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

May 23, 2022

Monday

Completely Saved

John 10: 27-30

²⁵ “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Hebrews 7:25

Have you heard this expression: “She is really pregnant; she could deliver at any moment!” How about this: “After his bath, my little boy ran out the back door completely naked!” We know what is meant, but in each example adverbs like “really” and “completely” are unnecessary. A woman is either pregnant or not; a child is either naked or not. There is no in-between.

So then, why does Hebrews 7:25 say that Christ is able to save completely (or “to the uttermost”) those who trust in Him? Aren’t we either saved or not saved? Yes, but the author used a Greek word that is imprecise in meaning. Completely could mean “in every way” or “forever”—or both. And most likely, the meaning is both—similar to Paul’s words in Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”—no condemnation of any kind, at any time. We are saved from everything, forever, in Christ.

If you ever wonder about the extent of your salvation in Christ … don’t. You are saved completely, to the uttermost, forever.

A point to ponder…

Unless we are saved by grace, we cannot be saved at all.

Charles Hodge

Read the Bible through in a year

Ezra 8-10

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

May 21– May 22, 2022

Joy Maker

“The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Psalm 19:8

Two people were walking along the road to Emmaus, a town not too far from Jerusalem, only hours after Jesus had been resurrected. All of a sudden, Jesus Himself came up and began walking with them, as if out of nowhere, though they didn’t yet recognize who He was.

As they discussed with this Stranger their perplexity concerning the events of the last three incredible days, Jesus began explaining to them what was truly happening. And here’s how He did it: “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).

You’re probably familiar with the story. “The Road to Emmaus.” But why did Jesus--who is the Son of God, who is the Word of God--not just talk with them off-the-cuff, unscripted, from His own body of knowledge? Why involve the Scriptures at all in this conversation?

Answer: Because He wanted them to see--two disciples who would need to go on without Him after Jesus returned to heaven in a few days--that the Word could be trusted. It was accurate. It was reliable. And its truth alone, even in His physical absence, could give them something they couldn’t get anywhere else: a passion, a delight, and a “rejoicing” of the heart. Remember? “They said to each other, ‘Did our hearts not burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures’” (Luke 24:32)?

And it’s just as true today.

“The precepts of the Lord “are able to give you joy as you receive them, believe them, treasure them, and stay with them--as you order the entirety of your life around them. God’s divine principles, by virtue of being 100 percent accurate and essential in all they assert, set a “right” path through the maze of life that causes your heart to rejoice.

Let me give you an example. Among the Bible’s many precepts is the following principle: one man with one woman for life. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). I’m telling you--get this precept right, and your life is headed for joy. Think of all the worldly principles that circulate in our culture which contradict and compromise the rightness of this precept. How many people’s lives testify to the truth that wrong principles, when applied to life, lead to the opposite of joy? In how many ways does each of our experiences prove the assertion--whether by God’s grace or our own folly--that “the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes”?

The Word of God brings light to the darkness in every human heart. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). “Whoever follows me,” Jesus said, “will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). He has given His Word for many valuable reasons. One of the sweetest is that He has promised us through it a path that leads to joy.

Points to ponder…

• Write down any principle from Scripture that you remember as having brought you joy.
• How can you be intentional this week about digging deeper into the treasure of God’s Word?

Saturday’s Reading

Ezra 1-3

Sunday’s Reading

Ezra 4-7

 I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 20, 2022

Friday

Thought Therapy

Philippians 4

⁶ “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

It begins with a thought. Peter thought he would drown and looked away from Jesus. Moses thought he was inadequate and looked away from God’s calling. The disciples thought the soldiers were more powerful than Jesus and fled into the night. Every one of our actions flows from a thought: conscious or subconscious. Often our thoughts are automatic and reactionary.

What area of your life do you want to improve? Just take a moment and think about that. In what area would you most like to grow? With God’s help, you can improve your one corner of the universe. What it really takes is the power of God in our lives, and there is a passage of Scripture on this very subject.

It takes effort to examine the thoughts running on repeat in our minds. A thought repeated becomes a belief.

This explains why God’s first words to His people time and time again are, “Don’t be afraid.” He knows our fears and anxious thoughts. He only asks that we bring them to Him and replace them with the truth of His power, love, and wisdom. Although each of us will face challenges and deep loss, God invites us to trust Him. As we do, our anxious thoughts are replaced with His peace. He is with us. He loves us. He is working on our behalf.

A point to ponder…

Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.

Elisabeth Elliot

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Chronicles 35-36

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 19, 2022

Thursday

Thank God for Moms! The Patient Mom

2 Thessalonians 3: 1-5

“And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”

2 Thessalonians 3:5

In her book Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids, Laura Markham wrote, “Your child is fairly certain to act like a child, which means someone who is still learning, has different priorities than you do, and can’t always manage her feelings or actions. Her childish behavior is guaranteed, at times, to push your buttons. The problem is when we begin acting like a child, too.”

As parents, we don’t need to simply act like adults; we need to act like Jesus. A Christ-like mom has patience from beyond her own resources. She knows how to say, “Lord, Your patience please,” when tense moments come. She knows how to ask the Lord to direct her heart into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

Patience is easier for some of us than others, but wise mothers consider it one of most effective tools on the pegboard of parenting. It’s so important, that we need the very patience of Christ circulating through our bloodstream. Today make this your prayer: “Lord, direct my heart into Your love and into the patience of Christ Himself.”

A point to ponder…

Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.
Chuck Swindoll, in The Strong Family

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Chronicles 32-34

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 18, 2022

Wednesday

One Corner

2 Peter 1: 3-8

“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 1:8

Aldous Huxley, the twentieth-century British author, said, “There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.”

What area of your life do you want to improve? Just take a moment and think about that. In what area would you most like to grow? With God’s help, you can improve your one corner of the universe. What it really takes is the power of God in our lives, and there is a passage of Scripture on this very subject.

The apostle Peter wrote, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness…. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness… knowledge… self-control… perseverance… godliness… mutual affection… love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive” (2 Peter 1:3-8).

God will do His part (“His divine power has given us”), but we must also do our part and “make every effort.” Find an area of your life to improve, and start right now.

A point to ponder…

God wants the whole person and He will not rest until He gets us in entirety. No part of the man will do.

A. W. Tozer

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Chronicles 28-31

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 17, 2022

Tuesday

Milk or Meat?

1 Corinthians 3: 1-3

“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

Hebrews 5:14

There is a natural progression to the foods a human being eats. First, liquids, then soft purees, then soft pieces of fruits or vegetables, then whole fruits and vegetables. Finally, when teeth are available for chewing, harder foods—solid food—can be eaten. Some variation of that progression is an indication of good nutrition and healthy development.

That’s the analogy the New Testament uses for spiritual growth as well, organized in two categories: milk and solid food (1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12). Milk represents the “first principles of the oracles of God” (Hebrews 5:12)—teachings about repentance, faith, baptism, spiritual gifts, the Resurrection, and eternal judgment (Hebrews 6:1-2). The writer to the Hebrews suggested to his readers that they should have mastered, and moved beyond, these elementary teachings given their tenure as Christians. But they were still living like babes in Christ, capable of only milk instead of solid food. They were old in years but babes in maturity.

What is your spiritual diet? Are you nourishing yourself on the solid food of God’s Word daily? Your spiritual growth depends on it.

A point to ponder…

We grow in proportion as we know.

J. A. Motyer

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Chronicles 25-27

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 16, 2022

Monday

How to Learn Obedience

Hebrews 5: 1-14

"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;”

Hebrews 5:8

A child learns nothing of obedience when his parent instructs him, “Take the cookies and eat them.” But when the parent says, “Do not eat the cookies before supper”—oh, the suffering begins! Obedience is only learned through the things we suffer. What suffering? The suffering of resisting temptation; the suffering of not gratifying our desires; the suffering of doing another’s will instead of our own.

