Tag: love faith sabbath

Pray, Be Still, and Watch the LORD Fight Your Battles! Devotional Reading July 2, 2023

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” —Jeremiah 29:13

Our Spiritual journey is one of continuous growth and development. We gain spiritual insight, discernment, and wisdom as the Holy Spirit works His transforming power in us. As we reflect on our lives, we are thankful that history is not repeating itself—we are not making the same mistakes that brought disruption and negative consequences into our past life.

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” — Psalm 9:10

Yes, the best feeling ever is to enjoy the calmness of peace and the happiness of joy in our minds and souls that comes from praying, obeying, and studying the Scriptures. Even in our trials, we never lose our peace because we receive spiritual strength from the Holy Spirit and have the utmost confidence that our God will deliver us.

“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” — Psalm 105:4

Those who worship God several times a day receive spiritual strength from the Holy Spirit. They have unrealistic faith and trust in God because their lives are in alignment with God’s will and plans. “Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the path chosen for him” (Psalm 25:12). The human effort of loving God with faithful obedience results in a thriving relationship with Christ who is the foundation for our salvation and faith. And the righteous always receive God’s benefits!

Reflection: You may think, I wish this was my life. If this is not your story then you are relying on your own strength which is inadequate for life’s journey.

Seeking God only in times of trouble reveals a spirit of self-reliance. Trusting in oneself produces overconfidence and we cease praying [in faith] for God’s daily spiritual blessings. Sporadic worship not only decreases our faith in God, but we also lose courage and the desire to persevere in hardships.

“The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand.…” —Psalm 37:23-24, BSB.

Because we have distanced ourselves from God, we see ourselves as alone. The seed of discouragement flourishes and changes our perception of God. We have forgotten God’s promise, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Still, He is our Loving Heavenly Father who possesses unlimited POWER and is just a prayer away!

“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). When the righteous face adversity [whether from spiritual warfare, a trial, or our disobedience], in humility, we come boldly before the throne of grace for our Father’s Help. With confidence and faith, we rely on the LORD’s promise to intervene and give us a victorious outcome.

The Old Testament has many stories of humanity’s faith, failures, repentance, and victories which give us hope and substantiate that God loves us. And these real-life stories indicate that God is not expecting the impossible from us. God knows our human limitations. He desires that we love Him, and place all of our faith and trust in His love and Power.

King Asa’s Dilemma–2 Chronicles Chapter 14

The Human Effort of Obedience—”2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God, 3 for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images. 4 He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. 5 He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him. 6 And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the Lord had given him rest.” Verses 2-6

The Impossible Dilemma—”And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah who carried shields and spears, and from Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty men of valor. 9 Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. 10 So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.” —Verses 8-10

King Asa’s Prayer of Faith—”And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, ‘Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!’ ” —Verse 11

The Warrior God’s Divine Intervention—”The Lord helped Asa and his army defeat the Ethiopians. The enemy soldiers ran away, 13 but Asa and his troops chased them as far as Gerar. It was a total defeat—the Ethiopians could not even fight back! The soldiers from Judah took everything that had belonged to the Ethiopians. ” —Verses 12-13, Contemporary English Version

King Asa had the confidence to bring his army out for battle. Yet, he prayed and waited for God’s answer before the soldiers moved forward against their enemies who outnumbered them. God always requires the human effort of a prayer of faith before He intervenes. Even if our faith is weak, we can approach God with confidence because He always answers our prayers.

Pray an honest prayer by confessing your fears, doubts, and sin of self-reliance to God—He knows the true condition of our hearts. To know God is to stay in His presence not only during times of private worship but throughout our waking hours.

There are prayers that God answers immediately, but most of the time, He requires us to “Be Still.” The waiting has a purpose—to build our faith. Do not attempt to rush God’s Divine Intervention by thinking of strategies for a quick resolution [that will always fail]. Wait in faith and trust God.

Something wonderful happens when we stop trusting in ourselves. We begin to totally rely on God for help in our adversities and dilemmas and our faith and trust in God increase. Despite the situation, we know that we know God never fails! We receive peace, courage, and strength from the Holy Spirit. No more worries!

Try God! In every aspect of your life including Him, faith will replace fears, anxieties, and worries. Your outlook will change and you will view life through spiritual eyes with confidence. God promises to give us spiritual joy, and peace and to provide us with a victorious outcome that demonstrates His glory and power! His promises are Yes, to which we proclaim in faith, Amen [It is so!].

Scripture: “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” —Deuteronomy 31:8

Prayer: Lord, we confess that we trusted in ourselves and have not included You in our daily lives. Yet, today, we lay our burdens, trials, and hardships at Your feet asking with the meager faith we have for Your Divine Intervention. We thank You with a heart of gratitude for never leaving us or forsaking us. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

Careless Words and Whispers Devotional Reading June 29, 2023

“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” —James 1:26, NIV

The ability to use words effectively in verbal sparring is lauded—highly praised as a priceless character trait. We love to demonstrate to others that we will not be taken advantage of and readily use our words to defend ourselves. We love to speak harmful words and we love to hear harmful words spoken about others. The entertainment industry has promoted gossip for decades. Nothing published attracts millions of views like “juicy gossip!” But the emotions of jealousy and hatred are the root causes of gossiping about others whether the information is true or false.

Careless words and gossiping whispers reveal the hidden sins of our hearts. “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” —Jeremiah 17:9

The journey of Sanctification is lifelong and we cannot be transformed without the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit. It takes the human effort of humility, confessing our unrighteous habits, and inviting the Holy Spirit into our lives for the spiritual transformation of our character that God requires.

Our God-given gift of a sound mind must take precedence over the emotional responses that we speak to hurt others or in retaliation because we are hurt. The truth is brutal so it must be spoken gift-wrapped in much love! Make prayer your first response! Praying for the power of the Holy Spirit to give us self-control and wisdom in times of conflict empowers us and builds our Christian character. Should we respond? Jesus used silence many times when He knew that His words would not change the hearts of those listening.

Gossiping is always damaging! It is a prevalent sinful habit among many Christians. When we engage in talking about others whether the information is the truth or lies, we possess an unrighteous spirit from Satan. Gossiping is destructive! It hurts others, destroys relationships, defiles our character, and separates us from God!

Take strong action against gossip! Be bold and let everyone know that you do not participate in gossiping by walking away [using silence effectively], if on the cell phone, text or verbalize, “I do not gossip.” Choose alternate programs to watch or listen to, and pray for Divine Intervention. Gossiping is one of the hardest habits to break.

We can never retract our spoken words nor can we soothe the hearts of the recipients of our harmful words. Replace careless words and whispers with prayer. And always pray before you respond! Remember to use silence as a weapon against the spiritual warfare of speaking harmful words.

Scripture: “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips [to keep me from speaking thoughtlessly].” Psalm 141:3, AMP

Prayer: Lord, we ask for forgiveness for the many times our spoken words were harmful. We admit that we need the Holy Spirit’s fruit of love and self-control to overcome our unrighteousness. We pray for the strength to be silent and to walk away from strife. In Jesus’ Worthy name, we pray. Amen.

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman. You Are Loved by God Ministries

Overcoming the Pressures of Life Devotional Reading June 26, 2023

When we feel our lives are out of control and can’t see a way out or we try to live up to unrealistic expectations, either from ourselves or others, it’s common to experience pressure—which is just another word for stress. Change, even if it will give us future rewards also causes pressure in our lives, especially if it is unplanned or mandated by an employer.

As time goes on and our situation remains unresolved, this pressure can build up and take a toll on our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Prolonged stress is not sustainable for the mind, and it can even start to affect our physical health, leaving us feeling exhausted and weighed down.

“Expectations in and of themselves are not bad. And we all have them – for ourselves and others. But there definitely can be a problem when too much emphasis is placed on the expectations others hold for us.” Better Help

There are many sources of internal and external pressure, but we will focus on three:

1. Family Dysfunction
2. Cultural Traditions
3. Personal Learning and Development

Family Dysfunction: Most psychologists agree the family dynamics in today’s homes are dysfunctional. With the increasing number of children and adults with mental health conditions, something is awry in the home. Family dysfunction causes one to mature without the internal coping mechanisms to handle the uncertainties of life. Living in an environment of external chaos results in family members who perceive life as overwhelming. Even the normal ups and downs of life which require minimal decision-making skills produce pressure.

Cultural traditions are one of the greatest sources of pressure. We seek external validation from others because of an innate sense of belonging. Everyone desires to be appreciated and accepted by their families, neighbors, and society. Societies with prevalent cultural traditions expect that members will naturally accept the beliefs and lifestyles passed from generation to generation. Acceptance is based on the condition that one honor and obeys the morals, values, and social norms of said culture. The conflict arises when the individual seeks to live outside of the parameters of tradition, leaving them feeling pressured by the battle within—tradition or Biblical Truth.

Personal Learning results from the decision to acquire a higher level of knowledge that produces positive change by improving the quality of one’s life. Academic and on-the-job learning usually creates pressure! Academia and company policies cause us to modify our knowledge base through acceptance of “proven” theoretical information and promote discarding our morals and values, and belief systems. Since the pursuit of a degree and the business culture are long-term, we must carefully consider the secular information we choose to embrace—not every discipline of study or company that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their policies coincides with the Bible. There is internal pressure when we are mandated to learn the knowledge required to obtain our degree and an employer’s worldly inclusion policies that oppose the Scriptures.

Because we have embraced the worldview that pressure is a normal occurrence in life, many Christians assume that God desires us to live and cope with unnecessary pressure.

Yesterday, I was listening to a motivational podcast by one of my favorite speakers on “Separation is God’s Protection.” As I reread my notes during morning worship today, the thought “something is wrong” resonated from within my soul. She gave various reasons for God separating us which were in alignment with the Scriptures. Yet, this statement “God is preparing you for the intense pressure of additional responsibilities when He fulfills your dreams” set off the “Not Biblical” alarm.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” —James 1:17

From the daily study of the Bible and praying for the anointing, discernment, and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, we will recognize the attributes of God’s Character. God’s blessings do not create or result in internal or external pressure within our lives. Still, I prayed asking for a revelation of the Truth. The Holy Spirit spoke to me through my thoughts and said, “No, God’s blessings do not include pressure.”

The countless times that God has intervened in our lives does not keep us from accepting erroneous beliefs, we easily forget the miracles and blessings of yesteryear. Definitive knowledge of the Bible and the power of the Holy Spirit who brings the Bible to our remembrance keeps us from the warfare of deception.

It is unimaginable that our Heavenly Father would give us the Spiritual Blessing of fulfilling our dreams and then cause us to be discouraged by the negativity of pressure. The God who reveals His love for us throughout the Bible is consistent and reiterates, “I change not!”

Although it feels as if “Trials and Tribulations” cause excessive stress and pressure in the Christian life, they are spiritual in nature and given to us to save our souls! There is nothing negative about character transformation.

“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.

Jesus promised us that we would have hard times in life. Yet, we are not crushed by our tribulations. The Apostles Peter and James refer to tribulations as fiery trials which are necessary to transform our carnal characters into Christ-like Characters. We can come to Jesus just like we are, but we cannot stay just like we are. To receive eternal life, we must travel the Path of Sanctification which is the daily spiritual growth that comes from faith, surrender, obedience, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

We were created as free, moral agents. God never pressures us to accept His will for our lives. Even so, if we desire to go all the way, our prayer must be, Lord, whatever it takes for me to be like You do what is necessary to save my soul and give me the strength to endure. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

What about studying the Bible? Doesn’t God requiring us to study the Scriptures create pressure in our lives?

Testimony: For most of my life, I lived under internal and external pressure. The external pressure was from working as a nurse when the work ethic of overworking nurses was the standard. But the internal pressure was the result of not having a foundation of biblical knowledge. I prayed twice a day, but, no one including my pastor or Christian friends emphasized that worship included the daily and diligent study of the Scriptures. The word of God provides stability in one’s life and gives us wisdom to avoid situations that produce unnecessary pressures.

In 2019, the internal pressure manifested itself physically, and I began to suffer from migraine headaches and insomnia. But our God loves us with a love that we will never understand. I attended a Wednesday night Prayer Meeting and the sermon was on studying the Bible. In 2020, God instructed me to take steps [Prayer, Fasting, and Bible Study] that would give me the courage to have faith in Him. In 2021, God restarted my life by relocating me 1400 miles from the state I lived in for seven years.

“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. —Psalm 34:17-19

God’s promises are true: “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” —Numbers 23:19

Overcoming the pressures of life requires experiential knowledge of our Omniscient, Omnipotent, Loving, Heavenly Father! We can always rely on God to give us victory over the vicissitudes of life!

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28. “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

The Bible is our Spiritual Guide—Holy Words breathed by the mouth of God! Remain faithful and obedient to God, and He will intervene to rid us of every pressure that prevents us from receiving the blessing of His peace. Yet, we have to take the giant leap of faith by presenting our pressures to Christ and then obeying His commands. Moving forward in obedience requires courage!

Do not expect family and friends to respect your decision to go all the way with God. And I am speaking from experience, keeping the seventh-day Sabbath caused me to lose 99% of my friends. After three decades, my family has finally accepted that my commitment to God is first and foremost. If we remain steadfast and persevere, God always gives us a victorious outcome!

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” —Matthew 11:29-30

Living a faithful life in obedience to God replaces the need to be validated by others. Yes, at times, we feel discouraged. Do not nurture those feelings! Begin praying out loud for the Holy Spirit to give you comfort and strength. Choose a praise song and begin singing to the top of your voice! Listen to praise and worship music, and study God’s promises. Remember we can whisper a prayer to Jesus any time of the day or night. Memorize Revelation chapters 21 and 22.

“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.” —Proverbs 4:18-19

The Righteous have the blessing of God’s Grace—unmerited favor on their lives. When nothing in your life is working out and you feel the pressure that threatens to make you break, Pray, Surrender, and Seek God’s Presence.

God desires that we live joyful, healthy, and productive lives. Every pressure will be alleviated when we worship God through surrender and obedience. With much prayer and diligent study, we will see our lives as blessed and highly favored. The Holy Spirit will reveal the necessary life changes required to remove all obstacles that prevent us from living a pressure-free, Hallelujah! life. Amen.

Prayer: Lord God, we ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and fill us with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. We pray for a spiritual makeover of our complex lives full of pressure from every angle. God, we thank You in advance for Your Divine Intervention. In Jesus’ Worthy name, we pray. Amen.

© 2023 Steps2successwithsolutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

Following Christ in Challenging Times Devotional Reading June 25, 2023

The Battle Within Can Be Won!

“…but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice, but what I hate, I do.” —Romans 7:14-15

The Apostle Paul tells us that we were born with a carnal heart desiring the things that bring pleasure to our sinful hearts. Sin always appeals to our five “classical” senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch! In verse 15, Paul stated that he does what he hates. A major contrast between modern Christianity and the Apostle Paul is that we enjoy the sins we engage in.

Spiritual warfare had its beginning in heaven. Pagan concepts and idol worship have always threatened to sway Christians who are striving to live holy. Technological advances have bombarded us with pagan themes and concepts through advertising, online games, and social media. Unless one is viewing a Church’s Live Stream, the recording contains many ads which distract you from remaining focused on the worship service.

Reflection: Have I embraced pagan concepts and incorporated them into my lifestyle?

We cannot fight the battle of good versus evil and overcome our natural cravings for sinful pleasure because we have adopted gateway habits. Listening to secular music and watching programs with profanity and sexual overtures result in the inability to control one’s physical passions. Worldly activities change our thought processes and eliminate our desire to live righteously.

Even online games can pose an issue—demonic images, fantasy themes, and violence influence our minds and propel our senses into driving us to think and do unimaginable things–that believers should never engage in.

Why are Christian gambling in casinos or dancing in clubs? Why are Christians on the Internet Chats and Online Dating Sites? Why are we mean-spirited and readily use profanity when angry? Why are we drinking alcoholic beverages or using the gateway drug—marijuana? Why are we hanging out with unbelieving family members and friends?

When our hearts are not fully dedicated to God, we embrace and practice worldliness. Yes, we seek the people, places, and activities things that give us pleasurable entertainment.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” —Ephesians 6:12

Satan uses two false concepts to make us doubt God. First, that his power is equal to or greater than God’s Omnipotence. Secondly, God created human beings as a race of weaklings who cannot resist his ongoing temptations of spiritual warfare. Yet, we have Divine Intervention on our side! We can pray for Spiritual help 24/7.

“The LORD saves the righteous and protects them in times of trouble. He helps them and rescues them; he saves them from the wicked, because they go to him for protection.” —Psalm 37:39-40

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” —2 Thessalonians 3:3

Read Job Chapter 1—God placed limitations on Satan that he could cause devastation in Job’s life, but he could not cause Job’s death. God reveals His Love and Omnipotence throughout the Bible, most notably, in parting the Red Sea to save the Nation of Israel and Jesus demonstrating His Divinity [while on this earth] by raising Lazarus four days post-mortem.

God’s Gifts to Humanity: “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

God’s Promise to Help Us Against Satan: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” —1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

God’s Grace: “Grace means favor to one who is undeserving, to one who is lost.” We are saved from sin by the Grace of Jesus Christ. Trusting in Christ as our personal Savior, we may be “more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). Every prayer of repentance is received by Jesus, our Heavenly Intercessor who readily forgives us without limitations. Still, our part is to exhibit gratitude for Jesus’ death on Calvary’s cross by putting forth the effort to shun sin.

