Read: Matthew 28:16-20

Not long ago my wife’s car needed to be towed. When I explained to the man at the towing company how to find our home, I instructed him to tell the driver not to follow his global positioning system (GPS). Because another street with the same name as ours was separated from our home address by a field, special instructions were necessary. He assured me he would pass on my directions.

As I stood in the driveway wondering where the tow truck was, the driver called and said he had followed his GPS but couldn’t find my street number. Hmmmm. I repeated the directions I had given before, and the tow truck was there in no time.

Christians have a responsibility to give accurate directions for how a person can get to heaven by having a relationship with Christ (see John 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-5). We need to help people see that following their own religious “global positioning system,” such as good works or hoping to be good enough, won’t get them to heaven. While being sensitive to people’s beliefs, we need to share the true gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

Jesus said it best, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

Read: Psalm 119:33-40

Not far from where my husband and I live is a farm with a lot of horses. During certain seasons, some of the horses have masks over their eyes. For a long time I felt sorry for the horses who weren’t allowed to see. But then I learned that my assumption about the masks was wrong. The masks are made of mesh, so horses can see through them. But flies, which cause eye disease, can’t get through them. The masks don’t keep the horses from seeing; they keep them from going blind!

Non-Christians often make conclusions about the Bible similar to the one I made about the mask. They think of it as something God puts over our eyes to keep us from seeing all the fun we could be having. They feel sorry for Christians because they think the Lord keeps us from enjoying life. What I didn’t know about the horse mask, they don’t know about the Bible. It doesn’t keep us from seeing all that is good; it keeps us from being infected by lies that cause spiritual blindness. The Bible doesn’t keep us from enjoying life; it makes true enjoyment possible.

The Bible doesn’t keep us from knowing truth; it prevents us from believing lies.

Read: Nehemiah 1

I loved Malcom’s prayer at church the other day. Only 7 years old, he stood in front of 100 other kids and prayed: “Jesus, thank You that some of us get to play football and go to church, and for safety on the ride here, and for forgiveness of our sins, and for eternal life. We love You, Jesus. Please don’t ever forget how much we love You!”

It brought tears to my eyes as he expressed his heart to God. As adults, we may tend to try to polish our prayers a little, thinking that it will sound better to God’s ears or to those around us who might hear us. But I think God must delight in hearing just what’s on His child’s heart.

Nehemiah’s heart was filled with concern for the welfare of Jerusalem, his homeland, when he heard that the people were in great distress and that the wall around the city was broken down (Neh. 1:3). Wanting to do something, he talked to God about it. He praised God for who He is (v.5), requested forgiveness for sin (v.6), reminded Him of His promise (v.9), and asked for mercy from the king (v.11). God watched over Nehemiah and His people through the whole rebuilding process.

What is on your mind? Thanks or burdens? Whatever it is, your loving God wants to hear your heart.

Read: Job 37:1-16

One day many years ago my boys and I were lying on our backs in the yard watching the clouds drift by. “Dad,” one asked, “why do clouds float?” “Well, son,” I began, intending to give him the benefit of my vast knowledge, but then I lapsed into silence. “I don’t know,” I admitted, “but I’ll find out for you.”

The answer, I discovered, is that condensed moisture, descending by gravity, meets warmer temperatures rising from the land. That moisture then changes into vapor and ascends back into the air. That’s a natural explanation for the phenomenon.

But natural explanations are not final answers. Clouds float because God in His wisdom has ordered the natural laws in such a way that they reveal the “wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge” (Job 37:16). Clouds then can be thought of as a symbol—an outward and visible sign of God’s goodness and grace in creation.

So someday when you’re taking some time to see what images you can imagine in the clouds, remember this: The One who made all things beautiful makes the clouds float through the air. He does so to call us to wonder and adoration. The heavens—even the cumulus, stratus, and cirrus clouds—declare the glory of God.

Read: John 10:1-10

I don’t know if this is true in every marriage, but for some reason I have a tendency to tune out everything around me and concentrate on my own thoughts. This is especially frustrating to my wife, Martie, when she is talking to me about something important. When she notices the distant look in my eyes, she often says, “Have you heard anything I’ve said?”

Listening is an important part of any relationship, especially in our relationship with Christ. If we belong to Him, we have the privilege of communing with Him through His Word and the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. We know we are paying attention to the true Shepherd when His voice leads us to righteousness, love, grace, and all that is consistent with His character and will. As Jesus made clear when He identified Himself as the “good Shepherd” in John 10, those who diligently listen to Him become devoted followers of Him (v.4) who are becoming transformed into His likeness.

Just as listening attentively to your spouse or a friend communicates value and worth, paying close attention to the voice of Jesus is one way to affirm His importance in your life. So, let’s cast aside the distractions of life, tune in to His voice, and pray for the grace to do what He says.