Blog Archives - Bible Inspired

What are you reflecting?

10/31/2019

"As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart." -Proverbs 27:19 (NIV)

Before we go out, we probably almost always check ourselves in the mirror. Whether it is to fix our hair or wash our face, we want to see our reflection. While we may see our physical reflections, our lives are more than just what is on the outside!

Our lives need to reflect what we truly believe - what is in our hearts. If our hearts are set on worshipping and following God, then we should live a loving and Godly life. It is through our actions that our words have meaning and that we can reflect the presence of God in our lives!

Give your heart to God and allow it to reflect God's work in your life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being present in my life and for filling my heart. Help me to reflect Your love and presence so others will see You through me. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Well Preserved!

10/30/2019

"I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life." -Psalm 119:93 (NIV)

There are many moments we may want to preserve. We may take a picture as a snapshot in time. We may keep a memento of something or someone special. It can make us feel good to reminisce about these times. Even though we may think about capturing and saving these little moments, we should really be concerned with preserving our lives!

There is only one thing to do to preserve our lives. To do this, we need to turn to God and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. Through God's love and redemptive plan, we can follow His way and learn from Him. We can become more than we imagined we could be. Our life can be preserved as we live with God for eternity!

Turn to God, accept salvation, and live a "well preserved," eternal life!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for saving me and for continually helping me grow. Help me to live a productive life on earth and to enjoy eternity with You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Continually!

10/29/2019

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." -I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

There are not many things that last in life. As time passes, seasons change and thins come and go. When we need stability, we should turn to God. We should then value and rejoice in what we find!

God is always present and working in our lives. We know that He is faithful and will never leave us. Because of what He has done for us and will continue to do for us, we should always rejoice. We should continue to talk to God through prayer. We can give thanks in all circumstances because we know God is there!

God is always there for you, so continually rejoice, pray, and give thanks!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your presence in my life. All rejoice, thanks, and praise to You! In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Peace with God!

10/28/2019

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." -Romans 5:1 (NIV)

There are times in life that are filled with turmoil. During our challenging times in life, we may grasp at promises of peace and fulfillment. Even though we may think we find calming solutions, these will be short-lived if they are not rooted in God!

Only God can provide a calm and a peace that exceeds all we could hope to find on earth. When we are seeking peace, there is only one way to access the peace that God provides and that is through faith in God's redemptive plan. Through Jesus Christ we can find a relationship with God. In our faith and relationship with God, we can welcome the peace that only God can provide!

In the midst of turmoil, remember to turn to God and salvation through Jesus so He can give you peace!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the peace that only You can provide. Help me to grow in my faith and in my acceptance of the peace You offer. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Good Thoughts!

10/27/2019

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." -Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

We may have wished someone "good thoughts" or "positive vibes." In life, we can be affected by the negativity that we see on the news or hear from people around us, so we need to reflect on positive things. We can always find positive things when we think about God!

God is the source of pure, noble, and lovely things. We can look to the examples of Jesus and others in the Bible that provide positive role models. While we may need to acknowledge the negative things of this world, we should keep our focus on Godly things. When we set our sights on God and His ways, we can work to make the world a more positive and prepare ourselves and others for eternity with Him!

Find good thoughts when turning to God and then work to spread those positive vibes on earth!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all of the positive things in my life. Help me to keep my focus on You and to spread Your positive message of redemption to others. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Only One!

10/26/2019

"Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live." -I Corinthians 8:6 (NIV)

We may hear conflicting messages about what or who is most important in the world. While many people or companies try to persuade us to join "their side", there is only one side we should be on. We need to remember there is only one true God!

The Bible tells us (and reminds us) that there is only one true God. Our God is the only one with the power to save us from sin and from the situations we face on earth. He is the one that sent Jesus Christ to redeem us. He is the one that is active in our lives. He is the one that will listen and respond to our prayers. We need to accept God in our lives and then praise and worship Him as the only one!

God is the only true God and we should praise Him as the only one!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You do in my life and for being the one faithful God. Help me to always follow You and to hear Your direction in my life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Lend and Share

10/25/2019

"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful." -Luke 6:35-36 (ESV)

Bob Hope said, "A bank is a place that will lend you money if you prove you don't need it." Sometimes when we are "down on our luck", it can seem hard to find a helping hand. We need to remember this and lend to or share with others, even if we don't think we will see anything in return!

God sent His Son to save us while we are still sinners. He does not wait for us to be able to "pay back" the debt we owe because we could never do it! Instead, God gives us a pathway to Salvation and redemption. We should follow God's model. We can take the blessings we receive from God and share them with others. We can allow others to experience God's glory, without concern for earthly rewards. We can lend and share as God has taught us!

Lend and share, using the blessings God has provided to help others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all the blessings and lessons that You provide for me. Help me to lend and share what You have given so others can see Your glory. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

He Knows (and Can Help)!

10/24/2019

"For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." -Hebrews 2:18 (ESV)

Life is full of temptations. We may be tempted by everything from a piece of candy to much more serious issues. Whenever we are facing issues and trying to overcome temptation, we need to remember that Jesus has already been victorious and He is ready to help us!

Jesus lived on earth. He experienced the temptations that we face each day. Even though we may struggle, Jesus has conquered these temptations. However, he hasn't just overcome these temptations for Himself. He has been victorious and is prepared to share His help with each of us. We just need to call on Him and trust in His guidance!

Jesus knows temptation and He knows how to help you!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for overcoming temptation and evil and for being willing to help me. Allow me to hear Your guidance and to follow the path You have prepared. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

To His Name!

10/23/2019

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

There are many people that search for fame and glory. Some may be willing to go to extremes to gain such recognition. As followers of God, we know that we cannot achieve lasting glory on our own. All glory needs to go to God!

God's power and wisdom are unmatched. His love extends beyond anything we could imagine. Because of these and other attributes, God deserves our praise. Whenever we achieve successes in our lives, we need to give the glory to God. It is only through His faithfulness that we receive blessings now and for eternity. All glory to His name!

Accept blessings from God and give Him all the glory!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all of Your blessings and for the promises for eternity with You. Help me to always give You the glory for all I have and all I am. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Be Freed!

10/22/2019

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." -John 8:36 (NIV)

There are many things in the world that can trip us up. When we get stuck or tripped up, we may search for a solution or, sometimes, for someone to blame. However, we need to work to stand back up and keep moving forward. We need to be freed from the traps of this world so we can make progress!

We know that this world is full of traps. The devil would like to trip us up and drag us down. However, we have a way to free ourselves from the sin of this world. We can turn to God and accept Jesus as our Savior. When we do this, we will be set free. Through Jesus we can find true freedom that is not available anywhere else and cannot be earned by our actions!

Accept Jesus and be freed!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the freedom from sin that You provide through Jesus. Please forgive me of my sin and help me to follow You out of the traps of the sinful world. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Faith to Action!

10/21/2019

"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." -James 2:17 (NIV)

Mother Teresa said, "Faith in action is love - and love in action is service. By transforming that faith into living acts of love, we put ourselves in contact with God Himself, with Jesus our Lord." We can learn and have faith, but we also need to act!

God leads us. He shows us love. He guides and disciplines us so we can continue to grow and learn. Through all that God provides and shows us, we can have faith in Him. However, we need to do more than have faith. We need to take God's love and the lessons He has given us to spur us to action. We can have faith and then move to action based on this faith and the love and direction given to us by God!

Have faith in all God provides and then act on it!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You have given to me and provided for me. Help me to act on my faith to show others Your love and glory. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Keep on Learning!

10/20/2019

"Show me Your ways, Lord, teach me Your paths." -Psalm 25:4 (NIV)

Ancient Greek Plutarch said, "The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled." We can choose to tend the fire of our minds by continuing to learn. In order to learn, we need the right experiences and maybe even some instruction!

We should always continue to learn about God and how to apply His lessons in our lives. God gives us examples, experiences, and His Word to help teach us. He also gives us access to Him through prayer. We can keep on learning and our learning can be positive when we turn to God and the resources He provides!

Turn to God and allow Him to help you keep on learning!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your lessons. Help me to learn them and to apply them in my life. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Love and See!

10/19/2019

"No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us." -I John 4:12 (ESV)

Many things happen in our lives that we either cannot or do not see. There are things "behind the scenes" that change the course of what happens to and around us. As God directs these things, we do not see Him...or do we?

Even though we may not see everything that is happening, if we show love to one another, then we can "see" signs of God. God is love. He shows and gives His love to us. When we choose to share this love, we can help others "see" God, too!

Share the love that God has given you so others can see Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for loving me. Help me to share this love with others and allow them to see You, too. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Kind & Forgiving!

10/18/2019

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." -Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV)

Sometimes we encounter people that are having a bad day. Whether we think it's fair or not, we may have to endure the brunt of their frustration. Even when we are faced with bitterness, anger, or frustration, we need to react in a way that demonstrates kindness and forgiveness. This can be easier said than done, but we have a perfect example in God's plan for our forgiveness!

There are times when we take out our anger and frustration on God. When we do not give control to God, we may begin blaming Him for the outcomes in our lives. There are times when we even start to drift or walk away. Through everything, God loves us. He will comfort us. He will forgive us. When we need to show grace and mercy to those in our lives, we can learn from and imitate the grace and mercy that God gives to us. We can be kind and forgiving!

Be kind and forgiving, even in the face of anger, bitterness, and frustration from others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the grace and mercy You extend to me in my life. Help me to show similar grace and mercy to those in my life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

His Children!

10/17/2019

"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." -II Timothy 2:22 (ESV)

We all "grow up" - physically and otherwise. During our youth, we may appear to be ignorant, misguided, or immature. However, there are times when youth and adults can learn from each other. Even as we are adults, we are still children of God!

As we "grow" or "age", we change. We have experiences. We learn. Time allows us to develop physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. As we mature, we need to develop a deeper relationship with God. Becoming closer to God should instill in us a desire to be righteous, faithful, loving, and peaceful. We should be filled with God and live our lives for Him. We can live as His children and share His love!

As you grow, be sure to pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace as God's children!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your love and guidance as my Heavenly Father. Help me to live as Your child, spreading Your love to others. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Taste Your Words!

10/16/2019

"Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin." -Proverbs 13:3 (NIV)

There is a quote that says, "Be sure to taste your words before you spit them out." Sometimes we start talking without thinking about the impact of our words. Even if we are speaking the truth, we should consider how our delivery can help our words have a positive impact!

We need to be sure we are talking to make a positive impact. We should not talk just to hear ourselves or to say what we think others want to hear. God can help us with what we say. Prayerfully considering our words before we say them can help us to say the right things and to have the impact that God intends!

Prayerfully consider your words and "taste" them to be sure they are from God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for guiding and directing my words. Help me to always hear You and follow Your direction. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

In Step!

10/15/2019

"Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." -Galatians 5:25 (NIV)

I'll admit that there are times when I am not "in step" with others. Sometimes I have ideas or I see issues that cannot be addressed through the same, recycled approaches. However, even when I am not "in step" with the world around me, I try my best to be in step with God!

When we decide to follow God, we are called to walk with God. Living for and walking with God is easier when we accept and listen to the Holy Spirit that God provides. As we walk through our lives, we are not called to be robots. God wants to use the uniqueness of each of us to serve Him and help others. We can be unique as God created us while walking in step with Him to serve!

Walk in step with God so He can use our uniqueness to serve others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for creating me to be an individual. Help me to walk in step with You so You can use me to help and serve. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Help Up!

10/14/2019

"If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up." -Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NIV)

Mister Rogers had a message for children. He said, "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" Beyond looking for helpers, we need to be helpers!

God is the ultimate helper and He empowers us to be helpers, too. When we see others that need a hand, we should lend a hand. When we are down, we should be willing to accept a hand. As we join together and help one another, we can be stronger. We can look for the helpers when we need help and be the helpers when we are able!

When you need it, take a hand up. When you are able, lend a hand up to others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always helping me. Help me to be able to help others, too. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Learn and Teach!

10/13/2019

"You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine." -Titus 2:1 (NIV)

I recently read an article about different translations of the Bible and times when certain passages have changed. The article traced wording used back through German translations to Greek words and meanings. When we think about the origins and history of the Bible, we are reminded that we need to be sure we understand its contents so we can appropriately teach its meaning!

The Bible is the word of God. However, we leave our imprint on it as we translate and interpret the Bible. We do not want to use the Bible as a weapon, but as a tool to teach and learn, so we need to take away our bias and focus on the true meaning. To do this, we can approach God's Word in prayer. We can pray that God gives us the wisdom and insight to correctly understand, apply, and teach His Word. When we ask God to be our teacher, we can be sure that we learn and teach what He has intended!

Ask God for guidance as you read His Word, learn from it, and teach others!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Your Word and Your presence as my teacher. Help me to understand and teach what You have intended. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Before and Forever

10/12/2019

"Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." -Psalm 90:2 (NIV)

When we look around there are some things that seem to have been here forever. We may not be able to imagine life without the mountains or other parts of creation. Even though these things may seem like they have been and will be here forever, we know God was here before any of the things we see!

God is eternal. He has always been and will always be. He is the Creator that brought everything, including each of us, into being. We can worship and praise Him as we celebrate His love, power, and glory. We can also prepare ourselves as His followers for eternity with Him. God was always here and He will be here forever; it is our choice to be with Him!

God was before the mountains and He will be forever!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for always being and being there for me. Help me to follow You to prepare for eternity with You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Feel the Power!

10/11/2019

"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." -Acts 4:31 (NIV)

There are many powerful forces in the world around us. Some power comes from "natural" forces that occur due to weather or other phenomena. We may also experience the power of individuals - either in good or bad ways. However, if we want to feel the greatest power, we need to turn to God!

When we communicate with God through prayer, we can wait to hear and feel His response. In His time, He will address our prayers. We can feel God working in our hearts, minds, and bodies. We can see Him working in the world around us. We can feel God's power as He plays an active role in our lives!

Pray and then feel God's power in your life and in the world!

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

Promises!

10/10/2019

"I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth." -Genesis 9:11 (NIV)

From the time we are young, we often learn that it is important to keep promises. We don't want to promise things we cannot do and we need to keep our commitments. When we think of promises, we can remember God's promises and the covenant represented by the rainbow!

After the flood that covered the entire earth, God made a covenant that He would never flood the entire earth again. Noah and his family received this covenant on our behalf and we are reminded that God is always faithful. God will keep His promises and honor His covenants. We can be inspired by God's faithfulness to us and honor Him by committing our lives to Him. Once we make promises to God, we need to try our best to keep them!

Hear God's promises and commit to serving Him!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all of Your promises and the covenants that You have made since the beginning of time. Help me to commit to You and continually honor and serve You. Through Jesus I pray, amen.

Believe and See!

10/9/2019

"Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?'" -John 11:40 (NIV)

We often say that we need to "see it to believe it!" We want evidence. We want to know "for sure" about someone or something. Even though we want to see it first, there are times when we need to believe first!

With God, we are called to have faith. We know that God is powerful and loving. We need to trust that He will reveal His glory! We just need to believe in God and His Son and wait on Him in our lives. When we have faith and believe, we will see!

Believe in God and His Son and see His glory!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for all that You have promised and for Your faithfulness. Help me to have faith and believe so I can see Your glory. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Physically and Spiritually Fit!

10/8/2019

"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)

There may be different sources of motivation for getting fit. We may want to feel better, to be healthier, or to show someone else what we can do. While our focus may be on our physical attributes, we also need to consider our spiritual well-being and "fitness"!

God wants us to be fit. He calls us to follow Him and to prepare with Him. We can train our bodies to be physically fit and strong. However, it is more important that we train our spirits for life now and for eternity! We can prepare oursleves by heeding God's lessons so we are ready and able to serve Him!

Prepare and be physically and spiritually fit to serve God!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for the lessons You provide for my training. Help me to be fit and ready to serve You now and forever. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Brought Near!

10/7/2019

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ." -Ephesians 2:13 (NIV)

I have been blessed to meet people from across the United States. We can keep in touch through e-mail and social media. However, it is always good when we can get together at annual conferences. When we are near, we can have conversations and make memories!

We should also be close as a family in Christ. We should come together to worship, praise, and fellowship. Even though we may all come from different places, we are ultimately brought near to each other through the blood of Jesus, our Savior. With Jesus bringing us together, we can make memories and work together for God's Kingdom!

Be brought near to each other through the blood of Jesus!

Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for Jesus and His sacrifice that brings us together and closer to You. Help me to work with others for Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.