Author: Dave Dishman (Page 52 of 390)

A handful of decisions carry great consequences throughout life. Who should you marry, or do you marry at all? Will you have children? Do you take that job on the other side of the country or settle in here?

The most far-reaching decision involves our relationship with the Lord. Joshua shared his perspective with the nation he led by making a simple declaration:

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

The gods of their ancestors and the gods of their new land lined the shelves. Joshua knew that choosing them led to disaster. But he needed the people around him to join in that conviction, to put their stake in the ground for the Lord.

The same decision exists for you and me. Do we serve the gods of our ancestors, repeating mistakes handed down to us from the past? Maybe we choose the gods of this land, deities of money, power, likes and self-promotion?

Joshua implores us to kibosh the old gods, and step across the line into the Lord’s camp. Here lies liberty and life, hope and flourishing.

But we must choose. Not choosing is actually a choice. You and I cannot float on this opportunity. We first commit, then trust God for the resolve to keep his ways (the false gods won’t be happy, and will continue to entice).

Resolve starts with a simple declaration. Say it out loud—as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. You might be surprised by the freedom that follows such a decision to commit wholeheartedly to the Lord.

Joshua 24 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Tyler Nix

Most of us consider ourselves good people. We’ve never murdered anyone or pillaged any villages. Sure, there’s snide remarks at times, and we believe the worst in those who deserve it. The Scriptures, however, take aim at our self-congratulatory natures:

The Lord looks down on heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

A modern argument states that humans are basically good, merely corrupted by the world around them. With enough education and resources people develop into strong moral beings. Experience belies the point, however. Germany was one of the most highly educated societies in the world when the Nazis took power. Intelligent people make decisions every day based on selfish motives—myself included.

This psalm reminds me to view myself honestly, and decode my relationship with our holy God. In heaven pretty good doesn’t cut it. I’m left in a desperate state.

All are corrupt, all turn away, no one is even pretty good. But the Lord reached into our wretchedness and provided a lifeline. The hopelessness of this psalm points to the hopefulness of Jesus, who’s way, way more than pretty good.

Psalm 14 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Jilbert Ebrahimi

A couple of weeks ago a massive storm woke me up in the middle of the night. Disoriented (I was traveling and in an unfamiliar room), it took a few seconds to remember where I lay and to recognize the booms as thunder. Glad to be in a warm bed, I dozed off and woke to a rain-washed city.

Even from a dead sleep I understood the action in the skies that night as a thunderstorm. Getting up and opening the curtains would have confirmed my belief. Lightning leaves no doubt.

Jesus predicted he will return to this earth in such a way that no one will miss it.

Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.

People claiming to be the son of god we consider crazy. Which, to be fair, many people back in the day considered Jesus crazy as well. But Jesus proved his crazy with miracles, teachings, and most importantly, his resurrection. Now there’s one more proof Jesus has in store—his return.

His second coming will leave no doubt. Like lightning from one end of the sky to the other, glorious beyond imagination, you and I and the rest of the world won’t miss it.

Amen, come Lord Jesus.

Luke 17 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Micah Tindell

When my boys were little and I let them watch action movies, they always asked, Dad, who are our enemies? Which was hard to answer, since I didn’t want to create animosity against any certain people group in their young hearts. But they ached to go out in the yard and attack someone. So I answered, bad guys are our enemies, which satisfied a six and four-year old. They picked up sticks and started whacking, and I sat back, satisfied with my good parenting (their mother was away the entire time).

David suffered from his enemies. He wrote: The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in the darkness like those long dead.

In his anxiety David cried out for relief: Answer me quickly, Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

David faced enemies both from abroad and within his own household. Real people gunning for him in the streets.

Which makes me wonder—who are my enemies?

No physical people that I can think of. Certainly the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world and spiritual forces of evil, as Paul points out in his letter to the Ephesian church.

Enemies of the mental and emotional variety also surface. Worries about finances or retirement. Desires for more, wanting things I don’t have. Hoping to get noticed. Frustrations brought on reading about national and global situations.

Enemies twist and manipulate. I forget the blessings—my wife, my children, my grandchild, family and friends, a warm house, solid finances, good health and a myriad more. Enemies deceive and cover up.

David prayed: Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground…In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.

When overwhelmed in the night, or struggling during the day, you and I can pray like David. When our enemies show no sign of relenting, it’s time to ask for relief—Lord, silence my enemies, destroy the foes in my mind, teach me to do your will, and lead me by your Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Psalm 143 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by David Werbrouck