christianity – Page 12 – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

He Will Rejoice Over You!

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – August 1, 2024

“The LORD your God is in your midst, the Mighty One, will 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

There are many characteristics in the human persona, yet, the most important attribute is love. When we truly love God, we seek His will every day which invites the Holy Spirit to perform our lifelong spiritual transformation of Sanctification. The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) are the Christ-like characteristics that proclaim His Righteousness and reveal the evidence of a converted heart.

The Life of Christ demonstrates that God, the Father was always His priority. Loving God is more than spoken words. Love reveals itself through daily consecration, surrender, faithfulness, obedience, and loving and helping others. Jesus’ earthly life shows that He continually prayed for God’s will to be revealed. Jesus trusted God and most importantly God trusted Jesus. Can God trust us with the perfect plans He has for our lives?

True Worship in Spirit and Truth is Obedience: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” —John 14:15

God is love. Agape love is the foundation of true religion displayed by the heart converted by God’s love. Do we truly love God and His son, Jesus Christ? With spoken words, we may cry out, Lord, Lord, and faithfully attend church, pray, praise, sing, and study the Bible, yet our hearts are not filled with love and loyalty for God. On earth, Jesus consecrated Himself daily to God, therefore, we have the same requirement to consecrate ourselves daily by obediently seeking and abiding in Christ.

“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, by their fruit, you will recognize them.” —Matthew 7:19-20

Pretense is an innate characteristic that even innocent children display. They pretend to have friends or pets they speak to who do not exist. Fastidious parental observation and involvement are needed to regulate a child’s imagination and exposure to animated characters and technology, or the child may develop a lasting fantasy world. Psychologists have developed theories to justify pretentious behaviors, but pretense easily evolves into adulthood destroying marriages and relationships including our relationship with Christ.

Are we pretending to love and obey God? Our gratitude for Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary and the Plan of Redemption is revealed through faithful obedience. When we truly love God, we go above and beyond to pray, wait, and obey, ensuring that we are aligned with His plans for the given day. Our utmost service is obedience to God’s Sovereign Authority which includes obeying His Commandments and Righteous Precepts. To love God is to surrender our thoughts, desires, and free will to Him every day.

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations…” —Deuteronomy 7:9

The believers who truly love Christ never suffer from a contentious state of mind because their minds are spiritually joined to the mind of Christ. Much confusion resides in the minds of Christians who do not understand the Sanctified life and their role in their relationship with Christ. Since Jesus created us, we are in a Father and son or daughter relationship with Him. Just as parents raise their children with the expectation they will obey, God also requires unwavering obedience from us by abiding in His Son.

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” —Luke 6:46

Once we grasp the full meaning of being purchased by the blood of Christ then love is the catalyst to exercising our faith by continually seeking His will. Love and Loyalty to God supersede our dedication to church doctrines, cultural norms, religious creeds, family traditions, friendships, and even the opinions of our spouses and children. How do we obey governmental laws and employer policies but refuse to uphold God’s Commandments and Righteous Precepts? Still, God reaches out to us because he is not willing that any of us should perish.

The Holy Spirit uses various ways to reveal the truth to us. One of the most prevalent deceptions in today’s believers is the practice of Satan’s false doctrine that the Ten Commandments were nailed to the cross and abolished. God says, “I change not!” Jesus, God, the Son never disagreed with the Scripture because He spoke the Words of Truth [the Old and New Testament] through the Holy Spirit to men who were transformed into His image. Jesus wrote the Holy Bible.

Sadly Satan has convinced most of today’s Christian community to practice Compromised Christianity through disobedience to God’s Righteous Ten Commandments. If we are not in the right standing with God, can we expect the blessing of God upon our lives? When we are faithful and obedient as evidenced by daily surrender to God, our minds become one with Christ. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you the truth of the Holy Scriptures.

“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” —Proverbs 4:7

King Solomon states that wisdom is more valuable than the finest jewels. To obtain wisdom, we must fully surrender to Christ. The Apostle James proclaims we should pray for godly wisdom, yet to receive it, we must have steadfast faith. A life dedicated to prayer receives continuous spiritual understanding and is empowered by the Holy Spirit to develop a healthy dependency on God. Just as earthly parents rejoice when their children lovingly obey them, our Heavenly Father also rejoices over us with singing.

“And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” —Hebrews 11:6, ESV

When we understand that obedience is our highest worship to God, our perception of living faithfully also changes. From abiding in Christ, we recognize the magnitude of God’s love and the privilege of being saved by His Grace. The reward of God singing over us produces overwhelming joy, we receive an outpouring of His amazing love, grace, mercies, and strength. Obedience allows the Holy Spirit to transform our minds, characters, and personalities into the likeness of Christ and we begin to reflect on our future heavenly life.

“As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ So he arose and followed Him. Matthew 9:9

From the creation of Adam and Eve to the present, following Jesus has always required an obedient life of self-denial and sacrifice. Following Christ costs us our free will of choice. According to the Scriptures, the tax collector Matthew represents the believers who give up everything to follow Christ. Are we willing to dedicate ourselves as disciples who will stand down our desires, thoughts, and inclinations?

To stay on the path of righteousness is to be led by the Shepherd. To follow Jesus, in humility, we consecrate ourselves to become like sheep who renounce self-directed behaviors by praying for wisdom and guidance. The behavior of sheep reveals they do not follow their thoughts, they follow the Shepherd or wander and become lost. With steadfast determination, when we persevere in the power of His might our hearts are linked to Christ’s heart and we become one with Him.

From the moment we open our eyes, we have already decided whether or not we will pray the prayer of surrender for the given day. “I, the Lord, search and examine the mind, I test the heart, To give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds” (Jeremiah 17:10). We stand as unclothed babes before God, He knows the true condition of our hearts.

The decision to surrender our will results in God rejoicing over us. King David reminds us that even when we fall, if we confess and repent of our sins, God always hears and answers the prayers of the righteous. Through our faith, obedience, and surrender to God, we praise His Holy Name by honoring and reverencing his Sovereignty. And for our concerted efforts of giving our best to God, He sings over our lives by opening the windows of Heaven upon us.

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know”. —Jeremiah 33: 3

God’s invitation to pray and ask for wisdom and discernment from Him is a precious promise that He will reveal a deeper understanding of His Holy Word, His purpose, and His love. Throughout the ages, God has always had dedicated believers willing to give their all to Him. Our Heavenly Father rewards those who give Him their hearts through love, loyalty, faith, and obedience. From our obedience, we have the confidence that we are in the right standing with God.

“The LORD says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’ ” —Psalm 32:8

The righteous believers who consecrate their lives to Christ, deep within our minds, we receive God’s melodious songs showering blessings in our lives. Yes, the faithful know our reward of eternal life is close, and we are preparing to receive our Crown of Life from Jesus, our Triumphant King. Despite the daily struggles and suffering we face, for our love and loyalty, the Holy Spirit imparts Jesus’ supernatural strength, joy, and peace, empowering us to persevere and keep moving forward.

From doing our part in working out our salvation, we are blessed with spiritual peace and the contentment of knowing Jesus has promised to finish the work of sanctification in us (Philippians 1:6). We must think beyond this ordinary life and prepare to receive our Heavenly reward! With a made-up mind, and on bended knees, we proclaim daily, “Lord, I give myself to You and ask You to speak to me and guide me in the way I should go.

Let Jesus lead you day by day in this journey called life, it is the only way God can rejoice over us, and we receive the Holy Spirit’s transforming power. One day soon for our love, loyalty, and obedience, we will rejoice with God, the Father, King Jesus, the angels, and the righteous in the New Heaven and New Earth. Hallelujah! Amen!

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of god. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the lord. First Thessalonians 4:16- 17.

Lord God, we thank You for singing and rejoicing over us with love, we love You and praise Your Holy Name. In Jesus’ Righteous and Holy Name, Amen.

Jesus Is Coming – Get Involved

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional July 28, 2024

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right [contrite] spirit within me.” —Psalm 51:10

Our faith is the spiritual conduit that links us to Christ who covers us with His Righteousness. Like King David, we pray, asking God to search our hearts for any wicked thing and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God’s gift of Redemption includes the washing away of all sin, past and present completed by Jesus ‘ blood sacrifice on Calvary.

We are covered by an all-inclusive plan of salvation. Yes, without “respecter of person,” everyone who calls on the Lord Jesus to confess and repent their sins has the assurance they are forgiven for their transgressions. From daily surrender, we receive the outpouring of Jesus’ love, strength, direction, and protection for the given day.

“Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is appropriate for] good stewards of God’s multi-faceted grace [faithfully using the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God’s unmerited favor].” —1 Peter 4:10, Amplified Bible

To be a follower of Christ requires commitment to living a sacrificial life of self-denial. “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). The prophet Isaiah reflects the chosen who are anointed and received [from Christ] the spiritual gifts and talents to reflect the love of God and to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). For those who serve God in humility, the Holy Spirit not only reveals our Chosen path and guides us daily to fulfill God’s will and plans, but we also receive the spiritual wisdom and discernment to learn the things we do not know.

Isaiah Chosen to be a Prophet: “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory.’ ” —Isaiah 6:1-3

Every Believer’s Innate Condition of the Heart: “So I said: Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” — Isaiah 6:5

Jesus Christ, Our Heavenly Intercessor’s Divine Intervention of Washing Away Our Sins: “Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.” — Isaiah 6:6-7

Isaiah realized the wretchedness of his human heart and he immediately confessed his plight of being a sinful man. The angel was not self-directed in placing the coal on Isaiah’s lips to cleanse the prophet from all sin and unrighteousness. Jesus Christ, our Triumphant King and the Commander of Angel armies gave the Divine order to the seraphim. Only Christ, our High Priest and Heavenly Intercessor can forgive us of our sins.

Do we possess Isaiah’s humility as demonstrated by prayers of daily confession and repentance?

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 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 4:14-16

Through prayer, fasting, and spiritual meditation, we invite King Jesus in all His Majesty and Glory into our lives. Our only acceptable worship is faithful obedience. Like Isaiah, when we accept our sinful condition, we acknowledge the merciful privilege given to mortals to be in the presence of a Holy and Righteous God. Our only acceptable response to a Sovereign and Righteous God is to bow ourselves in humility and surrender daily with the commitment to faithfully obey our King of kings.

Who Will Go? “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’ ” —Isaiah 6:8

Once we have surrendered ourselves to the service of God, we abide in Christ by seeking His will in all aspects of daily living. Jesus’ strength and wisdom is imparted by the Holy Spirit to the righteous, obedient believer who possesses the humility, love, patience, and the desire to be a true follower of Christ. Although we are blessed with various spiritual gifts, our primary role is one of a disciple with the spiritual assignment to Obey and Go!

God has blessed us with the advancement of technology to minister globally to a world in darkness. Still a crucial part of our ministry should be face-to-face witnessing which many Christian believers intentionally avoid. Unless our physical condition places us on a homebound status where we are unable to leave our dwelling, we should use every opportunity to tell someone by direct contact “Jesus loves you, have a blessed day!”

” ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ ” —Isaiah 55:8-9

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” —Proverbs 3:5-7

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” —Proverbs 14:12

As believers, God has forewarned us of the dangers of following our own inclinations. With prayer and deep reflection on the Holy Words of God, we know whether or not we are traveling on the Chosen path designated by Christ. The decision to follow Jesus is not one of compromise. We cease listening to our wayward hearts that provoke us to disobey God and suffer sin’s consequences. True discipleship is praying for God’s will and thinking, speaking, and carrying out His commands.

The Chosen Twelve: Jesus’ disciples were unlearned men from various walks of life who had unloving and rowdy characters. These men constantly argued among themselves of who would be the greatest in his kingdom, were selfish, prejudiced, disliked children, and faithless. Still with all of their faults, they obeyed Christ’s every command. Their reverence, honor, and respect for Christ was revealed through obedience which they did even before they loved Jesus and acknowledged He was the Son of God.

“Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ ” —Luke 11:1

Spiritual growth, maturity, and transformation occur on a daily basis when we strive to obey Christ as he obeyed God, His Father. In their daily interactions with Jesus, His disciples finally acknowledged within their hearts that He was the Son of God. And we know this because they asked Christ to teach them how to pray, and at that moment, the Holy Spirit began their transformation.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—John 14:15-16

From beholding Jesus’ loving and righteous character, the stony, rebellious hearts of 11 of the 12 disciples softened from the powerful influence of Agape love. Yes, eleven of Jesus’ original disciples were transformed into steadfast, faithful, and obedient apostles who possessed the character of Christ. Not only will they receive their Crown of Life, but Jesus also promised, “The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:14).

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” —Matthew 7:13-14

To receive Revelation 22:12 is not easily obtained. Good people do not go to heaven. The righteous who decided to live a sacrificial and obedient life fueled by their faith give reverence and adoration to Jesus by abiding in Him. Yes the true disciples worship God in Spirit and Truth and allow the Holy Spirit to change and mold their minds, characters, and personalities into the likeness of Christ.

It is the remnant who obey Christ even if it means loss of material goods, family, and friends who desire to be a servant of Christ. The sacrificial life of self-denial and obedience to God places us on the Narrow Path. Very few Christians follow the path of servitude required to receive eternal life.

Whether we are on the narrow or wide path is displayed by our mindset and lifestyle. Every morning the believers who have wholly consecrated themselves to Christ pray and ask for His will to be revealed. Jesus tells us that we must obey His commandments to be guided by the Holy Spirit.

The life of the faithful few who entered the narrow gate and walk daily on the Narrow Path of Righteousness live an earthly life filled with suffering. Not only are we working out our salvation, but we also cooperate with the Holy Spirit to have the Fruit of the Spirit which identifies us as true disciples of Christ.

Our love, honor, and reverence for Christ are demonstrated in our desire to “Go!” and witness that Jesus is our Savior, through daily consecration, surrender, and faithful obedience. Yes, deep within our hearts, we live with the joyful expectancy of, Jesus, I will see you soon!

“To him who overcomes shall receive the Crown of Life.” —Revelation 3:11

Lord God, we desire to live a consecrated and holy life of faithful obedience and witnessing to others. Lord, we desire to receive the reward that is given to those who can proclaim, God, I have finished the work You have given to me. In Jesus’ Holy and Righteous Name. Amen.

© 2018 no_foreign_lands (Used with permission)

Witnessing To Others Through Love

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – July 25, 2024

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” —John 13:35

God is Love. From receiving God’s gift of the loving mercies of a new day, will we witness Christ’s lovingkindness? Will we radiate love, the true sign of heart conversion? Love produces love. We love Jesus and His perfect love reveals itself through His Righteous characteristics. We see others through spiritual eyes, empowering us to shower Agape love even to our enemies.

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” —1 Peter 4:8

A converted heart is a loving heart. We love others because Christ loves us. Our gratitude for the Plan of Redemption is the catalyst for loving God, others, and ourselves. Because we love, adore, and revere Christ, as His faithful disciples, we display His love in our behaviors, spoken words, and daily interaction with others. Yes, we are redeemed by His precious blood. Hearts overflowing with joy and peace are evident through our smiles, spoken words, and acts of kindness.

“And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.” —2 John 1:5-6

“John speaks of a true love of believers for one another because of the truth we all share. Sharing in this truth engenders love for one another, especially the ‘sincere love’ made possible by obedience to the truth.”

My mother has lived in a small town in Texas for almost 50 years where a Christian university is located. In the 1980s, she cooked dinner for my brother’s university friends for 10 years. In 2010, following a church service [in Orlando, Florida], a man approached me [who I recognized from his college days] and recalled the unselfishness of my dear mother. He relayed that “Mom Johnson’s” love and kindness through the gift of much-needed delicious food impacted his life to always give to others.

Love God, Love Others, Love Yourself: Jesus died for all! With this thought constantly in the forefront, our love overflows with Jesus’ Living Waters. Each day, we plant a seed of Agape love by saying, Good Morning, Have a blessed day, Jesus loves you, or It’s a beautiful day. Every believer has the spiritual assignment as Christ’s representative to demonstrate to a world almost devoid of love that true love does exist.

Yesterday in the supermarket, a young mother with three boys, one a baby in her arms, wore the facial appearance of fatigue. I began the conversation by asking how many weeks old the baby was, she smiled, and we chatted for five minutes. When I approached the checkout, the oldest son said, Hi followed by his middle brother who also greeted me with a smile, and a shy, Hi. I asked their names and ages. This morning, I prayed for God to give her strength in the daily routine of raising her sons.

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” —1 Corinthians 13:4-7

True Religion is not only having a steadfast and loving relationship with Jesus Christ, we represent Christ’s Righteous Character. Heart conversion is living a life of servitude and providing encouragement as our Savior did throughout His earthly life. Our minds, characters, and personalities should reveal that we serve a living Savior who loves all. Yes, they will know that we are Christians [who abide in Christ] by our love.

Prayer: Lord God, we ask you to fill our hearts with the desire to love as You love. Open our eyes so we may always discern the opportunities to reveal that Your Holy Name is Love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Know Why You Believe What You Believe

Our Daily Walk with Christ – Today’s Devotional – July 23, 2024

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” —Colossians 2:8

Many years ago, I became severely troubled regarding some of my religious beliefs. The life of Christ demonstrated a loving and compassionate Savior who alleviated the mental, emotional, and physical suffering of everyone who had the faith to believe. Not only was He faithfully dedicated to seeking and saving the lost, but Jesus humbled Himself in obedience to die for us on Calvary’s Cross.

I could not grasp how God, the Father who lovingly gave His only Son would allow the righteous to live a perfect life in the New Heaven and New Earth while at the same time, the wicked suffered in an eternal hell.

“You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar.” —Psalm 139:2

I am so thankful that God knows what is hidden deep in our hearts. The Holy Spirit came to my rescue, and I listened to a sermon entitled “No Eternally Burning Hell.” Many Scriptures were given yet the primary focus was on Malachi chapter 4 and Revelation chapter 20.

The Great Day of God: “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.” —Malachi 4:1

In Revelation chapter 20, Verses 1-3: Satan is Bound for 1,000 years; Verses 4-6: The Saints Reign with Christ 1,000 years; and Verses 7-10: The Satanic Rebellion Crushed.

“Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” —Revelation 20:7-10

“Why did John emphasize the idea of eternal if he didn’t mean it to be taken literally? “…the word ‘eternal’ means that the judgment will be thorough rather than lasting forever.” Some things burn up quickly, but with the day and night description, it doesn’t appear the devil will have an instant death. Yet, he knows his demise and still wreaks havoc on the people of God attempting to take us with him. But, no, no, no, we refuse to travel on his path of destruction!

The book of Jude, verse 7, “as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” In Genesis 19, verse 28, “and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.”

We know that Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding plains were burned and nothing was left. The Bible explains itself. God has predetermined what we need to know to live righteously. Jesus also clarifies in Revelation chapter 21, there will be no eternally burning hell-fire.

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” —Revelation 21:8

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” —John 14:26

There are many theological debates among Bible scholars regarding the original language in which the Bible was written and its accurate interpretation. Yet, we must remember the Bible never requires updates. Any new human developed theologies should be excluded from our spiritual belief system. We have all the spiritual knowledge we need in the Bible for our calling and election to be steadfast through Christ.

Perilous times are separating many from God. Every day, we have daily distractions, voices, worldviews, temptations, and an internal battle against our carnal heart, but with unwavering faith, if we take God at His word, rely on the Holy Spirit to give us clarity and dispel any confusion regarding the Scriptures, we will receive the strength to fight the good fight of faith.

Reflection: What are your doctrinal beliefs? Can you validate your present beliefs using the Scriptures?

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” —2 Timothy 2:15

Many of us have not searched the Scriptures to check the credibility of our beliefs. Yes, the Bible contains symbolism, parables, similes, metaphors, analogies, juxtapositions, etc., but the Scriptures [if] studied under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, allows us to receive perfect spiritual wisdom and discernment of God’s Truth.

When the Holy Spirit is involved in studying the Bible, He imparts wisdom and discernment even to young children. Studies have proven that children who study the Scriptures have wisdom beyond their age and excel in their studies. It is their genuine faith and trust that acts as a catalyst to receive imparted knowledge and wisdom from the Holy Spirit that would confound a professor who holds a Ph.D.

” ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and [inaccessible] mighty things, which you do not know.’ ” —Jeremiah 33:3

We are forever Bible students. Believers never reach a summit of Scriptural knowledge. Before we open our Bible, with humility, we ask for and rely on the Divine Wisdom of the Holy Spirit to discern the Scriptures. If you have never asked the Holy Spirit to reveal any false doctrines that are in your belief systems then you should because they are stumbling blocks to knowing and practicing God’s Truth in your daily life.

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding…” —Proverbs 2:6

We cannot receive spiritual growth and transformation based on erroneous beliefs and doctrines. Pray for understanding! Once we know the Truth, then we must take another step, letting go of traditional or learned beliefs that are not in agreement with the Scriptures.

Be prepared, Truth always results in separation from others! No, they will not understand. Yet, our salvation and reward of eternal life require total acceptance of Biblical Truth and dependency on God. Every day pray and invite the Holy Spirit into your personal worship, you will receive deeper and deeper spiritual insight into the word of God that will produce spiritual growth and transformation.

As long as we remain a student of the Holy Spirit, we will know why we believe what we believe. Every day, we receive a greater measure of spiritual wisdom because we have faithfully called on the Lord and He has kept His promise by revealing to us great and mighty things. Amen.

Prayer: Lord, we ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to anoint us with the power, presence, and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Reveal your precious Words of Truth and empower us to discard all other fallacies. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.

The Promised Gift of Daily Bread

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – July 22, 2024

“Give us this day our daily bread.” —Matthew 6:11

This morning when we awakened to the mercies of a new day, God had already proven His amazing love. Yet, He continues to shower us with loving-kindness by reassuring us, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25).

“Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” —Matthew 6:30

God’s promises are steadfast because He never changes, yet all of his promises are conditional. And the condition to receive His blessings is not above and beyond our capabilities. Christ gives everyone a measure of faith which He expects us to use by believing in Him. As we pray in faith for what we need, we also thank Him for answering our requests in the same prayer.

Christ knows we need Him, therefore, He soothes our souls by promising to supply our needs for the given day. Letting go of self-reliance is the only way to enjoy His gifts of peace and joy. We are never alone. We have a Loving Father who promises to care for us in every situation. Jesus, our Shepherd, waits for our prayers to invite Him into the routine activities of our daily lives. If we possess the gift of faith and believe in His love and sovereign power, why do we struggle when facing adversity?

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” —Matthew 6:33

Prayer is our lifeline to heaven. Humanity is God’s priority. Not only did we receive the gift of Jesus, but we also have the promise if we dedicate ourselves fully to Christ, we will receive the reward of eternal life. From birth, until we close our eyes in sleep, we have guardian angels who protect us from unseen and seen dangers. Express your love by talking to Jesus throughout your day.

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ” —Matthew 22:37

We know God is love, but His love must be reciprocated. Can you imagine being in a relationship or marriage where you love the individual but you are not loved? Often, we take our lives for granted by awakening every morning without a thought to pray and whisper abundant words of gratitude to our Loving Heavenly Father. Redirecting our focus to God is an easy fix. Establish a new habit of proclaiming, “Thank you, God, I love You” as soon as you awaken every morning. In return for everything we have been given, it is only fitting that we express our love for Christ through our words of gratitude.

“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

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Lord God, we thank you God for this new day of life. Thank you for Your faithfulness. We believe in Your promises to take care of us. Thank You for loving us. Jesus, we love You and thank You for Your unfailing love, compassion, and mercies. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A New Person in Christ Jesus

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – July 17, 2024

“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

I can come to Jesus just as I am, but I cannot stay just as I am.
The process of sanctification is lifelong. Every day the Holy Spirit
empowers us to obey the will of God and receive spiritual growth
and transformation.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).

Preparing for Kingdom Life One Day at a Time

Watch and Be Ready!

Our Daily Walk with Christ – July 16th, 2024

No One Knows the Day or Hour

“But of that day and hour no one knows,
not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,
but only the Father! Take heed, watch and
pray; for you do not know when the time is.
…in the evening, at midnight…coming
suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what
I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’ ”
Mark 13:32-33, 36-37

STEPS 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

“Follow Me”

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – July 8, 2024

“I carry out the will of the One who sent me, not My own will.” —John 5:30, NLT

“Follow Me” is Jesus’ command to all believers. Our life story is written by Christ. We demonstrate our love and loyalty by praying daily for directions and asking the Holy Spirit to reveal the will of God for the given day. Our journey with Jesus is one of love, humility, faith, surrender, and obedience for which we will hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” as we receive our reward of Eternal life.

“I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given me to do.” —John 17:4

Prayer: Lord God, For the gift of your life, we love and honor Your Holy Name through surrender and obedience to Your will. In Your Righteous Name, we offer this prayer, Amen.

The Confirmation of Our Faith

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – July 7, 2024

“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” —Hebrews 10:38

Faith is blind. We believe and trust in God under all circumstances and in every situation. Our response to routine challenges, unexpected adversity, and trials is continuous prayer energized by an unwavering belief in the power of God. To live by faith requires active participation in our spiritual growth and character transformation.

How did faith originate? “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned” (Romans 12:3). Faith is an innate gift from God given to everyone.

The character trait of faith is the basis of our love for God and our relationship with Christ. We are responsible for the growth of our measure of faith. One of the greatest challenges we face is the continuous nurturing of our faith. Faith without boundaries requires the redirection of our faith from ourselves to God. Self-reliance develops from the lack of Scriptural knowledge of God’s Sovereign power or the intentional decision to disobey His Divine Commandments and Righteous Precepts.

Self-Reliance: The Worldview of Faith

We also face another hurdle in the faith journey, self-reliance is a learned behavior. Truthfully, the worldview of “you can do whatever you put your mind to do” is taught to us as young children. Although this credo is intended to instill confidence, it poses a spiritual dilemma to living a faith-based life for Christian believers. One of the most powerful videos is one of a Christian mother who taught her 2-year-old to have faith and trust in God. The young child continuously recites 2 Timothy 1:7 to alleviate his fear of sleeping alone in his bedroom. Jesus commands us to possess the steadfast faith of a little child.

Intellectual Knowledge of Faith is Not the Faith that Pleases God

Although it is no longer a spiritual practice among many believers to study the Word of God, those who allow the Holy Spirit to convert their hearts and guide their spiritual journey possess the strongest faith. Faithful Obedience from diligently studying the Bible from cover to cover opens the windows of heaven. Most of the Old Testament stories of faith are deeply ingrained into my memory. As a child, I attended a Bible-based, Christian school, but as I matured it was easy to embrace the worldview of self-reliance promoted as the strongest character trait one can possess.

“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. Do not be wise in your own eyes…” —Proverbs 3:5-7

Until 2020, I lived a life of self-reliance. Yes, I have always loved God, but my faith was grounded in my ability to provide for myself. Truly God is love—He will allow the vicissitudes required to turn our focus to Him. Life brought changes that only God’s Divine Power could resolve. It was then that my spiritual eyes were opened—self-reliance is deadly. Trusting in oneself always leaves residual [unrighteous] character traits. Self-reliance changes the brain’s neural grooves and results in a contentious state of mind with God which opposes God’s Divine Sovereignty, His will, and plans.

Job Contends with God: The LORD Reveals His Omnipotence

Job’s Spiritual Status: “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?’ ” (Job 1:8). Job’s faith was severely tested through skin lesions, the loss of his children, and material acquisitions. “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21).

“But I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God” (Job 13:3). As time passed, and his tribulations continued, Job became discouraged and contentious. He desired to present His situation to God. Prolonged adversity is the ultimate test of faith. There are only two responses to the trials and tribulations designed to test and build our faith—we trust God or do not trust Him.

“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said ‘who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the Earth…?’ ” —Job 38:1-2, 4, 12-13

We are commanded, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought…” Yes, Job was blameless, even God proclaims that Job lived a sinless life [Job chapter 1]. Throughout the ages, the human heart remains the same. In adversity, we often lose sight of God’s Love. Job knew he was obedient, yet, he convinced himself that he did not deserve to suffer for an extended and unknown time for his faith to be tested. His friends were critical, always suggesting his secret sins caused the adversity.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you…” —1 Peter 5:6

Time is fleeting. Over 4,000 years have passed since Job lived, sadly, we are so spiritually distanced from God that He cannot proclaim we are blameless, nor do we fear (reverence) or serve God with the steadfast love and faithful obedience He rightfully deserves. We cannot afford to be ritualistic churchgoers with hearts filled with disobedience which places us in a controversial battle against God.

We are Privileged: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.” —Psalm 8:3-5

“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” —1 Corinthians 6:20

We are not our own. It is time for us to separate ourselves by going into our secret closets and experiencing a hallelujah, intimate daily worship with Christ. Our faith is demonstrated in daily surrender to our Majestic and Loving Savior and King. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV).

Do you struggle with bowing to God in humility and obedience? Yes, every Christian believer struggles with the daily choice of the carnal desire for self-governance or to place our faith and trust in God. Active faith invites the Holy Spirit to shower us with Jesus’ Divine strength to overcome our inclinations.

“And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” —John 8:29

Christ’s earthly life is our guide for living a victorious life. Practicing Jesus’ creeds of continuous prayer and self-denial are the weapons that enable us to stand against the disobedience of self-reliance. Our Journey with Jesus requires much faith and prayer to strengthen our heart-to-heart relationship with Him.

Faithful obedience brings the heavenly blessings of Christ’s power and wisdom to overcome our never-ending internal battles and external warfare. Although God desires for us to live righteously, He gave us free will of choice and cannot prevent us from choosing to sin. The converted heart prays and waits for God’s guidance.

“…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 18:3

Little children possess honest hearts filled with steadfast love, humility, faith, and obedience. These character traits are the requisites for the Holy Spirit to convert our hearts and to receive eternal life. From our surrender and faithful obedience, the Holy Spirit empowers us with the Divine strength and wisdom to enter the Narrow Gate and walk this earthly life on the Narrow Path of Righteousness with Jesus.

Human effort and Divine Intervention are needed to prepare us for our reward of immortality in the New Heaven and New Earth with Jesus Christ. Every day with surrender and faith-driven obedience, we proclaim, “I am going to heaven!”

Prayer: Lord God, we admit our faith has been weak and wavering. We need Your strength to make it in this Journey of Life. We ask for the Holy Spirit’s anointing, power, and presence as we renew our commitment to serve You in faithful obedience. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.

Jesus, Our Compassionate Savior

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – July 2, 2024

“Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.” —Matthew 15:29-31, NIV

“Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.’ ” —Matthew 15:32

From studying the Life of Christ in the Four Gospels, we notice Christ’s distinct characteristic of loving compassion: “Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed’ ” (Mark 1:40-41).

“During His ministry, Jesus devoted more time to healing the sick than to preaching.”

Poverty – Our World in Data: In 2022, an estimated 3.71 billion people, or 46% of the global population, live in poverty below $6.85 per day…Poverty can have serious consequences for children’s health, education, and well-being. It can also have intergenerational impacts, as children who grow up in poverty are more likely to experience poverty as adults. worldbank.org

In 2024, globally, we also face a mental health crisis. Hopelessness and despair have escalated to pandemic levels and sadly the typical response to feeling hopeless is to take one’s own life. In 2022, over 50,000 individuals committed suicide in the United States, and globally death by suicide continues to rise. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:16).

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done” (Proverbs 19:17). God expects us to do our honest part financially by sharing our resources. Even so, money is not love, nor can tangible items validate our self-worth. We were created to love, care, and bond with others. Every person needs love expressed in kind words and deeds.

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” —1 Corinthians 13:1

As disciples, our spiritual assignment is to alleviate the suffering of others and by doing this we demonstrate the matchless love of Jesus. Every day, we can spread love and hope by not ignoring those who question their purpose in life. What this world needs now is Agape love! Not every well-dressed individual enjoys peace of mind and not every impoverished person is in anguish, yet, both need Jesus’ love.

One of my neighbors with a special needs child stopped briefly to chat. She shared the rigorous schedule she and her husband have in caring for their daughter. Both of them work full-time; he works the overnight shift, and she works during the day. They take turns caring for their daughter, leaving minimal time for sleep. I responded by telling her that she is a strong mother. She replied, “I don’t feel strong.” As I looked at the weariness on her face, her eyes reflected the sadness of her soul. My response was, “You know where I live. If you ever need help, let me know, and I will do my best to assist you.” With a smile, she said, “Oh, thank you very much.”

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” —1 John 4:11

Christ is our living example of loving God and loving others. Yes, the escalating number of dysfunctional home environments, the unemployed, the unsheltered, and the malnourished will exist until Jesus comes. Like an uncontrollable bushfire, worldwide famine continues to ravage the lives of innocent babies and children. Only what we do for Christ will count toward our reward in Revelation 22:12. One of the characteristics of a converted heart is to possess unconditional love demonstrated by active service to others.

Jesus used His time to heal the multitudes which provided them with the opportunity to live productive earthly lives spiritually and physically. Giving not only includes financial donations but also our time—for most, the indulgences of life consume their free time. We can set aside 3-4 hours per week to volunteer in outreach programs, community services, and nonprofit organizations that strive to alleviate never-ending social issues or begin our own community ministry.

Who will tell and show them Jesus is Love? As followers of Christ, our hearts must overflow with His love and compassion. It is every Christian believer’s responsibility to love and acknowledge others through service and financial donations. Speak the powerful words, Jesus loves you, and the Holy Spirit will water the seed of our spoken words and minister to the brokenhearted, giving them hope.

“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me’ ” (Matthew 25:40).