Author: Beth Morrison

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 32:1-33:39, Luke 4:31-5:11, Psalm 64:1-10, Proverbs 11:22

Daily Verse: “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.” Prov. 11:22

Value brings discretion.

Lacking respect for oneself leads to poor decisions.  A beautiful woman who doesn’t think she has value will lower her moral sensibility and open the door for unchaste behavior.  Just like a pig doesn’t know its value, neither does a person with low self-esteem.

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27

Our value comes from God, created in His image; each of us has a purpose, everyone matters.  God doesn’t make junk; He cares what we do with our lives.  The Lord wants us to live life to the fullest in Him. We can only accomplish God’s will when we understand His desires.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

You matter to God; what you do matters to Him.  Outward circumstances don’t determine worth.  The Lord made you for a purpose that only you can fulfill.

Lord, forgive us for underestimating our value.  Please help us understand how much we mean to You.  As we pursue You today, let us embrace the love You offer, sharing it with all we meet.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 30:1-31:54, Luke 4:1-30, Psalm 63:1-11, Proverbs 11:20-21

Daily Verse: “Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.” Prov. 11:21

Actions have consequences.

Our world today struggles to take responsibility for our actions. God knows all perspectives, understanding we all have sinful tendencies that come out. Accepting our imperfections, as well as others, helps us find the truth through Jesus. 

Christ’s forgiveness of our sins delivers us from death. No longer do we need to fear the ultimate punishment for our misdeeds. But we will experience consequences in this life. 

Racking up credit card debt in my twenties meant I suffered the consequences in my thirties as I worked to pay it off, unable to do things because of my sin. But through that period, God grew me closer to Him as I learned to apply Biblical principles to my life.

Jesus delivers us from our sins. People who don’t choose Christ will experience eternity separated from Him.  But placing our faith in God gives us hope for a better tomorrow and saves us from our sinful ways.

Lord, thank You for Jesus, who saves us from ourselves. As we walk with Christ, help us become more like Him, leaving our sinful ways behind us as we strive to honor and serve You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 28;16-29:40, Luke 3:23-38, Psalm 62:1-12, Proverbs 11:18-19

Sow sure rewards.

Whatever seeds you plant determines the type of fruit you will produce. If you want to yield the fruits of the spirit, you must first sow the seeds:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Gal. 5:22-23

Divine assistance helps us plant seeds of righteousness, which comes with a sure reward. When we scatter seeds of the Spirit everywhere we go, we will enjoy the fruit it produces. But if the flesh controls our actions, we will experience conflict and chaos.

“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Gal. 5:18

Submission to Christ allows His Spirit to lead us, helping us become more like Jesus. Instead of allowing the flesh to guide us, God takes us on a different journey that comes with sure rewards.

Lord, forgive us for succumbing to fleshly desires. Help us become more like Christ as we let the Spirit lead us, planting seeds of love everywhere we go. Let us produce sure rewards in all we do. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 26:52-28:15, Luke 3:1-22, Psalm 61:1-8, Proverbs 11:16-17

Daily Verse: “A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.” Prov. 11:17

Kindness benefits.

Married to the kindest person I know; he’s helped me become nicer. Bitter and resentful, my life didn’t go as planned; I didn’t realize its impact.

“You catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar,” Mom often said.

People around me could see the bitter root planted in my childhood as I tried to make sense of my dad’s illness and death, causing me to alienate people from my life. 

“The only one you’re hurting is yourself,” Mom would say when I reacted with meanness instead of kindness.

Thankfully, coming back to Jesus, and applying His principles to my life, helped reveal the bitterness and remove it over time. And marrying the love of my life, kindness personified, helped me become even better.

Cruelty doesn’t win respect, but kindness does. Everyone has pain; mean actions don’t help. But acts of love and kindness cause people to blossom and grow. You have a choice, kindness or cruelty; both come with consequences.

Lord, forgive us for responding cruelly. Please help always respond with Christ’s loving-kindness. Given a choice, let us choose well, honoring You in all we do. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 26:1-51, Luke 2:36-52, Psalm 60:1-12, Proverbs 11:15

Daily Verse: “Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.” Prov. 11:15

Discernment brings security.

Making financial pledges with strangers, an unknown person can leave you holding the bag. Watching a recent episode of “Poker Face” on Peacock, the heroine picked up a hitchhiker in the mountains. Throughout the entire episode, her car companion kept stealing her wallet.

Discernment means the ability to judge well. Applying sound judgment to financial decisions means taking emotion from the equation, objectively analyzing the situation, and seeking wise counsel.

As Christ’s followers, God calls us to help those in need. Unfortunately, scammers often portray themselves as needy. In today’s world, they have more ways than ever to scam honest people out of their funds.

Before helping strangers, take time to do the research and gain as much information as possible. Use the tools God gives us to apply discernment in financial decisions.

Lord, forgive us for making pledges without considering the consequences. Please help us apply discernment to all aspects of our lives, making the best decisions with Your assistance. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 24:1-25:18, Luke 2:1-35, Psalm 59:1-17, Proverbs 11:14

Daily Verse: “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Prov. 11:14

Develop wise counselors.

“Your suggestion to call the doc on call may have saved my life.  Thank you!” Read the text I sent to my friend, who gave me wise counsel when I didn’t know what to do.

Home alone, Ron dealing with another emergency, I didn’t know what to do about my swelling leg.  Having wise counselors in my life whose opinion I trust helped me weather the unexpected storm, leading me to seek the appropriate medical attention, which found and removed the life-threatening blood clot from my body.

Without wise counsel, people fall, but in an abundance of counselors, you will find safety.

Developing a network of trusted friends help you live life to the fullest, make better decisions, and create security in an insecure world. God never intended for us to live life alone; we need connection and community to create stable environments.

Surround yourself with wise counselors. Make better decisions with the help of God’s people.

Lord, forgive us for trying to do everything ourselves.  Please surround us with wise counselors to help us make better decisions and grow closer to You.  Thank You for giving us a community of believers to help us live life to the fullest. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 22:21-23:30, Luke 1:57-80, Psalm 58:1-11, Proverbs 11:12-13

Daily Verse: “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.” Prov. 11:13

Become trustworthy.

Today’s verse contrasts the difference between a trustworthy person and a gossip.  Don’t tell your tales to someone who can’t wait to spread juicy news.  People who can’t keep a secret give themselves away quickly.  If they share one secret, they will share them all.

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

Becoming a trustworthy person allows people a safe place to confess their sins and begin the path to healing.  Praying for someone’s struggles helps them grow in the Lord and overcome their mountains.

Create a safe environment for the people you love by keeping their secrets.  Give them someone to turn to during the battle.

Keep things covered and give people a safe place to spill their secrets.

Lord, forgive us when we’ve not kept secrets.  Please help us create safe environments for people to discuss their struggles.  In all things, let us honor and serve You well.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 21:1-22:20, Luke 1:26-56, Psalm 57:1-11, Proverbs 11:9-11

Daily Verse: “With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.” Prov. 11:9

Righteousness stops slander.

Fools gossip and spread lies about people, but Christ’s followers stop slander.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

Jesus never slandered anyone, neighbor or otherwise. Christ lifted people up with His words, showering them with grace and mercy. But those who don’t follow God tear people down, destroying their self-esteem and relationships.

Words matter; when someone begins to gossip around you, stop the talk.   Not only should we build people up with our language, but we shouldn’t allow others to tear people down with theirs. 

Walk away when someone begins the gossip chain. Don’t participate in negative talk about anyone. Use words wisely to enhance and encourage those around you.

Lord, forgive us for gossiping. Please help us choose our words carefully, using them to encourage and uplift those around us. In all things, let us honor and serve You well. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 19:1-20:29, Luke 1:1-25, Psalm 56:1-13, Proverbs 11:8

Daily Verse: “The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead.” Prov. 11:8

God delivers.

When troubles befall us, God guides us through them, but the wicked plunge ahead without care.

Writing from my hospital bed, recovering from a thrombectomy, blood clot removal, miraculous events led me to the life-saving procedure. They started in prayer; I asked the Lord to guide and direct me when lying in pain. Too long to include in a one-minute devotional. He answered the prayer by giving me one step at a time to follow.

Prayer led to action that led to healing. But without God, who knows what would have happened? Throughout my stay, I had the opportunity to talk about my faith with several staff, encouraging them on their journey as they worked to care for me.

People who don’t know God don’t have access to His guidance and walk straight into trouble. Faith in the Lord gives us direction and helps us avoid the pitfalls of life, giving us hope, no matter the circumstances.

Lord, thank You for guiding and directing us through the valleys of life. Let our light shine to all around us as we traverse this life, helping others come to know Your saving grace. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 16:41-18:32, Mark 16:1-20, Psalm 55:1-23, Proverbs 11:7

Daily Verse: “When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too.” Prov. 11:7

Wicked expectations perish.

Evil plots don’t win, although sometimes it seems like they do. In a world wrought with heartache, people doing and saying horrendous things to each other, the pain appears palpable sometimes.

But the things of this world don’t last. Evil intentions don’t win. Following in Christ gives us the hope of eternal life to come. Worldly wealth doesn’t stop death from coming. And U-Hauls don’t follow anyone into eternity. We leave the earth with what we had at its entrance: nothing.

Christ in us gives us peace on earth. Our treasure waits for us in heaven, not here. No mind can genuinely imagine the afterlife; we all have our interpretations of heaven. Our best day on earth can’t compare to our first day in heaven.

Without Jesus, people don’t have the same hope. One decision turns life around. Trusting and following Christ changes lives, one decision at a time.

Lord, forgive us for missed opportunities to share Christ’s love. Give us Your vision for others, helping us see them as You do. Let us love well today. IJNIP. Amen