Month: September 2024

It was Thursday night and Jesus knew that this time tomorrow he would be dead, at least, as we think of death. So, he told his disciples, “I am going away to prepare a better place for you.”

That Scripture is John 14:2-3.

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

He went to prepare a place for you and me too, but do you really want to go? 

I’m reminded of the street preacher who always used the line, “Do you want to go to heaven?” Of course, people always said yes. One day he stopped a man and asked, “Do you want to go to heaven?” The man immediately said, “No!” 

He never heard that answer before so he responded, “you don’t want to go to heaven when you die?” The man said, “When I die? Yes. I thought you were getting up a load to go right now.”

I get it. We like where we are. 

The first lines of a poem say, 

“If God hath made this world so fair,
Where sin and death abound,
How beautiful, beyond compare,

Will Paradise be found!”

God made our world wonderful, but have you ever stopped to consider how much better paradise will be? Jesus went to prepare it as our eternal home. Where we’ll never grow old.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Today’s Scripture is Psalm 32:8.  

“I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

This verse reminds us of the intimate care God offers as He guides us through life. His counsel is not distant or cold, but full of love and attention. He doesn’t just tell us what to do; He watches over us with tenderness, making sure we stay on the right path. This is the meaning of “I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” He doesn’t counsel us and then turn his back on us.

It’s easy to feel lost or uncertain, but this verse assures us that God is personally invested in our journey. His loving nature means that we are never forgotten or abandoned. God loves each of us as if we were the only one.  This is the heart of His guidance—it’s personal, kind, and constant.

When we trust in God’s counsel, we find peace, knowing that He sees more than we do. He knows what’s ahead, and His love ensures that He will lead us safely. The question we must ask ourselves is, are we willing to trust His love and follow where He leads?

Today, whatever happens, remember God is watching. Not to find your faults, but to see your needs.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and this is a thought worth thinking.

Today’s Scripture is Matthew 1:5-6:  

“Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.”

When reading the Bible, have you ever skimmed over genealogies, assuming they have little relevance? It’s easy to overlook their significance, but if you slow down, you’ll see powerful stories hidden in the names. Take this passage, for example. 

King David’s grandmother was Ruth, a Moabite, someone who wasn’t even Jewish. Her loyalty to her mother-in-law, Naomi is one of the Bible’s most moving moments. Ruth told her, “Wherever you go, I will go; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”.

Even more astonishing is King David’s great-grandmother, Rahab. Once a prostitute in Jericho, she showed great faith by protecting Israel’s spies, securing her place in God’s unfolding story. 

Two women from different backgrounds, one who ate from charity and one a prostitute in Jericho, both considered outsiders, became the grandmother and great-grandmother of the great King. By the way, we don’t know the name of his mother, just his grandmother and great-grandmother. 

These two women teach us that God works through the unexpected to accomplish His purposes.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and this is a thought worth thinking.

Turning Gifts into Blessings

Our Scripture today is First Peter 4: verse 10
As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.

“Whatever gift he has received,” is an interesting phrase. It means that we don’t all have the same gift. Peter says that plainly in the following verses.

“If anyone speaks, he should speak…
If anyone serves, he should serve…

If you have the gift of speaking, then be a speaker. If you are a gifted server, then serve. Use the gift God has given you. If you have a special talent for singing, then sing. If you are a great cook, then use that gift too. If you are whatever, then use that whatever you have been gifted.

Notice that he says of the gift you have, that you are a “steward.” That means that God has given you that gift to hold for him.

Use your talent because you were made for that purpose.
Use your talent because God is lending it to you to use.
Use your talent because you will not reach your full potential until you do.
Use your blessing to bless.

As a wise man said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” Our gifts have greater value when we use them for the good of others.

I’m Lonnie Davis and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Today’s Scripture is 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.”

In Luke 15, we read the beautiful story of the Prodigal Son. This young man took his inheritance, journeyed to a distant land, and wasted it all. Broke, hungry, and living in a pig pen, he longed to return home but believed he had ruined his chance. His faith in himself was shattered. He had no hope for anything more than being accepted as a servant in his father’s household.

But something greater than faith or hope remained. As he approached, still a long way off, his father saw him, ran to him, and embraced him. Not as a servant, but as his son. What caused this amazing welcome? The answer is found in today’s verse. Love—the greatest of all.

When faith falters and hope seems lost, love stands strong. In this parable, we are the prodigal, and God is the father. No matter how far we wander, when we turn back to Him, He greets us with love beyond measure.

There is no mistake, no failure, and no pig-pen that can keep us from the Father’s love.

I’m Lonnie Davis and this is a thought worth thinking.

Today’s Scripture is Nehemiah 8:10.

“Then Nehemiah told them, ‘Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'”

I love the story of the little mouse that climbed up on the back of an elephant as they walked along a road. When they crossed a bridge, the entire structure shook under their weight. As they reached the other side, the mouse said to the elephant, “Boy, we really shook that bridge, didn’t we?”

Maybe you’re facing a tough day, or perhaps things are going well.

Regardless of what lies ahead, we’re all riding with God. Like the mouse on the elephant, we often feel small and overwhelmed by the challenges we face. Yet, it’s not our own strength that carries us through, but God’s. His joy is our strength, just as Nehemiah reminded the people of Israel.

In life, we may not be the ones shaking the bridges, but with God by our side, we have the strength to cross them. So, don’t be afraid—rejoice in the Lord’s strength today.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and this is a thought worth thinking.

Today’s Scripture is Ephesians 5:21.

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

This verse lies at the core of Paul’s teachings on relationships, particularly emphasizing the bond between husbands and wives. This verse calls for mutual submission—a deep expression of respect that is crucial for any loving marriage. It advocates for a balance where each partner honors the other, not out of duty but driven by their reverence for Christ and each other.

John Gray’s insights resonate with this Scripture. He notes, “When men and women are able to respect and accept their differences, then love has a chance to blossom.” This statement highlights that genuine respect within a marriage stems from acknowledging and valuing each other’s unique contributions and perspectives. Such respect is not just an ideal but a practical pathway to deeper love and understanding.

In this light, Ephesians 5 is not merely instructive; it deepens marital bonds. Through practicing mutual submission, husbands and wives actively demonstrate their love and respect for one another, reflecting the selfless love Christ has for the church. This shared commitment fosters a partnership rooted in mutual respect, where both individuals support and uplift each other in their spiritual journey. Such a relationship not only fortifies the marital bond but also serves as a compelling testament to God’s design for marriage.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and this is a thought worth thinking.

Today’s Scripture is Proverbs 22:3:

“The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.”

As I read this verse, I’m reminded of a time when my son was in first grade. He got it into his head that he wanted to jump out of a plane with a parachute. Now, when you’re six, that’s not going to happen. So, being Jeremy, he grabbed the biggest trash bag he could find and climbed up onto the roof of the house. Holding the bag over his head, he jumped. You can guess how that turned out. Sitting on the ground afterward, he wondered why his makeshift parachute didn’t work.

The following week, his class played the parachute game at school—where the kids grab part of a large parachute and bounce a ball around. It was the first time he saw a real parachute up close, and he noticed that it had a hole in the middle. In his mind, the problem was solved. When he got home, he grabbed another trash bag, cut a hole in it, and jumped again. You can guess how that ended.

Now, back to today’s verse. “The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going.” I’ll give my son a pass—he was only six. But how many times have we adults been guilty of the same thing, ignoring the warning signs and charging ahead, thinking we know better? 

This verse reminds us of the importance of being alert and cautious. As George Santayana once said, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” If we ignore the lessons around us or fail to recognize danger, we only bring trouble upon ourselves. 

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Our Scripture today is Ephesians 6:4  

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

I remember this verse from my teenage years. It was the first Bible verse that I ever abused. My Dad did something that made me upset, and I remember thinking, “He is violating the Bible. Ephesians 6:4 says, ‘Fathers, provoke not your children unto wrath.’”  

I’m not making that up. I took solace in thinking that he would have to answer for upsetting me. It was a classic case of going to the Bible to find a proof text for what I wanted it to say.  

So what is the point? Here it is: Before you make a teaching out of a verse, even a personal teaching, you should take the time to understand what it means.  

Today’s verse is not a call to make sure that fathers never do anything that upsets their children. The verse tells fathers to bring up their children to know and follow the instructions of the Lord.  

Before we try to use any verse of the Bible as a “proof text” for what we believe, we must make sure that we know what the verse is teaching.  

That great thought is a call to be daily students of the Bible.

I’m Lonnie Davis and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Today’s Scripture is Psalms 32:8-9.

“I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding; they must be controlled with bit and bridle to make them come to you.”

In these verses, we find a comforting promise from God, paired with a strong warning. God pledges to guide us, offering not only instruction but also vigilant oversight. This promise encapsulates His readiness to lead us through life’s complexities, provided we are willing to listen and follow His counsel.

Yet, the following verse presents a hard alternative: if we choose not to heed His guidance, we risk being treated like unthinking animals, needing bits and bridles for direction.

This imagery is powerful and clear—without understanding and willingness, we relinquish the gentle guidance of God’s hand, only to face harsher measures to bring us back to the path.

This dynamic mirrors the truth of the saying, “Fools do eventually, what wise men do immediately.” God’s invitation is to wisdom—to respond to His guidance promptly, and avoid the painful lessons reserved for those who delay obedience.

Choosing to listen to God’s direction can spare us much hardship and will align us more closely with His will and peace.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and this is a thought worth thinking.