Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

Generous Wisdom

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.“

James 1:5

Facing trials, we often lack the wisdom to know how to deal with them.  We don’t need opinions; we need guidance.  The Lord wants us to turn to Him at these times and ask for help, which He will give us.  But if we don’t ask, we won’t receive.  God-given understanding helps us discern the path we should take, helping us avoid wickedness and live a life of righteousness.  The Lord helps us understand the nature and purpose of trials, realizing we will grow and become more like Christ as we persevere through the storm.

Silver can’t become pure unless it goes through the fire, bringing the impurities to the surface, making it easy to sift out of the precious metal.  In the same way, without testing, we can’t become mature and complete. Lord knows, the testing I’ve endured the past year has made me more dependent on Him and sifted some control issues out of my life.  Learning to let go and trust God doesn’t come as easily for me as you may think.  As devoted as I am to the Lord, I still struggle with trust issues. Thankfully, the Almighty uses life’s trials to help me submit and trust Him more, maturing me.

Seek God’s wisdom to help you endure the trials of life.  Don’t rely on your strength to persevere; access the Almighty’s, continue in the faith, and let Him mature and complete you as He leads you to victory.

Application:

God generously gives wisdom when we seek it.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us the wisdom to face life’s trials.  When we find ourselves in the fire, remind us of Your presence.  Help us to learn the lessons You have for us and become mature and complete as we trust You in the test.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Divine Anointing

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;“

Isaiah 61:1

Picturing a person anointed by the Spirit of God, especially for preaching, one can’t help but think of Jesus, the ultimate minister. As His followers, we receive the Holy Spirit and become ministers ourselves. Everyone who knows and loves Jesus receives a divine anointing to share the gospel, good news, with others.

“Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20 MSG

God gives you everything you need to share the good news of Jesus. Just tell others how following Christ has transformed your life. Strive to become more like the Savior every day and share what you know with others. Following Jesus, the journey doesn’t end until we reach heaven. If we remain teachable and humble, we’ll always have something to share with others about our Savior.

Application:

God anoints you with His Spirit.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to help us fulfill our purpose on Earth, sharing the gospel with everyone. As we move through our days, help us tell others about what Jesus does for us daily. Keep us humble and teachable so we always have something to tell.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Freedom from Oppression

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?

Isaiah 58:6

Freedom from oppression comes with obedience to God. Isaiah urges the people to practice the Lord’s word to overcome their selfishness, leading them to bondage. When they return to God, they will find freedom from their struggles. Selfishness puts us into a self-imposed prison that we can only overcome when we put the Almighty’s desires over ours. When we do, we will find life to the full in Christ.

Fasting helps us gain perspective. In my book, Fasting with Intent, I look at the different fasts people did in the Bible. When fasting becomes a religious ritual, it doesn’t produce any results because the Lord knows our hearts, but miracles will happen when we come to God with true repentance and a desire to draw closer to Him. The Almighty will give us eyes to see the things we can’t, areas where the enemy has a foothold, lies we believe, and struggles we need help overcoming.

Seek God with a repentant heart, and you will find freedom from what holds you captive. Lies that have held you captive dissolve when the Lord opens your eyes to the truth. God values you; nothing you do will stop Him from loving you. Let your Creator light up your life with His adoration for you, helping you find freedom from sin and new life in Him.

Application:

God gives us freedom.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for the freedom we find through Jesus. As we follow Him, let us see the areas of our lives we haven’t given You yet. Free us from self-imposed prisons formed from the lies we believe. Give us eyes to see the truth in all situations, finding the freedom You desire for us. IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Heritage of Protection

“No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication from me declares the Lord.”

Isaiah 54:17

“Nahla,” the original Hebrew word for heritage, means “inheritance, property” [1]. When we give our lives to Jesus, becoming part of the Lord’s family, we inherit His protection. No weapon formed against us nor lies said about us will succeed. Life doesn’t feel that way sometimes, but feelings lie; God doesn’t. We can rely on God’s promise of protection.

I just finished writing my latest book, “Living Divinely.” In it, I share the story of my journey back to Christ as an adult. Becoming a flight attendant after graduating college, I didn’t follow the Lord. Even though I asked Jesus into my heart at twelve, when my Dad died between my junior and senior year of high school, I blamed God and turned my back on Him.  Writing the book, I realized how the Lord protected me during those days when I didn’t follow Him.  Now available on Amazon, “Living Divinely” helped me see what I couldn’t see before.

God protects us when we place our trust in Him. We will endure attacks, but they won’t succeed. Victory came on the cross when Jesus picked up our beams, taking on our sins and receiving the punishment we deserved. Willingly, God’s Son did for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. Placing our faith in Christ gives us His heritage of protection.

Application:

No weapon formed against us will succeed.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for adopting us into Your family and giving us a heritage of protection. Let us not falter when the enemy attacks, knowing victory comes through You.  Help us serve You well as we move through our days. 

IJNIP. Amen

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[1] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+54%3A17&version=NIV&tab=interlinear

One-minute read.

Steadfast Love

For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 54:10

“Hesed,” the Hebrew word for love in today’s verse, translates as “unfailing love.”  Using the mountains as an example, they will go away, but the Lord’s steadfast love will never leave us, and neither will His peace. Circumstances will pass, emotions will fade, and arguments will end, but we can count on God’s love and peace forever.

Of course, we all have days when we don’t feel the Lord’s love or His peace. They haven’t left us, but our focus changes and we forget God’s promise. When the problems before us seem like mountains we can’t climb and the hills overwhelm us, we forget to look to the Creator. We can’t tap into the Almighty’s strength if we forget to include Him in the conversation. Faith connects us to God, giving us confidence in what we cannot see. Hope helps us persevere when all seems lost. And the Lord’s love keeps us tied to Him with bonds that no one or thing can break.

Look at the mountain before you and tell it about the God you serve. Remember what Jesus did on the cross for you and why He did it: love. If no one else on earth existed but You, Christ would still die for you. When Jesus ascended to heaven, He left us with the gift of His Spirit that resides in us. Tapping into the peace that surpasses all understanding means keeping the Lord at the center of our lives, trusting in Him and His steadfast love no matter what circumstances we face.

Application:

God’s love lasts forever.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your steadfast love that will never leave nor forsake us. Help us to remember this promise when we feel discouraged and downtrodden. Restore our peace when we lose sight of You.  Let us live fully in Your love as we serve You with all our hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Fire Protection

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Isaiah 43:2

King Nebuchadnezzar had Shadrach, Meschack, and Abednego thrown in the fire because they refused to bow down and worship his golden image. The fiery furnace’s heat killed the guards who threw them into it. When Nebuchadnezzar peered into the furnace, he saw four men walking unharmed and free from shackles. Describing the fourth man as “like a son of God,” when the three youths exited the furnace, they didn’t have a single burn on them; they didn’t even smell like smoke. Immediately, Nebuchadnezzar promoted them and ordered anyone who spoke against their God would get torn apart, limb from limb. Daniel chapter three contains the whole story.

God goes with us in the fire, just like He did these men.

When the flames surround us and life heats up, we can feel alone. But God never leaves us; his Holy Spirit lives within our hearts. Whatever crisis we face, the Lord faces it with us. We can count on His protection from the flames, knowing we won’t get burned or consumed by the fire. Like Shadrach and his buddies, we must keep God at the center of our lives to receive His divine intervention. 

Keep Christ at the center of your life and walk confidently through the flames, knowing the Son of God walks with you. No hair on your head nor thread of your clothing will get singed; you won’t even smell like smoke.

Application:

God protects us from the fire.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for walking with us in the flames, protecting and keeping us safe. As we face the day’s challenges, let us remember that You never leave nor forsake us. Help us to cling to You, allowing You to navigate us through the fires we face.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Holds Your Hand

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

Isaiah 41:13

In every good action movie, a pivotal rescue scene occurs. The hero, defeated and hopeless, hangs perilously from a cliff. He peers down at the ravine below, accepting his fate. On the verge of letting go, a miracle happens. From above comes a hand; looking up, our hero sees salvation as he grasps the proffered limb. With one mighty heave, the hero stands back on solid ground, ready to resume the fight.

God offers His hand to us, holding tightly to ours, helping us fight our daily battles. We don’t need to tiptoe around our challenges in fear; we can tackle them with faith, knowing the Lord holds our hand. Unlike the hero dangling from the edge of a cliff, we have a Creator who walks with us, not letting us fall. Nothing comes before us God doesn’t allow. We may not understand why, but we can trust Him to walk us through the storm, holding us tightly in His hand.

Look up today. Instead of focusing on the ravine below, focus on the Almighty. Trust that God holds your hand, walking with you in the battle. With your head held high, introduce your problems to the Master. Remember that God’s got this, just like He did yesterday and will tomorrow.

Application:

God’s holding your hand and helping you.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for holding our hand and helping us fight our battles. Please remove any fear we have from us as we face our challenges boldly with You.  Give us victory over our anxieties as we tackle our problems with faith, not fear. 

