Month: December 2023

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zechariah 1:1-21, Revelation 12:1-17, Psalm 140:1-13, Proverbs 30:17

Daily Verse: “The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.” Prov. 30:17

Mocking looks.

Through our eyes, we see the soul.  Contemptuous looks run deep and reveal the person’s inner thoughts.  Mocking our parents with eye rolls results in severe punishment.

My Mom didn’t tolerate my disrespect.  Widowed and raising three teenagers alone, she didn’t have time for our shenanigans, and we had many.  I feel shame when I think how my contemptuous ways made her life harder during those years.

Both of my parents instilled the fear of God in me.  As a result, I realize that I must answer to the Lord for my actions.  Submitting to His authority means respecting His sovereignty, including who God gives us as parents.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

Our Creator expects us to honor our parents, not disrespect them.  If we follow the Lord’s command, He promises long days in the promised land.

Lord, forgive us for disrespecting our parents.  Please help us honor and respect our fathers and mothers, appreciating them.  Guide and direct us, allowing us to serve our parents well, glorifying You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Haggai 1:1-2:23, Revelation 11:1-19, Psalm 139:1-24,Proverbs 30:15-16

Daily Verse: “The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough” Prov. 30:15

Unsatisfied desires.

According to Agur, four things never find satisfaction: death, barren wombs, land that lacks water, and wildfires. Greed, symbolized by the leech, a blood-sucking creature that never gets enough, remains insatiable.

In other words, the leech’s daughters give and give and never get enough. No matter how much they get, they want more. Death never stops coming; the mortality rate always 100%. For women struggling to get pregnant, the journey challenges their faith. Parched land consumes any water it gets, and wildfires burn out of control, devouring everything in its path.

Agur makes the point that greed never finds satisfaction.   Like a gambler who experiences the thrill of winning, greed causes him to lose reason, never getting enough of the thrill, eventually losing everything.

Satisfaction comes from following Jesus. Developing an attitude of gratitude slays greed, as we appreciate what we do have instead of focusing on what we don’t.

Lord, forgive us for letting greed take control. As we turn our eyes to You, help us find satisfaction in Jesus. Give us eyes to see the blessings we have, filling our hearts with gratitude. Let us enjoy life to the fullest as we follow You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zephaniah 1:1-3:20, Revelation 10:1-11, Psalm 138:1-8, Proverbs 30:11-14

Daily Verse: “There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth.” Prov. 30:12

Inner cleansing.

Outer cleanliness doesn’t equate to inner cleansing. Showering and washing the day’s dirt off our body doesn’t clean the heart. Exterior cleansing differs from internal cleansing.

During my youth, people attended church because of the cultural norm. Fewer people attend church now than ever. Walking through the entrance doors, listening to the sermon, and saying the right things doesn’t cleanse you. 

Unless we let God’s word permeate our hearts and transform us from the inside out, we can’t experience inner cleansing. Allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate our shortcomings will enable us to address them.

Jesus transforms our lives with inner cleansing. Become sensitive to the nudges from within that steer you in a different direction. Humility comes when we acknowledge our shortcomings and change our actions.

Inner cleansing happens when we allow Christ into our hearts and minds.

Lord, forgive us for acting cleansed on the outside and remaining dirty on the inside. Help us become sensitive to the Holy Spirit, purifying our hearts and making us new. Free us from our sins as we confess them to You and change our ways. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Habakkuk 1:1-3:19, Revelation 9:1-21, Psalm 137:1-9, Proverbs 30:10

Daily Verse: “Do not slander a servant to his master,  lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.” Prov. 30:10

No meddling.

At first glance, today’s verse means don’t talk about someone to his boss. If you don’t speak the truth, you look like a fool. Think of every petty, jealous character on T.V.  The more they try to bring other people down, the more they fall themselves.

A second interpretation means you don’t get in other people’s business, or you will find yourself in trouble. Gladys Kravitz, the neighbor to Samantha on the pop culture sitcom “Bewitched” comes to mind.  She portrayed the epitome of a nosy neighbor who couldn’t keep their nose out of everyone else’s lives.

As Christ’s followers, we shouldn’t slander anyone. God commands us to use our words wisely, uplifting and encouraging others. Slandering does the opposite. And unless people ask for advice, we shouldn’t give it to them. Don’t use someone’s prayer request as an opportunity to meddle.

“If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it.” Mom’s advice stands true long after God called her home. I’m still learning to follow these words, but they keep me out of trouble.

Lord, forgive us for not using our words well. Please help us speak only uplifting and encouraging words, stay out of other people’s business, and honor You in all we do. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Nahum 1:1-3:19, Revelation 8:1-13, Psalm 136:1-26, Proverbs 30:7-9

Daily Verse: “Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,” Prov. 30:8

Balanced blessings.

Agur, the author of today’s verse, doesn’t want anything to take him away from his relationship with God. To draw closer to his Lord, Agur asks for divine help to prevent him from lying or becoming obsessed with possessing or wanting material things.

When in want, we can become desperate, willing to do anything to meet our needs. On the other hand, when we have plenty, we can forget who provided our blessings to us. Both situations bring us out of alignment with God, causing division in our relationship.

However, when we develop an attitude of gratitude, realizing circumstances can change instantly helps us stay balanced. In all situations, we can find something to give God praise. Corrie Ten Boom, a Holocaust survivor, thanked the Lord for fleas in her cell because they kept the guards away, allowing her and fellow inmates to study the Bible.

Keeping the Son in our eyes will help us maintain a centered lifestyle, develop integrity, and balance our blessings with an attitude of gratitude.

Lord, forgive us for getting caught up in worldly possessions. Help us develop an attitude of gratitude as we stay focused on You. Let us become more like Jesus every day. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Micah 5:1-7:20, Revelation 7:1-17, Psalm 135:1-21, Proverbs 30:5-6

Daily Verse: “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” Prov. 30:5

Flawless word.

Trustworthy purity, God’s word has no deceit or falsity in it, flawless in every way. Because we can trust the Lord’s word, we can take refuge in it, finding security in His promises.

“Your Bibles printed on paper are a blessing, but to have the Scriptures written on the heart is far better.” Charles Spurgeon

Writing God’s word on our hearts takes intentional meditation and memorization of His word. Not one of my strengths, I constantly work on inscribing scripture on my soul. Screenshotting a verse in today’s technological world lets me save it on my phone, make it my wallpaper, and learn it. As I move through whatever, God’s word guides me.

Imprinting scripture on your heart will lead you to the truth. God’s word opens our eyes to imperfections we can’t see in ourselves. Accepting our flaws deepens the desire for Jesus’ perfection, as He covers our sins and makes us new in Him.

Seek refuge in God’s truth and find peace.

Lord, forgive us our errant ways. Let us add nothing to Your word, accepting its truth and relishing in the security we find in it. Guide and direct us in all our ways as we pursue You with our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Micah 1:1-4:13, Revelation 6:1-17, Psalm 134:1-3, Proverbs 30:1-4

Daily Verse: “The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out.” Prov. 30:1

Honest confessions.

Agur, the writer of today’s verse, confesses his weariness. In the verses that follow, he laments his shortcomings. Lack of understanding and the inability to learn wisdom and knowledge of God tire Agur out.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

Isaiah’s words often run through my mind. More things happen in life that I don’t understand than I do. Bad things happen to good people every day with no explanation. Sometimes, our hard work doesn’t yield results, and life seems to mimic a hamster running endless circles on an exercise wheel.

Faith in God trusts His ways even when we don’t understand. Working all things to the good, the Creator does have a plan unfolding.

Trust the process.

Lord, forgive us for wearing ourselves trying to do things You never wanted us to do. Help us relax and trust Your plan for our lives. Allow us to accept our thoughts will never match Yours. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jonah 1:1-4:11, Revelation 5:1-14, Psalm 133:1-3, Proverbs 29:26-27

Daily Verse: “Many seek the face of a ruler, but it is from the Lord that a man gets justice.” Prov. 29:26

True justice.

Ultimately, God doles out justice. And we may disagree with the Lord’s actions. Cozying up to someone in authority to get what you want does no good if God Almighty has a different course of action.

When I flunked calculus during my long and arduous journey through college, I tried persuading my professor to give me a passing grade.

“Sometimes you need a kick in the butt, other times a pat on the back. Right now, you need a kick in the butt.”

My professors’ words rang true, and God’s justice for my lack of effort prevailed. As a result, I retook calculus and worked a little harder.

Doing the right thing and following God’s decrees takes more effort, but in the long run, it makes for a much smoother course. Don’t miscalculate and assume justice comes from an earthly ruler, directing supplication towards them, wasting time.

God decides consequences always has and always will.

Lord, forgive us for trying to manipulate outcomes. Give us the strength to take the high road, submitting our ways to You.  As we seek Your justice, let us find peace of heart. In all things, let our actions glorify You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Obadiah 1:1-21, Revelation 4:1-11, Psalm 132:1-18, Proverbs 29:24-25

Daily Verse: “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” Prov. 29:25

True security.

Fearing other people traps you. Lord knows I’ve spent many years caged with fear of others’ opinions and attitudes. Becoming a devotional writer helps me to let go of those snares as I draw closer to Him.

Emailing Ron for the first time after we met took a tremendous amount of faith. Waiting anxiously for his reply, I kept reminding myself, “God loves you, even if Ron rejects you. You have all you need in Jesus.” Psalm 118:8 became my prayer mantra:

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.”

Found in the middle of the Bible, David’s words give me peace. Man will always let you down, but God never will.

Live for the applause of nail-scarred hands, not the flawed thoughts of others. People create narratives; God reveals truth. Faith in the Creator brings proper security.

God’s unconditional love conquers all.

Lord, forgive us for worrying about what other people think of us more than what You think. Help us love ourselves as You intend, letting go of negative self-talk and replacing it with Your description of us. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Amos 7:1-9:15, Revelation 3:7-22, Psalm 131:1-3, Proverbs 29:23

Daily Verse: “One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.” Prov. 29:23

Pride and humility.

Nothing will bring one down faster than pride. For instance, my husband shot a perfect score in golf on the front nine this summer. Meaning he averaged par on every hole. In golf, each hole has a designated number of strokes to play, called par, something not easy to achieve. 

In Ron’s case, he had a bogey and a birdie. Golf lingo for one stroke over (bogie) and under (birdie) par, he achieved the golfer’s dream of shooting an even score. Ever since, my poor hubby has struggled with his golf game. Golf humbles people fast.

At the root of all sin resides pride. Gawa, the Hebrew word for pride in today’s verse, means majesty, glory, triumph, arrogance, conceit. Whenever we puff ourselves up because of an achievement, we can trust the bubble will break quickly. Hit a great shot and duff the next one; golf and life have much in common.

Holy Spirit sandpaper will keep us humble. Coming before the Maker, confessing our sins, and receiving His grace comes with a side of humility.

Lord, forgive us for becoming prideful. Help us to stay focused on You, remembering perfect doesn’t exist in this world, but Your grace and mercy do. Let us remain humble and hungry for more of You. IJNIP. Amen