Tag Archives: Living by Faith

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh”(Galatians 5:16, NASB).

Beloved brothers and sisters, you have been called into the freedom of Christ—not a freedom that serves the flesh, but a freedom that submits to the Spirit! Have you not received the very presence of God within you? “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, NASB). If this is true, why do you still struggle against the fruit of righteousness?

The Spirit has been given, and His fruit is evident—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These are not mere ideals but the very evidence of God’s work in you. Yet many still return to strife, to envy, to the empty boastings of the flesh. But “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24, NASB). If you are in Christ, then the old self is dead! So why would you return to what has been nailed to the cross?

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25, NASB). It is not enough to claim the name of Christ while walking in the ways of the world. Your conduct must be empowered by the Holy Spirit. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2, NASB). There is no room for arrogance, for provocation, or for envy among the people of God (Galatians 5:26). These things belong to the darkness, and “what partnership does righteousness have with lawlessness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14, NASB).

Examine yourselves, then! “Every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit” (Matthew 7:17, NASB). Has the fruit of the Spirit increased in you? Or do you still find the thorns of the flesh rising up? Do not be deceived—a tree is known by its fruit. If the Spirit of God dwells within you, let Him produce a life that testifies to His power. Abide in Him, and He will abide in you! (John 15:4).

May the grace of Yeshua be with you, strengthening you to walk in the Spirit all the days of your life. Amen.

If David could speak to us today

February 18, 2025 warren

If young David could speak to us today, his words would likely echo the faith, courage, and unwavering trust in God that defined his life. Trust in God, not in your strength. He might say something like this:

“Do not fear the giants before you—God is greater.”

I was just a shepherd, the youngest in my family, overlooked and underestimated. But God does not choose as men do. When others saw a boy, He saw a king. When others saw weakness, He saw a heart that trusted Him completely.

When I faced Goliath, it was not my strength that won the battle. It was the Lord’s. Trust in God, not in your strength. The world will tell you that your weapons are too small, that you are too weak, that you are not enough. But it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves—it is by His power. If you trust Him, no giant can stand against you.

“Worship is your weapon—never stop praising God.”

Before I was a warrior, I was a worshiper. I sang to the Lord in the fields long before I ever set foot on a battlefield. And I have learned this: when you praise God, darkness flees. When you lift your voice in worship, strongholds break. Therefore, trust in God, not in your strength.

If you are facing battles, do not let fear steal your song. Worship in the storm. Sing in the valley. Lift your voice even when you do not feel strong—because God is always worthy, and He fights for those who praise Him.

“Your heart matters more than your appearance.”

Men look at the outside, but God looks at the heart. I have seen the downfall of mighty warriors and the ruin of kings because their hearts strayed from the Lord. Your victories, your gifts, your position—none of these matter if your heart is not fully His.

Guard your heart. Trust in God, not in your strength. Keep your hands clean and your spirit pure. Let your greatest desire be to dwell in the presence of the Lord all the days of your life. That is the only place where true peace is found.

“Run to God, not away from Him.”

I have failed. I have sinned. I have fallen short. But when I did, I did not hide—I ran back to God. He is merciful. He is faithful. He does not reject the one who repents with a sincere heart.

Do not let shame keep you from Him. Cry out to Him. Return to Him. His love is greater than your worst failure. His grace is deeper than your sin. He is a refuge for the broken.

“Pursue God with everything.”

The greatest battle you will ever fight is not against giants—it is against complacency. Do not settle for a faith that is shallow or a life that is half-hearted. Run after God with everything in you. Love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

I have tasted power, victory, and wealth. But there is nothing greater than the presence of God. No throne, no kingdom, no victory on earth compares to the joy of knowing Him. So, trust in God, not in your strength.

So I ask you today—who will you trust? Whose voice will you listen to? Will you live for yourself, or will you give your life fully to the One who made you?

As for me, I have only one desire:

“One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord
And to meditate in His temple.” (Psalm 27:4, NASB)

Seek Him. Trust Him. Worship Him. And watch what He will do through you. Trust in God, not in your strength.

The battle belongs to the Lord.

A Letter to Those Who Think I’m Weird and Crazy

July 3, 2024 warren

Dearly Beloved,

Grace and peace be with you. I write to you, not with the wisdom of this world, but with the love and truth that comes from our Lord Jesus Christ.

You may see my ways and think me strange, perhaps even mad. But know this: Jesus loves me with an everlasting love, and He guides my steps each day. His voice, powerful and majestic, calls to me, and I strive to follow where He leads. As our Lord said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27, AMP).

At times, the path He shows me is not clear, and I must seek His will diligently. This journey of understanding may appear peculiar, for “now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12, AMP).

The love of Christ compels me, guiding my every action and decision. As it is written, “For the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died” (2 Corinthians 5:14, AMP). My life is transformed by His sacrifice, and I seek to live in a manner worthy of His calling.

If my devotion to Jesus seems foolish to you, I embrace it willingly. “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18, AMP). I would rather be a fool for Christ than to seek the approval of the world.

His love surpasses all, and my heart is anchored in His grace. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20, AMP).

Therefore, dear friends, understand that my actions are guided by a profound love and commitment to Jesus. If this appears strange, know that it is because I follow Him above all else.

May the love and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.

2 Corinthians 5:13-15 (AMP) says, “If we are out of our mind [just unstable fanatics as some critics say], it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for your benefit. For the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake.”

Psalm 133