With My Own Eyes

Psalm 124:8 (NIV)
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

Here is the rest of today’s Bible reading:  Hosea 1:1-3:5; 1 John 5:1-21; Psalm 124:1-8; Proverbs 29:5-8.

1 John 4:7-11 (NIV)
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. [8] Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. [9] This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. [10] This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. [11] Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Here is the rest of today’s Bible reading:  Daniel 11:36-12:13; 1 John 4:1-21; Psalm 123:1-4; Proverbs 29:2-4.

1 John 1:1 (NIV)
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched–this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

I come from a theological tradition which tends to be very cautious when it comes to spiritual experience.  This is probably a response to some of the counterfeit experiences that sadly give Christianity a bad name.  But we must not lose sight of the fact that a true relationship with God is going to be experiential.  You cannot have a personal relationship with the creator of the universe and not have an experience!  May God give us all a deeper experience with Jesus Christ.

Here is the rest of today’s Bible reading:  Daniel 7:1-28; 1 John  1:1-10; Psalm 119:153-176; Proverbs 28:23-24.

2 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV)
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. [9] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Here is the rest of today’s Bible reading:  Daniel 6:1-28; 2 Peter 3:1-18; Psalm 119:129-152; Proverbs 28:21-22.

Today’s reading in Daniel is a great lesson in the importance of learning from the mistakes of others.  Belshazzar was king of Babylon and arrogantly set himself against God.  Years before, his Dad had done the same thing and paid a great price.  Now Daniel says to Belshazzar, Daniel 5:22 (NIV)   “But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.  And as a consequence, Daniel 5:30-31 (NIV)  That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, [31] and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.  May God grant us the ability to learn from the mistakes of others and not repeat them.

Here is the rest of today’s Bible reading:  Daniel 5:1-31; 2 Peter 2:1-22; Psalm 119:113-128; Proverbs 28:19-20.

You may have seen this already, but I think it is pretty cool.  Josh got his picture taken with former Lakers coach Mike Brown on Thursday.  For a basketball nut like Josh, that was a big deal.  Mike Brown was very gracious.

2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. [4] Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

I have frequently heard the phrase “I’m only human” as an excuse for sin.  I can even think of several popular songs in the past few decades that make this claim.  We have convinced ourselves that we must live according to a low standard of righteousness because, after all, we are only human.  But for those who have by God’s grace become brand new creations in Jesus Christ, that statement is false.  We now have a supernatural power at work within us that enables us to live according to a higher standard.  We are not “only human.”  We are children of God indwelt by His Holy Spirit.  That changes everything.

Here is the rest of today’s Bible reading:  Daniel 4:1-37; 2 Peter 1:1-21; Psalm 119:97-112; Proverbs 28:17-18.

Here is the video from this past Sunday called “The Thanksgiving Chair.”  Enjoy.

The Thanksgiving Chair

“Many of us want provision and connection without sacrifice.  We want to be blessed with God’s guidance when we’re not moving.  However, only those in motion need guidance.  By focusing on our own needs, we are dead in the water.  We become self-absorbed and cut off from any divine direction.  Only as we make God’s agenda our priority do we begin to get the big picture of our life.”