Weekend Wisdom

July 29– July 30, 2023

Survival

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

When you’re overwhelmed by a problem that isn’t going to get better in a couple days or even weeks, you might begin to falter. The pressure to falter is great—to slip down, go under, give in, lose the battle—and at times we would falter without an exceedingly great and precious promise from God. You need something larger and stronger than your problems. Serious days call for a serious promise: God is always watching; I will not falter.

God is watching and He wants you to succeed at the Christian life. Considering His great love for you, do you honestly think He would let you go through more than you can handle? No. He won’t let the waters drown you. He will keep the fires from burning you (Isaiah 43:1–2). He won’t allow the temptation to become so strong it knocks you off your feet.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13, both meanings are in view. God won’t allow a temptation or a trial into your life that you won’t be able to handle. Neither one will overtake your life or last forever. “God is faithful.”

Every trial and temptation you face is “common to man.” You might feel as if nobody has ever gone through what you’re going through, but that’s false. The enemy tries to paint your difficulties as unique in order to make you falter. Don’t fall for that! In the past, many people have gone through a trial just like yours, and more will in the future. You don’t get singled out for a customized set of temptations. You’re probably getting about average. God will not allow you to be tried beyond your ability to withstand.

He’s watching closely. God actively controls the severity of everything we face. He says, “This far—no further. That’s all. That’s My daughter; I know what she can handle.” God protects His own. He will not allow you to be tested beyond what you are able to handle.

You might argue, “I’m already being tried beyond what I can bear!” But the truth is that God knows you better than you know yourself. You’re not going to lose it. You will survive. You don’t know what you are capable of in God’s strength. You will get through this. The trial won’t last forever.

When the time comes that you really can’t take it anymore, 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises, “He will also provide the way of escape.” With practice you can learn to recognize exit ramps when you see them. “The way of escape” might look like . . .

• An instant end to the trial.When God moves, the mountains get leveled, the floods get lowered, and the sun suddenly breaks through. In my experience, trials end as quickly as they start.
• Encouragement to endure. Out of the blue, God may send another Christian to encourage you and remind you that you’re not alone.
• Wisdom and direction. God may show you a new angle on the problem. So many trials in life hinge for the good on one, simple, God-given piece of wisdom.
• Strength to persevere. There may be days when you don’t think you can face that difficult circumstance or person one more time. God may energize you for a new season of faithfulness.
• A friend to share the burden. Sometimes God dispels the darkness through the comforting assurance of friendship. The way of escape may be someone who has walked the same road before.
• A few days of relief. Sometimes God gives an oasis in the middle of the desert to replenish your reserves. Perhaps those tough circumstances will return for a season, but that temporary relief enables you to endure.

Of course, the variety of exit ramps is as endless as God’s creativity, but you can be confident He won’t let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. He doesn’t promise you eight options, or six, or even three—but you will find at least one exit ramp. When you see it, take it. Sometimes He gives us extra strength to endure our trials, but whether you’re enduring or exiting, you will not falter; God is always watching.

Points to ponder…

• The enemy paints our problems as unique, but God describes them as common and average. How does that truth inspire you to endure?
• What are some exit ramps God has provided in your life?

Saturday’s Reading

Isaiah 5-8

Sunday’s Reading

Isaiah 9-12

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 28, 2023

Friday

Any Fool Can Do This

Romans 12:9-21

16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.”

Romans 12:16

Do you ever quarrel with someone you love? Nothing good comes from it, and that’s why Proverbs 17:14 says, “The beginning of strife is like releasing water; therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.” More to the point, Proverbs 20:3 says, “It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel.”

Who wants to hear a concert when the instruments are out of tune? Discordant notes make us wince. But when the instruments are playing in harmony—trumpets, drums, violins, and all the rest—the music is a pleasure to hear.

Yes, we sometimes have honest disagreements and must work through them. But there’s really no place for us to be childish and quarrelsome. The Bible says, “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient” (2 Timothy 2:24).

If you’re quarreling with someone you love, make it a matter of prayer and ask God to give you a harmonious attitude—one of humility, gentleness, and patience.

A point to ponder…

When we’re in tune with God, we’ll be in harmony with each other.
Anonymous

Read the Bible through in a year

Isaiah 1-4

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 27, 2023

Thursday

Special Delivery: Broadcasting

Matthew 4:18-22

⁶ Then the Lord said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.”

Jeremiah 11:6

In 1922, Pastor William Ward Ayer of Valparaiso, Indiana, was visiting the home of one of the members of his church when he was introduced to a new apparatus—a crystal radio. After a lot of squeals and screeches, Ayer, to his utter amazement, heard a man speaking from Chicago, fifty miles away. Years later as the pastor of a New York church, Ayer preached to a quarter-million listeners every week.

Nearly a hundred years later, Turning Point and many other Bible-based ministries reach millions of people every day with the Gospel. And there are many opportunities for us all to be involved. For example, a woman in Virginia works for a national rental car agency, prepping the cars for the next customer. She always makes sure to tune the radio to a nearby Christian station so the renter will have the opportunity to hear the Gospel, if only for a moment.

Whenever we find a way to share the Truth, however small the effort may seem, it’s a special delivery because our message is so special and it’s our privilege to deliver it.

A point to ponder…

God wants to use you to bring other people to Himself.
Greg Laurie

Read the Bible through in a year

Song of Solomon

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© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 26, 2023

Wednesday

A Sign of Maturity

Titus 2:13

²⁰ For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”

Philippians 3:20

Many Christians rarely hear a sermon concerning biblical prophecy. Some pastors and teachers consider prophecy to be a controversial topic, with the potential to cause disagreement and division. But the return of Christ is mentioned, directly or indirectly, in all but four books of the New Testament (Galatians, 2 and 3 John, and Philemon).

The apostle Paul connects an understanding of the return of Christ to spiritual maturity. In Philippians 3, he describes his own desire to press on to his reunion with Christ as the culmination of his life of service on earth (verses 12-14). Then he says that all who are spiritually mature should think the same way (verse 15); we should understand that our citizenship is in heaven, not on earth, and live in expectation of meeting the Savior we followed on earth. So, contrary to what many believe, pursuing Christ now in anticipation of meeting Him then, is a sign of spiritual maturity according to the apostle Paul.

If you aren’t already, begin today “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

A point to ponder…

A continual looking forward to the eternal world is not a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do.
C. S. Lewis

Read the Bible through in a year

Ecclesiastes 9-12

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 25, 2023

Tuesday

Christ With Us

Mark 16:20

¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:14

The Age of Enlightenment saw the rise of Deism—the view that describes God as the Creator but not the maintainer of earth. Theism believes in a personal, involved God; Deism believes in an impersonal, detached God.

The rise of Deism was consistent with the Enlightenment’s growing disregard for the Bible—a book whose God is anything but impersonal and detached. When Jesus sent the apostles out to evangelize the world, He didn’t say, “I’m leaving! It’s all up to you now!” Instead, He promised to be with them “to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20), “working with them” in their apostolic tasks (Mark 16:20). He even sent His Spirit to “guide [them] into all truth” (John 16:13). We are not called and commissioned to grow into maturity on our own. Jesus, by His Spirit, enables us in all He asks us to do for Him.

Whatever God calls you to do in ministry, family, or vocation, you are not alone. Jesus, by His Spirit, is with you to conform you to His image (Romans 8:29).

A point to ponder…

Talk with us, Lord, Thyself reveal, while here o’er earth we rove; speak to our hearts, and let us feel the kindling of Thy love. 
Charles Wesley

Read the Bible through in a year

Ecclesiastes 5-8

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© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 24, 2023

Monday

Glory for Me!

John 16:16-22

²² And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.”

John 16:22

In February 2019, Cydney Cooper gave birth to twins while her husband, Skyler, was deployed in Kuwait with the U.S. Army. The babies were premature and spent twelve days in the NICU. One day as Cydney cradled one of the newborns in the hospital room, a nurse entered. Behind her came another pair of footsteps—Skyler’s. The video of the surprise reunion went viral, being viewed more than 2.1 million times.

Think of how wonderful we’ll feel when our footsteps tread heaven’s streets. Whether by death or by the Lord’s sudden return, there’s a great reunion ahead of us. Christ’s victory over sin and death gives us an eternal home, and what a celebration awaits us. Charles Gabriel envisioned this reunion when he wrote the hymn, “O That Will Be Glory”—one of the most popular in its day—that said:

When all my labors and trials are o’er,
And I am safe on that beautiful shore,
         Just to be near the dear Lord I adore
Will through the ages be glory for me.

A point to ponder…

Friends will be there I have loved long ago; joy like a river around me will flow.
Charles Gabriel, hymnist

Read the Bible through in a year

Ecclesiastes 1-4

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© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

July 22– July 23, 2023

Do You Still Want It?

When Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed” 

John 5:6

Far be it from me to find fault with Jesus’ bedside manner, but . . .

“Do you want to be healed?” doesn’t seem the most pastoral or sensitive question to ask someone who’d been “lying there” on his bed of pain for “a long time.” Nor would even a regular person feel the need to ask it, seeing the answer is so positively obvious. You’d hardly need to be all-knowing to figure that out.

Yet we can trust that what Jesus knows—not only about a crippled man in the first century but about us, in ours—is always something we could stand to learn.

The setting for Jesus’ question in John 5 was a pool of some sort, most likely known for its therapeutic qualities. Best guess is that it was a hot springs which from time to time was “stirred up” (John 5:7), creating a massaging effect that felt good on stiff, unhealthy bodies. But the man that Jesus addressed in verse 6 was an invalid who, try as he might, was never able to work his way fast enough toward the waters when they began to bubble. “I have no one to put me into the pool when the waters are stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me” (John 5:7).

Perhaps when this man first found himself at that pool, he had high hopes it would help him. Even by year five, maybe after a few close calls at beating the crowd into the water before it fell calm again, he was confident he’d figured out a better plan. Maybe next time. There was always a chance.

But by year twenty-five, whenever word began rippling back that said the waters were stirring, do you think he even sat up on his elbows? Did he make the futile effort of rolling himself upright? I mean, why? What was the use? At what point do you think he finally said, You know what? I’m just not hoping anymore. I’m done.

Which is what makes Jesus’ question so awesome.

“Do you want to be healed?” Do you still want this?

I want to learn from His all-wise example. I want to be the person coming around the corner, catching you in the middle of an ordeal that’s been going on for a long time, and asking: Have you stopped praying? Are you just managing now? Are there things you’ve allowed into your life at this point—making exceptions, cutting corners—that you would never have tolerated in yourself, back when you were still sure of being used by God? Do you still care? Do you still love? Do you still long to see God move? Do you still hope?

Satan is trying to convince you that anything good or better in your life is already in your rearview mirror; that nothing ahead can be anything more than a scaled-back version of Christian living. But your and my hope is in the revealing of Jesus Christ. One way or another, in this world or the next, we are headed toward an incredible future with Him. And because we’ve been promised such an amazing ending, how can we not remain in a perpetual state of expectation?

As His people, we are those who’ve put our hope in the Lord, even when it’s hard, even when it hurts. We still get up, we still go on, and we never stop wanting what He alone can give us.

Points to ponder…

• What are the most noticeable circumstances that war against your hope?
• Why is the hope of heaven so much more than an optimistic cop-out for disappointment?

Saturday’s Reading

Proverbs 27-29

Sunday’s Reading

Proverbs 30-31

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 21, 2023

Friday

Pray First

Proverbs 16:1-9

³ Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.”

Proverbs 16:3

Daniel Webster, the great statesman of other years, was once asked, “Mr. Webster, what is the most sobering, searching thought that ever entered your mind?” Without hesitancy, the staunch statesman replied, “My personal accountability to God.”

As we go through our daily lives we will inevitably make mistakes, but we can reduce them by taking a moment to pray about every decision, large and small. The Lord’s presence is near us, and we should ask Him for wisdom before sending that letter, posting that message, taking that job, having that conversation.

We certainly need His help with the big decisions in life, but the Lord also longs to bless the small ones too. When we commit whatever we do to the Lord, He will establish our plans. If we depend on ourselves with our faulty reasoning, our plans may falter. Take the time to pray first—make Him your accountability partner!

A point to ponder…

Trusting in the Lord, delighting in the Lord, committing my way unto the Lord, let me now just “rest.” Don’t worry. Whatever happens, just refer it to the Lord!
John Henry Jowett

Read the Bible through in a year

Proverbs 24-26

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© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 20, 2023

Thursday

Special Delivery: Music

1 Peter 3:13-16

¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Colossians 3:16

John D’Esterre perished in an 1815 duel, leaving behind a young widow, Jane, and two children. Jane fled her husband’s creditors and grew discouraged. One day she sat by a river, contemplating suicide. On the other bank, a ploughman started his day’s work. As he labored behind the animals, he began whistling Christian hymns. This young man was well known in the area of his hymn-whistling, and as Jane listened, her heart was moved. She decided to attend a church service, where she found Christ as her Savior. She went on to marry John Guinness, and later her son, Harry Grattan Guinness, helped trigger the Irish Revival of 1859, which brought 100,000 people to Christ. The influence of the hymn-whistler is still touching the world today through one of Jane’s descendants, Dr. Os Guinness.

When from a joyful heart we sing or play or send forth the music of the Lord, we never know who is listening—even if we do nothing more than whistle our faith.

A point to ponder…

We who are followers of Jesus stand as witnesses to the truth and meaning of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Dr. Os Guinness

Read the Bible through in a year

Proverbs 22-23

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© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 19, 2023

Wednesday

What Is Humility?

Romans 12:1-8

⁵ Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:5

What is humility? Is it the opposite of pride? If pride expands one’s importance, does humility deflate one’s importance? That’s the view given by most English dictionaries—a deemphasis on one’s own importance. But what is the biblical view of humility?

If someone compliments you on a job well done, do you refuse to take credit or receive their compliment? Or do you graciously say, “Thank you,” in a spirit of genuine appreciation and humility? In Romans 12:3 Paul exhorts the believers not to think of themselves pridefully but rather to think of themselves “soberly”—that is, realistically or accurately. Paul’s topic is the grace given by God to each Christian to serve in the Body of Christ. We should neither overestimate the gift of God’s grace or underestimate it. Rather, we should think of it soberly and realistically—humbly—and minister accordingly. To think less of God’s gift would be to devalue it; to think realistically about it allows one to serve humbly.

How do you view yourself? With pride? With false humility? Or soberly and realistically according to the grace of God in your life?

A point to ponder…

A really humble man…will not be thinking about humility, he will not be thinking about himself at all.
C. S. Lewis

Read the Bible through in a year

Proverbs 19-21

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© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 18, 2023

Tuesday

Serving Others

Philippians 4:14-19

²⁵ Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.”

Philippians 2:25

We are only told the names of a few dozen people associated with the apostle Paul as mentioned in his letters. Yet there must have been hundreds of people with whom he developed relationships—people with whom he shared a reciprocal ministry. These people not only ministered to Paul, but he ministered to them as well. And yet we will only learn their names and stories in heaven.

One such person who meant a great deal to Paul was Epaphroditus, a member of the church at Philippi. Paul mentions him twice by name (Philippians 2:25; 4:18), conveying his heartfelt appreciation and concern for this one he referred to as “my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier.” Remember—Paul was in prison when he wrote to the Philippians, yet his main concern was that the Church know what a blessing Epaphroditus had been to him. Indeed, Epaphroditus had almost died while delivering a material gift to Paul. Ignoring his own suffering, Paul demonstrated his concern for his friend.

Our true heart is revealed when we put concern for others ahead of ourselves (Philippians 2:4).

A point to ponder…

The highest honour in the Church is not government but service. 
John Calvin

Read the Bible through in a year

Proverbs 16-18

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© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 17, 2023

Monday

Joy in God’s Will

2 Timothy 1: 8-12

¹⁷ Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.”

Philippians 2:17

When the English Protestant Thomas Cranmer was threatened with death by the Catholic Queen Mary, he recanted his Protestant views. But in his last sermon, he recanted his recantation, once again affirming his Reformation-based theology. He knew it would cost him his life, so he said he would stick his right hand—the hand that signed his original recantation—first into the fire. When he was burned on the stake for his faith in 1556, he thrust his right hand into the fire before the flames consumed the rest of his body.

What kind of strength does it take to stay faithful to God’s will? Church history is filled with the stories of many courageous saints, including the apostle Paul. When he was imprisoned for his faith, he knew he might die, but found joy in the will of God nonetheless. The greatest source of courage in life comes from knowing we are living in God’s will.

What is God’s will for you today? Recommit yourself to Him and His plans and purpose for your life—and receive His joy in doing so.

A point to ponder…

To obey God’s will is to find the fulfillment of our lives. 
David Watson

Read the Bible through in a year

Proverbs 13-15

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© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

July 15– July 16, 2023

Friends Who Hold You Down

And the LORD sent Nathan to David. . . (2 Samuel 12:1a).

Here’s an uncomfortable thought: A genuine friend will restrain or correct you at times. Not only does a biblical friend hold you up when you stumble, but that friend also holds you down when you stray. We stumble under the heavy pressures of life, but we’re led astray by our own, wicked, rebellious hearts—and then we really need a true friend.

In 2 Samuel 11 and 12, we read about the darkest days of David’s life, when he strayed far from God, though he had faithfully followed the Lord for years. David saw a married woman, Bathsheba, and lusted for her, sent for her, and slept with her. (As king, he got what he wanted.) Bathsheba conceived a child. David “covered up” and compounded this messy string of sins by arranging her husband’s murder and hiding his treachery for more than a year.

As we read this story, we might wonder where David’s friends were during this debacle. Where were the truth-tellers who would boldly say, “What are you thinking? Why are you destroying your life?” Well, Jonathan had been killed in battle. General Joab was off fighting David’s war (and didn’t challenge the command to have Uriah killed). Any so-called friends who were left must have been arguing, “Wait, I’m not telling him. You tell him.” How tragic that David didn’t have any old friends who could have seen his decline and intervened before he crashed and burned.

After a whole year of this mess, God actually sent someone to David—a new friend, a prophet who would tell it like it is. “And the LORD sent Nathan to David” (2 Samuel 12:1a). Some hard things needed to be said, and God chose Nathan to say them.

Nathan made his point in the form of a brutal story told in love. The full story is found in 2 Samuel 12, but here’s the summary of Nathan’s words: “Hey David, let me tell you a story. Once there was a guy who had sheep and more sheep and herds of sheep and barns full of sheep and sheep stacked upon sheep. And there was another guy who had one little lamb, and he loved that lamb and treated it like a child and fed it from his own table. And the guy who had all the sheep was out cruising one day and saw the little lamb and decided, ‘I want that one too.’ So instead of being satisfied with all he had, he took the poor man’s lamb.” Here comes the savvy set-up. Nathan asked, “So David, what do you think of that?”

And as we often do when we’re covering our own sin, David felt very self-righteous and said, in paraphrase, “That thief deserves to die! Execute him!”

Nathan looked right into David’s eyes and said, “You are the man” (2 Samuel 12:7)!

At that moment you could have heard a pin drop in the palace. All those who had winked at David’s sin for a whole year were standing there in the public court. No doubt they were thinking, I can’t believe he said that. The king will explode. Watch out!

Nathan wasn’t even finished. The prophet went on to pronounce a heavy judgment on David for his wickedness. He detailed the consequences David should expect—starting with the death of the son born from adultery (12:10–12, 14).

How did David respond? “David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child who is born to you shall die’” (12:13–14).

Then Nathan went home. Mission accomplished, message delivered.

