God’s Word teaches us to be diligent in knowing and following Christ – even when the word diligent is not used.
“Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11
Make the deliberate decision to “set…
“Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord.” 1 Chronicles 22:19
“Don’t you EVER take a vacation from God!” said my first pastor.
This beloved brother knew exactly what happens when the disciple relaxes in his seeking of the LORD. Think foolish virgins. The result can be deadly, irrevocably.
He was dead on in this warning. Give the flesh an inch and it will take a mile, right?
Have you ever slipped backward? If so, you know it started with just not reading God’s Word one day. That one day turned into two, three…. Right?
Never must this happen. The war is won in the now. You must “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
God requires that we “give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” (2 Peter 1:10).
It’s only those who remain built up in Christ like the wise virgins of Jesus’ parable, who “keep” themselves “in the love of God” who are not going to fall away.
“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. … Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Jude 20-25
Jesus warns:
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41
How did this kind of wisdom get lost from us beloved of God?
The disciple must get out ahead of the flesh. He must be one step ahead – knowing by testimony of the Word and by personal experience that there is “NO good thing” in us other than Jesus (Romans 7:18). This is exactly why Paul also said things like:
“I die daily.” 1 Corinthians 15:31
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” 1 Corinthians 9:27
Exhorting the sheep of Christ, one pastor said:
“Have fun this summer. Enjoy the outdoors. Travel to see friends and family. Explore the world. Just don’t take a vacation from God. He loves you more than you can imagine and wants to keep refilling your sack with his awesome gifts so that you can keep sharing them with others in your life!”
“The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.” Proverbs 13:19
Various Quotes on the Importance of Diligence
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.”―Calvin Coolidge
“But I never could have done what I have done, without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence…”―Charles Dickens
“Prefer diligence before idleness, unless you esteem rust above brightness.”―Plato
“Diligence is the mother of good fortune.”―
“Amateurs look for inspiration; the rest of us just get up and go to work.”
“If he [Thomas Edison] had a needle to find in a haystack, he would not stop to reason where it was most likely to be, but would proceed at once with the feverish diligence of a bee, to examine straw after straw until he found the object of his search.”―Nikola Tesla
“Laziness looks at excuses as something to treasure while diligence always focuses on excuses as an inconvenience to be overcome.”―
“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.”―Thomas Alva Edison
“That which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in, and the best of me is diligence.”―William Shakespeare
“Active valour may often be the present of nature; but such patient diligence can be the fruit only of habit and discipline.”―Edward Gibbon
“Diligence overcomes difficulties; sloth makes them.”―Benjamin Franklin
“The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.” Proverbs 26:13
“In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.” Proverbs 14:23
“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” 1 Peter 1:13
“Wherefore – Having such encouragement. Gird up the loins of your mind – As persons in the eastern countries were wont, in travelling or running, to gird up their long garments, so gather ye up all your thoughts and affections, and keep your mind always disencumbered and prepared to run the race which is set before you. Be watchful – As servants that wait for their Lord. And hope to the end – Maintain a full expectation of all the grace – The blessings flowing from the free favour of God. Which shall be brought to you at the final revelation of Jesus Christ – And which are now brought to you by the revelation of Christ in you.“―John Wesley
“Slothfulness (laziness, lack of diligence) casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.” Proverbs 19:15
Power Words Power our Lives!
Remember those power words your parents instilled in your growing up? Remember things like “readers are leaders”? How about “The early bird gets the worm”?
What are some of the good words your beloved parents instilled in you as a child that live on in your mind and heart daily?
My beloved father taught us five to “always be consistent.” Oh and these weren’t just words. Oh no. My brother and I are only 13 months apart and so when we started playing football at about 6 years old, my parents set us down and looked us in the eyes and said “If you start this football season, you WILL finish. We require it of you, so count the cost.”
Nothing replaces consistency. Say it out loud with me right now beloved of God – CONSISTENCY.
While we’re on this topic, I hope you won’t mind me saying that it is befuddling to see how people start doing something that works and then quit – from a work out program to a lifestyle change in eating and most devastatingly, serving God then quitting.
Wait a minute, you were doing _______ and it was working, was blessing you, and then you quit?
Hebrews 10:32-39
“But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;
33 Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.
34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”
Hebrews 6:9-12
“But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
62 times the words “diligent,” “diligence,” and “diligently” appear in Holy Scripture.
Each time we read these words, they pertain specifically to serving God “diligently” with “diligence.”
“Diligent”
“He becometh poor (spiritually) that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich (spiritually).” Proverbs 10:4
“Diligence”
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23
“Diligently”
appears 37 times in God’s Word
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that DILIGENTLY seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
“Looking DILIGENTLY lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;” Hebrews 12:15
“Keep your dukes up!”
Growing up boxing, from home training to being on a golden gloves team in high school, the command of the coaches was always and repeatedly “Keep your dukes up!”
Those who drop their dukes, their hands from covering their face, get hit, get knocked out.
Another sign on the wall of that boxing facility was: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” unknown
We are going to go through what Jesus foretold:
“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” Matthew 24:21-22
YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father, in the name of Jesus I come to You now. Please forgive my sins of self-idolatry, slothfulness, and spiritual adultery.
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Abiding
Humility. Surrender. Sobriety. Restoration. Vigilance. [podcast]

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 Peter 5:6-10
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16
“But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” Hebrews 7:24-26
May God bless you and I with this child-like disposition, heart! Please do it in us dear LORD, in Jesus’ name.
The Topic of Humility on SafeGuardYourSoul.com
Spanish Content on SafeGuardYourSoul
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Abiding
LORD Please Prepare and Send Me! [podcast]

So you don’t do anything for anyone except yourself and yet you claim to be saved? Nah. Real repentance, will always, with no exception, bring for a new life, the life of Christ, full of fruit that bears witness to His lordship in that life (Matthew 3:7-10).
Of Isaiah’s repentance and preparation to be used of God, one writer notes:
“This phrase is a powerful, timeless prayer for spiritual readiness and a willing heart to serve. It echoes the beautiful biblical passage from Isaiah 6:8, where Isaiah responds to God’s call saying, “Here am I; send me.”
WHEN you ask God to use you, get ready, He’s going to do it. He’s going to prepare and launch you into His fields which are “white already to harvest” (John 4:34-38).
Sometimes I’ve been through seasons of testing, chastening, stripping, purging, etc., not remembering I had prayed for the LORD to prepare and send me. Then it would dawn on me and all began to make sense. God is able. Memorize 2 Timothy 2:21 KJB.
When the LORD appeared to him, the prophet Isaiah was shown his own depravity, his own wicked heart, his own unpreparedness. What was his response and how does this relate to us?
Are you ready this day to say “Jesus please prepare and use me mightily for Your eternal glory! I love You LORD. I am all Yours! Please do Your deeper work in this life You gave!”?
One must be prepared by God to be used by God.
“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:21
To the degree that we allow God to prepare us, to that degree shall He powerfully use us. The cross. The only way up is down beloved.
Is today your day to surrender afresh? John 3:30, Colossians 3:3 anyone?
Prepared by God to be Used of God (category)
Regrettably, most professing Christians will never love Jesus enough to give up this fleeting world for Heaven’s coming King (Luke 14:33; 17:33).
Have you ever pondered why there is little or no Scripture being used when listening to someone pretending to be speaking about the LORD? You should wonder (Matthew 7:16, 20; 1 John 4:1).
“Preach the word” is the divine mandate, command, and also “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4:2,5).
Let us cease to pretend that we represent the LORD when everything we say isn’t coming straight out of His Word. Read that again please. He didn’t instruct us to entertain or to tell stories. He commanded us to preach HIS Word. King James Bible.
“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles (written Word) of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11
Think God is calling you to serve? Good. If He has saved you, He has called you (Ephesians 2:8-10; 4:7). Get lost in His Word every day (Jeremiah 15:16). Read it (Revelation 1:3). Study it (2 Timothy 2:15). Memorize it (Proverbs 4:4). Meditate upon it day and night (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1). THAT’s your prep for ministry, not going to an antichrist seminary. Jesus inducted you into His school of the Holy Ghost and Word the moment He saved you.
Are you daily devouring God’s Word, OR are you backsliding?
“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16
God Visits Isaiah
If we’re not talking about the holiness of the one true God—that He is “Holy, holy, holy” —what false god are we speaking of?
Isaiah 6
Isaiah’s Calling/Vision of the Lord
“1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Isaiah’s Commission from the Lord
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
In Your process of preparing this vessel, when needed, please “Let the righteous smite me….” (Psalms 141:5).
HAVE YOU ever prayed this prayer? Do you want to be a man after God’s own heart like David? (Acts 13:22) If so, you must emulate the beloved David and pray this prayer!
“There is no better test of a man’s ultimate chivalry and integrity than how he behaves when he is wrong.” — G.K. Chesterton
IF you are not a DOER of God’s Word, it proves you are not saved, and are a lukewarm hell bound rebel. Repent now and bring forth fruit to prove it (Matthew 3:7-10; 7:21; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:4; Revelation 2:26, etc.).
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22
May I be a doer of Your Word dear LORD. Let it be, in Jesus’ name.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21
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Abiding
Fruitful Life. Fruitful Evangelism. [podcast]

The Life God Blesses to Bear Fruit for His Eternal Glory
A fruitful life for God’s glory involves first being genuinely born again, abiding in Christ via the crucified life, bearing spiritual fruit—such as Christlikeness in character, good works, and evangelism—by remaining in vital union with Jesus, the true vine (John 15).
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:16
“There is a glow and a spiritual fragrance about the life of a person who is Spirit filled that is unlike anything found in natural man. The beauty of divine holiness ought to be radiated from all Christians. It is always seen in the lives of those who are truly controlled by the Spirit.” G. Christian Weiss, Insights into Bible Times and Customs
JUST as Jesus multiplied the little with the boy who gave the loaves and fishes, so He does with our efforts. Jesus multiplied that little and fed 5,000 men, and that doesn’t count the women and children present. Try Him.
“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Psalms 34:8
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:40-46
God blesses the lives of His faithful saints. His faithful saints seek His face continually.
“Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11
God prospers us according as we seek His face and stay upon Him. Of king Uzziah king of Judah, God’s Word says:
“As long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.” 2 Chronicles 26:5
At times in this life there are season of uncertainty, where our vision may not be clear. We must “stay upon” the LORD.
“Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.” Isaiah 50:10
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:11-14
“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Ephesians 3:20
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8
We’ve never been so reminded of this as of the miraculous events of late where beloved brother Juan dropped some plastic water bottles that hit me in the feet. Only God could have orchestrated this collision of Juan’s life and mine.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” Psalms 37:23
Ask Him.
Recently brother Stacy Strother reminded me that God simply wants us, His people to be available, to pray and watch Him work!
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Mark 16:15-20
It has been wisely stated:
“Show me a man’s prayer life, his life of prayer or lack thereof, and I will show you who that man truly is and who and what he loves most.”
All who are zealous for the LORD are zealous about His work, to do it. Not build a church, but to see Christ work in the hearts of men—to strengthen and equip His body and convict and save lost souls to Himself.
One source notes:
“Evangelism is the act of sharing the Christian gospel—the ‘good news’ of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection—with the aim of inviting others into a relationship with God. It is considered a core mission for believers to spread this message of salvation, hope, and love, often stemming from Jesus’s command in the Great Commission.”
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30
YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father, in Jesus’ name, unite my heart to fear Thy name. Do your work in and through my life. I am all Yours. Maximize the fruit produced to Your eternal glory. You must increase but I must decrease. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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