Honest Reflections

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 10:1-11:23, Colossians 3:18-4:18, Psalm 78:56-72, Proverbs 24:28-29

Daily Verse: “Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.” Prov. 24:29

Avoid retaliation.

God doesn’t want us to get vengeance against those who offend us.

“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him, if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:19-21

When someone hurts me, I want to strike back. My natural self-defense mechanism kicks into action, and I must restrain myself from saying what comes to mind. On those occasions when I fail, I do a lot of damage.

Not retaliating, allowing the Lord time to work, and praying for your enemies will improve results. The Lord knows exactly what to do for all parties concerned, leading to growth and a closer relationship with Him.

Enemies become friends when you let the Lord lead the way.

Lord, forgive us for retaliating against our offenses. Please give us the strength to refrain from getting vengeance, giving You time to work on the situation. Help us become more like Jesus with each day that passes. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 8:8-9:26, Colossians 3:1-17, Psalm 78:32-55, Proverbs 24:27

Daily Verse: “Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and then build your house.” Prov. 24:27

Financial stability.

Referring to marriage today’s verse refers to a man’s financial security before getting married. Having finances in order gives people a strong foundation for beginning a life together.

Before I married Ron, I managed my finances, tithing, paying off debt, and saving. My husband did the same. When we started life together, we had a firm financial foundation, which we have maintained.

“Put your money in one account. Otherwise, you’ll start lying to each other,” said a friend, married for 30-plus years. Her advice remains the best financial tip we received before marriage. All our divorced friends said we should have separate bank accounts, and all our friends together for decades said joint. As soon as we returned from our honeymoon, we merged our accounts.

Finances remain one of the top arguments in marriage. Developing a budget and controlling your money instead of letting it control you leads to fewer fights and a stronger marriage. 

Don’t let money cause division in your marriage. Work towards financial stability and create a firm foundation for your marriage.

Lord, forgive us for not controlling our finances. Please help us make wise decisions with our financial blessings, honoring You and those we love. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 6:16-8:7, Colossians 2:8-23, Psalm 78:1-31, Proverbs 24:26

Daily Verse: “Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips.” Prov. 24:26

Truthful answer.

Speaking honestly marks a good friendship. People who love you will tell you what you need to hear, not want you want to hear. When my husband told me he had reservations about marrying me because of my anger issues, I knew he loved me. Instead of lying, he told the truth and helped me become more self-aware. 

Even though I had dealt with some of my anger issues, I hadn’t faced all of them. Because of my husband’s love, I worked to identify the root of the deep emotion and find healthy ways to cope. In August, we celebrated eleven years of marriage.

On the other hand, I’ve had plenty of friends who tell me what they think I want to hear, and I don’t consider them friends. Most don’t stand the test of time because they lack trustworthiness. I have yet to discover a way to have a relationship with someone whose word you can’t trust.

Honest answers build relationships and develop character. Telling the truth takes courage and honors God. Ultimately, the truth always comes out, save time and money, and speaks honestly.

Lord, forgive us for not telling the truth. As we move through our day, help us answer honestly, building relationships as we speak with love. Let our words bring life to the relationships in our lives. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 4:19-6:15, Colossians 1:18-2:7, Psalm 77:1-20, Proverbs 24:23-25

Daily Verse: “These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.” Prov. 24:23

Judge wisely.

Showing partiality in judgment angers God and will bring consequences. Assuming things causes wrong conclusions that hurt people. Court cases require witnesses, so convicting the guilty happens with the facts, not assumptions.

Judging on appearance causes the most issues. Just because something looks a certain way doesn’t tell the whole story. During my college years, a friend cheated on her husband with another co-worker. But I didn’t believe the story when I heard it, thinking she wouldn’t do such a thing. However, she did, and appearances deceived me.

Before passing judgment, spend time getting the facts. If anything doesn’t add up, continue searching until it does. Don’t settle for partial truths and easy assumptions. Put the time and effort into finding out the whole story and filling in all the gaps. Only then, conclude.

Partiality causes pain. Judging quickly convicts the innocent and lets the guilty go unpunished.

Lord, forgive us for judging too quickly. Please help us to make good decisions by gathering all the facts and then drawing proper conclusions. In all things, let us honor You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 2:31-4:18, Colossians 1:1-17, Psalm 76:1-12, Proverbs 24:21-22

Daily Verse: “My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise,” Prov. 24:21

Live in peace.

Escaping the calamities that the world endures means not joining in with rebellious people who seek to cause trouble. 

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 1 Cor. 15:33

Who you spend your time with determines what your future looks like. Walking with wise people brings wisdom; walking with fools brings heartache. As I get older, my inner circle grows smaller. Setting boundaries in relationships helps me surround myself with wise people who have my best interest at heart.

Look for people whose lives reflect their beliefs, not intimidated by the world’s morality, but living for the applause of One. Who people worship determines the way they live their lives. If they live for Jesus, their outward actions reflect His grace and mercy. Many people say they live for Christ but only live for themselves.

Use discernment in developing those who influence your life. Don’t follow rebels; trust those who exemplify Christ in their lives.

Lord, forgive us for following anyone but You.  As we move through our days, give us discernment when choosing our friendships. Help us develop life-giving relationships with people intent on living their lives for You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 1:1-2:30, Philippians 4:1-23, Psalm 75:1-10, Proverbs 24:17-20

Daily Verse: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,” Prov. 24:17

No gloating.

When others fall, God doesn’t want us to rejoice at their misfortune. God loves your enemies and creates them in His image. A difficult concept to grasp; our limited perspective doesn’t allow us to know all that God knows.

Schadenfreude means pleasure derived from another person’s misfortune. When someone cuts you off on the interstate, and a few miles later, you see them sitting on the side of the road with flashing blue lights behind them, rejoicing equals schadenfreude.

Instead of rejoicing, thank God for preventing the reckless driver from hurting themselves or someone else, and pray they learn their lesson. As a sinner, I’ve cut people off in traffic, often unknowingly, but God still loves me. And He loves the person you consider an enemy.

The Lord doesn’t want us rejoicing at other’s misfortune; He wants us to pray for them. All sin and fall short of the glory of God. And we will all experience trouble.

Instead of rejoicing, pray for the person, asking God to intervene on their behalf.

Lord, forgive us for rejoicing when our enemies fall. Change our hearts and help us have sympathy for those who offend us. Let us become more graceful as You soften our hearts and make us more like Jesus. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 66:1-24. Philippians 3:4-21, Psalm 74:1-23, Proverbs 24:15-16

Daily Verse: “Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home;” Prov. 24:15

Virtue triumphs.

Attacking God’s people will come to no avail. People who mistreat the Lord’s children won’t triumph. Going after the Creator’s followers means attacking God, which will never end well. When the righteous suffer misfortune, they will rise again, no matter how many times they must do it. But when the wicked fall, they stay down, not having the ability to survive.

Looking around the world, wicked people seem to prevail. But they never do. The truth always comes out; sometimes, it takes longer than others, but lies never stand against the test of time. Scripture continues to prove truthful, even after centuries of people trying to disprove it. Standing on the rock of Jesus gives us a firm foundation.

“I don’t pray for a win; I ask God to give me the strength to do my best.” Coco Gauff, U.S. Open Women’s Singles Champion 2023

Jesus gives His followers the strength to do their best, persevere during tough times, and get back up when they fall. No matter how many times the wicked attack, virtue always triumphs.

Stand firm in the Lord; rely on His strength to protect you.

Lord, forgive us for not turning to You in our time of need, relying on our strength instead of Yours.  Protect us from the attack of wicked people who want to harm us.  Help us stand firm when the winds of adversity swirl around us.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 62:6-65:25, Philippians 2:19-3:3, Psalm 73:1-28, Proverbs 24:13-14

Daily Verse: “Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” Prov. 24:14

Profitable future.

Developing wisdom helps you make better choices and plant productive seeds that will blossom into a profitable future. Acorns, an investment app that connects to your bank account and invests spare change, exemplifies the concept. Slowly, the extra coins turn into a tidy little savings account over time.

Learning tidbits of wisdom develops a wealth of knowledge as the years pass. The more understanding you acquire, the better the decision and the more profitable the future. Every person you meet has some knowledge they can impart, glean wisdom from them.

No one ever arrives at a point where they know everything, although some think they do. Hardened hearts and narrow viewpoints can’t acquire wisdom. However, remaining teachable and alert will help you grow in stature and knowledge.

As a miner sifts through dirt and muck to find the gold, we should sift the world around us for the wisdom it offers. Valuing and loving people for Jesus will help you find the knowledge they offer. As you do, your future will become brighter.

Lord, forgive us for thinking we don’t have anything to learn. Help our spirits remain teachable as we search for wisdom and find it. Give us profitable futures as we apply the knowledge we know to the decisions we make. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 60:1-62:5, Philippians 1:27-2:18, Psalm 72:1-20, Proverbs 24:11-12

Daily Verse: “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.” Prov. 24:11

Help others.

When we see someone in need and can help them, God expects us to help. Ignoring others who face dire circumstances dodges responsibility and doesn’t please the Lord.

One night, a man driving down the road found a sinkhole. Stopping before his car plunged into the ravine, he realized he needed to warn others. Seeing headlights coming, he jumped out of his car and began waving his arms wildly to stop them, but the driver ignored his warnings and plunged into the dark hole.  

Another set of headlights appeared in the distance; as it came closer, the man recognized the shape of a bus. Desperate, not wanting them to ignore him, the man threw himself in the middle of the road, forcing the bus to stop saving the lives of the people inside it.

The pastor’s sermon illustration helps us understand the concept of rescuing those in mortal danger. We must do anything to stop people from heading into the ravine.

Ask God to use you, and He will.

Lord, forgive us for ignoring the needs of others. As we see people struggling, show us how we can help them. Give us divine insight into how we can assist people with their troubles. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 57:15-59:21, Philippians 1:1-26, Psalm 71:1-24, Proverbs 24:9-10

Daily Verse: “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.” Prov. 24:10

Measured strength.

“I don’t ask God to give me the win; I ask Him for the strength to do my best.” Coco Gauff after winning the 2023 U.S. Open Tennis Championship. In front of the 24,000-person crowd, she dropped to her knees and prayed, a moment many will never forget.

Our strength comes from the Lord. If we faint in the day of adversity, we have lost connection with God. Depending on our might won’t get us far, but relying on the Lord to strengthen us will take us further than we ever thought we could go.

Whether we succeed or fail doesn’t matter as much as doing our best. Knowing at the end of the day, you gave it your all and trusted God to support you matters more than anything else. In life, we will always have adversity. How we approach and meet the trials and tribulations in front of us speaks volumes about our relationship and reliance on God. Seek the Creator for the strength you need to meet the challenges of today. Trust His provision and do your best, leaving it all out on the field at the end of the day.

Lord, thank You for giving us the strength to face our adversities and do our best.  Help us honor and serve You well today as we lean into You for the support we need to fight today’s battles.  IJNIP. Amen