Author: steps2successwithspiritualsolutions

Happy Sabbath!

Have you considered the love that God has for you? We are sojourners on this Earth only for a limited time. Every day live, think, pray, and prepare for your final destination–the Heavenly home.

Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. Psalm 2:12 (b) Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, There is no help for him in God. But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. Psalm 3:3-4

God spoke to the prophet Samuel that King Saul had stepped beyond His boundaries and He would appoint another King, “a man after God’s own heart.” “But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart.” (1 Sam. 13:14).

Yes, young David was selected, anointed, and appointed by God to replace the disobedient King Saul when he was 15 years old. David was a meek shepherd boy who possessed the courage to kill wild animals and Goliath. Still, for the next 15 years, David lived a wilderness life. During that time, He became a man of war, which was necessary for the Nation of Israel to have a fearless leader to defeat the heathen nations.

Most are aware of his sin with Bathsheba. Yet, David committed another sin, the sin of pride and self-confidence. Because God blessed Israel to become prestigious in their military accomplishments, the people developed a spirit of conceit. Instead of giving honor and glory to God, King David and Israel strived for worldly greatness among the heathen nations.

The Census of Israel and Judah: “Then Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, ‘Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan and bring me a report, so that I may know their number.'” (1 Chronicles 21:1-2 BSB).

For this sin of pride, David received this message from the prophet Gad:

God’s Judgment: “Then the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying, ‘Go and tell David, saying, Thus says the Lord: I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.’ So Gad came to David and said to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: Choose for yourself, either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the Lord—the plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel. Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.'” (1 Chronicles 21:9-12).

The Punishment: “So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell.” (2 Chronicles 21:14).

God’s Love and Mercy: “And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was destroying, the Lord looked and relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who was destroying, “It is enough; now restrain your hand.’ And the angel of the Lord stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” (1 Chronicles 21:15).

Great had been David’s fall, but deep was his repentance, ardent was his love, and strong his faith. He had been forgiven much, and therefore he loved much. “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” (Luke 7:47). Our love for God is demonstrated by our humility and conviction to repent and ask for forgiveness of sins. When we contemplate the many times we have fallen into sin and have relied on God’s loving mercies to save our souls, we love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind.

The psalms of David pass through the whole range of experience, from the depths of conscious guilt and self-condemnation to the loftiest faith and the most exalted communing with God. His life record declares that sin can bring only shame and woe, but that God’s love and mercy can reach to the deepest depths, that faith will lift up the repenting soul to share the adoption of the sons of God. Of all the assurances which His word contains, it is one of the strongest testimonies to the faithfulness, the justice, and the covenant mercy of God. EGW

Prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” God, we thank you for your great love and mercies toward us. Great is Your faithfulness. Please examine our hearts and reveal the things that are displeasing to you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

“You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.” (John 14:13 NLT).

Following a dental procedure [in December 2021], I began to have problems with my asthma, which did not respond to the prescribed medication. Several visits were made to the hospital emergency department and urgent care for immediate medical intervention for the next month. I was continuously evaluated, treated, and discharged, receiving advice to schedule an appointment with my Primary Care Doctor. My response was, “Yes, I have an appointment with my Dr. on January 25th, 2022.” During my last visit to the emergency room on January 9th, the physician told me to stop worrying because my condition was stable.

While waiting to see my Doctor, I began to diligently pray and ask God for healing. After a few days of silence from God and my condition not improving, discouragement set in. On January 14th, I convinced myself that I had COVID. Yes, that had to be the reason for the change in my condition. I scheduled a test and was in disbelief when the result was negative. I was also relieved when the chest x-ray was normal. But it was then that fear and anxiety began to escalate. A sudden change in my condition for no obvious reason resulted in imagining that my condition had progressed to Chronic Lung Disease.

In desperation, I started a prayer vigil, asking God for answers. Still, God gave me the silent treatment. I began to examine my lifestyle choices. Was I being disobedient? Why wasn’t God healing me? Remembering God’s promises, “The prayers of a righteous man avails much” and “Ask anything in my name, and I will do it,” without an answer left me feeling abandoned.

I began to feel depressed but listened to some familiar gospel songs on YouTube. I received a response from the Holy Spirit while listening to the introduction of a song. The singer stated that often God uses a decline in our health to get our attention that we need to spend time with Him. Still, God increased my understanding by providing a second answer. A suggested sermon showed up in the YouTube feed entitled “When God says No.”

It wasn’t that God did not desire to heal me. I was fixated on my physical health, but God’s focus was on my spiritual health, which had plummeted. Many distractions during the holiday season kept me from daily prayer and studying the scriptures. Instead of strengthening my faith and relationship with Jesus Christ, I enjoyed watching musical programs, videos, and movies.

Once I began to give God the time He deserves by putting Him first, my physical health began to improve. And further diagnostic testing revealed that my asthma has not progressed. Yes, it is stable! Even so, it is the healing of my spiritual condition that received a supernatural miracle! God desires us to live with Him forever in the New Heaven and New Earth. And He will do whatever it takes to turn our focus back to Him.

Desperate for a miracle? Ask God to anoint you with the Holy Spirit as you seek to do His will through continuous prayer. We then understand a thorn in our flesh or an ongoing circumstance may remain, but God uses His ways to get our attention, thus drawing us closer to Him. Remember, our destination is heaven!

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory…” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Prayer: God, we thank you for using your ways to draw us closer to You when we lose our way. We ask you to give us strength during our trials and sorrows. We thank you in advance for a victorious outcome. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart. Wait I say on the Lord! (Psalm 27:14)

It was a 17-month journey from the submission of my manuscript to CFP publishing company for the release of the Devotional book, Go Ahead! Walk on the Water. God’s promises are true. Even in our greatest battles, our prayers reach Jesus faster than the speed of light. We often become spiritually depleted in lengthy suffering, still we are told to “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2). God is always faithful!

Can you recall when your 20/20 vision became less than perfect? Our decline in vision is one of the many things that we no have control over. We are aware of the change and act on the only option, scheduling an eye exam for glasses or contacts.

How is your spiritual vision? Sharing this wonderful Devotional. Be blessed!

“But blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear.” MATTHEW 13:16

When you became a Christian, God gave you spiritual sight and hearing so you could begin experiencing His presence and activity all around you. The Holy Spirit helps you to develop these spiritual senses as you walk with Him. Spiritual sensitivity to God is a gift that must be accepted and exercised. Scripture indicates that those who are spiritually dead cannot see or understand spiritual things (Matt. 13:14-15). Without spiritual eyes, you can be right in the midst of a mighty act of God and not recognize it.

Sin dulls your senses, ultimately leaving you spiritually blind and deaf. Do not be content with merely seeing with physical eyes and hearing with natural ears but not sensing what God is doing. Ask God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to sensitize you to His activity all around you.

From Today’s Devotional-Experiencing God Day By Day

Prayer: God, we ask you to anoint us with your Holy Spirit as we study the scriptures. We pray for an increase in our spiritual vision. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Just as a knowledgeable attorney represents their clients in court, we have the Ultimate Mediator, Jesus Christ, who provides Intercession in the Heavenly court for every believer.

From the shedding of His blood on Calvary, our prayers of confession and repentance are presented to Christ by the Holy Spirit, and we are presented to God, the Father as one who is forgiven.

There is no true excellence of humanity’s character without Jesus. This comes as no surprise since the only way to God is through Christ. He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6). Christ connects fallen humanity in our weakness and helplessness to Divinity because He is the Source of infinite power.

Praise God that we do not require human intercession by priests or any other representative to approach our Father. Each believing person is in a covenant 1:1 relationship with Jesus Christ. Still, our salvation is dependent on human effort and Divine authority. If the covenant is broken and the relationship severed, it can only happen from our refusal to be faithful and obedient to God. Because God promises, “…I will never leave you or forsake you…” (Hebrews 13:5).

We have a Spiritual Team including guardian angels [Psalm 91] to protect us from spiritual wickedness and help us stay on the Path of Righteousness. Christ, our Savior is only a prayer away. Our spiritual journey must take precedence over every aspect of our earthly lives. The day will come when Jesus will leave the Heavenly Sanctuary as our Intercessor and will return as King to raise the dead in Christ. And for those who are alive they will be caught up in the air to meet Him [1 Thessalonians 4:13-18].

Each day draws us closer to the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus for being our Savior, King, and Lord of our lives. We praise Your Holy name. In your name, we pray. Amen.