Category: Uncategorized

Dec.14, 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. If you want to leave comments or feedback, you can email jp0870584@gmail.com. For me for me I see God in everything. God bless you.

The scripture is from Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

The devotion is titled Seeing God Every Day by Darla Noble. The author says that when people read the beatitudes (Matthew 5), they focus on the cost rather than the reward. Today’s verse, being “pure in heart” isn’t about being perfect. It is about seeing God every day, everywhere you look. She concludes that the pure on heart are truly blessed; they see God.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: Where do you see God? Take the time today to write down all the things that show you who God is.

Here is my response, yours may be different: For me, I see God in everything. My favorite time is in the mornings. I see the sunrise. I smell the fresh morning air. I feel the cool crisp air. I hear birds chirping. I taste a cup of fresh brewed coffee.

A Personal Prayer for us: Dear God, please make us pure in heart. We ask that You open our eyes and the eyes of our hearts to see You everywhere we look. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/14/12) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible, Seeing God Every Day by Darla Noble.

Dec.11, 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. If you want to leave comments or feedback, you can email jp0870584@gmail.com. I think Ezra would be ashamed to ask the Babylon king for protection because God’s hand is on all those who seek Him, for good. God bless you.

The scripture is from Ezra 8:22: “For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying ‘The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.’”

The devotion is titled God’s Military Escort by Heather Tietz. The author sets the background for this devotion by stating that before Jesus and Roman rule, journey by foot was dangerous, law was not enforced, and bandits were common. Referencing the above verse, Ezra was preparing for a journey from Babylon to Jerusalem with treasures for the God’s temple. With the Babylon’s king permission, 220 temple servants, about forty Levite priests, and the prayers of God’s people, Ezra sets out with no Babylonian military support, just fasting and prayers from God’s people. After several months, the temple treasure arrived safely. In conclusion, Heather reminds us that God is enough. God will protect us in His own way. Our God has all the tools of salvation at His hands, God is enough!

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: What are you most afraid of? Can you truly say, “God in your Savior and protector?” Why or Why Not?

Here is my response, yours may be different: For me, I am not afraid of anything because God is my Savior and Protector.  

A Personal Prayer for us: Dear God, please protect us from the problems we will face today. Help us to remember to place all our faith and all our trust in You. You are more than enough for us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/11/12) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible, God’s Military Escort by Heather Tietz.

Dec.08, 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. If you want to leave comments or feedback, you can email jp0870584@gmail.com. I do good works because of my faith. God bless you.

The scripture is from Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast.”

The devotion is titled Like a Wind Turbine by Heather Tietz. The author starts by stating that most religions require actions. Many religions teach that a peaceful afterlife is contingent upon one’s own success at living right. Christianity is different. It needs only faith. It is God’s gift to us. God only ask that we believe. When we believe, we can’t help but trust Him. God wants our heartfelt, “Not my will, but Yours God.” Our invisible trust will manifest itself in actions because Christian lives live differently when faith is there. The author continues to make the point about faith by the way giant turbines work. She says that the wind might be invisible but set a giant turbine in front of it and you can see it’s there driving the blades around, powering factories and homes, giving life to lifeless things. Faith is like the wind. You can’t see it working until you put it to work. When you put a problem in front of faith, you can see faith working, driving us to our knees, giving peace beyond understanding, inspiring works, and prompting feet to move. Faith in Jesus empowers Christian lives. Faith lights up the world.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: How does your faith manifest itself in a recent problem?

Here is my response, yours may be different: For us, we were facing our daughter’s death. When she died, we put our faith in God that she was finally home with the Lord, and we celebrate her life with others.

A Personal Prayer for us: Dear God, thank You for Your saving grace. Please bless our faith, strengthen it and use it to bless others. We praise You for Your many gifts, though we know we are unworthy of them. You are our all in all. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/08/12) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible, Like a Wind Turbine by Heather Tietz.

Dec.07, 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. If you want to leave comments or feedback, you can email jp0870584@gmail.com. For me deliverance looks like being saved from in this context. God bless you.

The scripture is from Psalm 59:1-2: “Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men.”

The devotion is titled Delivered to Serve by Brenda Kis. Imagine this setting. The place is China, the main character is a Chinese Christian Woman who is doing Bible studies in her home. The Communist authorities were notified, and she was sentence to a year in a women’s prison. Imagine that God had prepared this place for her. She began to sing hymns in her cell. Soon she was teaching sixty women about God. The prison superintendent said that because she was converting so many prisoners, he released her. She replied that he could not release her because it was against the law and her job there was not done. Brenda concludes that the real enemy we face isn’t our circumstances or people who are against us, but we have forgotten that we belong to God. It’s His business to put us where He needs us, even when we feel thwarted or in danger, and His business to care for us.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: How can we reframe the situation in which we find ourselves right now? How is God deliverance manifesting right now.

Here is my response, yours may be different: For me, I would recenter my thoughts that I belong to God and it’s His business to put me where He needs me and His business to care for me.

A Personal Prayer for us: Dear God, deliver us from our limited perspective and give us Your peace. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/07/12) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible, Delivered to Serve by Brenda Kis.

Dec.06, 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. If you want to leave comments or feedback, you can email jp0870584@gmail.com. I am always grateful for God and what He has done in my life. I am also grateful for my wife of over 36 years. God bless you.

The scripture is from 1 Corinthians 1:4: “I always thank my God concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus.”

The devotion is titled On the Lookout for Grace by Beatrice Jean-Baptiste. Beatrice says that as Christians is it easy to rejoice over God’s goodness and grace in our own lives. She says it takes another level of empathy to rejoice over God’s goodness in another person’s life. She mentions that opportunities to give thanks on behalf of others are all around us. Some examples are, but not limited to, a person who gets adopted, or a long-awaited birth. We can rejoice over a person who is overcoming addiction or a cancer survivor. She concludes that God’s grace abounds and the opportunities to rejoice are limitless. The Bible tells us that all of heaven rejoices when one person gives their life to Jesus, that allow them to experience the ultimate grace of salvation. Finally, the grace of God is the greatest gift we can experience and when we extend God’s grace to His other children, the gratitude spills over.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: How have we seen God’s grace show up in someone’s else’s life? How can we be on the lookout for grace today?

Here is my response, yours may be different: I have witnessed many people give their lives to Christ and trust Him as their Lord and savior. I will have my eyes-of-gratitude open to look for grace in other people’s lives.

A Personal Prayer for us: Gracious God, thank You for freely extending grace to us, so we can do the same to others. May the love we show them cause them to rejoice over Your goodness in their lives. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/06/12) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible, On the Lookout for Grace by Beatrice Jean-Baptiste.

Dec.05, 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. If you want to leave comments or feedback, you can email jp0870584@gmail.com. I personally express my respect and appreciation for the beautiful creation God has given me to enjoy by rising every morning to see a new day. I try to care of this creation by advocating actions to improve our environment and use our resources wisely. God bless you.

The scripture is from Genesis 1:27-28: “God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them. God said to them. ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’.”

The devotion is titled It’s Not Just a Piece of Paper by Darla Noble. Darla introduced this devotion by talking about two men hiking on a wooded trail. One of the men finished eating a granola bar and tossed the wrapper on the ground along the trail. The other men went back and picked up the wrapper. The wrapper-thrower commented that one little piece of paper here and there won’t hurt and maybe field mice might use it to make a nest. While they were driving back, the young man drove to a run-downed neighborhood. There the streets and yards were filled with litter. He commented to the wrapper-thrower that this is what a piece of paper looks like. From this story we learn that the earth and our environment are on loan from God. He made them with exquisite care. He asked us to take care of His environment and the earth. He asked us to treat them with TLC (tender love and care) He put in creating them.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: How seriously do we take God’s admonition to “dress and keep” the earth (Genesis 2:15)? How does the way we treat God’s creation show how much we love Him?

Here is my response, yours may be different: First of all, I admit that I am not an environmental engineer or scientist. I try to respect and appreciate God’s creation by advocating and support measures that will improve and maintain our environment and doing my small part by not allowing anything that will bring harm to His creation.  

A Personal Prayer for us: Dear God in heaven, thank you for nature and all the things it provides for us. We will treat the earth You made with respect and appreciation. Help us to never take its beauty for granted. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/05/12) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible It’s Not Just a Piece of Paper by Darla Noble.

Dec.04, 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. If you want to leave comments or feedback, you can email jp0870584@gmail.com. I personally interact with children in the same way that Christ did because they are a blessing and I believe they have guardian angels who stand in the presence of God to protect them. God bless you.

The scripture is from Mark 10:14-16: “Bur when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation and said to them, ‘Allow the little children to come to me! Don’t forbid them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these. Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kington like a little child, he will no way enter into it.’ He took them in his arms, and bless them, laying his hands on them.”

The devotion is titled The Miracle of the Moment by Pastor Ken. The disciples tried to prevent some young children from “bothering” Jesus as He was teaching a crowd of people. Jesus stopped them, and told them that we all should be eager to come to Him and willing to respond to Him with genuine faith and trust as the children.

Then He blessed them. Jesus wants us to have the desire to pass those blessings on to others. He knew that even the smallest kindness act or simple encouraging words can make a huge difference in someone’s life.

We don’t need to have a lot of money or material wealth to be a blessing on someone’s life. You can lend a helping hand, share, and always make sure your words build others up and not tear them down.

Be a miracle in someone’s life today and always. Be the one who brings God’s children to Jesus.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: How can we imitate God’s love by paying it forward today?

Here is my response, yours may be different: I can imitate God’s love by paying forward the blessings and love that He gives me on a daily basis.

A Personal Prayer for us: Dear God, thank you for calling us Your child. You have given us the power to encourage, help, and inspire. Please help us be a light that shines brightly for You, leading more of Your children to You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Dec.01, 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. If you want to leave comments or feedback, you can email jp0870584@gmail.com. I am joyful every day. I express my joy to God through songs and worship. God bless you.

The scripture is from Nehemiah 12:43: “They offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even far away.”

The devotion is titled Joy Heard Even Far Away by Darla Noble. Darla starts by talking about a couple who after suffering five miscarriages and was informed by the doctors that their chances of having a baby was less than ten percent. So, when they were finally expecting a baby, they were very excited. The couple wanted everyone to know how grateful they were to God for what He was doing for them.  

The couple could not stop posting how grateful and joyful they were to God. Some people stopped following them on social media. They were tired of hearing all the joy; joy of motherhood, being pregnant, etc…

Darla is asking what we are grateful for and how are we expressing our joy to God for His blessings.

Reflections, Questions, and Challenges for Us: What are some ways we can openly express our joy to God for who He is and what He does for us?

Here is my response, yours may be different: I express my joy to God for who He is and what He does for me through songs, worship and witnessing.

A Personal Prayer for us: Dear Lord, we praise Your wonderful name for the blessings You give, for the love You extend, and for the joy we have in knowing we are your children. In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

Inspirations (2023/01/12) retrieved from Website: Daily Bible Joy Heard Even Far Away by Darla Noble.