Honest Reflections

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 13:5-15:21 ESV, Matthew 5:27-48 ESV, Psalm 6:1-10 ESV, Proverbs 1:29-33 ESV

Daily Verse: “O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath.” (Psalm 6:1 ESV)

YAKACH (3198): “To be right (i.e., correct).  To decide, prove, convince, judge. Whom the Lord corrects he delighteth (Prov. 3:12).”[i]

God’s love corrects.

David, the author of Psalm 46, thinks God’s turned away from him because of his sin.  Begging God not to react in anger, David pleads for mercy.  We don’t know what David did, only that he feels the brokenness in his relationship with God.   Our misdeeds cause separation, but correction reunites.

When I was a child, my brother and I stole penny candy from my uncle’s store. I remember begging dad for mercy when he learned of our crime. Dad’s punishment, we had to return the stolen treats and apologize to our uncle.  The lesson we learned that night stopped me from stealing again.  I can still feel the humiliation of standing before my uncle, confessing my sin.  I understood, dad still loved me, but consequences existed for our actions.

Rebuking causes growth.

Since I grew up in church, I’ve heard the word “rebuke” often; thinking of it as a negative term.  No one enjoys correction; at least, I don’t think people do.  However, without course changes, we’ll never grow.  God loves us and wants us to become new creations as we follow Him, leaving our old ways behind.

If my dad didn’t bust us for stealing from my uncle’s store, would I have continued my life of crime?  Thankfully, I don’t know the answer to the question.  Dad did discover our sin and, with love, made us endure the consequences.  Because he cared, dad punished us.  As a result, my brother and I learned a valuable lesson we carried with us the rest of our lives.

Too often, we blame God for punishing us, but we are the ones who sinned.  Actions have consequences.  Even though we may suffer from our choices, God never stops loving us.  Our heavenly Father wants us to learn from our mistakes.  Sometimes, the only way we grow happens with correction.

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[i] [i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. (p. 113) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 11:1-13:4 ESV, Matthew 5:1-26 ESV, Psalm 5:1-12 ESV, Proverbs 1:24-28 ESV

 Daily Verse: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4 ESV)

MAKARIOI (3107) Greek root word. “Fully Satisfied. In Beatitudes, the Lord indicates not only the characters that are “blessed” but the nature of that which is the highest good.”[i]

God comforts mourners.

Blessing means fully satisfied in its original form.  When we are in the depths of despair, we’re not thinking of God’s highest good.  For us to discover God’s supreme blessing, we must accept our spiritual helplessness.  Nothing we do can equal our Creator’s divine intervention in our lives.  God moves the mountains we can’t. 

Taking the first step on any journey requires effort.  We can build momentum after moving, but nothing happens without acting.  Admitting we can’t pull ourselves out of despair, we need God’s help, the first step we all must take.

Receive God’s Spirit

Watching the latest show about families moving west in post-Civil War times reminds me of the fragility of life.  When offered condolences for the loss of her husband, Aunt Claire’s reply startled me. 

“You can’t believe in heaven, then be sad when people go there.” Aunt Claire, ‘1883’[ii]

Never did I think of death this way.  We spend our lives following Jesus, hoping for eternal life, but are sad when people go before us to their heavenly home.

People’s acceptance of death as part of life, more realistic during the 1800s.  Our medical advances give the illusion we can beat death, but we can’t.  The mortality rate remains 100%.  People may live longer than before, but in the end, we all die.

God’s comfort comes through His Spirit.  The moment God’s Spirit fills your heart, eternity begins.  Peace on earth comes from a relationship with your heavenly Father.  In Him, you’ll find comfort for your sorrows.  God’s satisfaction comes to those who place their trust in Him.  Blessed are those who believe in Jesus, receiving His grace and mercy when in despair.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. (p. 155) Thomas Nelson

[ii] https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/1883/

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 8:1-10:32 ESV, Matthew 4:12-25 ESV, Psalm 4:1-8 ESV, Proverbs 1:20-23 ESV

 Daily Verse: ^“And leaving Nazareth he went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali.” (Matthew 14:13 CSB)

KATOIKEO (2730): Greek root word. “To settle down in a dwelling, to dwell fixedly in a place. ‘Indwelling’ of the totality of the attributes and powers of the Godhead in Christ. May make a home in your hearts.”[i]

Jesus dwells with us.

When Jesus was in ministry, He lived in Capernaum.  Having grown up in Nazareth, Jesus’s hometown rejected Him. Base camp for our Saviour has a sign hanging at its entrance, spelled in block letters, “CAPHARNAUM THE TOWN OF JESUS.”[ii]  God’s Son settled down in a village not far from Jerusalem to carry out His earthly mission.

Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew all called Capernaum their home, while the rest of the disciples came from the Galilee area.  One disciple wasn’t local; Judas, Jesus’s betrayer, didn’t hail from the same place.  Farmers and fishers populated the tiny town Jesus called home.

Dwell fixedly.

Jesus lived with intentionality where He was.  Most of the stories from the New Testament tell of Jesus’ life in Capernaum, ministering to those around Him. The first person to identify Jesus as the Son of God, a demon-possessed man in the synagogue:

“Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” (Luke 4:34 ESV)

The evil spirit within recognized the power of Jesus. Believing in Jesus means inviting His Spirit to live in our hearts. Now, as followers of Christ, we have Jesus’s Spirit dwelling in us. The Holy Spirit makes His home in our hearts, allowing Jesus to guide us.

When I was a child, I remember the moment Jesus’ Spirit moved into my heart.  On top of my brother’s bunk bed, twelve years old, I cried out to Jesus to live in my heart.  Answering the cries of a child, Jesus’ Spirit took up residency inside of me.  Life changed as I felt His peace descend upon my anxious heart.

Invite Jesus to dwell in your heart today.  Begin a journey of life change that never ends.  Whatever rooms of your soul you’ve kept locked, unlock them today for the one who can heal your wounds.  Let Jesus take up residency in you.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. (p. 136) Thomas Nelson

[ii] https://www.travelingisrael.com/capernaum/

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 5:1-7:24 ESV, Matthew 3:7-4:11 ESV, Psalm 3:1-8 ESV, Proverbs 1:10-19 ESV

Daily Verse: “This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God.” (Genesis 5:1 ESV)

DEMUTH: Hebrew root word for LIKENESS. “Resemblance, model shape. Signifies the original after which a thing is patterned.” [i]

Modeled after God.

When God created us, He made us in His image.  God the original, us patterned after Him.  Our worth comes from God, nothing else.  Made in God’s image means we have value.  Physical appearance, economic or social standing, none of those things determine our merit. 

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27 ESV)

Despite our sinful nature, God created us in His image.  God lets us choose what we do with His presence in our lives.  We can ignore our Creator, or we can embrace Him.  God doesn’t force Himself on us.

Created without sin.

God created Adam without sin, allowing Adam to experience communion with God.  However, when Adam’s sinful nature rebelled against God, he became alienated from his relationship with God.

“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed. for God made man in his own image.” (Genesis 9:6 ESV)

Sinning against our fellow man offends the image of God in us. Sin separates us from our Creator.  Jesus repairs the relationship.  Acknowledging our misdeeds and accepting responsibility for our sins allow us to reconnect intimately with God.

Commune with your maker today.  Confess your sins, lay them at the foot of the Cross.  Embrace God’s image within you.  Allow God to lead your life.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. (p. 64) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Genesis 3:1-4:26 ESV, Matthew 2:13-3:6 ESV, Psalm 2:1-12 ESV, Proverbs 1:7-9 ESV

Daily Verse: “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” (Matthew 2:13 ESV)

PHAINO (5316): Greek root word. “It signifies, in the active voice, “to shine”; in the passive, “to be brought forth into light, to become evident, to appear.” Visibly (Mt. 1:20) or in a dream (Mt. 2:13)[i]

God’s angels direct.

Googling “angel appearances” in the Bible brings a range of answers.  Typically, the heavenly bodies come during people’s most significant times of need.  For Joseph, his angel encounters happened in dreams.  The latest sighting warning Joseph of trouble to come.  Wasting no time, the family headed to Egypt, avoiding certain death.

One can only imagine how difficult sleep was for Joseph.  I have no idea the pressures a new father feels, much less when God’s given him the task of raising His Son.  Joseph knew the responsibility assigned to him.  Talk about pressure in parenting; since Jesus was without sin, Joseph didn’t have to worry about disciplining Him.  But he did have to raise Jesus.

Trust, not Control.

After reading my book, “Three Word Prayers for Everyday Living,” [ii] my friend developed a mantra. “Trust, not Control” became her battle cry against worry.  Ever since she shared her story with me, I’ve adopted the prayer as well.  When worry begins to rear its ugly head, I use “Trust, not Control” to remind myself, God’s got this.

Whatever pressures you’re feeling today, remember, God has a plan.  Only at the appointed time will God make your path clear to you. Joseph’s angel appeared the night before they needed to leave to escape persecution.  Whether God uses an angel or not to give you directions, I don’t know.  But I do know you can trust His guiding light to lead you where He wants you to go at the perfect time.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. (p. 261) Thomas Nelson

[ii] https://www.amazon.com/Three-Word-Prayers-Everyday-Living/dp/B09KF44SQY

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Genesis 1:1-2:25 ESV, Matthew 1:1-2:12 ESV, Psalm 1:1-6 ESV, Proverbs 1:1-6 ESV

Daily Verse: “To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight” (Proverbs 1:2 ESV)

MUCAR: Hebrew root word for INSTRUCTION. “Reproof, warning or instructions; also restraint.” [1]Mucar is discipline, but more. As “discipline” it teaches how to live correctly in the fear of the Lord, so that the wise man learns his lesson before temptation and testing.” [2]

Instruction gives life.

Proverbs, considered a book of wisdom, teaches us how to live.  By reading the words written by Solomon, we can avoid temptations and testing. The Bible is the “only ancient religious document that has survived completely intact.” [3] Wise people heed advice; fools ignore it. Solomon’s writings tell the difference between the two. 

God gave us an instructional manual for life through the authors of the Bible.  Men and women who lived lives of faith recorded their experiences. Their journeys with God help us with ours. We can become wiser by learning from their victories and mistakes.  Beginning a new year by dedicating time each day to read the scriptures will help you live your life to the fullest.

Become disciplined.

Mucar requires discipline.  We must heed the warnings, doing what God commands.  Healthy respect for the Lord’s power means becoming obedient to His ways.  Chapter one of Proverbs tells us how to discover God’s plan for our lives by reading the inspired word of God and applying it to our lives.

Today begins a new journey as you engage with your ancestors through their ancient writings.  Learn from their relationship with God, those who followed Him, those who didn’t.  We can replace any character with “Me.” All of us have fallen short of God’s expectations for us.  God knows we aren’t capable of perfection; Jesus stands in the gap for us.  With Him, all things are possible.  Without Jesus, we have no hope.

Join me on the journey as we venture into a new year.  Expect God to do amazing things in your life as you follow His instructions.  Become disciplined in spending time with your Creator every day.  Live in the hope of Jesus, experience life to the fullest.

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[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson.

[2] Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Word Study) (p. 658). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

[3] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson.

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Zephaniah 2-3, GW

God’s heroism saves.

One thing we all need, salvation.   Sin affects everyone; we all have personal battles. God’s presence in our life gives us victory over our afflictions.  Having the ability to receive forgiveness for our wrongdoings paves the way for life change.  Ridding ourselves of our sinful nature allows us to make different choices.  Instead of following the old ways, we can choose less traveled paths.

“But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:14 NIV)

God wants you to choose the narrow road.  Following Jesus makes us change our actions, not following our sinful nature but Jesus’s example.  Taking the high road means denying yourself, picking up your cross, and doing the right thing.  Recognizing God’s ways aren’t ours helps us take the narrow road.  

Prepare to change.

Approaching God through prayer means preparing for life change.  Often, our prayers center around changing other people, but God doesn’t work that way. God’s salvation offers you new life.  People have to choose Him to find the same thing.  Our Hero doesn’t want anyone lost, but God knows, people have free will.  We get to decide how we want to live our lives, who we want to follow, and if we are open to the life change God offers.

Accept God’s heroism, belief in Jesus.  As we end one year and begin another, spend time praying about your life.  Ask God what area you need to give Him.  Decide to take a different path, one less traveled.  In prayer, make a list of sinful regions you haven’t given to God in your life.  Write them down, then prayerfully, give them to your Maker.  Your Hero can’t wait to shed His light on your struggles, helping you overcome them.

Lord, thank You for another year; the time has gone quickly.  Thank You for the life change we’ve experienced because we followed You.  Forgive us when we stray; always draw us back to You.  As we begin a new year, give us a vision for the next 365 days.  Illuminate areas of our lives where You want to grow us, making us more like Christ.  Give us the faith we need to follow the road less traveled.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What areas of your life do you need to give to God today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Zephaniah 1 GW; Psalms 147 GW

Wounds heal.

Injuries to the heart are invisible.  Unlike a physical wound, no one can see the devastation.  When someone slices their finger, blood immediately appears, indicating a cut.  Applying pressure stops the bleeding, allows clotting, forming a scab.  The body immediately goes into action, creating new skin to repair the damaged area.  Over time, the only sign of the wound, a barely visible scar.

God heals our invisible wounds.  Stabs to the heart, felt inward, have no outward sign of harm.  Betrayal by someone you trusted, death of a loved one, insensitivity of a friend, rejection by a spouse, all knife strikes which cause deep wounds.  Emotional gashes need God’s bandaging.  When we give God the pieces of our broken hearts, He bandages them together, making them whole again.

“Lord, give me hope.” I prayed a few weeks ago.  No immediate change occurred, but admitting to God how I felt started the healing process.  A week later, in the mail, I received a beautiful cross necklace from my uncle, a brave man of God.  His handwritten note gave me hope. 

Bandages vary. 

For my situation, God applied pressure from an unexpected source.  Never did I expect hope to come via First Class mail.  How God treats our brokenness differs, no two patients are the same.  As we follow God, He stops the bleeding.  Giving our heavenly Father our pain allows Him to create beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3 NIV).  

Stopping the blood flow allows us to sift through the emotions.  Taking time to sit in the difficult feelings helps us move through them.  Accepting, acknowledging, and investigating them enables God to nurture us.  Sorrow and joy work closely together.  Without sadness, we wouldn’t know joy.

From the depths of our wounds, God creates new life.  Stitching our hearts back together with His love and mercy.  Keeping soft, vibrant hearts requires complete dependence on our Creator.  Without Him, we can’t overcome the heartaches of this world.  With God, we’re conquerors.

Lord, thank You for healing our invisible wounds.  Forgive us for trying to hide our hurts from You.  Help us trust You with our deepest cuts.  Repair our hearts as only You can do.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What hurt do you need to give God today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 65-66 GW; Revelation 21-22 GW

Life flows from God.

If you’ve ever watched a river flowing, you’ve seen the ripples indicating movement.  Silently, the bubbling water moves towards its eventual destination, an even larger body of water.  Our lives are similar.  From day one, we begin moving towards our eternal home, whether we participate in the trip or not.

Our Creator constantly creates new life.  Every day, babies are born into the world, beginning a journey.  From the time we come from our mother’s womb, we grow and change.  Our path to eternity happens one day at a time.  When we take our last breath on earth, we’ll take our first in heaven.  Each day, our challenge remains the same, keep moving forward.

“What areas of your life are you stuck in guilt and shame?” asked my therapist.  Over the next few weeks, I prayed over her question; the answers surprised me.  What I realized, areas of personal unforgiveness stopped me from thoroughly enjoying the journey.  God didn’t condemn me; I judged myself unworthy.  By identifying my “stuck” places, I released the log jam.

Open the dam.

Floating debris creates log jams in rivers, places the water can’t flow because of the backup.  My unresolved issues developed an emotional blockage for me.  Clearing the congestion meant allowing God’s living waters to flow into my deepest hurts.  With mercy and love, God shed light into the darkness, letting grace cleanse my heart.  Forgiving others, much easier than letting myself off the hook.  But we must let our past sins go, striving to move forward and experience life to the fullest.

God creates life, its flowing waters available to all.  Drink of God’s love for you; allow His river of love to access all areas of your heart.  Embrace Christ’s vibrant energy, letting His Spirit lead you through your days.  Thank God for living water that flows eternally.

Lord, thank You for life.  Forgive us for taking Your precious gift for granted.  Help us today identify areas we are stuck.  Free the emotional log jams from our lives, let Your living water flow through us.  As we embrace Your love and mercy, encourage us on the journey.  Give us hope for our future.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What areas of your life are stuck in shame and guilt?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 60-64 GW; Revelation 20 GW

Spiritual joy multiplies.

Experiencing God’s grace makes you want to share it with others.  The Maker’s peace surpasses all understanding, something we can pass to others.  Freedom in Christ brings new life, one you want others to experience as well.  When people first believe in Jesus, their enthusiasm can often challenge people around them.  They are overzealous in their desire to share Christ, often causing unintended harm.  We learn to communicate Jesus’ love better as we grow and mature, knowing actions speak louder than words.

Ending another year of writing devotionals gives me joy.  Thinking back over the last 365 days makes me grateful.  Through thick and thin, God helped us persevere.  Counting blessings, an excellent way to share the good news of Jesus with others.  Praise God for providing us with a home, food, good health, and jobs.  But also, thank God for walking with us through the moments of uncertainty and fear, for giving us hope when we felt hopeless.  Praise God for His light which leads us through a dark world.

Praise God.

Sharing the good news means praising God to others.  Tell people how believing in Jesus changed your life.  Show others the way to find freedom in Christ.  Honestly, talk about your struggles and how Jesus’ helped you overcome them.  Accepting Christ means God’s Spirit lives within us, guiding us through our days.  God’s assistance, available to all who believe.  Sharing our faith means telling our story, how God changed our lives.

I’ve shopped for a cross necklace for months but didn’t find one I liked.  Discouraged, I asked God for hope.  We received our Christmas card from our uncle in Texas a week later.  Nestled in a letter was a beautiful cross necklace, a mite in the middle.  Mites are what the poor widow put in the offering; Jesus commended her for giving everything (Mark 12:41-44). Uncle Earl shared the good news through the action of love, inspiring and encouraging me to do the same.  

We can’t help but share the good news with God’s spirit in us.

Lord, thank You for filling us with Your Spirit.  Forgive us when we don’t follow Your promptings.  As we move through the day, don’t let us miss opportunities to tell people what You’ve done for us.  Help us praise you loudly to all those who will listen.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

How can you praise God today?