Category: Daily Bible Reading

Deuteronomy 2:1-3:29; Luke 6:12-38; Psalm 67:1-7; Proverbs 11:27

Have you ever done the right homework on the wrong day? Or, have you arrived for an appointment to only find out that you were there  at the wrong time? As diligent as you were to do the homework or be at the appointment, if it’s not at the right time and day, then you get no credit.

The same is true with God. We think it’s easy to get credit when we are nice to people who are nice to us. Or, when we are generous with those who are generous with us, we think God smiles. “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!” But in truth, it’s not when things are easy that God smiles, its when they are challenging.

Jesus reminds us that how we represent God in those hard cases really gets us credit. It is when we are the target of people’s venom and we return kind words in response that we get God’s attention. It is when others mistreat us and we return compassionate acts that God smiles because that is a clear representation of His character. Don’t run from difficult situations with people. Use them as ways to show God that you love Him more than you love yourself (pride).

Remember your reward will come from God not people! That’s the best credit you can get!

Tomorrow’s Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1-49; Luke 6:39-7:10; Psalm 68:1-18; Proverbs 11:28

Numbers 36:1-Deuteronomy 1:46; Luke 5:29-6:11; Psalm 66:1-20; Proverbs 11:24-26

Treading water and standing still are not God’s way! We are called to be ever expanding, ever in perpetual forward movement. Israel was free from Egypt but they were stuck. They weren’t moving forward and they weren’t going backwards. They were standing still. In fact, they had spent about 40 years taking a journey that was only supposed to be 11 days.

God had enough and challenged them through Moses. He simply said, “You have stayed at this mountain long enough. It is time to break camp and move on.” (Deuteronomy 1:6-7).  God had a purpose and plan for Israel and they were not fulfilling it. Through all of their rebellion and disobedience, God saw their future stalled.

God also knew that the negative influences to their future were gone and they were ready to move forward. Now look at your life. Where are you stalled? Where are you stuck in life? How far are you from your Promised Land? Hear God saying to you, “You’ve stayed here long enough!” then break camp and start moving forward. It may have been a layoff on your job, the dissolution of your marriage, or a financial reversal, God is saying today, move forward! Your Promised Land is still waiting.

Tomorrow’s Reading: Deuteronomy 2:1-3:29; Luke 6:12-38; Psalm 67:1-7; Proverbs 11:27

Numbers 33:40-35:34; Luke 5:12-28; Psalm 65:1-13; Proverbs 11:23

Can your faith be seen? People often ask, “What is faith?” Others will tell you in trying situations, “Keep the faith” or “Have Faith”. Without a full knowledge of how God operates, these phrases can sound like empty, religious statements.

Faith begins where the will of God is known. What you should know is: If you know at least one promise from God’s Word, you have faith. The key is: will you act on it?  If you don’t act on it, it means nothing.

These men had a friend who was paralyzed. They desired to see him healed. They heard that Jesus was teaching nearby but they had to get their friend to Jesus. You see, they had information that Jesus was the healer but if they had not acted on it, their friend would have remained on that mat. Their faith had action!

With the house completely blocked, they took shingles off the roof and lowered their friend down in front of Jesus. When Jesus sees their faith, He acknowledges it and heals the paralyzed man. Can God see your faith or just hear your complaints? What are you doing today to show God that you believe what He promised? Are you consumed with worry? That is not a sign of faith. Are you staying home away from church because things are not going well? This is not a sign of faith.

God has given you faith. All He needs us to do is act on it! Show God that you really believe Him and just like that paralyzed man, you will see victory!!

Tomorrow’s Reading: Numbers 36:1-Deuteronomy 1:46; Luke 5:29-6:11; Psalm 66:1-20; Proverbs 11:24-26

Numbers 32:1-33:39;Luke 4:31-5:11;Psalm 64:1-10;Proverbs 11:22

The Tribes of Reuben and Gad had a great opportunity. They found desirable land before the other tribes had arrived at their land. They were in an interesting dilemma. They could stop and enjoy their blessing while their brothers and sisters had to continue to fight for their inheritance.

Moses challenged them with a sincere call for them to examine their hearts. Would they really take possession of their land without any consideration to the fight that others would have to undertake? God had already harshly dealt with the other doubters who enticed Israel to turn away from the Promised Land. They all would die in the wilderness and not see the Land flowing with milk and honey.

Reuben and Gad committed that they would not take possession of their land until they helped their brothers obtain their blessing. There is a powerful principle here. Are you willing to fight hard to help someone else obtain what God has promised them or are you only interested in getting your blessing? This is a test of the heart. Reuben and Gad honored their word and helped; they enjoyed all the blessings of God plus they were able to see their fellow Israelites obtain their promise as well. Your blessing is so much more enjoyable when you know there are others you helped to enjoy theirs. This is an unselfish way to live. Commit to live with that level of selflessness and your blessings will be unstoppable and perpetual.

Tomorrow’s Reading: Numbers 33:40-35:34; Luke 5:12-28; Psalm 65:1-13; Proverbs 11:23

Numbers 30:1-31:54; Luke 4:1-30; Psalm 63:1-11; Proverbs 11:20-21

God expects us to honor our word! When we give our word it is called, “a vow”. We see today that God takes our words very seriously and holds us accountable for what we say. Often we hear teaching about why our words are important but we ignore them because we question how our words can be so powerful?

This is an area where we disadvantage ourselves. We may not think our words have power but God does! From the beginning of the world, words have mattered. Regardless of the little kids chant, “Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me”, words can and do hurt. They shape our whole lives.

Watch how often you say things and they actually come true. “I get a cold every winter.” “No one every gives me a chance.” “I always take one step forward, two steps back.” This is just a small sample.

Start speaking positive words over your life and watch them start occurring. Trust your words, God does!

Tomorrow’s Reading: Numbers 32:1-33:39; Luke 4:31-5:11; Psalm 64:1-10; Proverbs 11:22

Numbers 28:16-29:40; Luke 3:23-38;Psalm 62:1-12;Proverbs 11:18-19

The Journey that Israel was on was one where they had to trust God! At each point, they were presented with the option to obey or to rebel. Sometimes they obeyed, other times, they didn’t. They noticed that when they did obey, God fulfilled His promises.

Moses heard from God that the people were to bring offerings to God at various times of the year. At that, the people had a choice once again; They could accept what God was saying through Moses or reject it and go their own way.

Thankfully, Israel obeyed God’s plan for their lives. It really takes trust to obey God. The next time you are tempted to disobey, recognize it is because there is an area where you have not trusted God completely. Surrender that part to God as well and He will be Lord over it.

David said it best, “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.”

Tomorrow’s Reading: Numbers 30:1-31:54;Luke 4:1-30;Psalm 63:1-11;Proverbs 11:20-21

Numbers 26:52-28:15; Luke 3:1-22; Psalm 61:1-8; Proverbs 11:16-17

God will always defend His children. Often we face injustice in our lives and we have a tendency to don our battle armor and go to war. When the dust settles from the battle, we have gotten what we wanted but at a great cost. 

When God tells us that He will defend us, He really will. All we have to do is bring our issues to him! The Daughters of Zelophehad had been neglected in the distribution of the land because their father had died without male heirs. The law at the time said that they would be disenfranchised and their father’s land would have been allotted to someone else. 

They took their issue to Moses who sought God’s will on the situation. God affirmed their right to own land and established a new law just for them. What unjust process has been blocking your progress? What glass ceiling has slowed down your promotion? What barriers have been erected to keep you stuck in life? 

God will bring you through all of these because He is your Defender. Cry out to Him and He will fight your battles for you. Be like the Psalmist, “From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.”

Tomorrow’s Reading: Numbers 28:16-29:40; Luke 3:23-38; Psalm 62:1-12; Proverbs 11:18-19

Numbers 26:1-51; Luke 2:36-52; Psalm 60:1-12; Proverbs 11:15

As Jesus grew, the Bible says that “… the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him” (Luke 2:40). This is a powerful statement of how Jesus grew and developed as a young man and child of God.

When He was a young man, and His family traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover, Jesus remained in the Temple, with the teachers of the Law. He was so engrossed in the Word of God and being in the presence of God that when His family packed up to return home, Jesus was not with them. After frantically looking for him, they found Him safely in the Temple listening to the Word of God and being in God’s presence.

The story ends by Jesus continuing to be described as, growing “in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people” (Luke 2:52). How was Jesus able to keep growing in wisdom and favor? He stayed in God’s House listening to God’s Word and being refreshed by God’s Spirit. If you want to see continued favor, blessings and wisdom manifest in your life then stay around God and His people in His House. You will be challenged and changed and God’s favor will chase you down! Lord, let it be said of us, that we grew in wisdom and had favor with God and people!

Tomorrow’s Reading: Numbers 26:52-28:15; Luke 3:1-22; Psalm 61:1-8; Proverbs 11:16-17

Numbers 24:1-25:18; Luke 2:1-35; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 11:14

Balaam is still being pressured to curse Israel. But, he refused to give into the pressure from King Balak. Over Balak’s threats, Balaam stood firm on God’s Word. God gives Balaam a rare opportunity: To see the bright future that God has for Israel.

God showed Balaam that a star would arise from the line of Israel: “A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel” (Numbers 24:17). Balaam saw all the way through history when a Savior would be born into the world who is Jesus!

When Jesus was born, the heavens aligned to tell everyone watching the sky that something supernatural had happened. Angels found some shepherds who were keeping watch over their flock by night. They announced that the Son of God had been born. It was His birth that put the final nail in the devil’s coffin. He represented the greatest triumph that God would get by redeeming His creation.

Jesus’ birth is the fulfillment of what Balaam saw. All of the evil of the ages was defeated when Jesus was born. Praise God today for having a plan to restore the blessing on our lives!

Tomorrow’s Reading: Numbers 26:1-51; Luke 2:36-52; Psalm 60:1-12; Proverbs 11:15

Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:57-80; Psalm 58:1-11; Proverbs 11:12-13

There is a world around you that your natural eye cannot see. How sensitive are you to it? Balaam set out to go to the King of Moab as the Lord had instructed. On the way, God sent an Angel to remind him of his commitment to only speak what God says. But, Balaam could not see the Angel.

The Donkey could! Each time the Angel tried to get Balaam’s attention, the Donkey responded. Balaam became angry with the Donkey not realizing that the Donkey could see something that he could not. Finally, the Donkey just lays down in the presence of the Angel. Balaam beats the Donkey in a fit of rage. (Have you ever noticed that when we are off spiritually, we will lash out at those around us?)

Finally, God speaks to Balaam, not through the Angel but through the Donkey first! The Angel reminds Balaam of his responsibility to only speak what God says and nothing else. As Balaam moves forward, he is very clear about what God wants Him to do!

God will not leave you without instructions. Don’t try to navigate your way through life using your own natural eyes. Ask God to open your eyes to see all that He is doing around you. You will see the acts of God all around you. He has dispatched Angels to help you today. Let them help because “angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.” (Hebrews 1:14)

Tomorrow’s Reading: Numbers 24:1-25:18; Luke 2:1-35; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 11:14