June 21, 2022

Tuesday

“This Turn of Events”

Philippians 1:12-14

⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.”

Psalm 119:67

Romans 8:28 assures us that all things will work for the good of those who love the Lord, and that’s a promise we greatly need. But do you realize there are a lot of Romans 8:28-like verses in the Bible? God’s ability to reverse our trials is interwoven with the story of redemption. God has a way of turning things around, sooner or later.

Job said of his troubles, “Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance” (Job 13:16). Nehemiah 13:2 speaks of how God turns curses into blessings. The writer of 1 Kings 12:15 said about an incident, “for the turn of events was from the Lord, that He might fulfill His word.” Paul told the Philippians the things that had happened to him had turned out for the furtherance of the Gospel (Philippians 1:19).

“Things have a way of turning out,” we sometimes say when facing difficulty. Yes, they always do for God’s children, but only because of His redemptive power and grace. In His providence, trials become disguised blessings that draw us closer to God as we learn from Him and lean on Him.

A point to ponder…

God sometimes answers our prayers by giving us what we would have asked for had we known what He knows.

J. D. Greear

Read the Bible through in a year

Psalms 40-45

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 20, 2022

Monday

Past, Present, Future

Ecclesiastes 7:10

¹⁶ Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”

Psalm 139:16

In 1726, the author of a volume titled The Primitive Liturgy dedicated his book, in part, “to all honest admirers of the Good Old Days of their Best and Wisest Forefathers.” “The good old days” is a nostalgic longing for the past. The assumption is that the future, about which we know nothing, surely will not be as good as the past, about which we know everything.

Deficient as that reasoning might be, it’s hard to talk people out of their longing for the comfortableness of the past. But wait—what if we could have confidence that the future, regardless of what it holds, could be trusted in every way? That is surely true for those who look to God. The psalmist tells us that all the days of our life—past, present, and future—were written in God’s “book” before any of them came to pass. That means we can trust God with our past, present, and future days. None are better than others because they are all in the hands of God.

We may not know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future.

A point to ponder…

There are no days when God’s fountain does not flow.

Richard Owen Roberts

Read the Bible though in a year

Psalms 36-39

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

June 18– June 19, 2022

Within Your Jurisdiction

“Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”

Matthew 7:1–2

Doesn’t it seem like everybody knows this verse? Especially that first phrase. People who don’t even believe in God’s Word quote this one little sentence with all the authority of an Old Testament prophet. Doesn’t the Bible say, “Judge not, that you be not judged”? Yes, it does, they’re quick to remind you. As if nobody ever has any right to comment on another’s behavior or confront them with biblical truth, even for the purpose of trying to be caring and helpful.

Because that would be “judgmental,” right?

Wrong.

 “PART OF BEING AUTHENTIC AS BELIEVERS IS ADMITTING WE’RE STILL IN PROCESS.”

 These words of Jesus do not amount to a categorical ban on evaluating people’s actions. Instead, the context makes it abundantly clear—He was decrying the double standard where we expect behavior from others that we don’t expect from ourselves. He was condemning the practice of picking at slivers in other people’s eyes when obvious logs are protruding from ours. “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5). But He wasn’t saying we can’t make discerning judgments based on others’ actions. We just need to be sure the first person whose actions we’re judging—by the same or even a more rigid standard—is ourselves.

Actually, a person’s actions are among the few things we can judge. As Jesus said, “Each tree is known by its own fruit” (Luke 6:44).

The things we can’t judge are these things the Bible says we have no business or capability judging:

1. Motives. We can never really know why people do what they do. Only God knows a person’s heart. We don’t even fully know our own hearts, much less somebody else’s. Paul warned, “Do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart” (1 Corinthians 4:5). God doesn’t want us barging into territory that is His alone to monitor. Judging people’s heart motives is His job, not ours, and He doesn’t need any help with it.

2. Appearances. We also can’t make accurate judgments of people based solely on things like the clothes they wear, the car they drive, the job they hold, or the place where they live. As God said to Samuel in the Old Testament, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Forming quick opinions of others based on surface judgments of their appearance is how we allow false, incomplete information to determine how we treat people.

3. Harsh judgments. Even when we do need to make a judgment call on someone’s actions, our desire shouldn’t be to bring the hammer down. “For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God” (Romans 14:10). Every delicate matter must be approached with maximum humility.

Part of being authentic as believers is admitting we’re still in process. All of us. Nobody has arrived. And though living responsibly with each other does require making judgments at times, back and forth, based on the fruit of our actions, humility grows by keeping ourselves under the scrutiny of God.

The life you spend the most time judging should be yours, always remembering that “with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” Being real about the awesome weight of your own sin will temper the tone you take with others.

Points to ponder…

• What would you identify as your main motives behind the judgments you make about other people?
• In what ways do action-based judgments of others (and ourselves) serve a helpful function for all of us?

Saturday’s Reading

Psalm 26-31

Sunday’s Reading

Psalm 32-35

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 17, 2022

Friday

How to Dream

Ecclesiastes 6: 1-6

¹⁵ For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

James 4:15

Everybody plans; everybody dreams. Surely that is part of the image of God we bear. After all, the animal kingdom does not plan for, dream about, or consider the future. Only we humans do—a gift of God to use in carrying out our mandate as stewards of His kingdom-creation.

But planning has one caveat in Scripture: Who is the beneficiary of those plans? Proverbs 16:1-9 provides a number of guidelines for planning. Summed up, they say this: God’s plans take precedence over man’s. When we plan, we should leave room for God’s plans to change ours. James even provided an example to illustrate this principle (James 4:13-17)—businessmen made plans for the future but failed to remember God and are chided for their failure. We ought always to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” When we plan and dream with God in mind, we will always be content with His changes.

We are not on earth to pursue our own glory or satisfaction, but God’s. Pursuing God’s best is what turns out best for us.

A point to ponder…

God has plans for this world, not problems. There is never a panic in heaven.

W. Ian Thomas

Read the Bible through in a year

Psalms 21-25

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 16, 2022

Thursday

Father Figures: Abraham

2 Chronicles 20: 7

In the early years of Facebook, the race was on to collect “friends”—people whose posts would show up in one’s news feed. The more “friends” the better! It became a status thing, with some users befriending tens of thousands of people, most of whom they didn’t know. So, Facebook put a cap on the number at 5,000—still an unreasonable number if you think about the definition of friend.

The Bible names only one person as being a friend of God: Abraham (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). Abraham was the person God called out of humanity to put in place the rescue mission for humanity. Through Abraham the Messiah would come to “gather together in one all things . . ., both which are in heaven and which are on earth” (Ephesians 1:10). So friend became a covenant term, signifying loyalty, blessing, and fruitfulness. Jesus established that covenant relationship with His disciples when He called them His friends (John 15:13-15).

On this Father’s Day, every Christian should renew their loyalty to God and enjoy the blessings of friendship with Him.

A point to ponder…

They are rich who have true friends.
Thomas Fuller

Read the Bible through in a year

Psalms 17-20

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 15, 2022

Wednesday

How Much Is Enough?

Matthew 19: 23-24

¹⁰ He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.”

Ecclesiastes 5:10

John D. Rockefeller was America’s first billionaire, a goal he attained in the early 1900s. At the peak of his wealth, at age 74, he was worth more than $300 billion in current dollar values. (Today’s richest persons have wealth approaching $100 billion.) On one occasion a reporter asked Mr. Rockefeller, “How much money is enough?” He is said to have replied, “Just a little bit more.”

King Solomon’s wealth made Rockefeller’s look small by comparison. Although it’s impossible to say exactly, estimates put Solomon’s wealth at more than $2 trillion. Yes, this is the same man who wrote that money can never satisfy. The love of gold and silver as a source of satisfaction is “vanity,” the famous king wrote in Ecclesiastes. That means it is a fruitless pursuit, one that can never bring temporal or eternal contentment or peace. Jesus said that the best treasures are those laid up in heaven rather than on earth—treasures that will last forever (Matthew 6:19-21).

Only heavenly treasures can bring the peace and contentment which we seek.

A point to ponder…

Everlasting life is a jewel of too great a value to be purchased by the wealth of this world.

Matthew Henry

Read the Bible through in a year

Psalms 9-16

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 14, 2022

Tuesday

The Blame Game

Ecclesiastes 5: 1-3

¹³ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:”

James 1:13

It’s a terrible argument: “If God didn’t want me to leave my wife and fall in love with (name) and marry her, why did He bring her into my life?” Given the number of complex situations we encounter in life, blaming God for all of them would become a full-time job.

The Bible is clear that God doesn’t tempt anyone to sin. If we respond sinfully to any temptation it is our problem, not God’s (James 1:13-15). God is a giver of good gifts, not tempting or evil gifts (James 1:16-17). In fact, Solomon warns us we should be careful about being “rash” with our mouth, about uttering “anything hastily before God” (Ecclesiastes 5:2)—such as, “God, why did You...?” “Therefore,” Solomon writes, “let your words be few” (verse 2). Words of accusation or blame, that is. If you have a question for God about your circumstances, ask Him. Then let His peace guard your heart and mind in Christ (Philippians 4:6-7).

There is no peace in playing the blame game with God.

A point to ponder…

God doesn’t want to keep changing your circumstances; he wants to change you.

J. Sidlow Baxter

Read the Bible through in a year

Psalms 1-8

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 13, 2022

Monday

The Midnight Ride

John 20: 20-25

¹⁰ For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.”

Psalm 84:10

On April 26, 1777, Sybil Ludington, 16, learned the British were about to attack Danbury. Her father, Colonel Henry Ludington, had a militia of 400 men, but they were on furlough and needed to be alerted. Sybil jumped on her horse, tore out through the pouring rain, and raced from village to village assembling the soldiers. At one point, she fought off a bandit. She rode all night, covering forty miles—twice the distance of the ride by Paul Revere. Yet few of us have heard of Sybil Ludington because Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote: “Listen, my children, and you shall hear / of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.”

We owe a lot to all the Revolutionary midnight riders—there were several—but they also show us the uncertainty of fame. Real heroes are often neglected, and few are remembered for long. But we have a God who sees every sacrifice, knows every effort, rewards every kindness, and carries every burden. He never forgets the smallest task we do for Him.

Fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, but the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

A point to ponder..

I’d rather have Jesus than anything / this world affords today.

Oscar C. A. Bernadotte

Read the Bible through in a year

Job 40-42

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

June 11– June 12, 2022

3 Guidance for Knowing God’s Will

¹⁰⁵ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

¹⁰⁶ I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.

¹⁰⁷ I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word.”

Psalm 119:105-107

How can you know God’s will? How can you get on the right path and stay on it? There is a lot of confusion about this. Here are three, absolutely guaranteed, you-will-be-on-the-right-path guidelines. Because God wants His will to light your way every day.

First, God’s will is found in His Word. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The Bible lights up your path. It helps you navigate the way ahead.

When you are uncertain or feel like you’re in a really dark place, turn on the light of God’s Word. Pick it up and open it. Make this your daily practice, so you’re not just randomly reading, but beginning to know where the answers are. Keep a list of particular passages that have given you direction. The Scriptures help you see where your feet are standing, and perhaps more importantly, where you’re heading on the path in front of you.

Here’s the second guideline. Along with spending regular time in God’s Word, you can find further light on His will through godly counsel. Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” People often think, I don’t want to ask anyone for their input. I know what I want to do. If I ask someone for advice, they might tell me my plan is a bad idea! The Bible says a foolish person doesn’t get counsel from others before they make an important decision. Don’t be indecisive—or decisive on your own. Seek the wise input of those who have proven to be trustworthy.

Third, the Spirit of God leads us. Philippians 2:13 says, “It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Many people want the Holy Spirit’s guidance, but they don’t seek godly counsel or the Word. Yet these are the very tools the Spirit of God uses to guide you.

If you don’t fill up on the Word and wise counsel, you’re not giving the Spirit much to work with. You’re left with only a subjective sense of “the-Lord-told-me-to-do-this.” God will not tell you to do something contrary to His Word and contrary to the godly wisdom of others. If you insist on deciding against God’s Word and wise counsel, the results will be entirely your own fault.

These three guidelines together are a powerful decision-making combination. You can say, “I’ve been in the Word, and I’m getting counsel from wise, godly people. The Spirit Himself is bearing witness with my spirit” (see Romans 8:16).

Start with Scripture, include wise counsel and reliance on God’s Spirit, and your testimony will be, “He guides me.” When life is difficult, you want to know you have sought God’s guidance every step of the way.

Points to ponder…

• When do you most struggle with living your life under the will of God?
• Which of these three: the Word, wise counsel, and God’s Spirit, do you need to include more consistently when making decisions?

Saturday’s Reading

Job 35-37

Sunday’s Reading

Job 38-39

 I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 10, 2022

Friday

Times and Seasons

Ecclesiastes 3:1

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Legendary folk singer Pete Seeger wrote a song in the late 1950s that became a classic folk-rock hit in the 1960s: “Turn! Turn! Turn!” Many fans were unaware that most of the lyrics were taken from the first eight verses of Ecclesiastes 3. Seeger wrote the song as an anthem to world peace, focusing on Solomon’s last words: “A time of war, and a time of peace,” (verse 8) adding his own final refrain, “I swear it’s not too late.”

Solomon’s plea was for more than just peace. It was a plea to recognize that there is a time and a season for everything in God’s plan and purpose. The point is not to understand the timing of every season and circumstance in life, but to trust God when they arrive: “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The apostle Paul didn’t get upset when God changed his missionary plans (Acts 16:6-10). He trusted God and adjusted as God gave direction, as should we.

Tell God today: “Lord, I trust You for this season of my life and every season that is to come.”

A point to ponder…

All the care in the world will not make us continue a minute beyond the time God has appointed.

J. C. Ryle

Read the Bible through in a year

Job 32-34

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 9, 2022

Thursday

Father Figures: Jacob

Genesis 46: 1-7

¹⁴ Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

¹⁵ So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,”

Acts 7:14-15

We don’t often use the word patriarch in modern conversation, and it may be to our detriment because of its rich meaning. Patriarch is a biblical term, occurring four times in the New Testament. The Greek word behind patriarch is made of two words: patria (“lineage” or “family”) and archon (“ruler” or “leader”). Put them together and patriarch refers to the head of an extended family—like the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Unlike modern families, ancient families in the biblical era often lived intergenerationally—there might be three or four generations of the extended family living in close proximity. And the patriarch had oversight over them all. When Jacob and his descendants left Canaan to go to Egypt in search of food, there were around seventy-plus people in all (Acts 7:14; see also Genesis 46:27). Regardless of the exact number, it was a large family. Today, whether living in proximity or not, grandfathers can exercise the role of patriarch over their extended family by offering love, encouragement, example, counsel, and provision to all their descendants.

The role of patriarch (and by extension, matriarch) was an honored role in Scripture—and should be today as well.

A point to ponder…

A father’s holy life is a rich legacy for his sons. 
Charles H. Spurgeon

Read the Bible through in a year

Job 29-31

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 8, 2022

Wednesday

The Burden Bearer

Luke 11: 1-8

¹⁰ Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Matthew 6:10

In her memoirs, Remembering, Bula Dell Blanchard describes her anguish when her young daughter, Darlene, battled a serious illness in India. Bula prayed and wept but had no inner peace, only relentless anxiety. One day little Darlene looked up and said, “Must I always be sick?” That sent Darlene into a determined time of prayer. The Lord seemed to ask, “Will you accept My will?” “Yes, Lord,” Bula prayed, “Your will be done. Do what you will. Take Darlene or let us keep her.”

“What relief!” Bula later wrote. “What release! What a good feeling! The burden was now on the Great Burden Bearer. All on Him. I could smile again. I could talk about our little daughter to callers at the mission bungalow and not cry…. What peace!”

Over time, and with the help of the Christian Medical Center at Vellore, Darlene recovered.

Our burdens are sometimes too heavy to bear, but the Great Burden Bearer says, “Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain you” (Psalm 55:22). When you can’t understand your circumstances, you can still pray, “Yes, Lord. Your will be done.”

A point to ponder…

Thank you, Lord, for the miracle of medical missions and for the miracle of the peace which only You can give. Thank you, Lord, for your presence.

Bula Dell Blanchard

Read the Bible through in a year

Job 24-28

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 7, 2022
Tuesday

The Spin of Grace

Psalm 109: 26-31

5 Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.”

Deuteronomy 23:5

God turns curses into blessings. In His great redeeming purposes for us, He works every situation for the good of those who love Him. This is the spin of grace. God’s ways, though mysterious, are marvelous.

