Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – August 13, 2024
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…” —Ephesians 3:20
We place too many limitations on God. He not only loves us but also has plans that exceed our thoughts. Using our faith to believe that God desires the best for us, we faithfully believe His promise to “will do exceedingly and abundantly above all we ask or think.”
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat? or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles [unbelievers] seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” —Matthew 6:31-34
Using our faith to trust God’s Sovereign Power invites Him to open the windows of heaven and shower us with blessings. Believe in God’s love by praying and waiting for His miraculous wonders.
Lord God, we thank You for loving, caring, and providing for us. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – August 12, 2024
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” —Hebrews 4:16
Have you ever needed financial assistance and felt intimidated or anxious just by the thought of asking someone for help? We have a Loving Father God who invites us to pray and ask Him for help. Our prayers receive a Divine Chain Response: We pray and the Holy Spirit takes our prayers to Jesus, our Heavenly Intercessor. Our Triumphant King, Jesus Christ is humanity’s Righteous Mediator.
Yes, we have a Loving Savior, Jesus who receives our prayers and answers them according to His will and our needs. Not only in our challenges do we receive help, but the Holy Spirit also guides us to make the decisions in our day-to-day lives that always end in victory. Put away the fears that keep you from reverently and boldly praying to God, our Heavenly Father for your needs.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” —James 1:17
God reminds us that He is the Giver of all good gifts. From the breath in our bodies to the strength needed to persevere day to day, we receive all from God. Our Father God knows what we need when we need it, yet, He is not intrusive, we must invite Him into our challenges. Put away the doubt that God’s promises are not for you. Anyone who uses their faith and comes to Jesus in prayer always receives His help.
Lord God, we thank You for allowing us to come boldly before the Throne of Grace so we can receive help in our time of need. We ask for a blessing according to Your will. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer we ask in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – August 9, 2024
“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” —1 John 4:16, ESV
“True holiness is wholeness in the service of God. This is the condition of true Christian living. Christ asks for an unreserved consecration, for undivided service. He demands the heart, the mind, the soul, the strength. Self is not to be cherished. He who lives for himself is not a Christian.”
“Love must be the principle of action. Love is the underlying principle of God’s government in heaven and earth, and it must be the foundation of the Christian’s character. This alone can make and keep us steadfast. This alone can enable him to withstand trial and temptation.”
“And love will be revealed in sacrifice. The plan of redemption was laid in sacrifice—a sacrifice so broad and deep and high that it is immeasurable. Christ gave all for us, and those who receive Christ will be ready to sacrifice all for the sake of their Redeemer. The thought of His honor and glory will come before anything else.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 48, 49.
“Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life ” (Revelation 2:10). With courage, we serve God with conviction. Directing our daily thoughts to reflect on the Majesty and the Glory of Jesus’ Holy Name allows the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us with Spiritual Strength. If we are faithful, one day, we will receive the reward of eternal life.
Lord God, we pray for our hearts to be filled with Your love. Give us the strength to sacrifice our all for You as You did for us. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
“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
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