That is biblical friendship—a friend who tells you the truth for your own good. Too often we come up with a variety of excuses for not speaking the truth. Nathan could have said,

• “There’s somebody closer.”
• “I’ll lose my position or even my life.”
• “Let God tell him.”
• “I’m afraid.”
• “I’ll do it later; we’re just getting acquainted.”

Instead, Nathan said, “Even if this is the last conversation we ever have, I’m going to tell you the truth.” Nathan cared enough about David to speak the truth in love. He was willing to risk the whole relationship to help David get to a better place with God and with others. In friendship, love is what we need when we stumble, and truth is what we need when we stray.

Points to ponder…

• Why is it important to have a friend who will tell you the truth? How is truth-telling a sign of love?
• What cost must we be prepared to pay if we choose to be messengers of truth in our closest relationships? What is the hardest thing you’ve ever had to tell a friend—or hear from a friend?

Saturday’s Reading

Proverbs 7-9

Sunday’s Reading

Proverbs 10-12

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 14, 2023

Friday

Without Distraction

1 Corinthians 7: 29-35

⁸ And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.”

Isaiah 35:8

In 2017, a collision in Texas took the lives of thirteen people who were returning from a church retreat. The cause of the wreck seems to have involved a truck driving erratically; and after the collision, the driver was reportedly overheard saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was texting.” Experts say America has experienced the biggest spike in traffic deaths in about fifty years, and much of the blame goes to distracted driving. It’s a reminder to us all to keep our eyes on the road and our hands on the wheel for the sake of all around us.

n a parallel sense, the Bible warns about getting distracted as we travel the highway of holiness. The Amplified Bible Classic Edition renders Hebrews 12:1-2 like this: “Let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and the sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course…looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus.” 

The Bible says “Serve the Lord without distraction” (1 Corinthians 7:35). Keep your eyes on Him!

A point to ponder…

Many of our distractions may be fathered by the devil.
Thomas Watson

Read the Bible through in a year

Proverbs 4-6

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© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 13, 2023

Thursday

Nuisance Calls

Romans 10:8-13

¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Romans 10:13

Nuisance calls made up 3.7 percent of total phone calls in 2017, but now the figure is closer to 50 percent. Because we are stewards of our time, we need to protect ourselves against nuisance calls and scammers. But some Christians use the calls as an opportunity to develop their evangelism skills.

One GrowingChristian  reader, when time permits, answers the calls and politely turns the conversation toward the Gospel. If the caller wants to sell a vacation package, our friend says, “I’m really only interested in one destination, and it’s truly Paradise. Let me tell you.” If it’s a credit card call, the man says, “I’m really not interested in a new credit card but let me take a moment to tell you about the Person who can forgive your debt of sin.” If it’s a call promoting a medical device, the man says, “I’ve been thinking a lot about death, and I have discovered a wonderful answer.”

Sometimes the marketer (or scammer) hangs up, but sometimes they listen. After all, the person on the line is a soul for whom Jesus died.

You might try it sometime—and turn a nuisance call into a Good News call.

A point to ponder…

Let’s never miss an opportunity to share the Gospel.
Franklin Graham

Read the Bible through in a year

Proverbs 1-3

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© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 12, 2023

Wednesday

Unity Yet Diversity

Ephesians 4:3-6

³ Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Ephesians 4:3

Nature loves diversity, but nature also loves unity. There are many examples of groups of individuals functioning as one: ants walking in formation, flocks of starlings (and schools of fish) flowing effortlessly as one, Canadian geese flying in a perfect V-formation. Nature loves diversity but seems to rely on unity to accomplish what is good for all.

Scripture supports the idea of diversity and unity. In Ephesians 4:3-6, the apostle Paul appeals for unity in the Church (verse 3) by highlighting the word “one” seven times: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God. But then, in verse 7, he goes from unity to diversity. Each Christian has been given grace (gifts) to accomplish his or her part in achieving unity (verses 7-13). Just as a flock of geese achieves its migration goal by flying in formation, so the Church achieves its maturity goal by working together in unity.

Ask God today: “What is my part, Lord, in building up Your Church? What grace have you given me? How can I promote the unity of the Body?” Let your unique gifts strengthen the unity of God’s people.

A point to ponder…

Believers are never told to become one; we already are one and are expected to act like it.
Joni Eareckson Tada

Read the Bible through in a year

Psalms 146-150

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 11, 2023

Thursday

What Doesn’t Mix

Mark 10:42-45

3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”

1 Corinthians 3:3

Some things in life don’t go together: oil and water, nuts and chewing gum, love and hate, and criticism and unity. Constructive criticism can lead to greater unity. But when the criticism is motivated by selfishness, envy, or anger, it can never lead to unity.

What can lead to unity? Service. Take the church at Corinth for example. The apostle Paul wrote stern rebukes to the church about their lack of unity. Men like Paul and Apollos came among them as servants (1 Corinthians 3:5) to build up a church characterized by unity. But the immature Corinthian believers ignored the model of servant leadership and created cliques in the church based on “envy, strife, and divisions.” The other model of service they could have followed was that of Christ who came into the world to serve, not to be served (Mark 10:45; Philippians 2:7). Servants look first to the interests of others rather than their own interests (Philippians 2:4), and unity results.

