Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

“Lord, go before me and clear my path.”

When I am anxious about doing something, I pray that eight-word prayer that comforts me. Knowing God goes before me helps me take the steps necessary to do the divine task. In one of his last exhortations before dying, Moses gives Joshua this infamous message as they prepare to take the promised land.

Like any relationship, it takes two to tango. To receive God’s blessings, we must take steps of faith. The Israelites had to walk into their future; the Lord didn’t bring it to them, and He wanted them to do so without hesitation or fear, so God led the way.

I learned an interesting fact about the Tabernacle: it resembles a human body. Animal skins covered the outside, while blue, purple, and scarlet cords filled the inside, like the skin covering our arteries and veins. God dwelled in the innermost part of the Tabernacle, just like He lives in our hearts.

We don’t go anywhere without the Lord. He leads us by day and by night, just like He did the Israelites. Wherever God’s taking us, He goes before us and clears the path. We can trust in His leadership.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for going before us and clearing our paths. Please help us follow You fearlessly, trusting You for the journey. Encourage us and uplift us as we follow You.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

God gives the Israelites four commands as they prepare for battle: do not be fainthearted, do not be afraid, do not be terrified, and do not give way to panic. Even though enemies surround the people, the same Lord who led them from Egypt will lead them to victory over every one of their opponents.

During our second week in our new home, my sweet Sophia, our rat terrier rescue who captured my heart, escaped from the yard. My emotions quickly escalated as I thought of losing her. Then I heard a voice saying, “Do not panic.” I knew I needed to remain calm if I wanted to think clearly.

Those three words helped me regain control of my feelings and focus on the Lord, asking Him for help. “Pray, not panic,” the prayer from my book “Three Word Prayers for Every Day Living” for moments of distress proved effective again. Rounding the corner of our house, I saw my sweet girl and called her to me, tempting her with a treat she couldn’t resist, all well once more.

Keeping the Son in our eyes helps us overcome fear and panic, strengthens our hearts, and gives us victory over whatever enemy we face. Listening to the Lord’s commands and trusting His deliverance will provide us with success.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us the tools to control our emotions, center our thoughts on You, and win over our enemies. Please help us seek You first in all things, letting You guide our paths.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

God protects His people. When Noah went through the flood waters, the Lord kept Him safe. The Almighty never left Joseph during his trials. God closed the mouths of the lions in the den for Daniel and extended the daylight for Joshua. The Creator gives us strength to face the trials of life, and His blessing of peace helps us persevere.

Seeking the Lord’s support will give us strength to endure, peace to pass along to others, and blessings to share. We can live boldly for Christ, knowing He provides our needs. Faith overcomes fear every time.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
Matthew 7:7-8

We don’t have because we don’t ask. Recently, I made a bold request of the Lord, something I’ve never done so bluntly before. And He responded, providing for the need I requested in a way I never imagined. If I hadn’t asked, I wouldn’t have received it.

Ask God for the strength you need to face today’s mountain. Seek His peace and receive His blessing when you trust in the Lord.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us what we need to do the work You have for us. Please turn our eyes to You, reminding us to ask You for our provisions and trusting You to provide.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

When the Israelites fled Egypt, the chariots and soldiers chased them out of the country. God’s salvation came when He parted the Red Sea, allowing the people to cross on dry ground and then causing the waters to encapsulate the pursuing army, gone forever. The Lord worked for the Israelites, and He does the same for you in ways you probably don’t even realize.

A social media post I read recorded a conversation with God. After having a bad day, the lady asked the Lord why. Why did I have car troubles? Why did I get held up at lunch? Why did her phone die mid-conversation? Why did all these minor grievances happen to her that day?

God responded with His perspective: the car troubles kept her out of the path of a drunk driver, the late lunch caused her not to get sick, and the phone died so she wouldn’t hear the false words that would have caused her trouble. On and on the list goes of ways God works for us that we don’t realize. What we surmise as bad could have an entirely different meaning from the Lord’s view.

But like God worked for the Israelites, He continues to work for us. We may not always see His maneuverings, but we can trust that the Lord has our back.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for working for us, protecting and guarding us from the enemies of this world. Please help us remember that things may have more than one perspective and You have our back always.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

God, leading with grace, reminds the people that He will keep His word. Bringing the Israelites out of Egypt freed them from slavery. When we acknowledge our sins and ask the Lord to forgive us, it frees us from bondage.

Like chains that hold a prisoner captive, sin wraps itself around us, binding us within its grips and separating us from the Lord. Wanting to hide our disobedience, we avoid God. When Adam and Eve ate the apple, they hid when the Creator walked in the garden. But the All-Knowing knew what happened before the couple confessed and immediately forgave them, restoring the relationship.

We don’t hide from God; He knows everything. Accepting our sinful nature and readily admitting our faults to the Lord draws us closer to the Creator and helps us live free from guilt. God doesn’t want us tied up in knots over our misdeeds, but to admit and learn from them, allowing Him to use all things for the good of those who believe and trust in the Savior.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for leading with grace and creating a way for us to live free. Please help us acknowledge our sins, learn from them, and receive Your forgiveness. Let us become more like Jesus as we pursue You.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

We must face our enemies, but we don’t do it alone; God goes with us. Whether dealing with sabotage at work, gossip at church, or an antagonistic acquaintance, we can find strength in the Lord’s presence when under persecution.

Matthew Emmons, in the 2004 Olympics, competed in sharpshooting. By the last round, he had the gold medal in his pocket, and if the bullet hit the target, he would go home as a medalist. Lining up his gun, he had the target in sight, pulling the trigger confidently. But he had one problem: he had his eye on the wrong target. Missing his mark, Emmons lost his chance at a medal because he lost focus.

When we take our eyes off Jesus, we will miss the mark and experience defeat. But keeping our eyes on the Savior will lead us to victory over our enemies as we put God’s word into practice in our lives. Keeping the Son in your eyes means you never face your enemies alone but have the strength of the Creator backing you up.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for never leaving or forsaking us. Please help us keep our eyes on You and not sway left or right. Give us the courage to face our enemies and find victory through Christ.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Abram, also known as Abraham, speaks to God for the first time in this chapter. Centered around the Lord’s delay in fulfilling His promises, Abram wants to know how the Creator will fulfill His word. When God answers, He does so in a vision, telling His faithful servant not to fear; Abram will receive his reward and become the father of multitudes.

Everyone waits for something. As Christ’s followers, we receive His promises and wait for them to come to fruition. When one door closes, we spend time in the hallway until the next one opens. What we do in the hall matters, maybe even more than what we do once God takes us into the next room.

Ron and I opened a new business, requiring us to travel to the bank to create an account. Knowing the financial institute and its reputation for slow customer service, I took my Bible. While sitting in the lobby, I began reading the day’s plan and taking notes, knowing our time would eventually come, and it did. By keeping my eyes on the Lord, I didn’t get irritated but maintained His peace, trusting His promises. Eventually, the door opened, and we entered the next room.

Life requires waiting; when we keep our eyes on the Lord, we can learn to wait expectantly, and with assurance that His promises will come true, we have nothing to fear.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for Your word that guides and directs our paths. Please help us lean into Your promises when we get impatient. Let us faithfully follow You as Abram did.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Wanting a king, God gave the Israelites Saul, who had some issues. But Samuel tells the people to keep their eyes on the Creator and trust Him for deliverance, not a human. Obey the Lord’s commands and serve Him with all their hearts; things will work out fine.

Going all in with the Savior requires total commitment. Each day, we must decide who we will follow, God or man. As we face the troubles of the moment, we can live in fear of what may happen or live boldly for Christ, trusting Him to part the sea as we walk into the water.

Put God first in all things, and all things will work out. Trying to solve earthly problems on our own leads to frustration and discouragement. But receiving divine guidance and wisdom will open the doors for miracles. Throughout scripture, we repeatedly see the Lord take the ordinary and make it extraordinary when people follow and obey Him with all their hearts.

Determine today to let the Lord take the lead in your life. Give God your problems and watch miracles happen. When we give all our hearts to our Maker, we’ll find everything we need in Him.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank you for answering our problems. Please help us stay focused on You, giving You all our hearts and allowing You to transform our lives. In You, we have everything we need.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

No rain came in late fall and early winter, and the land didn’t receive the nourishment needed to prepare it for planting. As a result of the drought, a non-Jewish woman faced starvation, with only enough flour and oil left to make a small loaf before they starved to death. God sent Elijah to her, and the prophet asked her to make him a cake before taking care of her needs.

“For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’”
1 Kings 17:14

The widow did as Elijah asked without hesitation, and her flour and oil miraculously stayed filled. In God’s upside economy, doing the opposite of the world yields divine results. In need of food, instead of hoarding the last bit she had, the widow gave it away and received an endless supply of food.

Trusting the Lord means living counterculturally, giving freely to God, and trusting His provision. Our Provider multiplies our gifts. When Jesus fed the thousands, He offered the fish and loaves to His Father, who miraculously fed them all with multiple baskets left over. Twice we see Christ do this, like the widow, the supply never runs out.

What do you need today? Offer what you have of it and see what the Lord does. He’ll create a way where you can’t see one and miraculously provide your needs.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for supplying all our needs out of Your glorious riches. As we come to You today with our needs, help us lay them at the Cross. Multiply our efforts as we trust in You. Let Your divine provision reign in our lives.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Moses encourages the nation of Israel to remember God’s past victories. They witnessed the plagues that the Lord reigned down on Egypt, which caused Pharoah to release them. The Israelites stood before the Red Sea, watching it part, and walked through on dry land. For forty years, the people ate bread from heaven, fresh every morning, enough to sustain them on their journey.

And now, as the Israelites face the promised land, they fear the Canaanites who currently possess it. Moses tells the community that God will handle the enemy like He handled Pharoah and the Egyptians. Reminding the Israelites of God’s presence helped calm their fears.

The Israelites did drive out the Canaanites, little by little, taking possession of the land. Relying on God, they kept moving forward. We can do the same, one step at a time; we can trust the Savior to clear our paths and provide a way to reach our destination. Instead of letting fear paralyze you, list how God’s shown up for you in the past. Remind yourself of the Lord’s work in your life, and trust that if He did it once, He will do it again.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for caring for us and leading us to the promised land. Please remind us of Your works and help us trust You for the future.
IJNIP. Amen