Author: steps2successwithspiritualsolutions

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.

He has His Hands on you

If you are reading this devotional, then you have been gifted with another day of life. I certainly hope that you are praising God through song, prayer, and laughter. God lovingly has His hands on us. I invite you to redirect your focus from all earthly problems to trusting God for His victorious solutions. Never, ever give up on God. Hold on in faith, and strengthen your connection through prayer. “He that overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God…Revelation 21:7 NJKV “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Prayer for today: Dear God, Please place your loving hands on my life. I need your help to overcome the problems that I am facing. Thank you. Amen.

Song for Encouragement: https://youtu.be/m1WQLipTwRQ

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Conditions of Participation

During the final years of my nursing career, I worked for an insurance company that provided coverage for seniors and the disabled through a Medicare Advantage plan. In order to provide services to Medicare beneficiaries, the company was required to structure their benefits according to the guidelines of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). My role was to ensure that physicians administering care to patients under this health coverage were adhering to the CMS Conditions of Participation. It is sad to say that many of the physicians, who are required to uphold ethical standards, deviated from the protocols set forth by CMS. Even when the monthly audits proved that CMS measures were not met for their patients, they attempted to justify their wrongdoing. Needless to say, it was an ongoing battle to guide physicians who interpreted the protocols according to their own whims.

God had also given His Conditions of Participation to the Israelites in order for them to receive His favor and blessings. The Israelites were not required to guess or determine the standards that God expected them to keep. The book of Deuteronomy provides insight to receive blessings:

Blessings for Obedience

“Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.” Deuteronomy 13:4 NLT

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God: Your towns and your fields will be blessed. Your children and your crops will be blessed…Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed.” Deuteronomy 28:1-6 NLT

“The history of the people of Israel is filled with stories of disobedience and anarchy, followed by a return to God and obedience, and then followed again with more disobedience and conflicts. This pattern repeats itself again and again”
Sabbath School for Mobile
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“We are all fallen beings, and if left to our own devices, if left to follow the inclinations of our hearts, we’ll surely wander from the path that God calls us to walk on.”
Sabbath School for Mobile
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“wilfulness – the trait of being prone to disobedience and lack of discipline. fractiousness, unruliness, willfulness. intractability, intractableness – the trait of being hard to influence or control. contrariness, perverseness, perversity – deliberate and stubborn unruliness and resistance to guidance or discipline.”

Our natural inclinations lead us to follow our stubborn wilfulness and rebel against God. Because we seek to please ourselves, it is easier to disobey God then to be obedient to his commands. In order to escape from this vicious cycle of rebellion and disobedience, we must acknowledge and confess our sins before God through a Prayer of Confession. We cannot develop our own watered down versions of “God’s Conditions of Participation.” All it takes is wilful obedience to please God: We must study the Word of God to be aware of what He requires and His standards for obedience. God has not given us an impossible task, whatever He asks of us, He eliminates the guesswork through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their Wicked Ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Prayer for today: Dear God, I have followed my heart and sinned against you. Please forgive me. I want to be obedient to your will and to your way. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Releasing our All

When the heartaches of life from tragedy, loss, or disappointment overwhelm us, we must come before God. Our prayers are heard and our tears are seen by our great Intercessor-Jesus Christ. It is at the most painful times that our faith is put to the test, and these are the situations that require Divine intervention to provide consolation and peace.

The Psalms are my favorite chapters in the Bible. Once David was given the responsibility of leading the Israelites as their King, his faith in God became a roller coaster ride. Feelings of distress mixed with wavering faith, so often expressed throughout the Psalms, makes it easy for us to identify with King David.

Psalm 23 portrays his confident side: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. Even when I walk through the darkest Valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.” (vv. 1,4) NLT

In Psalm 25, he asks of God to: “Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love which you have shown from long ages past. Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord.” (vv. 6-7) NLT

Just 2 chapters later, David expresses fear: “The Lord is my light and my salvation–so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my Fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” (27:1) NLT

In Chapters 29 and 30 he acknowledges Divine intervention when he proclaims: ” I will exalt You, Lord, For You rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me. Oh Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my house.” (30:1-2)

If we recall, this is the same little shepherd boy that God used to destroy the Philistine giant-Goliath. Most of us have a history of Deliverance through the most difficult times in our lives. Would God so easily forget us? What must we do to strengthen our faith, so it reaches a level of having complete confidence in God and releasing our all to him?

