Monday, June 24: Deuteronomy 2:1-3:29, Luke 6:12-38, Psalm 67:1-7, Proverbs 11:27

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 2:1-3:29, Luke 6:12-38, Psalm 67:1-7, Proverbs 11:27 

I've got grad on the mind since my youngest child is graduating this week. These verses stood out for me through that lens:

7 For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.”’

It may not have been 40 years that my son has endured through high school (although he may argue that it felt like it ;) but surely God has blessed the work of his hands and he knows the trials that our son endured during that great "wilderness" of the high school experience and the unknown that it brought. When we are following God's plan for our lives, we lack nothing.

35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Advice for life for the graduate and everyone.
Love people.
Do nice things.
Give generously.
Be like Jesus.
Show compassion.

May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known on earth,    your saving power among all nations.

A send off to into a new journey or direction.

Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,^[a]
    but evil comes to him who searches for it.

Work hard and don't look for trouble because you will find it.

I love that the Bible is a living book. Lessons and advice is just as relevant then as it is now.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  2 Kings 8:1-9:13, Acts 16:16-40, Psalm 143:1-12, Proverbs 17:26 

Tuesday, April 9th: Deuteronomy 33:1-29, Luke 13:1-21, Psalm 78:65-72, Proverbs 12:25 ~ Jeannine

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 33:1-29, Luke 13:1-21, Psalm 78:65-72, Proverbs 12:25

Happy Birthday Tammy! I hope you have a wonderful day!!

Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.” He also asked, “What else is the Kingdom of God like? It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”  Luke 13:18-21

In the devotional that I am reading through I was really challenged by this...

"Just as the Jews of Jesus' day wanted the Kingdom of God to come triumphantly and comprehensively in one swift show of power and transformation, so we tend to want the reign of Christ to come into our children's lives...this isn't how his Kingdom comes into the world, and it's not how his rule and reign comes to our lives or the lives of our children. It starts small, like a tiny seed that requires nourishment and light to grow. It begins almost invisibly, doing its work from within, like yeast. The Holy Spirit works through the Word to make a dead heart come alive, and over time, that radical inner change works its way through the whole person. This means we, as parents, have to be patient. It means we should not be surprised that our children are not now everything we long for them to be."

I've really been struggling in the last year as my children get older and start making their own decisions. Decisions that I am not in control of any longer. I have to trust that God will take that mustard seed that we have hopefully planted in our children and will grow it into something wonderful. And I will have to be patient (willing to relinquish my desire and trust God) while watching them grow, sometimes turning slightly away from the sun or possibly having a leaf or two that dries up, but hopefully, ever-renewing, ever-growing, and ever-strengthening as they grow into all the God intends for them to be.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Deuteronomy 34:1- Joshua 2:24, Luke 13:22-14:6, Psalm 79:1-13, Proverbs 12:26 

Monday, April 8th: Deuteronomy 32:28-52, Luke 12:35-59, Psalm 78:56-64, Proverbs 12:24 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 32:28-52, Luke 12:35-59, Psalm 78:56-64, Proverbs 12:24 

Deuteronomy 32:45 When Moses had finished reciting all these words to the people of Israel, 46 he added: “Take to heart all the words of warning I have given you today. Pass them on as a command to your children so they will obey every word of these instructions. 47 These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River.”
A great reminder to be purposeful about speaking God's Word, speaking truth, speaking life into our children.
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Luke 12:38b But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.
Are we ready for the Lord's return?
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Proverbs 12:24 Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.A reminder of the value of a strong work ethic.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:

Saturday, April 6th: Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20; Luke 11:37-12:7; Psalms 78:1-31; Proverbs 12:19-20 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20; Luke 11:37-12:7; Psalms 78:1-31; Proverbs 12:19-20

Deuteronomy 30:19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Choose life!

Love God, obey him, and commit yourself firmly to Him.

Of course, we cannot do this on our own. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit gives us a new heart and the strength to choose life.  May we remember not to rely on ourselves (because then we will fail) but to rely on Him alone.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Deuteronomy 31:1-32:27, Luke 12:8-34, Psalm 78:32-55, Proverbs 12:21-23

Friday, April 5th: Deuteronomy 28:1-68, Luke 11:14-36, Psalm 77:1-20, Proverbs 12:18 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 28:1-68, Luke 11:14-36, Psalm 77:1-20, Proverbs 12:18

“Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed.” - Deuteronomy 28:6

In today’s reading, we are reminded that there will be a reward for those who choose to follow God. If we work hard for Him on this earth, we will be rewarded in Heaven.

We also see the other side, that if we disobey God and choose to stray from Him, we will regret it forever.

So let’s hold on to the hope that there is something better coming, and not stray from the path that God has put in front of us. 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20; Luke 11:37-12:7; Psalms 78:1-31; Proverbs 12:19-20

Thursday, April 4th: Deuteronomy 26:1 - 27:26, Luke 10:38 - 11:13, Psalm 76:1-12, Proverbs 12:15-17 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26, Luke 10:38-11:13, Psalm 76:1-12, Proverbs 12:15-17 

Deuteronomy 26: 9-11
[9]He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey!
[10]And now, O  lord, I have brought you the first portion of the harvest you have given me from the ground.’ Then place the produce before the lord your God, and bow to the ground in worship before him.
[11]Afterward you may go and celebrate because of all the good things the lord your God has given to you and your household. Remember to include the Levites and the foreigners living among you in the celebration.

The last part of this passage stood out for me, "remember to include the Levites and the foreigners living among you in the celebration".

The Levites didn't get any land to own, they  relied on God to provide for them.

Is this a position we would look down upon nowadays? Or is this a special calling, and people to be looked up to and respected? Can we help people in our churches or elsewhere that have chosen to follow God - in leadership?

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:   Deuteronomy 28:1-68, Luke 11:14-36, Psalm 77:1-20, Proverbs 12:18 

Tuesday, April 2nd: Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30, Luke 9:51-10:12, Psalm 74:1-23, Proverbs 12:11 ~ Jeannine

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30, Luke 9:51-10:12, Psalm 74:1-23, Proverbs 12:11

If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid. Deuteronomy 21:18-21

The last several days in Deuteronomy have been pretty harsh. Lots of stoning and purging. Today's passage talked about stoning the disobedient, oldest son. I have to wonder how bad a child's behavior had to be that the parents were willing to bring their child in front of the elders and have him stoned. I'm not sure what my threshold would be to take that kind of action. I really appreciate what the devotional had to say about this passage...

"While there is no record of anyone being executed under this law, this instruction still alarms and perhaps even embarrasses us because it doesn't seem very godlike. But there is actually great hope in this dark scene. Centuries later, a firstborn Son who obeyed his Father perfectly would be put to death - not for his own stubborn rebellion, but for ours. He would experience the curse that all rebellious sons deserve so that we can experience the blessing of the long, full life that he deserved. He experienced the ultimate curse so that we can enjoy unending blessing."

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19, Luke 10:13-37, Psalm 75:1-10, Proverbs 12:12-14

Saturday, March 30th: Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23; Luke 8:40-9:6; Psalm 71:1-24; Proverbs 12:5-7 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23; Luke 8:40-9:6; Psalm 71:1-24; Proverbs 12:5-7 

I appreciated the insight from my devotional book on today's passage.....


Deuteronomy 15:16-17
16 “But suppose your servant says, ‘I will not leave you,’ because he loves you and your family, and he has done well with you. 17 In that case, take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door. After that, he will be your servant for life. And do the same for your female servants.
When Paul, James, Peter and John introduce themselves at the beginning of their letters in the New Testament, they do so by referring to the status found here in Deuteronomy.  They have willingly chosen to be the servant's of Jesus for life. 

From the devotional....
A bond-servant is not just a slave, but a slave who has willingly committed himself to serve a master he loves and respects even after he has been given the freedom to go. This kind of slavery is chosen, not imposed; it's the result of freedom, not compulsion.

My Lord and Master, I realize that you are not forcing me into slavery. Becoming your bond-servant is my choice. And my choice is made. I want to relinquish my independence, surrender my will, and declare my loyalty to you.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20, Luke 9:7-27, Psalm 72:1-20, Proverbs 12:8-9

Friday, March 29th: Deuteronomy 11:1-12:32, Luke 8:22-39, Psalm 70:1-5, Proverbs 12:4 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 11:1-12:32, Luke 8:22-39, Psalm 70:1-5, Proverbs 12:4

Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

• Deuteronomy 11:19

We should always be talking about the words God has given us, and having conversations about Him. Let’s work to make God and the bible a daily topic in our conversations. 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23; Luke 8:40-9:6; Psalm 71:1-24; Proverbs 12:5-7

Thursday, March 28th: Deuteronomy 9:1 - 10:22, Luke 8:4-21, Psalm 69:19-36, Proverbs 12:2-3 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is  Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22, Luke 8:4-21, Psalm 69:19-36, Proverbs 12:2-3 

Deuteronomy 9:6
Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.

Just like the Israelites, we get a lot of good things that we don't deserve. In fact we deserve a lot worse then any bad things we get. It's all thanks to God's goodness and His love for us, that we get anything good.

We also don't deserve Heaven, no matter how good we've been. It's also all thanks to God's goodness and love for us.

How could we then not accept this  gift from God and commit to Him, and go on to humbly work as hard as we can for Him?

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Deuteronomy 11:1-12:32, Luke 8:22-39, Psalm 70:1-5, Proverbs 12:4 

Wednesday, March 27th: Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20, Luke 7:36-8:3, Psalm 69:1-18, Proverbs 12:1 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20, Luke 7:36-8:3, Psalm 69:1-18, Proverbs 12:1

I found the titles of the OT readings today to be interesting....

The Privilege of Holiness

Deuteronomy 7:7 “The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! 8 Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you

Like us, the Israelites did absolutely nothing to earn or deserve God's favour, mercy, grace, or love.  He loved them because He chose to love them, and He loves us because He chose to love us.  He has chosen us, we are His, and He loves us.  That comes with a privilege and responsibility to live in holiness.

A Call to Remember and Obey
As the saying goes, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.  Like the Israelites, we need to remember our penchant for sin, we need to remember God's faithfulness, we need to remember Who He is and what He has done for us.  And we need to obey.


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22, Luke 8:4-21, Psalm 69:19-36, Proverbs 12:2-3

Tuesday, March 26th: Deuteronomy 5:1-6:25, Luke 7:11-35, Psalm 68:19-35, Proverbs 11:29-31 ~ Jeannine

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 5:1-6:25, Luke 7:11-35, Psalm 68:19-35, Proverbs 11:29-31 

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

This seems like such easy instructions for how to teach our children but to me it's not always as easy as it should be. It more easily becomes a part of life rather than rules to follow if we integrate it in every aspect of our lives rather than just a Sunday morning agenda. I know that God is not always the first thing on my mind. So if that is the case, I need to make a better effort at bringing God into every part of my life so that it becomes second nature to me to talk about my beliefs and how God affects every moment of my life. I completely believe that He does affect all the areas of my life but it's acknowledging it in the moments and bringing them up in conversations with my family on a regular basis. I'm working on it...

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20, Luke 7:36-8:3, Psalm 69:1-18, Proverbs 12:1

Thursday, March 15th: Deuteronomy 33 - 34, Luke 3 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 33-34, Luke 3

Deuteronomy 34: 10-12
Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, [11] who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt---to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. [12] For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

What an amazing leader and prophet Moses was. He truly did many great things, with God's help. But he was also a human and a sinner, and fell short of being perfect. It was because of the wrong he did that God wouldn't allow him to enter into the promised land.

We too can have good days when things go well and we are pleasing God with what we do, but we also are sinners and will make mistakes. We, like Moses, need help from God. Only God can truly forgive our sins and allow us to start over. It's crucial that we place our trust in Him, and ask Him to forgive our sins.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Joshua 1-3, Luke 4

Friday, March 9th: Deuteronomy 19-21; Colossians 4 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 19-21; Colossians 4

“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” - ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4:2‬

Prayer needs to be more than just the routine prayer we pray at the end of the day. We need to constantly be talking with the Lord, thanking Him for all He has done, and talking with Him about what’s going on in our lives. Even if He already knows everything about us, He still wants us to talk with Him and tell Him about us ourselves. 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Deuteronomy 22-24; Luke 1:1-38

Thursday, March 8th: Deuteronomy 16 - 18, Colossians 3 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 16-18, Colossians 3

Deuteronomy 18: 1-2
The Levitical priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance. [2] They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them.

Often I've thought that Levites didn't get much or have much, all the other tribes got land and cities and towns that were already built. God had given the rest of the tribes many earthly gains to start out with.

"Short term" gains like earthly wealth or possessions are nice but don't compare to "long term" gains like pleasing God and spending eternity with Him. My focus needs to therefore be "long term", trying my best to please God and live for Him, and not worry about the "short term" gains.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Deuteronomy 19-21, Colossians 4

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 7-9, Hebrews 13

In Hebrews 13:8-9 it says, "8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so." I often find myself forgetting that God has always been the same, and will always be the same. I believe that we are often led astray by false teachings, and find ourselves believing what society tells us is true, and now what the Word say is true. We need to trust the Lord because he knows everything we have done, and will do, as he is always going to be the same, and he knows what we need.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Deuteronomy 10-12, Colossians 1

Saturday, March 3rd: Deuteronomy 4-6; Hebrews 12 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 4-6; Hebrews 12

Deuteronomy 4:39 “So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other.
The Lord is God and there is no other.

Including me.

That seems pretty obvious, but how often do we live as though we are God?  As though our opinion is the one that should matter?  As though we get to decide what's right and what's wrong?  As though we get to interpret a biblical passage the way we wish it was, instead of the way God said it was?

From another angle, how often do we live with our focus on ourselves instead of on God?  How often are we focused on what will make us happy, or what's best for us, instead of best for those around us?  How often do we live for our own glory instead of His?

From another angle, how often do we look to anything but God for our fulfillment and joy?  Some of those things are good when given the correct priority, but are not so good when them become our top priority - including work, family, and friends.

The Lord is God and there is no other.

Do we live like we believe that?

Tomorrow: Catch up Day
Monday's Bible In a Year Passage:  Deuteronomy 7-9, Hebrews 13

Friday, March 2nd: Deuteronomy 1-3; Hebrews 11:23-40 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 1-3; Hebrews 11:23-40

“All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.” - ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:39-40‬

I am so thankful for the hope God reminds us of in this passage. We need to remain faithful and loving, hoping for our reward in Heaven where we can be with Him forever. No more sadness, no more anger, no more fear, no more sin. Just God, His children, and more love than we could ever imagine. 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Deuteronomy 4-6; Hebrews 12

Saturday, March 18th: Deuteronomy 32-34; Mark 15:26-47 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 32-34; Mark 15:26-47

Deuteronomy 33:26-27
“There is none like God, O Jeshurun,
    who rides through the heavens to your help,
    through the skies in his majesty.
27 The eternal God is your dwelling place,
    and underneath are the everlasting arms.

I love the beauty and promise in these words.  Our God can ride through the heavens He created.  Our God is eternal.  Our God is our dwelling place.  Our God is our helper.  Our God is always waiting with open arms.  Our God!

I love how He was gracious to Moses - that even though Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land due to his sin, God allowed him to see it before he died.  And God himself buried his faithful servant.

Moses was Israel's most revered prophet.  But he was a picture of the Great Prophet still to come.  I think it incredibly fitting that in today's passages we read both of Moses' death, and the death of Jesus, the fulfillment of the promise.

The loss of their beloved leader must have been a time of intense mourning for the Israelites.
The loss of Jesus was a near crushing blow to His disciples, who did not understand Jesus' predictions about His death and resurrection.
We speak a lot about Good Friday and Easter Sunday, but Saturday doesn't have a name.  Saturday was a desolate day, a hopeless day.
In some ways, we live in Saturday.  But the difference for us is, we know that Sunday is coming!  That ultimate victory is not ours in its perfection quite yet, but we know it's coming, and we can live in light of that hope.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Joshua 1-3; Mark 16

Friday, March 17th: Deuteronomy 30-31; Mark 15:1-25 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Deuteronomy 30-31; Mark 15:1-25

Deuteronomy 31: 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
There are multiple commands in the Bible for us to not fear.  And many times there is an accompanying reason for the command - because God is with us.

No matter what our circumstances, God is with us.
No matter how strong or weak our faith is, God is with us.

He is sovereign.  He is in control.  Always.

I found this list of 33 verses about fear and anxiety to remind us that God is in control.

The author reminds us that....

His words are “life” words, soothing to our soul, calming to our spirits, giving power to our days.  

It’s not always easy, and it often comes down to a choice: 

• Choosing not to allow fear and anxiety to control your life. 
• Choosing to guard your heart. 
• Choosing to focus your mind on what is truth in the midst of uncertain times.

We might still feel afraid, but we can believe that God is with us. We may not be in control, but we can trust the One who is. We may not know the future, but we can know the God who does.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Deuteronomy 32-34; Mark 15:26-47