Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Lord God, with gratitude, we thank You for the Victory of a safe passage through another week. Lord, we approach Your Throne of Grace because we are always in need of the spiritual blessings of strength, wisdom, and discernment. Jesus, as we reflect on Your love and faithfulness, we consecrate ourselves to follow You because You are Worthy and deserve all honor, glory, and praise. We ask for forgiveness of our sins of rebellion. Thank You for giving us the Sabbath, a time to rest from our cares, and a time to redirect our faith and focus to worship You in Spirit and Truth. In faith, and with joyful expectancy, we pray in the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen.

“Christ Went Low, So You Could Go Higher – Sermon Pastor Wintley Phipps

Jesus, Our Loving Shepherd

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. (Psalm 95:6-7).

With deep reflection, I began to think about the relationship between sheep and their shepherd. We can learn from the animals who consistently demonstrate love, loyalty, and obedience to their shepherd.

“Sheep behave with loyalty, recognition, and trust toward their shepherd, responding to their voice, scent, and presence, which signals food, safety, and care.”

“Their behavior includes following the shepherd, calming in their presence, recognizing their unique traits, and learning routines associated with their herder.”

“This bond is built on the shepherd’s consistent provision of resources and protection.”

Following and Guidance:
“Sheep will follow their shepherd willingly, knowing that the shepherd provides food, water, and guidance for their well-being.”

I began to think about our relationship with Jesus, our Loving Shepherd who desires to provide for us and protect us from Satan, our enemy. Yet, we must willingly choose to follow Jesus.

Our Greatest Challenge: We inherited hearts overflowing with desires that rebel against God’s plans for our lives.

It is easier to pursue our desires than to surrender in faithful obedience and follow our Shepherd.

Ask yourself, “What is keeping me from following Jesus, my Shepherd?”

Set aside some alone time to think about the desires, habits, and pursuits preventing you from making the commitment to become a faithful follower.

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me…” (John 10:14).

Jesus reminds us that He knows the pure motives of His sheep. They are the Believers who abide in Him by maintaining a heart-to-heart relationship through daily surrender.

The Characteristics of Faithful Sheep

Through daily personal worship, we consecrate ourselves utilizing Jesus’ prayer to His Father, Not my will, but Your will be done.” (Luke 22:42).

When our hearts are converted, we readily surrender ourselves to worship God in Spirit and Truth. Love and loyalty for our Shepherd is demonstrated by intentional obedience, which is our highest act of worship to God.

As time slips rapidly into eternity, we are confronted with the choice, Who will I follow? Jesus, or myself?

Our Triumphant King’s promise: “…Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the Crown of life. (Revelation 2:10).

The behaviors of the righteous: Follow Jesus, renounce sin, relinquish your desires, and prepare daily for His Soon Coming.

“Commit everything you do to the Lord [YAHWEH]. Trust Him, and He will help you.” (Psalm 37:5, NLT).

Lord God, thank You for giving us freedom from a sin debt that left us spiritually bankrupt. Jesus, You are our Shepherd, we give ourselves to You. Lead us, correct us, protect us, and cleanse us from the unrighteousness of our heart’s desires. With praise and faithful obedience, we thank You, God, and lift Your Name on High for the gift of Jesus. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

The Willingness to Live a Sacrificial Life

“I will guide you with my eye” (Psalm 32:8).

“God will provide intimate, personal, and watchful guidance to those who trust Him. This refers to God’s attentive, loving oversight rather than distant instruction, emphasizing a close, personal relationship where He leads us with His wisdom,” according to his perfect will.

We were not created to be self-reliant. Sadly, many believers have embraced autonomy by never praying and asking God to reveal His perfect will for their lives.

“LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23, NIV).

The ocean stays within its boundaries, and the Sun rises in the East and sets in the West, but human beings created in the image of God have consistently fought against the Creator by following the rebellious desires of their hearts.

Although, we were created with free will of choice, and inherited hearts that naturally rebel against total submission to God, total dependency on Jesus Christ is necessary to stay on the Path of Righteousness, and to receive our Crown of Life.

After many failures, with humility, I had to admit that it was impossible for me to live righteously using my strength. No, I could not walk through this earthly journey victoriously without God’s direction, protection, and correction.

Tired of feeling defeated, one day, I decided to fully surrender to God through the lifestyle changes of daily prayer, fasting, and Bible Study.

The hardships still happen, but my outlook changed as my heart embraced Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

Filled with hope, I began to understood the necessity of faithful obedience to God’s Sovereign Authority.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1, NIV).

Only Christ can give us the spiritual strength to live righteously. If we are willing to live a sacrificial life of following our Shepherd with faithful obedience then Jesus promises to transform us from the inside out.

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT)

When we humble ourselves and live a consecrated, obedient life, Yeshua promises to complete the spiritual work of Sanctification in our minds, characters, and personalities.

Preparing for Kingdom Life One Day at a Time: With each passing day, we are closer to Jesus fulfilling His promise of John 14:1-3. Yes and Amen!

Bible Study: Revelation 21-22

Lord God, we ask You to reveal any hidden desires, habits, and disobedience that would prevent us from receiving our reward of Eternal Life. We pray for the strength to overcome our internal desires and the external temptations designed to make us fall. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

Tough Times? Remember God’s Faithfulness

The quote by Mary Carver reminds us to always reflect on God’s faithfulness even when times are tough.

We cannot give ourselves the beautiful joy and peace that comes from receiving the love, care, and abundant blessings from our Heavenly Father.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?…”

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26).

Remembering our past and present victories keeps our faith strong. Begin your day with a Prayer of Gratitude. Every day, Thank God for 10 things and you will never be discouraged. Our Heavenly Father Loves Us and is always Faithful. Yes and Amen!

“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:25-26).

Lord God, we just want to say Thank You for Your love and the many blessings, we receive without asking. Lord, we love You. Thank You for Your never-ending faithfulness, grace, mercies, and protection, which reminds us that we are highly valued by You. In faith and gratitude, we pray, in the Loving Name of Jesus, Amen.

Spiritual Growth and Transformation Requires Active Participation

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20, ESV).

God’s Priority is to change our Character to prepare us for our reward of Eternal Life.

Are we cooperating with the Holy Spirit in the daily Spiritual process of growth and maturity [Sanctification]?

Pursuing the world’s temporary and meaningless prosperity, pleasures, and success are a waste of the Believer’s time and energy. We can take nothing with us to Heaven except a Righteous Character.

God promises to give us everything we need. Be content with what you have.

We are looking forward to a perfect life with Jesus in the New Heaven and New Earth.

Worship God in Spirit and Truth by consecrating yourself daily to follow Jesus Christ. Peace and Blessings.

Bible Study: Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 4

Lord God, we ask you to reveal any desire, habit, or behavior that would prevent us from receiving our reward of Eternal Life. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Living Our Best Lives Through Jesus Christ

The best advice we can follow is to pray more and to think less about our desires. God’s Love has no boundaries. His answer of “No” protects us from suffering the consequences of following our hearts.

“In the Bible, God demonstrates His unparalleled, unrivaled, unequaled powers and abilities and His love to humanity.”

“Only God has the mind of Omniscience, the ability to know and comprehend every iota of knowledge that can be known.”

God’s Love includes His goal for us to receive our reward of Eternal Life. But is this our goal?

Take a few minutes to think about the goals that you are pursuing. Our priorities reveal whether or not, we are choosing Heaven as our Eternal destiny.

God will never bless us with anything that distracts us from putting Him first, or interferes with our spiritual growth and transformation.

Only God can give us our best lives. His thoughts, plans, and ways are above our understanding. Our responsibility is to pray daily, asking for His plans to be revealed, and to use our faith to trust and obey His will.

Redirecting our faith and focus from pleasure, prosperity, success, and material possessions is the only way, we can do our part in receiving our Crown of Life from Jesus, who is coming soon. Peace and Blessings.

Lord God, we desire to know Your plans for our lives. We ask You to lead us, guide us, protect us, and correct us, as we travel in our spiritual journey with Jesus. Lord, we desire to live with you forever in the New Heaven and New Earth.We ask this prayer in the Loving Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Do Not Fear, Worry, or Be Discouraged – The LORD Is On Your Side!

“I called on your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: ‘Do not close your ears to my cry for relief. You came near when I called you, and you said, ‘Do not fear.’ ” (Lamentations 3:55-57, NIV).

“The Babylonians, led by King Nebuchadnezzar II, captured the Israelites during the Babylonian Captivity, which was a period of exile for the Jewish people into Babylon.”

“This event marked the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem and a forced relocation of many Jews, including prophet Jeremiah, to Babylon as a consequence of their rebellion and idolatry.”

“…we are weary and find no rest.” (Lamentations 5:5).

Jeremiah, known as the Weeping Prophet, lamented in his prayer asking for God to extend mercy and redeem them from their Babylonian captivity.

God’s Promise: “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, NLT).

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we agree to follow God’s thoughts and plans for our lives. The Christian Believer’s life is not our own. We have dedicated ourselves to be followers of Jesus Christ, our Shepherd.

“You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:14). Jesus clarifies that obedience is required to be His follower, to have a relationship with Him, and to receive God’s abundant blessings.

Learning God’s Plans: We remain in right standing with God when we consecrate ourselves through daily prayer asking God to reveal His will for the given day. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Holy Scriptures and our thoughts.

“Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” (Proverbs 28:26, ESV).

One of the most discouraging times in our lives is when we must suffer consequences for following our thoughts and making decisions outside of God’s plans. Willful disobedience always bring consequences.

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Clarification: The consequences of willful disobedience differ from suffering trials and hardships.

We experience trials and hardships for spiritual growth and the transformation of our characters. God places limits on the severity of trials and hardships, it would serve no godly purpose for us to be crushed and feel hopeless.

But consequences from disobedience have no boundaries! Following our misguided desires results in making decisions outside of God’s Perfect Will, which equates to intentional self-harm.

Sin Separates us from God: When believers fail to seek God, we may enjoy the benefits of our decisions, but spiritual consequences happen immediately, disobedience separates us from God.

Following our thoughts and desires desensitizes us to the magnitude of our rebellion against God; we can no longer perceive life through spiritual eyes.

The Holy Spirit cannot dwell inside of a believer who is filled with rebellion. Because God loves us, He does not prevent the devastating consequences of our decisions.

Suffering tangible consequences always produces feelings of regret, yet do not focus on how you feel, with surrender and humility, redirect your focus and faith to run to God with a Prayer of Repentance.

God Reveals His Love: “‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 1:3b).

God is Omniscient, and knows every sin that we will commit against Him, still, our Loving Father never abandons us. He loves us, even in our state of disobedience, but we must repent for our rebellion against God.

David’s Prayer of Repentance: Psalm 51:1-4

“Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin…”

3 “For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight.”

Do Not Embrace Guilt! King David is our ultimate example of committing sins based on desire, repenting, and moving forward in his life.

Emmanuel: God With Us

“This name is more than a personal name; it’s a declaration of God’s covenant presence. It symbolizes God’s closeness and reassurance, a powerful statement of His enduring connection to His people throughout all stages of their spiritual life.”

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3, Amplified Bible).

Through personal worship of daily Prayer and Bible Study, we choose to stay close to God who promises to give us the spiritual strength to persevere through every trial, hardship, and even the harsh consequences. Yes and Amen!

Lord God, we are extremely grateful for Your abundant love, forgiveness, and steadfast faithfulness, even when we choose to rebel against You. We repent of our sins and ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and fill us with Your Holy Spirit. Lord, we seek Your guidance and Perfect Will and Plans for our lives. We love You, and ask this prayer in the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen.