Tag: Christ

March 24, 2025

March 24th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – John 13

Highlight Verse:

“Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.”
‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus knew when He was going to die.

Of course, He also knew He was going to be resurrected but that time before His ascension would also be limited.

He timed His actions accordingly. He made the most of every opportunity to heal people, teach the Gospel, and especially train His disciples.

That brings me to the question, if I knew when I was going to die, how would I live differently?

Certainly, as the day approached, I would value each minute.

The simple truth is, I will die. It could be 30 years from now or it could be next week.

I won’t get any of those minutes back to do over.

I want to make the most of each one by making a difference in the lives of those around me.

That’s why I try to be an involved father for each of my kids. It is why I’ve stayed involved in student ministry. It’s why I write novels. It’s even why I write this.

I miss many opportunities, and I have a tough time figuring out how to prioritize them each day. But I trudge on trying to do my best.

We each have been given the same number of minutes each day. We each have opportunities and gifts given to us.

How will you make the most of the opportunities given to you?
Is there anything you need to change to make more of those opportunities?
March 17, 2025

March 17th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – John 12

Highlight Verse:

“Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.”
‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When I read this, I had to wonder, how would Lazarus have reacted if he knew he was a target.

Maybe he wouldn’t have worried about it. After all, he’d been dead before, and that turned out alright.

Maybe he would be angry and try to fight back against the priests.

Or maybe he would be afraid, but I suspect he wouldn’t be nearly as afraid as the priests were of him.

The priests were afraid of the one true source of life (Jesus) and any who would lead people to life (like Lazarus).

I hope to bring such light into the world to be considered a threat to the enemy of light.

In this chapter, Jesus brings life to Jerusalem in a way that split history in two.

May we continue to bring that life!

How would you react if the main religious leaders were out to take your life?
Is your faith in Jesus strong enough to face death for His sake?
March 10, 2025

March 10th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – John 11

Highlight Verses:

“When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” Then Jesus wept.”
‭‭John‬ ‭11‬:‭33‬-‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I don’t understand when people think that God is just some cosmic force or emotionless supernatural being.

Just within these three short verses, we see Jesus get angry, troubled, and weep.

Jesus experienced the full range of emotions that we do.

Why?

I might be stretching it a bit but I think all three emotions came for the same reason; the lack of sincere faith in the people around him.

Mary and Martha, who believed Him to be the Messiah, did not expect Him to be able to raise Lazarus from the dead.

The mourners were likely there out of religious duty and not for love of Lazarus or his sisters. They certainly did not expect Jesus to raise him from the grave.

Jesus reacted appropriately, getting angry at the lack of faith. He was troubled about how deeply traditional and shallow the faith of God’s chosen people had become. He wept for what that meant for the people of Israel.

He came to bring true life to His people and found a dead religion.

How alive is your faith?
Do you believe that Jesus cares enough about you to do the impossible?
He does.
February 13, 2025

February 13th, 2025

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Romans 7

Highlight Verse:

“But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When I was little, I learned to be a good boy. I followed the rules because God and Santa were watching, not to mention my parents.

I knew I wasn’t perfect but I figured if I could be better than other people, God would accept me.

Maybe God would even love me if I behaved well enough.

That’s not love, that’s military discipline.

God isn’t a drill sargent, He is our Father.

More precisely, our Daddy. (Romans 8:13 – “Abba”)

He shows us the best way to live.

When we don’t do as he shows us, He welcomes us back to the right path, guiding us with mercy and grace.

He even gave us His Holy Spirit to leads us in ways that mere words could not.

Yes, we struggle with staying on the right track. Read on in the chapter. Even Paul struggled.

But then Paul tells us who will save us from the wrong path.

“The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 7:24

Have you ever tried to win God’s favor by what you did and didn’t do?
How did you find out that God is your Daddy instead of your drill sargent?
February 12, 2025

February 12th, 2025

Wednesday – History

Reading – Joshua 19-21

Highlight Verse:

““Now tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed Moses.”
‭‭Joshua‬ ‭20‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The word “refuge” appears more than 40 times in the Bible.

These cities of refuge are a precursor to the concept of God being a refuge to those in need.

If you accidentally killed someone in those days, you were in desperate need for a refuge. Your mistakes opened you to the distinct possibility of death at the hands of an avenger.

God made provision for refuge for people who had accidentally killed someone.

God provided refuge for David when he was pursued by Saul.

Isaiah declares the Messiah as a refuge from the storm.

Then Jesus provided our refuge from the penalty of our sin.

The Cities of Refuge give us a beautiful picture of the mercy to come when God sent His Son to be our refuge from sin.

What are your thoughts on the Cities of Refuge?
What would your thoughts be if you had accidentally killed someone during the time of the Cities of Refuge?
February 10, 2025

February 10th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – John 7

Highlight Verse:

“You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.”
‭‭John‬ ‭7‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have you ever gotten advice from someone who really didn’t understand God’s call on your life?

I have.

I haven’t always dealt with it as gracefully as Jesus did.

He didn’t argue with His brothers. He graciously explained that it wasn’t His time yet.

Then He went at the time the Father had appointed for Him to go.

We can explain to those who do not understand what our calling is about. But we cannot expect them to fully grasp it.

Regardless, we must follow God’s calling.

Have you had those who called you foolish for following God’s call on your life?
How did you respond?
January 27, 2025

January 27th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – John 5

Highlight Verses:

“When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.””
‭‭John‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I hate it when I’m sick for more than a couple days. Even then, I’m rarely too sick to get up.

This man was sick for 38 years!

He didn’t ask to be healed. He had given up on anything changing for him.

But Jesus chose him.

Jesus could have chosen from the dozens of other people waiting for healing. They would have been easier to heal.

Sure, they had friends to help them but that didn’t stop Jesus from healing others with friends at other times.

This time Jesus chose the guy with no friends and no hope.

And He healed that man with one sentence.

Today’s verse is especially for those with no true friends and no hope.

If you are that person, please hear me when I say that Jesus wants to bring you hope and healing. You need only accept it.

If you know the hope of Jesus, please realize that you are the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. All around us are those without true friendship, hope or healing.

Please pray that we may see them and bring the healing of Christ to them.

Have you ever been that hopeless person who found healing in Jesus? Please share your story.
In what ways has God used you to bring healing to the hopeless?
January 19, 2025

January 19th, 2025

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 7-9

Highlight Verse:

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

On an ideal night with excellent vision, one can see up to about 43,000 objects in the night sky.

Science and math tell us that there are between 100 and 400 billion stars in our galaxy alone.

And there are hundreds of billions of galaxies.

And God created it all with His spoken Word.

And He created mankind in His image.

He put us in charge of His creation on Earth and entrusted us with the truth of His salvation.

I don’t know about you, but it makes me want to live up to His trust.

What do you think it means to be in charge of creation?

How do you live that out?
January 6, 2025

January 6th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – John 1

Highlight Verse:

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

One of the basics of theology is the concept of the Trinity. That is – one God in three parts, the Father, the Son – Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

John introduces us to the Trinity right off the bat.

The “Word” is Jesus (see verse 14).

John makes it clear in the first couple verses that, not only was Jesus God’s Son, but he was also God and integral in creation.

In verse 32, John introduces the Holy Spirit.

John makes it clear that all three exist both integral to each other and distinct from each other.

It may be difficult to comprehend. John doesn’t explain it further.

But as you read through the rest of the New Testament, the concept becomes clearer.

How easy or difficult is it for you to understand the concept of the Trinity?
Does it help you to realize that Jesus, who loved you enough to die for you, helped create the whole universe?
January 3, 2025

January 3rd, 2025

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Isaiah 1-3

Highlight Verse:

“Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting— they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

And that’s what God thinks of empty religion.

If your faith is an insurance policy paid for with pious acts of worship, singing on Sunday morning, paying your tithes, listening to the right music, not swearing, maybe even watching the babies at church once a month, then it is worthless.

But if your faith is visible through acts of love and charity (see verse 17) rooted in your love for God and trust in His leading, you have a true faith.

You may do all those religious things above, but you know that they are not your insurance policy.

If you have that true faith, you don’t need an insurance policy; you already have eternal life.

Out of the abundance of that life come all the good deeds, obedience, and yes, even meaningful religious acts.

Are you just religious, or alive in your faith?
When and how did you realize that faith ran far deeper than religion?

Tag: Christ

Jesus knew when He was going to die.

That brings me to the question, if I knew when I was going to die, how would I live differently?

I want to make the most of each one by making a difference in the lives of those around me.

When I read this, I had to wonder, how would Lazarus have reacted if he knew he was a target.

I hope to bring such light into the world to be considered a threat to the enemy of light.

May we continue to bring that life!

Jesus experienced the full range of emotions that we do.

I might be stretching it a bit but I think all three emotions came for the same reason; the lack of sincere faith in the people around him.

He came to bring true life to His people and found a dead religion.

When I was little, I learned to be a good boy. I followed the rules because God and Santa were watching, not to mention my parents.

That’s not love, that’s military discipline.

When we don’t do as he shows us, He welcomes us back to the right path, guiding us with mercy and grace.

“The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 7:24

The word “refuge” appears more than 40 times in the Bible.

Then Jesus provided our refuge from the penalty of our sin.

The Cities of Refuge give us a beautiful picture of the mercy to come when God sent His Son to be our refuge from sin.

Have you ever gotten advice from someone who really didn’t understand God’s call on your life?

He didn’t argue with His brothers. He graciously explained that it wasn’t His time yet.

Regardless, we must follow God’s calling.

But Jesus chose him.

And He healed that man with one sentence.

Please pray that we may see them and bring the healing of Christ to them.

On an ideal night with excellent vision, one can see up to about 43,000 objects in the night sky.

And God created it all with His spoken Word.

I don’t know about you, but it makes me want to live up to His trust.

John introduces us to the Trinity right off the bat.

It may be difficult to comprehend. John doesn’t explain it further.

But as you read through the rest of the New Testament, the concept becomes clearer.

And that’s what God thinks of empty religion.

But if your faith is visible through acts of love and charity (see verse 17) rooted in your love for God and trust in His leading, you have a true faith.

If you have that true faith, you don’t need an insurance policy; you already have eternal life.