A Little Walk With God

A daily devotional through the Bible speaking with God as Adam and Eve may have in the garden east of Eden. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com

The problem with religions that create positions of power and prestige, they have a tendency to make you think you have more importance than you should. You suddenly think you should have the center of attention in some circumstances. But you should never have center stage in your faith. God should. He’s God, after all, not you.

Jesus taught you the life of servanthood by living the life of servanthood in front of you each day. His faithful followers replicate that lifestyle in seeing something that needs to be done for others and doing it. They don’t ask questions about whether someone else should take up the task or if it is beneath their dignity to complete that mission. They just roll up their sleeves and get to work.

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready - John 13:1-17

Set - Jeremiah 9; John 13

Go! - Jeremiah 7-9; John 13

A daily devotional through the Bible speaking with God as Adam and Eve may have in the garden east of Eden. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com

Mary wasn’t stealing from the poor. If she had not poured the nard on Jesus' feet, no doubt she would not have sold the nard to give to the poor. She probably had it for her own burial or that of another family member. Judas didn’t think about the use of nard when he blurted out his comment. Lazarus had already died once and nard not used in his burial sat in a jar ready for its next requirement. So, Mary wasn’t stealing from the poor, she stole from a dead man no longer dead. Is that stealing?

So who was Judas stealing from? Himself. He stole his joy and peace in thinking he could gain from material goods instead of lavishing his love on Christ. Mary found the source of real joy in pouring out her extravegance on Jesus. She worshiped Him for who He is. Judas doubted His discourses on who He said He was and looked at the material things of this world to satisfy his longings. Things can never satisfy. Only Christ can do that.

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready - John 12:1-19

Set - Jeremiah 5; John 12

Go! - Jeremiah 5-6; John 12

A daily devotional through the Bible speaking with God as Adam and Eve may have in the garden east of Eden. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com

God's desire is for you to spend eternity with Him. But He created you with a choice. He wants you to have that same desire. So you can choose to spend it with Him or you can reject Him. It’s always your choice. He’ll do everything He can to persuade you to come to Him, but you have the ultimate say as to whether you will follow His ways. I urge you not to take the path the Israelites took. It led to their destruction at the hands of barborous enemies. Instead, I want you to enjoy the good things God has in store for you. Just choose Him.

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready - Jeremiah 4:1-18

Set - Jeremiah 4; John 11

Go! - Jeremiah 3-4; John 11

A daily devotional through the Bible speaking with God as Adam and Eve may have in the garden east of Eden. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com

One of the important things Jesus told the crowd that day, in talking about the shepherd is His willingness to lay down His life for you as the shepherd is willing to lay down his life for his sheep. The other very important point is no one can take His life from Him. If you look carefully at the description of Jesus' arrest in the Garden of Gethsemene by John in chapter 18 of his gospel, you’ll find when the guards first approached Him they fell back unable to come near Him. It wasn’t because of Peter’s tiny sword. These were trained guards against twelve mostly unarmed and all untrained men. But none could arrest Him. He freely gave Himself into their hands.

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready - John 10:1-21

Set - Jeremiah 2; John 10

Go! - Jeremiah 1-2; John 10

A daily devotional through the Bible speaking with God as Adam and Eve may have in the garden east of Eden. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com

Scripture gives evidence of a common problem among humankind. When you set up the rules instead of listening to God, you begin to think you know best. You don’t. Institutional religions are important. They can do great work when they remember to keep Him first in all they do. There is power in numbers and institutions can change societies and cultures more easily than individuals or single, independent congregations.

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready - John 9:1-34

Set - Zephaniah 2; John 9

Go! - Zephaniah 1-3; John 9

A daily devotional through the Bible speaking with God as Adam and Eve may have in the garden east of Eden. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com

You would think those who claim to know Christ so well would recognize Him by His words and actions. When He lived along side us, though, the ones who claimed to know Him best wanted to kill Him. In fact, they picked up stones to execute Him for blasphemy. Of course, it didn’t work because He came to act as our sacrificial lamb at Passover, not served up as a criminal for blasphemy before an arrogant crowd.

It’s still that way today. Often, those who claim to know Christ best seem to do their best to destroy Him and the works His servants do for Him. Their efforts are futile, though. He cannot fail, because He is the I AM. As He told those assembled at the temple that day 2,000 years ago, He was before Abraham, is now, and will be forever. He is the I AM. They understood the words and took it as blasphemy. But it’s only blasphemy if it isn’t true.

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready - John 8:31-59

Set - Habakkuk 3; John 8

Go! - Habakkuk 1-3; John 8

A daily devotional through the Bible speaking with God as Adam and Eve may have in the garden east of Eden. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com

Some listen and believe in Christ because of His words. Some wait until they see physical evidence of His actions before they will believe. Some remain ambivalent about Him regardless of what they see or hear. Some discard His teachings despite the truth they see and hear. And some wish to destroy Him even though the evidence points to the truth that He is God, their Creator and their only hope of salvation.

You stand in one of those groups of people. My hope is your faith in Christ is enough to put you in the first group. You hear His word and you receive it gladly believing in Him. It doesn’t take much faith. Less than it takes to put the key in the ignition of your car and believe turning it will start it. Because you see, one day your car will fail to start, but He will never fail.

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready - John 7:25-52

Set - 2 Kings 23; John 7

Go! - 2 Kings 23; 2 Chronicles 35; John 7

A daily devotional through the Bible speaking with God as Adam and Eve may have in the garden east of Eden. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com

The crowd that followed Jesus to Capernaum were much like a lot of people today. They follow Him wanting Him to act like a cosmic Santa Claus. Their only interest is in what material things He can give them. The crowd followed to get more food after Jesus fed them on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Too many want the same from Him today. You’re only interested in what He can give you materially.

Yes, the prayer He taught you does say, “Give us today our daily bread,” but that doesn’t mean He's the genie in the magic lamp. He will meet your needs. He's not here to grant your every wish. He wants you to hunger and thirst for righteousness. He wants you to long for the bread of heaven, the meatier things found in His word. He wants you to long for Him, not what He can give you.

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready - John 6:22-59

Set - 2 Chronicles 34; John 6

Go! - 2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 34; John 6

A daily devotional through the Bible speaking with God as Adam and Eve may have in the garden east of Eden. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com

Jesus' conversation with the religious leaders recorded by John make pretty clear His position and role while He was living with us. He did the work of the Father as part of the Triune godhead while on earth. He shared His message with us both in words and in action so we would believe in Him and in His mission.

One important thing to remember about the description recorded by John, the Father radiates life, and so does the Son. Jesus will soon demonstrate the fact by raising others from the dead and after His crucifixion He will rise from the dead Himself. The Father and Son are one, radiating life to all who will accept it, and judgment to all who will not. Make the right choice.

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready - John 5:16-47

Set - Nahum 2; John 5

Go! - Nahum 1-3; John 5

A daily devotional through the Bible speaking with God as Adam and Eve may have in the garden east of Eden. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com

God wants to remind you of the important role you play in building His kingdom and the limitation you have as well. Like the Samaritan woman, your responsibility is to witness your experience with Him. She told everyone she saw what Jesus told her at the well. She shared what she knew of Him. She didn’t save them. She couldn’t. It wasn’t in her power to do so. Her job, her task, her responsibility began and ended with sharing with others what He did for her at the well.

God does the rest. Some believed in Him. Some didn’t. Some were convinced. Some remained skeptical and are lost forever. Her job and yours is to witness what He has done for you. That’s it. He will take care of the rest. Don’t get the roles confused.

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready - John 4:1-42

Set - 2 Chronicles 33; John 4

Go! - 2 King 21; 2 Chronicles 33; John 4