March 28, 2022

Monday

God’s Timing

Romans 8:28-29

"And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?"

John 11:37

A young man visited the father of his girlfriend to ask the father’s permission to marry his daughter. To his surprise, the father said “No.” The young man thought it was a formality; the father took it much more seriously. The father explained to the young man that there were character and behavioral issues in the young man’s life that concerned him. If he would agree to work on those issues, they could talk again about marriage.

Timing in life is often a puzzle to us. We ask God for something and we wonder why He doesn’t immediately say “Yes.” Even more puzzling, God is aware of our needs even before we ask (Matthew 6:8), so why doesn’t He just provide what we need without our having to ask? Jesus once initially told a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit to “Let the children be filled first” (Mark 7:27); He only healed one person out of all the sick at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15); and He waited four days before raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44).

Delays are only from our perspective. God’s timing and reasons are always perfect (Romans 8:28-29).

A point to ponder…

God has His hours and His delays.

J. A. Bengel

Read the Bible through in a year

1 Samuel 4-8

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

March 25 – March 26, 2022

The Way Up Is Down

¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” 

John 13:14–15

Jesus Christ, Son of God, second person of the Trinity, Lord of the universe, humbled Himself and washed His disciples’ feet. This wasn’t a seminar on foot washing. It was an example of service. “For I have given you an example,” Jesus said, “that you also should do just as I have done to you” (13:15).

So what does that mean? Let’s not let the applications slip into something retouched and generic. Let’s be specific and consider five, necessary brands of humility—actual things we can do. What are the verbs that should be flowing out of our lives?

1. Choose a difficult obedience. You’ve got your run-of-the-mill obedience, things that may feel easy to you. These are everyday, entry-level actions. But there are actually some difficult obediences, choices that require sacrifice. We obey for Jesus Christ. He deserves everything, and it should cost us, it must cost us, and it will cost us. What is the difficult obedience right in front of you? Run to it, wrap your arms around it, humble yourself, and obey Jesus. It will be good for your soul.

2. Own it all to reconcile. Generally where there’s friction in relationships, there’s fault on both sides. But maybe you’re in a conflict with someone who can’t see his own fault and who won’t listen to you anymore, so you can’t reason with the person. If you want to work that out, humble yourself and own it all. Take everything you want to say, all your rightness and accuracy, and permanently file it under G for garbage. Forego any opportunity to clarify your position. Lay it all down, and humble yourself. “I’m sorry that I hurt you. I never wanted you to feel this way. I know that I have responsibility in that, and I want to own it, tell you how sorry I am, and ask you to forgive me.” Grace will rush like a river upon you. Even if the person refuses you, grace will flow into your life. God loves humility. He doesn’t like it. He loves it. With God, the way up is down. That’s how it is in the family of God.

3. Serve in total secrecy. Find ways to do things no one will know about. A few years ago, I felt an urge to serve somewhere anonymously, where no one knew my name or even recognized me. That experience was so good for my own soul. Find a way to serve in total secrecy.

4. Lay down a liberty. Too often we think the continuum runs between legalism and liberty. But legalism is a lie, so we don’t need to react against legalism by flaunting our liberty. For the followers of Jesus, the continuum is between liberty and the forgoing of our liberties. In Christ, we have freedom and liberty, but when our liberty becomes an obstacle to the gospel, we need to forgo our liberty. We lay down our liberty for the sake of Christ’s kingdom. We don’t glory in our liberties. We don’t fail to love our weaker brothers and sisters. We live in liberty, but we gladly and willingly forsake freedoms for the sake of our influence over others.

5. Refuse to be offended. It’s so easy to take things personally. I can't believe what she said about me. How dare he treat me that way! Instead of taking offense, we can simply refuse to be offended. My mom used to recite these lines from an anonymous poem:

             “I’ve asked the Lord to take from me
             the super-sensitivity
             that robs the soul of joy and peace
             and causes fellowship to cease.”

Do nothing when you’re hurt. Hurting people hurt people. If you want to break that cycle, get low. Humble yourself, and refuse to be offended.

Jesus gave us an example that we would go do for others as He’s done for us. Which brand of humility do you need to practice today?

Points to ponder…

• Review the five brands of humility. Which strikes a chord with you?
• How can you follow the example of the Master and humble yourself today?

