Tag: Faith

Devotional Reading, September 18, 2023

Think about your priorities. Do they reflect that you are preparing for Eternal Life?

Sadly, we are focusing on the earthly, ordinary things of life that distract us from preparing for the Day of the Lord. The antediluvians—inhabitants of Noah’s era were so preoccupied with their daily tasks and personal desires that they failed to acknowledge the warnings of an impending and great flood that would destroy the earth.

Because of their sinfulness, they could not possess the faith necessary to believe in Noah’s messages, resulting in a lack of desire to enter the ark.

“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” —Genesis 6:11

It is phenomenal that the condition of humanity described so many centuries ago is evident again in our world today. Not only are we repeating the same behaviors of those in Noah’s time, but advancements in technology have driven us into a frenzy. We already spend the majority of our free time looking at screens. With the development of AI [Artificial Intelligence] our interest is piqued.

Mentally, we suffer from the negative impacts of spending countless hours staring at screens to keep up with innovation. But the necessity to stay current has produce a life and death adverse effect—believers are suffering from the spiritual desensitization of Jesus’ Second Coming.

The pace of life is one of overwhelming busyness and is filled with numerous voices [secular and religious]. It is the ordinary routine life tasks that result in eating up our time, leaving us no time to worship God every day.

Our Priorities Determine Our Destiny

Busyness has us so mentally and physically fatigued that we do not have time to have a personal relationship with Christ. Or we have those who study the Bible but still live according to their desires because it’s easier to deviate from the truth then to consistently be forced to choose between right and wrong.

“Then Elijah approached all the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.’ But the people did not answer a word.” —1 Kings 18:21

But our spiritual dilemma requires us to take action and make a choice. Faith, surrender, obedience, prayer, and daily study of the Bible are the non-negotiable requisites for the Christian believer. God must be first!

The apostle Paul said, “I die daily to sin.” We fight a continuous internal battle waged by the desires of our carnal hearts. It is easier to think and do wrong than to live righteously. To remain in God’s will, we must pray the I surrender prayer every day.

The Scriptures define the humility and character that is required by God to receive eternal life. Many have redefined righteous living according to their mindsets and lifestyles. At the end of the day, we should reflect on our thoughts and actions, “Did I do all to the glory of God?”

Are we witnessing to others every day, face-to-face, or through social media? We are not saved by our works, but our works are evidence of our faithful obedience to God’s commands for the spiritual works of every believer.

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

Either we will live our best life on this earth or in the New Heaven and New Earth. We must decide, will our earthly life reflect our priorities or God’s priorities? Each person determines their own destiny by whom they place their love and loyalty. Pleasing self is a form of idol worship.

Yet, Jesus created us as free moral agents. God will never force us to accept His will. But if we choose to follow our agendas then we should not deceive ourselves into thinking we will receive the reward of eternal life for living a self-seeking lifestyle on this earth.

We Require Divine Intervention to be Spiritually Transformed into Christ’s Likeness

“Can people change the color of their skin, or a leopard remove its spots? If they could then you that do nothing but evil could learn to do what is right.” —Jeremiah 13:23, Good News Translation

Although the trending worldviews proclaim that humans possess the powers of manifestation, self-healing, and mind control, we were created with limited abilities. We cannot change ourselves spiritually, mentally, or emotionally. Truthfully, we struggle with the behaviors that we can change. As creatures of habit, even when diagnosed with chronic illnesses, it usually takes a health crisis to initiate a change in an unhealthy lifestyle.

From our desire to be faithful and obedient, we invite the Holy Spirit into our lives to transform our minds and characters into the Righteousness of Christ—Sanctification. Spiritual growth and development are comparable to that of a baby maturing into an adult. It takes a lifetime of human effort and Divine Intervention to change the innate sinful heart into a righteous heart [mind] and character.

We must fully cooperate with Divinity to be changed into the likeness of Christ.

“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

Preparation for eternal life is not a last-minute decision. It is accomplished by putting God first. Praying every day for His will to be revealed followed by our surrender and obedience invites the Holy Spirit’s presence and power into our lives. Spiritual transformation and obedience to God is possible for every believer who is willing to live righteously!

Preparation not only requires us to have an intentional mindset of obedience and the wilful determination to go all the way with God, but we also place boundaries on the ordinary things of life that distract and prevent us from receiving our reward of eternal life.

Scripture: “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” —Revelation 3:21

Prayer: God, we are at a crossroads in our lives that requires us to make the decision to prioritize our desires and make the decision to devote ourselves totally to You. Today, we renew our covenant vow with You. Lord, we pray for the strength to put aside the ordinary things that prevent us from faithfully obeying Your Will. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

Our Spiritual Journey—Becoming One with Christ Devotional Reading September 12, 2023

Most of us have the natural desire to travel with other people, or at least one other person. Still, many are adventurous and comfortable exploring this beautiful world alone. Even if we decide to forge ahead on a solo journey, the opportunity to interact with others is always available.

The believer’s spiritual journey requires both a solo effort and interaction with the church family for fellowship. What does it mean for the believer to travel alone and how do they receive spiritual support outside of attending church? The spiritual transformation of our hearts and the strength to stay on the Path of Righteousness only involve two participants, the believer and Christ. Yes, the other deities of the Triune Godhead [God and the Holy Spirit] are involved in every aspect of our spiritual transformation, but our daily walk is with Christ.

Because of Jesus’ sacrificial offering of Himself, He took the penalty of sin [the wages of sin is death] and offered every believer redemption from their sins. Coming to Jesus is not complicated, in love and faith, we believe that He died for us, we confess and repent of our sins, and immediately accepted into the royal family of Christ. “So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household’” (Acts 16:31).

Regardless of trending false doctrines, salvation is only available through Christ. The relationship between Christ and ourselves is built on love. We dedicate our lives to Christ and honor Him as our Savior and Heavenly Intercessor.

1. “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6). Salvation is only available through Jesus Christ who died for the redemption of our sins.
2. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). A heart-to-heart relationship with Christ is possible because we love Him.

Where did our love for Christ come from? God is the Origin of our love:

1. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” —John 3:16
2. “And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” —1 John 4:10

Sadly, many new converts do not know what happens next once they have accepted Christ as their personal Savior nor do they understand the concept of salvation.

“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

Grace is an attribute of God shown to undeserving human beings. We have received the opportunity to be saved from death which is the penalty for sinful disobedience to God. Because of grace, we can come to God in prayer and confess and repent of our sins and we are forgiven. Our sins are erased!

The habit of prayerful confession and repentance should be practiced daily. There are times that we sin and because our hearts are naturally carnal, we may overlook the sin especially if it is a character trait or habit we need to overcome from our former, unconverted lives.

The second most misunderstood concept is faith. Faith is simply believing in God without questions or doubts. We were created with a measure of faith. Let’s compare our gift of faith to a mustard seed. Through consistent faith and trust in God [even in situations that appear impossible], we believe in God’s Sovereign power to resolve every challenge in our lives.

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” —Jeremiah 32:27

Taking our eyes off of the situation and placing them on God’s ability allows our faith to grow abundantly. Imagine your faith growing from a tiny mustard seed to the size of an avocado seed. Yet, the growth of our faith and trust in God has no limits. If we only memorize one Scripture, it should be Jeremiah 32, verse 27.

Our Spiritual Journey Involves Daily Spiritual Change and Growth

Reflection: We can come to Jesus just as we are, but we cannot stay as we are. Tell yourself, “My present character is unacceptable to God.”

Sanctification is the spiritual transformation of our mind, character, and personality into the likeness of Christ’s Character which is necessary to receive eternal life. We cannot change ourselves. In humility and surrender, we acknowledge our sinful traits and habits, repent, cease the sinful behaviors, and ask the Holy Spirit to change us and guard us from succumbing to temptation. Never forget, that it takes an entire lifetime to become like Christ.

We can do our part in experiencing spiritual transformation because God has gifted us with innate gifts: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind [self-discipline and self-control]” (2 Timothy 1:7).

The core value of loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind is the catalyst to daily spiritual growth and transformation.

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” —Philippians 2:8

The willingness to surrender every day to the will of God and the commitment to serving Him with love, faith, obedience, and loyalty is God’s expectation of every believer. God required the same righteous characteristics from Jesus in His earthly life. Before Jesus was born as a human, His mind was one with God. Jesus commanded angel armies who obeyed His directives. Still, God His Father required that Jesus learn obedience.

Spiritual Growth in Marriage

How does our individual walk with Christ and Sanctification apply to a marriage? Although in marriage, two become one, salvation is still one-to-one with Christ. God intended for the husband and wife to spiritually support and help each other to live righteously and prepare for eternal life.

Yet, the willingness to surrender, reverence, and worship God in Spirit and Truth through faithful obedience is an individual choice. Having a first love for Christ is from a responsive heart filled with love for God. Husbands and wives will be judged separately by God. They should not attempt to persuade one another to love and serve God. “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:30).

Satan knows his time is short on this earth. He is using any means necessary to separate us from God. Now he is targeting single Christians by presenting people who believe in God but are not dedicated to serving God. Many believers are involved in unequally yoked relationships that eventually cause the believer to reach a crossroads in their relationship with Christ—will I choose Christ or the person I am in love with?

I read a post where a young woman shared a story about never letting another person change you according to their mindset. After dating for a few years, her significant other told her that he wanted to share some good news with her. Naturally, she assumed that he would ask her to marry him, which he did when they met over dinner. But she noticed there was no ring presented with the spoken desire for her to be his wife. Still, she loved him, so it didn’t matter. She was shocked by his next statement, “Before we get married, you need to give up your cats, I can’t imagine living with cats.” Fast forwarding to the end, she immediately broke off the relationship. The majority of women responding to her post disagreed with her decision. Yet, the spiritual issue is deeper than putting one’s pets over a significant other. This was a long-term relationship. His masquerade of pretense equates to deception. His attempt to manipulate her response by presenting the proposal with an ultimatum revealed his true nature of a selfish heart and a corrupt character.

Practical Living Guidelines

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes…” —Proverbs 3:5-7

Remember, only God knows the true condition of a person’s heart, desires, and innermost thoughts. Living in these perilous times and last days requires Divine Intervention. Believers face many obstacles in their earthly journey. When we love God, we will pray and wait before we decide to accept people as friends into our lives. It is a daily struggle to stay on the straight and narrow Path of Righteousness. Why enter into relationships with those who are stumbling blocks and do not love and put God first?

The healthiest relationships are a result of men and women of God who have a genuine love for God and others. We must possess loving and forgiving hearts, share Biblical views, morals, and values, and strive to put God first. Whether we have similar likes and dislikes, no person can ever be a carbon copy of someone else. We differ in our strengths, weaknesses, personality, habits, and perception of life in general. Our uniqueness is God-given. No two people can ever develop, mature, dream, or think alike because we were created as free moral agents. Let the Holy Spirit guide you.

Each believer’s spiritual journey differs–several factors impact our spiritual growth and development. Do we love God and put Him first? Is Jesus our LORD and Savior? Are we faithful? Have we consecrated ourselves to God? Do we seek God’s will every day through prayer? Are we diligent Bible students?

Based on our faith, love, and loyalty, we trust God due to our knowledge of the Scriptures and our desire to accept God’s will. We have Divine help [24/7] from the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live righteously, avoid mistakes, and experience spiritual growth. Obedience takes our relationship with Christ to the highest level. The Holy Spirit guides us to let go of unholy character traits which are a sum total of our hereditary tendencies and life experiences. Our new character reflects Christ and we begin to possess the Fruit of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22-23].

From our willingness to go all the way with Christ, we receive evidence of daily transformation: We value our times of personal worship. We have inner peace. We gain spiritual insight which results in a change of our perception of God. Our lifestyle choices reflect obedience to God. And we begin to recognize the Holy Spirit speaking to us through our thoughts and the Scriptures. Most importantly, we seek the will of God before making life decisions.

Spiritual growth and transformation are an exciting part of our spiritual journey. Yet, it takes courage! We cannot expect our family and friends to understand our walk with Christ. As we grow deeper in our relationship with Christ, we will lose some friends, family, and sometimes a spouse who will not embrace our journey. Persevere anyway, there is a crown and robe and an abundant eternal life waiting for us. King Jesus is coming soon. Amen!

Scripture Reading: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:12-14

Prayer: God, we pray for strength and guidance from the Holy Spirit to accept our Higher Calling and to stay on the Path of Righteousness. We ask this prayer in faith. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries