Author: Beth Morrison

One-minute read.

Bits and Bridles

Horses and mules have bits and bridles that keep them in check; the Lord uses other things for us. Paul had his issues:

“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.” 2 Corinthians 12:7

Paul doesn’t tell us the identity of the thorn in his flesh, but he does share with us what it prevented: egotism. Receiving revelations from God can swell anyone’s head, making them think highly of themselves. But the Lord knows how to keep us in check. When an alcoholic man asked his pastor why God didn’t take away his desire to drink, the minister responded with a question.

“What do you do when you want a drink?”

“Get down on my knees and pray.”

“Would you pray as much if you didn’t have the desire to drink?”

Each of us has some thorn in our side, the thing we talk to God about the most. If we didn’t have the problem, would we spend so much time in conversation with the Lord? My blood likes to clot. After two blood clots, I will now take blood thinners for the rest of my life. I spend much time talking to God about my blood, discovering His grace and a heightened closeness to the Lord. My thorn in the flesh keeps me tightly connected to my Maker.

Think about your thorn. Ponder how it brings you closer to God. Would you talk to Him as much if you didn’t have it?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for keeping us in check. Thank You for the problems that draw us into a closer relationship with You.  Help us accept our limitations and trust You to make the impossible possible. Fill our hearts with Your Spirit, hold us close in Your hand, and help us become the best version of ourselves. IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Wise living.

Shifting from encouraging God’s protection when we seek Him, the Psalmist now quotes the Lord’s promises of instruction. The Bible provides an instruction manual for life, from handling finances, having healthy relationships and bodies, and living abundantly. Following Jesus helps us find and fulfill our purpose, giving our lives meaning. By seeking the Lord’s counsel, we will find it.

God reveals eighty percent of His will through scripture. The Ten Commandments give us guidance on loving Him and others. Applying them to our lives will help us fulfill God’s greatest commandment.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31

Jesus gave us the greatest commandment: love God and others. Following Him will help us do it. As we get to know Christ, invite Him into our lives, and learn about Him through scripture, we will become better lovers. Jesus teaches us how to forgive and pray for people. He shows us how to encourage people and help them become their best version. Christ helps us become more like Him every day we follow Him.

If you want direction for life, look no further than the Bible. In it, you will find all you need to live life to the fullest.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your instruction manual. As we open the Bible and begin looking for direction, open our eyes to see and hear what You have for us. Show us how to apply Your word to our lives, helping us live abundantly in Christ. In all things, we give You the glory. IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Hiding place.

Growing up in the countryside of Pennsylvania, I loved our little house on the hill, overlooking our neighbor’s houses below, the church we attended sitting opposite us on the next hill. Our concrete driveway sloped to a flat surface; the garage sat at the end. Two bushes grew between the garage and the driveway, no longer there. Inside those bushes, I found the perfect hiding place. Crawling into the small space, I would read and live in my imaginary world, safe from the outside world and its dramas.

God gives us a hiding place. When we turn to Him in our troubles, He protects us, holding us in the palm of His hand. Always available and ready to hear our prayers, the Lord never leaves nor forsakes us.

“Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” Psalm 116:2

Can’t you picture God bending down to hear your prayers? I can. Like a beloved Grandfather leaning in to hear the thoughts of his grandchild, God bends to listen to us. Crying out to Jesus in our time of need will help us find a secure hiding place from the world’s troubles. When we turn to Him in prayer, we can discover God’s peace that surpasses all understanding. The Lord’s ready to listen when we start praying.

Prayer:

Praise You for never leaving nor forsaking us and giving us a hiding place during life’s storms. Thank You for preserving us from trouble and surrounding us with shouts of victory. Let us live boldly for You, knowing You always have our back, and we can rest in You.  IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Great adversity.

Likened to rushing water through a ravine, draw close to God through prayer in time of need, and He will protect you. Life comes with adversity; no one has smooth sailing; storms can come upon us without warning, knocking us off our feet and causing panic and turmoil. But when we stand on the Rock, the howling winds of adversity won’t blow us off of it. Firmly, we will survive the storm, taking refuge in God.

