Honest Reflections

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 25-28 GW; Revelation 10 GW

Perfect planning brings wondrous things.

God unfolds the things He planned long ago in our life.  Before our birth, our Creator knew our days.  “From womb to the tomb,” as Pastor Thomas says, our journey’s Travel Agent booked the trip well in advance.

“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16 NIV)

Counting on God’s faithfulness means believing what He says.  God desired a relationship with you long before you were a twinkle in your mother’s eye.  Our heavenly Father designs each of us with purpose.  The temporary struggles we face in life help us fulfill our mission. God never leaves nor forsakes us.  

Not only does God plan the trip, but He also travels with us.  Not one day passes without God’s presence.

Trust the Travel Agent.

Life happens one moment at a time.  Instead of worrying about what “could happen” or what “did happen” focus on the present.  Today will never happen again.  Tomorrow’s worries aren’t the same, maybe better, maybe worse, only time will tell.  Now means present, in this moment, one that won’t come again.  Don’t miss now, trust God’s got tomorrow covered.  Enjoy today, not worrying about tomorrow.

When I worked for Nautica, we had a travel department.  If the airlines canceled my flight, or the hotel didn’t have my reservation, the company provided a hotline.  The 800 number connected me to a travel agent who would resolve the issue.  Therefore, I didn’t worry when traveling, I knew who to call if I experienced trouble.

Traveling through life, you will encounter trouble. Call God’s hotline for help; He’s got the answer for our problems.  God can interpret sighs of frustration; He speaks all prayer languages.  But if you don’t pick up the phone, He can’t help with the problem.  Whether silent or spoken, God hears our prayers.  Perfect faithfulness makes our Travel Agent the best.

Lord, thank You for planning our days long before we were born.  Forgive us for not acknowledging You more as we journey through life.  Let Your itinerary unfold in our lives as we seek You.  Help us believe in Your perfect faithfulness.  As we follow You, help us enjoy the journey.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

How have you seen God’s faithfulness in your life?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 22-24 GW; Revelation 9 GW

Catastrophes happen.

Big or small, calamities are a part of life.  “Things happen in threes,” a phrase often said in my family.  Whether or not the inspiration for the adage comes from Revelation 9:12, I don’t know.  But I do know, once our Reticular Activating System (RAS) becomes aware of catastrophes, we notice them everywhere.

RAS activates the entire cerebral cortex with energy, waking it up, increasing its level of arousal and readiness for interpreting incoming information, and preparing the brain for appropriate action.

Ron and I bought a Subaru Outback in January.  A year ago, I never noticed Outbacks or Subarus because I didn’t own one.  Now I notice the station wagon’s everywhere.  Why?  Because purchasing the care activated my RAS, awakening my brain to the existence of Outbacks.  Once you become aware of something, you notice it more.

Therefore, when catastrophe strikes, your thoughts focus on the negative situation.  Becoming aware bad things happen causes you to notice more calamities.  But if we realize our thoughts are focusing on the negative, we can change them.

Capture your thoughts.

“You had a bad moment, don’t make it a bad day.” 

Years ago, while talking on the phone, I complained about something, I don’t even know what, to my friend.  Stuck in the calamity, Heather reminded me to capture my thoughts.  Yes, bad things happen, but so do good things.  Her words changed my life.  Now, when the internet stops working and frustration begins to build, instead of letting my thoughts turn negative, I remind myself, “It’s just a bad moment; it’s not a bad day.”

Catastrophes will happen in life.  From losing car keys to losing your job, no one escapes unfortunate moments in time.  But we must remember, moments pass.  Good things happen in threes as well; look for the positive instead of the negative.  

Capture your thoughts. Focus on the positive.  Let the negative go.

Lord, thank You for giving us brains.  Forgive us for letting our thoughts spiral out of control.  As we move through our day, help us quickly move through the difficult moments, experiencing them, then releasing them to You.  Help our minds focus on the blessings in our lives instead of the catastrophe.  All glory, Yours alone.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What is your RAS focused on today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 17-21 GW; Revelation 8 GW

Only God knows.

The “Left Behind” series by Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins is one of my all-time favorite book series.  Fictionalizing Revelation with relatable characters brought the book to life for me.  However, no one knows for sure what all the symbolism means in the prophetic book.  And when the angel opens the seventh seal, heaven becomes quiet.  Only God knows what the silence means.

What are the sounds of heaven? When I imagine heaven, I think of my loved ones who live in its zip code. My friends and relatives, healed from their earthly troubles, are whole, happy, vibrantly alive, enjoying their eternal life. Picture a family gathering in one of the Christmas Hallmark movies found in plenty this time of year. Glowing fireplace, crisp snow blanketing the cozy house, everyone laughing and talking, enjoying the moment. When I imagine the sounds of heaven, I envision a warm, family gathering.

Trust God in the silence.

What happens when Heaven goes silent, only God knows.  Trust Him.  Walking with Jesus means deciding to place your confidence in Him.  Think of people in your life you can count on in a pinch.  You rely on them because they live up to their word, doing what they commit to doing.  As humans, no one is perfect, faltering eventually.  But Jesus never falters; He always comes through for you, one way or another.

Often, people tell me God is silent in their lives. Because they don’t hear clear directions, they don’t know what to do. I believe God is always talking to us if we take the time to read His word. Not a morning goes by that I don’t feel God impress my Spirit when I read the Bible. Typically, I must repent something I’ve done from the day before and remember, nothing I do can make God stop loving me.

God gave us two things to do consistently: Love Him, love others. If you feel God is silent, it’s because He’s already told you what to do.

Lord, thank You for giving us clear direction in Your word.  Forgive us for not seeking You through scripture.  Help us make connecting with You through the Bible a regular part of our lives.  Help us trust You more as we seek You.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

How has reading God’s word impacted your life?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 14-16 GW; Revelation 7 GW; Psalms 23 GW

God provides needs, not wants.

“Though None Go With Me” by Jerry B. Jenkins impacted my life.  Elizabeth Grace Leroi devotes her life to Jesus at an early age.  Almost immediately, disaster strikes.  Over and over, she endures heartbreaking tribulations. Loss of her young love, death of her husband and Son, drug addict daughter, heartache described her life best.  Yet, each time, she trusted God amid her pain.  Elizabeth never got what she wanted, but she always had what she needed.  At the end of the fictional book, God’s grace and mercy throughout each tragedy become evident.  But only in hindsight can you see God’s workings.

Sometimes, God doesn’t seem to provide for our needs. However, the problem lies with our expectations of “needs.”  Just because I think I “need” something doesn’t mean I do.  The one who knows the difference best is our heavenly Father.  Divine vision gives God the best view.

Needs trump wants.

“What I like about camping, it makes me appreciate home.”  Ron said after a recent camping trip.  We love spending our weekends in nature, but they make us appreciate the creature comforts found at home.  Our bed seems softer, the shower hotter, and the house warmer.  Living without helps you understand what you have. 

Having a place to sleep, protected from the elements, is a gift from God.  You don’t need a mansion to find shelter from the storm.  We want the villa; we need the tent.

“Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”  (Matthew 8:20 NASB)

And in case you forgot, Jesus didn’t live in a house.   Sandals were the only covering for our Saviour’s feet when He walked the earth.  God’s Son didn’t have a driver’s license.  Our definition of needs and God’s differ.

God provides your needs, not wants.

Lord, thank You for providing for our needs.  Forgive us for getting wants and needs confused.  Help us remember, Jesus didn’t cling to material things; He clung to You.  As we move through our day, let us hold tightly to You.  Give us what we need, not what we want.  Help us know the difference.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What want are you confusing for need?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 10-13 GW; Revelation 6 GW

Seek God always.

Isaiah is speaking to God’s people.  Their corruption caused God to withdraw His protection, leaving them vulnerable to the Assyrians.  The day of reckoning for Israel came from invasions by pagan nations.  God does punish Assyria for their aggression, but He didn’t cause it.  What God did was withdraw protection from the Israelites because of their actions.

When I talked back to my sixth-grade teacher, Mr. Smith, I endured a day of reckoning.  The punishment I received reminded me who was in charge, not me.  Because I was disrespecting him, as well as the class, I deserved to suffer the consequences.  Unheard of today, I received a paddling standing front and center of the classroom.   Guess what? I never disrespected Mr. Smith again.  Actions have consequences, whether we like them or not.

As soon as the Israelites suffered, they repented.  Time and again, God forgave them.  One would think they’d cling to God once and for all, but they don’t.  And neither do we.  When times are tough, seeking God comes naturally.  As soon as life normalizes, we forget who brought us to the dance.

Don’t forget your date.

When someone brings you to the dance, don’t dump them for someone else.  God created the dance floor and placed you on it.  Dancing with Him will bring you endless joy.  However, somewhere in the middle of the song, we decide to trade partners.  Leaving our escort standing along the sidelines, never a good idea.  

“God’s judgment, giving you what you want.”  Darrin Patrick

God’s gentlemanly ways will allow you to make choices.  Our most significant decision, who are we going to follow?  Choose Jesus.  Spend time with God’s Son every day.  Take time to read the stories written about the sinless man stored in the pages of Scripture.   Not only when times are bad, but when they are good as well.  Don’t forget who brought you to the party.  When dancing in the arms of Jesus, you’re fully protected, leaving no room for enemy attacks.

Lord, thank You for protecting us.  Forgive us for forgetting You when times are regular.  Help us cling to You with delight throughout our days.  Don’t allow us to let go of You.  Keep us nestled in Your arms as we move through our days.  Knowing You protect us.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How have you forgotten God lately?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 7-9 GW; Revelation 5 GW; Psalms 150 GW

Disobedience tries patience.

Doing what you want instead of what God wants tries His patience.  In the same way, if my husband tells me to tighten the financial belt, but instead I go on a spending spree, I test his patience with me.  Every one of us goes astray.  We all think we know better than God at some point or another, and we think we know more than people.

In Sunday’s message, the pastor talked about how sheep stray.  The simple animals wander away from the shepherd one nibble at a time.  Our wooly friends eat one blade of grass at a time, then another, until eventually, they find themselves far from where they started.  Humans do the same thing the sheep do.  One decision at a time, we wander from the Shepherd.

For instance, sometimes, I don’t like the “nudges” I receive from the Holy Spirit.  In one of my relationships, I felt God asking me to pray for a specific person.  However, I didn’t want to pray for the individual, so I didn’t.  However, the prompting wouldn’t go away.  I felt God impressing on my Spirit a simple message, “You want me to do all these things for you, but you won’t do the one thing I ask you to do.”  Self-awareness made me realize; I was testing God’s patience.

Stop testing God.

At some point, we must become self-aware and realize, we’re the ones testing God.  Our lack of obedience tests God’s patience.  Just like when a child disobeys our instructions, we do the same to God.  As soon as I prayed for the person God placed on my heart, I felt God’s pleasure.  Begrudgingly, I said their name to God and asked Him to bless their life.  Coming into obedience with God means doing things we don’t want to do.

The good news, God, forgives quickly, always offering a second chance.  Don’t worry about what lies behind you.  Instead, focus on what God has for you.  Become self-aware of your disobedience.  Stop testing God; start trusting Him instead. 

Lord, thank You for Your patience.  Forgive us for trying Your long-suffering time and time again.  Help us become more self-aware today.  Show us the areas where we are disobedient.  Give us the faith we need to become obedient to You in all things.   Glory and honor are Yours always.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What area of your life do you need to become more self-aware?

2 minute read.

God created everything.

Take a look around you; God made it all.  Warm, sunny days with blue skies and puffy white clouds, all created by God.  Cold, rainy days with grey skies, also done by God.  Every year,  the world transitions from one season to the next.  Leaves bud, blossom, change, and fall, fulfilling the Creator’s purpose.  Spring becomes summer, then fall, and finally winter.  Nothing exists without God’s creative touch.  

Considering, in America, the Land of Plenty, stuff abounds.  With one press of a button, almost any desire becomes a reality.  Walmart started testing drone delivery services.  Modern technology replaces human beings.  In the quest to create artificial intelligence, people forget who made them.   The one thing computers lack, souls.  Without a spirit, one cannot truly live.  God created life; He gave us souls.  Something no human can do.

Nothing comes into existence without God’s intervention.  Our Maker deserves glory and honor for His mighty works.  But instead of gratitude, we give Him attitude. 

Stop complaining; start praising.

Sitting by the fire on a recent camping trip, our neighbor decided to visit.  The stranger immediately began complaining about their 35 foot RV.  Listing all of the problems, she wouldn’t stop.  Her gripe towards the local RV dealership, whose name she mispronounced, began with a problem she caused.  However, they didn’t fix the situation to her satisfaction.  Our new “friend” made sharing the companies faults with anyone who would listen.  Eventually, still complaining, she left.  Not once did she show gratitude for what she had.

How many times do we approach God the same way?   We spend our time complaining about the problems in our life instead of thanking Him for the blessings. What we need is different from what we desire.  Our neighbor didn’t appreciate her good fortune because she was too busy complaining about the flaws.  If we focus on the imperfections in life, we miss God’s perfection.  

Stop complaining about what you don’t have.  Start praising God for what you do have.  You’ll learn quickly; God’s blessings abound when you start counting them.

Lord, thank You for creating us.  Forgive us for forgetting about You.  Help us focus on our blessings instead of our complaints.  Remind us, everything we have came from You.  Without Your creation, we wouldn’t exist.  All glory and honor are Yours.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

Do you complain to God more than praise Him?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 1-2 GW; Psalms 146 GW; Revelation 3 GW

Chat with God.

When I was younger, I didn’t want to discuss my imperfections with God.  My misperception, I needed to get “clean” before I could approach my Creator.  But God doesn’t expect perfection from me; He wants honesty.  What the Big Guy knows, and I needed to accept, without Him, I couldn’t become “white as wool.”

Recently, I heard this analogy.  If you’re bleeding, do you wait until it stops before going to the emergency room?  No, you rush to the hospital for help, knowing you can’t stop the flow yourself.  

If we want to overcome our sinful nature, we must go to the right Doctor.  Only through Jesus can we become clean.  But first, we must confess the mess.  Whatever struggles we have,  God wants to discuss. Acknowledging our weaknesses to God allows Him to turn them into strengths.

Weakness becomes strength

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:10 NIV)

Begin to understand; our weaknesses are strengths helps us chat honestly with God.  Traveling with God, we realize quickly; our past blunders help others avoid the same mistakes.  Or change their ways from the path of destruction.

When I counsel someone struggling with financial issues, my story gives them hope.  Sharing the poor decisions I made in the past creates a connection.  Explaining how inviting God into my problems helped me become debt-free gives them hope.  Now, two decades later, my weakness became a strength.  I learned managing money takes more than just budgeting.  Learning to identify and address the reasons I overspent helped me grow closer to God.  

Instead of running from your weaknesses, embrace them.  Talk to God about your struggles.  Tell your Maker the whole story; leave nothing out.  Then watch as God begins to transform you into a new creation.

Lord, thank You for loving us, warts and all.  Forgive us for trying to hide our sinful nature from You.  Help us learn to embrace our weaknesses, allowing You to transform them into strengths.  Draw us into a closer relationship with You as we chat with You today.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What are you holding back from God today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Micah 5-7 GW; Psalms 130 GW; Revelation 2 GW

 Hope gives joy.

Hope: “A desire for some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it or a belief that it is obtainable. Hope differs from wish and desire in that it implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired or the possibility of possessing it. Hope always gives pleasure or joy, whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied by pain and anxiety.”

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines hope well.  Believing something better is possible gives us a reason to keep going.  Recently, I listened to “The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life” by Edith Eger.  Imprisoned in Auschwitz in 1944 at 16, her mother and father didn’t live past day one.  Surviving the concentration camp, Dr. Eger became a psychologist, completing her Master’s degree at 50.  Hope helped the now 93-year-old doctor survive the Natzi’s terror.

Don’t cover garlic with chocolate.

Chapter 11 of Dr. Eger’s book discusses hopelessness.  Considering the fact, when taking a shower in Auschwitz, Dr. Eger didn’t know if water or deadly gas would come from the nozzle, she understands the power of hope:

“Honey, don’t cover garlic with chocolate.  It doesn’t taste good.  Likewise, there’s no freedom in denying reality or trying to cloak it in something sweet.  Hope isn’t a distraction from the darkness.  It’s a confrontation with the darkness.”

Jesus is our hope; He confronted the darkness for us and overcame it.  Believing in God means placing our expectations on Him.  Trusting Paul’s words to the Romans:

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom he has called according to his plan.” (Romans 8:28 GW)

Everyone is facing some type of darkness.  Jesus said, in this world, we would have trouble (John 16:33 NIV).  But He also overcame it for us.  We can expect better things to come because our hope is in Jesus.  Whatever darkness you’re confronting, let Jesus lead the way.  Wait expectantly, confident in Jesus’s power to overcome the ways of the world.  Find joy in hope.

Lord, thank You for overcoming the darkness of this world.  Forgive us for giving up hope in You.  Renew our faith today as we place our trust in You.  Replace feelings of hopelessness with Your abundant hope.  Give us joy that comes only from You.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What area of your life do you need hope?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Micah 1-4 GW; Psalms 46 GW; Revelation 1 GW

God’s word reveals.

Revelation from God comes from reading His word.  Approximately 1,500 years passed before the final book of the Bible became a reality.  Written around 90 AD, John talks about Jesus’ return.  Over the past three thousand plus years, time and again, the words within the pages of scripture prove true.  Applying Biblical principles to your life reveals truth found no other way.  Becoming wiser means seeking God’s revealed truth. 

Apocalypse is a term used to describe end times.  However, the original meaning of the Greek word is “uncover, disclose, reveal.”  In the mid-1850s, the definition changed to “belief in an imminent end of the present world.”  Many people study Revelation to decipher when the world comes to an end.  God is clear; we’re not to know (Matthew 24:36 ESV).  As soon as I began studying Revelation, I learned this truth, becoming wiser.

Truth breeds wisdom.

Learning the original meaning of Apocalypse changed my whole perspective.  Always afraid to study Revelation, one change in thinking made me eager to learn more.  As my friend and I studied through the chapters, God revealed the myths we believed. Together, we became wiser as we paid attention to God’s word.

Only when we tune in to God’s message can we become wiser.  We’ll never learn if we don’t read the words written by people who dedicated their lives to the Creator.  Once you begin to apply God’s commands to your daily life, change begins to happen.  One day at a time, we become more like Jesus.
Choose one area of your life you want to change.  Find a scripture addressing the issue.  Write the words somewhere you will see them often.  Use Youversion to create a scripture image, making it your screensaver.  Day after day, ask God to reveal His truth to You.  Pursue your Maker passionately; wisdom comes with life change.  Enjoy the journey.

Lord, thank You for revealing the truth to us.  Forgive us for not seeking You sooner.  Today, as we seek You through Your word, open our eyes to things we cannot see.  Give us ears to hear Your message.  Help us apply what we learn to our lives, becoming wiser and experiencing life change.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

What area of your life do You want divine help with today?