Creation Comes Gift-Wrapped - April 30, 2010

Daily Reading

Psalm 102-104

Daily Verse

When you give it to them,

they gather it up;

when you open your hand,

they are satisfied with good things.

Psalm 104:28

Daily Thought

Weeks before Christmas, the pool table morphs into my wife's workshop. Paper, pens, scissors, tape, ribbons, and bows scattered across the green felt. Gifts become expressions of delight before they are placed under the tree.

Debbie's love speaks through the wrap as much as the treasures inside.

Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

--Genesis 1:29

God does not merely meet our needs. He delights our senses.

Oranges, bananas, corn, walnuts. Not simply consumed, they are shucked, shelled, peeled, and cracked. They are sour, sweet, and salty. They are green, yellow, red, orange, purple.

Creation comes gift-wrapped.

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Oh God, this world is amazing. It proclaims an amazing God. Nothing in creation is silent. All of creation proclaims Your wonder, Your delight, Your joy, Your wisdom.

When You sent Your Son, You called Him the Word. Your Word. You express Yourself. When Jesus said, "The rocks would cry out," they do!!!

Amen

The Dash - April 29, 2010

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 7-10

Daily Verse

Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD;

he did not keep the word of the LORD

and even consulted a medium for guidance.

1Chronicles 10:13

Daily Thought

The dash. A short punctuation mark, enormously important.

The dash sits between two dates, like this:

date of birth - date of death

Both dates are beginnings. The first begins life; the second begins eternity.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

--2Corinthians 5:10

The dash is all of life between. The dash is the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

The dash. A short punctuation mark, enormously important.

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Lord God, You breathed in me and gave me life. A life with purpose and the potential to glorify You. You have given Your Word so that I may know You and know Your ways. One thing I know is I am accountable to You for my life lived. It is given to man once to die and then comes judgment.

I long to hear Your pleasure at my judgment. Daily, God, I offer myself to You, to Your work on earth, to promote Your Kingdom, to extend Your love, to serve Your creation. May I be true to Your Word.

Amen

I Need to Lose 30 Lbs - April 28, 2010

Daily Reading

Psalm 81; 88; 92-93

Daily Verse

So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts

to follow their own devices.

Psalm 81:12

Daily Thought

I need to go on a diet. I need to lose 30 lbs.

Leatherby's Family Creamery makes the best peanut butter and chocolate milkshake. X-large.

You shall have no foreign god among you.

--Psalm 81:9

I brought one home.

Then I remembered my diet. I looked at the shake, then I looked at my tummy. I placed my Leatherby's X-large peanut butter and chocolate milkshake in the freezer.

No really, you shall have no foreign god among you.

--Psalm 81:9

Kneeling in my bedroom I prayed, "God, please don't let me drink the milkshake I am keeping cold in the freezer."

So God gave them over to their stubborn hearts

to follow their own devices.

Psalm 81:12

I drank the milkshake.

Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to...

--James 1:14-15

I need to lose 35 lbs.

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Wonderful God, You have given me both mercy and grace. You love me in spite of myself. You are amazing. Because of this, I want to make myself a sacrifice to You. Everything about me, everything I do, may I please You. In my weakness, I will frustrate myself, and You as well. Thank You that each time I fall, Your Spirit stays with me, helping me up again, and pointing me back in the right direction.

May my steps between stumbles increase.

Amen

It's Family - April 27, 2010

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 6

Daily Verse

The descendants of Elkanah:

Amasai, Ahimoth,

Elkanah his son, Zophai his son,

Nahath his son, Eliab his son,

Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son

and Samuel his son.

1Chronicles 6:25-27

Daily Thought

Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.

--Romans 8:14-17

Growing up, I can tell you where I was on the third Sunday of July. Doesn't matter what year.

If you are a Price, or you had the good fortune to marry a Price, then on the third Sunday of July you were at William Land Park in Sacramento. Every year.

Clarence (Curly) Price married Sylvia Troxel, and had a son named Dean, and four other sons and daughters. Dean had two sons, Drew and Dave. That's me. I'm a Price.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

--Galatians 6:10

Fried chicken, baked beans, apple pie.

Fairy Tale Town, the Sacramento Zoo, volleyball and softball.

My cousin Jerry is a lieutenant in the Air Force. On any given day, he could be anywhere in the world. On the third Sunday of July, he was at William Land Park.

Uncle Charlie drove himself to the picnic. From Chicago. He was 88 years old.

It's family.

"My children, a new command I give you: Love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

--John 13:33-35

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

My Heavenly Father. Amazing. I am a child of God. Not merely through creation, but through adoption. You have purchased me with the blood of Your Son, through His death, burial, and resurrection. You restore me to Your family. I am a heir of heaven's riches, co-heir with Jesus and the rest of the family.

I pray, my God, that during this life on earth the family resemblance would become more and more apparent.

Amen

Flip Of The Coin - April 26, 2010

Daily Reading

Psalm 73; 77-78

Daily Verse

When he struck the rock, water gushed out,

and streams flowed abundantly.

But can he also give us food?

Can he supply meat for his people?

Psalm 78:20

Daily Thought

The Super Bowl pits the National Football Conference champion against the winner of the American Football Conference. Since 1998, 13 straight games, the NFC has won

...the coin toss.

In 1998, the odds of winning the toss were 50/50. In 2010, 50/50. But to win every year from then until now, the odds are 1 in 8,192.

14 in a row is 1 in 16,384

20 is one in a million (plus change)

When do you start to suspect the toss is rigged?

Psalm 78

v 44, God turned the rivers to blood

v 45, God sent swarms of flies

v 45, and frogs

v 46, God gave their crops to the grasshopper

v 47, He destroyed their vines with hail

v 48, He struck down all the firstborn

v 13, He divided the sea and led Israel to freedom

v 53, The sea engulfed the Egyptians

v 14, God guided Israel, cloud by day and fire by night

v 54, God brought the Israelites to his Holy Land

v 55, and drove out the nations before them

But can he also give us food?

Can he supply meat for his people?

--Psalm 78:20

And still Israel thinks it's a game of chance.

Still deciding if they should bet on God.

Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' Your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

--Matthew 6:31-32

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Mighty God, there is no one like You. You alone are Almighty, You alone are Sovereign. Your will be done.

It is so hard to trust, to release my illusion of control and turn my life completely over to You. The greatest commandment, the greatest life-giving act I can do is to love You with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, all my strength. I know that You are God, that whatever You say will happen will happen. I know it. God help me trust in what I know.

Amen

Leap Of Faith - April 25, 2010

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 3-5

Daily Verse

They were helped in fighting them,

and God handed the Hagrites

and all their allies over to them,

because they cried out to him during the battle.

He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.

1Chronicles 5:20

Daily Thought

The bad guy shot Indy's dad. Not dead, but dying.

"It's time to ask yourself what you believe," said the bad guy.

The Holy Grail, the cup Jesus shared at the Last Supper, could save his dad. Indy had a book to guide him to the cup.

The book said, "Kneel." Indiana Jones knelt, and the blades missed.

The book said, "Proceed on the name of God," and Indy stepped out "Iehovah" (with an "I" because it's Latin) to safety.

The book said, "Leap." There was nowhere to leap. Just a deep chasm. He leapt anyway.

It was a leap of faith, but it wasn't blind, because the book was true. Indiana Jones trusted the book.

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

--John 20:30-31

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

God, You are faithful and true. May I trust fully in You. Build my faith, God. Strengthen my trust. You are certainly worthy of it. I know that if I seek You and only You, I do not need to be anxious about anything. All things are in Your hand. It baffles me how often I let other things distract me when I only need to keep my eyes on One. You.

Amen

Quality Time - April 24, 2010

Daily Reading

Psalm 43-45; 49; 84-85; 87

Daily Verse

Better is one day in your courts

than a thousand elsewhere;

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Psalm 84:10

Daily Thought

Quantity Time. Most of life is Quantity Time. Filling the minutes, day in and day out. One week after another. The years pass.

Solomon explores the boundaries of Quantity Time and concedes...

"Meaningless! Meaningless!"

says the Teacher.

"Utterly meaningless!

Everything is meaningless."

What does man gain from all his labor

at which he toils under the sun?"

--Ecclesiastes 1:2-3

Quality Time. High schoolers chase it on weekends. Parents pray for it on family outings. Couples remember the special evening and try to recreate it.

Quality time is elusive and hard to define, but you know it when you have it. Quality Time is an accident that shows up during Quantity Time.

Except in the Kingdom of God.

Better is one day in your courts

than a thousand elsewhere;

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

--Psalm 84:10

Quality Time is all the time in the Kingdom of God.

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Sovereign Lord, You are the Mighty King, Master of everything. You announce that Your Kingdom is near, that it is at hand. I am so sorry, God, that we rejected the King You sent us, Your Son. You grace is amazing, because You kept Your Kingdom in front of us.

Thank You for the gift of salvation through Your Son. Thank You for life, the abundant life. The glimpse we get of eternity makes us long for Your presence. What a wonder You are.

Amen

How Long Can You Tread Water? - April 23, 2010

Daily Reading

1Chronicles 1-2

Daily Verse

Adam, Seth, Enosh,

Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared,

Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah.

1Chronicles 1:1-3

Daily Thought

Adam

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

--Genesis 1:31

Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech

Noah

The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.

--Genesis 6:6

10 generations. That's all. One delightful piece of fruit let loose a flood.

Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came...

--Luke 17:26-27

We could stop eating the fruit, but instead, we learn to swim.

"How long can you tread water?"

--Bill Cosby, "Noah"

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Our Good God, as Your Son pointed out, "Only God is good." You are the Only One. You are the Creator and the Source of all that is good. I know, I keep repeating "good," but isn't that what we want on earth? Goodness and love. And yet, God, we turn our backs on You and go our own way. God, we are foolish.

God, You are good and You are love. I want to know You more. I want to know the depths of Your wisdom, and the breadth of Your love. May I always seek You and follow You. Lead me in the way of righteousness and life.

Amen

Sunrise, Sunset - April 22, 2010

Daily Reading

Psalm 6; 8-10; 14; 16; 19; 21

Daily Verse

In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,

like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens

and makes its circuit to the other.

Psalm 19:4-6

Daily Thought

The intense red and orange hues of the sky at sunrise and sunset are mainly caused by scattering of sunlight by dust particles, soot particles, other solid aerosols, and liquid aerosols in the Earth's atmosphere.

The Raleigh equation along with Mie theory employing discrete dipole approximation will mathematically account for the enhancement of the colors.

Of course. That explains it. Thanks.

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

--Psalm 19:1-2

The sky unfolds in front of me, colors stroking the heavens. I call my wife and holding her hand, we gaze. Wherever I was rushing will wait, because the world has stopped, and we survey the skies, taking time to taste the wonder of the Almighty.

Explain that.

There is no speech or language

where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.

--Psalm 19:3-4

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Wonderful God, what an incredible creation. The splendor, the spectacular array of colors, shapes, aromas. They speak of Your majesty, Your artistry, Your creativity, Your wisdom, Your power. All of creation glorifies You.

You have called me Your "poema," Your workmanship, Your poem. God, when I look at each person You created, I see a work of art. Your work. My Creator, I pray I will always treat Your workmanship with love and respect, appreciating the wonder of Your handiwork in each and every one of us.

Amen

Could Or Should - April 21, 2010

Daily Reading

2Samuel 1-4

Daily Verse

In the course of time, David inquired of the LORD.

"Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?" he asked.

The LORD said, "Go up."

David asked, "Where shall I go?"

"To Hebron," the LORD answered.

2Samuel 2:1

Daily Thought

The king is dead. Long live the king.

King Saul has died. David can take the throne. David can do anything he wants to do.

David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I...?"

--2Samuel 2:1

can: to be able to; have the ability, power, or skill to

shall: to seek duty or permission

If David does what he can,

he is limited only by what he is able to do.

If David does what he should,

he is limited only by what God is able to do.

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Lord God Almighty, You are on the throne. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth, in my life, here and now, and forever. May Your Name be known, may every knee bow and confess You Lord.

God, I serve You and only You. May my love for You be seen in my obedience to Your ways, my allegiance to Your will. When I serve You, I serve the highest good. May I never lose sight of who truly is my God and my Savior. May I keep my eyes on You.

Amen

Bless Our Food - April 20, 2010

Daily Reading

Psalm 121; 123-125; 128-130

Daily Verse

Our help is in the name of the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 124:8

Daily Thought

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

--Deuteronomy 6:4

I was at a banquet in Washington D.C. Praying for dinner, the man began, "As we bow to give thanks for our food, we appeal to you, god. We know you by many names...

At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

--Philippians 2:10

"Some call you simply God, some Jehovah, some Allah. Others of us know you as Shiva, Vishnu, Bhagwan, Jesus, Krishna, (I was waiting to hear 'Elvis')...

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

--Acts 4:12

"...Yahweh, Baha. You are found in nature, and so Mother Nature, and for others, you make yourself known as the Great Spirit...

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not bow down to them or worship them."

--Exodus 20:2-5

I was afraid to eat the food.

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Father in heaven, Your Name is great. It is the Name above all names. Your Name stands above and alone, the one and only God, our Savior. There is no other Name under heaven by which we are saved.

God, I take my stand on Your Name alone. I put my trust in You alone. There is nothing else in heaven or earth that is worthy of any devotion, because You are the Creator of all things and the source of all good. You are love. We sing a song, "All you need is love." Which means, "All we need is You, O God."

Amen

Turn On The Light - April 19, 2010

Daily Reading

1Samuel 28-31; Psalm 18

Daily Verse

You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;

my God turns my darkness into light.

Psalm 18:28

Daily Thought

Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light for my path.

--Psalm 119:105

My mind thinks its smart. My mind says to my hand, "Don't turn on the light. I know my way to the kitchen."

My big toe thinks differently. He remembers last time. He remembers the leg of the coffee table. He says to my hand, "Turn on the light. Turn on the light."

My mind is proud, and my big toe pays the price.

Light has come into the world,

but men loved darkness instead of light.

--John 3:19

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Everlasting Father, all of hope rests in You. Away from You can only lead to despair and darkness. You are the light of the World. Your Word shines a light on my path and makes my way straight.

God, daily I will spend time in Your Word. I will put it in my mind and deep in my heart so that it stays with me throughout the day. Thank You for the truth. Your truth. I want to build my house on solid ground.

Amen