Blog Archives - Bible Inspired

Wherever You Go...

8/31/2019

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

Sometimes we end up in places or situations that we don't expect. When faced with the unexpected or unknown, we can become afraid, discouraged, and even hopeless. Our lives may become affected as we worry and try to find our way. However, no matter what we face or where we go, we need to remember God is our companion!

God is a companion that travels with us wherever we go. His power is greater than anything we will encounter. When we face the unknown or unexpected challenges, we need to remember God's command to be strong and courageous. Because God is with us, we do not need to be afraid. Instead of fear, discouragement, and hopelessness, we can call on God and trust Him to strengthen and encourage us, wherever we find ourselves!

Call on God and follow His command to be strong and courageous wherever you go!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being with me wherever I go. Help me to be strong and courageous, always standing up for You and what is right. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Because of Him!

8/30/2019

"Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made." -John 1:3 (NIV)

At a recent meeting, those in attendance were challenged to consider their "legacy." Thinking about our legacy may leave us searching for our purpose in life. As we consider the next steps of our journey and the ultimate outcomes and goals, we need to remember our Creator!

We are reminded in the Bible that God is the Creator. He creates all that we see around us and He created each and every one of us! We are here because of Him! As God's creations, we have a purpose. He put us here for a reason. Whether we are considering our legacy or our next steps, we need to start with talking to our Creator, God. He is sure to guide us, now and for eternity!

We are here because of God, so talk to Him and allow Him to guide you now and for eternity!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for creating me and guiding me. Help me to hear You and Your purpose in my life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

"Difficult" & "Challenging" People?

8/29/2019

"If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him: whoever loves God must also love his brother." -I John 4:20-21 (ESV)

We probably all know "difficult" or "challenging" people in our lives. While we may not want to deal with people that are mean or give us a hard time, we cannot turn our backs on them. We need to find strength to show (and spread) love!

God is love. He is the source of all of our love. If we truly love God, then we cannot go through our lives avoiding or hating others. As we are reminded in I John, we cannot hate those we see while loving God, who we have not seen. Instead, we can draw on God's love and show kindness and love to others, even those that may be "difficult" or "challenging" in our lives. With the strength and love of God, we can change our perspectives on the people in our lives!

When faced with difficult or challenging people, choose to show God's love and kindness!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for showing me love. Help me to show Your love and kindness to others, even those that challenge me. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Look Up for Help!

8/28/2019

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." -Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)

There will come a time in our lives when we need help. Sometimes we may not want to ask for it. Others times, we may not stop and realize the origin of our help. When we need help, we should ask for it and then show our appreciation!

When we need help, we can look to God. We can lift our eyes and pray for His help. We can trust in His promises and be reassured by God's power and glory. God will help each of us. As God helps us, we should be grateful. We can look up for help and then raise our hands and voices in praise for God's presence and action in our lives!

Look up to God for help and then look up in praise for all He does in your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the help that You provide. Praise to You for all that You have done in my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Stability and Consistency

8/27/2019

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." -Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)

Life is full of change. While things change around us, we can be reminded of both our need for growth and our need for stability. Aging, shifting attitudes, and evolution of ideas in society may be unavoidable or even necessary, it is good to know where we can find consistency!

God is and always has been. He is the source of stability and consistency. We are reminded that Jesus Christ is the same in the past, present, and future. No matter what may change or appear to change around us, we should measure these changes in relation to the teachings of Jesus because His message endures. With God and His Son, we can know stability and consistency in our lives. We can be reassured by keeping our eyes on God, even when change is all around us!

Know God and know stability and consistency in the midst of change!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the consistency and support that You provide. Help me to always keep my eyes on You, even in the midst of change. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Overcome in God!

8/26/2019

"Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." -I John 4:4 (ESV)

As I plan for the beginning of school, I know there will be times when my students are frustrated. There could be many reasons, but often our frustrations come when we cannot overcome obstacles or challenges. When we feel frustrated or stuck, we need to persevere...and God can help with that!

God can help us persevere. He can help us overcome the frustrations and challenges in our lives. We need to remember that God is in us and He is greater than anything in the world around us. We need to call on God and then trust that He will reveal His power through our lives. As we follow Him, we can persevere, be empowered, and overcome this world!

Call on and trust that God will reveal His power in your life so you can overcome!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your power and presence in my life. Help me to trust in Your power to overcome this world. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Moving On...

8/25/2019

"And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." -Galatians 5:24 (ESV)

As we age, we change. Things we may have once found enjoyable no longer hold their appeal. Instead of these old ways, we find new passions and purposes. The same should be true as we become more spiritually mature. We should leave behind old ways and temptations as we move closer to God and His will in our lives!

There are times when we may still be tempted, but we need to remember that as followers of Jesus Christ, we are new beings! Our acceptance of salvation through Jesus means that we try to do better and be better people. We try to move on from the passions and desires that will lead us away from God so we can continually move closer to Him. With God and Jesus Christ as our focus, we can become passionate in serving Him, showing love, and growing God's Kingdom now and forever!

Move on from temptations and become a new being in Jesus Christ!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for redeeming me and giving me passion for You and sharing Your love and forgiveness. Help me to always be focused on You and Your eternal Kingdom. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Work, Not Talk

8/24/2019

"All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." -Proverbs 14:23 (NIV)

There are lots of things that we would like to see happen. We may spend time talking about our ideas, wishes, and dreams. However, we know that our talk, even if focused on solutions, won't become a reality without some work!

As we set out to work and make things better, we can find support and strength in God. We can talk to God in prayer and then listen to His response. With God's direction, we can take action. To see positive results of our action, we will need to work hard. However, with God, our hard work will be multiplied for His glory. With work and not just talk, we can move from the poverty of sin to the riches of eternity with God!

Hard work with God's blessing will lead to eternal riches with Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for blessing me and my work. Help me to not just talk, but to listen and follow You to better Your Kingdom now and forever. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

God the Builder!

8/23/2019

"For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything." -Hebrews 3:4 (NIV)

Whether physical things or learning experiences for my students, I like to be creative and "build" things. Many of us create things in our lives. However, none of these efforts would be possible without God, our Creator and builder!

God created our home, the earth. He created everything around us. He also created each and every one of us! He created us for a purpose and when we choose to follow Him, He continues to build us up! With God's help, we can be instruments for Him to continue His work of building up both ourselves and others around us. We just need to listen to and follow God the Builder!

Listen to God and allow Him to build you up and use you to build others up as well!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for continuing to build me and to help me be better. Please use me to build others up as well, for Your glory. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Good Anger?

8/22/2019

"Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools." -Ecclesiastes 7:9 (ESV)

There are many things that may cause us to be angry. Some things should make us angry and cause us to take action. However, other things should not make us angry. We need to be sure we take the time to distinguish these things and not be too quick to anger.

Anger is not necessarily a bad thing, when it is appropriate and dealt with in a productive way. However, we need to be careful that we are not becoming angry too quickly. God can help us know when to feel angry. He can help guide our actions to right the wrongs we see and to have a spirit of restoration and reconciliation in and for God's Kingdom!

Don't always be quick to anger, but allow God to help you use your anger for good!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the wisdom and guidance You provide. Help me to not be quick to anger and to use anger for good. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Don't Get Dehydrated!

8/21/2019

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God." -Psalm 42:1 (NIV)
"Jesus answered and said to her, 'Everyone who drinks of this water will thrist again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thrist; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.'" -John 4:13-14 (NASB)

During the warm days of summer it can be easy to become dehydrated. When we don't drink enough water we can become thirsty. Our bodies can react to not having enough water. We prepare ourselves to protect against our bodies feeling the impact of not drinking enough water, but we also need to protect our souls against dehydration!

Each day should bring a longing for the "living water" that only God can provide. Just as our bodies need water to function properly, our souls need to be replenished by God. Jesus provides us with the living water, the Good News about redemption through His sacrifice. We need to "drink" this living water by spending time each day in God's Word and in prayer. As our souls long for God and we take in His promises, we can become a source of water leading others to eternal life with God, the Father, and Jesus, the Son. We can help be sure that our souls and others' souls stay hydrated with the eternal, living water of God!

Don't allow your soul to become dehydrated. Seek God and the living water that only He can provide!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your living water that sustains my spirit. Help me to always seek You and to spend time with Your Word and in prayer. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Talk Truth!

8/20/2019

"With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape." -Proverbs 11:9 (NIV)

There are times when we may be tempted to talk. We may get caught up in the moment of a conversation and say more than we mean to or more than we should. Whether we are the ones talking or the ones being talked about, we know that truth and righteousness will come to light!

When we talk, we should not talk with the intention of destroying those around us. However, we should speak truth. God is a God of love and redemption. He is a God of truth. Our conversations with each other and with God should be focused on the truth. We should tell the truth not as a method of destroying each other, but in a way that helps bring restoration and redemption. With knowledge of truth and righteousness, we can escape sin and find eternal life with God!

Be careful of what you say - tell the truth to God and each other to find restoration and redemption in God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving and redeeming me. Help me to always stay focused on the truth and tell it in a way that leads to restoration and redemption in You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Peace, Not Anxiety

8/19/2019

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

It is easy to be anxious. We can try to control situations or events and then worry about the outcome. We can be anxious or even fearful in the face of change. We may experience the urge to control things in our lives, even in church! No matter what surrounds us or what lies ahead, we don't have to be anxious.

God promises to protect and provide for us. We need to be faithful to Him through all of our experiences. No matter how things are going in our lives, we need to go to God in prayer and then trust in His power. As we trust Him, we can experience peace and understanding that will help us through our lives here on earth and lead us to eternity. With prayer and trust comes peace and understanding that are greater than our anxiety and worry!

Pray to and trust in God so you don't have to be anxious or worry!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the peace and understanding that only You can provide. Help me to trust in You so I am not anxious or worried. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Sailing the Seas!

8/18/2019

"May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance." -II Thessalonians 3:5 (NIV)

My family recently visited a local seaport museum. There are several wooden ships, including a whaling ship, and exhibits about life at sea in the past and present. When walking on the ships, you can begin to imagine trying to navigate the seas, sailing without the modern conveniences of technology. There are bound to be rough waters while a ship is making a long journey and a need for strength, calm, and direction!

Our lives are a journey that will have calm and stormy times. When we are faced with the rough waters of life, we, too, need strength, calm, and direction. The good news is that we have a captain that can lead us. We need to be committed to God and trust in His direction and strength. No matter how high the waves, we can remain calm and know that God can and will do what is best for us. We can continue sailing the seas of life with confidence, knowing that God is in control!

Have confidence and trust in God to guide you through the calm and rough seas of life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for guiding me through all of life's events. Help me to hear You and to trust in the direction that You lead me. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Know God, Show Love!

8/17/2019

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

Even though we should love one another, this is sometimes easier said than done. There may even be times then we don't really like ourselves or our actions. Whether we are thinking about loving ourselves or loving others, we need to remember that our love comes from God!

No matter who we encounter in our lives, we should strive to show love. God loves us even when we sin, so we should follow His example and love ourselves and others. Love doesn't mean we are okay with sin. However, our sin, with God's love, can be erased and we can live in a way that moves away from sin. As we know God and become closer to Him each day, we can show love to ourselves and others, moving away from sin and closer to Him!

Know God and His deep love for you so you can show love to yourself and others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love, even though I am a sinner. Help me to know you better each day and to share Your love. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Happy Face?

8/16/2019

"All my longings lie open before You, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from You." -Psalm 38:9 (NIV)

There are times when we put on a "happy face." Even if we aren't really feeling happy, we may not want others to see our true feelings. While we may be able to hide our emotions from other people, God always knows our thoughts and feelings!

God knows each of us inside and out. Our true feelings and emotions cannot be hidden from God. Everything we want or feel is open to God. Trying to put on a "happy face" will not fool God. Instead of trying to hide our feelings from God, we need to talk with God and develop relationships that allow us to hear Him so we can accept His guidance. Once we hear and follow God, we can truly have a happy heart and face!

Talk with God, listen to Him, and allow Him to guide you to a happy heart and face!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Than You for knowing me. Help me to hear and follow Your guidance so I can live a truly happy and fulfilled life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Multiple Strands

8/15/2019

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." -Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV)

When we look at engineering marvels like the Brooklyn or Golden Gate Bridges, we see that they are supported by cables made up of multiple strands of wire. While a single strand cannot support these structures, multiple strands are not easily broken. As we seek to spread God's love and speak out about injustice in the world, we need can find strength with "multiple strands"!

When we answer God's call, we need to remember that He provides the supports we need. We can trust in the Trinity of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit - three strands that will support and guide us. Additionally, God will provide us with fellow believers that we can stand with and support God's work. God will provide those with which we can form a stronger cord to defend ourselves and further God's work without being broken. We can be stronger together as we fight for justice and God's Kingdom!

Allow God to use you to form a stronger cord with multiple strands!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the strength that You provide. Help me to form a stronger "cord" that can further Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Cry Out in Praise!

8/14/2019

"I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue." -Psalm 66:17 (NIV)

When we think about crying, we usually think of tears. Leonardo da Vinci said, "Tears come from the heart and not from the brain." While we may understand in our brains why we should be thankful, we need to be thankful from our heart!

A lot of times, we may think of crying out as being in need. We may be distressed or looking for answers. However, we should also cry out in praise for all that God does for us. Our cries of praise should come directly from our hearts! We can think about more than just the material things in our lives and praise God for all His blessings that truly impact our lives. We can then cry out from our hearts in praise for God's glory!

Cry out in praise for all that God is and does in your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the blessings in my life. All praise to You for Your power in my life! In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Power, Love, & Self-Control

8/13/2019

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." -II Timothy 1:7 (ESV)

I want to make a difference. Each day I step into the classroom, I hope I can make things better for my students, whether in their understanding of the subject matter or in their ability to be better people. In the process, I want to grow, too. While this may be my goal, I sometimes need to overcome "fear" and uncertainty!

When we are following God's plan for our lives, we do not need to fear or be uncertain. We need to trust in God. Through God, our fear and uncertainty can be replaced with a spirit of power, love, and self-control. We can go about making a difference where God has placed us and allow Him to expand our impact beyond what we could do on our own!

Trust in God and follow Him for power, love, and self-control to make a difference in the world!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the power, love, and self-control found in following You. Help me to make a difference for Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Take Hold!

8/12/2019

"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." -I Timothy 6:12 (ESV)

In our lives there may be times when we are given a special gift. We likely cherish the gift and hold onto it. We also receive a gift from God that we need to hold on to, the gift of eternal life!

In our lives, we need to accept the gift of eternal life that God has given us and take hold of it! The good news is that once we accept the gift of forgiveness and eternal life from God, we can share it with others. We can take hold of eternal life for ourselves and we can help others by being witnesses to the glory and power of God!

Take hold of the eternal life God has given you and share Him with others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the gift of eternal life. Help me to take hold and to share You with others. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Hope, Not Shame!

8/11/2019

"And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." -Romans 5:5 (NIV)

There are times when we do things that others may question. They may not understand our reasons and may question our actions. While we may act differently than the world expects, we should do so because of our faith and hope!

Even though there are times when the world around us seems dark or bleak, God provides us with hope and love. We have the Holy Spirit as our guide. Our actions should not be rooted in shame. Instead, we should act in faith because of God's power and the guidance that He provides. We can serve Him by acting in confidence and not shame. When we are living in God, others will be able to see the source of our hope and confidence!

No matter what happens in the world around you, embrace the hope God provides and live without shame!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the hope that only You can provide. Help me to follow the Holy Spirit and to live in a way that others can see You as the source of my hope and confidence. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Advice

8/10/2019

"Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice." -Proverbs 13:10 (NIV)

We probably all had times when we think we know what is best. As we go about things our own way, we may begin to realize that others have valuable insight, too. Whether or not we think we know the "right way" to go about something, we should take time to listen to advice, especially advice from God!

When we begin a journey or approach a task, we need to be prepared. We can prepare by listening to advice and discerning which advice should guide us. To know which advice to follow, we should turn to God. God knows not only our situation here and now, but what is to come. As we turn to God in prayer, we must also listen to Him. We can then move forward humbly and with wisdom because of His advice!

Listen to advice and turn to God in prayer, then listen to Him so you can move forward humble and confident in His wisdom!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the advice and wisdom that You provide. Help me to hear You and to follow You in a way that is both humble and confident in Your power and glory. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Live Like You're Alive!

8/9/2019

"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive." -I Corinthians 15:22 (NIV)

As we live our lives, we have a choice in how we go about living. We can leave each day as if we are one day closer to dying. We can act as if we are preparing for the end. However, we have another choice. We can live in a way that is full of life and not afraid of the end of our time on earth!

If we choose to focus on on sin, the end is death. However, that is not how God wants us to live! God wants us to focus on the redemption that is offered through the death and resurrection of His Son. Through our acceptance of God's forgiveness, we don't have to focus on sin and death. We can be filled with His love and the purpose He gives us so that we can truly live and be alive now and for eternity!

Live like you're alive and not like you are dying!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for allowing me to truly live. Help me to fulfill my purpose for Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Pray, Seek, Thank

8/8/2019

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." -Colossians 4:2 (NIV)

I recently read a post that said, "If you think about problems, you'll see problems. If you think about opportunity, you'll see opportunities." While problems and opportunities will both exist, our focus or perspective can influence what we see. We need to be ready to look for solutions and blessings instead of problems!

With God, we can start with prayer. In good times and bad, we can pray to God. As we pray, we also need to be "watchful" and looking for God. We need to seek Him. When we are looking for God and His presence, we can find Him in our lives. Seeking God will reveal to us His glory, power, and blessings in our lives. We can pray to, seek, and thank God for helping us to focus on and see His blessings!

Pray to God, seek Him, and see the blessings that only He can provide!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all of the blessings in my life, even those that I may overlook. Please help me to seek You and see all that You do in my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Wait and Hope!

8/7/2019

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope." -Psalm 130:5 (ESV)

Sometimes it is hard to wait. When we are looking forward to things, we may want time to speed up. The opposite may also be true when we are not looking forward to things. Whatever the reason for us being anxious, we need to have hope!

When we follow God, we know that He is our source of hope. Our belief and trust in Him gives us strength to wait and reason to hope. God can help us overcome the challenges that may be lurking ahead. He will also celebrate as we triumph in His Name. We just need to call on Him and then wait with hope in His perfect plan!

Wait and have hope in God's plan for your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the strength and hope that only You can provide. Help me to have patience and to trust in Your plan. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.