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.
February 5 (Read: Genesis 22 & 23)
“And Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship and return to you.’” (Gen. 25:5 NAS)
Here we see expressed in words the faith Abraham had in his heart. Much has been said about the confession of faith; sometimes placing it ahead of faith itself. Confessing the right words is not what makes faith, and neither can saying the wrong things nullify your faith. It is merely an expression of the faith that is in the heart, but even as such, it is very important. Abraham had been promised that through Isaac his descendants would be named, so he believed that God would either provide a different sacrifice, or He would resurrect Isaac (Gen. 21:12). Either way, he was prepared to obey.
There are most likely situations in your life where you just knew that God would come through with His promise to you. When that was the case, you had no problem doing what God asked of you, regardless of how it looked to others. There may also have been situations where you were not so quick at walking out in faith. What should we do when those situations happen? Since the issue is the condition of the faith we have in our heart, we need to build up our faith before walking out on it. This is done by meditating on God’s promises, while fellowshipping with Him in the Spirit (Rom. 10:17). To obtain faith, we must allow time for God’s promises to be established in our heart and to allow hope to grow. Then, when hope is established, we act upon it in faith (Rom. 4:18; Heb. 11:1). Knowing the condition of faith in our heart can be difficult. What I do to discern it is to pay attention to the words I speak to others. Do I find myself confessing faith with conviction, or is it forced? I have learned to be more concerned about the true condition of my faith than about confessing the right things.
Thank You, Father, for Your promises. Help my faith to grow concerning Your provision for my spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical needs. You have promised to teach and guide me in the way I should walk. Your desire is that I prosper and be in good health, even as my soul prospers. You work in me both to will and to do what pleases You. (Ps. 32:8; 3Jn. 2; Phil. 2:13)
February 6 (Read: Genesis 24)
“Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in every way.’” (Gen. 24:1 NAS)
To walk in the obedience of faith as Abraham did results in much blessing. We have seen how God regarded Abraham as a prophet and a friend. Now he is old in age and he has one last thing to accomplish. He wants a bride for Isaac that is from his own relatives. Through the covenant of circumcision, he is aware that God makes a distinction between him and the people of Canaan. He tells his servant, “I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.” (Gen. 24:3). Abraham is confident that the Lord, who has blessed him all his life, will send an angel to accomplish this. The servant, however, is concerned about making such an oath. What if the girl he finds is not willing to come?
As we read the account, we find that not only does the Lord help him find a bride for Isaac, but He has also prepared the heart of Rachel to accept the invitation. Rachel, being sensitive to the Lord’s promptings, does not hesitate to draw water for the man’s camels. Sensing in her heart that the Lord sent this man, she accepts the invitation, even though she must leave her family and marry a man she has never met.
And, what about Isaac? He is blessed, because “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord.” (Prov. 18:22). Rebecca also is blessed, because Isaac accepts her as his wife, and he loves her (Gen. 24:67).
Father, You are a loving God who takes pleasure in blessing Your people. I will not be anxious for anything, but I will seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, and all my needs will be taken care of. In prayer, I will make my requests known to You, with thanksgiving, and Your peace will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. (Matt.6:31-33; Phil. 4:6,7)
February 7 (Read: Genesis 25 & 26)
“And it came about after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac.” (Gen. 25:11 NAS)
The blessing Isaac received is the blessing associated with the covenant God made with Abraham. “I will bless you, and multiply your descendants, for the sake of My servant Abraham.” (Gen. 26:25). Isaac became very wealthy and it became clear even to the Philistines around him that he was now “the blessed of the Lord” (Gen. 26:29). Ishmael also was blessed, but he did not receive the blessing of the covenant. Isaac had two sons, but it was Jacob who received the blessing of Abraham (Gen. 28:4). The promise to Abraham was that in him, all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:3). Jesus Christ is the seed of Abraham Who has inherited Abraham’s blessing, and all those who believe in Christ are joint heirs with Him. (Gal. 3:16,29). From all nations, those who believe in Christ are sons of Abraham (Gal. 3:7,14). The blessing of Abraham is more than land and material blessings. In Christ, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph. 1:3). God purposed from the very beginning that He would unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things upon the earth (Eph. 1:9,10). He will rule over all of God’s creation, and we will rule with Him as His Bride. We are blessed in this life, and in the one to come. Let’s pray over ourselves the prayer that Paul prayed for the Ephesians.
I pray that the God of my Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to me a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened, so that I may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.” (Eph. 1:17-19).
February 8 (Read: Genesis 27 & 28)
“Then the Lord will be my God…and of all that Thou dost give me I will surely give a tenth to Thee.” (Gen. 28:21,22 NAS)
Jacob was about twelve years of age when his grandfather Abraham passed away. He was old enough to have heard firsthand how God had called Abraham and made a covenant with him. He would have also heard from Isaac how God appeared to him and promised to bless him as He had Abraham. Jacob must have desired the blessing of Abraham because he traded with Esau for his birthright, and he deceived his father to obtain the blessing of the eldest. But until the Lord appears to him in a dream, all the experiences were his father’s or his grandfather’s. Now the Lord was speaking to him personally. Experiences are important, but we should not seek them, we should seek the Lord and let Him decide how He will communicate with us. We walk by faith, not by sight. Until this time, Jacob had been living under Isaac’s faith. Now, we see him beginning to live by his own faith.
The dream itself was given to Jacob, but it has significance for us as well. The place where the dream occurs is called Bethel, the house of God. Angels, who are messengers of God, ascend and descend between heaven and earth, at the location of God’s house. We, as believers, are the house of God. When we gather as believers, Christ is present in Spirit. In His manifested presence, we can experience the ministry of His angels. The more you believe for this, the more you will experience it.
Father, I thank You for Your Holy Spirit dwelling in me. My body is Your temple, and I am a living stone being made into a spiritual house, which is the Body of Christ. I love Your manifested presence, and I receive the ministry of Your angels who minister to those who have obtained salvation. (1Cor. 6:19; 1Pe. 2:5; Heb. 1:14)
February 9 (Read: Genesis 29 & 30)
“Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like only a few days because of his love for her.” (Gen. 29:20 NAS)
Being blessed by God does not mean everything goes well. Jacob worked many years before accumulating any possessions. Laban, however, became prosperous because of him. Instead of becoming jealous, Jacob grew in faith and patience (Heb. 6:12). When an opportunity came for him to obtain his own flock of sheep, he applied the faith that had been growing in him and God blessed him immensely.
To grow in faith and patience, it is necessary to endure hardships. What makes these trials easier to bear is hope and love. The time Jacob spent serving Laban to marry Rachel seemed to go by quickly because of his love for her, and the hope he had that they would one day be together. Likewise, the difficulties we face as believers are much easier to endure when we are in love with the Lord. It may seem odd, but we can even rejoice when we are persecuted because “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” (1Pe. 4:14). Peter calls this the Spirit of glory because it is a special manifestation of the presence of God.
Lord Jesus, You endured much suffering for me, and You promised that if I endure with You, I will also reign with You. Father, please forgive those who mistreat me, they do not know that what they do to me, they are doing to my Lord. Thank You Holy Spirit for the anointing that rest upon me when I am persecuted. Help me to see these things as the early disciples who rejoiced in their sufferings because they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for Your name. (2Tim. 2:12; Acts 5:41)
February 10 (Read: Genesis 31 & 32)
“Then the Lord said to Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.’” (Gen. 31:3 NAS)
What importance should we place on circumstances when we try to discern the will of God for our lives? In this portion of Scripture, we find Jacob experiencing a strained relationship with Laban, after having spent many years serving him. Is it time for him to move away? If he leaves, where will he go? When he left the land of Canaan, his brother Esau wanted to kill him, so how does he know if it is time to return? At this opportune time, Jacob received a word from the Lord to go back to the land of his fathers (Gen. 31:3). This word gave him the confidence he needed to face Esau again.
Facing difficult circumstances is not always an indication that God is directing us out of a situation. If the Lord provides an opportunity for service, we should work with Him in it, regardless of opposition (1Cor. 16:9). If, however, we have been serving for a while with favourable circumstances, then things turn negative, then maybe it is time for a change. We need to seek the Lord for discernment. Circumstances alone should never be our guide; we should always seek personal guidance from the Lord.
Thank You Lord, my Shepherd. You always lead me to green pastures. You give me the ability to hear Your voice and to follow You. Help me Lord to discern Your will in all my circumstances. I desire to do Your will, even if difficulties present themselves. In You, Lord, I am an overcomer. (Ps. 23:2; Jn. 10:3; Rom. 8:37)
February 11 (Read: Genesis 33 & 34)
(Daily devotion to be added this week)
Highway in the Wilderness 