God – Page 9 – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Never Give Up!

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – October 21, 2024

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ ” —Hebrews 13:5

With Christ as our Intercessor who receives our prayers from the Holy Spirit and presents our prayers to God, the Father, we should never become discouraged. There are numerous reasons why we experience a sense of discontent when encountering adversity, still, the primary reason is our lack of faith in God because we do not know or understand God’s character due to our failure to study the Scriptures.

The Plight of Humanity: “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” —Isaiah 40:6-8

God loves us! We are the only living beings created in His Divine image. Yes, Jesus gifted us with faith, love, the power to resist sin, and a sound mind, but God knows we mortals desperately need Him. We were not created to live without His Divine Intervention. Sadly, because many have embraced the worldview of self-reliance, our dependency on God and our relationship with Jesus Christ has been placed on hold.

Thinking our thoughts is the gateway to making decisions that oppose God’s will and plans for our lives. The exclusion of God as our Refuge produces anxiety and worry. We do not have to live a stressful life suffering consequences and miss out on the joy and peace that arise from knowing our Heavenly Father has promised to never leave us or forsake us.

God Reminds Us of His Sovereign Power: “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things…” (Isaiah 40:25-26).

Studying the Bible gives us intellectual knowledge of God yet intellectual knowledge does not strengthen our faith and trust in God. Deep within our hearts, we must believe that God loves us and He is Yahweh Yireh, our Provider. Because the human heart strives to pursue its’ desires, God allows us to travel down the road of adversity to redirect our focus to Him.

King Solomon instructed: “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 the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones” (Proverbs 3:5-8).

Trusting and obeying God gives us the courage and confidence to know that God always keeps his promises. Always placing God first will keep you aligned with His plans for your life and on the Path of Righteousness. Where do you and I stand? Do we really trust in God with all of our hearts?

“Now Jesus was telling the disciples a parable to make the point that at all times they ought to pray and not give up and lose heart…” —Luke 18:1

Pray for strength! Never Give Up! Pray, pray, pray! Prayer for Divine help and guidance requires humility. To surrender daily to God acknowledges that Jesus is Lord of our life! Prayer acknowledges that God is Sovereign and we trust Him implicitly with every aspect of our lives.

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” —Proverbs 18:10

The same Loving and Powerful God who parted the Red Sea to save the Israelites from their oppressors sent an angel to feed Elijah in the wilderness and fed the five thousand-plus multitudes with five loaves and two fish is the same All-Knowing and Powerful God who proclaims, “I change not!” With every righteous thought, action, and divine intervention, God glorifies and honors Himself and rescues those who trust Him.

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:17-19).

Bible Study: Psalm 34

God is our Father, Protector, and Provider. All praise, glory, and honor to His Holy and Righteous Name! Amen.

Let God Turn a Crisis Into a Victory

The Phone Bill Miracle

One day in 1998, I received an e-mail from my mom that my dad was in a coma and was not expected to live very long. We had just moved from Canada for a teaching assignment at Highland View Academy (HVA) the year before. I knew we had to withdraw all our paperwork for our Green Cards before I could leave the United States, or I could not come back again. This started a series of phone calls to our lawyers to see what could be worked out so that I could go back to the Philippines to see my dad before he died. A series of miracles happened, which are too long to explain here. Thankfully, I was able to take the earliest possible flight to Manila and another flight to where my parents lived.

In the meantime, I made several long-distance calls to my mother to check Dad’s progress. After arriving in the Philippines, my husband also made several phone calls while I was there for almost two weeks. These were the days before FaceTime or WhatsApp. We had subscribed to a long-distance discount plan with our phone company, which gave us great rates since we had called my mother regularly.

My dad woke up when I arrived but could not talk to me. He would squeeze my hand when I spoke to him. When I played videos of my young daughter playing the violin, I would notice tears from his eyes running down his cheeks. Dad used to play the violin, and I would accompany him on the piano when I was a teenager.

After more than a week in the Philippines, my dad lapsed back into a coma. My mother told me to go back to Maryland. I was teaching science at Highland View Academy and could not be away for an unlimited time. I said my sad goodbyes, knowing that would be the last time I would see my dad alive. I could not afford to make another trip, as it would complicate the processing of our Green Cards further, and my mom insisted that if the inevitable happened, I should not go back. She would manage okay, and my brother and other relatives would help her.

A few weeks after I returned to Maryland, we received a phone bill of about $1,500. We expected to pay not more than $500, but not three times this. I also noticed that another provider attached the long-distance bill to our regular phone bill. I called to question the bill several times, only to be met by a recorded message and a long wait on the phone. If I got a person on the line, I would be put on hold for up to an hour each time. The voice on the other line from our phone provider told me they could not help me since the bill was from another company.

When I called the other company, they said I was not their customer, so they could not talk to me. After getting this run-around for several days, I gave up. I told myself that I would not call anymore since it was a waste of my time. I decided that we were not going to pay this bill. It would affect our credit record and probably have other consequences, but I was firm that we would not pay it. After spending nearly $2,000 on airfare and helping with some of my dad’s expenses, we could not afford it anyway. In the next billing cycle, we got another bill of $500. I told God He would need to take care of it since I couldn’t.

Several weeks later, while in the lab at school, I was impressed to call our phone company again. “No, God,” I said, “not again.” The impression was so strong that I gave in, went to my office, and made the phone call. This time, I got to talk to a real person right away. I explained my problem, and he listened. I could hear computer keys clacking as he typed all the time I was talking. I didn’t know what he was typing, and I interrupted him several times to ask if he was still there. He assured me he was and that I would be happy when he was done. And so, I waited patiently, praying that this was the time God would intervene. After what seemed like an eternity, he said, “Good news! You owe nothing! Another phone provider electronically switched you without your knowledge. You are not responsible for these charges!”

I praised God for this good news! I could not resist asking him when I was switched, and he said, “January 31.” I got goose flesh! God had taken care of my predicament even before I asked since January 31 was the date that my mom e-mailed me that my dad was seriously ill. I should have asked God to help me solve my problem before I tried for several weeks to do it myself. He was my last resort after all my efforts failed—but God was faithful to me and solved my problem, even if I tried to do it my way first.

Ophelia Barizo is a retired STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Consultant and writer for Time to Get Ready Ministries. This story has been shared with permission of Time to Get Ready Ministries.

Reflection: God desires that we include Him in every aspect of our lives. Which aspect of your life needs to be fully surrendered to God?

Lord God, we thank you for Your love, grace, and mercies. We pray for Your Divine Intervention in our lives. Teach us to include You in our daily activities of life and open our minds to hear and obey Your voice. We ask this prayer in the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen.

Mezzo Streams Acapella – Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho – Worship Music Video

The Call to Live Holy

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – October 16, 2024

The era of compromise and middle-ground Christianity has escalated to an all-time high in the Christian community. Although the lines between God’s Truth and false doctrines appear to be blurred, God says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).

From studying the Scriptures, we learn the attributes of God’s Righteous Character and His expectations of all believers. Although I could write words of wisdom explaining the daily surrender and faithful obedience required to serve God, God speaks for Himself in the Scriptures.

“Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. 17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. 18 ‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.’ For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” —Isaiah 1:16-18, NIV

The Freewill Choice is Ours to Make: “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” —Joshua 24:15

The Nation of Israel worshiped pagan idols and made sacrificial offerings to God as commanded, but God exposed them by instructing Joshua to openly present their unfaithfulness to God. You and I must also make a choice, either we will strive for holiness with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, or live according to our desires and inclinations.

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” —James 1:12

Lord God, we choose You and ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, empower us with strength from the Holy Spirit, and teach us how to live holy. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray, Amen.

God’s Abundant Gift of New Mercies

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – October 15,2024

Every day Christ covers us with His love, grace, and mercies. What will we do to honor Him for the gifted mercies of this new day? With a grateful heart, strive to live holy by giving up sinful habits and asking God to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Make the commitment to really love God and you will begin to view life through the spiritual eyes of Christ.

Mercy is one of God’s greatest love blessings that we often take for granted. What will we do to honor God for His continuous mercies? Every believer has access to the Divine Help of the Holy Spirit who empowers us with Christ’s strength to live committed and holy lives. Through prayer, we ask for and receive God’s supernatural power. We desperately need heavenly intervention to live as righteous overcomers.

We cannot afford to cherish and practice sin. Our lifestyle reveals whether or not we love God and appreciate His free gifts. Our thoughts, spoken words, habits, friends, and pursuits reveal if we are allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our character and heart into the likeness of Christ. Embrace God’s new mercies with an open heart. Amen.

“…I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.” Jeremiah 31:3 AMP Bible

Lord God, thank You for Your unfailing love, grace, and mercies. Because we love and honor You, with gratitude, we commit ourselves to serve You with surrender and faithful obedience. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray, Amen.

Three Principles for Standing Firm in These Last Days

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – October 13, 2024

“… For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him until that day.” —Timothy 1:12.

Know Christ – Reflect on your life and compare it to five years ago, has your relationship with Christ grown closer or become more distant? How did Christ live when He was on this earth? Although he had 12 disciples who witnessed His Godly power, Christ had to rely on God, the Father for strength. His disciples remained unchanged for most of their journey with Jesus. They lacked faith and spiritual growth because they desired earthly prestige and power.

At some point in every believer’s life “… every earthly support will be cut off…” We will experience a crisis that only God can intervene and resolve. We must know who Christ is and have a faith-based intimate relationship with Him. When facing satanic attacks, Christ alone will keep us safe. Jesus is leading us to fully depend only on Him. Each new morning, surrender to God and pray for Divine wisdom, strength, power, and solutions to your problems. In the peaceful times, develop a life of prayer and Bible Study.

“Sanctify them by Your truth, your word is truth.” —John 17:17

Know His Word! – Although it is not popular in the Christian community to study the Scriptures, we will not stand against false teachings and temptations without studying the Bible nor can we serve God with love and loyalty when He is a stranger. Most importantly, our hearts cannot be converted and our characters transformed without Scriptural knowledge. Those who lack the knowledge of God’s Word will easily be persuaded by the enemy to sin against God. “We must have a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ to be able to stand.”

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” —Ephesians 1:18-19

Know His Power! – The Triune God is Sovereign: God, the Father, Jesus, God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit have always existed [Refer to Genesis 1]. In John chapter 1, the apostle confirms that Jesus known as “the Word” created all things. “Jesus spoke and the Earth was created…think about the power of Christ delivering Israel from Egyptian bondage, Christ used the wind to part the mighty Red Sea and the Israelites walked through the Red Sea on dry land. Joshua and the Israelites shouted, but it was the Power of Christ who knocked down the walls of Jericho.”

Signs of the Last Days: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” —2 Timothy 3:1-5

Do we really know what time it is? We were created with free will to choose who we would serve. Either we will prepare now to stand as courageous soldiers who are loyal to God or not. God gave Jesus, His only Son to redeem us from the wages of sin which is the final death. “Christ has the power to deliver us from our past and empower us for the future. Christ has the power to deliver us from the guilt of sin and the grip of sin.” As we draw closer to the end of time, commit to stand with Christ.

Quotations: Pastor Mark Finley

A Personal Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want nothing between my soul and my Savior. I confess and ask for the forgiveness of my sins. I desire a personal relationship with You. Jesus, I want to saturate my mind with Your Word and to know Your Mighty Power working within Me. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

Guard Your Faith in God

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – October 7, 2024

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” —2 Timothy 3:16-17

“The Greek word translated as ‘breathed out’ in this verse is theopneustos. This means that Scripture is the very speech of God, and that God is the source of what is recorded in the Bible. The Holy Spirit used human authors to write what God revealed.”

The Holy Bible was breathed from the Voice of God and the Holy Words were given to righteous men for Christian believers. The Scriptures define God’s Loving Character, the Creation Story, gives us the history of Divine Intervention, and Jesus’ harsh earthly life, and we also receive guidance on how to live righteously.

In the book of Revelation, Jesus reveals the end of the Great Controversy between Good and Evil. Every believer will receive eternal life if they choose to serve [surrender and faithfully obey God’s will] in their earthly lives.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” —1 Peter 5:8

Although Satan, formerly known as Lucifer, the highest angel who resided in the presence of God is more powerful than humanity, we cannot be forced to sin against God! How do we guard our faith? Through much prayer! The awakening to the mercies of a new day is our opportunity to give gratitude to God by inviting Jesus to work on our hearts. From our daily prayer of surrender and obedience, we receive strength from Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

God’s Promise: “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” —1 Corinthians 10:13

Christ’s Invitation: “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).

Jesus Christ is our Heavenly Intercessor. To guard our faith, we must admit our continuous dependency on God. Yes, we have received spiritual gifts to overcome sin: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7), still, only God can give us the strength to overcome temptations.

We were created with limitations: We cannot foretell the future, nor can we determine the outcome in any given situation, therefore, we desperately need Divine guidance to live as overcomers. Our role is to willfully choose to abstain from all sinful pleasures. When tempted, we use our love for God, and faith in Jesus Christ to pray for Divine strength, say No, and walk away.

“…Be holy, for I am Holy…” —1 Peter 1:16

Avoid Compromise: Guard your faith in God by separating from people who do not place God as the Sovereign ruler over their lives. Let go of secular music and programs that do not honor God. Use your time and spiritual gifts to glorify God and practice a healthy lifestyle. Volunteer your services to churches and nonprofit organizations that focus on helping the disadvantaged.

Choose Christ! When we admit our helplessness and pray for Divine guidance and strength the Holy Spirit will strengthen us when we face temptation. God’s ultimate goal is to save our souls. When we practice righteous principles, we align ourselves with God who will bless us with our best lives now and in the future New Heaven and New Earth. Guard your faith in God!

“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. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” —John 14:1-4

Lord God, we desperately need You in our lives. We pray for strength, guidance, and the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your great sacrifice and promise of eternal life if we strive for righteousness. In Jesus’ Holy and Righteous Name, we pray. Amen.

God Cares For You

Sabbath Peace and Blessings

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” —Isaiah 43:1-3

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living” (Psalm 27:1, 13).

Pray and Wait: “Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14).

He Gives Power to the Weak!

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – October 2, 2024

Today, I had an appointment with my Pulmonologist Nurse Practitioner who was delighted that I no longer have to use a maintenance inhaler. After listening to my lungs, she said, ” Your lungs are clear with strong breaths.” My response was, Yes after three years of steroid inhalers, I am very excited to no longer require them. But then she attempted to throw a curve ball, “Your next visit you will need to complete tests A, B, and C” to which I responded, “I am declining tests B and C because test A, a Chest CAT Scan will reveal any abnormalities. Respectfully, I indicated I was a Registered Nurse [retired]….” We reached a modified and satisfactory treatment plan because I knew that I was healed by God and excessive diagnostic tests were unnecessary.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” —Hebrews 11:6

For three years, I prayed for healing and in April of this year, God granted me healing. When God blesses us with miracles, we have an archenemy who uses countless ways [including people] to weaken our faith and make us doubt God’s love, His promises, and His Sovereign power. Pray daily for God’s Divine strength! Although God does not promise everyone physical healing, He does promise us the strength to travel the arduous journey through our trials and hardships of life.

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'” —2 Corinthians 12:9

Adversity produces steadfast faith in God. Whatever you are facing, never forget God’s promise in Isaiah 40, verse 29: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (NIV). Our responsibility is to pray and faithfully believe that we will receive God’s Power—Jesus’ Strength.

Never stop praying! God hears and answers every prayer. The prayer of despair and desperation is responded to immediately. Jesus, the Commander of Angel Armies sends peace and comfort through the Holy Spirit and His heavenly angelic messengers.

Lord God, we face many challenges in life that either build our faith or make us doubt Your love and Sovereign power. We pray for an outpouring of Your Divine strength and the courage to witness to others that You not only give power to the weak but also heal us of brokenness and mental, emotional, and physical sicknesses according to Your will. We believe in Your Divine Power and pray for peace and comfort. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.