Unity comes when individual Christians submit their will and agenda to the Lordship of Jesus Christ—it’s the best way to begin every day.

A point to ponder…

In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity. 
Richard Baxter

Read the Bible through in a year

Psalms 140-145

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 10, 2023

Monday

Now or Later

Matthew 19:29

¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:10

In the seventies, a TV commercial for an automobile oil filter made this line famous: “You can pay me now or you can pay me later.” The same principle—now or later—also applies to rewards promised to followers of Christ.

Jesus suggested that we have a choice when it comes to rewards: We can receive rewards now in the form of the adulation of men, or we can receive rewards in eternity from God who sees what we do for Him (Colossians 3:23-24). Jesus also said that those who suffer persecution for His sake will receive the Kingdom of heaven, that those who leave the riches and relationships of this life will be rewarded a hundred times over in eternity. Sometimes we don’t choose to give up comfort in this life; it is taken from us by persecutors of the Church. The same promise applies: God stands ready to reward those who suffer for Christ’s sake in this life. Heaven is a time when rewards will replace what was lost.

Whatever you lose for Christ’s sake—property, reputation, comfort, your good name—does not go unnoticed by God. Nor will it go unrewarded (Romans 8:18).

A point to ponder…

In the second advent [God] will manifest His glory to reward their faith. 
John Chrysostom

Read the Bible through in a year

Psalms 133-139

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

July 8– July 9, 2023

Friends Who Hold You Up

David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.” And the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home. 

1 Samuel 23:15–18

Because of the pressures of life—stress at work, turmoil at home, a health problem, a financial crisis—sometimes we stumble. Sometimes the weight on us is so heavy that we can’t help but stumble.

That’s when we need a biblical friend or two to hold us up, as Jonathan did for David during a crisis in his life.

David was being hunted again by King Saul. This wasn’t a game; Saul wanted to kill David. “And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh” (1 Samuel 23:16a). Jonathan was taking his life into his hands by even speaking to his friend, who was number one on Saul’s most wanted list. As we examine this scene, let’s notice five ways Jonathan held David up. These translate into five ways we can support our friends and receive their support.

1. Their Presence
A biblical friend shows up. Jonathan arose “and went to David” (23:16a). Jonathan had many reasons for staying away. Personally, he had everything to lose and nothing to gain. He risked his father’s wrath. In fact, when he got up to leave the table in the palace, his father threw his spear at him, trying to kill his own son (1 Samuel 20:30–33), which showed how Saul had slipped into insanity. In siding with David, Jonathan also risked his own royal position. After all, if Jonathan just let his dad kill David, then Jonathan would become the next king.

But David was alone and afraid, and there was no way Jonathan was going to let David down. He went to David.

2. Their Prayers
A biblical friend prays with you. When Jonathan arrived at David’s hideout, he “strengthened his hand in God” (23:16b). Even though David was a man of deep faith—author of most of the Psalms, a man after God’s own heart, a giant-slayer—he was hurting and disillusioned. Jonathan didn’t show up with shallow comments or advice, nor did he present himself as the solution. He helped David take his problems to God.

Notice what Jonathan didn’t say. No cheap encouragement, like, “Dad will come around soon, Dave,” or “Don’t worry so much. It’s not as bad as it seems. Let’s look on the bright side while you hide here in this damp, dark forest without food or hope.” Often when we show up for our friends who are hurting, there’s nothing to say. The burden is too big, the hurt too deep. It’s about presence and prayer. We need friends who will take us to God, and we need to be that kind of friend when others stumble. Christian friendship isn’t about sitting in the same pew at church on the weekend. We need friends who will get on their knees, pray, and discuss the things of God with us. Biblical friends “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24b).

3. Their Protection
A biblical friend protects you. As soon as Jonathan showed up, he reassured David, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you” (23:17a, ). Think of what these words meant to David. David was an emotional guy—he’d have to be to write the kind of moving poetry found in the book of Psalms. It’s not hard to imagine that as he saw Jonathan approaching, David might have questioned his friend’s loyalty. He didn’t have to wonder long. Apparently Jonathan sensed that David’s meter was redlining, so he quickly reassured him. “My dad won’t find you. Of course, I won’t tell him where you are. Relax.” When David heard those words of support, he felt strengthened.

4. Their Personal Loyalty
Biblical friends confirm their personal loyalty. Jonathan told David, “You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you” (23:17b). Even though Jonathan was the prince, David had been anointed to be the next king, and Jonathan didn’t contest God’s decision. In fact, he painted a picture of the future for David, essentially saying, “You will be king—not me—and that won’t sever our relationship. I’m content with being number two as long as you’re number one.” No wonder David loved him.

When our hearts feel like tornadoes, the last thing we need is for a so-called friend to show up and fan the storm. Instead, biblical friends protect us, speaking words to soothe our troubled emotional state.

When we stumble, we need friends who protect us with their fierce allegiance, not someone who turns against us and kicks us while we’re down. We need friends who will come to our aid and lift us up with their life-giving loyalty.

5. Their Promise
A biblical friend confirms the friendship with a promise. “And the two of them made a covenant before the LORD” (23:18a). Some men might balk at that idea, claiming it sounds girly or weak. Actually, what a sign of strength that two warriors stood together, admitting they couldn’t be all that God wanted them to be without the other. They communicated, “I really need you! Let’s stand together in this.” That kind of committed friendship lifts those who stumble.

When we slow down in life, get off track, feel discouraged, lose focus, want to quit, or fall flat, we need this kind of friend.

And we need to be this kind of friend.

Points to ponder…

• Consider these five ways a biblical friend holds you up in support. Do you have a friend like that? If not, ask God for this kind of friendship.
• Are you that kind of friend? Do you show up for, pray with, protect, show loyalty to, and pledge your commitment to your friend?

Saturday’s Reading

Psalm 119:89-176

Sunday’s Reading

Psalm 120-132

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 7, 2023

Friday

Lord, Use This for Good!

Genesis 50: 15-21

²⁰ But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

Genesis 50:20

A new survey of 2,000 American millennials reveals that a third of them believe their lives are more stressful than the average person’s life. Some of the contributing factors to their stress levels include—being stuck in traffic, waiting for appointments, and having issues with their smartphones. For 41 percent of millennials, a damaged phone screen is more stressful than seeing a “check engine” light on their dashboard. Many of them felt stress when they got zero “likes” on a social media post, and 33 percent felt having their phone die was worse than a fraudulent charge on their credit card. About half the survey respondents say they don’t feel they deal with stress very well, and two-thirds would love to find better methods of coping with stress.

For most of us, the small daily aggravations of life can feel like the straw that broke the  camel’s back, and we all need better methods of coping.

One of the best ways of dealing with trials is saying, “Lord, use this for good!” That prayer will work when we lose our credit card or when we lose our jobs. It will work when we’re stuck in traffic or when we hear of a friend’s illness. Maybe today you have a problem that can be handled by this simple prayer: Lord, use it for good.

A point to ponder…

In God’s hands intended evil becomes eventual good.
Max Lucado

Read the Bible through in a year
Psalm 119: 1-88
I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 6, 2023

Thursday

Special Delivery: Balloons

2 Timothy 2:1-10

⁹ Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.”

2 Timothy 2:9

North Korea is widely considered the most difficult nation on earth for missions. Christians are executed there, and any effort to even whisper the message of Christ could mean torture and death. But the Gospel is not chained, and several missions agencies are sending the Gospel into North Korea using helium-filled balloons. This effort has been going on for many years, and everything depends on the direction of the wind. One children’s missions group has the Gospel printed on the balloons, accompanied by pictures and explanations.

Another group launches balloons with small radios attached, tuned to a Korean-language Gospel station. Another organization attaches Bible-filled flash drives to their balloons.

Recently, however, the summit meetings between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un complicated the balloon launches because the South Korean government doesn’t want anything to upset the talks. Still, the Word of God is not chained.

Who knows what God is doing inside the darkest land on earth? North Korean missiles are no match for Gospel balloons, for the Gospel is not chained. Pray for North Korea!

A point to ponder…

Just as a dandelion needs the wind to spread its seeds, we need the wind to spread the message.
A South Korean evangelist

Read the Bible through in a year

Psalms 115-118

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 5, 2023

Wednesday

No Limit

Acts 16:6-7

¹⁹ For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,”

Philippians 1:19

A fifth-century A.D. Jewish commentary on some of the Old Testament books (Leviticus Rabbah), said this: “The Holy Spirit rested on the prophets by measure.” Contrast that observation with the words of the prophet John the Baptist in John 3:34: “For God does not give the Spirit by measure.” John the Baptist ministered at a time of transition between the Old and New Testaments, a transition illustrated by a change in the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

For Christians, the Holy Spirit is given as a permanent, indwelling reality. He is there to guide, comfort, and counsel us in our daily lives—especially in times of adversity. The Greek word for the Spirit is parakletos, or Paraclete (John 14:16, 26)—one who is called alongside. The Spirit does for us what He did for Paul in Asia Minor—comes alongside to clear up confusion and provides direction when needed (Acts 16:6-10). He will come alongside us as well when we need counsel and comfort.

Be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) and depend on Him to come alongside you. There is no limit to His loving presence.

A point to ponder…

Great Comforter, descend, and bring some tokens of Thy grace. 
Isaac Watts

Read the Bible through in a year

Psalms 108-114

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 4, 2023

Tuesday

One Body, Many Parts

Ephesians 4:11-13

12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”

1 Corinthians 12:12

On this American Independence Day, a lesson from history applies to the Body of Christ. Prior to July 4, 1776, there were only thirteen British colonies that existed as separate outposts of the British Empire. But when representatives of those thirteen colonies signed the Declaration of Independence, it was the first step toward becoming one nation instead of thirteen colonies. The founders recognized that there is strength in unity.

It’s called synergy: the strength of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The apostle Paul didn’t know American history, of course, but he recognized the synergy of the human body—individual organs and parts of the body working together to accomplish human goals no individual part could accomplish by itself. And he applied that lesson to the Church, the Body of Christ. Each Christian is given gifts by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:11) in order to build up the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12).

What is your gift? What is your role? The Body of Christ is only as strong as the participation of all its members!

A point to ponder…

Unity is of the essence of the Body of Christ. 
R. B. Kuiper

Read the Bible through in a year

Psalms 106-107

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

July 3, 2023

Monday

One Accord

Acts 4:23-31

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”

Acts 2:1

On seven occasions, the writer of the book of Acts tells us the early Christians were of “one accord.” They were in one accord in the Upper Room awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit in an attitude of prayer and expectancy (Acts 1:14 and 2:1). They were in one accord after the events of the Day of Pentecost when three thousand new believers were added to their numbers (Acts 2:41, 46). They were in one accord during persecution (Acts 4:24) and in times of praise (Acts 5:12). They were in one accord listening to the preaching of the Gospel (Acts 8:6) and when sending out missionaries (Acts 15:25).

When the Philippian church encountered some difficulties, the apostle Paul told them to “fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Philippians 2:2). The Early Church understood what we must recognize today—that Christians are encouraged and blessed when they come together with a common purpose.

If you’re upset with someone you know—it might be a family member or fellow church attender—ask the Lord to search your heart. Perhaps the problem is a trace of bitterness or offended pride within. The Bible says, “Strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men” (Acts 24:16).

A point to ponder…

Rejoice today with one accord…rejoice and praise our mighty Lord.
Henry W. Baker, hymnist

Read the Bible through in a year

Psalms 103-105

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich

Weekend Wisdom

July 1– July 2, 2023

The Warrior Mindset

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God 

1 Peter 4:1–2

Suffering will come. “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). All will be persecuted? Yes, all.

Because God loves us, He warns us that pain is coming so we aren’t blindsided by it. If you’re driving down the freeway, a car cuts in front of you, and you see a collision coming, you brace yourself. If you stumble down a flight of stairs, you instinctively throw out your hands to break the fall. God’s Word repeatedly, lovingly warns us that suffering is God’s number one tool for chiseling our character so that we have realistic expectations and can brace ourselves for what’s to come.

Since suffering is coming (or for some of us, is already here), we also need to know what to do, and God’s Word gives us practical advice. It begins with the right mind-set. “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking” (1 Peter 4:1). How did Jesus think like this? From the moment His ministry began, He knew where it would end. At the right time, He turned His face to Jerusalem, knowing exactly what awaited Him there. He chose the cross. He willed Himself to be our sacrifice.

We need to arm ourselves with the same mentality. Rather than scratching our heads, wondering why we’re going through hard times, we should be thinking, I’m one of God’s children, so I’m not surprised by suffering. God has this planned for me, so I’m staying under it. With God, I’m going to get through this.

Along with these realistic expectations, we also need to guard our behavior. Often when we’re going through difficult times, we are more vulnerable to sin. We stand at a crossroads and either get bitter or get better. Either we move forward/upward, or we drift backward/downward. Trials present a watershed moment.

During a time of real hardship, you become a target. Peter warns, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8b). Satan sees God’s children going through hardship, and he’s waiting for an opportune time to pounce. What God allows for your good, Satan wants to twist into evil. Sin that hasn’t tempted you for a long time can crush you during a trial, when all your energy and resources are directed toward surviving. That’s when Satan rushes you. You can find yourself falling into patterns you thought were gone forever. An unsuspecting person might lament, I thought I’d never touch that bottle again, but here it is, empty. Satan wants to shame you and make you think you haven’t made any progress at all. But as a blood-bought son or daughter of the living God, you were chosen for something better!

Arm yourself for the onslaught. Guard your behavior “so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God” (4:2). We only have a few more years, if that. We’re in a free fall. Life is short, fleeting, like a vapor—gone. God forgive us for the months and years we’ve spent with our pleasure at the top of our agenda. What a shallow existence! Instead of pursuing personal passions, go hard after the will of God in your life. It’s not the hardship but your response to it that really matters.

Though temptation to sin can sometimes be heightened in trials, suffering can also make you more focused in your walk with Christ. Pain in one area can sensitize you to other parts of your life. Suffering teaches you in new ways that life isn’t a series of random, unrelated events; it’s all connected. As you formulate urgent prayer requests, you examine your life for anything that would prevent you from being heard. You might ask, “God, what do You see in my life that needs to be dealt with? Anything I need to get right with You about? Have I been ignoring You about something?” You get the mind-set of a warrior, not wanting to carry anything extra into the battle. “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3). Arm yourself like a warrior.

Points to ponder…

• For many of us, our default is not a warrior mentality. What’s your natural response to suffering?
• “It’s not the hardship but your response to it that really matters.” What trial are you facing now? Are you getting bitter or better? Are you falling prey to old sin patterns, or are you more focused in your walk with Jesus?

Saturday’s Reading

Psalm 90-95

Sunday’s Reading

Psalm 96-102

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich