Despite our unexpected stormy trials, believers are never alone. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Trials, sorrows, and difficulties are designed to give us spiritual growth and increase our dependency on God. We were not created to live without God’s divine intervention. It’s normal for our emotions to intensify when we feel our hardships are drowning us. If we allow our emotions to control us, our faith diminishes and we risk losing our confidence in the love and strength that God provides.
Take the time to separate yourself and pray for help. Pray an honest prayer. “God, I am feeling overwhelmed and disappointed. I need your help. I know that you love me and will bring me victoriously through this situation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” Praise God and thank Him in advance for His Divine Intervention. Prayer does not take away our trials. Consistent prayer allows us to receive strength and guidance from the Holy Spirit.
Study the Scriptures every day. Include time for quiet meditation. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. As believers, we can hear God’s voice through different means such as our thoughts, reading scriptures, listening to sermons, or hearing another believer’s testimony of victory. Sometimes, God communicates through spiritual dreams or a fellow believer who may not even know our situation. However, it’s important to note that God’s answer always aligns with the Holy Scriptures. Through daily worship, we learn to recognize the voice of God.
When the disciples were in the boat, fearing for their lives, Jesus appeared to them by walking on the water. “Be of good cheer! It is I, do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27). Remember, we are never alone. Jesus is with us in every stormy trial. The human effort of faith and trust along with Divine intervention always ends in victory! During the challenges of the raging storm, Jesus says, “Come to Me.” Take the giant leap of faith and “Go Ahead! Walk on the Water.”
“Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25).
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)
Jesus’ gift of peace is one of the believer’s greatest spiritual benefits. To enjoy a mind filled with peace, gratitude, and contentment instead of fear, anxiety, and worry is possible even when we are facing our greatest challenges.
Jesus’ gift of Perfect Peace is an internal calm filled with joy, contentment, and courage experienced by those who have dedicated and surrendered their lives to follow Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Peace is not a quiet place, or listening to soothing music. Spiritual peace cannot be purchased; only Jesus can give true Peace. Spiritual Peace is a life-enriching experience that so few enjoy because receiving this gift requires that we follow Jesus with faithful obedience.
“Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” (Psalm 119:165). God’s Moral Law [The Ten Commandments] and His Righteous Precepts in the Bible establish boundaries for Christians, teaching us how to live righteously.
Jesus’ promise of peace is the foundation for an unbothered mind, even when the fiery trials of adversity bring raging storms into our lives. Yet, only the righteous who strive to complete the Spiritual Conditions of Participation receive His gift of Divine Peace.
The Spiritual Conditions of Participation to Receive Peace: “Jesus answered, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.'” (John 14:23, HCSB).
Is it possible for us to be ineligible to receive Jesus’ Gift of Peace?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Engaging in sin, including the sin of self-reliance, makes us ineligible to receive Jesus’ gift of peace. “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46).
The False Teaching of Compromised Christianity promotes church attendance, but teaches that because we are covered by God’s Grace, we can live according to our desires. “God’s grace does not provide Christians with the license to engage in sin. Rather than promote sin, God’s Grace teaches restraint from sin.”
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…” (Titus 2:11–13, NIV).
Those who are disobedient cannot receive Jesus’ Divine gift of Spiritual Peace. The Solution: “Whoever consents to renounce sin and open his heart to the love of Christ, becomes a [recipient] of this heavenly peace.”
The Knowledge Seekers: There are Christians who are highly perceptive of their environments, aware of everything happening in their community, on the job, and in the city they reside in.
Yes, the knowledge seekers keep up with the global and local news, weather forecasts, the political arena, economic status, and social issues. They are tech-savvy, financially stable, and can readily participate in most discussions because, while others are wasting time on frivolous activities, they are seeking a higher level of knowledge.
The knowledge seekers love God and attend church, yet they also do not receive Jesus’ gift of Perfect Peace. Unfortunately, Christian knowledge seekers use their intellectual energies to continuously focus on the distractions of the tumultuous conditions in this world instead of focusing on God and preparing daily for Eternal Life.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3). Jesus teaches that the only way to have His peace is by using our faith to focus on Him and trusting Him with our lives.
