Category: Uncategorized

Two-minute read.

Righteousness leads on the path of life, but the lure of wealth tries to derail us. In the past year, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of following the right trail. Each day, we make approximately 35,000 decisions, with 75% of them subconscious and the rest conscious. On average, we make over 200 food-related decisions daily. Following the righteous path means doing the next right thing.

Using food as an example, we can equate it to fuel for our bodies. Eating a balanced breakfast with protein and low carbs gives us energy to make better decisions. High-sugar foods cause our insulin levels to spike and then crash, which can make us less productive. If we continue to make good fuel choices throughout the day for our bodies, we’ll make better decisions; however, if we don’t, we’ll feel tired and sluggish, lacking the energy to do the things we need to do.

In the same way, if we fill our hearts and minds with God’s word, we’ll make better choices. But if we allow the influences of the world to fill our heads, we will make uninformed decisions that lead us astray. The Lord gives us the tools we need to direct our paths, but we must follow Him to know them.

Worldly wealth doesn’t last; treasure gained from dishonest ways vanishes even quicker. However, when we follow the Savior, He shows us the right path to take, which leads to an abundant life filled with peace and joy in our hearts. We don’t have to know everything when we know the One who does. Placing our trust in Christ takes the pressure off us to make the right decisions, instead allowing Him to guide us.

Give your life to Jesus, let Him guide you down the path of right living, one step at a time.

Journal Question:

In what ways has worldly wealth led you astray?

How has Jesus helped you make the right decisions?

What choice do you need Jesus’s help with today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for sending Your Son to show us the way. Please help us stay on the right path, making good choices as we apply Your word to our lives. Give us discernment and guidance for all the days of our lives.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Folly, in its original Hebrew, means “stupidity, insolence, with a possible implication of rebellion.”[1] An image of a woman I encountered years ago comes to mind. In D.C. at the post office, waiting in line, she saw me look at her and immediately began ranting at me for daring to glimpse her way. I didn’t engage, averting my eyes and apologizing for disturbing her. Because I didn’t rise to the occasion, she found another innocent victim to attack.

Another incident occurred in New Orleans on a work trip. Walking to lunch with colleagues, a woman followed us, yelling crazy, unintelligible things at us. Her actions unnerved me and left an indelible mark on my memories.

Foolish people crave attention, and if we give it to them, it fuels the flame of their rebellious nature. Instead of having a teachable spirit, they dig their heels into whatever position they take, not wanting to admit their folly. Avoiding folly means not engaging, but instead praying for God to give them eyes to see and ears to hear the error of their ways.

Seeking divine wisdom helps us avoid folly and its obnoxious call. Keeping the Son in your eyes gives you discernment, making it easy to spot those who would lead you astray. Unlike the women I mentioned above, not all folly comes in such outspoken ways; sometimes it comes as a whisper that seems appealing.

The counterpart to wisdom, folly attempts to appeal to the naïve and lure them into its web. Without biblical wisdom found in Proverbs, folly tries to create chaos, stealing peace and destroying the joy found in the Lord. Don’t listen to folly’s call; instead, find the Savior’s peace by following Him.

Journal Question:

How have you experienced folly’s call in your life?

In what ways do you avoid folly?

How can you help others avoid folly’s call?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for helping us identify folly and listen to her call. Please give us the tools we need to avoid foolishness and not succumb to its temptation. Let us live in Your peace that surpasses all understanding.

IJNIP. Amen

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[1]https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%209%3A13&version=NIV&tab=interlinear

Two-minute read.

As a tennis coach, it didn’t take long for me to know who would become a better player, all because they listened to instructions. Some students would ignore me, while others argued with my directions. However, those who absorbed the information and followed my instructions became the top students in the class.

Remaining teachable helps you become wiser. However, many people stop learning and remain stuck in the same situation for most of their lives. I know, for years I stopped growing because I turned my back on God and people, the pain of my father’s death consuming me. Thankfully, our Creator reaches into the depths of our heartache and helps us climb out of the pit.

Developing tennis students meant watching them play and working on the things that didn’t come naturally to them, or they didn’t know. In the same way, the Lord knows our weaknesses and provides us with instructions to help us overcome them, thereby growing stronger in Christ. As we learn to listen to God’s word and apply it to our lives, we’ll become more like Jesus. But if we don’t listen, we’ll never learn.

In my current walk with the Savior, He’s fine-tuning me. We’ve overcome many of the significant issues in my life that kept me from experiencing the joy of the Lord. Now God reveals smaller things that cause harm and don’t reflect His Son well. Each day, I learn something new, which makes me want to chase after Jesus even more and share Him with all I know, so they can experience His miraculous work as well.

Humble yourself before the Lord and allow Him to teach you His ways. Experience the freedom that comes from giving your life to Christ and allowing Him to transform you.

Journal Question:

Define what a teachable spirit means to you.

In what ways have you become wiser reading God’s word?

How would you describe the effect becoming wiser has on your life?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us instructions that make us wiser and help us enjoy life more. Please give us teachable spirits that crave more of Your teachings and show us how to apply them to our lives.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Simple, according to the Oxford Dictionary, means “easily understood or done, presenting no difficulty.” If you think about walking, we could define it as simple, something we don’t think much about when we do it, easily understood. However, if you watch a toddler learning to walk, you begin to understand the complexity of the walking process. Only with much practice does it become something we do without thinking.

When Solomon tells us to leave our simple ways and walk in the way of insight, he wants us to grow and mature, seeing what lies beneath the surface. Like a toddler taking their first steps, we must move forward into wisdom, leaving our crawling days behind us, learning to walk and eventually run.

Placing our faith in Christ marks the beginning of our journey towards wisdom. As we take steps of faith, applying His commands to our lives, we start walking in the way of insight. Like a toddler, we first pull ourselves up, balancing precariously on our spiritual legs, then become more confident as we take one step after another.

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,”

Hebrews 12:1

God has a race marked out for each of us to run. Unfortunately, if we never learn to walk, we can’t make the long strides necessary to run. We must leave our ways behind, submitting our hearts to Jesus, focusing our eyes on Him, and learning from the wisdom He teaches to walk in insight.

Thankfully, we serve a Savior who walks with us, and when necessary, carries us. Like a parent who holds their toddler’s hand as they learn to walk, Christ does the same for us. God never expected us to journey alone; He takes pleasure in accompanying us on the trip, watching us grow and mature, just as parents do with their children.

Journal Question:

What comes to mind when you think of walking in insight?

How has Biblical wisdom helped you learn to walk more confidently in life?

Define what running the race marked out for you means.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for teaching us how to walk in insight by applying Your word to our lives. Please help us continue to refine our steps and become wiser with each passing day. Let us finish our race well.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Listening to wisdom, the difference between life and favor, and harm and danger according to the Expositor’s Bible Commentary. From those two choices, I can easily decide which one I prefer; however, I often find myself in the wrong category.

For instance, “Read the fine print” refers to carefully reading an agreement before you sign it. We have all heard this piece of advice at one point or another, but how often do you follow it? When a website asks you to accept cookies, do you take the time to read about them, or do you click ‘accept’? The same applies to privacy agreements and a myriad of other “Click Here” boxes that we must navigate through before reaching our internet destination.

Watching “The Paper,” a spinoff from “The Office,” the first episode made me have an unexpected epiphany. One of the characters describes how their online newspaper gets more information from the readers than they report in their articles. As soon as someone clicks “Accept Cookies,” they get information on their browsing history, etc. All because we don’t listen to the wisdom of four words, “Read the fine print.”

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”

Luke 14:38

Biblical wisdom advises us to count the cost before embarking on a project. In other words, read the fine print before you agree to something so that you will know the commitment involved. How many times have you regretted not getting all the facts before moving forward on a project or idea? We’ve all done it. Listening to wisdom helps us slow down and make better choices.

Live in God’s favor by listening to His instructions. Following the Lord’s commandments helps us avoid trouble and stay on the right path.

Journal Question:

When have you ignored wise advice?

How can you listen better to wisdom?

In what ways has listening helped you live in God’s favor and blessing?

Prayer:

Thank You, Lord, for giving us wisdom in Your word and through Your people to help us avoid pitfalls and experience Your blessings. Please help us listen more and apply Your teaching to our lives, keeping us out of trouble and in Your favor.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

When Solomon became king of Israel after his father, David, God appeared to him in a dream and asked a simple yet complex question:

“Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

1 Kings 3:5b

Solomon didn’t ask for money, wealth, or the death of his enemies; the young king asked for wisdom. Divine knowledge has more value than anything else on Earth. Knowing how to represent God well, loving people for Him, and building strong, healthy relationships only happen when we partner with the Savior. Solomon knew he couldn’t rule his kingdom well without the help of God. By seeking wisdom above jewels, David’s son found favor with the Lord:

“So God said to him, ‘Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have you asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.”

1 Kings 3:11-13

By seeking wisdom above all else, Solomon received the other blessings. Without divine knowledge, the king couldn’t reign over his kingdom, and we can’t rule over ours.

We may not rule a nation, but each of us has a kingdom to watch over. Loving God and others requires a partnership with the Savior and a trust in His wisdom. The more we seek Jesus, the wiser we will become and the more abundantly we will live.

Journal Question:

Why do you think wisdom has more value than jewels?

In what way has divine knowledge enriched your life?

If God asked you what you wanted, how would you reply?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us such powerful stories to teach us about Your ways. Let us seek wisdom above all else, and allow You to do the rest. Help us rule our kingdoms well and honor You in all we do.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“I knew you liked me when you showed up with makeup on,” Ron said.

While getting to know each other, we played a doubles match with friends. Our first time doing something outside of our tennis team, I wore makeup, something I rarely do. And Ron noticed. He didn’t tell me that day, but as our relationship progressed, he confessed that seeing me with mascara told him I liked him.

Solomon personifies wisdom in today’s verse and wants to highlight her attractiveness, just as I wanted Ron to notice me. When people want attention, they find ways to get it, and in essence, wisdom wants us to notice her. Finding wisdom gives us an avenue to experience abundant living, the knowledge we gain protects us from pain, and leads us on the path of righteousness.

Following the straight and narrow way, called the path of righteousness, means doing the next right thing. Whatever the situation, wisdom helps us decipher what we should do as we move forward. Sometimes wisdom tells us to wait, other times to flee, and sometimes to move forward with caution. Wisdom becomes more attractive as we seek it and apply it to our lives.

Whether or not I wore makeup didn’t win Ron’s heart. But seeking Godly wisdom and applying it to my life drew my husband to me. Praying to the Lord, I asked Him to help me portray Jesus accurately, and then I followed biblical teachings to learn how to do so. The Savior’s light draws people to us as we seek and follow His wisdom.

Wisdom’s call summons us to it, helping us live wisely and enjoy the benefits of divine guidance. Hear the call and follow the advice found in biblical guidance.

Journal Question:

How has wisdom called to you:

In what ways do you think wisdom helps you stay on the straight and narrow path?

What wisdom do you need today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us divine wisdom to guide our steps. As we seek You, help us live wisely as we follow Your decrees. Let us become more like Jesus as we do what He did.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Proverbs seven details how easily one can fall for enticing speech that makes the grass sound greener on the opposite side of the road. For a young man, falling into the seductive trap of a wayward woman compares to an ox going to slaughter or a deer caught in a noose; it costs the person their life.

Sin has a seductive side to it; we know we shouldn’t do something, but we do it anyway. During our first year of marriage, a door-to-door salesman came to our house, selling rainbow vacuums. His seductive speech captivated me, and I wanted to purchase the $ 3,000 machine. However, my husband didn’t buy the sales pitch.

As the salesman took his sweet time packing up his wares, he kept trying to convince me to spend the money.

“It’s not me you have to convince, it’s him,” I finally said.

Realizing Ron wouldn’t take the bait, he gave up, leaving us with his business card if we changed our minds. At the time, we couldn’t afford to spend that much money on a vacuum. If Ron hadn’t put his foot down, we would have ended up with unwanted debt, and once you start slipping down that slope, you can quickly fall.

Beware of seductive speech that sounds enticing but ultimately leads to trouble. Of course, buying a vacuum doesn’t necessarily lead to death. But cheating on a spouse often kills a marriage, destroying relationships and devastating lives.

The adage proves true time and time again: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” Use caution when people flatter you with words about situations that seem unrealistically optimistic or beneficial. Seductive speech usually doesn’t end well.

Journal Question:

When have you fallen for seductive speech?

What can you do when faced with enticing language?

What helps you identify someone trying to lure you into a bad situation?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us discernment to help us know when to avoid seductive speech. Please provide us with the tools we need to avoid manipulative language that will steer us off track. Let us honor You in all we do.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Once again, Solomon repeats his fatherly advice to listen and practice his teachings so that life will go well for his child. Solomon wants only the best for his son, hoping his offspring will avoid some of the heartache the king experienced.

As parents, aunts, uncles, or grandparents, we want the children in our lives to have a better life than what we perceive we had. But sometimes, in our efforts to make the next generation’s life easier, we do more harm than good. Teaching children how to live independently of us, relying on God as the only sure foundation, means we must let them go and can’t protect them from the challenges of life.

We moved six months ago into a house with a big backyard. Coming from a small house with only a back deck and a strip of grass, I had anxiety about letting the dogs run in the spacious area where I couldn’t always see them. After months of slowly allowing them to run in larger and larger areas, I am finally letting them out in the big yard regularly. As a non-parent, I can only imagine the difficulties of letting your children go into the crazy world we live in today.

But if we teach them God’s word and lead by example, we don’t have to let them go alone. Instead, we can give them to the Lord and trust Him to do what we can’t, providing them with a firm foundation to turn to when the guaranteed hard things of life happen.

Instill sound biblical teaching in your children’s lives, and rest assured that as they grow and mature, it will grow and mature with them. Hiding God’s word in our hearts gives us a reliable source of strength when needed.

Journal Question:

What teaching did your parents give you that has kept you out of trouble?

What lesson do you want to instill in your children?

How can you share your faith with your children today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us sound advice for living and helping us plant it in our hearts, keeping it the apple of our eyes. Please help us teach our children wisely and give them the firm foundation they can find only in You.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Referring to adultery, if you play with fire, you will get burned. As appealing as the grass may appear on the other side of the fence, it still needs mowed. What seems like innocent flirtation can quickly lead to third-degree burns.

Anyone can fall into temptation and find themselves in situations they never meant to happen. Thinking, “It won’t happen to me,” fools us into believing a lie. If you place a piece of cake in front of me, I might resist for a minute, but inevitably, I’m going to eat it. My thoughts will convince me one bite won’t hurt, and after I’ve taken the first one, why not eat a second one?

When the serpent convinced Eve to bite into the apple, he lied to her.

“He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

Genesis 3:1

First, the serpent put a seed of doubt in Eve’s head, then he quickly moved in with the lie:

“You will not surely die. For god knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 4:-5

Death comes from sin, no matter what the enemy whispers in your ear. And, like Eve, we can fall just as quickly as she did. To avoid getting burned, don’t play with fire. God provides a way out for any temptation we face, putting guardrails into place to help us stay on the straight and narrow and not stray into places we shouldn’t go.

Become aware of your vulnerabilities. Place boundaries in your relationships that help you resist temptation. When the devil whispers in your ear, respond with three words: “Not today, Satan.” Stay away from the fire and you won’t get burned.

Journal Question:

When have you played with fire?

What boundaries do you need to set in your relationship to protect it?

How can you resist the devil’s lies?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us eyes to see and ears to hear. Please help us quickly identify our areas of vulnerability and assist us in creating boundaries that will prevent us from falling into the fire.

IJNIP. Amen