You Cannot Serve God and Riches “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Matthew 6:24
Trusting God includes believing that He will keep His promises to supply all of our needs.
A discontented heart craving for possessions separates us from God because we do not live by the righteous standard of, “God, let Your will be done.”
When we assume the role of Self-Provider, we lose our desire to receive and wait for God’s blessings. Sadly, our heart once filled with gratitude is replaced with a spirit of greed and selfishness. Practicing the habits of unbelievers leads us to commit their sins of the Pride of Life.
From chasing wealth and tangible things, we mismanage and waste our God-given resources. Enslavement to money-lenders causes us to lose our joy and laughter. Most importantly, we become dissatisfied with God’s provisions, and our focus is redirected from receiving our reward of eternal life to pursuing our best earthly life.
The mindset of “Purchasing Power” also results in possessing a spirit of independence and causes us to lose our love and appreciation for Yahweh Yireh, God, Our Provider.
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” – 1 Timothy 1:6
To find satisfaction in what we have and to trust in God’s provisions creates a healthy spiritual dependence on God allowing us to enjoy His gifts of peace, joy, and happiness. No debt, no worries!
“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, ESV).
Be grateful. Be content. Stop spending. Get rid of debt, and Trust God.
Lord God, we ask for forgiveness of practicing the sin of self-gratification. Thank You for Your endless provisions and sustaining our lives. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray, Amen.
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ ” (John 14:6).
“I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Our answer reveals our true spiritual status and the quality of our relationship with our Triumphant King, Jesus Christ.
Every morning, we decide if we will consecrate ourselves to God and prepare every day to see Jesus. Currently we are living in “the beginning of sorrows” [Matthew 24], and Perilous Times [2 Timothy 3].
“For, ‘In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.’ ” -Hebrews 10:37
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” -Revelation 22:20
“I will be like a shepherd looking for His scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day.” -Ezekiel 34:12
Our identity, courage, confidence, joy, happiness, and peace remain steadfast when we use our faith to believe that Christ, our Shepherd loves us. Understanding God’s love keeps us spiritually grounded.
Our responsibility is to accept our role as sheep who willingly follow their Shepherd. We use our faith to stay connected to God, study the Scriptures daily, and maintain a life of much prayer which reinforces our spiritual bond with Jesus Christ. Loving God more than ourselves is the must have attribute of a follower.
The parable of Jesus, our Shepherd and His sheep reveals the spiritual bond that we have with Christ when we accept Him as our personal Savior. Loving and trusting the Shepherd produces the desire to follow Him. Whether the season is dark and stormy or peaceful, the Shepherd never leaves His sheep.
Jesus’ commitment was proven on Calvary’s Cross: “All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.” -Isaiah 53:6, NLT
Even when we walk away from the Good Shepherd, Jesus never forsakes His sheep. Before a believer sins, the Holy Spirit speaks to us through our conscience. At that point, we have the choice to pray and renounce the temptation, or we ignore the Holy Spirit, and fulfill our heart’s desires.
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you.” -Jeremiah 31:3
In our state of rebellion, Jesus still searches for us by knocking on the door of our hearts. Through the Holy Spirit, our Shepherd calls us to return, yet, we are never coerced into returning to Christ. Sin is the decision to use our gift of free will to rebel against God. Often it is the plight of suffering consequences that causes us to desperately seek our Shepherd.
God’s Never-ending Love: With a prayer of repentance, we are forgiven, and that is the beauty of God’s grace and mercies.
“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
Jesus has proven His unconditional love for us and it is time to decide whom we will serve. Our Shepherd is committed to leading us through the rigorous journey of our earthly lives. With the spirit of humility and faithful obedience, we can receive the Heavenly reward of Eternal life.
Following the Shepherd [Jesus] requires the lifelong commitment to seek and obey His perfect will. Faithful sheep demonstrate their love for Christ through daily surrender, unwavering trust, and obedience, and will be greatly rewarded.
Lord God, we desire to follow You with love and dedication, and ask you to forgive us for our sins of rebellion. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray, Amen.
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you.” -Jeremiah 31:3
Time, spiritual gifts, and talents are given to us to be used for God’s honor and glory. 10% of our day is 2.4 hours and 5% is 1.2 hours [72 minutes], yet most do not even spend 30 minutes a day in the personal worship of prayer, Bible Study, and reflection on God’s love faithfulness, grace, and mercies.
“Is it too much to give ourselves to Him who has sacrificed all for us?”
Time is the most precious commodity that we can use to express our love and appreciation for God. Our commitment to live a sacrificial lifestyle in a world that focuses on self-achievement and self-gratification indicates our desire to actively participate in the daily spiritual process of Sanctification, and will be greatly rewarded when Jesus comes again.
Lord God, we dedicate ourselves and our time to You and ask for a spiritual renewal in our lives. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray Amen.
“As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew (Levi) sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, ‘Follow Me [as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk].’ And Matthew got up and followed Him.” Matthew 9:9, Amplified Bible
Every day, we face the internal conflict of following our thoughts, desires, and inclinations [feelings] or seeking and fulfilling God’s perfect plans. Because we inherited rebellious hearts, pursuing righteousness is not our default setting. Yet God gave us the spiritual attributes of love, power, and self-control to counteract fulfilling our desires and falling into temptation.
Loving God requires active participation and is demonstrated through daily surrender and loyalty. We choose to obey God’s Righteous Precepts. Pray continuously for the strength to live holy through faithful obedience.
“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:16-17).
Lord God, we pray for the desire to consecrate ourselves to serve You faithfully as we prepare for Jesus’ soon coming. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray, Amen.
“The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.” —Psalm 121:5
From the moment we awaken, we are actively involved in the ongoing battle of good and evil. Without heavenly angelic intervention, we could never overcome humanity’s greatest enemy—Satan, the stealthy “roaring lion” who desires to separate us from God by presenting personalized and dangerous temptations of worldly pleasures and treasures that appeal to each of our heart’s desires.
The Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God: “Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler [deception] And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge…” —Psalm 91:3-4
Throughout our waking hours, we should whisper prayers of gratitude for Christ’s continuous protection from unseen and seen harm provided by His angelic armies. Unknowingly, we face harm through covert schemes of powerful deceptions, identity theft, financial scams, fake love relationships targeting the lonely, coercion, and many other dangers developed to devastate our lives.
It was not our human wisdom that prevented us from sustaining major losses. The righteous are blessed with guardian angels who protect us from the evil of unseen spiritual warfare. Near-miss vehicle collisions, personal falls without injury, and protection from highly contagious diseases are only a few of God’s Divine blessings of protection.
“…When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.” —Isaiah 59:19
It is not good luck, charms, chants. or ancient spirits that protect us. Our safety from all hurt and harm is a result of God’s overwhelming love and continuous mercies of providing angelic protection to keep us safe. God’s protection knows no boundaries, He also protects us from from succumbing to temptation.
“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” —1 Corinthians 10:13, NLT
Even when facing temptation, we receive a warning from the Holy Spirit that something is not right! The disturbance of our inner peace and feelings of unease arises from the Holy Spirit who alerts our guardian angels, who always obey Jesus Christ, their Commander, to warn and protect us. God’s promises of protection are timeless, and valid, and include today’s Christian believers.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” —Isaiah 43:1-3
The Scriptures reveal God’s Love and His continuous Intervention in our lives. We are loved beyond measure! We must love God with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength to worship Him in spirit and truth with faithful obedience. If we do not worship God in our earthly lives, certainly, we will not desire an eternal life of worshiping God.
This Sabbath [and every day] separate yourself at least twice daily to enjoy a time of intimate worship of praying, studying the Scriptures, and singing songs of gratitude to Elohim Shomri.
“Elohim Shomri” translates to ‘God our Protector’ or ‘God my Protector,’ emphasizing God’s role as a Provider of safety and protection.’
“Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you…” —Isaiah 43:4
Bible Study: Psalm 91, Psalm 121, and 2 Kings 6
Lord God, for your never-ending love, mercies, faithfulness, and protection we say, Hallelujah and Thank You! We ask for a much-needed spiritual blessing of wisdom and strength on your Holy Sabbath. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
Our Heavenly Father Cares Devotional – March 6, 2025
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:9
Spiritual courage comes from believing that God [God, the Father, God, Jesus, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit] is Sovereign, Omniscient [All-Knowing], and Omnipotent [All-Powerful].
With faith and trust, we believe in God’s unconditional love and faithfulness to humanity [we were created in His likeness, and Jesus gave His life to save our souls], and acknowledge He knows what is best for our lives, therefore, we honor and revere His Holy Name through faithful obedience.
[Spiritual] Courage is a choice to obey and move forward on God’s Chosen Path for our lives even when we do not understand. Because we love God, even when facing the harsh vicissitudes of life, we courageously ignore our thoughts of self-reliance, pray for God’s guidance, and wait for His answer.
Courage is the righteous attribute that tells us to use our blind faith to Keep Moving Forward in Jesus’ Divine Strength. Courage requires us to take giant leaps of faith despite the continuous roadblocks of trials and hardships. From our willingness to obey God, the Holy Spirit strengthens our faith and confidence in God even when we do not understand the reason for His directive.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” —Isaiah 55:9
God reminds us that His thoughts will always supersede our understanding, yet, obedience touches God’s heart, when we obey His plans, we know the outcome is always victorious. Providence is “God’s involvement in every aspect of our lives, from birth to death, and from heaven to earth.” Every faithful and obedient believer can live with the joyful expectation of receiving God’s Divine Providence in their lives. Yes and Amen. Great is His Faithfulness!
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” —Romans 8:28
“God leads people in ways that are best for them, even if those ways seem mysterious.” Throughout the Bible, we find that God gives directives without giving an “explanation of why.” Jesus Healing the Blind Man: “And He [Jesus] said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing” (John 9:7).
When praying for Divine Help, we may have the expectation of knowing all the intricate details, but God will never comply according to our wishes. We must pass the test of faith by obeying His instructions as given. One certainty that we know from the Scriptures is that God’s directives are never vague or confusing, we do not have to guess what He wants us to do, yet we will never receive the rationale.
“Do not be wise in your own eyes…” (Proverbs 3:7). Every day we decide whether to choose Divine Providence or to fulfill our desires and plans. To follow Christ, we must accept that human knowledge and perception are limited and influenced by many factors including our life experience. We cannot know what is best for us. Much prayer for an increase in strength is required to maintain a spirit of humility and faithfully obey Yahweh [“I Am Who I Am”].
“LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” —Jeremiah 10:23
Without God, there is a certain level of chaos and confusion that always resides in a person’s life. When everyone around us is relying on their human wisdom, and it appears that all is well, behind the scenes, the Scriptures reveal their minds will never experience a moment of God’s peace. Do not be deceived, unbelievers readily give advice but rarely discuss the consequences of their misguided decisions.
Our Heavenly Father does not want us to live a life filled with anxiety, worries, or suffering the consequences of excluding Him from our decisions. Despite our resourcefulness and accomplishments, we cannot control circumstances, predict the future, or guarantee outcomes even when utilizing the best strategic planning.
“But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.” —Proverbs 4:19
Unlike the unbelievers who reject God and His Divine Providence, we cannot afford to play the Game of Chance—renounce self-reliance by choosing to seek God’s will through daily surrender. When everyone else says yes, we use our spiritual courage to swim against the tide. Never feel coerced to make an immediate decision. Always pray and wait for God’s guidance.
“Now the just [righteous] shall live by faith…” (Hebrews 10:38). Obedience keeps us aligned with God’s perfect plans, always includes much-needed blessings, and guarantees we will not suffer from delayed consequences that we did not anticipate, but are guaranteed to happen.
What does Courageous Christianity look like in real life?
At the end of the day, take a moment to reflect on the minor inconveniences you encountered but easily resolved. Chances are you never thought about asking God for help. The downside is that self-reliance does not always reveal itself as wilful disobedience. God knows our weaknesses and will allow our faith to be tested in various ways. Pray about everything!
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” —1 Peter 5:8
Nothing that produces opposition in our lives just happens. One temptation that every believer fails is giving into Self-Reliance. Not all tests of faith and obedience are on a grand scale [trials that are impossible for human effort to resolve], it is life’s small disturbances and issues that lead us to make quick resolutions and exclude God.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” —Proverbs 3: 5-6
The trusting heart involves God in every aspect of their lives. Pray over your life [and your family] and wait for God’s answer. Yes, we can resolve many situations, but we pray for Divine guidance because we trust in God and will never experience regrets. Steadfast courage is not only essential in resisting our internal urges to move forward without involving God but also needed to actively participate in our journey of spiritual growth and transformation.
“…I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me. He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.” —John 8:28-29
From praying daily for God’s will to be revealed, the Holy Spirit empowers us with Jesus’ Divine strength, which deepens our faith and strengthens us to overcome temptation. To pray in faith means we refrain from making decisions until we receive an answer from God.
The struggle against our desires is real! Renouncing self-reliance is a daily internal battle that requires true worship in spirit and truth. Every day, we need Divine power to strengthen our spiritual courage, as we have the responsibility to cultivate the spirit of humility required to depend on God.
“Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous, But the LORD rescues him from them all.” —Psalm 34:19, Amplified Bible.
Daily surrender prepares us for when the major storm arrives. Instead of thinking, What am I going to do? our immediate response is to pray for God’s help. Because we have established the habit of depending on God, we pray in faith with the confidence that God will bring resolution. Despite the circumstances or the time required to wait on God, we should remain hopeful and courageous.
“Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” —Jeremiah 32:27
A spiritual chain of reaction occurs when we use our faith to pray and patiently wait for Divine Intervention. Not only do we receive God’s guidance but we also gain spiritual wisdom—an attribute required to live courageously which allows us to perceive life through spiritual eyes.
“Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” —Psalm 27:14, NLT
From trusting God, we are empowered daily with Christ’s strength and gifted with His inner peace which allows us to courageously walk through life even when the storms are raging without anxiety, worry, or fears. And this brothers and sisters is real-life Courageous Christianity!
Prayer: “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken” (Psalm 16:7-8). Amen.
Lord God, we thank You for Your Relentless Love and Divine Intervention. We pray for those whose lives are overcome by the turmoil of war, famine, natural disasters, and social and political unrest. Please strengthen us in our daily journey and we ask for a blessing of peace and restoration of hope as we worship You on this Holy Sabbath. With expectancy, we humbly ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.
When we are in sync with God’s will and His plans, the Holy Spirit gives us inner peace. While waiting, we use our faith to rejoice because we know that God is Faithful. Our Father always gives us the best! Anticipate a victorious outcome because He is God! Yes and Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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