Today’s Scripture: John 16:5-16

And [Christ] is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. – Colossians 1:18

One summer my wife and I attended an opera in the magnificent opera house in Vienna, Austria. We arrived early to take a look around, then the usher showed us to our seats way up in the third balcony, practically to the roof.

To be honest, I wasn’t enjoying the opera that much. It was sung in German–which I didn’t understand–and the plot was hard to follow. When I heard some movement behind me, I glanced over my shoulder and saw the spotlight operator, whose job was to follow the lead character with this huge, thousand-watt light. He never let the spotlight stray from the central figure, who moved back and forth on the stage or among the rest of the characters in the story.

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Today’s Scripture: John 14:16-17; 16:13-15

You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. – Nehemiah 9:20

Years ago, our son Randy and his wife, Jackie, told us about a supper time when little one-year-old Clayton laid down his spoon, looked up at his parents, and jabbered away with a great deal of emotion and earnestness. “Blah, blah, blahppety blah blah,” he said.

Finally Clayton ended his oration, leaving his parents completely in the dark as to what he’d been saying. Because Christine had listened so intently, Randy thought maybe she knew what Clayton had said and could act as interpreter. So he asked her, “Christine, do you know what your little brother just said?”

She nodded. “Clayton said, ‘Blah, blah, blahppety blah blah.’”

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Today’s Scripture: Romans 8:22-27

I lift up my eyes to the hills–where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-2

All during my growing-up years, I was picked on by kids at school. I was small. I was weak. I was skinny. And I was always getting pushed around.

After graduation from high school in 1943, I joined the Marines. I was hoping they could toughen me up and help me learn how to hold my own. I always had a secret desire to be a rough-and-tumble guy. In fact, I even had a nickname picked out for myself–Nails. I always wanted to be known as “Nails” Eims, as in “There’s a guy tough as nails.” But my nickname in the Marines was Chick.

To hold my own in the tough outfit I was in, I made friends with the biggest, strongest, roughest guy in the battalion. Nobody picked on me because they knew they would have to answer to my unofficial bodyguard, the one who was always ready to come alongside and help. And nobody wanted to tangle with him.

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Today’s Scripture: John 17

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” – John 20:28

A friend’s cat came home one day proudly carrying a chipmunk in its mouth. My friend grabbed the cat and forced it to drop the chipmunk. She then picked up the poor animal, stroked it gently, said some soothing words, and put it into a box for recovery.

After an hour or so, the chipmunk seemed alert, so my friend reached in to check, and the chipmunk bit her finger to the bone! Why? Because my friend couldn’t communicate with chipmunks! While this lady had saved its life and meant it only good, the chipmunk didn’t get the message.

That’s why Jesus became a man–to communicate with us and be the bridge between God and man. Jesus Christ is God. He claimed to be, and those who knew Him best said He was. He did the things that only God can do. But He was also man. The Bible says He was God in the flesh, God’s son, a descendant of David on the human level, but the Son of God.

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Today’s Scripture: Mark 5:1-20

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” – John 8:36

Every night for three nights we had listened to the slow beat of the African jungle drum and the piercing screams of the people as they shattered the night with the terrifying sound of the African death wail. A woman had died giving birth to a child, and those nearest her gathered night after night to scream for hours. In their screams, we could detect the horror that held them–the hopelessness, the agony of spirit, the fears that Satan whispered to their lost souls. And we were made very much aware in a new and powerful way of the hate, the cruelty, and the delight Satan displays in tormenting those who belong to Jesus. His foul, ugly personality came through loud and clear in the din of the death wail that kept us from sleeping.

Scripture records a visit of the Lord Jesus to the country of the Gadarenes. Mark 5:2,5 tells us, “When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him… Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.” What did Jesus do? Jesus took one look at the man and knew that those who said he must be bound in chains were wrong. In fact, what he needed was to be set free. And that’s what Jesus did.

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Today’s Scripture: Zechariah 3-4

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty. – Zechariah 4:6

One of the best-known verses in the Bible regarding the Holy Spirit is recorded in Zechariah 4:6. The word might comes from a Hebrew word meaning “a powerful force, an army, a band of trained, valiant soldiers.” It also encompasses other resources, such as riches. The word translated power means “to be able to reach our goals by human ability–our own wisdom or clever manipulation of others.” Zechariah is saying that we do not do the work of God by either great human strength or great human ability; we do it by the enabling of the Holy Spirit.

Exodus 31:1 says: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘See, I have chosen Bezalel…and I have filled Him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts–to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship… Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you.’”

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Today’s Scripture: Psalms 55-59

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. – Daniel 6:10

Can you picture this? Every day the chief executive officer of a large multimillion-dollar corporation goes into his office to tend to the business of the day. And every day, shortly after he arrives, one of the factory workers comes bursting into his office and tells the man his problems.

Again, at noon, when the executive is ready to leave for lunch, the factory worker comes in with a new set of problems. That night, after the executive has gone home, the factory worker comes charging into the man’s home and lays out a whole new set of difficulties and personal needs. The worker does this every day.

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Today’s Scripture: Psalms 36-41

O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come. – Psalm 65:2

Why do the lives of the ungodly often seem better than ours? Well, in the short run, the wicked often seem to prosper. But we must look at life from the perspective of the long run and see that the essence of life and morality boils down to determining the God-given purpose for life, and living accordingly.

I was lifting weights with a young man who was questioning why he should live a life of faith. He had been a Christian for about two years and was growing in his faith, but lately life didn’t seem so good. He had watched his parents come to the verge of divorce, and he was praying hard for them, but God had done nothing to stop their fighting. It seemed like the Lord wasn’t paying any attention to the things that mattered deeply to him. He began to feel, Why live for God if He isn’t interested in me, doesn’t answer my prayers, and nothing seems to be going right? But as he considered what he would go back to if he turned away from the Lord, he had to admit there weren’t any good alternatives. Like Peter, he knew that Christ alone had the words of eternal life.

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Today’s Scripture: Job 40-42

And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor. – Isaiah 59:16 (KJV)

All of us like to see people get along, and a public quarrel is especially embarrassing. I must confess that I was a bit uneasy at times as Job’s story unfolded. It bothered me to hear him utter words he would regret later on. It also bothered me to hear Job and his friends quarreling. And I must admit it bothered me to see that good man in such agony of body, mind, and spirit. But in the end, all things worked together for good.

Two major lessons stand out in these final chapters. One is found in Job 42:5-6, where Job says, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” This is the response of those to whom God makes a deeper revelation of Himself.

If pride is a troublesome problem for you, spend some time in the presence of Jesus Christ, God’s perfect revelation of Himself. Read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Ask God to help you see the greatness of the majesty of Christ and the ugliness of sin. When we see God as He is, and we see ourselves as we are, we will fall before Him in repentance.

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Today’s Scripture: Job 23

“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” – Matthew 26:39

The woman was scared out of her wits. Here she was, on a lonely road, in the middle of nowhere, with a car that wouldn’t run, and night coming on. She began to pray that God would send an angel to help her. She scanned the road in both directions, but there was no sign of anyone.

She closed her eyes and prayed some more. “Lord, please send an angel who can help me.” Again she scanned both ways and saw a speck way down the road, coming toward her. She took heart and began to pray even more fervently. As the speck grew larger, she saw the biggest, burliest, long-haired, bearded man she had ever seen–a rough, tough, mean-looking guy on a motorcycle, wearing the leather jacket of the Hell’s Angels.

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Today’s Scripture: Joshua 6-8

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6

It may often appear to us that God is leading in a direction that doesn’t make any sense at all. But God is not a combination of theology and logic. He is God.

A case in point is the crossing of the Jordan River, recorded in today’s passage. To the mortal mind, God’s timing was all wrong. Actually, it was the perfect time. If they had crossed when the river was normal, the landing probably would have been opposed. Crossing at harvest time, there was plenty of food for the millions of Israelites. And the miracle of crossing a flooded river would cause the enemy to tremble at God’s power.

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Today’s Scripture: Numbers 13-16

“I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.” – Matthew 21:21

In Numbers 13, we arrive at a memorable and melancholy moment in the life of the people of God. Just when they were about to set foot in the Promised Land, they turn back from the borders of Canaan and are sentenced to wander and perish in the wilderness for their sin of unbelief and their complaining spirits.

You remember the story. Twelve leaders were dispatched to spy out the land. They had been charged with the responsibility of finding out whether the inhabitants of the land were strong or weak; whether the land was good or bad; whether the cities were fortified or simply a cluster of tents; whether it was a bountiful land. After forty days, they returned.

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Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 5-7

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings. – Philippians 3:10

One Sunday evening years ago, I went with Dawson Trotman, the founder of The Navigators, to a church where he was speaking. In his usual no-holds-barred manner, Daws began to talk about spiritual maturity. Right at the end he made a startling statement.

“Folks,” Dawson said, “If some of you were as immature physically as you are spiritually, you would fall off the pew you’re sitting on.” Many of the congregation had known the Lord for twenty, thirty, even forty years!

Dawson often said things like that because he loved people and wanted them to wake up and become all that God wanted them to be. He closed his message by quoting Hebrews 5:12-14: “Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

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Today’s Scripture: Psalm 119:137-152

I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. – Psalm 119:16

There is a worldwide hotel chain that promises “No Surprises.” Every room in every hotel in every city of every country is identical.

It reminds me of my days growing up on a farm in Iowa. When the mailman drove into our farm and parked his Model T Ford by the gate and handed us the package from Sears and Roebuck, we knew exactly what would be inside. Whatever Ma ordered, that’s what came. It was absolutely reliable.

So it is with the Bible. There are two forms of evidence put forth to back up the conclusion that the Bible is the Word of the living God.

The first is what Bible teachers call internal evidence–statements found in the Bible that claim it is the Word of God; the second is external evidence, such as the unity of its message–fulfilled prophecy and the like. Let’s look for a moment at the internal evidence.

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