Blog Archives - Bible Inspired

Love Yourself, Love Others

10/31/2018

"Jesus answered, 'The foremost is, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord your God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other cammandment greater than these.'" -Mark 12:29-31 (NASB)

There are lots of times when the world may tell us that we should think of ourselves first and then, if we have time or energy, we should consider others. Thinking of ourselves is a necessary part of survival, but a different perspective can help us as we approach living in this world. Instead of beginning with thoughts of ourselves, we can begin with God and then work from the love that He provides!

God loves each and every one of us. When we are wrapped up in His love, we have love and empathy to spare. With an initial focus on God, we can then become messengers of His love, power, and glory. We can have love for both ourselves and for others. Jesus reminds us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We can find our worth in the purpose that God gives to our lives. After we have a purpose and love for ourselves, we can show God's grace, mercy, and love by treating our neighbors with the same respect and love that we have for ourselves!

Find love for yourself in God's love and then share it in the way that you treat others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the love that You have shown me. Help me to remember my value in You and to treat others with the same love and respect as I share Your glory, grace, and mercy. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Twists, Turns, and Hope!

10/30/2018

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." -Hebrews 10:23 (ESV)

Life may take many twists and turns. As we begin each new day, we may not know where the day will take us. Even if we do not know where we will end up, we can have hope. How do we know that we can have hope?

We can have hope because we know the promises of God! We can trust His faithfulness. As long as we hold on to the hope that God provides, we can withstand the twists and turns of life. Through every twist and turn, God knows what is best for each of us. God will deliver us. He will be an eternal source of hope and salvation!

Through all of life's twists and turns, trust in God and have hope!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for giving me direction and hope in my life. Help me to always cling to You and the hope that only You can provide. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Listen to the Teacher!

10/29/2018

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." -Psalm 32:8 (ESV)

Each year there are many eager students in my classroom waiting to learn. However, there are also students that would rather be somewhere else doing something other than what is in the lesson plan. When learning from God, we need to follow His example and find ways to help each other, keeping a watchful and loving eye on each other.

God knows that we are individuals and He teaches us in many different ways. While we may not always realize the lessons He is teaching, He is calling for us to be part of His family. Whether we realize the need to be part of His family or not, God works in our lives. He keeps watch over each and every one of us. In turn, we need to listen to Him and help each other. We can share the lessons we have learned from God. We can look out for each other. We can show each other kindness and love. We can stand up for what God has taught us to defend ourselves and each other. We just need to begin by listening to the great teacher!

Listen to God as He teaches you and then act on the lessons you have learned!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always being wiling and ready to teach me. Help me to act on Your lessons to spread Your wisdom and love. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Make It Known!

10/28/2018

"And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord." -Ezekiel 38:23 (NIV)

There are times when we feel like we need to hold back and not say something. We may not lie, but we don't reveal too much information. Sometimes we may even think it is to our benefit to not give away too much information. However, when it comes to God, we should always exalt Him!

When we know God in our lives, we should not hesitate to make His greatness and holiness known! God is capable of revealing His glory and power, but once we experience it, we shouldn't want to hide what we know. Knowing God in our lives may be personal, but we won't benefit from keeping God's power a secret. We need to make known the power and majesty of our Lord!

Spread the word and make it known that God is great, holy, and all-powerful!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being a part of my life. Help me to always make Your power, glory, and holiness known. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Trust and Stability

10/27/2018

"But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." -James 1:6 (NIV)

Life brings many storms. Sometimes we see the storms forming on the horizon and other times the storms in our lives may seemingly appear out of nowhere. No matter where the storms are coming from, we want to find safety and stability. We don't want to be tossed around in the events and questions of the world.

Things that happen in our lives that may lead us to ask questions. When we move from questions to seeking and asking God for solutions, we need to trust in God. When we ask Him, we need to wait on Him for the answer that He will provide. It is in this waiting and through God that we can find stability in our lives. Instead of being tossed around by the whims and suggestions of the world, we can be rooted in our trust in God and in the eternal guarantees and stability He provides!

Seek answers in God and trust in His blessings and stability!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for allowing me to ask. Help me to trust and believe in Your will and in the stability that You provide. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Humble, Patient, Loving

10/26/2018

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." -Ephesians 4:2 (NIV)

Sometimes we get caught up in all that we have to do. This can even mean that we reach a point of being competitive to try to get what we need or think we need. While we can get caught up in the world's "rat race," we need to take the time to slow down and show humility, gentleness, patience, and love.

Even though we may feel we need to rush and do more, God calls us to slow down and be considerate. He reminds us by showing us His love. He sent His Son to die and save us from our sin. He also shows us gentleness and patience as He guides us each day. As we receive God's love, we can learn to show humility and gentleness as we act with patience and love. With God's help, we can be humble, gentle, patient, and loving as we move through life and interact with others!

Follow God and learn to be humble, gentle, patient, and loving!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for leading and teaching me. Help me to always be humble, gentle, patient, and loving. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Be Still and Then Follow!

10/25/2018

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters." -Psalm 23:1-2 (NIV)

There are times in our lives that remind us to slow down. Some things are out of our control. While the future may be uncertain and the situation we are in may seem bleak, we can still have hope. We just need to turn things over to God and follow Him!

When we commit to following God, we can be sure that He will lead us to where we need to be! God will not lead us to our demise. He will lead us to a place where we can grow and to where we can relax in His presence. God continually loves us. We need to be still and hear His call. Then, as we get to know Him and embrace His love, we can receive His blessings and follow where He leads!

Be still to hear God's call and then follow Him to where you need to be!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for calling and leading me. Help me to hear You and to follow Your guidance. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Be Certain!

10/24/2018

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in You." -Psalm 56:3 (NIV)

In life, we may experience many uncertainties. Living through uncertain situations can be difficult. Even if we don't know the outcomes, we can find certainty. We can be certain by turning to God in all things!

While things may seem uncertain to us, God still has a plan. God is one thing that is certain and trustworthy. We don't have to be concerned about His plans for our life, we just need to trust Him. When we put our trust and faith in Him, we can be assured that He will help us. He will strengthen us and take away our fears. In God, we can be certain!

Turn to God, trust in Him, and find certainty in any situation!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the strength and certainty that You provide. Help me to continually trust in You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Go Back!

10/23/2018

"‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty." -Zechariah 1:3b (NIV)

While recently visiting a new city, there were times I was glad to have a map app on my phone. When we are visiting somewhere new, we may get turned around and lose our way. Once we realize we are lost, we can either continue down the wrong road or we can turn around and go back!

Each day of our lives offers a new adventure and new paths to follow. If we find ourselves traveling down the wrong path, we can stop and turn around. God calls us to come back to Him. If we return to God, we can experience His presence and His blessings in our lives. We shouldn't fear turning around and going back to God. We should welcome the opportunity to once again be in His forgiving, loving embrace!

No matter how far down the wrong path you might be, turn and go back to God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always calling me and welcoming me back. Help me to never hesitate in turning to You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Limitations?

10/22/2018

"Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth." -Psalm 108:5 (NV)

We all have limitations. There are times that remind us of those limitations, whether they be physical, mental, or other. When we experience limitations, it can be comforting to know that our God does not have limitations!

God is not bound by the same physical or mental limitations that we face. God is all-powerful and all-knowing. When we feel limited, we should turn to God and trust in Him. Our God should be praised all over earth and beyond!

Praise God and trust in the one that has no limits!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for helping me through anything I face. All praise to You! Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Take the Time to Rest!

10/21/2018

"Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him." -Psalm 62:1 (NIV)

Life can become hectic. Even though we have schedules to keep and responsibilities that we cannot neglect, we also need to take care of ourselves. We may have started to hear messages that remind us to slow down and take care of ourselves. We need to take time to rest!

God has reminded us since the time of creation that we need to take time to rest. Our time to rest needs to be more than just a moment to catch our breath between errands. We need to set aside time to be near to God. In those times with God, we can become closer to God. We can turn our problems and worries over to Him and allow Him to rejuvenate us in His Spirit!

Take time to be near to God and to rest in Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for taking my worries and cares and allowing me to rest. Help me to be rejuvenated so I can work for Your Kingdom. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Who is He?

10/20/2018

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

When picking up breakfast this morning, one of the employees thought he recognized me from somewhere. He stopped and asked, "Who are you?" Which he followed up by saying, "I know you from somewhere." While we may not have known each other, we may have those experiences with God.

We know God, but we may not always understand who He is or how He reveals Himself to us. We may stop and think, "Do I know you?" We may be reminded of a familiarity, but we sometimes stop short of proclaiming who God really is. We need to always recognize God, but we shouldn't stop there. We need to proclaim God's glory. We need to praise His name so everyone can recognize Him and His role in our lives!

Recognize God and proclaim His glory through praise!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the glory and power that You reveal through my salvation. Help me to always recognize You in my life and to give You all praise and glory. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

God-Focused!

10/19/2018

"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)

There are many competing interests in our lives. It seems as if everyone from advertisers to employers are vying for our attention. We may try to gain the approval of family, friends, co-workers, or bosses. However, we really need to concentrate on having a Godly focus!

While the world may try to distract us, we need to keep our focus on God and His Will. To maintain our focus, we should spend time with God each and every day. We can be near to Him in His Word as we read and study it. We can also draw near to Him through prayer and conversation. Finally, we should not neglect giving God praise and thanksgiving for all of His blessings in our lives. As we build a closer relationship with God, we will become more God-focused and reap the benefits in this life and for all eternity!

Draw near to God and live a more God-focused life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me and for having a relationship with me. Help me to draw even closer to You and to live a life focused on You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Doing the Word!

10/18/2018

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." -James 1:22 (NIV)

We probably all know people that are good "talkers." They could spend hours talking about what needs to be done or about all that they could do. However, if we want to see results in our lives, we need to be more than just listeners or talkers. We need to take action!

God teaches us. He prepares us with His Word. We can gain strength and power through His teaching. But if we don't put our learning into action, we cannot expect results. We need to move beyond just listening or talking. We need to become God's people of action. When we start doing the lessons we have learned from His Word, we can make our lives and the lives of others better!

Do not just listen or talk, go out and be a doer of God's Word!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the lessons You teach. Help me to put Your lessons into action. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Simple Enough?

10/17/2018

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." -Romans 12:21 (NIV)

Sometimes even seemingly simple directions can be more difficult than we expect. However, there are other times that we know even a short, direct task is going to be overwhelming. As we approach the choices we make and the way we live, we will likely need help to follow even what may seem as simple directions!

God reminds us to not be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good. Even though this goal may make sense and seems direct, we will encounter evil in many different forms. We first need to know how to recognize the evil around us before we can work to resist and overcome evil. To follow the simple direction of overcoming evil with good, we need to rely on God. It is only through His goodness that we can recognize and overcome the evil we face in the world!

Rely on God and ask for His help in overcoming evil with good!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the goodness that You are and that You show in the world. Help me to fight evil and to overcome it through the goodness that You provide. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Strong and Trusting!

10/16/2018

"The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." -Psalm 34:10 (NIV)

Sometimes strength is viewed as an admirable quality. We may look for physical, emotional, or mental strength. Problems may be viewed as obstacles that we can overcome if we could only build more strength. While strength can be important, when we consider a relationship with God, we cannot overlook our trust in Him!

Even if we have strength, we may grow weak and hungry. Our own strength is not enough to sustain us. As we journey through life, we need to be sure the source of our strength is not in our own power, but in the power of God. We need to have faith in God! By trusting in God's plan and process, we can grow and overcome obstacles to have what we need in life. To overcome obstacles, we need to trust in God's strength and not our own!

Be strong by trusting in God's strength so He can lead and assist you throughout life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the strength that You provide in my life. Help me to trust in You and always rely on Your strength and power. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

What Kind of War?

10/15/2018

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does." -II Corinthians 10:3 (NIV)

I was recently discussing how to address problems at work or in the world. In the discussions I talked about two people I know with very different approaches. One approach is to work and address problems from the "inside." A different approach is to dismantle and rebuild the entire system. While each may have its merits, we need to take the right approach!

We live in this world, even if only temporarily. As members of this world and followers of God, we need to work for God's Kingdom. There are times when we may need to work within the structures and systems of our society to make the appropriate changes. In other situations, God may call us to take apart and rebuild systems to reach His goals. While we may not engage in warfare in the traditional sense, we need to be prepared to follow God and make changes in this world for His glory and the good of His eternal Kingdom!

Follow God and work to better this world as you serve God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank you for leading me. Help me to know when and how to make changes in this world for Your glory. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Keep Learning and Acting!

10/14/2018

"Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them." -Proverbs 4:5 (NIV)

No matter how old we are, there is always more that we can learn. We can grow in wisdom and understanding. We need to be willing to listen to teaching, reflect on our experiences, and maybe even change our thinking as we gain more wisdom. However, as we grow and change, we should be sure that our wisdom is based on truth!

To get wisdom that is trustworthy and true, we can turn to the one source for all that is true and good: God. We can gain wisdom and understanding by studying His lessons and talking with God. While He can teach us, we also have to be willing to listen, to change our behaviors, and put our wisdom and understanding into action. We should not forget or turn away from God's teaching. We need to keep learning and acting on the wisdom and understanding from God!

Learn from God, gain wisdom and understanding, and act on it!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the wisdom and understanding that You provide. Help me to continue to learn, grow, and act on what You teach me. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Joy of Success!

10/13/2018

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." -III John 1:4 (NIV)

There have been several times over the past month when I have ran into former students. Seeing these students and hearing about all that they have been up to since middle and high school has been rewarding. The successes of "my kids" or former students do bring me joy!

As God's children, He is interested in our lives, too. He wants to hear from us and He wants us to do well. We can talk to God and tell Him about all that we have been up to in our lives. He is especially eager to hear how we have used the lessons He continues to teach us. When we are following Him and walking in His Truth, we can live productive lives. By listening to and acting on God's teachings, we will bring joy to Him and to others!

Learn from God, use what He has taught you, and bring joy and praise to Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You have taught me and for the blessings in my life. Help me to continue to learn from You and to put my learning into action. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Freedom!

10/12/2018

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." -II Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)

I was recently reading an article that suggested education could play the role of providing freedom. The article identified freedom as including not being physically or emotionally harmed. While we can learn and grow through education, education alone cannot protect us from physical or emotional harm.

If we are looking for freedom from our earthly confines, we need to turn to God. By accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior, we can be set free from the bonds of sin. We no longer need to fear the consequences of sin or death. It is faith in and forgiveness through Jesus that can truly set us free. We can find freedom in God!

Turn to God, believe in Jesus, and find freedom from sin!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for sending Jesus to save me from my sin. Help me to always turn to You so that I may live in freedom! Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Learn to have Hope!

10/11/2018

"For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." -Romans 15:4 (ESV)

Thinking about the future can be daunting. As I teach students and try to provide opportunities for their growth in the future, there are some students that struggle. Thinking about the future and maintaining hope can be a challenge. As God teaches us, though, we need to have hope!

God provides many different forms of instruction. He teaches us through His Word. He teaches us through our experiences, through those that He places in our lives, and through the examples of others. God will talk to us through prayer and He has given us His Son as both an example and as our Savior. We should take advantage of all of these ways that God teaches us. Instead of being concerned about our future, we should learn from God and have hope in what He teaches!

Learn from God and have hope for your future!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for teaching me. Help me to embrace Your lessons and live with hope. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Fear to Joy!

10/10/2018

"When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy." -Psalm 94:19 (NIV)

There are many things in life that may cause us to be anxious. Whether we prepare for those anxious times or they are moments that just happen upon us, we can be prepared to respond. We can seek help from those around us and we can turn to God to experience His love and joy!

No matter what we are facing, God is filled with love. He will share His love with us and He will comfort us. When we feel anxiety, we can find a quiet spot and connect with God. As we trust in Him, we can strengthen our faith and experience a joy that only He can provide! He can help take us from fear and anxiety to love, joy, and praise!

Trust in God and allow Him to turn your anxiety into joy!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always loving me. Help me to trust in You so that I can experience more joy and less anxiety. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Not to Us!

10/9/2018

"Not to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness." -Psalm 115:1 (NIV)

Many things in our lives take more effort than we may be able to muster on our own. When we cannot accomplish things on our own, we shouldn't worry about trying to take all the credit. Instead, we need to acknowledge those that have helped us along the way.

As we consider our blessings, joys, and triumphs in life, we need to be aware of how we achieved these things. God is always with us. He guides and protects us. He helps us to prosper. When we share the good things in our lives, we should acknowledge that God deserves the glory. It is through Him that we are blessed. We need to let others know that it is "not us" but God that deserves the glory!

Give God the glory for all that He does in your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for guiding and protecting me. Help me to always give You the glory for all You have done in my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Every Morning!

10/8/2018

"In the morning, Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait expectantly." -Psalm 5:3 (NIV)

With each new day, we have choices to make. As we wake up, we have a clean slate on which we can create. When we wake up, we need to do more than just hope for what will be. We need to start each morning by talking to God!

With each new day, we continue our journey with God. We can begin by calling on Him and sharing both our requests and thanksgivings. We can embrace the blessings that we have been given. As we talk to God, we can embark on our day with expectations that He will lead us. We just need to begin every morning with God!

Begin each day with a conversation with God and then follow His lead!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for leading me. Help me to begin each day by talking with You and following Your guidance. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Run to Safety and Purpose!

10/7/2018

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe." -Proverbs 18:10 (ESV)

Visiting big cities always leaves me looking up at the towering structures. It is amazing how these buildings are designed and then constructed to both serve a function and add to the visual aspects of the city. These buildings provide refuge for travelers, workplaces for business people, and enjoyable spots for entertainment or food for visitors. These buildings provide for people in the city!

God is a tower that can provide for people as well. God is a place of safety. He can provide comfort for the weary travelers in their journeys of life. God serves to protect us when danger is near. We can work for God's Kingdom. God provides blessings and joy to lift our hearts. No matter what we might be facing in our lives, we can run to God. In running to God, we can find safety, comfort, protection, and purpose for our lives!

Run to God for safety and purpose!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the safety You provide in my life. Help me to always run to You for both safety and purpose in my life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.