Living by Faith – Page 19 – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

This is Faith!

The Cry of Victory! Happy Sabbath!

Prayer: God, we pray that you open our spiritual eyes. Amen.

Jesus is here, walking in front of us. We are entering another storm, even so, keep your eyes focused on the Savior. Follow your Guide! The path is narrow. Don’t look to the right or to the left! And if the cloudy darkness of hardships and sorrows blind you, just call out, “Jesus, I can’t see you, Jesus, please help me.”

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

It is a conscious decision to awaken to a new day and invite Jesus into our life. “Behold, I stand at the door [our heart, which is our mind] and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20.

Struggles are necessary to develop the faith that keeps us totally dependent: “…Without Me, you can do nothing.” John 15:5. Yes, we are required to surrender our will, along with the way we think and the things we desire. And why not? For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Read Joshua chapter 6.

But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days.” Joshua 6:2‭-‬3.

Faith: Have we placed ourselves in the position to receive God’s plans? “Be still, and know that I am God;” Psalm 46:10. Prayer keeps us connected to God. Why is studying the Bible a necessity? Not only do the scriptures reveal the character of God, but they also teach and remind us that faith, trust, and obedience are required to stay in alignment with God. Jesus, the Lamb of God, the Alpha and Omega is the only way to receive salvation.

Obedience: “Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!” Joshua 6:10

Victory: When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. Joshua 6:20

Like the walls of Jericho that fell, if we put God first, He will lead and guide us through every heartache, tribulation, and challenge. Put your faith and trust in Him. It is only then, we can cry the shout of victory!

Prayer: God, thank you for loving us. Please forgive us for our sins. We desire to faithfully serve, obey, and wait for you to reveal your plans for our lives. We thank you for the gift of the Sabbath–a time dedicated to redirecting our focus on you. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.

Did you get your gift?

Not many of us would turn away a free, no-strings attached gift. Yet, we have let the distractions and hardships rob us of Jesus’ gift of peace. A peaceful, quiet setting away from chaos and confusion is how the world defines peace.

But the peace that Jesus gives, exists in the middle of the chaos and confusion. Our faith is the catalyst that propels our mind, soul, and body to accept the peace that passes human understanding. Go ahead, get your gift. Jesus promises when you receive His peace, you will live free from all worries and anxiety.

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

God, we praise your name. Thank you, Jesus for giving us peace. Please forgive our doubt and unbelief. We pray in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.

We Have Everything We Need

When I pursued my nursing degree at the age of forty, I felt insecure because my classmates were in their twenties. Realizing that the sharpness of my cognitive abilities had passed their peak performance, I doubted God’s directive for me to relocate from New Jersey to Upstate NY. But during the first day of class, our tough-as-nails Nursing 1 professor reassured us that if we dedicated our time and efforts to learn, they [the professors] possessed the knowledge and teaching skills for us to achieve our goals. On the final day, it was only seven of us who completed the rigorous program. But it was a high-time of celebration. We embraced each other and shouted, “We made it!”

The most challenging journey that we will ever endure is the one of following Jesus Christ. Many succumb to the rigors of striving to live holy and simply give up. Would God give us the impossible? We have a team, God, the Father, Jesus, our Savior, the Holy Spirit, and messenger angels to ensure that we will make it through this turbulent journey called life.

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 that I said to you. John 14:26.
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. John 10:10
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15

Our responsibilities in the plan of salvation:

Mandatory: And without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Faith knows that every day our lives bring uncertainties, but faith believes that God has the power to take care of our trials, sorrows, and hardships. Faith is not a feeling based on an emotional high or low. Faith requires total surrender to the Almighty God.

Prayer and Study: It is from lack of knowledge [we must study the Bible] and inconsistent communication [always pray throughout the day and night] that our relationship with God lacks strength and depth. Just as the professor reassured us that they were well-qualified to provide everything we needed to become registered nurses if we did our part, God promises to bring us victory when we stay connected to Him.

When sin struggles for the mastery in your soul and burdens the conscience, when unbelief clouds the mind, go to the Saviour. His grace is sufficient to subdue sin. He will pardon us, making us joyful in God. Let us no longer talk of our inefficiency and lack of power. Forgetting the things that are behind, let us press forward in the heavenward way. All heaven rejoices when weak, faulty human beings give themselves to Jesus to live His life. Ellen G. White

Redirect your focus: “We have everything we need.” Our spiritual team is always ready. Never give up!

“Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:12-13

Bible Study: 1 John 5

Prayer: God, we ask you to forgive our doubt and unbelief. Thank you for loving and taking care of us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Keep Going By Never Giving Up

Can you wait?

If you have an appointment at 2 pm, what would your response be if you were told, “there is a delay, and asked, Can you wait?” Honestly, I would immediately become annoyed. However, I would suppress those feelings and answer the question with the question, “How long do I have to wait?” The answer, “Unfortunately, I don’t know,” would make the top of my ears turn red and warm to touch. Since childhood, this has been my body’s automatic response to becoming upset.

Impatience is my downfall. I can pretend to accept and tolerate the “Can you wait?” situation, but God knows my innermost thoughts. And yes, I do realize this is a serious problem.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23.

We are unique because of genetics, life experience, fingerprints, appearance, etc. My spiritual weaknesses could be your strengths and vice-versa. Even so, as believers, we have the commonality of accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. We committed to become Christ-like [a new creature in Christ] 2 Corinthians 5:17. Thankfully, God knew that we needed help, so He specifically defined the characteristics we must possess to become holy and acceptable to Him.

The Apostle Paul summarizes Galatians 5:16-26 as Living By the Spirit’s Power. Because of sin, we have to strive–and persevere to change the sinful characteristics that come naturally to all of humanity. So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. Galatians 5:16. I have heard many individuals confidently say that God understands our weaknesses, which is our sins. But Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Human Effort + Divine Intervention= A Victorious Outcome

God’s love: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Because of His steadfast love for humanity, God gives us free access to divine intervention. It is through the prayers of confession and repentance that we receive the grace and mercies of forgiveness and, yet, another chance to get it right. “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11. Praying to be filled with the Holy Spirit gives us the power to live righteously. Studying the Bible is the spiritual mirror that enables us to see our sins.

We must endure the tests for us to possess the Fruit of the Spirit. Always striving for the mark are the words of the Apostle. After studying Galatians 5, I realize the next time someone asks, “Can you wait?” this is the test and my opportunity for spiritual growth.

Bible Study: Galatians 5

God, thank you for your grace, mercies, and the patience to guide us through our spiritual journey of faith, obedience, change, and growth. We desire a closer relationship with You. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

We Have Crossed the Line

When a couple decides to have children, and the pregnancy test results are positive, they are filled with happiness and joy. From the decision to create humanity, “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26 to the creation of Adam and Eve’s home, the Garden of Eden, I am confident that God was overjoyed to create us.

Just as parents prepare to take care of their baby, God committed to taking care of us even before we were conceived. “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5. And the promise to care for us extends throughout our lifetime: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4.

What happened that made us cross the line into an area of worry and anxiety?

We were excited when we found out that Jesus died and was resurrected to redeem us from our sins. And then we read that our heavenly Father promised to take care of us:

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:31-33

Because Jesus’ life on earth included unexpected hardships, He forewarned us to expect suffering: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. We should possess joy, peace, and happiness because Jesus made the commitment to take care of all of our trials and sorrows.

When a baby is in need, it simply cries. Prayer, connects us to the source! Through prayer, our cries for help reach the ears of God, who already knows what we need. Still, God requires the human effort of humility and faith. We cannot let our hardships overshadow our faith in God. Pray and look forward to watching how God will solve your challenges. God intentionally limited our strength and power because He desires that we totally rely on him.

Get back on the other side of the line by believing in God’s love, promises, grace, and mercies. We can rid ourselves of feeling down and out and full of anxieties and worries. From this moment forward, memorize God’s promises and live according to the guarantee that God will take care of you. Whisper a prayer each new day and place your life in the loving arms of God, our Father.

Bible Reading: Psalm 23 and 27

God, we often fail to remember your promises and power. Thank you for loving and taking care of us. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

It’s Getting Way Too Complicated

Many individuals are verbalizing that they are overwhelmed from trying to serve God. What makes us become discouraged in our spiritual journey? Has God made it impossible to serve him, according to His requirements? I have noticed that many preachers, pastors, teachers, and believers promote a “philosophical” approach to serving God. Following trends and prevailing schools of thought always get us into trouble.

God gave us the Bible, 66 books that we can study for ourselves. The Bible is our road map, spiritual mirror, reveals God’s character, His promises, and tells us the only way to salvation, which is through Jesus Christ. The Bible provides us with the victories and defeats of humanity along with the ever-present God always standing by to deliver us. Please remember to pray and ask for the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth and to give you wisdom before studying the Word of God.

Secondly, we are bombarded with too many religious visual and audio messages. Check out the various social platforms. Countless messages tell us to do this or that, define our feelings, defend various interpretations of the truth, and promote methods to conquer your depression, anxiety, worries, etc. Yes, I watch sermons, listen to audiobooks on the great controversy between good and evil, and music that honors God. But I measure the content of the video against the Bible, and many teachings/music are not from God.

This is the dilemma for many of us who enjoy clean, fun-time on Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, etc. Social media videos can easily become an addiction. Where does the time go? Hours pass quickly when we are having fun. Establish a time-limit. You must worship no other gods, for the LORD, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you. Exodus 34:14

Our love for God translates into spending time with God. Yes, I pray throughout my waking hours of the day and night. But I spend time alone worshipping God in prayer, praise and worship, and studying the Bible, which gives me the knowledge and courage to change, and build my relationship with Jesus Christ. Time with God is essential to establish a strong foundation in serving God.

1. “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

When we are in love, that person is the object of our attention and affection. Establish and maintain your relationship with Jesus by worshipping God through prayer, praise, listening to inspirational music, and studying the Bible.

2. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Like a little child who does or says the wrong thing, saying “I’m sorry” is the simple act of acknowledging wrongdoing. God tells us to confess our sins to Him. He knows if our repentance is genuine or fake.

3. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23

Yes, we must change our thoughts, behaviors, and actions to reflect the character of Christ. God never leaves us alone to handle life’s challenges. We have supernatural help through Christ. Still, it takes human effort plus divine intervention to live righteously.

4. So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments.” Genesis 35:2

So, yesterday, I watched a video of a young believer who proclaimed that God spoke to her and revealed that her struggle in serving Him was due to her love of secular music that promotes sexual immorality. The comments that followed were vicious. But the most thought-provoking, “You Christians have to give up too much to serve God.” We cannot stand on the fence nor is there a gray area or a middle ground in serving God. Read Revelation 3:14-22 to become familiar with believers who want the worldly pleasures mixed in with serving God.

There is a recipe for making our relationship with God less complicated:

Add lots of love, heaping amounts of faith and trust, cups of obedience, and immeasurable patience. It takes courage to change!

Increase your time with God in prayer and studying, and decrease your time on social media or your other time-consuming habits. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the people and content that promotes the truth, which honors and glorifies God. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

God, we ask you for the Holy Spirit to give us discernment to recognize truth from false teachings. And we also ask you to give us the courage and strength to serve you with our whole heart. Thank you for your unconditional love, grace, and mercy. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.

Sabbath Blessings

As we watch the condition of our world rapidly decline, we can refer to the Apostle Paul’s letter to Timothy.

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Our relationship with God determines our destiny. Either we will choose eternal life by total surrender and submission to God, or we will choose the final death by seeking after worldly pleasures.

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

Relationship Issues?

Until we can pray daily, “God not my will but your will be done in my life,” we fail to put God first. Seeking our own desires is the reason that we have relationship issues with God. Submission is not a choice when we serve God. He loves us and is waiting to give us the best life ever.