Walk in the Light

August 13, 2024

August 13th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Numbers 31-32

Highlight Verse;

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors.””
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭31‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Fighting a war for revenge goes against the grain for someone who believes deeply in Jesus’ teachings.

But the revenge was not for the Israelites.

Some translations call it a War of the Lord’s vengeance.

Like the Allies fight against Adolph Hitler aimed to stop the evil he espoused, the war against the Midianites was intended to stop the evil they were perpetuating through the seduction of the men of Israel into worshipping Baal.

And it worked with amazing effectiveness.

The next time you stop and wonder about all the violence in the Old Testament, we would do well to remember that

God is good and wants the best for his children and their descendants.

The very fact that I am writing this shows that He was successful.

Does your faith in God extend to trusting Him in situations that you don’t understand?
Are you willing to obey Him even when His instructions don’t make sense to you?
August 12, 2024

August 12th, 2024

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 9

Highlight Verse:

“And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!””
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭9‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Most of what Paul knew about Jesus was tainted with the perspective of the Pharisees.

But he encountered Jesus.

It changed his whole mindset.

Jesus became alive and real to Paul.

Paul couldn’t keep his mouth shut about it.

Usually, people who have just come to faith tend to stay pretty quiet.

Sure, they’ll share with their friends that their life has changed but they won’t go preaching in public since they don’t feel equipped to do that yet.

Paul jumped right in.

I’m sure he made mistakes at first. Verse 22 tells of his preaching becoming more and more powerful meaning it wasn’t as good at first.

But he had a story to tell, and he wasn’t afraid to tell it!

Do you have a story to tell about Jesus?
Is there anything stopping you from telling it?
August 11, 2024

August 11th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 3-4

Highlight Verse:

““Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter?”
‭‭Job‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The other day I was about to leave the garage at a local hospital when I saw a man on the ground in front of a wheel chair.

He had one leg.

His petite wife and young son were trying to help him get back in the chair but couldn’t. Another passerby and I helped and made sure he was okay.

After thanking us, he spent most of his time encouraging his distraught wife.

I liked his attitude.

He had recently lost a leg but he was focused on helping those around him.

I don’t like Job’s attitude.

Yes, I know that he just lost practically everything. His depression is certainly understandable. I likely would have had the same attitude.

But I have to wonder how different the conversation would have been if he had taken the attitude of the man with one leg and

focused on others first.

Have you suffered a significant loss?
What was your attitude through it? (No judgement here)
How did it change over time?
August 10, 2024

August 10th, 2024

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Acts 17:10-15

Highlight Verse:

“And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭17‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Confession time.

All my life I’ve been addicted,

To learning.

Seriously, I’ve always been a curious soul.

Even today, I watch a lot of You-Tube and most of the videos I watch are some kind of documentary.

I’ve gone to college twice.

The first time I went because I needed to figure out my career path.

The second time was Bible college.

I did much better at Bible college, partly because I was older and more disciplined.

Mostly it was because I really wanted to learn more about the Bible and God.

I still do.

In fact, that’s the main reason I do these devotions, since it forces me to dig a little deeper into my daily Bible reading.

As we enter into another school year, ask yourself what you would really like to learn more about. And do it!

What is it that you would most like to learn more about?
What is your next step in starting that learning process?
August 9, 2024

August 9th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Jonah 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?” “Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!””
‭‭Jonah‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jonah had anger issues.

Last week we saw that he was so angry at the Assyrians that he didn’t want to warn them about the wrath of God.

Today he got angry at God for letting a plant die.

But…

Don’t miss this…

God used Jonah to save 120 thousand people!

We all have our faults.

We shouldn’t ignore them and should be striving to improve ourselves our whole lives long.

But we should never think that God can’t use us because we aren’t perfect!

God uses imperfect people because that’s what He has to work with.

If He didn’t use imperfect people, nothing would ever get done.

Is there anything you’ve been putting off or a call that you’ve been ignoring because you think you’re not good enough?
If you were good enough, what could God do through you?
Are you willing to let Him do that through you anyway? He can you know.
August 8, 2024

August 8th, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelation 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

The Ephesians were doing really well. John was full of compliments for them – until he got to the subject of their passion for God.

I dare say this is the number one problem with the Church in America today.

We let church become a boring place of religion.

Where’s the excitement in that?

Instead it should be a place we get to gather together with a family we would die for, led by a Father who is incredibly wise and powerful.

Of course, the number two problem in the Church might be people living by their passions instead of by the Word of God.

There must be a place where zeal for God and his ways can be paired with inspired and intelligent application of God’s Word, where passion meets scholarship – where zeal meets accurate information.

Are you the passionate believer who can sometimes ignore the Scripture
Or, are you living by dispassionate devotion?
August 7, 2024

August 7th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Chronicles 25-27

Highlight Verse:

“But King Jehoash of Israel replied to King Amaziah of Judah with this story: “Out in the Lebanon mountains, a thistle sent a message to a mighty cedar tree: ‘Give your daughter in marriage to my son.’ But just then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and stepped on the thistle, crushing it!”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭25‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’ll probably regret writing this but I can’t read this verse without thinking of the 1969 film “Bambi Meets Godzilla.”

I won’t stoop to describing it other than you can guess from the title what happens. Look it up if you must but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Why would God have this little taste of dark humor put in the Bible here?

I think it’s so we’ll remember it.

That worked for me.

I bet you’ll remember it too.

That simple message of God not backing those who trust in their own strength has worked its way into my psyche since the first time I read this story.

God uses astounding stories, dramatic stories, music, and poetry to help us get to know Him.

Why not humor?

So, when you read this, laugh a little and learn.

What is your favorite humorous story from the Bible?
Do you have any good sermon jokes you can share here? (Don’t get me started.)
August 6, 2024

August 5th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Numbers 29-30

Highlight Verse:

““Five days later, on the fifteenth day of the same month, you must call another holy assembly of all the people, and you may do no ordinary work on that day. It is the beginning of the Festival of Shelters, a seven-day festival to the Lord.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭29‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The three festivals mentioned in this chapter are still celebrated today.

Rosh Hashanah or Festival of Trumpets

marks the celebration of harvest and prepares one for the holy days to come. The blowing of the trumpet or Shofar (ram’s horn) signifies the presence and provision of God.

You Kippur or Day of Atonement is the annual commemoration of God forgiveness for His people. It is a time of worship, repentance and focusing on God. It is the most holy day on the Hebrew calendar.

Sukkot or the Festival of Tabernacles provides a practical illustration of when God led His people through the wilderness. It is a seven-day festival involving living or at least feasting in temporary shelters.

God required His people to observe these festivals so they would remember their special relationship with Him.

We would do well to remember these and other festivals that keep us centered on God.

What holy day means the most to you?
Why?
August 5, 2024

August 5th, 2024

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 8

Highlight Verse:

““Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t happen to me!””
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭8‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In just over a week, it will have been 47 years since I committed my life to Jesus.

In those early days, my heart was for Jesus but my understanding was very limited.

I messed up a lot.

I’m still good at planting my foot firmly in my mouth.

I can relate to Simon.

Peter let him know in no uncertain terms that he had some stinkin’ thinkin’.

We need to listen to those Peters in our lives that yank us back to better thinking.

Sometimes we need to be the Peter in someone else’s life.

How have people corrected you in your life?
How did you respond to their correction?
Have you been that person who brings correction?
August 4, 2024

August 4th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 1-2

Highlight Verse:

“One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Let’s get straight to the elephant in the room in regard to Job.

Is it historically true?

That question is raised right here at the beginning by the fact that no human could have possibly witnessed what was said in the meeting described here.

I am not opposed to the notion that there is fiction in the Bible.

That is to say that there were stories made to teach a lesson.

The most obvious examples are most of Jesus’ parables.

While this book is poetic, I don’t believe it falls into that category.

Parables are normally told about unnamed characters. Job has a name and a context within Israel. Job’s friends are named as well and echo the orthodox theology of the culture in which it was written.

This opening scene would have been either conjecture on the part of the author or divinely revealed to the author (who remains anonymous).

I don’t have a problem with those who believe it is poetic fiction,

but I think its lessons are far more profound in a true historical context.

What do you think? Is this book historically accurate or just divinely inspired fiction?
What makes you think that?

Some translations call it a War of the Lord’s vengeance.

And it worked with amazing effectiveness.

God is good and wants the best for his children and their descendants.

Paul couldn’t keep his mouth shut about it.

But he had a story to tell, and he wasn’t afraid to tell it!

He had one leg.

I liked his attitude.

focused on others first.

All my life I’ve been addicted,

Mostly it was because I really wanted to learn more about the Bible and God.

As we enter into another school year, ask yourself what you would really like to learn more about. And do it!

Jonah had anger issues.

God used Jonah to save 120 thousand people!

But we should never think that God can’t use us because we aren’t perfect!

Why would God have this little taste of dark humor put in the Bible here?

I think it’s so we’ll remember it.

Why not humor?

Rosh Hashanah or Festival of Trumpets

You Kippur or Day of Atonement is the annual commemoration of God forgiveness for His people. It is a time of worship, repentance and focusing on God. It is the most holy day on the Hebrew calendar.

We would do well to remember these and other festivals that keep us centered on God.

I messed up a lot.

I can relate to Simon.

We need to listen to those Peters in our lives that yank us back to better thinking.

Is it historically true?

I am not opposed to the notion that there is fiction in the Bible.

The most obvious examples are most of Jesus’ parables.

but I think its lessons are far more profound in a true historical context.