Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Philippians 1-4
This is the first short book of the Bible in my “Read through the Bible in 2 Years” plan. I suggest that you first read the entire book in one sitting as though you’d just received a letter from a friend you haven’t seen in years. Then, each day of this week, really meditate on just a little bit at a time.
Have you ever tried memorizing a whole book of the Bible? I haven’t. I’ve memorized several chapters, such as Psalm 139 and 1 Corinthians 13, but never a whole book. Philippians would be a great book to memorize from beginning to end. I’ve already memorized most of chapters 2 and 4 along with a smattering of other verses from this book. Maybe I should try memorizing the whole thing! Here are some great reasons why and tips to memorize an entire book of the bible.
One great way to work toward memorizing is to record yourself reading, then listen to it while you’re walking. So, I recorded the whole book myself. You’re welcome to listen to me – or try it yourself! By the way, I use the ESV translation if you’d like to read along.
Evidence for the existence of God is all around us – Ray Comfort, Living Water Ministries
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.
So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Romans 1:18-23 ESV
As a former atheist myself, I had exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the wisdom of man, my own wisdom, what seemed right to me, what I wanted to believe.
In all honesty, I wasn’t open-minded. I didn’t want to hear the other person’s side. I couldn’t listen to the simple logic that the evidence of creation is evidence of a creator.
But praise be to God that He opened my eyes to the truth of not only a Creator God, but also His Son, Jesus Christ, my savior, who died in my place, taking on the punishment that I deserved by His death on the cross.
Will you please join me in praying for those who are still stuck in the devil’s snare of atheism?
Heavenly Father, please open the eyes of those who are stuck in the devil’s snare of atheism. Please help them to humble themselves and to be open minded enough to listen to the truth that creation demands a creator, that the intelligent design that we see in DNA is evidence of an intelligent designer. And then, Lord, draw them to bow the knee to Jesus Christ, as their Lord and Savior. I pray that you would put each of us in the path of someone who is ready to hear the gospel. Help us to see that opportunity and to make the most of it. Help us, Father, to always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in us and to do it with gentleness and respect. Help us to defend the gospel, not cave to fear and cowardice and selfishness. In the name of Jesus Christ, our King, we pray. Amen
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 26, Proverbs 4:1-9
This month marks my first granddaughter’s 2nd birthday and the anticipation of my second granddaughter’s arrival. In honor of them both, I wanted to pray for them using the framework of today’s scripture reading. I hope you’ll join me in praying for your children and grandchildren.
Heavenly Father, I pray that my children and grandchildren will trust in You without wavering, that You may test their hearts and minds and they will be proven true. May Your steadfast love be ever before their eyes. Protect them from the schemes of hypocrites, evildoers, and the wicked.
I pray that their mouths will be full of thanksgiving, telling others of Your wondrous deeds. May they love to be in Your presence and delight to be in the company of Your people.
Redeem them. Be gracious to them. Set their feet on level ground.
I pray that they would listen carefully to the teaching of their mother and father, that they would gain insight and wisdom. May they hold fast to Your Words and desire to keep Your commandments all the days of their lives. May their lives be built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, being followers of Your Word, not hearers only.
I pray that they would love You with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and love their neighbor as themselves, daily trusting in Your promises and being found faithful until their final breath.
In the holy, powerful name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!
“And the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places. And you shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. You shall inherit the land by lot according to your clans. To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance. Wherever the lot falls for anyone, that shall be his. According to the tribes of your fathers you shall inherit. But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.”
Numbers 33:50-56 ESV
Two weeks ago I published a YouTube video based on the Aaronic Prayer of Blessing from Numbers 6:24-26. Within 24 hours, I’d received a comment from an atheist accusing God of committing genocide and demanding young virgins as war booty to serve in his temple.
I have continued thinking about this man’s comments as I’ve read chapter by chapter through Numbers. I don’t want to read the scriptures through the lenses of my own bias or preconceived notions. I want to have eyes and ears that search for the truth. So, what is it?
Is the God of the Bible a genocidal murderer, cruelly wiping out whole nations?
Is He a sadist, getting pleasure out of inflicting pain?
Or is He the holy, loving, good Father that I believe Him to be?
Friends, it’s so important to read the Bible – or any book for that matter – in context. Just like you could carefully cut one sentence from my blog and twist it to say something totally different than what I truly meant, likewise a person can take a sentence from the Bible to mean something totally different from what God is actually communicating.
Here is Numbers 33, we better understand God’s command for the Israelites to completely wipe out and drive out the inhabitants of the land. God knows the future of the men, women, and children currently living in Canaan as well as the future of the Israelites that He is bringing in to possess the land. God knows that the Canaanites will not repent. God knows they will be thorns and barbs to the Jewish people, leading them into idolatry and immorality. God always wants always for His good as well as for the good of His people.
The Lord truly is “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6-7)
The Lord’s blessings extend to the thousands. His forgiveness is boundless. But our sin does have consequences – upon our own lives and even down to our children, grandchildren, and great grand children. We see this again and again in the story of these faithless, complaining Israelites – as well as in our own modern lives.
So, you can read Numbers and decide that God is a cruel tyrant … or you can read Numbers and walk away more sure than ever that God is a just, faithful, forgiving, patient Father.
What did you decide?
Heavenly Father, I pray for those who have been hurt by the church, who have gotten glimpses of your truth but have chosen to turn away from Your grace. Please, Father, bring them back to You and have mercy on them. Just like the Israelites who tested You time and again with their complaints, for the sake of Your Glorious Name, remember Your children. In the Name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
I just loved reading Numbers 32 about how Moses handled this situation with the people of Gad and Reuben who wanted to stay on the east of the Jordan rather than crossing over.
Moses explained how he felt.
Moses remained calm.
Moses asked questions.
Moses shared his own personal experience.
Moses didn’t hide his faith.
Moses listened with an open mind to the other side of the argument.
And as a result, Moses helped everyone come to a mutually agreeable, God-honoring compromise.
Lord, I want to be a Peace-maker … not a Peace-faker – burying my head in the sand and letting bitterness fester in my heart … not a Peace-breaker – making selfish demands, storming and sulking, spewing angry words like lava. Help me to know when to speak up and when to guard my mouth with a muzzle. Help me to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to be angry. I want to be Your servant, correcting my opponent with gentleness and respect, pursuing peace, being an ambassador for Your kingdom rather than my own.In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, I pray. Amen.
On December 23, 1994, I vowed before God and a room full of witnesses to remain faithful to my husband until parted by death.
It’s been 28 years now and by God’s grace I’ve kept that vow, through sickness and health, good times and bad. Today, after reading Numbers 30 about a woman making vows, I wanted to write here the actual words of those vows that I wrote and uttered. I pray they would remind me (and you) of the solemnity of the marriage covenant.
Before God and these witnesses,
I vow to be your partner, your dearest friend, and your wife.
I promise to love, trust, and respect you.
I will love you in sickness & in health, in good times and in bad.
I will share with you my joys and sorrows, my hopes and dreams.
I promise to challenge you spiritually and encourage you in our Christian walk together.
I will put you first in my life, knowing that our love is my most precious possession.
I promise that the home we are founding today will be a sanctuary of love, honor, and faith.
I pledge myself now to be ever faithful to you with all my body, mind, heart, and soul.
All that I am, and all that I ever will be is yours.
Today is the beginning of the rest of my life.
I will love you for today and all of our tomorrows.
Heavenly Father, I need Your strength to remain faithful. I can’t do it on my own. In my own flesh, I’m more like a dog chasing squirrels than like Horton the faithful elephant. I need Your help, Father. Help me to be a humble helpmate. Help me to be patient and kind. Help me not to be irritable and resentful. Help me to forgive and trust and persevere. I pray that my husband and I would be found faithful – faithful to each other and faithful to You – pointing a lost world to You, the only One who is faithful one-hundred percent. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen .
The LORD said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)
Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.”
Numbers 27:12-17 ESV
In yesterday’s post, I wrote about godly jealousy – being jealous for the Lord’s honor and affection, rather than your own. Today, reading Moses’s humble response to the Lord’s pronouncement that he would not enter the promised land because of his earlier disobedience, I was again convicted about how often I’m more concerned with my own honor than my Lord’s.
Moses could’ve complained, “Lord, that’s not fair. I’ve worked so hard. I’ve led these people for all these years. I’ve tried my best. Why take away this blessing just because of one little mistake?”
Moses could’ve argued, “Lord, You’re wrong. You have forgotten all the good things I’ve done, all the times that I’ve obeyed. I quit! You can find somebody else to lead these horrible people.”
Moses could’ve made his own suggestions, “Ok, Lord, I get it. I’m awfully old, and I don’t have many years left. Thankfully I have these two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Surely, You will choose one of them to lead the Israelites into this promised land.”
But he didn’t do any of those things. Rather he humbly asks the Lord to “appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” He put into practice the words of Philippians 2:3-4 and so should we.
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:3-4 ESV
Heavenly Father, I pray that You would make me more like Moses, loving You and loving others, submitting humbly to Your will for me and those I love. Increase my faith. Help me to remember that You are on Your throne, working all things together for good for those who love You and have been called according to Your purposes. Help me to remember that all too often the way that seems right to me is actually the way to death. I want to want what You want because Your way is always the best way. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen
Philippians 2:3-4 Scripture Song by David Talaguit
While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel….
And the LORD said to Moses, “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace, and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’”
Numbers 25:1-3, 10-13 ESV
Usually jealousy is closely tied to covetousness, which is a sin. We’re jealous of someone’s marriage, children, house, job, appearance, whatever… We want what they have. In some way or other, some other person has it better than us, and we’re not happy about it.
But what about righteous jealousy? What about being jealous for your husband’s honor, or affection? Is it right to turn a deaf ear to someone slandering your husband’s name? Would a godly wife look the other way while some woman flirts with her husband … Or what if she sees her husband holding hands with his secretary?
Likewise, it is only right for us to be jealous for our Heavenly Father’s honor and affection.
How should we feel if we see a brother or sister in Christ smearing the Lord’s reputation through the dirt, chasing after idols and smut? What about when we hear someone spreading lies about our Lord Jesus?
I’m afraid we’re nothing more than selfish cowards when we close our eyes, ears, and mouths to someone slandering our great Savior’s name.
Our Gracious Father God says, “you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” (Exodus 34:14) In perfect righteousness, the Lord “yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us.” (James 4:5) Certainly, we need to not sin in our jealousy for our Lord’s Name. Surely, we need to speak the truth in love, having words full of grace and seasoned with salt, not repaying wrong with wrong but overcoming evil with good, but let’s look more like God’s spotless bride and less like the world’s.
I pray that our hearts would be free from selfish jealousy, envy, and covetousness, while remaining full of zealous love for our Savior’s honor, reputation, and affection.
Heavenly Father, You have loved me with a fervent, faithful love. Help me to love You back with that same kind of pursuing passion and devotion. I pray that my heart and life would be free of covetousness which is idolatry. I want to love what You love and hate what You hate. I want to be transformed by the renewing of my mind that I may be conformed into the image of Your Perfect Son. In the Holy, Righteous Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
Am I largely confused by the story of Balaam and Balak? Yes, frankly, I am.
But … is there any question in my mind that God is a promise-keeping, miracle-working God who never changes and has all authority over all things in heaven and on earth? No, truthfully, there isn’t. I believe with all my heart the words of Numbers 23:19,
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
Numbers 23:19 ESV
Oh my! Hold the phone. The song, “Way Maker” just came on my Spotify station. What?!? Let me digress for just a moment — Can I confess to you that I find the repetitiveness of this song kinda irritating? Anyone else? But, listen to these words,
“Even when I don’t see it, You’re working Even when I don’t feel it, You’re working You never stop, You never stop working
Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper Light in the darkness, my God That is who You are”
Way Maker by Leeland
Back to the matter at hand, the Mid-South is in the midst of a major heat wave made all the more devastating by coming right on the heels of a major thunderstorm with high winds that left a large portion of our city without power. Thankfully, we never lost power, but we are having to work around the extreme heat outside. So, this morning, my husband got up early to mow our 2-acre yard before it got too hot. At 9:15 am, after already finishing mowing over an acre of grass, suddenly the sky grew dark, and we could hear the rumbling of thunder in the distance.
Suddenly, I had this thought,
The sun is as present and bright right now as it was an hour ago. The clouds might hide it from view, but the sun hasn’t changed one bit.
Likewise, God is the same no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. He is unmoving. He is unchanging. He is the rock of ages. May we learn to “kiss the waves that throw [us] against the Rock of Ages,” as Charles Spurgeon so brilliantly said.
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise….
So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain…
From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.”
Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.
And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.”
So Moses prayed for the people.
And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole.
And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
“We have no food. Well, I mean, this food that You miraculously give us every morning is worthless, and we hate it. Why did you deliver us out of slavery? You’re a mean god. We want to go back home.”
I wish I could say that I can’t relate, but that would be a lie. All too often the thoughts in my head sound all too much like them.
“Father, what are you doing? Why is life so hard? Why did you lead me to this place only to abandon me here? I thought you loved me?”
When the snakes were biting (and killing) the people, the Israelites simply wanted the Lord to take the snakes away.
“Make this pain go away, God! Take it away! Get me out of this desert and put me in the promised land. Now!”
But that’s not what God does. Rather, He sends a Savior, a Rescuer.
He says, “Look up here! Look up at this bronze serpent up here on this pole. Look at it and have faith. Trust Me. Don’t look down at those snakes or that snake bite. Look up here at Me! I love you. Trust Me.”
Jesus referred to this very event when He was explaining to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who came to Him secretly by night, that he must be born again if he wants to enter the kingdom of God.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
John 3:14-19 ESV
What happened to the Israelites who didn’t gaze up at that snake on the pole that had been sent by God to save them? They died in their sins.
What happens to people today who don’t turn their eyes to Jesus, the God-Man sent by God to save them? They, too, will die in their sins.
Is that scary? Yes. Yes, it is.
But is God good to provide a way of escape for each of us who are dying in our sin? Yes! Yes, He is!
I’ll end with the words of Jesus from John 6:40, “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Heavenly Father, Please draw us to turn our eyes to You. You have already provided a Savior. You have already sent Your son Jesus to pay the price for our sin. Now, Lord, give us the desire and the strength to turn to You instead of turning to ourselves, our circumstances, and other fallen men. Forgive us for our complaining. Forgive us for our lack of faith. Thank You for Your steadfast faithfulness and mercy toward us, a sinful people. We pray for those around us who are running headlong away from Jesus. Draw them to know You. Please, Father. We cry, Holy! Mercy! Save us, Lord! In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Turn your Eyes – Sovereign Grace Music
My YouTube Video about this blog – Come. Pray. Share.
Teach What is Good 
You must be logged in to post a comment.