Honest Reflections

Two-minute read.

Leaving Bethany, Jesus feels hungry. Seeing a fig tree, He approaches it, looking for fruit. Filled with leaves, the tree has no fruit, too early in the season for harvest. However, even though harvest time hasn’t arrived yet, the tree should still have some early figs that could nourish the Savior, but it has none. From appearances, the tree had all the outward signs of fruitfulness, but nothing to offer. On His way to the temple, the fig tree represents what Jesus will find when he arrives, the illusion of fruitfulness but no fruit.

Because the fig tree had beautiful leaves, it appeared to have fruit. Impressive appearances don’t equate spiritual productivity. Many people do and say the right things, but produce nothing. A common saying sums it up well: People miss heaven by 18 inches. In other words, they have the head knowledge of Jesus, and from outward appearances follow Him, but don’t have the heart connection required to produce the fruit of the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

Many people confess faith but produce no fruit. The fig tree, full of beautiful leaves, has nothing to show for its outward appearance. And so, Jesus curses it. From the moment we place our faith in Christ, we begin producing fruit, whether we realize it or not. Telling others about our new faith in God’s Son shares the gospel and begins a journey to our destinies in Jesus. The fig tree, even though early in the season, should have some edible buds on it, in the process of maturing to figs. When we begin following the Savior, spiritual fruit buds begin to blossom. As we grow in Christ, we produce the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Jesus’s symbolic act doesn’t come from random frustration but rather prophetically warns against fruitless faith. When faith looks alive but lacks the substance of obedience, prayer, mercy, and genuine trust in God, it produces nothing. Our Savior knows the condition of our hearts and the fruit we produce. For those who talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk, they will answer to Jesus. They may fool people, but no one fools the Almighty.

Bearing beautiful leaves should produce delicious fruit. As we begin this journey of understanding prayer on a deeper, more intimate level, trusting the Lord hears and answers our prayers, we must start with self-reflection. We must ask ourselves, do we cultivate faith, or maintain an image? We may fool others, but we don’t fool Jesus. Praying with confidence that God has already answered our prayers requires an active faith that produces the Spirit’s fruit, sharing the gospel, and loving people for the Savior.

Journal Questions:

Where in my life am I appearing fruitful but spiritually dry?

Am I cultivating fruit, or just maintaining image?

Is my faith visible in my appearance or in character, love, obedience, and prayer?

Application:

Ask God to reveal any area where appearance has replaced authenticity. Write one step toward genuine spiritual fruit.

Two-minute read.

Yada, the original Hebrew word for praise, means to speak of the excellence of someone or something; to give thanks has a focus on the gratitude of the speaker, make a public confession, make an admission.[1] Telling people about God’s works in your life, and giving the Creator credit, praises Him. We serve an excellent Savior who lived a sinless life, suffered on the cross for us, and rose again, defeating death, and leading us to eternal glory with Him. We can live a life forever thankful for what Jesus did for us.

As we end this 42-day gratitude challenge, let’s embrace a lifestyle of forever thankfulness. As we face the days ahead, let’s do so with excited anticipation of what the Lord will do in our lives. Let’s believe we receive from God every day and readily praise Him for it. Belief opens the door to possibility. What we find impossible, the Lord makes it possible when we align our hearts with His and allow Him to direct our steps.

We think we know what’s best for our lives, but we don’t. Left to our own devices, we can get ourselves into all kinds of trouble. Over vacation, I indulged in ice cream and sweet treats almost every day, sure it wouldn’t affect my weight. However, when I arrived home and got on the scale, I’d gained five pounds. Having just come off a 40-day fast, my body preferred fasting to feasting. When I fasted, I did so for the Lord; when I feasted, I did so for myself. God’s way always works best. The Almighty has a plan for our lives, which, if we let Him, will lead us on a grand adventure to glory. But if we don’t allow the Lord to lead, following obediently, we’ll never experience the blessings God can’t wait to give us.

By living a life of gratitude, we’ll look for the good in every situation, and we’ll discover the Lord in it. When we keep the Son in our eyes, giving God the credit He deserves, we will praise Him continually and live a life forever thankful.

Don’t wait another moment, set your sights on Jesus, and praise Him for the new life He gave you on the cross. Lay your burdens at His feet, pick up your cross, and follow Jesus. When you put on His yoke, yours becomes lighter, and you will find everything you need to persevere in your purpose.

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! In Him, we have everything we need to live this life abundantly on our voyage to heaven.

Journal Questions:

In what areas do you struggle with having gratitude?

What’s one thing you can start today that helps you live forever, thankfully?

List things you can thank God for every day.

Application:

Use gratitude as a point of eternal worship.

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[1] NIV Exhaustive Concordance Dictionary Copyright © 2015 by Zondervan

Two-minute read.

As a teenager in the eighties, I loved the movie “Footloose,” about a city boy who moves to a small town and takes on a grieving preacher’s strict rules. After losing his son in a tragic car accident, the preacher blames dancing for the loss and forbids anyone in the town to partake in anything remotely like it. Of course, the pastor has a beautiful daughter, who captures the city boy’s heart and inspires him to confront her father. Standing in front of the town hall, the young hero reads a passage from Ecclesiastes:

“…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…”

Ecclesiastes 3:4

As the young high school boy reads these words, the emotions play over the pastor’s face as truth takes root, shedding light on the darkness. In life, we will grieve and dance, but not at the same time. Everything has its time and place. Unfortunately, times of intense pain do happen to everyone. Loss of a loved one, especially in an unexpected tragedy, knocks us off our feet, and getting back up challenges anyone, but when we know the Lord, He will help us find our footing. And believe it or not, with God’s help, like the pastor, we can even dance again.

Seasons come and go, the happy and the sad. Today’s circumstances can change in a breath, either way. During a period of unemployment in my early thirties, it seemed never to end. Five months felt like five years. As I pounded the pavement, sending resumes, following up on leads, doing everything I could to land another job, nothing happened. As I battled the hopelessness of those days, I kept my eyes on Jesus by beginning to tithe. Faith sustained me. And a phone call turned my frown upside down when I got offered my dream job, making more money than I’d ever made in my life.

We journey through the seasons of life. By keeping our eyes on Jesus, we’ll cherish the good times and persevere through the bad, knowing that everything has its season. Eventually, we’ll leave the troubles of this world behind and spend eternity basking in God’s glory. Until then, we can trust that the seasons will end and time will continue to move forward, each of our journeys different.

 Journal Questions:

What season do you find yourself in today?

When you think of seasons in your life, how does today’s verse apply to them?

How do you cherish the seasons in your life?

Application:

Thank God for His faithfulness through changing times.

Two-minute read.

Committing to living a life of gratitude, the Psalmist, David, gives his whole being to praising the Lord, inwardly and outwardly. By remembering all the things God did for the warrior, David has nothing but praise to offer. The Lord helped him defeat Goliath, evade Saul’s attacks on his life, become king of Israel, and place David in the lineage of Christ. You can understand why the shepherd boy who turned king gave his life to praising the Almighty.

Throughout Scripture, God tells His faithful servants to remember what He has done for them. When God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He told them to remember the rescue and what the Lord did to Pharoah (Deut. 5:15, 7:18). In Joshua, after the Israelites successfully crossed the Jordan on dry land, God told them to use stones from the river to remember from “generation to generation” what He did (Joshua 4:6-7). Several times throughout the Psalms, the author vows to remember what God did (Psalm 77:11-12,103:2, 105:5). In Luke, at the last supper, Jesus tells us to take communion in “remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19). And Peter tells believers to remember the words spoken by God (2 Peter 3:1-2). Why does the Lord tell us to remember?

Remembering helps us to trust instead of fear, obey instead of drift, worship instead of forget, and live humbly instead of claiming credit. When we remember the work God does in our lives, like David, we can praise the Savior with our entire being. When I think back to the beginning of my walk with the Lord, to where He has brought me in the last few decades, I can’t help but praise Him. God rescued me from the pit, cleaned me off, and helped me find a new way to live. By following Jesus, I’ve learned to build healthier relationships, make better financial decisions, and constantly learn something new as He transforms me one day at a time. Christ helps me become a new creation, one day at a time. Praise God!

At 6:59 a.m. at the time of this writing, I can praise the Lord for getting me out of bed this morning, the cup of hot tea I’m drinking, and my husband sleeping in the room next to me. I’m grateful for our dogs that lie at my feet while I write, the food we have in the cupboard, and the roof over our heads. When we take time to list the work God does in our lives, we don’t have to look that far in the past. The Lord never sleeps, always doing something in our lives. As we start noticing, we’ll quickly realize we can’t count all the divine blessings in our lives, and we will begin to live a life rooted in gratitude.

Journal Questions:

List ways God has transformed your life since you began following Him?

In what ways do you remember the Lord’s work in your life?

List ten things God has done for you today.

Application:

Remember all God has done.

Two-minute read.

Once we receive Christ, Paul instructs the Colossians and us to continue to live for Him. The powerful moment of salvation, when we give our lives to Jesus, marks the starting point of a lifelong journey of transformation. Receiving the Holy Spirit, He will guide our steps as we spend time developing our relationship with Him.

“I’m willing to bet you didn’t propose over the phone?” When Marshall University lost its entire football team in a tragic airplane crash in 1970, it needed the NCAA’s approval to play first-year students so it could field a team the following year. When the university president received no, after no, Jack Lengyel, head coach, challenged the president with that question. As a result, the president goes to the NCAA, asks for their help in person, and receives the approval needed.

If we don’t have a personal relationship with the Savior, we can’t live rooted and built up in Him. Jesus always answers our prayers, but if we don’t start the conversation, He can’t intervene. Phoning in a relationship with Christ doesn’t work. He knows the condition of our hearts and the motivation behind our actions. The Lord knows whether we live for Him or ourselves. And as a gentleman, Jesus doesn’t go where He’s not wanted.

I’m willing to bet that if you don’t spend time with the Lord regularly, you won’t experience the blessings He has for you. No one wants to walk through heaven’s gates and see all the blessings they missed because they didn’t stay rooted in Christ. Roots dig deep, clawing through the dirt, growing larger and stronger as they tap into the living water, which nourishes them and helps them grow even more. The more rooted we become, the more fruit we will produce. Tall maples have roots no one sees, the system intricate, complex, and sturdy; they withstand the storm winds with ease. As Christ’s followers, the more rooted we become in Him, the easier we’ll navigate life’s storms because of the hope we have in Jesus.

Root yourself in the Savior, dig deep into God’s word, and allow it to transform. You will never regret the time you spend with Jesus. Let scripture draw you into an intimate relationship with the Savior as you apply its principles to your life. Discover God’s truth, letting Him build you up, and giving you new life in Christ.

Journal Questions:

Describe what “rooted in Christ” means to you?

If you had to describe your faith roots, what would you say?

How can you begin growing deeper roots today?

Application:

Root yourself in thanksgiving.

Two-minute read.

Do everything for God’s glory, and your light will shine brightly to the world around you. People will notice a difference and, like moths, find themselves drawn to the flame. Have you ever watched moths with light? Living in the country, I love watching them. As soon as you turn on a light, a moth will come. When we live for Jesus, we turn on His light in us, and people will come to it.

“People don’t want to be around grumpy people,” a friend said one day while golfing. I had to laugh at her simple observation and the truth in it. When I think of Jesus, I don’t think of grumpy; I think of love. In my mind, I see Him drawing the children to Him, laughing and playing. Pictures of the Savior healing the sick, turning water into wine, and exorcising evil spirits all draw me to Him. The more I know of God’s Son, the more I want to know.

When we become more like Christ, applying His teachings to our lives and doing what He did, people will want to know more. As the world sees Jesus’s followers handling adversity, overcoming impossible odds, and boldly proclaiming their faith, no matter what their circumstances, it intrigues them. Where non-believers have no hope, adrift amidst a sea of uncertainty, we have the Rock. We can cling to Jesus and trust His guidance. The Lord leads us home, one day at a time.

Shine your light through gratitude. By giving God credit for the work He does in your life, you fuel the flame. We do nothing without the Savior. He gives us the breath in our lungs, He equips us for our calling, and He walks with us, wherever we go. Without the Savior, our lives will never transform, and we’ll never experience an abundant life with divine peace and joy. Only when I relax into God’s will, aligning my heart with His, do I enjoy His heavenly blessings.

Light the flame each morning by spending time in the Lord’s presence with His word. Allow scripture to settle into your soul, purifying it as God’s Spirit reveals truth to you. Confessing sin transforms your life, Christ’s mercy allowing you to try again and do things differently. Over time, people will notice the transformation: your light shining brightly and leading others to Jesus.

Journal Questions:

Describe someone whose light shines brightly for Jesus? What makes them different?

How brightly does your light shine?

What can you do today to fuel the flame and make your light brighter?

Application:

Reflect God’s light through gratitude.

Two-minute read.

“Why do people go out drinking on Saturday night and to church on Sunday morning. That doesn’t seem very Christ-like to me?” My sister-in-law peppered me with the question for years, never accepting my answers. But this verse answers her question. Receiving God’s grace, given to us by Jesus on the cross, does free us from our sin nature. However, the freedom we receive doesn’t give us a license to sin. In other words, once we admit and acknowledge our wrongdoings, God wants us to stop doing them. Jesus says to us what He said to the naked, adulterous woman, caught in her sin, dragged through the streets to the Savior for judgment.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

John 8:11

Paul instructs the Galatians, and us, to use our freedom in Christ to serve others, not to sin repeatedly. However, we may struggle to let some things go more than others. A favorite sermon illustration comes to mind. Seeking advice from his pastor, the alcoholic asked him, “Why do I still have the desire to drink?”

“Well, what do you do when you want a drink?” The pastor questioned.

“I get on my knees and pray.”

“Would you pray as much if God took the desire away from you?”

As Jesus’s followers, He wants us to leave our lives of sin and rely on Him for all our needs. The Lord desires us to use our newfound freedom to serve others, and by doing so, we share Jesus with them. Drawing closer to the Savior, we will align our hearts with His and desire what He desires. Living in sin leads only to death, but receiving God’s grace fills us with His Spirit and leads us to an abundant life. People who get stuck in their walk with the Lord, unable to let go of their sin and move forward, never experience the abundance of blessings God wants to give them. Only when we become obedient to Christ will we enjoy His harvest of blessings.

Use your God-given freedom wisely to serve others. Leave your sin in the past, and live for the applause of nail-scarred hands. The Lord will help you find victory over whatever struggles you have. In Him, you will discover life to the fullest. Embrace the Savior’s grace today, live in the freedom He died to give you. Honor Jesus by serving others and loving them well.

Journal Questions:

How have you discovered freedom in Christ?

In what ways do you struggle with habitual sin?

How can you go and sin no more with Jesus?

Application:

Use gratitude to motivate service.

Two-minute read.

Currently, I’m helping my pastor’s wife with her memoir. Having battled breast cancer, she felt the Lord urging her to write her story. As we began outlining the chapters, the book changed from a memoir to a lifelong testimony to God. Starting with her diagnosis, we paralleled it with when she first met Christ, designing the book to show how the Lord prepared her for the eventual battle with cancer, and then how He carried her through the long, hard days of chemo and recovery. Now, almost ten years out from the fight, my friend sings God’s praises, not only in our worship band, but by telling her story.

Giving thanks out loud happens when we tell our story, and God’s part in it. I can tell how I asked Jesus into my heart as a young girl, how I wrestled with Him, after my dad’s death. When I talk about dark days from my past, I can share with people how God met me in the pit and helped me find my way back to solid ground. And I can tell people how each day, when I spend time with the Lord, He transforms me and helps me become more like Jesus. Giving thanks out loud happens when we tell people about God in our lives.

Journaling helps you organize your thoughts so you can tell your story. Listing things the Lord does for you and thanking Him helps you remember. The devil can easily get us off track; we can lose focus on the Creator’s work in our lives if we center our attention on the chaos of the enemy. But when we become intentional about noting the small and big things God does for us, we’ll give thanks out loud without realizing it. Giving credit to those who deserve it always starts with the Savior. If we didn’t have Him, we wouldn’t have victory. His actions on the cross defeated death and gave us eternal life. Nothing we can do will ever accomplish what Jesus did when they pierced His hands and feet, nailing Him to the old rugged cross.

Take a few minutes and list ten things God did for you yesterday, then thank Him by telling others about His glorious work in your life. Day by day, the Lord leads us home, helping us on the journey and giving us plenty of reasons to praise Him. Give the Creator the credit He deserves, and help others come to know His saving grace.

Journal Questions:

List ten things God helped you with yesterday.

How often do you tell people about God’s work in your life?

In what ways can you praise God out loud today?

Application:

Strengthen your faith by sharing gratitude.

Two-minute read.

Jesus didn’t leave us hanging. When He ascended to heaven, He left us with the Holy Spirit. Christ’s officially delegated representative makes His presence real to us. Instructing us from within, the Spirit teaches us and reminds us of the Savior’s teachings. Impressing God’s commandments on our hearts and souls prompts us to obedience. Unless, of course, we ignore the nudges, which everyone does at some point or another. Thankfully, we have a God of second chances who will bring the situation up repeatedly until we get it right.

Writing a devotional the other day, I quoted a book I’m reading. At the time, I didn’t give the author credit when I wrote it. But as I continued writing, I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit to go back and properly note the sentence. When I write, I do a “first draft” putting my thoughts down on paper, then go back and edit. But in this situation, I didn’t want to forget to give the author their due, and the Spirit prompted me to do so quickly rather than wait for editing. And so I did, making sure to give proper credit for the quote.

Why does that matter? By crediting the author, I maintain my integrity, not taking credit for someone else’s work. As a writer, I know how much time it takes to create something out of words. A skilled author makes writing look easy, and as if it took no time at all, but in reality, it took hours and hours of learning and effort. Therefore, I want to make sure people get the proper credit for their work, and I hope they will do the same for me. But whether they credited me or not doesn’t matter as much as ensuring I do the right thing. The Holy Spirit’s prompt helped build my integrity and strengthen my character.

Striving to become more like Jesus only happens when we follow the Spirit’s prompts. Christ cared about the small things, and so should we. We must accept our imperfections and strive to do better each day the Lord gives us. God knows we will never acquire perfection, but He does want us to try to improve. Clothing ourselves in Christ leads us to new life, which causes us to deny ourselves for the sake of others. If we tune in to the Holy Spirit, He will lead us on the path of righteousness, one step at a time. Only when we listen to the right instruction will we discover right living, and by doing so, discover the freedom that comes from following Christ.

Journal Questions:

How do you experience the Holy Spirit’s prompts?

How has the Spirit taught you lately?

In what ways can you become more in tune with the Holy Spirit?

Application:

Thank God for His help and comfort.

Two-minute read.

“Don’t forget, the joy of the Lord is our strength,” Jimmy said randomly at the end of our small group one night. We had finished our discussion on the week’s sermon and prayed over prayer requests when our leader sent us off with these words. When I heard the phrase, I didn’t realize it came from Nehemiah. As soon as I got home, I looked up the passage, and ever since, I quote the eight words every chance I get. Joy of the Lord comes from complete confidence in Him, no matter the situation, understanding that this life will pass quickly, but eternal life with the Lord will never end. We can face today’s mountain because God will move it; nothing keeps us from His glory when we place our faith in the Savior.

Joy remains when happiness flees. Because we choose God and trust His plan, even when we don’t understand it, we can experience divine joy. Planning our first Joyful Heart Connections breakfast, we had a meeting a few days before. “Well, we have a problem that we can’t control; it’s supposed to snow Saturday,” Claire said as we began our time together. So focused on tasks for the event, I hadn’t thought about the weather. Instant disappointment welled up within me. Then I thought, “Well, if that’s God’s will, then I trust it.”

The same storm hindered our vacation plans. Supposed to leave two days after the event, an unusual polar vortex sent ice across the southern United States and up the East Coast. No one went anywhere, and the Lord delayed our vacation for two days. Again, I thought, “I trust God’s will, He’s protecting us from things we don’t know.” Instead of losing my joy, I trusted the Savior and had a lovely day at home, catching up on projects I needed to get done.

The Lord instructs us to “count it all joy” when facing trials, viewing them as opportunities for growth. When we adopt a joyful mindset, we choose to focus our gaze on the Savior rather than our problems. In God’s presence, we experience the fullness of joy. Divine joy comes from delighting in the Lord’s goodness and secure hope in Him, rather than superficial emotions. Set your gaze above, align your heart and mind with the Savior, and gain strength from the joy you find in Him.

Journal Questions:

How would you define divine joy?

Describe the difference between joy in the Lord and happiness.

How has joy strengthened you in life’s storms?

Application:

Thank God for the strength you gain from His joy.