I'm 74 and I've Lots to Share!

Today (7-18-25) is my 74th birthday, and it's my 50th year as a believer. If you've been a longtime reader of Bible Love Notes, you know that I take more than one minute on my birthday devotion.

Many of you also know that I’ve had a nomadic life, moving over 40 times. You can read more details about that in last year's birthday post: A Bend in the Road. 

 

Last fall, my husband and I felt led to make one final move. We didn’t move to our “forever home” because we know that’s waiting for us in heaven (Philippians 3:20; 2 Corinthians 5:1). But unless the Lord tells us otherwise, this will be our final home here on earth.

We didn't “retire.” We never want to do that. We want to keep doing ministry until the Lord takes us home.

Because of our age, we made plans to make this last move our least stressful one, hiring things done that we usually do ourselves. But God obviously had different plans and new things to teach us.

 

We had more damage, delays, disappointments, and disruptions with this move than any other move in our lives: lost and damaged family heirlooms, a dog bite, a bad fall, a minor surgery, acute hearing loss,(1) and next month I'll have a hip replacement. 

Many of our Christian friends have also faced increasing difficulties in the last few years, and we're learning that these things are part of our training, preparing us for the increasing spiritual challenges in our world. 

So on my birthday, I want to encourage you to become aware of the challenges Christians are facing. I can't overemphasize our need to pray, persevere, and prepare for what lies ahead. 

If you aren’t studying your Bible daily, it’s critical that you begin. If you don’t have godly fellowship, please seek it out. If you are not aware of the many challenges we're facing in culture, please become more informed. I recommend you read Live Not By Lies and We Will Not Be Silenced. These books helped my husband and me understand more of what we are facing and how to prepare. (We get no compensation for recommending these books.)

My next book, Lies in Disguise, will be coming out in October. It addresses a subject that has been on my heart for many years: the growing popularity of half-truths that are damaging the church. My prayer is that this book will equip readers to identify and steer clear of these false teachings. 

Let's do all that we can to prepare our hearts and minds for the battles we face daily. Let's fight the half-truth propaganda with the sword of the Spirit which is God's Word (Hebrews 4:12). 

 

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

 

💙💙💙 

 

If you'd like to read my past birthday devotions, see Gail's Birthday Devotions.

  
If you haven’t purchased my book Wisdom for Life, I pray that you’ll consider doing so. I believe, among other things, it will help you prepare for what's going on in our world.

 

(1) My hearing loss was mostly restored. Praise God! 

BLN

Context is Essential in Avoiding Lies

It's dangerous and deceptive to take anything out of context. But it's done all the time to promote false beliefs in our culture. And it's especially damaging when it's done to misrepresent a Bible passage. 

For example, someone could quote "Man shall not live by bread alone"(1) and say Jesus was talking about a balanced diet.

Or they could say Jesus encourages us to be annoying because He said, "Blessed are you when people insult you."(2) 

These are not actual examples, and you can see how ridiculous they sound—but the real examples are just as absurd. 

Perhaps the most popular is pulling "Judge not" out of the context of Matthew 7:1-5, claiming we should never judge. 

Then there are the self-esteem advocates who pull a phrase out of the KJV translation of Proverbs 23:7, claiming we become what we think, so we should think highly of ourselves.

And what about all the Bible studies that use Proverbs 22:6 to claim Christians are responsible for their adult children's choices?

There are many more examples, and they're based on taking Scriptures out of context. If we want to accurately understand God's Word and avoid being deceived by half-truths, we must put things in the context of the passage and in the context of all that Scripture teaches.

I know you'll appreciate my latest book, Lies in Disguise. It will be released in October and offers easy-to-understand explanations of popular half-truths so we can identify and correct them.

💙💙💙

See also:

Avoiding a Childish View of Judging

Proverbs 23:7 Probably Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means!

Giving Parents Too Much Credit or Blame  

(1) Matthew 4:4  (2) Matthew 5:11

BLN

Knowing the Right Thing, but Not Doing It

It’s so easy to know the right thing to do but not do it.

 
I have this problem when I'm dealing with stress.

 
I’ve been under incredible stress lately with health problems, deadlines, unexpected challenges, and surprising difficulties. 

 
At times I find myself feeling down, discouraged, and defeated.

 
It’s so easy to know the right thing to do but not do it.

 
I know these Scripture verses:

 
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter  5:6-7

💙 Ah, yes, I need to go humbly to God. Knowing He's in charge, I can leave my anxious thoughts at His feet.
 

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” Jeremiah 17:7

 

💙 Ah, yes, I must not trust myself. My confidence should rest fully on God’s wisdom.
 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
 

💙 Ah, yes, I must seek God wholeheartedly, thanking Him for His goodness. Then I'll experience the peace I’m seeking, a peace that only He can give, a peace that’s unexplainable.

 
If you are also struggling, join me in doing the right thing!

 

💙💙💙

 

For more encouragement, see Seeking Genuine Peace in the Midst of Trials. 

 

 

 BLN

3 Indicators of Genuine Love for God

If a husband treated his wife with love, gentleness, and respect, we'd be surprised if she were ungrateful and unfaithful. And we should have this same attitude when it comes to our relationship with the Lord.

Here are three ways genuine believers show their love for Christ:

✔ We'll make time to study Scripture. 

We won't do it perfectly, but neither will we neglect it.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

✔ We'll not take God's love for granted.

We won't do this perfectly either, but we'll frequently be overwhelmed with gratitude for all He's done for us.

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16

 

✔ We'll deal deliberately with our sins.

We all sin at times, but genuine believers will be convicted and seek God's forgiveness.

“No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” 1 John 3:9

So let's remember our most important relationship, dear Christians, and let's do our best to respond in loving, faithful, grateful obedience.

See The Unshakable Bottom Line.

BLN

An Attitude of Awe-Filled Reverence

God’s Word is incredible, and sometimes a single verse contains a powerful message. For example, Psalm 111:10:

 

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.” 
 

Fear in this verse means “an attitude of awe-filled reverence” that involves “emotion, intellect, and will” (source).

 

Godly fear motivates us to seek guidance and comfort from our all-wise, all-knowing, all-loving God. It causes us to confess our sins, seek godly fellowship, study our Bibles, and forgive those who mistreat us.  

Fear of the Lord gives us absolute trust in biblical precepts, defending them against false teachings that soften and misrepresent God's Word (1 Corinthians 3:19-20). 

The last phrase in Psalm 111:10 tells us that above all, the Lord deserves our praise, not just now, but forever. 

May our lives reflect awe and reverence for God as we live by His precepts and praise His awesome love, wisdom, forgiveness, salvation, comfort, guidance, correction, encouragement, protection, provision, grace, truth, etc. 

This week, I encourage you to read the longest psalm, Psalm 119, and write down all of the important truths it describes.

 

💙💙💙

 

 For more insights on godly fear, see God-Fearers Enjoy Blessings Known Only to God-Fearers and We Need It: Fear of the Lord.

BLN

The Ruth Series

The following devotions and Bible studies come from the rich and meaningful lessons in the Book of Ruth. Enjoy!

Please start by reading the overview and summary of this series: The Great Challenges and Great Faith of Ruth. Then continue with the one-minute devotions below, asking God to show you how to apply the principles to your life and your situation. God bless you!
  

Ruth Beat the Odds
Ruth is an excellent example of someone who stood firm in her faith despite four powerful negative influences, one of which was her mother-in-law Naomi.

Ruth Overcame Ethnic Prejudice
Ruth faced ethnic prejudice when she came to Judah with Naomi, but she knew how to deal with it. This one-minute devotion explains.

Ruth Respected Bitter Naomi
We would be wise to follow Ruth's example of respecting our elders even if they don't always behave in godly ways.

Ruth Humbled Herself
Humility is not a popular virtue in our modern culture, but it was one of Ruth's greatest attributes and we'd be wise to follow her example.  

 

Imagine This – Bible Study
This short Bible study is an overview of the Ruth Series. It's a good way to study Ruth's life with a small group, and the study is print-friendly.

 

These are not part of the original series but add some additional insights:

Bitter Is a Bad Name...
This devotion discusses Naomi's inability to see God's blessings that were staring her in the face. It encourages us not to make the same mistake.

Was Naomi a Good Mom-in-Law?
This short devotion is designed for married Christian women who want to bless their marriage by having a good attitude toward their mother-in-law. Ruth challenges us to be the best wife possible!
  

 BLN

One of the Most Important Ways to Guard Our Faith

We often underestimate the importance of repentance.  

Repentance is an essential part of salvation: Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 5:32; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; Isaiah 55:6-7. 

And it's an important aspect of Christian life after our salvation.

Addressing believers, 1 John 1:8-10 gives this warning:

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” 

James 4:8-10 gives this command: 

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” 

And 2 Corinthians 7:11 offers this example of genuine repentance:(1) 

“Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.” 

Let's never underestimate the damage of unconfessed sin or the freedom and restoration of honest confession and forgiveness.

✞✞✞

 

For more on this important subject, see Honest Repentance Allows Us to Use Past Failures for Our Good and 4 Things That Happen When We Fail to Repent.

 

(1) In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul rebuked the Corinthian church for failing to confront a church member who was living a sinful lifestyle. The leaders were ignoring the commands for confrontation as described in Matthew 18:15-17. When the church leaders repented, they expressed their sorrow to Paul for neglecting that important duty. That is the repentance Paul describes in this verse. I encourage you to read the full chapter in 2 Corinthians 7.

 

 BLN

Why Two Commands Equal All Commands

Someone once “corrected” me because I said genuine love for Christ results in obedience to His commands.

She said I didn't understand grace, insisting that Jesus gave only two commands for New Covenant believers: Loving the Lord with all our hearts and loving our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). 

She was half-right, but she didn't understand verse 40:

“The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” 

When Jesus spoke of the two greatest commandments, He was explaining that if we obeyed those two, we'd be obeying all of the others. Or if we obeyed all of the others, we'd be obeying those two. 

None of us will obey God's commands perfectly this side of heaven, but we should be seeking to do so.

Christ also made it clear that if we have no desire to obey Him, we don't know or love Him (John 14:15,21,23; John 15:10; 1 John 2:3; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:6).

Obedience and good works don't earn salvation, but they prove that our salvation is genuine.

And one of Christ's last commands on earth was this:
"Go and make disciples … teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:18-20  

 💙💙💙

Note #1: There is often confusion about which of the Old Testament commands apply to us today. No need to worry. Just concentrate on all the New Testament commands and you'll be fine. If you want to read more on this subject, check out The Law Collection of four short articles.

Note #2: Some people believe that the "red letter" words of Christ are the only parts of the Bible that are 100% true. To dispel that misunderstanding, check out this link: Only the Words of Christ.

 

It's a great time to buy Wisdom for Life for gift-giving because of the great sales on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD.

 

 BLN

Let's Wake Up, Prepare, and Pray!

Dear Christians, if we're not praying, preparing, and dressed in full armor (Ephesians 6:13), we are going to be silenced and deceived by the propaganda in our world. 

We must keep our focus on the Lord to experience His peace, but that doesn't mean we hide from the battle.

Have you ever wondered why Christianity is so often discredited while false religions and pagan-inspired terrorism are justified or ignored? Have you ever wondered why our world promotes pride in sexual lifestyles that damage people's souls but takes no pride in purity? 

Have you ever wondered why paganism is slowly creeping into secular and Christian culture disguised as exercises, healing methods, and personality tests? (See Discernment: Use It or Lose It)

Satan promotes evil as good and good as evil. If you haven't noticed that he targets Christianity and protects false beliefs, you need to wake up, dear Christians. He hates the true and living God and loves to see people choose an eternity in Hell.

“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4

Let's wake up, clear any pagan propaganda from our lives, and seek the Lord wholeheartedly, sharing His life-saving truths with the world! Ephesians 5:15-16

✞✞✞

For more encouragement, see How David Slew Goliath, and Battleground or Playground?

If you're not already a subscriber, please sign up for a free email subscription to Bible Love Notes online devotions HERE. You'll receive a one-minute video in your email each weekday. 

BLN

The One Thing that Always Damages Relationships

Selfishness kills relationships.

That's why there are so many divorces, broken friendships, and parent-child estrangements.

If we're interested in healthy relationships, we must be sensitive to the needs, desires, and interests of others, not simply our own. 

This doesn't come naturally to us. That's why Philippians 2:3-4 reminds us: 

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of the others.” 

This doesn't mean we deny our genuine needs to serve other people's selfish desires. It means we put the needs of others above our selfish desires. It means our lives reflect the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

From time to time, we should examine our relationships and ask God if we are doing our best to consider the needs and desires of others.

💙💙💙

These one-minute devotions can help:

7 Ways to Walk in the Opposite Spirit

Ignoring the Golden Rule

BLN