Honest Reflections

Two-minute read.

Adding or subtracting words to scripture tempts anyone. When I’m writing a devotional, remaining true to the word takes a lot of soul searching. Understanding the meanings of words helps decipher the verse’s message.

In my women’s Bible study, we use the HEAR method: Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond. Reading through the New Testament together, we read five chapters a week. Each day, we highlight one verse, then explain, apply, and respond to it. After we finish our study, we text the group a picture of our notes.

The more we study scripture, the more we will begin to understand it. People take God’s word out of context all the time. For example, 1 Timothy 6:10 gets misinterpreted:

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

People think money causes the problem. However, love of money creates the issue because it becomes an idol. Anything we put before God needs to go; the Lord makes it clear that He must come first.

Studying God’s word with a group of women holds me accountable not to add or subtract from the verses. Scripture’s truth doesn’t always come easy, holding a mirror up to our sinful ways. When we allow the Savior to refine us, He always does it with love.

To live abundantly in Christ, we must carefully study His word, asking Him to help us understand it. God reveals truth to us as we develop our relationship with Him. With the Almighty’s guidance, we can mine the jewels found in His word. Each day, when we open the scriptures, God speaks to us through them. We don’t need to add or subtract anything; the Lord says it all perfectly.

Journal Question:

When have you wanted to add or subtract words to something in scripture?

How have you seen scripture taken out of context?

Who helps you study scripture and interpret it?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us Your word to guide and direct us. Please help us not add or subtract anything from it, but study scripture, allowing You to reveal its truth to us.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Security comes from trusting God, not man. When we place our faith in humans, they will disappoint and hurt us. But when we give our all to the Savior, we will live an abundant life we can’t imagine. When fear of man starts to control your actions, it becomes a snare, trapping you.

Streaming a series, one of the characters stepped into a bear trap, the steel teeth clamping shut over her boot. Only a skilled hunter could open the contraption and free her foot. Until her friend got help, they didn’t know what to do. Thankfully, they quickly found a forest ranger who rescued them from their dilemma.

We need rescuing from our fears, and only God can do it. Repeatedly in the Bible, the Lord tells us to fear not; He has our back. To live in His protection, we must obey and have reverential fear of the Savior, meaning a deep respect for His ways over ours. The more we obey the Creator, the more we will live in His peace and joy, gaining strength from our relationship with God.

“Every one of us, then, will have to give an account to God.”

Romans 14:12 GNT

Look around you; every person you see will stand before the Savior and give an account of their actions. We will all answer the Creator. For those who place their trust in Jesus, they have nothing to fear. But those who put their faith in themselves or others have something to fear. Jesus has the only empty tomb; all other “gods” fill their burial spots.

As with all things in life, you have a choice of whom you fear: God or man. No one can decide for you. Each day requires a fresh decision. If you put the Lord first, He will lead the way. But if you fear man more than God, you will find yourself in a trap.

Journal Question:

How have people made you fearful?

How would you define “Fear of the Lord?”

How has faith in Jesus freed you from the snare of man’s opinion?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for teaching us where to place our fear. Please help us live for nail-scarred hands, not public opinion. Strengthen us for the journey and help us give You the awe and respect You deserve.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Watching “Death by Lightning,” a movie about President Garfield’s assassination, Senator Conkling from New York had immense pride. Opposing the newly elected President’s politics, the New York Senator schemed and manipulated to undermine the cabinet appointees, eventually resigning to make a point and highlight his power.

However, Conkling’s plan backfired when he failed to win re-election, falling from grace for his overly confident agenda and never serving in the role again. Where once he had power, the Senator had none.

President Garfield, portrayed as a humble man of God, served only three months before dying. But he influenced his Vice President, Chester Arthur, a former Conkling ally who became his rival because of his love and respect for Garfield. Humility brought honor to the President; pride brought the Senator down. Where Garfield strived to remain loyal to his Savior and the people, Conkling served himself first, and as a result, fell hard.

Pride blinds us to truth. Feeling satisfaction from our achievements disregards the Lord’s participation in them. God gave us the breath in our lungs; we didn’t. Any opportunities we have, the Creator opened the door for them. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, we’ll give Him the credit He deserves.

God promotes those who honor and serve Him. As the scriptures say, take the lowest seat at the table, let the Lord decide when you should move up. But if we place ourselves at the seat of honor, God unseats us and puts us in our place.

Lead with humility by centering your life on Christ. God will give you honor for your loyalty; the prideful will fall as they worship themselves instead of the Savior. Focus your heart on Jesus, let Him lead the way, promoting you in His time, not yours.

Journal Question:

When has pride caused you to fall?

How has God promoted you?

How can you center your heart on Jesus today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for keeping us humble when we focus our eyes on Christ. Please reveal any areas of pride we need to address and help us honor and serve You in all we do.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Hardened hearts cause themselves pain. Rebellious and stubborn, people refuse to submit to God and continually separate themselves from the Creator. When you begin to recognize people’s hardness towards the Lord, you will start to spot it everywhere. Even Christ’s followers can have places where they have stiffened against God.

“I don’t want my heart to become a battlefield between hate and love.” Rebecca, Amish Grace.[1]

Detailing the tragic school shooting on Oct. 2, 2006, that killed five young girls, the movie Amish Grace tells the story. Immediately after the incident, the Amish families forgave the killer, offered love and support to his family, and stunned the world with their actions. One mother, struggling with the loss of her daughter, had a hard time forgiving; her heart hardened to the thought of pardoning the gunman. Rebecca, who also lost a daughter, understood why they needed to forgive. They had a choice to foster hatred or love, and to grow love, she had to forgive.

Our hearts become the battlefield of our emotions. We must choose to keep them soft or let them harden. The pains of life often cause us to build walls, but if we align ourselves with the Savior, He will help us keep the soil soft. Asking the Lord to keep your heart pliable will help you keep it tender.

When you feel pain, take it to the cross. Follow the Amish’s example and forgive quickly, trusting God’s plan in whatever the situation, even the most horrific ones. Life on earth doesn’t last long; we will spend far longer in glory than we do in the miseries of this world. Hold onto the hope of eternity with the Savior, give your heart to Him, and He will help you keep it soft.

Tremble before the Savior and experience the glory of His presence. Keep your heart soft and stay out of trouble’s way.

Journal Question:

How have you experienced a hardened heart?

In what ways do love and hate battle in your soul?

What can you do to keep your heart soft today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for teaching us about hardened hearts. As we travel through this world, please keep our hearts soft and tuned to You. We love You, Lord, use us as You will.

IJNIP. Amen

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[1] https://www.netflix.com/title/70143375

Two-minute read.

“You don’t listen to me, why should I listen to you?”

People tend not to listen. I do it to Ron, he does it to me, and we all do it to God. The closer the relationship, the better we get at not listening. From my perspective, we take people for granted, assume we know what they will say, or become so engaged in our own world that we ignore everyone else. Whatever the reason, when people don’t listen to us, we don’t listen to them.

And when we don’t listen to the Lord, He turns a deaf ear towards us. Simple but complex, we can use lying as an example. When we believe a lie of the world, such as “You do you,” we shift our perspective away from God. In our efforts to “do you,” our self-involvement causes us to ignore the Creator’s commands. But then we need something only the Savior can provide, so we turn to Him in prayer, expecting quick results. But God doesn’t listen, because we didn’t listen to Him. As Christ’s followers, we live with priorities different from our own. Joy comes from living by JOY: Jesus, Others, Yourself.

When we start listening to God, He bends down to hear our prayers (Psalm 116:2). If you begin the conversation with, “Lord, I’m sorry I’ve been so self-involved,” God wants to hear what comes next. As we begin to live by the Almighty’s precepts, we put Him and others before ourselves, swimming upstream in a world of “you do you.”

If you want God to hear your prayers, listen to His commands. Live by the Savior’s teachings and example and discover an intimate relationship with the Lord as He leans in to hear every word you say.

Journal Question:

When have you felt like God doesn’t hear your prayers?

