Honest Reflections

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezra 8:21-9:15, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, Psalm 31:1-8, Proverbs 21:1-2

Daily Verse: “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.” Prov. 21:2

Divine knowledge.

Repeatedly, Solomon reminds us throughout Proverbs that God evaluates the heart, not only our actions. Although we claim pure motives, God knows the truth of our hearts.

Waiting for a permanent location in my crafting business evokes jealousy toward those already established. Praying for the perfect spot, I have mixed emotions. Not wanting others to fail or quit, someone must for me to gain space.

I experienced the same feelings when my career at Nautica began. Starting as a temporary position, for me to acquire a permanent job, someone had to quit or get fired. In my case, the person on maternity leave, creating my temporary position, decided to stay home with her baby, and the company hired me full-time. A win-win for both of us.

Going through these situations helps purify my heart. God reveals the impurities, helps me gain perspective, and grows me as He weighs my heart. Waiting on the Lord causes change.

Divine knowledge comes from above. God knows our hearts and directs our steps accordingly.

Lord, forgive us the impurities of our hearts. Help us gain a divine perspective as we submit our lives to You. All good things come to those who expectantly wait. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezra 7:1-8:20, 1 Corinthians 4:1-21, Psalm 30:1-12, Proverbs 20:28-30

Daily Verse: “The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.” Prov. 20:29

Strength and honor.

Different stages of life have different glories. Young people have more strength and stamina than older people. But people with gray hair have more wisdom because of their life experiences.

In my youth, I could work 12-hour days, hang out with friends afterward, get a few hours of sleep, and do it again. Now, if lucky, I work 12 hours and hit the couch for 8-9 hours of sleep. And I can’t do it on repeat for several days in a row. My last Sabbath day included a five-hour nap.

However, I’ve learned to work smarter, not harder. I may not have the strength I did in my younger years, but I’m producing more because I manage time better, don’t repeat mistakes I used to make, and know when to walk away from a project or idea.

Valuing people for their strengths means understanding their stage of life. Expecting the same thing of a 20-year-old person as a 60-year-old individual makes no sense. 

Enjoy your stage of life. Never stop learning; keep moving forward, and we’ll meet in heaven one day.

Lord, forgive us for putting unrealistic expectations on people. Help us on our journey as we embrace our stage of life, continuing to learn and grow as we follow You.  Bless our efforts, multiply our work, and continue to lead us onward. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezra 4:24-6:22, 1 Corinthians 3:5-23, Psalm 29:1-11, Proverbs 20:26-27

Daily Verse: “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.” Prov. 20:27

Evaluate motives.

Acquiring the Holy Spirit through belief in Jesus helps us evaluate our actions and motives. Our inner spiritual part desires to please and know God. Seeking spirituality means fulfilling the desire to connect with the Lord, which only comes through faith in Jesus. Nothing else can fill the void.

Accepting the Holy Spirit into our lives allows God to search our hearts, which in turn helps us know ourselves and our shortcomings.

Imagine a computer infected with a bug, causing it not to function properly. Using a security scan to identify and debug the machine causes it to run as intended. In the same way, the Holy Spirit identifies the bugs in our hearts and helps us get rid of them, making us more like Christ and more equipped to do God’s work.

Let the Holy Spirit search your heart, identifying and helping you overcome the bugs. Becoming more aware of our shortcomings helps us live free from self-deception and indifference.

Lord, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Search our hearts and reveal the bugs. Help us become more like Christ as we cleanse our spirits, become more self-aware of our actions, and responding like Jesus instead. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezra 3:1-4:23, 1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4, Psalm 28:1-9, Proverbs 20:24-25

Daily Verse: “A man’s steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way?” Prov. 20:25

Divine Providence.

God organizes our steps. Ordinary days when everything goes as planned happen because the Lord lets them. And those days when everything goes awry, also because of the Lord.

Writing on the Fourth of July, I had a tennis lesson scheduled for 7:30 this morning. Waking bright and early, I read my Bible, wrote a devotional, polyurethaned boards for my crafting business, and went to the tennis courts to sit for twenty-five minutes, waiting for my student, who never showed nor texted.

At that moment, I had a choice, get mad or accept God had different things in mind for me. Embracing the free moments, I caught up on email, answered texts, packed up my stuff, and headed home, happy to have a few extra minutes to myself.

The Lord knows what the day holds for us before the sun rises. Instead of rebelling against unexpected changes, embrace them as divine providence, accepting God has something else for you to do.

We don’t need to understand every step; we just need to take them.

Lord, thank You for organizing our steps and leading us on the adventure of a lifetime. Let us follow easily, accepting unexpected changes and moving in different directions when You call us too. Don’t let us miss the divine appointments You have for us. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezra 1:1-2:70, 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5, Psalm 27:7-14, Proverbs 20:22-23

Daily Verse: “Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.” Prov. 20:22

Just deliverance.

Leaving retribution to the Lord takes effort. When someone causes pain, my initial reaction wants to strike back and hurt them. But God doesn’t want us to take revenge; He wants us to leave it up to Him.

In all truth, we each deserve punishment for our actions. Although we received justification, made right through Jesus, the process of sanctification doesn’t end until God calls us home. Our goal, following Jesus, remains to same, become more like Him, sanctification. None of us will reach perfection until we enter the pearly gates; until then, we will battle our sinful nature, submitting it to God and allowing Him to mold us into more Christ-like behavior.

We become more like Jesus when we choose not to take revenge for hurtful actions. Showing undeserved grace to others mimics Christ, who did the same for us. Only by submitting our lives to God and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us will we become more like Jesus, offering grace instead of punishment.

Trust God to deliver people, whatever that may look like. Remember the grace Jesus showed you, then share it with others. 

Lord, thank You for the grace given us by Jesus’ actions on the cross. Please help us to extend mercy to others when they cause us harm. Let us become more like Christ every day as we pursue Him with our whole hearts. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 35:1-36:23, 1 Corinthians 1:1-17, Psalm 27:1-6, Proverbs 20:20-21

Daily Verse: “An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.” Prov. 20:21

Unsatisfying prosperity.

Depending on the study, the research found 33-70% of lottery winners go bankrupt within 3-5 years. Gaining money quickly causes reckless spending. Greed desires more money, and leads to destructive behavior.

News4Jax feature article, Rip Up the Winning Ticket? 5 Reasons Why Winning the Lotter Can Destroy Lives, says 70% of lottery winners go bankrupt because:

1. People will ask you for money.
2. Become a target for crooks.
3. Strained relationships.
4. Guilt and boredom.
5. Careless spending.

Scripture tells us the “LOVE of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim. 6:10). Managing finances requires God’s help. Applying and obeying Biblical principles to our budget will keep us from falling prey to the mighty dollar allure. 

Instead of letting money control us, use God’s word to control it.

Lord, forgive us for letting the love of money come before You.  Give us the tools necessary to manage Your blessings well. Let us live prosperously as we follow You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 33:14-34:33, Romans 16:10-27, Psalm 26:1-12, Proverbs 20:19

Daily Verse: “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore, do not associate with a simple babbler.” Prov. 20:19

Avoid gossip.

People who talk about others, sharing secrets without concern, define gossip. And at one time or another, we’ve probably all committed the sin; I know I have.

“If I can’t say it to them, I won’t say it behind their back” I answer when asked about gossip. The more God refines me, the less I talk about others.

“And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” Luke 6:31

Applying the Golden Rule to gossip helps us put it in perspective. I don’t want people talking about me, so I shouldn’t talk about others. Having suffered from gossip, I try to avoid it at all costs, not wanting to cause pain to others.

Don’t trust people who have a reputation for gossip. Simple babblers let the words flow from their mouths without thinking about how they will affect others or the secrets they spill.

Gossip destroys relationships, hurts others, and betrays trust. Avoid it at all costs.

Lord, forgive us for gossiping. Help us avoid talking about others, practicing the golden rule, do unto others as you want done to you. Let us glorify You with our speech, each day becoming more like Jesus. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 32:1-33:13, Romans 15:23-16:9, Psalm 25:16-22, Proverbs 20:16-18

Daily Verse: “Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.” Prov. 20:16

Fulfilled Obligation.

Character grows when we take responsibility for our debts. Becoming responsible for someone else’s obligations means you must pay them. Culturally at this time, taking someone’s garment means you accepted their debt. 

“The “one” for whom this person took responsibility is called “a stranger”—probably meaning other members of society.” Expositor’s Bible Commentary

In college, my mom paid off the $1000 car note I had to give me a leg up. Instead of making the best of the opportunity, I incurred more debt. Although Mom had good intentions, assuming my debt hurt me instead of helping me. She learned from her mistake and didn’t do it again. As a result, I learned financial principles and became fiscally responsible.

Applying Biblical principles to finances will help us grow in more ways than one. Practicing self-control through budgeting will develop our character and help us become fiscally responsible with God’s blessings.

Lord, forgive us for our poor financial decisions. Help us learn and apply Your principles to our lives, becoming fiscally responsible as we do. Thank You for providing for us; let us manage our blessings well. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 30:1-31:21, Romans 15:1-22, Psalm 25:1-15, Proverbs 20:13-15

Daily Verse: “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.” Prov. 20:14

Bad business.

In today’s world, undervaluing a product to get a deal, then bragging about taking advantage of someone’s naivete happens. I love a good yard sale where people haggle for prices, but I don’t try and rip people off.

My most recent yard sale purchase, a white dresser and nightstand for my craft room saved me money. During our annual community yard sale, I spotted the treasure, valued at $80. The seller didn’t want to come down on the price because of the time of day; with four hours to go, she wanted to wait, telling me to return at the end of the day.

However, the weather didn’t cooperate, and it started to rain. Heading home, we did as she asked. The homeowner, desperate to get rid of everything, had marked it all free. When I asked if her offer included the dresser, she said no, lowering her price to $40, which I accepted. Grateful to get rid of the furniture; the transaction benefited both of us.

Don’t take advantage of people to save a buck. Better an honest reputation than cheating people. Things in this world don’t last, but our reputation outlives us.

Lord, thank You for allowing us to practice integrity. Help us develop a reputation for honesty in business as we put You first in our lives. Let us honor and serve You well. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 29:1-36, Romans 14:1-23, Psalm 24:1-10, Proverbs 20:12

Daily Verse: “The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both.” Prov. 20:12

Spiritual awareness.

God gave us eyes to see and ears to hear the things around us, but also to use in service to Him.  Jesus came to tell the truth, but often, people can’t see it. The false narratives of this world captivate people and close their eyes to God.

People need God’s guidance, just like I do. Often, I ask the Lord to give me eyes to see and hears to hear what He wants me to do. I pray the same thing for others, both believers and non-believers because we all need God’s intervention.

We use our sight to perceive and understand the things around us. Hearing God’s word means we must obey what He says. Using our senses, we can discern the Lord’s will for our lives and move forward with Him, trusting His direction.

Often, God only gives us the next step in the journey. Rarely, if ever, does the Lord show us our entire itinerary. Following Jesus takes us on our greatest adventure, one step at a time.

Ask God for eyes to see and ears to hear, then marvel at what He reveals to you.

Lord, thank You for giving us senses to use in service to You. Open our eyes and ears to hear what You have for us. Help us follow You well as we gain a clear vision from You. IJNIP. Amen