January 5 - Rest Stops on the Road of Life

 Read today’s texts first: Genesis 12-14; Luke 5

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

• If we never step outside our comfort zones we’ll never learn to live by faith!
• The only true “Comfort Zone” is in the center of “the Comforter’s” will.  Are you “in the zone?”

I’ve often travelled across the U.S. on tour with my students.  Eventually we would get around to a discussion about washrooms (Canadian) vs. restrooms (American).  My arguments defend the Canadian expression for its dignity (better to point out the washing part than the activity preceding) and accuracy (you don’t go to a washroom to rest!).  On the highways, though, “rest stops” do include the resting component.  Interestingly enough, today’s readings in both the Old and New Testaments include references to following God’s call and resting periodically along the way.

Abe took a big step into the unknown, packing up his family and friends and heading to the “promised land.”  Jesus and His disciples made a similar sized commitment.  They all left comfortable stations in life to venture where no man had gone before.  What drove their decision was simple obedience to God’s call.  From most everyone I talk to, this seems to be God’s modus operandi – He likes to challenge us to live outside of our own resources.  Something about faith, I presume.

The other common theme from these two accounts, though less obvious, is the need to rest, remember, and recharge our faith – rest stops along the road of life.  For Abraham it was Bethel (12:8; 13:3,4), where he built an altar to God.  This is where he often returned to rest and remember what God had said to bring him to this place in life.  Jesus did the same thing, though not always to the same place because of His itinerate ministry.  It’s a passing comment in Luke 5 (16), but this theme is often repeated in the gospels.  We tend to overlook its importance, in the Bible stories as well as in our own life.  Let’s face it, resting isn’t very glamorous – there are no sermons, miracles, or testimonies to report.  The subtle truth is, though, you won’t hang in there long enough nor have enough power to preach the sermons, perform the miracles, or hear any testimonies without those essential times of renewal!

“Lord, I often like to take risks and stay busy for you.  I think I’m speeding down the road of life, covering a lot of ground, and performing great exploits along the way.  The truth is I’m actually moving quite slow, operating well below the faith limit.  Please remind me this year to take advantage of rest stops along the way, to renew my call and tap into your power.  If Abe and even Jesus needed it, I do too!”

January 4 - Truth is in the Details!

                      Read today’s texts first: Genesis 9-11; Luke 4

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• Those who believe in “relative truth” are not in the family, therefore their truth is not “relative,” relevant or real.
• Politicians can’t say it, but I can – Jesus is the only way! 

I remember visiting with a retired couple from a liberal church background and listening to their collection of favourite sayings.  One stayed with me because it captures a prevailing philosophy of our day: “whatever you believe is true is true!”  So many people today are combining their fascination of religious syncretism with the current craze of politically correct tolerance.  The end result is relative truth.

Today our Bible reading measures that concept.  Genesis 9-11 includes the Table of Nations – not exactly page turning stuff!  One wonders why God included these tedious details so early in His Book.  Most writers typically throw in their best stories near the beginning to hook readers.  But not so with God.  When I encourage students to start a Bible reading plan each new year, this is usually where I lose them.  What I say to them is – God is into details.  This history of the nations has been 99% verified through extrabiblical sources.  That is remarkable!  The accounts we just read of creation and the flood also have their parallels in almost every ancient culture.  The details are incredibly similar, and where different, the Bible shines as the most credible.

Why is it important that God’s Word be so full of historical detail?  The answer is - so it can be examined and substantiated as true.  It’s this credibility that makes it possible for Jesus, in Luke 4, to dismiss the artful lies of His enemy with the powerful words, “It is written…”!  There is a source of absolute Truth.  It’s Jesus and His Word.   And while our politicians can’t say it, I can – Jesus is the only way.  Buddha, Confucius, the Dali Lama, and Mohammed may claim to speak truth, but they’re not in the Family.  Their “truth” is therefore not “relative,” relevant, or real!  The Truth is in the details.

“Lord, so often we embrace Your general truth, but let the bundle of day-to-day specifics slip from our grasp.  This year I need to major in the minors, care for the details, and discover how real Truth is lived in the everyday decisions of my life.  It is written!”

January 3 - Hanging for a Hundred Years

 Read today’s texts first: Genesis 6-8; Luke 3

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• Living in a microwave-popcorn, instant-pudding world, we’ve lost perspective on true patience & faithfulness.
• We are a generation of the spiritually A.D.H.D.

Noah was 500 years old (5:32) when the Lord decided he had passed the faithfulness test.  He obviously knew it would take a while yet for Noah to finish the ark, because He numbered man’s time left on earth at 120 years (6:3).  Noah finished ahead of schedule in only 100 years and was ready for the rain when he turned 600 (7:6).  Bill Cosby described this eon of confusion well: “rain, sure God – what’s rain!”  It’s hard to imagine building a 450 ft. ark for 100 years without knowing why or worse yet, what’s rain, what’s a flood, and what’s an ark!  Then there’s the nosy neighbours asking the same questions and poor Noah still not knowing all the answers.

I’m sure the same doubts swirled around the prophecies of the Messiah, from Isaiah (Luke 3:4-6) to John the Baptist, with all the scoffers in between.  Yet, you can see the generations of faithful believers, who believed without knowing everything, leading up to the moment Jesus arrived on the scene to bring sense to it all (23-38).

With examples like this, how can we get discouraged if we haven’t heard from God in a week!  Living in a microwave-popcorn instant-pudding world, we’ve lost perspective on true patience and faithfulness. We are a generation of the spiritually A.D.H.D., easily distracted from the narrow path of obedience if there aren’t road signs every few feet.

“Lord, may I have the patience of Job, or better yet, Noah, today, this week, and the rest of my life (even if I live to 100!) to do what You ask, even if I don’t fully understand what I’m doing or why, and even if the people around me think I’m all wet.  I want to press on knowing that someday the gumboot may be on the other foot!” 

January 2 - There is a God, and I’m Not Him!

 Read today’s texts first: Genesis 3-5; Luke 2

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

- Real authority comes with being under authority.

 - There is a God, and I’m not Him! 

Adam and Eve had everything: paradise, power, eternal life, each other, and an intimate relationship with their Creator.  Created in God’s image, they were His extended authority on earth, but only as they were submitted to His will.  This is another of those paradox principles: real authority comes with being under authority.  When Satan wanted to be like God, he quickly discovered the job wasn’t available.  He tried the same line with Adam and Eve with the same results. 

Pride is the antithesis of God’s nature.  We see that revealed in Jesus, who was God but showed us how authority comes through submission.  As a baby and child, He was subject to His parents; as a man, and the Messiah, He humbly obeyed His real Father.  Wanting to be like God is proof you aren’t.

We can trace the dangerous doctrine of the deification of man (the desire to displace God as the final authority) throughout history.  But as we read about the fall of man again and see the escalation of sin through Cain, we need to realize that we can easily be guilty of the same thing.  Every time we deliberately defy God, we’re usurping His authority and losing our own.

“Lord, forgive me for the times I’ve campaigned for Your job.  There is a God and that’s You, not me!  Please confront me and convict me this year if I try to assert my will over Yours.  May Your will be done on earth, in my life, as it is in heaven!”

January 1 - Master of Understatement

 Read today’s texts first: Genesis 1 & 2; Luke 1

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When the Bible says, “nothing is impossible with God,” that is no overstatement - not when it is inspired by
the Master of Understatement!

Most of us tend to embellish our accomplishments, especially preachers.  We qualify such loose talk as “evangelistically speaking.”  Typically, our life stories are somewhat less than impressive so we do what we can to jazz them up.  Today’s reading, though, shows that the Creator of the universe has no need for such overstatement.  In fact, He is the undisputed Master of Understatement.  After describing in one sentence the creation of the sun and moon (no small feat for less than a day’s work), He adds, as if an afterthought, “oh yeah, I made the stars too.”   I guess for God it’s just a flick of the wrist, but we’re left wondering just how many billions of stars He can fit in the “span of his hand” (Isaiah 40:12).  After creating the earth, vegetation, sun, moon, fish, foul, and land animals, He pauses long enough to say, “that was good.”  He doesn’t add the superlative “very” until the last day when I would be exclaiming “this is incredibly, stupendously amazing!”

The only extra details God does include in His creation account seems to be a deliberate shot at future macro evolutionists.  He takes the space to mention over and over again all life forms (and the seeds for ongoing reproduction) were created “according to their kind.”  Sorry Darwin, but the boundaries of reproduction prove you’re wrong and God’s right!  His emphasis on morning and evening are a shot at those who underestimate God’s ability by trying to squeeze millions of years into a creation day.  While God may understate His work, we don’t have to – He is incredibly, stupendously amazing!  Gabriel was on hand to watch both His plans of creation and redemption unfold and we have to agree with his assessment: “nothing is impossible with God!” (Luke 1:37)

When we’re looking ahead to this new year and perhaps to some of the biggest challenges we’ll ever face, we need to keep Gabriel’s comments in mind.  “Lord help us to realize that when your Word says nothing is impossible with You, that is no overstatement.  Not when it is inspired by the Master of Understatement!”

 

January 2026 Devo - Keep It Real

Christmas is over for this year but hopefully the reminders about loving and giving will prepare us for the new year ahead. One of those lessons came via a “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”  I’ve always personally connected with this simple yet profound 60 year-old TV children’s special.  Charles Schulz was a genius in using comic strip characters to depict real people experiencing real life.  Our current infatuation with so-called “reality TV” is far less real than the truths woven throughout his first animated prime-time program.

His added touches of realism were challenged by network executives.  Instead of hiring proven adult actors, Schulz used real children to provide the voices of his characters, most of whom had little or no acting experience. He also refused to cue the audience with a laugh track, the common practice of that day, insisting that if it was funny, people would laugh without prompting.  His decision to feature a jazz piano soundtrack was also wrong for a kid’s show, according to the network programmers.  A huge audience then and now, rave reviews, and several awards, including an Emmy and a Peabody, have long since silenced his critics.

The premise of the program is Charlie’s dissatisfaction with the commercialization of Christmas, so the stripped-down style of the animation, real children’s voices, and simple soundtrack all suited Charlie’s quest for the real meaning of Christmas.  Perhaps the most controversial moment of the show is when Linus quotes from Luke 2:8-14, the biblical story of Christ’s birth, ending the scene with his own endorsement: “that’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown!”  Again the network questioned the political correctness of such a strong Christian message.

The opposition Schultz faced then would be far worse now.  Many are trying to remove Christ from Christmas and to revamp the whole season into just a winter holiday.  Using heightened immigration as an excuse, we are ironically undermining the foundation that has made us strong, prosperous, and attractive to the rest of the world.

The real reason for the season could soon be completely replaced with meaningless myths of Santa, flying reindeer and talking snowmen, all trying to convince us to buy more stuff to make us less happy.  The true story of Jesus must remain the reason for Christmas.  Jesus really did live, He really did die for us, and He really did rise from the dead.  When we really understand and accept these truths, then this season, the coming new year, and the rest of our life here and beyond, all suddenly have real meaning.  Linus said it best: “that’s what Christmas is all about!”

December 31 - End of Story

 Read today’s texts first: Revelation 19-22

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
Read the end of the Bible story often - it gives meaning and context to everything you do every day of your life!

I love a good story, but when it comes to fiction novels or movies, please don’t give away the ending. The surprising twist in the final chapter is what makes the story worth reading or watching. But when it comes to nonfiction, especially the story of my life, I want to know the ending first. When you devote your life, your career, your family to Jesus, you need to know how it turns out. That’s why I recommend reading the final chapters of the Revelation, and do it often. It gives meaning and context to everything else you read in the Bible and everything you do with your life!

Some say you really can’t know what will happen in the future. To those people, I recommend they consider Pascal’s Wager (postulated by the French philosopher, Blaise Pascal). As to the existence of God, he said you can bet your life on whether He exists or not. The wise wager is to bet on God - if you’re right, you win everything; if you’re wrong you lose nothing. If you bet against God’s existence and you’re right, you gain nothing, but if you are wrong, you lose everything. Talk about your sure bet!

But belief in God is not blind faith (or a blind bet!). We have hundreds of detailed prophecies about Christ’s first coming, His birth, death and resurrection, most written over 700 years before these events happened. And they were all fulfilled, with staggering, undeniable accuracy (eg. check out Isaiah 53). Biblical prophecy is really history (make that “His Story”) written in advance. It will happen - you can bet your life on it!

Our Prince really does ride in on a white stallion to save the day (19:11-16). Many fairy tales were written as illustrations of the very true story of Jesus. He is known as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (19:16), the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (21:6; 22:13). End of story!

“Lord, my life really began when I decided to follow You. I am so thankful that I don’t need to wonder or worry about how it will end because of that decision!”