Walk in the Light

January 22, 2023

January 22nd, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Psalms 10-12

Highlight Verse:

“Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?”

Psalms 10:1 NIV

Is it okay to question God? Is it okay to be mad at God?

If you’re a parent, are your kids ever mad at you? Do they question you? Does that bother you? If it does what about it bothers you?

If God is our Father, I believe that He can handle it when we question Him and even express our frustration to Him as long as we do it with respect.

As a dad, I would rather know when my kids are frustrated with me.

Usually, that can be turned into a teachable moment

in which I can explain the reasons behind my decisions or opinions.

Of course, there’s a big difference between me and God.

Sometimes I’m wrong.

God is always right.

But I think He also takes our frustrations and turns them into teachable moments. Some of the greatest things I’ve learned in this life have come out of times of frustration and even anger.

As far as I can recall, every time David writes verses like this, he comes around to God’s point of view by the end of the Psalm.

We can relate to his occasional frustrations. We can learn from what God teaches him.

What lessons have you learned in the times of frustration?

How have you managed to maintain respect for God while expressing those frustrations?
January 21, 2023

January 21st, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic – Joy in the midst of sadness.

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV

S.A.D. Seasonal affective disorder.

I’m not sure it should be called a disorder since it is so common. Shorter days, less time outdoors, and colder weather combine to bring down the moods of millions, including me.

It’s this time of year that I am especially thankful for passages like this.

Habakkuk was speaking to Judah just before the exile. The remains of the nation was about to be exiled to Babylon. Dark times of death, disorientation, and loneliness lay just ahead. In the midst of this, Habakkuk makes this bold statement.

Happiness may depend on happenings but joy depends on God, who is always faithful.

You don’t have to be happy to be full of joy.

Joy carries you through the dark times offering hope and encouragement from a source far greater than the worst circumstances.

I may be affected by the seasons, but I will get through with a joy that no one and no thing could take away!

Do you know that unsurpassable joy of the Lord?

How has God’s joy carried you through hard times?

Can you trust God to bring that joy during your current circumstances?
January 20, 2023

January 20th, 2023

Friday – Prophets

Isaiah 7-9

Highlight Verses:

“Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”

Isaiah 7:13-14 NLT

I find this amusing. Isaiah gives his most famous prediction of the Messiah as a result of losing patience with King Ahaz. There’s no way that Ahaz would be around for the fulfillment of that prophecy. But then, he addressed it to the royal family of David.

Ahaz may not have seen this prophecy fulfilled but we can. One scholar found 574 Old Testament verses predicting the Messiah.

Even conservative estimates point to Jesus fulfilling over 300 prophecies.

Today, we can look at this passage and the many others as proof that Jesus is who He says He is.

There is no other figure in history who was as thoroughly predicted.

Do these prophecies give you more confidence in believing that Jesus truly is the Messiah?

What is your favorite prophecy about Jesus?
January 19, 2023

January 19th, 2023
Thursday – Letters

Romans 3

Highlight Verse:

“Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.”

Romans 3:27 NLT

Here’s my attempt to simplify Romans –
- We have all sinned and fall short of God’s standard.
- Nothing we do can make up for that shortfall.
- Jesus made up for our failure through His sacrifice.
- We need to trust in Him in order to accept that sacrifice.
- We strive to do what is right because we trust that He knows what is best for us.
- No matter how good we are, we have nothing to boast about as we still fall far short and our life depends on God’s grace.
Did I miss anything?

Take a moment to ponder that and realize much much gratitude we owe to God!
January 18, 2023

January 18th, 2023

Wednesday – History

Joshua 7-9

Highlight Verse:

“So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord.”

Joshua 9:14 NLT

This was referring to when the Gibeonites deceived the people of Israel. The decision seemed so obvious to them that they didn’t stop to inquire of the Lord.

Tonight, one of my daughters asked me to order something on Amazon that we had talked about earlier. I told her to sleep on it and if she still wanted it tomorrow, I’d order it for her. (She was paying me for it). By the end of the evening she told me not to order it because she wanted to save her money for something else.

Why is it that we are sometimes so confident that we don’t bother praying about a decision? I’ve done it. Sometimes, those decisions turn out bad in ways we couldn’t possibly imagine before we made the decision.

Of course hearing from God is a topic all to itself.

Have you made decisions that you wish you had talked to God about first?

How do you go about asking God to make His will known in a decision?
January 17, 2023

January 17th, 2023

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Genesis 4

Highlight Verse:

“So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.”

Genesis 4:16 NLT

I always thought that Adam and Eve were banished from the Lord’s presence when they were banished from the Garden of Eden. Not so. In the previous verses,

Cain spoke personally with God.

And God spoke back.

When Cain and Abel brought their sacrifices, they brought them directly to God in person.

That must have been incredible!

Then, after Cain killed Abel, God banished Cain from that land. It’s important to note that God did not banish Cain from His presence. Cain assumes that He did but that’s not what God said.

This bears out in this verse where Cain leaves God’s presence.

It’s not God who left Cain.

How sad.

But the same is true today.

God does not leave people behind or banish them. He welcomes them into His presence. Since Christ’s sacrifice, people only need to trust God to take away their sins. No matter how bad their past has been, their future can be in the presence of God.

That’s incredible!

Do you know anyone who feels like God has turned His back on them?

Can you reach them with this message?

If you are that person, can you accept God’s forgiveness and walk in His presence?
January 16, 2023

January 16th, 2023

Monday – Gospels

John 4

Highlight Verse:

“Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.”

John 4:6 NIV

I am tempted to think “This is Jesus. Why is He tired?”

This passage goes to prove that Jesus was fully human. His miracles and resurrection and ascent prove His divinity.

But that’s not the main point I got from this passage.

Jesus, despite being tired and thirsty, uses this opportunity to reach out to the people of Sychar through His conversation with the woman at the well.

He did not let His exhaustion get in the way of touching people who need Him.

As it happens, at this moment, I am rather exhausted. I know the temptation of wanting to ignore the rest of the world and just relax. But I took advantage of my opportunities to reach out to students this evening and to you tonight.

There are other times when we don’t feel like talking to people but the opportunities abound. While I don’t always do it, I believe it would be wise for us to follow Jesus’ example here and share the Good News with those around us through situational opportunities like this.

Have you ever had a chance encounter that turned into a fruitful conversation?

How could you be more aware of those opportunities that arise in everyday life?
January 15, 2023

January 15th, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Psalms 7-9

Highlight Verse:

“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.”

Psalms 8:2 NIV

We spend billions on the military when all we needed was a children’s choir!

Don’t worry. I’m not that naïve. I support our military.

But I also know our struggle is not against flesh and blood.

Of course, David could be referring to Jehoshaphat’s battle against the Ammonites and Moabites, but that was men singing. (2 Chron. 20)

Have you ever heard a child singing earnest praise and worship. There’s something pure about that faith that establishes the groundwork for the miraculous.

I long for that innocent pure faith to blaze in me!

What encounters have you had with pure, innocent faith?

What have you learned from that experience?
January 14, 2023

January 14th, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic – Justice

Micah 6:8

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?”

Micah 6:8 NKJV

This was listed as one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s favorite Bible verse. It has been one of my favorite verses since my college days.

Micah reminds us that God does not want religion but an active faith. Do, love, and walk are active verbs for an active faith.

With an active faith, one can change the world!

How is your faith lived out in your actions?

How does one “do justly?”
January 13, 2023

January 13th, 2023

Friday – Prophets

Isaiah 4-6

Highlight Verse –

“What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever.”

Isaiah 5:21 NLT

It is the tendency of those of us with OCD to see the way we do things as the only correct way. We are wise in our own eyes.

Then I read this verse.

Ouch!

Okay, I know there are other ways to do things. But I can’t bring myself to do them any other way. That’s okay. But when I see other people do things differently, biting my tongue is not enough.

I have to refrain from thinking my way is better and I’m so clever for thinking of it.

The struggle is real!

But pride is a sin that I have to repent from daily. I’ve come a long ways but I have a much longer ways to go.

Do you struggle with pride?

Have you come up with any great ways to deal with OCD? (Please share!)

Is it okay to question God? Is it okay to be mad at God?

Usually, that can be turned into a teachable moment

Sometimes I’m wrong.

God is always right.

It’s this time of year that I am especially thankful for passages like this.

You don’t have to be happy to be full of joy.

Even conservative estimates point to Jesus fulfilling over 300 prophecies.

There is no other figure in history who was as thoroughly predicted.