Tag: Happiness

Praising God Promotes Health, Happiness, and Healing

Our Daily Walk with Christ – Sabbath Devotional – September 6, 2024

“Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.” —Psalm 89:15, NKJV

The Result of Trusting God: “I am content, grateful, happy, joyful, and hopeful because my Heavenly Father loves me.” If you can proclaim these words then you fully understand God’s abundant love, His Sovereign power, and believe in His faithful promises of Divine intervention, provisions, and protection.

God is Love! God accepted the loving and voluntary gift of Jesus, His only Son’s life for you and me. Depression, anxiety, and worries in the Christian believer’s life not only reveals the lack of faith and trust in God’s love and power, but we also fail to appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice of the Plan of Redemption to save our souls.

The Four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were written so we could learn of Jesus’ Righteous Character and His earthly life. From studying the Scriptures, we find that Jesus was hated by the Jewish leaders who constantly plotted to kill him. Jesus prayed for the strength to persevere despite the constant rejection He faced and with God’s power, our Precious Savior completed His earthly mission.

The Holy Scriptures reveal Jesus as patient, loving, kind, and compassionate Savior who was on a spiritual mission to save all who would believe. Christ’s heart overflowed with love for humanity, always performing more miracles of healing than He taught and preached sermons.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS” —Matthew 11:29, NASB

NOTHING TENDS MORE to promote health of body and of soul than does a spirit of gratitude and praise. It is a positive duty to resist melancholy, discontented thoughts and feelings—as much as a duty as it is to pray. If we are heaven-bound, how can we go as a band of mourners and complaining all along the way to our Father’s house? The Ministry of Healing

“Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” —Hebrews 10:38

Who are the “Just?” How can we maintain a spirit of gratitude and praise especially when our circumstances are challenging? By Walking in Faith!

The just are the righteous believers who trust God and wait for His perfect timing. If you want someone acting in your behalf, whether it is health, family issues, or finances, only God has all the knowledge, wisdom, and power to bring us victory despite our challenges. God expects us to depend on Him for spiritual healing as well as resolving the adversities of life.

“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? Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” —Psalm 27:1,14

David wrote the Psalms which are songs of praise. Yes, many times, he was discouraged because his enemies [including his sons, except for Solomon] plotted continually to take his life. Yet, David never lost hope. In the Psalms, he expressed despair but always transitioned to praising God by expressing faith and trust in our Heavenly Father.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” —1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

We have one opportunity (our earthly lives) to exercise complete faith and trust in God and to cooperate with the Holy Spirit so our character can be changed into the likeness of Christ. For the gift of His precious blood, we have more than enough reasons to be happy and joyful, and to live a life full of praise and contentment, daily preparing for Jesus’ Second Coming.

“I will sing to the LORD, for He has been good to me.” —Psalm 13:6

God, we commit to faithfully trusting You with our lives. Thank You for the gift of Jesus to redeem us from the consequences of sin. And we praise You because You are always faithful. We pray for a new heart filled with courage, love, faith, and trust. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Happy, Cheerful, and Joyful In Christ

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – September 5, 2024

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” —Psalm 16:11

THOSE WHO ABIDE IN JESUS will be happy, cheerful, and joyful in God. A subdued gentleness will mark the voice, reverence for spiritual and eternal things will be expressed in the actions, and music, joyful music, will echo from the lips; for it is wafted (conveyed) from the throne of God. This is the mystery of godliness, not easily explained, but nonetheless felt and enjoyed. EGW

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” —Ezekiel 36:26, NLT

A stubborn and rebellious heart can close its doors to all the sweet influences of the grace of God and all the joy in the Holy Spirit, but the ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. EGW

Lord God, we thank You for Your amazing grace. May we continue to embrace Your loving-kindness and reflect Your love in our interaction with others. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.

2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 

Are You Thriving? Peace, Joy, and Happiness are God’s Gifts

Are you Thriving? Peace, Joy, and Happiness are God’s Gifts Devotional Reading and Podcast

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” –3 John 1:2

With the escalation of sinful worldviews and the decline of morals and values, the life of a follower of Christ may portray one that consists of only a few friends or even isolation. Many believers are living a life without any close friends. Even those who routinely attend church may feel lonely. Yes, good friends are a rare find.

Still, we have options! Do not trade in your gifts of peace, joy, and happiness for discouragement and depression. There are positive changes we can make to ensure that we grow spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.

Best Philosophies– Be content with what you have. Be willing to learn, and frequently ask yourself, What if I’m wrong? Get involved in church outreach ministries.

Best Character Traits–Love God, Love others, Laughter, Humility, Kindness, Gratitude, Forgiveness, and Help those in need.

Best Relationship–Jesus Christ is our Savior, but He also desires to be our Best Friend. Get to know Jesus by reading the Gospels–Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. A heart full of Love and forming the habit of frequent Communication is the foundation for building a forever bond with Christ.

Pray several times [whether you choose short or long prayers] throughout the day and evening bringing the power and presence of the Holy Spirit into your life. Prayer is simply talking to God. No one has to teach us how to pray! Strive to become a Man or Woman of God!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law.” –Galatians 5:22-23

Fruitful Habits

Pray—The Holy Spirit provides guidance, discernment, wisdom, and strength. Every day study the Bible and pray to receive restoration from the Holy Spirit.

Purpose—Utilize your Spiritual Gifts and Creativity to witness the love of Jesus. Volunteer at a homeless shelter, food pantry, community center, or church. Offer to teach others creative skills. You are called to reach out to desperate people living in desperate times.

Patience—Develop an Intentional Mindset to stop a spirit of annoyance or impatience. Practice Self-Control to change your inherited or learned behaviors that are not in sync with the Fruit of the Spirit. Present your dreams and goals to God and wait for His answer. If you need help with patience, God has a proven method of teaching us how to wait.

Perseverance—Build your Spiritual Strength and Endurance by learning how to apply the lessons learned from Biblical characters. God’s promises are still valid today. The righteous are the recipients of those many promises of blessings and protection. Spiritual Transformation can only occur when there is a union of Human Effort and Divine Intervention

Increasing Physical Strength–Move your muscles by exercising at least 3-4 times a week. Walking is not only excellent for muscle tone, but it also improves cardiac-respiratory function and produces hormones that combat discouragement and depression.

Going Solo is a way of life that many choose to embrace. Incorporate some fun into your life. Take day trips, travel, nature outings, boat rides, craft classes, and many other options are available. Get out of the house! Explore the beauty of our earth.

The well-kept secret? God created us to live happy, healthy lives despite the condition of our world. The good wishes in the letter to the Elder regarding prospering are not referencing financial wealth. Do not let your desires or emotions prevent you from prospering in the peace, joy, and happiness that is part of God’s original plan for humanity. The righteous have a Father who has promised to be with us even until the end of the world.

“For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.” –1 Corinthians 15:53, NLT

We are sojourners living in a temporary earthly home. Our character is the only thing we will take to heaven. Joy, peace, and happiness are gifts from God. Do not live a miserable life on this earth! It will be a hindrance to receiving your heavenly reward. Remember you are the only person who can keep you from living your best [earthly and heavenly] life!

Prayer: Lord, we pray for the restoration of our peace, joy, and happiness. Help us to have a heart filled with gratitude. Because of Your great sacrifice, we can live with You eternally, if we so choose. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

© 2023 Steps2successwithspiritualsolutions

Enjoy the Here and Now

SHOUT the Cry of Victory 30 Days of Prayer Day 25–Preparing for Eternal Life One Day at a Time

The Lord cares about our lives now; He wants the best for us now.

In reading the story of Creation following the completion of days 1-5, we are told, “and God saw that it was good.” But on day 6, “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” In Genesis 1:31, it is evident that God was abundantly happy and well-pleased with the final results of our earthly home. Only who would enjoy this more than wonderful place?

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:26-27.

Although our earth is no longer a Garden of Eden, we are constantly reminded of God’s love of aesthetic beauty and tranquility. We can explore the endless boundaries of the geographical phenomenon of nature. The plant and animal kingdoms were created for humanity. Only the human body, which is fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God, places one in awe over the earthly home that the Master Designer lovingly gifted to us.

The kingdom Plantae includes organisms that range in size from tiny mosses to giant trees. https://www.britannica.com/plant/plant/Definition-of-the-kingdom. The foliage, species of flowers, the grassy coverings, most trees, and the vast majority of plants belong to this category, shrubs, vines, flowers, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

Does God want us to enjoy our lives? Yes, He does! We are made in His image with the ability to utilize five [highly complex] senses to appreciate our earthly home. The animal kingdom includes all species of mammals, reptiles, birds, insects, and more. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. Genesis 1:29. We have the blueprint for the original diet, which provides a variety of healing nutrients.

So why aren’t we enjoying the here and now? We have become addicted to our home environment fixated on virtual technology. The hoarding of material possessions has nearly wrecked our sanity. We worry about money, careers, the opinion of others, success, etc. The statistics of Mental illness has far surpassed the COVID-19 pandemic–970 million people have a mental illness or substance abuse problems. We are taking a pill to function in every aspect of our lives, and Big PHARM is well-pleased.

You may not agree with my statements. However, I worked as a Behavioral Health nurse for many years. The Intake Assessment of 99% of patients with mental health disorders including morbid obesity revealed that they rarely enjoyed the benefits of nature or outdoor activities. Anxiety, depression, food and substance abuse addictions, and a variety of mental health challenges would improve with the adjunct therapy of time spent in nature.

It is time to challenge and change our current lifestyles. Get out of your indoor home and explore your outdoor home. God has provided everything that we need to enjoy our lives. We have God’s promises that He will supply all of our needs. “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?'” Matthew 6:31. Simplify your life by eliminating the toxic people, counterproductive places, and the overabundance of things [inanimate objects] that leave us empty, and always provoke the desire to have more.

Human Effort + Divine Intervention = A Victorious Outlook and Outcome

“We must live a twofold life—a life of thought and action, of silent prayer and earnest work. The strength received through communion with God, united with earnest effort in training the mind to thoughtfulness and caretaking, prepares one for daily duties and keeps the spirit in peace under all circumstances, however trying.”― Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing

Prayer: Please, help us, Lord, to have eyes to see and hearts to believe. Give us the strength to discard unhealthy habits and to live with a spirit of gratitude. We ask this prayer in the Worthy name of Jesus. Amen. © 2021 Sonya Johnson