Exodus 16-18; Proverbs 11:12-21

Wednesday's Bible Reading: Exodus 16-18; Proverbs 11:12-21

This morning for the first time this year, Lake Michigan looks as if it's beginning to freeze . . .

Exodus 13-15; Proverbs 11:1-11

Tuesday's Bible Reading: Exodus 13-15; Proverbs 11:1-11

Exodus 10-12; Proverbs 10:22-32

Monday's Bible Reading: Exodus 10-12; Proverbs 10:22-32

Psalms 12-14

Sunday's Bible Reading: Psalms 12-14

Sermon | The Other Prodigal Son: Journey to Jerusalem #17, Jim Samra

Matthew 18-22; Proverbs 10:12-21

Saturday's Bible Reading: Matthew 18-22; Proverbs 10:12-21

Excerpt from a sermon by Michael Catlett at McLean Baptist Church, published in The Washington Times (22 January 2007):

The way of peace is littered with hurt and anger, with violence and horror. I wish it were not so, but wishing does not change it. Turning the other cheek can leave one bruised and battered. Loving one's enemies can make one a victim of one's enemies. Loving one's neighbor as one's self can provide one's neighbor an opportunity to take advantage. Loving God with all your heart, soul and mind can consume one so that one overlooks other responsibilities and needs. Treating all people as God's children will anger some who think all are not. Working to eradicate injustice will upset those who cannot or will not see injustice or will profit from injustice. Asking those who have to give to those who don't have will sometimes upset those who are asked to give and those who are asked to receive. Yet isn't that the way of peace: to love those who are not easily loved, to care for the downtrodden, to offer justice and mercy, to eradicate physical and spiritual poverty? [emphasis added]

To support those who are on the front lines of this type of peacemaking, consider the work of Erich and Candice Strehl in Bethlehem. Click here for more information about Paidia.

Relevant (and convicting) passages from today's Bible reading:

The Little Children and Jesus

Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
###Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
###When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

The Rich Young Man

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
###"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
###"Which ones?" the man inquired.
###Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,'and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"
###"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
###Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
###When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
######—Matthew 19:13-22

And of course this . . .

The Greatest Commandment

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
###"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Exodus 7-9; Proverbs 10:1-11

Friday's Bible Reading: Exodus 7-9; Proverbs 10:1-11

Exodus 4-6; Proverbs 9:10-18

Thursday's Bible Reading: Exodus 4-6; Proverbs 9:10-18

Pray for Christians in Myanmar!

Exodus 1-3; Proverbs 9:1-9

Wednesday's Bible Reading: Exodus 1-3; Proverbs 9:1-9

Genesis 49-50; Proverbs 8:32-36

Tuesday's Bible Reading: Genesis 49-50; Proverbs 8:32-36

Love does not return evil for evil.

When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?" So they sent word to Joseph, saying, "Your father left these instructions before he died: 'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said.

But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. —Genesis 50:15-21

Genesis 46-48; Proverbs 8:12-31

Monday's Bible Reading: Genesis 46-48; Proverbs 8:12-31

Wrong turn? Maybe not! Watch this!

Psalms 9-11

Sunday's Bible Reading: Psalms 9-11

Sermon | A Lovesick Father: Journey to Jerusalem #16, Jim Samra

Matthew 12-17; Proverbs 8:1-11

Saturday's Bible Reading: Matthew 12-17; Proverbs 8:1-11














January 20 | Hindu devotees offer evening prayers on the banks of the River Ganges in Allahabad, India. —AP Photo

News from Hyderabad, India

Genesis 43-45; Proverbs 7:6-27

Friday's Bible Reading: Genesis 43-45; Proverbs 7:6-27

Genesis 40-42; Proverbs 7:1-5

Thursday's Bible Reading: Genesis 40-42; Proverbs 7:1-5

Genesis 37-39; Proverbs 6:20-35

Wednesday's Bible Reading: Genesis 37-39; Proverbs 6:20-35

Genesis 34-36; Proverbs 6:12-19

Tuesday's Bible Reading: Genesis 34-36; Proverbs 6:12-19

Genesis 31-33; Proverbs 6:1-11

Monday's Bible Reading: Genesis 31-33; Proverbs 6:1-11

Sunrise: 8:11
Sunset: 5:34

Psalms 6-8

Sunday's Bible Reading: Psalms 6-8

Sermon | The Cost of Being a Disciple: Journey to Jerusalem #15, Jim Samra

Speed Cleaning Suggestions

Heard on 60 Minutes tonight:

When asked what they would say to [District Attorney] Nifong if he were in the room, Rae Evans, the mother of indicted [lacrosse] player David Evans, says, "I would say with a smile on my face, 'Mr. Nifong, you've picked on the wrong families … and you will pay every day for the rest of your life.'"

This mother sounds like the type who could raise a son guilty of the accusations made against him.

Matthew 7-11; Proverbs 5:15-23

Saturday's Bible Reading: Matthew 7-11; Proverbs 5:15-23

Genesis 28-30; Proverbs 5:1-14

Friday's Bible Reading: Genesis 28-30; Proverbs 5:1-14

Genesis 28-30; Proverbs 5:1-14

Thursday's Bible Reading: Genesis 28-30; Proverbs 5:1-14

Genesis 22-24; Proverbs 4:1-17

Wednesday's Bible Reading: Genesis 22-24; Proverbs 4:1-17

Genesis 19-21; Proverbs 3:27-35

Tuesday's Bible Reading: Genesis 19-21; Proverbs 3:27-35

Genesis 16-18; Proverbs 3:11-26

Monday's Bible Reading: Genesis 16-18; Proverbs 3:11-26

Psalms 3-5

Sunday's Bible Reading: Psalms 3-5

Sermon | Guess Who's Coming to Dinner: Journey to Jerusalem #14, Jim Samra

Matthew 1-6; Proverbs 3:1-10

Saturday's Bible Reading: Matthew 1-6; Proverbs 3:1-10

Genesis 13-15; Proverbs 2:12-22

Friday's Bible Reading: Genesis 13-15; Proverbs 2:12-22

Genesis 10-12; Proverbs 2:1-11

Thursday's Bible Reading: Genesis 10-12; Proverbs 2:1-11

Genesis 7-9; Proverbs 1:8-19

Wednesday's Bible Reading: Genesis 7-9; Proverbs 1:8-19

Jay and I went this morning to pay our respects to President Ford. We got to DeVos Center just as church bells chimed 6:30. The line was much shorter than last night. The wait when we went to bed was estimated to be eight hours. This morning the wait in line was only about an hour. We went through DeVos Center, signed the guest book, and then took our place in line on the pedestrian bridge and slowly passed all the media outlets covering the events of the memorial services. We arrived at the museum shortly after 7 a.m., viewed the flag-draped casket with its impressive military guard, and then headed back out. We stopped at the entrance to the parking lot to view the memorials people had left. We then walked across the Pearl Street Bridge, which is lined with media trucks from every major news outlet. We walked through the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and stopped at Starbucks for an eggnog latte. As we left Starbucks, church bells were chiming 7:30. So it took us less than an hour to make the loop. It was a lovely morning to be in the city. The full moon was perched just above the museum as we waited on the bridge crossing the river. I'm glad we went. It was quite moving to see all the news coverage and all the tributes. It's been good to remember God's graciousness in sending along a good person to lead our nation at a bad time in our history.

Gerald Ford: Prayer and a Quiet Faith, 30 August 1974, Christianity Today

Gerald R. Ford: Lessons from the Presidency, commencement address to his son and 180 other Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary graduates, 28 May 28 1977. (Published in Christianity Today, 29 July 1977.)

Excerpt from More to be Desired than Gold by J. Christy Wilson:

Goodness And Mercy

When I came to Gordon-Conwell in the fall of 1974, Michael Ford was a student here while his father was President in the White House. Because of this, he had to have two Secret Service men with him at all times. They tried to look like students, but you could easily spot them. For one thing, most of them were chain smokers. Since no one was allowed to smoke in classes, you would see them take turns rushing outside and lighting up quickly to keep from getting a nicotine fit.

Mike and his wife Gayle lived on the top floor of a house in Ipswich while the Secret Service rented the floor below. Since the Secret Service men were with Mike so much, he had wonderful opportunities to witness to them about the Lord Jesus Christ, even as Paul did to the Roman soldiers who were constantly with him.

Whenever Mike and Gayle would take a walk in the woods, the two men would always be seen stumbling along behind them.

This led some at Gordon-Conwell to remark that the secret service men reminded them of Psalm 23: "Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life...."

So they nicknamed the two men "Goodness" and "Mercy"!

—The Network for Strategic Missions

Genesis 4-6; Proverbs 1:8-19

Tuesday's Bible Reading: Genesis 4-6; Proverbs 1:8-19

Gerald R. Ford Funeral Service Leaflet

Genesis 1-3; Proverbs 1:1-7

Monday's Bible Reading: Genesis 1-3; Proverbs 1:1-7

Happy New Year!

Suggested resolutions:

Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. —2 Chronicles 20:3

Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin. —Psalm 17:3

Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. —Daniel 1:8

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. —1 Corinthians 2:2

Old Bible Reading Schedule . . .
Jeremiah 41-42; Proverbs 8:12-31