Sounds Familiar - October 25, 2010

Daily Reading

Luke 10-11, John 10:22-42

Daily Verse

Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy

because I said, 'I am God's Son'?

John 10:36

Daily Thought

It's the Price voice. You know it when you hear it.

My four children are playing in the family room. The front door swings open, "Hello!"

Four heads in unison whip around toward the door. "Daddy's home!"

Nope. It's Uncle Drew. My brother.

They run and hug Uncle Drew, then go back to playing again. The front door swings open, "Hello!"

Four heads in unison whip around toward the door. "Daddy's home!"

Nope. It's Grampa. My Dad.

They run and hug Grampa, then go back to playing again. The front door swings open, "Hello!"

Four heads in unison whip around toward the door. "Daddy's home!"

They run and leap into my arms.

That voice. You can't tell which Price it belongs to, but you know it's a Price.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
~John 10:27

To God's Glory,
Dave Price

Daily Prayer

Oh Lord, my God, I love to hear Your voice. The more time I spend listening to Your Word, the better I know You, the more I love You, the closer I follow You. In You I find my joy, my purpose, my delight.

Thank You for Your Son, because in Him you have been seen. Through Him, I am adopted in Your family. My prayer, O God, is that I will sound like You, look like You, act like You. That when people see me, You are thought of and glorified.

Amen.

I Am Superman - September 5, 2010

Daily Reading

Ezekiel 28-31

Daily Verse

In the pride of your heart

you say, "I am a god;

I sit on the throne of a god

in the heart of the seas."

But you are a man and not a god,

though you think you are as wise as a god.

Ezekiel 28:2

Daily Thought

Street football. My brother threw the perfect pass. If I ran fast and stretched far, it would be at my fingertips. Looking over my left shoulder, watching the ball's perfect arc descend, I had it locked in.

Except for my neighbor's '63 Oldsmobile. I forgot he parked it on the street.

Smack into it, and I dropped straight down. I remember laying on the ground and all I could think was, "Guess I'm not Superman."

I was 10 years old, and I really wanted to be Superman.

To God's Glory,
Dave Price

Daily Prayer

God, You are God and I am not. That's one of the smartest things I can say. I am not in charge, and the universe does not revolve around me. Sometimes I act like it does. I am sorry.

Almighty God, You are the center of my universe, my King of kings, my Lord and Savior. To live for Your pleasure is to live life to its fullest, because it is what I was created to do.

Amen.

Coke or Pepsi? - May 11, 2010

Daily Reading

2Samuel 10; 1Chronicles 19; Psalm 20

Daily Verse

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Psalm 20:7

Daily Thought

Coke has Pepsi.

Borders has Barnes and Noble.

Home Depot has Lowes.

Chevy has Ford.

Office Max has Staples.

Yahoo has Google.

Democrats have Republicans.

Microsoft has Apple.

Assyria had Babylon had Persia had Greece had Rome.

Competition. Anyone can win, which means everyone will lose ...eventually

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

--Deuteronomy 6:4

No competition.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

--Revelation 1:8

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Almighty God, Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, Judge. By You all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by You and for You. You are before all things, and in You all things hold together.

You have given Your Son, our Savior, the Name that is above all names, that at the Name of Jesus, every knee will bow, above the earth, on the earth, under the earth, and every tongue will confess He is Lord.

I confess, He is Lord. He is my Lord.

Amen

The Fool's Heart - May 10, 2010

Daily Reading

Psalm 50; 53; 60; 75

Daily Verse

The fool says in his heart,

"There is no God."

Psalm 53:1

Daily Thought

"God is dead."

--Friedrich Nietzsche, 1882

"Is God dead?"

--Cover of TIME magazine, April 8, 1966

"God's Still Dead."

--Christopher Hitchens, 2007

"The report of my death was an exaggeration."

--Mark Twain, 1897

In the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised?" Do not forget, with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come.

What kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.

--2Peter 3:3-11

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Eternal God, the First and the Last, Who was and is and is to come (I love saying that), you are God, and God alone. You are above and beyond all things. You are right here beside me. It is beyond my understanding how the Maker of the heavens and the earth knows the very steps I take each day. Thank You for listening, for acting, for loving.

Thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ. Our Creator became like us to show us Himself and to reach us. As if we can't see You in all that You have created - we take it for granted and miss the miracle - you came to our front yard and showed us Your love and Your glory.

Amen

I Will Fear No Evil - May 5, 2010

Daily Reading

Psalm 1-2; 15; 22-24; 47; 68

Daily Verse

Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

Psalm 23:6

Daily Thought

Even though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death.

--Psalm 23:4

Psalm 22, 1000 B.C.

Matthew 27, A.D. 33

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

--Psalm 22:1

Jesus cried out in a loud voice,

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

--Matthew 27:46

Scorned by men and despised by the people, all who

see me mock me. They hurl insults, shaking their heads:

"He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him.

--Psalm 22:6-8

The chief priests, the teachers of the law

and the elders mocked him. "He trusts in God.

Let God rescue him now if he wants him,

for he said, 'I am the Son of God.' "

--Matthew 27:41-43

I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint.

My heart has turned to wax;

it has melted away within me.

They have pierced my hands and my feet.

I can count all my bones.

--Psalm 22:14-17

Then they led him away to crucify him.

--Matthew 27:31

They divide my garments among them

and cast lots for my clothing.

--Psalm 22:18

They divided up his clothes by casting lots.

--Matthew 27:35

Jesus was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death. God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.

--Acts 2:23-24, 36

It's not like God doesn't know what's happening.

I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

Psalm 23:4

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Savior God, I praise You, for Your foreknowledge, for Your sovereignty, for Your plan of salvation, for Your good will. You never leave us or forsake us, but You walk with us. How great is our God.

May I walk with confidence, knowing that whatever is before me, You have endured worse, and Your Spirit will be by my side. God, if You are for me, there is none that can be against me.

Amen

Ah Grasshopper - February 28, 2010

Daily Reading

Numbers 11-13

Daily Verse

We saw the Nephilim there

(the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim).

We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes,

and we looked the same to them."

Numbers 13:33

Daily Thought

David had three chances to figure out he was too small to fight Goliath the Philistine.

First King Saul told him, "You can't fight Goliath. You're only a boy."

Then David put on the armor, but it didn't fit. Everyone knows if the armor's too big, the battle's too big.

Finally, the big Philistine himself laughed, "Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?"

A few hundred years before David, the Israelites had a similar problem. Someone thought they were too small.

It wasn't the Nephilim that thought the Israelites looked like grasshoppers.

It wasn't the Amalekites that thought the Israelites looked like grasshoppers.

It wasn't the Hittites that thought the Israelites looked like grasshoppers.

It wasn't the Jebusites that thought the Israelites looked like grasshoppers.

It wasn't the Amorites that thought the Israelites looked like grasshoppers.

It wasn't the Canaanites that thought the Israelites looked like grasshoppers.

It was the Israelites that thought the Israelites looked like grasshoppers.

It never occurred to David to measure himself.

He measured Goliath. He measured God.

"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel."

So, David killed Goliath with a slingshot. Then he cut off his head.

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Awesome God, You reign from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love. You are the Almighty, the Everlasting, our Stronghold, our Shelter, our Fortress in time of trouble. You are our Savior.

Our God is an awesome God. May we never rely on our own strength; but may we never forget Your strength. We shall always place our trust in it, in You. If our God is for us, who can be against us?

Amen

The Weight of Glory - February 26, 2010

Daily Reading

Numbers 7

Daily Verse

But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites,

because they were to carry on their shoulders

the holy things, for which they were responsible.

Numbers 7:9

Daily Thought

Moses gave the Gershonites two carts to carry curtains, and the Merarites got four carts for tent poles. The Kohathites were responsible for the holy things. You know, the ark of the Covenant. Indiana Jones and all that. God's glory.

Did you know the word glory means "weight" in Hebrew?

As in several tons. That's how much the ark and the holy things weighed. A cart and a couple oxen would have been nice.

God said, "I want you to carry the holy things on your shoulders."

We can point to wonderful pictures of God's glory in this world. The elegance of creation, the beauty of sunsets, the majesty of mountains. "The whole earth is full of his glory," said more than one Hebrew poet.

But, if the world is going to see God's glory, it's still on our shoulders.

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

--Ephesians 3:10-11

God says, "I want you to carry my glory."

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Glorious God, Maker of heaven and earth, the seas and all that are in them, the land and all it's creatures, the skies and the birds that soar, stars and planets, painted with all the colors of the rainbow, which you made, as well.

In all of creation, You place Your image in us. Through the work of Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are being transformed and Your image is becoming clear again. May we display Your glory, Your wonder, Your wisdom, You grace, Your love, to the world around us. May the glory of Your work in us brighten the world and bring You praise.

Amen

Religious Cocktails - February 19, 2010

Daily Reading

Leviticus 19-21

Daily Verse

Keep my decrees.

Do not mate different kinds of animals.

Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.

Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.

Leviticus 19:19

Daily Thought

The guy said that since there are over 3,000 different religions on the planet, none of them can be the right one. It would be arrogant of me to think I have the only right one. If there are 3,000 religions, he said, anyone who believes 2,999 of them are wrong is arrogant.

Didn't he just say 3,000 of them are wrong?

Here's the thing, within those 3,000 religions, there are so many beliefs that are appealing and positive and attractive and uplifting. It would be tempting to take a little bit from one and something else from another. To knit a magnificent tapestry of beliefs. I think I could mix a pretty tasty religious cocktail.

But it isn't about pleasing me, is it? If I thought it was about me, that would be arrogant.

It is about truth and reality. It is about God.

To choose God's way over my way is what Jesus describes as "poor in spirit," not seeking myself. Not arrogant.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

--Matthew 5:3

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

God, You so loved the world that You sent Your one and only Son. Anyone believing in Him will receive eternal life. In Your grace, You did not send Your Son to condemn us. In Your holiness, You would have been justified to do so, but Your Son became condemnation so we might receive justification in His Name.

The Name of Jesus is the Name above all names. May we never mix it with any others. May we always hold it high. May we walk in Your ways, increasing Your reputation in this world. May we humble ourselves and direct all glory to You.

Amen

We're #1 - February 10, 2010

Daily Reading

Exodus 33-35

Daily Verse

"Do not worship any other god,

for the LORD, whose name is Jealous,

is a jealous God."

Exodus 34:14

Daily Thought

At the end of the Super Bowl, one team, and only one team, raises their hands and points their index fingers upward, crying out, "We're #1!!!" They beat out 31 other teams for the honor of making that statement.

What if they were right? I mean always right. Not just this year, but every year. Not just football, not just sports, but in everything. Always. All things. Every minute of every day, #1. Forever and ever and ever.

God. Always #1.

All-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, ever-present, fully good, full of glory.

Hard to beat? No. Impossible.

And God knows it, not because he's cocky, but because it's the truth and God is always true.

So, when God says, "I love you enough to want the best, the very best, for you," enough to die for you, then he wants himself for you.

Because he is the very best. Always. Forever and ever.

"Do not worship any other gods, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God."

God's jealousy for us is the best for us.

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Our heavenly Father, from eternity past to forevermore, You are God, who was, and is, and is to come. Timeless, You created time, then entered time, and walk with us. We long to be present with You in eternity, where Your holiness reigns forever.

Forgive us, God, when we pursue something less than you, and everything else is less than You. May You always be our first love, may we first and always seek Your Kingdom, your righteousness, and leave everything else in Your care.

Amen

The Law of Stickiness - February 9, 2010

Daily Reading

Exodus 30-32

Daily Verse

When the people saw that Moses was so long

in coming down from the mountain,

they gathered around Aaron and said,

"Come, make us gods who will go before us."

Exodus 32:1

Daily Thought

A good web site designer knows the first law of the web:

The Law of Stickiness.

People are sticky, but they are not loyal.

If they find a web site that serves their needs they stick with it, but the moment that site disappoints (by being slower than usual, or temporarily unavailable), they move to a competitive site and stick with it. So, do whatever you can to improve and maintain top performance.

Moses was temporarily unavailable, up on the mountain receiving God's Law. God was being slow.

The Law of Stickiness meets the First Law of God:

I am the LORD your God.

You shall have no other gods before me.

Stickiness says improve your performance. God says, "No, you wait."

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,

and in his word I put my hope.

Psalm 130:5

Why wait? Because there is no competition. He alone is God. And he makes all things beautiful in his time, not ours.

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, how we trust in You. Our confidence is in Your goodness and Your strength. Our lives are in Your care. We know that all You offer life, life overflowing, abundant life.

May we always seek You first. May we always seek You only. Your kingdom with Your Son on the throne is our greatest hope. May we at all times maintain loyalty to You, keep faith in You, wait on You, trust in You. You are God.

Amen