Walk in the Light

October 7, 2024

October 7th, 2024

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 17

Highlight Verse:

“For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭17‬:‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I once attended a service at a church that reached out to refugees from a certain country I will refrain from naming.

There was a potluck buffet dinner after the service.

It was mayhem.

The culture of that country had no concept of lines.

The pastor, an acquaintance of mine, warned me of this cultural difference ahead of time.

He worked within their cultural norms in order to reach them with the Gospel.

Paul was sensitive to the cultures of the places he wanted to reach with the Gospel.

He did his homework and used his knowledge of the culture to help him reach the people of that culture.

When he got to a point in his preaching that the majority could not grasp, they stopped him.

Nevertheless, he reached several people in Athens.

Those started the trend that, a couple centuries later, brought a majority of Greek people to Christianity.

In what areas do you reach beyond cultural lines?
What are you doing to better understand those cultures?
October 6, 2024

October 6th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 19-20

Highlight Verse:

“And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!”
‭‭Job‬ ‭19‬:‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Some say that resurrection is a New Testament concept.

Job just blasted that theory out of the water.

Yes, it’s true that Job spent much of this chapter blaming God for what Satan did.

But that doesn’t negate the fact that Job or at least the writer of Job had a concept of the resurrection long before Jesus was resurrected.

I for one, take comfort in that.

Do you believe in resurrection?
Are you looking forward to it?
October 5, 2024

October 5th, 2024

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – 1 Thessalonians 11-18

Highlight Verse:

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“I hate going to funerals because I’m not a mourning person.” – the joke of the week as found on the wall of a medical examiner’s office.

It’s a subject no one likes to talk about.

But it is a subject that we will each face. Most of us have already faced it within our group of family and friends.

I bring it up because of the sense of humor of the people who worked at the last office I visited yesterday – the medical examiner’s office.

Don’t worry, they were respectful.

It’s just that, in their line of work, they seemed to have learned to value life.

We all want to enjoy life and make a difference while we live it here on Earth.

But this life is but a split second compared to Heaven.

I don’t know what difference we can make in heaven – I’m sure there is some.

But I know I can make a difference here.

So can you.

I say, let’s get to it.

Have you set goals that will help you make a difference in the lives of others?
What is the next thing you are going to do to meet those goals?
October 4, 2024

October 4th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Habakkuk 3

Highlight Verse:

“The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. (For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)”
‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I love the ending of Habakkuk.

He praises God regardless of the circumstances, declaring God as the source of His strength.

Then there’s this parenthetical revelation at the very end.

This whole prophecy was a song!

How cool is that?

When life is rough, and the world is crashing down – set it to music.

That sounds sarcastic but I’m serious.

There is healing in music.

If you don’t believe me, look up the backstory behind the hymn “It is Well With My Soul.”
Here’s one quick essay about it.

Has music been a means of healing in your life?
Tell us how.
October 3, 2024

October 3rd, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelations 10

Highlight Verse:

“He swore an oath in the name of the one who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and everything in them, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it. He said, “There will be no more delay.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭10‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Make no mistake. There will be a day when all this will come to pass.

The people in the early Church thought it would be at any time.

It’s been 2000 years.

More and more of the prophecies leading up to the end times have come true.

Now more than ever, the second coming of Jesus is imminent.

It could be tonight.

It could be another thousand years.

It’s best to live like Jesus could come back any moment while also being prepared to live a long, full life here on Earth.

In other words, live out this life of faith to its fullest and most faithful.

When you think about the second coming of Jesus, are you excited or scared (or both)?
How are you preparing for a long full life on Earth should Jesus delay that long?
October 2, 2024

October 2nd, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – Ezra 9-10

Highlight Verse:

“For the men of Israel have married women from these people and have taken them as wives for their sons. So the holy race has become polluted by these mixed marriages. Worse yet, the leaders and officials have led the way in this outrage.””
‭‭Ezra‬ ‭9‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You might say this is an odd verse for the son (me) of a white mom and a Mexican dad.

Truth be told, this chapter has always made me uncomfortable.

It sounds like it is telling us that racism is good.

But it’s not about racism.

The act of marrying non-Hebrew women in this context was an act, at least of apathy toward God, if not outright rebellion.

The marriages involved not just accepting the wives but their pagan religions as well.

If you need further proof that God is not racist, look up Rahab and Ruth,

both foreign women who accepted the Hebrew ways and were accepted not just into God’s good grace but into the bloodline of the Messiah.

Have you struggled with this Scripture before?
How does it make you feel to know that this is about dedication to God instead of race?
October 1, 2024

October 1st, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Deuteronomy 9-10

Highlight Verse:

“But recognize today that the Lord your God is the one who will cross over ahead of you like a devouring fire to destroy them. He will subdue them so that you will quickly conquer them and drive them out, just as the Lord has promised.”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭9‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How many times have you been stuck in the wilderness, stuck on the edge of “The Promised Land” but you just can’t seem to make it?

I’ve been there.

Those battles that stand in the way seem impossible.

They are.

But it’s not up to us to fight them.

It is up to us to trust the one who will fight for us.

When we trust, we can step over that border in victory, praising the one who bought that victory for us.

Can you share any victory stories?
Can we pray for the victory in your situation?
September 30, 2024

September 30th, 2024

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 16

Highlight Verse:

“That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!””
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭16‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Long ago, a missionary family that was on leave from their location in the Macedonian region sang a song that they had made up from today’s highlight verse.

It was incredibly corny.

I didn’t see a vision or feel called to rush over to Macedonia.

Nor can I say that I have ever seen any visions like Paul.

But I have felt the Holy Spirit lead me.

Paul was constantly focused on God in prayer, study, and discussion.

The more focused on the Lord I get, the easier it is to hear His leading.

This is especially true when it comes to prayer and studying the Bible.

Have you seen genuine visions or felt the definite leading of God?
What helps you discern that leading?
How do you discern its authenticity?
September 29, 2024

September 29th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 17-18

Highlight Verse:

““How long before you stop talking? Speak sense if you want us to answer!”
‭‭Job‬ ‭18‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

These are the words of the shortest man in the Bible – Bildad the “Shoe-height.”

Sorry, I just had to.

Seriously, this friend of Job’s came to “comfort” him and ends up rudely arguing with him.

What was he thinking?

But then, I’ve probably done the same thing.

Maybe not so blatantly.

But it’s not hard to misread a situation and make untrue assumptions.

When we make assumptions, it is very easy to be insensitive.

The solution.

It may be cliché, but it’s true that God gave us two ears and one mouth.

We should listen before we speak.

By listening, I don’t mean letting the other person talk while you formulate a response.

I do mean actually listening to everything they say and asking for clarification if needed.

Then responding when appropriate.

I wish I could say I always do that. I’m still learning. You wanna learn with me?

How well would you say you listen?
How well would your spouse or friends say you listen?
September 28, 2024

September 28th, 2024

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Matthew 5:13-16

Highlight Verse:

““You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

My very first public speech was on the subject of smiling.

It served me well, taking me to the Virginia 4H State Congress in my senior year of high school.

It has served me well since.

Almost every time I share a smile, I get one back.

One time, at a conference, something made me smile and someone commented that it was the first time they had seen me smile that day. I was horrified and apologized. It must have been a stressful day.

Just like that simple smile can spread joy anywhere we share it, so too the Good News of Jesus, shared openly and honestly, can spread great joy.

When I share my smiles, it is out of the joy that Jesus supplies in abundance.

When I share the Gospel, it is not out of an obligation or guilty feeling. Rather, it is out of an honest desire to bring the joy that is within me to other people.

Do you have joy to share with others?
How do you share the source of that joy with others?

He worked within their cultural norms in order to reach them with the Gospel.

He did his homework and used his knowledge of the culture to help him reach the people of that culture.

Those started the trend that, a couple centuries later, brought a majority of Greek people to Christianity.

Some say that resurrection is a New Testament concept.

Job just blasted that theory out of the water.

I for one, take comfort in that.

It’s a subject no one likes to talk about.

But this life is but a split second compared to Heaven.

But I know I can make a difference here.

I love the ending of Habakkuk.

This whole prophecy was a song!

There is healing in music.

Make no mistake. There will be a day when all this will come to pass.

Now more than ever, the second coming of Jesus is imminent.

In other words, live out this life of faith to its fullest and most faithful.

Truth be told, this chapter has always made me uncomfortable.

But it’s not about racism.

If you need further proof that God is not racist, look up Rahab and Ruth,

How many times have you been stuck in the wilderness, stuck on the edge of “The Promised Land” but you just can’t seem to make it?

But it’s not up to us to fight them.

It is up to us to trust the one who will fight for us.

But I have felt the Holy Spirit lead me.

The more focused on the Lord I get, the easier it is to hear His leading.

What was he thinking?

We should listen before we speak.

I do mean actually listening to everything they say and asking for clarification if needed.

My very first public speech was on the subject of smiling.

Just like that simple smile can spread joy anywhere we share it, so too the Good News of Jesus, shared openly and honestly, can spread great joy.

When I share the Gospel, it is not out of an obligation or guilty feeling. Rather, it is out of an honest desire to bring the joy that is within me to other people.