Devotional – Page 22 – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Teach Us to Pray

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 29, 2024

“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.’ ” —Luke 11:1

One day, after observing [and listening] to Jesus praying, His disciples humbly approached Him, saying “Lord, teach us to pray.” From walking with Christ, they finally grew tired of the bickering about who would be the greatest and began to desire spiritual transformation. The disciples realized the wisdom and power that Jesus possessed came directly from God, the Father.

“They had a deep longing to connect with God the way Jesus did. As they traveled with him, they witnessed the power of his prayers and the intimacy he shared with the Father.” (christianwebsite.com).

“…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” —2 Chronicles 7:14

Christ’s Model Prayer is found in Matthew 6:9-13. What do we pray for? According to Jesus, our priority is for God’s will to be done. God has one agenda: To save our souls. Our minds, characters, and personalities require spiritual transformation to receive eternal life. The foundation of our daily prayer is for God’s will to be revealed. We also pray for spiritual growth and transformation, wisdom, discernment, and the strength to overcome temptation.

In the morning and evening, we should pray for repentance of sins and ask the Holy Spirit to convict us of our known and unrecognized sins. Each of us practices habits and behaviors that do not reflect the righteous character of Christ. Because we are influenced by the world we live in, our standards are not in alignment with God’s command to be holy. The Holy Spirit reveals the hidden sins that prevent us from receiving our heavenly reward.

Pray Over Every Aspect of Your Life: Pray for confession, repentance and forgiveness, peace, comfort, provision, guidance, and the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Pray for healing, for God to fight your battles, for safety, and intercession for others. When answering our prayers, God always prioritizes our spiritual needs.

“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). Nowhere in the Scriptures do we find instructions to pray for material wealth or tangible items. If we practice excellent stewardship over our financial blessings then God knows that we desire the house or vehicle and He will perform the supernatural miracles for us to receive our tangible desires that are within His will and plans.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” —Ephesians 2:8-9

Initially, the Holy Spirit touches our hearts with the invitation to accept Christ as our personal Savior. Once we say yes then God always requires human effort before He intervenes. A dedicated life of prayer reveals our desire for God’s continuous intervention. The spiritual prerequisites of humility, a contrite spirit, and faithful obedience allow the Holy Spirit to perform the daily work of spiritual growth and transformation.

“For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” —Romans 7:14-15

Even the Apostle Paul recognized his pitiful state by proclaiming, ” O wretched man that I am!” Christian believers are often offended by the statement that we are sinners saved by grace through faith. Without recognizing our desperate need for God, the Holy Spirit cannot perform the work of heart conversion.

The Converted Heart: Conversion is a change of heart, a turning from unrighteousness to righteousness. Relying upon the merits of Christ, exercising true faith in Him, the repentant sinner receives pardon for sin…fighting against natural inclinations and selfish desires and bringing the will into subjection to the will of Christ. Daily he seeks the Lord for grace, and he is strengthened and helped. (A Change of Heart Devotional)

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” —John 15:5

The reason we fail to consistently use our privilege of prayer is that we do not recognize our constant need for Christ. If we have a list of the challenges that we can resolve ourselves without praying for Divine help then we develop a spirit of self-reliance. This mindset results in self-satisfaction that not only separates us from Christ but also produces a false sense of our true status with God—when life flows smoothly, we feel spiritually content.

“Let us therefore come boldly [with confidence] to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” —Hebrews 4:16

For the converted heart to remain so, we must view ourselves as “spiritually wretched” and live a life of total surrender and faithful obedience to God by staying on bended knees. “It’s me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer!” The quality of our worship and the persistence of our prayers indicate our desire to be transformed by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The penitent soul always realizes its’ need for God.

In Revelation 12, “the remnant of her seed” refers to those who follow Christ. Like Christ’s disciples, we also need to ask Him to teach us to pray. Those who come to the throne of grace with persistent prayers receive the continuous spiritual blessings of peace, joy, and confidence. Despite life’s challenges, a consistent prayer connection with Christ gives us the strength to endure the hardships and suffering required to receive our greatest reward of eternal life.

“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

Through the Holy Spirit, we have the assurance that our prayers of faith ascend as sweet incense to Jesus our Heavenly Priest and Intercessor. Our misspoken words are accepted by the Holy Spirit who translates our prayers and intercedes for us by taking our pleas and presenting them with clarity and reverence to Jesus, our King, Lord, and Savior. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are both making intercession for us. What more can Divinity do for us?

Lord God, teach us how to pray. We ask for Your Divine Intervention, in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

Heaven is Real!

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 25, 2024

This morning, I read a Devotional on the New Heaven and New Earth. Although the author included many Scriptures from Revelation chapters 21 and 22, her descriptive words expressed a deep longing, joyful anticipation, and excitement from the thought of living forever with God, Jesus, and the heavenly angels in a perfect universe. Upon reading her written words, I felt overjoyed. Yes, the Holy Spirit ignited a fire in my heart.

“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.” —Revelation 21:10-11

After the Devotional, I opened my Bible to study Revelation chapters 21 and 22. Why did it require someone else’s desire for heaven to ignite the desire in my heart? As I reflected on Jesus’ promise of coming soon and His description of the new replacing the former sorrowful things, I had a come-to-Jesus right now experience. My spiritual focus needed realignment because the heartfelt desire for heaven is not based on intellectual knowledge.

Truthfully, the embers of my enthusiasm for eternal life were nearly extinguished by earthly concerns. I know that I am not alone. Sermons and digital content on the Second Coming of Jesus are rarely found. How did the Christian Community lose our joyful excitement over Jesus’ promises in John 14:1-3 and the book of Revelation?

What earthly magnet is pulling us away from excitedly preparing every day for Jesus’ Second Coming and receiving our heavenly reward of eternal life?

We are sojourners traveling on a chosen path that is tedious because God requires every believer to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. But we must never forget this temporary journey has an eternal heavenly destiny. The earthly life that we love is a distraction that has led us to feel comfortable with our present spiritual status.

Reflection: Is our answer a resounding Yes? “Am I living a sacrificial life holy and pleasing to God? If Jesus came today, would I receive eternal life? “

“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” —2 Peter 1:10-11

How do we make our calling and election sure?

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.” —2 Peter 1:5-7
“For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” —2 Peter 1:8, NIV

How do we prepare for Jesus’ Second Coming? Jesus reminds us that the gate is narrow and few enter in. We choose to renounce sin. And we ask the Holy Spirit to rekindle our fire and desire for heaven. Our love for God is manifested by daily consecration, surrender, faithful obedience, much prayer, Bible study, and daily preparation for eternal life which reveals true heart conversion.

Like David, we pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).

“…the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people…” —1 Samuel 13:14

David was the appointed ruler who replaced the disobedient King Saul. God honored David by identifying him as, “A man after His own heart.” From studying his life and the Psalms, how was it possible for sinful David to hold such a high spiritual status with God? King David always acknowledged the dilemma of being born into iniquity—we have a deceitful heart and without the Lord, we are helpless to change ourselves.

“Lord, I cry out to You; Make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You. Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.” —Psalm 141:1, 4

David’s response to his sinful nature was to persistently approach the Throne of Grace with humility and surrender. The Psalms are not only songs, but, they are prayers [desperate cries for God’s help] for the deliverance of inheriting a carnal heart that is driven to sin against God. David acknowledged, confessed, and repented of the sinful thoughts that dominated his mind.

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

The Spiritual transformation required to receive eternal life occurs in our earthly lives. Until Christ comes again, we will face the internal battle of good and evil. Our response to overcoming a heart that is driven to please itself is to consistently fall to our knees. The Holy Spirit empowers us to change learned behaviors, inherited character traits, and secret desires.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” —John 15:5

We are the only obstacle that prevents us from becoming men and women after God’s own heart. Yes, we must strive to live righteously, yet, the breakthrough to victory over sin is to acknowledge that we desperately need Jesus Christ. When we stay before the Throne of Grace, Jesus our Heavenly Intercessor covers us with His Righteousness, and we are presented as righteous to God, the Father.

“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” —John 17:24

When our heart-to-heart connection with Christ is strong, we will naturally desire to be where He is. A pure heart gives us the courage to remain steadfast and to look upward despite our earthly struggles. With Christ as our First Love and King, the Holy Spirit sharpens our spiritual focus—Christ’s goal for us to overcome is also our goal. The fire for a heavenly life burns within our hearts and at the forefront of our minds is the desire to hear, Well done!

“This world is not my permanent home, heaven is real, and with God’s help, I will receive my reward of eternal life!”

“Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’ And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.’ ” —Revelation 21:5-7

The Victory Received from Spending Time with God

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 24, 2024

“Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.” —Psalm 90:12, Living Bible

There are 168 hours in a week. The hours of our days move faster than we anticipate. In reflecting on our lifestyle, can we account for the time that slips away? Is our to-do list unrealistic? Still, most importantly, how much time are we spending with God?

Ten percent of our day is 2.4 hours. Although most cannot sit and worship for the entire chunk of 2.4 hours, even with 8 hours of sleep and 8-10 hours of working and transit, we have at least 6 hours left of unaccountable time. Does our schedule reflect that worshiping God is a priority?

The desire to praise, pray, and worship arises from the love for God within our hearts. Our determination to stay in God’s presence requires actively fighting against the spiritual warfare of distractions and excessive busyness. With perseverance, we pay attention to the interruptions that threaten to steal our time, leading to excessive fatigue, both mentally and physically.

It takes courage to say no to the invitations, requests and desires that result in an out-of-control busy lifestyle. We have the power to make the necessary changes in our lifestyle to ensure God is the center of our lives. Break up the 2.4 hours into smaller blocks of time to study the Scriptures, sing, pray, and meditate on God’s never-failing love, faithfulness, grace, and mercies.

“When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.” —Psalm 91:15

Get rid of the restrictions of asking God for help! Pray over every aspect of your life. Need an energy boost? Instead of reaching for a cup of coffee, pray for strength. When unexpected life events arise or even if our daily schedule is sabotaged, we do not hesitate to pray for Divine Intervention. Our cries for help are answered immediately.

“Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.” —Psalm 33:20

Be still! Let go of all mental and emotional anguish. Do not struggle with self-directed resolutions. Our role is to pray, wait for God’s answer, and to remain spiritually in tune with the voice of God so we do not miss His words of guidance. Remember, God is never in a hurry. “Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14) .

Pray and Praise God throughout your waking hours. Whether our praise and prayers are silent or audible, we receive an anointed blessing when we come into His presence. Staying connected to God changes our perception, gives us the spiritual wisdom and discernment to recognize deceptive temptations, and produces spiritual maturity.

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” —Psalm 136:1

Praise, prayer, and dedicating time for worship demonstrates our reverence for God’s Sovereignty. God is the Source and Sustainer of our lives who is worthy to be praised and worshiped with our time that He gifted to us. Reflect on the blessings of your life. We are truly loved. Return your love by whispering sweet words of gratitude to our Lord God. Praise Him! Praise Him!

Worship in our earthly lives allows us to receive the presence and power of the Holy Spirit necessary to live as victorious overcomers. The habit of consistent praise and worship prepares us for the life of worship in the New Heaven and New Earth. To love God is to shower Him with praise and prayers of gratitude.

Lord God, we thank You for the time You have given us. We ask You to reveal the distractions that waste our precious gift of time and keep us separated from Your presence. We love You and give ourselves as willing vessels to serve You according to Your plans for us. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray. Amen.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 20, 2024

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin’ ” —John 8:31-32, 34

“He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor.” —Proverbs 21:21

To abide in Christ is to delve into the Scriptures and to obey and follow His commands. Jesus is the Word. Jesus is Truth! The Omniscient eyes of God roam the earth and He sees the true status of our hearts [Hebrews 4:13]. If our love for God is genuine and we desire to know the Truth then we are spiritually connected to the heart of Christ, and the Holy Spirit imparts the wisdom to understand the deeper meaning of the Scriptures and the Righteousness of Christ.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” —Matthew 5:6

Recently I read a post entitled “When will sermons change from feel good and return to the Gospel Truth?” To commit oneself to live a surrendered life, strive for holiness, pray fervently, and study the Scriptures only to hear “feel-good sermons” with selected truths must be a profound disappointment. Yet, one must not despair. Loving God with all of our hearts not only increases our faith, but our dedication allows the Holy Spirit to strengthen our bond with Christ.

“O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.” —Psalm 63:1

The believer who wrote the post on seeking sermons based on spiritual sustenance was alerted by the Holy Spirit [our Spiritual Alarm] that something was not right. Not only will the Holy Spirit convict us of the sin within our hearts, but we will also receive warnings regarding the half-truths of omission when preached, written in many Inspirational books, and posted on the Christian blogs. Sadly, pastors and authors exist who are more interested in member and reader recognition than in Christ’s saving grace and teach messages that reinforce the false belief that eternal life is an easy reward.

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” —John 7:38

The believers who are desperately thirsting for Christ, the Living Water receive immediate Divine intervention. God does not allow those who seek to remain spiritually empty nor does He leave them in the darkness of only hearing the feel-good messages. The Holy Spirit responds to our prayers of faith for guidance by always revealing a Bible-based church whose pastoral staff is preparing its members for eternal life.

The apostle Paul wrote a warning for the church: “The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3).

“The Greek word translated ‘itching’ literally means ‘to itch, rub, scratch, or tickle.’ To want one’s ears ‘tickled’ is to desire massages rather than messages—sermons that charm rather than challenge, entertain rather than edify, and please rather than preach.” Gotquestions.com

The reality is that Biblical prophecies are rapidly being fulfilled. We are the “Last Days” generation who desire to hear and read the all-is-well sermons and blogs that promote happiness and to enjoy one’s life because Christ paid it all. The messages of doing nothing for our spiritual transformation because we are covered by grace, or to do good and believe in your heart that you are going to heaven along with the “Name it and Claim It” prosperity and healing concepts are not Bible-Based.

“…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” —Hebrews 12:1-3

How did we transition from praying for the strength to persevere and run daily in the tumultuous Christian race to desiring an earthly life of bliss and contentment? “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).

In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus addressed Judging Others, Asking and Seeking Spiritual Blessings, the Narrow Way versus the Broad Way, Recognizing Signs of False Prophets and Teachers, I Never Knew You, and Building Our Spiritual Foundation on Christ, the Solid Rock. Jesus forewarned us that our lives would be filled with tribulations, yet, we must never lose hope because our victory is found in Him.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” —1 Peter 3:15

Every member of the church is a disciple and was left with the responsibility to do our part in sharing the Gospel Truth. Whether we are Christian bloggers, writers, digital content and social media creators, prayer warriors, musicians, singers, poets, missionaries, Bible teachers, or on the maintenance crew in the upkeep of the church, every believer has the responsibility to tell others that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Praying for the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to speak through us and for us only has one outcome, we post the One and Only Entire Truth, not from our perspective, but as willing vessels whom the Holy Spirit anoints. Yes, we have the freedom to use our individual styles of creativity, yet, we must never present God’s Truth as watered-down or carefully designed buffered messages of omission that flatter the readers, viewers, or ourselves.

Too much is given, much is expected. We must use our spiritual gifts to scratch itching ears with the powerful, life-changing Truth of the Word of God. Christ has chosen us to write, speak, sing, pray, and share the Scriptural messages of Truth given by the Holy Spirit that challenge, edify, and provoke both the creator and the viewer/hearer to experience deep conviction and desire true conversion of the heart.

“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.” —Luke 12:40,43

God, we thank You for the gift of Jesus, Your Son that we may receive eternal life if we so choose. Lord, we pray for the courage to share the One and Only Biblical Truth without hesitation even when we are rejected and scorned. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray. Amen.

True Religion Produces Humility

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 18, 2024

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” —Matthew 5:3

By possessing a spirit of humility and compassion, Christ presented a marked difference between Himself and the religious leaders of His time who felt they were the source of knowledge and rich in spiritual treasure. “The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector’ ” (Luke 18:11).

“As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.’ ” —Romans 3:10-12

Although most Christians would never utter the Pharisee’s arrogant words, we suffer from the silent sin of self-exaltation. We measure ourselves using earthly standards—we are knowledgeable, and do good works, but we compare ourselves to others by measuring the various sins on a scale. Like the Pharisees, we console ourselves by thinking, “At least, I am not committing those great and terrible sins.”

“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” —Proverbs 14:12

God desires for us to understand that we are in a state of continuous spiritual poverty because our hearts are naturally carnal. We may deny the reality of our plight, however, our greatest battle comes from within—we inherited desperately wicked hearts [Jeremiah 17:9]. Self-perception will always be in opposition to how God sees us with His Holy eyes. Truthfully, we can receive abundant blessings and sin against God on the same day.

The Plan for Overcoming Our Enemy Within

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” —Romans 7:15, NIV

To receive victory, our first action is to acknowledge and accept our struggle with faithfully trusting and obeying God. The human effort of self-control along with asking the Holy Spirit for spiritual strength gives us the ability to rebuke and stand down the desires of our hearts. Still, our fight is daily. We must choose who will be the master of our lives. Either we will submit to God or we will continue to please ourselves.

Living the Victorious Life!

Jesus demonstrated Spiritual humility to God. What is Spiritual humility? To faithfully follow God requires a loving heart, surrender, and obedience. Serving God eliminates passivity. God has always required human effort in the plan of Redemption. “Not my will, but Your will be done” was Christ’s daily prayer. The spoken words of “God, I love You also require the dutiful action of obedience. We prove our love by acquiescing to God’s Sovereignty through a daily prayer of surrender and we choose to follow His directives.

Love for God requires reinforcement! Much prayer and Bible Study keep us in the presence of God. Dedicated love prevents us from disobeying God. Our mindset is one in which we fully trust God to do what is best for our lives. The heart filled with Spiritual humility is totally reliant upon Christ who is the Lord of our lives.

“The Lord GOD has opened My ears, and I have not been rebellious, nor have I turned back.” —Isaiah 50:5

Spiritual Humility is the instinctive desire to surrender ourselves to God. Our worship includes a time of meditation whereby we strive to listen to the Voice of God. The Holy Spirit enters our hearts and we respond with deep conviction and obedience. When we truly love God, we acknowledge that obedience is our only acceptable sacrificial gift.

True religion is found in the heart filled with overwhelming love for God which is the foundation for possessing a spirit of humility. We do not think our own thoughts, fulfill our desires by following our inclinations, or determine the steps of our earthly journey. Christ shepherds our Chosen Path and the Holy Spirit reveals the steps of our predestined journey to us through prayer and the Scriptures.

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” —Philippians 2:8

The Reality: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” —2 Timothy 3:1-5

The Invitation: “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

The Reward: “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” —Revelation 3:21

God, we ask forgiveness for our refusal to surrender and humble ourselves by seeking Your will and casting aside our earthly desires. Lord, we thank You for the sacrificial offering of Your life that we may receive our inheritance of eternal life if we abide in You. We love You, King Jesus, and ask to be filled with the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit. Lead us in our earthly journey as we prepare for Your soon coming. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

God’s Divine Nature is Love

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 17, 2024

“And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” —1 John 4:10

“We love Him because He first loved us.” —1 John 4:19

For an understanding of the origin of love, we refer to the Scriptures. The Characters of God, the Father, God, Jesus the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit are Love. Only human beings were fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. We are the only living beings for which Christ died which is a powerful indicator of His overwhelming love.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” —2 Timothy 1:7

God gifted us with the innate characteristics [present at birth] of power, a sound mind, self-control, free will of choice, and a heart filled with love. Because of the ravages of sin not everyone has a sound mind but all can freely love God and others. Even those who are developmentally disabled can love and respond to love. If we prayed for the wisdom to grasp the magnitude of God’s love and appreciated our gifts, we would readily consecrate our lives to Him.

“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

Christ’s Divine Nature is Love—”Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” —John 15:13

Every believer is commanded to love like Christ: “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us” (1 John 4:12). Because we are impacted by our various backgrounds and life experiences, we must learn God’s definition of Love by studying 1 Corinthians chapter 13.

God’s character and Divine nature reveal that He is a Holy and Righteous God. “…because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy…’ ” (1 Peter 1:16), God requires that we strive for righteousness. The Holy Spirit with our cooperation empowers us to accomplish above and beyond our human abilities.

Our steadfast love for God and the commitment to make Jesus our First Love results in the Holy Spirit guiding us every step on our Chosen Path of spiritual transformation. We are never alone in our spiritual journey. Our love for God produces devout faith and obedience which overrule our natural desires and we acquiesce to His Sovereign plans.

Surrender and obedience are the fruits of love that keep us grounded in our relationship with Christ. If we love Christ then our hearts are connected to Him. And from that connection, we receive our Savior’s abundant love which acts as a spiritual catalyst to dedicate ourselves to God. Daily consecration and surrender to God’s will requires courage and perseverance. When we proclaim, “Jesus, I will follow You,” we may lose the support of family and friends who will not understand our spiritual commitment.

What does it mean to commit ourselves to God? The Apostle Paul’s answer is “…to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God…” (Romans 12:1).

The simple answer is that we must stop choosing sin. Is it possible to live a sin-free life? Enoch and Job are two men of God who lived a sinless life. How can we walk with God? Spiritually, we are never alone. God honors our decision when we dedicate ourselves to following Christ. Not only do we receive God’s Divine promises of resolution in our hardships, but we also receive wisdom, strength, and comfort through the Holy Spirit.

Christ the Commander dispatches angels who fight the evil forces of spiritual warfare and assist us in staying on the narrow Path of Righteousness. The righteous are truly loved by God.

As long as we stay spiritually connected to Christ, we are promised the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit to live as victors. Through daily worship, we reinforce our love relationship with Christ. God opens the windows of heaven to give us the blessings of spiritual guidance, wisdom, strength, and discernment. Making prayer our first and continuous response keeps us connected to the Source of Life.

The Win-Win Spiritual Strategy: “But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray [in seclusion].” —Luke 16, AMP Bible

In studying the life of Christ, we are given the key to keeping our love alive and remaining loyal to God, much prayer! Twice daily worship is not enough. We cannot run and win this Christian race using spurts of spiritual energy. Stay in God’s presence by whispering short prayers throughout your waking hours.

The Nature of God: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, 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

To be like Christ, the Holy Spirit with our cooperation transforms our minds, characters, and personalities into the likeness of Christ’s righteousness. The believer’s journey includes praying morning, noon, and night. Much prayer reinforces our love for God, forms an unbreakable bond that allows us to abide in Christ, and invites the Holy Spirit to empower us to live righteously!

“…You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God.” —Psalm 40:17

To receive spiritual strength, use your time wisely. Fight the enemy’s plans with prayer. The earnest prayer of surrender that we offer in morning worship requires a prayer of reinforcement for Divine Help when the afternoon and evening temptations arise. Every prayer we speak even when all is well should include the request for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

The mercies of a new day will always require a struggle against our carnal desires. When facing temptation, respond with prayer, ask for the Divine Help of the Holy Spirit, and stand your ground by declaring No to sin. We can proclaim much love for God and live disciplined lives, but we were not created with the ability to overcome temptation and sin without the Holy Spirit’s power.

