Honest Reflections

Two-minute read.

“Say to all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted?”

Zechariah 7:5

Pure heart.

Coming to God with a clean heart requires confession. God doubts the people’s sincerity in today’s passage. In His sovereignty, the Lord knows our heart’s condition. Instead of coming to Him with contrite hearts, the Israelites turned fasting into a ritual, feeling sorry for themselves because of their current life situation. Instead of obeying God’s word, they turned the spiritual practice into a religious form.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Psalm 139:23-24

Asking God to search our hearts will lead to revelations we may not like but need addressed. Accepting responsibility for our actions and owning our shortcomings allows us to live freely in Christ. The Lord doesn’t expect perfection from us, but He does desire honesty. Insincere fasting and praying only anger God, but coming to the Lord with moldable hearts that desire change pleases Him.

The Israelites grumbled before the Lord, not trusting Him for provision. What if we came before God and asked for nothing, approaching the King with hearts full of gratitude and love for the life He gives us? Instead of asking the Lord for this or that, we thank Him for what we already have. Cleansing and purifying our hearts makes us approach the Lord with humility instead of entitlement.

After my recent hospital stay, gratitude overwhelms me. Each morning, I awake with renewed purpose, knowing the Lord has plans for me. If He didn’t, I would have died. When we fulfill our calling on Earth, God calls us home. Living my life for the Lord, allowing Him full access to my heart, and letting Him guide my life fills me with joy. Writing for God humbles and excites me. Discovering each day’s purpose makes me live with a sense of anticipation for what the Lord will do. I don’t want to approach God’s throne with anything less than a pure heart desiring more of Him.

Let God search your heart today. Approach His throne with humility. Fast and pray with a pure heart, seeking a deeper connection with your Savior. Don’t let your walk with the Lord become a formality. Discover your purpose as you pursue the King; each day, a mystery to discover and enjoy.

Journal Questions:

• How can I apply today’s devotion to my life?
• When did you last let the Lord search your heart?
• What has God revealed to you lately?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your saving grace that loves us despite our sins. Search our hearts today and reveal any areas of sin we must address. Help us develop pure hearts with the right intentions set on You.  As we fast and pray, let it draw us closer to You, helping us discover our purpose and fulfill the calling on our lives. In You, we can have life to the fullest. IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melech and their men to entreat the favor of the Lord, saying to the priests of the house of the Lord of hosts and the prophets, “Should I weep and abstain in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?” Zechariah 7:2-3

To fast or not to fast?

During exile, the Israel nation fasted and prayed, but with the temple near completion, it didn’t seem necessary to continue the practice.  The Jews instituted a fast day to commemorate the fall and destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Fasts occurred in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months. At first, the people felt remorse, but as time passed, the tradition became a mere formality, prompting the question.

Fasting can become a routine.  A few years ago, I decided to fast every Monday.  My spiritual mentor told me how she practiced fasts one day a week, praying for her husband and children.  Loving the idea, I decided to institute the practice into my spiritual journey.  The fast became less meaningful and more of a chore as time passed.  Eventually, I stopped my Monday routine because I realized it had lost its original purpose.  Feelings of resentment started to invade my heart, causing me to draw away from the Lord instead of closer to Him.

Maintaining a soft heart towards the Lord and others takes vigilance.  Allowing God to search our hearts and reveal bitter roots helps to keep our souls pure.  Using traditions to re-engage with our Creator regularly shouldn’t become a burden.  A sign on a local business gave me pause: “Practice makes perfect.  Be careful what you practice.”  Doing things to make yourself look good in front of others versus doing them to connect with God makes a huge difference in our spiritual journey.

The Pharisees fasted and prayed to make themselves look good to the religious community. Jesus called them out on their wrongful practice with love, and they didn’t like it. Coming to the Lord with a contrite heart will cause mountains to move. But doing things for the glory of self won’t have any effect. God knows our motivations better than we do sometimes. We can’t fool Him, nor should we try.

Fasting and prayer in your spiritual journey should enrich your walk with God. If the practice becomes more of a task than an act of faith, reevaluate your motivation. Ask the Lord for guidance. Legalism can cause separation. But a sincere heart desiring a deeper relationship with God will approach the spiritual practice with a sense of anticipation for what the Lord will do with your self-sacrifice.

