Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

Recently I watched an impromptu skit on trusting in the Lord. The Pastor asked for a volunteer and a young man came forward whose name was Rick. The pastor explained to Rick that the four individuals who were on the stage would catch him when he fell. The participants assumed their positions with the four individuals standing behind Rick. They eagerly awaited with outstretched arms to catch their falling victim. Much to everyone’s surprise, Rick fell forward instead of backwards into the waiting arms of the human safety net.

I must admit when I watched Rick fall forward, I began to laugh, and stated aloud, “Who would be so stupid as to fall forward when the people are behind you?” Unfortunately Rick’s understanding of what he was supposed to do led him to fall forward.

As absurd as the young man falling forward appears, how many of us are in the same position as Rick?

We live in a time where self-help and making accomplishments based on our own thoughts and actions are viewed as having courage and strength. Do you remember the cliche, “Self-made millionaire?”

However, when we rely on our own understanding, we begin to Trust in our own knowledge and discernment to support us through life. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Our own sinful nature cannot be relied on.

We must make the decision to completely have a bold confidence in God. We must acknowledge that His perfect will leads to victory or face the consequences of falling forward.
“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. Jeremiah 29:11

When we place our aspirations, our problems, and our complete trust in God; He is our Safety Net. We can live day-to-day with a “No Worries Ever” mindset.

Challenge for today: Boldly place your confidence in God’s hands and watch for the miraculous changes in your life.

Prayer for today: Dear God, I have been relying on my own understanding instead of trusting in you. I desire for my weak faith and trust to change into a bold confidence. I am tired of falling forward. Please fogive me for not trusting in your promises to never leave me or forsake me. As of right now, I make the decision to totally rely on you. Thank you for being my Safety Net. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Chapter for today: Proverbs 3 NLT

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Rejoice in the LORD always. I say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4 NIV

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5 NLT

Yesterday, I had the most wonderful conversation with my cousin, who also is my spiritual sister. We spoke about the goodness of God and how our lives should reflect our faithful relationship with Him.

As Christians, we have everything that we need to keep our spirit in a perpetual state of rejoicing. So why are we fluctuating between joy and despair, vascillating between belief and unbelief, and acquiring more character defects than growing with the “Fruit of the Spirit”?

The answer is simply that we are unaware of God’s commands which keep us steadfast and immovable.

If we are building a house in an area that is known for high wind gusts and seasonal tornados then we would expect for the foundation to be made with poured concrete as opposed to using concrete blocks for the house to sit on top of. The blocks would not provide the stability required for safe housing.

The Foundation for our relationship with God is built by consistently Studying the Bible; Praying without Ceasing; Possessing unwavering Faith, and actively Practicing dutiful Obedience.

God’s Word is complete: The Bible contains His commands and promises along with real-life accounts of human victories and defeats, miracles, Jesus’ autobiography from birth to death to resurrection to His Ascension, the Creation story and a beautiful nonfiction description of the New Heaven.

This is a new year, and an opportunity to give thanks to God for His Faithfulness everyday that we have the breath of life.

Rejoice Saints of the Most High God!

Pray heartfelt Prayers, Sing melodious Songs, Proclaim words of Thanksgiving, Clap praises with your Hands, Move your feet in a spiritual Dance and Rejoice…Rejoice…Rejoice!

Let us give our Utmost to our Highest!

Challenge for today: Restart your day by honoring God with praise and worship right now.

Prayer for today: Dear God, I am so grateful for your love, your grace, and your mercy. You are the greatest Father, the best Mood stabilizer, the Giver of all things, and the only true Peace maker. I commit to learning your commands and promises daily by studying your Holy Word. Please forgive me for my unbelief. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Chapter for today: Hebrews 13

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Psalm 51:12 NLT

I love estate sales, especially those that run from Thursday-Sunday. When I was a novice, I would always be at the location on Thursday morning for the opening, because it thrilled me to have the opportunity to be one of the first to select the best items.

Imagine my surprise, when I just happened to attend a sale on a Sunday, and was informed that all items were being sold for 50% off or best offer. In fact, discounted prices and negotiations are the standard for Sunday’s on the estate sale circuit. At the sale, I purchased two solid wood pieces of accessory furniture; an oak corner cabinet and a mahogany side table for $20 total. I left the sale feeling great; I gained the knowledge that I could purchase quality items for pennies on the dollar just due to a change of day from Thursday to Sunday.

One of my hobbies is doing makeovers on furniture by using minor restoration techniques. I decided to purchase an expensive burgundy stain-varnish to change the colors to match the decor of my living room. It was not an easy task. It was a hot summer working on my porch surrounded by tarp, sandpaper, rags, brushes, cans of varnish, and sweat cloths. The makeover was more complex than I had anticipated: Hand sanding with two different grits of sandpaper for several days; wiping and cleaning with a prep solution; using the right pressure to avoid brush marks and waiting three days for the smell of the varnish to dissipate before the furniture could be brought inside. All the effort was worth it when I saw the final result!

When we think of the expensive price that Jesus paid with his life to redeem and restore us by providing the pathway to Salvation; there should be no limits on what we are willing to do by totally surrendering ourselves to have the inperfections of our character sanded away and varnished with His precious blood.

When we submit through faith and obedience and place ourselves in the Master’s hands, He will perform a complete Restoration in our lives. Oh yes, there are no shortcuts, we must submit ourselves to the lifelong process of Sanctification. We must endure the sanding from the fine grit along with the coarse grit of the sandpaper in order for us to be restored to God’s standards.

The consistent covering of Jesus’ blood combined with our faith, obedience, and trust that He is able to give us complete Restoration, enables us to look forward to the final result-Eternal Life.

Hallelujah, thine the glory! Hallelujah, Amen!

Challenge for today: Ask God to give you a makeover that will bring complete Restoration in your life.

PRAYER for today: Dear God, I need the imperfections of my character sanded away. I desire a major makeover from you that will provide a complete Restoration for my life. I love you and I want the blessings that come from serving you, including Eternal Life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

“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. Jeremiah 29:11

It is December 31st, the last day of the year, the Eve of a New Year. There are many things that we have promised to never do again, to never say again, to never waste money on again, and the list is endless.

Sadly the chances are that we will end up repeating the same unproductive behaviors, because habits are very hard to break. With determination and committment we must explore different methods to achieve different and positive outcomes. Journaling and budgeting using a handwritten and hardcopy method takes effort and provides a record of accomplishments and defeats. It takes perserverance, and the desire to live differently for change to occur.

If you have the desire to grow a herbal container garden, then you must develop a plan based on several decisions: Size of the pot; Seeds or starter plants; Variety of desired herbs; Indoor or outdoor location; and placement for adequate sunlight.

Give yourself the opportunity to achieve personal and spiritual growth for the incoming New Year.

God has promised that He has good plans for us. It is a choice for us to believe and receive His plans by changing our unpredictable behaviors and unproductive plans.

It is a time for New Beginnings. By developing a sound plan based on good choices that produce positive outcomes, change can and will occur.

Challenge for today: Develop a plan to make a positive change in your life.

Prayer for today: Dear God, I am ready to change my old behaviors which have been in conflict with the plans that you have for me. I commit to loving and serving you, and will rely on your strength to make positive changes in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Good Morning

There are very few things that I share on this blog; however, we live in a time where self-control is losing its status. Refer to the attached picture.

Reacting with anger, unforgiveness, and lack of respect for others has become a normal way of life for many individuals.

For man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:20

The family unit that God designed has been attacked by Satan since the disunity that occurred from Eve leaving her husband’s side to pursue her own desires. Family unity is important to impart mental, emotional, spiritual strength and validation of our importance to one another. Without the ties that bind, we end up bitter and broken.

It is inevitable that individuals will say and do what is wrong-it’s called sin. We cannot avoid making mistakes; even so, we can avoid further conflict by not responding, holding grudges, and ruining our ability for personal growth.

It is a wonderful way to live when you are able use higher intellect as opposed to the weakness of an EMOTIONAL response.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come from your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Our lives are really about Building our Character:

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 NLT

We know that True power only belongs to God.

Just remember that you are created in the image of God; the next time Satan brings CONFLICT, repeat out loud:

I am created in the image of God, have a blessed day.

It is a personal decision to react or not to react; only you can determine if you will Build or Destroy your Character.

Challenge for today: Focus on God, take a deep breath, and pray!

Prayer for today: Dear God, Please help me to change my outlook. I have not kept my focus on you when responding to difficult situations. My character does not align with the Fruit of the Spirit. I am asking for your help in getting rid of my displaced emotions. Please forgive me as I move forward in life with a spirit of unconditional love, forgiveness, and self-control. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Don’t fear, because I am with you; don’t be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will surely help you; I will hold you with my righteous strong hand. Isaiah 41:10 CEB

There is an amazing children’s Christmas movie that was released last year whose motto is to “Just Believe.” While I was watching the animation with the most wonderful visual-effects, the child was being instructed to believe that all things were possible and he would be able to accomplish his goals. As I listened to the young boys response that he did not understand, it made me reflect on how much God wants us to trust in him and just believe that He will give us the victory.

Sadly, many of us who proclaim that we love God are unable to fully comprehend and believe in His awesome power.

As we approach the New Year, do not waste your time on making meaningless resolutions; make a commitment to God that you will always trust in him and just believe.

Always believe, and your faith will strengthen to the point that you will rejoice when you are enduring trials and tribulations.

God’s love is simply awesome.

Be determined to never give up on God! Bring in the New Year with renewed vigor. God is with us always and forever!

Challenge for today: Always believe that God will help you.

Prayer for today: Dear God, Thank you for your awesome love. From this moment foward, I believe with all of my heart, soul, and mind. I know that you will always bring me through and provide a victorious solution, if I only just believe. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Psalm 103:1-6 NLT

1 Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise His holy name.

2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.

4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with Love and Tender Mercies.

5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagles!

6 The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly.

Have you ever strived to accomplish a task or a goal which took a phenomenal amount of effort to complete? If your answer is yes, then you have experienced the greatest amount of satisfaction and happiness that comes from achieving a life-changing event.

How did you celebrate your accomplishment? Perhaps you thanked God, did the happy dance, cried tears of joy, or was in a state of shock and just took a deep breath of relief.

When we experience the immense joy that comes as a result of serving God; that joy empowers us to sing a new song which honors God as the only Supreme being who can provide us with spiritually life-changing events.

As evidenced by the Book of Psalms (Songs), King David sang to God whether he was down in the valley or up on the mountain top. When reading the various psalms, we become aware that David’s emotional state of mind was very unstable. Even so, he was very honest and transparent in sharing the insecurities of his wavering faith in God.

We are able to reflect on David’s life and utilize the Psalms as an instruction guide to managing unpredictable highs and lows in our emotional state of mind and the level of faith in our spiritual lives.

When we truly believe, “The joy of the Lord is your strength,”(Nehemiah 8:10), all uncertainties are destroyed and we are able to proclaim: “…I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Psalm 34:8 NLT

Serving God is a life-changing event: His love, grace, mercies, and the sacrifical gift of Jesus are more than enough reasons for us to Sing a New Song to Him everyday of our lives!

Challenge for today: Reflect by making a list of all of the good things that God does for you.

Prayer for today: Dear God: Thank you for the “all” that you have done and are still doing in my life. May I never forget how much you have sacrificed for me. I will sing to you a new song today and everyday for the rest of my life. I commit to building unwavering faith by praising you forever more. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Sonya Johnson Ruiz