Category: Gospels
The Lord has provided!
Scripture reading for January 13th: Genesis 21-23, Mark 8, Psalm 107
Key Scriptures: Genesis 22:11-13 “But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in the thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.”
Mark 8:35-37 “”For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?””
Jesus was teaching His disciples on the cost of discipleship. They were called to take up their cross and follow Him, even to the point of giving up their life. In doing so, they would gain life. But if they would just save their life for themselves, they would lose it. Two thousand years earlier, Abraham understood these principles. He offered his promised son, Isaac, on an altar near Jerusalem. God tested his faith and obedience and Abraham passed the test. God provided the sacrifice for his son and would sacrifice His own Son to save all souls.
Faith Confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for giving Your own life for my sinful soul! I am helpless to save myself. Help me today to tell others about Your amazing love and mercy to save all souls
Psalm 107:2 “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble.”
Warning or jesting?
Scripture reading for January 10th: Genesis 19-20, Mark 7, Psalm 1
Key Scriptures: Genesis 19:12-14 “Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place. For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.”
Mark 7:20-23 “And He said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.””
Jesus taught that the heart of man was the source of all wickedness. What is in the heart will come out in the way of words and actions that show the fruit of what is inside. Lot had been living in Sodom and his daughters were engaged to men from there. When Lot tried to warn them, they failed to take him seriously. His son-in-laws were destroyed with the city.
Faith Confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for cleansing my heart by the sacrifice of your body and blood. Thank You for giving me a new heart and for the Holy Spirit to live within me. Help me today to live by the Spirit and speak warning to this generation.
Psalm 1:6 “. .for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”
No! Nothing is too hard for God!
Scripture reading for January 9th: Genesis 16-18, Mark 6
Key Scriptures: Genesis 18:11-14 “Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”
God’s Word and ways often defy our rational thinking and causes us to laugh in a struggle to believe. Sarah struggled to believe she could and would have a baby at ninety years of age with a husband of one hundred! The disciples struggled to believe the Lord was walking on the water–especially during a storm! But God teaches us that we have no need to fear because nothing is too hard for God!
Mark 6:48-51 “And He saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw Him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
Faith Confession and Prayer: Lord, forgive me for doubting Your Word and ways. Thank You for daily opportunities to declare my trust in You and share Your faithfulness to the next generation.
Believe and receive!
Scripture reading for January 8th: Genesis 12-15, Psalm 148, Mark 5
Key Scriptures: Genesis 15:3-6 “And Abram said, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the Word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then He said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.”
Mark 5:25 “And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If I touch even His garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.”
We often struggle with insurmountable problems and obstacles that the best man has to offer cannot help solve. Then God speaks or we hear of His amazing power to heal and save. Faith arises that causes us to believe and receive the miracle we desperately need. God honors simple faith and is the author and finisher of it. Praise the Lord!
Faith confession and Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your amazing Word of truth and the record of miracles You have done and still do. Help me to place my trust in Your Word and see Your power today through faith.
Psalm 148:5 “Let them praise the Name of the Lord! For He commanded and they were created.”
The Lord of the Storm
Scripture reading for January 7th: Genesis 9-11, Mark 4
Key Scriptures: Genesis 9:11-13 “”I establish My covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.””
Mark 4:37-40 “And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to Him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why were you afraid? Have you still no faith?””
When we deal with creation’s awesome power and our human weakness, fear often results. Because of sin, we fear God’s wrath and coming judgment. We know death will bring us before God. But God is merciful and gives us signs of His great mercy and calls us to trust in Him. To Noah and his family, He provided an ark and gave them the rainbow. To His disciples, Jesus calmed the storm and called them to faith in His saving grace.
Faith Confession and Prayer: Lord, a fear of death has been replaced by faith in Your great mercy and saving ability. You spoke “Peace! Be still!” to the storms that threatened me. Help me to rest today on the cushion of Your grace!
Saved from destruction!
Scripture reading for January 6th: Genesis 6-8, Mark 3, Psalm 104
Key Scriptures: Genesis 6:17-19 “For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your son’s wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you.”
As God chose Noah and his family to make a covenant with and to bring into the ark for their salvation, so Jesus chose those who He desired to be with Him and to be sent out to preach and cast out demons. Our Lord is all-powerful and all-knowing. He has a plan to bring life and relationship with those who will respond to His invitation. He has a grand plan to save all those who will believe from eternal destruction. He calls disciples and sends them out.
Faith Confession and Prayer: Lord God, thank You for choosing to spare Noah and his family and the animals from destruction. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ to spare all mankind from eternal destruction and to call disciples to be with You–for eternity. Here I am Lord, send me!
Mark 3:13-15 “And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those whom He desired, and they came to Him. And He appointed twelve (whom He also named apostles) so that they might be with Him and He might sent them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.”
Psalm 104:4 “He makes His messengers winds, His ministers a flaming fire.”
“Where are you?”
Scripture reading: Genesis 3-5, Mark 2
Key Scriptures: Genesis 3:7-9 “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”
When the first man and woman sinned by disobeying God’s word, God took the initiative and went looking for them in the garden. He called out to them, not because He didn’t know where they were or why they were hiding. He exchanged their fig leaves for bloody skins. Similarly, Jesus Christ sought out lost children of God and called them to Himself, that they might be with Him and learn God’s heart for those caught in Satan’s snare! Through Jesus’ blood covering, all who responded would be healed from sin’s grip.
Mark 2:16-17 “And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that He was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to the disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.””
Faith Confession and prayer: Lord, Here I am! I have strayed from You but through the call of Jesus Christ, I am now following the path of a disciple and learning Your ways. Send me out today in the power of Your Spirit to preach the Good News and call the lost home to You.
In the beginning: God! (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
Scripture reading for January 2nd: Genesis 1-2, Psalm 19, Mark 1 (5 day Chronological reading plan from www.BibleClassMaterial.cogm)
Key Scriptures: Genesis 1:1-3 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”
God is there in the beginning as the great “I AM.” He created everything by His powerful Word (Son) out of nothing through the hovering Holy Spirit. At the beginning of Mark’s Gospel, thought to be the first written of New Testament accounts, we have Jesus Christ introduced by God the Father as He comes up out of the waters of the Jordan. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove fluttering from a torn-open heaven. God declares that Jesus is His beloved Son, pleasing to Him!
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, Son of God, We call out to the lost world today in Your Name to hear and receive the simple truth of One true God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Creator of heaven and earth. Holy Spirit, hover over Your Word and bring light in Jesus Christ.
Mark 1:1,9-11 “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. . . . .In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when He came up out of the water, immediately He saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son; with You I am well pleased.”
Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.”
Following faithfully!
Scripture reading for May 3rd: John 21, Psalm 89, Proverbs 27
Key Scriptures: John 21:17-19 “He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” and he said to Him, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” “This He said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this He said to him, “Follow Me.””
Jesus lovingly restored Peter after his three denials after Jesus’ arrest by asking him three times if he loved Him. Jesus used this occasion to also reveal that Peter would suffer a death as a martyr. After the loving restoration and plain revelation of future suffering, Jesus still invited Peter to demonstrate his love by following Him. Tradition says Peter was also crucified, but at his own insistence, upside down because he did not feel worthy to die as His Lord did.
Faith Confession: Lord Jesus, I say along with Peter, Lord I love You. Lord, You do know all things. Help me to follow You in faith all the days of this life and to demonstrate my love through obedience.
Proverbs 27:1 “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”
Believing without seeing!
Scripture reading for May 2nd: John 20, Psalm 88, Proverbs 26
Key Scriptures: John 20:27-29 “Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and My God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed.”
Eight days after the resurrection, Jesus again came to His disciples through locked doors and greeted them with “Peace be with you.” He had missed Thomas the first time He appeared and Thomas had stated that unless he could see Jesus alive and place his hands in his wounds, he could not believe. Jesus met him where he was and offered His wounds for his touching. Thomas cried out in a faith confession: “My Lord and my God!” Jesus pronounced a blessing on all who would believe though they did not see.
Faith confession: I receive Your blessing, Jesus, by believing in Your death, burial and resurrection from the dead. You are my Lord and my God!
Psalm 88:1 “O Lord, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you.”