Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The Lamb of God

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

That ancient priestly system was not perfect. It was only the shadow of a perfect, eternal priesthood to be brought about by the Savior-Priest, Jesus Christ, the eternal Son. Every priest in the order of Levi knew only too well his own sin. This was the point of the breakdown. When that priest stood before God in the holiest place to present an atonement for the sins of the people, he was face-to-face as well with the reality of his own failures and shortcomings.

In our own day, we recognize what this means to us as liberated and forgiven believers. Singing the hymnody of Isaac Watts, we revel in Christ's atonement and God's forgiveness:

Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain, Could give the guilty conscience peace, Or wash away the stain.

But Christ, the heavenly Lamb, Takes all our sins away A sacrifice of nobler name, And richer blood than they.

The Old Testament priest knew that the ritual of sacrifice could not completely atone for sins or change man’s sinful nature. In that priestly system, God "covered" the sin until the time when Christ would come. Christ, the Lamb of God, would completely bear away the sin of the world.

Thought: All sacrifices in the Levitical system pointed ahead to the eternal sacrifice of God, the Lamb of God. Observance of the Lord's Supper points back to that sacrifice. The sins of you and me and all the world are heaped upon Him who takes all our sins away.

By A.W. Tozer, taken from "Jesus, Our Man in Glory" (Chapter 1)


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 86-89
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 17-19 & Acts 10:1-23
Historical: Psalm 21-25
Chronological: 2 Chron. 19-23
Blended: Deut. 10-12 & Acts 3

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Monday, June 29, 2009

Lessons from Hezekiah

In my reading this morning I have learned 4 lessons from Hezekiah.

In Chapter 36 of Isaiah we come to a situation where Sennacheib invades Judah. They king of Assyria sent Rabshaken to speak to the officials of King Hezekiah in front of all the people. He mocked the Lord God and told them to not trust when Hezekiah tells them that the Lord would deliver them out of the hands of the king of Assyria, "So not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, 'Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 'Beware that Hezekiah does not mislead you, saying, "The Lord will deliver us," Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?" Isaiah 36:16-18

Now if I were in the crowd and heard this I would start to doubt what Hezekiah told me about God protecting us from such a great nation as Assyria. As it was, history had proven that Assyria was a powerful nation who had defeated many other nations. From outward appearances it would seem that the same thing would happen to our nation.

But Hezekiah didn't fall for what was seen. In Isaiah 37 we come to see the account of the officials bringing Rabahaken's message to Hezekiah, "And when King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth and entered the house of the Lord." (Isaiah 37:1).

Lesson 1 from Hezekiah: Do not listen to anyone but the Lord God even though it seems like they know what they're talking about and history backs them up.

He was fearful yet he wanted to seek the Lord to see what to do, "Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord." (Isaiah 37:14).

Lesson 2 from Hezekiah: Take your matter directly before the Lord God.

I love Hezekiah's prayer.

"O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and listen to all the words of Sennacherib, who sent them to reproach the living God. Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have devastated all the countries and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. so they have destroyed them. Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, Lord, are God." (Isaiah 37:15-20)

Lesson #3 from Hezekiah: Be specific in your prayer and ask God exactly what you need. Pour out your heart to Him. But do it to Him and Him alone and no one else. For He is the only one who can help you.

Throughout the rest of chapter 37 we see that God did indeed deliver Hezekiah from the hands of the king of Assyria. God heard his prayer.

"The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem will go forth a remnant and out of Mount Zion survivors. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Therefore, thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, 'He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield, or throw up a siege ramp against it. By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he will not come to this city,' declares the Lord. 'For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake." (Isaiah 37:31-35)

The verse that stuck out at me was Isaiah 37:31, "The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward."

The ultimate lesson from Hezekiah is that we need to be Believers that take root downward and remain strong and stable. And by this we will be able to bear fruit upwards.

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against things there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23)

"so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." (Col. 1:10)

I pray that we will learn from Hezekiah and take our trials before the Lord and before Him alone. And ultimately that we may be fruit bearers for the Lord Jesus!!!!!

Krista Jones
8.5.08

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 80-85
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 14-16 & Acts 9:22-43
Historical: Psalm 17-20
Chronological: I Kings 22; 2 Chron. 18
Blended: Deut. 7-9

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: Psalm 74-77
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 8-10 & Acts 8:26-40
Historical: Psalm 1-8
Chronological: I Kings 17-19
Blended: Deut. 1-3 & Acts 1

Sunday:

Beginning to End: Psalm 78-79
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 11-13 & Acts 9:1-21
Historical: Psalm 111-118
Chronological: I Kings 20-21
Blended: Deut. 4-6 & Acts 2:1-21

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Friday, June 26, 2009

Are You Obsessed by Something?

"Who is the man that fears the Lord?" Psalm 25:12

Are you obsessed by something? You will probably say, "No, by nothing," but all of us are obsessed by something— usually by ourselves, or, if we are Christians, by our own experience of the Christian life. But the psalmist says that we are to be obsessed by God. The abiding awareness of the Christian life is to be God Himself, not just thoughts about Him. The total being of our life inside and out is to be absolutely obsessed by the presence of God. A child’s awareness is so absorbed in his mother that although he is not consciously thinking of her, when a problem arises, the abiding relationship is that with the mother. In that same way, we are to "live and move and have our being" in God ( Acts 17:28 ), looking at everything in relation to Him, because our abiding awareness of Him continually pushes itself to the forefront of our lives.

If we are obsessed by God, nothing else can get into our lives— not concerns, nor tribulation, nor worries. And now we understand why our Lord so emphasized the sin of worrying. How can we dare to be so absolutely unbelieving when God totally surrounds us? To be obsessed by God is to have an effective barricade against all the assaults of the enemy.

"He himself shall dwell in prosperity . . ." ( Psalm 25:13 ). God will cause us to "dwell in prosperity," keeping us at ease, even in the midst of tribulation, misunderstanding, and slander, if our "life is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). We rob ourselves of the miraculous, revealed truth of this abiding companionship with God. "God is our refuge . . ." ( Psalm 46:1 ). Nothing can break through His shelter of protection.

By Oswald Chamber, taken from "My Utmost for His Highest"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 70-73
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 5-7 & Acts 8:1-25
Historical: Malachi
Chronological: I Kings 15:25-16:34 & 2 Chron. 17
Blended: Joel & Phil. 4

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Pay It Forward

"I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you." John 13:15

Pay It Forward is a movie about a 12-year-old’s plan to make a difference in the world. Motivated by a teacher at his school, Trevor invites a homeless man to sleep in his garage. Unaware of this arrangement, his mother awakens one evening to find the man working on her truck. Holding him at gunpoint, she asks him to explain himself. He shows her that he has successfully repaired her truck and tells her about Trevor’s kindness. He says, “I’m just paying it forward.”

I think this is what Jesus had in mind in one of His last conversations with His disciples. He wanted to show them the full extent of His love. So before their last meal together, He took off His outer garment, wrapped a towel around His waist, and began to wash His disciples’ feet. This was shocking because only slaves washed feet. It was an act of servanthood and a symbol that pointed to Jesus’ sacrifice, passion, and humiliation on the cross. His request to His disciples was: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). They were to “pay it forward.”

Imagine how different our world would look if we gave the kind of love to others that God has given us through Jesus. — Marvin Williams

Christ’s example teaches us
That we should follow Him each day,
Meeting one another’s needs,
Though humble service be the way. —Hess

To know love, open your heart to Jesus. To show love, open your heart to others.

Taken from "Our Daily Bread"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 66-69
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 3-4 & Acts 7:44-60
Historical: Zech. 8-14
Chronological: I Kings 15:1-24 & 2 Chron. 13-16
Blended: Jeremiah 51-52 & Phil. 3

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Open your Bible to Teach Someone

"This is my prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love; . . . that you will do many good things with the help of Christ to bring glory and praise to God." Philippians 1:9 & 11

When you take food to the poor, that's an act of worship.

When you give a word of kindness to someone who needs it, that's an act of worship.

WHen you write someone a letter to encourage them or sit down and open your Bible with someone to teach them, that's an act of worship.

By Max Lucado, taken from "Walking with the Savior"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 58-65
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 1-2 & Acts 7:22-43
Historical: Zech. 1-7
Chronological: 2 Chron. 10-12
Blended: Jeremiah 50 & Phil. 2

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Walk as Children of Light

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but ow are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." Ephesians 5:8

God makes it very plain to us that w were not only in darkness - that we were darkness. But He makes it just as plain that since "Christ indwells us, we actually are light.

Here the cutting edge of this "clear stone" truth cleaves right to the dark core of our unwillingness to act as though what God says is true. "Cuts right through" to the dark center of our refusal to be what God has said we are in Christ.

" . . . but now are ye light in the Lord . . . "

We are beginning this year with the Lord of Light Himself.

"I am come a light inot the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness."

Either Jesus Christ knew about Himself and spoke accurately of Himself or he did not. He has said He will never leave us nor forsake us. He has declared Himself to be the Light of the world. The diamond-clear words of Isaiah ring down through the ages, reaching us still diamond-clear: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee!"

The glory . . . the very character . . . the very Light of God HImself is risen upon us and we sit in the corner and clutch at the darkness of our pet iniquities and complain "humbly" that we have lost our touch with God. My life is full of problems too. Just like yours. I also feel at times that I have lost my touch with God.

What we feel is beside the point.

Jesus is the Light of the world and He has risen in our lives and no amount of darkness can ut Him out! This is fact:

. . . I am the light of the world . . In Him is no darkness at all.

By Eugenia Price, taken from "Share my Pleasant Stones"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 51-57
Old and New Testaments Together: Esther 9-10 & Acts 7:1-21
Historical: Zephaniah & Haggai
Chronological: I Kings 12-14
Blended: Jeremiah 48-49 & Phil. 1

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Monday, June 22, 2009

This is the way

"Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left." Isaiah 30:18-21

The above verse was given to me when I was sitting up late at night the night before I was to attend Ecola Bible School in 1991. I remember being uneasy because I didn't know truly if this was what I should have been doing and I was fearful of being away from home where I didn't know anyone. As I read through Isaiah I came across Isaiah 30:21. It was like the Lord was telling me this was indeed the direction He wanted me to go. Over the years I've grown to love the verses above verse 21. I hope that the Lord will speak to you through these verses like He's spoken to me through them.

Krista Jones
8.4.08

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 46-50
Old and New Testaments Together: Esther 6-8 & Acts 6
Historical: Nahum & Habakkuk
Chronological: Proverbs 30-31
Blended: Jeremiah 46-47 & Matthew 28

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: Psalm 36-39
Old and New Testaments Together: Esther 1-2 & Acts 5:1-21
Historical: Obadiah & Jonah
Chronological: Eccl. 7-12
Blended: Jeremiah 40-42 & Matthew 27:27-50

Sunday:

Beginning to End: Psalm 40-45
Old and New Testaments Together: Esther 3-5 & Acts 5:22-42
Historical: Micah
Chronological: I Kings 10-11 & 2 Chr. 9
Blended: Jeremiah 43-45 & Matthew 27:51-66

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Friday, June 19, 2009

Praise Him!

"Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars!" Psalm 148:3

The sky and the stars, the waves and the sea,
The dew on the grass, the leaves on a tree
Are constant reminders of God and His nearness,
Proclaiming His presence with crystal-like clearness.

By Helen Steiner Rice

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 32-35
Old and New Testaments Together: Neh. 12-13 & Acts 4:23-37
Historical: Amos 6-9
Chronological: Eccl. 1-6
Blended: Jeremiah 37-39 & Matthew 27:1-26

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Thursday, June 18, 2009

He Loves You

"God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

The concept of love has been so used, abused, and misused today that you can hide almost anything behind it. That's because most people are looking for love in all the wrong places. They know they need it; they know they've got to have it. But where to find it and how to know if it's authentic is another questions.

If you feel like that, I have good news for you: God is love! I know you've heard that before, but I hope that little phrase will take on some knew meaning for you today. Let me start with a definition: The love of God is His joyful self-determination to reflect the goodness of His will and glory by meeting our needs.

The Bible is absolutely clear on this: there is no definition of love that means anything unless it is rooted in God. No matter how you define love, if it doesn't begin with God, it is flawed. It will either be incomplete or imbalanced, but either way it will be incorrect because God's character defines love.

Love is not just saying words. That's rap. True love is always expressed. God expressed His love in creation. You can look around you and see proof of God's love. But His greatest demonstration of love is in redemption - Jesus Christ hanging on the cross for all to see.

Once you see that, you see why true love is willing to pay a price for the one loved. It does not ask, "What am I going to get out of this" but, "What am I going to put into this so that the one I love can get something out of it?" God's love is not tied to the worth of the person being loved. That's good news because the only thing you and I are worthy of is judgement!

But don't misunderstand. The fact that God's love is unconditional doesn't make it weak and accepting of everything. Here's a major difference between divine love and what so often passes for love. Much of what people call love is just mush. God's love always makes judgement calls.

If you have experienced God's love, you've got the real thing. Don't settle for a weak imitation.

By Tony Evans, taken from "Time to Get Serious"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 26-31
Old and New Testaments Together: Neh. 10-11 & Acts 4:1-22
Historical: Amos 1-5
Chronological: Proverbs 27-29
Blended: Jeremiah 34-36 & Matthew 26:51-75

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Corner Stone

"Therefore thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed." Isaiah 28:16

This stone that Isaiah is talking about is Jesus Christ. He is the cornerstone, the foundation that is firmly placed and will not be disturbed. We all have a choice to place our lives upon this stone or not. And based upon that choice our lives will be forever changed both for the good and bad. Isaiah 8:14 says, "Then He shall become a sanctuary; to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over . . . " If we choose to accept Jesus as our Saviour He becomes the cornerstone of our lives. He becomes the foundation on which gives us strength. But, if we reject Him the stone becomes a rock by which we strike our foot on and fall.

I love what I Peter 2:4-9 says, "And coming to Him as a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture; "Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed." This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "The stone which the builder rejected, this became the very corner stone," and, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were appointed. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

We who believe in and know Jesus are firmly planted upon this corner stone. And by doing so we therefore become precious stones being build up by the Lord. I guess I see it that we are someone's first stepping stone that lead's to the foundation that is the corner stone that is Jesus Christ. We have been called out of darkness and into His marvelous light and need to share that with those who have rejected Jesus. It is our goal and life purpose!

Krista Jones
8.3.08


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 21-25
Old and New Testaments Together: Neh. 7-9 & Acts 3
Historical: Joel
Chronological: Proverbs 25-26
Blended: Jeremiah 32-33 & Matthew 26:26-50

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Why He died for Us

"But God demonstrates His own love love for us in this: While we were still sinner, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

It would seem Lord,
When You have been our dwelling lace
In all generations . . .
When You have guided us
Undergirded us
And enveloped us with love . . .
When You are Bread for the hungry
Rest for the weary
Strength for the powerless
And Joy unspeakable . . .
It would seem Lord
That we would have more to offer
Than lust
Greed
Hatred
War . . .

But that's precisely why
You came to die;
In the hearts of men
Things are not as they seem.

By Ruth Harms Calkin, taken from "Women's Devotional Bible 2"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 17-20
Old and New Testaments Together: Neh. 4-6 & Acts 2:22-47
Historical: Hosea 8-14
Chronological: I Kings 9 & 2 Chron. 8
Blended: Jeremiah 30-31 & Matthew 26:1-25

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Monday, June 15, 2009

War in Heaven

"War broke out in heaven . . . . [And Satan] was cast to the earth." Revelation 12:7-9

Philip Pullman is a gifted writer of fantasy books. His Dark Materials trilogy includes The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass and is very popular among young readers. But below the surface of these sympathetic characters and compelling subplots is a sinister purpose. The story culminates in a great war against God.

In these books, Pullman views the fall of Satan as a righteous cause for personal independence from God’s “tyrannical” control. He implies that Satan’s attempt to usurp the throne of God was the right thing to do!

In the book of Revelation, we read of the endtimes: “War broke out in heaven . . . . [And Satan] was cast to the earth” (Rev. 12:7-9). That future war is being preceded by an earthly conflict on the battlefield of our minds.

We must recognize Satan for what he is—a liar (John 8:44). His strategy is to take God’s words out of context and twist them into falsehood (Gen. 3:1-7). Our best defense against him is to hold firmly to the truth of God’s Word (Eph. 6:10-18).

Our loving heavenly Father is “not willing that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9). But neither will He force our obedience. He leaves the choice to us. — Dennis Fisher

Taken from "Our Daily Bread"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 9-16
Old and New Testaments Together: Neh. 1-3 & Acts 2:1-21
Historical: Hosea 1-7
Chronological: Psalm 134 & 146-150
Blended: Jeremiah 27-29 & Matthew 25:31-46

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: Job 40-42
Old and New Testaments Together: Ezra 6-8 & John 21
Historical: Ezek. 44-45
Chronological: I Kings 7 & 2 Chr. 4
Blended: Jeremiah 22-23 & Matthew 24:29-51

Sunday:

Beginning to End: Psalm 1-8
Old and New Testaments Together: Ezra 9-10 & Acts 1
Historical: Ezek. 46-48
Chronological: I Kings 8 & 2 Chr. 5
Blended: Jeremiah 24-26 & Matthew 25:1-30

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Friday, June 12, 2009

Forgiven or Unforgiven

"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." Romans 4:7-8

A generation ago when the deity of Christ was under attack from several directions at once and was being stoutly defended by Bible-believing Christians everywhere, a little aphorism was often heard uttered with emphatic finality: “It’s not the sin question, it’s the Son question!”

This was a short way of saying that the great problem before the human race was not its sin but its opinion of Jesus Christ, and that the disposition of the individual soul on the final day would be based not upon its relation to sin but upon its having accepted the deity of Christ as an article of faith.

If we take into consideration that this saying was a blunt sword forged for the heat of theological battle we can understand its popularity and sympathize with those who swung it so boldly against the enemies of truth; nevertheless we need not overlook its weakness nor accept it as a complete truth, which it certainly is not.

One count against this aphorism is that it is an aphorism. If great truth could be compressed into an epigram we have several hundred pages of Scripture to account for that need never have been written. I shy away from every effort to expound difficult doctrine by means of a pious quip; it’s just too neat and at best can present only one facet of the truth, leaving the other two or ten or fifty facets hidden from view.

We’ll pass over the alliteration, which is of course wholly artificial and only one degree removed from a pun, and state simply that the whole thing is false to the facts. Granted that solid truth might once in a rare while get itself crammed into an epigram, and even that the epigram might conceivably contain a pun, this “not the sin question but the Son question” is still not true. It dismisses too lightly something that God takes mighty seriously; viz., the fact of human sin and the solemn responsibility of every man for the sins he has committed.

Thought: How blessed is the person whose sin is forgiven and will never count against him or her. But what about unconfessed, unforgiven sin--ours?

By A.W. Tozer, taken from "The Size of the Soul"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 38-39
Old and New Testaments Together: Ezra 3-5 & John 20
Historical: Ezek. 42-43
Chronological: I Kings 5-67 & 2 Chr. 4
Blended: Jeremiah 20-21 & Matthew 24:1-28

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Thursday, June 11, 2009

The Voice of Adventure

"Those who try to keep their lives will lose them. But hose who give up their lives will save them." Luke 17:33

There is a rawness and a wonder to life. Pursue it. Hunt for it. Sell out to get it. Don't listen to the whines of those who have settled for a second-rate life and want you to do the same so they won't feel guilty. Your goal is not to live long; it's to live.

Jesus says the options are clear. On one side there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry and safe . . .

Or you can hear the voice of adventure - God's adventure. Instead of building a fire in your heart, build a fire in your heart. Follow God's impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure it isn't safe, but what is? - He Sill Move Stones

By Max Lucado, taken from "Grace for the Moment"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 35-37
Old and New Testaments Together: Ezra 1-2 & John 19:23-42
Historical: Ezek. 39-41
Chronological: I Kings 5-6 & 2 Chr. 2-3
Blended: Jeremiah 18-19 & Matthew 23:23-39

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Don't Be Offended

"Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me" (Luke 7:23).

It is sometimes very difficult not to be offended in Jesus Christ. The offenses may be circumstantial. I find myself in a prison-house -- a narrow sphere, a sick chamber, an unpopular position -- when I had hoped for wide opportunities. Yes, but He knows what is best for me. My environment is of His determining. He means it to intensify my faith, to draw me into nearer communion with Himself, to ripen my power. In the dungeon my soul should prosper. The offense may be mental. I am haunted by perplexities, questions, which I cannot solve. I had hoped that, when I gave myself to Him, my sky would always be clear; but often it is overspread by mist and cloud. Yet let me believe that, if difficulties remain, it is that I may learn to trust Him all the more implicitly -- to trust and not be afraid. Yes, and by my intellectual conflicts, I am trained to be a tutor to other storm-driven men.

The offense may be spiritual. I had fancied that within His fold I should never feel the biting winds of temptation; but it is best as it is. His grace is magnified. My own character is matured. His Heaven is sweeter at the close of the day. There I shall look back on the turnings and trials of the way, and shall sing the praises of my Guide. So, let come what will come, His will is welcome; and I shall refuse to be offended in my loving Lord. --Alexander Smellie

Blessed is he whose faith is not offended, When all around his way
The power of God is working out deliverance For others day by day;
Though in some prison drear his own soul languish,
Till life itself be spent,
Yet still can trust his Father's love and purpose,
And rest therein content.
Blessed is he, who through long years of suffering,
Cut off from active toil,
Still shares by prayer and praise the work of others,
And thus "divides the spoil."
Blessed are thou, O child of God, who sufferest, And canst not understand
The reason for thy pain, yet gladly leavest
Thy life in His blest Hand.
Yea, blessed art thou whose faith is "not offended"
By trials unexplained,
By mysteries unsolved, past understanding,
Until the goal is gained. --Freda Hanbury Allen

Compiled by Mrs. Charles Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 32-34
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 34-36 & John 19:1-22
Historical: Ezek. 35-38
Chronological: Proverbs 22-24
Blended: Jeremiah 15-17 & Matthew 23:1-22

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Two for one deal

"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad." Proverbs 12:25

I love this verse because it's like a two for one deal.

"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down" - I have often found myself with anxious thoughts or dealing with things that cause anxiety to well up within me. And the statement is so true as you physically "feel" the weight of your anxiety within your soul and body which affects your health, sleep and emotions.

It is good to know that we have a loving Father who cares for our anxious thoughts as the Psalmist reminds us in Psalm 94:18-19, "If I should say, "My foot has slipped," your lovingkindness, O Lord, will hold me up. When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul."

On the flip side, the rest of the verse says, "but a good word makes it glad." How often it is true that our words can bring uplifting joy into someone's heart. Proverbs 15:23 says, "A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word!"

Are you anxious about anything? Does it control who you are, your sleep, your actions and words? I know there are often times when I'm anxious it tends to seep out of me through my words.

Nip anxiety in the bud and turn your anxious thoughts to the Lord before it seeps out of you. Keep yourself in His Word and close by His side in order to be used by Him to be an encouragement at the right time.

Krista Jones
7.17.08


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 29-31
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 32-33 & John 18:19-40
Historical: Ezek. 32-34
Chronological: Proverbs 19-21
Blended: Jeremiah 12-14 & Matthew 22:23-46

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Monday, June 08, 2009

He is like a bright light

"His glory covers the skies, and His praise fills the earth. He is like a bright light. Rays of light shine from His hand, and there He hides His power." Habakkuk 3:3-4

Father, you never promised us that this world would be easy. And yet, all of us can look ahead to the city that's set on a hill, to the lights that call us to eternity. And we take hope.

By Max Lucado, taken from "Walking with the Savior"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 24-28
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 30-31 & John 18:1-18
Historical: Ezek. 28-31
Chronological: Proverbs 16-18
Blended: Jeremiah 9-11 & Matthew 22:1-22

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Saturday, June 06, 2009

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: Job 17-20
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 25-27 & John 16
Historical: Ezek. 21-23
Chronological: Proverbs 10-12
Blended: Jeremiah 3-5 & Matthew 21:1-22

Sunday:

Beginning to End: Job 21-23
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 28-29 & John 17
Historical:Ezek. 24-27
Chronological:Proverbs 13-15
Blended: Jeremiah 6-8 & Matthew 21:23-46

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Friday, June 05, 2009

A Few Words

"Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:21

Only 297 words are required to sum up in English all of God's moral law in the Ten Commandments. God distilled it even more hen He said, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Matt. 22:37-39). Only sixty-five words make up the definitive teaching on prayer - the Lord's Prayer - in Matthew 6:9-13.

Man doesn't have that capacity for essential brevity. There once was a governmental study to regulate the price of cabbage that run over twenty-six thousand words!

Thank God for the provision of His profound Word.

By John MacArthur, taken from "Truth for Today"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 14-16
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 23-24 & John 15
Historical: Ezek. 18-20
Chronological: Proverbs 7-9
Blended: Jeremiah 1-2 & Matthew 20:17-34

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Thursday, June 04, 2009

We May Speak for God

"Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before Me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as My mouth" (Jeremiah 15:19).

Poor Jeremiah! Yet why do we say so? The weeping prophet was one of the choicest servants of God and honored by Him above many. He was hated for speaking the truth. The word which was so sweet to him was bitter to his hearers, yet he was accepted of his LORD. He was commanded to abide in his faithfulness, and then the LORD would continue to speak through him. He was to deal boldly and truthfully with men and perform the LORD's winnowing work upon the professors of his day, and then the LORD gave him this word: "Thou shalt be as my mouth."

What an honor! Should not every preacher, yea, every believer, covet it? For God to speak by us, what a marvel! We shall speak sure, pure truth; and we shall speak it with power. Our word shall not return void; it shall be a blessing to those who receive it, and those who refuse it shall do so at their peril. Our lips shall feed many. We shall arouse the sleeping and call the dead to life.

O dear reader, pray that it may be so with all the sent servants of our LORD.

By C.H. Surgeon, taken from "Faith's Checkbook"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 11-13
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 21-22 & John 14
Historical: Ezek. 16-17
Chronological: Proverbs 4-6
Blended: Hos. 12-14 & Matthew 20:17-34

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Unity

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing - life forever." Psalm 133

This morning the Lord led me to ponder what unity really meant to the church body. I found it interesting that when I looked up the word unity that it pretty much fit into the above verse. Unity is "The state or quality of being on; singleness. The state or quality of being in accord; harmony. The singleness or constancy of purpose or action; continuity."

Psalm 133 states how important it is that we all dwell together in unity. My study notes on this chapter say of the oil coming down upon Aaron's beard and the edge of his robes, "The oil of Aaron's anointing saturated all the hair of his beard and ran down on his priestly robes, signifying his total consecration to holy service. Similarly, brotherly harmony sanctifies God's people."

My study notes say of the dew of Hermon, "A dew as profuse as that of Mount Hermon would make the mountains of Zion richly fruitful. So would brotherly unity make Israel richly fruitful. The two similes are well chosen: God's blessings flowed to Israel through the priestly ministrations at the sanctuary - epitomizing God's redemptive mercies - and through heaven's dew that sustained life in the field - epitomizing God's providential mercies in the creation order."

Unity is something that is often hard to obtain. It refers to a body of people and yet, through my experience, I realized that it really starts within us. We can make or break unity by our choices, by what we allow into our lives and how we conduct ourselves. If we are not in the Word, studying it, reading it and memorizing it, we become parched and dry. You may think that what you do or don't do won't affect anyone else. But what you don't realize is that it is the core of how unity is made or broken.

If you are parched you can't produce or maintain much for very long. It's kind of like a desert. Even in it's driest seasons a desert can produce life but it's hard to sustained it. Yet, when we are walking with the Lord and taking steps to be like Him we are like the dew that covered Mount Hermon and produced life all around it. That kind of life is contagious and spreads and draws people to be as one.

What are you like lately? Are you wallowing in the desert and making conditions around you dry and desolate? Or are you like dew dropping on those around you causing life and bonding? Unity is not someone else's job. It's your job and starts with you.

Krista Jones
4.10.08

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 8-10
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 19-20 & John 13:21-38
Historical: Ezek. 13-15
Chronological: Proverbs 1-3
Blended: Hos. 9-11 & Matthew 19

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Out of the Wreck I Rise

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Romans 8:35

God does not keep His child immune from trouble; He promises, "I will be with him in trouble . . ." ( Psalm 91:15 ). It doesn’t matter how real or intense the adversities may be; nothing can ever separate him from his relationship to God. "In all these things we are more than conquerors . . ." ( Romans 8:37 ). Paul was not referring here to imaginary things, but to things that are dangerously real. And he said we are "super-victors" in the midst of them, not because of our own ingenuity, nor because of our courage, but because none of them affects our essential relationship with God in Jesus Christ. I feel sorry for the Christian who doesn’t have something in the circumstances of his life that he wishes were not there.

"Shall tribulation . . . ?" Tribulation is never a grand, highly welcomed event; but whatever it may be— whether exhausting, irritating, or simply causing some weakness— it is not able to "separate us from the love of Christ." Never allow tribulations or the "cares of this world" to separate you from remembering that God loves you ( Matthew 13:22 ).

"Shall . . . distress . . . ?" Can God’s love continue to hold fast, even when everyone and everything around us seems to be saying that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?

"Shall . . . famine . . . ?" Can we not only believe in the love of God but also be "more than conquerors," even while we are being starved?

Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver, having deceived even Paul, or else some extraordinary thing happens to someone who holds on to the love of God when the odds are totally against him. Logic is silenced in the face of each of these things which come against him. Only one thing can account for it— the love of God in Christ Jesus. "Out of the wreck I rise" every time.

By Oswald Chambers, taken from "My Utmost For His Highest"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 5-7
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 17-18 & John 13:1-20
Historical: Ezek. 11-12
Chronological: Song of Solomon
Blended: Hos. 5-8 & Matthew 18: 21-35

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Monday, June 01, 2009

June's Memory Verse

Ephesians 4:25

"Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another."

Ephesians 4:25 (NASB - New American Standard Bible)


Mary's Memory Verse: James 1:2-4

April's Memory Verse: Jeremiah 30:17

March's Memory Verse: James 1:5

February's Memory Verse: John 15:5

January's Memory Verse: Ephesians 3:20-21

December's Memory Verse: Lamentations 3:22-23

November's Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 2:15

October's Memory Verse: Proverbs 16:1-3

September's Memory Verse: Proverbs 17:9

January's Memory Verse: Ephesians 3:20-21

Remember the key is to review review review. Always review the verses you've already memorized along with learning this month's verse.

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 1-4
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 15-16 & John 12:27-50
Historical: Ezek. 8-10
Chronological: Psalm 119:89-176
Blended: Hos. 1-4 & Matthew 18:1-20

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible