Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:161-168, 2 Chronicles 8-9, Luke 4:14-44 Reflection Verse: Luke 4:36 Reflection: Jesus’ teaching and actions astounded the crowd. They had never heard or seen anyone like this who had such authority in teaching as well as authority over demons. Beloved, when we as Believers learn to rely on Jesus, we are able…
Scripture Readings: Psalms 119:153-160, 2 Chronicles 6:12-7, Luke 4:1-13 Reflection Verses: Luke 4:3-4 Reflection: Satan enticed Jesus to use the power of God for selfish purposes. By this, we see how temptation often works. The adversary, the devil, will most often appeal to a legitimate desire within us as he did with Jesus (the desire…
Scripture Readings: Psalms 119:145-152, 2 Chronicles 4-6:11, Luke 3 Reflection Verses: Luke 3:7 Reflection: John the Baptist is asked those who were following him, “Why did you decide that you needed to repent?” John wanted them to understand that if a person was going to repent and be baptized then it would require a changed…
Scripture Readings: Psalms 119:137-144, 2 Chronicles 1-3, Luke 2:21-52 Reflection Verses: Luke 2:49-50 Reflection: Jesus was clearly a special child. His birth was marked by some unusual events including a census, shepherds, wise men and even angels. Jesus was in the temple as a 12-year-old teaching the Temple elders as they marveled at His wisdom….
Scripture Readings: Psalms 119:129-136, I Chronicles 28-29, Luke 2:1-20 Reflection Verse: Luke 2:7 Reflection: In the text, Jesus was born in a manger because there was no room for Him in the inn. In our world, with all that is going on, there is still no room for Jesus unless we make room for Him….
Scripture Readings: Psalms 119:120-128, I Chronicles 26:20-27, Luke 1:57-80 Reflection Verse: Luke 1:58 Reflection: Most of us rejoice and celebrate the birth of a child. This is particularly true when a child is born in our family, to one of our friends or in our church family. It is during these times that we bump…
Scripture Readings: Psalms 119:113-120, I Chronicles 24:20-26:19, Luke 1:26-56 Reflection Verse: Luke 1:38 Reflection: The angel, Gabriel, told Mary that something impossible was going to happen to her. As incredible as it sounded, Mary fully embraced what was told to her as the Will of God the Father for her. Beloved, most of what God…
Scripture Readings: Psalms 119:105-112, I Chronicles 23:24:19, Luke 1:1-25 Reflection Verse: Luke 1:13 Reflection: Quieting Zecharias’ fears, the angel told him that his prayers had been answered, and his childless wife would have a son to be named John. I do not know how long Zecharias had been praying or even if he had stopped…
Scripture Readings: Psalms 119:97-104, I Chronicles 21-22, Colossians 4:2-18 Reflection Verse: Colossians 4:8 Reflection: When we become discouraged, it is our hearts that need comfort. God will put someone in our path to encourage us when we need it. Has God given you the gift of encouragement? Maybe God is putting people in your path…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:89-96, I Chronicles 17:16-20, Colossians 3:5-4:1 Reflection Verses: Colossians 3:23-24 Reflection: Whatever job to which God called us, he wants us to serve him with it. Our work may subsist as a menial job; we may dislike our work. Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job. He wants…
July 13 Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:81-88, I Chronicles 16:7-17:15, Colossians 2:6-3:4 Reflection Verses: Colossians 2:6-7 Reflection: The Colossian Believers had been taught that Jesus is Messiah and Lord. The heretics denied Jesus’ atoning death and lordship. So, the Colossian Believers were urged to keep Jesus just as they had been initially taught – as Messiah…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:73-80, I Chronicles 14-16:6, Colossians 1:21-2:5 Reflection Verse: Colossians 1:23 Reflection: The Christians at Colossae had heard the true message of the Gospel and they believed it. But they began to listen to what the false teachers taught. So, Paul urged the Christians to continue to believe God’s truth. Paul wrote his…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:65-72, I Chronicles 12-13, Colossians 1:1-20 Reflection Verses: Colossians 1:13-14 Reflection: Every person who has not embraced the Gospel, is under the authority and power of darkness which holds sway over that person and leads him/her into vice or ungodliness. There is nothing other than the power of God that is able…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:57-64, I Chronicles 11, Philippians 4:2-23 Reflection Verse: Philippians 4:6 Reflection: Paul tells us that Believers should not be “anxious about anything.” This does not imply a complete lack of concern. Nor does it mean Christians are to be careless. Instead, it means that Believers should not be fearful, paranoid, or uneasy….
Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:49-56, I Chronicles 9-10, Philippians 3:1-4:1 Reflection Verses: Philippians 3:7-8 Reflection: To Paul, nothing else mattered in comparison to Christ. This included his religion, his family, his career, and his past accomplishments (Philippians 3:5–6). His single goal was Christ. Paul further emphasizes this focus when he notes what he has given up…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:41-48, I Chronicles 8, Philippians 2:12-30 Reflection Verses: Philippians 2:14-16a Reflection: Since God is producing in the Christian, the willing and the doing of HIS good and perfect will, there can be no legitimate reason for murmurings or disputings. Christians are not only forbidden to complain about the difficulties and persecutions that…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:33-40, I Chronicles 7, Philippians 1:21-2:11 Reflection Verses: Philippians 1:24-25 Reflection: Paul was conflicted at this time of imprisonment as to whether it would be better for him to endure persecution and continue to preach the gospel, or to be taken to eternity to be with Christ. Paul concluded that, since God’s…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:25-32, I Chronicles 6:15-80, Philippians 1:1-20 Reflection Verse: Philippians 1:18 Reflection: Paul rounds out his comments on those who preach for selfish reasons with a very practical conclusion: so, what? Paul was happy to see Christ proclaimed regardless of the reason. In the end, his goal was to help every person possible…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:17-24, I Chronicles 4:24-6:14, Ephesians 6:10-24 Reflection Verse: Ephesians 6:19 Reflection: Paul’s prayer to share the gospel included a request for the right words to share. We are to share our faith through our actions, yet we are also called to share our faith with our words. It is important that our…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:9-16, I Chronicles 3-4:23, Ephesians 5:22-6:9 Reflection Verse: Ephesians 6:4 Reflection: Fathers are commanded not to agitate or irritate their children. In practice, this means avoiding unfair and cruel behavior, or blatant favoritism. Godly fathers are not to push their children toward anger. Instead, fathers (parents) are given a positive command to…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:1-8, I Chronicles 2, Ephesians 5:1-21 Reflection Verse: Ephesians 5:13 Reflection: As Believers who live our lives in Christ, we are filled with the light which exposes all hidden darkness that may linger in us. It is the will of God that we walk in His light as He is in the…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 118:22-29, I Chronicles 1, Ephesians 4:17-32 Reflection Verses: Ephesians 4:31-32 Reflection: As Believers we are to have control of our emotions (bitterness, wrath, anger and so forth). When such things do emerge, we are to deal with them in a manner which glorifies God. We are to forgive others just as God…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 118:13-21, 2 Kings 24-25, Ephesians 4:1-16 Reflection Verses: Ephesians 4:11-12 Reflection: God has given spiritual gifts to His church that are to be used to equip and build each other up in The Lord. With the spiritual gifts, God also gave spiritual authority to use the gifts to serve HIM, and other…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 118:1-12, 2 Kings 22-23, Ephesians 3 Reflection Verse: Ephesians 3:10 Reflection: God is a being of infinite wisdom and glory, and God wants His creatures to know His great and manifold wisdom. One purpose in His great plan of the ages is to use His church to reveal His wisdom. Prayer: Father…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 116, 2 Kings 18:17-19, Ephesians 1:15-2:10 Reflection Verses: Ephesians 2:8-9 Reflection: Paul cannot speak of the glorious work God does in saving us, without reminding us that it is a gift of grace, given to the undeserving. We are not saved by our faith, but by grace through faith. Thank God for…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 115, 2 Kings 17-18:16, Ephesians 1:1-14 Reflection Verses: Ephesians 1:7 Reflection: The word forgiveness literally means “to send off or to send away.” In Scripture this means to separate the sinner from his sin. God accomplishes forgiveness by transferring our sin to Christ on the cross and judging it there. When an…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 114, 2 Kings 15-16, Galatians 6 Reflection Verse: Galatians 6:14Reflection: Paul’s heart cared nothing for the glory that came from fame or riches. He cared nothing for the glory that came from status or power among men. He only cared about the glory of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. When…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 113, 2 Kings 13-14, Galatians 5:13-26 Reflection Verse: Galatians 5:13 Reflection: Paul has made the point over and over again that the Christian life is a life of liberty. Jesus came to set the captives free, not to keep them in bondage or put them in bondage all over again. So, Beloved,…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 112, 2 Kings 10:18- 2 Kings 12, Galatians 4:21-5:12 Reflection Verse: Galatians 5:1 Reflection: It is a fact that Jesus has made us free. We do not make ourselves free. Freedom is a gift of Jesus, given to us and received by faith. God pleads with us to take His strength and…
Scripture Readings: Psalm 111, 2 Kings 9-10:17, Galatians 4:1-20 Reflection Verse: Galatians 4:9 Reflection: Old habits are often difficult to break. In Christ we are made a new person free from our old stuff. We are, however, subject to being enticed back to our old ways. Paul addresses this issue and seeks to let the…
