http://www.identitynetwork.net Would you like your daily Bible study time to truly come alive, no matter how long you've been walking with the Lord? These 7 practical Bible study tips—drawn from my personal journey and shared with countless believers—have helped people at every stage of faith deepen their understanding of Scripture, gain confidence in hearing God's voice, strengthen their relationship with Him, and discover greater purpose and meaning in life. Whether you're seeking fresh insights after years of study or simply wanting to renew your quiet time, these simple habits invite you into a more intimate, Spirit-led encounter with God's Word. They're easy, accessible, and powerful for anyone ready to grow closer to God through consistent, heartfelt engagement. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=303116&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 9 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 We need to make sure the enemy doesn't have any legal right to harass the body of Christ.  This is an area many might neglect checking to see if the door is closed here. "To the woman He said: 'I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.'" Genesis 3:16. I've been meditating on Genesis 3:16 this week. One Bible translation interpreted it as Eve's desire to dominate Adam, while others saw it as her desire for her husband. I read a commentary that scholars debate whether the verse means to dominate or simply to desire. After the Fall, [fall of man] we came under a curse that caused many to follow their lust and pride instead of God. I felt the verse meant Eve desired to dominate Adam. Adam became frustrated and wanted to rule over Eve.  http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=303122&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 9 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 There is a word we have all been raised to honor. From the time we are small we are told to be nice. Be nice to your brother. Be nice to the guest who has come to the house. We learn very early that niceness is the currency of belonging, the thing that keeps us safe, approved, and welcome in the rooms we wish to remain in. For most of my life I prided myself on being a nice man. What I did not see for a long time is that my niceness was rarely about the person in front of me. It was about me. It was about being liked. It was about avoiding conflict and managing how others felt so that I could remain comfortable in their company. My niceness wore the costume of love, and underneath it was quietly serving myself. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=303123&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 9 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Barbara Brown Taylor once wrote something that has stayed with me: "The only clear line I draw these days is this: when my religion tries to come between me and my neighbor, I will choose my neighbor... Jesus never commanded me to love my religion." That last sentence will probably make some religious people uncomfortable. Maybe it should. Because Jesus said a great deal about love. Love God. Love your neighbor. Love your enemies. Love one another. Care for the hungry. Welcome the stranger. Visit the prisoner. Show mercy. Forgive. But love your religion? I can't find that one. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=303124&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 9 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 When you think about God, what comes to mind? The answer is very important. Hopefully, you can say with David, "How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!" (Psalm 139:17) as you think about His protection, presence, purpose, penalty, and purity. Psalm 139, composed by David for the choirmaster, emphatically declares that the Lord will both fulfill His purpose for His people and protect His people. Filled with personal pronouns, the psalm invites the individual to sing, but also the covenant community, especially those in exile who need to be reminded of God's person and works.   http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=303125&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 9 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 I want you to begin looking at your life differently. Dominion has generally been interpreted as the authority to rule. That definition is not entirely wrong, but it is incomplete. Kingdom dominion is not about controlling people or pursuing power for its own sake. It is entrusted responsibility backed by divine authority. God gives you authority because He has given you an assignment. He has placed something within your care and empowered you to move it toward His intended outcome. God was effectively saying, "I am placing this within your care. Cause it to become what I intended." That is the heart of dominion. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=303135&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 9 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Waiting has been the hardest spiritual growth skill for me. Impatient and energetic by nature, I like things to move fast. But, if there's anything I've learned about God in recent years, it's this: God is never in a hurry, and He is often VERY…SLOW. God uses delay to sharpen His instruments and set the stage for His glory and purpose. Just this past week, I was reading in 1 Samuel 13 how King Saul grew impatient waiting for Samuel to come and offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Because he felt impatient and frustrated, he went ahead and did it himself. But God was not pleased and punished Saul! http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=303136&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 9 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Have you ever sat in a church service, heard a powerful message, and walked away feeling like the truth was poured directly into your mind — but somehow, a week later, it had not quite reached your heart? You are not alone, and more importantly, Jesus understood this problem perfectly. His response was to stop giving information and start telling stories. When the disciples noticed this, they were genuinely puzzled. They asked Him directly, 'Why do you speak to the people in parables?' His answer is one of the most revealing statements about communication and the Kingdom that exists in Scripture. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=303091&view=post&blogid=2093 Tue, 8 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 One of the great quests in the history of philosophy is investigation into the meaning and purpose of life. Philosophy seeks the purpose not only of human existence but also of animal existence, of flower existence, of the existence of rocks and of everything else. Philosophy is profoundly interested in questions of purpose and meaning. But when we consider adverse events, this is the question that burns in everyone's mind. Why did this happen? Particularly if one is a theist and especially a Christian theist, we ask the "why" question. "How could God allow this to happen?" or "Why, God, did this happen?" http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=303002&view=post&blogid=2093 Fri, 4 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 What does God's Word say to us about being redeemed from our enemy? According to the word of the Lord found in Psalm 107:2 we've been redeemed from the hand of the enemy. "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy," Psalm 107:2. Do we believe it? Or do we still underestimate the power of the Lord within us? At first many will respond with a reassuring response, "Yes, I believe!". But when difficulties designed by the enemy come our way to steal, to kill, and to destroy us, many of God's people cave into the attack of the enemy, and often without any form of resistance. This response to Satan's tactics is not right. We are to believe what God says about His redemptive hand upon us. And what does He say about our redemption from our enemy? http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=303009&view=post&blogid=2093 Fri, 4 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Have you ever wondered if something is holding you back from experiencing the promises of God? I remember a time in my life when I was hearing about all the promises of God but never actually experiencing them. I heard about peace, but I didn't have any. I heard about joy, but I was unhappy all the time. I could see God's promises in His Word and I believed them, but something was missing. As I spent time studying God's Word, I came to realize that the root of my problem was found in the wrong mindsets I was living with. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302950&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 2 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 "...just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word." Ephesians 5:25–26 Think about the feeling of waking up after a night of restless sleep when your mind is already cluttered with the noise of the previous day. You feel heavy, distracted, and slightly overwhelmed. The worries and pressures you carried yesterday have left a permanent film over your thoughts. You try to focus, but your mind is already racing with a dozen different opinions and demands that do not actually belong to you. It is a feeling of being weighed down by things you never intended to carry, leaving you stuck in a cycle of stress that you cannot seem to shake on your own.  http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302951&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 2 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Faith is the substance of things desired. There is power in faith, in believing. Jesus told the centurion, "Go, as you have believed it will be done for you. And the slave was healed at that hour" (Matthew 8:13 LEB). Believing is not something you always like to do or always feel like doing. It's a decision you make. Just as faith is a powerful force, there is also a force opposed to faith called fear. Fear is the reverse gear of faith. It is actually faith in the devil's ability to eliminate your faith. If faith is the substance of things desired, then fear is the substance of things not desired. The reason someone fears a thing is because they believe in its manifestation. So we could say worry is believing in the manifestation of the thing we worry about. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302953&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 2 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 The prophet Habakkuk lived during a season of moral decline, political unrest, and spiritual confusion. As he looked around at the culture in which he lived, his heart was deeply troubled. Violence was rampant. Justice seemed absent. Evil appeared to be flourishing unchecked. In his anguish, Habakkuk did what every child of God is invited to do—he brought his questions to the Lord. "How long, O Lord, will I call for help, and You will not hear?" (Habakkuk 1:2) Have you ever prayed a similar prayer? http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302954&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 2 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 The COVID-19 pandemic hit the world hard and unexpectedly in 2020. It became a public health crisis that sent humanity into a panic and consumed people's lives for the better part of three years. But there is another public health crisis that many don't talk about—one that is just as if not more devastating than COVID. It's called loneliness. In 2021, the United States surgeon general issued this warning: "Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation has been an underappreciated public health crisis that has harmed individual and societal health." Those are some strong words. Loneliness … an epidemic? A public health crisis? http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302921&view=post&blogid=2093 Tue, 1 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 The people of God were crying out for help. The oppression of the Midianites was overwhelming. Though they were experiencing the consequences of turning away from God, He responded with mercy. He felt compassion for the very people who had rejected Him. In answer to their cries, God raised up Gideon (Judges 6). The story of God calling Gideon is fascinating. Gideon was threshing wheat when the Angel of the Lord came and sat down beside him. He spoke to Gideon, assured him that the Lord was with him, and called him a "mighty warrior." http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302554&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400 One of the biggest shifts we all need to make is realizing that God never places us somewhere by accident. Every assignment in your life—your work, your business, your family, your ministry, even the relationships He's entrusted to you—is there for a reason. You're not just there to succeed, survive, or make it through. You're there because God intends to accomplish something through you. I think we often underestimate what an assignment really is. We see a job. God sees a place where His Kingdom can advance. We see a difficult relationship. God sees an opportunity to bring healing. We see a business decision. God sees an opportunity to establish wisdom, integrity, and blessing. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302555&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400 The Lord looks down from heaven…to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.Psalm 14:2 ESV I hear a call from heaven. A simple yet clear charge coming from a Father who is searching. He is looking for those with the heart of Samuel – those who love His presence and will take the time to simply be with Him. Those who want to know Him – not just get a word from Him. At a time when so many of us are looking for answers about who to trust, who to listen to, and what to believe, I sense the Father calling us back to the secret place. It is only when we have been with Him that things begin to make sense. Those who truly know Him will carry more than His words or message. They will carry something of His heart – a heart that burns with holiness and purity. Those who have been with God will bear the unm http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302585&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400 There's something almost comical about denying yourself a cheeseburger in the name of spiritual discipline while simultaneously feasting on somebody else's business. We tend to think of fasting as giving something up. Food. Sugar. Alcohol. Social media. Coffee—which, depending on the person, may require more faith than moving a mountain. We abstain from something we enjoy because we want to create space for God, sharpen our spiritual awareness, practice self-control, or remind ourselves that our appetites don't have to control us. And all of that can be meaningful. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302586&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400 The Lord often uses things in the natural to speak to us supernaturally. One day I was in a powerful conference and suddenly a sweet perfume aroma filled the atmosphere. I knew it was the fragrance of the Lord and in that same moment the minister who was speaking shouted out: "Many of you are smelling the fragrance of God." Several of us smelled a glorious fragrance in the room but not everyone in the meeting did. Some people have a gift to discern what's in the atmosphere. For others, the Holy Spirit graciously allows them to sense or smell things in a moment. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302592&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400 When an era ends, everything may appear chaotic. However, the Holy Spirit hovers and governs over the chaos. God always stands at the beginning of any new shift, era, or dispensation: In the beginning… God. "Now the earth was chaos and waste, darkness was on the surface of the deep, and the Ruach Elohim was hovering upon the surface of the water." Genesis 1:2 TLV Throughout Scripture, movements arose when people recognized the spiritual significance of the time. Movements of God displace individual ambition and summon a people into corporate destiny for Kingdom purpose. The second time Jesus returns will differ from the first, when He came as one man, representing the Father and the Holy Spirit. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302593&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400 How many of you know that it's easy to check the boxes. Do the right things. Say the right words. Follow the right steps. But here's the truth that changed everything for me as I've traveled the world sharing the Gospel: God isn't after behavior modification — He's after heart transformation. From the fields of Southeast Asia to pastor's conferences in Africa to the pouring rain in Argentina, I've watched people encounter Jesus and walk away completely different — not because they tried harder, but because the Holy Spirit did what only He can do. Sometimes, evangelical Christians don't always talk about the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit is incredible, humble, and helps Christians all over the world. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302531&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Struggling to know if it's God's voice or your own thoughts? This practical discernment checklist breaks down the difference between ego, intellect, and hearing God clearly. It's not always obvious. Sometimes what feels like leading is really just momentum — a passing thought, a bread crumb I've extrapolated into a mandate. Sometimes it's an opinion wearing spiritual clothes: something I want, or don't want, dressed up as discernment. And sometimes it's a charismatic expectation — the assumption that God will simply come to me, speak to me, without my having to go anywhere for it. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302538&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Have you ever felt trapped by your past? You know life could be different—freer, healthier, full of hope—but something is not allowing your turnaround. What if God reveals to you the secret to your turnaround? It's not hidden from you on purpose by Him, but the enemy hides it because it brings deliverance. It's simple, scriptural, and yours—if you take responsibility for your heart. But why do you want your turnaround so much… yet hesitate? You long to escape the past dictating your future. You feel stuck because of guilt, shame, and condemnation. Maybe you made a big mistake when you were younger out of ignorance, but it's still haunting you today. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302468&view=post&blogid=2093 Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400 There is a kind of person we have learned to admire. The one who does not stop. The one who is first to arrive and last to leave. The one whose discipline looks like devotion and whose endurance looks like strength. For most of my life I was trying to be that person. I believed that if I pushed hard enough and long enough, I would arrive somewhere worth arriving at. Rest felt like a luxury I had not yet earned. Recovery felt like a confession that I was weak. So I kept moving, certain that the moving itself was the proof of my worth. What I did not understand then is something I see clearly now. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=302471&view=post&blogid=2093 Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400