Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days, the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 20:8-11

Good Evening and Happy Sabbath

The Sabbath is approaching, and I am asking each of us to have a session of prayer and fasting from our usual routines. This Sabbath, I am fasting from my electronic devices, which I also use for secular purposes.

If you are not familiar with the seventh-day Sabbath, it begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday. God created the Sabbath for humanity, so we would enjoy a much-needed break from our regular routines and only focus on the spiritual component, which is often neglected. It is a time that we put aside all secular activities. It is a time to search the scriptures and pray, a time to build our relationship with God.

The Sabbath is like a day in nature, quiet and peaceful; a time that we listen to music that uplifts and honors God, a time to offer intercessory prayer for others, and the time to reflect on the blessings that you have received during the week. It is the much-needed refreshment for our souls. And we get to enjoy additional physical rest, which is a great benefit.

I love studying the Word of God and praying–just talking to God and expressing all of my concerns, but more importantly, I thank Him for giving me His never-ending love, grace, and mercies. Because I certainly have done nothing to deserve His gifts.

There has been an overwhelming number of events during the past week. Many of us have kept abreast of the rising numbers of sickness and death. Also, the Stimulus package was a tough fight that has finally passed and been signed by President Trump.

Since our church doors have been closed, and for a valid reason, most of us are separated from each other physically but remember we remain connected through God.

Preparing for the End of Time has come swiftly and with dynamic force. Who would think that the coronavirus would close Church doors, impact the economy, and cause this level of sickness and death?

But one thing we know, God loves us, and He is still in control. God says that he is a jealous God, and we should have no other gods before Him. Whether this is the first time that you will celebrate the Sabbath or if this is an integral part of your weekly worship, enjoy the blessings of peace that come from serving God. He deserves our time and reverence.

Jesus is coming soon, and the suffering that we now endure will soon end. Looking forward to that great day. Happy Sabbath!

Love God, Love Others, Love yourself

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

Yesterday, I left my home for the first time in 3 weeks for a necessary trip to the grocery store. As I sat and watched the total disregard for social distancing, I felt saddened by the over-confidence and assurance that many individuals possess.

The parking lot was filled to capacity, if I had to make a guess, I would venture to say there were 100+ cars with 1-3 occupants entering the store. The flow of incoming customers was twice the number of those leaving with shopping carts filled to the brim. My decision to stay in my vehicle for safety reasons superseded my shopping list of necessities, and I declined to enter a store packed to capacity.

Someone needs to rethink this, why have we failed to restrict the number of customers who can enter the grocery stores? The COVID-19 virus is airborne and travels whether the area is spacious or confined. We inhale the air regardless of our movement or lack of movement, whether we are sitting or moving around.

With the focus to lessen COVID-19’s impact on the economy, we continue to compromise and institute passive and ineffective measures. It is time to re-evaluate our current measures. The virus continues to proliferate, diagnosed cases have doubled, and the death toll rises. The choice to ignore the viciousness of COVID-19 is reflected by the individuals who have total disregard for the advice of qualified Health Care professionals. From our nation’s leaders to those who value the concept of “Money Matters,” they are focusing on the economy instead of the value of human life and stepping up the measures that are needed to effectively contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Additional hazards exist from the many undiagnosed persons who ignore symptoms and refuse to seek medical evaluation. They rationalize that they could not possibly have the coronavirus and venture out of their homes, exposing others without remorse. The second category of people blasting on Facebook is those who feel their civil rights have been violated, and extend invitations to their social circles to engage in secretive, private social functions in their homes.

Overconfidence in one’s self is a deadly character trait. When we are filled with pride need nothing, including knowledge and wisdom, then we exclude God. Because we refuse to humble ourselves and obey, we perceive false teachings to be accurate, and we make counterproductive decisions. An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. Proverbs 18:15

The Word of God admonishes us to seek the truth. Our life experience and education can only take us so far on this earthly journey. We must accept the limitation that all of humanity has in common, we can only think with finite minds.

