Lord God, we thank you for the Holy Sabbath, a sacred time that we can redirect our faith and focus to You with praise and worship. Give us the faith, strength, and courage to remain loyal to Your Commandments and Righteous Precepts. We also ask for the wisdom to understand the Holy Scriptures. Lord, teach us how to apply Your Word to our lives, so we can be spiritually transformed. We pray for the global Christian Community, and ask You to comfort and give them the strength to remain steadfast in a time of compromise and persecution. We look forward to the day when You will come and rescue us, fulfilling Your promise to give us our Forever Home in the New Heaven and New Earth where love, peace, joy, and happiness will always exist. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen.
“The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him.” (Nahum 1:7).
This morning, I read a Devotional on how easy it is for us to react negatively to the darkness of trials and hardships. But the author reminded us that God is Always Good, and the dark times are allowed for our spiritual transformation and redirecting us to depend on our Heavenly Father.
“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, NIV). From a perfect love that we cannot understand, God gave His only Son, Jesus, who sacrificed His life on Calvary’s Cross to redeem us from sin and to save our souls.
Yes, God’s priority is to give us Eternal Life, but we choose our destiny. Receiving immortality in our Forever Home requires us to actively participate with the Holy Spirit in our spiritual journey by obediently following Christ, our King, Savior, and Shepherd.
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). We abide in Christ through daily personal worship. With a spirit of surrender, we commit to faithfully obey our Shepherd. Our Daily Prayer: Lord, what do You want me to do?
Although we desire our heavenly reward, there is an obstacle that each of us must overcome: We have become too attached to this earthly home. Our lifestyles reveal that we are making future plans that have nothing to do with living righteously now and in our Forever Home.
Scenario: You purchased a house, and the closing date is 30 days away, but today the company announced immediate layoffs, and your supervisor informed you that you would also be impacted.
Feeling disappointed, you reach out to the seller to explain your situation. To your surprise, they respond by stating that they will not accept other offers. Instead, they give you a timeline of 3 to 4 months to find another job because they genuinely want you to purchase the house.
Your prayers of gratitude would include joy, happiness, and excitement, you know that God has given you a miraculous blessing.
Jesus’ Promise: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. 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 14:1-3).
Jesus’ promise of life in the New Heaven and New Earth that He gave to His disciples is for all believers. From Adam and Eve to every faithful believer who has lived on the planet Earth will receive their reward of immortality when Jesus comes again [Revelation 22:12].
In Revelation, the Apostle John describes the righteous as a number like the grains of sand. Every day, with joyful anticipation, we should reflect on Jesus’ love, preparing ourselves spiritually for Heaven through daily prayer and Bible study.
Jesus’ Warning: “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, NIV).
According to 2 Timothy 3, we are the generation of Christians who are living in the Last Days on this present earth. We cannot afford to waste our gift of time. Our lifetime is the only opportunity we have for the Holy Spirit to transform our minds, characters, and personalities.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19, 21).
Success and prosperity have the power to change us from the outside in, which opposes the spiritual process of Sanctification. We cannot experience spiritual growth if the majority of our time and efforts are spent fulfilling our hearts’ desires and pursuing personal and professional success.
To clear out excess inventory, many stores offer reduced prices for “As Is” items. We purchase these items because we have the vision and skills to modify them. When we come to Jesus, He accepts us “As Is: “I can come to Jesus, just as I am, but I cannot stay just as I am.” We must be changed into the likeness of Christ by the Holy Spirit in our earthly lives.
Perform a spiritual self-assessment. Do your behaviors, habits, and lifestyle demonstrate a God First or a Me First mindset? If we desire to live an obedient life, surrendering to God’s plans, then we have given access to the Holy Spirit to convert our hearts. Faithful obedience reveals that our hearts are filled with love and loyalty to Christ.
God Is Always Good: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8, ESV). God honors and rewards those who obey Him.
God Is Always Faithful: Jesus knows that our spiritual transformation requires His Divine Help and Strength, so He allows the “Chisels of Trials and Hardships” to enter our lives.
God’s Rescue Plan: “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident…be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, Amplified Bible).
“We must overcome through His Strength and Grace, that we may be partakers of [His] Divine Nature…Our pride, selfishness…passions, and love of worldly pleasure must all be overcome; therefore God sends us afflictions [adversity] to test and prove us, and show us that these evils exist in our characters.”
