Category: SANCTIFICATION

Scriptural readings: James 4:6-8; Revelations 3:15-16; Ephesians 6:10-18.

King James Version

James 4:6-8 

V.6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

V.7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

V.8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double-minded.

New Living Translation

V.6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud
    but gives grace to the humble.”

V.7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

V.8  Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty, is divided between God and the world.

Have we honestly been thinking about conviction and conscience lately? It might not be interesting to talk about, but one thing for sure is that we dealt lightly with these things, or we never tried to reach the point of reflecting on it seriously. A lot of us may probably respond to this question by relying on human reasoning. And currently, these words are a subject of controversy. And there are so many things about these terms to be accepted. However, we might have possibly failed or overlooked the terminology moral or morality. And for Christians, what should be our response?        

What are we thinking?

We are sinners. It is a reality that no matter what we think or do, we cannot escape from this reality. No matter what arguments we have, we will always sin against God. Whatever we should think, it has to be of spiritual significance. We have to put in our minds the power of God, not anything else. When we accept Jesus in our lives, our spiritual lives must be our priority. Our relationship with our Father, Jesus, His Son, and the Holy Spirit has to be the most significant part of our lives. It is the truth that we have to address first. The truth is not in us. We think we are doing the will of God, but in reality, we do not.  

The bottom line to this is that we will have second thoughts. And we will choose from a lot of options. The Holy Spirit can live in us. And this is the only way we can have victory.

King James Version

Revelations 3:15-16

V.15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

V.16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

New Living Translation

V.15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!“

V.16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!

What are we doing?

We have to have God at the end of every second that passes in our lives. Why? The moment that we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, everything will change. Of the many things that we are going to experience is a powerful conviction from the Lord. Aside from this conviction, we will also experience the enemy’s presence. Yes, the enemy will be both inside and outside of us. The old fellow inside us entices us to bow down to the external evil influences that this sinful world offers. Unless we reckon death to the aged fellow inside us, we will have difficulties dealing with our sinful nature. God knows how we think and our every move.

God’s way 

We have to make choices in life. Since there is no other way but to choose, our decisions must be unmistakable. Morality will always be a part of our decisions. It will separate confusion from confirmation. Once there has been a conviction, morality takes action. It is the one that God never lifted or took out from us when our first parents sinned against God. When Adam and Eve died spiritually, they separated from God. As a result, we can presume that our morals died as well. God could have taken the volition out of us, leaving the situation of nothing left but having only the worst things until we die. But it did not happen that way. God left morality because He wants us to know that goodness exists and we can find it through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  

King James Version

Ephesians 6:10-18

V.10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

V.11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

V.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

V.13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

V.14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

V.15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

V.16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

V.17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

V.18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

New Living Translation

V.10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

V.11  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

V.12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

V.13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then, after the battle, you will still stand firm. 

V.14  Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

V.15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

V.16  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.

V.17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

V.18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

The enemy is always busy. We are always under attack constantly. The enemy is spreading lies every second that passes by. But we have conviction. Conviction is an audible voice of God heard by our spiritual senses. We do not have to face this battle alone. It points out our mistakes, and it also instructs us on what God wants us to do. It is why God left these convictions that either way; we are going to be alarmed or face the enemy with the Holy Spirit.  

We cannot handle ourselves. Anything can easily control us, and we cannot guarantee all that we believe in had better be for our advantage. The enemy is always busy. We can be under the influence of evil any second from now. We have to hand over our lives to Jesus Christ. There is no other way we can have a righteous and contented life unless we are under the control of the Holy Spirit who will produce in us the fruits.

Scriptural Readings: Matthew 11:28-30

King James Version

V.28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

V.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

V.30 For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.

New Living Translation

V.28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

V.29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

V.30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

“Take up and carry your cross.” A commandment from our Lord that may seem an impossible thing to fulfill for us Christians. One thing for sure is that it might show an unpleasant picture, and we have this impression of nothing but difficulties. But faith tells us more than we can expect. And there are spiritual outcomes that are more necessary in our spiritual lives than we can have. Remember, it is a commandment from our Lord Jesus. It also includes having blessings.

In this world, we are living in, every second counts. For each second that passes by, it is of the highest quality to benefit, not only for our daily needs but also for our spiritual needs. As we go over with our lives living in harmony with state-of-the-art technology, uncertainty should not be a part of our day-to-day lives. However, because of the complexity of the world we are living in, mistakes are inevitable.  

