Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

As a member of the prayer team for an international organization that partners with churches around the world, my awareness of the persecution of believers has increased.  Each week, we pray for the pastors and churches that endure attacks of all kinds against their congregations, things we can’t even imagine in America.  And yet their zeal for the Lord continues to grow, and their passion for spreading the gospel fuels the fire.

Stories of miraculous conversions, divine protection, and exponential growth encourage not only us, but also the foreign pastors and their people.  A school in Africa comes to mind that didn’t exist two decades ago, but now, with the help of the organization, it boasts over 1,500 students within its walls, children who now know and love Jesus.

God’s enemies attack but never win.  Amidst persecution, the Lord’s word thrives, multiplying more and more.  Like a sprout in a barren field, it only takes one seed to begin the harvest.  As the leaves of the gospel blossom, producing more seeds, carried by the wind to other areas, God’s kingdom continues to grow.

Applying the Lord’s word to our lives results in miraculous events that produce passion and zeal for more.  God paves the way for His kingdom work, leading us along the path of abundant life.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for igniting the fire in our souls and fanning the flames with Your miraculous works in our lives.  Please bless our efforts as we strive to live and serve You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

In a marital spat, turning to God’s word for instruction helps me find resolution.  Living life with others means accepting their flaws and finding ways to love them despite the hurt they inflict.  The better you know someone, the more you can hurt them, and spouses know each other well.

“We will lovingly follow the truth at all times—speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly—and so become more and more in every way like Christ.”

Ephesians 4:15 NLT

God centers us on the truth; His testimonies help us discover the truth about ourselves and others.  As we apply His word to our conflicts, we’ll find the root of the problem, which then allows us to pull it out and find healing.

The Lord’s words never change; we can always count on His testimonies to lead us on the path of righteousness.  Ever faithful, God shows us the way, one step at a time.  In Him, we can find an abundant life.

No matter what struggle you face today, turn to the scriptures for guidance.  Ask the Lord for help, and He will give it to you.  Lean into God’s faithfulness and find everything you need for the day ahead.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us reliable and proper direction in our struggles.  Please help us find the scriptures we need to deal with today’s struggles, finding victory in You

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Funny how quickly people judge others, yet never open their Bibles. Having an opinion about the scriptures and God’s law without reading His word baffles me.  People close to me criticize my lifestyle because I choose to put the Lord first, make reading His Word a priority in my life, write about it, and try to live it, without ever opening the Bible.

Instead of feeling offended, it makes me sad when people don’t try God’s way.  Watching them fall into pit after pit from the decisions they make, refusing to try another way, hurts my heart.  They can’t experience the transformation that comes from a life lived for Jesus if they never attempt to keep His law.

Yes, Jesus fulfilled the law because we can’t possibly keep it.  But we should still try, because through it we find transformation for our lives. 

Summing up the Bible in one word, I use love.  Applying God’s precepts to our lives teaches us how to love the Lord and others, one day at a time.  The more we try, the more we become like Jesus, helping others find their way to the Savior, and discover the transformational power of His love.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You, Lord, for transforming our lives by the application of Your law.  Please help us follow You closely today and discover new life in Christ.

IJNP. Amen

One-minute read.

Walking confidently feels good.  When you know your destination and have no doubts about the journey, your strides have more purpose and keep a steady gait.  However, more times than not in life, we have doubts about which direction we should take.

In the weekend message, the pastor brought two ladders onto the stage.  On one, he taped “World,” and on the other, he taped “God.”  As he progressed through his message, the young pastor challenged us about which wall our ladder leaned against, and which one we climbed.

At one point, the tall, lanky preacher, dressed in black, had a foot on each ladder, stuck in the middle, not sure which way to go.  Thankfully, God helps us make the decision when we follow Him.  The Lord redeems us from the world and gives us new life in Him, showing us the steps we need to take.

Consult God on which steps you will take and follow His direction, then you can walk confidently, knowing He leads you to the promised land.  No longer will you feel stuck in the middle, with Christ guiding you, and your ladder leaning against the rock, you will have no doubt which way you should go.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us a road map to the promised land through Jesus.  Please help us lean our ladder against You, and climb steadily

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Longing for more of the Lord, the psalmist pants for His presence.  Like longing for a cold drink on a hot summer day, the writer’s thirst can only find satisfaction in God’s word.  Seeking the Lord’s statutes, the psalmist discovers the answers he desires and the grace and mercy he so desperately needs.

In my younger years, amidst strife, when I didn’t have a solid relationship with Jesus, I still sought Him.  Feeling alone, and with nowhere else to turn, I would open a Bible, whichever one I found, and start reading, looking for help.  And I always found it. Although I can’t remember the exact passages I read in those moments, I know I felt the Lord’s presence, comfort, and support, exactly what I needed in those desperate times.

Life has a way of knocking us to our knees.  Unexpected waves hit us from behind, toppling us to the ground, making us struggle to get back on our feet.  In those times, we can rely on the Lord to pick us up and help us once again stand.  Memorizing and meditating on God’s promises will give us the support we need.

The more we know the Lord’s precepts, the more we’ll want to know.  Like the psalmist, we will pant for His commandments.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for guiding and directing us through Your word, giving us a longing for Your commands.  Please help us learn and apply Your precepts to our lives, so that we may become faithful servants in all that we do.

IJNP. Amen

One-minute read.

When lighting a campfire, the spark must catch fire through air flow and kindling. Add bigger pieces of wood as it burns until a steady flame appears. Keeping the fire going by adding more logs periodically allows it to burn endlessly.

Reading God’s word and beginning to apply it to your life starts the flame. As you do the Lord’s commandments, the fire will burn as transformation begins. Learning more and more of the Creator’s ways fuels the fire and allows you to live fully for Jesus. The Lord’s ways help us become more like Christ, and the things of our old lives fall away in ashes.

As transformation occurs in our lives, the miraculous works of the Lord give us divine understanding.  God opens our eyes to what we cannot see; His supernatural ways become the spark that lights the fire and provides light for our journey.  The closer we stay connected to the Savior, the more we will understand as our hearts align with His.

Each morning, spend time with God to stoke the fire His word lights in you. Read the scriptures, talk to the Lord about your life, and find the peace that surpasses all understanding as the Savior keeps the flames going with His presence.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for lighting the flame within our souls and giving us light to lead the way. Please help us fuel the fire as we spend time with You daily, engaging in Your word and applying it to our lives.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Discovering that I lie to myself more than anyone else changed my life. When God reveals the truth to me and I begin to understand how I misinterpreted or internalized something incorrectly, it makes me sad.  I’ve always hated lying, but never realized how much I lied to myself.

We all lie to ourselves. Humans view everything from a limited perspective and don’t see the whole picture. Then, we create logical narratives but discover they have no truth.  We find the truth only when we allow the Lord to search our hearts and shine His light into our souls.

God’s commandments help us discover the truth.  Like fine gold, they show us the error of our ways and illuminate the lies we’ve believed.  Living life for Jesus, applying His teachings to our situations, transforms us as God opens the doors we can’t see. One friend said, “Sometimes God has to push me through the door.”

The Creator knows our hearts and the lies we tell ourselves, often keeping us from living life in abundance.  As we learn and follow His commands, the Lord reveals the lies we believe and helps us live in the truth of His word.  Transform your life and become more like Christ by following God’s precepts.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for revealing the lies we tell ourselves.  Please help us live in Your truth, apply Your precepts to our lives, and find abundant life.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Experiencing divine understanding opens our eyes and gives us insight. The Lord only reveals what we can handle. George Washington Carver asked God to uncover the mysteries of the universe to him, but the Creator knew Carver’s mind couldn’t handle that much information. So, instead, God revealed the complexities of a simple peanut to George, and he discovered over 300 uses for the small brown nut.[1]

For me, “Aha” moments describe divine understanding.  When God opens my eyes to something I couldn’t see before, it always amazes me.  Like puzzle pieces falling into place, my limited perspective takes on an entirely new view.  The scales fall from my eyes, and transformation happens as God reveals His truths to my soul.

Just yesterday, while driving, I listened to the biography of Amy Carmichael, an Irish Presbyterian missionary in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Listening to her struggles as she followed the Lord, I thought, “I haven’t a clue what it is to suffer.” As I became more familiar with her ministry, God opened my eyes to a new depth of submission and service to Him.

Ask the Lord to open your eyes and give you divine understanding.  Let the Creator give you a new perspective on your life.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us divine understanding and helping us draw nearer to You.  Please open our eyes to what we can’t see and give us new insights.

IJNIP. Amen

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[1] https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/george-washington-carver-1860-1943/#:~:text=One%20day%20I%20went%20into,to%20know%20about%20the%20peanut?%E2%80%9D&text=In%201921%20Carver%20addressed%20the,and%20national%20fame%20for%20himself.%E2%80%9D

One-minute read.

Following God’s precepts gives us hope for a good outcome and teaches us that what the Lord desires us to do differs from what our human nature desires. When offended, we want revenge; God wants us to pray for them. Instead of reacting with anger, the Lord wants us to show grace.

When we manage to control our emotions and show grace to the offender, we want the praise that goes with doing the right thing. But Jesus didn’t seek the praise of humans; He only cared about what His Father thought. God doesn’t want us to get caught up in pride but to live in the humility of Christ.

“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Romans 13:14

We can trust God’s righteous promises and learn to clothe ourselves in Christ from them. Jesus lived the perfect life, fulfilling all the laws. By following Him, we will learn how to submit our lives daily, care more about God’s opinion than anyone else’s, and live in humility as the Lord desires.

Trust God’s righteous promises, and let Him mold you to become more like Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us Your word to follow and apply to our lives.  Please help our spirits remain teachable as we learn and grow with You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

We expect the Lord to bless us when we obey God and do the right thing.  The psalmist expects his Master to live up to the righteous promise that the godly will find deliverance from their adversities.  A teachable spirit allows God to mold us into His vision for our lives, becoming more like Jesus daily.

“Bless our efforts,” I wrote in my prayer journal this morning as I closed out my quiet time with the Lord.  Each morning, I start with my Bible, pen in hand as I search for the verse that grabs my heart, write it in my journal, and then fill the page with my thanksgivings and prayer requests.

As Ron and I strive to serve the Lord together through our work and activities, like the psalmist, I expect God to live up to His righteous promises. Living a life of hope requires believing the Lord will do what He says. Otherwise, what hope do we have?

Faith means hoping in what will come.  When Jesus promised us eternal life in heaven with Him, believing His words gives us hope that we will one day experience glory, leaving the struggles of this life behind forever.  Hope helps us persevere on the days we feel like giving up. 

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for Your promises, which give us hope and help us persevere. Please bless our efforts as we strive to live for You, becoming more like Jesus daily.

IJNIP. Amen