Walk in the Light

August 7, 2026

August 7th, 2026

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Jonah 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry.”
‭‭Jonah‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Do you like it when your plans are changed unexpectedly?

Neither do I.

But if my plans changed because a whole bunch of people got rescued, I’d like to think I would handle it better than Jonah did.

But sometimes we don’t grasp the effects of change.

What may seem like hardship to us can pave the way for relief or even salvation for others.

It brings to mind when I was moving to Colorado and my van’s engine blew.

That brought both financial and time stress into my life, but it provided much needed work to the mechanic who replaced the engine.

I remember being stressed but amazed at how God provided the mechanic, the engine, the money, and much needed rest for me while I waited for it to be fixed.

Image credit ChatGPT (They almost got it right except for the Dodge grill and the model year was off by one. And how did I get facing the wrong direction?)

Yesterday, I heard someone quote Ephesians 4:13 (‘I can do all things through Christ…”) in context.

It was refreshing to not here someone using that verse to say that we can be successful and healthy.

In context, Paul wrote that to say that he can make it through hardships with Christ’s help.

Jonah could have used some of that attitude.

So can we.

When was the last time that your plans were drastically changed?
How did you react?
Have you ever had to suffer that others could be rescued?
August 6, 2026

August 6th, 2026

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelations 2

Highlight Verse:

““But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

These letters to the seven churches in Asia are loaded with wisdom that we can use today.

Verse 4 stood out to me because I usually think of the idea of losing our first love in terms of our love for God.

This verse includes our love for each other.

I would assert that the two go hand in hand.

If we truly love God, we will share the love He has for mankind.

He loved us enough to send his Son to suffer and die just so we can be in His presence.

If we love God, we will sacrificially lead people to eternal life.

Like Jesus, we will care for them, bring healing, and bring truth.

So, the next time you are expressing your love for God in worship, ask yourself, “What are you doing to love people?”

When your faith was brand new, did your love for God overflow as love for others?
What are ways that we can live out God’s love to those around us?
What else stood out to you in this chapter?
August 5, 2026

August 5th, 2026

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Chronicles 25-27

Highlight Verse:

“Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about all that silver I paid to hire the army of Israel?” The man of God replied, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this!””
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭25‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have you ever made a bad investment?

Amaziah did when he hired the wrong soldiers.

It’s a terrible feeling when you have to write-off a bunch of money with no return on the investment. That’s especially true when you can’t really afford it.

Sometimes we put a bunch of money toward something only to realize that thing was not honoring to God.

It could be a hobby or skill that distracts us from following after God.

Or buying something that robs your time with God or your family.

I’m sure you could come up with your own list.

I still remember my social psychology professor telling us about the time he bought a canoe. For a while after that purchase, he spent as much time as he could canoeing just so he could justify the expense in his mind.

If we have invested in something, we have a psychological tendency to want to get the most out of our investments. For that reason, we will spend more time and money to get the most out of it.

But if that investment is in something that does not honor God, we would be wise to cut our losses and move on.

If today’s passage is true (and it is), God will honor our decisions with blessings greater than what we gave up.

I’m not saying he will dump money in our laps (though sometimes He does).

But the blessings of God bring great joy both now and eternally.

Is there something you’ve put a lot of money and/or time into that is distracting you from God? What would it take to walk away from that?
Have you ever had God greatly bless you for taking a financial hit to follow Him more closely?
August 4, 2026

August 4th, 2026

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Numbers 27-28

Highlight Verse:

“Then Moses said to the Lord, “O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭27‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have known managers who failed to train successors for fear they would be laid off. (One of them did get laid-off, partly because of his attitude.)

I’ve known others who failed to share their skills because they didn’t like it when someone did the same job a little differently.

Moses demonstrated not only a willingness to share his insights but actively asked the Lord to provide a successor.

Because of Moses’ attitude toward leadership, Israel was able to successfully enter into the promised land with a strong leader to guide them.

I have benefitted greatly from those who passed their skills on to me.

And I’ve had to deal with a few people who refused to help when I needed their skills.

I know from experience that those who take the time to share their skills and leadership abilities make this a much better world.

What skills do you have to pass on to others?
Are you training someone who could succeed you in work and or ministry?
How are you doing that?
August 3, 2026

August 3rd, 2026

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 7

Highlight Verse:

“Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭7‬:‭57‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s easy to think that refusing to listen to opposing views is a modern issue.

It is.

But it has been going on for thousands of years.

In Stephen’s case, it resulted in his death.

One could argue that, if Stephen had not preached at his accusers, things may have turned out differently.

I assure you that, at this moment, Stephen is in the same place he would have been if he had lived a longer life on earth.

But would he have lived out his purpose? Would his message have been preserved as it has been? Would Saul have become Paul and had as effective of a ministry if he had not participated in Stephen’s death?

I cannot answer those questions with certainty, but I can say that

Stephen spoke the message the Holy Spirit gave him with a boldness that arose from great faith.

I’m not saying that we should provoke those who oppose us.

In fact, we should always listen to those who oppose us and be sure to reply with the grace of God rather than our own anger.

But we should also always be ready to proclaim what the Holy Spirit gives us to say with boldness that can only come from deep faith.

Do you have the depth of faith that Stephen possessed?
Have you had the opportunity to speak the truth of God in the midst of opposition? How did it turn out?
August 2, 2026

August 2nd, 2026

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Song of Solomon 7-8

Highlight Verses:

“O my darling, lingering in the gardens, your companions are fortunate to hear your voice. Let me hear it, too! Come away, my love! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.”
‭‭Song of Songs‬ ‭8‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In today’s highlight verses, the young couple we’ve been reading about wraps up the book looking forward to the adventures together.

Once a year, my wife and I make a point to get away for a few days together.

Sometimes it’s just a night or two in the mountains nearby.

This year we spent a week in the Carolinas including three nights by ourselves exploring the western reaches of North and South Carolinas
(the photo is from downtown Greenville, SC).

I admit that I’m not to most romantic husband, but I believe that adventures together are inherently romantic.

Discovering the beauty of nature and unique aspects of culture in different areas builds the bonds of our relationship.

It certainly doesn’t hurt to throw a little romance in there too.

It is true that there are about as many definitions of adventure as there are people. But discovering new things together is not only good for a relationship, but biblical in the light of today’s reading.

How do you define adventure?
What adventurous things have you and your spouse done (please keep it family friendly)?
August 1, 2026

August 1st, 2026

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Ephesians 3

Highlight Verse:

“So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I wanted to highlight Paul’s suffering, reminding us of those who suffer for the Gospel even today. That’s important to remember but that’s not what stood out to me.

Then I thought I might write about the newfound equality between Jews and Gentiles. But something else stood out beyond that as well.

It was Paul’s attitude.

Here in America, we tend to whine and complain when things don’t go our way.

I’m not accusing anyone since I’m the same way.

I’m just aspiring to be like Paul.

He’s sitting in jail.

His freedom is restricted and the conditions are horrible.

So how does he react?

He considers it a privilege to suffer for Christ and a reason to rejoice.

And then he goes about writing letters that will impact the world for many generations.

Think about that.

What most people would think of as a hardship, Paul turns into an opportunity.

If not for his imprisonment, many of his letters would not have been written.

So, the next time you or I experience some hardship or pain, perhaps

we need to be looking for the opportunity that hardship affords us.

Have you ever been able to turn a hardship into an opportunity?
Do you have suggestions for how we can turn tough times into something God can use?
July 31, 2026

July 31st, 2026

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Jonah 1-2

Highlight Verses:

“Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said, “I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me!”
‭‭Jonah‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Thanks to Veggie Tales, Jonah is probably everyone’s favorite Old Testament prophet.

That might also be because of its honesty.

Jonah really messed up.

I love his prayer when he repents.

It’s so awkward and authentic.

Granted, I think any prayer from inside a fish would be awkward.

It almost seems as if he stumbles over his words at first, starting the prayer in the third person (he) and correcting into the second person (you).

To me, that makes it seem more authentic.

And, yes, I believe this was a true story. I don’t know how he survived three days inside a huge fish or what kind of fish it was, but I believe that God could make a way for it to happen.

Because it happened, the people of Ninevah were more likely to believe him.

I’ll admit the awkwardness of his prayer comforts me.

Our pastor has a habit of calling on random people to pray at the close of serving team huddles.

It’s awkward.

I love that.

Because those are the genuine kinds of prayers.

Pre-written, practiced prayers may be honest, but they don’t seem as genuine in the moment.

It’s when we stumble over our words that our true selves come out.

I’m pretty sure God would rather hear two genuine sentences come from us than 30 minutes of polished religiosity.

Which reminds me, if you are saying grace for 10 minutes before a meal, stop! I’m too hungry for that. 😉

Credit – ChatGPT

Have you ever had to come up with a prayer on the spot?
Was it awkward? Was it genuine?
July 30, 2026

July 30th, 2026

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelation 1

Highlight Verse:

“God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have to be honest – Revelation used to be one of my least favorite books of the Bible.

It can be very difficult to understand.

And then there are those who claim to understand it perfectly and make up a specific timeline for the end of the world, usually using those predictions to manipulate people to follow them and donate.

After reading it many times, I still cannot claim to fully understand everything in Revelation.

But there are many principles and guidelines in Revelation that will help build our faith and equip us to be more effective for the Gospel.

It’s a wild ride so hang on and let’s see what we can learn along the way.

What is your favorite part of the Book of Revelation?
Are there parts that scare you? Inspire you?
July 29, 2026

July 29th, 2026

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Chronicles 22-24

“And all the people went over to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They demolished the altars and smashed the idols, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭23‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jehoiada was a wise man.

He was politically savvy too.

He made all the arrangements for 7-year-old Joash to become king in place of Athaliah, who had seized power improperly.

Jehoiada had obviously been making alliances well in advance.

And when he got Joash onto the throne, one of the first things he did was to get rid of one of Israel’s biggest distractions, the temple of Baal.

You could say that it was a terribly violent act, but sometimes standing for the truth requires violence.

I am not calling for the same kind of violence today.

I am calling for a different kind of violence.

If there is something in our lives that is seriously distracting you or I from following Jesus wholeheartedly, we would be wise to remove it.

Such a removal may even seem violent in the midst of it.

But if something is keeping us from God, it would be unwise to keep it around.

I don’t know what that looks like for you.

It could be removing access to a sinful activity from your life. It could be forming a new habit of setting aside an unproductive habit to make time for others and for God.

But if you have something that you know is in the way of your relationship with God, remove it. You won’t be sorry.

What distraction have you had to remove from your life?
What is there that still needs to be removed?

Do you like it when your plans are changed unexpectedly?

What may seem like hardship to us can pave the way for relief or even salvation for others.

Jonah could have used some of that attitude.

So can we.

Verse 4 stood out to me because I usually think of the idea of losing our first love in terms of our love for God.

He loved us enough to send his Son to suffer and die just so we can be in His presence.

So, the next time you are expressing your love for God in worship, ask yourself, “What are you doing to love people?”

Have you ever made a bad investment?

But if that investment is in something that does not honor God, we would be wise to cut our losses and move on.

But the blessings of God bring great joy both now and eternally.

I have known managers who failed to train successors for fear they would be laid off. (One of them did get laid-off, partly because of his attitude.)

Moses demonstrated not only a willingness to share his insights but actively asked the Lord to provide a successor.

I know from experience that those who take the time to share their skills and leadership abilities make this a much better world.

In Stephen’s case, it resulted in his death.

Stephen spoke the message the Holy Spirit gave him with a boldness that arose from great faith.

But we should also always be ready to proclaim what the Holy Spirit gives us to say with boldness that can only come from deep faith.

In today’s highlight verses, the young couple we’ve been reading about wraps up the book looking forward to the adventures together.

Discovering the beauty of nature and unique aspects of culture in different areas builds the bonds of our relationship.

It certainly doesn’t hurt to throw a little romance in there too.

It was Paul’s attitude.

I’m just aspiring to be like Paul.

we need to be looking for the opportunity that hardship affords us.

It’s so awkward and authentic.

I’ll admit the awkwardness of his prayer comforts me.

I’m pretty sure God would rather hear two genuine sentences come from us than 30 minutes of polished religiosity.

I have to be honest – Revelation used to be one of my least favorite books of the Bible.

But there are many principles and guidelines in Revelation that will help build our faith and equip us to be more effective for the Gospel.

It’s a wild ride so hang on and let’s see what we can learn along the way.

And when he got Joash onto the throne, one of the first things he did was to get rid of one of Israel’s biggest distractions, the temple of Baal.

Such a removal may even seem violent in the midst of it.

But if you have something that you know is in the way of your relationship with God, remove it. You won’t be sorry.