Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 25 and 1 John 3 and 4
“I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.”
1 John 2:21 ESV
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”
1 John 3:1a ESV
“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.”
1 John 3:9 ESV
“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
1 John 4:4 ESV
Heavenly Father,
Please fill us and lead us by Your Holy Spirit, that we would know, love, and walk in truth. Help us to discern truth from lies. Help us to turn to You when we need wisdom and knowledge, and to trust that You truly do abide in us.
By our faith in your Son, Jesus Christ, You have made us Your children. You have caused us to be born again and we are new creations in Christ. Your seed abides in us.
Give us the wisdom we need to test our faith to see if we are truly in You, and if we are not actually in You, please reveal that truth now.
But, Father, if we are Yours, then help us to be conformed into Your likeness, loving not merely in words or talk, but in deed and truth.
Help us to live holy and godly lives in this present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Keep us from bitterness, wrath, anger, malice, envy and slander. Give us clean hands and pure hearts to the Glory of Your Name.
By Your power at work in us, give us both the desire and the ability to turn away from sin and turn our faces to You. Help us trust Your Word that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. Transform our hearts and lives that we would come out of the dark and be useful, shining vessels of Your light.
In the matchless name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord we pray, Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 22, 1 John 1
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we lookedupon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifestto us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you,so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” – 1 John 1:1-3 ESV
According to the Wordsmyth intermediate dictionary, manifest means, “clear and unmistakable to the eye or mind; plain; obvious.”
In His great mercy God sent His own Son in the flesh, making the invisible God manifest among man.
Sometimes it might feel like God is hiding, but the truth is that even though we can’t see the invisible God, we can see Him clearly, unmistakably, plainly, obviously in what He has made. (Romans 1:18-23) Additionally, we can know Him through the testimony of men like John who were eyewitnesses to the flesh-and-bone Jesus, His life, His crucifixion, and His resurrection.
It is the foolish who say in their hearts that there is no God. (Psalm 14:1) Let us not be fools, thinking God doesn’t see us or hear us. He does.
Today we can still read the eyewitness testimony of John who did see and hear and touch the risen Lord, so that we can have fellowship with the body of believers, and with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ, knowing God intimately and personally.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You so much for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ in the flesh that mankind could see Your glory manifest. Keep us from the pride that tempts us to think that You cannot see us or hear us, that You are hiding, that You are blind and deaf to our sinful words and deeds.
Help us to be humble and to seek Your face, searching Your Word of Truthdiligently and faithfully .
We pray that we will have genuine, intimate fellowship with the body of believers who are alive today, and we pray that we will have fellowship with Jesus Christ who is our Savior and our Lord. Help us to live surrendered lives, walking by faith and not by sight.
To the glory of Jesus Christ, the Resurrection One. Amen
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 21, John 21
"That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!'" - John 21:7a ESV
I love that John just can’t bring himself to use his own name, but refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” This reminds me that my value, like John’s, is found in being loved by Jesus, my Creator, Savior, and Lord who knows all of my shortcomings and sins, yet He still loves me.
"When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea." John 21:7b ESV
I can picture it in my mind. Peter heard, “It is the Lord,” and rather than questioning John, he immediately puts on his outer garment, and jumps into the sea to get to Jesus. He wants to see him first this time!
While everyone else is working on bringing in the boat – dragging a heavy net loaded full of fish – Peter just wants to be with Jesus. I wonder if John was frustrated, disgusted, or irritated with Peter’s irresponsible, impulsive response… Or did his heart leap with Peter’s, praising God for making Peter so easily excitable? I hope it was the latter. I want to be able to thank God for the variety of personalities and temperaments that He has given to His children.
After thinking about this, it was particularly ironic to me when I read later in the chapter about Peter pointing his finger at John, asking “Lord, what about this man?” (John 21:21 ESV)
Did Peter ask this out of love and concern for John or out of jealousy? Pride ? Conceit? I don’t have any idea, but I do know how Jesus responded to Peter’s question, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22)
I want to hear Jesus’s words loud and clear and apply them to my own life. “Kim, beloved daughter, don’t worry about those other people.”
Jesus has a unique purpose for each of our lives. I need to keep my eyes focused on Christ, so I can follow Him well. If my eyes are looking over at my friend’s lane, how can I see clearly to drive in mine?
Let’s pray, sisters!
Heavenly Father,
Please help me not to be jealous, envious, covetous, or disdainful of my fellow servants or the tasks that You’ve given them to do. Help me to remember Ephesians 2:10, that I am Your workmanship and that I have been created on purpose for good works that You have prepared in advance for me to do.
Help me, Lord Jesus, to be about my Father’s business with eagerness and joy, not looking to the left or right, not looking behind, but with my eyes fixed firmly on Christ and the hope that is before me. Make me eager to trust and obey You, to look for You and listen carefully for Your voice.
In the blessed name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 19, John 19
“And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe.
They came up to him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and struck him with their hands.”
John 19:2-3 ESV
When I was growing up, I was such a sarcastic person. I regularly poked fun at others to get laughs and attention for myself at their expense, so reading this passage breaks my heart. Now I see the cruelty of these soldiers as they mock Jesus, pressing a crown of thorns on his head, dressing him in a purple robe, saying “Hail, King of the Jews,” and striking Him with their hands.
In verse 4, Pilate says, “Behold the man,” then moments later in verse 14, Pilate says, “Behold your king.” Yet the chief priests, the Jewish chief priests, say, “We have no king but Caesar,” and my heart breaks again.
My heart breaks for all those people in our world who have turned their backs on the king who came to save them.
My heart breaks for the Jews who missed their Messiah who came for them, His own people. And my heart breaks for all of those Christians who are too busy to behold their king.
But my heart also breaks for Jesus Himself.
Can you imagine how it would feel to come into the world that you yourself had made, to take on human form and be born as a baby, to live among your own chosen people and speak to them week after week for more than 2 years, to perform miracle after miracle to really prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you indeed are the long awaited messiah, only to hear your own people say not only “Crucify him,” but “We have no king but Caesar”?
They did not say, “We have no king but Almighty God.”
They said, “We have no king but Caesar.”
How about you? Who is your king?
The current (or soon-to-be) president of the United States — or another nation of the world?
Money?
Fame?
The news media?
Your kids?
Your stomach?
Your couch?
Your bed?
Your phone?
What do you live for and serve and obey?
Can you say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. As for me and my house, we will have no king but Jesus”?
Heavenly Father,
How I long to behold you, to see you face-to-face, to gaze upon Your glory. Hold me close to you. Bind me to you. Let me not wander away out of fear of the disapproval of man. May the fear of God be stronger than the fear of man in my life. Help me to remember that You are for me and if You are for me, what can man do to me?
Keep me from having a biting, sarcastic tongue. May my words be apples of gold in a setting of silver, full of grace and mercy and seasoned with salt.
I pray for the leaders of my nation and the leaders of all the nations of the world. I pray that they will bow the knee before King Jesus, that they will humble themselves before You. Lord, I praise You as Daniel did so many years ago – You are who changes times and seasons; You are who removes kings and sets up kings; You are who gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. (Daniel 2:21 ESV) Make our nation’s leaders like King Nebuchadnezzar who said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” (Daniel 2:47 ESV)
Let us behold You, seated on Your throne. Let us worship and adore You alone, for nothing compares to You.
In the name of King Jesus we pray,
Amen.
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Click here for a link to the “Behold, Our God” song and lyrics in English and Chinese.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 18, John 18
"When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground." - John 18:6 ESV
Why would these soldiers draw back and fall to the ground with these simple words? Because Jesus truly is the great “I am,” the eternal one, the one whose words have power like no earthly man.
"Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."" - John 18:15-17 ESV
This “other disciple” is John. John, the author of the book of John, was known to the high priest and was allowed to enter into the courtyard with Jesus. Then, John bought Peter in. It seems to me that John is willing to identify himself with Jesus, but Peter isn’t. Peter insists even to a mere servant girl that he is not one of Jesus’s disciples.
I have to ask myself, am I more like John – willing to identify myself with Christ even with his enemies … or more like Peter, afraid to stand up for Christ even with a stranger.
Jesus says, “I am he,” while Peter says, “I am not.”
"So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."" - John 18:33-36 ESV
This reminded me of John 1:10-12, “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Jesus’s own people, the Jews, had rejected him, yet here is Pilate, a Roman, asking Jesus if he is the king of the Jews.
Jesus’s kingdom is not over any specific group of people, and His kingdom is not in the here and now of this earthly world, Rather, Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the eternal King over all, the One who will reign for all eternity over all heaven and earth.
Which reminded me of Revelation 21. Here’s just a few verses — go read the whole chapter for yourself.
"And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day--and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." - Revelation 21:22-27 ESV
I look forward to the day when I’ll be able to see my Great King face-to-face, where all things will be new, where there will be no more crying or pain, no more war or persecution … forever and ever. Won’t you join me there?
Let’s pray together.
Heavenly Father,
We look forward to the day when Your will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We pray for those who haven’t yet bowed their knees to Jesus and ask You to open their eyes to the reality of Christ as King.
We pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who risk their lives and their livelihood to stand with Christ. We pray that You will help us to be bold, to not be ashamed of the gospel for it is the power to save both the Jew and the Gentile.
Thank You for inviting us into Your kingdom. You are the great, everlasting “I am.” And we are the “I am nots.” Help us to remember that. Help us to willingly humble ourselves before Your throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
In the Name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 16, John 16
“Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”
– John 16:20-22 ESV
When I look at this picture, which was taken just moments after my youngest son was born, so many memories of that day flood back into my mind. After laboring into the wee hours of the night, I’d gotten my first epidural out of a crazy need for some rest, only to find myself overwhelmed by an intense feeling of panic when I couldn’t take a deep breath or feel my legs.
Yet, when that baby boy was delivered, all 8 pounds 15 ounces of him, I was even more overwhelmed by a feeling of ecstasy and joy, unexplainable to anyone who has never delivered a baby.
All the pain and exhaustion was worth it, the very instant that little boy drew his first breath and let out his first cry.
Just as friends try to prepare a new mom for the pain of labor and delivery, Jesus was trying to prepare His disciples for the great sorrow they would experience at His upcoming death and departure. An important part of that preparation that many experienced moms forget to share, is the immense JOY that you will experience after the pain is over.
Friends, listen to me, someday it will be worth it! Soon and very soon we are going to see the king! And there will be no more crying there. In this world we will indeed have tribulation, but we can take heart because Jesus has overcome the world.
We don’t need to try to take shortcuts to avoid the pain, hiding our lights under bushels so no one can see them, drowning our sorrows in Facebook and food. Instead, we can rejoice today because we know with certainty that these labor pains are only temporary and that they will all be worth it when we see our Savior face to face.
Will you please join me in prayer?
Heavenly Father,
You are our hope in life and death. Help us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. Help us to fix our minds on things that are above. Help us to number our hours and days, knowing that these times are in fact short and these trials are indeed light, in comparison to the eternal weight of glory that is to come.
We pray for those who are in the depths of sorrow today, who are at the peak of the incredible pain of labor, who can’t seem to make out that light at the end of this valley of despair. Father, please, be their comfort and help them to see Your everlasting arms carrying them and Your loving hand guiding them through this dark valley. Use us to encourage them. Help us to grieve with those who grieve just as deeply as we rejoice with those who rejoice.
We pray for those who are without hope today because they are without Christ. We pray that You will open their eyes and soften their hearts to the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ who bore their punishment by His death on the cross. May today be their day of salvation, that many will rejoice with the angels over one lost sinner who repents!
In the holy and good name of Jesus we pray. Amen
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 14, John 14
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you…. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” – John 14:18, 27
“I will ask the Father and he will give you another Helper (advocate, counselor) to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him for he dwells with you and will be in you…. The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” – John 14:16-17, 26
Jesus was about to leave His disciples, to go back to His Heavenly Father, but He was not leaving them (or us) as orphans. Friends, we have not been abandoned. We are not alone. He has left us His Spirit and His peace, and He will return for us.
1. Jesus left us the Holy Spirit.
When I left my kids with Grandma, they weren’t really alone. I may have left, but I left them with a very good helper. It seems to me that for many of us the Trinity has become “The Father, The Son, and the Bible.” We underestimate our need for the Holy Spirit to be with us, to be our helper and counselor, to bring to mind what Jesus has taught us and to help us understand what the Word means. I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit’s ongoing help. When I’m praying, meditating on scripture, or studying the Word, His quiet voice often leads me to remember other passages of Scripture. The Holy Spirit also brings conviction and encouragement to my heart. Thank You, Father, for sending the Holy Spirit to abide in me and with me.
2. Jesus left us His peace.
When Jesus returned to heaven, he left His disciples, but He didn’t leave them alone – He left them with the Holy Spirit, but He also left them with His peace. “Peace” (Hebrew – “shalom”) was a customary parting greeting for Jews. Jesus here is not only wishing them farewell because he’s leaving – but He’s leaving them with His peace, giving them peace. Thayers Greek Lexicon defines this Greek word eirēnē (peace) as “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.” Jesus has left us with His eternal peace because we have been reconciled with God through the forgiveness of our sins through faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus Himself will return for us.
It reminds me of when I’d say, “Don’t worry. I’m coming back,” as I left my kids home alone while I went to a meeting or out on a date with my husband. Jesus Himself will come back. Let’s be good children, eagerly waiting for His return – watching for Him, telling others about Him, and living with the trusting expectation that He is coming soon.
Thank You, Jesus, for going to prepare a place for me. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to be my counselor, helper, and advocate. Thank you for not leaving me alone.
Thank you for giving me Your peace, peace that surpasses worldly understanding, the supernatural peace of being held by Almighty God while a hurricane swirls around me.
I pray, Father, for all those children who are orphans in this world. I pray that You would place them in families. I pray that You would be a Father to them and provide for them the daily bread they need as well as Your peace that surpasses all understanding. Help them to know that they are not alone.
I pray, Lord, that I will be found waiting and watching. Give me Your strength and wisdom to remember that You are coming soon. Help us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:12-13)
In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord, I pray, Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 13, John 13
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
John 13:34 ESV
When Jesus knew that His hour had come to give up His life and return to his Father, He didn’t look to a bucket list of “Top 100 Things to Do Before You Die.” No, he washed His disciples’ feet. The most important thing to Him before His death was to leave an example of true love for His followers.
He gives them this “new commandment” – a very old commandment actually, but made even more difficult by the addition of “JUST AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.” It’s really, really hard to love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:31) This takes supernatural power. But to love others sacrificially as Jesus did – washing your friends’ feet, your students’ feet, even your betrayer’s feet – and even to lay down your own life for someone else, this is impossible apart from being born again, having a new will and new power working in you. (Philippians 2:13)
Will you please pray with me for the Lord to give you this strength?
Heavenly Father, I confess to you how hard it is for me to love others as myself, how totally impossible it is for me to love them as you have loved me. Help me to remember that what is impossible for man is possible for God. Nothing is impossible for You. I need You to give me both the strength and the desire!
Help me to remember that You loved me while I was a sinner, your enemy. You ran after me while I was running away from You.Help me to feel – and express – that kind of love for others, even when I don’t feel like it. Help me to pursue others like You pursued me.
Help me to consider others more highly than myself. Help me to serve my family and my friends, people who love me. Help me to serve my children and my students, people who are under my authority. Help me to serve the stranger and alien and even my enemy, remembering that You loved me when I was a stranger and alien and even Your enemy.
I need Your help. Please. In the strong and kind name of Jesus my Savior and Lord, I pray, Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 12; John 12
How often do you find yourself saying things to impress others or to look good while your true motives are all wrong?
Like Judas said when Mary poured out the ointment of pure nard, “Why was this ointment not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor?” (John 12:5) when really Judas just wanted the money for himself.
Like when the people were all crowding around Jesus crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel!” (John 12:13) But days later they will be crying out “Crucify him!” (John 19:15)
When I was an atheist, I took pride in standing out. I took great satisfaction in not following the crowd. I thought, “Those people are all gullible sheep,” yet my motives were still selfish. I loved people’s admiration of my ability to stand out and swim upstream.
But even in my attempts to “do my own thing,” I was still working for the approval of others. I wanted to look like my favorite band, Depeche Mode. I wanted to get good grades and win the praise of my teachers.
So often we are swayed by the approval of others, whether in “fitting in” or “standing out.”
But here in John 12 Jesus has some weighty words that are most worthy of our serious consideration,
“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”
– John 12:25-26 ESV
Now in my fifth decade of life, cresting the top of the hill and beginning my race toward the finish line, I want to live the rest of my days for the praise of God, my righteous judge, with my ears tuned to those most excellent words of praise, “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 25:21 ESV)
Heavenly Father,
Help us to pursue You with single-minded devotion. We want to live for Your praise and Yours alone. Forgive us for all the times we give way to comfort and pleasure and ease, choosing the wide path rather than the narrow road. You know our hearts. We are laid bare before You. Create in us new hearts. Renew our spirits anew. Give us strength to continue on for Your glory, longing to one day hear you say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.”
In the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord we Pray. Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 11; John 11
“But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
– John 11:4
Like the man born blind in John 9:3, Lazarus’s illness was for the glory of God that the Son of God may be glorified in it.
“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.”
– John 11:5-6
Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus… So he stayed away two days longer. God’s ways are not like ours. His timing is not like ours. He has bigger purposes than our ease and comfort. We must fix our eyes on him rather than our circumstances. Paul learned the secret of being content in all circumstances, that he could do all things through Christ who gave him strength. We can live likewise, and as we do Christ will be glorified in our lives.
“… for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe….”
– John 11:15
Lazarus’s life and death and healing aren’t just about him or even just about his own family. Jesus wants his disciples’ faith to be grown through this tragedy. We need to remember that our brothers and sisters in Christ are watching us and being either encouraged or discouraged by how we live.
“So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
– John 11:16
Thomas often has a reputation as the unbelieving disciple, the doubter, but here you see that he was willing to die for Jesus. We, too, as disciples of Christ have our ups and downs, our good moments and are bad moments. Praise the Lord that He knows our hearts, and that He is a just and righteous and all-knowing God who sees us through the cleansing blood of His Son.
“So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.”
– John 11:20
Martha, too, has a bad rap, known for complaining to Jesus for her sister to help her, yet she’s the one who ran out to meet Jesus while Mary stayed in the house. In fact, Martha is who Jesus was speaking to in John 11:25-27, “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.'” Mary and Martha each have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, and God can use both of them for His glory. Martha can learn from Mary, and Mary can learn from Martha, and we can learn from both of them!
I am so thankful God gave me an older sister who is both very different and very similar to me. We were both created in the image of God, but with very unique gifts and purposes.
“… I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”
– John 11:42
Jesus has purpose not only for Lazarus and his sisters, not only for His disciples, but also for the people standing around watching. My life isn’t just for myself, it’s not just for my family and friends, it’s not just for my brothers and sisters in Christ, it is also for those who are just standing around watching, my neighbors, the people at the grocery store, the people in the park, the people driving next to me on the street. Lord, be glorified in me!
Heavenly Father,
Wepray that we will treasure up Your words in our hearts, calling out for insight and understanding, seeking wisdom like silver and searching for understanding as hidden treasure, that we will fear You and know You, that we might believe in You and trust You with all of our hearts.
Thank You for the truth that those who KNOW Your name put their trust in You for You, oh Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Help us to be wise, being careful who we listen to, and being careful how we live. Help us, Father, to remember that people are watching us – our children, our husbands, our parents, our brothers and sisters in Christ, those who are far away from you are watching us. We pray that our lives would testify to the truth of the gospel. We pray that people will see our good deeds and give glory to You, our Father in heaven.
Help us to have faith as a mustard seed that grows and multiplies and fills our cities and nations.
Help us to share the good news of the gospel, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world, that all might believe in Him and receive the gift of eternal life.
It is in the good and holy name of Jesus our Savior and Lord that we pray. Amen
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