Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

As the Psalmist exemplifies in his writing, living a lifestyle of praise and worship comes from a habitual practice of seeking God. Day after day, night after night, seeking the Lord through His words, people, and circumstances leads one to praise Him.

The more we experience life with the Savior, receiving the blessings that rain down upon us from heaven as we obey and submit to His precepts, the more we worship the Creator unabashedly. Understanding that journeys take steps and things don’t happen overnight helps us remain faithful in our walk.

God’s perfect timing unveils itself at His pace, not ours. Spending time in the waiting rooms of life gives us opportunities to contemplate the Lord’s ways. Diligently clinging to the Almighty on difficult days, trusting even though we don’t understand, will draw us into a more intimate relationship with the Lord as we experience His divine grace and mercy.

Obedience to God’s precepts brings falling blessings from above. As we submit our will to the Creator, we will experience life like never before. Each day will bring fresh gifts from the Savior that only come from following and obeying His commands.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for blessing our lives as we follow and obey You. Please help us wisely choose the steps we take today and always. Let us practice Your precepts daily.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Forsake, “nata” in Hebrew, means “turn aside, pervert, lead astray.” People deliberately take God’s laws out of context, perverting them and ridiculing the Creator. A show I saw recently exemplified the Psalmist’s words. As I watched it, anger grew inside of me at the way they flippantly portrayed the Lord and His statutes.

Free will, God’s gift to everyone, allows us to choose where we put our faith and how we live out our beliefs. Those who decide self over the Lord harden their hearts to God’s ways, often ridiculing His precepts. In the end, they will suffer the consequences of their decision.

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:15

Watching people make poor decisions and suffer the consequences grieves my heart and the Lord’s. Loving like Jesus means allowing people to make decisions and follow their chosen gods. But for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Pray for those who turn from God, and ask Him to soften their hearts. Love people well, give glory to the Lord, and pray they will choose Him over the world’s ways. Only with our eyes on the Son can we experience the abundant life He died to give us.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us the freedom to choose who we will follow. Please help us love others well, glorify You, and lead them to the never-ending living water.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

As a rule-breaker, I naturally try to find loopholes in instructions. For some reason, I must test the limits, which usually doesn’t end well. The older I get, the more I learn to just do what I’m told and not try to find a workaround. Life goes much easier when I listen and obey, rather than rebel.

God’s laws prove true. I’ve tested enough of them to know that I need to stop testing. Giving us commandments to live by helps us navigate our time on Earth, have healthy, life-giving relationships, and enjoy abundant days full of adventure. As Pastor Mark Batterson likes to say, “Playing it safe is risky.”

Following the Lord’s ways plays the game of life safely, but also brings risks as we try to do what He says. God leads us down the righteous path, but we never know where it goes or where it will take us. We must trust our heavenly Father, even when we don’t understand and face struggles we never imagined.

At the end of time, we will know everything, but for now we can lean into the arms of the Savior and trust Him to take us where we need to go, providing for all our needs along the way.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us an owner’s manual for life. Please help us apply Your laws to our days, becoming more like Christ and enjoying abundant life.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Monday morning, after Palm Sunday, I received a text I will never forget. One of my best friend’s granddaughters broke her arm in two places the day before while doing a flip in the yard, four years to the day from when she last broke it. The picture of the breaks will never leave my memory.

In that moment of my young friend’s pain, her dad swept her into his arms and comforted her. As I pondered that moment, I envisioned our heavenly Father doing the same thing for us. When we feel the pain of life, God swoops in and wraps His arms around us, comforting us from His divine position.

Texting my friend, I shared the vision with her and added, “but the pain blinds us to His comfort.” Hurt blinds us, the intense feeling taking over our senses, making it impossible to think clearly. But in those moments, God thinks for us, just like my friend’s son-in-law did for his daughter, taking her in his arms and caring for her.

Trust God’s promises today. Lean into His arms as He cares for you in your pain. Let the Savior heal you as only He can.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for swooping into our pain, picking us up in Your arms and caring for our hurts. Please help us remember Your promises when we get injured, trusting You for healing in all things.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Singing worship songs at church often makes me impulsively raise my hands to God. The emotion that overtakes me as I raise my voice to the Lord in praise automatically makes me want to lift my arms, open my palms, and fill my spirit with the Lord’s presence. Corporate worship, surrounded by other believers, encourages and uplifts my soul.

Walking in step with the Lord, learning, applying, and meditating on His statutes deepens our spiritual relationship. Any relationship requires work and intention. The more we think about God’s promises, the more we put them into practice, and the more we will want to praise His mighty deeds.

The most curious thing happens when we start applying God’s commands to our lives; we want to do it more and more because of the outcomes we experience. An indescribable peace helps us let go of our worries, knowing the Lord will care for them. Joy fills our spirits, and we can’t help but lift our hands in praise.

Meditate on a God-given commandment you applied to your life and the outcome of that decision. Ask the Lord for another promise you need to start trusting, then experience the peace that comes from it.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us unspeakable joy as we meditate on and practice Your promises. Please show us the promises we need to focus on today, allowing You to fight our battles as we worship You.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Training for a new position, surrounded by people I didn’t know, when asked, “Do you believe in God?” I needed divine courage to say, “I love Jesus.” Sometimes, caring what people will think can make us hesitate to share our faith. But as the pastor said in yesterday’s message, we have two jobs: plant and water.

Telling people what Jesus did and does for us plants seeds in their hearts. As they explore and ask questions, those seeds get watered. Sometimes we plant the seeds, sometimes we water them, but we don’t always do both. But we can’t do either if we don’t speak the truth of the Savior in our lives.

The minute I said, “I love Jesus,” the man beside me said, “Amen, Sister. My aunt thinks I’m lost, but I’m not. I love Jesus through and through.” Immediately, my hesitation left me as my new friend started watering the seeds I planted. And I took delight in God’s commandment that says if you deny Me (Matthew 10:33). I’ll deny you; I don’t want God ever to deny me.

Take delight in God’s commands as you put them into practice and watch Him work miracles in your life and those around you. Only when you do can you experience the divine delight.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for divine strength to speak of Your testimonies and delight in Your law. Please help us plant seeds wherever we go, watering them at every opportunity. Let us build Your kingdom with You, one day at a time.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

As a child, did you ever have a blissful moment where you twirled in the sun, enjoying the warmth of its glow and the beauty of God’s creation? I did. Growing up in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, when the seasons changed and winter gave way to spring, my heart soared as the trees budded and the flowers bloomed, and I could run the hills barefoot.

Living freely for Christ, hoping in the Lord’s promises, and experiencing the anticipation from trusting God and submitting to Him helps me discover that sense of wonder. Knowing that I’ve died to self and done what the Creator calls me to do lightens my load because I know He works all things to the good for those who believe in Him, and today’s struggles will fade in the light of eternity.

Where we place our faith determines the condition of our hearts. Trusting the Lord’s promises plants seeds of hope. But if we fill our souls with the things of this world, we will discover misery. Lasting peace only comes from above; we cannot find it on Earth.

Walk in freedom as you apply God’s laws to your lives, experiencing the joy of obedience and the peace that comes with it.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us Your laws to apply to our lives. Please help us discover the freedom that comes from obedience to You as we wrestle with today’s challenges. Let us live boldly for Christ.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

People like to make fun of what they don’t know. If they don’t know Jesus, they make fun of Him and His followers. Even after writing devotionals for years, a part of me still shrinks from people’s opinions. But then I think of Jesus, and the ridicule and mocking He took on the cross from His people, and I realize, I haven’t experienced anything close to what He did for me.

When people want to know why you follow Jesus, tell them about His love. Explain that love requires action, a verb has movement, a noun doesn’t. And Christ moved for us, from heaven to Earth, in bodily form, to create a connection that no one can break.

The steadfast love of the Savior has eternal bonds that tie us to our heavenly Father. As part of God’s family, we have nothing to fear on Earth, especially what other people think of us. The only opinion that matters has a divine vantage point on our lives. Nail scarred hands applaud us when we follow the Lord and obey His commands.

The more obedient we become, the more we will understand God’s love for us, and the more we will have to share with others when they ask.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for teaching us the ways of love through Christ. Please help us become imitators of Jesus as we put into practice His teachings. Let us always have a ready answer for anyone who asks.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Repentance brings forgiveness, which leads to new life. Releasing shame and guilt gives way to joy as the Lord gives us second, third, and fourth chances. None of us lives a sinless life. Each day, we make choices that go against God’s will, and often, we don’t know it.

God debunks the lies we believe with His truth. Allowing Him to search Your heart and shed divine light into the dark crevices will reveal weeds that have choked out the truth. Believing falsities takes our eyes off the Son and leads us off the narrow path.

Our minds can grab a lie and plant it in our souls as truth. Following the misinformation leads us off the straight and narrow. And in this world, deciphering truth takes divine help. I’ve often believed lies, and I discover the truth only with the Lord’s help. We can’t believe anything we hear or see on social media; we must verify the facts through trusted sources.

When we follow Him, God turns us away from our sins, making us long for His truth and ways. Let the Lord search your heart, pulling the weeds and planting seeds of truth in their place.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for debunking the lies we believe and giving us the second chance we need. Please help us seek Your truth and not the world’s. Keep us on the straight and narrow path with Your divine love.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Doubt creeps into all believers’ lives and can happen anytime. Years of following the Lord and nothing appearing to happen can make one wonder. We don’t understand many things God does because His thoughts and actions don’t conform to ours.

In Psalm 22, David describes a vision of Jesus on the cross, chronicling the pain of pierced hands and feet and feeling forsaken by His Father. But crucifixion didn’t start until 500 years after David’s life, and Christ’s sacrifice came another 500 years later. David couldn’t understand his vision or God’s actions at that moment.

But the shepherd boy always trusted that the Lord’s promises would come true. And they did.

Asking God for confirmation of His promises strengthens our faith, overcomes our doubts, and helps us live fearlessly for Him. Talk to the Lord honestly about your concerns, bare your heart to Him, and wait for God’s word to prove true in your life.

Jesus brought salvation to all who trust and believe in Him. Fulfilling prophecy, every promise the Lord makes, He keeps. The things of this world don’t stand the test of time, but you can trust the Rock of Salvation that never falters, and always provides a firm foundation to weather life’s storms.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for fulfilling Your promises and keeping Your Word. Please help us cling to the Rock as we wait for Your promises to unfold in our lives.
IJNIP. Amen