Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Our Heavenly Father Cares Devotional – February 12, 2025

The following is a quote from a recent and powerful sermon on God’s Grace: “Thinking you know everything you need to know is more dangerous than not knowing what you really need to know.” We are living in perilous times filled with instability and uncertainty, yet God comforts us, “I change not.” Always Pray for God’s guidance before making decisions. Do not trust your thoughts or feelings. Trust God and faithfully wait for His answer. Peace and Blessings.

Lord God, we pray for guidance and wisdom as we navigate through this life. Our spiritual journey has been turbulent because too often we have relied on our knowledge instead of asking You for help in our time of need. We ask You to guide us and protect us as we face the spiritual warfare designed to separate us from You. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

Revelation Song – Worship Music Video

Changing Our Focus to Christ

Our Heavenly Father Cares Sabbath Devotional – February 7-8, 2025

“Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.” —Psalm 103:2, NLT

“God desires that the whole life of His people should be a life of praise.” Every day we should devote at least 10 minutes in solitude to reflect deeply on the benefits and blessings God has showered down from heaven into our lives.

Having breath in our bodies and being in our right minds—alert and oriented—are two of the greatest blessings we receive daily, yet, we often fail to include the gifts of life and cognitive abilities when thanking God for our blessings.

Today, my reflection on God’s Faithfulness even in the countless times I forgot to say, “Thank You, God” prompted the writing of this Devotional of Gratitude. Today we can begin a new habit of thanking our Heavenly Father daily for His continuous love. Amen.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagles” (Psalm 103:1-5).

Lord God, Thank You for Your love, faithfulness, grace, and mercies. You are wonderful, You are Holy, Holy, Holy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Love, Loyalty, and Courage

Our Heavenly Father Cares Devotional – February 2, 2025

God makes it clear what He expects of us. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” —Micah 6:8

As time progresses, injustices have escalated and moral codes and value systems continue to decline. To remain faithful and uphold our integrity, we must remain focused on Christ who gives us spiritual insight and empowers us with His strength. We cannot remain steadfast and resist overwhelming temptations presented to separate us from God without Divine Intervention.

“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, be steadfast in your faith…” —1 Peter 5:8-9

Prayer is our connection to God. Morning worship is the time to commune with God always asking Him for Divine guidance, wisdom, and strength before we begin our daily activities. Still, we must pray throughout our waking hours to remain spiritually alert and receive the discernment to recognize the stealthy moves of Satan, our greatest enemy who knows his time is short.

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” —Revelation 3:21

Political dissension, social unrest, and natural disasters will increase [Matthew 24, 2 Timothy 3], and the battle for our souls will continue until Jesus’ Second Coming. In Jesus’ Powerful Name, we must fight the good fight of Faith every day. Renounce sin and let go of compromising habits and people who do not honor God. If we overcome this sinful world, we are promised the Crown of Life.

“But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ ” —1 Corinthians 2:9

Love God and remain loyal to Him through faithful obedience. According to the Holy Scriptures, we live in the last days of Earth’s history, but those who maintain a close relationship with Christ have no fears. In John 14, King Jesus reveals His promise to return and give us a forever life in a perfect New Heaven and New Earth filled with love, peace, and happiness. Our Heavenly reward is nearer than we think. Fight, brothers, and sisters against the principalities and spiritual wickedness! [Ephesians 6]. With Christ, we are victorious! Peace and Blessings.

Lord God, as Biblical prophecies, are rapidly being fulfilled, we pray for a spiritual transformation of our hearts and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We commit to a life of no compromise and ask You to cleanse our hearts from all unrighteousness and reveal Your will for our daily lives. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray, Amen.

The Renewing of Our Mind

Our Heavenly Father Cares Devotional – January 31, 2024

“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. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will.” —Romans 12:1-2, NIV

The apostle Paul was given the spiritual assignment of witnessing to the Gentiles [anyone not of Jewish descent] and starting the early Christian Churches. He also faced the challenging task of teaching those who did not know what it meant to serve a Righteous God. The majority of the congregants were from backgrounds of paganism, as a result, ongoing conflict was a normal part of their lives and they brought those behaviors into the church.

During Paul’s time, like now, each individual determined what was morally right and wrong which shaped their perception of life. In studying Paul’s Epistles [letters], we find that he frequently addressed the disputes that arose due to cultural differences and social mores: “Social mores refers to the established customs and moral values within a society that define acceptable behavior…essentially, the unwritten rules that dictate what is considered morally right and wrong within a community.”

Sadly, many 21st-century believers are impacted by the current social mores and worldviews. We practice compromised Christianity as reflected by our lifestyles. Watching programs that contain profanity, sexual immorality, online gambling, chat rooms, and other activities that appeal to our desires and passions are common practices.

“And be not conformed to this world…” We have accepted the societal norm of living according to our version of the truth—resulting in the practice of behaviors that indicate a “worldly form of Christianity.” Although some claim that today’s believers face challenges that are not addressed in the Scriptures propelling them to conform to the world’s standards, God’s Uncompromising Directive is to “Be Holy, for I am holy” ( 1 Peter 1:16).

For new believers, even if the church does not provide mentoring, the Holy Spirit uses various ways to teach the differences between what is common and unholy versus what is righteous. Satan tempts us with the desires of our hearts. Our favorite activities and people create a stronghold on our minds that we cannot overcome without daily prayer, Bible study, and Divine Intervention.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” (Hosea 4:6). Satan, our greatest enemy targets those who fail to study the Bible and pray for wisdom. Since they do not have a spiritual baseline of Scriptural knowledge, he uses social media to present a blurred line between truth and error that is readily accepted. In the Garden of Eden, he asked Eve, “Did God really say…?”

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding…Do not be wise in your own opinion.” —Proverbs 3:5,7

Romans chapter 12 is our go-to chapter for living righteously. Paul clearly defines the attributes of a righteous character including the acceptable mindset, spoken words, habits, and behaviors required of all Christians. Our spoken words, behaviors, and habits not only reflect our true characters, but also reveal if we love ourselves over God. Thankfully, there is no guesswork with God who tells us to never trust our hearts!

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” —Romans 12:18, NIV

Testimonial: For many years, I engaged in online sparring which produced great satisfaction and a competitive spirit. One of my favorite challenges was to ask individuals for proof of their statements; otherwise, they were merely sharing opinions that could only convince themselves. The topics discussed were of great interest and required deep thinking. I became so distracted that I lost interest in Bible Study and my prayers were ritualistic and powerless.

God’s Rescue: One day, I watched a program on how Christians should handle controversy. Imagine my surprise when the pastor revealed that he was formerly addicted to sparring on social media. He relayed that while writing a sermon, God revealed His Scriptural guidelines on engaging in controversy. He immediately gave up social media because his allegiance to God overrode a pleasurable habit.

The Struggle: Although I knew the Holy Spirit was speaking to me, I only curtailed my habit by carefully selecting and responding to certain subjects, but I could not stop my habit. While praying, I was convicted by the Holy Spirit that I was sinning against God by sparring with other people instead of using my spiritual gift to witness.

Victory: Praise God through much fasting, prayer, and Bible study, I no longer engage in a cherished habit that dishonored God. Yet, Satan still presents the temptation to spar in various ways, but through prayer and self-control, I remain steadfast in the strength of Christ.

Perform an evaluation of your activities and lifestyle: “Do my thoughts, spoken words, and activities honor God and invite the Holy Spirit to produce spiritual growth and transformation of my character?”

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The renewing of our mind is a daily decision allowing the Holy Spirit to change our character and make us more like Christ. Sanctification [performed by the Holy Spirit] is the lifelong spiritual process of transforming our carnal mind, character, and personality into Christ-likeness.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” —2 Corinthians 5:17

Proclaim your identity in Christ, “I am a follower of Christ and I will not sin against God!” Striving for spiritual and intellectual excellence requires the human effort of establishing and practicing spiritual boundaries based on the Word of God that we refuse to breach. We can desire change, yet, change requires the humility to surrender to God and the courage to say “No” to sin.

Human effort alone does not produce change. We need Christ’s spiritual strength to overcome the unrighteous habits that we enjoy. Discipleship is a lifelong commitment to daily surrender, faithful obedience, much prayer, studying the Bible, and cultivating our minds and talents in our earthly life to prepare for our reward of eternal life.

Transformation: The Holy Spirit can transform your character, making you more like Christ. Spiritual transformation includes overcoming sins, changing your habits, and developing a better disposition.
Cultivating your mind: You can cultivate your mind by studying the Bible, which expands your intellect and strengthens your discernment.
Using your talents: You can use your God-given talents to honor God and the Holy Spirit will work from within and change your character into one that is similar to Christ’s Righteous Character.
Obedience to God: When you faithfully obey God, you will receive spiritual wisdom and discernment which empowers you to view life through spiritual eyes. No longer will you desire worldly activities, your mind will be renewed to align with the righteousness of Christ.
The power of God: We must have Divine intervention to live holy and acceptable lives. It is through God’s grace we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to overcome our inherent tendencies to embrace sin.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. —Psalm 139:23-24

Lord God, we pray for the courage and the strength to let go of sinful thoughts, habits, and lifestyles that separate us from You. We ask for Your Divine help to create in us a clean heart and a renewed mind that desires to pursue righteousness. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.

Faith In Action

Our Heavenly Father Cares Devotional – January 30, 2025

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” —Hebrews 11:1

“Faith is believing and trusting in God’s love, faithfulness, and miraculous power that you cannot physically see but believe to be real based on who God says He is, resulting in heartfelt conviction and hope.”

From the moment we awaken to a new day, we exercise our faith by offering ourselves as a living sacrifice to God through a prayer of surrender, asking for His will to be revealed, and the wisdom and guidance to fulfill His plans. Christ receives our prayers and sends His spiritual strength and wisdom through the power of the Holy Spirit.

“You will show me the path of life, in Your presence is fullness of joy, at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” —Psalm 16:11

Because life is unpredictable, even though we possess the knowledge to resolve our daily activities, we should ask God for His help in our routine duties. If you have ever experienced a situation that took minimal effort to resolve but escalated into a major obstacle, then asking God to intervene in every aspect of your life should be your first response. Who else but our Heavenly Father can promise to always give us victory?

“Keep me safe, my God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.’ ” —Psalm 16:1-2, NIV

We can make plans but life always includes unforeseen challenges. Financial instability due to job loss, health issues, unhealthy family dynamics, natural disasters, and many other events can change the trajectory of our lives. Despite our trials, total dependence on God gives us a Spiritual Safety Net, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” —Hebrews 4:16

“Pray continuously” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Living a faith-based life requires much prayer. Form the habit of having little talks with God throughout your waking hours. We can pray audibly, silently, through singing, and even reading from the book of Psalms [songs of prayers]. Faith in Action prevents doubt and depression from taking root in our hearts.

“The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.” —Lamentations 3:25

From our willingness to take a giant leap of faith and give our cares to God, we have the reassurance that God will bring resolution and completion. But know this, God’s answer usually does not come immediately, the wait is testing our faith. God’s answer may or may not require us to take any action, at times, He wants us to “Be still.”

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” —Jeremiah 32:27

Faith in Action: Believe that God is who He says He is. God’s timing is never our timing. In the waiting season, many believers lose faith by dwelling on the passing of time and God’s seeming lack of response to their prayers. Instead, focus on God’s miraculous power and fight feelings of doubt with prayer, studying the victories in the Scriptures, and reminding yourself of God’s promises. Pray every day, “God, thank You for resolving my challenges” while waiting.

“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” —Isaiah 65:24, NLT

When the harsh vicissitudes of life come rushing in like a flood, we have no worries because our confidence is in God’s power and promises. In this lifetime, we will encounter obstacles that human effort cannot resolve. True faith in action is demonstrated by bringing every challenge to God before engaging in an extensive discussion with family and friends. If the challenge involves your family, invite everyone to participate in family prayer, and thank God for His intervention.

“God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” —Numbers 23:19

Believe that God is who He says He is. The Red Sea parted, the walls of Jericho fell down, King Asa won the battle although the Ethiopian army was one million strong, and the apostle Paul bitten by a poisonous snake did not die. It is time for us to think differently about our Sovereign, Omnipotent, and Loving God who waits for our cries asking for His Divine Help.

“Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.” —Psalm 37:5

Prayer is our spiritual connection to God, the Sustainer of lives. Prayers of faith invite the Holy Spirit to strengthen us to endure whatever trials and obstacles we face. Every challenge is an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to increase our faith in God. We must believe that our Heavenly Father cares! Take every burden to God and wait for His answer.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” —John 14:27, NIV

The inner peace that comes from placing ourselves into God’s hands is beyond spoken words. When we commit to live a Faith-based, Christ-centered life, we are honored by God. Despite our circumstances, when we faithfully rely on God, He promises to give us victorious outcomes. Yes, our Heavenly Father cares!

Lord God, thank You for Your love, grace, and mercies. We ask for Your Divine Intervention for every believer facing unresolvable obstacles. Lord, we admit many times our faith is weak, yet, we come to You asking for the strength to keep persevering in Your power. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.

Sabbath Service – 1/25/2025 – Pastor Wintley Phipps

The Righteous Trust In God

The choice to trust in God alleviates all discontentment. Our Heavenly Father cares! Activating our faith in God is a choice that reaps the benefits of peace. The righteous trust in God despite the presenting challenges. We believe, “If God said it then He will do it.” Faith must be nurtured through unwavering belief. Our confidence in God’s promises reveals a steadfast love and loyalty to God. Everyday, we must make a concerted effort to use our faith to rely on God’s Faithfulness and Sovereign Power. Wait on the Lord. Be courageous! God’s love is our source of strength. Yes and Amen.