Month: February 2026

How to Live a Successful Life – Part 2

On By JCIn MiscellaneousLeave a comment

Sometimes understanding how God’s word applies to our lives today can be confusing. But God does not want us to be confused. In fact, the book of John chapter 10 in verse 10, Jesus says ” . . . The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus came so that we would have full lives; other translations refer to abundant lives. God tells us step by step how to live successful and abundant lives through His words in the Bible.

The book of Proverbs is full of wisdom, providing insight, knowledge and discernment. In Chapter 1 of the book in verse 10, we read about the kinds of people we should avoid and why. People will try hard to influence you, it may be subtle or it may be bold. Proverbs warns us that if sinful people try to persuade you to join them, resist them. Verse 11 in Proverbs helps us understand how they may try to convince you to join them.

“If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul; 12 let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; 13 we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; 14 cast lots with us; we will all share the loot”— 15 do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; 16 for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood. 17 How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it. 18 These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves! 19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it.”

These verses are talking about those who have bad intentions toward others, which can be anything from spreading gossip to stealing from someone to causing physical injury. Anything that is gained by hurting others will result in a curse on those who take such actions. The people who inflict the pain and hurt are impacting their own lives with their bad intentions.

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for Jesus. Thank You for the book of wisdom that we have in Proverbs. Lord, help us to apply what we read in our everyday lives. Lord help us to live disciplined and successful lives. Help us not to plan evil or join those who are doing evil but instead help us to embrace Your word. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen.

How to Live a Successful Life

On By JCIn MiscellaneousLeave a comment

Have you ever read the Bible or heard a sermon and thought, ‘How do I apply that in my life?’ Sometimes, depending on the Bible translation you are reading, understanding how God’s word applies to our lives today can be confusing. But God does not want us to be confused about how to live our best lives, He tells us step by step how to live successful lives.

The book of Proverbs is full of wisdom, providing insight, knowledge and discernment. Chapter 1, verses 2 through 6 help us understand what the book of Proverbs is even for. The purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help us understand the insights of the wise, how to live disciplined and successful lives, and to help us do what is right, just, and fair.

The Proverbs are for the young, the old, smart people, those who think they are smart and the foolish. If you are thinking, ‘I am already very wise’, then may the wise listen and apply the Proverbs and become even wiser.

The first proverb that we can apply in our lives is Proverbs 1:7, “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” We are to fear or honor or revere the Lord, which means we are to respect and obey Him, His word and His Son, Jesus. If we want true knowledge, we must first honor the Lord and do what His word says. If we reject God’s word by denying it is truth or we read it and do not obey it, then we despise discipline, which makes us fools and unable to obtain wisdom. Without wisdom, it is impossible to live a successful life.

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for Jesus. Thank You for the book of wisdom that we have in Proverbs. Lord, help us to apply what we read in our everyday lives. Lord, help us to live disciplined and successful lives. Help us not to be fools but instead help us to embrace Your word. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

Why Did God Forsake Jesus?

On By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

The definition of “forsake” is to abandon, give up on or renounce something or someone. Why did God forsake Jesus and how do we know that happened?

As Jesus was on the cross dying, He asked God why God had forsaken Him. The book of Matthew chapter 27, verse 45 says, “From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).”

1 Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” Jesus literally took on our sins, yours and mine. He chose to pick them up and place them on Himself. Jesus was without sin, but He chose to carry our sins to the cross. God cannot be in the presence of sin. When Jesus took our sins onto Himself, God the Father had to turn away from Jesus, He had to forsake Him.

Jesus endured the cross because of His love for you and because He knew once He had given His life as a sacrifice, we would be healed from our sins. Because Jesus died for us, God will never leave us or forsake us, (Deuteronomy 31:8). In fact, there is nothing at all that can separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus. Romans chapter 8, verse 38 says. ” . . . neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

That last portion of the promise is because we believe in Jesus. Once we believe in Jesus, there is absolutely nothing and no one that can ever separate us from the love of God. Never.

Let’s pray. Thank You Jesus for taking on the sins of each one of us. All we have to do is believe in you. Help us to keep our eyes on You, Jesus. In Your name we pray, amen.

What Do We Do Now?

On By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

There are so many things going on in the world around us. Sometimes we have seen or heard or experienced things in life and we do not know what to do next. Each day can be confusing, tiring, or overwhelming leading us to ask the question, ‘What do we do now?’

In the book of Titus, chapter 2 in verse 12, we read, “And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”

 When we are in doubt of what to do, we can look to these verses for steps to take. First, we should reflect on our lives and assess if we are committing sins that cause us to be living godless lives. If so, we are to turn from such living and sinful pleasures. Second, we are to focus on living with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God. The Bible confirms that taking these steps and following the word of God will require focus and being intentional because we are living in an evil world. Third, while we turn from sinful living and turn toward living with devotion to God, we are to look forward with hope to that wonderful day when our Savior, Jesus Christ, returns. We should remember that while we are living in an evil world, it is temporary. Jesus gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. The last step is to relentlessly pursue doing good deeds every day.

Let’s pray. Thank You Jesus for freeing us by taking on the sins of each one of us. All we have to do is believe in you and we are freed. Help us to keep our eyes on You, Jesus. In Your name we pray, amen.