Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 87, 1 Samuel 9-10.
Reading through the Bible book by book has helped me make connections that I’d missed before. The book of Judges ended with the horrific story of the Levite whose concubine was raped and murdered in the land of Benjamin. (Read Judges 19-21). Next, all the tribes of Israel went up against the Benjaminites. Thousands were killed on both sides and the tribe of Benjamin was defeated. In the end, though, Israel decided they didn’t want the tribe of Benjamin to be wiped out, so they devised a plan to repopulate the land of Benjamin by providing the few remaining men with virgin young women from Jabesh-Gilead plus those captured from Shiloh.
This week, reading 1 Samuel, Israel demanded a king and God chose a man of Benjamin. Benjamin, y’all. And the Lord confirmed this in front of all the people, choosing the tribe of Benjamin, the clan of the Matrites, and Saul, the son of Kish, by lots.
What a powerful example of God’s ways being higher than ours! And what a powerful reminder to study the WHOLE Word.
Lord, I often don’t understand what You’re doing. Sometimes I don’t know why You’re leading the way You do. Help me to trust You, to believe that You are at work even in the craziest of daily life situations in this crazy world. Help me to walk by faith day after day. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 79, Ruth 2
“The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.”
Proverbs 14:1 (ESV)
Matthew Henry’s writes in his commentary on Proverbs 14:1,
“A good wife is a great blessing to a family. By a fruitful wife a family is multiplied and replenished with children, and so built up. But by a prudent wife, one that is pious, industrious, and considerate, the affairs of the family are made to prosper, debts are paid, portions raised.
Many a family is brought to ruin by ill housewifery, as well as by ill husbandry. A foolish woman, that has no fear of God nor regard to her business, that is wilful, and wasteful, and humoursome, that indulges her ease and appetite, and is all for jaunting and feasting, cards and the play-house, though she come to a plentiful estate, and to a family beforehand, she will impoverish and waste it, and will as certainly be the ruin of her house as if she plucked it down with her hands; and the husband himself, with all his care, can scarcely prevent it.”
This reminded me of the passage in Matthew 7:24-27 about the wise man who built his house on the rock, versus the foolish man who built it on the sand. In looking up Matthew 7, I came across the similar, though less well-known, passage in Luke.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Luke 6:46-49
The wise woman builds her house on the firm foundation of the rock, obeying God’s Word, so when the storms of life come, her house stands. The foolish woman builds her house on the sand. She does not trouble herself to dig down to the solid foundation. She cannot be troubled to obey God’s words. When the storms of life come, her house falls.
Yet, consider this, the foolish woman of Proverbs 14:1 is tearing down her OWN house with her OWN hands. She doesn’t need any storms to tear it down for she is tearing it down herself, knowing God’s Word, but not obeying it.
My prayer is that I will spend my days building my house, not tearing it down.
Heavenly Father, help us to know Your Word and abide in it, to trust and obey Your every command. Help us to build our house on the Lord Jesus Christ that when the storms come, we can stand firm. Help us to build our families with encouraging words and faithful lives of service for Your glory and our good. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
I Set My Hope
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 78, Ruth 1
[Naomi] said to [the women in Bethlehem], “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”
Ruth 1:20-21 ESV
I wish I could tell Naomi not to lose hope, to trust that joy was just around the next bend.
I once heard God’s sovereignty compared to a stoplight which controls traffic in a construction zone. This light is provided to stop people from a head-on collision with oncoming traffic hidden by the bend in the road. Sometimes a person might be tempted to ignore this light, to just assume that no one is coming and give up waiting for the light to turn. As a loving God who knows the future, He asks us to wait on Him rather than barreling forward because of His great care for us.
The point was then made that God is good to not reveal the future to us for if we knew about the tragedy that lies just around the bend we would spend our lives fretting, rather than living each day in itself.
While I do wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment, I can’t help but recognize our human propensity to dwell on the negative, on the coming trial, rather than the coming joy. Several years ago, the Holy Spirit convicted me that when I spend my time fretting about what the future might hold, I end up missing out on having HOPE, trusting in God’s sovereign goodness, waiting expectantly for what hidden joy might lie just around the bend.
Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, “Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:24-25) Remember, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) If we could see what was just around the bend, whether tomorrow or a hundred years from now, then we would have no need for HOPE, no need for FAITH. God grows our faith, our trust in Him, by having us wait upon Him.
So, the next time when things look bleak and hopeless and we’re tempted to despair that all hope is lost, let’s remember that God holds the future and that He is worthy of our trust. May we be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm 37:5
“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.” Psalm 130:5-7
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 74, Psalm 19
This semester, I’m memorizing Psalm 19 with our local Community Bible Study group. Psalm 19:10 says that God’s Word is to be desired MORE THAN gold, MORE THAN much FINE GOLD, which reminded me of something I learned when I was in Ohio this fall at a training conference for LifeWise program directors. They mentioned that one reason it’s hard to ask people for financial support is because our nation idolizes money; therefore, we treat it like an idol, tiptoeing around it and fearful of getting too close to it. Ouch.
In his book, “The Watchmen,” Mark Cahill wrote, “People traveled all across America to get to the West Coast for the Gold Rush, but would you walk two steps over to your bookcase and crack open the eternal Word of God which is more precious than gold?” Double ouch.
How often do we choose the pursuit of money over the pursuit of God?
Which reminds me of Revelation 3:15-18, a passage I memorized last year with Community Bible Study, during our study of Revelation.
“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
Would you like to work on hiding God’s Word in your heart, too? Here are some graphics I created for Psalm 19:7-10 to help me (and the youth) commit it to memory.
“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
Psalm 19:7a
Psalm 19:7b
Psalm 19:8a
Psalm 19:8b
Psalm 19:9a
Psalm 19:9b
Psalm 19:10
If you’d like a printable PDF of all the graphics, you can download it here.
Let’s pursue the TREASURE of God’s precious Word, faithfully and diligently storing it up in our heart, that we might not sin against Him.
If you’d like to support my local LifeWise program, I’d certainly appreciate it. Click here for my local program, or click here to find a program in your area.
Psalm 19 – Sounds like Reign
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 67, Judges 14
There are some parts of the Bible that I just don’t understand. I’d put the story of Samson and particularly Judges 14 in that category. That’s one reason why it’s so good to read through the whole Bible – so you can’t skip over those “not so favorite” parts.
Is it ok for me as a sold-out, all-in, evangelical follower of Jesus Christ and believer in every word of the Holy Scriptures to struggle with what the Bible means here? Yes, I think it is. When my kids don’t understand what I’m doing and why, they are forced to trust what they do know about me and obey on that basis.
I know that God is good. I know that He inspired the men who wrote the Bible. I know that He is sovereign over the affairs of humanity. That
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:8-9 ESV
Heavenly Father, some things are hard to understand. Help me to trust You in my life, and in my reading of the Word. I know that You are good. I know that You are working all things together for good for those that love You and are called according to Your purposes. I know that Your ways are different from mine and higher than mine. I pray that I would trust You in all things and cast all of my anxieties on You, trusting that You care for me. I pray that You would give me wisdom as I read Your word and help me to apply it to my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and King, I pray. Amen
TRUSTING GOD when you don’t understand what He’s doing – FormerAtheist58
All Creatures – Shane and Shane
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 5; Joshua 1
Growing up, I fought a persistent battle with fear, especially fear of death. As an atheist, my life was the mere result of random chance. I thought I was the master of my own fate, and I knew I was not a very good master. I was just one of five billion people in the world, weak in both the physical and moral sense of the word.
Fear is the natural by-product of a lack of faith in a good, all-powerful God.
As God prepares Joshua for his new job as leader of the Israelite nation, God is so kind to remind Joshua that He is going with him and that He is a promise-keeping God.
Friends, if you are a child of God, God is with you, too. He will not leave you or forsake you. He is with you WHEREVER you go. But you need to be strong and courageous to do the things He has called you to do.
If he wants to reach the Promised Land, Joshua will have to step into the rushing Jordan River. Likewise, if you want to follow God, you will have to take that first step of obedience.
That first step is often the scariest. Speaking up when it’s easier to be silent. Knocking on a new neighbor’s door. Saying goodbye to a boyfriend who’s no good for you. These are hard things, but if we never take that first step we will never see where the road leads. And taking that first scary step is oh so much less frightening when you know that the Lord has called you to it, and that He is with you.
I’m praying for you.
