“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16
Do you remember when you first accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? At that moment, you realized that anyone who would suffer and die on the cross to save you from sin that you wanted a relationship with Jesus. The promise of a new life through Jesus Christ and the opportunity for eternal life placed peace and joy in your heart. You were excited to share with others that God is love and Jesus sacrificed his life for us.
You were running well. Who hindered you, not to obey the truth? Galatians 5:7. The vicissitudes [a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant], trials, temptations, and sorrows are more than we can deal with alone. Yes, many have support from friends and family, but they cannot fill the emptiness in our souls. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.“ John 15:5.
Jesus tells us we can do nothing without Him. But we certainly try until we are worn and weary, leaving us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually depleted. Please know the distractions that we focus on will always lead us to the wrong path, causing us to walk further away from Jesus. Eventually, we forget to pray and ask God for help. Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22.
Jesus the Good Shepherd
“The reason the Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.” John 10:17-18
Search the scriptures, the central theme of the Bible is love. God is unconditional love. Jesus Christ told His Father, “I will die for them that they may have redemption from sin. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved. – Ephesians 2:4-5
Our love for Jesus enables us to serve God with humility, faith, trust, and obedience. We rarely think about the concept that every individual before their death and before the Second Coming of Jesus is given the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have drawn you with loving devotion.” Jeremiah 31:3.
Today, recommit your life to God. Jesus’ gift to humanity is priceless. For those who never made the commitment to follow Jesus, consider this an opportunity to accept and embrace Jesus Christ. We are never alone in our journey. Yes, the road is rugged. Still, we have a powerful and loving spiritual team who loves us, intervenes for us using their divine, supernatural power, and is committed to caring for us until we take our last breath.
“Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:20.
Prayer: God, we thank you for your unconditional love. We ask for forgiveness for excluding you from our hearts. It is our desire to commit our minds, bodies, and souls to serve you. Jesus, we thank you for suffering and dying for us. Please give us the strength to withstand the stormy and dark seasons in our lives by always stay connected to you. We love you. In Jesus’ worthy name, we pray. Amen. © 2021 Sonya Johnson
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 