Walk in the Light

May 18, 2024

May 18th, 2024

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Psalm 57

Highlight Verse:

“Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭57‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Spring is my favorite time of year;

Longer days, warmer temperatures, and the brown Colorado landscape turns green again.

It’s like the world in waking up from a too long night of sleep.

I to admit that I won’t likely wake the dawn tomorrow. It comes too early for that (If God wanted us to see the sunrise, He would have put it later in the day).

Besides, I was up before the sun all week.

But that’s not what this passage is talking about it.

What a joy it is to awaken the soul.

Like cleaning the junk out of the garage, now is a good time to clear the junk from my life.

Freed from the tether of the sinful junk that slows me down, I will thrive.

Do you have junk that slows you down?
What would it take to free yourself from those chains.
May 17, 2024

May 17th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Hosea 9-10

Highlight Verse:

“The time of Israel’s punishment has come; the day of payment is here. Soon Israel will know this all too well. Because of your great sin and hostility, you say, “The prophets are crazy and the inspired men are fools!””
‭‭Hosea‬ ‭9‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Can you imagine a time when people who spoke out for righteousness were called crazy and those who championed faith were called fools?

Sorry, sarcasm is my native language.

But the situation in the northern kingdom of Israel in the days just before the exile bears a marked resemblance to America today.

Yes, the world is different today and Jesus has already paid the price for sin.

Even so, I believe we would do well to learn from the failures of Israel before the exile and bring more faith and faithfulness back to our society.

I do not want to make this political.

I do want to see revival in our land!

How do we do that?
What do you believe is our next step to bring that about?
May 16, 2024

May 16th, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – 1 Peter 1-2

Highlight Verse:

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

And you thought that “born again” was some cheesy American Christian phrase.

Granted, the King James say “hath begotten us again.”

Same thing.

The important part is the fact that putting your faith in Jesus gives you a whole new life.

It’s not just a different philosophy or outlook.

It is life!

Trusting Jesus makes the Holy Spirit available to encourage and strengthen you.

It gives you a hope beyond all reason.

It gives you a life beyond any other.

Most say it gives you life after death, but did you know that it gives you new life before death too?Have you experienced that new life?
May 15, 2024

May 15th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Chronicles 19-21

Highlight Verse:

“But David was not able to go there to inquire of God, because he was terrified by the drawn sword of the angel of the Lord.”
‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭21‬:‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Today, this seems like an irrational fear.

After all, David was a “man after God’s own heart.” What did he have to fear?

Well, there was the little matter of 70 thousand people who just died in a plague because of his poor decision.

I might be a little freaked out too.

It’s easy to judge others when they have what seem to be irrational fears.

Perhaps it would be best to look at things from their perspective.

Maybe then we would understand.

But then, sometimes we don’t understand our own fears.

Do you tend to judge people for their irrational fears? (Guilty here)
How would it be different if you could see through their eyes?
May 14, 2024

May 14th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Numbers 5-6

Highlight Verse:

“‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭6‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This little section is called the Aaronic benediction.

It’s a beautiful poetic blessing in the middle of the book of Numbers.

The contrast makes it all the more powerful.

I remember a pastor who would end every service with this blessing and I would always leave church feeling like I had been truly blessed.

Try it on for size.

Bless those around you.

Then see if you feel blessed as well.

Have you ever made a practice of blessing those around you?
Can you think of occasions when this or a similar blessing would be appropriate?
May 13, 2024

May 13th, 2024

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Luke 20

Highlight Verse:

“So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭20‬:‭38‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Tonight I am typing with brand new, but cheap, keyboard.

My old but very nice keyboard seems to have typed its last. My iPad doesn’t even recognize it anymore.

I can’t complain; I’ve used it a ton.

But it’s dead.

It wore out.

Sometimes I know the feeling.

The older I get, the more worn out I feel.

Oh, I still have a bunch of good years ahead. I’m not even close to giving up.

But I know that my time will come eventually.

Then what?

I am confident from this and many other passages like it that there is a new life awaiting me.

This life is a drop in the bucket compared to what awaits.

I don’t know much in the way of specifics but I know it will be awesome.

While I look forward to completing all the plans God has for me here on Earth, I joyously anticipate heaven.

I hope to see you there.

Do you believe there is a heaven awaiting us in the next life?
What do you most look forward to in heaven?
May 12, 2024

May 12th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Proverbs 30

Highlight Verse:

“Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother. They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭30‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Don’t want to be filthy and unwashed (or any of the other nasty things in the following verses?

Thank your mother. Today!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Let’s honor each of the moms in our lives today!

Nuff said.
May 11, 2024

May 11th, 2024

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Mark 6:1-6

Highlight Verse:

“Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭6‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It just so happens that this passage is in the lesson I am planning to give to middle school students this Wednesday.

Jesus knows what it is like to be rejected by people.

The people of his hometown refused to believe Him.

Despite the fact that He knew rejection, Jesus will never reject us.

Think about it.

There is nothing that you can do that will make Him love you any less.

He will allow you to reject Him, but He will never reject you.

EVERY person who puts their trust in Jesus is welcomed into the family of God.

You can walk away from God, but He will never walk away from you.

Have you ever felt like there was no way that God could ever forgive the things you have done?
What helped you overcome that feeling?
If you haven’t overcome that, what is holding you back?
May 10, 2024

May 10th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Hosea 7-8

Highlight Verse:

“Their arrogance testifies against them, yet they don’t return to the Lord their God or even try to find him.”
‭‭Hosea‬ ‭7‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When I started reading today’s chapters, I thought, “this is kinda harsh.”

The Good News of the Bible is that there is forgiveness and new life for all who put their trust in Jesus.

This chapter doesn’t sound like God is showing these people grace.

Then I got to this verse.

The majority of the people of Israel did not trust in God.

In fact, they were outright rejecting Him in favor of “foreign Gods” and wild living.

So, I have to wonder, were they all lost?

Hosea doesn’t say.

But he is writing to someone.

I gotta believe that God had Hosea share this story so that the readers would have a chance to have their eyes opened and turn away from the evil.

That would have been a tough lesson to learn. But it beats not learning it.

Have you ever had to learn things the “hard way” through tough life experience?
What, if anything broke the chains of evil for you?
May 9, 2024

May 9th, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – James 5

Highlight Verse:

“But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.”
‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’m a storyteller.

I tend to add emphasis to my stories through colorful description, painting a picture that is sometimes more vivid than the original.

Thankfully, James is not speaking of storytelling here, but he is warning against exaggerating about our decisions.

Let your yes be yes and your no be no.

In other words, just be honest.

If we are completely honest, there’s no need to invoke heaven or earth to back our decisions.

Just be honest.

Did any other verses jump out at you in James 5?
Share what you saw!

Spring is my favorite time of year;

What a joy it is to awaken the soul.

Can you imagine a time when people who spoke out for righteousness were called crazy and those who championed faith were called fools?

Even so, I believe we would do well to learn from the failures of Israel before the exile and bring more faith and faithfulness back to our society.

I do want to see revival in our land!

And you thought that “born again” was some cheesy American Christian phrase.

The important part is the fact that putting your faith in Jesus gives you a whole new life.

Today, this seems like an irrational fear.

Perhaps it would be best to look at things from their perspective.

But then, sometimes we don’t understand our own fears.

It’s a beautiful poetic blessing in the middle of the book of Numbers.

Bless those around you.

Sometimes I know the feeling.

Then what?

This life is a drop in the bucket compared to what awaits.

I hope to see you there.

Thank your mother. Today!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Jesus knows what it is like to be rejected by people.

Despite the fact that He knew rejection, Jesus will never reject us.

EVERY person who puts their trust in Jesus is welcomed into the family of God.

This chapter doesn’t sound like God is showing these people grace.

So, I have to wonder, were they all lost?

I gotta believe that God had Hosea share this story so that the readers would have a chance to have their eyes opened and turn away from the evil.

Thankfully, James is not speaking of storytelling here, but he is warning against exaggerating about our decisions.

In other words, just be honest.