“The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” —Proverbs 12:26
Becoming a product of our environment is a psychological theory that is not true when we are loyal to God.
The gospel singer Kurt Carr was raised in a family who never did acknowledge that God existed. Although he lived in a worldly environment, God revealed that He had a plan for his young life. In his testimony, at the age of 13, the church on the same block that he walked past twice a day for his round trip to school, God told him to attend and sing in the choir, and from his obedience He would bless his life.
Despite the influence of the music/entertainment industry, throughout the years of his music ministry, Kurt Carr has stayed true to his calling by writing and producing gospel music that glorifies God.
Can you imagine being the only Christian in your home? God’s power defies all evil strategies to keep us from having a fruitful relationship with Jesus. Still, we must do our part by obeying God and letting go of the people, places, and things that separate us from God.
One of the greatest challenges we face in life is being influenced by people—family, close friends, social influencers, and financial consultants with various agendas. Satan always uses people to test our loyalty to God. We easily succumb to deceptive tactics when familiar persons are involved. Yet, I recently listened to a story of success by someone famous posted who convinced us that we should pursue our dreams at any cost on social media.
Most of the time someone else is involved who influences us to make decisions that do not align with God’s plans for our lives. Where do we stand? Who is influencing our minds? Our loyalty to God is tested every day.
“Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” —1 Corinthians 15:33
Maybe our first reaction to this Scripture [warning us to stay away from unbelievers] would be, “I wouldn’t consider my family, friends, or that entertainer to be evil,” but we cannot see them as God does. The people who do not have eternal life as their goal, God says they are bad company. Plans and pursuits that do not glorify God are dangerous to our spiritual status.
“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?…” —1 Corinthians 6:9
Either we influence others for good or we are influenced by evil. Truthfully, we cannot influence those who have not given their hearts to Christ. Our spiritual journey is tough enough without allowing those who have no desire to dedicate themselves to God to convince us.
“It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8).
With an intentional mindset to follow Christ all the way, do not allow the bonds of close relationships to form with unbelievers [whom Satan will use to influence us] to result in spiritual conflict. Staying true to God requires us to avoid the influencers whose advice can result in disobedience and missing out on our blessings.
Prayer: God, we pray for the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit to give us discernment and wisdom to avoid following the influencers of this world. We ask You to reveal Your will for our lives. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.
Spiritual Checkpoint: Day 125 of 2023 and Strategies for Change
Time is passing quickly, we are already into the fifth month of 2023. Many of us made promises on day one of this year to change so we are functioning at our highest level of productivity. We identified goals but failed to develop realistic strategies to complete them. Desperately striving to have a work-life balance, we find on day 125 that we are still in the struggle with tasks and commitment overload.
What is your reference point? Is sensory and task overload your norm? Do you have a hectic schedule that keeps you from completing most of your to-do list? Most importantly, are you still promising yourself every night that tomorrow you will spend more time with God? Yet when tomorrow comes, you rush through personal worship, saying a quick prayer and reading only one Bible verse?
Life is so jam-packed with must-do tasks and the unexpected that we may feel helpless or victims of the rapid pace of life over which we have no control. Yet there is something we can do. Be intentional and set a time block of at least two hours to write down your daily and weekly responsibilities in a journal. Even though it has probably been a while or maybe never since you have used a pen and paper for organizing your responsibilities, it’s worth a try.
TCK Publishing has compiled a list of the top benefits of handwritten documentation.
8 Benefits of Writing Things Down Improve Your Understanding. … Strengthen Your Memory. … Process Emotions. … Reduce Stress. … Improve Your Focus. … Clarify Your Goals and Priorities. … Create a Physical Copy of Your Thought Process. … Record Your Journey. TCK Publishing
Another company expounds on the benefits of writing things down from the viewpoint of achieving success [especially if you purchase their products].
Writing Things Down Makes You More Focused In our society, we’re constantly bombarded with information that prompts more thoughts in your head. Counteract the information overload by writing things down! When you write things down, you’re forced to focus on one idea at a time. And when you’re able to dedicate the time each thought requires, you’re able to really flesh it out and get every thought related to it out of your system and your head. Your brain is meant for creating ideas, not storing them!
Writing Things Down Helps Clarify One huge benefit to writing things down is the ability to clarify. Clarity is what helps people become successful because they’re able to clarify their goals, priorities, and intentions. It’s one thing to have goals, hopes, and dreams, but it’s another to have them written down. If they’re written down, then they’re real and require your attention if you want to make them true. Plus, once they’re written down, you can expand on them and make them more specific so they can become a reality. https://thepaperandplanco.com/blogs/news/the-science-behind-why-writing-things-down-makes-you-more-successful
By journaling, I have made many personal achievements. It has allowed me to prioritize my life by identifying distractions and activities that use up valuable time but accomplish very little. Yet the most important change is that I am finally able to worship God by studying the Bible and spending more time praying throughout the day.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” —Matthew 6:33, ESV
Our most important goal in life is to remain close to God and strengthen our relationship with Christ. We should pray and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance to recognize any individuals or activities that are hindering our peace of mind and consuming our time. By prioritizing God in our lifestyles, we can lead happy, healthy, and content lives that align with God’s Divine purpose.
Prayer: God, we admit that we need Your Divine help in eliminating the distractions which prevent us from spending time with You. We invite You into our daily routines and ask for wisdom and guidance to live healthier, productive lives. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.
Prayer: God, we pray for the blessings of spiritual strength, peace, and joy for everyone, especially those who are experiencing hardships. Help us to give encouragement to others by letting them know that You love and care for us regardless of our circumstances. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
There are specific careers that impact your morals, values, and lifestyle. Can you imagine an Accountant who possessed poor money management skills and had to file for bankruptcy? Or a Doctor who prescribed multiple medications known as polypharmacy instead of advising their patients to modify their lifestyles to include healthy eating and exercise?
“For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled and bewildered by them]. I do not practice what I want to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate [and yielding to my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity].” —Romans 7:15, Amplified Bible
Because of the innate battle of good versus evil, humanity struggles with the ability to possess right-thinking. Even those with strategic skills and medical experts who use their rational intellect in professional settings can have messed up personal lives because they cannot control their emotions and desires.
From Adam and Eve to the disciple Peter, and the apostle Paul, we read biblical accounts of humanity’s inner conflict because of the heart’s desire to please self. We are not left helpless in our struggle against sin. For those who desire to live righteously, God is only a prayer away.
“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).
We have the assurance that God will always keep His Word. Yet, Divine Intervention requires human effort first. “Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind'” (Matthew 22:37).
Every decision that we make reveals whether or not we love God above ourselves. By putting God first, we not only demonstrate a heart filled with love and the willingness to please Him but our hearts also reflect the spiritual requisites of humility and obedience.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you…” (1 Peter 5:6). Do we struggle with humility and obedience? Yes, all of us struggle with resisting the carnal desire to do what is pleasing to ourselves.
“Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.” (2 Kings 5:1)
Although Naaman had great status, he suffered from the incurable disease of leprosy. When Elisha the prophet heard of his dilemma, he sent a messenger telling him to come to his house.
“Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean'” (2 Kings 5:10).
Naaman’s Prideful Reaction
“But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, ‘Indeed, I said to myself, He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy. Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?’ So he turned and went away in a rage.” (2 Kings 5:11-12).
Naaman was healed of his leprosy but had to be persuaded with pacifying words by his servants before he would obey God’s command to wash in the Jordan River. Are we 21st-century Naamans, feeling disgruntled because God expects obedience? The difference between us and Naaman is that we have no one to convince us that we should obey God.
Many believers lose out on God’s perfect plans and blessings. Their hearts are not filled with unconditional love for God. Yet there is no middle ground. Our love is demonstrated by reverencing and honoring His supremacy through faithful obedience.
Three characteristics reveal our willingness to please God: We are Faithful, Available, and Teachable.
Faithful: Faith is believing and knowing without a doubt that we serve a dependable, unchanging God. Whenever we face temptations, the Red Sea experiences, and challenges in daily life, we pray, and confidently wait for God’s deliverance. Unwavering faith says, “I know that God will bring victory!”
Available: Here, I am, send me, is the response from the committed heart to be available to do God’s will. Even though we work full-time jobs, when it is time for us to go and witness, feed the homeless, or volunteer as a phone prayer warrior, we do it. God does not ask us to do the impossible, the Holy Spirit always gives us the mental strength and physical stamina to complete God’s work.
Teachable: Are we willing to learn? “Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning” (Proverbs 9:9). Spiritually, we are on a forever learning curve. When studying the Scriptures, we pray and rely on the Holy Spirit for the spiritual discernment of God’s Truth.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” –James 1:5
Wisdom is a gift from God needed for us to live righteously. And like King Solomon, we have to pray for wisdom. As we seek knowledge from the Bible, the Teacher [Holy Spirit] not only gives us discernment, but He teaches us to apply God’s Word to our practical lives.
The Holy Spirit instructs us on how to change our unrighteous behaviors and habits. We learn how to love and respond appropriately to our enemies and utilize the principles of stewardship to manage the financial resources given by God.
The Holy Spirit speaks to our conscience by guiding our decisions, and the choices we make enable us to stay in perfect alignment with God’s will. Continuous learning is required in our journey of Sanctification. Never give Satan the advantage over your life because you possess a spirit of pride and the unwillingness to learn.
God expects us to strive to live righteously as evidenced by our faithfulness, availability [putting God first], and desire to learn [being teachable]. Our works are evidence of the love, faith, obedience, and willingness to meet God’s righteous standards which are unreachable without Divine help.
Those who have godly wisdom know that they cannot stay on the Path of Righteousness without Divine Intervention. Every day, we need Help! Without the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to live righteously and experience the spiritual transformation necessary to receive eternal life.
Scripture Reading: “Now the Lord had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you, And in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'” –Genesis 12:1-3. Abraham was a patriarch who was faithful, available, and teachable.
Prayer: Lord, we pray for those who are faithful, available to do your work, and seeking spiritual knowledge through the Scriptures. We ask that You will send the Holy Spirit to strengthen them in their times of weakness. And we pray for those who struggle with the inner conflict of right and wrong that they will surrender to Your will. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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