Honest Reflections

Two-minute read.

Indeed, the Lord will give what is good, And our land will yield its produce. 

Psalm 85:12 

God’s blessings extend to enjoying the land. Some people believe that the Lord doesn’t want us to enjoy life, suffering for the sake of the Kingdom. But as you get to know Jesus, you see a man who lived life fully. Yes, Christ chose to suffer for our sins on the cross, but He did that as an act of love so that we could experience the goodness of the Lord.  

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺. 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺.  

𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯 10:10 

Do we endure suffering on Earth? Absolutely. Tragedies occur, heartache happens, and we walk through the valley of death. But Jesus overcame death when His crucifixion led to His resurrection, and He shares that victory with all who believe in Him. Therefore, we walk through the valley of death but we don’t stay in it. With Christ’s Spirit within us, we overcome the troubles of this world and live life fully in Him.  

Jesus, laughing and playing with children makes my heart smile. As I picture Him loving the disciples, enjoying Martha and Mary’s company, and dining with tax collectors and sinners, I see Him doing so with love and laughter. A wise friend once said, “No one wants to be around a sour puss.”  People flocked to the Savior because He exuded love and acceptance with a joyful heart. And as His followers, we can do the same. God gives us good land, and we yield fruitful produce. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us good land that yields fruitful produce. Please help us maintain a strong connection with You, tapping into the strength of the Holy Spirit and letting Him lead us through our days, representing You well.   

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us. 

Psalm 67:6 

Concluding his prayer, the psalmist asks for the Lord’s blessing. Highlighting hope in God’s sovereignty, the psalm anticipates the glory to come that the Jews and Gentiles will share when they enter the Creator’s presence. Through faith in Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit that gives us eyes to see and ears to hear the truth of the Lord. Without Jesus, people have no hope and can’t see the riches that He offers with love and grace.  

When I have conversations with people blinded by the world, I pray for God to give them eyes to see and ears to hear.   Asking the Lord to soften their hearts, I look for opportunities to plant seeds of divine truth in good soil that God will water and grow. As people develop a relationship with their heavenly Father, they produce fruit, understanding that the Lord’s blessing comes from connection with Him.  

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.  

Galatians 5:22-23  

God blesses us with the Holy Spirit, and we produce its fruit. Defining blessings by worldly standards doesn’t compare to living in the fruits of the Spirit. Blessings overflow from Christ’s followers as they share their gifts with others. God blesses us, and we experience the joy of blessing others. Praise the Lord for His work within us, giving us eyes to see and ears to hear His truth. We obey God’s commands and live in communion with Him. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for Your divine presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit, who guides and directs us. Let us produce the fruit of the Spirit, sharing it with everyone we meet. Help us become vessels of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time. You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land. 

Leviticus 26:5 

Leviticus 26:1-13 summarizes the conditions for God’s blessings: avoid idols, keep the Sabbath, and revere the sanctuary, in a broader context, obey the Lord’s commands.  Because the Creator exists outside the physical limits we understand, any material thing we put before Him counts as idolatry.  Raised in a home that honored the Sabbath, it ranks as my favorite day of the week.  Resting with family, enjoying corporate worship, and renewing my spirit with the Lord helps energize me for the other six days.  Recently, the Lord convicted me about taking better care of His temple, my body, revering my health, and becoming healthier to serve Him better.  

As a result of obeying the Lord, He brings the rain necessary for the crops to grow.  Without God’s provision, we wouldn’t have anything to harvest.  In our industrialized world, we don’t think about the necessity of rain as much as they did in ancient Palestine.  Often taken for granted, we couldn’t work without good health, producing a harvest that allows us to live.  Taking care of the divine gifts the Lord gives us will enable us to make fruitful bounties and live securely in our land.  

Despite what many think, we don’t live to please ourselves.  God gives us clear instructions on our purpose: love God and love others.  Harvesting blessings allows us to share our divine gifts with others.  Life doesn’t revolve around us; it revolves around the Creator and His will for our lives. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us the rain we need to produce a bountiful harvest and share it with others.  Please help us keep our eyes focused on You, submitting our will to Yours.  Let us become more like Jesus as we seek You with all we have. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. 

Proverbs 16:20 

God blesses faithfulness, trusting in the Lord, and obeying His instructions, leads to earthly prosperity and heavenly bliss. Right living means doing the next right thing. Elisabeth Elliot, an inspirational heroine in my life, lost two husbands. Jim Elliott, an infamous missionary, lost his life in the forests of Ecuador at the hands of the Huaorani tribe while attempting to share Christ’s love with the unsaved people group. Her second husband, Addison Leitch, died five years after their marriage from cancer. Elisabeth found a poem that helped her continue her journey through her devasting losses:  

Many a questioning, many a fear, 
Many a doubt will be quieted here. 
Moment by moment, let down from Heaven, 
Time, opportunity, guidance are given. 
Fear not tomorrows, child of the King. 
Trust them with Jesus. DO THE NEXT THING. 

Anonymous 

And so, Elisabeth continually did the next right thing. After Jim’s death, she took her two-year-old daughter into the jungle and continued her husband’s mission. Forgiving the man who killed her husband, Elisabeth helped him come to a saving faith in Jesus. Becoming a writer, the missionary shared her faith with others, eventually speaking about her experiences and leaving a lasting imprint on the world for Jesus.    

Doing the next thing, following Jesus’s instructions, will take you on a path you never imagined. Pain and heartache will walk with you, but glory awaits those who trust Jesus. Christ suffered most to give us life in abundance, freeing us from sin and giving us eternal life with Him. Our life on Earth comes with challenges but doesn’t last long. We will spend much more time basking in the Lord’s glory than we will endure the troubles of this world. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for Your instructions that lead us on the journey of a lifetime. Please help us continually do the next right thing, one step at a time, fulfilling our destiny as we trust in You.  Let us become more like Jesus with every day that passes. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 

Psalm 34:8

When you bite into a delicious morsel and discover its delightful tastes, the food awakens the senses and brings you into the moment. Experiencing the goodness of the Lord outshines the most decadent dessert. Obeying God’s commands, putting His desires above yours, tastes so delightful that you can’t help but want more. The intimacy of the Creator’s relationship with us, His love that never dies, goes far beyond what our human minds can fathom. In a world full of people, when we take refuge in the Lord, we discover the goodness He has just for us.

Meeting us in our darkest hours, the Lord’s refuge gives us a place to hide. We can take shelter under His mighty wings, allowing Him to protect us from the storm surrounding us. In the wake of a personal tragedy this summer, as I sought the Lord for answers, He comforted me. Friends rallied around me, praying for the situation and the people involved. Random acts of kindness spurred me forward, coming at just the right time. God’s timely divine moments helped us all take refuge in Him and taste His goodness.

Taste of the goodness of the Lord. Submit your life to Him, taking refuge in His shadow. Let the Almighty become your shelter, trusting His plan for your life. Access the divine strength God offers through a relationship with Him, make the Lord a priority in your life, and experience life like never before.

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for offering us a place of blessed refuge. Please help us remember we can turn to You.  Let us taste Your goodness as we submit our lives to Your will, experiencing the blessings You have for us. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; 

2 Corinthians 9:10 

In God’s economy, generosity causes multiplication.  No one can outgive the Lord.  I know many who have tried, including myself. The more generous we become, the more our harvest increases. Everything we have comes from the Lord. We didn’t make the seeds that grew wheat and eventually made bread; God did. Receiving blessings from the Creator doesn’t mean hoarding; it means sharing.   

And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 

Luke 3:11 

John, preaching a baptism of repentance, tells the people to share with others what they have. By doing so, they show their repentance and faith in God. The Lord gives us seed to plant; the more we sow, the more we reap. Even with our tiniest efforts, God sees and blesses us. The more we give, the more we will want to give. The Creator multiplies our efforts, and planting seeds of righteousness will reap a bountiful harvest. One right act after another will cause us to receive God’s blessing, giving us more to share with others. 

One day, the Lord will call us home. We have a choice of how people remember us. Our actions create our legacy. Living a generous life, blessing others, sharing the love of Christ, and serving the Lord will leave a legacy far beyond our life on Earth. We harvest from the seeds we plant, and we have a choice of what we sow. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for Your divine gifts. Please help us plant seeds of love everywhere we go, reaping a harvest of righteousness. Let us honor and serve You as we submit our lives to You one right action at a time. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. 

Jeremiah 17:7-8 

Permanent dependence on God leads to fruitful living. In other words, no matter our circumstances, we must lean into the Lord, relying on Him to help us persevere. When people depend on others, they find themselves stunted, not growing, and easily toppled over when the storm winds blow. But planting our roots in the Creator will give us everything we need to survive the heat, stand firm in the hurricane, and remain well watered in the drought. 

We went camping to celebrate our twelfth wedding anniversary. Hurricane Debby graced us with her presence, so we had to find someplace outside her long reach. We discovered a campground on the outer edges of her bands, enduring wind and rain but not the main effects of her storm. Camping beside a large oak tree, I feared the winds might topple it onto our camper. 

When I voiced my concerns, Ron said, “That tree’s survived stronger winds than these; it has deep roots.”   

Because of the deep roots, the tree barely swayed. A few small limbs and leaves fell to the ground, but other than that, the storm didn’t affect it all. In the same way, choosing Jesus as our firm foundation gives us deep roots, helping us stand no matter how strong the winds. Our hair may get ruffled, and we might sway, but we won’t fall. Staying planted on the Rock gives us everything we need to persevere through the toughest of life’s tests.

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us a firm foundation on which to plant our roots and grow strong. When the storm winds blow, give us Your peace that surpasses all understanding, knowing that we have all we need in You. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. 

Numbers 6:24-26

Moses uses singular pronouns when speaking to the entire community. By blessing the individual, God blesses the whole. As Christ’s followers, when we receive the Lord’s blessing, He wants us to share it with those around us, blessing the entire community. “And keep you” refers to the Creator’s preservation of His followers as we devote our lives to Him. With the divine gifts we receive, we pass them along to our flock, sharing the Lord’s provision with all. 

When Moses spent time on Mt. Sinai with the Lord, it caused his face to shine so brightly that he had to cover it. By asking the Lord to make His face shine upon the people, Moses wants God’s people to know His presence. The Lord comes with grace, revealing mercy, which brings light into our lives as we receive His gifts. Mountaintop experiences connect us with the Creator in an energizing and exhilarating way that helps us survive the valleys we encounter. 

Shalom, the Hebrew word for peace, means the positive state of rightness and fullness of well-being that comes only from the Lord. Only with a divine connection can we experience divine peace. By submitting our lives entirely to God, we will discover the peace that surpasses all understanding, carrying us through the storms we face. 

And so, as the Lord blesses and keeps us, making His face shine upon us with grace and giving us His peace, may we share our divine gifts with everyone we meet, becoming lights in the darkness to those who need them. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for blessing and preserving our lives as we strive to follow You. Please let Your face shine upon us, allowing Your light to shine brightly through us to the world around us. Let us become vessels of grace and mercy to all we meet as we receive Your divine gifts and share them with all. 

IJNIP. Amen 

One-minute read.

WITH LONG LIFE I WILL SATISFY HIM 
    AND SHOW HIM MY SALVATION.” 

PSALM 91:16 

We think of long life as growing old on Earth, with wrinkly skin, grey hair, and stiff bodies. But the Hebrew phrase used in today’s verse also means “forever,” pointing to life beyond our earthly lives. The emphasis in the closing line of Psalm 91 could refer to both long life on Earth and our eternal one with the Lord. Joining God’s family through faith gives us long life, no matter how many years we have on Earth.  

As the number of people waiting for me in heaven grows, I become more aware of our eternal connection. Even though the Lord called them home, I know He will reunite us when He sends for me one day. Even though their physical bodies no longer exist, our spiritual connection never ends. They have received their reward in heaven, leaving me here to do the work. Eventually, I will receive mine, as do all Christ’s followers, when they change their address to that of the heavenly realm.  

Through our long life, we serve the Lord, living out our salvation one day at a time. In Christ, we will have an abundant life, living in the Savior’s grace and mercy. Strengthened by God, we will fulfill our mission in this world, and then our heavenly Father will call us home to our eternal resting place with Him. Trust the Lord’s promise of a long life that never ends as we commune with our Maker, here, now, and eternally. 

Application: 

God gives us long life. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us a long life with You. Please help us pursue You with all our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls, loving You and others with every ounce of our being. In all things, may You receive the glory. 

IJNIP. Amen 

One-minute read.

I WILL BE WITH HIM IN TROUBLE; 
    I WILL RESCUE HIM AND HONOR HIM.  

PSALM 91:15B 

Wise living, following the Lord, and communing with Him through prayer will give you the rewards due.  God assures His children when they submit to Him, they will find life to the fullest on Earth and salvation in the next.  No matter our circumstances, our Rescuer walks with us, navigating us through troubled waters and honoring us with His presence.  

The closer we grow to our Savior, the more we long for communion with Him.  Discovering the peace that surpasses all understanding, despite the worldly circumstances around us, makes Jesus’s followers want more.  Experiencing the miracles of the Creator builds our faith and draws us into a deeper relationship with our Sovereign Lord.  God lives outside the space-time continuum; He sees the beginning, middle, and end.  We only know the present moment, but the Lord knows the entire story.  One day, when our heavenly Father calls us home, we’ll know His secrets, but until then, we can trust His management of our lives.  

Wasting nothing, each of us has a purpose.  Jesus endures the sufferings we endure on Earth with us.  Through His death on the cross, Christ overcame the troubles of this world, saving us from the consequences of our sins and creating a connection with the Lord no one can break.  Faith in the Savior gives you new life, hope for eternity, and the knowledge that God has a rescue plan just for you.

Application: 

God rescues us. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for sending Jesus to rescue us from our sins, giving us new life in Him.  Please help us to remember that You never leave us, especially in life’s storms.  Let us keep moving forward, knowing You walk with us. 

IJNIP. Amen