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Day 118 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 118 of Reading the Bible Cover to Cover in 365 Days!
Let us pray:
O Lord, thank You for another day in Your Word. Teach us more about You and Your ways today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
We start the book of Mark today. Remember, Mark stresses facts and portrays Jesus as a Man of action. The introduction in my Bible says this is the most vivid account of Jesus’ life. Many of the Jesus’ reactions are written by Mark as well as other peoples.
In chapter 1, Mark quotes Isaiah referencing John the Baptist coming to prepare the way for Christ. He preached repentance. Many people were baptized by John. He talks about Jesus and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And we read about John baptizing Jesus. The Holy Spirit entered into Jesus and led Him into the wilderness where He stayed for forty days. Verse 13 tells us He was tempted by Satan the whole time, and the angels ministered to Him continually. We can take heart that while enemy is tempting us, angels surround us and minister to us as well. Hebrews 1:14 says, “Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation?” We can believe God is taking care of us today.
Jesus started His ministry and also preached repentance. He walked along the sore of Galilee and selected some of His disciples: Peter and Andrew and James and John. Then He went into the synagogue and began to teach. There was a man with an evil spirit who recognized Jesus. You see, even the enemy spirits know Who Jesus is. He didn’t want the spirit to give Him away, so He told it to come out of the man. People were amazed. Next, He went to Peter and Andrew’s house where their mother was sick. He healed her and she immediately began waiting on them. I love this passage because it shows us the heart of service. It shows us the power of service.
The whole town came to this house and Jesus healed all who came. Again, He served the people. He must have been physically exhausted, and yet we read He rose well before sunrise and went out to pray. His disciples tracked Him down and told Him everyone was looking for Him. Being the Man of action that He was, He was ready to move onto the next town.
Next, we see Jesus healed a leper – He had sympathy and pity on Him. But then He talked harshly to the man telling him to not tell anyone about this, but he was to go to the priest and make an offering as Moses had instructed him to do. However, this man went and told everyone so that Jesus couldn’t travel openly anymore. This is sad in a way. Jesus did the good act of healing but was repaid unfairly. It also shows us, just as we learned earlier, that we have to be careful who we trust and tell things to. It also shows us just as Jesus would be disappointed, we are as well.
Let’s see what Hebrews chapter 3 has to say to us today!
He tells us we should honor Jesus. Verses 4 and 6 say, “For [of course] every house is built and furnished by someone, but the Builder of all things and the Furnisher [of the entire equipment of all things] is God. But Christ (the Messiah) was faithful over His [own Father’s] house as a Son [and Master of it]. And it is we who are [now members] of this house, if we hold fast and firm to the end our joyful and exultant confidence and sense of triumph in our hope [in Christ].” God is Creator of all things. The Builder of all things. And the Furnisher of all things. It is all His. We are so fortunate to live in His home and be a part of His family through Christ. We are the fortunate recipients of all we have because of Christ. God is our Provider both here and in heaven. He sent His Son to make sure we spend eternity with Him. Our hope rests in Jesus. Let us hope in Him and be thankful for His sacrifice to make us His.
Verses 7 and 8 say, “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as [happened] in the rebellion [of Israel] and their provocation and embitterment [of Me] in the day of testing in the wilderness, Where your fathers tried [My patience] and tested [My forbearance] and found I stood their test, and they saw My works for forty years.” The Israelites were unable to enter God’s rest because of their unbelief and hard hearts. Let us pray the Lord keeps our hearts soft toward Him no matter the difficulties and trials we find here on earth. Let us also pray He infuses more belief and trust in Him. He will give these things to us as we ask of Him.
The author tells us to encourage one another. He tells us to hold onto our first confidence we had in Christ. Let us remember the blessings and miracles the Lord has given us and meditate on them when hard times come. God is good and He is faithful. His Son is proof of His everlasting love.
Let’s see what’s happening in I Samuel chapter 3!
We read about the beginnings of Samuel’s road to becoming a prophet. The Lord came to him in the middle of the night and spoke his name. Samuel thought it was Eli, so he got up 3 times to see what Eli needed. The last time Eli realized it was God who was speaking to him, so he told Samuel to answer back with, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” God told him all that was going to befall Eli and his household. They were doomed because Eli would not correct his son’s wrath against God. In the morning Eli demanded that Samuel told him what God told him. Samuel delivered the difficult news and Eli responded a bit apathetically with let God do what He will do. The Lord continued to speak to Samuel.
In chapter 4 there is a battle against the Israelites by the Philistines. In the first battle, 4,000 Israelites were killed. They had the idea to bring the ark of the covenant with them the next day so that God would be with them. At first the Philistines were terrified because they knew what God had done for the Israelites in the past. However, they came against them even harder, and 30,000 Israelites were killed, and the ark of the covenant was captured. Both of Eli’s sons were also killed as they were the ones guarding the ark. When Eli was told of all that had happened, he fell and died. One of the wives of the son’s was pregnant and the news put her in childbirth which she died from.
Psalm 118 is a psalm of praise to the Lord. There are many repeating verses which were sung responsively by the singers much like we have responsive readings in church today. The pastor or reader reads one line, and the congregation responds with the second line.
Many of the verses are underlined in my Bible. Verse 8 says, “It is better to put trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Yes, I have learned this over and over again. God is faithful. He is the One Who saves us. Our confidence is in Him.
Verse 14 says, “The Lord is my Strength and Song; and He has become my Salvation.” Another great Truth. When our strength is gone, we call upon the Lord for His. How much stronger would we be if we called upon Him every moment of the day? He is also the Song we sing in our hearts. I often wake up with a song or tune playing in my mind. Let us sing unto the Lord.
Verse 24 says, “This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Yes, today and every day is the Lord’s. His joy fills our hearts no matter what the circumstances around us try and tell us.
Take your time reading through this psalm of praise and imagine two choirs singing responsively to one another.
Let us pray:
O Lord, thank You for the beauty we find in Your Word. You are almighty God, and our confidence is in You. May Your praise be ever on our lips. In Jesus’ name, amen.