Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

Pulling up to the tennis courts, nothing warms my heart more than seeing my young students waiting for me. As soon as the car door opens, they swarm around me, wanting to help unload the equipment and get our lesson started. Eager to learn, they not only encourage me, but fill my heart with joy at their enthusiasm for learning.

God wants us to come to Him with the same enthusiasm, waiting eagerly to learn from His commands, growing and becoming mature, devoted followers of His Son. When you have a revelation from the Lord and He opens your eyes to something unseen, it changes your life, making you excited to learn more and more of His wondrous ways.

Opening up God’s Word and applying it to your life will teach you many valuable lessons. As you learn about loving the Lord and others, and start practicing it, you’ll discover an abundance of unexpected blessings that encourage and motivate you to seek more knowledge. Divine lessons come in unique packages and transform our lives one day at a time. Only people with unteachable spirits stop learning; for the rest of us, the lessons never end.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for teaching us from Your vast wealth of knowledge. Please help us remain teachable and pliable in Your hands. Let Your word transform our lives as we obey and follow Your commands.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

When the fires of life rage around us, enemies and circumstances seemingly plotting our demise, we can cling to the Lord’s promises and not get scorched. Delighting in God’s testimonies keeps us safe.

Meditate translates as “Siah” in Hebrew, which means “muse on, consider, think on.” Our minds can get overrun with unwanted thoughts. We have the power to control our thinking by meditating on scripture and relieving the worldly pressures.

At a recent conference, during worship, anxious thoughts started to invade my mind. As I tried to center on the Lord, offering Him praise, the niggling images of possible events kept plowing their way into my brain.

“Lord, take away these thoughts. Don’t let them take root in my mind.” I began praying silently for the Lord’s help. As the chorus of “Good Good Father,” by Chris Tomlin, began to unfold, I refocused my mind and let God rule my thoughts.

“You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am.”

When unwanted thoughts try to distract you, focus on God’s word. Find a scripture and meditate on it, allowing the Lord’s promises to fill your mind and bring peace to your heart.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You, Lord, for giving us Your Word, which contains promises we can count on today and always. As we face the day’s challenges, bring scripture to mind that will refocus our thoughts, keeping them from straying from You.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

“Gaar”, the Hebrew word for rebuke, means “reprimand” or “prevent.” Often, when I think of God rebuking me, I don’t have good images in my mind. However, as I applied more and more of the Lord’s precepts to my life, I learned that they protected me, keeping me from harm and safeguarding my heart.

Now, as I receive the Lord’s reprimand, it humbles me and reminds me of my need for the Savior. None of us can keep the law; if we didn’t recognize our sin, we wouldn’t turn to Jesus for help. Only with the grace and mercy we receive from Christ can we access the Lord’s peace that surpasses all understanding.

For the first time in my life, I have a backyard garden. Now that the weather has warmed, we’ve planted our first crop. Each day, I water the small plot of land and pull a few weeds. As I pulled up the pesky rascals this morning, I thought of how my daily time in the Word weeds my heart. Each morning, I repent of my sinful thoughts and actions, keeping the soil of my heart pliable for the Lord, so that His word may take root and grow.

Although we will never achieve perfection on this side of heaven, we can become more like Jesus as we emulate His actions. Our right actions please God and draw us closer to Him, allowing us to experience a bit of heaven here on Earth.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for weeding out our hearts and rebuking our wrong actions. Please help us follow Your commands and become more like Jesus with each day You give us.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Children love boundaries, even though they may not admit it. As a tennis coach for over a decade, I have learned this valuable lesson. Any parent knows it as well, but since I don’t have children, I realized it through teaching. The first day of a new session always has the same characteristics: kids testing the boundaries of what they can and can’t do.

As God’s children, following His commandments helps us establish boundaries in our lives. Like the students in my tennis classes, we like knowing what we can and can’t do, even if we won’t admit it. Rebelling against God tests those boundaries and quickly teaches us lessons we won’t soon forget.

Like in my twenties when I decided to do everything my way, leading me straight into the pit. Only when I turned back to the Lord and started following His ways did I find myself back on solid ground. The more I knew, the more I wanted to know.

As we sojourn through life on Earth with the Lord, applying His precepts to our lives, we’ll long for more of His ways. Experiencing the blessings that come from obedience to God creates a desire for more of His goodness. Lean into the Lord’s precepts, experience life in abundance as you follow Him.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You Lord for giving us boundaries to apply to our lives. Please help us quickly submit and obey Your precepts, experiencing Your goodness as we do. Let us never stop learning and applying as we follow You.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Asking God to open your eyes will amaze you. George Washington Carver asked the Lord to teach him about peanuts, and he discovered over 300 uses for the small, brown snack.¹ We have limited vision, only seeing a sliver of the world through our view. The Almighty not only hears the conversations we don’t hear, but He also sees the things we can’t see.

By revealing truth to us, God opens our eyes to the unseen. Dealing bountifully with us creates a self-awareness of our sin and the Lord’s grace. Without that realization, we can’t have an intimate relationship with the Savior. Only by recognizing our sin can we lay it at the foot of the Cross and experience the miraculous transformation that comes from God.

Begin a conversation with God. Ask Him to open your eyes and reveal His truth to you. Lean into the Savior and experience the wondrous things found in His ways. Gaining divine vision only happens when we submit our lives to our Maker.

Experience the wonders of Jesus. Relish in the presence of the Savior, gaining vision from your relationship with Him. Learn to love God and others as you apply the Lord’s precepts to your life.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving us a new perspective and opening our eyes to Your wondrous ways. Please help us see the world through Your eyes, allowing us to love You and others more deeply.
IJNIP. Amen

1. https://www.tuskegee.edu/support-tu/george-washington-carver/carver-peanut-products ↩︎

One-minute read.

Inner joy comes from a proper regard for God and His testimonies. Sitting on my front porch in my rocker, I’m enjoying one of the first warm mornings of early spring, listening to the birds’ chatter all around me. Now and then, a woodpecker’s rapid tapping provides a natural rhythm to the song of nature. The ambient sounds testify to the Creator’s glory, the Maestro who designed each note.

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”
Psalm 19:1

Fixing my eyes on God’s ways doesn’t take much effort when I surround myself in His glory. Scripture tells of His wondrous works, and focusing on them reminds me of the Savior’s sovereignty. Delighting in the Lord’s precepts brings me joy. I can find no other way.

Take time today to wander at the marvels of nature. Whether watching a bird flitter from here to there, or letting the beauty of a flower mesmerize you, focus on the attention to detail that glorifies God. Meditate on Psalm 19:1 and look for ways you see the Creator’s handiwork in your surroundings.

Delight in the testimonies of God, meditating on His word, and filling your heart with joy.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for Your testimonies that surround us in creation. Please help us meditate on Your word, and give us eyes to see and ears to hear Your wondrous ways.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Running a small crafting business, I design and cut my tags. Last night, as I prepared some cross bracelets and lavender sachets for the shop, I used my paper cutter to make the straight edges. As I brought the blade down on the sheets of cardstock, I thought about my love of school, paper projects, and learning. Jack of all trades, master of none, my curiosity grows the more I learn.

Remaining teachable keeps life interesting. Having the ability to admit you don’t know everything opens the doors to unlimited possibilities. Closing our minds to new things leaves us stuck. Looking upwards and asking the Lord to “teach me” will open doors you didn’t even know existed.

As you learn, your lips will declare truth and revelation to all. Sharing knowledge comes naturally; the desire to help others comes from a heart that wants to bless. Life becomes easier when we seek and live in the wisdom the Lord shares with us.

Ask God for wisdom and discernment. Talk to Him about the things you don’t understand and seek His input. Keep a teachable spirit, ready for feedback from the Savior that you can apply to your life, growing ever wiser in His presence.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for Your word that fills our souls with knowledge. Please help us to remain teachable and moldable under Your tutelage. Let us joyfully share what we learn with others.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Seeking God with our whole heart means learning His ways and applying them to our lives. Remaining teachable acknowledges the Lord’s sovereignty with a heart filled with praise. Storing scripture in our hearts helps us obey when faced with life’s situations.

For instance, the Ten Commandments help me have healthy relationships. Applying them to my life shows me how to connect with the Lord and keep Him a priority. They also give me direction when dealing with people. By putting God first, receiving His love and mercy, I can then share it with others.

We must remain teachable, keeping our Spirit in tune with the Lord, to stay on the straight and narrow path. Veering from God’s will takes little effort. Lies roll quickly off the tongue. Jealousy flares its ugly head instantly. Unwanted, hateful thoughts can arise from minor offenses. Wanting revenge comes from our human nature. On and on the list goes of sinful actions that require little thought.

Following God, seeking Him with our whole heart, helps us avoid sin’s pitfalls. The more scripture we know, the better we can obey and enjoy the rewards of pleasing the Lord.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for Your word that gives us direction for life. Please help us hide scripture in our hearts, using it to honor and obey You today and always. As we seek You with our whole heart, let us discover Your wondrous ways.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

To keep your heart pure, practice God’s law. Living a righteous life means learning what the Bible says, then actually doing it. Jesus told us which commands we should put into practice first and foremost:

“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

To fulfill the Greatest Commandment, you’ll need to learn the rest of God’s law, as each one centers on healthy relationships. Putting scripture into practice will lead you on the path of abundant, fruitful relationships that bring joy to your life.

Guarding against the negative emotions of guilt, shame, condemnation, bitterness, and jealousy enables us to maintain soft hearts, ready to receive God’s love and then extend it to others.

Unfortunately, when we ruminate on the negative, we miss the positive. We must guard our hearts from drowning itself in negativity, allowing the Lord’s flow of light to access all areas of our soul. Thankfully, God has given us His Word to help keep our hearts pure.

Don’t beat yourself up for past mistakes; keep trying and don’t give up. Jesus doesn’t expect perfection; He wants your heart. Following Him will teach you how to keep it pure, guarding your inner being with His word.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You once again for Your Word that does so much for our lives. Although we don’t understand everything, we do trust You. Help us learn Your teachings, applying them to our lives and living entirely for You.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

“Yoser” in Hebrew means upright, straight, integrity.¹ The original language of the Canaanites and the official language of modern Israel, understanding a word’s definition helps gain context. What does praising the Lord with an upright heart mean? To me, I answer that question with one word: pure.

To praise God with an upright, straight, and integral heart means cleansing it of sin. Getting rid of the jealousy, hate, and bitterness purifies our soul and connects us to the Creator in a way we can’t achieve any other way. If we keep the Lord’s statutes, they help us stay on the right track by identifying the weeds and removing them.

Weeding a garden requires the ability to identify good and evil. Leave the healthy, vibrant plants, pull out the non-productive, life-sucking weeds. Tending the garden of our heart uses the same thought process. Keep the healthy fruit, prune the unhealthy. Become better, not bitter, by letting God search your heart, allowing His light to shine into the dark places, and removing them.

When you do, you will praise the Savior with an upright heart, and strive to keep His statutes even more. Let the Master Garden weed your heart and give you an abundant life.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for purifying our hearts with Your divine light. Please help us quickly identify the weeds we need to get rid of in our soul and replace them with Your unconditional love, grace and mercy.
IJNIP. Amen

1. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20119%3A7-8&version=NIV ↩︎