Blog Archives - Bible Inspired

Doing

4/30/2015

"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." -I John 3:18 (NIV)

A friend of mine recently shared a quote that is often attributed to John Wesley, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” This quote reminds us that loving and living in God requires more than just lip-service. We need to start doing!

We are called by God to be a people of action. We aren't to sit and talk about solving the world's problems. We are to go out and do something about them! As we work for God, we should do so with love and in His Truth. When we approach others with love and a desire to help in the name of God, we can truly help make the world a better place!

Don't sit around and talk. Stand up with God's love and start doing!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and giving me the ability to love and to "do" for You. Help me to be a person of action, sharing Your love with all those I meet. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Be the Sacrifice

4/29/2015

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." -Romans 12:1 (NASB)

Mahatma Gandhi is quoted as saying, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." When we are looking for the world to be a better place or to be more Christ-centered, we need to first look at our lives. We have the ability to be the change, but offering ourselves as living sacrifices to God.

Paul calls us, as fellow believers, to make ourselves living and holy sacrifices for God. When we turn our lives over to God, He can use us to build His Kingdom. If we want to change the world, if we want to bring people to the loving God, we should start with ourselves. By giving our lives to God as living sacrifices, we are worshiping God and allowing Him to use each of us in great ways!

Be the living sacrifice that God can use to spread His love!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me. Please use me as a living sacrifice so others can know Your love and the world can become centered on You. Through Jesus Christ I pray, amen.

Safe In His Hand

4/28/2015

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one." -John 10:27-30 (NASB)

Sometimes it feels as if the world is crashing down on us. Demands on our time, complications with our health, limitations of our resources, and expectations of others can all add to the pressures we feel. It can seem as if there is nothing we can do to avoid catastrophe.

When we feel the pressures of this world, we need to remember that we are safe. God holds us in His hand and He will not let anyone steal us from Him. When we feel like jumping out on our own, we should stop to think about the security and safety that God provides for us. We should remember that God is greater than all of the pressures and distractions of this world. We can draw near to Him and be safe in His hand!

Don't let the world get you down. Find a safe place in God's hand!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for holding me in Your hand. Help me to remember to draw near to You and allow You to protect me through whatever I am facing. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Mirror, Mirror

4/27/2015

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." -II Corinthians 3:18 (NASB)

One famous line from the Disney movie Snow White is, "Mirror, Mirror on the wall..." The evil queen in the movie wanted the mirror to tell her that she was "the fairest in the land." Many of us look in the mirror as we get ready for our day. While we are not expecting the mirror to talk to us, we may see a glimpse of our Lord, the fairest in all the land!

We are created in the image of God. As we live with God, study His Word, learn about Him, and follow His ways, God transforms us. He makes His image clearer in us, from our thoughts to our words to our actions. When we are living a life filled with God's Holy Spirit, we begin to recognize God in our lives. We can begin to see His glory revealed in each of us!

Look in the mirror and appreciate how God created you in His image!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for creating me in Your image. Help me to live according to Your will and Your guidance so I can see Your glory in my life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

No Win?

4/26/2015

"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." -Matthew 5:10 (NASB)

Sometimes it can feel like we are caught in a no win situation. It can seem like whatever choice we make we upset someone or we don't get the desired outcome. In life, we should stop and consider the eternal consequences of our actions and not just the situations on earth!

When caught in a no one situation on earth, we should turn to God for guidance and wisdom. He can help us know which path to follow. He also reassures us that even if we are persecuted here on earth, our focus on God will allow us to inherit the riches of Heaven!

When you think you are stuck in a no win situation, rely on God and eternity in heaven!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for helping me and guiding me through life. When I begin dwelling on earthly problems and no win situations, remind me to focus on Your way so I can move toward the rewards of Heaven. Through Jesus, my Savior, I pray, amen.

Power of One

4/25/2015

"For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ." -Romans 5:17 (NASB)

When I was working at a nature center, I helped develop a recycling awareness program called "The Power of One". We tried to help students understand that even small, singular actions can add up and have a large impact. Sometimes we forget in life about the power of one word, one smile, one action, or one thought on our lives and the lives of those around us.

While we can say or do one thing that has impacts on our lives and those around us, there is no other action more powerful than the death and resurrection of the One Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus' one action, we can live with God, experiencing His power, grace, and mercy, now and forever. God's love is strong enough that He wants us to take the one step of accepting salvation through Jesus so we can have a relationship with Him!

Accept salvation through Jesus and experience the power of that one step!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being the One powerful and true God. Help me to remember to continue to take one step toward You and allow me to experience Your power in my life. Through Jesus, the One Savior and Christ, I pray, amen.

Glory Forever

4/24/2015

"Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen." -Philippians 4:20 (NASB)

Some people are driven by the desire to gain recognition. Some people get offended when others don't receive the recognition or glory they think they deserve. As Christians, we know that all of the recognition and glory belong to God. We know that God is at work in our lives!

Our accomplishments, our riches, our "good fortune" is due to God and His power, grace, and mercy. When we look at what we have, whether earthly wealth, health, or heavenly riches, they are all because of God. God can take care of our needs, we just need to ask, trust, and be patient in God's plan for our lives. As we look at all we have been given now and for the eternity, we need to give God the glory, now and forever and ever!

God is good, give Him the glory forever and ever!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for everything that I have and everything that I am. May I always give You the glory, forever and ever. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

No Shame

4/23/2015

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'But the righteous man shall live by faith.'" -Romans 1:16-17 (NASB)

There are times in our lives when we may get embarrassed. Whether a mistake, a misunderstanding, or getting caught dancing or singing out loud to a favorite song, we might be ashamed. In all we do, we shouldn't be embarrassed by the Word and power of God!

The Word of God is powerful. We can learn from it. We can be guided and corrected by it. We shouldn't be embarrassed or ashamed by the Gospel. The Gospel can teach us about our faith and the power and righteousness that comes with our faith. We can read, meditate on, and listen to God's Word and apply it to our lives!

Don't be ashamed by the Gospel, learn from it and have faith in its message!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for giving me Your Word to guide me and instruct me. Help me to embrace the power of Your Word and to not be ashamed of the Gospel and my faith. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Be Holy

4/22/2015

"But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" -I Peter 1:15-16 (NASB)

My daughter has decided that she wants to be a dentist when she grows up. Since she's only four, I'm sure her choice of profession will change many times before she is ready to embark on a career. I encourage her to dream about being anything she wants to be, but I try to help her see that she should also strive to be holy.

God is holy. Jesus is holy. We are called to be holy. To be holy, we need to learn about the Holy One. We can learn about God and Jesus through reading the Holy Word, learning from other believers, and learning through talking to and listening to God. As we learn about God and Jesus, we can model our behaviors after the examples shown to us by God and Jesus. Even when we don't fully succeed in living a holy life, God is willing to forgive us so that we can continue to strive to be holy in our behaviors.

Listen to God, follow His example, and try to be holy in your behaviors!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for giving me examples of holiness. Help me to listen to Your call and follow Your example to live a holy life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Near to God

4/21/2015

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." -James 4:8 (NASB)

After a spending time together during vacation, it can be difficult for my daughter to go back to school. She likes spending time with family. She doesn't like being eight hours away from her grandparents and aunt and uncle. While it might be nice to always be near to loved ones, circumstances sometimes separate us. Fortunately, we don't have to worry about being separated from God!

Our relationship with God is different. God is good and it is natural for us to want to be near to Him. The good news is that we can always be near to Him. We don't have to go to school or work away from God. The only thing that separates us from God is our sinful nature, but through Jesus, we can repent, be redeemed, and be brought near to God. All we have to do is ask for forgiveness so we can draw near to God and He will draw near to each of us!

Draw near to God by repenting and allowing God to be near to you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for wanting to draw near to me. Please forgive my sins so that I can always be near to You. Through Jesus, the Redeemer, I pray, amen.

Rock-solid Strength

4/20/2015

"'I love You, O Lord, my strength.' The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." -Psalms 18:1-2 (NASB)

Puddles and mud can sometimes be unavoidable after a rainstorm. Stepping in mud can make our shoes stick and sink or it can be slippery. After weathering a storm in our lives, we can sometimes feel like we're stuck in or sliding on mud, but that doesn't need to be the case!

When we are in the midst of a storm or when we are coming out of a storm, we may feel that we are not on solid ground. It is in those moments that we need to remember the source of our strength and the firm ground where we can find our footing: Our Lord God. God is the rock and the place where we can take refuge. We should be afraid of getting stuck in the mud or slipping away, we just need to call on our Lord, our rock, our refuge!

When faced with a muddy situation, find rock-solid strength in God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being my solid ground, my rock, my refuge. Help me to remember that You are the rock-solid strength that can sustain me through any struggle or storm. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

One Approval

4/19/2015

"For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ." -Galatians 1:10 (NASB)

As I work with fellow volunteers at the nature center or with other members at church, I am aware that the goals of the nature center or church are furthered when we work together. While it is good to work as a group and give feedback to each other, there is only one approval or favor that matters in the big picture of life!

In life, we are to live for God. The favor or approval of other people may make us feel good, but that approval should not be our motivating factor. We should seek God's favor in all we do by following the plan that God has for our lives. We are God's servants when we follow His will. As His servants, we gain the one approval that matters - God's approval!

Be a servant of God and seek His approval!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Please help me to be Your servant. Allow me to know and follow the plan that You have for my life. Thank You for granting me Your favor and approval. Through Jesus Christ I pray, amen.

Hard Pressed

4/18/2015

"When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; He brought me into a spacious place." -Psalm 118:5 (NIV)

When I used to work at a nature center, one of the popular fall programs was cider making. To make cider, apples from the orchard would be washed and poured into the old-fashioned hand-cranked cider mill and press. The apples would get ground up and the pieces would then be squeezed and the cider collected. Like the Life has a way making us feel ground up and hard pressed.

The pressures in our lives don't come from being squeezed in a cider mill. The pressures we feel come from expectations at work, responsibilities at home, limited time or resources, or dealing with family situations, to name a few. No matter the source of our struggles and pressures, the best thing we can do is turn to God. When we turn our pressures and struggles over to Him, then we will feel the pressure being released as we enter His glorious, spacious place!

Don't let yourself get hard pressed, call to God and let Him take away your pressures!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for Your willingness to hear me and help me. Please take away the pressures that I am feeling and allow me to serve You better in the spacious place You provide for me. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

With Love!

4/17/2015

"Let all that you do be done in love." -I Corinthians 16:14 (NASB)

There are people that know how to push our buttons. Sometimes a simple look from a certain person can irritate us. No matter the person or the situation, we are called to show love!

In all our actions, we should try to act out of love. We should exhibit love in our agreements and disagreements. We should exhibit love toward those of like mind and toward those of differing opinion. We should exhibit love even toward those who offend or hurt us. We don't always have to agree with each other, but we should ask God for help in showing His love through our lives.

Ask God to help you so that you can act with love!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me so that I can love others. Help me to show Your love to everyone, even when I disagree or am hurt by someone. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Don't Hide

4/16/2015

"'Am I a God who is near,' declares the Lord, 'And not a God far off? Can a man hid himself in hiding places so I do not see him?' declares the Lord. 'Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?' declares the Lord." -Jeremiah 23:23-24 (NASB)

Playing hide and seek is one of my daughters favorite games. As she gets older, she is learning that hiding requires both not being seen and not being heard. As adults, we sometimes try to play hide and seek from God. We think if we are "good enough" and "quiet enough", then we won't be found. Others may think they can falsely speak for God without God's knowledge.

God reminded Jeremiah that we are not distant and far off from God. God is near. God fills everything around us. God knows when we are trying to hide and when people are speaking falsely in His name. We cannot play hide and seek with God. He will always find us! We should not live trying to hide. We should live our lives in the light of God's Son, Jesus Christ, so others can come out of hiding and live with God!

God is everywhere, so don't try to hide! Live life redeemed through God's Son!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for finding me and redeeming me. Help me to live life so others can come out of hiding and know You, too! In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Make It Heard!

4/15/2015

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power." -Isaiah 40:28-29 (NASB)

I remember playing the telephone game as a kid. A message would start with one person and would be passed on through whispers until it either reached the end of a line of people or around a circle of people. At the end, the message wasn't the same as the original message. The person at the beginning might ask, "How did you get that message?"

When we are preparing to share God's glory, we might find ourselves in the same situation. We may think that everyone has heard of the miracles of God or have heard the story of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, but this isn't always the case. Even if people have heard about the events before, their hearts may not have been ready to hear the true meaning of the events. Whenever we share the Good News with others, we need to be prepared to share God's great understanding, power, strength, and love. We need to be sure we're not relying on the message being passed on from others, we need to make it heard ourselves!

Know God's greatness and glory, then make it heard!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You do in my life. Thank You for using Your power and understanding to help me and to save me from my sin. Allow me to make Your message heard through my words and actions. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Tempted?

4/14/2015

"No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will b able to endure it." -I Corinthians 10:13 (NASB)

There are many things that might tempt us. We may be tempted by a piece of candy or an extra serving of food when we are on a diet, a deal at the store that is "too good" to pass up, holding on to a grudge when we should forgive, or many other things. When we are faced with things that tempt us, we need to remember that we do have help resisting these temptations!

God knows that we are human and that we will be tempted. When we are tempted, we need to stop and pray for help resisting temptation. After we ask for help, we need to listen so we know the way of escape that God provides for us. Once we know the path, then we can follow it, resist the temptation, and move closer to God.

When facing temptation, stop, pray, and listen for the pathway of escape!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for providing a pathway of escape from temptation. Help me to stop and listen for Your guidance away from temptation and closer to You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Live in Unchanging Love

4/13/2015

"Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love." -Micah 7:18 (NASB)

Sometimes it can be easy to hold onto things that we should let go. We may feel like we are giving in or giving control to someone else when we let go of a grudge or forgive someone for actions that have damaged or hurt us. While we struggle with letting go, we need to be thankful that God is a loving and forgiving God.

God pardons our sins. Through salvation through God's Son, we can be redeemed. Since we are forgiven, we should try to forgive those that hurt us. We should strive to let go of our anger and live with others in God's unchanging love.

Work to be like God, forgiving and living in unchanging love!

Prayer:

Dear God-
Thank You for forgiving me and loving me. Help me to be more like You. Help me to forgive and to let go so that I can live with others in Your unchanging love. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Believe in Glory

4/12/2015

"Jesus said to her, 'Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?'" -John 11:40 (NASB)

There are times when we feel that all hope is lost. We look at a situation through our earthly perspective and cannot see a resolution to problems we are facing. When we reach these times in our lives, we need to remember to believe so that we can see God's glory!

Martha faced a situation that seemed hopeless. Her brother had died and Jesus had not been there to help. When Jesus arrived, he reminded Martha that if she believed, she would see the glory of God. We should also remember Jesus' advice. When facing situations that seem hopeless to us, we need to listen to Jesus' words as Martha did, then we can see God's glory!

When things seem hopeless, believe and get ready to see God's glory!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being there for me, even when I think things seem hopeless. Help me to continue to believe and allow me to see Your glory. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Sharing Burdens

4/11/2015

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

"Cast your burdens upon the Lord and He will sustain you, He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." -Psalms 55:22 (NASB)

When we are going places, my daughter likes to bring things along, whether her favorite doll, stuffed animal, or purse. It usually doesn't take too long before she realizes she has too many things and asks someone to help her carry her things. She gets "tired" and needs help.

Life can seem like we are trying to carry too many things, too. We sometimes carry our burdens and get tired along the way. As Christians, we should be ready and willing to help others with their burdens and allow others to help us with our burdens. In the end, we should be ready and willing to turn our burdens over to God so He can lighten our load. By sharing our burdens with each other and with God, we can all be free to spread God's love and to help His Kingdom grow!

Share burdens with each other and with God, so everyone can have a lighter load to bear!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being there for me and for being willing to carry my burdens. Help me to let go of my burdens, so I am able to help others with their burdens. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Humble

4/10/2015

"Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation." -Romans 12:16 (NASB)

Ellen J. Barrier is quoted as saying, “God created us all with his love, to be equally treated. No human being is superior over another.” Sometimes we forget that we are all equal. We may think we are better than those we see around us, but we need to stop and humble ourselves.

We are called to love and care for one another. When Jesus called us to love one another, it was a command to show love to everyone, not just those like us. As we love one another, we should also be humble, not thinking too highly of ourselves. Every one of us is a child of God. God's redeeming love is meant for each of us, no matter our current place in life. We can all show love to one another!

Humble yourself and show love to everyone around you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for showing Your love to me. Please keep me humble and help me to show Your love to all of those around me. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Life and Peace

4/9/2015

"For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace." -Romans 8:6 (NASB)

I recently read a quote from an unknown author that says, "The difference between your mind and heart: Your mind tells you what's smart and your heart tells you what you are going to do anyway." When we are searching for life an peace, we sometimes struggle with whether we should listen to our minds or our hearts. If we follow the advice of Paul, we can be sure that each of our hearts agrees with our minds!

When we are trying to make decisions, our hearts and minds may not agree. Minds set on the flesh or on earthly things do not focus on what they should, even if the heart knows better. Focus on the flesh will lead us away from God. Minds set on the Spirit, on God and Jesus, can be assured that our hearts will also be set on life and peace. When our minds and hearts are set on God, we can experience His love, comfort, power, and glory!

Set your mind and heart on God and experience life and peace in Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your guidance and for giving me the key to life and peace. Help me to keep my mind and heart focused on You so that I can live peacefully in Your comforting power and glory. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Love Covers Sin

4/8/2015

"Above all, keep fervent in our love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins." -I Peter 4:8 (NASB)

"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." -John 15:12 (NASB)

It can be easy for us to focus on sin and wrongdoing. We seem to be able to point out errors and shortcomings. We can easily see how people have wronged or offended us. While we need to be aware of the wrongs and evil around us, we should not let them stand in the way of loving one another.

Just as Jesus commanded us to love one another, the author of I Peter reminds us that love can cover many sins. When we start to focus on the shortcomings of ourselves and others, we need to remember that love can help us overcome our flaws and sins. When we love God, love ourselves, and love those around us, we can help others throughout the world see the love that God has for each of us and we can live in peace with God and with each other.

Don't focus on others' flaws and sins, focus on loving each other!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the love that You have shown me. Help me to show Your love to others so that they can know You and have the greatest peace. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Resolved

4/7/2015

"And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
-I Corinthians 2:1-2 (NIV)

We all deal with the different pressures of our daily lives. Whether we are dealing with bills, chores, family issues, work, or any number of other things, we can be distracted from our true calling. When we in the midst of life's distractions, we need to be resolved to not forget the sacrifice of Jesus and its meaning for our lives.

We do not need to worry about being eloquent. We shouldn't act as if we are superior. We need to be rooted in God's Word and His plan for our lives. God's plan for us includes a commitment to Jesus Christ and salvation available through His sacrifice. As we go about our daily chores, we need to be resolved to remember and live according to Jesus Christ's example.

Don't let life's chores distract you. Be resolved to commit yourself to knowing Jesus Christ!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for sending Your Son and for salvation through Him. Help me to maintain my focus on Jesus and on Your plan for my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Believe and Praise

4/6/2015

"Jesus said to him, 'Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see and yet believed.'" -John 20:29 (NASB)

We can't say that we have physically seen Jesus, but that doesn't mean we haven't experienced His presence. We may feel Him comforting us. We may hear Him guiding our decisions. We may see Him at work in our lives in many ways!

Even though we haven't physically seen Jesus, we can believe in Him. We can know Him by studying God's Word. We know that He is in our lives through our experiences. We know that the stone was rolled away and that Jesus was raised from the dead. Since we know that Jesus is alive, we can believe in Him and His power, then we can praise Him!

Believe that the stone was rolled away and that Jesus was raised from the dead, then praise His glory and power!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for sending Your Son so that I can be saved. Thank You for rolling away the stone and raising Jesus from the dead so that I can join You for eternity! Through Jesus, my risen Savior, I pray, amen.