Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

John 14:27-28

Experiencing the calmness of God gives you inner peace despite the circumstances. As Jesus faced the cross, he felt troubled, but His heavenly Father gave Him the peace to complete His mission. Knowing the Lord approved of His actions helped Jesus do what He had to do. We can have the same peace as we strive to live obediently for God, moving forward without fear or hesitation.

The world gives false peace based on self-reliance that doesn’t last. As much as we think we control our world, we don’t. Every breath we take comes from the Lord; nothing we do can make us live one minute longer than the Lord intends. We can’t control the actions of others or their thoughts. We will face troubles in this world, and how we respond to them determines where we place our faith. Trusting the Lord will bring us peace as we move through the storm, but trying to maneuver rough waters without Him will leave us adrift and alone.

What we have in the Lord beats anything the world has to offer. In Him, we can discover the peace that surpasses all understanding. Because of Jesus, we need not fear death, and we can experience grace and mercy that we can’t find any other way. Living in the unconditional love of the Lord gives us His strength to persevere despite the troubles we encounter. In Him, we can discover inner peace.

Application:

Peace comes from the Lord.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us peace we can find no other way. As the storm winds blow around us, keep us afloat. Let us persevere with faith as we trust You to either calm the storm or calm us in it. 

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear him, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Matthew 10:28-31

Living in a world that fears death, God tells us we shouldn’t because our souls can’t die.  However, if we don’t follow Jesus and submit our lives to Him, we will experience hell, which does exist.  After Death,[i] a documentary based on thousands of case studies of near-death experiences, shares stories of people who encountered both heaven and hell.  Only faith in the Lord keeps us from the fiery furnace.  Fearing God leads to everlasting life when we give Him the reverence He deserves; we need not fear anything else.

God knows the going ons of sparrows, not one of them falling to the ground without His awareness.  And the Lord knows how many hairs we have on our heads.  Recently I did a hair analysis test for allergies.  They needed 4-5 strands of hair to analyze.  When I clipped them from my head, you couldn’t even notice.  How the Lord knows how many hair follicles I have, I can’t begin to understand.  But I trust that He does.  The Creator knows the tiniest details about us, which should give us confidence that He also knows the big ones.

Our souls don’t die, everlasting.  Determining where we spend eternity comes down to believing in God or not.  Fearing the Lord and respecting His sovereignty means we have nothing else to fear.  God’s plan for our lives will unfold despite our efforts to deter them.  In our weakness, the Lord makes us strong.  In Him, we can trust.

Application:

Our souls don’t die.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your saving grace that gives us eternal life with You.  God, help those who don’t believe in Your mighty power.  Give them eyes to see and ears to hear the truth of Your existence.

IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21191906/

One-minute read.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 14:26

Operating from within our hearts, the Holy Spirit teaches us, making following Jesus real and reminding us of what Christ taught. Reading scripture helps plant its seed, and the Holy Spirit brings it to our mind when we need it, helping us serve God by obeying His word and putting it into action.

Long ago, during a training session for my old company, I found myself in a unique situation one night, waiting for dinner with my roommate and other colleagues. As a follower of Christ, no one else in the small group did, or so I thought. When my roomie asked if we believed in Jesus, I panicked. As a newbie to the job and to following Jesus, I didn’t know what to do, but then the Holy Spirit impressed upon me a scripture.

“But whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:33

“I follow Jesus,” I said, a bit timidly.

“Hallelujah!” said the guy next to me, starting to share Jesus with the group and how He had transformed his life.

In that moment, the Lord taught me many lessons. When I needed help, the Holy Spirit gave it to me. I’ve never doubted Him since, knowing the Helper will guide me, teaching me more and more how to rely on Jesus and serve Him well. God doesn’t leave us helpless; He gives us His Spirit that works within our souls to teach and show us the way.

Application:

God gives us the Holy Spirit to teach us.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us Your Spirit to help us on our journey. Let us learn the lessons well and trust in His guidance. Please help us become more like Jesus as we lean into the Holy Spirit and learn from Him.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Matthew 18:12-14

God loves everyone; He doesn’t want any of His flock to go astray. When we wander off the narrow path, the Lord comes looking for us, drawing us back into the fold. Rejoicing over the return of the one who went astray, the Shepherd loves each sheep, not wanting any to perish.

As a child, I placed my faith in Christ, but as a young adult, I turned from Him, living for myself. Looking back, I see that even though I left Him, the Lord never left me. With love and kindness, the Shepherd steered me back into the fold, never once losing sight of me. 

We have an enemy who prowls around like a lion, trying to pick off the Lord’s sheep from His flock.  By distracting and deceiving us, we can unintentionally head down the wrong path.  But the devil doesn’t win; God quickly thwarts his ploys.  As the Lord did with me, He gently steers us back onto the path of righteousness with love and tenderness, not letting the enemy get a foothold in our lives.

Jesus finds us and returns us to Him when we lose our way. We go astray, but the Shepherd doesn’t let us get lost. Instead, the Lord finds us and returns us to the flock, rejoicing with our return. God doesn’t want any to perish and all to find eternal life through Christ.

Application:

God finds us and brings us back to Him.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for shepherding us and not letting us go astray. Please help us stay on the straight and narrow, not leaving the path You have for us. Let us follow You closely.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

To an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

1 Peter 1:4

Imperishable inheritance comes from the living hope we have in Christ’s resurrection. Born again into God’s family by faith in Jesus, nothing can break the connection or take the gift from us. The Lord’s Spirit takes up residency in us when we give our lives to Him, never leaving nor forsaking us, with us wherever we go. Peace on Earth comes from the Holy Spirit that guides and directs our path when we live for God. Our inheritance awaits us in heaven.

A pastor friend of ours slipped into the arms of Jesus a few days ago. After battling bile duct cancer, the Lord called Patrick home quietly during the night. Social media posts about his impact on people’s lives because of his faith flood my newsfeed. Pictures of his smiling face, microphone in hand, sharing the gospel with audiences worldwide, our friend served the Lord well. God’s Spirit exuded from Patrick in everything he did. Now, he resides in the promised land, experiencing overwhelming love and receiving the imperishable inheritance he lived for here on Earth.

Once saved, always saved. New birth in Christ brings salvation to our lives, giving us a living hope and imperishable inheritance that awaits us when our journey on Earth ends. One day, the Lord will call us home, and we will receive the glorious riches that await us. But until then, we can live joyfully, knowing we have a secure future in Jesus.

Application:

An imperishable inheritance awaits us in heaven.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for saving us through Jesus, welcoming us into Your family, and creating an unbreakable bond. Please help us share the good news with others as we strive to love them to the best of our ability. Let us represent You well, drawing others into the family.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Psalm 24:5

Faithfulness receives rewards. God blesses those who walk in integrity and strive to live obediently for Him. Of course, none of us perfectly follow the Lord; we all fall short of the mark one way or another. God knows we make mistakes, so He sent Jesus to save us from our sins. Yet, we still beat ourselves up for not doing everything exactly right. For some reason, having grace for ourselves takes more effort than extending it to others.

Studying the book of Acts with a group from my old church, we’ve spent the last two days reading about Stephen, the first Christian martyr. After presenting the truth to the Pharisees, calling them out for their rejection of Jesus, the religious leaders stoned Stephen and “placed their outer robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.” (Acts 7:58). Saul became Paul, writer of 13 of the 27 books in the New Testament. After supervising the killing of Stephen, Paul gave his life to Christ, and we now read His letters to the churches as guides to help us follow Jesus.

When Paul turned his life over to Jesus, God forgave his sins, blessed his walk of integrity, and helped him live a righteous life for the rest of his days. Like the Lord did with Paul, He does with us, forgiving our past, blessing our efforts, and helping us live righteously for him. God loves us and transforms our lives when we follow Him.

Application:

God blesses our lives and helps us live righteously.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us new life in Jesus. Please help us forgive ourselves and allow You to transform our lives as we earnestly try to follow You.  Bless our efforts and lead us on the path of righteous living.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God, and he will be my son.

Revelation 21:7

People choose where they will spend eternity. In the Book of Revelation, John depicts the decision as two cities: the city of God or Babylon. Those who drink from the living water offered by Jesus will enjoy Christ’s heritage, living in eternity with Him.  But for those who fear persecution from faith in God’s Son and don’t believe in His saving grace, they will live in Babylon, a place devoid of the Lord.

Only through faith in Christ can people enter the pearly gates of heaven. God gives us the choice; He doesn’t force our residency in His city. And many people choose not to believe, placing things of this world before those of eternity. The car you drive, the size of your house, the money in your bank account, all those things will pass away. Life on Earth lasts but a moment; life in eternity never ends. And the Lord lets us choose our permanent address. We can live in His mansion or decide to live separately from Him.

When we place faith in Jesus, accepting God’s heritage, the journey to our heavenly home begins with the Lord’s peace here on Earth; we no longer need to fear death because Christ overcame it. For our loved ones who went before us, they wouldn’t want to come back, even if they could. When you choose to live in God’s city, you will experience life in ways you cannot imagine.

Application:

We acquire God’s heritage through Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us a choice of where we spend eternity.  Please help us make the right choice, place faith in Jesus, accept the grace He offers, and live fully in Him.  Each day, let’s choose again to follow You, knowing we have a secure place in Your city.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby; some have entertained angels unawares.

Hebrews 13:1-2

As believers in Christ, we have a common bond with those who enjoy the benefits of His saving grace and should have nothing but warm feelings toward them. Of course, we do still have our sinful nature, and every church contains imperfect people who do imperfect things. But ultimately, we should strive to love each other, despite our differences, to the best of our ability. Whether people believe in Jesus or not, God commands us to love everyone. Our actions draw people to Christ and help them discover God’s gift.

And sometimes, we entertain angels. On a girl’s hiking weekend at Canaan Valley, my friend and I feel sure we met an angel who saved our lives. Not having researched the area well, novice hikers, we decided to explore Dolly Sods Wilderness on our last day. Driving the windy mountain roads, we realized we might have bit off more than we could chew. Finally, when we found the trail entrance, a kind gentleman greeted us and immediately asked questions. In a few minutes, we realized we had not come prepared for the treacherous path and needed to find something else to do. Patiently, our angel gave us safer options that afforded beautiful views without the possibility of getting stranded on a mountain.

Show love to everyone you meet. Only God knows when He will place an angel in your path to entertain and possibly save your life.

Application:

You never know when you will entertain an angel.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for placing angels amongst us. Please fill our hearts with love and help us show affection to everyone we meet. Let us not become weary of doing good and entertain angels well.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Peter 2:9

“Chosen race” and “royal priesthood” emphasize God’s desire to bring the church to Himself. United with Christ, head of the church, we have a corporate role to worship, intercede, and minister to others. “Holy nation” shows how the Lord sets us apart to do His will, belonging to God,  His grace enables us to praise Him.  As believers, we must tell the world of the Lord’s beautiful acts, including overcoming death with Christ’s resurrection.

Jesus died for everyone, but not all will believe in Him.  Only those who believe in God’s Son benefit from adoption into His family. As we follow the Lord, transformation occurs as we leave our sinful nature behind, striving to become the best version of ourselves through Jesus. In Christ, we can find victory over the struggles of this world, living in His peace that surpasses all understanding as we love God and others. We become royalty when we enter the family of God through faith in Jesus.

The Lord desires all to know Him and none to perish. Commanded to share the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. As followers of Christ, we have a responsibility to tell others about the gift we have discovered. God claims us as His and empowers us with the Holy Spirit to fulfill our destinies and become more like Jesus daily. 

Application:

God made us part of His royal priesthood through Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for adopting us into Your family. Please help us fulfill our destiny as we pursue You, learning more about Jesus daily. Let us share the good news with everyone through our words and actions.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Philippians 3:21

When Jesus returns, we will receive a new body, one transformed into His resurrected one. In our weakness, our bodies struggle with persecution, disease, sinful desires, and death. But Christ’s coming will give us glorified bodies, showing our true character as children of the Almighty, sharers of divine life in Jesus. When Christ returns, everything will come under His authority, including our bodies.

Five of my family and friends have lost children for various reasons. Each of them knew Jesus. Walking through their grief, I find comfort in God’s promises for our future transformation. As I think of each of these beloved children, I see them at the foot of the cross, with transformed bodies, no longer suffering from the things they struggled with on Earth. Their time in this world didn’t last long, but their eternal life will never end.

Sharing God’s promises with others introduces them to the unconditional love of Jesus. His actions on the cross, arms spread wide, invite everyone into the eternal glory He offers. With grace and mercy, the Lord sent His Son, forgiving our sins and giving us new life in Him that will never end. Love God and others, giving the glory to Jesus. Let transformation begin today as we become more like Christ and help others do the same.

Application:

God gives us glorious new bodies.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for transforming our lives and bodies as we follow You. Please help us become more like Christ as we seek Him, living daily in His promises, obeying His commands, and drawing others into Your family. Let us boldly share what we have found in You.

IJNIP. Amen