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.
Devotional reading–Prayer Increases Faith and Courage is available as a podcast on Spotify
Have you ever had a life-changing decision to make that threatened your peace of mind? Or an unexpected life event that produced a financial deficit or health issue?
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow worry about itself it’s on things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34
Our average Floridian temperature in the 70s plummeted to 30 degrees on Christmas day. I had an unexpected health issue arise when I turned the heater on. Fumes and smoky residue flooded my apartment from the AC/ Heater unit triggering the smoke/ carbon monoxide detector, and I had an asthma attack immediately following.
My first response was to quickly set up my nebulizer rescue medication and open the door for the frigid fresh air to enter and clear the toxic environment. Thankfully, I was prepared with a couple of wintry throw blankets and clothing from a previous life that included winter weather.
As the tears fell from my eyes and thoughts of Christmas day being ruined, I began to pray, God, help me. From my short, desperate prayer, I received immediate comfort from the Holy Spirit. But then something unusual happened I had increased mental and emotional strength. The air cleared, the smoke alarm stopped, and my small backup tower electric heater began blowing hot air.
But most importantly, my respiratory system reached homeostasis. I whispered another prayer of thankfulness because God’s Divine Intervention took control and safely guided me through and out of harm’s way.
Every one of us faces unexpected daily challenges that can bring chaos and despair. Changing our response to include God in every aspect of our everyday troubles–great or small builds our faith and gives us a habit of relying on God’s Divine Intervention to help us in every trial.
Forming the habit of consistent prayer changes our perception and awareness that God is an Awesome Heavenly Father. Our minds transition from innate weakness to one of strength and courage. No, we do not let pride give us false confidence in our own abilities, we build a love-trust-dependent relationship with God who is always faithful.
“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)
As Christian believers, we have 24/7 access to the Throne of Grace. Head knowledge of the Scriptures is not enough. Our dependency on God is evidence of a heart-to-heart relationship with His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. We are preparing now for an eternal life of worship based on the love and faith we possessed in our earthly lives.
Bible Study: Matthew chapter 6
Prayer: God, we are thankful for Your faithfulness. We pray for a closer relationship with Jesus based on faith, trust, obedience, and active communication through daily prayer and study of the Scriptures. Thank You for Your love and Divine Intervention that is always available. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Love God, Love Others, surrender your heart to Jesus, pray throughout your waking hours, and study the Bible because your destiny depends on those human efforts. Unseen Divine Intervention is occurring every day to fulfill Revelation 22:12-13.
Devotional Reading–Wait! That Decision Has Negative Consequences
Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! –Psalm 27:14
God is so good! In our moments of weakness, He provides and protects us from the negative consequences of decisions that we think are the best option. We can live without regrets by listening to God’s voice telling us, No or Not Now.
Surrender is not a trait we are born with, nor is surrender valued as a must-have character trait. If you are a parent or had younger siblings, you have first-hand knowledge of the developmental stage affectionately known as the terrible twos. And most remember going through the teenage stages of a raging rebellion against their parent’s morals, values, and rules. But suppose the child’s behavior was modified by initiating boundaries and disciplinary measures during these two defiant stages. In that case, they will develop into adults that not only accept and respect the answer of no, but also possess the character trait of self-control.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Despite our diverse backgrounds, a change of heart happens when we commit ourselves to God. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone, and a new life has begun! As steadfast believers in Christ, we cease the natural inclinations to follow our selfish desires or maintain a spirit of disobedience. Nor do we develop little schemes to go outside God’s will to attempt to manipulate His answer of no.
When God created humanity, He gave us everything we needed to serve Him: Free will of choice, biblical instructions, prayer, a seed of faith, a sound mind, self-control, and the desire to stay connected to Him. But then we discovered that we could use our free will to chase after our desires. Yes, we still believe in God, but we have developed a spirit of independence–the same condition that Cain possessed. We place our disobedient desires over God’s requirement for our sacrificial offering–total obedience.
There are two types of Believers, those who almost always obey God and those who make it a habit to disobey and frequently misuse repentance and forgiveness.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? –Luke 6:46
For the usually obedient group, God disciplines by shaking us. In His mercy, God may shield us from the extreme consequences of our disobedience. Recognizing that we went against the will of God, we readily repent and pray for forgiveness. We know repentance means never repeating the transgression against God for doing it our way. Because we love God with all of our hearts, after the shaking, we thank God for His mercy in not letting us suffer the full consequences of our disobedience.
“…but the way of transgressors is hard.” –Proverbs 13:15
The second group also loves God, but they suffer inner turmoil because they have developed a pattern of disobeying God. They live by the false prosperity message–name it and claim it. Their greatest pursuit in life is to be happy. Yes, all appears to be well–they are reaping a harvest of blessings. And they readily share with others, “God has abundantly blessed me.” Sadly, that is their critical mistake of bringing God’s name into their acts of disobedience.
God will protect His name and reputation!
Then the unthinkable happens, God allows the impact of their disobedience to come to fruition, and the life-changing consequences happen. All because they half-heartedly served God by continuous disobedience. “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” –James 4:17
“The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving wrongdoing, and rebellion. But He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He visits the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation.” (Numbers 14:18)
Satan is using the same old tactic that he used with Eve, “Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die'” (Genesis 3:4). He uses false teachers to tell us that we do not understand the true meaning of what God said, and they give their reinterpretation of the Scriptures. Many believers have been deceived by accepting the false belief of Middle Ground Christianity. There is no middle ground! We cannot fulfill our desires and remain in the right standing with God. Either we completely obey God or we are living outside of His will by walking on the path of disobedience.
“If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15).
In the evening, reflect on your day. How many blessings have you received? The big blessings are probably very obvious. Even so, remember to include the little things that worked out in your favor. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
We have a loving God who sustains our lives. The breath in our bodies is from God. Seeking God’s will is the foundation for serving Him. Obedience is such a small sacrifice compared to the incredible love and undeserved grace and mercies we receive. With all that we are given by our Heavenly Father, God is justified in His requirement for us to faithfully trust and obey Him. We must use our sound minds and self-control to stay within the will of God.
“For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11, Amplified Bible)
Stop living the hard-knock life full of problems and consequences that belong to the lives of unbelievers!
We can never protect or provide for ourselves as God does. Do we thank God for His protection from the dangers of spiritual warfare [seen and unseen] that the angels, God’s messengers, defend us from every day? God’s protection also extends to shielding us from the terrible consequences of our wayward decisions.
When God says, “No, my child,” trust and believe that He knows the future consequences that would devastate our lives. Today, begin to let praises of thanksgiving and gratitude openly flow from your mouth. Surrender and commit your free will to always trust and obey God. We are truly blessed beyond measure!
Bible Reading: Psalm 34
Prayer: God, we want to say thank you for all that you have lovingly and freely blessed us with day after day. We love You and surrender our will to You. Let Your will be done in our lives. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.
Historically, rejection and oppression based on ethnicity, culture, religion, and socioeconomic status have existed since biblical times. Jesus continuously exposed the oppression of the Pharisees against ordinary people. The Pharisees felt their political and financial statuses made them superior to others.
“And they tie up burdens heavy and hard to bear and lay them on the shoulders of men, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.” –Matthew 23:4
“They Added Tradition To The Scriptures: The Pharisees added an enormous amount of traditional material that was passed down from one generation to the next.” blueletterbible.org. The Pharisees interpreted the scriptures according to their mindsets, yet they did not follow their manmade rules.
The Pharisees are a prime example of Israelites seeking to establish their own righteousness. They created manmade rules to control others and elevate themselves. Ordinary Jewish people could not enjoy serving God. Rituals create unnecessary burdens, are meaningless, and destroy the integrity of true worship.
Sadly, many believers feel that worshipping God is a burden. We have lowered our standards by living worldly and proclaiming at the same time that God is good. The issue is that today’s Christians are tired and weary of God’s standard of holiness, which they consider unrealistic and impossible to achieve. Their perception of God is skewed. They do not view God as holy and righteous but as one who is an unloving taskmaster with a list of too many “don’t do this.”
The similarity between the Pharisees and today’s church leaders is that they love money. But unlike the Pharisees who made additional rules to make lives harder, pastors are doing all they can to please their members [and keep their churches filled to capacity]. Many are not preaching about living righteously nor are their sermons focusing on Jesus and His Second Coming. The focus has changed to keeping people happy and if the truth is mentioned it is watered-down to keep the membership numbers stable and the money flowing in.
Recently, I watched an interview with Pastor TD Jakes who admitted if he preached from the Bible over 90% of his members would not understand because they lack knowledge of the Scriptures.
“Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 20:7
We have lost sight of the fact that God is Holy. The atmosphere of our homes and churches has become common and irreverent from our spoken words and the music, programs, and social media we eagerly watch. We attend or watch a virtual service weekly to hear a sermon or we choose the Scriptures of the Bible that are pleasing to our ears.
Biblical Israel’s Spiritual Condition: “The spirit of true devotion had been lost in tradition and ceremonialism, and the prophecies were interpreted at the dictate of proud, world-loving hearts.” E.G. White
Christianity [Spiritual Israel] has experienced a significant spiritual decline that is worse than biblical Israel. In the time of Moses, the Nation of Israel had complete knowledge of God’s laws, commands, and precepts which they rejected. As time progressed, God revealed to the prophet Hosea, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee… (Hosea 4:6). The knowledge deficit has created a misunderstanding of the purpose of living consecrated and holy lives.
The Dilemma in 2022: Either we lack knowledge or we have basic knowledge of only the Scriptures that keep us happy. “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4) is an example of not understanding the spiritual meaning of this scripture by thinking God will give us everything that we ask for.
God tells us, “I change not.” We can only have a relationship with Jesus Christ based on love, surrender, consecration, obedience, prayer, and study of the Scriptures. Our earthly life of true worship is preparing us to worship God forever in the New Heaven and New Earth.
“And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” –Joshua 24:15
There is no middle ground. We cannot choose or select parts of the Word of God [the Scriptures] and fit them into our lifestyles. Either we are all in as evidenced by consecrating our lives to Christ and dedicating meaningful time to worship God through prayer and studying the Scriptures for ourselves, or we will continue to do what is pleasing to our dictates and miss out on the heavenly mansions that Jesus promised us in John chapter 14, verses 1-3.
The Spirit of True Worship is the willingness to surrender all to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
“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 14:3-4
Prayer: God, we repent for doing things our way. Jesus, we desperately need You. Please reveal our areas of disobedience and Your plan and purpose for our lives. We ask this prayer in the Worthy name of Jesus, Amen.
Devotional Reading: To Everything, There Is a Season—Facing Grief During the Holidays
“To everything, there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven” –Ecclesiastes 3:1
To many, the holiday season is [or was] their favorite time of the year. In 2022, there have been a substantial number of deaths, from infants who ate food with pathogenic organisms to the many victims of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Loss of relationships from divorce and break ups with family and friends has escalated to an all-time high. Hundreds of video posts have flooded social media with heart-wrenching words of sorrow from the loss of marriages, relationships, and the death of children, husbands, wives, parents, and grandparents.
It would be remiss for us not to mention the increasing rate of suicide in 2022. “An estimated 703,000 people a year take their life around the world. “Creating hope through action” is the triennial theme for World Suicide Prevention Day from 2021 to 2023. This theme is a reminder that there is an alternative to suicide and aims to inspire confidence and light in all of us. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-suicide-prevention-day/2022.
The loss of loved ones remains the most significant reason for loneliness leading to depression leading to suicidal ideations leading to suicide.
The Unexpected: We cannot plan for the things that happen in our lives spontaneously—illness, loss of jobs and homes, divorce, severing of friendships or family relationships, tragedies, and death. God created humanity to have lasting family ties and immortality. It was not part of God’s original plan for us to suffer loss. Yet, because of the fall of Adam and Eve, loss from family hostility and death are normal occurrences during our earthly lives.
“He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow].” –Psalm 147:3, Amplified Bible
Whether expected or unexpected, loss always creates a crisis. What makes the difference is if we have a strong relationship with God and believe in His promises. Healing is a spiritual journey. We have the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, to provide hope and healing for the righteous believer. Yes, losing loved ones will always devastate our lives, and we will grieve, yet, we are not hopeless.
We can never pray enough! “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24)
God does not crush us. He will not allow us to be overwhelmed and drown in a sea of hopelessness, even when the crisis of death invades our lives. Remember that nothing we face is unexpected from a spiritual perspective—God is aware of every trial and sorrow we face.
“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 [have courage], because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Although the vicissitudes of life will remain until the Second Coming of Christ, praying the simple prayer of “God, I need Your help” allows the Holy Spirit to bring peace and comfort to our wounded hearts. When we humbly acknowledge our dependency on God, we have a Spiritual Team—God, the Father, Jesus, His Son, the Holy Spirit, and messenger angels who bring spiritual comfort to the depths of our hearts and souls.
Cry, Cry, Cry and Pray, Pray, Pray
“You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?”–Psalm 56:8
“When David wrote eloquently that God collected all of his tears in a bottle, it means that God cares about each individual tear we cry, and He remembers the pain that causes our tears.” http://www.christianity.com
We were created with the ability to express grief and disappointment through tears. The tears we cry are words to God. He knows loss causes us to have fragile hearts.
Live day by day with the faith that you are given. Every day seeking Christ in private worship allows us to abide with Him in times of deep distress. Listen to the soothing promises of worship music. Developing the habit of studying the Scriptures and breathing several prayers throughout the day and evening fortifies us with spiritual strength that will sustain us in the harshest times. When we have an intentional relationship with Christ, we can expect Divine Intervention for every unexpected loss, even from the permanent earthly separation of loved ones.
God knows whom we need in our lives during our times of grieving. Jesus will perform miracles and send people to assist us during every crisis and afterward until we have the strength to move forward. We cannot rush through our healing journey. God knows our hearts and Jesus when on this earth experienced significant loss. Healing from loss occurs in micro steps. Remember that God has never expected us to forget the loss of loved ones.
Know that you are loved. Jesus experienced the death of Joseph, His earthly father. On the cross, in His humanness, Jesus felt as if God had abandoned Him. We know that God’s promise of “I will never leave you or forsake you” is binding even until we take our last breath.
We must Create Hope Through Action by actively witnessing the Love of Jesus to those who have no hope. Every day tell someone that Jesus loves you with everlasting love!
For those who have gained strength, hope, and a renewed purpose in their healing journey, this is the perfect time to use social media to post Scriptures of promises and make phone calls to provide a listening ear to those who have recently lost a loved one from death, divorce, or separation from family.
I recall a time when my faith and hope were at an all-time low. I was at Walmart and an older man passed by and said, “God loves you, everything will be alright.” Before I could say anything he disappeared. Perhaps when I get to heaven one of the angels will tell me that he gave me those words of comfort.
Our spiritual victories include the ability to heal by regaining hope, peace, and the strength to gradually move forward following a loss. Use an Audio Bible on YouTube to listen to The Lord’s Prayer [Matthew 6: 9-13] and Psalm 23 to comfort yourself or to read to someone who has experienced loss from death, divorce, or estrangement from family and friends. Spread the message, Yes, Jesus loves you and He died to give you a new life.
Scripture: “…strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.” (Acts 14:22)
Bible Study: Ecclesiastes chapter 3
Prayer: God, for many of us, we are grieving during this holiday season. We pray for Your power to comfort and strengthen us. We still praise and give you gratitude for our lives. Thank You for loving us. We ask this prayer in the Worthy name of Jesus. Amen.
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