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.
“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” Psalms 92:12
Pastor Jerry Flowers told of his disregard for the season to plant flower seeds. It was in October with daily temperatures in the 80s when he decided to plant the seeds. Despite watering and mulching the area the seeds refused to grow. The winter season passed. And the bad seeds that he gave up on and forgot about obeyed their Creator’s plan. Two months into spring with an active rainy season, the sprouts begin to flourish. The moral of the story is we cannot have it our way with the Creator God. When it is our time, we will grow and receive the blessings as determined by God.
Many of today’s Christians have decided to have it their way. In fact, the trend is to answer your own prayers and bless yourself. Loving God with all of our heart, soul, and mind is the foundation for Righteousness by Faith. “Be holy, for I am Holy.” (1 Peter 1:16).
One thing is for sure and two things are for certain–It never goes as planned and we will suffer the consequences of our disobedience.
Obedience is the determining factor that demonstrates the condition of our hearts. When we love God our focus is not to have it our way. Jesus was obedient even unto death. And if the Son of God had to learn obedience then what does God require of humanity?
God’s way is infallible and always leads us to have victorious outcomes, including the reward of eternal life.
Prayer: God, we ask You to order our steps. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2)
Daniel was faced with the decision to eat the king’s meats, declared unclean by the law of Moses. Eating meats and alcoholic drinks was a privilege for his high position. Disregarding the food could lead to his death. Yet, Daniel did not hesitate. He purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s meat or wine. (Daniel 1:8).
Serving God requires total surrender of our will to the will of God. Choosing who we will serve is a choice and is not easily accomplished. Putting God first is an intentional action. Everything we do requires conscious decision-making and control of our will.
Each day brings new temptations which test our loyalty to Christ on whether or not we will obediently worship God in Spirit and truth. Consistent obedience to God can only be accomplished by praying in faith for the anointing and direction of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit guides us on the Path of Righteousness as we commit to being led. In humility and with a made-up mind, we intentionally align ourselves to the will of God.
Prayer: God, we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We ask for You to lead, direct, and correct us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me” (Jonah 1:2)
Usually, when we hear a sermon of the prophet Jonah the primary focus is on his disobedience to God, running away, being thrown overboard, and being swallowed by the giant fish. Yes, he was disobedient, which is a sin against God. Still, our focus today is on his judgmental posture against unbelievers.
Acts of Disobedience: Jonah questioned whether God was telling him to do the right thing when instructed to go to the wicked city of Nineveh. He disobeyed God’s command by running to Tarsus. “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7).
Many believers have received a command from God to help the homeless, those in abject poverty, feed hungry parents and their children, to comfort widows and widowers. We are told to “Go!” Yet, we discriminate against the people who desperately need to know that Jesus loves them.
What is the root cause of our disdain for those who need our help?
“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets'” (Matthew 22:38-40).
We do not have Christ’s sacrificial love for us or those suffering. Therefore, we cannot love the countless men, women, and children in despair.
Jonah delivers God’s message of pending destruction: “And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!'” (Jonah 3:4).
The people repent of their sins: “So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them” (Jonah 3:5).
God’s grace and mercy: “Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it” (Jonah 3:10).
Jonah’s true feelings are exposed: “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry” (Jonah 4:1).
We cannot pass judgment on the prophet Jonah who wanted God to destroy the people of Ninevah. When we fail to meet the needs of others and fail to witness Jesus’ love and salvation, we covertly wish for their death and destruction.
The words are harsh that reveal the truth. Yet, Jeremiah says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
If we have amassed large bank accounts or refuse to volunteer our leisure time to help in shelters, food banks, soup kitchens, or elderly neighbors, pass out comfort bags to those living on the streets. Then we are disobedient to God.
The Great Commission: “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)
Our duty to God and humanity: “Pure and unblemished religion [as it is expressed in outward acts] in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit and look after the fatherless and the widows in their distress and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the [secular] world” (James 1:27 Amplified Bible).
Many unbelievers assist the countless people in need. Yet, they will also be lost if they have not accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Discrimination against Jesus prevailed when He was on the earth, and it has risen in these last days of earth’s history.
Obedience and servitude are fruits of love for God. Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal your spiritual assignment in helping others. But remember, we must possess a heart filled with overwhelming and unconditional love as Jesus had for God, His Father.
Prayer: God, we have lost our sight of You. We pray for the forgiveness of a selfish, discriminating, and uncaring heart. Please open our eyes and reveal our assignment in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and helping those in need. We ask this prayer in the Worthy name of Jesus. Amen.
God was aware that our lives would eventually escalate to an out-of-control level. Many worldly attempts to disregard the 7th day of Saturday Sabbath have most Christians paying the price of having mental and physical health disorders.
When our minds are overworked and stressed, the body sympathizes by giving warning signs manifested by physical illnesses. The body listens and responds to the brain giving warnings of overload. The prescription medications we take to calm or produce a human-made euphoria require higher adjustments to reach the desired effects. And this only enables many to function and perform daily living activities.
We cannot give God the time and attention that He deserves when we feel as if we were in a train wreck by the time the weekend arrives. Take the time to restructure your life to include Sabbath rest and restoration. Our loving Heavenly Father God always knows best.
Go ahead! Accept your free gift of strength and mind, body, and soul renewal. Have a blessed and happy Sabbath!
Prayer:God, we thank You for our gift of the Sabbath. Help us to enjoy the spiritual restoration and mental and physical rest that You intended for us to have from Creation. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
The consequences of disobedience always produce regret and sorrow.
The Israelites desired a king to rule over them to be like the pagan nations. Although God disagreed with their demands, He gave in, and Saul was appointed their first king. But Saul was haughty and disobedient, always doing as he pleased.
When we read a book, the unpredictable plot and characters pull us into the story. We can immerse ourselves without prior knowledge of the events or the ending. And when the story gives us an unexpected twist, making us crave for more, it is then that we agree the writer has authored a great book.
“Now the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not performed My commandments. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night” (1 Samuel 15:10-11).
The Unexpected Twist: Although Samuel was aware that King Saul had a history of continuous rebellion against God, it is apparent that the prophet did not expect God to end Saul’s reign as king. Verse 11 tells us that Samuel cried all night when God told him the consequences of Saul’s actions.
Historically, God used prophets to communicate His commands to the anointed kings and the nation of Israel. Yet, it appears that Samuel loved Saul as if he was his son. Why do we make that assumption? Because prophets knew their spiritual assignment as God’s messengers, they knew that disobedience to God brings consequences. Samuel was fully aware of God’s laws and His requirements of obedience. God is merciful, yet His justice is steadfast.
Despite being an anointed prophet, human emotions prevailed. With tears and prayers, Samuel interceded all night for a rebellious, unrepentant king. God did not change his mind. Justice said, “Enough is Enough!” God was aware of Saul’s stony heart of irreverent disregard and his rebellious nature. Then God reveals two more acts of Saul’s abject disobedience. In verses 12-23 of 1 Samuel chapter 15, there is a dialogue between Samuel and Saul regarding the king’s disobedience to both of God’s commands concerning the battle between Israel and the Amalekites.
Blaming Circumstances: Once exposed, Saul did what many of us do. He admitted his sin but blamed circumstances for his inability to obey God. “Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now, therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord'” (1 Samuel 15:24-25).
Abusing God’s Grace: Saul abused God’s grace. Yes, he confessed with words by admitting that he transgressed, but his heart was one of a prideful transgressor. “But Samuel said to Saul, ‘I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel'” (1 Samuel 15:26).
Samuel’s response appears stern and final, but in verse 35, we read of Samuel’s lingering sorrow: “And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel” (1 Samuel 15:35).
This story is filled with God’s regret, Saul’s confession by mouth, but possessing an unrepentant heart, which produced desensitization to sin, and the prophet Samuel’s dysfunctional emotional state of lingering sorrow.
Daily we are presented with temptations from Satan. Sometimes God allows us to pursue our disobedient desires without His intervention. We become comfortable in our sinful state and persuade ourselves that all is well because God has withheld the consequences of our disobedience. Yet, there is a quote, “You can do as you like, but not for as long as you like.” And God tells us, “The wages of sin is death.” From Adam and Eve, we recognize that physical death did not come immediately, but their loss is incomprehensible.
For the wayward believer, know that the consequences of disobedience will eventually arise. In God’s mercy, He attempts to bring us back to our senses. Our loving Father does not want us to perish. All-is-well suddenly changes into a significant loss. Throughout the Bible, we read about humanity’s disobedience, God’s warnings ignored, and the earth-shattering punishment that brings remorse and lingering sorrow.
Jesus gave us a priceless gift–His life for the perfect plan of Redemption. We do not have to continue in sin. Daily, we should pray King David’s prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).
Prayer: Father God, thank you for reaching out to save us from ourselves. We repent of our disobedience, not because we fear suffering consequences, but because we love You and are thankful for Your grace and mercy. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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