Category: Uncategorized

One minute read

Daily Reading: Leviticus 13:1-59, Mark 6:1-29, Psalm 39:1-13, Proverbs 10:10

Daily Verse: “Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin.” Prov. 10:10

Winks tell tales.

A wink often comes before a prank. The quick eye-blink communicates a mischievous plan, sometimes in fun, sometimes not. Either way, some mayhem typically unfolds with a wink.

Usually translated as a sarcastic gesture, no matter the intent, winks give away the person’s thoughts. Mischief on the mind comes through in the blink of an eye.

And those who look for trouble will find it. 

Researcher Albert Mehrabian discovered three parts to communication with others: 55% body language, 38% vocal, and 7% words only.

Understanding body language will help us become better communicators and avoid trouble. Life comes with enough struggles without creating more.

Learn body language, and you will find the truth of someone’s motives.

Lord, forgive us for looking for trouble. Help us become better interpreters of body language and the message it communicates. Guide and direct us in all our ways as we strive to honor and serve you. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 11:1-12:8, Mark 5:21-43, Psalm 38:1-22, Proverbs 10:8-9

Daily Verse: “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” Prov. 10:9

Integrity takes intention.

Ron and I play a fun golfing game: the first one on the green, closest to the pin, and first one in the cup, three points per hole up for grabs. If your approach shot lands on the green and rolls off, you immediately lose 2 points.

Playing a couple of weeks ago, my approach shot landed on the green, rolling into the water on the other side, costing two points. Ron gave me a point I didn’t deserve when he said the score.

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.” Luke 16:10

My internal struggle to tell the truth, lasted the entire walk to the next hole. Not until then did I correct the score, so badly wanting the undeserved point. But then I remembered Jesus’ words and followed His commands.

Small moments determine integrity. Paths become crooked one decision at a time.

Lord, forgive us the times we haven’t acted with integrity. Please help us make better decisions today. Give us the courage to speak the truth always and with love. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 9:7-10:20, Mark 4:26-5:20, Psalm 37:30-40, Proverbs 10:6-7

Daily Verse: “Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.” Prov. 10:6

Silky words hide deception.

Church hurt, emotional or physical pain felt by someone; infected by the words, actions, or inactions of a person of leadership in a church, happens far too often. 

As followers of Christ, our words should uplift and encourage, not tear down and destroy.  But far too often, instead of submitting to Jesus, people submit to peer pressure and a longing to fit in with others, saying anything to accomplish their goals, something I learned when on staff at a local church.

Fewer people attend church now than at any other time in history; the number continuing to decline.  During Jesus’ time on earth, people flocked to Him.  A meme a friend sent me says it all, “If Paul could see the church in America today, we’d be getting a letter.”

Strive for integrity.  Don’t use silky words that mislead and hurt people.  Becoming more like Jesus means speaking life-giving words to all we meet.  And as my mother taught us, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

Lord, forgive us for hurting others with our words.  Help us do better today than yesterday as we strive to become more like Jesus.  Let us uplift and encourage all we meet today.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 7:28-9:6, Mark 3:31-4:25, Psalm 37:12-29, Proverbs 10:5

Daily Verse: “He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.” Prov. 10:5

Farmers understand seasons better than anyone. They know how many days they can plant and harvest. Not harvesting means not eating. Farmers who sleep through the harvest won’t provide for their families or survive the winter months.

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 8:37-38

People yearn to know about Jesus and receive the gift of eternal life He offers.   Becoming a prudent child means we take every opportunity to share Christ’s love with others. Experiencing a bountiful harvest requires laborers.

Our time in the sun lasts for a short while; life on earth ends all too quickly. But eternity with God doesn’t end. Sharing Jesus’ love to the best of our ability will help build God’s kingdom and ensure a bountiful harvest. Don’t sleep through the harvest. Take every opportunity to plant seeds of love and yield a bountiful harvest for the Lord.

Lord, forgive us for missed opportunities to harvest.  Help us plant seeds of love everywhere we go, leading to a bountiful harvest for You.  In all things, let us honor and serve You well. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 6:1-7:27, Mark 3:7-30, Psalm 37:1-11, Proverbs 10:3-4

Daily Verse: “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Prov. 10:4

Hard work pays off.

Raised Protestant, my worldview includes the Protestant Work Ethic: “value attached to hard work, thrift, and efficiency in one’s worldly calling.”

And so, I currently run three small businesses and find work enjoyable. My goals for 2023 include resting on Sundays. Writing this at the end of January; I didn’t make it a month and will start again in February.

Living in America, we can become whatever we want. Dreams come true in the land of the free. Working hard will bring riches and builds self-esteem and strong character.

Work keeps me out of trouble and allows me to fulfill God’s purpose for my life. Hard work produces much more than monetary riches. Some things don’t have a price tag.

Slack hands lead to poverty, but diligent ones experience God’s riches.

Lord, forgive our slack hands. Bless the work of our hands as we do all things to Your honor and glory. Let us experience Your riches as we diligently follow You. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 4:1-5:19, Mark 2:13-3:6, Psalm 36:1-12, Proverbs 10:1-2

Daily Verse: “Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.” Prov. 10:2

Ill-gotten gains don’t last.

When my brother and I stole candy from my uncle’s store, we didn’t get away with it. Before we got far from the door, Dad turned us around, making us confess our sins. The candy didn’t make it out of the wrapper.

But nothing felt better than purchasing my clothes for school after working all summer, mowing the church’s cemetery with my family. Paid $20 every two weeks, the memory my real treasure, not the money.

Dad used the riding lawn mower, driving back and forth between the long rows of tombstones. Mom and my older brother trimmed with weed eaters around the stones, while my little brother and I used push mowers to reach the spots Dad couldn’t. Hard-earned money created with precious memories.

Honest work delivers more than a paycheck. Memories don’t have a price tag, valuable only to those who possess them.

Lord, forgive us when we stray. Please help us make better choices today than we did yesterday. Enrich our lives with the memories we make during an honest day’s work. Bless our efforts. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 1:1-3:17, Mark 1:29-2:12, Psalm 35:17-28, Proverbs 9:13-18

Daily Verse: “The woman Folly is loud; she is seductive and knows nothing.” Prov. 9:13

Folly, the opposite of wisdom, calls loudly.

Characterized as an unruly woman, her lack of judgment with no fear of the Lord makes her a dangerous companion. 

Despising God’s commands and choosing to live a life in rebellion to what the Lord desires doesn’t end well. Eventually, the poor decisions and lack of respect for the Maker will land you in a valley.

 Each day, the battle to live a Godly life in an ungodly world rages. Proverbs’ wisdom teaches us how to deal with the practical affairs of life. 

Foolish people follow their path without seeking guidance from above or others. God created us to live in a community. Never did the Lord intend for us to do life alone. He always meant for us to live needing help from Him and others.

Together, we walk confidently. Alone, we become susceptible to folly and her wicked ways.

Lord, forgive us for listening to folly’s loud voice. Help us hear You clearly as we face the day’s battles. Let us find victory as we tap into Your wisdom and that of Your people. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Exodus 39:1-40:38, Mark 1:1-28, Psalm 35:1-16, Proverbs 9:11-12

Daily Verse: “For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.” Prov. 9:11

God multiplies our days.

We don’t determine the length of our lives; God does. Watching a series on the life of Billy the Kid, his mother’s words at the graveside of the historical robber’s younger brother struck me.

“I guess it was his time to go. God called to him.”

One day, God will call to each of us; only He knows when. In the meantime, living for Him prepares us for our eternal destination.

Physical life on earth will end, but our spiritual lives with God never do. When the Lord calls us home, He’s calling us to a higher purpose without the earthly issues we now face.

Embrace God’s wisdom, and share it lovingly with others. Live fully for Jesus, knowing life with Him never ends.

Lord, forgive us for thinking we control the outcome of our lives. Help us embrace Your wisdom and live fully committed lives to You. In all things, let us honor and serve You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Exodus 37:1-38:31, Matthew 28:1-20, Psalm 34:11-22, Proverbs 9:9-10

Daily Verse: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.” Prov. 9:9

Instruction never ends.

In a message series titled “Blessings,” our pastor’s current teaching comes from the Beatitudes.  Talking about growth, he asked us what we did to continue growing.  One of his questions convicted me: what readings outside the Bible did we do to help us mature in our walk with Christ?

If we want to keep moving forward, we must remain teachable.  Pondering the pastor’s question, I became convicted about committing to reading more books to help me grow.

“What is down in the well comes up in the bucket.  Fill yourself with positive things.” Tony Dungy, ‘Uncommon’

We choose what instructions we follow.  Filling our hearts well with positive things means reading and memorizing scripture, engaging with Christ’s followers, and continually finding ways to learn and grow.

Lord, illuminate unteachable areas in our life.  Soften our hearts and minds to receive instruction, knowing we always have more to learn.  Let us live blessed lives as we apply Your teachings to our lives. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Exodus 35:10-36:38, Matthew 27:32-66, Psalm 34:1-10, Proverbs 9:7-8

Daily Verse: “Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.” Prov. 9:7

Pride abuses.

Les, scoffer’s original Hebrew word, means “proud mocker, babbler.” Pride has deep roots and causes us to sin. Nothing hardens hearts like ego.

“Pride is an independent, me-oriented spirit. It makes people arrogant, rude, and hard to get along with. When our heart is prideful, we don’t give God the credit, and we mistreat people, looking down on them and thinking we deserve what we have.” Joyce Meyer

Correcting a scoffer means addressing a prideful heart. Having an excessively high opinion of ourselves places Jesus below us. Christ leads; He doesn’t follow.

When addressing a scoffer, lead with prayer, allowing Jesus to do the heart work. Mockers can’t receive until they submit. Lead with grace, love well, and let God do the heavy lifting.

Lord, forgive us our prideful ways. Help us submit all to Jesus, letting Him change us. May we always follow Christ and exemplify His humble ways. IJNIP. Amen