Through the Bible

Nowhere in the Bible does God give us a command and tell us, “you need to read through the Bible” a certain number of times.  In fact, no where does God say, “Read it all the way through.” He does, however, tell us things like this: “Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6-7, HCSB). What God impresses on us is the importance of knowing and then growing up in the knowledge of our salvation. We’ve tasted the goodness of the LORD, so we crave the pure spiritual milk so that by it we can grow up in our salvation (cf. 1 Peter 2:2-3).  He impresses on us the importance, value and power of God’s Word for our spiritual food.

So, no matter what part of this plan you follow (or no matter what plan you follow), commit yourselves this year grow in your faith whether it is one verse at a time, one chapter at a time, one book at a time.  God tells us we will find contentment, joy and even happiness there.  He tells us, “Blessed is the person … who meditates on the Word of God day and night.  He will be like a tree planted by streams of living water” (cf. Psalm 1).  God make us all rooted and fruitful trees by the Word he plants in us.

There are two parts to the plan:

READING GOD’S STORY: ONE-YEAR CHRONOLOGICAL

Created by Dr. George Guthrie, this plan takes the material of the Bible and organizes it to flow in chronological order. Since exact dating of some materials or events is not possible, the chronology simply represents an attempt to give you the reader the general flow and development of the Bible’s grand story. Some passages are placed according to topic (e.g., John 1:1-3 in Week 1, Day 2; and many of the psalms). There are six readings for each week to give you space for catching up when needed.

Reading through the Bible like this will give us an aerial view of God’s plan of salvation.

In addition, we’ll take a slow walk through the psalms, about one a week.  The psalms are the songs and prayers of God’s people.  A slow and repeated walk through just a few psalms will allow us to meditate and maybe even memorize the psalms and make their prayers our own.  Each day I’ll write a devotion based on a small portion of the psalm and provide some points to ponder.  I’ll post these devotions HERE on this blog.  You can go to this site and sign-up to receive these emailed to you directly.  On top of this, the blog automatically posts to my Facebook page, so you can read them there.  OR, let me know and I can make you a print copy each week.

 

WE’RE STARTING JANUARY 3.  YOU IN?

The Big Picture.

Readings for 10/2/15 – Jeremiah 28-30, Isaiah 20.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Lord God, how great is your care for us.  In your wisdom you see the big picture, you see all things working together in every place and in every time – past, present and future.  You see how it all works together for good, to help me, to give me hope and a future.  I admit that I don’t always see it that way.  I am more often in the moment, more often concerned about what I’m seeing and experiencing.  But you have more in mind as you care about me and direct my life.  You see me and everyone else.  You see the whole picture and you see how it all connects and grows into a beautiful tapestry.  What you see and how you lead me is good.  Lord God, thank you for ruling my life like this.  Help me trust you and find comfort hearing and knowing these words.  Amen.

Laughter comes after weeping.

Readings for 10/1/15 – Jeremiah 25-27, Isaiah 19.

Psalm 30:5 – For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Lord God, thank you for intervening in my life.  Your light broke into my heart when I was baptized.  And you have not left me since. You discipline me, but only for a moment, only for my good, only so that I may share in your holiness and enjoy an eternity of pleasures with you at your right hand.  Thank you for dealing with me in love and mercy instead of justice. Oh, yes, it hurts me sometimes and I certainly grumble and complain about it.  Many times I don’t understand.  Thank for you, however, for dealing with me; as painful and unpleasant as it may be, you are teaching me to know that you are only doing it train me and draw me closer to you. Amen.

Can’t hold it back.

Readings for 9/29/15 – Jeremiah 19-21; Isaiah 17.

Jeremiah 20:9 – But if I say, “I will not mention his name or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.  I am weary of holding it in; indeed I cannot.”

