Author: Dave M Price

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Pride

Daily Reading

Genesis 8-11

Daily Thought

Debbie and I were staring into the sun watching our 7-year-old’s soccer game. I had a hat, Debbie didn’t. She wished she had one, though, and thought she left one in the car, so I hiked to the car and looked and found no hat. Taking off my hat, I returned to the sidelines, and put it on her head. She thanked me for getting her hat, and did not notice I was missing mine. She never noticed. Finally, after the game, we walked to the car and I opened her door, and as she got in, I took my hat off her head and put it back on mine. Now she noticed. 

God favors us when we do what is good regardless of the glory, but I wanted the recognition and was willing to trade God’s blessing for it. It is a sin called pride.

After God rescued the family of Noah from the Flood, God repeated the command he had given first to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). This was God’s plan for us, but again, we disobeyed. “Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth’” (Genesis 11:4). We learned nothing from the Flood.

God created humanity and commanded us to fill the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:28; 9:1). He created us to worship Him and rule the world. But the people of Babel said, “No thanks. We’d rather stay in Babel and make a name for ourselves.” They wanted the recognition and they were willing to trade God’s favor for it. 

God made us in His image, reflecting His glory, but we prefer our own, and God’s image is dulled. We pay a terrible price for our pride.

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, God of glory, You are so very much worthy of my devotion and praise. I see Your handiwork in creation, I sense Your majesty in myself made in Your image. But most of all, I see You in Your Son, Jesus Christ. The authority of heaven blended with the humility of grace. Born in a manger, died on a cross, You rule on the throne of heaven.

May I follow You so closely that Your ways become mine. To be first, be last. To serve rather than be served. To be a praise giver, not a getter. To love You and others.

Amen

Daily Question

What is an area of pride in your life that you know God isn’t happy with, and what can you do about it?

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Kittens

Daily Reading

Genesis 4-7

Daily Thought

Cain and Abel each bring an offering to God, one of fruit and the other a firstborn lamb. God found Abel’s acceptable, but why not Cain’s?

The essence of worship is faith and trust, humility and submission, devotion and awe. The Lord said to Cain, “If you do well, will you not be accepted?” (Genesis 4:7). The problem was not fruit or flock, but Cain’s attitude. There was no contrition, no faith, no love or adoration. It was, at best, an offering of duty, and more likely one of greed and rivalry and pride. Cain gave in hopes of getting.

The warning is in verse 7, “And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Sin has a life of its own, crouching tiger-like, waiting to spring and strike and devour. My dad told us boys, “The problem with kittens is they grow up to be cats.” My dad did not like cats. Beware when you keep little sins as little pets – they grow up. Sin craves repetition until it takes hold and becomes a habit and so becomes master.

This is why worship more than willpower beats the beast in this battle. Willpower gives us strength but worship guards our heart and transforms our desires. When I worship rightly, I shoo the beast away from my heart and put God back on his throne.

Daily Prayer

My wonderful God, may my life be the first thing I bring to You as an offering, as worship. I shall love You with all that I am, my heart and soul and mind and might. And sin I shall hate. You are going to have to help me with this. Please, do whatever it takes.

Amen

Daily Question

What are ways I can best prepare my heart to worship God?

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In the Beginning God

Daily Reading

Genesis 1-3

Daily Thought

God said of Adam, after he ate the forbidden fruit, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:22).

That seems oddly forbidden. What is wrong with knowing good and evil? My children know good and evil because I teach them good and evil (preferring good). Have I been feeding my children the forbidden fruit?

Why was eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil a bad thing?

The answer springs out of the first four words of the Bible, “In the beginning God.” This is the worldview into which Adam and Eve were created. It is where they belong. They did not perceive good and evil, they simply lived in God’s creation in the manner he designed it. They did so without thinking, without choosing. Now they have eaten the fruit and they get to think about it. They get to choose. They want to choose.

Their lust to choose was stronger than their love of living in God’s Eden.

We must teach our children the difference between good and evil because Adam and Eve brought this knowledge inside us, and we must teach our children how to choose. The best way to choose wisely is to follow God closely, the way it was in the beginning before the serpent.

When Jesus prayed, “Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10), he declared our wonderful future hope that in God’s Kingdom come, evil will be abolished. We will live in a world, not without choice, but without an alternative. God is on the throne and righteousness reigns. We will return to “In the beginning God.”

Daily Prayer

Creator God, loving Father, what a world you created! Awesome and amazing. Thank You for life. It is purely wonderful, meaning it is wonderful when it is pure. I am so sorry for fouling things up, for going my own way, for not following You. Thank You for changing my heart, for pursuing me and teaching me to pursue You, for giving me life anew.

I look forward to Your Kingdom come. Today and everyday, may I live for, may I follow closely my King, my God, Jesus Christ, my Savior.

Amen

Daily Question

What can you do today to bring your desires into alignment with God’s?

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The Alpha and the Omega

Daily Reading

Revelation 20-22

Daily Thought

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” ~Revelation 22:13 

In Genesis, Jesus is the Ram at Abraham’s altar. In Exodus, he is the Passover Lamb. In Leviticus, he is the High Priest. In Numbers, he is the Cloud by day and Pillar of Fire at night. In Deuteronomy, he is the Cities of Refuge. In Joshua, he is the Scarlet Cord in Rahab’s window and the Commander of the Lord’s army. In Judges, he is the true and final Judge of the living and the dead. In Ruth, he is our Kinsman Redeemer. In 1st and 2nd Samuel, he is our Trusted Prophet. In Kings and Chronicles, he is our Reigning King. In Ezra, he is our Faithful Scribe. In Nehemiah, he is the Rebuilder of everything that is broken. In Esther, he is Mordecai sitting faithful at the gate. In Job, he is our Redeemer. In Psalms. he is our Shepherd and I shall not want. In Proverbs, he is the Wisdom from above. In Ecclesiastes, he is the Meaning of life. In the Song of Songs, he is our Lover and Bridegroom. In Isaiah, he is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. In Jeremiah, he is the New Covenant. In Lamentations, it is Jesus who Weeps over His people. In Ezekiel, he is the Fearful and Wonderful Four-Faced Man. In Daniel, he is the Fourth Man in the fiery furnace. In Hosea, he is my Lover, forever faithful. In Joel, he is the Giver of the Holy Spirit. In Amos, he is our Burden Bearer. In Obadiah, he is Mighty to Save. In Jonah, he is the gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. In Micah, he is the Messenger with beautiful feet. In Nahum, he is the Avenger. In Habakkuk, he is the Watchman that is ever praying for revival. In Zephaniah, he is the Lord mighty to save. In Haggai, he is the Restorer of our lost heritage. In Zechariah, he is our Fountain. In Malachi, he is the Son of Righteousness with healing in His wings. 

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. ~Luke 24:27

In Matthew, he is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. In Mark, he is the ServantSavior. In Luke, he is the Son of Man. In John, he is the Living Word. In Acts, he is the Shining Light that appears to Saul on the road to Damascus. In Romans, he is our Justifier. In 1st Corinthians, he is our Resurrection. In 2nd Corinthians, Jesus is our Sin Bearer. In Galatians, he is Liberty. In Ephesians, he is Head of the Church. In Philippians, he supplies our every need. In Colossians, he is the Fullness of the Godhead Bodily. In 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, he is our Soon Coming King. In 1st and 2nd Timothy, he is the One Mediator between God and man. In Titus, he is our Blessed Hope. In Philemon, he is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother. In Hebrews, he is the Author and Finisher of our faith In James, he is the Lord that heals the sick. In 1st and 2nd Peter, he is the Chief Shepherd. In 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John, He is love. In Jude, he is God our Savior, the one who keeps us from stumbling and presents us blameless in his presence with great joy.. And in Revelation, he is the Lion of Judah, the Lamb who was slain, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. ~Revelation 22:20-21

Daily Prayer

Jesus, may I start my day with You as my first thought and end my day with you as my last. You are my beginning and end, my first thought and last word, my Lord and Savior forever. 

Thank You for coming for me, for loving me, for dying for me, and for conquering death. I look forward to Your coming again and wish it was soon! I love You with all my heart and soul and mind and strength,

Amen

Daily Question

How would you describe Jesus to a friend?

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And They Lived Happily Ever After

Daily Reading

Revelation 17-19

Daily Thought

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
She has become a dwelling place for demons.” ~Revelation 18:2

Babylon is the last battle and Satan’s last stand, and as God’s wrath finishes its destruction, all the people who had placed all their hope in this world watch the smoke rise, “Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls! For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste” (Revelation 18:16-17). The great city was Babylon, representing the commerce and culture of this world, and the Bible calls her “the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality” (Revelation 19:2). She is rightly destroyed, for none is less welcome at a wedding than the prostitute, and it is time now for the marriage supper of the Lamb.

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready. ~Revelation 19:6-7

The Lamb is Jesus Christ and his bride is the church. She has purchased her gown, but rather than Babylonian purple and scarlet, her fine linen is heavenly, “bright and pure, for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints” (Revelation 19:8). The world began with a wedding, “a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). God called it very good. Now, as one world ends, there is a new beginning and another wedding, and it is even better and forever.

“And they lived happily ever after” is no mere fairy tale ending, but the promise of God to those who enter his Story.

Daily Prayer

My God Eternal, You have given me a glimpse of the future and it fills me with anticipation–a world pure and good, filled with Your love and holiness. I live now in preparation for an everlasting Kingdom with Your Son on the throne reigning in righteousness.

May my life reflect now what is to come, displaying the goodness and godliness of eternity with You, and may it attract others to believe in You and enter Your story, full of grace and truth.

Amen

Daily Question

What do you look forward to most about eternity in God’s Kingdom?

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Truth Wins

Daily Reading

Revelation 13-16

Daily Thought

In the end, Satan gives us his best. Or worst. He launches his big guns against God and goodness:

“And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.” ~Revelation 13:1-2

The force of Satan appears ominous and terrible and issues a challenge: “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” (Revelation 13:4). This is the deception. Satan would have us look for someone “like the beast” because he would have us become like him, but he is a liar. Our Savior is nothing like the beast for Jesus is truth, and unlike the beast, he is “the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 13:8). The power of God is in the sacrifice of the Lamb who conquered death, setting us free from sin and Satan, and rose again, the Lion of Judah, to call out a warning:

If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

If anyone is to be taken captive,
to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
with the sword must he be slain. ~Revelation 13:9-10

To fear the power of Satan is to follow a liar into captivity and death. The faithful follow the Truth, “and they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!

Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.” ~Revelation 15:3-4

Truth wins.

Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. ~Revelation 13:10

Daily Prayer

God, I love You completely. I hate evil completely.

May I live my life cherishing You and despising Satan. May I rid myself of all that he touches. Give me discernment to hear when it is his voice speaking, and I will reject what he says, for it is a lie. I will love truth and goodness, because all that is true and all that is good comes from You.

I love You. Completely.

Amen

Daily Question

What are the most powerful lies of Satan?

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The Wrath of God

Daily Reading

Revelation 9-12

Daily Thought

The judgment and wrath of God stand out in the book of Revelation, but only for a time and a measure. When angels sound their trumpets, locust are released and “allowed to torment for five months, but not to kill” (Revelation 9:5), and plagues “prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind” (Revelation 9:15). The torment, though terrible, is limited, but the righteous reign of God is forever.

There are those who shame God for his wrath, yet stand unashamed in their sin. God is our King and Creator, “who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it” (Revelation 10:6), yet he presents himself to us with a choice, and despite the majesty that should lead us to worship, or the wrath that should drive us from sin, we may yet choose poorly, and many do. 

“The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.” ~Revelation 9:20

It’s astounding. People choose to follow the one who “knows that his time is short” (Revelation 12:12) rather than bow “to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever” (Revelation 5:13).

Why?

Daily Prayer

Almighty God, You had to shout loudly for me to hear, but I did hear, and I am Yours. You keep turning my heart toward You. I long to have that deep desire to listen to You, so You can speak with the still soft voice and I will pay attention. But please, shout when You need to, when I’m distracted by the noise and the clutter that I surround myself with in this world.

Your eternity has changed my life today. I can bear the trials, because I know You, and in You my heart finds peace.

Amen

Daily Question

Why do people reject God?

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Forewarned

Daily Reading

Revelation 4-8

Daily Thought

The reign of Rome was trying times for the persecuted churches, and lest they wonder where is God and what is he doing, the apostle John is given a “revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1). John enters “a door standing open in heaven” (Revelation 4:1) to discover a throne cascading “flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God” (Revelation 4:5). Upon the throne sits God, holding a scroll “sealed with seven seals” (Revelation 5:1), each unfolding a certain future, “what must take place after this” (Revelation 4:1), and Jesus alone, at the same time the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God, is able to open the scroll and usher forward what is to come.

Enter now the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, the white horse of conquest leading the bright red of war, the black of famine, and the pale horse of death. The imagery is wild and wonderful, promising both wrath and redemption; and redemption arrives first. Twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes of Israel and “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” stand before the throne, clothed in white, and cry out, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10). Then follows wrath upon the rest, a proper wrath from a righteous God upon a rebellious humanity. Seven angels blow seven trumpets of destruction, and this book of Revelation is a forewarning, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 8:13). 

There is a Latin proverb, Praemonitus praemunitus, and it means “to be forewarned is to be forearmed,” and we are to be armed, but not for battle against the Lion of Judah and the coming wrath of God, for that battle we would lose. We are to be armed for peace, prepared to kneel in devotion before the Lamb of God and enter eternity in the kingdom of God.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. ~Jude 24-25

Daily Prayer

Jesus, Almighty God, Savior and Lord, conquering Lion, redeeming Lamb, you are worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! Open my eyes to see Your wonder. I kneel before You, and in Your amazing grace, You lift me up. You give me what I need to live confidently now, preparing for eternity. I know You hold the future, so I know the future holds righteousness and peace for those who belong to You. 

Thank You, Jesus.

Amen

Daily Question

Are you ready for Jesus to return anytime?

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All In

Daily Reading

Revelation 1-3

Daily Thought

Jim was a high school senior, a nice kid who decided to ask the most popular girl in the school to Prom. He wasn’t sure, however, she knew who he was. Undeterred, he picked up the phone, “Hi Shari, this is Jim.” It was silent for a moment. “I sit behind you in History.” She remembered. “Would you like to go to Senior Prom?” Silence. “With me?” he added. More silence. Then, finally, “Sure, why not.” The most popular girl said she would go.

But that wasn’t good enough, and Jim knew it. “I’m sorry Shari,” Jim insisted, “‘Sure, why not,’ won’t do. It has to be either, ‘Jim, I want nothing more than to be your date to Senior Prom,’ or ‘Jim, you’re the last person on earth I’d want to be seen with.’”

Jesus said to the church at Laodicea, “Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16). “Sure, why not,” won’t do.

It was silent again. A longer silence. And then, “Jim, I want nothing more than to be your date to Senior Prom.” 

They had a fabulous evening.

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” ~John 10:10

Jesus is standing at the door of our heart, knocking, and think about how we respond. In the first place, he’s not some nice kid, he is “the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8). “Sure, why not,” won’t do. But open the door and let him in, all in, and it is time for a banquet.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” ~Revelation 3:20

Daily Prayer

Jesus, since You are all in for me, ought not I be all in for You! You are worth my everything and more. All that I have is from You and for You.

Forgive me for and protect me from my half-hearted efforts. I want You to be with me in everything in my life, and I want everything in my life to point to You and give You pleasure. You are my God, Lord, and Savior. And my friend. I want nothing more than to be with You.

Amen

Daily Question

Would you describe the life you live as abundant? Why or why not?

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Bibles Well-Torn and Tattered

Daily Reading

2John 1; 3John 1; Jude 1

Daily Thought

Mr. Hooper taught Sunday School, 6th grade boys. They were not in the habit of bringing Bibles, but Mr. Hooper thought they should. “Bring your Bibles next Sunday.”

The next week, all had obeyed. “Okay, hold your Bibles up,” commanded Mr. Hooper. Nine obeyed. Their Bibles were very nice, cool covers, white clean pages. They looked almost new, almost unread, except Billy’s. Billy’s was still hidden in his backpack. His was old and tattered, rabbit-eared pages with lots of writing and underlining, and a frayed cover. 

Billy was embarrassed.

Mr. Hooper said, “Billy, what about yours? Let’s see it. Every one look at Billy’s Bible.”

Now he was really embarrassed!

“Boys, that’s what a Bible should look like. That’s the best Bible, well worn and well used. When it falls apart, buy a new one and start all over again. Well done, Billy.”

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” ~3John 1:4

If there is any book should be found at a Used Book Store, it is the Bible.

Daily Prayer

God, I love Your Word. It is the Word of life. In it, I see what You are like. I also see what I am like and what I should be like. Keep me in Your Word, God. The devil will keep me from Your Word, but Your Word will keep me from the devil. It is the Truth.

May I not only know Your Word, but live it, too. May my life be Your Word to others, leading them to Your Word, the Bible, leading them to Your Word, the Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen

Daily Question

Do you read the Bible often enough?