Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 9:9-10

Hope springs from the belief that God rules. During life’s storms, you can trust in His presence and protection. The Lord will establish righteousness on Earth, righting the wrongs and bringing justice in all situations. Delivering His children from life’s trials, God has a plan for redemption that no one can thwart.

Samson, one of the most famous judges from the Old Testament, exemplifies redemption. With a weak character, Samson succumbed to women, didn’t follow the Lord’s commands, and fell victim to his enemies. But in the end, when he cried out to God for help, the Lord returned to Samson, giving him the strength to defeat his enemies and redeem his life. God didn’t forsake Samson, even though the judge swerved from his calling. In his time of need, the Lord became a stronghold and place of refuge for the mighty man.

We can count on God’s presence to help us persevere through life’s storms as we take refuge in Him.  Calling on the name of the Lord for help, He will answer and come to our aid, helping us navigate turbulent waters. Without an anchor, ships go adrift, but when tethered to the sea bed, they don’t move. When we make the Lord our anchor, we can weather any storm.

Application:

We have a stronghold in God.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for holding us tight and protecting us in the storm. Please help us stay anchored to You.  Don’t let us go astray when the storm’s winds blow. Keep us firmly in Your grip, giving us Your peace that surpasses all understanding.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

Revelation 3:5

God doesn’t erase our names once we begin a relationship with Jesus. The purity of Christ’s connection to us comes with a permanent guarantee. In ancient cities, they recorded the names of people in their registry, but once someone died, they marked out the name. When Jesus says, “I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life,” He affirms our unbreakable connection with the Lord and that death won’t separate us from Him.

White clothing comes to us for overcoming the stains of the world. Remaining faithful to Christ and living by His commands gives us a new wardrobe. Instead of succumbing to worldly ways,  we cloak ourselves in the Savior as we strive to become more like Him.  And when we enter heaven, we’ll receive similar clothing to Him.

Having a genuine relationship with Jesus gives us heavenly citizenship that no one can revoke. In the world, people get stripped of their status if they don’t comply with societal rules, but with Christ, that doesn’t happen. Once saved, always saved. Jesus overcame sin with His death on the cross, and every day we follow Him, He shows us how to find victory over ours. Through Jesus, we become new creatures, leaving our sinful ways behind us and living fully in Him.

Application:

Jesus makes us His for eternity.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for making us permanent citizens of heaven. Help us to live well for You.  Give us the self-control and strength to overcome our sinful ways and represent You well on Earth.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

Training a child with purpose will endure throughout their entire lifetime. Dedicating time and energy to teaching children about Jesus and His commands will help them stand firmly on the Rock when the storms of life come. Children go through five stages of development from birth to 18 years old; at every stage, they need love, responsiveness, guidance, understanding, and time.[i]  Engaging with kids and giving them time and a safe place to explore the world around them helps train them in ways they won’t depart.

“According to the Barna Group, almost half (43 percent) of Americans accept Jesus as their savior before reaching 13 years old, 64 percent accept Jesus before they turned 18, 13 percent made the commitment in between the ages of 18 to 21, and 23 percent accepted Jesus after they reach 21 years of age.”[ii]

If kids don’t learn about Jesus before age of 21, their chances of following Him diminish. By the early twenties, people have developed belief systems, if not in Jesus, then in things of this world. Training children in the ways of God will help them have full lives, lean into the Creator for their strength, and fulfill the purpose He has for them. Train a child how he should go, and he won’t depart from it.

Application:

Show kids the way to go, and they won’t depart.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for showing us how to raise our children. Help us train them well so they won’t depart from You.  Bless our efforts at introducing kids to Jesus, and let the tree of life take root in their hearts. IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.parentcircle.com/childrens-personality-development-the-5-stages/article

[ii] https://www.christiantoday.com/article/when-is-the-best-time-to-accept-jesus-as-your-savior/128461.htm#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Barna%20Group%2C%20almost%20half%20%2843,Jesus%20after%20they%20reach%2021%20years%20of%20age.

One-minute read.

Continuous Provision

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

Proverbs 13:11

Prosperity comes through honest investment. God talks more about financial management in His word than He does salvation. The Lord knows the vital role money plays in our lives and the control it can have over us if we let it. As the saying goes, “A penny saved is a penny earned.”  The primary Biblical financial guideline has three parts: 10% tithe, 10% savings, and living on the rest. If you apply that strategy to your money, you will control your money instead of it controlling you.

For the majority of my life, paychecks come once a month. At first, I had difficulty adjusting to not receiving a weekly or bi-weekly paycheck. But now, I find it much easier to budget. Our tithe goes out first thing, savings automatically get deducted from our bank account, and then we live on the rest. Some months, we get to the end and have a little left; others, we have a lot. But every month, we have something left in the budget. God blesses your efforts when you put Him first in your finances.

Start tithing and saving today. Give God the first 10%, then find an app like Acorn that rounds up your spare change from debit transactions and puts it into a savings account. You will eventually grow an oak from small acorn investments if you give it enough time. Watch how the Lord blesses your efforts.

Application:

Small investments pay big dividends.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for teaching us how to manage money. Help us apply Biblical wisdom to our finances. Show us ways we can tithe first and then save, building a nest egg for rainy days. Bless our efforts as we make minor changes to build financial security with You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Abounding Love

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Psalm 86:5

God repeats Himself repeatedly. He promises that all who call on Him will receive His goodness, forgiveness, and love. David knew the truth of this fact, honest about His need for the Lord in His life. We all need the Almighty’s assistance. God didn’t design us to live alone; we need His guidance and others to help us learn and grow.

Love requires action. Out of love, God created the world and filled it with beauty. Out of Love, God created Adam and Eve, knowing people need companions. Out of Love, Jesus came to Earth, born in a manger, lived a carpenter’s life, and then fulfilled His ministry before dying on the Cross and experiencing resurrection so that we could have a relationship with the heavenly Father. Love abounds when you live with Jesus, following Him and applying His teachings to life.

Hope springs eternal in our hearts because God’s love abounds. Pouring from heaven, opening our lives to the Lord allows Him to fill us with His light and share it with the world around us. Love overcomes hate, light overcomes darkness, and with the Lord, He gives us the ability to do both.

Application:

God’s love abounds in our lives when we follow Him.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your abounding love that You generously give us. When the enemy tries to convince us of lies, expel them quickly, not letting them take root in our hearts and minds. Let us live confidently, knowing You love us and have a purpose for our lives that only we can fulfill.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Answers Pleas

 And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Psalm 50:15

Humbling ourselves before the Lord, breaking the spirit of pride, and asking for help will elicit a response. How often do we demand things from God, thinking we know better than He does what we need? But when faced with impossible situations, we find ourselves seeking help from the Creator, realizing that maybe we don’t know best. 

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Prov. 16:18

Nothing makes us fall to our knees faster and let go of pride than a fall. When we humbly cry to the Lord on day of trouble, He answers our plea. Problems abound in everyone’s life. How we respond to the turmoil depends on our heart posture. Pride will lead us down a sinful path, but humility will help us to follow the Lord and live divinely. God teaches us in our adversity, growing and maturing us as we seek Him for help. Tapping into the Almighty’s strength will help us overcome our weaknesses.

Trust that God will answer your pleas when you approach Him with a humble heart. The Lord strengthens our faith when He answers our pleas and delivers us from trouble. Remember to give God the glory when you experience His deliverance. You can have faith in the Lord that He will rescue and restore you.

Application:

God answers our pleas for help.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for answering our pleas for help in the day of trouble. Help us remain humble and hungry for more of You.  Grow and mature us as we face the storm, becoming more like Christ with each day that passes.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Fulfills Desires

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4

When we delight in the Lord, we align our hearts to His. Instead of submitting to our flesh, we submit to God’s will. A divorced friend of mine struggles with the “blessings” her ex-husband has. From outward appearances, his life overflows with material things while she struggles to live within her means. Living separate from God, her ex’s wicked ways can easily cause an adverse reaction and jealousy. My friend chooses to give her life to Jesus; the more she submits, the more peace she finds, letting go of the bitterness and anger and instead delighting in the Lord.

During my single years, I had the same type of dilemma. Watching my married friends, I felt envious. Some of my well-meaning friends would give me this verse and assure me God would fulfill the desires of my heart. Once I submitted my will to the Lord, trusting Him whether He gave me a husband or not, He fulfilled the desires of my heart; He gave me peace that surpasses all understanding. Eventually, I did get married, but years passed before the Lord brought me my mate. God wanted me to find satisfaction in Him first, and I did.

We have a choice in responding to challenging situations; instead of wallowing in self-pity and envy, we can submit to the Lord and trust Him to resolve the problem. The Lord does fulfill the desires of our hearts when we align our hearts with His, finding contentment in the gifts He gives us.

Application:

God fulfills the desires of our hearts when we delight in Him.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for fulfilling our hearts’ desires and helping us find satisfaction in You, content with the blessings You give us. When our hearts become bitter and envious, help us focus on the gifts we have instead of focusing on the things we don’t. Let us live in Your peace that surpasses all understanding. IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Delivers Us

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

Psalm 34:17

God hears our cries for help and comes to our aid. One of my most uttered prayers remains the same; I learned it from my mother, “Lord, help me.”  When I can’t find my keys, “Lord, help me.”  Amid a difficult situation when I don’t know what words to say, “Lord, help me.”  When tragedy happens and knocks me to my knees, “Lord, help me.”  And God always does.

During my last hospital stay after suffering a second deadly blood clot that required surgical removal, I found myself struggling to process the events. 

“Lord, help me process through this,” I cried from my hospital bed.

Knock, knock, knock.

“I’m the hospital chaplain. Do you mind if I stop in for a visit?”

Barely had I whispered the prayer than the Lord answered in the form of the hospital chaplain, who talked to me for over an hour, helping me process the events just as I had asked. By the time he left, I had talked through the complex emotions. He asked questions that helped me find clarity. The Lord delivered me from my troubles with a visit from a chaplain.

God hears our cries and tunes into our needs long before we ask for help. Nothing happens to us the Lord doesn’t know. And He always has an answer when we turn to Him.  God delivers us from our troubles when we seek Him for help.

Application:

God delivers us from our troubles.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for hearing our cries for help and delivering us from trouble. Please help us remember to ask You for deliverance. Protect us from our destructive ways, lead us away from temptation, and deliver us from evil. In You, we trust.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Stronghold

The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1

In God’s presence, we experience His light and salvation. Nothing compares to time spent with the Lord. Confidence comes from knowing the Almighty. Once saved, always saved. Experiencing the Savior’s saving grace will change your life forever.   With God on our side, we needn’t fear; He becomes our stronghold.

Maoz, the original Hebrew word for stronghold used in this verse, refers to a fortress, a place of protection, and a helmet. We can hide in the arms of the Savior and let Him fight our battles. 

On a recent RV trip, we didn’t book enough nights. Speaking at a friend’s church about my new book, Living Divinely, we had to check out before the service and move to a different site. We tried everything not to have to switch, but nothing worked.

We finally gave up and gave it to God. The day before we left for the trip, the KOA called and told us our site had opened up for another night. When we placed the dilemma in God’s hands, He solved the problem. 

Big or small, we can take refuge in God. Our fears dissolve when we let the Lord protect and fight for us. God promises to take care of us; we should let Him. With the Lord as our salvation, whom shall we fear?

Application:

We can take refuge in God’s stronghold.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for protecting us and giving us a hiding place. Forgive us for trying to solve our problems without You.  When fear takes root in us, help us overcome it with our faith in You.  Help us live fully, knowing You have our back.

IJNIP Amen

One-minute read.

Protective Comfort

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff,  they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4

Portraying the Lord as a Shepherd, David gives us a picture of a caring, providing, and protecting heavenly Father, concerned with the welfare of His sheep. The rod and staff come in handy for keeping the wild animals at bay, clubbing the predators, and gently controlling the sheep, steering them from harm’s way. Shepherds keep constant vigilance over their flock, night and day, leading them through the hills and valleys.

God protects us from things we will never know about until we reach heaven. Guiding and directing us, we need not fear evil. Sometimes, the Lord allows uncomfortable events that challenge our faith into our lives. Health diagnoses, tragedies, and relationship problems we didn’t see coming all take us through the valleys of life. During these times, our Shepherd leads us through them, putting us back on stable ground.

“Even though I walk through the valley of death, God’s with me,” I said at my mother’s funeral. Standing before the congregation just days after her passing, I felt the Lord’s comfort as I uttered the words. In our darkest days, God wraps His arms around us, carrying us through them. We can count on the Lord’s protective comfort, no matter what the situation. In Him, we can trust.

Application:

God protects and comforts us.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for shepherding us through the trials of life, comforting and protecting us from evil. Let us lean into You on the dark days, allowing You to carry us when we cannot walk. Help us live in Your peace that surpasses all understanding as we place our trust in You.

IJNIP. Amen