Blog Archives - Bible Inspired

Hurry Up!

4/30/2018

"I will hasten and not delay to obey Your commands." -Psalm 119:60 (NIV)

Most of us probably have some sort of schedule, things that we need to attend to as part of our lives. There are times when we can take our time and work things out, but other things are more urgent or time sensitive. Sometimes we need to hurry up!

When we look at our lives and our priorities, we need see that some tings in our lives are urgent. Building our relationship with God is one of those things that we cannot put off. God is waiting for us, but we need to be part of the relationship. We need to "hurry up" and accept forgiveness and follow His will in our lives. We need to learn His commands and the lessons He teaches in His Word. We then need to prioritize God in our lives so we can act on His lessons in our lives and show others that they can hurry to forgiveness and a fulfilled life through Jesus Christ!

Hurry up and follow God and His will in your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for waiting for me. Help me to prioritize You in my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Just Wait...and Serve!

4/29/2018

"I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope." -Psalm 130:5 (NIV)

We look forward to certain moments or events in our lives. When we know know something is coming, time can seem to stand still. We may be eager and even impatient as we count down the days, hours, minutes, or even seconds, but we still have to wait!

We also wait on the Lord. God has promised us many glorious things. We know that His promises will come true, but we still wait with hope and faith. Our whole being, our hearts, minds, and souls, wait to experience all of God's promises. As we wait, we can serve the Lord. We can show others the reason for our hope and just what we are waiting for!

Be patient as you serve and wait on the Lord!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all of Your promises. Help me to be hopeful and faithful as I serve You and wait to experience all that You have promised. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Flawless

4/28/2018

"Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him." -Proverbs 30:5 (NIV)

Advertisers like to use the word "flawless." We may see ads for "flawless skin" or a "perfect, flawless smile." Being or having something flawless is desirable, but we need to beware of promises that want to sell us something that is perfect. There is only one source of "flawlessness" and that source is God!

When we want to buy something flawless, we should look at what God is offering to us. He gives us His Word. He provides for us a source of salvation through His flawless Son. Even though we can never achieve perfection, we can know the one true and flawless God. We can allow Him to work in our lives as we read His Word and experience redemption through His Son!

God is flawless and He is free to all those that are willing to believe in and follow Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for giving me Your Word and Your Son. Help me to always follow You and Your flawless plan for my life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

I'm Tired...

4/27/2018

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." -Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

Some days I am just tired. While I try to be active, my brain and my body need time to rest. Even if our schedules are jam packed, we need to take time to rest, recover, and rejuvenate. In order to be our best, we need to rest!

While it is good to rest our mind and body, we need to rest our souls, too. When we rest, we need to find a safe and comfortable place. We need to be able to drop our burdens and our worries. Fortunately, God is that place. He calls us to Him so He can comfort us, give us rest, and allow us to recharge. As our souls rest in God, we can be rejuvenated and re-energized for God and His work!

When you are tired and need to rest your soul, take your burdens and worries to God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being a safe place to rest. Help me to recover and rejuvenate in the comfort You provide. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

He's All Good!

4/26/2018

"The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him." -Nahum 1:7 (NIV)

Throughout life, we experience the good and the bad. How we approach situations can either make them better or make them worse. When we experience challenges, we can remind ourselves that we are not alone and that, with God, we can overcome!

God is our refuge. He is our Protector. We can always turn to Him and know that He cares. God is all good and we never have to worry about His presence in our lives. He is a gracious, loving, and forgiving God. He is also powerful enough to overcome anything that we may face. God is all good and He is our refuge and our strength!

Turn to God an allow Him to be your protector and strength.

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always being with me as my protector and strength. Help me to not worry, but to turn to You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Relationships

4/25/2018

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better." -Ephesians 1:17 (NIV)

While recently attending a conference with other teachers, I was talking with teachers from other school districts that I often only see once a year. As we talked, it was a reminder about relationships and the importance of building relationships. It is good "to know people" and to share ideas. It is also important to remember that our most important relationship is with God!