Heavenly Father, please help us to take that first step of obedience, to strike out into the unknown. Help us to be strong and courageous, believing without a doubt that You will never leave us or forsake us, that You are with us wherever we go. Please guide us by Your Holy Spirit. Convict us of our sin, our sins of unbelief, cowardice, and complacency. Help us to love You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. For the glory of Your Name, and in the power of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 25; Deuteronomy 17
The Lord knows man’s heart, and the Lord knows the future. He knows that we are prone to be partial and selfish and unjust. He knows how easy it is for us to go astray, whether we are a common laborer or housewife or the highest leader in the land. So, in His mercy, He gave us the Law, His Word to memorize and to meditate on. Though the Israelites had never had a king, God knew that someday they would, so He made provision especially for him, saying, “Don’t get a bunch of horses and wives and stuff because then your heart will turn away from Me.” But He didn’t stop there. God didn’t only have a ‘don’t do’ list. He went on to say,
“And when [a Hebrew king] sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests.
And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn asidefrom the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.
Deuteronomy 17:18-20 ESV
This is a good word for us, too. There is great value in not only reading the Word, but also in writing it. Take the time to write down the actual words of the Bible, along with your own personal thoughts.
Read the Word daily. Meditate on what it says. And obey its commands. Remember that the Lord your God is in your midst and fear Him, that you will be humble and it will go well with you.
This spring I wrote out all six chapters of Ephesians by hand. It was truly hand-breaking, heart-blessing work. Have you ever written out a whole chapter, or book, of scripture? Have you ever kept a journal or taken notes on what you read? How did it impact you?
Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving us Your Word. We want to know it, that we may know You. We want to walk in Your ways. We want to be more like You. Help us to read, write, and meditate on Your Word that we might be merciful, humble, and just as You are. We lift our nation’s leaders before Your throne of grace. Guide and direct their steps. Open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in You. (Acts 26:18) Bless us, Lord, that we might be a blessing to other. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
God, the Uncreated One (King Forevermore) – Keith and Kristyn Getty
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 20; Deuteronomy 8-9
“The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers.
And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.
And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you. So you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him.
For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper.
And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end.
Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’
You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.”
Deuteronomy 8:1-20
Thank You, Lord, for Your abundant blessings on my nation and on my family and on me. You, Father, are the giver of every good gift. You have caused me to hunger and thirst, and you have fed me with the Bread of Life and quenched my thirst with Living Water. Thank you for every single circumstance and situation that You have brought me through, the joyful and the painful. You have used them each for my good. Amen.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 14; Philippians 4
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:8 ESV
What do you fall asleep thinking about?
What is the first thing on your mind when you wake up?
Where does your mind dwell, abide, rest, live?
When you have a few quiet moments, where do your thoughts naturally run to?
Is it to things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy … Or is it to things that are anxious, rude, mean, cruel, crude, immoral, or irritable?
Dear sisters, we are caught in a battle, a battle between light and dark, good and evil, God and the devil. So much of that battle is fought in our minds and, sadly, that is where the battle is so often lost. Think about Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
If we want to win this battle, we have to think about what we’re thinking about, and forcibly take those rogue thoughts captive to obey Christ.
Ask yourself, “Is this true?” No? Get rid of it! “Is this pure and honorable?” No? Put it away! “Would I want to tell Jesus about these thoughts that I’m dwelling on?” No? Then, cast them away! They don’t belong in your head.
Heavenly Father, help me to think about what I’m thinking about. Help me to recognize the power that the thoughts in my head have over what I say and do and feel. Help me to remember that I am in a battle, and that You are victorious, that I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ, the King of kings. Help me to take every thought captive to obey Christ. Help me not to be anxious, but in everything to cast my cares upon You and know without a doubt that You care for me. Help me to rejoice always, to pray without ceasing, and in everything to give thanks, knowing that this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for me. It is in the name of Jesus Christ that I pray. Amen.
So many song choices for today! Check ’em all out and pick your favorite!
Whatever Things (Philippians 4:4-8 Bible Song) – Royal Generation
Think about Such Things – Philippians 4:8 – Truth Songs
Philippians 4:8-9 (Lyric Video) – The Corner Room
Philippians 4:8 Lyric Video – Songs from the Loop
Philippians 4:4-8 Bible Verses to Memorize for Kids with Actions – In the Gap Kids
Teach What is Good 
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