Faith Love Trust Obedience – Page 5 – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Take It to the Lord In Prayer – Good News Choir

The Lord’s Prayer

Prayer Guidelines: Acknowledge God’s Sovereignty; Live by His Righteous Commands and Principles; Ask God to Reveal His Will and Plans; Ask for Spiritual and Physical Nourishment; Always Ask for the Forgiveness of Sins; Tell God You Forgive Others Who Intentionally Mistreat You; Immediately Call for Jesus’ Help When Facing Temptations; Acknowledge that God is the Sovereign Ruler and Authority Over the Universe.

Our prayers should not be limited to these principles. Go to your secret place, and pray honest prayers, casting all of your burdens at the feet of Jesus.

There are many other specific needs that we have. Our Shepherd cares about every aspect of our lives. Make your prayers personal. Talk to Jesus as if He is your best friend because He is.

Lord God, we thank You for the privilege of Prayer. We thank You for the invitation to come to the Throne of Grace in our time of need. And God spiritually, we were always in need. As we redirect our faith and focus to You on this Holy Sabbath Day, we ask for the forgiveness of our sins, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and anoint us with the Holy Spirit. Lord, we also ask You to give us the Triple Blessings of peace, rest from the stressors of this world, and the renewal and restoration of our minds, bodies, and souls. We thank You for the gift of 24 hours, in which we can reflect on Your amazing Love and Faithfulness. We desperately need Your Divine Help to make it through this journey of life. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Name of the Lord Is a Strong Tower: Replacing Self-Reliance With Total Dependency On God

“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).

When facing challenges, the immediate response of praying reveals that our faith and trust is in the Sovereign Power of God. ‘The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.’ ” (Proverbs 18:10).

Approaching the Throne of Grace not only reveals our willingness to surrender to God in total dependency, but demonstrates our cooperation with the Holy Spirit to actively participate in our journey of daily spiritual growth and transformation.

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

If our challenges produce the immediate emotional response of “What am I going to do?” then God has revealed that our faith is redirected from God to ourselves.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes.” (Proverbs 3:7).

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed is the person who trusts humans, who makes flesh and blood his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.’ ” (Jeremiah 17:5, GWT).

Trusting in human knowledge to resolve our problems also reveals that we are practicing self-reliance, which spiritually disconnects us from God.

As an employer expects employees to learn and adhere to the company’s policies and procedures, God also requires us to live by His Righteous Principles and Commandments found in His word, the Holy Scriptures.

“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. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7).

The decision to use our faith to trust and obey God by totally relying on Him to direct our steps is the commitment that will be rewarded with a Crown of Life when Jesus comes again.

Lord God, we thank You for being a Loving Heavenly Father. We approach the Throne of Grace because we desperately need Your help to and stay on the Path of Righteousness. We ask for Your Divine Help to resolve our challenges. We are following Your command to use our faith to trust in You and not to use our limited wisdom. Lord, we thank You for giving us the victory, and ask this prayer in the Loving and Righteous Name of Jesus, Amen.

We Overcome Through Christ’s Strength

“Be holy, for I Am Holy. (1 Peter 1:16).

Living Holy Is to Be Set Apart from Worldly Habits and Pursuits

The Holy Spirit will teach us how to be holy. Since Satan knows his time is short, he is doubling his efforts to distract us from our commitment to God.

What does God require of us?

“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).

We intentionally renounce sinful habits, behaviors, and separate ourselves from unbelievers, which includes family and friends who Satan uses to easily persuade us to sin against God.

Our responsibility is to spend time with God. Prayer is our highest form of worship to God. Pray consistently, and much more than once or twice a day, and study the Bible, which gives us Spiritual Nourishment.

If you have never studied the Bible, begin with Genesis, which teaches us God’s Righteous and Loving Character, His overwhelming love for those created in His image, the attributes of a Christian character, and His faithful commitment to helping the righteous to overcome temptation and adversity.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path…I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:105, 111).

We should never rush through the Bible. The Book of Genesis contains 52 chapters. Set aside 60 days to study. Our goal is to become Forever Learners of God’s word, which transforms our character, and teaches us how to live righteously, and to depend on God.

Worship Is Placing Ourselves In God’s Holy Presence

Separate yourself from all distractions and people. Place your phone on do not disturb, pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and discernment of God’s Truth, and the strength to live by His words.

The purpose of studying the Bible is to learn and practice God’s expectations of His sons and daughters, to receive His instructions not only when facing dilemmas, but also before making decisions that affect our daily routine of life.

We must have Scriptural knowledge before our minds, characters, and personalities are transformed by the Holy Spirit, which is a lifelong spiritual journey.

“Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.” (Revelation 16:15, NLT).

What does it mean to keep our clothing ready, and not be naked and ashamed?

“Being ‘clothed’ spiritually means to be covered with the Robe of Christ’s Righteousness, while being ‘naked’ spiritually means to be exposed in one’s own sins and self-righteousness.”

“It takes the right situation to reveal a person’s true character.”

God tells us that every secret within our hearts will be exposed. When we harbor secret sins, which are never a secret to God, He allows a situation to happen, which exposes the true status of our hearts, and we learn who we really are.

We can never change ourselves, or stay on the Narrow Path of Righteousness without asking for Divine Help every day.

Christ did not create us to use our thoughts, and limited human wisdom and strength to overcome the conflict of our internal desires and the external opposition of Satan’s temptations.

Whisper prayers throughout your waking hours asking God for strength. Your prayers will be answered. The Holy Spirit will empower you with Jesus’ Strength, Wisdom, and Discernment, this is the only way, we can live as Overcomers.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13).

Personal Testimony

This is how I changed my relationship with Christ. Every day as soon as I awaken, I consecrate my mind, body, and soul to God. I have personal worship twice-a-day, spending time studying the Scriptures and praying throughout my day for strength.

I stopped making decisions without praying, waiting, listening for God’s voice, and then obeying His instructions. Truthfully, this is still my struggle to not impulsively follow my thoughts.

Before making a decision always, Pause, Pray, and Wait on the Lord to answer your prayer. God perceives time as Eternal, so He is never in a hurry.

Spiritual Growth and Character Development Occurs In Small Steps

The Holy Spirit changes us daily, but gradually. And you will recognize that you are changing spiritually because you will start feeling differently about “Sin.”

There are things you won’t be able to talk about, programs you will cease watching, and listening to, and you will spend less time on social media, and let go of other habits that caused you to waste your time instead of worshiping God.

Sanctification is the progressive transformation of our minds, characters, and personalities, and we must cooperate fully with the Holy Spirit to be changed.

Jesus placed great emphasis on loving God, the Father. Because our hearts are filled with self-love, we must possess genuine love for God to put Him first.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-7, Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:30-31, Luke 10:27).

Loving God with everything we have, is written in four different Chapters of the Bible. Our relationship with Christ is only possible when we love and are loyal to God, the Father.

To be a Christian requires that we possess a teachable spirit of humility, and the willingness to surrender daily, and faithfully obey God.

God gave us the spiritual gifts of love, power, a sound mind, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).

“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).

Daily worship enables us to recognize who we are in Christ Jesus. When our identity is anchored in Christ, we will not engage in sinful practices.

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” (Revelation 22:12).

The King is coming sooner than we think. We can never overcome temptations and adversity using our thoughts, strategies, and strength. Several times a day, pray for Jesus to give you His strength, wisdom, and discernment.

Let go of everything that does not please God! Nothing on this Earth is worth exchanging your Crown of Life for. Peace and Blessings.

Lord God, we need you. We ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, to give us a pure heart, and baptize our hearts with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We thank You for Your Love, Grace, and Mercies, and ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

You Are Not Your Provider

At some point in our lives, we will reach the Red Sea that no amount of human effort can open or resolve. Through daily personal worship, we acknowledge God’s love and His faithfulness, trusting that He will give us our provisions.

Our Heavenly Father is not only Faithful, He is always true to His Character. If he said it, He will do it. Praises of gratitude increase our faith in God.

“Bless the LORD, oh my soul; and all that is within me, bless His Holy name! Bless the LORD, oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits.. ” (Psalm 103:1-2).

From living a sacrificial life of serving God with humility and daily prayers of gratitude for all His blessings, we immediately fall to our knees, whispering a prayer in faith knowing that God will provide in every season of life.

“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.” (John 16:33, Amplified Bible).

Our Response: “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:17).

So, when life events create lean times of financial deficit from job loss, or unexpected sickness, those who have developed a total dependency on God are confident they will receive God’s Divine Help.

“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).

We were not created to figure it out, or use our thoughts to develop solutions that place us as players in the risky Game of Chance. In Matthew 6, Jesus reiterates that He will provide for us. Only trust Him! Peace and Blessings.

Lord God, we are thankful and grateful for Your love and continuous care. With all of our hearts, souls, and minds, we worship and praise your Holy Name because you are God. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus, our Triumphant King, Amen.

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God Is the Help to Those Who Seek Him

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

“The psalmist affirmed, ‘The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night” (Psalm 121:5–6).

“No matter what we face, day or night, the Lord stands over us as a protective shield. Through every trial and storm, God is our constant shelter and refuge (Psalm 46:1; 91:1; Proverbs 18:10). Our good and loving Lord will protect us from every evil (Psalm 121:7).”

“If a believer should ask you, ‘Where does my help come from?’ You can offer them this remarkable assurance: At all times, no matter where you go, and for as long as you live, the Bible declares, ‘Your help comes from the Lord!’ ” (Psalm 121:8).

Lord God, we thank you for giving us the Holy Scriptures that reveal Your overwhelming love for us and Your desire for us to put You first in our lives. We commit to living a consecrated life, dedicated to following Christ, our Savior, Redeemer, Protector, and Triumphant King who is coming soon. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus, Amen.

Should a Christian Celebrate Halloween?

“Be holy, for I Am Holy” (1 Peter 1:16). “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11, NLT).

As a child, we received God’s blessing of growing up in a Christian home. My mother gave us the simple, but profound explanation that Halloween did not honor God, and we live to honor and obey God.

From a spiritual perspective, there is no reason to offer an alternative to Halloween, in the attempt to pacify children. God expects parents to teach their children the difference between what is Holy and unholy.

The Steadfast Decision is ours to Choose: Compromised Christianity, or Receiving Our Crown of Life.

“Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.” (2 Corinthians 6:17, NLT).

The Assurance We Receive from Trusting Christ, Our Shepherd

“I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33)

Jesus tells us that the life we desire filled with only love, joy, happiness, peace, and without hardships will not happen on this present Earth.

In fact, the life of a believer is the toughest journey, we will ever face. In the Great Controversy of Good and Evil, believers are the target!

Not only do we face the external opposition of Satan’s temptations, and animosity for following Christ, we must also overcome our internal desires, which are always in rebellion against God.

“Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me.” (John 15:4, Amplified Bible).

The King James version of this Scripture states, “Abide in Me.” To abide in Christ means that we become totally dependent on Him.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

We choose to follow Christ by using our faith to surrender in obedience. By seeking God’s will and plans through daily prayer, we receive wisdom and strength to fulfill His Perfect Plans.

“Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24).

Because we were created with a free will to choose, we must ask God for help. Whispering prayers throughout our day eliminates self-reliance and builds our faith and trust in God.

Despite our circumstances, if we rely on Christ, the Holy Spirit gives us unlimited Spiritual comfort, peace, joy, and guidance.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29, NIV).

Throughout the Scriptures, Jesus reiterates His love for us, still, due to busyness and distractions, we often do not engage in consistent personal worship [prayer, and Bible study].

But when facing challenges, if we exclude God, we easily become discouraged. Using human wisdom and effort has many limitations, we can develop strategies, but we can never predict a definitive outcome.

Prayer and studying the Holy Scriptures keeps us grounded in Christ and builds our faith. The Bible is the only way, we can learn Christ’s Loving Character, His promises, and the history of His Divine intervention in the lives of the righteous.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27).

Truthfully, we cannot trust a stranger. When our knowledge of God is limited, we instinctively place our faith and trust in ourselves. But at some point, we will experience life-changing events that only Divine Intervention can resolve.

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10).

From staying connected to Christ, we receive an internal assurance of peace and safety in knowing that we are loved by God, He is Faithful, and Committed to taking care of us.

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’ ” (Genesis 1:26).

To learn the Righteous Character of Christ and His love for us requires that we start with studying the Book of Genesis, the Beginning. Biblical knowledge increases our faith in God.

The Foundation: Study the Book of Genesis and the Four Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John], which records the Life of Christ. Before studying, always pray for The Teacher, God, the Holy Spirit to give you spiritual wisdom and discernment.

Our Heavenly Father Cares

“The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17, BSB).

Words cannot describe the inner peace that comes from learning who God is, and His Amazing Love for those created in His Divine Image.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27, NIV).

Despite our challenges and hardships, our Heavenly Father also allows us to enjoy peaceful times. Even when experiencing hardships, we are not grapes, God never crushes us, which would also crush our hope in His Agape love.

“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore He exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him.” (Isaiah 30:18).

We are sons and daughters of the Most-High God who loves us unconditionally! God desires to lead us from Earth to Heaven. We cannot change ourselves or stay on the Path of Righteousness without Divine Directions.

We often mistake suffering the consequences of disobedient choices for God-Allowed trials. Thinking our own thoughts and planning our lives without God always has repercussions.

Praying for God’s Divine Guidance before making decisions gives us the assurance that we are aligned with God’s plans, which is the only way we can enjoy His peace, and receive guaranteed Victorious Outcomes.

By accepting Christ as our personal Savior, we committed to following Him as sheep who follow their shepherd. We are never alone! Pray, Obey, and Persevere through life in Jesus’ strength.

“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, NIV).

Daily personal worship [prayer and Bible study] is the outward sign of possessing a heart filled with love, loyalty, adoration, and reverence for our Loving Heavenly Father.

Staying connected to Christ has definitive advantages: In times of adversity and lingering hardships, only true worshipers can remain courageous, enjoying Jesus’ gift of peace.

From establishing a life of prayer, we establish our dependency on Christ. When facing the stormy seasons, our first response is a faith-based prayer asking for Divine Help.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10).

No other book, but the Bible gives us the spiritual nourishment needed to grow in Christ. Studying and meditating on the Scriptures invites the Holy Spirit to give us a deeper understanding.

Our commitment to worship God is rewarded. The Holy Spirit empowers us to perceive life through spiritual eyes. Our dependency on God is not weakness, it is the only way that we can remain steadfast in our Christian Journey.

“Trials never feel good, yet, trials are faith builders.”

From possessing Scriptural knowledge, in difficult times, the Holy Spirit reminds us of God’s promises, giving us the assurance of our Heavenly Father’s Love and Faithfulness.

Whether in peaceful, or stormy times, we should separate ourselves, and deeply reflect on God’s love and our many blessings. We did not achieve a lifetime of victories by using human effort.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3, HCSB).

Our Sovereign God is always Faithful! Every day, we are recipients of His overwhelming Love, Grace, and Abundant mercies. Yes, God deserves our prayers of praise and worship.

The storm cannot last! Eventually, the Sun will shine! We know that Christ, our Loving Shepherd will say, “Peace be still” and give us a spiritual calm that cannot be reproduced by human ability.

Like Job who suffered the most devastating adversity recorded in the Bible, if we stay connected to Christ, we will be able to proclaim:

“I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth. “Even after my [mortal] skin is destroyed [by death], Yet from my [immortal] flesh I will see God…” (Job 17:25-26, NIV, Amplified Bible).

Only God can guide us through the storms that produce spiritual growth and transformation necessary to prepare us to receive our Crown of Life. Yes and Amen!

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, NLT).

Bible Study: Genesis, and The Four Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John].

Lord God, we thank You for Your Divine Love and for taking care of us, even when we failed to acknowledge Your Faithfulness. Jesus, our Shepherd and Triumphant King, we choose You. We ask You to lead us, correct us, and protect us from spiritual warfare, and give us the strength to overcome external opposition and internal conflict. We thank You, and promise to give You the honor, the glory and the praise that you deserve. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray, Amen.

Tag: Faith Love Trust Obedience