Tag: Bible

August 27, 2026

August 27th, 2026

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelation 5

Highlight Verse:

“And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.””
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Is it bad that when I read this, the fun folk tune (All God’s Critters Got) “a Place in the Choir” pops into my

Read that verse again.

It clearly means that the entirety of God’s animal creation will sing praise together.

I don’t know if it means that the animals will literally sing those words together.

That would be fun!

But even if it’s figurative, think about it.

The sheer variety and the complexity of the animal kingdom points to incredible engineering and creativity.

Take the lowly squirrel.

Not only can a squirrel smell nuts through a foot of snow, but it can also detect whether the nuts are fresh enough to bury. Then it knows to pretend to hide nuts when other animals are looking and goes off and hides them in secret.

It even knows to plant trees for future harvests by leaving about a fourth of its stash uneaten.

And to climb down trees, its hind ankles can rotate 180 degrees to get a better grip.

In my opinion,

the amazing designs of animals serve to bring God praise in a very special way.

But I’m still looking forward to seeing that animal and human concert of praise someday.

What is your favorite animal?
How do you think God’s design of that animal brings praise to the Designer?
August 26, 2026

August 26th, 2026

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Chronicles 34-36

Highlight Verse:

“During the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David. Then in the twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all the pagan shrines, the Asherah poles, and the carved idols and cast images.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭34‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Josiah was 8 when he became king.

He was 16 when he started seriously seeking his faith.

When he was twenty, he made huge changes to bring faith back to the nation of Israel.

He didn’t wait until later in life to seek God.

He didn’t let anyone discourage or stop him from bringing revival to Israel.

He showed without a doubt that youth can make a huge difference.

I’ve participated on one level or another in next generation ministries for most of the last 44 years.

I’ve seen too many churches treat children’s ministry as a way to attract young families.

And others who treat youth ministry as an afterthought.

I’ve seen children get excited about getting to know Jesus.

And I’ve seen youth spearhead revival.

The vast majority of adult believers came to faith before the age of 18.

Many find genuine faith much earlier.

My faith story is rooted in a Wednesday night children’s ministry when I was in elementary school.

At 13, I committed my life to Jesus and haven’t turned back since.

I dare say that many of you found your faith through the efforts of Sunday school teachers and youth leaders.

Just over a week ago, I helped for one last night at a youth ministry I was at for several years.

While it was time for me to move on from that, I was greatly encouraged by the words from youth and leaders I influenced over that time.

I am continuing in next-gen ministry in children’s church at my current church home.

If this 62-year-old simple man can still influence the next generation, so can you!

What are you doing to help the next generation find Jesus?
How has God used you in the past to reach children and youth?
August 25, 2026

August 25th, 2026

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Numbers 33-34

Highlight Verse:

“While they were at the foot of Mount Hor, Aaron the priest was directed by the Lord to go up the mountain, and there he died. This happened in midsummer, on the first day of the fifth month of the fortieth year after Israel’s departure from Egypt.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭33‬:‭38‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I spent most of yesterday in my basement home office.

That was good.

At the end of my workday, I went out to put something in my van.

It was 93 F.

It’s been a very hot summer for the Denver area. I like those rare days when I get to work in the coolness of my home.

And God’s final command to Aaron in the middle of summer in the Middle East at the age of 123?

Go climb this mountain.

I hate to admit it, but my insensitive mind thinks, “No wonder Aaron died.”

Where my mind should go is, “What amazing faith Aaron had!”

Now, I did look up the height and normal temperatures at Mount Hor (likely Jebel Harun near Petra, Jordan) and it was probably not too much hotter than here.

Still, a hike like that at his age would have been brutal.

But Aaron trusted God’s plan and I am sure he was welcomed into heaven at the end of his hike.

I’d like to say that my faith is that strong, though it has not been tried by any decision that drastic before.

Of course, I am rather certain that I would say yes to God if He asked me to hike to my death, provided he waited until I was 123 years old.

Seriously, I want my faith to be strong enough that I would obey any command that I know for sure was from God.

For now, I will continue to hone my faith by following the less deadly commands He has given me through the Bible.

And if one of those commands puts me at risk, I will trust in the will and power of the Commander.

Have you ever had to risk your life to obey God’s commands?
How do you think you would respond if you were in Aaron’s sandals?
August 24, 2026

August 24th, 2026

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 10

Highlight Verse:

“Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭10‬:‭44‬ ‭NLT‬‬

One of the things that blows my mind is that one of the biggest things that divides Christians today is that which should unite us – The Holy Spirit.

Some say the gifts of the Spirit were for a time before the Bible Canon was sealed.

Some say they are for today.

Some say we get the Holy Spirit the moment we get saved.

Some say there is a separate baptism in the Holy Spirit.

My story is a strange mix of the two sides.

I was raised Lutheran and came to a genuine faith in Jesus during my catechism training.

When I moved to Virginia at 16, the nearest Lutheran church was a long way away, so I went to a local Methodist Church, which happened to be an on-fire charismatic congregation. It was there that I first witnessed the gifts of the Spirit and prayed for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

In college back in California, I went to an EV Free church (think conservative Baptist) where I was introduced to some solid Biblical teaching from people who truly lived out their faith, while rejecting and notion of miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

Then came Lighthouse Church, a Foursquare congregation that offered solid Biblical teaching about the Holy Spirit and put it into practice in such a way that they had a major impact on the community.

If that’s not confusing enough, I could go on about the variety of churches I’ve attended and served in as well as my Bible college experience in my 30’s.

You would think that would leave me confused in that important area of theology.

I am not.

I firmly believe the Holy Spirit still acts through the gifts.

While dispensational churches deny them, I still see the gifts working within their walls. They just don’t recognize them. If they would realize that genuine manifestations of the Holy Spirit will never add to or change the truth of the Bible, God could be even more effective through them.

I have seen a few Pentecostal churches that focus all their attention on the gifts. If they focused on the whole Word of God, the gifts would flow more naturally and effectively.

Focusing on the Truth of Bible would also reign in those who act like they are working through the Holy Spirit while they are really advancing their own personal agendas. Yes, I have seen that.

The bottom line before I step off my little soap box here is this:
The Holy Spirit is for all believers. We should be open to Him working through us, verifying that work through the Truth of the Bible.

What theological background did you come from?
How have you seen the Holy Spirit work through you and those around you?
August 23, 2026

August 23rd, 2026

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 5-6

Highlight Verses:

“People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire. “If I were you, I would go to God and present my case to him.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I really want to dislike Eliphaz.

But a lot of the stuff he said was true.

Verse 7 points out the fallen nature of mankind.

Verse 8 points to God as the one to rescue us from our troubles.

So, while Eliphaz may seam judgmental and insensitive at times, it seems that he really wants to help his friend Job with the truth.

The writer of Job wants us to hear that same lesson.

When in trouble, turn to God.

Yes, I know you should turn to God even when you are not in trouble. But let’s keep it simple today.

Are you in the midst of troubles?
Have you brought your case before God in prayer?
How have you seen God answer when you have come to him with your problems?
August 22, 2026

August 22nd, 2026

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Luke 4:31-44

Highlight Verse:

“But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭4‬:‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It was a very hot day today.

The idea of eating my lunch in my work van either in the heat or running the engine for an hour did not appeal to me.

There’s a long story involving crazy traffic that somehow directed me to the Raising Canes across the freeway from where I wanted to go. Oh well, it’s cheap good food with good AC and free refills of good iced tea.

When I got in line, a rough and dirty looking man had just come in.

I could barely understand anything he said but it was apparent that he was looking for a free meal.

I just wanted to enjoy some good food in peace and to play some games on my phone. I didn’t want to get involved.

So, yes, of course, I ordered two meals instead of one and hoped he would take his away.

He sat across from me.

And talked nearly non-stop.

With his slurred voice and all the noise in the restaurant, about all I could make out was, that he just got a roofing job, and – he was a man of faith, though I couldn’t really tell what kind of faith.

What little I could understand did not strike me as coherent. I tried to listen but not very well.

He did not seem to be completely in his right mind.

In the not-too-distant past, many would have said he was demon possessed.

In his case, I don’t think so. But there was something very wrong there.

So, are demons real?

Yes! Today’s verse is only one of many where Jesus deals with demons.

Am I afraid of them?

No. I am protected by the blood of Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Those demons have no power over me unless I give it to them.

I choose not to.

I am not someone who sees demons behind every corner. But I recognize that there is a spiritual realm in which good and evil do battle.

We can join that battle in prayer and fasting

I could go on and explain the spiritual realm further but in this brief format, the most important points are that it is real and we need not fear that realm if we are equipped through the Holy Spirit and oppose the evil with the power of Jesus.

How have you fought evil in the past?
How do you recognize when a problem is from the spiritual realms?
August 21, 2026

August 21st, 2026

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Micah 3-4

Highlight Verses:

WARNING – GRAPHIC

“but you are the very ones who hate good and love evil. You skin my people alive and tear the flesh from their bones. Yes, you eat my people’s flesh, strip off their skin, and break their bones. You chop them up like meat for the cooking pot.”
‭‭Micah‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Did you know that the Bible contains such graphic language?

Surely, I thought, this is figurative.

Then I realized that, as a prophet, Micah was predicting the torture that Jesus would receive.

I am in the middle of reading a novel by Christian mystery/suspense writer Steven James.

The villain performs such cruelty that almost pushes the book from crime mystery to horror.

At times it gets so intense I have to put it down for a while.

The cruelty in that novel is light compared to what Jesus went through.

In case you didn’t know, the whip used on Jesus was tipped with jagged pieces of metal.

It literally ripped the skin off His back.

It may have whipped around his body and done damage that I will refrain from elaborating on further.

Add crucifixion to that and it was unimaginable cruelty.

And the people inflicting it were so messed up that they thought they were doing God a favor.

There are accounts in the Bible where God allows peoples to be slaughtered in order to protect His chosen people.

In some cases, the people enacting that slaughter behaved very cruelly.

But that cruelty is from those people, not from God.

Throughout history, there are many who have used the name of God as an excuse to cruelly pursue power.

Partly because of this, there are many today who see God as a cruel deity seeking to harm any who disagree with Him.

They may have also seen what they perceive as cruelty from those claiming to follow Jesus and conclude that God must be cruel too.

As followers of Jesus, we are still human and subject to imperfections, selfishness, and self righteousness that can come across as cruel.

There are times when we would do better to bite our tongues than to say what comes to mind when we see sinful behavior.

I’m not saying to ignore sin, but too often we attack the sinner instead of the sin.

Instead of condemning the drowning sinner, we should be throwing them a lifeline of loving truth.

Of course, there are those who will see any type of righteousness as a cruel imposition.

But with love, prayer, and patience, even the most jaded “sinner” can eventually see the light.

I’ve seen it happen.

How do you think you can best reach those around you with the good news of how Jesus rescued us from sin?
How do you overcome cultural obstacles to bringing the good news?
August 20, 2026

August 20th, 2026

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelation 4

Highlight Verse:

““You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.””
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This chapter is full of amazing descriptions of fantastic sights and beings, yet I highlight a simple verse like this?

Why would God create this amazing scene in heaven?

Because it pleased him.

Simple as that.

All the brilliant gemstones and the emerald glow and the lightning and thunder and the living creatures…

They pleased Him.

And the incredible beauty He created throughout the Earth…

It pleases Him.

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone

And you and I, created in His image…

We please Him.

I know that when I write a story that hits me just right, I am pleased with my work.

When you create artwork, music, poetry, or whatever creation suits your talents, and it comes together just the way you envisioned,

realize that God feels the same way when He looks at you.

Yes, I know that you and I are not perfect and we have this tendency to do ugly things with His creation, but, if we have trusted in Jesus’ sacrifice to make us whole,

God sees us as He created us.

We would do well to aim to walk in that perfect plan He designed for our lives.

And as we walk, let’s enjoy all the beauty He created around us.

