Jesus’ prayer in John 17 reveals His prayer for Himself, His Chosen 12 disciples, and His future disciples. We are the future disciples. Every Christian is a disciple whose Spiritual Assignment is to witness. God’s Mission is to bring those who are unaware of the plan of Salvation into His loving arms. Our concern must be for those who are lost. Spreading the Good News of a Savior who saves, restores, and reconciles fallen humanity is brought to fruition by us.
We are the designated messengers who must spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. An obedient heart is the only gift we can give to our Worthy King. Our gratitude must extend beyond mere words of saying thank you. Every Christian believer is a follower of Christ and has received the command to Go! [Matthew 28:18-20]. Yet, there are few who believe that Jesus’ command extends beyond His first disciples, which is a grevious error.
In Revelation 22:12, Jesus says He will give each believer a reward according to their work. Attending church, prayer, and Bible study are expected acts of worship. To witness daily to unbelievers is our work and one that our reward is based upon. Only what we do for Christ will be counted in the end. Faithful Obedience flows from the surrendered heart and reveals gratitude for their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Prayer: God, we pray for a spiritual transformation of our hearts, to take the focus off of ourselves, and to serve You with faithful obedience by giving others hope through the Good News of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Worthy name, we pray, Amen.
The Holy Spirit Intervenes when we pray for help. Human Effort alone cannot keep us on the Path of Righteousness. God, the Father, Jesus, God the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit along with angel armies as are just a prayer away. Don’t lose your crown because you gave up without asking and relying on the Warrior God and His angel armies.
Living with peace and joy is only possible when we surrender ourselves to Christ. If you decide to place your life in His hands when all is well then you will faithfully trust Him in the situations that are humanly impossible to resolve.
Prayer of Gratitude: Jesus, You Are the only answer. We thank You for Your overwhelming love, grace, and mercies. Amen.
Jesus—God, Our Creator Devotional Reading August 8, 2023
This afternoon, as I walked to the mailbox, I looked intently at the various plant life. The trees with massive trunks supporting countless leafy branches and the lush St. Augustine grass covering the ground are evidence of the love that Jesus has for humanity. Despite the sharp decline of the quality of life on the planet Earth, through nature, we can observe the detail and care that Christ put into every blade of grass, flower, and leafy tree.
“Then God said, let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth, and it was so. And the Earth brought forth grass the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the third day.” —Genesis 1:11-13
Although we fail to proclaim praises of gratitude to Christ, our Creator, and Master Artist for the awesome blessing of nature, the birds never fail to sing their praises. We were created to spend time relaxing and resting in natural environments. Sadly, we have traded spending time outside for a sedentary lifestyle of devoting hours to screen time. Many mental and emotional diagnoses can be alleviated by spending an hour or two in nature every day.
“Jesus said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile’ ” (Mark 6:31). This is a wonderful example of Jesus’ care, compassion, and wisdom. Relaxing in nature is the perfect time to meditate, pray, and study the Bible. Even on a hot, summer day, while sitting under a massive shade tree, God will send a gentle cooling breeze to say, “My son or daughter, I love you.”
When your challenges are overwhelming, and your faith is weak, take a nature break. Open the door, and go outside! If you reside in a city, filled with concrete and glass structures, consider driving or using public transportation to visit a park. Turn your cell phone ringer off. It’s nice to own a comfortable, collapsible outdoor chair to take with you for your Daycation. And don’t forget to take a couple of bottles of water, a travel-size Bible, and a Devotional book.
Plan to spend at least two hours wherever you decide to go. Pay attention to the various plant life and remind yourself that Jesus created this for you to enjoy. Meditating on the goodness of God [in nature] is healing to the mind, body, and soul. Close your eyes for a few minutes and take a couple of deep breaths. Thank Jesus for His love and the beauty of nature. Let your time of worship include prayer and a real-talk, conversation with the Creator God.
“We’re meant to live a substantial portion of our lives outdoors—and it’s a unique place to experience our Creator and restore our spirits. The Bible says that nature speaks to us of God’s character and His attributes. Spending time in nature gives us a chance to slow down…” Fullfocus.com
Prayer: God, we thank You for creating the beauty of nature. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Lion, The Lamb, and the Sheep Sabbath Devotional Reading, August 4, 2023
The lion has been dubbed the King of the Beasts. The roar of a mature male lion can travel up to five miles, showcasing its powerful presence and traits of pride, fearlessness, aggression, and self-reliance. The King walks as if he owns the entire savannah and he follows no one.
In watching animal documentaries on lions, I noticed lions only fear one animal [the elephant], and that is because of the grave danger that the elephant poses to their physical safety. The majority of lions are in a family [known as a pride] consisting of two to three generations. Yet, it’s not uncommon to spot solitary lions on the savannah, but their survival is a constant battle, and usually end up succumbing to starvation.
In the Bible, symbolically the lion represents Jesus, the Lion of Judah [Revelation 5]. The Apostle Peter says that the devil prowls like a roaring lion and the prophet Isaiah tells us the the lion and no ravenous beast which represent the wicked will be on the Highway of Holiness [Isaiah chapter 35].
“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, NIV
Many of us are familiar with the Apostle Peter’s metaphor and warning regarding Satan as a roaring lion seeking to destroy every believer’s faith and obedience to God. Yet, many are unaware of the spiritual meaning and how to apply this warning to their lives. The decision to follow Christ causes Satan to hate us. Yes, our arch-enemy’s goal is to separate every believer from God by any means necessary!
Satan—The Roaring Lion
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” —Ephesians 6:12
We cannot pretend that Satan does not exist. Every believer must acknowledge that Satan is on this earth, that he is a fallen angel, and that he possesses power. Although most Christians do not engage in pagan practices, we invite sin into our lives through our participation in worldly activities.
Our compromise of accepting worldviews has desensitized us to the danger of sin. Looking at ourselves is like seeing our reflection in a mirror. We only see the outside, we need the Bible, God’s spiritual mirror to reveal the condition of our hearts.
“To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. ” —Titus 1:15
One of Satan’s most effective strategies is to devour us through his schemes of temptation. All of our temptations are custom-made, the sins we succumb to reveal the desires of our hearts. Like the lion who is hidden in the grass, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to chase and attack its prey, Satan is very patient. He and his evil angels observe our behaviors and habits [our weaknesses] then with perfect timing we are presented with irresistible temptations.
The Gateway of Temptations
Satan uses common things to distract us, watching movies whose rating is strong language, listening to secular music that we sing and dance to, and spending money on frivolous desires. Like the lion who successfully hunts and kills his prey, Satan is cunning and infiltrates our lives using stealth moves. Under the umbrella of Love, we invite unbelievers with worldly mindsets into our social circles as friends and establish dating relationships that lead to living together or unequally yoked marriages.
Satan’s Easy Prey—The Christians Who Have No Time for Worship, Praying, or Bible Study
In 2023, Satan’s number one scheme is to use distractions that waste our valuable time. Instead of having time for meaningful worship—praying and studying, we are too tired. Our to-do list is unrealistic, or we use social media, the cell phone, and online activities to relax. Mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted, we say a quick prayer and promise to study the Bible tomorrow and fall asleep.
The other open door that allows Satan to enter our lives is through false teachings. In our busyness, we do not take the time to pray or study the Bible. Because of our daily schedules, we listen to sermons and social media posts which appear to be God’s Truth, yet are not Bible-based. The false teaching that we hear sounds good because it is a blend of a little truth and a lot of self-interpretation by the speaker.
Even lions who are on the brink of starvation never forget the elephant is always dangerous. Because we are not living according to God’s righteous precepts, our minds and conscience have changed. We do not sense any danger to our spiritual condition when pursuing life’s pleasures that appear to be harmless fun and enjoyment.
Remember, Satan does not present situations that would cause us to immediately recognize as threatening to our relationship with Christ. He uses familiar activities and people as bait to make us easily fall. If temptation was not appealing to our desires then we could easily turn and say no.
Reflection: Is there any part of my lifestyle that God considers to be unrighteous?
To remain spiritually alert and of a sound mind, we must be consistent in our worship. Staying spiritually nourished requires a daily commitment to God. Without prayer and meditation, Bible study, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are like the lion who is alone in the savannah. In a state of spiritual starvation, we cannot recognize Satan’s schemes, nor do we have the power to resist his covert deceptions.
We cannot fight Satan without Divine Intervention! The Apostle Paul tells us to put on The Whole Armor of God—Study Ephesians chapter 6, verses 10-18.
The spiritual battle we face in these perilous times requires more than praying once or twice a day. We can never pray too much! Fighting the enemy cannot be accomplished without spiritual reinforcement. Still, we need Divine Help that is immediately available by praying, “God, help me!”
Jesus promised us the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to give us the discernment and strength that is required to do our part as a soldier in God’s Army.
The Faithful Ones—Christ’s Sheep
Despite the enemy’s schemes, Christ has many dedicated faithful followers—His sheep surrender daily by striving to faithfully obey and trust Jesus, their Divine Shepherd.
“Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” —Psalm 100:3
Why Does the Bible Compare Us to Sheep?
Sheep have no sense of direction. …
Sheep are defenseless. …
Sheep can’t get up without help. …
Sheep are emotional and recognize the Shepherd’s voice. …
Sheep are not meant to carry burdens. …
Sheep will settle for less. …
Sheep are valuable. …
Sheep can not care for themselves when wounded. Mom RemadeWebsite
Jesus Christ, Our Shepherd: “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” —Matthew 9:36-37
Jesus Christ, Our Savior: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” —Isaiah 53:6
Despite our sins and shortcomings, we serve a loving and compassionate Savior and Shepherd who died for us and seeks to bring us back into His flock.
Scripture Reading: “Then Jesus told them this parable: Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” —Luke 15:3-7, NIV
“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” —John 1:29
Jesus, the Matchless Lamb of God offered Himself as our sacrifice. We have a Savior and Shepherd who gave His life for us. When we stray, the Holy Spirit speaks to us through our conscience. We are never abandoned by Christ! Yet, we are never coerced to return to the flock. Love for Jesus is the foundation of our relationship with Him.
Our response to the Shepherd’s call requires more than saying yes, we must renounce sin and overcome the roaring lion’s temptations by praying and using self-control. Do not rely on your human wisdom! Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the people, places, and habits that are keeping you bound under the roaring lion’s power.
The blood of the Lamb of God cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Total reliance on Jesus, our Savior, and Shepherd along with the steadfast desire to live a faithful life of humility, surrender, and obedience is required to stay in our Shepherd’s safekeeping. Through prayer, consecration, and diligent study of the Bible, we commit daily to follow Jesus.
Our characters, habits, and lifestyles reflect whether or not we are following the Shepherd. The decision to follow Jesus is not an easy journey. As sheep, we acknowledge that we are dependent on our Shepherd to guide us safely through this earthly pasture.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” —John 10:27
The sheep listen and follow their Loving Shepherd because we trust Him with our lives. We know that the Shepherd has the power to make the roaring lion stand down and retreat. Every day, we need the love, guidance, and mercies of rescue from Jesus, our Shepherd.
Even in hardships, always remember, we are preparing for kingdom life one day at a time. And if we trust Jesus with our lives, He will safely guide us to the Heavenly pasture where we will live with Him forever and ever. Amen.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.” —Matthew 5:8
Prayer: Lord, we pray for the humility to surrender ourselves to You. We thank You for being our Lion of Judah and our Shepherd. Jesus, we love You. We pray for strength and wisdom as we follow You in our spiritual journey. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Fear of the Final Judgment Devotional Reading and Podcast
If you love Me, keep My commandments.” —John 14:15
In this Scripture, Jesus tells us that love and obedience to all of His commands and precepts are required to have a steadfast relationship with Him. Because we were created with free will, God gives us His commandments which require total obedience, yet He does not coerce us to obey. We are free moral agents who can choose eternal life or death.
“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” —John 5:39-40
The Jewish rulers, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees searched the Scriptures [the Old Testament] and highly revered Moses who spoke of the Messiah, yet they did not believe that Jesus of Nazareth could be the Messiah. Their preconceived ideas of the coming Messiah included a powerful and wealthy King who would free them from Roman oppression, which led to their rejection of Jesus as the Son of God.
Sadly we possess the same characteristics. We have preconceived ideas of living righteously. Because we desire to live according to our thoughts and desires, many Christian believers avoid studying the entire Bible [especially the Scriptures on obedience]. Disobedience reveals the true condition of the person’s heart who has not surrendered to accept and obey God’s commandments.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” —James 1:22
Half-hearted commitments to God produce spiritual unrest. The Holy Spirit warns us that we are making the wrong choices. Our response is one of fear [punishment from God]. Because we are not ready to fully obey, we lose the battle of wavering between obedience and disobedience.
Eventually, deception takes over our hearts. By continuously ignoring the Spirit’s warnings, we lose our spiritual discernment and are unable to differentiate between God’s truth and our version of the Truth. We hear God’s Word but cannot apply His principles to our lives because our true desire is to live according to our dictates.
Life Requires Us to Choose
In simple terms, choice refers to the act of making a decision or selecting an option from various possibilities. As we start each day, we encounter several situations that require us to make choices. One of the foremost choices we face is whether we will surrender ourselves to God through prayer. This decision sets the tone for our thoughts and actions, indicating whether we are committed to following Christ or merely focused on our desires.
Positive Choices or Poor Choices either Lead us to God or Away from God
There is no middle ground or neutrality in serving God. Life demands that we choose right or wrong, truth versus error, and reveals our commitment to God. Our choices are based on things and situations, including all the uncertainties that life offers. Whether good or bad, our decisions determine our eternal destiny.
Self-Reflection: Are my choices and decision-making guided by a Spirit-directed conscience? Are my decisions guided by the Righteous principles of God’s Word?
Before Our Commitment to Christ: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…” (Ephesians 2:1-2).
Acceptance of Christ: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)…For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:verses 4,5, and 10).
Love produces Obedience. When we love Jesus, we do His will without hesitation. Obedience is a choice that demonstrates our love and commitment to God. We have confidence and peace when we follow Christ and stay on the Path of Righteousness.
For many years, I possessed fear when I heard a sermon or read Scriptures concerning the Second Coming of Christ and the Judgment. Always feeling uncertain whether or not I would be saved, I did not have the peace that comes from serving God.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46).
Fearing Judgment is a result of vacillating between obedience and disobedience and demonstrates that we are half-hearted Christians. Through self-reliance, we place ourselves in a state of spiritual unrest when we do not choose to fully serve God. Disobedience places us in a worse situation than the unrighteous who do not fear God or Judgment. Our wavering status with God causes us to fear the Final Judgment.
“For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.” —John 5:26-27
Jesus is our Judge and our Defense Attorney. He is our Advocate. The Judgment reveals God’s justice and mercy. Although we have lived a prior life of pursuing and satisfying the sinful desires of our hearts, our daily surrender proclaims the love and gratitude we have for Jesus’ great sacrifice to save our souls. We no longer fear Judgment because we have chosen to obey. From our faithful obedience, we are saved under the Righteous Merits of Christ.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” —John 5:24
We are saved by grace. Grace causes us to live obedient lives. In faith, we experience a spiritual transformation of our minds. Our overwhelming love for God produces faith and trust in His will and plans for our lives. Obedience is faith in action which proclaims that we only have one choice: to obey God. Because we love Christ, we desire to do His will.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” —Ephesians 2:8
Good works are a product of obedience that is strengthened by the Holy Spirit. While our works do not save us, they serve as evidence of our sincere faith. Throughout the Old Testament, numerous individuals demonstrated their unwavering faith and trust in God through their obedient actions. Joseph, Joshua, Moses, Rahab, Esther, and Ruth are among those who followed God’s guidance with steadfast obedience.
When we choose Jesus, our commitment includes total obedience to the will of God. Remember, even Jesus in His earthly life had to learn obedience. Our choice to be obedient to God results in a spiritual transformation into the likeness of Christ who is waiting to give us our reward of eternal life based on His merits.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” —1 John 4:18
Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for your never-changing love for us. We desire to wholeheartedly serve You. We pray for forgiveness for our wilful disobedience. Lead, guide, and direct us so that we can make the right choices. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.
When we make prayer an intentional habit, we invite the presence and power of the Holy Spirit into our lives. We have challenges that require Divine Help! Praying once or twice a day is never enough. It is not necessary to pray long, tedious prayers. Use honest words from your heart. Tell Jesus. He loves to hear from us. Begin praying every hour, not always asking but also expressing gratitude 🙏
Prayer: Lord, we come to You, not asking for anything, but to say Thank You for being our Best Friend, our Provider, and our King. We ask this prayer in Your Holy Name. Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
You must be logged in to post a comment.