Day 242 Bible Readings – 2 Corinthians 3: 17-18 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 35-36, 2 Corinthians 3, Psalm 121

2 Corinthians 3: 17-18 (ESV)

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Paul reminds us in Verses 17 and 18 from 2 Corinthians 3 that we have the freedom to see the glory of God without a veil like Moses because of presence of the Holy Spirit. We have that freedom because of Jesus Christ who gave us the Holy Spirit through his resurrection. When we behold the image of God, we are also being transformed by God into his same image because of the Holy Spirit. Because of the grace of Jesus Christ, we do not have to do anything because beholding the glory of God will transform us.

Believing in Jesus Christ gives us so much freedom because of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works like an intermediary between us and God. Working with the Holy Spirit will transform us inside and out because of the grace of Jesus Christ.  

These verses also remind me of this song we sing at the church which incorporates verse 17 –

Enjoy!

Day 241 Bible Readings – 2 Corinthians 2: 15 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 33-34, 2 Corinthians 2: 12-17, Psalm 120

2 Corinthians 2: 15 (ESV)

“For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,”

Verse 15 from 2 Corinthians 2 shows Paul talking about what it means to spread the gospel of Christ. To those people who are being saved by their belief in Jesus Christ or those who are perishing and want to repent for their sins to God so they can be with Christ, people of faith are welcomed like the smell of good food. Paul reminds us that we should not be ashamed to talk about our faith in God because to those who are starving to hear the words of God, we will be as welcomed as food. As people of faith, we should never be ashamed to share our faith because we do not know if people are starving for the word of God. We need to trust that if Holy Spirit is inspiring us to share our faith with people we don’t know, it is because the person we are speaking to someone who needs to hear the word of God. We cannot judge what someone needs based on appearance or light conversation. Only God knows what is in each person’s heart. A person might be starving for the word of God, but we will never know until we share our faith in Jesus Christ.

Day 240 Bible Readings – 2 Corinthians 2: 10-11 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 31-32, 2 Corinthians 2: 1-11, Psalm 119: 169-176

2 Corinthians 2: 10-11 (ESV)

“Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.”

Verses 10 and 11 from 2 Corinthians 2 shows Paul asking the Church of Corinth to forgive the member of the church who had sinned and who repented. Paul stresses that forgiveness is important because the man who sinned had repented, and it was now a time of healing in the church. Paul knew that if church members did not accept the man who sinned back into their fellowship, they would help Satan cause the man to despair. Satan has many strategies which Paul said was known to everyone. If we know Satan’s strategies, we must be careful not fall prey to them. Paul said we need to follow the example of Christ, and always be kind to people even if they have sinned. We must always be aware of how we are sinning so Satan cannot take advantage of us.

I know for myself it is easy to hold onto a person’s guilt and not forgive them. Withholding forgiveness not only hurt me, but it also sometimes hurt the other person if they wanted to be forgiven. I knew I was punishing them, but I was so angry at the time. When I was finally able to forgive the person and told them, they were so joyful and I felt a sense of peace. Forgiveness always brings peace to you and the other person, especially if they have repented. Forgiveness is the way of Christ, and as a follower of Christ we need always try to emulate his ways.

Day 239 Bible Readings – 2 Chronicles 30: 9 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 29-30, 2 Corinthians 1: 12-24, Psalm 119: 161-168

2 Chronicles 30: 9 (ESV)

“For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”

Verse 9 from 2 Chronicles 30 shows Hezekiah telling the those in Israel who had fallen away from God that if they return to God, he will be gracious and merciful to you. This is reminder for the people of faith today that God will always welcome back anyone who has turned away from him. We have a merciful and gracious God, and good father, who will welcome the prodigals who come back to him. I know sometimes when I have been away from God for a long time, there is some part of my mind that always wonders if God will take me back. Or are there any circumstances when God will not take someone back who want to return to him? I think Paul is the perfect example of how merciful God is to those who have turned from him. Before Paul came to know Jesus Christ, he was Saul who persecuted the early followers of Christ. I always think if God can use somebody like Paul who persecuted the followers of Christ, he will take anyone back and use them to further his kingdom on earth. 

If you have been away from Christ and want to come back, do not be afraid. God will take you back, will not turns his face from you, and will celebrate your return.

Book 238 Bible Readings – 2 Corinthians 1: 8-10 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 26-28, 2 Corinthians 1: 1-11, Psalm 119: 153-160

2 Corinthians 1: 8-10 (ESV)

“For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”

In Paul’ second letter to the Church of Corinth, he wrote to them of the affliction he had experienced in Asia and how he felt they had experienced the equivalent of a death sentence. But Paul reminds us that sometimes in a season of affliction every person of faith will have an experience of death so we can know that the only person we can rely on is God. We cannot even rely on ourselves. We can rely on God because only he can raise us, resurrect us from a feeling of death. God delivered us in the past, now, and will do so again in the future. As people of faith, we rely on God to be faithful to deliver us from troubles that are sometimes so bad it feels like we have died spiritually. But we must trust that God will always deliver us and that in these constant experiences of resurrection, God will draw us closer to him and we will draw ourselves closer to God.

Day 237 Bible Readings – 2 Chronicles 24: 24 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 24 & 25, 1 Corinthians 16, Psalm 119: 145-152

2 Chronicles 24: 24 (ESV)

“Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, the Lord delivered into their hand a very great army, because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.”

Verse 24 from 2 Chronicles shows what happens when Joash listened to his friends and he abandoned being faithful to God. God punished Joash and let the Syrian army defeat him even though they did not have enough men. When you have a season of trials, a person of faith needs to see if they have been faithful to God. Sometimes God gives us trials, so we can deepen our relationship with him when we let our mind stray from him. These trials remind us to always keep our focus on God, and to keep praising him even in a season of trials. The Bible is filled with so many stories of people who have gone through their own season of trials, and how God was always faithful to them. If we read God’s word every day, we will always be reminded of his faithfulness to his people and we can have confidence of is faithfulness to us.

Day 236 Bible Readings – 1 Corinthians 15: 54-57 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 21-23, 1 Corinthians 15: 50-59, Psalm 119: 137-44

1 Corinthians 15: 54-57 (ESV)

“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Verses 54-57 from 1 Corinthians 15 shows Paul talking about what we as believers in Jesus Christ have gained through his resurrection. Because Christ allowed himself to be sacrificed for our sins by his death on the cross and then rose three (3) days later, we need no longer fear death because when we die we will be with Christ in eternity. Death has no victory over us and we will be resurrected like Jesus when we die. This promise of eternal life gives people of faith a calmness and a peacefulness because death has no power over them. Why wouldn’t you want the calmness and peace of knowing that you need not fear death? Death is such a scary thing for all people. But with faith in Jesus Christ, we have the promise of resurrection after death. We have the example of Christ, who rose from the dead and later appeared and spoke to his disciples.  With Christ all things are possible, even the promises of victory over death.

Day 235 Bible Readings – 2 Chronicles 20: 15 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 18: 28-34, 2 Chronicles 19-20, 1 Corinthians 15: 35-49, Psalm 119: 129-136

2 Chronicles 20: 15 (ESV)

“And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's.”

Verse 15 from 2 Chronicles is God’s answer to King Jehoshaphat when he prayed to God for help in the battle that was before him. The Lord told spoke through Jahaziel telling the king that they didn’t even need to fight, and they just needed to stand firm and hold their position. God kept his word and the king found that his enemies had fought against each other and killed themselves. I love how God kept his promise to the king. Before any battle we must always pray to God for guidance. I know for myself that I don’t pray to God first, but only as a last resort. But I have found over the years that this strategy doesn’t always work for the best. If I had prayed to God first, I might have had an easier time with some seasons of trouble I experienced.

I know my reasoning was always “God is too busy to deal with my little battle, and I can deal with it myself.” But I know I was wrong. God is never too busy to hear our prayers. If I had prayed to God first before any battle small or large, I would have heard God’s advice. Perhaps he might have said “You can handle it on your own”, or “I can help you” But I didn’t pray to God first. I just assumed what he would say. We can never assume to know God’s will for our life. We must always pray first, and when wait for his answer. Over the years I’ve found that if I prayed first to God, then everything always seemed to work out for the best. And when I didn’t pray to God first, my troubles seemed to last longer and weren’t as easily resolved. So now I pray first and wait for answer from God, which gives me more peace than I’ve ever had in the past.

Day 234 Bible Readings – 2 Chronicles 16: 8-9 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 16-17, 2 Chronicles 18: 1-27, 1 Corinthians 15; 1-34, Psalm 119: 121-128

2 Chronicles 16: 8-9 (ESV)

“Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

Verses 8 and 9 from 2 Chronicles were talked about in my pastor’s recent sermon. King Asa had always relied on God until the 36^th year of his reign, when Baasha king of Israel built Ramah fortress to prevent people going into and coming out of Juday Instead of consulting God as he did previously when he faced the Ethiopians and Libyans, King Asa decided to make a treaty with the King of Syria.  Because Asa did not solely rely on God, Hanani the seer told him he would now have wars instead of peace. King Asa had peace for over 30 years, and now he would be facing war without help from God. My pastor said God is always looking throughout the earth to find those people of faith who are faithful, so he can fully support them. My pastor asked us if we always fully rely on God.

I’ve been contemplating this question since his sermon and I realized that even though I think I am fully reliant on God, I question God’s wisdom every day. I know what God wants me do but when I wake up in the morning, I have so much doubt if God made the right decision on his plan for me. I ask God daily if he made the right decision / plan for my life. I never seem to be satisfied knowing that God’s answer is always “yes” to my question. By asking this question, I show my doubt that God knows what he’s doing in my life even though I have years of proof that God’s plans for my life have always worked out for the best. It’s been hard to stop from questioning / doubting God, but I am getting better at it. Today was the first day I stopped myself from questioning God. It was a big deal for me. I don’t think this will last battle I have with my doubt, but I know that I had a victory this morning. And I know I couldn’t have done it without God’s help. Even in my doubt, God helps me to overcome it because he Is a good God.

Day 233 Bible Readings – Psalm 119: 14 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 12-15, 1 Corinthians 14: 20-40, Psalm 119, 113-120

Psalm 119: 14 (ESV)

“You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.”

When I read verse 14 from Psalm 119, I felt myself wanting to cry. I thought of all the times, I prayed to God for protection and safety. I asked God to keep me safe and I felt that he answered my prayers and made me feel protected and safe. But I also remember praying to God to help in times of stress and danger, so God became my shield in my time of affliction. God is so kind to us, his children. Like a good parent, we can go to God to hide from danger knowing God will protect us and keep us safe. When we are in trouble, God becomes our shield against those who would harm us. He is our father, our partner, the one who inspires us in times of trouble to be strong and do battle against our physical and spiritual foes. And when we have doubt, we can read the stories in the Bible of how God has always fulfilled his promises to those who have been faithful to him. These stories give us the assurance that if God was faithful to those in the Bible, he will be faithful to us if are faithful to him.

Reading the bible for me daily has become essential in my walk with God. I see myself in so many of the people from the Old and New Testament, who had doubts but still had faith in God. I also feel inspiration from the people in the Old and New Testament whose faith was so strong in God that they never wavered; their faith was unshakeable. Reading the Bible every day renews my faith in God’s word.

Day 232 Bible Readings – 1 Corinthians 14: 3-4 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 10-12, 1 Corinthians 141: 1-19, Psalm 119: 105-112

1 Corinthians 14: 3-4 (ESV)

“On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.”

Verses 3 and 4 from 1 Corinthians 14 shows Paul talking about the differences between the people who can prophesy and those can speak in tongues. If you have the gift of speaking in tongues, you are speaking to God and building yourself up in your relationship with God. If you have the gift of being able to prophesy, you build the church up and encourage and console other people.

I did not think I had the gift of speaking in tongues, but I had some friends pray for me and I received this gift. It’s a new thing for me and I’m not even sure I’m doing it right, but I do understand what Paul means when this gift builds you up. When I speak in tongues I speak to God, and I am assuming he knows what I’m saying and what is in my heart.

