2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

We live in a world that moves quickly. If the answer doesn't come now, we assume it's not coming at all. We get frustrated, anxious, even doubtful. We question things like does God even hear, see, or care about us?

But the truth is God’s timing is never slow. It’s never random. It’s never punishment. It’s perfect. Even when it doesn’t feel like it. Even when we don’t understand it. We struggle with God’s timing because we’re more focused on our own desires than God’s heart.
We want answers now. Relief now. Blessings now. But if we got what we wanted when we wanted, we would miss what He’s truly trying to give us which is more of Himself.

God is not working on your schedule, he's working on your soul.

We get impatient with God, but He never grows impatient with us.

When we turn our backs, doubt His goodness, question His plan, He doesn’t turn away. He leans in closer.

While we get frustrated, God waits with grace. Not only is He patient in giving us answers, He’s patient in how we treat Him too. We lose our patience with God, but He never loses His love for us. When was the last time you paused to think about what God desires?

Not just what He can do for you. Not just the breakthrough you’re praying for. But His heart. God never says no. 

He never rejects, he redirects.

If he's delaying something or someone in your life, it's not punishment but protection.

Because God knows what's best, we can trust him and know that what's coming later is worth it. Amen

Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Fear is sneaky. It doesn’t always show up as panic or terror. Often times it disguises itself as caution, logic, or what we call “being realistic.” We tell ourselves, “I’m just protecting myself or others,” or “I don’t want to get hurt again or hurt others again.” And in that moment, fear convinces us that it’s smarter to hide, isolate, cut off, or even run.

Fear makes us believe we can prevent outcomes. Nothing we do in our own strength can stop or change what God has already ordained. We cannot undo God's plan. 

Fear pretends to protect you, but all it really does is prevent you. It prevents you from true happiness, true peace, true love, and true relationship with God. 

Fear Feels Safe, but It's Not Stable.

Fear says, “Don’t reach out—they might reject you.”

Faith says, “God is with me even if they do.”

Fear says, “Don’t step out—it might not work.”

Faith says, “Even if I fail, God will use it.”

Fear makes isolation feel logical. You withdraw from people, opportunities, and even your calling because it seems safer.

Fear is very similar to pride in that it leads us ultimately to death. Death of the spirit, emotional death and mental death. 

Fear doesn’t lead you to peace, it leaves you to pieces.

We fear because we believe the lie that we can control the outcome. That if we avoid, overthink, or try harder, we’ll be safe. But the truth is: we were never meant to control life. We were meant to walk by faith.

Fear comes from Satan. Faith is trusting that even if things don’t go your way, God is still leading the way.

We make decisions that seem safe, not because they’re rooted in faith but because we’re afraid to stay and trust. We even walk away from people God placed in our lives not out of peace, but self-preservation. But God never called us to live safely. He called us to live surrendered. 

Fear never protects, it only projects. 

Fear tells you to protect yourself or others while faith says you don’t have to protect yourself when God has already promised to do it.

Fear will always try to convince you to run. But God wants to show you how to stand. You don’t need to figure everything out. You just need to trust the One who has it all figured out. 

I hope we can operate boldly on faith and not fear. God wants us to live boldly and not scared of anything. Your career, family, and life are all in the hands of God. Let us live boldly today in front of our Lord. Amen!

Proverbs 16:18 (KJV)
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

There are moments when we feel overwhelmed by our own emotions, frustrated that we’re even frustrated, mad that we can’t seem to shake a thought, or hurt by someone else’s words more than we’d like to admit. But if we peel back the layers, we often find a common root, Pride. 

Pride doesn’t always shout, many times it disguises itself as frustration, comparison, or self-defense. We get jealous of others, not because of what they have, but because deep down we’re afraid we don’t measure up. We argue and defend ourselves, not because the other person is wrong, but because we can’t bear to feel exposed. We judge others, not because they’re broken, but because we haven’t faced our own brokenness. 

