No weapon formed against you shall prosper.  Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)  Have you ever had a weapon formed against you? If you’ve ever decided to go to a new level with God, chances are one has come against you in some way. “Formed” in today’s verse indicates someone created it intentionally, not accidentally.   What do those weapons look like? It might be a spiritual attack, a physical affliction or an assault against your mind. It could be a group of people or an individual. It might be gossip about your business or a barrage of lies from jealous co-workers coming against you.   Years ago, I remember talking with friends who had just made specific pledges toward God’s Kingdom. Shortly after they made their commitments, they came under …

For as these qualities are yours and are increasing [in you as you grow toward spiritual maturity], they will keep you from being useless and unproductive in regard to the true knowledge and greater understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ.  2 Peter 1:8 (AMP)  Have you wanted to mature in your faith but aren’t sure how? The best way to grow up spiritually is to stay in God’s Word. And growth and maturity come with all kinds of benefits!   Mature believers often carry wisdom and discernment and aren’t easily led astray by religious ideas. I’ve occasionally had people tell me, “I don’t see God’s anointing flowing enough in the church. People aren’t falling in the aisles or speaking in tongues.” I understand some believers adhere …

So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. 2 Peter 1:5–7 (MSG)  Would you say your relationship with God is stagnant or consistently growing? Nobody likes an area of their life to plateau or become worse. God designed us to grow and improve consistently, and He wants the same for our relationship with Him. How do we do this?   One way to keep growing spiritually is to develop a habit of meditating on His Word. Not only does spending quiet time with the Word work to renew your heart and mind, it also stirs …

But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.  Psalm 1:2 (NLT)  While it doesn’t always come naturally or easily for everyone, one of the main ways we grow from baby Christians into mature believers is by meditating on God’s Word. That’s why I’m surprised to meet believers who have no desire for it, because growing in the Word is so incredibly life-changing.   Psalm 1:1-3 even ties blessings and benefits to those who desire to get into the Word. So how do we develop a passion for it?   In Psalm 119:103 (NLT), David said, “How sweet your words taste to me.” He spoke the Word and spent time chewing on it. And the more he reflected on God’s goodness, faithfulness …

They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.  Psalm 1:3 (NLT)  Have you heard of Murphy’s Law? The premise of it is, “If anything can go wrong, it will.” As amusing as it sounds, it’s a pessimistic idea that can get into your heart and begin to affect your beliefs. Maybe you hang around certain people who subscribe to this view or you have started to accept it yourself.   Years ago, I had to deal with one of those Murphy’s Law beliefs that began to affect me. It was, “Things are going good, so something bad has to happen.” Whenever things in my life were going smoothly, I found myself anxiously …