July 01

His Kingdom


And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NLT)

Don’t store up treasures on earth … don’t worry about having enough … he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.

Matthew 6:19,31,33 (NLT)


I regret having to admit this, but I seem to have an ongoing love-hate relationship with money. I hate the fact I sometimes love money.

It happened again yesterday. We have struggled some with our budget this last year, and we finally seemed to have things well under control. Then something happened.

You see, son number one is going off to college. Not unexpected, but when the Federal funding process came back with an expected family contribution 40% higher than previously estimated, well, my blood pressure rose a notch or two. But why? Why should I worry or get angry over money?

Money means too much to me. I’m afraid I’ll have to give up something—I’ll have to crack open an IRA, or take on a second job, or move out of my comfort zone.

Yesterday, I was greedy. I was wrong. I didn’t believe God was in control, or that He saw my need. I didn’t remember His promise to take care of me as I faithfully serve Him, and I am sorry about that.

Today, though, is a new day. Today is a day for trusting and sharing and confidently expecting God to meet all my needs. It’s what He promised, and that’s good enough for me.


Lord, provide for my needs and build Your kingdom, not mine. Amen.

June 30

The Simple Path to Joy


I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your law is written in my heart.

Psalm 40:8 (NLT)


David, the shepherd boy, the king, that man after God’s own heart, reveals the secret to finding real joy in life.

Unlike his description in Psalm 37:3-5, he words the process backwards—he starts with the end (joy) and moves to the beginning (hiding God’s word in his heart). It is the written word soaking deep into our souls that has the power to transform and deliver something better than what we normally seek. His joy proves better.

Absorbing God’s word is a first step to renewing our minds and being transformed (Romans 12:1-2). It’s how we prove God’s will and find the work He has for us, but it’s also the pathway to greater contentment. David found it. Paul found it. Jesus certainly found it. You and I can find it too!

It starts with cracking the Book and opening our hearts!


Father, make Your word come alive in my heart. Help me to do Your will. Amen.

June 29

Finding Peace in the Strangest Places


You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)


They will be my people and I will be their God, I will give them singleness of heart and action.

Jeremiah 32:38-39 (NIV)


Once again, I climbed to the open roof of my temporary home. I had come to learn a valuable lesson here: It didn’t matter where I was ... singleness of heart and mind led to God’s unfathomable peace.

Up top, the warm, dry, early-morning air wrapped around me and the never-ending blue sky greeted me as always—the bright color a stark contrast to the muted desert hues below. There was no one here but me … and God.

I found my old plastic lawn chair and before opening my Bible, I hunched over and began to pray.

So began another day, one of 390 days spent here—in this compound on the edge of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

I transitioned from the time on my villa roof to my work—making the thirty-minute drive into downtown Riyadh and negotiating with my Saudi counterparts. The daily trip was a true adventure and brought new meaning to the term “defensive driving.” Actually, it was competition or maybe I should call it street combat—my car against the other guy’s. At least, that’s the way it seemed—especially when I passed accident scenes with bodies lying on the side of the road!

In spite of all the sunshine, it was a dark land, and I never knew what was more dangerous—the wild driving or the few people there bent on killing Americans. One thing I did come to know was this: I can trust God anywhere. Yes, it was a great place to trust God, to find peace, to live above it all—with Him, on my open roof.


Lord, open our hearts to Your great peace. Right now. Right here. Amen.

June 28

The Importance of Faithfulness


Like a bad tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble.

Proverbs 25:19 (NIV)


But the fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness….

Galatians 5:22 (NKJV)


Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Psalm 36:5 (NKJV)


Ugh! It’s happened again. I broke a tooth and had a temporary crown put in its place, but when I chew on that side of my mouth, the crown pops out and rolls around in my mouth—right there with the piece of gum or steak or whatever it is I’m chewing on! The whole matter is annoying, time consuming and, sometimes, painful.

It reminds me, this is what others experience when I am unfaithful, when I fail to look out for someone else's interests, and when I neglect my commitments. Really, I shouldn’t be this way. You see, you and I are told to be holy like God is holy. We are to emulate our Savior who thought only of others, and who endured the Cross in faithful obedience to the will of God (Matthew 26:39, 42).

God’s faithfulness reaches to the clouds and if we are His faithful followers, His Spirit will lift us high and our fruit will be seen in our faithful service as we bring Him glory.


Father, help me to be faithful to the very end. Amen.

June 27

Country Cool?

I once thought all these things were so important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.

Philippians 3:7 (NLT)


I sit here in the car repair waiting room watching TV. I don’t watch much television, especially Country Music Television, but I have to ask, do people really enjoy this stuff?

Don’t get me wrong, there are times I enjoy listening to Country music … but this? Best I Ever Had … Beer for My Horses ... Let’s Get Drunk and Be Somebody?

Now, I know taste in music is a personal thing. What people find entertaining varies widely. What individuals find important or significant varies as well. Yet, those things with eternal significance are limited: God, others, living beyond self. I guess that’s what was bothering me in the waiting room: people fixating on self, on small things, on such valueless ideas. In the scale of eternity these things don’t matter. If they don’t matter to God, should they matter to me?

The Apostle Paul used to be consumed with his lofty credentials. I mean, he was somebody in Jewish society and in his own eyes too. But then he met Jesus Christ, and he saw the truth. He saw how small he really was.

Paul said he put away childish things. For some of us it takes a long time, and I have to ask myself, what things do I think are so cool, or so important, when in fact they are not? When will we see the shallowness? When will we understand His greatness and what He offers us instead? When will we give Him all the space in our hearts?


Lord, open our eyes to this truth: You are everything. Amen.

June 26

Thinking of the Poor


I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you invited me into your house. I was without clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me. … I tell you the truth, anything you did even for the least of my people here, you also did for me.

Matthew 25:35-36, 40 (NLT)


Happy is the person who thinks about the poor.

Psalm 41:1 (NLT)


As the Scriptures say, “Godly people give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will never be forgotten.”

2 Corinthians 9:9 (NLT)


Something happened this last weekend, and I am so thankful it did. Someone shared the ministry of Compassion International with me and showed how I could help. It just so happened the Lord had blessed our family with a little extra money—enough to help a child in South America rise from the depths of poverty.

Compassion International is a serious outreach, and it promises to affect each child’s individual development in a holistic approach—developing minds, bodies and spirits. But what I didn’t expect, what surprised me, was this added bonus, an unexpected gift: my own happiness! The Word is true: “Happy is the person who thinks of the poor.”

If you have the heart to help, if you want to take the first steps toward this kind of happiness, may I suggest a visit to the Compassion website? Check it out at www.compassion.com. The life you improve … may include your own!


Father, give me a heart for the poor. Develop your love for others in and through me. Amen.

June 25

My Early Morning Revival


The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.

Psalm 19:7 (NLT)


It happened again last week. I laid in bed agonizing over all the things I had to do and my inability to do them. My soul was sinking deep into despair.

Quite frequently, this happens to me early in the morning as my mind plays with the possibilities or maybe I should say, tries to convince me of the impossibilities. How about you? Ever wrestle with yourself and lose sleep?

The good news for me (and perhaps you’ve discovered this, too) is if I run to God with this load, if I pray and listen to His written Word, He lifts the burden. The seemingly insurmountable load magically disappears!

Whether this is spiritual warfare and its side effects, I don’t know, but I do know this—he reshapes my attitude, transforms my outlook, and, ultimately, He revives my soul.

Do you need to be revived?

Spend an hour with God. Seek Him. Read His Word—His perfect Word—it will revive your soul.


Father, thank You for Your promises, Your commands, Your perfect communication to me. Lord, thank You for reviving me. Continue to speak to me and refresh me with Your Good News. Amen.

June 24

First Things First


But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

Psalm 73:28 (NLT)


Seek first the kingdom of God….

Matthew 6:33a (NKJV)


My alarm went off early as usual, and sleepy questions oozed into my mind.

Can’t I sleep another hour? I need my rest, don’t I? Everyone else is sleeping, shouldn’t I be sleeping too? It’s Saturday for Pete’s sake, why not stay in bed?

Just as quickly as they came, they left, and I rolled out of bed. It was the sweet early-morning hour, and my special time with God awaited me.

I changed clothes, made myself a hot drink and headed for the study. This was something that wouldn’t wait. It was time for my one-on-one with God—the time I have grown to love and cherish.

I don’t know what your spiritual disciplines are, but for me, my morning quiet time sets the mood for the whole day. I have learned from experiencing some pretty lousy (can I say disastrous?) days, I need God’s presence and direction before launching out on a full day of activities. I crave His presence in my life, and for me, I best sense it when I seek Him first—first in priority and first in my day.


Father, enter my life this morning in your own special way and fill me, use me, walk with me all through our day. Amen.