What sight in this chapter would you most like to see in person?
What part of creation pleases you the most to see?
How do you think you bring pleasure to God?
August 19, 2026

August 19th, 2026

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Corinthians 31-33

Highlight Verses:

““Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!” Hezekiah’s words greatly encouraged the people.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭32‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Hezekiah had a real problem on his hands.

A huge army waited outside the walls in siege.

Everything pointed to impending doom.

Except his faith.

And what he did with his faith is what stands out to me.

He didn’t hide in a bunker and pray.

He did pray but he didn’t leave it at that.

He was incensed by Sennacherib’s insults against the Lord.

He fought words with words.

He used his words to extol the Lord and encourage his people.

And when the people saw the solid faith of their king, they were encouraged.

Their faith and courage were well founded.

Read the rest of the chapter to find out how it turned out.

How can you be encouraging to people around you?
What leaders have imparted courage to you?
August 18, 2026

August 18th, 2026

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Numbers 31-32

Highlight Verse:

“If we have found favor with you, please let us have this land as our property instead of giving us land across the Jordan River.””
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭32‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Before I moved to Colorado, I needed a vehicle that could carry as much of my stuff as possible.

I found a Plymouth Grand Voyager.

The price was right. It drove well. The engine sounded good. No leaks. Good brakes.

And it was nice.

A no brainer, right.

I don’t remember if I prayed first but I’m sure I didn’t listen for God’s reply if I did.

The engine blew 230 miles into my journey to Colorado.

Miraculously, I got the engine replaced for what I could “afford” (barely and with a little help).

By the time I got to Colorado, one of the wheels was literally ready to fall off.

If I had stopped and listened to God, I would have never bought that van.

If the tribes of Gad and Reuben had paid attention to God and waited for the promised land, they would have been much better off.

They saw land that could support them and their livestock and decided that would be the best for them.

While the Bible does not go into great detail about the geography of the area, the truth is, the area east of the Jordan River is far more arid than the land they were promised to the West of the Jordan.

Beyond that, that area was more prone to attack and required longer travel for worship.

In short, they would have been better off to wait and join the rest of Israel west of the Jordan.

They settled for the available instead of waiting for the ideal.

We all make major decisions in our lives.

I can look back on several where I settled for what was available rather than what was ideal.

By the grace and mercy of God, I can still thrive despite those decisions.

But life could have been easier if I had sought God’s will and listened more closely.

What major decisions are you facing?
What do you do to hear from God before making major decisions?

Tag: Bible

That would be fun!

Take the lowly squirrel.

the amazing designs of animals serve to bring God praise in a very special way.

He didn’t wait until later in life to seek God.

And I’ve seen youth spearhead revival.

If this 62-year-old simple man can still influence the next generation, so can you!

It was 93 F.

Go climb this mountain.

Seriously, I want my faith to be strong enough that I would obey any command that I know for sure was from God.

One of the things that blows my mind is that one of the biggest things that divides Christians today is that which should unite us – The Holy Spirit.

My story is a strange mix of the two sides.

The bottom line before I step off my little soap box here is this:The Holy Spirit is for all believers. We should be open to Him working through us, verifying that work through the Truth of the Bible.

I really want to dislike Eliphaz.

When in trouble, turn to God.

When I got in line, a rough and dirty looking man had just come in.

So, are demons real?

We can join that battle in prayer and fasting

The cruelty in that novel is light compared to what Jesus went through.

But that cruelty is from those people, not from God.

Instead of condemning the drowning sinner, we should be throwing them a lifeline of loving truth.

Because it pleased him.

realize that God feels the same way when He looks at you.

And as we walk, let’s enjoy all the beauty He created around us.

Hezekiah had a real problem on his hands.

He fought words with words.

And when the people saw the solid faith of their king, they were encouraged.

I don’t remember if I prayed first but I’m sure I didn’t listen for God’s reply if I did.

They settled for the available instead of waiting for the ideal.

But life could have been easier if I had sought God’s will and listened more closely.

The bottom line before I step off my little soap box here is this:
The Holy Spirit is for all believers. We should be open to Him working through us, verifying that work through the Truth of the Bible.