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David Bahn - Reflections49 Week Challenge - Day 63: David's Path to and from AnointingI am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are John 7; 1 Samuel 16; Psalm 114; 129.
2025-07-0705 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsDavid's Son and David's LordToday we recognize Jesus not only as David’s Son, but also as his Lord. He is our Lord, too, the very Son of God. In fact if Jesus isn’t God he should be dismissed out of hand. But he is God in the flesh - a mystery of profound grace and truth. We worship the man Jesus who is God. We worship the Son of God, Jesus who took on human flesh for us. He is both David’s Son and David’s Lord, and our Savior from sin, death, and hell.
2024-12-2304 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsPaul's Mighty MenPaul will not have 30 like David did. But he will have four who will stand in the gap with and for him. They will complete a vow and vouch for Paul's faithfulness. There may not be a war in the same way as David fought, but there is a spiritual war going on. And the devil will use anything he can to derail God's mission. Thank God for those who stand with their leaders and fellow servants to defend, protect, pray for, and encourage those servants of the gospel. They are a blessing!
2024-06-1804 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsA Man After God's HeartDavid shows that he is a man after God's heart because he repents. He will not hide behind an unbelieving heart with outward shows of piety. He won't harumph himself up before others in self-righteousness. He calls out to God,
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. - Psalm 51:15
And,
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! - Psalm 51:1-2
2024-01-1906 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsPartners in MissionElijah had Elisha. David had Jonathan. Jesus sent his disciples out two-by-two. Even Jesus himself had Peter, James, and John; John being especially close. Do you have a partner in mission? Is there someone who is allied with you in sharing the message of Jesus, living under Christ in his kingdom, loving God and neighbor to the fullest? You are blessed if you do. If you don't you can make that a matter of your personal prayer, and make an intentional effort to find that person of peace; that partner in mission.
2023-12-2004 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsPsalm 51: The Joy of God's SalvationWhether the sting of death has bitten hard, or you are crawling out of a dungeon of your own sin, when you seek God's grace there comes along with it, the joy of God's salvation. And what a joy it is! Jesus earned it for you and all people when he died for the sins of the world. He secured it when he rose from the dead. God promises it to all who believe in him. And like David, if we continue that prayer we will recall that the joy of God's salvation is to be shared so that...
2023-02-2405 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsPsalm 42: Holding on to HopeA hope devoid of lament is shallow and easily set aside. It sets us up for catastrophic disappointment. Lament without hope is a prescription for depression. It robs us of the joy of God's salvation. God calls us to both lament and hope, and this psalm expresses that beautifully. Let your cries of anguish, pain, discouragement, and lament call out to God. But in the end, join David in speaking of our eternal hope, found in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. This will be fully experienced on the Great Last Day when the salvation of God will be fully...
2023-02-1704 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsPsalm 42: Thinking About the Woman at the WellI've been thinking about the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well (cf. John 4:1-42).
Whenever we face taunting, isolation, fear, sleeplessness, and deep discouragement, God is only a prayer away. We're in good company if we lament our hardships and our sins, and seek God's steadfast love. Whether it's the long way around we take to avoid the taunts of others, the anxious and sleepless moments of dread as we think about possible future happenings, or guilt and shame over past choices and present temptations, we can pray this psalm: with David. With t...
2023-02-1405 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsPsalm 23: When "He" becomes "You"Whatever may happen in our lives we can talk about God, "He..." But we can also talk to God, "You..." That's what David does in this psalm. And so did we during various times of challenge, danger, anxiety, and uncertainty in our lives. So can you. Whatever you are facing, you can talk about God. And you can talk to him. He listens...even though he has much to do. Last night we closed our choir practice with prayer. One choir member prayed, "God, you have so much to do. Thank you for hearing our prayers and answering them."...
2023-02-0304 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsPsalm 23: The Fullness of God's BlessingsThe first step in the AA 12-Step recovery program is to admit that you have a problem. That's an attitude of humility. Other steps require confession, obedience, and even helping others along the way. That's the path of obedience. That's nothing new. These are God's ways from of old. Blessed is the one who will humble himself before God, and who will fully experience the blessings of God in following his paths of righteousness.
Consider this also: David sought to help others along the way of God's blessing. That's why we have this psalm. The fullest experience...
2023-02-0104 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsPsalm 23: Who is leading you?David - 1000 years before Jesus was born - writes about the LORD being his shepherd. And all that he does is good. Safety, security, and rich supply are the LORD's gifts. Eternal joy in his presence is his hope. Confidence in the face of challenge and danger is his fortune.
David identifies the One who supplies all this: the LORD. This is the holy name of God, the One who is, who revealed himself to Moses as "I AM WHO I AM." (Exodus 3:14) He was to tell the children of Israel that "HE WHO IS" had sent...
2023-01-3104 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsPsalm 22: It all comes together in JesusThe imagery of suffering and torment in this psalm surely reflects that of Jesus on the cross: bones out of joint, pierced hands and feet, lots cast for his clothing, people mocking him. Jesus endures this for us because of his love for his Father and for us and all sinners. He perfectly fulfills all this - not just symbolically. I don't know of a situation when David's hands and feet were pierced, but Jesus' certainly were - literally. Jesus also fulfills this most telling of hope's expression:
Posterity shall serve him;
it shall be told...
2023-01-2707 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsPsalm 19: An Even Better DeclarationGod’s word adds to the testimony of creation and points us to the LORD God and his ways. David speaks of God’s Law, precepts, commands and rules. They revive the soul, give wisdom, joy and enlightenment. They endure forever, are perfectly righteous, precious and sweet. There are great blessings to be had in their keeping.
Creation sings a song of praise to God. Those who hear and read God’s word are blessed so that they too join that song of praise. An even better declaration of praise pours from the hearts of those who hear...
2023-01-1705 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsMary Did You Know: Finding FavorWe may put our yearnings in categories of disease, guilt, shame, disappointment, loneliness, emptiness, hopelessness, betrayal, or death's looming shadow. But we're all empty vessels, and sadly we too very often seek to fill ourselves with all the wrong things. Mary may have been different, and for that reason chosen to bear the Son of God. Salvation comes to us by God's grace - from first to last. But those of noble character - though no more saved by grace than you or me - find God's favor in unique ways. And although Mary found favor with God, she...
2022-12-0705 min
David Bahn - ReflectionsHow would you be known?We don't know much about Anna. We know she was a prophetess. But we don't fully know what that means, and how that would compare to John the Baptizer. We know she was devoted, and regularly and often in the temple. But we know little of in what capacity she was there; though we might surmise that she was there to worship and pray and prophesy. We know she saw the baby Jesus and immediately began to tell everyone about him. So Luke tells us that Anna was a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher...
2022-01-1003 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWhy is this so difficult?!?The difficulty we have in keeping on the straight and narrow and consistently displaying the fruit of the Spirit, and being distressed about this is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our hearts and lives. If we did not have the Holy Spirit. We wouldn’t care. But we do care. And we are distressed when we discover we’ve forfeited the fruit of the Spirit in any situation. Thanks be to God that Jesus welcomes us back. And we can pray with David, “take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvatio...
2021-11-1204 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWhen God Comes ThroughMuch of this Abraham and Sarah narrative is not about the delivery of the promised child. It is about the struggles, foibles, and setbacks that come along the way. Life is not a series of yay God days, one after the other for most people. We can easily identify with Abraham and Sarah in their times of testing, waiting, struggling, questioning, and nearly giving up hope. The Bible is clear about that.
The biblical record is also clear about God's good will and trustworthy nature in those times of waiting. God will make good on the good t...
2021-09-2204 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsCuarto y Quinto and BeyondThere is no hiding the fact that sin had been committed. Although Abimelech had not "approached" Sarah, there had been deception, and a dangerous path was afoot. And everyone had excuses for his behavior. Nevertheless Abimelech did what he could to rectify the situation. He returned Sarah to Abraham, and provided gifts meant to show his and Sarah's innocence.
On some level you'd have to say that Abimelech made it right. And God healed Abimelech and his wife and the women of his household. Because Abraham prayed for him, much had been and subsequently was set aright.
2021-09-2105 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWe Preach Best What We Need MostOne of the foundational truths of God’s word is that he is creator of all that exists. His creation is fallen, broken, and corrupt(ed). The devil has been at work and had his way with us. And whenever we give into the temptations of the evil one, our own sinful flesh, or the world’s allure, we sin against God.
Maybe that’s not profound to you. But it is to me. I need God’s forgiveness. And so do you. For all my sins, great and small. Sometimes God prevents us from sinning, just as he di...
2021-09-2005 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsGod's Grace Abounds!Sunday's message at Fishers of Men Lutheran Church, Port Isabel, Texas
2021-09-2019 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsFear, Forgetfulness, and Faith: Faith Wins!Abraham and Sarah succumb to the same temptation that is recorded in Genesis 12:10-13. Now more than 25 years later, they try the same scheme. Abraham's and Sarah's fear and forgetfulness conspire to take this path of deceit. Thankfully that path is cut short by God. His intervention takes the form of the dream of Abimelech, and the stern warning to him. Why not Abraham? Why not Sarah? It is not clear. What is clear, however, is that the intervention works and Sarah is restored to Abraham, and this episode passes. Another chapter in the long saga of a fallen...
2021-09-1704 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsGod's People Are Real PeopleGod's people are sinners. They are forgiven sinners. And they are also the ones God uses to intercede for others. We serve the Father as broken vessels of God's grace. And if, once in a while, our brokenness becomes evident, we can be thankful that God's grace abounds. And perhaps it will leak out from us and be a source of blessing and favor to others.
2021-09-1605 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWho are you in this story?We will certainly not place ourselves in this story as the One who orchestrates it all. We're not the One to whom everyone else must answer. We are not the One who holds life and death in our hands. We are not the One who saves and destroys.
We are, however, his. And that identity is most important of all. We are the children of God. His beloved. His redeemed. His precious. His delight. His joy. And from whomever else's perspective we may view the events in this account, our true identity is found in his loving...
2021-09-1404 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsSin has its consequences, and yet we hope.The sins of the world in which we live do not escape his attention. And this is where we live. This is no fairy tale world. Whether it's the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the horrific destruction of earthquake, famine, or hurricane, God's people are not exempt from life as it really is. These may be direct acts of God's judgment or the real and harsh consequences of life in a fallen world. But in any case these are God's call to repentance and fair warning of a more grave and ultimate judgment.
Thanks be to God...
2021-09-1305 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsSunday Message: Will You Pray for Your Chrissy?I'm serving at Fishers of Men Lutheran Church in Port Isabel, TX during September 2021. This message is about the Priesthood of All Believers and our calling to pray for the lost and erring.
2021-09-1220 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsDo the right thing!Perhaps Zoar is a symbol for Jesus: a little town, a man of little human consequence (cf. Isaiah 53). But his commitment to doing the right thing never wavered. He never flenched from loving God. He never failed in his pure and perfect love for sinners. He is our refuge from the coming destruction of every evil power, plan, pretension, or place known to man and the powers of this world. But step through the door of this city and discover just how large is God's heart and love, his grace and kindness. The joy of his salvation knows no...
2021-09-1004 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsLet Not God's Warning Go UnheededHow easy it is for us to dismiss the urgent call to repent, reorder our lives, abandon evil pursuits, or escape judgment or destruction! Lot almost falls prey to the lure of waiting and ignoring the imminent danger that will soon befall Sodom and Gomorrah. Had the angels not compelled him - taken him by the hand - he likely would have perished.
I suspect there are some lessons for me here. There may be a sin to confess, a promise to claim, a warning to heed, a hope to embrace, a vice to abandon that I...
2021-09-0904 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWeakly Whispered PrayersWe may have a lot in common with Lot. His prayer is weak and pleading. We might occasionally feel very weak. While there may be times for us to claim a faith like Abraham's, we can lean into the goodness, mercy, and kindness of God in every situation. In those weak and uncertain moments, we can remember this encounter with Lot and the promise of Isaiah 42:3, which says that God "will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle." Knowing that may make even the weakest prayers stronger.
2021-09-0804 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsMercy!Here in Genesis, God's mercy delays the city's destruction to allow Lot and his family to escape. Ours may not be as dramatic or obvious. But one thing remains: God's mercy is a precious gift. If grace is receiving something we don't deserve and mercy is being exempted from punishment we do deserve, we can rejoice in both. We see it here in Genesis. We ought to look for it every day of our lives and give thanks to God for it.
2021-09-0704 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsTake Heed!Is there a warning you’re ignoring? Are you too ready to conclude that people are crying wolf when they sound the alarm? I have no strong opinion about the current crises call about climate change. I’m pretty certain that the COVID-19 crisis is real. But I’m totally convinced that God’s call to repent and believe the gospel is absolutely vital. It is a message that must be heard. And believed. And heeded.
Maybe it’s a relationship that gets patched up. Perhaps it is a sin to be abandoned. It could be an overall la...
2021-09-0605 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsHow to Multiply God's KingdomIt may not be obvious that we should care to multiply God's kingdom...until we give thought to what Jesus did to bring us into his gracious reign and rule, and why he did it.
2021-09-0523 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsTruth and Grace: What if they don't receive it? What if they do?Some people, for fear of rejection or other loss simply don't speak up. They don't want to look silly in the eyes of others. They don't want to sacrifice relationships for the sake of a clear witness. They don't want to sound extremist, or alarmist. Or fanatical. Maybe I'm one of those people.
I haven't always been. In college I took my Bible to a philosophy class and shared Jesus' words from Matthew 5. I was jeered at and summarily dismissed. The girl I was really interested in dating told me, "Don't be a fanatic, Dave." That hurt. I...
2021-09-0304 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsYeah. Yeah. Yeah. NO!We might think we can distance ourselves from a dismissive attitude toward God. We might assume that we always pay attention to God's warnings. We might even labor under the false idea that since God hasn't done one of his direct and dramatic acts of retribution in our recent memory, he won't deal summarily with us. We've skated this long. We've been able to bend God's will to ours all this time. He won't come down on us. If you know how this story unfolds, you'll recall that the sons-in-law and Lots's wife's nonchalance will not be well-rewarded.
2021-09-0204 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsRescued by the Hand of the LordMaybe you've seen or felt the rescuing hand of God. Maybe you've not. But the angels of God watch over his people. And sometimes circumstances unfold that can only be the providential care and rescue of a loving God who wishes none to be lost, for all to be found and be saved from eternal doom.
2021-09-0104 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsRelentless PursuitLet no one misunderstand what Jesus did when he died on the cross. He stood the devil down. He did not give in - even when forsaken by his Father. He did not let their jeers, taunts, and torture dissuade him from his perfect love for God and lost sinners reaching its pinnacle. He died in faith, sacrificing himself for the sake of sinners. And he destroyed the power of the devil. We may wish for a more obvious and dramatic show of God's judgment. But when it does not come we must remember why God seems slow. He...
2021-08-3105 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsSurely You Don't JestA life of gluttonous indulgence of any kind certainly does not honor God. And pride in any sort of lifestyle that does not honor God is idolatry of the worst kind. I have no doubt that the most obvious sin of Sodom seen here is a lustful homosexual desire. But I know from my own heart that sin too easily deceives. And warnings that we might dismiss as excessive and unnecessary ought not to be taken lightly, nor spoken in jest.
