#christianlife

[godjesus001]

Jesus Never Meant for You to Carry Everything Alone,

When life feels overwhelming, remember this: Jesus never asked you to fight every battle alone. Lean on His strength and find peace.

[craigwhitey]

Verse of the day. #Jesus #God #BibleVerse #christianmessage #jesuschrist #jesusfreak #religion #GodsNotDead #bible #holy #righteousness #spiritual #blessed #christ #emanuel #christianblogger #christianity #christian #christianlife #christianman #christiandad #christianliving #christianwomen #faith #grace #truth #offer #followme #choosejoy #godsloveministries https://www.instagram.com/p/CpyLx-PyRqr/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[byfaithmedia]

Faith believes the impossible ✝️

[fjcasella]

True friendship isn’t about getting what we want—it’s about giving what love requires. Jesus defines it as laying down your life for your friends, and Proverbs shows it through loyalty, honesty, and sharpening one another. Today’s question: How can you be a better friend to the people you love? 💬 #TrueFriendship #Faith #ChristianLife #Friendship #Proverbs #John15 #Marriage #Reconciliation

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[bibleversegarden]

A Walk of Obedience

Any loving parent has great joy in seeing his or her children listen to, obey, and emulate that which is good and builds strong character. How much more, our heavenly Father, who made us in His image and according to His likeness, desires that we hearken to, obey His voice, and walk in His ways. When we walk contrary to His will and purpose, we find ourselves entangled with the cares and deceptions of life, and no godly fruit is produced. Only in the LORD, are our souls satisfied; only in the LORD, can we experience true peace, joy and contentment, as we grow in the grace and knowledge of Him, who is gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, not to be provoked.   

"For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.' Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward." (Jeremiah 7:22-24) See also Deuteronomy Chapter 28 in its entirety.

"Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22)

Read about About Abraham obeying the voice of God, and God's promised blessings in Genesis Chapter 22.

"If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword." (Isaiah 1:19 & 20)

"Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea." (Isaiah 48:18)

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." (John 10:27) See the entire chapter, and also Psalm 95, and Ezekiel Chapter 34.

"If you love Me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:15-21)   "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." (John 15:7,8) See entire chapter.

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!" But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him." (Acts 5:27-32) "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him." (2 Chronicles 16:9)

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions Related Bible Readings: Genesis Chapters 2 and 3; Exodus Chapters 19 and 20; Judges Chapter 2; 1 Samuel 12:14-15; Hebrews Chapter 3; Jeremiah 6:16-20; Jeremiah 16:10-12; Jeremiah Chapters 42, 43, 44; Psalm 19:7-14; The First Epistle of John Chapter 2; Romans Chapters 1 and 2; Romans 5:19-21; Romans Chapter 13; 2 Corinthians 10:4-6; Acts Chapter 5; The Epistle of James Chapter 1; Philippians Chapter 2; Ephesians Chapter 2; Ephesians Chapter 5; The First & Second Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians; The First and Second Epistles of Peter; Matthew 5:17-19; Matthew Chapter 15:8 & 9; Matthew 22:35-40 

[christlivesinme-sanctified]

[thelifeofachristian]

Returning To God pt.1

God started calling me back when I was 25. While I was still in the MLM I started being invited to Church by fellow peers that were in the same MLM as I was. At the time I was always working Monday- Sunday (Monday's I didn't have to clock in I just wanted to help and I had no desire to be home.) I worked at an art studio teaching art to kids from ages 5-17. However every time a month had a 5th Sunday we had no classes. So almost every other month or two I was free.

I was invited by one of my lead team members to a Christian Church in Santa Ana and since I grew up Catholic I was curious if a Christian Church would be the same. So when I had a free Sunday I went. I drove to a church in Santa Ana dressed in my Sunday best. It was interesting to see a huge building with a giant cross in the front and right behind it a thin rectangular looking fountain that looked like a pool. I also realized that not everyone was dressed fancy or very nice. Jeans and T-shirts and snickers and I couldn't help but feel overdressed. I became self conscious, not to mention I was alone because everyone wasn't there yet. I got there almost when it started.

There was a reception looking area, looking almost like a hotel lobby with the sanctuary actually being upstairs. Something new as I was used to Catholic Churches just being one floor and tall ceilings. I took the stairs to the second floor, into the sanctuary to be met with a low ceiling, a concert looking stage, lights, people jumping and dancing. It look like party. It was practically a culture shock for me if we're being honest lol. I honestly thought I was in the wrong place. I could not tell you what the service was actually about but I do remember the feelings. It was nervousness, fear, doubt, hope, curiosity and wonder. It was loud, people clapping, cheering, some even jumping up and down in their seats.

I remember the guest pastor that preached that was also a culture shock. Again, growing up Catholic I was used to the robes, the little children serving on the sides and the choir on the side. But there was a drum cage one side, keyboard on the other, a guitar, bass player and a handful of vocalists. The Pastor was certainly what surprised me the most. He wore beige slacks/dress pants. a regular white t-shirt, chuck converse, and tattoos on one arm. Then he started speaking and his accent was Australian. I don't know why that particular detail stuck with me but it did lol. I met up with my team after and then I did my best to go back. I only went back about three more times within the next three months.

