Honest Reflections

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 4:1-5:31 ESV, Luke 22:35-53 ESV, Psalm 94:1-23 ESV, Proverbs 14:3-4 ESV

Daily Verse: “And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” (Luke 22:53 ESV)

APOSTELLO (649): “This word means to order (one) to go to a place appointed: Jesus sent by the Father, the apostles sent by Jesus, messengers are sent, servants are sent, angels.  To allow one to depart, that he may be in a state of liberty.”[i]

Appointed place.

Jesus sent the disciples on a mission, first with nothing, then with supplies. Spreading the Gospel becomes their lives work.  Jesus knows, once He ascends, the job will become more challenging.  All but John die terrible deaths as they fulfill Jesus’s order to go to their appointed places.

We have a choice when we follow Jesus; will we go where He sends us? 

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV)

Go

When Jesus commands you to go, go.  More than likely, God’s first mission for you entails loving the people He gave you.  Start with your family and friends.  Love them as Jesus loves you.  Watch your relationships blossom as you put their needs before yours, keeping soft hearts to the offenses they cause, loving them unconditionally.

The disciples went all over the world, sharing the Gospel.  Some people’s callings take them to remote places, but our calling doesn’t take us as far most of the time.  Walking into the next room and loving the person right before us becomes our mission.

Remember, Jesus never leaves you.  “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (vs. 20). God never sends you alone; He goes where you go.  God guides us to new adventures, He provides all we need for the journey, and He travels with us.  When we get our marching orders, follow quickly.  Don’t waste a moment; live life to the fullest, going wherever God sends you.

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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.254) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 2:10-3:31 ESV, Luke 22:14-34 ESV, Psalm 92:1-93:5 ESV, Proverbs 14:1-2 ESV

Daily Verse: “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19 ESV)

ANAMNESIS (364): “Means a remembrance and is used in Christ’s command in the institution of the Lord’s Supper. Not in memory of as in remembering a deceased loved one, but in an affectionate calling of the Person Himself to mind.” [i]

Affectionate recalling.

When Christ told us to “Do this in remembrance of me,” He wanted us to do so with affectionate recollection.  In other words, warmly think of what Jesus did for you.  He bore our sins and gave us new life in Him with grace.

When I affectionately recall Jesus, I think of the storms He’s brought me through.  When I feared losing my job, I clung to God’s promise:

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19 ESV)

Supplies every need.

As I maneuvered through the storm of job layoffs, I realized Jesus supplies every need, not just jobs.  When anxiety began to raise its ugly head, I’d meditate on Paul’s words to the Philippians until calm returned to my soul.  Day after, whatever my need, Jesus provided.

Over the years, one verse continued to draw me closer to Jesus.  Every time I take communion, I remember Christ’s provision for me in all things, my affection growing deeper with each step of faith I take.

Recalling Jesus reminds us of who meets all our needs.  First, Jesus forgave us our sins, reconnecting us with our heavenly Father.  Then, He gives us all we need to live our lives fully.  Only when we place our eyes on Jesus can we receive the gifts He offers.

Affectionately recall how Jesus changed your life.  Thank Him for meeting all your eternal and earthly needs.

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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.22) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 1:1-2:9 ESV, Luke 21:29-22:13 ESV, Psalm 90:1-91:16 ESV, Proverbs 13:24-25 ESV

Daily Verse: “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.” (Luke 21:34 ESV)

KRAIPALE (2897): “This word signifies the giddiness and headache resulting from excessive wine-bibbing, a drunken nausea; the disgust and loathing that arise from drinking too much wine. Used only once in the Bible.”[i]

Overindulgent headache.

Anyone who has drunk too much understands the headache which comes from overindulging.  Jesus warns us not to drink in excess because we’ll lose focus.  Instead of watching for Jesus’ return, we’ll miss the moment.

No one knows when Jesus will come again.  God tells us to keep an eye out for Jesus’ return.  At any moment, life on earth can change forever.  Staying alert means living life in moderation, aware God moves in the span of a heartbeat.

Don’t add trouble.

In the world, we will have trouble; drunkenness only causes more problems.  Losing our inhibitions after a few drinks never helps.  Recovering from the effect of alcohol can waste the day; take it from someone who knows. The extra drink seems like the right idea, but the following day brings nothing but regret.

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.” (1 Corinthians 6:12 ESV)

Learn what moderation means for you.  Seek God in prayer, asking Him for guidance.  Don’t miss out on Jesus because of momentary pleasure.  Keep your eyes on the Savior, don’t miss a thing He has for you.

Building a healthy lifestyle happens one decision at a time.  Following Jesus happens in steps, not miles.  Choose wisely, apply Jesus’ teachings to your life one decision at a time.

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[i] [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

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Joshua 24:1-33 ESV, Luke 21:1-28 ESV, Psalm 89:38-52 ESV, Proverbs 13:20-23 ESV

Daily Verse: “Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box” (Luke 21:1 ESV)

DORON (1435): “Means to give and is used of gifts presented as an expression of honor, for the support of the temple and the needs of the poor, offered to God.” [I]

Bless God.

Gifts from God come in many forms: money, talents, time, health. Giving out of abundance doesn’t sacrifice anything, but God notices when we give our all. Jesus saw the widow give everything she had, and He commended her.

Offering our gifts back to God blesses Him.  God gets the glory when we illuminate His light to the world. Using our talents to love God and others shines a flashlight into the darkness, bringing hope.

Discovering our gifts takes time and effort. Tithing, giving ten percent of our first fruits to God, can apply to more than money. We can give away our time and possessions to those in need.

Jesus gave all.

People take for granted how much Jesus gave for them. What cost us nothing cost God everything. As a practicing Christ-follower, I’ve heard the resurrection story repeatedly. Truly grasping the torture and humiliation Jesus endured for my sake didn’t happen until I became an adult. Understanding brings humility as I think of my sins that Jesus bore in agony.

You will never outgive God; He’s already given more than any of us ever will. Honoring our Creator by using the talents He gave us to serve others blesses Him. 

Discover your gifts. Honor God by using them to draw others to Christ. Jesus notices our offerings, large or small. God knows the sacrifice that comes with the gift. Without a doubt, God will bless you when you give all.

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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.74) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Joshua 22:21-23:16 ESV, Luke 20:27-47 ESV, Psalm 89:14-37 ESV, Proverbs 13:17-19 ESV

Daily Verse: “There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,” (Luke 20:27 ESV) 

ANASTASIS (386): “Denotes a raising up, or rising; literally, “to cause to stand up on one’s feet again.”  Of resurrection from the dead.”[i]

Stand up.

Resurrection, the ability to stand up on one’s feet again, brings us back to life.  When Jesus died on the cross, His resurrection overcame death.  Taking the first step of faith toward Jesus means accepting His resurrection as true.  Christ stood up after dying, defeating death once and for all.

Jesus also helps us get back on our feet each day.  When life’s challenges overwhelm us, getting out of bed becomes a mountain to climb.  Depression, fear, anxiety all strive to keep us down.   But in Christ, we have victory. 

Resurrection experience.

Recently, Satan attacked at one of my vulnerable moments.  Unkind words took me off guard, causing me to spiral down a negative rabbit hole.  Sharing my pain with friends, I received a life-giving text from a sister in Christ, instantly healing my hurting heart.

God worked through my friend to put me back on my feet when one of the devil’s fiery darts brought me to my knees.  Every day, Jesus gives us the strength to fight the good fight.  He helps us stand tall in God’s armor, resisting the enemies’ attacks. 

When life knocks you to your knees, turn to Jesus.  Give Him the pain you feel, allow God’s resurrection power to help you stand again.

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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. 23) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Joshua 21:1-22:20 ESV, Luke 20:1-26 ESV, Psalm 89:1-13 ESV, Proverbs 13:15-16 ESV

Daily Verse: “And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.” (Luke 20:26 ESV)

THAUMAZO (2296): “This word means to wonder, wonder at, and hence to be had in admiration.”[i]

Wonder admiringly.

Religious leaders know no bounds in their pursuit of discrediting Jesus.  Sending in spies, pretending sincerity, they asked Jesus sneaky questions to try and trap Him.  But God knows the plans of men, and with barely the blink of an eye, Jesus defeats them with His words, rendering them silent.

Watching Jesus in action does cause one to marvel.  Miracles begin to happen when we apply God’s word to our lives.  The impossible becomes possible when God gets involved.

From the pit of the valley, Jesus helped me find the mountaintop.  Like Jesus, I have people in my life constantly trying to trap me with my words.  Not believers, they continuously attack my faith, looking for chinks in the armor.  But with Jesus, my weakness becomes strength, chinks don’t exist.

Put on God’s armor.

Protect yourself against naysayers by clothing yourself in God’s attire.  Ground yourself in God’s truth, wearing righteousness as your breastplate and the gospel of peace for shoes, always at the ready.  Carry the shield of faith to extinguish the devil’s fiery darts. Allow the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit to protect you, remaining constant in prayer (Ephesians 6:10-18 ESV).

As you become comfortable in God’s armor, you’ll marvel more at His works in your life.  Watching as God defeats the enemy attacks will encourage and uplift you.  Truth destroys lies as God reveals it in your life.

When people attack your faith in Jesus, respond with love.  Don’t take their words personally; remember, we battle not against flesh and blood but spiritual forces.  Pray for them, asking God to illuminate their lives with His truth, letting them marvel in His wondrous works.

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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. 113) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Joshua 19:1-20:9 ESV, Luke 19:28-48 ESV, Psalm 88:1-18 ESV, Proverbs 13:12-14 ESV

Daily Verse: ‘For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side” (Luke 19:43 ESV)

CHARAX (5482): “A palisade or rampart (military mound for circumvallation in a siege.”  The dirt for making the siege mounds came from digging a trench.”[i]

Entrenched hearts.

Jesus, God in the flesh, knows all things.  Including the knowledge, the Romans will one day lay siege to Jerusalem by building barricades around the city, starving the citizens into submission.

Barricades require work to build.  The dirt from digging trenches became the mighty mounds cutting off the entrance to the city.  In the same way, we can build walls around our hearts.  After we experience hurt, we create defensive barriers to keep the pain from happening again.

However, shutting out God and people cuts us off from life itself.  Like the people of Jerusalem, our hearts starve and wither.  But when we lay our pain at the foot of the cross, Jesus takes it upon Himself, healing our wounds.

Destroy the walls.

My favorite analogy of peeling away the layers of hurt came from Beth Moore.[i]  Every injury we encounter adds another layer around the heart, like layers of an onion. Barricades we build ourselves keep us from living life fully. As we allow Jesus into the dark places of our soul, He peels away the walls, one by one, healing us.

Don’t let past events keep you from living today.  Journeying through life comes with ups and downs. Working through the valleys helps us reach the mountaintops.  As the journey continues, allowing Jesus more and more control, our hearts will become whole once again.

Stop building barricades; instead, give your cares to Jesus.  Let Him handle the pain as you rest in the Father’s arms.

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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 (pp. 269-70) Thomas Nelson

[i] https://www.lproof.org/

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Joshua 16:1-18:28 ESV, Luke 19:1-27 ESV, Psalm 87:1-7 ESV, Proverbs 13:11 ESV

Daily Verse: “And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.” (Luke 9:9 ESV)

 

SOTERIA (4991): “Rescue or safety.  Denotes deliverance, preservation, salvation.  Used in the NT of material and temporal deliverance from danger and apprehension.  Of the spiritual and eternal deliverance granted immediately by God to those who accept His condition of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus, in whom alone it is to be obtained. Acts 4:12 and upon confession of Him as Lord, Rom. 10:10.  Of the Present experience of God’s power to deliver from the bondage of sin.  Occasionally, as standing virtually for the Savoir, e.g., Luke 19:9.”[i]

Fire insurance.

One of my friends, when describing salvation, sums it up in two words, fire insurance.  Placing faith in Christ means a one-way ticket to heaven, not into hell’s fiery depths.  Jesus rescues us from the flames when we put our trust in Him.

However, salvation begins now, the moment we start following Jesus.  Instead of doing life alone, we have a Saviour who wants to do it with us.  We have guidelines on every aspect of life in God’s word, helping us live each day to the fullest.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30 ESV)

Lighten your load.

Placing faith in Jesus lightens your load now.  Instead of navigating life on your strength, you have His.  Jesus wants to take your burdens from you, giving you His peace in exchange.

The things of this world won’t last for eternity, but God’s peace does.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 ESV)

Place your faith in Jesus.  Get to know Him through God’s word.  Apply Christ’s teaching to your lives.  Discover the peace that surpasses all understanding as You accept Jesus’s saving grace.

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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 (pp. 245-6) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Joshua 15:1-63 ESV, Luke 18:18-43 ESV, Psalm 86:1-17 ESV, Proverbs 13:9-10 ESV

Daily Verse: “And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18 ESV)

AIONIOS (166): “Perpetual. The adjective describes duration. Denoting ‘eternal’ is set in contrast with prosdkairos (4340), lit., ‘for a season.’ It is used of that which in nature is endless.” [I]

Describes duration.

Ever since childhood, I’ve tried to understand eternity.  And I can’t.  When I gaze into the starlit night, myriads of bright dots sprinkled across the sky; my mind becomes overwhelmed with the enormity of life.  Trying to understand forever challenges me.

“For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity.” C.S. Lewis[i] 

Living in the present means enjoying this point in eternity.  When you blink, the moment no longer exists.  

Pastors often use the analogy of missing heaven by 18 inches, the distance between our heads and hearts.  Faith comes from the heart but doesn’t always make sense to the head.  Some people can’t get past the illogical part of faith, so they miss out on heaven.

Embrace now.

Don’t miss out on eternity because the concept doesn’t make sense.  Instead, understand eternity lives now, the present moment part of the ongoing story of Christ.  No one can honestly explain the spiritual side to life, not from our earthly address.  We’ll have the answers we crave one day, but not until we get our heavenly home.

God never meant us to understand everything; He wants us to trust.  Begin to experience God’s eternal peace by placing your faith in Jesus.  Spend time each day becoming more like Christ.  Share the grace of heaven with all you meet.

Eternity meets time in the present moment.  Place your faith in Jesus; let the Holy Spirit take up residency in you.  Experience God’s eternal peace, now and forever.

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[i] https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/93898-destines-them-to-eternity-he-therefore-i-believe-wants-them#:~:text=For%20the%20Present%20is%20the,and%20actuality%20are%20offered%20them.

[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p.10) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Joshua 13:1-14:15 ESV, Luke 18:1-17 ESV, Psalm 85:1-13 ESV, Proverbs 13:7-8 ESV

Daily Verse: “And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’” (Luke 18:3 ESV)

EKDIKEO (1556): “To vindicate, retaliate, punish.  That which proceeds from justice, means “to vindicate a person’s right” in the parable of the unjust judge, of the ‘vindication’ of the rights of the widow.”[i]

God vindicates.

God’s wrath exists.  When you read through the Old Testament, you can’t deny God gets vengeance against those who oppose Him.  Reconciling God’s anger with His love can challenge the best of us.   Sin’s consequences lead to death.  Jesus overcame death, so we don’t have to suffer the repercussions.

We all deserve God’s wrath for the sinfulness in our lives, every one of us.  Accepting your sinful nature will help you become more graceful to others. 

When someone hurts us, we want justice for their actions.  But remember, you’ve hurt someone too.  Each of us has intentionally or unintentionally hurt someone’s feelings.  Instead, look for the pain.

Pain causes hurt.

If we don’t learn how to manage our pain, we will inevitably hurt others.  Misery loves company.  Hurting hearts want companions.  Cries for help come in the form of offensive actions.  People respond unkindly instead of saying, “I’m hurting and don’t know what to do with my pain.”

Picture a cornered rattlesnake, coiled up, tail rattling, head lifted, tongue striking at you; its poison deadly.  People’s inner pain can act as a defensive rattlesnake, damaging relationships.

The best thing to do if you encounter a rattlesnake freeze don’t make a move.  Assess the situation, then slowly back away, giving the snake room to leave. 

If someone strikes out at you, don’t respond.  Instead, pray, asking God to help you see them through His eyes.  Assessing the situation with God’s lens will reveal their pain to you.  Back away, give God room to work on their broken hearts.

We all deserve God’s justice.  God gives us grace instead.  Share the gift with everyone.

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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.80) Thomas Nelson