Category: Uncategorized

One-minute read.

Like the Israelites wandering in the desert, God doesn’t want us to worry about tomorrow. The Lord gave them daily manna. He didn’t give the Israelites supplies to carry for the entire journey, wanting them to trust Him for their daily needs.

God gave His people enough food for the day, and the next morning, more bread appeared. The Lord’s daily manna stained the Israelites for the journey until they arrived in the promised land.

As we travel through this life to the promised land, the Lord doesn’t want us to worry about tomorrow’s needs. Instead, God wants us to trust Him for our daily requirements. When Jesus taught the disciples how to pray, He instructed them to ask the Lord for “daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). The Almighty only wants us to think about today, trusting His provision as we face the day’s challenges. Wherever God guides, He provides. He did it for the Israelites; the Lord will do it for us.

When God brings us to the Red Sea, He knows how He will part it. Let the Lord lead, enjoying the journey as He takes care of the trip.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for handling today’s problems. Please help us trust You more as anxiety tries to steal our joy. Keep our eyes focused on You, knowing You will part the Red Sea for us and show us the way.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

We live in a world full of lies that people not only believe but dig their heels into and refuse to consider any other possibilities. But we do have hope. In time, God reveals an undeniable truth that even the most extreme opponents can’t deny. Praying for eyes to see and ears to hear the Lord’s truth becomes our best defense against the enemy’s ploys.

Recently, I learned the term “Soldier Mindset:” people defend what they already believe against what they see as threats. I’ve done this myself; ask my husband, who constantly challenges me. As a result, I’ve learned to develop a “Growth Mindset:” exploring and accepting new ideas.

Instead of forcing my beliefs on others, I ask questions and try to understand their position. Then, when the opportunity arises, I plant seeds of truth, praying that they will take root. But ultimately, I leave them in God’s hands, knowing He reveals truth to us all in His sovereignty.

Seek the Creator for truth. He will reveal it to you. No one lies to us more than we lie to ourselves. With the Savior on our side, He reveals the truth in love, helping us become more like Him and less like the world.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for revealing the truth, drawing us closer to You, and enabling us to share it with others. Please reveal any lies we believe, giving us eyes to see and ears to hear You.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

For years, I didn’t think I had any value. Because I felt invisible on the inside, I didn’t think people noticed me on the outside, and so when someone saw me, I felt shocked. Growing up in the country, when I looked up at the stars in the sky, I felt small in the context of the vast universe surrounding us. Jesus’s words assure us of our place in the world; one God notices, even more so than the sparrows.

Small brown birds, sparrows build their nests close to the ground, feed their babies insects, and lead indiscriminate lives, hardly noticed by anyone. But the Lord sees them and knows their activities. Jesus wants us to understand: If the Creator cares about these barely noticed birds, how much more does He care about us?

Despite what you may feel inside, you matter. God notices and wants a relationship with you so desperately that He sent His Son to die for you. The Lord created you for a purpose only you can fulfill. Trust His words, believe God’s promises, and know you have immense value to the Lord and the world.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us value and demonstrating its depth through Jesus. Please help us see ourselves as You do and understand our purpose as we seek You wholeheartedly.
IJNP. Amen

One-minute read.

When Jesus strolled up to the disciple’s boat, they didn’t recognize Him, petrified of the figure walking on water. Immediately, the Savior calms their fears by identifying Himself. Sometimes, when God moves, it can take us by surprise, scaring us.

I often think of Jesus walking on water, Peter joining him on the roaring waves. To experience the miracle, not only did the disciple have to get out of the boat, but he also had to overcome his fear. Taking steps of faith often comes with an anxiety attack. Thinking of what could go wrong can paralyze us, causing us never to move.

Just as Jesus calmed the disciples, if we focus our eyes on Him, the Lord will also calm us. God didn’t create us to live in fear. With His Spirit residing inside us, the Lord gives us everything we need to pursue the dreams He gives us and take the steps necessary to accomplish them. Writing my first devotional took enormous courage, as did my first book. But the more I allow God to lead me, the easier it becomes, and the more I write, trusting Him with the results.

Let Jesus calm you with His presence. Give your fears to Him, and walk on water with the Savior.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for calming our fears with Your presence that never leaves nor forsakes us. Please help us become more sensitive to Your Spirit as we follow You one day at a time.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Worry comes naturally to me, and I suspect many other people. What to eat? What to wear? All things I’ve spent time agonizing over. But God doesn’t want us to feel anxious over material things or worry about how we will obtain them. As our divine Provider, the Lord knows and plans to meet our needs. We must learn to trust more and fret less.

Why do I worry more and trust less? Especially at 55 years old? The Lord has always provided for me, yet I still have anxiety about it. That doesn’t make sense unless you consider worry part of our human nature.

Now I understand why the Old Testament has examples of the people setting up altars to remind themselves of what the Lord did and does for them. Humans have short memories.

God will provide all our needs. He repeatedly promises to take care of His people. We can give our worries to Him, trusting the Provider to provide. By letting go of the material, we can trust the spiritual and receive the Lord’s blessings.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for providing all our needs. Please forgive us for worrying about frivolous things, taking our eyes off the main thing: You. Take away our worries as we trust You more and more.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

God’s Spirit strengthens and encourages us. Putting the Lord first in our lives means we care more about His thoughts than anyone else. For instance, lying. Many people lie because they think it will make things easier, but it never does.

During my tenure as a small group coordinator, I had an issue with one of the groups that resulted from the leader’s lie. When the people involved came to me with their concerns, I quickly learned of the false tale that caused the relational problem. We resolved the conflict once the truth came out, but the pain and heartache didn’t have to occur.

If the leader had told the truth in the first place, the group members wouldn’t have experienced the pain. But because the person thought more of what others would believe than God’s commands, they lied, and people got hurt.

Every day, we choose to follow God or the world. Chasing after worldly approval leads to heartache. When we choose the Creator, we have the comfort of His Spirit to help us persevere, and He multiplies our efforts.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us Your Spirit to guide, direct, and comfort us. Please help us choose You today and every day. Let us execute Your commands as we strive to love You and others well.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Walking in step with the Lord gives us divine protection from the enemy. However, we must ensure our hearts align with the Savior’s and not our desires. God is not for us when we stray from the straight and narrow and follow selfish impulses.

For a long time, I defined righteous anger incorrectly. Instead of defining the strong emotion as an offense against the Lord, I thought it meant an offense against me. Just because I view something as right doesn’t make it right. But I could dig my heels in when I felt offended and thought I had the winning view. God didn’t support my stance because it didn’t align with His heart. My offense doesn’t equal God’s.

God does have our backs when we walk in His will. But we must remember we don’t always do what the Lord wants. Our flesh gets the best of us every now and then, and the devil can get a foothold in our sins. When we stray from the Lord, we leave His divine protection and suffer the consequences of our actions.

We do have a heavenly Father who wants the best for us. When we align ourselves with Him, nothing can stop us. Stay close to the Lord, cling to His robes, and experience His divine protection.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for protecting us, covering us with Your wings, and keeping us safe. Please help us cling to You, repenting our sins, and obeying Your commands. Let us live in the shadow of the Almighty, protected and loved.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

As a child, I would sleep on the floor beside my parent’s bed when I got scared at night. I felt safe, tucked between the wall and Mom’s side of the mattress. When Three Mile Island occurred, the partial meltdown of a nuclear reactor, I hid a survival kit under the bed, sure I would save the entire family. The small space became my place of refuge and strength.

As an adult, I run to the Lord for safety, making Him my stronghold. Time and again, God protects and comforts me in my present troubles. People let me down, but the Creator never does. Even if I don’t understand, I know His plan will prevail, no matter the attack.

Jesus, descended from the lion of Judah, gained victory for all on the cross. Dying for our sins and overcoming death, the Savior longs for us to turn to Him and experience the grace and mercy He offers. The Lord doesn’t condemn us for our sins; He forgives them. Laying our burdens at His feet, Christ heals us when we come to Him, giving us new direction and hope for the future.

Seek refuge in the Savior and experience His peace.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us a safe, dependable place to take refuge from our troubles. Please help us seek You first, not last. Give us the peace that surpasses all understanding as we come to You with our burdens.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Following God makes life easier. God has already decided most of the decisions we must make. Tell the truth, don’t steal, cheat, or covet. Worship the Lord, take Sundays off, and prioritize your relationships. Don’t spend more than you make, pay off your debts, work as if to God, and on and on the list goes.

Reverential fear of the Creator motivates us to obey His commands, which leads to a fountain of life and victory over sin and death. Because of a deep respect for the Savior, we trust His promises that come to fruition in our obedience. Not only does God promise eternal life and victory over death, but He gives us the peace that surpasses all understanding, fruitful lives that produce much, and strength to face whatever comes our way.

Living waters flow from the Savior, His light shining brightly for all to see. Ever moving and changing, the adventure begins when we take our first step of faith, which never ends and always propels us forward. Vibrant, energizing, and invigorating, life with Jesus never gets old, only getting better and better with each day. Abundant life through Christ comes when we trust the Savior.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us living water through Christ, strengthening and empowering us to live boldly for Him. Please help us obey Your commands and make the right decisions based on Your word.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Everyone experiences shame because we all make poor decisions at some point. Sometimes, things happen to us that we blame ourselves for, but we shouldn’t, victims of someone else’s actions. Jesus doesn’t want us to live in the past; He wants us to focus on the hope of the future. When we follow the Savior, we can make different decisions and not accept blame for things we shouldn’t, choosing His way instead of ours.

Not fearing what others think happens when we understand our identity in Christ. The Lord knows our past mistakes, forgives them, and shows us a different way to live. Only when we accept and receive the Savior’s unconditional love can we begin to look through the lens of our Creator.

Confessing our sins to Jesus allows us to access His grace. Like the woman caught in adultery, once convicted of our misdeeds, Christ tells us the same thing: “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). As we learn God’s ways, He doesn’t condemn us for not knowing but forgives us and asks us to stop doing it.

Let go of shame; embrace the new life found in Christ. Developing a relationship with the Savior helps you respond as He did. Jesus responded with love, inviting people to follow Him and experience the peace and hope only the Lord can provide.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for removing our shame and giving us a new identity in Christ. Please help us embrace the path You have for us, living in obedience to You as we follow the Savior.
IJNIP. Amen