Category: Uncategorized

4 minute read

“Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:5 NIV)

Spiritual birth leads to eternal life.

In simplest terms, believing in Jesus is spiritual birth.  Accepting His presence into your heart is the beginning of life change.  Describing the transformation that takes place when you trust Jesus is different for everyone.  Some people have drastic life changes immediately; others, it’s a slower process.  No matter what your experience is like, one truth remains the same.  Believing in Jesus is the starting point, not the endpoint.

My spiritual birth happened when I was 12 years old on my brother’s bunk bed’s top mattress.  For the first time, I realized something was missing.  After listening to the pastor’s message that day in church, I knew I needed Jesus to fill the empty hole.  Even now, 39 years later, I remember the moment I cried out to Jesus and asked Him to live in my heart.  Not in church, not surrounded by people, just me and Jesus talking.  For me, what I experienced after my heartfelt plea, was peace.  I knew I was no longer alone; Jesus was with me.

Believe

Belief is the beginning of your relationship with Jesus.  As a child, we believe in many things: Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy.  All of these fairy tales exist until we grow old enough to know the truth.  Jesus isn’t like these invented characters.  Belief in Him never ends.  As we grow older following Him, the more His reality becomes apparent in our lives.

Nicodemus, the man Jesus is responding to in today’s verse, had difficulty understanding what Jesus is saying.  Perplexed, he asks Jesus: “How can this be?” (3 John 3:9 NIV).  Believing what we cannot see is difficult for all of us. 

“And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” …“I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-25 ESV)

If you’re having trouble believing in Jesus, ask God to help you with your unbelief.  We all have areas we struggle to have faith.  Even though I’ve followed Jesus my entire life, I still have times I pray this prayer.

I recently asked God to help me believe His promises, even the ones I don’t like.  For instance, our days are numbered.  I’ve rebelled against this promise of God’s my entire life.  My problem is I want to control something I can’t control.  I need God to help me with my unbelief, with His help, I believe.

If you’re not sure about Jesus, ask God to help you with your unbelief.  Whatever is holding you back from believing, God will help you have faith.

Question of the Day:

What area do you need God’s help believing?

Further Reading: Hosea 6:1-9:17 NIV, 3 John 1:1-15 NIV, Psalm 126 NIV, Proverbs 29:12-14 NIV

4 minute read

“And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” (2 John 1:6 NIV)

Follow God, learn to walk in love.

God defines love for us in His word.  His commandments tell us how to love.  Jesus’s parables are love stories, each of them showing a different way to love.  One of my favorite examples is the rich young ruler found in Mark 10:17-27 NIV.  Jesus didn’t enable him.  When the prince told him he had kept all of the commandments, Jesus reminded him he hadn’t.  The reason we need Jesus, none of us are capable of perfection.  We overcome our humanity when we place our faith in Jesus, following His teachings.  Only then will we find eternal life; only then will we truly walk in love.

A.W. Tozer, an American pastor, and writer made this statement:

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” 

God commands love.

What God’s commandments lead to is love.  The Great Commandment is to love God, love others (Mark 12:30-31 NIV).  Then, He filled the Bible with directions of how to love.

How we are to love God:

• Set our minds on Him (Colossians 3:1-2 NIV)
• Do not conform to this world (Romans 12:2 NIV)
• Don’t abandon Him (Revelation 2:2-5 NIV)
• Don’t forget Him (Jeremiah 2:32 NIV)
• Give Him your heart, delight in His ways (Proverbs 23:26 NIV)

How we are to love people:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV)

When I think of God, I think of love.  Deep, unconditional devotion that perseveres in the hardest of times and rejoices in the best of times.  Each day I take faith steps towards Him, obeying His commands, the emotion grows deeper.  Trust in Him becomes the backbone of love that flows out to others.  

“We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God.”  A.W. Tozer

We create an image of God in our minds.  Our life experiences collide with our concept of God.  Our circumstances dictate what we think of God.  We have to move beyond the physical to experience the Spiritual presence of God.  Taking steps of faith means doing what He commands, which will lead us to walk in love.

Question of the Day:

How can you walk in love today?

Further Reading:Hosea 4:1-5:15 NIV, 2 John 1:1-13 NIV, Psalm 125:1-5 NIV, Proverbs 29:9-11 NIV

4 minute read

“In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,” (1 John 5:3 NIV)

Obeying God frees you.

But doing what God commands isn’t easy.  Loving people who have hurt you to the core is not a natural response.   The testimonies of forgiveness I’ve heard in my lifetime are phenomenal.  One of the most memorable stories for me came from a grieving mother I met.  She not only forgave but befriended the drunk driver who took her son’s life.  Her faith in God gave her the strength to obey His command to forgive.  When she forgave, her heart was free to love.  Where once she wanted vengeance, she found a divine peace only achievable with God. Her testimony is one that is impacting lives to this day.  God glorified as His child sought to obey Him.

Forgiving someone is entrusting them into God’s hands.  Whatever hurt they incurred, He will handle it.  He sees inside the heart to the emotion behind the action; He understands, people operate from their pain.  All of us are experiencing pain at some level.  Emotional pain isn’t visible; we can’t see the hurt someone is struggling with inside.  But God does. He knows what is going on with whomever and why they act the way they do.  For that reason, He’s the best one to judge their punishment, not us.  When we forgive, we’re releasing the burden, giving it to God.

Unburden with obedience.

Each day we put God first in our lives unburden’s us a little more.  Journeying with God means constant motion.   Pace for the trip is sometimes faster than others, but He’s continually propelling us forward.  Life isn’t stationary, but sometimes we get stuck.  A transgression happens we can’t forgive; until we do, we’re stuck in the moment. To get unstuck, we have to obey.

My left Achilles is a persistent problem.  This summer, with all of the tennis-teaching I was doing, the pain became unbearable.  I was limping everywhere I went, contemplating giving up coaching.  Finally, my husband convinced me to see a doctor.   Within 15 minutes, the doctor unstuck me from my pain.  He immediately identified the improper stretching I was doing, correcting my routine.  As I followed the doctor’s orders, I found freedom from my pain.  I now walk without a limp.  My obedience unburdened me daily, giving me freedom from my pain. 

When in pain, see the Doctor.  No matter what hurt you have, God has the answer.  Follow whatever command He gives you.  Let Him unburden you from your pain, as He frees you to love with His heart.  

Release your anxieties and fears to God.  Trust He knows what’s best.  Follow His commands, find freedom.

Question of the Day:

What command of God are you resisting today?

Further Reading: Hosea 1:1-3:5 NIV, 1 John 5:1-21 NIV, Psalm 124 NIV, Proverbs 29:5-8 NIV

4 minute read

“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:11 NIV)

Love others because God first loved you.

Influencers in today’s world are people who have a large following.  But in reality, you don’t need a large following to influence.  Jesus died for the one; He left the 99 to find the 100th:

“And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.  In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:13-14 NIV)

Love like Jesus

When we love like Jesus, people get to know Him.  Feeding the hungry, helping the homeless both reflect Jesus’s love.   In today’s world, we have to learn to love through the internet and face to face.   People relate through screens more than they do physically.  One dimensional communication creates miscommunication.  What we mean and what people interpret are two different things.   Don’t engage in the argument; instead, spread encouragement.  

Since the pandemic started, I’ve made a conscious effort to post uplifting and encouraging posts on my social media feed.  My husband and I share a page; I asked his permission to post what I want when I want.  Selfies are not my thing, but I post them; they let people see how I’m doing.  One of my recent posts was titled: “Battling the blues sans Beth.”   With an intent to encourage, I took a selfie during my walk. Struggling with a bout of depression that morning, I moved through it by recognizing, accepting, investigating, and nurturing (RAIN) my emotions.  We can’t change the world’s heaviness, but we can embrace God’s promises:

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30 NIV)

People learn of Jesus when we love like Him. Responding to people’s comments on social media is a way to love like Jesus virtually.  Not rising to the occasion when someone instigates an argument, but instead, finding a way to uplift and encourage can change the world.  Remember, behind the screen is a person. Whoever you’re communicating with, they have emotions.  “The Social Dilemma,” a recent Netflix movie, stated alarming statistics. Suicide rates have skyrocketed in preteens and teens since the rise of social media.  What we post and how we respond to people matters in the virtual world.

Recognize the humanity behind the post.  Instead of deepening the problem, use love to conquer hate.  Tap into the love God gave you, then share it with those around you, any way you can.

Question of the Day:

How can you love virtually today?

Further Reading:Daniel 11:36-12:13 NIV, 1 John 4 NIV, Psalm 123 NIV, Proverbs 29:2-4 NIV

4 minute read

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18 NIV)

God reveals truth. 

Each of us live in a different reality.  We agree on certain things, but not all things. Age, for instance is a factual truth.  Facts on COVID are subjective.  One reports says masks are useless, another says they aren’t.  One news article says hospitals are laying off workers because their empty, another says they have no beds because of COVID.   Who are we to believe?  What are we to believe? 

My most recent achievement is a Masters in Strategic Communication.  God willing, in just a couple of weeks I will finish my last class.  One truth I’ve learned, news outlets no longer tell the truth.  Instead, whoever owns the news outlet controls the message.  For instance, Rupert Murdoch owns News Corp, which owns hundreds of local, national and international news outlets.  He is executive chairman of Fox News, he controls the message.  Local newscasters all use the same script, as evidenced by this video.  Six corporations control the majority of the message media coutlets produce in the United States and the world.  

To find truth, start with God.

Truth is found through God.  As we seek Him, He reveals truth to us.  No matter who you are, your perspective is narrow.  No one has God’s view.  If we are to see what He sees, we must seek and ask for it.  

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  (John 8:32 NIV)

First, understand what you read on the internet or see in the news isn’t necessarily true.  However, when you ask God to help you decipher the truth, He will.

“Ears to hear and eyes to see–both are gifts from the Lord.” (Proverbs 20:12 NIV)  

When God reveals His truth to you, He gives you the ears to hear and eyes to see it.  Whatever the topic, He has the answer.  Within your Spirit, you will know.  For each of us, how we “know” is different, we just do.

The truths each of us have to face are diverse.  Lies I believe, others don’t.  All of us believe falsities to some extent.  Only God can reveal what they are.  God brings all things into the light.

“But everything exposed by the light becomes visible–and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” (Ephesians 5:13 NIV)  

If you’re struggling with who to believe and what to do, seek God.  Whatever the issue, ask Him to reveal His truth to you.  Draw close to God, He’ll draw close to you.  When you do, you will see His truth in all things.  His knowing you will know.

Love with actions that speak God’s truth.

Question of the Day:

What truth do you want God to reveal to you?

Further Reading: Daniel 11:2-35 NIV, 1 John 3:7-24 NIV, Psalm 122:1-9 NIV, Proverbs 29:1 NIV

4 minute read

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2 NIV)

God always helps.

The part no one tells you, He doesn’t help the way you think He will.  In fifty-one years on this earth, not once has God done what I told Him to do.  He has and is answering every prayer I have ever prayed, but His ways aren’t mine.  One of the hardest things to accept as a Christ-follower, you’re not in control.  Prayer is not your opportunity to command God to bid your will.  No, prayer is a conversation with God where you release your heart to Him.  As you unburden the emotions of your soul to Him, you’re making room for God to fill it.

My favorite part of the week is my Zoom prayer meeting.  A group of us from my church gather faithfully to learn more about talking to God.  One of our members is struggling with anger about life, like many of us do.  Her struggle with her feelings prevented her from sleeping.  Wanting sleep, she started to make room for God in her overwhelming emotions.  She told him she wasn’t ready to release all of her anger yet, but let her release enough so she could sleep.  And then she slept.  Speaking frankly with God is what He wants.

Ask God for help

When our hearts are full of negative emotions, God has no room to move.  We have to release the negativity before we can embrace the positive.  Clinging to the hurt makes us feel like we have control when we don’t.  When we empty our spirit, our emotion, God fills us with His.  Grace and mercy begin to flow into us, and through us, the more we let go of what we cannot control.  Healing occurs when we start the conversation.  The more we release, the more we heal.

In that same prayer meeting, my pastor gave a great analogy of how we’re to look at God.  If you have ever had a dog, you’ll understand immediately.  Man’s best friend, if they have owners who value them, have a look of unconditional love in their eyes that is hard to compare.  They trust willingly and freely, no matter what the situation.   Because I’m a dog owner, I immediately thought of the trusting look my dog gives me.  My next thought was, I don’t look at God the same way.  

Pain causes mistrust of God.  Our circumstances make us doubt His love for us.  God never promised an easy life, He promises an eternal one. 

Whatever you’re struggling with today, look up.  Ask God for help releasing the negative.  Let Him fill you with His love and mercy.

Question of the Day:

Where is your help coming from today?

Further Reading: Daniel 9-11:1NIV, 1 John 2:18-3:6 NIV, Psalm 121 NIV, Proverbs 28:27-28 NIV

4 minute read

“I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me.” (Psalm 120:1 NIV)

Call God’s hotline.

If you’ve ever watched Batman, you’ve seen the Bat phone.  If not, check out this brief retrospective.  A bright red phone in the Commissioner’s office connects to Batman, wherever he is, whatever he is doing.  When a need arises, he’s always ready to answer the call.  If Batman isn’t near his phone, someone is that lets him know it’s ringing.  Help comes with one call.

Our “bat phone” to God isn’t physical, but it is just as real.  Everytime trouble occurs, God is waiting expectantly for the call.  If we’re struggling to pick up the phone, God gives us people who help us lift it.  They point us in His direction, knowing He is the only one with the answers for a broken heart, desperate situation or general crisis.  Dropping to our knees, humbling ourselves before God, brings divine help into our circumstances.

God’s line is always open.

No matter what time of day you call, God answers.  We may not see His response immediately, but He started responding before you ever started dialing.   He’s not surprised by your request, He’s been waiting for you to come to Him.

“With great connectivity comes great responsibility.”  Batman Retrospective Video

God is responsible for the answers.  We’re responsible for connecting.  If we don’t make the connection with God by calling on Him, we’ll never find the answers.  When we call on God, He reveals His truth to us.

Currently, a friend and I are studying Revelation chapter by chapter.  When we first began, my friend summed up the book with the words, “It brings the Old Testament and the New Testament together.”  She’s right, the deeper we study, the more we see this truth.  Why?  Because that is what the book is about, revealing the truth of Jesus.  His truth is not our truth.  What He sees, we cannot see.  Only when we connect to Him, do we begin to have glimpses of His view.

Recently, my heart took a ding over a family situation.  My first response was not calling God.  No, first I called a friend, who didn’t answer.  Then I texted another friend, also no response.  Their lack of response was what made me fall to my knees.  When I called God, He answered.  I’m not saying He immediately fixed the hurt, He didn’t.  But what reaching out to Him allowed me to do was unload the hurt and disappointment from my soul into His waiting hands.  If we don’t release our pain, we’ll eventually explode.  God can handle our misery, He has an answer.  But if we don’t call Him, we’ll never get the response.

Call God when you’re in distress.  He always answers.

Question of the Day:

Do you call God first when a problem arises?

Further Reading: Daniel 8:1-27 NIV, 1 John 2:1-17 NIV, Psalm 120:1-7 NIV, Proverbs 28:25-26 NIV

4 minute read

“Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue.” (Proverbs 28:23 NIV)

Rebuke is better than flattery.

If you have someone in your life who speaks loving truth to you, cherish them.  People who use flattery to gain friends are soon exposed.  Whoever tells you about the lettuce stuck in your teeth, they are people who love you.  Having greenery in the pearly whites is something we can’t see ourselves; we need someone to see it for us.  The problem is, a lot of people know the spinach is there but don’t tell you.  Instead, they let you walk around looking silly.  Pointing out a flaw to someone is never easy but necessary for growth.

My husband and I are working our way through a year-long couples devotion.  Often the questions lead to discussions on things that annoy each of us.  The author is trying to help us have difficult conversations with each other.  My husband’s insights into my life have opened my eyes to things alone I would never see.  Lovingly, he points out the lettuce in my life.

Help others see the lettuce.

Rebuking is disapproval of someone’s actions.  However, the person committing the act may not know they are heading down the wrong path.  When we see someone moving in a misguided direction, we should try to stop them. If we don’t tell them about the lettuce, they’ll never see it in their teeth. In other words, we’re holding a mirror up, reflecting to them what we see.

One of my most life-changing rebukes came from my husband.  We were answering a question about two life-defining moments from our childhood.  As usual, I talked about my father’s death when I was 16 and his disability growing up.  My husband’s moments were both sports-related.  As our conversation deepened, my husband pointed out; I wore my suffering like a badge.  In other words, I was proud of my misery.  Yes, we argued our way through this discussion for most of the night.  But as the dawn broke, I pulled the lettuce from my teeth.

My husband’s rebuke helped me gain a new perspective.  His insight opened my eyes to a new level of awareness I had not seen.  I began to understand the impact of my father’s death in a new light.  I was comparing my pain to others, but instead, I needed to just sympathize with their pain.  Suffering isn’t a competition.  No one wins because they’ve suffered “more” than someone else.  Now, when I start to “show my badge,” my husband’s words remind me, it’s not a contest.

Question of the Day:

Do you have people in your life who will help you see the lettuce?

Further Reading:Daniel 7:1-28 NIV, 1 John 1:1-10 NIV, Psalm 119:153-176 NIV, Proverbs 28:23-24 NIV

4 minute read

“So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” (Daniel 6:16 NIV)

God is our protector.

In the case of Daniel and his Lion’s den, God sent an angel to close the mouths of the beasts (Daniel 6:22 NIV).  God’s protection comes in various forms today.  Cars keep us safe in accidents.  Our homes offer shelter from the storms.  People protect us.  Unexplained mishaps stop us from more significant harm.  We all live in the lion’s den:

“Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 GNT)

Satan looks to devour; God wants us to trust.  When the soldiers threw Daniel into the lion’s den, he didn’t know how God would save him.  What Daniel did was trust God, no matter what his situation.  Daniel’s punishment came because he wouldn’t worship the king.  When Daniel first found out about the new law, his response was prayer:

“Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” (Daniel 6:10b NIV)

Battle lions with prayer.

Notice, Daniel prayed and then got thrown into the lion’s den.  Following Christ doesn’t mean we’ll never run into hardship.  Jesus tells us plainly, in this world we will have trouble, but take heart, He’s overcome the world (John 16:33 NIV).  When we pray, we’re lifting our concerns to God.  His answers are up to Him, not us.  Accepting His Sovereignty in our lives means acknowledging He is in control.   God does know what He is doing if even we don’t.

Daniel’s obedience, his acceptance for his lot, glorified God before the king.  As a result, the king changed the decree:

“I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.” (Daniel 6:26 NIV)

Lights don’t shine in the light, only in the dark.  The tiniest spark pierces the darkness.  Even faith the size of a mustard seed moves mountains (Matthew 17:20 NIV).  We’re in the den, but God in us is bigger than any lion:

“You, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4 NIV)

We are living in the den of the lion.  Our world is in chaos with the pandemic.  But the God of Daniel is our God.   When we lean into Him, He protects us from the lions.

Question of the Day:

What lion do you need God’s protection from today?

Further Reading: Daniel 6:1-28 NIV, 2 Peter 3:1-18 NIV, Psalm 119:129-152 NIV,  Proverbs 28:21-22 NIV

4 minute read

“Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.” (Daniel 5:5-6 NIV)

Whoever God appoints reads the writing on the wall.

Our narrative in today’s scripture took place while King Belshazzar has dinner with a thousand of his closest friends.  During the festival, a hand appears and writes a message for all to see.  The problem is, no one knows what it says.  Belshazzar tries to find someone to interpret the message; no one can.  Finally, his wife finds out about the problem.  The queen tells him to call Daniel because he has the “spirit of the holy gods in him” (Daniel 5:11 NIV).  Daniel comes and reads the inscription; “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN”. (Daniel 5:25 NIV).  Interpreted the words mean the king’s rule has ended, judgement is against him, the kingdom divided and given away (Daniel 5:26-28 NIV).  Hence the origin for the common phrase, “writing on the wall.”

Important to note, not everyone can read the writing on the wall.  Guests in attendance were able to see the writing, but they couldn’t understand what it meant.  Only one looking through God’s eyes could interpret the words.  What was true thousands of years ago is true today.  Not everyone can see the writing on the wall.  They don’t understand the turmoil in the world because they are looking through human eyes.  When we join our spirit with God’s, as Daniel did, we begin to understand what no one else can.

Gain spiritual vision.

Daniel had spiritual vision.  He honored God more than anyone else, even the king.  His life devoted to following God.  Daniel’s reward was a new lens to see the world.  Instead of seeing what everyone else at the banquet saw, He saw what God saw.  We can’t see what God sees if we aren’t in a daily relationship with Him.

My husband and I celebrated 8 years of marriage in August.  When I married my husband, I thought I knew him.  However, 2,999 days later, I know him much better.  Each day our relationship deepens as we invest in each other.  Our relationship with God grows with us as we include him in our days. We learn new things about God, ourselves, people, everyday.  Pursuing relationships takes work, but the rewards are worth every bit of effort.  The more effort, the deeper the relationship, which is the reward.

Pray this simple prayer: “God help me see what You see.”  Let Him open your eyes to the writing on the wall.

Question of the Day:

Who or what do you need to see through God’s eyes?

Further Reading: Daniel 5 NIV, 2 Peter 2:1-22 NIV, Psalm 119:113-128 NIV, Proverbs 28:19-20 NIV