We also require Jesus’ gift of Perfect Peace to engage in the Daily Battle of Spiritual Warfare. In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul tells us that we are involved in a spiritual war of the Great Controversy of Good and Evil that has existed for over 6,000 years.
Paul compares the Christian journey to the commitment of a soldier in the military, which requires an intentional focus, a peaceful mind, and maintaining one’s priorities to keep oneself prepared to fight in battle.
“No soldier in active service gets entangled in the [ordinary business] affairs of civilian life; [he avoids them] so that he may please the one who enlisted him to serve.” (2 Timothy 2:4, Amplified Bible).
Not having Jesus’ Peace prevents us from growing spiritually. Our prayers will be rushed, and we will not have the attention span to focus on the Holy Scriptures, preventing the Holy Spirit from guiding us in our spiritual journey and giving us the wisdom and discernment to understand the depth of God’s Word. [Isaiah 55:8-9].
Once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, He is also our Commander, who enlisted us to serve God, the Father. God must be our first priority! We actively participate in our salvation by maintaining a close relationship with Christ, which requires a sacrificial life of self-denial, surrender, and faithful obedience.
Separation, Solitude, and Silence are the Requisites for Personal Worship
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.” (Psalm 95:6-7).
Our love for God is demonstrated by the daily personal worship of Prayer and Bible Study. Many do not understand the depth of our spiritual experience of personal worship. We revere God with a spirit of humility because the Holy Spirit lifts us spiritually, placing us in the Divine and Holy Presence of Christ, which requires us to remove all distractions.
The Bible is our Spiritual Blueprint and Roadmap given by God to instruct and guide us, so we can actively participate in our journey of Sanctification [daily spiritual growth and transformation] performed by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit, also known as the Spirit of Truth, gives us the wisdom and discernment to understand the depth of God’s thoughts—the Holy Scriptures. And we receive the strength to overcome temptations and to persevere in our rugged Christian journey.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2).
We require Jesus’ gift of Perfect Peace to allow the Holy Spirit to transform our minds, characters, and personalities into the likeness of Christ [Sanctification] required to receive Eternal Life.
Jesus’ Transforming Power is not a superficial emotional experience. We must have His Spiritual Gift of Peace for our Minds and Characters to be transformed into His Righteous Character, which requires us to be covered with the Righteousness of Christ.
Reflection: What is distracting your focus from enjoying a heart-to-heart relationship with Christ and receiving His peace?
Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…”; Proverbs 3:6: “Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7).
The greatest peace comes from knowing that we are following Jesus Christ as He leads us on the Path of Righteousness: And our reward will be eternity with Jesus, our Triumphant King. Yes and Amen!
Lord God, we thank You for Your Love, Grace, and Mercy. We ask You to give us the wisdom to reset our priorities by seeking knowledge and guidance through prayer and from Your Holy Scriptures. We also pray for the strength to resist the temptations of our heart’s desires and pursuing knowledge that only distracts us, and has nothing to do with our Salvation and Eternal Life. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Powerful Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13).
When Jesus Christ appeared to the apostle John in visions [The Book of Revelation], He proclaimed Himself as the Beginning and the End, symbolizing Eternal Existence, Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Divine Sovereignty.
From Genesis to Revelation, we have written evidence of the righteous placing their faith and trust in God’s Sovereign Authority and Power, and God’s response, giving them victory.
In 2 Chronicles 20, when King Jehosaphat faced the three combined armies, his first response was a prayer recognizing God’s Sovereignty that also revealed humility and reverence for God:
“O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?…For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (2 Chronicles 20:6, 12).
The king readily acknowledged that they could not fight the armies using their strength. And from studying the rest of the story, God performed a supernatural miracle, giving them victory.
“Since God’s Eternal Truth has no place in such a world, with the rise of postmodernism we have witnessed a commensurate decline in Biblical knowledge.”
The failure to study the Bible results in the failure to recognize and revere God’s Sovereign Authority over this universe and our lives. Self-reliance excludes God, proclaiming that we do not need His Divine Help.
“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:2).
Yet, to live as followers of Christ, who are preparing for eternity with Christ, our Triumphant King requires that we honor, revere, and obey Jesus Christ, who is our Creator, Savior, Redeemer, Intercessor, and the Only Mediator between God the Father and humanity.
“Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do the things that I say to do?” (Luke 6:46). God, the Father, expects all believers to follow God, Jesus, His Son, our Shepherd, with faithful obedience.
Living as victorious overcomers requires a spirit of humility, accepting that Christ created us with limitations; we can only perceive life with limited knowledge, never knowing our future adversities. And we know this to be true because we can plan our day, yet unexpected challenges will always change our agendas.
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, Amplified Bible).
Because God sees time as eternal, He already knows every adversity that will enter our lives. God’s original plan was for us to completely rely on His Strength and Divine Intervention before making decisions. Involving God is the only way we can enjoy the peace, happiness, and joy that come from Jesus’ Divine Strength.
We also cannot rely on human effort alone to resolve life’s unexpected events, such as bankrupt businesses, job loss, illnesses, financial insolvency due to disability, divorce, or the death of a loved one, which often requires new beginnings that may include relocation.
“…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7). Praying and studying the Bible are faith-building activities. By including God in our daily lives, we enjoy peace and an unbothered mindset even in the raging storms of trials and life-changing events.
The Holy Scriptures strengthen our courage and confidence in God. When we face challenges that human effort cannot solve, our first response should be a prayer for Divine help, rather than succumbing to fear, anxiety, or despair. This is only possible because we use our faith to believe God’s promises of victory.
“And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. / And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15).
The Prayer of Faith: The most powerful prayer is the simple childlike prayer of faith, “Jesus, I need your help.”
“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3).
Children pray with the expectancy and excitement of knowing their prayers for God’s help will be answered. They do not think about how God will answer; they believe that He will answer, and they are willing to wait for His answer.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
The Scriptures reveal that Jesus loves us and desires that we live our best lives, which can only be done through His Guidance and Strength given to us by the Holy Spirit.
Lord God, we repent of our desire to follow our thoughts and exclude Your Divine wisdom and intervention from our lives. We realize that we cannot stay on the Narrow Path of Righteousness without You leading us. Give us the strength to overcome the habit of self-reliance and to redirect our faith and trust from ourselves to follow You in our spiritual journey. In faith, we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.
We were created to rely on God and to have a mind filled with peace. How can we not trust God?
God is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory! God asks, Is there anything too hard for ME?
Like a child who trusts their parents, we simply trust God because “He is the Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnibenevolent, Sovereign God and we are not.”
At some point, in our Christian experience, we will face adversity that human effort cannot resolve. But why wait until extreme hardships enter our lives to trust God?
Surrendering control and self-reliance to God requires courage; and because of our obedience, God rewards us with perfect peace and victorious outcomes!
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13).
Lord God, we thank You for being Yahweh Yireh, God, our Provider. We thank You for always being faithful, although we are not faithful to You. Lord, we desperately need Your help and we thank You in advance for Your Divine Intervention. With faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19).
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, Amplified Bible).
“Life can be very difficult for all of us, no matter how well things might be going at the moment. But even if they are not going well now, what things can you and should you rejoice about? What is stopping you from doing it?”
We have so many things to rejoice about; we received the blessing of a new day of life, we are alert and oriented, and we were created in the image of God, who vows to love, protect, and provide all of our needs.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11).
And we have received the greatest gift of Redemption from God the Father, who gave us Jesus, His Son, to save our souls from the wages of sin [Romans 6:23]
Despite our challenges, God is Loving and Always Faithful! To have a heart filled with gratitude, we must change our behaviors to reflect that God is Good:
Stop speaking negative words.
Stop sowing seeds of discord [gossiping].
See your life through grateful eyes.
Develop a grateful heart and spirit by praising God throughout the day for His blessings of life, health, and provisions.
Redirect your faith and trust from yourself back to God.
Study the Bible every day.
Whisper prayers throughout your day, thanking God for His abundant blessings of life and asking Him for strength, wisdom, and guidance.
