Read Through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 83; Exodus 2
As an adoptive mom, the story of Moses has always had particular interest for me. The idea of Moses’s first mom, the mom who gave birth to him, was willing to risk her own life by hiding him for three months, and then to place him among the reeds in hopes that he would be rescued by an Egyptian, reminds of my son’s first mom, the mom who gave birth to him.
I will be forever indebted to her. Though I don’t know the circumstances surrounding my son’s conception or what she went through to bring him to birth, I know it couldn’t have been easy.
So, I’d like to pray for all those “first moms” out there, the moms who gave birth to a child they’re not raising. But I’d also like to pray for all of us adoptive moms who are raising children they didn’t birth. Both moms face unique pains and joys, and both moms need our prayers.
Heavenly Father, I pray right now for the mom who has given birth to a child she isn’t raising, a child who is under someone else’s care. I pray that You will encourage her. Help her to trust in You and seek You with all her heart. I pray that she will someday see in Heaven that child she carried in her womb. I pray that she will know that You are the God of redemption and restoration. You are the God of second chances. I pray that she knows You are the God who hears and remembers and sees and knows. Truly, You are the God of all comfort.
And Heavenly Father, I also pray for the adoptive mom who is raising a child birthed by another, who deeply loves a child that You have entrusted into her care. I pray that You will heal the broken places in her heart with the healing balm of Your love. Help her to cast all her cares on you, knowing that You care for her and You care for that little boy or girl, too. I pray that she will remember that You are the God of redemption and restoration and second chances. May she know that You are the God who hears and remembers and sees and knows. Truly, You are the God of all comfort. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 82, Exodus 1
But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad.
Exodus 1:12a
I recently read a quote that went something like, “When the authorities loosen their grip, the gospel spreads … and when the authorities tighten their grip, the church is trained and becomes more disciplined … but always we are in God’s hands.”
Today in reading the story of the persecution of the young Hebrew nation in Exodus 1, I saw the Lord’s hand in both spreading and training His people, but in this case, persecution is actually what caused the people to spread abroad.
Isn’t that what happened in the dispersion of the new disciples of Jesus Christ who were persecuted for their faith? And how about what happened when God confused the people’s languages at the tower of Babel in Genesis 11? God’s people were dispersed over the face of all the earth as a result of their suffering and hardship, but all the time they were in God’s hands.
I am reminded again and again as I read through the scriptures that my ways are not God’s ways. So often the very thing that seems straight from the pit of hell is exactly what God uses for His glory and my good – if I only keep my eyes open to it. No matter what, I can trust that I am in God’s hands.
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, Help us to trust You no matter what. Help us to believe that You are in control even when life feels out of control. You are always on Your throne. You are working all things together for good. Let us not be ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation for all who believe, both the Jew and the Gentile. Help us to want for the good even of those who persecute us and shame us and say all kinds of evil about us falsely on Your account. We love You and we trust You. Increase our faith, Father. In the matchless name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 81, Matthew 28
The ending of Matthew’s very thorough account of Jesus’s life and ministry feels so sudden. After reading twenty-seven lengthy chapters, Matthew 28 contains only twenty verses, summarizing the resurrection of Christ, Jesus’s appearance to the Mary’s, the bribing of the Roman guards by the Jewish leaders, and some of Jesus’s final words to His disciples,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 ESV
So, as we wrap up four weeks spent studying the words of Matthew, let these be my concluding words to you.
Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. He can do it. Nothing is impossible for Him. You can trust Him. Therefore, you can go with confidence, under His authority, by the power of His Holy Spirit, and make disciples of all nations. He wants to use you. You don’t need to be a ordained minister to share the good news. You don’t need a seminary degree to tell people how to trust in Christ. His Spirit and His Word are all you need. He wants you to share the good news with those who have never heard. But don’t stop there – teach them to observe all that He has commanded in His word. Being a disciple is so much more than just being a fan.
The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. If you’d like to join me in international ministry, leave a comment or send me a message. I’d love to help you get plugged in! Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, What a blessing it is to be a laborer in the harvest! I am so thankful for Your Holy Spirit who lives in me and gives me wisdom. I pray that Your Spirit would guide me to those who are hungering to hear the good news and those who need to be discipled to obey Your commands. In the powerful Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord we pray, Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 80, Matthew 27
When my kids were little I loved taking them to the zoo. We could spend all day there wandering around, pushing whoever was the youngest in a stroller while the oldest ones walked. Inevitably the youngest would cry out, “Mom, pick me up! I can’t see,” so I’d lift them out of the stroller and hold them high, so they could peek into the enclosure and see the coveted lion or tiger or hippo. The concrete wall designed to keep the beasts inside and the humans safely out, also prevented my children from seeing what we’d come to see.
In God’s mercy, He had commanded that a thick curtain be hung to separate the congregation from the “Holy of Holies” – first in the tabernacle and later in the temple. This curtain, estimated to be nearly 60 feet long and 4 inches thick, three times as tall as the tallest giraffe, is the one referred to in Matthew 27.
“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.”
Matthew 27:50-51a ESV
What is the significance of the temple curtain being torn in two? Why would God cause that to happen when Jesus died?
Click here to read how Got Questions answers the question, “What was the significance of the temple veil being torn in two when Jesus died?”
I hope you’ll continue on in the 2-year Bible reading plan! The next books we will be reading through are Exodus and Leviticus. In them you’ll learn so much more about the history of the tabernacle and the worship of Jehovah God. Then, we will turn to Hebrews where we will learn the purpose of these types and shadows of the Old Testament and how Christ fulfilled them.
Will you pray with me?
Heavenly Father, You have made a way through the blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ, for us to come into Your presence. We have been washed clean through our faith in the finished work of Jesus who paid the price that was demanded. By His death, the veil has been torn. By His death, we have received eternal life. Now, Father, let us walk in gratitude and faith in Your Son in whose name we pray. Amen.
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”
Hebrews 10:19-23 ESV
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 79, Matthew 26
I remember the first time I heard the song, “Alabaster Box.” It wasn’t Cece Winans’ famous version that I’ve linked below. Rather it was a dear friend who sang it through tears. The words touched my heart in such a profound way that I still think of it now, more than ten years later, every time I read the story of the very grateful woman in Matthew 26 who was willing to make such a sacrifice for Jesus who had changed her life.
Many people have a hard time understanding why I have wrapped my whole life around Jesus. Why is my every day consumed with thoughts of Him, service to Him? Why can’t I just talk about something else? What’s the big deal?
Well, have you ever read one of those touching stories about an organ donor and a profoundly grateful recipient? Someone is on the verge of death because of a failing heart or kidneys when they are suddenly given a second lease on life because of someone else’s selfless sacrifice. They are overwhelmed with gratitude. They can’t put into words how much they appreciate this priceless gift. They would do anything to try to pay back that person who saved their loved one’s life – or their own.
My friends, that’s how I feel. Jesus has given me everything. He has given me a new lease not only on this present life, but for all eternity. And now everything in my life is seen through these lenses of profound gratitude.
Alabaster Box
I can’t forget the way life used to be I was a prisoner to the sin that had me bound And I spent my days Poured my life without measure Into a little treasure box I’d thought I’d found Until the day when Jesus came to me And healed my soul With the wonder of His touch So now I’m giving back to Him All the praise He’s worthy of I’ve been forgiven And that’s why I love Him so much
And I’ve come to pour my praise on Him Like oil from Mary’s alabaster box Don’t be angry if I wash His feet with my tears And dry them with my hair You weren’t there the night Jesus found me You did not feel what I felt When He wrapped his loving arms around me and You don’t know the cost of the oil Oh, you don’t know the cost of my praise You don’t know the cost of the oil In my alabaster box
Will you pray with me?
Heavenly Father, I am eternally grateful for all You have done for me. It is a joy to pour out my life for You, a tiny offering to give back to You who has given me everything. My very breath and life and joy and peace and hope and purpose, everything I have, are all Yours. My cup indeed runs over, and it spills out praise for You. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. You are worthy of every ounce of my life. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ who gave Himself for me. Amen.
Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 78, Matthew 25
The Lord blessed our family with four children over a span of eleven and a half years. I was a busy homeschooling mom trying my best to manage a very busy household. One way that I did this was with “chore charts” assigning various chores to each child in our household.
My oldest daughter was responsible for so many tasks around the home, from cooking and cleaning to helping with her younger siblings. My youngest son had much smaller jobs like feeding the dog or putting away the silverware.
Did I assign them the same jobs? Certainly not. Was it unjust? Absolutely not. They had different skill levels, so they were given correspondingly different jobs.
Yet, yhey were equally praised for a job well done and equally reprimanded for a job poorly done, regardless of whether they were supposed to clean the entire bathroom or merely empty the trash can.
Likewise, our perfectly wise Lord gives each of His children a different quantity of talents, but they are eligible for equal praise. To the ones who invested their talents well, whether apportioned two or five, the Lord says, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:20, 22) The one who invested well his five talents did not receive greater praise, nor did the one who invested well his two talents receive lesser praise.
The Lord is angry with the worthless servant, not because he only had one talent, but because he did not invest his one talent well. The one who received only one talent chose to hide it in the ground, saying that he knew that the master was a hard man, “reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed,” (Matthew 25:24) Surely this man doesn’t truly know the character of his Master, for if he did he would never utter such words.
Good servants know their Master, that He is good and generous to give His servants talents with which to serve Him.
When I was an atheist, I lived my life serving no one but me. I recognized no Master of my destiny except me.
Now, as a follower of Jesus Christ, it is a gift to serve my Lord and to know that I was created on purpose for a purpose. It is good news to be God’s “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
What talents has the Lord entrusted to you?
Has He blessed you with children, a house, a skill, a passion, a testimony … all of the above?
How can you put them to good use for your master?
Heavenly Father, You are a good Father who delights in giving good gifts to Your children, and You are a good Master in giving us, Your servants, fruitful tasks to accomplish. It is a joy for our lives to have meaning and purpose. It is a joy to serve you here on earth, and it is a joy to look forward to that day we will enter into Your kingdom and hear the words we long to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” In the Name of our Gracious Master Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
Seeing yourself as a steward of your time, talents, treasures, and testimony
Read Through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 77, Matthew 24
I remember many summers when I was growing up and was left home under my big sister’s care while my parents went to work. We knew that our parents would be home sometime before dinner, but we never really knew exactly when that would be. When my sister would hear the back door opening, she’d demand, “Stop screaming, Kim! Be good! Mom and Dad are home,” and my steady stream of bickering would come to sudden hault. I didn’t want my parents to walk in on us mid-argument.
Fast-forward thirty years and I remember countless days when I’d have my kids clean up the house at 4:30pm, so we were ready for their dad to get home. I wanted my husband to open the door to me preparing dinner in the kitchen, while the kids played quietly on the floor, the school books and toys put away. I hated the idea of him walking into the middle of the chaos that four rambunctious, homeschooling kids can produce.
Matthew 24 explains that though we won’t know the precise day or hour, we will know the season when Jesus’s return is near. Like “the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:37) If the people of Noah’s time had paid attention, they would have seen Noah building a boat and known that a flood must be coming … but they remained ignorant until the flood swept them away.
Friends, listen to me! Open your eyes and ears! The days are near. The hours are coming to a close. Jesus is coming soon. He will not tarry forever! Stay awake. Be alert. Keep watch. Though we do not know what day our Lord is coming, we can know that it will be soon. (Matthew 24:42)
Are you ready for Jesus to return?
Are you like that faithful and wise servant who is busy doing his master’s work, or like that wicked servant who is going to be caught unaware when his master returns?
Are you anxiously looking forward to your groom to arrive and call out, “Honey, I’m home” or are you distracted by the trappings of this world?
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, You are giving us so many signs that the days are short. Let us be about our Master’s business. Strengthen us for the task that You have given to us. Let us not be distracted by all that glitters and calls for our attention. Help us to keep our hands to the plow and our eyes fixed on the heavens, from where our Savior will return for His bride.
Please prepare our American brothers and sisters for persecution, and please help our Asian brothers and sisters to stand firm and hold fast. Help us all to keep HOT our love for our neighbor and for You. Make us faithful laborers in the fields – scattering seeds, maturing seedlings, and bringing in the ripe grain.
In the perfect and holy name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray, Amen.
When I Think about the Lord – Christ for the Nations
Days of Elijah – Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
“Prepare to Stand” Playlist – Andrew Brunson
More information about “Prepare to Stand” including a free study guide and access to download the videos!
Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 76, Matthew 23
“”Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Matthew 5:3-12 ESV
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.…
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.…
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.…
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous,”
– Matthew 23:23, 25, 27, 29 ESV
I’m afraid that all too often we’re mixing up our blessings and our woes. It seems that we’re working for those things that Jesus says “woe to you,” focusing our energies on making our outsides look good – posting the perfect pictures and enrolling our kids in the perfect classes, being careful to be seen at church and PTA meetings – while neglecting the weightier matters of justice and mercy and faithfulness.
Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV) While the Pharisees “tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.” (Matthew 23:4 ESV)
Are we focused more on what people think or what God thinks?
Are we loving our neighbors or hurting them?
Do we look more like Christ or more like a Pharisee?
Oh, Heavenly Father, help us to love what You love and hate what You hate. Help us to listen carefully to these words Jesus spoke to these hypocritical leaders as well as the words of the prophet, Isaiah, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20-21)
Give us the strength and wisdom to examine our own hearts and to be diligent to pluck the log out of our own eyes. Help us to remember that our words and actions are the overflow of what’s inside our hearts, so please help us to care more about what’s inside the cup of our heart than what others can see on the outside.
We pray this for Your glory and in the powerful name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Hallelujah, Salvation and Glory – Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 75, Matthew 22
“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.
Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'”
Matthew 22:8-13 ESV
I remember one time shortly after moving to the South when I went to a “Moms Night Out” gathering for homeschooling moms. It was in the evening, and it was being hosted in a fellow homeschooling mom’s home. I showed up in what I’d been wearing all day – what I wore every day – a Christian t-shirt and jeans. My curly hair was unbrushed, and my face was make-up free. I walked into that room full of strangers and immediately wanted to turn around and walk back to the car.
Apparently I’d missed the memo that said, “Before you come, make sure you brush your hair, and put on some makeup and stylish mom-wear.”
This is not at all what Jesus was referring to in this parable of the wedding feast. Jesus doesn’t care about your makeup. He doesn’t care if you’ve brushed your hair or put on a cute new outfit. He doesn’t care how much money is in your bank account, how many square feet are in your home, or which side of the train tracks you live on. He doesn’t care how tall you are or what color your skin is. He doesn’t care about your ACT score or what kind of grades you got in high school. In fact, He doesn’t care whether you’re from the North or the South, the East or the West.
The banqueting table of the Lord is long and wide. He has invited all kinds of people – men and women, rich and poor, and every shade of skin, eye, and hair color – to His wedding feast.
Like Jesus’s parable of the net (Matthew 13:47-50), at the end of the age every kind of fish will be gathered – trout and salmon and tuna, brim and red snapper. But, ultimately, there are only two kinds of fish: good fish and bad fish.
When you breathe your last breath, what’s going to matter is this: Are you wearing a wedding garment?
This isn’t a multiple choice test where you’re offered a whole list of choices A, B, C, D, or E.
There will only be two choices: Yes or No. You are either wearing your wedding garments or you aren’t.
And there’s only one way to get those wedding garments. They must be given to you by the groom, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the man on the middle cross.
So, I’ve got to ask you: Has Jesus given you the wedding garments? Or are you trying to get in with clothes of your own making and design, not realizing they are only filthy rags?
Friends, God knows your heart. No amount of makeup or hair styling or clothing or good deeds can cover up your need for a Savior.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
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 21:1-8 ESV
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV
Have you been given the groom’s pure white wedding clothes?
Have your sins been washed away by blood of the Lamb?
May today be the day of salvation for people all around the globe, and may we be faithful heralds of the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
Heavenly Father, I come humbly before Your throne of grace and ask You to send out Your Word. Draw many into Your kingdom and clothe them in the pure white garments of the Lamb without blemish. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and make us hate sin like You do. Be our God and make us Your people. Make us new, and wash us clean in the spring of living water. Thank You for Your grace. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
The Man on the Middle Cross Said I Could Come – Sermon clip – Alistair Begg
Read Through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 74, Matthew 21
“A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went.
And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go.
Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.”
Matthew 21:28-32 ESV
Think of how deeply this parable must have resonated with Matthew. I can just imagine Matthew writing furiously, trying to record every word as Jesus spoke. Matthew had been a tax collector when the Lord called him. Yet, Matthew was a Jew, grieving that his fellow Jews were missing the Messiah! Matthew was like that first son who had said, “I will not,” but later had obeyed. Matthew himself had rejected the ways of God, but later he had “changed his mind and he had believed” like he wrote in verse 32.
I’m so thankful that the Lord led Matthew to record this parable for us. And I’m doubly thankful that the Lord has made a way for those of us who were once running headlong away from God – like Matthew and like me – to enter the kingdom.
Let’s pray today for those who think they are following God, who are saying with their lips, “Oh, yes, sir, I’m going,” but who are heading the wrong direction, trusting in their own good deeds to be saved, rather than the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Heavenly Father, I lift up before Your throne of grace those who think they are following You, heading toward You, but will one day hear, ‘I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” I pray that You would open their eyes and soften their hearts to the truth that we can only be saved through trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Wake them up to this reality before it’s too late. In the Good and Gracious Name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
Teach What is Good 
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