2021-08-3005 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsSalt and LightWe are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We can have a positive impact in the world. We can enlighten people about the reign and rule of God. And in the process, perhaps we can prevent the catastrophic consequences of sin from having free reign and destroying our communities and us.
There are times we need to stand in the gap for loved ones and difficult situations. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and others have done this. Maybe you have too. Thanks be to God for Jesus who stood in the gap for us...
2021-08-2705 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWeighed and Found...Nothing less than 100% purity is sufficient for our standing before God. James 2:10 tells us clearly that, "whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." And Paul tells us, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, and do them" (Galatians 3:10). Jesus himself tells us that our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees if we are to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20).
So what are we to do? I don't know anyone who is 100% without...
2021-08-2604 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWho has the inside scoop?We have been told by God of his intent for the future of the whole world. We've learned of this through his word. This is no trivial factoid. There is a weight that goes with this knowledge. As we think on that, it might even shape our desire to know of our neighbor's latest bit of gossip. Knowing of our neighbor's need brings the weight of acting in love toward that neighbor. Helping him. Praying for her. Listening to their stories. Walking with her through the dark valleys. Rejoicing with him on the mountaintops.
2021-08-2504 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsStanding Before Powers and AuthoritiesLook at Abraham! He is not only willing to speak out, he's willing to speak out to God! He stands before the Lord: "Abraham still stood before the Lord." That's bold. That's brave. That's gutsy! Or maybe, just maybe that's what bold faith looks like.
It's called Fides Heroica (Heroic Faith). And the Father of Faith (Abraham is known by that name) is exercising it here. Heroic Faith will stand up to God. Not in defiant arrogance, but in expectant boldness. Not in inopportune insistence, but in confident expectation.
2021-08-2405 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWill God tell us? What lesson are we to learn?God may let us know of things so that we may be warned. It could be that his intent and even his revelation of that intent (consider the book of Revelation for example), is so that we may be warned. It might also be so that we are prepared. In other words, as we read the prophecies of Scripture (think again of Revelation), those ought to prepare us for the challenges we may face, and remind us of God's justice, holiness, and most of all his love.
I may need that reminder now and again. And I...
2021-08-2306 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsAt the Appointed TimeThe timing of God is an elegant and marvelous thing. He is seldom in a hurry. Never late. Never early either. And while we wait for his promises to become reality we must do all we can to live into them, and act on those things over which we do have control...all the while imagining how wonderful it will be to experience the fullness of their fulfillment.
And experience them we will. For that is God's promise to us, secured in his Son, Jesus Christ, to be fully and completely realized at the end of all...
2021-08-2004 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsIs Anything too Marvelous for God?God is over all things. And while that is not the center of my theology, it is a immutable truth connected to the central hub of God's grace. And the translation of the NASB helps get at that. I believe, more than anything else, that God is gracious and merciful. He is forgiving and good. God is love. And he has all the power needed to do the good things he has in mind for Abraham. And for you. And for me.
I need to remember that. For there are times when his ways are difficult and...
2021-08-1903 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsThe Privilege and Honor of HospitalityToday we took our granddaughters to the Children's Museum in downtown Houston. Then we went to the "It's my pleasure," place (Chick-Fil-A) for lunch. I don't know who came up with that idea. Try it sometime...say thank you to a Chick-Fil-A worker and you're sure to get, "It's my pleasure," in return.
I wonder whether we need to be more like those workers. More like Abraham. More like the best Hotelier. The most sincerely-accommodating maître d'. Lydia. Check out her story in Acts 16:11-15. Who knows what kind of good news you might hear!
2021-08-1803 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWhen God Speaks to Our SoulsSometimes God shows up in power and might. Think Elisha and the prophets of Baal. Or Isaiah in the year King Uziah died. Or God talking straight with Job. Think the crossing of the Red Sea. There can be no mistaking the power, majesty, glory, and dominion of God in those moments.
But think, too, of the still small voice. Remember Jesus' silence before Pilate. Call to mind God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day, and asking simply, "Adam, where are you?" This moment in Abraham's life is an encounter with God. And...
2021-08-1704 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsEntertaining Angels UnawaresThere's something about real people communicating real truth to real people. On this occasion the angels assume all the properties of real people. And their message is a message from God. We may think of angels as winged creatures with etherial appearance. But the message makes the angel. For the word angel itself means messenger. How many times have we heard a message from God and not recognized the messenger as an angel from God?
2021-08-1605 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsNew Testament CircumcisionWhether child or adult, the blessings of baptism come from God through the word. And whether adult or child, they remain in the water apart from faith. Martin Luther rightly says, "Baptism is the water comprehended in God's command and connected with God's word." It offers the blessings of God: forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. And it does all this because the word of God is connected with the water. And those blessings are received by "faith that trusts that word of God (again, Luther).
2021-08-1304 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsEven when no one is watchingAnd God is gone. We don't have a clear expression of God's omniscience at this point in the biblical narrative. God has not revealed himself as redeemer. God has not necessarily even revealed his name. There is no threat either. No, "or else." No, "if you don't..." Just a promise and a command. You will have a son. Circumcise all the males of your family. Perhaps here we need to read "family" as "household," a very extended grouping of people related to Abraham in any manner whatsoever.
2021-08-1203 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsNaming NamesPerhaps you are an Isaac: a child of God with whom God has established his covenant. Maybe you are a Sarah, one who will yet deliver a gift to the world. Are you a laughing boy, the child of promise, the fruition of your parents' hopes and dreams? If so, fulfill your destiny and become all God intends for you to become - under his gracious favor - no matter what your name may be. You might be an Ishmael, one who is not part of the covenant, but whom God will bless. Will you receive the invitation to...
2021-08-1106 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsLaughing Matters, Part 2Maybe you've thought as I did that it was Sarah who first laughed and who therefore triggered the naming of Isaac (his name means, he laughs). Funny thing (pun intended!). I had it wrong. Abraham laughs first. So did Abraham. Sarah will have her time later, and will be called on it. God's word will be accomplished. What he says happens. From, "Let there be light," to "You will have a son," when God speaks, things happen.
2021-08-1009 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsNo Laughing MatterIs there a promise of God that would invite your faith? Your tears? Your laughter? Believe this: God's promises are absolutely reliable, good, profound, and life-saving. That's no laughing matter.
2021-08-0904 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsThe Part I do not LikeDo you believe, trust, hope in, and wait for the eternal blessings of Jesus? Do you believe he is your righteousness? Are you baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Do you repent daily and daily drown the old nature? Do you rely on God's grace in Jesus? It's that simple. Faith in Jesus gives eternal life. Without faith it is impossible to please God.
2021-08-0504 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsI Know the Future......God wins! That's good news for all who yearn for God's grace in Jesus.
2021-08-0505 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWhite SUVs and Discoveries of GraceThe more aware we are of our identity as children of God through baptism, perhaps the more aware we will be of others who share that identity.
2021-08-0303 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsCounsels and Consequences of God’s GraceThe idea of God’s grace is no new idea, originating even in the times of Abraham. It springs from eternity, from the heart and character of God. And this covenant of grace is eternal in its consequences: God’s grace impacts every aspect of our lives throughout all eternity.
2021-08-0203 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsFaithful LivingWhat does it mean to live by faith? It is a beautiful braid of waiting, hoping, and trusting in God’s promises.
2021-07-3003 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsCovenant and KingdomGod has a claim on us because of his love. He calls us to a life of faithful obedience. The more we learn about God’s character, the better we will be able to express that in our daily lives.
2021-07-2903 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsCovenant and KingdomGod has a claim on us because of his love. He calls us to a life of faithful obedience. The more we learn about God’s character, the better we will be able to express that in our daily lives.
2021-07-2903 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsOur Proper but not Permanent PostureThe place of utter humility on our face before God is not meant to be a permanent place. We need to go there to the extent that God convicts us of our sins. But we need, also to hear God's call to walk with him faithfully, and live to his honor. And trust his promises. He will not fail you. Or me. Or anyone who puts her faith in him.
In the end, our posture will be hands raised in joy and praise to God for his glorious grace. That will be quite a day!
2021-07-2803 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWhat's in a name? Ask AbrahamOn this occasion God reveals a new name for himself. He is God Almighty (Hebrew: El-Shaddai). This is the first time God reveals this name. There is something new here. The term is quite properly translated God Almighty. This will be a revelation of God's power. Sarah will bear a son.
2021-07-2605 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsOnce is Not EnoughTimes pass slowly as we wait to see the fulfillment of these promises. That's why God has repeated them for us to hear and believe. As we wait, we who are both saint and sinner, need also to be reminded to live up to our identity as daughters and sons of God.
God has reminded us of this many times. Because once is not enough.
2021-07-2604 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWhen God shows upThere are choices and consequences we all make and face. But we have been found by God. God's first action is to seek and save the lost. While we thank God for his rescue, let's not ignore his commands, nor fail to heed his warnings.
2021-07-2305 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsHis eye is on the sparrowThe One whose eye is on the sparrow has a heart for lost and hurting people. He sees. And he saves.
2021-07-2104 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsSin does not stop GodSin causes great and grave harm. But God is not prompted by sin. He conquered it.
2021-07-2004 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsThe Rule of the Hole and the Rule of Sinful ForaysFaithlessness always leads to sin of one kind or another. And sin begets sin. Repent! Believe! Bring forth the fruit of repentance!
2021-07-1905 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsTaking matters into our own hands seldom works well.A child. A resentful mother and angry mistress. The father of faith stumbling. Thank God for the Savior who would one day be born!
2021-07-1806 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsGod's part in the lines of your lifeWho are your neighbors? Your friends? Your co-workers? Did you choose them...really?!? Perhaps you can consider the providential work of God as you reflect on your vocation and your location.
2021-07-1605 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWeird Dreams and Certain PromisesAbram is in a deep sleep. Then comes a strange vision. God is making a promise. God is good at that ... and at keeping the promises he makes!
2021-07-1404 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsThe Pathway of our RedemptionRedemption is costly, brutal, and difficult. But it ends in the glorious resurrection and ultimate deliverance of all who believe in Jesus.
2021-07-1405 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsThis may take a while...How long are you willing to wait for God's promises to be fulfilled? However long, the wait will be worth it.
2021-07-1203 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsStripping Feathers and Cutting MeatWe may not understand God's ways, but we can be certain of his good will and love for us. No matter what he calls us to do!
2021-07-1205 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWhat does it mean to believe?Faith does more than just believe. It is a relationship of trust in God and his goodness and promises.
2021-07-0905 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsLandingA heart settled on God's goodness, trusting in his promises, and desiring his blessing will find rest and a landing place. We all struggle at one time or another with whether God's ways are truly good. We sometimes doubt that we can be satisfied with God's promises. We too often look for ways to fill our hearts with the peace that only God gives. But God calls us back to himself again and again. He offers us a place to land and to be by his grace. We arrive there through faith.
2021-07-0804 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWhat does faith do?Faith justifies. Faith inspired obedience and sacrifice. Faith looks not to itself, but to God.
2021-07-0704 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsGetting God RightIs faith something we gin up by our internal musings, or something that recognizes God’s goodness, faithfulness, righteousness and grace? Hint: It’s the latter!
2021-07-0505 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsGetting Real with GodCan you trust God with the desires of your heart? Do you believe he will listen?
2021-07-0505 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsWho Cares About the Needy?Are you one who cares about people in need? This is the way of the kingdom of God: Caring for others, opening your heart to them, and doing what you can to help those in need.
2021-07-0103 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsRescue-318What comes of the lives of those who have been rescued? What of your life?
2021-07-0105 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsThe one that got awayThe one who escapes Satan's grip is a key to rescuing others.
2021-06-3005 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsBad Things HappenBad things do happen. But they can serve as a reminder of our fallen world and a call to lean into God's goodness...all the time.
2021-06-2805 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsGod's Gift for GoodIs money your god? Or is money something you recognize as God's gift for doing good?
2021-06-2705 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsTake a good look!God's promises are worth a careful look. Keeping them in view will help you navigate the here and now.
2021-06-2404 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsRemembering, Recounting, and Deeply-Thankful RegardGod's faithfulness, grace, and generosity are good reason for our Remembering, Recounting, and Deeply-Thankful Regard
2021-06-2303 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsOne Divides, the Other ChoosesHow do you choose when the opportunities are before you? Does the allure of glitz and glamor distract you? Is there a better choice to make?
2021-06-2304 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsAt Least 3 out of 5What does it take to honor God and live fully to his glory? Abram's life gives us some clues.
2021-06-2105 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsA Riddle and a LessonA riddle: What is greater than God, More evil than the devil, The poor have it, The rich need it, And if you eat it, you'll die? Hint..."Nothing" is greater than God.
2021-06-2105 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsHad I been made the partner of Eve...There's plenty of blame to go around these days. What a refreshing experience it is when someone takes responsibility for his own actions!
2021-06-1806 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsIt's good to be king!No matter what station we have in life, we will all one day answer to the One True King.
2021-06-1605 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsThe Danger of Self-Serving FearSelf-serving fear is so powerful! It can derail our obedient faith. It can thwart our proper place in God's reign and rule. It can short-circuit prayer and an even greater reliance on God.
2021-06-1604 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsDrastic times call for...Drastic times call for drastic actions. But the most drastic action is that of continued faithfulness in the face of temptation and fear. The most drastic action is that of loving God and relying on him in every situation.
2021-06-1504 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsSigns of SuccessThe greatest sign of success is seen by God alone. It is the sign of a broken and contrite heart, taking refuge in God's goodness and mercy.
2021-06-1405 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsFamily AffairFaith is a personal matter. But the influence of family has a powerful impact on faith's formation and expression.
2021-06-1004 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsRejoicing Along the WayAre you missing the blessings and joy of life today in anticipation only of what might come tomorrow?
2021-06-0905 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsGiddy up and Go!Following Jesus means going with him as he is on the move in your heart, family, neighborhood, and world.
2021-06-0804 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsBlessed to be a BlessingAre we blessed to be blessed? Or does God bless us so that we can bless others? The latter is our calling as children of Abraham.
2021-06-0704 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsGod's CallingDo you think of being called as the providence only of pastor types and their families? Think again. Our text is Genesis 12:1-9
2021-06-0605 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsSudden StopsGod brought an abrupt halt to the work on the Tower of Babel. Why doesn't he do that more often today?
2021-06-0305 minDavid Bahn - ReflectionsBloom Where You are Planted?!?Is this an invitation or a challenge? A prod or an encouragement? A stick or a carrot? Consider how God is inviting you to bloom where you're planted no matter how you got there.
2021-06-0204 min
Golden Hour PodcastDerek Bahn (Hurley In-House Photographer)Derek Bahn is a multifaceted artist who is the Senior In-House Photographer at Hurley International as well as a freelance photographer and graphic designer. Derek is skilled in portraiture, fashion and action sports photography from skate to surf. CONTACT UShttps://www.ghp.fm/contactFOLLOW DAVEhttps://linktr.ee/davemazeFOLLOW CONNORhttps://instagram.com/connor_mccaskill
2019-10-2952 min