At the dawning of each new day, we can’t know the challenges that we will face. By daily committing our plans to God and patiently waiting for His blessing, we receive the assurance that His plan for our lives is without fail. Circumstances change quickly; planning for tomorrow did not include a deadly virus that continues to infiltrate our communities on a global level. Even so, the great and Omnipotent “I Am” was fully aware that the COVID-19 virus would devastate our world.

Never forget that God is in control. Nothing happens in our lives and on this earth without God’s permission. As Believers, when we look through spiritual eyes and witness the abject wickedness that exists, we acknowledge that we are no different than the antediluvians that were destroyed by the flood or Sodom and Gomorrah which was destroyed by fire.

Fear and Greed are dominating the majority of our societies; people are hoarding without a single thought for others. The Dow has slid 700 points as the coronavirus continues to spread. These are the typical reactions from people that trust in their own abilities.

Our earth, as we know, is coming to an end. We are living in the last days, and Bible prophecy is being fulfilled. It is an individual decision to accept the Word of God and to faithfully trust that God will care for us.

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6

We cannot pretend that we trust in God with our entire being if we do not. Faith and trust are not two lines in the middle dividing the Road of Righteousness. Faith says yes, I believe in God without doubt, and trust allows us to put our life in His hands. God is our driver, and we are the passengers in the vehicle destined for Eternal life.

We must take a stand during this tumultuous time in history. Either we will serve God faithfully with our every breath, or we will falter and possess discontent and unrest as we continue to use our own resources. Do not be deceived! Without fail, pray for guidance. Adhere to the guidelines of the CDC and WHO regardless of your financial circumstances. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34

Trust is the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

Love God, Love Others, Love yourself!

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz RN

 

https://www.wsmv.com/news/a-group-of-nashville-studio-singers-perform-an-epic-cell/article_2245fbf8-6eb2-11ea-9be3-db6cec04c8f3.html?utm_medium

https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19—25-march-2020

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. Isaiah 43:2

At a time when many have a grim outlook on our current situation, we are still blessed. God’s mercies and protection never cease. I just want to say, Thank you God. © Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

Sharing the following post from John Bradshaw, It is Written.

You often see the goodness of God when things are rough. Imagine if the coronavirus had reared its ugly head a week before Thanksgiving, or in the dead of winter. Or when school was just beginning rather than half a semester from the end of the school year. It’s bad. But God is very good. Always good! “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22,23. John Bradshaw

As a Registered Nurse, I am making an appeal to all of my readers to utilize the only two reliable sources for accurate information on the coronavirus.

1. World Health Organization https://www.who.int/tro
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/

The link below is a story on the most common ways the coronavirus is transmitted by Jenna Birch, a writer for HUFFPOST. What are Jenna’s credentials beyond reporting this story, and does this information agree with the CDC and WHO’s standing on how the coronavirus is transmitted?

https://www.aol.com/article/lifestyle/2020/03/25/the-most-common-ways-the-coronavirus-is-transmitted/23961361/

In this paragraph, she uses the name of a well-known professional Medical Journal to make her article appear credible.

According to new research published in The New England Journal of Medicine, scientists were able to show that aerosolized (that is, airborne) particles could spread the novel coronavirus. This means there’s possible airborne transmission of the illness, at least in certain settings.

When I followed the hyperlink, new research, the following disclaimer was stated by the Authors of their correspondence that was sent to The New England Journal of Medicine. The medical team who conducted their research is submitting a hypothesis, findings, and conclusions based on their clinical experiments alone.

Even this Medical team admits that their findings do not represent that of the CDC.

The findings and conclusions in this letter are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The first article from the HuffPost contained the following misinformation:

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated aerosolized blood particles can be a transmitter of the virus. While researchers have discovered small amounts of COVID-19 in blood samples among a few severely ill patients, the amount is too low to suggest there can be blood-related transmission at this time.

Although this second article appears to contain some accurate information…there is no need for the public to read data that is interpreted by unlicensed individuals who copy and paste the information to gain readers. Where are her references for the information in the remainder of the article?

Please get your information first hand from the only two reliable sources: CDC and WHO. Their websites are updated once per day.

1. Keep your distance.
2. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
3. Using hand sanitizer is secondary and should be used when you do not have access to water and soap.
4. Build your immunity by eating and cooking plenty of fresh fruits and veggies.

Pray, and have the faith to believe that when we do our part, God will take care of us as He promised.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz RN

 

 

For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 2 Timothy 3:2 NLT.

It takes the right situation to reveal a person’s real character. –Sonya Johnson Ruiz

It has become evident that those who possess the love of money are becoming agitated over the restrictive measures that have been established to help contain the coronavirus. In Texas, our Lt. Governor Dan Patrick states, “That we should make a different trade-off between economic growth and public health than we have been making as we combat the coronavirus.” Notwithstanding, President Trump is hopeful that we can resume our normal activities by Easter, April 12th.

The latest coronavirus statistics indicate 436,420 Confirmed Cases and 19,638 Deaths from the COVID-19 virus.

Although we may judge individuals who openly proclaim their value of money over human life, many of us are guilty of traveling the same Road of Moral Bankruptcy. Let’s face it, most of us love Capitalism!

We have the freedom to pursue our dreams, to rise from rags to riches, and we knowingly purchase from companies who support abortion. Do we consider the working conditions of the individuals employed by companies who outsource? Probably not. Social Responsibility is proudly displayed on the website of many corporations that opportunistically employ individuals outside of the United States to work for pennies on the dollar.

Yes, I am a Social Activist, but first and foremost, I am a believer! We are created in the image of God and yet, even as believers we may not realize that we value money over humanity.

Are you traveling on the Road of Moral Bankruptcy?

Do you possess love as defined by God? But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 1 John 3:17.

There are two methods of communication: Verbal and Non-Verbal.

The individuals who openly verbalize that they value money over human life defend their positions and do not consider themselves to be morally bankrupt. They are criticized for being calloused and full of greed; even so, they do not attempt to hide their priorities, “Money matters” above all else. In fact, they try to convince others that the imposed restrictions to contain a morbid virus is having a domino effect by producing another dilemma involving money.

And that brings us to the quiet individuals, they have developed the skill of non-verbal communication. Often, this category of individuals are Believers who agree that these are devastating times, yet, they have not reached out to help anyone during this pandemic. Like the lawyer who tried to tempt Jesus (Luke 10:25-37), they also justify the hoarding of their money–it is for hard times. But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Luke 10:29. 

We know who our neighbor is–everyone regardless of ethnicity, race, background, social or political status. There are men, women, and children who were living from paycheck to paycheck before this pandemic, consider their present situation. What about the Seniors and the disabled? They wait for a monthly check and may not have the necessary funds or the ability to drive to the store to purchase items before the shelves are emptied.

What does the bible say about helping others? Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. Proverbs 19:17. God has placed us in the right place at the right time. During this crisis, we are called to represent Jesus, who was full of love and compassion.

The ambivalence to help others even existed with the disciples, As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Matthew 14:15. Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” Matthew 14:16

The Stimulus is an intervention by the government that may take up to two months to receive. Our spiritual responsibility is not dependent upon man’s government, we serve God who has given us specific guidelines on how we are to live: You give them something to eat. 

We can still adhere to social distancing by utilizing alternative methods of supplying provisions to others. Purchase extra items of food, personal products, and toiletries to make Care Bags. In our community, we have three food pantries–wooden cabinets that can be filled with non-perishable food 24/7. Call the food pantries, the churches, the shelters, and utilize social media to donate necessities to those in need.

Recently, we posted in one of our FB groups, “Free, come and get it,” that we would like to donate food. One of the Pastors of a local church contacted us via Messenger that they were aware of a family in critical need. We adhered to the Social Distancing protocols by placing the bags on the porch for pick-up.

Our goal is to prepare for Eternal life by obeying the Word of God. It is only then that we can view life through spiritual eyes. If we really love God then we do not ignore the current crisis and do nothing. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4

We are accountable for alleviating the suffering of others. Am I my brother’s keeper?

And they too will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’…Matthew 25:44-45

We can get off of the Road of Moral Bankruptcy by adhering to the Spiritual Hierarchy: Love God, Love Others, and Love yourself.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

 

 

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Titus 2:11-13

Last night as I reflected on the activities of the day, I realized how easy it was for me to become distracted by the foolishness of this world. For what I had focused on was a complete waste of time, time that should have been devoted to praying and studying the Word of God. This morning as I prayed, I purposed in my heart to eliminate the source of that distraction.

Distractions require Deliverance from God!

Satan is unable to read our minds, but he certainly has the powers of observation to learn our preferences; the things that we love and make us happy; the time we spend on our cellular devices; the type of books that we read; the programs that we watch; the individuals that we hang out with, and the places that we visit. So, he compares the time we spend on pursuing our desires, and the time that we spend on building our relationship with God, and he masterfully designs a plan to keep us busy. His goal is to sever our relationship with God.

Many years ago, I had a wonderful coworker who was a Registered Dietician. I was struggling with weight gain and asked for his assistance in developing a plan to lose weight and to eat a healthier diet. Imagine my surprise when he asked me to start a journal documenting my time and activities for the next three days. With hesitancy in my voice, I agreed to start journaling, and we set up an appointment for Day 4.

At the beginning of our session, his initial question was, “Do you know why I asked you to make a Time and Activity log?” When I answered a feeble “No,” he patiently explained the importance of knowing how we utilize the time that we have been given daily. He further clarified that without the awareness of the amount of time we devote to activities outside of work or sleep, that we will rarely accomplish essential duties or reach set goals.

After he finished reading the entries, the next question was an inquiry regarding my spiritual beliefs, “Did I believe in a higher power and who was the power?”, to which I responded that I believed in God. The feedback that remains in my memory was that “I had failed to document the time that I spend with God.” My mind attempted to process exactly what was happening in this session. Yes, his clothing and Yiddish accent revealed that he was of Jewish descent. Nevertheless, when he disclosed that he was a Rabbi, I realized that this was Divine intervention, I was receiving a message from God. My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8

I wish that I could tell you from that point, which was at least 25 years ago, that I was faithful to God by diligently communing with Him. No, I remained distracted. My desires outweighed the importance of establishing an up-close and personal relationship with God. Even so, in 2017, God used another individual to remind me that He was still waiting for me to come to Him. It was at a time when I was discouraged because my physical impairment ended my nursing career.

Amid a significant life event, I had to redirect my focus and turn to God for comfort. My testimony is that I began to write one sentence–words of encouragement on Facebook. From 2017 to present, God has enabled my spiritual gift to expand as I write Devotionals, which remind us that God is here.

We do not have to live a life of monotony. God has blessed us with talents, spiritual gifts, the ability to love and to laugh. Still, we must put away our idols of pleasure, which consume the time that we should spend with God. You must worship no other gods, for the LORD, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you. Exodus 34:14

Become aware, document all of your activities, along with every meal that you eat, including the time that you spend with God for 3 days. Be truthful and honest. Self-evaluations are tough. It is not easy to give up our distractions. The persons we love, our desires, emotional discouragement, and meaningless activities that consume the majority of our time will keep us from studying, praying and growing closer to God.

As you review your journal entries, perform a process of elimination, and get rid of non-productive distractions. It is not as easy as one may think, to give up what we love the most. God must be foremost, our spiritual relationship with Him cannot grow from short bursts of time. It takes a concerted effort to perform the process of elimination to renew our covenant with God. We will overcome when our prayers include the request for God to deliver us from all distractions.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

 

 

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/23/us/coronavirus-which-states-stay-at-home-order-trnd/index.html