Honest Reflections

“When I called, you answered me;  you greatly emboldened me.” (Psalm 138:3 NIV)

God always answers when you call.  He always has a solution.  No matter what your need, God can fill it.  The problem is, He hardly ever answers our prayers the way we think He will. 

When we start a conversation with God, more times than not, the conversation is about us.  I know, I always have my own agenda.  I have things going on in my life I want God to address.  I know the actions I would like to see Him take.  I have a timeline in which I would like Him to work.  However, God isn’t the manager, He’s my Creator.

God always answers when you call.

God isn’t the manager.  If you’ve ever had bad customer service, you’ve called the manager.  My husband and I eat out a lot.  Not often, but on occasion, we’ve had a problem with our meal.  Perhaps the waiter delivered the wrong meal, or the meat undercooked.  The first thing the waiter usually does is tell the manager.  Soon, we receive a visit to our table with sincere apologies and an offer to correct the mistake.  Managers fix our problems.  God isn’t our manager.

God isn’t who we take our complaints too.  He’s not in our lives to fix a bad meal.  He’s in our lives because He created us.  We are His.  He gave us life, He gave us purpose.  He isn’t meant to serve us, we’re meant to serve Him.

The bad meals in our lives are what God uses to work out His purpose for us.  When we have difficult situations occur in life, we’re to work through them.  When my nephew passed away unexpectedly from complications with diabetes, I had to work through his death.  I will spend the rest of my life working through losing someone so precious to me.  

If God was the manager, when my nephew was diagnosed with diabetes, He would have healed him.  God didn’t heal him.  For years I prayed for his healing here on earth.  God didn’t do what I asked.  Instead, my nephew lived out his purpose on earth, then God called him home.

God isn’t our manager, He’s our Creator.  He gives us life.  He takes life away.  But our life doesn’t end when we die.  When we place our faith in Jesus, our life is eternal.  We have no beginning, nor end.  Billy Graham describes death best:

“Some day you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.”

God always answers when we call; just not the way we think He will. 

Question of the Day:

Have you called God lately?

Further Reading: 1 Kings 22:1-53 NIV,  Acts 13:16-41 NIV,  Psalm 138:1-8 NIV,  Proverbs 17:17-18 NIV

“The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.” (Acts 13:4 NIV)

Paul and Barnabas are the “two” in this verse.  They are following the Holy Spirit wherever He takes them.  In this case, they are going to Cyprus.  But what does the verse mean, “sent on their way by the Holy Spirit?” 

In order let God’s Spirit lead you, tune into His radio station.  Listen to His podcast.  Watch His YouTube video. Follow His Twitter feed. The more you get to know God, the more His spirit will lead you.  Tuning into God makes us sensitive to Him.  We begin to understand His heart as we follow Him more.  Our hearts will come into alignment with His.  When He wants us to move, we’ll know.  Subtly, we will know what we are to do.  

Align our hearts with God and His Spirit will lead us.

When our heart breaks over the things that break God’s heart, we’re in tune with Him.  We’re sensitive to His presence in our lives.  We recognize the deep love God has for every single person on this planet.  Whether or not they love Him, God loves them.  

God’s love for others will start to pour out of us.  As His Spirit fills us, it will lead us.  We’ll have nudges to do things we wouldn’t otherwise do.  We’ll call someone because for whatever reason, we can’t stop thinking about them.  We’ll send a text at odd times for us, but just the right moment for someone else.  We’ll buy the person lunch who is in line behind us.  

I met a friend for lunch a few years ago.  As I was paying for my meal, I had a nudge to buy the couple’s lunch behind me in line. He was military, I had the opportunity to thank him for his service.  I did not immediately obey.  We were in a cafeteria style line with trays.  I felt the nudge as soon as the young couple lined up behind me.  I felt awkward, especially because they would know I was the person who bought them lunch.  The feeling wouldn’t leave me.  When I got to the register, I paid for mine, still without obeying.  As the cashier handed me the slip, I knew I was about to miss a blessing if I didn’t buy their lunch.  

I turned to the young couple and said, “I would like to buy your lunch.  Thank you for your service to our country.”  The young lady beamed with radiance as she announced, “We just got married!”  I have no idea how much lunch cost that day.  But I do know I had a very special moment that none of us will forget.

Tune into God, You’ll get the nudge.

Question of the Day:

Have you had the nudge lately?

