Tag: grace

July 17, 2026

July 17th, 2026

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Amos 9

Highlight Verse:

““Even if they dig down to the place of the dead, I will reach down and pull them up. Even if they climb up into the heavens, I will bring them down.”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭9‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I gave up running from God a long time ago.

He always finds me.

Why would anyone want to run away from God anyway?

Well, there’s shame, and pride, fear, and maybe even a little selfishness.

People have all sorts of reasons to run from God.

We’ve all tried to run at times, if only just a little.

And we were all wrong.

It is only in God’s presence that all shame is erased through the sacrifice of Jesus.

The only one worthy of pride is God.

If we have respectful fear of God, all other fears can fade.

And in His presence is complete satisfaction with every godly need and want met.

So, if you are trying to run from God, turn around. He’s right there.

Give up the run and take that one step back to Him.

Have you ever tried to run away from God?
How far did you get?
How close was He when you turned around?
May 8, 2026

May 8th, 2026

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Hosea 7-8

Highlight Verse:

““The people of Israel mingle with godless foreigners, making themselves as worthless as a half-baked cake!”
‭‭Hosea‬ ‭7‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There was a movie theater with in-theater dining near us. One of my favorite selections there was their “half-baked cookies.” They were gooey and delicious.

That’s not what Hosea is talking about here.

Half-baked cake doesn’t sound nearly as good as those cookies.

I dare say it wasn’t something Israel should have been striving for.

The people of Israel were well instructed in the Law of Moses.

They even went through most of the religious motions in keeping with their culture.

But that didn’t keep them from indulging in the carnal practices of the peoples around them.

They dove so deep into the cesspool of sin that any remnant of love for God was left behind.

All they had was an empty shell of religion.

If you’ve known me for longer than a couple weeks, you know that I am far from legalistic, but I am passionate.

I love God enough to trust Him to lead me in the right way.

I know I’m far from perfect, but I strive to live a better life each day.

For me, among other things, that means trying to avoid media that will take me down a dark path.

For you it might mean something different.

For everyone, we need to avoid that which can drag us away from trusting God.

It’s not a legalistic thing; it is a heart for God thing.

What is it that you need to avoid to keep your heart right toward Jesus?
What are you doing to avoid it?
April 22, 2026

April 22nd, 2026

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Chronicles 10-12

Highlight Verse:

“The people of Jebus taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here!” But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.”
‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭11‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jebus was an ideally defensible city. It had high walls around it and difficult terrain leading to it on 3 sides.

Even with Mount Moriah rising above the city, attackers from that direction would be exposed and driven away from the wall.

On top of that, the city had a source of water that would help them survive a siege.

The Jebusites had good reason to be confident in their safety.

But that very confidence caused them to overlook the fatal flaw in their defenses.

Their source of water, the Gihon Spring, allowed an advance party to sneak in and break through the defenses at the gate from the inside.

It is so easy to become overconfident as a believer.

We trust in our accomplishments and successes, even moral successes. That overconfidence leads us to let down our guard, allowing the enemy to infiltrate through areas we thought were good.

I’ve seen it in several pastors and ministry leaders.

They built walls of self-righteousness that hid the cracks that temptation and sin crept into.

By the time they realized what was happening, it was too late and their ministries came tumbling down.

A few, through humility and accountability, have been restored.

Most had their reputations crushed along with much of the positive results of their ministry.

No matter how successful or unfailingly moral we are, we would be wise to stay humble, realizing that we need to keep our guard up even when we are doing well.

Have you ever been blindsided by sin creeping in your life where you didn’t expect it?
How did you get through that situation?
March 5, 2026

March 5th, 2026

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Hebrews 9

Highlight Verses:

“And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It may be chilly here at my desk in our basement,

but this verse gave me chills when I read it.

Seriously. How many people go through life worrying about what God is going to say about all those sins they committed throughout their lives?

Listen to this:

Jesus already dealt with our sins!

We need to trust Him in that.

Of course, we should make every effort to stay away from sin. But we will mess up. We may even have to deal with the earthly consequences of our sins.

But if we accept the sacrifice Jesus made for us, they are dealt with.

With that Good News in mind, we eagerly await Christ’s return as He brings salvation to all who eagerly wait for Him.

Now that’s something worth waiting for.

On a theological side note – if you ever wondered about reincarnation, don’t bother. Verse 27 makes it quite clear that life is a one-time experience (that lasts for eternity).

Have you been hanging on to guilt? Does today’s reading help free you?
Is there anything else in today’s reading that stood out to you?
Friday – Prophets

February 27th, 2026

Reading – Ezekiel 46-48

Highlight Verse:

“There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭47‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Despite what I said two weeks ago, this chapter seems to point us toward a figurative or allegorical vision of the temple described here.

Such a river did not exist in Post-exile Israel.

Or did it?

Obviously, it was not physically there.

But this river could be the illustration of the life that came forth from God.

Keep in mind that, in the Middle East culture of that time (and probably today) fresh water was a symbol of life itself.

We get hints of it in Old Testament times.

Water signifies life in several Old Testament passages. (See Psalm 1:3, etc.)

But once Jesus died and rose again, the river of life from God became deep enough for us to be fully immersed.

This river illustrates that the source of life is from God and wherever God touches, there is life.

If you feel like the Christian life is dry and lifeless, are you really connected to the source of life?

If that’s you, now would be a really good time to ask God to show you that life.

There’s nothing better.

Did you witness a dramatic step into life when you found Jesus?
Is that life in you renewed each day? Why or why not?
February 26, 2026

February 26th, 2026

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Hebrews 8

Highlight Verses:

“Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat down in the place of honor beside the throne of the majestic God in heaven. There he ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When the Bible points out the main point, I tend to pay attention.

Here it is.

Jesus is our High Priest.

He is not one who struggles to keep up with the sacrifices and keeping the law from a place that represents God’s presence.

He made the one true sacrifice for all and is now seated right next to the Father!

When we see this High Priest in person (and we will – 1 Corinthians 13:12), we will not only see Him face to face but will be ushered into the very presence of God the Father by the gift of Jesus’ sacrifice that makes us clean!

In case you are wondering whether or not God will have time for you in person among the billions of other people, remember we will have eternity.

That means that Heaven operates outside the bounds of time.

I don’t know what that will look like, but I know it will be amazing.

If you think that will be too much for you, go check out Isaiah chapter 25 – especially verse 8.

Remember He is your Priest guiding you even now in eternal life from the Throne Room itself!

Words cannot describe how awesome that is.

How have you witnessed the presence of God in your life here on Earth?

How many pains and tears will He be wiping away for you? (By the way, that process begins now, not just when you see Him in person, but that’s another whole topic).
Tuesday – Pentateuch

February 17th, 2026

Reading – Leviticus 7-8

Highlight Verse:

““If you bring an offering to fulfill a vow or as a voluntary offering, the meat must be eaten on the same day the sacrifice is offered, but whatever is left over may be eaten on the second day.”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭7‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Here’s the early church potlucks!

Okay, not exactly. But did you know that some of the sacrifices beyond the normal guilt and sin offerings were eaten by the people who brought them instead of giving them to the priests or having them burnt up?

This passage refers to the peace offering, a voluntary offering above and beyond the normal sacrifices required by law.

This along with sacrifices made at Passover, Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters were celebrations of the goodness of God to His people.

Having been to some modern Jewish festivals, I can tell you that if the Old Testament festivals were anything like the ones I’ve been to, they must have been a blast.

It’s easy to look back at Leviticus and think how terrible it would have been to have to offer sacrifices all the time.

While Jesus gave the perfect sacrifice to end the constant animal sacrifice system, the Old Testament system provided the predecessor to Jesus’s sacrifice.

The temporary atonement and expression of devotion to God brought great joy to God’s people.

As you read these seemingly endless descriptions, think about the joy surrounding them.

Then think how much greater joy we should have when we accept the complete and permanent atonement of Jesus’ sacrifice for us.

What is the most fun you have had at a church or faith-based celebration?
What differences do you see in Old Testament celebrations compared to New Testament or modern celebrations?
Tuesday – Pentateuch

January 27th, 2026

Reading – Leviticus

“But the internal organs and the legs must first be washed with water. Then the priest will burn the entire sacrifice on the altar as a burnt offering. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Apparently, God likes barbecue!

Okay, that’s not what this passage is really about, but if you are a meat eater, think about that aroma.

When my work territory used to include the town of Louisville, CO, I loved doing calls in that little downtown area in the afternoon. There is a barbecue restaurant there that smokes all its meat in big smokers behind the restaurant. On days when there is little or no wind, the few square blocks of that little downtown fill with a heavenly aroma.

Think of that aroma or some other you love, fresh bread, or cookies, a quality coffee first thing in the morning, you name it.

That pleasant feeling you get when you get carried away with that fragrance, that’s what our repentance feels like to God.

That’s how much He enjoys being able to spend time with us because we have allowed Jesus to make us clean.

What is your favorite aroma?

How do you smell today?

Have you accepted that fragrance of grace from Jesus?
December 24, 2025 – Christmas Eve

December 24th, 2025

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Kings 8

Highlight Verses:

“So all the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon at the annual Festival of Shelters, which is held in early autumn in the month of Ethanim. When all the elders of Israel arrived, the priests picked up the Ark. The priests and Levites brought up the Ark of the Lord along with the special tent and all the sacred items that had been in it.”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭8‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I spent much of yesterday visiting temporary shelters for the homeless (checking on their copiers as part of my job).

Though they were once nice hotels, they were not pleasant places. The scent of stale cigarette smoke and body odor still lingers in my mind.

Despite the less than pleasant conditions, one of the managers mentioned that one of the toughest parts of their jobs was convincing the guests that these were only

temporary accommodations.

When Solomon dedicated the Temple, the people of Israel were in temporary accommodations.

It was during Sukkot, the Festival of Shelters.

During this festival, Israelites would stay in tents for seven days to commemorate the Exodus when the whole nation sheltered in tents as they wandered around the wilderness.

In a sense, bringing the ark of God’s presence to the permanent home of the temple during Sukkot was appropriate.

It brought the story of God’s relationship with His people full circle back to a time when they had to trust God completely to get them through a difficult transition.

By that same reasoning, it was appropriate, and perhaps prophetic that Mary and Joseph had to seek temporary shelter when Jesus was born.

It was the beginning of the time when God, the Son, came to His temporary home here on Earth making it possible for everyone to have a permanent home in Heaven.

Maybe my thinking is twisted but I think it’s pretty cool that He chose to enter the world in that way.

What about you? Do you think there is significance to Jesus entering this world in a temporary shelter?
Do you believe this world is only a temporary shelter for you? If so, how do you live out that belief?
December 18, 2025

December 18th, 2025

Thursday – Letters

Reading – 2 Timothy 1-2

Highlight Verse:

“Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

At the time of this letter, there were some heretical teachings going on that focused on knowledge as a means of salvation rather than faith and grace.

Paul basically tells Timothy not to even give these teachers the time of day.

Today, we have so many different denominations and differences within these denominations. It can be tough to know who to believe.

When I went to Bible college, one of the things they taught us was “In the essentials, unity, In the non-essentials, diversity.”

I’ve talked here before about how I think diversity between denominations is a good thing as long as they don’t ignore the essentials.

In light of today’s reading, I think it’s important to emphasize the essentials.

If your church or denomination is concentrating on accepting everyone while ignoring sin and our need for forgiveness from it, there’s something wrong there.

Trust includes repentance.

If you are a normal human, you’ll likely need to repent every day.

And if you downplay the seriousness of sin, you downplay the need for the cross.

I’m not saying we should go back to hellfire and brimstone preaching, but I am saying we should never lose sight of the need for the cross.

In trusting Jesus’ sacrifice, we also need to trust His direction that would lead us to a more righteous life.

God made us. He knows what we need and what is best for us. When we fully trust Him, we’ll try to do what He says.

The more we succeed in that, the richer and fuller life we’ll live here on Earth and for eternity.

What does your church teach about sin?
And what do they teach about salvation through grace that Jesus showed us on the cross?

Tag: grace

He always finds me.

People have all sorts of reasons to run from God.

Give up the run and take that one step back to Him.

Half-baked cake doesn’t sound nearly as good as those cookies.

All they had was an empty shell of religion.

For me, among other things, that means trying to avoid media that will take me down a dark path.

It’s not a legalistic thing; it is a heart for God thing.

But that very confidence caused them to overlook the fatal flaw in their defenses.

It is so easy to become overconfident as a believer.

No matter how successful or unfailingly moral we are, we would be wise to stay humble, realizing that we need to keep our guard up even when we are doing well.

but this verse gave me chills when I read it.

Jesus already dealt with our sins!

But if we accept the sacrifice Jesus made for us, they are dealt with.

But this river could be the illustration of the life that came forth from God.

But once Jesus died and rose again, the river of life from God became deep enough for us to be fully immersed.

There’s nothing better.

When the Bible points out the main point, I tend to pay attention.

Jesus is our High Priest.

Words cannot describe how awesome that is.

Here’s the early church potlucks!

As you read these seemingly endless descriptions, think about the joy surrounding them.

Apparently, God likes barbecue!

Think of that aroma or some other you love, fresh bread, or cookies, a quality coffee first thing in the morning, you name it.

That’s how much He enjoys being able to spend time with us because we have allowed Jesus to make us clean.

temporary accommodations.

In a sense, bringing the ark of God’s presence to the permanent home of the temple during Sukkot was appropriate.

Maybe my thinking is twisted but I think it’s pretty cool that He chose to enter the world in that way.

When I went to Bible college, one of the things they taught us was “In the essentials, unity, In the non-essentials, diversity.”

Trust includes repentance.

The more we succeed in that, the richer and fuller life we’ll live here on Earth and for eternity.