Journal Questions:

• How can I apply today’s devotion to my life?
• How has fasting become a chore for you?
• What can you do to re-invigorate fasting as a spiritual practice?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for pointing out the pitfalls that can occur if we make fasting a formality instead of the way You intended.  As we practice this act of faith, give us an expectant heart for what You will do with our obedience.  Mold and shape us into faithful servants of Christ as we give our lives to You.  IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.”

Matthew 9:15

Appropriate fasting.

Jesus, the Bridegroom, celebrates with the disciples, His guests, at the dawning of a new era. In Matthew 9:3, we see the first opposition to Jesus’s healing works. After forgiving a paralytic man, Christ tells him to “Rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” (Matthew 9:6). The religious leaders question Jesus’s actions, calling them blasphemous. Jesus turned the scribes’ world upside down, going against their traditions and introducing a new way of thinking.

“But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” Matthew 9:4-6

Forgiveness marks Jesus’s healing works. Like the paralytic man, He forgives our sins, ushering in a rebirth that offers a new way to live. As Christ gathers His disciples and they begin to follow Him, they discover a different life filled with grace and mercy. The forgiveness we receive from Jesus comes freely, something we can’t earn. However, the Pharisees couldn’t understand this way of thinking because Jewish law required payment for sins, bringing up fasting.

“Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Matthew 9:14

Jesus responds with the metaphor of a wedding, an occasion to celebrate the joining together of man and wife, or in this case, the Savior and His disciples. Fasting and mourning have no place during a time of celebration. Christ proclaims the dawning of the Messianic Age with His announcement. The old law no longer applies because Jesus fulfilled it, living a sinless life, something the religious leaders can’t understand. When Christ dies on the cross, His sacrifice covers our sins. Jesus’s disciples will fast and pray at the appropriate time, but not now.

Hardened hearts, like the Pharisees, can’t understand Jesus’s teachings. Living by the Old Testament law, they worship it instead of the Savior. Legalism discounts grace sets impossible standards for us to meet, and separates people from God. But Christ unites us with the Lord, giving us new life and reason to celebrate. Appropriate fasting and prayer lead to a deeper connection with Jesus, drawing us ever closer to our heavenly Father, not from a desire to fulfill the law but to strengthen our unbreakable connection with the Lord through Jesus.

Journal Questions:

• How can I apply today’s devotion to my life?
• When have you questioned Jesus’s teachings?
• How can fasting and prayer draw you closer to God?

Prayer:

Lord, once again, we thank You for the example Jesus sets for us. Pursuing Him gives us eyes to see and ears to hear His teachings. Soften our hearts, aligning them with Yours as we become more like Christ. Let us honor and serve You well, using fasting and prayer appropriately to draw closer to You. In all things, we glorify You.  IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me.” 

Matthew 4:8

Rightful owner.

In the third and last temptation from the enemy, Satan offers Jesus something He already has: authority over the Earth. Christ, as God’s Son, rightfully owns all the world has. The devil has control over things temporarily, but his offer to give Jesus authority over the kingdoms of the world remains a hollow one he can’t fulfill. You can’t give what you don’t own. The enemy’s offer of idolatry falls on deaf ears, as Jesus uses scripture to respond again.

“Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Matthew 4:10

Done with the devil, Jesus banishes him with three words, “Be gone, Satan.”  And since we follow Christ, we can do the same thing. When we feel the enemy whispering in our ear, we can do what Jesus did and say, “Be gone!”  We do have authority and victory through Christ. Jesus tells us the devil exists and he wants to destroy us. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 precisely what to do to stand firm against Satan’s attacks:

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” Ephesians 6:13-18 

Weak, hungry, and ready for a shower, Jesus stood firm against the enemy’s attack. Relying on truth, protected in righteousness, carrying the gospel of peace, carrying the shield of faith, and wearing the helmet of salvation, Christ used the sword of the Spirit, God’s word, to defeat Satan. And we can, too.

Knowing our identity in Christ, that we belong to God’s family, adopted by the blood of Christ, makes us rightful owners along with Jesus. In the Lord, we have all we need to defeat Satan and claim victory over his spiritual attacks. Stand firm today, knowing Jesus already won the battle; in Him, we find life.

Journal Questions:

• How can I apply today’s devotion to my life?
• How do you feel under attack from Satan?
• What scripture can you rely on today to give you victory?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Jesus, giver of life, victor over Satan, Savior of our lives. As we pursue Him wholeheartedly, strengthen us for the battle. Give us the scriptures we need to defeat Satan when we need them. Let us honor and glorify You as we stand firm against the enemy’s fiery darts. All glory belongs to You as we prevail repeatedly against the enemy’s attacks. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!'”

John 12:12-13

On the first Passover, the Israelites chose a perfect lamb without blemish and sacrificed it to the Lord per His instructions. Slaves in Egypt, Pharoah continually refused Moses’ requests to let his people go. On the 10th and final plague, God pledged to kill the firstborn sons and livestock, wiping out an entire generation. The Israelites sacrificed and ate the lamb, placing the blood on the doorposts of their home. That way, when the angel of the Lord passed over their homes, He didn’t take their firstborn sons, only those of the Egyptians who followed Pharaoh.

God’s firstborn and only Son, without blemish, sacrificed His life for us. On this special Sabbath, remember the Lord’s provision for our sins. Unlike the Egyptians, who followed their leader to death, we follow our Savior to life eternal. We find grace and mercy, forgiveness of sins, and guidance to live divinely in Him. Jesus, our Savior, gave His life so we could have ours in abundance. Reflect on His supreme sacrifice, the Lamb that saved us all. In Him, we live.

Two-minute read.

“Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’”

Matthew 4:5

Snatch and force.

Unlike the first temptation, when God led Jesus into the wilderness, Satan “took him” to the holy city. The devil likes to do anything he can to take us away from God and His calling on our lives. The holy city refers to Jerusalem, the city dedicated to God, set apart from the law and separated from the world. Satan likes to appeal to the worst part of us, hoping he can con us into falling for his ploys.

Knowing Christ will respond with scripture, Satan beats him to the punch, quoting from Psalm 91:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,” and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” 91:11-12

The devil knows scripture, probably better than we do. And he uses it against us, playing with our thoughts and actions. But we follow a Savior who knows all of Satan’s ploys and doesn’t fall for any of them. With eleven words, Christ defeats His enemy:

‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Matthew 4:7

One of my recent tests involved listening to the right voice. Walking to the first tee of the golf course, my leg swelled, and pain radiated up my leg. Silently praying, I asked the Lord for direction. The devil whispered in my ear, “Play golf,” but immediately, I knew that didn’t seem right. “Lord, is that You?” I asked. “Play golf,” again flew into my brain. But the Holy Spirit nudged me, and I heard the still small voice say, “Tell Ron.”  I knew which voice to listen to and immediately told Ron how my leg felt. Shoving his club into his golf bag, he said, “Let’s go.” Taking me to the hospital and saving my life. If I had listened to the devil’s whispers, I would have died. Satan leads us on the path of destruction, but God leads us on the road to eternal life with Him.

Satan whispers in our ears, trying to snatch us and force us on the path to death. But God speaks from within our hearts, His Holy Spirit guiding and directing us. We must pay attention to the voices we hear.   Asking the Lord for wisdom and discernment will help us decipher between the voices. We can avoid temptation and overcome trials by following the still, small voice from within that comes from God.

Journal Questions:

• How can I apply today’s devotion to my life?
• What voices have led you astray?
• How can you discern God’s voice in your life?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for leading us on the path of life. Forgive us for following the wrong voices, letting the devil lead us astray. Bless us with Your wisdom and discernment so that we can distinguish Your still, small voice. Help us live fully, following You on the path of righteousness, discovering the joy and peace that only You can give. In all things, we give You the glory. IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 

Matthew 4:3

Fleshly desires.

When Jesus began His ministry, the Spirit led Him into the wilderness to spend 40 days fasting and praying before fulfilling His mission. The Devil came, tempting Jesus. The first temptation concerned the lust of the flesh. To satisfy His hunger, Satan tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread and satisfy His fleshly desires.

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’“ Matthew 4:1-4

Jesus, fully human and divine, had to endure the temptations to help us understand how to face the Devil’s ploys. Spending 40 days without food meant Christ must learn absolute trust and dependence on His heavenly Father. By tempting Jesus to meet His fleshly desire, the enemy wanted Him to doubt God. Satan likes to get a foothold in our lives, where we doubt our Maker and His provision. Niggling thoughts like, “God won’t meet your needs” or “The Lord doesn’t care about your bills” causes doubt. The Devil wants nothing more than to put cracks in our faith that tear us from God.

On a recent camping weekend at OBX, Ron and I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things for dinner. As we approached the line, we watched a young girl, smiling broadly, emptying the grocery cart and placing items on the revolving black belt. When Mom came up a few moments later, she had no smile. Looking at the total, I realized why.

“You saved $93. Your total is $725.43,” said the cashier.

Ron and I looked at each other, amazed. As a family of two, our grocery bill doesn’t come near that amount. Immediately, I began to pray for the family and the burden of buying groceries in today’s economy. With inflation but not rising salaries, families must bear the burden of paying higher prices. At times like these, the Devil can easily make people doubt God’s provision. However, the Lord will provide in ways we often can’t imagine.

Faith means believing in what we can’t see. Where we can’t see a solution, God can. But we must trust Him for the answer, which typically means waiting for His timing. In Jesus’s case, He had 40 days of not eating; God might ask something different from us. But when we place our faith in the Lord and trust Him to meet the desires of our flesh, He will provide. God cares about every aspect of our lives. We can find victory over Satan’s ploys in Him.

Journal Questions:

• How can I apply today’s devotion to my life?
• How have fleshly desires tempted you?
• What lies does the Devil whisper in your ear?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for showing us how to overcome the lies of the tempter. Protect us from Satan getting a foothold in our lives and causing us to doubt You.  Strengthen our faith for the battle, help us overcome our doubts, and, like Jesus, have absolute trust in You.  Give us victory over the enemy’s ploys. IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“After fasting forty days and forty nights, he [Jesus] was hungry.”

Matthew 4:2

Introducing Jesus.

After Jesus declares His status as the Son of God, He enters a period of fasting before beginning His ministry.  Paralleling the Israelite’s 40 years of wandering, Jesus spends 40 days fasting in the desert, enduring the enemy’s temptations.  During this time, Christ undergoes three tests of His relationship with God.  Not taking advantage of His connection to our heavenly Father, Jesus resists the temptations by relying on Scripture from Deuteronomy 6-8.  In other words, fully human, Jesus accepted His God-given task without pulling rank, setting an example for us to follow.

Where the Israelites failed, Jesus succeeded.  The lessons the Israelites should have learned but didn’t, Christ experiences and conquers through obedience, thus creating the basis for His ministry and creating a “new Israel.”  God doesn’t tempt us, but He does test us.  We can’t learn the next lesson until we learn the current one.

In February of 2023, I had my first blood clot.  After vascular surgeons removed it, I changed my lifestyle for a few months and eventually went back to my old ways.  Exactly a year to the day later, I had a second blood clot.  When my heart wanted to know why, my prayers focused on what.  What didn’t I learn the first time God wanted me to learn?  As I lay in the dark hospital room alone in my bed, I cried out to the Lord.

“What do you think you’ve learned from the last five days?” the hospital chaplain asked me on his second visit to my room.

“Trust,” I responded after thinking for a moment.  One word came to mind as I reflected on my desperate prayers, asking for God’s salvation and more time on Earth.  God wanted me to trust Him, no matter what.  The Lord reminded me that every breath I take comes from Him; the next one not guaranteed.  Hopefully, I won’t endure that test again, and God will give me decades more to live, the lesson learned one I won’t quickly forget.

God will test us in life’s journey, as He did Jesus.  Following Christ teaches us how to pass the test and move forward.  We can succeed through obedience, trusting God’s word, and becoming sensitive to the Holy Spirit within us, like Jesus.  Our Savior started His ministry in the desert, enduring the enemy’s temptations and setting an example we can follow.  Meet Jesus, our Champion, who shows us the way to victory.

Journal Questions:

• How can I apply today’s devotion to my life?
• What lesson does God want you to learn?
• Have God tested you more than once in the same area?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your saving grace and long-suffering patience with our foolishness.  As we move through our day, help us learn the lessons You have for us.  Let us become more like Christ as we do what He did.  Plant scripture in our hearts to rebuke the enemy’s attacks and let us find victory in Jesus.  IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.”

1 Samuel 7:6

Poured out.

Samuel, appointed judge over Israel, calls the people together to fast and pray. Pouring out of water symbolized repentance for their sinful ways. During Samuel’s reign, he would appoint two kings, Saul and David. The wandering ark rested in Jerusalem during David’s reign. Israel’s weakness came from their idolatry, their unfaithfulness causing divine punishment, but genuine repentance reversed the situation.

Today, we can pour out our sins to the Lord and, like the Israelites, experience God’s unending grace. Everyone strays. The battlefield of the mind never ends for me. Each day that passes, I become more aware of how thoughts lead to actions, which causes me to pay more attention to what I think. And I have evil thoughts sometimes; they fill me with shame, how dark my mind can go. I constantly ask the Lord for forgiveness because of some wayward thought.

And sometimes, I don’t manage to control them. On a recent golf outing, I lost my temper with two teenagers trespassing on the course. Lounging in the sun by the bunker, my ball came within 10 feet of them. Approaching them, I lost my temper when they treated me with a complete lack of respect for my concern for their safety. Entitlement poured from them as I tried to explain the situation to them, only making me angrier. Finally, they left, but not without attitude and sassy words. And I once again confessed my anger to the Lord, mad at myself for letting them get under my skin.

God forgives and understands our sinful nature. As our Creator, the Lord knows our weaknesses and helps us turn them into strengths when we give them to Him. Humble hearts discover the Lord’s grace when they seek Him.  Just like God forgave the Israelites, He forgives me and you. Repenting and pouring out our hearts to the Lord will bring peace and allow us to try again.

Fasting helps us focus on the Lord by removing distractions and seeking Him for provision. Pouring out our hearts cleanses us. Wrestling through our sinful nature, seeking forgiveness, and accepting responsibility for our actions leads to righteous living, one day at a time. In Christ, we can find all we need to persevere on the journey, honoring and glorifying God with humble hearts and repentant attitudes.

Journal Questions:

• How can I apply today’s devotion to my life?
• What do you need to seek forgiveness for today?
• How can humbling yourself before the Lord help you find healing?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive our sinful ways. Help us recognize and acknowledge the areas in our lives we must confess to You.  As we allow You to search our hearts, illuminate the dark places, and bring them into Your eternal light. Let us find strength in our weakness as we confess our sins, humble our hearts, and align our will with Yours. IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.”

Jonah 3:5

Supreme God.

Jonah, a prophet of the Lord, tells Ninevah they will perish in forty days. Believing the prophet, the Ninevites dawn cloth made from goat hair, the coarsest of fabrics, typically worn by the poor, prisoners, and slaves, as a standard of fasting. Sackcloth represented mourning; prophets wore it to associate themselves with the underprivileged and partly as a sign of mourning for the people’s sins. The Ninevites wore sackcloths to symbolize their total dependence on God, understanding that without His protection, they would perish.

In one of the most famous Biblical stories, Jonah didn’t want to travel to Ninevah to share the Lord’s message because he knew what they would do. An important city with a population of at least 120,000, Jonah knew if the Ninevites repented, God would save them, and the prophet didn’t think they deserved saving. So, Jonah ended up in the belly of a whale, where he realized he couldn’t outrun God or His calling.

The Ninevites didn’t disappoint Jonah; they repented, and the Lord saved them. Jonah learned a valuable lesson in obedience and God’s sovereignty. Even the king of Ninevah left his throne, putting on sackcloth and joining his people in repentance. The supreme God heard their pleas, answered their prayers, and delivered them from impending destruction.

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” Luke 6:27-28

Praying for our enemies takes intention. Who wants those who hurt and persecute us to receive God’s blessing? I don’t blame Jonah for his unwillingness to share a message with the Ninevites with a vile reputation. Praying for someone I perceive as an enemy and asking God to bless them challenges me to the core. Instead of salvation, I want justice, but God doesn’t want anyone to perish, and neither should we.

Remembering our sinfulness helps to bring things into perspective. Each of us falls short of the mark of perfection. None of us deserve God’s grace and mercy. We may prevail in one area, but we fail in others. My sin may differ from someone else’s, but we share the same fate unless we repent and receive the supreme God’s salvation. Like Jonah, we will accept God’s sovereignty and unconditional love for all, not just those we think deserve it. Anyone who turns to the Lord humbles themselves before Him and seeks salvation will find it, no matter how badly they have sinned.

Journal Questions:

• How can I apply today’s devotion to my life?
• Who do you struggle to pray for in your life?
• How can accepting God’s sovereignty help you today?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us for not wanting our enemies to receive Your saving grace. Please help us pray for our enemies, soften our hearts, and allow us to accept Your sovereignty. As we move through our days, let us become more like Jesus, loving all, excluding no one, and supporting those who need help. As we accept Your saving grace, let us share it freely with all we meet. IJNIP. Amen