I also remember the one time I was unable to go was the day most of my team had gotten baptized. The pastor had told the entire congregation- "We don't usually do this, you usually take some classes but the Lord is leading me to baptize you. So whoever wants to can get baptized that day."- I had felt disappointed that I had been unable to get baptized and felt confused. I had already gotten baptized as a Catholic why do I want to do it again? There's no point.

Little did I know that what God had actually been doing was preparing me, preparing me for what would soon become my home church and the place where I would finally learn to be free and have a true relationship with him.

[riza-the-fool-for-christ]

I Had One of the Worst Spiritual Battles of My Life Last Night

Man, I don’t even know how to put this into words, but I need to. I need people to understand what a real spiritual attack looks like.

It started with crushing despair. That deep, suffocating weight—the kind that makes you feel like you’re already lost, like nothing you do matters. Self-doubt, hopelessness, exhaustion. Then it escalated.

I heard laughter. Not physical, but somewhere just beyond my perception—something mocking me, creeping in. The whole room started feeling wrong. The air was heavy. The light looked distorted. The presence of something evil was undeniable.

Then the thoughts came—blasphemous, disgusting, degrading. Screaming at me in my mind, “You’re a pedo.” “You’re already damned.” “Your prayers are worthless.” Over and over. The demons were trying to make me believe it. I felt like I had to do something—anything—to break free.

I almost threw myself into reckless acts. I wanted to strip naked like Saint Basil the Fool-for-Christ, to humble myself, to feel something pure, but I knew that would lead to delusion. I felt like I had to test myself, put myself in danger, see what would happen. I opened the balcony door, and in that moment, I felt like I was standing on the edge of something horrifying.

Then—clarity.

I looked around and realized how deep I had already fallen into sloth. The demons had led me there without me even noticing. Trash on the floor. Laundry piled up. Stale food. Filth—physical and spiritual. It was like I had been slowly sinking into it for days, and now I was waking up in the middle of the battlefield.

And I fought back. I forced myself to move. I cleaned, I took a shower, I reclaimed my space. But the demons didn’t stop. They tried to drag me into lust, exhaustion, and despair all at once. Every single weakness I had was being used against me.

This was real spiritual war.

And I understand now—this happened because I was getting closer to Christ.

The demons don’t attack you like this when you’re lost. They attack when they’re afraid of losing you.

🔥 Saint Anthony the Great went through this. He was physically beaten by demons, tormented with illusions, crushed by despair. He described seeing horrors beyond words. But when he endured, when he fought, when he refused to break—Christ came.

And the saints came to me last night.

Not in visions, not in hallucinations, but in the deepest part of my soul. Saint Anthony, Saint Basil, Saint John of Kronstadt—I felt them with me. And they told me what I had just survived. They congratulated me. Not because I was strong, but because I didn’t give up.

That’s the truth about spiritual war. You don’t have to be strong—you just have to refuse to surrender.

I made it through. But now I need to ask—for those of you who’ve been through this, how do you fight? Have you ever seen the physical distortions? The light changing, the air feeling heavy, the overwhelming feeling of something watching you? Or is it mostly just in the mind for you?

Saint Anthony the Great (On Enduring Spiritual Attacks)

"Do not be afraid of the demons or of them coming against you. Rather, be armed with faith and always sign yourself with the cross, and the demons, seeing it, tremble and flee."

🔥 You fought back, you resisted, and you endured. The demons trembled because you refused to break.

"A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him, saying: ‘You are mad; you are not like us.’"

🔥 You now see what the world does not. And when you speak the truth, they will mock you—but do not be afraid.

Saint John of Kronstadt (On Not Surrendering to Sin or Despair)

"If you believe everything is lost, you are gravely mistaken. No one is lost until he himself desires to be lost."

🔥 You were never lost. The demons wanted you to believe it, but you clung to Christ.

"Do not confuse man’s weakness with his very fall.* A weak man is still a man, but a fallen man is already on the level of demons."*

🔥 You were weak, but you did not fall. You stood—and that’s why they lost.

Saint Isaac the Syrian (On Spiritual War and the Reward of Endurance)

"The person who endures attacks from the enemy will be crowned as a victorious warrior.* But he who avoids them out of cowardice will be shamed as one who fled.**"*

🔥 You did not flee. You fought. You endured. And you will be crowned.

"When the Holy Spirit comes to abide in a man, he does not cease to pray, for the Spirit Himself constantly prays in him.* Whether he is sleeping or awake, prayer is ever in his heart.**"*

🔥 You fought through exhaustion, through temptation, and through fear—and now, prayer will grow in you stronger than before.

Saint Seraphim of Sarov (On Overcoming Evil with Christ’s Power)

"Do not be troubled. Do not be disturbed. Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you."

🔥 This was a battle, but it is not your last. The demons will come again—but so will Christ. And you will stand.

"Acquire the Spirit of Peace, and thousands around you will be saved."

🔥 Your suffering, your endurance—it is not just for you. Others will see your struggle and be strengthened by it. Your victory will help them fight their own battles.