“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 my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living” (Psalm 27:1, 13).
Pray 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).
Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional- October 4, 2024
Jesus said, “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. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples.—John 15:5, 7-8
How do we abide in Christ? How is God glorified? Much prayer and studying of the Scriptures gives us knowledge of God’s righteous character and His plans for every believing Christian. The Plan of Redemption was in place before the world was created. God’s goal has always been to save our souls, therefore Jesus died for us, was victorious over death’s dark grip, and is in heaven serving as our Intercessor.
We pray and the Holy Spirit takes our prayers to Christ who covers us with His righteousness and presents us to God, the Father as the redeemed. We abide in Christ by seeking His will every day. There are 66 books in the Bible that guide and teach us God’s expectations of Jesus’ followers. God, the Father is glorified when we align ourselves to His will through faithful obedience.
Reflection: Do my life choices reveal that I am a dedicated follower of God? Every thought, spoken word, and action should reflect that we are on the Path of Righteousness. Every day, we encounter challenges, the testing of our faith, love, and loyalty to God through temptations, but prayer keeps us connected to God, the Source of All Power! With God, we live as overcomers! To “Pray without ceasing” means to talk to God throughout our waking hours.
“…and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” —Matthew 28:20
We need God! Yes, our earthly journey is tough, but God never meant for us to navigate alone. Even if you can resolve the issue, Pray for God’s help. With God involved, we never have to suffer consequences for misjudging our circumstances. God always wins! Dependency on God always ends in victory!
In John 14, verses 1-3, Jesus promises to return as the Triumphant King one day to gather the righteous and take us to heaven. Amen. Until then, be faithful and courageous, and continue to pray, pray, pray!
Lord God, we desperately need Your help. And we thank You in advance for Your Divine Intervention in our lives. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ – Sabbath Devotional – September 20, 2024
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.'” —Hebrews 13:5
Love, joy, peace, and happiness are God’s Divine gifts to every Christian believer. Sadly, these gifts are often not enjoyed by the followers of Christ. Two prevalent reasons prevent us from enjoying God’s abundant love and blessings: We do not know God, the Father’s Loving and Righteous Character [failure to study the Bible] and We have placed our confidence in human perception and reasoning, which is quite limited. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9).
For three years, I missed out on the monetary rewards my insurance company offered their subscribers. One day, I received an email that stated, “You are missing out on Free benefits.” When I set aside the time to research the reward section of the website, I was shocked at my loss, yet, I was determined to move forward. This year, I am participating and have completed 90% of the requirements [I receive $120 a year for 30 minutes of activity 10 days a month, quarterly rewards to purchase OTC products, and $15 to complete a wellness visit with my physician, etc.] Once I possessed knowledge of the perks, I decided to opt in and so far, have received $300.
How well do you know God’s Divine Character? Without diligent study of the Bible, we cannot have a healthy and joyful relationship with Christ who has promised to take care of us. Lack of knowledge results in missed blessings. No, not all of our blessings are monetary. We can live a mistake-free life by praying and relying on Divine Guidance. Our willingness to seek and obey God eliminates all consequences that result from “thinking our own thoughts” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
The Plight of Humanity: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” —John 16:33
Jesus’ Promise to Always Help Us: “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).
The level of Divine help available to the faithful believer is unlimited. When we reflect on Jesus giving His life for us then our gratitude is expressed in surrender, obedience, and steadfast faith. If we humble ourselves and pray, we receive Christ’s Intervention every day. Cooperation with Divinity is required to stay on the Path of Righteousness. Never forget God’s priority is to save our souls—Revelation 22:12.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” —James 1:17
God, we thank You for Your faithfulness and unfailing love. As we travel in our journey of life, we pray to align our will and desires with Your perfect will. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – September 13, 2024
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” —John 10:27-30
What is Love and Loyalty to God? What does it mean to hear Christ’s Voice? What is the evidence proving we are preparing for eternal life? What are the characteristics and the righteous lifestyle demonstrating that God is first in our lives?
God Is LOVE: Jesus’ Command to All Believers: “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 great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” —Matthew 22:37-39
God’s Command to All Believers: “Be holy, for I Am Holy.” —1 Peter 1:16
The Test of Knowing God—”First, get to know God properly by coming into a right relationship with His Son Jesus Christ. Don’t make assumptions where your salvation is concerned.” AngieBroks
Every day, We Pursue Righteousness—”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). Seeking God’s will is of the utmost importance and reflects whether or not we serve Him with surrender and faithful obedience.
Jesus is Our First Love—”For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people” (1 Timothy 2:5-6). Daniel prayed three times a day to ensure he stayed in God’s will. We pray and obey: “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands” (1 John 2:3).
We Pray Continuously for Guidance: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35). “Jesus often withdrew to secluded places to pray alone, including in the morning, on mountains, and in gardens.”
Study the Scriptures: “Study to show youself approved unto God…” (2 Timothy 2:15). The Bible is the Voice of God. God’s expectations of us, His commands, the righteous characteristics we must possess, and the Christian lifestyle are identified in the Holy Scriptures.
Strive for Christ’s Righteousness and Character: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:22-26).
We Hate Sin and Love the Sinner—”Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness” (1 John 2:9). Our role is to pray for others, not to focus on their sinful lifestyles. We demonstrate Agape love [God’s Unconditional Love] through kindness to everyone including our enemies.
In Our Christian Journey, We Face Two Great Challenges: Consistently Loving God and Loving Others
God’s Love and Sacrificial Offering for Sinful Humanity: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). Loving God is understanding that He is Love. He gave Jesus, His only Son to save our souls.
Love Every One! Our Righteousness is Nothing: For those who judge others and fail to realize that Christians are also sinners saved by grace who chose to surrender and give our hearts to God, God says, “But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousness are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). With humility, we acknowledge every day that we must be covered with the Righteousness of Christ to be saved from sin.
Only those who possess hearts filled with love and loyalty for God and love for others will receive the reward of Eternal life, “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Revelation 22:12).
Evidence of Our Love and Loyalty to God: “But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” —John 3:21
Lord God, we ask You to search our hearts and reveal all character traits preventing us from possessing unconditional love for You and others. In Jesus’ Holy and Righteous Name, we pray. Amen.
Lord God, we want to say “Thank You” for loving us and giving Your life to redeem us from the consequences of sin. We pray for strength, courage, and Your blessing. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
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