In 2017, I was in West Virginia and attended prayer meeting with my cousin. Her pastor told us the story of a young man, who received a substantial prison sentence, and after serving many years, he was given a reprieve, which gave him his freedom. Yet, with fear, he stated, “I don’t want freedom, I want to serve the rest of my sentence.”
Although this story sounds unbelievable, sadly this scenario of the prisoner who refused freedom is also our mindset when we choose to stay in marriages, family relationships, and associate with people who do not have the love of God in their hearts, as evidenced by their continuous disrespect and abusive mistreatment of others.
“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment And the second is like it:bYou shall love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Matthew 22:37-39).
“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19).
God is Love! Jesus created us from love and gifted us with the ability to love and honor God, and to love and respect others. We were also created to receive Jesus’ spiritual gifts of joy, peace, and happiness.
1 John 3 is the letter the Apostle Paul sent to Gaius, his friend; “‘…as your soul prospers’ indicates that spiritual health (right thinking, choices, and relationship with God) is the foundation for [our] overall well-being.”
To love God is to love ourselves!
For us to enjoy God’s love, and optimal mental, emotional, physical, and most importantly spiritual health and prosperity, we cannot reject God’s Agape Love, replacing it with the abusive behaviors from those who reject God’s love and His commandment to love others.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3). Jesus died to give us freedom, not only from sin, but also to deliver and heal us from mental despair and emotional wounds.
Remaining in abusive situations, prevents us from loving Christ as He deserves, and blocks our spiritual growth and the transformation of our character required to receive Eternal Life.
“When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?'” (John 5:6).
Jesus also asks us, “Do you want to be made well?”
If our answer is yes, then we use our faith, and through His love, the Holy Spirit empowers us with the courage to leave every demonic situation that is a roadblock to embracing Jesus’ Abiding Love and His gift of Spiritual Peace. Yes and Amen!
Lord God, we thank You for Your Amazing Love and creating us with the ability to love. We live in a world permeated with sin and compromised values that allow us to tolerate the abusive mistreatment of others, who You created in Your image. Lord, we pray, and ask You to strengthen and empower Your sons and daughters to take a leap of faith and to embrace the freedom of healing that only You can offer us. In faith, we ask this prayer of deliverance and healing in the Powerful Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, For in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” (Isaiah 26:3-4).
Every day, we decide if we will enjoy Jesus’ gift of Perfect Peace. Total dependency on Christ produces lives that are peaceful, calm, and enjoyable. If we choose self-reliance, then our lives are comparable to a boisterous, troubled river.
“As drops of water make the river, the little things make up our River of Life.”
When we encounter challenges, many of us tend to categorize them into two lists. First list: We exclude God from our daily struggles, trying to handle the small issues that interrupt our busy schedules with quick answers. Second list: We temporarily let go of self-reliance, using God as a last resort because we realize that we are facing major adversities that human effort cannot resolve.
But it is often the little situations, the ones that appear to be easily resolved, that can unexpectedly change the watery flow of our River from peaceful to raging rapids.
Because small challenges can quickly escalate and detour from what is expected to happen, the outcomes of human strategies are always unreliable; even our best interventions can lead to unexpected consequences.
“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).
Trusting our thoughts always requires that we redirect our faith and trust from Christ to ourselves; not only are we carrying burdens that we were not created to carry, but our beautiful gift of Jesus’ peace has been replaced by a raging current of anxiety, worry, and sleepless nights.
Jesus is a Loving and Protective Shepherd who tells us to pray and bring “all” of our challenges to Him: “Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. (1 Peter 5:7, Amplified Bible).
Even when we have trusted ourselves and things are messy, we can always approach the Throne of Grace, repent, and ask Christ to help in our time of need. “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 13:8, NIV).
“The peaceful waters of God focus on rest, restoration, and Divine guidance, most notably in Psalm 23:2, where the Lord leads believers to ‘still waters,’ restoring [the peace within their] soul. These waters symbolize safety, spiritual nourishment, and trust in God’s provision.”
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul.” (Psalm 23:1-3, NIV).
Lord God, we confess that we have excluded You by not asking for Your help, and we ask You to forgive us for the sin of self-reliance. We are feeling anxious because we are facing circumstances that we did not anticipate. Lord, we desperately need Your Divine Intervention to restore our peace and resolve our adversities. And we ask You to give us the strength to persevere through our hardships. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the Throne of Grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16, ESV)
In John 16:33, Jesus explains our spiritual journey and His promise to take care of us:
“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 undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished]. [Amplified Bible].
In Mark 11, Jesus says that if we have faith and ask anything in His name, we can move mountains. No, it is not literal mountains; Jesus is referring to the hardships and vicissitudes of life.
We start our day with optimism and the intent to accomplish our plans. However, it is the unexpected daily challenges and life-changing adversities that human effort cannot resolve, which threaten to rob us of our joy and peace.
Jesus tells us to be confident; every aspect of our lives is known by our Heavenly Father: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.'” (Isaiah 46:9-10, NIV).
Despite the present obstacles, knowing God’s promises and reminding ourselves that God loves us alleviates the burden of trying to figure out an answer. Trusting God is the only way to enjoy our spiritual gift of Jesus’ Perfect Peace.
Consistent Prayer keeps us connected to Jesus Christ, our High Priest and Intercessor, who receives and answers our prayers given to Him from the Holy Spirit. Yes, studying the Holy Scriptures gives us knowledge of God’s Character, but it is using our faith to believe that God is who He says He is that pleases God.
“I Am That I Am” (Exodus 3:14) is a declaration of God’s Eternal, Self-Existent, and Unchanging Nature. God is Omniscient, [All-Knowing], Omnipotent [All-Powerful], and the Absolute Sovereign Authority of this universe. Yes and Amen!
“Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27, Legacy Standard Bible). Following Christ means that we use our faith to completely trust Him with every aspect of our lives.
When facing challenges, we must fight the urge to divide our obstacles into two lists: “The situations I will resolve and the situations I will give to Jesus [because I do not have the ability to resolve these issues].”
“Behold, God is my Helper; the Lord is the Upholder [ Sustainer] of my life.” (Psalm 54:4, ESV). We should never limit the love of God and His commitment to perform miracles. God is interested even in the little details of our lives.
Fight against the thought of, “What am I going to do?” We redirect our faith and focus from ourselves back to God and immediately pray, asking Jesus for His Divine Help and Strength.
I can recall being mentally fatigued at my new job and wondering if I would be able to make a long-term commitment. I whispered a silent prayer, and the Holy Spirit instructed me [through my thoughts] to take my lunch break alone that day.
I went to my vehicle, prayed, and listened to Christian music. By the Holy Spirit, I believed Jesus’ promise of strength. And because of my faith, He strengthened me spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Jesus always replenishes our joy and hope. I finished the day with a smile on my face. From obeying the Holy Spirit to separate and spend time worshiping Jesus, I received the blessings of spiritual encouragement and the energy to keep going beyond my human ability.
“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” (1 Peter 5:7, Amplified Bible).
When prayer is our first and immediate response, we eliminate the possibilities of our minds being held hostage by the faith-draining emotions of fear, anxiety, and worry.
In faith, we humbly admit our need for God by going to His Throne of Grace. “Jesus, I need Your help with…” is the invitation He waits for, and with joyful expectancy, we have confidence that He will answer our prayer and resolve every challenge.
“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14). Pray and Wait on God, whose timing will never match our desire for instant answers and resolutions. Every day, while waiting, maintain your faith, trust, and courage by thanking God for His Divine Help.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10). Depending on Christ and waiting for His Divine Resolutions has numerous benefits: Waiting strengthens our faith, facilitates trust and obedience to God, eliminates guesswork, and prevents us from suffering adverse consequences.
