Daily Devotional – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Surrendering to Jesus Christ Is The Spiritual Solution: “My Sheep Hear My Voice”

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.'” (Matthew 16:24).

Self-denial, Faithful Obedience, and Daily Surrender of Our Will and Desires To God Is Taking Up Our Cross

“When we choose to let God’s Will become the dominant prevailing force over our will and desires; we are carrying our cross.”

The Plan of Redemption: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

Jesus gave His life on Calvary’s Cross to fulfill the Plan of Redemption required to save humanity: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).

The Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:30–31).

Reflection: “What must I do to be saved?” is answered by God in the Holy Scriptures.

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

“Salvation is received strictly through personal faith in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, not through human effort or good works:”

“If you love Me, keep My Commandments,” (John 14:15).

“Harmony with God’s Law: Grace and the Moral Law (the Ten Commandments) do not oppose or cancel each other out. Instead, Divine Grace works in harmony with the law, empowering believers to overcome evil, resist Satan, and render pure, heartfelt obedience.”

Grace Requires The Human Effort of Cooperation With The Holy Spirit: Self-denial, Faithful Obedience, and Daily Surrender of Our Will and Desires To God.

“Grace is not a passive substitute for human action. It operates in cooperation with a surrendered human will, earnest prayer, self-denial, and a living faith.”

Sanctification is the dally spiritual process of spiritual growth and transformation, requiring total cooperation with God, the Holy Spirit. We pray and obey God’s directives.

“O Lord, I know that the path of [life of] a man is not in himself; It is not within [the limited ability of] man [even one at his best] to choose and direct his steps [in life].” (Jeremiah 10:23, Amplified Bible).

Letting go of self-reliance and consecrating ourselves to live a life of faithful obedience is the only way for the Holy Spirit to [Sanctify] transform our mind, character, and personality into the likeness of Christ’s Righteous Character [Matthew 22:37-39; Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 4:32].

Jesus Proclaims His Faithful Obedience and Daily Surrender to God, His Father: “I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 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 8:28-29).

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). Faithful Obedience Is a Requisite to be saved and inherit our reward of Eternal Life.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21, ESV).

Loving God more than ourselves is the spiritual catalyst that reveals itself through daily surrender and unwavering obedience to the will of God.

We can come to Jesus just as we are, but we cannot stay that way. “Be holy, for I Am Holy.” Jesus tells us that we can do nothing without Him. To abide in Christ requires daily surrender and a sacrificial life of self-denial and faithful obedience.

Sanctification is not Behavior Modification: We cannot change ourselves.

Ezekiel 36:26 – “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” “God reveals that He is the One who performs the internal heart transformation that humans cannot do for themselves.”

Sanctification requires the Human Effort of daily surrender, faith, and obedience, and the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit’s transforming Power, required to receive our reward of Eternal Life.

God commands us to live a sacrificial life of self-denial. Every morning we consecrate ourselves to think and live a life based on God’s Plans, which reveals His Higher Thoughts and Ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Self-denial: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2, NIV).

Reflection: Are we willing to live a consecrated life devoted to worshiping, following, and obeying our Faithful Shepherd?

The Shepherd Knows His Sheep: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28).

Daily Surrender is required to hear Jesus’ Voice: Our lifestyle and choices reveal whether or not, we are following Jesus and worshiping God in spirit and Truth.

“Reflection: Religion is not to be confined to external forms and ceremonies. The religion that comes from God is the only religion that will lead to God.

“In order to serve Him [in spirit and Truth], we must be born of the Divine Spirit. This will purify the heart and renew the mind, giving us a new capacity for knowing and loving God.”

Loving God and following Jesus Christ invites the Holy Spirit to perform true heart conversion and sanctifying us, resulting in giving us a willing obedience to all His righteous requirements. “This is true worship.”

“PRINCIPLE: Wherever a soul reaches out after God, the Holy Spirit’s working Power manifests, and God will reveal Himself to that soul. For such worshipers He is seeking.”

What Is Worship? Worship is a lifestyle of daily surrender and faithful obedience to our Savior, Redeemer, and Heavenly Intercessor God, Jesus Christ.

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24).

“Worship is the response of your whole being [mind, body, and soul] to the Glory of God. It is the submission of all our thoughts; our mind, and our nature to the Will and Word of God.”

“True worship is willing and faithful obedience to the Will and Word of Jesus; it is obedience to the Will and Word of the One you hold in highest reverence.”

Lord God, with love, we express gratitude for Your Love, Grace, and Mercies freely given to fallen humanity. We ask You to forgive us for our sins, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and to anoint us with the Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit. In faith, we consecrate ourselves to follow Jesus on the Narrow Path of Righteousness with faithful obedience. Lord, we cannot do this using our own strength and power; therefore, we ask You to give us the wisdom and discernment to perceive life through spiritual eyes, and to empower us with Your strength to persevere in our journey with Jesus. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Loving and Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

God’s Promises Are His Mercies, Giving Us Hope When Facing Life’s Challenges

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NIV).

One thing is for certain, every individual [believers and unbelievers] will experience “Life-Changing Adversities” that human effort cannot resolve. Still Jesus promises, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Because God loves us and desires that we trust Him as our Heavenly Father, everyone has received a measure of faith empowering (Romans 12:3) us to believe in and trust God.

God, Jesus Christ created us with free will of choice, and too often, we allow ourselves to be influenced by our secular environment that is permeated with unrighteous morals and values, which easily happens from the failure to study the Holy Bible.

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

Satan has presented compromise as an acceptable way to serve God, and many Christians are practicing the sins of self-reliance and self-governance, which separates them from God; they are unbelieving believers, who live outside of the will of God.

Not only do these unrighteous character traits destroy one’s desire to depend on God, through disobedience Satan easily influences the mind, redirecting our faith and focus from God to human wisdom, theories, and fulfilling our desires to chase the pride of life’s temporary treasures and pleasures.

Reflection: Where do we stand in our faith journey with Christ? Do we follow Jesus Christ, our Shepherd with faithful obedience? If yes, then our response to changing circumstances is an immediate prayer asking for God’s Help.

“Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help for every need” [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]. (Hebrews 4:16, Amplified Bible).

Challenges, trials, and adversity always reveal the true status of our faith and focus. If our faith is in Jesus then our dependency on Him is revealed by faith-based prayers; if our faith is in our abilities then our first response is, What am I going to do?

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6).

Unbelievers use their faith to trust in limited human insight, often seeking advice from those who they consider capable of giving expert advice. And many believers are also in a spiritual dilemma because they have redirected their faith from God to themselves.

