Blog Archives - Bible Inspired

He is There!

7/31/2019

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing." -Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)

Sometimes we may feel scared to walk alone and are uncomfortable. Other times we may feel lonely when we are looking to celebrate. We need to remember that we are not alone. Whether we need comforting or celebrating, God is with us!

God is always with us. We can call on Him at any time and He will know how to respond. He will walk with us and quiet our fears with His love. He will celebrate with us and rejoice in our gladness and success. In turn, we can praise God for all the He is and does!

Call on God for comfort or rejoicing because He is there!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always being with me. All praise and glory to You! In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Not Yet Appeared!

7/30/2019

"Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is." -I John 3:2 (ESV)

It is good to have dreams and big ideas. The dreams and ideas we start with may only be in our own minds. However, as we pursue our dreams and ideas, others may struggle to see our vision until the outcomes become tangible or real.

God has a vision for each of us. Even if we or those around us cannot see that vision, the final version of us will be revealed. Ultimately, our eternal selves have not yet appeared, but one day they will. Just as we work toward building our dreams, we can follow God and allow Him to build us up. God is preparing us to so in the end we can be like Him!

While the final you hasn't yet appeared, God is preparing you to be like Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for continually working on me and helping me to be better. Allow me to continue to grow and be transformed by Your grace. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Allow God!

7/29/2019

"Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice." -Proverbs 16:8 (ESV)

When we are trying to grow and become better, we may experience people that put obstacles in our way. We may feel the urge to respond with anger or injustice. However, we need to allow God to handle our obstacles!

When we keep our eyes on God and His will, we can "take the high road" and pursue His righteousness. As we follow God, we can be assured that He will bless us. He will remove or help us overcome the obstacles that are in our way. We just need to keep our eyes on God and trust in His power to overcome injustice!

Follow God and trust that He will overcome injustice and remove obstacles in Your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for removing obstacles in my life. Help me to always trust You and follow Your path of righteousness. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

People of Action!

7/28/2019

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." -James 1:22-25 (ESV)

When we look at the world around us, most of us would admit there is work to do. Whether we focus on our communities, churches, or even our own lives, there are improvements that could be made. We can choose to sit and talk about the needs we see, but what the world really needs is for us to be doers and people of action!

God calls us to be "doers of the word" or people of action! We are not called to sit and talk without taking action. As doers, we need to truly hear what God is saying to us through His Word and through our communication with Him in prayer. Once we know God and His plans, we need to be sure we do not forget His lessons. We should follow His guidance as we prepare for and then take action. We can help others in this world and build God's Kingdom, but only if we are people of action for God!

Hear God, remember His Word, and then be people of action for God's Kingdom!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your Word and guidance. Help me to be a person of action that is a doer for Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Admit It and Fix It!

7/27/2019

"We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws." -Daniel 9:5 (NIV)

Although we may not like to admit it, we have all do wrong. Each and every one of us have sinned. If we want to get closer to God, we need to admit our wrongs and ask God to help us fix them!

Sin is part of being human. Even when we try to avoid it, we will fall into a trap and commit sin. The first step to fixing our sin is to admit that we sin. Once we admit our sin, we may think we can fix it on our own, but we cannot. The only way to fix our sin is to turn to Jesus Christ, our Savior, and ask for forgiveness. It is through Him that we can admit our sin and begin to fix it!

Admit your sin, then turn to Jesus so He can help you fix it!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your guidance and forgiveness. Please forgive my sin and help me to live a better life each day. Through Jesus, my Savior, I pray, amen.

Happy and Good!

7/26/2019

"I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God." -Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 (NIV)

Desmond Tutu said, "Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." As we do good, we can find happiness and satisfaction. We can start with small acts of kindness to do good and find happiness in our lives!

Throughout life, God wants us to be happy and do good. We can find both happiness and goodness in God. As we follow God, we can find joy and satisfaction in the work that He sets before us. With our God-given gifts, we can serve God and find happiness in doing good for others during our time on earth. This is a gift from God!

Be happy in doing good during your time on earth!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your gifts in my life. Help me to use my gifts to be happy, to help others, and to serve You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

The Right, Good Thing

7/25/2019

"But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord." -Jonah 1:3 (NIV)

Each day we have on earth is a gift. My family was recently reminded of this when my brother-in-law passed away unexpectedly. At his funeral, his son spoke about his dad and the lessons he learned. One thing he learned was that we should always do the right, good thing, even when it is not convenient.

