Give and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your life. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. Luke 6:38 NLT
Practical Messages for Impractical Times
Sonya Johnson Ruiz
Practical Messages for Impractical Times
Show hospitality to one another without complaining. 1 Peter 4:9
Growing up in a Christian home taught me the gift of giving. It is in my nature to always help those in need. I am certain that my upbringing played a major role in becoming a nurse.
However, there has been a devastating change among those who claim to be “Christ-like”. A Spirit of Selfishness has infiltrated the body of Christ-the church. There has been a decline of financial giving; fewer invitations to share an after sermon meal; and a complete turning away from helping the needy. We receive with two open hands and give with a couple of fingers. How are we able to live contently without doing anything to alleviate the suffering of others?
A couple of years ago, the Children’s Ministry leader told a story based on Mathew 6:25-34. When she asked the children if they were worried about anything, one of the children responded: “Yes, I am worried about not having enough food for my family to eat.” To hear a small child express the fear of hunger felt as if a dagger had penetrated my heart. I prayed and asked God for guidance as to what I needed to do.
The abundance that God has blessed us with was not given for us to collect material assests. As believers, we have been given the mission of alleviating the burden of those who struggle to have basic necessities. Only what we do for Christ will count. It is the greatest blessing to use our monies and time to help those in need.
What can you do to help others?
Dear God, Please give us the spirit of hospitality. There are many individuals who are suffering. Help us to use the resources that you have given us to help others. Amen.
Sonya Johnson Ruiz
Practical Messages for Impractical Times
Our lives are richly blessed when we study the Word of God. The Bible is the only book that contains writings that are diverse and spiritually uplifting. It is God’s blueprint for our daily lives. In Genesis, we are given a vivid description of Creation which reveals the love of our heavenly Father. The last book-Revelation expounds on last day prophecies; causing the reader to possess the knowledge that one-day evil will be eradicated.
One of the most beautiful stories told is how God provided for the prophet Elijah, and the Phonecian widow and her son. Famine and drought were present in their land, causing severe limitations of food and water. Elijah was also hiding from King Ahab who was determined to find Elijah and take his life. As the story unfolds, God provided for His servant and the widow (1 Kings 17).
When the vicissitudes of life begin to overwhelm us, we must reinforce our knowledge of God, by studying His Word. God always provides! He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. God is faithful. His promises will always come into fruition.
Dear God, please give us the desire to search the scriptures which tell of your great love and power. You have provided the blueprint for our lives. Thank you for your loving-kindness. Amen.
Sonya Johnson Ruiz
Practical Messages for Impractical Times
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
Are you thinking about the latest fashion craze or excitedly waiting for the next television episode of continuous drama? We are admonished not to be caught up in the fleeting pleasures of life. The enticement of sinful activities will undoubtedly lead us down the path of destruction.
Our desire to serve God-who is jealous-can be circumvented by worldly idols. Do your priorities align with God’s standards? By praying for guidance, we can become aware of the things we need to give up. Daring to be different may cause us to lose friends and family; it may cause us to give up many things that make us happy; it may cause us to sacrifice everything that we have been doing which does not reflect our love for God.
Dear God, I have spent too much time trying to conform to the world. Please forgive me and give me the courage to be different. Amen
Practical Messages for Impractical Times
” I am convinced that God will guide our choices whether difficult or even seemingly impossible when we draw near to him with humility, sincerity, and faith. For that reason I am assured that God is constantly at my side.” Story via Adventist Mission
For many of us, we are experiencing a challenging situation. However, God has promised to comfort and provide for us, no matter the circumstances we face.
Psalm 23 NIV
“The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right path for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley. I will fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Dear God, We are facing situations that are so tough, and we are trying to handle them on our own. Please help us to remember that you promised to never leave us or forsake us. We love you. Amen.
Sonya Johnson Ruiz
Practical Messages for Impractical Times
So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I Am All Too Human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. Romans 7:14-15
I am an avid crocheter. There are projects that I have attempted to make, only to realize the pattern was incorrectly written. The frustration of undoing all of my hard work led me to develop a different method of following a pattern. Taking the time to read the pattern thoroughly has enabled me to determine if the pattern is accurate. I also take an additional step and make a sample swatch. The extra steps have eliminated halfway completion of a project only to find an error.
In our spiritual lives, many of us are weary from constantly trying to do what is right, only to fail. We study the Bible, diligently pray; yet, we commit sin on a daily basis. The frustration grows over what seems to be an impossible task. The answer is that we are using the wrong approach to grow spiritually. Good deeds are based on our efforts; we must rely on complete faith in God. Our focus needs to be redirected on building a faith-based relationship with God.
Studying the Bible and prayer are essential to establishing and maintaining our spiritual connection with God. However, there is an additional step that is required: the submission of our will. We are unable to control our will to sin. In fact, making the wrong choice often happens in a split second. Later, we question ourselves as to how we allowed ourselves to sin. The frustration over constantly doing wrong would leave us destitute if God did not have a perfect plan in place.
Our prayer is to ask God to show us His will for our lives. Stop and pray before making every decision. Do not rely on yourself to do what you think is right. God would never have placed such a burdensome task on His created beings. We would never gain the victory over sin, causing us to completely give up on the plan of salvation. Remember, His pattern for victory over sin is flawless. There is never room for error.
Dear God, Please help me to submit my will to you. I am tired of doing wrong when I know what is right. I want to follow your perfect plan for my life. Amen!
Sonya Johnson Ruiz
The heart is deceitful, above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it? I the Lord, search the heart. I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah 17:9-10
Practical Messages for Impractical Times
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Yes, all of us make mistakes. The most important aspect of making mistakes is admitting that you did something which led to a negative outcome. If another individual is affected, then we need to ask for forgiveness. This may not repair the relationship; however, we have done our part.
The next step in moving forward is to forgive ourselves. It is crucial that we admit our weakness, and rise above the consequences. Negative outcomes have the ability to plunge us into a state of discouragement, even leading to depression. We must learn from the experience and push to make continual progress in our journey of life.
Dear God, I admit that I have made many mistakes. Please forgive me and help me to claim your forgiveness of my sins. Amen
Sonya Johnson Ruiz
Practical Messages for Impractical Times
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown… Isaiah 43:2
Imagine never being disappointed by broken promises or changing circumstances. The reality is even with careful planning, we can never fully be in control of our lives. We endure many unexpected changes, and some of these changes are so devastating, they push us to the edge.
Even though we may not have the necessary problem-solving skills or resources, something amazing happens when we are faced with life changing events. We begin to focus on options that will alleviate or resolve the problem. We feel hopeful that we can move forward and that our situation will be short-term with a quick resolve.
What happens when there are additional stressors such as failed solutions; no viable solutions; or limited resources which change the status of the problem to long-term (ongoing). When we have given our best, and the outcome did not match our expectations, our emotions escalate and push us into a crisis mode.
When we are in a crisis, we are forced to see our limitations. There is no situation or problem that God can not take care of. Our responsibility is to approach the Throne of Grace with humility and prayer. God already knew our situation would arise. In faith, we ask God for His will to be done. God has promised to never leave us or forsake us. It is up to us to wait patiently for God’s resolution.
Dear God: Only you know the brokenness that I feel because of my present circumstances. Please help me to have faith and wait for your solution for my problem. Amen.
Sonya Johnson Ruiz
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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