Following Jesus is the best decision, we will ever make. Yes, life is filled with unexpected challenges, but Jesus promises to give us His strength, so we can move forward. Trust Jesus with your life. No love can come close to our Creator’s love for us. Pray, Obey, and Persevere! Peace and Blessings!
Jesus, we thank You for Your everlasting love. LORD, we dedicate ourselves to follow You with faithful obedience. Give us wisdom, strength, direction, correction, and protection from the spiritual warfare designed to separate us from You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
“Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”(Jeremiah 32:27, LSB).
When life is filled with the invasion of character assassination, job loss, financial hardships, change in health status, family dysfunction, and marital disruptions, and even the unexpected minor obstacles, which appear like weeds, remember the Faithful and Omnipotent God who is waiting for you to ask for His Divine Help.
The Plot Against Daniel
“So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: ‘King Darius, live forever! All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions…’ “
“Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter. Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.” (Daniel 6:6-9).
Daniel’s Immediate Response
“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” (Daniel 6:10).
The Exposure of the Enemy’s Scheme
“So they answered and said before the king, ‘That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.’ ” (Daniel 6:13).
King Darius’ Unexpected Response
“And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him…Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him.” (Daniel 6:14,18).
God Reveals His Amazing Love, Faithfulness, and Power!
“Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?’ “(Daniel 6:19-20).
“Daniel answered, ‘May the king live forever. My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.’ ” (Daniel 6:21-22, NIV).
“The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” (Daniel 6:23, NIV).
“God is able to make anything bad that happens to you, work out for your good.”
“Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon him while He is near. (Isaiah 55:6).
Daily prayer and Bible study reveal that we are using our faith to trust God’s faithfulness, and His promises to deliver us from every dilemma.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6, NIV).
We form many habits that are counterproductive to our spiritual growth, but forming the habit of constant praying is the spiritual lifeline that connects us to Jesus, our Shepherd, and the Commander of Angel Armies. [Study Psalm 91].
Daily challenges can range from minor annoyances to life-changing adversity. Still, we must choose to respond like Daniel who immediately asked God for help. Yes, he remained courageous, even when facing the impossible situation of pending death.
“I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2).
Like King David, the Believers who depend on God by asking Him every day to intervene in their ordinary routines of life, reveal they have redirected their faith and trust from themselves to God.
Human thoughts and strategies are very limited, and will always produce unforeseen consequences. As followers of Christ, we should never be willing to play the Game of Chance with our lives.
Relying on Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Intercessor is the only way our faith can grow, and become steadfast. Only God can guarantee victorious outcomes that honor and glorify His Holy Name.
Always remain faithful to God. Live like Daniel, establish a faith-based life fueled by much prayer, and fear will never rise up and overpower your faith in God.
Our faith and trust in God’s power and promises are the catalysts to immediately seek God in prayer. Thankfully, we serve a Righteous and Dependable God whose promises are “Yes” to which we say, “Amen! [It is so!]”
Bible Study: Daniel 6
Lord God, we thank You for being a Never- changing God, and a Loving Father who invites us to come before the Throne of Grace to petition for Your help at anytime. Lord, we are in desperate need of Your Divine Intervention to resolve our battles of spiritual warfare. In faith, we thank You in advance for giving us the victory, and ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus, Amen.
In 2025, we have many challenges in the Christian Community, five of the most devastating false doctrines:
1. We can live as we please and still receive our reward of Eternal Life.
2. The Ten Commandments were nailed to the Cross.
3. There is no need to study the Bible.
4. The prosperity message of pursuing material possessions and success.
5. It is the pastors and missionaries responsibility to tell others about Christ
My challenge to those who have embraced false teachings is to pray, fast, and ask God to reveal His One and Only Truth to you through the Holy Spirit.
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” (Revelation 22:12).
The work that Jesus is referring to is witnessing the message that Jesus Loves Us and Jesus Saves. The Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 is every Christian believer’s responsibility.
Jesus loves us and gave His life that we would not have to pay the wages of sin, yet we must faithfully do our part in sharing God’s steadfast love and the Plan of Redemption. Yes and Amen.
Lord, please give us the holy boldness and words to witness Your Truth to others with a spirit of humility. We look forward to the day when You will come again. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen. Peace and Blessings.
Saul before his conversion was responsible for the death and imprisonment of many Christians including the death of Stephen [Saul gave his approval and witnessed the stoning of Stephen, a faithful Christian].
With the exception of the Apostle John, Jesus’ disciples died as martyrs. If Christ did not restrain Satan’s enmity against Christians, he would attempt to eradicate believers. But Jesus always places limitations on Satan’s Warfare against the righteous.
While Saul was traveling on the road to Damascus to persecute more Christians, from Heaven, Jesus spoke to Saul.
Saul’s Conversion: “As he journeyed he [Saul] came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?…’ “
“And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting…So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ ” (Acts 9:3-6).
Not only did Christ completely transform Saul, who after his conversion used the name Paul, Jesus gave the persecutor of Christians the spiritual assignment of witnessing to the Gentiles, and starting the early Christian church.
“Although Paul had Roman citizenship, he was Hebrew by birth. Paul identified himself as both ‘Jewish’ and ‘Hebrew,’ most notably stating that he was ‘a Hebrew of the Hebrews.’ ” (Philippians 3:5).
“In the Apostle Paul’s time, paganism was the dominant religious landscape of the Greco-Roman world, characterized by polytheism and idol worship, which Paul’s ministry challenged by advocating for exclusive devotion to the one true God…”
Paul Proclaims His Mission of Witnessing to the Gentiles: “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it! And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.” (Acts 28:28-29).
The Gentiles were hated by the Jewish leaders and community because their lifestyles and pagan rituals had no boundaries. “Their pagan rituals included idol worship, sacrificing animals, food, and, in some cases, humans, and the practice of sexual immorality as part of worship to their deities.”
From fulfilling God’s mission to preach to the Gentiles, Paul was also rejected by the Jewish community. The Sanhedrin even attempted to coerce the Roman government into executing Paul.
But as a Roman citizen, Paul exercised his right to appeal to Caesar, which guaranteed a trial. But, the apostle remained a prisoner, and many years later was executed by Nero.
“The Apostle Paul was not executed for any specific legal charges, but rather fell victim to Emperor Nero’s persecution of Christians following the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64.”
During the time of his imprisonment, the Holy Spirit gave the apostle Paul, God’s spoken words that are documented in 14 books of the New Testament.
The conversion of Saul to Paul, the Apostle reveals that when we repent, God completely forgives us of every past decision, behaviors, and actions, including heinous crimes.
Repent: “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).
Like Paul, we repent, receive forgiveness, and move forward by fulfilling God’s spiritual goals for our lives. Christ has won the victory over sin, and through His redeeming power, and from striving to live holy, we are covered with His Righteousness.
The Story of Redemption
Jesus, the Sacrificial Lamb: “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, ‘I thirst!’ So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.’ (John 19:28, 30).
God’s Forgiveness: “I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25).
“Justification is God’s legal act of declaring a sinner righteous, not based on the sinner’s merit, but by imputing the Righteousness of Jesus Christ through faith in us.”
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, CSB).
“Justification is the complete act of Grace that provides the sinner with complete forgiveness and reconciliation with God, providing a clean slate rather than changing their inherent character.”
Sanctification: God, the Holy Spirit performs the lifelong transformation of our minds characters and personalities into the likeness of Christ. Still, we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit through daily surrender, faithful obedience, renouncing sin, and striving to live holy.
The Fruit of the Spirit is Christ’s Righteous Character
Sanctification: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering [patience], gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV).
The Believer’s Responsibility: “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.” (Galatians 5:24-25).
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT).
Like the apostle Paul, God’s forgiveness includes becoming a new son or daughter in Christ Jesus. We ask God to reveal our spiritual assignment and in Jesus’ strength we fulfill God’s plans for our lives.
“You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19, NIV).
Two of the most dangerous mindsets are harboring feelings of guilt and believing that God has not forgiven us when we repent of our past sins.
It is impossible to live righteously, or receive Eternal Life if we fail to use our faith to believe in The Plan of Redemption, which includes God’s Love, Grace, Mercies, and His promises to forgive us despite the nature of our past atrocities.
Fact: Satan will use people to remind us of our past. Separation is required from those who desire to confront us regarding our past lives. Neither can we have relationships with people who refuse to forgive us.
1. If it is possible to ask those who we have harmed to forgive us then God expects us to do so. Also remember, we cannot force others to forgive us.
2. If the person is deceased then it is impossible to ask them for forgiveness [“…the dead know nothing.” Ecclesiastes 9:5], we ask God to forgive us, and move forward.
3. If a legal restraining order exists, we pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to comfort the person or people we have injured. Resist the urge to intervene. Once we have asked God to send comfort, we step aside, and move forward.
There were many individuals who remembered Paul as Saul, the former Christian Killer. Even after his conversion, he was often feared, and hated by many who knew his past life.
If you are thinking, Wait, is it this easy to receive God’s forgiveness for my past? Yes, it is!
God’s Answer: “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. “(Isaiah 1:18).
To every believer, God knows our past, but, when we ask for forgiveness, God forgives us, and He expects us to move forward in the Power of His Might [Divine Strength]. With God, we will not be able to justify our decision of not “letting the past go.”
Paul tells us how to Redirect Our Spiritual Focus: “…dear brothers and sisters…I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…” (Philippians 3:13).
Reminder: “Our past decisions and actions were determined by the knowledge, or the lack of knowledge that we possessed at that time.”
“Now, that we are converted believers and live according to God’s Holy Word, we would do things very differently, but there is no opportunity for that.”
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” (Revelation 22:12).
Pray and ask God to reveal His plans for your life, and like the Apostle Paul, move forward in the Power and Strength of Jesus Christ who is coming soon. Yes and Amen!
Bible Study: Acts 9
Prayer: Lord God, create in us a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit of righteousness within us. We ask You to give us the strength to move forward in our spiritual journey as we fulfill our spiritual assignments. Lord, give us the wisdom to live as one who is forgiven, and one who is cleansed from all unrighteousness by the precious blood of Jesus Christ whose Holy Name, we ask this prayer.
The eagle is beautiful, powerful, and majestic! Still, we are created in the exact image of our Creator, Jesus Christ who promises to give us His Divine strength when we pray and wait on Him.
By performing supernatural and life-changing miracles, the Son of God who is also the Son of Man brings Glory and Honor to God, the Father, and Himself. Yes and Amen!
“But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31).
“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12).
Spending time with Jesus invites the Holy Spirit to perform the spiritual transformation of our minds, characters, and personalities into the Righteousness of Christ, only then can we reflect His perfect love to others.
One of the best benefits of intentional time with Jesus is when facing life’s overwhelming challenges, we are not anxious or worried because our first response is to humbly bow before the Throne of Grace asking for His help in our time of need.
And with confidence, we thank Him in the same prayer for giving us His perfect resolution, and a victorious outcome. Yes, we can always rely on Jesus’ promises to “never leave us or forsake us.”
Lord God, we thank You for loving us with a love so deep that we do not understand it, yet we are extremely grateful for Your Agape Love. We ask forgiveness for not spending enough time with You. In faith, we commit to daily personal worship. Teach us how to live and to live with grateful hearts. We ask this prayer in the Loving Name of Jesus, Amen.
God tells us to, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10).
Growing closer to God is not an emotional experience of highs and lows, it is a day by day spiritual transformation of our mind, character, and personality that allows us to receive Jesus’ gift of peace.
Sanctification Prepares Us for Eternal Life
Sanctification is the gradual and daily spiritual process of growth and transformation performed by the Holy Spirit, which requires the human effort of surrender, faithful obedience, and renouncing our desires, and sinful practices and pleasures.
Sanctification requires the human effort of full cooperation with the Holy Spirit. Instead of following our thoughts, we pray for God’s guidance, and obey His answers. Yes, this is a struggle!
We do not use our emotions to react to conflict, or stressful situations, instead, we strive to possess the Spirit of Christ, and immediately pray for Divine Help.
Christ’s Character: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering [patience], gentleness, goodness faith, meekness [humility], temperance [self-control], against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23).
Through our daily personal worship of Prayer and Study of the Scriptures, we receive spiritual wisdom. It is in the times of separation from others, the Holy Spirit quietly teaches us the deepest meaning of God’s Righteous Precepts.
As we begin to perceive life through the Spiritual Eyes of Christ, we begin to recognize that we are growing spiritually. Not only do our desires and goals change, but we also approach the Throne of Grace before making decisions, and rely on God to fight our battles.
Loyalty to God is manifested by righteous thoughts. Instead of pursuing earthly success and material possessions, we seek to fulfill our God-given purpose of using our talents and spiritual gifts to honor God, and witness to others.
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33, CSB).
Remaining loyal to our Shepherd does not exclude us from enduring suffering, trials, and hardships. The apostle Peter tells us that we will experience fiery trials.
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12, NLT).
“These ‘fiery trials’ are seen not as surprising misfortunes, but as opportunities to test faith, purify character, and deepen one’s connection with God, ultimately preparing us for future glory.”
Spiritual Fact: When facing challenges, our first response reveals the status of our faith and trust in God.
Although, we can resolve our obstacles, spiritual growth is evidenced by our desire to depend on God. Instead of developing strategies, our first response to adversity is a prayer asking for God’s Divine Intervention.
“Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24, CSB).
Developing a life of prayer builds steadfast faith and trust in God, and demonstrates confidence in Jesus’ promise, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”
In Philippians chapter 4, the Apostle Paul gives us Jesus’ instructions on maintaining our faith and gift of peace despite our circumstances.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Prayer connects us to Jesus, our Intercessor who receives every prayer, silent and spoken. From exercising our faith to believe in the Power of God, the Holy Spirit blesses us with Christ’s spiritual peace [an abiding inner calmness] that words cannot describe.
“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3).
God loves and honors His faithful believers. From surrendering ourselves to follow Christ, we receive the daily blessings of spiritual peace, a quiet spirit, provisions, the fruition of His perfect plans, and the ability to sleep like newborn babies.
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8).
Like David, even when facing adversity, we can have the confidence that Jesus Christ, Heaven’s Mightiest Warrior will fight every battle we face!
If you are living a life of faithful obedience then you are right where God needs you to be. Yes and Amen! Peace and Blessings.
Bible Study: Psalm 46
Lord God, we thank you for the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth who speaks to our hearts, giving us spiritual wisdom and discernment when we dedicate ourselves to follow Christ. Jesus, we thank You for Your amazing gift of peace, and protection from spiritual warfare. We give you the honor, glory, and praise, and ask this prayer in Your Holy Name, Amen.
“As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow Me,’ He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9, NIV).
As Matthew, the corrupt tax collector, sat outside at the tax table, day after day, he frequently overheard many individuals talking about Jesus’ Love, Compassion, messages of Salvation, and the countless miracles of healing He performed on the multitudes.
Although Matthew was despised by the Jewish leaders and community, his social circle included men who were as wealthy and diabolical as himself. Yes, Matthew had everything that Satan offers: wealth, pleasure, social status, and an easy life.
“So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33, ESV).
Matthew gave up the sinful pleasures of life and a prestigious job to follow Jesus. The Roman government was Matthew’s employer, and to walk away from a once-in-a-lifetime job that guaranteed forever wealth would destroy any chance of rehire.
Matthew was not intimidated by the cost of following Christ; he trusted that Jesus was exactly who He said He was, “the One sent from God.” The wealthy tax collector who immediately got up [without hesitation and with silence] from the table demonstrated the giant leap of faith that boldly says, “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back.”
The same leap of faith required to follow Christ is one that many of today’s believers are unwilling to take. We have been deceived by Satan into thinking that we can serve God and live as we please, but there is no reward for those who are not willing to be modern-day Matthews.
“But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” (Jeremiah 17:10, NLT). Jesus discerned the Tax Collector’s heart, knowing that Matthew was ready to embrace righteousness; Jesus extended the invitation, “Follow Me.”
Matthew’s decision to follow Christ did not happen at the time he received Jesus’ invitation. From previously hearing about Christ, Matthew used his faith to believe, which invited the Holy Spirit to perform immediate Heart Conversion when Jesus said, “Follow Me.” [In Genesis chapter 1, the Scriptures mention that God, the Holy Spirit, was present with God, the Father, and God, Jesus, the Son.]
Despite the hardships of rejection and hardships that all followers of Christ must endure, Matthew was 100% committed to love and obey God, love others, renounce his former sinful habits and lifestyle, and remain loyal to Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
As one of the twelve apostles, Matthew traveled with Jesus for three years [the duration of Christ’s earthly ministry]. Spending time with Christ every day resulted in a complete spiritual transformation of his mind, character, and personality into the likeness of Christ.
The apostle Matthew proves that, despite our past, dedicating oneself to following Jesus results in a new heart overflowing with love, faith, obedience, and loyalty to Jesus Christ. Every day that we consecrate ourselves to faithfully follow and obey Jesus invites the Holy Spirit to perform the life-transforming spiritual process of Sanctification.
“The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:14, NIV).
Not only will eleven of the twelve men [Jesus’ original disciples], and Matthias who replaced Judas, receive Eternal Life when our Triumphant King comes again, they will also have their names inscribed on the foundations of the New Jerusalem.
Righteousness by Faith: Our greatest desire should be to follow Jesus with love, loyalty, and faithful obedience. We only have one opportunity to become faithful followers, and that is in our earthly lives. Only those who are willing to let go of every desire, pleasure, and material treasure to follow their Savior and Shepherd will receive the Crown of Life. Yes and Amen!
Bible Study: Matthew 9, Revelation 21-22
Prayer: Lord God, create in us a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within us. We ask You to turn our eyes away from worthless things, so like Matthew, we are willing to follow You wherever You lead us. We ask this prayer in the Powerful Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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