Dave Miller's 2024 Bible Reading Challenge

Today's Readings -  Job 11-12, Acts 23:12–35, Psalm 89:21–27, Proverbs 19:5–6 This may be more of a short sermon than a "devotional." Devotional - Mad at God?  Have you ever been mad at God? Of course, you were raised in the church and you know better to call it that, right? You are discouraged, depressed, downhearted, disappointed - I am running out of words that start with d! Life hasn't gone the way you want and you feel you've gotten a raw deal. You may take in out on your spouse and kids, or on the guy who cuts you off in traffic. But at the root of it, the person you are angry at is God. You thought if you gave your life to him he would come through in ways he hasn't. You thought he would provide things he hasn't provide, deliver in ways he hasn't delivered, protect you from things he hasn't protected you from. I've gone through times in my life when I was mad at God - deep in my heart. I might not have admitted it to myself, but that is...

Today's Readings -  Job 9-10, Acts 22:22–23:11, Psalm 89:14–20, Proverbs 19:3–4 Devotional - A Theology of Despair  Job 9 is the beginning of a turn for Job in his verbal sparring with his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. At first, he had been too overwhelmed with grief to say anything and for seven days they sat in silence with him. Then, Job spoke, crying out to God in anguish, confusion, and grief. Instead of simply expressing sympathy and compassion, his friends took the training wheels off their theologies and tried to straighten him out. Theology is great, but bad theology is one of the most destructive forces on earth! The gist of their view is that God is a righteous God and if all these things happened to him, it must be his fault. Repent and God will forgive you, Job, they have said, and will say time and again. In chapter 9, Job begins to react negatively to their views and fight back. Each time he speaks, each time he responds to their judgment, he gets...

Today's Readings -  Job 7-8, Acts 21:37–22:21, Psalm 89:7–13, Proverbs 19:1-2 Devotional - A Confusing God  What did Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar do that was so wrong? At the end of the book of Job, after God has broken in and ministered to Job, after he has restored Job and strengthened his soul, he turned his attention to the friends. They came under his withering judgment. But why? What did they do that was so wrong? In Job 8 we hear from the second of Job's friends, Bildad the Blowhard. Educated Eliphaz has already given his analysis of things and the rantings of Zealous Zophar will follow in later chapters. But in this chapter, we see in Bildad some of the root problems of the friends' response. At the root of the problem is this simple issue. In the early days of a tragedy, when someone is dealing with deep pain and agony, even good theology is often not of great help. But the kind of weak theology that Bildad and the others were operating under was of no help at all....

Today's Readings -  Job 5-6, Acts 21:17–36, Psalm 89:1–6, Proverbs 18:21–24 Devotional - When You Do Right and It All Goes Wrong  Paul's ministry changed the church - entirely, in every way. It began when God sent Peter to Cornelius, but things really got going when God tabbed Barnabas and Saul and sent them off on their missionary quest. A funny thing happened - Gentiles got saved. A lot of them. In fact, by the time that Paul returned to Jerusalem in Acts 21 to meet with the remaining apostles, the church beyond the borders of ancient Israel was a majority Gentile body. And there were a lot of folks back in Jerusalem who didn't like it one bit. After Paul recounted the glorious things that God was doing among the Gentiles, James and the other leaders rejoiced, according to verse 20. They were glad, but they were also nervous because the gospel was spreading rapidly among the Jews in the homeland. Unfortunately, among these Jewish converts, there was still a loyalty to th...

Today's Readings -  Job 3-4, Acts 21:1–16, Psalm 88:11–18, Proverbs 18:19–20 Devotional - What to Say?  I stared at him like he was an alien, with horror and embarrassment. We were looking at old pics of our high schools days and I saw one with someone I didn't recognize. "Who is that?" I asked. "That's my brother," he responded. His brother, during his college years, had become despondent and committed suicide. What should I say? How should I respond? I didn't know. I panicked. I said nothing as the awkward moment passed. I'd love to go back to those days, with what I know now, and offer my friend a word of encouragement. You might have had a moment like that when you did not know what to say to minister to someone in a time of grief and pain. There is a lot to learn from Job's friends, both positive and negative, about situations like that. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar performed one of the most amazing acts of friendship anyone has ever see...

Today's Readings -  Job 1-2, Acts 20, Psalm 88:4–10, Proverbs 18:16–18 Devotional - Finish Well  I have competed in sports all of my life, but there is nothing like the thrill of crossing the finish line of a marathon. I've finished dead last in a marathon. Absolutely true. Both words. I was last and I was nearly dead. I did one a few years back in the desert mountains of White Sands, NM, that took me over 11 hours. But crossing the line makes all the pain, all the suffering, all the hard work worth it. There is nothing like finishing a marathon. The thrill of victory and the agony of de-feet. But I've also given up, quit. One time, 22 miles into a marathon, with only 4 miles to go, I gave up and wimped out - and I've regretted it ever since. Had I walked I would have probably had my best time ever, but I quit and I still regret it. Paul was very concerned about finishing the race God had set before him. In Acts 20:24, he foreshadows his declarations in 2 Timothy 4, sa...

Today's Readings -  Esther 9-10, Acts 19:21–41, Psalm 88:1–3, Proverbs 18:14–15 Devotional - In the Darkness The secret we pastors talk about with one another but seldom share with our people is how often we struggle with discouragement, despair, and even depression - being trapped in the "dark night of the soul." Marty Duren uses Winston Churchill's descriptive phrase and speaks of "when the black dog howls." Leaders and preachers are not the only ones who suffer this. We all do - those times when the whole world seems to be crashing down around you, when nothing makes sense, when the joy of life is gone. There are few who do not walk through that valley from time to time. Unfortunately, the church is too often no refuge during these dark nights. Voices tell us that if we just loved God, read the Bible, understood the gospel, or were more like them, our gloom would lift and all would be peaches and cream. There is enormous pressure in the fellowship of the...

Today's Readings -  Esther 7-8, Acts 19:1–20, Psalm 87, Proverbs 18:11–13 Devotional - Our Mighty God Having recovered from his humiliation when he was forced to parade Mordecai around the city in honor, Haman's spirits were lifted by his invitation to again dine with the king and Queen Esther. By himself. How many people get invited to an intimate dinner party with those two? His ego was strengthening after the severe blow it had just taken. He sat through the dinner, enjoying the food and the wine until at the end the king once again asked Esther to tell him what she wanted as a reward for the excellent repast (and his general regard for her). "Whatever you seek, even half the kingdom, will be done." He was jovial and generous. But her request was different. It was not for power, prestige or possessions. It was for the protection of her people from one who was attacking them. Esther 7:3-4 records her plea. “If I have found favor in your eyes, Your Majesty, and if t...

Today's Readings -  Esther 5-6, Acts 18:18–28, Psalm 86:9–17, Proverbs 18:9–10 Devotional - Sovereign Unseen  Esther is a strange book. It recounts some strange behavior from Esther and Mordecai; actions hard to square with the Law of God. But the oddest thing is that from the first verse to the last God's name is not mentioned a single time. How strange that a book of the Bible, inspired by God, free from error, should fail to even once mention the God who is over all. But though God is not mentioned in the book, he is certainly present in it. He is working behind the scenes, in the background, accomplishing his purposes and protecting his Chosen People from yet another genocidal maniac. The sovereign God of the universe may be unseen and unmentioned in this book, but he is ever-present. Chapter 6 is one of the funniest stories in the Bible. Haman hated Mordecai so much that he went off the rails and schemed to destroy all the Jews in the kingdom. He devised a plot and sucker...

Today's Readings -  Esther 3-4, Acts 18:1–17, Psalm 86:1–8, Proverbs 18:6–8 Devotional - In a Dark Hour The Psalms have such variety. They ascend the heights of God's glory and plumb the depths of human wickedness. There is hardly an emotion, a life issue or an aspect of a man's relationship with God that is not explored at some point. But the most common of all of these topics is human pain and suffering. The Psalmist asks why. He rages and moans. He calls out to God for sustaining grace, provision, and protection. In Psalm 86, David delves into many of these issues. We don't know what the provocation was for this psalm. It could have been a betrayal by one of his friends, an attack from an enemy, or some other grief or hardship in life. Perhaps it is best that we do not know what was troubling David since each of us has different struggles and troubles, none of which was likely common to the king of Israel. One of you who reads this may be struggling with illness, de...

Today's Readings -  Esther 1-2, Acts 17, Psalm 85:9–13, Proverbs 18:4–5 Devotional - Good News that Offends  Paul was a brilliant man; in fact, there are some who believe he would have been a known quantity in history even had he not met Jesus on the road to Damascus. When he wandered into Athens and began to debate with the Epicureans and Stoics, he was more than able to hold his own. He was not intimidated or overwhelmed by them or their philosophical intricacies. But then he came to that moment that every gospel presentation comes to - no matter what. You can be tactful, but there is a moment where tact goes out of the window. You can be intellectual, but there is a moment at which you abandon sight and walk by faith. There is always a moment of offense every time the truth of Jesus' work on the cross is shared. It came in Athens when Paul mentioned the resurrection of Jesus Christ (17:31). His intelligence might have impressed them to that point, but as soon as he talked ...

Today's Readings -  Nehemiah 11-13, Acts 16:25–40, Psalm 85:1–8, Proverbs 18:1–3 Devotional - Revive Us Again It is the heart-cry of so many believers today in this land, that God would revive his church and his people and reverse the moral and spiritual trends we observe. Could there be a true follower of Jesus Christ whose heart would not strongly desire such a revival? Many of the Psalms are calls for God to renew and revive his people, Israel, who had fallen into sin. Of course, we Americans often act like America is the new Israel and Americans are the chosen people of God. It is not true. The church is the chosen people of God today and it is we who must seek the renewal of God. I do not believe it is an insult to say that our church needs revival today. Doesn't yours? In Psalm 85:4-5, the Psalmist called out to God for forgiveness and restoration. Return to us, God of our salvation, and abandon your displeasure with us. Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolon...

Today's Readings -  Nehemiah 9-10, Acts 16:1–24, Psalm 84:8–12, Proverbs 17:27–28 Devotional - Barnabas-Paul-Timothy There is an old adage that Christianity is always one generation from extinction. It is, in reality, true, though if we believe the church is founded by Christ for God's eternal purposes, we also believe that hell cannot stand against it and though its success may ebb and flow, it will never be completely stopped. The thought behind the adage is still a good one. If we want the church to continue we must pass it along to younger folks who will continue the work. Chapter divisions can be unfortunate, causing us to miss the continuation of important ideas. In Acts 16, it may prevent us from seeing an interesting juxtaposition. When Paul was Saul of Tarsus, the enemy of the Cross, and converted on the road to Damascus, one man stood beside him, put his arm around him, and brought him into the fellowship of the church. When young Saul went off by him...

Today's Readings -  Nehemiah 7-8, Acts 15:22–41, Psalm 84:1–7, Proverbs 17:24–26 Devotional - No Superheroes Needed In one sense, the story makes me happy, in another, it makes me very sad. After the conference in Jerusalem that dealt with the conflict over Gentiles coming into the church, and how Jewish the church would be, Paul and Barnabas decided the time was right to head out on another mission trip to visit the churches they had already planted and to extend the gospel even further. Then, according to Acts 15:36-41, a problem arose, having to do with Mark. Barnabas, always the encourager, wanted to bring him along and give him another chance - let him succeed this time. Paul was having none of it. The momma's boy had cut and run when they needed him and could not be trusted. This was important business they were doing and there was no way that they could trust a man like this again, at least not this soon. And the argument became pretty heated. 36    Some time late...

Today's Readings -  Nehemiah 5-6, Acts 15:1–21, Psalm 83:13–18, Proverbs 17:22–23 Devotional - That Sinners Might See Who hasn't seen the despicable video in which Planned Parenthood treats human life as a commodity, or ISIS videos depicting unspeakable cruelty? What a world we live in. They anger us, disgust us, and fill us with indignation. And, frankly, they make us want to strike back at these people. The psalmists knew that feeling. The Psalms are full of prayers that pour out anger over the sin of the world - often called imprecatory prayers. Psalm 109 is among the most extreme of these, but Psalm 83 is definitely in the category. In it, Asaph calls on God to destroy the enemies of Israel and invokes previous instances in which that took place. He asks God to make these enemies like Sisera (83:9), who was killed when Jael drove a tent peg through his skull while he slept. I've had enemies but I've never prayed that God would arrange tent pegs through their skulls...

Today's Readings -  Nehemiah 3-4, Acts 14, Psalm 83:6–12, Proverbs 17:19–21 Devotional - Pray Hard, Fight Hard Nehemiah was operating under the call and blessing of God, who had put it on his heart to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. God had further blessed him by granting him favor with the king who sent him on his way in favor. When he arrived, he was faithful to do the work of God carefully and diligently. The walls were being built. Of course, that meant that everything went well, everyone cheered him on and supported his work and things fell into place. Amen? Uh...no. There was a man named Sanballat, his friend Tobiah and many others who were opposed to the work Nehemiah was doing. They marshaled their strength to oppose the work that was being done. Sanballat was furious about the progress God's people were making. The fact is, God's work will always be opposed. Jesus was opposed. Paul was opposed. Every great figure in the Bible experience...

Today's Readings -  Nehemiah 1-2, Acts 13:35–52, Psalm 83:1–5, Proverbs 17:17–18 Devotional - When They Don't Applaud We all say, "I do all I do for the glory of God," but the test of that comes when people stop applauding you for the things you do. In serving the Lord, criticism is natural. Sometimes people find your faults and justly criticize you. Sometimes, they find a small fault and drive a Mack truck of criticism through it. And sometimes, they simply make it up. How we respond when the hammer of negativity falls determines much of our eternal significance in ministry. I tend to either get angry and strike back (usually with my big fat mouth) or I crumble into a puddle of goo and spend days in a dark mood obsessing over the criticism. Paul had a different wisdom. He was a human being and I'm sure the rejection and criticism hurt his feelings. But he never let these things destroy him or derail him from the work God gave him. Anyone who wishes to make an im...