Monday, July 31, 2017

Monday, July 31st: Psalms 54-56; Romans 3 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 54-56; Romans 3

Romans 3:5b-6
Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath? Absolutely not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?


The idea of a righteous God who inflicts wrath is not a popular idea in society today.  The idea of hell is not a popular idea.  Even Christians can struggle with the idea.

But the truth of the matter is, it doesn't really matter what we think about it or how we feel about it.  God's character is perfect - including His wrath.  If we disagree with that, we're in the wrong, not the other way around.

We can't pick and choose the attributes of God - He is love, peace, mercy, forgiveness, holiness, righteousness, wrath.  He is all of those things, and they all work together in perfect harmony - none of them negate or lessen the other.  

God will judge the world in righteousness - and it will involve both wrath and mercy.  May we choose mercy!

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Psalms 57-59; Romans 4

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Sunday, July 30th: Psalms 51-53; Romans 2 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 51-53; Romans 2

"Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?" Romans‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬

Whoa, reality check. It's often easy to look down on non-Christians just because they sin differently then us. All sin is equal in God's eyes and we all need His mercy and grace the same. The only difference between us and non-Christians is that we have found Christ sooner than them. We need to not be so quick to judge, especially when we are just as guilty.


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassagePsalms 54-56; Romans 3

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Saturday, July 29th: Psalms 49-50; Romans 1 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 49-50; Romans 1

Psalm 49:5b-9
The iniquity of my foes surrounds me.
6 They trust in their wealth
and boast of their abundant riches.
7 Yet these cannot redeem a person
or pay his ransom to God—
8 since the price of redeeming him is too costly,
one should forever stop trying—
9 so that he may live forever
and not see the Pit.

The pursuit of wealth is a high priority for the majority of our society.  However, the Bible is clear that you cannot buy your way into heaven.  There truly is no dollar amount high enough to pay our ransom.  We cannot buy our way in, we cannot earn our way in.  Jesus is our only way to heaven.  He paid the ransom - and it is a priceless gift!  He is the way, the truth, and the life!

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Psalms 51-53; Romans 2

Friday, July 28, 2017

Friday, July 28th: Psalms 46-48; Acts 28 ~ Conrad

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is: Psalms 46-48; Acts 28

"For the Lord most high is awesome, the great King over all the earth."  Psalm 47:2

God is King over everything, His rule is supreme.  I was reminded of His great and awesome power today (Thursday as I'm typing this out) after hearing about a bad vehicle accident that involved my oldest brother.  When two vehicles collide at highway speed at an uncontrolled intersection, not everyone would survive to tell the story.  The chance of survival is even less when a seat belt is not worn.  The chance of survival lessens once again when you have been tossed out of the vehicle through the passenger window.  I know that I have had you paint a gruesome picture in your mind, but despite the truths listed above, my brother was able to get up and walk back to his vehicle before being tended to by the paramedics.  Not one broken bone! (Although when you go through a window you still don't look very good)

Even though my brother would have been in a very low percentile of surviving this accident, God demonstrated His power and delivered evidence once again, that He is in control of literally every situation around us!  

In our New Testament reading I was reminded and challenged by Paul that our mission is to reach out so that we can spread the Gospel message to all the Gentiles.  Salvation is meant for everyone, and as Christians, our task is to spread the Gospel throughout the world.  Easy to say, not as easy to do...........for me.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage is: Psalms 49-50; Romans 1

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Thursday, July 27th: Psalms 43-45; Acts 27:27-44 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 43-45; Acts 27:27-44

Paul's faith, and even the faith of the crew, is amazing to me.

Paul knew God had told him that all the men's lives would be spared, and he had faith that what God promised would come to pass.  The circumstances looked bad.  The storm was horrific.  There was no logical reason to believe God's promise - from a human standpoint, it seemed completely far fetched.

But Paul knew the One who made the promise.

Paul knew He had absolute power over the storm.

Paul knew He had absolute authority over the human lives that He held in His hands.

Paul knew that God is always, always faithful.

And so he calmly broke bread and shared a meal with the terrified crew - trusting in the supernatural that He could not see over the storm that he could see.

I want eyes to see past the storms, through to the all-sovereign, all-powerful, all-loving God and, keeping my eyes on Him alone, trusting His promises with complete and utter faith.


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Psalms 46-48; Acts 28

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Wednesday, July 26th: Psalms 40-42, Acts 27: 1-26 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 40-42, Acts 27: 1-26

Psalm 40:4
Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.


It's easy in times of trouble to look for a quick fix and turn to the first source of answers we can find. But this will often lead to more trouble.

Here we read the importance of trusting in the Lord, relying on Him, and waiting for Him to show us the way.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Acts 27: 22, 25
(22)But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.
(25) So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me


Bad news/good news.

After working hard for several days to save the ship and cargo, Paul gave the crew this news. The ship would be destroyed, but the men would all live.

Sometimes in life we're also presented with a case similar to this, we may lose all we've worked for, and this can be devastating. But we need to remember our main strength and root, which is God, and He loves us and cares for us. We know that in the end things will be a lot better for us, if we keep faithful to Him.


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Psalms 43-45; Acts 27:27-44

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Tuesday, July 25th: Psalm 37-39; Acts 26 ~ Jody

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is: Psalm 37-39; Acts 26

Psalm 37:7-9
Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
Sometimes it's hard to wait on God and trust His plan and His timing. This is especially true in times of struggling when it seems like non-believers are soaring through life "successfully". This Psalm reminded me that hope in the Lord is not in vain. He is the ultimate "success plan"!

I love how the first sentence directs to to be still before the Lord. I always find myself thinking I need to do more, take action, make plans - but here He is saying to Be Still!! It really is when we sit before the Lord in stillness that we hear Him best - and find His strength to trust and wait. Easier said than done!!

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:Psalm 40-42; Acts 27:1-26

Monday, July 24, 2017

Monday, July 24th: Psalm 35-36; Acts 25

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalm 35-36; Acts 25

I noticed that Psalm 36 is very similar to the song "Your Love Oh Lord" by Third Day:

Your love, oh Lord
Reaches to the heavens
Your faithfulness stretches to the sky
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains
Your justice flows like the ocean's tide
I will lift my voice
To worship You, my King
I will find my strength
In the shadow of your wings


I love how Psalm 36 describes God in such a Mighty way. The sky, the mountains, and the ocean are all huge and magnificent, just like God. And because He is so Mighty, I can always find strength in Him.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Psalm 37-39; Acts 26

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Sunday, July 23rd: Psalms 33-34; Acts 24 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 33-34; Acts 24

"We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone." - Psalms‬ ‭33‬:‭20-22‬

This is the major reason why I don't understand why people do not believe in Jesus: hope. Why would you choose to believe in something that gives you no hope? If you believe in Christ, you have hope that He has a plan for you, He will deliver you, He will save you, one day He will come back for you and you will be with Him forever, and so many more things. How could someone live without the reassurance that hope in Christ brings? This is what I think about anytime I begin to doubt God. I could never live without hope in Him. 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassagePsalms 35-36; Acts 25

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Saturday, July 22nd: Psalms 31-32; Acts 23:16-35 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 31-32; Acts 23:16-35

David spends several verses detailing his distress and frustration due to the trials he is facing, and then he writes...
Psalm 31:14 But I trust in you, Lord
Hard times will come.  Anyone that says anything different is preaching a false prosperity gospel.  Hard times will come.

BUT

Even in the hard times, God is faithful and we can trust Him.
The question is, will we?

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassagePsalms 33-34; Acts 24

Friday, July 21, 2017

Friday, July 21st: Psalms 29-30; Acts 23:1-15 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 29-30; Acts 23:1-15

Psalm 30:11-12
You turned my lament into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
so that I can sing to you and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

There is such hope in these verses!  But a dose of reality as well.

In this world we will have cause to lament.  There will be seasons of life where we are mourning, and sometimes that mourning will be so intense it might be easy to forget this promise.

He WILL turn our sorrow into dancing.
He WILL remove our sackcloth.
He WILL clothe us with gladness.
And we will praise Him forever!

Words to cling to when hard times hit.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Psalms 31-32; Acts 23:16-35

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Thursday, July 20th: Psalms 26-28; Acts 22 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 26-28; Acts 22

Psalm 26:11-12
But I live with integrity;
redeem me and be gracious to me.
My foot stands on level ground;
I will bless the Lord in the assemblies.

David pens these words after describing the evil deeds that were the norm in his society then, words that would be very similar if we were to describe our society now.  And then he says.....
BUT
I live with integrity.

Can we say that about ourselves?  Do we live with integrity no matter what situation we are in, no matter who we are with - Christian friends or unbelieving friends?

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassagePsalms 29-30; Acts 23:1-15

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Wednesday, July 19th: Psalms 23-25, Acts 21: 18-40 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is: Psalms 23-25; Acts 21:18-40

In Psalm 23 we read about all God does for us,

- makes us lie down in green pastures
- leads us beside quiet waters
- refreshes our soul
- guides us along right paths
- He protects us as we walk through dark valleys
- prepares a table for us
- anoints my head with oil
- allows us to dwell in His house

What an amazing list of things He does for a sinner like me! I should want to do my best for Him, even though it won't even come close to matching what He's already done for me.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Acts 21:30
The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut.


Paul went through mental and physical abuse many times, in order to spread Christianity. His love for Christ and dedication to Him are evident by his willingness to take abuse, in order for some to hear the good news. What a great example Paul shows.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Psalms 26-28; Acts 22

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Tuesday, July 18th: Psalms 20-22; Acts 21:1-17 ~ Jody

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is: Psalms 20-22; Acts 21:1-17

Psalm 22:27
All the ends of the earth will remember
and turn to the Lord.
All the families of the nations
will bow down before you,
28 for kingship belongs to the Lord;
he rules the nations.


Amen! Regardless of who you are, where you are and what you believe. Kingship belongs to the Lord. As our world turns more and more vocal against the truth of the Word, what an encouragement and reminder - that He rules the nations.


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassagePsalms 23-25; Acts 21:18-40

Monday, July 17, 2017

Monday, July 17th: Psalms 18-19; Acts 20:17-38 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 18-19; Acts 20:17-38

Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands.

This is so true, and so evident.  When I look at creation, and the amazing creative of God within in, I literally stand in awe of the work of His hands. It is obvious in the grand and spectacular - the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls - as well as the tiny details you can see in the flowers and grasses of the fields. Truly, creation testifies to our God!

Acts 20:24-27
But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.
“And now I know that none of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will ever see me again. Therefore I declare to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, because I did not avoid declaring to you the whole plan of God.

Those are powerful words, and I want to be able to say them, as Paul did!

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassagePsalms 20-22; Acts 21:1-17

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Sunday, July 16th: Psalms 16-17; Acts 20:1-16 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 16-17; Acts 20:1-16

“I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” - ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16:8‬

This has always been one of my favourite verses. I struggle a lot with fear and anxiety, so I have often repeated these words to myself in moments of shaking and fear. It is a constant reminder that God is with us and He is strong. We don't have to be afraid because we have Him on our side.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassagePsalms 18-19; Acts 20:17-38

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Saturday, July 15th: Psalms 13-15; Acts 19:21-41 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 13-15; Acts 19:21-41

I loved this entire Psalm ....

Psalm 15
Lord, who can dwell in your tent?
Who can live on your holy mountain?
The one who lives blamelessly, practices righteousness,
and acknowledges the truth in his heart— 
who does not slander with his tongue,
who does not harm his friend
or discredit his neighbour,
who despises the one rejected by the Lord
but honors those who fear the Lord,
who keeps his word whatever the cost,
who does not lend his silver at interest
or take a bribe against the innocent—
the one who does these things will never be shaken.

The "title" of this Psalm was "A Description of the Godly".

Is this a description of me?