What you resent in others is often what you refuse to confront in yourself.

The truth is, most of the time, we’re not mad at people.....we’re mad at God. 

Mad that life didn’t go the way we wanted.
Mad that He didn’t answer that prayer faster.
Mad that we still feel stuck in our habits or emotions.
But we don’t want to say we’re mad at God, so we misdirect it. We snap at our friends, get cold towards and judge our leaders/servants, or silently compete with people we should be celebrating with. 

At the heart of pride is the belief that “I can lead my life better than God or anyone else can.” 
It’s why we push people away.
It’s why we isolate and “figure it out” ourselves.
It’s why we resist correction and resent those who’ve helped us.

The truth is however that when we lead our own lives without God, we end up in shame and exhaustion. We weren’t designed to guide ourselves. The path to peace isn’t self-reliance, it's surrender.

Most of us need to stop pointing outward and start looking inward. We must be 100% honest with ourselves. You must let go of the idea that you know best. If you could lead your life better than God, you’d already be at peace. This type of honesty opens the door to healing. We must recognize that we don't argue because we're right, often times we're arguing because we're insecure. 

I hope we can all depend on God and recognize that pride has hidden itself in our reactions. I hope we can see that we cannot lead our own lives and that's the reason why God sent Jesus. Let us ask God to humble us down, surrender our lives, and receive his peace. Amen!

Hebrews 13:17 (KJV)
“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

One of the quietest yet most dangerous forms of spiritual deception is resenting the very servant God used to lead you to salvation. You may not say it out loud, but your heart begins to shift. That honor and gratitude you once had starts to grow cold.

You start focusing on the flaws of the servant rather than the fruit of the servant. 

You begin to compare. You begin to critique. You begin to distance. You say things like, “I follow Jesus, not man,” forgetting that God chose to reveal Jesus to you through that man.

The person who planted your freedom should never become the target of your resentment. But sadly, Satan works to disconnect you from the servant. 

Romans 10:14 (KJV) says:
“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

It is God’s design that salvation flows through the lips of the servant. You didn’t save yourself. You didn’t wake up one day and just believe. Someone fought for you. Someone prayed for you. Someone sacrificed comfort, time, and sleep so that you could hear the gospel clearly.

But Satan works subtly. He gets you to start picking apart the servant. You say, “They’re not that special.”

You focus on personality instead of purpose.

You look for faults instead of fruit.

The same spirit that lifts you out of hell can’t be honored when your heart is full of pride.

But I want to tell you guys something...Indeed, Salvation Came Through the Gospel, but the Gospel Was Delivered Through the Servant. 

It usually starts when we feel overlooked. Someone else gets acknowledged. Another brother or sister seems more “used” by God. And slowly, we start to harden. Instead of rejoicing in the gospel, we seek position, recognition, or platform.

The root is not offense but pride. We begin to believe that we deserve the attention, the leadership, or the spotlight. But we fail to realize that in God’s kingdom, the one who is least is the greatest. The one who serves is the one who leads.

You may think you’re “just speaking your opinion,” but in reality, you’re despising the very order that God has established. And Satan is smiling while division begins.

Deuteronomy 8:11 (KJV) says:
“Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments...”

Forgetting is not just failing to remember, it’s refusing to honor. You can still go to church, read your Bible, and pray, say the you're righteous and holy, but if you dishonor the vessel God used to rescue you, your spiritual life becomes blocked.

You can’t walk in fullness when you resent the one who fully poured out their life so you could live.

If you dishonor the delivery man, you dishonor the package too.

I challenge you all to Ask yourself:

• Do I speak about my pastor or leader with honor?
• Do I remember the tears, labor, and sacrifice they made for my salvation?
• Am I silently and internally competing, comparing, or criticizing?
• Do I uplift the church body or divide it with subtle discontent and resentment/questioning?

Hebrews 13:17 reminds us that the servant watches over your soul. You may feel overlooked, but they’ve been in spiritual warfare for your life. To cause them grief is not only harmful to them but unprofitable for you.

