Honest Reflections

Two-minute read.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 

Psalm 100:4 

Making sacrifices to the Lord came with specific instructions. In Leviticus, chapter nine, we find Moses standing at the entrance of the Tabernacle, calling out to Aaron and his sons with instructions. Before the priests could make any offerings, they spent seven days in the temple, eating bread and wine, the grain and drink offering, not touching or eating anything unclean, in this way becoming clean. Then, they made a sin offering for their sins and a burnt offering, symbolizing their dedication to God. After that, Aaron and his sons offered a sin offering for the people, then a peace offering, while Moses instructed them from the entrance.  

If the priests didn’t make the offering precisely as God instructed, the Lord wouldn’t accept it. But after they followed His commands, a fire came from heaven, consuming the burnt offering and showing His acceptance. As Moses and Aaron approached God, He came close to them, and the people rejoiced, praising His name.  

Because of Jesus, we no longer need to do what Aaron and his sons did. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and our faith in Him gives us access to the Lord. We can enter His gates with thanksgiving and rejoicing. Praising the Lord’s name, our Savior, we can draw close to Him and experience His saving grace.  

All hail King Jesus, our Redeemer, who paid the price for all so we could have eternal life with Him. In Christ, we find abundant life. 

Praise: 

Praise His name, our Lord and Savior, Jesus. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for making a way for us to have eternal life with You.  Let us spend our days praising Your name and raising our voices in thanksgiving for all You’ve done for us. Help us honor and serve You with every breath we have. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 

James 1:17 

Writing about temptation, James makes the case that we shouldn’t assume it comes from God: 

“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” 

James 1:13-15 

When we fall into temptation, blaming God seems an easy out. But our selfish desires cause the problem. For my birthday, friends showered me with delicious treats: peanut butter meltaways from my favorite shop, homemade pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese icing, and delicious dark chocolate and toffee cookies. Each desert tempted me, and I fell to the temptation, eating more than I should at one time. God didn’t cause me to overeat; my desire for sugary concoctions did. Where the Lord sent good gifts, my selfish desires caused me to overindulge.

The Lord doesn’t change; He doesn’t try to tempt us. We receive good gifts from Him, but we have a choice in what we do with them. Selfishness often overcomes submission. Instead of putting the Lord first, we put our wants first and then repent afterward. If I continued to give in to my desire for sweets, I would gain weight, put stress on my organs, and shorten my life span. Selfish desires lead to sin, which leads to death. But when we accept the Lord’s good gifts and don’t misuse them, we will find life to the fullest.

God doesn’t tempt us; He blesses us. Becoming good stewards of the Lord’s blessing enables us to enjoy and appreciate His gifts. The Creator never intended us to overindulge, but He gives us the free will to choose. And sometimes, we don’t make the right choice. But God still loves us and gives us good gifts, not to tempt us but to bless us.

Praise: 

Praise God for His good gifts. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for the good gifts You give us. Forgive us for letting our selfish desires prevent us from enjoying them. Please help us make the best decisions with the blessings You give us.

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. 

Psalm 69:30 

“What are some positive things happening in your life?” My nurse coach, Angie(1) asked me during our last video meeting. As a trained specialist, my hour-long sessions with Angie focus on ways to become healthier from a holistic perspective: mind, body, and soul. Raised in the same area of Pennsylvania, I’ve known her my entire life, and since we began working together, God has deepened our relationship in ways only He can. Angie’s faith and perseverance inspire me and help me on my journey. 

In this session, I felt deflated.   A long week of battling negativity from the world around me had taken its toll. After unloading the burdens of my heart to Angie, she turned the conversation and my thoughts in a different direction.   When she first asked me the question, I felt irritated because I wanted to stay buried in misery, but as I began to list blessings in my life, my attitude and my heart changed. Angie helped me focus my eyes back on Jesus and realize His involvement in everything that happened. 

As Christ’s followers, we know He never leaves or forsakes us, so we always have a reason to praise Him. When we start to list the ways the Lord helps us and identify His blessings, we will magnify Him with thanksgiving. Later that morning, after my session with Angie, I had coffee with a friend struggling with negativity.

“How do you stay positive?” She asked me. 

With a smile, I asked her the same question Angie had asked me, and the conversation changed, as did my friend’s heart. Singing praises to the Lord and magnifying Him with thanksgiving will transform you. Give it a try and see what God does. 

Praise: 

Praise God for all He does for us. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for never leaving nor forsaking us and always giving us a reason to praise You.  As we move through our day, help us keep the Son in our eyes as we live in Your favor, allowing You to guide and direct our path. 

IJNIP. Amen 

(1) https://user.zant.app/provider/profile/Angie_Kinnard

Two-minute read.

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 

Hebrews 13:15 

God’s constant presence in our lives means we have reason to offer sacrifices of praise continually. As Christ’s followers, we believe God’s purpose unfolds continuously; the Creator’s will prevails in all circumstances. We take lunch breaks, but the Lord doesn’t. God’s purposes always come to fruition on the highest mountain tops in the darkest moments. We have reasons to praise Him constantly.  

Having suffered the tragic loss of a young friend in the past months, we’ve walked through the valley of death. God calling home a loved one at only twenty years of age doesn’t seem right from my perspective, and it makes a sacrifice of praise difficult. But we praise God that she knew Jesus, that Christ met her in her moment of death, and that she now lives in His glory. We miss her presence on Earth, but I praise the Lord that she has eternal life with Him, and we will meet again one day.  

Sometimes, we must search for a reason to praise the Lord. Other times, we can lift our voices in thankfulness easily. But in all things, we can find a reason to offer praises to the Lord, not for all things, but in them. As we know, the devil slinks around, causing havoc, but God always wins the battle, and we can find a reason to thank Him in the fight. Finding one thing to praise God for helps you see more things. Eventually, you will have a continuous list of praise sacrifices to offer. 

Praise: 

Praise God for always working to unfold His purpose. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for constantly working on our behalf to unfold Your purpose. Please give us eyes to see and ears to hear Your praiseworthy actions in our lives. Let us offer continuous sacrifices of praise to You. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. 

Psalm 28:7 

Covenant-faithful God, the psalmist trusts the Lord’s justice, which goes beyond the writer’s experience.  David, the author, knows his Protector will come through for him because God has done it before.  As the giant slayer, David remembers when the Lord helped him find victory over Goliath.  Warrior and defender of the faith, where his Commander leads, David knows he will win.  

Coming off an exhausting week of one challenge after another, reading about David’s joy at God’s anticipated judgment lightens my heart.  Pursuing Jesus and trying to do the next right thing tires me because I can’t see the result.  But we never know the seeds we plant; if we don’t scatter them, none will take root.  Reminding myself that feelings lie and that I only see part of the story helps me persevere.  Knowing the Lord works all things for the good of those who believe and trust in Him gives me hope.  

And people need hope.  Like David, trusting in God’s divine help fills our hearts with joyful anticipation and a song of thanks.  In the Lord, we have all we need.  Nothing will stop the Creator’s plan from unfolding; one day, He will call us home to glory and complete our work on Earth.  But until then, we can rely on the covenant-faithful God we serve to provide strength and a shield for our journey.  The Lord will give us divine help and make our hearts want to exult Him.  In God, we can trust. 

Praise: 

Praise God for His divine help. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us divine help to persevere.  When we can’t see the fruit of our labors, help us remember You can.  Give us the strength we need to do the next right thing, and then the next one and the next one, in You, we have all we need. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 

Colossians 4:2 

The New International Version translation of Colossians 4:2 begins with, “Devote yourselves to prayer…” The original word for “devote yourselves” comes from the root meaning “to be strong,” implying persistence and fervor. “Being watchful” indicates a constant spiritual alertness. As Christ’s followers, we must maintain an active and constant prayer life and continuous contact with the Lord.  

My book, “Three Word Prayers for Every Day Living,” shares how I use simple prayers to stay connected to God. “Grace not anger” helps me control my emotions and change my thoughts and actions. “Joy not jealousy,” “love not hate,” and “pray not panic” all assist me in turning my thoughts to the Lord when negative emotions try to control me. Once I change the focus of my mind, giving a back seat to my feelings, I can gain a Godly perspective on worldly events and continue steadfastly in prayer as I let the Lord take the lead.  

Finding ways to stay connected to God throughout our day, whether with short prayers or another way, helps us fulfill today’s verse. The more attached we stay to the Lord, the more He can transform our lives, helping us become more like Jesus and less like ourselves. We will never stop sinning, not until God calls us home. But remembering what Christ did for us on the cross and staying connected to our heavenly Father through prayer will help us sin less. And sinning less helps us love God and others better, sharing the Savior’s light with the world. 

Praise: 

Praise God for steadfast prayer that keeps us connected to Him. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us a way to connect to You through Jesus. Please help us maintain a constant connection as we remain steadfast in prayer and watchful in thanksgiving and allow You to transform and change us. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” 

Colossians 3:15 

The peace of Christ comes through obedience to Jesus. For the Lord’s peace to rule in our hearts, we must give Him the final decision in our thoughts and actions, letting nothing violate His commands. Gratitude and peace have a close relationship; through thankfulness, we connect to the Lord for His work in and through us. As we thank God for His peace, we want to preserve it through obedience, which promotes harmony with the Lord and others.  

A few weeks ago, I received an email not intended for my eyes. The author criticized me as a customer at their establishment. When upper management contacted me to apologize, I surprised them with my reaction. Instead of responding angrily, I chose grace, understanding the mistake, and letting the offender off the hook. As someone who has spent most of my life in customer service, I see both sides. Because I follow Jesus and know the grace He extends to me, I saw this as an opportunity to do the same. And so, the peace of Christ ruled my heart, creating harmony in the body; gratitude for the grace I’ve received helped me extend it to others.  

My initial reaction did not involve grace. When I first read the email, I wanted to strike back. But as I let the emotion take a back seat, the Holy Spirit began to nudge me in a different direction. Instead of reacting out of my hurt, I let the Lord take the lead, relying on His strength to respond differently. We can’t experience Christ’s peace if we don’t let Him rule our hearts and actions.  

