Category: Gospels
Beware of Pride and Presumption
Scripture reading for January 9th: Matthew 7, Psalm 7, Prov. 7
Key Scriptures: Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and do many mighty works in Your Name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.'”
Jesus taught His disciples that confession of faith was not enough in and of itself to guarantee entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Even works done in the Name of Jesus would not qualify a person for entrance. Confession and good works must be accompanied by complete submission to God and yielding to His will in every area of life. Faith confessions must be demonstrated by humble obedience to God’s will and word.
Faith’s confession: Jesus, I confess that You are Lord of my life. I pray that Your kingdom would come and Your will would be done in my life on earth as in heaven. Deliver me from pride and presumption, and fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may truly know You better each day.
Proverbs 7:1-3 “My son, keep My words and treasure up My commandments with you; keep My commandments and live; keep My teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.”
Talking to our Father in Heaven
Scripture reading for January 8th: Matthew 6, Psalm 6, Prov. 6 (Reading through the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs one chapter a day, five days each week in 2019–please join me in the trek!)
Key Scriptures: Matthew 6:9-13 “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.””
Jesus taught His disciples a pattern of prayer. Prayer was not to be empty repetitions and vain babbling. Prayer is humble and vital communication with a loving Father who hears our every cry. Prayer declares our alignment with the Father and His will and Word and our dependency on Him for daily provision, protection and deliverance from temptation and the evil one. Prayer keeps our alignment right with God and others made in their Father’s image. Prayer is the basic language of the kingdom of heaven.
Faith’s confession: I believe that my Father in heaven hears and answers prayer. I am dependent on Him for provision, protection and forgiveness of my sins and forgiving others. (Action: Search your heart today for unforgiven sins or bitter roots and ask God and/or others for grace to let go and receive restoration.)
Psalm 6:9 “The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer.”
I am blessed!
Scripture reading for January 7th: Matthew 5, Psalm 5, Prov. 5 (Reading through the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs one chapter a day, five days each week in 2019–please join me in the trek!)
Key Scriptures: Matthew 5:10-13 “”Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.””
Jesus took His disciples and others who had gathered to hear Him up on a hillside. There He taught them about the kingdom of heaven and the blessedness of those who were included. This blessedness called for joy and rejoicing and anticipation of the great reward that would come in God’s time. It also included persecution and reviling from the world of sinful men on account of righteousness and their relationship with Jesus Christ. Rejoice now in all things and count on great reward in the fullness of the kingdom of heaven!
Faith’s confession: I am blessed with Christ’s righteousness and presence in me. I joyfully endure any hardship or persecution today, knowing Whose I am. (Action: Pray for God’s blessedness to come to anyone who may be mistreating you now for your love of Jesus. Do an act of kindness to show them Christ’s love.)
Proverbs 5:21 “For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths.”
Resisting temptation by God’s Word
Scripture reading for January 4th: Matthew 4, Psalm 4, Prov. 4 (Reading through the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs one chapter a day, five days each week in 2019–please join me in the trek!)
Key Scriptures: Matthew 4:1-4 “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But He answered, “It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.””
Immediately following Jesus’ baptism, the Spirit lead Him to the wilderness where He fasted for forty days and nights. The devil came to Him at the height of His hunger and suggested He prove His divinity by turning stones into bread. Jesus responded with God’s Word: “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word from the mouth of God.” Jesus made a faith confession to defeat the devil’s temptation and the desire of His own flesh for food. We can do the same!
Faith’s confession: I believe that my life is not sustained by bread alone, but I live by every word God has spoken and rest in His grace. I am God’s child! (Action: Break any addiction today by standing on God’s Word and resisting the devil’s temptation.)
Psalm 4:8 “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
The Holy Trinity
Scripture reading for January 3rd: Matthew 3, Psalm 3, Proverbs 3 (Reading through the New Testament, Psalms, Proverbs one chapter a day, five days a week in 2019–join the trek!)
Key Scriptures: Matthew 3:16-17 “And when Jesus was baptized, immediately He went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him; and behold a Voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.””
The story jumps from Jesus’ birth and early years to His baptism at the age of thirty by John the Baptist. John testified that Jesus’ ministry would come after his ministry and Jesus would baptize with the “Holy Spirit and fire.” Jesus then came to John to be baptized in order to identify with us and to “fulfill all righteousness.” The Holy Spirit descended on Him and the Father testified to Christ’s Sonship and pleasing obedience.
Faith’s confession: I believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, the three that are One. (Action: I follow Jesus in water baptism and seek Him for baptism in the Holy Spirit.)
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”
Words to the Wise
Scripture reading for January 2nd: Matthew 2, Psalm 2, Proverbs 2 (Reading through the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs one chapter a day, five days each week in 2019–please join me in the trek!)
Key Scriptures: Matthew 2:13-15 “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.””
The story of the birth of God’s Son was again guided by angelic instructions. This time Joseph was warned to take the child and his mother to Egypt. Joseph had to believe the warning and act to experience God’s saving grace. God used Joseph’s obedience to fulfill ancient prophecy concerning this event. The fulfilled prophecy inspires our faith to obey God. God also calls us out of “Egypt” through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Faith’s confession and action: Lord Jesus, I believe Your call to heed Your Word and respond like Joseph, following Your instructions. Your Word is truth and life.
Psalm 2:10-12 “Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”
The Story of God’s Love!
Scripture reading for January 1st: Matthew 1, Psalm 1, Proverbs 1 (Reading through the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs one chapter a day, five days each week in 2019–please join me in the trek!)
Key Scriptures: Matthew 1:18-21 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.””
The New Testament begins with a story that has its roots in the flow of the Old Testament. A genealogy from Abraham to Joseph begins the story. Joseph’s betrothal to Mary makes the story personal and about love. But Mary, a virgin, was pregnant before the marriage was consummated! Joseph had a plan, but angelic intervention brought needed information: the baby Mary carried was conceived by the Holy Spirit! The Name, “Jesus” was to be given to the child. He would save His people from sin! This story is made personal and current if you have believed in Him and received His love!
Faith’s Confession: I believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and was God’s Son in human flesh, and is my Savior from my sins.
Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Take care of your soul!
Scripture reading for October 16th: Isaiah 53-56, Hebrews 3
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 3:12-14 “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”
The writer of Hebrews gave a pastoral warning to the members of the church. The sin of unbelief can take us away from Christ and cause eternal loss. Unbelief is deceitful and subtle. We must watch over our own soul and one another. Confidence in Christ must be maintained.
Isaiah 55:10-11 “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your great mercy and for Your pastoral care for my soul and Your church. Help me to be careful and watchful, maintaining confidence in Christ’s sacrifice for me. Amen.
Follow to the Utmost!
Scripture reading for May 3rd: 1st Kings 21-22, 2nd Kings 1-2, John 21
Key Scriptures: John 21:17-19 “. . .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.”
Peter had denied Jesus three times during the hours following Jesus’ arrest. Now Jesus would restore His disciple by asking three times if He loved Him. He also gave Peter insight into how he would die. In all, Peter was to follow Jesus!
2nd Kings 2:11-13 “And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. And he took up the cloak of Elijah. . .”
Prayer: Father, thank You for restoring Peter and calling him to follow You. Help me to follow You closely and do Your will until my departure to be with You! Amen.
My Lord, My God!
Scripture reading for May 2nd: 1st Kings 18-20, John 20
Key Scriptures: John 20:26-28 “Eight days later, His disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Put your fingers here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered, “My Lord and My God!””
Jesus appeared on several occasions to the disciples after His resurrection. Thomas had missed the first of those times, and struggled to believe. Jesus met him where he was and offered definite proof of touching His wounds in person. Jesus fulfilled His Word completely.
1st Kings 17:23-24 “And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the Word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your patience to meet us each where we are and show us that You are alive and Your Word is truth. You are My Lord and My God. Amen.