Saturday’s Reading

Judges 19-21

Sunday’s Reading

Ruth 1-4

I love you!!!

© 2000-2021 B. Michael Goerlich

March 25, 2022

Friday

Never Alone

Isaiah 43: 2-3

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

Psalm 23:4

For David, youngest of Jesse’s eight sons, the life of a shepherd could be lonely. When Samuel, the prophet, went to Jesse’s house in Bethlehem to anoint one of his sons as successor to King Saul, Samuel rejected the seven older sons. Jesse mentioned that there was one more, the youngest, who was “keeping the sheep” (1 Samuel 16:11). The implication was that David was away, in the hills with the sheep, tending the flock alone as he had to be sent for.

There are many references to David’s solitary life as a shepherd, during which he had time to contemplate God, creation, and his place in it (Psalm 8). Psalm 23 is the ultimate example—David puts God in the role of shepherd, his shepherd (Psalm 23:1). Though often alone, and sometimes in dangerous situations (1 Samuel 17:34-36), David fell back on one truth: “You are with me”—even in the “valley of the shadow of death.”

You may not be facing death today (all will one day), but wherever you are, whatever your circumstances, you are not alone. God is with you.

A point to ponder…

True peace comes not from the absence of trouble but from the presence of God.

Alexander MacLaren

Read the Bible through in a year

Ruth 1-4

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 24, 2022

Thursday

Who Is My Neighbor?

Luke 10: 25-37

"But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?"

Luke 10:29

Jesus once advised a certain lawyer to love his neighbor as himself. The lawyer asked a burning question: “And who is my neighbor?” In response, Jesus told the story of a Jewish fellow who was waylaid by thieves on the ancient road from Jerusalem to Jericho, a trail that wound through a stark and treacherous valley. This was likely the same gorge David had in mind in Psalm 23—the Valley of the Shadow. It was a dramatic, twisting, dangerous path of several miles, riddled with thieves.

The victim was attacked, beaten, robbed, stripped, and thrown into a ditch. A priest and a Levite passed by on the other side, but it was the Samaritan who saw the wounded man, rescued him, and tended to his needs. The Samaritan knew that one’s neighbor is anyone in need.

It’s as simple as that. Whoever is in trouble, whoever is hurting, whoever has been abused, whoever is experiencing trials, whoever needs us—that is the neighbor we’re to love as ourselves.

We’re to go and do likewise.

A point to ponder…

Not everyone is your brother or sister in faith, but everyone is your neighbor, and you must love your neighbor.
Timothy Keller, in Generous Justice

Read the Bible through in a year

Judges 16-18

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 23, 2022

Wednesday

That’s It!

Isaiah 58: 10-12

"And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."

Isaiah 58:11

In his autobiography, Warren Wiersbe described his struggles with getting older. “There are times when I feel like a dinosaur,” he wrote. He described one drizzly day when his arthritis was acting up. “I asked the Lord in my morning devotional time to give me a promise that would sustain me for the ‘declining’ years to come. (No sense fooling myself!) In the course of my regular Bible reading I came to Isaiah 58:11; and I said, ‘That’s it! Thank you, Lord!’”

It’s a promise for us all. Whether we’re young or old, we face pain, problems, and unknown possibilities for the future. Sometimes we feel beat up. But God’s grace is sufficient, and He uses difficulties to cultivate us like a well-watered garden. Obedience to Him provides the opportunity, through trials, to learn that our only hope is His sufficiency, not our own.

A point to ponder…

I do hope my Father will let the river of my life go glowing fully till the finish. I don’t want to end up in a swamp.

F. B. Meyer

Read the Bible through in a year

Judges 13-15

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 22, 2022

Tuesday

Begin With God

Colossians 2: 2-3

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Matthew 6:33

There are many vocations focused on problem solving: consultants, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, practitioners, advisors, life-coaches, mentors, and more. Some may be biblically focused, but most use secular approaches to solving problems.

Because Christians live in the world, it is hard not to be influenced by how the world approaches life—which is generally, not from a biblical perspective. We have to constantly remember that no one knows as much about our life, our circumstances, and the solutions we need than God. While we may end up getting helpful advice from a “consultant” of some sort, our first counselor should be God: Lord, You know my situation and my need. I begin with You, asking for You to be involved in this with me. Give me Your wisdom; help me choose the right path; show me Your purposes; reveal to me any error on my part. If You want me to get help from others, please show me who to talk to.

If you need wisdom or guidance today, begin with God. Start by asking Him to direct your thoughts and your steps.

A point to ponder…

I live in the spirit of prayer…. And the answers are always coming.

George Müller

Read the Bible through in a year

Judges 10-12

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 21, 2022

Monday

Faster or Better?

Mark 16: 19-20

"And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people."

Mark 8:6

It’s faster for a parent to pick up a toddler’s toys than to watch and encourage the child to do it. But which is more educational, edifying, bonding, and discipline-promoting for the child? Obviously, to have the child (or help the child) pick up the toys. There is more to a task than the task itself.

Which raises the question: Why doesn’t God just blanket the world with the Gospel message all at once? Why has He chosen to use fallible, fickle, often-faithless humans to “help” Him in this eternally significant task? Why did Jesus use the disciples to help Him feed the multitudes? For the same reason parents work with their children instead of doing things more quickly themselves. In our case, God’s goal is to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). Just as the Father worked with the Son, so the Son works with us (John 20:21).

Enjoy the blessing of doing kingdom work with Jesus. By the power of the Spirit, He uses us to be His hands and heart in the world.

A point to ponder…

Jesus Christ didn’t commit the Gospel to an advertising agency; He commissioned disciples.

Joseph Bayly

Read the Bible through in a year

Judges 8-9

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

March 19 – March 20, 2022

The Arm of God

¹⁰ Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

¹¹ He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

Isaiah 40:10–11

Have you ever given much thought to God’s arms? (“God has arms?” you might be wondering.) When God describes His arms, He doesn’t tell us their circumference or how much He can lift—those are human, physical terms, like the jock showing off at the gym. But God’s description of His arms tells us some awesome things about Him. In fact, the dual description of God’s arms in this passage shows us His power and His comfort.

“Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him.” When the Bible talks about God’s right arm, it refers to His powerful, ruling arm—His justice, His holiness, and His strength. God is like that. He is all that and more.

But then the very next verse describes His tender shepherd arm. “He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” If you’ve spent any time in church, sadly you’ve probably heard one extreme or the other: a ton of preaching about the transcendent, holy, awesome Judge or a ton of preaching about the tender, loving, merciful Shepherd. But He’s both, right? In this passage we clearly see both. Don’t let God’s nearness minimize His transcendence nor let His transcendence make you think He isn’t very aware of you individually.

Imagine a shepherd in the fields, and this gives you a picture of God. A shepherd can oversee hundreds of sheep, but he holds only one at a time. He gathers the lambs one by one in his arms. The point here is that this awesome God cares for you. Personally. Individually. Yes, He’s guarding a big flock, but when He cares for the lambs, He tends to them one by one. This is God’s love for you. Personal. Individual. Attentive. Aware. Devoted. That’s how He cares for you.

When He carries His lambs, He holds them “in his bosom.” Picture that. He doesn’t hold us awkwardly squirming at arms’ length. No, He draws us close, right to His own heart.

And He will “gently lead those that are with young.” The sheep that is about to give birth has special needs, and the shepherd accommodates those needs. In the same way, when our needs are great, the Lord is that much more attentive to us. Some of us are at a point of acute need right now in our business or in our family. God knows what it is. And just as pressing as that need is, His attention matches that. He’s on it! He is right there, gently leading those whose circumstances demand additional care.

So which one is He—mighty or tender? Yes. His arm is a picture of absolute power and unconditional love.

That’s your King. That’s your Shepherd.

Point to ponder…

• According to A.W. Tozer, the most important fact about any person is “what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.” How does Isaiah 40 shape your theology—your thoughts about God?
• On which side do you tend to err—God as Judge or God as Shepherd? Why is it important for you to realize He’s both mighty and tender, both transcendent and near?

Saturday’s Reading

Judges 3-5

Sunday’s Reading

Judges 6-7

I love you!!!

© 2000-2021 B. Michael Goerlich

March 18, 2022

Friday

Peace, Be Still!

Psalm 89: 8-9

"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm."

Mark 4:39

In ancient literature, water often represents chaos. In Genesis 1:1, water covered the formless, empty, dark earth. God used a flood of waters to judge the earth in Noah’s day. In Exodus, the Red Sea threatened to destroy the escaping Hebrew slaves. And during the ministry of Jesus, storms on the Sea of Galilee threatened the well-being of His disciples. In each case, God brought order out of chaos; God was bigger and more powerful than the disorder.

There is a lesson there: Whenever chaos or danger appears imminent, our concern is not how big the problem seems but whether God is with us or not. The disciples learned this lesson when a storm threatened to take their lives on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus commanded the storm (the chaos) to be still and peace was restored (Mark 4:35-41). They learned that having Jesus with them was more important than the storm that was against them.

If chaos is threatening your peace, let Jesus be your ark of safety in the storm. He can bring peace in any storm.

A point to ponder…

Jesus Christ is no security against life’s storms, but He is perfect security in life’s storms.

Wendell Loveless

Read the Bible through in a year

Judges 1-2

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 17, 2022

Thursday

Who Do You Say That I Am?

Mark 8:27-32

"And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ."

Mark 8:29

There is a turning point in the ministry of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel. Prior to chapter 8, our Lord’s main emphasis was in His identity. Through His teachings, conversations, parables, and miracles, He wanted His disciples to comprehend His personhood, that He was the Messiah. In Mark 8, He took the disciples to the remote areas of Caesarea Philippi and quizzed them. “Who do [men] say that I am?” He asked. “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”

Jesus abruptly changed subjects and began teaching them about His work—what He had come to do. Mark 8:31 says, “And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things…and be killed, and after three days rise again.” In the next chapter, He repeated the lesson (Mark 9:31). In the next chapter, He explained it again (Mark 10:32-34).

These are the two foundational questions we must understand—the person and the work of Christ. Who is Jesus? What did He do?

The answers to those questions provide the basis for our entire walk of faith.

A point to ponder…

Because He was God as well as man, He was able to be the one final sacrifice for our sins.
Billy Graham

Read the Bible through in a year

Joshua 22-24

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 16, 2022

Wednesday

Yesterday, Today, Forever

1 Timothy 3: 14-16

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

Hebrews 13:8

Christian leader A. B. Simpson wrote, “Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the same. / All may change, but Jesus never–Glory to His Name!” We have a Savior who is eternal in the heavens, without beginning or ending, from everlasting to everlasting. He is our Alpha and Omega. After He descended to the world, lived righteously, died sacrificially, and rose victoriously, He resumed His place on the throne of majesty.

What He did for us changes everything about our yesterday, today, and forever.

All the sins, hurts, abuses, failures, and regrets of yesterday are swallowed up in the crimson flood of His all-forgiving, all-redeeming blood. Our lives today are in His hands, guarded by His power, and guided by His purposes for us. Our future is filled with reassurances for our remaining days on earth, with eternal glory to follow.

The Resurrection of Christ changes our past and future, and it changes our today. To the believer, every Lord’s Day commemorates the Resurrection of Christ, and every moment of every day is a celebration of His blessings to us—yesterday, today, and forever.

A point to ponder…

As He walked once to Emmaus, with them to abide, / So through all life’s way He walketh, ever near our side.

       A. B. Simpson

Read the Bible through in a year

Joshua 19-21

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 15, 2022

Tuesday

The Greatest Miracle

Romans 8:11

"And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain."

1 Corinthians 15:14

A Latin phrase has survived for two millennia: sine qua non. Like many Latin words and phrases, it is rarely translated into English. Instead, it is used in its Latin form. A literal translation explains why: “[that] without which not.” To paraphrase, sine qua non means “something indispensable or essential,” as in anatomy is a sine qua non for a career in medicine.

The Christian faith has its own sine qua non—its own indispensable or essential element: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To paraphrase the words of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17, without the miracles of the Resurrection of Christ, faith and the Christian life are futile. We are still in our sins. Those who say it really doesn’t matter if Christ rose from the dead have it all wrong. Everything depends on the Resurrection! Christ’s being raised from the dead was God’s seal on the work Christ accomplished on the cross—the work of propitiation, forgiveness, and reconciliation—the greatest miracle of all.

Good news! The same power and Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will also transform us from death to life (Romans 8:11).

A point to ponder…

Christianity is essentially a religion of resurrection.

James S. Stewart

Read the Bible through in a year

Joshua 16-18

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 14, 2022

Monday

What Do You Need?

Acts 16: 30-31

"When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?"

John 5:6

We know why people stand in line at the post office. We know why the people in the dentist’s waiting room are there. In the first century, if you saw scores of people gathered around the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, you would know why they were there. They were there to be healed.

The pool called Bethesda was really twin pools in Jerusalem surrounded on four sides by porches and another porch dividing the two pools. The sick would gather on the porches and wait for a stirring of the waters—supposedly by an angel of heaven—entry into which might result in healing. So those on the porches were there for healing. Yet Jesus approached a man and asked what must have seemed like an obvious question: “Do you want to be made well?”

Much could be said of Jesus’ question, but it begs another question: Do we want to be made whole? Forgiven and delivered from sin? Saved for eternity? The God of miracles is waiting for our answer. He wants us to say what we need.

A point to ponder…

I never have any difficulty believing in miracles, since I experienced the miracle of a change in my own heart.

Augustine

Read the Bible through in a year

Joshua 12-15

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

March 12 – March 13, 2022

Strength in Weakness

⁹ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9–10

How do people do it? How do they withstand the Hurricane Katrina–like blows that pummel their lives? The wind, the waves, the surges of heartbreak, crashing one after another, unrelenting in their destruction. How do these people survive . . . and still lift their faces to the Lord? How can they be so strong when they are at their weakest?

I know the answer. I know it because I’ve lived it. Over the course of my life, some violent storms have hit me. But somewhere in the middle of each storm, God’s voice reminds me that He provides sufficient grace for this trial. And when I am weak, He is always very strong. “Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Note that connection between my weakness and Christ’s power. “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” It’s the hard times and the unhealthy times and the hurting times that reveal my weaknesses. And it’s also during those times that God shows up strong.

We often treat suffering like a game of dodgeball. When anything hard comes at us, we jump out of the way. We duck, dive, and hide. We spend our whole lives trying to avoid anything painful or hard. But there’s a better kind of life—a deeper, more fulfilling kind of life—that isn’t about avoiding pain. It’s about finding God faithful and sufficient in the midst of whatever trials or thorns He allows. There’s something about our weakness that opens the flow of God’s strength. In the midst of a trial, there’s a power coming into your life that you’ve never experienced before, because you never needed it so desperately before. Only when you’re personally weak can you experience this supernatural strength.

When you see a hard thing coming your way, try a different reaction: I may not want this, I certainly didn’t choose it, but I can accept it and be content even now. I know God’s grace is sufficient to get me through it. I’m going to see the power of Christ in my life in an incredible way. I’m weak, but He’s strong.

God never allows a thorn without providing sufficient grace and strength in our weaknesses. Sufficient grace is not just enough to survive, but enough so that we can have supernatural joy in the midst of anything He allows us to go through. That’s strength.

Points to ponder…

• “My grace is sufficient for you,”God promises. What does grace look like? Describe how you’ve received God’s grace during a trial.
• “For when I am weak, then I am strong,” Paul admitted. How are you weak? How does this actually make you strong?

Saturday’s Reading

Joshua 5-8

Sunday’s Reading

Joshua 9-11

 I love you!!!

© 2000-2021 B. Michael Goerlich

March 11, 2022

Friday

The Strength of Weakness

2 Corinthians 12: 7-10

"And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."

Judges 6:15

How many times have you heard someone say, “I’d like to help, but I wouldn’t know where to begin”; “I’m really not qualified to take on a ministry like that”; “I’m a nobody”; “I couldn’t expect people to follow my leadership on that project.” Those aren’t always unreasonable perspectives. After all, an eighty-year-old saint is not likely to be chosen to be an astronaut. So, life does have its limitations.

But for the most part, we are too quick to look at our human stature—age, education, maturity, leadership skills—and disqualify ourselves from serving the Lord or others. That is, we tend to look at our weaknesses instead of Christ’s strengths. The Bible is filled with examples of God using the under-qualified and the weak to accomplish great things—like Gideon, for example. He was the weakest member of the weakest family in one of the smaller tribes of Israel. But God used him to defeat the Midianites (Judges 6 – 7).

God calls the weak to manifest His strength through them (2 Corinthians 12:9).

A point to ponder…

Real true faith is man’s weakness leaning on God’s strength.

