FIRST, I want to explain this title.
I felt guided to write a list, at the time I didn’t really name it, and I barely had written much for it. I hear in my head as I’m lying in bed the next night “LIFE CHEAT SHEET” and I visualize an image for it. And I was like “WHAT??? I’m writing a CHEAT SHEET for Life???”
I was NOT brainstorming a title for this blog. I never would have chosen this title on my own. Lately, I have not been overthinking the things I’ve been writing, but my mind is going the whole next day. I’m thinking I got to really dig in and make sure I write this well. BUT here is thing, God knows I am qualified, otherwise He wouldn’t give it to me to write. So, I’m like yes, I can do this!
I’m sharing this so you understand this title came from God.
NOW WAIT, God isn’t a fan of cheating (cheating is breaking the rules), so how could God want me to create something and call it “cheat sheet”???
I got an answer for you!
Because the one who created all these systems in our world and tries to trap us in the pattern of the world to deceive us, to keep us from God, the one who is running the world is actually the DEVIL.
Pattern of the world (the design, the mindsets, the things the world wants you to prioritize, what the world wants you to value, the cultural norms the world wants you to engage in that are popular things that are sinful, etc.)
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:2 (NIV)
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.”
— 1 Corinthians 3:19 (NIV)
Two of God’s ministry leaders have said, “it can be beneficial to read various translations!” I usually choose NIV or KJV, but it is good to explore other translations.
“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” – 1 John 5:19 ESV
“We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” – 1 John 5:19 NIV
“And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”
– 1 John 5:19 KJV
*Note: You are “children of God”, “from God” “of God” when you repent, and are born again. God has to adopt you. If you haven’t repented and been born again, maybe this cheat sheet will help you SEE!
So, God wants you to cheat the system that the devil set up and obtain FREEDOM from it!!! Why play by the devil’s rules? We are not called to be worldly.
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. – 1 John 2:15
LIFE CHEAT SHEET
#1 GOAL: Get SAVED! #1 Commandment is LOVE GOD (Matthew 22:37-38) and we are told to love God is to keep God’s commands. (John 14 15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.) How do we keep God’s commands? We need the Holy Spirit. How do we get it? Well, we are told to Repent and then when we receive the Holy Spirit, we will be Born Again (grace will miraculously transform your heart and your mind)
Repentance is NOT just asking for forgiveness. God gave me this idea Recipe for Repentance to help explain!!!
PRIORITIZE YOUR LIFE IN THIS ORDER:
If you use this as your cheat sheet for life, you will stumble less. It doesn’t mean life won’t have its challenges, but you can find peace, grow, and move in alignment with God.
#1. YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. – Matthew 22:37-38
PRAYER, READING SCRIPTURE, BEING OBEDIENT, WORSHIP
I talked in my blog on Following Jesus with Freedom from Religion that a born-again Christian enters into a relationship with God. What does that look like? Read my blog for the scriptures and explanations. In my second Freedom from Religion blog, I talk about RELIGIOUS MINDSETS vs BORN AGAIN MINDSETS for: prayer, reading scripture, church, etc.
BE OBEDIENT TURN from sin as God points out sin in your life. Close the doors.Then, do your best to do the other things God asks of you (Example: God might tell you to give the money in your wallet to the homeless person you pass by, or to give a message to another believer, etc.) When you are born again, it can take time to understand when and how you are hearing from God, so just keep learning how you hear from God. You will get better over time.
When God really wants you to do something, the Holy Spirit is persistent. I mentioned previously, God had me write how Halloween is the Devil’s holiday, and I didn’t post it right away. The idea kept repeating in my head, but I was like, “it can wait.” And then God sent me a sign, I ignored it. God sent me 3 signs in 3 days (3 people randomly mentioning Halloween in Spring 3 days in a row), and then I was like, “I GOT IT, I’M ON IT!” I’m not that slow to obey now because I have spiritually grown and because of that experience. I don’t wait on signs.
PRAYER Always make time for prayer! You can talk to God any time of day, but it will benefit you to plan scheduled time to talk to God. Prayer may look like: thanking God, praying for others, asking God for help with anything you are struggling with, repenting and more. I will write a blog on prayer next, unless God gives me something else that needs to come first.
READ THE BIBLE It matters MORE what you absorb than how much you read. You could read 5 pages daily and learn nothing. Maybe you only read 1 chapter or 1 page but you spent time understanding it, and really absorbing it, that is way more beneficial!
WORSHIP An inward response of the heart that values God above all things and expresses itself through an entire life of obedience, love, and praise.
FYI: Going to a corporate church could help you with these things, BUT it is NOT a replacement. You need a relationship with God. There are corporate churches teaching people that going to a church is what makes them a Christian. This is wrong! Some churches will say you can’t escape being a sinner, and that’s a lie.
We all need community, but it doesn’t have to be a corporate church. Corporate church can help your relationship – if it is the right church (unfortunately, there are more wrong churches than right ones). Read my church blog, discernment blog, Freedom from Religion blogs. I explain how the concept of church is backward today, and what church was created to be (I USE SCRIPTURE). The wrong church can be a stumbling block on your journey with God.
GOD PROVIDES EVERYTHING YOU NEED!
Science says we need water, air, food, light. Jesus says “I am living water”, “I am the bread of life”, “I am the light of the world.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” – John 6:35
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” — John 8:12
“ Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” – Genesis 2:7
God provides! He made food rain from the sky, he multiplied loaves of bread and fish, etc. People in the bible fasted from food and water longer than what is considered physically possible. A person can go 3-7 days without food or water, but Moses went 40 days. BUT DON’T do a fast for even a few days without God telling you to, and NEVER without any instructions.
#2. TAKING CARE OF THE TEMPLE: YOU!
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;” – 1 Corinthians 6:19
God wants you to take care of your temple (your body)! Take care of your health (physically, mentally, emotionally, of course spiritually comes first).
Scripture says the second greatest commandment is:
“The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Mark 12:31
Do you see that??? You are supposed to LOVE yourself. How can you love your neighbor as yourself, if you are not loving yourself effectively? Would your neighbor want you treating them the way you treat yourself?
I want you to understand there is a difference between loving yourself in a healthy way, and loving yourself in a prideful way. Our society does two things: makes us deprioritize our love for ourselves and/or makes us selfishly love ourselves. Many people end up doing a little of both. There is a THIRD OPTION: you can love yourself as a Child of God!
Make sure you understand what are prideful thoughts. In my blog We ALL Struggle with Pride (most natural, easiest sin), I talk about how society wants us to be prideful. I had to do some reprogramming of my own mind in order to figure out how to be confident as an Evangelist without falling into pride.
Taking Care of Ourselves
Alright, so we are not talking about worldly ideas of self-care where people talk about getting their nails done, going to the salon to dye their hair as a self-care thing. But about taking care of basic needs.
Often people decide they are too busy to exercise and take time to relax, but these are part of your basic needs. Sometimes in life we have to sacrifice some basic needs for a short time to care for someone else. But long-term it is detrimental.
The devil wants you to be busy, to be exhausted, and not to be able to have quiet time to talk to God. In today’s world, people often see being busy as a sign of success – it isn’t!
You have to make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating healthy, exercise, drinking enough water (most people don’t), relaxing your mind, relaxing your body, managing your emotions, managing your stress. It is hard to turn back the clock, when you don’t take care of your body!
*VERY IMPORTANT: Another big part of loving yourself is having healthy boundaries, communicating them, and staying true to who you are.
Managing Stress
Taking care of yourself could be doing something fun, if that’s what you need to help with stress, to emotionally, or mentally reset. God wants us to have joy! We can enjoy life. But it is not priority one, and it is not in a sinful way.
The devil wants people to be SICK, too busy, tired, overwhelmed, stressed out, and many people today are struggling with more than one ongoing health issue.
My Blog “The Wellness Resolution” was Created for this Reason
Some of you might know, my blog The Wellness Resolution has posts on all sorts of wellness topics eating healthy, exercise, drinking enough water, relationships, boundaries, mental health, stress, happiness, etc. BECAUSE our society often deprioritizes health. I was extremely focused on sharing wellness advice before I started to receive spiritual wisdom. It is still very important to me. I believe God guided me then to share some of the wellness advice, and of course all that writing made me a better writer, today.
We can’t say we are too busy. If you have kids, how can you teach your kids how to take care of themselves when you don’t? So, you take care of your health (physically, mentally, emotionally, of course spiritually). You have to set a good example.
You can’t pour from an empty cup! You need to care of yourself to take better care of others.
#3. YOUR FAMILY
God is all about family. So, you can’t go share the Gospel truth and then not to care of your family. (food, shelter, love, teaching about Christianity, etc.) I have heard stories of people so focused on saving the world that they don’t spend enough time with their own family right under their own roof.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. – Ephesians 5:22–24
“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” – 1 Timothy 5:8
We don’t all grow up in healthy family environments, so it is understandable that you might have some drama with family members. Seek first to be heard, feel what you need to feel. This world sucks at empathy, but I have plenty, if you need someone to listen. When you get through handling all the difficult emotions, you can move onto forgiveness in your heart and mind for your sake, because Jesus said forgive (Matthew 6:14-15). Forgiveness isn’t about them – the anger and pain doesn’t benefit you. Pray to God if you are struggling with forgiveness.
Sometimes you need distance (Ask God) because if they always do toxic things, don’t listen, and don’t change, it can be unhealthy for you. You might need distance for some time to take care of yourself (self-love, managing the stress from it, finding peace, setting healthy boundaries are needed, etc.) Right? priority #2 taking care of yourself!
I had unhealthy relationships that were harmful to my relationship with God and taking care of myself. I believe these relationships would have prevented me from getting saved! I asked God if there was any reason for me to not distance myself, and I found the answer was that I needed to. I relied on God about timing to reach out again. And because I’m saved, I can now help them get saved. So, SEEK God about relationships: distance, timing, forgiveness, perhaps helping that person get saved, etc.
#4. ADVANCING THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN & SHARING THE GOSPEL TRUTH
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Mark 12:31
Care for and love others as you would love yourself. Give, serve others, pray for others, show kindness and honesty toward everyone. We know people will sometimes be cruel, but priority #2 is taking care of yourself, so you can keep healthy boundaries and still help others through prayer.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16 (KJV)
Share the Gospel!
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” – Romans 10:14–15
You are not feeling this pull to share the Gospel Truth? That’s because you might not be spending enough time with God #1! After you are born again, it might take some time to just get yourself situated enough to go out and share. I decided to finish reading the New Testament before I started sharing with anyone. I needed to feel a bit more confident. Perhaps you need some support of a community (church) too. Church can be just two people. You want to chat? Let’s chat, reach out to me.
When I started sharing, I was anxious, but I did it anyway. The more I’ve shared, the easier it has become. Okay, in person it is still hard, but on social media it has become easier. How you help the Kingdom of Heaven depends on your spiritual gifts and what God designed you to do. Yes, we are all meant to share the Gospel, but some people might be focused more on helping people get saved by praying intercession prayers, some are called to prophesying to believers, some are pastors to help believers get equipped to share, etc. Some people are givers, some are great at administration, there are teachers, healing, and so many more gifts.
“To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”
– 1 Corinthians 12:8–11
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. – Romans 12:6–8
Ministry Leaders: Ephesians 4:11–13
I am an Evangelist (Ministry Leader) and I have the Gift of Spiritual Wisdom and the Gift of Mercy. I was also given a non-spiritual gift to write. So, my gifts are focused on sharing the Gospel and encouraging others. It makes sense I would write spiritual wisdom to share with others. There is so much I can write to help people, but I know that my life needs to be balanced. I know I will burn out if I focus too much on sharing the Gospel, sharing spiritual wisdom. Most importantly, if I don’t spend time with God, obey, listen (priority #1), I won’t move in alignment with him.
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ – Matthew 7:21-23
Even though this is my 4th priority, luckily, God has carved out a path where I have the availability, the flexibility, the financial stability, and the heart to focus a lot of my time on writing and sharing. When you see I haven’t written anything in a while that’s because I’m either focused on #1 spending time with God, maybe I’m doing something else for God, perhaps I’m doing some self-care things #2, or I need to focus on family #3.
Making this Work
So, if you are struggling to take time for yourself, your too busy taking care of your family, your health is suffering, what do you do? You return again to priority #1: time with God, you seek God for help. You seek God for help with career, family, health, etc.
SUPER IMPORTANT: Do not be the person who tries to hide from God because something is too difficult (forgiveness or a sin you are struggling with), you humbly kneel, you pray to God and admit you are struggling, and ask for help!
God Has the Answers!
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. – Matthew 7:7-8
God Answered this Prayer Before We Were Even Saved
Before we were even saved 10 years ago, Chris got two job offers and he wasn’t sure which one to take, so he prayed. Then, one of his closest friends and Dad told him which job to take with a list of the reasons why almost verbatim. He knew, I knew, God had answered. They had no idea God was speaking through them. God can speak through anyone saved or unsaved. God speaks to everyone! You just have to learn to listen.
God Answered this Prayer: But it Took Awhile
Before I was really SAVED, my husband and I prayed for a couple years about moving some place warmer, and God answered in a big, big way! He moved us to the perfect place (weather, adventure, excellent food), our house sold fast for the price we wanted, we got the home we dreamed of 2 months after moving, the job Chris wanted, more pay, more vacation days, less stress, etc.
Of course, I have many prayers that have been answered after I have been saved too.
IF God will answer prayers of the unsaved, do you not think He will answer yours if you are saved? Sometimes prayers don’t get answered the way we think they will, sometimes prayers are not answered immediately, but that doesn’t mean God isn’t working all things for the good of those that love him. God wants you to come to Him for help as a good father would.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28
Reminder: Those that love God keep his commands. So this scripture is written for those saved, born again.
All other things come after these 4 things. You can’t put too much focus on one thing. God knows we need to clean our homes, pay are bills, etc. I know God wants me to enjoy time out in nature, to spend time with friends, to enjoy hobbies, to enjoy the fun things He has given me. But, in everything I do, I do it with a thankful heart. I think about how God is with me in pretty much everything I do and I thank Him often.
We struggle with jobs, relationships, taking care of ourselves, sharing the Gospel, and we go back to #1! We spend time with God.
- If you always prioritize #1, God will help you do a better job at #2, #3, and #4.
- If you do a good job at #1 and #2: You will do better at #3.
- People lump #1 and #4 together, and then their family suffers for it #3, or their health #1.
If you always refer back to this list when life gets bumpy, it will benefit you so, so much!! After all, God did give me the title: “LIFE CHEAT SHEET”
I’m already prioritizing this way, but I’m still going to print this and add it to my prayer binder so that I have it for myself as a reminder.
I'm an EVANGELIST, BORN-AGAIN Christian with a Gift of Spiritual Wisdom. The bible was confusing to me most of my life, but after I repented and received the Holy Spirit scripture started making sense, and I started receiving Spiritual Wisdom. Now I share TRUTH to help people find the ROAD TO SALVATION and get FREE from Religion.
I have a Wellness & Life Coach Certificate, I'm an entrepreneur, an innovator, writer, and artist. My wellness expertise includes over 7 years of marketing, research, and developing content for holistic health businesses. Plus, my own personal journey of battling health issues and finding a way to live a healthier life. I have a passion for wellness with a wealth of knowledge surrounding: wellness, flaws in healthcare, etc.