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Sabbath Devotional—Crowns and Robes for the Righteous

Sabbath Devotional Reading and Podcast—Crowns and Robes for the Righteous

“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…’ ” —Matthew 25:34

We are not only in a continuous struggle against spiritual warfare but must also fight against the inner desires of our hearts. Satan promotes the pleasures of this world because he knows his destiny. His goal is to prevent us from receiving our crown, robe, and eternal life.

Our situation may appear hopeless because we failed to overcome spiritual warfare and the battle within from inheriting deceitful and desperately wicked hearts. Yet, we are not in a losing predicament because we have a Savior, Jesus Christ.

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” —Deuteronomy 31:8

As our Heavenly Father, Jesus protects us from the many satanic attacks that we know nothing about. Christ has assigned His army of angels to fight our spiritual battles [seen and unseen]. To receive Divine help in our activities of daily living, we place our thoughts and strategies aside by praying every day for God’s Divine Intervention for guidance and protection.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me, you can do nothing.” —John 15:5

The word, “Abide” may be a mystery to us. What does it mean to abide in Christ? Self-reliance is not included in the Plan of Salvation. Throughout the Scriptures, we read that Jesus stayed connected to God by praying without ceasing. He always sought to do His Father’s will even unto death. To abide in Christ is to surrender ourselves and rely on Him through prayer and consecration.

Total Obedience is required to receive our crown and robe. We were created to be spiritually dependent on God. Without the human effort of staying connected to Jesus by surrendering ourselves in faith, trust, and obedience, we do not have a fighting chance of overcoming the temptations which are designed to make us sin. Pray to stay connected to Christ!

“If you love Me, keep my commandments.” —John 14:15

A relationship with Christ is based on love. And from our love for Him, we make a covenant to become a disciple. We are followers of a Savior who created us from love. Jesus was aware that Adam and Eve would fall. Yet because of His love for all of humanity, He gave His life—for us to overcome sin and live eternally with Him in the New Heaven and New Earth.

The Apostle Paul tells us, I die daily. And we must also commit to die daily to the sinful desires and temporary pleasures of this earthly life. To remain steadfast requires the strength of Jesus Christ. Our commitment is renewed every day through our prayer of surrender.

Starting the day off with God requires our first prayer to be one of surrendering to God’s will. In humility, we admit our weaknesses and ask for the anointing, power, presence, and guidance of the Holy Spirit. “Lord, I belong to You, please reveal Your will for me today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

The Holy Spirit gives us Divine strength to overcome covert temptations. Yet, we must put forth the effort to live holy and acceptable lives that are pleasing to the Lord by rejecting sin. Staying on the Path of Righteousness is not easy! Never limit the times you pray throughout the day and evening! We may have to pray several times a day to gain victory over sin. In prayer, present even the little things to Christ for His Divine guidance.

For today’s Christians, Satan is using another obstacle to prevent us from receiving our crown and robe. Worrying and feeling anxious about the declining status of our global economies distracts us and diminishes our faith in God. Violence, famine, social injustice, and climate change are not in our power to change.

This is our Father’s world! Biblical prophecies forewarn us of the changes which indicate we are moving forward toward Jesus’ Second Coming. Study Matthew chapter 24 and 2nd Timothy chapter 3.

Facing opposition is harder when our minds are overwhelmed with life’s challenges. Nor can we focus on Christ when constantly thinking about the pending status of the future. We do not have to watch or listen to every newscast. Yes, the global economy is failing. Without warning, we may lose our jobs and earthly possessions. Worrying about our lives and the future prevents preparation for eternal life. Jesus says, “Take no thought for tomorrow.”

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles [Unbelievers] seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:31-34).

Many lose out on their blessings of daily strength and the gift of peace because they are overthinking tomorrow, the next month, and the next year. Never allow the vicissitudes of life to make you lose sight of receiving your crown and robe. Verbalize your faith, “Today, I will have Victory through Christ!”

The Apostle James gives us wisdom on the downside of making plans for the future without God’s Divine blessings.

Do Not Boast About Tomorrow [The Sin of Presumption]

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow;’ we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil (James 4:13-16).

Two important aspects of living as a follower of Christ are our love for Him as demonstrated by our daily Prayer of Surrender and living day-by-day. The future belongs to God. Faithfully trust and obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit for this day.

Tomorrow is not promised to us. One future event requires intentional focus, preparation, and joyful anticipation—the Second Coming of King Jesus. Surrender and Faithful Obedience to Christ will be rewarded with a forever Crown and the Robe of Righteousness.

Scriptures: “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” —1 Corinthians 15:51-52

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” —1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” — James 1:12

Prayer: God, we are inundated with the worries of tomorrow. Lord, our faith is weak. We desperately need Your Divine Intervention to change our focus. Today, we surrender ourselves to You. We pray for the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit. Please give us peace and spiritual direction. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

© 2023 Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

The Little Things [Our Tests of Obedience]

The Little Things [Our Tests of Obedience] Devotional Reading and Podcast

Scripture: “So the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.’ ” —Genesis 4:6-7

It is hard to imagine that Cain had a heart full of hate against his brother and Christ. The murder of Abel was easily committed because every day his rebellious heart produced hatred that grew like an uncontrollable weed that overtakes that which is planted in the ground [unless it is removed]. Cain could not worship God with obedience because of the desire to please himself.

Disobedience begins with self-will and manifests itself through little compromises that do not include God’s guidance and blessings.

We begin our day with a rushed prayer and the promise to study the Bible after work or worshiping God becomes ritualistic. Our free time is used 100% for pleasurable activities. We make purchases without praying for guidance, or we invite bad company into our lives. By excluding the daily Prayer of the Surrender of our Will and Obedience, we half-heartedly serve God as evidenced by our decisions and lifestyles to please ourselves.

According to many pastors, most of today’s Christian believer’s disobedience is demonstrated by the wilful use of our time and money. Truthfully are we praying for God’s Divine guidance regarding our daily schedules or do we plan our to-do list without ever thinking of including God? “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done” (Luke 22:42).

“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother or sister in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” —1 John 3:17

Are we watching our bank accounts and investments grow without a thought of people we know whose life circumstances have changed, yet we never offered to help? Christ was our Ultimate example of helping others. “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen” (John 21:25).

Helping those in need extends beyond the tax-deductible church contributions of our tithes and offerings. The Great Commission includes sharing our earthly blessings. Just as Cain’s disobedience began with the compromise of the little things which represent our daily love and loyalty to God, we also place ourselves in the same dilemma of receiving God’s rejection by not obeying His commandments and precepts.

“LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” —Jeremiah 10:23

From Cain’s act of rebellion and disobedience, we can safely say that he did not possess a heart full of love for God. The first step of obedience is to surrender your will to God. Loyalty to God is evidenced by every act of obedience. When we obey God, the Holy Spirit molds and shapes our character to become closer to the likeness of Christ’s character—Sanctification is a lifelong spiritual journey.

“He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.” — Luke 16:10

Too many of us stumble at the simplicity of the small things God tells us to do. God has called us to be faithful in the little things. If Jesus had to learn obedience then so do we. Obedience is Sanctification. Obedience is a continuum of faithfulness. Faith must be accompanied by Obedience. Every time you choose to obey God’s will, the Potter shapes and molds you into a closer likeness of the character of God. Pastor Wintley Phipps

A change of heart begins with an overwhelming love for Christ and a spirit of humility. Every day, go into your secret closet. Begin to pray differently by committing to obey God. Ask God to teach you how to hear His voice. Sanctification—the daily spiritual transformation into the likeness of Christ requires us to live a holy and righteous life demonstrated by continuous obedience.

Prayer: God, I choose today to walk in obedience. Like Cain, I have given You the sacrificial offering of my choice. I ask forgiveness for a heart filled with rebellion by living to please myself. Please reveal the ways that You desire for me to use my time and money to glorify You. I desire to change by living a life of total obedience.

© 2023 Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

Woman, You Are Loved by God! Ministries—Devotional Reading, “Daughter, Your Faith Has Made You Well”

Woman, You Are Loved by God! Ministries—”Daughter, Your Faith Has Made You Well” Devotional Reading and Podcast

With desperation and determination, the woman with the issue of blood knew that Jesus was her only hope. Although Luke the Physician was one of Jesus’ followers, he was not one of the Twelve Disciples. Yet, he tells her story from a physician’s perspective, admitting that medical doctors could do nothing for her condition.

“Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.” —

And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately” (Luke chapter 8, Verses 43-47).

As women, we cannot picture a life that would be more miserable. Can you imagine living every day for twelve years with this terrible disease and being excluded from everyone in your community because you were considered unclean? Surely, there were whispers to avoid speaking to the unclean woman. Yes, it would be an extremely lonely and depressing life. And to make matters worse, who could withstand the giant waves of despair from spending all of your money to find a cure for your incurable disease?

If you have ever thought, “Why would Jesus reveal such an intimate issue to a multitude of people?” The Levitical laws not only declared a woman ritually unclean during her monthly cycle but also for those who experienced a discharge of blood for many days. Even the bed and the chair she sat on were unclean [Read Leviticus 15:25-27].

Through her testimony, Jesus exposed the miracle to bring honor and glory to God, the Father, to reiterate His position as the Son of God, and to teach others that faith is the key that unlocks the Heavenly Door to give humanity victory. She also received restoration in her community, especially among those who whispered unclean, unclean for twelve years.

“And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.’ ” —Mark 5:34. Jesus’ response was filled with love and compassion.

The joy of this story is that a woman who suffered greatly for twelve years still had powerful faith and hope. She believed that Jesus was the Son of God and was so powerful that His power extended to the clothing on His body. Her only desire was to touch the hem of His garment.

Although Jesus is in heaven, He remains the same Loving, Compassionate, and Omnipotent Savior and Healer that walked this earth. Do we believe? Do we have the unrealistic faith to touch the hem of His Heavenly Garment through our prayers? Jesus is waiting to heal every aspect of our lives, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Even if we do not receive physical healing on this earth, the Apostle Paul tells us that we will receive a glorious body when Jesus comes again.

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. —1 Corinthians 15:51-53

Hold on to Jesus’ hand and never let go! “Daughter, your faith has made you well.”

Bible Reading: Luke chapter 8

Prayer: Jesus, we just want to say, Thank You for Your love and compassion. Lord, we ask for strength in times of our weaknesses. We pray that we will never give up in times of adversity, but like the woman with the issue for twelve years, we will maintain strong faith and continuous hope. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Your Holy Name, Amen.

Woman, You are Loved by God! Ministries, Vision Statement: To assist women of God to “Go Forward” in reaching their fullest spiritual potential. Promoting a faith-based relationship with Jesus Christ that allows us to restructure our lives and achieve victory, which is only possible by lifting our hands in total dependence on God. © 2023 Woman, You Are Loved by God! Ministries

Deception Is a Choice?

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)

Sadly, the truth is that we choose to be deceived. We have a Helper, the Holy Spirit who promises to guide us through our journey of life. We have access to God’s Truth in the Scriptures along with wisdom and discernment when we pray and ask for it.

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The Company We Keep

The Company We Keep Devotional Reading and Podcast

“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character…’ ” —1 Corinthians 15:33

The title, “Solo Female Traveler” was an introduction to keeping van lifer’s physical safety as a priority. The most important advice was to beware of strangers, whether they are male or female when living on the road. As I listened to the various strategies for keeping oneself safe, I thought about keeping ourselves safe from the warfare of having relationships with unbelievers.

Is it possible to avoid the danger of bad company by using our mental and intellectual faculties to develop spiritually safe strategies? Does our overconfidence empower us to think we can have social interactions with worldlings and not compromise our relationship with Christ? No, we cannot overcome our natural inclination to sin without Divine Intervention.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” —Romans 12:2

The New Living Translation explains Romans 12:2 in plain English: “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).

Most often Satan uses the familiar people in our lives to draw us into temptation. Because we have love in our hearts for spouses, significant others, family, and friends, our guard is down. The invitation to attend a social function, dinner date, or a shopping trip as a get-together causes us to assume that our status as Christians will be respected. But Satan has no boundaries in using undercover strategies to pull us into sinful situations.

Can we keep ourselves safe from spiritual warfare when interacting with unbelievers? No. We receive wisdom and discernment only through diligent prayer, studying the Scriptures, and asking for the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit. Total obedience to every Scriptural command and warning demonstrates our love for God and proves that He is first in our lives.

Compromise begins by rationalizing and making excuses to hang out with those living in darkness. Beyond casual interactions or witnessing, we will fall! Although we accept others for who they are, Christians have nothing in common with the unrighteous [even if they are family members]. Using prior life experience, having overconfidence, or relying on self-derived boundaries to maintain an unequal relationship places us in opposition to God’s commands to remain separate.

Prideful strategies are not enough to keep us from falling into temptations that compromise our relationship with Christ. The apostle James tells us “Humility is the Cure for Worldliness.” “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7-8).

Guard your heart by standing your ground! We must not place ourselves in predicaments where we are being pulled away from our earthly journey on the Path of Righteousness. Our strength is in Christ Jesus, guard your hearts [and your salvation] by staying away from bad company.

Prayer: Lord God, we pray for the strength to overcome the temptation of socializing with unbelievers. Help us to draw close to You as we prepare for Your soon coming. In the Matchless Name of Jesus, we pray. Amen