Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

The highway of the upright turns aside from evil whoever guards his way preserves his life.

Proverbs 16:17

Doing the right thing repeatedly safeguards against calamity. Like a well-maintained road, preventive measures avoid potholes and keep the highway well-graded. Sealing cracks, repairing paved edges, and keeping the ditches clean all help prevent minor defects from becoming major ones. In the same way, when we obey God’s commands, live with integrity, and develop a sensitivity to sin, it helps safeguard us from evil intentions.

Whether dirt or paved, proper road maintenance has the same end goal: keep the road as close to its original condition as possible. Following Jesus, we share the same end goal: love God and others, and by doing so, we share the Gospel’s good news. If we don’t spend time with the Lord, maintaining our souls by reading, studying, and meditating on scripture, we won’t know God’s commands, develop integrity, or become sensitive to the sin in our lives.

Bad things happen to good people because sin exists. Sometimes, the decisions we make cause us the most harm. Developing a close relationship with God helps us avoid the potholes of life as we let Him lead us instead of doing things from our limited perspective. When the storms hit, the Lord will help us navigate the turbulent waters, giving us His peace that surpasses all understanding. To reap God’s blessings, we must follow Him closely, doing His will and trusting Him to protect us from evil.

Application:

God’s guidance protects us.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us directions to live by and care for ourselves. Please help us make the right decisions at the correct times to avoid evil and safeguard our lives. Protect us from ourselves, and let us find peace in You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Paul addresses restlessness in the Thessalonian community, which can lead to meddlesome behavior and cause problems. Instead, the apostle instructs them to live quiet lives, working with their hands, minding their business, and setting an example of proper conduct. The Greek culture of the time viewed manual labor as degrading, but Christ, a carpenter by trade, made working with your hands an honorable pursuit. Keeping ourselves busy helps us stay out of trouble, sets an excellent example for those who don’t know Jesus, and enables us to avoid the pitfalls of idleness.

Looking for an outlet for my books, I started a crafting business. Not only does my shop allow me to showcase my latest works, but it also keeps me busy and out of trouble. Working to fill my shop with handmade wares gives me a creative outlet that constantly challenges me to learn new things. As I set sales goals and strive to attain them each month, it exhilarates and stretches me. I thank God for my quiet life, which allows me to work with my hands, occupies my mind, and draws me closer to the Lord, all while serving others.

Busy bodies cause problems no one needs. Paul wants us to stay out of other people’s affairs and urges us to keep our business in order. God only gives us an allotted amount of time on Earth. We have a choice in how we spend it. Walk properly, live quietly, and serve the Lord in all you do.

Application:

Living a quiet life helps us walk properly.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for guiding us on how to live our lives. Please help us live quietly, find productive things to do with our hands, stay out of other people’s business, and set an excellent example for those who don’t know You.  Bless our efforts as we strive to obey Your commands.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

1 Corinthians 9:25

Every other year, the people of Corinthian hosted the Isthmian athletic games, which included running and boxing. The winner received a laurel or celery wreath crown that would wither. Paul used the games as an example, explaining that we should discipline and train ourselves in the Gospel to run the race and receive the crown that will never perish: eternal life with Christ. 

Using self-control, Paul does not run the race as an undisciplined runner but as a trained athlete, and so should we. Preaching the Gospel, Paul taught about Jesus and lived by Christ’s teaching. Like all followers of Jesus, the apostle has confidence in God’s sovereign grace but recognizes his sin battle, ever vigilant not to let it hinder his race.

Staying sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings will help us quickly deal with sin. Guiding us like a shepherd with sheep, the Spirit’s staff nudges us back on the straight and narrow path when we begin to stray. Athletes know when they do something that will hinder their training: eating junk food, not getting enough rest, or skipping a workout. All those things will cause them not to perform at their peak. In the same way, when we let sin slither into our lives, it hinders our mission. Until we deal with the issue, we will stumble in the race. Accepting the Lord’s correction through His Spirit helps us finish well and win the crown that will never perish.

Application:

God provides an imperishable crown for His children.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us Paul’s letters to help us live well for Jesus, training and persevering on our mission to love You and others while spreading the Gospel’s good news. Help us run our race well, acquiring eternal life with You as our reward.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

Proverbs 13:4

Fulfilling dreams requires diligence. Instead of sitting around hoping things will happen, diligent people work towards making things happen. When God gives us a vision, we must take steps of faith to see it become reality. Sitting around and doing nothing doesn’t accomplish anything, but developing a plan and then doing it will make dreams come true.

“Effortless is a myth,” Roger Federer, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, said during his commencement speech at Dartmouth University. When watching the accomplished athlete play matches, he made it look easy, and so he gained a reputation, his game effortless. But in reality, no one saw all the hard work and practice Roger put in outside the public eye, making his game look effortless. Without diligent effort, day in and day out, he wouldn’t have won more than 80% of the 1526 matches he played. Roger’s dream of becoming one of the best tennis players ever happened because of his diligence.

Whatever dream God gives you, work at it. Don’t expect things to happen without effort on your part. Creating a plan, taking one step at a time, and putting in the work will make your dreams come true. But if you do nothing, you will get nothing. You have a choice: become diligent in your efforts or become a sluggard. Whatever you put into it, you will get out of it. Work hard and see your dreams come true.

Application:

Diligence makes dreams come true.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for the dreams You give us and the action plan to make them come true. Help us develop diligence in our efforts as we strive to reach our goals. When we become discouraged, give us hope, letting us persevere, no matter what.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.  Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Romans 8:31-35

God doesn’t make empty promises.  Christ’s actions on the cross and His resurrection prove His love for us and plans for redemption.  Jesus fulfilled His mission willingly; the Lord gave Him up for all, participating in the plan of salvation and demonstrating His grace.  Yes, we face hardships, but God faces them with us, supplying all we need to persevere through the most difficult days.  When we sin, we do so against the Lord, but instead of charging us with our sins, God forgives us because He is for us, not against us.

In Paul’s series of questions, he asks who shall condemn us and who will separate us from the love of Christ.  We find the answers in Jesus, who didn’t condemn us but died for us because of unconditional love.  No one can separate us from Him; the Savior’s actions on the cross bind us to Him forever.  Jesus intercedes for us at the Father’s right hand, whatever needs we have.

As part of the Lord’s family, He defends us.  The only one with the right to condemn us chose instead to save us from our sins.  Placing our faith in Jesus gives us a royal inheritance no one can take from us.  God gave His Son for us, doesn’t charge us for our sins, and bonds us with unconditional love that no one can break.  The Lord keeps His promises; we can trust Him and find life to the fullest.

Application:

God defends His children.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your unconditional love and grace that adopts us into Your family and gives us divine protection.  Help us persevere through hardship, knowing You will give us everything we need to find victory.  Strengthen our hearts, and let us trust You fully.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 11:9-13

As our heavenly Father, God will answer our petitions in kindness, doing no less for His children than an earthly father would. Because of the Lord’s perfection, He does much more than a sinful person. Our Creator wants us to come to Him with our prayers. When we seek the Lord, He answers, opening up His storehouse of blessings.

My parent’s bedroom didn’t have a door. Whether or not the house designer intended for the small room off the kitchen as a bedroom, I don’t know. But one door led upstairs to two more bedrooms, one to a bathroom and one to the kitchen. We didn’t have a door to knock on to gain entrance. But every time I went to Dad with a problem or request, he responded with kindness, love, and sometimes irritation. Our heavenly Father responds better than any human dad ever could.

The greatest gift the Lord gives us resides in our hearts. Taking up residence inside of us, the Holy Spirit creates an unbreakable bond between God and us. Every need we have, Jesus meets. When we ask, the Lord responds, often not how we expect, but always with an answer. Go to God with all your burdens; find rest in Him.  Allow the Holy Spirit to minister to your soul as you seek the Lord for answers.

Application:

God gives us perfect gifts.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit and for answering all our prayers. Please help us trust in You, giving us the faith to persevere when we don’t understand the answers. Strengthen us for the journey, keep our hearts tuned to You, and help us live fully in Christ.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:16-19

Divine resources come through Christ’s indwelling in our hearts. As the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us, we gain inner strength that can sustain us through the tragedies of life. Rooted and grounded in love, we receive God’s fullness, which helps us persevere when life knocks us off our feet and drops us to our knees. Our inner being receives renewal each day, the Holy Spirit working within us, enabling us to find hope in our darkest hour.

As we continually trust Jesus, He indwells within us. Our hearts represent our whole person: mind, feeling, and will. Love comes from Christ’s presence in our lives, like a tree with deep roots, creating a firm foundation for us to rely upon when the storm winds begin to blow. Paul’s prayer applies to all God’s people, leading to divine empowerment and personal enlightenment.

Understanding the depths of God’s love from a human perspective requires divine help. Paul recognizes this, praying that the Ephesians may come to know the unknowable. Ending his prayer, Paul prays for Jesus to fill us with God’s love so that we may experience its fullness in our lives. Clinging to the Lord will empower us with the tools to face the world’s challenges. Accepting God’s help gives us divine resources that we can’t access any other way. Only by submitting our lives to Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit can we find the strength to persevere when all else fails.

Application:

God gives us power through the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for the gift of Jesus and His Spirit within us. Please help us access the strength that You provide from within our hearts. When life doesn’t make sense, help us persevere in faith, knowing You have a plan.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.

John 14:13-16

Praying in Jesus’s name has two aspects: a guarantee and a limitation. Like signing a check promises payment, Christ promises an answer when we pray in His name. But the answer has limits, requiring consistency with God’s character and purpose. Jesus promises an answer that will bring glory to the Father. Obeying the Lord’s commands tests the disciple’s love; will they submit to God’s will or theirs? Jesus leaves us with His Spirit to help us make the right choices.

“All Saints,”[i] a movie about a church on the verge of closing and Burmese refugees that helped save it, exemplifies the Lord’s ways. Throughout the film, the pastor feels led in a specific direction, yet hardship after hardship keeps happening, making him question his calling. Eventually, all hope seems lost. Prayers seem to go unanswered; efforts don’t seem blessed, all done in Jesus’s name. How the Lord answers prayers and how we think He will differ. What doesn’t make sense to us does to God. The movie shows how the Lord answers, but not how you think it will go.

God guarantees answers, but He doesn’t tell us how. And deciphering the Lord’s will only comes with time and perseverance. All things work for the good of those who believe and trust in the Lord, but we must go through the valley to get to the mountaintop. In the waiting room for an answer, prayer helps pass the time. Stay connected to God, even when you don’t understand, and trust the Holy Spirit to help you persevere, waiting for God’s answer.

Application:

The Holy Spirit helps us persevere.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to help us persevere while waiting for Your answers. Give us hope while waiting, trusting in Your sovereign will. Lead us on the right path as we follow You.

IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4663548/

One-minute read.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and burst their bonds apart. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

Psalm 107:13-16

God doesn’t forget us, no matter our rebellious spirit; the Lord delivers us from sins when we turn to Him, redeeming us. The Creator has a plan for His creation, and when we allow Him to work in our lives, submitting to Him, we discover it. Redemption breaks the chains of sin and gives us hope for a better future.

Not too long ago, I received the most uplifting message from a reader. On her way home from work, she had every intention of doing something that wouldn’t please the Lord, what I don’t know. But the Holy Spirit stopped her, and she prayed in the parking lot, turning her evil desires over to God and asking Him to help her break the bonds. And the Lord did. Right in the middle of the parking lot, He set her free from the bonds that had held her captive and renewed her spirit. Singing His praises, she shared her victory with me.

We all can find victory in the Lord when we submit our lives to Him.  God will shatter the bonds that hold us captive, freeing us from sin. What we see as challenges, the Lord sees as future victories. Tapping into the Almighty’s power, He will free us from the chains that bind us and give us new life in Christ.   Seek God and His kingdom, experience the blessings that come from above, and discover life to the fullest in Jesus.

Application:

God shatters the bonds that hold us captive.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for setting us free from our sins and giving us new life in Christ. Help us see the chains that bind us, giving them to You and discovering freedom. Let us submit our every desire to You, allowing You to transform our lives.

IJNIP. Amen

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