Evidence of God’s Power

Evidence of God’s Power – Today’s Devotional November 17, 2023

“I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides Me, there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.” —Isaiah 45:5-6

From the parting of the Red Sea to the showdown on Mount Carmel with the prophet Elijah, the miracle of Abraham and Sarah having a child at 100 and 90 years of age, Daniel in the lion’s den, the Hebrew young men cast into the fiery furnace, Mary’s immaculate conception, the rescue of Paul and Silas from chains, and the apostle John boiled in oil, but never sustaining injury, God has shown His Omnipotence to humanity.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” —Ephesians 2:8-9

But now post-modern Christians ask, “Why doesn’t God perform the great miracles as He used to?” God is still performing great miracles. Salvation is the greatest blessing—to be saved by grace through our faith is not even understood by the angels. The Plan of Redemption which required Jesus’ death on the cross was in place before the world and humanity were created. Because of Christ, we receive redemption, never-ending forgiveness, grace, mercy, justification, reconciliation, and sanctification throughout our lifetime.

“And there were dwelling in Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?’ ” —Acts 2: 6-8

When we read about the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, it is difficult for us to relate to the Holy Spirit empowering the 12 disciples with the ability to speak in languages corresponding to the diverse group of people from 16 different areas who spoke their native languages.

We find it difficult to believe in the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit because we have not invited Him into our lives. The Holy Spirit empowers us with strength and the ability to overcome the vicissitudes of life and the temptations that we face every day. We also rely on the Holy Spirit to give us the wisdom and discernment to comprehend the Truth of the Scriptures. The spiritual transformation of every willing and obedient believer is accomplished through the Holy Spirit.

“Through the Lord’s mercies, we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’ 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 3:22-26).

Sadly, most of today’s churches do not have pastors or members who possess the steadfast faith to move the arms of God. Christ will always have churches whose members have surrendered their hearts to Christ and still believe in fasting, praying, and prayer services dedicated to approaching the Throne of Grace. Their surrender and faithful obedience reflect a lifestyle of worshiping, praising, and honoring the King of Kings. If we hear their testimonies, they will describe an intimate relationship with a powerful, miracle-working God that most know nothing about.

“We forget about the power of God because we do not reflect on His past faithfulness in our lives.” —Cece Winans

God is still manifesting powerful large-scale miracles but we usually only think about our personal victories. This year, I shared with my 90-year-young mother the progressive and incurable heart condition secondary due to uncontrolled asthma that I was diagnosed with in 2022. Her immediate response was to begin praying and she ended her prayer by thanking God for my healing. She told me to begin fasting and praying in faith believing that God had already healed me.

In June, I had a follow-up echocardiogram which revealed a normal heart. Not only did God heal my incurable heart condition, but my asthma is also controlled. The Pulmonologist was dumbfounded when he read the test results and gave no response. Despite my weaknesses, I know for myself the love, mercies, and healing power of a Great and Faithful God. Yes, I re-dedicate myself to Christ through daily surrender because the heart that my God healed belongs to Him. I must tell others that our God is still healing and performing great miracles.

Evidence of God’s Wonder-Working Power

“What? Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” —1 Corinthians 6:19

We have God, the Father, God, Jesus, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit, three Divine powers dedicated to the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical well-being of those created in the image of God. The Holy Spirit is always available and is just a prayer away to comfort, teach, guide, and empower us with the ability to achieve our goals and overcome spiritual warfare.

“Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you…Fear not, for I am with you…” (Isaiah 43:4-5).

Ruah is the very breath that God breathed into humans in our creation. Created in the image of God, the anatomy and physiology of our minds and bodies are perfectly made. Our brains coordinate the movement of our bodies and the eleven body systems maintain homeostasis without our intervention.

From conception to birth and throughout our lifespan, we have the guiding eyes of God watching over us. As a student nurse, the first time, I witnessed the birth of a baby, I wanted to fall to my knees. God’s amazing love will never be fully understood until we are transformed and receive immortality when Jesus comes.

