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You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.–Matthew 24:6-8

When I graduated from nursing school, I was recommended by our Director for a pilot program in the town’s only hospital; two graduate nurses would receive a career offer in the Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery- NICU. The plan was developed to provide entry into a specialized area of nursing that was closed to nurses without years of experience. For those who have been in the health profession, since yesteryears are aware that the legal liabilities and ethical dilemmas that could arise from such a venture placed the program into a high-risk category.

Nevertheless, the hospital’s legal team and executive board, including tenured nursing administration, developed a fail-proof program that was approved by the NY State Education Department, which regulates the practice of the nursing profession. Criteria to remain in the mentoring program were stringent:

1. All nursing care would be rendered under the guidance of a nurse-proctor.
2. Within two months, the candidate would successfully pass the State Registered Professional Nurse licensure exam.
3. A weekly evaluation reflecting the professional growth of nursing knowledge, judgment, critical-thinking skills, and observational skills along with excellent clinical practice.

Although the program was highly successful, a factor arose that was not considered by the team of experts or the Board of Nursing: The human heart of a newbie nurse! The acuity level of a newborn infant in the NICU is often hanging between the balances of life and death. Indeed, these are not infants who are born healthy and thriving. These are the infants who have arrived with emergent needs who, despite the best efforts, may fail to respond to even the most advanced medical treatment and nursing interventions.

For the hospital, I was a $20,000 investment–excluding my salary. I desperately tried to focus on the infant population that thrived, leading to their hospital discharge. Even so, I could not reach the comfort level to cope with the many infants who failed to respond. My heart was grieved, but I realized that I could not fight with death daily and maintain a positive outlook for my future nursing career.

For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24: 38-39. 

Unfortunately, most of us are repeating the historical lifestyle choices of our antediluvian predecessors. We have failed to respond to God’s love, grace, and mercies. Biblical prophecies indicate that God’s forbearance and tolerance for humanity’s disobedience are ending.

The global diseases, calamities of nature, social issues, false teachings by false prophets, hatred, and those who possess the mindset of Pharoah have reached epidemic levels. But Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.” Exodus 5:2

The decision is ours, we possess the freedom to respond to God, who has better plans for us, or we can continue to please ourselves. We cannot change the fact that we are created in His image and are loved as only a Heavenly Father can love. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9.

God’s promises are being fulfilled. Jesus Christ is soon to return. Look forward to a perfect and Eternal life in the New Heaven and New Earth.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

 

 

Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on Earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever. Psalm 73:25-26

The walk with Jesus requires that we faithfully keep our eyes (our minds) focused on Him. When we pray and believe that God is taking care of every situation that arises in our lives, we can experience complete trust in our Savior.

Do you have a worry-free life? Think about losing all of your earthly possessions, including your investments or savings account. If that thought gives you anxiety or places fear within your heart, then you are not totally dependent on God.

Knowing God is freedom, knowing God is having peace, and knowing God provides the reassurance that He is always here.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

 

For those of us on a budget, we can travel the world through the eyes of others. The photographic scenic view of the Fairy Pools in the Isle of Skye, Scotland are merely breathtaking. We can still enjoy the remnants of the magnificent earth that God created, as told to us in Genesis.

Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9. 

According to John in Revelation 21-22, God has even more exceptional beauty planned for the New Heaven and the New Earth. Please do not believe that our present life is all that God will freely give to those who just hang in there with Him.

Pray and release all of your circumstances over to God. “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” Mark 9:23. Embrace the Bible as if your life depends on it because it does. Satan’s negative works are diminished when we fill our minds with scriptures of hope. Since he and his legion of angels are working hard to convince humanity that there is no Eternal life, he preys on the weak.

We are weak without prayer and dutiful study of the Bible. Make the decision to prepare for the blessing of Eternal life by throwing away all of your doubts and fears. We can depend on God to bring us through and give us a victorious outcome if we only believe.

Prayer: Dear God, We praise your name and we ask forgiveness for our doubt and unbelief. We give our situations over to you and will patiently wait for you to bring victory to our lives. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we ask this prayer. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

 

We serve an awesome God. Amen!

This is absolutely one of my favorite songs. No matter how many times I listen to the words, I receive the blessing that meets me just where I am for that particular day.

It is an exciting time as I wait for the sunset which brings the incoming of a new Sabbath. Whatever I have faced from Sunday through today is in God’s hands. I am confident that God is working out all of the things that I have prayed about. My burdens are completely lifted from my heart.

God is the only one that I can totally depend on and because I have asked Him to reveal His plans for my life, I finally have perfect peace.

Have a beautiful and blessed Sabbath.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

Pray that you will enjoy this blessing in song.

Dear children, let’s not merely say we love each other, let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:18-20

Our actions reveal our true feelings and reflect whether or not we possess a deep-rooted love for God by how we treat others. The tests and trials that we pray for deliverance from will always be up close and personal. We must experience situations that allow for complete exposure of our true character as seen by God. God’s definition of love does not include, “if your brother or sister in Christ always does or says things according to your standards, then you love them, as I love you.”

Many times, we do not realize why we are experiencing certain hardships. Is it possible that our standards for loving others are misaligned with God’s defining attributes of love? It is an absolute of life that people will never say the right thing or act appropriately, especially when necessary. And that weakness remains a catalyst for imposing our definition of loving others based on self-created conditions. It is the small mistakes committed by our sinful natures that Satan uses to drive a wedge between the family of God’s believers.

Yes, most unbelieving individuals cannot help us grow spiritually and God allows them to drop entirely out of our lives. Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. 2 Corinthians 6:17. However, we are speaking of the family of God, the believers who require our love and support, that we mistreat by holding the grudges of unforgiveness, or we decide that we will cease communication or contact because we are exercising our power of choice.

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 1 Peter 4:8-10.

We must extend love and forbearance for one another, or we make a choice to willfully disobey God by deciding which of His commands we will honor. Making the decision to serve God with all of our hearts allows us to freely extend mercy, compassion, and, most importantly, forgiveness.

Are you really growing in God’s grace? Spiritual maturity allows us to let go of all of the petty infractions in this life. “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James 3:17-18.

No love for others, No God, and No Peace!

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

 

A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain. Charlie Chaplin

It has been more than 30 years since Norman Cousins published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine¹ extolling the potential medicinal benefits of laughter and humour…They are easy to prescribe, and there are no substantial concerns with respect to dose, side effects, or allergies. It seems, however, that the medical community has been reluctant to embrace and support laughter for health. William B. Stream, Ph.D.

One of the most heartbreaking things that I ever observed during a church service was the frowned face of one of the parishioners in response to an infant who discovered his ability to laugh. The little tyke was bouncing up and down, attempting to join in the rousing song service. Since he was too young to sing the words, he offered God praise through his laughter.

Believe me, life is tough! Even Jesus forewarned us, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. When we succumb to the vicissitudes of life and end up bitter, holding grudges, and living with a chip on our shoulders, it is not possible to possess the Joy of the Lord. We serve a mighty God who loves us and is here for us. He has not left us destitute, we are not traveling on an endless road of suffering.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2. Do we really believe in God?

Our ability to laugh, smile, clap our hands and give praise to the great El Shaddai Adonai are priceless gifts that were only given to humanity to show love and adoration for the Creator of all Mankind.

Release the unhappiness caused by the struggle; Cast your burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 2 Corinthians 5:7

Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7

Trust and Obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

Reference: Humor, laughter, learning, and health! A brief review. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00030.2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you earnestly prayed for a personal desire or a problem, and after a predetermined time when you did not receive your blessing, you decided to take matters into your own hands? Many of us, at some point, have made the decision to help God to answer our prayers. What we fail to realize is that God has responded to our prayer, it’s just that we are not spiritually in sync to hear, understand, or accept His answer.

Answers to our prayers include:

1. Yes, immediately.

2. Yes, but not now. Wait.

3. No

If my people who are called by name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

1. God’s promises are always based on “If.” We must pray with a clean heart and a contrite spirit. It takes active participation to possess humility and discard our willfulness.

2. Are our prayers amiss? What are we praying for? God is Omniscient, knowing the end from the beginning. Our minds are finite, and we are unable to foresee the consequences of our desires and choices.

Paul prayed three times for God to remove the thorn from his flesh. Whatever the malady was that caused his suffering, God said no, but He lovingly provided Paul with an explanation: But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9.

3.”…What is a man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him? Hebrews 2:6. When we receive the answer of “No” or “Yes, but not now. Wait;” then we must recognize our limitations as human beings and fully accept God’s will. Even Job became haughty when suffering through his gruesome trials, but God reminded Job of who He is: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you know so much.” Job 38:4. 

4. Changing our perspective of God results in extreme piety, which is devotion, and reverence to a God whose Omnipotence is not harsh and overbearing. God was aware that humanity would fail miserably, and we would always be drawn toward sin and its pleasures. Even so, His merciful solution was to love us unconditionally by giving His only Son to suffer and die for us. The Plan of Salvation included Confession, Repentance, Faith, Trust, and Obedience to ensure that we had the opportunity to be redeemed from our sins and receive the reward of Eternal life. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15.

5. When God says “yes,” to our prayers, then we must move forward without fear. It is not the time to ask What if?  

Then Moses asked God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ What should I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” Exodus 3: 13, 14

Who can know our life story before it unfolds? Only God! Give Him your unconditional love and trust in Him, even unto death.

6. How will we know God’s answer? The Holy Spirit will allow a complete understanding of God’s desires for each of us. You will know exactly which path He desires for you to take. Casting all doubt aside and trusting in God is possible because we know His Character from studying the Bible.  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.… Jeremiah 29:11-12

7. Does “I AM” still love us?  The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore, with lovingkindness, I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3

When we fully surrender to God, we pray and thank Him in advance for providing the perfect solutions.  And we stand still until He answers; Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD! Psalm 27:14

Dear God: Help us to understand who you really are and to wait for your answer until you reveal your will for our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020