To the Reader: I wrote this article with the hope that we as Christians can be like our forerunner, Jesus Christ. For he came down from heaven and became a human being like us (read John 1:1-14). This he did not only to show us the way to God our Father, but to take upon himself the sins of the world. And even though he became flesh and blood like us, he was able to resist all temptations that came his way. That’s because the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. For Jesus said: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (Luke 4:18 KJV)

Therefore, Jesus was able to please God his Father in everything he did. And this should be the goal for us Christians today as well. For by walking after the Holy Spirit, we to can put off all the sins of the flesh. Therefore: “Now this I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these things are opposed to each other, so that you cannot do those things you wish to do.” (Galatians 5:16-17 AFV)

Now, may God’s love, grace and mercy be with you all. Amen

“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22 ESV)

While being flesh and blood like us, our Savior Jesus was filled and led by the Holy Spirit. We can see this first happening after he was baptized by John the Baptist as quoted above. And just like us Christians today, we read that he was tested as well: “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, came back from the Jordan, and was guided by the Spirit in the waste land for forty days, being tested by the Evil One. And he had no food in those days; and when they came to an end, he was in need of food.” (Luke 4:1-2 BBE) And let’s take note to what Peter said: “Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know. (Acts 2:22 CSB)

So, God was working miracles and wonders in and through our Savior Jesus. And wouldn’t this include his ability to walk on water, casting out demons, foreseeing events and all other supernatural works? And these abilities were passed on not only to his early disciples, but to us today as well.

“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” (James 1:13-14 ESV)

Now, we must realize that God himself cannot be tempted to do evil. However, while being flesh and blood like us, Jesus was vulnerable to this world’s temptations as well. But we know that he was able to resist all the temptation’s that came his way. That’s because he wanted to please God his Father. And let’s remember that: During his earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. (Hebrews 5:7-8 CSB) And what was the outcome of all this? Well: After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, and he was declared by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:9-10 CSB) Praise God for that my brothers and sisters in Christ. For our salvation was at stake.

So, Jesus was able to do the will of God the Father by the Holy Spirit which was upon him. We can also see this to be true from these passages listed below:

• “Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matthew 12:25-28 NIV)
• The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19 KJV)
• “But if I force out demons with the help of God’s power, then God’s kingdom has come to you. (Luke 11:20 GW)
• “To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ ... He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. (John 3:27-28, 32-35 NIV)
• “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (John 5:19 ESV)
• “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” (John 8:28 KJV)
• “For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life eternal; the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak.” (John 12:49-50 ASV)
• “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” (John 14:10-11 ASV)
• “Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay: whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” (Acts 2:22-24 ASV)

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Romans 8:13 KJV)

So, according to that passage above, we Christians should be walking after the Holy Spirit. For this is the only way we can put off the sins of this world as our forerunner Jesus did. For we know that this is God’s will and desire for all of us who are in Christ. But we must also understand that we were steeped in sin before coming to Christ. Therefore, since we’re all in a learning process, we may make a mistake now and then. For we first read: “My little children, I write these things to you so that you do not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1 LITV) So, John first says that we should make it our goal not to commit sin. Then he goes on to say that if we do sin, we are to repent.

So then, let us never say that we are not able to stop sinning. I say this because John goes on to say: “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.” (1 John 3:4-6 ESV) And let’s keep in mind what Jesus himself said: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48 KJV)

Therefore, we are required to do our best by purify ourselves from all sins. Therefore: “Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3 ESV)

• “Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:7-9 ESV)
• “So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:17-20 ESV)

“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” (1 John 2:27 KJV)

So, where did John get his information concerning what was mention above? Well, wasn’t it by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ himself. For we read: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26 ESV) Yes, brothers and sister in Christ. You do not need to wait for some man in a pulpit on Sunday morning to tell you what the bible says. For you can read and lean it for yourself because the Holy Spirit is within you. And yes, we do need leaders in the church for the work of the ministry and to keep things in order. But again, it’s the Holy Spirit in us who opens our understanding of God’s word. This is true whether it’s preached from the pulpit or we read it on our own at home.

Therefore, let’s resist all temptations as our forerunner Jesus Christ did. For in him we have hope and eternal life by the mercies of our God and Father. So fellow Christians, let’s crack open our bibles and start reading and: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NASB20) Amen.

God bless you as you seek to do his well. Amen.

Note: The different bible versions used in this article are listed below to aid in your study of God’s word.

• KJV = The Authorized Version or King James Version (KJV), 1611, 1769. Outside of the United Kingdom, the KJV is in the public domain. Within the United Kingdom, the rights to the KJV are vested in the Crown.
• ESV = The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• ASV = New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif.
• NASB20 = New American Standard Bible 2020 Copyright (c) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
• CSB = Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017, 2020 by Holman Bible Publishers.
• AFV = A Faithful Version, Copyright © 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 by York Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
• NIV = THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
• BBE = Bible in Basic English. Published in 1949, 1964; public domain.
• GW = God’s Word. Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society. All rights reserved.
• LITV = Literal Translation of the Holy Bible. Copyright © 1976-2000 by Jay P. Green, Sr. All rights reserved.

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“Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.” (Ephesians 6:18-20 CSB)

God’s word clearly shows that both faith and prayer are essential for a sound Christian walk with Christ. First, Paul the apostle said: “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3 KJV) Also, James said: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, doubting nothing, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5-8 LSB)

And most importantly, let us remember what our Lord Jesus Christ said: “If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” (Luke 17:6 KJV) Then Jesus later adds: “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8 KJV) Well, let’s hope and pray that he does brothers and sisters in Christ. For without fait we cannot please God.

“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart." (Luke 18:1 ESV)

Now first and foremost, our gathering together (whether it’s in a Cathedral, a field or anything in between) should always include a time of prayer. In fact, I do believe that this should take up a good portion of our meeting. For we read above that we should always pray and not lose heart. Paul the apostle said the same thing by saying: “Pray without ceasing.” (1Thessalonians 5:17 KJV). Jude as well said: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” (Jude 1:20-21 NASB95) And finally we have James saying: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16 NASB95)

So, through faith and prayer we can partner with God and change not only our own lives, but the lives of others as well. But as mentioned earlier, our lacking in this can have a negative effect. We can see this to be true when the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast the devil out of a man’s son. For Jesus said: “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.” (Matthew 17:20 NASB95) However, Jesus also said: “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:29 NKJV) Therefore, the disciples could not cast the devil out because of their lacking in both prayer and faith. Thankfully, Jesus came to their rescue and delivered the man’s son.

“And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’.” (Luke 10:2 ESV)

Here above, Jesus is telling us to ask God to send out fellow Christians to share the Gospel. For the world is full of lost souls who are in desperate need of God’s saving grace. Therefore, we need to bring the message of hope to them so that they may have eternal life as well. And let us remember that Jesus himself prayed not only for his disciples, but for those who will believe their report. For he said: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:20-21 KJV) So again, this is a call for action on our part today as well.

Paul said to Timothy: “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior” (1 Timothy 2:1-3 CSB) So, first and foremost, we are to pray for everyone. This would not only be for loved ones and friends, but for government officials and for those who hate us and mistreat us as well. For Jesus said: “But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45 KJV)

For it is true that our God is a miracle working God who can open the eyes of the most stubborn heart. Therefore, let us take the time to always be in an attitude of prayer, asking God to work and intervene not only in our own lives, but the lives of others as well. Amen.

(Below is an excerpt from: Torrey, R.A. “The Power of Prayer.”)

“You will find these seven words in James 4:2, the seven closing words of the verse, ‘Ye have not, because ye ask not.’ These seven words contain the secret of the poverty and powerlessness of the average Christian, of the average minister, and of the average church.”

“Why is it, many a Christian is asking, ‘that I make such poor progress in my Christian life? Why do I have so little victory over sin? Why do I win so few souls to Christ? Why do I grow so slowly into the likeness of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?’ And God answers in the words of the text: ‘Neglect of prayer. You have not, because you ask not.’”

“Why is it, many a minister is asking, ‘that I see so little fruit from my ministry? Why are there so few conversions? Why does my church grow so slowly? Why are the members of my church so little helped by my ministry, and built up so little in Christian knowledge and life?’ And again, God replies: ‘Neglect of prayer. You have not, because you ask not.’”

“Why is it, both ministers and churches are asking, ‘that the church of Jesus Christ is making such slow progress in the world today? Why does it make so little headway against sin, against unbelief, against error in all its forms? Why does it have so little victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil.’”

