Friday, October 5th: Isaiah 58-60; 1 Peter 2 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Isaiah 58-60; 1 Peter 2

“Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭59:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When we don’t get an answer we want from God, or we don’t feel like we’re getting an answer, it doesn’t mean He is too weak or can’t hear us. Sometimes the answer is “wait” and sometimes the answer is “no”. And sometimes, as the next verse points out, our sin is getting in the way of hearing the answer.

It’s like when a kid has a temper tantrum at the grocery store and then asks you to buy them a treat. There’s no way they’re getting a treat after behaving like that. 

It’s a similar situation with God. When we keep sinning (and not seeking Him for forgiveness or guidance in how to do the right thing), why would He reward us with a “treat”? We need to ask for forgiveness, and work hard to get rid of our sin through Him.  And then maybe the next time we’re “at the store”, if we listen well, we might get a treat. 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Isaiah 61-63; 1 Peter 3

Thursday, October 4th: Isaiah 55 - 57, 1 Peter 1 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is  Isaiah 55-57, 1 Peter 1

A few verses that stood out to me

Isaiah 55:1
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

A reminder that we are invited to come to Jesus. This won't cost us money, like everything else in our world does, it's free and worth it.

1 Peter 1:8-9
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, [9] for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

This sums up what I know is true and right. We can't see Him but believe. A good reminder and encouragement to keep up our faith and work towards the end when we can live with Him in glory.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Isaiah 58-60, 1 Peter 2

Wednesday, October 3rd: Isaiah 52-54, James 5 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Isaiah 52-54, James 5

James 5 

Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. 4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed innocent people,[a] who do not resist you.[b]
Our society is obsessed with wealth and all the toys that come with it.  Earning money is not a problem, it isn't even a problem to earn a lot of money. The problem comes when we look to money for happiness and fulfilment, and when money becomes our priority over our relationships with God and our families.

We should always hold our wealth with an open hand - ready for God to use as He sees fit.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Isaiah 55-57, 1 Peter 1

Tuesday, October 2: Isaiah 49-51, James 4 - Danae

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Isaiah 49-51, James 4

I love the book of James. Every part of it is so practical, so convicting, setting in me a desire to live better & honour God more.

The verse & application that really stood out to me today was verse 3

3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. 

How much time do I spend in prayer? Do I only pray when I need/want something? Do I only pray to ask God to bless the plans that I have (made on my own)?

My Bible reference says it this way:

4:2-3 James mentions the most common problems in prayer: not asking, asking for the wrong things, asking for the wrong reasons. Do you talk to God at all? When you do, what do you talk about? Do you ask only to satisfy your desires? Do you seek God’s approval for what you already plan to do? Your prayers will become powerful when you allow God to change your desires so that they perfectly correspond to his will for you (1 John 3:21-22). 

Do I seek God first, asking for his direction without trying to convince him of mine.  I need to seek his will for my life, not ask him to bless my will or plans.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Isaiah 52-54, James 5

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is: Psalms 148-150, James 3

James 3 is all about taming the tongue, however it also says the tongue cannot be tamed, in this sense it feels as though we are trying to do something that is impossible, yet it also says, "9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God." With this we may not be able to tame it all the way but we can still choose the words we say wisely by speaking the truth of God every step of our lives. We can either speak life or hurt, the choice is ours.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Isaiah 49-51, James 4

Saturday, September 29th: Psalms 147-148; James 2 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 147-148; James 2

James 2: 14 and 19 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?....

You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.[f] Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

How do you know you can trust someone?

Basically, when you've seen that they walk the talk.  They SAY something, and then they DO what they say they will do.

Talk is cheap.  Anyone can say their sorry, but you'll only whether or not they're actually sorry by their actions.

Anyone can claim to be a believer (demons believe God is Who He says He is!, anyone can claim to have faith - but you'll only know whether or not someone is a genuine believer by their words and deeds.

Deeds don't save you.  Faith in God saves you.  Deeds prove you have saving faith.

What are your (and my!) deeds proving today?

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Psalms 148-150, James 3

Friday, September 28th: Psalms 144-146; James 1 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 144-146; James 1

“He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:18‬

One thing that stood out to me about this passage was that God CHOSE us. He knew we would betray Him, He knew that we would reject Him, He knew we would hate Him. Still, He chose us, and forgives us, and gives us His word to guide us.

Another thing, was that “out of all creation, we became His prized possession”. Sometimes I look at the stars, or the sunset, and I just can’t help but stand in awe of our Creator. And to think, compared to even the most beautiful of His creations, we are the ones He chose. We are His prized possessions. 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Psalms 147-148; James 2

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