Victory Over Temptation and Sin Requires Human Effort and Divine Intervention: The Apostle Paul proclaims, “Put on The Whole Armor of God!”

Human Effort: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” —Ephesians 6:10-11, 13

Perspectives that keep us bound by Sin

1. We do not understand Grace and Mercy, Holiness, Righteousness, or Sanctification.
2. We do not understand the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.
3. We view ourselves as helpless and do not exercise our God-given gifts of the power to say No or we fail to utilize self-control.
4. We love our habits, family, and friends more than we love Jesus!
5. We do not desire the reward of Eternal Life.

Because we exclude the Holy Spirit from our lives and attempt to define God’s precepts and standards with our perception of righteousness, we do not see our sinful condition as God does. ” ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8).

The Primary Obstacle Preventing Our Spiritual Transformation and Loyalty to God—” ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.’ ” —Mark 12:30

We cannot surrender our will to God if we do not love Him with all of our hearts, souls, and minds. Covered by the Umbrella of Surrender to God are the human characteristics of steadfast faith, trust, obedience, much prayer, and diligent study of the Scriptures.

God’s Call to Righteousness: “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 Answer to Keeping Him First: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” —1 John 2:15-17

Although the innate desire to sin produces a continuous internal battle, through unceasing prayer to overcome temptation and a deliberate change of worldly habits, and changing the status of our relationships with unbelieving family and friends, God will not fail us!

Family and friends can be a challenge when your relationships are close and socialize with each other frequently. Pray for strength!

There is a strategy that always works when separating yourself and severing close ties with unbelieving family members and friends, inviting them to church and Bible study. Either they will separate themselves from you or they have recognized a change in your behavior and will accept your invitation.

From our prayers for Divine Help, the Holy Spirit responds immediately and gives us the spiritual strength to say, “No” to our feelings” or “No thank you” to the people whom Satan is using to trap us. An interesting concept is that unbelievers are unaware that Satan is using them to tempt you to sin. Do not become upset or annoyed when your family and friends know that you are a Christian, but they ask you to go to worldly social activities.

To be tempted is not a sin! Even Jesus was tempted. Our response to the temptations reveals whether or not we will sin. Jesus died for us to have another option to the wages of sin. It takes courage along with the desire to live holy and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to live as an Overcomer.

Throughout the ages, we have men and women who have walked closely with God. Even the Scriptures reveal biblical characters who remained faithful and never sinned against God: Joseph, Enoch, Elijah, and Job lived sinless lives.

If they lived holy by exercising courage and making the decision to renounce sin along with continuous prayers for Divine strength then we can live holy in these challenging times. Use your God-given gift of a sound mind to make the decisions necessary to receive Eternal Life.

God is aware of the plight of humanity! His love and compassion are evident in the Holy Scriptures of the Bible and most importantly, He demonstrated His Perfect Love by giving Jesus to die for us. Embrace and express thankfulness for God’s never-ending grace and mercy every day.

When Elijah ran from a death threat, thinking he was the only one left serving God, our loving Father reminded him that He had many faithful worshipers. “So he said, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.” God’s Reply: “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him’ ” (1 Kings 19:10, 14, and 18).

For Elijah’s faithfulness, He was translated—God sent a heavenly chariot for His weary prophet that took Elijah to heaven without seeing death! [2 Kings Chapter 2].

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” —1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Brothers and Sisters, we need to view our lives from a spiritual perspective. If we die in Christ, we will be raised first! Many will be alive when Jesus comes again! But only those who have renounced sin in their earthly lives will be translated and receive eternal life.

Following Christ in these perilous times (2 Timothy 3) requires that we give up every sinful habit and distraction. We must continue to love everyone, yet, any person who prevents us from receiving our golden crowns, linen robes, and immortality in a perfect world has to be distanced.

God is calling us to be holy. Will you answer His call?

Scripture: “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” —1 Corinthians 6:20

Prayer: Lord God, we come as we are before You asking for forgiveness of our hidden sins and overt habits. We desire to follow Jesus in these challenging times. Lord, we need the strength, wisdom, and discernment from the Holy Spirit to renounce sin. Hear our prayer, Lord, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and we will give You the honor and the glory that You rightfully deserve. In Jesus’ Matchless name, we pray. Amen.

© 2023 Steps2successwithsolutions.com and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries