Author: steps2successwithspiritualsolutions

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. Matthew 24:6 NIV

Our Condolences to the families of the Pittsburgh victims who were martyrs for their faith in God.

The tragedies occurring on a daily basis reflect our human limitations in the systematic plan of life. In spite of our diligent efforts, we are unable to make any society or nation great. We are unable to prevent biblical prophecies from being fulfilled which speak of a progressive escalation of violence and death. It grieves our hearts to learn of our brothers and sisters losing their lives on a global scale. The question is asked, “Will there ever be a time of peace again?”

Historically, since the inception of sin, there has never been peace or a time without death.

“The LORD God made garments of skin and clothed Adam and his wife.” Genesis 3:21 BSB

“Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel and killed him.” Genesis 3:8

When God forewarned Adam and Eve that disobedience would lead to death; animal death was required to clothe Adam and Eve, and even the sting of death infiltrated the heavenly realm:

“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might Deliver Us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:” Galatians 1:3-4

Even Jesus, the Son of God was required to give up divinity to take on humanity, and give His life for the remission of sin. It took blood to cleanse and redeem us from the terrible tragedy of sin. The outcome appears bleak; so, what are we to do when death and destruction are inevitable?

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God, because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.” Romans 12:1 NIV

God’s divine plan provides hope and comfort for those who commit themselves by faith. Never forget that Jesus was resurrected and has all glory and power in His hands!

Jesus said to his disciples, “Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I wouldn’t tell you this unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together. John:14 1-3 CEV

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4 16-17

“He who testifies to these things says, Yes, I am coming quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20

Prayer for today: Dear God, We pray for the comfort of the bereaved families of those who were killed in Pittsburgh. We pray for your Divine intervention and peace as we prepare ourselves daily for your Second Coming. We give you all the honor and the glory as we ask you to forgive us for our sins. We look forward to a New Heaven and a New Earth. In your Holy name, we pray. Amen.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 John 1:2

Today, I am devoting my blog to my favorite season. As the earth prepares to take a rest and hibernate, the transition from Summer to Autumn is simply breathtaking.

I invite you to explore your creative side and bring some of the beautiful fall colors into your home. Using cinnamon sticks, twine, and inexpensive candles, I plan to make a centerpiece with cinnamon wrapped candles for my fun project today. Pics to follow completion.

Enjoy your day! Be blessed and in all things, give thanksgiving to God.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

This morning, as I was reading a Devotional from Morris L. Venden on Surrender to God, I found out that we experience a crisis (a time of intense difficulty) when it is time to surrender to God. My definition of a crisis is when an uncontrollable event causes havoc in one’s life. Now I realize that I am the one responsible for my Spiritual Crisis.

” Absolute surrender will be a crisis in your life that you will be aware of. *Steps to Christ, page 43, says that “the warfare against self is the greatest battle ever fought.’ Such a battle will not go by unnoticed.”

Surrender causes conflict within, because of our inherent tendency to willfully sin against God. David tells us in Psalm 51:5, “…I have done wrong since the day I was born.” We must acknowledge our desire to oppose God if we are to survive the crisis. Now that we are aware of the reason for the ongoing battle of Self vs God; we come to the realization that victory is only possible by the willful surrender of self to the Holy Spirit.

Never feel that God has placed us in a hopeless situation. It is possible to overcome the crisis through self-opposition. Do not follow your own inclinations which are always unreliable. Remember that God’s will and way leads us from being a Victim of Crisis to a Victorious Overcomer.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

“My soul says, yes, yes, yes Lord yes, my soul says yes, yes to your will.”

Prayer for the Sabbath: Dear God, Thank you for revealing the source of my ongoing spiritual crisis. I am choosing to willfully go against you when I refuse to surrender and follow my own desires. Please forgive me. I need you in my life. I need the power of the Holy Spirit to be an overcomer. By faith, I accept your will for my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

*Steps to Christ by Ellen G. White

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

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

Autumn in New Hampshire!

“For, in just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” Hebrews 10:37

The journey of transitioning from an LPN to a Registered Nurse occurred over a period of 12 years. There were many sacrifices required to complete the clinical portion of the nursing school. After meeting the criteria for my academic classes, much to my dismay there was a 2-year waiting list in a 200-mile radius of where I resided. I began to pray earnestly for God to intervene on my behalf. I applied to several out of state schools, and within two weeks God intervened on my behalf. I relocated from New Jersey to Upstate New York where I completed my studies Summa cum laude.

During the time of my educational pursuits, I placed all frivolous and non-essential activities on hold. I quickly ceased working on the weekends, as I watched our class dwindle from 27 to 7 students. Managing a meager budget necessitated visits to the food banks, attending potluck church dinners, and downsizing from a one bedroom apartment to renting a room. Outside of attending church, my spare time was spent in the school’s library. The program required much more than I had ever anticipated. Although we were told to begin our review for the licensure exam in the final year of clinical rotation, I was directed by God to invest in two Nursing exam review books in the first year of my clinical.

My schedule of extensive studying, prolonged my waking hours from 6 am to 11 pm, six days per week. During this time, I remained close to God and He was faithful unto the end. I never experienced mental or physical exhaustion nor did I ever go without my basic necessities of life. I can still remember the day of my final exam and anxiously waiting for the Pass list to post in the Student lounge. As I left the building to take the long walk to the student parking lot, I reflected on the achievement, not the grueling journey. It was one of the coldest December days during that bitter New York winter. As I slowly walked to avoid the icy patches, I was overwhelmed with gratitude and the watery tears became solid ice stuck to my face.

The preparation for eternal life requires more struggle, and sacrifice than I can ever imagine. The 12 years that I spent to become a registered nurse does not compare to the lifelong process of sanctification. Every day I am required to “die daily,” to what God requires for my journey. I will have to choose who and what to let go of as I humbly obey and follow God’s plan. If you crave human companionship, I can testify that “the Christian walk is a lonely walk.” Even so, Jesus has sent a Comforter-the Holy Spirit to provide constant spiritual and emotional support to anyone that asks in His name.

There will come a time when tears will no longer flow from my eyes, the travails of this life will cease, and I will see Jesus face-to-face. Until then, I will reflect on Job 19:25: “I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end, he will stand on the Earth.”

The New Jerusalem

Then I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth, for the old Heaven and the old Earth had disappeared. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look God home is now among his people! He will live with them and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:1,3-4

Prayer for today: Dear God, Thank you for your constant love and guidance as I travel the path that you have laid for me. Please help me to always be faithful and hold on to your hand, no matter the trials and tribulations that I face. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21

The chaos that exists in the homes of believers is simply due to us not obeying and following the Word of God. What has led us to our state of continuing compromise? The key (answer) to opening the Unity door is the willful act of submission.

Submission is defined as: “the action or fact of accepting or yielding to a superior force or to the will or authority of another person.”

Submission has a few antonyms; but can be accurately described with one powerful word: Defiance!

Defiance is defined as “open resistance; bold disobedience.”

Sin=Defiance against God!

Parents have defied God by allowing their children to become their friends. The standards for obedience have been relaxed in favor of timeouts, and let’s sit down and talk about this like adults. I have even heard parents make statements such as, “He/She gets that stubbornness from his/her father” or “I don’t know why he/she is like this.” The most interesting situation is when the child is 18 or older and still living at home with their parents; often parents relax the rules of the home and feel that they are no longer responsible for the decisions or behaviors of their adult-child.

The 5th commandment found in Exodus 20:12, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you,” does not include age parameters. If you as a parent have become unsure of what God requires of your adult-children, then let us refer to Joshua 24:15: But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve…But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD. Also refer to Ephesians 6:1-3.

In Ephesians 5:21-33, God provides in no uncertain terms His standards for the relationship between Husbands and Wives. Complete submission to God creates the same loving and unified bond that Christ has for His church. When the home is filled with humble prayer, Bible study, supplication (asking for something earnestly or humbly), and reverence; it is not possible for Satan to gain a stronghold through DISUNITY.

God has given explicit commands for the conduct and atmosphere of a Christian home. It is to be full of harmony and complete with joy as reflected by husbands and wives, parents, children, and anyone else residing in the home to submit reverently to God, and to each other.

Prayer for today: Dear God, Please forgive me for the sinful defiance in my heart against you. From this day forward, I will submit to your will and your way for my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

My usual routine was interrupted today as I traveled three hours for an appointment in Dallas. I was reminded of the busy rush hour schedule from my former life as I prayed for God to bring me through the day. As I drove through a torrential downpour on the return trip, I listened to some very soothing music that provided spiritual refreshment to my weary body. I would like to share a couple of my favorite songs from two of my favorite gospel musicians. I pray that you will be blessed.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Prayer for today: Dear God, Thank you for guiding and protecting me throughout my unpredictable day. I never would have made it without your love and mercy. Thank you for making it well with my soul. In Jesus’ name, I 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 NLT

I like to share my successes and failures regarding real-life situations. The purpose is not to draw attention to myself, but to give honor to God for His divine intervention, and how He has delivered me from the chains of unproductive habits. I am sharing how I was delivered from being a Spendthrift to a Steward of God’s resources.

Recently, I participated in a blog which was created to teach others how to save money. When I read the post, to say I was shocked at the suggested remedies for improving your financial management skills, is an understatement. Six of the twelve suggestions for increasing assets involved paying variable percentage fees for tracking your daily expenses. Red flag–Daily spending! In fact, these web-based companies are downloaded on your cell phone to ensure that you do not miss inputting any of your expenditures, as their fees continue to accrue. I decided to cease involvement with the blog when I read suggestion number 11: “Play the online slot machines; the chances of you winning are more than the amount you spend, so take the risk.”

Prior to my decision to stop writing for the blog, I did share several financial management tips that I learned from taking a certificate course. Much to my surprise, I had an individual contact me via Messenger who requested that I share my “get out of debt” plan. Not only was this an opportunity to share my behavioral changes regarding money, but I was also able to share my testimony of how God has delivered me from constant spending. Witnessing takes on a different aspect when you are telling others about your personal defeats. Even so, I simply shared that I prayed for God to help me develop a financially savvy plan for my life. Some of the tips that have changed my life:

1. I closed all of my credit cards with the exception of one for emergencies. Calling the companies and expressing that my liabilities exceeded my assets prompted them to work out monthly payment plans.

2. I created a spreadsheet for budgeting and tracking weekly (not daily) expenses. I documented all of my spendings and I do mean everything.

3. When I was employed, I actually spent $2000 in going out to eat in one year. I reduced eating out to weekly with a cap of $15.

4. My car insurance was very expensive although I was claim free and was not considered high risk. I researched and switched to Triple AAA. For the same policy, I saved $800 that year; in addition, they have multiple discounts available for which I qualified for.

5. I sacrificed, and for 10 weeks, I worked a second job and was able to pay off 1/3 of my debt.

6. One of the best decisions was to say good bye to an expensive vehicle. It has been like a breath of fresh air to have my payment on the recent vehicle reduced by $300 per month.

As I review this partial list of tips, I am very grateful that God has enabled me to change my perspective on the financial resources that He has provided me with. I thought that giving tithe and offerings, and helping with the Homeless Ministry was enough. However, God has taught me that complete Stewardship and obedience is what He requires in order for Him to “open the windows of heaven.” Malachi 3:6-12

Thank you, God, for freeing me from the chains of wastefulness. I pray this helps. Be blessed.

Prayer for today: Dear God: I have wasted the resources that you have blessed me with. Please help me to develop a constructive financial plan and to eliminate my impulsive spending habits. Thank you for blessing me with all of my necessities. In Jesus’ name, I pray.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Do not dishonor God by words of disbelief, but praise Him with heart and soul and voice. Look on the bright side of everything. Do not bring a cloud or shadow into your home. Praise Him who is the light of your countenance and your God. Do this, and see how smoothly everything will go. 2SM 267. Ellen G. White

Good Morning! It is a brand new day. I am sharing an excerpt by one of my favorite writers-Ellen G. White regarding gratitude. After contemplating on what I read, I realize that I am not thinking correctly. How do you measure up? Do you mean that all we need to do is have faith and trust in God? And then fulfill our part by living a faith-based life filled with joy, praise, and thanksgiving?

Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:3 NLT

After the Children’s story at church on Sabbath, I looked at the little ones and the happiness that I saw in their faces, and it made me wish that I had that type of joy. Children who are nurtured in love possess optimism; in their minds, they anticipate that only good things will happen. Not even two days later, God allowed the passage from Sister White to appear on my Facebook memory posts from six years ago. This is how much God loves us, He granted my wish, even though I failed to ask for it in prayer. He reminded me that it is a simple act on my part to honor Him through praise.

It will take a conscious effort to remind myself daily that I am God’s child and there is no reason for me not to possess His wonderful joy. I am not referring to a fleeting, happy feeling based on having a great day. No, I am referring to changing my mindset from “woe is me” to always acknowledging that I am not alone or on my own to resolve the vicissitudes of life. I have a Heavenly Father who loves me above all others. It is time for me to receive the blessings of belonging to a most loving God.

“…The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 NIV

Prayer for today: Dear God, I acknowledge you as my Heavenly Father. Please help me to change my mindset and to possess a heart of praise and gratitude for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

I admit that race cars have always fascinated me because of the thrill of the high speed. The runway speed that is required for a jet to leave the ground makes my adrenaline flow. So you can imagine that it is tough for me to drive within the speed limits on the open Texas highways. Often it is the things that excite us that push us into the area between right and wrong. The area of compromise-the gray area-where we easily fall into the abyss of wrongdoing.

As I thought about the questionable gray areas that Christian believers succumb to, I struggled to comprehend how we get ourselves into the predicament of adjusting God’s standards to fit our own desires. In Genesis 3, we read about “The Fall of Adam and Eve. Eve disobeyed God and made the decision to explore the Garden of Eden alone. During her solo adventure, she was amazed to find a serpent who spoke. In fact, Eve was so mesmerized that she had discovered an animal with the ability to communicate, she readily entered into a dialogue of deception with Satan disguised as a serpent.

“The serpent was the shrewdest of all of the animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, ‘Did God really say You must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” Genesis 3:1

When we allow ourselves to drift into gray areas, we are asking the same question that the serpent asked Eve: “Did God really say?” The next time that your mind begins to waver and you begin to travel into the gray area, ask yourself these questions:

1. Will it glorify God?

2. Will it benefit me spiritually?

3. Will it cause me to sin and have negative consequences?

Entering the realm of the gray area will cause us to either break God’s law or society’s law. Ask God to reveal your areas of compromise and to take away the desire to question His standards of right vs wrong. Just remember, God would never place the burden of using our imagination or interpretation of His perfect way for our lives. By the way, God does not have a gray area; His yes is yes, and His no is no.

Yes, I will drive within the speed limits (it’s the law), and patiently wait for my next plane ride.

Prayer for today: Dear God, I find myself slipping into the world’s gray areas of life. Please help me to bring all of my questionable decisions to you in prayer for guidance. Mold my mind, my thoughts, and my behaviors according to your will. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz