Hope – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Our Greatest Purpose in Life – Video Short

Trust God, He Always Gives Us a Life of Stability and Hope

Many years ago, I recall having a conversation with a retired army Sergeant, mid-40s, who shared something profound, “Unless you have chosen the military, or a travel position, relocating from state to state, and changing jobs several times reveals mental and emotional instability, and unfortunately, the person’s well-being and finances are also negatively impacted.

Yes, our lives change, and many times those unexpected and unwanted changes produce great uncertainty. The Believer’s only viable option is to pray for God’s help, but instead of dropping to our knees, we often use our feelings and preferences to make quick decisions that produce unforeseen consequences.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes.” (Proverbs 3:7). We are deceived by the worldviews of self-governance, instant gratification, and convenience. Every day, like the unbelievers, we use our prior experience and strategies to make decisions, excluding God from our lives.

In Proverbs chapter 3, God warns us, “Do not listen to your thoughts.” Because we have formed the habit of resolving our challenges, not only do we listen to our thoughts, but we also seek the advice of family and friends who give us well-meaning suggestions; still, it is not what God desires.

Sadly, when we end up suffering devastating consequences, which produce regret and sorrow, only then are we ready to turn to God. Thankfully, our Father loves us, always responding to prayers of repentance and asking for Divine help.

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). God knows our lives from beginning to end, so nothing comes as a surprise to Him. With humility, Pray and Wait for God’s instructions.

Facing consequences produces mental distress and emotional unrest. How do we redirect our focus to differentiate God’s voice from our thoughts? Genesis 12 is the story of God speaking to Abram, later known as Abraham.

“The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you…”

“So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.’ ” (Genesis 12:1-2,4-5).

On the way to Canaan, Abram and his family had to travel through Egypt. Because of fear Abram told a lie that Sarai was his sister instead of his wife, placing her in a predicament with Pharaoh. God intervened and rescued Sarai from the situation. Study Genesis 12:10-20.

Yes, Abram immediately obeyed God and left all that was familiar to him, but he let fear override his knowledge of God’s power. Our Father God is loving and merciful, the Old Testament has countless stories of God rescuing humanity from their willful disobedience.

Unlike Our Plans, God’s Plans Always Have Divine Purpose and Glorify His Holy Name

We know that Abram’s move to Canaan was God’s Divine will; not only does God fulfill His wonderful promise to Abram, but with his New Beginnings, God changes his name to Abraham [Genesis 17:5].

God is Love, Giving Us New Beginnings [with Conditions] Even When We Sin Against Him

“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, You, God, will not despise” (Psalm 51:17, NIV).

Redirecting our faith from ourselves to God is demonstrated by letting go of our spirit of self-reliance, embracing a spirit of humility, and surrendering to God’s Sovereignty through praying, fasting, and waiting on God.

God’s Promise: “Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24, BSB).

To hear His voice, we must repent for living a life of self-reliance and approach God with a different mindset and a posture of surrender. God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, who uses the Scriptures [Study the Bible] and prayer to reveal His instructions.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’ ” (Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV).

God’s thoughts and ways are higher than our thoughts, and easily recognized by His Perfect Plans of Miraculous and Powerful Interventions. The phenomenal plan of rescue and restoration that you’re thinking of came from God. We know it is Him because the Holy Spirit also gives us spiritual peace.

Even if our knowledge of the Bible is scant, God meets us with loving kindness where we are and uses different methods to reveal His plans for resolution. Yet, we must not commit the sin of presumption.

God’s warning, “My people are destroyed because of lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6, NIV). God expects us to worship Him daily through prayer, obedience, and studying the Scriptures.

Although we mess up, when we repent, God always intervenes to stabilize our lives. Without God’s mercies, we would be hopeless. God will never deny us help, but He may not allow us to keep our desires.

There is always a price to pay for willful disobedience. We may lose the job, the house, the car, the relationship, or the marriage that God never intended for us to have.

Every believer will face circumstances that place us at the Spiritual Crossroads, which always requires that we make a decision of either following God or pleasing ourselves.

Following Christ is to live a selfless, sacrificial life. Yes, we will experience hardships, but God never crushes us, which serves no spiritual purpose. Even in the storms, we can rely on a stable foundation, Christ, the Solid Rock, our Shepherd, and King.

A life consecrated to serve God with faithful obedience gives us the peaceful assurance of Jesus’ promise, “I am with you always even until the end of this world.”

Lord God, we are facing adversity, and need Your help. We come to You asking for rescue and restoration. Lord, we repent of the sin of self-reliance that has brought consequences, we cannot resolve. We pray for direction, protection, and correction in our journey of New Beginnings. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.

“This Scripture emphasizes the stability and strength that comes from relying on God. The psalmist is confident in the face of adversity because he knows God is with him. In essence, Psalm 16:8 is a declaration of faith, trust, and dependence on God, leading to a life of steadfastness and assurance.”

Psalm 23 – The Lord Is My Shepherd – Audio Bible

Speaking Words Of Gratitude

Our Heavenly Father Cares – Sabbath Devotional

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.” —Romans 8:18

One aspect of life that every Christian believer experiences is disappointment. Yet, with tears and words of gratitude, we thank God for His ever-loving care. Our struggles encourage us to seek comfort through Christ and prepare us for an eternal life filled with love, peace, joy, and happiness.

Jesus says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love” which is our Heavenly Father’s encouragement to remind us that He is always with us.

Praying for comfort and peace is a prayer that is immediately answered by our Savior and Intercessor, Jesus Christ. Thanking God for His amazing love always soothes our emotions. Words of gratitude invite the Holy Spirit to strengthen us with Jesus’ healing power, and our hopelessness transitions to hope. God will not allow our circumstances to remain unresolved. Yes and Amen.

Lord God, we thank You for never leaving us or forsaking us. We ask for the blessings of comfort, peace, and strength in our times of suffering and distress. Thank You for our Spiritual Respite of the Sabbath. In Jesus’ Loving Name, we pray in faith, Amen.

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.

Depend On God and Your Perception Will Change – Great Is His Faithfulness!

Do not wait for adversities to arise that you cannot resolve before you fully surrender and become dependent on God.

The LORD Is on Our Side

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – August 26, 2024

“… With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” —Mark 10:27

God gifted us faith, love, power, and a sound mind. Consciously, we may not realize the importance of faith [belief], but every day we use our faith in various ways that empower us to trust in God. We pray for God’s protection and direction in our lives, fulfill our job duties with the expectation that we will be paid at the designated times, and rely on God to love us unconditionally.

For the believers who place their lives in God’s hands, we also use our faith to humbly surrender and obey, the character traits God requires for traveling on the narrow Path of Righteousness. From our faith, we have joy and peace. Yes, we feel great, easily praising God when all is well, but what happens when our peaceful times are interrupted by a stormy trial. What is our first response? Faith or fear? Prayer or Anxiety?

“And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ ” —Matthew 14:28-31

Peter walking on the water represents many Christians who follow Jesus but have wavering, unreliable faith. Financial hardships, challenges in our daily activities of life, sudden illnesses, divorce, job loss, family turmoil, and even unexpected death of family and friends will arise in our earthly lives. When facing an overwhelming and impossible situation, we should self-reflect, Did I disobey God and now am suffering consequences?

“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, My victory abiding.]” —John 16:33, Amplified Bible

Unless we have relied on our thoughts and intuition, Jesus tells us that as His followers, we will suffer a life filled with tribulations. Yet, the apostle James defines the spiritual response to adversity: “… Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work (endurance), that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).

Faith must grow and mature. Trials and hardships are the spiritual channels that produce strong faith and redirect our focus to rely on God. Spiritual hardships strengthen, encourage, and produce spiritual growth, and maturity. God desires us to be strong, not giving up, but praying and believing His Divine intervention will resolve every challenge in our lives.

“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 3:5-6

Trusting in our abilities guarantees that we will experience disbelief and discouragement. What does God expect of us when we face challenges? “Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22).

Even Jesus in his earthly life had daily challenges. Yet, with courage, He prayed continuously because Jesus was confident that He would always receive God’s help and strength in His times of need. Jesus’ command: Have courage, because I have overcome every trial and will give you the victory!

“Only fear (reverence) the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.” —1 Samuel 12:24

“Count your blessings, count them one by one. Count your many blessings to see what God has done.” Despite the many victories our Heavenly Father has blessed us with, we easily forget His Loving character and Sovereign power when we face adversity. Daily, we receive the breath of life and the necessary provisions to sustain our lives. A heart filled with gratitude has steadfast faith in God.

“So I said, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. Indeed, I would wander far off and remain in the wilderness.’ ” —Psalm 55:6-7

In the Psalms, we note that King David suffered from emotional highs and lows from the chaos of the continuous covert betrayal from his sons and hatred from his enemies. We cannot fly away from adversity, but we can speak prayers expressing our deepest concerns to our Loving Savior, King Jesus who always hears and comforts our hearts.

God’s Promise: “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ ” —Hebrews 13:5-6

Faith is our anchor to the power of God. Always go to God first. Remember He commands us to have faith in His power. We are heaven’s priority! Despite what you are going through, God’s got you and you will be okay if you only trust Him. Use your mustard seed Faith and believe in His Grace and Great love for you.

Prayer: God, we believe but help our unbelief. We are facing challenges that only You can resolve. We ask for Your divine help and strength to face our trials. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

The Assurance of God’s Help

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – July 23, 2024

We were not created to stand alone, figure it out, or rely on our intuition. Nor do we ever have to suffer from the consequences of misguided decisions. Yes, the life of God’s righteous ones is filled with faith tests, temptations, and tribulations, but we should never feel desperate. Divine Help is God’s Promise! “I will never leave you nor forsake you…” (Hebrews 13:5). “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” (Matthew 28:20).

Pray in faith, thank God for His Divine Love and Intervention, and wait. Time is insignificant to God. While waiting, wait in joyful anticipation for your victorious outcome. Just have faith! While waiting on God, when feeling feeble, anxious, or unsure, pray, open your Bible, and refer to Isaiah 40 for a reminder of who God He is. He is Holy, Holy, Holy! Worship God by Giving Him the Utmost Gift of Reverence: Surrender and Faithful Obedience. Amen.

God Declares His Sovereignty Over this Earth and Its Inhabitants

“To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?” Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.” (Verses 18, 21-22)

” ‘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…” (Verses 25-26)

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Verses 28-31)

Prayer: “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, Forever and ever. Amen.”

The Universe Represents the Majesty and Glory of Your Holy Name
[Satellite picture of the planet Earth]

Celebrating God’s Goodness

Celebrating God’s Goodness – Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – January 29, 2024

“…And you shall take for yourself on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.” Leviticus 23:40, NKJV

This morning, we received a wonderful blessing, the mercies of a new day. To awaken with a sound mind, reasonable health, the gift of provisions, and the ability to take care of yourself and your loved ones reveals the faithfulness of our Loving Heavenly Father. Thank You, Most Merciful God!

Whether all is well or in seasons of dark hardships, God expects us to celebrate His goodness with our continuous praise. From our prayer of acknowledgment and gratitude for God’s faithfulness, we celebrate through prayer, singing, and studying Scriptures to reflect on each day. Jesus forewarned us that our lives would include tribulations, yet, He promised to be with us. Our circumstances should never prevent us from celebrating the grace of God.

When the Season of Darkness Comes

We find it easy to praise God when our lives are peaceful but take a moment to reflect on your typical response when your seasons change. How do you perceive God when life is harsh? Our Father God is not unloving, He gave us emotions to express sorrow and happiness. Yet we are expected to look beyond our circumstances and express much praise from our grateful hearts because God sustains our lives in every season.

If our hearts are filled with despair, anger, resentment, or hopelessness then we do not understand God’s Character or His ultimate goal of producing the Spiritual Transformation necessary for us to receive Eternal life. Our response reveals whether or not we have faith and trust in God. Spoken words are the most powerful indicator of how we really feel about God.

“Would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.” —Psalm 44:21

Our words reveal the innermost thoughts and secrets of our hearts. Distrust in God is conveyed by our spoken words. “Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak]” (Ephesians 4:29).

Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet. Because the Israelites refused to obey God, Jerusalem was destroyed and most were taken into Babylonian captivity. In Lamentations [to lament sorrows] chapter 3, God gives us proof of the normal human response to tribulations. We read the prophet Jeremiah’s expression of immense sorrow for the people’s predicament due to their history of continuous disobedience.

“Remember my affliction and roaming…My soul still remembers And sinks within me. —Lamentations 3:19-20

Yet in verse 21, Jeremiah remembers that God is always good and transitions from Sorrow to Praise. “This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. Through the Lord’s mercies, we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion, says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” —Lamentations 3:21-24

Although Jeremiah expressed anguish, he pressed beyond his sorrow and acknowledged the never-ending goodness of God, “Great is His Faithfulness!” His celebration of God continues, “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:25-26).

Christ promises to guide us through our seasons of trials and hardships, “I will never leave you or forsake you. ” We pray for strength and the Holy Spirit imparts the Divine, Supernatural Strength necessary for us to travel our Chosen Path with joy and perseverance.

From the diligent study of the Bible, the Holy Spirit reveals the Characters of God and Christ. As believers, we need the foundation of the Scriptures to have a steadfast relationship with Christ, or we will possess roller-coaster faith based on changing circumstances. The Bible substantiates God’s faithfulness. Our role is to trust in God, and His promises, and give Him praise.

God’s Instructions to the Israelites While in Captivity—Live a Productive Life

“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ‘Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.’ ” —Jeremiah 29:4-5

In studying the 70 years of Israel’s captivity, we find that God is a fair and loving God. Not only does He give them the length of their punishment, but God gives them hope. “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:7).

Reflection: Are we celebrating God’s Love and mercies in every season of life?

We are to look up in hope in the darkness. Praise God with words of love, honor, and adoration by thanking Him throughout your waking hours with little prayers of gratitude. Even in the severe storms of nature, the sky is not encapsulated in total darkness, light is always present. Christ is our Source of Light!

God never allows our lives to be overshadowed by total darkness. We have a Father who gives us the brightness of hope when we choose to express gratitude in the unwelcome but spiritually required seasons of struggle. The righteousness of character, mind, and personality is God’s standard for us to receive our reward of eternal life.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” —2 Peter 3:9, NIV

It is the seasons of struggle that produce the Fruit of the Spirit. We are never alone, Christ is in the struggle with us. He covers us with His Righteousness. Praise the Lord! Sanctification is a lifetime spiritual journey that requires human surrender and obedience to God’s will and plans. If our goal is eternal life then we celebrate God’s Divine intervention for keeping us on the Narrow Path of Righteousness that leads from earth to heaven.

In your daily walk with Christ, celebrate the goodness of God every day by speaking, praying, and singing words of praise. Acknowledge God’s love for giving His only Son, Jesus to pay the penalty for humanity’s sins. Whisper prayers of gratitude for His long-suffering desire that none should be lost.

When we recognize the overwhelming love and compassionate mercies we receive every day, even in the darkness, we will look up and behold the Light of Christ shining through. Our hearts will be filled with joy, and our words of praise will flow, “I just can’t stop praising His name, Jesus!”

Lord God, we celebrate Your Holy Name. You are Worthy of our never-ending praise. Thank You for allowing the seasons of darkness to transform us into Your likeness. Thank you for giving us the hope of living one day in a perfect New Heaven and New Earth. Jesus, we love You. In Your Righteous Name, we pray. Amen!

The Internal Battle of Surrendering to God’s Will

The Internal Battle of Surrendering to God’s Will – Devotional – January 19, 2024

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

Self-reliance is promoted as a character strength, yet for a Christian to function outside God’s will is not substantiated by the Scriptures. Our role model is Jesus. Faith, Trust, and Obedience are the righteous characteristics that Christ possessed in His earthly life. Jesus prayed continuously for God’s will to be revealed and without fail, He obeyed even unto the death on the cross.

“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

Our love for God is demonstrated by our dependency on Him. God reveals His promise to sustain us by giving us the mercies of a new day. We are covered by grace and our prayers of repentance are answered with the mercy of never-ending forgiveness. Our response of gratitude is expressed in a prayer of surrender asking for the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s will for the given day.

The truth is that the concept of surrender causes conflict in our minds and souls. Taking up our cross is to win the raging, internal battle by choosing to surrender and obey God instead of following our heart’s desires to please ourselves. Reflection on our lifestyles reveals whether or not we are in alignment with God’s will.

“LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” —Jeremiah 10:23, NIV

When our actions reveal carefully planned agendas without God’s approval, we are manifesting symptoms of the heart condition, pride. Although it is the trend [even among Christians] to make plans, move forward, and then pray for God’s blessing, we are disobeying His Scriptural commands.

Unwavering love for God is the catalyst that propels us to disregard our heart’s carnal tendencies of unfaithfulness and disobedience. Love produces loyalty to God instead of self-satisfaction.

“The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.” —Proverbs 4:19

Self-reliance is the bitter fruit of pride that always produces sinful behaviors in opposition to God’s plans. Disobedience separates us from God and gives us the same status as the unrighteous. Still, we were created with the free will of choice, but we must choose who we will serve. God does not accept a form of sacrificial prayers from prideful, disobedient hearts who are following their paths of earthly success.

Who is more loving and powerful than our Father God? The desire to sustain our lives is a rejection of God’s promises. Our plans can easily take a detour which brings overwhelming situations and burdens. At some point, our self-reliance will hit a roadblock. Never worrying about life’s cares is only possible through a faithful dependency on God.

Loving God is the most important attribute of our character. Surrender is the loving humility that reverences and honors the Most-High God without hesitation. Daily surrender reveals that we are preparing for Kingdom life where the righteous will easily worship and obey God.

Yes, the faithful who surrendered on earth to the Sovereignty of God will receive their Heavenly reward, living forever in His presence and giving King Jesus their highest praise of worship and adoration. Amen. Praise the Lord!

Prayer: God, we are thankful for Your abundant love, grace, and mercies. Please reveal Your perfect will for us today. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray. Amen.