Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

Article after article gives me instructions on how to potty train our new puppy.  Following their instructions, taking Ruby out on a leash to a designated area every 30-60 minutes, hasn’t yielded consistent results.  Frustrated, I turned to the Lord in prayer, and He led me to this verse:

“The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.”

Proverbs 12:10

Crying out to the Lord, God gave me understanding in His word that helped me come up with a plan for Ruby.  The Lord cares for every detail of our lives, although some people debate whether He cares about the small stuff; they forget one thing: God’s sovereignty.

The Lord created the world in seven days, moves mountains with a flick of His finger, and heals the sick with a word.  We determine size, but the Almighty doesn’t, He can do anything, no matter how big or small we think the issue.

God wants to hear your problems, no matter the size.  He never intended for us to face life alone.  When Jesus ascended to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our paths.  Living in the center of our heart, God guides us from within our souls and helps us face any problem if we ask.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for guiding us through Your word and Spirit.  Please help us understand how to apply it to our lives and follow You closely.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Does knowing God knows all your ways intimidate you?  My parents instilled in me a fear of the Lord from an early age, and I’ve never lived thinking He didn’t know.  But I thought the Creator didn’t care, a lie from the devil that I believed.

I’ve had tough questions asked of me.  Why did God take my son?  Where was God when my daughter died?  How come God allowed those people to suffer?  All difficult questions because I don’t have an answer.  I know we each have an allotted number of days on Earth, and only the Lord knows the exact amount.  Why some live longer than others, only God has those answers.

We gain hope from the Lord’s testimonies.  Hope that those who sow in tears will reap in joy (Psalm 126:5).  Jesus told us in this world we would have trouble, but take heart, He overcame the world (John 16:33).  And one day, we will dwell with the Lord in heaven where He will wipe every tear away, we will have no more pain, and every knee shall bow (Rev
21:4).

Delighting in the Lord’s testimonies means trusting His promises, even if we don’t understand His ways.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us a hope that we can count on in today’s world.  Please comfort us in our grief, and help us trust You no matter what happens.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

“The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”

Oswald Chambers

Hoping for God’s salvation and living by His commandments demonstrates a reverent awe for the Lord, as well as a proper respect for the Creator of the world. Knowing we’ve done what God instructed us to do gives us great peace. But when we knowingly go against the Almighty’s precepts, we will not experience the peace that surpasses all understanding.

As a golfer, the game tests integrity more than any other game because you call penalties on yourself. If you drop a stroke from your score, no one notices. However, I realize that God knows, which motivates me to record the correct score. At the end of the round, when I tally up my card, knowing I kept an honest score gives me peace.

Life works the same way. When we acknowledge God’s all-knowing presence in our lives, it helps us recognize and confess our sin and receive His grace and peace. Living in sin brings turmoil, but when we lay it at the foot of the cross, we find the peace only Jesus can give.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us peace that surpasses all understanding when we align our hearts with Yours.  Search our hearts and reveal areas we need to confess so we can receive the grace You offer.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Current headlines tell the tale of two politicians, friends just a month ago, now bitter enemies.  Reading comments, people speculate over the truth of the situation.  True or false?  Fall out or hoax?  Media strategy or actual events?  No one knows, only time will tell the truth.  The fact that so much falsehood exists in our world makes it hard for anyone to decipher the truth.

However, with God, we can find it.  Because His righteous rules stand the test of time, applying them to any situation will bring light to the darkness.  Everyone has ulterior motives, myself included.  Sometimes, we don’t realize that we have impure intentions.  But the Lord will show us our iniquities if we allow Him to search our hearts.

Not only will we discover our shortcomings, but He will help us decipher the truth in other areas.  Gaining a master’s in strategic communication taught me the algorithms used to gain attention and build followings.  People follow rabbit holes and get lost in lies without even realizing it.  We need divine intervention to keep us on the straight and narrow, not falling for the ploys of the world.

Abhor falsehood, seek divine truth.  Withhold judgment until God and time reveal the lies.  Understand, everyone has a tale to tell, but that doesn’t make it true.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us a compass to discern truth.  Please help us apply Your precepts to our lives, allowing You to search our hearts and lead us in the way of truth.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

As a kid, I loved to go on imaginary treasure hunts.  One stands out in my mind more than most.  Arriving at summer camp, we had the opportunity to go exploring.  Leading my newfound friends, I found a cave.  Without qualms, I rushed into the dark cavern, sure we would find hidden treasure within its midst.  Alas, we did not, but I still remember the feeling of adventure from that day.

Mining God’s word and discovering its secrets yields wondrous treasures.  The more I learn about scripture, the more the context and continuity amaze me.  Ruth, my favorite book in the Bible, came from the Moabite clan.  I learned that the Moabites came from the illicit conception of Moab from Lot and his eldest daughter, who tricked her father into sleeping with her by getting him drunk. 

The Moabites, pagans, worshipped false gods, but when Ruth married Mahlon, a Judean refugee, she encountered the true God and became a believer.  From dire beginnings, the Moabitess became the great-grandmother of David and secured a place in the lineage of Christ.  Ruth’s story of redemption reminds me of God’s grace and mercy for ordinary people who choose to trust and follow Him.

Mine scripture and find great spoils that will draw you deeper into a relationship with the Savior, and help you trust God’s word more and more.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for the riches found in Your word.  Please help us learn more and more about the treasures of scripture and apply it to our lives.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Repeatedly, the psalmist affirms the truth and steadfastness of God’s word.  The promises the Lord makes stand the test of time and prove true through the ages.  Love and redemption describe the themes of one of the oldest books in the world.

With love, Jesus came to Earth to save the lost and bring salvation to a dark world.  With love, Christ spread His arms on the cross and took the punishment we deserve.  With love, the Savior rose from the grave, conquering death and giving us eternal life.

The Lord’s steadfast love never ends, giving us abundant life as we draw closer to Him through scripture.  Applying God’s promises to our lives, we can find the strength to persevere, defeat the giants in our lives, and discover joy and peace that come from above.  Lean into the truth of the Bible.  Discover the precepts that will help you have a divine relationship with the Father and build a firm foundation to traverse life on Earth.

With each day that passes, allow God’s love to transform your life.  Share what you have found with others and help them discover the steadfast love of the Savior.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for loving us more than we can ever imagine or dream.  Please help us accept Your steadfast love into our lives and build a firm foundation that nothing can shake.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Yesterday, I talked about speed enforcement in our new area, which has helped me become a better driver.  Besides speeding, I now drive on two-lane roads more than ever. Living in the city, I drove on highways, and I rarely ever drove on country roads like I do now.  Making the adjustment to cars coming directly at me, I have one thought: “Don’t swerve. Eyes on the road, hands on the wheel, stay in your lane.”

Following God on the narrow path develops a similar mindset.  Keep the Son in your eyes and don’t swerve to the left or right.  Every situation has the same question: What’s the right thing to do? With every person we meet, we must ask: What’s the best way to love them?  God’s word gives us the answers to the questions.  As Solomon writes in the book of Ecclesiastes, “there’s nothing new under the sun” (1:9).

Of all the commandments, Christ told us the most important one: “love God, love others” (Mark 12:30-31).  The Savior commands us to love, and we can only do that by staying in our lane and following Him closely.  When we do, He’ll give us everything we need to fulfill the command.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us a lane and the help to stay in it.  Please give us the strength we need to love God and others with our whole heart, mind, and soul.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

To enjoy the benefits of God’s promises, we must do them.  Living by the Lord’s statutes opens the door for abundant blessings as we consistently do the right thing.  However, people who blatantly ignore the Creator’s guidelines will have more turmoil in their lives and not experience the joy that comes from the Lord.

Moving to an area with strict speed enforcement, I’ve become a better driver.  Having received my first speeding ticket in years, it slowed me down. Thankfully, I received grace in the situation and didn’t have to pay it, but I learned my lesson.  And, I enjoy driving more than I have in years, obeying the speed limit, and not worrying about blue lights flashing behind me.

Following God’s precepts helps us enjoy life to the fullest.  Knowing that our actions please the Lord releases us from the negative emotions of shame and guilt.  Living by the Maker’s rules not only gives us a healthy relationship with Him, but also with others.  God calls us to live a life of integrity, honor, and commitment.  We will live up to our words, tell the truth, and become a trustworthy ally to those who know us.

Wicked people lie, steal, and cheat.  But those who follow Jesus strive to tell the truth, respect others, and do the right thing.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us a way to live, and the means to do it.  Please help us honor You in all we say and do.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Adopting a rescue dog, our new family member came from Georgia.  Only a month old, the shelter called New Ratittudes, a non-profit organization that saves Rat Terriers.  Ruby, a rat terrier, Jack Russell mix, has sad eyes and a timid personality.  Volunteers from Pilots and Paws Rescue mission flew her to us, delivering her from dire circumstances into her ‘furever’ home.

God sees our afflictions, just like the people at New Rattitude saw Ruby’s.  The Lord rescues us from our shelters and gives us new life through Christ.  Jesus, who pleads our cause, takes on our sins and restores our relationship with the Father, lives up to His promise of redemption.

The day Ruby arrived, we went to the airport early so I could video the plane landing.  Beyond excited, I couldn’t wait to wrap my arms around Ruby and make her mine.  Jesus gets even more excited when we place our faith in Him.  The angels sing, and all rejoice when a sinner places their faith in the Savior.

God delivers us from our sins and afflictions.  One day, we will enter His glory, where He will wipe away our tears, and every knee will bow.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for delivering us from the trials of this life.  Please help us remember Your presence at all times, guiding and directing us on the path we should take.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Jesus began His ministry in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign (Luke 3:1). This means that approximately 1,995 years ago, Christ died.  In the 40 days after His resurrection, over 500 people saw Him.  Since the Savior’s ascension, the church has continued to grow, people sharing the gospel, and what Jesus did and does for them.  The Lord’s testimonies stand the test of time.

In the past five years, I can think of several movements that have started and ended.  Political agendas founded on lies, social movements that began and ended with selfish motives, false religions that made people their god, the names and faces change, but the surface-level movements continue to fail time and again.

Scripture stands the test of time.  Many people take God’s word out of context, trying to make it their agenda, but the truth always prevails.  Every one of us has sinned in our lives, a battle we all fight.  Taking the plank out of our eye, we have no time to focus on the splinter in someone else’s.  Staying in our lane, following Jesus along the narrow path, takes intention, commitment, and dedication.  What we put into our relationship with God determines what we receive from it.

God’s word, founded forever, prevails when nothing else does.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us the lasting foundation of Your word that stands the test of time.  Help us apply Your testimonies to our lives and receive the benefits that come from trusting and obeying.

IJNIP. Amen