Personally, I am exhausted from the roller coaster ride of having peaks of strong faith to the valleys of wavering faith. Through human eyes, I see stop signs; however, God requires me to see life through spiritual eyes, where there are green lights when He is guiding my life. I will continue to strive for my faith to grow to the point that I can say as King David expressed: “The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of Thanksgiving. “Psalm 28:7 NLT

Prayer for today: “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal Spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.” Psalm 51:10-11

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Rest, Relaxation, and Exercise

Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3 John 1:2 NLT

Yesterday, we took a short trip to visit one of our beautiful local lakes. We looked at the lengthy L shaped pier and debated whether to view the water from the shoreline or walk the intimidating pier. The choice was made to take a leisurely walk over the serene waters. There were several individuals that we exchanged smiles and short chats with during our mini adventure. The gentle breeze, temps in the 80s, and fluffy clouds provided tranquility on an already peaceful Sabbath day. After our walk, we relaxed in the shade and talked about how God intended for His created beings to enjoy the beauty of nature.

The most important aspect of our outing was the opportunity to have worship with God; we sang, prayed, and read Psalm 27 which tells us of King David placing his complete trust in God. We agreed to incorporate visits to the lake on a regular basis. Changing our routine to utilize nature as God intended has boosted our well-being. We are still smiling as we reflect on God’s love as seen in the beauty of nature. We invite you to seek out and enjoy the great outdoors. Nature provides the opportunity to understand God as the giver of all good things.

Prayer for today: Dear God, Thank you for giving us the beauty of nature. Please help us to take the time to get outside and enjoy the fresh air while we commune with you. Amen

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Breathe In Breathe Out

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

It’s Friday and for many of us, it is our favorite day since it marks the end of the challenging 9-5 work week. The two-day weekend provides a relief from our regular routine and we look forward to relaxation and a much-needed break. It is either a time for leisure activities or a time to tackle the endless “to do” list. Our priorities of what we need to accomplish in life determine whether we relax or continue the frenzy of working nonstop.

For most of my life, I was unable to enjoy the benefits of rest and relaxation. Even though I proclaimed to be a Sabbath keeper-Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, I chose jobs that included nursing on-call duties because they provided the highest compensation. The desire for additional money led to the compromise of my mental and physical health. I was always thinking about what I needed to do, along with how I would juggle everything to fit in my tight schedule. I can recall wishing that there were more than 24 hours in a day. Although, I made the decision to pursue a 9-5 job, once I was hired, my routine of always needing something to do prevailed. I utilized Sundays to plan for the next Monday-Friday work week. I was exhausted, irritable, burned-out, and stressed out. My life was out of control due to many factors; as a result, I had a longstanding history of insomnia.

In May of 2017, I retired from my nursing career. I wish that I could say that all the stressors ended and I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. However, my priorities had not changed, I was addicted to always doing something “productive”. I justified 4-5 hours of sleep by labeling it as having a structured lifestyle. Eventually, the self-induced stress caused my blood pressure and heart rate to escalate beyond normal parameters. I began to worry about my physical health which impacted my ability to sleep and I plummeted into bad health. Even so, God interceded on my behalf by allowing a friend to invite me to a 40-day Health Restoration program being conducted at her church. As I listened to the physician describe behaviors that confirmed an unhealthy lifestyle, I realized that I was not alone.

It has taken 16 months to break the vicious cycle of not appreciating mental and physical rest. Through prayer and studying the Word of God along with healthy lifestyle principles, I have reset my priorities to include plenty of rest. I have reached a level of optimal health which allows me to use my spiritual gifts to share the good news of God’s unconditional love. God enabled me to use the reset button in my life and I can finally breathe in and breathe out.

Prayer for today: Dear God, I need to change my lifestyle. Please help me. I am tired and need the rest that only comes from you. Amen

The current health regimens that I follow: http://www.creationhealth.com/   https://www.forksoverknives.com/

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Chosen by God

For you, are people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord, your God, has chosen you out of all of the peoples on the face of the earth, to be his people, his treasured possession. Deuteronomy 7:6

Consider your current job where you have worked very hard and have consistently received excellent performance appraisals. Due to a company merger, proposed changes have been anticipated to eliminate staff. You receive an email from your manager requesting a meeting the next day to discuss your future with the company.

After a sleepless night, you enter your manager’s office, not knowing what to expect, but you are prepared for the loss of your employment. Much to your surprise, you learn that you have been chosen for a promotion to a managerial position. As you accept the change in job responsibilities, you commit to fulfilling all of the expectations that were presented to you.

The Israelites were also chosen by God to express the love, grace, and mercy that He has for humanity. God’s plan was to provide complete restoration to the Nation of Israel after delivering them from 400 years of bondage in Egypt. God provided, protected, and blessed Israel without failing. Even so, the people disobeyed God’s commands by embracing and participating in the pagan rituals of idol worship. Their story is our story; we are spiritual Israel, and in spite of being chosen by God, we are everything but faithful to Him.

