Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

As a kid, I loved to go on imaginary treasure hunts.  One stands out in my mind more than most.  Arriving at summer camp, we had the opportunity to go exploring.  Leading my newfound friends, I found a cave.  Without qualms, I rushed into the dark cavern, sure we would find hidden treasure within its midst.  Alas, we did not, but I still remember the feeling of adventure from that day.

Mining God’s word and discovering its secrets yields wondrous treasures.  The more I learn about scripture, the more the context and continuity amaze me.  Ruth, my favorite book in the Bible, came from the Moabite clan.  I learned that the Moabites came from the illicit conception of Moab from Lot and his eldest daughter, who tricked her father into sleeping with her by getting him drunk. 

The Moabites, pagans, worshipped false gods, but when Ruth married Mahlon, a Judean refugee, she encountered the true God and became a believer.  From dire beginnings, the Moabitess became the great-grandmother of David and secured a place in the lineage of Christ.  Ruth’s story of redemption reminds me of God’s grace and mercy for ordinary people who choose to trust and follow Him.

Mine scripture and find great spoils that will draw you deeper into a relationship with the Savior, and help you trust God’s word more and more.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for the riches found in Your word.  Please help us learn more and more about the treasures of scripture and apply it to our lives.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Repeatedly, the psalmist affirms the truth and steadfastness of God’s word.  The promises the Lord makes stand the test of time and prove true through the ages.  Love and redemption describe the themes of one of the oldest books in the world.

With love, Jesus came to Earth to save the lost and bring salvation to a dark world.  With love, Christ spread His arms on the cross and took the punishment we deserve.  With love, the Savior rose from the grave, conquering death and giving us eternal life.

The Lord’s steadfast love never ends, giving us abundant life as we draw closer to Him through scripture.  Applying God’s promises to our lives, we can find the strength to persevere, defeat the giants in our lives, and discover joy and peace that come from above.  Lean into the truth of the Bible.  Discover the precepts that will help you have a divine relationship with the Father and build a firm foundation to traverse life on Earth.

With each day that passes, allow God’s love to transform your life.  Share what you have found with others and help them discover the steadfast love of the Savior.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for loving us more than we can ever imagine or dream.  Please help us accept Your steadfast love into our lives and build a firm foundation that nothing can shake.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Yesterday, I talked about speed enforcement in our new area, which has helped me become a better driver.  Besides speeding, I now drive on two-lane roads more than ever. Living in the city, I drove on highways, and I rarely ever drove on country roads like I do now.  Making the adjustment to cars coming directly at me, I have one thought: “Don’t swerve. Eyes on the road, hands on the wheel, stay in your lane.”

Following God on the narrow path develops a similar mindset.  Keep the Son in your eyes and don’t swerve to the left or right.  Every situation has the same question: What’s the right thing to do? With every person we meet, we must ask: What’s the best way to love them?  God’s word gives us the answers to the questions.  As Solomon writes in the book of Ecclesiastes, “there’s nothing new under the sun” (1:9).

Of all the commandments, Christ told us the most important one: “love God, love others” (Mark 12:30-31).  The Savior commands us to love, and we can only do that by staying in our lane and following Him closely.  When we do, He’ll give us everything we need to fulfill the command.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us a lane and the help to stay in it.  Please give us the strength we need to love God and others with our whole heart, mind, and soul.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

To enjoy the benefits of God’s promises, we must do them.  Living by the Lord’s statutes opens the door for abundant blessings as we consistently do the right thing.  However, people who blatantly ignore the Creator’s guidelines will have more turmoil in their lives and not experience the joy that comes from the Lord.

Moving to an area with strict speed enforcement, I’ve become a better driver.  Having received my first speeding ticket in years, it slowed me down. Thankfully, I received grace in the situation and didn’t have to pay it, but I learned my lesson.  And, I enjoy driving more than I have in years, obeying the speed limit, and not worrying about blue lights flashing behind me.

Following God’s precepts helps us enjoy life to the fullest.  Knowing that our actions please the Lord releases us from the negative emotions of shame and guilt.  Living by the Maker’s rules not only gives us a healthy relationship with Him, but also with others.  God calls us to live a life of integrity, honor, and commitment.  We will live up to our words, tell the truth, and become a trustworthy ally to those who know us.

Wicked people lie, steal, and cheat.  But those who follow Jesus strive to tell the truth, respect others, and do the right thing.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us a way to live, and the means to do it.  Please help us honor You in all we say and do.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Adopting a rescue dog, our new family member came from Georgia.  Only a month old, the shelter called New Ratittudes, a non-profit organization that saves Rat Terriers.  Ruby, a rat terrier, Jack Russell mix, has sad eyes and a timid personality.  Volunteers from Pilots and Paws Rescue mission flew her to us, delivering her from dire circumstances into her ‘furever’ home.

God sees our afflictions, just like the people at New Rattitude saw Ruby’s.  The Lord rescues us from our shelters and gives us new life through Christ.  Jesus, who pleads our cause, takes on our sins and restores our relationship with the Father, lives up to His promise of redemption.

The day Ruby arrived, we went to the airport early so I could video the plane landing.  Beyond excited, I couldn’t wait to wrap my arms around Ruby and make her mine.  Jesus gets even more excited when we place our faith in Him.  The angels sing, and all rejoice when a sinner places their faith in the Savior.

God delivers us from our sins and afflictions.  One day, we will enter His glory, where He will wipe away our tears, and every knee will bow.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for delivering us from the trials of this life.  Please help us remember Your presence at all times, guiding and directing us on the path we should take.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Jesus began His ministry in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign (Luke 3:1). This means that approximately 1,995 years ago, Christ died.  In the 40 days after His resurrection, over 500 people saw Him.  Since the Savior’s ascension, the church has continued to grow, people sharing the gospel, and what Jesus did and does for them.  The Lord’s testimonies stand the test of time.

In the past five years, I can think of several movements that have started and ended.  Political agendas founded on lies, social movements that began and ended with selfish motives, false religions that made people their god, the names and faces change, but the surface-level movements continue to fail time and again.

Scripture stands the test of time.  Many people take God’s word out of context, trying to make it their agenda, but the truth always prevails.  Every one of us has sinned in our lives, a battle we all fight.  Taking the plank out of our eye, we have no time to focus on the splinter in someone else’s.  Staying in our lane, following Jesus along the narrow path, takes intention, commitment, and dedication.  What we put into our relationship with God determines what we receive from it.

God’s word, founded forever, prevails when nothing else does.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us the lasting foundation of Your word that stands the test of time.  Help us apply Your testimonies to our lives and receive the benefits that come from trusting and obeying.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Reading a morning devotional, the writer introduced me to a new phrase, “Be the thermostat, not the thermometer.”  In other words, set the temperature by keeping your eyes focused on things from above instead of things in the world.  When we keep the Son in our eyes, we can set the tone for any situation.

People with evil intent fall quickly before the Lord.  God knows the hearts of all and the intentions that lie within them.  Trusting the Creator to judge allows us to set the thermometer high, turning up the heat on those who would cause harm and introducing them to the Giant that lives within us.

The Lord’s steadfast love, constant companionship, and victorious ways should embolden us when facing wrongful persecution.  We can rely on the Almighty not only to protect us but to defeat the evil manipulations of others. We can cultivate a temperature of love, peace, and acceptance by relying on God to care for us.

Set the thermostat to unconditional love, grace, and mercy by trusting the Lord.  Allow God to take care of any necessary temperature adjustments with His sovereign view of the world.  The Lord knows which path we should take; let Him lead.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for helping us set our thermostat according to Your word and promises.  Please help us set the temperature to reflect Your love, grace, and mercy.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

An early riser, I often get up before Ron, enjoying the quietness of the predawn.  Many mornings, I awake and lie in bed, thinking about God, His promises, and the day ahead, all blending to formulate my plan for the coming hours.

This morning, I lay in bed thinking about the new addition to our family, Ruby.  After weather delays, God willing, today’s clear skies would allow the Pilots and Paws crew to fly the once-abandoned puppy to her forever home.  Praying for the new arrival, I thought of the Lord and His love for all creatures, asking God to allow for a smooth transition into our home.

Trusting the Creator’s promises gives me a solid foundation for moving forward in life. God promises to provide our needs for the tasks He assigns, never leaving nor forsaking us.  Believing His words gives me hope for the days to come and strengthens me during trials, that what waits on the other side of the mountain will make the climb worth it.

Memorize and meditate on the Lord’s promises.  Start your day thinking about your Maker, and allow Him to set the tone for the hours to come.  Trust and obey, finding hope in God’s word.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for the reliability of Your word that not only guides and directs us but gives us hope.  Let us lean into Your promises as we face the day ahead.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

In life’s desperate moments, when we call out to the Savior, we expect immediate answers.  Unfortunately, the Lord doesn’t work on our timeline.  However, God never stops working for us; sometimes, He does the most while we wait.

Clinging to the Lord’s promises and trusting them to come true will help us persevere while we wait for God to open the next door.  We spend a lot of time in the hallway, waiting for doors to open that take us into the next chapter of our lives.  How we wait matters just as much as what happens when we walk through the threshold, sometimes even more.

Faith requires action.  Putting God’s word into practice means taking action, whether praying for our enemies, forgiving someone who has offended us, or blessing someone in need; all these actions require movement.  And the Lord tells us that if we align our hearts with His, doing what He desires, we will receive divine blessings and answers to our prayers.

Life happens, as do desperate moments when we flounder, looking for direction.  Searching God’s word will give us the guidance we need and help us persevere as we wait for His answer.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for Your divine guidance that comes from Your word.  Please help us wait well as we persevere through life’s difficulties, waiting for You to answer.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

As a novice gardener, roots fascinate me.  Planting a small seed in the ground then watching it grow into a vibrant plant brings me joy.  I planted zucchini and squash at the beginning of the season; they have grown into monstrous plants with big, green leaves and a multitude of flowers that turn into my favorite vegetables. The vegetables thrive because of their root system, a miraculous event to me.

What we root ourselves in determines what we will grow.  The psalmist has rooted himself in God’s commands, growing in the Lord and producing a crop of faith that he shares with others.  When we plant ourselves on the rock of salvation, daily dying to self and living for Jesus, we will produce fruit that flourishes and nourishes others.

Eating the zucchini from my garden brings me joy, not only because of its yummy goodness but because I watched it grow and yield its offerings.  Already, I’ve shared my small crop with several friends, blessing them with fresh produce.

Root yourself in the Lord, applying His commands to your life, and watch as you produce a crop you never imagined you could.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us Your commandments allowing us to root ourselves in Your truth.  Please help us grow and produce the desired fruit we can share with others.

IJNIP. Amen