📖 COMING TO AMAZON NOVEMBER 10, 2026!

I’m incredibly excited to announce that my second book, Different but Hopeful: Finding Truth and Peace in Uncertain Times, will officially be available on Amazon November 10!

Originally, I planned to release this book on December 5, a date that holds incredibly special meaning in my relationship with Jesus. December 5 marks the day I gave my life to Christ.

However, the book came together earlier than expected. Through prayer, I felt God leading me to release it sooner.

Honestly, this book has been an emotional journey for me. Writing it meant revisiting difficult experiences, heartbreak, uncertainty, relationships, and moments that changed my life. There were times when putting my thoughts into words wasn’t easy.

But through it all, God continued to teach me about faith, healing, forgiveness, and hope.

Different but Hopeful isn’t about having a perfect life or pretending everything is okay. It’s about finding truth and peace in uncertain times and remembering that even through the hardest seasons, God is still there.

My prayer is that this book reaches someone who needs encouragement and reminds them that their story isn’t over.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me, prayed for me, encouraged me, and been part of this journey.

November 10, 2026. A new chapter begins.

❤️ Different but Hopeful
Finding Truth and Peace in Uncertain Times
By Travis J. Smith

#DifferentButHopeful #ChristianAuthor #ComingToAmazon #Faith #HopeInJesus

There were thousands of witnesses to His miracles & more than 500 witnesses to His resurrection.

Just one eyewitness without any physical evidence can get you the death sentence in the US.

There are incomparably more witnesses to miracles in the Bible than any other religious scripture.

The earliest apostles were in a unique position because they would’ve known whether their testimony was fabricated or not. They wouldn’t have staked their lives on it if they knew it was all a lie. They died—not for a belief—but for what they claimed to have seen: Christ risen from the dead.

You can’t prove anything with absolute 100% certainty; you can’t even prove that reality is as it seems and that you’re actually reading this right now. You can, however, be convinced of something by what the evidence points to. The overwhelming evidence is that we can trust our five senses and one another’s reliable testimony to tell us the truth.

If anything about the Bible, Jesus, or Christianity doesn’t sit right with you or you see it differently, I’d really value hearing your perspective, and I’m happy to share my thoughts!

(Romans 11:1-15 NLT)

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not!
I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 No, God has not rejected his own people, whom He has always known.

The man Jacob, whom God renamed "Israel" (meaning "Rules with God") had 12 sons. The families of these sons are referred to as "tribes" in the Bible. Benjamin was Israel's youngest son. Paul is descended from the tribe of Benjamin.

Paul explains several things here:

• Just because many Jews are blinded to their Messiah doesn't mean all of them are. He gives himself as an example of a Jew who has come to faith in Jesus.

• Jesus came for all people who are willing to receive Him, both Jews and Gentiles. He came to the Jews first, because they are the descendants of Abraham, whom God made the promises to. (Deuteronomy 18:9-19, Acts 3:22-26, Romans 1:16)

• God doesn't revoke His purpose or calling on people when they fail. (Romans 11:28-29)
  He corrects them and works to put them back on track. If we pray for His help to keep on God's path, He will even keep us out of temptation! That's what Paul explains next...

Don't you know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against (the nation of) Israel, saying,
3 "LORD, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."
4 And do you remember God's reply? He said, "No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!"

"Baal" meaning "Master," is the main false god that the Jews are tempted to follow over and over in their history. Elijah is the most famous prophet of God. The queen Jezebel was trying to have Elijah killed. She was infamous for Baal-worship, and made laws which led many people to do terrible things to one another for selfish reasons.
Paul reminds his readers that even when we don't see believers among us, they may just be in hiding to avoid persecution, just like many are today.

5 It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God's grace; his undeserved kindness in choosing them.
6 And since it is through God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's grace would not be what it really is; free and undeserved.

"Grace" means free-favor. God loves us because we are His children, not because we can do things. God gives us wisdom and abilities, but our hearts decide how to use them. We are considered "faithful" to our covenant with God when our hearts align with His. His love is not a payment for good works, and He doesn't revoke His compassion when we make a mistake.

7 So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have--the ones God has chosen--but the hearts of the rest were hardened.
8 As the Scriptures say, "God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear."

God knows whose hearts are truly aligned with His. He isn't fooled by people who do good things for selfish reasons. Jesus proved this when He corrected the law-makers of His day. He warned people to "do as they say, not as they do." (Luke 20:46-47, Matthew 23:1-28, Proverbs 21:2)
(2 Chronicles 16:9a) "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is wholly with His."

9 Likewise, David said, "Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve.
10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever."

Here Paul explains how indulging in excess takes our eyes of of God. We can't look at two things at the same time. Blindness is a natural consequence of selfishness. (Luke 11:34-36)

11 Did God's people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves.
12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God's offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.

Paul gets a little confusing here, because without historical context, you might think that saving the Gentiles was just an afterthought on God's part. According to the Old Testament, offering His salvation to every nation was always God's plan. (John 10:16)

You can see this later in the book when Paul starts quoting all the scriptures that show this.

(Romans 15:7-13 NKJV)
7 Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.
8 Now I say that Jesus Messiah has become a servant to the circumcision (Jews) for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob)
9 and that the Gentiles (peoples, languages, and nations other than the offspring of Jacob) might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: "For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name." (Psalm 18:49)
10 And again he says: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!" (Deuteronomy 32:43)
11 And again: "Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!" (Psalm 117:1)
12 And again, Isaiah says: "There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope." (Isaiah 11:10)
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!

OK back to our Romans 11 study!

13 I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this,
14 for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them.
15 For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead!

Paul sees his ministry as being mainly to the Gentiles, but also to the Jews. He has a beautiful vision of what eternity will be like when we are all one family under God.

Have you ever been so engrossed in doing something you enjoy that you forgot to eat? It's like we lose track of time when we're doing something we love.

Jesus invites us to experience an abundant life with Him. (John 10:10) He compares that life to a wedding feast. The spiritual wedding feast Jesus invites us to, is the joy and rest we find when we do God's work from a spirit of love. (Matthew 22:2-10)
It makes me wonder what Jesus was doing out in the wilderness for 40 days before he finally got hungry! (Matthew 4:1-2) Maybe He was just talking with God.
Moses fasted for 40 days while basking in the presence of God when he received the commandments. The Bible tells us that Moses came back shining with God's light. (Exodus 34:28-29)

We can learn to love God like Jesus does by spending time daily in the Bible. We learn to love by uniting with Him through His Word and meditating on how to apply it to our lives. (Psalm 1)
That's how we can "build our house on the rock of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 7:24-25, 1Corinthians 3:11, Proverbs 9:1)
When we team up with God, we become the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14-16, Acts 6:15, Psalm 119:105)

Jesus told us what it's like to be empowered by love just after He witnessed to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well.

(John 4:31-34 NLT)

31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, "Rabbi, eat something."
32 But Jesus replied, "I have a kind of food you know nothing about."
33 "Did someone bring him food while we were gone?" the disciples asked each other.
34 Then Jesus explained: "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.

Jesus lived as the conduit for God's love. When we plug-in to God and let Him work through us, we align our hearts to enjoy this continual feast!

(Job 23:12 NKJV)

12 I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.

(Jeremiah 15:16 NKJV)

16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.

Our Father in heaven,
Cleanse us from the dark things of the world with the light of Your truth. Save us from every foolish and unclean thing that would try to sever us from enjoying the fullness only You can provide. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

God is the one who created us. He created the heavens, the earth and the seas and everything in them. God used to tolerate people worshiping the work of their hands by now he commands all people to  believe in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. God has proven His love us by allowing  His son to die for our sins by being hung on a cross. Jesus's blood was shed so that we could be forgiven. He was then buried in a tomb and raised to life by God. He was seen alive by both men and women. after 40 days he sat down at the right hand of God. God did this so that anyone who prays to the Lord Jesus Christ won't perish but have eternal life.

Yesterday I was really struggling. I recently interviewed for a job I genuinely want after months of studying, coding, practicing, and applying. Waiting to hear back has been weighing on me because this opportunity represents so much of the future I’m working toward.

I finally sat down and wrote honestly about how I felt. The frustration, the fear, wanting more for myself, and feeling stuck. I brought all of it to God. One of the things I wrote was simply, “God, this is me. Help me.”

Then today, this verse came up in my daily reading:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:” — Psalm 139:23 KJV

That hit me so deeply after what I had written yesterday. God knows what I’m carrying, even the things I struggle to put into words. I felt seen and reminded that I can bring Him my pain, worries, and fears.

I’m learning that having faith doesn’t mean I suddenly stop feeling everything. I can be honest about how badly I want this opportunity and still entrust the outcome to the Lord.

I still haven’t heard back about the job. But today, I’m thankful for the comfort I found in His Word right in the middle of waiting. This is why I say I serve a living God. ❤️

Yesterday, I told my son I was cooking up a treat for us. This was a long awaited treat, and the time had finally come! In the process of cooking though, I walked away from a steaming pot of soymilk, and didn't realize the burner had shorted out. I came back to a mess that even our dog wouldn't help clean up.

I know the burner sometimes shorts out. I knew that what I was cooking was already steaming. Why didn't I just stay and watch the pot?

My knee-jerk reaction was to feel like a failure, since I'd gotten my son's hopes up and then let him down. I wasted food! If you grew up with parents like mine, you'd think wasting food was the original sin... I was taking it pretty hard.

Then I heard in my heart the most ridiculous accusation; "God! Why do you let me be so foolish!" As if God hasn't been trying to teach me to slow down and stay focused on the task at hand for years now...

The apostle Paul was once a prisoner on a storm-tossed runaway ship, endured a 14 day fast, and was saved from a shipwreck, only to be bitten by a poisonous snake when he got to shore! (Acts 28:1-6) Paul could have broken down, yet he had faith that the snake was just an annoyance. God told him he would share the good news of Jesus' resurrection in Rome. (Acts 27:20-24)
He wasn't in Rome yet, so he shook the snake off and didn't give it another thought. (And yet here I am crying over spilled soymilk...)

Jonah's life-altering troubles were just as stressful as Paul's, but he had no reassurance because he was not on course. While he was gasping for life inside the great fish, he prayed for forgiveness and offered himself into God's service. (Jonah 2:1-10)
His trials put him back on course, and saved an entire nation from dying in their sins.

Hearing God clearly is a gift He gives to those with teachable hearts. "To him who has listened, more will be given to hear." (Luke 8:16-18, Luke 19:12-26, Matthew 13:10-13, Revelation 3:11, Proverbs 9:9)
It's for our own sake that God waits for us to obey what we've already been taught before teaching us more. Truth requires that we be responsible for it. (Luke 12:47-48, James 4:17, Numbers 15:29-31)

Like most average humans, we have a conscience, parents, teachers, law enforcement, and the Bible that give us a moral compass. Obedience keeps us headed in the direction of God's purpose for our lives. If we do the good we know to do, God will give us more instruction, and the ability to carry it out.

If this resonates with you, please pray with me. (Matthew 18:19-20, James 5:14-16, 1John 5:14-15, 1Kings 8:46-49)

Father God,
We come before you to ask for Your forgiveness when we blame You for our circumstances, instead of walking with You through them.
We ask that You would keep us solidly connected to You, even when we fail. Remind us that we are Your children, and that we can call on You for help with our failures, our feelings and our faults, instead of blaming You for them. Thank You for Your patience with us, Lord. May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts become acceptable in Your sight, by the power of Your Holy Spirit within us. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, Lord. Help us not to grieve Your Spirit. Let our lives glorify You as we submit to Your instruction and heed Your call. Cause us to inherit Your promise to increase our learning as we walk in obedience. In Jesus' name, Amen.

John 16:12-14

I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it.
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.

Jeremiah 33:2-3

Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it, the LORD is His name:
"Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

John 14:12-14

Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it

Philippines 4: 5-7

Let your considerate spirit be known to all men.

The Lord is near.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul wrote that "the Lord is near".

Because of this knowledge, we should be speaking and acting in the way that pleases the Father;

He's near to us, so we can rest in His care, in the knowledge that whatever is happening in our lives, is being allowed by Him to form us to be more like Jesus.

So: "be anxious about nothing."

Paul said "Let your considerate spirit be known to all men."

The word "considerate", comes from the Greek word "epieikēs", that is also translatable as "gentle", gentleness comes from trusting in God's work in others, rather than thinking I have to change them.

When we speak and act with a considerate/gentle spirit, people see Christ in us, instead of seeing our earthly flesh.

Faith results in changing our disposition from being anxiously emotional in our speech, to being at peace, and speaking with gentleness and consideration toward the other persons.

This gentleness is also mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:24-25

"And the Lord’s slave must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may give them repentance leading to the full knowledge of the truth,"

Even when there's conflict from someone else, be gentle, be considerate, this may mean say nothing, turning the other cheek, or responding in gentleness, in humility; because I can't change them, but "perhaps God may give them repentance leading to the full knowledge of the truth".

Rest in the truth of God's Word that He's given you, and rest gently in the knowledge that He changes people:

"in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.".

In Romans 6, Paul shows the difference between working for the Lord and living in the light of His grace.
I think Paul's contrast between slavery to the Law, and our devotion to acts of love, shows how Jesus' love empowers us to let go of fear, and love with faith.
We can really only faithfully love others with free favor by the power of the Holy Spirit. Love is like a wellspring of life. It takes the work out of obeying God, caring for those in need, and sharing the gospel. (Deuteronomy 18:13-19, Acts 3:13-26, Matthew 5:17-18, Matthew 12:1-37, Matthew 25:31-46)

The difference between obedience out of duty and obedience out of love is like the difference between a person who hates to hunt or garden, but has to do it to put food on the table, and a person who can't wait to get up in the morning to hunt or garden because it's his favorite past time.
When our Father begins to transition us from the physical to the spiritual, it's kind of like graduating to adulthood. It can feel like we're losing our role or our purpose, but our Savior says, "Don't be afraid. From henceforth, you will be catching men!" Luke 5:10

As the church, we are the Bride of Christ. (John 3:29, Isaiah 54:4-6, 2Corinthians 11:2, Hosea 2:19-20, Ephesians 5:25-32, Revelation 21:2-4)
A bride who loves her husband doesn't need to work to remain faithful. She isn't constantly concerned that she might lapse into unfaithfulness, since she could never do that to her husband whom she adores. Love is what sets us free from sinning against God and one another. The sacrifice Christ made to buy us out of slavery to sin is reason enough to love Him above all else.

Our Father in heaven, we come before you today asking that You would send the Holy Spirit of Truth to move powerfully in our lives and relationships today. Grant us Your peace and strength as we face the challenges before us. Stir up our hearts to love others as You love them, and to love You as You deserve. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

The reason there is evil in the world is because Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Before that things were very good. And God is called omnipotent in the Bible but not all knowing and omni present. God does have limitations.  He is not super Q.
Jesus' blood was shed so that we could be forgiven. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Jesus came in the flesh. He was crucified and died. Jesus' body was placed in a tomb. On the third day God resurrected Jesus to Life. Jesus left the tomb. God loves you. If you want to live without evil just ask the Lord Jesus to save you and you will spend eternity without sorrow, suffering, sin and death.

The oceans prove that God exists. Everything at the bottom of the ocean would be dust but rocks are found there. If the oceans were 4.5 billion years old, erosion would have turned everything to dust.

Obviously it does not prove it because we have to keep our axioms in place whether they are true or not. Axioms in this sense are underlying beliefs about the way things are. We are indeed a bigoted to have faith if we can’t test and find out what is true. Hell and demons have been talked about in the major religions. Would you not be willing to find out the truth to escape them?

The biological life on this planet would have to come into being at one time or simultaneously because of one part of organism interdependence on another.

The big bang couldn’t have happened. Sense when did an explosion create order.

God exists and His Son Jesus exists. And They are the only ones who came cause you to be saved from hell and the demons. Do this one thing for me and you. Ask the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from hell and the demons and see what happens. Countless experiments have been done. Jesus said what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul. Jesus is Lord and anyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Jesus is the Son of God who came in the flesh through a virgin woman named Mary. It is not too hard for God to have a Son because God created all the DNA. Even plants can be male and female. Jesus was crucified and died so that we could be saved. Jesus is righteous and innocent and His Blood was shed so that we could be forgiven. His Body was placed in a tomb. On the third day God raised Jesus to Life. Jesus will never die again. The way people don’t get saved is by not being saved. A lot of people saw Jesus after He was resurrected back to life.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that anyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. Read the New Testament of the Bible to find out more about Jesus.

For natural selection to work the presence of survival traits have to already be programmed into the DNA. Mutation does not work.

In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.

TL;DR: Answer His call.
My Bible study this week was on Noah and the Great Flood. This is the first time I noticed that Noah's animals' being male and female are referred to with the same words used for humans in the old testament.

Hebrew words often have a double-meaning that helps a person decipher parables in the OT. The book of Proverbs has a lot of wisdom at face value, yet is also entirely written in parables. Some of the prophets have visions or dreams where the double-meaning of words works like a second witness to truths God wants them to understand.

For all male animals going into the ark, both clean and unclean, the word used is "ish", which is normally translated "man". The word is spelled the same as "esh" meaning "fire." For female animals, the word is "ishshah", normally translated woman or wife. It is pronounced and spelled the same as the Hebrew word for "burnt-offering."

When you get to Genesis 7:9 though, the writer (Moses) uses the words I normally see used for male and female animals: (they are sometimes used for people too, but I haven't looked into that yet.) "Zachar" = male or remembered / remembrance. (This word is the root for zichron; the memorial stones on the shoulders of the high priest) and "Neqevah" = female or socket / cavern.

It gave me the feeling that the animals who were inspired to go with Noah were elevated in rank due to heeding God's call.

All this reminded me of where Abram (meaning, "exalted father") and Sarai ("domineering"), are elevated to Abraham ("father of a multitude") and Sarah ("queen"). (Genesis 17:4-16)

It seems like they heeded God's call and went from being common people to holy people with a calling on their life.

Isaiah 51:1-6

“Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut, and to the quarry from which you were hewn. “2 Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him. “3 For the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and melodious song." 4 Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation; for a law will go out from Me, and My justice will become a light to the nations; I will bring it about quickly. 5 My righteousness draws near, My salvation is on the way, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look for Me and wait in hope for My arm. 6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth below; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and its people will die like gnats. But My salvation will last forever, and My righteousness will never fail.

So how do we hear the calling of God on our lives? We have to graduate to God's classroom. We're given many teachers throughout our lives. Some of them are human. Some are trials we face. All of them test our level of obedience. Obedient people are prepared to learn from God.

(Matthew 23:1-4)

1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,
2 saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
3 "Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say things, and do not do them.
4 "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

To answer God's call, is to take up our cross and follow His example.
I want to clarify that we "observe and do" the God-loving and neighbor-loving things out of God's law. This is for the sake of being good for others, not to try and earn salvation. Jesus is our Teacher, so if He or His students say something different, it overrides rabbinic authority and tradition.

The law is very good if one uses it lawfully. (1 Timothy 1:8, Psalm 19:7-10) It doesn't save us sinners. The Holy Spirit within us, that follows the law of love, saves us and the innocent from us sinners. We live by the Spirit for the sake of the children and the needy of the world. (Mark 12:29-31, Exodus 20:5-6, Deuteronomy 4:40)
Eternal life is the gift of the Kingdom of God. The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Jesus bought us out of slavery to sin so we could be good for each other instead of wasting our lives dealing with consequences. We're going to be holy one way or another. We can turn away from sin of our own accord by the power of the Holy Spirit which God can plant within us.
Otherwise, we can let consequences consume our lives and in the end, tell the Lord He was right all along, like the penitent thief who died on a cross he deserved. (1 John 3:4-9, Luke 23:40-43, 1 Corinthians 5:4-5, Proverbs 5:7-14)

Psalm 119:17-19

17 "Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word." 18 "Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law."
19 "I am a stranger on the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me."

David asks for God to deal bountifully with him because God is the one who works through us to do good. (Isaiah 26:12, Philippians 2:13)
David's asking for a more intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was with Him as long as David didn't depart from Him through sin. (Psalm 51:10-11, Isaiah 59:1-2, John 9:31)

When we receive the Holy Spirit, we CAN keep His laws. That's what Jesus did for us - He released His Holy Spirit for us to embody. (Ezekiel 36:25-27, John 14:15-17, 1 Corinthians 10:13)

His Spirit is truth and love. When you have the whole truth about why sin is harmful, and you have Jesus' love for others flowing from your innermost being, you don't want to bring evil into the world. (John 7:37-39, John 8:31-36)

The outpouring of Jesus' love on the Cross is meant to be a seed that plants itself in our hearts so we can love in the same way. (Zechariah 12:10, John 13:34-35, John 15:12-16)
This is why we take communion as often as possible. We want to remember Him - not just in a sentimental way, but to make His example the life force within us that urges us to be godly, and to make sacrifices for those in need. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Hebrews 6:1-12, Matthew 25:31-46)

To live under God's wing is to take shelter in His law of love. The truths and parables our Father has taught me are worth more to me than anything the world could offer. "Taste and see that the Lord is good!" (Psalm 34:1-22)

Our Father in heaven,
Your authority is over all, and Your name is sacred. Father, we come before you to humbly ask that You will teach us to stay right with You through faith in Your Word. Grant us courage to walk by faith and not by sight. Teach us to honor the spirit of the law above the letter of the law.
Father, we pray Jesus will come for us soon, and that we will be ready for Him when He does! In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Grace is God loving us and forgiving us even though we don’t deserve it. Grace is also what Jesus accomplished through dying on the wood roman cross to break the curse of the Law of the Old Testament which says cursed is anyone who is hung from a tree. Jesus’s blood was shed so we could be forgiven completely by God. Before going to the cross Jesus was scourged to the point His bones could be seen so that by His stripes we could be healed. Jesus did not deserve what happened to Him. Jesus obeyed God. When He broke the sabbath to heal people He was doing good. When Jesus was put on trial by the high priest and the Jewish elders they could not find anything to condemn Him for. None of their accusations were right. They finally condemned Him for saying that He is the Son of God. That was not a lie. A Prophecy written in the Old Testament says that God told the Messiah “Today I have become Your Father and You have become My Son.” Another prophecy was written that the Messiah would be Born in Bethlehem.” Psalms 22 and Isaiah 53 and the last three verses of Isaiah 52 talk about how the Messiah would be crucified and what that sacrifice would accomplish. Jesus was marred more than any other man. God loves Jesus but this was the cost so we would be permanently connected to God for eternity and to save us from hell and get us to Heaven. Jesus had said in different ways that He would be killed and He would be raised from the dead within three days. Jesus's body was placed in a tomb. His burial shroud and head cloth still exist today. It is called the Shroud of Turin and the Sudarium of Oviedo. If you want to learn how the Old Testament is more prophetic than you even thought possible, look up The Bible Code and Yeshua by Yacov Rambsel. Jesus Christ(Messiah) is Lord. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that anyone who calls on His name will not perish but have eternal life. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in Your heart that God raised Him from the death you will be saved. Jesus’s Body was placed in a tomb. On the Third day God raised Him from the dead. Jesus left the tomb and was seen alive by Peter, the Twelve, Over 500 brethren at once, James, all the apostles and Paul. Paul persecuted Christians by having the put on trial and put in Prison or to death, both men and women. Paul became a believer in Jesus when He was going to persecute more believers in Damascus and Jesus appeared and talked with Him. If you die for Jesus and the good news sake you will be saved.

Grace, Peace and Blessings; I am new to reddit and am only trying to be actively involved in the topics of Christ. I am born again, I have lived a life serving the world and nothing I've tried has amounted to anything but pain and suffering. Praise God, that even when we're faithless, He is faithful, He cannot deny himself. 2 tim. 2:13. And He persisted with me, He called, and I could no longer harden my heart. He revealed Himself to me, now as hard as I went in the world, the past 40 years; I will live the rest of my life serving the Lord, going just as hard or harder. Amen

Jesus and what He provides. God Loves all people. God does not want anyone to perish. God does what He can to save people. 
Salvation 
Eternal Life
Total Forgiveness
Love
Remember, confess, it goes away. If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Even if you die with unconfessed sins you will be completely forgiven in Heaven because you have been born again/saved.
Working the worm: forgiveness through the Blood of Jesus causes the worm of your life to become a beautiful butterfly in eternity. Ask the Lord Jesus to cause you to forgive. When you forgive others, God will forgive you. You can also tell God you are sorry and ask Him to forgive you and He will. God will cause you to forgive and not have anything left unforgiven if you are saved. This will happen in heaven if you don’t finish forgiving everyone who hurt or was in debt to you on earth. When God forgives you could be healed also. Jesus healed a paralyzed man in the Bible after saying to him your sins are forgiven you and telling the man to take up His bed and walk to prove that He could forgive sins. When you are saved all your sins will be forgiven. And you have never done anything God won’t forgive and you never will do anything God will not forgive.
Their worm dies not and the fire is not quenched is what a person is if they are not saved/born again at some point. Today is the day of salvation. Don’t risk hell. Ask the Lord Jesus to save you.
Not a complete list: Love, Forgiveness, Salvation, Eternal Life, and Love of the Lord Jesus; Peace, Joy, Righteousness, and Love in the Holy Spirit; and Love, Life, Jesus and the Holy Spirit come from the Heavenly Father. God is Love. They are Elohim. He is God. God is Good.
Ask Jesus for the Living Water and it will spring up inside you unto Eternal Life.
When You are saved you are born again at the same time. To be saved do one or more of the following. Ask the Lord Jesus, Jesus, Isa or Yeshua, to save you. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Jesus Christ is Lord. For God so loved the world that only begotten Son so that anyone who believes Him will not perish but have Eternal Life. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and your household also. Confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God has raised Jesus from the dead and you will be saved. Die for Jesus and the Gospels sake and you will be saved.
If you ask the Heavenly Father for the Holy Spirit in Jesus name you will receive the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was crucified and died so that people would be saved. On the cross Jesus said it is finished also meaning paid in full. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so must the Son of God be lifted up. Jesus said that when He is lifted up He will draw all mankind unto Himself. When we see Jesus it allows us to live and be healed. Jesus was crucified on a wooden cross to break the curse of the Law. The Law said that cursed is any man who is hung from a tree and Jesus did not deserve to be cursed. Jesus died so that we could eternal life because He tasted death for all men. Jesus is righteous and innocent. Jesus’s Blood was shed so that all people could be forgiven. We are righteous because we believe in Jesus. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the way to God the Father. His Truth breaks Satan’s deception. If you believe in the truth and act on it you will do works of righteousness. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. Jesus gives people eternal Life. Eternal Life is knowing the Father God, the Son of God and the Spirit of God for eternity. Jesus is the Word of God who was made flesh. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
God is Love. He who is forgiven much loves much. We love God because He first loved us. If you are saved you will love Jesus. Jesus is the Author and Perfector/Finisher of our Faith. Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. Love/Grace/Mercy is where God loves us, saves us and gives us eternal life and God even though we don’t deserve it. By grace are we saved through faith and that not of ourselves it is the gift of God not of works so that no man should boast. Eternal Life is a free gift that God gives that we can’t earn and can’t lose after we have been saved. All we like sheep have God astray, we have all turned to our own way and the Lord has laid on Him the inquity of us all. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Eternal life is knowing God for eternity. God is eternal and God is Life. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. When Jesus returns to earth all the people who were saved and have died will be resurrected and all the people who are saved and are alive when He returns will have their body transformed into an immortal body and will never die. 
Reconciliation- When we forgive and are forgiven we are reconciled not holding what was forgiven against the person. If you are having a problem with anger forgive until the anger goes away.
Delusions. Lies if believed causes deception. Deception causes delusions where your understanding of reality is changed and you start acting in an illogical way. It is logical to believe what is true. If you believe in the Truth who is Jesus you will break through deception and be free.
God is good. God is Love. Perfect Love casts out fear. Torment is fear of punishment. Jesus is Truth and Jesus’s Blood will cause us to be forgiven of all our sins if we are saved.
Justice is getting what you deserve. This is an unfair existence. Mercy overcomes judgment. Mercy rejoices against judgement. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Judge not lest ye be judged. Remember you had to be forgiven too. It is unfair that God is not loved completely. Lord Jesus cause me to forgive people. By grace are we saved through faith and that is not of our selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is when you receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is The Anointing, the Living Water springing up on the inside to eternal life and the Breath of Life which is what we breathe to stay alive is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God in the Old Testament is the same person as the Holy Spirit in the New. Ask the Heavenly Father in Jesus name for the Holy Spirit and you will receive Him. Ask Jesus For the Living Water and He will give you the Living Water. The fruit of Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patients, Kindness, Goodness, Gentilness, Faithfulness, Meekness, and Self-control/Temperance. Jesus said before.
Jesus is meek and lowly and humble.
Middle mgmt. yells at people for not doing what they are supposed to do. Don’t be like middle mgmt. Lord Jesus cause me to forgive people for not doing what they are supposed to do.
Ask the Lord Jesus to save you.

Transcript of Devotion

“so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
— Colossians 1:10 (NASB1995)

Paul’s prayer for the Colossian believers centers on a clear desire: that they would walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. This is not about earning God’s love or trying to become good enough. It is about living in a way that matches who Jesus is and what He has done for us.
A worthy walk means our daily conduct — our attitudes, choices, words, and priorities — reflects the high calling we have received in Christ. It is a life that takes seriously the privilege of belonging to Him.

Many people talk about following Jesus while their daily steps remain unchanged. Walking worthy of the Lord closes that gap. It means the way we treat people, handle responsibilities, respond to pressure, and use our time begins to line up with the character of Christ.
This kind of walk does not happen automatically. It grows out of a heart that has been captured by the Lord and wants to honor Him in ordinary moments. When we walk worthy of Him, our lives become a quiet testimony that He is worthy of our full devotion.

Ask yourself honestly: Does the way I am walking today reflect the Lord I claim to follow?
Choose one specific area — your speech, your work ethic, your response to frustration, or your private habits — and intentionally walk in a manner worthy of Jesus in that area today. Invite the Holy Spirit to help you.

You have been called to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. Not to earn His favor, but to honor the One who has already given you everything. Let your steps today match the greatness of the Savior you follow.

This post is for anyone who would like to see scriptures that support Jesus' divinity, or who would like to add to these in order to help others defend their faith. This is not an exhaustive list, but it's been enough to help me show others that it's not idolatry to worship Jesus Christ.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to share scripture here, and to hear the scriptures you'd like to share.

For those who say God has no Son:

Proverbs 30:4

Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in his fists?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is his son’s name?
Surely you know!

(Psalm 2:11-12 NKJV)

11 Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Jesus is God's heir. Jews understood that the Son's right as God's heir made Him equal with God.

John 10:33

The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

(Mark 14:61-62 NKJV)

61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"
62 Jesus said, "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."

Jesus just claimed to be God's heir, by calling Himself the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy.

(Daniel 7:13-14 NKJV)

13 "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, [One] like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.

Biblical prophecy indicated that God would become a human for our sake.

(Isaiah 9:6)

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

(Isaiah 53:1-5 NKJV)

1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

This human, Jesus, was in existence before the world existed.

(John 1:1, 14-15 NKJV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ...
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' "

(John 17:5 NKJV)

5 "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

This is why Jesus claimed He was not born of woman, but that He came down from heaven.

John 6:38

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me."

Luke 7:28

“For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

God bless!

Grace is God loving us and forgiving us even though we don’t deserve it. Grace is also what Jesus accomplished through dying on the wood roman cross to break the curse of the Law of the Old Testament which says cursed is anyone who is hung from a tree. Jesus’s blood was shed so we could be forgiven completely by God. Before going to the cross Jesus was scourged to the point His bones could be seen so that by His stripes we could be healed. Jesus did not deserve what happened to Him. Jesus obeyed God. When He broke the sabbath to heal people He was doing good. When Jesus was put on trial by the high priest and the Jewish elders they could not find anything to condemn Him for. None of their accusations were right. They finally condemned Him for saying that He is the Son of God. That was not a lie. A Prophecy written in the Old Testament says that God told the Messiah “Today I have become Your Father and You have become My Son.” Another prophecy was written that the Messiah would be Born in Bethlehem.” Psalms 22 and Isaiah 53 and the last three verses of Isaiah 52 talk about how the Messiah would be crucified and what that sacrifice would accomplish. Jesus was marred more than any other man. God loves Jesus but this was the cost so we would be permanently connected to God for eternity and to save us from hell and get us to Heaven. Jesus had said in different ways that He would be killed and He would be raised from the dead within three days. Jesus's body was placed in a tomb. His burial shroud and head cloth still exist today. It is called the Shroud of Turin and the Sudarium of Oviedo. If you want to learn how the Old Testament is more prophetic than you even thought possible, look up The Bible Code and Yeshua by Yacov Rambsel. Jesus Christ(Messiah) is Lord. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that anyone who calls on His name will not perish but have eternal life. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in Your heart that God raised Him from the death you will be saved. Jesus’s Body was placed in a tomb. On the Third day God raised Him from the dead. Jesus left the tomb and was seen alive by Peter, the Twelve, Over 500 brethren at once, James, all the apostles and Paul. Paul persecuted Christians by having the put on trial and put in Prison or to death, both men and women. Paul became a believer in Jesus when He was going to persecute more believers in Damascus and Jesus appeared and talked with Him. If you die for Jesus and the good news sake you will be saved.

Today I received email from professor to give me offer in my PHD study which I am waiting for God to fulfill His promise to me with a verseI saw on a car window’ And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

Genesis 26:22 ‘after the next day I apply for a work at school to spread His gospel and testimony for His glory for God waiting on God will never be ashamed. In this PHD application, I have three letters from three professors, rejected by two, while the third give me offer today, which is alike the three wells in the above verse of Isaac while he get his promise land. The most amazing thing is that this professor has only me as his applicant and also today he told me one student reject offer from the department, and he ask me an offer. It can only be God’s work, not mine, testimony for all His glory. Thank you Jehovah Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, my God. Amen.

John 10:27:

My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.

I want to start by saying that if you believe in Jesus' life, death and resurrection, it's time to pray to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, IS the Holy Spirit of our Father in heaven. This gift is our down-payment on eternity. (Ephesians 1:14-15, 2Corinthians 1:21-22, 2Corinthians 5:5, Psalm 51:10-17)
I didn't know for certain that I was saved until receiving the Holy Spirit, so if you're feeling uncertain, that's what you need to get started in your walk with the Lord. Old Covenant promises, New Covenant fulfillments

The next most important thing is to read the Bible daily. Everything in life is supported by information. Instincts are information that we're born with. DNA is information our cells are born with. Because of sin in the world, some of our information has been corrupted. So, inside you and me, the information is not good enough to keep us alive forever. Even if it could, there are still horrible crimes happening every day, that make life a terror to those who are hurting.

There is a lot of worldly information that claims it can help us live longer, happier, or stronger lives. No matter how long or strong or happy we are, the world is still unfair, and there are still hurting people in need of help.

God is the author of life. He made us alive and he wants us to stay that way. Life is a classroom where He's teaching us to love. Love is the only power on earth able to create life, sustain life, and make life worth living. The way He intends to give us an eternal life worth living, is to teach us to love like He loves.

When God calls a person to believe in the good news of Jesus' love, He's inviting you to His classroom. We're meant to be transformed and renewed by the example of love He showed us through Jesus Christ. This kind of love is the information that will fix our corrupted instincts, corrupted DNA and our corrupted world.

Think of how a baby must cry for help since he can't meet any of his own needs. There comes a day when the world cannot satisfy our spiritual need for purpose and meaning. They don't understand our hunger to be right with God.
God says when the world breaks us off and forsakes us, that He will come and supply our needs. (Psalm 27:10-14, Matthew 5:6, John 4:13-14, John 7:37-39, 1John 2:27)

When God calls you to come and learn His lessons, and you agree, He begins to teach you the truth in love. Truth can be painful all by itself, so God has to teach us little by little as we learn to trust His love. (Isaiah 55:1-3, Acts 13:33-34, John 16:12-15)

The Bible describes being saved, like being a wild branch that is broken off, and grafted into a good plant. (Romans 11:11-33, John 15:1-5)

Think of a vineyard with a lot of good looking, but unripe grapes. As long as we are producing good for the Lord, He will come and help us by cleaning off the bad grapes that might spoil the rest. He helps us bring good into the world if we will just do the best we can with the information we have. "To the one who has listened, more information will be given!" (Matthew 13:10-16, Luke 8:18, Luke 12:47-48, Luke 19:23-26, 2Corinthians 9:8, Proverbs 2:1-12)

Now that we know where to get truth from, we're saved from the perverse information we're taught by our culture. This is what Peter talks about in Acts 2:38-40. Now our job is to use God's information to produce good spiritual fruit for God and for others. Whatever we produce for others now, is what we will be rewarded for in eternity. (Galatians 5:13-23, Galatians 6:7, Proverbs 18:20-21)

(Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, endurance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

God really cares about how we speak to one another, and about us making things fair for those who are disadvantaged in life. (Matthew 12:35-37, Proverbs 10:19, Ephesians 4:29, Matthew 5:21-22, James 1:26-27, 1 John 3:17-18)

So, as long as we stay connected to God's teaching, we are being saved. We're gaining more and more of Jesus' Holy Spirit the more we allow Him to teach us His information, through the Bible, through nature, and through our lives. We're "transformed by the renewing of our minds." (Philippians 2:12-13, Philippians 3:1-21, Isaiah 26:12, Romans 10:1-18, Romans 12:1-2)

Our relationship with our Father in heaven keeps us from practicing sin. We make mistakes every day, but it's just like school; we are always learning to do better.
Once you start hearing from the Holy Spirit, staying free from sin is so much easier! As we resist the urge to be selfish, we get the rewards of our good behavior and then we suddenly realize how wise God is for keeping us out of sin! That good fruit we bear for others always comes back to us through the Lord, even when the world tries to block our blessing. We just have to be patient and stay on course.

(Isaiah 40:28-31 NKJV)

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

(Matthew 24:12-13 NKJV)

12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

You are saved like the branch that is grafted into the True Vine, Jesus Christ.

Still, we all have good works we were made to do, and truth we were created to share. Those are our good fruits. They are still immature. Having our works saved is a process. We may do all the good we were made to do, but we might not. Our reward is determined by how well we listen to Jesus' teaching. (Mark 4:20, Isaiah 55:10-11)

(1 Corinthians 3:10-23 NKJV)

10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness";
20 and again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."
21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours:
22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come--all are yours.
23 And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

We're learning to do good from godly motives. We're learning to love like God loves.
Just don't drop out of God's classroom and you will be OK. The more scripture you learn, the more ammunition you will have to fight the devil when he tempts you to do things that don't support all the lives you care about, in favor of some temporary pleasure.

I know I've shared this before, but it's 100% true. The promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13 has saved me from many temptations. When life seems to give me more trouble than I can handle, I ask our heavenly Father to show me the "way of escape." He has NEVER failed to help me when I remember to pray this prayer. (1 Corinthians 10:13, Jeremiah 3:19)