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Practical Messages for Impractical Times

I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! Revelation 3:15

Many years ago, I served as a juror on a very lengthy murder trial. Reviewing the evidence presented by the State Prosecutor and the Defending Attorney proved to be a daunting task. We were mentally and physically exhausted from dissecting the witnesses’ statements for hours. Deliberation continued for days due to indecision on the part of three jurors. The Foreman urged us to reach a unanimous decision. Finally, the Judge approached us to reiterate that we would not be a “Hung jury” in his court. A decision had to be made in a timely manner; the verdict could not be “maybe”, each juror had to make the decision of guilty or not guilty.

In Revelation 3, letters were written to three churches regarding their spiritual condition. The members of the Laodicean Church were wealthy and felt they had no further needs; their hearts were not fully committed to God due to the love of money. The letter admonishes them to make a choice-there was no middle ground. God clearly stated the consequences of defining salvation according to their own thought processes.

Presently, there are three groups of individuals; those who serve God, those who do not serve God, and those who are in the valley of indecision-not committed one way or the other. As we progress in our lives, we cannot be a “Hung Believer.” The plan of Salvation does not contain variations or multiple-choice options.

We must make the decision to be obedient and serve God fully or choose disobedience by living to please self.

The time is upon us, earth’s history is coming to a close. God’s spirit is being withdrawn from the earth, and things will only get worse. Religious liberty is losing strength as evidenced by Bible burning and persecution for acknowledging God on a global level. The atmosphere of racial and religious tension has gained strength and has forcefully divided the United States once again. Heinous crimes, violence, substance abuse, and suicide have increased at a phenomenal rate. Families are torn apart and the list goes on and on.

We are either guilty or not guilty of being “hearers and not doers” of God’s Word. The decision to completely serve God is a personal choice and the result of love, commitment, and obedience. Either we will choose to have the greatest reward-Eternal life or to be destroyed by hell fire-the final death of the wicked.

And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name: For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed. Revelation 15:3-4 NLT

Bible Reading: James 1:22-25

Prayer for today: Dear God, I have been standing in the valley of indecision for too long. I ask forgiveness for the sin of wavering by not fully committing my life to you. From this moment forward, God, I want to commit myself to you. Please reveal your plan for my life. Thank you for your love, your grace, and your mercies. I ask this prayer in the Worthy name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2019

If we seriously think about the little that God asks us to do, then we would gladly do it and even go above and beyond through sacrificial giving of our praise, our worship, our time and our money.

God deserves so much more than average; He deserves effort above what many of us are willing to give. When is the last time that you truly sacrificed for God?

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27 ESV

Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Prayer for today: Dear God, We admit that we are not giving to you as we should. We have become self-centered in our ways of thinking and doing. And we ask forgiveness for placing you second in our lives. As we move forward, we ask you to reveal your will in our lives and teach us how to give above and beyond what we are currently doing. We ask these blessings in the Worthy name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2019

Praise God for the Sabbath🙏❤

We must hear and do what is in the Word of God!

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he laid. Matthew 28:6

As we prepare for the Sabbath, which is from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, deeply reflect on the great sacrifice that Jesus made for everyone: His death, which was for us, was a crucial part of the Plan of Salvation.

The Omniscient God

When Jesus agreed to die for humanity, it was not a last-minute emergency plan that had to be developed after Adam and Eve disobeyed and sinned against God.

The all-knowing God made the decision to create humanity–out of love and in His image–with the ability to choose to rebel by disobeying His commands.

Whatever your perception of God is, you should know that God also had a choice-He did not have to create us; but He did.

God had one son, Jesus Christ, who possesses all of the powers that His Father has. For Divinity to bow down and become human, You made them a little lower than the angels… Hebrews 2:7 (first part), it was the ultimate love sacrifice. With finite minds, we are unable to understand the suffering, the humiliation, and the death on a rugged cross that was used for criminals.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well. Psalm 139:14 BSB

Live life with never-ending praise, gratitude, and obedience to our Great God.

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! Psalm 95:6

Bible Readings: Matthew 28, Psalm 95

Prayer for today: Dear God, Your love for humanity is awesome. As we prepare for the Sabbath, please help us to remember the Plan of Salvation and that the death of your only Son, Jesus, was required to redeem us from sin. We ask you to forgive us for taking you for granted, for our disobedience, and for our ingratitude. Lord, as we move forward with a renewed commitment to praise and worship you, we pray for your blessing upon our lives. We ask these things in the Worthy name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Psalm 23:4 NLT

When we are faced with harsh difficulties that leave us feeling that there is no way out, we are exactly in the place where God wants us to be. God wants us to realize that we cannot use human intuition to resolve our problems that always require Divine Intervention.

God is not asking for our help: He is Omnipotent; He is Omnipresent; He is the Problem Solver; He knows the future and has all of the answers, all of the time.

We must diligently study the Word of God in order to know who God is and what God is capable of. Studying the Bible provides spiritual food for our souls and guides our prayers in the right direction. We learn to ask God for the right thing in the right manner when we stay in His Word.

Divine Intervention which is God’s will for our lives requires for us to wait and to:

“Be still and know that I am God!…” Psalm 46:10

Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 NLT

Believer Alert: God is BIGGER than our problem!

Bible Readings: Psalm 23, 27

Prayer for today: Dear God, Thank you for being our Jehovah Jireh. Thank you for always being available for us to talk to you in prayer. We pray for your Divine Intervention in our lives at all times. Please give us the desire to obey and to wait patiently while you do your will for us. We ask forgiveness of our sins and shortcomings, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to fill us with your Holy Spirit. We ask these blessings upon our lives in the Worthy name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2019

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 ESV

How many of your character traits do you need to discard? How were your character traits formed? Although genetics has its place in who we are, the environment we are exposed to is largely responsible for our character.

There are certain professions that impact your personal life such as healthcare, law enforcement, military, national security, etc. The successful training and remolding of the individual’s mindset and lifestyle qualify them to commit to the standards of said professions. Or, perhaps you were part of a rigid, authoritarian upbringing where extreme structure and discipline abounded, and logic was not balanced with love. Another scenario is that the lack of structure, and discipline or refusal to abide by rules, produced disorderly and disruptive character traits.

There is a drawback to possessing character traits that are in conflict with the Word of God; you are willfully committing sin against God and subjecting others–families and friends to wayward and ungodly traits. We are not helpless in changing the traits that are displeasing to God; in fact, we should not allow environmental influence or career training to override the character that God requires us to possess.

By studying the Word of God, I am learning that Galatians 5:22,23 and Ephesians 4:32 are the expectations that God has for me as a Christian (Christ-like).

Does your character align with God’s requirements? If not, pray and discard the misaligned habits and traits like you would throw away filthy rags.

Bible Reading: Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT

Prayer for today: Dear God, We ask forgiveness for character traits that are displeasing in your sight: yet, we continue to hold on to them like precious gold. It is our desire to possess the Fruit of the Spirit, to have unconditional love, and forgiveness, no matter the circumstances that we experience. Thank you for your Holy Word that we are able to study, and gain knowledge of who you are and the expectations for our lives. Please give us the humility to recognize the traits that we need to throw away, the strength to change, and the desire to do your will. These blessings we ask in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2019

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. Jeremiah 29:12 ESV

Do you believe that God is bigger than your problems?

Take the giant Leap of Faith and give Him every concern, every worry, every situation, and every problem you are facing. It is that simple; we make our lives more complicated when we take on burdens that God never intended for us to have. God desires that we believe in His promises. Remember, He can never fail!

Pray, Believe, and Trust in God!

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2019

Bible Readings: Study the Word

Hebrews 13:8
John 16:33
Malachi 3:6
Isaiah 55
Deuteronomy 28:1 36:1
Hebrews 12:1
Isaiah 41:10
Psalm 46:3
Philippians 4:6
Joshua 1:9

Prayer for today: Dear Lord and Father of all mankind, We ask you to forgive us for carrying the weight of our burdens instead of calling on your name. O God, we need you more than ever in our lives. We can do nothing and we are nothing without you. Please hear our prayer and we will patiently wait until you answer. We ask this prayer in the Worthy name of Jesus. Amen.

In the early 1990s, I worked with an MSW-Social Worker for one of New York State’s Division of Parole’s Transitional programs. Joe taught me a lot about the grimy-dirty side of life that I had never been exposed to and the ways to avoid being taken advantage of. He would always explain that the optimism that I possessed left me open as an easy target for “bad people with bad intentions.”

In New York City, many individuals take public transportation or walk to their destinations due to the hustle and bustle of life in an overly populated city. One day, as we returned from lunch, I decided to stop by a bodega and buy a packet of gum. After we left the store, Joe commented on the fact that I did not count my change, and my quick response was that “it was only coins, and that it really didn’t matter.” I knew that Joe would always have a rational explanation, so I sighed and prepared myself to hear yet another reason why I should change my behavior.

My faithful friend explained that if 100 customers enter the store every day and each person is short-changed by 10 cents, then the overage that the store-owner receives in a month adds up to $300 per month and $3600 per year. When I sat down at my desk and counted my change, I realized that I had been short-changed by 18 cents. The owner of the bodega used a technique in which he apologized for giving me nickels and pennies because he had a limited amount of quarters. The lesson was well-learned: Be willing to listen, learn, and remain open to change!

From a spiritual perspective, we have a guidebook-the Bible which addresses every aspect of our daily lives. Often there is a gap between studying the Word of God and the practical application of the Word to our daily lives in order for a complete transformation to occur.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22 NIV

We must possess the desire to live by the Word of God. God is awesome in the fact that He did not give us the burden of trying to figure out what is needed in our lives; the gap is filled in by the Holy Spirit who is our Teacher. For the connection to be complete, it is our duty to pray for wisdom and to be filled with the Holy Spirit, or the power of God cannot fully institute the much-needed changes in our lives.

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 ESV

Begin today by performing a self-evaluation of your thoughts, behaviors, and habits. Are there discrepancies between God’s definition of righteousness by faith and your current lifestyle?

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; Romans 3:10 NIV

Confession, Repentance, Praying for Forgiveness and Making a Commitment to Serve God requires Obedience and Sacrifice.

God has given us the ability to renounce sin and strive for spiritual perfection. Just a word of caution: If you make the commitment to do the will of God and completely live for Him, you will have to give up and let go of people, places, and things.

Do not be deceived or short-changed by the enemy-Satan! The Word of GOD is TRUTH and we can be transformed through the power of God and our Teacher-the Holy Spirit.

Jesus left us an example of obedience and servitude; He was born lowly, lived to please God his Father, sacrificed his life and suffered a cruel death on the cross. But, we know the story did not end there; Matthew 28 tells us of Jesus Christ rising from the dead and Acts 1:9-11 states:

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Allow the Holy Spirit to fully lead you and guide you from this day forward; God has a great work for each of us to do before His Son, Jesus comes again.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

Claim your transformation by inviting the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and direct your life. Jesus’ Second coming is upon us: We can be Victors and have Eternal Life if we so desire.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2019

Bible Reading: Matthew 28 and Acts 1

Prayer for today: Dear God, We confess that we have not lived as you have commanded. We ask forgiveness for not listening, learning, and fulfilling our Commission to witness to others about your love, sacrifice, the plan of Salvation, and your soon return. We ask you to fill us with your Holy Spirit and to transform us from our pitiful state of hearing and not doing as you have commanded. Lord, we are willing to completely submit and obey; we will live according to your will from this day forward. This prayer we ask in the Worthy name of Jesus. Amen.