Walk in the Light

March 20, 2024

March 20th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Kings 18-20

Highlight Verse:

“When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord,”
‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭20‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Isaiah had just told Hezekiah that he was going to die soon. That’s tough news to take.

Hezekiah did exactly what I would have done. He cried out to God.

Here’s the part that stood out to me…

God heard him and acted on his prayers.

Despite the prophecy, God healed Hezekiah and protected him from attack by Assyria!

God is sovereign and will act according to His will. But He listens to his children and allows them to influence His will.

This happened long before Jesus came to earth.

It happened when Jesus was here.

It still happens today!

If you could influence God’s will (and you can), what would you want Him to do?
Have you witnessed prayer change impossible situations? Share your stories!
March 19, 2024

March 19th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Leviticus 16-17

Highlight Verse:

“The purpose of this rule is to stop the Israelites from sacrificing animals in the open fields. It will ensure that they bring their sacrifices to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle, so he can present them to the Lord as peace offerings.”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭17‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I love the fact that Scripture explains the purpose behind this particular rule.

More often than not, the rules are not explained.

From this explanation I infer two things.

First, there are reasons behind each and every rule found in Scripture.

Second, the reason for this particular rule no longer exists. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross did away with the sacrificial system including the need for priests who continually offered sacrifices.

Those of you who know me personally know that I’m not very legalistic. If there isn’t a compelling reason to keep a rule, I say to ditch it.

But then there’s often reasons that we never figure out.

I know I say it often but it’s true. God knows way more than we do so it is always better to trust His viewpoint rather than our own.

When His viewpoint is expressed in Scripture, it is always best to follow that viewpoint unless it is superseded by a later Scripture (like the sacrificial system was replaced by God’s grace through faith by the Cross).

What rules from the Bible do you believe are still for today?
What rules do you think are no longer appropriate for today?
March 18, 2024

March 18th, 2024

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Luke 12

Highlight Verse:

“Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If you truly believe this verse, it is so freeing!

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to go to heaven any earlier than my appointed time. I truly want to live long enough to get to know my future grandchildren. I also don’t think my job here on Earth is finished. I try to do what I can to prolong this earthly life.

But I also know that this life is but a tiny drop in the bucket of eternity and life will go on in heaven.

Therefore, fear has no hold on me.

Can you embrace this idea?
Why or why not?
March 17, 2024

March 17th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Proverbs 18

Highlight Verse:

“Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Haughtiness goes beyond pride. It is when one considers themselves superior to others.

It’s easy to think, “That doesn’t apply to me.”

But whenever we think that someone who does or believes something different than us is an idiot, we are living the very definition of haughtiness.

Right now, that is the prevailing atmosphere of the political world.

When someone disagrees with what we think is glaringly obvious, our minds default to them either being evil or stupid.

The truth is, I’ve known some very intelligent people who have completely different views from me on faith and politics.

I happen to think that they are wrong.

But I also know that none of us have the whole picture and if we finally get to see the big picture from heaven, we’ll each likely have to adjust our thinking.

Until that day, I’ll firmly stand behind what I believe.

But I’ll give others the freedom to believe as they do without belittling them in my words or thoughts.

When it comes to faith, I will do everything I can to help them understand the Good News of Jesus.

What is your default mode with those who disagree with you – to belittle them (if only in your thoughts) or to try to understand them and help them understand your point of view?
Have you tried finding common ground with those you disagree with?
March 16, 2024

March 16th, 2024

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – James 1:2-8

Highlight Verse:

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is the exact verse that you don’t want someone to quote to you when you are going through the fire.

And it’s the exact verse that you need at that moment.

That makes it a prime candidate for memorization.

When those tough times come, you’ll have no one but yourself to get angry with when you repeat the verse.

And then it may spark that joy that goes beyond understanding.

That joy that makes no sense will bring you through the tough times that make no sense.

Take a moment to watch the video linked below.

Do you have the strength to pull through situations like that?
Do you know the One who does?
March 15, 2024

March 15th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Daniel 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
‭‭Daniel‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

At first reading, this verse sounds like they are bravely hedging their bets.

I think they are just trying to make their stand perfectly clear so there would be no doubt in the king’s mind about their commitment to God.

What really stood out to me from this verse is how respectful they were to the king.

They used the polite term “your majesty” (or “Oh king” depending on the translation). While they refused to worship the image of the king, they still showed proper respect for him.

And the king got royally ticked off.

That begs the question whether we should couch our statements of faith with respect or not. If it ticks people off all the more, is it worth it?

I say look at the results.

While we can’t say what would have happened if they had not shown respect, I am sure that it was the truth that caused the king to crank up the heat. It was the miraculous deliverance that opened the king’s eyes to the truth.

It’s quite possible that it was the respect that caused the king to honor Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego after they stepped out of the furnace.

When you speak truth to someone, do you water down the truth to make it less likely to cause offense?
Or do you speak the truth bluntly?
Or do you surround it with respect?
March 14, 2024

March 14th, 2024

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Hebrews 10

Highlight Verse:

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Let’s simply do that today.

Share with us a way to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

I’ll start.

For those of us who are in Colorado today, a great act of love for our neighbors would be, when we go out to shovel the snow from our sidewalks, shovel the neighbor’s walks too.

You might not know them, and they may not figure out that you did it but if that act is part of a pattern of acts of kindness, they’ll see the difference in you and want to know more.

What are your ideas? Let’s share them and have a conversation about it.
March 13, 2024

March 13th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Kings 15-17

Highlight Verse:

“He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem.”
‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭15‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When I was 16, I had dreams of being president someday.

It’s now forty-four years later and I wouldn’t want anything to do with the job.

Uzziah / Azariah (depending on which translation you read) seems to have had the opposite problem.

He was forced to be king when he was 16.

Toward the end of his reign, his pride got the best of him, and God had to give him leprosy to get him back into his right mind.

In the middle, the author says almost nothing about his life.

More is said in 2 Chronicles but, for a 52-year-reign, Uzziah made very little impact.

It doesn’t matter much to me if people remember my name.

What does matter is the difference that I made.

It is my deepest prayer that when I leave this earth, I will have left it a better place.

Do you have aspirations of being in charge or would you prefer a quiet life that made a positive difference in the world?
What have you learned from Uzziah that will help you to make a difference?
March 12, 2024

March 12th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Leviticus 14-15

Highlight Verse:

“The following instructions are for those seeking ceremonial purification from a skin disease. Those who have been healed must be brought to the priest,”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭14‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I got in a conversation with a coworker yesterday about healing. It seems his pastor, who had at one point experienced healing from cancer, was once again in the last stages of the disease and was expected to take the trip to heaven any day now.

My friend was taking it well, but we were both concerned for those who believed that God would heal whenever we ask.

Our concern was for those whose faith could be damaged by the passing of this pastor.

We both agreed that God was not a heavenly genie there to do our bidding. He is absolutely able to heal but also sees the big picture and knows when the time is right to call us home.

In Leviticus, God made provision for those who would live with disease and for those who would receive healing from disease.

Healing has always been part of God’s plan.

But God has always been the one in charge of it.

Have you ever had a crisis of faith because of the death of a loved one?
Can you share how you got through it?
March 11, 2024

March 11th, 2024

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Luke 11

Highlight Verse:

“But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I must admit that I sometimes feel foolish bringing the same request to God time and time again.

That’s when I need to remember that Jesus taught us to have “shameless persistence.”

So don’t give up. Bug God about that difficult request. Be open to whatever His answer is, but until you hear that answer be shameless in your persistence.

Do you have requests that you have brought over and over to God in prayer?
Have you started to feel hesitant about repeating them?

Hezekiah did exactly what I would have done. He cried out to God.

God is sovereign and will act according to His will. But He listens to his children and allows them to influence His will.

I love the fact that Scripture explains the purpose behind this particular rule.

I know I say it often but it’s true. God knows way more than we do so it is always better to trust His viewpoint rather than our own.

If you truly believe this verse, it is so freeing!

But I also know that this life is but a tiny drop in the bucket of eternity and life will go on in heaven.

But whenever we think that someone who does or believes something different than us is an idiot, we are living the very definition of haughtiness.

But I’ll give others the freedom to believe as they do without belittling them in my words or thoughts.

When it comes to faith, I will do everything I can to help them understand the Good News of Jesus.

And it’s the exact verse that you need at that moment.

That joy that makes no sense will bring you through the tough times that make no sense.

I think they are just trying to make their stand perfectly clear so there would be no doubt in the king’s mind about their commitment to God.

What really stood out to me from this verse is how respectful they were to the king.

I say look at the results.

Share with us a way to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

When I was 16, I had dreams of being president someday.

In the middle, the author says almost nothing about his life.

What does matter is the difference that I made.

Our concern was for those whose faith could be damaged by the passing of this pastor.

Healing has always been part of God’s plan.

But God has always been the one in charge of it.

That’s when I need to remember that Jesus taught us to have “shameless persistence.”