Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.

Psalm 103:2-5

God redeems us from our sins with His love and compassion, lifting us out of the pit, sustaining us, and fully restoring us. The eagle symbolizes the vigor and freedom the Lord gives us when we accept His grace and mercy. The Creator hasn’t changed, but our sins separate us from Him. Our relationship remains strained until we come to the Lord, asking for His forgiveness; God forgives us the minute we confess.

When I started my crafting business, I accidentally spray-painted our neighbor’s car, not realizing it. On a girl’s trip, my husband called and told me he had an angry visit from the husband and wife, who speak very little English. Mortified at my actions, embarrassment filled me as I thought about what I had done. Facing the consequences when I came home, I marched over to their house to offer my apologies and offer to pay for the damage. Their forgiveness and grace restored our relationship, making us whole again.

The Lord does the same when we come to Him with our misdeeds. The minute we confess, He forgives and redeems us, showering us with love and renewing our energy. Our Heavenly Benefactor gives us everything we need to live abundantly with Him.  But we must seek Him, confessing our sins to receive the benefits.

Application:

God redeems us.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for redeeming our lives, restoring and giving us new life in You.  Help us to become more sensitive to our sin, recognizing and confessing it quickly to You.  Let us live abundantly in Your grace.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:9-11

Parents desire to give their kids good gifts. If a child asks for something to eat, they don’t give him a stone, something he can’t eat. They also don’t give the kid something poisonous that would harm him. So if we, as sinners, know how to give good gifts, God gives even better gifts as our sovereign Lord and Savior, Creator of the Universe, perfect in every way.

God wants us to ask for His kingdom’s blessings to train us. To encounter the Lord, we must have a relationship with Him and seek Him regularly. As God’s children, we must ask Him for our heart’s desires, just like kids ask their parents on Earth.   I love watching children in the stores with their parents, sons, and daughters, asking their moms and dads for things they see on the shelves. Sometimes, parents say yes; other times, I hear, “Put that back,” but I rarely see them get angry at their children for asking.

The Lord wants us to ask Him for things. He wants us to talk to Him about the things in our hearts. Sometimes God says yes, other times no, and often He answers, wait. But the Lord always answers a doting Father who loves and adores His kids. Through our requests and His answers, we learn more about God as He grows and matures us into fully devoted followers of Christ.

Application:

God dotes on His children.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for blessing us with the best gifts. Help us become more comfortable asking You for the desires of our hearts, then align our hearts with Yours. Let us continue to learn and grow as we receive Your response, trusting You for the best gifts.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:31-33

Non-believers worry about temporal things, such as what to eat and wear. But as believers, God doesn’t want us to pursue food and clothing as a primary goal; instead, we should replace such pursuits with a goal of greater significance, His kingdom. Focusing on the Lord and doing His will means putting the things of God first. When we do that, the Almighty provides all our needs. We needn’t worry about what we eat and drink because we know the Lord will provide for us.

Pursuing righteousness in Christ means submitting to God’s will. The Lord will provide all our necessities; we don’t have to worry about them. Of course, what we think we need and what God believes can differ. We might desire a Ferrari, and the Lord might provide a Honda. Either way, we have a car to drive, a luxury not everyone has. Aligning our desires with God means submitting to His will, thanking the Lord for His blessing, and finding contentment in what we have instead of focusing on things we don’t possess.

Set your gaze upon the Son, and let Him supply all your needs. Build the kingdom and pursue a higher calling, introduce others to Jesus, and help them become fully devoted followers of Christ. God will fulfill all your needs, providing food, drink, and clothing. As our Ultimate Supplier, we have everything we need in Jesus.

Application:

God supplies all our needs.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for caring for us and providing all the necessities we need. Help us to pursue Your kingdom first and foremost. Let us grow more like Christ as we consistently follow Him, enjoying Your blessings.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

James 5:14-15

Calling the church’s elders to pray over us during sickness will connect us with the Lord’s divine healing. One way or another, God will restore our health. The Divine Healer saves the sick and forgives their sins, restoring their body and soul. James prescribes prayer and oil, Biblical medicine, as the cure for illness. 

The reference to forgiveness of sins comes from the possibility that the illness comes from persistent wrongdoing.    Therefore, the Lord’s forgiveness brings healing. Coming before the elders with repentance, confessing sin, and having them pray for the person means they will turn from the sin that caused the illness and experience complete healing. Sin can physically impact us if it becomes a habitual offense. 

Sometimes, healing comes from the Lord calling us home. Leaving our physical bodies and entering eternity with Jesus restores us to total health. All the troubles of this world disappear, our bodies made new when we reach heaven. Hard to accept from an earthly perspective, healing comes in many forms. One way or another, God heals us from our illness. We find salvation and forgiveness of sins through prayer and supplication, cleansing us and making us whole. Bring your ailments before the Lord, allowing others to pray for you, and find divine healing from above.

Application:

God heals us.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your divine healing. Strengthen our faith as we come to You to restore our bodies and minds. Give us complete healing as we submit our lives to You.  Forgive our sins and make us new.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Enlist the Lord as your travel agent through life. Instead of leaning on your understanding, tap into His ways, acknowledging Him and allowing God to plan your steps. We have a limited view, our perspectives short sighted. What seems right to us may cause harm. And the things in life that seem bad could cause us to praise God. We don’t know because we only see life from a narrow view.

Planning a vacation takes research and effort. You must determine where you want to go, how to get there, where to stay, and what to do once you arrive. Calling a travel agent and allowing them to take care of the details makes the trip much more enjoyable. We have the Almighty we can call to guide and direct us on the paths we should take. When we trust Him, we don’t have to worry about what comes our way because we know the Lord will use it for our good.

Put your trust in God. Instead of leaning into your limited understanding, acknowledge the Lord and let Him guide you down the right path. Not only will the Almighty direct your steps, but you will also have abundant life following Him.  Nothing spells adventure like letting God plan your life trip. He will take you places you never thought you would go, and you will experience unbelievable things with the Lord as your guide.

Application:

God will make your paths straight when you trust Him.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for making our paths straight as we trust You and acknowledge Your ways. Help us to continually seek You for guidance, following the Holy Spirit’s promptings and taking steps of faith that allow us to live an abundant life.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:9-10

Paul shares the heart of the gospel with Jews and Gentiles; God welcomes all into His kingdom if they confess with their mouth and believe in their heart. Confessing means saying they have faith in Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection. Believing means accepting the truth of Christ’s actions. With acceptance comes salvation and peace. We must choose who we will follow and what truth we will believe each day.

Acorns become oak trees. Our first steps of confession and belief plant seeds in our hearts that, as we pursue and follow Jesus, begin to grow. The more we apply Christ’s teaching to our lives, the larger the branches become, producing more fruit and sharing the good news with the world. From one seed comes innumerable others that impact the world and grow God’s kingdom.

Salvation means we have a declared destination where we will spend eternity in heaven with the Lord. But before we reach our endpoint, we must take the journey. God doesn’t immediately call us home; each day, the Lord has divine tasks for us to accomplish: loving Him and others. As we complete our mission, we will introduce others to Jesus, who will book their room in heaven and begin to share what they have found. The never-ending circle of life continues as we share the good news with others, and they, in turn, do the same.

Application:

Salvation comes through Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Jesus, who gives us salvation when we confess with our mouths and believe with our hearts. Help us share the good news of Christ with others every day, drawing them to You and building Your kingdom.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Prayer, God’s prescription for anxiety, turns our concerns into conversations with the Lord that bring us peace. When we identify and talk to the Lord about the things weighing down our hearts, we discover answers we can find no other way. First, thanking God for His blessings immediately focuses our attention on what we do have. Then, as we give Him our requests, we have confidence that the Creator has the answers we seek and will take care of the problem. Releasing our cares, we can accept God’s peace, which guards our hearts and minds.

When Ron and I spent two hours on the side of I-95, watching cars race past us as we waited for help to arrive, I prayed. Instead of letting the anxiety that wanted to overtake me have control, I focused on Paul’s words to the Philippians. As I began thanking the Lord for His protection, I found more and more things to add to the list. My heart found peace as I gave my concerns to God, waiting and trusting until He got us back on the road.

We have a choice when life gives us flat tires; we can fret or pray. Sometimes, people don’t choose to return to the road, even after a new tire. Staying stuck in the moment, they don’t want to continue on the journey, fearful of what else could happen. Trusting the Lord means acknowledging flat tires will happen, but God will help us fix them and get us back on the road, leading us to our eternal home, one day at a time.

Application:

God gives us peace when we give Him our anxiety.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for answering our prayers and giving us Your peace. When we get flat tires, help us remain calm, access Your help, and live in Your peace. Get us back on the road, don’t let us get stuck in our anxiety, and help us honor and serve You well as we trust You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 9:9-10

Hope springs from the belief that God rules. During life’s storms, you can trust in His presence and protection. The Lord will establish righteousness on Earth, righting the wrongs and bringing justice in all situations. Delivering His children from life’s trials, God has a plan for redemption that no one can thwart.

Samson, one of the most famous judges from the Old Testament, exemplifies redemption. With a weak character, Samson succumbed to women, didn’t follow the Lord’s commands, and fell victim to his enemies. But in the end, when he cried out to God for help, the Lord returned to Samson, giving him the strength to defeat his enemies and redeem his life. God didn’t forsake Samson, even though the judge swerved from his calling. In his time of need, the Lord became a stronghold and place of refuge for the mighty man.

We can count on God’s presence to help us persevere through life’s storms as we take refuge in Him.  Calling on the name of the Lord for help, He will answer and come to our aid, helping us navigate turbulent waters. Without an anchor, ships go adrift, but when tethered to the sea bed, they don’t move. When we make the Lord our anchor, we can weather any storm.

Application:

We have a stronghold in God.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for holding us tight and protecting us in the storm. Please help us stay anchored to You.  Don’t let us go astray when the storm’s winds blow. Keep us firmly in Your grip, giving us Your peace that surpasses all understanding.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

Revelation 3:5

God doesn’t erase our names once we begin a relationship with Jesus. The purity of Christ’s connection to us comes with a permanent guarantee. In ancient cities, they recorded the names of people in their registry, but once someone died, they marked out the name. When Jesus says, “I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life,” He affirms our unbreakable connection with the Lord and that death won’t separate us from Him.

White clothing comes to us for overcoming the stains of the world. Remaining faithful to Christ and living by His commands gives us a new wardrobe. Instead of succumbing to worldly ways,  we cloak ourselves in the Savior as we strive to become more like Him.  And when we enter heaven, we’ll receive similar clothing to Him.

Having a genuine relationship with Jesus gives us heavenly citizenship that no one can revoke. In the world, people get stripped of their status if they don’t comply with societal rules, but with Christ, that doesn’t happen. Once saved, always saved. Jesus overcame sin with His death on the cross, and every day we follow Him, He shows us how to find victory over ours. Through Jesus, we become new creatures, leaving our sinful ways behind us and living fully in Him.

Application:

Jesus makes us His for eternity.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for making us permanent citizens of heaven. Help us to live well for You.  Give us the self-control and strength to overcome our sinful ways and represent You well on Earth.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

Training a child with purpose will endure throughout their entire lifetime. Dedicating time and energy to teaching children about Jesus and His commands will help them stand firmly on the Rock when the storms of life come. Children go through five stages of development from birth to 18 years old; at every stage, they need love, responsiveness, guidance, understanding, and time.[i]  Engaging with kids and giving them time and a safe place to explore the world around them helps train them in ways they won’t depart.

“According to the Barna Group, almost half (43 percent) of Americans accept Jesus as their savior before reaching 13 years old, 64 percent accept Jesus before they turned 18, 13 percent made the commitment in between the ages of 18 to 21, and 23 percent accepted Jesus after they reach 21 years of age.”[ii]

If kids don’t learn about Jesus before age of 21, their chances of following Him diminish. By the early twenties, people have developed belief systems, if not in Jesus, then in things of this world. Training children in the ways of God will help them have full lives, lean into the Creator for their strength, and fulfill the purpose He has for them. Train a child how he should go, and he won’t depart from it.

Application:

Show kids the way to go, and they won’t depart.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for showing us how to raise our children. Help us train them well so they won’t depart from You.  Bless our efforts at introducing kids to Jesus, and let the tree of life take root in their hearts. IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.parentcircle.com/childrens-personality-development-the-5-stages/article

[ii] https://www.christiantoday.com/article/when-is-the-best-time-to-accept-jesus-as-your-savior/128461.htm#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Barna%20Group%2C%20almost%20half%20%2843,Jesus%20after%20they%20reach%2021%20years%20of%20age.