The Lord is Good – Sabbath Devotional – January 27, 2024
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good…” 1 Peter 2:2-3
Imagine that you have enrolled in a Bible class and your first assignment is to write a personal statement explaining that the Lord is good. Would you research the internet to look up Scriptures or inspirational articles? Would His goodness be limited to the blessings of tangible assets? Or would you have to edit the rough draft because your written assignment is too wordy? Your answer depends on your relationship with Christ.
To know that the Lord is good requires knowledge of His character. The Four Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John] give us the amazing biography of Jesus’ earthly life by four of His disciples. Although Dr. Luke was not of the original 12, he wrote the books of Luke and Acts. Unless we study the life of Christ, we cannot speak about the goodness of His Loving and Righteous Character.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” —Revelation 3:20
Faith is the key to opening the door to learning the Lord’s goodness. We accept Jesus as our Savior because the Holy Spirit works on human hearts [this is a mystery] to accept Christ. Then we pray and study the Scriptures daily because Christ desires that we know who He is.
Faith plus Biblical knowledge allows the Holy Spirit to teach us the attributes of Christ’s goodness, faithfulness, and love for the human beings He created. Jesus’ death on Calvary completed the plan of Salvation which redeems us from our sins. This is the primary reason for the Lord’s goodness.
Prayer: Lord, we are thankful for Your abundant love, grace, and mercies. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
The Lord is Good is part 1 of 2 Devotionals. Part 2 is entitled, “The Lord’s Goodness” and is also published today.
Be Strong and Courageous – Devotional – January 26, 2024
“Be strong and of good courage…” “Only be strong and very courageous…” “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 18
Following Moses’ death, God appointed Joshua to lead the people into the Promised Land. Although most are familiar with the ninth verse of God’s command for Joshua to be strong and courageous, God repeated this command four times. What is the reason God placed such a great emphasis on strength and courage that He would repeat this command multiple times?
“Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him [anointed Him]. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.” —Deuteronomy 34:9
Although Joshua was a God-fearing [dedicated and reverent] man of God who appeared to have infallible strength, he relied greatly on Moses who was his spiritual leader, mentor, and friend. Certainly, we can relate to losing a loved one and coping with the emptiness. We serve a loving God who always allows a period of grieving, yet, with God’s strength, we must move forward with courage even if it is with baby steps.
“After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: ‘Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.’ ” —Joshua 1:1-3
Most of life’s hardships change the course of our lives. Still, God calls for us to be strong and possess courage. The Israelites required a steadfast spiritual leader following Moses’ death. When God revealed to Joshua that he was the next leader the assignment required an immediate answer of yes.
“…Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:9
When we are chosen by God, He has already equipped us for our assignment. With humility and gratitude, we thank Him for the privilege of representing Christ. Joshua’s heart was filled with humility and the desire to faithfully obey God, but his fear overshadowed the motivation to step into the role of Israel’s next leader. God does not make mistakes, so He requires obedience according to His timing.
“Since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.” —Deuteronomy 34:10-12
Joshua was God-appointed but his fears produced a mental and emotional roadblock to moving forward [without Moses] and leading the stubborn, disobedient Israelites. But we must take notice of how God handles our emotions. God never said, I know that you feel that you are not ready to be appointed as the leader over these stubborn people, so your fear is an expected reaction. No, God said, “Only be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:7).
“Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because they have not wholly followed Me” —Numbers 32:11
Fact: God always intervenes by removing the people, places, and things that prevent us from moving forward in our spiritual journey including fulfilling our God-ordained assignments.
“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
When we are not in harm’s way and possess fear, we have a serious heart issue of unbelief in the power of God. Fear reveals a lack of faith and trust in God. In Revelation chapter 21, verse 8, Jesus says the cowardly will not enter heaven. Self-reliance, focusing on situations that are humanly impossible to resolve, possessing a timid spirit that prevents us from witnessing, and the dread of an unknown future are indicators of fear.
Fear is a demonic stronghold over the person’s mind. A Christian believer who is fearful is in the same predicament as unbelievers. Fear separates us from God and impedes our spiritual transformation. When we are faithful to God, the Holy Spirit convicts us of our unrighteous characteristics and gives us the strength to overcome all inherited tendencies and learned behaviors.
“Overall, 75% of young respondents said, ‘The future is frightening.’ · More than 50% of survey respondents said they felt ‘sad, anxious, angry, …’ ” http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
The percentage of people who are suffering from life’s instability and hardships is increasing at epidemic proportions. Many do not have peace because of fear of the unknown future. Believing that God is Sovereign and in control of His world gives us peace.
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). “For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord…” (Jeremiah 34:17).
When God heals us, He never separates our mental, emotional, and physical condition from our spiritual condition. Despite our past, God has promised to heal our infirmities when we place all of our faith and trust in Him. Throughout the Bible are countless examples of healing and victory for those who have the faith to be made well.
The Bible is our Spiritual Guidebook. In studying the Bible, we find stories of those who faced great tribulations including the loss of their lives [Study Hebrews chapter 11, verses 32-39], yet they remained faithful to God. Studying the Biblical stories of humanity’s struggle and God’s love and Divine Intervention strengthens our faith and trust in the mighty power of God.
Let your worship consist of Bible study and prayer to receive the spiritual nourishment required for your mind, body, and soul. Focus on your relationship with Christ and let go of fear! Do not let your mind focus on the “what if.” Commit to memory, Christ’s promise “…for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Stepping outside of our comfort zone to fulfill our God-given spiritual assignment is necessary to live a strong and courageous earthly life and also prepares us for an eternal life with Christ Jesus.
Prayer: God, we are letting go of our fears. Please teach us to live for today. We ask for You to reveal our spiritual assignment and for the anointing, presence, and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In Jesus’ Holy name, we pray, Amen.
The Excellence and Majesty of Christ – Devotional- January 22, 2024
“O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your Name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!” Psalm 8:1
How we perceive Christ is reflected in our daily activities. Our goals, pursuits, thoughts, and spoken words either validate that He is the Sovereign and Majestic Lord of our hearts or if we only say His name occasionally. In the Inner Struggle, Jesus says we cannot serve two masters. Acquiescing to God is to use our free will to serve Christ our King with reverence, loyalty, and obedience.
“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.” —Romans 11:36
Daily surrender to God reflects a heart filled with humility, love, and honor for King Jesus and invites the Holy Spirit to impart a deeper level of understanding of the majesty of Christ. We decide every day whether or not we will cooperate with Divinity by seeking God’s will. Studying the Scriptures reveals Christ’s Divine Authority as God, the Son [Hebrews chapter one].
The human effort of honoring Christ invites the Holy Spirit to empower us with spiritual insight—we receive abundant wisdom and knowledge of Jesus as our Savior, Lord, and King.
Only the proud heart refuses to pray for the wisdom to understand Christ’s Divinity. Even when we choose to revere Christ as our King of kings, we cannot remain loyal to Christ without the Holy Spirit. The Divine intervention of the Holy Spirit empowers us to rise above our innate desires of self-seeking pursuits that blind our eyes to Christ’s dominion and power.
“All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.’ ” —Revelation 7:11-12
Worshiping God in spirit and truth requires dedication and reverence from hearts full of unwavering love, loyalty, and admiration for Christ. Reverence is a continuous posture and mindset of acknowledging and honoring our Invisible Heavenly King. If Christ is perceived as Excellent then we intentionally forsake our desires by praying for Divine power and obeying God’s will and plans.
From denying self, our lifestyle reflects one of continuous worship as revealed by our faith, obedience, and gratitude. Yes, we embrace Christ’s Divine Authority by abiding in Him through much prayer, and diligent study and meditation of the Scriptures. Day by day our minds, characters, and personalities are transformed into the likeness of Christ’s Character by the Holy Spirit because we choose Christ as our King.
When our hearts are connected to the Source of Life, we give our King the highest praise because we have experiential knowledge that He is Excellent, Majestic, and Worthy!
O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth! —Psalm 8:1
Can We Identify the Truth? – Devotional – January 15, 2024
Years ago, I served as a juror on a murder trial involving war between two gangs. As jurors, we were heavily guarded by New York State Troopers and escorted through an underground tunnel. The trial was long. We heard many testimonies, pre-meditated perjury, and a Defense Attorney who skillfully defended his client for 4-6 hours, giving us 2 hours to deliberate. At the end of the trial, we could not distinguish the truth from the perjured testimonies due to overwhelming discrepancies.
Spiritually, Can We Recognize God’s Truth versus Deception?
Plan A: Satan develops customized distractions to prevent us from thinking clearly and to wear us down. Adding distractions to our crammed schedules leaves us searching for quick remedies. The busyness that we succumb to has decreased our ability to recognize that something is not right. As a result of the rapid pace, we are too exhausted to focus on God and worship Him in spirit and truth. There is no free time for meaningful personal worship. We know that prayer and studying the Bible provide knowledge and give us spiritual renewal, so we tell ourselves hopefully, we will have time tomorrow.
Satan’s Plan B: The quick fix of social media has become the pastor and church for many who proclaim Christ as their Savior. Watching a 1 to 3-minute reel is easier than taking the time to pray and study the Bible. We scroll to gain Biblical principles from people who appear to be credible. Yes, it sounds as if they are speaking the Truth. Once we establish social media as our main resource for Scriptural knowledge, the Deceiver has lured many into the web of accepting convoluted or false beliefs. If we decide to let social media content feed our souls then we will be deceived.
Test the Spirits—”Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” —1 John 4:1
Companies use celebrities and sports figures to endorse their products. They are fully aware the person’s name and reputation will increase their profit margins. Satan uses believers whose hearts are filled with pride to deceive others. Social media attention can become addictive. The majority of comments posted are giving praise to the presenter. Presenting the Scriptures as suggestions instead of requisites makes it easier to increase followers and likes, but undermines God’s Righteous standards.
We live in an unprecedented era of hearing spoken words from never-ending voices. Satan is aware that it takes minimal effort to deceive the spiritually unlearned. Without the Holy Spirit, and self-study of the Bible, we cannot discern the difference between the truth of the Holy Scriptures and false doctrines blended with a little truth designed to entice and deceive.
Not everyone in the media is intentionally mismanaging the Word of God. Still, we have become too comfortable with trusting human knowledge and interpretation of the Scriptures. How can one tell if they are hearing God’s Truth if they do not possess Biblical knowledge and receive discernment given by the Holy Spirit?
Obvious Red Flags: Giving opinions without Scripture, Deviating several times from the main point, choosing one Scripture to justify the presenting “truth,” never mentioning the name of God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, and the once saved always saved concepts. The lack of Bible study has many Christians asking the same question as unbelievers, “What is Truth?”
We should study the Bible every day. Always pray, search the Scriptures, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s Truth so you will have knowledge of God’s expectations for the righteous. If a spoken message does not coincide with the Scriptures then you know that it is not God’s Truth. Thankfully, we have God’s Righteous Standard—the Holy Scriptures for comparison. Be certain that your beliefs are Biblical truth.
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” —John 14:16-18
From our desire to grow closer to God, we can receive the same spiritual power as those in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost. As believers who are living in Perilous Times, we desperately need the Divine empowerment of the Holy Spirit to live righteously. Not only are we facing an escalation of worldly temptations, but the warfare of false doctrines has invaded the Christian community.
“Your word is a lamp unto my feet And a light unto my path.” —Psalm 119:105
Studying the Scriptures under the guidance of the Holy Spirit is spiritually refreshing and uplifting. We receive God’s Truth which sustains our minds, bodies, and souls. Studying the Bible every day is the human effort required to receive spiritual transformation and have a heart-to-heart relationship with Christ. Daily we commit ourselves as a living sacrifice to God through personal worship. Allow uninterrupted time for prayer, Bible study, and reflection on the Scriptures.
The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Godhead who gives us the deeper meaning of God’s Truth and teaches us how to apply the Scriptures to our lives. God has provided all that we need to abide in Christ, to live righteously, overcome temptation, and recognize false teachings. Through His Spirit of Truth, we receive the gifts of knowledge, wisdom, discernment, and the spiritual ability to recognize God’s Truth.
Prayer: God, we pray for wisdom and discernment as we study Your Holy Scriptures. We ask You to guard us from the many deceptions designed to make us fall. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
Take the time to commune with God in much prayer throughout this weekend.
We are living in the “Beginning of Sorrows” [Matthew 24] and Perilous Times [2 Timothy 3]. The peace and better days we are praying for will happen when Jesus fulfills His promise [Revelation 22:12-13].
Prayer: Lord, we ask You to search our hearts and reveal anything that would prevent us from having a steadfast relationship with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“I will never leave you or forsake you.” —Hebrews 13:5
In the harsh, bitter, and lonely times Trust God with Your Life His Love and Mercies are Forever Pray for Guidance and Be Still Stop Striving and Worrying Put your Faith and Trust in God! God is Faithful and Never Changes
The Spirit of Humility – Devotional – January 11, 2024
Our prayers reflect our true character. With humility, we surrender daily to God and pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s will for the given day.
Faithful obedience is the decision to honor and reverence God above our desires and plans. Humility proclaims “The LORD is My God and He is the LORD of my life,” therefore, I willingly place my life in His hands.
Prayer: Lord God, we pray for a spirit of humility as You possessed in Your earthly life by always seeking the will of Your Father. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Rejoice and Be Glad! Appreciation of God’s Great Love – Devotional – January 7, 2024
In 2 Kings, Sennacherib the king of Assyria defiantly sent a message to King Hezekiah boasting against the LORD: “Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this in which you trust? You speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. And in whom do you trust that you rebel against me?” (2 Kings 18:19-20).
King Hezekiah prayed fervently to God for deliverance from the king of Assyria. The prophet Isaiah delivered God’s answer to King Hezekiah: “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: “He shall not come into this city, Nor shoot an arrow there, Nor come before it with shield, Nor build a siege mound against it ” (2 Kings 19:32).
And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead” (2 Kings 19:35).
What is our first response when we face the unexpected vicissitudes of life? Do we pray immediately for Divine Intervention like King Hezekiah? Although we never think of fighting the spiritual warfare of physical harm without God’s help [the reason we pray for God’s Divine protection every day over our lives and those of our families], many believers attempt to resolve life’s challenges using their thoughts and strategies. Sadly, they never ask God for help until their solutions have failed.
“God cares for everything and sustains everything that He has created.” Steps to Christ
Studying the Bible increases our intellectual knowledge of who God is, but we must use our faith to believe in His promises and power. Faith allows us to live victoriously. Praying in faith every day is a significant part of a Christian’s lifestyle. When we fully trust God, prayer is always our first response. Like King Hezekiah, the words, God, I need Your help, immediately flow from our mouths.
Memorizing Scriptural promises prevents all anxiety and worries—God is our only stability. His promises are Yes, and we say, Amen [It is so]. Still, it is not enough to have intellectual knowledge of the Scriptures. Unwavering faith is vital in receiving Divine deliverance from our enemies and obstacles. A heart-to-heart relationship with Christ is based on our faith and gives us courage and confidence in God as we patiently wait for His help. Rejoice and celebrate His faithfulness!
Distractions are the enemy’s spiritual warfare designed to make us forget about God. In 2024, if we slow down, and eliminate unnecessary distractions, we will have time to focus on God’s love and promises. Through worship, the Holy Spirit gives us peace and reassurance that we are in God’s hands. The righteous have a reason to rejoice, we receive the unmerited attention of God every day.
For every battle, we have three Divine powers: God, the Father, Jesus, God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit. Rejoice and celebrate God’s Divine Attention!
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” —Psalm 46:10
When strongholds arise, we do not have to develop strategies or try to resolve life’s issues. To “Be still” is to stop striving and to surrender to God. Pray in faith! “Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!” (Psalm 27:14, BSB). Yes, God will bring perfect resolutions and completion to our struggles. Rejoice and celebrate God’s Majestic Power and Divine Intervention!
Prayer: God, we thank You and celebrate Your Great love, attention, and intervention. We ask for forgiveness for self-reliance and being so distracted that we do not recognize Your loving-kindness toward us. We pray for greater faith and trust in Your Divine love. In Jesus’ Loving Name, we pray. Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
You must be logged in to post a comment.