Honest Reflections

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 1:1-2:22, 2 Corinthians 10:1-18, Psalm 52:1-9,

Proverbs 22:26-27

Daily Verse: “Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts.” Prov. 22:26

Foolish pledge.

Making financial commitments, you can’t keep leads to ruin. The housing bubble of 2008 exemplifies what happens with unkept pledges. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac offered loans to people with low credit scores and a higher risk of defaulting on loans.

The lenders then sold the loans to large commercial investors bundled together as mortgage-backed securities. In the fall of 2008, people began defaulting on their loans, causing a collapse of financial markets and a global recession.

Americans began using credit cards in the 1950s, but exploded in 1980, becoming a natural way of life. As a country, we went from saving to spending on credit, contributing to the financial crisis of 2008.

The U.S. consumer debt level recently passed 1 trillion dollars because of inflation and high-interest rates, leading to another financial crisis.

Avoiding financial stress happens when we manage money instead of letting it control us.

Lord, forgive us for overspending. Please help us learn wise money management tools that will allow us to live debt-free, save money, and sleep well at night, knowing we didn’t make pledges we couldn’t keep. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Song of Sol. 5:1-8:14, 2 Corinthians 9:1-15, Psalm 51:1-19, Proverbs 22:24-25

Daily Verse: “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.” Prov. 22:24-25

Bad influence.

Unrestrained anger causes pain and sets a bad example for those who witness it. Everyone experiences anger sometimes; how we respond to it tells the tale. 

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26-27

 Paul’s letter to the Ephesians instructs us not to sin in our anger. As I have confessed, I’ve sinned and paid the price for my anger. Fear hides behind the rage. When anger rears its ugly head, looking for the fear behind the bomb helps diffuse it.

I’ve learned a lot of the fear behind my anger comes from deep seeded insecurities I didn’t realize I had. Feelings of low self-worth cause anger in certain situations. Digging down to find the root cause takes work, but in the end, it helps me overcome anger issues and live a more controlled life, setting a better example for others.

Work to identify the root cause of anger in your life. Don’t let Satan get a foothold. Defeat the devil by becoming more self-aware.

Lord, forgive us for sinning in our anger. Help us become more self-aware of the root causes of our anger by digging deep and identifying the fear. Don’t let the devil get a foothold in our lives. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Song of Sol. 1:1-4:16, 2 Corinthians 8:16-24, Psalm 50:1-23, Proverbs 22;22-23

Daily Verse: “Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate, for the Lord will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.” Prov. 22:22-23

God avenges.

Oppressing the poor and taking advantage of them angers God. One of the most heartbreaking documentaries I’ve watched details the beginning of the Opioid crisis because of one family’s greed. 

“Painkiller” fictionalizes certain names and incidents but tells the true story of Purdue Pharmaceuticals and Richard Sackler, who knew the consequences of the addictive drug, Oxycontin but cared only for the money he could make from selling it.

Having lost more than one person due to overdose, the reality hits close to home. Sackler’s reps targeted small-town America, convincing doctors of the drug’s effectiveness without sharing the highly addictive nature of the pill. 

Purdue filed for bankruptcy in 2019 after admitting it “knowingly and intentionally conspired and agreed with others to aid and abet” doctors dispensing medication “without a legitimate medical purpose.” (Plea Agreement with Purdue Pharma)

God exposes the truth, and those who willingly take advantage of the poor will pay. Sadly, the opioid crisis didn’t end with the downfall of the Sacklers. I pray fervently for those tangled in addiction caused by this family’s greed.

Lord, please help those struggling with addiction overcome it and find new life in You.  Protect them from further exposure and lead them into a life of sobriety.  Let Your victory prevail in the fight against drug addiction.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Ecclesiastes 10:1-12:14, 2 Corinthians:1-15, Psalm 49:1-20, Proverbs 22:20-21

Daily Verse: “Have I not written for you thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge, to make you know what is right and true, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?” Prov. 22:20-21

Grasping truth.

In the fourth section of Proverbs, a new collection of wisdom begins, more personal with a different style. Solomon, described as a sage, urges greater trust in God and His reliable teachings.

According to Webster’s Dictionary of 1828, sages possess wisdom, “having nice discernment and powers of judging, prudent, grave; as a sage counselor.”  Solomon’s writings exude wisdom and helpful advice for daily living. As we’ll explore in the days ahead, the following verses give practical advice for dealing with people.

People’s heart motives don’t change over the centuries; jealousy, lust, and greed still exist. The object of the heart’s desire may change, but not the emotion. Anger remains anger, whether at yourself, another person, or an object; the emotion doesn’t change. Therefore, the wisdom in dealing with the powerful emotion still applies thousands of years later.

Learn from Solomon’s advice on how to avoid life’s pitfalls. Grasp truth from the sage’s wisdom.

Lord, forgive us for not listening to Your word. As we move through our days, help us become obedient to the teachings we find in scripture. Let our wisdom increase as we trust You more and lean into Your promises. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18, 2 Corinthians 7:8-16, Psalm 48:1-14, Proverbs 22:17-19

Daily Verse: “That your trust may be in the Lord, I have made them known to you today, even to you.” Prov. 22:19

Call to attention.

Proverbs 17-21 urges the reader to trust the Lord more, promising that reliance on His teachings won’t disappoint you.  The four-verse introduction to the concept of greater trust in the Lord reminds us God’s words reveal things to us, requiring a response.

For the past two days in my Bible reading group, we’ve learned about Balaam and his talking donkey.  Balaam went against God’s will because of money. 

The Lord does respect our free will, but we must exercise caution in not calling it God’s will when following our desires.  Too often, we rush ahead, not waiting on God, and suffer the consequences.  Applying Balaam’s story to a situation in my business life, God’s asking me to wait, but I want to rush ahead.  Like Balaam, I don’t want to wait.

And so the internal struggle begins for me as I wrestle through wanting my will versus doing God’s will.  How will I respond? For now, I wait.

Reading and applying God’s word to our lives requires a response.  Scripture calls us to attention and asks us to respond.

Lord, forgive us for not responding or trying to bend You to our well.  Help us answer well when we read Your word, apply it to our life, and grow more like Jesus every day.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12, 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7, Psalm 47:1-9, Proverbs 22:16

Daily Verse: “One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.” Prov. 22:16

Extortion and bribery.

Taking advantage of the poor by extorting their position in life, oppressing them angers the Lord because of the immorality involved in the act. In the same way, trying to bribe a rich person will lead nowhere.

“Watching, “Mayberry Man,” a movie based on the infamous “Andy Griffith Show,” the main character exemplified a wealthy man with an attitude problem. An actor who starred in movies, no matter what the people did to impress him, it didn’t. When things come easy to someone, they don’t appreciate the bribe and don’t think about how much it costs the briber.  

On the other hand, the fictional character’s lack of respect for the townspeople, thinking them lower than him, in a way, oppressed them. Caring only for how he could exploit the people for his gain, the spoiled actor only thought of himself.

And guess who ended up the big loser, experiencing a humbling that led to a life change?

Everyone matters in God’s eyes. The Lord wants us to love people, not try to manipulate them.

Lord, forgive us for trying to manipulate people. Help us treat everyone with respect, knowing they matter to You.  Overflow our hearts with love and gives us opportunities to share it. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Psalm 46:1-11, Proverbs 22:15

Daily Verse: “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.” Prov. 22:15

Parental discipline.

Kids need discipline; born sinners; we all do. God never stops guiding and maturing us through situations that cause us to learn and grow; as our heavenly parent, He disciplines us. Earthly parents do the same for their kids.

One day, giving a tennis lesson to a mother and son, the child threw a fit, almost hitting me in the face with a ball hit in anger. Mom’s response shocked me, “What can I do to make you happy?” Seriously, your kid almost injured me because of his inability to take instruction and control his emotions, and instead of disciplining him, you want to make him happy?

If parents don’t teach right and wrong to their children, they won’t learn it. My mother would have pulled me off the court and, yes, smacked my butt and sat me on the bench until I learned the lesson. Mom taught me right and wrong, and she disciplined me.

In today’s world, disciplining children invites controversy. Not a parent, I pray for moms and dads who deal with this issue daily, asking God to guide and direct them, knowing they don’t have an easy task. May the Lord help you all.

Lord, I pray for parents worldwide doing their best to raise their children. Guide and direct them, help them navigate the controversial topic in today’s world, and develop strong followers of Jesus as they do. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Job 40:1-42:17,  2 Cor. 5:11-21, Psalm 45:1-17, Proverbs 22:14

Daily Verse: “The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit; a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.” Prov. 22:14

Divine judgment.

When people don’t follow God, they quickly fall for seductive words, which lead them into a pit. Placing faith in an imperfect human instead of the Divine Lord will take people places they never wanted to go. Whether an adulteress or some other folly, succumbing to the temptation deals out punishment for the sin. 

Cleaning out my father-in-law’s house after his death, we found non-lethal squirrel traps. Rectangular metal wire had spring-loaded doors with sensitive triggers that quickly trapped the varmints. Using his attic as their kingdom, he trapped and released them in a nearby park.

Succumbing to seductive words traps us into a pit we can’t escape alone. Like the squirrels, playing in areas we shouldn’t leads us into traps. But the love of our heavenly Father helps us find freedom when we turn to Him, repent of our sins, and follow a different path.

Don’t get caught in a trap because you veer off the straight and narrow. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus; He will lead you away from trouble.

Lord, forgive us for disobeying You. Please help us turn from our foolish ways, repent of our sins and find freedom in You.  Lead us in the direction we should go, away from evil and into the abundant life in Christ. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Job 37:1-39:30, 2 Cor. 4:13-5:10, Psalm 44:9-26, Proverbs 22:13

Daily Verse: “The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!” Prov. 22:13

Excuses of Laziness.

Sluggards will come up with any excuse not to do something.   Ask someone to attend church with you to hear one of the most common excuses, “They’re all hypocrites.” A friend shared Jamey Ragle’s post that sums it up nicely:

People come to church because, in their deepest, darkest, most painful moments, they heard about a man named Jesus that could save their soul and transform their life, and they’d like to know him.

The man that just snorted cocaine off his kitchen table isn’t a bigger sinner than you, who told your boss a lie on Monday so you could leave work early.

There isn’t a person in this world too bad, too broken, too mean, or too damaged for Jesus to save.

Romans 10:13 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Don’t let excuses stop you from experiencing Jesus. Just because you have one bad meal doesn’t mean you never eat again. Sinners who need saving fill church seats, not perfect people. Jesus came to save us from ourselves and give us new life.

Lord, forgive us for using excuses to stop us from knowing You better. Motivate us today to take the next step in our walk with Christ. Guide and direct us into a new life grounded in Jesus, for which You created us. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Job 34:1-36:33, 2 Cor. 4:1-12, Psalm 44:1-8, Proverbs 22:10-12

Daily Verse: “Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease.” Prov. 22:10

Source of strife.

Some people only want to cause trouble, and they do it by instigating quarrels and causing strife.  Hecklers only want to cause disruption and have no intentions of doing anything to solve the problem.

“If you can’t be part of the solution, don’t be part of the problem,” said a wise pastor during a church meeting.  One of the participants wanted to point out all the problems with the church but didn’t offer any solutions for solving the issues.

Every church has issues because imperfect people fill the seats.  Learning to deal with and overcome the problems that come with groups of people gathered to worship and serve Jesus requires seeking God and finding Biblical solutions, not mocking.

If someone would instead cause quarrels than look for solutions, expelling them from the meeting paves the way for serious discussion to solve the issue.  We can’t control other people’s actions, but we don’t have to tolerate them.

Removing hecklers ends quarreling.  Find peace by eliminating strife.

Lord, forgive us for pointing out problems instead of finding solutions.  Help us advance Your kingdom by seeking You and finding Godly ways to deal with life’s issues.  Let us become more like Jesus as we strive to mimic Him.  IJNIP.