Honest Reflections

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 11:1-13:22 ESV, Romans 8:26-39 ESV, Psalm 18:37-50 ESV, Proverbs 19:27-29 ESV

Daily Verse: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26 ESV)

STENAGMOS (4726): “A sigh, groaning.  In Rom 8:26, in the plural, of the intercessory groanings of the Holy Spirit.”[I]

Groaning sigh.

God speaks groans.  When we don’t have words to pray, the Holy Spirit does it for us.  Sighs of sadness and pain become prayers to the Lord, a way of lifting our sorrow to Him, seeking God’s comfort.

When one of my best friends moved to Mt. Pleasant, SC, to plant  Life Community Church with her husband, I groaned a lot; we both did.  Our friendship blossomed on the tennis court, a place we met often.  We checked the weather and our schedules each week to see how much time we could spend on the painted asphalt.

As the day of their departure grew closer, the sighs became longer and louder.  Never one to like change, the sadness I felt overwhelmed me.  But God heard each groan and answered with love.

God comforts.

On Valentine’s Day 2007, the caravan for S.C. left Williamsburg, VA, to fulfill God’s call on my friend’s lives.  To commemorate the day, I bought us matching V-day shirts to wear for the trip.  Helping them relocate helped me persevere through the loss of my tennis buddy and spiritual mentor from my daily life.

During my time of groaning, God comforted me.  Christ met me in my pain and carried me forward, drawing me closer to Him.  As a result, my relationship with the Creator exponentially grew as I spent more time with Him.  How God soothes our hurting souls differs from person to person.  In God’s sovereignty, He meets us uniquely and speaks to us differently. 

Allow the Holy Spirit to pray for you.  Trust that God understands the groans of your heart.  Let yourself grieve the losses, seeking God in your despair.  When you do, God will meet you in your darkest moments, comforting you and bringing light to lead you forward.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 233) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 8:11-10:19 ESV, Romans 8:9-25 ESV, Psalm 18:16-36 ESV, Proverbs 19:26 ESV

Daily Verse: “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (Romans 8:9 ESV)

OIKEO (3611): “To dwell” (from oikos, “a house”), “to inhabit as one’s abode.”  It is used of God as dwelling in light, 1 Ti 6:16; of the indwelling of the Spirit of God in the believer, Rom 8:9.”[i]

One’s abode.

When the Holy Spirit takes residence inside us, we become His abode.  God’s address comes from within us.  Light enters our soul, brilliant radiance kicking the darkness from our hearts as we let God into every nook and cranny of our being.

Often, we only allow God into the foyers of our home.  Not wanting to expose our misdeeds, we give Jesus partial access to our hearts.  Locking the door on the messy rooms in our hearts doesn’t allow healing. But if we genuinely want to experience freedom in Christ, we must also expose the ugly parts to Him.

And if we don’t give Jesus access, we don’t belong to Him.

Open the door.

During my childhood, my bedroom remained a colossal mess.  Clothes and toys everywhere, closing the door hid the clutter. I hated when mom made me clean my room, comfortable in the turmoil of my sanctuary.  But when I did, I would leave my door open for everyone to see the clean floors, dusted shelves, and made bed.

God wants you to open the door of your heart to Him.  He’s not asking you to do the cleaning yourself; Jesus wants to help you pick up the mess.  No one understands your hurts and heartaches more than Christ.  You don’t have to hide the unpleasant rooms from God; He already knows what’s behind the closed door.

Accepting God’s unconditional love happens when we open the doors to our hearts and give Him full access to us.  Allow the Holy Spirit to take up residence in your today.  Take a few moments and ask Jesus to search your heart.  Let Christ show you the areas He doesn’t have access to, then open the door and welcome Him into the mess.

Allow Jesus to clean the messy rooms of your heart, bringing you freedom from sin.  Live life to the fullest, forgiven and free in Jesus.  No one loves you more than Christ; nothing you do will change His affection for you.  Giving Him access to your whole heart will bring full life to you in ways you won’t know until you invite Jesus into your entire abode.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 176) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 6:12-8:10 ESV, Romans 7:14-8:8 ESV, Psalm 18:1-15 ESV,

Proverbs 19:24-25 ESV

Daily Verse: “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15 ESV)

MISEO (3404): “Basically means having a relative preference for one thing over another by way of expressing either aversion from, or disregard for, the claims of one person or thing relatively to those of another.  It may work itself in strong emotion, but not necessarily.  Said of wrongdoing Rom 7:5.”[i]

Relative preference.

Hate, a strong aversion to someone or thing, a powerful emotion that, left unchecked, causes unbelievable damage and requires work to control.  Everyone has feelings of hatred at some point or another; what you do with those feelings matters most.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul hates that he does things he knows he shouldn’t nor wants to do.  Welcome to the world of sinful nature; we can all relate to falling short of the expectations we place on ourselves.

Why do we do what we don’t want to do?  Battling the flesh began long ago, and until Jesus returns, it will continue.  Everyone shares the same struggle.

Repeated grace.

Do your best to honor God and fulfill His will for your life.  And when you falter, give yourself grace.  Paul would get the Most Valuable Player trophy for his efforts spreading the good news of Jesus if such a trophy existed, yet he still battled his sinful nature.  Only Jesus succeeded in doing what none of us can live a sinless life.

Repeatedly giving myself grace requires work.  Coaching myself through my sinful mistakes requires God’s word, Jesus’s sacrifice, and intentional forgiveness.

Reading God’s word reveals the areas I need forgiveness in both action and thought.  Thinking about Jesus and His actions on the cross reminds me that He’s already forgiven me.  Now, I must intentionally forgive myself for whatever sin I’ve committed.  And then I start again on the journey, trying to go and “sin no more.”  When I inevitably fall, I repeat the process.

God’s grace forgives the moment we confess, don’t hold onto what God absolves.  Give yourself grace, repeatedly, just like Jesus does.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 165) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 4:1-6:11 ESV, Romans 7:1-13 ESV, Psalm 17:1-15 ESV, Proverbs 19:22-23 ESV

Daily Verse: “Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.” (Romans 7:4 ESV)

EGEIRO (1453): “As a verb, is frequently used in the NT in the sense of “raising” (active voice), or “rising” (middle and passive voices) from sitting, lying, sickness, of raising or rising “from the dead.”[i]

From the dead.

Christ fulfilled the law when His resurrected body left the tomb.  All debts paid, freedom comes in absolution.  Letting go of past sins makes room for future blessings.  Saying “No,” to what you used to say ‘Yes” changes your life in ways you’ll never know until you try.

Jesus knows we can’t have life to the fullest if we live under a cloud of condemnation.  We condemn ourselves far more than anyone else ever will.  Knowing the mistakes we’ve made and the regrets we have, berating ourselves becomes a pastime.

But then Jesus came to release us from our torment and set us free.  By forgiving and loving us unconditionally, Jesus brings our dead souls back to life.

Revive in Christ.

Jesus knew the worst sin we would commit in this lifetime, and He still went to the Cross for you and me.  Past, present, and future, Christ knows your story, and He loves you.  God’s Son adores you so much; He died for you.

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 ESV)

Allow the resurrection to resurrect you.  Forgive yourself for past mistakes as Jesus has.  Come back to life in God’s love.  Every breath you take, remember God gave it to you.  The Creator wants you to live life to the fullest. Make peace with your past, learn from it, and move forward. Accept Jesus’ gift of grace and mercy.

At lunch with a friend, I listened to her condemn herself for past transgressions.  I reminded her that those things happened in the past; today, she has the opportunity to make different choices and do other things.

When God gives us fresh mercy each morning, it’s a reset button.  We get to try again at what we didn’t do well yesterday, trusting God will bless our efforts.  Yes, each step comes with challenges, but we overcome them one by one with Jesus.

Live fully today, knowing Jesus loves all of you, past, present, and future.  Nothing you do can make God stop loving you.  Basking in His love will give you life to the fullest.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (pp.74-5) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 1:1-3:17 ESV, Romans 6:1-23 ESV, Psalm 16:1-11 ESV, Proverbs 19:20-21 ESV

Daily Verse: “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4 ESV)

SUNTHAPTO (4916): “To: from 4862 and 2290; to inter in company with, i.e. (fig.) to assimilate spiritually (to Christ by a sepulture as to sin Rom 6:4.” [i]

Assimilate spiritually.

Buried with Christ in baptism means we align our spirit with His. The public expression of faith tells everyone who you follow. Going into the water represents dying to self; coming out means living for Christ. A renewing of your soul as you begin a spiritual journey with Jesus.

Leaving behind our sinful past allows us to experience new life. Instead of following the paths that lead to death, we can find life to the fullest following Jesus. God doesn’t illuminate the entire trip; He guides us one step at a time.

Follow closely.

Everything we do has kingdom impacts. Each word from our mouth, God knows. Whether we uplift, encourage, tear down, or destroy our language and actions matter. The smallest act of kindness can change the world, but so can the tiniest act of hate. Whatever you do causes a ripple effect that impacts the world around you.

Lining our spirit up with Jesus allows us to follow Him closely. The more integrated we become with Christ, the more His light will shine through us. Our words and actions will become aligned with His, and just like Jesus, we will turn the world upside down, one act of love at a time.

As you get to know Jesus better, assimilating your spirit with His becomes the only choice. No other way can you find life to the fullest. Only Jesus has the key to eternal life, peace on earth, and unending love. In Him, you will find what you can find nowhere else.

Bury yourself in Christ today. Let your spirit melt into His. Jesus’ love for you can help you overcome any obstacle. Whatever crisis you face, seek God. Look for answers in the pages of scripture. When you find what Jesus did, apply it to your life.

Every journey has potholes. None of us live a pain-free life. But with Jesus, we can overcome the hardships as we seek strength from the Creator. Allow the Holy Spirit to navigate the rough terrain and cling to Him with all you got. In Jesus, you will find victory.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 242) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 28:1-29:30 ESV, Romans 5:6-21 ESV,  Psalm 15:1-5 ESV, Proverbs 19:18-19 ESV

Daily Verse: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6 ESV)

ASEBES (765): “This word means “impious, ungodly, without reverence for God, not merely irreligious, but acting in contravention of God’s demands.” [i]

Without reverence.

Jesus died for us even though we had no reverence for Him.  Stuck in the mire of sin, we need a Savior to pull us out of our misery and make us whole again.  God supplied a solution to the problem we can’t solve, man’s sinful nature.

As hard as any of us try, we still falter.  For many years of my life, I put people on pedestals, thinking they could conquer anything.  In the end, they disappoint me because their humanity eventually shows.  With Christ, He never disappoints; in Him, we can find freedom from condemnation.

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 ESV)

Still sinners.

Whether we like to admit the truth or not, we still sin.  Following Jesus makes us sensitive to the misdeeds in our lives, but we still do them.  Battling our sinful nature will continue until we reach heaven.

If you read my book, Three Word Prayers for Everyday Living, you know I struggle with anger issues.  Granted, I’ve come a long way, but the beast still rears its ugly head, especially on the golf course.  When something becomes ingrained in you, it takes a lifetime to conquer.

And my anger draws me closer to God as I apply Biblical principles to deal with the volatile emotion.

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;” (James 1:19 ESV)

Jesus died for me, knowing I would struggle with anger issues.  Christ’s strength helps me overcome my weakness.  Jesus reveals the reasons for my anger, which allows me to defeat it.  Behind anger, fear lingers.  Identifying the fear helps defeat the emotion.  Christ helps me recognize and solve the problem.

Jesus died for you, warts and all.  God doesn’t expect perfection; He wants honesty.  Tell the Creator your struggles, find scripture that addresses your needs, then apply it to your life on repeat.  Watch as God transforms your weakness into His strength.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 44) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 26:12-27:34 ESV, Romans 4:13-5:5 ESV, Psalm 14:1-7 ESV, Proverbs 19:17 ESV

Daily Verse: “For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.” (Romans 4:15 ESV)

PARABIS (3847): “Parabasis is the act of excessive and enormous transgression of a stated law or a given commandment.  This word means primarily “a going aside,” then “an overstepping,” is used metaphorically to denote “transgression” (always a breach of law).  Negatively, where there is no law since “transgression” implies the violation of laws, none having been enacted between Adam’s “transgression” and those under the Law, Rom. 4:15.” [i]

Going aside.

Paul explains the necessity of faith. Using Abraham as an example, Paul describes how our forefather’s beliefs helped him persevere. At 100 years old, married to a barren woman, Abraham’s faith never weakened when God promised to make him the father of many nations. Abraham didn’t live to see it all, but he did see the beginning.

When Isaac came into the world, he fulfilled God’s promise to Abraham. As a result, God declared the patriarch righteous because of his faith. Abraham strayed in his walk, going aside from what God wanted, but justified by his faith, he gained God’s peace.

No transgression

Today, we have Jesus to save us from our transgressions. When we go sideways, Christ draws us back to Him.  Consequences exist for our misdeeds, but we needn’t fear God. When God looks at us, He sees Jesus, who makes us righteous.

Living for Christ means striving to imitate what He did. Jesus lived a sinless life. Once we become aware of our imperfections, convicted by the Holy Spirit, we should do our best not to do it again. We will falter; everyone does. But the joy of the Lord comes through His fresh mercy each day.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)

Not a day goes by we don’t commit some type of transgression. A white lie here, an overindulgence there, everyone struggles with their sinful nature. But each morning when we rise, we can confess our misdeeds to the Savior and try again. Sincere apologies go a long way to living at peace with those around you. God forgives you the minute you confess your sin; hopefully, with time, others will too.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 188) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 24:1-26:11 ESV, Romans 4:1-12 ESV, Psalm 13:1-6 ESV, Proverbs 19:15-16 ESV

Daily Verse: “For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3 ESV)

GRAPHE (1124): “A document, i.e., holy Writ (or its contents or a statement in it).  Graphe, as a verb, means “to write.” In the singular in reference to a particular passage, e.g., Rom 4:3.”[i]

Holy Writ.

Approximately 40 authors wrote the Bible over 1500 years.  Scribes organized the writings into books.  Jewish and Christ-followers kept and copied the sacred text.  Centuries after Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, humans decided which books would become the Bible as we know it today.

People writing about their relationship with God still happens.  My daily devotionals represent my interpretation of the scriptures in my life.  The lessons taught within the pages of the Bible remain timeless.  Our world may change and evolve, but the state of the human heart remains the same. 

As the oldest book in the world, the Bible has deep roots.  People studying and writing about the written word continue as they seek to know and understand God.

To write.

Initially, people shared the stories in the Bible orally. Eventually, someone started to write them down, providing a written record for those to come.  The shortest pencil still beats the longest memory.  If we don’t write down our thoughts, we’ll lose them.

Spending time journaling helps us process our relationship with God and others.  Just as the scripture authors poured their hearts out on paper, we can do the same.  Allowing God to work in our lives by applying Biblical wisdom takes time and intentionality.

We write our books one day at a time as we live our lives for Jesus.  Developing a relationship with Christ means spending time in Scripture and learning about Him.  As we pursue Jesus with all our hearts, life changes will occur.  Writing down our experience with Christ gives direction for our future generations.

Spend time in the scriptures daily.  Journal about the changes following Jesus brings into your life.  Let the emotions of your heart pour onto the page, bringing them into the light. God will fill you with love to spare when you pursue Him fervently.  And, you will have plenty of things to write about each day.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 61) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 22:1-23:32 ESV, Romans 3:9-31 ESV, Psalm 12:1-8 ESV, Proverbs 19:13-14 ESV

Daily Verse: “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.” (Romans 3:19 ESV)

HUPODIKOS (5267): “Brought to trial, answerable. Rom. 3:19 is translated “guilty,” the decisions of the court.”[i]

Decision of the court.

If we didn’t have the law, we wouldn’t understand sin. Standards create expectations of ourselves and others.  Paul reminds us that one day we will answer to God for our deeds and actions.  None of us have a clean record, so Jesus cleaned it for us.  We don’t have to fear standing before God; Jesus took the judgment for us.

Rules guide us along the narrow path.    Following the ten commandments produces healthy relationships.    The first four tell us how to relate to God and the last six how to relate to others.  When we do what the Good Book says, life-giving experiences like we never imagined will begin to happen.

Honesty challenge.

Just because Jesus paid the price for our past, current, and future sins doesn’t mean we can do whatever we want.  Once we recognize and confess sin in our lives, as Jesus said to the adulterous woman, “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11 ESV).  God does expect us to live to a higher standard, setting an example for those who don’t know Jesus.

Start with honesty.  Everyone knows not to lie, yet we do.  Ron and I recently talked about how we handle it when someone lies to us.  Where I call them out on the lie, with love, Ron doesn’t.  Not confronting the lies leads to problems for my husband because when he lets small lies stand, they turn into more significant lies.

Next time, lying seems the most straightforward course to take; tell the truth to others and God.  Confess the sin plaguing you to your Creator; He already knows it.  God’s just waiting for you to tell Him.  When you strive for honesty with God and others, you will experience freedom like never before. 

Hard at first, honesty always pays off in the long run.  Regrets become smaller when you tell the truth.  Honesty leads to self-awareness, closer relationships, and more fulfilling life.

One day, we will stand before God, but we need not fear.  Jesus paid the price we can’t.  Today, live your life for Christ.  Let your gratitude for the Savior show in everything you do.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 259) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 19:1-21:30 ESV, Romans 2:25-3:8 ESV, Psalm 11:1-7 ESV, Proverbs 19:10-12 ESV

Daily Verse: “What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?” (Romans 3:3 ESV)

APISTEO (569): “To be unbelieving and is translated disbeliever implying that the unbeliever has had a full opportunity of believing and has rejected it.”[i]

Rejected belief.

Paul brings up an interesting point, God’s faithfulness versus humans.  Everyone has moments of faithlessness, even me.  But God never does.  When we doubt, God remains faithful. 

In my mind, I hear my mother’s voice, “Ye of little faith.”  She said the words to me when I doubted God.  Her words made me pause and think every time she said them.  “What does she know I don’t know?”

My mother’s devout faith grew from her earthly struggles.  Unexpectedly losing her father at five during the 1930’s depression, mom knew hardship.   Grandma sold eggs and took in laundry to make ends meet.  They never went without food or shelter, but they had a rugged path to walk.  From her challenges, mom’s faith grew.

God never leaves.

What my mother learned amid her darkest days, God never left her.  He remained faithful when she doubted.  Decades later, her enduring faith made it easy to say, “Ye of little faith,” to her daughter, who had little experience with life’s difficulties.

God’s always faithful, especially when we doubt.  From our perspective, God seems inactive, but He’s not.  The Creator’s plan began unfolding long ago and will continue through eternity. 

In a world of self-entitlement, people struggle to realize that the earth doesn’t revolve around them.  Just because someone doesn’t get what they want or think they deserve doesn’t mean God doesn’t care.  None of us deserve anything we have.  All sinners, the penalty remains the same, death.  But Jesus paid the price so we could live life condemnation free.

Remember my mother’s words when you doubt, “Ye of little faith.”  God will bring you through the storm.  Just because you doubt doesn’t mean God’s not with you.  Give the situation time; you’ll look back one day and understand.  But for now, just believe.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 34) Thomas Nelson