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The Wright Stuff
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May 4, 2012 5:13 am
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Read: Genesis 1:1-23
Let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens. —Genesis 1:20
Bible in a Year:
Ezra 1-4
On September 29, 1909, a young man took flight in a strange contraption that resembled a huge box kite. As he gained altitude, the pilot manipulated the levers so he could fly over New York Harbor. People looked up in amazement. In the harbor, boats celebrated by sounding their steam whistles. Crowds near the Statue of Liberty exploded with cheers at the sight of Wilbur Wright taking a flight into the heavens.
Wilbur’s brother Orville, who had piloted the first airplane flight 6 years earlier, reflected on their inspiration to fly: “The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who . . . looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space, at full speed, above all obstacles, on the infinite highway of the air.” The Wright brothers spent a great deal of time studying birds in flight before designing their planes.
In Genesis we read that “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (1:1), and He said, “Let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens” (v.20). We applaud the inventiveness of the Wright brothers. Yet, the Creator, who made creatures capable of flight in the first place, deserves the ultimate glory—for the birds and for every other creation He has made!
Field and forest, vale and mountain,Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,Soaring bird and flowing fountain Call us to rejoice in Thee. The design of creation points to the Master Designer.
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Walk Away From Worry
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May 3, 2012 4:45 am
444 Views
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Read: Philippians 4:1-9
Be anxious for nothing. —Philippians 4:6
Bible in a Year:
2 Chronicles 33-36
A few years ago, our Bible-study leader challenged us to memorize a chapter of the Bible and recite it to the group. Internally, I began to protest and groan. An entire chapter, in front of everyone? Memorization had never been my thing; I cringed as I imagined long silences while everyone watched me, waiting for the next words.
A few days later, I reluctantly leafed through my Bible, looking for a set of verses to learn by heart. Nothing seemed right until I landed in Philippians 4.
I read this verse in silence, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (v.6). That’s when I knew which chapter to memorize, and how to walk away from my anxiety about the assignment.
God does not want us to agonize over future events, because worry paralyzes our prayer life. The apostle Paul reminds us that instead of fretting, we should ask God for help. When we continually take this approach to anxiety, God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds (v.7).
Someone once said tongue-in-cheek, “Why pray when you can worry?” The point is clear: Worry gets us nowhere, but prayer gets us in touch with the One who can handle all of our concerns.
When you feel the tension mounting,And across the busy day,Only gloomy clouds are driftingAs you start to worry—pray! It’s impossible to wring our hands when they are folded before God in prayer.
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Are You Tuned In?
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May 2, 2012 9:44 am
354 Views
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Read: John 16.7-15
The Holy Spirit . . . will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. —John 14:26
Bible in a Year:
2 Chronicles 30-32
When I was growing up, I stayed with my grandparents for a week or two every summer. They lived on a street that dead-ended into some railroad tracks. I would often awaken several times on my first night as the box cars rumbled by or when an engineer blew the train whistle. By the end of my visit, however, I had grown so accustomed to the noise that I could sleep straight through the night without interruption. I had tuned out the sounds.
There are other interruptions that I don’t want to tune out! I love it when my husband unexpectedly brings me a cup of coffee when I’m working at the computer. And it brings me joy when I receive an unexpected call from a friend.
Sometimes we’re tempted to tune out “divine interruptions” of the Holy Spirit instead of listening to His promptings. He may nudge us with a realization that we need to ask forgiveness for something we said or did. Or persistently remind us that we should pray for someone who is experiencing a crisis. Or convict us that we have never fully shared Jesus with a person we care about.
When the Holy Spirit indwells us, He teaches us, convicts us, comforts us, and guides us into truth (John 14:16-17,26; 16.7-8,13). Are you tuned in to the interruption of His voice?
Holy Spirit, help us hearYour inner promptings, soft and clear;And help us know Your still, small voiceSo we may make God’s will our choice. Make the right choice: Obey the Spirit’s voice.
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Who You're Meant To Be
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May 1, 2012 4:39 am
360 Views
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Read: Romans 12:1-2,9-18
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. —Romans 12:1
Bible in a Year:
2 Chronicles 26-29
“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” Quoting those words of St. Catherine of Siena, the Bishop of London began his message to Prince William and Kate Middleton at their wedding in Westminster Abbey. Many watching on TV were deeply touched as the bishop affirmed their choice “to be married in the sight of a generous God who so loved the world that He gave Himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ.” Then he urged the couple to pursue a love that finds its center beyond themselves.
From Romans 12, the bride’s brother read: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect” (vv.1-2).
That royal wedding reminds us all, single or married, of two great truths: (1) God’s great love for us expressed in the sacrifice of Jesus and (2) God’s desire that we find life’s greatest joy and transformation in our relationship with Him. Aren’t those the keys to becoming the persons God meant us to be?
Although I may not understandThe path You’ve laid for me,Complete surrender to Your will—Lord, this my prayer shall be. We become who God meant us to be by giving ourselves completely to Him.
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My Way?
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Apr 30, 2012 5:40 am
353 Views
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Read: Proverbs 16:20-25
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. —Proverbs 16:25
Bible in a Year:
2 Chronicles 23-25
Think about the worst intellectual matchups possible. For instance, what if we put Albert Einstein in a room with a first-grader to debate the theory of relativity? Or how about George Washington Carver versus a middle-schooler discussing biochemical engineering?
It’s silly to think of putting these pairs together for discussions. One is the ultimate expert; the other would know little if anything about the topic.
Here’s another one: God versus anyone arguing about His plan for mankind. Now we’re talking mismatch! Yet we often hear of people trying to explain away God’s matchless wisdom and how their way is better than His.
I received a letter from a man in prison who said: “I came to the point in my life where I finally accepted the fact that God is real and the Creator of everything. I grew tired of trying to do things my way. When I started humbling myself and accepting God’s Word, I found the answer.”
How ridiculous to reject God’s plan of salvation because we think we know better! Only by placing our trust in Christ for the forgiveness of our sins can we be reconciled to God (John 14:6; Rom 3:23; 6:23). Are you still trying to do things your own way, thinking you know best? (Prov. 16:25). Agree with God and go His way.
There aren’t many ways into heaven;The Bible says there’s only one.Confessing Christ Jesus as Savior,Believing in God’s only Son. Jesus is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is He the best of several ways; He is the only way.
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A Call To Commitment
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Apr 27, 2012 5:30 am
474 Views
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Read: Luke 9:57-62
No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. —Luke 9:62
Bible in a Year:
2 Chronicles 14-16
Many health and fitness centers expect a flood of people to join every January who will come only a few times. They don’t mind if people pay the fee and never return. But fitness trainer Jesse Jones takes the opposite approach. If you sign up and don’t show up, he will terminate your membership. Jones says, “Save your money. Come see me in a few months when you’re serious. My passion is not for another three-month payment . . . we’re making people accountable to reach their goals.”
In Luke 9:57-62, we encounter three people who told Jesus they wanted to follow Him, and all received what seem to be harsh replies from the Lord: “The Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” v.58. “Let the dead bury their own dead” (v.60). “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (v.62). For each person, Jesus stated the sacrifice and commitment required to become His disciple.
A man I admire as a dedicated and sensitive follower of Christ says that Christians need to be “ready for radical commitment and change.” The Lord calls us not only to leave the status quo, but also to take that calling seriously by following Him.
Lord, I want to be sold out for You. I want tolove You with my whole heart, soul, mind, andstrength. Give me the power to be who You want meto be, and to walk in Your ways.Following Jesus demands our all.
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True Religion
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Apr 26, 2012 4:03 am
385 Views
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Read: James 1:19-27
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. —James 1:27
Bible in a Year:
2 Chronicles 10-13
I recently saw an ad for a brand of clothing geared toward youth. It consists of blue jeans and all the accessories designed to go with them. There is nothing novel about that. What got my attention, however, was the name of this clothing line. It is called “True Religion.” That caused me to stop and think. Why was that name chosen? Am I missing some deeper significance? What is the connection between a brand of jeans and true religion? What do they mean by it? My musings left me with questions for which I had no answers.
I am thankful that the book of James is clear when describing true religion or true faith: “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (1:27). That is refreshing. “True religion”—genuine faith—is an expression of how we relate to our God. One evidence of our new identity in Christ is the way we care for one another—reaching to the most frail and vulnerable among us, to those most in need of help.
True religion is not a garment to be taken on and off. It is a lofty challenge about how we live before a holy God and others.
True religion is to know
The love that Christ imparts;
True religion is to show
His love to burdened hearts. You don’t advertise your religion by wearing a label—
you do it by living a life
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Everything Is Beautiful
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Apr 25, 2012 4:43 am
473 Views
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Read: Joel 2:18-27
I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten. —Joel 2:25
Bible in a Year:
2 Chronicles 7-9
The beauty of the black lacy design against the pastel purple and orange background grabbed my attention. The intricacy of the fragile pattern led me to assume that it had been created by a skilled artist. As I looked more closely at the photo, however, I saw the artist admiring his work from a corner of the photo. The “artist” was a worm, and its work of art was a partially eaten leaf.
What made the image beautiful was not the destruction of the leaf but the light glowing through the holes. As I gazed at the photo, I began thinking about lives that have been eaten by the “worms” of sin. The effects are ravaging. Sin eats away at us as we suffer the consequences of our own bad choices or those of others. We are all its victims.
But the photo also reminded me of the hope we have in God. Through the prophet Joel, God said to Israel, “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (Joel 2:25). And from Isaiah we learn that the Lord appointed him to “console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes”
(Isa. 61:3).
Satan does everything he can to make us ugly, but the Light of the World can make us beautiful—despite Satan’s best efforts.
Sin ravages a fruitful lifeWhen it is not addressed;But God restores and makes us rightOnce sin has been confessed. God doesn’t remove all of our imperfections,
but He makes us beautiful by shining through them.
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Cutting A Trial
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Apr 24, 2012 4:18 am
391 Views
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Read: Proverbs 4:1-7
Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding. —Proverbs 4:1
Bible in a Year:
2 Chronicles 4-6
The Native Americans of Michigan were the state’s first highway route engineers. With few exceptions, Michigan’s major highways follow the trails they cut through the wilderness hundreds of years before the white man came. A trail was 12-18 inches wide, and for safety the people followed single file. Then pack horses followed these trails, widening them. Later came wagons, and the trails became dirt roads and then highways.
In a similar way, Solomon followed the trail of his father and in turn paved the way for his sons and grandsons. He did this by encouraging his sons to heed his instructions just as he had followed the sound teaching of his father (Prov. 4:4-5). So this father, giving his sons good practical and spiritual counsel, was passing on what he had learned from the boys’ grandfather, David, who was called a “man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). The younger generation of believers often learns best about God from the family.
Our physical and spiritual children watch the path we’re taking. As God’s men and women, let’s make certain we cut a righteous, wise, and clear trail. Then if ongoing generations choose to follow, the trail can become a highway—an ongoing legacy to God’s glory.
Lord, as I walk my path of life,Help my feet step straight and true;That those who follow after me,Will be tracking straight with You. When we follow God, we blaze a trail
for those who would follow.
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All Day With God
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Apr 23, 2012 4:37 am
385 Views
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Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18
Pray without ceasing. —1 Thessalonians 5:17
Bible in a Year:
2 Chronicles 1-3
Brother Lawrence (1614–1691) felt intimately close to God as he humbly scrubbed pots and pans in the monastery kitchen. Certainly Brother Lawrence practiced specific times of devotional prayer. But what he found more life-transforming was prayer during the workday. In his devotional classic Practicing the Presence of God, he says, “It is a great delusion to think our times of prayer ought to differ from other times. We are as strictly obliged to cleave to God by action in the time of action as by prayer in the season of prayer.” In short, he advocated that we “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).
That’s a helpful reminder, because sometimes we tend to compartmentalize our lives. Perhaps we pray only during church worship, small-group Bible study, family devotions, and personal quiet times. But what about during our workday? To pray on the job does not mean we have to fall to our knees with clasped hands and pray aloud. But it does mean that work decisions and relationships can be brought to God throughout the day.
Wherever we are and whatever we’re doing, God wants to be a part of it. When prayer enters every aspect of our lives, who knows what God might do for His glory!
Let’s always keep the prayer lines open,Knowing God is always there;For we upon His name may callAnytime and anywhere. True prayer is a way of life, not an emergency detour!
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