Tag Archives: understanding

Eureka! I think I’ve got it! (John 7:33-34), February 14, 2017

Today’s Podcast

Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
I’ve always liked logic puzzles. Like this one, for instance. There are three boxes. One is labeled “APPLES” another is labeled “ORANGES”. The last one is labeled “APPLES AND ORANGES”. You know that each is labeled incorrectly. You may ask me to pick one fruit from one box which you choose. How can you label the boxes correctly?
Scripture
1. John 7:33-34
2. Jesus: I am going to be with you for a little while longer; then I will return to the One who sent Me. You will look for Me, but you will not be able to find Me. Where I am, you are unable to come.
Devotional
1. If you’re like me, you haven’t heard anything since I gave you the puzzle because you’ve been thinking about how to label those boxes. The answer isn’t too difficult since you know all the labels are wrong.
  1. Pick a fruit from the box labelled Apples and Oranges. The box will be full of only one kind of fruit since the label is incorrect. So if you pick an orange, label the box, Oranges.
  2. Then you know that the box labelled Apples and Oranges must contain only apples since that label is also wrong. So label that box Apples.
  3. Finally, the only box left with the wrong label must have the apples in it, so change the box labelled Oranges to Apples and Oranges.
  4. And there’s the answer.
2. Why give you a logic puzzle to start the podcast and associate it with Jesus’ words today? Because I’m sure those who heard His words were just as puzzled as we can get when we hear those logic puzzles
  1. I’ll be with you
  2. But only for a little while
  3. Then I’ll return to the One who sent Me
  4. You’ll look for Me, like hide-and-seek
  5. You won’t find Me
  6. You can’t go where I’m going
3. What does all this mean?
  1. The disciples were confused
  2. First part was easy
  3. Second part not too hard, maybe He was going on a trip by Himself
  4. Third got a little more difficult, but not unlike returning to the country that issued His diplomatic credentials
  5. Fourth, if they knew where He was going or that He was returning to a specific place, why would they spend time looking for Him
  6. Why wouldn’t they be able to find Him, this didn’t make sense
  7. Why couldn’t they go to the same place He went, what special pass did He have that they didn’t have? Did they need some special password and how could they get it?
4. We stand on this side of the cross and the answer is easy
  1. Like the puzzle at the beginning. If you didn’t think of the answer right away, you probably slapped your forehead and said, “Duh! Why didn’t I think of that!”
  2. Looking back, it’s so simple.
  3. Looking back in time, Jesus’ words are so simple, too.
  4. So are His words, “Follow Me.” So why do we have so much trouble understanding and doing those?
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The beauty of God’s laws (Psalm 119:1-16) December 5, 2015

Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 119:1-16

Set – Psalms 119:1-16; Ephesians 5

Go! – Psalms 119:1-80; Ephesians 5-6

Psalms 119:1-16
¹ Happy are the people who walk with integrity,
who live according to the teachings of the Eternal.
² Happy are the people who keep His decrees,
who pursue Him wholeheartedly.
³ These are people who do nothing wrong;
they do what it takes to follow His ways.
⁴ You have given us Your precepts
so we would be careful about keeping them.
⁵ Oh, that every part of my life would remain in line
with what You require!
⁶ Then I would feel no shame
when I fix my eyes upon Your commands.
⁷ With a pure heart, I will give thanks to You
when I hear about Your just and fair rulings.
⁸ I will live within Your limits;
do not abandon me completely!

⁹ How can a young person remain pure?
Only by living according to Your word.
¹⁰ I have pursued You with my whole heart;
do not let me stray from Your commands.
¹¹ Deep within me I have hidden Your word
so that I will never sin against You.
¹² You are blessed, O Eternal One;
instruct me in what You require.
¹³ My lips have told how
You have delivered all Your wise rulings.
¹⁴ I have celebrated Your testimonies
as though rejoicing over an immeasurable fortune.
¹⁵ I will fix my mind on Your instructions
and my eyes on Your path.
¹⁶ I will find joy in Your ordinances;
I will remember Your word forever.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

The psalmist wanted others to understand not just the importance, but the beauty of the laws I gave you. So he put them in the form of a beautiful acrostic poem. This longest book of the Bible tells you a lot about My law. What it is. Why I gave it to you. Why it’s important to follow it. Why it helps you along the path of life. The beauty it holds within its words. The peace you find by following it. The love that grows in your heart when you follow My precepts.

Many think that if you don’t read My word or hear My laws you will be exempt from them. But that isn’t true. You have them available to you so you have no excuse. In fact, in the West, you probably have multiple Bibles in multiple versions in your home. The question is, do you read them? Do you make them an everyday part of your life? The psalmist understood the importance of making My law a part of his heart as he talks about hiding it in his heart so he will not sin against Me. Do you follow his example?

A lot of you think My laws are only there to punish you. You assume I’m looking for reasons to find you guilty of some sin so I can zap you with a lightning bolt or some evil plague. Nothing could be further from the truth. I give you My laws in hopes that you will understand better the holy life I want you to live. I want you to stay away from the things that will destroy your relationship with Me or with your fellowman. I give you My laws to protect you, not to punish you. But Satan has lied to you and made you turn them around to think otherwise. That’s why I came to live with you and show you the beauty of My laws. I didn’t abolish them when I came. I fulfilled them. I glorified them. I put them in your heart so you could abide by them out of love rather then by a sense of duty.

Those who understand My laws in the way the psalmist understood My laws know the benefits that come from learning them. Making them a part of your very thought process as you conduct your daily life. Whether in business, dealing with family and friends, or in conflict with you greatest nemesis, living by My precepts will always be in your best interest. You will come out ahead every time when you abide by My laws.

So don’t put My laws on the shelf. Begin to make them a part of your life. Learn to love them like the psalmist and understand just how important they are to keeping your life pure and spotless not just in My sight, but in the sight of those around you. When you live by My laws, there is little anyone can say negatively against you. Your life will shine with the glory that spills over from serving Me.

Take some time and read Psalm 119 and take to heart what the psalmist says. Discover for yourself what he has learned about Me and My laws. You’ll be surprised at how your life can change when you do.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Two sisters you need to know (Proverbs 7), May 28, 2015

Today’s Podcast

Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Proverbs 7
Set – Proverbs 7; Romans 9
Go! – Proverbs 7-9; Romans 9

Proverbs 7
¹ My son, live according to what I am telling you;
guard my instructions as you would a treasure deep within you.
² Stay true to my directives, and they will serve you well;
make my teachings the lens through which you see life.
³ Bind cords around your fingers to remind you of them;
meditate on them, and you’ll engrave them upon your heart.
⁴ Say to Lady Wisdom, “My sister”;
recognize that understanding is your best friend,
⁵ And they will keep you from the arms of another woman—
protect you from the enchantress who entices men into her bed.
⁶ One day I was at the window of my house,
looking out through my lattice shutters,
⁷ And there among the usual crowd of the gullible people
I spotted a naive young man.
⁸ He was going down the street near the corner where she lived—that mysterious and evil woman—
taking the road that led directly to her house.
⁹ At the end of the day, as night approached
and darkness crept in,
¹⁰ I saw her! A woman came out to meet him.
She was dressed for temptation and devious with her affections.
¹¹ Here’s what I know about her: she is loud and obnoxious, a rebel against what is proper and decent.
She’s always on the move—anxious to get out of the house and
¹² Down the street; at times in the open,
at others lurking around every corner.
¹³ As I am watching them, she grabs him and kisses him,
then shamelessly tells him:
¹⁴ The Immoral Woman: It was my turn to offer a peace offering,
and today I paid my vows,
¹⁵ So now I come to see you.
I really want to be with you, and what luck! I have found you!
¹⁶ You’ll be impressed. I have decorated my couch,
laid colorful Egyptian linens over where we will be together,
¹⁷ And perfumed the bed with exotic oils and herbs:
myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
¹⁸ Come in, and we will feast on love until sunrise;
we will delight ourselves in our affections.
¹⁹ You don’t need to worry; my husband is long gone by now,
away from home on a distant journey.
²⁰ He took a bag of money with him,
so I don’t expect him home until next month.
²¹ It worked! She enticed him with seductive words,
seduced him with her smooth talk.
²² Right away he followed her home.
He followed her like a bull being led to the slaughter,
Like a fool caught in a trap
²³ (that is, until an arrow punctures his liver),
Like a bird flying straight into a net.
He had no clue his life was at stake; everything was about to change.
²⁴ This is why it is so important that you listen to me, my sons,
and pay attention to all I am telling you.
²⁵ Do not let your mind wonder about her ways;
do not lose yourself and drift down her path,
²⁶ For she’s claimed one life after another,
victim after victim, too many to count.
²⁷ Her house is the gateway to the grave;
every step toward her is a step toward death’s dark chamber.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Wisdom and understanding. Sisters you should get to know. Let them become your confidants. They will serve you well if you let them. But if you ignore them, you will suffer immeasurable pain in every area of life.

Solomon wrote about these sisters in the opening chapters of Proverbs. He used illicit sexual relations as an analogy to going through life without them. You know about the sexual drives that can bend you toward evil so easily if not kept under control.

The young man in Solomon’s story let smooth words and enticing sounds lure him into a trap from which he could not escape. Once down that slippery slope that ignorance and rash decisions takes you, you’ll find it difficult to recover from the consequences of those illicit acts.

The sisters, wisdom and understanding, aren’t just about sex, though. They carry you through every situation in life. Relationships. Marriage. Finances. Parenthood. Retirement. Illness. Even death. Wisdom and understanding help you see clearly through every aspect of life because they were with Me from the beginning and saw every situation in which people find themselves throughout time.

So, how do you make friends with them? How can you get to know these wonderful sisters so they can help you through those pitfalls that so many fall into in life? It’s really not so hard. Just read My instruction book and follow its rules. It’s been the number one best seller for decades. In fact, it’s been the number one best seller so long it isn’t included on the best seller list. That doesn’t mean it isn’t the best seller, though.

So pay attention to Wisdom and listen to her sister, Understanding. You’ll find life works a lot smoother if you do.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.