Author: Beth Morrison

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 10-13 GW; Revelation 6 GW

Seek God always.

Isaiah is speaking to God’s people.  Their corruption caused God to withdraw His protection, leaving them vulnerable to the Assyrians.  The day of reckoning for Israel came from invasions by pagan nations.  God does punish Assyria for their aggression, but He didn’t cause it.  What God did was withdraw protection from the Israelites because of their actions.

When I talked back to my sixth-grade teacher, Mr. Smith, I endured a day of reckoning.  The punishment I received reminded me who was in charge, not me.  Because I was disrespecting him, as well as the class, I deserved to suffer the consequences.  Unheard of today, I received a paddling standing front and center of the classroom.   Guess what? I never disrespected Mr. Smith again.  Actions have consequences, whether we like them or not.

As soon as the Israelites suffered, they repented.  Time and again, God forgave them.  One would think they’d cling to God once and for all, but they don’t.  And neither do we.  When times are tough, seeking God comes naturally.  As soon as life normalizes, we forget who brought us to the dance.

Don’t forget your date.

When someone brings you to the dance, don’t dump them for someone else.  God created the dance floor and placed you on it.  Dancing with Him will bring you endless joy.  However, somewhere in the middle of the song, we decide to trade partners.  Leaving our escort standing along the sidelines, never a good idea.  

“God’s judgment, giving you what you want.”  Darrin Patrick

God’s gentlemanly ways will allow you to make choices.  Our most significant decision, who are we going to follow?  Choose Jesus.  Spend time with God’s Son every day.  Take time to read the stories written about the sinless man stored in the pages of Scripture.   Not only when times are bad, but when they are good as well.  Don’t forget who brought you to the party.  When dancing in the arms of Jesus, you’re fully protected, leaving no room for enemy attacks.

Lord, thank You for protecting us.  Forgive us for forgetting You when times are regular.  Help us cling to You with delight throughout our days.  Don’t allow us to let go of You.  Keep us nestled in Your arms as we move through our days.  Knowing You protect us.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How have you forgotten God lately?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 7-9 GW; Revelation 5 GW; Psalms 150 GW

Disobedience tries patience.

Doing what you want instead of what God wants tries His patience.  In the same way, if my husband tells me to tighten the financial belt, but instead I go on a spending spree, I test his patience with me.  Every one of us goes astray.  We all think we know better than God at some point or another, and we think we know more than people.

In Sunday’s message, the pastor talked about how sheep stray.  The simple animals wander away from the shepherd one nibble at a time.  Our wooly friends eat one blade of grass at a time, then another, until eventually, they find themselves far from where they started.  Humans do the same thing the sheep do.  One decision at a time, we wander from the Shepherd.

For instance, sometimes, I don’t like the “nudges” I receive from the Holy Spirit.  In one of my relationships, I felt God asking me to pray for a specific person.  However, I didn’t want to pray for the individual, so I didn’t.  However, the prompting wouldn’t go away.  I felt God impressing on my Spirit a simple message, “You want me to do all these things for you, but you won’t do the one thing I ask you to do.”  Self-awareness made me realize; I was testing God’s patience.

Stop testing God.

At some point, we must become self-aware and realize, we’re the ones testing God.  Our lack of obedience tests God’s patience.  Just like when a child disobeys our instructions, we do the same to God.  As soon as I prayed for the person God placed on my heart, I felt God’s pleasure.  Begrudgingly, I said their name to God and asked Him to bless their life.  Coming into obedience with God means doing things we don’t want to do.

The good news, God, forgives quickly, always offering a second chance.  Don’t worry about what lies behind you.  Instead, focus on what God has for you.  Become self-aware of your disobedience.  Stop testing God; start trusting Him instead. 

Lord, thank You for Your patience.  Forgive us for trying Your long-suffering time and time again.  Help us become more self-aware today.  Show us the areas where we are disobedient.  Give us the faith we need to become obedient to You in all things.   Glory and honor are Yours always.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What area of your life do you need to become more self-aware?

2 minute read.

God created everything.

Take a look around you; God made it all.  Warm, sunny days with blue skies and puffy white clouds, all created by God.  Cold, rainy days with grey skies, also done by God.  Every year,  the world transitions from one season to the next.  Leaves bud, blossom, change, and fall, fulfilling the Creator’s purpose.  Spring becomes summer, then fall, and finally winter.  Nothing exists without God’s creative touch.  

Considering, in America, the Land of Plenty, stuff abounds.  With one press of a button, almost any desire becomes a reality.  Walmart started testing drone delivery services.  Modern technology replaces human beings.  In the quest to create artificial intelligence, people forget who made them.   The one thing computers lack, souls.  Without a spirit, one cannot truly live.  God created life; He gave us souls.  Something no human can do.

Nothing comes into existence without God’s intervention.  Our Maker deserves glory and honor for His mighty works.  But instead of gratitude, we give Him attitude. 

Stop complaining; start praising.

Sitting by the fire on a recent camping trip, our neighbor decided to visit.  The stranger immediately began complaining about their 35 foot RV.  Listing all of the problems, she wouldn’t stop.  Her gripe towards the local RV dealership, whose name she mispronounced, began with a problem she caused.  However, they didn’t fix the situation to her satisfaction.  Our new “friend” made sharing the companies faults with anyone who would listen.  Eventually, still complaining, she left.  Not once did she show gratitude for what she had.

How many times do we approach God the same way?   We spend our time complaining about the problems in our life instead of thanking Him for the blessings. What we need is different from what we desire.  Our neighbor didn’t appreciate her good fortune because she was too busy complaining about the flaws.  If we focus on the imperfections in life, we miss God’s perfection.  

Stop complaining about what you don’t have.  Start praising God for what you do have.  You’ll learn quickly; God’s blessings abound when you start counting them.

Lord, thank You for creating us.  Forgive us for forgetting about You.  Help us focus on our blessings instead of our complaints.  Remind us, everything we have came from You.  Without Your creation, we wouldn’t exist.  All glory and honor are Yours.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

Do you complain to God more than praise Him?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 1-2 GW; Psalms 146 GW; Revelation 3 GW

Chat with God.

When I was younger, I didn’t want to discuss my imperfections with God.  My misperception, I needed to get “clean” before I could approach my Creator.  But God doesn’t expect perfection from me; He wants honesty.  What the Big Guy knows, and I needed to accept, without Him, I couldn’t become “white as wool.”

Recently, I heard this analogy.  If you’re bleeding, do you wait until it stops before going to the emergency room?  No, you rush to the hospital for help, knowing you can’t stop the flow yourself.  

If we want to overcome our sinful nature, we must go to the right Doctor.  Only through Jesus can we become clean.  But first, we must confess the mess.  Whatever struggles we have,  God wants to discuss. Acknowledging our weaknesses to God allows Him to turn them into strengths.

Weakness becomes strength

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:10 NIV)

Begin to understand; our weaknesses are strengths helps us chat honestly with God.  Traveling with God, we realize quickly; our past blunders help others avoid the same mistakes.  Or change their ways from the path of destruction.

When I counsel someone struggling with financial issues, my story gives them hope.  Sharing the poor decisions I made in the past creates a connection.  Explaining how inviting God into my problems helped me become debt-free gives them hope.  Now, two decades later, my weakness became a strength.  I learned managing money takes more than just budgeting.  Learning to identify and address the reasons I overspent helped me grow closer to God.  

Instead of running from your weaknesses, embrace them.  Talk to God about your struggles.  Tell your Maker the whole story; leave nothing out.  Then watch as God begins to transform you into a new creation.

Lord, thank You for loving us, warts and all.  Forgive us for trying to hide our sinful nature from You.  Help us learn to embrace our weaknesses, allowing You to transform them into strengths.  Draw us into a closer relationship with You as we chat with You today.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What are you holding back from God today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Micah 5-7 GW; Psalms 130 GW; Revelation 2 GW

 Hope gives joy.

Hope: “A desire for some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it or a belief that it is obtainable. Hope differs from wish and desire in that it implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired or the possibility of possessing it. Hope always gives pleasure or joy, whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied by pain and anxiety.”

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines hope well.  Believing something better is possible gives us a reason to keep going.  Recently, I listened to “The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life” by Edith Eger.  Imprisoned in Auschwitz in 1944 at 16, her mother and father didn’t live past day one.  Surviving the concentration camp, Dr. Eger became a psychologist, completing her Master’s degree at 50.  Hope helped the now 93-year-old doctor survive the Natzi’s terror.

Don’t cover garlic with chocolate.

Chapter 11 of Dr. Eger’s book discusses hopelessness.  Considering the fact, when taking a shower in Auschwitz, Dr. Eger didn’t know if water or deadly gas would come from the nozzle, she understands the power of hope:

“Honey, don’t cover garlic with chocolate.  It doesn’t taste good.  Likewise, there’s no freedom in denying reality or trying to cloak it in something sweet.  Hope isn’t a distraction from the darkness.  It’s a confrontation with the darkness.”

Jesus is our hope; He confronted the darkness for us and overcame it.  Believing in God means placing our expectations on Him.  Trusting Paul’s words to the Romans:

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom he has called according to his plan.” (Romans 8:28 GW)

Everyone is facing some type of darkness.  Jesus said, in this world, we would have trouble (John 16:33 NIV).  But He also overcame it for us.  We can expect better things to come because our hope is in Jesus.  Whatever darkness you’re confronting, let Jesus lead the way.  Wait expectantly, confident in Jesus’s power to overcome the ways of the world.  Find joy in hope.

Lord, thank You for overcoming the darkness of this world.  Forgive us for giving up hope in You.  Renew our faith today as we place our trust in You.  Replace feelings of hopelessness with Your abundant hope.  Give us joy that comes only from You.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What area of your life do you need hope?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Micah 1-4 GW; Psalms 46 GW; Revelation 1 GW

God’s word reveals.

Revelation from God comes from reading His word.  Approximately 1,500 years passed before the final book of the Bible became a reality.  Written around 90 AD, John talks about Jesus’ return.  Over the past three thousand plus years, time and again, the words within the pages of scripture prove true.  Applying Biblical principles to your life reveals truth found no other way.  Becoming wiser means seeking God’s revealed truth. 

Apocalypse is a term used to describe end times.  However, the original meaning of the Greek word is “uncover, disclose, reveal.”  In the mid-1850s, the definition changed to “belief in an imminent end of the present world.”  Many people study Revelation to decipher when the world comes to an end.  God is clear; we’re not to know (Matthew 24:36 ESV).  As soon as I began studying Revelation, I learned this truth, becoming wiser.

Truth breeds wisdom.

Learning the original meaning of Apocalypse changed my whole perspective.  Always afraid to study Revelation, one change in thinking made me eager to learn more.  As my friend and I studied through the chapters, God revealed the myths we believed. Together, we became wiser as we paid attention to God’s word.

Only when we tune in to God’s message can we become wiser.  We’ll never learn if we don’t read the words written by people who dedicated their lives to the Creator.  Once you begin to apply God’s commands to your daily life, change begins to happen.  One day at a time, we become more like Jesus.
Choose one area of your life you want to change.  Find a scripture addressing the issue.  Write the words somewhere you will see them often.  Use Youversion to create a scripture image, making it your screensaver.  Day after day, ask God to reveal His truth to You.  Pursue your Maker passionately; wisdom comes with life change.  Enjoy the journey.

Lord, thank You for revealing the truth to us.  Forgive us for not seeking You sooner.  Today, as we seek You through Your word, open our eyes to things we cannot see.  Give us ears to hear Your message.  Help us apply what we learn to our lives, becoming wiser and experiencing life change.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

What area of your life do You want divine help with today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Esther 8-10 GW; Acts 28 GW

Prayer fuels courage.

Trying to save her people, Esther enters the king’s presence even though he didn’t summon her.  Esther’s life was over if the king didn’t extend the golden scepter (Esther 4:11 NIV).  Knowing this journey began with three days of prayer and fasting bolstered Esther’s courage.  So far, so God.  For the second time, King Xerxes grants Esther immediate pardon by extending the golden scepter to her.  As a result, Esther and Mordecai save the Jews.

Life requires courage.  Whether you’re engaging in difficult conversations, setting boundaries in challenging relationships or meeting with kings, all need boldness to accomplish the task.  Thankfully, most of our divine jobs aren’t life-threatening, as Esther’s was.  But we still need God’s strength to complete our assignments.

When I met my husband, my heart was in pieces.  No longer did I want to “put me out there,” wherever “there” was.  However, God didn’t create us to live isolated and alone; He made us for community.  Having relationships is the only way to fulfill the Great Commandment: Love God and love others (Mark 12:30-31 NIV).

Love takes courage.

Opening your heart to another person takes guts.  Becoming vulnerable with someone gives them the power to hurt you.  The first time I opened my heart to Ron, God provided the strength.  I knew, even if Ron rejected me, God never would.  Because of my faith in Jesus, I could take the step of faith necessary to enter into a new relationship.  Eleven years later, God still is at the center of our marriage.

Esther trusted God, risking her life; she gained strength from her Maker.  As a result, Esther saved the nation.   Pray about whatever mission God is asking you to complete.  Ask your heavenly Father for the strength necessary to accomplish your task.  Trust God, as Esther did.  No matter what, God has your back.

Lord, thank You for giving us courage.  Forgive us for not seeking You first, trying to do life without You.  As You assign us our divine tasks, give us the tools we need to complete them.  Give us the courage to keep moving forward, trusting; Your plan is best.  All glory is Yours.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What do you need God’s help with today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Esther 6-7 GW; Psalms 9 GW; Acts 27 GW

Nothing is random.

Today’s passage reminds me, everything is significant.  Paul reminds us in his letter to the Romans; God uses everything “for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purposes” (Romans 8:28 NIV).  At a pivotal moment in Esther’s story, God uses a random, sleepless night to unravel Haman’s schemes.

Mordecai is Haman’s thorn in the side.  Obedient to the one true God, Esther’s uncle refuses to worship Haman.  Scheming and plotting to kill the Jew, Haman thinks his plan is unfolding nicely.  However,  King Xerxes experiences insomnia; reading the daily logs, he discovers Moredecai’s heroism.  When Haman arrives the following day, the king orders him to recognize Mordecai for his bravery.  Unintentionally, the king foils Haman’s plan to kill his nemesis.  All because one random night, the king couldn’t sleep.  Coincidences don’t exist.

You never know when God is moving on your behalf.  King Xerxes’ sleepless night was perfect timing in Esther’s story.  Not only did God use the king to save Mordecai, but the entire Jewish nation.  From all appearances, the situation was hopeless, but then God moved.

But then God

Time and again in my life, I find myself saying, “But then God….”  A random text or coincidental meeting turns into a divine appointment.  At the time, the event seems trivial, but in hindsight, it becomes monumental.

Walking onto the tennis court to play a random tennis match, I had no idea I would meet my future husband.  Stopping to get propane at TAC RV on a random camping trip, I met my dear friend Crystal.  Hitting my opponent in the face with a tennis ball at a random cardio class brought Diane into my life, a new sister to me.  The list goes on and on of random moments that became monumental in my life.  

Everything is intentional with God.  What seems hopeless isn’t.  Random incidents become “But then God…” moments.

Lord, thank You for Your divine intervention.  Forgive us for losing hope.  Help us recognize the “But then God” moments in our life.  Give us eyes to see and ears to hear Your workings through random events.  Win our battles for us as we place our trust in You.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What random moment in your life was God’s divine intervention?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Esther 3-5 GW; Psalms 10 GW; Acts 26 GW

Distance is debatable.

We may feel like God is distant, but that doesn’t mean He is.  Let’s face facts, who doesn’t want God at their beck and call?  Everyone has an opinion on how the world should operate, but that doesn’t mean it will.  God is the boss; we’re the employee.  Just because our emotions tell us God is far away doesn’t mean He is.  And growth requires space.

When babies take their first steps, parents have to let go of their hands.  If the mom doesn’t release the tiny fingers, the child’s feet won’t find self-balance.  At first, the space is minimal; mom is inches away, ready to catch their wobbling toddler before they fall.  But as the child becomes more stable, mom moves farther away, still watching but giving them the distance to walk alone.  God does the same for us.

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” (1 Corinthians 13:11 NIV)

Reason like an adult.

God gives us space because He is helping us grow.  Just like mom knows to let go of her child’s hand, God knows when to release ours.  Maturity comes with each step we take.  Every day is a learning lesson, teaching us something new.  God never stops educating us.  We’re the ones who hinder the process because we want God to do the work for us.

Journeying through life means taking steps alone.  Potholes are part of the process.  We will have flat tires stopping our progress.  In life, things happen we don’t see coming, deflating our wheels.  Our choice is whether to fix the flat or stay stuck on the side of the road.  God wants you to change the tire and keep moving.  God will provide the tools you need; He is spurring you onwards.  

Choose to trust God is near.  God isn’t distant.  He’s giving you space to grow.

Lord, thank You for helping us become mature.  Forgive us for resisting the growth steps necessary.  Help us remember You are never far from us; feelings aren’t facts.  Lead us on the journey, help us keep moving forward, no matter what.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How is God trying to grow you today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Esther 1-2 GW; Acts 25 GW

Ego causes foolish actions.

King Xerxes was a powerful man, ruling 127 provinces from India to Sudan (Esther 1:1 GW).  Holding a banquet for his military officers, he wanted to show off his wealth.  For 180 days, the king flaunted his riches for all to see.  As if six months of partying wasn’t enough, King Xerxes threw an additional banquet for seven more days.  On the last day of the feast, his ego full speed ahead, the king ordered Queen Vashti to come before the crowd in only her crown.   King Xerxes wanted to show off her beauty and his power over her.  However, Queen Vashti refused, making the king look foolish in front of his guests.  

Powerful men expect obedience.  King Xerxes never imagined his queen would deny him.  His ego wouldn’t permit such thoughts.  As my husband always says, “Power and money corrupt.” They give us a false sense of security which shatters quickly.  Queen Vashti’s refusal was all it took to make the mighty king look foolish.

Manage your ego.

Each of us has an ego.  We all have prideful areas in our life, whether we realize it or not.  King Xerxes’ ego depended on his wealth.  Egos develop around the things we perceive as our strengths.  

Years ago, during a tennis clinic on volleys, I learned a valuable lesson.  Our instructor fed us a series of volleys, balls hit in the air before they bounced.  At the end of the drill, he gave us “sitters,” balls high and easily hit.  Time after time, people missed the sitter.

Standing sideways at the net, our pro, hip leaning into the white net cord, lifted his racquet over the net. “Your ego is here; Your volleys are here.” Using his other hand, he marked a point well below our egos.  

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Phil. 2:3 ESV)

Don’t let your ego make you look foolish.  Instead, strive for humility towards others.  Let someone else play the fool.

Lord, thank You for Your guidance and direction.  Forgive us for letting our egos get in the way of the work You have for us.  Help us stay humble as we place You front and forward in our lives.  Let our actions glorify You.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

When has your ego made you look foolish?