This plan provides a good balance between Old Testament readings and New Testament Readings because it guides you through the New Testament twice as you read through the Old Testament once. To allow time for reflection, it follows a two-year plan.
Every week I will post the devotional readings for that week. If you wish to print a copy of the plan without the devotions, you can find copies of it in pdf format at the link below. I like to print and use them as bookmarks in my Bible.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TQs0_oejNJO8HInVlN1JmSClMhWcEbiG?usp=sharing
The daily devotions for this week are included below.
January 15 (Read: Luke Chapters 13 & 14)
“But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Lu. 14:13,14 NAS)
I have been guilty in the past to give for the wrong reasons. Listening to teachings on prosperity, I tried to give as a “seed offering” to receive a monetary harvest. I understand now that the harvest I receive is not of this world because the seeds sown are seen by the Lord as spiritual in nature, not physical. When we do acts of kindness, we are sowing seeds of righteousness, and we will be rewarded accordingly by the Lord. We need to maintain an eternal perspective. It is not wrong to expect a reward for giving, but we should not expect rewards that perish. If we raise our expectations above the natural realm, we will see that the blessings of the Lord are eternal, not temporal. Our greatest reward is to become like God in character. After the Lord’s return, we are to be His Bride, ruling with Him over all creation. Our pleasure will not be in ruling, but in being near Him. When we give, expecting nothing in return, it does not means that we are not expecting God to reward us; we are simply expecting nothing in return from this world. Our desire is for eternal things, not temporal ones.
Thank You, Lord, that my soul is being transformed into Your image. I am partaking of Your divine nature. Help me Lord to give with an eternal perspective. My greatest desire is to be close to You. You have made a place for me to sit with You on Your throne as You rule all of creation forever. I want to be where You are, Lord, for all eternity.
January 16 (Read: Luke Chapters 15 & 16)
“And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” (Lu. 16:9 NAS)
The Lord tells a parable about an unrighteous steward who is wise in the ways of the world. God is expecting us also to be wise, but not according to the wisdom of this world. People will use money to gain the things of this world. We should use money to serve God. “If you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” (vs. 12). It is not always easy to think of ourselves as stewards when it comes to material things, but that is how God sees us. What is required of stewards is that they be found trustworthy (1Cor. 4:2). If we maintain an eternal perspective, we will remember that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). It is not wrong to receive; God wants to meet our needs. We should, however, be careful of what captures our heart. Do we trust God and seek to please Him, or do we seek the things of this world?
Lord, I humbly receive Your instructions. Forgive me when I put my trust in the things You have given me rather than in You as my provider. You are Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord Who Provides. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for developing in me the fruit of faithfulness. I thank You, Father, for Your abundant grace and mercy.
January 17 (Read: Luke Chapters 17 & 18)
“The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Lu. 17:20,21 NAS)
The Jews were looking for a Messiah who would deliver them from earthly rulers. The appearing of Jesus was not at all what they expected. The Lord was coming to the hearts of mankind to deliver them from the enemy of their souls. The coming of His kingdom was more powerful than earthly armies, but they could not see it. What about His Second Coming? Are we expecting a Messiah to deliver us from the troubles that are coming upon this world? He certainly will appear with signs to be observed, but is that the coming of His kingdom? He told the Jews that the kingdom of God was within them. His Spirit is in the hearts of His people, and His kingdom is being extended over the earth. What we have failed to understand is that the Lord must come “to” His temple before He comes to judge the world. “And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple…But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.” (Mal. 3:1,2). His manifested presence will increase in greater measures until He is finally revealed to the World, as the Lord of Lords. Receiving Him in our midst is not just receiving a religion that bears His name, it is allowing Him to build us into a corporate body, a holy city, a temple for our God.
Father, I open my heart to Your Spirit and Your Word. May Your kingdom come, may Your will be done in my life as it is done in heaven. Holy Spirit, help me to be sensitive to Your voice, as you teach and guide me. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your government of righteousness and peace over us.
January 18 (Read: Luke Chapter 19)
“‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little…” (Lu. 19:17 NKJV)
If we love the Lord, we want to hear these words when we finally appear before Him. How can we know if we have been faithful in His eyes? In my own strength I cannot do it, so I must, by faith, let Christ live through me. Faithfulness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit; it manifests in my life as I walk in the Spirit.
I have learned not to compare myself to others because we all have been assigned different talents. If I compare myself to someone with less talents, I may think I am doing well when I am not. If, on the other hand, I compare myself to someone who has more talents, I may condemn myself when I should not. I always remind myself to let the Lord be my judge.
Another thing I have learned is to be faithful in the little things, so that I can be given greater responsibilities. The little things are those things pertaining to the natural life; they are temporal in nature. The greater things are those things that pertain to eternity, like how we help build the Body of Christ.
Father, I thank You for creating me with special gifts and abilities, and for placing me in the Body of Christ with a special function. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for assigning responsibilities to me in Your kingdom. Help me, Holy Spirit, to be faithful to my Lord. I choose to not compare myself to others, but to think with “sound judgment”, since God has given to me my own measure of faith and abilities. (Rom. 12:3,4)
January 19 (Read: Luke Chapters 20 & 21)
“But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Lu. 21:36 NAS)
While speaking of the difficult times to come, Jesus tells the disciples that a way of escape is possible, but it is not as we think. Rather than hoping to be taken away, they are to pray for strength. The way of escape is amid the troubles. “By your endurance you will save your lives.” (Lu. 21:19). When the Nazarites wanted to throw Jesus off the edge of a cliff, He escaped by passing through their midst. (Lu. 4:30). In a vision concerning the end-time revival, the evangelist Tommy Hicks saw believers anointed mightily by the Holy Spirit. He writes, “All over the world these people went, and they came through fire and through pestilence, and through famine. Neither fire nor persecution, nothing seemed to stop them. Angry mobs came to them with swords and with guns. And like Jesus, they passed through the multitudes and they could not find them, but they went forth in the name of the Lord, and everywhere they stretched forth their hands, the sick were healed, the blind eyes were opened.” Their escape was that the troubles could not stop them. They had the strength to endure and to pass through.
Lord Jesus, we pray that we may have strength to endure anything that tries to stop us from serving You. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we may have power to be witnesses. Work with us, Lord, with miraculous signs as we go forth in Your name. (Acts 1:8; Mk. 16:20)
January 20 (Read: Luke Chapter 22)
“Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Lu. 22:40 NAS)
These are the words Jesus spoke to the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. Not long before this, He had warned Peter that Satan had requested permission to sift him like wheat. Would Peter’s experience in denying Christ been different had he prayed in the garden instead of slept? Sometimes we must fail before we succeed. The enemy demanded permission to sift Peter, so he must have had legal right to. Instead of refusing, Jesus prayed that his faith would not fail. Temptations will come, but they only come in areas in which we are weak. The way to overcome temptations is to be alert, and to stand in grace by faith. If we fail to pray, we will not recognize the tactics of the enemy, and if we try to stand in our own strength we will not be able to resist. “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.” (1Cor. 11:13). If we pray before temptation comes, we will be able to endure it, and with the strength we obtain, we will be able to strengthen others.
Father, I pray that You would not lead me into temptation, but that You would deliver me from evil. Christ is me is greater than the enemy who prowls around looking for someone to devour. Thank You for grace to help in my time of need. As I stay in fellowship with You, Holy Spirit, alert me to the schemes of the enemy and show me the way to victory.
January 21 (Read: Luke Chapter 23)
“And He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Lu. 23:43 NAS)
The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was so complete that even one of the robbers crucified next to Him could be saved. Our salvation is not based on our works, it is a gift, given freely because of God’s goodness. There is more to eternal life, however, than just going to heaven. We will receive rewards according to our labours (1Cor. 3:8). Yet, even with the promise of rewards, we must be careful how we work. It must be Christ doing the works through us. This does not mean that we are not participating in them; otherwise, how could we be rewarded for them? I like the way Paul explained it: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me.” (Gal. 2:20). He lives in me, but I also live in Him, by faith. I do the works as an extension of Him; I am a member of His body. I have His life in me, and the way I live in Him is by walking in the Spirit. “If we live by the Spirit let us also walk by the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:25).
Thank You, Lord, for coming into my life and making me one with You. I yield to You, Holy Spirit. Thank You for wisdom and strength. Father, You have made me a steward of your manifold grace. Let what I say be inspired by You, and what I do be supplied by Your strength. (1Pe. 4:10.11)
Highway in the Wilderness 