Bible Inspired - Devotionals

Default to Love!

4/3/2020

"For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" -Galatians 5:14 (NIV)

I was recently listening to the radio and the host of the show mentioned that many people default to hate. He gave some examples of people on social media telling what they hate. His suggestion was simple. We may not like everything, but instead of focusing on what we hate, we should focus on love. Our thoughts and actions should default to love!

When we think about our actions, we should start from a place of love, not hate. We are reminded throughout the Bible that God is love. His love is visible in His Son coming to Earth and dying for our sin. It is because of His love for us that we can be redeemed and that we can love others. Instead of starting with hate, we should allow God to fill our hearts so we can always start with love - for ourselves and for those around us!

Allow God to fill your heart and start from a place of love!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love and for saving me from my sin. Help me to always start from a place of love, Your love. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Reborn!

4/2/2020

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." -John 3:16 (NIV)

As the temperatures warm throughout the spring season, we experience the emergence of life. We see it in the flowers that begin to bud and bloom. We see it in animals emerging from hibernation or returning migrations. We see it in the new animals being born. All of these things may excite us, but we should also remember our opportunity for rebirth!

God loves us. He loves us so much that He sent His Son to live on earth and then die for our sin. We cannot redeem ourselves by our own works or through our own intentions. We can only experience eternal life through the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Because God loves us, He has provided us a pathway to a "spring" in our own lives! We just need to accept the gift of His Son and be reborn through Him!

Accept the gift of God's one and only Son, Jesus Christ, and be reborn in Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Jesus and for saving me from my sin. Help me to live each day reborn and ready to serve You. Through Jesus, my Savior, I pray, amen.

Follow the Leader!

4/1/2020

"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children." -Ephesians 5:1 (NIV)

During the past several weeks we have likely come to know many different leaders, whether these leaders are local, state, national, or international leaders. We see them on television and hear their messages replayed on the news. While these leaders may have important information for us, we should not lose sight of the Leader that can truly save us for eternity!

When we choose to believe in God, we commit to following Him. He is our Leader! He is the example of what we should strive to be! No matter where our journeys seem to take us, we can always find direction by trusting in God. It is through Him that we can experience peaks of joy and celebration. It is also through Him that we can navigate the dark valleys of our lives. No matter where we are, we need to keep our eyes on God and follow the Leader!

No matter what is happening in your life, follow the true Leader, God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for leading me through all parts of my life. Help me to keep my focus on You as I continue on in my eternal journey. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

In All Things...

3/31/2020

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." -I Chronicles 16:34 (NIV)

Recently, watching or listening to the news brings many warnings and dire predictions. If we watch too much news, we may find ourselves sinking into depression or worry. Even when things look or sound bad, we need to have faith and give thanks to God!

God is powerful and good. He endures forever. Because of His power and endurance, we do not need to worry. Instead of focusing on what we cannot control and becoming worried or depressed, we need to turn to God and give thanks. As we have faith, we can praise God for His presence and action in our lives!

Remember to turn to God, and to praise and give thanks to Him in all things!

Praise:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your power and enduring presence. All praise and thanks to You now and forever. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Hold Your Head High!

3/30/2020

"As Scripture says, 'Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.'" -Romans 10:11 (NIV)

There are lots of things that can get us down. Sometimes, those "things" are the words or actions of others that may not understand our motives. However, a friend recently reminded me that we are called to be "fools for Christ." Even when others may question us or put us down for our faith, we need to hold our heads up high!

We are reminded in Romans that we are not to be ashamed. We know that God stands behind His promises. We know that we are redeemed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Because of God's strength, power, and love, we can stand tall in our faith. We can and should act on this faith. It is through our actions that people will begin to understand the presence and power of God and why we hold our heads high without shame!

Believe in the promises of God and in His power to redeem you, then live for Him and hold your head high!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your power and presence in my life. Help me to act out my faith and to hold my head high. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Find Wisdom & Understanding

3/29/2020

"Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding." -Proverbs 3:13 (N(V)

We have a lot of information at our fingertips, more than at any time in history. However, not everything we access is reliable or true. Sometimes, the spread of "information" (or "misinformation") can be detrimental to finding the truth. Instead of getting information, we need to strive for understanding and wisdom.

God gives us resources and places to find His Truth. We can turn to His Word and listen to Him as we communicate through prayer. We can ask Him for guidance as we read, hear, and see the streams of information around us. We just need to focus on God's Truth and what He is telling us, then we can find wisdom and understanding in the midst of information and misinformation!

Find God and listen to Him to find wisdom and understanding in the midst of the information of the world!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your Truth, wisdom, and understanding. Help me to rely on You to navigate the information around me. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Good of Others

3/28/2020

"No one should seek their own good, but the good of others." -I Corinthians 10:24 (NIV)

Recent events have reminded us that we are all here and in this life together. However, we have also seen how the actions of a few not concerned about others in the community can cause panic and wreak havoc. From spreading a virus to hoarding supplies, sometimes our choices seem to neglect the needs of others.

When we act or react, we need to follow the example that Jesus set for us during His time on earth. We need to take care of ourselves, but we cannot focus just on building our own wealth. We need to consider the well-being of others. We should use what we have to help others. We should appreciate and praise God for the good that we have in our lives and then use what we have been given for the good of others. With God's love and blessings, we have all that we need for our own good and for the good of others!

Accept God's blessings for your own good and allow them to help you do good for others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the good in my life. Help me to use the goodness You provide to help others. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Live Wise!

3/27/2020

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." -Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV)

The world is full of messages and ideas that compete for our attention. They may all claim to be true or to have the next best thing that we need. However, we should not believe everything we see or hear. To live as wise people, we need to be sure we are connected to God's truth and wisdom!

God gives us wisdom. He has given us His Word, connections as we communicate through prayer, and we learn from the experiences and people God places in our lives. We need to learn from these opportunities, making the most of each one, so that we can live with the wisdom God provides. We can then overcome the unwise and the evil we encounter in the messages of the world!

Live wise by making the most of the opportunities from God to gain wisdom and knowledge of Truth!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the opportunities that You have given me to learn, grow, and gain wisdom. Help me to act on this wisdom to overcome evil and live for You. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Learn and Bring Joy!

3/26/2020

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." -3 John 1:4 (NIV)

As schools close, teachers across the country are missing their students. There are many creative ways that are being used to keep in touch with students and to let students know that the teachers care. Teachers are also pleased when they see and hear about the progress students are making!

God is a great teacher. No matter the "classroom" we may find ourselves in, He is ready to instruct and guide. God is reaching out, ready to be in touch with us. We need to be in touch with Him through prayer, His Word, and listening to His guidance. We should then walk in His Truth and put our lessons into action. By doing this, we can bring joy to God!

Listen to God, your Teacher, and bring Him joy by putting His lessons into action!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for teaching me and guiding me. Help me to put Your lessons into action and to bring You joy. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Have Faith, Pray, and Listen!

3/25/2020

"For I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance." -Philippians 1:19 (NIV)

There are times when we think we know what we want. However, there are times that turn out for the best even if we don't get what we want. When we are facing uncertain circumstances, we may not know what we should or should not want. In these times we need to be sure that we are talking to God and then listening to those that He speaks through in our lives!

We know that God is with us and that He wants what is best for us. If we truly believe that, then we need to listen to Him. He gives us supports and resources to help us through whatever we are facing. We need to be willing to accept His direction and the knowledge and resources we are given in order to overcome. We need to have faith, pray, and listen to what God is saying and providing for us!

Have faith, pray to God, then listen to and accept the help He gives you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You provide in my life. Help me to accept the knowledge, wisdom, and resources that You provide. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Sacrifice!

3/24/2020

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." -Romans 12:1 (NIV)

I was recently listening to an interview on the radio where a doctor was talking about the need to think of others and not just ourselves. To help stop the spread of the flu, we may need to make choices that consider others, not just what we want to do. In the end, everyone would be better for the sacrifice!

The same is true in our spiritual lives. In order to serve God and realize the rewards that He has to offer, we may need to change the way we live. When we live for God, we are following Him and offering ourselves as living sacrifices. When we do this, we can help others to see the true potential and power of God. In the end, we will all be better by being living sacrifices and worshiping Him!

Become better by being a living sacrifice for God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You do in my life. Help me to be a living sacrifice for You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

As One!

3/23/2020

"For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." -I Corinthians 12:13 (NIV)

We see many divisions in society. We are often good at classifying things and people, putting them in different boxes and highlighting differences. Every so often, though, we experience circumstances that bring us together. We should take these reminders to work together and support each other. We need to remember that God has called us to be one!

In God, our differences do not matter. God can bring us together in His love. We can join as members of one body. After we join together, we can work as one to help and support each other. We can serve each other. We can accept help when we need it. When we are baptized and formed into one body, we can act as one in God's Spirit to help bring His Kingdom to earth here and now and for eternity!

Join in one Spirit to form one body so you can act as one for God's Kingdom!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your Spirit and support. Help me to act as one with other believers to support further Your Kingdom now and for eternity. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Still Gathered!

3/22/2020

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." -Matthew 18:20 (ESV)

Normal routines have been disrupted. For many, this has even included the routine of gathering together for church service. In spite of not being together physically, we have found ways to still gather. As the pastor of my church reminded us, the church is not a building, it is us and we can find ways to come together and do God's work, regardless of the circumstances we face!

Even when we cannot physically gather in God's name, we are learning to gather in other ways. Whether through video conferencing, phone calls, or social media, we can join together in worship. We can support each other. We can welcome God and Jesus Christ into our lives, our conversations, and our actions. We can remember that God is here with us, no matter where or how we gather together in His name!

Gather together in God's name through whatever means possible and welcome Him in your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all of the ways in which we can gather in Your Name. Help me to find ways to continue to gather in Your Name and to worship You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Find Comfort

3/21/2020

"But You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high." -Psalm 3:3 (NIV)

Life can be hectic and routines can become overwhelming. However, changes in our routines can cause even more unrest. We may find it difficult to find comfort and peace in the world, but we are fortunate to have a shield and source of peace that goes beyond what we can find on earth!

As we face the uncertainty and turmoil of the world around us, we need to remember that God is our shield. God is our glory. He is the One that is always there for us, no matter what we face. He provides us with the wisdom and resources to help us make choices that will keep us safe. He lifts our spirits when we are down. He allows us to hold our head high and to find comfort in His love, power, and care. We just need to turn to and trust in God and the comfort He provides!

No matter what happens around you, turn to God and find comfort in His shield!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being my shield and for offering comfort no matter what I face in this world. Help me to always trust in and follow Your guidance. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Confidence in the Midst!

3/20/2020

"Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." -Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

The world around us can be crazy! Even if we try to separate ourselves from the world, we still feel its impacts on us. In the midst of everything that is happening around us, we need to remember that we are still works in progress. We need to be confident in God's process!

We are continually learning and growing. We can grow in positive ways, but we can also slip away from God's path. We need to remember that no matter what is happening around us, we can find confidence in God's work. He is working in our lives, we need to allow it to happen. Knowing that God is working for our perfect, eternal completion, we can be confident in the midst of everything that goes on around us!

Trust and be confident in God's work in your life, even in the midst of whatever may be happening!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love and workin my life. Help me to be open to Your work and to be confident in all that You are doing in my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

To Him!

3/19/2020

"That God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation." -II Corinthians 5:19 (NIV)

We all know that we grow and change over time. The people in our lives are growing and changing, too. Sometimes we grow apart from others in our lives. We may feel we are being pushed away or kept at a distance. While this may happen for many reasons, it will never happen with God!

Even though we sin and God cannot tolerate sin, He did not push us away. Instead of keeping us separate from Himself, God gave us a path to redemption and reconciliation. Jesus Christ died for our sin and conquered death through His resurrection. Because of God, we don't have to worry about being pushed away. We just need to accept the path of redemption that has been prepared and leads us to Him!

Don't push away from God - accept redemption through Jesus Christ!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for never pushing me away and for providing a path to reconciliation. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Panic or Calm?

3/18/2020

"Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end." -Proverbs 29:11 (NIV)

People facing the same circumstances can have different responses. We can react in panic or rage or we can calmly respond. Regardless of the situations we find ourselves in, we need to call on God and allow Him to guide our responses!

God is reassuring. He is trustworthy and powerful. When it is time to act or react, we need to turn to God. It is through His guidance that we can find the strength and direction that will empower us and allow us to overcome panic and rage. It is through talking to God through prayer and listening to His response that we can remain calm and find our way through whatever we are facing now and for eternity!

To avoid panic and act calmly, pray to God and follow His directions!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always being ready to guide me. Help me to always turn to You first and to listen to Your direction. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Continue Love

3/17/2020

"Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." -Hebrews 13:1-2 (ESV)

Our normal routines sometimes get interrupted. We have to change plans. We may be asked to stay away from others, but staying away does not mean we stop showing love or being hospitable. Even if we cannot be with each other in person, we need to check-in and support each other with love!

Whether we are in the same room or across the world, we are called to show love. We can engage each other in brotherly love through our actions and our words. We can show love in what we post online. We can show hospitality by checking in on a neighbor or donating to charities that will help in our community or communities across the world. As we are reminded in Hebrews, by continuing to show love, we may be entertaining angels without even knowing it!

Continue to show love near and far through all that you say and do!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love. Help me to spread Your love far and wide. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Practice, Learn, Get Better!

3/16/2020

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." -Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

Anne Lamott described the writing process by saying, "Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere." While she was describing writing, we may also apply these ideas to life. When we try to start on our own, we may be met with sub-par efforts. However, life can get better!

If we want to get better at writing (or anything), we need to see examples of good writing and we need to practice. To improve our lives, we need to focus on what is true and good. We need to then put these ideas into practice. Examples of what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and good are all around us. We can find them in God's Word. We can hear them in God's guidance when we pray. We can experience them in the people and events that God places in our lives. No matter where we start or what we are going through, we need to think about what is Godly and good in order to get better!

Focus on what is from God, put it into practice, and be better!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your examples of what is good, true, and holy. Help me to learn from You and to be better in my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Holding It Together

3/15/2020

"And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent." -Colossians 1:17-18 (ESV)

There are experiences in our lives that challenge us. There are times when we feel that we cannot hold everything together. Often, we reach these moments in our lives because we lose sight of what is important and we try to handle too much on our own.

When we feel like things are unraveling, we need to be sure our focus in the right place. God and Jesus Christ should be first in our lives. As the head of the church, Jesus Christ needs to be the head of our lives, lovingly guiding us through all that we face. With our faith in God, the Father, and Jesus Christ, His Son, we have an all-powerful, all-knowing support system that can help us hold it all together - as long as we keep our focus in the right place!

Put God and Jesus first in your life and accept their help to hold it all together!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your presence and power. Help me to keep You first in my life and to follow Your guidance to hold it all together. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Love/Hate

3/14/2020

"Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked." -Psalm 97:10 (NIV)

Love and hate are strong words and we have probably experienced feelings of love and hate in our lives. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, "Hate doesn't end hate. Love ends hate." In our lives, we need to be sure we hate evil, but then work to overcome this evil with love for God and each other!

God calls us to love Him and to show love to each other. To show this love, we can start with loving God and accepting His love. We can join Him in hating evil, but we cannot let this hatred spread in our lives. We can find safety as He guides and guards us. As we love God and hate evil, we can be more loving and overcome hate with love!

Hate evil and allow the love of God to help you overcome evil!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love. Help me to hate evil and overcome it with Your love in my life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Empty Spaces

3/13/2020

"The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.'" -Matthew 28:5-6 (NIV)

Walking into a place where we normally find many people and get caught up in the hustle and bustle of routines only to find it empty can feel a little disconcerting. As people take precautions and many events are canceled and venues closed, there will be a lot of these empty spaces. When we think about the empty places we are currently experiencing, we need to remember the most important empty space!

Jesus Christ was crucified and died for all of our sin. However, just dying wouldn't have been enough. He could not have conquered death by simply dying and lying in the tomb. When the women went to the tomb, it was empty! It is the empty space in the tomb that serves as a reminder that Jesus really did defeat death. His resurrection gives us hope and provides the salvation that God promised. It is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we have the empty space of the tomb and the promise of eternal life that it represents!

The most important empty space is the empty tomb and the eternal life given to us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for sending Jesus to die for my sin and for raising Him again from the dead. Help me to live for You now and for eternity. Through Jesus Christ I pray, amen.

Contradictions?

3/12/2020

"Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything." -II Corinthians 6:10 (NIV)

Actor Tim Blake Nelson is quoted as saying, "Really, life is full of contradictions. Life is messy." We have probably all experienced contradictions in life. However, our lives should be built on a foundation that is solid and our faith should remain through all that we face!

When we receive God's grace, we know that we will still experience the realities of living in the world. Because we live in the world, we may experience the contradictions of life. However, we cannot take the gift of our redemption through Jesus Christ lightly. We need to build our lives on Him and know that our faith in Him is for eternity and will outlast the contradictions of the world. We just need to look beyond the contradictions to focus on eternity with God!

Live in this world, but look beyond its contradictions and to eternity with God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your promise of eternity with You. Help me to grow in my faith and to overcome the contradictions of this world until I am with You for eternity. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Not Good Enough!

3/11/2020

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 3:14 (NIV)

Several years ago, I was told to just do what was "good enough" for my students. I was discouraged from asking questions or trying to be better at reaching my students. This directive has bothered me ever since that interaction. When we commit to following God, we cannot be satisfied with just "good enough."

God has called us for a purpose and with a goal. We are not to limit ourselves to what we can do on our own. We are not to stop with "good enough" when we are able to do more. Throughout our journey, we need to constantly communicate with God, which includes listening to Him. As we listen to God and allow Him to work in our lives, we can become more than we ever thought we could be. We can be more than the "good enough" of our own efforts. We can be transformed and put on a path of achieving the goals that God has for each of us. When we commit to God, we are not just good enough, we become whole and are better than we could ever imagine!

Don't settle for good enough. Allow God to transform you into someone amazing that can reach the goals He has set for you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You do to transform my life. Help me to become better each day and to reach the goals that You have set for me. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Who Do You Walk With?

3/10/2020

"Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." -Proverbs 13:20 (ESV)

We all have a journey through life. As we "walk" this journey, we will encounter others that join us. Some people join us for a short time, while others may be by our side for a longer time. Whenever we choose our companions, we need to be sure we choose people that can challenge us and help us grow!

God is always with us and He provides different people for us to encounter throughout our lives. Each person that we meet and travel with, no matter how short or long, can teach us lessons and help us grow. We need to be sure we are learning the right lessons. We can talk to God and listen as He helps us distinguish the wise from the fools. He can help us to learn, to grow, and to be the best that we can be as we prepare for eternity with Him!

Walk with God and the wise people that He places in your life so you can learn and grow!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the people in my life. Help me to know the wise from the fools and to learn the lessons that You intend. Through Jesus I pray, amen.