Blog Archives - Bible Inspired

Make the Right Noise!

10/31/2015

"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." -I Corinthians 13:1 (NASB)

Many of us experience times or situations that can be frustrated. We may get frustrated at work, at home, while running errands, or even at church. Our frustrations may result from interacting with other people. When we are faced with frustrating interactions, we should be careful what kind of noise we make!

When we get frustrated by others, we sometimes need to take a step back and realize that we may not see the entire picture or understand the events surrounding a person's mood or behavior. As we take a step back, we need to remember that all of our words and actions should be rooted in God's love. If we do not think about and act in God's love, then we are just useless and annoying noises. However, if we act in God's love with a spirit of compassion and forgiveness, the noise we create can be sweet, calming, and beautiful!

Make the right kind of noise by speaking God's love - even when you are frustrated!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for giving me Your love. Help me to always show Your understanding and love to others, even if I am feeling frustrated. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Direction

10/30/2015

"Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me." -Psalm 119:133 (NIV)

There are several trails at the nature center where I volunteer. Even though many people no longer use maps for navigating the roads, I was recently involved in a conversation about the value of a trail map to hikers and visitors looking to head out on the trails. Options of paths to take, distances to travel, and sights to see are pieces of information that are important when choosing a route.

God gives us a map for living life. We can know more about what to expect and how to navigate it when we rely on God's Word and in the directions He provides in our lives. To know which way to go, we need to take the time to read the map, His Word, and to understand what it is telling each of us for our lives. As we talk to God, listen to Him, and read and understand His word, we can choose the route we should take. After asking for God's direction, we should allow Him to guide our footsteps and help us avoid the control of sin.

Find your direction by using God's map - the Bible - and following His guidance for your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and guiding me. Help me to read and understand Your Word and direct my path so I can avoid the control of sin. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Moving Forward

10/29/2015

"Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 3:13-14 (NASB)

One of the lessons we try to teach our middle schoolers is one that I admit I struggle with myself. There are times in our lives when we must forget about what is behind us so we can move forward with our lives. We need to forget what people may have said to us or done to us in the past. We also need to forget the sins that we have been forgiven of so we can focus on reaching the goal of the call of God!

Whenever we feel that we have fallen short of our goals or God's calling, we can remember that God is there to help us along. He wants us to succeed. He wants us to be closer to Him. We will make mistakes, but God will forgive us. We just have to ask! Once we learn from our mistakes and are forgiven, we shouldn't dwell on them. Instead, we should keep our eyes focused on God, the goal of His calling in our lives, and the prize of eternal life with Him!

Keep your eyes on God, leaving the past behind and moving forward toward His goals for your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and wanting me to be close to You. Help me to move toward the future goals that You have for me instead of dwelling on the past. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Welcome and Mentor

10/28/2015

"Then he said to them, 'Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.'” -Luke 9:48 (NIV)

Many of us have special children in our lives, whether our own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, students, neighbors, friends, and so on. When we think about these children, we want what is best for each of them now and into the future. One way we can guide them is by welcoming and mentoring them in the name of Jesus!

As children grow and develop, they need someone to be there to guide them. As a church family, we can be ready to welcome all children in Jesus' name and then be mentors or role models for them. Our influence can also extend beyond the church. By living Godly lives and interacting in positive ways with children in the community, we can be mentors and role models. Even if we find ourselves in situations where we can't openly talk about the Bible or God, we can let our actions be examples and allow God to speak through those actions.

Welcome and mentor the children around you as a way to welcome God into your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the opportunities You give me to interact with children. Please allow my actions to show Your love and continue to work through me for Your glory. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Authority

10/26/2015

"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." -Romans 13:1 (NIV)

Authority and our response to authority can be a difficult subject. There are many times when we may disagree with the government, with our boss, or even with church leadership, but our response needs to be rooted in an understanding of God's direction for our lives. We need to know when to be subject to authority and when to resist it!

When we come to difficult decisions about how to respond to authority, we need to prayerfully consider what God wants in our lives. God has established the authorities we experience on earth for His purpose. We may not understand that purpose when living or dealing with the situations in the present, but we can trust that God has a plan. Through talking to God in prayer and listening to His will in our lives, we can know how to react to authority to further His plan.

Trust God's authority when responding to earthly authority!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your authority in my life. Help me to know how You want me to respond to earthly authority so Your glory can shine through my words and actions. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Be the Light!

10/26/2015

"For this is what the Lord has commanded us: 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" -Acts 13:47 (NIV)

In preparing for a recent night event at the nature center, we placed glow sticks on the trails to caution the night hikers. When we walked the trail in daylight and placed the glow sticks, they didn't appear to be glowing. However, when darkness set in, the glow sticks were bright and easily seen.

As Christians, we are called to be a light for others. There are times when others may think life is bright and they may not notice our glowing light, but when darkness sets in, we shouldn't say, "I told you so." Instead, we should continue to glow and allow our light to seem even brighter in the darker moments than in the lighter ones. We can be the light by showing God's love in all we do and allowing Him to make our light as bright as it needs to be!

Be the light that you know the world needs!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and giving me love that I can share with others. Help my light to shine as bright as it needs to for Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Know Yourself

10/25/2015

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." -Romans 12:3 (NIV)

There are times when we may reflect on our lives. We may look back at our accomplishments. We may look at both the high and low moments that we have experienced. It is important that through all these things, we truly know ourselves and maintain our faith.

If we do not know ourselves, we may begin to think too highly of ourselves. When this happens, we may move away from God, thinking we are capable without Him. On the other hand, if we think too lowly of ourselves, we may move away from God because we do not feel worthy of His attention. The truth is that God is always ready and able to guide us. We just have to be willing to admit to the truth that we have fallen short of His glory and be prepared for Him to take control of our lives!

Know yourself and that God is ready and able to help you become what you are meant to be!

Prayer:
Dear God-
I admit that I fall short of Your glory and ask for You to be active in my life. Thank You for loving me and for always being ready and able to help and guide me. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Perfect Example?

10/24/2015

"But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life." -I Timothy 1:16 (NIV)

Perfection seems to be the goal of many people, but it is a goal that we cannot reach on our own. Sometimes our failure to reach our goals is a learning experience for us and an example for others. When we don't reach our goal or the image of perfection, we have an opportunity to rely on God and show others the importance of God in our lives.

If we had the abilities to be perfect on our own, then God wouldn't have needed to send His Son to die for our sins, but we are not and cannot be perfect without Jesus' redeeming sacrifice. Sometimes others in our lives do not understand that being Christian does not mean we live perfect lives. As we struggle and sometimes stumble, others will see our failures, but we need to be sure they also see the redemptive power of Jesus' death and resurrection. Through sharing our Salvation, we can be the example that helps others find redemption!

You are not perfect, but you can be the perfect example of God's redemptive power!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and redeeming me through Your Son. Help my life to be an example of Your transforming mercy and power. Through Jesus, my Redeemer, I pray, amen.

Anxiety Remedy

10/23/2015

"Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up." -Proverbs 12:25 (NIV)

Today at work we were discussing anxiety. We noted that there seems to be an increase in the number of people diagnosed with some form of an anxiety disorder. We talked about the changes in how anxiety is diagnosed and the reactions to the disorders in family life, education, and the work force. One thing we didn't discuss was how to remedy the anxiety.

Reading the Bible, we can learn of one remedy for anxiety - a cheerful word! While a cheerful word may not cure all anxiety, a friendly, kind exchange can go a long way in easy tension and calming nerves and fear. Through kindness, we can at least take the edge off of the anxiety others may be feeling. We should strive to act and speak in love and kindness and may in the process ease anxiety!

Help remedy anxiety through kind words!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the comfort and love You provide for me. Help me to show Your love to others and to assist in calming anxiety of those around me. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Lift Up Your Soul!

10/22/2015

"Make glad the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You." -Psalms 86:4-5 (NASB)

We all have good days and bad days. Whenever we experience a good day, we can be happy and rejoicing in God's blessings. When we have a bad day, we can be reassured that God is waiting to lift us up and restore us!

In all that we do, we should work as a servant of God. When we turn to God, we can find comfort in knowing that He is ready to forgive us and to lift us up. God loves us and has given us the choice to be redeemed and uplifted in forgiveness through His Son. All we have to do is call on Him to forgive us and to bless the work we do for Him. He can lift us up and make all days brighter than they would be without Him!

In good days or bad, lift up your soul to God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and being ready to lift up my soul. Please continue to bless me and help me to share Your blessings with those around me. Through Your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray, amen.

Bring Them In!

10/21/2015

“'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.'” -Malachi 3:10 (NIV)

As Christians, we are called to tithe to support God's work here on earth. Even when we hear the call and are able to tithe, we sometimes feel that we need to manage our tithe. We may think that we know how the money and talents we contribute should be used.

When we try to control our tithe, we are losing sight of the good that God can do with our contributions. The Church shouldn't be careless with its resources. It should be responsible stewards of the tithes, asking for God's guidance and listening to His direction. If we, God's Church, listen to God and bring in our tithes into His house, then He will bless them, multiply them, and use them for more than we could ever imagine!

Bring your tithes into God's house and allow Him to use them for His glory!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You give me, resources and talents. Help me to give willingly and allow You to use my tithes for Your will. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Don't Forget: He is Risen!

10/20/2015

“'Don’t be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.'" -Mark 16:6 (NIV)

During the Easter season we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. However, the glow of the Easter season can sometimes be forgotten as we encounter the problems and routines of our lives. We allow our lives to encroach and crowd out what should be the centerpiece of our daily lives!

When we think about our lives, we should keep Jesus as the centerpiece, no matter the season! Jesus is risen! He is alive, willing, and able to be part of our lives. We just need to invite Him into our lives and then listen for His presence each and every day!

Don't forget: Jesus is risen...now and forever!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the redemption You have provided for me through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Please allow the risen Christ to fill my life and actions. In His name I pray, amen.

Pray

10/19/2015

"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." -Matthew 6:6 (ESV)

We encounter challenges in our lives. There are times that we need help. When we need help or guidance, we can turn to God, but we need to seek God for the right reasons.

Sometimes people turn to God as a means of showing-off. Our prayer lives can become like that, too. We can pray in public, saying the right words that "sound good." Whenever we are praying to say the right things for others to hear, we can lose track of what is truly in our hearts. God always knows what is in our hearts and when we close the door and pray to God, we can have quiet time to search and know our own hearts. We can then earnestly pray to God and He will know what is in our hearts!

Take time to close the door, search your heart, and earnestly pray!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for allowing me to talk to You. Help me to search my heart and pray, allowing You to know and purify my heart. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Guidance

10/18/2015

"Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me." -Psalm 31:3 (NIV)

There are times in our lives when we may feel lost. I often see it in my middle school students as they try to decide their interests and whether or not they should attend the traditional high school or apply to a technical or private high school. These decisions often require visits to the guidance department to finalize decisions and prepare applications.

In each of our lives, we may face times that require choices. Sometimes the choices are clear cut, but other times may be more difficult. As we enter into making decisions, we should remember that God is always a rock that we can rely on. If we call on Him and set our sights on glorifying His name, He will lead and guide us in the directions that we should go! God can be our all-knowing guidance counselor, ready and willing to set us on the right path for each of our lives!

When facing decisions, rely on the Rock - our wise and all-powerful God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being interested in my life and ready to help me through any challenges and decisions that I may face. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Love, Honor, and Restoration

10/17/2015

"Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." -Proverbs 21:21 (NIV)

When we look around we can see a lot of brokenness, distrust, anger, and even hate. Approaching these subjects can often require special thought and care. We need to consider those affected and how our responses. As we strive to help others and to improve circumstances, we should proceed with a focus on righteousness and love.

Healing relationships, overcoming anger, and improving conditions for everyone is a priority that can only be accomplished with righteous and loving motives. Selfish or dishonest intentions will only lead to worse conditions. God has given us an example of love and forgiveness through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. When we follow the examples of righteousness and love given in Jesus' life and throughout the Bible, we can find prosperity and honor in our own lives and we can help restore prosperity and honor to the lives of others around us!

Help improve the circumstances surrounding you by pursuing righteousness and love!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the love that You have shown me. Help me to always follow Your examples of righteousness and love in order to improve the conditions around me and restoring prosperity and honor in my life and the lives of others. Through Your Son I pray, amen.

Homecoming Fire!

10/16/2015

"Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire." -Hebrews 12:29 (NASB)

While recently listening to the radio, I heard an interview with a local college football coach. In preparing for the upcoming football game, the coach said the team was fired up, especially because the game they were preparing for was the homecoming game. In thinking about homecoming, we should get fired up for our homecoming with God!

Our God is awesome. His Kingdom is unshakable and beyond our imaginations. When we think about our future and coming home to God, it should fire us up! The promises of God and eternity with Him should make us so excited that others can see and feel how fired up we are because of Him. We should prepare each and everyday like it is our homecoming so others can be inspired and fired up, too!

Prepare for everyday like it is homecoming by getting fired up for God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You promise me and all that I can look forward to with You. Help me to always be fired up and ready to inspire others with Your love, power, grace, and mercy. Through Jesus, my Redeemer, I pray, amen.

Give Your Best!

10/15/2015

"Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce." -Proverbs 3:9 (NASB)

Whether on the phone, through the mail, or even in person, requests for donations come from different charities and organizations. When we consider giving to these requests, we often look at what we have "left over" that we are willing to part with or give away. When we approach giving to God, we should think about giving in a completely different way!

We are called to give to God from our wealth, not our leftovers! We should consider giving to God our first priority. Whether it be our talents, time, or financial resources, God is to come first in our lives. When we give to God from our wealth, He promises to sustain us and to help us prosper!

When giving to God, give from your wealth not your leftovers!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You have done in my life - for my talents and my resources. Help me to always give to You from my wealth and not from my leftovers. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Anxiety and Consolations

10/14/2015

"When my anxious thought multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul." -Psalms 94:19 (NASB)

There are many things that we may be anxious about in our lives. Sometimes it seems like the more we try to fix things, the more anxious we can become. In these anxious times, we can find comfort and consolation in the promises and presence of God.

God loves each of us and wants what is best for each of us, but we must be willing to allow Him to work in our lives. We need to be willing to turn over our anxiety and allow Him to calm our hearts and minds. Through prayer, we can talk to God. We can also trust Him, knowing that He will hear us and help us as He brings joy to our hearts!

When experiencing anxiety, turn to God's consolations that will bring joy to your heart!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always being present in my life. Please console me and guide me through times of anxiety so I can spread Your Word and Your love. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

In the Sand?

10/13/2015

"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." -Colossians 3:1-2 (NASB)

Many of us have heard the story of an ostrich being scared and sticking its head in the sand. While this is not a true depiction of the ostrich, it is sometimes how I feel. It can be easy to get caught in fear or bogged down in the details or the day-to-day operations of life that we don't always see what is around us.

As believers in the risen Christ, we shouldn't always be looking down, living in fear, or hiding our heads in the sand. Instead, we should be keeping our eyes focused on Jesus, the One who is risen and seated with God. When we keep our eyes on Him, we don't have to be afraid or get bogged down with our ear life. We can set our minds on greater things with a faith in all that God has shown and promised us!

Instead of getting stuck in the sand, keep your eyes on God and the great things He will do through you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and being willing to be an active part of my life. Help me to always keep my eyes on You and following Your will. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Networks and Contacts

10/12/2015

"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing." -I Thessalonians 5:11 (NASB)

There are experiences that allow us to network and make connections. I am fortunate in my life to have experienced events that allowed me to connect with others in my profession in positive ways. God has given me opportunities to learn about my profession and myself through positive interactions with others that are wiling to encourage and build me up!

All of our lives can be improved when we work together and build each other up. Just like our professional networks can assist our careers, our spiritual networks with other believers can improve our relationship with God. To build these networks, we need to be willing to interact with and listen to others. We also need to be willing and have the opportunity to contribute to others. As we positively interact and build each other up, we can all be stronger for God!

Network in positive ways to build each other up for God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the opportunities You have provided me to network with others. Please help these interactions be positive and blessed for Your purposes. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Listen, Really Listen!

10/11/2015

"Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days." -Proverbs 19:20 (NASB)

There are situations, events, and people that enter our lives to give us reminders or to encourage us on our journeys. I experienced this over the last several days as I attended a conference filled with caring individuals looking to improve education for all students and willing to help those of us trying to strengthen our own teaching knowledge and skills. Being able to be around and listen to others that have more and/or different experiences than our own can help us gain wisdom, but we have to really listen!

There are many times in our lives that we don't take the time to listen or we are overwhelmed by circumstance and struggle to slow down and listen. God sends people and circumstances our way to help us, to counsel us, to give us discipline. We need to listen to these messages from God and become wise in the ways that He is teaching us. As we live and move through our schedule, we need to remember to stop and really listen to the advice and discipline that can help us grow stronger and wiser in all aspects of our lives!

Stop to listen, really listen, to all that God is telling you in His many ways!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for wanting what is best for me. Help me to listen and to really hear all that You are trying to tell me. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Education, Children, and Family

10/10/2015

"But Jesus called for them, saying, 'Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.'" -Luke 18:16 (NASB)

I had the privilege today of sitting in on a conversation with and lecture by a well-respected and renowned educator. In her conversations about education, she made the comments that one of the most influential factors in student success is family or parenting and that we should include students on committees or teams about how to teach. Both of these factors seem to be absent in modern education reforms, but are not forgotten in Jesus' approach to teaching!

We are all part of God's family and we are members of our church families and biological families. Within these family structures we find support to grow. As we grow and mature, we can mentor others around us. In addition, we need to allow the students or children in our lives to have a voice. We cannot shut out the children's voices and then expect them to be involved in the family and church. Jesus realized this as He called the children to Himself even as others tried to keep them away. As we look at Christian education in our churches or the education of our children in general, we need to remember to look to the Bible and include family structure and the children's voices to help our children grow!

God listens to all of His children and provides them with His support to help them grow!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me, for listening to me, and for giving me members of Your family to support me. Help me to rely on You and on the other believers around me so that I can continue to learn and grow in You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Trust and Direction

10/9/2015

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." -Proverbs 3:5-6 (NASB)

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a professional conference and present a paper I co-wrote. I also had the opportunity to network and talk to others that were able to give insight and advice for my career and future directions. It is both helpful and encouraging to talk to others, but we always need to remember and trust our true source of direction: God.

Whether in our academic, professional, family, or spiritual life, we can always turn to God. Through conversations with God, we can trust Him to give us guidance and direction in our life. God can give us understanding and direction. Others can give us advice and encouragement, but God can give us the best advice and show us the pathway to being better people.

Trust in God to give you direction in your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and always wanting what is best for me. Help me to always hear Your advice and to put it into action in my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Boasting

10/8/2015

"But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends." -II Corinthians 10:17-18 (NASB)

There are accomplishments in our lives that we may be proud of and want to share with others. When we think about those accomplishments, we need to acknowledge that God blesses us and plays a role in our lives. When we share our accomplishments, we should give credit to God for all that He does in our lives!

When we "boast", we should do so in the Lord. We should praise God, not ourselves. We should live our lives in a way that allow others to see God's greatness in our words, actions, and accomplishments. When people see our achievements, no matter how big or small, it is our opportunity to share how God blesses each of us!

Boast of the presence of God in your life and all that He can help you to do!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You do in my life. Help others to know of Your great works through my life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Faith Essential

10/7/2015

"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." -Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)

There are times in our lives when we feel it is impossible to please someone. We may work at it, we may try to make different choices, but in the end that person isn't satisfied with our efforts to gain approval. It may seem like an unsolvable mystery trying to please certain people, but we can know how to please God!

God loves us and wants to reward us, but first we need to know Him. We can know Him through studying His Word, but it also takes faith! Through faith, we can believe He is who He claims to be. Through faith we can draw near to Him, His love, and His forgiveness, grace, and mercy. When we seek Him, wanting to know Him, we can please Him. Pleasing God begins with one essential step: faith!

Faith is essential in drawing near to and pleasing God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for giving me Your Word. Help me to have faith that brings me near to You and pleases You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.