One of the most amazing descriptions of the humanity of Jesus Christ as Son of Man regards how He learned obedience: “by the things which He suffered.” As a human man, Jesus was tempted the same way we are, though He never yielded to those temptations (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15). His ultimate suffering came as He fulfilled the Father’s will for His life by dying for the sins of the world. He lived His entire life in service to God’s will (John 4:34; 5:19, 30; 6:38; 7:28-29). Like Jesus, our love and loyalty to God is proved when our obedience is tested.

The next time you suffer, look first to see if your obedience is being tested. Then, like Jesus, submit your will to God’s.

A point to ponder…

Obedience is the hallmark of faith.

Charles H. Spurgeon

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Chronicles 21-24

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

May 14– May 15, 2022

Expecting the Unexpected

6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

Exodus 34: 6-7

Let’s say you’ve got some unpleasant news to deliver to someone you’re worried about offending or disappointing. Maybe you need to come clean about an instance where you haven’t been exactly truthful, or you have to report the loss of an important client or contract. It could be that there’s not enough money in the family budget for that vacation you’d been planning . . . or it could be something much worse.

How do you expect they’ll take it?

You might have a guess, but you probably don’t know. Depends on the day, depends on the timing, depends on whatever sort of context or preexisting conditions you’re wading into--factors that perhaps don’t even have anything to do with you. And it depends on whether this is the first time you’ve done something like this or it’s become your usual pattern.

So you hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

But at times like these when it’s not another person but it’s God who’s on the other end of your confession--and you’ve owned the responsibility for not making the right choice or handling things well, and you’ve repented of the poor judgment that put you in this spot to begin with--you can know exactly what kind of reception you’ll receive. And it’s the same one the children of Israel received at the base of Mount Sinai.

You’ll recall the golden calf incident that occurred while Moses was on the mountain with God receiving the Ten Commandments. It wasn’t a pretty scene. Moses came down, saw what his brother Aaron had allowed to happen, smashed the tablets of the law, then ground the golden calf into powder, mixed it with water, and forced the people to drink it.

So when Moses headed back up the mountain inExodus 34 with a new set of stone plates for God to write on, he went also with an appeal for mercy--which he delivered in verse 9. But before Moses could even say the words, our God--who is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love . . . forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin”--had already declared (in verses 6 and 7!) forgiveness of the people’s sin

Witness the heart of your God for forgiveness: “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25).

God’s nature and disposition are not to judge but to forgive. If they weren’t, there would be no Bethlehem, no baby Jesus, no perfect life, no atoning death, no victorious resurrection, and no salvation for those who believe. Because of His loving intention toward you, His forgiveness will never run out, never run dry. He will never give up on you or renege on His promises. He will never claim to forgive you but then hold a secret grudge. He won’t recall your sin to mind and then weaponize it against you the next time you come begging for mercy.

This is what separates Christianity from every other form of religious belief in the world. In Christ, you can experience complete acceptance, full resolution, total restoration. God doesn’t want you living in shame and regret, but rather receiving His boundless grace.

Don’t let it surprise you. Come expecting the unexpected.

Points to ponder…

• What are you continuing to suffer and struggle with today, primarily because you doubt God’s heart of forgiveness toward you?
• Who in your life needs to know of your heart for forgiveness toward them?How will you express it to them?

Saturday’s Reading

2 Chronicles 13-17

Sunday’s Reading

 2 Chronicles 18-20

 I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 13, 2022

Friday

Undergirded

Hebrews 4: 14-16

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16

The word help found in the Scripture for today is also found in the story of Paul’s shipwreck on Malta during his journey to Rome in Acts 27. Detailing their voyage and the challenges they encountered, Paul states the sailors “used cables to undergird the ship” (Acts 27:17). In other words, they encircled the hull with cables to keep the ship from breaking apart in the tempest.

The word undergird is the same Greek term as the word help found in Hebrews 4:16. The writer says we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, the Lord Jesus, who sympathizes with our weaknesses. Let us come boldly to His throne, that we may be undergirded in the storms of life.

When we come to God in need, He undergirds us with His strong, loving arms and makes it possible for our vessel to get through the storm without sinking under the circumstances.

Because of the suffering Jesus endured, He alone can fully understand the sorrows and arrows that pierce our souls here on earth. And He alone can give us the help we need.

A point to ponder…

We need God to undergird us. We pray to Him for help in the time of need.

David Jeremiah

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Chronicles 9-12

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 12, 2022

Thursday

Thank God for Moms! The Active Mom

Colossians 3:18-25

²³ “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”

Colossians 3:23

As a teenager, Elizabeth Tilley traveled with her parents to the New World from Plymouth, England in September 1620 aboard the Mayflower. One of her fellow passengers, John Howland, fell overboard but was miraculously rescued. Shortly after their arrival, the two were married. They had 10 children and 88 grandchildren, providing rich legacy of Mayflower descendants. Among the number: Franklin D. Roosevelt, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Sarah Palin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Humphrey Bogart, and Phillips Brooks, the author of “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”

Elizabeth outlived her husband by fourteen years, and she was an extraordinary active mother and grandmother, always busy cooking, sewing, cleaning, gardening, and caring for loved ones. If you visit her gravestone, you’ll see it inscribed with these words: “It is my will and charge to all my children that they walk in fear of the Lord, and in love and peace towards each other.”

Mothers who do their work enthusiastically for the Lord leave a legacy that shapes history. 

A point to ponder…

I give and commit my soul unto Almighty God my Savior and Redeemer in whom by the merits of Jesus Christ I trust and believe assuredly to be saved.
Elizabeth Tilley Howland

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Chronicles 6-8

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 11, 2022

Wednesday

Our Great High Priest

Hebrews 7: 20-28

23 “And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.”

Hebrews 7:23-24

Imagine buying a premium ticket to a Broadway play. Getting there early, you watch stagehands getting everything ready for the show. They move everything in place, test the lights and microphones, and double-check the props. But no actor ever arrives. No action ever takes place. The play never starts, and you spend the night watching stagehands moving the props around. You’d want your money back.

That’s the theme of the book of Hebrews. The writer was saying in effect, “You know those priests and sacrifices and rituals in the Old Testament? They were simply arranging things. They were preparing for the arrival of Christ. It’s the Lord Jesus who stepped onto the stage of history when everything was ready and gave meaning to what they were doing. He is the true and eternal great High Priest.”

Keep your eyes on Him, press ahead, and discover the power of His priestly ministry to your soul. Our Heavenly High Priest identifies with our needs and strengthens us in time of need.

A point to ponder…

Jesus, my great High Priest, / offered His blood and died;/ my guilty conscience seeks no sacrifice besides. / His powerful blood did once atone, and now it pleads before the throne.

Isaac Watts

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Chronicles 2-5

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 10, 2022

Tuesday

Living Word

Psalm 107:20

¹² “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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

In the epic movie The Ten Commandments, whenever Pharaoh made a decree he sealed it: “So let it be written; so let it be done.” In short, the word of Pharaoh was alive in its nation-changing power. His word was spoken, recorded, and put into action.

God’s words are the same—only infinitely more so. His Word is eternal (John 1:1), made incarnate in Christ (John 1:14), and life-changing as the Holy Spirit applies it to the lives of human beings (Hebrews 4:12). God’s Word is living, powerful, and sharp enough to penetrate to the deepest part of man, revealing the thoughts and intents of the human heart. The very act of reading, studying, and meditating upon the Word of God gives the Spirit opportunity to illuminate the reader’s heart. The Word shows us who we are and who Christ is. Seeing the difference, the humble reader is willing to repent and be transformed into Christ’s image (Romans 8:29).

Read the Word today with the expectation of being changed.

A point to ponder…

How great and glorious a thing it is to have… the Word of God!

Martin Luther

Read the Bible through in a year

1 Chronicles 28- 2 Chronicles 1

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 9, 2022

Monday

Fear Factor

Psalm 111:10

“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.”

Hebrews 4:1

In Hebrews 4:1 we are told to “fear” and in Isaiah 41:10 to “fear not.” These are not contradictions, of course, but different uses of the word fear. For example, the fear of God is reverence and awe that leads to wisdom (Psalm 111:10). Ironically, it is such a healthy reverence for God that leads us to “fear not” (human emotional fear) in the face of life’s challenges. When we rightly fear God, we will not fear anything the world sets before us.

When the writer of the Hebrews told his readers to “fear lest any of you seem to have come short of [God’s eternal rest],” it is a gentle, but serious, reminder: The entirety of our life, temporal and eternal, is in the hands of God. By failing to live for Him we run the risk of not enjoying the temporal and eternal blessings He has for us. The issue is not loss of salvation, but loss of joy and eternal reward.

How focused is your fear factor? Reverence and awe of God are the beginning of wisdom and blessing.

A point to ponder…

It is only the fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man.

John Witherspoon

Read the Bible through in a year

1 Chronicles 25-27

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

May 7 – May 8, 2022

Confident Hope

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;"

1 Peter 1:13

It doesn’t take much to see that the whole world has gone crazy.

In the midst of so much chaos, where can we stake our hope? Exhorting us to endurance, the Apostle Peter urged us to prepare “your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

The energy to live the Christian life is found in one place—in our focused, conscious choice to put our hope in Jesus. Hope is the confident expectation that something better is coming tomorrow.

As you look to the future:

Don’t set your hope on your physical health—set your hope on Jesus. “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day”(2 Corinthians 4:16).

Don’t set your hope on your stuff—set your hope on Jesus. “And [Jesus] said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions’”(Luke 12:15).

Don’t set your hope on people—set your hope on Jesus. “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God”(Psalm 146:3, 5).

No leader, pastor, family member, friend, or spouse can be everything that we hope and dream he will be. People, places, and positions always let us down. Only Jesus is worthy of all our hopes and all our confidence. Maybe you find yourself a little down today. Like Peter standing on the water, the moment you take your eyes off the Lord you start to sink (Matthew 14:22–33). Lift up your eyes; set your hope fully on Jesus.

Our confident expectation is in God, who sees, knows, and will ultimately turn an upside-down world right-side up at the appearing of our Lord. Every righteous decision will be rewarded. Every wrong choice will be judged. Every motive will be revealed.

Is your faith faltering as you look at the world coming unhinged around you? Are you struggling to carry on? Do you need hope that will endure?

Set your hope fully on Jesus.

Points to ponder…

• On what might you be tempted to set your hope—your physical health, your talents, your stuff, other people?
• How can you tell if your hope is in anything other than Jesus?

Saturday’s Reading

1 Chronicles 18-21

Sunday’s Reading

1 Chronicles 22-24

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 6, 2022

Friday

Furrows of Faith

Mark 8: 13-21

"And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?"

Mark 8:17

When Jesus spoke of “hardened” hearts in this passage, He wasn’t referring to scribes, Pharisees, or Roman officials who bitterly opposed Him. Oh, their hearts were hardened too; but in Mark 8, He was speaking to His closest followers—the Twelve. Despite the miracles He performed and the instructions He gave, the truth about His power hadn’t sunk into their minds. Their hearts were like fields so dry and hard that the needed rain simply ran off without soaking into the soil. They had seen Jesus feed 5,000 in Mark 6, yet they didn’t know how He could feed 4,000 in Mark 8.

Healthy hearts soak up the water of the Word. They are furrowed by faith and tilled by trust. That’s the kind of heart the Lord desires. Don’t rebel or distrust Him. Hebrews 6:7 says, “When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing.”

A point to ponder…

When we thus forget the works of God, and distrust him, we should chide ourselves severely for it, as Christ doth his disciples here: “Am I thus without understanding! How is it that my heart is thus hardened?”

Matthew Henry

Read the Bible through in a year

1 Chronicles 15-17

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich