Author: Beth Morrison

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

Two-minute read.

As a lifelong dog owner, I’ve witnessed my four-legged friends returning to their vomit; they always do. And fools repeat their folly, incapable of learning from their mistakes. Wisdom learns, folly repeats.

For instance, in college I received a credit card. With no job or income, the banks let me overspend, and I did. When I maxed out that card, I got another one and began playing the “transfer balance” game. Eventually, financial institutions refused to give me more credit. Only then did this fool stop returning to her folly.

Forced to take a hard look at my spending habits, I recruited my fiscally responsible brother to help me learn how to manage money. I will never forget the night he came over and put me on a budget, went through my entire bank account, told me what to cut and what to keep, and helped me get my act together. As a result, I finally stopped returning to my foolish ways and became a fiscally responsible person.

We all play the fool in one way or another. For whatever reason, we do things that hurt us, knowing they will cause us harm, yet we keep doing them. Overeating, frivolous spending, poor work habits, not preparing for exams, on and on the list goes of ways we knowingly harm ourselves.

Thankfully, we have a Savior who gives us His wisdom when we ask for it. Divine intervention helps us see the error of our ways and do things differently. The more we apply biblical wisdom to our lives, the less we will return to the vomit of our mistakes. Remaining teachable leads to a more abundant life with less self-induced heartache.

Lean into Jesus and let Him teach you His ways. Leave the foolish behavior behind as you gain divine wisdom and apply it to your life.

Journal Question:

When have you repeated foolish ways?

How have you learned to leave folly behind?

In what area do you need Jesus’s help today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for leading us away from our foolishness as we follow You. Please help us seek Your wisdom in all things so that we can live fully in You.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

When Solomon wrote these words, people commonly believed in the reality of blessings and curses; if someone spoke a curse against another, it would come true. However, the wisest of all men set the record straight, correcting superstition with God’s powerful Word. False narratives fall, ill wishes don’t find a landing spot, and unjustified accusations become homeless.

People curse others all the time. Wishing something negative upon someone else constitutes a curse. Whether you want them put in their place or taught a lesson, any undeserved curse won’t last long. Divine justice protects the innocent. Any false accusations or poor desires for another party won’t stand.

Hurting people hurt others, a common phrase among Christ’s Followers. When we feel pain, often without realizing it, we inflict pain on others, and sometimes we do that by wanting them to experience some suffering. However, if we knew their hidden struggles, it might change our hearts and minds.

Everyone you meet today has a struggle happening in their life. Just because people don’t tell you about their problems doesn’t mean they don’t have them. Before we draw any conclusions or issue any statements, we should get to know the person and avoid snap judgments.

As Christ’s followers, we must seek the Lord for discernment and wisdom before drawing conclusions about another. Instead of rushing to a hasty judgment, if we take the time to get to know someone, they become more human to us.

Utter blessings upon people. Nothing makes me smile more than when someone says, “God bless you.” For churches to become known for their love, they must lead with it. Blessing others takes a step towards loving them. When we desire the best for others rather than the worst, it pleases God and warms His heart.

Journal Question:

When have you had ill wishes for someone else?

In what ways have people made accusations against you?

How can you bless people instead of cursing them?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for protecting us from undeserved curses. Please help us live in a manner that honors You and blesses others. Let us represent You well.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

When we can’t say no, we become vulnerable. Lacking a defense, any temptation that comes our way can make us tumble. Homemade New York-style cheesecake made me lose control this morning when I ate a leftover piece for breakfast. Now my belly feels queasy, from my lack of self-control.

We all have areas that cause us to stumble, and we need to fix the walls to overcome the temptation. Typically, I wouldn’t have cheesecake in my house because I know it affects my willpower, but a friend brought it as his contribution to dinner. If I wanted to easily win the battle of self-control, when he texted about bringing dessert, I could have said no, instead of yes, which would have fixed the wall.

Identifying your weaknesses will help you develop a battle plan to overcome them. Vulnerabilities leave us defenseless when under attack. But if we can fix the broken walls, we can find victory. Start filling in the holes with Jesus, and allow Him to become your strength in weakness. Ask the Savior for self-control, and let Him lead the way.

Placing guardrails in your life helps you stay on the straight and narrow. Ron and I protect our marriage by following pre-determined rules. We have words we don’t use, tempting situations we avoid, and high standards of accountability. Living by these guidelines helps us develop a healthy relationship that bonds us to each other and the Savior.

Identify your areas of vulnerability and develop strategies to strengthen them. Prayerfully seek guidance from Jesus and defend successfully against the enemy’s ploys. In Christ, you have everything you need to win the battle and find victory.

Journal Question:

What areas do you struggle with self-control?

What kind of preventative measures can you take to avoid temptations?

How can Jesus help you develop a winning strategy?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us the wisdom to identify our vulnerabilities. As we strive to become more obedient to You, give us the self-control necessary to overcome our temptations and honor You.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“That’s what faith is, doing it afraid,” said Claire. Spending the day with my wise friend, I shared one of my struggles with her. Immediately, she imparted wisdom to me, helping me find clarity and conviction over the situation. A spiritual mentor to me, Claire offers advice full of beauty and value that enriches my life, helping me grow more like Christ.

Receiving timely advice has memorable and immense value. In college, when I tried to talk my way out of a failing grade, I will never forget the wisdom of my calculus professor’s words:

“Sometimes you need a kick in the pants, and other times you need a pat on the shoulder. Right now, you need a kick in the pants.”

Instead of giving me a pass on my poor grade, he gave me a kick in the pants by making me suffer the consequences of skipping class and not studying. I took the class over, didn’t make the same mistake again and learned more than just calculus from that professor.

Over three decades later, I still remember the lesson from that experience. And I’ve repeated my professor’s advice to others when they’ve needed to hear it. Timely advice never gets old, consistently producing good fruit that multiplies over time.

Develop relationships with wise people who will give you good advice. Become intentional about where you seek counsel. Fill your basket with golden apples as you receive timely advice from wise people. Words fitly spoken bring life to the receiver, have lasting value, and lead us on the path of abundant living. Thoughtful and timely communication has an immense impact, comforting, caring, and encouraging those who hear it.

Journal Question:

When did you receive timely advice that changed your life?

How can you share timely advice with someone today?

In what ways has biblical wisdom given you good advice?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us biblical wisdom to guide our days, and also for placing wise people in our lives who give us timely advice. Please help us develop life-giving relationships with Your children that encourage and enrich our lives.

IJNIP. Amen