What area of your life do you need to start listening to the Lord?

How would you describe a relationship with God?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for listening to our prayers. Please help us listen to You, apply Your teachings to our lives, and become more like Jesus. Let us glorify You in all we do.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“Hurry up! Let’s get outta here!”

Seven words you hear in any robber-type movie. As the thieves loot the bank, and the cops draw near, one of the crew inevitably yells, “Let’s get outta here!” I’m sure I’ve said it myself when doing something I know I shouldn’t do.

On the other hand, when the main character takes a stand, based on truth, entire movies come to life as they boldly pursue righteousness. Erin Brokovich, the 2000 drama, comes to mind. A single mother, working for a lawyer, discovers groundwater contamination caused by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, which resulted in cancerous tumors for numerous victims. Pursuing truth, Erin never backed down, standing up for those affected and finding justice through the legal system.

When someone knowingly sins, they try to run away from the guilt and consequences of their actions. But pursuing truth gives us boldness, because at its core, we find Christ.

“Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

John 18:37

Not everyone loves, nor searches for truth. They spend their lives fleeing from their actions. But for those who seek truth, they will find Jesus, and in Him, we have all we need. God guides us, helping us do the next right thing. As we learn to follow the Savior, we’ll become bolder as we discover our purpose by loving God and others.

Live for nail-scarred hands and experience the boldness that comes from righteous living, doing the next right thing. Watch the wicked flee as you stand firm, secure in Christ’s love and His purpose for you.

Journal Question:

When have you fled from wrongdoing?

In what ways does Christ give you boldness?

How would you define righteous living?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us directions for living. Please help us obey Your commands and become bolder in our mission as we give our lives to You.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

How someone responds to praise reveals their character. Refinement happens when someone achieves accolades. Saul and David give us an example of different responses.

“As they danced, they sang: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

1 Samuel 18:7

When the women praised David higher than Saul, the king became angry that they only credited him with thousands, and the shepherd boy with tens of thousands. Saul’s anger gave the devil a foothold, and he threw a spear at David in rage, but the younger man eluded it twice.

Saul’s hatred of David continued to grow; 1 Samuel chapters 18 and 19 tell their tale. Repeatedly, the king tries to kill David, never succeeding. However, when the young warrior has the chance to get revenge on his tormentor, David doesn’t. Finding Saul relieving himself in a cave, David cuts off a piece of the king’s robe, later showing it to him. The warrior wanted his ruler to know that he could have killed him, but didn’t.

Their relationship and responses to praise illustrate the difference between the two men’s characters. One became envious and enraged, the other humble and faithful. How someone handles praise reveals much about their personality and who they truly serve.

When someone praises you, give the glory to God, as David did. Stay humble by reminding yourself that victory came through the Lord; without Him, you won’t succeed. David won his battles because of the Lord’s presence in them, and when people tried to praise him, God’s warrior gave the glory to his Creator.

Journal Question:

Who handled praise well in your life?

Who has become prideful because of praise?

How have you handled praise in your life?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for showing us the difference in how to handle praise. Please help us remain humble and focused on You, no matter what the situation. Help us love You and others well, giving all the glory to You.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“If they’re worth bragging about, someone else will do it.” Mom’s words still bring me a smile as I recall the look on her face and body language that accompanied them.. Talking about someone who constantly self-promoted her kids, it drove my mother crazy. Mainly because the praise garnered had no basis, the co-dependent relationship and enabling only harmed her children, instead of helping them grow into adults.

At the time, I had never really thought about who should give praise to another. Since I’ve become a writer, I have a new appreciation for today’s verse. Not a fan of self-promotion, I find it difficult to talk about my books and work, which creates a dilemma: if I don’t advertise what I do, how will people know about it?

Wrestling through the topic with a spiritual mentor, she gave me wise advice. Jesus does for us what we can’t do for ourselves. As I prayed over her words, I gained clarity on what I should do for my promotion and what I should leave up to Jesus. When I leave things in God’s hands, it always works better.

Let others praise you, allowing Jesus to do for you what we can’t do for ourselves. Serve the Lord wholeheartedly, what you know to do, not for recognition, but for the Savior. Allow other people to express their appreciation, and ask God to keep you humble and hungry for more of Him.

The only applause we need comes from nail scarred hands. Jesus loves us so much that He died for us. What more praise do we want? In Christ, we have all we need to serve God by loving Him and others.

Journal Question:

When has someone’s self-praise aggravated you?

How have others praised you?

In what ways can you give someone else praise today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for teaching us about praise. Please help us let others do the praising, not doing it ourselves. And give us opportunities to praise others and spur them on the journey of life.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“…when we went to bed, we had no idea what we would be facing starting the next day. Hold your loved ones near. Forgive quickly. Make the most of each day. Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

A spiritual mentor’s social media post exemplifies today’s verse. She lost her husband after a brief battle with cancer. Showing no physical symptoms, he had a pain in his side that took them to the hospital, where they discovered he had a rare form of cancer that would take his life in less than a year.

Adding a P.S. to her post, my friend shared that we don’t know what the future holds—not five minutes from now or five days from now. None of us controls life, nor knows how long we or any of our loved ones will live. And we shouldn’t think we do.

Her wise words come from the heartache of loss. Since we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, we should enjoy what we have today, hold our loved ones close, forgive quickly, and not sweat the small stuff. Instead of boasting about tomorrow, we should say, “God willing…this or that.” Only the Lord knows what tomorrow holds, and in His time, He reveals it to us.

Until then, we can make the most of now by thanking God for what we do have rather than what we don’t. A favorite news podcast I listen to ends every Friday with the same line, “God willing, we’ll see you back here on Monday.” Nine words reveal the truth; the journalists understand they don’t know what tomorrow holds.

Instead of boasting about tomorrow, put it in the Lord’s hands and live in the moment. When speaking about the future, say, “God willing, I will do this or that.” Use the phrase as a reminder of today’s verse and the fragility of life. Don’t miss out on what the Creator has for you in this day, trusting He’s got the future covered.

 Journal Question:

How do you boast about tomorrow?

In what ways can you begin living more in the moment?

How does trusting God for tomorrow affect you?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for having all our tomorrows in Your hands. Please let us live fully in the moment, learning and loving as You would have us to do. Let us trust You not only with tomorrow, but today.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Sharing my opinion about a public figure on social media, I received a comment that baffled me. A friend attacked the person’s character, marriage, and faith, but didn’t address the post. Hypocrisy dripped from the words, and my heart ached with sadness as I realized not only that they believed lies, but also their rejection of God.

My friend’s words looked dazzling on the surface, but once investigated, they quickly revealed the hatred brewing in their heart. At the center of every matter, you can find spiritual warfare. Digging into a person’s views will eventually lead to the state of their heart.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Proverbs 26:24

Sadness touches my heart when people believe in the world’s lies. Filling their souls with the smooth talk of the media’s headlines, then spreading it with pleasant words, covers the hatred they feed. Ask Jesus for discernment to identify the lies, and then pray for the person. Ask God to give them eyes to see and ears to hear, pray for them to give their hearts to the Savior, and experience the life change He gives us. Love defeats hate every time.

Pleasant words hide true feelings. Feeding hatred breeds it. The enemy wants us to dehumanize people, which then makes it easy to hate them. God values all human life; He makes us equal. When we fill our hearts with Jesus and strive to follow His example, we won’t hate people; we will love them, even those with a different perspective than ours.

Asking God for His wisdom will help you quickly identify those covering up hatred with their words. Don’t engage in hate; instead, pray for them, asking the Lord to soften and change their hearts. Only with divine intervention will they begin to see the truth. Become more like Jesus by leading with love and extending grace. In Him, we have all we need.

Journal Question:

When did someone cover up their hate with pleasant words?

In what ways do you protect your heart?

How can you fill your heart with love today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us eyes to see and ears to hear the heart behind the words. Please let us respond in love and grace, lifting them to You and praying for their salvation.

IJNIP. Amen