I received two miracles this week and can confidently say there is nothing more exciting than receiving God’s Supernatural Blessings, which always surpass our human understanding and strategies.
“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).
Lord God, we thank You for Your unfailing Love, Grace, and Mercies, which include intervening and resolving every challenge that we ask You to help us with. We ask You to strengthen our faith, as we wait for Your answer. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
“Let us then approach God’s Throne of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).
In Philippians 4:6-7, Jesus tells us the answer to alleviating all anxiety, we exchange our worries for peace through the power of prayer. As we bring our requests to God, we use our faith [even if it is weak] to approach the Throne of Grace with confidence because we have received the promise that we can always rely on Jesus.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus compared Himself to the Rock. When we place our faith in Christ, we have the assurance that our lives will remain stable because He never changes. Yes and Amen!
When the Israelites faced an impassable Red Sea ahead of them and Pharaoh’s Army behind them, their response was a total lack of faith in God’s Sovereign Power:
“And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord…” (Exodus 14:10).
The Faith of Moses: “And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.'” (Exodus 14:13-14).
We know how Christ, who called Himself the Angel of the Lord in Exodus 14, our Mighty Warrior, resolved the situation with arrogant Pharaoh and his army—they drowned in the Red Sea: “The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.” (Exodus 14:28, NIV).
Studying the Holy Bible gives us knowledge of how God intervened for the righteous who used their faith to cry out for His Help. Knowing God’s Loving and Righteous Character gives us the courage to believe that God loves us and will always give us the victory.
In Psalm 91, angels are assigned by Christ to keep us safe. God is the Source and Sustainer of our lives. It is His Ruach breath that flows through our bodies. Faith propels us to believe without doubt that our Heavenly Father is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory! Yes and Amen.
God knows our weaknesses, but He reminds us that He does not have human limitations: “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).
“Each day, we can choose to trade our anxieties for His peace. Our trials and troubles are opportunities to rely on Him.”
Whether facing routine obstacles or humanly impossible dilemmas, a Prayer of Faith should be our First Response. Making prayer a habit when all is well gives us the courage to immediately pray for God’s Divine Help when facing the tough times of adversity.
We use our Faith to “Trade our real-life anxieties for real-time peace.” When we really believe in God’s Sovereign Power, then Peace should come naturally, because God’s promises always remain the same.
“I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:9-10).
Lord God, we thank You for Your Love and the Holy Scriptures, which remind us that we are never forgotten. We ask for forgiveness for letting anxiety and worry consume us instead of immediately using our faith to bend our knees to ask You for Help. Lord, give us strength and peace, and we thank You in advance for Your Divine Intervention and Resolution. In faith, we pray in the Powerful Name of Jesus, Amen.
“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19).
“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 undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, Amplified Bible).
“Life can be very difficult for all of us, no matter how well things might be going at the moment. But even if they are not going well now, what things can you and should you rejoice about? What is stopping you from doing it?”
We have so many things to rejoice about; we received the blessing of a new day of life, we are alert and oriented, and we were created in the image of God, who vows to love, protect, and provide all of our needs.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11).
And we have received the greatest gift of Redemption from God the Father, who gave us Jesus, His Son, to save our souls from the wages of sin [Romans 6:23]
Despite our challenges, God is Loving and Always Faithful! To have a heart filled with gratitude, we must change our behaviors to reflect that God is Good:
Stop speaking negative words.
Stop sowing seeds of discord [gossiping].
See your life through grateful eyes.
Develop a grateful heart and spirit by praising God throughout the day for His blessings of life, health, and provisions.
Redirect your faith and trust from yourself back to God.
Study the Bible every day.
Whisper prayers throughout your day, thanking God for His abundant blessings of life and asking Him for strength, wisdom, and guidance.
God is Merciful: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Lord God, we want to say that we love You and thank You for Your love, grace, and mercy. Thank You for always forgiving us and hearing and answering our prayers. In faith, and with grateful hearts, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).
There are times when we face situations that make us realize that we do not know what to do or have the power to change the circumstances. And because we know that human solutions cannot resolve those challenges, we finally surrender to God’s Sovereign Authority, desperately asking for His Divine Intervention.
“Would not God discover this? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” (Psalm 44:21).
But there is a problem with that mindset; we have only prayed and asked God for His help because we have hit the wall, knowing that our human efforts are insufficient.
“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; Fear [Reverence] the Lord and depart from evil.” (Proverbs 3:5-7).
God tells us not to follow our own thoughts and not to be wise in our own eyes, which, if obeyed, keeps us dependent on His perfect plans and prevents us from experiencing negative consequences. Yet many believers see this as a suggestion to disregard, but relying on God is His command.
One of the greatest mistakes that postmodern Christians have made is that we perceive God’s Grace as permission to compromise His Commands, but God has never given us the option to disobey His Righteous Precepts.
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Disobedience is the bitter fruit of self-reliance: Not only have we detoured from the Path of Righteousness, but spiritually, we have also separated ourselves from God.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit…” (Romans 8:1).
From choosing to accept and follow Christ, we are freed from the sins that enslave us to Satan. “This freedom is not a license to sin but results in a life where the mind is set on the things of the Spirit, fulfilling the righteousness of the law.”
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
In 2 Timothy 1:7, the apostle Paul reveals that believers have received spiritual gifts: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
Satan can tempt us, but he does not have the power to force us to sin against God. Choosing to sin is a wilful act of disobedience which dishonors God, revealing that we love ourselves more than God. Disobedience reveals that we do not value God’s Love, Grace, and Mercy.
From the moment we awaken, we make choices about whether to follow our ideas and strategies. If yes, then we have excluded God from our daily decisions, which fosters a spirit of self-reliance and rebellion against Him.
“Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.” (John 9:31). Unless we offer a genuine prayer of repentance in which Christ, our Intercessor, forgives our sins, God reveals in the Scriptures that He does not hear a sinner’s prayer.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). Repentance for a spirit of self-reliance and disobedience is required before we can approach the Throne of Grace asking for God’s Divine Intervention.
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus, the Son of God Reverenced and Honored God, the Father’s Sovereign Authority over Heaven and Earth.
Jesus prayed, “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10). [Hallowed definition: Revered and Honored].
We were created to glorify God. Honoring God with faithful obedience is the entire purpose of the Christian Believer’s life.
Sermon Note: “Your responsibility is to follow Christ and obey His will for your life, and By the time you are done, the LORD will be glorified.” Yes and Amen. Peace and Blessings.
Lord God, we confess that we have followed our thoughts instead of asking You for answers, and for this rebellious sin against You, we ask for forgiveness. Please cleanse us from all unrighteousness and fill us with Your Holy Spirit. Lord, give us the direction and guidance we desperately need in our daily lives. Our desire is to follow and obey Jesus, our Shepherd and Triumphant King, who promised us Eternal Life. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“Behold, I am the LORD the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).
Most of my adult life, I was always thinking about how I would resolve my challenges, which led to a history of insomnia. In 2025, I watched a sermon on the courage that is required to use our faith to trust God completely with every aspect of our lives, including the small details.
Only a few Christians actually surrender themselves fully to God. Unfortunately, we have embraced the unbeliever’s practice of self-reliance. Instead of using our faith to trust in God, we have redirected our faith and trust to ourselves, which equates to a nonverbal, “God, I do not trust You.
“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.” (Psalm 37:5).
It is easy to say that God is Good, but it is not the words that we speak that indicate our love, faith, and trust; it is our worship of faithful obedience and completely trusting God with our lives that reveal our love for God.
“I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.” (John 15;5, Amplified Bible).
For many, just the thought of relinquishing that control creates an unrighteous spirit of rebellion against God. Yet, Jesus tells us that trusting and obeying Him is not optional: “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7).
The outcome of my decision to fully surrender and place my faith and trust in God is that every day, I enjoy Jesus’ gift of spiritual peace. The challenges and obstacles have not ceased, but I decided to throw away self-reliance, which freed me from the strongholds of worry and disobedience.
To know that you are in right-standing with God is peace! Now, I pray and wait on God’s resolution. No more rebellion against God and no more insomnia. “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8).
The reality is, if we cannot trust God in our earthly lives, and Jesus says we cannot please God without placing our faith and trust in Him, then how will we be prepared to trust God for eternity? Let go! And trust God, He is Faithful. Yes and Amen.
“And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28).
Lord God, our minds are filled with doubt instead of Jesus’ peace. And for our unbelief, we ask for forgiveness. We thank You for loving us despite our rebellious spirit of self-reliance. Lord, we thank You for the Sabbath, a time that we can focus on You and a time of peace and restoration of our minds, bodies, and souls. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in faith and in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
God’s Perfect Love: The Creation of Humanity: “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…'” (Genesis 1:26).
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7).
God’s Perfect Love: The Plan of Redemption: “He [Jesus] said, ‘It is finished!’ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30).
“We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19). In John 3:16, God reminds us that it was love that prompted Him to give us Yeshua, His only Son, to save us from experiencing the second and final death [Malachi 4].
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind [self control]. ” (2 Timothy 1:7).
God’s Perfect Love: Not only were we created in God’s likeness, but every human being has also received spiritual gifts. The development of our gifts requires faith in God. 1 Corinthians 13 differentiates the characteristics of Agape Love from the conditional, wavering love that unbelievers practice.
Jesus reminds us, “Without Me, you can do nothing.” Even believers must have converted hearts and be empowered by the Holy Spirit for us to love unconditionally, or disunity occurs.
Our Identity in Christ: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9).
When Jesus, God, the Son, created us, we received spiritual gifts: Love, Faith, Power, Self-control, Cognitive Reasoning, Recognition of Danger, and a Free Will to Choose. And this list is incomplete.
From Redemption Flows God’s Love, Grace, and Mercies
If we never received anything else, our love and appreciation for God, the Father, God, Jesus, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit, should result in the commitment to follow Christ and obey His perfect will and plans for our lives.
Each New Day, We Stand at The Spiritual Crossroads: Either we use our faith to follow Christ, or we will follow our thoughts and desires.
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16, ESV). God gifted us with a Free Will to choose to live holy or not.
Unfortunately, Satan has deceived the majority of today’s believers with his false teachings of Compromised Christianity, based on the idea that we can do as we please because we are covered by God’s Grace.
“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!” (Romans 6:15). Our habits and lifestyle reveal if we are living as we desire. Yet to think that God disregards our intentional sins because of His Grace opposes God’s requirements of total obedience to His command of living righteously.
“Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16, NIV).
“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve.” (Joshua 24:15). Righteousness has no Middle Road. Either we have pledged our allegiance and love to God, or to Satan. We can sing, pray, and study the Bible, but Faithful Obedience is the worship that honors and reveres God.
God also gifted us with Five Senses: Sight, Smell, Hearing, Taste, and Touch. Without the commitment to consecrate ourselves to God daily, our Senses lead us to commit heinous sins against God, the Sustainer of Life.
Sin is always the easy choice. Only with the Holy Spirit’s Divine Power and Strength can we fight against the internal conflict in our hearts and the external opposition of Satan’s temptations.
Although we are tempted, Satan’s power is limited; The devil can never force us to rebel against God. If we do not pray for the strength to overcome, then the only possible outcome is to dishonor God.
The Gradual Process of Rebellion
Desire Leads to a Fall: Satan deceived Eve because she desired more than “everything” God had given them. Eve desired to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, or else Satan’s Temptation would have failed.
“But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:14-15).
The transition from being a faithful, obedient follower of Christ to becoming an unbelieving believer is gradual; separation from God begins with thinking about that one compromising sin. We ask ourselves, “Where in the Bible does it say that we can’t?”
The Christian believer does not awaken one morning and say, Today, I will sin against God. No, following one’s sinful desires begins with constantly thinking about the pleasure of the particular sin.
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
The Warning: When our thoughts are unholy, the Holy Spirit makes us aware that we are sinning against God by troubling our conscience. We can never say, I didn’t know.
“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41, ESV).
Either we will come to our senses, asking God for forgiveness, ceasing our thoughts, or we will not care and decide to move forward in fulfilling our desires.
“An uncontrolled imagination is the catalyst for our thoughts becoming actions.” Sadly, it is the lack of self-control that detours us from the Path of Righteousness, resulting in the once faithful believer transitioning to an Unbelieving Believer.
The Definition of Unbelieving Believers: “…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:4-5).
Ironically, many Believers who no longer follow Christ on the Path of Righteousness still attend Church [demonstrating their misunderstanding that works do not save us]; God does not practice the human-made theory of “Absolution.”
Sin is deadly because sin separates us from God, who reveals that He will not listen to the unrepentant believer’s prayers: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2).
Sin strips us of our spiritual senses and leaves us in darkness. We cannot think wrong and do right! Not only does God know our hearts, but He also knows every thought and action of our entire lives before we think about or do them.
“Would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.” (Psalm 44:21, ESV). We may hide our secret lifestyles from others, but God sees our lifestyles, which reveal the inclusion of worldly activities and bad company.
“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.'” (1 Corinthians 15:33, ESV). Bad company extends beyond worldly unbelievers: Bad company also includes family members and uncommitted believers who follow their thoughts instead of obeying God’s plans for their lives.
“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.” (Matthew 7:18). A Common Trait of Fallen Believers: Those who are in a state of rebellion against God are offended by the Sword of God’s Truth—The Holy Scriptures.
The Path of Repentance and Restoration: Jesus Christ is the Truth, the Life, and the Only Way, Who commands us to: “Be holy, for I am Holy.” (1 Peter 1:16).
“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
Although we like to think of our hearts as being good, we must believe what God says about the condition of the human heart.
Only Christ through His Righteousness can cleanse our hearts; using our faith to surrender and obey God, day by day, the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts and characters [the lifelong spiritual process of Sanctification, John 17:17].
Repentance is a covenant vow in which one promises God to never commit sins of willful disobedience against Him again. Repentance is always required to be restored righteously [1 John 1:9].
We surrender ourselves every day to Christ. Sin appears pleasurable when our God-given gifts of Love and Faith have been redirected from God to ourselves [Matthew 22:37].
We need to reconnect with God, the Source of Life, through daily personal worship by praying and studying the Bible. [Hosea 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:17].
Pray for wisdom and understanding before studying the Bible. We study with the intention of understanding and following God’s commands.
The Holy Scriptures are God’s instructions, giving us the spiritual knowledge and wisdom to remain faithful and obedient. [Psalm 119:105, 111]
To overcome self-gratification, our focus must remain on Christ. Let go of all secular habits that fail to honor God, including music and streaming.
Friendships with unbelievers are one of Satan’s most effective strategies. The unbeliever has no intention of changing. It is always the believer who changes. “What does light have to do with the Darkness of Sin?
Heaven is not cheap! And God says that He never changes. Jesus promises us that sin, sinners, and this present Earth will be destroyed!
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,’ says the LORD of Hosts. ‘Not a root or branch will be left to them.'” (Malachi 4:1).
We are temporary travelers living in a temporary earthly home. We must come to our spiritual senses; there is no logical reason for us to lose our reward of Eternal Life for this temporary Earth overflowing with Satan’s treasures and pleasures designed to make us rebel against God.
Following Jesus will be rewarded: “Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2). Yes and Amen!
Bible Study: Romans 12; Revelation 19-22
Lord God, instead of following You with faithful obedience, our lives reflect compromised spiritual morals and values. We come to the Throne of Grace asking for the forgiveness of following our sinful desires. We ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to give us a new heart, a heart filled with love. Lord, we love You! Thank You for Your great sacrifice on Calvary’s Cross. Today, we choose Jesus, and we ask for the Power, Strength, and Presence of the Holy Spirit to guide and keep us on the Narrow Path leading to Eternal Life. Yes, in faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
“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).
At my most recent Library trip, I looked in the freebie bins and saw a magazine entitled Voice of the Martyrs. Never did I realize how my perspective would change from reading the experiences of persecuted Christians.
Excerpt from “The LAST to Leave” [The Story of a Christian Family Risking Their Personal Safety to Witness Christ to Others].
“The sound of gunfire and explosions was terrifyingly familiar. Sophia waited for the return of her husband Lewis at 3:00 a.m. one morning in March.”
“Lewis, a Missionary and Pastor who ministered to villagers deep in the __________ jungle, had taken a boat full of 30 Christians to a location safe from the violence occurring in their village.”
“As they pulled away from the riverside, Lewis prayed, “God, take care of us. Clear the way for us to go with no danger.”
Lewis and Sofia are resolute about God sustaining them through the loss of their home and all their personal possessions: “It is a passion for the souls. There are so many people who are lost. It is worth serving the Lord.”
Later that evening, I read multiple stories of the persecution that many Believers [globally] are suffering in their Journey of following Jesus, yet they remain committed and never complain.
I immediately prayed and asked God to forgive me for my self-centered and selfish heart. What do I know about the need to remain anonymous, or taking refuge in safe houses with minimal personal belongings, because I decided to follow Jesus?
And yes, with living in a country where Religious Liberty is my Constitutional right, God gave me a much-needed spiritual reality check to redirect my focus from myself to continuously pray for my Christian brothers and sisters, who could never imagine the blessing of the freedom to serve and follow Jesus without constraints.
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12). Truthfully, are we preparing ourselves spiritually for the day when we will suffer persecution for being a follower of Christ?
Our world is in chaos, and corruption and violence are steadily escalating. Still, while we have the opportunity to strengthen our relationship with Christ through daily personal worship, we must.
“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).
“Suffering, to some degree, is the lot of us all. In the end, though, it is better to suffer for Christ’s sake than for anything else.”
Lord God, please forgive our self-centeredness and help us to think beyond ourselves. In faith and with compassion, we pray for the persecuted believers who are faithfully and courageously following You with unwavering faith, despite their perilous circumstances. Lord, we ask You to supply all of their needs, to comfort them in their times of uncertainty, and to strengthen their faith. We joyfully look forward to the day when there will be no more persecution, fear, and sorrow. And when we can openly worship Jesus, our Triumphant King. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” (1 Peter 5:7, Amplified Bible).
Every day, we strive to complete our responsibilities, relying only on our own strength. Yet, for believers, we also face many unexpected the spiritual warfare of challenges and temptations that test our faith, trust, and obedience to God.
“I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13). Without asking Christ for His strength to accomplish our tasks for the given day, we deplete our mental, emotional, and physical resources.
Can you imagine carrying a backpack of heavy stones as you perform your daily tasks? From using our thoughts and strength to navigate through life, we pick up Mental and Emotional Stones: Using emotions to react to challenging situations and people.
Collecting Stones: Stones are our emotional reactions, including doubt, fear, failure, discouragement, anger, and hopelessness, that impact our rational thought processes.
The “stones” we collect every day remain in our minds, and as the weight grows heavier, we cannot remain positive or enjoy Christ’s blessings of peace, joy, and happiness.
When we have put forth our best efforts and the outcome is not what we expected, we blame ourselves and begin to accumulate the “mental stones” of failure, stress, fatigue, disappointment, anxiety, and worry.
Stones produce a negative perspective: As we reflect on our day, we are unable to focus on our accomplishments; instead, we focus on the failure to complete our to-do lists, which are often unrealistic. Instead of relaxing after a taxing day, we think about various ways to complete today’s unfinished tasks and tomorrow’s responsibilities.
Although we desire to have positive interactions with our family, friends, neighbors, and others, it is an unrealistic expectation. Many individuals react to stress by communicating with emotional responses.
Stones cause us to overreact: If we take things personally, instead of telling ourselves, “Some people are just difficult, it’s not about me, or “Everyone has a bad day, so their reaction was not about me,” then we pick up the “emotional stones” of anger, hurt, embarrassment, disappointment, and feeling let down.
Taking everything personally leads to harboring feelings of sustained anger and resentment. Remaining upset provokes us to replay the negative interaction, which prevents us from enjoying a peaceful sleep, and our mental, emotional, and physical health begins to decline.
Stones cause Spiritual Decline: Most importantly, our Stones cause us to lose our spiritual perspective. We cannot focus on our spiritual journey with Jesus. Our daily personal worship of Prayer and Bible Study ceases, and our reciprocal relationship with Christ gradually declines. And sadly, we do not recognize that we are separated from Christ.
There is a better way to live! Jesus Is Our Stone Gatherer: “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.'” (Matthew 11:28, NLT).
Giving Our Stones to Jesus Requires Two Actions: First, We Are Who God Says We Are: We Are Loved by God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and the recipients of God’s Grace. Do not practice self-criticism! Incorporate time management skills into your life by asking the Holy Spirit for guidance in your daily activities.
Secondly, a believer’s life is comparable to a soldier’s life: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:10-11, NIV).
In John 16:33, Jesus tells us that His followers will face a life of continuous temptations and struggles. Satan uses people to speak harsh words to upset us so that we will become angry and sin against God with unrighteous responses. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger…” (James 1:19).
From whispering a prayer for strength, the Holy Spirit will tell us when to respond and when to remain silent when confronted. To avoid collecting Stones, we must depend on Jesus’ Strength and Guidance, which requires us to stay connected to Him through a life of continuous prayer and praise.
A Relationship with Christ built on faith, trust, obedience, and daily prayer, and study of the Holy Scriptures is the only way to have “An Unbothered Mind.”
The Believer’s Privilege of Prayer
“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).
Prayer allows us to have a heart-to-heart connection with Jesus, our Creator and Shepherd, who “cares about you with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully.”
Invite Christ into every little detail of your life. Not only will you receive peace, but the Holy Spirit will give you the wisdom to resolve every challenge. We reflect the love of Christ to others through gentleness and self-control, eliminating the need to retaliate with emotional responses.
Reflection: How many times a day do you pray? Whispering prayers throughout our day keeps us connected to Christ, our Source of Strength, and the Giver of Spiritual Peace, Joy, and Contentment.
“There is necessity for diligence in prayer; let nothing [stop] you. Make every effort to keep open the communion between Jesus and your own soul. Seek every opportunity to pray.”
God’s Divine Love Revealed: 24/7, We Have Total Access to Christ!
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27, NIV).
We do not have to understand the Divine Pathway of how Jesus receives and answers our prayers. Whether spoken or silent, Christ tells us to “pray without ceasing,” and He will empower us with His Divine Strength, Guidance, and Wisdom.
“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24, NIV).
Brothers and Sisters, stop collecting Stones! Use your faith to depend on Jesus. Our Heavenly Intercessor waits for us to seek His Help.
Even if our backpack of Stones is overflowing, Jesus is waiting for us to cast those Stones at His feet, and He will deliver us from the weight of life’s challenges and empower us to live with an unbothered mind. Yes and Amen!
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3, Amplified Bible).
Lord God, thank You for Your Amazing Love and Faithfulness that never changes. We desire to begin a consecrated life of prayer; a life that is free from the stony weights of emotional reactions, uncertainty, burdens, anxieties, and worries. Jesus, today, we commit to redirecting our faith and trust back to You. And we thank You for the privilege of Prayer, and in faith, we ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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