God’s Response: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.'” (Jeremiah 17:5, NLT). Following the advice of others [instead of God’s Truth] is disobedience, which leads us into spiritual darkness.

Faithful obedience to God is a requisite for the righteous believer. God gives His sons and daughters the command to completely trusting in Him by seeking His Higher Thoughts, Ways, and Plans.

“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).

Jesus’ Warning and Comforting Promise To Be With Us In Our Trials and Tribulations

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.] (John 16:33, Amplified Bible).

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31, ESV).

Even if we are faithful, obedient, and living a life of total surrender to God, Jesus tells us that we will experience adversity, distress, and suffering. The strength or weakness of our faith, trust, and obedience to God determines our response to life’s unpredictable storms.

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24).

The Faithful Prayer Warrior: True worshipers enter God’s Presence through daily personal worship, dedicating themselves to follow and obey Jesus Christ. Worship is their lifestyle.

Those who worship God in spirit and Truth, as soon as they awaken, realizing that God has blessed them with the mercies of a new day thank Him with a prayer of gratitude and our commitment to follow His Perfect Plans (Jeremiah 29:11).

God Always Blesses Those Who Honor Him

God is Love. We have a Heavenly Father, who tells us to come to Him: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6, ESV).

Prayer warriors have steadfast faith because they are anchored in The Rock, Jesus Christ. To abide in Christ requires much prayer and diligent study of the Holy Scriptures. True worship is a lifestyle of a 24/7 commitment to God.

“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.” (Lamentations 3:25). When we love God, we honor God through daily worship, inviting the Holy Spirit to empower us with the wisdom to perceive our Journey with Jesus through spiritual eyes.

Through the Holy Spirit, we receive the blessings of Jesus’ Divine Strength to persevere through our hardships with courage and confidence; and if we possess a childlike faith, trust in His Promises to always help us, Jesus covers us with His Perfect Peace.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27, ESV).

Confession, Repentance, and Restoration

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.” (Hebrews 4:13).

Self-reliance is a grievous sin against God’s Sovereign Authority; Self-reliance feeds off of disobedience, changing our heart and mind to rebel against God; and our choices and lifestyles reveal that we despise surrender and faithful obedience to God’s Will and Plans.

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7, NIV).

There is no pretense with God, who knows the true selfish condition of the human heart [Jeremiah 17:9]. Never asking for and obeying God’s Will places us in the same spiritual status as unbelievers: Spiritually Separated from God.

“Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.” (John 9:31).

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Living outside of the will of God is disobedience, making our first priority a prayer of confession and repentance for our sins of rebellion against God.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

God is Love, and He is Faithful. The gift of Jesus Christ, His only Son reveals God’s love and desire for us to “Be holy, for I am Holy,” which requires a life of self-denial, daily surrender and faithful obedience [Romans 12:2].

God’s Majesty and Sovereignty Over Creation

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.” (1 Chronicles 29:11)

“Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is Mine.” (Job 41:11). Daily personal worship reinforces that God is God, He is Holy and Sovereign, and we are not. The creation can never be greater than the Creator.

Living a Christ-Centered Faith-based Life

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6).

Surrender is demonstrated by letting go of our desires and seeking God’s Will through consistent prayers of faith, which honor and revere God. Our Heavenly Father is interested in the smallest details of our lives, we should never make a decision without praying and waiting for His direction.

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near…” (Isaiah 55:6); And the Holy Spirit will reveal God’s Plan through our thoughts and the Holy Scriptures. The Holy Spirit always gives us specific instructions, clarity, and the wisdom to carry out God’s Perfect Plans.

Sanctification is a lifelong spiritual process of Spiritual growth and transformation of our mind, character, and personality into the righteousness of Christ’s Character. Study John 8:29, Galatians 5:22-23 and Ephesians 4:32.

From our willingness to follow Christ with faithful obedience, we invite the Holy Spirit to change us from within: “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT).

The Purpose of Suffering: Although we surrender daily, striving to worship God with faithful obedience, our faith must continually grow. We will never reach the point in our spiritual journey where our faith is strong enough.

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:12-13).

God’s Divine Providence determined that we must experience hardships to build our faith, trust, dependency on God, and to sanctify our mind and character. “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” (1 Peter 4:16).

Suffering gives us the opportunity to honor Christ, who suffered immensely to rescue us from the wages of sin. Our Loving Savior promises to give us the strength to persevere, and His Divine Peace, which removes all worry and fear.

Hope While Suffering Trials: “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 3:24).

Lord God, we come to You, confessing and repenting for our sins of self-reliance and disobedience. In faith, we ask for restoration and Your Divine Help to overcome the internal desires of our hearts and Satan’s temptations. We surrender our will and desires to your Sovereign Authority, asking for strength, wisdom, and guidance in our daily lives. Lord, speak to us, give us clarity, and anoint us with the Oil of gladness, the Holy Spirit. We commit to a life of worshiping you with daily surrender and faithful obedience. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Loving and Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Jesus’ Spiritual Encouragement and Comfort For His Followers Facing The Fiery Trials of Persecution and Hatred

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” (John 15:18).

When Joshua and the nation of Israel were facing their enemies in Jericho: Yeshua, The Commander of Angel Armies, said these words to Joshua: “Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.'” (Joshua 6:2, NIV).

“Who then is able to stand against ME? Everything under Heaven is Mine. (Job 41:10-11).

For those of us who are experiencing persecution, be encouraged! Jesus tells us that He has already given us the victory.

Jesus sees time as Eternal, so He already knows the final outcome of every fiery trial that we face. Remain courageous!

“Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say on the LORD! (Psalm 27:14).

Our responsibility is to use our faith to wait, trusting His Sovereign Authority and Power, by totally depending on Jesus to Fight All of Our Battles.

“There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the LORD.” (Proverbs 21:30).

jesus, Our Mighty Warrior has already won our battle for us and that is the mindset that we must possess as we endure and persevere through the fiery trials of persecution.

Personal Testimony: Recently a very interesting video appeared in my YouTube feed: Nigerian Christians are enduring active persecution that involved the burning and destruction of their homes along with the loss of all their personal possessions.

Our Brothers and Sisters in Christ and their children are currently in a displaced community living in small tents.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7).

Despite their overwhelming circumstances, they appeared peaceful, happy, and were singing and praising God.

The reason that God allowed me to watch this video: Because of my Christian beliefs, I am facing open hatred from my property manager in the complex where I live.

And yes, I did report her verbal offenses to the corporate office, who have reiterated professional boundaries; yet, for believers who have endured open dislike and hatred, we know that people can communicate hatred in the tone of their voice and demeanor.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Dealing with persecution and open hatred is one of the toughest trials that we will ever experience in our Christian Journey with Jesus; yet, Jesus gives us peace, comfort, and strength when we consistently ask for His Help.

The Love of Christ Constrains Our Responses

“For the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake.” (2 Corinthians:14- 15, Amplified Bible).

“The Spiritual death of dying to self means the total surrender of our human will, pride, and selfish inclinations to God so that Christ can live and work through us.”

“We can come to Jesus just as we are, but we cannot stay that way.”

Spiritual Transformation is accomplished through fiery trials resulting in the Holy Spirit purging [spiritual cleansing] us from the sinful dross of unrighteous thoughts, spoken words, habits, and lifestyles.

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12, NIV).

The Fruit of the Spirit represents Jesus’ Righteous Character Attributes: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, NKJV).

The Righteous Character of Christ is our Righteous Standard. Through the Power of the Holy Spirit, daily, our mind, character, and personality are Sanctified and Spiritually Transformed, which requires total surrender, humility, faithful obedience, and self-control.

There are requisites to receive Spiritual Transformation: The Holy Spirit cannot change us without our cooperation and active participation:

“Jesus said to him, ”You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”” (Matthew 22:37-39).

1. We must possess a heart overflowing with love for God and humanity.

“Pray continuously.” (1Thessalonians 5:17).

2. We pray, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal our unrighteous character traits.

“If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness” [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose]. (1 John 1:9 Amplified Bible).

3. We acknowledge and verbalize our unholy traits with a prayer of confession and repentance.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10, ESV).

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7, ESV).

4. Every day, we pray a Prayer of Surrender asking for God’s Divine Strength to overcome, and use our spiritual gift of “self-control” to fight against hereditary tendencies and learned behaviors.

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV).

“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10, ESV).

5. When experiencing open hatred, we must pray throughout our waking hours, asking Jesus to give us the strength to endure.

Jesus’ Promise: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, ESV).

Pray every hour! The Holy Spirit responds by empowering us with Jesus’ Supernatural Strength, giving us His Divine Joy and Peace while we are enduring our hardships.

12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [c]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:12-13)

Core Christian Principles for Responding to Hatred

“Recognize the Spiritual Source: Hatred and revenge originate from Satan, who uses slights, gestures, or harsh intonations to provoke bitterness in the human heart; recognizing this helps prevent you from taking the bait.”

“Handling open hatred and hostility from another person requires rejecting retaliation, holding fast to Christ by faith, and responding with quiet self-control rather than bitterness.”

Refuse Retaliation: Jesus did not threaten or retaliate when reviled and abused; believers are instructed to follow His pattern and prefer to suffer wrongfully rather than vent wrath or seek self-defense.

Exercise the Power of Silence: Meeting angry or hateful words with a sharp reply acts like a whip that stirs up greater fury, whereas remaining silent and silencing the tongue allows anger to quickly die away.

Purge Bitterness from the Soul: Clinging to resentment, malice, or a desire for revenge opens the heart to Satan and destroys harmony with God. True Christian character replaces hatred with kindness through Divine Grace.

Maintain Love and Forbearance: Even when facing false reports, jealousy, or mistreatment, Christians are called to avoid fault finding, remembering that God exercises tenderness and forbearance toward human defects.

Hold to Christ by Faith: Human strength alone cannot withstand open hostility; you must unite human weakness with divine strength through prayer and faith in Jesus Christ.

Check Your Own Spirit: Guard against embracing wrath or magnifying grievances, and resist the temptation to gloat or rejoice if an enemy stumbles or falls.

The New Living Translation: “Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” (2 Corinthians: 14-15, NLT).

Lord Jesus, we know that Your earthly life was filled with religious enemies, who hated You because You were Righteous, revealing God’s Love for all humanity, whether poor or wealthy.

You gave hope through your Sermons and Parables, giving spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical healing to the multitudes. You explained that You were the Way, the Truth, and the Life to Heaven.

Jesus, you exposed the evil traits of self-righteousness, pride, prejudice, oppression, and greed residing in the hearts of the religious leaders: And you were hated and repaid with suffering a criminal’s death of crucifixion on Calvary’s Cross. Yet, we thank You for the Cross and for giving Your Life to save our souls.

LORD, we also pray an Intercessory prayer for all Christian believers, globally, who are experiencing persecution, including myself. Jesus, it is a privilege to suffer for You. We ask for the Blessings of Strength, Guidance, Wisdom, and Your presence in our lives.

Thank You for Your Promises of never leaving or abandoning us. Thank You for providing our necessities, and giving us Your Divine Peace that comforts our hearts, and redirects our faith and focus to You instead of our circumstances.

Jesus, we love You! Thank You for Your never-failing Faithfulness, and in faith, we ask this prayer for continuous Mercies in Your Loving and Righteous Name, Amen.

Who Can Win Against Jesus, El Gibbor, Our Mighty Warrior?

The Enemy’s Challenge: King Sennacherib’s Threat

“Then the Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he heard that he had departed from Lachish.”

“And the king heard concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, ‘Look, he has come out to make war with you.’ So he again sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,

”Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.””

‘Look! You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by utterly destroying them; and shall you be delivered?'” (2 Kings 20: 8-11).

King Hezekiah’s Prayer

“And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.”

15 “Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: ‘O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.’

16 ‘Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.’

17 ‘Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, 18 and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them.’

19 ‘Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone.'”

God, Jesus, El Gibbor—The Mighty Warrior’s Response

32 “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: ‘He shall not come into this city, Nor shoot an arrow there, Nor come before it with shield, Nor build a siege mound against it.’

33 ‘By the way that he came, By the same shall he return; And he shall not come into this city, ‘Says the Lord.”

34 ‘For I will defend this city, to save it
For My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.'”

El Gibbor—The Sovereign God’s Victorious Outcome

Sennacherib’s Defeat and Death
35 “And it came to pass on a certain night that the Angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead.”

36 “So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh.”

37 “Now it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the temple of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.”

The Sovereign God Is Unknown To Most of Today’s Christian Believers

“My people perish for the lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6). From redirecting our faith and focus to ourselves and the world’s temporary wealth, success, and pleasures, truthfully, we do not know who the Sovereign God is.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” (Revelation 22:13).

From not studying the Bible, we do not know Jesus’ Love, our Mighty Warrior’s Faithfulness, Promises, and His Perfect Record of Absolute Victories.

Unless we develop a heart-to-heart relationship with Jesus Christ through daily personal worship, surrendering to follow our Shepherd, praying continuously, and studying the Holy Scriptures in the Bible, we will redirect our faith and focus to ourselves.

But from embracing the unbeliever’s life of trusting in human thoughts and strategies, we travel on the road of Self-Reliance, which places us on a Spiritually Dead End Street.

“And those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalm 9:10).

At some point, when we have suffered enough consequences from excluding God, we realize our human limitations, and feeling defeated, instead of repenting, we begin to blame God for abandoning us.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28).

For the Believers that follow Jesus with faithful obedience, when we face the hardships and vicissitudes of life that are impossible for human thoughts, wisdom, and strategies to resolve, we bow on bended knees, crying out for God’s Help.

“Behold, I am YHWH, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27, BLB). Everyday, we must choose to practice the steadfast faith required to believe in and trust God’s Sovereign Power.

“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).

Whether experiencing life’s routine challenges or severe struggles, the righteous use their faith to believe and rely on God’s Promises that they have memorized; and the Holy Spirit encourages us by speaking through our thoughts, and reminding us of God’s Faithfulness, and His Commitment to always help us.

“You will keep him in perfect peace because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3). For those who live a lifestyle of worship, we choose to completely trust God.

“Peace, Be still.” Yes, we place our life in His Capable Hands, and enjoy His peace. How? We believe that Jesus is Sovereign, Loves us, and is Our Shelter and Deliverer when facing the raging storms of life.

“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become restless and disturbed within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence. (Psalm 42:5, Amplified Bible).

At times, even the strongest Christians may feel discouraged, especially when our trials last for a long time; but from developing the habit of prayer as our First Response, we invite the Holy Spirit to encourage and empower us with Jesus’ Divine Peace and Strength. Pray continuously!

The Bible Keeps Us Anchored In Christ

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105). Through the Holy Spirit, God’s Word provides Spiritual Guidance, revealing that Jesus is our Guiding Light even when we are traveling on the dark Path of Adversity.

God’s Word is the Spiritual Catalyst that brings us back to our Spiritual Senses: Jesus tells us: “Take no thought for tomorrow; I will never leave you or forsake you; Fear not, for I am with you…”

The Holy Bible reveals God’s Higher Thoughts and Ways, always redirecting our faith and focus away from our circumstances and back to The Sovereign Power of Jesus Christ, El Gibbor, Heaven’s Mighty Warrior.

“For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37). The Bible gives us the intimate details of Yeshua: Jesus is our Mighty Warrior, promising to give us Victory when we place all of our faith and trust in Him.

Jeremiah 17:14: “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” Every day, Jesus is still performing Supernatural Miracles of Healing and Restoration, giving us the Strength to persevere, and comforting us while we endure illnesses, griefs, and hardships.

“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19). “Behold I stand at the door and knock…” (Revelation 3:20). And we must never forget that Jesus, our Warrior is still reaching out to the heart of sinners to accept Him as their personal Savior.

Make the decision every day to put Jesus Christ as the Lord of your Life; He is a Loving and Faithful Shepherd, The Great Physician, Our Dedicated Protector, and Powerful Warrior, who tells us, “You will not have to fight,” Be still, and know that I am God.” Yes and Amen!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, ESV).

Lord God, we desperately need Your help. We are facing many struggles and hardships that we cannot resolve, and even if we could, Jesus, we bring our burdens to Your Throne of Grace, because You promised to help us in our time of need. Lord, we make the commitment to use our faith to trust You with our lives. We realize only You can give us the victory and bring glory to Your Holy Name. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Loving and Righteous Name of our Mighty Warrior, El Gibbor, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Depend On Jesus, “He Is Our Savior, Advocate, Intercessor, Friend, Provider, Great Physician, Mighty Warrior…”

In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus tells Peter, His disciple: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you return strengthen your brothers.”

Have you ever asked Jesus to pray for you? Why not? Jesus is our Heavenly Advocate, Intercessor, and High Priest.

From asking Jesus to pray for you, from personal experience, this is the Spiritual Blessings you will receive:

The Holy Spirit will empower you with Jesus’ Divine Peace, Wisdom, Strength, Guidance, and Comfort; and Jesus, The Commander of Angel Armies sends His angels to protect the righteous from all unseen spiritual warfare, physical danger, and scams [Study Ephesians 6].

“Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.” (Ephesians 1:4, Amplified Bible).

God, Jesus Christ, The Son created us from love, in His image, chose us to be His, and has a personal interest in our well-being and happiness.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

One of the greatest battles we fight [every day] is overcoming the internal desires of our heart, which are always in conflict with God’s best plans for our lives. Throughout your waking hours, Pray for the Mighty Warrior’s Divine Strength!

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11).

Reflection: Do your choices and lifestyle reveal that you believe Jesus desires the best for you? Our internal desires direct our focus and pursuits, revealing always the true spiritual condition of our heart.

When our desires align with God’s Plans, God, The Holy Spirit performs the daily spiritual growth and transformation of our mind, character, and personality required to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, also preparing us to receive our Eternal Crown of Life.

Total surrender and faithful obedience are the character traits required to follow Christ. When we are guided by the Holy Spirit, our prayers reflect our desperate need for Jesus.

To maintain our connection to Christ, every day, we must approach The Throne of Grace: “Pray continuously.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Why is continuous prayer vital for the Christian Believer? The Believer’s daily fight always involves spiritual warfare; yet, we were not created to fight Satan.

For over 6,000 years, Satan has deceived and manipulated humanity. We must have Divine Help to overcome Satan’s power. Continuous Prayer is our lifeline to Jesus Christ, Heaven’s Mighty Warrior.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles [traps] of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10-13).

Every second of our lives, there is so much going on in the spiritual realm that is unseen by human eyes. Because of God’s Mercies, He protects us by hiding the demonic wickedness that would result in us living in constant fear.

Every believer is Satan’s target. Do not let yourself become distracted, Stay prayerful! Just because we cannot see the invisible war between Good and Evil does not mean it is not happening!

Prayer is a lifestyle! When facing Spiritual Warfare, or life’s continuous challenges our first response should be an immediate Prayer of Faith, asking Jesus for help!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1, ESV).

Jesus, the Mighty Warrior told Joshua, “I have given you Jericho.” Because God is Omniscient, All-Knowing, and Omnipotent, Absolute Sovereign Power, Jesus always speaks in future terms regarding His Deliverance from the enemy.

Yes, Jesus promises His Divine Intervention in response to the prayers of the righteous: Believe that Jesus is your Best Friend, always willing to help you. Whisper words that thank Him for His love and the victory He promised in the same prayer. Pray, wait, and obey.

“Wait for and confidently expect the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for and confidently expect the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14, Amplified Bible).

Whether we are facing the routine challenges of life, or the unexpected adversity of incurable disease, loss of employment, persecution, legal matters, dissolution of family ties, or marriage, our death of a loved one; Jesus, our Great Physician and Comforter waits for us to ask for His Divine Help.

“He was despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and pain and acquainted with grief; And like One from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or esteem Him.” (Isaiah 53:3, Amplified Bible).

We have a Loving Savior, who says that He was a Man of Sorrows in His earthly life. Jesus was never unhappy or discouraged; His sorrows were of a spiritual nature; the people that He came to save, continuously rejected Him as Savior and the Son of God [Study Luke 4].

If we desire to have a deeper spiritual relationship, we must commit to following Jesus Christ. Every day, we must choose to rely totally on Christ, our Advocate, Intercessor, Shepherd, and Triumphant King, or we reject Jesus and His Wisdom and Guidance, by following our own thoughts and inclinations.

Our Spiritual Priority: Seek Righteousness

“But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.” (Matthew 6:33, Amplified Bible).

Worship God in Spirit and Truth: The converted heart overflows with love, loyalty, and appreciation for Jesus Christ, who fulfilled The Plan of Redemption.

Daily Reflection on The Message of The Cross strengthens our relationship with Christ, giving us a greater appreciation for His love and devotion to humanity.

By becoming The Sacrificial Lamb of God, Jesus gives us the option to choose and receive Eternal Life instead of suffering the second and final death for our sins.

When our focus is spiritual, we will cease praying, asking, and chasing the temporary material things and wealth that Satan uses to distract us. Satan is relentless and he will do whatever is necessary for us to turn away from following Christ.

In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us that earthly treasures and money are meaningless; every believer is in desperate need of Jesus’ Righteous Character Traits; The Fruit of the Spirit:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering [patience], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-25).

Our habits, behaviors, and lifestyle reveal our love, loyalty, and appreciation for Jesus’ Love and His willingness to rescue us from the devastation of sin [Romans 6:23].

Although we cannot change ourselves, our decision to surrender to and follow Christ with faithful obedience reveals that we love God and are actively participating in our spiritual transformation performed by the Holy Spirit.

Daily Surrender and Prayer keeps us connected to Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Intercessor. When we confess and repent of our sins, as our Advocate, Jesus covers us with His Righteousness, presenting us as righteous before God, the Father. Yes and Amen!

Before Jesus was arrested, in John chapters 13-16, He spoke to His disciples, telling them: “Until now you have asked nothing in My Name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

The priority of Prayer is to ask for Spiritual Blessings: We pray and rely on the Holy Spirit to teach us the deeper spiritual meaning of the Holy Scriptures, and we also ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s Purpose for our life.

Spiritual Blessings: A heart filled with God’s Truth, Love, Wisdom, Strength, Guidance, the Discernment to recognize false teachings, and the Divine Power to overcome Satan’s deceptive temptations.

We struggle with temptations, because all temptations are based on our heart’s desires. Satan is not All-Knowing, he cannot read our minds, but he observes our behaviors.

The movies, social media scrolling, gaming, and the conversations and activities that we participate in behind closed doors reveal the true condition of our hearts; yet, we must remember that secret sins are never secret.

To overcome our internal desires and external temptations, we must abide in Jesus Christ through continuous prayer and study of the Holy Scriptures.

Worship is a lifestyle that keeps us connected to Jesus Christ. Through Prayer and Bible Study, we invite the Holy Spirit to be an active part of our lives.

Our cooperation with the Holy Spirit is revealed through our faith in the Infinite and Sovereign Power of Jesus Christ. Instead of attempting to navigate through life using our thoughts and strategies, we depend on Jesus for the wisdom and strength to live the Victorious Life of an Overcomer.

“By focusing on the hope of Heaven, we can find strength and joy in our daily struggles, allowing this future promise to inspire our present actions and cultivate a [Christ-Like] righteous character.”

Yes, Jesus, our Savior, Advocate, Great Physician, Comforter, Intercessor, Attorney, Righteous Judge, and King of Kings loves us with an Everlasting Love, and in Hebrews 4:16, our Provider extends this invitation to every believer:

“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, NKJV).

Lord Jesus, we humbly approach your Throne of Grace asking for a spiritual transformation of our hearts. Lord, You are our Savior and King, and we desire to worship You with humility, surrender, and faithful obedience. Teach us how to love as You Love. Jesus, with gratitude, we love You, and acknowledge that we can do nothing without You. In faith, we ask this prayer in Your Loving and Righteous Name, Amen.

“How To Be Happy, No Matter What The Situation” Sermon

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NKJV)

In the Routine Challenges of Life, Unexpected Situations, Lingering Circumstances, and Life-Changing Adversities, we can experience Jesus’ Joy, Peace, and Happiness.

I pray that you are encouraged by this Life-Changing Sermon that teaches us: Jesus is Lord, Jesus Loves us, and Jesus is Omnipotent [All Powerful]! Yes and Amen!

Lord Jesus, please empower us to use our faith to trust in You and to perceive life with You as Victorious, despite our hardships. We ask this prayer in Your Loving and Righteous Name, Amen.

Loving God Is Revealed By Faithful Obedience – Evening Devotional – September 21, 2026

“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'” (Matthew 22:37, ESV).

In the Holy Scriptures, God specifies how we are to love, honor, and worship Him: Loving God means that we Him put First; Keeping our Focus, Faith, and Trust in the Power of His Son, Jesus Christ; and establishing and maintaining a spiritual relationship with Jesus through daily Prayer and Bible Study.

“Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.'” (John 14:23).

Abraham demonstrates that Faithful Obedience is our highest worship to God. (Genesis 22:1-19): When God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, Abraham told his servants that he and his son were going to worship God and they would return.

At some point, every believer will stand at the junction of the Spiritual Crossroads:

“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. 14 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).

The Narrow Path of Righteousness requires a deep abiding love for Jesus, a spirit of humility, daily surrender, and faithful obedience. Few believers dedicate themselves to follow Christ by living a sacrificial life of self-denial, as Jesus did in His earthly life.

Jesus Always Obeyed God, the Father in His Earthly Life: “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).

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2, NIV).

The Broad Path [ruled by Satan] is traveled on by many people who profess to believe in God, but sadly, this group of Christians reveal that they are ritualistic worshipers.

Yes, they attend church every week, give tithe and offerings; and from their outward appearance they appear to the followers of Christ, but their hearts remain unconverted.

The “unbelieving believers” love themselves more than God and live a lifestyle that demonstrates faith in human abilities. “Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” (Psalm 44:21).

But why do you call me “Lord, Lord” and not do the things I say to do.” (Luke 6:46).

Every day, unsanctified believers eagerly pursue their personal desires, and feel all is well between them and God; yet they do not realize that the Holy Spirit cannot dwell within those who possess a spirit of disobedience, as evidenced by self-reliance, a bitter fruit of sinful pride.

Reflection: “Be holy, for I Am Holy” is God’s command to every believer who accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior. Faithful obedience invites the Holy Spirit to perform the lifelong spiritual process of Sanctification, required to receive Eternal Life.

Daily surrender and praying for God’s guidance are also required for the Holy Spirit to sanctify us. The Holy Spirit is a Spiritual Catalyst, allowing the faithful to experience the Power of Jesus Christ; through Christ, we receive daily spiritual growth and character transformation.

Humility, Surrender, Faith, Trust, and Obedience are the characteristics of those who love God with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength. And these are they who will be guided by The Spirit of Truth, God, the Holy Spirit.

“The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they will never, ever [by any means] perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28, Amplified Bible).

The gift of each new day gives us the opportunity to choose a Christ-Centered, Faith-based, heart-to-heart relationship with Jesus Christ, our Faithful Shepherd.

Our Hearts Must Be 100% Committed to Following Our Faithful Shepherd

“Choose this day who you will serve.” The nation of Israel attempted to serve God with a divided heart, but their love of pagan worship practices proved that they did not love God.

“Your bodies will fall in this wilderness—all who were numbered in the census, everyone twenty years of age or older—because you have grumbled against Me.” (Numbers 14:29 BSB).

“In Numbers 20:12, God tells Moses and Aaron they will not enter the Promised Land: “Because you did not trust in Me enough to honor Me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

From the great number of emancipated Israelites [600,000 men, not counting women and children in the census], there were only two faithful men over the age of 20, Joshua and Caleb, who received their inheritance in Canaan, The Promised Land.

Our thoughts, habits, actions, pursuits, and lifestyle reveal who is priority in our lives, God or Self. Loving Jesus is to worship Him as our Savior, Shepherd, Redeemer, and Triumphant King with daily surrender and faithful obedience.

The commitment of daily surrender is expressed through the Prayer of Humility, “God not my will, but Your Will be done” revealing that we are willing to love and honor King Jesus’ Sovereign Authority.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” (Revelation 22:13).

Because of God’s Divine Grace that flows from Jesus, God, the Son, [The Message of the Cross] to the righteous, we are saved by Grace through faith and covered with the Righteousness of Christ. Yes and Amen!

“Today when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…” Following our Shepherd compares to sheep following their shepherd.

Dedicating ourselves to be faithful and obedient sheep is not a burden or inconvenience when our hearts are overflowing with love, loyalty, and appreciation of Jesus’ Ultimate Sacrifice on Calvary’s Cross.

Reflection: Do you love God enough to do exactly what He tells you to do?

Luke 11:28: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” John 14:15: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” James 1:22: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”Acts 5:29: “We must obey God rather than men.”

Bible Study: God, the Father, calls Jesus, God: [Study Hebrews chapter 1].

Lord God, we approach your Throne of Grace with humility and surrender. We commit to following Jesus with faithful obedience, and pray for the anointing, power ,and presence of the Holy Spirit. Please teach us how to be holy. Lord, we also pray for Spiritual Wisdom, Discernment, and the Power to overcome our desires and Satan’s temptations. Jesus, we love You and appreciate the greatest gift that humanity will ever receive, the cleansing Power of Your blood that washes away our sins, and restarts our lives. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Loving and Righteous Name of Jesus, Amen.

El Roi, The God Who Sees, Is El Ne’eman, The Trustworthy God Who Takes Care of Us

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11, ESV)

For several years, I worked full-time, studying one academic course per semester. Finally, my goal of completing the academic courses required for the Registered Nursing program came to fruition.

With much excitement, I began to apply for Nursing programs, only to discover the programs within a 50 mile radius of where I lived in New Jersey, had a two to three year waiting list. Although I was extremely disappointed, God revealed His Divine Providence and Plans for my future.

One day, while sharing my dilemma with one of my closest friends, who was a Registered Nurse in Upstate New York, advised me to apply to the school, in which he completed his nursing education.

I whispered a prayer for God’s guidance, took a giant leap of faith, and God responded by revealing His Supernatural Power; within 5 days, I received my acceptance letter. As I whispered a prayer of gratitude, I immediately recognized this was God’s Divine Providence.

Then ambivalent feelings began to cause an internal war within my heart; relocation to Upstate New York would require walking away from a serious and loving relationship that I was involved in.

Again my nurse friend gave me sound advice, “Nursing is not only what you love to do, you must also consider that the future brings many unexpected hardships, becoming a Registered Nurse and teaching patients how to manage their illnesses and achieve optimal health provides job satisfaction and ensures a secure future.”

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,” (Ephesians 1:3-5, ESV).

At the age of 40, I was accepted into a rigorous nursing program that was scheduled to start within 3 months. Whether or not my excitement boosted my faith, with God’s Help, and Tee, the love of my life, we drove a UHaul and my car to Upstate New York.

When we arrived at my new home, Tee spoke these words, “Dee, I have thought about it and I just can’t do a long distance relationship.” I quickly replied that I understood, expressed my love for him, but felt no grief, because I knew this was God’s Plan for my life.

Yahweh Yireh, Our Provider Reveals His Love

“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).

While unpacking, the school’s financial aid officer notified me of another God-given blessing; I received a scholarship that covered tuition, books, and uniforms for the duration of the program.

God’s Expectation: To keep our faith and focus on His Power and Promises, not our circumstances.

“But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, Amplified Bible).

The Faith Test: Nursing Clinicals required two years of intense study, and included summer rotations, My scholarship did not cover my living expenses; and the curriculum’s schedule was definitely not one that would allow the student nurse to work Monday through Friday.

Loyalty to God’s Commandments: Because I honor God by obeying the Fourth Commandment to keep the Seventh Day Sabbath holy, I could not work on Sabbath, and studying required 8-12 hours on Sundays.

As a student nurse, I had to totally rely on God for my provisions, placing me on a spiritual journey that required 100% of my faith and trust in God’s Love and Promises. And Yahweh Yireh proved that nothing is too hard for God!

The Reward: As I gave the valedictorian remarks at graduation, with a humble and grateful heart, I thanked God for giving me the courage to trust Him with my life, and the strength and wisdom to maintain a 4.0 GPA.

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” (Matthew 6:31-32, ESV).

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

The Journey of Faith Requires Total Trust and Obedience To God

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Reflection: Are you following God’s Plan for your life? The majority of today’s Christian Community fail to live a Christ-Centered, Faith-based life, which requires daily self-denial and obedience to God.

Every day, we plan and fulfill our personal agendas, without praying and asking God to reveal His Perfect Will and Plans for our lives. God’s Warning: “Do not be wise in your own eyes…” (Proverbs 3:7).

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Self-Reliance is an unrighteous character trait that demonstrates a heart filled with pride and willful disobedience against God.

The Christian believer, who fails to pray for God’s Guidance has the same mindset as unbelievers, who value human thoughts over God’s Sovereign Thoughts and Ways.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]?” (1 Corinthians 6:19, Amplified Bible).

We can believe in God and attend church, but the Holy Spirit cannot dwell within an “unbelieving believer,” who intentionally refuses to surrender and acquiesce to God’s Sovereign Authority.

Pursuing our desires and plans reveals that we place our faith and trust in human thoughts and strategies, instead of God’s Promises, but spiritual defiance results in spiritual death.

Self-governance invites Satan to tempt us continuously with the desires of our hearts, which distract us from our relationship with Christ, ultimately giving Satan the power to control our lives.

“But He said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!'” (Luke 11:28, ESV).

God lovingly tells us that using our faith to obey His Plans has always been required. When we love God, the Holy Spirit converts our hearts, and obeying our Heavenly Father is never a burden.

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning” [for He is perfect and never changes]. (James 1:17, Amplified Bible).

God always rewards His faithful and obedient sons and daughters with spiritual blessings. We may focus on receiving material blessings, yet receiving God’s gifts of an alert and oriented mind, spiritual wisdom, and optimal physical health are examples of the spiritual blessings that money can never provide.

Prayer Connects Us To El Roi, The God Who Sees

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.” (Mark 1:35, ESV). In Jesus’ earthly life, through continuous prayer, He asked God, His Father for wisdom and guidance.

Jesus revealed humility and the willingness to always surrender and faithfully obey His Father, and God, the Father has not changed, to receive the reward of Eternal Life, we must obey God.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27). As Sons and Daughters of God, follow and obey Jesus, our Shepherd by seeking His will, plans, and guidance through daily prayer.

The true condition of the human heart is revealed by one’s thoughts, spoken words, habits, and lifestyle. Daily surrender and faithful obedience reveal love, loyalty, and reverence for God’s Sovereign Authority and Divine Providence.

In the Bible, God reveals His Righteous Character; therefore, if we are diligently studying the Holy Scriptures, we learn Who God is: “I Am That I Am!”

Understanding The Purpose of Faith-Builders: Trials, Hardships, and Adversity

In Job chapter 38, Job questioned God; yes, Job felt that he did not deserve the extreme suffering that the Lord God allowed to enter His life.

God’s Response: “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, ‘Who is this that darkens counsel [questioning my authority and wisdom] By words without knowledge? Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you know and have understanding?'” (Job 38:1-2, 4 Amplified Bible).

Throughout the Bible, God Proclaims His Sovereignty

“So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11, Amplified Bible).

As Followers of Jesus Christ, Who sacrificed His Life on Calvary’s Cross, when we appreciate Jesus’ Life-Giving and Life-Saving Sacrifice, we will use our faith to love, trust, and obey God.

Believers use their faith to believe. Faith does not have a gray area, nor does faith depend on the presenting circumstances; Steadfast Faith proclaims, God said it! I believe it! It is done!

“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…” (Lamentations 3: 25-26).

Faith praises God, even though the answer to our prayers have not come to fruition. King David tells us to wait on the Lord with courage and prayers of gratitude. In the wait, we thank God for the victory, asking Jesus to give us the strength to persevere. Faith believes that God is Faithful!

Loving God Is The Catalyst For Steadfast Faith

“So He [Jesus] answered and said, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind…'” (Luke 10:27).

Jesus tells us that “God’s Love” is the spiritual foundation of our salvation. We must use our gift of faith to establish and maintain a spiritual love connection to God’s Agape Love, which is manifested through our Savior, God, Jesus Christ, His Son.

“We love because He first loved us.” When we understand that the Message of The Cross reveals God, the Father’s overwhelming love for humanity, gifting us with His Precious Son, God, Jesus Christ, with humility and gratitude, we will reciprocate our love through faithful obedience to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“I will bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless Your Holy Name!”

Faithful obedience and trust are spiritual fruits, revealing that the believer’s heart overflows with love and adoration for God’s Faithfulness, Grace, and continuous Mercies.

Why is our faith strong and anchored in The Rock, Jesus Christ?

From searching and studying the Holy Scriptures, we learn the Loving and Righteous Attributes of God’s Sovereign Character: He is Immanuel, God With Us in the peaceful times and in the raging storms.

God Proclaims: “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Like a young child, we use our faith to steadfastly believe that God is: El Roi, “The God, Who Sees me;” and El Ne’eman, “The God, Who is Trustworthy and Reliable.”

In faith, we wait on Yahweh Yireh, our Provider, because His Promises to always take care of us are Yes and Amen [It is so!].

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10).

Lord Jesus, with humility and surrender, we approach Your Throne of Grace, asking for the forgiveness of our grievous sins of disobedience, doubt, and unbelief in Your Faithfulness and Your Promises. Jesus, we ask for the anointing of Your Power, and to reveal Your Presence, given to us through God, the Holy Spirit. Lord, we ask You to strengthen our faith and to guide us on the Narrow Path of Righteousness that leads from earth to Heaven. In faith, we humbly ask this prayer in the Loving and Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Shepherd, and Triumphant King, Amen.

Jesus Asks, “Do You Love Me?

Jesus Restores Peter: “So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.'” (John 21:15).

After Jesus’ arrest, Peter aggressively denied knowing Jesus three times, and then the rooster crowed.

“And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, ‘Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know what you are talking about.’ And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.’ 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:59-62, ESV).

We may ask, How is it possible for Peter to deny Christ after being in His presence and following Him for 3 years? Peter’s heart was unconverted, he attempted to serve and follow Jesus with a divided heart.

Although Peter thought his overwhelming desires for earthly prominence and wealth were hidden secrets, Peter was unaware that God, the Father gave Jesus the Divine Power to discern the real [secret] thoughts in people’s minds.

“Would not God discover this? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” (Psalm 44:21). Before God, who knows every human thought, habit, and behavior, we appear as naked babies.

Yes, God knows the dedicated believers who are striving to follow His Triumphant Son, Jesus Christ with daily surrender and faithful obedience; and God sees the unbelieving believers, who profess Christianity, but live to fulfill their personal agendas as wealth-builders, striving for elite social status, and the world’s wisdom [Artificial Intelligence].

The Reason It Is So Easy To Rebel Against God

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10, ESV).

“Our natural will is cold, hard, stubborn, and rebellious; The hard heart does not love Jesus, the Redeemer; The hard heart is selfish and coldly asks, Why should I [feel remorse] for sin? Why should I love the Lord?”

“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Matthew 16:26, NLT).

God never coerces us to love Him. If we choose to live as we please then we choose to deny Christ as our Lord and Savior. Not only will our rewards consist of whatever we have gained in our earthly lives, denying Christ is to accept Malachi 4:1 as our destiny.

The Plan of Redemption Reveals God’s Love, Grace, and Mercies and Also Includes Unlimited Forgiveness and Restoration

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10, ESV). Regardless of our present self-seeking status; we can decide to renounce the world’s treasures and pleasures; repent and return to the Shepherd; we do not have to remain as a lost sheep!

Steps To Spiritual Restoration: Love God

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and with all your soul and with all your strength [your entire being].” (Deuteronomy 6:5, Amplified Bible).

In Matthew 22, Jesus repeats the command given in the Old Testament that we must love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the literal meaning: To love God is to think and live with a “God First” mindset.

Embracing Jesus’ Sacrificial Gift of His Life

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” (John 3:16-17, ESV).

The Message of The Cross reveals Jesus’ overwhelming love and commitment to save humanity: Jesus fulfilled The Plan of Redemption, dying for our sins, so we do not have to die [the second and final death] for our sins.

Confess and Repent For Our Sins Against God

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

To be accepted back into our Shepherd’s flock of sheep, we repent [asking for forgiveness with the commitment to strive to live holy]; and immediately, we are justified and covered with Christ’s Righteousness; and Jesus Christ presents us as being cleansed from all sins to God, the Father.

Sanctification is the lifetime work of the Holy Spirit changing our mind, character, personality into the likeness of Christ’s Righteous Character.

Sanctification requires the human effort of daily participation. We pray for God’s Will to be revealed, and our responses are faithful obedience along with renouncing our heart’s desires and Satan’s temptations.

“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.'” (1 Corinthians 15:33, CSB). Our commitment to God and lifestyle must reflect that our hearts have been cleansed and transformed.

Spiritual Restoration requires letting go of all worldly people, habits, behaviors, and lifestyles. Study Romans 12:1-2 on how to live appropriately as a follower of Jesus Christ.

We are Temporary Travelers living on a Temporary Earth preparing every day for Jesus’ Coming. Live as if it is your last day. This is not a morbid thought, God has not promised us tomorrow.

“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14, NIV). We are living in the last days and we do not have the time that we think we have.

If we do not actively renounce sin, the Holy Spirit cannot change us; and the unrighteous character that we have today will be the same unrighteous character we have when Jesus comes.

Following Jesus Gives Us our Spiritual Identity

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9).

Society’s system of valuing people should not matter to us. As the righteous Sons and Daughters of God, who will inherit our Eternal Crown of Life, at all times, we must stay spiritually alert and prepared. Jesus tells us to separate ourselves from lawlessness.

The True Believers Worship God in Spirit and Truth

Daily surrender, faithful obedience, praying continuously for guidance and protection, studying the Bible, and letting go of our internal desires invites the Holy Spirit to empower us with Jesus’ Wisdom and Strength to discern and overcome every temptation that we face.

Jesus asks, “Do you love me?”

Then “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s Will is.” (Ephesians 5:15 – 16, NIV).

Lord God, with humility and surrender, we approach your Throne of Grace, asking for the forgiveness of our sins. Lord, we ask You to restore us and to anoint us with Your Presence through the Power of the Holy Spirit. As we navigate through this tumultuous spiritual journey of life, we ask for Your Divine Guidance. Teach us how to keep our focus and faith on our Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus, we love You; and we bow before You, Triumphant King asking You to lead us from Earth to Heaven. Lord, we also request for You to be our strength. In faith and with joyful anticipation of receiving Your blessings, we ask this prayer in the Loving and Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Storms Keep Coming

Study Acts 27-28

Why do storms keep coming? When the storms of life press down upon us that is God talking. When the storms in our personality arise, God is talking.

God’s job is to take charge of the storm and our job is to listen to the lesson He teaches us through the storms.

If we take the time to be still and listen then God’s message to us says, “Be still and know that I am God!”

Peter could tell us what he learned from getting out of the boat and walking on the water: If you want to keep your balance, your equilibrium, don’t look back, do not depend on your knowledge or skills, you must keep your eyes on Jesus.

The man who built his house on the solid rock tells us, If you want to stand tall and strong, and survive the storm, you must build your hope on things eternal.

How do we handle our storms in the Sea of Life? We stay on the boat. The Bible is our life vest. Will our anchor hold?

When the storms keep coming, hold on to the Anchor, Jesus Christ. Hold on to God’s unchanging hand!

Lamentations 3:22-26

In the book of Lamentations Jeremiah was looking at suffering and loss. Because we receive new Mercies every day. God is faithful, never changing.

John 16:33: You will have trouble, but be a good cheer! Give God praise when you’re facing challenges.

Our Compassionate High Priest: Hebrews 4:14-16

“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.”

We are sustained by God’s Grace and Mercies.
We are covered by God’s Mercies!
God’s Mercies are our Portion.
God’s Mercies continue to bless those who wait on Him.

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27).

We have to learn not to give up on God’s Mercies. Jesus has compassion for us. God is faithful! Wait on the Lord! Cling to the One who is Faithful!

Prayer: “Holy Spirit, pray with us and for us as we pray.” We have many troubled thoughts and worries from the storms that have entered our lives. We ask for the Divine peace and strength to persevere in our spiritual journey. In faith, we ask this prayer in the loving and righteous name of Jesus Christ, Amen.