Tag: Sabbath

Evidence of Our Love and Loyalty to God

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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).
  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.”
  4. 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.
  5. 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).
  6. 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.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Giving God Your Best

Our Daily Walk with Christ Sabbath Devotional – August 23, 2024

“In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” —Proverbs 3:6

The struggle to put God first impacts every Christian Believer. Still, in this modern world, we can put God first through consecration, prayer, Bible study, and monitoring our time closely. We make plans that either include or exclude God. “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. Do not be wise in your own eyes…” (Proverbs 3:5-7).

Excerpt from Livingontheedge.org: “First, God has a plan for every nation on this earth. In addition, He has a plan for every man, woman, and child on this planet, too. His plan can be contained in one word: LIFE. By comparison, Satan has an agenda as well. His agenda can be summed up in an opposing word: DEATH. He has an intricate plan for every nation and every person, and it’s to steal, kill, and destroy.

“It is incredibly easy to think the world consists of what we see in our worlds every day, and completely miss the larger picture. There’s an invisible battle happening all around us: life and death are fiercely competing for our devotion.” Livingontheedge.org

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” — 1 Peter 5:8

The apostle Peter describes every believer’s struggle with spiritual warfare in their earthly lives. Jesus told Peter, “Satan is trying to sift you like wheat, but I am praying for you.” Following Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter’s internal struggle of fear included denying Christ three times. Yet, he was reconciled with Christ and became an integral leader in the “Day of Pentecost” [Acts 2].

Reflection: Are we denying Christ by our desires, decisions, and lifestyles?

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

To give God our best requires steadfast spiritual strength, the human effort of perseverance, resistance, and the ability to say no when everyone else is engaging in worldly pleasures. We pray often to receive Jesus’ Divine Strength and Wisdom through the Holy Spirit, yet, we must exercise the gift of self-control in our daily activities of life.

“Be holy, for I Am Holy.” —1 Peter 1:16

Living holy requires our cooperation with God. We cannot achieve holiness without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Giving God our best is to have planned times of worship twice daily. Prayer keeps us connected to God, the Source of Power. Studying the Bible is necessary because God communicates His Righteous Character and His expectations of our daily walk with Christ. The Holy Scriptures define living holy.

“My people perish for lack of knowledge.” —Hosea 4:6

The Bible is our Spiritual Guide and Roadmap, preparing us for our reward of eternal life. The Old Testament tells us of the real-life struggles of individuals like Joseph [sold into slavery by his brothers, Elijah [Queen Jezebel seeking to kill him], Queen Esther [boldly entering the King’s presence without an invitation], and Daniel [in the lion’s den]. From the New Testament, we learn Christ’s earthly life and His love, devotion, and obedience to God, His Father.

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.” —Isaiah 41:10. BSB

Our confidence in God’s Love and Sovereignty gives us strength and the courage to fight the good fight of faith when we face temptation and daunting situations. Giving God our best is placing all of our faith and trust in Him. Knowledge of God’s Divine Character produces obedience in the heart of a true believer who allows the Holy Spirit to convert their hearts.

Give God your best by praying throughout your waking hours, studying the Scriptures, and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you on the Path of Righteousness. Having confidence in God, who will never fail you, requires astute knowledge of His loving character. God has promised to always give us victory when we strive to give Him our best. Sabbath Peace and Blessings!

Lord God, we thank You for Your Divine Love. It is our desire to give You our best. We ask for the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. We pray for a blessing as we celebrate the Sabbath. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions Ministry

With Joyful Expectation, Pray, and Wait On God

Trust in the LORD, and do good, dwell in the land, and feed on his faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noon day. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him…” Psalm 37:3-7

God is a Loving Heavenly Father. God is a Promise-keeper. God is All-knowing, which includes our lives from beginning to end. What God is Not, He is not a God of instant gratification, He knows what we need when we need it. God’s ultimate goal is to save our souls by sanctifying us through the Holy Spirit. Therefore He will not bless us with anything that interferes with His promise to give us eternal life.

“Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need.” —Hebrews 4:16

Pray in faith and wait on the Lord. Jesus has invited us to the Throne of Grace to receive His Divine help. God will never fail us. While waiting for our blessings, we should excitedly wait as children anticipating wonderful blessings from the Father above.

Lord, we thank You for Your loving care and faithfulness toward us. We ask for strength as we walk daily in this journey of life. We ask this prayer in your Holy Name, Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions Ministry

God Always Answers Our Prayers

Our Daily Walk with Christ Sabbath Devotional – August 17, 2024

“It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.” —Isaiah 65:24

We serve a God who is the Sovereign Ruler of this universe. He is Omniscient [All-Knowing] and Omnipotent [Majestic Power]. “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). We have a Father who is interested in our well-being and commands angels to protect and comfort us.

Pray and Wait and be patient! God’s timing will never coincide with our expectations. Still, we can remain courageous because God always intervenes when the righteous pray in faith. Through Christ, our Heavenly Intercessor, we receive victorious outcomes. Every good gift is from the Father above. Amen.

Lord God, we pray for a Divine blessing on our lives and the willingness to patiently wait because You always know what is best in every aspect of our lives. Thank You for the Sabbath rest that draws us closer to You and refreshes us spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

“Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” —Psalm 27:14

Sabbath Peace and Blessings – © 2024 STEPS 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions