It’s a privilege to bring your concerns, even your innermost secrets, to God—furthermore, you can tell Him stuff that’s hard to admit to yourself. It’s comforting to be able to confide in the omniscient One. So, be honest; bare your soul; lay it all out; your vulnerabilities are safe with God; after all—it’ll just be between you and Him.

One of the reasons I love talking to God is I don’t have to overly explain myself; He won’t misconstrue what I mean—He knows my intentions without me uttering a single explanation; He interprets silence and pinpoints the origin of my tears, then puts them into a bottle (see Psalm 56:8).

He’s always available; appointment isn’t necessary—walk-ins are welcomed. No preparation is needed; come as you are—it’ll just be between you and God.

Yeah, you can trust Him!

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. ² You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.³ You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. ⁴ You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord (Psalm 139:1-4, NLT).

© 2022     

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

Does your faith have an expiration date of when doubt and unbelief will take over? Faith must undergo a battery of stress tests when you walk with God; it’s part of the course for you to run long laps—huffing and puffing. Therefore, if God inserted what you’re waiting for in your heart—keep running; it shall come to pass. In the meantime, praise and thank Him for what’s to come.

But me, I’m not giving up. I’m sticking around to see what God will do. I’m waiting for God to make things right. I’m counting on God to listen to me (Micah 7:7, MSG).

Nonetheless, we know it’s not easy to wait; even the disciples who witnessed Jesus performing miracles had doubting faith. So how do we achieve believability in God’s will for our lives when circumstances differ? The answer to that question is how serious we are about wanting steadfast faith. Are we willing to do what profound faith requires?

1. The more one-on-one time we spend with God, the more we learn about Him—forming a love relationship. Our faith develops further as we endure hardship and depend on Him to carry us through. We begin to confidently recognize God’s voice as we listen to, talk to, and obey His instructions throughout the day. Over time, trust solidifies, and faith grows.
2. Great faith doesn’t mean we are devoid of fear; on the contrary, strong faith believes what God whispers in our spirit despite the enemy’s screaming, ear-piercing lies.

Use your faith to believe God’s grace is sufficient (see 2 Corinthians 12:9) and that you have the help of the Holy Spirit to guide you through anything (see John 14:26).

Though it tarries, we are not alone as we wait.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry ( Habakkuk 2:3).

© 2022     

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

We often define evildoer with broad strokes: murderer, adulterer, kidnapper, extortioner, liar, and so on. But what about the subtle ills we unconsciously or consciously do to one another that don’t make the headlines—the small foxes that slither devastation into a person’s life? We can’t weigh the magnitude of sin on scales like vegetables in a supermarket; it doesn’t matter if it’s explicit, understated, or muted—it’s all evil in God’s sight.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness (Matthew 23:27).

The evildoer’s spirit is conniving as it slithers into vulnerable situations. For example, the world is split on many issues, and it’s okay to have differences of opinion; however, what’s not alright is how we dehumanize one another in the process of disagreeing. This dehumanization plays right into the devil’s hands. And we, as believers in Christ, must not be one of the characters in his plot to spread evil.

We’ve all watched movies and applauded when evildoers were finally captured; it’s part of our human nature to want to see justice served. But what if we’re the wrongdoer—do we still wish justice served? We’re often unaware of the evil we spurt onto others.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; ²⁴ And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24, NKJV).

Anyone of us can be susceptible to this scheming spirit. Therefore, we must remain watchful for any signs of it influencing our hearts; we must stay prayerful and keep our minds on God’s righteous ways of doing things. And as impossible as it may sound, the best way to protect our hearts is to love one another.

Of course, that’s not always easy, but we can’t take the devil’s bait and say that’s impossible; God wouldn’t tell us to love everybody if it were impossible. So if you are having problems loving, ask for the Holy Spirit’s help, then do whatever He says.

In John 14:15, Jesus tells us if we love Him, we’ll keep His commandments. 1 John 4:20 says if a man says he loves God and hates his brother, he is a liar.

Will those Scriptures justify our explanation to mistreat and hate others?

So when the enemy uses people to spread division, injustice, bigotry, and other forms of hatred, by faith and our allegiance to our heavenly Father, hold up: LOVE.