In the book of Numbers, the king of Moab hired a pagan soothsayer named Balaam to curse the Israelites. But whenever Balaam tried to utter his curses, only blessing came from his mouth. Centuries later, Nehemiah reminded the exiles who were repopulating Jerusalem of this story, saying, “Our God turned the curse into a blessing” (Nehemiah 13:2).

We need to develop the confidence that while God’s plans may be mysterious, they are ultimately for our good. A host of enemies seek to unravel our lives, and the devil finds every opportunity to curse us with problems. Sometimes the circumstances of life seem against us. But through the power of Christ, God moves to redeem all our problems, sooner or later, both in time and eternity. He does it because He loves us.

As Psalm 109:28 says, “Let them curse, but You bless.”

A point to ponder…
God is His own interpreter / and He will make it plain.
William Cowper

Read the Bible through in a year
Job 20-23
I love you!

June 6, 2022

Monday

A Joyful Life

Ecclesiastes 2: 22-26

²⁵ For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?”

Ecclesiastes 2:25

In an episode of the animated television program, The Simpsons, Homer Simpson had the opportunity of asking God—or a god-like figure who represents God—an important question: What is the meaning of life? But just as God opened his mouth to answer, the show’s credits began to roll and the viewers never learned the answer.

That seems emblematic of the whole world. So many people are asking the right questions, but somehow the answers keep getting interrupted by the closing credits—things like death. Solomon felt that way in the book of Ecclesiastes, but he kept coming back to one basic truth. Everything in life is meaningless without a personal relationship with God, for only God can impart lasting joy to our hearts.

When we learn to enjoy God, we can learn to enjoy life. As Solomon put it, “So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?” (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)

That’s the answer we need.

A point to ponder…

Joy, not grit, is the hallmark of holy obedience.

Richard J. Foster

Read the Bible through in a year

Job 17-19

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

June 4– June 5, 2022

In the Trenches

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

² And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

³ And when the tempter came…

Matthew 4:1–3a

Faith is as practical as you can get. It’s not ivory tower, abstract, feel-good thinking. Faith is for real life in the trenches. Let’s look together at the life of Jesus and see how Christ Himself used faith at the point of temptation to gain victory.

Some people argue that as God, Jesus couldn’t experience true temptation to sin. False. The Bible teaches that Jesus was severely tempted. Hebrews 4:15 reassures us that Jesus gets it: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” When facing temptation, Jesus didn’t use His divine powers to say no. Within the confines of His humanity, He was victorious by faith. In fact, using His deity is exactly what Satan was tempting Him to do, but Jesus refused. “And the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread’” (Matthew 4:3). Satan appealed to Jesus’ hunger, since He hadn’t eaten for forty days, and tempted Him to prove Himself, but Jesus said no: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (4:4). Jesus exercised faith in the Word of God to repel the attacks of the evil one.

“HAVE FAITH IN THE PROMISES OF GOD’S WORD.”

Think how vulnerable Jesus was. He had been fasting in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights. Undoubtedly, he felt hungry, tired, and lonely. In His humanity, He was facing off against Satan.

Satan crafted three, appealing temptations: turn stones into bread, throw Yourself down from the temple, and receive the kingdoms of the world from me if You worship me. Upon inspection, that last temptation appears to be a weak one, yet in it lies a lesson for us: In the heat of temptation, the offer may appear attractive, but when you stand back from it, you can see how ridiculous it is. In desperation to ruin Jesus’ perfect, sinless track record, Satan offered Jesus everything He had made and already owns. In His humanity, Jesus was susceptible to that temptation, yet He saw through the façade and realized it was not a part of His Father’s plan.

As each temptation presented itself, Jesus used only one weapon to fight it: faith in the Word of God.

Temptation #1: “Command these stones to become loaves of bread,” said Satan (Matthew 4:3).
Jesus said no and quoted Deuteronomy 8:3: “Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”

Temptation #2: “Throw yourself down,” suggested the evil one (Matthew 4:6).
Jesus said no and quoted Deuteronomy 6:16: “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test.”

Temptation #3: “Fall down and worship me,” Satan invited (Matthew 4:9).
Jesus said no and quoted Deuteronomy 6:13: “It is the LORD your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.”

Three temptations. Three biblical answers. A perfect example of the power of faith in God’s Word.

Notice that this isn’t faith in faith, that cultic, deceptive message of faith in the power of faith itself. The Bible doesn’t teach that there’s any power in what you say simply because you say it with confidence. That would be blind faith. The power of faith is in the object of our faith: God’s Word. If what we say is from God’s Word, and in the depth of our being we believe it, then we will find incredible power. Like Jesus, we can have faith in the promises of God’s Word.

Points to ponder…

• Why is it comforting to know that Jesus was tempted just as we are?
• What are some common temptations you face? Think of some verses from God’s Word that address those temptations and arm yourself.

Saturday’s Reading

Job 11-13

Sunday’s Reading

Job 14-16

 I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 3, 2022

Friday

An Eternal Vocation

1 John 2:17

¹¹ He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11

One’s vocation often takes the most time and energy—it’s how we earn a living, and it hopefully provides satisfaction. But there is another way of looking at vocation: the “covenant of vocation,” a phrase popularized by British theologian N. T. Wright. The covenant of vocation is the “task” given to every human being: Reflect the glory of God into the world and the praises of creation back to Him.

The primary difference between the two types of vocation is that one is temporal and the other is eternal. While our earthly vocation can be part of our covenant of vocation—as we work “heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23)—it will inevitably come to a close. But our vocation as image-bearers for God (Genesis 1:26-27) is an eternal one. As we transition to a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1), we will continue our eternal vocation of glorifying God.

God put eternity in your heart for a reason—to remind you of your eternal purpose of honoring Him.

A point to ponder…

Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.

E. H. Chapin

Read the Bible through in a year

Job 8-10

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 2, 2022

Thursday

Father Figures: Abba Father

Romans 8:15

⁶ And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

Galatians 4:6

In the West, English-speaking children refer to their male parent with a variety of words: Dad, Daddy, Papa, Father, Pop. In the Aramaic language that Jesus spoke, there was one primary word for “father”: Abba, an offshoot of Hebrew Ab. Besides being a term of respect, Abba was also a term of warm intimacy. Some modern English paraphrases of the Bible translate Abba as “Papa,” like a small child would say to a father he loved.

Abba is only used three times in the New Testament. Significantly, Jesus used it to address His own Father when He was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion (Mark 14:36). It was the prayer of a Son who called out to the only Person who could sustain Him—His own Heavenly Father. The apostle Paul suggests we do the same in Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6. The Spirit in us gives us freedom to call out to our “Papa Father” in time of need.

When you pray, picture the God who Jesus called “Papa,” and pray the same way.

A point to ponder…

Prayer is the soul’s breathing itself into the bosom of its heavenly Father. 
Thomas Watson

Read the Bible through in a year

Job 5-7

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

June 1, 2022

Wednesday

Invisible Trajectory

Philippians 3

¹³ Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Romans 15:13

Traveling to another country can be exhilarating and exhausting. Seasoned travelers learn to take unexpected delays and opportunities in stride: this is part of the experience. Novice travelers often feel overwhelmed and anxious, unsure of how to proceed. Whether we are seasoned or novice travelers on our journey with Christ, we can access Him immediately through prayers for wisdom, guidance, and help.

The moment we accept Christ, our hearts are fused with His love and we are put on an invisible trajectory toward heaven. Nothing can separate us from His love. We learn to hold our positions and possessions lightly, knowing that our value and security come from Christ.

As we learn to trust Him, we are filled with hope and begin to experience the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He transforms us, comforts us, and gives us strength. As we walk with Christ, our eagerness for His return increases. He is our firm foundation and the home we desperately long for: the place where we are known, loved, and united with Him.

A point to ponder…

My home is in heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.

Billy Graham

Read the Bible through in a year

Job 1-4

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 31, 2022

Tuesday

Stirring and Being Stirred

Hebrews 3: 12-15

²⁴ “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: ²⁵ Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:24-25

More Americans say they are Christians than attend church. The difference represents an obstacle to the spiritual maturity of the Body of Christ. The writer to the Hebrews draws a distinct connection between the “assembling of ourselves together” and the love, good works, and encouragement of Christians.

The writer names something we are to do and something we are not to do. We are to consider how to contribute to one another’s spiritual growth and we are not to exempt ourselves from meeting with the Body of Christ. The connection is apparent: It is in meeting together for fellowship, instruction, worship, and service that we “stir up love and good works” and encourage (exhort) one another. As the end of the age looms, and the return of Christ draws near, we need all the “stirring up” and encouragement we can get.

Are you intimately involved in your church—stirring and being stirred by fellow believers? It’s God’s plan for your spiritual growth.

A point to ponder…

The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Read the Bible through in a year

Esther 6-10

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 30, 2022

Monday

Sprinkled and Cleansed

Ezekiel 36: 25-27

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Hebrews 10:22

Much of what happened literally in the Old Testament foreshadowed something that would happen figuratively in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, the blood of sacrificial animals was sprinkled on the altar and on the ark of the covenant. That sprinkling of blood was a literal picture of the washing away of sin. In the New Testament, the same image conveys: Our heart is sprinkled figuratively with the blood of Christ’s perfect sacrifice, cleansing us “from an evil conscience” and the stain of sin.

In the Old Testament, such sprinkling was done intimately—literally, the length of an arm was the distance from the blood to the object it covered. Just so, in the New Testament we must “draw near” to God “with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” Drawing near to God in faith avails us of the benefits of Christ’s blood cleansing us from sin.

Draw near to God today with a true heart in full assurance of faith. And be assured of your cleansing.

A point to ponder…

I hear the words of love, I gaze upon the blood, I see the mighty sacrifice, and I have peace with God.

Horatius Bonar

Read the Bible through in a year

Esther 1-5

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

May 28– May 29, 2022

Pointed Attack

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

I’ve never been in a sword fight and I don’t expect to be. But if I ever were, I’d want my sword to be the sharpest one in the match, wouldn’t you? I mean, swords in battle are meant to be sharp. That’s basically the whole “point,” right? It’s also why this biblical “two-edged sword” metaphor works as well as it does, because God’s Word is so sharp that it never fails to cut to the heart of the matter.

You’ve probably noticed that. Haven’t you had one of those experiences--whether you were sitting in a small group Bible study, or hearing the Scripture taught in a public setting--where you wondered how the messenger knew exactly what was going on in your life? But here’s the reality: they didn’t know. That’s the living, active Word of God in operation, “piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow”--a physical analogy that illustrates a spiritual truth.

And here’s why this quality of the Bible is so absolutely vital in our lives.

Most of us are dealing with fruit problems rather than root problems. We don’t like digging deep down inside, where the real sources of our problems lie--exposing our true selves, being convicted of sin, receiving what’s truly needed to motivate us to change. So without the Word in action, we’re left managing life unproductively on a fruit level instead of more effectively on a root level. And as long as we stay there on the surface, avoiding the “sword,” it just means another failing crop will always grow up to replace the one we picked off.

Take substance abuse, for example, or any addictive behavior. That’s a fruit problem. The root problem is the emptiness that’s inevitably created by attempting to live without God at the center. Only the truth of God’s Word can help expose that.

Or consider poor financial habits, such as maxed-out credit cards. That’s a fruit problem. The root problem is idolatry, thinking that something material or experiential can satisfy you in a way that only a surrendered life to the Lord actually can.

Think about conflict, whether in your marriage, your workplace, or anywhere else. That’s a fruit problem. The root problem may reside in any number of underlying areas, such as anger, hurt, selfishness, bitterness, pride, unforgiveness, rebellion, etc.

See the difference?

If you wonder why you keep going round and round with the same struggles but rarely see any lasting change--if you wonder why you keep having the same frustrating conversations with the same people, over and over--the reason could come from the difference between fruit and root. But the answer comes from embracing your need for the Word--“living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword”--penetrating deeply enough inside until corrupted roots can be pulled up and replanted, and a steady crop of new fruit can be produced.

Take up this gift of the Sword, and let it do its powerful work in you.

Points to ponder…

• When was the last time you felt the work of the Sword, and how did you follow up on it?
• Think of one new way you can engage with the Word beyond what you’re already doing. Write it down, and prayerfully commit to it for thirty days.

Saturday’s Reading

Nehemiah 10-11

Sunday’s Reading

Nehemiah 12-13

 I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 27, 2022

Friday

No Repeats

Jeremiah 31: 31-34

“And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”

Hebrews 9:15

Very few things in life are one and done, never needing to be repeated. That has given rise to the complaint people have about life in general: “Life is so daily!” Most of what we do today has to be repeated tomorrow and the day after.

And that is true of most spiritual practices as well—except for one. The death of Christ put an end to the offering of sacrifices for sin. That is the main reason the Bible refers to the death and Resurrection of Christ as the institution of a “new covenant,” a “better covenant”: “He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). What is better about the New Covenant? It never has to be repeated. Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). No sacrifice under the Mosaic Covenant could do that.

Be glad today that your sins are forgiven once and for all through Christ. Nothing can separate you from His love.

A point to ponder…

There is no death of sin without the death of Christ.

John Owen

Read the Bible through in a year

Nehemiah 8-9

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 26, 2022

Thursday

The Loving Mom

1 John 4: 7-11

“O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.”

Psalm 86:16

Mary McLeod was born to former slaves and grew up in a world of prejudice. But she also grew up loving the Lord and became one of the first black students to attend Moody Bible Institute. She became a renowned teacher of American black children.

One day while teaching on campus, Klansmen cut the power to the school and surrounded it. The young people heard the trampling of the horses and saw the hooded figures darting to and fro. But Mary had a weapon of her own—a hymn. She began singing, “Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you.” The students joined her, and the Klansmen retreated.

Mary was a mother to her students, and her philosophy was love. She said, “Love, not hate, has been the foundation of my fullness…. Faith and love have been the most glorious and victorious defense in this ‘warfare’ of life, and it has been my privilege to use them.”

Satan and his henchmen don’t know what to do with a loving mom, for such a woman possesses the power of God.

A point to ponder…

I leave you love. I leave you hope…. I leave you faith.
Mary McLeod Bethune on her memorial

Read the Bible through in a year

Nehemiah 7

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 25, 2022

Wednesday

The Bully Pulpit

Zechariah 3: 1-10

"And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?”

Zechariah 3:2

Bullying is an epidemic today, including cyberbullying. The goal of a bully is to make the other person feel badly about themselves, ashamed, humiliated, and alone. Bullies take their cues from Satan, the ultimate bully. In Zechariah 3, the devil ridiculed Israel’s high priest, Joshua, and pointed out his filthy sins and ministerial failures. But the Lord rebuked Satan. And God removed Joshua’s filthy garments and gave him rich robes and a clean turban. The Lord treated him as a brand plucked from the fire.

The Bible teaches that our great High Priest, Jesus, always lives to make intercession for us. We all go through periods of guilt, shame, and self-reproach. But the blood of Jesus Christ washes away every stain, forgives every sin, redeems every mistake, and silences the taunts of our diabolical bully.

Jesus reminds us in John 10:9-10 that “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” We are safe in His protective arms.

A point to ponder…

The Lord Jesus pleads for us in Heaven, and so advocates our cause before the throne of God against him who is “the accuser of the brethren.”

Herbert Lockyer, in All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible

Read the Bible through in a year

Nehemiah 4-6

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 24, 2022

Tuesday

Permanent High Priest

John 16: 5-7

"Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.”

Hebrews 7:27

Several priests in Israel are named in the New Testament. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, was one of hundreds of priests who rotated through various duties at the temple in Jerusalem (Luke 1:5). Caiaphas, who participated in the trials of Jesus, is named as a high priest in the year of Jesus’ death (John 11:49). One word can best describe all the priests of Israel: temporary. Priests—even the high priest—came and went.

The impermanence of these priests is a primary point of comparison between them and Jesus. Jesus offered Himself “once for all when He offered up Himself.” In that way, He became a better High Priest than all who preceded Him in Israel. As the permanent High Priest, Jesus is an Advocate in heaven for all who He represents (1 John 2:1), always there to make intercession for us (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25). No earthly priest could, or can, do that for us.

When you pray today, imagine Jesus as your Advocate, interceding for you before the Father.

A point to ponder…

Jesus Christ carries on intercession for us in heaven; the Holy Ghost carries on intercession in us on earth.

Oswald Chambers

Read the Bible through in a year

Nehemiah 1-3

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich