Author: Dave Dishman (Page 243 of 458)

Some hikes in the Rocky Mountains take you to the very top. It’s glorious to see the surrounding country from the summit of a peak. Walking to the top is hard work. At times you think you’re almost there, only to go over a rise and realize there’s more uphill. You crested a false summit, one fooling the view of the ultimate prize and disappointing efforts.

Isaiah wrote of false summits. The children of Israel enthusiastically pursued other gods, driving themselves in their devotion. Isaiah—You wearied yourself by such going about, but you would not say “It is hopeless.” You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint (Isaiah 57:10).

This renewal of strength existed as a mere echo of the true hope of Israel—but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:31).

The trust in pretend gods felt good for awhile. This false summit even brought a sense of renewal. But it led to a dead end, as the judgement of the Lord soon descended.

My trust in pretend gods also feels good for a time. Embracing the norms and practices of the world around me, taking on philosophies of life running counter to scripture, or entertaining myself for hours on end may keep me from fainting, but leads to false summits.

Waiting on the Lord, investing time and attention and energy in a growing relationship with Him, pulls me past false summits.

Stalwart trekkers push on past false summits, keeping the top of the mountain in sight. As I hike I notice eagles coasting over mountaintops, and am reminded that true, lasting strength for the journey lies with the Lord.

Isaiah 40 & 57 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Holly Mandarich

Do not be misled; “Bad company corrupts good character.”

Truer words never written. As parents who raised three teenagers (I lived through the experience, although some do not), my wife and I preached this verse regularly.

The wisdom of these words doesn’t stop with our teenage or young adult years. All through life we face the corrosion bad company brings to our character.

Bad company includes the people I hang around with, whether socially or at work. Folks who enjoy gossip, who create dissension, who continually pull toward the negative make for bad company. While it’s easy to turn down those who offer me pot (since the legalization of marijuana in Colorado I’ve been offered a hit twice, both on the golf course), it’s harder to turn away from a juicy morsel of gossip.

I include much of social media and internet searches in the company of the bad. When I read things online and find myself enveloped in angst, then I know I’m in bad company. I mostly avoid social media for this reason.

The antidote to bad company?

Good company.

Surround yourself with people who encourage you to live better and love the Lord. One huge reason for involvement with a body of believers is to get around folks attempting just that. By ourselves, we drift toward bad company.

What I preached to my kids I now preach to myself—not always successfully—and I continue to see the value of surrounding myself with good people whenever possible.

1 Corinthians 15:32 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

PS. I don’t necessarily include the 70’s band Bad Company in my warning against bad company. Their music is pretty cool.

Photo by Pascal Meier

One of the first rules for practicing medicine is first of all, do no harm. The same applies to those of us practicing a life of faith.

David agreed. While acknowledging his sins David prayed, Lord, the Lord Almighty, may those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me; God of Israel, may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me.

A lot of people look at the church and see only the sins of religious leaders. Those who abuse their position for money or sex or power block the path to living water. Shepherds who take advantage of their flocks drive inquirers, and the once-faithful away.

Spreading like an oil slick, these actions discredit all who follow the Lord in good faith. Worst of all, they place a screen between the goodness of the Lord and the needs of those who seek him. Jesus spoke directly to such irreligious leaders: It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble (Luke 17:2).

David’s prayer is spot-on for those of us who claim that following the Lord is vital to life on this earth and the key to a joyful eternity.

While we cannot avoid sin in our lives—we’re human after all—we can join David in praying that as much as possible our sinful actions do no harm.

Psalm 69 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Luis Melendez

Perhaps you’ve used this line when rushing around juggling projects and home life. You greet a friend, and with no time to chat you exclaim, “gotta run, no rest for the wicked!”

I heard this phrase all growing up and still use it myself. It actually flows from a biblical reference having nothing at all to do with busyness.

In a long-running screed against those who reject God, Isaiah the prophet brought these words:

“There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”

While I use the phrase to poke fun at myself, Isaiah penned the original as an ominous warning. Serious words to consider—like a BRIDGE OUT sign flashing over a highway.

Our world holds some wicked people and to be honest, it’s comforting to know there is no peace for them. The Lord is not incomplete in his judgement (even if I question His timing).

To be even more honest, I possess a heart a tic away from wickedness. This phrase opens my thoughts to where I slide without leaning on the Holy Spirit’s direction and guidance in my life.

Isaiah 48:22 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Tim Mossholder