Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—The Privilege of Boldly Approaching God

The State of Florida is known for its hot, scorching sun, never-ending rainy seasons, and powerful storms. But living on the Space Coast has brought a new definition to rain. At least three times a week, we have rain in the forecast that varies from a brief shower to torrential downpours.

Last week, we had a thunderstorm that roared until the windows in my home trembled. Although I am not afraid of thunder, fear gripped my heart. It was not because of the nonstop reverberating sound or the possibility of the windows shattering, the thought of Jesus’ Second Coming entered my mind. Was I ready? I wasn’t 100% sure that I would be one of the righteous who would receive the reward of eternal life. As I slowly opened the door to look up at the sky, only massive dark rain clouds were present.

It appears that many believers are in an ongoing dilemma concerning righteousness. Trending is the concept of once saved, always saved while others feel because of grace that we have to do nothing beyond believing in God. The knowledge of Jesus’ sacrifice allows us the opportunity to be saved, but the desire to have a relationship with Him is questionable. And most do not understand the purpose of the Holy Spirit. Studying the Bible is an option, scriptures have been redefined to indicate we are entitled to the wealth of prosperity, and finally, the belief that we can sing our way to heaven. So many false doctrines.

Despite the opposing views, the Scriptures prove whether we are faithfully serving God or not. There are many Christians who do not intentionally commit the grievous sins of sexual immorality, paganism, or hate others, yet, they do not exhibit godly fear [reverence] by living holy, nor do they strive to have a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6.

Righteousness by Faith: Our relationship with Christ is based on faith. “The thought that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, not because of any merit on our part, but as a free gift from God, is a precious thought.” Ellen White.

Definition of Imputed: We receive righteousness as a gift from Jesus Christ. “What is righteousness? … Righteousness is obedience to the law. Righteousness is right doing, and it is by our deeds that all will be judged. Righteousness is holiness, likeness to God, and God is love.” Ellen White

Our responsibility: Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7

“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 questions I asked myself during the storm each of us should reflect on “What is the status of my relationship with Jesus Christ?” And “Am I abiding in Christ?”

God knows that we are in the struggle of our lives. Every day we fight a war against spiritual darkness and an internal battle against our carnal desires. Still, God never leaves us alone. The human effort of staying close to Jesus requires obedience, faith, and trust. We boldly pray for God’s Divine Intervention. The Holy Spirit carries our prayers to Jesus, our Intercessor. Our Heavenly Father loves us. Praise God that we have Divine help 24/7.

Prayer: God, we thank You for being approachable and caring for us. We desire to have a deeper relationship with Jesus. Thank You for hearing our prayer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Devotional–The Struggle of Sanctification—The Perfecting of Our Faith

Health care professionals, military personnel, and successful entrepreneurs have something in common—critical thinking skills. The dictionary definition of critical thinking is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue to form a judgment. It is a combination of using your knowledge, subjective information, and observational skills [based on facts] to analyze the situation and make a sound [the best] decision.

1. Critical thinking always produces a productive outcome. 
2. Critical thinking always requires sound reason and logic. 
3. Critical thinking always excludes an emotional response.

An emotional response is normal behavior for most individuals when they experience situations that involve hardships. The truth is that no one likes suffering. Even as believers, we dread trials and tribulations. Our Heavenly Father is aware of our weaknesses, yet, He makes us know His position. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).

God has a definite purpose for perfecting our faith—to live with Him forever. And He uses the toughest trials to accomplish His plan to save our souls. Yes, we will shed tears and experience sadness, but we can be thankful that we serve a God who is steadfast and does not make decisions based on our emotions.

“To be successful in your Christian journey requires having a spiritual backbone.” Patricia Shirer

Recently, an increasing number of people are posting on social media about being separated from family and friends. The separation is not referring to physical relocation. The unanswered question, “Why has God allowed me to be alone?”

Pastor TD Jakes explains, “Your separation is ordained by God. Although Jesus had 12 disciples, only three, Peter, James, and John were allowed to go with him to the Mount of Transfiguration. God has selected certain people for spiritual elevation to complete His purpose. Your elevation is not based on pride. You may feel so lonely that you think that even God has left you alone because He may remain silent. You are not alone. God chooses those who will follow Him no matter the cost.”

Faith requires growth. Our relationship with Christ is based on love, faith, humility, and obedience which are strengthened from the experience of trials. “Only through faith, through knowing for ourselves God’s love, and living by faith in Christ, could we ever possibly rejoice in our trials.” The Perfecting of Our Faith, SS Lesson

Feeling lonely is a valid emotion when we are physically alone. Does God care? Yes! There are two situations when Jesus was alone and was ministered to by angels: In the wilderness, “Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him” (Matthew 4:11), and in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him” (Luke 22:43). We also have angels who strengthen us in our times of despair.

Spiritual critical thinking maintains our faith in Christ when experiencing trials and sorrows. Our diligent prayer life, and study of the Scriptures allow the Holy Spirit to give us the knowledge, discernment, and wisdom needed to understand the big picture—God is preparing us for eternal life. “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven” (Matt. 5:12).

Human effort and Divine Intervention are necessary to build our faith and strength while suffering. We express gratitude for God’s love and mercies during our fiery trials through praise and worship. Sing, pray short prayers throughout your day, and imagine your life in the New Heaven and New Earth. Hallelujah! We are nearing home!

Prayer: God, we pray for strength and stronger faith while going through the hardships of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—The Rewards From Calling On God

“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

Much focus is placed on memorizing the Scriptures [head knowledge], still, a heart-to-heart, intimate and thriving relationship with Jesus Christ is our priority. God requires us to put Him first over our spouse, children, family, and friends. Every day we face numerous tasks and complex challenges that demand our time and deplete our mental strength and physical energy. When do we have the extra time needed to keep God first?

Living with daily stressors and a full schedule eventually causes us to become overwhelmed. Distractions are part of the spiritual warfare Satan uses to keep us from staying in God’s presence. Saying yes to every invitation for various activities leaves our family life in chaos. Too many responsibilities equal no time for God.

Spiritual Benefit: Jesus promised to give us inner peace and joy. “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken” (Psalm 55:22). Yet, the human effort of giving God quality time is required to receive the promises of Divine Intervention.

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

Go to God for help! Write a hardcopy list of your daily activities for one week. Present it to God in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the necessary changes for you (and your family) to incorporate time for worship, rest, and relaxation. We can include every aspect of our lives to God in prayer and ask for guidance.

By having little talks with Jesus throughout the day, the Holy Spirit gives us the strength to complete our necessary tasks. And we develop the habit of praying.

Whether facing a significant life event or looking for misplaced keys, pray and ask for help. Feeling fatigued in the afternoon, take a prayer break instead of a coffee break. The rewards of an up-close and personal relationship with Jesus are beyond our understanding. We can have peace and a mindset of joyful expectations.

God’s promises and rewards are for the righteous. Studying the Bible is an integral part of our worship. Knowledge and wisdom are required to maintain our faith and sustain our spiritual strength. We must know who God is and memorize His promises to have peace and joy.

In times of distress, proclaim that you belong to God! Sing praises with a loud voice! [Psalm:98:4]. Faith and trust in God change our outlook from worried to confident, stressed to relaxed. Be courageous and have confidence, if our God said it, then He will do it!

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him, the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:20

Prayer: God, we thank You for the privilege to approach Your throne of grace. We need your help to live faithfully and righteously. Thank You for resolving our challenges, great and small. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—Jesus, the Light of the World

We can agree that the newborn lives in the womb’s darkness for 36-40 weeks. Yet, according to pediatricians, babies can see colors within the first week of life and a distance of 8-10 inches away. During the next 12 months, not only does the infant experience physical growth and development their vision also develops. At 10 months, they intentionally reach and grasp the objects they see. At this stage, babies also develop stranger danger because their visual acuity has sharpened to recognize familiar people and surroundings.

This is a happy time; babies are fascinated by their increased vision, causing them to explore their surroundings, which threatens their safekeeping. Another interesting behavior also develops–the aversion to darkness. An infant will not crawl or walk to enter a dark room. Once they are acclimated to the light, there is a profound dislike for dark environments even if they are meant for sleep.

Most of us dislike complete physical darkness, but like the baby, we are drawn to explore new things. However, our exploration may lead to interesting but deadly concepts outside of our spiritual beliefs based on the Scriptures. The acceptance of popular worldviews always leads us into a state of spiritual darkness. 

We often use the word darkness to describe a time when we experienced sorrows and hardships. Yet, darkness is the absence of light. According to the Scriptures, spiritual darkness is a result of sin. It is a devastating condition of life without Christ. The only way to transition from Darkness into the Light is to faithfully accept Jesus as our Savior. “I have come into the world as light so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” (John 12:46)

Since 2020, we have lived in turbulent times. The pandemic, strained race relations, persecution of Christians, the ongoing war in Ukraine, loss of employment, death of family members, increase in homelessness, etc. The vicissitudes of life have caused many believers to become despondent. They have lost their desire to remain fully committed to Christ. Without faith and trust in God, we lose the spiritual insight [given to us by the Holy Spirit], and we become blind. Unable to perceive Jesus as whom He says he is, “He said to them, ‘But whom do you say that I am?’” (Matthew 16:15), we succumb to the temptation of self-reliance.

The Dilemma: How did we get so entangled in the dark web of this world’s agenda of self-made success, busyness, and pursuing pleasures? Allowing ourselves to be persuaded by the influencers who promote the strength of self-reliance, we develop a spirit of ingratitude and impatience. We do not have time to wait on God. The pursuit of happiness changes our mindset from relying on Christ to doing things our way. Gradually, our eyes adjust to the darkness of disobedience that places us in rebellion against God.

The Consequences: The loss of spiritual insight places us in spiritual darkness. Those who once received discernment and guidance from the Holy Spirit while faithfully walking in the light are left alone to resolve every life situation that arises. The pressure from self-reliance also changes our mental and emotional states as we begin to suffer from anxiety, worries, depression, sadness, and insomnia. Without the light of Christ, we fall deeper into the abyss of darkness and cannot see our way out.

 “…The way of the transgressor is hard (Proverbs 13:15). Our carnal nature demands that we fulfill our desires. Satan customizes the distractions that lead us down the dark path of disobedience. He knows that we are not equipped to fight the darkness of spiritual warfare alone. Yes, it takes the human effort of self-control to break the vicious cycle of falling into temptation and returning to spiritual darkness. Yet, we have the power of Divine Intervention available immediately after confession and repentance of our sins. 

The Resolution: In John 8:12, Jesus states, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but have the light of life.” Jesus lovingly and patiently waits for us to surrender our hearts to Him. And immediately, we are forgiven and He lights our way to return to the Path of Righteousness.

Prayer: God, we are blind and have lost our way. We desperately need Your light and ask for forgiveness of the sin of self-reliance. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—They Must Know!

The man, mid-forties told his testimony using a deep and solemn tone prompting one to think it would be a story involving death. Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan [USA] in their home God was only recognized as the God who lived above the sky in the heavens. When he was 27, he asked a friend, “How does a person become a Christian?” The reply was, “Read the entire Bible, then you’re a Christian.”

Immediately his eyes shifted from the audience to look at the Bible in his hand. For 36 days, he studied the Bible searching for the answer to achieving the spiritual transformation to become a Christian. It wasn’t until he read the Four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John that he read about Jesus, the Son of God. The look of shame and embarrassment was on his face, “How could I have made it to my mid-twenties and never heard of Jesus Christ? And by the way, studying the Bible is not enough, you have to have a heart relationship with Christ to be a Christian.”

An overwhelming wave of sadness chilled my inner being as I thought about his question of never knowing that Jesus existed. It doesn’t seem logical that in a country with “In God, we trust” printed on our currency, many still do not know about Jesus, the Son of God. We could have an intellectual conversation about the many social and economic factors that prevent people from knowing that Jesus exists, yet, that would be a waste of valuable time.

My thoughts immediately went to Matthew 25:31-46. The parable of the sheep and goats represents two groups of believers. Both groups were followers and disciples of Christ, but only the sheep were faithful and obedient to Jesus’ commands to witness, make disciples and help those in need. I prayed and asked God to forgive me for the wasted time when I could have shared the Plan of Salvation, but was distracted, intent on pursuing my desires.

Our Christian Predecessors: In Hebrews chapter 11, we read of the many attempts that were made to eliminate Christianity. “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance…others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted., were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented… (Hebrews 11:35-37). Even so, Christianity grew rapidly and the early churches were started.

How many children and adults who live throughout the world have never heard of Jesus? Who will tell them?

Prayer: God, we ask for forgiveness for not sharing the Gospel of Jesus and His great sacrifice that redeems humanity from sin. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—The Walls of Jericho

In Joshua chapter 6, God gives Joshua the leader of the Nation of Israel specific instructions on overtaking Jericho. “Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in” (Joshua 6:1). Although the people feared Israel, they placed their confidence in a fortress of high walls surrounding the city.

“But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.” (Joshua 6:2)

It was Joshua’s faith and strict obedience to God that brought Israel victory over a people who felt they were unstoppable because of their wall. God did not give Joshua the details of how they would get beyond the wall to defeat their enemies. He gave marching orders! Nor was there any hesitation from Joshua, the priests, and the soldiers in following God’s command to march around the city one time on six consecutive days. On the dawn of the seventh day, marching seven times, blowing trumpets, and shouting a great shout [verse 20] is when our Warrior God caused  “the wall to fall down flat.”

Like the Israelites, we will be given the fiery trial that places us in front of an impenetrable spiritual wall. Either we choose God and obey His specific instructions or like Achan who disobeyed by taking a garment, silver pieces, and gold [Joshua 8:21], we make sinful decisions by giving into our desires. Joshua chapter 8 describes the punishment for Achan taking spoils from the war and burying them in His tent. Though we may view the destruction of Achan and his family as harsh, disobedience is a heinous act and willful rebellion against God.

Many believers who love God cannot fully surrender because of one obstacle. Acts of disobedience–the unequally yoked relationship, secret worldly habits, never witnessing to others, and not giving tithe and offerings hinder them from fulfilling God’s plan and purpose for their lives. Sadly, these Christians rationalize their failure to obey by counting their works, Bible study, praying, attending church, and occasionally helping others as pleasing to God.

Yet, God extends His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. The Holy Spirit gives us warnings when we are outside of the will of God. The Righteous Red Flags alert us of our sinful condition. We cannot judge ourselves. Fulfilling the desires of our carnal nature always result in compromise and disobedience. As time passes, we become desensitized to the sin of disobeying God. When we can habitually sin and not feel remorse, we lose the anointing of the Holy Spirit in our lives and God turns us over to a reprobate mind.

Obedience to God is a decision that reveals our love, humility, and reverence for the Omnipotent Creator. Not only does God cause our walls of tribulations to fall, but He has promised to guide us every day on the Path of Righteousness. The reward of eternal life is only for the faithful. Pray daily to follow the will of God. Surrendering to God will always lead us to victorious outcomes.

Prayer: God, we ask You to search our hearts and reveal any obstacles that prevent us from being obedient. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.