If you resent the servant in any way:

1. Repent and Acknowledge It: Bring it to God honestly. He already sees it. And trust him above your thoughts. 
2. Restore Honor: Speak blessings over the one God used for you. Thank God aloud for their life.
3. Protect Unity: Don’t entertain gossip. Don’t plant seeds of doubt in others.
4. Refocus on the Gospel: Remember, it was never about building your kingdom. It’s always been about Jesus.

God’s servants are not perfect but they were perfect for your salvation.

They came in God's perfect timing to deliver his perfect message that then led you to realize your perfect identity in Christ. We should never forget this. 

It is the gospel that saved a wretch like you, and a servant who delivered it. I hope we can honor both the message and the messenger in our hearts. 

I hope we can return to humility through conviction. To honor those who’ve fought for your soul. To see that the body of Christ thrives not through competition but through love, submission, and gratitude.

Amen and Selah

Psalm 46:10 (KJV)
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Most of us struggle with control. We feel like if we don't handle every detail, everything will fall apart. The fear of losing control leads to anxiety, stress, and constant overthinking. We spend time worrying about relationships, finances, health, and the future. The truth is you were never meant to carry it all. The need to control is rooted in fear, and fear grows when we trust ourselves more than we trust God. That’s why Psalm 46:10 hits so deeply. God isn’t asking us to fix everything. He’s asking us to be still and trust that He is in control. When we try to control everything, we end up losing our peace. Why? Because control is an illusion. The world is unpredictable, but God is constant. He’s never surprised by what’s happening in your life, and He’s never out of control. 

God isn’t distant. He’s holding your life, guiding every step, and protecting your path. The sooner you surrender control, the sooner you’ll find peace.

That’s why sometimes He allows situations to spin beyond our control, not to harm us, but to remind us that our hands were never strong enough to carry it all. We must believe that the hands that made the stars are strong enough to hold your life together. When life feels out of control, it’s a reminder that you were never meant to control it in the first place. You don’t have to control everything. You only need to trust the One who does.

Real peace isn’t found in control, it’s actually found in surrender. That’s why sometimes He allows situations to spin beyond our control, not to harm us, but to remind us that our hands were never strong enough to carry it all. Surrendering doesn’t mean you're defeated, it means choosing to trust that God’s way is better than yours.

We can be still, because God is already moving.

Here's some steps that help us navigate all the chaos:

Step1: Identify Where You’re Trying to Control
Start by writing down areas where you feel anxious or overwhelmed. These are often the areas where you're trying to control the outcome instead of trusting God. This could be finances, relationships, health, etc.

Step 2: Evaluate Those Thoughts
Think about those things deeply and ask "Can I truly control this?" "Is this worry and control driving me closer or further away from God". 
You'll recognize that most worry and control is rooted in trusting your own thoughts over God's truth. 

Step 3: Pray & Overcome
Remind yourself that God is in control, and He has already promised to guide your steps. Then pray every morning or evening "God, I release my fear of ____. I trust You with the outcome. Your will, not mine. Please give me the grace to see this" 

By doing this daily, you'll notice your worry decreasing, your faith increasing, and your peace deepening. 

You’ll never find peace in control, but you’ll always find peace in surrender. Barzieeezzz AMEN!

Galatians 1:10 (KJV)

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

We all long for validation. It's natural to want to feel seen, understood, and appreciated. But the reality is, the world will often invalidate everything you do. You may be judged, criticized, or falsely accused. People will question your motives, downplay your efforts, or misunderstand your heart.

When you live for the world’s approval, you’ll always feel empty. When you live for God’s approval, you’ll always feel full.

And in a world that constantly tears down, God is the only One who builds up.

No matter how good your intentions are, there will always be people who misunderstand you. Even Jesus, the perfect Son of God, faced accusations and rejection. If they judged Him, they will surely judge us too.

But God allows these moments of invalidation to remind us: we are not of this world, and the world will never fully understand or love us. Unlike the world’s shifting standards, God’s validation is eternal and unchanging. When we believe in Jesus, we are already validated in the deepest way possible. We are called righteous, holy, and blameless.

You are already accepted, approved, and validated by God. His love isn’t based on your performance but on His grace.

The gospel reminds us that our identity is secure in Christ. The accusations, lies, and judgments of the world don’t define us because Jesus already declared us. 

When rejection stings and false words cut deep, the gospel becomes our strength. We don’t have to defend ourselves or prove our worth. The cross already proved our value. 

You don’t need the world to lift you up when you have the gospel holding you steady.

Focus on the gospel and remind yourself that God’s approval is all that matters. When criticism comes, set a boundary in your heart. Let the gospel be your defense, your validation, and your strength.

Amen!

2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV)

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

Intrusive thoughts can feel overwhelming. They appear out of nowhere and carry so much weight. Intrusive thoughts always fall into what I call the 4 D's. They distract you, disturb you, discourage you, and disconnect you. The more we try to control them, the more powerful they seem. But here’s a truth that brings freedom: God never told us to trust our thoughts. In fact, He warns us against it.

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

Our minds are flawed. Our thoughts shift like sand, but God’s Word is solid rock. Thoughts will deceive, but God’s Word is always true. 

Intrusive thoughts often feel foreign and uncomfortable, which is why they cause distress. God tells us however that you are not your thoughts. Thoughts are fleeting, often triggered by past experiences, fears, or even spiritual attacks. Satan loves to use our thoughts as weapons, planting seeds of doubt, fear, and shame. He whispers lies, hoping you’ll latch onto even just one of them. But remember, you are already holy, righteous, and sanctified through Jesus Christ. Your salvation isn’t based on what you think, it’s based on what Jesus did.

Intrusive thoughts lose their power when you refuse to trust them.

The Bible teaches us that our minds are naturally unreliable. Our thoughts are often shaped by emotions, experiences, and the enemy’s lies. That’s why God instructs us not to depend on them.

God knows our hearts and minds are prone to wander, which is why He gave us His Word as a guide. Instead of trusting what you think or feel, trust what God says. His Word never changes, even when your mind feels chaotic.

Your thoughts are temporary but God’s truth is eternal.

Don’t fight intrusive thoughts. Fighting gives them power. Instead, acknowledge their presence and remember that they’re just noise. They don’t reflect who you are in Christ.

When intrusive thoughts arise, combat them with Scripture.

If a thought brings guilt, fear, or shame, recognize it as a lie. God’s Word says you are forgiven, loved, and secure.

Jesus died to give you freedom, not just from sin but from mental torment. Your thoughts cannot undo what Jesus finished on the cross.

The gospel isn’t just about eternal salvation, it is also the blueprint to resting in peace. 

When your mind fixates on your thoughts, it leads to fear and confusion. But when you fix your mind on Jesus, His death, resurrection, and the righteousness He gave you. you experience peace.

Amen!

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (KJV)

17 "And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. 18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day."

When we first encounter God’s grace, it often breaks us. We remember the nights of loneliness, the seasons of emptiness, and the weight of depression we couldn’t shake. We remember how Jesus came into our lives and gave us peace when nothing else worked. We were humbled by the reality that salvation is a gift, not a reward.

But over time, if we’re not careful, something dangerous happens: we forget. We start to see our blessings as something we earned. We become comfortable in the peace that God gave us and begin to feel entitled to it. We forget that grace is unearned, undeserved, and purely given because of God’s love.

I want you guys to understand something very important: pride grows when gratitude fades. 

We must always remember that the same grace that lifted us up is the same grace that should keep us grounded. Jesus doesn’t want us to dwell in guilt about our past, but He does want us to remember what life was like before we met Him. Why? Because humility is rooted in remembrance. Ephesians 2:12 (KJV) says, "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world."

Before grace, we were spiritually bankrupt—empty, lost, and without hope. We couldn’t save ourselves from sin, depression, fear, or loneliness. Jesus stepped in when we were at our lowest, not because we were good but because He is good. But Satan now works to make us forget that grace. He replaces humility and gratitude with pride. We must never accept the heart that we are doing "well".

The cure for pride is remembering who you were without grace.

Pride doesn’t usually show up all at once. It creeps in when we stop being amazed by grace. When blessings become expectations, we move from grateful to grumbling. We start to judge others who are still struggling, forgetting that we once stood in their shoes. Every blessing, every breakthrough, every ounce of peace we enjoy is a gift from God. We didn’t earn salvation, and we don’t sustain it, Jesus does.

Jesus, the King of kings, showed us the ultimate example of humility. He had every reason to demand honor, yet He washed feet. He had every right to condemn, yet He forgave. He had the power to rule, yet He chose to serve.

Satan tells you to stand tall, God tells us to kneel. 

I hope we can regularly remind ourselves in a non-condemning way who we were before Jesus saved us. I hope we can thank God each day for all the blessings of peace. I hope we can think about the emptiness He filled, the peace He gave, and the hope He restored. Ask Him to keep your heart humble and to help you see every blessing as a gift, not an entitlement.

Amen & Selah!

Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

We all face moments of doubt and fear. Whether it’s uncertainty about the future, worry over loved ones, or anxiety about life’s challenges, these feelings can feel overwhelming.
But Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that we are never alone. God is with us, strengthening us, and helping us each step of the way.

Doubt often comes from looking at our circumstances instead of looking at God. Fear creeps in when we focus on what we can’t control. Both are natural human responses, but they’re also opportunities to lean on God. We must always remember that fear and doubt does not come from God. They’re tools the enemy uses to shake our faith. 

Fear grows when we forget who God is, while peace comes when we remember who God is.

God calls us to trust Him, even when we can’t see the outcome. Trust isn’t about understanding, it’s about believing that God is good, faithful, and in control. When we surrender our doubts and fears to God, He directs our paths and fills us with His peace. You don’t have to understand everything to trust God with everything.

No matter what you’re facing, He is with you, fighting for you, and working everything for your good. We must remember that faith isn't the absence of fear. It's trusting that God will guide you through it. Amen!

Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”


Finding your purpose in life is one of the deepest longings of our human heart. We search for meaning in careers, relationships, hobbies, and achievements, hoping these things will fulfill us. But true purpose isn’t found in what we do but through the gospel of Jesus Christ. I thought having all the money in the world would make me happy. It didn't.
God created you with a purpose, and that purpose is to glorify Him and share His love with others. When we make the gospel the center of our lives, everything else falls into place. Our happiness, fulfillment, and identity are rooted in the truth that Jesus has made us righteous, holy, and sanctified. 

Your purpose is not about what you do, it's about who you glorify.

The gospel reminds us that Jesus died for our sins, rose again, and reconciled us to God. This truth doesn’t just save us temporarily, it gives us eternal meaning in life. Whatever your specific career may be, it always leads back to preaching the gospel and freeing souls.

Your purpose is using every part of your life as a way to glorify God and point others to the gospel. True purpose is living every moment for the One who gave you eternal life. Some people think following God’s plan makes life harder, but that’s a misunderstanding.

God’s plans aren’t burdens, they're blessings.

He knows what’s best for us and wants us to live with joy and peace.Preaching the gospel is a part of that joy. When we share the good news of Jesus with others, we see lives transformed, hearts healed, and chains broken. That freedom pours into our own hearts, reminding us of the beauty of the salvation we’ve received. One of the greatest truths of the gospel is that Jesus has already made us righteous, holy, and sanctified. We don’t have to earn our purpose or prove our worth anymore.

You don’t need to search for purpose when you’re standing on the foundation of the gospel. I hope we can all focus on the gospel that saves our souls and brings true happiness. Amen!