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23). The Fruit of the Spirit describes the attributes of Jesus’ Righteous Character that we must also have.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2, NIV).
One thing is for certain: Self-discipline and self-denial are within our power to exercise under all circumstances. But overcoming our internal desires requires the willingness to live a sacrificial life of saying no to the world’s treasures and pleasures. Sadly, this is the turning point for many believers who decide to detour from the Path of Righteousness.
Loving God motivates us to agree to become Spiritual Works-in-Progress. Every day, the Holy Spirit gradually performs the work of our spiritual transformation from the inside out [heart conversion]. Through daily personal worship, we ask God to reveal His plans, and we obey, without doubting His Divine Wisdom.
“This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21). God reveals His promise to provide guidance and direction for His people.” Faithful obedience invites the Holy Spirit to teach us how to live righteously. We are never alone. The Holy Spirit guides us day by day in our rugged journey on the Path of Righteousness.
The Life of Self-denial: “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 12:2, NIV).
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13).
Yes, the Christian journey is tough! Although human effort is required, we cannot save ourselves. Every day we pray, asking the Holy Spirit to empower us with Jesus’ Divine Strength to overcome the internal conflict of our heart’s desires, and the external opposition of temptations.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2-3, NIV).
God Is Always Good! We have 24/7 access to Christ, who gives us His strength to persevere through our trials and hardships. Pray for guidance, wisdom, and strength throughout your day. Jesus lived on this earth, and He knows that daily self-denial is a tough journey.
God’s Divine Intervention: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV).
Human Effort: “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7, NLT).
Live With the Mindset: “I will not disobey God!” Our enemy, Satan, the roaring lion, knows our weaknesses, developing personalized temptations that are temporary and worthless. Still, we can never be coerced into sinning against God; we choose to sin.
When tempted, immediately pray with audible words that you can hear, asking Jesus, our Mighty Warrior, for His Help. Every prayer asking for Jesus’ Strength to overcome temptations and challenges is immediately answered by Jesus, our High Priest.
God is Always Good! Before we can blink our eyes, Psalm 91 tells us Michael [Jesus], the Commander of Angel Armies, sends His angels to strengthen us and to fight the unseen spiritual warfare of Satan’s evil angels. Hallelujah and Amen!
The days we live in are filled with evil. Become a prayer warrior! Prayer keeps us connected to Jesus, who receives every prayer. The Holy Spirit empowers us with Divine wisdom and supernatural strength to live righteously.
God is Always Good! The Triune God [God, the Father, God, Jesus, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit] is doing all that is possible to ensure that every believer receives their Crown of Life. The decision to choose life is up to us.
Human Effort plus Divine Intervention Always Ends in Victory!
Lord God, we thank you for your Amazing Love, Grace, and Mercies. We desire to change and ask You to reveal the traits in our characters that prevent us from living a sacrificial, faithful, and obedient life. We ask for forgiveness for wasting our gift of time, chasing after worthless desires. Lord God, thank You for Your love, faithfulness, and for always being Good. Teach us how to worship you in Spirit and Truth, and guide us in our journey so we can receive our reward of Eternal Life. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen.
Can you imagine a life without the chains of uncertainty, anxiety, worry, and fear of the future?
Every believer has the opportunity to live a life overflowing with Jesus’ gifts of peace, joy, and happiness. Brothers and sisters, I am finally living that life!
The Commitment to Live a Sacrificial Life Dedicated to Follow Christ Is Required to Receive Spiritual Freedom
“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. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2, NIV).
“Yes we are stained by sin, but the Supreme King of the universe says to come before His throne to receive help in our time of need. We are always in need of Jesus’ Divine Help.”
Through daily personal worship, we learn God’s plan for the new day. We pray the Prayer of Surrender: “God, what do you want me to do today?” Pray, Wait, and Obey.
When we commit to follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit speaks to us through our thoughts and the Holy Scriptures, leading and keeping us on the Path of Righteousness.
The willingness to surrender our self-reliance and totally depend on our Shepherd with faithful obedience is rewarded with Jesus’ Righteous Blessings.
Despite the uncertainties of life, the faithful have no worries. But most importantly, we do not have to wonder if we are going to receive our reward of Eternal Life.
The Fruit of the Spirit describes the attributes of Christ’s Righteous Character: His followers must also have the Fruit of the Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:22-24).
Faithful obedience keeps us connected to Christ. In Philippians 1:6, Jesus promises to complete the work of spiritual growth and the transformation of our character, if we follow Him.
“Pray continuously!” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Jesus Christ, our Savior, Shepherd, and Triumphant King invites us to come boldly before God’s Throne of Grace with our failures, weaknesses, sorrows, and cares.
Pray more! Perfect peace comes from letting go of our thoughts and inclinations to resolve life’s challenges. We were created us to have a dependent relationship with Christ.
“I will never leave you or forsake you.” Jesus desires us to know that we are never alone. Created in the image of God, all of Heaven is dedicated to helping us in this journey of life.
Yeshua, the Commander of Angel Armies Promise: “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways…” (Psalm 91:11, NIV).
Christ always protects the righteous! We have guardian angels who fight the unseen spiritual warfare of Satan’s evil angels. Whisper prayers throughout your day to express gratitude for Jesus’ Abundant Love, Faithfulness, and Protection.
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding…” (Proverbs 2:6). God desires for us to have the spiritual wisdom necessary to perceive life through spiritual eyes.
Every day, ask for the free gift of wisdom. The Holy Spirit gives us the wisdom to discern truth from error, to understand the deepest meaning of the Holy Scriptures, and to understand the complexities of life.
Divine wisdom prevents us from becoming victims of scams, and being manipulated by Satan in matters of everyday life.
Divine wisdom and strength are required to recognize and overcome the internal conflict of following our hearts desires, and the external opposition of temptations.
Thank you Jesus for your Love! Yes, we have access to our Shepherd’s Divine Help 24/7. Yes and Amen!
Lord God, we come before Your Throne of Grace, yes, we are stained with sin, and have weaknesses, sorrows, cares, and failures. Still we accept Your invitation to help us, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We ask for the forgiveness of our sins. Guide us and empower us with the strength to live as victorious overcomers. Lord, we acknowledge that You are the Supreme King of the universe, and the Sustainer of our lives. With faith and joyful expectancy, we believe that You have answered this prayer that we ask in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13, KJV).
There are many who embrace and follow human wisdom, but in love, God warns us against following our thoughts. All will be judged against His Righteous Standard, The Holy Bible.
The righteous always seek God through prayer and study of the Holy Scriptures, and respond with obedience. Peace comes from staying aligned with God’s will and plans.
God honors those who worship Him with love, loyalty, and faithful obedience. The Holy Spirit rewards us with the daily blessings of spiritual wisdom, discernment, strength, and Divine guidance.
And on the day of Jesus’ Second Coming, we can joyfully expect to receive our reward of the Crown of Life. Amen.
Lord God, we ask for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our lives. As we seek knowledge from your Words of Life, we ask for the wisdom to understand the depth of Your Love. Teach us how to worship You in spirit and truth. We honor You on Your Holy Sabbath, and ask for the blessings of Spiritual renewal, restoration, strength, peace, and joy. With faith, we ask this prayer in the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen.
“The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, Faith meekness temperance against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23).
The Fruit of the Spirit describes the attributes of Christ’s Righteous Character, which God expects us to also possess. Because we inherited hearts filled with the desire to sin, we cannot change ourselves without the power of the Holy Spirit.
“…I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong.” (Romans 16:19, NLT).
“In…Romans, the apostle Paul speaks about two antagonistic forces trying to shape our lives.”
“On the one hand, the surrounding world, with its various influences, tries to force us daily into its own mold, effecting a conformation in us that works from the outside in.”
Satan’s goal is to manipulate the righteous into sinning against God by any means necessary.
Everyday, we face Satan’s customized temptations that strongly appeal to the desires of our hearts. And he uses people to provoke our emotions, so we react with the bitter fruit of words that do not represent the Righteousness of Christ.
“To counteract this impact, the Holy Spirit is able to transform us inside out in a manner similar to the way a caterpillar metamorphoses into a beautiful butterfly.”
But we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit for our character to be transformed into the likeness of Christ’s Righteous Character. Are we willing to honor and revere God with daily surrender and faithful obedience?
“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ” (Matthew 22:37).
Love is the catalyst that motivates us to live as Christ did, always seeking the will of God, His Father.
Without loving God more than ourselves, we will never see our need to acquiesce to His Sovereign Authority by living a life of self-denial and obedience.
“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:24).
Human Effort: Our lifestyle must be one of daily worship, faithful obedience, and self-control. We choose to let go of worldly affections, pursuits, habits, and behaviors because we love God, and desire to follow Jesus.
“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).
We were never created to navigate through the Christian Journey using only human effort. Throughout the Bible, Jesus promises to help us to overcome every hardship and temptation:
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV).
From striving to live righteously, we can depend on Christ to send the Spiritual Reinforcements of Divine Strength, the Wisdom to discern covert deception, and the Power to strengthen our faith.
God expects us to live courageously and with a mindset of total dependency on God. It is with holy boldness that we consistently pray in faith, “Lord, I need Your help to overcome my self-reliancee.”
“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)
In His earthly life, Christ continually separated Himself from others to pray and ask God, the Father for strength and guidance.
Whether we are at work, driving, or relaxing, we can pray silently, or audibly at any time of the day or night. Staying connected to Christ allows us to perceive life through spiritual eyes, and to receive the strength to obey God.
With humility, we acknowledge that we cannot fight Satan without Divine help. We must live as Prayer Warriors!
“No weapon formed against me will prosper…” (Isaiah 54:17).
Forming the habit of much prayer invites Christ, our Mighty Warrior to send angels to fight Satan’s unseen spiritual warfare, and to protect us from physical harm.
Unlike unbelievers who are constantly deceived, the believer who consistently prays will never fall victim to scams of covert deception.
Prayer allows us to stay connected to Jesus’ Divine Power. Prayer invites the Holy Spirit to keep us on the Path of Righteousness. Only Divinity can empower us to live as victorious overcomers!
A life of surrender and self-denial is the only way for us to be empowered by the Holy Spirit who keeps us on the Path of Righteousness.
God requires us to put Him first. Love for God produces loyalty and the desire to obey Him instead of pursuing our desires.
It is an issue of the heart when we find it difficult to obey God. Self-Reliance is the result of us redirecting our love and faith from God to ourselves.
To overcome self-reliance, from the moment we awaken, we make a covenant vow to put our faith and trust in God by including God in every decision and challenge.
From praying for His will to be done, we are rewarded with the spiritual wisdom and strength to live a sacrificial life dedicated to God. Pray, wait, and obey!
The willingness to surrender with faithful obedience not only keeps us in right standing with God, but we are also rewarded with the spiritual blessings of peace, joy, and happiness.
To emulate Christ, we must know who He is. Studying the Life of Christ in the Four Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John] is a life-changing experience: “Looking unto Jesus we obtain brighter and more distinct views of God, and by beholding we become changed.”
“Goodness, love for our fellow men, becomes our natural instinct. We develop a character which is the counterpart of the Divine Character. Growing into His likeness, we enlarge our capacity for knowing God.”
“But for that process to happen, we need to consecrate ourselves to God and ask Him to continue the good work that He has started in us (Philippians 1:6).”
“[Every day] we have to make the conscious choice, moment by moment, to walk in the Spirit.”
Powerful Message of Truth. It was my mother who told me that I would never grow spiritually, or have the desire to follow Christ until I began studying the Scriptures to learn His Loving Character.
“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19). The Scriptures are God’s Spoken Words revealing His Loving Character.
From our willingness to receive Spiritual Nourishment, the Holy Spirit deepens our understanding of our Heavenly Father’s Love.
Under the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit, search the Scriptures daily to learn who God says He is: “I Am Who I Am.”
“In the beginning God created…” Studying the Book of Genesis gives us insight into Jesus’ history of intervening in the lives of the righteous to give them victory.
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.'” (Matthew 28:18).
From the Holy Writ, we learn that Jesus, God, the Son is Elohim Shomri, God, Our Protector who dispatches angelic protection to shield us from the evil one’s diabolical schemes.
As we come into the knowledge of the Truth, we no longer perceive God’s Commandments and Righteous Precepts as being restrictive.
Through the Holy Spirit, we receive the spiritual wisdom to understand that God’s Directives were given to shield us from evil, and to guide our steps.
We require Biblical knowledge for the Holy Spirit to speak to us when temptation threatens to detour us from the Narrow Path of Righteousness.
We strive to honor God with love and loyalty because every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God empowers us in our spiritual journey from Earth to Heaven.
Prayer and Bible Study are Faith-builders!
The Scriptures give us knowledge of Christ’s Righteousness and instruct us on how to live a sacrificial life of worship and obedience.
In the strength of Jesus Christ, while we are overcoming the trials and temptations in our earthly journey, the Holy Spirit is performing the daily transformation of our character into the likeness of our Lord and Savior’s Righteousness.
Preparing for Eternity One Day At a Time in the Strength of Our Triumphant King, Jesus Christ. Peace and Blessings!
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be Glory and Majesty, Dominion and Power, Both now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25).
Facing Opposition? Study 2 Chronicles 20, to learn how King Jehoshaphat used his faith to teach us how to pray.
When facing opposition, we usually focus on the matter at hand, but King Jehoshaphat teaches us to focus on the power of God in our prayers.
Yeshua, El Gibbor, is the Mighty God, and The Commander of the angel armies. Throughout the Holy Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, we find that Jesus has always been a Mighty Warrior protecting the faithful from their enemies.
Only trust Him and Christ will give you the victory. Yes and Amen.
“‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,’ Says the LORD.” (Isaiah 54:17).
“Behold, I am the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me. (Jeremiah 32:27).
Brothers and sisters when we surrender ourselves to follow Jesus Christ, His power is unlimited! Preparing for eternal life one day at a time. Peace and Blessings.
Redirecting our faith and focus from our challenges to God’s Sovereign and Unlimited Power proves that we believe God is who He says He is, “I Am that I Am!”
Elisha Prays, “Lord, Open His Eyes”
“Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, ‘I will set up my camp in such and such a place.'”
9 “The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: ‘Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.’ 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.”
11 “This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, ‘Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?'”
12 “‘None of us, my lord the king,’ said one of his officers, ‘but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.'”
13 “Go, find out where he is,’ the king ordered, ‘so I can send men and capture him.’ The report came back: ‘He is in Dothan.’ 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.”
15 “When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked.”
16 “‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.'”
17 “And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
18 “As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, ‘Strike this army with blindness.’ So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.” (2 Kings 6:8-18, NIV).
This morning at 3 am, God awakened me to speak to my heart, and reminded me, that He is the God of all flesh, and nothing is too hard for Him.
God’s primary method of speaking to us is through the Holy Scriptures. Sadly, we have become too comfortable with only attending church once a week, and hearing second hand knowledge of who God is from others who dedicate their time and effort to studying God’s Holy Word.
Elisha was a great prophet, and in Biblical times, servants lived with their masters. Servitude was not like the atrocious enslavement that the Israelites suffered in Egypt.
Although Elisha’s servant had witnessed God perform countless miracles through His faithful and dedicated prophet, Elisha’s servant remained faithless.
How is it possible for someone to witness the power of God and still not believe?
“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).
To believe in God requires that our hearts are converted and we place 100% of our faith in God.
When challenges arise, instead of us thinking, What am I going to do? We immediately fall to our knees and pray for Divine Help, and in the same prayer, thank God for giving us the victory.
Why? Because we believe that God loves us, and we have a Heavenly Father Who is Sovereign and Omnipotent.
To have the faith and courage that God requires us to completely trust Him with our life. We relinquish self-reliance through daily surrender.
Whether we are facing dilemmas, or the routine duties of life, when we include God, we reveal that our love, loyalty, and trust is completely in Him.
“The joy of the Lord is my strength.” (Nehemiah 6:8).
It is wonderful to awaken with a mind filled with peace, joy, and happiness. Involving God in every aspect of our lives is a faith-building activity that removes all doubts, fears, anxieties, and worries.
From our willingness to trust and obey God, Christ promises to shower us with His greatest spiritual blessings of steadfast faith, courage, wisdom, discernment, endurance, and perseverance, which is required to run the Christian race and win.
Steadfast faith in God redirects our focus to God’s power instead of the circumstances. We can only live as Victorious Overcomers, if we stop trusting in our limited abilities.
How important is faith in God? Faith in God is the foundation of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Faith, or the lack of faith also determines our destiny.
Reflection: If we did not honor and revere God with steadfast faith in our earthly lives, can we expect to spend eternity with God?
If we did not trust God on Earth, it would also be impossible to trust Him in Heaven.
The character that we develop on Earth must reveal steadfast Faith and the attributes of the Character of Christ, written in Galatians 5:22-23 to receive Eternal Life.
Yes, we were given a mustard seed size faith, but God expects our faith to strengthen and experience growth based on our belief in His Sovereign Power, which requires knowledge of His Divine Character.
Our daily personal worship should consist of prayer and studying the Bible. The Scriptures feed our faith. The same God who parted the Red Sea and the Jordan River says, “I do not change! Trust Me.”
Those who trust in God are empowered with the Divine Strength of Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit.
Trusting God with your life produces spiritual growth and development. Not only will you begin to perceive life through spiritual eyes, but your character will also change to reflect the Righteousness of Christ.
David’s prayer reveals that humility, surrender, and obedience is worship: “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.” (Psalm 34:4, 6).
Preparing for Eternal Life One Day At a Time
Lord God, we come to You on bended knees, seeking Your forgiveness for redirecting our faith and trust from You to ourselves, and for not studying your Holy Scriptures. Lord, we confess that our faith is weak because we have failed to worship you in Spirit and Truth. We ask you for strength, wisdom, and discernment. And we thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).
In the Four Gospels of the New Testament, we find that Jesus reiterates the command for us to love God, the Father with all that we have.
Loving God is a personal desire and requires a daily commitment to put Him first. Heartfelt love for God is the catalyst required to serve Him with honor and reverence.
How is this accomplished when we face countless distractions, crammed schedules, and great responsibilities?
Loving God motivates us to modify our lifestyle by establishing boundaries. We do not let people, or pleasure seeking activities interfere with obeying God, which is our highest worship.
Christian Believers Are Followers of Christ
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ” (John 14:6).
Jesus Christ, God, the Son is not only our Savior and Redeemer, but He is also our Intercessor receiving every prayer, and our Mediator bridging the spiritual chasm between God, the Father and ourselves.
The commitment to follow Christ requires living a sacrificial life. Since God’s goal is to give us Eternal Life, we do not waste our daily gift of time to pursue wealth, success, and material possessions [Study Matthew 6].
Separating ourselves to reflect on our daily blessings and our lives reveals that God has faithfully kept His promises to sustain us.
Worshiping God in Spirit and Truth
When our hearts are converted, we are loyal to God, continuously fighting against the spiritual warfare of distractions and the internal drive of self-seeking gratification.
Loving God requires our time. We should not try to squeeze God into a busy schedule, but from the moment we awaken, God receives the first fruits of our time.
Worship Is a Lifestyle: Recently, I did a big chop eliminating activities that contributed nothing to my spiritual and personal growth.
In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul tells us that we face many unseen dangers and the Great Controversy of Good and Evil.
“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Whisper short prayers silently, or audibly throughout the day. Prayer keeps us connected to Christ whose guidance, wisdom, and strength, we desperately need.
Active participation in our journey of spiritual transformation requires at least one hour every day in personal worship.
The ideal way to stay close to Christ is through morning and evening worship.
In the morning, we come to the Throne of Grace to pray for God’s plans to be revealed and to receive the Divine strength to fulfill His plans.
Evening worship gives us the opportunity to reflect on the given day, and express gratitude for the many victories, including the safe-keeping of ourselves and our family.
We should not limit expressing gratitude for God’s never-ending love, faithfulness, and the blessing of keeping us safe from spiritual and physical harm to only twice-a-day.
To live as Overcomers, we must stay connected to Christ. We ask God for the wisdom to distinguish His voice from the countless voices including our thoughts that would deter us from fulfilling His will.
The Holy Spirit keeps us on the Path of Righteousness by speaking to us through our thoughts, conscience, and the Holy Scriptures.
By any means necessary, put God first! Preparation for worshiping God eternally requires forming a lifestyle of worship in our earthly lives.
We serve a Loving, Protective, and Faithful Heavenly Father who deserves our honor, glory, and praise.
In the Book of Psalms, King David teaches us to praise God continuously for His many blessings. Our praise keeps us connected to Christ who gives us the strength to persevere.
Lord God, for guiding, protecting, and correcting us, we thank You. For giving us Your Son, Jesus Christ who redeemed and rescued us from sin’s outcome, we thank You. And for revealing your Ultimate Plan in Revelation to give us Eternal Life, we thank You. With praise and gratitude, we ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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