Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 30, Deuteronomy 26
The Lord has brought the people out of their slavery in Egypt, and now He is bringing them into this blessed land flowing with milk and honey. The commanded response, as well as the logical response of gratitude, is to offer back to God some of the fruit of this land – and not just any of the fruit, but the first fruits. Giving first fruits demonstrates faith and dependence on the Lord.
But, if I’m honest with myself (and with you), I must confess how stingy I am with the gifts that the Lord has given me, whether my time, my talents, my treasures, or my testimony. I treat these things as though I have earned them, not recognizing that they are gifts from God, given to me to give back to Him and to share with others. The Lord has blessed me that I might be a blessing to others.
How about you? Is gratitude your normal response to life? Are you living in a place of surrender to the Lord? Will you pray with me?
Heavenly Father, I pray that I would have a heart overflowing with gratitude for all that You have given me. Truly, what do I have that I haven’t been given? Where would I be today if You hadn’t led me by the hand every step of the way? Now, today, I offer back to You the first fruits of my labor. My children, my home, my work, my mind and mouth and money, are Yours. I give them back to You as an offering of praise. They are Yours. They were given to me by You, and now I again give them back to You, laying them down, prying my fingers off of them, leaving them on the altar of Your Holy presence. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 29, Deuteronomy 24-25
Again and again the Lord makes special provision for the sojourner , the fatherless, and the widow. Reading through my Bible today, and not getting much out of these chapters of “various laws,” my eyes fell upon a note in my Bible’s margin from the last time I read it cover to cover.
Sojourner – God is my resting place.
Fatherless – God is my father.
Widow – I am His bride.
Sisters, write notes in your Bible that you can find next year. Leave reminders to yourself of how the Lord turns your heart while you read His Word. Let these remind you – and those who come after you.
As members of God’s kingdom, we’re all sojourners, wanderers, aliens in this world. Our true citizenship is in heaven. God has called us to be His ambassadors.
As members of God’s family, we’re His children and He is our Father. We can come to Him with confidence, knowing that He loves us dearly and cares for us tenderly, as a Father loves and cares for his children.
As the bride of Christ, we are called to be shining lights for Him, His hands and feet on earth, humbly depending on Him for strength, comfort, and guidance.
I’m blessed. God is good.
Heavenly Father, You are my king, my Father, and the lover of my soul. You are worth every pain and every joy. Give me strength through the truth of Your Word. Remind me that this world is not my home, and help me to fix my eyes on the eternal hope I have in heaven. Use me as Your ambassador here on earth, faithfully declaring the praises of Him who called me out of darkness. (1 Peter 2:9) Remind me that I am Your child, and You are my Father. Help me to obey You promptly, cheerfully, and completely, and to faithfully come to You for forgiveness when I sin. Remind me that I am Your bride, and help me to depend on You for my every need. Send me out into this world as an instrument of peace and proclaimer of truth. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior, I pray. Amen.
Jesus, Strong and Kind – City Alight
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 19; Deuteronomy 7-9
Moses had some words of wisdom for the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land. He warned them not to turn away from God saying to themselves, “My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth,” (Deuteronomy 8:17) and “It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land.” (Deuteronomy 9:4) He was worried that when they were full and had built nice houses to live in and had plenty of sheep, cattle, gold, silver and children, they would “forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Deuteronomy 8:14b)
This was a very real danger for the Israelites, and it’s a very real danger for us.
Beware, sister, lest you forget that God chose you while you were yet a sinner, an enemy of the gospel. Beware, sister, lest you fall away and trust in your own righteousness rather than Christ’s. Beware, sister, lest you no longer see your need for the Lord’s salvation and provision.
Heed the words to the church in Laodicea from Revelation 3:17-18
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.”
Revelation 3:17-18
I was reminded of something I wrote about earlier this week about the roadblocks that stand in the way of us teaching our children. One stumbling block that I hadn’t thought about at the time, though, was pride. Sometimes we feel like we don’t need to teach our children because we think, “They’re good kids. They know God’s Word. They don’t really need me to teach them.” In our self-sufficiency, we become lazy parents. We take pride in our children’s accomplishments, thinking that we must be really great parents to have produced such great kids, rather than humbly recognizing God’s grace and mercy toward them and us.
Dear friends, the Lord did not choose you because you were mighty or lovely or powerful or smart or good. In fact, you weren’t any of those things before, and you’re not any of those things now. You might be more kind or beautiful or smart or religious than your husband or sister or neighbor, but compared to God we are all filthy and wretched.
Compared to the wisdom of God, you are a fool.
Compared to the kindness of God, you are a selfish beast.
Compared to the power of God, you are nothing more than a grasshopper perched precariously on a blade of grass.
