“If you seek her [wisdom] as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:4-6).
Because we were created with limited understanding, 99.9% of the time, we usually perceive a situation incorrectly, which always leads to undesired chaos and consequences.
God Commands Us Not Replace Spiritual Wisdom and Discernment With Human Thoughts
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Often a situation involving family or friends, directly impacts us. Do not presume that you know what is going on.
Whisper a prayer, asking God for spiritual discernment, and in a gentle tone lovingly ask, “Can you help me to understand what is happening?”
“Do not be wise in your own eyes…” (Proverbs 3:7).
When facing conflict, always pray for God’s guidance. An Emotional Response always escalates the situation because emotional responses trigger emotional words of retaliation, and sometimes, acts of violence.
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:11-12, NIV).
Everyday, every believer is facing unseen spiritual warfare on a personal level, in our homes, on our jobs, and in our neighborhoods.
One of Satan’s most effective strategies is to entice believers to participate in various discussions that always end in arguments.
Last week, I can recall sitting in the waiting area of the optician’s office, and the woman sitting next to me casually started a general conversation about hobbies, and we laughed at being yarn artists because we knit and crochet.
But then the conversation took a left turn, she said, “I love discussing politics, and usually can provoke others to get upset while I remain calm.” I never responded, and that was the end of our chat.
“But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.” (2 Timothy 2:23).
There are topics that we must avoid because they always produce conflict: Religion, Politics, Economic Disparity, and Social Injustice.
Even among believers, God can never receive the glory and honor when we give into temptation, and discuss topics that are guaranteed to produce controversy.
“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” (James 1:14).
Many Believers watch debates and programs that include controversy, immorality, profanity, and violence. Whatever we listen to is eventually reflected in our character, attitude, spoken words, and lifestyles.
“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 12:2, NIV).
If we are not witnessing then we must reflect on why we are involving ourselves in lengthy discussions with unbelievers. Our gift of time can be spent studying the Bible, praying, helping those in need, witnessing, and giving Bible studies.
Even when giving a Bible Study, if the individual is asking for clarification of a Scripture, our first response is to offer a spoken prayer asking for God’s guidance before we answer.
“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” (James 1:26, NIV).
Only God has the ability to always give perfect knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. Pray for spiritual wisdom and discernment in every aspect of life.
Lord God, we pray for the spiritual strength to overcome our desires to listen to and speak words designed to provoke controversy. We ask you to forgive us for the times that we have used our thoughts to discern a situation incorrectly, and initiated conflict with our words. Lord, bless us with the wisdom to know when to remain silent. We ask this prayer in faith and in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33)
Jesus tells us that the life we desire filled with only love, joy, happiness, peace, and without hardships will not happen on this present Earth.
In fact, the life of a believer is the toughest journey, we will ever face. In the Great Controversy of Good and Evil, believers are the target!
Not only do we face the external opposition of Satan’s temptations, and animosity for following Christ, we must also overcome our internal desires, which are always in rebellion against God.
“Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me.” (John 15:4, Amplified Bible).
The King James version of this Scripture states, “Abide in Me.” To abide in Christ means that we become totally dependent on Him.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11).
We choose to follow Christ by using our faith to surrender in obedience. By seeking God’s will and plans through daily prayer, we receive wisdom and strength to fulfill His Perfect Plans.
“Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24).
Because we were created with a free will to choose, we must ask God for help. Whispering prayers throughout our day eliminates self-reliance and builds our faith and trust in God.
Despite our circumstances, if we rely on Christ, the Holy Spirit gives us unlimited Spiritual comfort, peace, joy, and guidance.
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29, NIV).
Throughout the Scriptures, Jesus reiterates His love for us, still, due to busyness and distractions, we often do not engage in consistent personal worship [prayer, and Bible study].
But when facing challenges, if we exclude God, we easily become discouraged. Using human wisdom and effort has many limitations, we can develop strategies, but we can never predict a definitive outcome.
Prayer and studying the Holy Scriptures keeps us grounded in Christ and builds our faith. The Bible is the only way, we can learn Christ’s Loving Character, His promises, and the history of His Divine intervention in the lives of the righteous.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27).
Truthfully, we cannot trust a stranger. When our knowledge of God is limited, we instinctively place our faith and trust in ourselves. But at some point, we will experience life-changing events that only Divine Intervention can resolve.
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10).
From staying connected to Christ, we receive an internal assurance of peace and safety in knowing that we are loved by God, He is Faithful, and Committed to taking care of us.
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’ ” (Genesis 1:26).
To learn the Righteous Character of Christ and His love for us requires that we start with studying the Book of Genesis, the Beginning. Biblical knowledge increases our faith in God.
The Foundation: Study the Book of Genesis and the Four Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John], which records the Life of Christ. Before studying, always pray for The Teacher, God, the Holy Spirit to give you spiritual wisdom and discernment.
Our Heavenly Father Cares
“The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17, BSB).
Words cannot describe the inner peace that comes from learning who God is, and His Amazing Love for those created in His Divine Image.
“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).
Despite our challenges and hardships, our Heavenly Father also allows us to enjoy peaceful times. Even when experiencing hardships, we are not grapes, God never crushes us, which would also crush our hope in His Agape love.
“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore He exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him.” (Isaiah 30:18).
We are sons and daughters of the Most-High God who loves us unconditionally! God desires to lead us from Earth to Heaven. We cannot change ourselves or stay on the Path of Righteousness without Divine Directions.
We often mistake suffering the consequences of disobedient choices for God-Allowed trials. Thinking our own thoughts and planning our lives without God always has repercussions.
Praying for God’s Divine Guidance before making decisions gives us the assurance that we are aligned with God’s plans, which is the only way we can enjoy His peace, and receive guaranteed Victorious Outcomes.
By accepting Christ as our personal Savior, we committed to following Him as sheep who follow their shepherd. We are never alone! Pray, Obey, and Persevere through life in Jesus’ strength.
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16, NIV).
Daily personal worship [prayer and Bible study] is the outward sign of possessing a heart filled with love, loyalty, adoration, and reverence for our Loving Heavenly Father.
Staying connected to Christ has definitive advantages: In times of adversity and lingering hardships, only true worshipers can remain courageous, enjoying Jesus’ gift of peace.
From establishing a life of prayer, we establish our dependency on Christ. When facing the stormy seasons, our first response is a faith-based prayer asking for Divine Help.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10).
No other book, but the Bible gives us the spiritual nourishment needed to grow in Christ. Studying and meditating on the Scriptures invites the Holy Spirit to give us a deeper understanding.
Our commitment to worship God is rewarded. The Holy Spirit empowers us to perceive life through spiritual eyes. Our dependency on God is not weakness, it is the only way that we can remain steadfast in our Christian Journey.
“Trials never feel good, yet, trials are faith builders.”
From possessing Scriptural knowledge, in difficult times, the Holy Spirit reminds us of God’s promises, giving us the assurance of our Heavenly Father’s Love and Faithfulness.
Whether in peaceful, or stormy times, we should separate ourselves, and deeply reflect on God’s love and our many blessings. We did not achieve a lifetime of victories by using human effort.
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3, HCSB).
Our Sovereign God is always Faithful! Every day, we are recipients of His overwhelming Love, Grace, and Abundant mercies. Yes, God deserves our prayers of praise and worship.
The storm cannot last! Eventually, the Sun will shine! We know that Christ, our Loving Shepherd will say, “Peace be still” and give us a spiritual calm that cannot be reproduced by human ability.
Like Job who suffered the most devastating adversity recorded in the Bible, if we stay connected to Christ, we will be able to proclaim:
“I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth. “Even after my [mortal] skin is destroyed [by death], Yet from my [immortal] flesh I will see God…” (Job 17:25-26, NIV, Amplified Bible).
Only God can guide us through the storms that produce spiritual growth and transformation necessary to prepare us to receive our Crown of Life. Yes and Amen!
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, NLT).
Bible Study: Genesis, and The Four Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John].
Lord God, we thank You for Your Divine Love and for taking care of us, even when we failed to acknowledge Your Faithfulness. Jesus, our Shepherd and Triumphant King, we choose You. We ask You to lead us, correct us, and protect us from spiritual warfare, and give us the strength to overcome external opposition and internal conflict. We thank You, and promise to give You the honor, the glory and the praise that you deserve. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray, Amen.
Recently I took a short walk to clear life’s challenges from my mind, and I happened to look up. When I gazed at the blue sky filled with the amazing cloud puffs, I felt Jesus’ love, which erased all of my weekly concerns.
Every week, Sabbath-keepers are blessed to savor the spiritual gift of 24 hours to commune with God, and to focus on His love and faithfulness. All of the cares of life are placed on hold as we intentionally reflect on the goodness of God.
Yet, there is so much more, not only do we receive a spiritual blessing from worshiping in the Church Service, but God also gives us the blessings of mental, emotional, and physical restoration and renewal.
The History of Creation Sabbath
“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” (Genesis 2:1-2).
God’s Declaration of Sabbath Worship for Eternity
The primary Scripture in Isaiah that speaks to the ongoing practice of the Sabbath in the future eternal state is Isaiah 66:22-23, which states, “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before Me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, declares the LORD.”
“This passage verifies that the Sabbath will continue to be observed by God and the redeemed in the New Heaven and New Earth.”
Lord God, we pray for a Sabbath blessing as we worship You in Spirit and Truth. We pray for every individual who is faithfully obeying Your Commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy, and ask for Your gifts of peace and joy. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.
Saul before his conversion was responsible for the death and imprisonment of many Christians including the death of Stephen [Saul gave his approval and witnessed the stoning of Stephen, a faithful Christian].
With the exception of the Apostle John, Jesus’ disciples died as martyrs. If Christ did not restrain Satan’s enmity against Christians, he would attempt to eradicate believers. But Jesus always places limitations on Satan’s Warfare against the righteous.
While Saul was traveling on the road to Damascus to persecute more Christians, from Heaven, Jesus spoke to Saul.
Saul’s Conversion: “As he journeyed he [Saul] came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?…’ “
“And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting…So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ ” (Acts 9:3-6).
Not only did Christ completely transform Saul, who after his conversion used the name Paul, Jesus gave the persecutor of Christians the spiritual assignment of witnessing to the Gentiles, and starting the early Christian church.
“Although Paul had Roman citizenship, he was Hebrew by birth. Paul identified himself as both ‘Jewish’ and ‘Hebrew,’ most notably stating that he was ‘a Hebrew of the Hebrews.’ ” (Philippians 3:5).
“In the Apostle Paul’s time, paganism was the dominant religious landscape of the Greco-Roman world, characterized by polytheism and idol worship, which Paul’s ministry challenged by advocating for exclusive devotion to the one true God…”
Paul Proclaims His Mission of Witnessing to the Gentiles: “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it! And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.” (Acts 28:28-29).
The Gentiles were hated by the Jewish leaders and community because their lifestyles and pagan rituals had no boundaries. “Their pagan rituals included idol worship, sacrificing animals, food, and, in some cases, humans, and the practice of sexual immorality as part of worship to their deities.”
From fulfilling God’s mission to preach to the Gentiles, Paul was also rejected by the Jewish community. The Sanhedrin even attempted to coerce the Roman government into executing Paul.
But as a Roman citizen, Paul exercised his right to appeal to Caesar, which guaranteed a trial. But, the apostle remained a prisoner, and many years later was executed by Nero.
“The Apostle Paul was not executed for any specific legal charges, but rather fell victim to Emperor Nero’s persecution of Christians following the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64.”
During the time of his imprisonment, the Holy Spirit gave the apostle Paul, God’s spoken words that are documented in 14 books of the New Testament.
The conversion of Saul to Paul, the Apostle reveals that when we repent, God completely forgives us of every past decision, behaviors, and actions, including heinous crimes.
Repent: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).
Like Paul, we repent, receive forgiveness, and move forward by fulfilling God’s spiritual goals for our lives. Christ has won the victory over sin, and through His redeeming power, and from striving to live holy, we are covered with His Righteousness.
The Story of Redemption
Jesus, the Sacrificial Lamb: “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, ‘I thirst!’ So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.’ (John 19:28, 30).
God’s Forgiveness: “I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25).
“Justification is God’s legal act of declaring a sinner righteous, not based on the sinner’s merit, but by imputing the Righteousness of Jesus Christ through faith in us.”
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, CSB).
“Justification is the complete act of Grace that provides the sinner with complete forgiveness and reconciliation with God, providing a clean slate rather than changing their inherent character.”
Sanctification: God, the Holy Spirit performs the lifelong transformation of our minds characters and personalities into the likeness of Christ. Still, we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit through daily surrender, faithful obedience, renouncing sin, and striving to live holy.
The Fruit of the Spirit is Christ’s Righteous Character
Sanctification: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering [patience], gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV).
The Believer’s Responsibility: “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 5:24-25).
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT).
Like the apostle Paul, God’s forgiveness includes becoming a new son or daughter in Christ Jesus. We ask God to reveal our spiritual assignment and in Jesus’ strength we fulfill God’s plans for our lives.
“You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19, NIV).
Two of the most dangerous mindsets are harboring feelings of guilt and believing that God has not forgiven us when we repent of our past sins.
It is impossible to live righteously, or receive Eternal Life if we fail to use our faith to believe in The Plan of Redemption, which includes God’s Love, Grace, Mercies, and His promises to forgive us despite the nature of our past atrocities.
Fact: Satan will use people to remind us of our past. Separation is required from those who desire to confront us regarding our past lives. Neither can we have relationships with people who refuse to forgive us.
1. If it is possible to ask those who we have harmed to forgive us then God expects us to do so. Also remember, we cannot force others to forgive us.
2. If the person is deceased then it is impossible to ask them for forgiveness [“…the dead know nothing.” Ecclesiastes 9:5], we ask God to forgive us, and move forward.
3. If a legal restraining order exists, we pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to comfort the person or people we have injured. Resist the urge to intervene. Once we have asked God to send comfort, we step aside, and move forward.
There were many individuals who remembered Paul as Saul, the former Christian Killer. Even after his conversion, he was often feared, and hated by many who knew his past life.
If you are thinking, Wait, is it this easy to receive God’s forgiveness for my past? Yes, it is!
God’s Answer: “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. “(Isaiah 1:18).
To every believer, God knows our past, but, when we ask for forgiveness, God forgives us, and He expects us to move forward in the Power of His Might [Divine Strength]. With God, we will not be able to justify our decision of not “letting the past go.”
Paul tells us how to Redirect Our Spiritual Focus: “…dear brothers and sisters…I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…” (Philippians 3:13).
Reminder: “Our past decisions and actions were determined by the knowledge, or the lack of knowledge that we possessed at that time.”
“Now, that we are converted believers and live according to God’s Holy Word, we would do things very differently, but there is no opportunity for that.”
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” (Revelation 22:12).
Pray and ask God to reveal His plans for your life, and like the Apostle Paul, move forward in the Power and Strength of Jesus Christ who is coming soon. Yes and Amen!
Bible Study: Acts 9
Prayer: Lord God, create in us a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit of righteousness within us. We ask You to give us the strength to move forward in our spiritual journey as we fulfill our spiritual assignments. Lord, give us the wisdom to live as one who is forgiven, and one who is cleansed from all unrighteousness by the precious blood of Jesus Christ whose Holy Name, we ask this prayer.
Never fight the battle without God! We must have God’s help to win the battle of internal conflict [not giving in to our heart’s desires], and the external opposition of spiritual warfare [temptations designed to make us sin against God].
Living as Overcomers
Walking through life on our knees, gives us spiritual strength, and keeps us aligned with God’s perfect plans. The believers who consecrate themselves daily to live a Christ-centered, Faith-based life always receive victorious outcomes.
Prayer keeps us connected to Christ who leads us on the Path of Righteousness. Learn to hear God’s Voice speaking to you. The Holy Spirit speaks through our thoughts and the Holy Scriptures. We desperately need God’s guidance to live righteously.
Surrender is seeking God’s will and obeying His plans. We receive God’s guidance, His plans, protection, and blessings from communicating with Christ through daily personal worship.
With a spirit of humility, surrender, and faithful obedience, we invite the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom, only then can we perceive life through spiritual eyes, and choose right over wrong.
We were created to depend on God. Every day, we require Divine help to succeed in our spiritual journey. We cannot overcome the temptations, or resolve unexpected life events without God.
Most importantly, Sanctification, spiritual growth and transformation require the human effort of cooperation with the Holy Spirit. We must have the baptism of the Holy Spirit in our hearts to receive spiritual transformation. We cannot change ourselves.
One day the battle will end. But until then, we pray, obey, and persevere. Keep moving forward empowered by Jesus’ strength, given to us by the Holy Spirit who responds to our prayers.
All in heaven are committed to giving us Divine Help, according to our individual needs. Yes and Amen.
Lord God, we approach your Throne of Grace asking for wisdom, discernment, strength, and Your guidance. We thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.
Yeshua, the Eternal Word: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:1-3).
As magnificent as this eagle is, we must never forget that God, Jesus, the Son, knelt on the ground, picked up clay, created us in His image, and breathed His Divine breath into Adam.
King David proclaimed, “we are fearfully and wonderfully made.” Live every moment with gratitude for Yahweh’s Divine Ruach (רוּחַ) life-giving breath flowing through your lungs.
Yes, the eagle is magnificent, but nothing created supersedes humanity who is created in the Divine similitude of God. Embrace your gift of life by dedicating your love, loyalty, and faithful obedience to worship our Triumphant King, and Creator God, Jesus Christ. Yes and Amen!
Jesus, we bless, honor, and revere Your Holy Name. Amen.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” -Isaiah 43:1-3
“God often allows us to experience a crisis to reveal our limitations and weaknesses. The adversity that no human effort can resolve points us to God, the Only True Source of Strength.” Sermon Notes
As I read a few of my sermon notes, one caught my attention, causing me to reflect for quite a while. The only thought that repeated itself over and over again was the question, “Why do we exclude our Heavenly Father from our daily lives until we face a major dilemma?”
How are we different from the unbelievers who reject God by practicing the learned behavior of self-reliance, and suffering never-ending consequences, which creates an atmosphere fueled by anxieties, worries, and hopelessness?
The Apostle Paul answers the question: “Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1, NLT).
“The word ‘carnal’ (Greek: sarkikos) is often used to describe a state of being dominated by the flesh and worldly desires, rather than the Spirit of God. It suggests a focus on physical needs, earthly pleasures, and a lack of spiritual maturity.”
Prayer, fasting, consecration, and renewing our vow to follow Christ through daily surrender and faithful obedience is the only spiritual remedy to regain our right standing with God. We must worship God with love, loyalty, and commitment if we truly desire the reward of Eternal life.
Lord God, we approach your Throne of Grace asking for forgiveness for a spirit of disobedience as manifested by a mindset of self-reliance and lifestyles of self-governance. We ask you to, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a contrite spirit within me.” Lord, we thank you for your love, grace, and mercies, and ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
“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
Every day, we fight against the internal conflict of following Christ or the enemy of self-gratification. Every believer also faces the external opposition of spiritual warfare, and temptations. To overcome, we must pray and ask Christ to give us His Divine strength, and use our gifts of power, and self-control.
God never coerces us to choose His will for our lives. We use our God-given gift of free will to choose to live with conviction and courage by praying and relying on Christ’s Divine strength received through the Holy Spirit, or we live to pursue our desires.
If our focus is on Christ then our lifestyle is one of worship, prayer, fasting, and surrender to God’s Sovereignty. With determination, we live to please God by seeking His will and plans. We do this because of love for God, and love and appreciation of Jesus, our Savior, Shepherd, and Heavenly Intercessor.
The human effort of daily consecration and living a sacrificial life of faith, obedience, prayer, and Bible study reveals our love and loyalty to Jesus Christ. Surrender invites the Holy Spirit to convert and transform our hearts and characters daily into the Character of Christ [John 8:29, Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 4:32].
Preparing for Kingdom Life One Day at a Time is to put forth the human effort of doing our part to maintain a faithful and thriving relationship with Jesus Christ. Our Triumphant King promises, “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work (Revelation 22:12). Yes and Amen!
Lord God, we pray for strength, wisdom, and guidance as we strive to follow You on the Narrow Path of Righteousness. Thank You, Jesus, for Your steadfast love and the sacrifice of Your precious life on Calvary’s Cross. Lead us, protect us, and correct us, as we prepare one day at a time for Your soon coming. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray, Amen.
Our Heavenly Father Cares Devotional – April 6, 2025
“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering [patience], gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness [humility], temperance [self-control] against such there is no law.” -Galatians 5:22-23
In performing a spiritual self-evaluation, one must ask, Am I in right standing with God? Are there any secret sins, habits, or behaviors that are separating me from Christ?
“I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” -Jeremiah 17:10
Our thoughts, spoken words, and lifestyles reveal whether or not we are devout followers of Jesus Christ. True believers consecrate and surrender themselves daily by abiding in Christ through the personal worship of prayer and Bible study.
“Many believers who have no real faith in God or in His Holy word, [the Scriptures] often agree with some principles of Truth and often pass as Christians, yet they do not obey and practice Scriptural doctrines.”
“The Bible was designed to be a Guide to all who wish to become acquainted with the will of their Maker.”
Jesus invites us to come boldly before the Throne of Grace to receive help in our time of need. We are always in need of Divine help.
To pray without ceasing means to have a continuous mindset of honoring God’s Sovereignty through silent or audible prayers. Seeking God’s guidance in every aspect of our lives demonstrates our willingness to be led by the Holy Spirit.
The human effort of exercising our faith, and obeying and trusting in God, praying for guidance, searching the Scriptures, and renouncing sin invites the Holy Spirit to give us strength, wisdom, and the spiritual discernment to fully understand the Scriptures, and to recognize, and overcome temptation.
Sanctification is the lifelong spiritual process of growth and the transformation of our minds, characters, and personalities into the likeness of Christ demonstrated by our efforts of striving to live holy.
Living holy is a tough battle! Our part is to cooperate with the Holy Spirit by letting go of all sinful habits, and seeking God everyday. From our perseverance, the Holy Spirit gradually changes us and we begin to reflect the Fruit of the Spirit.
Stay connected to Christ, our Savior and Triumphant King who forgives our sins and covers us with His Righteousness.
We are living in perilous times, 2 Timothy 3. With humility, we invite the Holy Spirit to guide us on the Path of Righteousness as we prepare one day at a time for Jesus’ Second Coming.
[Psalm 139:23-24] Prayer: “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.” In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
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