Faith Builders Devotional

Daily Devotional

April 19 - April 25 2026

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverse mouth I hate. NKJV

Have you ever heard someone say, “I am a God-fearing individual”? I don’t know about you, but I didn’t really understand what they meant (and I am not sure if they did either) for a long time. Some people get this idea that God is someone to be afraid of because some pretty sad and violent things happened in the Old Testament. This is not true. Or the extreme case, is other people use the contrast between the Old Testament and the New Testament and they say the Word is inconsistent therefore untrue. Hogwash! They do not understand that God is righteous. The contrast between the Old and the New Testaments is our Messiah, Jesus! His death and resurrection for you and I made us right before God. God is our awesome loving Creator, but we have no right to go into His presence, as we are unclean before Him without the work of Jesus on the cross.

So what is this fear of the Lord that we are talking about here? If you look at Proverbs 8:13, you’ll see exactly what the fear of the Lord is. Plain and simple, the fear of the Lord is to hate evil and anything associated with it. Do you hate evil? Most people would say, “Sure, of course”. What exactly does it mean to hate evil? Hating evil is to hate anything wrong or unjust. For example, if someone starts talking bad about someone else at church, the office, or school, you say “I would prefer not to talk about those things.” If you see someone starting to steal from the company, you discreetly talk to either them or even the management. Or if you are surfing the internet and you are tempted to look at some unclean websites, to hate evil is to say “No way, I refuse to look at those things. I refuse to even thing about them”. For me, to hate evil was to get my mouth under control and make sure only things that are good, right, pure, and just came out of my mouth. In the United States, many people become like little demons when they drive, even some Christians. You cannot do something different while you are in your car just because you think people won’t know you.

If you are a God-fearing individual, you hate evil. We served in a Japanese church for several years. For 3 years I was on the deacon board and my lovely wife was teaching in the Bible school. We put in several hundred hours volunteer hours each year. In the monthly deacons’ meeting, when we were talking about the budget for the church for paying the rent, electricity and all the other bills associated with having a church building the pastor always reported that we were in a loss. I did not notice until the 3rd year that although we talked every Sunday at church about how everyone needed to give their tithes and offerings, the income always magically balanced at the end of the fiscal year. When I asked the pastor, he said they balanced the budget from their backup accounts. I was shocked that to learn that there was other income that was not being reported and being hidden form the church. It was compromise, it was evil. You cannot cheat people and you can especially not cheat God. We decided that to stay at that church would be to show that we approved of what was being done. Therefore, we decided to leave.

In hindsight, it was an excellent decision because we saw that there was a lot more trouble with that pastor once we got out of that church. You can never accept God to show up at your church if you are not fearing Him and honoring Him. We must honor God. We must fear Him and do the things that honor His Name.

Are you honoring God? Do you fear Him? To fear God is to hate evil. Every day you have a chance to prove it. Start today.

Apr20

Asking and Full

John 16:24

Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. NKJV

If it isn’t happening, it is probably because you aren’t asking. The most powerful thing we can do as a believer is pray. What is prayer? Prayer is talking to God. It is communicating with Him. How do you do it? You can talk to Him out loud with your mouth (just like you would with anyone else). The wonderful thing is that we humans are spirit beings made in His image. What does that mean? We can talk to him through our spirits. You can talk to God through your thoughts, and He will talk back to you.

As I have grown in my relationship with God, I have discovered that God speaks to me through my spirit. When a thought or idea comes to me that is clearly not me, I discovered that it was God talking to me. So I started talking back to Him. Hallelujah! Then the real conversation begins. When I talk to God about my issues, He gives me insights into the situation and the people I am dealing with. When I don’t listen, I usually regret it later.

I needed to hire an assistant a couple years ago. I had my previous assistant doing something else, and was needing bilingual help quickly. I interviewed several people, but was in a hurry to get someone in. We met a young woman via a temporary agency along with many others. This lady sent a thank you note after the interview and seemed to have good command of both languages. I didn’t pray about it, in fact I had a feeling from the Lord that I shouldn’t hire her but I went ahead and did it anyway because I was in a hurry. I should have listened to the leading of the Holy Spirit! Within a week, all my team was complaining about her and her inability to do the job. It was clear we needed to let her go. She turned out to be a major pain to deal with. If only I had listened to the Holy Spirit and prayed about who to hire before I had acted.

If you ask, God will answer. When Jesus explained how to pray in the His Name, this was a new concept to His friends as He explained it in John 16:24. Jesus’s Name is our authority, as He is our King. He answers our prayers because you are a representative of Him and His Kingdom on the earth to unbelievers. I find it exciting that we are not to pray, to ask, and receive for our Lord to be happy just by Himself. Here it says we are to pray and ask in Jesus’s Name and we will receive. He wants us to receive so our joy is full. That is marvelous! He wants us to be happy, fulfilled, and overflowing with joy! Hallelujah!

Are you praying in Jesus Name? Start asking so you can start entering in to God’s fathomless joy.

Apr21

The Boomerang Curse

Proverbs 26:2
2	Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight. NKJV When you become a believer, you enter into the covering of the Authority of the Messiah. You have no need to be afraid of anything. YOU are filled with His power and authority. You must learn how to use it. The dark, ghosts, curses, witches, whatever, there is nothing greater than He who is in us. 1 John 4:4 tells us that greater is God in us, than the demonic spirits or even the circumstances in the world. I have been asked many times about ghosts. Well, the Bible tells us that there is no coming back after death. Hebrew 9:27 says
27	And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.. So if you or someone you know see a ghost or even a dead relative, all you are seeing is a demon impersonating that individual. They were around and know enough about that person to put on a show. Don’t believe them or be tricked. In many cultures, we have evil very prevalent; this is especially true in developing nations. Some people who contact demons try to use that power to curse others. They try to put some type of curse for sickness, poverty, destruction or death. Know where that idea comes from? We know that the enemy wants to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10), so it is clear where this cursing idea comes the enemy. However, as a believer, you have nothing to worry about. I like Proverbs 26:2 here, because it illustrates exactly what happens. The interesting thing about these birds is they start somewhere in a nest, and migrate with the seasons North or South to the warmer climates. I learned that sparrows and swallows always go back to the nest and the area where they came from. Proverbs shows us it is exactly the same for people trying to curse us. It goes right back to them, like a boomerang returns to the hand of the thrower. Our God is the AWESOME God!

Apr22

Cursing The Blockers

Mark 11:21

And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away." NKJV

As a believer or an unbeliever, your words are containers of influence. If you tell your spouse, “I don’t love you anymore”. It could very well hurt that spouse. I prefer to be around positive people in life over negative people any day. You feel better around positive people. In general terms, people who have influence (rich) are very good at learning. They are constantly looking to improve themselves and find a new product. Conversely, people who are lacking in influence (poor) are that way because they have accepted their ways. They are complaining and criticizing the people that have.

I am convinced that people that have more influence, mostly have it because they have kept an open mind. Of course, there are those people who have inherited their wealth and influence. However, the vast majority have what they have because they never assume they know everything or that they have “arrived”. Of course, these actions are important but for a believer what we say is really powerful.

Jesus was with His friends going into town. He went to a fig tree looking for figs. There were none so He cursed that tree. Later, on the way back out of town, they found that tree that Jesus had cursed. It was withered up. What exactly was happening here? I think it was our Lord Jesus showing the power of words. As a believer, our words carry incredible power and the authority of the Word behind them.

In Japan, we have a group of organized crime, a mafia of sorts. Like mafia in any country, in actuality they make an effort to steal from people, while putting on a feel for legitimate business through a store or some other business. In our neighborhood there was a business doing a front called “Bulldog”. They weren’t doing a real business as it was a variety store were many mafia would gather. As I walked by this store one morning on my way to the train station , I was reminded of Jesus cursing the fig tree. I knew that these people were up to no good. So I cursed that store and commanded that it go out of business and be unproductive.

I forgot about that prayer and continued walking to the station each morning and back home each night. After one week, that shop closed. It was then, the Holy Spirit reminded me of my prayer. I shared how the store was cursed and closed in one week with my wife. She explained how she had prayed the same prayer at the same time. Isn’t the leading of the Spirit so wonderful!

You see, as believers we are to be a blessing. But if the enemy is using something to cause trouble, we can and should do just like Jesus did. Be a blessing but don’t be afraid to curse the works of the enemy.

Apr23

There Is Liberty

2 Cor 3:17
17	Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. NKJV Traveling all over the world, I have found that God’s people are the same. If we are filled with the Holy Spirit’s power and preaching the infallible Word of God, then we are the same. Whether we are from the same country or not, being a Kingdom kid puts us into a whole different culture. It is marvelous to be a part of His Kingdom. God is in control of those who submit to Him. Unbelievers are not under His control at this time. That time will come. When judgment comes, the Word says
10	“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth” Phil 2:10 Simply put, whether you acknowledge Him now or not, you will have to recognize the Jesus is Lord in the end. I made the decision that I will willingly serve the King of Kings, the Emperor of Emperors, and the Lord of Lords! There is no other like Him and I chose Him over all other things. You should too. God is light and there is no darkness, evil, or wrong in Him. When you chose to serve Him, you become light as well. Of course, we all mess up and have to confess our sins to stay bright. I encourage you to do this immediately. I was recently at a minister’s conference in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a wonderful gathering on preachers from around the United States and one speaker from Zimbabwe. Even though I am not a black, this white-faced preacher coming in from Asia was welcomed. I felt so at home, even though 99% of the people there didn’t look like me. The spirit of God was there. His presence was strong and the preaching was powerful. I was able to chat with people and share what was going on in Asia. Although I knew no one when I entered the meeting. There was a real freedom at the meetings. People who I didn’t know greeted me and hugged me. You could sense the love of God working through them. The only difficulty I had with people was getting out of the parking lot. When you have close to 10,000 people coming to church on Sundays, those cars do tend to jam things up! If you want freedom, get yourself to a good church every Sunday. If they have other things that you can do, help and be a part of the family of God. Be hospitable. Be friendly. There are so many things that you can do at your church to show God’s love to others in that family and the surrounding neighborhood. Let people that visit your church know, that you have the warmest, loving church in the nation. You will feel the liberty there.

