Walk in the Light

August 6, 2025

August 6th, 2025

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Samuel 23-24

Highlight Verse:
““Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan reassured him. “My father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father, Saul, is well aware.””
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭23‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Well, he was half right.

Jonathan died before he got to be King David’s right-hand-man.

But David did become king.

I’d like to think that Jonathan played a part in that by encouraging David.

Encouragement literally gives courage.

Jonathan believed in David so much that he encouraged David even though he knew that David would take his rightful place.

He put David’s courage and welfare ahead of his own.

I believe God is still rewarding Jonathan for that selfless act.

We would do well to give courage to those around us who need it.

Do you have stories about how encouragement made a world of difference to you? Share them.
How can we give courage to those around us?
August 5, 2025

August 5th, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 49-50

Highlight Verse:

“The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭49‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Judah was the 4th son.

Normally, the firstborn became the leader of the clan on the patriarch’s passing.

In the clan of Israel, that role fell on Judah.

Why?

I wanted to say that it was because Judah looked out for others and had more integrity than his brothers.

But a quick look at Judah’s life disproved that idea. In most ways he was just as bad as his brothers.

As far as I can tell, this blessing of Judah was mainly prophetic.

The people of Judah produced David.

They remained faithful to God longer than the other tribes.

And most importantly, Jesus came from Judah.

The clan I came from has had its share of questionable characters.

It’s also been home to those with more noble personalities.

My hope is to lead my little part of our clan with such integrity that we may be seen as faithful.

How do you use your influence to bring more faithfulness and integrity to your clan?
Who in your clan has influenced you to be more faithful?
August 4, 2025

August 4th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Matthew 1-2

Highlight Verses:

“After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

🎶“We three kings from Orient are, Tried to smoke a rubber cigar…”🎶

Oops, wrong song.

That little parody song that us boys used to sing when I was a kid was so messed up.

But then, so is our concept of the wise men.

• The Bible never calls them kings.

The word translated “wise men,” or “magi” normally referred to the priests of Zoastrianism, a religion widely practiced in that dat in an area that stretched from modern Iran to Pakistan.

How cool is it that God would use a misguided religion to point people to Jesus. But I digress.

• The Bible never says how many there were.

The idea that there were three is inferred from the three different gifts.

• The Bible never states the names of the wise men.

The common names used in western culture come from an 8th century translation of a lost 6th century Greek document. Not the Bible.

• The Bible doesn’t say when they arrived.

The tradition of January 6th, twelve days after Jesus’ birth, is very unlikely. The wise men most likely began their journey some time after the birth. They had a long journey and stopped to meet with Herod first.

Also, the term child is used to describe Jesus, not infant.

So why would I blast the traditions about the wise men?

While these traditions don’t have any real impact on theology, we tend to accept them without question.

One of the values we have at our church is, “We always ask, ‘What does the Bible say?’”

If we blindly accept these traditions,

what other traditions do we accept that could be drawing people away from important truths.

It is important to base what we believe on the truth in the Bible by studying it and finding what it really says about those beliefs.

Is there anything that you accepted as truth that you found out the Bible said something different?
What is your method for studying the Bible?
August 3, 2025

August 3rd, 2025

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 92-94

Highlight Verses:

“It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, a harp, and the melody of a lyre.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭92‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The instrument describe here was a kinnor.

It was a contemporary instrument adapted from the lyres of the surrounding cultures of the Middle East and Mediterranean regions.

A kinnor was not necessarily a religious instrument though it was used to compose and accompany many of the Psalms.

The closest modern equivalent is a guitar which has its design roots in lyres and is used in both traditional and contemporary religious and secular settings.

My takeaway from this little history lesson is that the Psalmists used whatever tools they had available to them.

They used those tools to create sincere and passionate music to worship God.

The world of worship today is very different from that of the psalmists, but the purpose is the same – to worship God with everything you’ve got.

Whether you go to a church with a traditional organ and piano or a full modern band,

bring the passion of worship to bring glory to God both with others and on your own.

What is your favorite type of worship music?
How do you keep the passion for worship alive?
August 2, 2025

August 2nd, 2025

Saturday – Open topic

Reading – Matthew 6:14-15; 18:21-35.

