Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 20, 2024

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin’ ” —John 8:31-32, 34

“He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor.” —Proverbs 21:21

To abide in Christ is to delve into the Scriptures and to obey and follow His commands. Jesus is the Word. Jesus is Truth! The Omniscient eyes of God roam the earth and He sees the true status of our hearts [Hebrews 4:13]. If our love for God is genuine and we desire to know the Truth then we are spiritually connected to the heart of Christ, and the Holy Spirit imparts the wisdom to understand the deeper meaning of the Scriptures and the Righteousness of Christ.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” —Matthew 5:6

Recently I read a post entitled “When will sermons change from feel good and return to the Gospel Truth?” To commit oneself to live a surrendered life, strive for holiness, pray fervently, and study the Scriptures only to hear “feel-good sermons” with selected truths must be a profound disappointment. Yet, one must not despair. Loving God with all of our hearts not only increases our faith, but our dedication allows the Holy Spirit to strengthen our bond with Christ.

“O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.” —Psalm 63:1

The believer who wrote the post on seeking sermons based on spiritual sustenance was alerted by the Holy Spirit [our Spiritual Alarm] that something was not right. Not only will the Holy Spirit convict us of the sin within our hearts, but we will also receive warnings regarding the half-truths of omission when preached, written in many Inspirational books, and posted on the Christian blogs. Sadly, pastors and authors exist who are more interested in member and reader recognition than in Christ’s saving grace and teach messages that reinforce the false belief that eternal life is an easy reward.

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” —John 7:38

The believers who are desperately thirsting for Christ, the Living Water receive immediate Divine intervention. God does not allow those who seek to remain spiritually empty nor does He leave them in the darkness of only hearing the feel-good messages. The Holy Spirit responds to our prayers of faith for guidance by always revealing a Bible-based church whose pastoral staff is preparing its members for eternal life.

The apostle Paul wrote a warning for the church: “The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3).

“The Greek word translated ‘itching’ literally means ‘to itch, rub, scratch, or tickle.’ To want one’s ears ‘tickled’ is to desire massages rather than messages—sermons that charm rather than challenge, entertain rather than edify, and please rather than preach.” Gotquestions.com

The reality is that Biblical prophecies are rapidly being fulfilled. We are the “Last Days” generation who desire to hear and read the all-is-well sermons and blogs that promote happiness and to enjoy one’s life because Christ paid it all. The messages of doing nothing for our spiritual transformation because we are covered by grace, or to do good and believe in your heart that you are going to heaven along with the “Name it and Claim It” prosperity and healing concepts are not Bible-Based.

“…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” —Hebrews 12:1-3

How did we transition from praying for the strength to persevere and run daily in the tumultuous Christian race to desiring an earthly life of bliss and contentment? “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus addressed Judging Others, Asking and Seeking Spiritual Blessings, the Narrow Way versus the Broad Way, Recognizing Signs of False Prophets and Teachers, I Never Knew You, and Building Our Spiritual Foundation on Christ, the Solid Rock. Jesus forewarned us that our lives would be filled with tribulations, yet, we must never lose hope because our victory is found in Him.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” —1 Peter 3:15

Every member of the church is a disciple and was left with the responsibility to do our part in sharing the Gospel Truth. Whether we are Christian bloggers, writers, digital content and social media creators, prayer warriors, musicians, singers, poets, missionaries, Bible teachers, or on the maintenance crew in the upkeep of the church, every believer has the responsibility to tell others that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Praying for the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to speak through us and for us only has one outcome, we post the One and Only Entire Truth, not from our perspective, but as willing vessels whom the Holy Spirit anoints. Yes, we have the freedom to use our individual styles of creativity, yet, we must never present God’s Truth as watered-down or carefully designed buffered messages of omission that flatter the readers, viewers, or ourselves.

Too much is given, much is expected. We must use our spiritual gifts to scratch itching ears with the powerful, life-changing Truth of the Word of God. Christ has chosen us to write, speak, sing, pray, and share the Scriptural messages of Truth given by the Holy Spirit that challenge, edify, and provoke both the creator and the viewer/hearer to experience deep conviction and desire true conversion of the heart.

“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.” —Luke 12:40,43

God, we thank You for the gift of Jesus, Your Son that we may receive eternal life if we so choose. Lord, we pray for the courage to share the One and Only Biblical Truth without hesitation even when we are rejected and scorned. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray. Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

True Religion Produces Humility

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 18, 2024

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” —Matthew 5:3

By possessing a spirit of humility and compassion, Christ presented a marked difference between Himself and the religious leaders of His time who felt they were the source of knowledge and rich in spiritual treasure. “The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector’ ” (Luke 18:11).

“As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.’ ” —Romans 3:10-12

Although most Christians would never utter the Pharisee’s arrogant words, we suffer from the silent sin of self-exaltation. We measure ourselves using earthly standards—we are knowledgeable, and do good works, but we compare ourselves to others by measuring the various sins on a scale. Like the Pharisees, we console ourselves by thinking, “At least, I am not committing those great and terrible sins.”

“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” —Proverbs 14:12

God desires for us to understand that we are in a state of continuous spiritual poverty because our hearts are naturally carnal. We may deny the reality of our plight, however, our greatest battle comes from within—we inherited desperately wicked hearts [Jeremiah 17:9]. Self-perception will always be in opposition to how God sees us with His Holy eyes. Truthfully, we can receive abundant blessings and sin against God on the same day.

The Plan for Overcoming Our Enemy Within

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” —Romans 7:15, NIV

To receive victory, our first action is to acknowledge and accept our struggle with faithfully trusting and obeying God. The human effort of self-control along with asking the Holy Spirit for spiritual strength gives us the ability to rebuke and stand down the desires of our hearts. Still, our fight is daily. We must choose who will be the master of our lives. Either we will submit to God or we will continue to please ourselves.

Living the Victorious Life!

Jesus demonstrated Spiritual humility to God. What is Spiritual humility? To faithfully follow God requires a loving heart, surrender, and obedience. Serving God eliminates passivity. God has always required human effort in the plan of Redemption. “Not my will, but Your will be done” was Christ’s daily prayer. The spoken words of “God, I love You also require the dutiful action of obedience. We prove our love by acquiescing to God’s Sovereignty through a daily prayer of surrender and we choose to follow His directives.

Love for God requires reinforcement! Much prayer and Bible Study keep us in the presence of God. Dedicated love prevents us from disobeying God. Our mindset is one in which we fully trust God to do what is best for our lives. The heart filled with Spiritual humility is totally reliant upon Christ who is the Lord of our lives.

“The Lord GOD has opened My ears, and I have not been rebellious, nor have I turned back.” —Isaiah 50:5

Spiritual Humility is the instinctive desire to surrender ourselves to God. Our worship includes a time of meditation whereby we strive to listen to the Voice of God. The Holy Spirit enters our hearts and we respond with deep conviction and obedience. When we truly love God, we acknowledge that obedience is our only acceptable sacrificial gift.

True religion is found in the heart filled with overwhelming love for God which is the foundation for possessing a spirit of humility. We do not think our own thoughts, fulfill our desires by following our inclinations, or determine the steps of our earthly journey. Christ shepherds our Chosen Path and the Holy Spirit reveals the steps of our predestined journey to us through prayer and the Scriptures.

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” —Philippians 2:8

The Reality: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” —2 Timothy 3:1-5

The Invitation: “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

The Reward: “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

God, we ask forgiveness for our refusal to surrender and humble ourselves by seeking Your will and casting aside our earthly desires. Lord, we thank You for the sacrificial offering of Your life that we may receive our inheritance of eternal life if we abide in You. We love You, King Jesus, and ask to be filled with the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit. Lead us in our earthly journey as we prepare for Your soon coming. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

God’s Divine Nature is Love

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 17, 2024

“And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” —1 John 4:10

“We love Him because He first loved us.” —1 John 4:19

For an understanding of the origin of love, we refer to the Scriptures. The Characters of God, the Father, God, Jesus the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit are Love. Only human beings were fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. We are the only living beings for which Christ died which is a powerful indicator of His overwhelming love.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” —2 Timothy 1:7

God gifted us with the innate characteristics [present at birth] of power, a sound mind, self-control, free will of choice, and a heart filled with love. Because of the ravages of sin not everyone has a sound mind but all can freely love God and others. Even those who are developmentally disabled can love and respond to love. If we prayed for the wisdom to grasp the magnitude of God’s love and appreciated our gifts, we would readily consecrate our lives to Him.

“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind’ ” —Matthew 22:37

Christ’s Divine Nature is Love—”Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” —John 15:13

Every believer is commanded to love like Christ: “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us” (1 John 4:12). Because we are impacted by our various backgrounds and life experiences, we must learn God’s definition of Love by studying 1 Corinthians chapter 13.

God’s character and Divine nature reveal that He is a Holy and Righteous God. “…because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy…’ ” (1 Peter 1:16), God requires that we strive for righteousness. The Holy Spirit with our cooperation empowers us to accomplish above and beyond our human abilities.

Our steadfast love for God and the commitment to make Jesus our First Love results in the Holy Spirit guiding us every step on our Chosen Path of spiritual transformation. We are never alone in our spiritual journey. Our love for God produces devout faith and obedience which overrule our natural desires and we acquiesce to His Sovereign plans.

Surrender and obedience are the fruits of love that keep us grounded in our relationship with Christ. If we love Christ then our hearts are connected to Him. And from that connection, we receive our Savior’s abundant love which acts as a spiritual catalyst to dedicate ourselves to God. Daily consecration and surrender to God’s will requires courage and perseverance. When we proclaim, “Jesus, I will follow You,” we may lose the support of family and friends who will not understand our spiritual commitment.

What does it mean to commit ourselves to God? The Apostle Paul’s answer is “…to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God…” (Romans 12:1).

The simple answer is that we must stop choosing sin. Is it possible to live a sin-free life? Enoch and Job are two men of God who lived a sinless life. How can we walk with God? Spiritually, we are never alone. God honors our decision when we dedicate ourselves to following Christ. Not only do we receive God’s Divine promises of resolution in our hardships, but we also receive wisdom, strength, and comfort through the Holy Spirit.

Christ the Commander dispatches angels who fight the evil forces of spiritual warfare and assist us in staying on the narrow Path of Righteousness. The righteous are truly loved by God.

As long as we stay spiritually connected to Christ, we are promised the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit to live as victors. Through daily worship, we reinforce our love relationship with Christ. God opens the windows of heaven to give us the blessings of spiritual guidance, wisdom, strength, and discernment. Making prayer our first and continuous response keeps us connected to the Source of Life.

The Win-Win Spiritual Strategy: “But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray [in seclusion].” —Luke 16, AMP Bible

In studying the life of Christ, we are given the key to keeping our love alive and remaining loyal to God, much prayer! Twice daily worship is not enough. We cannot run and win this Christian race using spurts of spiritual energy. Stay in God’s presence by whispering short prayers throughout your waking hours.

The Nature of God: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” —Galatians 5:22-25

To be like Christ, the Holy Spirit with our cooperation transforms our minds, characters, and personalities into the likeness of Christ’s righteousness. The believer’s journey includes praying morning, noon, and night. Much prayer reinforces our love for God, forms an unbreakable bond that allows us to abide in Christ, and invites the Holy Spirit to empower us to live righteously!

“…You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God.” —Psalm 40:17

To receive spiritual strength, use your time wisely. Fight the enemy’s plans with prayer. The earnest prayer of surrender that we offer in morning worship requires a prayer of reinforcement for Divine Help when the afternoon and evening temptations arise. Every prayer we speak even when all is well should include the request for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

The mercies of a new day will always require a struggle against our carnal desires. When facing temptation, respond with prayer, ask for the Divine Help of the Holy Spirit, and stand your ground by declaring No to sin. We can proclaim much love for God and live disciplined lives, but we were not created with the ability to overcome temptation and sin without the Holy Spirit’s power.

The Holy Spirit [our Teacher] empowers us with Jesus’ spiritual strength to perceive life through spiritual eyes and to overcome temptation. Still, we must use our God-given attribute of self-control to rebuke our heart’s carnal desires. The Holy Spirit always warns us of temptation before we step into sin’s danger zone. The decision is ours to make. Either, we use our free will to choose righteousness or we succumb to sin.

“No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” —1 John 3:9, NIV

If choosing between right and wrong is a struggle then we have a heart issue. We cannot measure love for God in increments—loving God is all [100%] or nothing [0%]. When our hearts are overflowing with love for Christ, we do not have the desire to willingly sin against God. Our love for God remains steadfast because we remember Jesus paid for our freedom with His blood sacrifice that God, the Father required for our redemption.

Loving Christ fuels our desire to remain loyal and to stay in the safety of Jesus, our Shepherd. We steadfastly proclaim, Because I love God, I will not compromise! Every believer is dependent on the Holy Spirit to change us into the image of Christ. The heart filled with love for God, others, and self [in that order] is the only heart that is acceptable to God and the only heart that the Holy Spirit will enter.

The Human Effort of Love + Surrender + Obedience + The Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit = God’s Goal of Our Spiritual Transformation

God, teach us to love. We desire to have a heart overflowing with Agape love for You and others. We ask for the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit. When we are thinking our thoughts, we ask the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sins. God, we love You, worship You, and praise Your Holy Name. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we pray in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries