“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NIV)
Because God is Omniscient, He knew that our lives would include fighting daily battles, making decisions, and overcoming temptations that would leave us mentally and spiritually depleted.
Our Heavenly Father’s Promise: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” (Psalm 32:8).
With great love, God, Jesus, the Son created us to totally depend on His Wisdom and Strength. We acquiesce to God’s Sovereign Authority by praying for guidance and obeying Him, simply because Jesus is our Creator, Savior, and King, and we are the creation.
To accept Christ as our Savior and Shepherd requires us to follow God’s Higher Thoughts and to resist our inclinations: “Do not be wise in your own eyes.” (Proverbs 3:7).
The failure to pray for and obey God’s Guidance reveals that we have rejected Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
Following our thoughts reveals a deeper spiritual issue with our heart; making plans without God reveals a spirit of disobedience, and the failure to revere God’s Sovereign Authority over our lives.
God’s Free Gift of Grace: We Are Saved By Grace Through Faith
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV).
“The Transforming Power of Grace: Christ’s Grace does more than forgive past sins; it molds and changes human character to reflect the likeness of Jesus.”
“Grace Is Freely Given: It cannot be bought with money, earned by human works, or commanded by power—it is accepted only through faith and surrender.”
“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).
God loves us and has a definitive plan for our lives: His priority is to spiritually transform our mind, character, and personality: “Be holy, for I Am Holy” is God’s Command; yet, we cannot change ourselves.
Sanctification [Spiritual Growth and Transformation] requires letting go of the sin of self- reliance. Through daily consecration, we commit to abide in Christ by seeking His guidance through continuous prayer and study of the Holy Scriptures.
The Sacrificial Life: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. …”
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2, NIV).
Sanctification is the daily transforming spiritual work of the Holy Spirit that requires our cooperation and must be accomplished in our earthly lives before we take our last breath.
The Message of The Cross: With Amazing Love that the human mind cannot comprehend [without the Holy Spirit giving us a deeper spiritual understanding], God, the Father gifted us with Jesus, His Divine Son, who died to save our souls.
Jesus willingly gave His life to save us from the wages of sin [the second and final death] with the expectation that we would love, follow, obey, and worship Him as our Savior, Shepherd, and Triumphant King.
God, the Father’s Spiritual Goals: For us to love God, Yeshua, His Son; to possess the Righteous Attributes of Christ’s Righteous Character [The Fruit of The Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23]; and for God, the Holy Spirit to sanctify us, in preparation for an eternity of worshiping Jesus [Revelation 22].
God’s Instructions For Striving To “Be Holy”
“To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24, ESV).
We come to Jesus just as we are, but we cannot stay that way. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV).
Why is it so difficult for us to follow Jesus and to live holy?
“And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” (John 8:29). Jesus proclaimed that He always obeyed God, the Father.
To be a Christian is to be Christ-like: To Follow Christ Is To Seek His Divine Will and Fulfill God’s Plans.
“I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23, ESV).
The Four Gospels reveal Jesus’ earthly life, and His commitment to teach and transform the 12 disciples. We study the Bible to learn how Jesus lived and overcame sin through continuous prayer.
If we pray for the strength and power to stand down sinful desires and temptations, we will immediately receive Christ’s Divine Power, given to us by the Holy Spirit to overcome.
Jesus’ earthly life reveals that He loved God, the Father; Jesus’ abundant love brought hope, healing, and peace to the multitudes of people, who were rejected by the Jewish leaders.
God, the Father, expects us to have the same Loving and Righteous Character as Christ, which is only possible when we dedicate ourselves to follow Jesus with daily surrender and faithful obedience.
Placing our faith and trust in Jesus and seeking His Guidance through continuous prayer reveals that our heart is overflowing with love for God.
Humility reveals itself through obedience, only then can the Holy Spirit empower us with Jesus’ Divine wisdom and strength to persevere in our earthly spiritual journey.
“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).
Salvation is not Behavior Modification; it is impossible for us to change the condition of our inherited hearts. “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
God knows our struggles with sin and selfishness; therefore He gave us written Spiritual Principles and Commands in the Holy Bible, which provide the Divine Guidance to live as righteous overcomers.
Yes, The Bible is our Spiritual Blueprint. The Holy Scriptures teach us how to live holy; still, we require Jesus’ Divine Power every day, given to us through the Holy Spirit to win our spiritual battles.
Letting Go of The Unbelieving Mindset of Self-Reliance
Self-Reliance redirects our faith and focus to ourselves instead of on the Power of God. Following Jesus, our Shepherd requires a spirit of humility and the willingness to obey God.
We actively participate in our Salvation by making choices that honor God: “Do not be conformed to this world.”
Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we cannot overcome our heart’s desires for wealth, material possessions, and sinful people and pleasures.
Every day, our earnest prayer must be King David’s prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24, KJV).
When we love God, daily surrender and faithful obedience to His Perfect Plans are not a burden.
Because we love Jesus and appreciate the gift of His Life on Calvary’s Cross, following Him on the Narrow Path of Righteousness is our greatest desire.
Our commitment to follow Jesus is renewed every morning; Personal worship includes the Prayer of Surrender, Praying for God’s Plan for the new day, and studying the Holy Scriptures.
Through continuous prayer, we invite the Holy Spirit to give us spiritual wisdom and discernment to understand the deepest spiritual meaning of the Holy Scriptures, and how we are to live out the Scriptures day by day.
The Holy Spirit empowers us to perceive life through spiritual eyes, teaching us how to “Be holy, for I Am Holy.” The Holy Spirit also warns us of Satan’s covert temptations designed to deceive us.
One of Satan’s most effective strategies is to bring “unbelieving believers” into our lives; with their words they proclaim belief in God, but their lifestyle reveals a heart that is attached to the world.
Separation From Unbelievers and Unbelieving Believers: “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.'” (1 Corinthians 15:33, NIV).
We must also separate ourselves from family and friends who do have a spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ. “You will know them by their fruits;” either we are righteous or worldly, no one can serve God with a divided heart.
“Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.” (2 Corinthians 6:17, NLT)
God, the Holy Spirit, guides and empowers us to choose right instead of wrong; to accept and live by God’s Truth instead of false teachings; and to renounce the unbeliever’s godless habits and lifestyles; still, our hearts must desire to willingly follow and obey Jesus.
Satan desires that we see God as a punitive Judge instead of a Loving Heavenly Father, Who desires to give us Eternal Life; but Jesus says that Satan is the “Father of Lies.”
The Hidden Traits of Disobedience: “But why do you call me ‘Lord Lord,’ but not do as I say?” Yes, following Christ requires giving up our desires for His Perfect Plans.
Although God desires for us to love Him with faithful obedience, God’s desires are rarely fulfilled. Because God is Just, we were created with a free will to choose. Sadly, humanity, who are the only beings created in the image of God frequently choose to rebel against His Sovereign Authority.
If we reject Jesus by embracing self-reliance and chasing our desires then we choose the destiny of Malachi 4, instead of God’s Plans to live forever with Him in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Worship Is a Lifestyle Not a Weekly Event
The lifestyle of “Daily Personal Worship” is the only way to abide in Christ, which keeps our faith and focus on His Divine Love, Power, and Promises, building an unbreakable relationship with our Loving Savior.
“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. (John 4:23, ESV).
Personal worship demonstrates our love and loyalty to Jesus, revealing that we worship the One and Only True God. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him commit to following His directives with unwavering faith, trust, and obedience.
Consistent worship reinforces our love for God, preparing us for an eternity of worshiping Jesus Christ, our Risen and Triumphant King. Yes and Amen!
It is in our earthly lives that we must utilize our gift of time wisely. Spending time in personal worship invites the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus’ glorious presence, filling us with peace, joy, wisdom, and the strength we need to keep following Christ on the Narrow Path of Righteousness.
“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).
Followers of Christ will never have an easy life, but it is a privilege to suffer for Jesus. Throughout the Bible, Jesus promises to give us His Strength, which empowers us to persevere and to keep moving forward.
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Revelation 3:21). Yes and Amen!
Bible Study: Lamentations 3
Lord Jesus, the Creator of this universe, we humbly approach Your Throne of Grace, bowing to your Sovereign Authority. Today, we renew our spiritual commitment to follow You with love and loyalty, and to use our faith to trust Your Perfect Plans for our lives.
Lord, search our hearts and reveal any hidden sins. We ask you to forgive us for our sins of self-reliance and disobedience. Jesus, You are our Faithful Shepherd, and we ask You to guide us in this spiritual journey from Earth to Heaven.
As we follow You, give us peace, and the spiritual wisdom, discernment, and strength to live as righteous overcomers. We love You because You first loved us. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Loving and Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Shepherd, and Triumphant King. Amen.
© 2026 STEPS 2 Success With Spiritual Solutions Ministry
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