Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Isaiah 26:3

 Promise: Perfect Peace

Centered minds find perfect peace. As an avid golfer, the Masters tournament held every April captures the golfing world as elite athletes gather to compete at the top level of the game in the prestigious event. 2024’s winner, Scottie Scheffler, keeps his mind and priorities on God. Expecting his first child with his wife, Meredith, he made it clear throughout the tournament that if she went into labor, he would leave, no matter the standings. After winning, Scottie glorified God with his title:

“I’ve been given a gift of this talent, and I use it for God’s glory. That’s pretty much it…I compete to the best of my ability. I really want to win. I feel like that’s how I was designed…And I get to come out here and compete, enjoy it. At the end of the day, win or lose, my identity is secure.”

Scottie Scheffler, Masters 2024 Champion[1]

Staying in perfect peace requires focus on God. No matter what challenge you face or where God calls you, keeping your priorities straight and your mind focused on the Lord will help you maintain calm. Secure in his identity, Scottie trusts God’s sovereignty in the outcome of the tournament and his life.

Knowing your Maker and trusting His promises will help you keep your mind centered on Him, giving you the Lord’s perfect peace that surpasses all understanding.

Application:

Knowing your identity helps you stay centered on God and live in His peace.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us Your perfect peace. As our minds wander and the enemy attacks, help us stay centered on you. Remind us of our place in Your heart and our identity in Christ. Let nothing steer us away from You.  IJNIP. Amen

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[1] https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ugbElRexbxg

One-minute read.

Promise: Fear Not

God holds us in His hand, strengthening and helping us through our trials. We need not fear because the Lord never leaves us. Taking steps of faith can seem daunting, but the Creator doesn’t act until we take a step. Overcoming our anxieties only happens when we move forward despite our fears.

Don’t let anxiety make your decisions for you.  If we feed our fears, they will grow.  But if we feed our faith, our fears will diminish as our confidence in God blossoms.  Doing things scared defines bravery.  Facing our giants requires a decision to move forward despite the possible outcomes.  Trusting the Lord for victory means we do what we know to do and count on God to do the rest.

After suffering two blood clots, I have a fear of developing another one.  On blood thinners, I must maintain a therapeutic level.  On a recent trip, I dropped below the recommended level, and when my leg swelled, I panicked.  Doing what I knew to do meant calling the doctor, going for a bike ride to increase circulation, and then elevating my leg.  The rest I trusted to the Lord, knowing He knew the inner workings of my body. 

Faith overcame my fear.

Application:

Overcome fear with steps of faith, trusting God’s promise to strengthen and help you as He holds you in His hand.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for strengthening and helping us face our giants. As we take steps of faith, diminish our fear, moving forward boldly, knowing You have our backs. Show us what we can do, then do what only You can do.  In all things, honor and glory go to You.   Remove our fear and replace it with unwavering faith.  IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Pleasing God.

Renewed community, seeking security in the Lord’s favor together, pleases Him. Right sacrifices mean committing our hearts to God and fellowshipping with Him and other believers. Joy radiates from heaven when we gather together as one body, seeking and glorifying God with our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. 

Transformation begins with the heart. Cleansing and purifying it comes with repentance, drawing us into a personal relationship with Christ that flows outwardly to others. The more intimate we become with Jesus, the more we want to share what we have found, and the bigger God smiles. Feeling the Lord’s pleasure lights our souls brighter than the sun on its brightest day, drawing people to us and giving us the chance to share Christ with them.

Join a community and chase God together. Find a gospel-preaching church and surround yourself with a cloud of witnesses to help spur you on the journey. Please God with a heart set on Him and a network of Christ’s followers on the same path. Living righteously together brings joy not only to the Lord but also to the entire body.

Jesus, the path to living righteously with Him and others, commissioned us to share the good news with the world. By obeying the Great Commandment to love God and others, we do that one person at a time. Live abundantly in Jesus’s love, share it with others, and find joy and peace in the Lord.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for creating us with a shared mission. Draw us closer to each other as we seek You, striving to obey Your commands. Bring joy and peace into our lives as we please You.  Let us shine brightly for the world to see, building Your kingdom and living life abundantly. IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Freedom in Christ.

