Tag: Sabbath

Sabbath Devotional—Crowns and Robes for the Righteous

Sabbath Devotional Reading and Podcast—Crowns and Robes for the Righteous

“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…’ ” —Matthew 25:34

We are not only in a continuous struggle against spiritual warfare but must also fight against the inner desires of our hearts. Satan promotes the pleasures of this world because he knows his destiny. His goal is to prevent us from receiving our crown, robe, and eternal life.

Our situation may appear hopeless because we failed to overcome spiritual warfare and the battle within from inheriting deceitful and desperately wicked hearts. Yet, we are not in a losing predicament because we have a Savior, Jesus Christ.

“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

As our Heavenly Father, Jesus protects us from the many satanic attacks that we know nothing about. Christ has assigned His army of angels to fight our spiritual battles [seen and unseen]. To receive Divine help in our activities of daily living, we place our thoughts and strategies aside by praying every day for God’s Divine Intervention for guidance and protection.

“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

The word, “Abide” may be a mystery to us. What does it mean to abide in Christ? Self-reliance is not included in the Plan of Salvation. Throughout the Scriptures, we read that Jesus stayed connected to God by praying without ceasing. He always sought to do His Father’s will even unto death. To abide in Christ is to surrender ourselves and rely on Him through prayer and consecration.

Total Obedience is required to receive our crown and robe. We were created to be spiritually dependent on God. Without the human effort of staying connected to Jesus by surrendering ourselves in faith, trust, and obedience, we do not have a fighting chance of overcoming the temptations which are designed to make us sin. Pray to stay connected to Christ!

“If you love Me, keep my commandments.” —John 14:15

A relationship with Christ is based on love. And from our love for Him, we make a covenant to become a disciple. We are followers of a Savior who created us from love. Jesus was aware that Adam and Eve would fall. Yet because of His love for all of humanity, He gave His life—for us to overcome sin and live eternally with Him in the New Heaven and New Earth.

The Apostle Paul tells us, I die daily. And we must also commit to die daily to the sinful desires and temporary pleasures of this earthly life. To remain steadfast requires the strength of Jesus Christ. Our commitment is renewed every day through our prayer of surrender.

Starting the day off with God requires our first prayer to be one of surrendering to God’s will. In humility, we admit our weaknesses and ask for the anointing, power, presence, and guidance of the Holy Spirit. “Lord, I belong to You, please reveal Your will for me today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

The Holy Spirit gives us Divine strength to overcome covert temptations. Yet, we must put forth the effort to live holy and acceptable lives that are pleasing to the Lord by rejecting sin. Staying on the Path of Righteousness is not easy! Never limit the times you pray throughout the day and evening! We may have to pray several times a day to gain victory over sin. In prayer, present even the little things to Christ for His Divine guidance.

For today’s Christians, Satan is using another obstacle to prevent us from receiving our crown and robe. Worrying and feeling anxious about the declining status of our global economies distracts us and diminishes our faith in God. Violence, famine, social injustice, and climate change are not in our power to change.

This is our Father’s world! Biblical prophecies forewarn us of the changes which indicate we are moving forward toward Jesus’ Second Coming. Study Matthew chapter 24 and 2nd Timothy chapter 3.

Facing opposition is harder when our minds are overwhelmed with life’s challenges. Nor can we focus on Christ when constantly thinking about the pending status of the future. We do not have to watch or listen to every newscast. Yes, the global economy is failing. Without warning, we may lose our jobs and earthly possessions. Worrying about our lives and the future prevents preparation for eternal life. Jesus says, “Take no thought for tomorrow.”

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles [Unbelievers] seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:31-34).

Many lose out on their blessings of daily strength and the gift of peace because they are overthinking tomorrow, the next month, and the next year. Never allow the vicissitudes of life to make you lose sight of receiving your crown and robe. Verbalize your faith, “Today, I will have Victory through Christ!”

The Apostle James gives us wisdom on the downside of making plans for the future without God’s Divine blessings.

Do Not Boast About Tomorrow [The Sin of Presumption]

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow;’ we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil (James 4:13-16).

Two important aspects of living as a follower of Christ are our love for Him as demonstrated by our daily Prayer of Surrender and living day-by-day. The future belongs to God. Faithfully trust and obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit for this day.

Tomorrow is not promised to us. One future event requires intentional focus, preparation, and joyful anticipation—the Second Coming of King Jesus. Surrender and Faithful Obedience to Christ will be rewarded with a forever Crown and the Robe of Righteousness.

Scriptures: “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” —1 Corinthians 15:51-52

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” —1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” — James 1:12

Prayer: God, we are inundated with the worries of tomorrow. Lord, our faith is weak. We desperately need Your Divine Intervention to change our focus. Today, we surrender ourselves to You. We pray for the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit. Please give us peace and spiritual direction. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

© 2023 Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries

Scriptures of Encouragement—Jesus Will Never Forsake Us!

Scriptures of Encouragement—Jesus Will Never Forsake Us!

Commit to putting all of your faith and trust in the only Loving, Powerful God who always keeps His promises.

“The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. He does not forget the cry of the humble.” —Psalm 9:9-10, 12

“In my distress, I cried to the LORD, And He heard me.” —Psalm 120:1

“The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand.” —Psalm 121:5

“…Thus says the LORD to you: Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” —2 Chronicles 20:15

“…as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage…Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:5, 6, 9

“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

“Then 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 of your heart.” —Jeremiah 29:12-13

“…Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” —Isaiah 43:1-3

“The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.” —Nahum 1:7

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” —John 16:33

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:6-7

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:19

“Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” —Philippians 4:20

Believe in God’s promises! Be not dismayed, God will take care of you!

© 2023 Steps2successwithspiritualsolutions

Wisdom the Divine Gift

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

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!

© 2023 Steps2successwithspiritualsolutions