Yahweh – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Faith Is Not Blind – Faith Is Intentional

“I spoke my message with spiritual power so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power.” (2 Corinthians 2:4-5, GW)

The Apostle Paul’s message to the members of the Church in Corinth is a reminder that it is God’s Word and His Power that strengthens our faith.

God does not ask us to have blind faith, He has already given us so many reasons to believe:

God’s Love is evident through the Divine Gift of His Son, Jesus Christ; we pray and immediately receive His Help; and Yahweh Yireh freely gives us the daily Blessings of life, health, strength, provisions, and protection from His Army of guardian angels.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7). And, we have a sound mind with the ability to reason and make prudent choices.

And yet, even with all these blessings, we choose doubt over faithfully trusting God. How do we get past the obstacle of doubting God?

We were given a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). Every day, we use our faith to believe and trust in human thoughts and strategies.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes.” (Proverbs 3:7). Letting go of the unbeliever’s practice of self-reliance, which always excludes God is not as easy as we think.

Overcoming the Stronghold: Relying on human wisdom satisfies the sin of Pride hidden deep within our hearts.

To have steadfast faith in God requires the humility to redirect our faith and focus from human wisdom and artificial intelligence, back to God.

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13). This command cannot be obeyed without receiving Divine Strength from the Holy Spirit.

Each new day brings distractions and temptations that we will not recognize and overcome unless, we surrender ourselves to God, asking the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and strengthen our faith.

Requisite for Intentional Faith: Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures

The Bible tells us that God is Eternal, Holy, Sovereign, and has Absolute Power and Authority:

“Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: ‘Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge. Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. ‘Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?'” (Job 38:1-4, NIV).

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.'” (Matthew 28:18).

Yes, trusting God requires that we have Scriptural knowledge of God’s Sovereignty, still there is so much more to learn about God’s Character:

God Is Omniscient: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.'” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

God Is Love: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3, Amplified Bible).

Our Heavenly Father has a tender, responsive and forgiving heart that Loves, Cares, Helps, Protects, and Provides for His [obedient] Sons and Daughters.

God’s Proclamation: “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).

Scriptural knowledge provides the Spiritual Foundation to build a strong faith and trust in God, but we must also honor God by using our faith to believe that God is Who He says He is.

The Invitation: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the Throne of Grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).

The Promise: “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT).

Committing to follow Jesus with faithful obedience results in a spiritual heart transplant. Our faith invites the Holy Spirit to convert our heart, connecting us to Jesus’ Heart.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28, ESV).

As long as we use our faith to trust and obey God’s Plans for our lives, the Holy Spirit keeps us anchored in Christ, resulting in an unbreakable relationship with our Shepherd.

Humility Cures Worldliness: “So place yourselves under God’s authority. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you.” (James 4:7, GW).

Reflection: How often do you have personal worship? Praying, Studying the Bible, Singing, and Thanking God for His Abundant Blessings?

“Could it be that we too need a spiritual renovation, a genuine, real, moment-by-moment walk with God?”

Using our faith, every morning, we must put on our Spiritual Armor [Ephesians 6].

“But when you pray, go into your most private room, close the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees [what is done] in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6, Amplified Bible).

Although we participate in Family Worship, we should practice the habit of “Separation, Solitude, and Silence.” Our daily journey with Jesus is sustained by having an intimate one-to-one relationship with Him.

Spiritual Bread: “Give us this day our daily bread. Beyond physical food, it is a prayer to partake of Christ, who is the ‘Bread of Life.'”

“As physical food strengthens our bodies daily, we must also feed every day on the Word of God through the Holy Spirit to renew our souls.”

Every morning and evening, separate yourself from all distractions, praying for the forgiveness of your sins, which is required for us to enter into God’s Holy Presence.

Our willingness to surrender to faithfully follow Jesus is rewarded by God, the Holy Spirit, who renews our mind, body, and soul with the refreshing Living Water of Jesus Christ, giving us increased faith, wisdom, discernment, and strength.

Spiritual growth and transformation of our mind and character into the Righteousness of Christ cannot be accomplished through weekly Church attendance.

The time spent in personal worship praying, praising, and thanking God along with studying the Bible, affirms and strengthens our faith, preparing us for an eternity of worshiping God, the Father and God, the Son [Jesus Christ]. Yes and Amen!

“I have decided to follow Jesus, and there is no turning back!”

Lord God, we confess that our faith is weak because we have used our thoughts and limited perceptions to attempt to navigate through life. And for this sin against You, we ask for forgiveness. Thank You, for Your love and faithfulness, and our abundant daily blessings. Lord, in faith, we come to You, asking for restoration and a new beginning in our Journey with Jesus. With humility, we express the desire to surrender and renew our covenant of faith. And we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Loving and Righteous Name, Amen.

Praying For A Blessing?

The Blessing Is Jesus: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).

Often when we are facing challenges, obstacles, and adversity, we pray, asking God for the blessing of resolving our hardships. Yet what we usually mean is, “God, can You fix and remove this situation from my life right now?

In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus promises to provide us with the necessities of life: “So why do you worry about clothing? 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 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.” (Verses 28, 31-33).

Our prayer for the provisions of life is a simple prayer of faith and gratitude: Lord God, in Matthew 6, You promised to provide food and clothes for us and we thank You for hearing, answering, and providing for our family. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

“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 that God always provides and He is always on time. We do not have to beg God for our necessities. Remain faithful, He is Yahweh Yireh. Yes and Amen!

Trials Build Our Faith and Trust in God and Develop Our Characters

“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, ESV).

A pastor stated, “When experiencing tough times, God is more interested in changing your character than in your comfort.”

“Yahweh Ezer, meaning ‘The LORD Our Help’ or ‘The LORD My Helper.’ Psalm 33:20, identifies God as our strength and shield.”

When we are experiencing trials, our prayers should reflect faith and trust in Jesus’ promise to help us. Although we cannot ask God how to help us, we can ask Jesus for the blessing of specific spiritual gifts.

God’s first priority with gifting blessings was to give us Jesus, His only Son. Yes, God, the Father has given us our greatest Spiritual Blessing, Jesus, Who is our Savior, Redeemer, Intercessor, Helper, and Mediator between God and humanity.

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation or shadow cast…”[for He is perfect and never changes]. (James 1:17, Amplified Bible).

And from Jesus, The Giver of all Good Gifts, we receive [without limits] His supernatural strength, which empowers us to persevere and keep moving forward. Jesus also gives us the additional blessings of comfort, peace, joy, and contentment, which reveal His immense love for us.

“Let us then approach God’s Throne of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”(Hebrews 4:16, NIV).

Jesus has given us an open invitation to pray, ask, wait, and we will receive, with the condition that are requests bring honor and glory to God, the Father’s Holy Name. Pray, Wait, and Obey.

And to prevent us from feeling hopeless and helpless, we use our faith to stay connected to Jesus through much prayer [Pray continuously. 1 Thessalonians 5:17].

Our prayers should always include loving words of gratitude for God’s loving kindness and faithfulness. In the struggle, our faith is tested during the wait. Do not give up, and do not follow your thoughts.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12). Believing that we are forever loved by God and He will deliver us, gives us courage, and keeps us anchored in Jesus Christ.

From embracing Jesus, God, the Son as our greatest blessing from God, the Father invites the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith, and we can witness to others the Love, Faithfulness, and Power of Jesus Christ.

“Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, ESV).

Lord God, we offer this prayer of gratitude, thanking You for Your love, faithfulness, and the gift of your Precious Son, Jesus Christ, who is humanity’s Greatest Blessing. We also ask this prayer as an Intercessory prayer. Lord, we ask You to supply food, housing, and clothing to those who are striving to serve You, but cannot provide for themselves for reasons that You are aware of, and we, Thank You for those provisions. As we enter the Holy hours of the Sabbath, we pray for the Spiritual blessings of Your Living Water, and ask You to feed us with the Bread of Life. Lord, we also ask You for knowledge, wisdom, and the strength to persevere in our walk with Jesus. In faith, and with gratitude, we ask this prayer in the Loving and Holy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Magnificent Eagle

Yeshua, the Eternal Word: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:1-3).

As magnificent as this eagle is, we must never forget that God, Jesus, the Son, knelt on the ground, picked up clay, created us in His image, and breathed His Divine breath into Adam.

King David proclaimed, “we are fearfully and wonderfully made.” Live every moment with gratitude for Yahweh’s Divine Ruach (רוּחַ) life-giving breath flowing through your lungs.

Yes, the eagle is magnificent, but nothing created supersedes humanity who is created in the Divine similitude of God. Embrace your gift of life by dedicating your love, loyalty, and faithful obedience to worship our Triumphant King, and Creator God, Jesus Christ. Yes and Amen!

Jesus, we bless, honor, and revere Your Holy Name. Amen.

Never Give Up!

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – October 21, 2024

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ ” —Hebrews 13:5

With Christ as our Intercessor who receives our prayers from the Holy Spirit and presents our prayers to God, the Father, we should never become discouraged. There are numerous reasons why we experience a sense of discontent when encountering adversity, still, the primary reason is our lack of faith in God because we do not know or understand God’s character due to our failure to study the Scriptures.

The Plight of Humanity: “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” —Isaiah 40:6-8

God loves us! We are the only living beings created in His Divine image. Yes, Jesus gifted us with faith, love, the power to resist sin, and a sound mind, but God knows we mortals desperately need Him. We were not created to live without His Divine Intervention. Sadly, because many have embraced the worldview of self-reliance, our dependency on God and our relationship with Jesus Christ has been placed on hold.

Thinking our thoughts is the gateway to making decisions that oppose God’s will and plans for our lives. The exclusion of God as our Refuge produces anxiety and worry. We do not have to live a stressful life suffering consequences and miss out on the joy and peace that arise from knowing our Heavenly Father has promised to never leave us or forsake us.

God Reminds Us of His Sovereign Power: “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things…” (Isaiah 40:25-26).

Studying the Bible gives us intellectual knowledge of God yet intellectual knowledge does not strengthen our faith and trust in God. Deep within our hearts, we must believe that God loves us and He is Yahweh Yireh, our Provider. Because the human heart strives to pursue its’ desires, God allows us to travel down the road of adversity to redirect our focus to Him.

King Solomon instructed: “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; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones” (Proverbs 3:5-8).

Trusting and obeying God gives us the courage and confidence to know that God always keeps his promises. Always placing God first will keep you aligned with His plans for your life and on the Path of Righteousness. Where do you and I stand? Do we really trust in God with all of our hearts?

“Now Jesus was telling the disciples a parable to make the point that at all times they ought to pray and not give up and lose heart…” —Luke 18:1

Pray for strength! Never Give Up! Pray, pray, pray! Prayer for Divine help and guidance requires humility. To surrender daily to God acknowledges that Jesus is Lord of our life! Prayer acknowledges that God is Sovereign and we trust Him implicitly with every aspect of our lives.

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” —Proverbs 18:10

The same Loving and Powerful God who parted the Red Sea to save the Israelites from their oppressors sent an angel to feed Elijah in the wilderness and fed the five thousand-plus multitudes with five loaves and two fish is the same All-Knowing and Powerful God who proclaims, “I change not!” With every righteous thought, action, and divine intervention, God glorifies and honors Himself and rescues those who trust Him.

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:17-19).

Bible Study: Psalm 34

God is our Father, Protector, and Provider. All praise, glory, and honor to His Holy and Righteous Name! Amen.