Give Jesus control of your heart, becoming more obedient to Him every day. Create harmony in the body by developing an attitude of gratitude for the Lord’s transformational power in your life and then sharing it with others. 

Praise: 

Praise God for giving us His peace. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us peace that surpasses all understanding as we obey You. Please help us align our thoughts and minds with Yours, allowing Your Spirit to guide and direct our actions. Let us represent You well today and always. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-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.” 

Philippians 4:6 

Becoming prayerful instead of anxious changes how we approach the future. Anxiety, as I define it, either focuses on something that COULD happen in the future or DID happen in the past. For instance, in 2012, a taxicab t-boned my rental car as I drove to work in Northern Virginia, totaling the vehicle. As a result, I battle anxiety while driving from past experiences that could happen again in the future. When that anxious thought enters my mind, I lift it in prayer to the Lord, thanking Him for protecting me then and trusting Him to protect me now.  

Prayer answers anxiety because it takes captive the fretful thoughts and turns them into an attitude of worship as we focus on God’s sovereignty. As we make plans, whatever our circumstances, we trust God to hear our petitions and provide whatever we need to complete our task. Only the Lord controls the future, living beyond the confinements of time we understand; he sees the entire story, whereas we only see the present moment. We will never move forward if we let our anxious thoughts control our actions. But trusting God and relying on Him will give us the strength to take the steps necessary to continue the journey.  

The Creator doesn’t want us to live with stomachs tied in knots, unable to eat or sleep as our minds worry about what “could” happen. God wants us to live fully and completely, trusting in Him, abundantly living in the moment, and enjoying every nuance. We can experience life to the fullest when we turn our anxieties into prayers and trust the Lord to provide all we need. 

Praise: 

Praise God for hearing our prayers and answering our needs. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for hearing our prayers, caring about our anxieties, and providing what we need to take the next steps in our journey. Please help us stay focused on You, identify our anxious thoughts, and immediately turn them into prayers. Give us victory over fretful thoughts. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 

“In” all circumstances, not “for” all circumstances. Giving thanks to God “in” all circumstances makes all the difference when applying this verse to our lives. Miserable, awful, tragic things happen in life; the Lord doesn’t expect us to thank Him for those things, but amid them, we can find hope when we discover something praiseworthy.  

Corrie Ten Boom spent ten months in a Natzi prison, arrested for hiding Jews. Landing in Ravensbrück Concentration Camp with her sister Betsie, they smuggled a Bible into Barracks 28, a dismal, flea-infested place. 

“‘That’s it, Corrie! That’s His answer. “Give thanks in all circumstances!” That’s what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!’  

Betsie Ten Boom¹ 

As fleas nipped at Corrie’s legs, her sister focused on today’s verse and found things to thank God for “in” the midst of their terrible situation: assigned to the same barracks, the Bible the guards didn’t see, the other women in the prison, the crowded room of people that could hear the gospel, for the fleas that kept the guards away and allowed them to do Bible study. 

“‘Give thanks in all circumstances,’ she quoted. It doesn’t say, ‘in pleasant circumstances.’ Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.” 

Betsie Ten Boom 

Betsie explains this verse better than I ever could. “In,” not “for,” find things to thank God whatever your circumstances. Betsie died in Ravensbrück two weeks before they released the prisoners; her heart tuned to God with words of thanksgiving for the fleas. 

Praise: 

Praise God in our circumstances, not for them. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for the example Betsie set for Corrie and us with her obedience to You amid horrible circumstances. As we traverse the day ahead, help us find things to thank You for in our circumstances. Let our hearts praise You in the events, not for them. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” 

Psalm 107:1 

Psalm 107 begins with an invitation to give thanks as the congregation prepares to confess God’s faithfulness. The Lord gathers His people from all directions, finding them regardless of location. Experiencing God’s deliverance motivates people to praise Him because of His steadfast love that endures forever.  

The image of Jesus carrying the lamb across His shoulders comes to mind as I meditate on today’s verse. Leaving the 99, Christ goes after the one lost lamb (Matthew 18:12-14). Knowing God pursues us fills me with hope. At times, I’ve stumbled off the righteous path and found myself lost in despair and misery, feeling far from the Lord. But He always finds me and draws me back to Him. The Creator doesn’t lose sight of His creation. With a watchful eye, the Shepherd leads us back to Him when we go astray.  

And so, we can lift our voices in praise, thanking God for His faithfulness and enduring love that never leaves us. Feelings lie, and circumstances distract us, but the Lord watches over us, nudging us back onto the narrow path. Beginning a month of thanksgiving and praise starts with a reminder of God’s faithfulness.    

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!”

Psalm 139:7-8  

Spend a few minutes thinking about how the Lord has shepherded you during difficult times. Thank Him for drawing you back into the fold when you’ve strayed. Meditate on God’s unconditional love for you and His constant presence in Your life. Like the congregation, lift songs of praise for the Lord’s love and faithfulness. 

Praise: 

Praise God for His faithfulness and steadfast love. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for never leaving nor forsaking us and for finding us when we go astray. Please help us stay on the straight and narrow path today, honoring and serving You well. We love You, Lord, now and always. 

IJNIP. Amen