Stay vigilant—the evildoer is slithering by.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8)

© 2022      

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

How sincere is a believer’s allegiance to God if they reject His Word whenever it infringes upon their ideologies? Surely, they can’t expect to flourish when they cherry-pick the Truth.

Today, the world is bombarded with heated controversial issues that test our commitment to serving the Lord. It makes me wonder if He allows these intense disputes for our enlightenment; we need to know how strong our loyalty is to the truth of His Word when under pressure. For example, do you stand or fold when God said you are to love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who mistreat you? (See Luke 6:27-28.)

The Bible addresses how we should handle conflicts and indifferences. Our tactic should come from love and unity, not hatred and division. Beware of people who use religious terminology, yet the content of their message promotes discord. We must read the Word and study how Jesus confronted conflicts.

Jesus included—not excluded.

• When the Jewish leaders and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus, Jesus told them—he, without sin, cast the first stone. (See John 8:1-9.)
• Lepers were considered outcasts in Jesus’ day, but when a man with leprosy came to Him, He saw him as a human being needing to be healed. (See Matthew 8:1-4.)
• Tax collectors were despised, so when Jesus went to Levi’s house to dine, people didn’t understand. (See Mark 2:13-17).
• In Jesus’ day, Jews avoided Samaritans (like we shun those unlike us today). But Jesus didn’t ignore the Samaritan woman at the well. Instead, he talked to her and used her cup to drink. (See John 4:1-29.)
• When Jesus was on the cross, He asked His Father to forgive the people because they didn’t know what they were doing. (See Luke 23:34.)

Jesus’ stance was about love and compassion. He condemned the sin—not the sinner. We are to imitate Him. If we take any other approach, we are rejecting the TRUTH.

If anyone separates from me, he is thrown away like a useless branch, withers, and is gathered into a pile with all the others and burned (John 15:6, TLB).

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (See John 14:15.)

© 2022      

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

Staunch believers know to abide under the shadow of the Almighty; when His shadow moves, they move; when His shadow stops, they stop and remain under His sovereignty. But why do they trail the Shadow so closely? They follow God for various reasons; however, one is found in the beginning verses of Psalm 91.

The secret place!

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. ² I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

We are comforted by the divine protections in Psalm 91. But unfortunately, many overlook those blessings are contingent upon fulfilling the conditions of the first two verses. Although satisfying the psalm’s terms doesn’t mean we’ll be free from tribulations because troubling woes (like it or not) help grow our faith and mature us spiritually.

Nevertheless, when we adhere to those stipulations, we have an advantage over nonbelievers; we have God’s grace and mercy to guide and carry us through the persecutions we encounter. So, let’s take a closer look at those vital passages.

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Colloquially, dwelling in the secret place means hanging out with God. To dwell doesn’t mean to make short-pop visits only in times of need. Instead, people who have a close intimate relationship with God meet with Him one-on-one, face-to-face throughout the day.

Dwellers are not visitors.

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 

Our dependency upon God defines the strength of our faith; we are sheltered by a power no one on earth or in hell can come against. When we hang out with God, we get to know Him, and experiential revelation of His faithfulness brings unconditional love and trust; we aim to please Him in all our ways.

In closing:

Memorization doesn’t take the place of internalization.

Memorizing scriptures doesn’t mean you know them; you must digest them into your spirit and base your life upon them. If you need further enlightenment, ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom on making His Word applicable in your life. Then meditate on what He says until it internalizes in your being, no matter how long it takes—it’s worth the time to get it right.

Finally, remember to stay under the shadow of the Almighty 24/7; there’s no better place.

Psalm 91:

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

² I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

³ Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

⁴ He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

⁵ Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

⁶ Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

⁷ A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

⁸ Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

¹⁰ There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

¹¹ For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

¹² They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

¹³ Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

¹⁴ Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

¹⁵ He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

 © 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

For our span in history, we have entered a new era on the spiritual timeline where the world’s wickedness has accelerated and intensified. But nothing is new; evil has been a part of us since the days of Adam and Eve. However, things just got real for us; with cell phones and social media outlets, it’s as if God unzipped the earth, revealing our egregious acts.

 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known

(Luke 12:2).

Do you like what you see?

Of course, multiple deeds of kindheartedness are taking place too, but much of which are overshadowed by hatred and malicious undertakings we see on the world stage. The disregard for humankind, the insatiable need for power and money, the flagrant lies, and the manipulation of God’s Word to justify selfish wants are unashamedly blatant. Do we like what we see? God is exposing it all.

Unzipped and exposed!

God is speaking to everyone; no one will miss His clarion call. The only time we have to right our wrongs is before our LORD”s unannounced return or our personal transitions from the earth—whichever comes first seals the deal.

Nonetheless, one would think that all the trauma we’ve been through over the last few years would have joined us on a common thread, but unfortunately, far too often, these situations have torn us apart, bringing out our ugliest instincts.

The end of our age is approaching, and God wants us to see who we are while there’s still time to make changes.

There’s no hiding place for sin—God has unzipped earth.

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

  © 2022     

Of course, we wouldn’t think about leaving our homes unprotected for thieves to help themselves; we buy sophisticated gimmicks to safeguard our belongings and keep loved ones from harm. But as believers in Christ, do we put that same concentrated effort into barricading our peace of mind? Peace is our strength, making it one of Satan’s must-haves.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).

When centered in Christ, we are surrounded by a heavenly host.

Today the world is overrun with ways to cause us anxiety; unfortunately, many of us attribute our loss of peace to people when it’s really Satan working behind the scenes. However, once we receive the revelation of his tactics, we begin to have a different perspective and direct our prayers accordingly.

We can’t afford to have a casual mindset that worry is just a part of life that we must endure. Perhaps that might be true for unbelievers, but our Lord gave us the peace of God that passes the knowledge of human understanding.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

But how can we safeguard this precious gift? First, we secure it by knowing its intrinsic value. And secondly, by faith, stay within the realm of safety; turn away from gossip, faultfinding, judgmental spirits, and other ensnaring strategies of the enemy.

Barricade your peace:

• Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. (Psalm 34:14)
• Treat people the way you want to be treated; what goes around comes around. (Luke 6:31-36; Galatians 6:7)
• When angry, sin not. (Ephesians 4:26)
• Forgive others. (Matthew 6:14)
• Expect all things to work together for the good of those who love God. (Romans 8:28)
• Let the peace of God rule your heart. (Colossians 3:15)
• Storing heavenly treasures is a far better investment than accumulating earthly goods. (Matthew 6:19)
• Monitor your thoughts. (Philippians 4:8)
• Keep God your number one priority. (Matthew 6:33)
• Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and soul. (Mark 12:30)

When we feel agitated or worried about anything, we must check our barricade to see if we left an opening for Satan to slitter through.

Jesus gave us His peace; however, it’s our responsibility to protect it from the enemy!

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

Surely, God can exceed abundantly above all we can ask or think; however, the question is, does our lifestyle meet the requirements to receive all He can do?

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, (Ephesians 3:20)

Our hands are extended, but are we prepared to receive?

That familiar Scripture in Ephesians is favored, but the last part is essential and often overlooked: according to the power that worketh in us. There’s no doubt that God’s unlimited power is able to exceed our expectations, but do we have the spiritual maturity, the “stuff” to bring about that level of manifestation?

For the Ephesians, the apostle Paul prayed that they would be strengthened with spiritual power and that Christ would dwell in them as they are rooted in love. (See Ephesians 3 for Paul’s full prayer.) That same prayer should be our focus today.

Questions to ponder:

• Do we put God first in our lives?
• Do we love Him more than our prayer requests?
• Do we seek Him daily for no other reason but to be in His presence?
• Does Christ dwell in our hearts?
• Is our top priority to learn and grow spiritually in God?
• Is our aim to please Him?

We might have legitimate circumstances that we need God to address, but He wants us to want Him for Who He is.

Surely, God is able to do far more than we can ever imagine; but have we met the spiritual conditions to receive all He can do?

Surely He’s Able!

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

A thief wouldn’t break into a house to steal merchandise he knows isn’t there. So the next time the devil attacks your mind with lies about inadequacies, insufficiencies, and other flaws, remember his strategy is to make you think you don’t possess what he’s after.

The thief knows you got the GOODS!

A thief in the natural world dismantles the security system leaving the structure vulnerable to his invasion. The same stands in the realm of darkness; the enemy comes to implant seeds of doubt to obstruct our confidence in God’s Word, resulting in him controlling our thoughts and actions. When the devil can exchange our faith for his fears, we are more likely to fall for his lies when he says things like:

• You can’t do anything right.
• You’re crazy.
• You’re stupid.
• You’re worthless.

The thief comes to weaken our faith’s immune system.

That negativity isn’t from God; the Lord builds us up; He doesn’t tear us down. Discouraging thoughts like those are confidence stealers; it weakens our faith’s immune system to ward off disbelief. God needs His people to immediately cast down the devil’s lies and walk in faith.

We are everything the devil tells us we’re not.

We can use the enemy’s lies to work against him and, at the same time, build our confidence—by knowing the thief only comes for what’s in our possession. Therefore, walk in boldness:

• We are the workmanship of God. (Ephesians 2:10)
• We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13)
• We have been made righteous through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• We are loved by God. (John 3:16)
• and so on. . .

What could the thief be stealing that you didn’t realize you had?

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

Will a God of love discipline His children when they disobey?

Yes—of course, and thank goodness He does. By in large, people are prideful, lustful, corruptible, and the list goes on. When ungodly characteristics shape behavior, our heavenly Father will do what needs to be done to make His point.

Would you rather face God’s firm discipline, Who loves you, or be destroyed by the devil, who hates you?

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth  

 (Hebrews 12:6, KJV).

Tough love: experience is a powerful teacher.

I know the thought that a loving God will allow or cause hardship to discipline His children is controversial. But look at it as tough love. Allowing believers to experience the consequences of their sinful choices is a good deterrent when temptation comes knocking again.

I’m not saying all hardship results from disobedience; some adversities come basically to strengthen and test our faith. Those examinations are crucial for assessing faith development. But, on the other hand, when blatant, willful sin is the cause for our rebellion, our Father has no problem chastening us.

For instance, when the Israelites turned away from God and started worshiping other gods and idols, He allowed their enemy, the Babylonians, to enslave them for seventy years. After they repented, they were released, and God punished the Babylonians for their mistreatment. This is just one example of how our Lord uses our adversaries’ evilness to discipline. (See the book of Ezekiel.)

The best weapon against the devil is to be a broken, submissive vessel for God.

Contrary to the devil’s plans to keep us bound and convicted with guilt, God is forgiving, and His mercy offers ample chances for repentance. Therefore, there’s no condemnation for those in Christ (see Romans 8:1) because our Redeemer sacrificed His life and paid our sin bill on the Cross.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5, KJV).

When corrections come, submit and say:

Lord, even though my flesh will have a SCREAMING FIT—discipline me!

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him (Job13:15).

 

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

I don’t watch television without having the remote control close at hand so I can mute it as I please. So likewise, we believers in Christ can mute the nerve-shattering roars of the devil by putting our faith in the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who resides within us (see John 14:16-17). Even though we can’t stop these frightening growls, it’s good to know there’s a safe, effective way to have them muted.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (1John 4:4).

The roar is worse than the bite.

The enemy has meticulously studied our vulnerabilities; he knows more about our frailties than we do. Like a maestro conducting a symphony, he knows the opportune time to strike the perfect pitch of resounding roars of worry.

The more we focus on problematic legal issues, failing health, broken families, rebellious children, and other dire circumstances, the louder the roars. Unfortunately, the world’s remedies for quieting the noise are more harmful than the roars.

If you despise the roars, personalize your relationship with the Holy Spirit—get to know Him Intimately!

Why should believers worry about roars when the Holy Spirit resides in them?

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

 

Whatever our earthly assignment is, it has something to do with us interacting with people. Imagine leaving this world and finding out that we had only one job to do in addition to loving and serving the Lord, and that was: to love one another—Period!

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31, NLV)

Think about how different the world would be if more of us understood God unequivocally meant what He said, that we are to love each other, including those we discredit for whatsoever reason. Of course, anybody can love those good to them, but we are commanded to love our enemies and do good to them without expecting anything in return (see Luke 6:32-35).

We don’t have to wonder how Jesus would handle the humanitarian issues of today because they were the same in His day. The only difference is that Jesus didn’t discriminate like many of us; He didn’t use His authority to victimize; He used His time on earth to humbly serve all humankind; He saw all humans as precious souls. Do we?

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:12 that whatever we want others to do for us, do the same for them. However, many people today point fingers with the attitude that they are above reproach.

That type of arrogancy is toying with self-destruction. Therefore, before we offer any judgmental opinions, it would be wise to filter them through that verse in Matthew. Is this how I would want to be treated in their situation?

The script could flip!

Suppose the script flipped, and we had to walk in the shoes of those we judged, mocked, and criticized. Would we have a change of heart? Perhaps then we would learn a valuable life lesson about—Love.

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap

(Galatians 6:7, ESV).

© 2022     

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

We pray; then, we tend to give God instructions on answering our requests; those step-by-step directions reveal we don’t have the faith to leave everything in His royal hands. We often forget that our omniscient Lord knows more about our appeals than we ever could. He dealt with the matter long before there was an issue to address. His reasoning for doing what He does reaches far beyond our understanding. So tell me, how can our finite brains advise a sovereign God?

Genuine faith gives no instructions.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. ⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Do we trust God’s ways, or do we just want His power to execute our plans?

Yes, we believe God knows best but is that what we want, or do we just want Him to execute our best-laid plans? Do we trust His ways will satisfy our desires?

However, when we truly understand how much God loves us, His desires become our desires which loosens our tight grip on trying to control everything. And when we love Him in return, everything works together for our good (see Romans 8:28). So the sooner we trade our instructions in for His ways, the sooner God can get to work on our behalf.

Think about these questions:

• Did God need Noah’s advice on building the ark?
• Did God ask Moses for instructions on parting the Red Sea?
• Did God take lessons from Elijah on stopping the rain?

Of course not, and like so, God doesn’t need any instructions from us on starting our businesses, shielding us from evil plots, healing our bodies, saving our children, or any other circumstances we face. The truth of the matter is:

God doesn’t need any instructions—about anything.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

God is sending us some undeniable warnings of things to come. Ignoring the current ominous happenings that were foretold in biblical prophecy by sticking our heads in the sand won’t make it not so; this fuse was lit back in Garden of Eden, and now we’re in the path of its fiery blaze.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1, NIV)

Everything we’re witnessing was prophesied thousands of years ago.

We are characters who have been placed in this real-life drama. For those in Christ, there’s nothing to fear as each act unfolds. As a matter of fact, if we view what’s going on as God revealing His sovereignty right before our eyes, then these times are pretty exciting.

But the body of Christ has work to do in the vineyard (see Luke 10:1-2). And we can’t be effective witnesses if we bury ourselves and do not face what’s going on from a spiritual perspective. We are to cry loudly and alert others to prepare for Jesus’ return.

Right in plain sight!

On a particular day, Jesus went to the synagogue, opened the book of Isaiah, found Himself in Scripture, read it, then closed the book, and sat down (see Luke 4:16-20).

God revealed His long-range plan to prophets like Ezekiel; therefore, like Jesus, we should open the Scriptures and find our place.

The night is far gone, the day of his return will soon be here (Romans 13:12a, LAB).

 

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

With all the different beliefs in the world, coming to a consensus about anything is highly unlikely. Yet, one undisputed unanimous action will take place in the end: every knee will bow, every tongue will confess—Jesus Christ is LORD.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰ That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹ And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).

The Great Commission

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He commanded His disciples to go out and spread the gospel; today’s Christians are mandated to do likewise. (See Matthew 28:16-20.) The way things are going in today’s world, this is not the hour for believers to hide their light under a bushel; if they don’t step up now, then—when?

I genuinely believe the Holy Spirit has assigned each Christian specific people to witness to; they could be in their families, on their jobs, a stranger in a grocery-store line, or across the seas. They might accept the gospel or not; nevertheless, it won’t change the fact that every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess:

Jesus Christ is LORD!

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come (Matthew 24:14).

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

Pain in our bodies is not without a cause; it’s a signal from the nervous system that something is wrong. The same is true for our dear planet earth; it’s receiving electrified surges of pain that translate worldwide as something is wrong. We can ignore all this distress, but things will only worsen if we do. You see, because of our wrongdoings: turning our backs on God and mistreating one another is why the earth is in such pain.

The land suffers for the sins of its people. The earth languishes, the crops wither, the skies refuse their rain, The land is defiled by crime; the people have twisted the laws of God and broken his everlasting commands (Isaiah 24:4-5, LAB).

How we treat people reflects our love for God; our love for God reflects how we treat people.

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (1 John 4:20)

When Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment? He replied, Love the Lord with all your heart and soul. And the second is to love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:34-40)

Instead of hundreds and hundreds of commands that we must adhere to—we only have two. Jesus said everything—hangs on those two conditions.

The Hatfields and the McCoys kept their feud going for over a century, as the story goes. But unfortunately, the same is true for many of us. We weren’t born with these prejudices; they were taught. We’re doing our loved ones a disservice when we pass those same biases to the next generations to come, without counting the cost that God meant what He said.

When I taught school, I was always looking for ways to lead the students to the correct answers. In Matthew 7:12, God leads us to the correct answer on how to treat others:

In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets (NRSV).

To my fellow Christians, we are on display; the world is listening when we say we love the Lord, but they “hear” our actions.

If we don’t change our ways, earth pains will continue.

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

Christians have an advantage over nonbelievers; they have the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, residing in them. But even though many believers can quote scriptures stating that truth, not as many have the revelation of what it really means to have the availability of God’s power and wisdom living in them as their on-the-spot—go-to.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).

Is the Holy Spirit your primary prayer partner?

Sadly, too many Christians bypass the power they have access to and allow the devil to drown them in fear and confusion. They lean to outside help skipping over the One who knows more about the matter and has more wisdom than anyone else. The Holy Spirit is the on-the-spot—go-to with everything needed for the situation.

The Holy Spirit is our Secret Weapon.

There will be times when calling a prayer session together to get a prayer through isn’t fitting. We have to know the Holy Spirit for ourselves; nothing is more important than developing an intimate relationship with Him. Then when the enemy comes ranting and raving, we are able to (a lot of the time secretly), on-the-spot, call on our inner Strength and Power. Never underestimate the power of a believer who knows how to pray effectively.

My On-the-Spot—Go-to!

I can recall several times as a principal when I listened to hostile parents going after each others’ throats. By the expression on my face and my eye movement focusing on the person talking at that moment, one would have thought I was listening intently; to the contrary, I was silently screaming for the Holy Spirit to HELP me. My physical posture was sitting in a chair looking professionally; however, my spirit bowed before God crying.

The Holy Spirit never let me down; He always told me the perfect thing to say, ending those disputes with smiles, handshakes, and sometimes hugs.

God wants us to experience the Holy Spirit and not just talk about Him theoretically.

For the past few weeks, God has led me to write about the Holy Spirit. He wants us to know Who He is beyond a theoretical standpoint but from an experiential knowledge base. God wants us to know the Spirit that resides in each Christian and that He is our on-the-spot—go-to.

Once we understand, the enemy better WATCH OUT!

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

Born-again Christians are vessels equipped to perform mind-boggling supernatural miracles. God is pouring out His power across the world through the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit, in turn, empowers believers to demonstrate His glory on earth.

God established the plan, Jesus executed the plan, and the Holy Spirit enables us to walk the plan out.

Not until recently did I realize the critical role of the Holy Spirit in my daily life. Even though I grew up in a Christian home, I was never taught that the Holy Spirit is the liaison to which the power of God is channeled; and that He is the embodiment of Christ living in me to teach, comfort, guide, and help whenever needed.

But this precious treasure—this light and power that now shines within us—is held in a perishable container, that is, in our weak bodies. Everyone can see that the glorious power within must be from God and is not our own (2 Corinthians 4:7, LAB).

My mind is still processing the truth that this invisible Person living in me is as real as anybody in the natural that I can see and touch. And the more He and I converse throughout the day, and the more I involve Him in everything I do, the more conscious I am of His presence, which makes me more available for His use.

But we can become of no use when our faith gets gridlocked focusing on the frailties and shortcomings of these clay vessels rather than concentrating on the Supreme Power that says: You can’t—but I Can!

The Holy Spirit fortifies our prayers.

The Holy Spirit knows our hearts when we pray, and He knows the mind and will of God; therefore, He takes our imperfect prayers, makes interceptions, and presents them to the Father as perfect prayers. (See Romans 8:26-27.)

Who wouldn’t have faith in the Holy Spirit’s prayers?

We hear people say they want to see more of God’s power manifested in the world; however, He waits on submissive vessels for His Spirit to work through.

When we provide the vessels, the Holy Spirit will provide the power!

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.