It takes faith, trust, courage, and perseverance to serve God in today's unstable world. Yet, we are never alone. Pray every day and pray often. Study the Bible. The Scriptures are a Love Letter from God to those who accept Jesus as their personal Savior. You will receive comfort, knowledge, and wisdom from the Holy Spirit. "I have loved you with an everlasting love." Jeremiah 31:3. Be blessed in Jesus' name. Amen.
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” (John 14:1-3).
Sojourner: Biblical Context: Refers to God’s people as temporary residents in this world.
“A sojourner is a person who stays temporarily in a place, a traveler or temporary resident, not a permanent inhabitant…a spiritual pilgrimage, viewing oneself as a stranger or pilgrim passing through.”
“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9, NIV).
“I Am Coming Quickly: He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).
“Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).
“Are we following Christ with persistent faithfulness, trusting in God, and ready for His return?”
2 Timothy 3 describes the condition of most believers in the Last Days. But ready or not, Jesus is Coming! Yes and Amen.
Lord God, we thank You for the gift of Your Precious Son, Jesus Christ, who redeemed us from the wages of sin. We ask you to reveal any thoughts, habits, and lifestyles that will prevent us from inheriting Eternal Life. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
At my most recent Library trip, I looked in the freebie bins and saw a magazine entitled Voice of the Martyrs. Never did I realize how my perspective would change from reading the experiences of persecuted Christians.
Excerpt from “The LAST to Leave” [The Story of a Christian Family Risking Their Personal Safety to Witness Christ to Others].
“The sound of gunfire and explosions was terrifyingly familiar. Sophia waited for the return of her husband Lewis at 3:00 a.m. one morning in March.”
“Lewis, a Missionary and Pastor who ministered to villagers deep in the __________ jungle, had taken a boat full of 30 Christians to a location safe from the violence occurring in their village.”
“As they pulled away from the riverside, Lewis prayed, “God, take care of us. Clear the way for us to go with no danger.”
Lewis and Sofia are resolute about God sustaining them through the loss of their home and all their personal possessions: “It is a passion for the souls. There are so many people who are lost. It is worth serving the Lord.”
Later that evening, I read multiple stories of the persecution that many Believers [globally] are suffering in their Journey of following Jesus, yet they remain committed and never complain.
I immediately prayed and asked God to forgive me for my self-centered and selfish heart. What do I know about the need to remain anonymous, or taking refuge in safe houses with minimal personal belongings, because I decided to follow Jesus?
And yes, with living in a country where Religious Liberty is my Constitutional right, God gave me a much-needed spiritual reality check to redirect my focus from myself to continuously pray for my Christian brothers and sisters, who could never imagine the blessing of the freedom to serve and follow Jesus without constraints.
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12). Truthfully, are we preparing ourselves spiritually for the day when we will suffer persecution for being a follower of Christ?
Our world is in chaos, and corruption and violence are steadily escalating. Still, while we have the opportunity to strengthen our relationship with Christ through daily personal worship, we must.
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).
“Suffering, to some degree, is the lot of us all. In the end, though, it is better to suffer for Christ’s sake than for anything else.”
Lord God, please forgive our self-centeredness and help us to think beyond ourselves. In faith and with compassion, we pray for the persecuted believers who are faithfully and courageously following You with unwavering faith, despite their perilous circumstances. Lord, we ask You to supply all of their needs, to comfort them in their times of uncertainty, and to strengthen their faith. We joyfully look forward to the day when there will be no more persecution, fear, and sorrow. And when we can openly worship Jesus, our Triumphant King. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, ESV).
God has a Divine Purpose for your life. Consecrate yourself daily through personal worship, asking Him to reveal His plans for the new day.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, ESV).
Although each person is at a different time in their life; before our conception, God had individualized plans for you and me.
We are the Christians living in the Last Days of Earth’s history. Now is the perfect time for intentional spiritual growth and discovering your creative talents.
Every day, set aside time to Separate in Solitude and Silence to honor and worship God.
When we focus on our relationship with Christ, our faith and focus is redirected from ourselves back to God.
Before humanity was created, God’s goal has always been to redeem, reconcile, and restore our relationship with Jesus Christ.
Every day, we prepare for Jesus’ promise in John 14:1-3. By aligning ourselves with God’s plans, we demonstrate our faith, love, and loyalty to God.
Our Heavenly Father, desires that we ask Him to reveal His priorities and purpose for the blessing of a new day.
During personal worship, the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Holy Scriptures and our thoughts.
We do not have to limit our worship with God to once or twice a day; whisper prayers throughout your day to receive Divine wisdom, strength, and guidance.
By fulfilling God’s plan for our lives, the Holy Spirit empowers us to prepare for our eternal reward in Revelation 22:12.
Bible Study: Romans 12; 2 Timothy 3
Lord God, we thank You for this new day of life. And we ask You to speak to our hearts, guiding us throughout our day to fulfill Your plans. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
What is our ultimate purpose as Christians? To honor Christ with a sacrificial life of self-denial and faithful obedience.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23).
We also represent to the world that following Christ results in a Loving Character and the ability to live righteously through the power of the Holy Spirit.
“Cast your burden on the LORD [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail).” (Psalm 55:22, Amplified Bible).
Because of our faith and trust in God’s Love, Power, and Promises, there is a significant difference when believers who pray continuously face challenges and hardships; from trusting in God, we are confident that God will resolve our battles.
“Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24).
Yes, placing our faith in God’s promises prevents us from seeing our dark, stormy times as hopeless. We know that Jesus, the Light of the World, is ever-present, serving as our High Priest, receiving and answering our prayers.
Trusting God is the only way for us to enjoy the gift of Jesus’ peace.
“I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:9-10).
Because our Heavenly Father is All-Knowing, God gave us His Divine Plan for living happy and healthy lives: Put God First, Pray for Guidance, Live by Faith, and Trust and Obey His plans for our lives, and we will experience continuous peace and joy.
Despite God’s Instructions and Blueprint [the Bible] on how to enjoy peace and happiness [regardless of our circumstances], many Christian believers are not living Christ-centered, Faith-based, obedient, contented, happy, and healthy lifestyles.
“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” (James 1:14).
Christ created us to depend on God; unfortunately, the worldview of self-reliance has infiltrated the Christian Community, resulting in the redirection of our focus, faith, and trust from God to ourselves.
If our response to personal challenges is, What strategies can I develop to produce favorable outcomes?; then we have assumed burdens of life that God never intended for us to carry.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46, ESV).
Self-reliance is dangerous because it leads to the spiritual dilemma of disobeying God. Not only are we separated from God, but we also lose our spiritual gift of Jesus’ peace, which produces a Domino Effect on the mind, body, and soul.
“Do not be wise in your own eyes.” (Proverbs 3:7). From attempting to resolve life’s continuous struggles without God, we begin to suffer from mental restlessness, unstable emotions, and incessant thoughts, which produce anxiety, worries, frustration, and sleepless nights, stressors that cause most physical illnesses.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV).
Trusting God is not easy for most of us. Yet, God tells us in the Scriptures that He knows the end from the beginning and has plans to give us an expected end, which is Eternal Life in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Today, I attempted to contemplate what Heaven would be like. Although I have a creative mind, even with the Apostle John’s description in Revelation, I could not imagine the magnificent beauty that no human eyes have seen, except for the vision Christ gave to the Apostle John.
But we do know that perfect love, peace, joy, and happiness will exist. No anger, arguing, profane behaviors, hatred, violence, sickness, or death. And for those who say, No to a vegan diet, guess what? All will be vegans! Including the predatory animals.
“‘The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,’ says the LORD.” (Isaiah 65:25, NIV).
From studying 2 Timothy 3, we realize that we are living in the Last Days of Earth’s history. As time on Earth moves forward, we cannot afford to let our desire for self-governance jeopardize our reward of Eternal Life.
The Plan to Reconcile With Christ: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
“He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way.” (Psalm 25:9). “Submission to God’s will is honorable; in fact, it is the only way to be victorious in the spiritual war [Ephesians 6] in which we find ourselves.”
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). How would your life change if you prayed, waited, and used your faith to completely trust God? When we surrender to Christ, worry never enters our minds.
I am currently in my first week of using my faith to totally trust in God. Truthfully, the first two days, I felt anxious, but prayed often, “Jesus, give me the strength and courage to trust You.” I studied The Book of Ruth, Philippians 4, and memorized Isaiah 26:3-4.
For the next 14 days, utilize your time in personal worship to consecrate your life to Christ. Total surrender to God requires Divine strength and human effort. Ask Christ to guide you in every decision that you need to make.
“‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'” (Jeremiah 33:3). The consistency of daily surrender invites the Holy Spirit to give us the blessing of perceiving life through spiritual eyes.
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).
Separation, Solitude, and Silence is the worship posture that invites the Holy Spirit to speak to us through the Holy Scriptures and our thoughts. To live as overcomers, we need the spiritual discernment that only the Holy Spirit can give.
Each day, we are one day closer to when Jesus, our Triumphant King, will come for His faithful and obedient followers. We are nearing the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in John 14:1-3. Yes and Amen!
“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:1-5).
Lord God, we come to You in faith, surrendering our will, and asking for Your guidance. We believe in Your love and promises to give us resolutions that bring honor and glory to Your Holy Name. Speak to our hearts, and reveal any habit, behavior, character trait, or relationship that would prevent us from receiving our reward of Eternal Life. Lord, give us the strength to persevere through our challenges, and teach us how to distinguish Your Voice from our thoughts and other voices. Jesus, we look forward to the day when You will come again. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, NIV).
From studying the Life of Christ, the one characteristic that was always present in His character was one of compassion.
“Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As He approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry…'”
“Then He went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, get up!’ The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.” (Luke 7: 11-15, NIV).
[bier: a simple wooden frame used to carry the dead to the grave, essentially a portable bed for the corpse, rather than a modern enclosed coffin].
How can we demonstrate the love and compassion of Christ to others? We must possess the Righteous Character traits of Christ.
“…and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3, NIV).
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5: 22-23).
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:23, NIV).
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (1 Corinthians 13:37-38).
Unconditional Love is the spiritual foundation necessary for the Holy Spirit to change our stony hearts [Ezekiel 36:26] into a loving heart filled with the Fruit of the Spirit.
In Jeremiah 17:9, God tells us the condition of every human heart. Although we would like to think that our hearts are naturally good, God tells us the hearts we inherited are not good.
“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT).
Through our willingness to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, our hearts can be changed into the heart of Christ.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:7-8, NIV).
Bible Study: Matthew 5
Lord God, we ask you to cleanse our hearts from all unloving behaviors and unrighteous traits. We desire to have hearts filled with Your unconditional love. We ask for new hearts that love You and love others. We need Your Divine Help and Strength because we cannot change ourselves. Lord, we love You and thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in faith and in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
“But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to Him, ‘I charge you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.'” (Matthew 26:63)
Jesus knew that He was the Son of God, yet He also had the wisdom to know that if He said Yes, their hearts were rebellious, and would immediately accuse Him of blasphemy.
Despite the phenomenal miracles Jesus performed, including raising Lazarus from the dead, the Jewish leaders, Pharisees, Sadducees, and their devout followers would never accept Him as anything other than the son of Joseph, the poor carpenter, who lived in Nazareth.
Jesus’ earthly purpose of dying on Calvary’s Cross to redeem humanity from death—the wages of sin remained His priority. If Jesus answered, Yes, His accusers would have stoned Him to death, resulting in the failure to fulfill the Plan of Redemption.
“Jesus demonstrated humility, submitting to God’s plan, revealing His identity on His own terms, rather than defending Himself against false accusations or questioning by authorities like the high priest and Pilate, showing profound love and obedience to God, His Father.”
“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” (James 1:26, NIV).
Inciting anger in believers is a significant part of the enemy’s spiritual warfare against those who love God. One of Satan’s most effective ways to entice us to sin is by using familiar people [family and friends] to offend us. The word choice, tone, and volume of our voices are effective weapons used to accuse, disrespect, demean, annihilate one’s self-worth, and defame one’s character.
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…Have nothing to do with such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5, NIV).
Yes, we are living in the Last Days, in a time where abusive communication has become an acceptable practice in our societies. Yet, God specifically addresses how Christians are to communicate even when we are attacked with fiery words:
“But now rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene (abusive, filthy, vulgar) language from your mouth.” (Colossians 3:8, Amplified Bible).
“[Verbal] Abuse is always sin. The Scriptures are clear. Abuse of authority or power…is always sin. Abusive speech and/or behavior are never an acceptable way to communicate with someone.”
God’s Warning: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Proverbs 18:21, ESV).
Many who attend church were raised in a home that included arguing and debating, and cultures in which it is a common practice for Christian parents, husbands, or older family members to verbally abuse their children, wives, and relatives, still God considers it sinful and unacceptable behavior.
Conflict is always fueled by uncontrolled anger. Domestic conflict has claimed the lives of many innocent victims, including church members. Never overlook threatening words—remain silent, remove yourself from the offender, and notify the police. It takes courage to say, “Enough is Enough!” And, it may result in saving your life.
“Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the LORD.” (Romans 12:19, NLT).
One thing is for certain: Believers who use their words as weapons will eat the fruits of their behavior—they will experience earthly consequences, loss of employment, relationships, marriages, and often their freedom [incarceration] from using threatening words, which is assault—and most importantly, they lose their reward of Eternal Life.
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10). “For the Lord loves justice; He will not forsake his saints.”(Psalm 37:28). Because we are created in the image of God, and He loves us, God does not expect us to remain in abusive situations.
With faith, pray, and ask God to deliver you. We have a Loving Heavenly Father who promises to free us from the bondage of abuse. Never believe that staying in an abusive situation is your only option.
Conflict also occurs in environments outside the home, but it may be unrecognized because covert strategies are used. People frequently use humor to provoke anger.
There are many psychological techniques for Conflict Resolution, yet, for believers, God has given us His Divine Commands on Conflict Resolution.
“Know this, my beloved brothers [and sisters]: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19-20).
In a world of cruelty, abuse, and violence, when antagonistic words are freely spoken, it is our Christian duty to represent to others that we belong to Jesus Christ by remaining silent.
“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14:14). Courage, Faith, and Steadfast Belief in God’s Power are demonstrated when we pray instead of responding. Unbelievers may perceive silence as weakness, but faithful obedience reveals our love and loyalty to God.
Conflict on the job is often experienced in employee break areas. In Micah 6:8, God tells us to stand for justice. It is our responsibility to document the incident, send an email to the immediate supervisor, and Human Resources to ensure compliance with the company’s policies.
“It takes the right situation to reveal a person’s true character.” When our hearts are converted and the Holy Spirit dwells within us, when confronted, we exercise discipline and self-control by remaining silent.
Yes, God expects us to take the appropriate actions to report conflict, but Christians must never retaliate with verbal sparring. Our response to conflict immediately reveals our character’s weaknesses, and most importantly, identifies whether or not we are true followers of Christ by obeying His commands.
Do not let your emotions cause you to sin by responding with anger and dishonoring God! We can apologize, but we can never retract spoken or written words.
“Ineffective Witnessing: Sinful actions by believers make God’s Holy and Righteous Name look bad to the world, bringing reproach on His love and mercies. (Psalm 69:6-7).”
From arguing, we not only lose our ability to witness the love of God, but we also lose our credibility as Christians and respect from unbelievers who silently observed our usual demeanor of kindness and self-control.
God’s Righteous Guidance on Conflict Resolution: “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” (Proverbs 21:23).
As the individual is speaking, or if you are reading a text message, remain silent, and immediately pray for guidance and the strength to silence your emotions, anger, and/or hurt. If you are on a phone call, the moment you sense hostility, immediately respond with, “God loves you, I am hanging up.”
Anger and Hostility Always Override Rational Thought Processes
“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in disclosing what is on his mind.” (Proverbs 18:12).
Fact: A person who is speaking offensive words is driven by negative emotions and does not have the mindset to be involved in a rational conversation. When they finish speaking, they are prepared to participate in an argument.
In John 8:44, Jesus describes Satan as ‘the father of lies,’ revealing his deceptive nature. Satan’s primary goal is to keep us annoyed, upset, and angry, which represents his unrighteous character, and brings shame and disgrace to the Name of God.
The Apostle Paul tells us to “Be angry and do not sin,” and “Let no corrupt words proceed out of your mouth.” To be honest, brothers and sisters, we cannot exercise that type of righteous self-control without the Divine Help and Strength from the Holy Spirit.
“Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, Amplified Bible).
The Apostle Peter used “this imagery to highlight the devil’s dangerous, relentless, and predatory nature, urging Christians to be alert, stand firm in their faith, and resist him.”
If our goal is to receive our reward of Eternal Life in the New Heaven and New Earth, where only love, peace, joy, and happiness will exist, then we must embrace God’s warning: “for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
Remember: Stay Silent! God Always Wins! Peace and Blessings.
Lord God, we ask for the courage, wisdom, and strength to remain silent when facing the spiritual warfare of Conflict. We pray for those who are in abusive homes that they will use their mustard seed faith to be courageous, pray, asking you to deliver them from the satanic bondage of mistreatment. Yet, Lord, you tell us to stand for justice, and we also, in faith, pray this Intercessory Prayer, asking You to deliver your sons and daughters from abusive environments. Lord, we realize that You are Elohim Shomri, our Protector, and You are The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, and we believe that You will fulfill Your Promise in Exodus 14:14, and with expectancy, we thank You in advance for deliverance. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Name, our Mighty Warrior, Amen!
“Elohim Shomri (אֱלֹהִים שׁוֹמְרִי) means ‘God is my Protector’ or ‘God, my Protector’ in Hebrew, a phrase used to express God’s role as our Guardian.”
Every day, Christian believers face physical danger and unseen spiritual warfare from humanity’s greatest enemy. Thankfully, God, the Father, gave Jesus, God, the Son, all Power, Dominion, and Authority, and Jesus, the Commander of Angel Armies, has given every believer a Guardian angel to protect us mentally, emotionally, physically, and most importantly, spiritually.
Lord God, we are humbled by Your Love for us. And we thank You for the Holy Sabbath, and for our angelic protection from hurt, harm, and the unseen danger of demonic forces. We look forward to the time when we will worship with You and the Angels on the Sabbath. Until then, Lord, we ask You to bless everyone who honors Your Commandment to keep the seventh-day Sabbath holy. Lord, we also ask You to protect us from making decisions that will bring harm to our peace and safety. We love You, and in faith, ask this prayer in the Powerful Name of Jesus, Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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