Ever Forward with Jesus Ii: A Continued Daily Walk with Christ

By Bob Davis

Ever Forward with Jesus II: A Continued Daily Walk with Christ is a work that I felt leads to create and therefore is very near and dear to my heart. It is once again an unbelievable opportunity to work for and through the love of Jesus Christ in some humble way to promote the Kingdom. His guidance and grace have allowed me to bring this work to you.

I hope and pray that this daily walk will assist you in three ways: by increasing your depth and joy in and of the Scriptures, by strengthening your prayer life, and by increasing your awareness of the importance of optimum health. Jesus has granted each of us the ability to call upon his wisdom, his love, and his caring. This walk is designed to, in some small way, magnify your awareness and understanding of his guidance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: May 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546203377

Bob Davis

Bob Davis is a Pulitzer Prize-winning senior editor covering economic issues at the Wall Street Journal’s Washington D.C. bureau, and continues to write about China, where he was posted from 2011 to 2014. He has served as the Journal’s bureau chief in Brussels covering the European Union, and as the Latin America bureau chief. He lives in Washington, D.C.

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© 2017 Bob Davis. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. New Living, NLT, and the New Living Translation logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/03/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-0338-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-0337-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017912321

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and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Foreword

Ever Forward with Jesus II, A continued Daily Walk with Christ, is a work that I felt lead to create and therefore is very near and dear to my heart. It is once again an unbelievable opportunity to work for and through the love of Jesus Christ to, in one humble way, promote the Kingdom. His guidance and grace have allowed me to bring this work to you.

I hope and pray that this daily walk will assist you in three ways; increasing your depth & joy in scripture, by strengthening your prayer life, and by increasing your awareness of the importance of optimum health. Jesus has granted each of us the ability to call upon His wisdom, His love and His caring. This walk is design to magnify your awareness and understanding of His guidance.

The Bible is the ultimate source of wisdom for all Christians. God’s infallible wisdom and eternal truth is there for the taking. I believe so strongly in daily scripture reading. The message, the motivation, the release & relief brought to each of us through scripture is the cornerstone of our personal understanding of how God wishes us to live life.

My hope is that each Daily Scripture will only be the starting point of your reading. Perhaps you will choose to continue beyond the daily verses and read further into that particular chapter. Perhaps you will seek out other like-minded messages in other parts of the Bible. Perhaps the daily verses will spark a thought, uncover a need or calling, or lead you to seek out new and different learnings in scripture.

If you are new to daily scripture reading then it is wonderful you are on a new journey! I am so glad that you have taken the first step to greater understanding of God’s desires for us. Go forward at whatever pace is comfortable for you in this place of your life. Read the scripture and try to let your mind and heart reflect upon it throughout the day.

For those of you who have underlined passages, notes in the margins and dog-eared pages throughout your Bible, welcome as well! You already know the power of scripture. I hope that each day’s verses will spark a new idea or present a fresh outlook on a passage you have seen a hundred times. One of the beautiful miracles of scripture is that God allows His message to speak to us in different ways at different times.

My thoughts on each passage are intended to just express how the scripture touched me at a particular time. Hopefully it will spark an idea, a different take or start contemplation throughout the day. I’d love to hear from you on how the daily reading affected you.

The Daily Prayer Moment is designed to either provide you with a direct communication that day with the Lord or to start what is a longer and more personal conversation incorporating those things on your heart at the moment. I hope that it will either start your daily habit of touching God and letting Him touch you or to end your day with a comforting conversation with our Lord.

Either way there is no better way to be in the presence of our Lord than through prayer. What a marvelous blessing that he actually takes the time and lends His attention to the very things that are important enough to bring to Him in prayer. I simply want to encourage you to talk with God and then give Him the time to talk back. He wants to hear what is on our hearts. He also wants to guide us, to nurture us and to wrap His arms around us and give us a sense of peace.

Our best and most intimate way of communicating with our Lord and Savior is by prayer. Some people feel you must go to God in a particular format, a particular order or at a particular time and place. I have a different idea. I think God is always available and proud that one of His children is sharing and seeking His counsel. Don’t worry about correctness or form. Go to God in whatever way you can, as often as you can. He will meet you with open ears, open arms and an open heart.

None of us can be assured of how long our time on Earth will be. It could end for each of us in the next breath or many decades from now. What we can be sure of is that our mission here is to try to be more Christ-like. A healthy body and mind allow us to give our best effort towards that end. A Healthful Hint portion of each day’s walk was developed to provide useful and practical tips that will promote good health.

Just like with the scripture reading and pray time, you may be a rigorous practitioner of a good, healthy lifestyle or just now beginning to see the value of improved health. Either way, the daily advice is meant to help you along the journey. Optimum health is not about elongating the journey Jesus takes each of us as He chooses. Optimum health is about maximizing the potential of each moment of the journey.

I guarantee you if you follow the healthy tips, you will have stronger mind & body, and be more alert & energized. Therefore a mind and body that is ready to be more focused upon living the life God wants for you.

Let me close this by simply saying; thank you for selecting this daily walk as a source of mental, physical and spiritual growth. I pray that is will assist you in your daily pursuit of a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. Open yourself to greater understanding, deeper devotion, richer worshiping and a life of endless possibilities.

May God bless you and keep you. May God lift up His countenance upon you, bring you peace, joy, and love through His glorious grace.

Acknowledgments

First and most important; all praise, glory and honor to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. I am but a meager messenger of His Word. It is such a blessing that He has allowed me to put this work together for everyone’s growth through the walk.

I want to thank my family, especially my mom and dad; Helen and Bill who have both stepped over the line into eternity with our Lord. They gave me an early understanding of Jesus by the example of how to live life as a Christian, and through the years encouraged me to open myself up to the power and the beauty of the personal relationship I could have with Jesus. Learning early and learning deeply the importance of letting Christ into my heart has helped me manage the difficult times in life through His strength, and to celebrate the joyous times in life through His love and grace. Without the love and direction of my family this lesson may not have been learned or certainly not learned so early in life – so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To Geoff & Katie I can’t begin to express the joy you bring into my life. I’m so blessed to be your dad and to share in your lives as you march through this lifetime. You both show your love for me in so many different ways and so consistently. I look forward to all the wonderful future times we will share. Thank you for letting your old man have a part in your walks!

I’ve been so fortunate to be led by and become friends with some amazing pastors who are truly anointed to be in the pulpit. John Poling through his constant and unwavering love & enthusiasm for living life with Christ. He opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me by showing if I’d only allow the Lord to take control and lean into Him for guidance and direction the richness of life is unmeasurable.

John McKellar who is one of the most humble and loving individuals I’ve ever known. I believe he was put into my path at a time in my life when the Lord knew there was so much more for me to learn if I’d only listen. John was the person He chose to step into my walk and guide me through so many lessons and encouraged me to jump into the walk!

My home church is Gateway with multiple campuses in the Dallas area. Robert Morris is without a doubt the best teacher of a Christian life I’ve ever had the privilege to listen to on a weekly basis. He walks the walk, talks the talk and challenges each one of us, in a direct but loving way. He urges us to both come to Christ and accept Him unconditionally as our Lord and Savior, just as He accepts us with unconditional and incomprehensible love. The staff at Gateway is so deep and so devoted it is a shame there isn’t room here to mention each and every one of them who have embraced me. To all of you, my humble thanks for helping me in my walk.

Finally, to my close group of friends, it amazes me on a regular basis not only the length of our friendships but the depth of those friendships. You guys have meant more to me during the years then you can ever imagine. I feel so blessed to have you in my life and in my corner and I hope you all know I’d do anything for you.

Bible Translations

As with the original Ever Forward with Jesus; A Daily Walk with Christ, the first priority was defining the 365 uplifting, motivating and inspiring scriptures to take you through the year with a positive tone each and every day. I’m drawn daily to scripture for increased knowledge, direction and clarity and hope the same for you. There are so many wonderful translations for today’s reader. It is a difficult choice to narrow the list and pick a primary translation for each daily reading. Three versions are consistently clear and uplifting to me, and I hope they will be the same for you. I have used The Good News, The New King James and the New Living translations throughout. I find these translations easy to read & comprehend. Though different, they each have a clarity of the modern English language that allows the reader to focus on the message.

I looked at each of the 365 scriptures in each translation and picked the version I felt best expressed the content and the emotion of that particular passage. My hope is that each of the daily scriptures will come alive in your heart, your soul and your mind, as you read them. Should you have a more familiar version of the Bible, please take the time to cross reference and read that version as well.

One closing thought on translations. The content of the Bible is God’s Holy Word. The way in which we translate the Word does not diminish nor enhance the truth, only the potential for a clearer understanding by the reader. God’s message is irrefutable, unending and the ultimate source of meaning for us in our Christian walk. Whatever translation you prefer, I delight in the fact that you, like me, are drawn to God and His message through the Holy Scriptures.

Ever Forward with Jesus

Ever Forward…

Today’s Scripture Walk…

These are the facts concerning the birth of Jesus Christ: His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her fiancé, being a man of stern principle, decided to break the engagement but to do it quietly, as he didn’t want to publicly disgrace her. As he lay awake considering this he fell into a dream, and saw an angel standing beside him. Joseph, son of David, the angel said, "don’t hesitate to take Mary as your wife! For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a Son, and you shall name him Jesus meaning Savior), for he will save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:18-21

Bob’s Thoughts…

Notice that Matthew states; these are the facts. He doesn’t say the story, the myth, the folklore – he says; facts. Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit, bore, died, resurrected for us – you & me. Those are the facts.

Today’s Prayerful Moment…

Jesus we thank you for coming. We thank you for offering us eternal life. We thank you for living the example for us to emulate. Your goodness and mercy upon us even with our flaws is a gift so great it is hard to imagine – yet you offer it to each of us.

Healthful Hint…

There are approximately 28% more brain-boosting omega 3’s in an organic chicken breast than in a conventionally grown chicken.

Time with Jesus…

Today’s Scripture Walk…

While they were living in Nazareth, John the Baptist began preaching out in the Judean wilderness. His constant theme was turn from your sins…turn to God…for the Kingdom of Heaven is coming soon. Isaiah the prophet had told about John’s ministry centuries before! He has written, I hear a shout from the wilderness, prepare a road for the Lord – straighten out the path where he will walk. John’s clothing was woven from camel’s hair and he wore a leather belt; his food was locusts and wild honey. People from Jerusalem and from all over the Jordan Valley, and, in fact, from every section of Judea went out to the wilderness to hear him preach, and when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

Matthew 3:1-6

Bob’s Thoughts…

One man, one message; turn from your sins and turn to the Lord. John in the wilderness living a singularly focused life with a simple message that was so true and full of hope that it drew people from all parts of Judea not only to hear but to accept.

Today’s Prayerful Moment…

Just as John baptized with water you Lord have given us the opportunity to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Fill each of us Lord and give us the patience and wisdom to listen as the Holy Spirit guides us to a more Christ-like life.

Healthful Hint…

A German study shows that drinking 16 oz of water at one time will boost your metabolism by as much as 30% for up to 90 minutes. Simple and free way to stay hydrated and burn extra calories.

Ever Forward…

Today’s Scripture Walk…

With water I baptize those who repent of their sins; but someone else is coming, far greater than I am, so great that I am not worthy to carry his shoes! He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He will separate the chaff from the grain, burning the chaff with never-ending fire, and storing away the grain.

Matthew 3:11-12

Bob’s Thoughts…

Baptized with the Holy Spirit! A proclamation of our belief in Jesus Christ to be baptized and a covenant from the Lord that He has invited and accepted us into His eternal family and provided us with a guide along the way.

Today’s Prayerful Moment…

Lord show us the way. Clear our vision and purify our hearts so we may do Your will here on earth while we prepare to share eternity with You in Heaven. May each of us be grain in Your harvest.

Healthful Hint…

An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that people who skip breakfast have waist nearly 2" larger than their counterparts who do eat a healthy breakfast. A good measuring stick is to consume 20-30 grams of protein. Good sources: egg 6g, yogurt 8g per cup, peanut butter 4g Tbsp.

Time with Jesus…

Today’s Scripture Walk…

When Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized there by John he didn’t want to do it. This isn’t proper, he said. I am the one who needs to be baptized by you. But Jesus said, Please do it, for I must do all that is right. So then John baptized him. After his baptism, as soon as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God coming down in the form of a dove. And a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, and I am wonderfully pleased with him.

Matthew 3:13-17

Bob’s Thoughts…

For I must do all that is right. Jesus is total purity, unblemished in any way. He is, as God Himself declared, for all to hear & know; the beloved Son. If you ever wonder about the strength in water Baptism, don’t forget Jesus thought it was so important He asked John; please do it.

Today’s Prayerful Moment…

Son of God and son of man…showing us all we need to know and how to follow in Your footsteps. Thank you Lord for coming, for loving, for sharing and for inviting us; unworthy servants to Your table.

Healthful Hint…

Get out of the office for lunch! A University of Bristol study showed people who eat at their desk are more prone to consume more calories in an afternoon. Even if you bring your lunch get up and out so you are concentrating on your eating versus just consuming food.

Ever Forward…

Today’s Scripture Walk…

One day as he was walking along the beach beside the Lake of Galilee he saw two brothers –Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew – out in a boat fishing with a net, for they were commercial fishermen. Jesus called out, Come along with me and I will show you how to fish for the souls of men! And they left their nets at once and went with him.

Matthew 4:18-20

Bob’s Thoughts…

Read today’s passage again. Two simple ordinary guys just minding their own business. Jesus saw the spectacular, the amazing and the awesome potential in both. Then Peter & Andrew those same ordinary guys – like you and me – immediately dropped everything and followed.

Today’s Prayerful Moment…

What a blessing that You see the best in each of us. You readily accept the ordinary and turn us into extraordinary – teaching and guiding us to be seekers of the truth and building courage to take that truth to the ends of the earth for Your glory!

Healthful Hint…

Calcium is important in the diet of both men and women as it is the ultimate bone builder and creates a chemical reaction that assist us in muscle contraction. Additional bonus is the hormones it releases that assist in digestion and fat metabolism.

Time with Jesus…

Today’s Scripture Walk…

One day as the crowds were gathering, he went up the hillside with his disciples and sat down and taught them there. Humble men are very fortunate! he told them, "for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them. Those who mourn are fortunate! For they shall be comforted. The meek and lowly are fortunate! For the whole wide world belongs to them. Happy are those who long to be just and good, for they shall be completely satisfied. Happy are the kind and merciful, for they shall be shown mercy. Happy are those whose hearts are pure, for they shall see God. Happy are those who strive for peace – they shall be called the sons of God. Happy are those who are persecuted because they are good, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Matthew 5:1-10

Bob’s Thoughts…

What a clear description of how to live our lives on earth. Christ says to be humble, be just, be good and that will bring happiness. To be pure of heart, kind and merciful. Isn’t that how we’d all like to be treated? So let’s reciprocate to our fellow man.

Today’s Prayerful Moment…

Lord help us to be humble, meek and lowly; to accept Your teaching and realize that we are nothing without You. Thank you Jesus for showing us that to be strong we must first be weak, to be brave we must first be fearful and that through these lessons come joy, peace and happiness.

Healthful Hint…

Magnesium is a very overlooked important mineral – some research suggest as many as 50% of us do not intake the RDA. Why is it so vital? Studies show it to be key to recovery after adrenaline spikes (we all have those every day), can assist in lowering blood pressure and even as a sleep balancer.

Ever Forward…

Today’s Scripture Walk…

You are the world’s seasoning, to make it tolerable. If you lose your flavor, what will happen to the world? And you yourselves will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the world’s light – a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.

Matthew 5:13-16

Bob’s Thoughts…

Sometimes, I hate to admit, I don’t take an opportunity to speak of the Gospel, my faith, and how it has changed my life. I honestly don’t know why there are times I eagerly open up and other time I stay mute. Praying that I’m always courageous enough, in the future, to be the light on a hill for someone.

Today’s Prayerful Moment…

Lord remind us that where ever we go we are a representative of Your light. Help each of us to make that light bright, clear and shining. We are not to just worship You in private, but in all ways that magnify Your glory for all the world to see – until every last human taste of Your majesty!

Healthful Hint…

Vitamin D may be the most under consumed and necessary vitamin. Let’s see; it protects bones, helps immune system, builds muscle tissue, helps prevent erectile dysfunction and increases overall body activity levels…yet Archives of Internal Medicine note that 75% of us are deficient. Best source by the way is a few minutes of sunshine.

Time with Jesus…

Today’s Scripture Walk…

But I say; Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way you will be acting as true sons of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even scoundrels do that much. If you are friendly only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even the heathen do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5:44-48

Bob’s Thoughts…

Enemies is such a strong word. Yet the Lord uses that as the example of how deep our love is to be. Think about all the people we ignore, shun, speak cruelly about or do mean-spirited things toward. Most of that is just to people we may dislike not hate. How much better are we then to treat them with kindness, patience, understanding and forgiveness.

Today’s Prayerful Moment…

Lord give us the strength to love all, to reach out to those who would do us harm and show them that only through understanding, kindness and forgiveness is real strength exemplified. I pray the Holy Spirit will show us the path to patience with those we would so easily ignore or shun through our earthly thoughts so they may see the power of Your love through us.

Healthful Hint…

Potassium which keeps cells at peak optimization by working to move the good stuff in and the waste out and regulating both the carbohydrates and proteins we ingest is deficient in 95% of our diets according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Ever Forward…

Today’s Scripture Walk…

Take care! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, for then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give a gift to a beggar, don’t shout about it as the hypocrites do – blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you in all earnestness, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you do a kindness to someone, do it secretly, don’t tell your left hand what your right hand is doing. And your Father who knows all secrets will reward you.

Matthew 6:1-4

Bob’s Thoughts…

Humbly and privately living a life that is more Christ- like. We are after all, doing something out of our love for Jesus to help another. It is actually His good deed that is just being carried out by us. He sees us and that is our reward.

Today’s Prayerful Moment…

Lord allow me a quiet place – a place where I may come into Your presence with a clear mind and a seeking heart – a place where I feel Your comforting presence and know that You desire for me to share my most personal thoughts and focus on hearing Your quiet voice of guidance and love.

Healthful Hint…

Male suicide in the U.S. rose 27% between 1999-2010! Dr. Thomas Joiner states one reason is isolation. Solution – take social action; help a friend, workout in a group setting, volunteer with a group, etc.

Time with Jesus…

Today’s Scripture Walk…

And now about prayer. When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who pretend piety by praying publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. Truly, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, all alone, and shut the door behind you and pray to you Father secretly, and your Father, who knows your secrets, will reward you. Don’t recite the same prayer over, and over as the heathen do, who think prayers are answered only by repeating them again and again. Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

Matthew 6:5-8

Bob’s Thoughts…

Prayer is such a personal, private communication. It is an intimate conversation between the individual and Jesus. Prayer is an opportunity to open up and share our thoughts and feelings with our Lord who already knows them and is eager to listen and respond.

Today’s Prayerful Moment…

Lord I so desire those moments of solitude where just You and I walk through the garden of Your grace. Thank you Jesus for allowing me that joyous gift of time in Your presence. I feel Your arms gentle around me and know that You find great joy in having Your child share all things with his Father.

Healthful Hint…

Focusing on the positives in our lives is often pushed to the back burner because of the power of negativity. A simple quick solution is to take 5 minutes at the end of the day to list (literally or figuratively) some of the things for which you are grateful and just reflect on what joy they bring to your live.

Ever Forward…

Today’s Scripture Walk…

Pray along these lines: "Our Father in heaven, we honor your holy name. We ask that your kingdom will come now. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven. Give us our food again today, as usual, and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. Don’t bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil one. Amen.

Matthew 6:9-13

Bob’s Thoughts…

The Lord’s Prayer is my go to prayer. Jesus in just a brief five sentences covered the majesty of God, the request for a peaceful & restful day, a plea for forgiveness and a request for protection.

Today’s Prayerful Moment…

Holy Spirit lead us in our prayers reminding us to always praise our Lord and thank Him for His goodness, mercy and grace. Let us go to Him in humbleness and humility asking for those things that will glorify His name and resting in assurance that our Lord hears and answers all our prayers.

Healthful Hint…

Sleep or lack of is a major issue. If you are getting your 7 to 9 hours of restful sleep each night a big congratulations because you are hitting a mark few people today reach with any consistency. A few easy steps to help create a sleeping environment; make the bedroom cool and dark (eliminate as much blue lighting as possible), avoid TV in the room, eliminate as much noise as possible and then give yourself some time to unwind before your head hits the pillow.

Time with Jesus…

Today’s Scripture Walk…

So my counsel is: Don’t worry about things – food, drink and clothes. For you already have life and a body – and they are far more important than what to eat and wear. Look at the birds! They don’t worry about what to eat – they don’t need to sow or reap or store up food – for your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to