“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, ESV).
God has a Divine Purpose for your life. Consecrate yourself daily through personal worship, asking Him to reveal His plans for the new day.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, ESV).
Although each person is at a different time in their life; before our conception, God had individualized plans for you and me.
We are the Christians living in the Last Days of Earth’s history. Now is the perfect time for intentional spiritual growth and discovering your creative talents.
Every day, set aside time to Separate in Solitude and Silence to honor and worship God.
When we focus on our relationship with Christ, our faith and focus is redirected from ourselves back to God.
Before humanity was created, God’s goal has always been to redeem, reconcile, and restore our relationship with Jesus Christ.
Every day, we prepare for Jesus’ promise in John 14:1-3. By aligning ourselves with God’s plans, we demonstrate our faith, love, and loyalty to God.
Our Heavenly Father, desires that we ask Him to reveal His priorities and purpose for the blessing of a new day.
During personal worship, the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Holy Scriptures and our thoughts.
We do not have to limit our worship with God to once or twice a day; whisper prayers throughout your day to receive Divine wisdom, strength, and guidance.
By fulfilling God’s plan for our lives, the Holy Spirit empowers us to prepare for our eternal reward in Revelation 22:12.
Bible Study: Romans 12; 2 Timothy 3
Lord God, we thank You for this new day of life. And we ask You to speak to our hearts, guiding us throughout our day to fulfill Your plans. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
What is our ultimate purpose as Christians? To honor Christ with a sacrificial life of self-denial and faithful obedience.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23).
We also represent to the world that following Christ results in a Loving Character and the ability to live righteously through the power of the Holy Spirit.
“Cast your burden on the LORD [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail).” (Psalm 55:22, Amplified Bible).
Because of our faith and trust in God’s Love, Power, and Promises, there is a significant difference when believers who pray continuously face challenges and hardships; from trusting in God, we are confident that God will resolve our battles.
“Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24).
Yes, placing our faith in God’s promises prevents us from seeing our dark, stormy times as hopeless. We know that Jesus, the Light of the World, is ever-present, serving as our High Priest, receiving and answering our prayers.
Trusting God is the only way for us to enjoy the gift of Jesus’ peace.
“I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:9-10).
Because our Heavenly Father is All-Knowing, God gave us His Divine Plan for living happy and healthy lives: Put God First, Pray for Guidance, Live by Faith, and Trust and Obey His plans for our lives, and we will experience continuous peace and joy.
Despite God’s Instructions and Blueprint [the Bible] on how to enjoy peace and happiness [regardless of our circumstances], many Christian believers are not living Christ-centered, Faith-based, obedient, contented, happy, and healthy lifestyles.
“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” (James 1:14).
Christ created us to depend on God; unfortunately, the worldview of self-reliance has infiltrated the Christian Community, resulting in the redirection of our focus, faith, and trust from God to ourselves.
If our response to personal challenges is, What strategies can I develop to produce favorable outcomes?; then we have assumed burdens of life that God never intended for us to carry.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46, ESV).
Self-reliance is dangerous because it leads to the spiritual dilemma of disobeying God. Not only are we separated from God, but we also lose our spiritual gift of Jesus’ peace, which produces a Domino Effect on the mind, body, and soul.
“Do not be wise in your own eyes.” (Proverbs 3:7). From attempting to resolve life’s continuous struggles without God, we begin to suffer from mental restlessness, unstable emotions, and incessant thoughts, which produce anxiety, worries, frustration, and sleepless nights, stressors that cause most physical illnesses.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV).
Trusting God is not easy for most of us. Yet, God tells us in the Scriptures that He knows the end from the beginning and has plans to give us an expected end, which is Eternal Life in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Today, I attempted to contemplate what Heaven would be like. Although I have a creative mind, even with the Apostle John’s description in Revelation, I could not imagine the magnificent beauty that no human eyes have seen, except for the vision Christ gave to the Apostle John.
But we do know that perfect love, peace, joy, and happiness will exist. No anger, arguing, profane behaviors, hatred, violence, sickness, or death. And for those who say, No to a vegan diet, guess what? All will be vegans! Including the predatory animals.
“‘The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,’ says the LORD.” (Isaiah 65:25, NIV).
From studying 2 Timothy 3, we realize that we are living in the Last Days of Earth’s history. As time on Earth moves forward, we cannot afford to let our desire for self-governance jeopardize our reward of Eternal Life.
The Plan to Reconcile With Christ: “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)
“He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way.” (Psalm 25:9). “Submission to God’s will is honorable; in fact, it is the only way to be victorious in the spiritual war [Ephesians 6] in which we find ourselves.”
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). How would your life change if you prayed, waited, and used your faith to completely trust God? When we surrender to Christ, worry never enters our minds.
I am currently in my first week of using my faith to totally trust in God. Truthfully, the first two days, I felt anxious, but prayed often, “Jesus, give me the strength and courage to trust You.” I studied The Book of Ruth, Philippians 4, and memorized Isaiah 26:3-4.
For the next 14 days, utilize your time in personal worship to consecrate your life to Christ. Total surrender to God requires Divine strength and human effort. Ask Christ to guide you in every decision that you need to make.
“‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'” (Jeremiah 33:3). The consistency of daily surrender invites the Holy Spirit to give us the blessing of perceiving life through spiritual eyes.
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).
Separation, Solitude, and Silence is the worship posture that invites the Holy Spirit to speak to us through the Holy Scriptures and our thoughts. To live as overcomers, we need the spiritual discernment that only the Holy Spirit can give.
Each day, we are one day closer to when Jesus, our Triumphant King, will come for His faithful and obedient followers. We are nearing the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in John 14:1-3. Yes and Amen!
“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:1-5).
Lord God, we come to You in faith, surrendering our will, and asking for Your guidance. We believe in Your love and promises to give us resolutions that bring honor and glory to Your Holy Name. Speak to our hearts, and reveal any habit, behavior, character trait, or relationship that would prevent us from receiving our reward of Eternal Life. Lord, give us the strength to persevere through our challenges, and teach us how to distinguish Your Voice from our thoughts and other voices. Jesus, we look forward to the day when You will come again. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, NIV).
From studying the Life of Christ, the one characteristic that was always present in His character was one of compassion.
“Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As He approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry…'”
“Then He went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, get up!’ The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.” (Luke 7: 11-15, NIV).
[bier: a simple wooden frame used to carry the dead to the grave, essentially a portable bed for the corpse, rather than a modern enclosed coffin].
How can we demonstrate the love and compassion of Christ to others? We must possess the Righteous Character traits of Christ.
“…and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3, NIV).
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5: 22-23).
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:23, NIV).
“‘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. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (1 Corinthians 13:37-38).
Unconditional Love is the spiritual foundation necessary for the Holy Spirit to change our stony hearts [Ezekiel 36:26] into a loving heart filled with the Fruit of the Spirit.
In Jeremiah 17:9, God tells us the condition of every human heart. Although we would like to think that our hearts are naturally good, God tells us the hearts we inherited are not good.
“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT).
Through our willingness to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, our hearts can be changed into the heart of Christ.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:7-8, NIV).
Bible Study: Matthew 5
Lord God, we ask you to cleanse our hearts from all unloving behaviors and unrighteous traits. We desire to have hearts filled with Your unconditional love. We ask for new hearts that love You and love others. We need Your Divine Help and Strength because we cannot change ourselves. Lord, we love You and thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in faith and in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
“But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to Him, ‘I charge you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.'” (Matthew 26:63)
Jesus knew that He was the Son of God, yet He also had the wisdom to know that if He said Yes, their hearts were rebellious, and would immediately accuse Him of blasphemy.
Despite the phenomenal miracles Jesus performed, including raising Lazarus from the dead, the Jewish leaders, Pharisees, Sadducees, and their devout followers would never accept Him as anything other than the son of Joseph, the poor carpenter, who lived in Nazareth.
Jesus’ earthly purpose of dying on Calvary’s Cross to redeem humanity from death—the wages of sin remained His priority. If Jesus answered, Yes, His accusers would have stoned Him to death, resulting in the failure to fulfill the Plan of Redemption.
“Jesus demonstrated humility, submitting to God’s plan, revealing His identity on His own terms, rather than defending Himself against false accusations or questioning by authorities like the high priest and Pilate, showing profound love and obedience to God, His Father.”
“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” (James 1:26, NIV).
Inciting anger in believers is a significant part of the enemy’s spiritual warfare against those who love God. One of Satan’s most effective ways to entice us to sin is by using familiar people [family and friends] to offend us. The word choice, tone, and volume of our voices are effective weapons used to accuse, disrespect, demean, annihilate one’s self-worth, and defame one’s character.
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…Have nothing to do with such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5, NIV).
Yes, we are living in the Last Days, in a time where abusive communication has become an acceptable practice in our societies. Yet, God specifically addresses how Christians are to communicate even when we are attacked with fiery words:
“But now rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene (abusive, filthy, vulgar) language from your mouth.” (Colossians 3:8, Amplified Bible).
“[Verbal] Abuse is always sin. The Scriptures are clear. Abuse of authority or power…is always sin. Abusive speech and/or behavior are never an acceptable way to communicate with someone.”
God’s Warning: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Proverbs 18:21, ESV).
Many who attend church were raised in a home that included arguing and debating, and cultures in which it is a common practice for Christian parents, husbands, or older family members to verbally abuse their children, wives, and relatives, still God considers it sinful and unacceptable behavior.
Conflict is always fueled by uncontrolled anger. Domestic conflict has claimed the lives of many innocent victims, including church members. Never overlook threatening words—remain silent, remove yourself from the offender, and notify the police. It takes courage to say, “Enough is Enough!” And, it may result in saving your life.
“Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the LORD.” (Romans 12:19, NLT).
One thing is for certain: Believers who use their words as weapons will eat the fruits of their behavior—they will experience earthly consequences, loss of employment, relationships, marriages, and often their freedom [incarceration] from using threatening words, which is assault—and most importantly, they lose their reward of Eternal Life.
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10). “For the Lord loves justice; He will not forsake his saints.”(Psalm 37:28). Because we are created in the image of God, and He loves us, God does not expect us to remain in abusive situations.
With faith, pray, and ask God to deliver you. We have a Loving Heavenly Father who promises to free us from the bondage of abuse. Never believe that staying in an abusive situation is your only option.
Conflict also occurs in environments outside the home, but it may be unrecognized because covert strategies are used. People frequently use humor to provoke anger.
There are many psychological techniques for Conflict Resolution, yet, for believers, God has given us His Divine Commands on Conflict Resolution.
“Know this, my beloved brothers [and sisters]: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19-20).
In a world of cruelty, abuse, and violence, when antagonistic words are freely spoken, it is our Christian duty to represent to others that we belong to Jesus Christ by remaining silent.
“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14:14). Courage, Faith, and Steadfast Belief in God’s Power are demonstrated when we pray instead of responding. Unbelievers may perceive silence as weakness, but faithful obedience reveals our love and loyalty to God.
Conflict on the job is often experienced in employee break areas. In Micah 6:8, God tells us to stand for justice. It is our responsibility to document the incident, send an email to the immediate supervisor, and Human Resources to ensure compliance with the company’s policies.
“It takes the right situation to reveal a person’s true character.” When our hearts are converted and the Holy Spirit dwells within us, when confronted, we exercise discipline and self-control by remaining silent.
Yes, God expects us to take the appropriate actions to report conflict, but Christians must never retaliate with verbal sparring. Our response to conflict immediately reveals our character’s weaknesses, and most importantly, identifies whether or not we are true followers of Christ by obeying His commands.
Do not let your emotions cause you to sin by responding with anger and dishonoring God! We can apologize, but we can never retract spoken or written words.
“Ineffective Witnessing: Sinful actions by believers make God’s Holy and Righteous Name look bad to the world, bringing reproach on His love and mercies. (Psalm 69:6-7).”
From arguing, we not only lose our ability to witness the love of God, but we also lose our credibility as Christians and respect from unbelievers who silently observed our usual demeanor of kindness and self-control.
God’s Righteous Guidance on Conflict Resolution: “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” (Proverbs 21:23).
As the individual is speaking, or if you are reading a text message, remain silent, and immediately pray for guidance and the strength to silence your emotions, anger, and/or hurt. If you are on a phone call, the moment you sense hostility, immediately respond with, “God loves you, I am hanging up.”
Anger and Hostility Always Override Rational Thought Processes
“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in disclosing what is on his mind.” (Proverbs 18:12).
Fact: A person who is speaking offensive words is driven by negative emotions and does not have the mindset to be involved in a rational conversation. When they finish speaking, they are prepared to participate in an argument.
In John 8:44, Jesus describes Satan as ‘the father of lies,’ revealing his deceptive nature. Satan’s primary goal is to keep us annoyed, upset, and angry, which represents his unrighteous character, and brings shame and disgrace to the Name of God.
The Apostle Paul tells us to “Be angry and do not sin,” and “Let no corrupt words proceed out of your mouth.” To be honest, brothers and sisters, we cannot exercise that type of righteous self-control without the Divine Help and Strength from the Holy Spirit.
“Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, Amplified Bible).
The Apostle Peter used “this imagery to highlight the devil’s dangerous, relentless, and predatory nature, urging Christians to be alert, stand firm in their faith, and resist him.”
If our goal is to receive our reward of Eternal Life in the New Heaven and New Earth, where only love, peace, joy, and happiness will exist, then we must embrace God’s warning: “for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
Remember: Stay Silent! God Always Wins! Peace and Blessings.
Lord God, we ask for the courage, wisdom, and strength to remain silent when facing the spiritual warfare of Conflict. We pray for those who are in abusive homes that they will use their mustard seed faith to be courageous, pray, asking you to deliver them from the satanic bondage of mistreatment. Yet, Lord, you tell us to stand for justice, and we also, in faith, pray this Intercessory Prayer, asking You to deliver your sons and daughters from abusive environments. Lord, we realize that You are Elohim Shomri, our Protector, and You are The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, and we believe that You will fulfill Your Promise in Exodus 14:14, and with expectancy, we thank You in advance for deliverance. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Name, our Mighty Warrior, Amen!
“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” (Titus 2:7-8, ESV).
How important is Consistency in the Christian believer’s life? Consistent Worship is the essential foundation for us to receive the Spiritual Strength needed to live sacrificial lives of faithful obedience. It is Christ’s Strength that empowers us to remain steadfast, avoiding the practices of worldly habits and behaviors.
Yesterday, I was chatting with the maintenance worker in our complex who shared with me the downside of impulsive behaviors, decisions, and purchases.
As I listened, the memories of my past impulsive behaviors, mostly purchases, flashed through my mind. I breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that God delivered me from the stronghold of that terrible habit.
The Sovereign God is our Spiritual Point of Reference for Consistency
Throughout the Bible, God reveals the consistency of His Righteous Character. In Malachi 3:6, God declares His unchanging Nature: “For I the LORD do not change…” “God’s [Divine] Nature is characterized by consistency (Psalm 102:27).”
Consistent Worship reveals our love, faith, loyalty, and commitment to put God First! The most important area of consistency is the practice of daily [morning and evening] Personal Worship, which acknowledges God’s Sovereignty, keeping us connected to Christ, who gives us the strength to live righteously.
Consistent Worship reveals our love and desire to follow our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, wherever He leads.
“Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God…And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.” (Psalm 95: 2, 6-7).
Consistent Worship reveals the desire to consecrate one’s mind, body, and soul to God because we appreciate His Love, Grace, and Mercies.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1, NIV).
Consistent Worship reveals that our hearts are converted, and we are willing to honor Christ with our time, humility, total surrender, and obedience.
“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).
Consistent Worship is a lifestyle that reveals our willingness to give 100% of ourselves to Jesus Christ. Yes, surrender is our priority when we trust Christ’s promises to give us peace [John 14:27], to help us when facing challenges [Isaiah 65:24] and temptations [1 Corinthians 10:13], and to give us a Forever Home when He comes again [John 14:1-3 and Revelation 21-22].
Consistent Worship demonstrates our desire to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, who transforms us and guides us in our spiritual journey to stay on the Narrow Path of Righteousness.
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10, ESV).
Consistent Worship invites Christ to empower us with His Divine strength to persevere in faith when facing unexpected health and financial challenges, suffering from life-changing events, and enduring the trials required to produce Christian maturity.
Brothers and Sisters, a Spiritual War, “The Great Controversy of Good and Evil,” has been raging since the fall of Adam and Eve.
On Calvary’s Cross, when Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” Jesus Christ won the war against Satan’s diabolical desire for all of humanity to be destroyed! Satan does not care about unbelievers and disobedient believers; they are already worshiping him.
“Be alert and of a sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, NIV). The roaring lion is He is currently targeting Jesus’ faithful Believers who worship God in spirit and truth.
Consistent Worship keeps us Spiritually Alert. One of the enemy’s most effective strategies is to use familiar family members and friends to suggest activities in places that Christ would never enter. Yes, it is your cousin’s birthday party, but it’s being held in a Pub that serves alcoholic drinks.
One thing is for certain: Satan is always consistent and persistent! He has been deceiving humanity for over 6,000 years. Yet those who stay close to Christ through persistent prayer for spiritual wisdom, discernment, and strength cannot be manipulated or deceived.
“As Christians, we are engaged in a life-and-death spiritual battle, and it is crucial not to misjudge Satan’s power or be ignorant of his schemes.” Never minimize Satan’s power over the human mind, which is evident in the rapid decline of integrity and morality in our societies.
“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3, ESV). In the Christian Community, many are afraid of Satan. Even unbelievers do not fear Satan, so what is the reason that Christ’s followers would fear Satan?