Possibly referring to Jerusalem’s period of exile, the people prayed for God to do something in His great love and mercy. David identified with the people’s sin, need for grace, and anticipation of the Lord’s mercy, leading to great joy. Nehemiah rebuilt the walls around Jerusalem, an answer to prayer that fortified the city and brought the people out of exile, filling them with joy.

We can fortify the walls of our hearts by memorizing and placing our faith in God’s promises, protecting us from enemy attacks. The closer we follow Jesus, the more the devil attacks. Trying to deter us from our mission, the enemy uses anything that will gain a foothold in our lives to keep us in bondage. Thankfully, Christ set us free.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

The freedom we receive from Jesus happens when we confess our sins, repent of our ways, and turn and follow Him.  When the Lord started His ministry, He did so with two words, “Follow Me.”  As the disciples left their old lives behind one by one, following Jesus, they found the freedom only He can give.

Live in Christ’s freedom. Submit your life to Him, receive His Spirit, and follow Him to a life of abundance.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for a new life in Christ. Thank You for the freedom we find when we lay our burdens at the foot of the cross and follow Jesus. Help us each day to once again choose Your Son. Let us live abundantly, following You, honoring and glorifying You with every step we take. IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Contrite heart.

Spiritual renewal requires humility. Thinking too highly of ourselves means we don’t think high enough of God. We tend to forget our need for the Lord when things go well. Taking life for granted happens to everyone. Ron and  I will celebrate twelve years of marriage together in August, God willing. Where the past 4,380 days went, I don’t know. Even living intentionally, trying to cherish every moment, the days still flew by, and I took them for granted to some extent.

Accepting our lack of control in life will humble us. We think we know what tomorrow will bring, but none of us do. Life changes in moments, things happen we didn’t see coming, and pride vanishes when faced with its fragility. Staying centered on God keeps us focused on the One in control.

The Lord loves a heart centered on Him. God will plant seeds that bring forth much fruit in the ground of a soft heart. A humble attitude and a contrite heart make us usable to the Creator. We can do everything through Christ only if we submit to Him.

Spend time surrendering your heart to the Lord today. Usher His presence into a heart filled with humility. Experience the renewal that the Lord can give.

Prayer:

God, thank You for renewing our hearts and helping us persevere through life’s storms. Keep us humble and hungry for more of You.  As we face the challenges in our lives, let us do so with confidence, knowing You walk with us. In all things, we honor and glorify You.  IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Deeper commitment.

Gratitude brings commitment. The more grateful we feel towards the Lord, the more blessings we count, the deeper we will commit our lives to God. A living miracle; every breath I take gives me a reason to praise my Creator.

“Those that are healthy wish for many things; those that aren’t wish for only one.” Ron Morrison.

My husband’s wisdom always amazes me. Since my last blood clot, I’ve developed anxiety I didn’t have before. His words run through my mind often. My gratitude for life, given by the Lord, keeps me praising Him. Having a renewed sense of purpose and realizing life’s fragility changes my perspective. In some ways, I feel driven to work hard for the Lord, and in other ways, I just feel thankful.

Anyone can develop an attitude of gratitude. Write down five things you can thank God for right now: your family and friends, a place to live and work, health to do what you want, and breath in your lungs; these things deserve a hallelujah. God doesn’t ask us to sacrifice on the burnt altar; He wants us to appreciate the gifts He gives us and thank Him for them.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for life. Thank You for Jesus, who made the ultimate sacrifice for us. Help us grow closer to You as we develop an attitude of gratitude. As our commitment deepens, let us live in Your peace, with Your joy filling our hearts. Let everything we do Honor and serve You.  IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Declare Your Praise.

Divine deliverance calls for praise. God forgave David for a grave sin; instead of letting him die, the Lord saved him. Tangibly tasting the Lord’s grace causes us to worship Him with abandon. 

“You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little loves little.”  Luke 7:45-47

The sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with oil had a checkered past. Receiving God’s forgiveness, she praised Him with her whole being. The disciples couldn’t understand why she acted like she did—those forgiven much love much, like David and this woman. Deep pits require more grace than shallow ones. These two examples show God saved David and the sinful woman from desperate places.

Declare God’s praise today; thank Him for pulling you out of the pit and placing you on solid ground. Each step draws us closer to the Lord and away from our sins. One day at a time, God heals our broken hearts and gives us new life in Him. One can’t help but praise the Lord when they taste His grace.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for pulling us out of the pit and giving us new life. Help us remember Your saving grace as we move through our days. Let us glorify You in all we do, giving You credit for our transformation. In all things, we honor and serve You.  IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Deliver me.

As a child, singing hymns seemed torturous to me. Listening to my mom’s off-key voice, Dad never sang; I always counted how many stanzas we had and if we had to sing them all. Relief flooded me when the bulletin said we didn’t have to sing the entire song. But as I’ve grown older and developed a closer relationship with the Lord, I love worshipping Him in song. Thankfully, the church we attend plays the music loud enough. I can’t hear my neighbor’s voice, nor do they mine, so I belt it out from the top of my lungs.

Understanding the depths of God’s love and the lengths He goes to connect with me gives me a grateful heart filled with joy. When I hear the guitar begin to strum and the drums beat, excitement grows in my heart. Closing my eyes, lifting my hands, and inviting God’s spirit to fill my soul, I sing aloud of the Lord’s righteousness.

God delivers us from our sins; nothing quite expresses a heart filled with worship like song. The entire book of Psalms represents hymns sung to God. Musical lyrics, sacred songs, and poems display the psalmist’s heart to the Lord. Next time you feel disconnected from God, put on some praise and worship and let the music deliver you like nothing else can.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us song to worship You.  As we lift our voice to heaven, displaying our love for You, let the melody please Your ears and bless You.  Invigorate us with Your Spirit as we raise our hands and worship You wholeheartedly. In all things, we praise You.  IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Sweet concern.

Once you receive the Lord’s saving grace, you also want others to experience it.   When “The Passion of the Christ” movie came out in 2004, it deepened my understanding of Christ’s sacrifice; watching His beaten and bloody body nailed to the cross humbled me as I realized He did that for me. Baptized as an adult, I can still feel the unexplainable peace and joy as the pastor lifted me out of the water. Something spiritual happened then, and I knew my life had changed.

Because of my experience with Christ, I want everyone else to know it. Loving God and sharing His love with others helps introduce people to Jesus. Others will notice when we respond with grace and mercy, countercultural to the world around us. As they begin to ask questions, seeking the peace we find in Christ, we share it with them. And God willing, they will discover the joy of salvation Jesus offers.

Teach transgressors Jesus’ ways. Love people like Christ did. Share the joy of Jesus by caring for people, letting them know they matter and have value. God gave His only Son so the world would know how much He values every soul. The Lord doesn’t want any to perish, but all to come to Him.  Loving people well will help them know God’s ways and bring them into eternal life.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for allowing us to share Christ with the world. Help us love others well, becoming more like Jesus. Bless our efforts, soften people’s hearts, and let us introduce Jesus to all we meet. May Your kingdom multiply as we love people for You.  IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Joy of salvation.

Leaving a Pittsburgh Pirates game in the now-demolished Three Rivers Stadium, I got lost going through the turnstile. Traumatized, I looked around at the massive crowd and saw no one I knew. Only minutes passed before my parents found me, but in that time, the lost feeling I experienced carved a deep reservoir in my brain, one I will never forget. 

When Christ found me at the bottom of the pit, falling into His arms brought joy like I never knew. Even more potent than when I spotted my mom that day, I knew I had finally found my north star. Jesus saved me from my sins, pulled me out of the pit, and gave me the joy of salvation, one I’ve never lost since.

Although life has struggles, I stand on the rock that doesn’t move. I worship the unchanging God of grace and mercy in an ever-changing world, who never leaves or forsakes me. And so do you.

Revel in the joy of salvation as you meditate on Christ’s love and His saving grace, which chased you down, picked you up and brought you into His family.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for saving a wretch like me. Help us remember the joy of salvation we found when we placed our faith in You, experiencing divine forgiveness and a renewed spirit. Let our lights shine brightly, drawing others to You with our obedience. May You receive all the glory. IJNIP. Amen