Following The Light

May 16, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 112:7
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

     I recall one time when I took a flight from Jacksonville, Florida to Chicago’s O’Hara Airport, and from there to Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan. By the time we approached the final destination, It was evening and very dark outside. On the last leg of my flight, I was riding in the front seat of a smaller plane. The cockpit door was open so I could see exactly what the pilots were able to see.

     As we flew over Lake Michigan, everything was engulfed in darkness. However, as we began to get closer to the shores of Michigan, I started to see a little light off in the distance. The closer we got to the airport, and the city of Grand Rapids, the brighter the lights became. Then, as I looked ahead, I could see two rows of lights, which would guide us to a safe landing at our destination and once again back onto solid ground. The control tower told the pilots how to approach these lights, and what the weather was like, and assisted them in maneuvering to the runway. The closer we got to the ground, the brighter the lights became. Finally, we were on the ground and safe.

     To me, the Bible is very much like those runway lights. As long as I keep the light of God’s Word in view, direct my path toward it, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, I know I am going to be all right. Refuse to listen, and I am in trouble. If I think the lights are misleading and go my own way, I will end up on unstable ground. However, if I watch The Light, Trust in the High Tower, eventually He will help me land on the streets of Gold.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     In John 8:12 Jesus said, “… I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”He is the Light of LIFE. Head toward the Light. JESUS! Trust in the LORD. He will guide you safely Home.

What do you trust to get you to your final destination?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage and today’s Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 16, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
1 Samuel 22, 23 / Psalm 112
Proverbs 16 / Romans 15

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
1 Kings 1-2 / John 4:1-38

Just Between Us
May 15, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

1 Samuel 20:42
And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

     Jonathan said to David, “The LORD be between me and thee.” What does this mean? Do you see this as if God were now standing between them as a sort of invisible boundary line during their newly separated living arrangements from this point on? Well, my friend, it is quite the opposite. The LORD has become their only connection in which to recall and intercede for one another. No phones, no telegraph, or e-mail. Their only connection to one another was through the LORD.

 

     With travel so easy today and people moving about so much, we have many Christian friends who have relocated. Yet, in our thoughts and prayers for them, they are as close as our Saviour is. They may move from your area. They might be gone for long periods. Nevertheless, with the LORD as our connection, they are never far away.

 

     Have you ever walked into a church in which you have never been before, maybe while traveling or on a business trip, and almost immediately you felt at home? That is the connection of the LORD. A connection between you and another believer you have never met. It is the Holy Spirit binding hearts together. This is the same binding God uses over miles. The Holy Spirit in each of you is the same Holy Spirit in both of you. A connection that cannot be undone.

 

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     As you go through this day, think of an old Christian Friend who has moved or has been gone for a while. Maybe a Sunday School Teacher, Pastor, Christian Leader, Missionary, or Evangelist who you have not seen in a while. Maybe it is a Christian acquaintance from a former workplace or someone from a school who you have not seen or heard from. Take them to the LORD today. Enjoy your time together in Him as you find the Lord… “Between Me and Thee.”

 

Who might you take before the Lord today?

 

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage and today’s Devotion?

 

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

 

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

 

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 15, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
1 Samuel 20, 21 / Psalm 111
Proverbs 15 / Romans 13, 14

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
2 Samuel 23-24 / John 3

 

You Are Not Going To Believe This

May 12, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 109:2
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

     Don’t you just hate it when people lie? They just cannot seem to tell the truth. No matter how hard they try, they always seem to stretch the truth to a point where hardly anyone could possibly believe them. Then when they do tell the truth, no one does believe them.

     What seems even worse is when they begin to lie about you. They might tell only half-truths or exaggerate the truth. It seems almost unbelievable that they would do such a thing. Suddenly, you find yourself wanting to get even, to hurt them back. Well, I am going to tell you how to do just that. Prepare to get even with these people.

     First, live a separated life. What is a separated life? It is a life in which it is hard to find fault. One separated from the world and their sinful ways. Separated to the Lord and His heavenly ways. Then no one who truly knows you would ever believe the lies someone else would tell and it is going to look bad on them.

     Second, take it to the Lord. Do not try to get even, get back, or get over on someone. Let God handle it. He knows both you and them far better than you do.

     Finally, pray for them and invite them to church. If you genuinely want a liar to quit lying, they will need to have a change of heart, not just a change of mind. The best way to get rid of an enemy is to make them your friend.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     Could you imagine if someone were to say right up front when they first begin to tell stories on you something like, “You know so and so, that Christian, well you are not going to believe this but…” Did you hear it? Are you laughing? First, they labeled you as a Christian and then told the other person what was going to happen. “You’re not going to believe this…” and because of your life in Christ, well, they won’t.

Would any Christian who
really knows you believe a lie about you?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage and today’s Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 12, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(O.T.-1,   N.T. & PS.-2,   Prov. – Monthly)}
1 Samuel 15-16 – Psalm 109:1-13
Proverbs 12 – Romans 6-8

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
2 Samuel 16-18 John 1:1-34

Someone Has A Crush On You

May 10 & 11, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

     Guess what I have heard about you? You are wonderful. You are intelligent; witty, and charming. You have a great personality and are also found to be incredibly attractive. They said they like you and you are a great person to have as a friend. Do you want to know who said all these things about you? Sure you do. Whoever they are, they seem to be a very smart person. As people go, they might be able to be very good friends.

     However, what if someone said this instead? You are a fool. You are stupid, boring, and an absolute drag to be around. You have a horrible personality, and to top it all off I find you to be kind of ugly. Being around you is like rubbing sandpaper across my forehead until it bleeds. In fact, I would rather stick a fork in my eye than spend one more minute around you. OK, do you want to know who said that? Sure you do. However, the reason is different. You probably want to know, “What in the world could I have possibly done to them to make them hate me so much?”

     Yet, before our salvation, this is sort of the attitude we displayed toward God. We did not want to be around Him or His people. His ideas and ways seemed ridiculous and outdated, and we did not want to listen, read, or much less obey anything he had to say out of His Word. It may have sounded stupid, boring, and even foolish at times. However, while we were acting this way toward God, The Bible says “…God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God sent His only Son to die for us. Why? It is because He loved us even when we were acting unlovable toward Him. Now, my friend, this is real love.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     I wonder if God ever thought to Himself, “What in the world could I have possibly done to them to make them hate me so much?” God loved us even when we were acting unlovable toward Him. In fact, the someone who thought all those nice things about you in the first paragraph would be God. He really is a great friend indeed.

Do you spend any time thinking about the fact
that God is thinking about you?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage and today’s Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 10, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
1 Samuel 12-14 – Psalm 108
Proverbs 10-11 – Romans 4-5

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
2 Samuel 14-15  /  Luke 24:36-53

WHAT TO DO ON SUNDAY:

    There will not be a Daily Devotion sent out on Sundays. Instead, we encourage you to attend your church and listen intently to what God has prepared in the heart of your Pastor. Write down all the scriptures he uses in that message, then when you get home re-read those passages for today’s reading. God has given to your Pastor exactly what He desires for you on that day.  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 11, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY

It’s A Matter Of Time

May 9, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 9:8-9
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

     We only get so many hours each day. Just a few opportunities to use the minutes God has given to us. The Bible says we are to be good stewards of all God gives us. We will often relate stewarding to money. However, it also refers to our time and talents.

     Being a good steward of time is the topic of our verses today. Rebuking a sinner of sin before they are saved is like beating your head against a brick wall. They do not care and are not convicted of their sinfulness; therefore, neither of you gets anything good out of it. They need salvation first.

     If you use your time to try to help someone who is teachable, you both come out ahead. A Christ-like Spirit is one that is teachable. The rebuke given to born-again Christians is an opportunity for them to examine themselves, to see where they stand with God. If the rebuke is correct, they will see an area they need to correct and become stronger in the Lord. If the rebuke is incorrect, they can come back and lovingly discuss the circumstances around it with you. When this happens, you both walk away stronger in the Lord, and in better fellowship with one another. Either way, a wise person comes out ahead. They have either gained wisdom in their walk with the Lord or a better understanding of a fellow Christian. In this, God wins.

     Is it ever easy to point out perceived sin, or the shortcomings in a friend’s life? NO! There is a slogan, which says, “Friends do not let friends drive drunk.” The same should be true for believers. Christian friends do not let Christian friends live in harmful unrighteousness.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     In the New Testament, Jesus called it casting your pearls before swine. It is not referring to withholding the gospel from anyone as everyone needs to hear the gospel. However, it does mean using your time wisely. Not everyone is ready to listen.

How are you using your time for the work of the Lord?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage and today’s Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 9, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
1 Samuel 10-11 – Psalm 107
Proverbs 9 – Romans 2, 3

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
2 Samuel 11-13  /  Luke 24:1-35