Blog Archives - Bible Inspired

Cleaning Out

5/31/2016

"The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." -Luke 6:45 (NASB)

My neighbor decided it is time to downsize and she is preparing to move. She and her family have been spending their time cleaning out decades worth of "stuff" that she has accumulated. As we talked the other day, she advised me to start cleaning out and getting rid of unwanted and unneeded "stuff" now. As I think about all the stuff I have in my house, I also think about all the stuff that is built up in my heart.

Sometimes we hold on to things and they build up in our hearts. We may hold on to a wrong someone committed against us or we may hold on to love. Whatever we are holding onto in our hearts will come out. We can stop and reflect on what is in our hearts and then we can pray to God to help us. God can help us clean out the evil "stuff" and fill our hearts with love! We just need to ask God for His help and then trust Him. In the end we will be filled with good treasure that will bring out the best in us and those around us!

Clean the evil out of your heart so you can be filled with good treasure!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for helping me to clean the evil out of my heart. Help me to be filled with good treasure and to speak good things out of Your love. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Shielded from Attack

5/30/2016

"I hate double-minded people, but I love Your law. You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your word. Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God!" -Psalm 119:113-115 (NIV)

When we stand up for our beliefs, we will likely be attacked. Society can be so polarized that no matter what one stands up for, there is someone ready to attack the position. When we find ourselves under attack, we are fortunate that we have God as our refuge and shield!

God is unchanging. He loves us and wants what is best for us. Even if we stray from His ways, God will welcome us back! When we find ourselves being attacked, we should turn to God in prayer. We should be sure that we are following His will for our lives and we should be reassured that He loves and will protect us. We can ask for forgiveness and be redeemed. We can seek and find God's will for our lives. We can find refuge and be shielded from attack by turning to God!

When facing attack, turn to God and allow Him to be your refuge and shield!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for being my refuge and my shield. Please show me Your will for my life and protect me from attackers. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

How can I serve You?

5/29/2016

"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." -Galatians 5:13 (NASB)

I was recently listening to the radio and the host of a financial advice show answered the calls by greeting the callers with, "How can I serve you today?" As we are busy with the routines of life, we may miss opportunities to serve or, possibly worse, we may become annoyed when we are called to take time out of our busy schedules to serve. As we consider how blessed we are in our lives, we can also consider ways that we can show God's love by serving!

God calls us to serve Him and we can show His love by serving others. When God presents us the opportunity to serve, we should do so joyfully. Through our joy in serving God and those around us, we are serving Him and allowing others to know His love. We can know how to serve God by praying to Him and asking Him, "How can we serve You?" God will provide us opportunities to serve Him and to serve others in His name, so we need to be prepared and willing servants!

When praying to God, be sure to ask, "How can I serve You?"

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all of the blessings in my life. Please help me to see how I can serve You and show Your love to those that You place in my path. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Which Way is the Right Way?

5/28/2016

"Every man's way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts. To do righteousness and justice is desired by the Lord more than sacrifice." -Proverbs 21:2-3 (NASB)

Listening to the news can remind us that there are many issues, opinions, and solutions. We can hear debates on any given issue, hearing different ways to go about the things we face. Each person may feel that his or her opinion or way is the right ones, but what makes them truly right?

God knows what is in our hearts. He wants us to pursue righteousness and justice. When we reflect on and question the "right way" in our lives, we need to think about all that God teaches us and how to walk in righteousness and justice. We can learn from the His Word, the Bible. We can learn from other believers. We should include and learn from prayer and communication with God. We may get stuck thinking we are right in our own eyes, but God can show us the right way in His eyes. Once we know the right way, then we can keep God's ways in our hearts and follow them!

Know the right way by communicating with and following God's teaching!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for showing me the right way. Help me to follow the way that You have prepared for me. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Keep on Working!

5/27/2016

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." -Galatians 6:9 (NASB)

One thing that I am passionate about is teaching. Whether it is in my classroom or at the nature center, I enjoy designing curriculum, preparing activities, and teaching. While I love teaching and working at the nature center, there are times when obstacles make the work more difficult! When challenges arise, it can raise questions and work against being motivated. We may even want to give up!

We may experience similar challenges in our spiritual journey. If we are communicating with God and following His will for our lives, we should not give up! We may face challenging and difficult situations, but God knows our purpose and the purpose of the challenges we face. We can grow and become stronger through the challenges that we face. As long as we keep working for good and moving forward, God's Kingdom will reap the rewards of our work. With our faith in God and forgiveness through Jesus Christ, we will be there to reap the rewards, too!

Don't give up! Keep working for good and the rewards will follow!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your forgiveness and support. Help me to keep working through all challenges so glory and rewards will show Your faithfulness, wisdom, and power. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Boasting

5/26/2016

"Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else's territory. But, 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.' For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends." -II Corinthians 10:15-18 (NIV)

I volunteer at a nature center and it is interesting to watch the dynamics of volunteers there. Some volunteers go to great lengths to be sure that everyone knows what they are doing. They send out e-mails every time they donate something or volunteer for something. Other volunteers work tirelessly without promoting what they have done, instead allowing the nature center to shine because of the contributions.

Our witness for God can follow similar patterns. We may know people that serve God and then boast about all that they have done. Others serve God and allow Him to receive the glory. All of our work should be for God. We should work to serve Him and to grow His Kingdom. As we serve Him, we shouldn't focus on or boast in our works or the works of others. Whenever we feel the need to boast, we should boast in the Lord. It is because of God's grace and love in our lives that we should choose to serve Him and boast in Him so others can know, too!

Boast in the Lord and all that He has done for Your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for redeeming me. Help me to not boast in my works or the works of others, but in You! Through Jesus I pray, amen.

When it's Time to Have a Voice

5/25/2016

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." -II Timothy 1:7 (NASB)

There are times when we just have to stand up and say something. It may be uncomfortable for us and often unwelcome by others, but we have to say it! Even though we may be timid, the Spirit that God gives us is not!

When the times come for us to stand up and be heard, we know that God will grant us power, love, and self-discipline. As long as we are praying, listening to God, and following His will, He will bless our words and actions. We can be assured that if we act out of God's love and Spirit, our efforts will not be in vain!

When it's time to have a voice, call on God and rely on His Spirit!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for sharing Your Spirit with me. Help me to continue to talk to You and act on Your will for my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Hold My Hand!

5/24/2016

"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." -Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)

I am often the one reminding my daughter to hold my hand when we're in a parking lot or crossing the street. There are times in life that remind me that I also need to "hold someone's hand" to move forward. When facing adversity and challenges, it helps to have a network of support around us. We may not be "holding hands", but words and actions can show support. Even with the best support network of friends, family, and colleagues, we would be missing an essential component!

When we need support and help to move forward we need to be sure we are talking to and relying on God. He will hold our hand and remind us that He is in control. With God in control of our lives, we do not need to be afraid. We can know that everything will work out for the best, even if we can't see what that is right now! God is faithful, powerful, caring, and loving. We can be reassured that when we reach for His hand, He will be ready to hold it and offer a support network that helps us through anything!

Hold God's hand and allow Him to help you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for being ready to hold my hand and support me. Please guide me as I move through life so that I can overcome adversity and give glory to You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Why did you do that?

5/23/2016

"Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." -Galatians 1:10 (NIV)

"Why did you do that?" Whether it is at home with my daughter, at school with my middle schoolers, or at the nature center with the director, it seems like I ask that question a lot. There are different reasons that I ask the question. Sometimes I am genuinely confused about a person's actions. Other times the answer may make motivation more apparent. Many times we should stop and ask ourselves the "why" questions.

When we consider our actions, we must consider the motivation for our actions. Are we acting to try to win God's approval or the approval of people around us? God wants our love and He wants our dedication. God wants us to show other people His love, too. Our words and actions should always be rooted in God's love and will for our lives and our motivations should be pleasing God. When we act out of God's love and with a desire to please God, God will bless our actions. When God asks, "Why did you do that?", we should be able to honestly say, "To please and serve You!"

Be ready to say, "To please You!", when God asks, "Why did you do that?"

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your desire to have a relationship with me. Help me to act and speak out of Your love and with a desire to please You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Trust and Have Purpose!

5/22/2016

"In God, whose word I praise - in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" -Psalm 56:4 (NIV)

Sometimes we may feel "attacked." When we feel attacked, it doesn't mean we are wrong or worthless, but just the opposite! God put us here for a purpose. As Kimberly Jones-Pothier has been quoted as saying, "The enemy wouldn't be attacking you if something very valuable wasn't inside of you. Thieves don't break into empty houses. You've got purpose!"

Even in those times when we feel attacked, we need to praise God. God is always by our side, even when others are attacking. God has placed us in different situations for a purpose and we shouldn't be afraid! Even when fear seems to be the natural response, God is bigger than any fear we have. God is more powerful and wise than anything we may be facing. Instead of being fearful or backing away, we need to praise God and call on Him for His wisdom, love, and power to overcome anything we might face as we fulfill the purpose for which He has put us here!

Trust and praise God's power that helps you overcome your fears and fulfill your purpose!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for always being with me. Help me to know the purpose that You have identified for me and guide me to overcome my fears to fulfill that purpose. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Lessons and Life Eternal

5/21/2016

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." -John 5:24 (NASB)

As a teacher, I often feel that what I have to say and teach is important. Whether it's giving directions, feedback, or interacting with students, I want them to be involved in the content and concepts to be learned. While it is important for my students to learn at school, nothing that I can say means nearly as much as the words of God and Jesus!

The words and lessons of Jesus are preserved for us in the Bible. Through reading God's word, praying to Him, and reflecting and listening to Him, we can know God's will for our lives. With God in our lives, we can know the most important lesson in life: to listen to and believe in the Word of God. Jesus reminds us that if we hear His word and believe in God, then we will be saved from judgment. We can be reassured by God's love and forgiveness that we will have eternal life and that we can continue to learn and grow through prayer and His Word!

Listen to Jesus and learn the lessons that He teaches us through His Word!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your forgiveness and love. Please redeem me and guide me in the path You have prepared for me. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Hospitality of Redemption!

5/20/2016

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality." -Romans 12:10-13 (NASB)

There are times in our lives when people and their actions drive us away. Sometimes the behavior that drives us away is a call for help. A quote by Audrey Hepburn reminds us that all people deserve love, respect, hope, and hospitality. She said, "People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Never throw out anyone."

Our actions can initiate the restoration and renewal that someone may need! We shouldn't just throw people out when they are in need. We should choose to be devoted in God's love. We should honor each other in God's spirit. When we are serving God, we have hope and a reason to persevere. Through devotion, love, and perseverance, we can show others what God is ready and willing to do in their lives. We can practice hospitality by welcoming others into God's family! As part of God's family, all people can experience restoration, renewal, revival, reclamation, and redemption! Praise God for salvation through Jesus Christ!

Offer hospitality by welcoming others into God's family of restored and redeemed people!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for You love and for the redemption and salvation offered through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help me to be welcoming so others can join Your family and be redeemed as well! Through Jesus, the Redeemer, I pray, amen.

Cover with Love!

5/19/2016

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." -I Peter 4:8 (NIV)

In life we have to interact and deal with each other. As a trustee at the local nature center, I am part of a board that oversees the organization. While we all want the organization to be successful, some people think we should have the same opinions. However, as people interacting, we have disagreements. Disagreements are not necessarily bad, as long as we can disagree and discuss while treating each other with respect and love.

Whenever we are approaching a situation or a disagreement, we should think about how God loves us. God loves us, even when we don't "agree" with His timing or decisions. We can trust that God has our best interest in mind and that His love will be there for us. Our interactions should be modeled after God's love for us. In our interactions and dealings with others, we should let God's love shine through us!

Allow God's love to guide your actions and cover disagreements!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for always being there for me. Help me to allow Your love to show through me in all I do. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Changing Minds?

5/18/2016

"The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock." -Isaiah 26:3-4 (NASB)

There are people that are trained and paid to change our minds. We see and hear numerous advertisements, opinions, and editorials designed to persuade, but we know we shouldn't listen to everything we hear. Once we know the correct answer or behavior, we need to know how to stand with resolution in the peace and love of God.

If we know God's will, the devil may test our trust in God. The devil may try to persuade us, but we can turn to God to know the truth. God's truth doesn't change. He is our Rock and is always there. Once we know His truth, decide to follow it, and trust in Him, then He will provide us with a perfect peace. We can rest assured in knowing and following His truth!

Set your mind on God and rest in His peace!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being my Rock. Help me to know Your truth and to live in Your truth. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Care Too Much?

5/17/2016

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." -I Peter 5:7 (NIV)

I was once told that in certain situations I "care too much." While I'm not exactly sure if that is possible or if it is a positive or negative trait, I do know that caring about something and wanting something to happen can create circumstances that foster anxiety and worry. Anxiety and worry can creep in to our life, but we don't have to let them take control!

Anxiety and worry can begin to take hold of our lives for different reasons, but it often relates to something we care about in our lives. When we feel stress, anxiety, or worry, we do not have to allow it to weigh us down. God loves and cares for us, so we can turn to Him. Jesus offers to carry our burdens, but we must first choose to give our burdens, our anxiety, worry, and stress, to Him. Once we are willing to cast our anxiety and worry on Jesus, we must trust that He will care just as much as we do and that He will relieve our fear and provide us with guidance!

Don't worry about caring too much, just cast your anxiety and worry on Jesus and allow Him to offer relief!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for being willing to take away my anxiety and worry. Help me to let go and allow You to guide me through whatever I am facing. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Teaching and Learning

5/16/2016

"Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in His ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way." -Psalm 25:8-9 (NIV)

I volunteer for at a nature center and environmental education organization that sometimes seems to think it doesn't need to continue to learn and grow. One of the difficulties can be showing how the organization can grow and better serve people when the leadership is unaware of and resistant to what can be done. Looking at the nature center makes me think. Sometimes we are satisfied with our spiritual lives and our relationship with God, but we could have so much more!

God loves us and He is the ultimate teacher. He is waiting for us to want to learn more about Him and to develop a closer relationship with Him. He wants these things and He is ready to forgive our sin and take us under His wing, but He does not force us to sit, listen, and learn. He knows that we have to be ready to learn. It is up to us to realize that we shouldn't be satisfied with a casual relationship. It is up to us to realize that we could know and do more with God. Once we realize these things, we can call on God and He will teach us!

Realize that there is more to learn and ways to grow, then call on God and let the teaching and learning begin!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being willing to forgive my sin and to teach me. Help me to be ready to learn from You and to develop a closer relationship with You. Through Your Son I pray, amen.

How to...Parent?

5/15/2016

"The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him." -Proverbs 23:24 (NIV)

A lot of articles and videos about parenting have been recommended or have popped up in my news feed over the past few days. The discussion is often around how parenting has changed and the results that we see in children as individuals and as members of a group and society at large. When considering advice on how to parent, there is no lack of resources!

Many books written about parenting contain good advice, but there is one book that provides us with guidance about righteousness and wisdom: the Bible! The Bible not only teaches us about righteousness, it shows us God's example as our Heavenly Father. We can learn both from God's example and from the models of mothers and fathers throughout the Bible. By following God's will and guidance, we can all contribute to being parents to the next generation, whether we are adoptive, biological, foster, or step parents or mentors to children in our lives!

Help produce wise children by parenting according to God's guidance!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for my parents and for Your examples of parents. Help me to parent in a way that produces righteous and wise children. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Make It!

5/14/2016

"Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You." -Jeremiah 32:17 (NASB)

I recently saw the quote, "It is what it is, but it will become what you make it." There are times when we may feel helpless about our circumstances or the situations we face. "It" is what it is, but it doesn't have to stay that way. More importantly, we don't have to make our situations different on our own, we have God on our side!

Instead of trying to make our situations and circumstances change on our own, we should turn to God. God is the one that created the heavens and the earth. He is the one that can speak and make things happen. God is powerful. There isn't anything that He can't do. When we need to make "it" become something different, we should go to God in faith and prayer, then follow His will to make the situation become what it will be for His glory!

It is what it is, but God can help it become a blessing!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You have presented to me in my life. Help me to always rely on Your power and wisdom to turn all situations into blessings. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Eat the Fruit!

5/13/2016

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." -Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)

Eating healthier is one of my goals. I try to make better choices when it comes to balancing the vegetables, fruits, and protein that I eat. I have snacks more often than I probably should, but I keep reminding myself of how much better I feel when I eat healthier. When we're feeding our souls, we should focus on eating better "foods", too, like fruit!

God is love and He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be an example for us. We can see Jesus demonstrating love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These "fruits" of the Spirit should make up the main parts of our diet. We won't be perfect, which is why God offers us forgiveness, but we should strive to act in the manner that God has shown us. Through our words and actions, others should know that we are eating a healthy "fruit" diet with a focus on God's Word!

Be sure to "eat" the spiritual fruits: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for showing me how to live by the fruits of the Spirit. Help me to show these fruits in my life so that others can be impacted by Your love! In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Slowness and Patience

5/12/2016

"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." -II Peter 3:9 (NASB)

I must admit that there are times when people or situations move slower than I would like. I often like to get where I'm going or get things done and out of the way so I don't have to worry about them later. While we may want things to happen on our time table, we need to realize that what we see as slowness may not be after all and it may be to our benefit!

Humans have created schedules and time keeping to help organize our lives, but time isn't something that defines God. God is eternal. He always has been and always will be. As we ponder God's promises to us, we can realize that we need to be patient, but we also can realize that God works in His time for our benefit! God's slowness is His patience and His opportunity for all of us to find salvation and redemption through the gift of His Son!

Don't confuse slowness and patience. Allow God to work in His time!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for being patient with me. Help me to be patient and to see You promises in my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Rivalry or Humility?

5/11/2016

"Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." -Philippians 2:3 (ESV)

During hockey season there is a television station that features "Wednesday Night Rivalries" that feature two opponents with a history of animosity. No matter how much better one team may be than the other, these games are often hard fought battles. The rivalries of our favorite sports teams may get us "pumped up," but acting out of rivalry, conceit, and animosity in our lives is not a good thing!

When we act in conceit or out of superiority, we are not following the example that Jesus set for us during His time on earth. Jesus was a servant. He did not walk the earth acting like God and neither should we! Jesus was concerned with the humanity of each person that He met. God calls us to follow Him, to be humble, and to show His love and kindness. When we feel like acting or reacting out of rivalry, frustration, or conceit, we need to stop and consider the humanity of other people and that God loves them, too!

Don't react out of rivalry or conceit, act out of God's love!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for sending Jesus as a model of how to live. Help me to act out of love and humility. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

On My Lips

5/10/2016

"I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips." -Psalm 34:1 (NIV)

There are times when we are in situations that cause us to "bite our tongues." We may have something to say, but we know that it will do more harm than good to say it. In these moments, we have words on are lips that we don't let slip out. Even though we sometimes bite our tongues or keep words from slipping past our lips, there are some words that we should always speak!

No matter what we are facing, good or bad, it has a purpose in our lives. God is using our circumstance for good! As we live, we should not hold back our praises of God! When it comes to thanking and praising God, we should not bite our tongues or hold in the words. Instead, we should let out our praises. We should always keep His praise and glory on our lips and coming from our lips!

Praise God for everything at all times...keep those praises on your lips!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for always using the situations of my life for good. I praise Your name for all that You do! In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Catch a Glimpse

5/9/2016

"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." -I John 4:12 (NIV)

There are times when I stop and think because my words or actions remind me of my parents, grandparents, and other people that have played a role in my life. As we grow and develop, we are influenced by those around us. Those influences may be positive or negative. Sometimes we don't realize the impact of those influences until years after the fact, often until we mature and become adults. Even if we haven't recently seen those that influence us, we know the mark left on our lives!

No one has seen God. We can't describe any physical characteristics, but we know that God is alive and active in our lives. His influences are always positive ones! One way we know that God exists is through love. God is love. He loves each and every one of us and wants to have a relationship with us. He demonstrates and teaches us about love. Even though we haven't seen God, we can know of His relationship with us through our words and actions. When we demonstrate love toward one another, we can catch a glimpse of God!

Allow others to catch a glimpse of God by sharing His love in your words and actions!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for always being a part of my life. Help me to show and share Your love with those around me so they can catch a glimpse of You! Through Jesus, my loving Redeemer, I pray, amen.

Guarded Treasure

5/8/2016

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe. A rich man's wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his own imagination." -Proverbs 18:10-11 (NASB)

My house sometimes seems to be filled with collections of various treasures. My daughter has collections of rocks, pine cones, feathers, and other things. Some people may views these things as worthless, but in my daughter's eyes they are treasure to be guarded. No matter what we choose to collect and guard as our treasure on earth, the value is only imagined and temporary.

We may value power, money, or fame, but all of these things will pass away. Putting our faith in earthly riches or in our strong cities results in imaginary security. If we want to be safe and protected, there is only one answer. God is the one true protector. He can be the strong tower that keeps us safe. He offers salvation through His Son. The only treasure that is everlasting is the love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness that can be found in the one and only God! We should guard our hearts against the shine of temporary earthly riches and delight in the eternal treasures given to us by God!

Guard the treasures of God in your heart and share His glory with others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the eternal treasures that You have provided for me. Help me to guard my heart against the shine of earthly riches that do not last and to share with others Your eternal treasure! Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Fixer Upper

5/7/2016

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." -II Corinthians 5:17 (NASB)

I enjoy watching home improvement shows that show the transformation from run down fixer upper to beautiful home. Sometimes the transformation involves major construction. The work that goes into making the changes may be difficult work, but the end result is worth it!

We can be transformed, too! We can go from "fixer upper" to "restored" through belief in Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection offer us salvation and redemption. We can put our faith in Him and trust that we will become more than we could have ever imagined. As we live in faith, we can know that Jesus is continually working in our lives to improve us and make us examples of His restorative power!

Allow Jesus to transform you from fixer upper to restored!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Jesus and His restorative power in my life. Help me to continue to embrace Your work in my life and to live as an example of Your power, grace, and mercy. Through Jesus I pray, amen.