Walk in the Light

December 11, 2023

December 11th, 2023

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Matthew 25

Highlight Verse:

”“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?“
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭37‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What’s a sure sign of a truly righteous person?

The good comes so easily that they don’t even realize they’re doing it.

I wish I was at that place.

I’m not saying that I’d be with the goats because I never have a giving attitude. I do. But it doesn’t come naturally.

But they say the more you do something, the more natural it becomes.

I have to take a moment to digress theologically.

Jesus is not saying that you are saved by doing good things for people in need. But I believe He is saying if you are truly saved, you will do good things for those in need.

For that reason, you can be easily identified by those good deeds, even if you struggle with doing them.

Do good deeds come naturally for you? How did you get to that point?
Do you struggle with them but do them since you are seeking after the heart of God? What are you doing to make those good deeds become natural for you?
December 10, 2023

December 10th, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Proverbs 2

Highlight Verses:

”Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.“
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I went to college twice.

The first time, I went to UC Santa Cruz for 3 years (until money ran out and I had a full-time job offer).

In my thirties, I went to LIFE Bible College East for a year and a half (until my eldest daughter was born and the 100-hour work weeks became non doable).

Each time I learned a lot.

I learned many lessons that I still use today from each.

But I got so much more from Bible College.

More wisdom.

More real-life practical knowledge.

More satisfaction.

Even more fun.

I’m not saying one should never go to University. I don’t regret going to UCSC. If anything, I regret not finishing an education degree back then.

But many reject Bible College because they think it would be too religious or they don’t want to go into full-time ministry.

I never went into full-time ministry and I’m not sure I would have if I had completed my degree.

But what I learned there helped me tremendously in volunteer ministry and in life in general.

And I did it as an adult.

All this is to say, if you’re thirsty for more wisdom, consider a good Bible college, even as an older adult.

You may be pleasantly surprised how awesome it is!

How much wisdom have you gotten from your education?
Have you learned more from formal education or from life?
December 9, 2023

December 9th, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Psalm 147:12-18

Highlight Verse:

”He sends the snow like white wool; he scatters frost upon the ground like ashes.“
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭147‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Sorry, but, since it’s snowing outside as I write this, I couldn’t resist the topic.

I grew up in California. Where I lived, accumulating snow was very rare.

The writer of this Psalm lived in the Middle East. Snow would have been even more rare for them.

I can imagine it was as much a thing of wonder to them as it was for me.

When I was sixteen, we moved to the mountains of southwest Virginia. That first winter, we got quite a bit of snow.

It was a thing of beauty, covering all the imperfections of the land in a pure white coating.

Many compare it to the purifying work of grace, covering all our imperfections.

That analogy isn’t perfect since snow melts, but it paints a beautiful picture of grace.

So, the next time you see snow (those here in Colorado, look out the window as you read this), think of how beautiful the land looks covered in white and know that is how God sees you when you accept His covering of grace and mercy.

Only after that are you allowed to grumble because you need to shovel yet again. 🙂

Have you accepted that covering of grace and mercy?
If you have, do you realize how pure you appear to God?
If not, what’s holding you back?
December 8, 2023

December 8th, 2023

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Ezekiel 10-12

Highlight Verse:

“And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭11‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

As the kid and adult who was usually the one most likely to obey the rules among my group of friends or family members.

For some reason, that was often equated with being unemotional or even cold-hearted.

That’s why I was drawn to the line about a tender, responsive heart.

With a tender, responsive heart you are far more likely to have a passion for bringing joy to the heart of God.

You’re also far more likely to be the hands and feet of a loving God, bringing that heart of God to those in need of it.

Those with a hard heart have no concept of the joy we get when our hearts are aligned with God’s. They have no idea how fun it is to walk on the path that He has set out for us.

Don’t believe me? Prove me wrong. Seek after the heart of God and act on God’s calling for your life.

Then tell me how your heart fared.

Have you experienced a joyful softening of your heart through following God’s heart? Share it!
Are you struggling to find joy in the midst of a religious life? Ditch the religion and seek the heart of God! Then share it. (BTW, that doesn’t mean to ditch church. We need each other.)
December 7, 2023

December 7th, 2023

Thursday – Letters

Reading – 1 Timothy 5

Highlight Verse:

“If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way right up front. I believe that, if you take this verse in context and apply it within today’s culture, then it applies to both men and women.

If you believe otherwise, I have no problem with you holding an opposing opinion.

Let’s not let that get in the way of the real point here. We should make sure our elderly parents are taken care of.

Depending on where you live, income and assets, and their needs, what that means for each person can vary greatly.

Reading on, we find that, in that culture, the Church met the needs of widows.

Again, this is open to interpretation.

But, I think we can agree that the church should play some part in providing for those in need. In todays culture, this could be as simple as donating to a food bank or a shelter.

Generosity and social responsibility are principals which should be valued by both the local church and churchgoer. It should not be left entirely to government to take care of.

What is your take on this verse?
Should it be the adult children who bear the responsibility for elderly relatives?
What should our roles be toward caring for the needy?
December 6, 2023

December 6th, 2023

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Kings 2-3

Highlight Verse:

““I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man.”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

David leads off his final words to Solomon with this simple statement that says it all.

As a dad, I can relate.

We will all leave this Earth. Hopefully we all want to leave it a better place by training our offspring to be good and courageous men and women.

David hit a home run with Solomon though not as much so with his other sons.

It is my goal that each of my four kids and all the others I influence will bring more courage, more hope, more love, and closer fellowship with God to this world that desperately needs it.

I’m not prepared to pass from this world quite yet so I plan on doing all I can to fulfill that goal with the time I have left.

What are your hopes for your children?
What are you doing to see those hopes come true?
December 5, 2023

December 5th, 2023

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 29

Highlight Verse:

“Then, using choice wheat flour and no yeast, make loaves of bread, thin cakes mixed with olive oil, and wafers spread with oil.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭29‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In a world religions class I took in college (the first round in the 80’s) I read the book “Zakhor” (Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi, Univ of Washington Press, 1982).

It put forth the idea that Judaism revolved around the command “Zakhor” (Hebrew for remember).

In other words, Judaism is about keeping memories and traditions alive.

You can see this throughout the Pentateuch.

Even little details like how to make the sacred bread beg the reader and worshipper to remember the Passover with unleavened bread.

Even as I struggle with all the minute details in Exodus, I am reminded that the New Covenant found in Christ goes beyond remembering and on to looking forward.

Without forgetting the past, we move on to a new hope of a bright future full of life.

I believe we should remember the past and learn from it.

But I do not believe that we should dwell in the past but in the present, full of life and joy and a full human experience, and in the future, full of hope!

What have you learned from the past that has had an impact on your future?
Have you been able to move beyond the past to a new hope?
December 4, 2023

December 4th, 2023

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Matthew 24

Highlight Verses:

““Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As I was praying for guidance as to what verse(s) to pick for today’s study, the idea popped into my head that I should choose the verse that causes me the most pain.

Don’t worry, that won’t be my main criteria going forward.

But today, verse 24 stood out immediately.

The idea that even faithful followers of Jesus could be deceived is not just alarming, but saddening.

That’s especially true when I think of those I know who have walked away from faith in Jesus.

Some have followed other religions.

Some have followed their own pride.

Some have just let their own sins drag them to a place of unbelief.

I’ve seen it far too often.

In my case, I protect my faith by daily getting into God’s Word and by staying in connection with fellow believers in a strong local church.

Have you ever been tempted to believe the lies of false religion?
How have you maintained the strength of your faith?
December 3, 2023

December 3rd, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Proverbs 1

Highlight Verse:

“But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.””
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭1‬:‭33‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In case you didn’t read the context, this is wisdom speaking.

At the risk of sounding like a Boomer (which I technically am), This chapter sounds a lot like our society today.

Wisdom calls out with sage advice and people ignore it.

At the same time that wisdom is ignored anxiety is at an all-time high.

And here in this little-studied book of the Bible lies a simple solution for all that unrest and anxiety.

If only people will listen.

I’ve known people who read through this book every month because of the abundance of excellent advice contained in its pages.

For the next 30 Sundays, we’ll be digging into it in the hopes of soaking in some of that sage advice.

Hang on, it’s gonna be a wild ride!

What sage advice have you ignored in the past only to have life prove the advice correct?
Have you been able to share wisdom that has helped people improve their lives?
December 2, 2023

December 2nd, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – 1 Peter 3:8-22

Highlight Verse:

“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We recently heard a sermon at our church about drawing our prodigal children back to God by continuing to love them abundantly and unconditionally.

Then last Wednesday, we discussed with our middle school students about how love will draw people to Jesus far more that arguing.

So, what about when they see that love and that joy in us and start asking questions?

That’s where this verse comes into play.

We should always be ready to talk about our faith in a way that would meet people where they are. That way they may come to an understanding of how they can enter into a relationship with Jesus.

The shape of that conversation will vary from person to person.

We need to be diligent not only in learning out to express the hope we have in Jesus but also in listening to people so that we know how to relate that hope in terms they would respond to.

Do you have specific people you hope to be able to relay the Gospel too?
Have you listened to them enough to know what to say to them?

The good comes so easily that they don’t even realize they’re doing it.

For that reason, you can be easily identified by those good deeds, even if you struggle with doing them.

Each time I learned a lot.

But I got so much more from Bible College.

All this is to say, if you’re thirsty for more wisdom, consider a good Bible college, even as an older adult.

I can imagine it was as much a thing of wonder to them as it was for me.

Many compare it to the purifying work of grace, covering all our imperfections.

With a tender, responsive heart you are far more likely to have a passion for bringing joy to the heart of God.

Then tell me how your heart fared.

But, I think we can agree that the church should play some part in providing for those in need. In todays culture, this could be as simple as donating to a food bank or a shelter.

David leads off his final words to Solomon with this simple statement that says it all.

I’m not prepared to pass from this world quite yet so I plan on doing all I can to fulfill that goal with the time I have left.

In other words, Judaism is about keeping memories and traditions alive.

Without forgetting the past, we move on to a new hope of a bright future full of life.

The idea that even faithful followers of Jesus could be deceived is not just alarming, but saddening.

In my case, I protect my faith by daily getting into God’s Word and by staying in connection with fellow believers in a strong local church.

Wisdom calls out with sage advice and people ignore it.

If only people will listen.

Hang on, it’s gonna be a wild ride!

So, what about when they see that love and that joy in us and start asking questions?

We need to be diligent not only in learning out to express the hope we have in Jesus but also in listening to people so that we know how to relate that hope in terms they would respond to.

But I got so much more from Bible College`.`