Category: Uncategorized

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 2:1-3:51, Mark 11:27-12:17, Psalm 47:1-9, Proverbs 10:24-25

Daily Verse: “When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever.” Prov. 10:25

Strong foundations endure.

On vacation in Florida over Christmas, we witnessed the damage Hurricane Ian caused three months prior. Wooden stairs, the only thing remaining from a crosswalk, and empty lots where houses once stood. But one place stood alone, the entry stairs and deck gone, the firm foundation withstood the hurricane winds, the home still intact.

We will encounter hurricanes in life, storms that sweep us off our feet, causing us to fall to our knees and cry out to God. In our darkest moments, the Lord answers, our firm foundation in times of trouble.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.” Psalm 121:1-3

When the storm hits, lift your eyes to the hills and receive strength from the Lord.  God never sleeps, always watching. The winds may blow, but with Christ, you can sustain them.

Lord, thank You for watching over us, never sleeping, constantly vigilant. Plant our feet firmly on the rock when the storm winds blow; hold us steady until they pass. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 27:14-Numbers 1:54, Mark 11:1-26, Psalm 46:1-11Proverbs 10:23

Daily Verse: “Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.” Prov. 10:23

Activity reveals character.

Watching a fictional show about car racing, one driver nudged the opponent’s car, causing him to spin out and lose the race. 

“Is that legal?” I asked Ron.

“No, but people do it.”

Causing another person to crash to win a race says a lot about the driver’s character. For the fool in today’s verse, they consider evil conduct sport. Winning a race by cheating doesn’t constitute victory.

Understanding comes with wisdom, which knows how you play the game matters more than who wins or loses. 

Character develops one good decision at a time. Consistently doing the right thing repeatedly develops strong character and helps us become more Christ-like.

Seek wisdom and understanding. Let God’s guidance and directions develop a Christ-like character in you.

Lord, forgive us for our poor choices. Help us develop Christ-like character as we consistently choose You.  Give us the tools to make good decisions that honor and serve You always. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 25:47-27:13, Mark 10:32-52, Psalm 45:1-17, Proverbs 10:22

Daily Verse: “The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” Prov. 10:22

Wealth has many forms.

God blesses His faithful children with riches, good health, jobs, families and friends, and much more. Wealth comes in many forms. And with it comes no sorrow, just pure joy.

Debt-free living brings no sorrow with it. Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University taught me how to manage money and live debt free. No more anxiety over which bill I would pay this month, no more eating peanuts for dinner to pay my credit card bill.

Each morning, I praise God for another day and our good health. At my age, the fragility of life seems more fragile. Every moment becomes a God moment the more we pursue Him.

Our hope lies in Jesus; the best days yet to come. Each of us has a different journey, but eventually, we’ll all get called home to heaven.

Until then, God gives us riches, no sorrows attached.

Lord, forgive us for not recognizing the riches in our life. As we pursue You, let us find You in new and exciting ways. Let Your originality dazzle us. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 24:1-25:46, Mark 10:13-31, Psalm 44:9-26, Proverbs 10:20-21

Daily Verse: “The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.” Prov. 10:21

Words give life.

We control what comes out of; our mouths; though I often fail, I try to say uplifting and always encouraging words. As a coach, I learned that students remember 80% of what I say, but I only remember 20% of my words. And so, uplifting and encouraging became a rule I try to follow in my life.

“I just want you to know; you look beautiful. Your glasses, your hair, they look great,” I said to the owner of the Mexican restaurant. Immediately, her demeanor changed, her shoulders lifted, and a smile illuminated her face as she thanked me for the compliment.

Having worked my way through college in restaurants, I knew the telltale face of a tired owner. And I spoke the truth in love to her, giving her renewed energy. All the full tables around us benefited from her beaming smile.

Help people blossom by encouraging them on the journey. Start a revolution of kindness, one uplifting word at a time. Give life with your words.

Lord, forgive us for our unkind words. Help us speak uplifting and always encouraging words. Let Christ’s love for people come through in our language, giving them life, as Jesus did us. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 22:17-23:44, Mark 9:30-10:12, Psalm 44:1-8, Proverbs 10:19

Daily Verse: “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.” Prov. 10:19

Closed lips avoid trouble.

Loose lips open the door to sin and gossip. Wagging tongues can’t listen to the other person. And excessive talking often leads to prideful boasting, flattery, and idle talk, causing destruction. 

Over the years, I continue to learn ways to keep my mouth shut when it desperately wants to talk by placing my hand over my mouth. Physically covering my lips helps me not say words that will tear down and destroy relationships.

Broken relationships because of ill-spoken words can take a lifetime to repair, if ever. Not speaking in tense moments saves friendships and helps us to listen to the other person’s needs.

With prayer and supplication, choose words carefully. Let the words that flow from you uplift and encourage all that hear them.   Speak with intention, saying only those things that will build relationships, not tear them down.

Lord, forgive us for loose lips. Help us choose our words wisely today, speaking life into others with what comes from our mouths. In all things, let us honor and glorify You. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 20:22-22:16, Mark 9:1-29, Psalm 43:1-5, Proverbs 10:18

Daily Verse: “The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.” Prov. 10:18

Hatred steals joy.

Writing “Three Word Prayers for Everyday Living” (TWP), I investigated hatred. “You can’t hate anyone,” my mom told us anytime we said we did. As a result, I developed shame anytime I felt the intense emotion. Feelings of hatred have validity. 

What I learned from writing TWP, with the help of a psychologist, we will all have feelings of hatred. Learning how to handle and healthily deal with emotion helps us not sin due to it. Acting on emotions causes sin; feeling them doesn’t.

Don’t condemn yourself for strong negative emotions; learn from them. Lay the feelings at the foot of the cross and ask God to replace them with His love. Our perspective changes when we ask God to let us see people through His eyes.

Becoming more like Jesus means changing our view, investigating negative emotions, and learning what Christ would do with them.

Lord, thank You for Your mercy. Help us embrace the gift and share it with others. Give us a new perspective as we look at others through Your eyes. In all things, let us love well. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 19:1-20:21, Mark 8:11-38, Psalm 42:1-11,Proverbs 10:17

Daily Verse: “Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.” Prov. 10:17

Feedback causes growth.

On the life path, we need much instruction. Maintaining a humble heart will help us receive Godly direction from scripture and others. However, if we refuse wise advice, we’ll find ourselves straying into unwanted places.

Currently obsessed with golf, Ron bought me a package of lessons for Valentine’s Day. After battling my ego for a decade, admitting I needed help required humility. Hitting a stationary ball takes more effort than this tennis coach thought. To grow, I need feedback from a professional who knows the game better than I do.

Through scripture, we have access to the pros of our faith, people who walked before us, fulfilling their destinies. Learning to seek and apply the wisdom God offers through His people will help us live life to the fullest.

Living life fully requires a teachable spirit willing to take instruction, admitting we need help and don’t know everything. Humble hearts lead to Jesus, and all things become possible with Him.

Lord, thank You for giving us written instructions from the heroes of the faith we can apply to our lives. Keep our hearts soft, and spirit’s teachable so we can live life to the fullest with You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 16:29-18:30, Mark 7:24-8:10, Psalm 41:1-13, Proverbs 10:15-16

Daily Verse: “The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin.” Prov. 10:16

Good living pays off.

Following God’s commands will help you live well. The Lord covers every topic imaginable in scripture. But perhaps the one I find most applicable comes from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians:

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.” 1 Cor. 6:12 ESV

Righteous living means understanding that we can do everything but shouldn’t. Learning what helps us live fully in Christ happens one day at a time as we discover what works and what doesn’t.

Journeying with Jesus means constantly growing and becoming more like Him. We don’t “arrive” at our destination until we reach heaven. Until then, “Work in Progress” defines us all.

Moderate and moldable living in Christ leads to life-giving wages.

Lord, thank You for showing us how to live. As we pursue You, help us live moderately yet fully. Bless our efforts to follow Jesus, growing more like Him each day. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 15:1-16:28, Mark 7:1-23, Psalm 40:11-17, Proverbs 10:13-14

Daily Verse: “On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.” Prov. 10:13

Fools don’t learn.

Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different outcome defines insanity. Eating chocolate every night before bed won’t cause me to lose weight. Nor will snacking all evening. However, maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly will.

People who lack sense don’t learn from their mistakes, instead repeating them. To learn, we must take responsibility for our actions, adjust and change what we do. We can’t grow any other way.

“Sometimes you need a pat on the back; sometimes you need a kick in the rear. You need the latter.”  My professor’s words to me over 30 years ago still ring true. Foolish in my ways, not studying, skipping class, he gave me wise words I’ve not forgotten.

For fools to learn, they need a nudge in the right direction. And even then, they may not change their ways. Thank God I did.

Lord, thank You for nudging us in the right direction. Forgive us when we get stuck in a rut, refusing to learn the lesson. Help us grow as we live life pursuing You, becoming wiser as we do. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 14:1-57, Mark 6:30-56, Psalm 40:1-10, Proverbs 10:11-12

Daily Verse: “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” Prov. 10:12

Love covers offense.

Pesa, the original Hebrew word for offenses, means rebellion, revolt, sin, or transgression (against human or divine authority).

Something struck me when I read “divine authority” in the definition; I always forget about sinning against God.

When I think of the offenses in my life, my mind goes to the hurts people caused. Getting stuck in those moments has hindered relationships in my life. But I don’t typically think of my sin against God and others.

Jesus covered our offenses with His arms stretched wide on the cross. Not only past sins but those we have yet to commit. None of us achieves perfection until God calls us home.

On my best days, I sin. On my worst days, I sin. On all days, God loves me, warts and all.

Learning to lead with grace requires Jesus. Only then can we truly allow love to cover offenses. Without Christ’s example, we wouldn’t know what to do.

Lord, Your mercies overwhelm us.  Thank You for forgiving our offenses towards You and others.  Give us hearts like Yours; let us leave a wake of unconditional love behind us as we journey home to You. IJNIP. Amen