Tag: Sabbath

Wisdom the Divine Gift Devotional Reading and Podcast

Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;
For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. —Proverbs 3:13-15

“The book of Proverbs is all about helping us to make right choices, to choose the way of God and not that of the deceiver.”— SSQ, The Call of Wisdom

Wisdom is a divine gift from God. Yet we must ask for it. “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). Wisdom gives us the ability to discern between right and wrong whether the deception is obvious or not.

Deception is spiritual warfare by Satan—the Master of Deception who seeks to trick us by developing customized temptations and presenting them to us with such proficiency that in our process of rationalizing, we become confused. Of course, his goal is to make the righteous fall. “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire” (James 1:14).

Satan deceived Eve with words that appeared to be full of wisdom. Imagine a serpent who can communicate with you. The distraction of a talking serpent who spoke about the wonderful benefits of eating the forbidden tree’s fruit cost Adam and Eve everything, including their face-to-face relationship with Jesus, loss of their home, and immortality.

Sadly, many Christians are deceived every day. When faced with life’s dilemmas, we rely on our emotions, academic degrees, strategies, and prior life experiences instead of praying for God to give us the wisdom to discern. By eliminating prayer for wisdom and guidance, we use our limited knowledge to make decisions that result in costly consequences.

The dilemma is orchestrated by Satan and comes to completion because of our lack of knowledge or pride. We feel pressured to make an immediate decision. Then Satan adds fuel to the fire with additional deceptive tactics by making us believe that our circumstances are trials or tribulations caused by God.

In John 16, Jesus tells us that we will have tribulations. Most of us have been through at least one season of darkness, and thankfully God has given us deliverance that we can use as a testimony to encourage others. But what happens when our lives are in constant turmoil from which we never recover?

Trials versus Consequences

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. —1 Peter 5:10

“We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed…” —2 Corinthians 4:8

Whether our lives feel out of control or everything is at peace, if we are Christian believers, we will experience hard times. Contrary to trendy [false] teachings, God does not crush us. The apostle Peter tells us that suffering has a Divine purpose. Our characters “as is” are not acceptable for the Kingdom of Heaven. Trials, sorrows, tribulations, and hard times are allowed by God to accomplish a spiritual transformation.

Are you impatient, unloving, have an anger management issue, or possess a prideful and selfish heart? Even if we do not admit our character defects, God’s purpose is for us to live eternally with Him. God does not punish us for long periods because He can. We serve a God whose name is Love. We have the assurance that our trials are given for one purpose, spiritual growth!

“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace…” (1 Corinthians 14:33).

God does not crush or bring chaos and confusion into our lives. If we are living disruptive lives due to chaos and confusion then we are making decisions outside of the will of God. God’s purpose is to transform and provide restoration and peace to our lives. We benefit from trials because they place us on a firm foundation in Jesus Christ and prepare us to receive our reward of eternal life.

If you are suffering from the consequences of counterproductive decisions, pray a prayer of confession and repentance. Our Heavenly Father is loving and merciful. Every day surrender your heart and will to God by asking for wisdom and discernment. Develop the mindset of “Where God leads and directs me, I will obey.”

“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

Prayer: God, we ask for forgiveness for excluding you from our decision-making. We ask for wisdom and discernment and pray for Your Divine Guidance in our lives. We also ask You to resolve our current dilemma that is present due to a spirit of self-reliance. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.

God’s Blueprint for Your Life Sabbath Devotional Reading and Podcast

Yesterday, I was involved in a deep discussion regarding the question, “How do you know it’s God directing you?” God’s directions always glorify Him, they are given with clarity, and there are no hiccups [obstacles]. Everything flows like a beautiful mountain stream of water. When God has orchestrated the plan, no human or even Satan can prevent His plan from coming to fruition. And you know the blessing is from God because you have a sense of overwhelming peace in your heart and soul!

One of the greatest stories in the Old Testament is The Destruction of Jericho, which is an example of God’s Divine plans accomplishing what appeared to be an impossible feat.

Joshua 6: verses 1-3: “Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua: ‘See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days.’ “

Joshua 6: verses 4-5: “And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of ram’s horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”

The Victorious Plan Comes to Fruition: “So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city” (Joshua 6:20).

One of the biggest mistakes is to listen to someone on social media telling us, “I don’t know who I’m talking to but God wants me to tell you to go ahead with your plans.” There are many testimonials from people who listened to strangers and suffered unnecessary consequences.

Testimony: In 2021, my landlord called to tell me he was selling the house I had leased for six years. I was living in Texas and was given six weeks to clear out a 3-Bedroom house. God came through in miraculous ways. I was searching for an apartment within a 50-mile radius of my address. The online search resulted in many apartment complexes, yet there was something unusual, an apartment complex on the Florida Coast showed up first. To be honest, I started laughing.

Within one week, my application for the Florida apartment was approved. God sent an individual to help me clear out the donation items and a furniture store owner purchased all of the excess furniture I could not keep. In the middle of February, with two weeks left to vacate, there was a severe ice storm that shut down several cities. Texas has its electrical grid. They divided the city into quadrants and placed everyone on a rotating 4-hour on and 4-hours off schedule for electricity. My electricity stayed on for days without interruption.

Many other miracles occurred between January 15th to March 1st of 2021 that I never anticipated. I witnessed God’s Divine Intervention as I had never seen before. When God directs your life’s plans, He takes care of everything, including the most minor details. I have lived on the Coast for over two years.

“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).

Always Pray for God’s Guidance: “God, show me the way and what you want me to do. I want to do what you want me to do. I am in a state of confusion and need clarity. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. I prayed a similar prayer before relocating 1400 miles. The All-Knowing God who has wisdom beyond our comprehension has perfect plans for our earthly lives.

“Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old. Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19, ESV).

Remember that God’s blueprints always result in us “Going Forward.” God never requires us to take steps backward to accomplish His plans. Waiting includes obedience to His will and learning His Voice. Pray in your secret closet to avoid distractions when seeking God’s guidance.

Spiritual growth and transformation require faith and patience. God takes His time in bringing the details of our blueprint into existence. We must be ready spiritually to receive our greatest blessings. Most often, God will require the present chapter in your life to end. Because God is the Great I AM, He will not disclose the details of His plans ahead of time. We must faithfully wait in joyful anticipation.

“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27:14)

I am a living witness. When we wait on God’s timing, the Lord will reveal His wonderful-working power in our lives. Never give up! Your blueprint is promised in Jeremiah 29, verse 11. Amen!

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