BibleTrekToday.com

Year: 2019

  • Casting our crowns before the Throne!

    Scripture reading for December 4th:  Revelation 4, Psalm 111-12, Proverbs 26

    Key Scriptures:  Revelation 4:8-11 “And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”  And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him Who is seated on the throne and worship Him Who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him Who is seated on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever.  They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.” 

    John was caught up through a door in heaven to behold the throne of God and the worship going on there.  Magnificent living creatures full of eyes and wings worshiped, and the twenty-four elders followed their example.  The One on the Throne is “Holy, Holy, Holy.”  All creation belongs to Him and He alone is worthy of worship.

    Faith Confession:  I look forward to being caught up to heaven and to behold My Lord and participate in the worship there.  God Almighty and Jesus Christ are worthy of all glory, honor, and power, for by their Wisdom I have an eternal home.

    Proverbs 24:3  “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”  

  • Redeemed by my Lord!

    Scripture reading for December 3rd:  Revelation 3, Psalm 107-8, Proverbs 25

    Key Scriptures: Revelation 3:10-12 “Because you have kept My Word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the earth.  I am coming soon.  Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.  The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God.  Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the Name of My God, and the Name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down from My God out of heaven and My own new Name.”  

    Jesus is coming soon!  That is His Word for His Church, encouraging them to patiently endure throughout the trials of life on earth.  A crown awaits those who endure and conquer!  A permanent place in God’s presence is our reward.  We will have His Name, God’s Name and the name of our new home, the New Jerusalem, written on us!  We will be marked as His own for eternity!

    Faith Confession:  I believe Jesus is coming soon and He has redeemed me from the far country of sin!  Lord, help me daily to patiently endure the trials and to conquer my fears, Satan’s tricks, and my flesh.  I desire my full reward to cast at Your nail-scared feet!

    Psalm 107:1-3  “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.”

     

  • Jesus speaks Truth in Love!

    Scripture reading for December 2nd:  Revelation 2, Psalm 107-108, Proverbs 24

    Key Scriptures: Revelation 2:2-5  “”I know your works, your toil and patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.  I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for My Name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.  But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.  Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.  If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.””

    Jesus revealed Himself to John during worship on Patmos.  He gave John letters to seven churches that John was an overseer in.  John was to write down and deliver these prophetic warnings from the Great Shepherd.  From the letter to Ephesus, we can see that Jesus saw both the good and the evil.  He commended them and reprimanded them, calling for repentance from a loss of first love.  This was a life-giving rebuke from the Savior!

    Faith Confession: Lord, thank You for speaking to Your Church and people.  Thank You for watching over us and speaking truth plainly.  Forgive me for waning love; Your Goodness has lead me to repentance and life.

    Proverbs 24:26  “Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips.”  

     

     

  • Tell of His wondrous works!

    Scripture reading for November 29th:  Revelation 1, Psalm 105-106, Proverbs 23

    Key Scriptures:  Revelation 1:4-7 “Grace to you and peace from Him Who is and  Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the dead and the Ruler of kings on earth.  To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.  Behold, He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him.  Even so, Amen.”

    The Apostle John was an old man who had been imprisoned on Patmos, a rocky island in the Mediterranean.   He was alone and in worship to God the Father and Jesus Christ, reciting praise for the mighty act of salvation wrought by Jesus Christ through the shedding of His blood.  He spoke prophetically or the coming of Jesus again on the clouds of heaven and how all on earth would see Him and mourn because they did not confess Him.

    Faith Confession:   I worship the One who gave His blood for the forgiveness of my sins and the sins of the whole world.  He is coming again in power and glory on the clouds of heaven to receive His followers. To Him be glory now and forever and ever!

    Psalm 105:1-2 “Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon His Name; make known His deeds among the people!  Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works!” 

     

  • Praying in the Holy Spirit

    Scripture reading for November 28th:  Jude, Psalm 103-104, Proverbs 22

    Key Scriptures:  Jude 17-21 “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.  They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”  It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.  But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.”  

    The last days would be marked by scoffers and divisive people.  These people would be devoid of the Holy Spirit and led only by their fleshly passions and selfishness.  Believers must beware and keep themselves in the love of God and follow Jesus by faith.  This requires the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to help us pray through the many traps and snares.  The reward for the faithful is out of this world!

    Faith Confession:  Lord, fill me fresh today with the Holy Spirit and empower my prayers as I am living in the last days and many scoffers are mocking God and His Word.  I look forward to living with You for ever and ever!

    Proverbs 22:3-4 “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.  The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.”  

     

  • Never put yourself first!

    Scripture reading for November 27th:  3 John, Psalm 101-102, Proverbs 21

    Key Scriptures:  3 John 9-11 “I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who like to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.  So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us.  And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.  Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good.  Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.”  

    John mentions by name a man who was causing trouble in the church.  Diotrephes was known for his self-centered attitude and failure to submit to those God had placed in authority in His Church.  John warned the believers not to imitate evil, but to imitate what was good.  This man had not seen God and was not doing good.   Even worse, he was in Christ’s church family and thought of himself as a believer:  he was deceived!

    Faith Confession:  Lord, help me to practice good and avoid bad examples.  I will respect those You place in authority and show hospitality to the brothers and sisters, putting others before myself.

    Psalm 101:2-3 “I will ponder the way that is blameless.  O when will You come to me?  I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.  I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.”  

     

  • Enjoying a “full reward”

    Scripture reading for November 26th:  2 John, Psalm 98-100, Proverbs 20

    Key Scriptures:  2 John 8-11 “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.  Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God.  Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.” 

    John stressed to all of Christ’s followers the importance of abiding in Christ and His teaching.  Departing from the teaching of Jesus means we depart from God the Father as well as Jesus the Son.  Anyone teaching a different gospel is not to be entertained or even greeted.  Those wanting to enjoy a full reward must be watchful and abide in Christ’s Word.

    Faith Confession:  I freely chose to abide in Jesus Christ and His holy Word.  Through the Holy Spirit I am watchful for those who would teach another Gospel or advocate a different teaching.  I desire a full reward for me and those I am with!

    Proverbs 20:27-28 “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.  Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.”  

     

  • Assurance of eternal life!

    Scripture reading for November 25th:  1st John 5, Psalm 97-98, Proverbs 19

    Key Scriptures: 1st John 5:11-15 “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I write these things to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.  And it is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.” 

    John assured his readers of the reality of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.  Salvation was a gift that came by faith alone.  It was a gift of God the Father, coming through the obedience of His only Son, Jesus Christ.  We can have confidence in Jesus Christ.  We can ask God for anything in His will and expect to receive it.  Praise the Lord for confidence in Jesus!  Ask largely and receive gratefully!

    Faith Confession:  I am confident of my salvation because I simply and dependently believe on Jesus Christ, Son of God and His finished work on the cross.  I am thankful that I can ask God in His Name for anything in His will!

    Psalm 97-11-12 “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.  Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to His Holy Name!”

     

  • Abiding in God and His Love!

    Scripture reading for November 22nd:  1st John 4, Psalm 95-96, Proverbs 18

    Key Scriptures:  1st John 4:13-17  “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.  God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.  By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is so also are we in this world.”  

    Believers in Jesus Christ have received the Holy Spirit to live in them and mark them as belonging to God’s eternal family.  This gift of the Holy Spirit has come through faith and confession that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and God’s Son.  Through the Holy Spirit, God’s love is shed abroad in our hearts and we experience His love and presence.  This love and presence of the Holy Spirit gives us confidence as we approach our seeing Jesus and at the Judgment seat of Christ.

    Faith Confession:  I have received the Holy Spirit, a gift of God’s grace.  The Spirit abides in me and bears witness that I am God’s child and loved by the Father.  I have confidence on the day of judgment through His indwelling presence.

    Proverbs 18:10  “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”  

     

  • Christ destroys the Devil’s works in us!

    Scripture reading for November 21st: 1st John 3, Psalm 93-94, Proverbs 17

    Key Scriptures: 1st John 3:7-10  “Little children, let no one deceive you.  Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous.  Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.  The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.  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.  By this it is evident who are the children of God and who are  the children of the devil: . . 

    John tenderly tells the members of Christ’s church how to keep from being deceived.  Everyone born of God has God’s seed in them.  God’s seed, the Word, produces good fruit and not continual sinning or violation of His Word.  It destroys the devil’s works in them.   If someone claims to be born of God and lives in sin, they are lying for they are still under the devil.  Don’t be deceived, look at the fruit!

    Faith Confession:  I am thankful that I am born of God through the living Word, by faith in Jesus Christ.  I live now by the indwelling Holy Spirit Who applies God’s Word to my life.  Lord keep me from deception this day!

    Psalm 93:5  “Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits Your house, O Lord, forevermore.”