Author: steps2successwithspiritualsolutions

Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—The Growth of a Seed

The story unfolds with a man who planted two gardens. He planted the best seeds in the garden closest to his house that had the correct balance of sun and shade. The seeds of lesser quality were planted in a mountainous area that would not receive any care except to remove weeds once a week. As the seeds from the first garden grew, he became less interested in the other garden. Excitedly, he looked at the sprouts growing into plants. The man became fixated on the prized garden, watering it, adding fertilizer, and diligently pulling weeds. He started thinking of the great harvest of vegetables soon to come due to his time and effort.

After one month of seeing the progress of the first garden, he decided that he didn’t need the second garden. But out of curiosity, he decided to take the long walk, anticipating the seeds died due to his lack of care. Yet, when he looked at the neglected garden the plants had grown three times the size of the garden he cared for every day. What the man failed to realize is the mountainous garden contained fertile soil with an abundance of natural nutrients. The plants thrived from the warmth of the sun’s rays and the intermittent rains that fell on that area caused the neglected garden to flourish.

We plant the seeds of habits, hobbies, relationships, and self-seeking desires in our garden of life, which receives the majority of our time. Our best efforts are directed toward the earthly things that count as nothing to further the kingdom of God. Not only do all Christians have the assignment of witnessing to those who need the gospel, comforting those in despair, and providing for those in need, we are required to witness every day!

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 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 28:18-20)

God desires for us to plant the seeds of Jesus’ love and the plan of redemption. Once we do our part, the light from Christ will shine on the new believers and the Holy Spirit will water their souls. The decision to serve God is not one of neglect. We do not have the privilege of choosing the time slots or days we will witness. Just as employers require their full-time staff to work a minimum of 40 hours, Christians are spiritual workers who have the responsibility of sowing seeds seven days a week.

God never asks us to do the impossible, He always provides direction and the method to complete our assignment. God has given us advanced technology to sow seeds. We can use our social media accounts to witness or begin prayer chats. Using our cell phones, we can pray and speak words of encouragement to those who are sick and discouraged. Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal your spiritual assignment, and give you discernment, and wisdom.

Loving and accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior requires us to follow His example, in humility, we surrender our will and become His workers.

“He said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.’” (Matthew 9:37-38).

Bible Study: Matthew chapters 9 and 28

Prayer: Lord we desire to fulfill our spiritual assignment. We pray for the anointing, power, presence, and direction of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—Preparing for the Unexpected is Possible

Achieving optimal health takes discipline and concerted effort. For the mind and body to maintain homeostasis, we must intentionally choose healthy foods, avoid unnecessary distractions, push ourselves to move our bodies [walking is simple with great results] and get sufficient rest. While our best efforts do not guarantee a life without illnesses or disease, at least our Immune system has the strength and resilience to effectively fight against the unexpected onset of sickness. And for those with chronic illnesses, we must care for our bodies like newborn babes to prevent a sudden onset of illness from escalating into a health crisis.

So that covers the human body’s mental, emotional, and physical components. But how do we achieve optimal spiritual growth and development? And how can we prepare for unexpected suffering?

“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)

First, we acknowledge that our lives will include unexpected hardships that we cannot control or prevent. The way to prepare for the unexpected is to maintain a strong relationship with Jesus Christ every day. Sadly, when peaceful times are present, many become lax in their commitment to daily worship [prayer and study of the Scriptures].

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).

God gives every person the spiritual gift of a little faith. Most of us find it easier to use faith [and trust] in the secular activities of daily living as opposed to using our faith spiritually. We have faith the employer will give us our salary on time, the business transactions we engage in are legitimate, and we certainly rely on faith and trust in our marital and family relationships. Yet, we falter when faced with spiritual battles because our relationship with Christ is inconsistent, which results in having little to no faith and trust in God.

“But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

FTO: Faith, Trust, and Obedience are the keys to spiritual preparation for the unexpected. Faith and trust in God are daily spiritual activities that require intentional practice and strenuous human effort. Each of us can testify of the raging internal war of giving in to sinful desires versus obedience to God’s will and plans for our lives. Obedience requires constant prayer and rebuking our heart’s desires to avoid temptation.

Our minds can be trained to focus on Jesus. Reflecting on our past challenges and victories reminds us that God’s Divine Intervention always brings us victory.

Faith and trust in God give us the confidence and courage to keep moving forward. It doesn’t matter if our circumstances appear impossible. They are impossible for human resolution. Yet, we are not anxious or worried. Jesus promises us peace in peaceful times as well as unexpected storms when we maintain our connection to Him. “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).

Humility, the Fruit of Obedience: The character trait of humility requires us to fight against our carnal nature—our carnal desires are always self-centered. Jesus lived to please God, His Father. Christ prayed daily, “Not my will, but Your will be done.” Praying the prayer of humility changes our posture before God. A humble heart acknowledges God’s omnipotence by giving Him reverence, honor, and glory. Not only do we receive the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit who gives us wisdom, discernment, and strength, God promises when, “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17).

Stay in Jesus’ presence by abiding in Him through unceasing prayer, and learn God’s promises which reinforce our faith. Remember, our spiritual connection is kept active 24/7 by the Holy Spirit unless we choose to turn away from God.

Prayer: God, we thank You for the Spiritual Team of the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and our guardian angels who are ready to comfort, heal, and deliver us from the unexpected hardships of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

During Hurricane Ian, the expectation was for downtown Tampa to be completely flooded by an overflow of forceful waters. The normal height of the water is indicated by the dark areas of the bottom half of the ledge and sea wall [on the right].

Yet, the waters receded exposing the rocky formation beneath the ledge of the sea wall. The explanation given by the meteorologists is one that is not logical. With concerted effort, humanity will always attempt to explain the unexplainable rather than defer to the power of God.

Also, the prediction of Hurricane Ian’s path did not come to fruition. Not only was downtown Tampa not flooded by Hurricane Ian, but there was also a change in its path. NPR news states, “The “cone of uncertainty” is the tool forecasters use to illustrate a hurricane’s likely path — and that title has been particularly apt for Hurricane Ian, whose predicted track has fluctuated by hundreds of miles as it developed into a dangerous storm.”

My original plan of evacuation was to travel to the Orlando/Ocala area for refuge. But the unexpected happened! On 9/27, Ian was downgraded to a tropical storm [changed its path] and then began making its way across Florida, toward the east coast–Orlando and Kissimmee. Before reaching Orlando, the city of Palm Bay [mostly residential areas] would be hit first by Ian with 40-50 mph winds and catastrophic flooding.

On Wednesday morning [9/28], I read Psalm 91 and began praying fervently for the city of Palm Bay and the quiet community where I reside. We were also under a tornado watch with the prediction of an electrical power outage with an unknown duration. While watching ABC’s news coverage of the path of Tropical Storm Ian, suddenly the storm shifted to the extreme left and bypassed our city, headed toward Orlando.

I lifted up prayers of thanksgiving to God for diverting the storm. My adrenaline was high and I couldn’t sleep, yet, my spirit was calm. At midnight, I opened my door slightly to watch the aggressive, howling southeasterly winds bending the tall trees as if they were bowing down to the Creator. The parking lot was covered with hundreds of broken branches, yet, there was no rain and the tornado warning ceased.

Update: It is Thursday, September 29th, at 5:30 pm. Although we experienced heavy rains, the city of Palm Bay was not flooded, the tornado never surfaced, and our homes and vehicles did not sustain any damage. Early afternoon, we had wind gusts of 40-50 mph that caused a temporary loss of electrical power for 15 minutes. The current temperature is 68 degrees, it is raining, but a peaceful calm exists.

“The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.” (Psalm 34:19)

I have been praying for one week asking for God’s divine intervention to save us from the devastation of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Ian. When we pray in faith and include God’s promises in our prayers, He will never fail us. Witnessing the supernatural gives us a deeper insight into the love of God. And then we thank God and testify of His goodness to others.

When speaking to my neighbor this morning, he expressed his amazement that the predicted destruction from the storm bypassed our city. I was able to witness by sharing the Omnipotence of our faithful and loving Heavenly Father who always keeps His promises.

Although Satan is wreaking havoc with storms, disease, and famines, he is limited to only what God allows. This is [and has always been] our Father’s world!

Prayer: God, we thank You for the privilege to seek You through prayer 24/7. Your promise to keep us safe in Psalm 91 was demonstrated during the storm. We give You praise, honor, and glory. Lord, we pray for those who have been displaced by the hurricane. We ask for the restoration of their losses and to give them peace and the courage to restart their lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—After the Failure, Now What?

We did it! Feeling confident and overjoyed with our plans, we placed a bid on the home, started the business, left a stable career, or proposed to our soulmate. Yes, we are on top of the world. After waiting for years, finally, everything was going as planned, and then suddenly the turmoil started. The seller changed their mind about the house, the list of prospective clients refused to commit, and our soulmate told us they don’t think this is the right time for marriage. Our world crashes, bringing intense sorrow and more uncertainty, but why?

Strong emotions [love and trust] along with financial stability often drive us to fulfill our desires. Using strategic planning, and confidence in trustworthy partnerships, many individuals move forward because they are convinced that their plans are failproof. Fully trusting in their abilities, the loss was never considered. With disappointment and anger, they usually place the blame on others.  

On the other side are those who feel desperate because of loneliness, lack of achievements, or the desire for financial stability. They are fully aware that their pending decisions are risky. But console themselves with the thought that it’s better to try than to do nothing at all. So they gamble and go all-in with the mindset of a 50-50 outcome, sadly, they lose. With regret, they admit their current situation is worse than their prior circumstances.  

God has given us the ability to dream, but our dreams must align with His plans for us. The natural result of sin drives us to pursue our heart’s desires with or without God’s approval. Believers are also influenced by the world we live in. It is easy to become entangled in the worldview of success—pursue your dreams at all costs and failures are part of the process, just pick yourself up and try again. Yet, there is a high probability that you do not have the help to restructure your life because of your losses.

The Bible gives us a history of the consequences of pursuing our heart’s desires. One would think that King David would be disciplined after killing bears and lions as a shepherd boy, God using him to kill Goliath, and waiting for 15-plus years from his anointing by the prophet Samuel to becoming king. Yet, David saw and desired a beautiful, married woman and sent for her to come to the palace.

“One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba …the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” (2 Samuel 11:2-3).

Sin causes us to forget about an Omniscient [All-knowing] God who reminds us that He knows what we have done.

God sent the Prophet Nathan to speak to David: “Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites” (2 Samuel 12:9).

The Consequences: In reading the rest of the story, David suffered an immediate consequence, Bathsheba became pregnant, but the baby died. The long-term consequence had no end: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you.'” (2 Samuel 12:11 NIV).

God’s love and mercy: “Nathan replied, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.'” (2 Samuel 12:13, last part, and verse 14).

After our failures, now what? Confession, Repentance, and the Consequences!

Human Effort: With humility, we take the same heartfelt action that David took, “Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.” (2 Samuel 12:13, first part). Read Psalm 51 for David’s prayer of confession and repentance.

We may measure sin as great or small, yet, all disobedience is rebellion against God. Even with true repentance, God allows some to recover quickly and others to experience the full impact of their transgressions. The level of suffering should not be our focus. Every disobedient thought that we act on is a sin that separates us from God.

Sin desensitizes us—we easily fall into subsequent temptations without feeling any remorse. And eventually, we no longer hear the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. Our desires become more worldly as we drift further away from God.

The plight of humanity: “As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10-12). “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23).

Our Heavenly Father is aware of the condition of our hearts, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9), which is the reason, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

God will never give us the burden of trying to figure out what we should do with our lives. Yet, our dreams must align with His plans. Always pray for direction before you make decisions that will bring devastating results. He will never leave us or forsake us even when facing the consequences of our actions. Thank You, Jesus.

Prayer: Father God, against you, we have sinned. We confess and ask for the forgiveness of our sins of disobedience. We pray for the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. Please lead us on the path of righteousness and give us direction for our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.