Author: Beth Morrison

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 42:18-43:34, Matthew 13:47-14:12, Psalm 18:16-36, Proverbs 4:7-10

Daily Verse: “Hear, my son, and accept my words, at the years of your life may be many.” Prov. 4:10

Obeying God’s commands adds years to your life. When the Lord tells us to live our lives in moderation, He does so to help us, not hurt us.

During my teenage years, I viewed God as a party pooper. According to His laws, we couldn’t do anything fun. But my childish understanding of faith didn’t understand God’s love or its protective nature.

Not having sex outside of a committed relationship bonded by marriage saves us from heartache and many diseases, extending our lives. Taking care of the Lord’s temple, our bodies means healthy eating, regular exercise, and restful sleep, all things a doctor recommends for good health.

God doesn’t want to take away our fun. The Lord wants us to live life to the fullest, one day at a time. God controls how many days we have on earth until He calls us home; we must trust and obey Him.  Putting the Lord’s commands into practice will help us reach our goal.

Lord, forgive us for not listening to Your words and putting them into practice. Help us turn our ears towards You, actively pursuing a whole life in Christ by trusting and obeying. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 41:17-42:17, Matthew 13:24-46, Psalm 18:1-15, Proverbs 4:1-6

Daily Verse: “Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.” Prov. 4:6

Godly insight protects us from dangerous paths. The author depicts wisdom as a woman we must embrace with love; in return, she will protect us.

2023 started with a bang. After traveling home from Christmas vacation, I experienced superficial blood clots in my leg from the long drive causing pain and swelling. Sitting in the waiting room, fighting panic, I turned my thoughts to Jesus and my verse for 2023:

“I said to myself, “Relax, because the Lord takes care of you.” Psalm 116:7 NCV

We cannot access God’s wisdom if we don’t turn to our Maker. To experience the Lord’s peace, we must seek His promises and believe in their truth. Wisdom caused me to seek help and focus on God’s promises to help me through the crisis.

Cling to Godly wisdom, embrace it. In return, the Lord will guide and direct your paths, guarding you against harm.

Lord, forgive us for rejecting the wisdom You offer. Give us the desire to embrace lovingly Your wisdom, guide, and direct us from harmful decisions. Let Your peace reign in our lives as we seek You daily. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 39:1-41:16, Matthew 12:46-13:23, Psalm 17:1-15, Proverbs 3:33-35

Daily Verse: “Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.” Prov. 3:34

Putting God’s word into action results in blessings. And actively living scripture takes effort. 

One of the miraculous stories of living God’s word happened when my friend publicly forgave the men who killed his son. Never having children, I can’t begin to imagine the difficulty of the situation. Yet with God’s grace and in obedience to His Lord, my friend forgave them, living out his faith.

Gaining God’s favor means doing what the Lord asks us to do. Scripture contains 80% of God’s will for our lives; through our relationship with Him, we discern the other 20%. Each day, with God’s fresh mercies, we get to try again.

You will find, as I have, submission requires humility. Remembering our sinful nature helps us stay humble. God loved us first by sending Jesus. The Lord doesn’t force us to love Him. Our words and actions tell the tale.

We can scorn. Or we can love.

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 37:1-38:30. Matthew 12:22-45, Psalm 16:1-11, Proverbs 3:27-32

Daily Verse: “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” Prov. 3:27

Jealousy made me a mean-natured child. If I couldn’t have something, I didn’t want anyone else to have it. Hard to admit, but the truth remains the truth.

On the other hand, my husband doesn’t have an envious bone in his body, celebrating other people’s wins quickly. 

Whether doing good for others comes naturally or not, following Jesus requires it. We must bless others when we can, no matter our natural inclinations.

Unlike Jesus, sinful nature can deter us from doing good to others. Obeying God defeats our wicked ways, building relationships instead of destroying them. Once destroyed, relationships can require extreme effort to repair.

Give life to others by doing good for them when you can. Enriching lives not only blesses the receiver but the giver as well.

Lord, forgive us for not doing good when we could for others. Help us change our ways as we seek to bless others with the gifts we receive from You.  When we can do good, let us do good. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 35:1-36:43, Matthew 12:1-21, Psalm 15:1-5, Proverbs 3:21-26

Daily Verse: “…for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.” Prov. 3:26

Following sound judgment in life will find strength and beauty in wisdom and actions. Confidence in God’s guidance will keep you right-footed.

When faced with a difficult decision, talk to God about it. Search the scriptures for wisdom from those who went before us. Don’t act until you know, without a doubt, the direction the Lord’s taking you.

Over Christmas, one friend struggled with loneliness and abandonment. Praying for her, I asked God what I could do to ease her burden. “Call her,” came the answer. Yet I resisted until the urge to pick up the phone overwhelmed me. And so I did, leading to an uplifting and encouraging conversation that bolstered us.

When we wait for God’s direction and follow His promptings, we will walk sure-footed. But we will falter when we rush to accomplish tasks without seeking the Lord. Walk confidently today, trusting the Lord to direct your steps.

Lord, forgive us for foolishly rushing ahead of You, not asking for direction. Prompt us today to walk the path You select for us. Give us confidence in our actions as we submit our lives to You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 32:13-34:31, Matthew 11:7-30, Psalm 14:1-7, Proverbs 3:19-20

Daily Verse: “The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens;” Prov. 3:19

God used the same wisdom He imparts to us to create the universe.  When we surrender to God’s guidance, we experience harmony with the universe.

Elijah, the infamous prophet from the Old Testament, uniquely experienced harmony with God.  The Lord told Elijah to stand on the mountain as He passed by.  First, a mighty wind tore the mountain apart, then an earthquake, then a fire.

“And after the fire came a gentle whisper…. ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ (1 Kings 19:11-13)

When Elijah submitted his life to God and obeyed His commands, he connected with the Lord through the miracle of creation.

God speaks to us in different ways.  As we follow the Lord, we become one with His creation, living in harmony.  We can experience miraculous moments when we seek God’s wisdom and let Him direct our paths.

Lord, forgive us for looking for wisdom in all the wrong places.  Help us submit our lives to You, connecting with Your creation as we do.  Let miraculous moments happen as we give our lives to You. IJNIP.  Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 31:17-32:12, Matthew 10:24-11:6, Psalm 13:1-6, Proverbs 3:16-18

Daily Verse: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace,” Prov. 3:18

Wisdom, “her,” in today’s verse, helps us live a peaceful life. Avoiding the pitfalls of pride, jealousy, and anger, as well as many others requires Godly knowledge.  Self-awareness gives us insight into our weaknesses and allows the Lord’s strength to help us overcome our downfalls.

My struggle with pride continues every day.  Jealousy and anger spread their evil tentacles, rooted in pride’s wicked ways.  But putting God first helps me acknowledge my sins, laying them before the cross. 

Accessing God’s wisdom allows me to lay aside my sinful ways and strive to become more like Christ.  In doing so, my imperfections become a testimony to the Lord as I overcome them. 

Seek God’s wisdom for your life’s circumstances.  Search the scriptures for Godly direction.  The more you put God’s word into practice, the wiser you will become.  And you can enjoy God’s pleasant ways and a pathway of peace.

Lord, forgive us our foolish ways.  Pour Your wisdom into our lives as we move forward today.  Give us discernment to face the day’s challenges.  Pave our pathways with peace as we follow You.  IJNIP.  Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 30:1-31:16, Matthew 10:1-23, Psalm 12:1-8, Proverbs 3:13-15

Daily Verse: “She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.” Proverbs 3:15

Solomon calls wisdom a “she” in this verse.  Wisdom has more value than wealth and riches because it yields power, influence, and respect, the gifts of life.  The author refers to wisdom as the “tree of life” because it brings vitality and the fullness of life with it.

To have a long and beneficial life, one must embrace wisdom.  Foolish acts lead to difficult and even shortened lives.

Wisdom says taking care of our bodies will lead to a better quality of daily life.  Foolishness says I can do whatever I want without consequences.  But everything has consequences, including our daily decisions in how we treat our bodies.  We can either make life-giving choices or life-taking ones.

Choose to live life fully by embracing God’s wisdom.  Seek the Lord daily, letting His knowledge guide and direct you.  Enjoy every moment as you let wisdom lead the way.

Lord, forgive us for our foolish notions.  Help us seek Your wisdom and follow it.  Let us have a full life as we follow Your ways.  Give us the wisdom and discernment we need for today.  IJNIP.  Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 28:1-29:35, Matthew 9:18-38,Psalm 11:1-7, Proverbs 3:11-12

Rules annoy me, discipline even more so.  But I’ve learned following Jesus does have both, and for a good reason.  God wants us to obey His commands because they protect us from harm.  The Lord’s discipline draws us back onto the straight and narrow when we stray off course.

God always disciplines with love.  If we tune into the Holy Spirit and listen to His promptings, we become more adept at avoiding the pitfalls of life.  Trouble still comes at no fault of our own, but at least we didn’t go looking for it.

When we falter, God doesn’t stop loving us, but He does correct us.  Instead of rebelling against God’s discipline, we should embrace it, knowing we will grow from His reproof, becoming more like Jesus.

Because of His unconditional love for us, God corrects us, just as a parent does a child.  The Lord wants the best for us; to receive it, we must embrace the discipline that leads us to it.

Lord, forgive us for straying from Your ways.  Thank You for Your loving discipline that steers us back to the straight and narrow.  Help us embrace Your reproof, knowing it comes from love.  IJNIP.  Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 26:17-27:46, Matthew 9:1-17, Psalm 10:16-18, Proverbs 3:9-10

Daily Verse: “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce;” Proverbs 3:9

Tithing, giving the first 10% of your income to God, requires faith.  Believing the Lord can do more with 90% of our money instead of us managing 100% of it means submitting our finances to God.  A step of faith that will lead to overflowing blessings.

“…then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” Proverbs 3:10

Unemployed, in my early thirties, making $250/week from unemployment, my first tithe checks equaled $25.  God provided every step of the way; never once did I go without.  When I landed a job making triple my previous one, writing the larger check took more faith, but I did it and continue to tithe today.

God can do more with the 90% than I can with the 100%.  Decades of obedience have taught me this lesson.

Give your first fruits to God.  Watch as your barns overflow and your vats burst.

Lord, forgive us for not giving You what we should.  Give us the faith we need to tithe; let us grow as we experience Your provision as we become more obedient.  IJNIP.  Amen