Apr24

The Prayer of Protection

Psalms 3:3-4
3	But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
4	I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. NKJV Growing up on a small farm in Oregon, I had complete confidence that no matter what happened, my father would protect me and take care of me. I think many children have this faith in their parents. That is probably part of the faith of the child the Lord Jesus was talking about. My dad is tough and as a champion wrestler in Oregon State, I thought nobody would ever mess with him. As that young boy, I was confident that nothing would hurt me and even if someone rose to attack or hurt me, my father would be there to stop it. In my mind, he was a shield to me. You can be assured if anyone did try to harm us, he would protect us. There is a reason why God is referred to as our “Heavenly Father” in the Word. It is because He is Almighty. He is the one who protects and guides us. Don’t just rely on some family member to protect you. Don’t just even think the police will protect you. You have to realize that Yahweh will protect you if you trust Him. Do you trust Him? Psalms 3:3 says that God is our glory and the one that lifts our heads. Of course, you need to keep excited about life and be joyful. But you have to tap into God’s joy. If you do that, nothing can take that joy away. Yahweh God is our unending source for everything. In business, I have dealt with all sorts of people. Many people in Tokyo have seen me every day. One day I greeted a real estate agent in Tokyo. It was just like any other day that I saw him. I was my normal happy self and he was clearly not having a good day. At that moment, he seemed to forget his problems looking me straight in the eyes saying, “Spencer Patrick, why are you always so happy?” I was pleasantly surprised to hear that question, and I thought for a moment asking the Holy Spirit how to answer and responded. I explained with a smile on my face that because I knew Jesus I was always happy. I further explained that there was no reason to be sad because I knew, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that I will always have the victory. He was surprised at my confidence. Many times I have heard Christians misquote Romans 8:28 saying that whatever happens to a believer is “God’s will” just because they are Christians. That couldn’t be any further from the truth. You’ve got to be consistently praying. In Romans, they forget to start at verse 26 that shows the context is talking about praying in the spirit. Psalm 3:4 says,
4	I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. NKJV Notice that you have to call out to God. You have got to pray. If you want God to be your shield, pray His spirit around you. Pray His protection and confess it over yourself and your family. Please keep in mind that once you pray for protection, don’t keep praying for protection. Act in faith and in prayer start thanking Him for that protection.

Apr25

You Want To Hear God’s Voice

2 Cor 3:3
3	clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. NKJV Being a Committed Christian is not a religious thing. It is a spiritual thing. What do you mean? Well, there is a direct connection between how well you know the Word of God, and how well know you know the God of the Word. If you never read His Word and if you never spend time seeking Him, then chances are very high that you will never hear His voice. I remember when I started to get hungry and started praying for more of Him, things started happening. What do you think happened? Some might say, well as you were walking outside a voice might have thundered from heaven saying, “I have heard your request my son”. Perhaps, you think that as I was praying I saw an angel just as Cornelius did. Of course, this kind of stuff happens, but this is not the usual way. When I started praying to hear God’s voice and be led by Him, things did happen. However, what happened was not what I expected. After I began telling God I wanted more of Him, God started putting Bible teachers across my path. That’s right, by God’s divine arrangement, God started putting people in our lives that knew God and they knew His Word. I started to pray this prayer somewhere around my last year of undergraduate work at the University. Then God started connecting my wife and I with teachers in the church who knew him. We first met Barbara at our church in Washington State. We could see that she knew the Word and asked her if she wanted to do a Bible study sometime. She agreed and we started a Friday night Bible study at her house with just the three of us. On those Friday nights, we learned about the authority of the believer, spiritual warfare, and even how to make a resume. She was a blessing to us. Months later, when we moved to Japan we saw this continue. The pastor of the church we were attending changed. A man from Illinois, who was probably not called to be a pastor, took over from the denomination. It was a disaster for the church. However, through our hunger we were able to meet a couple from the Philippine embassy that really knew God. They taught us faith, more on how to study the Word, and more about our awesome God. Through both these Bible study teachers in the US and Japan, I learned and got my faith foundation. If you want to draw closer to God, you have to seek Him. When you seek Him you will realize how important it is to be studying, praying, and meditating His Word. It is awesome. If you are spending time in His Word, He can speak to you. Hebrews 4:12 makes this clear saying
12	For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. NKJV The way that God works now is He works through us. Your Bible does you no good on the bookshelf all week and then dusted off to just to go to church on Sunday. If you want to know Him, you have to feed on the Word every day. As you read, God will feed your spirit. As your spirit grows, you grow. We are a living testament of the Word as it gets into our minds and spirits and changes us. Pick up that Bible and get it in your bag. Carry it with you wherever you go. Read it in the morning before work or at night before you sleep. Be consistent. Whenever you have a spare moment read it and watch the wisdom of the Almighty God fill you.

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