In our vast universe, God rains on the just [believers] and the unjust [unbelievers]. There are over 8 billion people on the planet Earth whom God sustains by blessing us with a sound mind, and restoring our minds, bodies, and souls while sleeping. We are complex thinkers, eat a variety of foods, move our extremities, engage in physical exercise, use our talents, and spiritual gifts because of the miraculous power of our loving Heavenly Father.

We awaken to the mercies of a new day, Christ keeps us safe by appointing guardian angels, provides our necessities, gives us gainful employment, and also blesses us with our desires if it is His will. And many believers are just as ungrateful as their counterparts, we take our blessings for granted as if we are the giver and source of our strength.

“Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?’ And the Lord said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.’ ” —Job 1:8, 12

The fallen angel would destroy every Christian if God did not place extreme limits on him. The numerous diseases that are prevalent in this world could wipe out humanity. But our God places boundaries on their pathogenic fury and says, enough, you can go no further.

Although our earth is suffering from waste buildup, deforestation, extinction of wild animals, violence, climate change, and a falling away from God, we receive the miracle of life, health, and strength every day which is even greater than the parting of the Red Sea. Still, sadly most lack the spiritual insight to recognize and witness to others that our God is the same Powerful God performing even greater miracles now than in Biblical times. Amen. Be blessed.

Prayer: God, we thank You for the loving mercies we receive every day. And we ask for forgiveness for taking Your most wonderful blessings for granted. We love You and ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

Asking the Holy Spirit for Help

Sabbath Devotional – Asking the Holy Spirit for Help – November 17, 2023

“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” —Ephesians 5:8

Acceptance of Christ as our personal Savior calls for us to live a sanctified life which requires the human effort of full cooperation with the Divine. From praying, studying God’s Holy Scriptures, and attending church, we learn that we must renounce our former behaviors because we are now children of the light.

We can gain Scriptural knowledge and commit to obeying God’s righteous precepts and principles, but without the Holy Spirit will be unsuccessful in our numerous attempts to change our old behaviors.

The Holy Spirit must be an integral part of our activities of daily life. Although we love Christ and strive to have an intimate heart-to-heart relationship with Him, we require the Holy Spirit to keep us close to Christ. It’s easier to stray from God than we think.

Christian believers fulfill the role of disciples—we follow Christ by relinquishing a lifestyle of independence and self-seeking desires to one of total dependence on God. To be one with Christ requires a life of continuous worship—surrender, obedience, prayer, praise, and diligent Bible study.

Many steadfast believers who accepted Christ years ago have strayed from the Path of Righteousness. At one point, they were prayer warriors living faithful and abundant lives. Yes, they can still quote the Scriptures because they used to be diligent in studying the Bible but no longer have a relationship with Christ.

Their lifestyle reveals hidden sinful habits, the acceptance of new theologies and philosophies, and a semblance of worship but their hearts do not belong to Christ. Sadly many believers have apostatized because the darkness of this world’s pleasures has blinded their eyes to Jesus, the Light of the World.

The Consequences of Apostasy: “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.” —Hebrews 6:4-6

The Struggles of New Believers: New believers endure one of the toughest struggles in transitioning to their new life in Christ due to a lack of understanding of the tribulations every believer must face throughout their earthly journey.

Yes, it’s exciting when you first accept Christ but when your friends and family forsake you for becoming a Christian then you must choose the Divine over the familiar. Many times your walk with Christ is lonely. Unbelieving friends and family will not understand your decision to follow Jesus.

“Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” —Acts 14:22

The Scriptures reveal God’s commands to let go of people, habits, and activities that fail to honor Him and then the struggle to be a follower of Christ becomes real. Life with Christ involves continuous internal battles of right vs. wrong, still, we can overcome our carnal desires, thoughts, and behaviors by praying for the power of the Holy Spirit.

The good great news is that we never have to fight temptations alone, we always have Divine Help on our side!

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” —John 14:15-17

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” —1 Corinthians 10:13

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” —Philippians 4:13

God does not expect us to do the impossible. He never created us to bear our earthly burdens and temptations without Jesus’ Divine Intervention. When we are at our limits, trapped by out-of-control emotions, and ready to give up, pray, Jesus, I cannot stay on this journey without Your help.

“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

Something happens when we call on the name of Jesus for help—the Holy Spirit arrives immediately, and extra angels are sent from heaven to comfort us and fight the spiritual warfare we are going through. [Study Daniel chapter 9].

When you are ready to throw your Christianity [relationship with Jesus Christ] away, go to a quiet place to be alone and take a bottle of water with you. Drink the water. And then pray and cry out to Jesus, your Lord and Savior. His promise, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:8).

“And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” —Isaiah 65:24

Close your eyes and believe that your prayer has been delivered to Jesus, our Heavenly Intercessor by the Holy Spirit. Quietly wait and you will feel the rush of a Mighty Wind–the Holy Spirit imparting spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical strength throughout your mind and body. Pray a prayer of gratitude.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” —Ephesians 6:10

We do not have to be ashamed of our weaknesses. Pray daily for the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit to receive Divine strength. Through prayer, we have unlimited access to the Triune God, three powers dedicated to whoever calls on the name of the Lord for help. The struggle is real, but Victory through Jesus is guaranteed! We have come too far to give up!

Begin praying several times a day. Our prayers can be silent or audible. Forming the habit of staying in God’s presence during peaceful times enables us to develop a lifestyle of prayer and builds our reliance on God. Even when the overwhelming trials come, our first response will be to pray. Jesus never fails!

When we obey God’s Righteous Precepts, we can live holy because of the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit who gives us the spiritual strength to “Be Holy, for I AM Holy.”

Prayer: God, we pray for Your Divine Intervention in our lives. We are calling on You because we desperately need the presence of the Holy Spirit right now. Lord, give us strength to overcome the tribulations and temptations that threaten to separate us from You. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Jesus’ Worthy Name, Amen.

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

God’s Character Revealed

God’s Character Revealed -Today’s Devotional – November 14, 2023

As the pastor began the sermon on God’s love for the rebellious, he reminded us of how God reveals His love to humanity. I paused the video to pray a prayer of repentance. We do not live our lives according to the love, grace, and mercies we receive every day. Unless we pray for wisdom from the Holy Spirit, we will never understand the magnitude of God’s tender heart for those created in His image.

We live in an era where the Biblical truth is not the standard for the absolute truth. The following two paragraphs are an excerpt on the Post-modern Christian movement.

“Post-modern Christianity falls into line with basic post-modernist thinking. It is about experience over reason, subjectivity over objectivity, spirituality over religion, images over words, outward over inward. For example, because experience is valued more highly than reason, truth becomes relative.

“This opens up all kinds of problems, as this lessens the standard that the Bible contains absolute truth, and even disqualifies biblical truth as being absolute in many cases. If the Bible is not our source of absolute truth and personal experience is allowed to define and interpret what truth actually is, a saving faith in Jesus Christ is rendered meaningless.”

“…knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” —2 Peter 1:20-21

Since humanity was created, we have questioned the love of God and challenged His Sovereignty, so it is not surprising that we have elevated ourselves to place our experience over the absolute truth of the Holy Scriptures. God is fully aware of every anti-movement before it comes to fruition. And because He is the definition of love, the Triune God had the Plan of Redemption in place before the creation of the world.

The sequence: Adam and Eve are created, they receive the gift of a perfect home in the Garden of Eden, and enjoy the privilege of face-to-face communion with Jesus. Eve is dissatisfied and challenges God’s Sovereignty, Adam’s loyalty is to his wife instead of God, and disobedience prevails leading to the Fall of Man.

Adam and Eve lose their immortality and the Divine Covering of light resulting in the first death of animals to clothe the fallen couple. Adam and Eve are expelled from their home and animal sacrifice begins for the forgiveness of sin as the type for Christ [foreshadowing Jesus who is the antitype or fulfillment].

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” —John 3:16

Without spiritual wisdom and discernment from the Holy Spirit, we will never comprehend the magnitude of God’s love. What type of love is this? To give Your only Son for human beings who are living according to theoretical concepts they have developed.

“What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” —Psalm 8:4

The sacrificial offering of Jesus on Calvary’s cross offers us Agape Love, Grace, Mercy, Salvation, Redemption, Justification, Reconciliation, and the lifelong journey of Sanctification. Because of the suffering, shame, and spilling of Jesus’ blood, we are recipients of gifts that we are unworthy to receive.

Yes, the Perfect, Sinless, Righteous Lamb of God paid our sin debt setting us free from the bondage of a carnal heart always driven to fulfill its desires that oppose the perfect will of God. Christ’s sacrificial offering of His life freed us from the death penalty that sin demands.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…” —Ephesians 2:8

God reached down to sinful humanity by giving His Son, Jesus Christ for the propitiation of our sins [Jesus satisfies the justice of God]. From God’s heart flows never-ending grace and mercies for the righteous. We are the privileged and highly favored recipients of God’s attention and His love. “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know’ ” (Jeremiah 33:3).

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” —John 14:1-3

Jesus has revealed God’s future plans for the righteous who strive to live a sanctified life. And lest we forget, John’s vision of the Heavenly City and the New Heaven and New Earth are described in Revelation chapters 21 and 22. Although we live in a world bombarded by degradation and unbelief in God, we still have the blessed hope that one day all sin and sorrow will be eradicated. Amen.

As our Heavenly Intercessor, Jesus continues His servitude to humanity. “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

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me.” —John 15:26

Our prayers of confession and repentance and cries for help are expedited by the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us because we do not know what to pray for. The Holy Spirit teaches us, imparts wisdom and discernment while studying the Scriptures guides us in our decision-making comforts us in times of grief and discouragement, and alerts us when exposed to false teachings and philosophies.

The Holy Spirit breathes into us the Divine strength to overcome temptation and to guide us in our activities of daily living. We are empowered with the ability to relinquish the stronghold of hereditary tendencies, learned behaviors, and sinful habits. Our journey of Sanctification—being transformed into the likeness of Christ’s Character is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit.

“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

Listen to the testimony of a former addict who accepted Christ as their personal Savior about the supernatural strength they received to let go of the sinful habits that held them in chains for most of their lives. Their desire to be free led to an endless cycle of living clean only to relapse leaving them in a state of hopelessness. They will tell you about God’s amazing grace that removed the carnal taste for alcohol, drugs, pornography, and other sinful behaviors.

Yes, they freely share their testimony filled with gratitude for the powerful love of God and how His transforming power cleansed them from all unrighteousness. The world labels those who are living a clean and sober life as recovering, yet, Jesus proclaims that their faith has made them whole and they are covered by His righteousness. God never leaves residual that has to be cleaned up by human effort, former behaviors, and habits are washed clean by the blood of Jesus.

Psalm 91: The righteous have guardian angels fighting our battles of spiritual warfare and constantly protecting us from seen and unseen danger every second of the day or night.

Now it is our turn to reveal the daily sacrifice we will make to God for being designated as the benefactors of His love and amazing grace.

“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

Our hearts are the only gifts that are acceptable as a sacrifice to God. Unless we are praying the prayer of surrender and asking the Holy Spirit to guide, direct, and anoint us with power, wisdom, and discernment, we are not sacrificing anything to God. The choice to surrender—to consecrate and dedicate oneself to faithfully obey God is only understood by those with converted hearts who seek the will of God and abide in Christ.

God has a remnant, they are the faithful ones who not only understand the depth of God’s love [as far as the human mind can extend] but also express their love to God through daily surrender and obedience. Every day the faithful consecrate their hearts [minds, bodies, and souls] to Christ. Yes, they diligently pray for wisdom and strength from the Holy Spirit because they believe Jesus when He said, “…without me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

With gratitude, they send up many prayers for the Divine Help to stay on the Path of Righteousness. It is not a secret, that the remnant have a personal agenda, to live forever in the New Heaven and the New Earth with their Lord and Savior, King Jesus. And we are willing to do anything for God, even unto death, because we have given Him the only sacrifice that God accepts, our hearts.

Prayer: God, we repent for not appreciating Your love, grace, and mercies. We pray for the strength to put our desires aside and dedicate ourselves to following You in our earthly journey. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

The Response of a Converted Heart

Today’s Devotional – The Response of a Converted Heart – November 12, 2023

Recently, I watched an interview with a younger Maya Angelou who in 1970 wrote “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” and also received the Chubb Fellowship from Yale University. The question was asked, Which college did you graduate from? Her reply, “None, although I only have a high school education, I am a professor at four universities, I have received a Chubb Fellowship from Yale University, and speak six languages, all of these accomplishments are based on my works.”

During Ms. Angelou’s final interview with Oprah Winfrey, she recounted her spiritual conversion. While having a casual conversation with a friend, he changed the subject by saying, “God loves you,” a concept she had never heard before. He instructed her to say “God loves me.” At first, she casually repeated the words, God loves me over and over without any emotion. Then he asked her to close her eyes and say it with conviction. This time when she said, God loves me, she felt the love of God in her heart and cried like a little child. At that moment, Ms. Angelou accepted Christ, and her heart was converted.

During her later years, Ms. Angelou’s writings and conversations with others reflected her love for God. Like the younger Maya Angelou who expressed that her accomplishments were achieved by her works, many of today’s Christian believers are striving for earthly accolades through their works. Instead of using their spiritual gifts and talents to honor and glorify God, they strive to bring attention to themselves.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” —Matthew 7:21, BSB

How does a believer who accepted Christ as their personal Savior end up practicing self-glorification instead of honoring God the Giver of all good things?

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service.” —Romans 12:1

Our love for God has declined. We have embraced the false belief of once saved always saved, therefore, we cease worshiping God in Spirit and truth. Like Cain, we determine how we will worship God. Because God is not first in our lives, we no longer strive for the righteousness described in the Scriptures, “Be holy, for I AM Holy”.

We go through the ritual of praying and having a casual Bible study, but we do not pray the daily prayer of surrender. Nor do we seek God’s will and plans because we already have planned our agenda for the given day and our lives which reveals an unconverted heart. This week, I read a profound quote by Francis Chan, “Why are we so quick to forget God? Who do we think we are?” Jesus reminds us that only a few will enter the narrow gate [Matthew 7:13-14].

“Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.’ ” —Matthew 18:2-3

Why little children? Young children believe everything they hear, they are loving, faithful, trusting, and obedient always striving to please mommy and daddy. If parents nurture these qualities in their children from a young age, they have a better chance of growing into thriving, well-adjusted adults.

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17.

One author’s definition of Conversion: “The old nature, born of blood and the will of the flesh, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The old ways, the hereditary tendencies, and the former habits must be given up; for grace is not inherited. The new birth consists in having new motives, new tastes, new tendencies. Those who are begotten unto a new life by the Holy Spirit, have become partakers of the divine nature, and in all their habits and practices they will give evidence of their relationship to Christ.”

Although we accept Christ, we have an internal battle that must be fought daily with the help of the Holy Spirit. The unconverted heart is filled with pride and selfishness. Our inherited sinful nature drives us to fulfill every thought of self-satisfaction and to follow our inclinations. Without daily surrender of our will to God, we will possess the same soul-destroying confidence the Pharisees exhibited. By practicing self-righteousness, they deemed their outward works as acceptable to God.

“Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.” —Luke 18:9-12

Today’s Christians usually do not compare themselves to others, we have adopted the worldview of “Your truth is your truth and my truth is my truth” and we use our standard of truth to serve God. Still we desire to receive our heavenly reward, but it is impossible without a converted heart.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…” —Philippians 2:12

The converted believer prays differently, “God, I surrender my will to Your will, Your way, and Your plans for today. And I ask you to anoint me with the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. Give me the wisdom and discernment before I speak and make any decisions that will impact my life. Let every word and action represent the love of Christ and honor Your Holy Name. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.”

Sanctification is the daily [and lifelong] spiritual process of growth and transformation of our mind, character, and personality into the likeness of Christ. With our surrender and commitment, the Holy Spirit empowers us to change and gives us the strength to overcome.

Those with converted hearts realize their human limitations of not being able to save themselves. So in humility, their daily prayers resemble the tax collector’s prayer. Yes, we are sinners saved by grace, still, every day we must renew our covenant with God through a prayer of complete surrender.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” —Romans 12:2

We can pray, study the bible, attend church, and help others, yet it is impossible to change our hearts based on our efforts. Daily surrender requires a spirit of humility. Even when we embrace 100% of God’s Truth, the human heart naturally resists surrendering to God and others. How many times have we said or done wrong injuring others but adamantly refused to surrender and repent?

Do not coddle your heart! The greatest battles come from within fueled by the deceitfulness of believing that spiritually all is well. When Jesus says, You can do nothing without me, believe Him! Reflect deeply on His revelation of our limitations. Each day by giving God complete control of our minds, we are converted by Christ’s righteousness breathed into us by the Holy Spirit.

The righteous are privileged. We receive God’s favor and blessings every day. What else can we give to Jesus, our King that is more important than the surrender of our hearts? Obedience is our highest act of worship. To completely give ourselves to God is not giving up our free will, we surrender our mind to God because we love Him, and know that we cannot change our carnal hearts.

The trajectory of our lives must change. We have to change everything about ourselves before we can go to heaven. When we strive to do our best, Christ becomes our righteousness, and the Holy Spirit works daily to transform us. When we put forth the human effort to get rid of our unrighteous habits and behaviors, we are covered by the love, grace, and mercies of God. And Christ our Heavenly Intercessor works with the Holy Spirit to produce a righteous character.

Perhaps we should declare “God loves me” with conviction and verbalize gratitude throughout our waking hours. Saying, God, I love You proves that we serve Him because our hearts belong to Him and we appreciate everything He has done and is doing to save our souls. Certainly, the Father who gave Jesus, His only Son for us deserves to hear that He is loved.

A believer who desires a converted heart lives with the mindset of “I surrender all,” readily inviting Christ every day into their heart by asking Him to sanctify them through His Righteousness.

Prayer: “Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Jesus, we thank You for loving us and we love You. Thank You for your loving sacrifice and your grace and mercies. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

The Long-Distance Runner

The Long-Distance Runner, Today’s Devotional November 10, 2023

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” —Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV

There are three attributes a Christian must possess to be a distance runner in the Christian race, love for God, discipline [self-control], and structure leading to completion.

  1. Love produces the willingness to surrender to God and serve Him with faithful obedience. Every day we pray the prayer of surrender and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s will for the given day. We nourish our souls with the life-giving words of God by diligently studying the Holy Scriptures and building our relationship with Christ by praying throughout our waking hours.
  2. Self-control is a Fruit of the Spirit. With our gift of an intelligent and sound mind, we embrace and practice discipline by not participating in harmful-sinful behaviors. We adhere to Scriptural guidelines which identify God’s perfect choices to keep us aligned with His will and focused on Christ. Obedience and self-control result in the spiritual well-being of our minds, bodies, and souls. By carefully selecting only the activities, foods, and friends that honor God, we optimize our spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health to run, run, run!
  3. From studying the Creation story, we find God’s Characteristics include structure and completion. Stop multi-tasking! We have no evidence in the Bible that God or Jesus in His earthly life did several things at once. Multi-tasking is a human-derived concept [originating from spiritual warfare] that creates chaotic thinking, increased stress, and wearies our minds and bodies.

“And He said to them, ‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.” —Mark 6:31

Too much on our agendas not only causes frustration and fatigue but we are too exhausted to have effectual personal worship with God. The secret closet time away from spouse and children is the time in which we receive spiritual restoration and strength from the Holy Spirit. God never expects us to be in church for every service, meeting, and community outreach activity. Even Jesus established boundaries when ministering to the multitudes.

Filling our schedules to the point that we do not have downtime results in a spirit of defeat. Multi-tasking and tight schedules prevent us from receiving our Divine gifts of joy and peace. When our schedules are full, the first area to suffer is our relationship with Christ. We skip worship, defer Bible study, and mumble quick prayers which prevents us from receiving the spiritual sustenance required to run the race.

Developing a work-life-task balance results in a structured lifestyle that allows us to enjoy our earthly lives and stay close to Christ. Completing our daily tasks gives us a sense of accomplishment and validates a job well done. In the Creation Story, after Christ completed His work, He reflected “…And God saw that it was good” (Genesis, Chapter 1), and was happy with the perfect outcome.

Distractions come in many forms, yet, God has endowed us with the ability to use our sound minds. By saying no to people, places, and things we can accomplish our goals. Believers can learn much from long-distance and marathon runners who live extremely structured lives. These disciplined athletes possess an invincible mindset and never lose sight of their overall goal, to win the race!

“Hellen Onsando Obiri (born 13 December 1989) is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. She is the only woman to have won multiple world titles in indoor track.” Wikipedia

Unless we are long-distance runners, we can only imagine the response of the human body exposed to daily rigorous training and one that is placed under the subjection of a disciplined and structured mind. The results speak for themselves, she stands alone in her victories.

Something is awry when we have individuals who are willing to adopt and adhere to the stringent guidelines and training necessary to run long-distance races for earthly prizes but as Christians running in the spiritual race. we become distracted, discouraged, and falter when facing trials and obstacles.

The Apostle Paul compares our spiritual journey to running a long-distance race that requires endurance and perseverance. God never expected us to become long-distance runners without His Divine Intervention. Throughout the Scriptures, we have the instructions necessary to place our minds and bodies into subjection to Jesus Christ who freely gives us the grace to win the Long-Distance Race.

Earthly runners win based on their efforts, but we were created to run and win the race by using our human effort to reach out and ask for the Holy Spirit to empower us with the wisdom, discernment, and strength to keep running until Jesus comes again [Revelation 22:12].

Guidelines for the Christian Runner

“So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 [Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation]. 15 But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; 16 because it is written, ‘You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.’ ” —1 Peter 1:13-16, Amplified Bible

The human effort of loving and obeying God with all of our hearts, souls, and minds allows us to receive supernatural strength from the Three Divine Powers of the Triune Godhead, God, the Father, God, Jesus the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit. With a spiritual mindset to run until the end, our daily prayers for Divine Help are received by the Holy Spirit who relays them to Christ, our Intercessor, and He answers our cries for help immediately. Every day we receive the spiritual fortification that empowers us to adhere to God’s stringent spiritual standards of holiness to win the long-distance race!

God required Jesus to learn obedience in His earthly life, to live in poverty, and during His ministry “not have a place to lay His head” [homelessness] and to be obedient unto death on the cross.

How far are you willing to go for God? It’s a question we rarely think about, yet, our answer to the question determines whether we will receive our reward of eternal life from Christ or throw in the towel from disappointment and exhaustion.

Like the early Christians, will we keep running despite the earthly outcome [Read Hebrews 11:35-39], or we will cease running as the rich, young ruler did, and turn and walk away with sorrow? [Read Mark 10:21-22]. If we do not have knowledge of Moses, Joseph, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and their spiritual journeys then our answer will be based on conjecture instead of the actual distance God requires of us.

To train as a runner in the Spiritual Long-Distance race, we must dedicate ourselves to surrendering and obeying God’s Spiritual Guidelines for runners. With perseverance, we consecrate ourselves by making a daily covenant vow to let go of every habit, behavior, and person that prevents us from winning the Race!

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” —Romans 8:18

In Jesus’ Name, Run Brothers and Sisters, Run!

Prayer: God, from this day forward, we surrender ourselves to be long-distance runners in the Christian race. We pray for a Divine blessing of anointing, power, wisdom, and strength to do Your will and to keep running until Jesus comes. In Jesus’ Holy name, we pray, Amen.

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

Sabbath Blessings—Run the Christian Race

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” —Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV

The Apostle Paul compares our spiritual journey to running a long-distance race that requires endurance and perseverance. God never expected us to become long-distance runners without His Divine Intervention. Throughout the Scriptures, we have the instructions necessary to place our minds and bodies into subjection to Jesus Christ who freely gives us the grace to win the Long-Distance Race.

Earthly runners win based on their efforts, but we were created to run and win the race by using our human effort to reach out and ask the Holy Spirit to empower us daily with the wisdom, discernment, and strength to keep running until Jesus comes again [Revelation 22:12].

Guidelines for the Christian Runner

“13 So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 [Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation]. 15 But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; 16 because it is written, ‘You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.’ ” —1 Peter 1:13-16, Amplified Bible

In Jesus’ Name, Run Brothers and Sisters, Run!

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

Surrender Requires Strength

Surrender Requires Strength Today’s Devotional November 9, 2023

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

Surrendering to the will of God is to serve God and receive Him more fully into your life. We do His will because God loves us. Our love for God is the catalyst that propels us to seek His face every morning and surrender our hearts, minds, and bodies to Him.

“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

Because we realize our dilemma of inheriting a carnal heart, we ask for spiritual strength, wisdom, and discernment from the Holy Spirit not only when we awaken but throughout our waking hours to overcome our desires and spiritual warfare. Surrender requires more than human effort.

For us to recognize the Voice of God, faithfully obey, and overcome temptation is humanly impossible without the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit. It is our intention to stay on the Path of Righteousness, but we can never order our steps to walk in holiness without the Holy Spirit.

“For I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15). “For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want” (Galatians 5:17).

How we long for spiritual growth and the strength to just say no to every temptation. But that will never happen in our earthly lives without continuous surrender. Every day we fight against the raging desires of our hearts and adopting the world’s sinful behaviors.

Without the daily prayer of “Jesus, I surrender all to You” and the contrite plea for the Holy Spirit to give us strength and spiritual discernment, we cannot overcome the raging war within us to please ourselves.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” —Jeremiah 17:9-10

We inherited our carnal hearts. God knew the daily struggle we would face, the inner conflict of choosing right over wrong, and accepting truth or embracing error. Thankfully, God, the Father, and Jesus, God, the Son created the perfect plan of Redemption before Adam and Eve were created. We have an Advocate and Intercessor to help us. We are truly loved by God!

Because God is love, He desires that we also love Him. Gifted with a sound mind, a measure of faith, and the free will to love, serve, and surrender to Him is option #1. Free will allows us to choose option #2, to serve ourselves by following our hearts. But know this, there is no middle ground in surrender. Without surrender, our carnal hearts control us and desire is never satisfied with what it has!

Sadly in 2023, many believers have chosen the second option. Like Eve, we allow ourselves to be deceived into believing that God withholds the best from us. So we take matters into our own hands. We purchase tangible goods, embrace human-derived theories, and have relationships with unbelievers just to satisfy our desires. We say, “Lord, Lord” but fail to faithfully obey God as demonstrated by our decisions and lifestyles.

Do not justify yourself for not surrendering to God. The cause, you do not love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind. The effect, possessing the spirit of Cain in our hearts who also followed his inclinations by giving God a ritualistic sacrifice. Examples of today’s ritualistic sacrifices are attending church every week and giving 10% tithe and offerings out of habit but not submitting to the authority of God.

The Worldview versus the Biblical View

Years ago, Nike had a slogan, “Just Do It!” And that mindset has permeated the Christian community. We pray and ask God for our desires [whether or not they are in His will] and if not received, we fulfill our prayers by purchasing a house or vehicle, starting a business, making financial investments, or marrying the one that God never placed His blessing upon.

Biblical View: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” —1 John 5:7

Surrender to God takes strength! Like it or not we are impacted by our family, friends, coworkers, advertisements, tech advancements, human-derived philosophies, and worldviews. Weak Christians succumb to the influences of people, places, and things because they trust in themselves. The steadfast believer readily sends up petitions and pleas for Divine Help.

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13, NLT).

Surrender demonstrates our love and loyalty to God as evidenced by faithful obedience. To live as a transformed follower of Christ we strive to worship God in spirit and in truth. When we surrender to God, our spoken words, behaviors, and choices give honor and glory to God instead of pleasing ourselves. Whatever God says to do, we do it!

Prayer: Father God, make my life Yours, Jesus take my heart, and Holy Spirit fill me with your presence and power. I surrender all. Father take my hand and teach me to recognize Your voice. And guide me in my earthly journey as I continue to look forward to the promise of a life in the New Heaven and New Earth.

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God