“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
In John 16:33, Jesus tells us about the life His disciples will face: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Faith takes effort! Remembering our former blessings and supernatural miracles from the Giver of Life waters the seed of our ever-growing faith. A heart filled with gratitude expressed through prayer is the only way to strengthen our faith.
This Scripture represents the hardships of our tribulations: “If I close the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people…” (2 Chronicles 7:13)
Yes, the trials and sorrows are too great for us to resolve. Victory is impossible without unrealistic faith, trust, hope, and confidence in God. We do not have to analyze or try to figure out the solutions. A prayer based on belief in a Loving and Omnipotent Father God never escapes the ears of God.
God tells us what is required to receive His Divine Intervention: “…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)
Faith is the response of our hearts to God’s gracious appeals for our fellowship with Him. It is the healing relationship with the One who is the Source of all life, health, and happiness. Faith restores us to our rightful state, to the condition in which we were created to live: union with our Creator. His Healing Love, D. Winn
“Lord, I Believe, Please Help My Unbelief!”
Prayer: God, please forgive us for the sin of self-reliance. We desire to live a Christ-centered, Faith-based life. Lord, we desperately need You in times of peace and tough times. Hear our prayer, and give us the direction and the strength to live as one who is faithful. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.
“I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33, CSB).
One of the worst kept secrets in the Christian Community is that no one tells us this, “Once you accept Christ as your personal Savior, you will begin a journey of hardships.
“The Christian life can be marked by seasons of excruciating difficulty and hardships of many kinds.”
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NIV).
Faith requires Active Participation: Despite our extenuating circumstances, we must believe in the Unlimited Power of God.
The growth of our faith and relationship with Christ depends on our willingness to consistently communicate with God through prayer, and studying the Bible to learn God’s Character, and His promises to help us.
At least one hour a day should be dedicated to having personal worship, in the morning and in the evening. Intentional time spent with God builds our faith, trust, and confidence in our Heavenly Father.
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).
The believer who diligently studies the Word of God, learning His promises can live a Christ-centered, Faith-based, courageous life, knowing they can always depend on God’s Faithfulness. Yes and Amen!
God’s Steadfast Promise to Always Be With Us
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9).
We can be confident that every hardship has two spiritual purposes, to develop our faith, and transform our character into the righteousness of Christ’s Character [Galatians 5:22-23].
Jesus Christ, Our Shepherd will never allow Satan to crush us with adversity. Our proof of God setting boundaries on our greatest enemy is documented in the Book of Job.
When Facing Unexpected Hardships, Immediately Pray for Divine Help!
“Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].” (Hebrews 4:16, Amplified Bible).
Redirect Your Faith and Focus From Your Circumstances to Believing In the Power of God!
“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).
Fact: God’s Timing Will Never Align With Our Speedy Expectations
“Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14, NLT).
Since God views time from an Eternal perspective, and knows the end from the beginning, He has no need to hurry up. To receive victory, do not attempt to resolve your challenge. Be patient, and wait, God is always on time!
Lord God, we come to You asking for Your Divine Help. We confess that our faith is weak, still, we believe that You are faithful, always keeping Your promises to give us a perfect outcome. We ask for the strength to endure our trials and hardships, and persevere, as we navigate through this journey of life. We ask this prayer in the Worthy and Powerful Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14).
Although our spiritual journey is unique, every believer has experienced the disappointment of God saying, “No,” to our heartfelt prayers requesting the things we desire.
God immediately denies requests that He knows are guaranteed to prevent our spiritual growth, development, and transformation, which is required for Eternal Life.
Everything God does brings honor and glory to His Name; therefore, He does not bless us if we do not possess the spiritual maturity to focus on the Giver instead of the gift.
“But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5, ESV).
With love, God agreed to Jesus’ voluntary sacrifice to die on Calvary to save us from the penalty of sin, which is the final death. God’s ultimate goal has always been to save our souls.
Sadly, many Christians disagree with God’s greatest desire for us to live with Him throughout eternity in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Wait! Who would accept Christ as their personal Savior and not desire His promise to give us the reward of Eternal Life?
“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).
When we ask God to bless us with a specific request and His answer is No, many of us are upset, especially when we see others with an abundance of money and material possessions.
God’s future plan of giving us a Crown of Life is steadfast, yet it is conditional. From the time we awaken, with a prayer of faith, we seek God’s plans, asking for the spiritual strength to obey, persevere, and complete His plans.
“And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” (John 8:29). Jesus reveals that the character trait of faithful obedience is required to stay aligned with God’s Perfect Plans for our lives.
The Believer’s Struggle is not only against the daily External Opposition of temptations, but we also must fight against the never-ending Internal Conflict of our desires.
It is easier to desire financial and material abundance instead of living a Christ-centered, faith-based life of self-denial. Because we inherited sinful hearts, enough is never enough. In Jeremiah 17:9, God says, The human heart is never satisfied!
When God says, No, we often feel that He is not a Loving and Gracious God. Regardless, God reminds us that He will not change His decision.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
God does not perceive time as we perceive time; His Omniscient perspective of time is Eternal. Since He knows how long we will live, there is no reason for God to hurry up and bless us. Abraham was 100 years of age when Isaac was born.
There are 8 billion plus people on the planet Earth, and God knows every hardship, setback, disappointment, acts of obedience, and willful disobedience, along with every temptation, and victory we will experience in our lives from conception to birth to death.
“Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes.” (James 4:14, CSB).
We can pray for and receive spiritual wisdom, but God tells us that we cannot look beyond today, so focus on the responsibilities and blessings of the given day. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34).
We feel slighted when God says “No,” because we have been deceived by Satan to think that we have the time and the right to pursue whatever makes us happy.
Signs of Living in the Last Days
In America, Religious Liberty and Freedom of Speech, two Constitutional Rights, are gradually being withdrawn. Many individuals have lost their employment for posting personal opinions regarding current global events on Social Media.
If the Christian Community began diligently studying the Bible, we would understand God’s refusal to give us what we are asking for. According to Matthew 24 and 2 Timothy 3, we learn that Bible Prophecies are rapidly being fulfilled, and we are currently living in the Last Days.
Although we do not know the exact time, those who are praying and preparing every day for Revelation 22:12, we recognize that Jesus, our Triumphant King, is coming sooner than we think.
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6). We need Scriptural knowledge to fully understand our Heavenly Father’s Love and His desire to keep us from losing our spiritual focus, so the Holy Spirit can perform the work of Sanctification in our lives.
Misalignment with God’s Will and Plans
In 2016, I was employed as a Quality Nurse reviewing medical documentation for a national Home Healthcare Company. I imagined a very long career, possibly leading to retirement.
In my 8th month of employment, we received notification from the Corporate office that the branch would be relocated to a beautiful business park 45 minutes away from our current location.
I was very excited, but also realized that my high-mileage vehicle was not reliable for traveling 2.5 hours per day. Without praying for God’s approval, I went to the Nissan dealership and purchased a new vehicle.
God’s Warning Was Not Perceived!
Just before my purchase, I had a very interesting conversation with the office secretary. We became friends, and when I shared my plan to purchase a new vehicle, the answer she gave me was very disconcerting.
“Sonya, how do you know that everyone in this location will be relocated to the business park?” I simply did not respond because to me, it did not matter.
I rationalized that the office could not meet healthcare regulations without a quality nurse who reviewed and approved all medical documentation before submission for Medicare reimbursement.
Two months later, following our conversation, I met with the Director, who informed me that Corporate had made the decision to eliminate the position of all branch office Quality nurses. All quality reviews would be sourced to the Corporate office, which was located five hours from our branch office.
Because of my desire to have a new vehicle, I did not recognize that God was speaking to me through our office secretary, who was aware of the Corporate plan before the nursing staff was informed.
Sadly, three of the staff nurses were also unable to travel the additional distance, but were not eligible for unemployment because they were offered additional compensation to work from the new location, but could not travel due to school-age children.
Although I immediately found a 35-week contract assignment that paid well, I was not prepared for a change in my health status. I began to experience severe pain in both knees, which indicated the progression of my diagnosis of Osteoarthritis.
I can recall the shock of leaving my Orthopedic Doctor’s office with a mid-thigh to mid-calf brace on my left leg. Yet, from listening to the Doctor’s treatment plan, I knew my nursing career had ended. His recommendation to immediately apply for Social Security Disability [SSD] made me realize that we should never plan our lives according to our thoughts.
Because I did not pray for guidance before purchasing a new vehicle, instead of keeping my vehicle that was paid for, I was facing the consequences of making a decision outside of the will of God.
The new monthly note, along with sustaining the vehicle’s insurance and routine maintenance costs, consumed 100% of my unemployment compensation and was draining my savings.
Not only did the constant worry keep me mentally and spiritually drained, but the stress from not having internal peace also exacerbated my physical level of pain,
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19).
God is still merciful and does not leave us stranded when we genuinely repent of our wrongdoing. Although there was a 3-year waiting list for SSD applications, God rerouted my disability packet to another state, and my disability was approved in a record time of two months.
Fast forward to 2025, and from studying the Bible, I have learned that the human heart never loses its desire to acquire material possessions [the non-essentials], but we must practice our God-given gift of self-control [2 Timothy 1:7] with the commitment to live a sacrificial, obedient life, holy and acceptable to God.
“God, reveal Your will to me and I will obey,” is the daily prayer of surrender that honors God’s Sovereignty, and is not an easy prayer! But to love God is to honor Him with faithful obedience, which reveals our desire to be aligned with His perfect will.
Pray, Wait, and Obey!
God’s Love never changes. And His answers of No are not punitive, but demonstrate His immense love for us. We should never compare ourselves to others, often wondering why God is blessing them, but not us. Many believers step outside of God’s will by blessing themselves [like I did]; not every material acquisition is a gift from God
When God says “No,” our response should be, “Thank you, God for loving and protecting me from the future consequences that are impossible for me to anticipate.”
“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes].” (James 1:17, Amplified Bible). Yes and Amen!
Bible Study: James 1, Revelation chapters 21-22.
Lord God, we thank You for being a Loving and Protective Heavenly Father who knows every temptation we will endure in our lives. Lord, please give us the strength and the courage to overcome the internal conflict in our hearts of choosing loyalty and obedience to Your plans versus pursuing our desires without Your Divine blessing. In faith, we accept Your perfect will for our lives. We love You, thank You, and ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.
In Jesus’ earthly life, He faced constant opposition from the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees who possessed knowledge of the Old Testament, but the conditions of their hearts prevented them from receiving the deepest spiritual wisdom and transforming power of the Holy Scriptures.
In Matthew chapter 22, Jesus was challenged with a question contrived to deceive Him. “If a woman was married and her husband passed away, and she married his succeeding seven brothers who also passed away, whose wife would she be when resurrected?” [Study Matthew 22:23-33].
“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.’ ” (Matthew 22:29-30).
Their question not only revealed their inability to discern the spiritual meaning of the resurrection, but also exposed their disbelief that Jesus was who He said He was, “The One sent from God who fulfilled the prophecy in the book of Isaiah of the coming Messiah.”
In the Holy Scriptures, Jesus has revealed everything we need to know to actively participate with the Holy Spirit in our earthly journey of spiritual growth, maturity, and transformation.
“But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].” (James 1:22, Amplified Bible).
“The Bible is a book which discloses the principles of right and truth. It contains whatever is needful for the saving of the soul, and at the same time, it is adapted to strengthen and discipline the mind.”
No time or desire to study the Bible has permeated today’s Christian Community. We should let nothing prevent us from searching God’s Spoken Words of Wisdom.
The failure to understand why we accepted Christ as our personal Savior, and what God requires of us to participate in our spiritual transformation has many thinking that all we have to do is attend church weekly to be saved and receive Eternal Life.
The Bible was written to reveal God’s Love, His Righteous Character, and to provide guidance on how to live a sacrificial life. We cannot stay on the Path of Righteousness without receiving Divine guidance every day.
Can you imagine being hired for a position where you were not offered an initial orientation and continuous updates to learn the company’s policies, and the protocols required to fulfill your job description and achieve the company’s productivity standards?
Without guidelines, not only would you fail to function in your fullest capacity, it would be impossible to achieve your personal career goals, and the company would never fulfill its Mission, Vision, and maintain its viability in a highly competitive global business arena.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV).
Satan has deceived us into believing that we can live righteously from thinking our own thoughts. Faithful Obedience to God is required for the Holy Spirit to transform our mind, character, and personality into the likeness of Christ’s Righteous Character.
Praying and asking for God’s will to be done in our lives, and studying the Bible reveals our willingness to honor God by learning His Plans and Promises.
Every aspect of God’s plans for our lives has the definitive purpose of transforming our character in preparation to receive our reward of Eternal Life.
Every day, through personal worship, we must seek God’s guidance and plans for the new day. Communicating with God in prayer invites the Holy Spirit to direct our lives according to God’s Divine Flow Chart for every believer’s life.
Without Divine Intervention, it is impossible for us to determine our Chosen Paths. With His Omniscient wisdom, God designs every believer’s spiritual journey according to our individual spiritual needs.
God is loving and patient. He knows that we are unique in our levels of knowledge and understanding of His Truth, and that our character strengths and weaknesses also differ.
“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).
Every believer’s journey is designed to correct their individual character deficits and produce the vital spiritual growth and transformation, Sanctification required to receive Eternal Life.
Still, each of us share the responsibility of working on our salvation by living a Christ-centered, Faith-based life of self-denial, and obedience to God.
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap.” (Galatians 6:7, Amplified Bible).
We cannot see beyond today, but God views time as Eternal. Yes, God is a Faithful God of Love who is patient, doing all He can to save our souls from the final death, the cost of sin, but we must never forget that He is also the Righteous Judge who does not excuse sin.
What more could God the Father, Jesus, God the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit do for humanity that has not already been done?
We have received the most precious, life-saving gift from God the Father, His only Son, Jesus, who died on Calvary’s Cross, so we would not have to die for our sins.
Reflecting on Jesus’ answer to the Sadducees, “that we will be like angels of God in heaven” gives us insight into the magnificent spiritual transformation God has planned for those who cooperated with the Holy Spirit in their earthly lives to strive for righteousness. Yes and Amen!
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4).
Lord God, we ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and baptize our hearts with the Holy Spirit. We pray for daily strength, wisdom, and discernment as we seek Your will through continuous prayer and the study of the Holy Scriptures. We thank You for revealing Your plan to transform us into angels of God when Jesus comes again. Lord, we give you the honor, glory, and praise, and ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.
“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3).
September 18, 2025 is a date that God changed my life by giving me a deeper understanding of His plans for my life. The Holy Spirit helped me to prioritize my time and goals, so my relationship with Jesus Christ would grow, and my faith in God would become steadfast.
“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6).
This deep spiritual connection happened because I made the intentional decision to spend the entire day with Jesus in the personal worship of prayer, singing, and studying the Holy Scriptures.
Yes, it was an intense effort to discipline my mind to meditate on the written words of God and His goodness. I prayed often for the Holy Spirit to give me the strength to redirect my focus to God.
Jesus tells us that He is the Living Water and the Bread of Life. Although I did not engage in a complete fast yesterday, I ate a minimal diet of mostly fruits and lentil flatbread along with keeping myself hydrated with water.
“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).
The sacrificial life results in total dependency on God, which is greatly rewarded. Not only do we receive spiritual wisdom, peace, and God’s guidance from spending intentional time with Him, but we also receive answers to the complexities in our lives that are impossible for us to resolve.
Christ Delivers Us From the Chains of Sin
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1).
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16).
Attempting to use our strength against the internal desires of our hearts and the external temptations of this world always results in failure. We must have the strength of Christ to live as a Victorious Overcomer!
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10).
Many times it is difficult for us to realize the overwhelming love Jesus has for us. From Jesus’ sacrificial death on Calvary’s Cross, God proclaims that we are valued beyond our finite understanding. Yes, we are Heaven’s priority. Yes and Amen.
Our decision to consecrate ourselves daily to God by dedicating frequent time in solitary worship [free from distractions and other people] invites the Holy Spirit to open our eyes, gifting us with deeper spiritual insight, and empowering us with the strength of Christ.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, ESV).
Everyday, we have an opportunity to bond with Christ. Our love for God is the foundation for using our faith to prayerfully consecrate ourselves in surrender to God with the commitment to follow Christ, our Shepherd.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16).
“Knowing the time means recognizing the urgency and significance of life, especially in light of Christ’s imminent return and the brevity of human existence, and therefore should be lived with wisdom, a focus on God’s will, and the mindful use of every opportunity to honor God.”
Time is precious. Doing our part is to be grateful for God’s gift of time. Many believers do not even give God one hour a day in personal worship.
With a God-first commitment, we let go of the habits of time-consuming recreational activities, and distractions which prevent us from worshiping God in Spirit and Truth.
Intentional time with God in daily personal worship is essential for the Holy Spirit to transform our mind, character, and personality into the likeness of Christ’s Righteous Character, which is required to receive our reward of Eternal Life.
LORD God, we thank You for the gift of a new day. We confess our sin of wasting the precious time that You have given us. We ask you to help us to prioritize our lives according to Your perfect will and plans. And ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus, Amen.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20, ESV).
God’s Priority is to change our Character to prepare us for our reward of Eternal Life.
Are we cooperating with the Holy Spirit in the daily Spiritual process of growth and maturity [Sanctification]?
Pursuing the world’s temporary and meaningless prosperity, pleasures, and success are a waste of the Believer’s time and energy. We can take nothing with us to Heaven except a Righteous Character.
God promises to give us everything we need. Be content with what you have.
We are looking forward to a perfect life with Jesus in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Worship God in Spirit and Truth by consecrating yourself daily to follow Jesus Christ. Peace and Blessings.
Bible Study: Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 4
Lord God, we ask you to reveal any desire, habit, or behavior that would prevent us from receiving our reward of Eternal Life. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Following Jesus is the best decision, we will ever make. Yes, life is filled with unexpected challenges, but Jesus promises to give us His strength, so we can move forward. Trust Jesus with your life. No love can come close to our Creator’s love for us. Pray, Obey, and Persevere! Peace and Blessings!
Jesus, we thank You for Your everlasting love. LORD, we dedicate ourselves to follow You with faithful obedience. Give us wisdom, strength, direction, correction, and protection from the spiritual warfare designed to separate us from You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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