Devotional – Page 19 – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Jesus Is Coming – Get Involved

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional July 28, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” —Hebrews 4:14-16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

© 2018 no_foreign_lands (Used with permission)

The State of the Dead According to the Bible – Pastor Stephen Bohr

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus – Worship Music

Trust Is Our Key to Victory

Sabbath Peace and Blessings – Our Victorious Daily Walk with Christ

Is your Faith compass pointed in the right direction? There are only two points on a Spiritual Compass. Either our faith is steadfast and dependent 100% on God or displaced indicating we trust our [limited abilities], or even worse, trusting someone else. Redirecting our faith in God results in living victoriously—never suffering consequences or wondering whether or not the outcome will be conducive only occurs when we fully trust God.

Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for the invitation to come boldly to Your Throne of Grace so we may receive help in our time of need. As we honor and worship You on this Holy Sabbath, we pray for a blessing of strength, wisdom, and discernment. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

The Assurance of God’s Help

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – July 23, 2024

We were not created to stand alone, figure it out, or rely on our intuition. Nor do we ever have to suffer from the consequences of misguided decisions. Yes, the life of God’s righteous ones is filled with faith tests, temptations, and tribulations, but we should never feel desperate. Divine Help is God’s Promise! “I will never leave you nor forsake you…” (Hebrews 13:5). “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” (Matthew 28:20).

Pray in faith, thank God for His Divine Love and Intervention, and wait. Time is insignificant to God. While waiting, wait in joyful anticipation for your victorious outcome. Just have faith! While waiting on God, when feeling feeble, anxious, or unsure, pray, open your Bible, and refer to Isaiah 40 for a reminder of who God He is. He is Holy, Holy, Holy! Worship God by Giving Him the Utmost Gift of Reverence: Surrender and Faithful Obedience. Amen.

God Declares His Sovereignty Over this Earth and Its Inhabitants

“To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?” Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.” (Verses 18, 21-22)

” ‘To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?’ says the Holy One. “Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things…” (Verses 25-26)

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on 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.” (Verses 28-31)

Prayer: “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, Forever and ever. Amen.”

The Universe Represents the Majesty and Glory of Your Holy Name
[Satellite picture of the planet Earth]

Know Why You Believe What You Believe

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Promised Gift of Daily Bread

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – July 22, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Through the Lord’s mercies, we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord.” —Lamentations 3:22-26

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

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

Choose the Eternal

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – July 19, 2024

“Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: ‘Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.’ ” —Exodus 1:22, NIV

The story of Moses’ life is proof of God’s Divine Love and Sovereign Power. Despite the obstacles of oppression, enslavement, and Pharoah’s decree to put all of the Israelites’ newborn sons to death, no human defiance or satanic power can stop God’s Divine plans from coming to fruition.

The Giant Leap of Faith—Making Courageous Decisions

“Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.” —Exodus 2:1-4

Moses’ mother and young sister demonstrated great faith and courage by hiding him for three months and then taking the baby [God’s chosen one] to initiate God’s Divine plan for Moses’ life. “Ancient Egypt was rich in natural resources, including the Nile River, which provided fertile land and a major route for travel and communication.” God intervened by not allowing the river’s natural current to dislodge the small basket from the reeds on the bank nor did other travelers notice the basket or hear the baby’s cries.

God’s Plan is Revealed

“Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. ‘This is one of the Hebrew babies,’ she said. Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?’ ‘Yes, go,’ she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.’ So the woman took the baby and nursed him.” —Exodus 2:5-9, NIV

“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

How is it possible for us not to trust God? Not only did God spare Moses from a certain death, but Moses’ mother was paid by Pharoah’s daughter to nurse and care for her own son. As the story progresses, Moses is returned to Pharoah’s daughter, raised in the palace, and enjoys the status of a prince.

Although his life was overflowing with tangible wealth and princely power, Moses embraced his mother’s teachings of the One and Only God and his Hebrew heritage. As he grew into manhood, Moses faced the test of every Christian, to choose God or the world’s wealth and status.

“One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand” (Exodus 2:11-12, NIV).

“The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, ‘Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?’ The man said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?’ Then Moses was afraid and thought, ‘What I did must have become known.’ ” —Exodus 2:13-14

God proclaims that everything done in secret will eventually be revealed. Moses’s decision to take another person’s life was revealed, exposing him as a murderer. The ancient Egyptians valued the sanctity of life unless self-defense was proven and accepted by the judges, the punishment for murder was the death penalty.

God revealed His great love and mercy by allowing Moses to escape for his life. Even in his wrongdoing, God did not forsake Moses who fled to Midian, married, and lived with his wife and father-in-law. While Moses was enjoying his new life, the Israelites remained enslaved and severely oppressed under the rule of a new Pharaoh.

God Calls Moses: “When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’ ‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’ “The Lord said, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering..’ ” —Exodus 3:5-7

God Reveals Moses’ Commission: “And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” —Exodus 3:9-10

Moses’ Insolent Response to God: “But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ ” —Exodus 3:11

God’s Promise of Protection and Source of Strength: “And God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.’ ” —Exodus 3:12

Moses’ Character Flaw: Moses’ inability to control his anger propelled him to kill the Egyptian. Sadly his anger would surface again—in an emotional outburst, he broke the original stones on which God wrote the Ten Commandments. Moses allowed himself to become agitated due to the Israelite’s incessant complaining. Many years later, another temperamental episode prevented him from receiving the reward of entering Caanan, the Promised Land.

In anger to the people’s complaints of not having water, Moses disobeyed God by striking the rock instead of speaking to the rock. The people who God loved and emancipated still disobeyed by participating in Egyptian pagan worship. Because God worked miracles through Moses, the Israelites regarded Moses as a god instead of giving reverence to the True and Living God. God’s command for Moses to speak to the rock had a spiritual purpose, to reveal God’s Sovereign power to the Nation of Israel.

“The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3). With hearts filled with gratitude, we thank God that His love and mercies still extend to fallen humanity despite our character flaws and continuous disobedience. Christ is still knocking on the door of our hearts to send us to witness and complete the work on this earth.

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”—Matthew 22:14

Christ appointed and anointed twelve disciples to be apostles, yet, there are six times in the Scriptures that Jesus chose Peter, James, and John to go with Him to various places including the Mount of Transfiguration: “After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light…” (Matthew 17:1-2).

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” —John 15:16

Are you one of the Chosen? Has the Holy Spirit spoken to you and revealed that Christ has chosen you to do a great work for God? Yes, deep within your heart, you cannot deny it, you have heard Christ’s call saying “Follow Me.” God has set you apart as His disciple to exalt Him and to witness His saving power of salvation. But your love and loyalty to God wavers because of the familiar ties to family and friends, your church membership, or your current lifestyle choices.

“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ ” — Luke 9:23

To take up our cross daily and to follow Christ is to surrender oneself every day in faithful obedience. Our sacrificial offering of love, loyalty, faithful surrender, and obedience is required of us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The commitment to give the rest of our lives in service to God is the life of all chosen disciples of Christ. What is the one thing [belief, tradition, habit, or person] preventing you from wholly surrendering to God?

“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ…” —Philippians 3:8

As the apostle Paul testifies, the one chosen for a definitive ministry will suffer many earthly losses. To align ourselves with God’s goal to give us eternal life, we must give up our desires and dreams for God’s service. Daily we approach God in prayer with the humility and obedience of a child to hear His will and perfect plans to guide us in our ministry to others. A life of sacrificial self-denial is one of continual testing of our faith, love, and loyalty.

“We need a spirit of love and of true dependence upon God. When we have implicit faith in Him who is Truth, we shall realize that worry and anxiety are unnecessary.” Sharing the Vision, EGW

“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” —Matthew 24:12-14, NKJV

Christ is no respecter of persons, His loving call to accept Him as our personal Savior is poured out to all humanity. After we say yes, to Christ, our responsibility is to witness in our communities, share our testimonies, and help those in need. To demonstrate the love, compassion, and saving power of Jesus Christ is the responsibility of every Christian believer.

Still, as the Apostles Peter, James, John, and Paul were set apart for assigned ministries, the chosen few were selected to walk side by side with Christ to prepare them and receive strength for a heavier burden in their earthly lives. As we study the books of the Bible written by Paul, Peter, James, and John [the Revelator], we are reminded that our lives are not our own when we agree to fulfill our Christ-appointed ministry.

To The Chosen, you can’t run from it, you can’t hide from it, you were anointed and appointed before the foundation of this world! Choose the Eternal! Amen.

Lord God, we ask You to reveal Your will and plans. We know that You have chosen us and like Jonah, many of us have run from our spiritual assignments. We ask for the anointing of wisdom and spiritual discernment from the Holy Spirit. Speak to us that we can serve You faithfully in humility and obedience. In Jesus’ Worthy and Righteous Name, Amen.

Wait for the Lord

“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

Meditating on the goodness of God gives us a deeper appreciation of His love. We also receive Christ’s strength imparted by the Holy Spirit during our reflection on God’s benevolence. Daily, our blessings of grace and mercies are given, although we are quite undeserving. To live with peace, joy, happiness, and contentment is God’s original plan. Thank You, God.

Our worship of gratitude is expressed through words, singing, tears, and reflection on His faithfulness. Praise flows easily when we understand that God is Love. If in faith and trust, we wait for His perfect plans to come to fruition, God will exceed our expectations. Christ is our Lord, Savior, Intercessor, and Source of Righteousness always providing hope, health, and happiness despite our circumstances.

Great is Your Faithfulness, O Lord!

Obedience the Test of True Religion

Our Daily Walk with Christ – Sabbath Devotional – July 13, 2024

“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit…” —Luke 6:43-44

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:5). As followers of Christ, we are given a great responsibility, to work out our salvation with reverence to God and trembling [to do our best in serving God]. The Apostle Paul tells us to examine and test ourselves because obedience is the spiritual qualifier needed to abide in Christ.

The Offering of Isaac: “On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ‘Stay here with the donkey,’ Abraham told his servants. ‘The boy and I will go over there to worship, and then we will return to you.’ ” —Genesis 22:4-5

Obedience is our only acceptable sacrificial worship to God. Anything less is not fulfilling the commandment to love God with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Our spiritual journey requires continuous testing of our faith. Abraham did not share God’s command to sacrifice their only son with Sarah, his wife. Certainly, a mother who was childless until she was 90 would have interfered with a mother’s love to rescue and save Isaac, her only son.

“When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him again and said, ‘I am God All-Powerful. If you obey me and always do right, I will keep my solemn promise to you and give you more descendants than can be counted.’ ” —Genesis 17:1-2, CEV

“Abraham, from now on your wife’s name will be Sarah instead of Sarai. I will bless her, and you will have a son by her. She will become the mother of nations, and some of her descendants will even be kings…But your son Isaac will be born about this time next year, and the promise I am making to you and your family will be for him and his descendants forever.” —Genesis 17:15-16, 21

Father Abraham remembered God’s promise and faithfully followed God’s instructions without doubting, his steadfast faith was demonstrated by telling the servants, “and then we will return to you.” Our Omniscient God knew that he could trust His servant in this command and Abraham knew he could trust God to keep His promise of countless descendants through Isaac.

Where do we stand in our tests of obedience that only flow from converted hearts filled with love and loyalty to God?

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” —Jeremiah 29:11

Many Christians believe in God but do not trust God. And God also deems compromising believers as untrustworthy. Faith and Scriptural knowledge reinforce our belief in God’s Sovereign Omnipotence. Yes, we know He can fulfill His promises, yet, we lack the mature faith to believe that God is willing to abundantly bless us. So we use the world’s standards and compromise our relationship with Christ by pursuing our desires.

“You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.’ ” —Revelation 3:17

Two consequences happen when we disobey God by not following His plans with the promise of an expected end: We live a life of missing out on God’s greatest blessings [Who can compete with God?], and we lose our reward of God giving us “an expected end” of Eternal life. A life of compromise not only takes its toll on our desire to be holy, but we cannot strive for righteousness without Divine strength. Day by day, we also lose our joyful anticipation for the Second Coming of Jesus.

“The people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.” —Isaiah 43:21

We were created to worship God. Yes, we have the free will to obey or disobey, but we must not console ourselves that all is well when we fail to surrender in obedience. We cannot follow our feelings and dreams, bring them to fruition, and worship God in Spirit and Truth. True religion suffers devastating consequences when disobedience takes control of our minds.

From our failure to obey God, we turn our inherent faith toward worshiping ourselves. Not only do we lose sight of God and righteous living, but our lifestyles reflect erroneous beliefs, and the practices of self-gratification replace the pursuit of God’s Righteous Standards as commanded in the Holy Scriptures.

Step into Your Spiritual Inheritance: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” —1 Peter 2:9

There is no Middle Ground: “…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” —Joshua 24:15

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” —Psalm 95:6

Surrender to God’s Sovereignty in love by worshiping our Creator, Lord, and King with love, loyalty, and obedience. Peace and blessings. Happy Sabbath!

Lord God, forgive us for pursuing our inclinations and desires. We confess that we have stopped following You in humble obedience. Restore to us the joy and peace that comes from serving You. In Jesus’ Triumphant Name, we pray, Amen.