Whenever we get away from God's commands and follow false voices, we find trouble. The distractions of life become false gods and they are a poor substitution for the real one, never delivering what they promise. A choice is needed. We cannot serve both.

When God calls his people to serve under pagan kings, our fear of the Lord must be greater than our fear of man. We sometimes forget about God’s faithfulness and panic, but if we knew God’s plans for the future, we would rejoice. Worry is shameful. Trust!

Like a garden, a relationship with God must be cultivated. It is a process that begins with removing that which hinders growth. A healthy relationship with him leads to good decisions and wisdom. Seek silence and solitude, listen to his voice, and pray.

When we ask God for something, the idea is not to do it once, but continually. Do not give up on praying. Our prayer life should be evident to those around us by the work God is doing in our lives. We should not be afraid to be seen as people of prayer.

God's math is not our math. Small provisions from him are multiplied to meet the need. He provides for us daily rather than give us everything we will ever need all at once. This leads us to learn to trust him consistently. God can use even small gifts.

The best person to learn patience from is the Lord Jesus. We must heed the command to be patient, worship Christ the all-patient one, and grow in patience. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. When we do not display it we are not being loving, which is sin.

We cannot trust in the resources around us or in our own strength, but in God alone. He guides us through his word, his peace, and our circumstances. His leadings are intensely personal but to understand them, we first we have to be quiet and listen.

God looks at time different from us. While we can plan for the future, it is more important to decide how we will live today. Since we do not know how much life we have, spend time in devotion to God each day. Serving Him is the only thing that will last.

Spend time with God. It is best to do it both in the morning and at night but make it a regular custom in your life. The spiritual battle will fight against you but a healthy devotional life will lead to a heart that is increasingly devoted to Christ.

Elijah knew that when the world threatens, God is still on the throne. Even when under attack, we are meant to show the world who the real God is. We need to spend time alone with him every day. Be encouraged. God will not leave us to fend for ourselves.