Life Under the Influence

Focus

How can we recognize the lies of the enemy unless we have something planted deep within our hearts against which to compare them?

War Of The Wills

In many ways, the Bible could easily be considered the written record of the "War of the Wills".

Deeply Rooted Fear

“The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.”

Let It Shine

God wants to use you and the Light that dwells within to open the eyes of those who choose to sit in darkness.

The Ox and the Donkey

How can we claim to know our Master if we cannot obey His Word? Obedience is the key to knowing God, to living in the flow of His blessings, and to fulfilling our destiny.

Lock the Door

You have the power to use the key through Jesus Christ. Use it, shut the door, lock it securely, and refuse to let sin enter the door of your heart.

Greater Than Great

God is greater than great. Higher than high. Holier than holy. Mightier than mighty. He is sovereign over all, totally in control of everything.

Closet Sins

Hiding in the closet is useless. Swing open that closet door and allow the Lord to assure you of His boundless love.

No Hiding

The Father knows us intimately and—even with all our faults and shortcomings—He loves us completely.

Beyond Human Desire

The Psalmist writes of a soul yearning for communion with God, showing an impatience that indicates deep urgency and unfathomable need of the true Thirst-Quencher.

It Is Good

The unfailing hand of our God is right there to guide us with His counsel [His Word]. We're not left hanging or cut off, even when our attitudes are brutish.

Hearts On Fire

Many who call themselves Christians forget this simple truth: to love Jesus is to love His Word. Scripture makes it clear—Jesus and the Word are one. If we love Him, we will love His Word.

Press On

Even when we have realized a victory along the way, we need to keep on pressing on until we reach our final goal.

Our Highest Calling

There is a place in God where we can find increased strength—strength to live a holy life according to

Living Aware

Friendship is not casual. It is sacred. It is a gift entrusted to us by God Himself. A true friend

Before the Gold

Hardship is not random. Disappointments, weakness, and heartache carry a holy purpose.

Tiny Mustard Seed

In God’s economy, small is not a setback. It is often the seedbed of greatness. Just look at the tiny mustard seed!

Watch Out!

The enemy is opposed to us; he resists our efforts to do good and all our efforts to obey God. He attempts to alarm us by his roar...

The Gift of Servanthood

Every man, woman, and child was created and designed to be a servant, either to sin or to righteousness.

No Staggering

If anything would make a man stagger, it would be the third word uttered by God: “Be blameless!”

God Alone

Turn your eyes toward God and God alone; lose yourself in His glory!

Wholly Holy

The fire on the altar did not destroy the offering; it transformed it into total surrender, a pleasing aroma to YHWH.

The Other Side of Surrender

Purpose is not discovered — it is entered through submission. God consistently ties purpose or destiny to obedience before explanation.

Connected to the Source

The Spirit at work flows outward through those who believe in Jesus, to those who are connected to the Source.

Love

It is God's will that the Body of Christ molds its love for others into the shape of His divine love. Pure love. Selfless love. Blameless love. Cross-shaped love.

The God of Amen

Jesus invokes divine authority before speaking. In ancient Israel's legal culture, “Amen” seals truth. Jesus puts the seal on His own words. He speaks as the source of truth!

Cause and Effect

The cause of Hannah's shame and grief was the curse of barrenness. The effect was a glorious prayer offered to the Lord for her miracle child.

No One

NO ONE can stand in the way of God's plans, His purposes, His callings, His schedule, His direction, His programs, His timing ... nothing in the mind of God can be thwarted.

Active Faith

Four things that we should employ as our dynamic and participatory responsibility as disciples of Christ.

The Agape Feast

The early Christian meals (Agape Feasts) included communion within the full meals. It echoed the ancient covenant banquets and was in anticipation of the Messiah Banquet

WORD-MINDED PEOPLE

Concentrating on the negatives in this world will eventually blind us to the faithfulness of God. We may soon become so aware of the evil surrounding us that we cannot see the goodness of God ...

Stay Connected

Abiding not only keeps us spiritually healthy, but abiding also impacts others as we live connected to the life-giving, life-sustaining nourishment that comes from the Vine.

YHWH is ...

In Christ, we are different, set apart, unique. We become "other" as we bear the image of our Father, who is "completely other".

"I AM" No Coincidence

The Gospel of John records seven times Jesus described Himself as "I am..." and not by coincidence.

The Sacred Name

The Name of the Lord is hallowed, holy, sacred, and should be honored, revered, and carefully guarded from misuse or abuse.

Spirit-Empowered Skill

Bezalel was the FIRST person in Scripture recorded as being filled with the Holy Spirit. Bezalel functioned as a Spirit-filled "creator" called and anointed by YHWH.

Many Voices - One Truth

If what we read, hear, or share doesn't align with God's truth, it should be rejected! There are many voices in today's world, but only one Truth!

Living Where God Dwells

Jesus invited us to abide in Him, not work harder or try better. It's an invitation to live consciously in His presence.

Beware!

The One True God alone is to be feared above all, by all, and in all.

Reformatted God

The world needs to see God as True, Just, Holy, Righteous, and Pure.

When Obstacles Become Gold Mines

We must come to understand that God may be forming a gold mine of endurance, wisdom, compassion, and deeper trust in Him through our trials.

Innovative Sacrifice

The same fire that signals YHWH's nearness becomes lethal when approached wrongly. Innovation in worship is not neutral – it can be rebellion.

God Speaks Hope

“God is faithful to save His people, even when the situation looks hopeless—and His future deliverance may not look like the past.”

Believing Loyalty

“Believing Loyalty” is a term describing how biblical faith actually works—not mere mental assent, but trust expressed through allegiance and action.

In Excelsis Deo

We literally join with the Hosts of Heaven, proclaiming YHWH as the Most High God, the One True God, the Creator who made heaven and earth.

Mighty to Save

Whether we be trapped by sin that so easily besets us, our God is “mighty to save!"

Boundaries

The boundary line was non-negotiable; crossing it came with consequences.

Out of Context

If we take the time to look closely at their context, scriptures we frequently quote are actually misapplied!

Empowerment

Peace is the result of being empowered by the Spirit to achieve His purposes through us – spreading the Good News.

His Forever Name

"This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations."

The Cookie Jar

The Apostle Paul wants all followers of Christ to understand how important it is to control our urges and cravings and poor choices.

Space For Grace

When we see ourselves honestly, we begin to see God more clearly.

Secure the Perimeter

We're not left helpless or powerless against the enemy's schemes to pull us into ungodly behavior or lifestyles.

The Confrontation

This message is to every soul on the face of the Earth from generations past to present.

Too Strict?

These Korean parents have five rules for their children to live by.

A Near Miss

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (Prov 30:5)

Unbalanced

Those who love the Lord and are led by Spirit through knowledge of His Word must work to maintain the perfect balance of love within the Body – and it starts with each of us.

Brokenness

Written by Shelia Wrenn ... a word of encouragement to all who are broken.

The Lord Is

The same power that led David victoriously through relentless assaults is at work on our behalf.

Wound Care

From time to time, we all need some form of wound care from those with whom we surround ourselves.

The Voice

Our God is a very communicative partner in life; even in His silence, His presence is constant.

Rainy Day

Build up a storehouse of assurances of God's loving care and provision.

Just a Thought

To untangle our minds and rid them of the enemy's influence, we simply plug into our Power Source!

Jesus' Seven "I Am" Declarations in John

Applying God's Covenant Name to Himself.

When I Am Afraid

It is within our power to stop fear from becoming a stronghold.

The Name

The Name of Yahweh is a tower of strength.

Well-Proved

Our God is very present in times of trouble and His faithfulness has been well-proved.

Distinction

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8).

Turmoil Within

Turmoil is an invitation to reset our focus away from our circumstances and on the God of our salvation.

Loyalty

She takes her role as guard and protector very seriously. That's Josie. Intelligent. Protective. Vocal. Loyal.

Trembling

What Does Trembling at God's Word Mean?

Guarding the Priesthood

The Old Testament priesthood is fulfilled in Jesus. He is our model and standard-setter as we accept the responsibilities and functions of the holy priesthood as imagers of Christ!

We live in a culture overrun by Pontic mice gnawing and tearing apart the truth to fit their own form of God. God cannot be separated from the Truth ... Jesus!

PONTIC MOUSE

We live in a culture overrun by Pontic mice gnawing and tearing apart the truth to fit their own form of God. God cannot be separated from Truth or Jesus, the express image of the Father, IS Truth!!

DAILY SUPPLEMENTS

Many of us take supplements to our daily diet. Most of us didn't realize that spiritual supplements are even more critical in our daily walk as believers.

LEVITICUS

While we no longer bring bulls or goats or fowl or grain, we have an obligation to come with a gift, an offering, and/or a prayer of consecration preparing us for communion with Him.

OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICE

Offerings and Sacrifices still have a place in the lives of every believer. It looks different today because of Jesus whose pure blood far surpasses that which was poured out or sprinkled on the brazen altar.

ENCOURAGEMENT

God is always working behind the scenes for our good and for our deliverance from the burden of life. Always for His glory ... and His glory WILL be seen.

BELIEVE IN GOD

Do you "believe in God" according to the standards set forth in Scripture? Or, do you simply fall in line with popular responses without giving what it means to believe much thought?

MESSIANIC

While we are reading the Story of the Bible, we see the Messianic line through Abraham, Isaac, and now Jacob! Always be attentive to what God is doing in and/or through other characters; be careful to not simply ignore or consider them to be insignificant.

WATCHMAN

Being on the watch for God to sovereignly work in response to our prayers reveals the heart of a watchman … alert, aware and filled with expectancy.

MANIFEST YOUR GLORY

The wedding feast wasn’t the focus … not even the best wine as the feast-master commented. No, the focus is the manifestation of glory which caused Jesus’ followers or disciples to have faith as He revealed Himself to them as the glory of God being manifest in their presence!

MAKING DISCIPLES

Are those who profess to be Christians based on an “I-need-to-get-to-heaven-when-I-die” motive deceived and have we failed Jesus' mandate?

PESKY PETS

We live in a time when the enemy is looking for hidden places in our hearts to deposit his “soil”. At the same time, we are looking for excuses to cover up the soil and make excuses for it rather than tackle it and clean it up...

COMPLETELY OTHER

Yahweh, the God of the Bible, the Most High God! Being “completely other“ indicates He is peculiar, different, set apart, unique, and completely other than ordinary. In other words, YHWH) is Completely Other and Uniquely Unique!

YAHWEH IS A VERB

According to the sacred Hebrew symbols Yod, Heh, Vav, Heh, Yahweh not only means “I am”, but it also means “I BECOME”, or “I am the One who causes to BECOME”. Essentially, God’s name is a VERB!

For The Beauty Of The Earth

Thanksgiving is a time of year when memories are stirred of a childhood rich with tradition reflecting Christian heritage.

FAITHFUL ALWAYS AND FOREVER

Be loyal in your trust as He is loyal to you. Never substitute your loyalty to God for another path to true peace. It is in our believing loyalty to God that He is always found FAITHFUL!

MARY KNEW

"She not only knew, she willingly consented to the angel’s remarkable calling, saying: 'Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word' (Luke 1:38)".

Our job as imagers of God is to expand the Kingdom, not win an argument, and not be comfortable. We’re here to show our love for our Redeemer who paid the utmost price and paved the way by His own example, to take the Gospel message to everyone including those who don’t believe like we do, to those who may use or abuse us, and even to our persecutors.

Ephesus Syndrome

Have We Lost Our First Love? The Church at Ephesus has my attention today and I can’t go on

PURPOSEFUL PRAISE

Turn your attention to Him, focus on His love and mercy, and begin to praise Him in the midst of your circumstances.

WORDS HURT

Our words minister to those who hear them. They either minister grace or they cause people to turn away hurt and dejected; they may even bear the scars from our careless words for an entire life.

TAMIM

Tamim … being made thoroughly whole, rejecting double-mindedness and making the Word of God the only lens through which I view life.

ORDERS FROM HEADQUARTERS

Our order from headquarters: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

IDLE WORSHIP IN THE CHURCH

Active worship was just that -- there was a work assignment that was required of them -- required of us all per orders of the Lord Jesus Himself. We are assigned to Love God and Love People.

HOPE TO HANG ONTO

When our minds are being flooded with fear and doubt they are times that God makes His presence known. It is during these times that our faith is stretched to "hold on"...

SHOW US YOUR GLORY

As my heart has so often cried out to the Father: “Show us Your Glory, Lord!” … I hear the voice of my Father: “Look to Jesus for in Him you will find the fulness of My Glory!”

A HARD PLACE

I'm a seeker of Truth because Jesus is Truth. Jesus isn't the gifts. Jesus isn't the sermon. Jesus isn't the book. Jesus IS the Truth and I will seek Truth until the day I leave this world.

COMPROMISE

Seeds of discord have been sown in the soil of this great nation and it is those discordant seeds that have been allowed to grow and reproduce unchecked and without boundaries.

LAW OF CHRIST

The Law of Christ can be summarized in one word: LOVE. To truly love God and love people is to fulfill the Law of Christ, to rein in the impulses of the flesh...

COUNT IT ALL JOY

James is admonishing us to be CONVINCED from the depths of our heart that whatever we’re facing is going to produce something in our lives that is profitable for us and for the Kingdom of God.