Tag: Jesus

November 14, 2025

November 14th, 2025

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Ezekiel 1-3

“From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭1‬:‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Is this what God looks like?

Ezekiel’s visions are pretty incredible. He described living beings with, shall we say, very interesting details.

He goes on to describe God like He was on fire.

Was this a product of his imagination?
Is this what God looks like?
Does this description fit with other descriptions of God in the Bible?

In the New Testament, we have good descriptions of God in the form of Jesus.

While Ezekiel’s vision seems a little fantastical, I don’t doubt that He appeared to Ezekiel in that form.

This is what Ezekiel needed to see and how the exiles needed Him described.

Outside of Jesus, most Biblical descriptions of God say that His glory was too much to view.

Perhaps Ezekiel gets the welder’s mask view.

But the view of God in the New Testament is a God with us.

Jesus was both human and God, able to relate to his disciples, hang out with them, and lead them in a very personal way.

God may be radiant beyond comprehension, but He is also personal.

Through Christ’s sacrifice, we are able to be in His presence, with reverence and relationship.

Is your vision of God one of blazing radiance or personal familiarity?
What kind of vision of Him do you think God would want you to see today?

Today I am thankful that God wants to have a personal relationship with me and you.
November 10, 2025

November 10th, 2025
Monday – Gospels

Reading – Matthew 19-20

Highlight Verses:

““Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭20‬:‭33‬-‭34‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus turned more than tables upside-down.

Today’s reading highlights several teachings and attitudes of the religious that Jesus turned upside-down:
- The ease which divorce could be granted to men. (19:6)
- The idea that He shouldn’t be bothered with children. (19:14
- The hopelessness of truly finding a relationship with God. (19:26)
- That God would favor the hardest workers. (20:16, 26)
- That the Messiah would overthrow the Romans. (20:18-19)
- That the imperfect should be ignored.
The true Gospel turned all these ideas around.

In two of these cases, Jesus also met a basic human need – touch.

He touched the children when He blessed them, bridging the gap of formality.

Then Jesus brought a healing touch to the blind men, turning around the idea that the imperfect need to be kept separate.

Jesus turned the religion of the day on its head.

He is still flipping our pious religious ideas around when they contradict the Gospel.

What religious ideas do we harbor now need to be flipped?
Are there any specific things this passage inspires you to do to live out the Gospel? What are they?
November 8, 2025

November 8th, 2025

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Isaiah 9:1-7

Highlight Verse:

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Today I am thankful for holidays.

Between now and the end of the year, I have 6 paid holidays.

I have friends who have already decorated for Christmas.

One of our local Christian radio stations has already started playing Christmas music.

To me, it’s way too early to go full Christmas mode, but I don’t see any problem with anticipating celebrating the birth of Jesus.

After all, Isaiah talked about it 700 years before it happened.

As far as I’m concerned, in December we can talk about Advent and the hope and joy that brings.

For now, I choose to concentrate on being thankful in November.

Do you keep Christmas restricted to December, start decorating in October, or rock it all year? Why?
What are you thankful for today?
October 20, 2025

October 20th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Matthew 14

Highlight Verse:

“After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As many times as I’ve read this chapter before, I don’t think I ever realized that Jesus was mourning the death of John the Baptist during this time.

After hearing the news of John’s death, Jesus tried to get some time alone.

The crowds and His compassion for them would not allow it.

Once his ministry was completed for that time, He finally got the solitude He craved.

I can only imagine that He dealt with his grief in conversation with the Father in that time alone.

If Jesus had to take time to deal with grief, how much more do we need to take time to deal with the grief and other issues in our lives?

I believe God designed us with that need to work through emotions. I also believe that He is there to help us work through it.

He has perfect compassion and knows how to help us handle life’s rough times.

We need to be willing to start that process by spending time in prayer.

Are you working through issues that God could help you with? Is there something keeping you from spending time in prayer to work through them?
Have you experienced God’s emotional healing power in times of grief? How has He helped you through it?
October 13, 2025

October 13th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Matthew 13

Highlight Verse:

“Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭55‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The modern version of this could be complacent Christianity.

It’s easy to take Jesus for granted when the culture is saturated by churchy things.

Even in the Bible Belt, it is easy to relegate Jesus to a social activity on Sunday morning.

I once personally knew a healing evangelist who held revivals in the Southeast US and in India.

His meetings in the US might have 50 to a hundred people attend and a handful of healings. It was rare that unbelievers attended, much less found Jesus.

In India, thousands flocked to the meetings and hundred were healed and saved.

You might not agree with the tactics of a healing evangelist (I had a hard time dealing with his style), but you can’t deny how much more God moved in areas where Jesus wasn’t a household word.

While we strive for Christian values to be restored in America (a worthy cause), we should also strive for people to truly trust Jesus as a life changing savior, not just a cultural icon.

Our faith should lead to life changing commitment, not just cultural conformity.

If someone threatened your life unless you renounced Jesus, how would you react?
How can we help others move from cultural acceptance to trust in Jesus?
October 9, 2025

October 9th, 2025

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Colossians 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

That’s easier said then done.

God gave us a lot of good things on this earth.
• Family
• Friends
• Beauty
• Food
• Natural Wonders

There’s a lot for which we can be thankful – a lot that we get attached to.

I first heard it put into perspective by the late Keith Green.

He said that if this world with all its wonders took six days to create, and Jesus has been preparing heaven for us for 2000 years so far,

“Hey man, this is living in a garbage can compared to what’s going on up there.”

(Intro to I Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven – Keith Green).

So, the most amazing site we see here on earth will seem mundane compared to what we find in heaven!

Besides people, what is the most beautiful site you have ever seen?
What are you looking forward to the most in heaven?

For me, it would have to be a coastal sunset – I never get tired of them.
As for Heaven, being a curious person, I look forward to having questions answered, but I have a feeling that I will be so overwhelmed by the place that I won’t recall a single question.
October 6, 2025

October 6th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Matthew 12

Highlight Verse:

““A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭33‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There are plenty of people obeying all the rules, living impeccable lives and having zero effect on those around them.

Then there are those who mess up time and again but love Jesus with a passion and do anything they can to show that love to everyone around them.

Which of these two people are bearing good fruit?

It’s true that neither of these situations are ideal.

But I would rather err on the side of love.

While sin can hinder your positive influence on those around you, lack of compassion will kill your influence.

The best way is to live a life of purity and action, showing Jesus’ love while staying pure and repenting quickly when you mess up.

Who in your life can you say is bearing good fruit in abundance?
What do you do to avoid bearing bad fruit?
October 5, 2025

October 5th, 2025

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalm 119

Highlight Verse:

“I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭45‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Yes, I know it is a long reading today. I almost broke it into multiple days. Maybe I should have.

There are so many good points made in this, the longest Psalm.

The main point of the Psalm is that God’s Word is good, so I want to follow it.

It is an acrostic Psalm, so each section starts with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

Each of those sections says something about God’s Word.

Why?

The reasons given in this Psalm are many.

Trusting God’s Word brings joy, purity, peace, blessings, and so on.

The one aspect that stood out to me is freedom.

I have heard people say that they ran from God because they wanted freedom.

But true freedom is found in obeying God’s Word.

We were all born as slaves to sin.

But God designed us.

He knows more about us than we know ourselves.

So, like every good maker, He gave us an owner’s manual.

It’s full of tips for making our lives run in the best possible way.

When we ignore the owner’s manual, we tend to mess up our lives physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

When we trust the manual and do what it says, our lives work much more efficiently.

In essence, when we obey God’s Word, we are freed from the major malfunctions of life.

How has living in obedience to God’s Word brought you freedom?
Where has disobeying God’s Word brought you troubles?
October 3, 2025

October 3rd, 2025

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Jeremiah 51-52

Highlight Verse:

“In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin of Judah, Evil-merodach ascended to the Babylonian throne. He was kind to Jehoiachin and released him from prison on March 31 of that year.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭52‬:‭31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The NLT gives this passage the heading of “Hope for Israel’s royal line.”

In reality, it was hope for the entire world.

Matthew 1:12 lists this moment in the lineage of Jesus.

Through his favor to Jehoiachin, the ironically named Evil-merodach paved the way for evil to be defeated by Jesus.

Even though most never saw it, God was at work in the midst of a horrible situation for Israel.

In many ways our situation is similar. Ungodly governments rule many countries.

Despite that, God is still at work bringing his salvation to people in ways they wouldn’t expect?

Where have you seen God at work in unexpected ways in dark situations?
How can we help in those situations?
October 2, 2025

October 2nd, 2025

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Colossians 1-2

Highlight Verse:

“So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul did not start the church at Colosse.

Despite that, he committed to praying for them.

It didn’t matter to him that it wasn’t his words that brought the Colossians to Jesus.

Nor did he feel the need to take over the church.

Instead, he offered prayers and sound doctrine in the form of this letter.

Far too often, pride can get in the way of ministry.

We have our way of doing things and feel like we need to intervene if something is done differently.

I’ve seen churches fall apart when a Pastor retires, passes, or is removed.

A healthy church is one in which the majority of the work is done by the congregation under the guidance of a Pastor and council who encourage participation without an iron fist of control.

How healthy is your church?
What can you do to encourage healthy growth in your church?

Tag: Jesus

Is this what God looks like?

This is what Ezekiel needed to see and how the exiles needed Him described.

God may be radiant beyond comprehension, but He is also personal.

Today I am thankful that God wants to have a personal relationship with me and you.

Jesus turned more than tables upside-down.

He is still flipping our pious religious ideas around when they contradict the Gospel.

Today I am thankful for holidays.

After all, Isaiah talked about it 700 years before it happened.

For now, I choose to concentrate on being thankful in November.

After hearing the news of John’s death, Jesus tried to get some time alone.

If Jesus had to take time to deal with grief, how much more do we need to take time to deal with the grief and other issues in our lives?

We need to be willing to start that process by spending time in prayer.

The modern version of this could be complacent Christianity.

It’s easy to take Jesus for granted when the culture is saturated by churchy things.

Our faith should lead to life changing commitment, not just cultural conformity.

That’s easier said then done.

There’s a lot for which we can be thankful – a lot that we get attached to.

“Hey man, this is living in a garbage can compared to what’s going on up there.”

Which of these two people are bearing good fruit?

But I would rather err on the side of love.

The best way is to live a life of purity and action, showing Jesus’ love while staying pure and repenting quickly when you mess up.

The main point of the Psalm is that God’s Word is good, so I want to follow it.

But true freedom is found in obeying God’s Word.

In essence, when we obey God’s Word, we are freed from the major malfunctions of life.

In reality, it was hope for the entire world.

Despite that, God is still at work bringing his salvation to people in ways they wouldn’t expect?

Paul did not start the church at Colosse.

Far too often, pride can get in the way of ministry.