God is Merciful: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Lord God, we want to say that we love You and thank You for Your love, grace, and mercy. Thank You for always forgiving us and hearing and answering our prayers. In faith, and with grateful hearts, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
The Rich, Young Ruler “…came up to Jesus and asked, ‘Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?…'”
“All these I have kept,’ the young man said. ‘What do I still lack?'”
“Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” (Matthew 19: 16, 20-21, NIV).
“To join Jesus meant that this young man had to accept a life of self-denial. With deep interest Jesus watched him weigh the question. With keen insight the ruler understood what he’d been told, but it made him depressed. If he had sensed what he would gain in the gift Jesus offered, he would have become a disciple. Instead, he reflected on what he would lose.” (Commentary).
We have made it to the second month of 2026. Our goal is to have a closer relationship with Christ by any means necessary!
Are you a follower of Christ? Most Christian believers do not consider themselves to be “Followers of Christ.”
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).
Daily surrender and faithful obedience are the defining characteristics of a true follower of Christ. Deep within our hearts, we know whether or not, God is our priority.
“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Matthew 16:26, NLT).
Behaviors Revealing Earthly Pursuits
Misplaced Priorities: Focusing entirely on material success, greed, or selfish desires.
Neglecting the Eternal: Trading the eternal, priceless nature of the soul for temporary, passing worldly benefits.
Rejecting Spiritual Life: Failing to surrender to God’s will and instead chasing personal ambition, which results in a life lived without a right relationship with Christ.
If we are caught up in pursuing the distractions of earthly trinkets, pleasures, success, and relationships instead of following Jesus, then sadly, our desires will be our only reward.
To follow Jesus requires much more than attending church once a week. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans chapter 12 that we must live a sacrificial life of self-denial to be a true follower of Jesus Christ.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 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: 1-2, NIV).
The Characteristics of the Sacrificial Life: Faith, Surrender, Obedience, Courage, and Commitment Are Required to Be a True Follower of Christ
“Every person is as close to God as they want to be.” (A.W. Tozer).
From praying daily for God to reveal His will and studying the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom, guidance, and teaches us how to live a holy and acceptable life, pleasing to God.
How close are we to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?
2 Timothy 3:1-5 gives us the answer: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”
From reading this description, one may think that the apostle Paul is referring to unbelievers; but unbelievers do not have a form of godliness. He is describing believers who have failed to commit to living the sacrificial life of self-denial that is required to be followers of Jesus Christ.
When we appreciate God’s love and Jesus’ great sacrifice, we love God; and, it is not a burden or an inconvenience for us to live the sacrificial and obedient life required to be a true follower of Christ.
“However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [this kind of persistent] faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8, Amplified Bible).
Lord God, does our lifestyle reflect that we are committed followers of Jesus Christ? If not, we ask you to reveal the habits and people, we must give up to live a God First, Christ-centered, Bible-based life. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“For the Lord is the great God…Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.” (Psalm 95:3, 1-2).
Today is the last day of January, 2026. Because of God’s amazing Love and Mercies, we are still alive! How do we return our love for all that we receive from God?
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.” (Psalm 95:6-7).
The commitment of personal daily worship, Prayer, Bible Study, and Singing praises of gratitude reveals our love, loyalty, and reverence for God, whose Love, Grace, Mercies, and Provisions flow abundantly.
“Heaven is waiting to [give] its richest blessings upon those who will consecrate themselves to do the work of God in these Last Days of the world’s history.”
The richest blessings that we need to live as victorious overcomers are not material possessions, wealth, and success. We require the daily empowerment of the Holy Spirit to stay on the Path of Righteousness that leads from Earth to Heaven.
Lord God, You have Sovereign Authority over our lives, this earth, and the universe. We come to You in humility, surrendering ourselves to You, and asking for the spiritual blessings of peace, wisdom, and the strength to persevere in this tough journey of life filled with obstacles, temptations, and dangers. Yet, because of Your love, we have safety. Lord, you promised to never leave us or forsake us; and we believe in Your promises that when we run to You, we will have refuge because You are a Strong Tower. Lord, we seek the blessings of spiritual restoration, peace, contentment, and joy, as we worship You on this Holy Sabbath Day. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Loving Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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