Lord God, the more I am in your Word and sink my roots deeply into it, the more I make your Word and it’s truths my own, the more I live in it, the less I can keep quiet.  The more I am with people and get to know their lives and their hearts, the less I can keep quiet.  You speak so clearly to each of us and you’ve called me to share it, not in judgment but in love.  And the reason is simple. Hell is hot and forever is a long time.  You’ve given me the words of eternal life that will rescue and set people from that eternal fate.  Keep me from muzzling myself or Word no matter what the circumstance. Help me always speak in love, not to be right but to save from hell.  Light a fire in me that cannot and will not be extinguished, a dam that will not be held back. Amen.

Restoration.

Readings for May 30, 2015: 2 Samuel 14-17; Psalm 74.

In the course of our lives we’ve all experienced broken relationships. Broken relationships between parent/child, husband/wife, brother/sister, boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.  We’ve all suffered the pain of a bruised, bent, even broken relationships.

David suffered a ton of it in his own family, especially with his children.  At this time in David’s rule Absalom stood unofficially banished from the king because he had murdered Amnon.  David longed for Absalom to come home, but did nothing to bring him home.  It took the wise intervention of his commander in chief to bring his son home.  A wise woman told him: “But this is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.”  What she was telling David is this: If God doesn’t want the banished to stay banished, why would we let the banished stay banished?  Why wouldn’t we want to do whatever it took to bring the exile home?

Good question.  We were banished from God’s face, exiled from eternity, and doomed to eternal death.  But God devised a way, his own arm worked salvation for him, to bring the exile home, to restore the banished, and rescue those (us) doomed to death.  He reconciled us to himself by the death of his Son Jesus.  He restored us back to the standing of sons and daughters of God.

If this is what God has done, why would we not desire the same?

Take a moment and look the broken relationships in your life.  Is it your marriage? Your siblings? Your children? Your parents? Your friends? Your boyfriend/girlfriend?

What plan can you lovingly devise to restore the relationship with them? This is what God has done for you.  He devised a plan to restore you and to bring the banished home.  Let’s do the same in all our other relationships.  As much as it depends on you, do whatever it takes to bring the exile home and bring the banished back.

Lord God, you desires broken and bent relationships healed.  You did this between you and me when you sent your Son, Jesus, to reconcile me with you.  You truly restored me with yourself.  You truly brought me back at great cost to yourself.  And so I get to come into your presence.  You desire the same reconciliation in all my other relationships.  Make me just like you in these relationships.  Make me just as zealous and eager to restore those relationships in my life no matter what the cost to me.  Amen.

Firm foundations.

Looking back at the men of faith we read about in the last week, I notice a growing trend.  Their foundation.  More and more throughout their lives their foundation on the word of God became more and more foundational for their lives and for their walk of faith.

Consider Jacob. Deceptive and manipulative early on.  Eventually moving to Egypt with nothing but a promise: I will make you into a great nation there (Genesis 46:2).

Consider Joseph.  Great dreams from God about his future, yet his future was hardly great at first.  Sold into slavery.  False accused.  Wrongly and unjustly imprisoned.  Forgotten.  Yet, Joseph seems so pious and faith-filled in all this suffer.  He concludes for his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended this for good, the saving of many people” (Genesis 50:20).

Even David in his psalms.  He suffers much.  He calls on God for help. Yet, his faith never wavers and his faith never moves.  His faith was based and built on the solid promises of God’s Word.

God, grant us such a faith to stand on the firm promises of your Word and on your Son Jesus, the cornerstone. Amen.

Standing firm.

Readings for January 17, 2015: Genesis 43-46; Psalm 16.

When Wendy was forced to walk off the end of the plank, she held her head high and boldly stepped to the end of the plank and stepped off the end.  But I dare say, she had no idea what would happen when she stepped off the end of the plank.  She saw the waters below.  She felt her hands tied behind her.  She knew the dangers animals that waited below. And she had no idea what would happen to her.  She was stepping out into the great unknown.

When Israel (formerly known as Jacob) made his move to Egypt.  There was much that he must have feared and wondered about.  He looked down and saw dangers.  He looked around had questions.  But his faith was by no means blind.  He was by no means stepping into the great unknown.  God made known to him exactly what he needed to know.  He wasn’t walking off a plank.  He was standing firmly on the promise of God who said, “I am God, the God of your Father.  Do no be afraid to go to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there” (Genesis 46:2).

I want to stand with Jacob. Sure, sometimes the waters swirl around me and I’m like the disciples who cried out, “Lord help! Don’t you care! We’re going to drown.”  Sure, sometimes I am afraid of what the future holds. Sure, I am uncertain about what’s going on.  But I have promises from God.

I have specific words from God that give me certainty and hope.  And so do you.  Just open up his Word and listen to him speak.  Instead of standing on speculation and imagination, stand on the rock solid promises of God and the clear words he has spoken.  It may look like alligators want to devour us and the waves want to rise up over our heads, but God is not overwhelmed by the things that terrify us.  He wants to do good things for you, eternal things, saving things.  He wants you in heaven with him.  David knew this and spoke with confidence in Psalm 16. His prayer is our prayer.

Psalm 16:5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

The school of life is a good school.

Readings for January 13, 2015: Genesis 30-32, Psalm 11

Jacob learned the hard way that trying to handle, a maneuver his way around with deception and trickery, wasn’t the way to go.  He himself found himself tricked and deceived by others.  He found himself separated and afraid from his own brother, Esau.  He found himself sneaking away from his father-in-law, Laban.  And when Jacob makes his way back home, he seems to be a changed man.  When he hears that Esau is coming to meet him, instead of plotting he prays.  When he is afraid of what Esau is coming with what he thinks is an army of men, instead of planning he shows his repentance and gives gifts to his brother.  When he wrestles with God for a night, he holds on in prayer and boldly asks, even demands, “I won’t let go unless you bless me.”

That night really seems to be a turning point for Jacob.  God himself said so, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome” (Genesis 32:28).  Jacob was on his knees, but God renewed and restored him, giving him a new name.

Life has it’s way of humbling us.  Hardships have their way of breaking us down and bringing us to our knees.  People all the time will say, “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle.”  I disagree and the Scriptures show the same thing.  We can’t handle our salvation.  We could never save ourselves.  We can’t manage our lives.  Just think for a moment about how much in your life you can actually control.  We are in control of so very little in our lives.  Life itself is far more than we can handle.  God’s law is more than we can keep.

But it’s when we realize and we know that we can’t handle it, it’s when life brings us to our knees, and when God is all we have.  That’s right where God wants us.  All Jacob had that night as he wrestled with God was God!  And that’s all he needed.  We can’t save ourselves, but God did!  We can’t make up for all the things we’ve done wrong, but Jesus paid the price for them all.  We can’t handle the things that happen in our lives, but God does.  We can’t manage our lives, but God is managing and ruling our lives for our good!

So, you see the school of life is a good school, but the school of God’s Word is even better.  It turns us to the God who alone can save, who alone can manage, who alone can handle what life throws our way.

Father, shape and mold me through your Word and through the experiences of this day.  Make me into the servant of God you called me to be.  Save me! Forgive me! Use me! Amen.

Who’s in control?

Readings for January 12, 2015: Genesis 27-29, Psalm 10.

Jacob was a tricky fella.  That’s how he got his name.  In his mother’s belly he was wrestling with his brother, Esau.  When Esau came out first he was grabbing his brother’s heel.  Thus the name, “Heel grabber,” with the connotation, “Deceiver” or “guy who trips other people up” became his.  And he did.  He tricked his brother out of his birthright.  He manipulated that situation for his own interests.  Later he and his mother manipulated another situation for his own interests.  He got what he wanted but it didn’t work out so well.  He had to run from home and then found himself getting manipulated by his uncle Laban.  What a crazy turn of events!

The problem is we’re not all that different.  Maybe we’re not playing dress up to trick people around us, but how often aren’t we trying to (or thinking that we can) manipulate God.  How much of our life is doing something in order to get something? A tit for a tat kind of arrangement.  Kids are very obedient when they want something.  Spouses are really nice to each other when they want something.  We work really hard to obey God when we want something.

But that’s not the way God rolls; it’s not the way God works.  He isn’t one to be manipulated by us, as if we could pull the wool over his eyes by putting on goats hair (you’ll have to read if you want to know what I’m talking about).  He isn’t one to put out just because we put in, as if he were a slot machine. Learn this about God and how he works.

God does what he does because he is sovereign (that means he’s ruling).  He makes decisions and does what he does absolutely independently of anyone else.  Jacob is manipulating the situation, but it isn’t manipulating God or God’s plan.  The deception is not what God wanted to happen.  But what God wanted to happen, happened.  God is ruling all things and what he wills (wants, desires, plans) always comes to pass.

God does what he does because he is gracious (that means it does it without us earning or deserving a thing!).  He makes decisions and does what he does because he loves us, not because we’ve earned or deserved it.  Crazy thing about this account is this.  Jacob did so much that should have alienated him from God, but God never abandoned him.  Instead God assured him that he was always with him.  God does what he does for us because he is gracious and loving, merciful and compassionate.  If there is anything about us that moves God to action it is our utter and complete helpLESSness (not helpFULness as we would like to think.)

God’s in control.  He’s gracious. And that’s a good thing because he only wants what is best for you and I.

Father, assure me today that through faith I am in your grip and you’re ruling all things for me and for my good, simply and only because you love me.  Amen.

Promises Made. Promises Kept.

Readings for January 10, 2015: Genesis 24-26, Psalm 9.

In many, many situations Abraham trusted God without question.  God said, “Move and I’ll tell you when you get there.”  Abraham did.  God said, “You’ll inherit this land.” Abraham never owned any property except a family cemetery, yet he believed that he would.  God said, “Sacrifice your son, Isaac, to me.”  Abraham was ready to do it, even though Isaac was the promised son.  He was ready to do it because he believed God would bring Isaac back from the dead.  Read Hebrews 11:8-19 for a glowing report of Abraham’s faith.

What made Abraham’s faith what it was?  I want to know the answer to this question because I want a faith like his.  Tomorrow in worship we’re going to watch Paul’s faith in action in Acts 16:22-34 (you can read that too!) and learn from him.  He had such a resilient faith that he was singing songs of praise to God in the deepest parts of a prison after being unjustly beaten.  What made Paul’s faith so resilient? I want to know the answer to this question because I want a faith like his.

Don’t worry.  I’m not going to string you along til tomorrow, though the thought has crossed my mind.  It’s this simple. Promises made.  Promises kept.  When God makes a promise, he is going to keep that promise.  That’s why Abraham could raise the knife, ready to kill his son.  Because he knew God would keep his promise and Isaac would be his heir, the promised heir.  That’s why Abraham could lay a claim on the promised land, even though he own not a single plot yet.  Because he knew that God would keep his promise and in due time his family would inherit the land.

The resiliency and constancy of our faith doesn’t come from us.  If resiliency and constancy of faith comes from us, we would always waver, shake and tremble.  We would always resort to foolish things (like selling a birthright for a bowl of soup).  We would huddle up and make our own plans (as Abraham also did when he felt like his life was at risk).  But resiliency and constancy of faith doesn’t come from us.  It comes from the God, our God, the only God who promises and always keeps those promises.  Stand in him and on his promises and you’ll never be moved because he never moves.

Lord God, you never moved.  You never have.  In my own sinful foolishness I have relied on myself and on earthly things for resiliency and confidence.  Forgive me and help me stand on your promises.  You speak and your promises are kept.  Help me stand there in faith every day.  Amen.