“Come unto me…”.

The word “come” in Greek is “deute” (dyoo’- teh), coming from the word “deuro” (dyoo’-ro), an imperative meaning come here and follow; hitherto. Hitherto means describing a state or circumstance that existed until now. Followed by the Greek word “pros”: a preposition of direction, meaning towards, or forward. Now, let us connect the dots. God knows all of us will reach a point that we will need His help, and this is where we might miss the point. When Jesus said come, He means we must go directly to Him. He knows what we look for exactly. There should be no alternatives. What is wrong with us at present is that we have a lot of options. Jesus has become the alternative. We insist on working hard more on the things that we think are the best for us instead of coming straight to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is plain, and it is simple. Come.

“Take my yoke…”.

What comes up to your mind when you hear the word yoke? It is not a common word we hear every day. Is this word relevant today? Does it make sense to anyone, even in our spiritual lives? This word may seem irrelevant, but it infuses us with the most significant consequences in our spiritual lives. 

One dictionary defines a yoke as a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull; during ancient Rome, it is an arch of three spears under which it made a defeated army march. 

For these animals, this crosspiece is a thing that would help lighten the load and guide them with their purpose, and that is to help humans. As for some Christians, we might look at the crosspiece as burdensome for us. However, in its genuine sense is a connection for us to deepen our relationship to our God. 

“…and learn of me…”.

Learning is a must for our way of life, most especially in our spiritual lives. The problem is that we sometimes presume challenges as troubles to us. A burden that makes our lives miserable. We think that there are more essential things that we have to attend to than to accept these challenges that will improve our lives. For some, this may be true. But for our spiritual lives, it is entirely different. We have to respond to what the Holy Spirit is telling and instructing us.

Just how are you going to react if someone asked you to drive a massive 18-wheeler truck for the first time? What feelings are there for a first-timer pilot to fly an Airbus A380? Danger might be the first word to pop out of one’s mind. Lack of self-trust can also be in us. The size of what is in front of us is terrifying, especially when we talk about and face an insurmountable problem. It is the reason Jesus told us to come. To learn. And not to be dismayed. The word “learn” in Greek is man-than’-o. Prolongation from a primary verb, another form of which, Matheo, is used as an alternate in certain tenses; to learn (in any way):–learn, understand. Jesus would not let us reach out to Him to suffer. He requires us to come to Him in prayer and surely will learn. To learn from Him will cause finding rest, the opposite of what we presume to have difficulties because of yokes.

For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.

If you can see another angle of the meaning of this word, it has the same predicament Jesus experienced. The wooden cross was weighty for our Lord Jesus, true indeed, but in its spiritual essence, it created the road map for us to travel the spiritual realm that God prepared us with ease to cope up with living in this unbearable world. He picked up His cross (piece), guided, and marched like a leader of a defeated army, but in the end, of course, is the beginning of everlasting life with our God.

God knows we are heading to rough and confusing times. Looking, picking up, and carrying our cross is an activity done every day for us to acknowledge and resolve the truth from lies guiding us where He wants us to be. It is where our lives cross with God’s plan. From the time being that we carry on our crosses, Our Father, through the Holy Spirit, instructs us of the things we need as we undergo with our everyday living. The moment that we carry our crosses, we will feel the power of the Holy Spirit defeating the body, taking control of our souls and spirit. We might bear our crosses every day, but tell us where we are heading, eliminating confusion and uncertainties, placing us in the right direction towards His will.

Scriptural Readings: Genesis 3:19; Ecclesiastes 2:22-23; II Peter 2:22; Mark 8:34; Mark 10:21; Luke 14:27; II Thessalonians 2:13-15.

Genesis 3:19

King James Version

V.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat⁴ bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return.

New Living Translation

V.19 By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust, you will return.”

Ecclesiastes 2:22-23

King James Version

V.22 For what hath man of all his labor, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath labored under the sun?

V.23 For all his days [are] sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest¹ in the night. This is also vanity.

New Living Translation

V.22 So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety?

V.23 Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night, their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.

Have we become comfortable with our struggles in our lives? Have we developed callouses for them? Otherwise, we are still having a list of complaints. Another question that we might think of is how to handle it without easily giving up. True enough, we will have success and failure. And they will come from various levels of challenges, and we have to work on them fast.

II Peter 2:22

King James Version

V.22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog [is] turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her, wallowing in the mire.

New Living Translation

V.22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.”[g] And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”

Of the many things that we have to do, the first is to question ourselves more often than we think. Why? One would ask. It is of extreme importance that we should always be on guard regarding our emotions. Our emotions are like a Global positioning system. Once we take a wrong turn, we are going to be lost totally. Reactions are an embedded part of us. Our minds and hearts continue to work together, and if they do not conform to each other, confusion will intervene. We will fall back to where we were once before.

Mark 8:34

King James Version

V.34 And when he had called the people [unto him] with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

New Living Translation

V.34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 

Mark 10:21

King James Version

V.21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

New Living Translation

V.21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Luke 14:27

King James Version

V.27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

New Living Translation

V.27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

For example, as Christians, are we commanded to choose between our possession and the cross? Is it necessary to decide between our properties and the cross? What happened to our volition?

Deciding, just like struggles, is a part of our everyday lives. Our Father in heaven will not take away this capacity to choose. Muchmore, He is always giving us the right decisions and directions, making it unmistakable for us.

The cross will force us to focus on only one thing while controlling our possessions divides our attention. It points much of our awareness to many things causing distractions leading to destructions. Thus, causing more harm than wellness. The cross has only one purpose, and that is putting ourselves into what our heavenly Father wants us to accomplish, His will. Our Lord and Savior Jesus carried the cross, died on it for our salvation. It is God’s will, and the best part is the cross opened a lot of what has God promised us. For some, looking at the cross depicts difficulties. It does not. For most of us, we use our finite abilities to see and interpret the cross as things that make it difficult for us to live. What is meaningful is the spiritual essence of the cross.  

We continually end up in the wrong places, constantly looking for a way out, leaving us with either unavoidable from light worries to unspeakable sorrow. Altogether, we continuously run out of the right cause and answers, arriving from the miseries that God never wanted us to have. The only way to have grace and mercy is to look at the cross. We can only approach the throne of grace if we acknowledge the message of the cross, of what Jesus did in that place, making Him our intercessor to the Father.

It is now the cross that makes the difference. We might end up again in the wrong places, but this time, God, through Jesus Christ (the way), will provide us with the road out, supplying us with the right reasons and with the conclusive answers to our questions in life. The cross is the place where our Father sees us and brings us to His throne of grace, living a righteous life only available through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

II Thessalonians 2:13-15

King James Version

V.13  But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

V.14  Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

V.15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

New Living Translation

V.13 As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first[d] to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.

V.14 He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

V.15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.

It is now clear that the cross is the only place that we have to go. The only acceptable place where God can meet us, and once we accept, will guarantee us of His love. We have now resolved the argument of why the cross. Alleluia!

Scriptural Readings: I John 4:16-18, Proverbs 9:10, I Corinthians 15:56

It is terrifying what is currently happening today, right? Fear grips us, and as we deal with it, it grows stronger and weakens us spiritually.

Do we fear confronting something? While most of us do, we still have more to face. There are a lot of things that we have to understand with this word called fear. We feel it, but we barely explain it. One thing for sure is that we haven’t come even closer to its meaning. 

Fear is only one of the many things a lot of Christians face. But how do we see and deal with it? For some, it is a burden on them, and for some, it is an adventure. Through our efforts, as usual, a lot of options, of course, will give us now and then on how to confront these fearful situations haunting us. Again, having our way will always result in limited and unreliable outcomes.

I John 4:16-18

King James Version

V.16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

V.17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

V.18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

New Living Translation

V.16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

V.17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

V. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

Fear

Having a grade of an F is the reason students fear the subject they hate, right? Some students hate math because they fear confronting numbers. But the truth of the matter is that actually, the consequences of failure are the culprit. Failure teaches us a lot of things. A second chance is always available. However, there are damages and sometimes are irreversible. 

Why are some people scared of heights? Spiders? Etc. Sometimes we see people working on top of tall buildings, aren’t we the ones who are more frightened of them falling? For some, just the mere mention of the word spider is a spine-chilling moment. Fear is a dreaded word for us. It creates terror within us, forcing us to make poor and powerless decisions in our lives. Fear is just like a virus that creeps into our system and destroys us.

Proverbs 9:10

King James Version

V.10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

New Living Translation

V.10Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

Godly fear

We all have fears within us. A variety of these fears immobilize us from accomplishing what God wants for us and for us to do. However, there is another kind of fear which is the opposite of human fear. Godly fear. We need godly fear ensuing victoriously in all our fearfulness in life. We look for many things to triumph over every fear in our lives, only to find out that we need only one fear, the fear of God! Fascinating, right?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. In this passage, the meaning of fear is reverence. Fear in Hebrew is ‘yare’ is a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere. Reverence in noun form tells us a deep respect for someone or something. Its verb meaning is to regard or treat with deep respect. To give reverence, exalt, or think highly of is to fear the Lord. The reason Jesus taught us to pray in a manner of saying, “Holy be your name”! As we revere and exalt Him, we also fear Him. It will produce a relationship between a father and his children. It was the original relationship we had until we rebelled against Him. This relationship will give us knowledge (understanding) of the will of our Father for us.

 I Corinthians 15:56

King James Version

V.56 The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law.

New Living Translation

V.56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 

Death

There is an old saying that goes, “scares me to death.” We have our meaning, belief, or definition of death. Would one consider that death to be the most mysterious word? There are more things to comprehend behind this word. But if we are going to examine carefully, we might consider that death is not the cause of fear but its consequences.

Yes, death is the culprit. According to the bible, death has its sting (sin). Whether we are in a pandemic, war, or under any circumstances, we tie up ourselves with all kinds of fear. We might not see the actual picture, but the sting (sin) is where the pain is. The bee is just the carrier of the pain. If we think of a venomous snake, the idea of death in a matter of minutes scares us, but the venom containing the toxin these are the materials that will kill us. 

No matter whatever fear we are having, the sting of death will haunt us. Do we have to blame a pandemic, war, or anything that threatens our lives? One day, the fear of death will catch up with us, and its consequences will face us. The real question that we have to ask ourselves is, “When I die, is it heaven or hell?” There are only two things, to be with our Father in Heaven or everlasting life in hell. Even those who want to commit suicide want death to escape the miseries in their lives. Sin is our crime, and it sentenced us to death and a penalty of everlasting damnation in hell. 

We all know it didn’t end here. It was also a death that gave us our salvation. What happened in Calvary reconciled us with our father in heaven. The implications of our Lord Jesus Christ’s death brought about a lot of things for us. It changed everything. We are now a new creation in Christ Jesus. 

As Christians, we must change our point of view of death. We have to focus on the spiritual essence. The spiritual touches entirely our being, yielding with no options left, but that which is right in the sight of our God. Let us now fear who can destroy both our bodies and souls. The meaning of fear becomes different from the fear we know and suffer. From the fear God requires us to do, and that is to revere and exalt Him. Then, and only then, will we come into a full knowledge of what fear and love are all about… “But perfect love casteth out fear.” If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

Scriptural Readings: Luke 18:22-24; I Samuel 16:7; James 1:5

Are we still struggling to know between God’s will and what we want? Why are we confused and uncertain about this matter? A question perhaps most Christians have. If the answer is yes, then we need a lot of things to seek from God. We have lost the precious time given just for Him, and we have to make up for it as soon as possible and fast. 

Luke 18:22-24

King James Version

v.22  Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

v.23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

v.24  And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

New Living translation

v.22 When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

v.23 But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.

v.24  When Jesus saw this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Want

Thinking ahead is saying to God I know what to do, and if something goes wrong, this is the time we ask Him for help. Isn’t an old habit? We might know this or not, but we are trying to persevere and justify our wants rather than God’s will for us, and this is what exactly we want. The attitude of my will is foremost than God’s will. Most of our wants would likely be ending up in worldly pleasures. That is why we must be sure what is God’s will and not ours. For the love of money is the root of all evil (I timothy 6:10).

God does not hate rich people. God warns rich people. God gives us riches in life for one reason, and that is for His disposal. Once our love for God is transferred to the material things, this is where troubles come in. For sure, this will slow down, or otherwise, stunted spiritual growth. We have to get rid of this thing. We came nothing in this world, and when we die, we will leave everything in this world. 

It will all start within our minds, making decisions. God supplies everything, the things we lack, maintain the things we have or increase because God has something for us to do, and sometimes we have many things we do not need and are not happy with them. We have the choice of having a little of something, or perhaps, enough of anything, and maybe, so much of everything because of our free will. Remember, there are only 2 options: either we choose the right thing or the wrong thing. To glorify God is the right thing, and to continue with our ways is wrong.

I Samuel 16:7

King James Version

v.7  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth;4 for man looketh4 on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

New Living translation

v.7  But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Will

God sees us from top to bottom and from the inside out. He perceives exactly the things to do with all our concerns. The first thing to do is to ask Him what things we need and what we don’t. We always ask amiss. We must not worry. Remember that God supplies all our needs through Jesus Christ. However, it does not mean what we want now will not be needed in the future. God will always tell us what we need and what we must do precisely and in order. His will for us is always divine. This is His will and should be done.

James 1:5

King James Version

v.5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

New Living translation

v.5  If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 

Wisdom

Still, having difficulties with will and want? We need God’s wisdom. God’s wisdom ends our confusion. His wisdom connects His will into ours, completely changing our wants into His will ending our selfishness and ungodly desires resulting in the satisfaction we need and God’s glorification. For most of us, we spend more time with human ways and endeavor to make things better for us. We seek wisdom in books written by human authors giving us limited results. God’s wisdom is infinite. And we can have it only by approaching the throne of grace. Once we start putting our trust and faith in God through Jesus Christ, wisdom becomes a part f our lives.

Yes, there will be difficulties, but in the end, we will have a divine answer. The important thing is that we have seen the difference between our want and God’s will. All the hidden lies within our wants are exposed. We can eliminate one by one the things that are not needed, no more confusion, only confirmation, revealing what is right and true, God’s will! It can never be a lost cause. 

We have to bear in mind that our God is not the author of confusion. Jesus Christ is the truth. We have to trust what He did in Calvary. This is the only way we would know the truth. The more that we trust Jesus, the more He will reveal the truth and God’s will. There is no other option in finding God’s will but to believe in the power of the cross and the Holy Spirit.

Scriptural Readings:  Matthew 13 24-30, Jeremiah 29:11, Galatians 6:9

How do we see and gauge our patience? Are we struggling with it? If yes, then perhaps, one of the reasons is we are not giving ourselves more chances or time to build more. And if we have no chance, what is next? More struggles. That is for sure. Patience is only one of the many things we need to have a lot in our spiritual lives. We still have kindness, and the list goes on. We are looking forward to developing these things in us, but we feel that the chance of having more time is just another thing that we need to work on.

Because of our imperfection and self-centeredness, we must learn how to deal with patience and impatience. The divine essence has become a mystery for us because we do not have the patience to accept our Father’s messages, or sometimes, we miss it deliberately.

If we look carefully between patience and impatience, these two things should be dealt with separately. They are opposites, and this is why we have to go deeper into comprehending each of them. Most of us would like to have perfect patience, and at the same time, to get rid of impatience in an instant. We can never have patience if we continue having an attitude of impatience. And if impatience rules, then patience becomes history. Remember, we cannot serve 2 masters at the same time. Either we are going to hate the other, or we will love the other. 

Matthew 13 24-30, 

King James Version

V.24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

V.25  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

V.26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

V.27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

V.28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

V.29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

V.30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

New Living Translation

V.24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 

V.25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 

V.26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

V.27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?

V.28  “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

V.29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do.

V.30  Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”

Just like the wheat and the tares, patience represents the wheat, and the tares represent impatience. Both are present in our lives, and one might outgrow the other, and unless we get rid of what hinders our spiritual growth, we will never grow spiritually. We simply have to give ourselves chance to work on our patience. Uncertainties are not strange and new to us. What we do not know is to deal patiently with these issues. So, we must give time to work on our patience, and God would do His part. After all, I Corinthians chapter thirteen starts with love is patience. There is no way that God will not grant us the patience that we need more. Love is patience, and love is God.

The question now is, how do we know how to deal with these two first? Which is the best time for us to be patient and not fall into impatience? For instance, we must have patience in waiting for the stop signal to go green. We know that it will turn sooner or later, otherwise, we become impatient by beating the red light. In a situation wherein we are eagerly waiting for a result, most of the time, we are practicing impatience. In this scenario, patience is behind impatience. We speculate and talk a lot about the outcome, a sign of impatience. We very seldom keep quiet and patiently wait for the results. We wait patiently for fruit to ripen, but because of our impatience, assuming it is already ripe, we pick them only to find out it is sour. We know we have patience, but, most of the time, impatience dictates.

Jeremiah 29:11

King James Version

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

New Living Translation

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 

One of the many situations that we must practice patience is when we reach the point of hopelessness. This is the best time to be silent in the presence of God and wait patiently for definite answers. We should not give impatience space. Why? Because we know that God answers prayers! We just have to wait patiently and not impatiently. This is where our faith works against impatience. Our faith in Jesus Christ overpowers our weakest emotions. We have to defeat the evils of impatience by patiently waiting for God’s empowering in us.

Galatians 6:9

King James Version

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

New Living Translation

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

God usually gives answers through intuition. We must be aware of the things happening around us, which God uses, for us to know the answers. However, we have to be very careful because emotions can easily fool us. In this case, patience is in full swing. Problems and uncertainties will come and go, but God will make us strong through our patience by trusting more in Jesus Christ. Learning patience is trusting Jesus Christ alone. The way to have patience is to trust Jesus. This is the divine progress we are looking for in our spiritual lives. W will harvest spiritual blessings!

Our God gives us the chance to make our lives better, including patience. We read many things about patience in the Bible, but it seems that it is not working for us. Patience is the one we always lose, making us impatient. We have patience. However, we keep losing it because we also lose our trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus. The Lord is patient with us, and so must we. We should increase our patience through prayers approaching the throne of grace of our Father in heaven.

If we continue to trust the Lord, we will experience tremendous patience. This is why a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is needed. Accepting Him as Lord and Savior, we were born again, entering into the kingdom of our Father in heaven, making us a co-heir with Jesus. 

Scriptural Readings: Ephesians 1:3-6; Ephesians 3:16-20

Why do we say we have gone astray? At some point in time, we perfectly admit that we are not living what life should be. Why are we saying we are not living the proper way and there is something wrong? Does this mean to say we are on the perfect pathway and suddenly we lose track of it? Or are we still looking for the right path? Have we started asking the questions, is life worth living?

You might have asked questions like these before, and one way or the other, behind our minds, we are continually puzzled, looking for justification and fulfillment. We always have this inkling to know almost about everything. 

Ephesians 1:3-6

King James Version

V.3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:

V.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

V.5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

V.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

New Living Translation Version

V.3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

V.4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

V.5  God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

V.6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

A train moves only on its track. Engines operate on different kinds of fuels. It was the same thing when God designed us. God did not conceive us without a plan. As humans, we recognize that it is impossible to travel on a journey with no destination. And so God has given us a pathway that we should not leave. And this pathway is furnished with all spiritual blessings. Blessings just for us because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross in Calvary. We are to be children of God, and Him, our Father in heaven.

As we go through our lives, God has provided us with spiritual blessings to resist the things which the materialistic world enslaves and continues to blindfold us. We can gain them because God structured it Himself! Just like airplanes have made it possible to travel by air and ships to move on water.

The reality is not what the world currently shows us but what God can reveal about what is happening in the world for us. God wants to see the spiritual essence of what is happening around us. What happens is that our pride is always our cream of the crop. Lies are blinding us from these wonderful divine truths. We see the temporal, not the divine. We always welcome the earthly and make excuses for the sacred.

Ephesians 3:16-20

King James Version

V.16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

V.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

V.18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

V.19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

V.20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

New Living Translation Version

V.16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 

V.17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

V.18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

V.19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

V.20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

From the beginning, God has already blessed our lives in our journeys and undertakings. This is a sealed promise of God. But for some, this amazing sacred life God gives us has become an option. They have chosen to live a life of their own, missing what God has already given them in their spiritual lives in the first place. When we become Christians, we have to believe and claim the promises God has given us. This power sets us up to live the Christ-life way onwards, not backward nor being worthless.

There might be things that cannot be changed or removed in our lives that will hurt us. Untoward things are unavoidable, but God created us to withstand storms in our lives. God guarantees us that we can take the beating. He has equipped us already to face life here on earth. Jesus Himself will dwell in us with the Holy Spirit. First, he will strengthen our inner man, our spirit with His Spirit. What happens next is that he will dwell or make His home in our hearts by faith, being rooted and grounded in love. These roots will grow down in God’s love, making and keeping us strong, enabling us to understand how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. What is now clear is through his mighty power at work within us can accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. We have to make a difference for the furtherance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and this is to remain a Christ-life way of living. Apart from Him, we are nothing.

Scriptural Readings: I Thessalonians 5:2-24; II Thessalonians 2:2-3, 14



I Thessalonians 5:2-4


King James Version

V.2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

V.3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

V.4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.




New Living Translation

V.2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.

V.3 When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

V.4 But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.


