Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 63, Matthew 10
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Matthew 10:34-39 ESV
What do I love more than Jesus? Sleep? Chocolate cake? My phone?
Who do I love more than Jesus? My mom and dad? My friends? My kids? My husband?
Who is on the throne of my heart? Who rules over my thoughts and my actions? Who am I living my life for?
It’s a lot to think about.
Lord, help me to love You more than any thing, more than any one. Make me willing to lose what I love for Your name. Show me today what that looks like. In the name of Jesus Christ, the only worthy One, Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 62, Matthew 9
As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
Matthew 9:9 ESV
When you read that verse, Matthew 9:9, did you consider its author? This is Matthew’s own testimony. Matthew is saying, “This is me. I am that man. I am the one who was sitting at the tax booth. I am the one who Jesus called.”
The very next verse, Matthew 9:10 says that “Jesus reclined at table in the house,” but Matthew doesn’t tell you whose house it is. You have to read Luke 5:29 to discover that it was Matthew’s own house. Matthew opened his own house and many tax collectors and sinners had come to eat and spend time with Jesus and his disciples.
How awesome is that! I wish that I had been so quick to introduce my friends to Jesus. If you have someone in your life that you are discipling, or if you yourself are a new believer, please don’t wait until you have all the answers to invite your friends to meet Jesus.
The Pharisees, on the other hand, didn’t like it. They thought you needed to clean yourself up before coming to a good teacher like Jesus, but I’m here to tell you: You don’t!
Jesus says, “Come as you are… and I will make you new. I will change you. I am the one who heals and saves. I am the great physician of the body and the soul. Come to me! Today! Don’t wait!”
Heavenly Father, I pray for each one reading this. May those who are new in their faith be emboldened to share their faith today! May those who have been Christians for years not to look down their nose at unbelievers and new believers who don’t know how to behave! May those who don’t yet know You yet come to You today, without delay, trusting that Your arms are open wide to receive them. Thank You for calling Matthew while he was working in that tax booth, and thank You for calling me while I was running the other way. In the name of my Savior and Lord, Jesus the Christ, I pray. Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 61, Matthew 8
In Matthew 8 we read about Jesus healing the leper and the centurion’s servant and then Peter’s own mother-in-law, but when the disciples find themselves in about in the middle of a great storm, they struggle with fear and faith.
And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
Matthew 8:25-27 ESV
On the one hand, the disciples showed faith because they did go to Jesus and ask Him to save them. Surely, if you and I were together in a sinking boat, you wouldn’t come to me and say, “Save me, Kim, I’m perishing!”
And yet Jesus scolds them because they are so afraid. Jesus knows their thoughts. He knows their hearts. He knows they lack the full breadth and width and depth of faith that they need to live lives free of fear. They still have much to learn about the greatness of His power!
How about you? What storms are you facing today? What do you need to learn this week about how great our God is?
Heavenly Father, help me not to be afraid about all the health stuff, weather stuff, and family stuff, the daily fears of my life. Help me to fully trust You to lead me, save me, and protect me. I know that You are able. I know that You have all authority in heaven and on earth.
If You bless me with every earthly blessing, filling my life with honor, wealth, fame, health, and wisdom, it is for Your glory and for my good that I may declare Your praises and majesty and honor.If You choose to end my life tomorrow, it’s for Your glory and for my good, because I get to be with You for all eternity. If you choose for me to endure great suffering, it’s for Your glory and for my good that I might know You more deeply and completely. Anything that You allow (or send) into my life, I trust is ultimately for Your glory, as well as for my good.
In the name of my Almighty King Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen
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Lord Jesus, I pray that we would humble ourselves before You, recognizing our utter poverty and need, and acknowledging Your perfect strength and goodness. It is indeed good to be afflicted, that we might know You and Your power in our suffering. Hard indeed is the path to blessing, but oh how good it is to know You! In the good and gracious name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 57, Matthew 4
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Matthew 4:1
It struck me that it was the Spirit that led Jesus to go into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Why? Why would God want Jesus to be tempted? I found the answer in the Word, in Hebrews.
“Therefore [Jesus] had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
Hebrews 2:17-18 ESV
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:15-16 ESV
Jesus experienced temptation, yet He resisted the devil by wielding the sword of the Word, and so can we. Like 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
So … What should we do when we face temptation?
Take your thoughts captive to obey Christ. (See 2 Corinthians 10:5) The battle against temptation is won and lost in your thoughts. If you want to resist temptation, you need to “think about what you’re thinking about!” As soon as you’re tempted, capture that thought, get rid of it, and replace it with the truth of God’s Word. I know how I feel after fasting for 12 hours, so I can only imagine how hungry Jesus was after fasting for 40 days of fasting! Jesus overcame temptation with God’s Word, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes in the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4 – Look at Deuteronomy 8:3 for it’s original use) The more of God’s Word you have stored in your heart, the better equipped you’ll be to replace those wrong thoughts with the right ones! (See Psalm 119:11)
Resist the devil. Ask yourself this question, “Who am I resisting, God or the devil?” All too often we are resisting God and submitting to the devil. 😩 If we want to resist the devil, we have to recognize his temptations and schemes. If you knew you were in a lion’s den, you’d keep alert for a lion, wouldn’t you? Listen carefully to the words of 1 Peter 5:8-9, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
Submit to God. In those tough moments, remember that God is your commanding officer. He has every right to give you your matching orders, and He expects you to obey them. As James wrote, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:7-8a ESV) When you’re struggling with temptation, no matter what it is, turn to God and obey Him in faith. Trust that He is good and that His plans are for your good.
Heavenly Father,
Each and every day, I meet temptations of various kinds. Some temptations are stronger than others, but all of them can be overcome by Your Spirit and Your Word. I believe that He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. I trust that Your Word is my sword by which I can fight the devil’s schemes.
Please help me to resist the devil and submit to You as my commanding officer.
I am no longer a slave to sin. I am no longer a slave to my flesh. I am no longer a child of wrath. I am a child of God by the blood of Jesus that flows through my veins. I am a soldier in the army of the Lord. I have been bought with a price, and now I have been called to serve You with my body. Make me a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You, my Lord and Captain and King.
In the holy and almighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Matthew 3; Psalm 56
“His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Matthew 3:12 ESV
John the Baptizer was calling the people to repent, and so does Jesus.
A time is coming when each of us will stand before the throne of God and be judged. Are you ready? If God asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say?
I’m a good person.
I go to church.
I read my Bible.
The good I’ve done outweighs the bad.
I’m a Christian.
Your Son, Jesus Christ, has paid the price for me. His blood has washed away my sins. My faith is in Him and Him alone.
Only one of these is the correct answer. Are you ready to meet God? Have you turned away from your sins and trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation? Have you publicly professed your faith in Him and followed Him in being baptized? If the answer to any of these questions is no, please let today be the day. Don’t put it off any longer. Only God knows when you’ll breathe your last breath and that day for your judgment will come.
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, in the flesh, to be my atoning sacrifice, paying the debt that I could never pay. I pray that You would use me to share this good news with others. I pray that those reading this would trust in Jesus’s finished work on the cross, repenting of their sins and turning to You for salvation. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Matthew 2; Psalm 55
In reading Matthew 2, I was struck by how often Matthew said that these events fulfilled the words spoken by the prophets. For Matthew, as a Jewish man, this confirmed for him that Jesus truly was the long-awaited messiah.
For me, as a former atheist, I have a different reaction. My reaction is that God’s Word must be true! God must know what will happen in the future if He can send prophets to foretell it. And God must be all powerful and sovereign over the events of Earth, if He is able to achieve His perfect will.
As Dr. Tim Chaffey wrote in an article titled “Fulfilled Prophecies of Jesus’s Birth” published on Answers in Genesis’ website, “There are no prophecies foretelling details about the birth of other religious leaders. No prophecies alerted the world to the coming of Muhammad (Islam), Joseph Smith (Mormonism), David Koresh (Branch Davidians), Charles Taze Russell (Jehovah’s Witnesses), Siddhartha Gautama (Buddhism), or any other founder of the world’s religions. Yet the Old Testament pinpointed numerous details about the life of the Son of God and Savior of the world. So what do these prophecies tell us about Jesus? In just the first two chapters of Matthew, we see that God foretold the virginal conception of the Messiah, who would be born in Bethlehem, yet in some way would come out of Egypt and be called a Nazarene. We also see that bitter agony would grip the mothers in that area.” Read the full article here
Please pray with me.
Heavenly Father, please grow our faith in your Word. Help us to trust that You know what is coming and that You are the sovereign ruler of heaven and earth. No purpose of Yours can be thwarted. You are working all things together to accomplish Your purposes and to glorify Your name.
I pray that we would especially remember that when times look dark like when fires and tornadoes devastate whole communities and it feels like the whole world is “going to hell in a hand basket.” You are still on Your throne.
I pray that we, as your children, will seek Your face and be honorable vessels for Your good use.
It is in the name of Jesus Christ, the long-awaited messiah, that we pray, Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Job 40-41, Psalm 52
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right? Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?”
Job 40:6-9 ESV
Every spring our area has terrible storms. The wind blows. The rain pours down. The heavens are alive with flashes of lightning and cracks of thunder. Tornadoes are a very real danger. It feels terrifying and utterly out of control.
But, friends, it isn’t. Even the wind and the seas obey Him. He rules over all of creation from the smallest critter to the mightiest beast, from the sunniest sky to the loudest thunder.
If God was a cruel, impetuous, reckless God, like the idols of man-made religions, we would all be in big, big trouble. But God! The one true God Jehovah, the Great I Am, reigns with grace and mercy and justice and wisdom. He is worthy of our trust.
Heavenly Father, You hold the whole world in Your Mighty Hands. Nothing is too hard for You. All of creation obeys You. Who are we to question your goodness and power? Thank You for Your mercy and grace. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place and raising Him from the grave! In His Almighty Name we pray, Amen.
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Read Through the Bible in 2 Years: Job 38-39; Psalm 51
“Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.”
Job 38:1-4 ESV
“Were you there?” is a question that young earth creation scientist Ken Ham encourages people to ask when discussing the theory of evolution. The reality is that no man has witnessed the evolution of molecules to man, because it didn’t happen.
Yet, no man witnessed God creating the earth, sun, moon, and stars. I wasn’t there and neither were you. But there was someone who was there: God. And God has given us an account of the events of creation in the Holy Scriptures.
God’s Word is true and trustworthy. I hope you will put your faith in God and in every word that He has preserved for us. Take some time to study the science behind the creationist worldview. The Christian young earth creationist worldview is scientifically reasonable and defendable. Studying it will strengthen your faith and help you to be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in you!
For those of you who are parents, please invest the efforts necessary to teach your children about creation science. Young minds are impressionable. They will either be shaped by a godless culture or a god-centered one. If you’re afraid to indoctrinate your children into the Christian faith, just know that the world is busy indoctrinating them for you. I know. I was there.
Will you pray with me?
Heavenly Father, You were there when the foundations of the earth were laid by the power of Your Word. You were there when the sea burst forth for the first time. You were there when the sun, moon, and stars were hung in the vast space of our universe. Before the beginning of time, You were there.
Thank You, Father, for preserving Your Word for all of these years, so that we could know You. Thank You for speaking to Job and for speaking to us. You know all things, and by Your will they have come into being. Help us to trust You in all things – in the daily stresses of life and in training up our children in the way they should go.
Creation Museum – A great place to visit and learn in person! Our family went over ten years ago – I think it’s time to go again!
Noah’s Ark Replica – This is located near the creation museum. It wasn’t built yet when we went to the creation museum. Like I said, we need to go again!
The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel – For me as an atheist, faith in an invisible God was harder than faith in Jesus as God’s Son. The Case for Faith was instrumental in growing my faith. I also love More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell, but it isn’t so focused on creation.
Ken Ham – Bill Nye Debate – Sometimes how you speak is almost as important as what you say. The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome, but patient and kind. Pay attention not only to what is spoken, but how. The ultimate goal isn’t to win the debate. The ultimate goal is to win the soul and ultimately this is in God’s hands. Trust Him.
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Read Through the Bible in 2 Years: Job 34-35; Psalm 49
This morning I woke up singing “Good and Gracious King” by City Alight. It begins like this, “I approach the throne of glory, nothing in my hands I bring, but the promise of acceptance, from a good and gracious king.” Such incredible beauty and depth in those few words.
So, reading Job 34 and 35 these words jumped out at me –
“If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand?”
Job 35:6-7 ESV
It’s like this quote from Jonathan Edwards, “You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.”
Heavenly Father, We have sinned so much in thought, word, and deed. We have sinned against You and sinned against the men and women that You have created in Your own image, and yet You remain immoveable and unchanging.
You don’t need us, and yet You love us. You own the cattle on a thousand hills, and yet You bring us into Your family and Your kingdom. What is man that You are mindful of us? How can we ever repay You for all that You have so graciously given to us?
We give You our praise, and we give You all of our lives. It’s all we have to give, and we give it with hearts full of gratitude. In the name of Jesus who is our Savior, Lord, and Hope we pray, Amen.
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