Moses had never read my favorite Bible verse, Romans 5:8, “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” yet, the Holy Spirit inspired him to write Deuteronomy 7:6-8. God is unchanging, sovereign, and good. Trust in Him and Him alone.
“The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
Deuteronomy 7:6b-8 ESV
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy and grace. Thank You for Your forgiveness. Thank You for the peace that You have given to me, redeeming me and bringing me into Your family and Your kingdom. I pray that You would keep me humble. You have given me so much. You have anointed my head with oil again and again. My cup indeed overflows. Keep me on my knees. Help me to seek You and You only. Help my heart to truthfully say, “There is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” Let me not boast in anything save in the cross of Christ. You are all I need. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Treasure and Savior, I pray. Amen.
You are my All in All – Maranatha
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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.
I hope you’ll check out Ken Sande’s book The Peacemaker and his new ministry “Relational Wisdom 360” (RW360) for wise, practical help in being a peacemaker.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 3, Numbers 29-31
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 30 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 .
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 1; Numbers 25-26
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.
One Pure and Holy Passion – Amy Nobles
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 139, Numbers 5:1-6:21
Growing up my dad and my grandfather were both lawyers, I participated in mock trial and debate, and I watched countless episodes of Judge Wapner presiding over “The People’s Court.” 😄 I saw the importance of having a good judge as well as good witnesses and good evidence. The judge could only rule so far as the witnesses and evidence proved the case. Without good witnesses and good evidence, you couldn’t win.
In reading the very strange passage in Numbers 5 about how a jealous husband was to prove his wife either innocent or guilty of adultery, I was reminded of how often men and women simply don’t know what is true. In the case of adultery, there will always be at least one witness – the man or woman who you are with – but there is also another witness: God. We may not know what someone else is up to behind closed doors or in the dark of night, but we can trust beyond a shadow of a doubt that God does.
God knows the secret thoughts of our hearts, and God knows the secret deeds of our bodies.
Is that scary to think about? Yes, frankly, it is. But it is also so very freeing. I don’t need to snoop through my husband’s online history or the pockets of his pants. I don’t need to dig through his trash or his wallet. I don’t need to track his driving history or figure out his whereabouts every minute of the day. Why? Because God always sees him, even when I don’t.
God is not only the perfect judge, He is also the perfect witness. He can judge perfectly, because He knows everyone’s heart and everyone’s motives, everyone’s thoughts and everyone’s actions. He can place blame with perfect righteousness and justice because He knows exactly what happened. He knows who said what. He knows the way of escape that He provided. He knows how your conscience was pricked. He knows it all.
If your life has been touched by the sins of fornication, lust, and adultery, then you know how far-reaching their tentacles can spread. As is often the case, the sins of others can lead you to into the snares of sin in your own life – the sins of bitterness, anger, jealousy, suspicion, manipulation, and the list goes on. Let me encourage you with the words of Peter, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling with reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9) and the words of Paul, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
I pray that we would take the higher road, the road of blessing and good, that we would live the more excellent way, the way of love. Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy or boast. It is not proud; it is not rude; it is not self-seeking; it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)
I pray that we would be like the model wife of Proverbs 31, that our husbands could truly trust us because we are faithful to do them good and not harm all the days of our life, that strength and dignity would be our clothing, that we would be able laugh at the times to come because we have such great faith in God. I pray that we would open our mouths with wisdom and that the teaching of kindness would always be on our tongues. (Proverbs 31:10-11, 25-26)
I pray that we would be 1 Peter 3 wives, bravely being subject to our own husbands, so that even if they do not obey the word, they might be won without a word by our respectful and pure conduct. I pray that our radiant beauty would come from the inside out, that the imperishable beauty of a gentle, quiet spirit would glow from within us. I pray that we would be holy women whose hope is in God, faithfully doing good and not fearing anything that is frightening.
Dear sisters, someday your boyfriend, your husband, your sons and daughters, will appear before the judgment seat of God. Someday their secret things will be judged. Someday what was hidden in the dark will be brought into the light.
But that isn’t only true for them; it’s also true for us. Our hearts and our lives will be laid bare before Him, too.
What will He find there? What will He unearth in our hearts? What will He witness in watching how we chose to live our lives?
Will He find bitterness, wrath, envy, and jealousy … or peace, faith, hope, and contentment?
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, You are the perfect judge, and You are the perfect witness. No one is hidden from your sight. Someday everything hidden will be brought into the light. I pray that my faith would be in You and not in me. I am so weak, Lord. I am so prone to wander, to leave the God I love. Help me, please. I need You. Give me Your strength. Help me to overcome evil with good because You are good and I am Your child. Help me to repay wrong with blessing because that is the example that You gave to me, that You loved me while I was yet a sinner. Help me to go and do likewise. Guide me step by steap in the way that I should go. In the matchless name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Brother, my Friend and Lord, I pray. Amen.
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
– Psalm 139:1-12 ESV
“They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”
– Romans 2:15-16 ESV
“Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.”
– 1 Corinthians 4:5 ESV
“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 ESV
And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.””
– Revelation 21:6-8 ESV
“”Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
“The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”
– Revelation 22:12-17 ESV
Check out my video podcast from today’s lesson on YouTube.
Jesus, Our Judge and Our Savior – Sovereign Grace Music
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 136, Numbers 1-2
In reading Numbers 1-2, it quickly becomes obvious that the people of Israel were organized “by their fathers’ houses.” This morning as I look forward to honoring my husband and my dad on this Father’s Day, it suddenly occurred to me that I wouldn’t have been placed with my own father’s line, but with the line of my husband and his father.
I’ve always been a bit of a Daddy’s girl. My dad is gentle, humble, and kind. Though he has so much wisdom to share, he’s more likely to be found listening than speaking. My dad will always, always have a very special place in my heart.
Yet, like Ruth of long ago, I was grafted into my husband’s family. “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16b) When I married my husband, his family became my family. His mom and dad became like my own mom and dad. I desire to honor them as I would honor my own parents.
So, Papa Bill, Happy Father’s Day to you, too. God has blessed you with a heart and a house full of blessings – children, grandchildren, and now even great grandchildren. Praise the Lord for His mercy and kindness. God has been so, so good to us.
Sisters, how can you honor your husband, your father, and your father-in-law today?
Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving my dad to me. He is a treasure. I pray that You would bless him with every spiritual blessing. And thank You, too, for my husband and his family who have welcomed me into the fold with open arms. I pray that You would bless them with peace and joy that surpasses all understanding. Give me opportunities to honor and bless my parents and my in-laws as well. By the grace of Your loving kindness poured out on me through Your Son Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 127; Hebrews 7
“And the former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
Hebrews 7:23-25 LSB
When my husband and I were married 30 years ago, we had the words “Forever and Always” engraved inside our wedding rings. For our first dance at our wedding reception, we chose the song “I swear” by John Michael Montgomery because of the beautiful words of its chorus,
For better or worse Till death do us part I’ll love you with every beat of my heart I swear
“I Swear” – John Michael Montgomery
We didn’t see marriage as just a fleeting thing. We wanted our marriage to stand the test of time, and we still do. Yet, we are mortal beings. Our lives on earth are temporary. Someday our hearts will stop beating, and our time on earth will end. Even the very best marriage can never be “forever and always” – because death will someday part us.
But, Jesus. Jesus is always and forever. He is eternal. Jesus has existed from eternity past, and He will exist for eternity future. He is without beginning or end.
He continues as the Great High Priest forever, interceding for us temporal beings. Yet, this all-sufficient, all-powerful, eternal, awesome God invites lowly people like you and me to be His bride for all eternity. How GREAT is our GOD!
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”– for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
Revelation 19:6-9 ESV
Heavenly Father, You are eternal. You are forever and always, the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. From everlasting to everlasting, You are God. You are the faithful, unchanging Rock on whom we can found our lives. Teach us to number our days, that we may have a heart of wisdom. Help us to fix our eyes on heaven, on the eternal, that we may have strength in this day to withstand the trials and temptations that we encounter in this world. In the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we pray. Amen.
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Great is Thy Faithfulness – Shane and Shane
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 118, Leviticus 17-19
Reading through chapter after chapter of unlawful practices and their consequences can feel irrelevant or confusing, but tucked in their midst is this gem:
Love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:18b ESV
Matthew, Mark, and Luke, recorded Jesus uttering these very words and Paul and James repeated them in their letters. What if we read all of Scripture through the lens Leviticus 19:18, “love your neighbor as yourself”?
Don’t steal. Love your neighbor as yourself.
Don’t lie. Love your neighbor as yourself.
Don’t commit adultery. Love your neighbor as yourself.
Help the poor. Love your neighbor as yourself.
Speak encouraging words. Love your neighbor as yourself.
Make disciples of every nation. Love your neighbor as yourself.
Do you love God? Then love the people that He made. Remember, they’re created in His very own image.
Heavenly Father, help me to love others the way that You have loved me. Help me to love others as much as I love myself. Help me to do good to others even when they hurt my feelings – because that’s how I want to be treated. Help me to speak the truth and speak it with love. I can’t do it on my own, Lord. Please do it through me. In the name of Jesus, my Lord, Amen.
Teach What is Good 
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