Romans 10:9-10 helps us understand that it is with our heart that we believe. What we believe about salvation has eternal value. Our salvation is forever. As John 10:28 says, “…neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

Our lives are integrally intertwined with the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection. 1 Peter 1:3 says, “Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Our heart is our belief center. Any doubt that enters our thoughts, is a fiery dart lie. So are thoughts of worry, fear, insecurity, and unbelief. They all are strategically designed to attack our faith.

1 Corinthians 15:58 is in the same chapter where the gospel is spelled out. It says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Think of our Living Savior as the Rock of our Salvation. His character is unchangeable.

Our hard trials are not just for us. Think of Paul. One trial was a thorn in the flesh. The way the Lord answered his plea to remove the thorn, still impacts us today. Where would we be without knowing that His grace is sufficient? 2 Corinthians 12:9.

Paul’s prison epistles are full of instruction and encouragement. 2 Corinthians 1:4 was written from his revelational insight. It was given to him for us. It says, “Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

What a marvelous gift. Our trials are never in vain, because the Lord redeems it all. What He calls us to go through, He enables us through the encouragement of His word and from others.

The trials that we go through, equip us with an empathy not gained any other way. As the Lord revealed Himself to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, so He will reveal Himself in ways we have never known Him before. Trials give us a message.

I have a mentee that wrote, “Is it okay to say that I am struggling, or does it just mean that I am not doing enough?” Admitting to the Lord how we really feel is heart integrity. He knows every hidden sigh, our silent cries, our fears, our worries. Nothing is hidden from Him.

Psalm 62:8 says, “Trust Him at all times, you peoples; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 34:6 says, “This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”

Trials are hard. They may bring seemingly unwelcome changes. Romans 8:28 says that He is using them to bring good into our lives. They are strategically designed by the Lord to bring up any dross that would undermine our faith. Verse 29 says that He uses them to conform us to His image.

Every trial comes with His special provision so that we can endure. James 1:5 says that we can ask Him for wisdom, to know how to navigate through so that He is glorified.

What did Moses see? Exodus 33:22-23 says, “So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”

What did Isaiah see? Isaiah 6:1 says, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.” Verse 4 says, “And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke”

The path of obedience is strewn with grace. We are called to endure our trials, so that the work the Lord wants to accomplish will be completed. Time and time again the Lord called to the children of Israel to follow Him. They turned to their own way.

Obedience comes from a heart set on the Lord ~ a desire to please Him in every aspect.

The Lord reveals Himself to us as we walk in obedience to His word. John 14:21 says, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, It is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

Manifest in the Greek means to cause to shine, appear, come to view, make visible, present oneself in the sight of another, be conspicuous. I love that the Lord reveals Himself to us in ways we have never known Him through our intimate communion with Him.

We see Him through His marvelous creations. Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead…”

We also see Him through His word. Psalm 8:1 says, “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, who have set Your glory above the heavens!” Verse 3 says, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers…” What do you see?

I was thanking the Lord for choosing me before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him. Blameless. Irrefutable purity. Hating sin. Two verses came to mind. I had never coupled them together before.

Psalm 18:26 says, “With the pure You will show Yourself pure…” Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” 1 John 3:2-3 says, “…when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies Himself, just as He is pure.”

Hebrews 6:19 says that hope anchors us. 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, “And now abide faith, hope, and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Ephesians 1:18 says, “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling…”

Psalm 19: 8 says, “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” Our hope is in a Person who is pure.

Romans 12:9-21 is a template of how to walk in the Spirit. When we do, the Holy Spirit will resist our fleshly inclinations and reactions. Verse 16 says, “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.”

Verse 17-18 says, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” All means everyone without exception.

James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” We humble our hearts by walking in one accord. We may not agree with everyone’s way of life, but verse 12 says, “…Who are you to judge another?”

Matthew 7:1 says, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Verses 3-4 were written about looking to our own hearts. We can never know what another is thinking unless they tell us. Beware of assuming you know ~ that is presumptuous sin. Our secret thoughts are known by the Lord.

2 Peter 1:1 says, “…to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Colossians 2:6 says, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

We are placed in the body of Christ at salvation. We all are on a journey of progressive sanctification. How do we walk in unity? Ephesians 4:32 says, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

One accord from the Strong’s means: being unanimous, having mutual consent, being in agreement, having group unity, having one mind and one purpose. Walking in experiential truth together unites our spirits.

When I was in high school I read this definition of fellowship: two men in a boat rowing for the same shore. Amos 3:3 says, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” 1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

1 John 2:9-10 says, “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.”

We are the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:25 says, “That there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.” Schism means division.

Philippians 2:2-3 says, “…having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Pride destroys relationships.

1 John 1:5 says, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” God is holy, therefore no darkness can come near Him.

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus gave a charge about being light. Matthew 5:14 says, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Verse 16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

John 3:19 says, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.” They hate the darkness because it exposes their evil deeds.

Verse 21 says, “But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” The Lord sees everything. Psalm 139:12 says, “…the darkness and the light are both alive to You.” Nothing is hidden.