RUN TO ME
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Posted:Nov 1, 2016 5:24 am
Last Updated:Nov 1, 2016 5:24 am 13097 Views
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Read: Proverbs 18:4–12
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 24–26; Titus 2
The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10
During a walk at a local park, my and I encountered a couple of unleashed dogs. Their owner didn’t seem to notice that one of them had begun to intimidate my . My tried to shoo the away, but the animal only became more intent on bothering him.
Eventually, my panicked. He bolted several yards into the distance, but the pursued him. The chase continued until I yelled, “Run to me!” My doubled back, calmed down, and the finally decided to make mischief somewhere else.
The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10
There are moments in our lives when God calls to us and says, “Run to Me!” Something troubling is on our heels. The faster and farther we go, the more closely it pursues us. We can’t shake it. We’re too afraid to turn and confront the trouble on our own. But the reality is that we aren’t on our own. God is there, ready to help and comfort us. All we have to do is turn away from whatever scares us, and move in His direction. His Word says, “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Prov. 18:10).
Dear Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace. I need the kind of peace that only You can give. Help me to turn to You when I am troubled.
God is our refuge in times of trouble.
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IT NEVER RUNS OUT
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Posted:Oct 31, 2016 4:22 am
Last Updated:Oct 31, 2016 4:22 am 12187 Views
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Read: 1 Peter 1:3–9
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 22–23; Titus 1
He has given us new birth into . . . an inheritance that can never perish.
1 Peter 1:3–4
When I asked a friend who is about to retire what she feared about her next stage of life, she said, “I want to make sure I don’t run out of money.” The next day as I was talking to my financial counselor he gave me advice on how I might avoid running out of money. Indeed, we all want the security of knowing we’ll have the resources we need for the rest of our lives.
No financial plan can provide an absolute guarantee of earthly security. But there is a plan that extends far beyond this life and indefinitely into the future. The apostle Peter describes it like this: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:3–4).
He has given us new birth into an inheritance that can never perish. 1 Peter 1:3–4
When we place our faith in Jesus to forgive our sins we receive an eternal inheritance through God’s power. Because of this inheritance, we’ll live forever and never run short of what we need.
Planning for retirement is a good idea if we’re able to do so. But more important is having an eternal inheritance that never runs out—and that is available only through faith in Jesus Christ.
Dear God, I want that assurance of an eternal inheritance—the certainty of everlasting life with You. I put my faith in Jesus to forgive my sins and make me His . Thank You for saving me and reserving a place for me in Your eternal kingdom.
The promise of heaven is our eternal hope.
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LEARNING TO COUNT
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Posted:Oct 28, 2016 1:01 am
Last Updated:Oct 28, 2016 1:02 am 12095 Views
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Read: Psalm 139:14–18
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 15–17; 2 Timothy 2
How precious to me are your thoughts, God! Psalm 139:17
My is learning to count from one to ten. He counts everything from toys to trees. He counts things I tend to overlook, like the wildflowers on his way to school or the toes on my feet.
My is also teaching me to count again. Often I become so immersed in things I haven’t finished or things I don’t have that I fail to see all the good things around me. I have forgotten to count the new friends made this year and the answered prayers received, the tears of joy shed and the times of laughter with good friends.
Lord, Your works are so many and good I can’t count them all.
My ten fingers are not enough to count all that God gives me day by day. “Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare” (Ps. 40:5). How can we even begin to count all the blessings of salvation, reconciliation, and eternal life?
Let us join David as he praises God for all His precious thoughts about us and all He has done for us, when he says, “How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand”
(139:17–18.
Let’s learn to count again!
Lord, Your works are so many and good I can’t count them all. But I thank You for each one.
Let’s thank God for His countless blessings.
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STAGE BY STAGEST
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Posted:Oct 27, 2016 5:45 am
Last Updated:Oct 27, 2016 5:46 am 12399 Views
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Read: Numbers 33:1–15, 36–37
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 12–14; 2 Timothy 1
At the Lord's command Moses recorded the stages in their journey.
Numbers 33:2
Numbers 33 is a chapter in the Bible we might pass by without reflection. It appears to be nothing more than a long list of places tracing Israel's pilgrimage from Rameses in Egypt to their arrival in the plains of Moab. But it must be important because it’s the only section in Numbers that follows with the words: “At the Lord’s command Moses recorded . . .” (v. 2).
Why keep a record of this? Could it be that this list provides a framework upon which the Israelites emerging from the wilderness could retrace that forty-year journey in their thoughts and recall God's faithfulness at each location?
Remember all the ways God has shown you His faithful, covenant love.
I envision an Israelite father, sitting near a campfire, reminiscing with his : “I will never forget Rephidim! I was dying of thirst, nothing but sand and sage for hundreds of miles. Then God directed Moses to take his staff and strike a rock—actually a hard slab of flint. I thought, What a futile gesture; he’ll never get anything out of that stone. But to my amazement water gushed out of that rock! A generous flow that satisfied the thirst of the thousands of Israelites. I’ll never forget that day!” ( Ps. 114:8; Num. 20:8–13; 33:14).
So why not give it a try? Reflect on your life—stage by stage—and remember all the ways God has shown you His faithful, covenant love.
Count your many blessings, name them one by one.
God’s faithfulness extends to all generations.
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MENDING HEARTS
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Posted:Oct 26, 2016 2:46 am
Last Updated:Oct 26, 2016 2:47 am 12986 Views
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Read: Matthew 5:1–16
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 9–11; 1 Timothy 6
You are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14
Not long ago I went to a seamstress to have some clothing altered. As I entered her shop I was encouraged by what I saw on the walls. One sign read, “We can mend your clothes but only God can mend your heart.” Near it was a painting of Mary Magdalene weeping in anguish as the risen Christ was about to reveal Himself to her. Another sign asked, “Need prayer? Let us pray with you.”
The owner told me that she had run this small business for fifteen years. “We’ve been surprised how the Lord has worked here through the statements of faith we have posted in different places. A while back someone trusted Christ as their Savior right here. It is amazing to watch God work.” I told her I too was a Christian and commended her for telling others about Christ in her workplace.
God pours His love into our hearts to flow out to others’ lives.
Not all of us are able to be so bold in our workplace, but we can find many creative and practical ways of showing others unexpected love, patience, and kindness wherever we are. Since leaving that shop, I’ve been thinking about how many ways there are to live out our Lord’s statement: “You are the light of the world”
(Matt. 5:14).
Dear Father, use me to be a light today to the world around me. I love You and want others to know and love You too.
God pours His love into our hearts to flow out to others’ lives.
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THIS GIFT
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Posted:Oct 25, 2016 5:12 am
Last Updated:Oct 25, 2016 5:12 am 13001 Views
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Read: 2 Corinthians 12:6–10
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 6–8; 1 Timothy 5
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
A number of years ago I wrote an essay about my collection of canes, staffs, and walking sticks and mused that I might someday graduate to a walker. Well, the day has come. A combination of back issues and peripheral neuropathy has left me pushing a three-wheel walker. I can’t hike; I can’t fish; I can’t do many of the things that used to bring me great joy.
I’m trying to learn, however, that my limitation, whatever it may be, is a gift from God, and it is with this gift that I am to serve Him. This gift and not another. This is true of all of us, whether our limits are emotional, physical, or intellectual. Paul was so bold as to say that he boasted in his weakness for it was in weakness that God's power was revealed in him (2 Cor. 12:9).
Lord, I trust You to give me everything I need for today.
Seeing our so-called liabilities this way enables us to go about our business with confidence and courage. Rather than complain, feel sorry for ourselves, or opt out, we make ourselves available to God for His intended purposes.
I have no idea what He has in mind for you and me, but we shouldn’t worry about that. Our task today is just to accept things as they are and to be content, knowing that in the love, wisdom, and providence of God this moment is as good as it can possibly be.
Dear Lord, I know that You are good and You love me. I trust You to give me everything I need for today.
Contentment enables you to grow where God has planted you.
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CHOOSING TO CHANGE
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Posted:Oct 24, 2016 5:07 am
Last Updated:Oct 24, 2016 5:07 am 12943 Views
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Read: Ezekiel 18:25–32
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 3–5; 1 Timothy 4
Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Ezekiel 18:31
When my acquired a small robot, he had fun programming it to perform simple tasks. He could make it move forward, stop, and then retrace its steps. He could even get it to beep and replay recorded noises. The robot did exactly what my told it to do. It never laughed spontaneously or veered off in an unplanned direction. It had no choice.
When God created humans, He didn’t make robots. God made us in His image, and this means we can think, reason, and make decisions. We’re able to choose between right and wrong. Even if we have made a habit of disobeying God, we can decide to redirect our lives.
For a new start, ask God for a new heart.
When the ancient Israelites found themselves in trouble with God, He spoke to them through the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel said, “Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. . . . Get a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezek. 18:30–31).
This kind of change can begin with just one choice, empowered by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:13). It might mean saying no at a critical moment. No more gossip. No more greed. No more jealousy. No more ___________. (You fill in the blank.) If you know Jesus, you’re not a slave to sin. You can choose to change, and with God’s help, this personal revolution can start today.
Dear God, all things are possible with You. Through the power of Jesus’s resurrection help me to take the first step toward a life of greater devotion to You.
For a new start, ask God for a new heart.
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UNFAILING LOVE
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Posted:Oct 21, 2016 2:26 am
Last Updated:Oct 21, 2016 2:27 am 13117 Views
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Read: Lamentations 3:21–26
| Bible in a Year: Isaiah 62–64; 1 Timothy 1
Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! Psalm 63:3
On a recent airline flight the landing was a little rough, jostling us left and right down the runway. Some of the passengers were visibly nervous, but the tension broke when two little girls sitting behind me cheered, “Yeah! Let’s do that again!”
are open to new adventures and see life with humble, wide-eyed wonder. Perhaps this is part of what Jesus had in mind when He said that we have to “receive the kingdom of God like a little ” (Mark 10:15).
Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! Psalm 63:3
Life has its challenges and heartaches. Few knew this better than Jeremiah, who is also called “the weeping prophet.” But in the middle of Jeremiah’s troubles, God encouraged him with an amazing truth: “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning” (Lam. 3:22–23 ).
God’s fresh mercies can break into our lives at any moment. They are always there, and we see them when we live with childlike expectation—watching and waiting for what only He can do. Jeremiah knew that God’s goodness is not defined only by our immediate circumstances and that His faithfulness is greater than life’s rough places. Look for God’s fresh mercies today.
Lord, please help me to have the faith of a so that I can live with expectation, always looking forward to what You will do next.
God is greater than anything that happens to us.
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YOUR JOURNEY
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Posted:Oct 20, 2016 3:56 am
Last Updated:Apr 29, 2024 7:21 am 13010 Views
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Read: John 14:15-21
Bible in a Year: Isaiah 59–61; 2 Thessalonians 3
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18
I grew up in the rebellious 1960s and turned my back on religion. I had attended church all my life but didn’t come to faith until my early twenties after a terrible accident. Since that time, I have spent my adult years telling others of Jesus’s love for us. It has been a journey.
Certainly “a journey” describes life in this broken world. On the way we encounter mountains and valleys, rivers and plains, crowded highways and lonely roads—highs and lows, joys and sorrows, conflict and loss, heartache and solitude. We can’t see the road ahead, so we must take it as it comes, not as we wish it would be.
Loving Lord, thank You that You not only know the path I take, You walk it with me.
The follower of Christ, however, never faces this journey alone. The Scriptures remind us of the constant presence of God. There is nowhere we can go that He is not there
(Ps. 139.7–12). He will never leave us or forsake us (Deut. 31:6; Heb. 13:5). Jesus, after promising to send the Holy Spirit, told His disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you”
(John 14:18.
The challenges and opportunities we face on our journey can be met confidently, for God has promised us His never-failing presence.
Loving Lord, thank You that You not only know the path I take, You walk it with me. Help me to rely on Your presence, help, and wisdom every day of my journey through life.
Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading. Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest.
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DESERT SOLITAIRE
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Posted:Oct 19, 2016 3:14 am
Last Updated:Oct 19, 2016 3:14 am 12933 Views
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Read: Psalm 136:1–9
Bible in a Year: Isaiah 56–58; 2 Thessalonians 2
And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:12
Desert Solitaire is Edward Abbey’s personal history of his summers as a park ranger in what is now called Arches National Park in Utah. The book is worth reading if only for Abbey’s bright language and vivid descriptions of the US Southwest.
But Abbey, for all his artistry, was an atheist who could see nothing beyond the surface of the beauty he enjoyed. How sad! He lived his entire life in praise of beauty and missed the point of it all.
Loving Father, we praise You because You are good.
Most ancient peoples had theories of origins enshrouded in legend, myth, and song. But Israel’s story of creation was unique: It told of a God who created beauty for our enjoyment and childlike delight. God thought up the cosmos, spoke it into being and pronounced it “beautiful.” (The Hebrew word for good also signifies beauty.) Then, having created a paradise, God in love spoke us into being, placed us in Eden, and told us, “Enjoy!”
Some see and enjoy the beauty of the Creator’s good gifts all around them, but don’t “worship him as God or even give him thanks.” They “think up foolish ideas of what God [is] like. As a result, their minds become dark and confused”
(Rom. 1:21 .
Others see beauty, say “Thank You, God,” and step into His light.
Loving Father, we praise You because You are good. Thank You for infusing Your creation with beauty and purpose and for placing us here to enjoy it as we discover You. Your love endures forever!
All of creation reflects the beauty of God.
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