Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

Dross, the impurities that float to the top when heating silver, gets thrown away.  The Lord does the same thing with those who rebel against Him, choosing to live life without the Savior.  Turning from the Creator leaves people with a bleak future.

Saul turned from the Lord’s ways, leading the nation of Israel to defeat.  Battling the Philistines, they mortally wounded the rebellious king.  Dying, Saul asked his armor bearer to end his misery, but the soldier refused the request.  In desperation, Saul threw himself on his sword and died.  And when the Philistines got hold of the dead king’s body, they did not treat it well.  1 Samuel 31 details the death of Saul, a king who turned from the Lord.

We can learn from Israel’s kings’ mistakes and keep our eyes on Jesus. Living for the Savior will give us divine peace and joy, but turning from Him will lead us to dark places we don’t want to go.  Spend time learning Christ’s testimonies and applying them to your life.  Live abundantly for the Lord. 

Submitting your life to Jesus daily will help you avoid the pitfalls of rebellion and keep you on the straight and narrow, leading to joyful living with the Savior.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us abundant life when we follow Jesus.  Please help us stay on the straight and narrow by keeping the Son in our eyes and becoming more like the Savior as we follow Him.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

I finished 1 Samuel this morning in my yearly Bible reading plan. Saul’s jealousy for David turned into hatred, and he lived a miserable life, chasing after the shepherd boy, who had become a warrior.  Where David once brought Saul comfort by playing his harp for the king, he now caused the king nothing but anxiety.

David kept his eyes on the Lord and his commands, while Saul turned from God following his desires: one experienced divine joy, the other human misery.  When David had a decision to make, he sought the Lord for answers and, as a result, received divine guidance, always one step ahead of Saul’s manipulations.

When we keep our eyes on Him, the Lord leads us on the straight and narrow path, just as He did David.  The more we focus on the Savior, the more trouble we will avoid.  Saul’s ploys got him nowhere, but David’s devotion led him to one victory after the next.  Defeating Goliath started the victorious journey for the young shepherd boy.

Seek God for guidance, and you will find it.  Look to scripture for help, meditating on the Lord’s promises and trusting Him to make your paths straight.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for guiding and directing us when we seek You.  Please help us always consult You before making any decisions, allowing You to show us the way.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Samak, the original Hebrew word for uphold, means “to lean upon, rely upon, gain confidence, strengthen, refresh.”[1]  When the storm winds blow, God’s promises will keep you anchored to the solid rock, not letting you get overtaken.

Standing on faith can seem risky.  We must wait without knowing what or when the Lord will move in our circumstances.  Non-believers won’t understand, and may even ridicule us for our faith, but in the end, God will prevail.

When Moses built the ark, it took over 100 years.  He took much abuse from passers-by in a land that had never experienced a rain shower.  But in the end, the floods came, and what seemed ridiculous didn’t seem so funny. 

Following God’s promptings may cause us to do uncanny things, but when His will unfolds, we’ll understand.  We only see in part now, one day, we will see the whole.  Wait on the Lord, trust His promises, and know God’s word never comes back void.

In an ever-changing world, the Creator’s promises don’t change.  We can rely on the Lord’s covenants; He always keeps His word.  Live in the hope of what will come as God’s plan unfolds in your life.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for Your reliability and trustworthiness.  Help us wait for Your will to come to fruition in our lives.  Let us live in Your hope.

IJNIP. Amen

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[1] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20119%3A115-116&version=NIV&tab=interlinear

One-minute read.

Double-mindedness means disobedience to God’s word and deception, saying one thing and doing another. Nothing drives me crazier than when I meet someone who tells you one thing to your face but does the exact opposite.

When teaching tennis students, I often have kids who say they understand my direction but don’t follow it. As a coach, I realize I may not have communicated well, and I will try again.  With the Lord, He gives us clear commands to follow, and we can take refuge in His word, knowing it will protect us from the double-minded.

When a religious leader asked Jesus to sum up the entire Bible, the Savior had a ready response:

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Matthew 22:37-39

Refuge in God’s word gives us a place to hide in love.  By loving the Lord and others, you will draw closer to the Savior, learn to deal with the double-minded with grace and mercy, and experience divine joy.  Place your hope in God’s word, lean into Him for the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us a place to take refuge.  Please help us learn and apply Your word to our lives, experiencing the blessing from obedience to it.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Reading the story of David and Goliath, the young shepherd boy had a heart inclined towards the Lord.  When David learned of the Philistine’s taunts, he felt righteous anger that anyone would deny his God.  Defined as an offense towards the Creator, righteous anger motivates us to action, just as it did the future king of Israel.

Picking up five smooth stones, wearing only his shepherd’s attire, David marched onto the battlefield, facing the giant.  With one whip of his slingshot, David felled the enemy, claiming victory for his nation.  In the notes of my Bible, I wrote, “The Philistines represent sin to me,” because as I read the Old Testament, the battle between the two nations never ends.

Saul, Jonathan, David, Samson, and other Israelite armies fought the giants.  Just as we battle sin, and will continue the fight until the Lord calls us home.  But when we have our hearts tuned into the Savior, we will perform His statutes, and like David, we can say, “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand” (1 Samuel 17:46).

Tell the giants in your life about the God you serve.  Incline your heart to the Lord, and let Him lead you to victory.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us victory over our sins. Please help us identify the giants in our lives and, like David, face them with You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Nahal, the original Hebrew word for “heritage,” means to “take as an appearance, take possession, leave an inheritance, pass on.”  My mom left me an inheritance of her faith. Since she moved to heaven 11 years ago, I’ve considered her life and how she lived it.

Married in her early thirties, people considered her a spinster in the culture of the late 60s.  Three years after they said “I do,” my father had a work injury that disabled him, and my mother became his caretaker for the next 16 years of their marriage.  With three small children and a disabled husband, my mom persevered, Psalm 121 becoming her life verse:

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Psalm 121:1-2

In her struggles, Mom looked to the Lord for strength, and He gave it to her.  Every Sunday, my mother attended church.  She participated in ladies groups, helped with other struggling families, and quietly went about her days, living out her faith and trusting in the Lord.  By doing so, she left me a heritage of faith and an example of how to live for the Lord.

As I held her hand at the end of her life, she had no regrets. “I’m ready to go; it’s time.”  My mother showed me how to live life for the Lord, leaving it all on the field when He calls us home.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for the spiritual warriors who show us how to live for You.  Please help us live by the heritage of faith behind us as we cling to Your word and live for You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Given voluntarily, free-will offerings come from a place of gratitude. When the Lord moves in our lives, we can’t help but praise Him and want to give back some of what He gives us.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights,”

James 1:17

We have because the Lord gives. None of the blessings came from our hands, heavenly gifts from God. Recognizing the Creator’s sovereignty helps us keep our eyes on Him.

Moving into a new home, Ron and I have worked furiously the past few months, fixing, decorating, and preparing it for service to the Lord. When I walked into it the first time, I had visions of Bible studies, group gatherings, and a place of refuge for those who need it.  God blessed us so that we can bless others.

Free will offerings naturally respond to the Lord’s work in our lives.  Praising Him for all He does comes easily to the lips.  As we begin counting our blessings, we will realize that the list never ends, and we have many reasons to praise the Lord freely.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for the work You do in our lives.  Please help us recognize the blessings You’ve given us and let them flow freely to others as we praise You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

God’s precepts bring life to those who follow them. Righteous rules lead to right living because we learn an important lesson: life doesn’t revolve around us. Implementing the Lord’s word into our lives teaches us to prioritize loving Him and others.

Many people debate the Lord’s precepts, but loving Him and others has no gray areas. No matter what we may feel toward someone, we must find a way to love them.  By implementing God’s righteous rules into our lives, we will find ways to love others.

For one thing, God judges people, not us.  Scripture clearly shows that He will decide on someone’s words and actions.  Secondly, where someone starts differs from where they end.  Christ gives us new life, transforming our lives one day at a time as we follow Him.  And thirdly, we only grow and mature when we do.  We must apply God’s word to our lives, doing it regularly, to experience the transformation that comes from it.

Embrace God’s righteous rules, which allow us to live fully for Him. Putting ourselves last, God and others first, leads to a joyful life filled with unexpected blessings. Try it; you just might like it.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us righteous rules that lead to right living.  Please help us embrace and do them, experiencing the abundant life of following You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

On our honeymoon, Ron and I rode our bikes to the movies.  Staying on Hilton Head Island, famous for its bike paths, we rode to the quaint theater in daylight, not thinking about the sun going down while we watched the movie.  However, with no bike lights or street lamps, the three-plus-mile ride back to our place quickly made us aware of our miscalculation.

Ron went first, holding his phone flashlight to light the path for us. I followed, doing the same.  Slowly but surely, we made it to our temporary home and created a lasting memory.

God’s word lights our path.  Sometimes, we can see as clearly as a bike ride in the sun.  But other times, the light barely breaks the darkness, only enough visibility to take the next step, or in our case, ride the next foot.  But you can count on scripture to light your way and give you direction.

Whatever area you struggle with today, find scripture that applies to it.  Within the 66 books of the Bible, God doesn’t leave anything out.  Following the book’s directions will teach you how to love God and others, and enjoy an abundant life filled with the Lord’s unexplainable peace.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for lighting our path and giving us direction.  Please help us follow You closely, allowing You to illuminate our way, and lead us where You want us to go.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Gaining understanding from obedience to the Lord’s precepts prompts more obedience.  As we apply God’s word to our lives, things unfold in miraculous ways that cause us to desire more.  Sweeter than honey, the Creator’s ways inspire transformation in us.

Scripture changes us from the inside out. Our outward actions change as we plant verses in our hearts, letting them take root and blossom. With the Lord’s help, we can change our selfish responses into Godly ones that encourage and uplift others rather than tear them down.

“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” Prov. 11:25

God blesses us, and we let the blessings flow to others, creating a circle of life that keeps giving.  The more we follow the Lord’s precepts, the larger the circle grows, sweetening our souls.  Apply the Father’s commands to your life, and gain divine understanding as miraculous things happen in your life.

Nothing compares to living divinely.  Trusting and implementing God’s promises into your life will never cause regret.  In Him, we have everything to gain and nothing to lose. The Teacher educates us with grace and mercy, then shows us how to share it with others.  Through His precepts, we gain sweet understanding.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for giving us sweet precepts to follow, bringing new life to us.  Please help us obey quickly and gain the understanding that comes from it, following You with our entire being.

IJNIP. Amen