Walk in the Light

December 9, 2024

December 9th, 2024

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 26

Highlight Verse:

“Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?””
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭26‬:‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Why did he say, “so quickly?” Was Agrippa leaning toward believing?

I don’t know the answer to that, but I do know that Paul stays on task here.

God called him to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Paul stays consistent in working on that task whether it be with the average Joe or King Agrippa.

And he is rewarded with a trip to Rome so he can complete his calling.

I wish I could stay on task that consistently.

Maybe I can.

How consistently have you stayed on task with what God has called you to?
What would help you to stay on target?
December 8, 2024

December 8th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 37

Highlight Verses:

““My heart pounds as I think of this. It trembles within me. Listen carefully to the thunder of God’s voice as it rolls from his mouth.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭37‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I love thunderstorms!

There’s something about the the massive power unleashed in each lightning bolt.

But that’s not the part of nature that really stirs my heart.

When I lived in the Santa Cruz area, I would go down to West Cliff Drive and sit by the edge of the cliffs watching the waves pound the walls.

If there was a storm offshore, the waves would make the ground vibrate and would send water high above the edge of the cliff.

There are 390,000 miles of ocean shoreline in the world holding 352,670,000,000,000,000,000 gallons of water.

Imagine if you could hear the symphony of all the waves crashing around the world.

God can.

If your heart needs stirring at the grandeur of God’s power, I highly recommend a trip to the ocean.

Then remember that God made all that with the sound of His voice.

What stirs your heart in regards to the grandeur of God?
When is the last time you experienced that?
December 7, 2024

December 7th, 2024

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Luke 1:26-38

Highlight Verse:

“Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The morning of December 7th, 1941 was a very confusing time for Americans, especially those on the island of Oahu.

When the forces of Japan attacked, they must have felt desperate and alone.

But they answered the call with many more of the Allies to fight and to support the fight for freedom.

They rallied and over the course of the next four years accomplished the victory that was so desperately needed.

The day that Gabriel appeared to Mary, she must have felt confused and alone.

Her world was crashing around her at the news that she would bear a child that didn’t belong to her fiancé.

But she humbly submitted to God’s challenge for her.

She and Joseph rallied and accomplished the task of parenting the most important child of all time.

We would be wise to bravely face the challenges God has set before us and rally for the heavenly victory He has promised.

With what has God challenged you?
What is your response to that challenge?
December 6, 2024

December 6th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Zechariah 11-12

Highlight Verse:

“This illustrates how I will give this nation a shepherd who will not care for those who are dying, nor look after the young, nor heal the injured, nor feed the healthy. Instead, this shepherd will eat the meat of the fattest sheep and tear off their hooves.”
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭11‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I realized after reading this verse that the 30 pieces of silver being thrown to the potter was not the only prophecy in this chapter.

Zechariah predicted the uncaring, politically motivated high priest in power during Jesus’ time in Jerusalem.

As terrible of a person that he was, we can be thankful this prophecy was fulfilled.

Without that terrible high priest, the sacrifice for our sins may have never been made.

But it was – thanks again to God, who sees the big picture.

Are there prophecies from the Bible that amaze you as this one amazes me?
Can you begin to see how God’s ways are far beyond ours?
December 5, 2024

December 5th, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelation 19

Highlight Verse:

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭19‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I just read on enduringword.com (one of my research sources for these commentaries) that in Biblical times,

a wedding began with a procession to the bride’s home to pick up the bride

followed by a procession to the groom’s home where the feast would take place.

This wedding began at Bethlehem 2000 years ago.

The bride is the entirety of the Church over all time.

The bride has been preparing by dressing herself in the mercy and grace of salvation provided by the Groom.

This chapter speaks of the time when the Church will be complete and will proceed to heaven, the home of the Groom.

To sum that up, Advent is not just about the coming of salvation but the gathering of the Church to be the bride of Christ.

When do you think the procession to heaven and the feast to follow will take place?
Do you think it has already taken place for those who have gone on to heaven before us?
December 4, 2024

December 4th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – Esther 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage.”
‭‭Esther‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We’ve all dealt with them.

That person who blows a gasket any time things don’t go exactly as they want.

Haman was an extreme narcissist.

He not only expected things to go his way, but he expected others to bow down to him.

I probably would have given him a piece of my mind I could ill afford to lose.

Probably not the best course of action.

Mordecai and Esther handled the situation much more wisely.

They exercised grace and patience. At the right time, they brought their plight to the King’s attention in such a way that he was disposed to favor them.

In doing so, they saved the nation of Israel.

How do you deal with difficult people?
Do you have enough patience to act as wisely as Mordecai and Esther?
December 3, 2024

December 3rd, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Deuteronomy 27-28

Highlight Verse:
“You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭28‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God’s mercy takes away the curses in these chapters when you put your trust in Him.

God’s grace will supply the blessings if you trust Him, even if you mess up sometimes.

It could be argued that the more closely you obey God’s commands and principles, the more blessings you will receive.

I can’t say if that’s 100 percent true, since there are faithful followers of Jesus in this world who struggle to make ends meet, even to survive in some cases.

I can say with certainty that the more you follow God’s path for your life, the more joy and contentment you will experience.

What more blessing do we need?

How has God blessed you in your obedience to His call?
Have you ever experienced frustration and pain during times of disobedience to God?
December 2, 2024

December 2nd, 2024

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 25

Highlight Verse:

“If I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!””
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭25‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

At first, I thought it brave of Paul to say he doesn’t refuse to die.

But, of course, he hadn’t done anything worthy of death.

What if he had?

I know Paul hadn’t but there are plenty of people who have done illegal things and then repented.

God forgives them of all sin no matter how severe.

But that doesn’t exempt them from the penalties of the law.

I’ve had a handful of speeding tickets and several parking tickets over the years.

I assure you that God forgave me of those violations.

But I still had to pay the fines.

The same is true for every illegal action, even if the penalty is death.

We should be willing to face our earthly penalties, knowing that they are temporary and if we trust in Jesus and His grace and mercy,

they won’t follow us into eternal life.

Are there earthly penalties you’ve had to pay?
Are there penalties you’ve been avoiding?
December 1, 2024

December 1st, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 35-36

Highlight Verse:

““Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭36‬:‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Some of what Elihu says is his speech is correct. God is greater than we can understand.

You might say, “but we can learn about God through the Bible.”

That is true, but words alone cannot describe God.

He created the universe and all that is in it.

That means He existed before the first word of creation was spoken.

He will be here long after the Earth is gone.

So, yes, we should learn as much as we can about Him through His Word.

But we should always keep an attitude of wonder knowing that someday, we shall meet Him face to face and begin to learn that which is beyond our earthly grasp.

What question(s) would you like to ask God when you meet Him in Heaven?
When you see that His ways are far beyond what we can understand, how does that make you feel?
November 30, 2024

November 30th, 2024

Held over from Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelations 18

Highlight Verse:

“Rejoice over her fate, O heaven and people of God and apostles and prophets! For at last God has judged her for your sakes.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭18‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Confession time.

Every once in a while, I buy a lottery ticket.

You don’t have to say it, I know it’s foolishness.

I imagine all the good things I could do for people and the ministries I could support.

And then the longing for material things creeps in.

Scholars call the Babylon of Revelations 18 the commercial Babylon as opposed to the religious Babylon of chapter 17.

In other words, the Babylon of chapter 18 is the temptation to seek worldly wealth and pleasure.

That is why we should rejoice at its destruction.

In the end of time, those temptations will be gone, along with my temptation to buy lottery tickets, and the many other temptations the world has to offer.

That, my friends, is reason to celebrate!

In the meantime, we must keep up the struggle against such things and help each other seek after that which matters.

What is it that matters most to you?
What are ways that you’ve used to combat temptation?

Paul stays consistent in working on that task whether it be with the average Joe or King Agrippa.

Maybe I can.

I love thunderstorms!

Imagine if you could hear the symphony of all the waves crashing around the world.

Then remember that God made all that with the sound of His voice.

The morning of December 7th, 1941 was a very confusing time for Americans, especially those on the island of Oahu.

They rallied and over the course of the next four years accomplished the victory that was so desperately needed.

The day that Gabriel appeared to Mary, she must have felt confused and alone.

She and Joseph rallied and accomplished the task of parenting the most important child of all time.

With what has God challenged you?What is your response to that challenge?

As terrible of a person that he was, we can be thankful this prophecy was fulfilled.

But it was – thanks again to God, who sees the big picture.

a wedding began with a procession to the bride’s home to pick up the bride

This chapter speaks of the time when the Church will be complete and will proceed to heaven, the home of the Groom.

To sum that up, Advent is not just about the coming of salvation but the gathering of the Church to be the bride of Christ.

Haman was an extreme narcissist.

Mordecai and Esther handled the situation much more wisely.

In doing so, they saved the nation of Israel.

God’s mercy takes away the curses in these chapters when you put your trust in Him.

God’s grace will supply the blessings if you trust Him, even if you mess up sometimes.

I can say with certainty that the more you follow God’s path for your life, the more joy and contentment you will experience.

What if he had?

But I still had to pay the fines.

they won’t follow us into eternal life.

Some of what Elihu says is his speech is correct. God is greater than we can understand.

That is true, but words alone cannot describe God.

But we should always keep an attitude of wonder knowing that someday, we shall meet Him face to face and begin to learn that which is beyond our earthly grasp.

And then the longing for material things creeps in.

In other words, the Babylon of chapter 18 is the temptation to seek worldly wealth and pleasure.

In the meantime, we must keep up the struggle against such things and help each other seek after that which matters.

With what has God challenged you?
What is your response to that challenge?