Perhaps we can begin to look at our lives from a different perspective. We have been created by God to give Him the utmost praise and reverence above anything or anyone. Yet, we follow our inclinations and are distracted by the pleasures of this world. God’s plan for fallen and sinful humanity is to bring us to a state of complete restoration. If we obediently follow His commands, we will receive our greatest reward, Eternal Life. We have been chosen to live forever with God in the new and perfect earth where death, sorrow, crying, and pain will never exist. I am chosen you are chosen. The time is now for us to fulfill our role and meet the expectations of God’s divine plan.

Prayer for today: Dear God, I thank you for choosing me. I desire to be obedient and to follow your plan for a complete restoration. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

Changing our Thoughts

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5 NKJV

The fall of Adam and Eve led to the first human death of their son Abel by the hands of Cain his brother. Cain had anger toward God because his sacrifice was rejected due to disobedience. His displaced anger resulted in an innocent victim losing his life. When sin entered the realm of humanity, evil escalated until man’s/woman’s thoughts were continually wicked. It is hard to imagine being around just one person with constant evil thoughts. However, prior to the Great Flood, the entire population chose evil over good, and only Noah and his family were saved from destruction.

Satan uses a process to control our thoughts. God has not given him the ability to read our minds or our thoughts, but he is able to execute his plan because he watches our behaviors and our actions. Since we have a propensity toward evil, it is easier for the seed of strife to enter our hearts than good thoughts. Proverbs 23:7 tells us, “For as a man thinketh so is he.” Our thoughts come into fruition through our behaviors and actions. You are what you think.

There is a popular evangelist that calls our bad thoughts-stinky thoughts. She says that we need to practice conscious awareness of our stinky thoughts and halt them immediately. A few years ago a co-worker and I were eating lunch together and a young lady walked into the break room and she said, “I don’t like her and I replied, “Why? you don’t even know her” and she responded, “you know how it is when you just look at someone and you don’t like them.” I remember giving her direct eye contact and relaying that it was not a productive way to live. Unfortunately, she is unable to keep a job because of her poor interpersonal skills and negative thought processes.

Is there an effective way to control our stinky thoughts? Our prayer group discussed the importance of having godly thoughts in great length. My cousin interjected a very humorous solution; she recommended identifying the bad thought by verbalizing the words, “Stinky thought,” and immediately praying for Divine intervention. Although we enjoyed a good laugh from saying these words out loud, our group has started using the method of saying these two words to acknowledge and stop a bad thought. Confession of ungodly thoughts by praying is required to eradicate the evil thoughts that prevail because of sin. We can gain the victory by inviting God to help us replace bad-negative thoughts with good-positive thoughts.

Prayer for today: Dear God, Please help me to manage my stinky thoughts by always focusing on your love and your goodness. Amen.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Overcoming Hurtful Words

“When exposed to varied scenes in life, and words are spoken that are calculated to cut and bruise the soul, speak to yourself: ‘I am a child of God, an heir with Jesus Christ, a co-laborer with God. I must not therefore have a cheap mind, easily to take offense, always thinking of myself, for this will naturally produce an inharmonious character. It is unworthy of my noble calling. The heavenly Father has given me my work to do; let me be worthy of the trust.’” Our Father Cares by Ellen G. White

As I read this passage, I thought about the many hurtful words that I have given and received throughout my life. Yes, the power of the tongue has the ability to wound or to heal, to tear down or to build up. When we are placed in a situation as the receiver, we should choose to turn and walk away. When we have chosen to be the giver, we should stop and pray immediately. There are times when we are placed in precarious situations due to no fault of our own. Mentally raising the white flag in retreat and foregoing retaliation is our best and only godly option.

The disobedience of Adam and Eve led to discord, disunity, and the division of human beings that exist even today. Hurtful words are extremely painful; how we react is even more important than focusing on the bitter words. We must pray, forgive, rise above the incident and focus on our status as a Child of God. Once the seeds of anger and resentment are planted in our hearts, we have put aside our status as Christians-Christ like and given ourselves to serve under the rule of Satan.

“Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from Evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer.” 1 Peter 3:10-12

God was already aware of the impact of His created beings falling into sin. Even so, we have the Word of God and prayer to invite God into our lives when we experience hurt. Trusting in God to take care of every painful situation enables us to experience spiritual growth as we draw closer to Him.

Prayer for today: Dear God, I have been hurt and I have hurt others by speaking devastating words. I ask you to forgive me and to help me move forward in my relationship with you. Amen.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz