Walk in the Light

September 6, 2024

September 6th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Micah 7

Highlight Verse:

“How miserable I am! I feel like the fruit picker after the harvest who can find nothing to eat. Not a cluster of grapes or a single early fig can be found to satisfy my hunger.”
‭‭Micah‬ ‭7‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have you ever felt like that, especially for the same kind of reasons as Micah.

Micah was upset that Israel had gone so far away from God – “not one honest person is left on the earth.” (V. 2)

I’ve felt that way.

Even tonight as my daughter told me about how the students at the high school football game she attended just left their trash all over.

I know that’s only trash but it’s a symptom of the entitlement generation that would say, “they don’t pay me to pick up the trash so why should I?”

Micah would have recognized the symptoms right away.

You drop God from the equation, and you cut the main motivation for doing good.

But there is hope.

Micah would point us to verse 7 where Micah is confident in the help that the Lord will send.

There are many in the next generation who, like my daughter, look to God for their hope and their value.

They are reason to hope!

Are you helping to reach the next generation?
Are you willing to do what you can to help bring hope to a generation in great need of it?
September 5, 2024

September 5th, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelation 6

Highlight Verse:

“Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭6‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Mankind has already had a taste of the first four seals. Conquest, war, famine, and disease have already reeked havoc over parts of the world.

Theologically, it seems likely that what is described here will be far more widespread.

Regardless of that, the fifth seal is different.

I can’t say that I fully understand it.

What I do understand is that those who stood up for God under threat of death have a special place in God’s kingdom.

Here they are given special privileges (signified by the white robe) and encouragement.

I certainly have no desire to be faced with the decision to renounce God or die, but

I’d like to believe that I would stand firm if it did come to that.

What would you do if you were faced with the decision to renounce God or die?
How can you prepare yourself to make the right decision before you get in that situation?
September 4, 2024

September 4th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – Ezra 1-2

Highlight Verse:

““This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.”
‭‭Ezra‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Sometimes God uses unexpected people to get His message across.

In the American church community, we tend to be quick to dismiss someone because they don’t meet our expectations of what a Christian leader should be.

Cancel culture is alive and well in the church community.

But sometimes God chooses to use someone who does not meet our standards to reach people.

King Cyrus was not a Jewish believer. He supported the beliefs of the people in each region that he conquered, therefore he supported the Hebrew religion.

As far as I can tell, God was just fine with that. Perhaps He even inspired King Cyrus to restore the temple.

The bottom line is, despite the fact that Cyrus was clearly not a believer, God was able to use him to bring people to himself.

We could learn from that by not refusing to listen when people who don’t believe do things that bring people to God.

During the triumphal entry, Jesus said that if the people would not worship Him, even the rocks would cry out in praise.

I think God would use unbelievers to bring praise to Him before He would make the rocks do it.

Have you ever seen God use an unbeliever to bring about great change?
How can you tell when an unbeliever is doing God’s will?
September 3, 2024

September 3rd, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Deuteronomy 1-2

Highlight Verse:

““Then you confessed, ‘We have sinned against the Lord! We will go into the land and fight for it, as the Lord our God has commanded us.’ So your men strapped on their weapons, thinking it would be easy to attack the hill country.”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭1‬:‭41‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A few years ago (okay, almost 30 years ago), I was driving down a freeway in a rainstorm. I rounded a curve at well below the speed limit, but water was running across the pavement so the back end of my little pickup broke loose.

A good driver would have steered into the skid just enough to maintain control.

I steered too far.

The overreaction caused me to lose control long enough to hit the guardrail. Once I had lost control, the opportunity to stay safely on the road was gone.

Israel’s overreaction caused them to be soundly defeated by the Amorites.

That was because they refused to listen to the Lord. (Verse 43)

There are times in our lives when we realize that we are in error. It’s easy to think we can correct that error by going back and doing what we were supposed to do in the first place.

Sometimes that’s the right thing to do.

Sometimes it isn’t.

Instead of jumping right back into a missed opportunity, we need to be sure that opportunity is still there.

Otherwise, we may be jumping right into a face plant (or a guardrail).

Have you ever missed an opportunity only to try to get it back and fail?
What do you do to listen to God’s guidance when you know you’ve missed and opportunity?
September 2, 2024

September 2nd, 2024

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 12

Highlight Verse –

“Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭12‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Church was in the middle of serious persecution.

One would expect them to run and hide.

Maybe some did.

But God didn’t.

The Holy Spirit could not be stopped.

The Holy Spirit cannot be stopped today.

If you welcome Him, God will work in and through you no matter the situation around you.

Do you have stories of how God worked in your impossible situations? Share them.
Are you discouraged by your situation? Let God work on, in, and through you.
September 1, 2024

September 1st, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 9-10

Highlight Verse:

“If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭9‬:‭33‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“If only…”

Oh wait.

There is a mediator now.

His name is Jesus.

Was Job’s speech prophetic?
Did God respond to this message by sending Jesus?
August 31, 2024

August 31st, 2024

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Matthew 20:1-16

Highlight Verse:

“Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭20‬:‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This parable highlights the fact that heaven and all its benefits is available to every believer whether they repented earlier in life or minutes before passing away.

What it also shows is compassion of an employer toward his workers. He made sure the workers would not go hungry when they couldn’t find work for the day.

In compassion, the employer pays them all the same.

Labor Day celebrates and honors physical laborers.

President Grover Cleveland signed the day into law to help alleviate tensions after the violent Pullman Strike of 1894.

The shift away from an agricultural economy to an industrial economy saw some greedy factory owners creating harsh and unfair working conditions.

In short, they didn’t not consider compassion in their employment practices. As a result, workers revolted.

Those revolts resulted in much better conditions today (for the most part).

I can’t help but think that it would have been much better if those conditions could have been created out of compassion for workers rather than revolt.

As we enjoy our barbecue and time with family, we would do well to lift up those whose physical labor built this country.

We would do even better if we let the compassion of Christ rule the way we treat others.
August 30, 2024

August 30th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Micah 5-6

Highlight Verse:

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.”
‭‭Micah‬ ‭5‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I grew up in California suburbs. Only about a fifth of my life has been spent in small towns or in the country.

But I’m a small-town boy at heart.

For that reason, I love the fact that God chose to use a small town in which to make His entrance into the world.

God seems to make a habit of using seemingly insignificant places and people to make a big impact.

• He used Bethlehem as the setting for Jesus’ birth.
• He used Nazareth as the place where Jesus was raised.
• He chose people like Gideon, Ruth, Rahab, and that young shepherd David to hinge history around.

That means He can use me, and He can use you.

Have you ever felt so insignificant that you couldn’t possibly make a difference?
Do you trust God enough to let Him use you to make an impact on those around you?
August 29, 2024

August 29th, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelation 5

Highlight Verse:

“And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.””
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I once worshiped with 35,000 other men at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

It was amazing.

If the sound of 35,000 sweaty dehydrated men in the North Carolina heat could sound amazing, what will it be like when every single creature on this planet worships God?

I’ll admit that Revelation has some pretty scary stuff going on,

but moments like this will outshine everything.

So, here’s my plan – I’ll live out my life in such a way that the heavenly choir is as big as possible and has plenty to celebrate.

What’s your plan?
Are you looking forward to the end times?
August 28, 2024

August 28th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Chronicles 34-36

Highlight Verse:

“During the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David. Then in the twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all the pagan shrines, the Asherah poles, and the carved idols and cast images.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭34‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Josiah was 8 when his reign began.

He was 16 when when he began to seek God.

When he was 20, He began to live out his faith.

He started strong and he started young.

He showed us a good example of living out faith.

While it is too late for me to start young, I am in a good position to make a positive change in the lives of young people today, helping them to start young.

Where has God called you to make a positive change?
Have you started yet?

I’ve felt that way.

Micah would have recognized the symptoms right away.

But there is hope.

Regardless of that, the fifth seal is different.

What I do understand is that those who stood up for God under threat of death have a special place in God’s kingdom.

I’d like to believe that I would stand firm if it did come to that.

Sometimes God uses unexpected people to get His message across.

The bottom line is, despite the fact that Cyrus was clearly not a believer, God was able to use him to bring people to himself.

I think God would use unbelievers to bring praise to Him before He would make the rocks do it.

That was because they refused to listen to the Lord. (Verse 43)

Instead of jumping right back into a missed opportunity, we need to be sure that opportunity is still there.

But God didn’t.

The Holy Spirit could not be stopped.

The Holy Spirit cannot be stopped today.

“If only…”

His name is Jesus.

Labor Day celebrates and honors physical laborers.

I can’t help but think that it would have been much better if those conditions could have been created out of compassion for workers rather than revolt.

But I’m a small-town boy at heart.

God seems to make a habit of using seemingly insignificant places and people to make a big impact.

That means He can use me, and He can use you.

It was amazing.

but moments like this will outshine everything.

So, here’s my plan – I’ll live out my life in such a way that the heavenly choir is as big as possible and has plenty to celebrate.

He started strong and he started young.