Devotional – Page 29 – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

The Response of a Converted Heart

Today’s Devotional – The Response of a Converted Heart – November 12, 2023

Recently, I watched an interview with a younger Maya Angelou who in 1970 wrote “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” and also received the Chubb Fellowship from Yale University. The question was asked, Which college did you graduate from? Her reply, “None, although I only have a high school education, I am a professor at four universities, I have received a Chubb Fellowship from Yale University, and speak six languages, all of these accomplishments are based on my works.”

During Ms. Angelou’s final interview with Oprah Winfrey, she recounted her spiritual conversion. While having a casual conversation with a friend, he changed the subject by saying, “God loves you,” a concept she had never heard before. He instructed her to say “God loves me.” At first, she casually repeated the words, God loves me over and over without any emotion. Then he asked her to close her eyes and say it with conviction. This time when she said, God loves me, she felt the love of God in her heart and cried like a little child. At that moment, Ms. Angelou accepted Christ, and her heart was converted.

During her later years, Ms. Angelou’s writings and conversations with others reflected her love for God. Like the younger Maya Angelou who expressed that her accomplishments were achieved by her works, many of today’s Christian believers are striving for earthly accolades through their works. Instead of using their spiritual gifts and talents to honor and glorify God, they strive to bring attention to themselves.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” —Matthew 7:21, BSB

How does a believer who accepted Christ as their personal Savior end up practicing self-glorification instead of honoring God the Giver of all good things?

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service.” —Romans 12:1

Our love for God has declined. We have embraced the false belief of once saved always saved, therefore, we cease worshiping God in Spirit and truth. Like Cain, we determine how we will worship God. Because God is not first in our lives, we no longer strive for the righteousness described in the Scriptures, “Be holy, for I AM Holy”.

We go through the ritual of praying and having a casual Bible study, but we do not pray the daily prayer of surrender. Nor do we seek God’s will and plans because we already have planned our agenda for the given day and our lives which reveals an unconverted heart. This week, I read a profound quote by Francis Chan, “Why are we so quick to forget God? Who do we think we are?” Jesus reminds us that only a few will enter the narrow gate [Matthew 7:13-14].

“Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.’ ” —Matthew 18:2-3

Why little children? Young children believe everything they hear, they are loving, faithful, trusting, and obedient always striving to please mommy and daddy. If parents nurture these qualities in their children from a young age, they have a better chance of growing into thriving, well-adjusted adults.

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17.

One author’s definition of Conversion: “The old nature, born of blood and the will of the flesh, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The old ways, the hereditary tendencies, and the former habits must be given up; for grace is not inherited. The new birth consists in having new motives, new tastes, new tendencies. Those who are begotten unto a new life by the Holy Spirit, have become partakers of the divine nature, and in all their habits and practices they will give evidence of their relationship to Christ.”

Although we accept Christ, we have an internal battle that must be fought daily with the help of the Holy Spirit. The unconverted heart is filled with pride and selfishness. Our inherited sinful nature drives us to fulfill every thought of self-satisfaction and to follow our inclinations. Without daily surrender of our will to God, we will possess the same soul-destroying confidence the Pharisees exhibited. By practicing self-righteousness, they deemed their outward works as acceptable to God.

“Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.” —Luke 18:9-12

Today’s Christians usually do not compare themselves to others, we have adopted the worldview of “Your truth is your truth and my truth is my truth” and we use our standard of truth to serve God. Still we desire to receive our heavenly reward, but it is impossible without a converted heart.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…” —Philippians 2:12

The converted believer prays differently, “God, I surrender my will to Your will, Your way, and Your plans for today. And I ask you to anoint me with the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. Give me the wisdom and discernment before I speak and make any decisions that will impact my life. Let every word and action represent the love of Christ and honor Your Holy Name. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.”

Sanctification is the daily [and lifelong] spiritual process of growth and transformation of our mind, character, and personality into the likeness of Christ. With our surrender and commitment, the Holy Spirit empowers us to change and gives us the strength to overcome.

Those with converted hearts realize their human limitations of not being able to save themselves. So in humility, their daily prayers resemble the tax collector’s prayer. Yes, we are sinners saved by grace, still, every day we must renew our covenant with God through a prayer of complete surrender.

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

We can pray, study the bible, attend church, and help others, yet it is impossible to change our hearts based on our efforts. Daily surrender requires a spirit of humility. Even when we embrace 100% of God’s Truth, the human heart naturally resists surrendering to God and others. How many times have we said or done wrong injuring others but adamantly refused to surrender and repent?

Do not coddle your heart! The greatest battles come from within fueled by the deceitfulness of believing that spiritually all is well. When Jesus says, You can do nothing without me, believe Him! Reflect deeply on His revelation of our limitations. Each day by giving God complete control of our minds, we are converted by Christ’s righteousness breathed into us by the Holy Spirit.

The righteous are privileged. We receive God’s favor and blessings every day. What else can we give to Jesus, our King that is more important than the surrender of our hearts? Obedience is our highest act of worship. To completely give ourselves to God is not giving up our free will, we surrender our mind to God because we love Him, and know that we cannot change our carnal hearts.

The trajectory of our lives must change. We have to change everything about ourselves before we can go to heaven. When we strive to do our best, Christ becomes our righteousness, and the Holy Spirit works daily to transform us. When we put forth the human effort to get rid of our unrighteous habits and behaviors, we are covered by the love, grace, and mercies of God. And Christ our Heavenly Intercessor works with the Holy Spirit to produce a righteous character.

Perhaps we should declare “God loves me” with conviction and verbalize gratitude throughout our waking hours. Saying, God, I love You proves that we serve Him because our hearts belong to Him and we appreciate everything He has done and is doing to save our souls. Certainly, the Father who gave Jesus, His only Son for us deserves to hear that He is loved.

A believer who desires a converted heart lives with the mindset of “I surrender all,” readily inviting Christ every day into their heart by asking Him to sanctify them through His Righteousness.

Prayer: “Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Jesus, we thank You for loving us and we love You. Thank You for your loving sacrifice and your grace and mercies. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

The Long-Distance Runner

The Long-Distance Runner, Today’s Devotional November 10, 2023

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” —Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV

There are three attributes a Christian must possess to be a distance runner in the Christian race, love for God, discipline [self-control], and structure leading to completion.

Love produces the willingness to surrender to God and serve Him with faithful obedience. Every day we pray the prayer of surrender and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s will for the given day. We nourish our souls with the life-giving words of God by diligently studying the Holy Scriptures and building our relationship with Christ by praying throughout our waking hours.
Self-control is a Fruit of the Spirit. With our gift of an intelligent and sound mind, we embrace and practice discipline by not participating in harmful-sinful behaviors. We adhere to Scriptural guidelines which identify God’s perfect choices to keep us aligned with His will and focused on Christ. Obedience and self-control result in the spiritual well-being of our minds, bodies, and souls. By carefully selecting only the activities, foods, and friends that honor God, we optimize our spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health to run, run, run!
From studying the Creation story, we find God’s Characteristics include structure and completion. Stop multi-tasking! We have no evidence in the Bible that God or Jesus in His earthly life did several things at once. Multi-tasking is a human-derived concept [originating from spiritual warfare] that creates chaotic thinking, increased stress, and wearies our minds and bodies.

“And He said to them, ‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.” —Mark 6:31

Too much on our agendas not only causes frustration and fatigue but we are too exhausted to have effectual personal worship with God. The secret closet time away from spouse and children is the time in which we receive spiritual restoration and strength from the Holy Spirit. God never expects us to be in church for every service, meeting, and community outreach activity. Even Jesus established boundaries when ministering to the multitudes.

Filling our schedules to the point that we do not have downtime results in a spirit of defeat. Multi-tasking and tight schedules prevent us from receiving our Divine gifts of joy and peace. When our schedules are full, the first area to suffer is our relationship with Christ. We skip worship, defer Bible study, and mumble quick prayers which prevents us from receiving the spiritual sustenance required to run the race.

Developing a work-life-task balance results in a structured lifestyle that allows us to enjoy our earthly lives and stay close to Christ. Completing our daily tasks gives us a sense of accomplishment and validates a job well done. In the Creation Story, after Christ completed His work, He reflected “…And God saw that it was good” (Genesis, Chapter 1), and was happy with the perfect outcome.

Distractions come in many forms, yet, God has endowed us with the ability to use our sound minds. By saying no to people, places, and things we can accomplish our goals. Believers can learn much from long-distance and marathon runners who live extremely structured lives. These disciplined athletes possess an invincible mindset and never lose sight of their overall goal, to win the race!

“Hellen Onsando Obiri (born 13 December 1989) is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. She is the only woman to have won multiple world titles in indoor track.” Wikipedia

Unless we are long-distance runners, we can only imagine the response of the human body exposed to daily rigorous training and one that is placed under the subjection of a disciplined and structured mind. The results speak for themselves, she stands alone in her victories.

Something is awry when we have individuals who are willing to adopt and adhere to the stringent guidelines and training necessary to run long-distance races for earthly prizes but as Christians running in the spiritual race. we become distracted, discouraged, and falter when facing trials and obstacles.

The Apostle Paul compares our spiritual journey to running a long-distance race that requires endurance and perseverance. God never expected us to become long-distance runners without His Divine Intervention. Throughout the Scriptures, we have the instructions necessary to place our minds and bodies into subjection to Jesus Christ who freely gives us the grace to win the Long-Distance Race.

Earthly runners win based on their efforts, but we were created to run and win the race by using our human effort to reach out and ask for the Holy Spirit to empower us with the wisdom, discernment, and strength to keep running until Jesus comes again [Revelation 22:12].

Guidelines for the Christian Runner

“So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 [Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation]. 15 But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; 16 because it is written, ‘You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.’ ” —1 Peter 1:13-16, Amplified Bible

The human effort of loving and obeying God with all of our hearts, souls, and minds allows us to receive supernatural strength from the Three Divine Powers of the Triune Godhead, God, the Father, God, Jesus the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit. With a spiritual mindset to run until the end, our daily prayers for Divine Help are received by the Holy Spirit who relays them to Christ, our Intercessor, and He answers our cries for help immediately. Every day we receive the spiritual fortification that empowers us to adhere to God’s stringent spiritual standards of holiness to win the long-distance race!

God required Jesus to learn obedience in His earthly life, to live in poverty, and during His ministry “not have a place to lay His head” [homelessness] and to be obedient unto death on the cross.

How far are you willing to go for God? It’s a question we rarely think about, yet, our answer to the question determines whether we will receive our reward of eternal life from Christ or throw in the towel from disappointment and exhaustion.

Like the early Christians, will we keep running despite the earthly outcome [Read Hebrews 11:35-39], or we will cease running as the rich, young ruler did, and turn and walk away with sorrow? [Read Mark 10:21-22]. If we do not have knowledge of Moses, Joseph, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and their spiritual journeys then our answer will be based on conjecture instead of the actual distance God requires of us.

To train as a runner in the Spiritual Long-Distance race, we must dedicate ourselves to surrendering and obeying God’s Spiritual Guidelines for runners. With perseverance, we consecrate ourselves by making a daily covenant vow to let go of every habit, behavior, and person that prevents us from winning the Race!

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” —Romans 8:18

In Jesus’ Name, Run Brothers and Sisters, Run!

Prayer: God, from this day forward, we surrender ourselves to be long-distance runners in the Christian race. We pray for a Divine blessing of anointing, power, wisdom, and strength to do Your will and to keep running until Jesus comes. In Jesus’ Holy name, we pray, Amen.

Surrender Requires Strength

Surrender Requires Strength Today’s Devotional November 9, 2023

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

Surrendering to the will of God is to serve God and receive Him more fully into your life. We do His will because God loves us. Our love for God is the catalyst that propels us to seek His face every morning and surrender our hearts, minds, and bodies to Him.

“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

Because we realize our dilemma of inheriting a carnal heart, we ask for spiritual strength, wisdom, and discernment from the Holy Spirit not only when we awaken but throughout our waking hours to overcome our desires and spiritual warfare. Surrender requires more than human effort.

For us to recognize the Voice of God, faithfully obey, and overcome temptation is humanly impossible without the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit. It is our intention to stay on the Path of Righteousness, but we can never order our steps to walk in holiness without the Holy Spirit.

“For I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15). “For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want” (Galatians 5:17).

How we long for spiritual growth and the strength to just say no to every temptation. But that will never happen in our earthly lives without continuous surrender. Every day we fight against the raging desires of our hearts and adopting the world’s sinful behaviors.

Without the daily prayer of “Jesus, I surrender all to You” and the contrite plea for the Holy Spirit to give us strength and spiritual discernment, we cannot overcome the raging war within us to please ourselves.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” —Jeremiah 17:9-10

We inherited our carnal hearts. God knew the daily struggle we would face, the inner conflict of choosing right over wrong, and accepting truth or embracing error. Thankfully, God, the Father, and Jesus, God, the Son created the perfect plan of Redemption before Adam and Eve were created. We have an Advocate and Intercessor to help us. We are truly loved by God!

Because God is love, He desires that we also love Him. Gifted with a sound mind, a measure of faith, and the free will to love, serve, and surrender to Him is option #1. Free will allows us to choose option #2, to serve ourselves by following our hearts. But know this, there is no middle ground in surrender. Without surrender, our carnal hearts control us and desire is never satisfied with what it has!

Sadly in 2023, many believers have chosen the second option. Like Eve, we allow ourselves to be deceived into believing that God withholds the best from us. So we take matters into our own hands. We purchase tangible goods, embrace human-derived theories, and have relationships with unbelievers just to satisfy our desires. We say, “Lord, Lord” but fail to faithfully obey God as demonstrated by our decisions and lifestyles.

Do not justify yourself for not surrendering to God. The cause, you do not love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind. The effect, possessing the spirit of Cain in our hearts who also followed his inclinations by giving God a ritualistic sacrifice. Examples of today’s ritualistic sacrifices are attending church every week and giving 10% tithe and offerings out of habit but not submitting to the authority of God.

The Worldview versus the Biblical View

Years ago, Nike had a slogan, “Just Do It!” And that mindset has permeated the Christian community. We pray and ask God for our desires [whether or not they are in His will] and if not received, we fulfill our prayers by purchasing a house or vehicle, starting a business, making financial investments, or marrying the one that God never placed His blessing upon.

Biblical View: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” —1 John 5:7

Surrender to God takes strength! Like it or not we are impacted by our family, friends, coworkers, advertisements, tech advancements, human-derived philosophies, and worldviews. Weak Christians succumb to the influences of people, places, and things because they trust in themselves. The steadfast believer readily sends up petitions and pleas for Divine Help.

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13, NLT).

Surrender demonstrates our love and loyalty to God as evidenced by faithful obedience. To live as a transformed follower of Christ we strive to worship God in spirit and in truth. When we surrender to God, our spoken words, behaviors, and choices give honor and glory to God instead of pleasing ourselves. Whatever God says to do, we do it!

Prayer: Father God, make my life Yours, Jesus take my heart, and Holy Spirit fill me with your presence and power. I surrender all. Father take my hand and teach me to recognize Your voice. And guide me in my earthly journey as I continue to look forward to the promise of a life in the New Heaven and New Earth.

Our Mental, Moral, and Physical Powers Belong to God

Our Mental, Moral, and Physical Powers Belong to God Today’s Devotional November 8, 2023

“Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.” — Revelation 5:2‭-‬4

The apostle John wept because no human was worthy to open the scroll. From biblical times when Christians chose persecution and death to uphold their belief in Jesus to the believers in the 21st century who continue to widen the chasm between themselves and Christ, the plight of today’s Christians appears grim.

The prophet Isaiah was given a vision of the Lord [Jesus] in His Glory:

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling out to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory…'” —Isaiah 6:1-3, ESV

Do we acknowledge and reverence the Divine authority of God, the Father, Jesus, God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit who is superior in Power—Omnipotent, whose presence is everywhere—Omnipresent, and All-Knowing-Omniscient, and rules this universe? Are we surrendering our entire being to Christ through faithful obedience and praying daily to be guided and anointed by the Holy Spirit?

“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” —Exodus 19:5

“…Obey My voice and keep My covenant…” We have lost our desire for true worship. Despite receiving God’s grace and endless mercies, we do not revere God as the Sovereign and Supreme Ruler of this universe or in our lives. We are involved in worship rituals by attending church and casually browsing the Bible but our hearts and desires are far removed from worshiping God in Spirit and Truth.

Reflection: We have received the gifts of a sound mind, and the ability to gain knowledge, and if we ask for spiritual wisdom, it is freely given to us, yet, are we willing to acquiesce to the Sovereignty of God with our hearts, souls, and minds? What else do we have to give?

In our quest for the acquisition of knowledge, which tree are we eating from? Our roaring lion enemy seeks to feed us from the modern tree of knowledge of good and evil. We have a voracious appetite for gathering information but the Holy Scriptures are not our primary source. Philosophies based on human reasoning attempting to explain the mysteries that God intentionally hid from humanity are sought after, accepted, and interwoven into our belief systems.

We are impacted by the various worldviews and philosophies only if we have not surrendered our mental, moral, and physical powers to Christ. When facing new knowledge [and many times it is spoken from the pulpit], the prayer for help is answered immediately by the Holy Spirit who gives us the strength and discernment to resist falling into the temptation of false beliefs. Yet, we must put forth the human effort to renounce and avoid all human wisdom that is in opposition to the word of God [the Bible].

When hearing false teachings, will we stand our ground in silence? God does not need us to defend the Bible. Nor can we convince the person of their error. We pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to them. Many things that we attempt to explain, we should leave to Divine Intervention.

My response to a neighbor who began her conversation with, “I purchased the newest version of the Bible which includes knowledge that God left out of the original Bible,” was silence. When she noticed that I never gave feedback, she immediately changed the subject. There was no need for me to engage in a foolish conversation that would have escalated into an argument that served no purpose. Maybe it was my facial expression that revealed my thoughts.

I believe in the Sovereign God and the Divine Authenticity of the KJV Bible regardless of the languages it was originally written in. When I use alternate translations for the ease of my readers, I pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit before using other versions of the Bible. I also believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead who teaches and gives us spiritual wisdom and discernment when we pray for it.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not [a jot] an iota, not [a tittle] a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” —Matthew 5:17-18

God’s boundaries for human knowledge include the inability to discern the great and hidden mysteries that will never be revealed to us in our earthly lives. Nor can we have the deepest meaning of the Scriptures without praying for the discernment and wisdom from the Holy Spirit. The new knowledge that we feed our minds with instead of God’s Truth continues to separate us from the presence of God because we refuse to surrender to the Great “I AM.”

Like Cain, surrendering our will to God in faithful obedience has been replaced by developing our versions of sacrifice. Embracing compromise by accepting middle-of-the-road standards of righteousness results in negative feelings toward a Holy and Righteous God. Hidden deep within our hearts we do not acknowledge God as a loving, Heavenly Father, and our perception of Him drives us to seek human knowledge in opposition of His will.

Challenge: Ten percent of 24 hours is 2.4 hours. Create a 3-day time log to document how you spend your time.

The struggle is real! We spend more time on devices than studying the Scriptures. It’s time for us to become more excited about the reward of eternal life in the New Heaven and New Earth than innovative tech advancements and new-age philosophies.

The Devourer is highly effective in using false predictions and teachings of unknown mysteries to distract us from not studying the Bible. No other book can give us the words spoken by God to men who were anointed by the Holy Spirit.

Are you willing to surrender your mental, moral, and physical powers to God?

Learning to reverence God requires a humble and obedient heart. It’s time for us to change our posture of pride. If angels bow and cover their faces, then we should approach God on our knees in submission to His Divine Authority. Although we cannot fully comprehend God’s love and His Greatness, in humility, we consecrate our mental, moral, and physical powers to be used and guided by the only Holy, Omnibenevolent, Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent God.

Prayer: God, we confess and repent that we have not given You the reverence that You deserve. We realize that we do not have a close relationship with Christ. Lord, we are living as if we have unlimited time on this earth. We desire to receive our reward of eternal life. Please search our hearts and reveal everything that needs to be removed. We ask for the anointing, presence, and power of the Holy Spirit. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Jesus’ Worthy name, Amen.

The Prayer that Defeated an Army of One Million Soldiers

The Prayer that Defeated an Army of One Million Soldiers Today’s Devotional November 6, 2023

“Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God…He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment.” —2 Chronicles 14:2,4

Staying Prepared Even in Times of Peace: “And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah who carried shields and spears, and from Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty men of valor.” —2 Chronicles 14:8

The Test of Faith: “Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.” —2 Chronicles 14:9-10

The Prayer of Faith: “And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, ‘Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!’ ” —2 Chronicles 14:11

God’s Completion: “So the Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled…So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the Lord and His army…” —2 Chronicles 14:12-13

“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine…” —Exodus 19:5

As Christian believers, we must fulfill the spiritual conditions of participation in our relationship with Christ—possess steadfast faith, seek the will of God every day, and respond with obedience. When we love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, it is not burdensome to surrender in obedience to His Supreme Authority.

“It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear” —Isaiah 65:24.

Have you ever conversed with one of the older members in your church who is always smiling, praying, and praising the Lord? They are never bewildered, anxious, or discouraged by the hardships of life, nor are they attempting to analyze and develop solutions to ease the difficulties caused by their trials and tribulations.

Saints who have lived long lives have learned to place all of their trust in God. They even pray differently, “God, You know about this situation, I am asking for Your help, and I thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” When praying to God for help, a single prayer of faith is sufficient.

My beautiful 90-year-old Mother recently expressed this to me, “We do not have to beg God. Ask in faith for God’s Divine Intervention and then pray prayers of gratitude. Thank God every day for the victory even before you experience relief or see changes in the situation.”

Using blind faith we rely on God to bring victory even when the waiting period is lengthy. During the delay, God is working, yet, His objective is to increase our dependency on Him.

“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

Like young children who trust their parents with their lives, the righteous are to depend on the faithfulness of God. When we strive to do what is good and right in the sight of God, we receive His favor. Faith does not shorten the duration of our tribulations, yet, we have continuous peace until God brings completion. Instead of lamenting over the darkness in the valley, our eyes are focused on the glimmering light that grows brighter with each passing day.

With joyful expectation, we have the assurance that God’s promises of deliverance will come to fruition. Surrendering oneself to God in faithful obedience is our daily sacrificial offering. What else can we give? Obedience is our highest form of worship. Obedience proclaims that Jesus is our First Love and places us in right standing with God, the Father. God honors those who obey Him by opening the windows of heaven and pouring out blessing upon blessing.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” —Isaiah 43:2-3

Amid the insurmountable obstacles, we can possess a sweet inner peace as we patiently wait on the Lord. Our steadfast faith diverts our attention from our hardships to Yahweh Yir’eh [the God who sees and the God who provides]. Because our hearts are frail, in times of trials and tribulations, God reminds us of His Sovereign Omnipotence, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).

“You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.” —Psalm 54:7

We do not fear the tribulations or the strongholds of spiritual warfare that render us helpless to resolve. God desires that we see Him as our only option. We have the confidence that our God will deliver us. As the Holy Spirit carries our prayers of unwavering faith to King Jesus, our Heavenly Intercessor, we sing praises of thanksgiving because we know that it’s already done.

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” —Psalm 20:7, NIV

Stop Worrying, Let God Help You

For 15 years, I worried and had Insomnia because I had racing thoughts about the next day. I thought of ways to produce a perfect and predictable outcome. Many times I though problems that never surfaced. Finally, one day, I listened to a sermon on the Sovereignty of an All-Knowing God in heaven who knows the end to the beginning of every human being’s life. Nothing comes as a surprise to Him.

I prayed for His help and for peace. Immediately the stronghold of worry left and now, I sleep peacefully. I trust God with every aspect of my life. And I pray about everything even the little things. I have learned how to hear God’s voice speaking to me through the Holy Scriptures and my thoughts.

When you pray, ask for help with your challenges, and ask God to teach you how to recognize His Voice. It is the Holy Spirit that speaks to our mind. Pray and include quiet meditation. Many people pray and get up right away without giving God time to speak to them.

We can pray throughout our waking hours. Let your prayers be honest and to the point. We do not have to pray long prayers. Prayer is the greatest privilege we have. Prayer connects humanity to Divinity. Go Ahead, pray and believe. Wait on God. Use your faith to trust Him.

If you stop trying to figure out what will happen next, God will help you to live a faith-based life and you will enjoy peace because you trust in Him.

Prayer: God, I pray this Intercessory prayer for those who are struggling because they have never trusted You with their lives. Please give them your Divine peace as they begin this journey with Jesus. Give them peace, comfort, and strength. In Jesus’ Worthy name, Amen.

Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

With a Grateful Heart

With a Grateful Heart Today’s Devotional, November 3, 2023

“Hear me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good; Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies. And do not hide Your face from Your servant, For I am in trouble; Hear me speedily. Draw near to my soul, and redeem it; Deliver me because of my enemies.” —Psalm 69:16-18

This morning, I listened to a Devotional on Psalm 69, David’s urgent plea for help in trouble. Psalm 69 has 36 verses and the first 29 verses lament his dilemma. “…Let me be delivered from those who hate me, And out of the deep waters.” [Verse 14]. But in verses 30 to 36, his focus shifts from himself to God.

King David began to praise God with a song of gratitude even before God answered. David remembered that God was always faithful and he thanked God in advance for His love and mercies always extended to the righteous. Like David, we also have many God-given victories that perhaps we have forgotten.

“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.” —Psalm 34:17-19

We usually pray for God’s Divine intervention when faced with a challenge that is impossible for us to resolve. Certainly, God honors our faith when we pray for His Divine intervention, believing that He will deliver us, yet, we were created to worship God. Consider this thought, for all the daily blessings we receive without asking, wouldn’t God expect us to send up many praises and prayers of gratitude every day?

Sadly, prayers asking for God to bless us with our desires far outweigh our prayers of praise and gratitude. Imagine a child who only said I love you to their parents when they desired a new toy.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” — John 3:16

Our heartfelt words of gratitude for the mercies of a new day should be our first spoken words every morning. Throughout our waking hours, we can pray short prayers of thanksgiving for God’s abundant love, the gracious gift of His only Son, Jesus Christ, His mercies of forgiving and forgetting our sins, the Holy Spirit’s guidance and wisdom, and the angel armies who protect us from spiritual warfare and physical harm.

As we end our day with evening worship, our spoken words should be praises of gratitude for all the [spiritual and material] blessings we received for the given day. With reverence, we enter into our secret closets and shut out the voices and distractions vying for our attention because we are in the presence of a Holy and Righteous God.

The Holy Spirit renews our minds, bodies, and souls by giving us spiritual strength and the gift of peace. We also receive the spiritual wisdom and discernment needed to study and gain in-depth meaning of the Scriptures. We have the privilege to boldly approach the throne of grace with the expectation of the Holy Spirit interceding and taking our prayers to our Heavenly Intercessor, our King, Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

We do not have the power to schedule appointments with influential people or dignitaries, yet, the Supreme Ruler of this Universe, our Holy and Righteous Father God tells us to come boldly and enter His presence. For this reason alone, we should fall to our knees in humility thanking Him for His forever love and abundant grace, mercies, and blessings. Truly He is Worthy of our love, loyalty, and gratitude.

“We love him, because he first loved us.” —1 John 4:19

Prayer: God, with grateful hearts, we thank You for the rivers of grace, mercies, and blessings that flow from Your loving heart. Every day we receive abundant blessings that we do not deserve. Forgive us for the blessings that we never acknowledged or thanked you for. Thank You, Lord! We ask this prayer of forgiveness and thanksgiving in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

Looking Through the Eyes of Jesus —The Master Restorer

Today’s Devotional, October 29, 2023

“This is love: not that we loved God, but, that he loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” —1 John 4:10, NIV

In 2018, I browsed a couple of Buy, Trade, and Sell sites for items to convert a second bedroom into a craft room. Then I saw the “Free” category which had many listings but most had an updated status of picked up. While the offer may seem generous, the furniture pics revealed items that were worn, torn, discolored, and appeared to have irreparable damage.

My interest was piqued, I googled “What do people do with damaged furniture?” and several articles about furniture restoration populated. I was in awe when I looked at the before and after pictures. I may have lacked knowledge in furniture restoration, but I took the initiative to learn and successfully restored two small pieces for my craft room.

The restorer sees the item differently from the eyes of an unskilled person. The untrained eye only sees a piece of junk but the restorer envisions the finished product as soon as they look at the item. They possess the expertise to develop an immediate plan to perform a complete transformation.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” —John 3:16

Furniture restoration immediately reminded me of the story of God’s grace extended to every person living on this earth. Jesus has a special interest in those who are broken and worn down from the impact of sin. We have an experiential knowledge of the plan of Salvation and spiritual transformation, but are we fulfilling our role in alleviating the hopeless despair of the unbelievers living on this dying earth?

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” (Matthew 28:19). God expects us to be co-laborers with Christ in witnessing to others. Every Christian has a pre-destined mission, to seek the lost, hurting, and hopeless individuals in our neighborhoods, villages, rural areas, the workplace, on the streets, in the supermarkets, shopping malls, restaurants, gas stations, in recreational and social settings, and especially those who attend church but have not accepted Christ as their Savior.

Because of our fast-paced life, we have to develop different strategies to witness. Most people are in a hurry and do not have the time or desire to listen to the story of Redemption. So, I prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to give me the most effective words for witnessing on the go. The answer is, “Jesus loves you.” And I agree with the Holy Spirit, yes, these three words are life-changing.

We can do our part by speaking the words, “Hi, Jesus loves you.” If the hearer is receptive then the Holy Spirit will take over and continue to speak to their hearts. Although many will not respond, they cannot reverse hearing that the most powerful name in heaven and earth loves them. Yes, those three words will resound over and over again in their minds!

Christ, the Master Restorer has a keen interest in restoring those who are broken and suffering from the ravages of sin. As recipients of Jesus’ saving grace, we have the privilege to participate in His mission by sharing the Good News with those who are lost. Praise God! We have Jesus – the Master Restorer who continually transforms and restores, making us whole.

Prayer: God, we thank You for the gift of Your Son Jesus and the love, grace, and mercies, we receive every day. In Jesus’ Holy name, we pray. Amen.

Surrender Reveals Our Love For God

Surrender Reveals Our Love for God October 28, 2023

O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” —Jeremiah 10:23

Surrender is a choice we make every day to bow to the Sovereignty of our Faithful and Righteous Heavenly Father. The posture of surrender demonstrates our love for God by seeking His will, and when revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, we obey. Surrender is the daily endeavor to live in alignment with God’s will, doing whatever He tells us to do, and without hesitation, we do it!

“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

“…Nevertheless not my will but your will be done” (Luke 22:42). By following in the footsteps of Christ, we can learn the power of surrender and obedience to God. Like Christ, we will endure many trials and hardships, yet from our willingness to give ourselves wholly to Him, we receive the strength to persevere, and we are guaranteed victorious outcomes.

Surrendering to the will of God requires humility and obedience. To serve God is to make a steadfast commitment every day to worship Him in spirit and in truth. Prayer brings power! Prayer is a two-way conversation between the believer and God. In our times of worship, we cease our spoken words and include time for quiet spiritual meditation to allow the Holy Spirit to speak our hearts. Staying in God’s presence changes us from the inside out.

Because we live in a time of countless voices speaking their version of the truth and many church leaders giving inaccurate interpretations of the Bible Scriptures, we must pray without ceasing for spiritual wisdom. Perilous times [the beginnings of sorrows, Matthew 24] demand that we give God more time by praying and diligently studying the Bible under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Thankfully, God always intervenes on behalf of those who love Him. From our desire to live a consecrated and obedient life, the Holy Spirit empowers us with the wisdom and discernment to differentiate between our natural inclinations and spiritual leaders speaking false doctrines. Most importantly, we begin to recognize the quiet Voice of God.

Like a mother hen, God is gathering the faithful and empowering a remnant of dedicated believers who are anointed with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to proclaim and witness the Gospel of Salvation. This group of believers are striving to be holy, obey God’s commandments, and put God first.

“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

God desires for every believer to relinquish their personal agenda, so He can use them to finish the work on this earth. But there are conditions that all must meet, love God, put Him first, and forsake others to become a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.

“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” —Revelation 2:4

Where do we stand? Our decisions and lifestyles reveal if Jesus is our First Love. When we seek God and abide in Christ, we naturally desire to do the will of God and embrace His plans for our lives which includes witnessing. With loving dedication to God, we place our confidence in all of His thoughts and ways.

Surrender is always displayed through faithful obedience. We may be perplexed about many things, but we always know whether or not we have surrendered to God and are obeying His perfect will. Be blessed in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Prayer: God, we surrender and consecrate our lives to do Your will. We pray for the anointing and presence of the Holy Spirit to give us the words to speak while witnessing. And we ask You to reveal our spiritual gifts and the manner in which they can be used to give You honor. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Jesus is Still Rescuing Us from the Chains of Death

Today’s Devotional, October 26, 2023

In 2015, I received the call that no child desires to receive regarding their mother, “You need to come to the hospital right away, I’m so sorry, but Mrs. Johnson is dying.” I called my pastor who was out of town but contacted the First Elder and his wife who came immediately to provide spiritual support.

My only brother, my husband, and the First Elder stood at the foot of her bed. I was on the right side and my best friend Susan [the elder’s wife] stood on the left. As I stroked my mother’s wavy hair, I felt an unusual peace. The room was filled with silence.

As a Registered Nurse, I immediately recognized the signs which indicate the end-of-life. I visualized the deep blue color of cyanosis around her mouth accompanied by shallow, gasping breaths. It was at that moment I heard Code Blue announced and a team of 15 nurses and respiratory therapists entered the room to perform resuscitation.

I raised my right hand indicating my mother’s wishes of Do Not Resuscitate. The Lead Nurse said, Are you certain that you do not want us to perform life-saving measures? to which I responded, Yes, no resuscitation. My mother gasped and took her final breath. One of the clinicians approached her bed performed the mandated process of checking for respiratory breath sounds and pronounced her time of death.

We received condolences from the clinicians who asked if we desired to be alone, and I responded “No, I would like you to stay.” And with the greatest of respect, the room was filled with silence. I looked at my brother and husband who had tears streaming down their faces. Susan stated, “We will miss you, Queen Esther.” I did not understand but I could not cry.

We were 8 minutes postmortem when my mother took a big gasp of air and opened her eyes. All of us were frozen in place as if time stood still. Finally one of the male nurses said, “What just happened?” My mom has always had a mischievous personality which explains her first words after Jesus raised her from the chains of death, “Why are all of you in my room and why are you staring at me?” I immediately started laughing and kissed her forehead.

Suddenly her Palestinian physician [who thinks our mom is his mom] opened the hospital door and looked with amazement. He asked the nursing staff, “Did someone give me the wrong patient’s name when they called me?” One of the nurses answered, No, we told you the patient’s name is Esther Johnson.” A few moments later I chatted with her Doctor who agreed that God performed a miracle.

In 2014, my mother was diagnosed with End-stage Heart Failure with a life expectancy of six months. On August 16th of this year, my mother celebrated her 90th birthday and the Divine power of Jesus Christ has given her a new heart. My mother has been a praise and prayer warrior all of her life. And Jesus has honored her dedication to Him with longevity.

This afternoon I was listening to Pastor Cece Winan’s concert, Believe for It, and she stated the reason we do not trust God is because we forget the abundant and miraculous blessings that He gave to us in the past. Truthfully, I have not thought about the miracle of Jesus saying, “Esther, come forth,” and delivering mommy from the chains of death for many years. But this morning in my secret closet of solitude the Holy Spirit replayed Christ’s gift of life to my mother like a recently seen movie.

” ‘For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,’ says the LORD, ‘Because they called you an outcast saying: “This is Zion; No one seeks her.” ‘ ” —Jeremiah 30:17

When God performs miracles for a family member, He usually keeps giving familial blessings. Like Abraham, God told me to leave my family and friends and move 1400 miles to the Florida Coast [where I have never lived or traveled to before]. Jesus healed my broken heart and rescued me from the deathly chains of despair due to my husband renouncing God and returning to a life filled with sin that left me divorced at 62 years of age.

Even so, I am a living witness that God restores our minds, bodies, and souls when we dedicate and surrender ourselves to Him. Our Heavenly Father has blessed me with a beautiful life of retirement filled with year-round sunshine and cooling ocean breezes.

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” —Jeremiah 32:27

I will be forever grateful that Jesus rescued my mother from the chains of physical death. With a heart filled with gratitude, I smile as I reflect on Jesus’ love gift to me of New Beginnings in mid-life and healing me from deep emotional wounds. Yet, this should come as no surprise to the Christian believer, Jesus intercedes for humanity and rescues those who are willing to give their hearts to Him from the chains of spiritual death every day.

Jesus desires that we faithfully trust Him and cease placing limitations on His loving care and the supernatural ability to perform the impossible.

Christ’s Nature is Unchanging

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” —Hebrews 13:8

Jesus never changes! We serve a loving, compassionate Savior who is still performing supernatural miracles of erasing the physician’s end-of-life predictions and abolishing the chains of spiritual death by transforming 21st-century Sauls into gospel-preaching disciples like the Apostle Paul.

“And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will. answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” —Isaiah 65:24

The righteous receive God’s attention, favor, and blessings. If we dedicate and surrender ourselves to the Source of Life, we will receive the spiritual discernment, wisdom, and strength that empowers us to be freed from the deadly chains of earthly distractions and pleasures.

“For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever…” —Psalm 37:28, NKJV

We honor God through our prayer of daily surrender and faithful obedience. We cannot begin to imagine the plans God has for us. Believe in and proclaim His Love and Greatness! While Jesus is rescuing us from the chains of spiritual death, He may bring glory and honor to Himself by removing sin’s deadly chains of disease by also healing us from mental, emotional, and physical maladies.

If Jesus raised my aging mother from death then we must hold fast to the belief that our Lord and Savior holds the keys to death and hell, and nothing can stop His Divine Power in our lives when we remain faithful.

3 p.m. EST—I called Mommy and read the Devotional to her, she immediately began praising God, and we both shed tears as we thanked God for His abundant love and mercies. She sends this message, Trust Jesus with Your life every day, and begin giving Him more praise than you ever have before because He is Worthy!

Prayer: Jesus, we thank You for Your Divine love, grace, and mercies. Please forgive us for doubting Your ability to remove the chains of spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical death. We acknowledge that You are Alpha and Omega and that Your Power supersedes our understanding. We love You and worship Your Holy Name, and ask this prayer in Your Chain-breaking Name, Hallelujah! Amen!