Day 90

Numbers 29:12 - 31:24

"Anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing."

What a powerful reminder of how God desires to purify us in the fire. We can be put through the fire so we will be. Anything that can be purified with fire must be. So God brings the fire and begins to work in our lives removing all the impurities. We don't like the fire but the results are stunning!!! And then after the fire here comes the water (i.e. the rain, maybe even a storm like below). So let the fire and rain come because the end results will be so beautiful!


Luke 8:19-39

Some of us are in the midst of a storm. That may be a financial storm, relational, directional, physical or even a spiritual storm. We cry out in the dark unable to see anything but the water raging around us and pitch black. We are lucky to be able to just exist hour by hour hoping to make it. Just when we cry out to God who really is "leeping" we realize the very reason we are in this situation is simply to stretch our faith. God wanted to see if we would focus on the storm or have blind faith that He will never leave us or forsake us! Hold to the truth we are learning by reading the Bible daily and know that God can command your circumstances for you. In Jesus name I pray for those going through a trial right now that you would command circumstances on their behalf as they put their faith in You.


Psalm 39:1-13

Oh the tongue. Don't you just want to cut it out sometimes? "Keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth." That is the way I feel. So many times I say things and then I just want to take it back. Why did I just say that? How could I be so mean? If I could only keep my tongue from sin. I have hurt so many people to their face and behind their back. Lord, forgive me and give me discipline to keep my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking lies!

Day 89

Numbers 27:12 - 29:11

A couple of things stuck out to me today while was reading this. First, I think it's so great that in chapter 27 here, God is allowing Moses to see the Promised Land. We know, from earlier in Numbers, that Moses isn't going to get to actually take the Israelites into Canaan because of his acting out at the waters of Meribah. But here God has compassion on him, and is going to allow him to at least see the land that he's invested his life in getting this stubborn people to. What a gracious God.

Second, I was reading over all these required offerings and I was thinking about how busy those priests were, every single day. Even on non-feast sacrifice days, they had the two daily offerings, plus everything anyone else in the camp had to bring for sin, vow, or otherwise. They were constantly sacrificing. When Jesus came, He fulfilled that requirement. We, obviously, no longer have to sacrifice for our sins, or otherwise. He is always there with us reminding us of that sacrifice and why He did it. But I was also thinking about our pastors now days. So many people desire ministry, specifically the title Pastor, for the title alone. What people DON'T realize is the time requirement. As pastor/priest, our shepards are spending their time praying for us and working for the kingdom cause--they are constantly sacrificing. When God calls someone into full-time vocational ministry, it is just that - full time, all the time. We need to remember this and pray for Pastor John, or whoever your pastor is, and support them.

Luke 8:1-18

Oh, I love this parable. This story has ministered to me on so many different levels at so many different times. It's so fascinating to see the different responses people have to the Word of God. I think too, sometimes we can see ourselves in these different pictures. For example, sometimes we'll receive a word or instruction from God (the seed) and then allow our doubt and worry (the weeds) to choke out that word ultimately causing us to fall out of alignment with God and His plans for us. This is a good reminder that we should always strive to remain fertile soil for God to work with!


Psalm 38:13-22

I love verse 15! That is a statement of faith and God is so faithful to fulfill His word. If we will wait on Him, He WILL answer us!

Day 88

Numbers 26:12 - 27:11

So we finish counting up all the Israelites again and we come up with more than last time. Apparently their birth rate is higher than their death rate, because we know that all the people who doubted at the word of the spies have died off. In addition, many of them have died off during the plagues that God has sent into their midst to cleanse them. The Israelites have been through much over the past 40ish years and they're now on the brink of the Promised Land....again!


Luke 7:36-50

I love the example that Jesus uses is verses 41-42. That Pharisee had lived a religious life, and as a result hadn't sinned a whole lot, other than not accepting Jesus. He wasn't quite as grateful and receptive to the forgiveness that Jesus had to offer, because, according to his standards, he didn't need it that bad. That woman, however, needed a lot of forgiveness and she knew it! She was grateful and wasn't afraid to show it!


Proverbs 8:12-21

I, personally, love verses 17-21. Remember, wisdom is speaking here. I love that it says that those who seek wisdom, find wisdom. That's a promise we all need sometimes, huh Breanna???

Day 87

Numbers 23:27 - 26:11

We have three different stories working today. First, we are seeing the end of Balaam's story. We see that he again blesses the Israelites and Balak isn't so happy about that. In spite of the reasoning behind God wanting to stop Balaam's journey, I think we can all learn from Balaam's steadfast devotion to God. In verses 12-14, he tells Balak that it doesn't matter the wealth laid before him, he must stay true to what God tells him to do. Sometimes it can be so easy to brush aside our beliefs and justify it with monetary or other earthly gain. But we need to remain steadfast in our decision to follow Christ.

Second, we see God again plaguing and purging the Israelites from the sin that always entangles them. They have disobeyed God and allowed some of the Moabite women into their midst, and they have in turn, tried to lead them astray. We see God praising Eleazar because he was as zealous as God in keeping the camp pure.

Lastly, we see another census beginning. Get your calculators out...


Luke 7:11-35

Jesus has authority over death - how amazing is that?! What would it have been like to be a bystander watching this horribly sad funeral procession? You see the poor widow mother crying and then suddenly the procession stops. There's some talking and then rejoicing erupts as the dead son gets out of the coffin and walks away!

Today we also see John the Baptist reappear. He has been in prison awhile now and is getting discouraged, wondering if everything he preached was true. He sends his disciples to Jesus and they come back with a powerful report to restore John's faith (I love this!): "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." The Christian life is [supposed to be] a powerful life!!


Psalm 38:1-12

Today's reading is flat out depressing. David is laying out his raw emotions in writing to his God, begging for mercy. David had it right, though, we are to come to God with everything, and allow Him to be our strength, healing and encouragement.

Day 86

Numbers 22:21 - 23:26

And my debacle continues. I will say though, this is a fascinating story! How many of you didn't know there was a story in the Bible about a talking donkey??

Again, my quest for answers continues, and I want to open this up for discussion, rather than ramble on. Why, even if in God's permissive will, did God try to stop and even kill Balaam on his way to meet Balak? It seemed as though Balaam had no intention of doing anything other than say what God told him to, yet God tried to end his life for going. Tell me your thoughts!

On a side note, it's amazing to hear Balaam speak such powerful things over the Israelites. We'll see tomorrow that the praises of Israel continue!


Luke 6:37 - 7:10

It seems lately that I have heard verses 41-42 so many times lately! I have heard it at church and in our Bible reading. You all are hearing the same things, so I'm thinking that God's trying to tell one of you something--couldn't be me! Ha! I think it's so good to be reminded of this passage often because it can apply to so many things in our lives. We, as a society, are so quick to judge, but that's not what God is calling us to do.

Verse 45 is also powerful. Sometimes, when I have a harsh thought about someone/something, I'll think about this verse and repent. Obviously, I'm not full of the right things and want to correct that immediately. I want to be full of Christ, that way Christ pours out of me!


Psalm 37:32-40

When you are under attack, there is nothing you can/should do, other than rely on the Lord. This whole chapter has been talking about others succeeding around us while we're hurting or afflicted, but the end of the chapter here in verses 39-40 sums it up perfectly, "The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord...." Not us, Him. To Him be the glory, honor and power forever, Amen!

Day 85

Numbers 21:4 - 22:20

I heard someone talking about this passage on the radio the other day, and I've been anxious to get to this part so I can share it with you. They were specifically speaking about 21:4-9, the section about the bronze snake.

Not wanting to expound too much and lose readers, this story can be compared to what Jesus did for us on the cross. Just as they looked to the bronze snake on the tree (stick) and were healed, we too can look to our savior on the tree and be healed and saved. It's a neat parallel!! When the things of this life are starting to eat away at us and kill us, we need to focus hard on the Lord and look to Him for answers, healing and deliverance.

I also want to take a moment to look at Balaam. This story, which is continued on into the next couple of days, always baffles me. Maybe all of you can bring some clarity to me. Rich and I have had discussions concerning this, and I'll share with you my thoughts.

We see Balak's men come ask Balaam to come curse the Israelites and he says 'no' because God told him to. When Balak's men came back and asked again, this time, God said to go with this proviso, "but do only what I tell you." To me, it seems God is telling him to go, but after discussing this with others, this could be a good example of God's perfect will versus His permissive will. God's perfect will was for Balaam to leave the Israelites alone, but because Balaam kept asking on behalf of Balak's men, God allowed him to go under His permissive will. What say you?


Luke 6:12-36

This is a tough portion of scripture, too! Verses 27 - 36 are very challenging and go against the way our society operates today. We are to love those people who hate us, pray for those who curse us, forgive when someone attacks us, give above and beyond even when they don't deserve it, and then give some more. Talk about a challenge! I like how Jesus goes on to clarify even more by saying that even 'sinners' take the easy route of this, by loving those that love them, etc. We, as Christians, are to go the extra mile and be an example for those around us.


Psalm 37:21-31

I think it's interesting how the first verses here (21 and 22) seem to just be a continuation of our Luke passage. It's like God is saying to us, "No, seriously, give. Give your time, your treasure and your talent." And in saying that, God continues on in the rest of the passage and promises some amazing things in return. It's all based on "if the Lord delights in a man's way", though. Let's live a life that the Lord can delight in. Not a perfect life, by any means, but a life set on Him and His pleasure!

Day 84

Numbers 19:1 - 21:3

Just like on Sunday, when we saw the history-changing attitude of the people of Israel, today is where we see the fate of Moses and Aaron determined.

Now I can't say that I blame Moses and Aaron for their reaction, especially after the uprising a couple days ago. I probably would have done a whole lot more than strike the rock twice, like maybe kick it, and a few Israelites too, but then I too would have not trusted God. Because they didn't trust God and obey His directions, they now will never see the promised land. The land that they've worked so hard at getting this stubborn people to, a land that is flowing with milk and honey, they will never be able to see. How tragic!

At the end of this chapter, we see that Aaron is already dead and his son, Eleazar, has taken his place. I feel like we need to take time to have a memorial service for Aaron, if not to just recount the amazing things this man witnessed. He suffered much and he was blessed much--what an amazing life!


Luke 5:33 - 6:11

Legalism. Yuck. That's what all of today's reading is about. So many people have such a skewed perception of Christianity because of modern-day Christians that are as legalistic as these Pharisees. All they did, all Bible long, is follow Jesus pointing out the things that He was doing that weren't lining up with their lists of do's and dont's. All Christ was looking for in people was their admitted need of a Savior, just like we learned about at church on Sunday in John 9:41. God isn't looking for us to fulfill requirements in a law, Jesus already did that. God is looking for us to rely on Him and serve Him and love Him. Let's display THAT to the world around us!

Proverbs 8:1-11

Contrary to what society and reality TV says, verse 11 says that wisdom is far greater than riches. Nothing we strive for can be compared to wisdom. In committing to this reading club, you are on that quest for incomparable wisdom!!

Day 83

Numbers 16:36 - 18:32

This passage is so irritating. The Lord has just killed Korah, his family and his followers and in verse 41 the people continue to grumble against Moses and Aaron. "You have killed the Lord's people," they said. Ugh, they just don't get it! Even God has had enough. He tells Moses AGAIN that he is going to destroy all of them. But, unknown to the complaining and whining people, a very humble Moses saves their lives AGAIN. You just want to scream at these complaining whining people until you stop and look at yourself and realize that I too am a complaining whining Israelite! Ouch!

Luke 5:17-32

"And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick". Oh I love that verse. These precious friends of the lame man didn't care that the Pharisees and teachers of the law were in that house, they knew Jesus' power to heal their friend was in that house and they had to get in!! Then to top it all off, Jesus forgives his sins instead of heal him just to make the Pharisees mad! "But so that you will know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins..." Jesus sticks it to them and heals the man and forgives his sins. Their reaction is priceless "We have seen remarkable things today." But I bet the Pharisees didn't see those remarkable things.

Psalm 37:10-20

This is a great portion for those who wonder and shake their fist at the wicked every time they prosper and seem to get away with things. It seems they have more fun, more stuff, more power, more success, etc. than those of us who serve the Lord. But take heart! Not for long. "Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked." What a reassuring verse. Our day is coming when God will reward every day of suffering, every decision for righteousness and the commitment to Christ. As it says elsewhere: What is it if we should gain the whole world and loose our own soul?

Blessings until next week!

Day 82

Numbers 15:1 - 16:35

Chapter 16 is an awesome story! I love how God defends those He calls. when Korah, Dathan and Abiram, and their followers, stood up to Moses, God didn't take that lightly!

I think it's interesting how in verse 4, Moses fell face down. They were attacking him and his calling and his position, but he knew it was more than that--an attack on God. He fell face down in repentance on their behalf knowing what a grave mistake they were making.

God dealt clearly with only those that opposed his servant Moses. However, with those leading the uprising, their families were killed also--they were swallowed into the earth with them. What a sight that must have been to watch the earth actually open up and swallow people up and then close over them. I bet it was terrifying to watch, but remembered with awe. Who says the Bible's boring??

Luke 4:38 - 5:16

That fishing story is amazing. Can you imagine the cycle of emotions of those on the boat: they are frustrated because they haven't been able to catch anything, they are cynical because Jesus tells them to cast their nets again even though they know nothing is out there to be had, they are stunned because of the large catch, they are fearful because their boat is sinking, and, in verse 9, it says they were ultimately astonished at what Christ had done. After such a show of power, they decide to give up fishing and follow this Christ.

Psalm 37:1 -9

I love this passage of scripture. For me personally, this past year has been riddled with people around me who seem to be prospering even though they are evil. They would put me down because of my beliefs and actions, yet they seemed to still succeed. But this portion of scripture tells us not to worry about them, because they will waste away. Jon Courson says to even pity them because this is the best they're going to have it, while this is the worst we're going to have it, as we have heaven to look forward to.

Anyway, when I read this scripture, I was thinking of someone in particular that had really hurt me, and when I look at their life now, this scripture has come to pass. That isn't to puff me up, it had nothing to do with me. It's just our job to focus on our relationship and growth with Christ, and let Him take care of the rest. Verse 7 says specifically to "be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes." We need to (v.4) delight in God and in His ways, (v.5) commit your ways to Him, (v.7) be still. before Him, and (v.9) put our hope in Him.

Day 81

Numbers 13:26 - 14:45

This is a history-making chapter. Do you realize that the Israelites were about to march into the land? They had left Egypt and practically arrived at their destination. Those spies, aside from Joshua and Caleb, ruined it for an entire people. Because of their sour message, the people believed them and were ultimately condemned to die in the desert.

When I think of how this could apply to us today, I think of times that God has brought me to the end of a trial and my reactions just aren't what they should be. Into the wilderness we go...AGAIN. Whether we begin to doubt God, as the Israelites did, or we get overly-confident and begin to take over, we began to shorten the arm of God again.

Luke 4:14-37

This portion of scripture is broken up perfectly. We see in verses 14-30 how Jesus is rejected by a people, then we see in verses 31-37 how a people accepts Him. Among the first group in Nazareth, Jesus was unable to do anything because they don't believe.

Among the second group in Capernaum, though, they were desperate for Jesus. They were delivered and healed. They were ministered to and accepted his teachings as a salve for their wounds.

I pray that we aren't cocky and ultimately prohibit Jesus from moving in our lives. I want to be like Capernaum and be hungry for a move of the Spirit!

Psalm 36:1-12

Lots of songs have come from this portion of scripture. I could sing several of them as I was reading. Among the songs, we see how much God loves us and how much He takes care of us!

Day 80

Number 11:4 - 13:25

There were a few portions of scripture today that really jumped out at me. The first being 11:23. Moses is complaining about the Israelites and his situation. God's given him an answer of what He's going to do, and Moses isn't quite sold on the idea. God says "Is the Lord's arm too short?" Ouch! How many times in our life are we standing on the promises of the word and then decide that maybe they're not going to happen for us? Are we shortening the Lord's arm in our life?

In chapter 12, we see that Miriam and Aaron are speaking out against Moses. That's so dangerous! We'll see it again when we get to David, but speaking against the Lord's anointed (your pastor, leader) is a dangerous thing to do! What I love about this though, is how we see just how close God and Moses are. The Lord speaks veiled to His prophets, but not with Moses. He speaks face to face with Moses. What an honor!

As we move into chapter 13, we see that they're finally going to get a glimpse of the Promised Land. Tomorrow we'll get to hear their report.

Luke 3:23 - 4:13

Here we have the infamous begats. What's interesting in these, though, is how we see that prophecy is fulfilled. Jesus came from David and the tribe of Judah, just as prophesied.

In chapter 4, we read about the temptation of Jesus. Pastor John commented last week on a passage in Leviticus, and then we also heard about it on Sunday (check out the podcast here). I am inserting his comment because I think we can all glean from it...

Lev.27:28 "But nothing that a man owns and devotes to the LORD -whether man or animal or family land—may be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the LORD."