“Why is the average church member living on such a low plane of Christian living? Why does the Lord Jesus Christ get so little honor from the state of the church today? And, again, God replies: ‘Neglect of prayer. You have not, because you ask not.’”

So, our coming together shouldn't be about some live band which is followed by an hour-long message and then out the door you go. For we should be spending more time in prayer as God’s word says. For according to God’s word, prayer shouldn’t be some weekly or bye weekly thing we do, but a daily activity instead. Now, I can tell you from my own personal experience that there is nothing more important than our time in prayer. For even in my own life, I felt the results of brothers and sisters in Christ praying for me. And let us remember that it was our prayer to God that helped changed our own lives in the first place.

Therefore, I encourage all of you to go through the bible and read for yourselves the prayers of God’s Saints such as Solomon, Daniel, Hannah, Abraham’s servant, and Nehemiah to name a few. For all of these through faith and prayer, not only impacted their own lives, but the lives of others as well. And most importantly, let’s not forget about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:7-10 CSB)

Yes, it says that Jesus was heard and became victorious. And let us thank God and give him praise for that. So, if Jesus felt the need to pray to God the Father, shouldn’t we his disciples be doing the same as well? So, fellow Christians, let us be praying on a daily basis. This we should do, not only for our family and ourselves, but also for our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. Oh, and let's not forget about those lost sinners out there as well. For we should be praying that God would cause them to see the truth. This should be true even for our worst enemies. And as already mentioned, Jesus said: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45 NKJV)

• KJV = The Authorized Version or King James Version (KJV), 1611, 1769. Outside of the United Kingdom, the KJV is in the public domain. Within the United Kingdom, the rights to the KJV are vested in the Crown.
• ESV = The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• CSB = Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017, 2020 by Holman Bible Publishers.
• NKJV = Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• NASB95 = New American Standard Bible 1995 Copyright (c) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
• LSB = Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV)

We Christians are so blessed because we have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Therefore, those fruits listed above should be displayed in our daily lives. And the first fruit we come to is LOVE. “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31 ESV)

Next, we have JOY. “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” (Psalm 16:11 LSB) Then we have PEACE: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27 NIV) Then of course we have all the other fruits which are patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. All of these are essential in order for us to have a sound Christian walk.

“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another [various] kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.” (1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NASB95)

Now we come to the Gifts of the Spirit. For Jesus said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:12-14 ESV) Wow, Jesus said that we would be doing even greater works than what he was doing. We can see happening by Paul the apostle where we read: “Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.” (Acts 19:11-12 NKJV)

We can see happening with Peter as well: “And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.” (Acts 5:14-16 KJV)

Again, during one of Peter sermons, three thousand souls were saved. “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.’ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation.’ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:38-41 ESV) Now, all those gifts displayed above are impressive by the early believers. But where are they today? Well, keep reading.

“Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. “I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him.” Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and from that moment the boy was healed.” (Matthew 17:15-18 CSB)

 So, the question. Why don’t we see more miracles happening in our lives today? For Jesus did say that we will be doing greater works than what he did. Could it be because we Christians today have such little faith like those disciples whom Jesus rebuked above? I personally believe so my fellow Christians. For even today there are some who say that the gifts of miracles have ceased after the completion of the bible. But this is not what the bible teaches. For this is nothing more than a lame excuse to cover up our lacking of faith. For we can see this happening where we continue to read: “Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn't we drive it out?” “Because of your little faith,” he told them. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:18-20 CSB).

So, there you have it. Jesus himself said it’s because of our lacking in faith that we don’t see many miracles being performed today. Therefore, I pray that God would help us to have much faith so that we can do the same works today. For we need to be a people who are willing to step out in faith as the early church did. However, we must make sure that God gets all the glory and praise in these acts as well. For it is easy for us to get prideful and take the glory upon ourselves. 

Now, let’s look at some scriptures that speak of our little faith:

• “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:30 ESV)
• “He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Matthew 8:26-27 NASB20)
• “Aware of this, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves that you do not have bread? “Don't you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets you collected? “Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many large baskets you collected? “Why is it you don't understand that when I told you, ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees,’ it wasn't about bread?” (Matthew 16:8-11 CSB)
• “Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” He told them, “It was because of your little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:19-20 NET)
• “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who draws near to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 LSB).

Next, let us look at what the scriptures say concerning miracles:

• “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-18 KJV)
• “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know” (Acts 2:22 KJV)
• “And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.” (Acts 2:43 KJV)
• “And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness, “while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.” (Acts 4:29-31 CSB)
• “So they stayed there a long time and spoke boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace by enabling them to do signs and wonders.” (Acts 14:3 CSB)
• “The whole group kept quiet and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.” (Acts 15:12 NET)
• “For I will not be bold to speak of anything except what Christ has brought about through me, leading to the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and all around as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” (Romans 15:18-19 LSB)
• “And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.” (1 Corinthians 12:28 NIV)
• “I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. (2 Corinthians 12:11-12 NKJV)
• “For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” (Hebrews 2:2-4 ESV)
• “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” (James 5:14-18 KJV

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12 ESV)

According to that passage above, we Christians should be doing the works that Jesus himself did. That’s because just like Jesus, we are to be filled and led by Holy Spirit. For all the works that Jesus did was through the Spirit of God that dwelt within him. We can see this first happening after he was baptized by John the Baptist. For we read: “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased”.” (Luke 3:21-22 NKJV)

So, what happened after this? “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordon and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil." (Luke 4:1-2 ESV) And let’s take note to what Jesus himself said: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19 ESV) Now, we must remember that Jesus was our “Forerunner” who set us an example of how we should be living our lives. So, let’s be diligent to always walk after the Holy Spirit and bear much fruit according to God’s word. And again, this can only take place by us walking after the Holy Spirit daily. Therefore, let's take heed to what Jesus said below.

• “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me - and I in him - bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up.” (John 15:1-6 NET)

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ. We should be bearing “much fruit” as Jesus said. Therefore, let’s always be: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2 KJV)

Below are some scriptures that show Jesus relying on God to do his works:

• “But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.” (Luke 11:20 KJV)
• “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (John 5:19 ESV)
• “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” (John 8:28 KJV)
• “For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life eternal; the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak.” (John 12:49-50 ASV)
• “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” (John 14:10-11 ASV)
• “Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay: whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” (Acts 2:22-24 ASV)

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NKJV)

Now, even though we may be doing great works, it could profit us nothing if it’s being done with the wrong motivations. Therefore, let us always make sure our actions are being done in love. For we must walk after the Spirit in everything we think, say, and do. This way, we be can always be practicing and displaying all the gifts of the Spirit. And let us remember that miracles are not just to heal and deliver people from bondage, but also to validate what we are preaching. For we can see this to be true where we read: “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” (Mark 16:20 KJV)

So, let’s be following our Lord and Saviors footsteps as did the early believers? For all these gifts are still available for us today just as they were back then. So, let us pray that God would give us the strength to step out in faith, trusting him to do his mighty works through us.

God bless you as you seek to do his well. Amen.

(Note: The bible versions used in this article are listed below in more detail to assist you in your study of God’s word. Therefore: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” - 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)

• KJV = The Authorized Version or King James Version (KJV), 1611, 1769. Outside of the United Kingdom, the KJV is in the public domain. Within the United Kingdom, the rights to the KJV are vested in the Crown.
• ESV = The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserve.
• CSB = Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017, 2020 by Holman Bible Publishers.
• NET = The NET Bible®, New English Translation Copyright © 1996 By Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NET Bible® is a registered trademark The NET Bible® Logo, Service Mark Copyright © 1997 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
• NIV = THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
• NKJV = Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• ASV = New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
• ASB20 = New American Standard Bible 2020 Copyright (c) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
• NASB95 = New American Standard Bible 1995 Copyright (c) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
• LSB = Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org.

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“The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV)

According to the “Genesius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon and Strong’s Definitions, the Hebrew word for “he will rejoice” above can express different emotions.  For it can mean to leap for joy, be excited, dance, or even to spin around. Now, we need to remember that this passage is speaking about our God and Creator. So, we must grasp the reality that God our Father does show this kind of emotion over us? Therefore, let us do away with the mentality that thinks God is some killjoy who wants to stripe us of all joy and pleasure. Because according to scripture, the opposite is true. For we read: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11 KJV)

So, brothers and sisters in Christ. If God shows this kind of emotion over us, shouldn’t we be singing and getting emotional over him as well? We need to be rejoicing over the fact that he is our Awesome God and Creator. And not only that, but we who are in Christ Jesus will be spending eternity with him in paradise. Oh, how wonderful that day will be.

“And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams' horns. (2 Samuel 6:14-15 NLT)

So, when it comes to worshiping our God, how should we be conducting ourselves? Should we be reserved, showing little or no emotions at all? Or, should we be like David who was displaying joy and excitement, dancing before the Lord? Well for me, I believe that we should follow what the bible says and be like David. Because let’s face it, our God is worthy of all our praises and one to get excited over. For we must remember that God himself does joy over us with singing as well.

Okay, I do have to admit if you totally let loose at your next church gathering, you may be escorted out the door. However, it only takes a few people getting excited to get others going as well. So, go ahead and show a bit more excitement for God at your next assembly. Who knows, you may eventually have the whole church dancing before the Lord. For His joy is contagious, so let us pray that everybody would catch on to it. Amen.

“Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. (Proverbs 8:30-31 KJV)

Here in Proverbs chapter 8, we have wisdom being displayed as someone who is reaching out to us sinners. Also, we in the New Testament we have Paul the apostle saying: “but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:24 ESV) Now, there are a few who claim that these scriptures in Proverbs are referring to Jesus himself. So, because I may not be classified as a biblical scholar, I will only show what these teachers have to say. And I must say, it does sound rather convincing. Below are their comments.

• For Wisdom here has personal properties and actions; and that intelligent divine person can be no other than the Son of God himself” – Matthew Henry.
• Jesus explained to the men on the road to Emmaus that everything that was written in the Psalms (Scriptures) was written about Him (cf. Luke 24:27). In Proverbs He is the wisdom of God” – Dave Shirley.
• The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old,” this is the Lord Jesus, this is Wisdom” - The Late Dr. J Vernon.
• In Christian theology, Jesus Christ is revered not only as the Savior and Redeemer but also as the ultimate source of wisdom. This understanding is deeply rooted in Scripture, where Jesus is depicted as embodying divine wisdom and imparting it to His followers – Click this link to read more at the: Bible Hube Topical Encyclopedia

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.” (Isaiah 49:15-16 ESV)

Above is another passage that has more than one witness proclaiming its meaning. For there are learned men who say that passage above is in reference to the nail scared hands of our Savior Jesus Christ. Again, I do agree with them on this as well. For our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ loved us so much that he allowed himself to be nailed to a cross. For Paul the apostle said: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 KJV)

So, brothers and sister in Christ, let us forever be grateful for what Jesus did for us. For he was sent from God for our salvation. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17 KJV)

• This: ‘I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands,’ quoted above, has obvious and beautiful fulfillment in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus. As Jesus told Thomas in a post-resurrection appearance, look at My hands. (John 20:27) When we see the nail-scarred hands of Jesus, we see how He has inscribed us on the palms of His hands. With such love, how could God ever forget His people?” Quoted by David Guzik.
• Yet, me thinks, there may be a prophetic reference here to a later writing of the names, when Jesus Christ submitted his outstretched palms to those cruel graving-tools -tools, the nails. Then was it surely, when the executioner with the hammer smote the tender hands of the loving Jesus, that he engraved our names upon the palms of his hands, and to-day when he points to those wounds, when by faith he permits us to put our fingers into the prints of the nails, he may still say to us — “Deep on the palms of both my hands I have engraved thy name.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon May 31, 1863, From: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 9

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:21 KJV)

Let us always remember how much both God the Father and our Lord Jesus loves us. And in like manner, we should be totally in love with them. Also, let’s be aware that God’s Holy Spirit that dwells within us. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NASB95) So, brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s always be exciting and rejoice in the Lord for all he did for us. Amen.

 Below are some scriptures concerning joy and being excited about our Lord:

• “Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10 NIV)
• “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11 KJV)
• “Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.” (Psalm 32:11 KJV)
• “Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.” (Psalm 97:12 KJV)
• “Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.” (Psalm 149:1-5 KJV)
• “Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.” (Psalm 150:1-6 KJV)
• “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;” (Ecclesiastes 3:4 ASV)
• “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4 ESV)
• “The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 29:19 KJV)
• “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10 KJV)
• “Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.” (Jeremiah 31:13 WEB)
• “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.” (Joel 2:23 KJV)
• “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:18 KJV)
• “And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.” (Zechariah 10:7 KJV)

Thank you for reading this article and God bless you as you seek to do his well. Amen

(Note: Text used in this article are listed below in more detail to assist you in your study of God’s word. Therefore: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” - 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)

• KJV = The Authorized Version or King James Version (KJV), 1611, 1769. Outside of the United Kingdom, the KJV is in the public domain. Within the United Kingdom, the rights to the KJV are vested in the Crown.
• ESV = The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• NKJV = Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• ASV = New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
• NASB95 = New American Standard Bible 1995 Copyright (c) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
• WEB = The Webster Bible was translated by Noah Webster in 1833 in order to bring the language of the bible up to date. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.
• NLT = Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
• NIV = THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.

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So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11 NASB95)

Now, when you think of someone that is resting, what example comes to mind? Could it be a person kicking back under a shady tree with a hat pulled over their face? Or even better yet, could it be someone on a vacation getaway relaxing on a white sandy beach on some tropical island? Well, even though these may seem to be good examples, the truth may be just the opposite. You see, being under a shady tree or on a get-away vacation doesn’t promise relieve from anxieties or feelings of restlessness and fear. Because no matter where you’re at your problems could still follow you there.

So then, true rest is not some outward condition as we read above, but that inward condition which is of the heart. For it can only come from the Holy Spirit dwelling within, given us comfort and hope regardless of our outward condition. Oh, what peace and joy we have in Jesus, for in him we have true rest indeed. So, why not put all your trust in God the Father today? For he truly knows best and will direct all your paths by his Holy Spirit. And let us remember what our Lord and Savior Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)

Now, it must be understood that we Christians are a work in progress. So, please do not lose heart if you do feel overwhelmed at times. For we must cast all our cares on God. Therefore: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7 KJV) And if we do make a mistake, we must bring it before the Lord. Because: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 KJV) Yes, we must repent and keep persevering by walk after the Holy Spirit. And let’s be diligent not to keep making that same mistake over and over again.

Therefore, let us always keep our mind stayed on the Lord at all times. And the more we do, the deeper we will fall in love for him. And the deeper we fall in love with him, the more we want to please him in everything we think, say and do. Amen. Oh, and for those of you who do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please turn your life over to him today. Confess that you have sinned against God: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” (Romans 3:23-25 KJV) Yes, God will forgive you of your sins and give you “New Life” through Jesus Christ. And not only that, God will fill you with his Holy Spirit and you will be therefore, “Born Again.”

Below, you will find some scriptures on this topic of peace, hope, and rest:

• “I sought the LORD's help and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4 NET)
• Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10 ESV)
• Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Psalm 16:11 KJV)
• Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name. For the LORD is good, and his faithful love endures forever; his faithfulness, through all generations." (Psalm 100:4-5 CSB)
• Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!" (Psalm 144:15 NKJV)
• You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock." (Isaiah 26:3-4 ESV)
• Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:1-3 KJV)
• Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27 ESV)
• These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 KJV)
• There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Hebrews 4:9-11 KJV)

God’s word can truly keep us on the right path. And by keeping our minds stayed on him, we can have peace, joy and be victorious in every situation. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV) So then, let us completely rely on our God to show us the way. For we must not lean on our own understanding. I say this because it’s so easy to be led astray by worldly deception. Therefore: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB20) Amen.

God bless you as you always seek to do his will.

(Note: The different translations used in this article are listed below in more detail to assist you in your study of God’s word. Therefore, I encourage you to: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)

• NASB20 = New American Standard Bible 2020 Copyright (c) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
• KJV = The Authorized Version or King James Version (KJV), 1611, 1769. Outside of the United Kingdom, the KJV is in the public domain. Within the United Kingdom, the rights to the KJV are vested in the Crown.
• ESV = The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• CSB = Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017, 2020 by Holman Bible Publishers.
• NET = The NET Bible®, New English Translation Copyright © 1996 By Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NET Bible® is a registered trademark The NET Bible® Logo, Service Mark Copyright © 1997 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
• NIV = THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
• NKJV = Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• NASB95 = New American Standard Bible 1995 Copyright (c) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.

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