Author: Beth Morrison

One-minute read.

Everyone experiences shame because we all make poor decisions at some point. Sometimes, things happen to us that we blame ourselves for, but we shouldn’t, victims of someone else’s actions. Jesus doesn’t want us to live in the past; He wants us to focus on the hope of the future. When we follow the Savior, we can make different decisions and not accept blame for things we shouldn’t, choosing His way instead of ours.

Not fearing what others think happens when we understand our identity in Christ. The Lord knows our past mistakes, forgives them, and shows us a different way to live. Only when we accept and receive the Savior’s unconditional love can we begin to look through the lens of our Creator.

Confessing our sins to Jesus allows us to access His grace. Like the woman caught in adultery, once convicted of our misdeeds, Christ tells us the same thing: “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). As we learn God’s ways, He doesn’t condemn us for not knowing but forgives us and asks us to stop doing it.

Let go of shame; embrace the new life found in Christ. Developing a relationship with the Savior helps you respond as He did. Jesus responded with love, inviting people to follow Him and experience the peace and hope only the Lord can provide.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for removing our shame and giving us a new identity in Christ. Please help us embrace the path You have for us, living in obedience to You as we follow the Savior.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

At the precise time Jesus entered the world in human form, the angels made a bold proclamation:

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.”

Christ didn’t discriminate, entering the world for everyone regardless of skin color. My Mom had a saying I loved, “When you turn people inside out, we all look the same.” Amen to that, Madre!

God judges by our hearts, knowing our innermost thoughts and feelings. Our intentions matter more than the outcome. If we strive to serve the Creator, obey His commands, and apply them to our lives, the Lord blesses our efforts.

Jesus invites everyone into a relationship with Him. One decision changes the trajectory of our lives, giving us hope and helping us find our purpose. Accepting the Lord’s gift frees us from our past, allowing us to try repeatedly; His mercy never ends.

Live fear-free by trusting the Savior. Receive the Lord’s gift of salvation and experience freedom like never before. In Him, we have all we need.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for sending Jesus to connect us with You. Please help us accept His gift and share it with others. Let us become more like the Savior with every passing day.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute devotion.

Watching “The Reason” on Pureflix, the movie revolves around bad things happening to good people, a question I often receive. As the story unfolds, a six-year-old struggles with leukemia, eventually losing his battle. But a miracle tells his mother that her son lives in Jesus’s arms.

Whether here on earth or in heaven, life in abundance happens with Jesus. Understanding the why of complex situations can consume us. Instead of looking for answers we may never receive, God asks us to “only believe.” Our faith gives us the strength to persevere amid life’s difficulties.

“Only believe,” the young cancer patient says to his mother, reading the words painted on a brick building.

With a look of hope, the mother repeats her son’s words, and she becomes visibly stronger as she relies on her faith to persevere. The Lord provides what we need when we need it. One day, we will all receive the call to return home to Him. Loved ones will go before us, and we will miss their presence on earth, but with faith in Jesus, we will one day meet them again if we only believe.

Trust in Jesus; give Him your fears as you place your faith in the Savior. Allow Him to strengthen you on the journey.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us the strength to persevere when we don’t understand. Please help us believe when our faith falters. Let us live in Your arms, allowing You to show us the way.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

God takes pleasure in giving us access to His kingdom. Not wanting any to perish, the Lord invites all people, through faith in His Son, but not everyone accepts. Choosing their path and going astray doesn’t take much effort. Even as a follower of Jesus, I can stray from the righteous path. Having the Shepherd in my life means when I do falter, the Lord helps me find my way again.

Moving forward into the unknown can evoke feelings of fear and anxiety. But our heavenly Father doesn’t want us to worry; He wants us to follow and trust in Him. Taking one step at a time, the Lord leads us on our path of purpose, helping us fulfill our mission in life before He calls us back home to Him.

Currently, in limbo, Ron and I await the closing date of our new home. God’s guidance has led us to make a significant life change, and we both feel excited but apprehensive about what will come. As we try to wait well, seeking the Lord’s peace that surpasses all understanding, we’ve begun packing, trusting God to work out any problems that might arise. The Lord doesn’t want us to fret; He wants us to trust, so we do, one day at a time.

The one-time decision to follow Jesus requires a daily commitment to seeking and finding His direction. As we pursue Him, God leads us to our destiny.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for gifting us Your kingdom through Jesus. Please help us follow closely, living boldly for Christ and trusting Your guidance one day at a time.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Jesus came as a messenger of peace, fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy that the king of Isreal would appear in humility, without pomp and circumstance (Zech. 9:9). If the Lord had come any other way, we wouldn’t have recognized Him as God. The ordinary became extraordinary with Christ.

Referring to the city of Jerusalem, “daughter of Zion,” personifies it. As the people cried out “Hosanna,” the Hebrew expression for “Save now,” Jesus did precisely that, ending Passover week on the cross, then walking out of the tomb three days later, offering salvation for all who follow Him.

People who oppose Christ never find the peace He offers. Living for themselves, bitterness and hatred brew in their hearts as they ponder their plights. With no control over life, they flounder in the darkness, refusing to turn to the light. Only Jesus can save any of us from ourselves. Following His way means denying ours. Life with Christ means picking up our cross, following Him, and becoming more like the Savior as we leave our selfish ways behind.

The Prince of Peace came to save the world. All who come to Him will receive the gift He offers. Not by our might but the Lord’s.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for the peace You offer. Please help us accept and share it with all we meet. More of You, less of us, as we strive to follow and obey.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Nothing gives me more comfort than today’s verse. I repeat the words often, and “take heart” has become my lifeline. Jesus overcame any troubles we will ever face. Suffering a brutal crucifixion, the Lord defeated death and gave us a way to overcome our sins.

Relying on Jesus’s promise gives us strength to persevere. We can keep going when the world crushes in on us, knowing the Cross gives us victory. Defeating death, life doesn’t end when we take our last breath but begins anew in the heavenly realm. Our address may change, but life continues.

Jesus never promised an easy life; He told us we would have problems. But the Savior gives us everything we need to overcome our tribulations. Fear has no place in our lives as we cling to the Lord and let Him lead the way. In Christ, we find victory. Walking out of the tomb, the Miracle Maker defeated our greatest challenge, showing us the way to glory when we place our faith in Him.

Today’s troubles won’t last long. I can’t even remember my problems from this day a year ago; they’ve already passed as I face the issues of this day. A year from now, I’ll face different tribulations, which too shall pass. Jesus overcame our mountains long ago. He wants us to take heart and lean into Him, allowing the Prince of Peace to guide and direct our lives through today’s challenges.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for overcoming our troubles and giving us a new way of life. Please help us cling to You, allowing Your peace to rule our lives. Let Your light shine brightly through us as we follow You.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Understanding our value in the Lord’s eyes helps us speak confidently. With God as our protector, what can man do to us? David, a valiant warrior, faced Goliath confidently because he knew the Lord battled with him (1 Samuel 17). Before every skirmish, the shepherd boy consulted God and didn’t move without his Protector.

Think about the last time you rushed into a situation without consulting the Lord. How did it go? Not well for me. When planning for 2025, I didn’t have any leadings from the Lord, so I made my plan. And God laughed. The Lord changed my trajectory two weeks into the new year and gave me an entirely different path.

Let the Lord help you in whatever you do. Turn to Him for guidance, wait for His leading, then follow God wherever He takes you. Start with the Lord, and you can speak confidently about what’s to come. No matter how the Almighty guides you, He will provide all your needs, protect you from your enemies, and grant you victory.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for helping us deal with life’s dilemmas. Please guide and direct our paths as we take steps of faith and follow You. Grant us victory over our enemies, as You did David. Let us speak confidently with You as our Helper.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Often, when people don’t understand our actions, they result in persecution. Following Jesus calls us to live counterculturally, like a salmon swimming upstream. People’s defenses cause them to react in hurtful ways.

Soldier mentality, a term author Julia Galef uses to describe people’s thinking, summarizes it well. Instead of seeking truth, people defend their beliefs against what they see as threats. The truth of the gospel threatens non-believers’ perspectives, resulting in persecution.

Jesus experienced this when arrested and persecuted for His teachings. Dubbing Him “King of the Jews,” the people cried for His crucifixion. Beaten and bloodied, the Lord carried His cross and received the punishment He didn’t deserve, Christ forgave His persecutors for “they knew not what they did” (Luke 23:34). Even on the cross, Jesus didn’t show fear, nor let them trouble Him, trusting His Father.

Persecution comes when people don’t understand or want to know. Challenging their beliefs puts them on the defensive and results in poor actions. But by standing firm in the Lord, we will experience His blessing and salvation. Man can do nothing to us when we rely on God’s divine protection and trust His promises.

Stand firm on the Rock today. Have no fear; let nothing trouble you; instead, trust in the Lord’s promises and let Him guide you on the path of righteousness.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us a firm foundation on which to stand. As we trust in You, let us face persecution with love and grace. Help us live fearlessly and trouble-free as we follow You.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Divine vindication brings cheer to the heart. When God rescues us from ourselves or the actions of others, it lightens our souls and brings joy to us. Only the Lord understands the cares we have and how to console us in our despair.

Reading Genesis and the story of Jacob and Esau, I feel bad for the burly older brother when his twin steals his blessing from their father, Isaac. As the story continues and Jacob leaves because of his deceitful actions, the deceptive twin finds himself at the mercy of Laban, the father of Rachel, whom Jacob desperately loves.

The young man readily agrees when Laban promises Jacob, his daughter, in return for seven years of labor. But when the time comes to take Rachel as his wife, Laban deceives Jacob, giving him Leah, the older sister, instead. As a result, Jacob becomes the victim of deception, just like he did to Esau. What goes around comes around, and divine justice comes in mysterious but effective ways. Jacob learned a valuable lesson, which eventually helped restore his relationship with Esau, who forgave him.

God loves us all, and His divine justice brings joy to our hearts. He helps us overcome our sinful ways and become more like Christ. Understanding our souls, the Lord knows exactly what we need to bring cheer to our hearts.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for knowing our innermost beings and what we need to console our hurting hearts. Please help us give our pain and disappointment to You, allowing You to bring divine vindication and healing to our souls.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Delighting in the Lord’s commandments gives me peace. Living by God’s principles relieves my pressure. I don’t have to rely on my limited knowledge because I trust in the Lord’s all-knowing sovereignty. The Creator has a 360-degree view of past, present, and future. He knows the ins and outs of every situation, whether we think so or not. And so, when the Lord gives us a command, we can trust it.

For instance, forgiving others frees us from the hurt and pain of the offense, helps us pray for the other party, and maintains peace in our hearts. When a close friend hurt me with her actions, I felt the pain and shed tears over the incident. But because of the Healer’s command to forgive, I began praying for her, which helped me forgive her and gain a new perspective on the situation. Instead of feeling angry, I felt empathy, and God showed me how I could serve and support my friend. The Prince of Peace restored my soul, and His commands greatly delighted me.

God never promised a rose garden, but He did commit to walking with us on life’s journey. We can live abundantly through the Lord and enjoy His blessings as we delight in our Father’s commandments.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us a guidebook for life, filled with Your commandments, which we can delight in. Please help us obey quickly and receive the blessings of obedience.
IJNIP. Amen