The Holy Spirit [our Teacher] empowers us with Jesus’ spiritual strength to perceive life through spiritual eyes and to overcome temptation. Still, we must use our God-given attribute of self-control to rebuke our heart’s carnal desires. The Holy Spirit always warns us of temptation before we step into sin’s danger zone. The decision is ours to make. Either, we use our free will to choose righteousness or we succumb to sin.

“No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” —1 John 3:9, NIV

If choosing between right and wrong is a struggle then we have a heart issue. We cannot measure love for God in increments—loving God is all [100%] or nothing [0%]. When our hearts are overflowing with love for Christ, we do not have the desire to willingly sin against God. Our love for God remains steadfast because we remember Jesus paid for our freedom with His blood sacrifice that God, the Father required for our redemption.

Loving Christ fuels our desire to remain loyal and to stay in the safety of Jesus, our Shepherd. We steadfastly proclaim, Because I love God, I will not compromise! Every believer is dependent on the Holy Spirit to change us into the image of Christ. The heart filled with love for God, others, and self [in that order] is the only heart that is acceptable to God and the only heart that the Holy Spirit will enter.

The Human Effort of Love + Surrender + Obedience + The Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit = God’s Goal of Our Spiritual Transformation

God, teach us to love. We desire to have a heart overflowing with Agape love for You and others. We ask for the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit. When we are thinking our thoughts, we ask the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sins. God, we love You, worship You, and praise Your Holy Name. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we pray in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.

Jesus Gives Us True Rest

Our Daily Walk with Christ – Devotional – March 14, 2024

“And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’ ” —Luke 4:17-19

“So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way” (Luke 4:28-30).

In Jesus’ earthly life, He suffered many atrocities including constant rejection and hatred. One of the most significant incidents occurred when He was rejected in Nazareth [the city where He was raised] involving worshipers in the synagogue who turned into an angry mob because Jesus proclaimed He was the Messiah.

Although Satan desired to kill Christ and the Pharisees devised many plots to rid themselves of the Teacher who proclaimed He was the Son of God, God, the Father provided continuous angelic protection throughout the earthly life of His only Son. No harm would ever come to Christ until the Plan of Redemption was completed on Calvary’s cross and Jesus arose from the dead. Refer to Matthew 26:52-54.

“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

As followers of Christ, we must also endure many of life’s ups and downs in our earthly journey. Although most hardships make us feel as if we were the only survivors on a deserted island, nothing could be further from the truth. Because of Jesus’ love and devotion for humanity, He condescended from His Heavenly throne to live a life of sorrow. Jesus the Divine became human and possesses experiential knowledge of our challenges and temptations.

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” —Psalm 46:1

To experience a heart-to-heart bond with Christ, believers are required to possess core characteristics of Righteousness—love, faith, obedience, humility, compassion, and immense gratitude. We must commit the Biblical history of Christ’s life to memory. It is impossible to have a spiritual connection with our Savior and Intercessor when we lack a knowledge base of His life.

Have you noticed there are Four Gospels written by four authors—the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, documenting Jesus’ life on earth? Studying the life of Christ changes our perception of who He is. Jesus is no longer a stranger when we ask the Holy Spirit to give us a deeper spiritual understanding of Christ in our quest for Scriptural knowledge of His life of 33 years.

Not only does Jesus become our First Love, but our faith and trust in Him strengthens. Instead of relying on ourselves, we develop an automatic response of calling on the name of Jesus when facing all hardships. Most importantly, bonding with Christ in our earthly lives prepares us to live with our King eternally.

The worldview of moving forward based on one’s strategic thinking to resolve challenges is the mindset of the transgressing unbelievers who do not mind suffering consequences. Many Christians also practice this concept of self-reliance because they trust themselves above God.

Acknowledging that Christ is the Son of God, but never fully trusting Him leaves us spiritually empty. We can verbalize Jesus’ name, but we will never relinquish our will to God unless we have given Him our hearts. Sadly, traveling on the broad and crooked path of self-reliance separates us from God.

“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

Human reasoning can never compete with or replace God’s Sovereign Omniscience and Omnipotence which always renders Divine outcomes of perfection and completion. We were not created to stand alone in our journey. A dependent relationship with Christ frees us from the need to brainstorm for possible solutions that are destined to fail.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” —Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus has extended the invitation to give Him all of our burdens, yet to receive His intervention requires daily surrender. The righteous have privileges and promises that have never come to fruition in the lives of many believers because they have not embraced Christ as their First Love. The rest for our souls is only a humble prayer away, “Jesus, I love You and I need Your help.”

As a testimony, those who have committed their hearts to Christ, receive an all-inclusive daily gift package of love, redeeming grace, peace, rest, contentment, mercies, and 24/7 angelic protection. And in return, all Jesus asks of His greatly beloved is to follow Him in wilful obedience. Taking the leap of faith by placing 100% trust in our gentle and lowly King is our only option if we desire rest [peace of mind, body, and soul] and victorious outcomes.

“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You Because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” —Isaiah 26:3-4

Set a goal for 2024 to study the Four Gospels. Although it may seem strange to take one year to study four books of the Bible, knowing the life of Christ provides the foundation for a dependent love relationship with Him on earth and gives us the desire to live with our King eternally.

Lord, we come to You, bringing every challenge and worry because we have failed to trust You and now we are weary. Thank You for being our Savior, Burden-bearer, and our Protector. Forgive us for taking Your love, grace, mercies, and protection for granted. We ask this prayer in Your Holy Name, Amen.

Christ, the Sun of Righteousness

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 11, 2024

Yesterday, I took a midday walk, and the sun’s warmth felt like a loving embrace. Feeling uplifted, I prayed and began to smile. Yes, I felt extreme happiness as I reflected on the goodness of God. To be honest, I felt joyful and energized all day long. Still, something was different.

I understand the blessings of being in God’s presence through daily worship, but I begin to think deeply about the warmth of the sunlight. What is the effect of sunlight on the human body? But most importantly, while worshiping out in nature, I experienced a greater spiritual blessing along with mental clarity and physical energy that was different from my indoor worship.

So, I put my research hat on because I had to know, first, how the sun affects one’s mood and energy level. To clarify, my interest was not in the pagan practice of sun worship. Perhaps God was revealing to me the benefits of worshiping Him outside in the beauty of nature.

“Exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin is associated with boosting the mood and helping a person feel calm and focused. Serotonin is a chemical messenger that is involved in controlling your mood. (healthdirect.gov.au)

“The Sun is our solar system’s only star. It is a dynamic star, constantly changing and sending energy out into space. Life on Earth is only possible because of the Sun’s light and energy.” (science.nasa.gov)

When we pray for knowledge and understanding, the Holy Spirit always gives us the spiritual wisdom to discern God’s perfect plan for the believer’s life. During my evening Bible Study, the author identified Christ as the Sun of Righteousness [the reason one feels spiritually energized]. Although I accomplished several things on my to-do list, late into the evening, I still felt like I could run a marathon.

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” —3 John 1:2

Yesterday, God reminded me of my duty to follow His physical health laws and principles. Christ created the human body with the anatomy and physiology for movement [not to live a sedentary lifestyle]. Our physical health plays an important role in our spiritual and holistic health. Worshiping while walking allowed me to receive a double blessing that energized my spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health.

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.” —Psalm 84:11

Christ is “the Sun of Righteousness.” He is like the sun…the great light of the world that dispels darkness. Christ is the “Sun” that enlightens the righteous with the light of His grace, warms them with the beams of his love, and provides cheer and refreshes their souls with the light of his countenance. (Bible Commentary)

The phrase “the sun of righteousness” also appears in Malachi 4:2: “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.” This blessing is promised to those who fear the Lord and are preparing every day for Christ’s return. (Bible Commentary)

Both the sons of Korah [Musicians and singers whom King David selected and appointed) and Malachi proclaims Christ as the Sun of Righteousness. Yet, Jesus Himself established His identity as the Light of the World: “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life’ ” (John 8:12).

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” —Revelation 3:20

We receive Christ’s Light from our willingness to have a heart-to-heart relationship with Him. Whether the Sun [Christ] fully reveals Himself or hides behind the billowy clouds depends on our choice. Will we embrace the glory of Christ’s light by opening the windows of our hearts with a prayer to invite Him in? Or have we decided to avoid the Sun of Righteousness’ life-changing Light by keeping the door of our hearts closed?

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

The individual who refuses to open their blinds, and curtains, or to go outside and enjoy even a few moments of sunlight will eventually have low levels of serotonin, resulting in a depressed mood. Without opening the windows of our hearts [through prayer and faithful obedience] we deny ourselves the redeeming light of Christ’s countenance, consequently, our hearts become gloomy resulting in a life of spiritual darkness.

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” —1 John 5:3

The Sun of Righteousness defines loving God as the foundation of our relationship with Him. When we love God, our heart is filled with the attribute of meekness, and our first response to a new day is to surrender. Christ rewards our obedience by shining His light on us and we immediately feel the warmth of the bright beams of Jesus’ love deep within our souls.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” —Matthew 5:16

Only those who are willing to travel with the Sun of Righteousness on the narrow Path will receive the ever-shining heavenly light of Grace and be drenched by the refreshing showers of God’s love and mercies. The Holy Spirit imparts the daily gifts of spiritual peace, joy, happiness, contentment, wisdom, and strength which are freely given to sustain and energize the Light within our souls.

If NASA agrees that life on Earth is only possible because of the Sun’s light and energy then as believers, we must wholeheartedly agree that Christ, the Sun of Righteousness is our only option for sustaining us spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically in our Spiritual Journey on this Earth!

“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” —Ephesians 5:8

Jesus, we thank You for shining Your bright beams of love, grace, and mercies in our souls. We ask for the Light of the Holy Spirit to permeate our hearts so that we may walk as children of light. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray. Amen.

The Lord’s Great Faithfulness

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 9, 2024

“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!’ ” —Lamentations 3:22-24

When we think of worshiping God, our thoughts usually gravitate toward corporate worship in church. The apostle Paul commands us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves because the church provides spiritual sustenance and a sense of belonging when among other believers. But weekly worship cannot give us the spiritual nourishment required to strengthen our faith in God and withstand the fiery darts of the enemy for the remaining six days of the week.

It is the consistent daily morning and evening secret closet worship that reflects our love and commitment to God, invites the Holy presence of God into our lives, establishes and maintains our relationship with Christ, and invites the Holy Spirit to perform our spiritual transformation. Our inward love for God is reflected outwardly by our praise and worship.

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” — Daniel 6:10

Intimate communion with God not only builds our faith and trust in Him but we also develop the habit of prayer as the first response when challenges arise. Recently, I asked God how I could increase my faith to a “move the mountain” level. On Friday evening, I watched a program with a 3-person panel on remembrance, expressing gratitude to God, and changing our prayer habits.

“They did not keep the covenant of God; They refused to walk in His law, And forgot His works And His wonders that He had shown them. Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. He divided the sea and caused them to pass through, And He made the waters stand up like a heap.” —Psalm 78:10-13

The panel’s answer to not repeating the Israelites’ behavior of forgetfulness in the wilderness: “Spiritually, to remember goes beyond intellectual thought processes. We make a habit of remembering God’s Divine Intervention and the many victories we have received. Remembering daily blessings acts as a catalyst to move us forward in faith and to reflect deeply on the kindness and goodness of God.”

Yes, we may criticize the Israelites and wonder, How could they be so ungrateful to God who emancipated them from Egyptian slavery, opened the Red Sea, and gave them many blessings every day? Sadly, we are modern-day Israelites who also forget to remember God’s goodness. How often do we thank God for the blessings that we consider as small—the mercies of life, health, mental and physical strength, safety, housing, and our daily provisions?

The human mind cannot remember what is not appreciated. Our memories usually only extend to the past two to three months of receiving the big blessings. We lose our excitement and cease to verbalize praise and thankfulness because we are distracted by the desire for more. We can receive God’s abundant blessings and like the Israelites in the wilderness, we forget to remember the Lord’s faithfulness. “Because of our unbelief and ingratitude, we limit God’s blessings in our lives.” (Panel remark)

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” —Psalm 136:1

The good news is that we can immediately change our spirit of ingratitude by repenting and expressing our love and appreciation to God in prayer. Daniel not only established a daily practice of praying out loud three times a day, but he also maintained a continuous mindset of prayerful reverence for God. Never take any aspect of your life for granted, everything we have is a gift from our loving Heavenly Father.

Whisper prayers of Thank You, God, throughout your waking hours. God is always loving, gracious, and faithful. His mercies sustain us every day and for this, He deserves all the honor, glory, and praise. To have mountain-moving faith not only requires much prayer but we must also have a deep love for our Heavenly Father, the Source of our lives.

Express gratitude immediately! There are no coincidences in the believer’s life. Thank God for every little and big blessing throughout the given day. Our lives are extremely busy. We often forget the blessings we receive during the day later in the evening. Within a couple of weeks of thanking God more often, our minds respond and we have formed a spiritual habit that honors God.

Speaking praises out loud utilizes our gift of speech, the sound waves are captured by our ears, and our frontal lobes form and retain our spoken words of gratitude as long-term memories. Praise the Lord for His overwhelming love, His abundant showers of mercies, and His great faithfulness! Praise the Lord!

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done…” —Psalm 105:1-5

Rejoicing for Today’s New Mercies

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 8, 2023

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 5:34)

The gift of life is often taken for granted, we make plans for tomorrow, next week, next year, and our retirement years. Yes, we must fulfill our duty to maintain a healthy lifestyle which includes future appointments and taking nature breaks for the maintenance of our spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health, still, we should not plan or worry about an unknown future.

Jesus tells us to live for today. Those who enjoy financial stability often worry more than those who have meager means. Will the company I work for remain solvent? Will my children attend college? Will we have enough money to retire? These are thoughts that keep us distracted and prevent us from having a heart overflowing with gratitude for the mercies and goodness of God

A grateful heart allows us to view life through spiritual eyes. We have confidence and live courageously because we know that God is good. Every morning, whisper words of gratitude, Thank You, Lord, for this wonderful, new day of life. In Jesus Holy Name, Amen. Most certainly, our Heavenly Father deserves our love.