“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'” –2 Corinthians 12:9
Focusing on ourselves or our circumstances produces fear and cancels our faith and dependency on the power of Christ. Pride is the seed from which the sin of self-reliance grows. Self-reliance rapidly infiltrates the heart producing the thorns of anxiety, worries, and mental and spiritual instability. Our spiritual outlook changes as we become weaker from the weeds of insecurity and hopelessness that ultimately destroy our faith in God. Although the answer to our dilemma is simple, we are functioning on emotions that leave us feeling overwhelmed. As we try to figure things out, nonexistent faith makes us forget that we have a Savior waiting to help us.
Jesus Christ is Our Foundation–Jesus forewarned us of self-reliance’s consequences: “You can do nothing without me!” Surrendering ourselves to the Vine prevents keeps us nourished with strength, empowers us to face opposition, and binds us closer to Christ. We remain confident as His strength permeates our hearts and soul. Every day, pray to receive strength from our only Source, Jesus Christ.
When I greeted the cashier, we immediately started chatting about the joy of retirement which led me to believe that she was only working part-time and happily enjoying a life of bliss. But then she expressed the agony of working six more years to reach full retirement age. The atmosphere created by her words of hopelessness threatened to produce a doom-and-gloom conversation.
Looking at her prematurely aged face, I thought about having a job in mid-life that required eight hours of constant standing, never-ending customer interaction, and produced mental and physical exhaustion by the end of the day. I knew this would be my only opportunity to provide uplifting words of hope to combat her heavy burden of despair.
I eagerly expressed the benefits of taking early retirement at 62 with the ability to work if the monthly income did not exceed $1700. As we chatted, God’s divine intervention kept other customers from choosing her checkout line. As she placed my items in the bags, a bright smile and the words, Thank you, now, I have something to look forward to in life produced happiness in two women who would probably never see each other again. Leaving the store, I said a silent prayer of thanksgiving for the opportunity to alleviate her mental suffering. Yes, as I walked away, I felt happy.
Where do you stand? Are you included in the 14% of the population who is very happy? Sadly, many believers are very unhappy with their present circumstances. How did we progress from thanking God for His abundant blessings to an internal state of dissatisfaction? We have embraced the worldview that produces unhappiness–to always be discontent.
Many have offered little resistance to society’s prevailing drive for the pursuit of happiness. The competitive edge is to always strive for more–we agree that enough is never enough!
God’s Standard: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
For the faithful, God always gives us the necessary provisions to sustain our well-being. Despite the satanic warfare of natural disasters and humanity’s continuous destruction of the planet earth, God has allowed the abundant beauty in nature to remain steadfast. Truthfully, our Heavenly Father always provides for the righteous. Most believers are well-fed and have financial stability.
Why do we constantly desire more things for ourselves? Our discontent reveals our perception of God. Instead of focusing on the blessings received from the open windows of heaven, we begin to view God as a restrictive God who controls humanity. When will God give us a successful career, a new home, a luxury vehicle, or a husband or wife? With a driving passion, we take the necessary steps to satisfy our heart’s desires.
Our feelings place us in a heightened mental and emotional state of living for the pursuit of happiness. We become fixated and strategize to obtain our desires by any means necessary. There are repercussions, the loss of peace, joy, and contentment. Even more devastating, our disobedience completely severs our relationship with God. Eventually, we obtain our desires, but the giver is not God.
Why would God withhold from us what others so easily obtained? God’s thoughts will never be our thoughts. We were created to worship Him in our earthly lives and have immortality forever.
“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). God’s purpose for humanity is to worship Him.
“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 New Heaven and New Earth will be the forever home of faithful, righteous, and obedient believers.
Still, does God select only certain people whom He blesses with the things that produce happiness? “…that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).
In studying The Creation, it is evident that God withheld no good thing from Adam and Eve. The problem is that we cannot think beyond our present state of existence. The home or vehicle that we desire requires long-term financial stability, and the prospective husband or wife with whom we desire to make a lifelong covenant does not love God first and foremost nor do they desire to live eternally.
Would God bless us with tangible items or a marriage partner just to make us happy? In His Omnipotence–knowing the beginning to the end, place all of your faith and trust in God’s answer of no. If we do not receive the things that we think will make us happy then be confident that God’s objective is to save our souls.
Our pursuit of happiness will always overshadow the reason that we made a covenant vow with Jesus, to do the Father’s will. Never forget that we are servants of the Most-High God who are promised peace and joy in this life and the life to come. The fleeting happiness of this earthly life is on the verge of ending. Our King of Kings and Lord of Lords is coming to give us an eternal life of happiness.
Desire happiness? “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.'” 1 Corinthians 2:9
Prayer: God, we have lost our way. We need Your help to get us back on the Path of Righteousness. In Jesus’ Worthy name, we pray. Amen.
Distractions—The Enemy that Always Wins Devotional Reading
So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. –Psalm 90:12
Think of your plans and goals for yesterday, how well did you do? Did you accomplish the tasks according to their priority on your to-do list? What did you do with the leftover time? And did you fall asleep with peaceful thoughts from the joy of your accomplishments?
The War of Distractions
The questions are pertinent because we are involved in an intense battle of strategic spiritual warfare intended to make us lose everything God has planned to bless us with now and eternally. As one contemplates the busyness of life, we have grown accustomed to accepting distractions as a natural element that rightfully belongs in our lives.
Distractions are often hidden from plain sight. Always have a million things on the to-do lists or make promises to help because you can’t say no without feeling guilty? Distractions make us waste valuable time from our lives that we can never retrieve.
Distractions make us lose the ability to dream, and prevent us from developing our spiritual gifts and natural talents. Nor can we receive the blessings from using our God-given spiritual assignment to tell others of the love of Jesus Christ because Distractions rob us of the life-giving sustaining power of God.
Distraction Alert!!! The Covert Strategy of Multitasking is a Manmade Concept!
Biblical references prove that God is Completion. Let us look at the story of Creation. In six days God used a systematic approach for the completion of His work for that day. The affirmation “And God saw that it was good.” is repeated four times. There were no thoughts about manipulating tomorrow’s schedule to squeeze in the things that were not completed in the day’s 24-hour cycle of time.
“God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.” Genesis 1:5
Our concept of time is out of sync with God’s time. Sunset is the beginning of a new day. In the evening, say a prayer, and ask God to give you the wisdom to change your present routine. Develop one or two realistic goals before you go to bed. Be specific by placing a one or two-hour-time parameter that you will complete during your daytime hours.
Eliminating distractions requires courage and discipline! Stand your ground against all distractors. Perform an honest self-evaluation. Are you embracing distractions? If yes, then admit that you are working against yourself and take aggressive steps to remedy the situation.
The Restorative Benefits of Completion–“A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul.” Proverbs 13:19
When our lives are out of sync with their natural order, we will never enjoy the blessings of peace and joy that come from making accomplishments. King Solomon says that accomplishments are sweet to the soul, indicating the spiritual aspect of completion. We do not find peace in tranquil locations nor achieve optimal mental, emotional, and physical health without following God’s plan for the human beings He created in His image.
The Journey to Complete Spiritual Restoration includes the Challenge of Overcoming Distractions
“Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.” Psalm 27:11
We have a choice to make. Eliminate the struggle caused by oneness—we have Divine Intervention available. God’s promise to never leave us or forsake us is lifelong. Yes. God is a God of Completion. When Jesus created us in their image, He knew the forever dependency that was required to sustain humanity.
Stopping the repetitious cycle is possible! Do not live in misery because of Satan’s spiritual warfare of distractions. Let go of your learned thought processes from the influencers who can do nothing but give misconstrued advice. Let go of habits and people who constantly introduce suffering into your life. Satan uses the familiar to keep us overwhelmed.
Embrace God’s Righteous Standard of Completion to overcome the Enemy of Distractions. God Always Produces Victorious Overcomers!
“I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said, ‘You are My servant.’ I have chosen and not rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10
God created us to live on this earth in the peace and prosperity that comes from receiving His abundant blessings. Our willingness to have a heartfelt relationship with Christ not only gives us joy, contentment, peace, and happiness, but we also receive knowledge and wisdom from the Holy Spirit to live productive and structured lives. Created in His image, we receive the power to achieve completion of the tasks to maintain a life of spiritual equilibrium.
Prayer: God, we desperately need Your help. Please reveal the distractions that prevent us from making accomplishments and having the daily joy that comes from completion. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33 NIV
Faith allows us to have a deep dependency on God. We abide in Christ to receive His fortifying protection from the continuous spiritual warfare that many believe will produce the destitution of Defeat.
Satan can only be successful in his ploys to defeat us when we help him. Sounds crazy? Distractions are his proven strategies to bait and switch our focus from Christ to our circumstances.
Loving and Trusting Jesus allows us to receive His never-ending power. Jesus is our only Hope. Human Effort plus Divine Intervention equals Victory!
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 1:2
Today I researched holistic health strategies as related to achieving the wellness of optimal health. Did you know that home cooking your food is the number one preventative against poor health?
For many, cooking involves the use of air fryers and microwaves. Yet, cooking on a stove and using a conventional oven allows one to receive the highest level of nutrients for digestion and assimilation on a cellular level in the human body.
What are the guidelines for choosing healthy foods? Moderate in calories, low salt, low fat, and no processed sugars. 2,000 calories per day should provide necessary nutrients for the average adult.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are the building blocks for maintaining a Be Ready Stay Ready Immune System. The colors green, orange, red, yellow, and purple should be consumed daily. Complex carbohydrates along with adequate protein from legumes, fish, and poultry will leave you energetic and change your perception of life in general.
Be creative. Personally, I do not care for one pot meals. Who says our plate has to be limited to only three varieties of food?
Healthy eating is part of having a healthy lifestyle. It is not a diet. Your mind and tastebuds require retraining to achieve optimal health.
Change is intentional. A healthy lifestyle requires an alteration in our thought processes along with strategic planning. Because our choice of food is from learned behaviors, we require Divine Intervention to change from eating foods that supply little nutrients.
Our health is of the utmost concern to God. Throughout Jesus’ ministry on earth, He healed many who had mental, emotional, and physical illnesses. When we consume foods based on taste or habits our bodies will fail us by succumbing to chronic diseases. We were created in God’s image to live long, productive, joyous lives.
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19
Involve God in your desire to take care of your temple. Pray for help! Develop your goals. Purchase a journal. Eliminate time-consuming distractions. Learn your body’s rhythm. When are you hungry? Consider taking a mid-afternoon snack to work to prevent raging hunger that results in ordering fast food on the way home.
Be intentional with your food choices. Purchase your food weaknesses in smaller sizes–one pint of ice cream instead of a half gallon. Consider making your own ice cream with fruit. Shop for food on a full stomach–the junk stuff will be less appealing.
The most exciting part of pursuing optimal health is the body’s response–high energy, weight loss, mood stability, increase in mental acuity, and the overall feeling that comes from your accomplishment of loving you.
The only way for us to achieve optimal health is to lovingly care for the fearfully and wonderfully made minds and bodies gifted by our Heavenly Father.
I have achieved and maintained optimal health for two years. Go ahead! It’s a great way to live!
During every passenger plane landing, the instructions are given to prepare for landing. Because this directive may be perceived in many various ways the flight attendants give specific directions for preparation to land. They perform a final walk through to complete the pre-landing regulations before taking their seats.
Jesus has given us precepts and commands to guide us to our final destination in the New Heaven and New Earth.
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.'” –Revelation 22:20
With urgency, in Revelation chapter 22, Jesus gives us a promise that is also a warning. Three times He says, I am coming quickly. We are given a preview of heaven, we are told that the time is near, and we receive information on how to prepare by keeping His Commandments. The chapter ends with the repetitive and third promise/warning from Jesus that His coming is timely and definite.
Note: In studying the Scriptures, Jesus rarely repeated His words while ministering to others. We become aware that “I am coming quickly” is a life or death warning for us to do our part [daily preparation] if we expect to receive eternal life.
Most of us possess the skills of preparing ahead. We have our mental to-do lists and are accustomed to preparing the night before or early morning to identify and achieve daily repetitive tasks. Yet, when preparing for vacations or an intentional getaway, we use focused planning strategies. If you need some quiet time, you would not book an Airbnb in a city with never-ending noises.
How many Christians are excitedly preparing day-to-day to live eternally?
Preparation for eternal life is intentional. Every aspect of our earthly activities of daily living require heightened awareness and intentional planning. Without complete knowledge of how we use our time, distractions will prevent us from preparing for eternal life. We never fully comprehend the meaning of Jesus coming quickly because we are unaware of the shortage of time we have to get ready.
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Revelation 22:12).
Jesus also clarifies that we have spiritual assignments for which we will receive the reward of living with Him forever and ever. Our Heavenly reward is not given because we were dedicated employees working 40-hour work weeks that provided the necessary income to sustain our lifestyles.
The question, What did you do with your spiritual gifts that I gave you? Did you strive to live a righteous life? The conviction to remain faithful and obedient by overcoming temptations, the courage to say no to sin, [even if it means losing family and friends], and the commitment to love and put God first are righteous standards mandated by the law of God.
Use your spiritual gifts and the resources of time, effort, and money for discipleship–service to God and to others which is the work that Jesus Christ rewards. Read The Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20.
Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the changes in your lifestyle that you need to make to be ready for Jesus’ Second Coming. Live everyday with the mindset that Jesus is coming quickly! We have wasted too much time watching, listening, and doing things that do not count toward preparation for eternal life.
The Journey of Sanctification
We can only take one thing to heaven and that is our character. The Holy Spirit breathed the words of God to the apostles, Paul, James, Peter, and John of the necessary characteristics that we must have in our lives now to be holy and acceptable for life in heaven.
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
Most are familiar with the righteous traits of the Fruit of the Spirit. Still, “1 Corinthians 13, Ephesians 6, Hebrews 11, James 1-2, and 1 Peter 1” also give us a foundation for possessing a Christ-like character. Sanctification, the lifelong spiritual journey of spiritual growth and development requires human effort plus Divine Intervention through Jesus Christ.
Secretly, some Christians think that striving for righteousness is overwhelming and that God has placed a burden on us to be holy.
Consider your employer who has greater demands than our Heavenly Father. You are expected to have almost 100% competency in performing your job duties, reach productivity standards, possess time management skills, complete ongoing educational trainings, and have an acceptable attendance record. Nor will you receive continuous help from management staff.
We have the Divine Intervention of the Spiritual Team of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the angels to help us every day. Doing our part requires putting God first and praying for help. Pray and Study the Bible every day. We determine our destiny!
Why is it taking so long for Jesus to come? “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” — 2 Peter 3:9
Thankfully, we have a merciful Father who patiently loves us. Even so, our lifespan remains a mystery Tomorrow is not promised to us. Prepare everyday and stay ready.
Prayer: God, we pray for ourselves today because we realize that we are not preparing for Jesus to come. Holy Spirit please reveal the obstacles in our lives that are causing roadblocks in our spiritual journey. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Devotional reading–Prayer Increases Faith and Courage is available as a podcast on Spotify
Have you ever had a life-changing decision to make that threatened your peace of mind? Or an unexpected life event that produced a financial deficit or health issue?
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow worry about itself it’s on things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34
Our average Floridian temperature in the 70s plummeted to 30 degrees on Christmas day. I had an unexpected health issue arise when I turned the heater on. Fumes and smoky residue flooded my apartment from the AC/ Heater unit triggering the smoke/ carbon monoxide detector, and I had an asthma attack immediately following.
My first response was to quickly set up my nebulizer rescue medication and open the door for the frigid fresh air to enter and clear the toxic environment. Thankfully, I was prepared with a couple of wintry throw blankets and clothing from a previous life that included winter weather.
As the tears fell from my eyes and thoughts of Christmas day being ruined, I began to pray, God, help me. From my short, desperate prayer, I received immediate comfort from the Holy Spirit. But then something unusual happened I had increased mental and emotional strength. The air cleared, the smoke alarm stopped, and my small backup tower electric heater began blowing hot air.
But most importantly, my respiratory system reached homeostasis. I whispered another prayer of thankfulness because God’s Divine Intervention took control and safely guided me through and out of harm’s way.
Every one of us faces unexpected daily challenges that can bring chaos and despair. Changing our response to include God in every aspect of our everyday troubles–great or small builds our faith and gives us a habit of relying on God’s Divine Intervention to help us in every trial.
Forming the habit of consistent prayer changes our perception and awareness that God is an Awesome Heavenly Father. Our minds transition from innate weakness to one of strength and courage. No, we do not let pride give us false confidence in our own abilities, we build a love-trust-dependent relationship with God who is always faithful.
“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)
As Christian believers, we have 24/7 access to the Throne of Grace. Head knowledge of the Scriptures is not enough. Our dependency on God is evidence of a heart-to-heart relationship with His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. We are preparing now for an eternal life of worship based on the love and faith we possessed in our earthly lives.
Bible Study: Matthew chapter 6
Prayer: God, we are thankful for Your faithfulness. We pray for a closer relationship with Jesus based on faith, trust, obedience, and active communication through daily prayer and study of the Scriptures. Thank You for Your love and Divine Intervention that is always available. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Devotional Reading–Wait! That Decision Has Negative Consequences
Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! –Psalm 27:14
God is so good! In our moments of weakness, He provides and protects us from the negative consequences of decisions that we think are the best option. We can live without regrets by listening to God’s voice telling us, No or Not Now.
Surrender is not a trait we are born with, nor is surrender valued as a must-have character trait. If you are a parent or had younger siblings, you have first-hand knowledge of the developmental stage affectionately known as the terrible twos. And most remember going through the teenage stages of a raging rebellion against their parent’s morals, values, and rules. But suppose the child’s behavior was modified by initiating boundaries and disciplinary measures during these two defiant stages. In that case, they will develop into adults that not only accept and respect the answer of no, but also possess the character trait of self-control.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Despite our diverse backgrounds, a change of heart happens when we commit ourselves to God. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone, and a new life has begun! As steadfast believers in Christ, we cease the natural inclinations to follow our selfish desires or maintain a spirit of disobedience. Nor do we develop little schemes to go outside God’s will to attempt to manipulate His answer of no.
When God created humanity, He gave us everything we needed to serve Him: Free will of choice, biblical instructions, prayer, a seed of faith, a sound mind, self-control, and the desire to stay connected to Him. But then we discovered that we could use our free will to chase after our desires. Yes, we still believe in God, but we have developed a spirit of independence–the same condition that Cain possessed. We place our disobedient desires over God’s requirement for our sacrificial offering–total obedience.
There are two types of Believers, those who almost always obey God and those who make it a habit to disobey and frequently misuse repentance and forgiveness.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? –Luke 6:46
For the usually obedient group, God disciplines by shaking us. In His mercy, God may shield us from the extreme consequences of our disobedience. Recognizing that we went against the will of God, we readily repent and pray for forgiveness. We know repentance means never repeating the transgression against God for doing it our way. Because we love God with all of our hearts, after the shaking, we thank God for His mercy in not letting us suffer the full consequences of our disobedience.
“…but the way of transgressors is hard.” –Proverbs 13:15
The second group also loves God, but they suffer inner turmoil because they have developed a pattern of disobeying God. They live by the false prosperity message–name it and claim it. Their greatest pursuit in life is to be happy. Yes, all appears to be well–they are reaping a harvest of blessings. And they readily share with others, “God has abundantly blessed me.” Sadly, that is their critical mistake of bringing God’s name into their acts of disobedience.
God will protect His name and reputation!
Then the unthinkable happens, God allows the impact of their disobedience to come to fruition, and the life-changing consequences happen. All because they half-heartedly served God by continuous disobedience. “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” –James 4:17
“The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving wrongdoing, and rebellion. But He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He visits the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation.” (Numbers 14:18)
Satan is using the same old tactic that he used with Eve, “Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die'” (Genesis 3:4). He uses false teachers to tell us that we do not understand the true meaning of what God said, and they give their reinterpretation of the Scriptures. Many believers have been deceived by accepting the false belief of Middle Ground Christianity. There is no middle ground! We cannot fulfill our desires and remain in the right standing with God. Either we completely obey God or we are living outside of His will by walking on the path of disobedience.
“If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15).
In the evening, reflect on your day. How many blessings have you received? The big blessings are probably very obvious. Even so, remember to include the little things that worked out in your favor. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
We have a loving God who sustains our lives. The breath in our bodies is from God. Seeking God’s will is the foundation for serving Him. Obedience is such a small sacrifice compared to the incredible love and undeserved grace and mercies we receive. With all that we are given by our Heavenly Father, God is justified in His requirement for us to faithfully trust and obey Him. We must use our sound minds and self-control to stay within the will of God.
“For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11, Amplified Bible)
Stop living the hard-knock life full of problems and consequences that belong to the lives of unbelievers!
We can never protect or provide for ourselves as God does. Do we thank God for His protection from the dangers of spiritual warfare [seen and unseen] that the angels, God’s messengers, defend us from every day? God’s protection also extends to shielding us from the terrible consequences of our wayward decisions.
When God says, “No, my child,” trust and believe that He knows the future consequences that would devastate our lives. Today, begin to let praises of thanksgiving and gratitude openly flow from your mouth. Surrender and commit your free will to always trust and obey God. We are truly blessed beyond measure!
Bible Reading: Psalm 34
Prayer: God, we want to say thank you for all that you have lovingly and freely blessed us with day after day. We love You and surrender our will to You. Let Your will be done in our lives. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.
Historically, rejection and oppression based on ethnicity, culture, religion, and socioeconomic status have existed since biblical times. Jesus continuously exposed the oppression of the Pharisees against ordinary people. The Pharisees felt their political and financial statuses made them superior to others.
“And they tie up burdens heavy and hard to bear and lay them on the shoulders of men, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.” –Matthew 23:4
“They Added Tradition To The Scriptures: The Pharisees added an enormous amount of traditional material that was passed down from one generation to the next.” blueletterbible.org. The Pharisees interpreted the scriptures according to their mindsets, yet they did not follow their manmade rules.
The Pharisees are a prime example of Israelites seeking to establish their own righteousness. They created manmade rules to control others and elevate themselves. Ordinary Jewish people could not enjoy serving God. Rituals create unnecessary burdens, are meaningless, and destroy the integrity of true worship.
Sadly, many believers feel that worshipping God is a burden. We have lowered our standards by living worldly and proclaiming at the same time that God is good. The issue is that today’s Christians are tired and weary of God’s standard of holiness, which they consider unrealistic and impossible to achieve. Their perception of God is skewed. They do not view God as holy and righteous but as one who is an unloving taskmaster with a list of too many “don’t do this.”
The similarity between the Pharisees and today’s church leaders is that they love money. But unlike the Pharisees who made additional rules to make lives harder, pastors are doing all they can to please their members [and keep their churches filled to capacity]. Many are not preaching about living righteously nor are their sermons focusing on Jesus and His Second Coming. The focus has changed to keeping people happy and if the truth is mentioned it is watered-down to keep the membership numbers stable and the money flowing in.
Recently, I watched an interview with Pastor TD Jakes who admitted if he preached from the Bible over 90% of his members would not understand because they lack knowledge of the Scriptures.
“Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 20:7
We have lost sight of the fact that God is Holy. The atmosphere of our homes and churches has become common and irreverent from our spoken words and the music, programs, and social media we eagerly watch. We attend or watch a virtual service weekly to hear a sermon or we choose the Scriptures of the Bible that are pleasing to our ears.
Biblical Israel’s Spiritual Condition: “The spirit of true devotion had been lost in tradition and ceremonialism, and the prophecies were interpreted at the dictate of proud, world-loving hearts.” E.G. White
Christianity [Spiritual Israel] has experienced a significant spiritual decline that is worse than biblical Israel. In the time of Moses, the Nation of Israel had complete knowledge of God’s laws, commands, and precepts which they rejected. As time progressed, God revealed to the prophet Hosea, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee… (Hosea 4:6). The knowledge deficit has created a misunderstanding of the purpose of living consecrated and holy lives.
The Dilemma in 2022: Either we lack knowledge or we have basic knowledge of only the Scriptures that keep us happy. “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4) is an example of not understanding the spiritual meaning of this scripture by thinking God will give us everything that we ask for.
God tells us, “I change not.” We can only have a relationship with Jesus Christ based on love, surrender, consecration, obedience, prayer, and study of the Scriptures. Our earthly life of true worship is preparing us to worship God forever in the New Heaven and New Earth.
“And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” –Joshua 24:15
There is no middle ground. We cannot choose or select parts of the Word of God [the Scriptures] and fit them into our lifestyles. Either we are all in as evidenced by consecrating our lives to Christ and dedicating meaningful time to worship God through prayer and studying the Scriptures for ourselves, or we will continue to do what is pleasing to our dictates and miss out on the heavenly mansions that Jesus promised us in John chapter 14, verses 1-3.
The Spirit of True Worship is the willingness to surrender all to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
“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. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” –John 14:3-4
Prayer: God, we repent for doing things our way. Jesus, we desperately need You. Please reveal our areas of disobedience and Your plan and purpose for our lives. We ask this prayer in the Worthy name of Jesus, Amen.
Devotional Reading: The Spiritual Journey of a Healthy Lifestyle. Also available as a podcast on Spotify.
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. –3 John 1:2
Two factors determine if our lifestyle is in sync with God’s Plan for our mind and body to achieve optimal health: Our perspective of God and the use of our time.
How would you describe God’s Character? Our perception of God is dependent upon our scriptural knowledge and personal experience. Throughout the Bible, God reveals Himself which gives us head knowledge. There are many scriptures and stories of His interaction with humanity that tell us that He is a dependable God, but it is our love relationship with Christ [through daily worship, our struggles, defeats, and victories] that give us a heart-to-heart connection with our Heavenly Father.
In 5 days, Jesus created everything that Adam and Eve needed for a healthy lifestyle. On the sixth day, our parents were created. Yes, they had a peaceful and aesthetically beautiful home with food to sustain their lives. They did not live a lazy—do-nothing life. Although we do not have detailed knowledge of their daily lives. We know that our parents were assigned a few things. Adam named the animals and lovingly took care of them, Eve gathered their food every day, and they enjoyed each other’s companionship in marriage.
Until their fall, Adam and Eve enjoyed face-to-face interaction with Jesus who visited with them frequently in their garden home. We know this from Adam’s response after their fall into sin, “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8). They were accustomed to hearing the sound of Jesus walking in the Garden of Eden. How wonderful that must have been to sit down and talk with Jesus.
The Creation gives us God’s design for a healthy lifestyle—essential use of time, structure, discipline, and the companionship of godly friends. Jesus created the world and humanity in perfect sequential order. We were created to worship God. He is Omniscient and all-knowing. Jesus was aware that we would need a 24-hour break from the daily labors of life to receive the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical restoration necessary for us to have productive lives. And then on the seventh day–Sabbath, He rested.
“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” –Genesis 2:2-3
With the decline in morals and values and the coercion to accept noise from every technological advancement, and ever-changing worldviews, how much of our lives do we control?
“Locus of control is how much individuals perceive that they themselves have control over their own actions [internal] as opposed to events in life [external].”
Many believers have fallen away from the godly principles of faith, obedience, rest, and restoration because they have embraced worldviews. Like the Israelites who loved the Egyptian pagan worship and eating unclean foods, we also disregard God’s health laws by eating the toxins of processed high-calorie, high-fat, and sugary foods. Alcoholism and illicit substance are promoted to take the edge off of an unpredictable life but mesmerize and cripple our intellects by promising to provide us with a false sense of peace and relaxation.
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own… (1 Corinthians 6:19).
The prophet Jeremiah tells us, “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23)
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived proclaims, “A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9).
The incurable mental and physical illnesses of today’s society continue to escalate. A three-digit emergency number [988] for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has been established for those who are hopeless and overwhelmed–thinking they have no other option than to end their lives. Urban churches are teaching self-help for anxiety, depression, worries, and burnout instead of focusing on Jesus, His love, the plan of salvation, redemption, living holy, and receiving the reward of eternal life.
We need Jesus! And we need to disciples to witness that we have a Savior who loves them!
The battle between God’s truth and false teaching is raging. Yet, the number one controversy is God’s commandment [the fourth] of the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath.
My upbringing does not include being a Sabbath keeper. Yet, after extensive research, I find no evidence of God changing or abolishing the Creation Sabbath. Emperor Constantine was involved with changing and making Sunday a holy day. I decided to observe all of God’s commandments including Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, the seventh day Sabbath because I believe that when Jesus died and the veil was torn from top to bottom, exposing the Holy of Holies in the Sanctuary that the ceremonial law of sacrificing lambs was abolished not the Ten Commandments. “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot [smallest letter] or one tittle [stroke of a pen] will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18).
Each of us will have to give an account to God, the only true and righteous Judge. During Judgment, either we will be on the side of Christ, covered by His righteousness, be vindicated—and receive eternal life or we will be condemned to the second and final death. [Read Matthew 25:31-46].
Our destiny is reflected by our willingness to surrender to God’s precepts and righteous standards. God gave His only begotten Son, Jesus for the redemption of our sins. And Jesus paid with His life on Calvary’s cross that our sins would be covered by His blood.
It should not be too much for us to dismiss prevailing worldviews and pray for the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom, discernment, and the strength to persevere in our spiritual journey. Worshipping God requires humility, surrender, faith, obedience, prayer, and diligent study of the Scriptures. Whisper a prayer, hum or sing a worship song, and use your work breaks to have a little talk with Jesus. Study the Bible and memorize God’s promises including Jesus’ Second Coming.
Our mental, emotional, and physical conditions are reliant on our spiritual status. Unless we commune with God daily, eat nutritious healthy food, exercise, and get proper sleep, our minds and bodies will not function properly. We will lose the mental acuity that is required to have an in-depth study of the Bible. Our prayer life will consist of a few murmuring words. And we will not have the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to discern God’s truth from false teachings.
“Each person is morally responsible for his or her own destiny. Judgment is when God finalizes the choice that we made to accept or reject Him. Our earthly lives manifest that choice as evidenced by our works.” SDA SS 2022 Q4 Lesson 13—The Judging Process.
Heaven is real! Perilous times are here. Give Jesus your heart, soul, and mind. And you will be transformed day by day into His likeness. Pray without ceasing to our Lord and Savior who is in heaven as our Intercessor. Our reward awaits us when He comes again.
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” –Revelation 22:20-21
Prayer: God, in the chaos of our lives, we have not prayed and studied the Scriptures to learn Your truth. And for this, we ask forgiveness. We pray for the anointing, presence, and power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, we desperately need You. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer. In Jesus’ Worthy name, we pray. Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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