Month: September 2023

Sept. 29, 2023

Here are my reflections and comments from today’s scripture from Our Daily Inspirations App.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, before I read or comment on God’s word, I pray that He prepares my heart to receive his guidance and ask that He uses me as his vessel to comment on His word.

The scripture is from John 15:9-11 “Even as the Father has loved me, I also have love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.

The devotion is titled Love Comes with Responsibilities by Darla Noble. To sum up this devotion, The author starts this devotion saying that we use the word “love” for “fondness”.  The things we” are fond of” give us pleasure. Then she turns her attention to what is God’s definition of “love”.  He says “love” is patient, kind, doesn’t hold a grudge, isn’t self-seeking, doesn’t envy, seeks the truth, preserves, protects, and always wants the best for the loved ones (Corinthians 13:4-8). God cares for us, bless us, and protects us. Jesus died for us all because of love. We must take on the responsibility of obeying His commands and love Him back. When this happens, our hearts will really overflow with love.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: How can we remain in Jesus’ love today? What does He promise to those who remain in His love? Have can we claim that promise for ourselves?

Here is my response, yours may be different: By keeping His commandments, Jesus said that His joy will remain in us and our joy will be made full.

My Personal Prayer for us: Dear Jesus, thank you for Your eternal, overwhelming, unfailing love. Thank You for loving us even when we didn’t know who You were. Please fill us with Your spirit. Help us to share Your love with the world. In Your name we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/29/09) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible.com Love Comes With Responsibilities by Darla Noble.

Sept. 28, 2023

Here are my reflections and comments from today’s scripture from Our Daily Inspirations App.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, before I read or comment on God’s word, I pray that He prepares my heart to receive his guidance and ask that He uses me as his vessel to comment on His word.

The scripture is from Nehemiah 6:3 “I sent messengers to them, saying ‘I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?”

The devotion is titled Ignore the Hecklers!  by John Michalak and Joyverse. To sum up this devotion, The authors start this devotion using the analogy of hecklers and naysayers. Throughout history there have been hecklers that have disrupt plays, and some even made a living by being paid to stop. ‘While rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, Nehemiah had hecklers to deal with. They were people who didn’t know the Jews and didn’t care for what they were doing. They wanted to criticize and oppose them. There is nothing wrong with criticism when it comes from people who really care about what you are doing. The authors encourage us todo rather if it is God’s work or anything else important to you and ignore the hecklers.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: What are some ways we can focus only on God and those who have our best interest at heart, and ignore the opinions of critics who don’t really matter?

Here is my response, yours may be different: By focusing on God and his love for me and others, I can easily focus on God and those who have my best interest at heart.

My Personal Prayer for us: Dear Lord, help us to discern which criticism we should listen to and which we should ignore. When we are doing Your work, please help us to focus solely on You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/28/09) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible.com Ignore the Hecklers!  by John Michalak and Joyverse

Sept. 27, 2023

Here are my reflections and comments from today’s scripture from Our Daily Inspirations App.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, before I read or comment on God’s word, I pray that He prepares my heart to receive his guidance and ask that He uses me as his vessel to comment on His word.

The scripture is from Matthew 25:21 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord’.”

The devotion is titled Give a Little, Get a Little…Give a Lot, Get a Lot by Darla Noble. To sum up this devotion, Darla starts this devotion with an eight year old girl protesting that her mother will not let her go to a friend’s house. She explained to her that if she could not trust her to obey her at home, she could not trust her to obey someone else or follow their rules on how she was to behave. Now this same girl is sixteen. She is leaving on a mission trip. Her mom said goodbye to her and explained that she was proud of her for going and stating that she could trust her completely to be safe, kind, and be a light for Jesus to the children she will minister to. In conclusion, the girl (and you) grow to understand that when you are obedient to God in little things, God will feel confident in trusting you with more.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: How will you use your God-given talents and abilities to minister to or serve others this week? What are some thoughts and feelings you have about doing so?

Here is my response, yours may be different: I will use my writing skills. I feel privileged, humbled and honored.

My Personal Prayer for us: Dear God, we want to be your trustworthy children. We You to give us opportunities to share our faith, our abilities, and our love for You with others. We promise to be faithful and use them to the best of our abilities because of You working through us. In Jesus’ name, wepray, Amen

Inspirations (2023/27/09) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible.com Give a Little, Get a Little…Give a Lot, Get a Lot by Darla Noble.

Sept. 26, 2023

Here are my reflections and comments from today’s scripture from Our Daily Inspirations App.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, before I read or comment on God’s word, I pray that He prepares my heart to receive his guidance and ask that He uses me as his vessel to comment on His word.

The scripture is from Isaiah 51:11 “Those ransomed by the Lord will return, and come with singing to Zion. Everlasting joy shall be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

The devotion is titled Let there Be Light by John Michalak. To sum up this devotion, John Michalak talked about a time when Isaiah spoked to God’s people who were exiled from their homeland and from God’s protection and light. John Michalak states that we give too much credit to the “darkness”. In the “darkness” we struggle with earthly things. We can’t let “darkness” overcome our hearts and minds. It is not more powerful than the God of all light and love. No matter how dark our world gets, the Light of God will continue to shine if we let it in, and all sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: What are some ways we can help to shine God’s light into this dark world?

Here is my response, yours may be different: I do this by spreading The Gospel through my blogs and social media..

My Personal Prayer for us: Dear God, please cover over the dark, dingy parts of our lives with Your shining glory. Thank you for the gift of Jesus, who died for our sins and set us free forever. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/26/09) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible.com Let there Be Light by John Michalak

Sept. 25, 2023

Here are my reflections and comments from today’s scripture from Our Daily Inspirations App.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, before I read or comment on God’s word, I pray that He prepares my heart to receive his guidance and ask that He uses me as his vessel to comment on His word.

The scripture is from Colossians 3:3-4 “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory.”

The devotion is titled The Joyful Death by Heather Tietz. To sum up this devotion, Heather states our birth into the Christian faith begins with our death. Our obsession with “self” begins at birth. “Self” demands to speak first. It wants its own way. It ruins friendships, marriages, and lives. When “Self” dies, you are alive in Christ and you have a lifelong purpose of praise, serving God, and caring of others. Rebirth in Christ brings us abundant life, full of all things worth pursuing, having, and living for. It readies us for life with God in glory.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: How is your life “hidden with Christ in God?” What parts of your life died when you decided to follow Jesus? How does Jesus affect your everyday living?

Here is my response, yours may be different: When I decided to follow Jesus, every part of my past life died immediately. Burdens of sin were instantly lifted from me. From that time, I live for Jesus.

My Personal Prayer for us: Dear God, please cover over the dark, dingy parts of our lives with Your shining glory. Thank you for the gift of Jesus, who died for our sins and set us free forever. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/25/09) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible.com The Joyful Death by Heather Tietz.

Sept. 22, 2023

Here are my reflections and comments from today’s scripture from Our Daily Inspirations App.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, before I read or comment on God’s word, I pray that He prepares my heart to receive his guidance and ask that He uses me as his vessel to comment on His word.

The scripture is from Psalm 126:5-6 “Those who sow in tears, will reap in joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves.”

The devotion is titled Eyes on the Prize by John Simon. To sum up this devotion, the author used the analogy of the US Hockey team’s” Miracle on Ice” in the 1980 Winter Olympics. However, this came about after the coach created drills to make the team suffer as a group. Later he talked about who Paul used sports metaphors in his letters. Paul said that athletes need to discipline their bodies as do Christians. Only for Christians, it is the unperishable crown.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: What are personal examples from which we can learn that going through an immense struggle are worth it in the end?

Here is my response, yours may be different: We went through such an intensive financial struggle. We were preparing to be homeless. We sowed in tears. We knew others were “cheating and using deceitful methods to get money, and they wanted us to do the same. We still gave of our meager resources to help others. We endured the hardships together and a God provided for us. We reaped in joy at the end. (Psalm 126:5-6)

My Personal Prayer for us: Heavenly Creator, thank You so much for giving us the strength to endure the hardships we face from day to day. We have shed many tears, but they will all pale in comparison and be forgotten when you bestow on us the most wonderful prize of all, living forever with You in paradise. In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/22/09) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible.com Eyes on the Prize by John Simon.

Sept. 21, 2023

Here are my reflections and comments from today’s scripture from Our Daily Inspirations App.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, before I read or comment on God’s word, I pray that He prepares my heart to receive his guidance and ask that He uses me as his vessel to comment on His word.

The scripture is from 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.”

The devotion is titled A New Confession by John Michalak. To sum up this devotion, the author first asked how we feel now. Then he uses analogies like: if your car breaks down, you buy a new one, or if your clothes are old, you buy new ones. For us, most of us don’t feel new. We have aches and pains, and we get set in our ways. When we become a follower of Christ, everything becomes new. We have a new way of life full of freedom and gratitude. His last point is to confess our need for God. God is waiting to make us new.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: What parts of our behavior or thinking would we like God to make new right now?

Here is my response, yours may be different: We are still a work a work-in-progress until Christ returns. Some things I still need to work on is self-centeredness and my temper.  

My Personal Prayer for us: Dear Lord, We confess that the “old me” has not always honored You. We believe You can make everything-including us-a new creation in You. Thank You for seeing the possibilities in us. In Jesus’ name We pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/20/09) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible.com A New Confession by John Michalak.

Sept. 20, 2023

Here are my reflections and comments from today’s scripture from Our Daily Inspirations App.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, before I read or comment on God’s word, I pray that He prepares my heart to receive his guidance and ask that He uses me as his vessel to comment on His word.

The scripture is from Proverbs 3:7-8 “Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.”

The devotion is titled Following God’s Plan by Darla Noble. To sum up this devotion, the author recounted many examples of people taking matters into their own hands and not consulting with God. Every instance led to disastrous results. Following God’s plan involves asking for His direction, listening to His voice, and heeding His call.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: What are some ways to discern God’s will for our lives? What is God leading us to do the right now?

Here is my response, yours may be different: I don’t know how to answer this for your circumstances.

My Personal Prayer for us: Dear Jesus, please open our ears, heart, and mind to follow You first and always. Guide us in making decisions that honor You. In your name we pray, Amen

Inspirations (2023/20/09) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible.com Following God’s Plan by Darla Noble.

Sept. 18, 2023

Here are my reflections and comments from today’s scripture from Our Daily Inspirations App.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, before I read or comment on God’s word, I pray that He prepares my heart to receive his guidance and ask that He uses me as his vessel to comment on His word.

The scripture is from Psalm 55:6-8 “I said, ’Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away and be at rest. Behold, then I would wander far off. I would lodge in the wilderness.’” Salah. “’I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm.’”

The devotion is titled Migrating Is Christ-like by Heather Tietz. To sum up this devotion, the author states that everything and everyone needs time to escape from chaos and demands. He pointed out that birds migrate to a more favorable climate. He points out that Jesus sought out time alone with His Father. As we know, Jesus was often inundated with crowds, questions, and expectations. However, migration means returning. Jesus always returned. The author encourages us that it is okay to want rest or escape to a quiet place. If you can’t leave, bury yourself in prayer. Once you are filled and well rested, return with renewed peace to share.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: What things in life make you thingk of running away? How can you escape and refill with God’s presence, so you may return with renewed vigor?

Here is my response, yours may be different: For me it was during my last years of teaching. I used the breaks to revitalize and escape and be refilled with God’s presence.

My Prayer for us: Dear God we sing with the Psalmist: You are my hiding place. Thank you for offering peace, rest, and safety from the wintry distress of the World. May we never fail to turn to you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Inspirations (2023/18/09) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible.com Migrating Is Christ-like by Heather Tietz.

Sept. 15, 2023

Here are my reflections and comments from today’s scripture from Our Daily Inspirations App.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, before I read or comment on God’s word, I pray that He prepares my heart to receive his guidance and ask that He uses me as his vessel to comment on His word.

The scripture is from Matthew 21:22 “All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

The devotion is titled Jesus Says, “Talk to Me” by Darla Noble. To sum up this devotion, the author starts off with the story about a woman who asked God to let her win the lottery so she could quit her job and live a life she thought she deserved after her husband left her with serious debt. God didn’t answer her prayer and she became angry at God. Obviously, she messed the point. When Jesus talked about believing, He was referring to recognizing him as our savior, redeemer, and ruler of our lives. Believing this will lead us to ask for things that will honor God. As we grow closer to Him, He will not withhold these things from us. God will give us what we ask for when we believe His gifts are only worth having.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: How does our faith fare when God says “no?” Is our faith contingent on God answering our prayers the way we want Him to? Why? or why not?

Here is my response, yours may be different: I still keep my faith in God, evening when the answer is “no.” My reasoning is that God already knows what is best for me and I trust His judgement.

My Prayer for us: Dear God, we want to have a heart and mind that desire only things You know are best for us. Keep us focused on them and not on things of this world. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/15/09) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible.com Jesus Says, “Talk to Me” by Darla Noble.