Two-Year Bible Reading Plan: Old and New Testament Balance (Wk. 35)

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.

Aug 27 (Read: Deut. 5 & 6)

Aug 27 (Read: Deut. 5 & 6)

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deut. 6:5 NASB)

To love God with all our heart requires that our love be genuine (Rom. 12:9).  We cannot just honor Him with our lips, or with religious activities.  Our love must also be like our first love, full of zeal and single-mindedness.  The Lord had to rebuke one of the seven churches of Asia Minor for having lost their first love (Rev. 2:4).  They were still fighting for the faith, but their heart was not in it like before.  The Lord was calling them back to their early devotion.  We should always be sensitive to the corrections of the Lord.

To continue in our first love, we must walk in communion with the Holy Spirit.  He will help us to guard our hearts against loving this world (1Jn. 2:15).  Someone who wants to love God and this world at the same time, is double-minded (Jas. 4:8).  Be sensitive to the convictions of your conscience in this matter.  We should never come to the place where we think we have no need of repentance.  What is beautiful about our first love can be preserved, even as that love is perfected.  God want our love to mature (1Jn. 4:12).  We can continue being zealous for God, even as we increase in wisdom and godly character.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for loving me unconditionally.  You are always faithful, even when I fail.  I trust in Your mercy and Your grace to help me to grow.  I will love You with the love that has been poured into my heart by the Holy Spirit.  I will submit to Your instructions and corrections as love is perfected in me.  Thank You, Holy Spirit, for helping me to walk in the fruit of the Spirit, which is love.  (2Tim. 2:13; Rom. 5:5; Gal. 5:22).

Aug 28 (Read: Deut. 7 & 8)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 29 (Read: Deut. 9 & 10)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 30 (Read: Deut. 11 & 12)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 31 (Read: Deut. 13, 14 & 15)

“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His own personal possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” Deut. 14:2 NASB)

When I try to see the Body of Christ from God’s perspective, I see every member as special, but I also see us as a nation.  We are a special people, built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood (1Pe. 2:5).  We have a corporate purpose as well as individual ones.  Our individual purpose works within God’s special purpose for the Church.  It is important for us to discern the Body of Christ and how we fit into it. 

As humans, we tend to be too independent.  As we discern the Body, we begin to see that we are dependent on it for the fullness of our calling.  The Body grows as all members do their part (Eph. 4:16).  Together, we mature into the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God.  As we grow and mature as a Body, we increasingly express the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13).  

Individually, we have a ministry to the people of this world, but we also have a ministry to the Church (Eph. 4:12).  God wants us to help the Body “grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ.” (Eph. 4:15).  When the Body reaches the goal of maturity, we will have been prepared as a Bride for the Son (Rev. 19:7).  Can you imagine how we will appear when we are revealed as “the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.” (Rev. 21:10,11)?  

Thank You, Father, for choosing me to be Your own possession.  You have placed me in the Body of Christ, as You have determined, even before I was born.  Help me to see my role as a member of this Body.  When I take communion, Lord, I will remember that when You died, I died with You.  I now live in You, as a member of Your Body.  I pray that I may know the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in the saints.  (1Cor. 12:18; 1Cor. 11:29; Eph. 1:18).

Sept 1 (Read: Deut. 16, 17 & 18)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Sept 2 (Read: Deut. 19, 20 & 21)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Two-Year Bible Reading Plan: Old and New Testament Balance (Wk. 34)

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.

Aug 20 (Read: Ps. 97, 98, 99 & 100)

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courtyards with praise.  Give thanks to Him, bless His name.” (Ps. 100:4 NASB)

If we want to be ministered to by the Lord, we must first minister to Him.  That is what the leaders in Antioch were doing when the Holy Spirit instructed them to set Paul and Barnabas apart for their apostolic ministry.  God’s desire to bless us is greater than our desire to be blessed, but the way we approach Him has a lot to do with how we will be blessed.  We must enter the Holy place with confidence and a sincere heart, through the blood of Jesus (Heb. 10:19-22).  We cannot approach His throne because of our good deeds. 

The psalmist uses the illustration of the temple in the verse above.  When we enter by a gate, we pass through the courtyard, where sacrifices are made.  This is why we approach God with praise and thanksgiving.  We offer a sacrifice of praise (Heb. 13:15,16).  To our spirit man, praise is not a sacrifice, but to our flesh it is (Matt. 26:41).  As we begin with praise and thanksgiving, our soul comes under subjection to our spirit.  Our goal is not to remain in the courtyard, but to ascend to the throne room.  In temple, this would be in the Holy of Holies, with the curtain removed between the holy place and the most holy place.  To ascend to God’s throne in the third heaven, we must go through the second heaven where the devil’s tries to rule. As we go through the second heaven, we do spiritual war with our praises.  Breaking through the second heaven may not take very long if there is no resistance in our soul, but sometimes the battle may be difficult.  Once we break through and enter the third heaven, our praises must turn to worship.  This is communion with God.  In the holy place is where we cast our cares upon Him because He cares for us (1Pe. 5:7).  This is where we minister to Him with words of love and adoration.  And, this is where He speaks and ministers to us.

“Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.  For He is God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.” (Ps. 95:6,7).

Aug 21 (Read: Ps. 101, 102 & 103)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 22 (Read: Ps. 104 & 105)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 23 (Read: Ps. 106)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 24 (Read: Prov. 21)

“He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles.” (Prov. 21:23 NASB)

So much has been said about the power of words as it relates to faith.  Very little, however, is taught concerning the effect of words on our soul.  This verse tells us that we can guard our soul from troubles by controlling our tongue.  Does that not sound a lot like the Epistle of James?  “If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.” (Jas. 3:2).  James applies this principle first to teachers.  We should not be too quick to teach others what we are learning ourselves.  The enemy of our souls is sure to test us on what we declare to be right.  If we fail, he accuses us before God (Rev. 12:10).  We should only teach what we are putting into practice.  James applies this principle also to blessings and curses.  From the fountain of our heart should flow only fresh water, not bitter water (Jas. 3:11).  God wants us to bless people, but instead we curse them by judging them.  When we pass judgment on people, we condemn them to punishment.  This hurts our soul because Jesus said, “Do not judge lest you be judged.” (Matt. 7:1).  Another way that words can hurt us is by complaining.  What happened to the Israelites in the wilderness was written for our instruction.  Among other things, we are told not to “grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.” (1Cor. 10:10).  Instead, we should “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1Thess. 5:18).

Thank You, Holy Spirit, for the fruit of self-control which helps me to guard the words of my mouth.  I choose to exercise faith through my words, even with the giving of thanks in every situation, because You can make all things work for my good.  I also choose to bless and not to curse.  Help me, Lord, to be merciful so I can obtain mercy.  Help me also to be quick to hear, and slow to speak.  With Your help, Lord, I will put into practice what You teach me before I teach it to others.  (Gal. 5:23; 2Cor. 4:13; Matt. 5:7; Jas. 1:19).

Aug 25 (Read: Deut. 1 & 2)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 26 (Read: Deut. 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.

Two-Year Bible Reading Plan: Old and New Testament Balance (Wk. 33)

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.

Aug 13 (Read: Matt. 18 & 19)

“So shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” (Matt. 18:35 NASB)

Holding unforgiveness is a serious manner.  We know that if we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us (1Jn. 1:9).  But we also know that if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us (Matt. 6:15).  What happens if we are not forgiven for our sins?  This is not talking about salvation, but training in righteousness.  God disciplines those whom He loves.  If we refuse to forgive others, we will be judged for any wrong we commit as children of God.  “When we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord in order that we may not be condemned along with the world.” (1Cor. 11:32).  If we want mercy, we must offer mercy (Matt. 5:7). 

The forgiveness God expects must be sincere, from the heart.  We may have to affirm it a few times.  It is a decision done as an act of obedience; it does not depend on feelings.  Emotional healing may not happen right away but that does not mean we have not forgiven.  We choose to forgive by faith, and we yield our soul to the Lord for healing. 

Bear in mind, also, that forgiveness is not trust.  Love demands that we trust, but these are two separate issues.  We trust as an act of faith and hope, in love (1Cor. 13:7).  This also is a decision we make, but it may require more time than forgiveness, when healing is required.  The trust we offer will also be dependent on the ability of the other person to succeed in doing what is right. 

Heavenly Father, I choose to forgive everyone that has offended me.  I do it as an act of faith; it does not depend on my feelings.  Show me, Holy Spirit, whenever I do not forgive from the heart.  I know that healing may take some time but I trust in You, Lord, to restore my soul.  When it comes to trusting those who have offended me, help me to treat them as I would want to be treated.  I choose to walk in love with genuine faith and hope.  I can do all that You ask of me because of your abundant grace.

Aug 14 (Read: Matt. 20 & 21)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 15 (Read: Matt. 22 & 23)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 16 (Read: Matt. 24)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 17 (Read: Matt. 25)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 18 (Read: Matt. 26)

“Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt. 26:41 NASB)

Jesus walked this earth as a man.  He set aside His divinity, and took a form like ours, so He could become our Redeemer.  In His ministry, He demonstrated to us what a man yielded to God can do with the assistance of angels and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  Because He was human, He had to prepare His soul for the crucifixion.  His soul was greatly distressed over what He was about to suffer, even to the point of sweating drops of blood (Matt. 26:38; Lu. 22:44).  Through prayer, He was able to bring His soul into subjection.  He won the victory in Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane before He won the battle for us on Calvary.

The counsel He gave to the disciples that night reveals a lot about how He could walk in victory.  The spirit of a redeemed man is willing to serve God; it is his flesh that is weak.  Most of us pay too little attention to our spirit; we rely instead on our soul.  Do you realize that our spirit is in communion with the Holy Spirit because they live together in our body which is His temple (1Cor. 6:17-20).  Our spirit knows everything about us (1Cor. 2:11).  When we pray in an unknown tongue, it is our spirit that prays (1Cor. 14:14).  Our spirit does not get hindered by the thoughts and emotions of our flesh.  If we want to be strong in the Lord, we must become strong in spirit.  Our body and soul must come under submission to our regenerated spirit.  God’s order for us is spirit first, then soul, then body (See 1Thess. 5:23).

Thank You, Father, for baptizing me with Your Holy Spirit and giving me the ability to pray with my spirit.  My spirit is willing to serve You, so with my spirit, I will rule over my soul and body.  Bless the Lord, O my soul, for I will worship God in spirit and truth.  (Acts 2:4; Ps. 42:5; Jn. 4:23).

Aug 19 (Read: Matt. 27 & 28)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Two-Year Bible Reading Plan: Old and New Testament Balance (Wk. 32)

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.

Aug 6 (Read: Matt. 6 & 7)

“Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” (Matt. 7:1,2 NASB)

Jesus taught a very important principle in these verses.  How we receive instructions like these determines what fruit it will bear in our lives.  If we struggle with striving, we may find ourselves ignoring this teaching, or we will try to observe it and become discouraged because we keep failing at it.  The best way to receive this instruction is to submit to it in faith.  If we know that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, then we will see instructions in righteousness as liberating (Jn. 8:32).  In humility, we should allow the seed of the word to be planted into our hearts.  Through faith, we can look to God for the grace to obey it.  He will begin to help us by increasing our understanding.  Soon, our conscience will become sensitive to how well we obey in this area.  We apply this word by offering mercy rather than judgment and find the same coming back to us.  Prior to receiving this word, we may have criticize others, and as a result felt the criticism of others.  Now, it does not seem to matter what people think or say.  We enjoy instead the assurance that God is pleased with us.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for teaching me the principles of life.  Thank You also for the grace to obey these principles.  You watch over Your word to perform it in my life.  (Jer. 1:12).

Aug 7 (Read: Matt. 8 & 9)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 8 (Read: Matt. 10 & 11)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 9 (Read: Matt. 12)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 10 (Read: Matt. 13)

“But blessed are your eyes because they see; and your ears, because hey hear.” (Matt. 13:16 NASB)

The moment we are born again, God gives us a clean heart and a willing spirit (Ps. 51:10-12).  He also blesses us with the ability to perceive spiritual truths.  If we are careful to keep our heart pure, and with the help of a good conscience, we will be good soil for the word of God to grow and bear fruit in us (1Tim. 1:5).  We will receive His instructions with humility and faith.  Then, as we meditate on what we have heard, the Spirit will give us understanding (Matt. 13:23).  As we put His word into practice, we will begin to bear fruit.  If we submit to pruning, we will bear even more fruit (Jn. 15:2).  The word, then, will be much more than knowledge, it will become wisdom.  It is important that we nurture these spiritual abilities, rather than fall back into relying on our natural abilities.  Having begun by the Spirit, we must not go back to depending on the flesh (Gal. 3:3).  “For whoever has, to him shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” (Matt. 13:12).

Thank You, Father, for bringing me into Your family by revealing Your Son to me.  Thank You for placing Your Holy Spirit in me.  As a living stone, I am now being built into a spiritual house for Your Spirit.  I can now see and hear spiritual truths, and You continue to teach and guide me.  Lord my Shepherd, as Your sheep, I hear Your voice and I follow.  (1Pe. 2:5; Jn. 14:26; Jn. 16:13; Jn. 10:27).

Aug 11 (Read: Matt. 14 & 15)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 12 (Read: Matt. 16 & 17)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Two-Year Bible Reading Plan: Old and New Testament Balance (Wk. 31)

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.

July 30 (Read: Prov. 18)

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe.” (Prov. 18:10 NASB)

The name of the Lord provides safety because God is present in His name.  When the apostles healed the lame beggar, through faith in the name of Jesus, they were believing in the One sent by the Father (Acts 3:16).  The Jewish exorcists tried to cast out demons using the name of Jesus but the demons overpowered them because they did not know the Person behind the name (Acts 19:13-16).  In the wilderness, the presence of the Lord rested over the mercy seat in the tabernacle.  Moses exhorted the next generation to worship the Lord in the place He would establish His name for a dwelling place (Deut. 12:5).  Solomon understood this when he prayed that God would listen to the prayers of His people made in the newly dedicated temple (1Ki. 8:29).  They knew that this was the place where God was establishing His name because the cloud of His glory had just filled the temple (1Ki. 8:10,11).  In the New Testament, the temple of the Lord is His church.  This is why Jesus told the disciples that when two or three are gathered in His name, there He is in their midst (Matt. 18:20).  To gather in His name is to gather in His presence. 

Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You are present in Your name.  When I gather with others in Your name, I expect Your presence to be manifested.  I believe that signs follow me because You are working with me to confirm Your word. No harm will come near me because I have made You my dwelling place.  (Matt. 18:20; Mark 16:17-20; Ps. 91:9)

July 31 (Read: Prov. 19)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 1 (Read: Prov. 20)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 2 (Read: Ps. 90, 91 & 92)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 3 (Read: Ps. 93, 94, 95 & 96)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Aug 4 (Read: Matt. 1, 2 & 3)

“’Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel’, which translated means, ‘God with us’.” (Matt. 1:23 NASB)

When Jesus came to redeem us, He had to take a human form.  We tend to think of Him as being unable to sin, but that is not true.  He was born of a virgin by the Holy Spirit so He could have a human form untainted by original sin.  He was, however, like us in every other way.  He had emotions like us.  He could be tempted like us.  He had to grow to maturity like us.  “And the Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” (Lu. 2:40).  He put aside His divinity and functioned totally as a human, anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit.  We can do what Jesus did, and more, when we overcome sin and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.  The main problem we have is the way we think.  We tend to be too earthly minded when we should instead be spiritually minded.  As we grow in grace, as Jesus did, we can develop the ability to see and hear from the inner man rather than the outer man.  Abundance of grace is given to us to walk in victory (Jn. 1:16).  We are also given the gifts of the Sprit to be a blessing to others (1Cor. 12:7).  We must all awaken to who we are in Christ and walk as He walked.  Here is a passage of Scripture to meditate on today:

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Col. 3:2-4)

Aug 5 (Read: Matt. 4 & 5)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Two-Year Bible Reading Plan: Old and New Testament Balance (Wk. 30)

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.

July 23 (Read: Nu. 24 & 25)

“Blessed is everyone who blesses you, and cursed is everyone who curses you.” (Nu. 24:9 NASB)

The descendants of Abraham are special to God.  He calls them the apple of His eye (Zech. 2:8).  Even though they did not receive Jesus as their Messiah at His first coming, the mystery revealed to Paul is that all of Israel will be saved when the fulness of the Gentiles has come (Rom. 11:25,26).  In a day when so many nations are opposed to the Jews, we must be careful where we stand.  God will judge the nations that come against Israel.  As we approach the return of our Lord, we can expect this opposition to increase.  We must pray for God’s protection over Israel and for His mercy to the nations.  The longer judgment is delayed, the more time people will have to repent and be saved (2Pe. 3:9).  We must also pray for a great outpouring of God’s Spirit.  This is very much needed for the fulness of the Gentiles to come, and for the Jews to receive their Messiah.  Not only should we pray, but we should also yield to the Lord.  Perhaps He will use us to prepare the way for the return of our Lord.

I yield to You, Holy Spirit.  Help me pray according to the will of God.  Have mercy, Lord God, on those who oppose Your people.  Your patience and kindness will lead them to repentance.  Your shed blood is sufficient to forgive and cleanse the sins of the whole world.  I yield to You also, Holy Spirit, to be an instrument of righteousness.  May the words I speak be inspired by You and may all I do be with the strength of Your grace.  (Rom. 8:26,27; Rom. 2:4; 1Pe. 4:10,11)

July 24 (Read: Nu. 26)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 25 (Read: Nu. 27 & 28)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 26 (Read: Nu. 29 & 30)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 27 (Read: Nu. 31 & 32)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 28 (Read: Nu. 33 & 34)

“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land in which you live.” (Nu. 33:55 NASB)

When we get saved, we cross over the waters of baptism into the land of God’s promises.  With determination and faith, we defeat the giants and begin to inhabit the land.  Little by little we take possession of our soul as Christ is formed in us.  In the beginning, there is no intention of allowing the inhabitants to remain in the land.  It is only after we begin to enjoy the blessings that we are in danger of relaxing our efforts.  The Lord has already done so much for us.  He has saved us and delivered us.  This is not, however, the time to pull back from battle.  We must continue to press forward to conquer all the land before us.  If we tire and pull back, the inhabitants we allow to remain will want to repossess the land we conquered.  If we look back and compare where we are to where we came from, we will become complacent.  We must never be satisfied with our spiritual progress.  We must continue to press forward to become more like Jesus. 

Help me, Lord Jesus, to never become lukewarm in my love for You.  I am thankful for all that You have already done in my life, but there is so much more of You that I need.  Thank You that You will perfect in me the good work that You have begun.  (Rev. 3:16; Phil. 1:6)

July 29 (Read: Nu. 35 & 36)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Two-Year Bible Reading Plan: Old and New Testament Balance (Wk. 29)

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.

July 16 (Read: Nu. 8 & 9)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 17 (Read: Nu. 10, 11 & 12)

“Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said, ‘Rise up, Lord! And may Your enemies be scattered, and those who hate You flee from Your presence.’ And when it came to rest, he said, ‘Return, Lord, to the myriad thousands of Israel.’” (Nu. 10:35,36 NASB)

In our relationship with God, there is a time to rest and a time to go.  We do not decide when either occurs.  For the sons of Israel, it was decided by the Lord through the movement of the cloud by day and the fire by night.  For believers in Christ, it is communicated through the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God.” (Rom. 8:14).  We must guard against the influence of a religious spirit which would lead us to follow our own desires.  To follow the Spirit requires humility, faith and discipline.  Coming before the Lord cannot be controlled by an agenda, whether for personal devotions or church meetings.  It may be helpful to begin with a plan birthed in communion with the Lord, but we should always linger when the Spirit lingers and move when the Spirit moves.  The discipline we require is not bondage to time or methods, but a determination to continually wait on the Lord. 

Personally, I like to begin with thanksgiving and praise, then move into worship (Ps. 100:4).  The initial time of praise and thanksgiving helps my soul to focus and become sensitive to the presence of God.  During my worship time, I may sing, or I may actively wait before Him.  I focus my attention on seeing what the Lord might be saying (Rev. 1:12).  This requires that I watch and listen.  To help me stay focused, I often include prayerful conversation.  Sometimes, it is those intimate conversations that release revelation.

When the Lord is speaking, it is not time to get busy with ministry.  I view worship as time spent in the Holy of Holies.  When I sense the Spirit leading me to move, I look to see where He is going.  He may lead me to spend time in the Holy Place to offer petitions or intercessions.  Or, He may lead me to spend time in the Outer Court to minister to the people.  He may even lead me outside the walls of the temple for ministry or spiritual warfare. 

Teach me Lord to wait before You in worship.  Too often, I have been ineffective in ministry and prayer because I have not spent enough time listening and watching in Your presence.

July 18 (Read: Nu. 13 & 14)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 19 (Read: Nu. 15 & 16)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 20 (Read: Nu. 17, 18 & 19)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 21 (Read: Nu. 20 & 21)

“Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient because of the journey.” (Nu. 21:4 NASB)

The things that happened to the Israelites in the wilderness were written for our instruction (1Cor. 10:11).  Their experience with the fiery serpents can teach us a few things.  First, we know that if we come under judgment, we can be healed by turning to the Lord.  He took our punishment, “for by His wounds, you were healed” (1Pe. 2:24).  Our forgiveness and our healing are provided for in the atonement, but we must turn to Jesus to receive it.

Another lesson we can learn is how to avoid falling into sin.  The Israelites started to complain against God and Moses after they became impatient.  To avoid becoming impatient, we need to rise above our circumstances.  In every situation, if we offer thanks to God, we declare His lordship over that situation. (1Thess. 5:18).  The Israelites were unhappy with the long journey around the land of Edom.  They had expected to go through, not around Edom’s territory.  Dissatisfaction will try to take hold of us also when things do not go the way we expect.  What we must do is stay in submission to God and resist the enemy (Jas. 4:7).  It does not matter what we go through if we have the Lord with us.  He provides the grace we need.  Even if the circumstances we find ourselves in are caused by the enemy, we can still thank God amid them.  Be doing so, we are not thanking Him for what the enemy is doing, we are simply declaring by faith that God is bigger than our circumstances.  He will certainly cause all things to work for our good, and He will intervene to change our circumstances, if necessary (Rom. 8:28).

I thank You again, Father, that You cause all things to work together for my good.  You are greater than the one who is in the world.  Your grace is sufficient for every situation I go through.  (Rom. 8:28; 1Jn. 4:4; 2Cor. 12:9)

July 22 (Read: Nu. 22 & 23)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Two-Year Bible Reading Plan: Old and New Testament Balance (Wk. 28)

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.

July 9 (Read: Prov. 16)

“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.” (Prov. 16:32 NASB)

Anger is a normal emotion.  It is not a sin to experience anger; it is what we do when we feel angry that matters (see Eph. 4:24).  An outburst of anger is a work of the flesh (Gal. 5:20), but it is possible to express anger and still be in the Spirit.  Jesus demonstrated that when He cleared the temple of the money changers.  He reacted in a very controlled manner to the evil that was present.  The disciples recognized it as zeal for the house of God (Jn. 2:14-17).  The way to control anger is not to suppress it; it is to restrain it.  Self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit; He helps us to “rule our spirit” (Gal. 5:23).  When we consider the admonition to be “quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger”, we see that the emphasis is on listening.  We need to take time to process what is causing those feelings of anger.  Being slow to respond does not mean that we should not respond at all.  If something must be said or done, it should be with wisdom.  Jesus knew exactly why He needed to act as He did, and communicated clearly, “My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a robbers’ den.” (Lu. 19:46).   

Help me, Lord Jesus, to control my emotions.  You have given me a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.  As I walk in communion with You, Holy Spirit, I have grace and peace to act in wisdom and love. (2Tim. 1:5)

July 10 (Read: Prov. 17)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 11 (Read: Nu. 1)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 12 (Read: Nu. 2 & 3)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 13 (Read: Nu. 4)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 14 (Read: Nu. 5 & 6)

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.” (Nu. 6:24-26 NASB)

By praying this blessing over the sons of Israel, Aaron was placing the name of the Lord on them.  As New Covenant priests of the Lord, we also can pray this blessing over people.  If we meditate on the meaning of the blessing, we can exercise faith to receive all that it represents.  When the Lord shines His face upon people, He is being gracious to them.  God’s grace includes His mercy (Heb. 4:16).  By faith, we can declare the blood of Jesus over them.  God will watch over to protect the unsaved as He leads them to choose salvation.  It is His kindness that provides time and opportunities for them to come to repentance (Rom. 2:4).  Even for believers, we can intercede on their behalf to receive mercy, blessings, and protection.  After receiving these, they will know His peace which surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:8).  In a lot of ways, this is like the blessing that the apostles prayed for believers: “May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure.” (1Pe. 1:2) (see also Rom. 1:7; 1Cor. 1:3; Gal. 1:3; etc.)

Father, You instructed Aaron on how to bless Your people.  Help me to pray blessings in faith as a priest in Christ.  If they do not know Your love and the gift of salvation, may You protect them and direct their hearts to know You.  If they are believer in Jesus Christ, may You multiply Your grace and peace to them.

July 15 (Read: Nu. 7)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Two-Year Bible Reading Plan: Old and New Testament Balance (Wk. 27)

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.

July 2 (Read: Phil. 3 & 4)

“I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ.” (Phil. 3:8 NASB)

To gain Christ, we must first lose whatever we have allowed to fill that area of our lives.  Otherwise, we will try to keep our life while trying to gain the life of Christ in us.  It just does not work that way.  “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matt. 16:25).  A verse that has helped me understand the way to walk with the Lord is, “Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him…” (Col. 2:6).  We received Christ as our Lord through surrender and faith, and that is how we must walk with Him.  To do this effectively, we must be aware of the influence this world tries to have on us.  The Apostle John summarized it as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1Jn. 2:16).  We will grow in the Lord as we develop our spiritual senses to correctly discern between good and bad motives (Heb. 5:14).  Our soul is transformed as we repent of wrong motives and, through faith, become strong in the grace that is Christ Jesus (2Tim. 2:1). 

Thank You, Father, for the grace to obey.  I have put off the old nature that is conformed to this world, and I have put on the new nature created in Your image.  Through the discipline of repentance and faith, I put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh.  (Col. 3:9,10; Rom. 13:14).

July 3 (Read: Philem.)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 4 (Read: Col. 1 & 2)

“We proclaim Him, admonishing every person and teaching every person with all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Christ.” (Col. 1:28 NASB)

Is the gospel you accepted the same one the apostles preached?  Are you satisfied with only having believed on the Lord for salvation or are you pursuing maturity?  Paul told the Colossians that his ministry was to preach, admonish, and teach.  Many churches are mainly concerned about evangelism and fellowship.  They are not admonishing and teaching converts to follow all that Jesus commanded (Matt. 28:20).  You must take responsibility for your own spiritual growth.  Even if you are receiving good training and fellowship from a church or ministry, you must receive it with humility (Jas. 1:21).  Receiving ministry is not always about having someone pray for you.  You should submit also to the ministry of the Word.  “All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.” (2Tim. 3:176,17).  If you lack spiritual maturity, you will not be fully equipped.  Instead, you will be “tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine”. (Eph. 4:14).  Your obedience to the truth will be inconsistent; it will be too easily hindered by a lack of self-control. (Gal. 5:7). 

Thank You, Father, that You will complete the work You have begun in me.  I submit to the ministry of Your word for instruction and correction.  Thank You, Holy Spirit, for helping me to understand and discern my steps.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the grace to obey the truth that is in You.  (Phil. 2:13; 1Pe. 1:22).

July 5 (Read: Col. 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.

July 6 (Read: Ps. 82, 83 & 84)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 7 (Read: Ps. 85, 86 & 87)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 8 (Read: Ps. 88 & 89)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

Two-Year Bible Reading Plan: Old and New Testament Balance (Wk. 26)

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.

June 25 (Read: Rom. 8 & 9)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

June 26 (Read: Rom. 10 & 11)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

June 27 (Read: Rom. 12, 13 & 14)

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom. 12:21 NASB)

The Lord Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, and as His disciples we must do the same (1Jn. 3:8).  How we do that from Christ’s perspective is very different than what the world would tell us.  Jesus taught us to “turn the other cheek”.  We are not to return evil for evil, but to respond with love.  “So far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” (Rom. 12:18).  Overcoming evil is more than refusing to react in revenge, it is reacting in love.  If we do nothing about evil, it will continue to increase.  We can conquer evil by winning one heart at a time.  “He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins. (Jas. 5:20).  Sinners will come under conviction when they see the gospel expressed through our lives.  This does not refer only to unbelievers, but also to believers who stray from the truth (Jas. 5:19). 

Help me, Lord Jesus, to always respond with love when others treat me unfairly.  I will not seek to defend myself because You are my Protector.  I will not concern myself with the loss of thing because You are my Provider.  I will not fear what man can do to me, because You are always with me.  I put my trust in You to live through me to overcome evil with good.  Even if suffer for You, I will also reign with You.  (Ps. 18:2; Phil. 4:19; Heb. 13:6; 2Tim. 2:12).

June 28 (Read: Rom. 15 & 16)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

June 29 (Read: Eph. 1, 2 & 3)

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” (Eph. 1:19 NASB)

Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to take the hope of salvation as a helmet (1Thess. 5:8).  The purpose of this helmet is to guard our thoughts.  To stay strong in the Lord, we need hope as well as faith.  Hope helps us to persevere.  Some aspects of our salvation will only be seen after the Lord returns.  We wait in hope for the redemption of our bodies.  We also wait in hope for a new heaven and a new earth.  We do not yet see all that God has prepared for us, but we are sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit.  He is given as “a pledge of our inheritance” (Eph. 1:14).   What is our inheritance?

Christ became heir to the promises made to Abraham (Gal. 3:16), especially the promise that “All nations shall be blessed in you” was inherited by Christ.  Because we are in Him, His inheritance becomes ours.  We are blessed in Christ!  When God made this promise to Abraham, He had in mind the complete redemption of mankind and of creation (Rom. 8:20,21).  Our inheritance is to live eternally with God, in glorified spiritual bodies, and to reign with Christ, over a new heaven and a new earth.  When this comes to pass, we will see the fulfillment of the beatitude, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5).

Thank You, Father, for my inheritance in Christ.  Thank You for sealing me with Your Holy Spirit.  I put on faith as a breastplate and hope as a helmet.  (Eph. 1:14; 1Thess.  5:8).

June 30 (Read: Eph. 4, 5 & 6)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.

July 1 (Read: Phil. 1 & 2)

The daily devotion will be added later.  Until then, please ask the Lord to give you a “wonderful thought” from today’s reading.