God is one, but in three persons.

Thank you LORD for reminding me that You are essential One, but in three persons. I worship You, Father, Son, and Spirit, as one God acting together to extend love and salvation to all people.  Though our finite minds cannot fully understand the Trinity, we can worship You and love You, as if You are just beside us.  

Text: Mark 1: 9-11 NIV 

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus  

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 

10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 

11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

ODB:  On a visit to Ireland, I was overwhelmed by the abundance of decorative shamrocks. The little green, three-leafed plant could be found in every store on seemingly everything—clothing, hats, jewelry, and more!

More than just a prolific plant across Ireland, the shamrock was embraced for generations as a simple way to explain the Trinity, the historic Christian belief that God is One essence who eternally exists in three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. While all human explanations of the Trinity are inadequate, the shamrock is a helpful symbol because it’s one plant made of the same substance with three distinct leaves.

The word Trinity isn’t found in Scripture, but it summarizes the theological truth we see explicit in passages where all three persons of the Trinity are present at the same time. When Jesus, God the Son, is baptized, God the Spirit is seen coming down from heaven “like a dove,” and God the Father’s voice is heard saying, “You are my Son” (Mark 1:10–11).

Irish believers in Jesus used the shamrock because they wanted to help people know God. As we more fully understand the beauty of the Trinity, it helps us know God and deepens our ability to worship Him “in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

By Lisa M. Samra

Commentary:  All four gospels record Jesus’ baptism by John (Matthew 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22; John 1:29–34). Matthew provides generous details of conversation and motivation. Mark and Luke’s accounts are a sparse telling limited to the facts of the occasion. John’s account gives a slightly different perspective.

Matthew and Mark both share the words spoken from heaven; the only difference is to whom the remarks are made. Matthew records the heavenly voice as addressing the crowds watching: “This is my Son, whom I love” (3:17). In Mark’s account, the voice is speaking directly to Jesus: “You are my Son, whom I love” (1:11). Interestingly, the word agapētos—translated “whom I love”—can have the nuance of “only” when applied to a child, making its use here doubly appropriate in describing Jesus.

by J.R. Hudberg

From me:  Thank you LORD for reminding me that You are essential One, but in three persons. I worship You, Father, Son, and Spirit, as one God acting together to extend love and salvation to all people.  Though our finite minds cannot fully understand the Trinity, we can worship You and love You, as if You are just beside us.  

Posted October 29, 2023

We are ambassadors for Christ.

Thank you LORD for reminding me that we are ambassadors for the LORD Jesus Christ. Dear LORD, thank You for inviting me to be an ambassador for You.   Our mandate from You is that we help out in reconciling the world to You.  Help me LORD to so arrange my life so that I can live out this calling.  Thank you for allowing me to become a part of this work. 

Text:  2 Corinthians 5:11-20  NIV

11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 

12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 

13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 

14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 

18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  

19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 

20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Competition in the internet age has become fierce. Increasingly, companies are developing creative ways to attract customers. Take Subaru vehicles, for instance. Subaru owners are famously loyal, so the company has invited “Subbie superfans” to become “brand ambassadors” of the vehicles.

The company’s website says, “Subaru Ambassadors are an exclusive group of energetic individuals who volunteer their passion and enthusiasm to spread the word about Subaru and help shape the future of the brand.” The company wants Subaru ownership to become a part of people’s very identity—something they’re so passionate about that they can’t help but share.

In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul describes a different “ambassador” program, one of inviting others to follow Jesus. “Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others” (v. 11). Paul then adds, “He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (vv. 19–20).

Many products promise to meet deep needs, to give us a sense of happiness, wholeness, and purpose. But only one message—the message of reconciliation entrusted to us as believers in Jesus—is truly good news. And we have the privilege of delivering that message to a desperate world.  By Adam R. Holz

Commentary:  Second Corinthians 5:18–19 speaks of Jesus’ commission to reconcile us to God through His death and resurrection and our commission as His representatives.  

God took our sins and placed them on the sinless Christ and imputed His righteousness to us (v. 21; see Romans 3:23–26; 4:22–25). Paul said that our commission flows from Jesus’. God has given us “the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). He’s “given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives” (vv. 19–20 the message). Our mission is the Great Commission (Mark 16:15). We’re Christ’s “witnesses, telling people about [Him] everywhere” (Acts 1:8 nlt).  K. T. Sim

From me: Thank you LORD for reminding me that we are ambassador for the LORD Jesus Christ. Dear LORD, thank You for inviting me to be an ambassador for You.  Help me LORD to so arrange my life so that I can live out this calling. 

Posted October 27, 2023

Our lives should have a direction.

LORD, thank you for reminding me that we should set up some goals in life, so that there is a direction - a focus - where all of my efforts and activities are focused.  I should waste my time and efforts on things that will not bring honor and glory to your holy name.   Thank you LORD for this reminder. 

TextL  Proverbs 20:4-5; 24-25 NIV 

4   Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing. 

5 The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.

24  A person’s steps are directed by the Lord.  How then can anyone understand their own way?

25 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHTs:

When Bill Pinkney sailed solo around the world in 1992—taking the hard route around the perilous Great Southern Capes—he did it for a higher purpose. His voyage was to inspire and educate children. That included students at his former inner-city Chicago elementary school. His goal? To show how far they could go by studying hard and making a commitment—the word he chose in naming his boat. When Bill takes schoolkids on the water in Commitment, he says, “They’ve got that tiller in their hand and they learn about control, self-control, they learn about teamwork . . . all the basics that one needs in life to be successful.”

Pinkney’s words paint a portrait of Solomon’s wisdom. “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out” (Proverbs 20:5). He invited others to examine their life goals. Otherwise, “it is a trap,” said Solomon, “to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows” (v. 25).  

In contrast, William Pinkney had a clear purpose that eventually inspired thirty thousand students across the United States to learn from his journey. He became the first African American inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame. “Kids were watching,” he said. With similar purpose, let’s set our course by the deep counsel of God’s instructions to us.

By Patricia Raybon

From me:  LORD, thank you for reminding me that we should set up some goals in life, so that there is a direction - a focus - where all of my efforts and activities are focused.  I should waste my time and efforts on things that will not bring honor and glory to your holy name.   Thank you LORD for this reminder. 

Posted October 22, 2023

We have eternal life through Jesus Christ

 Thank you LORD that You came to earth, from heaven, and that You have revealed to us the great plan of redemption.  Thank you LORD that we can have that eternal life, by believing and trusting in you, as our personal Savior and Lord. Thank you for the assurance that we have that eternal life, as soon as we received You into our heart. Thank you for the living hope that we have in You.  Dear heavenly Father, thank You for the hope found in Your Son.

Text:  John 3: 12- 18  NIV

12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?   

13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 

14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,

15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Nothing could pull Aakash out of his dark depression. Severely injured in a truck accident, he was taken to a missionary hospital in Southwest Asia. Eight operations repaired his broken bones, but he couldn’t eat. Depression set in. His family depended on him to provide, which he couldn’t do, so his world grew darker.  

One day a visitor read to Aakash from the gospel of John in his language and prayed for him. Touched by the hope of God’s free gift of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus, he placed his faith in Him. His depression soon left. When he returned home, he was afraid at first to mention his newfound faith. Finally, though, he told his family about Jesus—and six of them trusted Him as well!

John’s gospel is a beacon of light in a world of darkness. In it we read that “whoever believes in [Jesus] shall not perish but have eternal life” (3:16). We discover that “whoever hears [Jesus’] word and believes [God] has eternal life” (5:24). And we hear Jesus say, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry” (6:35). Indeed, “whoever lives by the truth comes into the light” (3:21).

The troubles we face may be great, but Jesus is greater. He came to give us “life . . . to the full” (10:10). Like Aakash, may you place your faith in Jesus—the hope of the world and the light for all humanity.   By Dave Branon

COMMENTARY:   John 3:16, a well-known verse, is a small part of a big conversation. A Pharisee named Nicodemus sought out Jesus under the cover of night with some questions. When Jesus quickly turned the conversation to the kingdom of God (v. 3) Nicodemus struggled to keep up.  

Jesus told the Pharisee that only believing in Him—the Son of God—would provide admittance into the coming kingdom. And that belief would remake all those who believed (v. 5; see Genesis 1:1–3). But then Christ subtly chided Nicodemus. He pointed out that those who truly wish to do what’s right will do it in the light of day—not the cover of night. If Nicodemus (or anyone) wants to truly believe in Jesus, it requires obedience in the full light of day (John 3:19–21).

by  Jed Ostoich

FROM ME:  Thank you LORD that You came to earth, from heaven, and that You have revealed to us the great plan of redemption.  Thank you LORD that we can have that eternal life, by believing and trusting in you, as our personal Savior and Lord. Thank you for the assurance that we have that eternal life, as soon as we received You into our heart. Thank you for the living hope that we have in You.  Dear heavenly Father, thank You for the hope found in Your Son.

Posted October 19, 2023

God can use us mightily in His work.

Lord, thank you for reminding me that You can use me mightily in your work.  Thank you LORD for revealing to me your calling to me, that I start and run an evangelistic program to reach out to the youth.  Just like Moses, you have given the authority and You will give me also the credibility.   Thank you LORD that You have given me the mandate and the authority (Matthew 28:18-20), and that You promised that You will be with me all through out the way.   Thank you LORD for this God-given calling. 

Text:   Exodus 4:1-5   New International Version

Signs for Moses

1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” 

2 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A staff,” he replied.

3 The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 

4 Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 

5 “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Kizombo sat watching the campfire, pondering the great questions of his life. What have I accomplished? he thought. Too quickly the answer came back: Not much, really. He was back in the land of his birth, serving at the school his father had started deep in the rainforest. He was also trying to write his father’s powerful story of surviving two civil wars. Who am I to try to do all this?  

Kizombo’s misgivings sound like those of Moses. God had just given Moses a mission: “I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). Moses replied, “Who am I?” (v. 11).

After some weak excuses from Moses, God asked him, “What is that in your hand?” It was a staff (4:2). At God’s direction, Moses threw it on the ground. The staff turned into a snake. Against his instincts, Moses picked it up. Again, it became a staff (v. 4). In God’s power, Moses could face Pharaoh. He literally had one of the “gods” of Egypt—a snake—in his hand. Egypt’s gods were no threat to the one true God.

Kizombo thought of Moses, and he sensed God’s answer: You have Me and My Word. He thought too of friends who encouraged him to write his father’s story so others would learn of God’s power in his life. He wasn’t alone.

On our own, our best efforts are inadequate. But we serve the God who says, “I will be with you” (3:12).

By Tim Gustafson

COMMENTARY: 

Exodus 3:1–4:17 tells how God called Moses to deliver His people from Egyptian bondage. Moses protested, giving various excuses for why he was unfit for the job.  

He doubted his own identity and ability (3:11) and his lack of authority (v. 13). In chapter 4, Moses gave his third excuse: the lack of legitimacy and credibility (v. 1). Having been rejected by the Israelites forty years earlier (2:11–14), Moses argued that they wouldn’t believe that he was now divinely commissioned (4:1). To authenticate his commission, Moses was to offer three signs: a rod becoming a snake (vv. 2–5), his hands turning leprous (vv. 6–7), and water turning to blood (v. 9). These signs prefigured the realms of the plagues—blood (7:19), animals and insects (8:2–4, 16, 21; 9:3), and diseases (9:9)—that God would bring upon the Egyptians so that they too would know that He was the true God (7:5).

by K. T. Sim

FROM ME:

Lord, thank you for reminding me that You can use me mightily in your work.  Thank you LORD for revealing to me your calling to me, that I start and run an evangelistic program to reach out to the youth.  Thank you LORD that You have given me the mandate and the authority (Matthew 28:18-20), and that You promised that You will be with me all through out the way.   Thank you LORD for this God-given calling. 

Posted October 18, 2023

God showed his extreme love and kindness to us.

Dear LORD, thank You for Your forgiving kindness.  We dont deserve mercy and grace, but You gave us mercy and grace and forgiveness.  “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow." Thank you LORD. Thank you LORD for this story in Jeremiah where the Babylonian king showed kindness to the captured king of Judah. You are kind and loving to me as well.  Help me to respond to your kindness, as You welcome me into Your family based on what Jesus has done.

Text:  Jeremiah 52:31-34   New International Version

Jehoiachin Released 

31 In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah and freed him from prison. 

32 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 

33 So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table. 34 Day by day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived, till the day of his death.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Fast-food restaurant worker Kevin Ford hadn’t missed a shift in twenty-seven years. After a video surfaced showing his humble gratitude for a modest gift he received to commemorate his decades of service, thousands of people rallied together to show kindness to him. “It’s like a dream, a dream come true,” he said when a fundraising effort brought in $250,000 in just over a week.

Jehoiachin, the exiled king of Judah, was also the recipient of extreme kindness. He’d been incarcerated for thirty-seven years before the benevolence of the Babylonian king resulted in his release. “[The king] freed him from prison. He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon” (Jeremiah 52:31–32). Jehoiachin was given a new position, new clothes, and a new residence. His new life was fully funded by the king.

This story pictures what happens spiritually when, out of no contributions from themselves or others, people who believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection are rescued from their estrangement from God. They’re brought from darkness and death into light and life; they’re brought into the family of God because of the extreme kindness of God.

By Arthur Jackson

COMMENTARY:  The prophet Jeremiah is often referred to as the weeping prophet because his book of prophecy contains several references to tears, including his own personal sorrow.   

For example, Jeremiah 9:1 says, “Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.” And 13:17 adds, “If you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the Lord’s flock will be taken captive.” Jeremiah wasn’t afraid to cry! Some students of Scripture have speculated that some in the crowd thought Jesus was Jeremiah (Matthew 16:14) because He wasn’t ashamed of His tears.

By Bill Crowder

From me:  Dear LORD, thank You for Your forgiving kindness.  We dont deserve mercy and grace, but You gave us mercy and grace and forgiveness.  “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow." Thank you LORD. Thank you LORD for this story in Jeremiah where the Babylonian king showed kindness to the captured king of Judah. You are kind and loving to me as well.  Help me to respond to your extreme kindness, as You welcome me into Your family based on what Jesus has done.

Posted October 12, 2023

God is with us even in ouir deepest troubles.

LORD, thank you for reminding me that You are with us even in our deepest and worse problems and trials. You take care of us.  You are concerned about us.  You promised to never forsake us. LORD, I bring to You my feelings of helplessness.  Forgive me for my sins.  Breathe fresh hope into my heart and help me praise Your name.  Help me to be forgiving of others.

Text:  Psalm 22:14-24  New International Version

14 I am poured out like water,  

    and all my bones are out of joint. 

    My heart has turned to wax;

    it has melted within me.

15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,

    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;

    you lay me in the dust of death.

16  Dogs surround me,

    a pack of villains encircles me;

    they pierce my hands and my feet.

17  All my bones are on display;

    people stare and gloat over me.

18  They divide my clothes among them

    and cast lots for my garment.

19  But you, Lord, do not be far from me.

    You are my strength; come quickly to help me.

20  Deliver me from the sword,

    my precious life from the power of the dogs.

21  Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;

    save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

22  I will declare your name to my people; 

     in the assembly I will praise you.

23  You who fear the Lord, praise him!

    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!

    Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

24  For he has not despised or scorned

    the suffering of the afflicted one;

    he has not hidden his face from him

    but has listened to his cry for help.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

At the pastor’s invitation at the end of the church service, Latriece made her way to the front. When she was invited to greet the congregation, no one was prepared for the weighty and wonderful words she spoke. She had relocated from Kentucky where in December 2021 devastating tornadoes had taken the lives of seven of her family members. “I can still smile because God’s with me,” she said. Though bruised by trial, her testimony was a powerful encouragement for those facing challenges of their own.

David’s words in Psalm 22 (which point to the sufferings of Jesus) are those of a battered man who felt forsaken by God (v. 1), despised and mocked by others (vv. 6–8), and surrounded by predators (vv. 12–13). He felt weak and drained (vv. 14–18)—but he wasn’t hopeless. “But you, Lord, do not be far from me.  

You are my strength; come quickly to help me” (v. 19). Your present challenge—though likely not of the same variety as David’s or Latriece’s—is just as real. And the words of verse 24 are just as meaningful: “He has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; . . . but has listened to his cry for help.” And when we experience God’s help, let’s declare His goodness so others can hear of it (v. 22).

By Arthur Jackson

COMMENTARY:  In this psalm of lament by David (Psalm 22), we find the words Jesus spoke on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (v. 1; Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). Some have believed this psalm serves mainly to predict the suffering of Christ. Others believe it’s David’s experiences in his Old Testament context, but with a fuller meaning because of Jesus’ use of it. According to the ESV Study Bible, it’s good to see the psalm “as providing a lament for the innocent sufferer, and then to see how . . . the Gospels use this to portray Jesus as the innocent sufferer par excellence.” In Matthew 27, we see several parallels to Psalm 22. Matthew 27:35 says that after crucifying Christ, “they divided up his clothes by casting lots” (see Psalm 22:18). Matthew 27:39 and Psalm 22:7 both mention the mocking of passersby who were “shaking their heads.”

by Alyson Kieda

FROM ME: LORD, thank you for reminding me that You arer with us even in our deepest and worse problems and trials.  LORD, I bring to You my feelings of helplessness.  Forgive me for my sins.  Breathe fresh hope into my heart and help me praise Your name.  Help me to be forgiving of others. 

Posted October 10, 2023

We need sometimes to go to open wide spaces

Thank you LORD for showing me the need for open wide spaces.  That we need some space, so we can breathe, we can meditate and to rest and slow down and ponder and pray.  Help me Lord to create open spaces in my life, help me to go sometimes to some quiet clean open spaces or grounds. Thank you LORD for the example of Moses, and your own example. 

Text:  Exodus 33:1-4, 7 - 11  New International Version

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’  

2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 

3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”

4 When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments.

The Tent of Meeting

7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 

8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 

9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. 

10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. 

11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

In his book Margin, Dr. Richard Swenson writes, “We must have some room to breathe. We need freedom to think and permission to heal. Our relationships are being starved to death by velocity. . . . Our children lay wounded on the ground, run over by our high-speed good intentions. Is God now pro-exhaustion? Doesn’t He lead people beside the still waters anymore? Who plundered those wide-open spaces of the past, and how can we get them back?” Swenson says we need some quiet, fertile “land” in life where we can rest in God and meet with Him.

Does that resonate? Seeking open spaces is something Moses lived out well. Leading a nation of “stubborn and rebellious” people (Exodus 33:5 nlt), he often withdrew to find rest and guidance in God’s presence. And in his “tent of meeting” (v. 7), “the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (v. 11). Jesus also “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). Both He and Moses realized the importance of spending time alone with the Father.  

We too need to build margin into our lives, some wide and open spaces spent in rest and in God’s presence. Spending time with Him will help us make better decisions—creating healthier margins and boundaries in our life so we have the bandwidth available to love Him and others well.

Let’s seek God in open spaces today.  

By Tom Felten

COMMENTARY:  Moses spoke with God “face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Exodus 33:11). God highlighted this privilege when He rebuked Aaron and Miriam and said “with [Moses] I speak face to face” (Numbers 12:8). But Moses wasn’t the only person to have such a deep friendship with God. Abraham too was called “God’s friend” (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). And now, because of Christ, this privilege is ours also. Jesus says, “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants . . . . Instead, I have called you friends” (John 15:14–15).

by K. T. Sim

From me:  Thank you LORD for showing me the need for open wide spaces.  That we need some space, so we can breathe, we can meditate and to rest and slow down and ponder and pray.  Help me Lord to create open spaces in my life, help me to go sometimes to some quiet clean open spaces or grounds. Thank you LORD for the example of Moses, and your own example. 

Posted October 9, 2023

God shall sustain us in our times of weakness and vulnerability

The LORD shall sustain us in our times of need, weakness and vulnerability. LORD, You’re trustworthy and kind. Help me to lean on You as I experience uncertainty.  Help me to veer away from idols or anything that will hinder my faith and reliance on You.  Thank you LORD. 

Text:  Isaiah 46: 3 to 7  NIV 

3  “Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob,

    all the remnant of the people of Israel,

    you whom I have upheld since your birth,

    and have carried since you were born.

4   Even to your old age and gray hairs

    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.

    I have made you and I will carry you;

    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

5   “With whom will you compare me or count me 

     equal?   To whom will you liken me that we 

     may be compared?

6   Some pour out gold from their bags

    and weigh out silver on the scales;

    they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god,

    and they bow down and worship it.

7   They lift it to their shoulders and carry it;

    they set it up in its place, and there it stands.

    From that spot it cannot move.

    Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;

    it cannot save them from their troubles.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

After an unsuccessful surgery, Joan’s doctor said she’d need to undergo another operation in five weeks. As time passed, anxiety built. Joan and her husband were senior citizens, and their family lived far away. They’d need to drive to an unfamiliar city and navigate a complex hospital system, and they’d be working with a new specialist.  

Although these circumstances seemed overwhelming, God took care of them. During the trip, their car’s navigation system broke down, but they arrived on time because they had a paper map. God supplied wisdom. At the hospital, a Christian pastor prayed with them and offered to help later that day. God provided support. After the operation, Joan received good news of a successful surgery.

While we won’t always experience healing or rescue, God is faithful and always close to vulnerable people—whether young, old, or otherwise disadvantaged. 

Centuries ago, when captivity in Babylon had weakened the Israelites, Isaiah reminded them that God had upheld them from birth and would continue to care for them. Through the prophet, God said, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you” (Isaiah 46:4).

God will not abandon us when we need Him the most. He can supply our needs and remind us He’s with us at every point in our lives. He’s the God of all our days.   By Jennifer Benson Schuldt  

COMMENTARY:   Isaiah’s book of prophecy easily divides into two parts: chapters 1–39 and 40–66. Some theologians and scholars see these two sections as written by two different people, normally attributing the first half to the historical prophet Isaiah, while asserting that the second half was added later by someone else some two hundred years later. The traditional view, however, declares Isaiah to have been the author of the entire book, but at two different times. The first half is believed to have been written some fifteen or so years before the second half. The Bible Knowledge Commentary says: “In chapters 1–39 judgment on sin is stressed; in chapters 40–66 atonement for that sin and the resulting change in people and the world system are discussed. Judgment, then, must come before blessing can follow.” Throughout the book, however, there’s a major emphasis on the promised Messiah and what His role would be.

by Bill Crowder

FROM ME:  The LORD shall sustain us in our times of need, weakness and vulnerability. LORD, You’re trustworthy and kind. Help me to lean on You as I experience uncertainty.  Help me to veer away from idols or anything that will hinder my faith and reliance on You.  Thank you LORD. 

Posted October 7, 2023

God's ten commandments are guardrails for our lives

Thank you LORD for the Ten Commandments.  It is like your boundaries or guard rails for our lives.  We can see that those boundaries show your love for us, because it prevents us from being derailed, being lost and being condemned to sin and hell. Your commandments protect us from being trapped in sin.  LORD, please help me to show my love for You through my obedience to You.

Text:  Deuteronomy 5: 1- 22  New International Version

The Ten Commandments  

1 Moses summoned all Israel and said:

Hear, Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. 

2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. 

3 It was not with our ancestors that the Lord made this covenant, but with us, with all of us who are alive here today. 

4 The Lord spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain. 

5 (At that time I stood between the Lord and you to declare to you the word of the Lord, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) And he said:

6 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

7 “You shall have no other gods before me.

8 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 

9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 

10 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

11 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you.

13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 

14 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. 

15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

16 “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

17 “You shall not murder.  

18 “You shall not commit adultery.

19 “You shall not steal.

20 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

21 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

22 These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Years ago, a train carrying 218 people derailed in northwestern Spain, killing 79 people and hospitalizing 66 more. The driver couldn’t explain the accident, but the video footage could and did. The train was going far too fast before it hit a deadly curve.  

The allowable speed limit had been created to protect everyone on board the train. Despite being a thirty-year veteran of Spain’s national rail company, however, the driver had for whatever reason ignored the speed boundary and many people lost their lives.

In Deuteronomy 5, Moses reviewed God’s original covenant boundaries for His people. Moses encouraged a new generation to regard God’s instruction as their own covenant with Him (v. 3), and then he restated the Ten Commandments (vv. 7–21). By repeating the commandments and drawing lessons from the previous generation’s disobedience, Moses invited the Israelites to be reverent, humble, and mindful of God’s faithfulness. God had made a way for His people so they wouldn’t wreck their lives or the lives of others. If they ignored His wisdom, they would do so at their own peril.

Today, as God leads us, let’s make all of Scripture our delight, counselor, and the guardrail for our lives. And as the Spirit guides us, we can keep on track within His wise protection and devote our lives wholeheartedly to Him.

By Marvin Williams

COMMENTARY:  The setting for the book of Deuteronomy occurs after the Israelites’ forty years of wilderness wanderings because of their unbelief (1:3; Numbers 14:33–34). 

Geographically, the place was the Plains of Moab (Deuteronomy 1:5; 29:1) on the edge of the promised land. The English title Deuteronomy literally means “second law.” The book includes the reiteration, exposition, and interpretation of the law (in Exodus and Leviticus) that was previously given to the Israelites. Deuteronomy is quoted in the New Testament more than eighty times.

by Arthur Jackson

FROM ME:  Thank you LORD for the Ten Commandments.  It is like your boundaries or guard rails for our lives.  We can see that those boundaries show your love for us, because it prevents us from being derailed, being lost and being condemned to sin and hell. Your commandments protect us from being trapped in sin.  LORD, please help me to show my love for You through my obedience to You.

Posted October 5, 2023

God wants us to pray regularly for others.

Lord, I have not been faithful in praying for people.  Thank you LORD for reminding me about my weakness.  Thank you LORD for reminding me about the importance of consistent regular praying, and consistently praying for people.  Especially for conversion and those in need, and those who are serving in the ministry.   Thank you LORD for the good example of apostle Paul, that he consistently prayed for his co-workers and his friends and brothers in the LORD.   Thank you, dear Father, help me to be faithful in prayer, knowing You always hear me.

Text: Philemon 1: 1-4  NIV 

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,  

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— 

2 also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer - 4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

ODB:   Malcolm Cloutt was named a 2021 Maundy Money honoree by Queen Elizabeth II, an annual service award given to British men and women.   

Cloutt, who was one hundred years old at the time of the recognition, was honored for having given out one thousand Bibles during his lifetime. Cloutt has kept a record of everyone who’s received a Bible and has prayed for them regularly.

Cloutt’s faithfulness in prayer is a powerful example of the kind of love we find throughout Paul’s writings in the New Testament. Paul often assured the recipients of his letters that he was regularly praying for them. To his friend Philemon, he wrote, “I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers” (Philemon 1:4). In his letter to Timothy, Paul wrote, “Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers” (2 Timothy 1:3). To the church in Rome, Paul emphasized that he remembered them in prayer “constantly” and “at all times” (Romans 1:9–10).

While we might not have a thousand people to pray for like Malcolm, intentional prayer for those we know is powerful because God responds to our prayers. When prompted and empowered by His Spirit to pray for a specific individual, I’ve found a simple prayer calendar can be a useful tool. Dividing names into a daily or weekly calendar helps me be faithful to pray. What a beautiful demonstration of love when we remember others in prayer.   By Lisa M. Samra  

COMMENTARY:   Most of Paul’s letters mention a prayer of thanksgiving for readers early in the letter (Romans 1:8–10; Ephesians 1:15–16; Philippians 1:3–4; Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:3; Philemon 1:4). At other times, he includes a section of thanksgiving without explicitly mentioning a prayer of gratitude (2 Thessalonians 1:3). A notable exception is Paul’s letter to the Galatians. There, after offering “grace and peace” (Galatians 1:3–5), the apostle immediately addresses the crisis of false teaching that had taken root in the Galatian churches (vv. 6–7).

by Monica La Rose

FROM ME:   Lord, I have not been faithful in praying for people.  Thank you LORD for reminding me about my weakness.  Thank you LORD for reminding me about the importance of consistent regular praying, and consistently praying for people.  Especially for conversion and those in need. Father, help me to be faithful in prayer, knowing You always hear me.

Posted October 4, 2023

God listens to our sincere honest plea for repentance and forgiveness

Thank you LORD for reminding me that You are kind and merciful God and that You pardon us, your children, if we sincerely repent of our sins and change our ways.  Thank you LORD for this example in the life of King Manasseh.  Thank You, LORD, that You’re always ready to hear my honest prayers.

 Text:  2 Chronicles 33: 10-16  NIV 

10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. 

11 So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. 

12 In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. 

13 And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.

14 Afterward he rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David, west of the Gihon spring in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate and encircling the hill of Ophel; he also made it much higher. He stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah.

15 He got rid of the foreign gods and removed the image from the temple of the Lord, as well as all the altars he had built on the temple hill and in Jerusalem; and he threw them out of the city. 

16 Then he restored the altar of the Lord and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thank offerings on it, and told Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel. 

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

The letter from “Jason,” an inmate, surprised my wife and me. We “foster” puppies to become service dogs to assist people with disabilities.  

One such puppy had graduated to the next training phase, which was run by prisoners who’ve been taught how to train the dogs. Jason’s letter to us expressed sorrow for his past, but then he said, “Snickers is the seventeenth dog I’ve trained, and she is the best one. When I see her looking up at me, I feel like I’m finally doing something right.”

Jason isn’t the only one with regrets. We all have them. Manasseh, king of Judah, had plenty. Second Chronicles 33 outlines some of his atrocities: building sexually explicit altars to pagan gods (v. 3), practicing witchcraft, and sacrificing his own children (v. 6). He led the entire nation down this sordid path (v. 9).

“The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention” (v. 10). Eventually, God got his attention. The Assyrians invaded, “put a hook in his nose . . . and took him to Babylon” (v. 11). Next, Manasseh finally did something right. “He sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly” (v. 12). God heard him and restored him as king. Manasseh replaced the pagan practices with worship of the one true God (vv. 15–16).

Do your regrets threaten to consume you? It’s not too late. God hears our humble prayer of repentance.   By Tim Gustafson  

COMMENTARY:  Under Assyrian rule, it wasn’t uncommon for rebellious kings to be deported as punishment. It seems that some who showed renewed loyalty may have been restored to serving as kings again. Some scholars believe it’s possible Manasseh was punished by Assyria for helping with a Babylonian uprising against Assyria (the revolt of Babylonian ruler Shamash-shum-ukin). Manasseh could later have been found innocent of involvement or pardoned. Whatever factors led to Manasseh’s humiliating downfall and later restoration to the throne (2 Chronicles 33:10–11), Manasseh recognized God’s hand at work (v. 13).  by Monica La Rose

FROM ME:  Thank you LORD for reminding me that You are kind and merciful God and that You pardon us, your children, if we sicerely repent of our sins and change our ways.  Thank you LORD for this example in the life of King Manasseh.  Thank You, LORD, that You’re always ready to hear my honest prayers.

Posted September 3, 2023