Honest Reflections

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 54:1-57:14 ESV, Ephesians 6:1-24 ESV, Psalm 70:1-5 ESV, Proverbs 24:8 ESV

Daily Verse: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11 ESV)

METHODEIA (3180): “Denotes “craft, deceit” (meta, “after,” hodos, “a way”), “a cunning device, a wile,” and is translated in Eph 6:11 “the wiles (plural) of the Devil.”[1]

Cunning device.

Three cunning devices give the devil ample material with which he tempts us:

“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” (1 John 2:16 ESV)

Desires of the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life summarize the devils’ schemes.   Just like with Eve, the serpent used the desire of her flesh by tempting her with the apple, convincing  Eve she should satisfy her passions rather than waiting on God.

Eve’s eyes gave her information about the fruit.  The tempting apple looked so good; why would God not want her to have it?  We become vulnerable to the devil’s ploys when we see something we want.   Satan understands our human desires and uses them against us.

And we battle pride just like Eve; we all want to know what God knows.  But none of us do.

Pure heart.

To resist the devil’s schemes, we must keep our hearts pure.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8 ESV)

Jesus defeated Satan’s temptations by responding with scripture.

• Desire of flesh, “Mans shall not live by bread alone.” Luke 4:4
• Lust of eyes: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.” Luke 4:8
• Pride of life: “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” Luke 4:12

You must keep the Son in your eyes if you want a pure heart.  Jesus helps us defeat the devil’s schemes, but only if we stay focused on Him.  Satan tries to lure us away, but Jesus protects us from His attacks. The next time the devil attacks, remind him who you serve.  Like Jesus, responding with scripture puts Satan in his place and helps you resist temptations.

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[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 159) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 51:1-53:12 ESV, Ephesians 5:1-33 ESV, Psalm 69:19-36 ESV, Proverbs 24:7 ESV

Daily Verse: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” (Ephesians 5:1 ESV)

MIMETES (3402): “A follower,” is always used in a good sense in the NT.  In Eph 5:1 it is used in exhortations, accompanied by the verb ginoamai, “to be, become,” and in the continuous tense.”[1]

To become.

Paul wants the Ephesians to become more like Jesus.  Becoming a disciple of Christ means learning how Jesus handled life, then doing the same thing in our own life.

As followers of Christ, becoming more like Jesus takes work.  My human nature doesn’t want to do what Jesus did.  Loving people who intentionally OR unintentionally hurt me challenge the best of us.  Yet Jesus loved those who persecuted Him and killed Him, then rose again so they could have eternal life.

None of us can imitate Christ without His Spirit.  Accessing Jesus’s divine power makes the impossible possible.

                   Faith steps.

Becoming more like Jesus and imitating His life requires steps of faith.  Imitators act.  Many people talk about Jesus but don’t do a lot of acting like Jesus.  Probably one of the reasons people have the wrong opinion about our Savior.  Christ proved His love for us by what He did.  We can prove ours for Him the same way.

We can’t imitate what we don’t know.  We can’t imitate Jesus’ actions if we don’t know how He responded to the rich young ruler.  Learning how Jesus forgave the adulterous woman helps us do the same in our lives. Meeting Jesus in the pages of scripture will change your life in ways you can’t imagine, but if you don’t do it, you won’t know.

Read the Bible for yourself.  Make your determinations about Jesus based on the stories of people who knew Him best.  Imitate God’s Son, and experience life to the fullest as you follow the one who gave it to you.

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[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 165) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 48:12-50:11 ESV, Ephesians 4:17-32 ESV, Psalm 69:1-18 ESV, Proverbs 24:5-6 ESV

Daily Verse: “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.” (Ephesians 4:17 ESV)

MATAIOTES (3153): “This word stresses emptiness as to results and is used of the mind which governs the manner of life of the Gentiles (Eph. 4:17).”[1]

Empty minds.

Paul doesn’t want the Ephesians to step back into their self-indulgent ways.  Futile thinking comes from aimless, empty minds.  Our actions come from our thoughts, awareness of what fills our minds helps us change what we do.  But if we slip back into our old thinking patterns, we will fall back into our old ways.

For years, I battled low self-esteem from internalizing lies and forming my life around them.  False thoughts such as, “No one cares about me,” or “No one listens to me,” caused me to create defense mechanisms and shut people out of my life.

Turning my life over to Jesus revealed the lies and helped me change my actions.  Instead of self-destructive behavior, I began to live a healthier lifestyle.

Full hearts.

Submitting my life to Jesus and giving Him access to my heart filled it with love like no other.  As I gave more of myself to Christ, the more He revealed to me.  And I began to realize that people care and listen to me.  Life changed as I began to receive God’s love.

But the minute a bond breaks, the devil attacks.  One night, at a social event, I shared how God exposed the lie about “No one listens to me” in my life.  Immediately after telling the story, one of the guests said, “Are you done? Because no one wants to hear what you have to say.”

Of course, the person meant the words as a joke, but the reply stung me for someone trying to overcome the lie.  Futile thoughts immediately came into my mind, but God’s love won the battle.  Jesus’s grace helped me forgive and let the statement go.

Keep your thoughts focused on Jesus by daily spending time with Him.  Read God’s word and apply it to your life.  Without a doubt, God will reveal futile thinking and fill your heart.

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[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 158) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 45:11-48:11 ESV, Ephesians 4:1-16 ESV, Psalm 68:19-35 ESV, Proverbs 24:3-4 ESV

Daily Verse: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,” (Ephesians 4:1 ESV)

DESMIOS (1198): “As a noun, means “a binding” and Eph. 4:1 “in the Lord.”[1]

Binding in the Lord.

Becoming a prisoner of the Lord will make your life exponentially better.  Yes, suffering still occurs when you follow Jesus, no one gets a pass on pain.  But bound to Christ, we have strength in the storm and know that blessing waits for us on the other side of it.

“Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” C.S. Lewis

Nothing binds us to Jesus more than the pain we endure in our lives.  When an unhealthy relationship broke my heart during my single years, I had no problem getting on my knees and begging Jesus for help. However, I didn’t find myself seeking Christ as much during good times.

Tight bind.

Instead of only connecting with God during painful times, work continuously to keep the bind tight.  During life’s highs, praise God for His mighty work.  When the low times come, allow them to draw you into a more intimate relationship with God that tightens your bind to Him.

Prisoners for the Lord give their life entirely to Him.  Forsaking all others, they obey God’s voice in their lives, even over their desires.  When our hearts become so hidden in God’s, others must seek Him to find ours; you have successfully bonded your heart to His.

Our journey with Christ continues every day.  Not until God calls us home will we bind entirely to Him.  But every day, we can tighten the bond as we seek God.

Strap yourself to Jesus, and submit your life to Him.  Let Christ direct your steps as you follow Him.  When you become a prisoner to the Lord, everyone will know by the fruit your produce, love, joy, and peace come from a life lived with Jesus.

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[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 64) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 43:14-45:10 ESV, Ephesians 3:1-21 ESV, Psalm 68:1-18 ESV, Proverbs 24:1-2 ESV

Daily Verse: “Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power.” (Ephesians 3:7 ESV)

DIAKONOS (1249): “This word focuses on the servant in his activity for the work and not his relation to a person.  Doulos (1401) stresses relationship.”[1]

Stresses relationship.

Paul, calling himself a minister, refers to his calling from God.  Where the Old Testament focused on titles, the New Testament rejected them, focusing instead on a word not as prestigious. 

Minister, in this form, refers to a table waiter, someone who does the bidding of others.  In today’s verse, the word describes anyone who lives and works for Jesus and the church.

Everyone who follows Christ has a calling from above in their life.  Jesus summed our purpose up for us in the Great Commandment: love God, love others (Mark 12:30-31).

Active calling.

God gave you an active calling, one which requires His assistance.  Only by connecting with Jesus can we fulfill our roles in this life.  When you picture the Cross, you realize that to love others, we must first receive affection from above.

“Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.”  – C. S. Lewis

Only with Jesus can we honestly pray for the ultimate good of those in our lives.  Without Christ’s intervention, human emotions like jealousy, envy, insecurity, anger, and impatience keep us from sincerely wanting the best for others.

But when we let Jesus lead our lives, as Paul did, we become servants to those around us—willingly doing all we can to help them have life to the fullest on earth and eternal life with Jesus.

Pointing people to Jesus helps them find the ultimate good in their lives.  The best way to introduce others to Christ happens when we serve them in love.  When we act counter-culturally, putting others first instead of ourselves, we imitate Jesus best. 

To mimic Christ, we must spend time getting to know Him.  When Jesus becomes your primary relationship, seeking Him first in all things, all of your other relationships will flourish.

Serve others well by connecting with Jesus daily.  Let Christ motivate you to minister to everyone you meet.

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[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 65) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 41:17-43:13 ESV, Ephesians 2:1-22 ESV, Psalm 67:1-7 ESV, Proverbs 23:29-35 ESV

Daily Verse: “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14 ESV)

PHRAGMOS (5418): “Denotes any sore of fence, hedge, palings, or wall.  Metaphorically, of the “partition” which separated Gentile from Jew, which was broken down by Christ through the efficacy of His expiatory sacrifice, Eph. 2:14.”[1]

Broken down.

Hostility separated the Gentiles and Jews in the early church.  Jesus broke down the partition between them with His love.  Tearing down the walls with grace and mercy unites people in ways nothing else can.

One of the most fantastic things about Jesus, He solves relationship problems like no one else.  Christ draws people to Him individually.  My relationship with Jesus varies from every person who reads today’s devotional, yet we worship the same God.

Peace and Peacemaker

When Jesus died on the cross, He reconciled the Jews and Gentiles by making them one in Him.  In other words, people follow Jesus from all walks of life; Christ unites those who believe and trust in Him, no matter their background.

Before Jesus, the Jewish law separated the Gentiles from the Jews.  But Christ fulfilled the law, tearing down the barrier between the two groups.  United in Jesus, they find peace from the Peacemaker.

Christ tears down the walls in our lives separating us from people.  Our view changes when we ask God to help us see others as He does.  The rude person in line, viewed through God’s lens, becomes a hurting individual who needs patience and mercy, not judgment.

Let Jesus tear down the walls in your relationships.  As you focus your eyes on Christ, view others through His lens.  When Jesus died on the cross, He did so for everyone.  Whether or not they choose Him, Christ chose them.  And He calls us to love all people, not just the ones like us.

Spread Jesus’ love to the world today, one act of kindness at a time.  Let the Peacemaker bring peace into your life.

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[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 266) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 39:1-41:16 ESV, Ephesians 1:1-23 ESV, Psalm 66:1-20 ESV, Proverbs 23:25-28 ESV

Daily Verse: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” (Ephesians 1:7 ESV)

APOLUTROSIS (629): “Summary: This word means to be purchased from the slave market of sin, totally set free, never to be sold again.  Apolutrosis, as a noun, is a strengthened form of lutrosis (3085) and means lit., “a releasing, for (i.e., on payment of) a ransom.”[1]

Totally set free.

Jesus redeemed us on the Cross, purchasing us from the slave market of sin.  When our misdeeds hold us captive, we need someone to provide a way out.  Christ took on our burdens, opening the door for a new life in Him.

Sadly, many in our world don’t trust Jesus because they don’t trust us.  All humans will fail at some point in time.  The people you love most will let you down for one simple reason, human nature.  We can’t help but falter; only with Christ can we find the redemption we need.

Fully redeemed.

Jesus knows everything about you.  The big secret you think no one knows, Jesus does.  Christ loves you despite your imperfections. God understands you better than you know you.

Therapy helps me love the good, bad, and ugly parts of me.  Through Christ-centered counseling, I learn to see myself through Jesus’s eyes.  When God reveals the sin in our lives, we repent and try not to do it again.  But if we do, Jesus forgives us:

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

(Matthew 18:21-22 ESV)

When Christ redeemed us, He set us free from our transgressions.  Repeatedly, Jesus forgives us; as Christ forgives, so should we.  Setting others free from their offenses against us takes work and Jesus.  We can’t do what Jesus did for us unless we align ourselves with Him.

Acknowledge the ugly in your life, and ask Jesus for forgiveness.  As you receive redemption through Christ, help others do the same.  The more we become like Jesus, the more love, mercy, and grace we will share with the world.

Leave the slave market of sin behind as you pursue Jesus with all your heart, mind, body, and soul.  In Him, you will find redemption and new life.

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[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p.37) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 37:1-38:22 ESV, Galatians 6:1-18 ESV, Psalm 65:1-13 ESV, Proverbs 23:24 ESV

Daily Verse: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1 ESV)

PRAIOTES (4326): “Gentleness, by implication humility: meekness.”[1]

Implied humility.

Gentleness physically shows humility.  When people falter, they don’t need another beating.  No one condemns us more than we blame ourselves.  Granted, some people don’t think they do anything wrong, justifying their actions in any way they can, for them, pray.  But most people genuinely judge themselves harsher than anyone else ever will.

Instead of compounding the condemnation, help them find restoration as gently as possible.  Since I didn’t have children, I struggled in this area; coming from a strict home with high standards, I didn’t experience much grace.  Bluntly communicating the truth hurts the receiver.  But when we speak with gentleness, we bring restoration.

Gentle rebuke.

As a tennis coach, God’s taught me about self-condemnation.  Students surprise me when I ask them to tell me their thoughts on a particular shot or drill.  Rarely do I hear, “I hit that shot well.”  Almost always, the student points out everything they think they’ve done wrong.

Gently responding means helping them see the good in the situation.  Maybe things didn’t go as planned, but good and evil exist every moment.  Instead of focusing on the sin, celebrate the victory, then identify what they can work on to improve.

Getting my students to refocus their thoughts and think positively takes work.  I help them identify where they think negatively and replace it with something positive.  Whenever I hear someone speak badly to themselves, I try to correct it immediately, so the lie doesn’t take root.

God gave us scripture to help guide our thoughts.  Memorizing verses helps remind us of our identity in Christ.  Using God’s word to lift and encourage others does the same for them.  Jesus doesn’t condemn us; we shouldn’t condemn ourselves.

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[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p.209) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 33:10-36:22 ESV, Galatians 5:13-26 ESV, Psalm 64:1-10 ESV, Proverbs 23:23 ESV

Daily Verse: “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14 ESV)

PLEROO (4137): “To make replete, i.e., to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction),  Signifies “to fill.”[1]

Level up.

Love fulfills the law, four letters that will change your life and the world.  When God sent Jesus, the act demonstrated unconditional love to a fallen world.  In need of redemption, God provided the way.  The Lord’s love levels up our life and equips us to care for others.

Try loving unconditionally today and see how it changes your life.  When you get cut off in traffic, remind yourself, God loves them too.  The person you disagree with completely, the one who doesn’t value the things God does, Jesus still died for them.  God doesn’t exclude anyone from His love, no exceptions.

Love tank.

When I think of my Aunt Margie, love comes to mind.  Voluptuous, when she folded you into her arms, her love overflowed into me and filled my love tank.  I now know, the love she gave me came from the Lord.  So filled with His love, Aunt Margie’s overflow of affection impacted everyone she met. Indeed, she loved her neighbor as herself.

Selfishness comes with human nature; we all share it.  God, understanding we always think of ourselves first, wants us to love others as we would love ourselves.  Mothers love others best because they have children.  Wanting the best for their child, they deny themselves to give their kids more. 

God loves us as His children, co-heirs with Christ.  He wants us to love others for Him, God in the flesh.  Succeeding in the mission means living by a simple rule: God first, others second, myself last. 

Let God fill your love tank by spending time with Him. A straightforward way to connect with God in prayer takes only a few minutes.  Sit quietly, palms down, holding your hands out in front of you.  Let go of everything weighing you down; imagine them flowing from your downturned palms.

Now, turn your palms upward towards heaven.  Ask God to fill you with His grace and mercy.  Imagine your love tank overflowing as God pours into you.

Now, go share your gift with others.  Fill their love tanks as you see people through Jesus’s eyes.  Everyone has pain; everyone needs mercy.  Lead with grace, love your neighbor as yourself, and change the world one act of kindness at a time.

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[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p.204) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 30:12-33:9 ESV, Galatians 5:1-12 ESV, Psalm 63:1-11 ESV, Proverbs 23:22 ESV

Daily Verse: “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1 ESV)

ELEUTHERIA (1657): “As a noun, means “liberty” and is so rendered in Gal 5:1, “in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.”  The combination of the noun with the verb stresses the completeness of the act.  Not to bring us into another form of bondage did Christ liberate us from that in which we were born, but in order to make us free from bondage.”[1]

Liberty.

Christ didn’t liberate us to bring us into another form of bondage but to set us completely free from all traps.  Following Jesus takes us on a unique journey, revealing our hidden chains.

A popular Instagram meme of a horse tied to a plastic chair has a caption that reads, “Sometimes the thing that is holding you back is all in your head.”  When we believe the lies, we become tethered to the plastic chair.  Jesus unties us.

Revealed truth.

Applying Jesus’ teaching to our lives unties the invisible chains holding us captive.  When we strive to become more like Christ, we realize quickly that distorted thinking binds us to plastic chairs.

When my parents moved us as a child, they didn’t include me in the decision.  I internalized my exclusion in six words, “No one cares what I think.”  Twelve when we moved, I formed my life around one distorted thought, applying it to all my relationships.  As a result, I had unhealthy relationships.

But then Jesus revealed the truth to me through a series of unexpected events.  In moments, Christ untethered me from the plastic chair by revealing the lie and helping me find freedom from the distorted thought. 

Find freedom in Christ.  Spend time seeking God through scripture and prayer, asking Him to show you the ties that bind you.  Then, one by one, as you follow Jesus, let Him untie you from the plastic chair in your life.  Complete freedom comes through Christ; in Him, you will find life to the fullest.

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[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p.84) Thomas Nelson