Tag: Bible

November 13, 2024

November 13th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – Nehemiah 11-13

Highlight Verse:

“The two choirs that were giving thanks then proceeded to the Temple of God, where they took their places. So did I, together with the group of leaders who were with me.”
‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭12‬:‭40‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Once the wall was finished, Nehemiah had two choirs march along the top of the wall surrounding the city with thanks.

This wall was broad enough for 2 or 3 people to walk beside each other. It stretched two and a half miles around the center of the city.

Couple that with the fact the choirs were huge, it must have been quite the site (and sound).

I doubt anyone left unchanged.

Do you make it a practice to give God thanks?
What kind of differences would you expect if you gave thanks in every victory?
November 11, 2024

November 11th, 2024

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 22

Highlight Verse:

“The crowd listened until Paul said that word. Then they all began to shout, “Away with such a fellow! He isn’t fit to live!””
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭22‬:‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What made the crowds so violently angry with Paul?

He just told them that he would take the message that they rejected and give it to the Gentiles.

At first, this makes no sense. Why would they care as long as Paul quits trying to share that message with them?

Someone among them knew there was power in that message. They knew their agenda would be hindered if the powerful message of salvation got out into the world.

They did everything they could to stop it.

What I love about this situation is that, not only could they not stop the message from spreading, but their violent reaction also helped spread it farther by giving Paul the means to bring it to those in charge in Rome.

Sometimes we run into roadblocks as we try to spread God’s love to the world.

When that happens, we don’t need to wallow in self pity. We just need to look for the new opportunities opening up as a result of that roadblock.

Have you experienced roadblocks to sharing the Gospel?
What new opportunities opened up for you?
November 10, 2024

November 10th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 29-30

Highlight Verse:

“Job continued speaking:”
‭‭Job‬ ‭29‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s the shortest verse in this chapter, but it speaks volumes.

In fact, Job spoke volumes. Six straight chapters going on and on.

Yes, God wants us to bring all our cares to Him.

But Job kept speaking to his so-called friends about how he was treated unfairly.

You would think God would rebuke him for talking about himself so much.

Maybe that’s coming.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

While I do think God wants us to bring all our cares to Him,

I don’t think he wants us to live a life of complaining, especially to those who aren’t interested in listening.

Have you ever caught yourself overly complaining?
What helped you stop?
November 9, 2024

November 9th, 2024

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Psalm 148

Highlight Verse:

“fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather that obey him,”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭148‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

My childhood was spent in California.

Where I lived it snowed exactly one time during my childhood. Us kids were ecstatic.

Except me.

I was sick.

Mom wouldn’t let me go outside.

Fifty-two years later, I live in an area where snow is common.

In fact it’s snowing now.

And I don’t really want to go outside.

But there’s still something special about snow.

The world is clothed in white under a coat of billions of snowflakes, each unique.

The complexity of weather is mind boggling. Even the greatest minds have trouble predicting it accurately.

But the mind of God created it.

I’d say that’s a good reason to bring God praise.

And there are many more good reasons.

What is your biggest reason for praising God?
What’s stopping you from praising Him right now?
November 8, 2024

November 8th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Zechariah 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“Then I asked the angel, “What are these, my Lord? What do they mean?””
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When I went to UC Santa Cruz just after high school, I remember having a conversation about reading the Bible with a fellow student.

She said that she didn’t need to read the Bible because her priest would tell her what she needs to believe.

I was speechless.

I couldn’t imagine not wanting to know more about God.

I also didn’t trust any priest or pastor enough to blindly follow what they said.

Now, I will consult the writings of pastors and scholars when I’m trying to figure out what God is trying to say.

But not before asking God to explain it to me.

Do you ask God before and when you read the Bible to help you understand it?
Have you experienced that “Aha” moment when the Holy Spirit makes a passage clear to you?
November 7, 2024

November 7th, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelation 15

Highlight Verse:

“Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.””
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Can you imagine the day when all nations will worship God?

It seems impossible.

Today the world embraces diversity and tolerance with devout fervor.

But truth is truth.

The truth is that God alone is holy and worthy of our worship.

In the very end, this will be obvious to all.

Then the prophetic words of this chapter will come true.

Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess (Isaiah 45:23).

What do you imagine this scene will be like?
Can you see yourself there?
November 6, 2024

November 6th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – Nehemiah 9-10

Highlight Verse:

“On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads.”
‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭9‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I admit that when I first read this, I thought, “What a great use for Halloween.”

Of course, this had nothing to do with Halloween other than the date specified in the Hebrew calendar that year corresponded with October 31 that year in our calendar.

If the events of that day sound familiar, that’s because just three weeks earlier was the Day of Atonement. People had started to weep because of their sin.

At that time, Nehemiah, Ezra, and the priests and Levites told the people to not weep as that was a day of celebration.

Here, three weeks later, people were allowed to show their true repentance through mourning.

As they had heard the Book of the Law recently, they would have understood more clearly. With that clearer understanding, they saw the need to mourn their sins.

And they did.

Have you ever repented in tears?
What effect did the grief in repentance have on your life?
November 5, 2024

November 5th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Deuteronomy 19-20

Highlight Verse:

““When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you!”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Remember this verse the next time you face horses and chariots.

Okay, I think this could apply to other situations when the odds are against you.

I’ve seen it in action. God provides for a need just in time. Or He protects you from certain unforeseen circumstances.

When you take it in context of the rest of the Old Testament, especially the Pentateuch (first 5 books of the Bible) you must realize that

it only applied when facing battles that God called the Israelites to fight.

In other words, if you keep fighting a losing battle, are you sure that it is one you were called to fight?
If the battle is against sin, are you fighting that battle wholeheartedly?
November 4, 2024

November 4th, 2024

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 21

Highlight Verse:

“When we returned to the ship at the end of the week, the entire congregation, including women and children, left the city and came down to the shore with us. There we knelt, prayed,”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭21‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What struck me here was the fact that the entire congregation came down to the shore.

It wasn’t just the elders.

It wasn’t just the most involved people.

The entire congregation.

When was the last time you saw an entire congregation come together for anything outside of Sunday service?

I can’t think of a single time.

When I attended a tiny country church in the hills of southwest Virginia, we came close for picnics and such.

And I was impressed with the hundreds of volunteers at our Harvest Fest last week.

But these people were seriously dedicated to each other and to God and the teachers God brought to them.

What would it be like everyone in our congregations showed the same level of commitment to each other and God?
Where have you seen that level of commitment?
November 3, 2024

November 3rd, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 27-28

Highlight Verse:
“Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭28‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I love the country song “Buy Dirt” by Jordan Davis.

One line says “You can’t buy happiness but you can buy dirt.”

The simple wisdom is that if you buy a place where life and love can happen, and then spend your time living it with the ones you love, that’s one of the best ways to find happiness.

I would add to that the last verse of this chapter, highlighting that the fear of the Lord is true wisdom.

Faith and family; sounds like a good combination to bring about wisdom.

How much time and money are you investing in your family?
Are you investing time and money in your faith as well?

Tag: Bible

Couple that with the fact the choirs were huge, it must have been quite the site (and sound).

I doubt anyone left unchanged.

What made the crowds so violently angry with Paul?

What I love about this situation is that, not only could they not stop the message from spreading, but their violent reaction also helped spread it farther by giving Paul the means to bring it to those in charge in Rome.

When that happens, we don’t need to wallow in self pity. We just need to look for the new opportunities opening up as a result of that roadblock.

In fact, Job spoke volumes. Six straight chapters going on and on.

You would think God would rebuke him for talking about himself so much.

I don’t think he wants us to live a life of complaining, especially to those who aren’t interested in listening.

Where I lived it snowed exactly one time during my childhood. Us kids were ecstatic.

The complexity of weather is mind boggling. Even the greatest minds have trouble predicting it accurately.

But the mind of God created it.

I’d say that’s a good reason to bring God praise.

I was speechless.

I couldn’t imagine not wanting to know more about God.

But not before asking God to explain it to me.

Can you imagine the day when all nations will worship God?

But truth is truth.

The truth is that God alone is holy and worthy of our worship.

I admit that when I first read this, I thought, “What a great use for Halloween.”

Here, three weeks later, people were allowed to show their true repentance through mourning.

And they did.

Remember this verse the next time you face horses and chariots.

it only applied when facing battles that God called the Israelites to fight.

The entire congregation.

But these people were seriously dedicated to each other and to God and the teachers God brought to them.

One line says “You can’t buy happiness but you can buy dirt.”

Faith and family; sounds like a good combination to bring about wisdom.