Highlight Verses:

““If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The other day, someone pulled across the road directly in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and laid on the horn.

I somehow managed to keep my mouth shut and fingers tucked away.

As the car passed me the driver gave me a look as if to say, “What’s your problem?”

At that point, the thought crossed my mind, “Do I really have to forgive someone who is unrepentant?”

I knew the answer. Forgiving that person, or anyone else who does me wrong in anyway, is essential.

In most cases, it makes no difference to the other person.

It makes all the difference to me.

Unforgiveness would make me a slave to anger. It would close me off from God’s forgiveness.

It’s not even an option in my book.

Have you ever struggled with unforgiveness?
Have you experienced the freedom that comes with forgiving others?
August 1, 2025

August 1st, 2025

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Jeremiah 25-27

Highlight Verse:

“I will gather together all the armies of the north under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whom I have appointed as my deputy. I will bring them all against this land and its people and against the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy you and make you an object of horror and contempt and a ruin forever.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭25‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’ve never felt comfortable with the fact that Jeremiah speaks of God lashing out against Israel.

But think about this. The destruction was done by violent nations.

If it wasn’t for God’s protection over Israel, these nations would have conquered Israel long before.

In God’s eyes, allowing Israel to be conquered was the height of anger; anger motivated by love.

In a sense, God takes the credit for the violence against Israel.

It kinda reminds me of Jesus taking the credit for all our sin.

In both cases, God’s actions are motivated by love for His people; a tough love to be sure, but love, nonetheless.

It’s a difficult concept to grasp, violence equaling love. But God’s goal was always to bring His children back to Him.

Have you ever had to exercise tough love on your kids, letting them feel the full consequences of their actions?
Has tough love ever brought you back in line? Share your stories.
July 31, 2025

July 31st, 2025

Thursday – Letters

Reading – 2 Corinthians 11-13

Highlight Verse:

“Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I admit that I was tempted to write about Paul’s thorn in the flesh – not for any deep spiritual truth but because of a meme I recently saw. Paul was writing about his thorn in the flesh while in a prison cell with a roommate; SpongeBob SquarePants.

That could be a far worse hardship than any of the others he endured.

In the end I decided it was the end that really mattered to me in today’s reading.

Paul, with all the authority he outlined in the previous two chapters, sums up what he wanted the Corinthians to take away from his teaching.

• “Be joyful” – could be considered a result of following the rest of his commands.
• “Grow to maturity” – Don’t dwell in the simple truths of mercy and repentance but move on to deepen and share your faith.
• “Encourage each other” – We’re not in this alone. Find and give strength in the body of Christ.
• And “Live in harmony and peace” – both with fellow believers to fulfill the previous command and with others that they may find salvation through your love.

What did you take away from Paul’s letters to the Corinthians?
How will you apply what you learned?
July 30, 2025

July 30th, 2025

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Samuel 21-22

Highlight Verses:

“David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him. So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard.”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭21‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

They say the truth is stranger than fiction.

Quite frankly, I can’t imagine someone making this up. But I’ve written about the unflattering stories of the Bible being evidence of its veracity before.

The question that rises for for today is, is it okay to lie?

Some would point to this passage and say that if David lied, it must be okay to lie when it is expedient to.

Before we jump to that conclusion, I should point out that David was not God. His actions should not be used to define what is or isn’t sin.

Don’t forget there is a commandment against lying.

You could argue that the commandment speaks of “bearing witness” implying a legal context.

But then, there’s Proverbs 12:22 stating that lying lips are an “abomination” to God. That’s pretty strong language.

That begs the question, what would I have done in David’s place?

Hopefully, I would have the foresight to stay away from Achish.

But if David messed up like that, I probably would too.

In which case I would probably lie, knowing that to be a necessary compromise to ensure that I would be around to continue what God had called me to do.

Would it be sin? Maybe. If so, Jesus already paid the price for it.

Yes, we should not go willingly into sin, but I don’t think that qualifies as willful sin.

What do you think? Is lying always sin? Why or why not?
July 29, 2025

July 29th, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 48

Highlight Verse:

“But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭48‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I can be a contrary old man sometimes.

True, Jacob was more than twice my age (that would be something else).

But, I’m reaching that point where people allow me to disagree with respect.

I just pray that anytime I feel like I need to disagree with the prevailing opinion, I understand God enough to have a Biblically accurate reason to disagree.

Jacob was close enough to God to see which grandson would flourish more.

And he wasn’t afraid to act on that knowledge.

He did so gently but firmly, continuing to give Joseph the respect due him.

As you grow closer to God, have you had moments when you had to differ from popular opinion to stay true to God’s Word?
Were you able to disagree in a way that preserved respect and love for those with whom you disagreed?
July 28, 2025

July 28th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Mark 15-16

Highlight Verse:

“The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭15‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Why would the soldiers call out the whole regiment?

In my first two years of high school, I went to school in a wealthy suburb of San Francisco. (I lived in one of the little duplexes at the bottom of the hill).

There was still a lot of racial tension back in the 1970s and when a fight broke out between a white local student and a black student that was bused in from East Palo Alto, hundreds ran down to the parking lot to watch.

It quickly escalated to a brawl.

I stayed as far away as I could.

It was a tough time to be a minority. My Mexican dad refused to speak Spanish at home for fear that us kids would learn and be discovered to be half Mexican.

The Roman Empire was a tough time and place to be a Hebrew.

The Roman soldiers would have thought it great fun to be given free reign to abuse and insult a Hebrew like Jesus.

They all gathered around to join in the “fun.”

It’s very easy to get caught up in the group mentality even when the group is going off the rails.

I’m sure there were some more levelheaded soldiers in that regiment, but they all gathered to take part in the abuse.

In this same chapter, some of the people who followed Jesus just days before shouted for his crucifixion.

I dare say that if I had been all white, I might have gotten caught up in that racist brawl.

We need to be diligent to follow Jesus even when the crowd goes a different way.

For those who are the victims of abuse, Jesus can truly understand what it is like to be abused.

His heart goes out to all those who have suffered abuse and discrimination.

Just like He healed bodies, He can heal your heart.

Have you ever gotten caught up in a bad group mentality? How did you break free from that?
How has Jesus healed your abused heart?

I’d like to think that Jonathan played a part in that by encouraging David.

Encouragement literally gives courage.

We would do well to give courage to those around us who need it.

In the clan of Israel, that role fell on Judah.

They remained faithful to God longer than the other tribes.

My hope is to lead my little part of our clan with such integrity that we may be seen as faithful.

One of the values we have at our church is, “We always ask, ‘What does the Bible say?’”

what other traditions do we accept that could be drawing people away from important truths.

It is important to base what we believe on the truth in the Bible by studying it and finding what it really says about those beliefs.

They used those tools to create sincere and passionate music to worship God.

The world of worship today is very different from that of the psalmists, but the purpose is the same – to worship God with everything you’ve got.

bring the passion of worship to bring glory to God both with others and on your own.

At that point, the thought crossed my mind, “Do I really have to forgive someone who is unrepentant?”

It makes all the difference to me.

Unforgiveness would make me a slave to anger. It would close me off from God’s forgiveness.

I’ve never felt comfortable with the fact that Jeremiah speaks of God lashing out against Israel.

If it wasn’t for God’s protection over Israel, these nations would have conquered Israel long before.

It’s a difficult concept to grasp, violence equaling love. But God’s goal was always to bring His children back to Him.

In the end I decided it was the end that really mattered to me in today’s reading.

They say the truth is stranger than fiction.

Before we jump to that conclusion, I should point out that David was not God. His actions should not be used to define what is or isn’t sin.

But if David messed up like that, I probably would too.

I can be a contrary old man sometimes.

I just pray that anytime I feel like I need to disagree with the prevailing opinion, I understand God enough to have a Biblically accurate reason to disagree.

He did so gently but firmly, continuing to give Joseph the respect due him.

Why would the soldiers call out the whole regiment?

It’s very easy to get caught up in the group mentality even when the group is going off the rails.

We need to be diligent to follow Jesus even when the crowd goes a different way.

His heart goes out to all those who have suffered abuse and discrimination.