“…Walk as children of light in the Lord (for the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth)… Ephesians 5:8-9
Praying, studying the Bible, giving tithes and offerings, and attending church demonstrates our faithfulness to God. Yet many believers do not have the Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23. Our character reveals the condition of our heart and whether or not we have asked the Holy Spirit for daily Spiritual Transformation.
Heaven is for those with loving hearts who faithfully obeyed God and represented the Character and Righteousness of Christ to others.
Prayer: God, we pray for a change in our hearts that we may have the righteous character of Christ. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen 🙏
Live Wisely…Because the Days Are Evil Devotional Reading August 21, 2023
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise…” —Ephesians 5:15, NIV
God desires that we live happy and healthy lives, but He warns us that we need godly wisdom to stay on the Righteous Path which leads to eternal life. Many people proclaim that Life is good! Yet, their perception of the good life is based on human wisdom, their accomplishments, financial stability, and tangible goods.
Not only have we incorporated self-reliance into our belief system, we readily use human-made standards to make decisions and measure success. Without wisdom, we cannot know the will of God. Nor can we discern spiritual warfare and live our best lives without the Holy Spirit’s insight and guidance. But most importantly, without godly wisdom, we cannot receive eternal life, because our thoughts and decisions will never align with God’s plans.
“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” —Colossians 2:9
We live in a time of mass information. So many voices and the majority are expressing their opinions based on their thought processes. Why are we so eager to embrace empty philosophies? The exclusion of godly wisdom places us in enemy territory! Without spiritual discernment, God warns us that we will be deceived by satanic false doctrines that are gift-wrapped in the appearance of God’s Divine Truth.
When we rely on human knowledge and understanding, we place ourselves in a vulnerable position. God tells us that we are being cheated! Something about the word cheat causes our emotions to become riled up—upset or angry. The definition of the word Cheat: an act of fraud, swindling, hoax, or deception. Oxford Dictionary
We are living in dangerous, evil times. The Amplified translation of Colossians 2:8 gives us [an easily understood] insight into the methods based on human wisdom used by Satan.
“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception [pseudo-intellectual babble], according to the tradition [and musings] of mere men, following the elementary principles of this world, rather than following [the truth—the teachings of] Christ.” —Colossians 2:8, Amplified Bible
Sometimes the programs or infomercials that we watch or listen to are so absurd that our only logical response is to laugh. But Satan is not shooting fiery darts at those who can be easily deceived, he knows they offer no resistance to the deceptive intellectual babble of our era. Satan is after the children of God!
Satan doesn’t present human theories that we will easily dismiss, he develops a personalized plan using spoken words that provoke us to fall into temptation. Many believers love God but rely on their knowledge, intellectual thoughts, outcomes from prior experience, and strategies. They are intermittent Bible readers who do not have a spiritual foundation based on Biblical truth. Sadly, these are the people who, upon hearing new religious concepts, quickly accept them as true, without questioning their validity.
Yet, there is another group of believers who study the Bible and pray for wisdom from the Holy Spirit, but they hear the new concept from a reputable pastor, speaker, or social media post, and it piques their interest. They are striving to stay on the Path of Righteousness, but sometimes get caught up by Satan’s expertly deceitful tactics. God tells us to test the spirits—search the Scriptures, pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal whether or not the message is God’s Truth.
We cannot place our total confidence in the presenter. Many times personal feelings, the desire for likes, or using guesswork, results in the speaker giving inaccurate explanations of God’s Holy Word. It is imperative that we have a relationship with Christ based on our love, faith, and knowledge of the Bible which contain Holy Words breathed by God to men anointed by the Holy Spirit.
Without Exception, there is only One Truth and One Meaning to every Scripture in the Bible.
God’s expectation is that we will use the Bible to measure every sermon or doctrine. The Holy Spirit is our Teacher who always gives us a 100% accurate understanding of the Scriptures. Every believer has the opportunity to study and learn Biblical Truth. Studying God’s Truth under the guidance of the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual nourishment, feeding our minds and souls by imparting peace, power, spiritual knowledge, and godly wisdom.
Two weeks ago, I listened to a pastor who stated that Matthias was not the twelfth disciple that replaced Judas. Because the Apostles cast lots when choosing the replacement disciple, He surmised that God would not use that method to choose a disciple. He believes that God chose Paul as the twelfth apostle.
After hearing this concept, I studied Acts Chapter 1. As I thought about his opposing doctrine, I began to think deeply because my interest was piqued. But I didn’t feel right. I prayed a simple prayer, Holy Spirit, is this true? All praises to God, the Holy Spirit immediately came to my rescue by flooding my mind with answers.
The Holy Spirit reminded me of three things: 1. In our earthly lives, we will never understand God’s ways. 2. The Bible is God-breathed and does not contain any mistakes! 3. A statement I previously heard on how to avoid the acceptance of false doctrines.
In a recent question-and-answer program by a pastor, I have listened to for many years, stated, “We are living in the last days. You will hear many new concepts of God’s Truth, pray for wisdom and discernment from the Holy Spirit, and use this question to measure the information with, “Is this information Biblical and does it have anything to do with my salvation?’ “
Satan knows his time is running out. None of us are above hearing false doctrines that we readily accept or ponder in our minds. Our Arch-enemy is using every deceptive tactic to attempt to cheat the very elect—those who are striving to live righteously. Stay prayerful! Diligently study the Scriptures under the guidance of the Holy Spirit!
Because the Bible gives us God’s instructions on living righteously in these evil days, the Scriptures below provide guidance on living wisely through possessing godly wisdom.
” ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.’ ” —Isaiah 55:8-9
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” —Proverbs 3:5-6
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” —Proverbs 14:12
“Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” —Proverbs 26:12
“Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” —1 Corinthians 5:20
There is only one way for us to receive heavenly wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” —James 1:5-6
Because our hearts are carnal and our understanding does not align with God’s thoughts, the Apostle James gives us the characteristics of heavenly wisdom.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. —James 3:13-18
Prayer: God, we desperately need the Holy Spirit’s wisdom, guidance, and spiritual discernment every day. Lord, we pray for You to shelter us from the fiery darts of false doctrines and ask for a spirit of humility to permeate our minds and souls as we prepare for Your soon coming. In Jesus’ Worthy name, we pray, Amen.
Living in Preparation for Eternity Devotional Reading August 20, 2023
We are living on the threshold of eternity. Are you living wisely? Does your life reflect the Righteousness of Christ?
The foundation of our relationship with Christ is based on love—His love for us is always consistent, but sadly, our love for Christ is changeable, often vacillating because of our heart’s desires and circumstances.
The love we have for God is revealed every day by our goals, plans, thoughts, spoken words, and actions which demonstrate our faithfulness to God. From our faith springs trust, obedience, and the desire to stay connected to Christ, the Source of our lives.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” —Ephesians 5:15-17
Every believer reaches a crossroads in their relationship with God which requires a declaration of who is first in their life. There is no middle ground, either God is first or we are first. For us to serve God, we must give a sacrificial offering. The things we treasure the most, money, material goods, relationships, and jobs are the object of our sacrifice.
Where do we stand when God tells us to let go? God is not punitive. The people, jobs, material goods, wealth, goals, and plans that He is asking us to let go of are preventing us from fulfilling God’s ultimate purpose for each of us. To live with the goal of self-seeking accomplishments does not align with God’s goal of the Holy Spirit guiding and preparing us [through this earthly life] to receive our reward of eternal life when Jesus comes.
“Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?’ ” —Luke 9:23-25
Jesus tells us that we must take up our cross and follow Him. Taking up our cross is to surrender ourselves through prayer every day. Following Christ places us on the Path of Righteousness, yet, the human effort of faith and obedience along with the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit keeps us on the Narrow Path.
The Narrow Way—”Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” —Matthew 7:13-14
Do we understand that our earthly struggle cannot end in victory if we fail to love, obey, and follow the will of God? Obedience is not a natural response when the requirement is in opposition to our desires. Whether we understand the prophecies in the book of Revelation or not, one thing is certain, we are living in the last days of Earth’s history.
Receiving our reward requires diligent earthly preparation. Our daily worship of surrendering to God changes our perspective of time. We use our time wisely to pray and stay in alignment with the will of God. Surrendering to Christ gives us an internal spiritual transformation and an external purpose. We no longer live for ourselves, our desire is to live in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Staying in Alignment with God Requires Action!
Salvation is not passive! Our goal is to love Christ and faithfully obey His commandments. We strive to live holy by avoiding wilful disobedience. The Holy Spirit will alert us if we are detouring from the Path.
We Are Christ’s Disciples—John 17:20-23
What does God expect of us? To live righteously, for our character to reflect the Fruit of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22-23], study the Scriptures, pray continuously, use our spiritual gifts and natural talents, witness Jesus’ love and the Plan of Salvation, and help those in need.
The Great Commission—”And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ ” —Matthew 28:18-20 Amen.
The Believer’s Outreach Calling—In our walk with Christ, we are expected to witness the love of Christ to others. God has granted us advancements in technology that allow us to reach people wherever a satellite signal exists. Jesus clarifies that the reward in Revelation chapter 22, verse 12—”And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”
Receiving our reward is not only based on our willingness to serve, but also to perform our spiritual assignment of witnessing and helping others every day which proves our love, loyalty, faithfulness, and obedience to God. Every believer is expected to actively complete their earthly work as determined by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Serving God requires us to follow in the footsteps of Christ in His earthly ministry.
Attending church and giving tithe and offerings are God’s expectations of our service to Him. It is our outreach efforts of witnessing and helping others that we feel are optional. The parable of the Sheep and the Goats in Matthew chapter 25, verses 31-46, is regarding two groups of believers. Sadly, the goats never thought they were required to be active disciples.
We have arrived and live in the perilous times that the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to Timothy.
“But know this, that in the last days, perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” —2 Timothy 3:1-5
Satan has deceived many to have a false concept of God that He is a Punisher. And when we hear sermons or study the Bible about the destruction of the wicked and this earth, we experience feelings of “Doom and Gloom.”
If we study Revelation chapters 19 through 22 and do not get excited then our hearts are not filled with love, faith, and obedience to God. There is a better life for the faithful, righteous who surrender themselves every day and are actively working as Christ’s disciples. And our minds are focused on seeing our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and living with Him forever and ever. Amen.
Scripture: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” —Revelation 22:20-21
Prayer: God, we ask forgiveness for not doing Your will and fulfilling our spiritual work of telling others of the love of Christ. We ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to bless us with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. We pray for wisdom and direction to do Your will. In Jesus’ Holy name, we pray. Amen.
Christ-Shaped Lives, Receiving Daily Spiritual Transformation August 19, 2023
“…that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” —Ephesians 4:22-24
Although we could never receive spiritual transformation by works alone, the Human Effort of surrender, faith, and obedience allows us to receive the Divine intervention of the Holy Spirit who produces an internal transformation of our minds and characters.
Our willingness to become a follower [disciple] of Christ enables the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to change the direction of our lives. Our former sinful mindsets, beliefs, and desires change. Instead of pursuing worldly success and hanging out with unbelievers, we seek goodness [righteousness] instead of greatness.
Today, I realized that we are so blessed to have a loving God who allowed His Son, Jesus, to complete the Plan of Redemption for humanity. And because of our carnal nature, we have the Holy Spirit who enables us to receive spiritual transformation by teaching and guiding us to stay on the Path of Righteousness.
Scripture: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” —Ephesians 4:29-32
Prayer: Lord, give us direction as we travel through this earthly journey so that we may remain faithful, and willingly obey by doing Your will. We pray for the Fruit of the Spirit as we witness to others by spreading the message of Your love, grace, and mercies through our spoken words and behaviors. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Heaven is for the Faithful and Obedient Worshippers Devotional Reading August 18, 2023
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” —John 14:15
Our heart’s desires are revealed by our thoughts, spoken words, choices, and lifestyles which reflect our surrender and commitment to love and obey Christ.
“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” —Jeremiah 29:13
The Christian believer who stays in the presence of God through faith and prayer has the desire to change and to know the will of God. Prayer invites God into our lives and keeps us in His presence.
As we abide in Christ and learn more of Him [through surrender. consistent prayer, and Bible study] our characters are transformed into His likeness. It is the faithful and obedient believers who prayed continuously and surrendered themselves to God who will receive the reward of eternal life.
Reflection: Am I staying connected to Jesus, the Source?
As we continue in our earthly journey, our spiritual awareness must remain on a heightened level. Natural disasters, wars, famines, and strife are strong indicators that time is running out. We must decide if Jesus is our First Love and if He is then it is time to separate ourselves from all worldliness—people, places, and habits.
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” —Revelation 22:12-13
Prayer: Lord, I ask You for an abundant spiritual blessing of inner strength through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Lord, help me to be rooted and grounded in love. In Jesus’ name Amen.
The Love and Compassion of Christ—Am I My Brother’s Keeper? Devotional Reading August 17, 2023
“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.” —Psalm 86:15
Compassion: The spiritual practice of compassion is often likened to opening the heart. True compassion arises when one genuinely feels for others in their problems or suffering and positively makes a genuine attempt to help them.
The Bible story of Cain and Abel (see Genesis 4:1-13) reveals the lack of two characteristics of Christ—Love and Compassion.
An individual’s perception and definition of love are impacted by many factors, a healthy or unhealthy home environment as a child, learned behaviors, life’s rugged experiences, and chosen values as reflected in their lifestyle. Our values are reflected by our priorities and indicate whether or not we have a healthy definition of love for God, ourselves, and others.
The Love Chapter—1 Corinthians 13
Because God knew that sin would impact our ability to discern and possess Righteous Love, an entire chapter is dedicated to the defining characteristics of love. In Paul’s era, there was much hatred between the Jews and Gentiles. Since God’s character is Love, without agape love, we cannot possess the loving hearts required to have a meaningful relationship with Christ and others. We will also lack the ability to positively love ourselves.
The result of Adam and Eve not loving God enough to completely trust Him brought devastating consequences to their lives. Think deeply about the act of their eldest son killing his brother. My heart aches just thinking about the heinous death of Abel and their intense grief. Without love, our hearts change into hearts that possess the bitter fruits of unrighteous character traits.
“Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ He said, ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’ ” —Genesis 4:8-9
Certainly, Adam and Eve loved Cain, their firstborn son, but Cain could not respond to his parent’s love because he possessed a spirit of disobedience against God. Cain’s heart was filled with the bitter fruits of hatred, jealousy, and anger against his brother Abel. Following God’s rejection of Cain’s sacrifice, the demonic spirit of hatred escalated and he killed Abel, his only brother.
“For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.” —1 John 3:11-12
“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked, Who can know it?” —Jeremiah 17:9
Let’s focus on Cain’s response to Christ. Afterward, when the Lord asked, “Where is Abel?” Cain asked, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” But the true meaning of what Cain said was, “My brother is not my problem.”
Most of us cannot imagine speaking to Christ with such dishonor and disrespect. Even so, there is no limit to the wickedness in the human heart. Our hidden thoughts will always be brought to fruition by our spoken words and our actions.
Reflection: Do I have a heart filled with the love and compassion of Christ as evidenced by my willingness to alleviate the sufferings of others?
Although we would hesitate to speak the words, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” when we fail to have a compassionate heart by caring and extending help to alleviate the sufferings of others the true status of our unloving heart is revealed.
“God has ordained according to the law of ministry that we should comfort one another in tenderness and love when great sorrows come upon us. No man lives unto himself.” EG White
Scripture: “If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.” —1 John 3:17-18, BSB
Prayer: Lord, we pray to have Your abiding love and compassion in our hearts along with the desire to help those in need. In Jesus’ Loving Name, we pray, Amen.
Confidence in Human Wisdom? Devotional Reading August 16, 2023
The best advice that I ever read on patient care was from a Christian nurse who recommended all nurses pray for Divine wisdom and guidance at the onset of our day. A patient’s condition can change in a blink of an eye. Yes, nurses are highly trained in the assessment process, and critical thinking, and possess shrewd judgment, but theoretical knowledge and human wisdom are finite. With humility, we can never totally rely on our thought processes because there is always room for error when only using human wisdom.
“For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding…”—Proverbs 2:6
Many of us are familiar with the story of Gideon and the 300 men who won the war against the Midianites, yet the seemingly small details in this story [which many sermons exclude] provide us with insight into God’s Divine wisdom.
The Midianites Oppress Israel
The Acts of Disobedience: “Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years…” —Judges 6:1
The Consequences of Disobedience: “For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were without number, and they would enter the land to destroy it. So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.” —Judges 6:5-6
Evidence of God’s Love and Mercies: “…when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of the Midianites, that the Lord sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you and drove them out before you and gave you their land.” —Judges 6:7-9
God’s Reminder of the Israelite’s Commitment to Him: “Also I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But you have not obeyed My voice.’ ” —Judges 6:10
Despite Israel’s wilful disobedience, God did not forsake the people He loved with everlasting love.
Gideon, a Man of Valor: “Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, ‘The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!’ ” —Judges 6:11-12
As the story unfolds, we will focus on a detail about God choosing the 300 men mentioned in Judges chapter 7.
God’s Divine Wisdom of Identifying Gideon’s Valiant Three Hundred
“But the Lord said to Gideon, ‘The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there… and of whomever I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you, the same shall not go.’ “So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, ‘Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.’ ” Verses 4-5
“And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water.” “Then the Lord said to Gideon, ‘By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.’ ” —Verses 6-7
The Situation that Human Wisdom Could Never Resolve
“Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.” —Judges 7:12
We know the end of the story, God brought victory to the Israelites.
Reflection: Where do we stand in our decision-making process of routine duties and unexpected life events? Do we pray every day for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and the gift of godly wisdom?
” ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.’ ” —Isaiah 55:8-9
At one point, all of us are guilty of not including God in our daily decisions and resolutions. Two aspects that we fail to realize, God pays attention to the smallest details that we overlook in our eagerness for self-reliance, and human wisdom can wishfully predict but can never guarantee the outcome of our decisions.
“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, NIV
Our commitment to following Jesus changes our role from one of independence to one of Christ’s disciples who commit to surrender and follow God’s will, and obey His plans for our lives. Without praying for Divine guidance, we demonstrate a spirit of self-reliance and wilful disobedience to God.
Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. —Isaiah 55:6-7
Because of human wisdom [using our thought processes] we may not consider ourselves wicked or unrighteous. But when deeply reflecting on the definition of sin—transgression against God, not praying for godly wisdom places us in the same category of unbelievers who trust and rely on themselves.
God expects us to use the gift of our sound mind. Praying, studying the Bible, attending church, giving our tithes and offerings, striving for righteousness, loving God and others, extending kindness, and self-care activities such as eating a healthy diet, maintaining our physical safety, and being good stewards of our financial resources are behaviors and habits that every believer should possess.
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” —James 3:17, ESV
Yet most of the time we also need help in those areas of daily living. Every decision that could impact your life with possible consequences, changing careers or jobs, health challenges, major purchases resulting in debt accumulation, all relationships, and marriage, selecting a Bible-based church or school for your children, and identifying people, places, and habits that would impact and change your relationship with Christ, must be brought to God in prayer.
One area in which we must always seek godly wisdom and direction is the use of our spiritual gifts. We may identify our gifts and talents, but cannot guess how and where God desires us to use them.
With humility, we serve Christ and recognize that our human wisdom is not only influenced by external factors, we cannot value or place our thoughts above God’s Omniscience and Divine wisdom which always brings us hope and an expected end. Imagine your life always being aligned with the will of God, never dealing with the mistakes or consequences of self-reliance.
Scripture: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes…” —Proverbs 3:5-7
Prayer: Lord, we pray for the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. We acknowledge that we need spiritual guidance and Your Divine wisdom in every aspect of our lives. We ask for forgiveness of a spirit of self-reliance. Hear our prayer, O Lord that we ask in Jesus’ Holy name, Amen.
Develop a Spirit of Gratitude Devotional Reading August 13, 2023
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” —Psalm 136:1
This morning, I watched a Christian program on “Counting Our Blessings.” The speaker mentioned the Fruit of the Spirit and said, “I have always wondered why gratitude was not a fruit mentioned by the Apostle Paul.”
I begin to reflect on the meaning of gratitude—to possess a spirit of thankfulness. Because Jesus created us as free moral agents, the Holy Spirit cannot place gratitude in our hearts. Gratitude is a response that is only found in a heart overflowing with love for Christ.
Praise and gratitude are more than saying, thank you. Gratitude is an expression of worship. A spirit of gratitude enables us to praise God with words of thanksgiving in turbulent times as well as peaceful times.
A believer who expresses gratitude to God for all their blessings reveals a heart filled with love and appreciation for Christ, whereas a believer who only prays and is thankful for material possessions reveals a greater love for themselves.
“For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.” —1 John 2:16, NLT
Sadly many of us have embraced the worldview of pursuing one’s desires which displaces our love from Christ to tangible things. Taking the time to reflect on your desires, pursuits, and possessions reveals the status of your heart and relationship with Christ. Self-love not only prevents us from having a spirit of gratitude, we cannot experience spiritual growth and transformation.
Reflection: What am I praying for? Change your prayers from asking God to thanking God.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” —Matthew 6:19-21
Many Christians are unaware of the spiritual status of their hearts because they attend church and give tithe and offerings. They believe that their love for Christ is shown through the actions they take. Yet, Christ says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Obedience requires total surrender! Christ must be our First love. And we make God a priority in every aspect of our lives.
Jesus’ Spoken Words: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
“Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.” —Romans 13:14
We only have one opportunity to develop and cultivate a heart filled with love and gratitude and that is in our earthly lives. When Jesus returns, the character traits and behaviors we exhibited in our daily lives will remain as they are. Therefore, we must persevere to cultivate a loving heart filled with gratitude that is expressed through our spoken words in prayer.
We can change! Loving God is evidenced by putting Him first. We have enough stuff. The perilous times described by the apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3 are now. Still, it is a personal decision to redirect our focus on Christ by making Him our First Love.
Our Loving Savior deserves our surrender and commitment to bless His Holy Name throughout the day. And that level of praise can only come from a heart overflowing with love and gratitude for the One who gave His life for humanity.
Thought for Today: Cultivate a spirit of gratitude and you will begin to see life through spiritual eyes.
Prayer: Lord, we praise and bless Your Holy Name. We ask for forgiveness for loving ourselves before You. Our focus has shifted to things instead of gratitude for Your love, grace, and mercies. Jesus, thank You for every provision and the mercies of blessing us with many of our desires. Lord, we love and thank You for reminding us that our characters must change if we desire eternal life. We ask this prayer in Your Holy Name, Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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