“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over [g]all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth…'”
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them…” (Genesis 1:26-28).
Humanity was created with a Spiritual Purpose: “God, Jesus Christ, created human beings to worship and honor God, the Father. [We are called] to dedicate all personal capabilities, influence, and talents to Him as a sacred trust.”
“…life is not a random, mechanical process but a purposeful design, and encourages viewing oneself as God’s workmanship.”
“Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” (Isaiah 43:7).
Isaiah 43:7 emphasizes that we are:
Created for God’s Glory: Humans are designed to reflect God’s glory in all aspects of life.
A Sacred Trust: Life, talents, and capabilities are entrusted by God and should be used to impart His grace to others.
Individual Ownership: God calls His people by name, and as “new creatures,” [we] are set apart for Him.
Purposeful Formation: Being “formed” by God means each individual has a Divine purpose, countering the idea of chance or fate.
Transformation of Character: The process of being God’s people involves trials that refine character and remove dross
Jesus developed a Righteous Character through constant prayer and faithful obedience to God, the Father. From His example and through Jesus’ Divine Strength, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live as righteous overcomers.
Lord God, we praise your Holy Name and give You the honor and reverence that You deserve. We ask for wisdom, discernment, and the strength to overcome our desires and the temptations designed to separate us from You. Please reveal anything in our lives that is against Your will and plans. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the Throne of Grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16, ESV)
In John 16:33, Jesus explains our spiritual journey and His promise to take care of us:
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished]. [Amplified Bible].
In Mark 11, Jesus says that if we have faith and ask anything in His name, we can move mountains. No, it is not literal mountains; Jesus is referring to the hardships and vicissitudes of life.
We start our day with optimism and the intent to accomplish our plans. However, it is the unexpected daily challenges and life-changing adversities that human effort cannot resolve, which threaten to rob us of our joy and peace.
Jesus tells us to be confident; every aspect of our lives is known by our Heavenly Father: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.'” (Isaiah 46:9-10, NIV).
Despite the present obstacles, knowing God’s promises and reminding ourselves that God loves us alleviates the burden of trying to figure out an answer. Trusting God is the only way to enjoy our spiritual gift of Jesus’ Perfect Peace.
Consistent Prayer keeps us connected to Jesus Christ, our High Priest and Intercessor, who receives and answers our prayers given to Him from the Holy Spirit. Yes, studying the Holy Scriptures gives us knowledge of God’s Character, but it is using our faith to believe that God is who He says He is that pleases God.
“I Am That I Am” (Exodus 3:14) is a declaration of God’s Eternal, Self-Existent, and Unchanging Nature. God is Omniscient, [All-Knowing], Omnipotent [All-Powerful], and the Absolute Sovereign Authority of this universe. Yes and Amen!
“Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27, Legacy Standard Bible). Following Christ means that we use our faith to completely trust Him with every aspect of our lives.
When facing challenges, we must fight the urge to divide our obstacles into two lists: “The situations I will resolve and the situations I will give to Jesus [because I do not have the ability to resolve these issues].”
“Behold, God is my Helper; the Lord is the Upholder [ Sustainer] of my life.” (Psalm 54:4, ESV). We should never limit the love of God and His commitment to perform miracles. God is interested even in the little details of our lives.
Fight against the thought of, “What am I going to do?” We redirect our faith and focus from ourselves back to God and immediately pray, asking Jesus for His Divine Help and Strength.
I can recall being mentally fatigued at my new job and wondering if I would be able to make a long-term commitment. I whispered a silent prayer, and the Holy Spirit instructed me [through my thoughts] to take my lunch break alone that day.
I went to my vehicle, prayed, and listened to Christian music. By the Holy Spirit, I believed Jesus’ promise of strength. And because of my faith, He strengthened me spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Jesus always replenishes our joy and hope. I finished the day with a smile on my face. From obeying the Holy Spirit to separate and spend time worshiping Jesus, I received the blessings of spiritual encouragement and the energy to keep going beyond my human ability.
“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” (1 Peter 5:7, Amplified Bible).
When prayer is our first and immediate response, we eliminate the possibilities of our minds being held hostage by the faith-draining emotions of fear, anxiety, and worry.
In faith, we humbly admit our need for God by going to His Throne of Grace. “Jesus, I need Your help with…” is the invitation He waits for, and with joyful expectancy, we have confidence that He will answer our prayer and resolve every challenge.
“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14). Pray and Wait on God, whose timing will never match our desire for instant answers and resolutions. Every day, while waiting, maintain your faith, trust, and courage by thanking God for His Divine Help.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10). Depending on Christ and waiting for His Divine Resolutions has numerous benefits: Waiting strengthens our faith, facilitates trust and obedience to God, eliminates guesswork, and prevents us from suffering adverse consequences.
I received two miracles this week and can confidently say there is nothing more exciting than receiving God’s Supernatural Blessings, which always surpass our human understanding and strategies.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9).
Lord God, we thank You for Your unfailing Love, Grace, and Mercies, which include intervening and resolving every challenge that we ask You to help us with. We ask You to strengthen our faith, as we wait for Your answer. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
“Let us then approach God’s Throne of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).
In Philippians 4:6-7, Jesus tells us the answer to alleviating all anxiety, we exchange our worries for peace through the power of prayer. As we bring our requests to God, we use our faith [even if it is weak] to approach the Throne of Grace with confidence because we have received the promise that we can always rely on Jesus.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus compared Himself to the Rock. When we place our faith in Christ, we have the assurance that our lives will remain stable because He never changes. Yes and Amen!
When the Israelites faced an impassable Red Sea ahead of them and Pharaoh’s Army behind them, their response was a total lack of faith in God’s Sovereign Power:
“And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord…” (Exodus 14:10).
The Faith of Moses: “And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.'” (Exodus 14:13-14).
We know how Christ, who called Himself the Angel of the Lord in Exodus 14, our Mighty Warrior, resolved the situation with arrogant Pharaoh and his army—they drowned in the Red Sea: “The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.” (Exodus 14:28, NIV).
Studying the Holy Bible gives us knowledge of how God intervened for the righteous who used their faith to cry out for His Help. Knowing God’s Loving and Righteous Character gives us the courage to believe that God loves us and will always give us the victory.
In Psalm 91, angels are assigned by Christ to keep us safe. God is the Source and Sustainer of our lives. It is His Ruach breath that flows through our bodies. Faith propels us to believe without doubt that our Heavenly Father is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory! Yes and Amen.
God knows our weaknesses, but He reminds us that He does not have human limitations: “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).
“Each day, we can choose to trade our anxieties for His peace. Our trials and troubles are opportunities to rely on Him.”
Whether facing routine obstacles or humanly impossible dilemmas, a Prayer of Faith should be our First Response. Making prayer a habit when all is well gives us the courage to immediately pray for God’s Divine Help when facing the tough times of adversity.
We use our Faith to “Trade our real-life anxieties for real-time peace.” When we really believe in God’s Sovereign Power, then Peace should come naturally, because God’s promises always remain the same.
“I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:9-10).
Lord God, we thank You for Your Love and the Holy Scriptures, which remind us that we are never forgotten. We ask for forgiveness for letting anxiety and worry consume us instead of immediately using our faith to bend our knees to ask You for Help. Lord, give us strength and peace, and we thank You in advance for Your Divine Intervention and Resolution. In faith, we pray in the Powerful Name of Jesus, Amen.
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).
“Context: God [encourages] Jeremiah while Jerusalem is under siege by the Babylonians, demonstrating that even in desperate, seemingly hopeless situations, 24/7, God remains Sovereign.”
“Meaning of ‘All Flesh:’ This phrase refers to all human beings, all living creatures, and emphasizes God’s Authority over every living thing on earth.”
“Significance: It serves as a reminder of God’s Power to save, heal, and deliver, encouraging faith when we face insurmountable obstacles.”
“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).
We were given a measure of Faith, which Jesus compares to a mustard seed. Although the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds, it grows into a powerful tree.
“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:25-26).
The commitment to having Personal Worship in the morning and evening redirects our faith and focus from ourselves and life’s overwhelming distractions back to God.
Unless we intentionally worship God through much Prayer and Bible Study, learning the attributes of His Loving Character, our faith in His Power will be non-existent.
PRINCIPLE: “The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit.”
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you.” (Jeremiah 31:3).
When we intentionally focus on Jesus’ Love and Power, our faith, trust, courage, and confidence in Christ will flourish, flowing like the mighty Niagara Falls.
“Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).
Thought for Today: if we cannot use our faith to trust God with every aspect of our lives, then how is it possible for us to use our faith to invite the Holy Spirit to guide us every day in preparing for Jesus’ Second Coming?
Lord God, we confess that our faith has been redirected to ourselves, our focus is driven by our desires, and our attention is on the chaos of our environment. And for our unbelief in Your Sovereignty and Omnipotence, we ask for forgiveness. Lord, we pray for the wisdom to perceive life through spiritual eyes, and to use our precious gift of time wisely to build a steadfast relationship with Jesus Christ, relying totally on your power. In faith, we pray, in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will…” (Ephesians 1:3-5).
While having worship this morning, I listened to the powerful words of a song that said, “God chose us.” And with deep reflection, I thought about the spiritual responsibility of being chosen to follow Christ; What does it mean to be chosen by God, the Father?
Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus always answers our questions regarding our salvation and spiritual matters. The Holy Spirit speaks to us in various ways, which requires us to separate ourselves from distractions and worship God in solitude and silence when we desire to hear His Voice.
While studying my daily Bible Lesson, Ephesians 1:3-5, a Scriptural reference was the answer to my question. The apostle Paul explains that before Christ created the world, God, the Father, predestined us for adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ.
“We love Him, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19).
“Divine Initiative: 1 John 4:19 highlights that God loved humanity first, even before we existed or chose to follow Him.”
“The Cause of Our Love: Our capacity to love God and others is not self-generated; it is a response to His grace and love, which is described as Agape (unconditional/sacrificial love).”
“A Reaction to Redemption: Because Jesus sacrificed Himself for humanity (as mentioned in 1 John 4:10), our love is a response of gratitude.”
Jesus Chooses Matthew as His Disciple: Matthew, the rogue tax collector, was chosen by Christ to be one of His twelve disciples. His response was not one of spoken words: “As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ So he arose and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9).
Jesus knows our hearts and, through the Holy Spirit, He extends the invitation to accept Him as our personal Savior: “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).
“Our work is to open the door of the heart and let Jesus come in. He is knocking for entrance….Will you open the door? Jesus is standing at the door of your heart. Let Him in, the Heavenly Guest.” Our High Calling
“Many have so much rubbish piled up at the door of the heart that they cannot admit Jesus. Some have difficulties between themselves and their brethren to remove; others have evil tempers, pride, covetousness; with others, love of the world bars the entrance. All this must be taken away before they can open the door and welcome the Saviour in.” Our High Calling
For those who have opened the door of their hearts by accepting Christ as their personal Savior have been intentionally chosen by God, the Father, before the world was created, and we have at least one spiritual assignment to fulfill.
Will we accept our Holy Assignment of being chosen? If yes, then our lifestyle and priorities must reflect a “God First, Christ-Centered, Purpose-Driven” commitment to follow our Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
Daily surrender and faithful obedience are required to live the sacrificial life of a chosen follower of Jesus Christ:
A Living Sacrifice: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1, NIV).
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2, NIV).
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV): “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
The Commitment: “I have decided to follow Jesus, and through His strength, I will move forward to fulfill my Spiritual Assignment!” Yes and Amen.
Lord God, we thank You for Your amazing love and for predestining and choosing us to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Lord, we accept our Spiritual Assignment. As You reveal Your plans to us day by day, we ask the Holy Spirit to teach us to recognize Your Voice above other voices, including our own thoughts. You told us in Your word that we will face many distractions designed to turn our focus away from You, and we ask for Spiritual wisdom, discernment, and the strength to fulfill Your plans as we tell others about the saving Grace of Jesus Christ. In faith, we pray in Jesus’ Righteous Name. Amen.
“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry…”
“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…”
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:15, 17, 19).
Although God does not cause adversity in our lives, He allows us to experience challenges that we cannot resolve to maintain our dependency on Him.
There is a dual purpose for trials: First, our challenges redirect our faith and focus from our abilities to the love and unlimited power of Jesus Christ. We were created to surrender and depend on God, not ourselves.
Trials are designed to produce the righteous characteristics of steadfast faith and trust in God, courage, and perseverance, producing the spiritual growth and maturity required to receive our reward of Eternal Life.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, NIV).
Lord God, in obedience, we come to You with our challenges and hardships. We believe that You love us and that Your promises are true. While we wait for Your Divine Intervention,we desperately need Your strength. Thank You for loving us. Thank You for giving us the victory. And in faith, we ask this prayer in the Righteous and Powerful Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Imagine never experiencing another moment of being unsure about the outcomes of decision-making. Whether our challenges are great or a small part of our daily lives, God promises to guide us, and to give us a victorious outcome that honors His Holy Name.
In faith, Pray, Trust Him, and Wait: “Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” (Psalm 27:14).
Lord God, we thank You for loving us and caring about the challenges we face. In faith, we ask for Your help. We thank You for Your commitment to resolving our challenges and giving us peace and victory. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray, Amen.
Last year, I listened to a sermon that changed the way I respond to my challenges. Usually, our first response is to share our distress with our family or friends, asking for help and emotional support.
But the pastor stated, “Go to God first, pray, ask for His help, and also ask for the strength to endure the hardship. Asking God builds our faith and trust in Him, and gives God the opportunity to use His supernatural power to give us a miraculous outcome, bringing glory and honor to His Holy Name.”
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16, ESV).
Nothing is a surprise to God, who knows every trial and adversity we will face. Yes, God already knows exactly what we need; but God is not intrusive, He waits for us to use our faith to ask Him for help
God’s Promise: “I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” (Isaiah 65:24, NLT).
Last Thursday, I faced a dilemma and immediately prayed for God’s help. On Monday, God answered my prayer by blessing me with more than I asked for. I am so thankful that I obeyed the pastor’s advice and did not tell anyone about my situation.
My prayer: Lord God, nothing comes as a surprise to You. You know the situation that I am facing and You also know that I can do nothing to resolve it. Lord, I need your help, and Your guidance, so I will know what You want me to do. Thank You for helping me. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.”
King Jehosaphat’s Prayer: 2 Chronicles 20
When King Jehosaphat faced three enemy armies, he knew that it was impossible for them to win; yet, the words of his prayer teach us how to approach our Loving and Powerful God, who cares about every detail of Our lives.
“Our God…For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (2 Chronicles 20:12, NIV).
King David proclaimed: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry; The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:8, 15, 17, NIV). Amen!
For every challenge, if we use our faith to believe that God will answer our prayers, the Holy Spirit will comfort, strengthen, and give us courage as we wait for God’s Divine Intervention.
“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27:14).
Lord God, we thank You for reminding us that You care about every aspect of our lives. And if we ask You for help, and believe that You will help us then You will give us the perfect solution and a victorious outcome. Lord, we thank You for Your unconditional love and ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25).
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)
Jesus’ gift of peace is one of the believer’s greatest spiritual benefits. To enjoy a mind filled with peace, gratitude, and contentment instead of fear, anxiety, and worry is possible even when we are facing our greatest challenges.
Jesus’ gift of Perfect Peace is an internal calm filled with joy, contentment, and courage experienced by those who have dedicated and surrendered their lives to follow Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Peace is not a quiet place, or listening to soothing music. Spiritual peace cannot be purchased; only Jesus can give true Peace. Spiritual Peace is a life-enriching experience that so few enjoy because receiving this gift requires that we follow Jesus with faithful obedience.
“Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” (Psalm 119:165). God’s Moral Law [The Ten Commandments] and His Righteous Precepts in the Bible establish boundaries for Christians, teaching us how to live righteously.
Jesus’ promise of peace is the foundation for an unbothered mind, even when the fiery trials of adversity bring raging storms into our lives. Yet, only the righteous who strive to complete the Spiritual Conditions of Participation receive His gift of Divine Peace.
The Spiritual Conditions of Participation to Receive Peace: “Jesus answered, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.'” (John 14:23, HCSB).
Is it possible for us to be ineligible to receive Jesus’ Gift of Peace?
“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).
Engaging in sin, including the sin of self-reliance, makes us ineligible to receive Jesus’ gift of peace. “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46).
The False Teaching of Compromised Christianity promotes church attendance, but teaches that because we are covered by God’s Grace, we can live according to our desires. “God’s grace does not provide Christians with the license to engage in sin. Rather than promote sin, God’s Grace teaches restraint from sin.”
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…” (Titus 2:11–13, NIV).
Those who are disobedient cannot receive Jesus’ Divine gift of Spiritual Peace. The Solution: “Whoever consents to renounce sin and open his heart to the love of Christ, becomes a [recipient] of this heavenly peace.”
The Knowledge Seekers: There are Christians who are highly perceptive of their environments, aware of everything happening in their community, on the job, and in the city they reside in.
Yes, the knowledge seekers keep up with the global and local news, weather forecasts, the political arena, economic status, and social issues. They are tech-savvy, financially stable, and can readily participate in most discussions because, while others are wasting time on frivolous activities, they are seeking a higher level of knowledge.
The knowledge seekers love God and attend church, yet they also do not receive Jesus’ gift of Perfect Peace. Unfortunately, Christian knowledge seekers use their intellectual energies to continuously focus on the distractions of the tumultuous conditions in this world instead of focusing on God and preparing daily for Eternal Life.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3). Jesus teaches that the only way to have His peace is by using our faith to focus on Him and trusting Him with our lives.
We also require Jesus’ gift of Perfect Peace to engage in the Daily Battle of Spiritual Warfare. In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul tells us that we are involved in a spiritual war of the Great Controversy of Good and Evil that has existed for over 6,000 years.
Paul compares the Christian journey to the commitment of a soldier in the military, which requires an intentional focus, a peaceful mind, and maintaining one’s priorities to keep oneself prepared to fight in battle.
“No soldier in active service gets entangled in the [ordinary business] affairs of civilian life; [he avoids them] so that he may please the one who enlisted him to serve.” (2 Timothy 2:4, Amplified Bible).
Not having Jesus’ Peace prevents us from growing spiritually. Our prayers will be rushed, and we will not have the attention span to focus on the Holy Scriptures, preventing the Holy Spirit from guiding us in our spiritual journey and giving us the wisdom and discernment to understand the depth of God’s Word. [Isaiah 55:8-9].
Once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, He is also our Commander, who enlisted us to serve God, the Father. God must be our first priority! We actively participate in our salvation by maintaining a close relationship with Christ, which requires a sacrificial life of self-denial, surrender, and faithful obedience.
Separation, Solitude, and Silence are the Requisites for Personal Worship
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.” (Psalm 95:6-7).
Our love for God is demonstrated by the daily personal worship of Prayer and Bible Study. Many do not understand the depth of our spiritual experience of personal worship. We revere God with a spirit of humility because the Holy Spirit lifts us spiritually, placing us in the Divine and Holy Presence of Christ, which requires us to remove all distractions.
The Bible is our Spiritual Blueprint and Roadmap given by God to instruct and guide us, so we can actively participate in our journey of Sanctification [daily spiritual growth and transformation] performed by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit, also known as the Spirit of Truth, gives us the wisdom and discernment to understand the depth of God’s thoughts—the Holy Scriptures. And we receive the strength to overcome temptations and to persevere in our rugged Christian journey.
“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 require Jesus’ gift of Perfect Peace to allow the Holy Spirit to transform our minds, characters, and personalities into the likeness of Christ [Sanctification] required to receive Eternal Life.
Jesus’ Transforming Power is not a superficial emotional experience. We must have His Spiritual Gift of Peace for our Minds and Characters to be transformed into His Righteous Character, which requires us to be covered with the Righteousness of Christ.
Reflection: What is distracting your focus from enjoying a heart-to-heart relationship with Christ and receiving His peace?
Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…”; Proverbs 3:6: “Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7).
The greatest peace comes from knowing that we are following Jesus Christ as He leads us on the Path of Righteousness: And our reward will be eternity with Jesus, our Triumphant King. Yes and Amen!
Lord God, we thank You for Your Love, Grace, and Mercy. We ask You to give us the wisdom to reset our priorities by seeking knowledge and guidance through prayer and from Your Holy Scriptures. We also pray for the strength to resist the temptations of our heart’s desires and pursuing knowledge that only distracts us, and has nothing to do with our Salvation and Eternal Life. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Powerful Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
You must be logged in to post a comment.