Walk in the Light

September 12, 2023

September 12th, 2023

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 10-11

Highlight Verse:

“Pharaoh retorted, “The Lord will certainly need to be with you if I let you take your little ones! I can see through your evil plan.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As we would say when I lived in the south, “well ain’t that the pot calling the kettle black.”

Pharaoh, the man who kept a whole nation as slaves and whose predecessor ordered the Hebrew baby boys to be throw into the Nile, calls Moses’ plan evil.

But then, the human race has a long history of doing that. When one’s values don’t agree with someone else’s values, you just call them evil because your own are the best, right?

With all these conflicting values, how do you know which ones are right?

I prefer to stick to the values of the One who created us. An easy place to find them is in the Ten Commandments.

If that’s too complicated for you, let me sum up how Jesus summed up the Law in Matthew 22:34-40 –

Love God and love people.

All the rest of the Law was based on those two simple commands.

And, in case you’re wondering, enslaving an entire nation is not a great way to show that you love God and people.

What are ways that you can love God better?
What about loving people better?
September 11, 2023

September 11th, 2023

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Matthew 9

Highlight Verse:

“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I wish I knew the details between verses 9 and 10. The only additional information we get is from the account in Luke where it mentions that Matthew (Levi) held a banquet in his home.

Apparently leaving everything to follow Jesus didn’t include giving up his home.

That’s a good thing since, if he had, he wouldn’t have been able to hold the banquet to introduce his tax-collector and sinner friends to Jesus.

The Bible doesn’t tell us the results of the banquet beyond the religious people complaining. If it was like most other times when Jesus was introduced to people, it’s a safe bet that many followed Him.

That’s all because Matthew was willing to open his heart, his home, and his friends to Jesus.

Are there people in your circle of friends who need to be introduced to Jesus?
Matthew’s banquet was a natural unthreatening way for Matthew to introduce his friends to Jesus. What are some unthreatening ways that you and I can introduce our friends to Jesus?
September 10, 2023

September 10th, 2023
Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 109-111

Highlight Verse:

“Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭111‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Growing up in the Lutheran Church, some of the basic building blocks of my faith came from Confirmation Class (Catechism).

One of the basics I remember from that class was the A.C.T.S of prayer.

That stands for:
- Acclamation
- Confession
- Thanksgiving
- Supplication
Many times, we tend to skip straight to the Supplication (or asking for things) part of the prayer without thinking about giving praise, confessing our sins, and giving thanks.

I think David and the other psalmists had it right when they concentrated on praising God for His many great works.

What are some of the great works of God that you have seen in your life?
What are some of the things you can thank Him for?
September 9, 2023

September 8th, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Matthew 22:34-40

Highlight Verse:

“Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I am currently preparing a message for middle school students that focuses on this verse. In it, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:5.

But there is a slight difference.

Matthew records Jesus’ words in Greek.

The original Hebrew word for love is “aháb”. That’s as generic as “love”.

In the Greek, Matthew reports the word “Agapao” which is a much stronger word. Its meaning is more like “all encompassing, self sacrificial love.”

Either way, Jesus places great emphasis on a strong form of the word “love.”

We would do well to follow His lead.
September 8, 2023

September 8th, 2023

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Jeremiah 40-41

Highlight Verse:

“So Jeremiah returned to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and he lived in Judah with the few who were still left in the land.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭40‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jeremiah was just set free by the Babylonian captain of the guard. His liberator gave him the choice to go to Babylon where he would be taken care of; go to Governor Gedaliah, or wherever he chose. He chose to go to the governor who was the puppet of the Babylonians.

Why?

Because God told him to.

Personally, I think I would want to get as far away from the invaders of the land as I could.

Or maybe I would take the sweet deal offered by the invaders to be taken care of in Babylon.

Instead Jeremiah stayed with the remnant of Israel that was left in the land. It was the poorest of the poor who were left to tend the land as servants of the King of Babylon.

I’m no prophet, but there are times when I can sense God’s will for my life. Sometimes His will makes no sense to me. Sometimes I just don’t want to do it.

But I know that God always has my best interests in mind.

I do well when I follow it.

Have you sensed God’s guidance in your life?
Can you remember any instances when you knew His will and followed it? Or didn’t follow it?
September 7, 2023

September 7th, 2023

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Ephesians 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have a confession to make.

I have OCD tendencies.

Not only is that a fault of mine, but it also makes it more difficult for me to overlook the faults of others.

Yes, that pair of socks on the floor in front of the sofa I’m sitting on kinda drives me nuts; but not enough for me to pick them up, thereby spoiling the child who left them there.

Or maybe I should pick them up if I’m to follow the command of this verse.

Yes, the imperative tense of this verse makes it a command. Actually, three commands.

These are some of the toughest commands to follow.

They’re also some of the most important commands.

So, pardon me while I go throw a pair of socks in the laundry.

And pray for me that I may keep a grip on my attitude.

Are the faults of those around you driving you up the wall?
Are you doing the same for them?
Can you find a way to make allowances for other’s faults?
September 6, 2023

September 6th, 2023

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Samuel 1-2

Highlight Verse:

“After this, David asked the Lord, “Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?” “Yes,” the Lord replied. Then David asked, “Which town should I go to?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered.”
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The “this” referred to at the beginning of this verse is David’s mourning of Saul and Jonathan’s deaths.

At this point it would seem obvious that David and his men and family should move back to Israel. But what does David do?

He asks God first!

There are many times in our lives when our next steps seem obvious. Logic would dictate prudent moves.

In David’s case this time, the obvious move was the one God would have chosen for him.

Sometimes the next step is not the obvious one.

That’s why David asked for God’s guidance.

That’s why we should ask too.

Is your first inclination to pray for God’s guidance when a major decision comes up?
What has been the result of seeking God’s guidance with a major choice?
What has happened when you didn’t seek God in a major decision?
September 5, 2023

September 5th, 2023

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 9

Highlight Verse:

“Please beg the Lord to end this terrifying thunder and hail. We’ve had enough. I will let you go; you don’t need to stay any longer.””
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭9‬:‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Pharaoh and Moses had an interesting relationship.

You have to ask, “Why didn’t Pharaoh just kill Moses and Aaron?”

Did Pharaoh respect him? Fear him? Fear God?

Maybe it was all of the above.

One thing is certain, by the time the plague of hail came, Pharaoh knew for certain that Moses could stop the plagues with a prayer.

So why did he wait until the worst plague possible to stop going back on his word to let the people go?

Maybe we should ask ourselves the same thing.

We do that thing that God asked us to not do, or we don’t do that thing he asked us to do. Then we repent. We earnestly turn to the right path and swear we’ll never do that again. And then we blow it again. Or we mess up in an entirely different way.

But if we truly trust Jesus, we will make progress.

We may have relapses or discover something else that is wrong with how we live. But we trust Jesus to guide us on the best path and learn with each step.

Pharaoh never really learned his lesson. You’ll read how that turned out for him later.

Do you trust that Jesus will guide you on the best path for you?
Do you act on that trust?
September 4, 2023

September 4th, 2023

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Matthew 8

Highlight Verse:

“Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭34‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So, the people of that region are amazed when he frees two men from a legion of demons. And they beg him to leave?

You would think that Jesus would insist on staying and preaching to them.

Nope!

In the first verse of the next chapter, he gets back in the boat and leaves.

But, that’s not the end of the story. In Mark’s version of the story, Jesus told the man who was freed from the demons to go home and tell of what God had done for him.

He did.

In fact, he went through the whole land proclaiming what Jesus had done for him.

Jesus didn’t leave that land without the Gospel.

He delegated the telling of it to another.

Have you been touched by Jesus?
Has he freed you from a life of slavery to sin?

I believe he would ask you to go to your own land and proclaim what God has done for you to those who know you!
September 3, 2023

September 3rd, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 107-108

Highlight Verse:

“Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭43‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You don’t have to have known me long to know that I am a history buff.

I’m one of those who actually sometimes stops at those roadside historical markers.

Why?

Like every history professor I’ve ever had has said,

if you don’t study the past, you’re doomed to repeat it.

(Apparently, that saying is so popular that the autocomplete on my iPad keyboard has it memorized).

I know this is the day we study poetry in the Bible, not history, but the Bible’s poetry is integral to its history.

While this section of scripture refers to Israel’s wandering in the wilderness, this concept can be applied to all of history.

We can see God’s hand of grace and mercy throughout history; His love through all generations.

Let’s learn from the mistakes of the past and embrace the love of God displayed over time.

Have you ever stopped to study how God’s hand has repeatedly been seen throughout history?
How has the hand of God affected your history?

As we would say when I lived in the south, “well ain’t that the pot calling the kettle black.”

With all these conflicting values, how do you know which ones are right?

Love God and love people.

Apparently leaving everything to follow Jesus didn’t include giving up his home.

That’s all because Matthew was willing to open his heart, his home, and his friends to Jesus.

One of the basics I remember from that class was the A.C.T.S of prayer.

I think David and the other psalmists had it right when they concentrated on praising God for His many great works.

But there is a slight difference.

We would do well to follow His lead.

Because God told him to.

I do well when I follow it.

I have a confession to make.

These are some of the toughest commands to follow.

So, pardon me while I go throw a pair of socks in the laundry.

He asks God first!

Sometimes the next step is not the obvious one.

That’s why we should ask too.

Pharaoh and Moses had an interesting relationship.

Maybe we should ask ourselves the same thing.

But if we truly trust Jesus, we will make progress.

He delegated the telling of it to another.

I believe he would ask you to go to your own land and proclaim what God has done for you to those who know you!

if you don’t study the past, you’re doomed to repeat it.

Let’s learn from the mistakes of the past and embrace the love of God displayed over time.