To understand God’s Higher thoughts and ways [Isaiah 55:8-9], studying the Scriptures requires praying and asking the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and a deeper understanding of the Bible.
From using only human wisdom to study, many erroneous and false interpretations of the Bible lead us to believe that God’s Commands are restrictive, yet we cannot see the invisible spiritual war being fought by Jesus’ angels to protect our souls.
“Elohim Shomri (אֱלֹהִים שׁוֹמְרִי) means ‘God is my Guardian/Keeper.'”
Christ, our Mighty Warrior, places limits on Satan’s attacks against Christians. Christ must approve every satanic plan against the faithful. Satan’s demons cannot possess Christ’s followers, nor can he kill us, or coerce us to disobey God.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1).
“Do not be wise in your own eyes.” (Proverbs 3:7). With humility, we must recognize our human limitations; we cannot use our intellect to fight the schemes of Satan, the Master Deceiver, who is still successfully scamming many Christians because we exclude God from decision-making.
Make Consistent Worship a Spiritual Priority! Always include God by praying and waiting for His answer before making major purchases, starting a business, changing jobs, and especially before beginning a relationship or entering into marriage.
Yes, we will always face many temptations, yet the apostle Paul tells us how to fight spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:10-18. Every believer should follow the spiritual strategy in these Scriptures by doing their part to receive strength and guidance through Consistent Worship.
Jesus’ devoted followers are not exempt from the internal desires that make us prey to the roaring lion. But it is not the obvious sinful activities that Satan can tempt true worshipers with.
Consistent worshipers are on the alert against the enemy’s typical schemes of materialism, wealth, success, relationships with unbelievers, secular music, and lifestyles filled with worldly pleasures.
In Ephesians 5:16, God tells us to “Redeem the time, because the days are evil.” We must make good use of our gift of time, not wasting precious hours on the distractions of time-wasting activities, but preparing ourselves every day to receive Revelation 22:12.
Time Wasters: The roaring lion devises covert temptations to manipulate us into wasting valuable time on the things that we like: streaming, social media, sports, gaming, cellular devices, excessive time at the gym, shopping leading to impulsive purchases, and the unhealthy habits of overeating and consuming junk foods that also impact our mental, physical, and spiritual health.
The Christian life is not a boring, mundane life; it is one of spiritual purpose, self-denial, and intentionality. We were created to worship God and to enjoy life. But without setting boundaries, Time Wasters can easily escalate into 3-6 hours of having fun.
The human heart always desires pleasurable activities instead of Consistent Worship. Activities that prevent us from giving God time in Personal Worship will leave us weak and vulnerable to Satan’s Schemes.
“In a world filled with evil, spiritual preparation means making the most of every chance for spiritual growth, service, and glorifying God. It means actively choosing God’s will over foolishness and worldly distractions, recognizing time as a gift to be managed for eternal purpose.”
The emphasis on “Consistent Worship” is not overstated; to remain steadfast in a spiritual war where we are Satan’s targets, we desperately require Jesus’ Supernatural Power and Protection to live as Overcomers.
Remain consistent! Devote yourself to live a Christ-Centered, Sacrificial Life of Consistent Worship, ensuring that you remain connected to Elohim, our Protector, and the Source of All Power and Might! Yes and Amen!
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).
Bible Study: Ephesians 6
Lord God, we desire to honor You through Consistent Worship, surrender, and faithful obedience. We acknowledge Your love and thank You for being our Protector against the schemes of the enemy. We ask for the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen.
“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” (1 Peter 5:7, Amplified Bible).
Every day, we strive to complete our responsibilities, relying only on our own strength. Yet, for believers, we also face many unexpected the spiritual warfare of challenges and temptations that test our faith, trust, and obedience to God.
“I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13). Without asking Christ for His strength to accomplish our tasks for the given day, we deplete our mental, emotional, and physical resources.
Can you imagine carrying a backpack of heavy stones as you perform your daily tasks? From using our thoughts and strength to navigate through life, we pick up Mental and Emotional Stones: Using emotions to react to challenging situations and people.
Collecting Stones: Stones are our emotional reactions, including doubt, fear, failure, discouragement, anger, and hopelessness, that impact our rational thought processes.
The “stones” we collect every day remain in our minds, and as the weight grows heavier, we cannot remain positive or enjoy Christ’s blessings of peace, joy, and happiness.
When we have put forth our best efforts and the outcome is not what we expected, we blame ourselves and begin to accumulate the “mental stones” of failure, stress, fatigue, disappointment, anxiety, and worry.
Stones produce a negative perspective: As we reflect on our day, we are unable to focus on our accomplishments; instead, we focus on the failure to complete our to-do lists, which are often unrealistic. Instead of relaxing after a taxing day, we think about various ways to complete today’s unfinished tasks and tomorrow’s responsibilities.
Although we desire to have positive interactions with our family, friends, neighbors, and others, it is an unrealistic expectation. Many individuals react to stress by communicating with emotional responses.
Stones cause us to overreact: If we take things personally, instead of telling ourselves, “Some people are just difficult, it’s not about me, or “Everyone has a bad day, so their reaction was not about me,” then we pick up the “emotional stones” of anger, hurt, embarrassment, disappointment, and feeling let down.
Taking everything personally leads to harboring feelings of sustained anger and resentment. Remaining upset provokes us to replay the negative interaction, which prevents us from enjoying a peaceful sleep, and our mental, emotional, and physical health begins to decline.
Stones cause Spiritual Decline: Most importantly, our Stones cause us to lose our spiritual perspective. We cannot focus on our spiritual journey with Jesus. Our daily personal worship of Prayer and Bible Study ceases, and our reciprocal relationship with Christ gradually declines. And sadly, we do not recognize that we are separated from Christ.
There is a better way to live! Jesus Is Our Stone Gatherer: “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.'” (Matthew 11:28, NLT).
Giving Our Stones to Jesus Requires Two Actions: First, We Are Who God Says We Are: We Are Loved by God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and the recipients of God’s Grace. Do not practice self-criticism! Incorporate time management skills into your life by asking the Holy Spirit for guidance in your daily activities.
Secondly, a believer’s life is comparable to a soldier’s life: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:10-11, NIV).
In John 16:33, Jesus tells us that His followers will face a life of continuous temptations and struggles. Satan uses people to speak harsh words to upset us so that we will become angry and sin against God with unrighteous responses. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger…” (James 1:19).
From whispering a prayer for strength, the Holy Spirit will tell us when to respond and when to remain silent when confronted. To avoid collecting Stones, we must depend on Jesus’ Strength and Guidance, which requires us to stay connected to Him through a life of continuous prayer and praise.
A Relationship with Christ built on faith, trust, obedience, and daily prayer, and study of the Holy Scriptures is the only way to have “An Unbothered Mind.”
The Believer’s Privilege of Prayer
“Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]. (Hebrews 4:16, Amplified Bible).
Prayer allows us to have a heart-to-heart connection with Jesus, our Creator and Shepherd, who “cares about you with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully.”
Invite Christ into every little detail of your life. Not only will you receive peace, but the Holy Spirit will give you the wisdom to resolve every challenge. We reflect the love of Christ to others through gentleness and self-control, eliminating the need to retaliate with emotional responses.
Reflection: How many times a day do you pray? Whispering prayers throughout our day keeps us connected to Christ, our Source of Strength, and the Giver of Spiritual Peace, Joy, and Contentment.
“There is necessity for diligence in prayer; let nothing [stop] you. Make every effort to keep open the communion between Jesus and your own soul. Seek every opportunity to pray.”
God’s Divine Love Revealed: 24/7, We Have Total Access to Christ!
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27, NIV).
We do not have to understand the Divine Pathway of how Jesus receives and answers our prayers. Whether spoken or silent, Christ tells us to “pray without ceasing,” and He will empower us with His Divine Strength, Guidance, and Wisdom.
“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24, NIV).
Brothers and Sisters, stop collecting Stones! Use your faith to depend on Jesus. Our Heavenly Intercessor waits for us to seek His Help.
Even if our backpack of Stones is overflowing, Jesus is waiting for us to cast those Stones at His feet, and He will deliver us from the weight of life’s challenges and empower us to live with an unbothered mind. Yes and Amen!
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3, Amplified Bible).
Lord God, thank You for Your Amazing Love and Faithfulness that never changes. We desire to begin a consecrated life of prayer; a life that is free from the stony weights of emotional reactions, uncertainty, burdens, anxieties, and worries. Jesus, today, we commit to redirecting our faith and trust back to You. And we thank You for the privilege of Prayer, and in faith, we ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32).
“Becoming more like Christ [should be] the desire of every believer, and it is encouraging to know that God has the same desire for us.”
How important is it for us to be conformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ? Our character, personality, and how we relate to others matter to God and will determine our destiny.
“In fact, the Bible says that God ‘predestined [believers] to be conformed to the likeness of his Son'” (Romans 8:29, NIV).
God’s Righteous Standards and Goals For Our Character Transformation
1. Hearts filled with Unconditional Love and Forgiveness.
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
2. The Fruit of the Spirit is Jesus’ Righteous Character Attributes:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering [patience], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23).
3. A spirit of humility, committed to standing for truth, along with treating others with kindness.
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8, ESV).
4. From Accepting Christ, We Become New People: Our characters should not imitate the characters of unbelievers or reflect their worldviews.
“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Galatians 5:24-26).
Divine Intervention and Human Effort Are Required for Spiritual Transformation: We cannot change ourselves; it is the Holy Spirit who changes us. Still, we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit to experience spiritual transformation.
God does not override our Free Will of Choice; The Holy Spirit can only change us if we have the desire to be like Christ. With a spirit of humility, we pray and ask God to change our character. And then our battles begin!
The transformation of our character does not happen in the way that we think it would. We will face various types of challenges, and how we react demonstrates whether or not we are cooperating with the Holy Spirit to bring about change.
Reflection: Identify the situations that consistently annoy you, as these will be the trials and temptations that challenge your faith and ability to practice self-control, leading to spiritual transformation.
God has gifted us with self-control. As soon as you feel an emotional response stirring inside of you, remain silent, separate yourself, and pray an honest prayer: “Lord, I am angry, [annoyed, frustrated, anxious], and I need Your help. Please give me the strength to remain silent and calm my spirit. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].” (2 Timothy 1:7, Amplified Bible).
We cannot use inherited tendencies or cultural influences to justify the wrongful mistreatment of others with anger and harsh words. We have the God-given ability to control ourselves, or we would not exercise self-control at church and on our jobs.
Although we come from various backgrounds, the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Spirit teach us acceptable Christian Behaviors. Those who possess fiery tempers and abuse others have a demonic stronghold over their minds and will need to add fasting to their daily lives. [Study Matthew 17:14-21].
God knows that we cannot change ourselves without receiving His Divine Strength. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers us with Christ’s strength to overcome unrighteous character traits. Much prayer and fasting are required to gain the victory over inherited traits and learned behaviors.
“I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13). With God, change is possible. Yes, we can have Christ’s gentle, quiet, and humble spirit.
Lord God, we recognize that we desperately need Your help to change. We ask for forgiveness for not controlling our behaviors and for hurting others. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness and fill us with a spirit of gentleness that represents Your love and character. In faith, we ask this prayer, in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.'” (Matthew 11:28, NLT).
Overwhelming daily to-do lists combined with the unknown obstacles that occur throughout our day places a taxing effort on our mental, emotional, and physical health.
In fact, the busyness and distractions are preventing us from worshiping God every day through prayer and Bible Study, but God’s expectations have not changed. We were created to worship God seven days a week.
God’s Call to Worship and Obedience
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.” (Psalm 95:6-7).
Without daily personal worship, we are disconnected from Christ, which forces us to live according to our own thoughts, resulting in a state of disobedience.
Cain, and Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, and the men in Athens who only expressed belief in “The Unknown God” reveal that God rejects worship from those with disobedient hearts, and those who worship false pagan deities.
Disobedience is rebellion against God, and separates us from a Holy and Righteous God. Disobeying God places the believer on the same spiritual status as an unbeliever.
Obedience to God Is Worship
Because of God’s love and His desire for us to spend intentional time with Him, our Heavenly Father blessed us with 24 hours to redirect our focus from the vicissitudes of life to focus on His Faithfulness.
Yes, God has provided a Spiritual Sabbatical of 24 hours to escape life’s relentless schedules and responsibilities, and to receive a complete Spiritual Restoration of our mind, body, and soul.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work…” (Exodus 20:8-10).
Because we honor God’s Commandment of not taking care of routine matters on the Sabbath, God blesses us with peace, joy, happiness, knowledge, wisdom, restoration, and spiritual healing.
The Sabbath protects us from the devastating impact on one’s health from life’s continuous stressors, still, we enjoy another benefit, a worry-free mind.
David reiterates God’s faithfulness to the righteous: “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread.” (Psalm 37:5).
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow, and from our obedience, we have the assurance that Jesus is Faithful: He promises to provide for us, and He does.
Yes, for our obedience, we also receive many rewards for honoring God’s Moral Law. From spending time in His presence every day, and engaging in Sabbath worship, our faith and confidence in God strengthens.
The Holy Spirit gives us the spiritual wisdom to receive a deeper understanding of the Holy Scriptures, which empowers us to perceive life through spiritual eyes.
Sanctification is the lifelong spiritual process of growth and transformation.
Because our focus is spiritual, during the Sabbath hours, the transforming power of the Holy Spirit works on molding our characters into the Righteous Character of Christ [Study Galatians 5:22-23].
Not only are we blessed with an optimal level of spiritual health and wellness, studies prove that Sabbath keepers enjoy a higher level of mental, emotional, and physical wellness, do not experience premature aging, and enjoy longevity.
Obedience to God is rewarded by God, who blesses those who keep His Commandments with continuous spiritual prosperity, guidance, protection, wisdom, and a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
Creation Sabbath was established by God for humanity [Genesis, Chapters 1-2]. Adam and Eve were the first human beings who enjoyed the first Sabbath hours of worship with God, the Father, God, Jesus, the Son, and the angels.
The Bible does not explain to us how the joint Sabbath worship occurred between Adam and Eve, God, Jesus, and the angels. We can only imagine the beauty of worshiping God face-to-face as Adam and Eve did before they sinned.
Jesus Says: “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” (Revelation 22:14).
“And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,’ says the LORD.” (Isaiah 66:23).
Throughout eternity, God will continue the observance of the Holy Sabbath, a time of rejoicing because the righteous will be home at last.
And after the 1,000 years following Jesus’ Second Coming, our Triumphant King will destroy Satan, those who chose to follow The Great Deceiver, and this present Earth.
“Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.'” (revelation 21:5).
Our Lord, Savior, and King will create the New Heaven and New Earth for the faithful, obedient believers who [in their earthly lives] followed Christ, and lived a sacrificial life of self-denial, guided by the Holy Spirit. Yes and Amen!
Lord God we thank You for Your amazing love and faithfulness. And we thank You for the blessing of the Holy Sabbath, a time of worship, spiritual enlightenment, and the renewal of our mental, emotional, and physical health. We look forward to the time when we will praise and worship You face-to-face for eternity. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry.” (Psalm 34:14, 17).
Faith in God is always rewarded. Not only do we receive the blessings of God’s guidance and protection, if we ask, the Holy Spirit will also give us the gifts of spiritual wisdom and discernment.
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17, ESV).
Spiritual wisdom differs greatly from human thoughts because it is given by God, Who is Omniscient, All-Knowing.
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding…” (Proverbs 2:6).
Yes, we can enjoy the blessings of peace and happiness that comes from trusting and relying on God’s Higher Thoughts.
It is a wonderful experience to pray in faith knowing that God’s answers never include the need to re-evaluate because the resolution failed. Yes and Amen!
“Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding…” (Proverbs 3:13).
Divine Wisdom gives us the spiritual insight to understand the deeper meaning of the Holy Scriptures, and to see life through spiritual eyes.
Divine wisdom changes the way that we think and live. Perceiving life through spiritual eyes results in us letting go of the people, places, and habits that we used to enjoy.
The Benefits of Faith-building Prayers: From including God in every decision, we learn to rely totally on Jesus Christ. There is no guesswork or mistakes! We know that God’s Solutions always produce perfect endings.
Still, there are other benefits from placing our faith and trust in God; we develop the spirit of humility necessary for the Holy Spirit to guide us daily on the Narrow Path of Righteousness.
And from our dependency on God, while others live with fear, we live courageously, knowing that the Holy Spirit will empower us with Jesus’ Divine Strength to keep moving forward in our earthly journey.
Our 2026 Declaration: I will trust in God, not in my limited thoughts and understanding!
Through the surrender of daily personal worship, the Holy Spirit transforms our minds by giving us the spiritual wisdom and discernment to recognize Satan’s covert temptations.
We pray throughout our day for Jesus’ Strength because we know that we need His Power to overcome external temptations and our internal desires.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17, NIV).
Our spiritual battles also include fighting against the character trait of self-reliance. Praying continuously, keeps us dependent on God, aligning us with His Divine Will and Plans.
Every day, it is our responsibility to bring our minds into harmony with God through Prayer and Bible Study. Surrendering ourselves to God is a daily act of faith.
“Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you.” (Isaiah 55:3).
When we pray for the Holy Spirit to enlighten us to think as God thinks; not only are we protected from suffering consequences, but our obedience is rewarded with stronger faith, wisdom, courage, and victorious outcomes. Yes and Amen!
Lord God, we thank You for Your Amazing Love and the many benefits that You give to us. We consecrate ourselves to follow Christ through surrender and faithful obedience. Lord, we ask for our hearts to be changed. You have blessed us to enter a New Year that requires spiritual wisdom and understanding to be aligned with Your perfect Will and Plans for our lives. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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