March 18 Bible reading

March 18 Psalm 35:1-10 Luke 2:21-40 Numbers 7:1-65

Please read the suggested passages, prayerfully consider them, and the questions below. My comments here may be helpful after those moments. The suggested daily reading is for 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 has been expressed through Jesus.
• 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?

March 18 Psalm 35:1-10 Luke 2:21-40 Numbers 7:1-65
Psalm 35:1-10 Choosing to set aside time so that you can consider the goodness of God, what it means to you, enjoying it, and celebrating it will bring you benefits in your life. David’s life was threatened by people he had done no wrong, more than once. He ran for his life multiple times. People chose to make him their enemy. In more than one situation, David watched as God miraculously protected him. David made his share of mistakes. David expressed the full range of human emotions. He also stopped to consider how God was involved. God’s selfless love is seen in helping people who are helpless. God does not help them for what can be gained from them. Who else is like that?
Luke 2:21-40 Joseph and Mary follow the covenant law of Moses in dedicating baby Jesus to God. Contagious joy was experienced by those who had been faithfully serving God and watching for the arrival of the Messiah. Simeon and Anna gave prophetic confirmation of the identity of Jesus as Messiah. We read that Jesus’ identity was predicted and affirmed by prophets both past and present. We should experience and reflect this same contagious joy at Jesus our Messiah.
Numbers 7:1-65 At God’s direction, Moses sets up the Tabernacle and dedicates it as a place of worship. In Numbers, we see that the people benefited from choosing to value their place of worship by honoring God with gifts. Each person’s gift mattered to God. Each person learned that their living God put a high value on their worship. Their interaction with their Creator was of great importance. We should learn from this. (As seen in Psalm 27:4)

 

March 17 Bible reading

March 17  Proverbs 7:6-20  Luke 2:1-20  Numbers 5:11-31; 6

Please read the suggested passages, prayerfully consider them, and the questions below. My comments here may be helpful after those moments. The suggested daily reading is for 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 has been expressed through Jesus.

• 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?

March 17  Proverbs 7:6-20  Luke 2:1-20  Numbers 5:11-31; 6

Proverbs 7:6-20  God provides us with direction and a warning against illicit affairs. God is not ignorant of human experiences. Our Creator has the wisdom we need. Our Creator has a right to speak to how we live. Sexual sin brings painful consequences.

Luke 2:1-20  Jesus, our Savior, the Messiah, the Lord, was born in Bethlehem as promised. There are several miraculous aspects of His birth recognized by many eyewitnesses. The shepherds saw exactly what the angels predicted. God’s people could choose to take a Nazarite vow, setting aside their life for the purpose of God. This allowed them to identify God’s call on their life, describe it to others, and live for that purpose. We should take note of the significance of prophecy fulfilled. God is involved in the birth of Jesus. Too many supernatural factors here for it to be a magic trick. What does this say to you about Jesus?

Numbers 5:11-31; 6  God’s design includes a married couple’s lifelong commitment to giving faithful love to each other. It can be a reflection of God’s faithful love that is patient and kind, as we see throughout Scripture. God intended marital sexual expression of love to be a sacred act of giving pleasure in a safe healthy context. God gave His people a clear idea of consequence for illicit affairs. Nazarite vows included setting aside your life for the purpose of God. Anyone who wants to serve in Christian leadership must consider the truths revealed here. In Numbers 6:24-26, we see a beautiful blessing that could be given from the priests to the people, which God promised to honor.

 

March 16 Bible reading

March 16  Psalm 34:11-22  Luke 1:57-80  Numbers 4; 5:1-10

Please read the suggested passages, prayerfully consider them, and the questions below. My comments here may be helpful after those moments. The suggested daily reading is for 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 has been expressed through Jesus.

• 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?

March 16  Psalm 34:11-22  Luke 1:57-80  Numbers 4; 5:1-10

Psalm 34:11-22  Lies bring consequences. Peacemaking requires thoughtful examination before taking action. God interacts with His people. He is paying attention. Psalm 34:18 describes what God is like every day and should inform how we live. God comes alongside the brokenhearted, bringing loving comfort to those whose spirits are crushed, and He will rescue them.

Luke 1:57-80  Zechariah and Elizabeth experienced miracles and were happy to welcome a baby boy. People noted the circumstances of John’s birth and wondered what God would do through him. Zechariah spoke God’s promise of the mighty Savior, the coming Messiah. Zechariah predicted the role of his son, John the prophet, John the Baptist. Are there more beautiful words than Luke 1:76-79? Jesus, our morning light from heaven! The purpose of John the Baptist was to tell people how to find salvation and the forgiveness of sins.

Numbers 4; 5:1-10  Moses, Aaron, the priests, and the Levites were responsible to care for the place of worship, the instruments of worship, and the ways of interacting with God. They led people by serving them. Purity in their camp included natural and spiritual cleanliness, focus, and purpose. God was removing their guilt. In Numbers, we see that every person matters to God. God gives purpose (and inherent value) to the work He has designed for His people. We can find fulfillment as we work.

 

March 15 Bible reading

March 15  Psalm 34:1-10  Luke 1:39-56  Numbers 2:10-34; 3

Please read the suggested passages, prayerfully consider them, and the questions below. My comments here may be helpful after those moments. The suggested daily reading is for 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 has been expressed through Jesus.

• 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?

March 15  Psalm 34:1-10  Luke 1:39-56  Numbers 2:10-34; 3

Psalm 34:1-10  Reflecting on a time he faked insanity for fear of losing his life, David sings about what he learned. God is good! Understanding the truth that God is good comes by active learning, personal experience, prayer, asking God for miracles, and listening. Choosing to believe that God will do what He promised comes with the benefit of joy & fulfillment. You will see God’s provision. When you live out of constant awareness of (and reverence for) God you will experience a new level of peace.

Luke 1:39-56  Mary and Elizabeth are experiencing miraculous pregnancies. God is speaking to them. Believing the promises of God, they are truly blessed. Mary sings praises to God. This song should be known to us. It carries relevant truth. We hear humility. We hear an account of an all-powerful and supernaturally merciful God. We hear about a God who keeps His promises. This is what she knew to be true of God our Creator.

Numbers 2:10-34; 3  God gave specific responsibility to Moses, Aaron, the priests, and the Levites for the place of worship. As a service to the people, they ensured constant worship of God and interaction with God. God values everyone. Being part of a family that is a member of a larger society can have a God-given value. Giving God our best comes from the God idea of a “first fruit” offering.

 

March 14 Bible reading

March 14  Psalm 33:12-22  Luke 1:26-38  Numbers 1; 2:1-9

Please read the suggested passages, prayerfully consider them, and the questions below. My comments here may be helpful after those moments. The suggested daily reading is for 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 has been expressed through Jesus.

• 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?

March 14  Psalm 33:12-22  Luke 1:26-38  Numbers 1; 2:1-9

Psalm 33:12-22  Yahweh created this world and the human race. He understands our hearts better than anyone else. If we respond to the faithful love of God with worship, we will know confident hope and joy. When we look to God as our source of life and direction we will be blessed. Our way of viewing this world and our challenges will change. We will not be overwhelmed. We will be at peace. We will be happy.

Luke 1:26-38  God sends the angel Gabriel to prepare Mary for her miracle virgin pregnancy and the identity of the baby Jesus, the Son of God. The angel Gabriel says, “Nothing is impossible with God.” or “For the Word of God will never fail.” Everything about Jesus teaches us something about God. We must challenge what we see as limitations. God is not bound by what we see as possible. When God makes a promise we should believe it.

Numbers 1; 2:1-9  In Numbers we see that every person matters to God and that God instructed them to be sure that each person had their own space. The priests and the place of worship were clearly set aside for their specific purpose, facilitating the relationship of the people with God. We see our Creator using administration to ensure that each person would be able to enjoy life and their relationship with God.

 

 

March 13 Bible reading

March 13  Proverbs 7:1-5  Luke 1:1-25  Leviticus 26:14-46; 27

Please read the suggested passages, prayerfully consider them, and the questions below. My comments here may be helpful after those moments. The suggested daily reading is for 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 has been expressed through Jesus.

• 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?

March 13  Proverbs 7:1-5  Luke 1:1-25  Leviticus 26:14-46; 27

Proverbs 7:1-5  We should work hard to learn the wisdom of God. We should protect our retention of it and the ability to use it. The words that God has already spoken provide us with direction. This includes a warning against illicit affairs. God loves us. God cares for us. God is trying to help us with this warning. God created pleasure. As a good Father, God wants us to enjoy life. There is no reason that God would restrict healthy pleasure from us.

Luke 1:1-25  Luke carefully examined the eyewitness accounts of the life of Christ. He takes great care to write an accurate description of what occurred and who Jesus is. Dr. Luke’s purpose in writing includes helping an investigation into who Jesus is so that the reader could find confidence. God brings a miracle birth of John the Baptist while interacting with the faith of Zechariah and Elizabeth. God brings healing to their spiritual identity. God is interacting with each person in the story.

Leviticus 26:14-46; 27  In Leviticus, we see that there is punishment for disobedience to God. God says, “When my people confess their sins, I will remember My covenant with them.” At the same time, God would not tolerate pride and unrepentant open hostility toward Him. God was constantly calling them back to repentance and His covenant love. God called for one-tenth of what they produced to be dedicated to His purpose. It is a principle beneficial us all, to learn how to live on less than our full income (out of gratitude to God our Creator) for His purpose which benefits everyone.

 

 

March 12 Bible reading

March 12  Psalm 33:1-11  Mark 16  Leviticus 25; 26:1-13

Please read the suggested passages, prayerfully consider them, and the questions below. My comments here may be helpful after those moments. The suggested daily reading is for 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 has been expressed through Jesus.

• 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?

March 12  Psalm 33:1-11  Mark 16  Leviticus 25; 26:1-13

Psalm 33:1-11  We are forgiven and cleansed. We must sing praises to (and about) our God. Yahweh created this natural world and nothing is beyond His direction. God’s sovereign plan is not shaken loose by anything we see. Learning this will help us become stronger. From a personal relationship with this God, we find a greater peace regardless of the circumstances we face.

Mark 16  Jesus’ resurrection proves His identity as Messiah. Jesus returned from the dead, walked the earth for another 40 days, and was seen by 500 people. Jesus took time to appear personally to people with whom He was in a relationship. In God’s kingdom, worship, identity, mission, knowledge, and salvation are never separated from the context of personal relationship. Jesus gave His followers specific purpose. They were instructed to call people into faith, with repentance and baptism. Jesus gave His followers spiritual authority.

Leviticus 25; 26:1-13  In Leviticus, God provides instruction for good stewardship that would have required the people to plan, budget, out of respect to God’s wisdom. God gives specific instruction on how to care for the poor. In response to their obedience, God promises close personal relationship. This included allowing the land to rest on the 7^th year. On the Day of Atonement, once every 50 years they were to proclaim freedom and celebrate a Year of Jubilee. God wanted them to live by mutual respect and good stewardship.