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Increased Strength

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might, he increases strength.

Isaiah 40:29

In exile in Mesopotamia, the Jewish people grew weary. Thinking God forgetful and tired, they thought of Him as human, not understanding why they suffered. Isaiah’s words encourage them that the Lord hasn’t forgotten anything. Strong and in command, God gives power to the faint and helps them find the strength to persevere. When we turn to the Almighty, submitting our lives and circumstances, He guides us on the journey and sustains us to make it.

Sometimes, we don’t receive answers from God, which has more to do with us than Him. At lunch with a dear friend, she talked about people complaining to her because of the situations in their lives. They wondered why the Lord didn’t do something about it.

“Because they aren’t living under His covering,” is what I tell them.”

My friend accurately summed up a crucial aspect of faith. People don’t want to obey God or live according to His word but expect Him to do whatever they want. We don’t serve a magic genie in the sky, only calling on him when we need a wish granted. We serve a mighty God, Creator of the Universe, who expects us to include Him in our lives, not view Him as a vending machine for our desires. Maybe the reason life’s challenging us has more to do with our actions than God’s will.

To live under the Lord’s covering and receive His blessing, we must seek, follow, and obey Him.  Then He will give power to the faint and increase our strength.

Application:

God increases the strength of His children.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving power to the faint and increasing our strength when we submit our lives to You.  When we wander from the straight and narrow, draw us back with loving arms. Don’t let us forget You as we face the day’s challenges. Give us the tools we need to honor and serve You well.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Long Life

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Exodus 20:12

Only one of the Ten Commandments comes with a promise, the fourth one. God instructs us to honor our father and mother, and we will have a long life. For me,  I had the privilege of watching both of my parents pass into heaven. My dad took his last breath in the hospital in Franklin, PA, after battling cancer, all his children but one surrounding his bed. Mom died at home, with my brother and me by her side, when she moved to her heavenly home. I had the opportunity to honor both of them in their final days.

“I don’t understand why people want to be a victim. Your mama did this, your daddy did that. All they had to do was give you life and however good or however bad it was, now it’s up to YOU to make something of it.” Madea, Madea Goes to Jail[i]

For some, honoring their parents takes effort. Not everyone has ideal relationships with their father and mother. Accepting the imperfections of our moms and dads helps us come to peace with them, allowing us to honor them despite the hurts they may have caused. Asking God to help see them through His eyes can give a new perspective and grace toward the parents He gave us. We can start with gratitude that they chose life and honor them by living our lives well, forgiving them, and loving them as God desires.

God promises a long life when we honor our fathers and mothers. Applying Jesus’ teachings to our relationships, tapping into His strength to do the right thing, will help us obey the Lord’s command and receive the promise that comes with it.

Application:

God promises a long life when we honor our parents.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us parents who chose to provide us with life. Please help us honor them despite the hurts we may have experienced. Give us the wisdom and discernment to do the next right thing, obeying Your commands and receiving Your promises. Let us live fully in Christ, becoming more like Him every day. 

IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142800/characters/nm1347153

One-minute read.

All Things for Good

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

On Oct. 31, 2023, I had a seat booked on a flight to Egypt to spend ten days touring church projects, visiting the Pyramids, and riding on a camel. But in early October, war broke out in Israel, and the organizers canceled the trip because of safety concerns. Overwhelmed with disappointment, I trusted God and accepted, for whatever reason, He didn’t want me to go.

Five months later, after having a second blood clot removed, I learned stents placed in my abdomen after my first clot from a birth defect caused another one. Once I went off blood thinners in early October, weeks before my scheduled trip, another one formed. If I had gone on the journey to Egypt, I would have had a high likelihood of developing the clot while in a foreign country without the advanced medical aid we have in the United States. Cancelling the trip could have saved my life, and I didn’t even know it then. But God did.

All things work for the good of those who believe and trust in the Lord, even when we don’t understand. In time, God reveals truths to us we can’t see now. Hindsight gives us 20/20 vision.

Whatever disappointment or discouragement you face today, trust that God will bring good from it. You may not know how right away, but eventually, you will realize God had your back the entire time.

Application:

God works all things for the good of those who believe and trust.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for always having our backs, even when we don’t understand. As we move through life’s disappointments, give us faith to trust in Your sovereignty. Use our lives for Your purposes, bringing good from what we perceive as evil and helping us always trust in Your divine guidance.

IJNIP. Amen