Walk in the Light

May 28, 2025

May 28th, 2025

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Samuel 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.””
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’d like to say I’ve heard the audible voice of the Lord.

Nope, though I do believe that is possible.

I have learned to understand His leading most of the time.

It’s not easy to distinguish between God’s actual guidance and what our minds and emotions want to interpret as God’s leading.

But it can be done.

How?

Samuel taught us a few things about how to hear God.

• By getting close to God.

Samuel actually slept in the temple.

We can foster a close relationship with God by staying consistent in prayer and worship and digging into God’s Word.

• By seeking wise counsel.

Samuel went to Eli for guidance. Eli pointed him the right way.

• By asking God for guidance.

Samuel made himself available to listen and directly asked God to speak to him.

These steps might not open our ears to hear the audible voice of God, but they will help us be sensitive to God’s guidance in our lives.

When have you witnessed the guidance of God in your life?
Have you ever misinterpreted God’s guidance in your life? How did you find out you were wrong?
May 27, 2025

May 27th, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 35-36

Highlight Verses:

“Now that Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again at Bethel. God blessed him, saying, “Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. From now on your name will be Israel.” So God renamed him Israel.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭35‬:‭9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is the second time God told Jacob this (see ch 32).

That either indicates that God is emphasizing the name change or the fact that Jacob/Israel didn’t do anything about it the first time.

The name came about because Jacob had struggled with God.

Off-hand that sounds like it should have a negative connotation.

Think about it, though.

Would you rather have a relationship with someone who struggles to understand you, or with someone who doesn’t really care to understand you.

God chose the struggle.

Our relationship with God has been a struggle from the beginning.

• We struggled with and failed to keep His commands.
• We struggled to make enough sacrifices to atone for our sins.
• Even now, we often struggle to accept the totality of His love for us.

But He does love us – not just in spite of our struggles but because of them.

Do you struggle in your relationship with God?
Does that struggle cause you to try to learn more about Him?
May 26, 2025 – Memorial Day

May 26th, 2025

Note – If you are looking for a Memorial Day message, look at yesterday’s post. Today’s reading didn’t really line up with a Memorial Day Post.

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Mark 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.””
‭‭Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I wonder how awkward that man felt.

Imagine being singled out because of a defect you were probably embarrassed about anyway.

Now you’re in the middle of a conflict between the person you think is the Messiah and the religious leaders.

Awkward doesn’t begin to describe it.

But sometimes we are called to be that person on the spot.

Would you rise up and be put on the spot for Jesus?

I’m very glad this man chose to accept his healing.

May we have that much faith when the time arises.

Have you ever been “put on the spot” for Jesus?
How did that work out?
May 25, 2025

May 25th, 2025

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 62-65

Highlight Verse:

“My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭62‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

David was a poet.

David was a King.

But here, in this Psalm, David was a warrior.

His battles were fought for the Lord alone.

He accepted honor from God alone.

Yet we do well to honor him still as he laid the groundwork for our Messiah to come and bring us spiritual freedom.

This weekend we honor those who gave their lives for us in the US military.

Many, if not most fought for God.

All fought to win and maintain our freedom.

We do well to honor them!

As you enjoy the weekend with your family, traveling or relaxing at home, take some time to honor those who gave everything that we may be a free nation under God.

If there is someone you know of that gave their life in military service for our country, feel free to name them here.

I’ll start with Staff Sargent Howell Thompson, USMC, my great uncle (Grandma Clarey’s brother). Lost over the Bermuda Triangle on December 5, 1945 along with 26 other Marines and Navy airmen.
May 24, 2025

May 24th, 2025

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Psalm 119:101-109

Highlight Verse:

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭105‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Airmail service began about a hundred years ago.

At first, pilots sat in open cockpits with nothing to guide them but the landscape and the earliest of the country’s highways, which did not run very straight.

To guide them, the federal government built a network of beacons and arrows (many of which can still be found) to point them along a system of airways.

That was fine in good weather, but when it rained, snowed or got foggy, pilots had to pay very close attention and be sure they followed the exact direction of the arrows.

To stray just a little could have dire consequences farther along.

God’s Word can be like that system of beacons and arrows.

His Word is there to guide us. Following it keeps us from wandering too far off course.

Just as those early pilots were thankful for the guidance provided for them, so we also should be thankful for the guidance God provides in His Word.

In what ways has God’s Word guided you?
What difficulties have you experienced in trying to follow His Word?
May 23, 2025

May 23rd, 2025

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Isaiah 61-63

Highlight Verse:

“To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Years ago, a couple we were close with had a tragic late-term miscarriage.

About a year later, they told us they were going to try to have another child, but they were praying that we would have one first.

We had tried for eleven years so we told them to go ahead and pray but don’t wait for us.

Within a month, our firstborn was on her way. Within another month, they were expecting too.

After eleven years of pain and disappointment, I can tell you the moment our first daughter entered this world was the

most joy

I had experienced to that point.

I firmly believe that joy was far deeper because of the years of pain and disappointment before she came along.

Sorrows will come in this life. That’s an unavoidable fact.

But if we had no sorrows, our times of joy would be much less powerful.

If you are in the midst of a difficult time, while I do not want to ignore the depth of hurt you may be going through, I do want to encourage you to think about the joys you have experienced.

Know that the joys to come can be even greater because of your current suffering.

What have you been through that magnifies the joy you can now have?
Have the joys you’ve experienced after pain helped encourage you through the tough times?
May 22, 2025

May 22nd, 2025

Thursday – Letters

Reading – 1 Corinthians 9-10

Highlight Verse:

“So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’m not that far from retirement age.

I’ve talked to a lot of friends around my age who can’t imagine retiring.

Their reason – they don’t know what they would do with all the time.

That’s a foreign concept to me.

I mean, I like my job. I’m skilled at it and it helps a lot of people.

But it’s not my purpose.

My volunteer work, helping to reach the next generation for Jesus, is so much more fulfilling than fixing copiers.

Having more free time to write and participate in activities that help reach people with the Good News of Jesus sounds excellent.

It sounds purposeful.

What is your purpose?
What are you doing to fulfill it?
May 21, 2025

May 21st, 2025

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Samuel 1-2

Highlight Verses:

“As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking.”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

I’ve never been mistaken as being drunk (that I know of). But I’ve been misunderstood.

I’ve been friend-zoned by someone who I never thought of as anything more than a friend.

I’ve had people think I was angry when I was just concerned.

And I’ve misunderstood others, sometimes to embarrassing lengths.

Never as bad as this…

During World War II, when the Japanese ambassador was asked if they would surrender, he replied with a word that basically meant, “no comment – pending discussion”. It was mistranslated, “we are treating your message with contempt.” At that, President Truman assumed the only way to change their minds was to drop atomic bombs.

I pray I never get involved in such a bad misunderstanding.

Eli and Hannah’s misunderstanding was minor in comparison.

And they showed us how to deal with misunderstandings.

Hannah respectfully presented the truth, and Eli was open to hearing it.

Sounds like a good example to follow.

What’s the worst misunderstanding one have been involved in?
How was it resolved?
May 20, 2025

May 20th, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 33-34

Highlight Verse:

“Hamor and his son Shechem agreed to their proposal.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭34‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’ll give you a minute to go read the rest of this chapter.

Did you read it?

Pretty messed up, huh?

Rape, political maneuvering, deceit, genocide, looting.

It’s almost like one sin led to another.

Oh wait! It’s exactly like one sin led to another.

The sins in this chapter were heinous but the same principle applies to all sin.

Sin unchecked always leads to more sin.

Very often, sin compounds into greater sin with worse effects.

Eventually, it can break down faith and lead to the rejection of Jesus.

Instead of compounding sin, what if we confessed to each other and to God; sought accountability; and prioritized fellowship with each other and the Holy Spirit?

In other words, what if we got involved in a good local church?

If you haven’t already, I suggest you give it a try.

What does your local church do to help you escape from the grasp of sin?
How do you help others do the same?
May 19, 2025

May 19th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Mark 1-2

Highlight Verse:

“But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭45‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

I always try to find something I never noticed before in these readings.

I’ve known about Mark emphasizing the fact that Jesus often told people not to spread the word about His miracles since I studied Mark in college.

I just assumed it was because Jesus is humble.

Today it struck me that Jesus did not need a large following to do what He needed to do here on Earth.

The popularity that resulted from the healed leper’s disobedience made Jesus’ work on Earth harder.

It’s easy to think that if Jesus had not been well known He could have been forgotten.

I’m currently reading a novel set in a post-apocalyptic future. (Yes, I read more that just the Bible). In it, Christianity is all but forgotten – a distant memory that supposedly has no relevance in their culture.

Nonsense.

Jesus is God.

He did not need to win any popularity contest for the Gospel to survive the first century or. The 21st century.

Despite extreme resistance to the Gospel from governments and religions over history, it has survived and thrived.

It will continue to survive until He returns.

Let’s do our part in spreading it.

What resistance have you experienced to the Good News of Jesus?
Did you resist the Good News before finding the truth? What opened your eyes?

But it can be done.

• By getting close to God.

• By seeking wise counsel.

• By asking God for guidance.

The name came about because Jacob had struggled with God.

God chose the struggle.

But He does love us – not just in spite of our struggles but because of them.

Awkward doesn’t begin to describe it.

Would you rise up and be put on the spot for Jesus?

May we have that much faith when the time arises.

But here, in this Psalm, David was a warrior.

We do well to honor them!

To stray just a little could have dire consequences farther along.

God’s Word can be like that system of beacons and arrows.

Just as those early pilots were thankful for the guidance provided for them, so we also should be thankful for the guidance God provides in His Word.

most joy

Sorrows will come in this life. That’s an unavoidable fact.

Know that the joys to come can be even greater because of your current suffering.

Their reason – they don’t know what they would do with all the time.

But it’s not my purpose.

It sounds purposeful.

And I’ve misunderstood others, sometimes to embarrassing lengths.

Never as bad as this…

Hannah respectfully presented the truth, and Eli was open to hearing it.

Pretty messed up, huh?

Sin unchecked always leads to more sin.

In other words, what if we got involved in a good local church?

Today it struck me that Jesus did not need a large following to do what He needed to do here on Earth.

He did not need to win any popularity contest for the Gospel to survive the first century or. The 21st century.

Let’s do our part in spreading it.