Further Reading: 1 Kings 20:1-21:29 NIV, Acts 12:24-13:15 NIV, Psalm 137:1-9 NIV, Proverbs 17:16 NIV

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FOLLOW AN ANGEL?

“Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.” (Acts 12:9 NIV)

Following an angel is a surreal experience.  Peter was in prison, chained between two guards.  The church earnestly prayed for him.  The night before his trial, an angel appeared to him.  The chains fell off his body.  The angel told Peter to follow him.  Peter, in a trance like state, followed the angel out of the prison to freedom.  The experience was surreal to Peter.  He didn’t think he was actually walking out of the prison.  Peter thought he was seeing a vision.

Following an angel is a surreal experience.

I have never had an encounter with a heavenly angel, not that I’m aware of at least.  I do believe God places angels here on earth.  People who are at the right place at the right moment.  People who say the right thing at the right time.  We don’t know when an angel is among us:

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2 NIV)

We’ve talked about loving your neighbor, this gives a new aspect to people we encounter in our lives.  Angels are amongst us.  The stranger on the street, he might be a heavenly host.  We never know.  I have had experiences that have left me wondering.  One happened thirty years ago that I’ve not forgotten.

I was working my way through college.  I worked at a hotel as a night desk clerk from 3:00 p.m. -11:00 p.m.  I had fallen in love with someone who didn’t love me.  I was in the midst of realizing this ugly truth when God sent an angel.  I was at rock bottom.  My heart broken, I had given up trying.  I can remember so vividly, standing at the front desk.  I was wearing a black and white skirt, with a black straight jacket and white blouse, my uniform.  I was filing away guests room cards, feeling sorry for myself.  A gentleman walked up and placed two ceramic angels in front of me.  They were kneeling in prayer.  He simply said, “God wants you to know, you have 2 angels watching over you.”  Then he walked away.  I never saw that man again.  I still have those angels, they are still watching over me.  Somehow, I broke the wing of one of them, it’s symbolic for me of my imperfections.

You don’t know who you are entertaining.  Any one of them might be an angel.  If they are, you won’t forget the experience.  When you encounter an angel, no matter how, it is a surreal experience.

Question of the Day:

Have you encountered an angel?

Further Reading: 1 Kings 19:1-21NIV,Acts 12:1-23 NIV, Psalm 136:1-26 NIV, Proverbs 17:14-15 NIV

“Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.” (Proverbs 17:12 NIV)

A fool bent on folly is not good company.  You’re better off hanging out with a bear who has lost her cubs.  If you want to know what the term Mama Bear means, watch this video.  A Mama bear takes on a tiger to protect her cub, she wins.  You would rather meet a mamma bear than a fool bent on folly. But what is a fool bent on folly?

A fool bent on folly is not good company.

Fools only think of themselves:

“Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.” (Proverbs 18:2 NIV)

All of us can fall into this trap.  We get so caught up in our own opinions, we don’t try to understand anyone else’s.  When we’re busy telling others what we think, we can’t listen to what they say.  Hard truth: no one knows everything.  Not even you.  If we want to grow, we have to make an effort to understand others’ opinions.

Fools make bad choices:

“The hearts of wise people lead them on the right path. But the hearts of foolish people take them down the wrong path.” (Ecclesiastes 10:2 NLT)

We all make bad choices.  We all face consequences to those choices.  A wise person learns from their mistake.  A fool makes the same bad decision again.  I’m a fool when the conversation is about food.  I know my worst time for indulging is at night.  I try every day to come up with a new plan to conquer my night time snacking.  The only plan that works is not having snacks in the house.  If I continue to buy tortilla chips, I will continue to eat tortilla chips.  If I don’t change my ways, you would call me a fool.

Fools don’t believe in God:

“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.” (Psalm 53:1 NIV)

Not everyone believes in God.  The reasons are plenty why people don’t believe.  But according to David, someone who truly does not believe in God is a fool. Personally, when someone tells me they don’t believe in God, I don’t try to change their mind.  I pray for them.  I pray God will make His presence real in their lives and one day they will believe.  I was a fool once too who didn’t believe in God.  Thankfully, people prayed for me and now I do.

You’re not a fool if you believe in God.  You are wise.  You can tap into His word, His people and His power to guide your life.  Pray for the fools you know that they too will know God.

Question of the Day:

Are you a fool bent on folly?

Further Reading: 1 Kings 18:1-46 NIV, Acts 11:1-30 NIV, Psalm 135:1-21 NIV, Proverbs 17:12-13 NIV

“May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 134:3 NIV)

God is our creator.  He made the heavens and the earth.  He knew you before you were born.  He planned a purpose for you no one else has.  Today’s happenings do not surprise God.  He understands our need to express ourselves, He created us.  He knows who our families are, He planted us in them. He knows everything about our lives. Who is the maker of heaven and earth? God.

God is our creator.

I was born in Kittanning, PA.   I spent the first 12 years of my life in what is still one of my favorite places on earth, Tidal, PA.   When I think of this beloved place, I think of heaven on earth.  My first best friend is still one of my best friends.  The people I met there are still a part of my life.  I met God there. I learned of His unfathomable love there.  

In Tidal, the sky is clear.  When you gaze at the stars, they shine brightly.  Thanks to COVID, our skies are much clearer where I live now, but nothing like Tidal.  I would gaze up at the stars in wonder.  God placed them all in the sky.  He named them.  And He named me.  I remember feeling insignificant yet significant at the same time.  How could God do all of this?  How could He create such beauty?

The mystery of creation is one that is never solved:

“This is what God the Lord says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:” (Isaiah 42:5 NIV)

God created us.  God wants to bless us:

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV)

Our world has shattered.  People are hurting and broken.  Loss of life is a reality.  Riots occurred.  People are searching for answers.  The fear which has encapsulated our world for the past few months is getting the best of people.  Daily, I have to focus my eyes on Jesus to maintain my sanity.  Nothing seems to make sense.  I have more questions than I have answers.  Yet, Isaiah gives me the hope I need:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.”  (Isaiah 55:8 NIV)

God never designed us to know all the answers.  He designed us to have faith that He does. God is our creator.  He will sustain us in these troubled times.  Our job is to trust Him.

Question of the Day:

How has God’s creation amazed you?

Further Reading:1 Kings 15:25-17:24 NIV, Acts 10:24-48 NIV, Psalm 134:1-3 NIV, Proverbs 17:9-11 NIV

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1 NIV)

Unity means peace.  No matter where you live in the world, you live in some kind of community.  No one can survive alone.  We need people in our lives.  We need people different from us in our lives.   Imagine if every single person in the world was exactly the same. 

God help us if everyone was like me.  I’m impulsive and rash.  I have a one track mind which is hard to derail.  I need other people in my life to balance me out.  My husband, my friends, they help me see the whole truth, not just my truth.  We all need that kind of help.  God created each differently.  We each have a different purpose.  When we live in unity, we’re allowing those around us to live the lives God intended them too.  

But we don’t allow people to live their lives.  We think we know better than God what they should do.  We all have opinions.  We all think we’re right.  Living in unity isn’t about right or wrong.  Living in unity is about resolution.  Learning to agree to disagree and still love one another.  Unity isn’t easy, it requires work.  The reward far outweighs the toil.

Unity means peace.

Our world needs peace.  COVID has affected our thinking.  I’ve questioned my sanity at times with things that occurred.  People have pent up emotions that need release.  Riots are happening.  Tragedies are occurring.  I pray more about the violence in today’s world than COVID.  We aren’t accepting others who are different from us.  We’re not loving everyone like they are our neighbor.  If we were, unnecessary deaths wouldn’t happen.  Racial disputes wouldn’t exist.  We would live in unity and at peace.

Everyone God created has a part to play in this world:

“There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12 NIV)

As Christ followers, we all have the same commandment to follow:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31 NIV)

Loving God, loving others.  When they asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest, His answer was simple.  If we, as Christ followers were following His words better, unity in this world would exist.  People would know us for our love.  Hatred would not exist. Value people, they’ll know they’re valuable.  Love is a verb that requires work.  But the payoff is unity.  Love God, love others.

Question of the Day:

How can you love God, love others today?

Further Reading: 1 Kings 14:1-15:24 NIV, Acts 10:1-23 NIV, Psalm 133:1-3 NIV, Proverbs 17:7-8 NIV

“Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.” (Proverbs 17:6 NIV)

Today is the 34th anniversary of my father’s death.  I was 16 years old.  His passing affected my life dramatically.  I have lived twice as long without a father as I did with one.  My mother never remarried.  His influence on my life is irrefutable.  My brothers and I share his mannerisms.  We say his mantras.  We vividly remember his impact on our lives at different moments. 

