Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3 NIV

Childhood trait–Belief without a doubt.

Most of us can recall our childhood: As we differ, so do our childhood experiences; for some, the reflections are sweet, and for others, the memories are bittersweet, or traumatic. Although we were helpless in choosing how we started in life, we have a choice in how we live right now.

For those who experienced a less than desirable childhood, God will take away the emotional pain when we ask Him to heal us: He heals the Brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. Psalm 147:3. This is a beautiful promise from our most loving God; He will not leave you with remaining scars as psychological analysis wants us to believe. Never doubt that the Omnipotent God who created our minds can and will give us complete healing.

Acts chapter 9 tells us of a man who hated Believers and made it his mission to imprison and execute all who proclaimed the name of God. Saul of Tarsus was one of the most diabolical individuals mentioned in the Bible; his desire for the death of others was so intense that it took a conversation with Jesus and loss of his vision for Saul’s conversion to occur and for him to become the Apostle Paul.

Our amazing God took an unbeliever with a heart filled with hatred, and history of murdering innocent believers and transformed him into a godly apostle who proclaimed His name even unto death.

God never fails! We have every reason to have a strong belief in an Omnipotent God who loves us and always keeps His promises. There is not one friend, husband, wife, family member, or therapist that can make the promises that our Heavenly Father makes to us.

Break free from the chains of doubt, despair, and depression caused by reflection on the past. Believe that healing and transformation are possible because of God’s deep love for us. Speak positive and encouraging words, call on the name of Jesus, and you will be able to say: I am changed, God has healed me!

Prayer: Dear God, We need you to deliver and heal us from past experiences. We proclaim unwavering faith in your power to bring a complete transformation in our lives. We thank you and ask this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

 

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

The books of Psalms were written by King David, who was the same shepherd boy that killed a lion, a bear, and Goliath, the giant. When God anointed him to be King, David perpetually worried about those who schemed against him. He also abused his authority by taking another man’s wife, Bathsheba, and to make matters worse, he sent her husband, Uriah, to the frontline of a battle to be killed.

In spite of David’s sins and wavering faith, God always remained faithful. Divine intervention prevented his son, Adonijah, from taking the throne away from his brother Solomon, who was appointed to be Israel’s next king. With love and mercies, God consistently blessed David; the one consequence that he suffered was that he was not allowed to build the temple under his reign. Read 1 Chronicles 28.

David wrote 150 psalms, poetic songs, which expressed his faith, his fears, his confession and repentance of adultery, murder, and ongoing sins against God. But, above all, he truly loved and honored God by continually singing a new song to the Creator of his life.

There are times when we may feel that God has forsaken us because we are experiencing the storms of life that have become so overwhelming. Perhaps we have been seeking after our sinful or selfish desires, and we feel unforgiven and separated from God. Even so, we must not give in to our feelings!

“Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

We must get to know who God is and establish a covenant with Him. Pray and rely on God by studying the Bible. The Word of God contains everything we need to know about His Character, His promises, and the disobedience of fallen humanity. When we come to understand who God is, we will be like David and sing a new song by praising God endlessly for His blessings and His mercies.

Prayer: Dear God, We praise you for the mercies of a new day, and we ask you to forgive us for our sins. Thank you for all that you have done and all that you will do in our lives. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

Weight loss is a billion-dollar industry with countless methods marketed as “the one,” which produces fantastic results, often without effort. There is only one method that leads to the loss of excessive weight; Fewer Calories = Weight loss. From a mathematical perspective, this should be the perfect formula for producing weight loss; but the truth of the matter is that losing excess pounds is complicated.

Weight loss has many variables: Food and Drink Choices, Type of Calories, Abnormal Diagnoses, Medications, Hormonal Imbalances, Body Response to Reduction of Calories: Lowered Rate of Metabolism, Genetics, Stress, and the amount of sleep. Above all, personal taste preferences and a history of eating foods/drinks that contain amounts of high sodium, high calories, high sugar, and high-fat content result in little to no will-power to avoid such foods.

Nevertheless, weight loss can be achieved without bariatric surgery or spending hundreds of dollars on promoted diet products. Consuming fewer calories by eating foods that are nutritious and taking daily walks will lead to substantial weight loss and the maintenance of your ideal weight.

We are blessed that there are no variables in the Plan of Salvation. God has developed the perfect plan for us to have guaranteed spiritual health: Confession, Repentance, Praying, Studying, living a Faith-based life, Trusting Him, and Obedience enables us to establish and maintain a spiritually healthy relationship with Him. As long as we actively participate, then our Comforter and Teacher, the Holy Spirit will dwell within us, and our characters will align with the “Fruit of the Spirit.” Galatians 5: 22,23. We can only receive guaranteed results with God.

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 John 1:2 NIV

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the Plan of Salvation that we may be redeemed from our sins if we humble ourselves and pray. We pray for the strength to do our part by maintaining spiritual and physical health. Please forgive us for our sins. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

 

 

When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. Joshua 6:20 NIV

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Just for a moment, reflect on the goals that you set five years ago, were you able to accomplish any of those goals? For the majority of us who have made plans for the future, we must remember that our lives are not our own. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature…Romans 8:9 NLT.  We must seek God’s approval first, pray, and wait for His answer.

Truthfully speaking, only one of our primary goals from five years ago was approved and blessed by God; our plan to relocate from Florida to Texas. When God says yes, there are no obstacles that prevent our plans from being brought into fruition. The miracles that God performed included the waiver of the remaining months on our lease in Florida, employment opportunities for a newly transplanted middle-aged couple, the healing of my elderly mother’s cardiac condition, and currently, early retirement for my husband and myself.

God created us with talents, spiritual gifts, and the ability to have aspirations, there are educational pursuits, career advancements, purchases of houses and vehicles, marriage, children, travel, retirement, and many others that we desire to achieve. With finite minds, our view of life is quite limited. We become disappointed when time passes, and our current situation remains unchanged; it is then that we begin to focus on the walls of difficulty and view our goals as unattainable.

At this point, we must redirect our focus and remember that God is Omniscient, He has not forgotten us. In His mercy, we are often saved from many painful consequences when He says to wait, or when He says no to our plans. Our dreams will advance into reality if our plans are in sync with God’s perfect plan. When we remain patient and obedient, then we will witness the power of our Almighty God, and the walls will fall down in His time.

Bible Reading: Joshua 6

Prayer: Dear God, We pray for forgiveness for pursuing what we want when we want it. We present our plans to you and ask for your approval and your blessing upon our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Most of us know the things we need to accomplish daily and can organize our schedules accordingly to fulfill those tasks. The number of goals or interventions leading to completion determines whether the outcome is successful or unsuccessful. Have we taken into account the distractions that we have no control over that will impact our goals? The unexpected events that we cannot ignore, usually change what we desire to achieve every day.

Setting goals are an integral part of a structured lifestyle; even so, there are consequences to structuring our lives around to-do lists. We begin to lose our overall focus on a well-rounded lifestyle. We engage in risky behaviors when we overburden ourselves with too many commitments and responsibilities. The continual stress of doing too much in 24 hours harms our minds and bodies; Stress causes Mental health conditions such as anxiety, and depression along with conditions that affect the Cardiovascular system such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

We must slow down! In our haste, we rush throughout the day without asking if our plans are in His will. We can retrain our perspective; there are seven days in a week, distribute your goals evenly from Sunday-Friday, and enjoy the gift of Saturday the Sabbath, the one day that we do not focus on the cares of life.

In His infinite mercy, God has intervened on our behalf; the Seventh-day Sabbath, from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, is part of God’s restorative process to slow our busyness. We have 24 hours to exclusively commune with God. If we follow His plan for our lives, then we can expect the restoration of our minds and bodies. God’s methods produce perfect results. Yes, God does all things well, present your plans to him, and wait for His approval. Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD. Psalm 27:14 NLT

Prayer: Dear God, We thank you for your love and infinite mercy by providing us with your plan to restore and heal us. We ask forgiveness for not seeking and waiting for your approval. May we obediently follow your will for our lives. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

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 NLT

For 12 years, I was the sole proprietor of an educational tutoring business for nursing students, which necessitated detailed knowledge of the development, planning, and running of the business on my own. Although I utilized the free resources available for entrepreneurs, I made the decision to pursue formal education and enrolled in a university majoring in Business Management.

Gaining knowledge on an academic level allowed a successful face-to-face and online service to many nursing students and graduate nursing students who were able to complete their nursing programs or pass the nursing licensure examination. I thank God that after being blessed to have a nursing career spanning four decades that I was able to give back to the nursing profession.

Recently, a company opened with a mission to provide imperfect food–ugly fruit and vegetables to low-income individuals with deliveries based on zip code location. Of course, this piqued my interest when I read the description, groceries on a mission to eliminate food waste. With my researcher hat on, I began to look over the About Us and the FAQ sections of the company that skillfully used the terms EBT, SNAP, low-income, reduction of food waste, to promote the engagement of their target audience, individuals with severely limited financial resources. Yes, there were many imperfections in addition to the foods that are being sold.

Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Proverbs 4: 5-6

Many fail to comprehend that God has given us the Bible as the blueprint and instruction manual for every aspect of our lives. Often there is a gap between reading the Word of God and applying its precepts, promises, and commandments to our daily lives. We are admonished to obtain knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. It is by our efforts that we seek knowledge, which is the foundation of learning; even so, our minds are finite (limited), we are unable to define or perceive as God does, only God has perfect and immense knowledge and wisdom.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12

We are forewarned. Every aspect of our lives involves the ongoing battle of spiritual wickedness. It is Satan’s plan to not only deceive us with the little things that impact our daily lives, but He has also reached forward with a diabolical plan to trick many with a false appearance of Jesus’ Second Coming. Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed. 2 Thessalonians 2:3

Studying the Bible and praying for the revelation of the scriptures by the Holy Spirit must be an integral part of our daily existence. God has not left us alone; The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul. Psalm 121:7. Remember, the fulfillment of God’s promises requires that we do our active part by learning, obeying, and waiting for His Divine intervention.

Prayer for today: Dear God, We face many deceptions in our lives, and as we study your Word, we ask you for understanding and wisdom, so we are not tricked by wickedness. Please forgive us of our sins and shortcomings. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

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Be encouraged and Believe!

He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. Revelation 3:5 NJKV

Do you recall the term “latchkey children? They were the children of working parents who returned to an empty home after school; if you are between the ages of 40-54, then you are part of Generation X who may have learned self-care under minimal supervision. Generation Xers are children of the Silent Generation and older Baby Boomers, who spent significant time in their lives alone, due to parents who shared similar work ethics. Whether or not this created insecurities or a greater sense of independence, many Xers vowed to not repeat the same situation with their children.

The Silent Generation and Baby Boomers were taught to work hard by investing their time and energies into their careers with strict loyalty to their employers; hence we would receive employment security, skills development, pensions, retirement funds, promotions, we chased after the dream. We had the expectation that if we worked hard for a company and “paid our dues” we would be rewarded with merit raises, excellent benefits, and considered valuable employees that the company relied on to achieve their mission and profit margin.

We did not have interviews that questioned us as to where we would be in five years, nor did we have to provide a detailed explanation of why the company should hire us. Our resumes reflected a minimal number of jobs, and our strengths were labeled as the actual experience. It was human eyes that read our career objective in paragraph format, which matched the position applied for because bullet points with key terms would immediately disqualify us as an applicant.

However, our priority of being loyal to our careers precipitated the breakdown of healthy relationships with family, marriages, and God. Statistically, Baby Boomers have the highest level of chronic illnesses; and they are the first to succumb to job termination because of the inability to advance with technological changes and failure to meet current standards for job productivity.

Fast forward to the subsequent generations, such as the Millennials who realize career or employment changes are inevitable. Being equipped with that knowledge gives them the resilience to go with the flow by keeping their resumes up-to-date, possessing the highest level of computer savviness, and enjoying a work-life balance from their employers. Most realize that they will survive the impact of job loss because they do not center their entire lives around employment with one company.

Unfortunately, humanity is always in conflict over the past, present, and future; the change in the dynamics of family, social, political, religious, and financial systems has blinded many, and we fail to realize that we can learn from the experiences of one another. Many of us survive in continual chaos, and as a result, when the issues in our lives escalate to a crisis level, we lack the needed support and solidarity, which forces many to falter and make unhealthy life choices that worsen the situation.

God did not intend for humanity to be so out of sync with his perfect plan for our lives. You can say that it was not our choice for Adam and Eve to disobey God, and consequently, we are suffering because of their sin against God. In spite of life’s worsening conditions, God has not left us destitute, He has lovingly promised to give us His continuous grace and mercies to see us through our journey.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV. The plans that He has for us include Eternal life, it is our decision to claim his promises by preparing every day for a better life in the New Heaven and the New Earth.

We must learn from the biblical accounts of individuals who committed sins by disobeying the precepts and commands of God because they chose to follow their own desires. Preparing for a better life includes serving God with humility, obedience, possessing knowledge of His Word, asking for wisdom, maintaining communication with God through prayer, and living harmoniously with others.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 NIV

Prayer for today: Dear God, When we reflect on our lives, we confess that we did not make the best choices, and for this, we ask you to forgive us. We ask for your Divine intervention to move forward, we ask for wisdom to make the changes that are necessary to prepare for Eternal life. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reference: Forbes articles on Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and Millenials

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

 

 

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 NIV

These questions were asked by a gospel singer on a social media site yesterday: “What’s your heart’s desire for 2020? What have you been praying for this new year???” Many individuals expressed that they would like to have a closer relationship with God and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Others sadly indicated that they are praying to get out of the massive debts they have accumulated.

When we are weighed down with burdens regardless of the source, our relationship with God suffers greatly. Remember that God cares about us, and He has promised to deliver us from the situations that we face when we pray for his Divine Intervention in our lives. We must possess knowledge of God’s promises to trust and believe in Him; Study the Bible like your life depends on it because it does.

1. Pray for a personal change of all habits that indicate a lack of self-control.
2. Pray for God to reveal what you need to do for your character to align with Christ’s character.
3. Exercise your faith and give your burdens to God; He is aware of the turmoils in your life.
4. Get rid of the extra stuff by donating to community churches–many have Community Services ministries that give based on need as opposed to selling for profit.
5. Volunteer for ministries or departments in your church that focus on community outreach; you will gain a different perspective of life when you help those in need.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 NLT

God hears our prayers; we do not have to beg or repeatedly ask for the same request again and again. We only have to patiently wait on Him to deliver us in His perfect timing.

Prayer for today: Dear God, We ask you to forgive us for our sins, and to show us what we need to do to possess a Christ-like character. We give you all of our burdens, and we ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020

Frozen bubbles in a Canadian lake