Category: Uncategorized

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 27 GW; John 9 GW

God gives you sight.

When you place your trust in God, His light comes into Your world.  When you look around, you see things differently.  You begin to understand, the things of this world don’t matter.  Cars, houses, degrees, they are all temporary.  But how you treat God and others has eternal consequences.  On the day you transition into your heavenly body, God will not ask how much money you made on earth.  But He will want to know how you loved others.

Right now, in this world, people are walking around blind.  If people aren’t in a relationship with their Creator, their perspective is one-sided.  Wise individuals understand; they only know in part, not in whole.  When you make decisions without all of the facts, lies are born.  God reveals truth as you pursue a relationship with Him.  

God opens our eyes.

Pursuing God’s desires for our lives changes our focus. We learn, waiting is necessary for revelation.  When something happens in your life, don’t jump to immediate conclusions about what it means.  Instead, seek God in prayer and ask for His insight.  When you do, over time, the truth is revealed.  Pray this simple prayer to gain Godly sight:

“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” (Psalm 119:18 ESV)

When God opens your eyes, you begin to see the struggles of others.  Instead of judging them by their actions, you connect with them through their hearts.  Just like Jesus, we’ll meet people in their struggles, helping them climb their mountains.  We find victory when we join our spirit with God, then love others purposefully.

Ask God to open your eyes today.  Seek His truth.  Watch as your perspective changes when you align your heart with God’s.

Lord, thank You for Your illuminating light.  Forgive us for not seeking You sooner and for walking around blind.  We’re grateful you open our eyes to what matters, our relationship with You and others.  Fill us with Your love and grace, then give us opportunities to share it with those You place in our lives.  Remove the scales from our eyes; help us see through Your lens.  Let us connect with people’s hearts as we become more intentional about our relationships.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How has God helped you see more clearly?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 26 GW; John 8 GW

Jesus doesn’t condemn.

When the woman in this verse met Jesus, it wasn’t her best moment.  Naked, dragged from the bed of a man, she was at her lowest.  The Pharisees were hoping to catch Jesus in a trap. They wanted to see how He would handle this situation.  In one of my favorite scenes from scripture, Jesus kneels and begins to write in the dirt.  Slowly, one by one, the crowd disperses.  What He wrote is cause for speculation.  But whatever the words were, Jesus diffused the situation without speaking.  Even the Pharisees left.  And when they were all gone, Jesus let the woman off the hook, telling her to sin no more.

Jesus forgives; we condemn.  When someone does something of which we disapprove, we pass judgment.  But God looks beyond the act to the heart.  Jesus understands the human condition because He was human.  The temptations we face, He faced.  Where we succumbed, Jesus overcame.  In Him, we can find freedom from our sin.

Forgive yourself.

Why do we have such a hard time accepting Jesus’s forgiveness?  Because we don’t honestly believe He’s forgiven us.  

Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent.  Currently, I’m reading a Lenten devotional with two friends on Youversion.  A couple of days ago, the topic was on forgiving ourselves.  One of my friends made this comment that I’ve been pondering ever since:

“Who am I to hold it against myself if God himself has forgiven me.”

Who are we that we can’t forgive ourselves when God has forgiven us?  And because God has forgiven us, we need to forgive others.  If we want to become like Jesus, we won’t condemn; we’ll forgive.

No matter what the sin, Jesus forgives.  Once you’ve received His forgiveness, go and sin no more.

Lord, You are the God of forgiveness.  When we lay our sin before You in our nakedness, You don’t condemn.  Forgive us for not believing in Your forgiveness.  Help us embrace the new life You offer us as You cleanse us of our sin.  Let us move boldly through our day, knowing we are loved deeply by our Creator.  Help us forgive ourselves, stopping the condemnation, trusting Your grace. As we accept Your gift, let us go and sin no more.  IJNIP. Amen 

Question for reflection

What self-condemnation are you holding onto today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 25 GW; John 7 GW

Living water comes from a belief in God.

God’s promise of eternal life helps us persevere in the dark world. When we embrace His spirit into our lives, He fills us with a new purpose. Hope springs eternal as we trust in God’s promises.  Jesus is clear why He came:

“ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV)

Right now, today, God wants you to have life to the fullest.  Eternity is now.  You can truly experience God’s peace on earth when you follow Him.  God does the transformation within us when we open our hearts to Him.  But if we don’t allow God full access to our hearts, we won’t experience what He has to offer.

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.” (1 Cor. 12:4 NIV)

God’s gifts are wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, discernment, speaking, and interpreting tongues (1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NIV).  Not everyone receives the same abilities, but they all come from the same God.

Receive God’s gifts.

God wants to bless you with gifts that don’t stop giving.  Faith is a gift that continues to grow as you follow Jesus.  Wisdom comes from God.  As God reveals truth in your life, you gain knowledge.  The Bible’s pages are full of people God gifted with what they needed to fulfill their purpose.  But until you turn to Him and believe, you won’t receive.

I visited my childhood home for the first time in forty years.  When I stood in what was once my brother’s bedroom, my eyes filled with tears.  In that room, I first believed in Jesus.  My journey began young, but God’s gifts have never stopped flowing.  Each day, He draws me closer to Him.

God will give you streaming waters.  Believe in Jesus.  Watch as He transforms your life.

Lord, how grateful we are for Your living waters.  Let us drink deeply of them.  Forgive us for not accepting what You have to offer us.  Instead, give us the gift of faith, allowing it to grow and mature with each day that passes.  Give us the courage to follow You.  Today, let us care more about what you think than what man does.  Let us live today for You. Help us become a new person in Christ.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

What has belief in Jesus done for you?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 24 GW; John 6 GW

Jesus is trustworthy.

Today’s verse comes from when Jesus walked on water to catch up with the disciples, who were crossing the sea.  When the men first saw Jesus, they were afraid.  But once they realized who He really was, they no longer feared. They trusted Jesus because they knew Him. Once again, Jesus showed up unexpectedly.  The longer the disciples traveled with Jesus, the more they trusted Him.

We conquer our giants when we trust in Jesus.  No matter what the circumstances, God has the answer. When we place our confidence in Jesus, we are putting it with the right person:

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” (Psalm 118:8 GW)

Buried in the middle of the Bible is this scripture.  At the center of God’s inspired word is instruction of where you should place your trust.  One day at a time, as you put into practice Jesus’s teachings, you’ll trust Him more and more.

Jesus deserves your trust.

One person you can count on in life is Jesus.  As you know Him more, your trust in Him will grow.  Transformation takes place as we let God investigate our hearts.   When Jesus moves within us, the evidence is external.  People will notice the change that takes place.  But change won’t happen if we don’t trust Jesus.

Because we can trust Jesus completely, He is where we should place our expectations.  People will disappoint you; they will betray your confidence.  Not, Jesus, He won’t let you down.  God always shows up.  Just like with the disciples, Jesus appears in ways we don’t expect.  But He always comes through for us.

Place your confidence in Jesus.  Let humanity off the hook.  Only Jesus is worthy of your total trust.

Lord, thank You for Jesus.  We’re grateful for the bridge He creates that bonds us with you.  Forgive us for placing our trust in humanity instead of You.  Show up for us today in an unexpected way.  Draw us into a closer relationship with You as we imitate Christ.  Help us lower our expectations of human beings and raise them for You.  You never disappoint.  In You, we have all we need.  Let us not lose focus of that fact today.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

Who are you trusting more, humans or Jesus?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 23 GW; John 5 GW

Jesus asks for participation.

Today’s verse is referring to a man who was sick for 38 years.  Year after year, he laid by the Bethesda pool, waiting for someone to help him into the healing waters. Jesus asks him, “Would you like to get well?”  The sick man tells Jesus of his dilemma. Jesus tells him to “Get up, pick up your cot, and walk” (John 5:8 GW).  

We have a choice, even in our wellness.  People choose whether they want to get healthy; most decide not to change.  Alan Deutschman’s book, “Change or Die: The Three Keys to Change at Work and Life,” found only one out of nine people will make lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, etc.) that will prolong their life.  No wonder Jesus asked the man if he wanted to get well.  Jesus knew what Deutschman discovered; most people don’t want to get well.  

Say yes to Jesus.

When Jesus asks you if you want to get well, say yes.  Just like He knew what the sick man needs, Jesus knows what you need too.  Jesus always begins at the same place, forgiveness.  The first thing that happens when we enter into a relationship with Jesus, He cleanses us.  You can let go of whatever is holding you back from wellness; instead, embrace Jesus’s healing.

Today is a new day to choose.  Whatever ailment you have, accept Jesus’s offer to help.  The sick man was waiting for someone to help him into the healing waters.  Jesus gave him divine assistance that didn’t need the water.

Don’t fear change.  Choose life over death.  Let Jesus cleanse you.  Allow Him to create new life in you.  Let the old go as you embrace wellness with Jesus.

Dear Lord, heal us.  Give us a desire to change.  Forgive us for our fear of the unknown.  Help us to embrace new life in You.  As we face decisions today, let us choose wisely.  Let us say “Yes!” to the healing Jesus offers us.  Give us a vision of a healthier lifestyle, one that includes Jesus.  Tear down any of our defenses.  Give us the courage to pick up our mats and walk, letting go of what lies behind us—embracing what is yet to come.  With You, all things are possible.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

Where is change keeping you from becoming healthy?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 22 GW; John 4 GW

God controls our steps.

Balaam, a prophet, is journeying in a direction God doesn’t want him to go.  The Lord sends a Messenger to stand in the road and stop Balaam. However, his donkey is the only one who can see the Messenger.  The more the beast tries to avoid God’s representative, the worst Balaam treats him.  Eventually, God’s courier reveals himself.  Balaam instantly repents of his sin, then asks the Messenger which way he should go. 

In life, veering off of the straight and narrow is easy.  Usually, misdirection happens with the best of intentions.  But if we want to stay on the right path, we must seek God’s guidance.  Crossroads in life need divine direction.  Only God knows which way leads to evil, which to good.

P.U.S.H.

Pray Until Something Happens.  When you’re seeking God’s direction, keep praying until you get an answer.  A simple prayer to pray, “God open the doors you want me to go through, close the ones you don’t.”  

Recently, I visited a lifelong friend in Pennsylvania.  Since the trip was in winter, I prayed about whether or not to go.  Because I live in the south, I’m not skilled at driving in the snow.  I prayed until something happened. The weather forecast changed, no longer calling for snow.  And, the one appointment on my schedule I couldn’t move canceled.  I knew then; God wanted me to take the trip.  But I didn’t know for sure until four days before I was to leave.  God answers in His time, not ours.

Staying in tune with God means trusting His guidance.  Instead of seeking our paths, we seek His.  The only way to know which way to go is to ask God.

Lord, thank You for changing our direction.  Forgive us for plunging blindly ahead without asking You which way we should go.  Help us pray until we know for sure what to do.  Close the doors. You don’t want us to go through, open the doors You do.  When we’re not listening, use a talking donkey to get our attention.  In You, we trust.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

What area of your life do you need direction from God?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Numbers 21 GW; Psalms 135 GW; John 3 GW

Jesus doesn’t condemn.

Our Savior does not hold our past against us.  Jesus accepts us as we are.  When I was a child, I thought of God as the great punisher.  I didn’t want to spend time with Him because I thought Jesus would criticize me for what a horrible sinner I am.  But that isn’t who Jesus is.  He is a God of grace, love, and mercy.  We are the ones putting conditions on the relationship, not Jesus.

Any one of us who follows Christ still sins.  Our first confession of sin isn’t our last.  Just this morning, before writing this devotional, I had a terrible thought run through my mind out of nowhere.  I don’t know why I would even think such a thing, yet I did.  My immediate remorse came with a confession to God for my thoughts.

Part of our ongoing relationship with Jesus is a daily renewal and cleansing.  Each day I turn to Him, I have something to confess.  No matter how hard I try, I will always have sin lurking in the corners.  We all do.  Sin is part of the human condition.

Christ’s perfection cleanses our imperfection.

With Jesus, we are made new.  Embrace your imperfection’s so you can fully accept God’s perfection.  Just like a hot shower refreshes and renews the body, confession cleanses the soul.  Becoming self-aware of our sinful nature and our struggles help us have an honest relationship with God.  Understanding, Jesus didn’t come to condemn; He came to love makes Him more approachable.  Don’t fear exposing your heart to God.  Instead, relish in the realization, He loves you so much, He made a way to have an intimate relationship with You.  

Jesus is the way.  He doesn’t condemn; He renews.  Bear your soul to Him today.  Allow Jesus to transform you, one day at a time.

Lord, how grateful we are that You don’t condemn.  Forgive us for the condemnation we place on ourselves and others.  Help us practice a lifestyle of “No Judgement.”  Whatever fears we have of growing closer to You, remove them from us.  Help us to see ourselves as You see us.  As we embrace our sinful nature, let us give it to You.  In You, we find freedom.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

What have you condemned yourself for lately?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 19-20 GW; Psalms 90 GW; John 2 GW

God’s timing doesn’t make sense.

In God’s economy, a thousand years is like a day.  We can’t fathom that because we don’t live that long on earth.  Patience is a virtue God possesses.  Think how impatient we are in our waiting.  We are a drive-thru world, more than ever, thanks to COVID.  Fast food, curbside delivery, or at-home delivery enable us to have hot-cooked meals within minutes.  If we do want to cook at home, microwaves offer even faster meals.  To say we’re a culture that doesn’t know how to wait is an understatement.

Preparing for a road-trip, I decided I needed a new pair of jeans.  Within minutes, I found what I was looking for online.  Since I was leaving in a few days and didn’t want to risk delivery delays, I chose curbside pick-up.  In less than an hour, I had new jeans in my car.  Just 50 years ago, people made their clothes.  Now we order them and have them delivered within minutes.

God knows waiting is key to growth.

God isn’t a drive-thru.  We can’t put in our order, then within minutes have what we want.  God’s role isn’t to satisfy our every need.  He wants to transform us into a person who reflects His love to the world.  Transformation doesn’t happen overnight.  No matter how hard you try, you can’t speed up God’s timetable.  God will do what He wants to do when He wants to do it.  Nothing you do can change that fact.  God waits longer than we ever will; a thousand years is like a day to Him.

In our need, in our joy, God wants to share it all with us.  We’re the ones who get caught up in our fast-paced lives.  God is the One longing for us to include Him in our days, trusting whatever the request, His timing is perfect.

Lord, how grateful we are for Your timing.  Forgive us for doubting Your wisdom.  Remind us today, You have a plan, and it will come to fruition in its time.  Until then, help us to relax into You.  When we falter, pick us up and keep us going.  Help us today, to live in the moment.  Let us experience the blessings of this day as we stay present in it.  We give our cares and worries to You, knowing, You’ve got our backs.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How has God’s timing blessed you in the past?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 17-18 GW; John 1 GW

God created everything.

Look around you.  Wherever you are at this moment, God is the creator of all you see.  He is the One who gave breath to the people who invented whatever contraptions in view. 

Ancient Egyptians get the credit for designing chairs, but God gave them the breath they needed to breathe.

 Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, but God gave him the gifts he needed to accomplish his task. 

Legend says Kaldi, a goat herder, discovered the power of the coffee bean.  He noticed his goat’s energy level increased when they ate the beans.  When Kaldi told a local monk about his discovery, the monk added the beans to water, allowing him to stay alert in prayer for long hours.  God created the coffee bean, the goats, Kaldi, and monks, all needed to give us our morning brew.

God creates.

We have put men on the moon, but God gave us the technology.  Everything we have has God at its origin.  Nothing exists that God did not create.  When we begin to grasp this concept, we realize we have a lot to thank God for each day.

“This is Us” is a favorite show of mine.  In a recent episode, the writer’s highlighted Nasir Ahmed, who developed Discrete Cosine Transform with his team in the 1970s.  Their work is used today in image and video sharing technology.  Ahmed’s team is what has kept us connected during the pandemic 50 years later.  God created Ahmed, giving him gifts that would keep on producing for decades to come.

God creates out of love.  Our God-given gifts cause us to invent.  All things start with God.

Lord, thank You for Your creation.  Everything in existence came from You.  Forgive us for taking credit for Your work.  Without Your breath in our bodies, we couldn’t do anything.  Today, let us take time to appreciate the air You created.  As we inhale deeply, remind us of Your goodness as we fill our lungs.  As we hold our breath for a moment, do Your work within us.  Then, let us exhale all of the negativity from within us, knowing, You are working.  As we embrace Your sovereignty, let us become creators like You.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

Which one of God’s creations are you most thankful for today?

4 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 15-16 GW; 2 Timothy 4 GW

Social Media limits your perspective.

In the recent study, “How Social Media Makes it Difficult to Identify Real News,” researchers discovered:

“People viewing a blend of news and entertainment on a social media site tended to pay less attention to the source of content they consumed — meaning they could easily mistake satire or fiction for real news.”

Social media allows us to believe lies easily. We follow people who have similar interests as ourselves. Skimming through our timelines produces a blend of friend updates, funny memes, and news. The problem is, identifying what is real and what isn’t. A couple of years ago, I fell for a fake story about a popular pastor signing a multi-million dollar contract to work at a different church.  The post was fictional but written in such a way, I believed it as truth.  Only when I shared the “news” with my husband did I find the truth.

Timothy is warning us about social media a thousand years before it existed.  People during his time didn’t have online profiles.  But just like us, they followed who they wanted to follow.  If a woman was trying to get pregnant, she worshipped the fertility gods.  Warriors followed warrior gods. Gladiators followed gladiator gods. Because they followed so many different gods, they covered their bases with an altar for the “Unknown God.”   We’re human; our nature is to connect with those who like what we like.  God isn’t about like; He’s about love rooted in truth. 

Jesus is truth.

Love demands truth.  My real friends are not the ones who tell me what I want to hear.  My real friends are the ones who tell me what I don’t want to hear WITH love.  They are not necessarily the ones I want to surround myself with all of the time.  Sometimes truth requires space to accept. But my real friends are the ones I know love me the most.

No one loves you more than Jesus.  Following Him means learning how to love, Him and others.  Jesus doesn’t do what you want.  He doesn’t hate people because they have hurt you.  Jesus loves both sides of the story because He knows both sides.  God is a known God.  He’s intimately involved in our lives whether we follow Him or not.  If you believe in Jesus but aren’t following Him, He’s still following you.  Jesus doesn’t unfriend people when they make Him mad or disagree with His opinion.  Jesus loved at all times.  He expects the same from us.

Follow Jesus first.  Surround yourself with people who agree AND disagree with you.  Verify the sources of the information you receive.  Don’t believe everything you read.  Search for truth, find truth.

Lord Jesus, thank You for bringing truth to the world.  Open our eyes and ears to see more than just our opinion.  Forgive us, Lord, for not loving those who view the world differently than us.  Help us to embrace everyone we meet with love.  Whoever we encounter today, I pray after they are with us, their day is better.  Help us seek truth by following You.  Reveal to us what we cannot see.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How has social media limited your perspective?