D. L. Moody

Read the Bible through in a year

Joshua 1-4

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 10, 2022

Thursday

For What Will It Profit a Man…

Mark 8: 34-38

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

Mark 8:36

Two brothers in Wichita, Kansas, won the lottery, netting $75,000. They celebrated by purchasing narcotics. While using a butane lighter with their drugs, the vapors reached the pilot light of their furnace, causing an explosion that destroyed their house. One of the brothers was rushed to the hospital, and the other to jail. In the literal flash of a moment, the luckiest moment of their lives became a nightmare.

Millions of people feel they have won life’s lottery. They’ve accumulated homes and clothes and vehicles and sufficient financial reserves to pay their bills and ensure their futures. Some have become rich.

But sooner or later, it will all disappear in the flash of a moment, for without Christ there’s no hope of eternal wealth or everlasting life. The Lord provides for the needs of His children, and He gives us the wisdom to be wise stewards over what He entrusts to us. Our long-term well-being is found exclusively in God’s mercy toward us in Christ Jesus, which is why in all things He must be preeminent.

A point to ponder…

When I put God first, God takes care of me and energizes me to do what really needs to be done.
David Jeremiah

Read the Bible through in a year

Deuteronomy 32-24

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 9, 2022

Wednesday

Launch Out

Luke 5: 1-11

"Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught."

Luke 5:4

On Friday, October 10, 1884, a group of Christians gathered in London to commission a handful of women missionaries heading to India. Reverend E. A. Stuart preached from Luke 5 and urged the workers to “launch out into the deep.” His points were: (1) launch into the depths of God’s love, realizing His love is a bottomless ocean; (2) launch into the depths of God’s rest, trusting Him to care for you; (3) launch into the depths of God’s providence, depending on His guidance for every footstep. If you do those things, said Stuart, you’ll be able to launch into the depths of India’s neediest people and bring forth a catch of souls.

What situation is facing you? What project is before you? Launch into the depths of God’s love, His rest, and His providence. Trust God to bless you and give you a catch of souls for the cause of His kingdom.

If we launch into the deep and let down the nets, we’ll enjoy the blessings of being fishers of men, and He will equip us for every good work.

A point to ponder…

You shall catch men. And… you shall catch them for life, and not for death, as the natural fisherman does.

E. A. Stuart

Read the Bible through in a year

Deuteronomy 30-31

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 8, 2022

Tuesday

No Secrets

Psalm 44:21

"And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?"

Mark 2:8

When children are very small, they develop a predictable short list of answers to some of their parents’ routine questions: “Did you eat the cookies?” “No.” “Will you go and pick up your toys?” “I’m too tired.” “Please come and help me set the table for supper.” “Okay—in just a minute.” Parents understand these responses because they are childish versions of their own (occasional) responses to their own responsibilities.

Sanctification involves learning to think and act honestly and righteously before God. And one of the primary motivations for righteous acts and thoughts is that God knows what we think, and what we think about doing, all the time. We have no secrets before God. When a group of men brought their friend to be healed by Jesus, a group of Pharisees took exception—silently—to Jesus’ compassion on the man. Jesus called them out on their self-centered and non-compassionate thoughts (Mark 2:1-12).

Jesus knows the human heart like parents know their child’s heart. Rather than be “called out,” far better to have thoughts we are willing for God and man to know.

A point to ponder…

When anger was in Cain’s heart, murder was not far off.

Matthew Henry

Read the Bible through in a year

Deuteronomy 28-29

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 7, 2022

Monday

What Do You Think?

James 1

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."

James 1:22

“It’s important to me to take care of my body.” The words are easy to say, but if our day-to-day life and actions do not align with our words, the words become empty. Observation is the key to discover what people value. Each area of our lives reveals deep truths about us. The way we treat every area of life—food, work, faith, and family—reveals what we believe and value.

Repetitive thoughts become our deep-seated beliefs, and these are lived out in our actions. It’s easy to say the right things: I believe in being connected to God. But if we never have time for His Word or people, our words are meaningless. Although it is easy to deceive ourselves, God has given each of us a mirror in our actions. As we look at our actions and where our time is going, we discover our beliefs and values. Although it is never a good idea to nitpick at others, reflecting on our own lives is a powerful tool to discover growth areas and then invite God into them.

A point to ponder…

If you believe in a God who controls the big things, you have to believe in a God who controls the little things. It is we, of course, to whom things look “little” or “big.”

Elisabeth Elliot

Read the Bible through in a year

Deuteronomy 24-27

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

March 5 – March 6, 2022

Awakening Love

"I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please."

Song of Solomon 8:4

But why?

Why does God insist on our being married before we can pursue intimate, sexual experiences with someone we love? Does marriage magically flip a switch that causes eros to go from being forbidden and wrong, to being encouraged and celebrated? (Eros is my preferred term for sex. It’s the Greek word describing the physical, affectionate, intimate relationship between a man and a woman.) 

Most people’s plan for how to make their sexual decisions in life is . . . not to have a plan. When the opportunity arises, when the conditions are right, when the person seems special enough, it’ll just happen. Natural as breathing. But that’s not God’s plan. Eros has a right time and a righteous place.

So why does the context of eros matter so much?

• Because God says so.Again and again in the Bible, we’re told this in words similar to these, “Sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints”(Ephesians 5:3). “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). The only way for us to live in clear-conscience relationship with God is to let the authority of His Word be able to take us down. May He forgive us “every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Simply let Him be Lord.

• Because when God says, “Don’t,” He means, “Don’t hurt yourself.”I’ve made this statement countless times, but the expiration date on its truth never runs out. Choose to sin; choose to suffer. Stop thinking you’ll be the first person in human history to find an exception to this rule.

• Because relationships built upside-down don’t last. Physical attraction can never support a lifetime of marriage. So when that’s where marriage starts--even beforeit starts--the structure will need to be torn down and rebuilt if it hopes to survive. The proper way to construct a marriage is by beginning with love for Christ, committing to live under the authority of His Word, and deciding to obey Him. Erosis the topping on the sundae of an awesome marriage, not the first layer that’s sure to melt away.

4) Because relationships that involve sex before marriage are difficult to break. The introduction of eros prior to the commitment of marriage can make you desperate to keep maintaining and pursuing the relationship, even if it’s fraught with trouble. Your family and friends may see the problems, common sense may be waving red flags, but you’ll fight to keep it going in an effort to avoid watching the precious part of yourself that you’ve given to this person become a discarded waste.

That’s why the Song of Solomon says not to “stir up or awaken love” until the time when eros can settle into its appropriate place, where it can function as a generator of pure love and blessing in marriage. To awaken it too soon will only cause it to get ahead of itself and to impose undue control and influence over you.

There’s a reason why God designed eros to work this way. There’s a method to this alleged madness of marital exclusivity. And when we wake up one day to find He’s right--which we will--how much better to let it fall on us with the grateful recognition that God’s ways are best, than with the costly sadness of a life lived outside of His pleasant boundaries.

Points to ponder…

• Spend some time in payer asking God to show you any areas where you resist the authority of His Word.
• Whether you’re married or single, what are some ways you could come into greater agreement with the Lord’s design for eros?

Saturday’s Reading

Deuteronomy 17-20

Sunday’s Reading

Deuteronomy 21-23

 I love you!!!

© 2000-2021 B. Michael Goerlich

March 4, 2022

Friday

It Took a Miracle

Matthew 8: 14-17

"He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"

Galatians 3:5

In the Gospels, the miracles of Jesus were usually prompted by problems. He turned water to wine because the wedding feast had run out. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law because of her fever. He raised the widow’s son because of the woman’s pitiful grief. He calmed the storm because the disciples were panicked. He fed the multitude because of hunger.

Every miracle begins with a problem, and every problem presents an opportunity for Christ to help us in our difficulty.

God can still perform miracles, but they come in all shapes and sizes. Because of the crowning miracle of Scripture—the Resurrection of Christ—all our problems are in the process of resolving for our good. The backdrop of every believer’s life is the miraculous curtain of God’s grace. He turns curses into blessings for us every day. He protects us when we don’t know it. He overrules circumstances when we don’t even realize it.

Take your problem to the Lord today and ask Him for a miracle—in His timing, in His way, and for the glory of Him who supplies the Spirit to us and works miracles among us.

A point to ponder…

When He saved my soul, cleansed and made me whole, it took a miracle of love and grace!

John W. Peterson

Read the Bible through in a year

Deuteronomy 14-16

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 3, 2022

Thursday

Four Burning Questions—If God Is for Us…

Romans 8: 31-39

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"

Romans 8:31

Some days we awaken to sunny skies. Other days are darker, and we’re gripped by pain. Whether the pain is physical or emotional, it can make us question God’s love and care for us.

But God counters our questions with some of His own—rhetorical questions—to remind us of His active involvement in our care. We find glorious sets of questions at the end of Job, in Isaiah 40, and scattered throughout the Lord’s ministry. But few passages exceed the interrogation of Romans 8, as Paul draws to a close in his theological instruction about justification by grace through faith.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?... How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect … Who is he who condemns?... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

If your spirits are low today, answer the questions God sets forth. Who can be against you?

No one! What can separate you from His love? Nothing!

God’s burning questions have glowing answers that bring heavenly sunshine.

A point to ponder…

When Jesus shows His smiling face, there is sunshine in my soul.
Eliza Hewitt

Read the Bible through in a year

Deuteronomy 11-13

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March 2, 2022

Wednesday

The Damascus Road

Acts 9: 1-9

"And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:"

Acts 9:3

On a journey home from the University of Erfurt, where 21-year-old Martin Luther studied law, a frightening thunderstorm suddenly enveloped him. A lightning bolt flashed and struck so close that Martin, petrified, cried out, “Saint Anne, help me! I will become a monk.” Shortly thereafter, he entered an Augustinian monastery and eventually traveled to the little town of Wittenberg to teach at the university.

His mentor, Johann von Staupitz, assigned him the books of Romans and Galatians. While studying, Luther’s eyes were opened to the true Gospel message—salvation by grace through faith. This discovery was a Damascus Road experience for him, and he devoted his life to advancing the cause of the Gospel.

We’re often on the road to life as we design it when God intervenes with storms, lightning bolts, mentors, and the Gospel message. Every one of us needs a Damascus Road experience. It may not be as dramatic as Paul’s or Luther’s, but we need a moment in our life when we understand and receive the Gospel.

No one is the same after an encounter with God. His Living Word changes everything!

A point to ponder…

The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.

Martin Luther

Read the Bible through in a year

Deuteronomy 8-10

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

March1, 2022

Tuesday

Secret Ingredient

John 10: 1-21

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

John 10:10

Restaurants and chefs often guard their best recipes. They work hard to create the perfect entrée and don’t want others taking advantage of their labor to create something unique and precious. Thankfully, God is not stingy with His best. He freely gave His Son, Jesus. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus encountered sickness, death, and confusion, and brought light and healing.

From the miracle at the Cana wedding to His ascension to the sky, Jesus entered situations and made them better. Because Jesus is deeply connected to God, unaffected by pride and self-absorption, He sees below the surface and knows how to bring the missing insight, healing, and hope to those who feel hopeless and lost.

We can invite God into each area of our lives. He has promised His Spirit and strength. Regardless of how or when our prayers are answered, Jesus is life. As we grow in our trust of Him, we realize that nothing is beyond His reach. We can invite Him into the darkest seasons and spaces of our lives and trust that He will bring light.

A point to ponder…

Without Christ there is no hope.

Charles Spurgeon

Read the Bible through in a year

Deuteronomy 5-7

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich

February 28, 2022

Monday

Opening Doors

Matthew 16: 13-20

In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.”

Psalm 95:4

Have you ever felt lost or unsure? Even the disciples, who spoke to Jesus face to face, felt confusion, fear, and uncertainty from time to time. When Jesus asked them to feed the crowd of thousands, they lacked the resources to complete the task, until someone found a young boy with a lunch. When a storm’s waves shuddered their boat, they lacked the power to save themselves, until Christ stepped out to calm the sea.

Thankfully our feelings, abilities, and resources are not an indicator of God’s power, or of our usefulness to the kingdom. Even in the Old Testament, some people questioned God’s calling: Moses wondered how he would lead the Israelites to freedom, Saul hid among the equipment when he was about to be declared king, and Jonah walked in the opposite direction of God’s call.

The solution and key to the challenges being faced lies not in our power or abilities, but in God. He is the source of truth, wisdom, power, guidance, and ability. Nothing can thwart His purpose or deter His calling on a person’s life. When we stop looking at our circumstances, and begin looking to Him, everything changes. Whatever challenge or opportunity you are facing today, turn your eyes toward Jesus—He has the power to open the door and He will walk through it with you!

A point to ponder…

God does not choose people because of their ability, but because of their availability.

Brother Andrew

Read the Bible through in a year 

Deuteronomy 3-4

I love you!!!

© 2000-2022 B. Michael Goerlich