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 readings for that week and add the daily devotionals as time permits. 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 readings for this week are included below.
April 23 (Read: Ps. 42, 43 & 44)
“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” (Ps. 42:5 NIV)
There are times in our spiritual walk when it seems that God is far away. Our soul is dry because God seems to have forsaken us (vs. 9). In such times, we should awaken on the inside. “Deep calls to deep at the sound of Thy waterfall.” (Ps. 42:7). From our innermost man, the man of the spirit, we should command our soul to cast off discouragement (2Cor. 4:16). “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him.” Our spirit man is willing to praise God, even if our flesh is weak (Matt. 26:41). We should offer the sacrifice of praise, regardless of how we feel (Heb. 13:15). What may be a sacrifice for our soul, is a pleasure to our spirit man. Stepping out in faith, we can thank God that all things will work for our good because He is bigger than our circumstances. Faith praises God for His faithfulness, even before we see the victory.
Help me, Holy Spirt, to bring my soul under subjection to my spirit man. You are faithful to Your promise, Lord, to never leave me or forsake me. Father, You will make all things work for my good, because I love You and am called according to Your purpose. I choose, therefore, to praise and thank You, regardless of how I feel. (2Cor. 10:5; Heb. 13:5; Rom. 8:28).
April 24 (Read: Ps. 45 & 46)
The daily devotion will be added later. Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.
April 25 (Read: Ps. 47, 48 & 49)
“Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion in the far north, the city of the great King.” (Ps. 48:2 NAS)
God is establishing a dwelling place for Himself amid His people. What a wonder that is! Paul spoke of it as a mystery that God planned from the beginning of creation. The two (Christ and the church) shall become one flesh. (Eph. 5:31,32). Even when God led the sons of Israel out of Egypt, Moses prophesied about it. “You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, the place, Lord, which You have made as Your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, which Your hands have established.” (Ex. 15:17). Mount Zion is something we are going to (Isa. 35:10) and something we are becoming (1Pe. 2:5). When God creates a new heaven and a new earth, this holy city will reflect the glory of God. There will be no temple in the city, “for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple”. (Rev. 21:22). Since we have such a hope, let us travel the Highway of Holiness to Zion (Isa. 35:8,10). Let us prepare the way of the Lord (Isa. 40:3). Let us ready ourselves for the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7).
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for choosing me to be in Your Bride. I long to be with You forever in Your heavenly city, the New Jerusalem. Thank You for Your help, Holy Spirit, as I follow the Way of Holiness. The fine linen I will wear at the marriage are the righteous deeds that You are working through me. (Rev. 19:8).
April 26 (Read: Ps. 50 & 51)
The daily devotion will be added later. Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.
April 27 (Read: Ps. 52, 53 & 54)
The daily devotion will be added later. Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.
April 28 (Read: Ex. 1 & 2)
“But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel.” (Ex. 1:12 NAS)
Did affliction cause the sons of Israel to increase in number? If so, can we make a comparison to the growth of the Church? As we read the account in the Book of Exodus, we find that the sons of Israel had grown in numbers even before they were oppressed (vs. 10). This was because of God’s faithfulness to the promise He made to Abraham. Because of their afflictions, the sons of Israel cried out to God for deliverance (Ex. 3:7). Their increase in numbers added to their afflictions, which caused them to cry out even more to God. They needed to increase in numbers so God could accomplish His purposes for them as a nation.
In the Early Church, when the leaders of the Jews persecuted the apostles, the believers cried out to God for more boldness and power, which caused the church to increase (Act 4:29,30). Persecutions after Stephen’s death caused the believers to spread out away from Jerusalem, so in this sense it did cause the church to grow (Acts 8:1). Can growth occur, however, without persecutions? Absolutely! After the conversion of Saul, “the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.” (Acts 9:31). What causes the Church to grow is the fear of God, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the people crying out to God.
Father, when the Early Church cried out to you for more boldness and power, they were filled once again with the Holy Spirit. They preached with boldness and miracles, and abundant grace was upon them. I open my heart again to Your presence in me, Holy Spirit. Thank You for an abundance of grace. (Acts 4:33; 1Cor. 12:4)
April 29 (Read: Ex. 3 & 4)
The daily devotion will be added later. Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.
Highway in the Wilderness 