought should be, what does the Bible say on this? It always points to God as our deliverer and the salvation from our distresses. 

Psalm 107:10-11

Some dwelt in darkness and in the deep (deathly) darkness, prisoners (bound) in misery and chains, because they had rebelled against the precepts of God and spurned the counsel of the most High.

When we read the Bible, we see people in rebellion and people of faith. They can both have troubles; the difference is whether God is with them and leading them to safety and salvation, whereas sins lead to death and destruction without salvation and eternal life. People make choices every day to follow God or to follow evil. The choice is a temporary reward on earth or an everlasting reward in heaven. Choose wisely!

Matthew 12:36

But I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak.  

Careless talk doesn’t bring about productive lives or encouragement. We have more power to influence the outcome of our lives with words than we realize. God doesn’t want us to waste our faith resources with words that bring us nothing of value in return.

1 Corinthians 6:19

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have (received as a gift) from God, and that you are not you own (property)?

The greater one resides inside the born-again believer. God goes with us everywhere we go, waiting to help us daily. We should be mindful and respectful of the continual presence of God. He is our resource for a faith-filled life and is waiting for us to spend time with Him. 

Matthew 12:34-35

You brood of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks out that which fills the heart. The good man, from his (inner) good treasure, brings out good things; and the evil man, from his (inner) evil treasure brings out evil things. 

We should think before we speak! If we believe we will say something out of line with the word of God, then say nothing until we have rested or adjusted our attitude. We don’t want to be the reason for our problems, but our faith-filled words will raise us when we use them.

Matthew 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 keep on knocking it will be opened.  

Because we have an enemy here on earth, we will face opposition. We must be strong, persistent, and unrelenting in our faith in the Word. Faith expects fulfillment because God said He would meet us in our time of need when we ask. The enemy will oppose and try to slow down the answer, but God is faithful when we are persistent.