Walk in the Light

February 16, 2023

February 16th, 2023

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Romans 7

Highlight Verses:

“I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.”

Romans 7:22-23 NLT

I call this “The Struggle” chapter.

Paul has been telling us about how bad sin is and the importance of following hard after God.

Then, BOOM, confession time.

I can relate.

Admit it, so can you.

Now, I don’t think Paul is confessing to any earth-shaking sin. But, he recognizes that he, like everyone else, falls far short of perfect.

He struggles.

We all do. If we are not struggling with sin, that likely means we’ve just given into it.

Let’s keep on struggling and progressing on the path to heaven, where we will finally be free from the struggle.

With the power and mercy of Christ, our struggle becomes easier and the sins become less disruptive. With Paul, we can declare, “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:25 NLT)

Can you relate with Paul’s struggle?

Are you moving in the right direction in your struggles?
February 15, 2023

February 15th, 2023

Wednesday – History

Reading – Joshua 19-21

Highlight Verse:

“These cities were set apart for all the Israelites as well as the foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed another person could take refuge in one of these cities. In this way, they could escape being killed in revenge prior to standing trial before the local assembly.”

Joshua 20:9 NLT

We’ll see more about the laws governing the justice system of Israel in Leviticus. For now, this is such a unique situation that it bears a bit of thought.

During this time, there was no local police. Not even an occasional Marshal to swing through each town. Justice was often swift and not always just.

The cities of refuge gave every Israeli as well as foreigners living in the land a place to run to for justice within half a day’s journey.

The cities of refuge were all Levite cities where priests would be on hand to give counsel and administer justice. They were designed to prevent the tyranny of the masses (mob rule).

We owe many of the concepts of modern justice to the concept of cities of refuge and the justice system that developed there.

The Cities of Refuge were yet one more way that God showed His love to His people.

If you were guilty of murder, do you think you would want to run to a city of refuge?

If you lived then and you accidentally killed someone, how would you feel about there being a place of safety for you to run to?
February 14, 2023

February 14th, 2023

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 10-11

Highlight Verses:

“But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.””

Genesis 11:5-7 NLT

Why on Earth would God want to confuse the world’s languages?

Consider when this happened. The world’s population was rebuilding from the Flood. God had promised not to wipe the world out with a flood again.

But He did not want the world to get to the point that it was as wicked as before.

He saw the steamroller of sin and violence coming and wanted to stop it in its tracks.

Therefore, it is in compassion that God (Jehovah in this case) confused our languages.

There have been times in my life when I believe God has stepped in and spoiled my plans. It wasn’t that my plans were bad, but they were likely not the best. It is quite possible that I have been saved from much grief by divine intervention.

Do you believe God still intervenes in plans today?

Have you ever seen your plans spoiled only to realize that it was for the best?
February 13, 2023

February 13th, 2023

Monday – Gospels

Reading – John 8

Highlight Verse:

“Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!””

John 8:58 NLT

Let this put aside any question as to whether or not Jesus claimed to be God.

The people he was speaking to understood. They tried to stone Him.

So that brings up the old question – Was Jesus a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord?

He cannot be more than one. Nor can He be just a good teacher. If He claims to be God, He is one of the three.

I am tempted to make this a long apologetic essay on how Jesus is Lord.

Instead, I will just sum up that the prophecies before His birth, the teachings and miracles during His time on Earth, and the very presence of the Church and the Holy Spirit since the Resurrection all come together as overwhelming evidence of the divinity of Jesus.

What do you think?

What is the most convincing evidence to you of Jesus as God?

If you are not convinced of Jesus’ divinity, what keeps you from believing that?

No judgement here, just honest polite discussion.
February 12, 2023

February 12th, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 19-21

Highlight Verses:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.”

Psalms 19:1-2 NIV

My dad was a hypocrite.

He was a leader for our church’s youth group while he was an atheist. He later admitted this to me.

Later in life he also admitted that he was wrong, not just in being a fake Christian. The more he observed nature as well as the miracle of human life, the more he realized that there must be a Creator.

We look at a magnificent building and know there was an architect.

We look and a beautiful painting and know there was an artist.

We look at a complex machine and know there was an inventor.

Have you looked at the Grand Canyon?

Have you taken a hike in the Rockies?

Have you stood on an Oceanside cliff and felt the power of the waves?

Have you been in the wilderness on a clear night and looked up at the billions of stars?

My logical brain tells me that there must be a Creator.

My heart tells me that the Creator loves me!

His Word and my experience confirms it.

The next time you see a natural wonder (for us in the Front Range of Colorado, just look to the West), realize that the Creator made that with a word.

If He cared enough about us to make our world so intricately beautiful and work so well, surely he cares enough about us to provide a way for us to be with Him.

That way is Jesus.

Let creation open your eyes to the Creator and Savior.
February 11, 2023

February 11th, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a NIV

It is very late after an awesome evening at Night To Shine so I will keep it simple.

It’s just a few verses that say so much. It bears dwelling on each phrase.

As you read through it again, think about what each phrase means to you.

How have you seen it play out in your life?

Where would you like to see yourself improve?

“Love is patient,

love is kind.

It does not envy,

it does not boast,

it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others,

it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always perseveres.

Love never fails.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a” NIV
February 10, 2023

February 10th, 2023

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Isaiah 16-18

Highlight Verse:

“The whole land will look like a grainfield after the harvesters have gathered the grain. It will be desolate, like the fields in the valley of Rephaim after the harvest.”

Isaiah 17:5 NLT

In case you didn’t know, I’m a writer.

So is God.

I love it when I see verses like this that graphically illustrate the points God wants to show in His story. You can picture in your mind’s eye how desolate the land of Israel became. You can feel how desperate the remnant of Israel became. You can relate it to desperate times in your own life.

Then their subsequent repentance makes perfect sense.

Then our repentance makes perfect sense in the light of our desperation.

Keep your eyes open for passages like this and let your imagination bring the lessons home.

Do poetic and descriptive passages catch your attention or help you walk closer to God?

Can clever words help you share your story of Faith?
February 9, 2023

February 9th, 2023

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Romans 6

Highlight Verses:

“For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Faith = Freedom.

We have freedom from the power of sin to rule our lives.

We have freedom from the wages of sin.

We have freedom from death itself.

We have freedom to break the chains of addiction!

We have freedom to reach our full potential.

We have freedom to love each other as God has loved us.

We have freedom to enter into God’s presence!

We have the freedom to rejoice with the angels!

We have the freedom to claim Heaven as our eternal home.

Let Freedom reign!

Do you feel trapped in religion or skepticism?
Do you know God’s true freedom?
February 8, 2023

February 8th, 2023

Wednesday – History

Reading – Joshua 16-18

Highlight Verse:

“Joshua replied, “If there are so many of you, and if the hill country of Ephraim is not large enough for you, clear out land for yourselves in the forest where the Perizzites and Rephaites live.””

Joshua 17:15 NLT

Consider that this is just after Caleb asked for land that he would have to conquer. Joshua wasn’t putting up with Ephraim and Manasseh and their pleas for more land. As far as he was concerned, they could go conquer their own land.

Maybe the leaders of Ephraim and Manasseh were acting like spoiled brats.

Maybe they just needed a good kick in the pants.

Joshua was glad to provide it.

I don’t know about you but sometimes I just need a good kick in the pants to get motivated.

I may not like it at the time, but I need it.

Likewise, there are times when I as a parent or a leader, I need to give out the kick.

Not literally, mind you.

But sometimes those I lead need a little extra motivation to get moving. The tricky part is knowing when.

Are you in need of a little more “Seat of your pants” motivation?

Do you know someone who needs a little motivation?

Are you in their sphere of influence to be able to provide that motivation?
February 7, 2023

February 7th, 2023

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 9

Highlight Verse:

“I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth.”

Genesis 9:13 NLT

God bent light to show us His promise.

Okay, you could say that it is just the way that light acts when going through water droplets.

But who created the light and water and their properties?

It may be worth noting that rainbows are presented as a new concept. Many (including myself) believe that it had not rained before the flood. There is scientific evidence to support this.

Whether you believe that or not, it’s obvious that we are presented with the concept of a whole new beginning for mankind. It is the next step toward the building of relationship between man and God that culminates with the redemptive act of Jesus.

We are presented with the same challenge as Noah.

Each day we can work toward building a new and better Earth starting with building our families in a Godly way.

What do you think of when you see a rainbow?

Can you use it to remind you of all God’s promises to you?

I call this “The Struggle” chapter.

I can relate.

Admit it, so can you.

The Cities of Refuge were yet one more way that God showed His love to His people.

Why on Earth would God want to confuse the world’s languages?

Let this put aside any question as to whether or not Jesus claimed to be God.

What do you think?

My dad was a hypocrite.

We look at a magnificent building and know there was an architect.

We look and a beautiful painting and know there was an artist.

We look at a complex machine and know there was an inventor.

That way is Jesus.

So is God.

Let Freedom reign!

Maybe they just needed a good kick in the pants.

I don’t know about you but sometimes I just need a good kick in the pants to get motivated.

God bent light to show us His promise.