DAILY, WEEKEND, AND HOLIDAY INTERNET EVANGELIZE TO THE WORLD MINISTRY

  February 1: God’s Ideas: More than Good Exodus 1–3 ; John 1:1–18 ; Song of Solomon 1:1–4 It’s exciting to see ideas take shape and then become reality. Even more exciting, though, is when God’s ideas take form. The Bible repeatedly shows us these events. As the reader, we’re given glimpses into what God is really doing—events the characters are unaware of. Or we have a hint all along that God is up to something unexpected, and that He will make good out of the evil that’s happening. The story of Moses is like this. God’s people are terribly oppressed, but there are many (Exod 1). And we all know there is power in numbers. When baby Moses comes along, we’re ready for something amazing to happen. It will be from this unassuming moment that God will do the least expected (Exod 2:1–10): He will help those on the underside of power. Our suspicion is confirmed when Moses is willing to kill in pursuit of justice (Exod 2:11–12). Moses flees, and then God hears Israel’s complaints abou...

  January 31: Discipline Genesis 49–50; Hebrews 12–13; Ecclesiastes 12:9–14 I was a stubborn child. When disciplined by my parents, I would sulk for hours afterward. I didn’t see my parents’ discipline as something that would mold me into a mature, loving person. Hebrews 12 has a lesson for people like me with a history of wallowing in self-pity when disciplined. Here, the writer of Hebrews tells us that God, our Father, disciplines us through the work of Jesus for our good. To emphasize this, the writer of Hebrews draws on the book of Proverbs, where the Father instructs His own Son. “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or give up when you are corrected by him. For the Lord disciplines the one whom he loves, and punishes every son whom he accepts” (Heb 12:6; compare Prov 3:11–12). The author tells us that being disciplined is a sign of God’s love. It means He is active and at work in our lives (Heb 12:8). Like a chastised child, we might not always recognize G...

January 28: Carpe Diem Genesis 44; Hebrews 8–9; Ecclesiastes 11:1–4 The Latin phrase Carpe Diem , means “seize the day.” Taking risks to make your life extraordinary is biblical, if done according to God’s plan and principles. The idea behind this comes from Ecclesiastes: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days” (Eccl 11:1). Bread acts as the symbol for substance in the ancient world; the author of Ecclesiastes is suggesting that we should follow God’s plan, even at the possible cost of our livelihood. He then suggests that what we give to God, He will return. This is opposite from a self-protection mentality. The “waters” in the proverb represent chaos, suggesting that in letting go of even the most chaotic circumstances, we learn about God’s ability to give what we need. This is further illustrated when the author says, “Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.… He who observes the wind will not...