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.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
Today, I read in Matthew chapter 27, the words spoken by Jesus just before His death on the cross:
At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Matthew 27:45-46 NLT
If you are in a time of darkness, please know that God has not forsaken you. God has promised: He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. Psalm 147:3. I know that God keeps His promises. In October, I experienced loss, which left me as a family of one. Through my tears, many times, all I could do is pray, “God help me.” And just as God promises, the gaping wound in my heart has healed. It is said that time heals all wounds, which is not true. There is only one, our Heavenly Father, Jehovah Shalom-the God of Peace who brings us peace, comfort, and above all, healing.
Yes, I am grieving my loss. Still, I did not stop reading the Bible at Matthew 27. I continued to read Matthew chapter 28, which tells us of Jesus’ resurrection. God did not forsake Jesus, nor will He ever abandon those who He created in His image. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11.
Never give up the hope that we will have a better life. God gave us His best, His Son, Jesus Christ. No, human beings did not kill the Son of God. Jesus willingly gave His life to redeem humanity. Our greatest need was a Savior who would save us from our sins through forgiveness.
“Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11
The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords is coming soon:
12 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Do not let any situation leave you hopeless!
20 He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! 21 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. Revelation 22:20-21
Hold on! Continue, even in the midst of your tears, grief, and suffering, praise and worship God.
O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. Psalm 95:6
God, thank you for loving us and giving your Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. Please help us remember that you have glorious plans, promising us eternal life in the New Heaven and New Earth. We love you, and we ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
One of the Devotional websites that I have read for many years made a significant change. They drastically reduced the readings in size with a subtitle indicating it was only a “1 minute read.” Was it necessary to make the change to appeal to and increase readership?
The Master had special times and places for quiet conversation with His disciples. He met with them…more often on the sacred slopes of the Mount of Olives. Every Christian should have his own Mount of Olives. Most of us today, especially those of us in cities, live under great stress.
From early morning until bedtime, we are exposed to the whirlwind of life. Amid all the turmoil, there is little opportunity for quiet thought, God’s Word, prayer, and fellowship of the heart! Come close to the Master for your personal mountain top experience with Him! From Today’s Devotional–Streams in the Desert–by L. B. Cowman
Time is a gift from God. We have received 24 hours to rest, sleep, work, enjoy recreational activities, but most importantly, to worship God. Many do not give 5% (1.2 hours) of their day to pray, study, and sing to praise and worship God. Are you part of the majority who glorifies and honors God with a spiritual relationship of one-minute reads?
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21
Day-to-day activities are structured to distract us and consume the valuable time that we should spend worshiping God. Our love for God is not only revealed by our character, Galatians 5:22-23. The time that we spend worshiping demonstrates the importance that we place on having a relationship with God. Please do not believe that “Quality over Quantity” applies to the time we spend praising and worshiping God.
I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1
Throughout our day, we can whisper a prayer. Memorizing and reciting a scripture that reminds us of God’s love is comforting and builds our faith in a Heavenly Father who is always available. Never forget the plans that God has for the righteous who love and serve Him. We will receive eternal life in the New Heaven and New Earth. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4.
God is intentional in revealing the things that will not exist when Jesus comes again, which is everything related to sin. God did not say that He would wipe out our complete mind or memory. We will recognize our family and friends and possess the same character traits that we have now. The righteousness that we pursue and the godly habits that we practice are preparing us for a perfect, sinless life with God, forever and ever. Amen.
Thankfully, God has given us the guidelines for living a holy and righteous life:
Jesus declared, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” 38 “This is the first and greatest commandment. “Matthew 22:37-38
And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think on these things. Philippians 4:7-8
Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14
Receive your gift of time! Now is the time for us to work on transforming our character to align with God’s requirements. Studying the Bible imparts the knowledge, and praying gives us the reinforcement, the strength, and the Divine power to accomplish those changes. We are told in Hebrews 12:14 to work at living a holy life, or we would not see the Lord. This scripture reiterates that now is the time to acknowledge, confess our faults, repent, and ask God to help us to live holy. When Jesus comes again, it will be too late to pursue righteousness.
Let us walk with decency, as in the daytime: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and don’t make plans to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:13-14
God, thank you for giving us the much needed time to acknowledge, confess, and repent of our sins. We desire to get rid of the traits and habits that prevent us from loving you with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and from living holy. Please forgive us for our sins, and give us the strength to change. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
At least once a week, I participate in online surveys. Two questions appear in every survey: Are you influenced by your family and friend’s experiences with a particular product or company? If you were offered a job equal to your current job, would you be proud to work for this company? All companies that expect to thrive in the current economic decline environment are very concerned about their reputation and the consumers’ perception of their business culture.
We can also perform a self-survey. Do other individuals influence your commitment to serve God? What opportunities do you seek out to share your faith by telling of the goodness of God?
God has given us a commission-a work that He considers our duty in serving Him. We must witness to others! Not only does sharing our testimony of spiritual transformation strengthen our relationship with God, witnessing is a faith-building activity that encourages others to include God in their lives.
Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted! 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20
Read verse 17. Although the disciples were with Jesus and eyewitnesses of His ministry, which included the healing power of physical ailments, casting out demons, and providing food for a multitude, some of the disciples still had doubted the divinity of Christ. What is the road-block that kept them from having 100% faith and trust in Jesus? In verse 18, take notice that Jesus had to remind them that He was the Son of God, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.”
Even though we live in times of economic instability, we have total faith in our employers that we will receive our salary, or the supermarket we shop at will always have food for purchase. And certainly, we believe in our abilities. Who doesn’t enjoy completing goals in which we entirely relied on ourselves to accomplish? How many of us think about the gift of God’s grace for a new day of life and the ability to function with mental and physical strength? We receive many blessings that God lovingly provides, yet, our doubt is targeted at Jesus, the Son of God who sacrificed his life for our salvation.
1. Taking the Giant Leap of Faith-serving God is a spiritual decision and requires an unwavering faith-wholehearted belief that God will do exactly as He says he will do. 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
2. Self-forgiveness and God’s forgiveness-Forgiveness is often an area of intense struggle. Perhaps we have hurt others who will never accept forgiveness because they refuse to interact with us. Even so, we can always pray and ask God to forgive us, and then we must forgive ourselves and move forward in the power of Jesus’ name. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:19
3. Human Effort-Serving God always requires action on our part. We must put forth the determination to fulfill our role in the Plan of Salvation. …and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open, and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.…2 Chronicles 7:14-15
4. Remaining Motivated-Accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior brings many low in the valley experiences. 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. Trusting in Jesus provides us with the confidence to enjoy the sweet peace and comfort from knowing that God will bring us through victoriously.
5. Perseverance-Never become weary in serving God. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11. The plans that our Heavenly Father has for His faithful children end with living in a perfect New Heaven and New Earth.
Many are fearful of sharing their testimonies with others. How has your life changed since accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? As unique as our fingerprints, so are our testimonies of the transforming power of Jesus that has touched our lives.
Sharing our testimony is essential for spiritual growth. When the Apostle Paul was before King Agrippa, he testified of his conversion from Saul to Paul.
“‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. Acts 9:5-6
The Apostle Paul always shared the powerful story of his spiritual transformation with unbelievers. When we can tell our personal experience of how God has transformed our lives by accepting us, usually at our lowest point, then our testimony proves that God is real. And that He is waiting for each and everyone to come to him.
Our spiritual eyes must be fully open before we can tell others about Jesus Christ. We must possess a firm foundation of belief, trust, and faith in God. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance when testifying of your deliverance from sin. For example, if you have a history of child molestation, most individuals do not need the intimate details of the suffering you experienced. Your focus is to bring glory to God and how He provided deliverance by giving you complete mental and emotional healing.