We cannot forget to build our relationship with God. He is ready and willing, but we need to be ready and willing, too! We can talk to God through prayer and learn about Him through reading His Word, but having a relationship goes deeper. We need to know God better. We have to trust in Him. We have to listen when He is calling us and we need to act on His Truth and promises. We can have a deeper relationship as long as we let God know we're ready!

While it is important to "know people," it is even more important to know God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for wanting to have a relationship with me. Help me to continually grow closer to You in a deeper relationship. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Do More!

4/24/2018

"Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness." -II Corinthians 9:10 (NIV)

In a recent meeting after school, we discussed leadership. One characteristic of a "teacher leader" was to not be satisfied with the "status quo." In reflecting on my experience, there have been many times that I wished I could do more. If we want to do more, we can't just focus on our abilities. We need to think bigger and turn to God!

God provides us with our talents, our abilities, and blessings in our lives. We can use these gifts in the best ways we know how, but this won't maximize our impacts or results. In order to make the biggest impact, we need to turn to God and ask Him to guide us and to multiply our efforts. When we are focused on God's will and listening to Him, we can do more with God's help!

Call on God and allow Him to multiply our efforts!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the talents and blessings in my life. Help me to use the gifts You have given me to do more for Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Rule Your Heart!

4/23/2018

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." -Colossians 3:15 (NIV)

There are many different things in the world that compete for our attention. Sometimes it seems that these competitive forces not only compete for our attention, but also stir up conflict. It may seem that we are each out to fend for ourselves!

We do not have to let conflict rule our lives or our hearts. Instead of getting "stirred up" by the different forces in the world, we can find a source of peace. Jesus Christ offers us peace that goes beyond our understanding. We can invite Jesus into our hearts, allow Him to rule, and become one body with other believers. We can be thankful for the power of God that can provide peace as long as we let Him rule our hearts!

Invite Jesus Christ into your heart, allow Him to rule it, and experience His peace!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being in my life and in my heart. Help me to allow You to rule so I can experience Your peace. Through Jesus Christ I pray, amen.

Humble, Not Pride

4/22/2018

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."-Proverbs 11:2 (NIV)

There are events in our lives that make us "swell with pride." We may take pride in something we do or in something done by someone close to us. A little pride is not bad, as long as we maintain perspective and humility!

When we have too much pride, we are setting ourselves up for disgrace. We cannot forget that we are human, that we are imperfect. We need to remember that our successes need to be attributed to the source of our strength - our faith in God and redemption through Jesus Christ! If we try to take the credit and pride in ourselves, we are setting ourselves up for failure. However, if we are humble and give credit to God, we can be sure of future blessings!

Be humble and give credit to God - the source of your blessings!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for blessing me and being in my life. Help me to remain humble and to give You the credit for successes and wisdom. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Who Are You With?

4/21/2018

"Now the Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded, and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, 'Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.'" -II Chronicles 15:1-2 (NASB)

There is a saying that says, "Birds of a feather flock together." One of my former supervisors once discussed this idea when presenting to a group. She believed that we needed to look at our "flock" and include others that were different from ourselves, to diversify those with whom we associate. There may be value in associating with different people, but we need to remember to not lose sight of who we are and our association with God!

God is always with us. He is willing to associate with us, to be by our side, but He also expects us to associate with and acknowledge His presence in our lives. If we are seeking God, He will reveal Himself to us. If we are following God's guidance, He will travel with us. However, we cannot turn our back on God and expect to find Him. As we choose to add members to our "flock," we need to be sure our main focus is keeping our lives centered on God so we can always say that we are with Him!