My husband lived in Missouri during his childhood. One day, playing in the yard, a tornado blew through their town. Ron still remembers the sound of the locomotive-like winds as they began to roar. His mom grabbed her children, ushering them to safety in the basement. When the cyclone passed, it took out their neighbor’s house, leaving a pile of rubble, but thankfully, their home remained unscathed.

Offering prayer to the Lord during difficult times protects us. Like Ron and his family found safety in the confines of the basement, we find refuge under God’s wings. Houses with no foundation will crumble, but ones with a firm foundation persevere. Prayer takes us into God’s presence and connects us with the sovereign Lord who controls everything, even life’s storms.

Find safety in God’s presence. Trust Him to either calm the storm or calm you in the midst of it. Either way, you will find refuge.

Prayer:

Lord, we praise You for protecting us amid great adversity. Thank You for keeping us grounded and secure during life’s storms. Give us the peace that surpasses all understanding as we face the howling winds. Let us find refuge in You, standing firm on the Rock. IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Open book.

“Did you pray today,” the large, white, square sign read on the back of an 18-wheeler we saw headed south on I-95.

“Yes, I did. I’m praying right now,” I said when Ron brought the sign to my attention. Paul tells us in his letter to the Thessalonians to pray continually, keeping a constant flow of communication open with God. Constant confession keeps me chatting with God. Currently, I’m confessing my anxiety to Him that plagues me after my recent health scare. My thoughts want to go places they shouldn’t, so I pray to capture them and bring them into obedience to Christ.

Not covering up our shortcomings but confessing them helps us move forward, learn our lessons, and grow as people. The Lord forgives us, and we must learn to forgive ourselves. When we recognize sin in our lives, we should immediately take it to the Lord, not trying to hide it but instead dealing with our faults.

Living abundantly in Christ happens when we acknowledge our sins, don’t try to cover them up, and confess them to God. If necessary, we may need to seek forgiveness from someone we’ve injured. If so, the Holy Spirit will prompt us to take the right steps. But all confessions start first with God, then with others.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your immediate forgiveness. Help us forgive ourselves as quickly as You do. Teach us through our mistakes, mature us, and let us become more like Jesus as we keep the lines of communication open. Give eyes to see and ears to hear what You have for us, guiding us on the path of abundant life. IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Weakened strength.

When someone has unconfessed sin in their lives, it weakens them. Living with the heaviness of their wrongdoing weighs them down. My mom had a wooden box where she kept rare change. She collected Susan B. Anthony dollars, minted from 1979-1981, that honored the women’s suffrage leader, the first woman to appear on a coin.[i]  I would steal one of these coins for months and use it to buy candy. The weight of my sin caused me much grief. I knew Mom would eventually find out, yet I kept doing it.

The longer I continued my errant ways, the weaker I became. Knowing I not only sinned against my mom but also God plagued me. Living with the constant fear of Mom catching me stole energy from me. Eventually, Mom found out, and I had to pay the price for my sin. She hid her special box from me, and I never stole from her again. But I didn’t repent until I got caught. Even now, decades later, thinking about it, shame fills me. Not only did I disappoint Mom, but God as well.

Obeying God gives us strength, but anything that goes against His will weakens us. If we want to tap into the Almighty’s power, we must walk in His ways. Unconfessed sin will separate us from the Savior and weaken our souls. Right hearts live right with God.

Prayer:

Lord, help us unburden ourselves to You.  Give us the courage to submit and humble ourselves before You, admitting our hidden sins and feeling the weight lift from our shoulders. Strengthen us as we seek You, learning to live like Jesus, letting our past go, and finding hope for a different future. IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/circulating-coins/susan-b-anthony-dollar

One-minute read.

Wasting away.

Suffering from lack of repentance causes anguish and separation. Ron and I created a budget for tithing, saving, and spending on our honeymoon. We each have a designated amount we can spend without consulting the other. One month, I dipped into our savings to pay a bill without talking to Ron first. After I did it, I felt horrible, knowing I’d gone against our agreement. When I told my husband, my heart felt lighter, restoring our relationship and becoming right with him again.

The same happens when we try to hide sins from the Lord. Not only did I confess my transgression to Ron, but I also humbled myself before my Maker, learning from my mistake.

Keeping silent about our wrongdoings rots the bones and causes groaning in our hearts.   Confessing and receiving the Lord’s grace and mercy restores our souls, strengthens our relationship with Him, and makes us right with our Maker. Everyone falls short; what we do in secret will eventually become public knowledge. Nothing stays hidden forever. Accepting our shortcomings and humbling ourselves before God will renew our spirit and make us whole again.

We receive the Lord’s grace and mercy every time we come before God’s throne with a contrite heart.

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us for our secret sins that rot the bones. Help us take responsibility for our actions, confess our shortcomings to You, and receive Your grace. Guide and direct our paths so that they always come back to You.  Give life to our bones as we learn from our mistakes and become right with You.  IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Divine forgiveness.

God freely forgives, regardless of the sin.  Understanding the Lord’s grace challenges me.  From a human perspective, we often rank people’s misdeeds.  Murdering someone seems unforgivable, but telling a white lie doesn’t.  Cheating on one’s spouse versus cheating on taxes or stealing millions of dollars versus stealing a piece of candy doesn’t seem like they should receive the same grace, yet they do when people approach the Lord with a repentant heart.

The heart posture determines the grace we receive.  The thieves on the cross beside Jesus show the difference.  Gesmas ridiculed Christ, not sorry for his actions that nailed him to the wood.  But Dismas truly repented, asking for mercy.[i]

“Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:42-43

How we approach the Lord determines the grace we receive.  Mocking God got Gesmas nowhere.  But when Dismas humbly asked Jesus for mercy, he received it, entering paradise with the King.  God doesn’t tell us to judge; He commands us to love.  We can’t know a person’s heart; only the Lord sees what we can’t.  Actions speak louder than words when God transforms a person’s life with His grace.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us the grace we don’t deserve.  Help us humble ourselves before You, coming to Your throne with repentant hearts.  As we enter into Your presence, let us accept the mercy You offer, allowing it to transform our lives and make us new.  IJNIP. Amen

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[i]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impenitent_thief#:~:text=Christian%20tradition%20holds%20that%20Gestas,contrast%20to%20the%20good%20thief.

One-minute read.

 

Freely Given

Transgression means an act of rebellion or disloyalty. Often done intentionally, our sin goes against what we know the Lord wants. Like kids who rebel against their parents’ rules, sneaking out after curfew, or willfully disobeying, they do so intentionally. When I snuck out my bedroom window in high school and went skinny dipping with friends, I knew my actions rebelled against my folks, but I did it anyway.

Years later, when I confessed my transgressions to my mom, she sighed and thanked God for protecting me. Like I received my mom’s forgiveness, the Lord forgives us when we confess our sins. The moment we humble ourselves before our maker, He gives us grace. And as we grow closer to Him, we want to rebel less.

As an adult, I regret that I went against my parents’ wishes. Recognizing their love and devotion to me, I’m sorry I took advantage of them. In the same way, understanding Jesus gave His life for my sins humbles me; my heart is contrite that He had to die for my misdeeds. God forgives us completely, covers our sins, and gives us new life. We honor Him with our actions when we strive to obey and become more like Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord, we humbly come before You, realizing we don’t deserve Your grace and mercy. Thank You for freely giving what we can’t earn. As You renew our hearts, help us honor and serve You well, obeying Your command to love. Let us become known for our love of You and others. Help us become more like Jesus with each day that passes. IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

“He is not here, for he has risen.” Matthew 28:6

Rejoice, for salvation has come to man. The stone no longer keeps Christ entombed; He is risen. In Him, we find life to the fullest, accepting His unconditional love and letting it flow from our lives to others. Let Jesus’s light shine brightly today as we celebrate His triumph over death.

Give your life to Jesus today and every day. Repent, renew, and refresh on this glorious Sabbath day. Embrace the victory you have in Christ. Let His grace restore your soul. Find rest from the troubles of this world in the Savior’s arms.

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus invites you to come to Him today and find rest. Run to Him, and receive what He has to offer.