Do I live blamelessly?
Do I practice righteousness?
Do I acknowledge truth?
Do I use my tongue to build up and stop myself from bad mouthing others?
Do I help, and not harm?
Do I build up the reputation of my neighbour?
Do I fear the Lord, and honour others who do too?
Do I keep my word, no matter the cost?
Am I generous?
Am I above board, even when no one is watching?
Is my foundation built on the Solid Rock so that I will not be shaken?

All of these things I can not do on my own strength.  But because He abides in me (and you) and I (us) in Him, this can be a description of you and me.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassagePsalms 16-17; Acts 20:1-16

Friday, July 14, 2017

Friday, July 14th: Psalms 10-12, Acts 19:1-20 ~ Tammy


Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 10-12, Acts 19:1-20

Psalm 11:4 But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven.

Psalm 10 reminded me a lot of Job. But I love that it is followed by this verse in Psalm 11. No matter how bleak the circumstances, no matter how dark the night, or severe the trial, He is still sovereign.  He is still King of all Kings. And He is still good. 

When the phone call comes, when the diagnosis is bad, when disaster strikes - He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassagePsalms 13-15Acts 19:21-41

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Thursday, July 13th: Psalms 7-9; Acts 18 ~ Pamela

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 7-9; Acts 18

A few things I noticed in today's reading:

Psalm 7:14

The wicked conceive evil;
    they are pregnant with trouble
    and give birth to lies.

What a cool analogy about being "pregnant" with trouble. Just as a women is pregnant with a child, it grows and grows until it is fully developed. Evil also often begins small, almost unnoticeable, and then it grows and grows until it cannot be ignored.

Psalm 9: 19-20

Arise, O Lord!
    Do not let mere mortals defy you!
    Judge the nations!
20 Make them tremble in fear, O Lord.
    Let the nations know they are merely human. Interlude

Sometimes as we look around and see the chaos of the world right now we might think God is not seeing the evil that is in our world. We might desire to call out to God for judgement because we want to stop the madness that society proclaims as acceptable. We are just mere humans and sometimes we fail to realize that while others may be sinning differently than us, we ALL fall short of His kingdom.

Acts 18:3 Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers[b] just as he was.

For some reason, "just as he was" stood out for me today. I guess I never really thought of Paul as having a "real" job or skill....besides preaching and writing. I think that's something that we can appreciate about ourselves too. God has blessed us with many diverse skills and talents and we can use all of them to glorify him...whether making tents, preaching, or writing.


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassagePsalms 10-12Acts 19:1-20

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Wednesday, July 12th: Psalms 4-6; Acts 17:16-34 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 4-6; Acts 17:16-34

"But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him." - Psalms‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬

It says it right there: "the Lord hears when I call to him." Even when a thousand others are praying to God, He hears us. Even when we disobey Him countless times, He hears us. Even when we don't think we need Him because life is going pretty good, He hears us. God is always there, always listening, always answering, and always caring. 'Oh what a friend we have in Jesus'.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassagePsalms 7-9; Acts 18

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Tuesday, July 11th: Psalms 1-3; Acts 17:1-15 ~ Jody's Posts

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is: Psalms 1-3; Acts 17:1-15
Lord, how many are my foes!
    How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,

    “God will not deliver him.[d]
 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
    my glory, the One who lifts my head high.I call out to the Lord,
    and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep;
    I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands
    assail me on every side.

                                   Psalms 3:1-6

I just love the imagery in these verses. Even though David is being pursued by Absalom to be killed and overthrown from his throne, he can rest in the Lord. And here I think I have troubles sometimes!! If David can rest in the power of the Lord at a time like that, I can surely rest in God with my troubles. 

We serve the same, unchanging, unwavering God of David, let's be encouraged to praise and trust Him just as David did! 


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassagePsalms 4-6; Acts 17:16-34

Monday, July 10, 2017

Monday, July 10th: Job 41-42; Acts 16:22-40 ~ Kezia

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Job 41-42; Acts 16:22-40

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prisoner doors fell open, and everybody's chains came loose." Acts 16:25

I love this story because God saved Paul and Silas only once they began praying and singing. Paul and Silas could've spent their time weeping and bummed out, unsure of what God's plan was for them. Instead they worshiped God.

In difficult times do I worship God or blame God? Do I ever underestimate the power of worship?

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Psalms 1:3; Acts 17:1-15

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Sunday, July 9th: Job 38-40; Acts 16:1-21 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Job 38-40; Acts 16:1-21

Acts 16:16-21 is such a good example of how our faith should be like. Paul cast out demons from this girl, knowing there could be consequences, and sure enough there were (as we find out later in the chapter, they're sent to jail for this). But knowing the consequences of their faith, Paul and Silas still did what was right and what God had called them to do. We need to be bold and unashamed like this in our faith too. 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassageJob 41-42; Acts 16:22-40

Saturday, July 8, 2017

Saturday, July 8th: Job 36-37; Acts 15:22-41 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Job 36-37; Acts 15:22-41

Acts 15:36 After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers and sisters in every town where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they’re doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take along John Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended by the brothers and sisters to the grace of the Lord. 41 He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
I read a few commentaries and posts about this passage and found some really interesting thoughts from a few different angles.

John Piper's sermon Barnabas: The Weakness of a Great Leader
Dr Greg Harris post: Paul and Barnabas Split: The Progression of John Mark

Piper fleshed these points out in much greater details but he summarized it this way....
  1. Great saints go astray—sons of thunder and sons of encouragement.
  2. The ministry is made up of many judgment calls, and we will have to learn to disagree on some things without rancor or bitterness or resentment.
  3. Every strength has its corresponding weakness and we are all vulnerable.
  4. Therefore we need each other's different strengths and mustn't envy one another but rather give thanks for God's wisdom.
  5. Past experiences and past usefulness are no guarantee of future obedience. Successful Christian living is made of vigilance and constant prayer.
  6. The cause of God will triumph through all the weaknesses and failures of his people. Our defeats are temporary and the celebration of our enemies is brief.
Harris notes (sorry, this is a bit long, but I really appreciated his perspective):

While this sharp disagreement between two of our heroes in the faith could cause some concern, we should be thankful to Luke for revealing the humanity of these two men. That Luke is willing to record not only the marvelous events during the establishment of the church, but also the rough patches as well, lends credibility to his account.....

Who was right? Barnabas or Paul? .... In a way, they both were right. It wouldn’t have been productive for Paul to take Mark when he didn’t trust him, but Barnabas saw the long-term potential in Mark and gave him another chance....

It’s tough to grasp the idea that two of the most influential men in the establishment of the church could have such a heated (remember, violent outburst) disagreement, but at the same time we have the benefit of seeing the big picture. God worked a great deal of good from this situation.

The most obvious working of good is that two missionary journeys were launched rather than just one (Acts 15.39-41). Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus. Paul and Silas traveled through Syria and Cilicia.

Also, Barnabas shows us a fantastic character lesson by refusing to use his clout to overrule or cause trouble for Paul. We are talking about a man (Barnabas) who led the church in its earliest days (Acts 11.22-24), brought Paul into the work (he was the teacher and Paul the apprentice at one time), lead the first missionary journey (Acts 13.2), and represented the church at the Jerusalem Council. You think Barnabas couldn’t have made trouble for Paul if he had so desired? He could have easily played the “church politics game” and created an even larger issue than it was already.

Though we don’t know the specifics, I believe Paul grew up some through the process as well. He learned how to show grace and forgiveness. We know that later in Paul’s life he commended the ministry of Barnabas (1 Cor 9.6).....

Despite everything that happened at Pamphylia (Acts 13.13) and the emotionally violent disagreement over Mark in Acts 15.36-41, Paul, at the end of his life, found Mark to be very useful for ministry. The man he wanted to leave behind years before had become highly valuable to him. What a change! And this isn’t a change that would have come lightly. Mark must have undergone significant character enhancement since he had last been with Paul, and Paul had grown in his capacity to forgive and recognize the sanctification process in others. It is a beautiful picture of love, grace, perseverance, and restoration.

Here we have this man, John Mark, who clearly messed up in his abandonment of Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey. In many cases, a man like this may have tucked his tail between his legs and never been seen again. How easy that might have been. But instead Mark ends up becoming so much more than a failure. God uses the time Mark has alone with Barnabas to mold him into a champion of the early church and a dear friend of the man who once rejected him. How good is God’s process of sanctification?

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Job 38-40; Acts 16:1-21

Friday, July 7, 2017

Friday, July 7th: Job 34-35, Acts 15:1-21

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is: Job 34-35, Acts 15:1-21

Job 34:10, 12
Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding.
It is impossible for God to do wrong,
and for the Almighty to act unjustly....
Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly
and the Almighty does not pervert justice.


We serve a God of justice.

One day all wrongs will be made right.

All sins will be punished.

That sounds great, as long as we're thinking about all those "sinners" out there. But not so great when we're acknowledging our own sin.

Thankfully Jesus bore the punishment for our sins so we don't have to.

He has instilled that sense of justice within us. We are to fight for justice as we are able, but we cannot forget His example of grace and mercy too.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Job 36-37; Acts 15:22-41

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Thursday, July 6: Job 32 - 33, Acts 14 ~ Pamela

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Job 32-33; Acts 14

In today's reading, the thing that stood out for me was mistaken first impressions.

First, the example of Elihu. It doesn't say how old he was but it does mention that he was younger than Job and his friends. (This immediately made me think about the verse I teach my Grade 1 friends: 1 Timothy 4:12. I want them to know that even though they are among the youngest in the school that they have value and can be an example.) A first impression of Elihu could have been that with his lack of age and experience he may not have had authority or even anything to add to Job and his situation. However, this was not true. 

From this website:

Elihu was one of Job’s friends—not one of the three who had come to comfort Job at the beginning of the book, but one who arrives later and offers the last and longest single speech to Job. Elihu is identified only as the “son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram” (Job 32:2). In Job 32—37 Elihu offers a response to Job that lifts up the Lord, condemns Job’s three friends, and rightly confronts Job....

...In short, Elihu condemns Job’s friends and Job’s claim of being without sin, declares God’s justice, condemns Job’s attitude toward God, and exalts God’s greatness. Elihu’s four-part speech is followed by God breaking His silence to directly answer Job. In Job 42:7 the Lord condemns Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Elihu is not mentioned again after he finishes his speech, but, significantly, he is not rebuked by God.

Elihu’s life and speech offer many insights for today. First, he dealt with the real issues of the situation rather than looking at the situation from a human perspective. Second, he emphasized God and His greatness rather than focus on a human response to problems. Third, he responded with respect, allowing others to speak first before offering his own response. These traits can help us today as we seek to understand why God allows suffering and as we attempt to help others who face suffering.


Elihu understood what was happening even better than Job or his older friends despite his age. It is significant that Elihu is not rebuked by God when God begins to speak to Job and his friends. Elihu modelled patience, respect, and wisdom in his response to Job and in his reverence to God. We don't always expect this in younger people and sometimes we are quick to overlook their advice.

In the NT, when Paul and Barnabas were healing and sharing the gospel, people proclaimed them as gods in human form. Paul and Barnabas were so distraught that they tore their clothes and tried to make sure people understood that THEY were not the important ones, but mere messengers for the Living God. However, first impressions are hard to deny and people only see what they want to see. The people of Lystra stayed true to their first impression.

18 Even though they said these things, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.

As humans, we can be so blind to reality. We choose to believe what we see and it's hard to change our first impressions even when confronted by the truth.

Finally, I think it is remarkable that Paul was stoned and left for dead and yet was well enough to travel to Derbe the next day. How bad was Paul hurt that the people stoning him believed they had succeeded in ending his life? Yet, how amazingly quick was his recovery that Paul was well enough to travel the next day? The mistaken first impression of the people stoning Paul was that they had eliminated him from preaching. They believed the Jews, who were intent on poisoning their minds with false truths, and attempted to end Paul's mission. However, they were unsuccessful in every sense because not only was Paul very much alive, but he was able to travel to spread the gospel even farther because of persecution. The gospel was shared in Derbe, again in Lystra, Iconium, Antioch, Pisdidia, Pamphylia, Perga, Attalia, and again they returned to Antioch.  The intent was to stop Paul's ministry. The result was the spread of gospel.

Sometimes we can be too focused on initial impressions or on things that are not true. We might be wrong about someone's value, we might be mistaken about someone's actions, and we might believe that we have the power to interrupt God's plan by inserting our own agenda. Sometimes we need to step back from the situation and think about our first impression and find out if it is, in fact, as true as we think it is.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassageJob 34-35; Acts 15:1-21

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Wednesday, July 5th: Job 30 - 31, Acts 13: 26-52 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is: Job 30-31; Acts 13:26-52

Job 30:20
“I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me.


How often don't I want God to answer me immediately? Or expect a quick response to a question or issue I have? Kind of like how we look up a question we have on google, and get an immediate answer.

Job was frustrated with not knowing why he was going through this trial, he didn't understand and I'm sure wanted a quick answer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Acts 13:43
When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.


What a joyful scene this must have been, I would have liked to be there to see and experience this. Seeing a congregation and speakers who wanted most importantly to serve God and honor Him. I'm thankful for our church leaders who give their best to help us, because they want to serve God.


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Job 32-33; Acts 14

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Tuesday, July 4th: Job 28-29; Acts 13:1-25 ~ Jody

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is: Job 28-29; Acts 13:1-25

“The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding.” Job 28:28

In the earlier verses Job talks about all the different places man looks for wisdom. I love the picture he paints in this chapter. To the centre of the earth where miners travel, the depths of the ocean, the wealth of pearls - nowhere can wisdom be found except in the Lord.

I also appreciate that a crucial piece of the formula is that to understand, we must turn from evil. It's not enough to just seek wisdom, we have to turn from evil as well.


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:Job 30-31; Acts 13:26-52

Monday, July 3, 2017

Monday, July 3rd: Job 25-27; Acts 12 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Job 25-27; Acts 12

Every time I read the story of Peter's rescue, I always find it funny how the servant girl, Rhoda, leaves Peter standing outside because she's so shocked to see him, and that the believers don't believe her, even though they've been praying for this exact thing.

Whether this was a lack of faith, or simply a matter of knowing that God was capable of rescuing Peter but not knowing whether or not He would - God did the miracle anyway!

It reminds me of the plea in Mark "I believe, help my unbelief", and it makes me so grateful that God hears us, despite our weak faith, and that He answers even when our belief is a work in progress.  He is faithful!


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Job 28-29; Acts 13:1-25

Sunday, July 2, 2017

Sunday, July 2nd: Job 22-24; Acts 11 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Job 22-24; Acts 11

"If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" - Acts 11‬:‭17‬

Sometimes we get jealous of other people's talents or gifts, or the fact that people who recently came to know Christ are receiving more of a "reward" for their good works than we ever have. And sometimes we ask God why this is happening because it's "so unfair". But this verse tells us plainly: God gives GIFTS and He is GOD, why are we questioning GOD? Especially over "who gets the better gift". This is sort of an eye-opening verse for me. 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassageJob 25-27; Acts 12

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Saturday, July 1st: Job 20-21; Acts 10:24-48 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Job 20-21; Acts 10:24-48

Job 20:4-5 
Don’t you know that ever since antiquity,
from the time a human was placed on earth,
the joy of the wicked has been brief
and the happiness of the godless has lasted only a moment?

Zophar's advice was not applicable to Job, who was a righteous man not a wicked man, but it was accurate.

Sometimes it seems like the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer.

And often they do.

For now.

Whether the joy of the wicked lasts for their entire life on earth, or only part of it, it is still brief when compared to the vastness of eternity.

In the end, justice will prevail.  Satan's lies will be exposed.  The wicked will be joyful no more.

In the end, the righteous will experience everlasting joy beyond compare.

As hard as it can be sometimes, we need to view our lives in light of eternity.


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassageJob 22-24; Acts 11