Tag: Bible

September 25, 2024

September 25th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – Ezra 7-8

Highlight Verse:

“So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.”
‭‭Ezra‬ ‭8‬:‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What is the line between faith and foolishness?

Ezra had about 1500 men (plus women and children) with him for the journey to Jerusalem. But these were not warriors.

They were ordinary people.

And they were carrying a sizable fortune.

Through a treacherous area.
Where bands of raiders could outnumber their own.

But Ezra trusted God to protect them.

And God did.

Have you ever made a leap of faith like Ezra did?
Did it turn out to be faith or foolishness?
September 24, 2024

September 24th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Deuteronomy 7-8

Highlight Verse:

“Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.”

Deuteronomy 7:8 NLT

God blessed the Israelites because He loved them, and He was faithful to His promises to their ancestors.

That’s why He treated Israel so well.

That’s why He treats us so well

I may not be an Israelite, but I was adopted into the family of God. I inherited all the rights and responsibilities of an Israelite.

I have no genetic ties to three of my four children. But the moment I married their mother, they became my children. I love them as much as I love my oldest daughter, who does carry my genes.

If I, a far from perfect man, could love all his children that way, how much more could God love all His children, both Hebrew and Gentile?

Do you truly understand the depth of God’s love for you?

Can you believe He is faithful?
September 23, 2024

September 23rd, 2024

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 14 (Note: Last week I accidentally did this week’s chapter, so this is last week’s).

Highlight Verses:

“When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area. And there they preached the Good News.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You might think it was terrible how much violent opposition Paul and those with him encountered as they spread the Gospel.

Notice, if there wasn’t opposition, they might not have covered as large of an area.

When the opposition grew violent, it forced them to move on. Eventually, they covered the entire region.

When we encounter opposition, it might be time to move on.

Granted, they stayed until the opposition turned violent.

If opposition reaches that level today, that doesn’t necessarily mean failure. It may signal the beginning of a new opportunity.

Have you ever had to deal with violent opposition?
We’re you able to find another opportunity in the midst of the opposition?
September 22, 2024

September 22nd, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 15-16

Highlight Verse:

“Even now my witness is in heaven. My advocate is there on high.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭16‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The author of Job had some form of understanding of the Trinity. Job goes on to say that he needs a mediator between himself and God.

We have a mediator. His name in Jesus!

God allows us to cry out our complaints to Jesus.

He hears.

He listens.

He acts on our behalf.

If that isn’t amazing news, what is?

Have you ever had to cry out to God in anger or bitter disappointment?
Do you realize how much He hangs on your every word?
September 21, 2024

September 21st, 2024

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Proverbs 11:14; 12:15

Highlight Verse:

“Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We had a major decision to make today.

I thought I knew last night which way we were going to go with it. We decided to pray and sleep on it.

This morning, after quiet time, I realized that I hadn’t done much research to make a wise, well-informed decision.

After a morning meeting for work, I asked for the rest of the day off.

I was glad I did.

Like the OCD person that I am, I created a spreadsheet where I brought in information from several reliable sources and came to a much different conclusion than I expected.

The result after discussion with my wife and in person research?

The old minivan has been replaced with a Subaru Forester.

What is your decision-making process?
What role does prayer and seeking counsel take in it?
September 20, 2024

September 20th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Nahum 1

Highlight Verse:

“Yet Thebes fell, and her people were led away as captives. Her babies were dashed to death against the stones of the streets. Soldiers threw dice to get Egyptian officers as servants. All their leaders were bound in chains.”
‭‭Nahum‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

For about a year when I was in middle school, I lived in a small cheap 2 bedroom apartment in San Mateo, CA. In the apartment next door, which was the same size as our little 2-bedroom place, there lived a family of about 8.

The eldest member was a former general of the Persian Army.

Yes, the same army that was ousted by the Shah of Iran in the late 70’s.

They survived, but their family status did not.

Their situation changed overnight.

So did Thebes.

Conquered overnight.

Nahum predicts the same devastation to come upon Nineva, the capitol of Assyria.

We can expect the same if our nation continues its slide away from God.

What can you and I do to help steer our nation back to God?
Can you join me in praying for revival to sweep across our nation.
September 19, 2024

September 19th, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelation 8

Highlight Verse:

“When the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Why was it silent throughout heaven for half an hour?

When it says silence, I don’t think they mean crickets in the background.

I think it was utter silence.

It might come across as a dramatic pause before the climax.

I think it’s more than that.

When I encounter utter silence, or close to it, I tend to pray silently.

Perhaps it’s those silent prayers of the multitudes that are lifted up as an offering in the following verses.

Perhaps it is that multitude of prayers that helps usher in the final victory at the end.

Perhaps it is those prayers that help the final remnant come through the last of the tribulation.

Or perhaps it’s just a dramatic pause.

Whatever it is, I will continue to choose to pray in the silent times.

Why do you think there is a half hour of silence before the trumpets?
What part of this chapter stood out to you today? Why?
September 18, 2024

September 18th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – Ezra 5-6

Highlight Verse:

““Those who violate this decree in any way will have a beam pulled from their house. Then they will be lifted up and impaled on it, and their house will be reduced to a pile of rubble.”
‭‭Ezra‬ ‭6‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Darius didn’t mess around.

When he found out that Cyrus had ordered the rebuilding of the temple, and the construction had been stopped, he made sure it couldn’t be stopped again.

Like Cyrus, Darius wasn’t a believer. Therefore, his somewhat overly forceful statement here is understandable.

To me, it’s amusing.

I’ve also seen people who are (usually) new to the faith use cussing and threats to defend Jesus.

I confess I am amused by that as well.

Sometimes I think, “I wish I could express my thoughts that way.”

Politeness tempers my speech, as it should.

We shouldn’t scare people away from faith.

But sometimes I wish…

Do you temper your speech or just say what first comes to mind?
What do you think when others speak as plainly as Darius did?
September 17, 2024

September 17th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Deuteronomy 5-6

Highlight Verse:

“I stood as an intermediary between you and the Lord, for you were afraid of the fire and did not want to approach the mountain. He spoke to me, and I passed his words on to you. This is what he said:”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭5‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Ten Commandments are what we got when Moses stood as our intermediary.

When Jesus stepped in, we got mercy and grace and a good measure of eternal life with it.

I’m not belittling the Ten Commandments. Without them, we wouldn’t know how desperately we need Jesus.

We should always attempt to obey the Ten Commandments.

Then, when we fall short again, we need to trust in Jesus’ work on the cross to bring forgiveness and get right back up to setting our moral compass by the true north of the Ten Commandments.

How do you view the Ten Commandments?
How long has it been since you broke one?
Did you find forgiveness?
September 16, 2024

September 16th, 2024

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 15

Highlight Verse:

“We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.””
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭15‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I grew up thinking that God would reject children who weren’t baptized. Then if we didn’t go through confirmation class, our infant baptisms would be for nothing.

I also read the Bible as I was growing up and something didn’t seem quite right with that.

When I was 16, we moved to rural southwest Virginia, and I couldn’t afford to drive all the way to that other type of church, so I went to the little country church just down the road from where I lived.

Suddenly the Bible started to make more sense.

It wasn’t about what I did to please God, it was about what He already did because He loves us!

I’d like to say that my legalism flew out the window at that point, but the truth is, I remained pretty judgmental until I realized how powerless I was at being good without Jesus.

His grace truly is undeserved.

How dare I judge others when any good I do is by the grace of God.

Now, instead of judging, I try to help others who are willing to get closer to Jesus.

Have you struggled with judgmental tendencies?
What are ways that you can help people get closer to Jesus without judging them?

Tag: Bible

What is the line between faith and foolishness?

And God did.

God blessed the Israelites because He loved them, and He was faithful to His promises to their ancestors.

If I, a far from perfect man, could love all his children that way, how much more could God love all His children, both Hebrew and Gentile?

Notice, if there wasn’t opposition, they might not have covered as large of an area.

If opposition reaches that level today, that doesn’t necessarily mean failure. It may signal the beginning of a new opportunity.

We have a mediator. His name in Jesus!

He listens.

If that isn’t amazing news, what is?

We had a major decision to make today.

This morning, after quiet time, I realized that I hadn’t done much research to make a wise, well-informed decision.

I was glad I did.

Their situation changed overnight.

Nahum predicts the same devastation to come upon Nineva, the capitol of Assyria.

We can expect the same if our nation continues its slide away from God.

Why was it silent throughout heaven for half an hour?

Perhaps it’s those silent prayers of the multitudes that are lifted up as an offering in the following verses.

Whatever it is, I will continue to choose to pray in the silent times.

Darius didn’t mess around.

To me, it’s amusing.

Politeness tempers my speech, as it should.

When Jesus stepped in, we got mercy and grace and a good measure of eternal life with it.

Then, when we fall short again, we need to trust in Jesus’ work on the cross to bring forgiveness and get right back up to setting our moral compass by the true north of the Ten Commandments.

I also read the Bible as I was growing up and something didn’t seem quite right with that.

It wasn’t about what I did to please God, it was about what He already did because He loves us!

Now, instead of judging, I try to help others who are willing to get closer to Jesus.