Jesus is Lord – Page 19 – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

When We All Get to Heaven – Happy Sabbath

“But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” Revelation 21:22-23

One day everything will be made new. Former things will all pass away, No more pain! No more tears, sorrow, or sickness. No more sin! Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End will reign forever and ever. Amen!

Live As One Who is Forgiven

Live As One Who is Forgiven – Today’s Devotional – November 30, 2023

“A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” —Proverbs 16:9

This journey called “life” is challenging. Yet, we do not have to manage our lives without God’s Divine Intervention. Are we willing to surrender and put forth the human effort to faithfully obey God?

Created with the free will of moral choice, like Adam and Eve, we do not have to obey God’s Righteous precepts. If we choose to travel on the broad path, we live our best lives on this earth and openly declare our refusal to serve God [through surrender and obedience].

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” —Psalm 121:1-2

If we make the intentional decision to live as one who is forgiven then we readily submit to God’s will. We establish a spiritual connection with God through fervent prayer and study of the Scriptures. Our faith and obedience are rewarded as the Spirit of Truth leads us in our earthly journey on the narrow Path of Righteousness.

God the Help of All Who Seek Him

“The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.” —Psalm 121:7-8

Prayer: God, we trust You with our lives. We ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead us and reveal the perfect will of God for our lives. We thank You for Your Divine Help. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we ask this prayer, Amen.

The Gift of Spiritual Wisdom

The Gift of Spiritual Wisdom – Today’s Devotional – November 28, 2023

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” —James 1:5

What is Wisdom? Omniscient Wisdom: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” —Isaiah 55:8-9

Wisdom is spiritual discernment, a gift from God that we receive by praying [every day] and asking the Holy Spirit to impart in us. James reminds us of the importance of asking the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s perspective, thoughts, and ways. Wisdom is possessing the godly knowledge to respond to a given situation as God would respond with His higher thoughts and ways.

Even in our routine activities of daily life, we require Divine wisdom. Wisdom is the spiritual ability to perceive the true nature of a situation and to implement the will of God in that situation. Wisdom is the practical application of God’s truth to every aspect of our lives. The Holy Spirit imparts the wisdom to empower us with knowing what God wants us to do and giving us the strength to do it.

Most of us are familiar with King Solomon who requested an understanding heart. God’s Answer: “Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee” (1 Kings 3:12).

Yet there is another Bible character who possessed the “spirit of wisdom,” one that we have most likely overlooked, Joshua.

“And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the ‘spirit of wisdom’ for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.” —Deuteronomy 34:9

To be full of the spirit of wisdom, Joshua possessed the character trait of total reliance on God. Yes, Joshua’s character revealed the faith, trust, humility, and surrender required to receive godly wisdom. He was not prideful or overconfident in his abilities, Joshua was a true worshiper. Yet God revealed another spirit in his heart, the spirit of fear.

“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

From reading the story of Moses whom God considered the greatest prophet in Israel, we can only imagine Joshua’s insecurities of being appointed as the next leader of the nation of Israel. He possessed the righteous characteristics to be chosen by God, yet, Joshua had a character defect that God would require him to relinquish before they entered the Promised Land.

The modern viewpoint is to embrace Joshua’s feelings as normal anxiety, but we must accept God’s perfect discernment of the spirit of fear within Joshua. The spirit of fear is from Satan. Fear manifests itself in various forms such as anxiety, worry, doubt, and trepidation, which are all bitter fruits that prevent us from doing God’s will.

We fear because we are fixated on the presenting challenge and our limited abilities instead of God’s Divine power. Confessing that we do not trust God is something that no believer desires to come to grips with, but we must.

Reflect deeply on this question: How can we possess spiritual wisdom that gives us the spiritual ability to perceive the true nature of a situation and to implement the will of God in that situation when we possess a spirit of fear?

God is aware of the fragility and fears resulting from life’s uncertainties in the human heart. The unknown future is the number one reason that fear overpowers and reigns in the hearts of unbelievers. Fear among unbelievers is justified. How can unbelieving humanity rely on their perception and abilities when this is our Father’s world?

The Believer’s Creed: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” —Philippians 4:13

Since we have Three Divine Powers and guardian angels working on our behalf 24/7, God has definitive and righteous expectations of all believers: Humility, surrender, faith, trust, wisdom, confidence, courage, and perseverance are the core characteristics we must possess to serve God.

Again we must self-reflect, What is preventing us from placing our faith and trust in God? We can only have experiential knowledge of God’s character when we study the Scriptures, rely on God’s promises, pray for the manifestation of God’s power, and share our testimonies of His faithfulness in our lives.

Both the spirit of wisdom and the spirit of fear cannot reside in our hearts. Fear cancels out spiritual wisdom and prevents God from fulfilling His purpose for us which always results in His honor and glory. God has chosen us to possess and display the love, wisdom, and courage that Christ demonstrated in His earthly life. Many believers miss out on their greatest blessings because of the spirit of fear.

When God calls us, His Divine Wisdom and Providence will change a situation that would prevent bringing glory to His Holy Name. Moses dealt with people who were rebellious, and disobedient, and who loved pagan practices. But God intervened and Joshua would not experience the heartaches that Moses endured, Joshua would lead the younger generations into the Promised Land.

God’s Divine Intervention: “ ‘Because they did not follow Me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years of age or older who came out of Egypt will see the land that I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob— not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun—because they did follow the LORD wholeheartedly’ ” (Numbers 32:11-12).

God chose Joshua to succeed Moses because he possessed the spirit of wisdom that demonstrated he would be just as faithful as his predecessor. Yes, Joshua’s character was one of total reliance on God, but his fear caused him to doubt God’s power to empower him as a spiritual leader.

God’s Command: “Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel” (Joshua 1:2). Although Joshua possessed leadership abilities, his fear produced cowardice instead of relying on the godly wisdom he would receive to lead Israelites to the Promised land.

God’s Promises to Joshua: “…as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or the left, that you may prosper wherever you go” (Joshua 1:5-7).

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:9

In verse 9, we notice a change in God’s tone when speaking to Joshua. God instructed Joshua twice to be strong and courageous. Because nothing in the human heart is hidden from God, He knew Joshua was still holding on to fear. But the third time, God confronted Joshua, “Have I not commanded you?” Because Joshua possessed a spirit of wisdom, he understood that God considered his fear as disobedience.

When studying the Bible, we become aware of God’s Character and how He instructs the righteous. God does not coddle or indulge our feelings. God did not say, “Joshua, because this is your first leadership position, I know that you are fearful and that’s to be expected.”

When God chooses us to fulfill His work, He is aware of our character strengths and weaknesses and is prepared to empower us with godly wisdom and strength when we pray to receive His Divine Help and Attributes.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” —Psalm 32:8

Throughout the Scriptures, God reminds us of His Divine Providence and Power and commands us to be strong and courageous in all situations. Hallelujah! We serve the Most-High God who proclaims, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:8).

Prayer: God, we thank You for the privilege of receiving Your Divine wisdom. We ask for the anointing, presence, power, and wisdom of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In Jesus’ Worthy name, we pray. Amen.

Know Why You Believe What You Believe

Know Why You Believe What You Believe – Today’s Devotional – November 25, 2023

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” —Colossians 2:8

Many years ago, I became severely troubled regarding some of my religious beliefs. The life of Christ demonstrated a loving and compassionate Savior who alleviated the mental, emotional, and physical suffering of everyone who had the faith to believe. Not only was He faithfully dedicated to seeking and saving the lost, but Jesus humbled Himself in obedience to die for us on Calvary’s Cross.

I could not grasp how God, the Father who lovingly gave His only Son would allow the righteous to live a perfect life in the New Heaven and New Earth while at the same time, the wicked suffered in an eternal hell.

“You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar.” —Psalm 139:2

I am so thankful that God knows what is hidden deep in our hearts. The Holy Spirit came to my rescue, and I listened to a sermon entitled “No Eternally Burning Hell.” Many Scriptures were given yet the primary focus was on Malachi chapter 4 and Revelation chapter 20.

The Great Day of God: “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.” —Malachi 4:1

In Revelation chapter 20, Verses 1-3: Satan is Bound for 1,000 years; Verses 4-6: The Saints Reign with Christ 1,000 years; and Verses 7-10: The Satanic Rebellion Crushed.

“Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” —Revelation 20:7-10

“Why did John emphasize the idea of eternal if he didn’t mean it to be taken literally? “…the word ‘eternal’ means that the judgment will be thorough rather than lasting forever.” Some things burn up quickly, but with the day and night description, it doesn’t appear the devil will have an instant death. Yet, he knows his demise and still wreaks havoc on the people of God attempting to take us with him. But, no, no, no, we refuse to travel on his path of destruction!

The book of Jude, verse 7, “as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” In Genesis 19, verse 28, “and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.”

We know that Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding plains were burned and nothing was left. The Bible explains itself. God has predetermined what we need to know to live righteously. Jesus also clarifies in Revelation chapter 21, there will be no eternally burning hell-fire.

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” —Revelation 21:8

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” —John 14:26

There are many theological debates among Bible scholars regarding the original language in which the Bible was written and its accurate interpretation. Yet, we must remember the Bible never requires updates. Any new human developed theologies should be excluded from our spiritual belief system. We have all the spiritual knowledge we need in the Bible for our calling and election to be steadfast through Christ.

Perilous times are separating many from God. Every day, we have daily distractions, voices, worldviews, temptations, and an internal battle against our carnal heart, but with unwavering faith, if we take God at His word, rely on the Holy Spirit to give us clarity and dispel any confusion regarding the Scriptures, we will receive the strength to fight the good fight of faith.

Reflection: What are your doctrinal beliefs? Can you validate your present beliefs using the Scriptures?

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” —2 Timothy 2:15

Many of us have not searched the Scriptures to check the credibility of our beliefs. Yes, the Bible contains symbolism, parables, similes, metaphors, analogies, juxtapositions, etc., but the Scriptures [if] studied under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, allows us to receive perfect spiritual wisdom and discernment of God’s Truth.

When the Holy Spirit is involved in studying the Bible, He imparts wisdom and discernment even to young children. Studies have proven that children who study the Scriptures have wisdom beyond their age and excel in their studies. It is their genuine faith and trust that acts as a catalyst to receive imparted knowledge and wisdom from the Holy Spirit that would confound a professor who holds a Ph.D.

” ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and [inaccessible] mighty things, which you do not know.’ ” —Jeremiah 33:3

We are forever Bible students. Believers never reach a summit of Scriptural knowledge. Before we open our Bible, with humility, we ask for and rely on the Divine Wisdom of the Holy Spirit to discern the Scriptures. If you have never asked the Holy Spirit to reveal any false doctrines that are in your belief systems then you should because they are stumbling blocks to knowing and practicing God’s Truth in your daily life.

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding…” —Proverbs 2:6

We cannot receive spiritual growth and transformation based on erroneous beliefs and doctrines. Pray for understanding! Once we know the Truth, then we must take another step, letting go of traditional or learned beliefs that are not in agreement with the Scriptures.

Be prepared, Truth always results in separation from others! No, they will not understand. Yet, our salvation and reward of eternal life require total acceptance of Biblical Truth and dependency on God. Every day pray and invite the Holy Spirit into your personal worship, you will receive deeper and deeper spiritual insight into the word of God that will produce spiritual growth and transformation.

As long as we remain a student of the Holy Spirit, we will know why we believe what we believe. Every day, we receive a greater measure of spiritual wisdom because we have faithfully called on the Lord and He has kept His promise by revealing to us great and mighty things. Amen.

Prayer: Lord, we ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to anoint us with the power, presence, and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Reveal your precious Words of Truth and empower us to discard all other fallacies. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.

The Creation Sabbath

In Genesis chapter 2, verses 2-3, God says He blessed the seventh day and made it Holy. From Genesis to Revelation, we cannot find evidence of God abolishing or changing the Fourth Commandment-Saturday Sabbath.

So I made the decision five decades ago that since God is the Righteous Judge who says not one jot or tittle of His word will change [Matthew 5:18], then all of the Ten Commandments are still valid.

Despite the fact that none of my family agrees, I decided to obey God’s declaration that Friday Sunset to Saturday sunset is the 24 hours that He blessed and made holy. Following Jesus by surrendering and faithfully obeying Him according to the Holy Scriptures usually separates us from those who keep man-made religious traditions.

Have a blessed Sabbath! Amen.

The Psalmist Praises of Gratitude

God called David a man after His own heart. Yes, King David fell hard, but God sent the prophet Nathan to remind Him that God sees all and was willing to forgive him for His heinous sins of adultery and murder. And with David being a man after God’s heart, he wrote a psalm of confession and repentance [Psalm 51] which our Great and Merciful God readily accepted.

Our Lord God is Worthy to be praised!

“What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me? I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the LORD. I love the LORD, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 116:12, 17, 1-2, and Psalm 118:1).

LORD, we bow our knees and lift our hands in praise and adoration to You. Every day, we receive the abundant gifts of love, grace, and mercies and for this we say, Thank You. You are a Great God and we love You. Forgive us for the many times we fail to give praise and gratitude for Your loving kindness. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.

The Gift and Role of the Holy Spirit

The Gift and Role of the Holy Spirit – Today’s Devotional – November 22, 2023

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” —John 14:16-17

The questions that most believers will not ask are, “Who is the Holy Spirit? And what is the purpose of the Holy Spirit?” These are not facetious questions, the lack of knowledge regarding the identity of the Holy Spirit naturally leaves one to assume the Holy Spirit does not serve a purpose in their lives.

Who is the Holy Spirit? God, the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Triune Godhead who has always existed with God, the Father, and God, Jesus the Son. Some think the Holy Spirit did not exist until the day Jesus was baptized [refer to John 1, verses 29-34] or the Day of Pentecost [Acts 2]. Yet, we have Biblical proof that the Holy Spirit [the Spirit of God] has always existed.

Biblical proof of the Holy Spirit’s Existence

We can refer to Genesis chapter 1, verses 1-2, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

The Holy Spirit Has Many Names

From Genesis to Revelation, the Holy Spirit is referred to by various names. A few Scriptural references: Spirit of God (Genesis 1:2; 1 Corinthians 2:11; Job 33:4); Eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14); Spirit of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2; Acts 5:9); Spirit of wisdom (Isaiah 11:2; Ephesians 1:17); Breath of the Almighty (Job 33:4); Comforter (John 14:16, 26; 15:26); Teacher (John 14:26); Spirit of truth (John 14:17; 15:26); and, Spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10).

Does one have to speak in an unknown language to be anointed with the Holy Spirit?

The Day of Pentecost: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues [languages], as the Spirit gave them utterance.” —Acts 2:2-4

In Acts chapter 2, the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit referred to as the Day of Pentecost came through as a mighty rushing wind. Contrary to the belief of one not having the anointing of the Holy Spirit unless they can speak in unknown tongues aka a heavenly language, verses 5-8 of Acts the second chapter clarifies God’s definition of speaking in tongues.

“And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?’ ” —Acts 2:5-8

Over the past two decades, there has been a rapid decline in the study of the Bible, and the majority of Protestant churches have failed to teach about the Holy Spirit. As a result, their members have avoided this subject. The Holy Spirit appears too mysterious and undefinable.

Because the pastors, spiritual mentors, and members with experiential knowledge of the Holy Spirit have not fulfilled their responsibility to preach and teach about the Divine Helper, we have generations of discouraged believers who feel defeated because they struggle to live righteously on human effort alone.

The Mindset of Many Believers: “Well, I think I’m doing alright without the Holy Spirit.” Sadly most Christians would rather continue in their lack of knowledge of the Holy Spirit because it is more convenient to believe the Holy Spirit serves no purpose in their lives.

The Human Dilemma: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

A Call to Holiness: “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’ ” (1 Peter 1:15-16).

God’s Righteous Standards: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).

The Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the Divine Power that allows us to live a godly and fruitful life. The Holy Spirit enlightens our mind to understand the truth, gives us spiritual strength and the ability to live a consecrated and righteous life, empowers us to obey God, and equips us to do the work [using our spiritual gifts to witness] that we are called to do.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own…”—1 Corinthians 6:19

Every day, we must pray and surrender our will to God to align with His will and plans. Yes, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, but the Godhead is not intrusive. On the days that we feel like following our inclinations then we will not be anointed with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a Divine gift to humanity and requires the conditions of surrender and obedience. The Holy Spirit will not enter an unwilling and disobedient vessel.

At Jesus’ baptism [Matthew 3:13-17], He was anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit and then sent to the wilderness to fast for 40 days. The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus to withstand Satan’s temptations, to minister to those with spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical deficits and diseases, to receive the spiritual strength to endure constant rejection and hatred, teach twelve rowdy, self-centered disciples the ways of holiness, the physical strength to minister to the multitudes, and to live a life of homelessness.

If Jesus in His earthly life required the Holy Spirit, then certainly, we are in desperate need of the Divine Helper who is just a prayer away. From experience, we know that we cannot win the continuous internal battle of pursuing our desires and inclinations versus surrendering and obeying Christ on our own.

Living holy and staying on the narrow Path of Righteousness requires full cooperation with the Divine Authority of the Holy Spirit. Thank You Jesus for gifting us with the Helper, the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Lord, Mighty, and Strong

The Lord, Mighty, and Strong – Today’s Devotional – November 21, 2023

“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: ‘Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!’ ” —Job 38:1, 4

Last night, I was scrolling through Instagram and paused to listen to the testimony of a young woman who is a new believer: “From studying the Bible, I finally have peace. When I found out that Jesus created the universe, parted the Red Sea, healed those with leprosy, opened blind eyes, and told the lame to take up their bed and walk, I said to myself, ‘Because you follow Jesus, the Superpower of the Universe. You will never worry or lose sleep over any problem that you face.’ Now I witness to my friends and encourage other believers who are feeling down by telling them, ‘You serve Jesus, He is the Superpower of this universe, pray, tell Him your problems, and believe that He will fix them.’ ” Yes, her enthusiasm for Christ was amazing!

Are you still excited about Christ, our loving and powerful Savior? We have Scriptural evidence that the Triune God can do anything and everything above and beyond our human imagination. Most of us have a history of receiving miraculous victories, still, do we possess unwavering faith in the mighty power of Christ?

In the book of Job, Jesus identifies His Omnipotence to suffering Job, and in Revelation to the apostle John, “I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hell and of Death” (Revelation 1:18).

How well do we know the Lord who is Mighty and Strong? Is our knowledge of Christ’s Omnipotence only based on gathering information from the Scriptures?

Did you know that people study the Bible for reasons other than spiritual transformation? In college, there were many atheists in my religion classes who viewed the Bible as the only reliable history book. An atheist who studies the Bible to acquire historical knowledge is not interested in learning the attributes of God’s Character or the Plan of Salvation and Redemption. Like the atheists, some Christians tend to only seek knowledge from the Scripture when it serves their own interests.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” —Hebrews 4:12

From studying the Scriptures, we learn that human effort must cooperate with the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit to produce the life-long process of our spiritual transformation into the likeness of Christ—Sanctification, and to keep us on the narrow Path of Righteousness.

The surrendered believer studies the Holy Scriptures to learn God’s character and His attributes of Omnibenevolence, Omniscience, Omnipresence, and Omnipotence. We accept His commandments, and precepts that are necessary to live righteously. Our faith, trust, and obedience are the catalysts that allow us to receive the power of the Holy Spirit for spiritual growth and to maintain a faithful, steadfast relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.” —Proverbs 17:3

The believer’s faith is constantly tested which gives us experiential knowledge of the power of Jesus who performs miracles in our lives every day. Whether we are studying the Bible for the acquisition of knowledge only or for spiritual transformation will reveal itself when our peaceful, all-is-well lives are interrupted by the hurricanes of hardships.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” —John 16:33, NLT

When happiness and tranquility are abruptly terminated by the forceful winds of strife and we are caught off guard by a life event that impacts everyone in our family, will we immediately fall to our knees and pray for Divine Intervention? Our reaction to the unexpected trials and tribulations is determined by the existence and strength of our relationship with Christ.

Like Peter, we can demonstrate the faith to get out of the boat and walk on the water, but the distance from the boat to Jesus appeared much greater when he became distracted by the stormy winds and the crashing waves. The prayer of “Jesus, help me!” should be our first response and daily prayer when facing the unexpected turbulence of trials and sorrows.

“Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6). “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).

“We can have a history of overcoming many stormy trials, but inconsistent worship weakens even the strongest faith and confidence in Christ.” —SDJ

Facing the unknown with no foreseeable options and feeble faith causes us to develop spiritual disorientation. In the storm, we forget that the winds and waves of tribulations are under the subjection of the Master who can command them to “Be still.” When we pray for help, Christ does not guarantee that the stormy trial will cease, but He does promise us that we will receive His peace and strength to persevere until the storm ends.

With the Bible in hand, go to your secret closet and pray an honest prayer of humility, “God, my faith is weak and I’m afraid, but I trust You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” Pray for comfort and strength from the Holy Spirit. Allow some quiet time and stay in God’s presence until you feel the peace that passes all understanding permeate your mind, body, and soul. Like Jacob, wrestle for victory, “I will not let You go until You bless me!”

When our faith is shaky from the tumultuous waves of fear and doubt, we must ask every day for the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to remain focused on Christ instead of the present storm. God knows that our human hearts are fragile and forgetful of the many times [in the past] He delivered us.

As we search the Scriptures, we will receive hope because Christ never abandons us whether we have little or abundant faith.

Scripture Reading: Genesis chapters 37-50, Joseph’s Journey

Prayer: Lord, we come to You with feeble faith. Yet, we ask for the strength and peace that You promise to those who seek You. Jesus, we ask You to calm our inner storm and to bring resolution to our stormy tribulations. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Pause, Pray, and Wait

In Christ Alone

In Christ Alone – Today’s Devotional – November 19, 2023

“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil” —Proverbs 3:7

Trusting in self is the most prevalent downfall of Christian believers. We analyze and rationalize instead of praying. Deceit is not easily recognized because the temptations are based on the desires of our hearts. Humanity’s greatest enemy is a fallen angel who desires that we fall into his well-developed plans of entrapment. Satan uses our innate pride to easily convince us that we can live productive lives without God’s help.

We cannot win our internal or external battles using strategies based on limited human thoughts. The life of Christ is our example of the believer’s mindset, purpose, and lifestyle. Jesus was human, yet divine. In His earthly life, He could have relied on His divinity to make decisions, but in humility, He surrendered daily to God, His Father. Yes, Jesus prayed without ceasing to seek God’s will and guidance for His life.

“One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names: Simon (whom he named Peter), Andrew (Peter’s brother), James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (who was called the zealot), Judas (son of James), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him)” (Luke 6:12-16, NLT).

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” —John 15:5

The roadblock to including Christ in every aspect of our lives—we do not perceive our consistent need for Divine intervention. Each day, we take the time to reflect on our lives and revel in our accomplishments. By inwardly celebrating our achievements, we inspire ourselves to keep striving for greatness. We do not feel the need to pray a daily prayer of surrender because from our perspective all-is-well.

The quote by Francis Chan, “Why are we so quick to forget God? Who do we think we are?” sadly is the summation of our prideful self-reliance. God strongly reminds us of the consequences of the sin of self-reliance, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:21).

The Human Dilemma: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” —Jeremiah 17:9

Can we recognize the deceitfulness of sin? No, we cannot. Without Christ, we are in a lose-lose situation. Not only do we gravitate toward innate carnal desires, but we also have a relentless enemy, the roaring lion, Satan who can manipulate us through the vice of pride. From our lifestyle, he observes that our relationship with Christ is weak or nonexistent and easily masterminds alluring temptations guaranteed to make us fall.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” —Proverbs 14:12

God is love! He reaches out to redirect our waywardness by allowing situations to arise that require His Divine Help. Most of us can recall a time when we sat down, contemplated, and developed solutions to a situation that we felt our knowledge and prior experience could resolve, but in the end, we suffered immensely from thinking our own thoughts.

Our perception did not include the possibility of negative consequences resulting from our analytical strategic solutions. At the time, we thought that our decision was the best decision. The habit of only bringing our toughest challenges to Christ but attempting to resolve routine issues without Him can also result in devastating consequences.

In Christ Alone, we have received the privilege to come to Him whether in repentance, asking for forgiveness, or seeking His Divine Help.

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand…” —Psalm 95:6-7

“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).

“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.” —Psalm 34:17

“In this world, you will have tribulations…” Do not analyze, you can do nothing without Christ! Pause, Pray, and Wait for the Divine guidance of the Holy Spirit! We should never allow ourselves to be pressured into making immediate decisions. Even in emergent situations, pause, pray, and wait for God’s answer. Never forget that life and death are in the hands of our Omnipotent God.

“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).

Develop the habit of praying and practice the fruit of patience. We are privileged to have Jesus serving as our Heavenly Intercessor, receiving every prayer brought to Him by the Holy Spirit. When faced with challenges, great or small, before decision-making, with faith and a grateful heart, we pray, “God, I need Your help.” The Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit is just a prayer away.

Christ gave us the Scriptural blueprint of seeking God in every aspect of our lives. We have a precious and loving Savior who tells us, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

In Christ alone, place your trust. From our obedience, we receive comfort, strength, and hope from Christ through the Holy Spirit. If we would take the giant leap of blind faith and commit ourselves to trust in Christ alone who is Faithful and True we would experience abundant peace and joy! In Christ alone, we can live a victorious life! Amen.

“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.” —Proverbs 3:5-6

Prayer: God, we have attempted to travel this journey without You and realize that we desperately need your help! We are weary of life’s burdens and in humility surrender ourselves to Your Divine will. Lord, we love You. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Jesus’ Loving Name, Amen.