Scriptures of Encouragement—Jesus Will Never Forsake Us!
Commit to putting all of your faith and trust in the only Loving, Powerful God who always keeps His promises.
“The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. He does not forget the cry of the humble.” —Psalm 9:9-10, 12
“In my distress, I cried to the LORD, And He heard me.” —Psalm 120:1
“The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand.” —Psalm 121:5
“…Thus says the LORD to you: Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” —2 Chronicles 20:15
“…as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage…Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:5, 6, 9
“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
“Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all of your heart.” —Jeremiah 29:12-13
“…Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. 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 43:1-3
“The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.” —Nahum 1:7
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” —John 16:33
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:6-7
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:19
“Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” —Philippians 4:20
Believe in God’s promises! Be not dismayed, God will take care of you!
Wisdom the Divine Gift Devotional Reading and Podcast
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. —Proverbs 3:13-15
“The book of Proverbs is all about helping us to make right choices, to choose the way of God and not that of the deceiver.”— SSQ, The Call of Wisdom
Wisdom is a divine gift from God. Yet we must ask for it. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5). Wisdom gives us the ability to discern between right and wrong whether the deception is obvious or not.
Deception is spiritual warfare by Satan—the Master of Deception who seeks to trick us by developing customized temptations and presenting them to us with such proficiency that in our process of rationalizing, we become confused. Of course, his goal is to make the righteous fall. “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire” (James 1:14).
Satan deceived Eve with words that appeared to be full of wisdom. Imagine a serpent who can communicate with you. The distraction of a talking serpent who spoke about the wonderful benefits of eating the forbidden tree’s fruit cost Adam and Eve everything, including their face-to-face relationship with Jesus, loss of their home, and immortality.
Sadly, many Christians are deceived every day. When faced with life’s dilemmas, we rely on our emotions, academic degrees, strategies, and prior life experiences instead of praying for God to give us the wisdom to discern. By eliminating prayer for wisdom and guidance, we use our limited knowledge to make decisions that result in costly consequences.
The dilemma is orchestrated by Satan and comes to completion because of our lack of knowledge or pride. We feel pressured to make an immediate decision. Then Satan adds fuel to the fire with additional deceptive tactics by making us believe that our circumstances are trials or tribulations caused by God.
In John 16, Jesus tells us that we will have tribulations. Most of us have been through at least one season of darkness, and thankfully God has given us deliverance that we can use as a testimony to encourage others. But what happens when our lives are in constant turmoil from which we never recover?
Trials versus Consequences
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. —1 Peter 5:10
“We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed…” —2 Corinthians 4:8
Whether our lives feel out of control or everything is at peace, if we are Christian believers, we will experience hard times. Contrary to trendy [false] teachings, God does not crush us. The apostle Peter tells us that suffering has a Divine purpose. Our characters “as is” are not acceptable for the Kingdom of Heaven. Trials, sorrows, tribulations, and hard times are allowed by God to accomplish a spiritual transformation.
Are you impatient, unloving, have an anger management issue, or possess a prideful and selfish heart? Even if we do not admit our character defects, God’s purpose is for us to live eternally with Him. God does not punish us for long periods because He can. We serve a God whose name is Love. We have the assurance that our trials are given for one purpose, spiritual growth!
“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace…” (1 Corinthians 14:33).
God does not crush or bring chaos and confusion into our lives. If we are living disruptive lives due to chaos and confusion then we are making decisions outside of the will of God. God’s purpose is to transform and provide restoration and peace to our lives. We benefit from trials because they place us on a firm foundation in Jesus Christ and prepare us to receive our reward of eternal life.
If you are suffering from the consequences of counterproductive decisions, pray a prayer of confession and repentance. Our Heavenly Father is loving and merciful. Every day surrender your heart and will to God by asking for wisdom and discernment. Develop the mindset of “Where God leads and directs me, I will obey.”
“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
Prayer: God, we ask for forgiveness for excluding you from our decision-making. We ask for wisdom and discernment and pray for Your Divine Guidance in our lives. We also ask You to resolve our current dilemma that is present due to a spirit of self-reliance. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.
Three Prayers Guaranteed to Change Your Character Devotional Reading and Podcast
We struggle to become better people. Many are doing their best to get rid of their learned behaviors and hereditary characteristics, yet they never quite make it. Although spiritual transformation requires a lifetime, we make it more complicated. By attempting to change we leave out the most important factor—we cannot change ourselves without God’s help. And that is the issue, we need Divine Intervention to develop a Christ-like character.
Praying is our connection to the Power Source, Jesus Christ who sent the Holy Spirit to lead us through our earthly lives. The intervention of the Holy Spirit orchestrates the change of our hearts. Only those who surrender and obey God’s will can experience a transformation of mind and character.
The three prayers that act as spiritual catalysts for changing our hearts are the human effort required before we can receive the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit who changes us.
The Obstacle: “The heart is deceitful above all things And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. “For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, those evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person” (Mark 7:21-23).
TheSpiritual transformation of our Characterrequires Faith, Love, Humility, Obedience, Knowledge, Prayer, Bible Study, and the Holy Spirit.
Faith: “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
Love: “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The greatest commandment to love God with everything you have was given in the Old Testament. Leviticus 19:18 states, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD”.
The emancipated Israelites did not have loving hearts. Not only did they fail to love God, but they also hated their neighbors and mistreated their parents. Because we are born sinful, and our backgrounds and life experiences differ, God has not left us to define His Righteous Standards. Study 1 Corinthians, chapter 13 for a description of love and its’ characteristics.
Love, Humility, and Obedience: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” —Micah 6:8
To give us a foundation, in the book of Micah chapter 6, verse 8 describes three character traits, “to do justice—treat others with fairness, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” which describe acceptable and righteous interaction with others and God.
“But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’ ” —Jeremiah 7:23
Obedience is surrendering our will to God every day—this is the spiritual meaning of taking up our cross which is mandatory to receive spiritual transformation and eternal life. “Lord, speak to me and reveal Your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Knowledge: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” —Matthew 11:28-30
From the pages of the Holy Bible, we learn the righteous traits that God requires and we see them demonstrated in our Role Model, Jesus Christ. Change requires knowledge. What are we striving for? What are God’s expectations of the righteous? The Bible is our first Resource when seeking change. It is God-breathed and written for our edification, to instruct and improve, especially in moral and religious knowledge.
Three Daily Prayers: 1. Prayer of Confession, Repentance, and Surrender, 2. Prayer to Receive Guidance and Power from the Holy Spirit, 3. Prayer for the Strength and Wisdom to fulfill God’s will and purpose for your life.
“Now it happened that at this time He went off to the mountain to pray, and He was spending the whole night in prayer to God.” —Luke 6:12. From this prayer, Jesus received an outpouring of Divine power and He healed every sick person in the multitude of people.
Praying: If we learn nothing else about Christ, we know that praying to God was always His priority. Jesus always kept close communication with His Father for strength and, most importantly, to align with God’s will. Something that many have never thought about, Jesus had to learn obedience. Yes, the Commander of the angel armies had to acquiesce to His earthly parents until He matured and was fully into His Divine purpose on earth.
Put God First! Jesus clarifies that God is first and holds the highest status, even above His [and our] earthly family. “Then one said to Him, ‘Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.’ But He answered and said to the one who told Him, ‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?’ And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.’ ” —Matthew 12:47-50
Prayer keeps us on the Path of Righteousness. Prayer keeps us from falling into the spiritual warfare of earthly distractions. Prayer keeps us in alignment with God’s will and purpose.
Our deceitful hearts cannot stay focused on Jesus without surrender and intervention from the Holy Spirit. Nor can we have victory over hereditary tendencies and learned behaviors without consistent and fervent praying. Yes, change requires intentional prayers that verbalize our desire to mature into the likeness of Christ.
Prayer: God, we are in the struggle of our lives. We need Your help. Lord, we pray for the forgiveness of our sins. We acknowledge that we cannot change our deceitful and wicked hearts without surrendering and receiving the strength and power of the Holy Spirit. We desire to have the characteristics of Christ. We ask this prayer in the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen.
God Always Wins the Battle Devotional Reading and Podcast
“The Lord is a Man of War; the Lord is his name.” —Exodus 15:3
Surrendering our hearts to Jesus places us in the Army of the Lord. Every day, Christian soldiers face the battles of spiritual warfare, disappointments, and unexpected hardships. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
To prevent discouragement from life’s challenges Jesus forewarned us that we would have many tribulations. The word tribulation is defined as a state of great trouble or suffering. To be honest, most of us sink into the despair of disappointment or grief when we face hardships. Yet, our Fearless Lord is aware that our first response will be emotional.
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28
Jesus is compassionate and long-suffering. We are not expected to be stoic—a person who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings. Yet as soldiers in the Army of the Lord, we have a Mighty Commander—Jesus Christ who we can rely on. Jesus describes Himself as Lord, a Man of War!
Even so, Jesus also gives us another description of Himself, “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).
Let’s analyze why we cannot get beyond our emotional responses when surrounded by life’s challenges. The Number One [and only] Reason: We do not know who our Commander, Jesus Christ is and what He is capable of doing. Without studying the Bible, and learning who Jesus is, we can’t have faith and trust in Him nor do we understand His love and Divine power.
The Outcome of our Knowledge Deficit: We do not feel close to Christ because He is a stranger. Without a heart-to-heart relationship, sadly, we miss out on enjoying the peace and reassurance that Jesus is always with us throughout the duration of our tribulations. The good news is that we do not have to stay in the dilemma of not knowing Christ.
“…Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household. ” Acts 16:3, NIV
It’s you and me standing in the need of Jesus, our Savior and the Lord, a Man of War to fight our battles. Having a relationship with Christ requires faith—believing He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus says, “Learn of me.” Until we put God first in our lives by staying in His presence through daily worship [praying and studying the Scriptures], we will not become dependent on Christ.
What will it take for us to make prayer our first response when facing tribulations? Just like military recruits who pledge allegiance to their country, accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior is a covenant vow. Tell yourself, I can do nothing without Christ. With a humble heart, we acknowledge our dependency on Jesus by involving Him in every aspect of our lives.
Pray often! Much prayer brings much power into our lives. Have little talks with Jesus throughout your day. Prayer and learning God’s promises not only strengthen our faith and trust during hardships, but we also stop worrying. We begin to notice a change in our mindset. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Depending on Christ changes our outlook. When challenges come into our lives, we don’t give up, we remain steadfast and maintain our hope. Yes, we gain confidence as we do our part in building a meaningful relationship with Christ. Our goal is to become dependent on His supernatural strength as we live courageously despite tribulations.
Although spiritual growth is silent, our love for Christ flourishes and we grow closer to our Lord, the Man of War. Whether it is a short trial or a long journey of tribulation, we will immediately cry out “Lord, I desperately need Your help. Do not let these overwhelming waves of tribulations drown me!”
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians 6:10).
Prayer: Lord, we need You every day in this earthly journey of life. We surrender our hearts to You and pray for the strength to accept our position as a soldier in Your Army. In Jesus’ Mighty Name, we pray. Amen.
The young man told the story of his family being missionaries for 20 years in a rural village in Peru. He had three brothers who along with their parents were content with the routine of everyday life. But he confessed that he was the adventurous one who was always eager to accompany anyone who was taking a trip into the mountains to forage for berries or medicinal herbs.
One of the men started a business as a tour guide in the mountains. This particular hike was one into unfamiliar territory and with his father’s permission, he joined the large group for the day trip. All was well until he had to use the bathroom. Instead of notifying the guide that he needed to stop, he felt confident with his prior hiking knowledge and left the group.
Veering off the trail he paid attention to his surroundings, but the attempt to return the same way posed a major problem. He had walked deeper into the thick forest than he realized. All of the trees and foliage looked the same. His mind became filled with questions, Did I walk straight into the bush? Where are the broken twigs that I stepped on? As he walked straight ahead toward his perception of where the trail was, he knew that he was lost.
At the age of 15, he felt embarrassed and ashamed. He failed to follow the safety protocol by notifying the guide that he needed to stop. Since he grew up in this mountainous area, what would the other hikers think of him for becoming lost? Those thoughts prevented him from calling out for help. Yet, he had to make a decision, the group was going on without him.
Finally, he began to pray for forgiveness for his wilful disobedience and then he asked God to show him the way back to the trail. After what seemed like forever, the teenager begin to hear the voices of the other hikers. His prayer was answered! God in His mercy led him safely out. There were so many hikers that no one was aware that he had ever left the group.
As he ended the testimonial, the young man, now 22, advises every Christian believer to obey God and never make decisions without praying and waiting for an answer from God.
For us to surrender ourselves to God, we must have a spiritual understanding of the dilemma within ourselves–we were born with a heart filled with carnal [sinful] desires.
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin, my mother conceived me.” —Psalm 51:5
“The heart is deceitful above all things And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” —Jeremiah 17:9
Is David saying that we are born with sinful hearts? We can look at this spiritual fact from a practical perspective. Whether or not a child has siblings or is an only child who was taught to share, and eagerly shared, as they continue to develop they become self-centered in the toddler stage of their lives.
The psychological perspective: “Sharing is hard for toddlers because it involves thinking about someone else’s feelings, wants, and needs and they haven’t developed the ability to do that yet. Self-centeredness in toddlerhood is a normal part of development, and not a reflection of parenting or caregiving.” https://babysparks.com/2019/03/07/
Proof that we are born with sinful hearts is exhibited in the behaviors of innocent, young children. Sin is innate and impacts every human being who was ever born on the planet Earth! Even the Apostle Paul, a godly man whom God used to write 14 of the 27 books of the New Testament struggled with sin.
“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” —Romans 7:15, NLT
“For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.” —Romans 7:19
“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
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” —Ephesians 6:12
We cannot fight the Sin Bully without Divine Intervention! Jesus gave His life for us to be saved from the consequences of losing the battle against sin. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.” —Luke 22:42, ESV
Jesus is our Role Model. Not only was He tempted by Satan after He fasted for 40 days, but Jesus was also continuously tested by the unbelieving Pharisees. It was the decision to totally surrender His will to God, the Father along with fervent praying that gave Jesus the strength to overcome sin’s every temptation and to die on the Cross to redeem us from death, sin’s consequences.
“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
We will have an internal battle of the heart with sin that will never cease until Jesus comes again. Without our Spiritual Team, we are as helpless as newborn babies against the temptations of sin. Every day we must be intentional in our commitment to surrendering our will and upholding our vow of total obedience to God.
With a heart filled with gratitude, we can thank God for the gift of His Son, Jesus. Because of His love, grace, and mercy, we never have to fight the Sin Bully alone! Divine Help is just a prayer away!
Pray for help when tempted. Proclaim, “Get, behind me Satan!” The Holy Spirit gives us strength and angels intervene for us when we refuse to let sin knock us down! Divine Intervention, Obedience, Prayer, Bible Study, and deciding to remain steadfast [and immovable] is the only way we can overcome the Sin Bully.
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. —1 Corinthians 15:50-53
Brothers and Sisters, Never give up your reward! We are soldiers in God’s Army, serving under a Fearless Leader—Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah, who is a Warrior and will always fight for us against the Sin Bully. Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so! Yes and Amen.
Spiritual Growth Is Silent Devotional Reading and Podcast
Jesus created the world to have consistent and continuous growth and movement. All bodies of water, the sea, streams, and oceans give us evidence of that movement. And nothing is more exciting than planting seeds and anxiously watching and waiting for the little seedlings to burst through the dirt.
We were also created to achieve growth through spiritual and academic learning. Still, God’s plan is for us to utilize the Bible as our primary source of gaining knowledge. From the moment we pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit [before studying the Bible], we receive discernment of the Scriptures, wisdom, and spiritual guidance for applying the Truth to our lives.
“But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16, ESV)
To live holy means we put God first. Daily worship includes prayer expressing gratitude, Bible study, and asking for Divine guidance regarding life’s challenges. Hearing God’s Voice can happen in various ways. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Scriptures and our thoughts. Make worship an intimate time between you and God without distractions or disruptions.
Our commitment to obey and walk in God’s Purpose is the only way to achieve spiritual growth. Spiritual growth and transformation are dynamic and occur throughout our lifetime as long as we remain dedicated to God.
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience…” (Colossians 1:9-11).
Like the plant that grows silently, our spiritual growth is also silent. We visualize the development of plant life stages, but how do we know if we are growing spiritually? Our characters change as evidenced by the desire to intentionally guard our hearts. The programs, music, and conversations we previously watched, listened to and participated in become displeasing to our eyes and ears. We become intentional and committed to our relationship with Christ.
As we grow, we begin to take better care of our souls. The more we learn about God’s character and the life of Christ, our hearts are filled with love—we love God, others, and ourselves. When our hearts are bursting with love for God, we willingly change our lifestyles to include praying and studying the Scriptures. Another godly trait we gain is compassion–we will begin to care about the well-being of those in need.
Our goals change from pleasing ourselves to pleasing God. We begin to desire a character that has the [righteous] qualities of the Fruit of the Spirit. Do not try to monitor or speed up your spiritual growth. We can change undesirable habits or curtail unrighteous traits, such as impatience [which demonstrates we are doing our part], yet, spiritual transformation is a continuous and lifelong process orchestrated by the Holy Spirit.
Like the plant that requires light, water, and nutrients for proper growth and maturity, we also need the Light and Living Water that only Christ can provide. Realistically, we will fall when we fail to pray for guidance. Do not become discouraged! “For a righteous person falls seven times and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of disaster” (Proverbs 24:16). We must repent, get back up, not repeat the same mistake, and keep going.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28, NIV
We have Divine Help every second of our lives. God is only a prayer away. Jesus says, “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). We have a Father who loves us!
Our transformation relies on a close relationship with Christ. Surrender and obedience allow us to receive the spiritual nutrients that flow from the Source, Jesus Christ. Yes, Christ not only gives us strength, but He also nurtures us with His everlasting love!
Every Christian’s Goal: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Every day we fight against our sinful traits, but we can win those battles with the Holy Spirit who gives us the strength to overcome our carnal desires and resist temptation. Our willingness to cooperate and surrender to God’s will and plans allows the Holy Spirit to achieve the continuous transformation required for eternal life.
There is a marked difference between spiritual growth and natural growth. We reach mental and physical maturity by a certain age, but we never cease growing spiritually. God has designed that we are ever learning and growing in our walk on the Path of Righteousness.
Sanctification, to be molded into the likeness of Christ–His Character lasts throughout our cycle of life on this earth.
Scripture: “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him, all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him” (Colossians 1: 15-16).
Prayer: God, I ask You to show me the way and reveal what You want me to do. I want to do what you want me to do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
God’s Blueprint for Your Life Sabbath Devotional Reading and Podcast
Yesterday, I was involved in a deep discussion regarding the question, “How do you know it’s God directing you?” God’s directions always glorify Him, they are given with clarity, and there are no hiccups [obstacles]. Everything flows like a beautiful mountain stream of water. When God has orchestrated the plan, no human or even Satan can prevent His plan from coming to fruition. And you know the blessing is from God because you have a sense of overwhelming peace in your heart and soul!
One of the greatest stories in the Old Testament is The Destruction of Jericho, which is an example of God’s Divine plans accomplishing what appeared to be an impossible feat.
Joshua 6: verses 1-3: “Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua: ‘See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days.’ “
Joshua 6: verses 4-5: “And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of ram’s horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”
The Victorious Plan Comes to Fruition: “So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city” (Joshua 6:20).
One of the biggest mistakes is to listen to someone on social media telling us, “I don’t know who I’m talking to but God wants me to tell you to go ahead with your plans.” There are many testimonials from people who listened to strangers and suffered unnecessary consequences.
Testimony: In 2021, my landlord called to tell me he was selling the house I had leased for six years. I was living in Texas and was given six weeks to clear out a 3-Bedroom house. God came through in miraculous ways. I was searching for an apartment within a 50-mile radius of my address. The online search resulted in many apartment complexes, yet there was something unusual, an apartment complex on the Florida Coast showed up first. To be honest, I started laughing.
Within one week, my application for the Florida apartment was approved. God sent an individual to help me clear out the donation items and a furniture store owner purchased all of the excess furniture I could not keep. In the middle of February, with two weeks left to vacate, there was a severe ice storm that shut down several cities. Texas has its electrical grid. They divided the city into quadrants and placed everyone on a rotating 4-hour on and 4-hours off schedule for electricity. My electricity stayed on for days without interruption.
Many other miracles occurred between January 15th to March 1st of 2021 that I never anticipated. I witnessed God’s Divine Intervention as I had never seen before. When God directs your life’s plans, He takes care of everything, including the most minor details. I have lived on the Coast for over two years.
“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).
Always Pray for God’s Guidance: “God, show me the way and what you want me to do. I want to do what you want me to do. I am in a state of confusion and need clarity. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. I prayed a similar prayer before relocating 1400 miles. The All-Knowing God who has wisdom beyond our comprehension has perfect plans for our earthly lives.
“Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old. Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19, ESV).
Remember that God’s blueprints always result in us “Going Forward.” God never requires us to take steps backward to accomplish His plans. Waiting includes obedience to His will and learning His Voice. Pray in your secret closet to avoid distractions when seeking God’s guidance.
Spiritual growth and transformation require faith and patience. God takes His time in bringing the details of our blueprint into existence. We must be ready spiritually to receive our greatest blessings. Most often, God will require the present chapter in your life to end. Because God is the Great I AM, He will not disclose the details of His plans ahead of time. We must faithfully wait in joyful anticipation.
“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27:14)
I am a living witness. When we wait on God’s timing, the Lord will reveal His wonderful-working power in our lives. Never give up! Your blueprint is promised in Jeremiah 29, verse 11. Amen!
Dear Jesus, With all of my heart, I thank You for Your awesome love and the greatest sacrificial gift of Your life for humanity. Although I struggle to comprehend the magnitude of Agape love, I know that Your love is everything that I need. I surrender myself to You and pray that one day I will see You face to face to ask you the question that is deeply hidden in my heart. I love You, Jesus. Yes, my heart belongs to You. Love Always, your Daughter
Traveling in Safety Devotional Reading and Podcast
Yesterday, I watched an interesting story of a woman [age 40 +] who restarted her life after a divorce. Her desire was always to travel. But could she live a rugged life with the uncertainties of which direction am I going in and where will I stay overnight? What about the finances? She weighed her life experience against the fear of the unknown and move forward by converting a cargo van [without windows] into a tiny home that revealed amazing creativity and functionality.
As she spoke about planning the van’s conversion, her primary goal in designing was to ensure her safety. A solo woman living the van life must always be on the alert. One of her never will do this–boondocking in isolated places. The best advice for those thinking about living full-time in a traveling home is to always be highly observant of your surroundings and join an online community of travelers eager to share their knowledge, wisdom, and experience to maintain a peaceful and safe lifestyle on the road.
As I thought about the intentional steps this van lifer took to ensure her physical safety and overall well-being, I reflected on the believer’s life. Is spiritual safety a priority for us? We know that Satan is our greatest enemy, yet, we have another enemy within. ” But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire” (James 1:14).
Ensuring our spiritual safety requires prayer, self-denial, and self-control.
Even the most disciplined person has a point of weakness. Learning and practicing self-denial and self-control is a joint effort and requires the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit. Even the apostle Paul had to admit that he was a slave to sin, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15, NIV).
Can you imagine a godly man who wrote most of the New Testament confessing that he also struggled with sin? Yet that same godly man also gave us the answer to staying safe in our spiritual journey, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
Maintaining the Highest Level of Spiritual Safety in Our Journey of Life
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Human Effort: Our safety foundation begins with a steadfast relationship with Christ. We must possess faith, trust, and obedience as core spiritual traits. Praying, Studying the Scriptures, Asking for the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit, and Evaluating our thoughts, behaviors, and lifestyle are daily responsibilities in keeping us spiritually safe. With a strong determination, we strive for the character traits of the Fruit of the Spirit.
What do you watch and listen to? What is on your enjoyment list? Who is in your social circle? “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’ ” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Paul advises us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves with the community of believers. Maintaining spiritual safety includes having friends and mentors who help us stay on the Path of Righteousness through their prayers, joyful conversations, and godly advice.
Divine Intervention: “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it”(John 14:14). “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide a way of escape, so that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
An intentional sin is an act of wilful disobedience. And that is a heart problem of disloyalty against God. Even if we do not commit intentional sins, we face spiritual warfare every day that places us in danger of compromising our relationship with God. “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13).
One of Satan’s best tactics is to deceive us by using our friends and family. Never say yes when asked to participate in any social function that does not glorify God. The best response is, “I have to pray about it” or “No, I am unable to do that.” And never apologize for turning down the invitation to engage in sinful activities.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Our Value to God: There is another aspect of maintaining our spiritual safety that many of us never think about, we forget that our worth was determined by Christ before humanity was created. When we pray and meditate on whom we belong to and the price that Jesus paid for our redemption, we realize that we are recipients of the greatest gift given to humanity by our loving Savior.
And Jesus tells us, “…I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3).
Although we can never anticipate the time or type of temptation, the Holy Spirit will make us aware it is Satan’s entrapment that has a dangerous outcome. To maintain our spiritual safety, every day we must stay spiritually alert by staying connected to the Source and Sustainer of our lives. Renounce every enticement of sin and learn to “Just say, No!” even if it originates from the desires of your heart.
Prayer: God, we confess the desires of our hearts are not in alignment with your will and plans for our lives. Lord, forgive us for placing ourselves in danger of sinning against You. We pray for Divine strength as we travel through this earthly journey. Thank you, for the Holy Spirit and the angels who protect us from spiritual warfare and physical harm. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray, Amen.
“King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women. These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, ‘You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.’ Yet Solomon clung to these women in love.” 1 Kings 11:1-2
Within the past two years have you grown closer to God? The answer to the question appears to be a simple yes or no, but an in-depth reflection of the time we spend in daily worship and our lifestyle choices reveals the love in our hearts for God and the status of our relationship with Christ.
We live in a culture where people have a lot to say, but they rarely listen unless it is for financial gain or enjoyment. There are more discussions on relationships, politics, social injustices, travel, food, and the pursuit of [our] happiness than the Plan of Salvation, Righteousness by Faith, and the Second Coming of Jesus. Even in most Christian social functions, we rarely discuss God.
There was a time when Christians prayed and diligently studied the Bible, but the lack of scriptural knowledge is rapidly increasing because we are distracted. Like King Solomon, we have interacted and formed deadly relationships with those without desire for eternal life in the New Heaven and New Earth.
We have allowed earthly pleasures and our agendas to separate us from God. Yet, this is not without a price. The disruptions that disturb our peace have left us weary and disoriented. Because God is no longer first our first response to resolve challenges and hardships is to rely on ourselves, or to contact family and friends for answers.
Sadly, at a time when biblical prophecies are being fulfilled, our primary focus is no longer on God. The natural disasters, nuclear weapon preparation, threats of war retaliation, and those appearing godly are the signs of last-day prophecies being fulfilled. Since 2020, we have had an uncontrollable global virus with a history of developing new variants that are still wreaking havoc globally and causing a burden on the healthcare arena.
King Solomon was blessed with wisdom and wealth but he gave into his carnal desires of lustful pleasures. Satan has 6,00o years of experience deceiving people on the planet Earth. There was a time that Christians were dedicated to Christ and appreciated His sacrificial gift to redeem us from our sins. Sadly like King Solomon, we have chosen the temporary pleasures of sin to tear us away from God.
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Timothy 3:1-5, NIV).
We have made ourselves an idol. Self-worship is demonstrated by our decision to put God on hold by pursuing whatever is desirable to our hearts. Even so, satisfying our desires and actions comes with a price resulting in spiritual bankruptcy! We now have a generation of Christians who are apathetic and unaware of the time we are living in.
The people who claim that we serve God under His Banner of Truth are fragmented more than ever. Instead of proclaiming Jesus as a Loving Savior who died and rose again for the salvation of humanity, we are pursuing our agendas. Many are beyond feeling remorseful for turning away from God. We feel that we are living our best lives and are happily satisfied with our decisions.
The Call to Repentance: “Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty.” Zechariah 1:3
Because we serve a Loving and Merciful God, Jesus is pleading with us to repent and come back to God. We are no match for spiritual warfare! All of heaven is concerned for humanity. God, the Father, and the angels watched Jesus, the Commander of Heaven and Earth die a gruesome and humiliating death on the cross that He did not deserve.
With love, Jesus gave His life for the redemption of people who would never love Him back or lose their love for Him because they are pursuing the desires of the heart. We are losing the race against time. It’s time that we return to our first love, Jesus Christ. Our decision to renounce sin is a matter of life and death! God requires loyal, faithful, obedient men and women of God. And those character traits are only possible if we possess a heart filled with love for God.
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7-8).
Prayer: God, we ask for the forgiveness of our sins. We pray an Intercessory prayer for those who have lost their first love. We ask for the Holy Spirit to touch their hearts and remind them of the matchless love of Christ and His plans for them to live eternally with Him. We also pray they will choose life by returning to God and dedicating their lives to His service. In Jesus’ worthy Name, Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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