Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

What are you thankful for this Sabbath?

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

It is God who consistently provides for all of our needs. Do not focus on your circumstances, just rely on God’s power to bring restoration and resolution. Your responsibility is to pray, trust, and believe in faith that God is here for you.

God loves you!

Prayer for today: Dear God, We ask for your Divine intervention in our lives today. We admit that our circumstances seem overwhelming. Please bring resolution to the problems we are facing and forgive us for doubting your awesome love and power. We ask this prayer in the holy name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2019

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them; for the LORD your God goes with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV

In the past week, my granddaughter expressed numerous things that she feared. As I listened intently, I realized that although she has never experienced any negative or traumatic situations that would substantiate her fears, she was still afraid.

As believers, what do you fear? Is it the future, is it anxiety from past experiences, or is it your current circumstances? There is a solution to what and who we fear: God is always aware of our human frailties and He is always available to allay all of our fears.

Communication through prayer–using plain talk and simply acknowledging our concerns to God is exactly the solution to provide us with perfect peace.

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Matthew 6:25 ESV

We are just ordinary people, but God tells us to have strength and courage; remember that He is always here, regardless of the circumstances that we face in our lives.

Prayer for today: Dear God, We admit that we have fear about many things–the known as well as the unknown. We ask you to please help us to completely rely on you, to always trust in you. Although we are just ordinary people, you have provided the way for us to be courageous through your strength. We thank you for your loving kindness, your grace, and your mercies. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayers. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2019

Melbourne Beach Pier, Florida

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7

Have you ever wondered why your life has so many ups and downs while others appear to have such an easygoing life?

When we are faithful to God, the storms of life may occur frequently; even so, we must always believe that God has a purpose for every trial that cause us to experience the troublesome times in our lives. He desires that we come to fully rely upon His strength and power to resolve all of our problems ranging from small to great.

Always Pray, Trust, and Obey God regardless of the Circumstances!

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10

Prayer for today: Dear Lord and Father, We humbly approach you in prayer to ask for your divine intervention in every aspect of our lives. Oh God, we acknowledge that we need a deeper relationship with you. Our lives are in your hands. Please help us, as we commit to trusting you always inspite of our circumstances. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz

About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message, this is what the LORD says: “Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness. Isaiah 38:1 NLT

Death and Dying

There are many individuals who receive the news that they have a terminal diagnosis that leaves them with a predictable and shortened life expectancy. The reactions to knowing that your life is ending will vary and may include depression, despair, anger, bargaining, rejection; but gradually the acceptance of pending death facilitates a peaceful end for most individuals.

Although, we are aware that death is a part of life, death brings the harsh reality of a permanent separation from others that we love and care about. The chill of death impacts the living and causes us to reflect on our own mortality. Of all the good things that could be said about life, the fact remains that there is nothing beneficial or nothing positive that can be said regarding death–but wait, for believers serving God, we have a blessed hope, because we know that death in Christ will be rewarded with immortality–at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17

In order to understand death, we must study the Bible to understand the origin of life. In Genesis chapter 2, we are told that Adam was created from the dust of the ground, and that God breathed the breath of life into him and “he became a living thing.”

Because of God’s love when creating human life, He desired an entire populous; therefore, God created a female counterpart from Adam’s rib, his wife–Eve and gave the command to be fruitful and multiply–to procreate and reproduce children.

The Fall of Man (Genesis 3) resulted in the beginning of sin for all human life which resulted in the onset of death. Because we were created with the freedom of choice, God created a tree that was not to be eaten from, the tree was placed to demonstrate that love and obedience to God was an option. Adam and Eve were given a free will to make the decision to go against God’s command: even so, they also had to face the consequences of their disobedience to their Creator.

There were many consequences to the disobedience of God’s command not to eat of the Tree of Good and Evil: Loss of immortality; loss of face-to-face communion with Christ; loss of the perfect home designed by God, and many other changes that resulted in pain, sorrow, suffering, and the intentional death of animals in order to clothe their nakedness.

Yes, death is harsh and there are many individuals who live according to a credo of, “you only have one life, go ahead, and do whatever it takes to make you happy.”

Satan would like for us to believe that the Creator of Life had nothing planned for the human race except struggle, unhappiness, and eventually death; however, God refutes Satan’s claim throughout the Bible. Pay attention to Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

If we fail to serve God, then we view life as hopeless; we cannot nor will we ever believe in Jesus’ resurrection or the promise given to us regarding the First Resurrection of Believers in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NLT:

For the Lord himself will come down heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

Studying the Bible imparts vital knowledge!

God’s purpose for all humanity was to live forever. Because of His great love, He did not create us with robotic minds, every individual has the choice to live for God or to live according to their own purpose.

For those who choose to believe in and faithfully serve God, we will reap the greatest reward: Eternal life–immortality in a New Heaven and New Earth. Revelation chapters 21-22

Although, God’s original plan for humanity was altered by Sin, there was a backup plan already in place, and that plan was that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God would die for all mankind.

We have this hope that one day there will be no more death, sorrow, pain, or broken hearts…if we choose God, then we will have the opportunity to live forever and ever with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Prayer for today: Dear God: All power is in you, we acknowledge your love for humanity by allowing your only Son, Jesus to die for us. You were pleased with His commitment to die on the cross for us, and now He serves as our Intercessor. We have felt the pain and emptiness associated with death. Oh God, we ask you to touch, comfort, and heal the brokenness of our hearts and our lives caused by the impact of death. Please forgive us of our sins past and present, and fill us with your Holy Spirit. We look forward to living in the New Heaven and the New Earth where our hearts will never be broken again by death. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Located in Oregon, USA

When life is overwhelming and your heart hurts, cry and pray; even so, keep praying.

We give up to easily and throw in the towel instead of praying, “God help me.”

Prayer for today: Dear God, I am coming to you with my brokenness to ask for your help. Please fix my situation because I don’t know what to do. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2019

24 hours of Spiritual Solace and Sweet Communion with our Creator🙏

My heart has heard you, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8 NLT

David knew of the power of prayer from the times that God delivered him from the giant–Goliath to giving him the strength to overtake a lion and bear with his hands to protecting him from vast enemies when he was Israel’s King.

Yes, it is through prayer that God has the opportunity to unleash His mighty power to forgive our sins, to heal the sick, raise the dead, to give us comfort, and to resolve our problems.

I invite you to increase your prayer life by communicating with God every hour for the next three days. You will receive a deeper awareness of who our loving God really is; He is asking us to come and talk with him.

Do what is necessary to form a habit of praying continously. God is always faithful as He waits for us to learn who He really is. All of us have goliaths–overwhelming situations at some point in life.

In our frailty, He is strong!

Pray and,”Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

May you be blessed as you prepare for the incoming Sabbath.

Prayer for today: Dear God, We desire to have a deeper knowledge of who you are. We acknowledge that we need you every moment of the day. We are nothing without you. We pray for healing and your blessings upon our lives. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer. We ask this prayer in the worthy name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz