Daily Inspirations
Scriptural “tidbits” and devotions to connect the Bible to our lives…
The Anger of Man
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” – James 1:19-20 (ESV)
In our Walk with Christ, finding and maintaining control over our emotions and reactions can be one of the most difficult challenges we face. As we go about our daily lives, keeping an “open line of communication” to God enables us to level out our topsy-turvy feelings, and to shine the light of Christ brightly when dealing with others.
My Grace is Sufficient
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV)
Men: For most of us, this apparent paradox can be particularly difficult to comprehend and implement in our daily lives. From infancy, we’re taught that to be a “real man” involves remaining strong, independent, and in control when the world seems to be crashing in around us. And while we’re certainly called to lead our families with courage and compassion, it’s only when we recognize that our true strength comes from being reliant on, and obedient to our Heavenly Father that we can be the powerful men God desires us to be. Only in our weakness before Him, can we truly find His strength.
God Isn’t Fooled
“Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel,
whose deeds are in the dark,
and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?”
You turn things upside down!
Shall the potter be regarded as the clay,
that the thing made should say of its maker,
“He did not make me”;
or the thing formed say of him who formed it,
“He has no understanding”?” – Isaiah 29:15-16 (ESV)
As the Prophet Isaiah warned against in this passage, while we may be able to conceal our true intentions and desires from others around us, God isn’t fooled. Our hearts and minds are well known to the One who formed us, and when we seek to hide ourselves from His view, in fact we only deceive ourselves.
Too Deep for Words
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” – Romans 8:26-27 (ESV)
While all of us to some extent “know how” to pray, it can be difficult to understand exactly what we truly need to pray for. We may think we know what we want, but in many cases receiving what we ask for would prove disastrous in some unseen way. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit within us knows our true needs, our hearts and our desires, and can frame our petitions to our Heavenly Father accordingly.
The Most Important Christmas Gift
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”” – Hebrews 13:5-6 (ESV)
As we look around this Holiday Season, we’re inundated by the world’s attempts to convince us that “more stuff” is what Christmas is all about. When we take our sights off of the wondrous event this Holy Celebration remembers, we miss out on the most important Christmas Gift the world has ever known.
An Eternal Weight of Glory
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)
As another year will soon be behind us, it’s only natural to ponder how our mortal shells have aged. However for those who are in Christ, instead of focusing on our “outer selves” and their continuing decline, we can find joy in the knowledge that our spirits are in a state of constant renewal. The things of this world may be fleeting, but when we have a relationship with Jesus we’re able to fix our sights on the eternal.
In Everything By Prayer
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV)
Prayer is an amazingly powerful gift that God has given to us. When instead of allowing our day-to-day struggles and trials to breed anxiety within us, we open our hearts to the Lord and humbly petition Him to lead us in His will, we find that the perfect peace of Christ washes away our fears. While the results of our conversations with God may not manifest how or when we expect, we can rest assured that they’ve been heard and answered nonetheless.
Remaining Committed
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – Matthew 5:11-12 (ESV)
Many times each day we’re in positions where we could reach out in Christ’s love, but for fear of scorn or ridicule, choose not to take that leap. Jesus knew that those that followed Him would run into many forms of persecution, and made it very clear that while sharing His message would likely lead to conflict, the eternal treasure we receive for remaining committed far outweighs our trials here. Have you shared the love of Christ today?
The Old Has Passed Away
“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (ESV)
We all have events in our past that trouble us; those moments that in our times of weakness Satan drags back out as weapons to bring about doubt and pain in our hearts. Yet, as the Apostle Paul so eloquently reminds us in this passage from his Second Epistle to the Corinthians, when we’re spiritually reborn in Christ we become a new being; clean, fresh and forgiven when we lay those burdens at His feet.
Our Lives Are a Gift
“Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.” – Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 (ESV)
Our lives are a gift from God; in times of prosperity, times of struggle, times of toil, and times of rest. If at all times we find the joy of Christ in those Blessings we’re given, then we not only lead happier, more fulfilling lives, but at the same time we also glorify God’s benevolence in the process.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