When my mother passed 6 years ago, it devastated our lives.  She was the center of our family.  She helped us survive Dad’s death, but now we were left on our own to survive hers.  I’m proud of my parents, not because of their perfections, but their imperfections. 

My parents gave me life.  As Madea said in “Madea Goes to Jail”, your parents gave you life, they didn’t have to do that.  But they did:

“Everyone has got a life.  What you do with that life is up to you.”  Madea

Your parents chose life, they chose you.

If you’ve watched any movie or sitcom about expecting parents, you realize quickly the daunting task of raising children.  I never had children, my niece and nephews are the closest I have come.  I do know, parenting isn’t easy.  I heard this phrase long ago, I think it represents parenting well:

“Making the decision to have a child – it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ”

― Elizabeth Stone

Having issues with our parents is a part of life.  No one on this earth has a perfect parent.  My Dad had an explosive temper.  My mother could hold a grudge.  But they tried. They provided a home for us.  They ran the roads taking us to school activities or sporting events.  Only now, as I look back over my life can I truly see how hard they worked at parenting.  Only now does some of the advice they imparted years ago make sense to me.  Seeds of wisdom planted decades ago are taking root.

I realize, not everyone had parents who tried.  Some parents don’t have the capability to raise children, so they give them away.  Some parents’ own issues from their past impact their children’s lives negatively.  Sometimes, the only thing parents do for their child is give them life.  Even if your earthly parents failed you, your Heavenly Father won’t.  His unconditional love can fill the void earthly parents didn’t.  Trusting Him is difficult, especially when you’re coming from a place of deep hurt.  You don’t have to do it all once.  Take baby steps towards Him.  Give Him a little piece of your heart, see what happens.  He’ll do the rest.

Question of the Day:

How can you honor your parents today?

Further Reading: 1 Kings 12:20-13:34 NIV, Acts 9:26-43 NIV, Psalm 132:1-18 NIV, Proverbs 17:6 NIV

“But I have calmed and quieted myself,  I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.” (Psalm 131:2 NIV)

Calm and quiet come with maturity.  Learning to control our emotions is a work in progress.  As children, we threw fits.  I know I was guilty of having a tantrum if I didn’t get what I wanted.  But my mother quickly taught me, tantrums don’t work.  She did not back down when she made a decision.  The more of a fit I threw, the more she stood her ground.  I learned over time, not to waste my energy on tantrums.  My mother taught me how to control my emotions by not giving in to bad behavior.

Learning to control emotions is a lifelong process.  If we were capable of controlling our emotions at all times, we would have no conflict.  People wouldn’t say things they didn’t mean to say.  We wouldn’t do things we didn’t mean to do.  I broke my foot once kicking a chair because I was mad at my brother.  I was in highschool.  I hobbled on crutches for weeks because of one moment of over reacting. When our emotions control us, we lose common sense.  We are unable to view whatever the situation is realistically.  As a result, we cause more harm than good.

Calm and quiet come with maturity.

In order to control our emotions, we have to analyze our reactions.  I ask myself these sort of questions:

• Why did I overreact?  
• What emotion was I feeling?
• What would I do differently if I had a do-over?

And I seek God.  I look into His word for solutions.  I talk to Him about my reaction in prayer.  Recently, I’ve begun asking Him to help me define the emotion.  My typical first response is anger.  But now I’ve learned there are many more emotions than just anger.  I feel disappointment, sadness, rejection and so many other things.  What is tipping off that particular emotion in me?  Once I identify the emotion, I can determine ways to control it.

Solomon gives us this advice:

“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty.  And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.” (Proverbs 16:32 NIV)

I ask God to change me.  I pray for His spirit to rule my life.  Instead of responding in anger, I ask God to let me respond in grace and mercy.  I am His work in progress.  I have a very long way to go, but I’m not where I was.

Calm and quiet come when we learn to control our emotions.  God wants our lives ruled with His spirit, not our emotions.  When we do, we’ll have His peace.

Question of the Day:

Have you asked yourself: “Why did I react that way?”

Further Reading: 1 Kings 11:1-12:19 NIV, Acts 9:1-25 NIV, Psalm 131:1-3 NIV, Proverbs 17:4-5 NIV

“When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions.” (1 Kings 10:1 NIV)

Solomon had a reputation.  People saw God’s presence in his life.  People wanted to know what Solomon knew.  The only way to find out what someone else knows is to ask them questions.  As Christ followers, people will question our faith.  Just like God’s presence drew Queen Sheba to Solomon, people will draw to you.  You don’t have to know all the answers.  Nor do you have to act like you do.  All you need to truly know is where to direct them for the answers they are seeking.  Hard questions require honest answers.

Hard questions require honest answers.

Admitting you don’t know everything is humbling for some people.  They feel like they have to have all of the answers.  But the truth is, no one has all of the answers.  No one except Jesus.  I don’t know why a 22 year old bride, a week before her wedding died in a car accident.  I don’t know why a friend’s daughter died of cancer at 10 years old.  I don’t know why COVID is plaguing our society.  I don’t know why.  But I do know Jesus does.  And I trust Him.

Recently I posted a short devotional on prayer.  I received a well thought out comment disputing the power of prayer.  The person pointed out how prayer had done nothing to stop the death and heartache in this world over the centuries.  He listed compelling statistics, including the fact a National Day of Prayer was held for our country, yet we’ve still had over 100,000 deaths from COVID.  My heart ached for the pain and suffering he was referring too. But God never promised us a life without pain and suffering:

“I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)

I don’t have the answers to the hard questions.  Faith is believing what we cannot see (Hebrews 11:1).  In today’s world, anyone can research a topic easily on the internet.  Messages from pastors on every topic imaginable are on YouTube.  Inevitably, one hard truth becomes reality: some questions we’ll never know the answers too until we get to heaven.

Don’t let the hard questions scare you.  Understand, some questions don’t have answers.  Hard questions require honest answers.  “I don’t know” is ok to say.  God loves you, even if you don’t know all the answers.

Question of the Day:

Are you comfortable saying, “I don’t know?”

Further Reading: 1 Kings 9:1-10:29 NIV, Acts 8:14-40 NIV, Psalm 130:1-8 NIV, Proverbs 17:2-3 NIV

“Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long. But the Lord is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.” (Psalm 129:3-4 NIV)

Jesus cuts wicked cords.  Plowmen, in today’s verse, are the masters.  The long furrows are a metaphor for harsh treatment.  I think of Jesus’ whipped back before the crucifixion (cf. Matt 20:19; 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1).  “The Passion of the Christ” exemplified  Jesus’ beating in a way I will never forget.  The sight of His bloody back is not easily forgotten.  Knowing He endured the torture for me is beyond humbling.  But the Lord cuts us free from the cords.  Jesus endured so we wouldn’t.  He took the beating we deserved.  And when He cried out, “It is finished!”, He finished it for all of us (John 29:30 NIV).  

Jesus cuts wicked cords.

Cords hold us captive.  When they are whipping our backs, we can’t move.  To cut free from them, we must first understand what the cords are.  Beloved author Beth Moore describes what holds Christ followers captive:

“A Christian is held captive by anything that hinders the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life God planned for him or her.”

― Beth Moore, Breaking Free: Discover the Victory of Total Surrender

Our cords are what keep us from enjoying our lives.  Those things that control us instead of us controlling them.  Reese’s Peanut butter cups have the ability to control me.  If I have a bag of them in the pantry, it doesn’t last long.  Once I start eating them, I keep eating them until they are all gone.  Thus, I have cut the cord by no longer buying bags of them.

The term, “cut the cord,” originates from the phrase, “Cut the umbilical cord.”  The umbilical cord is what connects a mother and child before birth.  The first thing that happens at birth, someone cuts the cord.  In some regards, Jesus cut the umbilical cord of sin in our lives.  He gave us a way out we desperately needed.

Just like a newborn baby can’t cut the cord, Jesus knows we can’t either.  We need His help to resist the temptations in our life.  Without His wisdom and truth in my life, I wouldn’t admit I eat all the Reese’s cups.  But if I don’t admit I eat them, I can’t gain control over them.  I have to do the hard work to understand why I can’t have just one. Jesus helps me find the answers. But only if I accept His truth.

In order for Jesus to cut the cords, we have to submit to Him.  We have to admit we are powerless over the sin in our lives.  Only through Him can we find complete victory.  Jesus cuts the wicked cords.

Question of the Day:

What cords do you need Jesus to cut for you?

Further Reading: 1 Kings 8:1-66 NIV, Acts 7:51-8:13 NIV, Psalm 129:1-8 NIV, Proverbs 17:1 NIV