Tag: Sabbath

The DIY Package

DIY Package: Living with anxieties and worries are evidence that we are trying to face and fix the uncertainties in our lives.

God’s Package: 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 [be brave and courageous], because I have overcome the world. John 16:33

The Cry of Victory! Happy Sabbath!

Prayer: God, we pray that you open our spiritual eyes. Amen.

Jesus is here, walking in front of us. We are entering another storm, even so, keep your eyes focused on the Savior. Follow your Guide! The path is narrow. Don’t look to the right or to the left! And if the cloudy darkness of hardships and sorrows blind you, just call out, “Jesus, I can’t see you, Jesus, please help me.”

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

It is a conscious decision to awaken to a new day and invite Jesus into our life. “Behold, I stand at the door [our heart, which is our mind] and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20.

Struggles are necessary to develop the faith that keeps us totally dependent: “…Without Me, you can do nothing.” John 15:5. Yes, we are required to surrender our will, along with the way we think and the things we desire. And why not? For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Read Joshua chapter 6.

But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days.” Joshua 6:2‭-‬3.

Faith: Have we placed ourselves in the position to receive God’s plans? “Be still, and know that I am God;” Psalm 46:10. Prayer keeps us connected to God. Why is studying the Bible a necessity? Not only do the scriptures reveal the character of God, but they also teach and remind us that faith, trust, and obedience are required to stay in alignment with God. Jesus, the Lamb of God, the Alpha and Omega is the only way to receive salvation.

Obedience: “Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!” Joshua 6:10

Victory: When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. Joshua 6:20

Like the walls of Jericho that fell, if we put God first, He will lead and guide us through every heartache, tribulation, and challenge. Put your faith and trust in Him. It is only then, we can cry the shout of victory!

Prayer: God, thank you for loving us. Please forgive us for our sins. We desire to faithfully serve, obey, and wait for you to reveal your plans for our lives. We thank you for the gift of the Sabbath–a time dedicated to redirecting our focus on you. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.

There is Only One Answer

When I was in nursing school, the consensus was that our Nursing 1 professor was blunt, tactless, and overbearing. The exams had a standardized format with the paragraph question and four multiple-choice questions. Two of the answers were distractors, and the remaining two were closely related. Following an exam, Kathy would review the correct rationale and answer. You would think that students in the first semester of nursing school would not possess the arrogance to challenge an experienced nurse with an advanced degree, but that was not the case. But Kathy aconsistenly used one quote, “If you implemented that action your patient would probably die or suffer serious injury. There is only one correct answer.”

While my classmates were sparring with Kathy, I took notes, writing down the correct answer and rationale. My goal was to become an RN. After our second class, our professor established a zero tolerance policy. The challengers were reminded that they chose to become nurses, and to complete their goal, they would respect the nursing profession and their professor. Clarification of her role followed, and that was to teach the nursing process, which had only one road to travel on. The students were given an ultimatum to accept the theoretical information as presented or withdraw from the program. 

It would have been impossible for me to achieve my goal as a nurse if I did not study countless hours to learn the structure and function of the body along with various disease processes. To achieve my goal also required respect for my professors, their experience, and teaching the accuracy of nursing care for patients.

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12.

We are living in a time where many are selecting the wrong answer. Individuals who claim to love and serve God readily challenge the Bible, which God gave to men who were faithful, humble, obedient, and striving for the mark to be holy and live righteous lives. God gave us creativity, which is evidenced by our talents and the ability to learn, which explains why the writing styles of the books of the Bible may vary. But God did not give us the option to interpret His words according to our level of understanding.

Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15. The question is, “Do we desire eternal life?” Studying the Bible is a requisite to receive eternal life. The Bible is our spiritual mirror, it points out character flaws, and teaches us the correct answers given to us by God. We have a Heavenly Father who anticipated our every need. God did not leave us alone to interpret the scriptures. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 14:26.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29:29. As servants, we do not have to understand how the Holy Spirit teaches nor should we have a list of “why” questions. Our role is to pray and ask for the Holy Spirit to give us understanding and wisdom before we study God’s Holy Word. God has prepared a perfect life for those who humble themselves and accept the only correct answer. Read Revelation chapters 21 and 22 daily to remind yourself that the reward of obedience and perseverance is eternal life in the New Heaven and New Earth. 

I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:14

Bible Study: Philippians 3, and Revelation chapters 21-22

Prayer: God, we desire to learn the only answers that will guide us through our journey and prepare us to receive the reward of eternal life. Please fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may understand truth from error. Lord, give us wisdom as we seek knowledge of your Word. We ask this prayer in the Worthy name of Jesus. Amen. 

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2021, No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes without the author’s written permission.

It’s an Urgent Matter: Please Talk to God

The quest for simpler lifestyles to achieve peace and tranquility in the busyness of our lives is at an all-time high. Most of us routinely practice precautions to safeguard our physical safety. Businesses are paying attention to the increase of consumers making healthy choices regarding nutritional foods and purchasing clothing and equipment for physical exercise. And Psychologists continue to recommend guarding our mental and emotional health by using stress-reducing techniques and staying clear of toxic relationships.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

We are moving in the right direction, except for improving our spiritual health. When hardships, significant life events, or seasons of darkness overwhelm us, we still do not invite God to be our First-Responder. Prayer must be our immediate “911” call. We carry too many burdens when we fail to cast our cares on Jesus. Without consistent prayer, our faith depletes, and anxiety and worries consume our thoughts. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Matthew 6:27

Prayer is our connection to God, the source of our strength. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5. Jesus warns us that we can do nothing without him.

The only way to stay connected to the vine is through continuous prayer. We can pray anytime of the day and night to optimize our spiritual health by growing closer to God. Remember, prayer is our lifeline. Make the commitment to have a strong bond with God. Prayer is the only way we can receive life-giving nourishment from the Vine–Jesus Christ.

“Just have a little talk with Jesus and tell him all about your troubles. He will hear the faintest cry, He will answer by and by.”

Happy Sabbath!

Bible Study: 1 Thessalonians 5

God, we desire to build our relationship with you and to improve our spiritual health. We thank you for the Sabbath, your gift to humanity. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

©2021 Sonya Johnson

Sabbath Blessings

As we watch the condition of our world rapidly decline, we can refer to the Apostle Paul’s letter to Timothy.

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Our relationship with God determines our destiny. Either we will choose eternal life by total surrender and submission to God, or we will choose the final death by seeking after worldly pleasures.

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

We Need to Pray More

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Every day we are faced with various forms of chaos and confusion. Many believers are being affected emotionally [discouraged] and spiritually [disconnected from God, the source of our strength] by the increase in the godlessness of these last days. I have told you these things so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world, you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.] John 16:33 Amplified version. No prayer, No peace!

There are many ways to fracture a bone in our bodies. But there is only one way for us to fracture our relationship with God. We fail to maintain our connection to God by not praying as we should. The advantage of serving God is that we can live content, worry-free lives because we know who our Heavenly Father is and we have the faith and trust that He will always take care of us. 

Little prayer also means that we place limits on God. “To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. Isaiah 40:25. God is reminding us that He is Omnipotent–all-powerful. “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27

Pray as if your life depends on it because it does. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. Isaiah 43:2

We can never pray too much! As we approach the Sabbath, commit to communicating to God in prayer every hour while awake throughout this weekend. Prayers of thankfulness, prayers to be filled with the Holy Spirit, prayers for healing, prayers for necessities, prayers for your family, and prayers for an increase in faith, trust, and obedience in God are just a few of the many things that we can pray for. Invite a friend or family member to make the weekend commitment to pray hourly.

It is time for us to redirect our focus from the current events and establish a stronger relationship with God. We need God. Prayer allows us to tap into the power of our Almighty God.

Bible study: Isaiah 40

God, we desperately need you. Our lives are in chaos, and we have no peace or direction. Please show us what to do. Renew our faith as we commit to love and trust you with all of our hearts, soul, and mind. We ask this prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2021, No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes without the author’s written permission.

Sabbath Devotional: Living with Faith, Hope, and Gratitude

Life in the 1970s in a small Texas town was tough. There was a significant disparity between the financially wealthy and the rest of us. Poverty transcended all barriers; there were only two classes of people, the rich and the poor.

But, we also belonged to a church family who looked out for each other. Most of us had very little, yet, we were happy. Our faith in God was strong. We prayed continuously and were confident that God would answer. Our joy was evident because we always knew that God would give us our essential needs (Matthew 6). In addition, every Sabbath after lunch, we passed out literature in our assigned areas. Yes, those times are precious memories.

We had great faith as we prayed, prepared, and looked forward to Jesus coming again. 

Fast forward to the 21st century, and many believers are feeling anxious, worried, overwhelmed, depressed, and hopeless. What brought about the change?

As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. Luke 17:12-13. The men with leprosy heard of the great Messiah who healed those with many illnesses and raised the dead. When they saw Jesus, all ten men used their loud voices to ask Him for mercy.

Jesus commanded them to go and show themselves to the priest, which took unwavering faith. Remember that lepers were outcasts and not allowed to mix with other people. All ten obeyed Jesus’ command to, “Go.” Because of their faith and obedience, they received healing from the dreadful disease that excluded them from society. 

One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God he fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. Luke 17:15-16. Jesus healed ten lepers, yet only one returned to say, “Thank you.”

In this story, the desire to receive healing was reflected by their desperation. But even more importantly, they recognized Jesus and ten men loudly asked Him for mercy. When Jesus told them to go to the priests, they didn’t say, “Jesus, we are not allowed to go into the city, nor can we go into the synagogue.” The lepers faithfully obeyed Jesus’ command, and received healing. But only one of the ten had a grateful heart. And it is gratitude that caused him to turn around to thank Jesus.

Why was the man’s ethnicity of being a Samaritan emphasized? Because the Jews had no interactions with the unbelieving and unrighteous Samaritans. Even so, he did not care about society’s restrictions. The healed man took another giant leap of faith and went back to Jesus to say, “Thank you.”

Most believers of today acknowledge the deity of God, our Creator. Yet, we are so distracted by our circumstances that our faith is almost nonexistent. “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27. 

Our outlook is bleak when we enter the season of darkness [hardships, trials, and sorrows], nor do we focus on the fact that God always keeps His promises. 

What happens when we accumulate wealth? Due to financial prosperity, we begin to forget where the prosperity comes from. We take our eyes off Him and start looking at our wealth. We begin to worship the tangible things instead of the Creator. Alexis, contributor

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

We have adapted and conformed to the “self-help” mindset of the world. As we try to figure out the solutions, we are desperate, but our desperation is not for Jesus.

The busyness of our lifestyles has prevented us from having an up-close and personal relationship with God. Simply put, we do not have time to put God first.

Although our faults are many, we can change our current way of thinking, acting, and living. Jesus paid a high price for us. He kept his promise to die for our sins. And now Jesus is still serving us by being our Heavenly Intercessor, presenting us as faultless before God when we confess and repent of our sins.

Always put God first! When we possess a spirit of gratitude, we recognize every blessing, great or small, and we readily thank God for His never-ending grace and mercies.

This is our blessed hope: Jesus promises us that He is coming again!

12 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 22:12-13, 20

Bible Study: Matthew 6, and Revelation 22

God, we are so caught up in life’s circumstances that we have lost our faith, hope, and total belief in you. We ask forgiveness for focusing on ourselves. We acknowledge that without your love, grace, and mercy, we would be hopeless. Please give us the strength to change and to put you first. We ask for a renewal of our commitment as we faithfully serve you and prepare for the Second Coming of your Son, Jesus Christ. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2021, No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes without the author’s written permission.