Jesus Second Coming – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

We Are the Beloved of Christ

Our Heavenly Father Cares Sabbath Devotional – February 14, 2025

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” —John 14:1-3

Jesus Is the Way, the Truth, and the Life: Jesus’ death and resurrection fulfilled the great Plan of Redemption. If we accept Christ as our personal Savior, we do not have to pay the penalty for the wages of sin. The commitment to follow Christ requires us to live a sacrificial life as He did. Through faith, we seek God’s will and obey His plans because we love Him and trust that He knows and does what is best for us.

“Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” —Revelation 22:14

“If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). God knew that our spiritual journey would be tumultuous and filled with countless human-made doctrines, therefore, He gave us the Holy Bible which contains the Ten Commandments—His Moral Law. The Bible is our spiritual guide to receiving Eternal life.

“We love Him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Because our experiences with love differ, we desperately need the Holy Spirit to give us the wisdom to understand God’s love. When we know within our hearts that God loves us, we receive validation of our worth and importance to God, therefore, our identity is not dependent on varied opinions and worldviews.

God’s Gift to His Beloved: “For by grace you are saved through faith, and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). God commands us to “Be holy for I am Holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Grace is not only unmerited pardon and mercy for our sins, through the Holy Spirit, God’s Amazing Grace gives us the power to live holy!

“…Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness, I have drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3). In our times of heart-wrenching distress, God’s Grace meets our deepest needs and out of God’s Heart, we receive His abundant, never-ending, and healing love. We should never feel alone and unloved. “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17).

We must understand Grace to prevent us from becoming discouraged in our spiritual journey. Even if we fall, we repent and receive immediate forgiveness. Grace is God’s divine power freely given to transform our lives and make them new. Christ loves us! Spiritually, we are called “The Bride of Christ,” whom He loves immensely and has prepared a forever home for us to live with Him throughout eternity.

The Church is the Bride [Beloved] of Christ—The Righteous Comprise the Church

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” —Ephesians 5:25-27

In the Scriptures, the analogy of earthly marriage is used to represent Christ as the Bridegroom and the Church [which includes all faithful and obedient believers and is not based on denomination] as the Bride of Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus’ focus is on the righteous. In the Heavenly Sanctuary—King Jesus is our Intercessor, continually receiving our prayers, forgiving our sins, and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.

God ordained the love of a husband and wife to be the strongest love between human beings. Yet, God’s Love supersedes all earthly love because, unlike our love, His love never ends and is not influenced by circumstances.

Agape Love includes Jesus’ sacrificial death on Calvary’s Cross, and the privilege to confess, repent, and receive God’s forgiveness for all sins [Redemption]. We have received an all-inclusive spiritual package of Divine grace, mercy, strength, wisdom, healing, guidance, and God’s intervention when facing challenges. Yes, we are deeply loved by God!

Sanctification, the lifelong spiritual transformation of our minds, characters, and personalities is accomplished daily through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. For all we receive from God, He asks us to love Him through faithful obedience which proves that we serve a Loving and Longsuffering [Patient] Heavenly Father.

“As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ He told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.” —Matthew 9:9

The Bride’s Life: Like Matthew, we agree to follow Christ through daily surrender and obedience. In preparation for Jesus’ Second Coming, much prayer and study of the Scriptures is required to fulfill our part in our spiritual growth and maturity.

The Bride’s Sacrificial Commitment: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” —Romans 12:1-2

When we love God, worship flows from our hearts, souls, and minds. We seek God’s will instead of our desires. Our salvation requires active participation, we work with the Holy Spirit by renouncing sin. From our willingness to consecrate ourselves to God, we are empowered with Christ’s strength by the Holy Spirit to live as victorious overcomers.

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness.” —Isaiah 61:10

Living holy invites the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts and to glorify Christ’s Divine nature through us. We begin to perceive life through spiritual eyes resulting in internal changes. Our thoughts, behaviors, habits, and lifestyles transition from unrighteousness to reflect the Righteousness of Christ. As Christ’s representatives, we are proof that living righteously is possible through the power of God.

“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

Accepting our identity as the Beloved Bride of Christ is to engage in a life of prayer where we can receive the Divine wisdom and strength to withstand the harsh vicissitudes of life and overcome temptations. Every day, we should separate ourselves to reflect on our Savior’s unequivocal love and the sacrificial gift of His life. Never miss the opportunity to pray, praise, and worship in the presence of God!

In John 14, verses 1-3, and Revelation chapters 21-22, Jesus reveals through the prophet John that He never intended for this Earth filled with corruption and evil to be our permanent home. Study Revelation chapters 21-22 often to remind yourself that you are the “Beloved of Christ” and a member of His Church—The Bride who is preparing to live eternally with Christ, our Bridegroom and Triumphant King.

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”—Revelation 19:7

Certainly, Jesus is excitedly waiting to come again and receive us—the Church, His Beloved Bride who He paid the highest dowry with His precious blood. Yes and Amen!

Lord God, we thank You for loving us and the precious gifts of Your life, grace, and mercy. We desire to love, reverence, honor, and obey You and make a covenant to seek Your will daily. In Jesus’ Loving and Holy Name, Amen.

The Christian Believer’s Character and Conduct

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – November 5, 2024

“Be holy, for I Am Holy.” —1 Peter 1:16

As the events of Matthew 24 and 2 Timothy 3 are rapidly being fulfilled, Christ is directing His dedicated disciples to spread His love by emulating His righteous character and conduct. Before Jesus’ return, every person will receive the precious opportunity to accept Jesus as their Savior and embrace the Plan of Redemption that enables us to live righteously.

With our cooperation, the Holy Spirit prepares us for Jesus’ Second Coming through the spiritual process of Sanctification. Our lifelong transformation includes the conversion of our hearts, minds, characters, and personalities. We strive to live holy and acceptable lives by embracing and representing Christ’s Righteous Character to others. The Holy Spirit empowers us with Christ’s strength to live as victorious overcomers.

Recently I listened to an Instagram reel on Isaiah’s calling to be a prophet. The sermon emphasized the reverence and honor that the Most High God deserves. Isaiah’s vision reveals God’s Righteousness and Holiness and the utmost worship of the angels. The sermon leads us to a Spiritual Crossroads. Either we choose God’s righteous standards or live by our compromised definition of true Christianity.

The Majesty and Glory of His Righteousness: Isaiah 6:1-3, NIV

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim [angels], each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’ “

Reverencing and honoring God is more than attending weekly church service, studying the Bible, giving tithe and offerings, and praying. In Christ’s earthly life, He faithfully obeyed God, the Father. According to our thoughts, all may appear well in our Christian experience, but we cannot judge the status of our relationship with Christ.

Like King David, every day we pray, “God, search my heart…” Faithful obedience to the will of God is required for us to live holy. Our surrender and commitment are evidenced through prayer, “God, what is your will for me today?” Faithful obedience is our highest form of worship and the only worship acceptable to God.

Because of our inherited and fallen nature, we cannot love and revere God as He deserves. We need the Holy Spirit’s intervention. Our propensity toward sinful pleasures results in practicing a compromised version of Christianity. Today’s believers have embraced worldviews, chase their desires, love wealth, and hang out with and have relationships with unbelievers.

Blurred lines of Truth and Error have many wondering, “How do I know if I am a Christian?” Those with converted hearts strive to reverence and honor God through their lifestyle of worship which glorifies God. And yes, many individuals acknowledge God but possess unconverted hearts by continuing to engage in sinful pleasures. “Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you” (1 Peter 4:4, NLT).

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

Does our perception of sin align with God’s definition of sin? No. We may not drink, smoke, or fornicate, yet we fail to surrender and obey the will of God which constitutes disobedience and rebellion against God. It is easy to focus on the sins we don’t do, yet, faithful obedience, praying, and studying the Bible along with standing down all carnal desires is a daily sacrifice required by God or we are in the same predicament as unbelievers.

“Romans 6:15, which says, ‘What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.’ In this verse, Paul responds to the rhetorical question, ‘Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?’ The Apostle Paul’s response is that we cannot equate grace with freedom to sin. He states that Christ died to liberate us from sin, not to permit us to sin.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” —Hosea 4:6

Satan has used the influencers to convince us that we do not need to study the entire Bible. The Old Testament is the only accurate historical overview of the creation of this world and human beings. God provided a detailed history of fallen humanity’s disobedience, their repentance, and continual opposition to Him by continuing to embrace sin. Sadly, in 2024, we repeat the same sinful behaviors because we have no desire to live righteously.

God used Moses to approach Pharoah who eventually freed the Israelites from Egyptian enslavement. Although many offered their sacrificial offerings they continued to secretly worship pagan idols. God extended His love and mercies for 40 years. In Numbers chapter 32, we find that God’s mercies do end: “According to the Bible, Scripture states no one over the age of 20 who left Egypt would enter the Promised Land.” Because of their true dedication, only Joshua and Caleb [over the age of 20] were spared by God.

Love, Grace, and Mercy are not New Testament characteristics of God. The Old Testament proves God has always extended Himself to save humanity from the consequences of rebellion against Him. God is Omniscient—All-knowing. God knew Adam and Eve would disobey by eating from the Forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

The conversation between God, the Father, and Jesus, God the Son regarding the Plan of Redemption occurred before the creation of this world and human life. Even before Jesus came to this world fulfilling the Plan of Redemption on Calvary’s Cross, God instituted a ceremonial law—animal sacrifice as a representation of Christ’s Cleansing blood, which provides forgiveness for our sins. Jesus’ death abolished the ceremonial law of sacrifice, not the Ten Commandments.

What is our daily offering to God? God has always extended His loving grace and mercies even though humanity has a long history of failing to honor, reverence, and appreciate His loving kindness. How do we demonstrate our gratitude for Christ’s love? It’s time for us to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds by obeying Him as revealed through living righteously.

“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.” —1 Thessalonians 4:7

Enoch, Joseph, Noah, Esther, Job, and Mary, along with many others, strived to walk with God and pursue holiness as Enoch did. And yes, they were victorious because they surrendered and committed their lives to God. It is possible for us to forsake all worldly pleasures and to put God first in our lives.

“You shall have no other gods before Me.” —Exodus 20:3

Reflection: We should cross-examine ourselves: “Where do I stand with God? Is He first in my life? Do my thoughts, spoken words, behaviors, reactions, desires, friends, and interactions with others reveal that I love God? Do I surrender, and strive to live holy? Am I representing the love of God to others?

Christian Characteristics and Conduct

1 Corinthians 13:4-7: “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

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

Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

“Everyone who names the name of Christ should so work that others, by seeing his good works, may be led to glorify their Creator and Redeemer.” EGW

Daily, we reflect on Jesus’ Sacrifice and thank Him through our covenant vow of faithful obedience. Revelation chapters 21 and 22 remind us that our earthly lives matter. This life is our one opportunity to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Surrender invites the Holy Spirit to reveal our sins and character flaws. Human effort and Divine Intervention are required for our daily transformation into the likeness of Christ.

In John 14:1-3, Jesus promises eternal life to those who honor God by striving to live holy. Our decision to live in the New Heaven and New Earth is revealed daily through surrender, faithful obedience, and perseverance. The Scriptures tell us that our lives are like vapor and this earthly home is temporary, yet, we do not have to struggle alone in our spiritual journey.

All of heaven is on our side to help us overcome! In the strength of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live righteously, possess a loving character, and conduct ourselves as disciples who decided to live forever and ever with our Triumphant King!

“Meet me in heaven, we’ll join hands together, meet me at the Savior’s side.”

Lord God, we desire our reward of Eternal Life. Thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Triumphant King. We ask for the strength to renounce sin and to live holy. Anoint us with the Holy Spirit and give us spiritual insight and wisdom as we reveal Your unconditional love to others. We pray in Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.