Sabbath Devotional – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Embracing the Spirit of Humility

“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8, NIV).

Jesus’ “profound act of obedience and self-emptying, where He willingly gave up His Divine glory to become a human, a servant, and ultimately, to die on a cross for the sake of others” is not understood and appreciated.

Before Adam and Eve were created, God the Father and Jesus, God the Son, had a Father and Son discussion regarding Adam and Eve’s fall, due to disobedience.

John 3:16 states: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Because of God’s love for humanity, the Father gave His Divine approval for His One and Only Son to come to Earth, only live for 33 years, and experience rejection, hatred, and die a criminal’s death on Calvary’s Cross.

“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.” (1 John 3:1, NLT).

The Plan of Redemption was not an afterthought. Jesus said, “Father, I am willing to die for humanity,” even though He knew that most would still reject Him as Lord and Savior. We can’t even begin to imagine the depth of the Agape Love that was the catalyst for Jesus’ great sacrifice.

Jesus’ Gentle, Humble Spirit

“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.” (Matthew 11:29).

“And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’ ” (Luke 9:58).

“And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” (John 8:29).

No human being can ever make the proclamation that our Savior made, “I always obey my Father.” But we can certainly strive from today forward to love God more than ourselves by embracing the Righteous Spirit of Humility, and making a Covenant to faithfully obey God.

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Satan has deceived the Christian Community into thinking that Heaven is cheap, that we can live as we please, not study the Bible, and fail to pray for guidance before we make decisions.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2 that we must live an obedient life of self-sacrifice and renounce the practices of unbelievers to please God.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2, NIV).

The easiest way for us to know if pride is ruling our hearts is to pray and ask God if our lives represent faithful obedience. If we awaken each morning with pre-planned agendas, never praying for God to reveal His plans, then we are following our own thoughts.

Excluding God from our daily decisions reveals that we have redirected our faith from God to ourselves, for which there is no reward of Eternal Life.

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…” (Colossians 3:12, ESV).

Reflection: Are we willing to invite Jesus to change our naturally selfish hearts to hearts overflowing with surrender and humility?

Jesus’ Promise to those who use their faith to embrace a spirit of humility: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26).

A heart of stone symbolizes stubbornness, resistance, and insensitivity to God’s will and commands. The people of Israel had become hard-hearted due to their idolatry and disobedience.
A heart of flesh contrasts with this, representing a tender, responsive, and obedient heart that is sensitive to God’s guidance.

“For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; he adorns the humble with salvation.” (Psalm 149:4).

Lord God, we ask that You forgive us for our spirit of pride, which leads to a lifestyle of self-reliance. We confess that we often fail to think of praying and asking for Your Divine guidance before we begin our daily agendas. Lord, we ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and anoint us with Your Holy Spirit. Today, we make the commitment to serve you with love, humility, and faithful obedience. Jesus, we thank You for loving us with an everlasting love that prompted You to give Your all for us, and ask this prayer in Your Righteous and Loving Name, Amen.

“The Authority of Jesus Questioned”

Matthew 21:23-27…

23 “Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while He was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. ‘By what authority are you doing these things?’ they asked. ‘And who gave you this authority?’ “

24 Jesus replied, ‘I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 “John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin? ‘ “

“They discussed it among themselves and said, ‘If we say, From heaven, He will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ “

27 “So they answered Jesus, ‘We don’t know.’ Then he said, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’ “

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

The commitment to follow Christ has always required surrender and faithful obedience to His authority, which was given to Him by God, the Father.

When we fail to consecrate and commit ourselves to God through daily personal worship, our thoughts and actions supersede our spoken words.

But what we do not understand is that we are questioning God’s Authority, which places us in wilful rebellion against God’s Sovereignty.

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8, NIV). Jesus’s earthly life reveals that obedience to God is non-negotiable.

Remain Faithful to God

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” (Proverbs 3:3-4).

Never Trust Your Own Thoughts

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Reverence God Through a Spirit of Humility

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones” (Proverbs 3:7).

Embrace God’s Promise of His Faithfulness

“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).

Honor God’s Sovereignty, Because He Is God

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the LORD. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’ ” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Our Allegiance and Loyalty Is To God, or To Ourselves

Reflection: By whose authority are you living your life? Every day, we choose our destiny, our choices and lifestyles reveal if we are obeying God, or not.

If we live according to our thoughts and desires, then we choose to forfeit our reward of The Crown of Life. Our only reward will be whatever we pursued and accomplished in our earthly lives.

Jesus’ Promise To the Faithful

“To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with Me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on His throne.” (Revelation 3:21, NIV).

Bible Study: Revelation 19, 21-22

Lord God, we ask forgiveness for the sins of self-reliance and disobedience. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and remove the stubbornness in our hearts. We desperately need Your Holy Spirit to baptize our hearts, and minds, so we can see life through spiritual eyes, and live a sacrificial life of obedience. Lord, we consecrate our lives to follow Jesus Christ, our Shepherd, and ask for the daily Spiritual strength, wisdom, and discernment required to live as overcomers. God, we acknowledge that You are the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, and ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of our Triumphant King, Jesus, Amen.

Steadfast Faith Triumphs In Trouble

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

In John 16:33, Jesus tells us about the life His disciples will face: “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.”

Faith takes effort! Remembering our former blessings and supernatural miracles from the Giver of Life waters the seed of our ever-growing faith. A heart filled with gratitude expressed through prayer is the only way to strengthen our faith.

This Scripture represents the hardships of our tribulations: “If I close the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people…” (2 Chronicles 7:13)

Yes, the trials and sorrows are too great for us to resolve. Victory is impossible without unrealistic faith, trust, hope, and confidence in God. We do not have to analyze or try to figure out the solutions. A prayer based on belief in a Loving and Omnipotent Father God never escapes the ears of God.

God tells us what is required to receive His Divine Intervention: “…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)

Faith is the response of our hearts to God’s gracious appeals for our fellowship with Him. It is the healing relationship with the One who is the Source of all life, health, and happiness. Faith restores us to our rightful state, to the condition in which we were created to live: union with our Creator. His Healing Love, D. Winn

“Lord, I Believe, Please Help My Unbelief!”

Prayer: God, please forgive us for the sin of self-reliance. We desire to live a Christ-centered, Faith-based life. Lord, we desperately need You in times of peace and tough times. Hear our prayer, and give us the direction and the strength to live as one who is faithful. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.

Great Is His Faithfulness – Sabbath Peace and Blessings

Our primary goal should be to abide in Christ. Setting aside time to separate ourselves and worship God invites the Holy Spirit to give us knowledge, wisdom, and a deeper understanding, so we perceive life through spiritual eyes.

This weekend, commit to setting aside at least 2 hours a day to fast, earnestly pray for a heart-to-heart revival with Christ, and study the Bible.

The Bible is our Spiritual Road Map, and should be studied every day under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. For the next 30-60 days, study the Books of Joshua and Ruth to learn God’s Loving and Righteous Character, and His history of intervening for those who love and obey Him.

Our desire to draw closer to Christ is rewarded with the Strength to persevere and endure this tough journey of life that cannot be accomplished without Divine help. Yes and Amen.

Lord God, we thank You for loving us so much, that you gave Your Only Son, Jesus to redeem us. As we worship with You this Sabbath, we ask for the blessings of Spiritual Renewal and Restoration. We love You, and look forward to the day when Jesus will come again, in whose Worthy Name, we ask this prayer. Amen.

Do Not Fear, Worry, or Be Discouraged – The LORD Is On Your Side!

“I called on your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: ‘Do not close your ears to my cry for relief. You came near when I called you, and you said, ‘Do not fear.’ ” (Lamentations 3:55-57, NIV).

“The Babylonians, led by King Nebuchadnezzar II, captured the Israelites during the Babylonian Captivity, which was a period of exile for the Jewish people into Babylon.”

“This event marked the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem and a forced relocation of many Jews, including prophet Jeremiah, to Babylon as a consequence of their rebellion and idolatry.”

“…we are weary and find no rest.” (Lamentations 5:5).

Jeremiah, known as the Weeping Prophet, lamented in his prayer asking for God to extend mercy and redeem them from their Babylonian captivity.

God’s Promise: “This is what the LORD says: ‘You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.’ ” (Jeremiah 29:10, NLT).

“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).

When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we agree to follow God’s thoughts and plans for our lives. The Christian Believer’s life is not our own. We have dedicated ourselves to be followers of Jesus Christ, our Shepherd.

“You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:14). Jesus clarifies that obedience is required to be His follower, to have a relationship with Him, and to receive God’s abundant blessings.

Learning God’s Plans: We remain in right standing with God when we consecrate ourselves through daily prayer asking God to reveal His will for the given day. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Holy Scriptures and our thoughts.

“Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” (Proverbs 28:26, ESV).

One of the most discouraging times in our lives is when we must suffer consequences for following our thoughts and making decisions outside of God’s plans. Willful disobedience always bring consequences.

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Clarification: The consequences of willful disobedience differ from suffering trials and hardships.

We experience trials and hardships for spiritual growth and the transformation of our characters. God places limits on the severity of trials and hardships, it would serve no godly purpose for us to be crushed and feel hopeless.

But consequences from disobedience have no boundaries! Following our misguided desires results in making decisions outside of God’s Perfect Will, which equates to intentional self-harm.

Sin Separates us from God: When believers fail to seek God, we may enjoy the benefits of our decisions, but spiritual consequences happen immediately, disobedience separates us from God.

Following our thoughts and desires desensitizes us to the magnitude of our rebellion against God; we can no longer perceive life through spiritual eyes.

The Holy Spirit cannot dwell inside of a believer who is filled with rebellion. Because God loves us, He does not prevent the devastating consequences of our decisions.

Suffering tangible consequences always produces feelings of regret, yet do not focus on how you feel, with surrender and humility, redirect your focus and faith to run to God with a Prayer of Repentance.

God Reveals His Love: “‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 1:3b).

God is Omniscient, and knows every sin that we will commit against Him, still, our Loving Father never abandons us. He loves us, even in our state of disobedience, but we must repent for our rebellion against God.

David’s Prayer of Repentance: Psalm 51:1-4

“Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin…”

3 “For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight.”

Do Not Embrace Guilt! King David is our ultimate example of committing sins based on desire, repenting, and moving forward in his life.

Emmanuel: God With Us

“This name is more than a personal name; it’s a declaration of God’s covenant presence. It symbolizes God’s closeness and reassurance, a powerful statement of His enduring connection to His people throughout all stages of their spiritual life.”

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3, Amplified Bible).

Through personal worship of daily Prayer and Bible Study, we choose to stay close to God who promises to give us the spiritual strength to persevere through every trial, hardship, and even the harsh consequences. Yes and Amen!

Lord God, we are extremely grateful for Your abundant love, forgiveness, and steadfast faithfulness, even when we choose to rebel against You. We repent of our sins and ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and fill us with Your Holy Spirit. Lord, we seek Your guidance and Perfect Will and Plans for our lives. We love You, and ask this prayer in the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Loving Heart of Christ

“From one man He [Jesus] made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.” (Acts 17:26).

Sociology was one of my first academic classes required for my nursing degree. I can recall an assignment of openly confronting prejudice by exposing our inner feelings of “I dislike this group of people because…”

Being truthful required a spoken answer of identifying the individuals who we targeted our discrimination against, and giving the reasons for our prejudice.

As we listened to each other’s [mostly absurd] answers, we realized that learned behaviors [usually from parents and family members] produced unsubstantiated discrimination and prejudice against those who had never harmed us.

Shame and embarrassment permeated the atmosphere, yet there was an interesting twist when I verbalized my answer of, “I am not prejudiced,” which was met by a sharp rebuttal from our professor, “It is impossible for you not to be prejudiced!”

With confidence, I disclosed to my professor and classmates that I was raised by parents who taught us to love everyone.

From a young child, my mother taught us the magnitude of God’s love by singing this song, “Jesus loves the little children of the world. Whether red, or yellow, black, or white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

“We love because He first loved us.”(1 John 4:19).

“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 4:19).

Possessing the Loving Heart of Christ

The Love Commandments: “And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Matthew 22:37-39, ESV).

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:11).

The sign of a converted heart is one that is filled with God’s love. God is love. We were Created from Love, and Redeemed by Love.

“The Samaritan woman said to Him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?’ (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)” (John 4:9, NIV).

Jesus demonstrated love in His ministry by speaking powerful messages of hope. He exhibited patience, compassion, and the healing of countless multitudes of people without regard to their backgrounds.

God’s love will permeate Heaven’s atmosphere. And only believers who love others freely in their earthly lives will receive the glorious reward of living forever in the Lovely New Heaven and New Earth.

Reflection: Are there any biases or prejudices hidden in your heart that would prevent you from receiving your reward of Eternal Life?

“Prejudice can stem from the perception that certain groups or ideas pose a threat to one’s own belief system or way of life.”

In the Scriptures, God reveals that either we love or hate. There is no middle of the road feeling of “dislike” identified in the Bible. Disliking others reveals that we do not have the loving heart of Christ.

Because the manner in which we were raised varies, our different experiences define our perception of love, and define our boundaries of inclusion. But once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we embrace love as defined by God.

God gives us His characteristics of Agape love in 1 Corinthians 13.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, NIV).

Love Your Enemies
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…’ ” (Matthew 5:43-45).

“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” (Proverbs 10:12).

God will never condone biases for any reason. If we focus on our differences then it is easy to target those who embrace unbelief in God, practice pagan worship, celebrate various cultural customs, and live alternative lifestyles.

Yes, God hates sin, but He loves humanity, including sinners. “Jesus was and is absolutely inclusive. There is no ‘them versus us’ at the foot of the cross; Jesus paid the highest price for each one of us.”

Love Is the Catalyst for the Spiritual Transformation of Our Hearts

Sanctification is the lifelong, daily, and gradual Spiritual transformation of our minds, characters, and personalities into the Righteousness of Christ’s Loving Character, performed daily by the Holy Spirit.

The Prerequisite of Sanctification: We must possess the Righteous Characteristics of Christ: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV).

Christians who have hearts filled with Christ’s love shine brightly. They will know we are Christians when our temperament is gentle, our smile is genuine, and our spoken words are positive and uplifting.

“Heaven will be more diverse than we can imagine, with every people, nation, color, tongue, and gender (Revelation 5:9). Father, grant us your grace, that as Christians we may display your inclusive outlook, here and now. In Jesus’ Loving Name, Amen!”

Prayer: King David’s prayer must be our prayer: “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, KJV). Yes and Amen.

Matthew’s Conversion: “Follow Me”

“As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow Me,’ He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9, NIV).

As Matthew, the corrupt tax collector, sat outside at the tax table, day after day, he frequently overheard many individuals talking about Jesus’ Love, Compassion, messages of Salvation, and the countless miracles of healing He performed on the multitudes.

Although Matthew was despised by the Jewish leaders and community, his social circle included men who were as wealthy and diabolical as himself. Yes, Matthew had everything that Satan offers: wealth, pleasure, social status, and an easy life.

“So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33, ESV).

Matthew gave up the sinful pleasures of life and a prestigious job to follow Jesus. The Roman government was Matthew’s employer, and to walk away from a once-in-a-lifetime job that guaranteed forever wealth would destroy any chance of rehire.

Matthew was not intimidated by the cost of following Christ; he trusted that Jesus was exactly who He said He was, “the One sent from God.” The wealthy tax collector who immediately got up [without hesitation and with silence] from the table demonstrated the giant leap of faith that boldly says, “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back.”

The same leap of faith required to follow Christ is one that many of today’s believers are unwilling to take. We have been deceived by Satan into thinking that we can serve God and live as we please, but there is no reward for those who are not willing to be modern-day Matthews.

“But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” (Jeremiah 17:10, NLT). Jesus discerned the Tax Collector’s heart, knowing that Matthew was ready to embrace righteousness; Jesus extended the invitation, “Follow Me.”

Matthew’s decision to follow Christ did not happen at the time he received Jesus’ invitation. From previously hearing about Christ, Matthew used his faith to believe, which invited the Holy Spirit to perform immediate Heart Conversion when Jesus said, “Follow Me.” [In Genesis chapter 1, the Scriptures mention that God, the Holy Spirit, was present with God, the Father, and God, Jesus, the Son.]

Despite the hardships of rejection and hardships that all followers of Christ must endure, Matthew was 100% committed to love and obey God, love others, renounce his former sinful habits and lifestyle, and remain loyal to Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

As one of the twelve apostles, Matthew traveled with Jesus for three years [the duration of Christ’s earthly ministry]. Spending time with Christ every day resulted in a complete spiritual transformation of his mind, character, and personality into the likeness of Christ.

The apostle Matthew proves that, despite our past, dedicating oneself to following Jesus results in a new heart overflowing with love, faith, obedience, and loyalty to Jesus Christ. Every day that we consecrate ourselves to faithfully follow and obey Jesus invites the Holy Spirit to perform the life-transforming spiritual process of Sanctification.

“The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:14, NIV).

Not only will eleven of the twelve men [Jesus’ original disciples], and Matthias who replaced Judas, receive Eternal Life when our Triumphant King comes again, they will also have their names inscribed on the foundations of the New Jerusalem.

Righteousness by Faith: Our greatest desire should be to follow Jesus with love, loyalty, and faithful obedience. We only have one opportunity to become faithful followers, and that is in our earthly lives. Only those who are willing to let go of every desire, pleasure, and material treasure to follow their Savior and Shepherd will receive the Crown of Life. Yes and Amen!

Bible Study: Matthew 9, Revelation 21-22

Prayer: Lord God, create in us a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within us. We ask You to turn our eyes away from worthless things, so like Matthew, we are willing to follow You wherever You lead us. We ask this prayer in the Powerful Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Remaining True to God In Perilous Times

“And I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues’ ” (Revelation 18:4).

“God wants…people who will not be bought or sold, people who in their souls are true and honest, people who do not fear to call sin by its right name, people whose conscience is true to duty…people who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.”

“Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29, BSB).

Reflection: Does your lifestyle and personal worship reflect a steadfast commitment to faithfully trust and obey God?

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

“A righteous character is the result of self-discipline of the subjection of the lower passions to the higher nature of God, and the surrender of self for the service of love to God and humanity.”

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:13-14).

2 Timothy 3 is now. We are living in the last days of Earth’s history. The international wars, civil insurrections, famines, the loss of God-given human rights, political corruption, and the increase in horrific natural disasters are a few of the signs Jesus described in Matthew 24.

Jesus is calling for us to choose sides, either, we are worshipers of the Most-High God, and disciple making followers of Jesus Christ, or, we are living to please ourselves. The King Is Coming!

“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44).

Lord God, we thank You for Your Amazing Love, Redemption, Divine Guidance and Correction given through your Holy Scriptures. We ask you to keep us on the narrow Path of Righteousness, and protect us from the covert schemes of Satan, our enemy. We thank You for the Holy Sabbath and ask you to bless us with joy and peace. In humility and obedience, we give You the honor and worship that You deserve. In Jesus Holy Name, Amen.

Conquered By The Enemy

Sadly, Adam and Eve were conquered by Satan. Not because he has the power to coerce us to sin which separates us from God, but when tempted, if we willingly make decisions that detour us off of the Path of Righteousness then Satan seeks to control us.

Faith, Surrender, Obedience, Praying, and Studying the Scriptures every day are the distinguishing characteristics of the Christian believer whose heart is converted and devoted to God.

We are covered by God’s protection from the enemy’s deception when we agree to accept His plans for our lives. The uncomfortable feeling that you have inside when faced with a too good to be true offer is the Holy Spirit warning us of deception.

In Jeremiah 29:11, God tells us that He has plans for our lives. We often complain when things do not go according to our wishes, but have we ever considered that God rarely has the opportunity to fulfill His plans for our lives?

“The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear [reverence] Him, And delivers them” (Psalm 34:7). Yes, God loves saints and sinners, but His promises are conditional on obedience to His Sovereign Authority. We cannot live in opposition to God’s plans and expect to receive His blessings.

If you are chasing prosperity, pleasure, politics, and your desires, then you are not seeking God’s will, and are not in right standing with God. Yes, your mind has been conquered by Satan. We cannot join Satan’s diabolical army For worse was trinkets over our reward of eternal life that Jesus died on the cross to give us.

Surrender and faithful obedience to God immediately releases Satan’s stronghold on our minds. Jesus provides us with definitive guidelines for God’s Righteous Principles in Matthew chapter 6.

2 Timothy 3 describes the Perilous Times we are living in right now.

Jesus is in the Heavenly Sanctuary waiting to come again and receive us to live a Forever Life with Him. Hallelujah! Yes and Amen!

Bible Study: John 14:1-3

Lord God, we pray for those in the Christian Community who are deceived by Satan to pursue worthless treasures and embrace world views that oppose Your Righteousness. Help us to desire your perfect plans, which includes Eternal Life in the New Heaven and New Earth. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray Amen.

Who Have We Helped?

Who have we helped today, yesterday, or last week? Jesus’ life is our blueprint for stepping outside of our selfish nature to put the needs of others before our desires.

“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17).

We must give freely to receive! Giving is a significant part of living a sacrificial life, which God honors, and responds by blessing our lives.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

Lord God, we ask You to change our hearts so our love will extend to those in need. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.

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