Walk in the Light

August 23, 2024

August 23rd, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Micah 3-4

Highlight Verse –

“People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem.”
‭‭Micah‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Does this verse refer the Temple Mount?

At this point in history, I would say that is a solid “no.”

The temple present there now points to the teachings of a very misguided man from the 6th and 7th centuries after Jesus.

What did come out from Jerusalem is the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

We are now the Temple of the Holy Spirit and He will teach us and teach through us as we seek Him in the Bible, in prayer, in worship, and in our fellow believers.

Are you open to what God is willing to teach you?
Are you willing to check what you think you heard from the Holy Spirit to see if it is in alignment with what He has taught us in the Bible?
August 22, 2024

August 22nd, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelations 4

Highlight Verse:

“From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’ve been in some pretty crazy thunderstorms before.

I’ve even been struck (indirectly) by lightning.

I’ve seen, heard, and felt the awesome power present in each lightning strike.

According to today’s verse, lightning comes from God’s throne.

Every day, about 8 million bolts of lightning hit the earth. Each bolt contains up to a billion volts of electricity.

That’s a lot.

But it’s just a tiny peek at the kingdom of heaven.

Have you ever stopped to really think about how great God is?
If you were to rewrite this chapter, to what would you compare the power of God?
August 21, 2024

August 21st, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Chronicles 31-33

Highlight Verse:

“But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the Lord his God and sincerely humbled himself before the God of his ancestors.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭33‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Did you read this whole chapter?

Manasseh was horrible!

He did every evil thing you could imagine and then some.

He sacrificed his own children IN FIRE!

How depraved and detestable can you get?

But when he repented, God forgave and restored him.

There is no one that God cannot restore.

Is there someone in your life on whom you’ve almost given up hope?
Does knowing about Manasseh renew your hope for them?
August 20, 2024

August 20th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Numbers 33-34

Highlight Verse:

“At the Lord’s direction, Moses kept a written record of their progress. These are the stages of their march, identified by the different places where they stopped along the way.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭33‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I hate paperwork.

I always have. Even now when it is almost all electronic, it seems like a waste of time – until I have to look back at something to get my facts straight.

Moses did so much paperwork that it became the first 5 books of the Bible.

In today’s snippet of his writing, we are treated to a quick synopsis of Israel’s time in the wilderness.

It helps us recognize God’s hand in Israel’s history – getting the facts straight.

Writing down our stories may very well help us understand our stories in the future, getting our facts straight.

Have you journaled or, in any other way, written down your history?
Has it helped you understand your past?
August 19, 2024

August 19th, 2024

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 10

Highlight Verse:

“But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.””
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭10‬:‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I just noticed something about this. Peter received this message from God BEFORE Cornelius and his household had accepted God’s forgiveness.

While they were certainly ready to be saved, they were not.

Usually, we interpret this passage to mean that we should not discriminate against people of other races or cultures.

What about people in our own cultures with whom we don’t normally associate.

Personally, I had a fairly rough, poor upbringing so I was familiar with some pretty rough characters and got along with most of them.

Even so, I can find myself being judgmental when someone’s style looks more appropriate for a heavy metal concert than church.

How dare I?

They are just as loved as anyone else on the planet. Chances are, they are far more likely to accept God’s grace than the wealthy businessman in a three-piece suit.

Either way, we should treat all those whom God has chosen to put in our path with the same unlimited love of God.

How easy is it for you to love those whom your culture sees as unlovable?
Have you seen God’s grace and power at work in those people?
August 18, 2024

August 18th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 5-6

Highlight Verse:

““If I were you, I would go to God and present my case to him.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s easy to blindly take Job’s side in this book. He was the victim, and his friends were lousy comforters.

But Eliphaz wasn’t all wrong. Insensitive but not necessarily wrong.

That’s especially true in this verse.

Job had lost everything. He was drowning in his little pity party.

I’d say this was a pretty good time to have a good conversation with God.

The book of Job is full of “stinkin’ thinkin’” both by Job, his wife, and his friends.

Sprinkled throughout it are little gems like this verse.

Let’s see what we can find as we read through it.

But for today:

When your world is falling apart, is God the first person you talk to?
What’s that conversation like for you?
August 17, 2024

August 17th, 2024

Saturday – Open topic

Reading – Acts 15:36-41, 2 Timothy 4:11

Highlight Verse:
“Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I asked my youngest daughter for a topic for today.

She suggested Snoopy.

Yes, that Snoopy – faithful companion to Charlie Brown.

Okay, usually faithful but sometimes off doing his own thing.

It kind of reminds me of Paul and Mark.

Early in Paul’s ministry, Mark was right beside him helping. Then he got distracted and went off to do his own thing.

Paul was upset. He couldn’t trust Mark.

But, in the end, Mark did prove himself faithful.

So much so that Paul specifically requested him to help out.

Do you have that friend who was close and faithful, until they got distracted by something or someone else? Can you be patient for them?
Are you that friend who got distracted away from your best friend(s)? Can you prove yourself faithful now?
August 16, 2024

August 16th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Micah 2

Highlight Verse:

“Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you, “I’ll preach to you the joys of wine and alcohol!” That’s just the kind of prophet you would like!”
‭‭Micah‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I cannot say when you are in the right church listening to the right preacher for you.

But I can say when it’s the wrong one.

If your church entertains you but you don’t learn there, you might be going to the wrong church.

If the preaching never challenges you, you might be going to the wrong church.

If sin is taught as something that does no harm, you might be going to the wrong church.

If you are going there just to look at all the pretty ladies or handsome guys, well, okay, that’s on you not your church. But you get the point.

We all want to hear teaching that entertains us.

But if it doesn’t challenge us to grow in some aspect of our faith, there’s something seriously missing.

Does the teaching at your church challenge you?
Are you actively seeking to be challenged?
August 15, 2024

August 15th, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelation 3

Highlight Verse:

““Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I must admit that part of me wants to be a prepper.

We already have a good amount of food and provisions for heat and refrigeration should there be a disaster.

If I had plenty of money, I would be tempted to prepare far more.

But I don’t worry about it.

This verse and others like it assure me that I will be protected in one way or another through any hard time.

Notice the verse does not say that we’ll be able to avoid the time of testing; just that God will protect us through it.

While there’s nothing wrong with being prepared for anything,

we should always trust God to see us through every time.

Are you currently in a time of testing?
Do you believe God will see you through it?
August 14, 2024

August 14th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Chronicles 28-30

Highlight Verse:

“In the very first month of the first year of his reign, Hezekiah reopened the doors of the Temple of the Lord and repaired them.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭29‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Hezekiah had a bad dad.

His dad did away with any vestige of worship to the Lord.

Not everyone takes after their parents.

Hezekiah’s faith in the Lord was so strong that he didn’t waste any time. As soon as he was able, he restored the Hebrew faith to Israel.

When I first came to faith as a teenager, there was a little rebellion involved.

My dad was an atheist and my mom was indifferent at that time.

So I jumped in with both feet.

It has been well worth it.

Are you a rebel Christian or are you following in the faith of your family?
Like Hezekiah, are you diving right in to restoring every bit of worship that you can?

Does this verse refer the Temple Mount?

What did come out from Jerusalem is the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

I’ve seen, heard, and felt the awesome power present in each lightning strike.

But it’s just a tiny peek at the kingdom of heaven.

Manasseh was horrible!

He sacrificed his own children IN FIRE!

There is no one that God cannot restore.

I hate paperwork.

Writing down our stories may very well help us understand our stories in the future, getting our facts straight.

What about people in our own cultures with whom we don’t normally associate.

How dare I?

Either way, we should treat all those whom God has chosen to put in our path with the same unlimited love of God.

But Eliphaz wasn’t all wrong. Insensitive but not necessarily wrong.

I’d say this was a pretty good time to have a good conversation with God.

She suggested Snoopy.

It kind of reminds me of Paul and Mark.

But, in the end, Mark did prove himself faithful.

But I can say when it’s the wrong one.

We all want to hear teaching that entertains us.

But if it doesn’t challenge us to grow in some aspect of our faith, there’s something seriously missing.

I must admit that part of me wants to be a prepper.

But I don’t worry about it.

we should always trust God to see us through every time.

Hezekiah had a bad dad.

Not everyone takes after their parents.

When I first came to faith as a teenager, there was a little rebellion involved.