November 30 Bible reading

Each day of the year I’ll post verses to read, with the purpose of reading through the whole Bible within a year.

Reading the Bible is helpful in taking next steps to follow Jesus. It may not be easy and yet it can be rewarding. Digging into Scripture alongside people you know is a life-giving way to pursue answers together. We discover the love that God has for us, expressed through Jesus.

Please read the verses below, prayerfully consider them, and then my comments may be helpful after those moments.

November 30  Psalm 136:1-12  1 John 1; 2:1-11  Daniel 5:17-31; 6

What’s the plain simple truth of the verses you read?

Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?

What should you do about that truth?

Let’s throw our Thank You at Yahweh God, who is worth it! The merciful love of God for us is faithful and forever. It was active way way back before our current problems. God’s faithful love for us is here now. It will outlast the challenges we face today. God’s faithful love for us will be there for us in the future.

Receiving God’s faithful love for us includes a decision to turn away from our self-first focus and turn toward following Jesus as our Savior and Lord. We show our love for God by searching out the instructions of Jesus and choosing to obey them as our new lifestyle. In this new life, we come to know God through a personal relationship with Him. We are now able to love God with all we’ve got and love others in the same way that we take care of ourselves. Jesus lived this way. John was an eyewitness of the lifestyle of Jesus and invites us to jump into the joy of this lifestyle.

King Belshazzar did not learn from his predecessor’s repentant recognition of Yahweh God as sovereign. Instead, the king mocked the God who gave him life and lived as he pleased. As Daniel predicted, Belshazzar was killed and replaced by the Medes and their new king Darius. Proven to be the best of the new king’s supervisors, Daniel was trapped by a law against his prayer habit. God preserved Daniel in a den of hungry lions. God brought judgment on those who trapped Daniel. As a result, king Darius publicly declared Yahweh as the superior God.

November 29 Bible reading

Each day of the year I’ll post verses to read, with the purpose of reading through the whole Bible within a year.

Reading the Bible is helpful in taking next steps to follow Jesus. It may not be easy and yet it can be rewarding. Digging into Scripture alongside people you know is a life-giving way to pursue answers together. We discover the love that God has for us, expressed through Jesus.

Please read the verses below, prayerfully consider them, and then my comments may be helpful after those moments.

November 29  Psalm 135:13-21  2 Peter 3  Daniel 4:19-37; 5:1-16

What’s the plain simple truth of the verses you read?

Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?

What should you do about that truth?

Historically, people have worshipped stuff that can’t listen to them or speak life-giving truth to them. Yahweh God is forever interacting with His people. Let us praise the living God.

God’s love for us, for all humans, is patiently allowing the opportunity for people to turn from selfishness and receive Jesus as Savior. God does not want anyone to suffer the consequences of rejecting His offer for salvation. Peter and Paul wrote about this truth as something they learned from Jesus. They wrote about it as a priority for us to understand. This was set in the context of their confident expectation of Christ’s return. God gives us today so that we may follow Jesus and urge others to do the same.

Through Daniel, God patiently extended a gracious opportunity for King Nebuchadnezzar to repent and a description of what would happen if he refused. For another year the king arrogantly ignored God’s Word and the call to repentance. As a consequence, he was driven to madness and removed from power. After the predicted amount of time passed, the king returned to his senses and worshipped Yahweh God. The king’s successor came to regret his worship of other gods and mockery of Yahweh. Daniel was again called on for spiritual wisdom.

November 28 Bible reading

Each day of the year I’ll post verses to read, with the purpose of reading through the whole Bible within a year.

Reading the Bible is helpful in taking next steps to follow Jesus. It may not be easy and yet it can be rewarding. Digging into Scripture alongside people you know is a life-giving way to pursue answers together. We discover the love that God has for us, expressed through Jesus.

Please read the verses below, prayerfully consider them, and then my comments may be helpful after those moments.

November 28  Proverbs 29:1-9  2 Peter 2  Daniel 3:13-30; 4:1-18

What’s the plain simple truth of the verses you read?

Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?

What should you do about that truth?

A love for wisdom will bring joy. Learning from criticism is essential to growing in wisdom. Good quality leadership brings stability, care for those in need, and benefits to all they serve.

Solomon and Peter warn us about the potential of bringing destruction on ourselves (or people who may do the same). Both describe the consequences of a predisposition that “I’m right” in favor of a humble desire to learn, placing priority on the revealed truth of God. People who remain self-oriented and lead others away from following Jesus are drawing multiplied pain on themselves. Peter advises us to be focused on Jesus, avoiding selfish sexual sin. We should learn to recognize false teaching so that we can avoid it.

Yahweh God proved to the Israelites and the Babylonians that He was all knowing and all powerful. God gave Daniel the ability to tell King Nebuchadnezzar what he had dreamt and what it meant. God protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from certain death when the king threw them into a fiery furnace. They would not honor the king instead of God. The king came to recognize that there is no god like Yahweh.

November 27 Bible reading

Each day of the year I’ll post verses to read, with the purpose of reading through the whole Bible within a year.

Reading the Bible is helpful in taking next steps to follow Jesus. It may not be easy and yet it can be rewarding. Digging into Scripture alongside people you know is a life-giving way to pursue answers together. We discover the love that God has for us, expressed through Jesus.

Please read the verses below, prayerfully consider them, and then my comments may be helpful after those moments.

November 27  Psalm 135:1-12  2 Peter 1  Daniel 2:24-29; 3:1-12

What’s the plain simple truth of the verses you read?

Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?

What should you do about that truth?

Let us praise Yahweh our Creator and Redeemer. With music let us sing about the goodness of God. Creator of our natural world. God is in control. Directing the course of nations, God is sovereign. The God above all other gods. Yahweh is all powerful.  It is our reasonable response to lift up the name of our God.

From a foundation of relationship with Jesus, we read Peter’s encouragement to grow in our understanding of God. Let us recognize all that God has already provided for us. In the Scripture, let us discover the promises God has made to us. Let us respond to these promises with faith. 2 Peter 1:5-8 lists proactive steps of spiritual growth where we access the help God has provided and put it to use. We do not live out of our own strength, but instead, the strength of God fuels our efforts. Peter writes as one of the eyewitnesses who saw Jesus and heard the voice of God from Heaven identify Jesus as Messiah. Peter writes that this experience gave him more confidence in the prophecy of Scripture.

God revealed to Daniel the secret dream of the king, its interpretation, and what was in the king’s heart. God revealed that He had given the king a reign of great influence that would be more powerful than the four kingdoms that would follow it. Instead of choosing to worship God, the source of his power, Nebuchadnezzar had a statue of himself built and demanded that people worship it. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow to this statue of the king who had given them great influence.

November 26 Bible reading

Each day of the year I’ll post verses to read, with the purpose of reading through the whole Bible within a year.

Reading the Bible is helpful in taking next steps to follow Jesus. It may not be easy and yet it can be rewarding. Digging into Scripture alongside people you know is a life-giving way to pursue answers together. We discover the love that God has for us, expressed through Jesus.

Please read the verses below, prayerfully consider them, and then my comments may be helpful after those moments.

November 26  Psalm 134  1 Peter 5  Daniel 1; 2:1-23

What’s the plain simple truth of the verses you read?

Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?

What should you do about that truth?

Let us all praise God. Yahweh our Creator and Redeemer is worthy of the best of our energy and our highest praise. As fully devoted followers of Jesus, we can pray with focus and worship with every ounce of our being. Here we find blessing from God.

As an elder, Peter brings specific counsel to elders in their service of God’s people. Eager to serve, elders will lead people by their example in the life of faith. We should respect the elders of the church. Jesus followers are called to serve each other in humility, knowing that God blesses such a lifestyle. We can stand strong in our faith, resisting our enemy. Our God will ultimately rescue and restore us after the suffering in this life.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon sacked Jerusalem and took away the best it had to offer. This included Daniel and friends gifted with unusual ability for learning languages and various areas of study. The king found them superior to the best that Babylon had to offer. Disturbed by a dream, the king wanted a prophet who could reveal the dream and its interpretation. They prayed and God revealed to Daniel what the dream was and how to interpret it. God is all-knowing. There is nothing too complicated for God. We must invite God into everything we are facing.

November 25 Bible reading

Each day of the year I’ll post verses to read, with the purpose of reading through the whole Bible within a year.

Reading the Bible is helpful in taking next steps to follow Jesus. It may not be easy and yet it can be rewarding. Digging into Scripture alongside people you know is a life-giving way to pursue answers together. We discover the love that God has for us, expressed through Jesus.

Please read the verses below, prayerfully consider them, and then my comments may be helpful after those moments.

November 25  Psalm 133  1 Peter 4  Ezekiel 47; 48

What’s the plain simple truth of the verses you read?

Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?

What should you do about that truth?

When we receive the love of God, we are changed for the better. We want to share this love with others. We become peacemakers. We place a high value on the shalom peace of God where each member of a community should be shown love and respect. We are motivated to work toward a mutually beneficial community. Our living God brings blessing to people who relate to each other in this way.

As Jesus followers, we left behind pleasing ourselves as the top priority. We may lose a relationship with some people for this reason. Because we expect the return of Jesus to this world, we will be focused and diligent in our prayer. We will love each other, sharing forgiveness, and hospitality. We believe that regardless of any challenge we face, God will not fail us. As we walk through any suffering we will focus on the love of Jesus available to us here now and ultimately in our future Heaven.

God has Ezekiel record a vision of the city where God will live among His people. From its Temple flows a river of supernatural life and healing. Similar to the vision of John, in Revelation 22, we have a future hope of a glorious place where God will be glorified and relationship with Him can be enjoyed.

November 24 Bible reading

Each day of the year I’ll post verses to read, with the purpose of reading through the whole Bible within a year.

Reading the Bible is helpful in taking next steps to follow Jesus. It may not be easy and yet it can be rewarding. Digging into Scripture alongside people you know is a life-giving way to pursue answers together. We discover the love that God has for us, expressed through Jesus.

Please read the verses below, prayerfully consider them, and then my comments may be helpful after those moments.

November 24  Proverbs 28:18-28  1 Peter 3  Ezekiel 45; 46

What’s the plain simple truth of the verses you read?

Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?

What should you do about that truth?

We can receive the love of God and live out of gratitude. Healthy relationships with God and others bring great benefits. As a result, we experience peace. All of this will bring new motivation to work hard and live our days with purpose and wisdom. Because we have been changed by God’s love we will be responsive to the needs of people who are poor.

Peter instructs fully devoted followers of Jesus to treat each other with love and respect. We must be kind and humble in all relationships. If a husband doesn’t want his prayer to be hindered, he must treat his wife with honor as an equal partner in their faith walk. A God-honoring wife should show respect for her husband. We should all be peacemakers. As a follower of Jesus, we should be ready to explain what we believe about Jesus in a gentle and respectful way. With careful thought, each one of us should develop what we might say given the opportunity about Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

God shows Ezekiel the sacrifices, feasts, and festivals in the place of worship at Temple. Everyone who earned money and produced a harvest was invited to give resources toward the worship activities. Offerings were brought to God daily, weekly, and seasonally. God required honesty from His leaders as they served the people.

November 23 Bible reading

Each day of the year I’ll post verses to read, with the purpose of reading through the whole Bible within a year.

Reading the Bible is helpful in taking next steps to follow Jesus. It may not be easy and yet it can be rewarding. Digging into Scripture alongside people you know is a life-giving way to pursue answers together. We discover the love that God has for us, expressed through Jesus.

Please read the verses below, prayerfully consider them, and then my comments may be helpful after those moments.

November 23  Psalm 132  1 Peter 2:4-25  Ezekiel 43; 44

What’s the plain simple truth of the verses you read?

Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?

What should you do about that truth?

As people returned to celebrate the faithfulness of God, they would sing about the specific ways in which God had lived among them and brought miracles of blessing. The Temple in Jerusalem had been a place of worship and a place they could find the manifest presence of God. The Israelites would come to this house of God and recall the lessons learned from King David about a personal relationship with God.

Jesus is an example in life. Jesus is the point of reference from which we build our lives and by which we evaluate our health. Jesus is our cornerstone and we are living stones in this New Temple, a place of worship and communion with God. Out of a constant awareness of (and reverence for) God we live in honorable relationships with others: family, co-workers, neighbors, and authority figures. We do this by imitating Jesus who walked with humility and endured suffering with a focus on the victory that God would bring.

In a vision of His glory returning to the Temple, God reveals to Ezekiel His desire for a close personal relationship with His people. God calls them to repent of their idol worship and selfishness. Our Lord is looking for fully devoted followers. We see this in the words of God spoken to Ezekiel. This included the dedication God was looking for in princes and priests.

November 22 Bible reading

Each day of the year I’ll post verses to read, with the purpose of reading through the whole Bible within a year.

Reading the Bible is helpful in taking next steps to follow Jesus. It may not be easy and yet it can be rewarding. Digging into Scripture alongside people you know is a life-giving way to pursue answers together. We discover the love that God has for us, expressed through Jesus.

Please read the verses below, prayerfully consider them, and then my comments may be helpful after those moments.

November 22  Psalm 131  1 Peter 1; 2:1-3  Ezekiel 41; 42

What’s the plain simple truth of the verses you read?

Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?

What should you do about that truth?

Growing in eternal perspective will help us draw strength from our relationship with God. When we learn about who God is, it lessens the dynamic effect that this natural world, with its discouraging experiences and challenging circumstances, will have on us. Drawing closer to God will cause us to be moved by God’s love more than anything else. What is having the most significant effect on you?

Just like Paul, Peter is writing about redemption (salvation now) and restoration (salvation ultimate). Peter was an eyewitness to the way that Jesus walked through suffering with a focus on the glory of an eternal life. Jesus desired the future in Heaven of an unbroken relationship with all who would receive His love. This is how the genuine faith of Jesus remained strong through times of suffering. We are now invited to follow His example of faith through suffering. Bringing ourselves daily to a thankfulness to God for our salvation, we are made stronger. Through Jesus, we rely on God and live with new focus. Now we show a sincere love to each other that is supernatural.

God gives Ezekiel a vision of a new place of worship, a Temple far bigger than they had seen and bigger than what was known at the time of Jesus. We must connect this to the prediction of Jesus, seen in John 4:1-42. In the heavenlies, we will worship in the City of our God in spirit and in truth.

November 21 Bible reading

Each day of the year I’ll post verses to read, with the purpose of reading through the whole Bible within a year.

Reading the Bible is helpful in taking next steps to follow Jesus. It may not be easy and yet it can be rewarding. Digging into Scripture alongside people you know is a life-giving way to pursue answers together. We discover the love that God has for us, expressed through Jesus.

Please read the verses below, prayerfully consider them, and then my comments may be helpful after those moments.

November 21  Psalm 130  James 5  Ezekiel 40

What’s the plain simple truth of the verses you read?

Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?

What should you do about that truth?

Under stress, in pain, and yet desperately holding out hope that God will provide, Psalm 130 sings an encouragement to choose faith in Yahweh God. Mercy and grace have been extended to us, as an invitation to walk in respectful relationship with God. O that we would learn about who God is, through this! The love of God has never failed us.

We expect the triumphant return of Jesus to this world. A desire for this will help our daily life. It motivates us to live with healthy respect for God and other people. Our God will judge those who use other people for their own gain. In contrast, Job showed his faith in God by praying for others, even on his own worst days. Our God responds to faith shown by prayer. We confess our wrong, seeking forgiveness and restoration. We bring to God our requests for others. This prayer has great power as it is working. We should help each other course correct when we drift from the truth.

Jerusalem has fallen and the Israelites have been taken captive. They had rejected God in favor of their own pursuits. Now they were experiencing the consequences. God brings Ezekiel a vision of a new place of worship. On our worst days, God has a hope and a future waiting for us. If we will respond to God we can be encouraged.