Friday, September 13th: Isaiah 12:1-14:32, 2 Corinthians 13:1-14, Psalm 57:1-11, Proverbs 23:9-11 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is   Isaiah 12:1-14:32, 2 Corinthians 13:1-14, Psalm 57:1-11, Proverbs 23:9-11

^{2 Corinthians 13:7} We pray to God that you will not do what is wrong by refusing our correction.

I know Paul wasn't talking specifically to us in this passage, but it still spoke to me.

Are we quick to accept correction - biblically sound correction from wise Christian whom we respect?

Or are we defensive and quick to justify our sin?

May we be humble enough to accept correction, and willing to listen if someone we love comes to us with a concern.  Simple concept, but so hard to do!

I also love this portion....

11 Dear brothers and sisters,[c] I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.
Amen!

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Isaiah 15:1-18:7, Galatians 1:1-24, Psalm 58:1-11, Proverbs 23:12

Wednesday, September 11th: Isaiah 8:1-9:21, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Psalm 55:1-23, Proverbs 23:4-5 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Isaiah 8:1-9:21, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Psalm 55:1-23, Proverbs 23:4-5

12 This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. ² I^[a] was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. ³ Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know ⁴ that I was caught up^[b] to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.

This passage is one of the reasons I have massive reservations about any of the "been to heaven" books that have been on the bestseller lists for the past number of years.

The apostle Paul himself was not allowed to speak about what he saw, he admits that he doesn't know whether he was actually there or if it was a vision, and he was given a thorn in his flesh to keep him humble.

If Paul couldn't share, and if no further details are given about heaven (other than what has already been revealed to us in the rest of scripture), why now?  And why would we trust the words of a child (or adult, depending on the novel) more than the words of scripture?

Scripture has given us glimpses of heaven, and I know it is going to be far greater than we could ever imagine!

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Isaiah 10:1-11:16, 2 Corinthians 12:11-21, Psalm 56:1-13, Proverbs 23:6-8

Tuesday, September 10th: Isaiah 6:1-7:25, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, Psalm 54:1-7, Proverbs 23:1-3 ~ Jeannine

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Isaiah 6:1-7:25, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, Psalm 54:1-7, Proverbs 23:1-3 

Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”
Isaiah 6:5-7

Isaiah felt his weakness at this moment and recognized that it was not his ability to speak but God's grace that he should have been placing his self worth in. How often we put our faith in our own abilities rather than recognizing that all that we need is God. He is where our identity lies.

I was reading something similar earlier today in regards to our self-worth.

You are not your past mistakes, you are not your past sins. You have been redeemed by the blood. Keep on pressing on. God is working through your struggles. He knows! God knew you and I were going to be messy. God isn’t frustrated with you so take that out of your head. God hasn’t abandoned you. God’s love is not based on your performance. God’s mercy is not dependent on you. Christ has become our righteousness. He did what you and I could never do.

You were bought with the precious blood of Christ. Not only has God chosen you, not only has God saved you, but God is working in your struggles to make you more like Christ. Don’t let things like sin discourage you. You were bought with the blood of Christ. Now press on. Keep on fighting! Don’t give up. Go to the Lord, confess your sins, and press on! God is not done working yet! If you could have saved yourself by your performance, then you would have never needed a Savior! Jesus is our only claim.

https://biblereasons.com/self-worth-and-self-esteem/

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Isaiah 8:1-9:21, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Psalm 55:1-23, Proverbs 23:4-5

Monday, September 2: Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Psalm 46:1-11, Proverbs 22:15

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Psalm 46:1-11, Proverbs 22:15 

These verses stood out for me today:

15 What is wrong cannot be made right.
    What is missing cannot be recovered.

We live in a world where almost everything is tolerated...and if you don't you're narrow-minded...even though to tolerate a difference of opinion seems to be what society expects except in matters of truth. There's that saying that you don't know what you have until it's gone. How true that is. When truth begins to erode and crumble, it's a slippery slope. Truth is missing and it can't be recovered very easily.

8 We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. 

Things weren't all that different for Paul. He was trying to preach the truth because it was missing and yet he faced opposition from those who didn't like what he was saying. May we speak the truth too, even if it's hard.

1 1. God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.

Even when we face opposition, we know that God is on our side.

I thought this was an interesting Proverb today:

15 15. A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness,
    but physical discipline will drive it far away.

"Experts" have been saying that discipline, especially physical, has harmful effects on children. However, it's interesting that there seems to be an increase in unruly children over the exact timeframe of this message being given to parents. Ecclesiastes says: "what is wrong cannot be made right, what is missing cannot be recovered." Taking away discipline (and making it criminal) is not God's plan and now the children growing up without boundaries are experiencing the "missing" and it cannot be recovered. Oh we are thankful that God is our refuge and strength because we live in times of trouble.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12, 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7, Psalm 47:1-9, Proverbs 22:16 

Friday, August 30th: Job 34:1-36:33, 2 Corinthians 4:1-12, Psalm 44:1-8, Proverbs 22:10-12 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Job 34:1-36:33, 2 Corinthians 4:1-12, Psalm 44:1-8, Proverbs 22:10-12

2 Corinthians 8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 

I know that sometimes it doesn't seem like these words ring true.  We sometimes feel like we are crushed, that we are driven to despair and that we are abandoned by God. 

But sometimes what we feel and what is true is not the same.  No matter what we feel, God never abandons us.  No matter how we feel, ultimately and eternally we are not crushed or destroyed - indeed, we are the victors. 

When our feelings do not line up with God's Word, we need to let the truth lead us and cling to the promises of God.

Fairly applicable to the book of Job as well!

This doesn't discount our pain.  But it acknowledges God's sovereignty, faithfulness, and goodness, amidst the pain.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Job 37:1-39:30, 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10, Psalm 44:9-26, Proverbs 22:13

Tuesday, August 27th: Job 23:1-27:23, 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11, Psalm 41:1-13, Proverbs 22:5-6 ~ Jeannine

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Job 23:1-27:23, 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11, Psalm 41:1-13, Proverbs 22:5-6

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older; they will not leave it.
Proverbs 22:6

The devotional I read today talks about how we often think of this as a promise rather than a proverb. But as a proverb if we raise our children with godly effort most often it will produce godly children but there is no guarantee.

As my children get older and really start making their own decisions I have found it more and more difficult to let go and I think it's often because I'm afraid they will make a choice that will make me feel like a failure. But the truth is I can never do enough, be enough or try enough to make this proverb a promise. I have to let go and trust God with them and pray that He can work in their lives.

"We simply don't have the power to bring about our child's repentance and faith. That is a burden we were never meant to bear, a burden only our heavenly Father is able to bear.

When we recognize that this is a proverb and not a promise we can stop judging other parents whose kids seem to be straying from the path of Christ. And we can come out from underneath our own self-condemnation when our kids seem to be resisting our direction toward the right path. We can talk back to the voices inside our heads that tell us that if we had just tried harder, communicated more clearly, been more consistent, gotten our child to church more often, homeschooled, Christian schooled, public schooled, then certainly things would be different. We can rest in the sovereignty of God, casting all of our cares about the path our child is taking on the Lord, knowing he cares for us and our child.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Job 28:1-30:31, 2 Corinthians 2:12-17, Psalm 42:1-11, Proverbs 22:7

Monday, August 26th: Job 20:1-22:30, 2 Corinthians 1:1-11, Psalm 40:11-17, Proverbs 22:2-4 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Job 20:1-22:30, 2 Corinthians 1:1-11, Psalm 40:11-17, Proverbs 22:2-4 

2 Corinthians 1
4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

God is with us in our suffering.  And though we don't know all the reasons behind our suffering, we do know that we are better able to comfort someone when we have gone through the same trial they have. 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Job 23:1-27:23, 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11, Psalm 41:1-13, Proverbs 22:5-6

Thursday, September 27th: Psalm 141-143, 2 Corinthians 13 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 141-143, 2 Corinthians 13

A few verses that caught my attention:

Psalm 141:3
Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.

A good reminder to watch what I say, and not say careless or foolish things that I will regret later, and can't take back.

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Psalm 142:2
I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble.

Thankful that I can talk to God about the things that bother me, and try to leave these things with Him and not worry.

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2 Corinthians 13:14
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

This verse to me summed up what God all does for us. He loves us so much that He sent His son to die for us, and gives us His holy spirit to help us. We don't need anything else in life.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:    Psalms 144-146, James 1

Wednesday, September 26th; Psalms 138-140, 2 Corinthians 12 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 138-140, 2 Corinthians 12

Our 2 Corinthians passage today reminds me why I'm rather skeptical of the heaven tourism books that have been all the rage in recent years.

Paul did not even know for sure if what he saw was a vision or if he had actually been taken into heaven, he revealed only what God told him to reveal, and was given a thorn in his side in order not to boast about the privilege.  That doesn't sound at all like any of the heaven tourism books out there. (It's also not coincidental that more and more people have had these experiences once the book deals and money started rolling in).

God has told us all we need to know about heaven.  It will far surpass our imaginations and I can't wait to see it!

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:   Psalms 141-143, 2 Corinthians 13

Tuesday, Sept 25: Psalms 135-137, 2 Corinthians 11 - Danae

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 135-137, 2 Corinthians 11

False teachers...

In this chapter, Paul is strongly cautioning us to be wary of/on guard for false teachers.

3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. 4 You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. 

Do we just accept what we hear or do we test it against the Bible. Do we look at the size of church or the name of the pastor/teacher & take what is said as “gospel truth”? We need to make sure that we don’t blindly follow or willingly accept teachings that do not line up with the Bible. 

Paul empowers us to question.  To know the Bible & believe it, not the teacher. The teacher will come as an “angel of light” to deceive & we have to be prepared to recognize it.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Psalms 138-140, 2 Corinthians 12

Monday, September 24: Psalms 132-134, 2 Corinthians 10 ~ by Pamela

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 132-134, 2 Corinthians 10

Here are a few things that stood out for me:

11 The Lord swore an oath to David
    with a promise he will never take back:

We were just talking in Sunday school yesterday about how we need to have faith in God by reflecting on His promises. God will always keep his promises. It may not be in our timing but we need to have faith that God will let it happen in His timing.


How wonderful and pleasant it is
    when brothers live together in harmony!

Our principal just read this verse over our morning announcements this week. How true it is. When you think about your family, your classmates, your coworkers....how much more enjoyable it is when everyone gets along. I think about how this verse applies when disagreeing with people and how to speak the truth in love and still maintain a relationship with a person with whom you disagree.

3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 [a]We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

Again, a reminder to have faith that God will do His good works in His time. Also that it is not our job to alienate or judge those and perhaps turn them from God because of our words and actions.

18 When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.

What a great reminder. We should not believe that our accomplishments are ours and ours alone. It is God who gives us our talents and when we use them to honour Him, we will be worthy of the highest praise from our creator "Well done, good and faithful servant"

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Psalms 135-137, 2 Corinthians 11

Friday, September 21st: Psalms 126-128; 2 Corinthians 8 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 126-128; 2 Corinthians 8

“Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭126:5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A little reminder in today’s reading that there is always hope. Just keep trusting in God, and pushing through. Your reward is coming. 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Psalms 129-131; 2 Corinthians 9

Thursday, September 20th: Psalms 123-125, 2 Corinthians 7 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 123-125, 2 Corinthians 7

Psalm 124: 6-8
Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
[7] We have escaped like a bird from the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.
[8] Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

A reminder to me that we have very little control in this world over anything. At the other end of the spectrum is God, who is in control of everything. I'm thankful that God loves us and wants to help us.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Psalms 126-128, 2 Corinthians 8

Wednesday, September 19th: Psalms 120-122, 2 Corinthians 6 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 120-122, 2 Corinthians 6

Psalm 120:1 I took my troubles to the Lord;
I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.
Taking our troubles to God should always be our first instinct, never our Plan B.

2 Corinthians 6:14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil[d]? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?
This is a huge reminder of how important it is for believers to marry other believers.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Psalms 123-125, 2 Corinthians 7

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 117-118, 2 Corinthians 4

2 Corinthians 18 says, "18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." I find that as humans we all try to find happiness in worldly things and things that can be seen, however here we are told that we should not care about our earthly possessions but should think and care about our unseen possessions and that is what the Lord requires of us. 








Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Psalms 119, 2 Corinthians 5

Friday, September 14th: Psalm 112-114, 2 Corinthians 2 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalm 112-114, 2 Corinthians 2

2 Corinthians 2:14 Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. 15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume.
We are not responsible for how others react to the fragrance of Christ that we spread - but we are responsible to spread it!

Thursday, September 21st: Ecclesiastes 7-9; 2 Corinthians 13 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is  Ecclesiastes 7-9; 2 Corinthians 13

Ecclesiastes 7:9: Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools.
There are times when we are filled with righteous anger and react accordingly and appropriately.

But, if we're honest, those times are few and far between.

What is far more likely to happen is that we are filled with unrighteous anger and we lose our temper, overreacting inappropriately.  And wind up looking like a fool.

Yup, that's much more common, unfortunately.

May we be purposeful about guarding our temper and our tongue, exercising self-control, responding with love and gentleness instead of anger and harshness, relying on His strength and not our own.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Ecclesiastes 10-12; Galatians 1

Wednesday, September 20th: Ecclesiastes 4-6, 2 Corinthians 12 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is: Ecclesiastes 4-6; 2 Corinthians 12

Ecclesiastes 5: 18
This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot.

Some people can enjoy an easier life, but some have to work hard all their days, God gives some alot and some not as much. Am I thankful for what I've been given? Am I willing to work my whole life for Him?

2 Corinthians 12: 10
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul was given a "thorn in his flesh (v7)" to torment him, in order to keep him from being conceited, and he used this to glorify God all the more. Do I approach my own shortcomings this way? Or do I feel sorry for myself?


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Ecclesiastes 7-9; 2 Corinthians 13

Tuesday, September 19; Ecclesiastes 1-3; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 ~ Jody

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is: Ecclesiastes 1-3; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33

There is an occasion for everything,
and a time for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to give birth and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to uproot;[t]
3 a time to kill and a time to heal;
a time to tear down and a time to build;
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance;
5 a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing;
6 a time to search and a time to count as lost;
a time to keep and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear and a time to sew;
a time to be silent and a time to speak;
8 a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

This is an all time favourite passage of mine. I found a devotional on Bible.org that talks more about "time" in these verses:

The key word in this section is “time,” and it is used thirty times in 3:1-8. There are three insights worth noting in 3:1. First, Solomon is not going to be making judgments on the topics that follow in 3:2-8, he is merely recording the events that occur “under heaven.” Second, Solomon builds his argument upon the word “appointed.”77 The events of our lives do not randomly happen by chance; God has a purpose behind them. Third, Solomon uses an unusual Hebrew word translated “event.” This word conveys the idea of “delight.”78 By using the word “delight” instead of one of the standard nouns, Solomon implies that there is a good sense that one experiences by fitting into a given event at the right time. In other words, there is a sense of success based on appropriate timing—even if the activity, by its nature, is not delightful.79Again, timing is everything.

Even though we may not (in our humanness) like the season or time we are in, this passage is a reminder that God is in all of them! He has appointed these seasons and walks near us through them all.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Ecclesiastes 4-6; 2 Corinthians 12

Monday, September 18th: Proverbs 30-31; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Proverbs 30-31; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15

Proverbs 30:8-9

Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me.
Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need.
Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, saying, “Who is the Lord?”
or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.
There is a danger in both poverty and wealth, and the writer wisely asks God to rather grant him something in between in order to avoid the temptations that come with either one.

Thankfully, no matter our circumstances, we are never tempted beyond what we are able to bear - God will always provide a way out, no matter what (1 Corinthians 10:13). We are without excuse.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Ecclesiastes 1-3; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33