Honest Reflections

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 29:1-31:13 ESV, John 11:55-12:19 ESV, Psalm 118:1-18 ESV, Proverbs 15:24-26 ESV

Daily Verse: “They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” (John 11:56 ESV)

HIERON (2411): “The neuter of the adjective hieros, “sacred,” is used as a noun denoting “a sacred place, a temple.”  The Temple mentioned in the Gospels, and Acts was begun by Herod in 20 B.C. and destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70.”[i]

Scared place.

To participate in the feast at God’s temple, people had to undergo a ceremonial cleansing, which took seven days. Waiting at the Holy Temple, the Jews couldn’t imagine Jesus wouldn’t show up. Because of the increasing hostility from the Jewish people, Jesus withdrew from Jerusalem.  Six days before Passover, Jesus goes to Bethany to visit Lazarus instead of heading to the Temple for His ceremonial cleansing. 

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV)

Since Jesus’ death and resurrection, the location of the Temple changed.  When we place our faith in Jesus, His Spirit takes up residence inside of us, making our bodies God’s temple.  As divine creations, adopted into God’s family through faith, you see God’s sacred place in the reflection when you look in the mirror.

Living temples.

Christ-followers live with God’s Spirit inside of them.  Everywhere we go, Jesus goes with us.  No longer do we have to endure ceremonial cleansings to enter the temple.  But we must keep a soft heart to Jesus’ voice, especially when we don’t have answers to all our questions.

The Jews didn’t understand Jesus, and they became mad at Him.  Their anger kept Jesus away from the temple.   Our anger and frustration can separate us from God.  Christ doesn’t leave us, but we metaphorically leave Him, angry because Jesus doesn’t do what we want.

Submission to Christ means accepting His will for our lives.  Jesus’s plan often differs from ours.  As living temples, the sacrifice of our desires to align our hearts with God shines His light to the world. 

Honor God’s temple today, knowing His Spirit resides in you.  Let God’s light shine brightly in your life as you embrace His grace and mercy.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 120) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 26:1-28:25 ESV,  John 11:1-54 ESV, Psalm 117:1-2 ESV, Proverbs 15:22-23 ESV

Daily Verse: “Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.” (John 11:9 ESV)

METOIKESIA (3350): “A change of abode by force.”[i]

Forced change.

Travelers during Jesus’ day didn’t have the convenience of streetlights.  Night-time journeys meant not seeing the stumbling blocks in the road.   However, daytime walks meant well-lit paths, making it easy to avoid the potholes.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet
    and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119: 105 ESV)

Following Jesus lights your path.  Applying His teachings to your life will help you avoid the potholes and keep you from stumbling.  But if we take our eyes off the Savior, we become susceptible to falling.

Stumbling means a forced change of abode.  When I missed the last step of the stairs in my house, looking at my phone instead of my path, I caused myself pain.  Not paying attention, walking in darkness, I missed the danger ahead.  Now, weeks later, I still have pain in my knee from lack of awareness.

Stay focused.

When we focus our eyes on Jesus, He lights the way for us, but the moment we look away, our path becomes dark.  In an instant, you can find yourself on the floor, wondering what happened. 

Sometimes, the most significant hurts come from the smallest stumbles.  Stubbing your toe causes an extraordinary amount of pain.  Jesus doesn’t want us to stumble; He wants us to focus on Him.

Keeping the Son in your eyes does require intentionality.  You must decide to follow Jesus, then pursue Him vigorously.  Reading God’s Word daily, developing a relationship with the Creator through prayer, applying Jesus’ teachings to your life all ways we keep our paths lighted.

If you feel surrounded by darkness, invite Jesus into the room.  Ask Him to light your path and give you direction.  Often, God only gives us enough light for the next step, knowing that’s all we need for today.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 363) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 24:1-25:44 ESV, John 10:22-42 ESV, Psalm 116:1-19 ESV, Proverbs 15:20-21 ESV

Daily Verse: “So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (John 10:24 ESV)

AIRO (142) + PSUCHE (5590): “Airo; a prim. Verb; to lift; by impl.  To take up or away; fig. to raise (the voice), keep in suspense.  As applied to the mind, to suspend, to keep in suspense.[i] Psuche refers to breath, the breath of life, that vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing.  The (human) soul in so far as it is constituted that by the right use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life.  The soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved  by death.”[ii]

Take away breath.

Think of the last time you experienced suspense.  Watching “The Thing About Pam”[i] on Hulu held my breath as the murder story unfolded.  Suspenseful moments take away our breath.  When I attempt to hit a golf ball, I feel the same thing; the suspense of whether I will hit it stops me from breathing.

In the Jews’ case, they wanted to know the identification of Jesus.  From Jesus’ ministry, their question remains pivotal to the tale.  The disciples made their decision, but the Jews hadn’t. Even watching Jesus’ miracles performed from front row seats, they still didn’t believe in His divinity.

Greater than all.

As Jesus addresses the Jews, He confronts their unbelief.

‘but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.” (John 10:26 ESV)

One part of faith you cannot change; you must believe in the unknown.  God doesn’t give us all the answers to life.  Instead, Jesus asks us to trust Him. 

Every day, “Why God?” questions happen.  Why, God, did the tragedy occur? Why, God, did they get a discouraging diagnosis?  Why, God, didn’t you heal my child?  Only God knows the answers; our heavenly Father reveals them to us in His time.

Volunteering with children helps me remember to have childlike faith. As I listened to sweet Juliet, a third-grader, recite the Lord’s prayer over the class, my heart filled with hope.  Children believe without questioning God’s goodness; they don’t doubt His existence, trusting Jesus completely.  We should do the same.

Breath freely, knowing Jesus holds you in His hands.  God’s Son existed on earth and lives in heaven, watching over us, praying for us, protecting us until the day He calls us home. 

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 7) Thomas Nelson

[ii] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 275) Thomas Nelson

^[i] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13984270/

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 22:1-23:29 ESV, John 10:1-21 ESV, Psalm 115:1-18 ESV, Proverbs 15:18-19 ESV

Daily Verse: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.” (John 10:1 ESV)

LESTES (3027): “A lestes is a robber; a brigand, one who plunders openly and by violence; whereas the kleptes (2812); a thief, denotes one who steals by stealth.”[i]

Plunders openly.

Sheep pens held several families’ flocks together.  As members of God’s family, adopted through Christ, our brothers and sisters come from all nations and tribes.  Heaven’s sheep pen will have many faces of all colors; praise God.

If someone tries to enter the gate in any other way, they will fail.  Religious leaders during Jesus’ time worshipped the law instead of God.  Some still do the same today.  But Jesus wants us to follow Him, loving God and others as He did.  As God’s sheep, we know His voice; any other voice we must ignore.

Voice recognition.

As a dog mom, when I call their name, my two tiny beasts recognize my voice.  In the same way, sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd.  Leading His flock, Jesus doesn’t drive from behind; He goes first, expecting us to follow.

Religious leaders’ intent on the law drives the flock from behind­–whispering in our ear manipulative words, trying to get us off track with their judgments.  Unfortunately, people like the Pharisees don’t realize their faults.  Or they choose to cover them up by pointing fingers at other people’s misdemeanors.  And we all have failings, every one of us.

But Jesus takes on our sins, giving us a clean slate.  When we stand before God on judgment day, Jesus stands with us, making us perfect in God’s eye.  No better shepherd exists than the one who shepherds us.

Don’t let zealous religious leaders focused on puffing up themselves impact your walk with Jesus.  Recognize the voice of the shepherd as you follow Him closely.  The closer you follow, the better you will know the Shepherd’s voice.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 151) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 20:1-21:15 ESV, John 9:1-41 ESV, Psalm 113:1-114:8 ESV, Proverbs 15:15-17 ESV

Daily Verse: “Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:3 ESV)

ERGON (2041): “To work; toil, as an effort or occupation, by implication an act.”[i]

God’s action.

Jesus healed a man blind from birth.  His disciples want to know which one of his parent’s sins made him blind.  In their minds, his disability resulted from someone’s sin, the man’s parents the obvious choice.  Human thinking limits options.

God, the knower of all things, knew this moment in time would happen.  Thirty-eight years before the disciples strolled by with Jesus, God began setting the scene. Day after day, passers-by watched the poor man suffer, then one miraculous day, they saw him healed.

Nothing anyone else did could save this man from his misery.  But some divine spit made a miraculous mud.  The ecstasy the man felt when he washed the dirt from his eyes, cool water dripping down his face, at first, his vision blurred from the water, but as it slid away, he could see for the first time in his life—what a moment he had.

Divine mud.

Only God would heal someone with mud made from spit.  Jesus didn’t have to do anything but say the word, and the blind man would have sight.  But instead, Jesus bends down and makes some mud.  Watching God work made a more memorable impact.  If Jesus didn’t get His hands dirty, people wouldn’t remember it as well.

Think about the best sermon you’ve ever heard.  I bet the pastor used a visual to make his point.  I know; the messages I remember the best had a visual cue.  God knows He must get our attention; Jesus’s not afraid to get His hands dirty to make His point.

God’s work comes in many forms.  As employees of the Big Guy, God works through us.  Keeping our eyes on our mission: love God, love others help us stay focused and available.  We can only fulfill the Great Commandment by staying connected to the source of love, Jesus.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 102) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 18:5-19:24 ESV, John 8:31-59 ESV, Psalm 112:1-10 ESV, Proverbs 15:12-14 ESV

Daily Verse: “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,” (John 8:31 ESV)

MENO (3306): “A primary verb: to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy).”[i]

Abiding word.

Jesus’ following words remain some of my favorites:

“and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32 ESV)

People quote this scripture often, not realizing Jesus said them. The truth of these verses resonates with anyone who hears them.

Abiding in Jesus’ word will lead to life-changing truths which set you free.  In Bible-based therapy, our conversations revolve around distorted thinking.  Lies I believe from my past affect my actions today.

For instance, I’ve felt invisible all my life.  My dad liked baseball more than cheerleading.  As a cheerleader, I felt hurt because dad only came to one of my events; however, he rarely missed my brother’s games.  Misinterpreting the situation, I didn’t think I mattered to my dad.

Let truth free you.

Daily reading God’s word focuses your thoughts on Jesus, developing a relationship, and allowing Him to examine your heart. 

When you enter a dark room, you can’t see how the furniture looks inside.  But the moment you flip the light switch, what’s inside becomes apparent—immediately seeing the unseen.

God’s word flips the switch on the dark areas of our hearts.  When we allow Him entrance, we begin to see the condition of our furniture, some more tattered and torn than others.   God begins to repair the upholstery in the light, creating a warm and inviting room. Light begets light; dark begets dark.

My father adored me; he loved me to the best of his ability.  When I wanted a T.V. sophomore year, I came home from school to a small black and white one waiting for me. Meanwhile, the boys had to earn theirs, paying for it themselves.  Maybe dad didn’t come to every one of my cheerleading events, but he did love me with all his heart.  I’m not invisible; what I do matters. 

Jesus exposes lies, freeing us from bondage we don’t know we have. Living fully in Christ means living in truth.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 160) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 17:1-18:4 ESV, John 8:21-30 ESV, Psalm 111:1-10 ESV, Proverbs 15:11 ESV

Daily Verse: “He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.” (John 8:23 ESV)

KOSMOS (2889): “Is first a harmonious arrangement or order, then by extension, adornment or decoration, and came to denote the world, or the universe, as that which is divinely arranged.  It came to mean anyone not of the ekklasia (1577).  The present condition of human affairs, in alienation from and opposition to God.[i]

Harmonious arrangement.

In its original form, world means harmonious arrangement, which seems in stark contrast to today’s circumstances. In the past 3,421 years of civilization, only 268 years have enjoyed peace, meaning no war anywhere.[i] 

Over time, Kosmos came to mean the universe, divinely arranged by God.  In today’s verse, world means the human affairs, not in alignment with God.  In other words, man pursues his desires instead of God’s.

Jesus understood we couldn’t grasp the heavenly realms He comes from because we have earthly perspectives.  If we don’t place our faith in Christ, following His commands, we’ll stay trapped in our sin. With Jesus, we can overcome the world.

Temporary troubles.

Nothing lasts forever in this world.  One day, someone else will live in our house and drive our cars.  The clothes on our backs will disappear, our physical bodies will die, and the world as we know it will end.  But our spiritual life continues, one way or another.

Choosing Jesus means life continues in heaven, a place our human minds can’t fathom.  Of heaven’s existence, I do not doubt.  According to John Burke’s book, “Imagine Heaven,” an estimated 1 out of 25 Americans has had a near-death experience.[ii] Burke investigates real-life stories of people who have experienced both sides of the coin, heaven and hell.  Reading this book will strengthen your faith in the afterlife, without a doubt.

The world we live in will one day fade away, but heaven never will.  Jesus prepares a place for you when you believe in Him.  In heaven, we will find a harmonious arrangement.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 144) Thomas Nelson

[i] Durant, W., Durant, A. (2010). The Lessons of History. United Kingdom: Simon & Schuster.

[ii] https://imagineheaven.net/

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 15:1-16:23 ESV, John 8:1-20 ESV, Psalm 110:1-7 ESV, Proverbs 15:8-10 ESV

Daily Verse: “And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7 ESV)

LITHOS (3037): “Is used literally of the “stones of the ground.”[i]

Drop the rock.

When the self-righteous crowd dragged the naked, adulterous woman in front of Jesus, His response made me love Him.  I didn’t get dragged down public streets, but I have sinned like her.  One cringe-worthy instance in my twenties felt metaphorically the same.  Tongues wagged at my inappropriate relationship, making me feel less than worthy of love.

But Jesus knew what to do.  Instead of condemning the woman, He protected her from the murderous crowd.  Bending, Jesus began to write in the dirt, then standing, He told the people, those without sin cast the first stone.  Dropping back down to the earth, Jesus continued to write.  One by one, everyone left.  Jesus, alone with the woman, forgives her, telling her to go and sin no more.

Change your behavior.

For the woman to “sin no more,” she must change her behavior.  Jesus wants us to live our lives to the fullest, meaning He doesn’t want us to harm ourselves.  When we do things like the adulterous woman did, we cause ourselves harm.  To stop the pain, we must stop the behavior.

In my situation, I ended the relationship.  An unmarried woman, I caused myself a mountain of pain getting involved with the wrong man.  To “sin no more” meant I needed to remove myself from the situation. 

Unlike the man in today’s story, who slithered away, the person I knew didn’t.  He stalked me, causing me to go into hiding—a very dark period of my life I regret deeply and one of my greatest lessons.  Changing my behavior and following Jesus’s teachings healed my heart over time, leading me to new life in Christ.

Whatever sins lie in your past, Jesus says the same thing to you:

“And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:11 ESV)

Look at your life and identify any self-destructive behavior, then invite Jesus into it.  Let Christ’s grace and mercy help you make different choices, leading to a fuller life in Him.  Jesus doesn’t condemn; He forgives.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 151) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 14:1-52 ESV, John 7:31-53 ESV, Psalm 109:1-31 ESV, Proverbs 15:5-7 ESV

Daily Verse: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:38 ESV)

ZAO (2198): “As a verb, means to live, be alive and is used in the NT of God, the Son in Incarnation, The Son in Resurrection, spiritual life, the present state of departed saints, the hope of resurrection, the way of access to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, the manifestation of divine power in support of divine authority, water (John 4:10 figurative of the Holy Spirt, 7:38)”[i]

Hope of resurrection.

Believing in Jesus means tapping into the unending hope He offers.  In this world, we have many struggles, but with Jesus, we can overcome them all.  Hope springs eternal when we follow Christ.

“Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 8:39 ESV)

Since we live post-resurrection, placing faith in Christ means receiving the Holy Spirit.  From within, God prompts us onward in life.  When the walls begin to close around us, God’s Spirit encourages us.  We can live fully, trusting God’s plan to unfold perfectly in our lives.  God uses all things for good, even if we don’t understand.

Divine power.

Each breath we take comes from God.  He gives us life, whether we acknowledge it or not.  Cars run on fuel; we run on divine power.  When God chooses to call us home, our breathing will cease on earth, but life will continue in heaven.

Today will never happen again. One of my best friends works full time and currently has three teenagers under her roof. We talk on rare occasions; inevitably, she’s chauffeuring one of them from point A to B when we do. With exhaustion in her voice, she praises God for these days, knowing they won’t last forever. The kids will no longer live under her roof one day, and she will miss today’s chaos.

Whatever chaos you have in your life, know it’s temporary. Nothing lasts forever, good or bad. Enjoy the people God places in your life today; only God knows what tomorrow will bring. Live life to the fullest with Jesus. Your heart will pour out living waters, your hope eternal.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 108) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 12:1-13:23 ESV, John 7:1-30 ESV, Psalm 108:1-13 ESV, Proverbs 15:4 ESV

Daily Verse: “The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.” (John 7:18 ESV)

ALETHES (227): “As an adjective, means primarily “unconcealed, manifest”; hence, actual, “true to fact” and is used of truthful persons.  True things conforming to reality.  Related to alethes as from to contents or substances; alethes denotes the reality of the thing, alethinos defines the relation of the conception to the thing to which it corresponds=genuine.”[i]

Denotes reality.

Jesus, speaking to the people at the Feast of Booths, explains the difference between man’s truth and God’s.  Men glorifying God seek His truth, not theirs. Joining God in His work will help you discover His truth.

Loving God and others fulfills God’s purpose for our lives.  Through the scriptures, we find guidelines on how to accomplish our mission.  Ultimately, Jesus asks us to put others before ourselves, just as He did for us.  We will discover God’s truth in our obedience, exposing the lies we so easily believe.

Seek God.

“When asked about their religious identity, 29 percent of respondents, or about 3 in 10 U.S. adults, said they had “none,” meaning they were atheists, agnostics, or “nothing in particular,” according to the Pew Research Center survey.”[i]

Thirty percent of our country doesn’t believe in God’s existence.  Jesus means nothing to them.  Without Christ, we can’t know the truth.

“For this purpose I was born and for this purpose, I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (John 18:37 ESV)

To find the truth, we must follow Jesus.  As we apply His principles to our lives, He exposes the lies we believe.  Listening to Jesus’s voice sets us free from the trappings of this world.  Our sins forgiven, we can live life to the fullest with Jesus. 

In Christ, we find the truth which sets us free.

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[i]  Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 14) Thomas Nelson

[i] https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/585764-the-fastest-growing-us-religious-affiliation-none-poll-says/