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

May 5, 2022

Thursday

The Joyful Mom

Psalm 34: 1-7

⁴⁶ And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, ⁴⁷ And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”

Luke 1:46-47

When it comes to happy nations, Denmark is near the top. The Danes explain their joyful attitude in one word: hygge (pronounced hue-gah). It’s an art of creating warm, inviting, and cozy environments, especially through the use of candles and lamps. One Danish author, Poul Henningsen, said, “When, in the evening, from the top of a tram car, you look into all the homes on the first floor, you shudder at how dismal people’s homes are… [because of] the positioning of the lighting.” He and others taught the Danes how to better create pools of light using candles and lamps, thus creating hygge in the home.

We need spiritual light far more. Psalm 34:5 says, “They looked to Him and were radiant.” A joyful mother brightens the home, for she reflects the radiance of the Lord. One of the reasons the Lord choose Mary as the mother of Christ was undoubtedly because she knew how to rejoice in God her Savior.

Thank God for joyful moms like her who brighten the lives of others!

A point to ponder…

The hallmark of Mother’s life is joy. Her face radiates it! Her eyes sparkle with it!
Anne Graham Lotz, of her mother, Ruth Bell Graham, in Pursuing More of Jesus

Read the bible through in a year

1 Chronicles 12-14

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 4, 2022

Wednesday

So Great!

Hebrews 2: 1-9

³ "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;”

Hebrews 2:3

Why is salvation great? Because we have a great need, which burdened the heart of a great God, who paid a great price by sending a great Savior. But there’s more. It’s also great because it saves us from great danger. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “This is so great a salvation because it saves us from a great and a terrible calamity. ‘How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?’ You measure the greatness of the salvation by measuring the greatness of the calamity from which it saves us.”¹

The word “great” occurs a thousand times in the Bible, and many of the references speak of the greatness of the deliverance we receive, and the blessings God bestows in Christ. Because of that, we should greatly rejoice! Psalm 21:1 says of the godly person: “[He] shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord; and in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!”

Regardless of what else is happening in your life today, you can rejoice in your great Savior!

A point to ponder…

This is a great salvation not only because of the greatness of what it saves us from, but because of what it saves us to, what it saves us for.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Read the Bible through in a year

1 Chronicles 9-11

I love you!!!

^{1 Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Setting Our Affections Upon Glory (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 93, 95.}

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 3, 2022

Tuesday

Doctrinal Drift

Proverbs 3:21

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”

Hebrews 2:1

As a theory, continental drift was first suggested in 1596—the idea that today’s continents were originally together, gradually drifting apart. That idea is now discussed under the theory of plate tectonics—the motion of the world’s seven or eight major (and other minor) tectonic plates. The movement of those plates is the major cause of earthquakes as we know them today.

Have you ever seen one of earth’s tectonic plates move? Probably not, unless you have seen the action of a major earthquake. Plates drift imperceptibly, but the effects of such drifts are all too real. The same is true of “doctrinal drift,” warned about by the writer of the letter to the Hebrews. He warned his readers about drifting away from the truth by not giving “earnest heed” to doctrine. Such drifts happen slowly, but their effects are eventually seen: lukewarm affections, apathy, disinterest in worship, changes in values and priorities, and a loss of love.

How to prevent doctrinal drift? Bible study, fellowship, prayer, worship, and “earnest heed” to matters of the faith. Send the roots of your faith deeply into Christ to avoid drifting from Him.

A point to ponder…

Faith cannot stand, unless it is founded on the promises of God.

John Calvin

Read the Bible through in a year

1 Chronicles 7-8

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

May 2, 2022

Monday

The Only Way

Acts 4:12

³ "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:”

Hebrews 1:3

In an age of tolerance and compromise, the idea that there is only one way to do something is roundly rejected. “One way” is considered narrow-minded, intolerant, inconsiderate, and even disrespectful. So, it’s not surprising that the New Testament’s message of forgiveness through Jesus alone is not received by many.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews was not hesitant to make a “narrow” point about Jesus. He spent the first ten chapters of his epistle pointing out that Jesus did what no one else in Israel’s history had been able to do: provide salvation from sin, once and for all. The writer points out that Jesus was superior to the angels, to Moses, to the thousands of Aaronic priests, and to the sacrifices of those priests. “By Himself [Jesus] purged our sins [and] sat down at the right hand” of God—something no one else could have done. Peter confirmed that narrow point of view by saying there is salvation in no one else besides Jesus (Acts 4:12).

Are you willing to embrace the Bible’s presentation of Jesus as the only Savior of mankind? It may not be popular, but it is true.

A point to ponder…

Free justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Sinclair Ferguson

Read the Bible through in a year

1 Chronicles 6

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

April 30 – May 1, 2022

Bless this Mess

¹⁰ “When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

¹¹ I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.”

Psalm 69:10-11

We all know what David did involving Bathsheba, the one-night stand, the cover-up, the conspiracy to commit murder . . . a really bad stretch for a guy who, up until that point, had been the model of character, valor, and unusually noble self-restraint.

What’s not as well known about this part of David’s life (since the Bible doesn’t come right out and say it, although it’s quite easy to calculate) is that he proceeded to keep his secrets hidden for roughly a year. Except for the people on the very inside, no one knew or probably even suspected the evil their king had done. And if God through the prophet Nathan hadn’t called him to account (2 Samuel 12: 1-15), he’d likely have been content whistling through life with his sin undiscovered for the rest of his days.

But give him some credit. When confronted with his sins face-to-face, he didn’t balk. “David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD’” (2 Samuel 12:13). He wept and humbled himself with fasting. And if his Psalm 69 is any indication, he “made sackcloth [his] clothing” (Psalm 69:11) --the common Old Testament uniform of the remorseful and repentant.

Sackcloth and ashes. What kind of person, especially someone of David’s public stature, would be willing to walk around in such an embarrassing state of shame and confession? What kind of person, exposed in scandal, even goes so far as to write a personally unflattering song about his sin (Psalm 51), baring the pitiful weakness of his own soul, so that people can stand up and sing it in church?

The only person who does it is someone who’s sick of the lies, who’s sick of the cover-up, who doesn’t care anymore what he looks like or what anybody else thinks about him. He’s adopted a new and radical rejection of externals. Instead of being so careful and cautious with his defenses, he’s now indiscriminate in his confessing. No more filter. No one’s left to wonder what really happened or what this person was really like, because he’d be the first to tell you. Yes, I did it. I was like that. I hate it, and I wish I’d hated it more then, but I don’t mind you knowing it now.

Wow. Sound too messy for you? Too revealing? TMI? Would you never dream of letting people in on some of the things you’ve done and how you’ve failed?

Then maybe you’re not truly repentant yet . . . because when you’re genuinely repentant, you have a strong need for letting people know who you really are. In fact, that part--the telling part--is not the part that sounds so messy to you anymore. What’s messy to you was all that wasted time, all the tactics you deployed and juggled to avoid being exposed, all while knowing full well exactly who you were and what was actually going on.

That’s the freedom that only repentance can generate. “For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment” (2 Corinthians 7:11)! When you’re finally ready to “clear yourselves”--to give an explanation of the truth, to set the record straight without concern for reputation or fallout--that’s when you’ll know God is doing something in you that no hard-hearted person would allow. Something you’d never have done before. Something that only happens to people who’ve been truly saved, truly changed, and are truly His.

Points to ponder…

• What would be a modern-day equivalent of “sackcloth and ashes”?
• Repentance is messy. What happens when a church doesn’t want to be a messy place? How can you help contribute to ensuring that the culture in your church is one where even the messiness of repentance is embraced?

Saturday’s Reading

1 Chronicles 1-2

Sunday’s Reading

1 Chronicles 3-5

 I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

April 29, 2022

Friday

Cocoon of Light

Psalm 119: 105-112

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

Psalm 119:105

Just as a caterpillar enters the safety and security of a cocoon to be transformed to a butterfly, Christians enter God’s Word to be transformed. Even though we may wish our lives were linear and steady, our days are marked by change and the unexpected. When we are faced with a dilemma or challenge, it can feel as though we are facing a locked door or wandering lost in a dark forest.

God’s Word offers divine guidance, wisdom, and assurance. When we neglect God’s Word, we neglect the transformation He offers. In His Word we are reminded that we do not need to worry about our lives: He is the God who protects, provides, and pursues us. It is often through His Word that we find the answer to a lingering question, and a new path forward appears.

God does not simply reveal paths, He creates new paths where there was none before: through water, through fire, and even through death. Satan provides many excuses and lies to keep us from meditating on God’s Truth because our transformation has a powerful effect on those around us.

A point to ponder…

We are indeed the light of the world—but only if our switch is turned on.

John Hagee

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Kings 23-25

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

April 27, 2022

Wednesday

The Dark Season

Matthew 13: 1-9

⁵ “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

⁶ I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.”

1 Corinthians 3:5-6

When a seed is planted, there is a season where nothing is visible from the surface. Although the seed’s roots are beginning to sprout and dig into the soil, there is no life above the ground. In Matthew 13, Jesus explains that there are multiple responses to God’s Word. The sower sows generously, but only some of the seeds take root and flourish.

Root work takes time and is aided by continued watering and nurturing. When we share God’s Word with others, it is easy to become discouraged when we see little or no fruit. We may struggle with wondering whether our efforts are effective. While we want to develop and increase our skill at sharing God’s salvation, we must remember that all new life and growth comes from God. Each type of seed has a unique gestational period. When we surrender our efforts to God, we can battle the discouragement that comes from listeners who do not appear to accept the Word of God offered to them.

A point to ponder…

If you have knowledge, let others light their candles at it.

Thomas Fuller

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Kings 18-20

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

April 28, 2022

Thursday

Spring Cleaning—Let in the Cleansing Wind

Acts 4: 31-35

"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”

Acts 2:2

There was a day when homes weren’t equipped with vacuum cleaners, central air and heat, and multi-pane windows that seal the home from outside impurities. That meant that a regular part of spring cleaning was flinging open the windows to let fresh air in and hanging rugs on a clothesline and beating the dust out of them.

While those practices are no longer routine, the notion of using fresh air as a cleanser is very biblical. In both the Old and New Testaments, the words in the original language for spirit were also the words for wind or breath. It is no wonder that Paul admonished believers to be “filled with the Spirit” on an ongoing basis (Ephesians 5:18). Like the wind, the Spirit of God blows where He will (John 3:8). And He is always willing to come into your life afresh for new power, fruit, gifts, and guidance.

Purpose today to invite the Spirit to fill you with kingdom breath, kingdom wind—to air out the house of your heart with the wind of the Spirit.

A point to ponder…

The word is the chariot of the Spirit, the Spirit the Guider of the word. 
Stephen Charnock

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Kings 21-22

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

April 26, 2022

Tuesday

The Seed of the Word

1 Peter 1: 22-23

¹⁹ “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.”

Matthew 13:19

Humanly speaking, the hope of the human race is stored on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen almost 800 miles from the North Pole. It is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, an underground storage facility for hundreds of thousands of seeds from tens of thousands of crop species from around the world. It is designed to be a source of seeds for replanting food crops in the aftermath of a global catastrophe.

Seeds represent the essence of life. Physical life depends on seeds as does spiritual life. Spiritually, the seed that leads to new birth is the Word of God. This is such an important concept that Jesus’ longest parable is spent on the necessity of good soil (hearts) to receive the Word (Matthew 13:1-23). In fact, He suggested this parable was a critical one among all His parables (Mark 4:13).

The Word of God is the source of spiritual life and reproduction. We should preserve and protect it and let it bear fruit in us.

A point to ponder…

Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the apples in a seed.

Robert H. Schuller

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Kings 15-17

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

April 25, 2022

Monday

Food for the Race

1 Corinthians 3: 1-4

"My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.”

Psalm 119:28

Extreme athletes—marathoners, triathletes, distance runners, road bikers—know that nutrition can be a secret to success. Carbohydrates and protein before an event; more carbs, electrolytes, and liquids during; and within a critical half-hour window after extreme exertion, more carbs, liquids, and electrolytes. Strength depends not just on conditioning but on nutrition.

And the same is true in the race of the Christian life. Paul used the analogy of extreme sports—runners in the Greek games—to illustrate the endurance needed for the Christian life (1 Corinthians 9:24; 2 Timothy 4:7), as did the writer to the Hebrews (Hebrews 12:1). What, then, is the nutrition needed for finishing the race? Prayer is certainly critical as Jesus demonstrated (Matthew 26:36). But alongside prayer, nothing is as sustaining as the truths of God’s Word: “Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word” (Psalm 119:107). Why? Because it is living and active (Hebrews 4:12); it tells us the truth about the past, present, and future; it affirms the promises God has made to us (2 Peter 1:4).

Are you weak or strong today? To maintain your strength for the race, take in daily portions of nutrition from God’s Word.

A point to ponder…

Within the Scripture there is a balm for every wound, a salve for every sore.

Charles H. Spurgeon

Read the Bible through in a year

2 Kings 12-14

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich