Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Day 103 of Reading the Bible Cover to Cover in 365 days commentary, insights and thoughts. If you would like to follow along with the book offered exclusively on Amazon, please refer to https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Bible-Cover-365Days/dp/B0B6XSNMY6/ref=mp_s_a_1_90
This is a podcast sharing thoughts and insights for the accompanying the daily reading schedule for the book, Reading the Bible Cover to Cover in 365 Days.
Welcome to Day 103 of Reading the Bible Cover to Cover in 365 Days!
Let us pray:
O Lord, thank You for teaching us more about You every day. Help us glean the message You have for us today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let’s see what’s happening in Matthew chapter 14!
First, we read about Herod and John the Baptist. Herod thought Jesus was operating under the spirit of John the Baptist – the John he had put to death. We’ve read this before, but today I’d like to point out a few things: sin breads more sin, a guilty conscience develops irrational thinking, and fascination can be deadly.
Herod took his brother’s wife which John continued to tell him was wrong. To make him stop talking to him this way, Herod put John in jail which led to his eventual death. Yes, sin breeds more sin.
Herod felt guilty when John told him he was wrong, and his thinking was skewed as he heard about Jesus’ works. It seems he became fearful, anxious, and thought irrationally when he thought the man he put to death may be operating on a man still alive.
Last, Herod was fascinated by a young girl’s dancing. His fascination led to another irrational act – giving anything the girl wanted to her which ended up being John’s head on a platter.
We can look at Herod’s actions and see where he was wrong. Our next step is to pray against sin, as Jesus often told His disciples to do, and pray for wisdom to not fall into the traps the enemy sets for us. As we read about Jesus and try to follow Him, we are held in His grace and strengthened by Him to live just and upright lives.
Let’s see what Paul is writing to Timothy in I Timothy chapter 2!
First, he tells Timothy to offer up “prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving on behalf of all men.” He tells him to pray for kings and leaders as well. It is God’s will that we should pray for all people because God desires all people draw close to Him. In verses 5-6 he writes, “For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all [people, a fact that was] attested to at the right and proper time.” Jesus intervenes on our behalf. He intercedes for us through prayer and petition. And He shed His blood for us so that we are made right in God’s eyes. As I was spending time with the Lord very early one morning, I wondered if we had used up all His grace by now. After all, it was over two thousand years ago that Jesus came and died for our sins. Does His act of pure love still cover us today? Of course, it does. God’s grace is more than sufficient for us today just as it was thousands of years ago. Let us take heart knowing Jesus is interceding for us and let us pass on the same to others as we pray for them. The Lord will undoubtedly put people on your heart to pray for, so let’s allow Him to guide us in our prayer life. Paul is big on prayer. He often tells us to pray without ceasing. In verse 8 he writes, “I desire therefore that in every place men should pray, without anger or quarreling or resentment or doubt [in their minds], lifting up holy hands. Paul gives us some clues about how to pray – without anger, resentment, or doubt in our minds. Yes, we see here that prayer with faith is desired just as Jesus teaches us to do. He healed everyone who asked of Him in faith. If you need more faith, that is something to pray for as well. God will put more faith in your soul as you ask.
Verse 11 is underlined in my Bible and says, “Let a woman learn in quietness, in entire submissiveness.” I underlined this years ago when God called me on a solitary journey to read His Word. He taught me to read it much the same way we are reading it now. His Spirit guided me through the Word and has taught me many things that I share with you today. I did learn in the quiet of my home from the One Who provided this Book – the Bible. Not everyone will walk this path. Most will sit under the tutelage of another, but this is how the Lord taught me. And I consider my journey a holy one led by our most holy God. May you be blessed by God’s Spirit as He shows you more about Him during this journey through the Bible.
Let’s see what’s happening with the Israelites in Joshua chapter 19.
We read about the tribe of Simeon. The land given to them was within the land given to the tribe of Judah because there was so much land given to Judah.
The next lot fell to the tribe of Zebulun. The 4th lot went to Issachar, the fifth to Asher, the sixth lot to Naphtali, and the 7th lot to Dan.
The tribe of Dan had to fight for more land because there wasn’t enough for all of them. So, they fought against Leshem and they smote them.
Last, Joshua was given the city he asked for out of all the tribes’ land in the hills of Ephraim.
All the land was finally distributed among the Israelites as we come to the end of chapter 19.
In Joshua chapter 20, the Lord came to Joshua and told him it was time to appoint cities of refuge now. If you remember, these were cities that anyone who accidentally killed someone could flee to. He was to remain there until he had been tried AND until the high priest had passed on. We see God working in the details of the Israelite's lives as the land was distributed to each tribe. He is in the details of our lives as well.
Psalm 103 is rich with blessings and praise to the Lord. Almost every line is underlined in my Bible. Please take your time as you go through this psalm and write down the promises here. If you don’t have time to do this now, then tag it in some way so you can go back and read this over and over again. This is a phenomenal chapter to pull out your notecards and start writing verses down to memorize – to have them in your arsenal when difficult times arise. Truly there are so many beautiful verses here.
Verse 11 has been made into a contemporary praise and worship song, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Verse 13 depicts God as a father Who loves and pities His children. Yes, we are loved, we are forgiven, we are seen, we are known, and we are made by the almighty God Himself. Let us offer the reverence due Him.
Let us pray:
O Lord, thank You for Your Word that shows us more and more of Your heart. You are great and are greatly to be praised! May our hearts revere, honor, and love You, almighty God and Father! In Jesus’ name, amen.