David Bahn - Reflections

I need to recalibrate my spiritual chronometer. God does not work on my schedule. I need to align myself with his timing. I also need to be open to seeing just how he is working today through people who may seem inconsequential. There is only one Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, born 2000 years ago. But there are many people who God uses each day to further the cause of his kingdom. I wonder who I m...

You may recall my previous post regarding Mary's song. I used the Rick Warren, " If-my-bullet-fits-your-gun,-shoot-it " rule, although I applied it to the "bullet" supplied by Alistair Begg. He had an excellent message on Mary's song, and noted that she points us to a God who is mighty, merciful, and mindful. Those three words are actually in her song. Not all three words are in Zechariah's song,...

Is there an area of your life you would wish Jesus would not visit? Is there a place you want to keep for your own purposes - no matter what he would call you to? Is there a time you wish to have it your way, apart from God’s way? If so, this is the time to repent. To recognize that you are in need of redemption. To seek God’s salvation from a self-seeking and self-destructive way of life. And God...

Jesus has come to guide us to the path of peace. It is not found apart from his presence. Peace does not come in paths that turn from his commands. We will not find it seeking the fools gold of the world's glamor. We might use the saying, "It suddenly dawned on me..." Like an idea popped into our minds. Jesus' appearing is like that - only more dramatic and far reaching. His is the light that shin...

Every December for the past several years when the Northwest Houston Photo Club holds its Christmas party, I am invited to offer a prayer. I take it as an opportunity to give a light-hearted witness to my Lord Jesus whose birth we celebrate. So, here is this year's prayer...

Every December for the past several years when the Northwest Houston Photo Club holds its Christmas party, I am invited to offer a prayer. I take it as an opportunity to give a lighthearted witness to my Lord Jesus whose birth we celebrate. So, here is this year's prayer...

What would you number as the world's greatest problems? War? Poverty? Human trafficking? Godless leaders? Human rights? Social injustice? Immoral political leaders? Financial inequities? To every one of these problems Jesus' grace and truth speaks. He is the prince of peace. He lifts up the poor and needy. He speaks truth to power. He points us to faithful suffering if need be and promises ultimat...

Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied. God opened his mouth to express his praise, and help the people look beyond even this current moment of great joy. After all, John has been born. She who was said to be barren has born a child. And no matter what anyone thought, his name would be John. As good as that was, Zechariah was moved to express praise to God for things reaching far...

Mary's glorification of God is not for his benefit. It's so we will be directed toward the source of true joy, hope, life, and salvation. We may get distracted by celebrities and led astray by those who lack character. She is focusing our attention and directing our faith toward the Mighty One who has done great things. She is reminding us that the True God casts down the mighty from their thrones...

Hymns of praise serve purposes beyond their beauty. They set things in their proper perspective. When we praise God, we acknowledge his majesty, power, goodness, mercy, love, faithfulness, and holiness. He is like no other. And as we sing his praise, we realize - hopefully! - that there is no other who deserves such glory. The best athlete, finest artist, greatest musician, or most famous actor ho...

God’s heart is tender toward us. He is not just present and powerful. He allows himself to feel our pain, and no trite manner. His Mercy is to those in need for each we can all say thanks be to God!

Mary’s song is the first song of Advent. We begin my learning from her about the grace and glory of God.

Grace is God’s first wish for us and his lasting gift to us

Message for Thanksgiving 2021

Mark 13:24-37

I see three ways beyond balanced scales that justice is reflected by God's people. Justice from the perspective of God is far more than balanced scales. In fact the notion starts with righteousness, which is a matter of faith. Genesis 15:6 is not a one-off. We are counted righteous by faith. And here we have faith expressing itself in three dimensions. Humility and willing to help others Willingne...

It is very easy to opt out of helping people in need. Take your pick: too busy. Too tired. Too poor. Too inept. Not really sure what is needed. Maybe sometimes we just don't care for that brother or sister in need. Maybe even within the family of faith there are those we'd just as soon ignore. But the walk of faith is fraught with distractions, temptations, challenges, and missteps. If we think we...

Helping people can be messy. In fact Jesus got really messy when he helped us out. Obviously when he suffered and died it was a brutal mess. But even before that - early on and throughout his ministry he got messy. He consorted with tax collectors and sinners. He ate with prostitutes and people of questionable character. For that he got less respect. He was accused of improper relationships. Bad f...

Sometimes the littler things are more difficult to do than the big challenges. But we fulfill the law of Christ when we do the little things just as well as when we do the heroic ones.

Perhaps few Jesus followers actually do cross the line of mocking God. But if James 2:10  means anything, it serves as a reminder that in fact, "there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We all need help once in a while. Sometimes that help takes the form of sever intervention. Hopefully more often we intervene before drastic action is nee...

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 tha...

Those apart from Christ may have great storehouses of self-control. They may train harder, focus more intently on the task ahead, or manage their anger better than others. But apart from Christ and the presence and influence of the Holy Spirit they will not know true peace. Love will never be fully experienced. Joy will be momentary. Patience will have no God-factor. Gentleness will have nothing t...

Gentleness and humility accompany those who recognize their deep brokenness, need for mercy, and potential for falling prey to the devil's charms. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. And a great encouragement to me is that the older I get, the more aware I become of my own brokenness, need for mercy, and potential for falling prey to Satan's pull - or the pull of my own sinful flesh. Maybe you ca...

There are times when gentleness is not called for. Jesus gave us one when he overturned the moneychanger's tables in the temple courts. Paul gets pretty close when he talks about the circumcision party, suggesting a slip of the knife toward them would be welcome ( Galatians 5:12 ). It's interesting that this verse is in the same chapter as these verses on the fruit of the Spirit! When it comes tim...

Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. Sometimes a stern warning may be needed. If a child is running into the street, yelling may well be appropriate. But to do the work of the Holy Spirit we must not interpose our anger and brash bluster upon others. God spoke to Elijah in a still small voice. And when it comes to touching our hearts with his love, the message may be quiet and gentle. But the impa...