Keep your focus on God and continue seeking Him so you are always with Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for guiding me and being with me through all things. Help me to continually seek You so I can always be with You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Gentle Strength

4/20/2018

"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." -Philippians 4:5 (NIV)

Saint Francis de Sales said that, "Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength." When we think of being gentle we may not think of strength. However, being gentle requires self-control. Being able to act with self-control in ways that solve a problem peacefully takes strength shown through gentleness!

God shows us both strength and gentleness. God is loving and He is compassionate. He is firm in Truth and what is right. When we turn to Him, He listens and responds. We know that we can rely on God. We also know that even when we stray, God will guide us with a firm, but loving, hand. God is strength and He is gentleness. We need to model our responses after what we see in God. By striving to be more like God, we can let others see gentleness and strength!

Learn to be gentle and strong by your relationship with God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being gentle with me. Help me to show others gentleness and strength as You have shown me. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Momentary

4/19/2018

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." -II Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)

The weather lately has been unpredictable. In the matter of days, we have gone from 70s and sunny to snowy. Whether pleasant or unpleasant, the weather hasn't seemed to last. As we consider life, the days continue to fly by, but whether the best or worst of times, our earthly triumphs or troubles are temporary!

The weather and seasons of our lives are only temporary. We can rejoice in the good times. We can weather the storms of the challenging times. Through it all, we can be reassured of two things. First, the events we experience on earth are only temporary. Secondly, even though earth and our experiences will fade, we are promised something greater for all of eternity. God has prepared a place for us. We can join God for all of eternity in a place that is filled with glory and happiness. When we commit our lives to Him, we can allow the weather to change around us as we move forward toward a glorious eternity in Heaven!

Things on earth will change, but God's promise of eternal glory will remain!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your promise of eternal glory with You. Help me to focus on You and to withstand the changes that occur around me. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Gotta Take Heart!

4/18/2018

"Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other." -Deuteronomy 4:38 (NIV)

When I was in high school, I was in the orchestra for several musical productions. In one musical, there was a song called, "You Gotta Have Heart!" Even when things don't seem to be going our way, we need to find ways to "have heart." Where can we find this heart and encouragement?

We know that God is in Heaven and He is active here on earth. When we need to "have heart," we just need to be sure that our heart is centered on God. We can be reassured that He is always with us. We can ask God to fill our hearts and then we can take heart in all of His promises and the blessings he provides for us each and every day!

You gotta take heart in God and all of His promises and blessings!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for filling my heart with Your love and grace. Help me to keep my heart centered on You so that I can always take heart in Your promises. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Unfailing Rejoicing

4/17/2018

"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)

Sometimes news about world events or situations in our own lives may seem dark. Even in these times, good is happening. Blessings can also be found everywhere and in all times. We need to take the time to look for and rejoice in them!

We know God is good and because of Him good things happen. We just need to be aware and receptive of the good that happens in our lives and in the world around us. Once we receive God's blessings, we need to praise Him and rejoice in all that He has given us. God's love and blessings are unfailing and so should be our praise and rejoicing!

Look for God's blessings and then rejoice!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all of the blessings in my life. Praise, honor, and glory to You! Through Jesus I pray, amen.

In Good Shape

4/16/2018

"Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well." -III John 1:2 (NIV)

In the challenges of life, we have many different obstacles. While I try to keep myself in good physical shape, a recent accident has reminded me that good health and feeling well shouldn't be taken for granted. But we shouldn't just be concerned with the physical health of ourselves or others, we also need to pay attention to our souls and our spiritual health!

God has a plan for all areas of our lives. We can ask Him and trust in Him for healing, but, more importantly, we need to be sure our spiritual health is in order. We need to talk to God each day. We can study His Word and learn more about Him. As we focus on our spiritual health, we can then ask God to help us maintain our physical health. With our hearts and bodies in the right condition, we are then set to work for God throughout His Kingdom!

Be sure you are taking care of both your physical and spiritual health!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being with me through physical and spiritual highs and lows. Please help me to be healthy, both physically and spiritually. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

What to Do?

4/15/2018

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." -Micah 6:8 (NIV)

Throughout our lives, we are faced with many different choices and opportunities. We will also experience encounters with many different people. As we consider our options, we need to also consider our actions. What will we do with the opportunities we are given? How will we respond to the people we meet?

God has shown us how to act and treat others. He has given us His Word filled with examples. He also sent His Son, Jesus Christ, which can serve as an example of how to live and how to treat others. As we live our lives, we need to seek justice. We need to show mercy. We need to be humble. In all of these things, we need to be walking with God and following His guidance and the examples He has given us!

Seek justice, show mercy, and be humble as you walk with God and interact with others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your guidance and examples. Help me to always seek justice, to show mercy, and to be humble as I walk with You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Fine Print?

4/14/2018

"Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty—He is the King of glory." -Psalm 24:10 (NIV)

Sometimes things seem too good to be true. When we see things that raise our suspicions, we may look for the fine print...the disclaimers that tell us that what we are seeing may, indeed, be too good to be true. While we may look for the fine print on earthly bargains or guarantees, God's claims don't need fine print!

God is who He says He is! He existed before time and will exist for eternity. He is the King of Glory. He is the Lord Almighty. He is our Heavenly Father and Creator. He planned for our redemption while we were still sinners! Even though God is all-powerful, He is also concerned about each and every one of us. He is ready to be our personal Lord and Savior. We don't need fine print, we just need to commit our lives to Him and trust in His Word!

Don't look for the fine print and miss the big promises of God! He is the King of Glory, the Lord Almighty!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for YOur love and commitment to me, even while I still sinned. Forgive me and help me to trust and follow You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Act and React

4/13/2018

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." -Philippians 2:3 (NIV)

Before we act or react, we should stop and think. Consideration of our words and actions may prevent future issues. There are many reasons that we may give to explain our actions, but it would be best if we act with motives that don't need explaining!

God calls us to follow Him. He gave us Jesus as an example. In His time on earth, Jesus acted out of compassion and humility...even though He is God! Jesus didn't compromise His ideals, but His actions allowed others to join Him. When we act, we need to be humble and kind. We don't want our actions to push others away from us or from God. Instead, we need to be loving and willing to show others the way to God!

Be humble in your actions and allow others to see God through you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for You love, patience, and compassion. Help my words and actions to be out of humility and love so others can see You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

All in a Name

4/12/2018

"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." -Proverbs 22:1 (NIV)

We each have a name. What is the value in that name? When someone thinks of you, what qualities come to mind? As we live our lives, our words and actions become an image of who we are. That image is often summarized in our name.

As followers of God, our names can mean even more. Our names can not only be reflections of us as people, but also reflections of our God and our commitment to Him. When we proclaim God as our Lord, others may begin to judge God by our words and actions. To maintain our good name and allow others to see how God is active in our lives, we need to call on God for strength and guidance in our lives. Through His name, our names can be used for His glory and honor!

Have a good name by focusing on God's name and allowing others to see Him through you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being active in my life. Help me to align my words and actions with Your will so I can be a representative of Your glory and power. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Nerves and Confidence

4/11/2018

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

There are times when we feel joy in our lives, even if we are nervous about the situation. I recently got to watch my daughter as she read a book she wrote to nearly 40 teachers. Although a little nervous, she was confident and did an excellent job. She was all smiles when she finished and so was I!

When we are nervous, we can still be confident. We know that our faith in God is not misplaced. He loves us and His love never fails. God is our guide and He will never abandon us. We can take a deep breath and then call on God to be with us each step of the way. We can face our fears with faith in God and be reassured by His eternal love and power!

Nerves can be OK, but call on God and have faith in His guidance and never-ending love!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for guiding me and loving me. Help me to always call on and trust in You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Always Remember!

4/10/2018

"I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life." -Psalm 119:93 (NIV)

Memory can be a tricky thing. The older we get, the harder it can be to remember. Even though we may forget things, there are some experiences, people, places, or ideas that stick with us. No matter how young or old, we should always remember God's presence and His promises!

God gives us direction in our lives. He also has rules and expectations for us to follow. We first need to learn from God by reading His Word, talking to Him through prayer, or by listening to others that have studied and learned from Him and His Word. Once we know His expectations, promises and directions for our lives, we need to always remember it and put it into action!

Always remember the expectations and promises of God and show it through your actions!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for teaching me You ways. Help me to always remember Your ways and to put them into action in my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Night Vision!

4/9/2018

"For we live by faith, not by sight." -II Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)

When it gets dark, it can be hard to see. In a familiar place, we may be able to "feel" our way through the darkness, but many times darkness can cause us to stop and search for light. We need light to show us the way.

We may be surrounded by darkness in the world, but there is good that exists. When we cannot find our way, we can rely on our faith in God. He can help us as we navigate through the darkness of the world. He can be the "night vision" that lets us see through the darkness to His love, compassion, power, and glory!

Let God help you see through the darkness of the world to His eternal glory!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for helping me see through the darkness of the world. Help me to continue to trust in You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Timing!

4/8/2018

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." -Romans 5:6 (NIV)

A co-worker used to remind our students that, "Timing is everything!" He would tell students that we expected them to grow throughout the school year. Certain mistakes or behaviors may be expected early on in the year. These same mistakes or behaviors would be viewed differently if they happened later in the year. It was all about timing!

While our middle schoolers were still learning about timing, there is one thing that we can know for sure: God has perfect timing. Everything that happens is for a reason and at a perfect time. We know that we grow and mature as we learn about and study God and His Word. We also need to remember that without His perfect timing and the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we could not be saved. We would still be powerless without the life-giving blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses and restores us. At just the right time, we can accept forgiveness through Jesus Christ. If we haven't already, we should make that time now!

Accept forgiveness and redemption through Jesus Christ because, you see, God granted it to you at just the right time!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the sacrifice of and redemption through Jesus Christ. Help me to live a life that is based on Your perfect timing. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Prayers and Singing

4/7/2018

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." -Acts 16:25 (NIV)

There are times in our lives when we may find ourselves in dismal situations. We may not want to be where we are, but we know that God can use us as part of His plan. When we find ourselves in these situations, we need to be an example to others and rely on God!

One situation we cannot avoid is being prisoners of sin, but we don't have to remain that way. God has sent His Son to free us from the bonds of sin. We still may make choices that lead to less than desirable outcomes. When we find ourselves in those times, we need to continue to pray and sing praises to God, trusting that He will guide us and showing others His faithfulness. We can allow God to guide us through the darkness to His eternal light and glory!

Learn to show others freedom in God through your prayers and singing!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always being with me, even when times may seem darkest. Help me to always turn to You in prayer and song of praise. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Out of Troubles!

4/6/2018

"So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless." -Ecclesiastes 11:10 (NIV)

There are different things that can make each of us anxious. Each day we deal with troubles. Some troubles may be small. Others may be bigger and cause more anxiety. As I recently read, "No amount of regret can change the past. No amount of anxiety and worry can change the future." We need to find ways to get rid of anxiety and overcome troubles!

Whether dealing with small or large troubles and the anxiety that comes with them may be challenges in and of themselves. When facing these times, we have a way to overcome our troubles. It doesn't matter our age or how much energy we have. What matters is our belief and trust in Jesus Christ our Savior. When we invite Jesus into our hearts and into our lives, we have help in dealing with our anxiety and troubles. We can overcome sin and the anxiety or worry that comes with it by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior!

Get out of the troubles of sin by accepting Jesus Christ!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for sending Your Son to die for my sin. Help me to remember Him and to rid my heart of anxiety by trusting in You. Through Jesus, my Savior, I pray, amen.