Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – August 9, 2024
“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” —1 John 4:16, ESV
“True holiness is wholeness in the service of God. This is the condition of true Christian living. Christ asks for an unreserved consecration, for undivided service. He demands the heart, the mind, the soul, the strength. Self is not to be cherished. He who lives for himself is not a Christian.”
“Love must be the principle of action. Love is the underlying principle of God’s government in heaven and earth, and it must be the foundation of the Christian’s character. This alone can make and keep us steadfast. This alone can enable him to withstand trial and temptation.”
“And love will be revealed in sacrifice. The plan of redemption was laid in sacrifice—a sacrifice so broad and deep and high that it is immeasurable. Christ gave all for us, and those who receive Christ will be ready to sacrifice all for the sake of their Redeemer. The thought of His honor and glory will come before anything else.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 48, 49.
“Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life ” (Revelation 2:10). With courage, we serve God with conviction. Directing our daily thoughts to reflect on the Majesty and the Glory of Jesus’ Holy Name allows the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us with Spiritual Strength. If we are faithful, one day, we will receive the reward of eternal life.
Lord God, we pray for our hearts to be filled with Your love. Give us the strength to sacrifice our all for You as You did for us. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – August 3, 2024
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” — Romans 8:28, NIV
Through Jesus Christ, we always have hope. Whatever you are worrying about or stressing over, remember Jesus already knows your circumstances. Use your Mustard Seed faith, pray, and thank him in Advance for His Divine Intervention in resolving whatever you feel is out of control. We were intentionally created with limitations which leads us to depend on God.
It takes courage to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Never forget that humanity was created in the image of God and Christ breathed His Ruah breath into Adam and Eve’s bodies to make them into living beings. God is Love. God loves us. And God promised to provide for us. He asks you and I to place our faith in his Sovereign Love and Power.
We would never drive our car down the middle of the road, yet we waver between faith and faithlessness with God. Like Job in his hardships, we often forget who God is. Study Job chapters 38-42 when you cannot remember God’s Omnipotence. Our Heavenly Father reminds us that He knows the end from the beginning, including every aspect of our lives.
Peace is knowing that we are loved and God’s promises are Yes to which we proclaim, Amen [It is so!] Place your life in his hands. Trust God. He is faithful, and forgiving, always desiring that we exercise the faith to totally depend on Him.
Lord God, we are stumbling with our steps to walk on the Path of Faith and desperately need Your help. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer in Jesus’ Holy and Righteous Name. Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – July 25, 2024
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” —John 13:35
God is Love. From receiving God’s gift of the loving mercies of a new day, will we witness Christ’s lovingkindness? Will we radiate love, the true sign of heart conversion? Love produces love. We love Jesus and His perfect love reveals itself through His Righteous characteristics. We see others through spiritual eyes, empowering us to shower Agape love even to our enemies.
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” —1 Peter 4:8
A converted heart is a loving heart. We love others because Christ loves us. Our gratitude for the Plan of Redemption is the catalyst for loving God, others, and ourselves. Because we love, adore, and revere Christ, as His faithful disciples, we display His love in our behaviors, spoken words, and daily interaction with others. Yes, we are redeemed by His precious blood. Hearts overflowing with joy and peace are evident through our smiles, spoken words, and acts of kindness.
“And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.” —2 John 1:5-6
“John speaks of a true love of believers for one another because of the truth we all share. Sharing in this truth engenders love for one another, especially the ‘sincere love’ made possible by obedience to the truth.”
My mother has lived in a small town in Texas for almost 50 years where a Christian university is located. In the 1980s, she cooked dinner for my brother’s university friends for 10 years. In 2010, following a church service [in Orlando, Florida], a man approached me [who I recognized from his college days] and recalled the unselfishness of my dear mother. He relayed that “Mom Johnson’s” love and kindness through the gift of much-needed delicious food impacted his life to always give to others.
Love God, Love Others, Love Yourself: Jesus died for all! With this thought constantly in the forefront, our love overflows with Jesus’ Living Waters. Each day, we plant a seed of Agape love by saying, Good Morning, Have a blessed day, Jesus loves you, or It’s a beautiful day. Every believer has the spiritual assignment as Christ’s representative to demonstrate to a world almost devoid of love that true love does exist.
Yesterday in the supermarket, a young mother with three boys, one a baby in her arms, wore the facial appearance of fatigue. I began the conversation by asking how many weeks old the baby was, she smiled, and we chatted for five minutes. When I approached the checkout, the oldest son said, Hi followed by his middle brother who also greeted me with a smile, and a shy, Hi. I asked their names and ages. This morning, I prayed for God to give her strength in the daily routine of raising her sons.
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” —1 Corinthians 13:4-7
True Religion is not only having a steadfast and loving relationship with Jesus Christ, we represent Christ’s Righteous Character. Heart conversion is living a life of servitude and providing encouragement as our Savior did throughout His earthly life. Our minds, characters, and personalities should reveal that we serve a living Savior who loves all. Yes, they will know that we are Christians [who abide in Christ] by our love.
Prayer: Lord God, we ask you to fill our hearts with the desire to love as You love. Open our eyes so we may always discern the opportunities to reveal that Your Holy Name is Love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ – Today’s Devotional – July 23, 2024
“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” —Colossians 2:8
Many years ago, I became severely troubled regarding some of my religious beliefs. The life of Christ demonstrated a loving and compassionate Savior who alleviated the mental, emotional, and physical suffering of everyone who had the faith to believe. Not only was He faithfully dedicated to seeking and saving the lost, but Jesus humbled Himself in obedience to die for us on Calvary’s Cross.
I could not grasp how God, the Father who lovingly gave His only Son would allow the righteous to live a perfect life in the New Heaven and New Earth while at the same time, the wicked suffered in an eternal hell.
“You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar.” —Psalm 139:2
I am so thankful that God knows what is hidden deep in our hearts. The Holy Spirit came to my rescue, and I listened to a sermon entitled “No Eternally Burning Hell.” Many Scriptures were given yet the primary focus was on Malachi chapter 4 and Revelation chapter 20.
The Great Day of God: “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.” —Malachi 4:1
In Revelation chapter 20, Verses 1-3: Satan is Bound for 1,000 years; Verses 4-6: The Saints Reign with Christ 1,000 years; and Verses 7-10: The Satanic Rebellion Crushed.
“Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” —Revelation 20:7-10
“Why did John emphasize the idea of eternal if he didn’t mean it to be taken literally? “…the word ‘eternal’ means that the judgment will be thorough rather than lasting forever.” Some things burn up quickly, but with the day and night description, it doesn’t appear the devil will have an instant death. Yet, he knows his demise and still wreaks havoc on the people of God attempting to take us with him. But, no, no, no, we refuse to travel on his path of destruction!
The book of Jude, verse 7, “as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” In Genesis 19, verse 28, “and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.”
We know that Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding plains were burned and nothing was left. The Bible explains itself. God has predetermined what we need to know to live righteously. Jesus also clarifies in Revelation chapter 21, there will be no eternally burning hell-fire.
“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” —Revelation 21:8
“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 things that I said to you.” —John 14:26
There are many theological debates among Bible scholars regarding the original language in which the Bible was written and its accurate interpretation. Yet, we must remember the Bible never requires updates. Any new human developed theologies should be excluded from our spiritual belief system. We have all the spiritual knowledge we need in the Bible for our calling and election to be steadfast through Christ.
Perilous times are separating many from God. Every day, we have daily distractions, voices, worldviews, temptations, and an internal battle against our carnal heart, but with unwavering faith, if we take God at His word, rely on the Holy Spirit to give us clarity and dispel any confusion regarding the Scriptures, we will receive the strength to fight the good fight of faith.
Reflection: What are your doctrinal beliefs? Can you validate your present beliefs using the Scriptures?
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” —2 Timothy 2:15
Many of us have not searched the Scriptures to check the credibility of our beliefs. Yes, the Bible contains symbolism, parables, similes, metaphors, analogies, juxtapositions, etc., but the Scriptures [if] studied under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, allows us to receive perfect spiritual wisdom and discernment of God’s Truth.
When the Holy Spirit is involved in studying the Bible, He imparts wisdom and discernment even to young children. Studies have proven that children who study the Scriptures have wisdom beyond their age and excel in their studies. It is their genuine faith and trust that acts as a catalyst to receive imparted knowledge and wisdom from the Holy Spirit that would confound a professor who holds a Ph.D.
” ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and [inaccessible] mighty things, which you do not know.’ ” —Jeremiah 33:3
We are forever Bible students. Believers never reach a summit of Scriptural knowledge. Before we open our Bible, with humility, we ask for and rely on the Divine Wisdom of the Holy Spirit to discern the Scriptures. If you have never asked the Holy Spirit to reveal any false doctrines that are in your belief systems then you should because they are stumbling blocks to knowing and practicing God’s Truth in your daily life.
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding…” —Proverbs 2:6
We cannot receive spiritual growth and transformation based on erroneous beliefs and doctrines. Pray for understanding! Once we know the Truth, then we must take another step, letting go of traditional or learned beliefs that are not in agreement with the Scriptures.
Be prepared, Truth always results in separation from others! No, they will not understand. Yet, our salvation and reward of eternal life require total acceptance of Biblical Truth and dependency on God. Every day pray and invite the Holy Spirit into your personal worship, you will receive deeper and deeper spiritual insight into the word of God that will produce spiritual growth and transformation.
As long as we remain a student of the Holy Spirit, we will know why we believe what we believe. Every day, we receive a greater measure of spiritual wisdom because we have faithfully called on the Lord and He has kept His promise by revealing to us great and mighty things. Amen.
Prayer: Lord, we ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to anoint us with the power, presence, and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Reveal your precious Words of Truth and empower us to discard all other fallacies. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – July 2, 2024
“Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.” —Matthew 15:29-31, NIV
“Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.’ ” —Matthew 15:32
From studying the Life of Christ in the Four Gospels, we notice Christ’s distinct characteristic of loving compassion: “Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed’ ” (Mark 1:40-41).
“During His ministry, Jesus devoted more time to healing the sick than to preaching.”
Poverty – Our World in Data: In 2022, an estimated 3.71 billion people, or 46% of the global population, live in poverty below $6.85 per day…Poverty can have serious consequences for children’s health, education, and well-being. It can also have intergenerational impacts, as children who grow up in poverty are more likely to experience poverty as adults. worldbank.org
In 2024, globally, we also face a mental health crisis. Hopelessness and despair have escalated to pandemic levels and sadly the typical response to feeling hopeless is to take one’s own life. In 2022, over 50,000 individuals committed suicide in the United States, and globally death by suicide continues to rise. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:16).
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done” (Proverbs 19:17). God expects us to do our honest part financially by sharing our resources. Even so, money is not love, nor can tangible items validate our self-worth. We were created to love, care, and bond with others. Every person needs love expressed in kind words and deeds.
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” —1 Corinthians 13:1
As disciples, our spiritual assignment is to alleviate the suffering of others and by doing this we demonstrate the matchless love of Jesus. Every day, we can spread love and hope by not ignoring those who question their purpose in life. What this world needs now is Agape love! Not every well-dressed individual enjoys peace of mind and not every impoverished person is in anguish, yet, both need Jesus’ love.
One of my neighbors with a special needs child stopped briefly to chat. She shared the rigorous schedule she and her husband have in caring for their daughter. Both of them work full-time; he works the overnight shift, and she works during the day. They take turns caring for their daughter, leaving minimal time for sleep. I responded by telling her that she is a strong mother. She replied, “I don’t feel strong.” As I looked at the weariness on her face, her eyes reflected the sadness of her soul. My response was, “You know where I live. If you ever need help, let me know, and I will do my best to assist you.” With a smile, she said, “Oh, thank you very much.”
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” —1 John 4:11
Christ is our living example of loving God and loving others. Yes, the escalating number of dysfunctional home environments, the unemployed, the unsheltered, and the malnourished will exist until Jesus comes. Like an uncontrollable bushfire, worldwide famine continues to ravage the lives of innocent babies and children. Only what we do for Christ will count toward our reward in Revelation 22:12. One of the characteristics of a converted heart is to possess unconditional love demonstrated by active service to others.
Jesus used His time to heal the multitudes which provided them with the opportunity to live productive earthly lives spiritually and physically. Giving not only includes financial donations but also our time—for most, the indulgences of life consume their free time. We can set aside 3-4 hours per week to volunteer in outreach programs, community services, and nonprofit organizations that strive to alleviate never-ending social issues or begin our own community ministry.
Who will tell and show them Jesus is Love? As followers of Christ, our hearts must overflow with His love and compassion. It is every Christian believer’s responsibility to love and acknowledge others through service and financial donations. Speak the powerful words, Jesus loves you, and the Holy Spirit will water the seed of our spoken words and minister to the brokenhearted, giving them hope.
“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me’ ” (Matthew 25:40).
Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – April 18, 2024
“For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation…” —1 Corinthians 1:5-6
Why We Suffer in Our Earthly Lives: During a pastoral panel discussion, the questions of why God allows bad things to happen to dedicated believers and why He doesn’t intervene to protect the earth’s natural resources were addressed. Answer: God does not interrupt the natural courses and effects of sin. The original sin of disobedience created a continuous negative domino effect on humanity and the earth which will not cease until Jesus comes.
Understanding God’s Purpose for Trials and Enduring Hardships
“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 forewarned us the righteous will suffer many trials and tribulations in their walk with Him. God knows every hardship we will experience in our earthly lives including the heartbreak of emotional loss. The fulfillment of our dreams can be cut short by a breakup, divorce, or the passing of a loved one. Emotional loss is life-altering because we love the individuals who are no longer a part of our daily lives which leaves a void in our hearts.
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” —James 1:12
Although we cannot process the loss of a loved one as a privilege to share in Christ’s sufferings, no hardships arise in our lives without Christ’s approval. Emotional loss is a byproduct of the original sin. Only suffering produces the spiritual growth and transformation required to inherit our reward of eternal life.
Because we inherited corrupt hearts [it is easier to do wrong than right] God allows severe trials in which no amount of human effort will bring resolution. Why? To save our souls! And to draw us into a heart-to-heart relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. God has a goal—To give us Eternal life.
Our spiritual journey is unique according to the growth required to change us into the likeness [character] of Christ. Every day we receive tests of faith that require a decision, will we use our faith to depend on His Divine Help? Active faith strengthens our relationship with Christ and fosters a spiritually dependent mindset that prevents our grief from overpowering us.
To be of good cheer is often misunderstood, we do not express joy and happiness over our devastating loss. To be of good cheer is to remain hopeful despite our circumstances because we use our faith to rely on Christ’s never-failing love and power.
Overcoming the Emotional Loss of Relationships
“…I will never leave you or abandon you.” —Hebrews 13:5, CEB
Emotional loss [usually] cannot be recovered, those who are impacted face disorienting grief and sorrow. Grief is a natural emotional response to the loss of someone close and cannot be measured. Believers often are challenged in the area of emotional loss. Because we pray daily for God’s Divine Intervention we expect that we will be spared from the devastating loss of a loving marriage due to the death of a spouse, divorce, or separation, or experience abandonment. Yet, we are not spared—the marriage ends, the engagement is called off, or the best friend walks out of our lives. Will we turn to Christ and allow Him to heal our grieving hearts?
Christ Comfort to Parents—The Death of Children
“He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces…” —Isaiah 25:8
The greatest blow from the sting of death is when a child passes away. Losing a baby, child, or children permanently changes the trajectory of their parent’s existence. A parent’s love for their children, living or deceased, is steadfast and protective. No spoken human words can comfort the sorrow of losing a child. Only God’s promises in the Scriptures will provide peace and calm the raging storm of grief.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:8). Continuous prayers of faith asking for Jesus’ strength to move forward [in little steps] must be spoken often during immense grief. Only Divine love and power can give parents the strength to press on despite their shattered hearts.
Life can be so unpredictable—joys and sorrows, beautiful blessings and distressing difficulties can come unexpectedly. Our life’s dreams and plans can change in an instant. We all know this to be true. So how can we find peace amid such turbulence? Lloyd Newell
The song, It is Well with My Soul was written by Horatio Spafford following the loss of his son from scarlet fever and the loss of his four daughters from the collision of the ship they were on with their mother. “Upon arriving in England, his wife sent a telegram to her husband that read: ‘Saved alone. What shall I do?’ “
“Let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me” —Isaiah 27:5
Emotional loss is the most devastating loss we experience. We face two challenges, 1. We desire for the loved one to be with us again., 2. Grief is a powerful and uncontrollable emotional response—grief penetrates the mind, heart, body, and soul. The very core of our existence is shaken. The human response to the loss of a loved one is not predictable. Many have lost their will to live from losing their spouse, soul-mate, children, or parents, and best friends.
“I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” —Psalm 121:1-2
Christ is our only hope when overwhelming sorrow fills our lives. He is the Giver of Peace and the Holy One who prevents our grief from escalating into a hopeless state of despair. We acknowledge that our hearts are broken, we do not have the strength to move forward, and we continuously pray for Christ’s Divine Help.
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” —Revelation 21:4
We rely on our faith in God to accept His will even when the death of a loved one occurs. For those who died in Christ, they will be raised first when He comes again. For strength, we meditate on the Scriptural promises of God is with us. Yes, believers also experience the deepest sorrow from death, divorce, and breakups, yet, we embrace our loving Savior’s invitation, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
From the depths of our grieved and weakened hearts, we pray, Jesus, I need Your help and Christ begins our journey of healing and restoration. Amen.
“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.” —John 21:25
Enduring the loss of loved ones is a spiritual struggle. Christ suffered from a broken heart. He humbled Himself to live an earthly life that was so grievous, that He called himself, A Man of Sorrows. Only Jesus has the power to discern the magnitude of grief and soothe the mother’s heart who lost her only child and bring peace to the widow or widower who lost their lifetime forever love.
Truly, Christ loves us. Our love for Christ joins our hearts to His heart. Remain faithful through much prayer. Search the Scriptures every day to learn the loving characters and promises of God, the Father, and God, the Son. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter who gives us the supernatural strength to keep pressing forward in Jesus’ Name.
Overcoming the Natural Responses to Emotional Loss
“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
Our response to emotional loss reveals the true status of our relationship with Christ. If we ask, How could God allow this to happen? then we blame God for the failure to intervene which nurtures unbelief. The escalation of anger or depression easily overpowers faith. Do not believe the psychological theories that lingering anger, unforgiveness, and depression are normal responses to emotional loss. Immediately, seek Christ through fervent prayer. Sustained anger, unforgiveness, and sinking into the darkness of depression indicate our rejection of Christ’s love and prevents us from receiving spiritual, mental, and emotional healing.
Restoring Our Will to Breathe and Move Forward
“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds…” (Jeremiah 30:17). Although we focus on the physical healing of Jesus’ earthly ministry, His divine priority was spiritual healing and restoration. Emotional loss requires spiritual healing that is only available through Christ. We pray, Christ, our Heavenly Intercessor responds, and the Holy Spirit anoints us with supernatural power and peace.
God is love! He never allows even the severest trial to crush us which would serve no purpose in our journey of spiritual transformation. Christ promises healing when we faithfully trust Him. Although it seems impossible, I am a living witness that our grief dissipates, and the emptiness in our hearts is filled with Christ’s love and peace.
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in him I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” —Psalm 18:2
During our journey of healing and restoration, day by day, the Holy Spirit imparts Christ’s strength to carry us through. Yes, you will experience days that leave you breathless. And on those days, call His Name out loud, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
The spiritual comfort we receive from placing our lives in Christ’s hands is life-changing! He fills our empty void with His love, joy, and peace. If we pray without ceasing and faithfully depend on Jesus, we will receive complete healing and restoration. Each day, Christ patiently guides us through our journey imparting His healing, abundant love and peace into our hearts.
” ‘…Do you want to be made well?’ ” —John 5:6
Spiritual Healing is Supernatural and Divine! Grief and sorrow cannot stay in our hearts when we place our faith and trust in Christ. One day we awaken and we know that we are healed because our hearts are free from pain and sorrow! And our tears express our gratitude for His love, long suffering, and the time we were given with our loved ones.
Jesus’ Divine healing power abolishes the residual of emotional loss and we are made whole. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” —Isaiah 53:5
Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – March 3, 2024
“And He said to me, ‘It is done!’ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life free to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.” —Revelation 21:6-7
If you were to send a letter to Jesus, how would you salute Him? Jesus, My Lord, Savior, and King would certainly give Him the utmost honor and reverence He deserves. For some, they would make their salutation more personal, “Jesus, My First Love, My Shepherd, and My Best Friend” which would express the love they feel in their hearts for Christ. Yet, for us to prepare for a lifetime with Christ, in our earthly lives, we must perceive Jesus as the Triumphant King.
Our daily prayers are the love letters we send to Jesus, our Triumphant King, High Priest, and Heavenly Intercessor. As we reflect on the content of our prayers, what is their primary focus? Do we express our love by thanking Jesus for His grace and the mercies of a new day? Do we renew our covenant vow to faithfully surrender ourselves, and speak words of adoration, gratitude, praise, and honor, or do we skip the consecration and directly ask for [material] blessings?
“If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Jesus provides the qualifier [true love for Him produces obedience] that proves whether or not we love Him. We can gain intellectual knowledge of Christ’s character and earthly life by studying the Four Gospels but still not have an intimate heart-to-heart relationship with Him. The believers who accept Christ and do the works, but disobey God’s Righteous Principles and Commandments, Christ says they do not love Him.
To the Ephesus Church: “…and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” —Revelation 2:4
Jesus instructed the apostle John to write letters to the seven churches regarding their spiritual status. The church of Ephesus was identified as the one that lost its First Love—Christ. Although the members performed the required works [attending church, giving tithes and offerings, feeding the hungry, giving aid to the poor, and witnessing], Jesus was not the King of their hearts.
“We love him, because he first loved us.” —1 John 4:19
Our love relationship with Christ is initiated by Christ. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock…” The door of our hearts will open or remain closed when the Holy Spirit [yes, it is a mystery] knocks and invites us to accept Christ with the innate love we received [2 Timothy 1:7].
Before the Second Coming of Christ, every human being will receive an invitation to accept Christ as their personal Savior. Some will reject Christ immediately, yet rejection is also revealed by saying yes, and then living according to our desires.
“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life” —Matthew 19:29
How far are we willing to go for Christ? Jesus identifies our love for tangible assets and people as the roadblocks that prevent us from giving Him 100% of our love and loyalty. The rich, young ruler walked away in sorrow when Jesus instructed him to sell all and follow Him. Jesus knew the ruler loved Him and truly desired to be a disciple, but He exposed that wealth was the young ruler’s first love.
The thriving bank account that we cherish, or the money spent on frivolous trinkets instead of helping those in need reveal that Christ is not our First Love. Many Christians do not struggle with loving money but their first love is people. The spouse we please above obeying God, the unequal relationships with unbelievers, or the person who we have dated for years, but is not God’s chosen one will never receive His blessing of approval.
The believer’s challenges also extend to spoiling our children and having relationships with unbelieving and [middle-of-the-road Christian] family members and friends whom God has not designated to be a part of our spiritual journey, but we hold on to them as if they are the giver of eternal life. Let them go!
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” —Psalm 139:23-24
Many times we fall by repeating old behaviors. The next step is to pray and ask God to search our hearts and reveal all unrighteousness. We whisper a prayer of confession and repentance, God forgives us, and we start over.
When the Holy Spirit convicts us of our unrighteous character traits, disobedient desires, and worldly habits, along with the people who are standing in our way of eternal life, we cooperate with the Holy Spirit by praying for strength and using the spiritual process of elimination.
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” —Matthew 11:29-30
The Bible is a love letter to all believers. From studying Christ’s life, our heart should react with an abundant love and loyalty to Christ that supersedes all earthly love for others. Our relationship with Christ begins from our innate gift of love and if our love is genuine, we become one with Him.
When Jesus is our First Love, we willingly surrender to God’s will and plans by seeking Him in every aspect of our lives. Only those who consecrate themselves as Followers of Christ will possess the desire to persevere with faithful obedience to God.
“Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23). “Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?’ ” (John 21:20). Bible scholars define the disciple that Jesus loved as not identified.
“But the one who loves God is known by God.” —1 Corinthians 8:3
As time passed, John observed Jesus’ loving and gentle manner with everyone He came in contact with which resulted in a transformation of his heart. He let go of his selfish desire to be the greatest and to sit on the right hand of Christ. With faithful obedience, the Son of Thunder was transformed into a humble and loving disciple. John became one of the first disciples who desired to have the loving heart and righteous character of Christ.
John truly believed that Jesus was the Son of God. From studying the book of John, the tone of the Scriptures indicates that Jesus became John’s First Love. For his love and loyalty, the apostle John was rewarded by having a vision in which Jesus, the Triumphant King spoke the Holy prophetic words of the book of Revelation directly to His apostle.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” —Hebrews 11:6
Every steadfast believer understands that Jesus is their Lord, Savior, and Best Friend. As we continue in our faith journey of Sanctification, the Holy Spirit gives us a deeper level of spiritual discernment which strengthens our relationship with Christ. Continue to pray daily for spiritual wisdom.
The day will come when your life will forever change. The Holy Spirit will empower you by opening your spiritual eyes to perceive Christ as the One and Only Triumphant King with whom you will spend eternity. And on that day, you will be in awe of the power of the Holy Spirit because you will fully understand what it truly means to worship Jesus, the King Triumphant in Spirit and in Truth.
“Lamb of God, You Are Seated at the Right Hand of the Father, You Are Holy, Holy, You Are God!” One day soon, we will see our Triumphant King face to face and behold His Beauty and Majesty as we fall to our knees in worship and adoration. Amen.
“But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ ” —1 Corinthians 2:9
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
You must be logged in to post a comment.