When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” John 5:6
Jesus is waiting for our faith-based answer of ” Yes.” Whatever is going on in your life, He was aware before it happened. It’s time for us to rely on God in every situation. “Is there anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27
Trust God
God, we are saying, yes. We give you every burden, every situation, and every hardship to You. And we will faithfully wait until you bring victory. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
If you have an appointment at 2 pm, what would your response be if you were told, “there is a delay, and asked, Can you wait?” Honestly, I would immediately become annoyed. However, I would suppress those feelings and answer the question with the question, “How long do I have to wait?” The answer, “Unfortunately, I don’t know,” would make the top of my ears turn red and warm to touch. Since childhood, this has been my body’s automatic response to becoming upset.
Impatience is my downfall. I can pretend to accept and tolerate the “Can you wait?” situation, but God knows my innermost thoughts. And yes, I do realize this is a serious problem.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23.
We are unique because of genetics, life experience, fingerprints, appearance, etc. My spiritual weaknesses could be your strengths and vice-versa. Even so, as believers, we have the commonality of accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. We committed to become Christ-like [a new creature in Christ] 2 Corinthians 5:17. Thankfully, God knew that we needed help, so He specifically defined the characteristics we must possess to become holy and acceptable to Him.
The Apostle Paul summarizes Galatians 5:16-26 as Living By the Spirit’s Power. Because of sin, we have to strive–and persevere to change the sinful characteristics that come naturally to all of humanity. So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. Galatians 5:16. I have heard many individuals confidently say that God understands our weaknesses, which is our sins. But Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Human Effort + Divine Intervention= A Victorious Outcome
God’s love: 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
Because of His steadfast love for humanity, God gives us free access to divine intervention. It is through the prayers of confession and repentance that we receive the grace and mercies of forgiveness and, yet, another chance to get it right. “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11. Praying to be filled with the Holy Spirit gives us the power to live righteously. Studying the Bible is the spiritual mirror that enables us to see our sins.
We must endure the tests for us to possess the Fruit of the Spirit. Always striving for the mark are the words of the Apostle. After studying Galatians 5, I realize the next time someone asks, “Can you wait?” this is the test and my opportunity for spiritual growth.
Bible Study: Galatians 5
God, thank you for your grace, mercies, and the patience to guide us through our spiritual journey of faith, obedience, change, and growth. We desire a closer relationship with You. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
When a couple decides to have children, and the pregnancy test results are positive, they are filled with happiness and joy. From the decision to create humanity, “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26 to the creation of Adam and Eve’s home, the Garden of Eden, I am confident that God was overjoyed to create us.
Just as parents prepare to take care of their baby, God committed to taking care of us even before we were conceived. “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5. And the promise to care for us extends throughout our lifetime: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4.
What happened that made us cross the line into an area of worry and anxiety?
We were excited when we found out that Jesus died and was resurrected to redeem us from our sins. And then we read that our heavenly Father promised to take care of us:
So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:31-33
Because Jesus’ life on earth included unexpected hardships, He forewarned us to expect suffering: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. We should possess joy, peace, and happiness because Jesus made the commitment to take care of all of our trials and sorrows.
When a baby is in need, it simply cries. Prayer, connects us to the source! Through prayer, our cries for help reach the ears of God, who already knows what we need. Still, God requires the human effort of humility and faith. We cannot let our hardships overshadow our faith in God. Pray and look forward to watching how God will solve your challenges. God intentionally limited our strength and power because He desires that we totally rely on him.
Get back on the other side of the line by believing in God’s love, promises, grace, and mercies. We can rid ourselves of feeling down and out and full of anxieties and worries. From this moment forward, memorize God’s promises and live according to the guarantee that God will take care of you. Whisper a prayer each new day and place your life in the loving arms of God, our Father.
Bible Reading: Psalm 23 and 27
God, we often fail to remember your promises and power. Thank you for loving and taking care of us. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.
Throughout Jesus’ life, He stayed close to God by constantly praying for strength. Jesus lived a life having devout love for God and others. The compassion to heal, speak words of hope, and provide for basic needs was evident by the many miracles He performed. Yes, Jesus is our role model for living righteously.
Casting all your care on him, for he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7. It takes strong determination to have faith in God. We cannot accomplish this daily task without the strength given by the Holy Spirit. To receive the power to overcome temptation and hardships, we must stay connected to God through constant prayer.
Of the many activities we do in life, prayer is the most important. Our willingness to trust and obey God is reflected by the amount of time we spend with him. Prayer is for our benefit. Through prayer, we experience change. We live a faith-based life having the confidence that God will always provide deliverance. Prayer allows us to redirect our focus from earthly trials and look forward to eternal life. “Do not grieve, because the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
God, we come to you on this Sabbath day acknowledging that you love and care for us. We have the desire to stay connected to you. Please restore the joy and peace that we have lost. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
In Jeremiah 32:27, God reminds us that He is the Creator of humanity, and His power supersedes every hardship or challenge that we face. It is up to us to demonstrate faith by connecting to God through prayer. So, go ahead, pray, believe, and wait. Victory is guaranteed.
Prayer: God, we ask you for restoration. Our fear is great and our faith is small. We renew our commitment to love and trust you with all of our heart, soul, and mind. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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