A Prize for His Children!

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Trust God, my friends, and always tell him each one of your concerns.  God is our place of safety. We humans are only a breath; none of us are truly great.  All of us together weigh less  than a puff of air. Don’t trust in violence or depend on dishonesty or rely on great wealth.  I heard God say two things:  “I am powerful,  and I am very kind.”  The Lord rewards each of us according to what we do.

Psalm 62:8-12

When my six children were all small we had , what I guess would be called a family tradition.  If I had to go away for a few days, when I returned I would be greeted by hugs and kisses but also this question: "Did you bring me a prize?"

Something small and inexpensive would do nicely, as long as I brought something for them when I returned!

It reminds me of the return of Jesus.  You see, Jesus is not just returning to this earth, but when He comes He will bring  a prize for His children!  When I brought prizes to my children, they did not cost a lot, but the prize that Jesus is bringing for me cost Him His very life!  Jesus is bringing me, eternal citizenship in Heaven!  It cost Him everything and will mean everything to me, forever!

"Thank you Jesus for the great prize that You are bringing Your children.  And may You, Jesus be praised forever. Amen!"

Breathe in the Heart of God!

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I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!  Every time I think of you, I thank my God.  And whenever I mention you in my prayers, it makes me happy.  This is because you have taken part with me in spreading the good news from the first day you heard about it.  God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won't stop before it is complete on the day that Christ Jesus returns.  You have a special place in my heart. So it is only natural for me to feel the way I do. All of you have helped in the work that God has given me, as I defend the good news and tell about it here in jail.  God himself knows how much I want to see you. He knows that I care for you in the same way that Christ Jesus does.  I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully know and understand how to make the right choices. Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day, Jesus Christ will keep you busy doing good deeds that bring glory and praise to God.

Philippians 1:2-11

Every time the Apostle Paul thought of the Philippians he prayed.  Prayer was like breathing for the man who met Jesus on the road to Damascus!   He would breathe out the concerns of his heart and breathe in the Heart of God!  

You can only hold your breath for a few minutes until you will pass out and lose consciousness.  And you can only go for a short period of time without praying.  If you don’t pray you will lose spiritual consciousness!

For a Christian, prayer is life itself!  When you feel a need of any kind you lay it before the Father.  When a question fills your heart you present it to God.  When you need an answer you look to Jesus, who walked this very road as He lived on earth. 

Many times a day a husband and wife communicate with each other.  It may be a word, a look, a touch or a kiss.  Those things and many more are what prayer is between a follower of Jesus and the Father!  

“Lord Jesus, show me more today of what it means to pray without ceasing!  And may You be praised forever, Amen!” 

Normal Christian Life!

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People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things.  If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. 

Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God's laws.
                                                                                                 If we follow our desires, we cannot please God.  You are no longer ruled by your desires, but by God's Spirit, who lives in you. People who don't have the Spirit of Christ in them don't belong to him. 

But Christ lives in you. So you are alive because God has accepted you, even though your bodies must die because of your sins.  Yet God raised Jesus to life! God's Spirit now lives in you, and he will raise you to life by his Spirit.  My dear friends, we must not live to satisfy our desires.                                                                                                                                                 

If you do, you will die. But you will live, if by the help of God's Spirit you say "No" to your desires.  Only those people who are led by God's Spirit are his children. 

Romans 8:5-14

Being led by the Holy Spirit is not just a wonderful thing, it is essential for a man or woman who is desiring to live as a child of God.  Many years ago a man named Watchman Nee wrote a book called “The Normal Christian Life.”  What he described is not normal at all for many who call themselves Christians today.  The “normal” Christian life according to the Bible is a man or woman who is totally focused on Jesus and is listening to the Holy Spirit for direction every day and of course is then obedient to every Word of God!

Many today would call a “normal” Christian a “radical” follower of Jesus!   If the world around you sees you as someone who fits in with them in almost every way except that you say that you are a follower of Jesus when pressed to confess it, but apart from that they see little or no difference, then it would be good to discuss the matter with the Lord!  Jesus sees your heart and mine for what it is, not for what you would like to pretend it to be.  Jesus is the only doctor who can replace your wounded, weary and deceptive heart with one that is totally sold out to Him.  Let Jesus operate on your heart so that you will surely become one who lives a “Normal Christian Life.”

“Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me the sinfulness of my own heart and for changing my heart into one that is radically dedicated to following You.  May You, Jesus be praised forever.  Amen.”

God is Working Among the Nations!

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I am Habakkuk the prophet. And this is the message that the Lord gave me.

Habakkuk Complains to the Lord
 
Our Lord, how long must I beg for your help before you listen? How long before you save us from all this violence?  Why do you make me watch such terrible injustice? Why do you allow violence, lawlessness, crime, and cruelty to spread everywhere? Laws cannot be enforced; justice is always the loser; criminals crowd out honest people and twist the laws around.

The Lord Answers Habakkuk
 
Look and be amazed at what’s happening among the nations! Even if you were told, you would never believe what’s taking place now.

Habakkuk 1:1-5
We think the prophet wrote these words about 600 years before Jesus was born and yet they sound like they were written in 2016!  

From the day that Adam and Eve stood beneath the TREE and were deceived to believe that God did not really mean what He had said and that He did not see them as they sinned, the world has been filled with violence, lawlessness, crime and cruelty!

Habakkuk would have found today's world familiar because it is the same as "laws cannot be enforced; justice is always the loser; criminals crowd out honest people and twist the laws around."

But God assured Habakkuk that He is orchestrating world events to serve His purposes!  And you can rest assured that God is doing the same today!

"Lord Jesus, thank you for the blessed assurance that You are now working among the nations and that You will soon return to take Your people home!  Praise Your Name forever.  Amen!"

Fifth Seal Souls!

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When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of everyone who had been killed for speaking God’s message and telling about their faith.  They shouted, “Master, you are holy and faithful! How long will it be before you judge and punish the people of this earth who killed us?”  Then each of those who had been killed was given a white robe and told to rest for a little while. They had to wait until the complete number of the Lord’s other servants and followers would be killed.

Revelation 6:9-11

This is a remarkable passage.  After you are killed for speaking God's message and telling about your faith, you will still be able to shout, rest, wait and wear a white robe!  Your physical body is simply the container in which you now reside.  When your body dies you will live on!

Fifth Seal Souls are especially blessed.  They are the ones who, like their Lord are killed for delivering God's message and proclaiming their faith in Him! 

If you are called to preach the Word of God where you may lose your head, then trust God to protect you from the sword of Satan or trust Him to deliver you by that sword.  When Fifth Seal Souls stand before the Father on the Day of Judgement there is no question about what their fate will be!

"Lord Jesus, give me the strength to be a follower who is willing to lose my life here on this earth that You, Lord may be glorified in Heaven!  And may You, Jesus be praised forever.  Amen!"

God Crushed My Bones!

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I have suffered much because God was angry.  He chased me into a dark place, where no light could enter.  I am the only one he punishes over and over again, without ever stopping. God caused my skin and flesh to waste away, and he crushed my bones.  He attacked and surrounded me with hardships and trouble.

Lamentations 3:1-5

Jeremiah reminds us that everyone's life is filled with trouble!

Last week I broke a bone in my finger.  Actually I crushed a bone!  The doctor told me that when you break a bone it is a somewhat simple process to put it back in place and hold it there for a few weeks and it will knit back together, perhaps as good as new.  But when you crush a bone, it will still heal but there will be lasting consequences.  When a bone is crushed the flesh around the bone is also mangled and torn.  There is then the serious danger of infection.  And when a crushed finger heals it is almost always stiff and has limited mobility!  So, for the rest of my life I will remember the day I crushed my bone!

If God has crushed the bone that surrounds your heart it is the same.  It will heal, but you will always remember that the strong hand of God has touched you.

God is indeed a loving Father, but He is willing to let us suffer so that we will turn our hard hearts toward Him and be ready for Jesus when He returns!

"Lord Jesus, crush the bones in my life that need to be broken, so that my heart will always be submitted to your will!  May You, Jesus be praised forever, Amen!"

God's Words in My Mouth!

 

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"For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord Almighty is his name. I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand— I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”

Isaiah 51:15-16

It is usually a criticism when you say, "You are trying to put words in my mouth."  Two people are having a misunderstanding and one complains that the other one is claiming that he said something that he did not say.  He responds with "Don't put words in my mouth!"

But when it comes to God and man it is quite different!  God wants to put Words in your mouth and if you are wise, you will pray that He does.

 When I speak my words, they are usually weak and ordinary, but when speak the Words of God that He puts in my mouth, I speak with the Power of God behind the Words!  That my friend is truly amazing!

"Lord Jesus, please put Words in my mouth today that come from You so that everything that comes from my mouth will please the Father in every way!  Amen."

What Jesus Knew and What He Did!

 

 

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It was before Passover, and Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and to return to the Father. He had always loved his followers in this world, and he loved them to the very end.  Even before the evening meal started, the devil had made Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, decide to betray Jesus. Jesus knew he had come from God and would go back to God. He also knew that the Father had given him complete power. So during the meal Jesus got up, removed his outer garment, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  He put some water into a large bowl.  Then he began washing his disciple's feet and drying them with the towel he was wearing.

John 13:1-5

Jesus knew who He was, where He came from and also where He was going!  Even though Jesus was a man, he did not walk the paths of rebellion, confusion and sin that every other man and woman treads on their journey through life.

Jesus became like us so that we can become like Him.  And when we are like Jesus we will know where we came from, what we are doing here and where we are going when this life is over! 

The Bible clearly says that Jesus had complete power and He knew it.  When Jesus recognized His total power He got down on the floor and began washing the feet of His followers! 

So if you want to be like Jesus, when you recognize the power and glory of His calling on your life, you will humble yourself and serve others! 

"Lord Jesus, the power You give to me is the power to serve others even as You did on the night before You went to the Cross.  May You, Jesus be praised forever.  Amen." 

The Greatest is Love!

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What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels?  If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge?  And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others.  What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself  be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others. 

Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or  rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do.  Love rejoices in the truth,  but not in evil. Love is always supportive,  loyal, hopeful,  and trusting. Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages  will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten. We don’t know everything, and our prophecies are not complete.  But what is perfect will someday appear and what isn’t perfect will then disappear. 

When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up,  we quit our childish ways.  Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don’t know everything,  but then we will, just as God completely understands us. 

For now there are faith,   hope, and love. But of these three,  the greatest is love.

1 Corinthians 13 (CEV)

Amen!

Prayers of the Holy Spirit!

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The Spirit makes us sure about what we will be in the future. But now we groan silently, while we wait for God to show that we are his children. This means that our bodies will also be set free.  And this hope is what saves us. But if we already have what we hope for, there is no need to keep on hoping.  However, we hope for something we have not yet seen, and we patiently wait for it.

In certain ways we are weak, but the Spirit is here to help us. For example, when we don’t know what to pray for, the Spirit prays for us in ways that cannot be put into words.  All of our thoughts are known to God. He can understand what is in the mind of the Spirit, as the Spirit prays for God’s people.  We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose,  and he has always known who his chosen ones would be. He had decided to let them become like his own Son, so that his Son would be the first of many children.  God then accepted the people he had already decided to choose, and he has shared his glory with them.

Romans 8:23-30

Frankly, these verses present a rather strange concept.  They say that the Holy Spirit prays for God's people.  We know that God Almighty includes the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  How can part of God  pray to another part?  That is a question that cannot be answered here on earth, but it is true that the Holy Spirit intercedes for those who follow Jesus! 

And in response to the prayers of the Spirit, God "is always at work for the good of everyone who loves Him."

Your job is to love Jesus and choose righteousness.  You must also reject evil and repent whenever your foot slips and you take a step away from Him.  

Here is a marvelous truth.  We are told to "pray without ceasing" and so it must be also with the Holy Spirit.  You can know that He is continually praying for you before the throne of Heaven!  

"Lord Jesus, because of Your great sacrifice for me on the Cross, the Holy Spirit is now praying for me to the Father.  What a glorious thought!  May You, Jesus be praised forever.  Amen."

Confession and Revival!

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On the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month, the people of Israel went without eating, and they dressed in sackcloth and threw dirt on their heads to show their sorrow.  They refused to let foreigners join them, as they met to confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors.  For three hours they stood and listened to the Law of the Lord their God, and then for the next three hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord.

Nehemiah 9:1-3

When revival comes, so does confession of sins.  That is a sure sign that things are about to change and what you are seeing is not just an emotional response to conviction of guilt.   When you are overwhelmed by the presence of God in your life and you see clearly how sinful you have been, there is little hesitation in confessing those sins before other Christians. 

But why did the people in Nehemiah 9 confess the sins of their ancestors?  You see unless I recognize the sins of my fathers, the very lifestyle they passed on to me will lead me to repeat those sins in my life!  In no way does it dishonor my earthly father to recognize his temptations and be warned not to repeat them!

If you desire "revival" in your life and those around you, don't forget that confessing your sins will be the sign that it is real!

"Lord Jesus, You said that all men have sinned and that includes me.  I declare once again that all my righteousness comes from You and You alone.  May You, Jesus be praised forever.  Amen."

You Will be a Ruler in Heaven!

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The angel showed me a river that was crystal clear, and its waters gave life. The river came from the throne where God and the Lamb were seated.  Then it flowed down the middle of the city’s main street. On each side of the river are trees that grow a different kind of fruit each month of the year. The fruit gives life, and the leaves are used as medicine to heal the nations. God’s curse will no longer be on the people of that city. He and the Lamb will be seated there on their thrones, and its people will worship God and will see him face to face. God’s name will be written on the foreheads of the people.  Never again will night appear, and no one who lives there will ever need a lamp or the sun. The Lord God will be their light, and they will rule forever.

Revelation 22:1-5

These are astonishing verses.  They talk about trees that grow a different fruit each month, and that fruit gives life!  In Heaven you will see God face to face.  And in Heaven there will be no darkness!

The last few words of these verses sometimes get lost in the glorious description that precedes them.  These words say that people who live in Heaven "will rule forever!" 

There is a common perception that all we will do in Heaven is Praise God!  And there is no doubt that we will continually do that, but there is more, much more!  If you go to Heaven you will rule and reign with Christ forever.  What that will be like is a mystery only to be uncovered when we get there! 

Don't forget that Heaven will be much more amazing than you could ever imagine!  

"Lord Jesus, help me today to stay focused on You and on the hope of arriving in Heaven when this life on earth comes to an end.  May You, Jesus be praised forever.  Amen."

The Power of a Beautiful Woman!

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If you are a wife, you must put your husband first. Even if he opposes our message, you will win him over by what you do. No one else will have to say anything to him, because he will see how you honor God and live a pure life.  Don’t depend on things like fancy hairdos or gold jewelry or expensive clothes to make you look beautiful.  Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.

1 Peter 3:1-4

Satan frequently uses the beauty of a woman to lure men away from the path of righteousness.  It is a powerful attraction.  

But God says that the truly beautiful woman is the one who has a heart that is quiet and gentle.  It is not the way you look, but the way you live that makes you truly beautiful.  Which would you rather have, a beautiful bag full of garbage or priceless treasures wrapped in plain paper?  Only a fool would not choose the priceless treasures.

These verses clearly declare that a wife can win her husband to Jesus by being quiet and gentle.  When she lives as a faithful follower of the Lord, her husband will be drawn to know Jesus himself!

"Lord Jesus, thank You for the power of a truly beautiful woman who can bring people to You without saying a word!  May You be praised forever.  Amen." 

In the Boat with Jesus!

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That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the east side.”  So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along.  Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink. Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?”  Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm.  Jesus asked his disciples, “Why were you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?”   Now they were more afraid than ever and said to each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 4:35-41

Do you remember the song, "Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go?"  I suppose I used to think that going with Jesus was always the quiet and safe road.  That is certainly not true.  If you are with Jesus He may lead you right into the storm!  And in fact, walking with Jesus may be the most "dangerous" path of all!

If you are following Jesus there is no guarantee that He will save your life here on this earth, but He will "save your life" forever with Him in Heaven!  The successful life here below is not the man who lives the longest, but the one who listens to and follows the leading of the Holy Spirit for however long he is here.

The way to finish this life well is to obey Jesus today in every way you can.  And if you are blessed with another day tomorrow, you must do the same!

"Lord Jesus, help me today not to be frightened by the storms of this life.  I just want to be in the boat with You, Jesus as long as my life lasts on this earth.  May You be praised forever.  Amen."

Imagine That You Were Noah!

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When the Son of Man appears, things will be just as they were when Noah lived.  People were eating, drinking, and getting married right up to the day that the flood came and Noah went into the big boat.  They didn't know anything was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man appears.  Two men will be in the same field, but only one will be taken. The other will be left. Two women will be together grinding grain, but only one will be taken. The other will be left.  So be on your guard! You don’t know when your Lord will come. 

Matthew 24:37-42

Imagine that you were Noah.  The whole world around you had turned away from God and you were the only one left who desired to be faithful.  

If you were Noah, your heart must have been in serious pain as you knew for certain that God's judgment was coming on the world and no one was ready! 

One of the things I look forward to in Heaven is hearing the first hand account of  Noah.  I would like to hear him describe how he preached "righteousness" to a world that rejected all his attempts to call them back to God, yet he kept on preaching and kept on building the ark!

In a real sense followers of Jesus today are like Noah.  These verses say that "when the Son of Man appears, things will be just as they were when Noah lived."  There is no expectation in Scripture that everyone will turn to Jesus before He returns.  Many will be taken completely by surprise when Jesus comes, just like the time of the Flood!

"Lord Jesus, help me today to be faithful to You as Noah was when he warned the world around him and called them to righteousness and built the ark.  Give me the strength today to do the same.  May You, Jesus be praised forever.  Amen."

Sin Will Not Be An Option!

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The priests do their work each day, and they keep on offering sacrifices that can never take away sins.  But Christ offered himself as a sacrifice that is good forever. Now he is sitting at God’s right side, and he will stay there until his enemies are put under his power.   By his one sacrifice he has forever set free from sin the people he brings to God.
 
Hebrews 10:11-14

One of the best things about Heaven is the truth that we will be "forever set free from sin!"  As followers of Jesus here on this earth we are not under the power of sin and we are free to live without sinning, but sin is still an option on this earth! 

The Bible never says that in Heaven we will be tempted to sin as we are here on this earth.  Satan will not be roaming around Heaven looking for someone to trip up and cause them to sin! 

Every moment of the life of the most dedicated follower of Jesus here on this earth presents him or her with some way to sin!  It is the burden that Adam and Eve passed down to everyone who has ever lived.  The Sin Option will be gone for all of Eternity with Jesus!  That is a truly glorious and totally peaceful prospect! 

So as you wrestle with the temptations that lure your heart away from Jesus, never forget that they are temporary and will not plague you forever!  The possibility of sinning will be gone in Heaven!

"Lord Jesus, help me to stand strong against every attempt of the Enemy to draw me away from You on this earth.  I long for the day when the Sin Option will be gone from my life, forever!  Praise Your Holy Name.  Amen."

Jesus is the Doctor!

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God lives fully in Christ.  And you are fully grown because you belong to Christ, who is over every power and authority.  Christ has also taken away your selfish desires, just as circumcision removes flesh from the body.  And when you were baptized, it was the same as being buried with Christ. Then you were raised to life because you had faith in the power of God, who raised Christ from death.  You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God’s people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins.

God wiped out the charges that were against us for disobeying the Law of Moses. He took them away and nailed them to the cross.   There Christ defeated all powers and forces. He let the whole world see them being led away as prisoners when he celebrated his victory.

Colossians 2:9-15

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you need to know that you are not the reason your life is very different.  When you turned your heart over to Jesus He took away your selfish desires and grew you up to be mature in Him!  Since you are dead to the old life, Jesus told you to be buried with Him by Baptism.  And then you were raised with Him!

You are not responsible for the positive changes in your life.  Praises for a successful heart transplant are given to the surgeon not the patient!  You are the patient and Jesus is the doctor!  

"Lord Jesus, thank You for changing the hearts of all those who give themselves to You.  You, indeed are the Great Physician!  And may You, Jesus be praised forever.  Amen."

Is God Your Plan B?

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Only a fool would say,  “There is no God!”  People like that are worthless; they are heartless and cruel and never do right. From heaven the Lord looks down to see if anyone is wise enough to search for him.  But all of them are corrupt; no one does right. Won’t you evil people learn?  You refuse to pray, and you gobble down the Lord’s people.  But you will be frightened, because God is on the side of every good person. You may spoil the plans of the poor, but the Lord protects them.

Psalm 14:1-6

Are you foolish enough to believe that you can fight against God and win?  I suppose that is why there are so many people who claim to be atheists.  They say that God doesn't exist not because they see no evidence of God, but because an admission of God's reality brings with it the responsibility to obey Him.

Here is the problem.  If you say that God is real and yet you proceed to oppose Him in how you live your life, you are destined to lose!  The power of Almighty God is unstoppable.  The only way to "oppose" God and succeed is to pretend that He is not there at all!

Here is the problem.  Many people who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ live their lives as if God doesn't exist.  Or if He does, it is only as a backup insurance policy against catastrophic loss.  God for them is "Plan B" and not the main focus of their lives.

"Lord Jesus, I want You to be Plan A in my life not Plan B.  Help me today to make You the center of everything in my life.  May You be Praised forever!  Amen."