Walk in the Light

December 16, 2023

December 16th, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Psalm 127

Highlight Verse:

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭127‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We had most of our children and a future son-in-law around the table tonight (Friday night before this is posted).

It was just pizza and decorating Christmas cookies.

Nothing spiritual.

Or was it?

I firmly believe that a good part of imparting your beliefs and values to the next generation is accomplished in the normal fun things you do with them.

In the midst of that fun, we talked about life including matters of faith (and how horrendous my angel shaped cookie looked when I was done with it – I ate the evidence).

It was a good time on multiple levels.

Our time of parenting is far too quickly transforming as our youngest is now nearly as tall as her mom.

They will always be our kids, but they will handle their own decisions and live with their own consequences – and eventually parent their own kids.

For those of you with young kids – cherish them and the time you get to spend with them. It will fly by.
For those of you with adult children – let them be adults that they may pass what you have taught them on to the next generation.
For those with no kiddos, enjoy your parents other family and friends while they are around.

What fun things do you do with your children or other family members?
How have you handled the different stages of parenting?
December 15, 2023

December 15th, 2023

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Ezekiel 13-15

Highlight Verse:

“Can your visions be anything but false if you claim, ‘This message is from the Lord,’ when I have not even spoken to you?”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭13‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

While many bemoan the fact that there are so many denominations in the Church today, I look at denominations as different parts of the body just like Paul explained to the Corinthians.

I believe the phrase “in the essentials – unity, in the non-essentials – diversity is an appropriate way to look at unifying the Church and its many divisions.

Different denominations reach out and draw different people into the family of God.

I have spent much of my adult life in Pentecostal denominations and have seen amazing works of God happen through people who are willing to believe beyond their doubts.

I have also seen abuse of spiritual gifts.

“Thus sayeth the Lord” lends an air of spirituality and authority to the words that follow. Usually, the speaker firmly believes they are speaking for God.

Far too often those words are simply an emotional response to a given situation. Usually, the words have some basis in Scripture.

Sometimes they don’t.

I’ve seen it happen. I’ve had to check on “prophecies” spoken to me to see if they agree with the Bible and I’ve seen times when they didn’t.

Please don’t think that I am saying to ignore the spiritual gifts. I have seen awesome redemption and miracles through them.

But please, check any prophecy, word of knowledge, or word of wisdom to see if it lines up with the Word of God.

Always favor the Word of God if there is a difference.

Have you ever seen a false prophecy in person?
Have you ever been given a prophecy, Word of knowledge, or Word of wisdom that ended up being exactly what you needed to hear?
Let us hear about it!
December 14, 2023

December 14th, 2023

Thursday – Letters

Reading – 1 Timothy 6

Highlight Verse:

”So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.“
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I grew up poor.

Okay, American poor.

We always had clothes, though I mainly had hand-me-downs.

And food, though not in abundance or high quality.

So, was I content?

Not usually.

Now that I’m grown, we have a nice house, plenty of food and everything we need and then some. We’re not wealthy (by American standards) but we’re not poor.

So, am I content now?

Usually.

But even now I have my moments of drooling over that new car or nicer home.

But, at the end of the day, as I walk upstairs to bed, I look around me, at the roof and walls that keep us warm and dry, and think about my family safe in their rooms, and the good meal I had just a few hours before.

In those moments, I find complete contentment and whisper a prayer of thanks for the One who provided everything for us.

Do you have moments of complete contentment?
How do they compare with your moments of envy?
Have you counted your blessings lately?
December 13, 2023

December 13th, 2023

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Kings 4-6

Highlight Verse:

“He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish.”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭4‬:‭33‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We all know that Solomon was wise, but did you know that he was also smart and well-educated?

We learn this just after learning about his wisdom, wealth, and the amazing peace and prosperity of his kingdom.

What was the source of his wisdom?

He asked for it.

The prosperity that came with that wisdom was just icing on the cake.

Not bad for the son of adulterers.

It’s a hard fact that we cannot all be Solomons. He had some family connections that couldn’t be beat.

But what if we humbly asked for wisdom like Solomon did?

I’m willing to give a try.

Have you ever asked God for wisdom?
How did God answer that prayer?
December 12, 2023

December 12th, 2023

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 30-31

Highlight Verse:

”“Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts.“
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭31‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Upon establishing the nation of Israel, a couple of the first people that God chooses are artists!

The warriors, prophets, kings and most of those kinds of people come later. Instead, God chooses Bezazel and Oholiab to make beautiful things.

Notice that God does not choose them because they are great artists. Instead, he empowers them with the right skills to prepare them for their calling to make all the beautiful things for the tabernacle.

I have done a handful of paintings. They’re not bad. But they’re not that good either.

Instead, God has equipped me for other things more appropriate for my calling.

I also happened to be blessed with a wife who is a skilled artist.

God has or will equip you for what He has called you to.

He might even bring on more callings and equip you for each.

What are some of the things that God has equipped you for?
How did you know that the calling was from God?
December 11, 2023

December 11th, 2023

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Matthew 25

Highlight Verse:

”“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?“
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭37‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What’s a sure sign of a truly righteous person?

The good comes so easily that they don’t even realize they’re doing it.

I wish I was at that place.

I’m not saying that I’d be with the goats because I never have a giving attitude. I do. But it doesn’t come naturally.

But they say the more you do something, the more natural it becomes.

I have to take a moment to digress theologically.

Jesus is not saying that you are saved by doing good things for people in need. But I believe He is saying if you are truly saved, you will do good things for those in need.

For that reason, you can be easily identified by those good deeds, even if you struggle with doing them.

Do good deeds come naturally for you? How did you get to that point?
Do you struggle with them but do them since you are seeking after the heart of God? What are you doing to make those good deeds become natural for you?
December 10, 2023

December 10th, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Proverbs 2

Highlight Verses:

”Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.“
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I went to college twice.

The first time, I went to UC Santa Cruz for 3 years (until money ran out and I had a full-time job offer).

In my thirties, I went to LIFE Bible College East for a year and a half (until my eldest daughter was born and the 100-hour work weeks became non doable).

Each time I learned a lot.

I learned many lessons that I still use today from each.

But I got so much more from Bible College.

More wisdom.

More real-life practical knowledge.

More satisfaction.

Even more fun.

I’m not saying one should never go to University. I don’t regret going to UCSC. If anything, I regret not finishing an education degree back then.

But many reject Bible College because they think it would be too religious or they don’t want to go into full-time ministry.

I never went into full-time ministry and I’m not sure I would have if I had completed my degree.

But what I learned there helped me tremendously in volunteer ministry and in life in general.

And I did it as an adult.

All this is to say, if you’re thirsty for more wisdom, consider a good Bible college, even as an older adult.

You may be pleasantly surprised how awesome it is!

How much wisdom have you gotten from your education?
Have you learned more from formal education or from life?
December 9, 2023

December 9th, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Psalm 147:12-18

Highlight Verse:

”He sends the snow like white wool; he scatters frost upon the ground like ashes.“
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭147‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Sorry, but, since it’s snowing outside as I write this, I couldn’t resist the topic.

I grew up in California. Where I lived, accumulating snow was very rare.

The writer of this Psalm lived in the Middle East. Snow would have been even more rare for them.

I can imagine it was as much a thing of wonder to them as it was for me.

When I was sixteen, we moved to the mountains of southwest Virginia. That first winter, we got quite a bit of snow.

It was a thing of beauty, covering all the imperfections of the land in a pure white coating.

Many compare it to the purifying work of grace, covering all our imperfections.

That analogy isn’t perfect since snow melts, but it paints a beautiful picture of grace.

So, the next time you see snow (those here in Colorado, look out the window as you read this), think of how beautiful the land looks covered in white and know that is how God sees you when you accept His covering of grace and mercy.

Only after that are you allowed to grumble because you need to shovel yet again. 🙂

Have you accepted that covering of grace and mercy?
If you have, do you realize how pure you appear to God?
If not, what’s holding you back?
December 8, 2023

December 8th, 2023

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Ezekiel 10-12

Highlight Verse:

“And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭11‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

As the kid and adult who was usually the one most likely to obey the rules among my group of friends or family members.

For some reason, that was often equated with being unemotional or even cold-hearted.

That’s why I was drawn to the line about a tender, responsive heart.

With a tender, responsive heart you are far more likely to have a passion for bringing joy to the heart of God.

You’re also far more likely to be the hands and feet of a loving God, bringing that heart of God to those in need of it.

Those with a hard heart have no concept of the joy we get when our hearts are aligned with God’s. They have no idea how fun it is to walk on the path that He has set out for us.

Don’t believe me? Prove me wrong. Seek after the heart of God and act on God’s calling for your life.

Then tell me how your heart fared.

Have you experienced a joyful softening of your heart through following God’s heart? Share it!
Are you struggling to find joy in the midst of a religious life? Ditch the religion and seek the heart of God! Then share it. (BTW, that doesn’t mean to ditch church. We need each other.)
December 7, 2023

December 7th, 2023

Thursday – Letters

Reading – 1 Timothy 5

Highlight Verse:

“If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way right up front. I believe that, if you take this verse in context and apply it within today’s culture, then it applies to both men and women.

If you believe otherwise, I have no problem with you holding an opposing opinion.

Let’s not let that get in the way of the real point here. We should make sure our elderly parents are taken care of.

Depending on where you live, income and assets, and their needs, what that means for each person can vary greatly.

Reading on, we find that, in that culture, the Church met the needs of widows.

Again, this is open to interpretation.

But, I think we can agree that the church should play some part in providing for those in need. In todays culture, this could be as simple as donating to a food bank or a shelter.

Generosity and social responsibility are principals which should be valued by both the local church and churchgoer. It should not be left entirely to government to take care of.

What is your take on this verse?
Should it be the adult children who bear the responsibility for elderly relatives?
What should our roles be toward caring for the needy?

Nothing spiritual.

Or was it?

They will always be our kids, but they will handle their own decisions and live with their own consequences – and eventually parent their own kids.

Different denominations reach out and draw different people into the family of God.

I have also seen abuse of spiritual gifts.

Far too often those words are simply an emotional response to a given situation. Usually, the words have some basis in Scripture.

Always favor the Word of God if there is a difference.

So, was I content?

But even now I have my moments of drooling over that new car or nicer home.

In those moments, I find complete contentment and whisper a prayer of thanks for the One who provided everything for us.

We all know that Solomon was wise, but did you know that he was also smart and well-educated?

He asked for it.

But what if we humbly asked for wisdom like Solomon did?

Upon establishing the nation of Israel, a couple of the first people that God chooses are artists!

God has or will equip you for what He has called you to.

The good comes so easily that they don’t even realize they’re doing it.

For that reason, you can be easily identified by those good deeds, even if you struggle with doing them.

Each time I learned a lot.

But I got so much more from Bible College.

All this is to say, if you’re thirsty for more wisdom, consider a good Bible college, even as an older adult.

I can imagine it was as much a thing of wonder to them as it was for me.

Many compare it to the purifying work of grace, covering all our imperfections.

With a tender, responsive heart you are far more likely to have a passion for bringing joy to the heart of God.

Then tell me how your heart fared.

But, I think we can agree that the church should play some part in providing for those in need. In todays culture, this could be as simple as donating to a food bank or a shelter.

But I got so much more from Bible College`.`