Mark 6:3

Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are His sisters not here with us? And they were (deeply) offended by Him (and their disapproval blinded them to the fact that He was anointed by God as the Messiah).

Letting ourselves be offended stunts our spiritual growth. When we don’t see God’s wisdom coming to us from the Word, we won’t see  His teachings help us check for offenses. It is hard to follow God when we don’t have peace because our minds are stuck going over past hurt.  

Mark 4:25

For whoever has (a teachable heart), to him more (understanding) will be given; and whoever does not have (a yearning for truth), even what he has will be taken from him.

A willing heart and teachable spirit are keys to our relationship with learning the Word and about God. When it comes to God, we know nothing unless we are taught, and we must be willing to learn to increase our knowledge. Knowledge increases our faith, creating a stronger spirit, and we grow as Christians. 

1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on guard; stand firm in your faith (in God, respecting His precepts and keeping your doctrine sound). Act like (mature) men and be courageous; be strong.

Keep the faith and be on guard, not letting the enemy find a way into our lives. If we must guard what we see, hear, and places we go, then we will. The strength of God can keep us when we remain stable and steadfast in the faith. Mark out time for God in the day and keep the relationship strong and the doctrine sound. 

Ephesians 6:10

In conclusion, be strong in the Lord (draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him) and in the power of His (boundless) might.

We must be strong in the Lord and empowered by our union. The more we know of what we can do with Jesus as our partner, the stronger our faith will grow. We don’t have to fear or be subject to the evils of this world because Jesus redeemed the born-again believer. Jesus wants us to stand up and use the authority He came to the earth to give us. 

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble in dread before them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. 

When the first thought of fear or anxiety enters the mind, cast down the imagination (thought). The Word of God is a weapon against fear and all attacks. The Holy Spirit goes with us wherever we go to guide us on what to say. We are to speak to those fearful thoughts and not let them control our minds. 

Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength and my (impenetrable) shield; my hearts trusts (with unwavering confidence) in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I shall thank Him and praise Him.  

If possible, the devil will try to isolate us and create a barrier that weakens our faith. When we are confident in God and keep faith in the Word, God will be our strength and shield against the enemy’s darts. God is our helper, strength, and keeper of those who trust and love Him.

Galatians 6:4-5

But each one must carefully scrutinize his own work (examining his actions, attitudes, and behavior), and then he can have the personal satisfaction and inner joy of doing something commendable without comparing himself to another. For every person will have to bear (with patience) his own burden (of faults and shortcomings for which he alone is responsible).

If we want to grow in our spiritual lives, we must examine ourselves, our attitudes, and our behavior toward our families, people, and God. Have we cooled in our spiritual walk and stopped reading the Bible? Do we have a good attitude? Or have we done something praiseworthy on our own merit and not based on the merit of others? Stand or fall, our lives’ success or failure comes down to our decisions, and we alone are responsible. 

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit (the results of His presence within us) is love (unselfish concern for others), joy (inner) peace, patience (not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Without Jesus and the Holy Spirit’s guidance, none of the above would be possible. When our flesh fits, it takes us down a rabbit trail, with us flopping all over the place without the Holy Spirit keeping us stable. The stronger we develop ourselves in this love guided by the Holy Spirit, the less likely sin will be able to enter our lives and influence our actions and reactions. 

1 John 4:20

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates (works against) his (Christian) brother he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother who he has seen, cannot love God who he has not seen. 

Somedays, we need to take stock of our own hearts. Are we living up to God’s standard of love, or have we become resentful, angry, jealous, or bitter toward someone? Sin is sneaky that way, and offense, in any way, can separate from God’s love. It takes one decision to forgive and turn back to love. 

Proverbs 3:3-4

Do not let mercy and kindness and truth leave you (instead let these qualities define you); bind them (securely) around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.

What is a person of character? Someone who contains mercy, kindness, and truth. We are known to others by our beliefs and actions, which come out of our hearts. If we are to find favor with God and man, we must be people of integrity in our beliefs and actions.