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Day 105 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 105 of Reading the Bible Cover to Cover in 365 Days!
Let us pray:
O Lord, thank You for Your Word. Help us receive the message You have for us today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let’s see what’s happening in Matthew chapter 16!
It starts with the Pharisees and Sadducees asking Jesus for a sign, but He would not give them one. He saw they could not see or understand the things He was saying, so wouldn’t give them anything more. Then Jesus went on to tell the disciples to be careful of the leaven of the Pharisees. We know from reading the Old Testament that leaven means sin. Though the disciples first thought Jesus was talking about their lack of bread, He explained His words to them, and then they understood.
Then He asked them Who they thought He was. Simon Peter told Him that He was “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus told him he was blessed to know this because God had surely revealed this to him. And then He goes on to prophecy about Peter’s role in the kingdom. Verse 18 says, “And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros – a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra – a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the ages of Hades (the power of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it].” Peter had a huge call on his life, and Jesus told him what it was right here. Imagine the Lord speaking into your life as Jesus did to Peter. You would feel strengthened, blessed, and on top of the world.
We see just a few verses later, Jesus speaking to Peter as though he was possessed, “But Jesus turned away from Peter and said to him, Get behind Me, Satan! You are in My way [an offense and a hindrance and a snare to Me]; for you are minding what partakes not of the nature and quality of God, but of men.” So, just as quickly as Jesus spoke words of life into Peter about His calling, the enemy overtook Peter momentarily. We must be aware that the enemy wants us to act contrary to the calling on our lives as well and pray against it. Pray against temptation and evil just as Jesus tells us to pray in the Lord’s prayer. It’s a thing – a thing we should do often.
Let’s see what Paul is writing Timothy in I Timothy chapter 4!
Paul starts by telling Timothy that people will fall away from their faith and give heed to false teaching. They will stop following God and be misled by the enemy. They would be told not to marry and not to eat certain kinds of food. I am particularly intrigued with verses 4-5 which say, “For everything God has created is good, and nothing is to be thrown away or refused if it is received with thanksgiving, For it is hallowed and consecrated by the Word of God and by prayer.” Paul tells us that thanksgiving and prayer make our food holy. I have to admit, for years I didn’t pray that God would make the food I was eating holy to my body. But as I study His Word, I believe He desires this for us. I believe He desires our asking Him to make the food received by our bodies, holy, even if the food we eat is far from that. There is nothing He cannot do. He can and will do this for us. I recollect Joyce Meyer saying she didn’t always have the time or opportunity to eat in the healthiest ways when she was on the road preaching. She always prayed God would make her food holy. Let us pray the same according to God’s Word here.
Verse 8 is also an important nugget of Godly wisdom. “For physical training is of some value (useful for a little), but godliness (spiritual training) is useful and of value in everything and in every way, for it holds promise for the present life and also for the life which is to come.” Yes, we continue learning and training our minds and our spirits in the ways of the Lord which is fruitful for us now and will be in heaven.
Another nugget is found in verse 14, “Do not neglect the gift which is in you, [that special inward endowment] which was directly imparted to you [by the Holy Spirit] by prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you [at your ordination].” While we may not be ordained, we are all given gifts by God. I appreciate Paul’s admonition to not neglect these gifts. Our lives are busy, and we may not take the time to develop our gifts, however, Paul tells us to not neglect them. I encourage all of us, including me, to continue striving to develop the spiritual gifts God has given us and use them for His glory.
Finally, in verse 16, Paul essentially tells Timothy to stay in his lane. It’s so easy to get distracted and sidetracked from God’s plan. After all, we move through different seasons in life. And different seasons call for a new direction. Occasionally, I find myself drifting off course. I pursue other things than what God has planned. I get involved in something the Lord asked someone else to do. I veer out of my lane and into someone else’s. Sometimes I wonder how many times I’ve veered off course. I wonder how many people I’ve let down because I’ve left something good to do something different. Then I wonder how many years I’ve wasted doing something other than what the Lord had planned. God is good, though. He gently compasses us back on course. He reminds us to do what He’s called us to do and not what He’s called someone else to do. He reminds us to stay in our lane. Verse 16 says, “For by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” He will bless us as we do the work that He gives us. And He will bless others through that work. Let us take stock in Paul’s advice today.
Let’s see what’s happening in Joshua chapter 23!
A long time had passed since the last chapter. Joshua was getting old, and he knew his time on the earth was short. He gave them advice and warnings before he was to pass. He reminded them the Lord fought for them and would continue to fight for them, so they were to be courageous. Sounds much like the advice Moses gave them before his passing. He also reminded them to not intermarry with any of the people from any of the nations they had or would take over. This would be to their detriment. He told them to not even say the names of the gods of these nations. He reminded them to cling to the Lord. And if they didn’t, then God’s wrath would be upon them. In verse 4 he said, “And behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. Know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one thing of them has failed.” Yes, the Lord is faithful. He was faithful to them, and He is faithful to us today. A common theme I see in our reading today is to cling to the Lord, hold close to Him, and love Him with all our hearts. Let us be mindful of our reading today and implement all that the men of the Bible tell us.
In chapter 24, Joshua’s last day is recorded. He reminds them about all the wonderful works the Lord had done from Abraham to their release from captivity, to the wars they won because of the Lord’s hand. They were living in cities they did not build and eating food they did not plant. Everything they had was from the Lord.
One of the most well-known verses is in part of verse 15 where Joshua says, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” He warns them to put out all other gods from their homes and hearts. He warns them of the repercussions of worshiping the gods of their forefathers. They promise to worship the Lord.
In verse 29 we read Joshua died at 110 years old. He was buried in the hill country of Ephraim. We also read that Eleazor, son of Aaron, died. He was buried as well. Two of the Israelites’ leaders were now gone, and we move on to a new book – the book of Judges.
Psalm 105 is a psalm of praise. It pairs so well with our other readings today. Verse 4 says, “Seek, inquire of and for the Lord, and crave Him and His strength (His might and inflexibility to temptation); seek and require His face and His presence [continually] evermore.” Again, this matches the theme for today’s readings. And then the rest of this psalm is a retelling of all that we have just read in the Old Testament. I love how the Lord connects the Old and New Testament for us in this Bible reading schedule.
Let us pray:
O Lord, thank You for Your Word today. Help us remember all that You have done – all Your mighty works. May we praise You today, Father. May we praise You for all You have done and all You will do. Keep our hearts seeking You, clinging, to You, and loving You all the days of our lives here on earth and into eternity. Keep us Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.