Category: Uncategorized

What is Grace?

Devotional–What is Grace? From The Struggle of Sanctification by Sonya Johnson

Grace: The unmerited [unearned] Divine favor of God. Grace is evidence of God’s unconditional love for humanity.

The nation of Israel is an example of a people who continuously received the gifts of God’s grace [along with God’s promise of blessings] for many generations. Yet, God’s law requires that we meet the conditions of faithful obedience to Him.

“Now if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commandments, I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.” (Deuteronomy 28:1)

Abuse of God’s Grace: We know the story. From Israel’s emancipation to the time of Jeremiah, idol worship was their first love, not obedience to the Almighty God. The Israelites loved God but viewed His laws [commandments] as too restrictive–they desired to enjoy the pleasures of sin over the promised and future blessings that they did not understand.

God’s Divine Intervention: “This is what the LORD says: ‘You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.’ ” (Jeremiah 29:10).

What does God’s grace look like? Jeremiah the prophet was chosen to deliver God’s message of 70 years of captivity as punishment for the pagan practices of the Israelites. We can agree that for their continuous rebellion against God that they deserved God’s judgment and sentence. Still, God’s plans following their 70-year sentence are words of hope, which indicate God’s grace–His divine favor upon them.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:

Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace, you will have peace. (Jeremiah 29:4-7).

What does God’s grace look like? Not everyone was taken to Babylon. “But Nebuzaradan [the captain of King’s army] left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people who had no property, and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields” (Jeremiah 39:10).

Not only did God extend mercy to the poor who lived a life of suffering, but He also used King Nebuchadnezzar’s army captain to give them provisions–vineyards and land. While the remainder of Israel was in captivity, God’s grace was shown to the poor by giving them a way to sustain themselves.

What does God’s grace look like? Our Heavenly Father desires that all who love Him will receive eternal life. With love, He uses discipline to rescue us from the second death of destruction. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, Amplified Bible).

“Blessed is the man You discipline, O LORD, and teach from Your law…” (Psalm 94:12).

In studying the book of Jeremiah, God’s promises were ignored by His chosen, disobedient people. Yet, He did not give up on them. God uses discipline for those who love him but are distracted by their heart’s desires. His punishment is not meant to crush us, it is to redirect our focus to God, to produce a righteous character and a grateful heart filled with love, faithfulness, and obedience to a gracious Heavenly Father.

Grace in Action: The Babylonian captivity did not include their ancestors’ harsh treatment or imprisonment in Egypt. In Jeremiah chapters 29, 30, and 31, God promised that He would bring restoration to Israel and Judah. The history of the Nation of Israel proves that God’s loving heart attempts to save those who do not deserve the gift of His Grace. Our Heavenly Father never forsakes the righteous or leaves us hopeless even though our hearts are wayward and disobedient.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1).

The Apostle Paul warns us not to abuse God’s gift of grace. We do not intentionally and continuously sin because we serve a God who freely extends grace. Certainly, God deserves our utmost praise. Just the thought of having a Heavenly Father who gifts us unmerited favor should motivate us to strive for righteousness.

Human Effort: It is possible to live sinless lives!

We can live every day in spiritual alignment with the plans and will of God for our lives which requires intentional surrender and commitment. By praying daily for the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we receive spiritual reinforcement and the strength to overcome temptation. Worship includes taking the time to meditate so God can speak to us. For the faithful and obedient, the blessings of grace from a Righteous and Loving God will be extended to us in a thousand ways that we can never know of.

What is Grace? God’s never-ending flow of love and favor upon the lives of the righteous.

Prayer: God, we thank You for the historical stories of humanity’s weaknesses and your divine intervention. Lord, we pray to never take You for granted. We understand that grace is a gift only needed and given to those created in your image. Thank You for loving us. Thank You for your grace and mercy. We surrender our hearts, minds, and souls to You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Too Much Stuff

Devotional–Too Much Stuff from The Struggle of Sanctification by Sonya Johnson

Last month, I decided that a couple of changes were needed to simplify my life. And after thinking for too long, I decided that I would declutter. What else did I need to get rid of? I did the Big Chop when I relocated to Florida. I am not a hoarder, but realized that I could never go to the extreme–is minimalism a learned behavior?

The battle of the mind started when I opened my closet, dressers, and cabinets. As I looked at my possessions, an internal war raged because everything I own is affectionately loved. No, I am not sentimental. The things that make my home cozy and my bohemian clothing were not impulsive purchases. I fell in love with every eclectic thing that I own while looking at them in the store.

Although my possessions would be of little monetary value to others, they were hand-picked and remain priceless to me. As a tsunami wave of sorrow passed through my mind, body, and soul, I decided to close the closet door and the kitchen cabinets. I did not have too much stuff. 95% of the items I own are for practical use. Yet, I knew that something was wrong. My mind was constantly working overtime.

“A large part of our brain is devoted to processing the sensory inputs that we receive from the world.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Every day we face unavoidable sensory input. Staying current with our dynamic world requires a lot of time and mental energy. Whether we are employed, stay-at-home moms or dads, or retired, most of us strive to keep up with the current tech advancements, political and social issues, the news, and unexpected life events. Yet, many fail to realize the impact that the additional noise [from the busyness of our lives, continuous stimuli of social media and electronic devices] has on our minds and bodies.

The endless streaming of daily newsworthy events, online games, social issues, DIY programs, and research on the chemicals in our foods and skin products resulted in a cluttered mind that robbed me of a peaceful existence. My sleep pattern changed and I began suffering from insomnia again–a condition known to accelerate premature aging and weaken the Immune system.

After many sleepless nights of staying awake until 6 am, I prayed for God’s help. God always answers prayers immediately when we are in harm’s way. Later that evening, a sermon appeared in my YouTube recommendations and the pastor spoke on the things that clutter our minds, leaving us exhausted and eventually separating us from God.

When the activities of daily living leave us feeling overwhelmed, it is difficult to determine the root of the problem. Societal norms force us to embrace the advancements of technology and electronics, the daily updates of social media, and the news which negatively impacts our health by leaving our brains cluttered. Most people utilize electronic apps to relax and fall asleep.

Our brains were not created to absorb the excessive screen time of daily electronic usage.

Even more devastating, the never-ending stimuli interrupt our spiritual connection with God. We are so bombarded that we [unintentionally] place God last on our list of priorities. At the end of the day, mental and physical exhaustion prevents us from having meaningful worship with our Heavenly Father. Our concentration is weakened and we cannot focus to study the Bible or communicate with God through prayer. Often though the trade-off is watching the nightly news and then falling asleep.

Too much stuff will always be the norm of today’s lifestyle. Yet, we can decide to identify, prioritize, and eliminate the over-stimuli, especially if it keeps us from a meaningful relationship with our Heavenly Father. Go ahead and change your habits and life by decluttering the stimuli you love.

Prayer: God, we pray for Your Divine Intervention. Please reveal the stuff that is keeping us mentally and physically exhausted and from experiencing daily spiritual growth. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

The Nation of Israel–From Captivity to Freedom and Back to Captivity

“From the going of the Israelites from Egypt to the temple’s first building 480 years, after this chronology and account. From the first building of the temple, until the captivity of Babylon, are 419 years and a half.” Bible Timeline, Houston Baptist University

Captivity: Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out, and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them. (Exodus 2:23-25)

Israel’s Exodus from Egypt: “Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron during the night. ‘Get out!’ he ordered. ‘Leave my people—and take the rest of the Israelites with you! Go and worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you said, and be gone. Go, but bless me as you leave.’ All the Egyptians urged the people of Israel to get out of the land as quickly as possible, for they thought, ‘We will all die!’ ” (Exodus 12:31-33)

Israel’s Continuous Disobedience: “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Because you have not heard My words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations.’ ” (Jeremiah 25:8-9)

70 years in Captivity: “And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” (Jeremiah 25:11)

According to Bible scholars, the time between the nation of Israel’s exodus from Egypt and their captivity to the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar was approximately 899 and a half years. We realize that many generations existed between the exodus and the captivity. In response to their freedom from grievous enslavement to entering the Promised Land and receiving the blessings of God for nearly nine centuries, the stiff-necked people continued in their pursuit of the pleasures of paganism.

“They have built the high places of Baal to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind.” (Jeremiah 19:5)

Just the thought of sacrificing one’s children to pagan idols produces a chill of shock and sorrow in our bodies and minds. How does a believer lose their way and progress to committing such heinous sins against God?

God’s Answer: “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

The Progression of Losing our Spiritual Freedom: When we first accepted Jesus as our Savior and were baptized, the excitement of a new and blessed life was evident in our smiling faces. Yes, we had the zeal and excitement of being born-again believers in the Most-High God. We eagerly shared our faith with others. But we allowed the busyness of life to interrupt our relationship with Jesus Christ. As time passed, we became too tired to commune with God. Our days were filled with overwhelming tasks which interfered with our ability to have daily, meaningful worship.

Eventually, we stopped praying and our Bibles remained unopened for days into weeks–there was no time or energy for diligent study of the Scriptures. One or two hours of online church services became the norm and we lost our desire to attend church services and participate in community outreach.

Satan knows that we love to pursue our heart’s desires. And he is eager to help us disobey God. The distractions of the noise of social media, entertainment, technology, worldly activities under the disguise of Christianity, busyness, politics, financial gains, unholy liaisons with unbelievers, and self-gratifying activities pulled us away from our commitment to the sacrificial life required of a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Although we shudder in disbelief at the sins biblical Israel committed, many of today’s believers are also worshipping idols. Self is our idol! We pursue the desires of our hearts as evidenced by unequally yoked relationships, chasing success and financial gain, and serving God according to our discernment of God’s truth.

Truthfully, we do not have the desire to trust or obey God. Jesus told us that we must love God with all of our hearts, souls, and minds and love others. Read Matthew 22:37-38.

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27). How many people have you helped in 2022?

The Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 to “Go and make disciples” is not an option. God gave us the spiritual gifts, time, and physical energy to finish the work that Jesus began on this earth in His short life but spiritually productive life. Every day we must witness the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How many people have you told God loves you, and helped by giving words of encouragement or participated in community outreach programs in 2022?

Our lifestyles reflect self-idol worship and have led us into the captivity of sin.

Israel received the punishment of 70 years in captivity. Yet, with love and mercy, God did not leave them hopeless. In studying Jeremiah chapter 29, God commanded them to build houses, plant gardens, take wives, have children, and seek the peace of the city where He has caused them to be carried away into captivity [verses 5, 6, and 7].

The difference between Israel in the time of Jeremiah and today’s believers is God gave them a definitive time when their captivity would end and when He would give them complete restoration. Many are living as if this earth is our final destination. Yet, this is our time of Probation to study, pray, and live righteously. God has given us forewarnings in Matthew chapter 24, 2 Timothy chapter 3, and the book of Revelation of last-day and end-time events.

Yet, we choose to continue to live in spiritual bondage by ignoring the signs of the times. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).

We received freedom when we gave our hearts to Jesus Christ. Through self-seeking desires, many have placed themselves in captivity. We do not know when Jesus will come again or when our lives will cease to exist. Yet, if we surrender to Christ in faith and obedience, use our spiritual gifts to witness and help those in need, and worship our God in spirit and in truth [which is Human Effort], we have this precious promise of Divine Intervention: “… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 1:6).

Jesus’ blood sacrifice gave us the divine opportunity to get out of sin’s captivity. We can live in spiritual freedom while waiting for the Greatest Event on Earth. Coming again, coming again, Yes, Jesus is coming again!

Prayer: Lord, we pray for those who have lost their way that they will regain the desire to serve You with their whole hearts. We thank You for your great sacrifice and the promise of eternal life if we so choose. We ask to be anointed with a double portion of the Holy Spirit. Reveal our purpose as we await Your return. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sabbath Rest and Restoration is Available for You

Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy. Exodus 20:8-11

My life changed dramatically when I made the life change of keeping the Creation 7th day Sabbath. I believe our Creator God knew that the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual components of our minds and bodies would require 24 hours of healing and restoration.

For our obedience, we live differently from non-Sabbath keepers. Personal testimony: I live without anxieties or worries. How? Through the study of the Scriptures, I know who God really is. My relationship with Christ is growing stronger every day. Most certainly, I face continuous spiritual warfare. And that’s when the praise and worship begin. God has resolved every problem with His Divine Power.

Pray, believe, and expect great blessings. God rewards our faithful obedience. Shut out the noise of the world from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. And your mind will begin to align with the will of God for your life. The faithful are always Victorious Overcomers!

“But as for me, it is good to draw near to God. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may proclaim all Your works” (Psalm 73:28).

Prayer: God, You Are mighty and Worthy of our highest praise. Thank You, for the peace and well-being that comes from our Sabbath worship, rest, and restoration. In Jesus’ name, Amen.