Abstract Expression - Relationship With My Abba

ABBA...
This time
It was fatigue.
I wondered into your throne room.
I wore a linen tunic,
My fro all over the place.
And there you sat
On your throne
As radiant as ever.
I sat between your feet
And pulled the hem of your robe around me.
Without a word
You reached down and stroked my hair
And I wept
Because there is no touch as kind as yours.
I told you everything
That my tired soul could remember
And I drifted off to sleep.

-G.E. Johnson

Teach Us How To Pray: "Your Kingdom Come" - Matthew 6:10

In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, Jesus (Yeshua) can be found ministering and teaching His disciples various principles regarding giving, fasting, the Father's care for His children, and many other things. One of the most notable portions of this scripture is His instruction to His disciples on prayer. It is prayer that opens the line of communication to the ears of the heavenly Father, a time of sweet communion in which we cast our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7) and also open ourselves to receive whatever it is that we are seeking from God's Holy Spirit.

In verse 9 of chapter 6, Jesus gives His disciples specific instructions on prayer saying, "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name...'" In the previous posts (click here to read OUR FATHER - WHO IS IN HEAVEN - HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME) we looked at the first complete phrase of verse 9 to learn more about the heavenly Father, where He has established His throne, and the sanctity of His name. Today we will examine the next phrase: "Your Kingdom come..." and discover more about God's holy Kingdom.

"Kingdom" - basileia - (Greek transliteration) - n. feminine (Thayer's Greek Lexicon)

1) Royal power; kingship; dominion; rule - Specifically, the royal power and dominion spoken of here is the power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah. (Matthew 28:18)

2) The territory subject to the rule of a king - In this definition kingdom takes on a more physical manifestation in that it refers to the land on earth where earthly kings reign. An example of this use of basileia can be found in Luke 11:17.

3) The Reign of the Messiah - This refers to the Kingdom founded by God through the Messiah over which the Messiah will preside, a Kingdom of heavenly or divine origin and nature. Thayer's Lexicon discusses this definition extensively (click here to read the discussion in its entirety), but I will quote what seemed to me to be the clearest explanation:

"The Jews were expecting a kingdom of the greatest felicity, which God through the Messiah would set up, raising the dead to life again and renovating earth and heaven; and in this kingdom they would bear sway for ever over all the nations of the world. This kingdom was called the kingdom of God or the kingdom of the Messiah; and in this sense must these terms be understood in the utterances of the Jews and of the disciples of Jesus when conversing with Him.

But Jesus employed the phrase kingdom of God or of heaven to indicate that perfect order of things which He was about to establish, in which all those of every nation who should believe in Him were to be gathered together into one society, dedicated and intimately united to God, and made eternal partakers of salvation. This kingdom is spoken of as now begun and actually present, inasmuch as its foundations have already been laid by Christ and its benefits realized among men/women that believe in him." (Thayer's Greek Lexicon)

So then when we pray, "Your Kingdom come," we are asking for the manifestation of the dominion of Jesus Christ on our behalf, we are asking for His dominion to impact our physical surroundings, and we are decreeing His return according to the foundation of our faith - His death, burial and resurrection as atonement for our sin. Please read Revelation 19:11-16. Amen.

**Have questions or comments? E-mail me at gejohnsonmedia@gmail.com or leave them in the comment section below. Discussion is welcome!**

When Earthly Bread Is Not Enough: Jesus As The Shepherd in Psalm 23 (Verse 1)

Preface

In January of 2014 I released my first Bible commentary "Discovering The Shepherd: A Study of Psalm 23." I knew then that one of my greatest passions was to acquaint believers and even non-believers with a deeper understanding of the Bible, the living Word of God. Below is chapter 1 of the commentary, part 2 of the discussion of verse 1. 

Read the discussion of Verse 1, Part 1 HERE

May God bless you with understanding and revelation power through His Holy Spirit as you read. Amen.

Psalm 23, Verse 1 (Pt. 2)
“The LORD is my shepherd…”

We are all familiar with the use of the possessive pronoun “my.” We use it daily to refer to the things that belong to us, the things that we possess and have ownership of. We also use it to establish a personal relationship or connection between ourselves and the object that we are referring to. David’s use of the word in Psalm 23 is very similar to this not in the sense that he is claiming to own the Lord, but rather he is establishing the existence of a personal connection and relationship between himself and the Lord.

We have already seen how the beginning of the verse establishes the Lord’s sovereignty over all of creation, but here David uses “my” to focus that sovereignty onto himself in a personal way. The image that flashed into my mind as I was writing this was of a pure, white light shining brightly across the entire sky and from that light, one ray of light extended down and engulfed David. This is how the connection should be for all of those who are believers in Jesus Christ, the flesh manifestation of Jehovah God. Though infinitely vast in His existence, Jehovah still desires to focus on us individually, to have a personal relationship with each of us. We too should be able to say boldly “The Lord is MY shepherd” and that even on an earth where billions of people live daily, Almighty God is available to me personally at all times.

So now that we see the absolute reign and eternal existence of God, and the fact that we are able to access Him on a very personal level, we come to David’s characterization of God’s role in His personal relationship with us – Shepherd. Though most believers are familiar with at least a few of the images of God illustrated in the Bible such as fortress, shield, and provider, David chooses to illustrate the loving presence of Jehovah in Psalm 23 as a shepherd. So why would he choose such a meager, even lowly title to bestow on One so vast and powerful? I believe a quick look at David’s past holds the answer.

Before King David ruled over Israel and wore the royal crown, and before he defeated armies to become known as a great warrior, he was himself a shepherd. He began his life tending the flocks of his father Jesse and it was literally in a field where the Prophet Samuel found him in order to anoint him for the life that God was calling him to. Surely the Lord knew everything about David, even before his birth, for as we see in His speaking to the Prophet Jeremiah, the Lord says “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart….” (Jeremiah 1:5) Because of the uniformity of God, and the fact that He remains forever the same (Hebrews 13:8), this same thing would have applied to David as well and applies to each of us as believers. He knew each of us before we were born!

God knew that David would tend to sheep as a young boy and He chose the image of Shepherd in order to reveal Himself to David in the most deeply personal way. Jehovah used David’s earthly knowledge of the life, work, and responsibility of a shepherd to give him spiritual understanding of God’s own existence, work, and responsibility in being the Shepherd over His own holy sheep. God deliberately used something that David was familiar with for this revelation so that David would have no trouble understanding. It also established for David that even before He was anointed by Samuel with his Godly purpose, God knew all about him and was by his side as he went about tending his earthly father’s sheep. Tending his father’s sheep… that reminds me of Jesus. No wonder David was a man after God’s own heart!

Now that we have examined David’s choice of characterization, we should take a closer look at the word “shepherd.” The use of “shepherd” found in the first verse of Psalm 23 comes from the Hebrew word ra’ah. The first, and possibly most fascinating fact to note about this word, is that though its translation in the English bible to “shepherd” would indicate that it is a noun, ra’ah is actually a verb! This means that “shepherd” is not just a word to describe or characterize Jehovah God; it is a word to illustrate what action He is taking in our lives!  Jehovah as “shepherd” means that He is actively engaged in the act of shepherding us at every moment. So, what does the act of shepherding entail?

“Shepherd” (biblical usage) – 1) to tend, feed ; 2) to associate with, be a special friend

1a)To Tend

Generally speaking, to tend to something or someone means to “care for and look after” that thing or person. It also means to “give special attention” to whatever we are tending. (dictionary.com) This means that as God is shepherding us, he is caring for us and looking after us. 1 Peter 5:6-7 confirms this when Peter writes, “Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” (Amplified)

But not only does God care for us and look after us watchfully, He also gives us special attention. This special attention is designed to meet our individual needs on a personal level. Though we are all human and do indeed have the same basic needs, we all certainly have different personalities, different emotional quirks and life issues. God knows each of us intimately, inside and out, from head to toe because He made us. Jesus confirms this in the Gospels by letting us know that He even knows the exact number of hairs on our head! (Luke 12:7) This is why David was able to boldly claim the Holy Shepherd as his very own by using the possessive “my.”

1b)To Feed

We are all aware that in a literal sense, all living things must eat in order to survive and certainly Jehovah God is concerned with whether or not we have food to eat.  He confirms this in Matthew 6:31-33 when Jesus says to His disciples to not worry or fret over what they would eat or drink because their heavenly Father was well aware of these needs in their lives. He instructed them instead to seek His Kingdom and righteousness and all other things that they needed would be given to them. In other words, it is important for us to make seeking a relationship with God our top priority while also allowing Him the opportunity to shepherd us. In that relationship is the provision of all things, including literal food!

But God is not just concerned with feeding our bellies. He is also concerned with the feeding of our spirit. In Matthew 4:4, Jesus says “…It has been written, Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Amplified) Since words coming forth from the mouth of God are not tangible objects, clearly he was not instructing us to literally eat the words from His mouth. Please do not bite your Bible! Instead, He is referring to studying the bible, praying, meditating, and any other act that puts you in communication with God in order to receive and digest His Word. In reference to the Word of God, John MacArthur says the Word is “a more important source of sustenance than food; it nurtures our spiritual needs in a way that benefits us eternally rather than merely providing temporary relief from physical hunger.” (Study Bible, NKJV)

2)To Associate With, Be a Special Friend

In this action of the shepherd, Jehovah’s close personal relationship with each believer, or each of His sheep, is reaffirmed. Not only does He tend to us without ceasing and provide nourishment for both our bodies and spirits, He also acts as a special friend. This hopefully helps close the gap that believers often perceive between themselves and God when relating to Him. Some see Him as being distant or sitting so high that He is unattainable when in fact, He is daily acting as a close, special friend in each of our lives. The next time you pray and seek God’s face, I encourage you to close your eyes and picture Him not hovering above you, but sitting right next to you. Draw Him close to you and communicate with Him in that intimate space.

RECAP & CONSIDER

Wow! What a lot of information there was to consider in just the first half of the first verse of Psalm 23. Please take time to soak and meditate in what you’ve already read so far. Though we covered a lot, keep in mind that there are layers upon layers of revelation hidden in the Word of God because God himself is infinite in His existence. I believe that as you read and continue to move forward through this examination of Psalm 23, the Holy Spirit will speak to you personally, adding more revelation and wisdom to your reading than I could possibly uncover in a lifetime of writing.

**Have questions or comments? E-mail me at gejohnsonmedia@gmail.com or leave them in the comment section below. Discussion is welcome!**

The Eternal Nature Of I AM: Psalm 23 (Verse 1)

Preface
In January of 2014 I released my first Bible commentary "Discovering The Shepherd: A Study of Psalm 23." I knew then that one of my greatest passions was to acquaint believers and even non-believers with a deeper understanding of the Bible, the living Word of God. Below is chapter 1 of the commentary, the beginning of the discussion of verse 1. May God bless you with understanding and revelation power through His Holy Spirit as you read. Amen.

Psalm 23, Verse 1

“The LORD is my shepherd…”

“This psalm is probably the best known passage of the OT. It is a testimony by David to the Lord’s faithfulness throughout his life. As a hymn of confidence, it pictures the Lord as a disciple’s Shepherd-King-Host. David… progressively unveils his personal relationship with the Lord.” (Footnote from The MacArthur Study Bible NKJV, 1997)

It is precisely with the same purpose as revealed by King David that God is calling his people to reacquaint themselves with the 23^rd Psalm – to unveil and gain a deeper understanding of our relationship to God, but more importantly His relationship to us. This Psalm is all about His vow and commitment to His sheep - those that belong to Him and hearken to the guiding voice of the Holy Spirit. It is a decree and a declaration spoken from the mouth of David in confidence, and even in warfare, against those who persecuted him under the power of evil influence. There are relationship promises and revelation regarding the nature of God’s relationship to his people hidden throughout each verse. Let’s begin with verse 1:

“The LORD is my shepherd…”

King David wastes no time in establishing who will be the subject of Psalm 23 – the Lord. Much like anything that is established by Holy Spirit, the Savior is placed first and properly positioned as the head of any proceeding thing. He is the banner that waves and guides us into the Psalm, then serves as the helm of the multi-compartmental vessel that is Psalm 23. I use the term “vessel” to describe the scripture because of its ability to hold and store the Truth and Mystery of the identity of God. It is multi-compartmental because of its ability to hold very distinct pockets of revelation, yet maintain the cohesion of one song or psalm.

The very first word alone – THE - unleashes a torrent of information for the believer engaging in a study of this verse. First, it eliminates any ambiguity regarding to whom King David is referring and establishes David’s faith in the solo God of Israel. This is important because there were numerous false gods being worshiped by the people at that time, several of which are still in existence today. David does not leave it for us to figure out or debate the deity to whom He is referring to in the Psalm. It is THE Lord – the one and only God professed by David and his kingdom.

Second, the use of any other article would have altered the reference to Lord in a way that could have subsequently rendered this scripture ineffective. Imagine reading “A Lord is my shepherd…” or “That Lord is my shepherd…” or even “My Lord is my shepherd….” One could easily insert a deity of their choice, creating a perverted version instead of the Holy version of the Word of God that was intended.

David could have said “The Lord of Israel is my shepherd…” if he had wanted to be super specific and not leave room for misinterpretation, but the fact that he didn’t can actually be seen as prophetic. Though the coming of Jesus would happen some nearly 1000 years after the beginning of David’s reign over all Israel, David’s choice of “the” as a solo modifier of “Lord” speaks to the coming Lord’s (Jesus) dominion over ALL people, not just Israel and its descendants. Indeed Jesus would come to die for both the Jews and Gentile people and be established as THE Lord over all people. (Romans 3:29-30)

Keeping in mind David’s attitude of confidence in writing this Psalm, his declaration that “THE Lord is my shepherd…” speaks boldly of God’s sovereignty and his eternal positioning as the one and only Lord. It also speaks to God’s authority and dominion over all creation – Jews, Gentiles, atheists, agnostics, animals, insects, mountains, valleys – ALL creation. He is THE ONE AND ONLY LORD. Take a moment to reflect on how much revelation is hidden in just the first word of this Psalm – a simple article! It is only the tip of the iceberg of the revelation of God hidden in this scripture.

“The LORD is my shepherd…”

After David identifies and establishes that THE Lord that he is referring to in Psalm 23 is the one and only ruler over all creation, he introduces us to the word/name used as the accepted embodiment of the nature of the Lord in the Hebrew language – YHWH, Yĕhovah, or Jehovah, also transcribed as Yehowah or Yahweh. What do I mean by “word/name used as the accepted embodiment of the nature of the Lord?” Why not just simply say “His name?” Well, I do not believe that any human word, phrase, or utterance is significant or holy enough to truly represent the deity of Almighty God. In fact, some members of the Jewish faith believe that even the word Yahweh is too holy to speak and do not do so even now in modern times.

The fact that we even have words like God, Jehovah, and Jesus to use when referring to the persons of the Holy Trinity is to me an indicator of God’s desire to commune and connect with us on levels that we are able to comprehend. It is evidence of His desire to be known by His people on a deeply personal level, in a language that we understand. It is evidence of His love for us and grace toward us in allowing Himself to be labeled with “names” that we can easily understand and use in order to call upon and access His omnipotence, the vastness of which is far beyond human language.

Because this text is being written in English and because the English language is so heavily influenced by Latin, I will use the Latin translation of YHWH - “Jehovah”- for the purpose of this text.

Jehovah - "the existing One"; the proper name of the one true God.” (Gesenius’ Lexicon)

“The Existing One”

It is important to note the –ing ending on the verb “exist” in this description of Jehovah. We see this ending used frequently in the English language and use it ourselves daily, but let’s look at it a little closer to help us understand its significance here. The ending –ing is used to make the present participle tense of a verb. In the present participle tense, the verb refers to things that are ongoing or still happening.

The use of the present participle in describing Jehovah as “existing” literally means that He is in an ongoing state of existence. There is no point at which He did not or will not exist because He is in an unending state of existing. Yes, He is indeed eternal! God Himself confirms this when speaking to Moses in Exodus 3:14 when He instructs Moses to say that he (Moses) is being sent to free the people of Israel by “I AM.” In the original Hebrew text of the Torah, “I AM” is the word hayah meaning “to exist; to be in existence.” It is also important to note the present tense of the word “am”, proof again that God is always, and has always been, in a present state of existence. Let’s clarify something here: In Exodus 3 we become acquainted with another Hebrew term Elohim, the word for “God” not to be confused with Yĕhovah (Jehovah), the word for the name of God in the Old Testament. To clarify further, Elohim means “God” and Elohim’s name here is Yĕhovah (Jehovah).

This revelation of the eternal existence of Jehovah leads us perfectly to the “is” in “The LORD is my shepherd….” God, through David, lets us know that He (Jehovah) is ever present in our lives. The one and only ruler of all creation who has always been in existence IS currently and presently right here with us! Take a moment to let that sink in. The very one who spoke the words “Let there be” is right there with you right now. The very one who guided Moses in leading the Israelites out of bondage is right there with you right now. A power that has always existed and will always exist is available to you as a believer through Jesus Christ who is I AM made flesh! I AM is with you right now and will be there forever!

**Have questions or comments? E-mail me at gejohnsonmedia@gmail.com or leave them in the comment section below. Discussion is welcome!**

Christian Common Sense: 21 Knowledge Keys To Start Improving Your Life Today (Final, Part 3)

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." -Hosea 4:6

In the past few weeks when speaking to me, God has placed extra emphasis on obtaining wisdom, not just for myself and my own life, but to share with those who have an ear to listen and a heart to come closer to Him. The Holy Spirit began to talk to me about some common things that we as believers can work on immediately to bring us into greater communion with the Lord & into greater cooperation with our sisters and brothers in Christ. He gave me a total of 21 all together and the part 1 post covered the first 5. Post 2 covered the next 8. These are the final 8.

Key 14

The blessings of the Lord will chase you down and overtake you, but that does not mean that you do nothing and wait to be overtaken. If blessings have to chase you down, that means you are already in motion toward the faith objective. At the same time, do not think your momentum will be increased by doing many things in the natural. With God, most of your work is done in the spirit realm. (Scripture Reference - Psalm 23:6)

Key 15

Do not allow worldly voices to convince you to conform to worldly systems when God has called you to be set apart and operate according to Heavenly systems. Worldly people will not understand the instructions of God. When they are busy hustling and bustling, He may call you to rest and spend your time in worship. When they are at rest and at play, He may awaken you to diligently work. Stand strong in what God has instructed you to do and watch your promises manifest. (Scripture Reference - Romans 12:2)

Key 16

If you ask God for a miracle, be prepared to become a public spectacle. God wants His Glory in the public light for the sinful world to behold. (Scripture Reference - Matthew 5:14-16)

Key 17

The power of God works in the natural as well as the supernatural. Sometimes the answer to the question burning in your heart is not hidden in the mysteries of the deep. You may find the answer attached to something or someone that you can literally reach out and touch. (Scripture Reference - Genesis 1:1) 

Key 18

Do not spend time arguing the Word of God with sinners. Without faith, they will not possess the spiritual ability to understand it. Offer them the love of Jesus followed by the way to salvation and by all means answer sincere questions. Just be sure to avoid contentious conversation and attempts to bait you into argument. (Scripture Reference - Matthew 7:6)


Key 19
If someone offends you in their actions, consider the intent of their heart before giving way to anger. Oftentimes an offense is more about the perception of the one who is offended than the actual intent of the offender. However, if you find the offense to be intentional, guard your heart from future interactions. (Scripture Reference - Proverbs 19:11)


Key 20
Guard your spirit from "second place" syndrome. This happens when the enemy tries to convince you that every one around you is always blessed before you. It can be frustrating to continue waiting while blessings are flowing all around you to other people, but there is no extra prize in being the first to receive. Your blessing will still be as bountiful as God promised when you receive it! If it helps, remember that some of the greats of the Bible were in "second place" - Isaac. Esther. Boaz. (Scripture Reference - Leviticus 26:4)


Key 21
The enemy rarely ever shows up looking like an enemy. Don't think He will always show up with guns blazing, ready to take you out in that moment. A lot of times He will hide among friends or loved ones, waiting for your weak moments to strike. Listen carefully to the people around you. Are they in agreement with what God has spoken over your life or are they speaking against it? Remember, Peter was rebuked several times by Jesus for speaking against the will of God and Jesus considered him a good friend! (Scripture Reference - Matthew 12:30)

Did any of these resonate with you? Leave a comment below and tell me your thoughts. Feel free to share the post if you feel like it could help someone. God bless you in your Christian journey!

Christian Common Sense: 21 Knowledge Keys To Start Improving Your Life Today (Part 2)

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." -Hosea 4:6

In the past few weeks when speaking to me, God has placed extra emphasis on obtaining wisdom, not just for myself and my own life, but to share with those who have an ear to listen and a heart to come closer to Him. The Holy Spirit began to talk to me about some common things that we as believers can work on immediately to bring us into greater communion with the Lord & into greater cooperation with our sisters and brothers in Christ. He gave me a total of 21 all together and the part 1 post covered the first 5. Below are the next 8 keys.

Key 6

Receiving the promises of God will require that your faith be tested first, usually through God calling for a spiritual sacrifice. A great example of this is found in the story of Abraham and Isaac. Note that the sacrifice God called for in that situation was not something that was harmful or hurtful to Abraham's person. Nor did God require something that Abraham would have been eager to give up.  He asked for a good thing that He himself had blessed Abraham with and that Abraham was entitled to have. (Scripture Reference - Genesis 22)

Key 7

Don't fear going into personal spiritual battles alone in the natural realm. (without other people on your side) Sometimes God will ordain the fight against your enemies to be just you and Him, along with the heavenly host of war angels assigned to your life. In most cases, this is to avoid having human beings take any credit for your victory. God wants 100% of the Glory as your deliverer! (Scripture Reference - 1 Samuel 17:40-47)

Key 8

There is no big mystery in finding your Godly purpose. As believers in Jesus Christ, we all have the same one: to be a reflection of Him in the earth. How He uses you to accomplish that purpose is based on your unique spiritual and natural gifts & life experiences. (Scripture Reference - 1 Peter 2:9)

Key 9

Jesus is less concerned with your denomination and is more concerned with your demonstration. As a believer, are you sharing the love of Christ with the world through your life? (Scripture Reference - 1 Corinthians 12:12-13)

Key 10

Do not let anyone discourage you from pursuing abundance through God! God's will is that all His children would live a life of abundance - fully supplied with the things that we need and with the desires of our hearts when we delight in Him. Learn to be content in transitioning times, but always hope and exercise your faith for what God has promised in His Word. (Scripture Reference - John 10:10; Psalm 37:4)


Key 11
When sharing or teaching Bible wisdom, do so with gentleness and love. Teaching through accusation or condemnation will turn away the ears of the people who need to hear what you have to say the most. It is good to pray that you decrease and God increase in every situation where you are delivering His Word or wisdom. (Scripture Reference - Galatians 6:1 *the Amplified version of this verse explains it perfectly)


Key 12
You do not have to participate in every debate or get involved in every conflict that comes your way. Don't take the bait! Beware of contentious spirits that seek to disturb your peace and save your energy for warfare that matters. Sometimes silence is the most forceful thing that you can "say!" (Scripture Reference - Proverbs 15:18)


Key 13
It becomes easier to forgive spiteful people when you remember that your battle is not against them, but the spirit at work through them. They are being used to hurt you by the evil at work in their lives and when you move beyond the initial emotional reaction to the offense, you will realize that they are victims in the situation. You are free to move forward while they are bound by bitterness and anger. (Scripture Reference - Ephesians 6:12)

Did any of these resonate with you? Leave a comment below and tell me your thoughts. Feel free to share the post if you feel like it could help someone. The final 8 are posted HERE.

Christian Common Sense: 21 Knowledge Keys To Start Improving Your Life Today (Part 1)

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." -Hosea 4:6

In the past few weeks when speaking to me, God has placed extra emphasis on obtaining wisdom, not just for myself and my own life, but to share with those who have an ear to listen and a heart to come closer to Him. The Holy Spirit began to talk to me about some common things that we as believers can work on immediately to bring us into greater communion with the Lord & into greater cooperation with our sisters and brothers in Christ. He gave me a total of 21 all together, but I will be splitting them up to make it easier for discussion. Below are the first 5.

Key 1

Practicing a spirit of excellence where you are right now will help qualify you for your next level. Don’t wait until you have better to do better.  (Scripture Reference - Colossians 3: 23-24)

Key 2

Your height (or depth) in God is most accurately measured by the sweetness of your spirit in service. This is not to be confused with the sweetness of your actions. Acts of kindness can come from a self-serving place, but sweetness of spirit is seen in how you treat people when there’s nothing for you to gain from them.  (Scripture Reference – Matthew 25: 34–45)

Key 3

Having God in your life does not stop the world from trying to corrupt your spirit with lies about who you are and what you're worth. Having God gives you the source of divine truth about who you really are – beloved, worthy, and beautiful.  (Scripture Reference – Psalm 139: 13–15)

Key 4

Get familiar with the “slingshot method” of acceleration in God. Sometimes you must be “pulled back” in order to have the speed and momentum you need to slay the giant blocking your way forward. If you are praying for deliverance and obeying God’s instructions, do not be discouraged with what appears to be setbacks. That could be God pulling you back to be launched forward!  (Scripture Reference – Hosea 2: 14–15)

Key 5

There is a difference between judgment and correction. The biblical act of judgment is to pass down a permanent sentence on a person’s sins, condemning them to always suffer from whatever is plaguing their spirit. (e.g. “You’ll never change!”) Only God has the right to condemn a person for eternity. However, those who are spiritual (i.e. knowledgeable about and equipped to rebuke evil spirits) are allowed, and actually instructed, to correct each other with LOVE if we witness each other engaging in sinful behavior. (Scripture Reference – Matthew 7: 1–3; Galatians 6: 1)

Did any of these resonate with you? Leave a comment below and tell me your thoughts. Feel free to share the post if you feel like it could help someone. The next 8 keys are available HERE.