2013 Day 322 – Daniel 1-3, Psalm 143

18 Monday Nov 2013

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Today we begin the book of Daniel which is written by Daniel, a Jew who was taken into captivity by the Babylonians to serve King Nebuchadnezzar. The purpose of the book is to show God’s power in every situation. Though Daniel was forced to serve a foreign conqueror of Israel, God still protected him and gave him success despite his circumstances. We must look to the example of Daniel and know that despite the circumstances we face throughout out lives, God can still accomplish many great things through us if we are obedient and open to serve Him in all we do.

2013 Day 321 – John 19-21, Psalm 142

17 Sunday Nov 2013

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Since we are finishing up the book of John, I thought this would be the subject of this post. But when I read the second part of today’s reading, I realized how much I need these verses in Psalm 142 this morning. I found myself repeatedly reading the last two verses of Psalm 142:6-7 6 Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. 7 Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me. I often give too much time to the things that can hurt me. I find myself giving poor choices in my life too much freedom. In turn, when it comes time to break away, I find it difficult to do. It was not until I read the first part of verse 7, “Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name.” that I realized it is not in my power that I am set free from power of evil, sin, or hurt in my life, but through God’s power. I know this should be common knowledge, but for some reason it resonated with me this morning.

2013 Day 320 – John 16-18, Psalm 141

16 Saturday Nov 2013

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One of the most comforting verses in the Bible to me is John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” While we will always face trouble in this imperfect world, God will always walk with us through it. Jesus says plainly that we will face trouble, but because He has overcome it, we can find His comfort.

2013 Day 319 – John 13-15, Psalm 140

15 Friday Nov 2013

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I love reading John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. Jesus chose us first by loving us and offering to die in our place on the cross. With this, He invited us to live with Him forever despite the sin in our lives that separates us from God. Without Jesus making His choice first, we would have no choice to make.

2013 Day 318 – i am second – Brian Welch

14 Thursday Nov 2013

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I’m a big fan of the “i am second” videos. The video below is one of my favorites. It is the story of Brian “Head” Welch who was the lead guitarist for the band Korn. This man is an example of how much God loves everyone and accepts everyone no matter who they are or what they have done. God’s grace is amazing.

 

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2013 Day 317 – John 10-12, Psalm 139

13 Wednesday Nov 2013

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I love the analogy Jesus gives of being the gate for his sheep in John 10:7, Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. A shepherd act as a gate into the pen for the sheep. He is the one who allows sheep in and out and protects the sheep. In the same way, Jesus is our gate and our protector. He is our protector in salvation from our sins and from the evil of this world. Some people may resent Jesus for being the gate to eternal life, but it is through Him that salvation is made simple by believing in Him and accepting His sacrifice.

2013 Day 316 – John 7-9, Psalm 138

12 Tuesday Nov 2013

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Every time I read the story about the adulterous woman it hits me between the eyes. While we are all sinners, Jesus still forgives us of all our sins. Even the really bad things in our lives He forgives. Jesus’ words in John 8:10-11 are some of the most powerful to me, 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” Other than Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, I think this is one of the most powerful examples of His love. God may be disappointed when we sin, but He never stops loving us.

2013 Day 315 – John 4-6, Psalm 137

11 Monday Nov 2013

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At the end of John 4, I always love reading about the faith of the government official. Though he was more than a day’s travel away from confirming whether his son was healed, he still went away with the faith that Jesus would heal his son. So many times when we ask God for something, we want immediate confirmation that He has or will take care of it. We need to be more willing to walk away knowing God will take care of our needs in His timing and according to His will.

2013 Day 314 – John 1-3, Psalm 136

10 Sunday Nov 2013

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Today we begin the book of John who was a disciple of Jesus. He and his brother James were called the “Sons of Thunder” for their confrontational and, at times, aggressive ways. It was James and John, who in Luke 9:54, wanted to call down fire from heaven when the Samaritans were not responsive to Jesus’ message.

John’s purpose in writing this book was, as an eye-witness to Jesus’ life, conclusively prove Jesus was the Son of God and that all who believe in Him would be saved. John wrote this book as an old man, approximately 85-90 AD. It was also written after the destruction of Jerusalem when believers needed encouragement in their faith from the persecution they were beginning to face. When reading John, keep in mind that up 90 percent of John is unique to his gospel from the other gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

2013 Day 313 – Ezekiel 46-48, Psalm 135

09 Saturday Nov 2013

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We have finally come to the end of the book of Ezekiel. The book started by describing the holiness of God that the people of Israel had grown to ignore. God’s presence left the temple as a result of their rebellion. In the end, the book details visions of the new temple in a new city and new people, all of which continues to describe God’s holiness. Our imperfect lives may cause us to lose focus on God and only see the here and now. But we must always return to God’s presence in our lives. If we let Him, God will never let us feel alone. When things are at their worst, always remember God is with us.