Category: Uncategorized

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 12:1-31, John 16:1-33, Psalm 119:65-80, Proverbs 16:4-5

Daily Verse: “The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” Prov. 16:4

Divine retribution.

Thinking of people receiving God’s judgment softens my heart. Watching people walk down wrong paths and make life-altering decisions that will cause pain hurts. 

“What goes around comes around?” my wise mother said when I would question her about why people get away with doing mean things. I did not believe her in my younger years, thinking people got away with their evil ways. But now I realize her wisdom and the sadness that comes with it.

Suffering the consequences of actions happens to everyone. Poor relational decisions, not respecting myself, and seeking instant gratification with the swipe of a credit card all caused me pain. When I began following Jesus and applying His teachings to my life, I found a new purpose, less pain, and hope for a better future.

God created us for a purpose; we will discover it when we walk in His ways. But when we choose to put ourselves before the Lord, pain follows. Jesus came to show us how to live; following Him leads to a life of abundance we can find no other way.

Lord, forgive us for not following You.  As we seek You each day, guide us in the direction You want us to go. Please lead us to our purpose on Earth, and help us fulfill our divine calling. Give us life in abundance as we chase after You. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 9:1-11:27, John 15:1-27, Psalm 119:49-64, Proverbs 16:1-3

Daily Verse: “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Prov. 16:3

Committed plans.

“Commit” means “roll” and refers to complete dependence on God. The visual representation means rolling one’s burdens onto the Lord.

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm 37:5

David uses the same word in Psalm 37, and we know the slayer of giants relied heavily on God for his victories. The King only got in trouble when he took his eyes off the Lord, just like we do. Now, Solomon shares the same wisdom as his father. Roll your burdens onto the Lord, and he will take care of the rest.

For years, I’ve written this scripture in my journal at the beginning of the week as I prayed over the appointments on my calendar. Not until writing this devotional did I know the true meaning of the word commit. But I know God established my plans, dropping some events, adding others, and always leading the way.

Roll your burdens onto the Lord. Pray over your calendars, and let God decide the divine appointments in your life.

Lord, forgive us for not including You in all of our plans. As we roll our burdens to You, let us feel lighter, knowing You will take care of our calendars as we trust in You. Don’t let us miss any divine appointments, now or ever. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-8:18, John 14:15-31, Psalm 119:33-48, Proverbs 15:33

Daily Verse: “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” Prov. 15:33

Humble submission.

Bruce Almighty, the 2003 film starring Jim Carrey, who gets a crack at becoming God, always makes me laugh. When his character gets tired of answering prayers, Bruce responds “yes” to them. Chaos erupts, and he quickly learns the complications of running the universe. Ultimately, Bruce learns you can’t make people love you, not even God.

Many in our world don’t love God. Often the reason lies in unanswered prayers that cause deep hurt and confusion. God never promised a pain-free life, but He did promise us the strength to endure the storms.

Humbling ourselves before God and submitting to His sovereignty seems intimidating. Giving up control feels scary, but when we let the Creator lead us, we need not fear where He takes us. With God, we will find honor that only comes from Him.

The Lord doesn’t value the things of the world; He loves our hearts. Fearing the Lord leads to wisdom and discernment. Giving our lives to the Creator leads us to eternal joy with Him.

Lord, forgive us for doubting Your decisions. Give us the faith we need and the strength to endure the trials of this world. Let Your peace that surpasses all understanding reign in our lives as we do our best to love You and others. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 4:1-6:23, John 13:31-14:14, Psalm 119:17-32, Proverbs 15:31-32

Daily Verse: “Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.” Prov. 15:32

Remain teachable.

When I began writing devotionals, readers would tell me when I got the scripture reference wrong. The first time someone corrected me, I felt offended. But then I realized I didn’t want to get the word of God wrong, and I felt grateful. People editing my work help me become the best writer possible; I can’t do it without feedback.

Over the years, I’ve received lots of instructions from others. Sometimes negative, mostly positive. A few years ago, I received a critical remark that hurt me deeply. As I shared my angst with a friend, she gave me wise advice.

“If you’re going to spend this much time thinking about one negative remark, you have to give the same amount of time to the positive ones.”

Learning to accept and filter reproof helps me gain intelligence. Receiving feedback helps us all become better at whatever task we have before us. Accepting our imperfections allows us to receive advice and apply it to our circumstances.

Receive instructions from others, discern what’s worth holding onto and what you need to let go. Become more intelligent as you do.

Lord, forgive us for taking offense when someone tries to help us. Give us teachable hearts that accepts instruction and applies it to our lives. Let us become more intelligent as we learn and grow with the help of others. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 2:12-3:39, John 13:1-30, Psalm 119:1-16, Proverbs 15:29-30

Daily Verse: “The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones.” Proc. 15:30

Health to the bones.

Nothing encourages and uplifts more than good news. When my women’s Bible study started its spring session, two of the moms had exciting news. As we went around the circle, sharing updates from our holiday break, I squealed with delight when they announced pregnancies. Both through the first trimester, they glowed with the knowledge of new life growing inside them.

During our three-month study, two moms gave birth. At our last meeting until the fall, newborns attended with us, one only a week old. God answered our prayers for safe deliveries and healthy babies, which refreshed our bones as nothing else could.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein

Look for God’s miracles, and you will find them. Good news exists, bringing life to our bones and encouraging our hearts. But sometimes we must look a little harder to find it.

Follow Einstein’s advice, look for miracles, and let them refresh your bones.

Lord, forgive us for taking our eyes off You.  Help us view the world through Your lens, seeing everything as a miracle. Bring health to our bones with abundant good news, encouraging our souls and uplifting our hearts. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 1:1-2:11, John 12:20-50, Psalm 118:19-29, Proverbs 15:27-28

Daily Verse: “Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.” Prov. 15:27

Greed and contentment.

Get rich quick schemes never work. Taking bribes, money not earned, can skew our perspective. Judas fell to the plans of the chief priest by accepting 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus. When Judas realized the error of his ways, he tried to return the money, but the Jewish leaders didn’t care.

“So Judas threw the money into the Temple. Then he went out from there and hanged himself.” Matt. 27:5

The Jewish leaders called the 30 pieces of silver blood money unworthy of the temple treasury, using it to buy the Potter’s Field, a burial place for paupers and strangers.

Judas didn’t find contentment with Jesus; the disciple’s greed consumed and ruined him. Tithing breaks money’s hold on our lives; giving God our first fruits breeds contentment and keeps the Lord top priority in our finances.

Don’t let greed and the promise of easy money interfere with your relationship with God. Practice Biblical finances and enjoy divine contentment.

Lord, forgive us for having moments of greed.  Help us develop contentment as we apply Your principles to our finances.  Thank You for providing for us in ways we never imagined.  Let us manage well the blessings You give.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 29:1-31:13, John 11:55-12:19, Psalm 118:1-18, Proverbs 15:24-26

Daily Verse: “The Lord tears down the house of the proud but maintains the widow’s boundaries.” Prov. 15:25

Divine justice.

God humbles the proud and protects the needy. Proud people often prey on the widows, orphans, poor and needy, but God protects the vulnerable. 

My mom, a widow longer than a wife, had people who tried to take advantage of her. Phone scammers and con artists preyed on her vulnerability. But the Lord always saved her by exposing them. Monitoring her phone and confronting the con artists kept them at bay. God used her children to intervene and protect her from their exploits.

As Christ’s followers, we must protect the vulnerable. People who deny God and live for themselves have no moral compass. Without the Holy Spirit guiding people, anything goes, including taking advantage of needy people.

We serve a sovereign God who knows the hearts of all. The Lord protects His flock and exposes the proud, tearing down their houses and revealing their misdeeds.

Lord, help us protect the vulnerable. Expose the proud and devious of heart, don’t let them take advantage of the needy. Let us serve You well by helping those who can’t help themselves. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 26:1-28:25, John 11:1-54, Psalm 117:1-2, Proverbs 15:22-23

Daily Verse: “To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!” Prov. 15:23

Timely and fitting advice.

Saying the right thing at the right time brings satisfaction. But often, we don’t know what words we should use. I seek God’s help with a simple prayer at moments like those.

“Lord, give me words.”

In 53 years of living, He always answers in one of two ways. Either a scripture will come to mind which helps me respond, or if nothing comes, I know not to speak until something does.

Dealing with tender hearts requires gentleness. We don’t know the extent of someone’s pain, and we don’t want to add to it. No matter how put together people look on the outside, everyone deals with hurt somehow. Some people hide their pain better than others but still have it.

If you don’t have an apt answer, say nothing until you do. Seek God’s help finding the right words to say at the right time. Wise advice spoken in the appropriate moment gives life to the receiver and helps them overcome their pain.

Lord, forgive us for not seeking You when giving advice. Help us deal well with tender hearts by speaking wise words at the appropriate time. Let us become more like Jesus as we love others for Him.  Give us apt words when we need them. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 24:1-25:44, John 10:22-42, Psalm 116:1-19, Proverbs 15:20-21

Daily Verse: “Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.” Prov. 15:21

Foundation of character.

Folly, making foolish decisions repeatedly, shows a lack of sense. But people who take time to learn and understand the facts before deciding develop strong character.

Wisdom requires patience and discernment. Looking beyond the surface takes emotional restraint and a non-judgmental attitude. If we rush to judgments, we can’t see the entire picture. Only fools draw conclusions based on superficial information.

In my younger days, I concluded quickly, positive about my decisions. Now, hindsight giving me a 20/20 vision, I realize how many wrong assessments I made. Acting on those conclusions showed my lack of sense, rash emotions causing me to act foolishly.

Growing and maturing makes my emotions and judgments take a back seat, which then develops my character as I practice patience and discernment, a long, slow process that I will work on for the rest of my life.

Develop character by seeking understanding before concluding. Foolish ways disappear as wisdom takes the lead.

Lord, help us forgive ourselves for acting foolishly. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear the truth. Help us develop strong character as we practice patience and discernment. Let us not jump to conclusions but instead seek understanding. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 22:1-23:29, John 10:1-21, Psalm 115:1-18, Proverbs 15:18-19

Progress of diligence.

Daily discipline leads to diligence, which eventually shows progress. As a tennis coach, my goal with each lesson remains the same, achieving a 1% increase in my student’s performance. A year of weekly classes equals a 50% improvement and progress.

Many days, I see the look of defeat on my young student’s faces as they miss a ball into the net or hit one long. Reminding them of their progress helps encourage them, but their expectations of themselves inevitably get in the way. Coaching them along the journey means reminding them that even the pros had to go through the valleys to reach the top. Perseverance pays off, not quitting.

Some days, I feel victorious; other days, I feel defeated, but I still tune into God and trust Him each day. Over fifty-plus years, I’ve learned many things, and I still have a long way to go. But my diligence results in progress in my relationship with God and others.

Slow and steady wins the race. Sluggards give up. Diligent people persevere and learn God’s with them, regardless of their outward circumstances. Amid the storm, Christ leads us on a steady highway, giving us His peace that surpasses all understanding.

Lord, forgive us for giving up and not trusting You.  As we face the valleys of life, help us persevere, keeping our gaze centered on Jesus. Lead us through the storms, giving us the peace that surpasses all understanding; let us share Your love with the world. IJNIP. Amen