The one born to be our Saviour was no ordinary man. Those who have tasted His marvelous salvation gladly and lovingly crown Him Lord of all. He will soon be on His way to our planet for the second time, not as a babe in a manger, but to reign forever as king. That glorious day is the grand focus of Christmas. “If angels sung because the Saviour was born in Bethlehem, shall not our hearts echo the glad strain, Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will to men? Although we do not know the exact day of Christ’s birth, we would honor the sacred event…. Jesus came into the world to bring hope, comfort, peace, and happiness to all.”___ Review and Herald, December 17, 1889.
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
Lord, In the fullness of time, You sent a Saviour–Christ the Lord. Help me to be ready when He returns as king. Amen
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
Today, I read in Matthew chapter 27, the words spoken by Jesus just before His death on the cross:
At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Matthew 27:45-46 NLT
If you are in a time of darkness, please know that God has not forsaken you. God has promised: He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. Psalm 147:3. I know that God keeps His promises. In October, I experienced loss, which left me as a family of one. Through my tears, many times, all I could do is pray, “God help me.” And just as God promises, the gaping wound in my heart has healed. It is said that time heals all wounds, which is not true. There is only one, our Heavenly Father, Jehovah Shalom-the God of Peace who brings us peace, comfort, and above all, healing.
Yes, I am grieving my loss. Still, I did not stop reading the Bible at Matthew 27. I continued to read Matthew chapter 28, which tells us of Jesus’ resurrection. God did not forsake Jesus, nor will He ever abandon those who He created in His image. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11.
Never give up the hope that we will have a better life. God gave us His best, His Son, Jesus Christ. No, human beings did not kill the Son of God. Jesus willingly gave His life to redeem humanity. Our greatest need was a Savior who would save us from our sins through forgiveness.
“Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11
The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords is coming soon:
12 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Do not let any situation leave you hopeless!
20 He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! 21 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. Revelation 22:20-21
Hold on! Continue, even in the midst of your tears, grief, and suffering, praise and worship God.
O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. Psalm 95:6
God, thank you for loving us and giving your Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. Please help us remember that you have glorious plans, promising us eternal life in the New Heaven and New Earth. We love you, and we ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
At least once a week, I participate in online surveys. Two questions appear in every survey: Are you influenced by your family and friend’s experiences with a particular product or company? If you were offered a job equal to your current job, would you be proud to work for this company? All companies that expect to thrive in the current economic decline environment are very concerned about their reputation and the consumers’ perception of their business culture.
We can also perform a self-survey. Do other individuals influence your commitment to serve God? What opportunities do you seek out to share your faith by telling of the goodness of God?
God has given us a commission-a work that He considers our duty in serving Him. We must witness to others! Not only does sharing our testimony of spiritual transformation strengthen our relationship with God, witnessing is a faith-building activity that encourages others to include God in their lives.
Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted! 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20
Read verse 17. Although the disciples were with Jesus and eyewitnesses of His ministry, which included the healing power of physical ailments, casting out demons, and providing food for a multitude, some of the disciples still had doubted the divinity of Christ. What is the road-block that kept them from having 100% faith and trust in Jesus? In verse 18, take notice that Jesus had to remind them that He was the Son of God, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.”
Even though we live in times of economic instability, we have total faith in our employers that we will receive our salary, or the supermarket we shop at will always have food for purchase. And certainly, we believe in our abilities. Who doesn’t enjoy completing goals in which we entirely relied on ourselves to accomplish? How many of us think about the gift of God’s grace for a new day of life and the ability to function with mental and physical strength? We receive many blessings that God lovingly provides, yet, our doubt is targeted at Jesus, the Son of God who sacrificed his life for our salvation.
1. Taking the Giant Leap of Faith-serving God is a spiritual decision and requires an unwavering faith-wholehearted belief that God will do exactly as He says he will do. 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
2. Self-forgiveness and God’s forgiveness-Forgiveness is often an area of intense struggle. Perhaps we have hurt others who will never accept forgiveness because they refuse to interact with us. Even so, we can always pray and ask God to forgive us, and then we must forgive ourselves and move forward in the power of Jesus’ name. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:19
3. Human Effort-Serving God always requires action on our part. We must put forth the determination to fulfill our role in the Plan of Salvation. …and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open, and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.…2 Chronicles 7:14-15
4. Remaining Motivated-Accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior brings many low in the valley experiences. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. Trusting in Jesus provides us with the confidence to enjoy the sweet peace and comfort from knowing that God will bring us through victoriously.
5. Perseverance-Never become weary in serving God. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11. The plans that our Heavenly Father has for His faithful children end with living in a perfect New Heaven and New Earth.
Many are fearful of sharing their testimonies with others. How has your life changed since accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? As unique as our fingerprints, so are our testimonies of the transforming power of Jesus that has touched our lives.
Sharing our testimony is essential for spiritual growth. When the Apostle Paul was before King Agrippa, he testified of his conversion from Saul to Paul.
“‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. Acts 9:5-6
The Apostle Paul always shared the powerful story of his spiritual transformation with unbelievers. When we can tell our personal experience of how God has transformed our lives by accepting us, usually at our lowest point, then our testimony proves that God is real. And that He is waiting for each and everyone to come to him.
Our spiritual eyes must be fully open before we can tell others about Jesus Christ. We must possess a firm foundation of belief, trust, and faith in God. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance when testifying of your deliverance from sin. For example, if you have a history of child molestation, most individuals do not need the intimate details of the suffering you experienced. Your focus is to bring glory to God and how He provided deliverance by giving you complete mental and emotional healing.
From my experience, I have been told many deep, dark secrets while witnessing. Because there are many atrocities that I have never suffered, I often share the story of the Apostle Paul’s transformation. Read Acts chapter 9. Saul had a thirst to seek and kill Christians who believed in the saving power of Jesus Christ. And the worst part is that Saul thought he was doing this under the cloak of religion. Because of his level of wickedness, God physically blinded him, and for three days and nights, he did not eat or drink. But, our God always brings a victorious end. God not only took away Saul’s desire to kill, to complete his spiritual transformation, but God also changed his name from Saul to Paul. Hallelujah!
Do not be discouraged if the person you are sharing God’s love with does not accept God. If they have taken the time to listen to your testimony, then their heart is open to change. The Holy Spirit will minister to them as they reflect on the words of truth they have heard. It is not only spoken words that convey our relationship with God. We may never know the burdens that lift from the persons to whom we said a joyful “Good Morning,” or performing a kind deed when it was least expected. Our smiles and cheerful disposition are an outward reflection that we have the inner joy that comes only from serving God.
Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, we can use social media for witnessing. It has been a rough and turbulent ride in 2020. Pray and ask God to reveal the opportunities to share your faith with or without words. Your relationship will continue to grow deeper with God, and your faith will strengthen. In a world filled with hopelessness, we must proclaim that we serve a mighty and loving God who delivers us. God is always faithful! Despite our trials and sorrows, like Job, we can proclaim, But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end, He will stand upon the earth. Job 19:25
God, we thank you for the Sabbath. We ask in your name to grant us the holy boldness to tell of your great love and plan of salvation to others. Please fill our hearts with compassion and the desire to serve you with all of our heart, soul, and mind. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
Who is Jesus? Without having an up-close and personal relationship, our initial answer would probably be, “He is the Son of God.” But for those who have a testimony of deliverance, Jesus Christ is much more than the Son of God. Prayerfully, today we will learn who Jesus is and how we can grow closer to Him.
To establish, build, and maintain any relationship, we must possess unconditional love, utilize healthy, ongoing communication, and be willing to serve. Yes, there are many other characteristics, but these three traits form the foundation for the building blocks, such as mutual respect, trust, forgiveness, etc.
Before we move forward, study and memorize 1 Corinthians 13, the Love chapter that identifies the traits that grow from the tree of unconditional love:
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT
Who does Jesus say that we have to love?
“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” 37 Jesus declared, “ ’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:36-39 BSB
Self-evaluate: If you can verbalize these words: “I don’t like him, her or them,” then God has a message for you:
19 We love because He first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God, but hates his brother and sister, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother and sister, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother and sister as well. 1 John 4:19-21
Loving others is not based on ethnicity, physical likeness, socioeconomic status, or religious preferences. Nor do the participation in peaceful protests, rallies, or giving financial support indicate that we possess the love that God requires of us. Loving others unconditionally (without stipulations) is a core character trait that we must possess, or we do not have a love for God, nor can we have a relationship with God. In fact, God says we are “liars” Ouch!
Finally, we must believe that God is Unconditional love, and He is Omniscient-all knowing. Let’s use our creative abilities to script a probable conversation between God, the Father, and Jesus His Son before the Creation:
Son, you know if I create human beings, they will disobey and fall into sin by pursuing self-seeking pleasures. The relationship they need to have with us will be a constant struggle because the “Seed of Faith” that we give them will remain the same size because of their doubt and unbelief in our power. They will be distracted by the things that Satan will present to them, and their greatest love will be for money. You know that they will not love us and they will hate each other. Jesus, are you sure that you want me to create human beings? Yes, Father, I will give my life for their redemption from sin. But, Son, you will be born as a human into poverty, have a life of suffering, you will be rejected, despised, hated, and falsely accused of blasphemy against me. And the most terrible thing is that you will die on a cross with large spikes driven through your hands and feet. Yes, Father, I understand. Still, I am willing to die for all of humanity.
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1
God, we want to say thank you, and we love you. Please forgive us for our sins against you and each other. Help us never forget the gift of your Son, Jesus that died and was resurrected so we may have eternal life. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
Good Morning. Thank you, God, for another day of life. We commit our plans to you, asking for your blessing. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.
I awakened to another beautiful, wintry day. As I opened my eyes, I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving. Before listening to my online audio Bible, an article in my newsfeed caught my attention. How Single-Use Makeup Wipes Contribute to Environmental Waste | InStyle. https://www.instyle.com/beauty/skin/makeup-wipes-bad-for-environment
With the popularity of makeup artistry, this information certainly gives us something to think about because the current trend is a 7-10 step process application of makeup, including glam eyelashes. For many, the removal of layered makeup also requires the additional use of products that guarantee instant removal. However, fast and easy products always have hidden elements that cause damage, and makeup wipes not only contain fibers that damage the skin, but they also harm the environment.
While reading, I immediately thought of this verse: The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. Psalm 24:1. I was already aware of my last earth-wrecking habit: Using plastic freezer bags. Gearing up for the research mode, I found a realistic and achievable method for using glass containers to freeze food. All of my food storage containers are glass, but I never thought of using mason jars, or glass freezer containers. https://www.attainable-sustainable.net/plastic-free-freezer-storage/
Environmental sustainability is responsibly interacting with the planet to maintain natural resources and avoid jeopardizing future generations’ ability to meet their needs.
If we really believe that God, the King of Glory, created this earth for humanity, we will do our part to eliminate wasteful habits. Certainly, worshiping and honoring God not only requires that we take care of our bodies, 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, we also do our genuine part in taking care of Earth, our beautiful home.
So, let’s move forward and take one more step toward changing our counterproductive habits. Our most excellent way of honoring God is to praise and worship Him with thankful hearts and demonstrate our gratitude by taking care of our earth-home with love and tenderness.
Psalm 24
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. 2 For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.
3 Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. 5 They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. 6 Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.
7 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 8 Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle.
9 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 10 Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory.
God, we thank you for our earthly home and we commit to changing our habits to prevent waste in our environment. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” Jesus declared,” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.’ “Matthew 22:36-38 BSB
As Believers, we are to think, act, and live differently from those who do not believe in God. The pursuit of financial gain is the goal of those seeking to satisfy their desires. Unfortunately, many who profess to serve God have boarded the “Prosperity Ship” because of greed. Our overabundance is not to be used to purchase the latest fashion or trends. One of the most discouraging things I have ever witnessed was an individual who was a Pastor’s wife and had converted one of their bedrooms into a closet.
At Caesarea, there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon, he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.” Acts 10:1-4 NIV
Loving God means that we strive to stay in alignment with His plans for our lives. We have primary responsibilities to help those in need. God has given everyone spiritual gifts and talents. Consider the elderly, living alone because spouses preceded them in death, and their children live in other states. Certainly, they could use a prepared meal or help with cleaning their homes. Local Churches involved in community service require monetary donations beyond the tithe and offerings from their members.
Currently, with the pandemic, many children are engaged in virtual learning. Two of the most challenging courses are math and science. If you are gifted in these subjects, you could offer virtual tutoring to assist the learning process and alleviate the burden of parents who cannot help their children learn the new and updated versions of these subjects.
When we love God with all of our hearts, souls, and minds, we have a natural desire to reach out beyond ourselves.
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Luke 22:42
Until Jesus was born as a human, He never experienced suffering. In His Divine Nature, Jesus did not have prior personal experience of the mental, emotional, and spiritual anguish that accompanies harsh trials and tribulations. Contrary to popular belief, there is not biblical support of Jesus or the angels crying in heaven. Sorrows, trials, and tribulations are part of the earthly journey of humanity.
Nevertheless, in the short span of 33 years, Jesus’ desire was always to please, honor, and glorify God, His Father. the Bible is full of stories of our Savior always helping and healing many of physical illnesses. The life of Christ demonstrates that He broke the barriers of all the “isms” that prevent many of us from reaching out to those in need.
Jesus gave Himself for us and to us, paying a holy and precious price on the cross. After giving His all, is it too much for Him to ask us to do the same thing? No man or woman will ever amount to anything in God’s kingdom or ever experience any of His power until this lesson of prayer is learned–that our personal considerations, no matter how important or precious to us, are secondary. Dr. Francis… From the Devotional Streams in the Desert
Study the Life of Christ in the book of Matthew, and reflect on the great sacrifice that Jesus willingly made for us. We cannot say that we are followers without possessing knowledge of Jesus, His character, and the manner in which He lived.
We are in a holiday season where the focus is placed on spending money and gift-giving. Although we do not have Biblical support indicating the actual day of Christ’s birth, many accept the celebration of Christmas day as His entry on earth as a human. Make every day a celebration of Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection by committing to serving God and serving others.
Bible Reading Plan for December: Matthew chapters 1-28
God, we thank you for our spiritual gifts and talents. May we always put you first, and have a loving and giving spirit. Thank you for always providing our needs and blessing us with additional resources that we may help others. As we celebrate the season of giving, we thank you for giving your life that we may have redemption from our sins and receive the reward of eternal life. We pray in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
At some point in our lives, we will come to a spiritual crossroads. If we choose to follow God, then we will have to change the way we think, discard the things that we are chasing after, and we may have to give up the relationships that interfere with our faith-walk with God. Because God has given us free will, these decisions are not mandatory. We can live as we choose to live.
Although many believers do not make it a habit to disobey God blatantly, often we fall into the deadly web of compromise. God is aware and has identified that humanity has a weakness: There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12. If you refer to the Devotional reading, “Letting Go,” published November 21, 2020, I attempted to place an Offer of Compromise before God. I convinced myself that I could stay in an unequally yoked relationship in which we would just remain friends.
Even though I was in a fierce battle between good and evil, God knew that I have always loved Him. God did not leave me alone to struggle. He took my mustard seed faith combined with the resilience of a Spiritual Mentor who was a dedicated Prayer Warrior, and our Omnipotent God broke my chains of bondage for that individual.
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
From that experience, I realized that the limited plans and strategies that I developed could not provide hope or a future. I acknowledge that God is my all-and-all. Yes, God is El Shaddai, Jehovah-Jireh, and the Creator of all humanity. He is unconditional love, and from that love flows His blessings of grace and mercies. God has promised, Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24. Therefore, I acknowledge His greatness by humbly serving Him and walking through life on bended knees.
There is a song that I love, Bow Down and Worship Him. The writer of this song gives us the solution to prevent separation from God (due to so many earthly distractions) by staying in constant communion with Him. Through diligent study of the Bible and never-ceasing prayer, our worship acknowledges His Deity. Still, we must establish and build an up-close and personal relationship with God, which allows us to fully receive His abundant blessings of love, grace, and mercies. Spiritual growth is only possible from our desire to stay attached to our Heavenly Father.
Our love and adoration for God are expressed through praise, prayer, faith, trust, and obedience that keep us connected to our Creator, who is the source of our strength. Preparation time is now! We must praise and worship God on earth to prepare for worshiping Him in the New Heaven and New Earth. Your opportunity to accept God’s offer to choose Him is on the way. When He brings you to the spiritual crossroads in your life, it is that turning point where Jesus is standing with His arms open wide, saying gently, “Come to me.” Never forget, Jesus Christ is coming again! Soon, we will be in His presence to worship the “I AM, the Alpha and the Omega, forever and ever. Amen.
Bible Readings: Revelation 21-22
God, we thank you for loving us so much that you bring each of us to the crossroads where we must decide to wholeheartedly serve you or turn and walk away. We ask you to give us strength as we persevere in our spiritual journey. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
Do you remember playing the game, Hide and Seek? The child assigned to find the others would close their eyes or at least pretend to close their eyes and count to 20. It was a simple but exciting game that would make us giggle when the seeker quickly found the others before us. But we didn’t realize that our laughter gave the seeker the exact location where we were hiding. There was always one child, Jimmy, who we could never find. Jimmy was never found because he didn’t mind getting his clothes dirty, nor did he laugh when his playmates were found in their hiding places. And when it was Jimmy’s turn to seek, he quickly found all of us and won the game. Jimmy knew something that we failed to realize, finding places to hide required going above and beyond what we were willing to do.
Then with a humble heart, you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13.
When God tells us to seek Him, it’s not because He is hidden. Seeking God allows us to have an up-close and intimate relationship with Him. Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer. Romans 12:11-12
Serving God should bring excitement. We have access to God at all times, and in every circumstance, we can approach God in prayer. Our desperation to remain close to God reveals that we possess the love, faith, trust, and obedience, (which are fruits of humility), to obey His will. Loving God with all of our heart, soul, and mind proclaims that we honor His Deity-He is our Creator and Supreme God. We also acknowledge that we are incapable of living without His presence in our lives.
God never requires more of us than we are capable of doing. He knows that His Divine Intervention is needed for us to be victorious overcomers. Serving God on His terms reassures us that He will resolve our challenges according to His will. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
We have many tangible desires and devise strategies and develop plans to pursue our wants. But are we zealous for God? “Zeal is dedication or enthusiasm for something. If you have zeal, you’re willing, energized, and motivated.” (vocabulary.com). How often do we possess the desire to desperately seek God? Do we maintain zeal when we are enjoying excellent or great times, or do we become discouraged and seek God only when our circumstances change and harsh struggles overwhelm us?
God never leaves us to guess or self-determine what is required to seek and serve Him. Love for our Heavenly Father keeps us motivated to be in His presence continually. We are to go above and beyond in our prayer, praise, and worship to our Most-High God every day and throughout our day and night.
Making the habit of keeping a song on our lips and speaking praises of thanksgiving allows us to stay in the presence of God. Abiding love, abundant grace, and never-ending mercies are freely given to us. Not because we can ever do anything to deserve those gifts, it is a testament of God’s love for humanity. Often it is the distractions of our everyday lives that separate us from seeking God and staying in God’s presence.
Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
If you are having difficulty staying in contact with God, then I encourage one change in your life. Satan loves individuals who live a disorganized lifestyle. Make a much-needed change by structuring your life. Pray, commit, and ask God to help you break the nonproductive habit of disorganization. Take a moment to write goals for the next three days and include worship sessions to begin and end your day. With prayer and diligence, chaos will turn into calm, and your lifestyle will reflect that all is well. With a peaceful mind, and organized environment, you can meditate on the Word of God and worship freely without distractions. Present your plans to God in prayer, asking for His blessing.
Ask God to give you wisdom. 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. Do not fret if your plans worked out differently. If it was not because of a distraction that kept you from fulfilling your goal, then know that Divine intervention kept you in the direction that God desired for you.
Approach God with humility and practice the powerful habit of diligent prayer. Seek Him in the joyful, good times and in the stormy, sorrowful times. God is waiting for us to faithfully come to Him. God’s Promise: Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24
Bible Reading: Isaiah 65
God, we thank you for giving us the answers on how we can live according to your will. We pray for the zeal, and the love to serve you with all of our hearts, souls, and minds. God, we need your help to change the obstacles that are keeping us from desperately seeking you. We love you and ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.
We are in difficult times, yet many continue to live lavish lifestyles while others are homeless and hungry. The great divide between “those who have and those who have not” continues to grow.
Black Friday (2020) hit a new record with consumers spending $9.0 billion, an increase of 21.6% year over year (online sales hit $7.4 billion on Black Friday in 2019), according to Adobe Analytics data. It was the second-largest online spending day in U.S. history, coming in behind Cyber Monday 2019. abcnews.go.com
The spending will continue throughout the holiday season while many families wonder how long they will have housing and live off minimal food.
As believers, we have a responsibility to take care of those in need.
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. James 1:27
If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? 1 John 3:17
If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? James 2:16
To whom much is given, much will be required (Luke 12:48). If you have heard that line of wisdom, you know it means we are held responsible for what we have. If we have been blessed with talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and the like, it is expected that we benefit others. https://law.utk.edu/
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
16, Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. Matthew 14: 13-17
It is difficult to grasp the concept that Jesus’ disciples were selfish and faithless. Although Jesus was the perfect role model who consistently helped others, they still maintained the “looking out for number one” mindset. Remember, the disciples possessed the power to perform miracles, yet their true character was revealed when they told Jesus to send the people away to fend for themselves. Their response to Jesus’ command to feed the multitude, “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. Matthew 14:17.
The root of the problem is simple: We do not love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, so it is impossible to love others. Nor can we build our faith in God through self-reliance. We may give the 10% that God requires, Malachi 3:8-15, but God requires more from those He has blessed with wealth. Our definition of wealth is not God’s definition of wealth. When we have all of our necessities, our abundance of money is to provide for others.
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 11 But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:9-11 NLT
Make a change this holiday season. All believers have a divine purpose to bless others. Our unselfish giving to those in need results in an increase of love for God and others. The innate selfish spirit and hardened heart begins to melt away as we become full of compassion and the desire to minister to those who are unable to provide for themselves. Decide to be content with what you have and commit to sharing your financial resources.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Matthew 25: 34-40
God, we confess that we have hardened hearts and clenched fists concerning our money. We ask forgiveness for the selfish spirit that has controlled us for a long time. We desire to change and fulfill our purpose in life to alleviate the burdens of those in need. We pray for your blessings as we continue to do your will. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
The desire to have peace continues to be an ongoing struggle in most of our lives. To achieve peace is challenging because it always involves change. If you are willing to commit to rid yourself of all chaos, you are ready to move forward.
The first step to embracing peace is identifying the people, places, and things that directly cause chaos in your life. Since many factors contribute to the lack of peace, we will begin with two categories:
Structure and Self-Control
The Interpersonal Skills of Relationships
The chaos in our lives most often falls within these two areas. From embracing counterproductive behaviors and habits to inviting people into our lives who lack the knowledge and skills to nurture healthy relationships, we will never enjoy our gift of peace without the intentional elimination of the root of the problem.
For those of us who have lawns to maintain, we have an ongoing battle with eliminating weeds. There is a characteristic that all weeds share; they have the strength to grow aggressively with the intent to destroy.
Weeds are harmful in many ways. The damages caused by them are as under: 1. Reduction in crop yield:- Weeds compete with crops for water, nutrients, and light. Being hardy and vigorous in growth habits, they grow faster than crops and consume a large amount of water and nutrients, thus causing heavy losses in yields. http://oer.nios.ac.in/wiki/index.php/Damages_caused_by_Weeds
Like weeds, there are non-productive behaviors that grow deep roots within us. We do not understand why we are overwhelmed, nor can we determine why we cannot accomplish our goals. Our relationship problems worsen because one or both individuals lack the necessary character traits to unconditionally love each other. We usually acknowledge that there is a problem, but we tend to blame external factors or other people.
Self-Control and Structure require:
Discipline-defined as training oneself to do something in a controlled and habitual way, which produces positive outcomes.
Organizational skills-Being organized means you manage your time and energy well and accomplish all your assigned tasks.
Relationships require the Healthy Characteristics of :
Trust, Communication, Patience, Empathy, Affection and Interest, Flexibility, Appreciation, Room for Growth, Respect, Reciprocity, Healthy Conflict Resolution, Individuality and Boundaries, and Openness and Honesty. https://www.psychologytoday.com
Wellness is a holistic integration of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, fueling the body, engaging the mind, and nurturing the spirit. Excerpt from, Dimensions of wellness: Change your habits, change your life
There is an app that promotes itself as “The #1 App for Meditation and Sleep.” So, what happens if there is an outage or blackout? And for only $14.99 a month or $69.99 annual payment, you can “Join the millions experiencing better sleep, lower stress, and less anxiety.” Please know that I have nothing against relaxing music, which I listen to all of the time.
But if we only pull out the top of the weed, the root remains buried deep into the ground. Peace requires active participation. We need to identify the source that prevents us from having inner peace and institute the process of change. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3. To enjoy true peace requires that we acknowledge and accept that peace is a gift from God. Therefore God becomes a vital part of our spiritual growth and development.
Changing our habits requires Divine intervention, structure, self-control, and learning new interpersonal skills. Nothing is impossible with God. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 NKJV.
Human Effort + Divine Intervention = Living as a Victorious Overcomer.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NIV
God, we have tried many ways to get rid of our anxieties and our worries. We admit that we need your help. Please forgive us of our sins, and give us peace. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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