Category: Blog Post

As we continue to look at and examine God’s purpose for your life, what has He called you to do? There is a specific place in life where you will thrive!

Psalm 33:18-22 NKJV
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, [19] To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. [20] Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. [21] For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. [22] Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.

So much of our lives are made up of our awareness of the Holy Spirit acting in and through our lives. You have to make a daily decision to surrender your will for God’s perfect will and purpose for your life.

Romans 8:5-11 NKJV
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. [6] For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. [7] Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. [8] So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. [9] But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. [10] And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [11] But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

The world’s way is for you to be your own person, a self-made man. All you have to do is strive to become smarter or more talented. This way doesn’t come without a cost. You struggle to achieve and slowly lose a tenderness for following the lead of the Holy Spirit in your life. You trust only in yourself and in what you can control. You try to pattern your life after what the ungodly world system suggests success looks like. There’s no focus on Jesus, just a focus on you. You start replacing God with things, and your relationship with God grows cold and distant. Loving the world more than God is not worth it; the cost is too high. Be encouraged. God is faithful, and He will always walk with you.

You may not have a clue what God’s plan and purpose is for your life. The future may look like a complete mystery. Abraham too was in that same place. He had to trust in the One Who was trustworthy. Daily he had to walk out the journey. You can’t escape having to walk out your daily purpose. If you could skip the daily trusting and sacrifice, going directly to “GO” (like on the board game Monopoly), you would miss growing in your faith and learning to trust your Heavenly Father. You would not develop confidence, and you would miss steadfastness in your life. Your life is unique! I can’t live your life for you, nor do I want to, but I do want to encourage you to rest and to avoid striving to make something happen in your life when you should be patiently waiting for God to move in your life. He knew you before you were ever born, so He also knows that you are special and wonderfully made. Rest and don’t rush anything.

God remained faithful to Abraham, consistently showing Abraham that He was faithful. God will be faithful to you also as you daily surrender and develop a stronger trust. Surrendering your plans and dreams to His purposes is not an easy thing to do, but when you surrender, a quiet peace and joy fill your heart, along with God’s promises found in Scripture. The main difference in your life is Jesus and the Holy Spirit’s living through you. When you completely surrender all of your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, nothing will stop the fulfillment of God’s plan and purpose for your life.

Isaiah 64:8 NKJV
But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.

Blessings,

Return weekly to read our next life changing message that will encourage you in your daily walk with the Holy Spirit as you become more like Jesus.

One’s life purpose gives direction and helps a person navigate through the many daily choices that he faces. Thomas Carlyle, a Scottish philosopher, essayist, historian, and teacher said, “A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder—a waif, a nothing, a no man. Have a purpose in life, and, having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you.” Yield to the plan designed for your life. There is no one like you, and God designed you uniquely. God has equipped you to fulfill all that you have been called to do, so it is not that you are unqualified—just unwilling. Billy Sunday, the celebrated and influential American evangelist, said, “More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent.” John Wesley, a seventeenth-century Anglican minister, theologian, and the founder of Methodism, said, “I want the whole Christ for my Savior, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship, and the whole world for my mission field.” All of life is before you, and you don’t have to walk through life alone. According to Psalm 139, God knew you before you were ever born. As you continue on this journey, you will discover all that God has for you!

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NASB77) says:

“For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 12Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

The question before us all, does God really have a plan for my life? The answer is definitely yes! But, do you desire it for your life? After coming to that answer for your life, you can then ask yourself, are you happy with where you are at in your life right now. If you’re not happy with what you’ve got, or where you are at, then make new decisions to change the direction for your life. Including God in that decision is critical to your life’s purpose. Alignment with God will bring you peace, lower your stress, and increase your confidence that the decisions you are currently making will be fruitful and rewarding.

Our next post will be Part 2 of “Your Purpose”

Blessings,

Return weekly to read our next life changing message that will encourage you in your daily walk with the Holy Spirit as you become more like Jesus.

There are many voices that we can listen to daily. Friends, books, media outlets, and others all have good intentions, or at least let’s assume that point. But God truly has your best interest. God wants your life to be fulfilled with peace and direction. The Bible, God’s Word, gives you counsel from the Holy Spirit of God? You will never go wrong listening to the voice of God.

Consider the following scriptures:

But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you (John 14:26 AMP).

This is Jesus speaking to his disciples, preparing them before his eventual return to the heavenly kingdom from which he came. He is letting them know, they will not be abandoned, but quite the opposite, they will be continuously shown how to daily walk and make decisions with the help of the Holy Spirit of God.

Next:

For if you live according to [the dictates of] the flesh, you will surely die. But if through the power of the [Holy] Spirit you are [habitually] putting to death (making extinct, deadening) the [evil] deeds prompted by the body, you shall [really and genuinely] live forever (Romans 8:13 AMP). 

Here is the challenge before all of us. You decide how you are going to daily live. God does not force you to choose, you have a free will exercised in every decision you make.

Final scripture:

Blessed [happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable] is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather (Psalm 1:1 AMP).

So, here is where the “rubber meets the road”. Who do you listen to for counsel, advice. It has been said, you become like those you spend time with. Again, do you want to be “Blessed [happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable]”, then don’t listen to individuals that are ungodly (those that are denying or disobeying God).

What is God looking for from you:

1. A whole heart surrendered to Him, not one that is divided.

2. A willing heart to follow Him, and His direction.

3. That the intents of your heart and thoughts are pure before Him.

4. Are you daily seeking Him?

Every day you have needs in your life. Ask, seek, and knock at the door of the Holy Spirit to help you through your day. The Holy Spirit wants to be a part of your life, providing you with wisdom, guidance, and discernment for the decisions you face. The Bible, God’s inspired word is meant to help you daily.  Our Heavenly Father knows how to give good gifts, and He wants you to turn to Him first for all your concerns. The Holy Spirit is your guide. Will you let Him help you? You do not have to walk alone; you can be comforted, and you will be encouraged. Rely on the promptings of the Holy Spirit of God in your life. The Holy Spirit tarries and lingers with you to keep you from being deceived and led to believe that you don’t understand how to walk before God. It’s not that you should stop listening to others, but you should realize that if you are sincerely daily living a surrendered life before God, His promptings within you should not be discounted. These promptings serve as both warnings and confirmations. Walk in wisdom and walk closely each day with the Holy Spirit of God.

If someone would ask you the following question, how would you describe your life, what answer would you give? Would you describe yourself as a risk taker, conservative and always playing it safe, maybe one who takes a little risk but it’s still a sure outcome, or impulsive? There are many possibilities, but there is one thing for certain, you get to choose your response.

You may have heard of the expression, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”. Well, how you respond to the changes presented to you either opens up new and exciting open doors or closed doors. You have to trust and be willing to look beyond your current life’s circumstances.

Abram was faced with such a challenge. Abram was a man like many of us—living his life, living in his community, growing with his relatives, worshipping the familiar gods of those around him. However, Abram’s life changed one day when God called him to be different. He was called to take a bold step. He was called to step away from all that was comfortable to his way of life. His family and relatives questioned his sanity. He had to turn from worshipping the gods of his culture to worshipping the one true God. Abraham left his community for what God was leading him to and daily developed faith and trust in God to walk out this new calling placed on his life.

Abram had to trust God for many years before he saw the results of his faith and trust in God. His joy came to him because God was faithful. God’s mercy and promises are for all those who place their lives in His hands. Read Genesis 12:1-9.

Peter was challenged, like Abram, in much the same way. After the Bible’s account of Jesus feeding 5,000 men, this number does not include women and children, it records Jesus walking on the water, possibly, the Sea of Galilee. He has the following encounter with his disciples, specifically with his disciple Peter.

Matthew 14:22-33 NKJV

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. [23] And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. [24] But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. [25] Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. [26] And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. [27] But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” [28] And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” [29] So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. [30] But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” [31] And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” [32] And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. [33] Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

It took a lot of guts for Peter to get out of the boat, even if he sank when he took his eyes and focus off Jesus. At lease he got out of the boat. He trusted the Lord Jesus to make that huge step of faith that would change his life forever. Peter’s life would never be the same again, just because he “stepped out of the boat”.

Like both Peter and Abram, you will have times in your life where you are challenged to make a change in your life. Will you respond with objections like I am too old. Abram was 75 years old when he said yes to God’s call. Will you say it’s impossible for me to do such a thing, Peter just focused on Jesus and he was standing on the water. Have you stood on water lately?

In both accounts, Peter and Abram’s lives were changed forever. Besides becoming a great nation, Abram’s name was changed to Abraham, signifying and marking his encounter with God. Peter became a pillar within the church, the Body of Christ, that helped spread the message of the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the known world at that time in history.

When we are asked by God to “Get out of our boat to encounter Him”, trust Him, believe he has your best interest and will take care of you. Don’t make excuses that steal your blessing and life change. “Step out of the boat!”

Blessings,

Return weekly to read our next life changing message that will encourage you in your daily walk with the Holy Spirit as you become more like Jesus.

John 6:48 TPT says, “I am the true Bread of Life.”

On July 19, 2018 while attending the 2018 EBV (Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Veterans) during my sleep, while dreaming three numbers came to me. It was short, just 648. I wasn’t sure what it meant. I was currently reading the Gospel according to John. The next chapter to be read was chapter 6, then I looked at verse 48. I was amazed, and what an amazing Heavenly Father we have. Thank you Holy Spirit for speaking to this son. I am grateful to Lord Jesus that you are the Bread of Life.

Jesus is the one who sustains our daily life. Bread, taking in nutritional food, is essential to our existence. Likewise, having a relationship with Jesus is essential to your spiritual life. Without physical food you will die, and without spiritual nutrition you will die spiritually. A part of your daily walk with Jesus is listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit of God, even while you dream at night sleeping. If you ask God to speak to you in your dreams, He will do just that. Keep a notepad handy to record what He says to you! Blessings!

Praise the amazing Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Enjoy your day and rest in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Return weekly to read our next life changing message that will encourage you in your daily walk with the Holy Spirit as you become more like Jesus.

Psalms 119:65-66 TPT (The Passion Translation) says: “Your extravagant kindness to me makes me want to follow your words even more! Teach me how to make good decisions, and give me revelation-light, for I believe in your commands.”

Each day we face decisions that could bring blessings or disaster to our lives.

When a person starts making a series of bad decisions that puts them in a cycle of one disappointment after another, they become discouraged and become defeated. They are like the hamster on a wheel that goes around and around, and they can’t or don’t know how to get off of the wheel. It only takes one decision. The decision to take your hands off of your circumstances and let God have control of your situation.

Now you put yourself on a new cycle. A cycle of blessing. A cycle of good decisions, encouragement and opportunity. God’s desire is for us to completely trust and rest in Him. He doesn’t want you to be striving after anything. Give your day to Him, and let Him unfold life. Blessings!

Return weekly to read our next life changing message that will encourage you in your daily walk with the Holy Spirit as you become more like Jesus.

It’s natural for you to plan for your future. Some say it’s being responsible and a sign of maturity. For this warrior moment, consider what the Word of God says, Proverbs 16:9. says, “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 19:21 reads, “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord ’s counsel — that will stand.” Then, Psalms 37:23-24 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Proverbs 20:24 says, “A man’s steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?” Finally, Jeremiah 10:23 reads “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.”

If you become an active participant, walking with God for your life, you receive more peace for your life. Surrendering to God’s plan and purpose designed for you is most fulfilling. Each person living, was born to have a relationship with God. Your best life is daily lived out with God. There is no one like you, and that is because you are unique and intentionally a one of a kind individual.

I want to encourage you today to think on how you may plan, and have great expectations for your day, but the Lord has a vote. He is trustworthy and leads us where we ought to go. Hand in hand. Walk in His strength, and step aside from your own. Have confidence. Rest for this is the day the Lord has made. Blessings!

Return weekly to read our next life changing message that will encourage you in your daily walk with the Holy Spirit as you become more like Jesus.

How do you approach your day? What is your attitude? Do you include God’s Holy Spirit’s interactions or do you push Him away and say, “I’ve got this”. This is a very dangerous position or attitude. It’s prideful, and you’re just full of yourself. What does God’s Word say about such an attitude? Proverbs 11:2 NKJV says: “When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.” Shame is defined as personal disgrace and dishonor. To be humble is to be unassuming. Wisdom follows such a person. Then Proverbs 16:18 NKJV says: “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” Destruction here implies that one is crushed and ruined. One’s dreams are broken. Proverbs 18:12 NKJV says: “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.” Finally, Proverbs 29:23 NKJV says: “A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.” Reflect for a moment. Heed the warnings, or reap the benefit of following scriptures direction. God doesn’t force your hand or demand from you, you get to choose whom you will serve, yourself or yield to God. It is the wise man that seeks after God with his whole heart. Ask yourself, am I full of the Holy Spirit of God, or am I full of myself. Be honest, it’s the only way you will grow as a follower of Jesus Christ. Blessings,

Return weekly to read our next life changing message that will encourage you in your daily walk with the Holy Spirit as you become more like Jesus.

Hello and welcome to Covenant Hearts Ministries (CHM). The vision for CHM began when I designed a custom necklace for my oldest daughter for her sixteenth birthday. The necklace was to remind her of promises that she had made to both her parents and her Savior. That original necklace eventually developed into the current CHM jewelry line. We decided to share the design with other families so they could offer the necklace and rings to their daughters, to remind them of their own promises made. Soon accompanying covenants and pledge cards were inspired, explaining the symbolism in the necklace and rings to mark that important decision. These supporting reminders helped with accountability and responsibility concerning decisions, providing tangible, visible reminders of life-changing moments.

While I was deployed to Iraq with the Army, I realized that men had similar needs although satisfied differently, and inspiration came for the design and symbolism currently found in the men’s Warrior Ring. The intent was to incorporate foundational truths that every Christian man needed to be reminded of on a daily basis. The men’s ring is designed with quality and stunning craftsmanship, displaying the covenant relationship with God.

It took nearly six years to complete the first Warrior Ring. The process from conception to the final ring involved multiple individuals. Some shared the vision but lacked the skill to work on the development of the ring. Others had the skill but lacked the support structure. But the Lord opened the doors and led the project to the right people, who shared vision, passion for excellence, and an eye for quality and detail. The ring had to be not only of the highest detail and quality but also affordable and meaningful since it reminded the wearer of a significant encounter with God.

While I was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, as the Warrior Ring was being refined and finalized, I wrote the men’s Warrior Covenant, focusing on four areas of a man’s relationships: with God, family, others, and self. When the covenant was complete, I still felt that someday an in-depth study would accompany it, tying together the multiple significant details of the Warrior Covenant and the Warrior Ring. This study became “Making a Spiritual Warrior: Confront the Enemy and Live in Victory as a Man after God’s Heart.”

During my deployment to Kosovo, I was inspired to write the book The Making of a Spiritual Warrior. I grew up with and still have dyslexia, so writing was not my strongest skill. In spite of my inspiration, it took two years to complete the book. Throughout the work, my desire was to challenge and encourage men to recalibrate their walk with the Lord or lay the foundation for such a walk. Men are by design called by God to lead, so Covenant Hearts Ministries wants to come along side each and every man to strengthen and support their journey. It’s only by and through the grace and mercy of God that we are able to navigate the many daily obstacles we face. The Making of a Spiritual Warrior Bible study and its designated parts outline a process that will shape, mold, forge, and transform a man’s daily life with God. Every man’s life consists of a journey that will present many crossroads, options, and choices. These intersections in life can be challenging. Let this study be a starting point in your life, from which you will make wise decisions to impact your life in a positive way.

The Mercy Print was inspired while I was in the midst of my daily devotions. I realized that Jesus’s mercy was freely offered to every single individual. He was reaching out to us with the offer of mercy, but we had to reach back to receive it. We so often are trapped into believing that somehow we have to earn that mercy, but I grasped the fact that He wants to extend His hand to us so that our burdens will be lighter and not overwhelming.

CHM’s vision is to work in partnership with the Christian community, encouraging committed relationships with Jesus Christ and providing quality resources for families, student groups, congregations, schools, and other Christian organizations. Our emphasis is on the Word of God as the basis for moral and ethical truth, as well as on Christian character and keeping Christ first, the result being a life of promise and blessing.

This blog posting will be one of many. It is our desire to make weekly posts that will reflect God’s mercy, encouragement, empowerment, and truth from the Word of God, thus strengthening our daily lives. Check back weekly to stay current.

Through Christ,
Evan