Tag: Devotional

Devotional–The Struggle of Sanctification–Jesus Prays for All Believers

“I have glorified you on earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” John 17:4

John chapter 17 is composed of the three prayers in which Jesus prays for Himself, His Disciples, and all Believers. Our focus will be on Jesus’ prayer for all believers. Jesus clarifies our roles by defining His expectations of future disciples, including you and me.

Three of God’s established characteristics of the church body are Love, Unity, and fulfilling the Great Commission–Witnessing to others.

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

Unity: “that they all may be one, as You, Father are in Me, and I in You,” (John 17:21), and that we fulfill our spiritual assignment, The Great Commission–Witnessing to Others, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.'” (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Outcome: “…and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (John 17:23).

Was God pleased with His Son? Yes! Following Jesus’ baptism, God proclaimed His Divine satisfaction: “And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

Jesus was our role model. He never deviated from having the mindset to please God, His Father. Even in His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

Do we have the desire to fulfill God’s will? Love = Obedience

For us to complete our earthly mission, our hearts must overflow with love for God which is demonstrated by having a thriving relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, and also that we possess unconditional love for everyone [without exceptions].

Two things will determine our future outcome: “Did we have a relationship with Jesus Christ demonstrated by living a life of faithful obedience to the will of God?” and, “Did we complete our spiritual assignment by demonstrating the love of Christ when using our spiritual gifts to witness to others?”

Jesus’ gift of redemption to humanity was paid with His life. Certainly, we can understand that He desires for us to live with Him eternally.

“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)

For us to receive eternal life, we must be one with Christ. By diligently studying Jesus’ life, we learn who He is. To abide in His love is to dedicate ourselves to spending time in prayer and study of the Scriptures. Pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit before studying the Bible. Meditate on the Word of God to receive the power to live righteously.

Love is the catalyst that produces a steadfast commitment to living consecrated lives for God. From a loving heart, the fruit of obedience flows like a stream, and without hesitation, our daily prayer is, “Not my will, but Your will be done in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—Eve was Deceived

One of the most exciting aspects of the literary arts is the ability of a gifted writer to mesmerize the reader with their vision. For the work to be successful, it must be categorized into a genre with readers interested in the subject matter. The readers play an important role in the success or failure of a published work. Yes, the writer relies on the readers intrigued by the cover, title, and author, but the words that are masterfully used are responsible for captivating an audience.

Words are extremely powerful! When used by marketing and advertising experts, we are convinced that we must have the things that are presented. Our imagination leads to a compelling desire of the heart and we do whatever is necessary to obtain the things that promise to give us a higher quality of life. The problem is that someone else has planted a seed of dissatisfaction in your mind for your existing lifestyle often leading to an ungrateful heart.

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.'” (Genesis 2:16,17)

Eve, the mother of humanity was fully aware of God’s command, but she desired the one thing that God said that they could not have. Eve was deceived because of her heart’s desire to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Her story exposes Satan’s mastery of using deceptive words as weapons against humanity. Eve fell because she desired more than the perfect life that God had given to them.

“…to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think…” (Romans 12:3)

Eve used her logical thought processes to analyze what she saw, a visual deception. As she walked closer to the tree, perhaps the beautiful serpent was wrapped around a branch eating the fruit. She was mesmerized and overpowered by Satan’s deceptive strategy. As Eve attempted to comprehend what her eyes were seeing, a serpent in the forbidden tree, Satan used his powers to speak to her calmly and invitingly.

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1)

“And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'” (Genesis 3:2-3)

Although Eve answered the question, at that point, Eve became confused between God’s command and what she was seeing and hearing from the serpent. God never said, “nor shall you touch it.” Can you imagine the serpent lovingly touching the fruit with his head? With its actions and spoken words, the serpent convinced our mother the fruit had amazing power. She rationalized that the serpent must have eaten the fruit because unlike other serpents this one received the power to talk. He had eaten from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and he was still alive!

Surely [definition]: to speak with assurance and confidence; a word used to emphasize the speaker’s firm belief that what they are saying is true and often express their surprise that there is any doubt of this.

“Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'” (Genesis 3:4-5)

Like an experienced salesperson, this was the statement of closure. Satan was aware that his scheme had worked. He planted the seed of doubt in Eve’s confused mind against God. Satan presented God’s warning of death as a lie. Not only had the serpent eaten the fruit and was alive, but the serpent also appeared to be like God because he could speak and conduct an intelligent conversation just like she and Adam.

When the serpent said, “you will be like God,” Eve truly believed that God had withheld the best from her and Adam. Her desire to be like God created a sense of entitlement as she willingly disobeyed, picked the fruit, and ate it.

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Genesis 3:6)

Once Eve sinned, Satan used her to boldly approach Adam. And the fall of our earthly Mother and Father was complete. In reading the story of our parents, our hearts should feel a deep sense of grief. Not only their loss of immortality, their home—the Garden of Eden, and cessation of face-to-face communion with Jesus Christ but their disobedience caused our Lord and Savior to suffer an excruciating death to provide redemption for humanity’s sins.

Like Eve, many Christians are living in these last days in confusion. Satan has presented deceptive strategies and beliefs which they have readily accepted. Their hearts are filled with the seeds of doubt and disbelief in the promises of God. Former believers have accepted the worldview of prosperity. Jeremiah 29:11 has been twisted into a message of entitlement for wealth. Instead of using God-given resources to help those in need, many pursue earthly treasures to fulfill their heart’s desires.

Satan knows his time is short, therefore, he has increased his methods of deception. Just as he used Eve to give the fruit to her husband, Satan is using half-hearted Laodiceans to deceive many Christians who are alone and lonely. With an appearance of godliness, these men and women approach the steadfast disciples of Christ with false whispers of love and pull them into unequally yoked relationships and marriages. But their lifestyle reveals that they do not love God with all of their hearts nor are they preparing for eternal life.

Yes, matters of the heart also affect those who truly love God. Even so, we must stay close to Jesus by praying daily for the anointing of the Holy Spirit or our emotions will serve as a gateway for deception. Avoid forming alliances with those whose interests are worldly. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10).

Praise God! We know how the story ends! God has faithful and obedient remnant people standing on the truth of His Word. We are fully aware of our daily involvement in spiritual warfare. Yet, we still believe that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”(Romans 6:23). And we believe in God’s warning “you will surely die” for unforgiven sins.

With grateful hearts, the righteous love Jesus for His unequaled love and sacrifice for humanity. We have the blessed hope that one day soon, we will see our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ coming again as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to give us the reward of eternal life.

Through many sacrificial offerings of a spotless lamb, Adam and Eve received forgiveness for their sins. Yet, because of the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, one day the faithful will meet and talk with our earthly parents, Adam and Eve in heaven. Hallelujah! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

Prayer: God, we pray for those who are living as Laodiceans that they awaken from their spiritual slumber to fully commit their hearts to You. And Lord, we ask for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our lives as we prepare every day for Jesus’ soon coming. We ask this prayer in the Worthy name of Jesus, Amen.

Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—The Growth of a Seed

The story unfolds with a man who planted two gardens. He planted the best seeds in the garden closest to his house that had the correct balance of sun and shade. The seeds of lesser quality were planted in a mountainous area that would not receive any care except to remove weeds once a week. As the seeds from the first garden grew, he became less interested in the other garden. Excitedly, he looked at the sprouts growing into plants. The man became fixated on the prized garden, watering it, adding fertilizer, and diligently pulling weeds. He started thinking of the great harvest of vegetables soon to come due to his time and effort.

After one month of seeing the progress of the first garden, he decided that he didn’t need the second garden. But out of curiosity, he decided to take the long walk, anticipating the seeds died due to his lack of care. Yet, when he looked at the neglected garden the plants had grown three times the size of the garden he cared for every day. What the man failed to realize is the mountainous garden contained fertile soil with an abundance of natural nutrients. The plants thrived from the warmth of the sun’s rays and the intermittent rains that fell on that area caused the neglected garden to flourish.

We plant the seeds of habits, hobbies, relationships, and self-seeking desires in our garden of life, which receives the majority of our time. Our best efforts are directed toward the earthly things that count as nothing to further the kingdom of God. Not only do all Christians have the assignment of witnessing to those who need the gospel, comforting those in despair, and providing for those in need, we are required to witness every day!

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)

God desires for us to plant the seeds of Jesus’ love and the plan of redemption. Once we do our part, the light from Christ will shine on the new believers and the Holy Spirit will water their souls. The decision to serve God is not one of neglect. We do not have the privilege of choosing the time slots or days we will witness. Just as employers require their full-time staff to work a minimum of 40 hours, Christians are spiritual workers who have the responsibility of sowing seeds seven days a week.

God never asks us to do the impossible, He always provides direction and the method to complete our assignment. God has given us advanced technology to sow seeds. We can use our social media accounts to witness or begin prayer chats. Using our cell phones, we can pray and speak words of encouragement to those who are sick and discouraged. Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal your spiritual assignment, and give you discernment, and wisdom.

Loving and accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior requires us to follow His example, in humility, we surrender our will and become His workers.

“He said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.’” (Matthew 9:37-38).

Bible Study: Matthew chapters 9 and 28

Prayer: Lord we desire to fulfill our spiritual assignment. We pray for the anointing, power, presence, and direction of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—Preparing for the Unexpected is Possible

Achieving optimal health takes discipline and concerted effort. For the mind and body to maintain homeostasis, we must intentionally choose healthy foods, avoid unnecessary distractions, push ourselves to move our bodies [walking is simple with great results] and get sufficient rest. While our best efforts do not guarantee a life without illnesses or disease, at least our Immune system has the strength and resilience to effectively fight against the unexpected onset of sickness. And for those with chronic illnesses, we must care for our bodies like newborn babes to prevent a sudden onset of illness from escalating into a health crisis.

So that covers the human body’s mental, emotional, and physical components. But how do we achieve optimal spiritual growth and development? And how can we prepare for unexpected suffering?

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

First, we acknowledge that our lives will include unexpected hardships that we cannot control or prevent. The way to prepare for the unexpected is to maintain a strong relationship with Jesus Christ every day. Sadly, when peaceful times are present, many become lax in their commitment to daily worship [prayer and study of the Scriptures].

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).

God gives every person the spiritual gift of a little faith. Most of us find it easier to use faith [and trust] in the secular activities of daily living as opposed to using our faith spiritually. We have faith the employer will give us our salary on time, the business transactions we engage in are legitimate, and we certainly rely on faith and trust in our marital and family relationships. Yet, we falter when faced with spiritual battles because our relationship with Christ is inconsistent, which results in having little to no faith and trust in God.

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

FTO: Faith, Trust, and Obedience are the keys to spiritual preparation for the unexpected. Faith and trust in God are daily spiritual activities that require intentional practice and strenuous human effort. Each of us can testify of the raging internal war of giving in to sinful desires versus obedience to God’s will and plans for our lives. Obedience requires constant prayer and rebuking our heart’s desires to avoid temptation.

Our minds can be trained to focus on Jesus. Reflecting on our past challenges and victories reminds us that God’s Divine Intervention always brings us victory.

Faith and trust in God give us the confidence and courage to keep moving forward. It doesn’t matter if our circumstances appear impossible. They are impossible for human resolution. Yet, we are not anxious or worried. Jesus promises us peace in peaceful times as well as unexpected storms when we maintain our connection to Him. “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).

Humility, the Fruit of Obedience: The character trait of humility requires us to fight against our carnal nature—our carnal desires are always self-centered. Jesus lived to please God, His Father. Christ prayed daily, “Not my will, but Your will be done.” Praying the prayer of humility changes our posture before God. A humble heart acknowledges God’s omnipotence by giving Him reverence, honor, and glory. Not only do we receive the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit who gives us wisdom, discernment, and strength, God promises when, “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17).

Stay in Jesus’ presence by abiding in Him through unceasing prayer, and learn God’s promises which reinforce our faith. Remember, our spiritual connection is kept active 24/7 by the Holy Spirit unless we choose to turn away from God.

Prayer: God, we thank You for the Spiritual Team of the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and our guardian angels who are ready to comfort, heal, and deliver us from the unexpected hardships of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

During Hurricane Ian, the expectation was for downtown Tampa to be completely flooded by an overflow of forceful waters. The normal height of the water is indicated by the dark areas of the bottom half of the ledge and sea wall [on the right].

Yet, the waters receded exposing the rocky formation beneath the ledge of the sea wall. The explanation given by the meteorologists is one that is not logical. With concerted effort, humanity will always attempt to explain the unexplainable rather than defer to the power of God.

Also, the prediction of Hurricane Ian’s path did not come to fruition. Not only was downtown Tampa not flooded by Hurricane Ian, but there was also a change in its path. NPR news states, “The “cone of uncertainty” is the tool forecasters use to illustrate a hurricane’s likely path — and that title has been particularly apt for Hurricane Ian, whose predicted track has fluctuated by hundreds of miles as it developed into a dangerous storm.”

My original plan of evacuation was to travel to the Orlando/Ocala area for refuge. But the unexpected happened! On 9/27, Ian was downgraded to a tropical storm [changed its path] and then began making its way across Florida, toward the east coast–Orlando and Kissimmee. Before reaching Orlando, the city of Palm Bay [mostly residential areas] would be hit first by Ian with 40-50 mph winds and catastrophic flooding.

On Wednesday morning [9/28], I read Psalm 91 and began praying fervently for the city of Palm Bay and the quiet community where I reside. We were also under a tornado watch with the prediction of an electrical power outage with an unknown duration. While watching ABC’s news coverage of the path of Tropical Storm Ian, suddenly the storm shifted to the extreme left and bypassed our city, headed toward Orlando.

I lifted up prayers of thanksgiving to God for diverting the storm. My adrenaline was high and I couldn’t sleep, yet, my spirit was calm. At midnight, I opened my door slightly to watch the aggressive, howling southeasterly winds bending the tall trees as if they were bowing down to the Creator. The parking lot was covered with hundreds of broken branches, yet, there was no rain and the tornado warning ceased.

Update: It is Thursday, September 29th, at 5:30 pm. Although we experienced heavy rains, the city of Palm Bay was not flooded, the tornado never surfaced, and our homes and vehicles did not sustain any damage. Early afternoon, we had wind gusts of 40-50 mph that caused a temporary loss of electrical power for 15 minutes. The current temperature is 68 degrees, it is raining, but a peaceful calm exists.

“The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.” (Psalm 34:19)

I have been praying for one week asking for God’s divine intervention to save us from the devastation of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Ian. When we pray in faith and include God’s promises in our prayers, He will never fail us. Witnessing the supernatural gives us a deeper insight into the love of God. And then we thank God and testify of His goodness to others.

When speaking to my neighbor this morning, he expressed his amazement that the predicted destruction from the storm bypassed our city. I was able to witness by sharing the Omnipotence of our faithful and loving Heavenly Father who always keeps His promises.

Although Satan is wreaking havoc with storms, disease, and famines, he is limited to only what God allows. This is [and has always been] our Father’s world!

Prayer: God, we thank You for the privilege to seek You through prayer 24/7. Your promise to keep us safe in Psalm 91 was demonstrated during the storm. We give You praise, honor, and glory. Lord, we pray for those who have been displaced by the hurricane. We ask for the restoration of their losses and to give them peace and the courage to restart their lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—After the Failure, Now What?

We did it! Feeling confident and overjoyed with our plans, we placed a bid on the home, started the business, left a stable career, or proposed to our soulmate. Yes, we are on top of the world. After waiting for years, finally, everything was going as planned, and then suddenly the turmoil started. The seller changed their mind about the house, the list of prospective clients refused to commit, and our soulmate told us they don’t think this is the right time for marriage. Our world crashes, bringing intense sorrow and more uncertainty, but why?

Strong emotions [love and trust] along with financial stability often drive us to fulfill our desires. Using strategic planning, and confidence in trustworthy partnerships, many individuals move forward because they are convinced that their plans are failproof. Fully trusting in their abilities, the loss was never considered. With disappointment and anger, they usually place the blame on others.  

On the other side are those who feel desperate because of loneliness, lack of achievements, or the desire for financial stability. They are fully aware that their pending decisions are risky. But console themselves with the thought that it’s better to try than to do nothing at all. So they gamble and go all-in with the mindset of a 50-50 outcome, sadly, they lose. With regret, they admit their current situation is worse than their prior circumstances.  

God has given us the ability to dream, but our dreams must align with His plans for us. The natural result of sin drives us to pursue our heart’s desires with or without God’s approval. Believers are also influenced by the world we live in. It is easy to become entangled in the worldview of success—pursue your dreams at all costs and failures are part of the process, just pick yourself up and try again. Yet, there is a high probability that you do not have the help to restructure your life because of your losses.

The Bible gives us a history of the consequences of pursuing our heart’s desires. One would think that King David would be disciplined after killing bears and lions as a shepherd boy, God using him to kill Goliath, and waiting for 15-plus years from his anointing by the prophet Samuel to becoming king. Yet, David saw and desired a beautiful, married woman and sent for her to come to the palace.

“One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba …the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” (2 Samuel 11:2-3).

Sin causes us to forget about an Omniscient [All-knowing] God who reminds us that He knows what we have done.

God sent the Prophet Nathan to speak to David: “Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites” (2 Samuel 12:9).

The Consequences: In reading the rest of the story, David suffered an immediate consequence, Bathsheba became pregnant, but the baby died. The long-term consequence had no end: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you.'” (2 Samuel 12:11 NIV).

God’s love and mercy: “Nathan replied, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.'” (2 Samuel 12:13, last part, and verse 14).

After our failures, now what? Confession, Repentance, and the Consequences!

Human Effort: With humility, we take the same heartfelt action that David took, “Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.” (2 Samuel 12:13, first part). Read Psalm 51 for David’s prayer of confession and repentance.

We may measure sin as great or small, yet, all disobedience is rebellion against God. Even with true repentance, God allows some to recover quickly and others to experience the full impact of their transgressions. The level of suffering should not be our focus. Every disobedient thought that we act on is a sin that separates us from God.

Sin desensitizes us—we easily fall into subsequent temptations without feeling any remorse. And eventually, we no longer hear the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. Our desires become more worldly as we drift further away from God.

The plight of humanity: “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). “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23).

Our Heavenly Father is aware of the condition of our hearts, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9), which is the reason, “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).

God will never give us the burden of trying to figure out what we should do with our lives. Yet, our dreams must align with His plans. Always pray for direction before you make decisions that will bring devastating results. He will never leave us or forsake us even when facing the consequences of our actions. Thank You, Jesus.

Prayer: Father God, against you, we have sinned. We confess and ask for the forgiveness of our sins of disobedience. We pray for the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. Please lead us on the path of righteousness and give us direction for our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.