Walk in the Light

New Year’s Eve, 2023

December 31st, 2023

Note: When I first posted last night, I didn’t realize that my reading chart was a week off. My apologies to any who already read it. I will post that again next week.

Here’s today’s correct post:

New Year’s Eve, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Proverbs 5

Highlight Verse:

”You will say, “How I hated discipline! If only I had not ignored all the warnings!“
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭5‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This verse is in the context of going down the path of promiscuity, but I believe it applies to discipline in all areas.

When we ignore wise advice in any area, it takes us on a step in the wrong direction.

One step – no big deal you might say.

Thousands of steps over years and you end up in an entirely different place than what you were aiming for.

Yes, you can always find restoration. But the farther you get off track, the longer the journey back.

Have you taken a few steps off the track you were aiming for in your life? Take the steps to get back.
Have you taken a bunch of steps off track? Let Jesus carry you back.

Do you have any stories of being carried back to the right track in life?
Do you have any advice for the rest of us on how you have stayed on the right track.
December 30, 2023

December 30th, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Acts 9:1-19

Highlight Verse:

“Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭9‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is the time of year when people tend to make drastic changes in their lives.

You might already be choosing your resolutions to start in a couple of days.

Or perhaps you are one who thinks that resolutions are foolish.

I’ve never put a huge amount of stock in New Year’s resolutions. I think that any day is a good day to start new habits.

Still, there’s something about the beginning of the year that makes starting new good habits or breaking old bad ones easier.

Today’s reading recounts the time when Saul made a radical change from persecutor to evangelist.

For him it took being struck blind to get his attention.

Hopefully you and I will pay closer attention to what God wants to change in us.

In case you’re wondering, for me it is getting to bed earlier. That may mean writing this post earlier in the day. Mostly it will mean not staying up and watching You-Tube far too late after this is done. I plan on concentrating on this for at least 21 days. If the earlier bedtime becomes a habit, perhaps I’ll move on to other things, but I will stick to one at a time for now.

Have you prepared to make New Year’s resolutions yet this year?
Are there any you can share?
December 29, 2023

December 29th, 2023

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Ezekiel 19-21

Highlight Verse:

“You will know that I am the Lord, O people of Israel, when I have honored my name by treating you mercifully in spite of your wickedness. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭20‬:‭44‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This verse is a little ray of sunshine that reminds me that the doom and gloom of this rough time in history is but a small part in God’s plan of redemption for humanity.

Just as the passion with which God chastises His people, shines through this book, so also does the mercy and grace that are integral to the Gospel.

Have you ever received a prophetic warning like the people of Judah received when they approached Ezekiel asking for a word of God?

Do you know that mercy that Ezekiel speaks about here?
December 28, 2023

December 28th, 2023

Thursday – Letters

Reading – 2 Timothy 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If you read on, you find Paul describing a bunch of different ways that people act selfishly.

I could point out that these must be the last days because there are so many people who act selfishly. Some in our society even claim that selfish behavior is good calling on their supreme value of tolerance.

Of course, I could point out that people have acted that way for centuries. And you could point out that it seems worse today.

That is likely true but that’s not where my thoughts are taking me now.

My thoughts today can be summed up with an old parable about the difference between heaven and hell.

In Hell, there are a bunch of people sitting at a huge feast, but they are not allowed to eat with their hands, and they are only allowed to use utensils that are too long for them to get the food to their mouths. Everyone is in agony because they can’t eat.

Heaven is an identical room with the same feast and the same utensils and the same rules, but people are filled with joy because they are feeding each other.

Now, I don’t know how theologically correct that is. It’s certainly and oversimplification of Heaven and Hell. But it points out how much we miss out on when we act out of selfishness.

A culture of selfishness will eventually collapse under its own weight.

A culture of giving will flourish with joy.

What are some ways that we can influence people to be selfless instead of selfish?
What rewards have you see in your life when you act out of selflessness?
December 27, 2023

December 27th, 2023

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Kings 8

Highlight Verse:

“The priests and Levites brought up the Ark of the Lord along with the special tent and all the sacred items that had been in it.”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭8‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

You might be thinking that moving the Ark to the Temple is not that big of a deal since God’s temple is now in our hearts.

The tent and the ark were the places where God met with mankind. To bring these to a permanent home at the seat of government for the Nation of Israel was a statement of dedication on Solomon’s part. God honored that statement by bringing His presence to the place.

It was not just a step in the right direction, but it was a necessary step toward bringing the Messiah to Earth.

God has been working throughout the ages to bring redemption to the people on the earth.

I, for one, am inclined to honor Solomon for making this part of the plan of redemption work.

Are you aware of the progression of God’s plan of redemption?”
Did you know those plans go way back hundreds of years?”

God had a plan all along!
December 26, 2023

December 26th, 2023

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 33-34

Highlight Verse:

“So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭34‬:‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have you ever had a mountaintop experience?

You know. You go to a retreat or a camp or even on a gloriously beautiful hike and you come back on cloud nine.

I bet you never had one like Moses.

Encouraged and excited is one thing, but literally glowing…

Still, there are times when we are on a spiritual or emotional high.

Sometimes we can come back and seem obnoxious to others when we are like that.

The big question then is, how do we keep from driving others away?

I think Moses could lead us by example. He did two things.

First, he called the leaders back to him. To those over whom he had great influence, he told what had happened and what God wanted of them.

We can be more bold with the people we normally influence. When we have built up trust, we have more freedom to speak freely.

Second, he veiled his face so he wouldn’t scare people away before he had a chance to talk with them.

If we haven’t built up that trust, we need to use wisdom in what we say and do so we don’t drive people away before we have the chance to earn their trust. That, of course, will vary from situation to situation.

We may need to veil our enthusiasm to continue to build trust.

Have you had cases where you’ve driven people away because of your enthusiasm?
How do you determine when to speak out and when to hold your tongue?
Christmas Day, 2023

December 25th, 2023

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Matthew 27-28

Highlight Verse:

“At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart,”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭27‬:‭51‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’ll admit, I was a little surprised at how long today’s reading was. This being Christmas Day, I won’t tell anyone if you choose to read most of it tomorrow.

That said, today’s reading is the culmination of what we celebrate today.

The main purpose of the birth of the baby Jesus was this moment in history when the barrier between God and man tore wide open!

The curtain in the sanctuary was designed to keep all but the most holy high priest away from the presence of God represented by the ark of the covenant.

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross made it possible for anyone who trusts in Jesus to come into God’s presence.

That was made possible by the humble birth of Jesus that we celebrate today.

I pray that you will enjoy your presents, the presence of your family, and especially the presence of God that this day brought you!

Again –

Merry Christmas!
Christmas Eve, 2023

December 24th, 2023
Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Proverbs 4

Highlight Verse:

“My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This was written by Solomon, who learned much of his wisdom from his father, David.

Proverbs is his attempt at passing down that wisdom to future generations.

For the most part, my father was not wise. He made many mistakes out of poor judgement and weak morals.

But there is still some wisdom that he passed along to me.
- If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.
- You get out of life what you put into it.
- When you see someone in need, stop what you’re doing and help.
- Don’t be afraid to admit your wrongs and try to change them.
Okay, the list is pretty short, but there was some and I will pass it and other wisdom I’ve gained along the way on to my children and those whom I influence.

Do/did you have a wise father? What kind of wisdom did you get from him?
Do/did you have an unwise father? Have you been able to glean any wisdom from him?

One other thing I learned from my dad was a love for Christmas. It’s a time from which I have mostly good childhood memories.

I pray that today and tomorrow be times where new good memories come for you and your families.

Merry Christmas!
December 23, 2023

December 23rd, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Luke 2:1-20

Highlight Verse:

“She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Raise your hand if you’re surprised I chose this verse for the last open topic before Christmas.

I don’t see any hands!

Okay that might have something to do with the fact that I am sitting at my desk in our basement before you have a chance to read this.

Did I mention before that our basement is always a bit chilly. And I forgot to grab my sweatshirt before heading downstairs.

That’s why I am wearing my “Snuggie.” You know, one of those blankets with sleeves.

Oh so comfy.

Which may have been how Jesus felt wrapped in swaddling clothes.

The NLT translates it “strips of cloth.” That’s actually highly accurate. Babies would have been wrapped in soft strips of cloth. They were meant to give a baby a comforting transition from the womb to the real world. Almost like being in a constant hug.

That’s what Christmas is like for me.

It’s the warm hug of family and home.

It’s the pleasure of fond memories.

It’s the relief of no work responsibilities.

And, of course, it’s the comfort in knowing that God loved us enough to share His son with us.

In the midst of this all-to-short Christmas weekend, I pray that you may be able to take time to rest in God’s comfort and spread that comfort and joy to those around you.

Merry Christmas Eve (Eve)
December 22, 2023

December 22nd, 2023

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Ezekiel 16-18

Highlight Verse:

“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭18‬:‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Just a little peek at God’s heart.

Even back in the Old Testament, the Creator’s heart went out to his creation.

He made a way through the Hebrew sacrifice system.

Even then, it was never enough,

So, He sent his son to take our punishment.

That’s what this season is all about. God loves us so much that He sent his one and only son to us.

God, the Son, was born into a humble family that we can relate to.

He was truly “God with Us.”

As we celebrate the season, let’s always remember to thank God for the greatest gift of all time.

Do your Christmas traditions revolve around around the gifts and the movies or the gift of salvation?
What things do you do to remind yourself of the real reason for the season?

New Year’s Eve, 2023

When we ignore wise advice in any area, it takes us on a step in the wrong direction.

Thousands of steps over years and you end up in an entirely different place than what you were aiming for.

Have you taken a few steps off the track you were aiming for in your life? Take the steps to get back.Have you taken a bunch of steps off track? Let Jesus carry you back.

Still, there’s something about the beginning of the year that makes starting new good habits or breaking old bad ones easier.

Just as the passion with which God chastises His people, shines through this book, so also does the mercy and grace that are integral to the Gospel.

My thoughts today can be summed up with an old parable about the difference between heaven and hell.

A culture of selfishness will eventually collapse under its own weight.

A culture of giving will flourish with joy.

God has been working throughout the ages to bring redemption to the people on the earth.

God had a plan all along!

Have you ever had a mountaintop experience?

I bet you never had one like Moses.

We may need to veil our enthusiasm to continue to build trust.

The main purpose of the birth of the baby Jesus was this moment in history when the barrier between God and man tore wide open!

That was made possible by the humble birth of Jesus that we celebrate today.

Merry Christmas!

This was written by Solomon, who learned much of his wisdom from his father, David.

Merry Christmas!

Which may have been how Jesus felt wrapped in swaddling clothes.

In the midst of this all-to-short Christmas weekend, I pray that you may be able to take time to rest in God’s comfort and spread that comfort and joy to those around you.

Just a little peek at God’s heart.

As we celebrate the season, let’s always remember to thank God for the greatest gift of all time.

Have you taken a few steps off the track you were aiming for in your life? Take the steps to get back.
Have you taken a bunch of steps off track? Let Jesus carry you back.