From my experience, I have been told many deep, dark secrets while witnessing. Because there are many atrocities that I have never suffered, I often share the story of the Apostle Paul’s transformation. Read Acts chapter 9. Saul had a thirst to seek and kill Christians who believed in the saving power of Jesus Christ. And the worst part is that Saul thought he was doing this under the cloak of religion. Because of his level of wickedness, God physically blinded him, and for three days and nights, he did not eat or drink. But, our God always brings a victorious end. God not only took away Saul’s desire to kill, to complete his spiritual transformation, but God also changed his name from Saul to Paul. Hallelujah!
Do not be discouraged if the person you are sharing God’s love with does not accept God. If they have taken the time to listen to your testimony, then their heart is open to change. The Holy Spirit will minister to them as they reflect on the words of truth they have heard. It is not only spoken words that convey our relationship with God. We may never know the burdens that lift from the persons to whom we said a joyful “Good Morning,” or performing a kind deed when it was least expected. Our smiles and cheerful disposition are an outward reflection that we have the inner joy that comes only from serving God.
Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, we can use social media for witnessing. It has been a rough and turbulent ride in 2020. Pray and ask God to reveal the opportunities to share your faith with or without words. Your relationship will continue to grow deeper with God, and your faith will strengthen. In a world filled with hopelessness, we must proclaim that we serve a mighty and loving God who delivers us. God is always faithful! Despite our trials and sorrows, like Job, we can proclaim, But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end, He will stand upon the earth. Job 19:25
God, we thank you for the Sabbath. We ask in your name to grant us the holy boldness to tell of your great love and plan of salvation to others. Please fill our hearts with compassion and the desire to serve you with all of our heart, soul, and mind. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
What is your first thought when you hear the word surrender? Many think of giving up or defeat. After-all the dictionary definition is: to cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority. And yes, in the case of interaction with an adversary, the dictionary definition accurately describes the situation.
“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 NLT
Take my Hand
Surrender takes on a totally different meaning when God is involved. When the storms of life have beat us down, and we feel as if we cannot deal with another problem, if we allow ourselves to surrender to Jesus Christ, He takes the impossible and performs miracles. Surrendering is asking Jesus to be a part of our lives by confession and repentance of our sins. Having a relationship with God is not complex, nor is it complicated. The spiritual component in humanity and the seed of faith that God has given to everyone automatically connects to God when we commit to serving Him.
We do not have to understand or attempt to analyze the peace and inner joy we receive from serving God. It is in the midst of our raging storms of trials and sorrows that all we have to do is say, “God, help me.” And the hands of Jesus reach out, and the spiritual bonding begins as our hearts start to calm down from the reassurance that we are no longer alone to bear our burdens.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
With our Heavenly Father, defeat or the feelings of being overwhelmed are part of our past. We decided not to ever surrender to our harsh trials and tribulations again. Feeling empowered and victorious is the outcome of giving ourselves to the only One who can tell our storms, Peace, be still! Who else would know exactly what we need when we need it? Never forget who you belong to: Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us… Genesis 1:26
Make your life complete by surrendering to God. It takes human effort to nurture the seed of faith. By believing, trusting, and obeying God in all circumstances will guarantee that you will never be defeated again.
God, we are ready to surrender to you. We confess and ask forgiveness of our sins. We commit to love and serve you with all of our hearts, souls, and minds from this day forward. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
Who is Jesus? Without having an up-close and personal relationship, our initial answer would probably be, “He is the Son of God.” But for those who have a testimony of deliverance, Jesus Christ is much more than the Son of God. Prayerfully, today we will learn who Jesus is and how we can grow closer to Him.
To establish, build, and maintain any relationship, we must possess unconditional love, utilize healthy, ongoing communication, and be willing to serve. Yes, there are many other characteristics, but these three traits form the foundation for the building blocks, such as mutual respect, trust, forgiveness, etc.
Before we move forward, study and memorize 1 Corinthians 13, the Love chapter that identifies the traits that grow from the tree of unconditional love:
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT
Who does Jesus say that we have to love?
“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” 37 Jesus declared, “ ’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:36-39 BSB
Self-evaluate: If you can verbalize these words: “I don’t like him, her or them,” then God has a message for you:
19 We love because He first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God, but hates his brother and sister, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother and sister, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother and sister as well. 1 John 4:19-21
Loving others is not based on ethnicity, physical likeness, socioeconomic status, or religious preferences. Nor do the participation in peaceful protests, rallies, or giving financial support indicate that we possess the love that God requires of us. Loving others unconditionally (without stipulations) is a core character trait that we must possess, or we do not have a love for God, nor can we have a relationship with God. In fact, God says we are “liars” Ouch!
Finally, we must believe that God is Unconditional love, and He is Omniscient-all knowing. Let’s use our creative abilities to script a probable conversation between God, the Father, and Jesus His Son before the Creation:
Son, you know if I create human beings, they will disobey and fall into sin by pursuing self-seeking pleasures. The relationship they need to have with us will be a constant struggle because the “Seed of Faith” that we give them will remain the same size because of their doubt and unbelief in our power. They will be distracted by the things that Satan will present to them, and their greatest love will be for money. You know that they will not love us and they will hate each other. Jesus, are you sure that you want me to create human beings? Yes, Father, I will give my life for their redemption from sin. But, Son, you will be born as a human into poverty, have a life of suffering, you will be rejected, despised, hated, and falsely accused of blasphemy against me. And the most terrible thing is that you will die on a cross with large spikes driven through your hands and feet. Yes, Father, I understand. Still, I am willing to die for all of humanity.
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1
God, we want to say thank you, and we love you. Please forgive us for our sins against you and each other. Help us never forget the gift of your Son, Jesus that died and was resurrected so we may have eternal life. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
Good Morning. Thank you, God, for another day of life. We commit our plans to you, asking for your blessing. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.
I awakened to another beautiful, wintry day. As I opened my eyes, I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving. Before listening to my online audio Bible, an article in my newsfeed caught my attention. How Single-Use Makeup Wipes Contribute to Environmental Waste | InStyle. https://www.instyle.com/beauty/skin/makeup-wipes-bad-for-environment
With the popularity of makeup artistry, this information certainly gives us something to think about because the current trend is a 7-10 step process application of makeup, including glam eyelashes. For many, the removal of layered makeup also requires the additional use of products that guarantee instant removal. However, fast and easy products always have hidden elements that cause damage, and makeup wipes not only contain fibers that damage the skin, but they also harm the environment.
While reading, I immediately thought of this verse: The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. Psalm 24:1. I was already aware of my last earth-wrecking habit: Using plastic freezer bags. Gearing up for the research mode, I found a realistic and achievable method for using glass containers to freeze food. All of my food storage containers are glass, but I never thought of using mason jars, or glass freezer containers. https://www.attainable-sustainable.net/plastic-free-freezer-storage/
Environmental sustainability is responsibly interacting with the planet to maintain natural resources and avoid jeopardizing future generations’ ability to meet their needs.
If we really believe that God, the King of Glory, created this earth for humanity, we will do our part to eliminate wasteful habits. Certainly, worshiping and honoring God not only requires that we take care of our bodies, 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, we also do our genuine part in taking care of Earth, our beautiful home.
So, let’s move forward and take one more step toward changing our counterproductive habits. Our most excellent way of honoring God is to praise and worship Him with thankful hearts and demonstrate our gratitude by taking care of our earth-home with love and tenderness.
Psalm 24
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. 2 For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.
3 Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. 5 They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. 6 Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.
7 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 8 Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle.
9 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 10 Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory.
God, we thank you for our earthly home and we commit to changing our habits to prevent waste in our environment. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” Jesus declared,” ‘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.’ “Matthew 22:36-38 BSB
As Believers, we are to think, act, and live differently from those who do not believe in God. The pursuit of financial gain is the goal of those seeking to satisfy their desires. Unfortunately, many who profess to serve God have boarded the “Prosperity Ship” because of greed. Our overabundance is not to be used to purchase the latest fashion or trends. One of the most discouraging things I have ever witnessed was an individual who was a Pastor’s wife and had converted one of their bedrooms into a closet.
At Caesarea, there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon, he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.” Acts 10:1-4 NIV
Loving God means that we strive to stay in alignment with His plans for our lives. We have primary responsibilities to help those in need. God has given everyone spiritual gifts and talents. Consider the elderly, living alone because spouses preceded them in death, and their children live in other states. Certainly, they could use a prepared meal or help with cleaning their homes. Local Churches involved in community service require monetary donations beyond the tithe and offerings from their members.
Currently, with the pandemic, many children are engaged in virtual learning. Two of the most challenging courses are math and science. If you are gifted in these subjects, you could offer virtual tutoring to assist the learning process and alleviate the burden of parents who cannot help their children learn the new and updated versions of these subjects.
When we love God with all of our hearts, souls, and minds, we have a natural desire to reach out beyond ourselves.
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Luke 22:42
Until Jesus was born as a human, He never experienced suffering. In His Divine Nature, Jesus did not have prior personal experience of the mental, emotional, and spiritual anguish that accompanies harsh trials and tribulations. Contrary to popular belief, there is not biblical support of Jesus or the angels crying in heaven. Sorrows, trials, and tribulations are part of the earthly journey of humanity.
Nevertheless, in the short span of 33 years, Jesus’ desire was always to please, honor, and glorify God, His Father. the Bible is full of stories of our Savior always helping and healing many of physical illnesses. The life of Christ demonstrates that He broke the barriers of all the “isms” that prevent many of us from reaching out to those in need.
Jesus gave Himself for us and to us, paying a holy and precious price on the cross. After giving His all, is it too much for Him to ask us to do the same thing? No man or woman will ever amount to anything in God’s kingdom or ever experience any of His power until this lesson of prayer is learned–that our personal considerations, no matter how important or precious to us, are secondary. Dr. Francis… From the Devotional Streams in the Desert
Study the Life of Christ in the book of Matthew, and reflect on the great sacrifice that Jesus willingly made for us. We cannot say that we are followers without possessing knowledge of Jesus, His character, and the manner in which He lived.
We are in a holiday season where the focus is placed on spending money and gift-giving. Although we do not have Biblical support indicating the actual day of Christ’s birth, many accept the celebration of Christmas day as His entry on earth as a human. Make every day a celebration of Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection by committing to serving God and serving others.
Bible Reading Plan for December: Matthew chapters 1-28
God, we thank you for our spiritual gifts and talents. May we always put you first, and have a loving and giving spirit. Thank you for always providing our needs and blessing us with additional resources that we may help others. As we celebrate the season of giving, we thank you for giving your life that we may have redemption from our sins and receive the reward of eternal life. We pray in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
The praying Believers did not believe that Peter was at the gate. They prayed but had doubt that God would answer their prayer.
Prayer is the only option we have.
Prayer puts us in the neighborhood of God. When our faith is weak and our doubt is strong, pray anyway.
Prayer places us to be in alignment with God.
Prayer unleashes the Power of God!
Acknowledge your weakened faith, by praying, “Lord help my unbelief.”
Prayer, fasting, and humility of heart places us in the vicinity of God.
Pray in your desperation. Prayer points us into the direction where God is.
Just keep praying. Prayer increases our Faith!!!
As we commit to a closer and deeper relationship with God, increase your communcation with God through prayer.
Make the promise to yourself that you will increase your prayer life. Pray to the Creator, the God of Heaven and Earth and you will see a change in your life like you have never witnessed before.
God, we ask you to forgive our unbelief. We pray for an increase in our faith. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Hopefully, you have committed to accept the gift of the Sabbath. God was aware that we would need 24-hours a week to cease the necessary day-to-day activities that place excessive strain on our minds and bodies–mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
Life with God ensures that we are not alone and left to struggle even under harsh trials and sorrows.
Receiving God’s promises requires that we have a relationship with Him. God’s promises are for “His people.” We agree that we will fulfill the terms of our covenant with God.
Diligently seeking God in prayer, studying the Bible, exercising faith, trust, obedience, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ are conditions of participation in the Plan of Salvation.
Serving God is not passive, nor is it based on doing nothing. We actively strive toward spiritual perfection, which we achieve through Christ.
Set your spiritual standards high, and Satan will never have the opportunity to take you low. Knowing that God loves us and will never abandon us erases all doubt, discouragement, and stress.
Validate your status by verbalizing, ” I belong to God!” You will begin to notice that peace will replace a discontented spirit. Serving God has definite advantages, and now is the time for us to discover the perks that come from having a Heavenly Father. No worries, ever!
Claim God’s promises through faith. It pays to serve the Lord.
God, we thank you for the ability to serve you. Please help us realize when we are feeling alone, we have failed to connect with you. Thank you for always being consistent with your love and blessings of grace and mercy. We love you. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
Within the past two years, a trend developed to find out where your ancestors were from. It is a lucrative hype with 26 million individuals paying at least $99 for an in-home ancestry test that reported conclusions outside of our human capacity. Even though one person says that she took nine tests using aliases, and three different companies reported three errors and six different results, the falsehood behind finding a person’s ancestry is ignored. These deceptive companies continue to thrive off of individuals who require validation from a DNA test and accept manmade fabricated results.
I found the following ad in a google search for Ancestry DNA testing:
Dear Reader, Where are you from? For many of us, that question can be hard to answer. Ancestry records can certainly help part of the way.
Would you like to know where you are from? Then we will explore the Bible to find out what God, the Creator of humanity, tells us about our origin.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7
And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. Genesis 2: 18, 21-22
And Adam called his wife’s name Eve because she was the mother of all living. Genesis 3:20
From the hands of God, Adam, a human man, was created. And from Adam’s rib, God created the first human woman, and Adam named her Eve because she was the mother of all human beings. There is one aspect that we can agree on: “Only humans can reproduce humans.” Although scientists are attempting to graft or propagate humanity, God has not given us the intellectual or scientific knowledge, wisdom, or ability to create human beings without the union of egg and sperm.
Studying the Bible is the key to our existence. Knowing the story of the Creation of humanity provides all of the validation that we need to live peaceful and anxiety-free lives. God has provided a Book, the Holy Bible, with 66 books that relay the beginning of the world, our origin, what led to us losing immortality, the story of redemption, how this present earth will end, and the reward for the faithful.
We will receive complete restoration, which includes Eternal life along with living in a sinless and perfect New Heaven and New Earth in the presence of God, forever and ever. Amen.
Still, human beings have a serious problem. We have attempted to bring God down to our level of existence and thinking. How can the creation be greater than the Creator? We are not the first generation who has been bold enough to think that they know more than God and have the wisdom to determine life’s origin.
21 These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before your eyes.
22 “Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, And there be none to deliver:
23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.”
Making the decision not to belong to your parents does not change the fact that they are your parents. God reiterates that all of humanity belongs to Him:
The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. Psalm 24:1
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 1 Corinthians 6:19
We are God’s property! Do not let others measure your worth or attempt to determine your origin.
Whether or not your parents decided to reproduce you intentionally or your birth was from an unplanned conception, know who you belong to. We are children of God who is our Heavenly Father. In fact, we hold a special place in God’s heart. God gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us that we can be forgiven of our sins and live as the holy and righteous sons and daughters of God. What manmade information can compare to Jesus sacrificing His life for you?
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders You have done, and the plans You have for us–none can compare to You–if I would proclaim and declare of them, they are more than could be numbered. Psalm 40:5
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV
El Shaddai–the Almighty God took the dirt off the ground with His hands and lovingly and skillfully made the first human being. Claim your birthright! Take your rightful place and allow God to love you and uphold you with His righteous right hand.
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
God, we thank you for creating us in your image. Please give us the strength to accept your unconditional love and the future planned for us that we may live with you forever in the New Heaven and New Earth. We thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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