As we go through our day-to-day lives, we experience troublesome or carefree challenges. There are things tolerable for us that otherwise disturb our whole being in the physical realm or spiritual realm, presenting us with choices. Whatever the outcomes, they have consequences for us. Rust eats metals, putting a once-mighty type of metal into a hill of useless sands of rust. Molds develop, extending their roots on our bread, making it impossible for us to eat it, resulting in waste and world hunger. Are we living in a pre-apocalyptic scenario? Repercussions must be our concern. Are we ready for anything that will come our way? For sure, there are no exemptions, and for humanity, uncertainties are always a welcome party.


I Thessalonians 5:5-8



King James Version

V.5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

V.6 Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober.

V.7 For them that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

V.8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.




New Living Translation

V.5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.

V.6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.

V.7 Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk.

V.8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

What should be our attitude? Of what is presently developing today, this is the time to contemplate our lives seriously. We have to be more cautious of what is happening and give more time to foreknow further and brace for what is about to happen. Insights and conclusions will play a considerable part for all of us. Summing up all these things, there must be something more essential and meaningful for our lives. Important that our body, soul, and spirit must deal with seriousness.

What are we made of at this present time? We have to be left unshaken as Christians. The foundation has to be strong. We should be having a thankful attitude because God will equip us with all the necessary things we need. We have no one or anything to blame but ourselves. We get into trouble because of wrong assumptions and decisions giving us the pressures. We assume we can handle any failure, but when it gets out of hand, we have assorted reasons to present, including ourselves, why we are suffering.

I Thessalonians 5:9-24



King James Version

V.9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

V.10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

V.11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

V.12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

V.13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. [And] be at peace among yourselves.

V.14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all [men].

V.15 See that none render evil for evil unto any [man]; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all [men].
V.16 Rejoice evermore.
V.17 Pray without ceasing.
V.18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
V.19 Quench not the Spirit.
V.20 Despise not prophesyings.
V.21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
V.22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
V.23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
V.24 Faithful [is] he that calleth you, who also will do [it].



New Living Translation


V.9 For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.

V.10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.

V.11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

V.12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.

V.13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

V.14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

V.15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and all people.

V.16 Always be joyful.

V.17 Never stop praying.

V.18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

V.19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.

V.20 Do not scoff at prophecies,

V.21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.

V.22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

V.23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

V.24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.



Are we seeing a connection between now and the future? We have to be unshaken and, to be in this stage, we have to have divine life. It may seem impossible, but the truth is for God, nothing is impossible. Let us not fear. Let the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit continue to work on us. He can reconstruct our unstable lives into reliable lives, getting through different kinds of trials. God never lies. God will make this happen if we are going to be faithful and unshaken. He has provided everything we need, and all we have to do is step on the plate, wait for the right time, and swing the bat. We have to keep in mind that God is always in control, and we have to remain unshaken.


And finally. . .

II Thessalonians 2:2-3


King James Version

V.2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

V.3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

New Living Translation

V.2 Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us.

V.3 Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction.


As we see something unfolds before our eyes, let’s stand firm and remained unshaken. The truth will be revealed, and lies will be exposed. Many will fall away and be shaken by what is happening and about to happen. We must focus our lives on Jesus alone! Jesus promised that He will not leave us nor forsake us. A day will come when we will all be taken, and to be with Him forever sharing all His glory. Alleluia!

Scriptural Readings: John 1:1, 29, Proverbs 16:1-4

What comes to our minds when we hear the word obedience? We always have in our mind the word following. Right? Is obeying difficult? As we grow old, it seems that this word isn’t easy to do. Once we start to pursue things, we end up with difficulties. Even with the help of modern technology, we complain a lot rather than obey.


The world that we live in continuously opposing our spiritual being. The bible warned us about these things. It is really with hardships that we have to live the Christian way. There are three ways we follow. First, our way. Second evil’s way, and the third, God’s way. If it is our way, everything will end up with a lot of complaints and questions. If it’s the evil way, we will arrive with the opposite of our expectations, and of course, God’s way. There is no other way how to live our lives but to attain a Christ-like manner of living.


John 1:1

King James Version

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.


New Living Translation

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.


Obedience is synonymous with conformity. One thing that we have to understand, however, is the application and the results. As Christians, we are to obey, and later on, exactly to become what God has planned for us. A lot of Christians today are obedient but not conformed to the standards God has set for us. We missed the things God has prepared for us.

Christianity is all about the invincible and invisible God made Himself available to us through Jesus Christ. He conformed into a human to make sure will not enter and suffer eternal damnation. When the Word became flesh, it was obedience. Obedience to conformity is the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Obedience to death by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ brought us back to God’s original plan.



John 1:29

King James Version

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.


New Living Translation

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!


We have to be aware of everything regarding our spiritual lives. If we are not going to do these things, we will surely miss something. The death of Jesus on Calvary took away the sin, the root cause why we commit sins, and the guilt God imputed to us. It means that we must reckon dead on loving to commit sins, and above all, when we face God, He sees Jesus, not us. He will not hold us accountable for all the sins we committed. We are not guilty of anything. Jesus paid the price.


Proverbs 16:1-3


King James Version


v.1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, from the LORD.

v.2 All the ways of a man clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.

v.3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.



New Living Translation

v.1 We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.

v.2 People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives.

v.3 Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.


First, by grace, we are saved. God can continue His plan for us. Salvation has to come first. Second, by obeying Him, we are doing His will as He commanded so. As we abide and conform to His will, He is going to reveal His divine plan. A plan that we will be thrilled about working on. A perfect plan filled with His will and the life we are searching for in this chaotic world. The works He will be giving us would surely be thrilling for us.

The bottom line is, we can never miss God. He promised not to leave us nor forsake us. He is all-powerful and can provide us everything we need. He knows everything about us. We can trust Him. Obeying God is the transforming power that we need in our lives. The moment we entered into the path God has for us, we will know fully what the word success is all about with no doubts and full of confidence.

Obedience starts by trusting and having a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He took care of our salvation, gave us eternal life and security because he obeyed God our Father, and this is what He wants us precisely to do. We will never have a carefree life. We will still be having insecurities, miseries even if we have all the riches in this world. We suffer these things because it is our fault, and to remedy these things, God sent His son for us to obey Him.

It can be true that we are obeying His will, but sometimes we still entertain doubts that cause the slowing down of His plan. Another thing why we do not have progress is that we might be operating on some other things. Remember that we are to commit our actions to the Lord so that our plans will succeed. It is always to be His plan, not ours.

Scriptural Readings: Romans 6:23, II Corinthians 4:10, Romans 6:11

Romans 6:23

King James Version

For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.


New Living Translation

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

For some, it is a little bit creepy just to hear the word death, and for some, they are not comfortable talking about it. However, it is a fact that all of us must face. Many things will come to our minds when we think about this word. One of them might be a question of what happens next after death? With all the arguments and theories about this word, we cannot help ourselves but confront this question.

We may all agree on one meaning of death. However, have we given a lot of thought to what would be the consequences of being dead? Being dead simply means there is no communication. Is it a good thing not to have a connection? One might be thinking that it is a lot better to have peace rather than living in a chaotic world. But what about what the bible says? For Christians, we have to know the spiritual essence of death. Is death a reward or a punishment?

“I am dead.” is a usual response when we think that we are in trouble. Although we do not mean it literally, we know that we will be in a state of silence, spending a lot of time thinking about how to get rid of our problems. It may seem to be a cliche, but the bible is very clear about us being in trouble with our sinful nature if we are not going to get rid of this. We will surely die, a spiritual death that will separate us from our God. Separation from God drawing the line between the truth of everlasting life with God and eternal damnation of suffering in hell.


II Corinthians 4:10

King James Version

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.


New Living Translation

Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.


Death can be an ugly word, but in Christianity, it is a foundation for spiritual essence. Understanding death shows a clear picture of what kind of spiritual life a Christian has. A Christian life dies every day. It is a truth that we must embrace to glorify our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We share the death of our Lord so that others will see the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But one may ask, what is the significance of this in the temporal world? We live in a world filled with uncertainties, and whether we like it or not, we are eaten alive. We have no idea how to survive without worries. These things are killing us in a daily manner.


Romans 6:11

King James Version

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.


New Living Translation

So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.


The difference in the Christian world is that we suffer and die to gain spiritual maturity despite the threat of physical death. Our spiritual lives are elevated to a more divine status when we share the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ. The spiritual defeats the temporal world, leaving only the truth, freedom from sinful nature. Peace and contentment will reside in our mortal bodies once we conquered the state of craving more temporal things. In Christian life, this is the essence of spiritual death. The more that we get interested in spiritual things, the lesser we crave more material things. We consider and put in our minds to be dead to the power of sin, and we come alive to God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is of utmost significance that we must consider ourselves dead that we might not communicate with our sinful nature and be aware only of the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ.