Tag: Sabbath Devotional

Christian Characteristics Necessary for Life In Heaven

During every passenger plane landing, the instructions are given to prepare for landing. Because this directive may be perceived in many various ways the flight attendants give specific directions for preparation to land. They perform a final walk through to complete the pre-landing regulations before taking their seats.

Jesus has given us precepts and commands to guide us to our final destination in the New Heaven and New Earth.

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.'” –Revelation 22:20

With urgency, in Revelation chapter 22, Jesus gives us a promise that is also a warning. Three times He says, I am coming quickly. We are given a preview of heaven, we are told that the time is near, and we receive information on how to prepare by keeping His Commandments. The chapter ends with the repetitive and third promise/warning from Jesus that His coming is timely and definite.

Note: In studying the Scriptures, Jesus rarely repeated His words while ministering to others. We become aware that “I am coming quickly” is a life or death warning for us to do our part [daily preparation] if we expect to receive eternal life.

Most of us possess the skills of preparing ahead. We have our mental to-do lists and are accustomed to preparing the night before or early morning to identify and achieve daily repetitive tasks. Yet, when preparing for vacations or an intentional getaway, we use focused planning strategies. If you need some quiet time, you would not book an Airbnb in a city with never-ending noises.

How many Christians are excitedly preparing day-to-day to live eternally?

Preparation for eternal life is intentional. Every aspect of our earthly activities of daily living require heightened awareness and intentional planning. Without complete knowledge of how we use our time, distractions will prevent us from preparing for eternal life. We never fully comprehend the meaning of Jesus coming quickly because we are unaware of the shortage of time we have to get ready.

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Revelation 22:12).

Jesus also clarifies that we have spiritual assignments for which we will receive the reward of living with Him forever and ever. Our Heavenly reward is not given because we were dedicated employees working 40-hour work weeks that provided the necessary income to sustain our lifestyles.

The question, What did you do with your spiritual gifts that I gave you? Did you strive to live a righteous life? The conviction to remain faithful and obedient by overcoming temptations, the courage to say no to sin, [even if it means losing family and friends], and the commitment to love and put God first are righteous standards mandated by the law of God.

Use your spiritual gifts and the resources of time, effort, and money for discipleship–service to God and to others which is the work that Jesus Christ rewards. Read The Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20.

Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the changes in your lifestyle that you need to make to be ready for Jesus’ Second Coming. Live everyday with the mindset that Jesus is coming quickly! We have wasted too much time watching, listening, and doing things that do not count toward preparation for eternal life.

The Journey of Sanctification

We can only take one thing to heaven and that is our character. The Holy Spirit breathed the words of God to the apostles, Paul, James, Peter, and John of the necessary characteristics that we must have in our lives now to be holy and acceptable for life in heaven.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. –Galatians 5:22-23

Most are familiar with the righteous traits of the Fruit of the Spirit. Still, “1 Corinthians 13, Ephesians 6, Hebrews 11, James 1-2, and 1 Peter 1” also give us a foundation for possessing a Christ-like character. Sanctification, the lifelong spiritual journey of spiritual growth and development requires human effort plus Divine Intervention through Jesus Christ.

Secretly, some Christians think that striving for righteousness is overwhelming and that God has placed a burden on us to be holy.

Consider your employer who has greater demands than our Heavenly Father. You are expected to have almost 100% competency in performing your job duties, reach productivity standards, possess time management skills, complete ongoing educational trainings, and have an acceptable attendance record. Nor will you receive continuous help from management staff.

We have the Divine Intervention of the Spiritual Team of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the angels to help us every day. Doing our part requires putting God first and praying for help. Pray and Study the Bible every day. We determine our destiny!

Why is it taking so long for Jesus to come? “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” — 2 Peter 3:9

Thankfully, we have a merciful Father who patiently loves us. Even so, our lifespan remains a mystery Tomorrow is not promised to us. Prepare everyday and stay ready.

Prayer: God, we pray for ourselves today because we realize that we are not preparing for Jesus to come. Holy Spirit please reveal the obstacles in our lives that are causing roadblocks in our spiritual journey. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

What is the Most Important Thing in Your Life?

Sabbath Devotional–The Struggle of Sanctification–What is the Most Important Thing in Your Life?

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5

A relationship with Christ is the most crucial aspect of a believer’s life. Our covenant vow to become a follower [disciple] of Jesus is demonstrated through the daily surrendering of our desires. Jesus gave us a complete explanation of the requirement to follow Him: “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'” (Matthew 22:37).

Loving God requires humility and obedience. “LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23).

We give up independent thought processes and desires by praying daily, “God, not my will, but Your will be done in my life. Holy Spirit, today, I ask for guidance, wisdom, and discernment to recognize distractions from warfare. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Give us this day, our daily bread. Wisdom and discernment are spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit which require us to ask for them daily. We build a relationship with Christ through diligent prayer and by studying the Scriptures. Worship provides us with the spiritual nourishment and strength we need to stay connected to God. And our hearts are prepared to hear the Voice of God through the Holy Spirit.

“Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” (Romans 12:3, last part)

All have received the gift of faith. We can compare it to a seed. Faith is a gift that needs to be cultivated and nurtured to produce growth. Our faith grows from completely trusting in God’s promises despite the giants that we face. “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him, the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

We fight the battle of trusting our judgment versus having faith in the invisible God. Feeling that we have to act instead of praying and trusting in God places us in the predicament of our will versus God’s will. Many have given up because it’s too hard to wait, trust, and obey. Yet, without faith, we can never have a relationship with Jesus Christ.  

Faith gives us hope and proclaims that we believe that God knows best, that He never fails, and will provide the perfect solution. Even if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we open our hearts to receive Divine Intervention. Yet, faith has no gray area or middle ground. Either we are all in or completely out.

All relationships require trust including Jesus plus us. Whether it is a miracle, the solution to a hardship, or pursuing a dream, our faith enables us to wait on God. The struggle happens when we allow our fears to override God’s plans. Even if we do not know God’s will for our lives, we pray, ask, and wait. “Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14).

Waiting produces thriving faith, yet, it also requires courage. The waiting period proves if we are really connected to Jesus. Many become discouraged during the silent phase of waiting. Satan uses this time to place doubt in our minds. Has God forgotten my prayer? Where is the miracle? If God doesn’t do something quickly, then…, or we begin to compare ourselves to our peers–everyone else has achieved their dreams, why am I the only one who has nothing?

We usually think of someone performing a life-saving action as courageous. Faith requires all the mental, emotional, and spiritual strength we possess to have 100% trust in God. Our relationship with Jesus is based on our faith that is fueled by courage. Come to Jesus just as you are–He is aware of the little we offer. But little becomes much in the Master’s hands.

Jesus patiently teaches us how to exercise the courage that produces unrealistic faith in Him. Our love relationship with Jesus is based on the human effort of faith. When our faith begins to waver, we need to immediately pray and reinforce our faith with the promises of God. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13).

Being determined in our efforts, and keeping our relationship with Jesus is always our priority. With Divine authority, every day, Jesus takes our frail weaknesses uniting them with His strength and we receive the spiritual empowerment to persevere and run the race in this earthly journey of life.

Prayer: God, we pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We need Your direction and the strength to keep striving despite our obstacles. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

No Longer a Civilian [Podcast]

Do you have a family member, friend, or fiance who enlisted in the military, completed Boot Camp, came home on furlough, and was barely recognizable? Their facial expression and body posture reflected confidence. And the joker who formerly made everyone laugh now had a controlled smile and spoke a different conversation.

It is often difficult for civilians to adjust to the significant transformation of the one they love and have acted silly with. The person is now a soldier. No, they have not lost their ability to love or have fun. They were trained, given, and accepted the mission to serve and protect their country. A soldier has experienced a total mental and emotional makeover. Their priorities and values no longer align with a civilian’s everyday lifestyle.

I recall a vid testimony of a young man who purchased a Bible, accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, and asked the Christian community, “Now what?” He received mass congratulations for the choice to serve Jesus. But he expressed disappointment after reading the posts that described the Christian lifestyle. He posted that he did not desire to attend church to engage with other believers or give up the worldly things that he enjoyed. Since none of his friends or family were believers, following Jesus would cause a separation. His final post stated, “Serving Jesus seems to be too hard.”

His true feelings may shock most Christians, yet, it is the truth. The journey of Sanctification [spiritual transformation into the character of Jesus] is lifelong. Christians have a life of suffering, trials, and sorrows. We are called to be disciples who follow Jesus. We embrace God’s moral code and values. Faith, trust, and obedience are requisites for being part of God’s Army.

  1. We are required to “Take Up the Cross and Follow Him.”

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?'” (Matthew 16:24-26)

2. “If you love me, obey my commandments.” (John 14:15)

The soldier surrenders their former mindset and is 100% obedient to the rules and policies of the military. God also requires His soldiers to obey. But we have convinced ourselves that we can have the mindset of Cain–to give God our perception of obedience. We consider a weekly church service, giving tithe and offerings, and an occasional witness to others as good enough. Sadly, our disobedience will cost us the loss of our reward of eternal life.

3. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law.”(Galatians 5:22-23).

Soldiers in the Army of God must also experience a spiritual, mental, and emotional transformation. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, our characters begin to align with Christ’s character.

4. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

When loving God, it’s all or nothing. Jesus mandates 100% surrender, loyalty, and commitment to God, His Father. We give up worldly desires, habits, and people. “God, not my will, but Your will be done. Amen.”

Our Great Commission

5. “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.'” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Military soldiers are not required to love their superiors or fellow soldiers. Nor do they have to recruit and make soldiers. Witnessing the Good News is not an option. We make disciples because it is Jesus’ command.

Saving the best for last: “It’s All About Love”

“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. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39 BSB)

Without 100% love for God, we will view discipleship as burdensome. Many individuals believe in and love God, but they have boundaries. Our lifestyle reflects our endless love and expresses our desire and dedication to obey and please God, our Father. Obedience is our highest form of worship.

The Apostle Paul describes the life of a Soldier in God’s Army.

Put On The Whole Armor of God
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—(Ephesians 6:10-18).

Prayer: God, we admit our fault for withholding our love for you. Our lifestyle reflects our selfish desires and disobedience. We ask forgiveness. Not our will, but Your will be done. Please reveal our spiritual gifts and Your purpose for our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

We Are More Than a Conqueror

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” John 5:14

When the mind dwells upon self, it is turned away from Christ, the source of strength and life. Rest in God. He is able to keep that which you have committed to Him. If you will leave yourself in His hands, He will bring you off more than a conqueror through Him that has loved you. EGW

Praise and Worship Music is one of the most powerful resources that God has blessed us with. The lyrics should focus on the divinity of God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. There are times when the vicissitudes of life are so overwhelming that worry and anxiety replace the joy and peace that Jesus has promised us. Memorize one song that reminds you of God’s love for humanity and hum or sing it throughout your day. You will develop a spirit of gratitude for the never-ending love and mercies from our Heavenly Father.

Stay in His presence through prayers and praises. Jesus’ love is matchless for His sheep. He is our Shepherd and will lead us to the Promised Land of the New Heaven and New Earth. Redirect your focus from yourself to Jesus Christ.

Prayer: God, please help us to understand that we were not created to carry our burdens alone. We need your help. We ask for the wisdom to realize when our focus has turned away from You. In Jesus’ Worthy name, we pray. Amen.

The Desires of Jesus’ Heart

Sharing this wonderful Devotional, from His Healing Love by D. Winn

THE LONGINGS OF JESUS’ HEART

“I will come back and take you to be with me, that you also may be where I am.” John 14:3, N.I.V.

Our understanding of heaven takes its first shapes from the stories and pictures of childhood. I can recall the time when heaven seemed attractive to me for three reasons. I would be able to fly without effort, I would be able to play with a lion without fear, and I wouldn’t have to pull weeds.

As I grew older and faced a few more of the realities of this sin-damaged world, I began to be drawn toward heaven because of its promised relief from pain and death. I have found that heaven can be craved as an end of poverty, war, prejudice, and even taxes! Unfortunately, our desires for heaven often fixate at these rather materialistic levels, and we fail to let God stir in us greater longings. We seldom even know what those desires should be.

So let us listen with our hearts to Jesus’ own longings about heaven. What about heaven stirred Him to look forward to it with such eagerness? In His well-known farewell conversation with His disciples Jesus told them that He was returning to heaven to make preparation for His friends. But then He made a very personal promise. He said that He Himself would return for us, to “take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

In Jesus’ mind the most satisfying joys of heaven are not centered in its lovely architecture, its economy, or even its ecology. For Jesus, heaven is a great place to be with His friends–with us! Jesus knows that the greatest need of our hearts is not for a tame lion, quick transportation, or even a weed-free garden. Our greatest need is for a loving, trusting relationship with a close friend. We are, after all, made in His image. Those needs are a reflection of His own heart.

Of course, heaven will be a marvelous exquisite place, with nothing to mar its perfect joys and beauties. But that’s just the way He does things for His friends. He did not intend that the tearless bliss of heaven should be a sop for our selfishness. Rather He intended that nothing should be in heaven that would detract from the enjoyment of its truest essence: loving, growing friendships.

Wouldn’t you love to spend eternity with such a Savior?

Prayer: God, help us to take the focus off of ourselves and think of Jesus who gave Himself for sinful humanity. Thank you, Jesus for your great sacrifice. We love you and ask this prayer in your Worthy Name. Amen.