Friday, November 15th: Ezekiel 31:1-32:32, Hebrews 12:14-29, Psalm 113:1-114:8, Proverbs 27:18-20 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is  Ezekiel 31:1-32:32, Hebrews 12:14-29, Psalm 113:1-114:8, Proverbs 27:18-20

Hebrews 12
¹⁴ Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. ¹⁵ Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Our faith is both a personal thing and a community thing.  Obviously we are only responsible for our own choices - both good and bad.  But we are community.  We are to encourage each other, to live at peace with each other, to hold each other accountable, to lift each other up, to pray for each other, and to love each other.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Ezekiel 33:1-34:31, Hebrews 13:1-25, Psalm 115:1-18, Proverbs 27:21-22

Thursday, November 14th: Ezekiel 29:1-30:26, Hebrews 11:32-12:13, Psalm 112:1-10, Proverbs 27:17 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Ezekiel 29:1-30:26, Hebrews 11:32-12:13, Psalm 112:1-10, Proverbs 27:17 

But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. 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 11:35b‭-‬40 NLT

This example shows what some Christians have all gone through, because they had strong faith. They didn't receive their reward on earth, but did in Heaven. 

Would I go through any of these things for Jesus? Would I have strong faith by not taking my reward now on earth, but rather in Heaven?

I pray that I grow stronger in my faith and focus on Jesus.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Ezekiel 31:1-32:32, Hebrews 12:14-29, Psalm 113:1-114:8, Proverbs 27:18-20

Wednesday, November 13th: Ezekiel 27:1-28:26, Hebrews 11:17-31, Psalm 111:1-10, Proverbs 27:15-16 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is  Ezekiel 27:1-28:26, Hebrews 11:17-31, Psalm 111:1-10, Proverbs 27:15-16

I love reading the Hebrews chapter of faith stories.  Those people listed did some really hard things because of their faith in God.

Faith in His faithfulness.
Faith in His promises.
Faith in His trustworthiness.
Faith in Him.

That's the key.  When our faith is placed in the Only One who is Good, True, Just, Almighty, Faithful; and when we rely on His power instead of our own, He will do amazing things through us.  We may never see or understand what we're being asked to do on this side of eternity, but the day will come when we will see clearly, and we will be amazed!

Until then, we must not only have faith, but act on that faith!


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Ezekiel 29:1-30:26, Hebrews 11:32-12:13, Psalm 112:1-10, Proverbs 27:17

Monday, November 11: Ezekiel 23:1-49, Hebrews 10:18-39, Psalm 109:1-31, Proverbs 27:13 by Pamela

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Ezekiel 23:1-49, Hebrews 10:18-39, Psalm 109:1-31, Proverbs 27:13 

Scripture:
Hebrews 10:18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.

Observation: Our sins are completely covered when we have confessed and believe that God has redeemed us.

Application: When reading through this passage today, I immediately thought of the message our pastor preached yesterday in church. Here are my notes:

Our pastor talked about what is the church's "Brand Logo"? Outside of the church it tends to be the cross. The cross can be regarded symbol that Christ died for us. Our pastor suggested that inside the church, the "brand logo" should be the communion elements. The elements are symbols to Christ's willing sacrifice, the act of freely giving of his body and his blood for the forgiveness of our sins. Our sins have been forgiven, bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus.

Prayer: Creator God, we are sinful people so undeserving of your mercy and grace. We fall short every time. Yet, you have redeemed us by your sacrifice and paid for our sins with blood. Let us never forget that sin has a cost and that blood is shed to cover that sin. It was that way in the Garden of Eden and continues today. Help us to share that Your forgiveness of sins is for all of us no matter what we have done and no matter how badly we have messed up that You are ready and willing to forgive us. Amen.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Ezekiel 24:1-26:21, Hebrews 11:1-16, Psalm 110:1-7, Proverbs 27:14 

Thursday, November 7th: Ezekiel 16:42-63, Ezekiel 17, Hebrews 8, Psalms 106:13-31, Proverbs 27:7-9 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is   Ezekiel 16:42-17:24, Hebrews 8:1-13, Psalm 106:13-31, Proverbs 27:7-9


Hebrews 8:6

But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.

When I read this verse I am thankful again for all Jesus has done for me, and continues to do. He didn't have to do anything for me, I'm a sinner that would be going to Hell. 

But He chose to leave Heaven and come to earth to die for me on the cross, and rise from that to live again. How could I ever doubt that He loves me? 

Therefore, He can forgive all my sins and also can allow me to live in Heaven with Him after I die. How could I not want this? He has done more for me then I could ever imagine, how could I not commit to Him? 

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Ezekiel 18:1-19:14, Hebrews 9:1-10, Psalm 106:32-48, Proverbs 27:10

Friday, November 1st: Ezekiel 1:1-3:15, Hebrews 3:1-19, Psalm 104:1-23, Proverbs 26:24-26 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is   Ezekiel 1:1-3:15, Hebrews 3:1-19, Psalm 104:1-23, Proverbs 26:24-26

^{Hebrews 3:12} See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Though each person's faith is a personal thing, the Bible so often stresses the importance of the community of faith as well.

How are you encouraging someone in their faith journey today?

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:   Ezekiel 3:16-6:14, Hebrews 4:1-16, Psalm 104:24-35, Proverbs 26:27

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

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

Thursday, March 1st: Numbers 34-36, Hebrews 11: 1-22 ~ Nathan

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is  Numbers 34-36, Hebrews 11:1-22

Numbers 34: 9-12
Then the Lord said to Moses: [10] “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, [11] select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. [12] 12 They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that anyone accused of murder may not die before they stand trial before the assembly

I've always found the verses that deal with someone accident killing someone, interesting. Did this happen often back then? How do these verses apply to us today, how often does someone accidentally kill someone else?

The point I get from these verses is that obviously God cares for everyone and wants to help us no matter what mistakes, we've made or caused. Sometimes we unintentionally do things that have unexpected consequences that are negative, God is still there to help us, He will not give up on us.

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

Hebrews 11: 13-16
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. [14] People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. [15] If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. [16] 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

We also may die one day before Jesus returns, we also need to live our lives with faith that God will do what He said He would all do, and trust in Him.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Numbers 34-36, Hebrews 11:1-22

Wednesday, February 28th: Numbers 31-33, Hebrews 10:19-39 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 31-33, Hebrews 10:19-39

23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.I love this verse.  God keeps His promises.  Always!  And we can trust that completely.  Our hope is secure.

24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. What a great reminder to me that we need to be mindful about encouraging one another in our Christian walk.  Everyone can benefit from encouragement, and so often it doesn't take much to make someone's day.  If you think of something positive about someone, tell them!  The tongue is so powerful - the words we say can either tear down or build up.   Let's be intentional about using our words to build each other up!


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Numbers 34-36, Hebrews 11:1-22

Tuesday, February 27th: Numbers 28-30, Hebrews 10:1-18 ~ Danae

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 28-30, Hebrews 10:1-18

Hebrews 10:11-12-
Day after day every priest stands & performs his religious duties; again & again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God

I love the symbolism found in the Bible. It is clearly laid out for anyone to understand but, as you study, you see deeper meanings & so many intricacies woven in.

In these verses, it is mentioned that the priest continues to stand because the sacrifices offered by him were never enough. However, the new priest (Jesus) could sit after his sacrifice was offered because his work was finished.

God’s work is complete “because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (vs 14)

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Numbers 31-33, Hebrews 10:19-39

Saturday, February 24th: Numbers 22-24, Hebrews 8 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 22-24, Hebrews 8

Hebrews 8:8-12 is a quotation of Jeremiah 31:31-34 which compares the old and new covenants.
“The day is coming, says the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel and Judah.
9 This covenant will not be like the one
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
and led them out of the land of Egypt.
They did not remain faithful to my covenant,
so I turned my back on them, says the Lord.
10 But this is the new covenant I will make
with the people of Israel on that day,[c] says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds,
and I will write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
11 And they will not need to teach their neighbors,
nor will they need to teach their relatives,[d]
saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’
For everyone, from the least to the greatest,
will know me already.
12 And I will forgive their wickedness,
and I will never again remember their sins.”[e]
I appreciated what my Life Application Bible says....
The old covenant was the covenant of law between God and Israel. The new and better way is the covenant of grace - Christ's offer to forgive our sins and bring us to God through his sacrificial death. This covenant is new in extent - it goes beyond Israel and Judah to include all the Gentile nations. It is new in application because it is written on our hearts and in our minds. It offers a new way to forgiveness, not through animal sacrifice but through faith. 

I am so thankful to be included in the new covenant.
I am so thankful that God gave me a new heart on which he's written this covenant of grace.
I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit continues to work in my life, giving me new desires and helping me want to obey God.
I am so thankful for His continuous grace to me.

Tomorrow: Catch up day!
Monday's Bible In a Year Passage: Numbers 25-27, Hebrews 9

Friday, February 23rd: Numbers 19-21; Hebrews 7 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 19-21; Hebrews 7

“For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” - Hebrews‬ ‭7:19‬

The good deeds we do are not what draws us closer to God. Only when we let Jesus change our hearts, and when we have hope and believe in Him and His promises, that is when we draw closer to God. It is through Christ that we have been saved, not through anurging we have done.

Thank you, Jesus, that your love and mercy save us everyday.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Numbers 22-24; Hebrews 8

Thursday, February 22nd: Numbers 16-18, Hebrews 6 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 16-18, Hebrews 6

4 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.
I found this information to be helpful in understanding this passage.

The article describes the two interpretations in more details, but neither of them teach that we can lose our salvation.  In summary....
The first interpretation presents unbelievers rejecting Christ and thereby losing their chance of salvation; the second interpretation presents the very idea of believers losing salvation as impossible. Many scriptures make it abundantly clear that salvation is eternal (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:35, 38-39; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:4-5), and Hebrews 6:4-6confirms that doctrine.
19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. The first part of this verse is very well known (and was the theme verse for our church's day camp program all last summer).  And I love its truth!  Our hope is secure and totally immovable when it is anchored in God.

But the second part of the verse is also incredibly meaningful - though it is not as obvious to us without the same cultural context as the Jews. The curtain hung between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place which symbolized the barrier between us and God. Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and even then, only one a year to stand in God's presence and atone for the sins of the entire nation.  But at the death of Jesus this curtain was torn!  When we place our faith in Jesus, we are now able to stand in God's presence at all times, not just once a year.  What an amazing symbol of the restoration of our relationship with God!


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Numbers 19-21, Hebrews 7

Wednesday, February 21st: Numbers 13-15, Hebrews 5 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 13-15, Hebrews 5

I appreciated this explanation of Hebrews 5:8
8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.
The immediate context runs from Hebrews 4:14 through 5:10 and deals with Jesus’ qualifications to serve as the one and only High Priest in heaven for all people, for all time. Here (and elsewhere in Hebrews) we learn that Jesus was fully divine yet fully human and that He was without sin yet experienced temptation and human weakness. Because of Jesus’ unique nature and experience, He can fully relate to our struggles as He performs the priestly duties required by the Law for the forgiveness of our sins.

Focusing on Hebrews 5:8—an inseparable part of one sentence running for three verses—we have an extremely condensed version of Jesus’ life on earth. He was the infinite Son of God who nevertheless experienced the limits of space and time and life as we do. God could have created a fully grown adult body for Jesus as He did for Adam and rushed Him to the cross, but He didn’t. Instead, Jesus left heaven, entered time (Philippians 2:5–8), and experienced for Himself ordinary human life from birth to adulthood to death. Learning and suffering and death are part of the life experience for all people, and God ensured that His own Son would be no exception. As God, Jesus did not need to learn anything, especially obedience; yet, at His incarnation, Jesus limited Himself to the human experience. He chose the weak position of having to learn and grow (Luke 2:52).

Jesus “learned obedience” not in the sense that He was prone to disobedience and had to bring rebelliousness under control, but in the sense that He fully entered the human experience. As a child, He obeyed His parents (Luke 2:51); as an adult, He obeyed the Law (Matthew 5:17) and fulfilled all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). All His life, Jesus completely fulfilled the Father’s will (John 8:29; 15:10; Hebrews 10:9). He knew what obedience was prior to His incarnation, of course, but He “learned” obedience on earth by experiencing it. In every situation, no matter how difficult, the Son was obedient to the Father: “The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away. I offered my back to those who beat me” (Isaiah 50:5–6).

Jesus learned obedience “from what He suffered.” As the divine Son of God, Jesus did not have to suffer, but as the Son of Man, suffering was required to learn obedience. The Greek word used in Hebrews 5:8 for “suffered” usually refers to enduring unpleasant experiences like disease (Mark 5:26) or persecution (Acts 8:1). But it often also implies enduring a challenging process that transforms the sufferer (Romans 5:3; 2 Corinthians 1:3–9). That is the sense in which the word is used in Hebrews 5:8 (see also Hebrews 2:10). Jesus chose to endure an unpleasant, challenging process because it was the will of His Father for His brief time on earth. After that process Jesus had been “made perfect.” It is crucial to note that perfect here means “complete,” as in finishing a full course of training or education—or, in Jesus’ case, He finished an altogether righteous human life and had a complete understanding of human frailty and suffering. It was Christ’s total human obedience, coming through extreme suffering, that qualifies Him to be our eternal High Priest, “now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death” (Hebrews 2:9).

Having been “perfected,” not morally but in relation to His ministry as our Savior, Jesus is qualified to be “the source [or author] of eternal salvation for all who obey him” (Hebrews 5:9). Jesus’ high priesthood is not a temporal Levitical priesthood but is everlasting, “in the order of Melchizedek” (verse 10).
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Numbers 16-18, Hebrews 6

Tuesday, February 20th: Numbers 10-12, Hebrews 4 ~ Danae

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 10-12, Hebrews 4

Hebrews 4:15-16-
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy & find grace to help us in our time of need.

When I think of my many shortcomings it is easy to feel completely defeated.

We fail, we sin – but he “gets” it. Jesus was tempted in every way & he understands what we face.

I love that the verse says the we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence.” We aren’t going to be turned away, we aren’t going to be told that this was one time too many & he’s not giving up on us.

Jesus, in his temptations, did not sin. We, however, will give in too many times & in those times we will receive mercy & help to have victory over it but we also have access to that power to overcome temptations & sin. We will find “grace to help us in our time of need” when we seek him.

Let us not be defeated when faced by our failures but to meet Jesus on our knees knowing that he understands what we struggle with & he’s ready to empower us to overcome.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Numbers 13-15, Hebrews 5

Monday, February 19: Numbers 7-9, Hebrews 3 by Kaden

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is: Numbers 7-9, Hebrews 3

Hebrews 3:4 says, "For every house was built by someone, but the builder off all things is God."
    I often find myself telling myself that my talents and accomplishments were done on my own doing, but I should take a step back and give God the glory he deserves, because he created all things, which includes me as well.

Hebrews 3:16 states, "For those who heard and yet rebelled?, was it not those who left Egypt led by Moses?"
    Here we are told to listen for God's voice and do as He says, because his plans are greater than ours, if Moses decided to not trust God's plan and not take God's people out of Egypt's slavery, then no one would have been able to be free, we all need to listen for God, and trust his plan and dive head first in his ways.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Numbers 10-12, Hebrews 4

Saturday, Feb 17: Numbers 4-6, Hebrews 2 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 4-6, Hebrews 2

“So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2:1‬ ‭NLT‬

We can never become complacent. Left to our own devices, we would drift away from the truth. Surrounded by secular society, it can be easy to become persuaded that the truth is something other than what the Bible says.

But truth must be grounded in God's Word, or it is not truth at all.

The best way to detect a counterfeit bill is to be so familiar with the real one that anything else is obviously fake. The same holds true for theology. We need to be so familiar with the Word that anything less than biblical truth is immediately detected for the false teaching it is.


Tomorrow: Catch up day

Friday, February 16th: Numbers 1-3; Hebrews 1 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 1-3; Hebrews 1

“He also says to the Son, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands.” - ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1:10‬

I often think that if I could go back in time to watch any part of history, it would be when God created the earth. That must’ve looked so incredibly amazing! Imagine God whipping planets across the galaxy, or molding the sun with His hands, or carefully placing very single detail into all of His creation.

It’s good to take a step back sometimes, and just think about how amazing God is. We often mention “prayer requests” when we talk to God, but it’s also important to praise Him in our prayers, and acknowledge Him for the amazing works He has done.

Thank you, God, for being so incredibly awesome. Help us to soak that in today. You are absolutely amazing.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Numbers 4-6; Hebrews 2

Saturday, November 18th: Ezekiel 8-10; Hebrews 13 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Ezekiel 8-10; Hebrews 13

Hebrews13:2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
Wouldn't that be cool?!  To show hospitality to an angel?!  Well, if you've ever taken the time out of your day to help out a stranger, you just may have without even knowing it!  What a cool thought!

Obviously it shouldn't take the idea of angels to inspire us to show hospitality.  But it's kind of a cool reminder.  And Jesus made it clear that when we serve those who are in need, we are serving Him - which is even cooler than serving angels!

So serve - you never know who you're serving, but at the same time you always know Who you are serving!

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Ezekiel 11-13; James 1