Category: Uncategorized

One-minute read.

Reflecting David’s spirit against Goliath, Jahaziel tells the Israelites, “The battle is not yours.” How often do we take up arms for a fight God never intended us to battle? When we don’t consult the Lord before a skirmish, we do more harm than good and often lose the fight.

King Jehoshaphat faced a vast army from the east. By trusting the Lord, the king enjoyed victory over his enemies. We don’t face the same type of armies as Jehoshaphat, but we have an enemy who seeks to devour us like a roaring lion (Peter 5:8). Thankfully, we have a Savior who gives us victory because of the cross.

We face many challenges in life, and unimaginable events sweep us off our feet and make our days seem long. But we will find victory when we stay focused on the Lord and listen to Him. The next time fear begins to invade your peace, think about today’s verse: “Thus says the Lord to you, do not be afraid!”

God has a battle plan, and He knows the course to victory. Follow Him closely, letting your Divine Protector lead you through enemy lines to the promised land. The Lord has your back!

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for protecting and giving us victory over the enemy. Please help us stay focused on You as we face life’s challenges, trusting You to lead us to triumph.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Joshua reminds the Israelites how the Lord humiliated the kings of their enemies in their defeats. Because God fought for them, the Israelites enjoyed victory. What the Lord did once, He can do it again. Remembering the Divine Protector’s strength helps the people move fearlessly forward.

Writing down the miracles God works for you helps you remember. The Lord does miraculous things in our lives every day, although we take most of them for granted. I noticed the rising sun as I moved boxes from our garage into the attic above it. Brilliant oranges and yellows shined brightly on my face, warming it. I felt compelled to stop and praise God for another miraculous day.

Elevation Worship’s praise song “Do It Again” has a mighty chorus:

I’ve seen You move, You move the mountains
And I believe, I’ll see You do it again
You made a way, where there was no way
And I believe, I’ll see You do it again

Whenever I sing the words, God’s Spirit moves and empowers me because I believe the Lord can do it again.

Spend time today thinking about how God worked in your life. Meditate on the miracles you have experienced. Then remind your fears of the Master you serve, and move forward boldly knowing God can do it again.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for all the miracles You work in our lives daily. Please help us remember how You’ve cared for us in the past and live fearfully, knowing You can and will do it again.
IJNP. Amen

One-minute read.

Closing his first letter to the Corinthian church, Paul exhorts them to stand firm in the faith. Acting with courage means doing it afraid. Immediately, I thought of hitting the “send” button the first time I emailed Ron after we met. Scarred from past relationships, I had given up hope of finding someone. But I stood firm in my faith.

God gave me the courage to take the step of faith and try again. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that my heavenly Father loved me. Whether Ron rejected or accepted me didn’t matter because I had all I needed in the Lord, and I still do. I count my husband as one of my greatest gifts from God and cherish him daily. As I love to say, “Ron’s the icing on the cake of what I already had with God.”

Stand firm in your faith. Whatever fear you have, overcome it with trust in the Lord. Know that no matter what happens, you’ll regret not trying more than you will trying and failing. And no matter what happens, God adores you. Win or lose, the Creator will always love you. Trust in His affection, take steps of faith, knowing you will always find a firm footing in the Lord.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for loving us unconditionally and giving us the courage to take steps of faith. Please help us stand firm as we face our fears and follow You.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Speaking to the disciples, Jesus wants them to take their eyes off their uncertain circumstances and place them on God. The Savior knows what the future holds, but His followers don’t. Wanting to strengthen them, Christ reminds them where to put their trust: in the Creator and His Son.

Jesus’s thirteen words contain a timeless message. We face uncertainty in our world; no one except God knows what the day will bring. Living outside time constraints, the Lord sees the beginning, middle, and end. Because of His sovereignty, our heavenly Father has a plan for whatever happens. We can let go of the reigns and trust the Lord to care for us and our loved ones. God asks us to do one thing: believe in Him.

Atheists believe in nothing. Agnostics don’t claim faith or disbelief in God, ambivalent to a higher power. Christ’s followers believe in God. Everyone has a choice where they place their trust. As for me and my household, we believe in God, the Creator of the World, Savior and King, the Prince of Peace, the Almighty, the One we can trust.

Choose today to believe in God and experience life like you never imagined. In Him, you can trust.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving me faith in You. Please help me share my beliefs with all who will listen. Soften hearts and prepare the soil so that all may believe in You.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Reverential fear of the Lord and a deep respect for His sovereignty should guide our lives. We have nothing else to fear. Only God has power over life and death; we have everything we need in Him. Keeping Him at the forefront of our thoughts will help us fight for our loved ones and continually do the right thing.

Nehemiah lived with the Lord as his leader. Because of his unwavering faith, the cupbearer to the king helped rebuild Jerusalem’s walls. Paving the way with prayer, Nehemiah gained permission from the king to spend 52 days restoring the wall and repopulating the city. Standing beside his fellow Jews, the people had weapons in one hand and tools in the other, on guard for the enemy’s attacks while building the wall of protection.

We don’t know what the Lord will ask us to do in life, but we can fulfill our purpose without fear, knowing that when we follow God, He will protect us from the enemy. Pray for the people in your life, talk to the Creator about them, and ask for guidance and direction. Lean into the Lord, and He will direct your paths, providing everything you need for the journey.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for reminding us of Your power. Please help us keep our eyes on You, trusting Your guidance and relying on Your provision to accomplish our mission. Take us where You want us to go; lead us to our destiny.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

“Wake up, Honey! You’re ok. I’m here.”

A few nights ago, I had a nightmare, and Ron woke me up, comforting me. In my fear, he drew me near and held me close. The horrible dreams have become less and less over the years, but I still have them. Thank God for Ron, who came near and comforted me during those times, the Lord’s hands and feet to me when needed.

When we cry out to the Divine Protector in our fears, He comes near and comforts us. Wrapping us in His arms, our heavenly Father tells us, “I’m here. You’re okay.” Turning to God, we will find refuge in His arms. Throughout scripture, He tells us to “Fear not, for He is with us.” We can rely on the Creator to protect His creation

Whatever fears wake you at night, know God comes near when you call on Him. The Almighty didn’t give us spirits of timidity but of boldness. Empowering us with His Spirit, we can rely on the Lord’s presence to strengthen us and give us what we need to face the fears that plague us and defeat them.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for hearing our cries, drawing near, and comforting us. Please help us live fearlessly for You today as we trust in Your divine protection, no matter our fears.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Rarely does God find anyone wholly obedient and devoted to Him. Humanity gets in the way of our faith. Impatience, selfishness, and wrong thinking cause us to stray from the Lord’s commands and rebel against Him. The Israelites had barely begun their journey into the promised land, and they started rebelling, whaling that God should have left them in Egypt.

The minute things get complicated, people complain. How often do we rebel against God’s actions simply because He doesn’t do them the way we think He should? We forget our place and who Created us. Basing our judgment on our limited perspective, we can’t see the entire picture, even though we think we do.

The Israelites, about to enter the Promised Land, fear what will happen to them when they try to possess it. Forgetting all the miracles God did for them, they see only imminent danger instead of divine guidance. God forgives them, but only Caleb receives the inheritance of the land because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, not doubting Him when things didn’t make sense.

Don’t let your limited perspective and fear of the unknown keep you from receiving the Lord’s blessing. Trust in the Maker and let Him guide you to the promised land, defeating the enemy and giving you divine victory.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for loving us despite our flaws. Please forgive our rebellious nature and help us focus on Your divine leading. Let us experience the blessing You have for us as we trust You in all things.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Traveling 150 miles through the Desert of Paran, the Israelites came to Kadesh Barnea, the southern perimeter of the Land of Promise. The group felt fear when facing a hot, dry, and rugged plateau, so Moses encouraged them to keep going. Before they would continue, the Israelites asked if they could send a representative to scout the land for them. God agreed, and each tribe sent one man to spy out the terrain.

Often, when the Lord calls us to a new place, we feel fear. When Ron and I purchased our house, I had an anxiety attack. Afraid of leaving my comfort zone for the unknown petrified me. But then my realtor, also a good friend, talked me off the ledge and helped me see the promised land of our new place.

When God sets new land before us, whether a home, opportunity or some other blessing, we must move forward to receive it. Relying on the Lord for strength, we can trust His promises and embrace the blessings He has for us. If we allow fear to paralyze us, we’ll never receive the reward that awaits us.

Move into the promised land one step at a time. Don’t let your fear determine your actions. Instead, focus your eyes on Jesus and keep walking.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for leading us to the promised land. Please help us put our fear in its place and follow You wherever You lead us. Let us enjoy the riches of Your blessings as we trust in You.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

When rebuilding the temple, the community feels discouraged because it lacks opulence compared to the first one. Haggai reminds them to put God first, work unto Him, and complete the temple as a sign of devotion, promising that it would become as great as the previous temple.

Haggai’s primary message centers around putting God first in their lives. He indicates that they have an attitude problem, focusing on the physical rather than the spiritual. The prophet wants the people to trust the Lord’s promises as they faithfully serve Him.

All through scripture, we see God asking His servants to trust Him. Noah spent 120 years building the ark, suffering ridicule from people who thought him crazy. Abraham left the known to live in the unknown and experience God’s promises. Moses spent 40 years in exile before beginning the trek through the wilderness. Joshua marched around a city for seven days before the walls tumbled. Ordinary people repeatedly placed their eyes on the Lord and trusted His word, leading to extraordinary lives.

Keep the Son in your eyes, put fear aside, and experience God’s wondrous life for you. The Lord’s Spirit remains in our midst; fear not.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for Your presence in our lives and Your Spirit that strengthens us. When we become discouraged, help us focus our eyes and attitude on You, allowing You to strengthen our soul.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

When we place our faith in Jesus, the Lord rejoices, and the angels sing. Can you imagine the scene in heaven when a lost soul gives their life to Christ? I remember the moment the Savior moved into my heart, purifying it and giving me a new life. Jesus leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one and rejoices when He finds them.

God knows us intimately, down to the number of hairs on our heads. The Lord knows our thoughts before we think them and loves us unconditionally. A doting Father, He takes pleasure in us, our acts of obedience and faithfulness a pleasant aroma to His nostrils. When we offer our lives as living sacrifices, the Lord rejoices.

Give God reasons to exult over you with loud singing today. Love those who come before you today, pray for your enemies, and when you see a need, meet a need. Do everything as unto the Lord and feel His pleasure as you use the gifts He gives you to serve others. In Him, you will find abundant life. Our heavenly Father reigns down blessings and wants us to share them with others. Let your light shine bright today, honoring God in all you do.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for drawing us to You and giving us new life through Christ. Let us honor and glorify You in all we do today and always. I pray we give You many reasons to rejoice over us in song.
IJNIP. Amen