Author: Beth Morrison

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 31:17-32:12, Matthew 10:24-11:6, Psalm 13:1-6, Proverbs 3:16-18

Daily Verse: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace,” Prov. 3:18

Wisdom, “her,” in today’s verse, helps us live a peaceful life. Avoiding the pitfalls of pride, jealousy, and anger, as well as many others requires Godly knowledge.  Self-awareness gives us insight into our weaknesses and allows the Lord’s strength to help us overcome our downfalls.

My struggle with pride continues every day.  Jealousy and anger spread their evil tentacles, rooted in pride’s wicked ways.  But putting God first helps me acknowledge my sins, laying them before the cross. 

Accessing God’s wisdom allows me to lay aside my sinful ways and strive to become more like Christ.  In doing so, my imperfections become a testimony to the Lord as I overcome them. 

Seek God’s wisdom for your life’s circumstances.  Search the scriptures for Godly direction.  The more you put God’s word into practice, the wiser you will become.  And you can enjoy God’s pleasant ways and a pathway of peace.

Lord, forgive us our foolish ways.  Pour Your wisdom into our lives as we move forward today.  Give us discernment to face the day’s challenges.  Pave our pathways with peace as we follow You.  IJNIP.  Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 30:1-31:16, Matthew 10:1-23, Psalm 12:1-8, Proverbs 3:13-15

Daily Verse: “She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.” Proverbs 3:15

Solomon calls wisdom a “she” in this verse.  Wisdom has more value than wealth and riches because it yields power, influence, and respect, the gifts of life.  The author refers to wisdom as the “tree of life” because it brings vitality and the fullness of life with it.

To have a long and beneficial life, one must embrace wisdom.  Foolish acts lead to difficult and even shortened lives.

Wisdom says taking care of our bodies will lead to a better quality of daily life.  Foolishness says I can do whatever I want without consequences.  But everything has consequences, including our daily decisions in how we treat our bodies.  We can either make life-giving choices or life-taking ones.

Choose to live life fully by embracing God’s wisdom.  Seek the Lord daily, letting His knowledge guide and direct you.  Enjoy every moment as you let wisdom lead the way.

Lord, forgive us for our foolish notions.  Help us seek Your wisdom and follow it.  Let us have a full life as we follow Your ways.  Give us the wisdom and discernment we need for today.  IJNIP.  Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 28:1-29:35, Matthew 9:18-38,Psalm 11:1-7, Proverbs 3:11-12

Rules annoy me, discipline even more so.  But I’ve learned following Jesus does have both, and for a good reason.  God wants us to obey His commands because they protect us from harm.  The Lord’s discipline draws us back onto the straight and narrow when we stray off course.

God always disciplines with love.  If we tune into the Holy Spirit and listen to His promptings, we become more adept at avoiding the pitfalls of life.  Trouble still comes at no fault of our own, but at least we didn’t go looking for it.

When we falter, God doesn’t stop loving us, but He does correct us.  Instead of rebelling against God’s discipline, we should embrace it, knowing we will grow from His reproof, becoming more like Jesus.

Because of His unconditional love for us, God corrects us, just as a parent does a child.  The Lord wants the best for us; to receive it, we must embrace the discipline that leads us to it.

Lord, forgive us for straying from Your ways.  Thank You for Your loving discipline that steers us back to the straight and narrow.  Help us embrace Your reproof, knowing it comes from love.  IJNIP.  Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 26:17-27:46, Matthew 9:1-17, Psalm 10:16-18, Proverbs 3:9-10

Daily Verse: “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce;” Proverbs 3:9

Tithing, giving the first 10% of your income to God, requires faith.  Believing the Lord can do more with 90% of our money instead of us managing 100% of it means submitting our finances to God.  A step of faith that will lead to overflowing blessings.

“…then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” Proverbs 3:10

Unemployed, in my early thirties, making $250/week from unemployment, my first tithe checks equaled $25.  God provided every step of the way; never once did I go without.  When I landed a job making triple my previous one, writing the larger check took more faith, but I did it and continue to tithe today.

God can do more with the 90% than I can with the 100%.  Decades of obedience have taught me this lesson.

Give your first fruits to God.  Watch as your barns overflow and your vats burst.

Lord, forgive us for not giving You what we should.  Give us the faith we need to tithe; let us grow as we experience Your provision as we become more obedient.  IJNIP.  Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 24:52-26:16, Matthew 8:18-34, Psalm 10:1-15, Proverbs 3:7-8

Daily Verse: “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” Prov. 3:7-8

Assuming knowledge leads to regret. People think they know others’ thoughts, but they don’t. Acting on incorrect information only brings heartache. And everyone makes a mistake at some point or another.

As I look back over my life, one of my biggest regrets comes from assuming I knew someone else’s thoughts. My wisdom proved lacking, and my relationships suffered as a result.

Fearing the Lord and submitting my life to Him meant acknowledging the fact I don’t know. Only God knows people’s thoughts; we can only guess. Once we stop assuming and allow God to begin guiding us, our relationships will flourish, and we will find refreshment.

Seek God’s wisdom daily. Accepting human knowledge has limits, but the Lord’s sovereignty knows everything leads to life change. In Him, we can trust. Fearing the Lord steers us from evil and brings healing to our bones.

Lord, forgive us for acting on our limited wisdom.  As we seek You, fill us with Your wisdom.  Guide and direct us on Your path, away from evil.  Heal our hearts, minds, and souls as we follow You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 23:1-24:51, Matthew 8:1-17, Psalm 9:13-20, Proverbs 3:1-6

Daily Verse: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

My mother taught me today’s verse, one she relied upon heavily.   When I received the framed words from her as a gift, the picture bordered by flowers, I didn’t realize the impact they would have on my life.

When we think we know everything, we enter dangerous waters. Relying on our understanding means having a limited perspective. And often, we don’t understand.

Why my friend’s son died at the hands of an 18-year-old robber doesn’t make sense to me. Leaning on my own understanding leaves me floundering.

But I find hope if I trust in God and don’t try to understand everything from my earthly perspective. God tells us in His word, He wastes nothing, and everything serves Kingdom purposes.

Trust God’s word. Don’t lean on your own understanding. Believe God will use whatever circumstances you face for good and build His kingdom, even if we don’t understand how He will do it.

Lord, forgive us for leaning on our understanding. Help us today trust You more. Instead of searching for answers, let us lean into You and find peace, trusting Your word. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 20:1-22:24, Matthew 7:15-29, Psalm 9:1-12, Proverbs 2:16-22

Daily Verse: “So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.” Proverbs 2:20

Following Jesus helps keep your paths straight. Nudges from the Holy Spirit help redirect us when we need a course change.

While golfing, playing the first person closest to the hole gets the point, I felt a nudge. Losing at the time, when Ron’s ball landed an inch closer than mine, I had the opportunity to cheat. But the nudge from within made me say, “You’re closer,” giving Ron the point.

Staying in tune with God means acknowledging the nudges we feel. Often, we want to ignore the Spirit’s guidance, but we don’t grow until we learn the lesson. The sooner we submit to Jesus, the straighter our paths will become. But ignoring God will lead us on crooked paths.

Taking the right path will require more effort, but you won’t regret the work. A pure heart and clear conscience lead to a good night’s sleep after walking the path of righteousness.

Listen to the Spirit’s promptings, and let God keep you on the right path.

Lord, forgive us for ignoring Your promptings. Please help us stay on the right path today. Guide and directs us where You want us to go. Let us honor and serve You well today. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 18:16-19:38, Matthew 6:25-7:14, Psalm 8:1-9, Proverbs 2:6-15

Daily Verse: “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,” Proverbs 2:7

Consistently doing the right thing equals walking with integrity. Choosing to tell the truth, no matter the consequences will lead to a life of integrity. God blesses the effort and protects us when we do.

My friend’s son has permission to hunt on his neighbor’s property with one condition, don’t shoot any bucks. Imagine Joseph’s surprise when he hit a young buck with barely visible horns. Faced with an ethical dilemma, he walked with integrity.

Marching to his neighbor’s front door and told him what happened. “I understand if you no longer want me to hunt on your property.”

Joseph’s neighbor showed him grace. Appreciating his honesty, he understood the situation and forgave him.

Walking in integrity requires telling the truth to the best of your ability. When you do, God protects you and blesses your efforts.

Lord, thank You for your protection of our lives. Forgive us for faltering; help us to walk in integrity, day after day. Let Your shield protects us as we honor and serve You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 16:1-18:15, Matthew 6:1-24, Psalm 7:1-17, Proverbs 2:1-5

Daily Verse: “My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you… then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:1,5

Attaining God’s wisdom requires discipline and an ongoing pursuit of the Lord.  When we receive God’s teaching, we may use it immediately, but often we store it for future use.

With patience, we must trust we will use everything we learn at the appropriate time.  God wastes nothing.

As a tennis coach, I began playing the game during high school.  Stopping while in college, I started playing again in my 30s for exercise.  Not until my late 40s did I begin coaching after decades of playing and learning.

God does the same with us.  We study and learn His word, attaining wisdom, and in the proper time, we will use everything the Lord’s taught us.

But we must stay disciplined, continue learning, and store God’s wisdom.  Eventually, we will use what we know to build God’s kingdom and complete our divine task.

Lord, thank You for giving us Your Wisdom.  Forgive us for not seeking You more diligently.  Please help us learn the lessons you have for us today, storing them for future use.  Let us live in Your blessing and favor as we pursue You.  IJNIP.  Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 13:5-15:21, Matthew 5:27-48, Psalm 6:1-10, Proverbs 1:29-33

Daily Verse: “…therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way and have their fill of their own devices.” Proverbs 1:31

Chapter one of Proverbs ends with a warning.  People who despise wisdom will eat the fruit they produce.  In other words, actions have consequences.

Everyone ignores wisdom at some point or another.  In the fall of 2022, I rented a booth at a crafter’s consignment store.  Rushing in without researching, I learned quickly that crafting requires more money and effort than I thought.  As a result, the expenses outweighed the profits.

Confessing to God my impulsive actions and commitment to learning from my mistakes resulted in a profitable outcome.

Seek wisdom at all costs.  Don’t suffer from foolish decisions.  Instead, learn from those who go before you.  Find trusted mentors who can guide you on your journey.

Live in God’s blessing as you earnestly pursue Him.

Lord, thank You for rescuing us from our foolishness.  Help us to seek wisdom before acting.  Let us produce good fruit as we stay connected to You.  IJNIP.  Amen