Excel Still More

The Holy Spirit - Living with the Presence and Power of the Spirit within us

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!emersonk78@me.comExcel Still More Journal - AmazonNew GENESIS Daily Bible Devotional!Daily Bible Devotional Series - AmazonSponsors:  Spiritbuilding Publishers Website:  www.spiritbuilding.comTyler Cain, Senior Loan Officer, Statewide MortgageWebsites: https://statewidemortgage.com/https://tylercain.floify.com/Phone: 813-380-8487Notes on a recent sermon: Romans 8 and the Holy Spirit 5 Amazing Sources of Confidence:- No Condmenation in Jesus (8:1-2)- Holy Spirit within us (8:9-11; I Cor. 3:16; 6:18-20)- Adopted by the Father (8:15-17)- Justified and Glorified (8:18, 28-30)- In Christ's Amazing Love (8:35-39At the same time, we are called to be faithful:- Walk by the Spirit, not flesh (8:4-5)- Death to deeds of the body (8:12-13)- Live in God without fear (8:15-16)- Endure suffering with hope (8:18, 23-25)- Conform to Christ's image (8:17, 29)HOW do I stay confident in Christ when I fall so woefully short of these goals?Here are a few things we know that help:1) Grace creates a relationship: obedience chooses to live in it.2) Faithfulness is about Lordship; no sinless perfection.3) Struggle is expected in the Christian, not condemned.4) God Gives His HOLY SPIRIT to Help Us in our Walk!That last one is HUGE. Here are 8 things Romans 8 teaches that the Holy Spirit is doing. You do not have to explain them. But you must BELIEVE. And pray for these things. - He Sets Us Free (8:1-2)- He Dwells In Us (8:11)- He Gives Life to our Mortal Bodies (8:11)- He Helps us Defeat Sin (8:13)- The Spirit Leads us (8:14)- He Testifies with us (8:16)- He Helps our weaknesses (8:26)- The Spirit Interceded in prayer (8:26)

Preparing for 2026 (Pt. 3 of 3) - Your Miracle Morning

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!emersonk78@me.comExcel Still More Journal - AmazonNew GENESIS Daily Bible Devotional!Daily Bible Devotional Series - AmazonSponsors:  Spiritbuilding Publishers Website:  www.spiritbuilding.comTyler Cain, Senior Loan Officer, Statewide MortgageWebsites: https://statewidemortgage.com/https://tylercain.floify.com/Phone: 813-380-8487Intro Idea: THE MIRACLE MORNING! 30-60 minutes each morning of prayer, reading, and planning! Start your day well if you hope to live it well. This creates consistency and growth. 7. Holy Living: Fight Sin and Win in Christ • Romans 6:11-14 – “Sin shall not have dominion over you.”• Galatians 5:16-25 – “Walk in the Spirit… the fruit of the Spirit.”• 1 John 1:5-9 – “He is faithful and just to forgive.”Questions:• What specific sins have been plaguing your heart and life?• What patterns, places, or habits make this temptation overwhelming?• How does a personal connection to Christ make a difference?Exercises:• Pair up a fruit of the Spirit daily that opposes your sin.• Remove or minimize a factor that leads to your downfall.• Share your struggle with a trusted believer who can help.8. Living on Mission: Do the Work God Has Planned • Ephesians 2:8-10 – “Created in Christ Jesus for good works.”• Romans 12:4-8 – “Having gifts that differ, use them.”• Matthew 5:14-16 – “Let your light shine before others.”Questions:• What do you know God wants to see more of in your service?• Can you recall a time when such was central to your day and life?• The work is the people. Will you start with one person this week?Exercises:• Write down a generic mission and three possible specific actions.• Pray for opportunities, open doors, and wisdom to identify them.• The work is the people, pick a person or family and get started.9. Do Hard Things: Invite Suffering for the Sake of Growth • James 1:2-4 – “The testing of your faith produces endurance.”• Hebrews 12:1-11 – “He disciplines us for our good.”• 1 Peter 4:12-13 – “Rejoice as you share Christ’s sufferings.”Questions:• What does God want from you that is hard to do faithfully?• Are you willing to suffer for it, or is cost and pain off limits?• Will you accept help, support, or accountability partnerships?Exercises:• Pray to register difficulty as opportunities to explore.• Clearly note the forward-looking why for a hard thing.• Plan something specific

Revelation 22 - Daily Bible Devotional

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!Revelation 22 John sees a river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, clear as crystal. On either side of the river stands the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and offering healing to the nations. There will be no more curse, and God's servants will see His face and reign with Him forever. The angel tells John that these words are trustworthy and true. Jesus declares that He is coming soon and bringing His reward and judgment with Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. The book ends with a final invitation to come and freely receive the water of life in the name of the coming Lord Jesus and to enjoy His unmatched grace.   God offers us the water of life, flowing from His throne, freely and without cost. The tree of life brings healing, and we will see God's face and serve Him forever. This beautiful promise calls us to live with the enduring hope of reigning forever and ever. Jesus came in judgment against Rome in the past, and He is coming again; we must be ready. Our lives should reflect the light of Christ and the truth of His word. We are called to obey, to worship, and to invite others to come and receive this life. As we wait, let us live faithfully, trusting in the One who is coming again and joyfully knowing His grace is with us.  Heavenly Father, we praise You for the promise of eternal life and the hope of seeing Your face. Thank You for the river of life and the healing that flows from Your throne. We long for the day when the last curse will be gone and everything will be made new. Help us to obey Your word and remain faithful as we wait for Christ, the Alpha and the Omega. Fill our hearts with worship, and may we invite others to receive Your gift of life. Come, Lord Jesus. Prepare us for Your final return with joy and hope.  Thought Questions: Do you long for a life without the curse of sin or the danger of darkness? How important is heaven to you, and how are you showing it? Jesus came in judgment against Rome many centuries ago. Do you believe He is coming again one final time, and how does that affect you? When you read Scripture, do you hear Christ calling you? How will you come to Jesus, abandon sin, and experience His grace today? 

Revelation 21 - Daily Bible Devotional

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!Revelation 21 John sees a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth have passed away. The holy city, the new Jerusalem, comes down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride for her husband. A loud voice declares that God now dwells with His people. He will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. God declares, “I am making everything new.” He promises the water of life to the thirsty and an inheritance to the faithful. The cowardly and wicked will face the second death. An angel shows John the radiant beauty of the new Jerusalem, with its gates, foundations, and streets of gold. God’s presence fills the city, and the Lamb is the lamp that illuminates all things.   God reveals a future filled with beauty, peace, and unshakable hope. The new heaven and new earth will be free from death, sorrow, pain, and tears. God Himself will live among His people, restoring perfect fellowship. This promise is not only a future hope but a present call to live with purpose. We are to seek holiness, love truth, and walk in faithfulness. Jesus is the one who makes all things new and offers the water of life to the thirsty. Our identity, hope, and future are found in Him. While the world around us may fade, His promises remain. Let us live as people of the new creation, trusting God's word and preparing our hearts for eternity in His presence.  Exalted God, we praise You for the promise of a new heaven and a new earth, where You will dwell with Your people forever. Thank You for wiping away every tear and ending pain, sorrow, and death. Help us live with hope and holiness as we look forward to that day. We thank You for Christ, the Lamb who made this future possible through His sacrifice. He is our light and our life. Keep our hearts focused on what is eternal. Teach us to live each day in joyful anticipation, faithful to Your call and free from destructive sinfulness.  Thought Questions: Whether the New Jerusalem is the present church or the eternal heaven, what kind of people will never be allowed into it? If you want to be the bride of the Lamb in the glorious city, what are the moral and faithful choices you need to be making today? What do you imagine it will be like to live in a place where the illuminated Lamb replaces the sun? How can such images motivate you to faith?

Revelation 20 - Daily Bible Devotional

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!Revelation 20 An angel descends from heaven, holding the key to the abyss and a great chain. He seizes the dragon, who is the devil, and binds him for a thousand years, preventing him from deceiving the nations. During this time, those who are faithful to Christ, even unto death, reign with Him. After the thousand years, Satan is released for a short time and gathers nations for battle. Fire from heaven consumes them, and the devil is cast into the lake of fire, where the beast and false prophet already are. Then the final judgment occurs. The dead are judged according to their deeds as recorded in the books. Anyone not found in the book of life is also thrown into the lake of fire. God's justice is complete and eternal.  God will bring all things to justice, and no evil will escape His judgment. Satan’s defeat shows that his power is temporary and limited. Those who gave their lives for Christ are honored and will reign with Him, proving that faithfulness has eternal value. The final judgment is both sobering and hopeful. Books are opened, and each person is judged according to their works. Only those whose names are written in the book of life will enter eternal life with God. This truth calls us to live intentionally, choosing righteousness over compromise. We are invited to trust fully in Christ and walk in obedience. His victory is certain, and our hope is secure when our lives belong to Him.  Incredible Father, You are the righteous Judge over all the earth. We praise You for the victory over Satan and the coming end of his deception. You have shown that evil will not prevail, and all who follow Christ will reign with Him in glory. Help us live boldly in faith, knowing that our choices matter and that judgment is real. Search our hearts and guide us to walk in holiness. May our names be found in the book of life, sealed by Your grace. We will trust Your justice, rest in Your promises, and live each day prepared for eternity.  Thought Questions: Details in this chapter are often debated. But what is its point? Even when it looks like Satan has power, what do we know about God? Whether we reign with Christ now, or will do so in eternity, or both, how do the assurances of victory with Him control your life? Is your name in the book of life, assuring that you will avoid the lake of fire? How do you know, and what does this confidence do for you?