Blog Archives - Bible Inspired

Special Delivery!

3/31/2019

"From the Lord comes deliverance. May Your blessing be on Your people." -Psalm 3:8 (NIV)

I remember when I was younger waiting for packages to arrive in the mail. Things tended to take longer to arrive than what we are used to today. Now when we place an order, we often expect our package in a matter of days, not weeks. Even so, I still get excited when a delivery arrives!

We should also be excited when God promises to deliver us. God's delivery may sometimes seem like it is taking longer than we would like, but He is always blessing us. He places us where we need to be with the promise that He will look out for us. We are the special delivery that will be taken to eternity with God. We just need to call on Him and allow Him to guide us and provide deliverance!

God will deliver You, just be patient and trust in Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for caring for me and wanting to deliver me to eternity with You. Help me to trust in You and Your plan. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Help Out!

3/30/2019

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." -Galatians 6:2 (ESV)

One of the great things I see at school is young people that are willing to get involved and lend a hand. There are several community service groups that help out around the school and throughout the community. Some of our sports teams even do community service to help younger kids in the community be able to enjoy activities.

We are reminded in the Bible to love and help one another. We all know that there are people with burdens all around us. Many of us have our own burdens, too. When we take the time to help each other, all of these burdens can become lighter. The task of surviving and making it through life becomes easier and happier when there are others on our side. Jesus showed us how to love, how to help, and, ultimately, how to bear a burden that wasn't His. We can learn from Jesus, then set out to love and help bear one another's burdens!

Help out wherever and whenever you can. Just like Jesus showed us!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Jesus and for Him bearing the burden of my sin. Help me to help out by spreading Your love and helping to lighten the load of someone else. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Age is Just a Number

3/29/2019

"Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." -I Timothy 4:12 (NIV)

I am reading a book that refers to teachers as "teacher-students" and students as "student-teachers." The intent is to remind us that we while we may be viewed as "teachers," we are still able to learn. Our "students" are also capable of teaching us. no matter how young or old we are, we can both teach and learn!

We shouldn't look down on others or allow others to look down on us because of our age. No matter what age we are, we can teach and learn. Instead of trying to be teachers or learners, we can strive to live our lives as examples of God's presence in our words and actions. We can show love, faith, and purity. While we do these things, we can allow ourselves to be open to both teaching and learning as God sees fit in His plan!

No matter your age, always live for God and be prepared to both teach and learn!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You have given to me. Help me to use my experiences to live as an example for You as I both teach and learn. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Grace and Faith!

3/28/2019

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." -Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

There may be many things we want to change in the world. We may go out and try to tackle these things on our own. One of the first lessons we learn is that there are things we just can't do on our own. Saving ourselves is one of them!

We cannot work our way into heaven with good deeds. We cannot save ourselves through our own actions or the kind words of others. It is only through God's grace that we can be saved. When we have faith in Him and accept the sacrifice of His Son, God's grace can fill us and we can experience complete redemption. It is not our works, but the work of God that allows us to be made whole and to spend eternity with Him!

Have faith and accept God's grace so He can save you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your grace in my life. Help me to continue to grow in my faith and to always accept the grace and mercy that You offer. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

One Above All!

3/27/2019

"For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods." -Psalm 135:5 (ESV)

People are often willing to share their favorites or suggestions. We can also find numerous "best-of" lists for almost anything we're interested in or would want to know. We can also look up the top songs, movies, books, etc. However, we don't need to look far to find the greatness of our God!

We may see many different "gods" throughout the world, from the love of money and things and ranging to many different ideas about gods. Even though the world may place value on these things and ideas, there is only one God. God is great and He is the One above all others. Our God is worthy of our devotion and praise. We can celebrate God for all of His power, strength, grace, and mercy!

There is only one God. Praise Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being part of my life. All praise and glory to You! In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Renewed Each Day!

3/26/2019

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." -II Corinthians 4:16 (ESV)

I enjoy exercising. I know that even when I may not feel like it, exercising will help me feel better. Even so, no matter how hard we try to care for ourselves, our bodies change over time. Our earthly bodies will not last forever, but we can be renewed!

God is our eternal source of renewal. Our souls can be renewed as we find redemption through God's grace and mercy. As we age, we do not have to worry about fading away. We can allow God to renew our inner selves each and every day. We need to keep our faith in God and keep returning to Him to be renewed!

Be faithful and allow God to renew you each day!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for renewing me and providing me eternal life. Help me to always turn to You for renewal and salvation. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Grace and Compassion

3/25/2019

"For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn His face from you if you return to Him." -II Chronicles 30:9b (NIV)

When we look around us, grace and compassion sometimes seem scarce. No matter how scarce it may seem, we can find love, compassion, and grace, we can look for it even in the smallest of acts. We can also find grace and compassion if we look beyond this world!

We know that any time we turn to God, we can experience His everlasting grace and compassion! God promises to be with us. As long as we turn to Him, God will embrace us with His love. We can feel His compassion. We can experience His grace. When we feel a scarcity of grace and compassion in the world, we just need to look above to God to find it!

Turn to God to find grace and compassion that never ends!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the love, grace, and compassion that You have shown me. Help me to spread Your love, to express graciousness, and to be compassionate so others can know You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Greater Than Silver or Gold!

3/24/2019

"How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!" -Proverbs 16:16 (NIV)

A lot of our focus on this world may be centered on the "things" we have and the way to get these things. We may focus on "silver and gold" and making money. While we need to survive, our freedom and happiness does not come through the number of things we have. To be free, we need to have wisdom and insight that can lead to happiness!

The path to being free is not through earthly riches. In order to be free, we need to accept the forgiveness and redemption that only God can offer to us. As we follow God, we can allow Him to use our experiences to provide wisdom and insight into our own lives and for the world around us. As we experience God's forgiveness and wisdom, we can truly be free to live our lives for Him - which is greater than silver or gold!

God will forgive you and provide wisdom that is greater than silver or gold - accept it!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the forgiveness, experiences, and wisdom that You provide. Help me to accept all that You offer. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Good Directions!

3/23/2019

"Direct my footsteps according to Your word; let no sin rule over me." -Psalm 119:133 (NIV)

I recently saw a sign that said, "A bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn!" Undoubtedly, life will give us twists and turns. Sometimes we may feel like we're heading toward the end of the road. At other times we may feel like we're barely hanging on as we round the bend. Regardless of the road, we always need to listen to God's direction!

God is our willing guide. We just need to be willing to stop and listen to Him. As we travel through our lives, we need to be aware of the bends, the curves, and even the straightaways. In all areas of our lives, we are tempted with sin. Yet, we can overcome these temptations with good direction. We can call on God and listen as He directs our footsteps to ensure safe travels that will lead to eternity with Him!

Ask God for good directions and then listen to Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the direction that You give in my life. Help me to always listen and follow Your direction. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Never Give Up!

3/22/2019

"But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one." -II Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV)

In a recent conversation, a colleague and I were talking about how, as teachers, we should never give up on any of our students. There are times when a student may not see the value in the support we are offering, but that shouldn't be an excuse for not trying. The same is true in all of our daily lives. Whether it is in a classroom or our interactions with people we meet, we should rely on God for the strength to never give up on each other!

God doesn't give up on us. He is always faithful and ready to provide us with the wisdom, strength, and protection that we need. God even sent His Son to give us a path to forgiveness and redemption. As we interact with others in our lives, whether for a moment or over a period of time, we should try to model our lives after God. We should always try to help and support each other. We can call on God and trust that He will help us to maintain our faith and protect us from evil as we help one another!

Follow God's example and allow Him to help you to never give up on others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being faithful and never giving up on me. Help me to rely on Your strength and love so I can follow Your example and not give up on others. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Forgiveness for the Asking!

3/21/2019

"Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.' And You forgave the guilt of my sin." -Psalm 32:5 (NIV)

Sometimes we may think that forgiveness is difficult to find or hard to get. We may spend time worrying about what we have done in the past or in searching for answers. Even though the world may want us to think we are defined by our past, we can live a new life. It all starts by asking God!

God knows that we sin. Even though we sin, our sin doesn't have to be a death sentence. We can learn from our past and we can find redemption through God. In order to begin a new life in Him, we need to start by confessing our sin and asking for forgiveness. Through Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven and begin living a new life!

Don't search for forgiveness, just ask God and begin living a new, redeemed life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your Son and the forgiveness that You offer through Him. Help me to accept Your forgiveness and to live a new, redeemed life following Your path. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Before the Mountains

3/20/2019

"Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God." -Psalm 90:2 (NIV)

Whether it is because I am getting older or because technology seems to have sped up communication, time seems to fly by. Even though some days may drag on, the weeks, months, and years go by in a blink. As we count our time on Earth, we need to remember that our faith is in something that expands beyond time!

God has always existed and will continue to exist. Even though our time on Earth is limited, we can find everlasting life with God through accepting His Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior. Knowing we are secure in God's family, we can praise Him for all that He has done in our lives and all that He will continue to do forever!

Since before the mountains until after they are gone, God will be with you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always being by my side. Praise to You forever! In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Quietness and Trust

3/19/2019

"And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever." -Isaiah 32:17 (ESV)

I was recently talking with a colleague about the different personalities we experience in colleagues and students. Some are quiet and content to fade into the background, doing what they need to get by without being noticed. Others want to be front and center and will make every effort to be the loudest, most important person in the room.

Often our lives involve the need to navigate personalities and egos. Whether we want to blend in or get everyone's attention, we need to act with grace and in God's righteousness. When we choose to call on God, accept His forgiveness, and try to live righteous lives, we can prepare for the effects of righteousness. We can prepare for peace and and enduring quietness and trust that can only come through God!

In all your interactions with others, find peace, quietness, and trust through living in God's righteousness!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for taking away my sin. Help me to live in Your righteousness and to experience the peace, quietness, and trust that only You can provide. In Jesus' name pray, amen.

Don't Be Shaken!

3/18/2019

"Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken." -Psalm 62:2 (NIV)

We probably all have days when we feel like we are under attack. Whether at home, work, or even church, we may feel like we are either taking the heat for something or being called on to solve a problem that doesn't appear to have a solution! Whenever we feel like we can't get away from the stress of the world, we need to remember to our rock and fortress!

God is our rock, our salvation, and our fortress. No matter the size or number of attacks coming from the world around us, God calls us into His solid fortress. No matter the stress that we feel around us, we do not have to be shaken. When the demands of the world begin to toss us about, we can call on God and allow Him to comfort, protect, and refresh us. Through God's loving strength, we can be renewed so we can continue our work for Him without being shaken!

Don't let the world attack and toss you off course. Call on God and don't be shaken!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being my fortress against the stress and attacks of the world. Help me to always call and rely on Your strength to protect me. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Finding Counsel

3/17/2019

"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." -Proverbs 15:22 (NIV)

We can only go so far on our own. Building relationships is one of the lessons I have learned throughout life and have tried to convey to my students. When we build relationships and work together we can support each other's progress. We just need to find the right counsel that will not lead us down the wrong roads!

We have to know who will provide the best counsel. We cannot rely on everyone for advice, because we know that trying to listen to or please everyone is impossible. Instead, we need to find counsel that is filled with wisdom. Having advisers that are honest and constructive can help us succeed more than we could on our own. To find these advisers, we need to turn to God. It is through God's wisdom that we can be directed to the relationships and counsel that will help us succeed!

Ask God for counsel and allow Him to provide the advisors that will help you succeed!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the people and relationships that You have put in my life. Help me to always know the true counsel that will help me succeed for Your glory. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Don't Say It Mean

3/16/2019

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." -Proverbs 15:1 (ESV)

Throughout our lives, we will encounter countless times when we may have an emotional reaction. These reactions sometimes lead to harsh words. However, Andrew Wachter reminds us to, "Say what you mean, but don't say it mean." When we come from a place of love, we can find ways to respond that diffuse instead of escalate a situation!

God is full of love, grace, and mercy. He tells us the truth, but He is not mean. God only wants what is best for each and every one of us. We should follow God's example when we interact with each other. We can call on Him to share with us the love, grace, mercy, and guidance that we need. Before we respond with harsh words that stir up anger, we can allow God to give us the soft answer that will allow others to see His glory through us!

Talk to God and allow Him to give you the perfect response!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love, grace, and mercy in my life. Help me to always call on and listen to You for the perfect response that does not lead to anger. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Come Closer!

3/15/2019

"Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." -James 4:8 (NIV)

In the story of "Little Red Riding Hood", the wolf asks for her to come closer. As readers of the story know, the wolf didn't have good intentions. We may sometimes feel the same way when people want to get closer or too close. However, we never have to fear when we get closer to God!

God wants to have a relationship with each and every one of us. He also wants what is best for us. For our relationships with God to grow, we need to move closer to Him. We can come closer by becoming purifed, which we can only do through accepting Jesus Christ. With Jesus as our Savior, we can purify our hearts and minds. We can be cleansed of our sin. We can then move closer to God and the glory and blessings that only He can provide!

Accept Jesus, move closer to God, and accept His blessings!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for allowing me to be close to You. Help me to continue to be closer to You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Everything!

3/14/2019

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." -Mark 12:30 (NIV)

What does it mean when we commit to something? Depending on the situation, our commitment may vary. We may commit to something and just "hang in there" until the end. Other times, we may commit to giving our all to a cause that we truly believe in. While our commitments may change as our passions and interests change, we need to always be committed to God!

When we commit to following God, we need to commit with everything we have. We need to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. By committing our lives to God, we can begin to see His plan for our lives. We can trust God with our whole selves and prepare to experience more than we could ever imagine. When we commit everything to God, He will reward us!

Commit to following God and loving Him with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for caring for me. Help me to always commit my everything to You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Kind Words!

3/13/2019

"A person finds joy in giving an apt reply--and how good is a timely word!" -Proverbs 15:23 (NIV)

The things we say can make a difference. While we may remember the discouraging things that some people have said to us, we probably also remember positive and encouraging words. We especially remember when those kind words came at just the right time in our lives. While we may get joy from receiving kind words, we can also get joy as we give kind words and encouragement.

God encourages us with His love. He also calls us to share His love and to act in kindness. As we meet others, we can find joy in both giving and receiving good news. God has given us the best news of redemption offered through Jesus Christ. God has also given us His love. As we follow God, we can bring joy by sharing kind words and the Good News!

Bring joy with your kind words and God's Good News!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your Son and redemption through Him. Help me to share kind words and the Good News of Salvation with others. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

See and Respond!

3/12/2019

“But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” -Mark 10:43-45 (ESV)

A friend recently shared a quote from Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers said, "We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say, 'It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.' Then there are those that see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes."

When we choose to follow God, we choose to serve others. Through our service to others, we serve God. We can begin to serve by recognizing the need of those around us. After we see the need, we need to take action. We need to respond to the need. With God's guidance, wisdom, and strength, we can take on the problems of this world. With God's love, we can see and respond!

See the need, call on God, and respond with His love and strength!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for sharing Your love and strength. Help me to use these gifts to see and respond to the needs around me. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Trust the Unfailing!

3/11/2019

"But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for He has been good to me." -Psalm 13:5-6 (NIV)

We will experience ups and downs in life. There are times when we will fail, but we need to find ways to keep on moving forward. One way we can make progress is by putting our trust and faith into someone that will not fail!

We can find unfailing love, salvation, and mercy in God. We can find rest and comfort in Him. We can find redemption and strength in God. Once we have chosen to follow the faithful and unfailing God, we can praise Him for His active role in our lives. We can trust the unfailing God and praise Him as He leads us!

Trust God because He will never fail you and then praise Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your unfailing love and guidance. Help me to always follow You. Praise to Your grace and glory! In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

In Good Time...

3/10/2019

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." -II Peter 3:9 (ESV)

In our world today, we may find it hard to wait. We have nearly instantaneous access to many different things. If the access isn't instant, we often don't have to wait more than a day or two. Even though we may come to expect things to happen quickly, on our terms, we need to learn that our timing is not always the best timing!

God has a plan for our lives. He will not forsake us or go back on the promises He has made. We just need to wait on God and His perfect timing. We can be assured that God wants what is best for each and every one of us. As long as we are following God, we can trust that He is watching our steps. In good time, in His time, we will recognize all that He has promised!

In God's time, all of His promises will be fulfilled!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your presence and promises in my life. Help me to wait patiently for Your perfect time. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

What is Your Motivation?

3/9/2019

"Do everything in love." -I Corinthians 16:14 (NIV)

Benjamin Franklin said that, "Motivation is when your dreams put on work clothes." We all have reasons for our actions. Sometimes are reasons are upstanding, other times they may be less than noble. As we live as followers of God, we should strive for motivation that is rooted in sharing God's love!

We can know love through God and His Son. Our words and actions should come from or be motivated by God's love for us. Because we know love, we can share it with others. As we prepare to put on our work clothes for the Kingdom of God, we should dress ourselves in humility and love that will allow others to see God's glory in all we say and do!

Let God's love be your motivation in everything you do!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me. Help me to always act out of Your love so others can see Your glory. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Hear!

3/8/2019

"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." -Romans 10:17 (ESV)

One of the lessons I try to teach my students is how to listen and actually hear each other. Taking time to stop and listen is a skill that many of us may even struggle with as adults. However, listening and hearing lessons can provide us with experiences that can help us grow and become better people, even in our faith!

We can grow our faith when we take the time to listen and hear God. We can hear God's message through reading God's Word and listening to the lessons shared through Jesus Christ. When we take the time to truly listen and hear, we can become closer with God and better understand His plan for our lives. Take the time to hear and then put the lessons into action!

Spend time talking and listening to God so you can hear and act!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the lessons that You have provided. Help me to listen and hear Your teaching and put it into action in my life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Keep Building Yourself!

3/7/2019

"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." -Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV)

As a teacher, I encourage my students to always be learners. No matter how old we are or how educated we become, there is always more that we can know and there are ways we can become better. As we live and grow, we can also become built up through our faith in Jesus Christ!

We can learn lessons throughout our lives. God gives us many resources and guidance to learn about Him, His Truth, and the ways we should live. To continue building ourselves and allow God to build us up, we need to be rooted in Him. With God as our foundation, we can trust in His plan. We can know that God will continue to establish us, teach us and guide us. We can praise God for His faithfulness in building us up!

Continue to grow in your faith and to be built up by God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for teaching me and building me up. Help me to continually grow closer to You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.