Walk in the Light

April 8, 2025

April 8th, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 22-23

Highlight Verses:

““Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”
“God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭22‬:‭5‬, ‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Call me a heretic but I’m not sure that Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son.

Yes, he got right up to the point of raising the knife but look at verses 5 and 8.

I think that Abraham trusted that God would save Isaac’s life all along.

Abraham walked as closely with God as anyone in that era. He knew the heart of God would never sacrifice Isaac.

Maybe he would have brought the knife down if God had not intervened.

But God did intervene.

God provided the sacrificial lamb just as Abraham told Isaac.

Either way, Abraham had absolute faith in God.

Would you have enough faith to act as Abraham did? I don’t think I would.
Have you ever had a situation where you had to act in this sort of absolute faith?
April 7, 2025

April 7th, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – John 15

Highlight Verse:

“I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Is there someone in your life who gives you joy when you are in their presence?

Relationships like that are precious. We value them enough to make them a top priority.

When I met my wife, I made it clear that there was one relationship that would always come before her. I expected no less from her.

That relationship is with Jesus.

It is that relationship that will remain foremost through eternity. Through that relationship comes the greatest and most pure joy possible.

Who occupies the number one priority in your life?
What do you do to pursue that relationship?
April 6, 2025

April 6th, 2025

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 37-39

Highlight Verse:

“Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This was written by David.

When he was a young adult, he led a group that protected local farms from robbers.

One farmer, Nabal, didn’t respect David and his men for what they did to protect him.

That ticked David off.

He was ready to kill Nabal.

But Abigail, Nabal’s wife stepped in and calmed his anger.

David respected that of her so much that he married her (after her husband died).

As David grew older and wiser, He learned how to control that temper to the point where he could honestly write today’s verse,

What sets off your anger?
How can you avoid that?
April 5, 2025

April 5th, 2025

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Psalm 150

Highlight Verse:

“Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭150‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A wise person once told me, “If God gave you a great voice, sing out loud in thanks. If God gave you a terrible voice, sing out louder and get even.”

Okay, maybe it was a wise guy instead of a person of wisdom.

But there’s something to be said for not being afraid to sing out in praise.

It was a camp worship leader who was the “wise guy” I quoted.

After that camp I stopped the quiet or fake singing and sang out loud in worship. I still try to be sensitive to those around me, especially when the song is out of my rather limited vocal range.

But if the worship band is loud or I’m in the car with the windows up and the music cranked, I love to sing at the top of my lungs.

Worship is one thing that blesses both God and us.

While we lift Him up, our spirits also rise.

If you haven’t, give it a try. Seriously, don’t hold back but praise God with all that you have. You won’t regret it!

What is your favorite type of worship?
What style of music do you like best? Why?
April 3, 2025

April 4th, 2025

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Isaiah 40-42

Highlight Verse:

“God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I bet some of you thought I was going to pick Isaiah 40:31.

That is one of my favorite verses.

But why would you “wait on the Lord” (trust in the Lord) if He wasn’t trustworthy.

The main way we learn to trust Him is through the Bible.

This verse is one more reason to trust God’s Word.

In a time that the vast majority of people thought the world was flat, Isaiah flips that notion with a simple scene of God presiding over a round Earth.

The Bible is not a science textbook, but when it presents scientific fact in a way that people of that day could not have known, it demonstrates that its source is far beyond earthly knowledge.

Just one more reason to believe that the Bible is truly God’s Word.

What most influences you to believe that the Bible is the Word of God?
What other verses in this chapter stand out to you? Why?
April 3, 2025

April 3rd, 2025

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Romans 14

Highlight Verse:

“Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’m eating a cookie as I write this. I jokingly accused my daughter of causing me to stumble by bringing the cookies out.

I don’t think that’s what this verse is really about.

The context surrounding this topic was that of pagan sacrifice.

Eating meat from that sacrifice could cause someone whose faith wasn’t as established to think that it was okay to worship pagan gods.

In case you’re wondering, it’s not okay to worship pagan gods.

It is okay to eat cookies unless God has convicted you that it is wrong for you. God’s still working on that with me.

Are there things that you feel convicted about that you know others have no problem with?
Do their actions cause you to stumble?
April 2, 2025

April 2nd, 2025

Wednesday – History

Reading – Judges 10-11

Highlight Verses:

“After Abimelech died, Tola son of Puah, son of Dodo, was the next person to rescue Israel. He was from the tribe of Issachar but lived in the town of Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. He judged Israel for twenty-three years. When he died, he was buried in Shamir.”
‭‭Judges‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Tola had all of 2 verses in the Bible. According to those verses, he did three things:

He rescued Israel.
He judged Israel for twenty-three years.
And he died.

But here is what is implied in verse 6.

During the entire 45 years that Tola and his successor Jair judged Israel, they kept the people of Israel from wandering into evil.

That’s no small fete.

Frankly, that could be considered a greater accomplishment than all the heroic actions of the other judges combined.

Personally, I would much rather be known for a lifetime of faithfulness that a moment of heroic triumph.

Who is your favorite Judge from the Bible so far?
Why?
April 1, 2025

April 1st, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 21

Highlight Verse:

“And Sarah declared, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭21‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Ten years ago on this day, my wife and I brought to the dinner table a sonogram of twins, telling our kids they were going to have younger siblings.

They didn’t buy it, at least not for more than a few seconds. But we all had a good laugh.

I think God loves laughter.

This verse is just one humorous moment in the Bible. Sarah’s joyous laughter is at the irony of a long barren woman having a child in her extreme old age.

The Bible is full of humorous moments:
• Balaam’s donkey
• Paul setting the Pharisees fighting against the Saducees
• Job being swallowed and vomited by a big fish.
• Jesus’ illustration of a log in your eye.
• Zacchaeus climbing a tree to see Jesus
• And many verses in Proverbs about lazy people and nagging wives.

I often picture Jesus laughing with His disciples as they hung out. While I don’t see Him as ever using inappropriate humor, I see Him as one who loves the richness of life, including laughter.

As you enjoy this April Fool’s Day, think WWMJL (What Would Make Jesus Laugh)

What story or verse in the Bible amuses you most?
In what ways can we use humor to draw people to God?
March 31, 2025

March 31st, 2025

Monday – Gospels

Reading – John 14

Highlight Verse:

“There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?”
‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This verse always reminds me of the words of the late Keith Green. “If this world took six days and that home two thousand years, man, this is living in a garbage can compared to what’s going on up there.” (I Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven, copyright 1981, Keith Green)

I honestly don’t know what heaven will be like.

I know that those who have been on the edge of it through near death experiences have reported amazing experiences that made them not want to come back here.

More important is what the Bible tells us about heaven:
• It will be beautiful – Revelation 21
• There will be worship – Revelation 5
• We won’t fear there – Matthew 6:19-20
• We’ll get there immediately upon passing – Luke 23:42-43
• We’ll be in fellowship with Jesus forever – 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18
• It will be a great celebration – Revelation 19

I could go on though it still gives us a relatively vague picture of heaven.

While we may not know that much about heaven, I know it’s where I want to go.

What is your picture of heaven?
What are you not sure will be there that you hope will be there?
March 30, 2025

March 30th, 2025

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 34-36

Highlight Verse:

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is probably my second favorite verse in the Bible.

I first found out about it as a young camp counselor assigned to lead a small group of kids from broken families (mostly divorced parents).

Almost universally, they struggled with grief. Their lives were destabilized. They often felt guilty or betrayed or both.

They needed someone who would never leave them.

This Psalm shows them that the God who never gave up on David would never give up on them. In fact, He would come closer to them.

I found that to be true in my life.

The lowest times in my life were also the times that God carried me through. Those same times were the times of greatest spiritual growth in my life.

If God is with me, I can make it through.

Has God seen you through times when you were broken-hearted?
Have you been able to use this verse or your experience to help others through hard times?

Call me a heretic but I’m not sure that Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son.

I think that Abraham trusted that God would save Isaac’s life all along.

But God did intervene.

Is there someone in your life who gives you joy when you are in their presence?

When I met my wife, I made it clear that there was one relationship that would always come before her. I expected no less from her.

That relationship is with Jesus.

That ticked David off.

But Abigail, Nabal’s wife stepped in and calmed his anger.

As David grew older and wiser, He learned how to control that temper to the point where he could honestly write today’s verse,

But there’s something to be said for not being afraid to sing out in praise.

Worship is one thing that blesses both God and us.

But why would you “wait on the Lord” (trust in the Lord) if He wasn’t trustworthy.

In a time that the vast majority of people thought the world was flat, Isaiah flips that notion with a simple scene of God presiding over a round Earth.

Just one more reason to believe that the Bible is truly God’s Word.

I don’t think that’s what this verse is really about.

Eating meat from that sacrifice could cause someone whose faith wasn’t as established to think that it was okay to worship pagan gods.

In case you’re wondering, it’s not okay to worship pagan gods.

He rescued Israel.He judged Israel for twenty-three years.And he died.

During the entire 45 years that Tola and his successor Jair judged Israel, they kept the people of Israel from wandering into evil.

Personally, I would much rather be known for a lifetime of faithfulness that a moment of heroic triumph.

I think God loves laughter.

As you enjoy this April Fool’s Day, think WWMJL (What Would Make Jesus Laugh)

I honestly don’t know what heaven will be like.

While we may not know that much about heaven, I know it’s where I want to go.

This is probably my second favorite verse in the Bible.

This Psalm shows them that the God who never gave up on David would never give up on them. In fact, He would come closer to them.

If God is with me, I can make it through.

He rescued Israel.
He judged Israel for twenty-three years.
And he died.