Tag: Sabbath

Reverence to the Almighty God

Reverence to the Almighty God Sabbath Devotional June 16, 2023

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!'” —Isaiah 6:1-6

What is reverence?

“True reverence for God is inspired by a sense of His infinite greatness and a realization of His presence. With this sense of the Unseen, every heart should be deeply impressed. The hour and place of prayer are sacred because God is there. And as reverence is manifested in attitude and demeanor, the feeling that inspires it will be deepened.”—”Prophets and Kings,” pages 48, 49.

‘You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.’ —Leviticus 20:26

We can only have a spirit of reverence if we perceive and honor God as a Loving Father who is Holy, Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent. God deserves our reverence, praise, worship, and gratitude because He is God!

In His earthly life, Jesus exemplified the steps we need to take to reverence God in our personal worship. Jesus knew that His disciples were distracted because they had their own agendas. And He took the necessary steps to always give God His full attention. Communing with God requires reverence, therefore, Jesus always separated himself from others in His personal worship with God, His Father.

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” —Matthew 6:6

Jesus advises us to go to our secret place to pray. Our relationship with God is one-to-one. Separate yourself from your husband, wife, family, and friends when having personal worship. Follow Jesus’ example by focusing your full attention on God. When we pray, study the Bible, and give praises through singing or listening to inspirational music, we are inviting the presence of the Holy Spirit into our worship experience.

“Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.” —Leviticus 20:7

Do you consider yourself to be part of a royal priesthood that was chosen and called to live holy? Truthfully, we do not understand the concepts of being consecrated or having godly righteousness.

Most of us do not understand the depth and importance of reverencing God for various reasons: 1. The world is sinful and values nothing as sacred. 2. We do not understand that God is Holy because our worldview is to treat everything as common. 3. We do not view our time as valuable and do not set aside even 30 minutes away from screen time and other people to have a personal worship experience with God. 4. The Bible—our Spiritual Guide which explains God’s Character and the Righteous characteristics we must possess, we refuse to study and obey.

Only one in nine Christians study the Bible. Because our focus is on the common [worldly] things of life, our priorities are skewed. We have lost the desire to be set apart and to be different from the world. Our time is dedicated to ourselves. Without making intentional time to study every day, we don’t know who God is and His expectation of us.

Time for God: “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. this is the first and greatest commandment. ‘ ” —Matthew 22:37-38, We have the responsibility to put God first. Take the time to eliminate the secular activities that prevent having a meaningful worship experience with God every day.

“But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” — Habakkuk 2:20

Creating the atmosphere to invite God’s presence is vital: We need silence! Do not bring in cellular devices during your worship with God. They are a distraction that prevents one from placing their full attention on God. Our cell phones are used for common activities and should not be present during our time of worship. It’s a matter of reverence.

Listening to Inspirational instrumental music is an option if you have another device besides your cell phone. Choose your music before having worship to ensure that ads are not popping up in the middle of your time with God. Many people love silence. Whatever is necessary for you to receive the blessing of God, Just do It! The habit of reverential worship enables us to develop a posture of humility and creates an atmosphere that prepares us to worship God.

If your home has too many distractions then choose another place to worship. Our intent is to focus on God and to give Him our full attention. One of my most powerful worship experiences was in a secluded area at the beach. Sit in your vehicle, go to the park, or do whatever it takes to have solitude and quiet. Keeping our focus on God and enjoying His presence renews our minds and bodies and keeps us hopeful in every situation.

Wherever we choose to worship, the expectation is that the presence of the Holy Spirit will be there. Remember, God is not intrusive! We must invite the Spirit of God into our lives. Pray for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Our desire is to receive a spiritual blessing along with mental, emotional, and physical healing, divine strength, wisdom, and godly understanding.

Purchase a Bible: As a devout Christian, it is essential to own a physical copy of the Bible for studying purposes. Despite the convenience of digital formats, there is a unique experience in holding a tangible Bible and reading its God-inspired words. The biblical stories of humanity’s successes and shortcomings, as well as its precious promises, are irreplaceable sources of blessings.

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD.” —Isaiah 55:8

Not Just a Book: Studying the Scriptures always requires the presence of the Holy Spirit. Wisdom and understanding of God’s Truth cannot be ascertained by using our finite—limited thought processes. Without exception, living in the last days is a challenge to every believer. We cannot live righteously by relying on our thoughts or life experience. More than ever, we need to memorize the Scriptures to give us the knowledge to overcome spiritual warfare!

How can we effectively study the Bible? Decide on a specific time to have worship. Place yourself on “Do Not Disturb.” Choose a chapter and read aloud the verses with pauses. Think deeply about the words. My go-to chapter is Isaiah 40. The chapter is focused on God telling Isaiah to relay His words of comfort to the discouraged people [because of the consequences of their habitual disobedience].

Apply the Scriptures to your life: As I reflect on Isaiah 40, I contemplate the sins committed by the Nation of Israel, and the forgiveness that our Merciful God extends to us when we confess and repent. Despite our wilful disobedience, God always forgives us. In particular, verses 28 to 31 convey a profound promise of God’s Love, Grace, and Mercy towards all of humanity.

Make your Bible Study personal. Reflect deeply on the love and graciousness of God. Reverence for God reveals that our hearts are filled with love, adoration, and gratitude for the Giver of all good gifts including unlimited forgiveness. Our lives are in His Righteous Right Hand. Love Him! He is Holy, Holy, Holy!

Scripture: “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” —1 John 4:9-10

“…and our reverence of God is important because of Who God is and what He exemplifies.” http://www.Biblestudytools.com

God is holy (Revelation 15:4). God is great (mighty) (Deuteronomy 10:17).
God is good and He only does wondrous things (1 Samuel 12:24, Psalm 72:18).
God is faithful (Isaiah 25:1). God is forgiving (Psalm 130:4).
God is our Judge (Psalm 50:6, Revelation 14:7, Malachi 3:16).

Prayer: God, we ask for forgiveness for treating You like You are common. We love You and we praise Your Holy Name! We pray for strength and wisdom to reverence You through our posture and our lifestyle. Lord, we seek to renew our covenant vow to serve You. As we take the time to have a daily reverent worship experience with You, we pray for a spiritual blessing. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we pray in the Matchless Name of Jesus. Amen.

“Jesus, If You Can”

Jesus, If You Can Devotional Reading June 2, 2023

“And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.'” —Mark 9:22-23

Our greatest battle in life is Faith versus Feelings! We have embraced and adopted the worldview of do-it-yourself. Because of self-reliance, our measure of faith has not grown or developed. Many Christians have stopped praying for God’s Divine guidance and help in their routine duties of life. It’s not until a life-changing event that we get on our knees and cry out for God’s help.

Words of Faith, Fear, and Doubt—”But if You can do anything”

Yes, the child’s father had heard of a man and His disciples who could heal. After the disciples failed to heal the young boy because of their faithlessness, the father used all the courage he had to approach Jesus. The disciples’ failure left the man feeling unsure of Jesus’ spiritual power to heal. Yet, he took the risk in front of a crowd of people to ask Jesus if He could heal his son.

In His earthly life, Jesus always exhibited His true love and compassion to those in need. Some biblical translations mislead us to believe that Jesus scolded the child’s father with the response “What do you mean, ‘If I can?’ Jesus asked.” Those condescending words would never be spoken by our Loving Savior!

Our faith in God is being attacked every day. The spiritual warfare that we face includes the misrepresentation of God as punitive—always ready to punish humanity. We know that the fallen angel, Lucifer who is now Satan is responsible for the lies regarding God. Our faith has diminished because we failed to learn of God’s character which is evident throughout the Bible.

Even so, do not let worldviews, your feelings, the opinions of others, the presenting circumstances, or the lack of Scriptural knowledge cause disbelief in the love and power of Jesus Christ!

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.…” — Matthew 11:28-29

Jesus knows the weaknesses of our hearts and characters. He is aware of the self-reliance and fears that prevent us from coming to Him immediately when we face overwhelming challenges. Yet, He tells us the only way His Divine power can provide absolute resolution to the trials and sorrows we face.

The story of the child with symptoms of epilepsy and his father who decided to courageously approach Jesus with the little faith he had teaches us that when we put our unbelief aside and approach God in prayer, supernatural results happen even though our faith is weak. Our prayers must be spoken in faith, “Jesus, I know You can.”

In Revelation, the Apostle John reveals to us the Character and Majestic Power of Christ: “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hell and of Death.'” —Revelation 1:18-19

Who else but Jesus can reassure us that His power is so great that He overcame death? And who else but Jesus would die for all of humanity including those who despise, disobey, and have no faith in Him?

“I have loved you with an everlasting love.” With finite understanding, we will never fully comprehend the POWER and Love that Christ has for us. Still, every day we can make the intentional commitment to embrace and verbalize Jesus’ love, be intentional with our faith, and believe His Holy Words.

Prayer: God, we are distracted by the many worldviews that are diminishing our faith in Your power and love for us. We commit to faithfully believing in Your loving character and Your unlimited power. Jesus, we love You. Thank You for Your love, grace, and mercies. In Jesus’ Loving Name, Amen.

© 2023 Steps2successwithsolutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God

Moving Forward Always Requires Transitions

Moving Forward Always Requires Transitions Devotional Reading

Many of us aspire to grow both professionally and personally, but often, we become discouraged when faced with the difficulties that come with growth. To progress, one must surpass their usual limits to successfully adapt to the various phases of transition. Whether we agree with the process [which may be short or lengthy] embracing continuous change is always required to achieve a victorious outcome.

Except for spiritual growth, the areas in which we require growth differ for each person. Yes, we must stretch ourselves beyond the ordinary routine of life by expanding our knowledge base to achieve optimal growth and development. Learning credible information, pursuing academic degrees, developing creative skills, embracing a healthy lifestyle, starting a garden, and reflecting on current relationships to assess if they are healthy are some of the ways that we indicate the desire to live our best lives.

Embracing the need for growth and development and taking the steps to achieve said goals results in the joy and happiness of possessing optimal mental, emotional, and physical health. However, it is important to acknowledge that creating strategies to accomplish both short-term and long-term objectives provides us with the confidence that we are progressing intentionally and at our preferred speed.

Wouldn’t life be wonderful if we had the opportunity to live as projected and prevent unexpected setbacks?

“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

Reflection: What steps have I taken to ensure that I could move forward from an unplanned life-changing event? Even with emergency-preparedness plans, when the storm hits the area, modifications are required. Except for God, our future is unknown. Yet, we have received God-given qualities along with the ability to pray for Divine Help to endure and persevere through life’s trials and tribulations.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” —2 Timothy 1:7

In the course of our lives, we will face unexpected changes that may lead us in a different direction, often impeding our ability to accomplish set plans and goals. Unless we regroup and face the necessary challenges to push us forward, resulting in progress, we will view the life change as negative and impossible to overcome. Holding on to bitter, angry, fearful, and sorrowful thoughts produces roadblocks that cancel our God-given resilience to move forward.

Without determination, our thoughts will become counterproductive and result in a mindset that dwells on the past. It is often easier to reminisce about memories [perceived or real] of better times and become stagnant, rather than persevering with the courage to develop new strategies and forge ahead on a different path.

When studying Genesis, we learn of the Fall of Man. Yes, it was a choice for Adam and Eve to sin, but God never left them alone to make the painful transition from their perfect garden home to a new life that included suffering the unexpected. “Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). Even in our disobedience, God’s love never changes.

The Promise: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” —Deuteronomy 31:8

We need the rock-solid spiritual foundation that diligent Bible study and much praying provide to endure the struggle of transitioning—planned or unexpected. Knowing God’s promises and praying for the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit gives us Divine strength and provides us with the spiritual reinforcement necessary to face our challenges for the growth that moving forward requires.

Christians have a life that includes continuous transitions on a spiritual level. Sanctification is the lifelong spiritual process of our character being molded into the character of Christ. To grow spiritually, we must pray for the help of the Holy Spirit every day!

It is crucial to understand that the Scriptures about love, forgiveness, and the Fruit of the Spirit are not optional. Moving forward requires spiritual growth and development that prepares us to transition from our earthly lives to our heavenly reward of eternal life. Christ’s life on earth exemplified His faithfulness and obedience to God, His Father, as He constantly prayed for God’s will to be done.

Whether by necessity [spiritual growth], choice [personal growth], or facing the unexpected, our lives will always be victorious if we choose to include God’s divine intervention while transitioning. The creation of humanity included a Divine blueprint for continuous growth. It is the will of God that we possess the highest level of spiritual, mental, and emotional development, and optimal physical health.

Scripture: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” —3 John 2:2

Prayer: God, we pray for Your Divine Help as we face the many transitions in our lives. We admit that we cannot go through this journey of life without You. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.