Bible Inspired - Devotionals

Commit Your Work!

6/3/2020

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." -Proverbs 16:3 (ESV)

As we look at the events occurring around us, we can see that we have work to do. Whether we are continuing our work, preparing to return to our jobs to compete work, or advocating for change and justice, we need to be sure we are equipped to be effective. We need to establish our plans with the Lord!

When our efforts in line with God's will, we can do more than we could ever imagine. We can complete the work at our jobs, homes, and churches in ways that glorify God and serve Him and those around us. When we advocate for justice, we can see our impact multiplied. We can make a difference and we can make an even bigger difference when we commit our work to God and allow Him to shine through us!

Commit your work to God and allow Him to multiply your impact!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always being with me. Help me to commit my work to You and allow the impacts to be multiplied for Your glory. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Love & Be Real!

6/2/2020

"Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator." -Colossians 3:9-10 (ESV)

I recently saw the following quote: "Perfect people aren't real and real people aren't perfect. You can either love them for their flaws or hate them for being real." None of us are perfect, but in our real lives we can try to live up to the image of our Creator and have love for everyone!

God is love and truth. To live up to His image or expectations, we need to commit our lives to Him and following His direction. We need to move away from sin and our old selves and move toward His love, truth, and perfection. While we cannot reach perfection, we can be real about our quest to live for God. We can love others in spite of both our flaws and theirs. We can be real about our journeys and God's gift of salvation!

Be real, show love, and live so others can see God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love and salvation. Help me to be real and to spread Your presence, love, and glory to others. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

You Are What You Do!

6/1/2020

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." -James 1:22 (ESV)

Carl Gustav Jung reminded us that, "You are what you do, not what you say you'll do." It is easy to sit on the sidelines and watch. It is easy to sit and talk. However, we are called to be more and do more. God is calling us to action!

There are many ways we can learn about God and His call in our lives. We can learn from His word. We can learn through prayer and talking and listening to God. However, we need to do more than hear. We need to become what God has called us to be and to be doers in this world. It is by doing as God calls us that we can show the world His power!

You are what you do, so respond to God's call and be a doer for Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for calling me and giving me purpose. Help me to be a doer that makes this world better and allows people to see Your power and grace. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Walk In It!

5/31/2020

"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." -Isaiah 30:21 (ESV)

Vincent Van Gogh said, "Normality is a paved road: it's comfortable and easy to walk, but no flowers grow on it." In life we can choose from many different paths. Some may be easy, but these usually don't lead to change. If we want to experience the "flowers" and the rewards of leaving the world a better place, we will need to leave the paved road!

God has a path for each of us, but these paths will spend time off of the paved road. Regardless of the path, God is with us, telling us the way to go. He is also there to provide support. We cannot simply go the way of the world and expect changes that bring love and justice. It is up to us to follow God, take action, and walk in His way to make this world a better place!

Hear God's directions and walk in His way to make this world a better place!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your direction in my life. Help me to hear You and to follow You now and forever. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Faith & Action!

5/30/2020

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." -Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

Having faith is reassuring, but it requires action, too. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stated: "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." When we have faith in God, we need to be prepared to hear His call and take the first steps!

Faith requires trust and hope. This does not mean that we just sit and wait for things to come our way. There are times when God is calling us to put our faith into action. Because of our faith in God's presence in our lives, we can hear His voice and respond to His call. We can trust God and have hope in all of His promises, then we can confidently act on our faith to make the world a better place!

Have the assurance and hope of faith, then act on God's call in your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your promises and the faith that I can have in You. Help me to act on this faith to spread the promises of Your eternal kingdom! In Jesus I pray, amen.

Courage to be Disliked

5/29/2020

"Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!" -Psalm 31:24 (ESV)

We face many challenges in our lives. Standing up for what we believe in can be one of them. Bruce Lee said, "Have the courage to be disliked." When we need to have courage and strength to stand up for our beliefs and against injustice, we need to rely on God!

God knows that we will face challenges and He knows that we will need strength. He knows that when we stand for His principles and justice that we will be disliked. Even though there are forces in this world that are emboldened by hate, God can provide us with courage. We need to call on God and trust in His presence and process. We can then stand tall, be strong, and take courage because of our relationship with God!

Have the courage to be disliked when you stand on the side of God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the strength and courage that only You can provide. Help me to always stand for justice knowing that You are a continual source so strength and courage. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Soothing Words

5/28/2020

"The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit." -Proverbs 15:4 (NIV)

On a hot summer day, the shade provided by a tree can be a welcome spot to stop and rest. The coolness can soothe our hot and tired bodies and allow us to rest our minds. As we go about our lives, we are undoubtedly busy. However, we can still act in ways that are like the cool shade of a tree. We can help others to be soothed instead of crushed. Our words can offer shade in an otherwise hot and cruel world!

We do not know the struggles of those we meet. We may not even know of the struggles of some of our close friends. However, we can speak in ways that provide soothing and love rather than crushing cruelty. When we speak, we need to speak out of love - out of God's love. It is through God that injustices can be brought to light. It is through His love that we can fight against the forces that crush spirits. As long as we call on God and rely on Him, we can spread love and help people experience God's soothing in an unjust world.

Follow God and ask for His love to guide your words so they are soothing to those you meet!

Dear God-
Thank You for Your love that can soothe even the most upset spirit. Help me to find soothing and comfort in You and help my words to bring Your comfort to others. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Get a Hand!

5/27/2020

"Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them." -Hebrews 7:25 (NIV)

The conditions surrounding the pandemic remind us that we rely on others. No matter how independent we may think we are or we try to be, it becomes difficult to survive on our own. We need to get a hand from others in order to make our lives easier and better!

While we rely on other people in our lives, we still need more! We need God and Jesus in our lives. We need to be willing to accept that "hand" that Jesus extends to us. We can accept Salvation through Him. We can rely on Him to take our requests and needs to God. We can have faith that the hand He gives will help us to survive now and for eternity!

Take the hand that Jesus gives so you can be redeemed and He can advocate for you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for sending Jesus to save me and advocate for me. Help me to trust in Jesus and to trust in You.

Love & Challenge

5/26/2020

"But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." -Luke 6:27-28 (NIV)

There are people and events that anger us. While we may be angered and frustrated, we need to approach these situations with love. We need to draw on God's power and the examples of Jesus. We can use love and still challenge the systems around us!

We can love our enemies but still fight against the behaviors and systems of mistreatment. We can respond by doing good things without condoning hatred. We can follow the example of Jesus and be assured by the power of God. With love and faith, we can stand up for ourselves and for those that are oppressed. We can give voice to the needs of others. We can fight injustice, hatred, and mistreatment through prayerful action rooted in God's power!

Pray to God and use His love and power to fight injustice, hatred, and mistreatment in the world!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love and the power that it gives. Help me to respond to injustice, hatred, and mistreatment through Your love and power. In Jesus I pray, amen.

On Guard and Standing Firm!

5/25/2020

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." -I Corinthians 16:13 (NIV)

My dog likes to be on guard. When we are outside in the yard, he makes a point of warning us when he sees something and then barking to scare it away. We may sometimes feel this way in life. We may look around and then try to scare away what we may perceive as threats.

We are reminded in the Bible to stand guard. We want to protect our hearts. We want to make progress in our journey of following God. However, we cannot depend on our own "bark" to scare away the threats in our lives. Instead, we need to have faith in God and then stand in this faith. We can be courageous and strong reassured by God's power. We can stand firm in God!

Be on guard by standing firm in God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the power that You share with me. Help my faith to continually grow so I can stand firm in You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Find Your Strength!

5/24/2020

"But I will sing of Your strength, in the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble." -Psalm 59:16 (NIV)

The evens in our lives can be trying. We may feel that we are weak and unable to deal with whatever events we are facing. No matter how low we feel, we can find strength. We just need to look in the right place!

In God, we can find strength. He is near, whether morning, mid-day, or night. If we call on Him, He will answer. No matter the situations we face or how we feel, God can help us, whether improving our outlook or providing strength in whatever form we need. When looking for strength, we know that the right place to look is looking to God!

When you need strength, look to God and call on Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the strength and support You provide. Help me to always have the strength I need to face all of the situations in my life. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Across the Earth!

5/23/2020

"Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth." -Psalm 108:5 (NIV)

As social media has developed and grown in popularity, an image, video, or saying can go "viral" and be known across the world in very little time. While we may be amazed at how quickly information and ideas can spread, there is something even more amazing. God has always been and will always be all over the earth!

God is with us wherever we go! We can rely on Him because He is always there. Because God is always there for us, we need to praise Him and give Him all the glory. Our praise for all that God is and does should "go viral" so the whole world knows that God is here - everywhere - and ready to show us His love. All praise to Him!

God is everywhere and your praise of Him should be across the earth!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being with me everywhere. All praise to You across the earth! In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Your Heart's Reflection!

5/22/2020

"As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart." -Proverbs 27:19 (NIV)

Spending time at home and working on the computer, there are more opportunities to see my reflection. Whether we look in the water, a mirror, or our computer monitor, we see a reflection of what is on the outside. We may or may not always like what we see, but that outward reflection is less important than what is reflecting from the inside!

What really matters is what is reflected from in our hearts. Our hearts truly reveal the type of person we are and the type of person we want to be. If we want that reflect to be pleasing, we need need to be sure that our hearts are centered on God. When we keep God as our focus and invite Him to fill our hearts, we can be assured that we will like what we see in our heart's reflection!

Ask God to fill your heart so it reflects God's love and all that is pleasing!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love. Please fill my heart so that I can reflect all that is good and pleasing because of You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Get Some Light!

5/21/2020

"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all." -I John 1:5 (NIV)

Summertime is coming and many of us may be eager to get outside in the warmth of sunny days. Being in the sun can lift our spirits. While we enjoy the longer and warmer days of summer, we can be reminded that we need light in our spiritual lives, too!

God is light. Even when life seems dark, we can depend on God's light. God's light can lift our spirits. His light can give us direction. It is through God that we can see our way through this life and into eternity with Him. We don't have to experience darkness because we can get His light!

Get God's light in your life to warm your soul and lift your spirit!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your light in my life. Help me to always follow Your light. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Avoiding Temptation

5/20/2020

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." -Matthew 26:41 (NIV)

I recently saw a reminder that, "There is always free cheese in a mousetrap." There are many temptations in life and some can be hard to resist. However, the outcomes of giving in to temptations are often unpleasant. How do we avoid the temptations that are always around us?

Temptations may be appealing, even if we know we should avoid them. Sometimes it may feel that our bodies react without much thought. We know that temptation is all around. To avoid temptations that lead us away from God, we need to be watchful and prayerful. When we communicate with God through prayer, we can hear His guidance. We can know what to watch out for and how to avoid falling!

Pray to God and follow His guidance to avoid temptation!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your guidance and strength. Help me to know what to look out for and how to avoid temptation. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Hear and Have Faith!

5/19/2020

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." -Romans 10:17 (NIV)

There are things in life that we cannot control, no matter how much we may want to! There are times when we just need to trust that things will work out. It becomes easier to trust when we have faith. How do we have faith?

God provides us with His Word that is filled with His message. When we spend time in God's Word, we can truly hear His message. As we take His Word to heart, we can know Him, His promises, and His power. We can know Jesus Christ as our Savior. As we know God, hear His Word, and learn His message, our faith can grow and we can trust in God to bring us through anything in life!

Hear God's Word and have faith in Him through all things!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your Word and message in my life. Help my trust and faith to grow as I continue to learn from You. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Unashamed!

5/18/2020

"And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming." -I John 2:28 (NIV)

There is an inspirational quote that says, "Do not be ashamed of how many times you've fallen, but be proud of how many times you've gotten up." Sometimes we can be embarrassed or ashamed when we fall or fail. However, we do not need to be ashamed if we are growing in God's will!

When we choose to follow God, we are making a commitment to Him with our whole lives. We do not want to be ashamed in His presence. This is why we need Jesus Christ as our Savior. No matter how hard to try to live without falling, we will inevitably fail at some point. However, Jesus is our Redeemer and He can not only strengthen and support us, but He can also erase our sin in the eyes of God. Because of Jesus, we can be confident and unashamed!

Be confident and unashamed in God's presence because of your salvation through Jesus Christ!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank you for the salvation given through Your Son. Help me to live in You and to be confident and unashamed. Through Jesus, my Savior, I pray, amen.

Making It Easier!

5/17/2020

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

Whether in the classroom or online, I try to give directions that will help my students. I want the experience of learning to be meaningful and enjoyable. In my mind, at least, my plans are to make learning easier for my students, but I need them to listen to and trust me!

Jesus also has a plan to make our lives easier. He doesn't want us to be burdened with a heavy yoke. He doesn't want us to live our lives weighed down by sin. However, to be free from the burdens of sin, we need to listen to Jesus! We need to allow Him to take our heavy burden in exchange for His light one and we need to learn from Him. When we accept the redemption that is provided through the sacrifice of Jesus, we will find that life is easier than carrying our sin on our own!

Allow Jesus to make your life easier by trading your heavy yoke for His light one!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for taking my heavy burdens. Help me to let go of what is weighing me down and to accept all that Jesus has to offer. Through Him I pray, amen.

Safety and Refuge!

5/16/2020

"Keep me safe, my God, for in You I take refuge." -Psalm 16:1 (NIV)

Each and every day we face dangers in life. Some dangers are easily seen and identified; others can be invisible. We may need to find safety from threats around us or even inside of us. However, we know that no matter what, we have a place of safety and refuge!

God is our place to find safety and refuge. He is able to give us comfort and protection. We should not hesitate to turn to God with requests to keep us safe. After we ask God for safety and refuge, we need to listen to Him and follow the ways He provides to keep us safe. Whether we face dangers we can or cannot see or threats come from inside or out, we can find safety and refuge in God!

No matter the danger or threat, turn to God and follow Him tot safety!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the safety and refuge that only You can provide. Please keep me safe and help me to follow Your wisdom in all things. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Eyes Ahead!

5/15/2020

"Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you." -Proverbs 4:25 (NIV)

There are many distractions in life. Some distractions are by choice and some are unavoidable. Even though there are many things vying for our attention, we need to be sure we keep ourselves focused, especially when it comes to our spiritual lives!

Proverbs reminds us to look straight ahead. No matter what is happening around us, God is a constant in our lives. We don't need to worry about what is behind us or around us, we just need to stay focused on God and His will for each of us. Keeping our eyes ahead and on Him will lead us through our time on earth and into eternity with Him!

Keep your eyes ahead and focused on God so He can lead you to eternity with Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always being present and ready to be my focus. Help me to stay focused on You and Your will in my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

New Ways to Learn?

5/14/2020

"Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground." -Pslam143:10 (NIV)

As school buildings have closed, teachers and students continue to teach and learn. Even though learning is now occurring from a distance, teachers are doing their best to teach and students are trying their best to learn. This reminds us that we can learn in many different ways - both old and new!

God is our teacher and He can teach us in many different ways. We may hear Him speaking directly to us as we pray and spend time listening to Him. We can also learn from reading His Word and learning from the examples He provides. We can learn from others in our lives, too, no matter if these people are near or far. God knows that we need to keep learning and He is prepared to continue teaching us in both old and new ways to learn!

Call on God and listen to His teaching in all the ways He has prepared you to learn!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for continuing to teach me. Help me to learn Your lessons and to put my learning into practice. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Share Your Great Physician!

5/13/2020

"On hearing this, Jesus said, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.'" -Matthew 9:12 (NIV)

Whether or not you watch the news, the current conditions continue to remind us that there are people who are sick and that need help. If we know someone that is sick and we know a good doctor, we would likely recommend that good doctor. The same is true in our spiritual lives. We need to be willing ot recommend our "Great Physician"!

Jesus may be referred to as the "Great Physician." This is not only because He physically healed many people during His time on earth, but also because of His ability ot heal our souls. Once we have met the "Great Physician" and invited Him to be in our lives, He begins to heal and redeem us. We also have a responsibility with Jesus in our lives. We need to share Him with others so they, too, can be healed by the redemption that only He can provide!

Know Jesus and share Him with others so they can be spiritually healed!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your healing presence in my life. Help me to share You with others so they, too, can experience Your healing. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Always Hope!

5/12/2020

"May Your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in You." -Psalm 33:22 (NIV)

Throughout our lives, we will undoubtedly experience days that seem to be darker than others. We may struggle to move forward. However, Christopher Reeve reminds us, "Once you choose hope, anything's possible." We need to have hope, but we also need a foundation for our hope!

God is the perfect foundation for our hope. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and He is filled with love for each and every one of us! No matter how dark or how bright our days may seem, God is by our side with His unfailing love, compassion, and guidance. We need to have hope. When this hope is in God, anything is possible!

Always hope in God and know that anything's possible!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love and guidance. Thank you for giving me a reason to hope! In Jesus I pray, amen.

Cast and Stand!

5/11/2020

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved." -Psalm 55:22 (ESV)

"When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Many of us have probably heard these words. When we face challenges, that saying may come to mind. However, there are times when we cannot seem to get ourselves going. Whether we think we can or cannot get going on our own, we need to turn to God!

God calls on us to cast our burdens on Him. As we follow Him, we can be reassured that He will sustain us and protect us. When we cast our troubles on Him and ask for His guidance, we can stand tall with God. Trusting in God, we can be tough enough, we can get going, and we can continue to serve the Lord!

Cast your troubles and burdens on God and then stand tall in His love and support!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for taking my troubles and helping me through the tough times. Help me to always rely on You and to trust in Your way. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Keep Going!

5/10/2020

"I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint." -Jeremiah 31:25 (NIV)

In the movies Finding Nemo and Finding Dory, Dory the fish says "just keep swimming!" There are times when we feel worn down, but we know we need to keep going. When we are faced with these times, we need a source of strength. God is that source!

God is a source of strength and inspiration. He is also a source that can refresh us. He can restore and renew our souls. He can keep us satisfied and can keep us from growing faint. We know that the world will take its toll on us, but we also know where to turn. Instead of being weary and faint, we can be refreshed by turning to and trusting God!

Turn to God and allow Him to refresh you and keep you going!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being a source of renewal and strength. Help me to always turn to and trust in You when I am feeling worn down. In Jesus I pray, amen.