I really enjoyed again the emphasis this chapter puts upon "dedicate" and calls for God's people to give Him everything they own... including themselves. But I love how it says that our lives are "most holy to the Lord". This speaks to owns both me, but also my holiness. He makes me holy and he brings me value. My identity (value) is to be found in Christ alone. The World only looks to value what the God of this age values. (Luke 4 - Jesus in the wilderness).

1. You are what you do (Performance) - Turn these stones into bread.

2. You are what you own (Possessions) - Give Jesus the kingdoms

3. You are what people think about you (Popularity) - Show Jesus' power by throwing himself off the cliff.

Thank you Lord we only take our identity in Your Word and in Christ alone!

Proverbs 7:21-27

Sin is so tempting. It seems sometimes that it is so easy to justify and fit in to our lives. We must be careful not to hop on that highway, though, and remain steadfast on the narrow road.

Day 79

Numbers 9:15-11:3

How awesome would it have been to see the cloud and fire resting on the tabernacle? To hear the trumpet blasts?

I think the part that hit me the hardest was the beginning of chapter 11. Yesterday we read and discussed celebrating God's deliverance from our Egypt. But how many times, just like the Israelites, do we complain about the hardships since and look back longingly to what held us miserably captive? Yikes! That was such a grave offense, God scorched 'em. Lord, may we be grateful for every circumstance that comes our way and never complain about what You are doing in our lives.

Luke 3:1-22

What a great portion of scripture!

We've all heard verse 8 quoted "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." What does that mean to you? To me, it means that in our repentance, in our turning from our sin, our fruit should reflect that change. So in light of that, what does your fruit look like?

The rest of verse 8 is also highly quoted, and rightfully so. I realize that we don't regularly call ourselves "sons of Abraham" in this day and age. However, I've known far too many people that rely on their parents for their salvation--as though they'll be covered under their parent's name. That's a scary place to be! We will all stand before God alone. At that moment, it all boils down to our own personal relationship with God.

Continuing in that verse, it says "For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham." If we won't obey God and answer his call on our lives, God will find someone who will. Let us be sensitive to God's purposes in our lives so we can answer that call. We need to take every opportunity to serve God, be up in the game, not on the sidelines waiting for a personal heavenly invitation to serve. Let us be doers!

Psalm 35:19-28

I think a great way to stay close to God, and 'be in the game', is in verse 28. We need to be speaking of God's righteousness, forgiveness, love, and his praises all day long. When we've got God on the brain, our actions will follow.

Day 78

Numbers 7:66-9:14

Today we finished up the dedication sacrifices for the alter. Now the alter is ready.

Reading this part of Chapter 9 really makes me think of how important it is to celebrate what God has done for us. They are celebrating the Passover and God is making allowances for people to celebrate it no matter what. I think it is important that we move on from our past, but that we always remember what God rescued us from. The Israelites are again celebrating the night that God brought them out of slavery and bondage in Egypt. We need to remember the slavery and bondage, our personal Egypt, that God has brought us out of, and we need to celebrate our deliverance and freedom.

Luke 2:41-52

Here we see Jesus beginning to fulfill His ultimate purpose here on earth. At twelve years old, He knew what the Father wanted from Him, and He was fulfilling that calling. He knew that He "had to be in [His] Father's house." May we all seek out and know what the Father is wanting from us, and may we fulfill His plan for us. He has brought us out of Egypt and now we are free to fulfill His purposes.

Psalm 35:11-18

David is still under attack and desperate for deliverance. He is going to God to deliver Him from His present 'Egypt'. Just as David says, we should all be making it known how grateful we are for God's deliverance! Let us not be ashamed to tell the nations that our God is a deliverer!!

Day 77

Numbers 7:1-65

Rewind. Play. Rewind. Play. Rewind. Play.

That's how this section of scripture reads, am I right? Am I the only one that found themselves taking a deep breath and seeing if they could read the whole offering list in one big breath? Come on, seriously.

There's a sacrifice to be made everyday on the newly anointed alter, and each of the tribes takes a day, and they all bring the same sacrifice. How exciting it must have been for those people to check off each day on their Day Planner as they brought their sacrifice. They were now one day closer to having a fully functioning Tabernacle. There was a light at the end of the Sanctifying, Anointing and Dedicating tunnel.

Luke 2:21-40

One thing that impressed me as I was reading this, was what a great example Joseph and Mary were being. They were observing all of the laws that applied to their situation, i.e. the purification sacrifice. Even though they were parenting Christ, they were setting a great example of what He should follow. As a parent, this is so important. We need to set a solid, consistent example for our kids of what Christianity should be. This also applies as believers.

I am not endorsing religiosity and rituals. When I say that we need to set an example as believers, I'm referring to the example laid out in I Timothy 4:12: "Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity."

Without pushing rituals, religions and the spiritual "do's" and "don'ts", we should be a virtually silent example to those around us, believers and not.

Psalm 35:1-10

Do you ever feel like you need rescuing? I love this passage with David crying out to God to fight for him. My favorite part is verse 10: "My whole being will exclaim, 'Who is like you, O Lord?'". I want my whole being to exclaim that to those around me--an awestruck attitude towards our God.

Day 76

Numbers 5:11 - 6:27

The Priestly Blessing is powerful. The Bible says life and death are in the power of the tongue and here we see an example. By saying a blessing "they will put my name on the Israelites." I want the name of Jesus to be on me! Can you imagine walking daily with a word of blessing upon you? Bless someone today in the Name of Jesus!

Luke 2:1-20

The precious Christmas story never grows old. As you read this very familiar passage just remember all the miracles that God orchestrated while the world slept. He reveal his secret to only a precious few and boy did they have a story to tell! My favorite is Mary who ponders all these things in her heart remembering the visit from the angel 9 months before. Knowing her son was God but yet not knowing all the special surprises God had in store for her.

Proverbs 7:6-20

Oh heed the warning! The youth lacked judgement. Let us inquire of the Lord and obey his Word to obtain the wisdom to avoid temptation. Very sad how the young man lacked judgement and followed the temptation. We are living in a world FULL of the perfect adultery in the sense of sin looking pleasurable. Oh not it is not pleasureable but only for a season and then the husband is coming home and the young man is in trouble!

Day 75

Numbers 4:1 - 5:10

Over the past week's readings, I think a recurring theme is purity. God desires a pure heart. I really like the definition of purity: unmixed with any other matter. God is wanting us to not be mixed with any other worldly thing--He wants us to Himself. What a challenge!

This makes me think of Romans 12:2 "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is." We don't want to be conformed to the world, but we do want to affect the world, especially those that God has put around us.

Luke 1:57-80

Zechariah can talk again! Remember, God closed his mouth because of his unbelief. Now that he has followed through on what God wanted of him, God has reopened his mouth. It's amazing to read Zechariah's prophecy about John--what a faith-filled statement from him. This is now a man that truly believes in the power of God.

Psalm 34:11-22

There are so many scriptures in this passage that we could dwell on. So many of them are so encouraging, no matter what your life is like right now. Our God is listening to us, He will deliver us, He challenges us to pursue peace and turn from evil. One of my favorites, though, is verse 18: "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit."

How many times do we feel all alone with a broken heart? Here's God's promise, that even though sometimes we feel all alone, in fact, God is close. What an amazing thought!

Day 74

Numbers 2:10 - 3:51

Again, today, we're counting up Israelites; this time the Levites. What an honor to serve at the Sanctuary. Every family had their purpose, and it was a very serious matter. Satisfying your obligations was not something to take lightly.

We have also been called to serve at our Sanctuary. At The Way, there are so many places to get plugged in and serve. No matter the church, it is important that we serve and that we do it sincerely, and that we take it seriously. Now, God isn't waiting for us to miss a Sunday or mess something up and He's going to kill us, but God does deserve, and expect, our highest performance.

Luke 1:39-56

What a beautiful passage of scripture, when we get to hear Mary's heart. The burden of bearing the Savior of the world has been placed within her, and her response is one of admiration of her God. Reading this passage really renews my faith, reviewing the things that my God is capable of. What a Mighty God we serve!

Psalm 34:1-10

Again, today is a day of praise. Praising God for the things He has done, and will do. I love verse 8, "Taste and see that the Lord is good". It seems a challenge to us, to real dig in to God and see how wonderful He really is.

Day 73

Numbers 1:1-2:9

Here we go into Numbers...which is exactly as it sounds, a bunch of numbers. It's actually quite fascinating, I think, and we jump right in here in Chapter 1. Though the reading is a bit redundant, it's amazing to think of how many Israelites there were. That total in verse 46 is JUST MEN, and that's only men 20 and older that can fight. Now, add all the women, children, and men that, well, can't fight. When you think in terms of these numbers, it makes their Exodus from Egypt that much more amazing.

Luke 1:26-38

What would you do? What would you do if Gabriel showed up and visited you, giving you a similar message? Wow!

When I read verse 28, every time I feel so inadequate. Gabriel refers to Mary as "highly favored". Am I, are you, living a life that would qualify us as "highly favored"?

What an amazing woman Mary was, even in her response, just gracefully accepting the lot assigned to her.

Psalm 33:12-22

God is watching over us. What a deep thought that the Creator of the Universe is watching over little 'ol me, and we need to recognize that He is our deliverer. Let's go into today with this blessing...

"May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you." (v.22)

A Quick Sidenote

I'd like to welcome to our authors here, Rachel Johnson, from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Rachel is actually the person who came up with the concept of the Bible Reading Club in our church in Susanville. She is a very dear friend of mine, and she and her husband are pastors at their church in South Dakota.

Rachel has a lot to offer us, and she will be a guest blogger every Tuesday. I'm excited to see the things that God will speak to us through her.

One other thing, I'm linking the scripture titles to an online source. I don't know how to say that properly, but beginning today, now you can click on the scripture titles for the day and it will take you to an online Bible to read that for the day. I prefer reading a book in front of me, but some prefer online....now everyone can be happy!

Day 72

Leviticus 26:14 - 27:34

Oh Israelites. Come on. Doesn't it just frustrate you to know that the Israelites disobey and this will be their punishment, especially after we just read yesterday what their rewards would have been for obeying? These are some harsh punishments.

Today, we're ending Leviticus, and we're wrapping up the discussion between God and Moses on Mt Sinai. I realize that not everyone has read all of Leviticus, and that's okay, but I want to know your thoughts on the book. Let me know something new you've learned. Leviticus can be a tough book to get through, but as we've seen this week, there's also quite a bit to glean in there....we haven't even scratched the surface, I'm sure!

Luke 1:1-25

For those starting from the beginning, we're now moving into the third gospel--Luke. We're going to read all the same stories, again, but what is interesting is how different the stories are told. Luke, for example, was a doctor, so we'll see things maybe from a more technical perspective when he writes.

In this chapter, we read about John the Baptist's parents and their reactions to John's conception. How horrible to be mute after you have a supernatural encounter with an actual angel!! I would want to go tell everyone what I just saw, and I'll be darned if I can't even utter a word. I think God was showing Zechariah that He meant business. We need to believe!

Proverbs 7:1-5

Wisdom is so important. When we are young, and not-so-young, it is so important to seek out wisdom--whether it be from God's word or someone respected in our lives. We need to seek out wisdom and keep it solid within us.

Day 71

Leviticus 25:1 - 26:13

The Year of Jubilee, what an amazing time of celebration that must have been! It's basically a year of restoration and forgiveness. What a great God we serve that considered the mistakes of His creation and allowed for their redemption on an ongoing basis.

Moving into chapter 26, God lays out the rewards for obedience. Wow--those are some amazing rewards and quite an incentive to follow the plan of God. Those rewards are downright supernatural. What a testimony the Israelites could have been, based on these rewards, had they only stayed in obedience to God's laws.

Mark 16:1-20

Here's what sets us apart--our God got up!!! What would it have been like to be a Mary at the tomb and know that you saw them lay Jesus there, and now He's gone?! I imagine we would have also been frightened.

This time, I'm going to request YOUR input: Re-read verses 17 and 18. We know that God empowers us as Christians, but what does it mean when it's talking about picking up snakes and drinking poison? Are we supposed to test this? I, for one, will be at the back of that line! Let me know what you think this means!

Psalm 33:1-11

Reading this portion of scripture just makes me smile. We get to consider all of the amazing things God has done and rejoice for it. I especially love the last verse, verse 11, knowing that God is steadfast. His purposes are resolute and will not change, in spite of our ever changing selves.

Day 70

Leviticus 23:1 - 24:23

The feasts are always very fascinating. I realize that they correspond to actual events which have/will take place, though I'm not confident in all my correlations.

One thing I do glean from the feasts, though, is how God always wants our first and our best. He always wants the firstfruits of our labor and he wants the best for our sacrifice. How many times do we we simply give God what's left over after our day is done. I know I can definitely be guilty of that one! This goes further than our time though, but into our pocket. God wants our first fruits - He wants to know that He gets priority in our finances, as well as every other area.

I also think the story of the blasphemer being stoned is interesting. The Israelites knew that what the man did was wrong, but they weren't sure how to punish him. Instead of taking justice into their own hands, they simply waited until they had clear direction from God in how to handle the situation. Sometimes things in our life seem like "no-brainer" responses, but we need to wait until we hear the voice of God speaking before we act. A lot of times, our knee-jerk reactions are based on our flesh, not God.

Mark 15:33-47

What an amazing passage of scripture. So many symbolic things happening, such as the curtain being torn, even which direction it was torn. Suddenly, we can now approach the Almighty God directly--no more curtains and high priests. In an instant, we were released from all the things we are currently reading about in Leviticus. Jesus fulfilled them all. Praise God!

I went on Youtube and found this portion of the Passion movie. I considered embedding it, but didn't want to make everyone watch it, as it is very graphic. If you want, I encourage you also to find it and watch it. For me, it makes everything more real, more impacting.

Psalm 32:1-11

What a great scripture to follow up the final act of Christ. We are blessed because our transgressions are forgiven, our sins are covered! Today, as we consider what Christ did for us, let us go into our day with this:

"Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!" (v.11)

Day 69

Leviticus 21:1 - 22:33

Three times in these verses God tells Moses that He is the one who makes the people holy. It is very interesting that God says this even after He talks about acceptable sacrifices (22:17-33). So then, it was not the sacrifices that made the people of Israel holy, but it was God Himself!

The same is true for you and me today. We can try all we want to be better people, to be more holy, righteous, and Godly; but outside of God Himself making us holy, we will never be holy. So then, how does God make us holy? I Corinthians 1:30 holds the answer that we need, "...Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."

Jesus in us, is our only hope of becoming holy, righteous, and redeemed. With Jesus living in us and having control of our mind, heart, and body will we be holy. And the good news (or the Gospel) is this, Jesus is already waiting for us to allow Him to transform us from the inside-out.

Mark 15:1 - 32

Verse 2, "... 'Yes, it is as you say', Jesus replied."

Verse 5, "But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed."

So why did Jesus answer in verse 2, but not inverse 5? The answer lies in the question. In verse 2, Jesus was asked about who He was, "Are you the king of the Jews?". But in verse 3, He was asked to defend against lies. You see, Jesus only responded to the truth - He was (and is) the King of the Jews. However, when it came to responding to the lies of the chief priests, He had no interest (verse 5).

How much can you and I learn from these 5 verses? Daily satan attacks our minds with lies, just as satan attacked Jesus with lies. But often we spend most of our time defending, if even only to ourselves, that those lies aren't true. How much could we grow if we stopped responding to lies and only acknowledged truth?

Those of us that grew up with siblings were always told, "if you don't respond to their pestering, they'll stop." Remember that one? Well, there is much truth to that. It wasn't Jesus' lack of responding that crucified Him, but it was God's plan of salvation that crucified Him. Psalms 138 tells us that, "the Lord will work out the plans He has for my life". So together we can rest in knowing that we can stop responding to the lies and focus on the Truth.

Psalm 31:19 - 24

How fitting that this Psalm starts w/ cries about accusations. Look at how it very quickly goes from focusing on the lies to focusing on the Lord.

Day 68

Leviticus 19:1-20:27

Leviticus is one of those hard books to get through. All of the don't do this, and all of the sacrificial regulations. Today was no exception.

But one thing that I really thought was interesting was Chapter 20. After God talks about the punishable sin, He says they were to be put to death, or cut off. Verse 7 says "Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy."

What is it in our lives right now that we need to just "cut-off"? No, I don't mean our siblings--can't stone them either!! What is it in our lives right now that is a sin that is hanging on to us and we need to cut it off, stone it, get it out of our lives so we can be consecrated? Maybe it's a game, a tv show, a bad habit such as gossip.

I challenge you to look at that sin in you that you need to cut off...and then be grateful that you don't have to go get a goat and a ram!

Mark 14:43-72

I really am silenced by this passage of scripture--specifically verses 53-65. Almighty God was on trial and He sat silently. How many times do we get accused of things and immediately begin firing off our defenses? With God as our example, maybe it's time to sit and allow God to be our defense sometimes. When Jesus finally spoke, it was with calmness and confidence, as He spoke a simple truth as His defense.

Proverbs 6:30-35

Wisdom continues its discourse....we would do well to listen!

WELCOME!

Check back here everyday for comments on that day's readings!