Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Romans 15:4

Referencing Psalm 69, Paul refers to the Scripture as useful for instruction. Gentiles knew the Old Testament before hearing the Gospel and put their faith in Jesus. The reference from the Psalm regarded the early church as messianic, and it meant to encourage believers on their journey. God’s word helps inspire us and gives us the tools we need to persevere on the journey, which provides us with hope.

We have the Old and New Testaments to instruct and encourage us. Paul didn’t know when he wrote his letter to the Romans how God would use it. Thousands of years later, his words help us find hope and give us instructions on how to develop a relationship with Jesus that transforms our lives and helps us fulfill our destiny. None of us know how the Lord will use our efforts to spur on His followers. But we know that God uses all things for the good of those who believe and trust in Him.

Turn to the Scriptures to find hope. Read about the ordinary people who did extraordinary things for the Lord. Historical acts of faith, written in the Bible, give us hope for what God will do in our lives. The Lord used sinners to write the bestselling book of all time, transforming their lives as they placed their faith in Him, obeyed His commands, and fulfilled their life purpose. God does the same for us when we give our lives to Him, transforming us into new creations.

Journaling Questions:

What Bible character gives you hope and inspires you?

How can reading the scriptures give you hope?

What book of the Bible has changed your life more than any other?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us written words to encourage, instruct, and provide us with hope. Help us to read them often, applying Your commands to our lives and letting You transform us as we follow You.  Bless our efforts as we give You our best efforts.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah’s prophesy to the exiles has become one of the most famous verses people claim.  The gracious promise to the Israelites assures them of restoration and that God didn’t forget them.  Their hope would come sometime in the future, not immediately.  Even though Jeremiah didn’t speak to us, but the exiles, God promises the same thing for us.  He has a future and a hope for us, one that comes through Jesus.

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

John 10:28

With God’s sheep, given to Christ, we belong to His flock.  Recognizing our Shepherd, obeying and following Him, leads us to eternal life and permanent protection.  God commits all of His resources to our preservation.  We needn’t fear tomorrow because the Lord promises eternal life to us through Jesus.  In Him, we have all we need to live life to the fullest, enjoying the Lord’s blessing and favor and walking in the light of hope.

God promises that each of us has a purpose only we can fulfill.  The Lord has good plans for us; He promises to give us hope and a future.  We can seize the moment and enjoy the present, knowing what lies ahead far outshines our best day on Earth.

Journaling Questions:

How does God’s promise of hope and future change your perspective?

What stops you from enjoying the moment?

What can you do to live fully in the present, not worrying about tomorrow?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us hope and a future.  Help us live confidently, knowing Your plans for us will prevail.  Let us live in Your blessing and favor as we trust You entirely with tomorrow.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31

God doesn’t give empty promises. He wants us to live fully and sent Jesus to help us accomplish that task. Not only did the Lord give up His only Son, but Jesus willingly died on the cross for us. God gave His dearest Child in an act of grace to help the neediest, us. If our heavenly Father would do that for us, He has our back. We can trust in the Creator and His promises.

Yes, we will still face struggles on Earth, but God will grow and mature us as we cling to Him through them. Each time we put our faith in the Lord, allowing Him to lead us through the storm, our character develops and becomes more like Christ. Instead of focusing on our problems, we introduce them to the One who solves them. What we see as obstacles, God sees as future victories.

We needn’t live fearfully; we can stand tall knowing God promises to guide, protect, and deliver us from our problems. Faith in the Lord moves mountains, slays giants, and conquers sin. Because of Jesus, we have victory over death and eternal life in heaven. Don’t let the enemy’s lies fool you; the Lord has a plan and purpose for your life. Following Him will help you accomplish your mission and live life in abundance. If God is for us, who can be against us?

Journaling Questions:

What lies from the enemy have you believed?

What promise of God do you need to rely on today?

What mountain do you need the Lord to move?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for having our back and giving us victory over the enemy. Please move the mountains, slay the giants, and help us conquer sin. Let us live abundantly as we follow and trust You in all things.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Colossians 3:2

Practically pursuing Jesus means thinking about heavenly things against the background of eternity. Realizing life on Earth lasts but a moment and our eternal lives much longer helps us keep perspective about today’s problems. Paul’s not saying don’t engage in things of this world but keep them in their proper place. How much money you make, what kind of car you drive, and where you live won’t matter 100 years from now. But where you spend eternity will.

“I just have to keep telling myself, the kids won’t remember we had to choose which bills we pay; they’ll just remember the love we gave them.”  Talking to a friend years ago, with two young kids and an unemployed husband, she focused on things above rather than this world. Now, twenty years later, her kids don’t even know they struggled financially those few months, but they remember the love and remain a close-knit family centered around Jesus.

Keeping our minds on the things above will help us persevere through our struggles. Remembering this too shall pass helps us keep going when hope seems lost. Knowing that our treasure waits in heaven, not here on Earth, gives us something to anticipate. We’ll spend much more time praising Jesus in heaven than on Earth. Today’s problems will pass, but our heavenly home never will.

Journaling Questions:

What Earthly problems keep you from focusing on things above?

How does knowing today’s problems will pass help you persevere?

How can you keep your mind focused on the things above?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us an eternal home that will last far longer than our lives on Earth. Please help us keep a proper perspective of our current struggles as we think about things above instead of this world. Let us respond well to our struggles, knowing they will one day end, and we will spend eternity with You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 1:7

Paul, writing to Timothy, takes the place of a father figure for his young disciple, raised by his mother and grandmother. The letters to Timothy hint at a naturally timid nature, and Paul wants to encourage him. God gives us the power of the Holy Spirit to help us complete our mission. Boldness comes from within our spirit as we trust the Lord for power, love, and self-control. Self-discipline helps us nurture the gifts God gives us as we study His word and apply it to our lives. Like Timothy, we can overcome our fears by relying on our faith.

Fears can cripple people; anxiety can trap its victim. Without faith, I would never have married Ron because I would never have had the strength to start the relationship. After many heartaches, I didn’t want to experience what I had in the past. But when I placed my faith in God and trusted Him to guide me, I overcame my fear of relationships. What I learned, following Jesus, helped me develop healthy connections. Putting God’s principles into practice gave me the power, love, and self-control to open my life to someone else.

Faith overcomes fear as we put our confidence in the Lord instead of ourselves. We make poor decisions because of our limited perspective, but with God’s broad view, He leads us on the path of victory.   Live life fear-free following Jesus, tapping into His power, love, and self-control.

Journaling Questions:

What fear or anxiety keeps you from enjoying life thoroughly?

How can you lean into the Holy Spirit’s guidance today?

What does knowing God gives you power, love, and self-control do for you?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to help us overcome our fears and find victory in You.  As we tap into Your power, love, and self-control, help us use it wisely, drawing others to You.  Let us honor and serve You well in all we do.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus wants us to bring our burdens to Him, lay them at the foot of the cross, and receive rest. Pharisees, the religious leaders of the time, burdened the people with their impossible expectations of fulfilling the law. With over 600 rules to follow, no one could keep them all. Initially, the Lord gave Moses the Ten Commandments for people to live by, but over time, those commandments grew. Since we could not keep the first ten, trying to keep them all burdened people.

Christ gave us a new commandment that we can summarize in four words: love God and others (Mark 12:30-31). Placing our faith in Jesus admits we can’t keep all the religious laws, and we no longer need to feel burdened by them because of His actions on the cross. Taking the Savior’s yoke upon us means accepting His grace and mercy, recognizing we can do nothing to earn the gift. God offers us rest through Jesus, not only for the world to come but for today’s troubles. Let the Savior rescue you from your burdens. Put on His yoke and find rest.

Look to the cross for help with today’s struggles. Give your worries to the Savior and allow Him to fight your battles. Focus on loving God and others with the gift of grace Christ offers. In Him, you will find rest.

Journaling Questions:

What burden do you need to give to the Lord today?

How has putting on Jesus’ yoke helped you in the past?

What problems have you given to Jesus, then taken back?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us relief from our burdens. Help us lay our struggles at the foot of the cross and leave them there. Let us put on Christ’s yoke and discover the rest He offers. Give us new life in Jesus as we follow Him.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Proverbs 4:23

Keeping a vigilant heart means guarding what we let into it. Life begins in the heart, the origin of our activities; it determines the course of our life. If we feed our souls with uplifting and encouraging things, our actions will reflect the positive input. But if we feed our hearts negativity, it will produce adverse actions.

Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, knew how to guard her heart. When a friend asked her about an offense that happened to her years before, Clara responded:

“I distinctly remember forgetting it.”[i]

In other words, Clara guarded her heart by not feeding it with negative emotions. She had a choice of handling the offense, becoming bitter or better. Clara chose better by willingly forgetting the offense, acting as if it had never happened. By doing so, her heart healed as forgiveness mended the injury, erasing it from her heart. If Clara had chosen to meditate on the offense, bitterness would have taken root, and she would have had a different attitude.

Choose to focus on the positive things in life and let go of the adverse events that serve no purpose and only cause bitterness to grow. Produce loving actions by guarding your heart, healing from hurts, and becoming better, not bitter.

Journaling Questions:

What negative things have you fed your heart?

How can you guard your heart from negative emotions?

What can you do to become better instead of bitter?

Prayer:

Thank You for teaching us how to guard our hearts and become better instead of bitter. As negative emotions try to overtake us today, please help us identify them and not let them take root in our hearts. Keep our hearts pure as we pursue You.

IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://ministry127.com/resources/illustration/forgiving-and-forgetting

One-minute read.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Romans 12:12

Maintaining fervor following Jesus takes effort. When we first become believers, discovering the grace of the Lord and accepting it into our lives brings with it an ardor as we enjoy forgiveness and a reset for the future. But as time progresses and trials pop up, a danger can arise of slipping back into our old ways as spiritual fervor wanes. At times like these, we must push through, and Paul tells us how: rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be constant in prayer.

Pushing through takes determination, discipline, and effort. Coaching a young student and developing her serve, after our last lesson, she told me about a tournament she entered. I challenged her to use the new serve and not revert to her old one, even though she would probably lose points and maybe even the match. Typically, when a player gets in a pressure situation, they revert to what they know instead of pushing through, using the new technique. Like tennis, to reach the next level, we must persevere in the new way of life and not revert to our old habits when life’s pressures close in on us; otherwise, we’ll never grow and never get better.

Revive your soul by rejoicing in hope, practicing patience, and constantly connecting with God through prayer. When you do, you will develop a new way to respond to life and discover a continued zeal for the Lord that only comes from walking closely with Him.

Journaling Questions:

What causes your spiritual fervor to wane?

What do you do when you feel distant from God?

How can you rejoice in hope, practice patience, and pray constantly today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us a recipe for success in our spiritual lives. Please help us keep our fervor strong as we attempt to rejoice in hope, practice patience, and constantly connect with You.  Energize our souls as we seek You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Phil. 4:8

Centering our minds on exalted things helps us radiate positive energy as we practice what we learn from Jesus. We can choose what we think about at any moment. As a friend told me, we can restart our day anytime. So, if you find yourself heading down a negative path, stop and refocus your mind. Think about whatever is honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable. Change the direction of your thoughts by changing the focus.

“Keep the Son in your eyes” remains one of my favorite ways to redirect my thoughts. I first heard the phrase from Pastor Sam at JCC3 in Williamsburg, and I’ve never forgotten it. Anytime my thoughts distract me, the six words help me to think about what I’m thinking about and refocus my thoughts on Jesus, who possesses all the qualities Paul describes in his letter to the Philippians. To control our thoughts, we must give them over to God, submitting them to Him.

Maintain a positive attitude today by thinking about what you think about. Replace negative mantras with honorable and just thoughts. When you look for the good things in life, you will find them. Sometimes, we must dig to find the gold in our lives, but we will discover the payload when we do. Look for things worthy of praise and think about those things.

Journaling Questions:

How often do you think about what you’re thinking?

In what ways can you change your thoughts today?

What do you have to praise God for today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us honorable, just, and excellent things to consider. Please help us keep the Son in our eyes as the day unfolds, focusing on praiseworthy things, not things that will steal our joy. IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

Proverbs 1:10

Peer pressure makes us do things we wouldn’t otherwise do. Saying no can seem impossible, but not giving consent keeps us from getting into trouble. During Ronald Reagan’s presidency, his wife Nancy started the “Just Say No” campaign, which educated children on how to avoid drugs. The program used role-playing scenarios, allowing kids to practice saying no. By teaching students skills to resist peer pressure and other social influences, the program became an effective tool in the fight against drugs.

No matter what their age, everyone experiences some peer pressure. Maintaining a healthy weight and not eating snacks at night helps me accomplish my goal. But my husband loves to snack, so I battle the temptation not to eat. Shopping with the girls can entice me to spend money I don’t need to spend. And driving with the flow of traffic can make me want to speed. Temptations come in all shapes and forms, some worse than others. If we don’t think ahead and practice saying no, we’ll find ourselves in trouble.

“Just say no” seems easier said than done. Like the students, we must practice saying no to peer pressure, whatever form it takes. Looking ahead and anticipating situations that will entice us help us prepare for them. We can say no and not consent when enticed with things that would cause us harm.

Journaling Questions:

What type of peer pressure causes you problems?

How can you practice saying no to peer pressure?

How can you prepare ahead for potential peer pressure situations?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us ways to say no to temptation. When people try to entice us to do things we shouldn’t, help us stay strong and stick to our principles. Give us opportunities to practice saying no and become better at avoiding temptation.

IJNIP. Amen