God always calls us to do the "right, good thing." Sometimes it is easy to follow and do what God asks of us. Other times, we may resist God's calling. As in the lesson my nephew received from his father, we need to be sure that we are following God, even if we don't want to. We may complain or even contemplate other options, but, in the end, we are to love and help one another while glorifying God. We can't run from doing the right, good things that God commands!

Don't run from what God is asking. Trust Him and do the right, good thing!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your presence in my life. Help me to always trust in You and to do what You are asking of me. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Run to Safety!

7/24/2019

"The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." -Proverbs 18:10 (NIV)

There are times when we may be overwhelmed by the world around us. We may feel that the walls are closing in and we have no where to turn. If we feel threatened or unsafe, we need to find a place of safety and refuge.

In these times of trouble, we can run to the name of the Lord! However, we should not run to Him only when things get rough. God is always there for us. He is always our fortress, a place of refuge and safety. No matter good times or bad, we should run to the name of the Lord for safety, support, and praise!

Run to safety in the name of the Lord!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love and protection. Help me to always seek Your presence, whether in good or challenging times. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Hear the Message!

7/23/2019

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." -Romans 10:17 (NIV)

I recently read an article that said we are subjected to over 350 advertisements per day. While this may seem high, the article also explained that this number has decreased in recent years due to technology that allows us to "fast forward" or skip commercials. In our rush to avoid the ads or messages in the media we consume, we need to be sure that we don't miss the most important message!

Our faith comes from hearing God's message. We can hear this message through His Word and the lessons that His Son, Jesus Christ, presents in the Gospel. As we look to avoid hearing advertisements or skip messages that seem to take up our time, we cannot neglect God's message. We need to spend time reading and thinking about His Word. We also need to spend time talking to Him and listening to what He has to tell us. It is only through hearing His message that we can build our faith and prepare for eternity!

Don't try to fast forward or skip God's message. Take time to read and truly hear it!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for providing me with Your message. Help me to hear what You have to say and apply it to my life now and for eternity. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Cast Away!

7/22/2019

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

In our lives, we will certainly experience challenging times that bring about anxious feelings. When we feel ourselves slipping into times of worry and feeling anxious, we need to stop and reconsider our response to the situations in our lives. Instead of worry and anxiety, we need to cast our fears and worry and God!

God is ready to help us. We need to be prepared to call on Him and trust in His power. When we call on God, He will respond to us because He cares for us. We need to trust in Him and allow Him to work in our lives. With God, we don't need to worry or be anxious, we just need to trust in His care and accept the peace that only He can give!

Trust in God's care and cast away your anxiety!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being willing to help me. Please take my worry, fear, and anxiety and give me Your peace. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Warrior of Patience and Obedience!

7/21/2019

"Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city." -Proverbs 16:32 (NIV)

I have been reading an autobiography by Shawn Michaels, the retired wrestler. In one chapter, he describes the differences between his images of a warrior prior to and after becoming a Christian. While the world may view warriors as those that are strong and ready to fight on their own, this isn't the only way a warrior can be victorious!

When we are "warriors" for God, we cannot succeed based on our own strength or abilities. In order to further God's Kingdom, we need to be obedient to God and patient as we wait on Him. God has the power to help us be victorious. We need to submit to God's power and will, be patient in God's timing, self-controlled in our actions. With God, we can be both a warrior and a person of patience and obedience!

Be a patient and obedient warrior for God's Kingdom by trusting in and waiting on God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the power that You have shown in my life. Help me to be patient and obedient as a warrior for Your Kingdom. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Wisdom Like Honey!

7/20/2019

"Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off." -Proverbs 24:14 (NIV)

There are certain things that many of us want in our lives. We may want wisdom, things that are "sweet", and hope for the future. A lot of time may be devoted to searching for each of these in our lives, but we don't need to waste our time searching for this "honey"!

Instead of searching the earth for wisdom and hope for the future, we can turn to God. We can find the honey of God's wisdom by reading His Word and communicating with God through prayer. Once we have invited God to be part of our lives, we can experience a hope for the future like nothing we could find on earth. It is only through God's love, grace, and mercy that we have hope not only for our short-term future but for all of eternity!

Like the sweetness of honey, God's wisdom, love, grace, and mercy provides hope for your eternal future!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the wisdom that You have given me. Help me to use the wisdom and hope that come from You to encourage others to seek You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Humility and Building

7/19/2019

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

Life can take many different paths and we often don't know what will come next. However, almost all of our paths involve our interactions with other people. As we prepare to interact, we can approach others in a way that builds them up or puts them down. The choice is ours!

We are reminded that if we act out of rivalry or conceit, we often damage the relationships with those around us. We can tear them apart, whether intentional or not. On the other hand, we can approach each other with humility. With a humble attitude, we can consider the importance of others and aid in building them up. Together we can become closer to each other and closer to God. Through humility, we can build each other up in God's love!

Include God, act with humility, and build each other up!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love and for building me up. Help me to approach others with humility that allows them to see and know You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Fruits, Spirit, and Life

7/18/2019

"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 (ESV)

A friend recently posted a quote that reminded people morality is not just determined by what is written in laws. Laws guide us in many ways, but we cannot rely solely on our laws to form our morality. We need to look to God!

When we turn to God, we find His Word filled with teaching about our morality. One place we can learn more about how to live is in the fruit of the Spirit. When we consider these nine ideals, we can think about our lives and ask for guidance in applying them to our lives. With love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, we can live better lives now and prepare for eternity!

Find guidance and live better through the fruit of the Spirit!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your continual guidance. Help me to apply the fruit of the Spirit to my life so I can live better now and for eternity with You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Talking Too Much?

7/17/2019

"Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues." -Proverbs 17:28 (NIV)

Recently, after a dinner with a group of colleagues, my colleagues and I were talking. We discussed different experiences, including challenges and successes. After we shared, a friend wandered if we talked too much. We may have all experienced times when we talk too much!

God has created us to be social and to interact with each other. We also need to have a relationship and interact with God. Unlike talking with people around us, God is ready to hear everything from us. He wants us to confess our shortcomings, be thankful for our blessings, and ask for help through challenges. But with God, as long as we are talking to Him, we cannot talk too much!

As long as you are talking to God, you don't have to worry about talking too much!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the blessings that You give me. Forgive me for my shortcomings and help me through my challenges. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Eyes for Safety and Love!

7/16/2019

"But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love." -Psalm 33:18 (NIV)

When we travel or go places with children, we are likely to keep our eyes on our children. We want them to both behave and to be safe. It is through our supervision that we ensure both of these things happen. The same is true with our Heavenly Father!

As we go through life, we need to keep our eyes on the Lord and our feet on His path. We need to learn from His Word and then keep His commands. When we do this, we can have hope in God's never-ending and never-failing love. By keeping our eyes on God, we can be reminded that His eyes are on us, wanting us to be safe and giving us love and giving us hope!

Keep your eyes on God and know that His eyes are on you with love and hope!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the hope that only You can provide. Help me to keep my eyes on You and to remember that Your eyes are on me. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Perspectives!

7/15/2019

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." -I Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)

Just like we can view the glass as "half full" or "half empty", our attitude can determine what we see or how we feel. Whether we see something as a problem or an opportunity depends on our perspective. As we approach God's message, His Good News, we need to have the right perspective!

We are reminded that to those that do not understand God's message of the cross, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ may sound foolish. However, when we understand God's grace and the salvation given through the sacrifice of His Son, we see power and redemption, not foolishness. We just need to have the right perspective so we can follow the Savior!

Be sure you have the perspective that allows you to see the power of God and the salvation He provides through Jesus Christ!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank you for saving me from sin. Help me to always have the perspective that allows me to see Your grace, mercy, and power. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Be Gracious!

7/14/2019

"Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." -Proverbs 16:24 (NIV)

I recently read a sign that said, "Be gracious in manner, humble in tone, and thankful for what is given." We should be gracious in life, but that is sometimes easier said than done. We need to find a way to be gracious, even - especially - when it is most challenging!

We are called to be gracious. God is our source of love and grace. When we are filled with God's love, we have grace and love that we can share with others. Even when we are faced with difficult situations or challenging people, God can give us gracious words. Through these words, we can allow others to experience the sweetness and healing only God can provide!

With God's help, be gracious and allow others to experience the sweetness and healing of God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the love and grace You have shown me. Help me to be gracious so others can experience Your sweetness and healing. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Make Each Other Stronger!

7/13/2019

"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith." -Romans 1:11-12 (NIV)

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said that, "Somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others." Throughout life, it is good to have people that share our joy during the good times and encourage us in the difficult situations. We need to encourage each other in all parts of our lives, even in our spiritual journeys!

God is always there to strengthen us, but He also puts others in our lives. We can draw on the strength and love that God gives to us. We can share God's love and strength with those in our lives. Through our relationships with God, we can learn that it is great to do things for others. It is great to offer support and encouragement to build each other up. Together we can find strength in God and be strong for God's Kingdom now and for eternity!

Build each other up through God's love and strength!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the support and strength that You provide. Help me to always support others so we can be strong for Your Kingdom. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Let Out Your River!

7/12/2019

"Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." -John 7:38 (NIV)

Our feelings often come out through our actions. If we are angry and miserable, others will likely hear our complaints or see our unhappiness in our actions. If we are happy and joyful, we will show this through our smiles and positive interactions. Even if we mask our feelings in the short-term, the truth will eventually come out!

As believers in God, we have His joy and love in our hearts. We should let this love and joy flow out of our hearts through our words and actions. This river of living water flowing from us can allow others to see the grace, mercy, and power of our God, the one true God. Our lives and the living water flowing from them can help bring others to God so they, too, can experience God's redeeming power!

Believe in God and allow His living water to flow from you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your life-changing power in my life. Help Your living water to flow from me so others can come to know You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Training

7/11/2019

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." -I Timothy 4:8 (NIV)

I try to make time each day for exercise or physical activity of some sort. I like the feeling from exercise and it is good to be prepared for the physical demands of life. We can be ready to be active, but physical training isn't our only concern. We also need to train for eternity!

Just like we may make time to exercise our physical bodies, we need to set time each day to study and build our spiritual relationship with God. We need to train in God's Word and be prepared for the spiritual obstacles we will face. Through all of our experiences, we can find value in God's presence in our lives. We can also be prepared for eternity with God!

Train your body for now but your spirit for eternity!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the lessons and training You provide. Help me to be active now and prepared for eternity with You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Safety and Refuge

7/10/2019

"Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge." -Psalm 16:1 (NIV)

As parents or people with children in our lives, we want what is best for them. We want to protect them and keep them safe. However, we need to do more than protect them ourselves. We need to teach our children where to take refuge!

God promises to be our Rock and our safe place. We need to remember to ask God for His protection and we need to teach our children that God is their refuge, too. Then, as our children get older and find themselves in different situations, they will know that they can turn to God on their own. God can be our refuge and a refuge for our children and those we care about!

Be safe and find refuge in God for yourself and others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for keeping me safe and for being a place of refuge. Help me to teach the children in my life that You will provide that same refuge for them. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Developing & Overcoming

7/9/2019

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." -John 16:33 (NIV)

I recently saw a sign that reads, "Life is like photography. You need the negatives to develop." We know that we will have troubles and "negatives" in life, but we also know the picture that develops will be a glorious one!

Jesus came to help us develop by overcoming the sin and troubles of this world. He knows that we will struggle, but He reminds us to take heart and put our faith in Him. It is through Jesus that we can be redeemed. It is through Him that we can overcome this world and prepare for eternity with God!

Develop through the negatives by trusting in the overcoming power of Jesus Christ!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for helping me to develop and grow. Praise to You for being the path that allows me to overcome this world. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Inside and Out!

7/8/2019

"For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." -Romans 10:10 (NIV)

In recent conversations with friends, there has been talk about cleaning up inside and around the house. One friend remarked that while the house was clean inside, the neglected landscaping outside made the house look like no one lived there. In our lives, we want to be clean on the inside, but we also need to let people know how we have been cleansed!

We are called by God to be purified and redeemed. This starts with our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Savior. Our sin is forgiven and we know and believe in our hearts that we have been redeemed. Our redemption needs to move from inside out. We need to tell others about our faith and the life-changing power of God. We need to allow our redemption to move from inside our hearts to out of our mouths!

Be cleansed inside and let out the Good News of God's power!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your redeeming power. Help me to tell others the Good News! Through Jesus, my Savior, I pray, amen.

Why Do You Give?

7/7/2019

"If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." -I Corinthians 13:3 (NIV)

We have probably all hear that, "It is better to give than to receive." While this may be true, we need to consider more than just the act of giving. What are our motivations for giving? Why do we give?

We are called by God to give to Him in order to spread the Good News and to help those in need. However, we can approach giving in different ways. We can give because we are told to or we feel obligated. We can also give in order to receive recognition or to be able to boast and tell others of our "generosity." We may feel a sense of accomplishment when giving in these ways, but we our focus should be on giving out of love. When we give out of love, we are not giving because it is an obligation or because we are expecting recognition. Giving with love is an act of service to each other and to God, the one that gives blessings to us!

Why do you give? Give out of love for others and for God the provider!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love and for all of the blessings that You have given me. Help me to always give to others out of love. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.