I’ve been in services where people burst out prophesying, and whatever they say is always to specific people or about the church. For people, it’s almost all the time words of encouragement for their life, their afflictions, or whatever they are going through at the time. For the church, it’s always about what the church needs to focus on and what people need to do to get closer to God. I love the spontaneity of people who prophesy. It feels as if the words are flowing out of the person uncontrollably, and sometimes looks like the person doesn’t even know what they are saying. It’s an amazing phenomenon and I feel blessed whenever I am a witness to this kind of event.

If have a spiritual gift, do not be afraid of it. Cultivate it because whatever your spiritual gift is, God gave it to you to serve him and his plan in the world.

Day 231 Bible Readings – 1 Corinthians 13: 13 (ESV)

Song of Solomon 5-8, 1 Corinthians 13, Psalm 119: 97-104

1 Corinthians 13: 13 (ESV)

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Verse 13 from 1 Corinthians 13 show what Bible commentaries have said are the three things that people of faith need to pursue. We need to have faith in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. We need to cultivate hope in the coming of Jesus Christ, hope for God’s justice in our world, and hope our prayers are answered. We also need to always look for the love in our relationship with other people and treat them with love as God has treated us with love. But when we are with God in his kingdom after our death, we will always have love with God and with other people of faith. I think that’s why Paul said love is the greatest thing to focus on for people of faith. We will always be pursuing love when we are on earth, and we will have God’s love for eternity when we are with him in his kingdom.

It sounds easy, doesn’t it? Just focus on love. But I know for myself that to always act in a loving way towards other people is hard. And depending on your family, showing love towards them could be harder. But if we look to how Jesus treated people, we have our role model. Jesus was kind to everyone include the sick, the oppressed, and unloved by society. The behavior of Christ towards humanity was always loving, including his final sacrifice of dying on the cross for our sins. If we think of how much Christ sacrificed for us, we know the acts of kindness and love we show towards other people will never equal what Christ did for us by dying on the cross. Whatever we do will never compare to Christ, but it may give us the courage and inspiration to try harder to be more loving towards our family and other people.

Day 230 Bible Readings – Psalm 119: 92-93 (ESV)

Song of Solomon 1-4, 1 Corinthians 12: 27-31, Psalm 119: 89-96

Psalm 119: 92-93 (ESV)

“If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.”

Verses 92 and 93 from Psalm 119 shows us that the Psalmist knew that without knowledge of the words in the Bible, people of faith would perish in their season of affliction. The Psalmist tells us that the words of God in the Bible has given him life, and he will never forget them. This is my hope for my yearly journey of reading the Bible in a year daily – that the word of God is always fresh in my mind no matter what kind of season it is for me. If it’s a good season, I can praise God in my reading of the Bible. If it’s a season of affliction, the Bible helps me to keep focused on God and remember his promises to his followers that have always bene fulfilled. And even on just blah days where nothing good or bad is going on in my life, reading the Bible helps me to deepen my relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Day 229 Bible Readings – 1 Corinthians 12: 4-7 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 7-9, 1 Corinthians 12: 1-26, Psalm 119: 81-88

1 Corinthians 12: 4-7 (ESV)

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, bu.t it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

Verses 4 through 7 from 1 Corinthians 12 are probably one of Paul’s most talked about verses. Paul tells the Church of Corinth that everyone has gifts from the Holy Spirit, but we don’t all have the same gifts. Everyone has different gifts, and they all come from God, and are manifestations of the Holy Spirit. God has a plan for each of us and has given us gifts so we can carry out his plans. I know for myself that I find myself often envious of people who can sing or play an instrument well. I can sing, but I’m not a great singer. I learned to play a few instruments as a child, but not enough where I could entertain people with my playing. From what I can tell and what people have told me all my life is I’m smart and my writing is good. I never considered my smarts as a gift from God, because I’ve always been smart even as a child. It seemed to just be the way I was born, although it didn’t seem to manifest until the third grade. I was told when I was in 4^th grade that I had the reading level of an 18-year-old. In elementary school, poems or stories that I wrote were submitted by my teachers to our local paper. But these talents weren’t celebrated by my friends, so I didn’t consider them gifts. It wasn’t until I was much older that I realized my smarts and writing skills were gifts from God, only because I became very aware that other people couldn’t do what was very easy and natural for me.

I think if you are a person of faith, you owe it God to find out what your gifts are and celebrate them. God has use for all of us. We are like puzzle pieces in God’s plan, and I think it’s our duty as people of faith to celebrate our gifts so we can find out how we can best serve God.

Day 228 Bible Readings – Psalm 119: 75-76 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 5 & 6, 1 Corinthians 11, Psalm : 119: 73-80

 Psalm 119: 75-76 (ESV)

“I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant.”

Verses 75 and 76 from Psalm 119 talks about how a person of great faith thinks about God. When you have great faith in God and you go through a season of suffering, you can still proclaim that God is right. And that even when you are suffering you know that God is still faithful to you, and will comfort you with his steadfast love in the seasons of suffering. And you know only that because God made promises to us his children.

I think that praising God and believing that he is always right in a season of suffering is the hardest thing to do. Even when we aren’t suffering but we hear of bad things happening to other people, it is so human to wonder “Where was God? Why did he allow this happen?” But if we work daily on our relationship with God by reading his words and meditating on his words, we can quiet these questions and rely on our understanding of God’s love for us. We will know that each bad and good thing happening in the world is part of God for further his plan for humanity.

Day 227 Bible Readings – 1 Corinthians 10: 23 (ESV)

2 Chronicles: 2-4, 1 Corinthians 9: 19-27, 1 Corinthians 10, Psalm 119: 65-72

1 Corinthians 10: 23 (ESV)

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.”

Verse 23 from 1 Corinthians 10 is Paul’s advice to the Church of Corinth to do everything for God. Paul tells them God allows all things, but not everything is helpful or will build up a person who has faith in God. There are some people of faith who want to find out how much they can get away with and still be a person of faith in God. Paul tells them to seek only things that are beneficial to a person with faith in God. Paul also reminds each person of faith must always consider what is good for all people of faith, instead of only thinking what is good for me alone. Paul tells them we need to consider if our actions or decisions harm others in the faith.

Paul’s advice applies to all people of faith, especially in our world today. Unlike the people in Paul’s time, we have so many choices for how to spend our time and money. As a person of faith, we must always consider if the thing we seek is helpful, will build us up, is beneficial, and will not harm others in faith. If we keep these questions in mind for every decision we make, we can be confident that our life will always be focused on God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Day 226 Bible Readings – 2 Chronicles 1: 11-12 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 1, 1 Corinthian 9: 1-18, Psalm 119: 57-64

2 Chronicles 1: 11-12 (ESV)

“God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.”

Verses 11 and 12 from 2 Chronicles 1 shows us God’s answer to Solomon when he asked God for “Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?” Solomon had asked for wisdom from God to govern, and God searched his heart for his true motives. When God found out that Solomon was sincere in only asking for wisdom to rule, God rewarded him by instead giving me “riches, possessions, and honor”. These verses show the generosity of God to those who are asking advice from him, but it also shows that God has a plan for each of us that is unknown to us until we ask for help. We never know what God’s plan has for us until we ask him for help to lead our lives. I think these verses also show that God’s plan for us is so much more than we can even imagine for ourselves. As followers of Christ, we need to ask God for wisdom to lead our lives. His answers may surprise us and lead us to a life of unimaginable abundance.

My Experience with Anointing

The pastor at my church on Wednesday talked about a season in his life where he was very stressed and desperate about what was going on in his life. He talked about "betting the farm" on Jesus and wondering at the time, if he had "bet the farm on Jesus". He finally came to a point in his life where he decided to go all in with God and "bet the farm on Christ",  and the peace it gave him that morning. His issues were still there, but he felt this amazing sense of peace after his decision.

During his talk, I was in tears. I did not go if I had ever decided to go "all in with Jesus."  Would I ever "bet the farm on Jesus?" After all these years with my journey with God, I did not have a definitive answer on whether at any point in my life, I had "bet the farm on God."

My pastor ended up quoting this bible verse - 2 Chronicles 16: 9 -  "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him."

After his talk, my pastor said he was going to anoint anyone with oil who wanted to be anointed and wanted to make the decision to "bet the farm on God." He invited the other pastors and any staff who was there to come up on stage and form a tunnel, so anyone who wanted to get anointed could walk through the tunnel of people. He then invited the pastors to staff to lay their hands on people if inspired and bless the person who had been anointed. 

I decided I need to make a public declaration that I was willing to "bet the farm on God." It was an amazing feel to be anointed with oil, and to walk through the tunnel of people hearing people bless me and/or lay their hands on me. Afterwards, I couldn't fall asleep. It felt like something life changing had happened to me, and my body was too excited and on fire to rest. 

I finally did doze off and when I woke up this morning, I felt refreshed despite getting very little sleep. I have no idea what this anointing experience will do in my life, but I am excited to see what enfolds since I am now "betting the farm on God."

Day 225 Bible Readings – 1 Corinthians 8: 12 (ESV)

Ecclesiastes 10-12, 1 Corinthians 7: 36-40, 1 Corinthians 8, Psalm 119: 49-56

1 Corinthians 8: 12 (ESV)

“Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.”

Verse 12 from 1 Corinthians 8 shows Paul’s advice to the Church of Corinth to treat other people in the church well. If we commit sins against other people because their faith or their conscience is weak, we are sinning against Christ. We cannot encourage other people to sin even though their faith is weak. I like Paul’s advice here because it reinforces that we need to treat each other with kindness, and that God will judge us for how we treat other people even those who are not of the faith. We must always be kind to everyone no matter what their faith, and not encourage them to sin against God just because they are not of the faith.

Day 224 Bible Readings – 1 Corinthians 7: 17 (ESV)

Ecclesiastes 7-9, 1 Corinthians 7: 17-35, Psalm 119: 41-48

1 Corinthians 7: 17 (ESV)

“Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.”

Verse 17 from 1 Corinthians 7 is Paul’s advice to church in Corinth that no matter what your status is in life, God has assigned that life to you and you have a role in God’s plan. God is all powerful and will use each person who has faith in him to further his plans on earth. Bible commentaries written that Paul meant that a church goer does not have change their life to be useful to God. You can live that life that God has given you because all things come from God. Also implicit in this advice is to not compare yourself to others or think that other people have it better than you do. Each person has their own journey with God. They have their own lessons to learn no matter what their status is in the world. I think this is good advice because I know for myself that I sometimes see other people in church and envy their life. But I have also met people who look at me and when I’ve gotten to know them, told me they envy my life. We all think the other person has it better than we do. But everyone has lessons. What might be hard for me, will be easy for someone else. What will be easy for me, might be impossible for someone else. As a person with faith in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, we only need to be concerned with how God views and judges us and not with anyone else.

Day 223 Bible Readings – Ecclesiastes 5: 15 (ESV)

Ecclesiastes 4-6, 1 Corinthians 7: 1-16, Psalm 119: 33-40

Ecclesiastes 5: 15 (ESV)

“As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.”

Verse 15 from Ecclesiastes 5 stood out to me in my readings. King Solomon was writing in this section about wealth. Verse 5 has been bandied about in so many ways, but I believe it basically means that we come into the world with nothing and when we die, we leave with nothing. Verse 5 makes you think about the striving one does for wealth in our lives. Not that there is nothing wrong with wealth because you need riches to live in this world. And having lots of money to buy things and live comfortably is most of the time better than not having money at all. But in my experience having no money or a ton of money doesn’t bring you peace or leave you free of worry. When I didn’t have any money, I was worried about not having enough of it. When I finally got to a point where I thought I was making enough money to live comfortably, I then became worried about having the right things like the right investment vehicles for my money. The worries and lack of peace never went with my increase in wealth. The only thing that has brought peace and has lessened the worry in my life is deepening my relationship with Christ by reading the Bible every day and listening to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in my life.

Day 222 Bible Readings – 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 (ESV)

Ecclesiastes 1-3, 1 Corinthians 6, Psalm 119: 25-32

1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 (ESV)

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Verses 19 and 20 from 1 Corinthians 6 shows Paul reminding us that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirt, and comes from God. Paul also reminds us that because our body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, this means our body belongs to God and not to us. Since our body belongs to God and is a temple for the Holy Spirit to dwell in, we need to treat our body with respect and take care of it. I think a helpful analogy would be to treat your body how you would treat your Bible. You take of your Bible and make sure it does not get damaged. We need to treat our bodies in the same or better. Thinking that the Holy Spirit dwells within us make us pause and think about we’re doing and ask ourselves, does what I’m about to damage my temple in any way. A friend from a long time ago once told me that I need pause before any action I take and ask myself, if Jesus were in the room would I still be doing the action? I didn’t always follow that advice, but now it makes so much sense to me. Would you be proud of any action you take if God was watching you? If you can’t answer an immediate Yes, then you probably need to think before you take that action.

Day 221 Bible Readings – 1 Chronicles 28: 9 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 28-29, 1 Corinthian 5, Psalm 119: 17-24

1 Chronicles 28: 9 (ESV)

“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”

Verse 9 from 1 Chronicles 28 is King David’s advice to his son Solomon whom God said would build his temple. David told his son to serve God and serve with his whole heart and a willing mind. David reminded Solomon that God searches everyone’s heart and understands everyone’s plans and thought. David tells Solomon that if he seeks God, he will find him. And if he forsakes God, he will abandon him. David’s advice is a reminder to all of us that there is no hiding from God. He knows our hearts and understands our plans and our every thought. We need to serve God will our whole heart and a willing mind. He knows if we are just going to church on Sunday, and not having anything to do with God the rest of the days of the week. He knows if we are skirting God’s laws with rationalizations as to why we are justified in our actions. God looks at us like a parent with a child, watching us to see if we are following his rules and his recommendations for how we live our life. And even though we will sin and sin often, God will be merciful to us as long as we never forsake him. God knows us inside and out, and he will always love us.

Day 220 Bible Readings – Psalm 19: 15-16 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 26: 20-32, 1 Chronicles 27, 1 Corinthians 4, Psalm 119: 9-16

Psalm 119: 15-16 (ESV)

“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.”

Verses 15 and 16 from Psalm 119 illustrate part of my reasons for reading the Bible in a year every year. Reading the Bible daily helps me to meditate on God’s words and reinforces in my mind the ways of God and Christ. Every day I take verses from daily Bible readings and write about them and what they mean to me and perhaps how they apply in my life. I also want to get to the point where if I hear people quoting or referencing Bible verses, I will be familiar with them and hopefully have an opinion of the verses. This is a stretch goal and something I haven’t attempted yet, but I want to be able to memorize passages from the Bible. I really envy people who can do this or can immediately quote Bible verses. I want this skill in my arsenal so when I feel blue or down, I recite to myself a Bible passage or verse to get my mind back to God and his promises and faithfulness. I also find inspiration from people in the Bible and their struggle with faith in God. I learn lessons from them on what to do and what not to do. I rejoice in their victories and feel sorrow in their doubts and hard lessons. Reading the Bible daily most importantly keeps me focused on God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Day 219 Bible Readings – 1 Corinthians 3: 1-4 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 24-25, 1 Chronicles 26: 1-19, 1 Corinthians 3, Psalm 119: 1-8

1 Corinthians 3: 1-4 (ESV)

“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?”

In 1 Corinthians 3 verses 1 through 4 Paul told the Church of Corinth that when he first taught them, they were not “spiritual people”. They had received the Holy Spirit, but they were not yet thinking or behaving like Christ. Paul said he had to teach simple things as a mother would feed a baby milk and not solid food, because they were not ready to hear his more advanced teachings. Paul tells the Church of Corinth to observe their own behavior to see if they are behaving and acting like Christ, or like people “of the flesh.” Paul’s advice is a good way to check ourselves to see if we are thinking, acting, and behaving as Christ would. Are you still experiencing jealous thoughts? Are you still experiencing strife in your life? If you are, then you need to change your behavior and model yourself on how Christ would have thought and acted.

I used to love that old saying of WWJD, or what would Jesus do? I think it is still relevant for us today in our daily lives and interactions. We may never truly behave like Jesus, but he is a reminder of how we can behave and think in order to lead a life that is obedient to God’s laws and plans.

Day 218 Bible Readings – 1 Corinthians 2: 12-13 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 22 & 23, 1 Corinthians 2, Psalm 118: 17-29

1 Corinthians 2: 12-13 (ESV)

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”

Verses 12 through 13 from 1 Corinthians 2 shows Paul letting the believers in the Church of Corinth know that believers in Christ have received the Holy Spirit who is from God. The Holy Spirit helps us to understand the word of God and things given us to freely by God. The Holy Spirit also helps us to interpret spiritual truths to other believers in Christ.

The pastor of my church gave a sermon last year and told us we need to rely on the Holy Spirit to help us in all things, since Christ gave us the Holy Spirit as a Helper. I’ve been to rely more on the Holy Spirit since that sermon, and I can testify that the Holy Spirit has helped me to understand my Bible readings more and how to apply Bible teachings to my life. The Holy Spirit has also helped me understand more fully how God works in my life, and what God is trying to teach me in the trials of my life. The Holy Spirit is there to help believers in Christ, so call upon this helper to help you in your spiritual journey and walk with Christ.

Day 217 Bible Readings for August 6 – 1 Corinthians 26-31(ESV)

1 Chronicles 19-21, 1 Corinthians 1: 18-31, Psalm 118: 1-16

1 Corinthians 26-31(ESV)

“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 

I love verses 26 through 31 from 1 Corinthians. Paul writes to the Church in Corinth and tells them that God chose them not because they were wise, powerful, of noble birth, but because God is great and would work through them. Bible commentaries have said the people in the Church of Corinth were beginning to think of themselves as great, but Paul reminds them that they weren’t great. God chose them because of their faith and because he could work through them to spread his faith. We should never think of ourselves as too lowly to be used or chosen by God. God will choose whomever he wants as long as the person has faith. But Paul reminds that once we are chosen by God, we must always remember that our greatness comes from God and because Christ is within us telling us what to do, what to say, how to act to fulfill God’s plan on earth. As followers of Christ, we can all be used to further God’s plan as long as we always remember that Christ dwells within us and we daily renew our faith in God and Jesus Christ.

Day 216 Bible Readings – 1 Chronicles 17: 7-8 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 16: 37-43, 1 Chronicles 17-18, 1 Corinthians 1: 1-17, Psalm 117

1 Chronicles 17: 7-8 (ESV)

“Now, therefore, thus shall you say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel, and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.”

Verses 7 through 8 from 1 Chronicles 17 shows the Lord telling Nathan what to say to David. I love how God reminds David of his humble beginnings as a shepherd and how God has elevated David to leader of his people. God also reminds David that he has always been with him and is responsible for all his victories. God then tells David that he will make him a great name in the world. These words from the Lord to David tells me that God is completely aware of everything we are doing and what our life has been like. God also reminds David and us that he is always with us. God protects us from enemies and is with us in all our victories. God also reminds us that he has a plan for us. It might not to be like David’s life, but God has a plan for each of us that is part of his greater plan for all of humanity. We need to be reminded that God is always with us and have faith that our life is a part of God’s plan.

Day 215 Bible Readings for August 4 – Romans 16: 17-18 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 15, 1 Chronicles 16: 1-36, Romans 16, Psalm 116: 12-19

Romans 16: 17-18 (ESV)

“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.”

Verses 17 and 18 from Romans 16 spoke to me today. Paul ends his letter to the Church of Rome warning them to watch out for people who create divisions and I believe to those who are believers in Jesus Christ. Paul says these people only serve themselves and not Christ. I am in the process of deepening my relationship with Christ, and one of the things that Holy Spirit has been convicting me about is not having enough friends who will support me in this journey. Most of friends are not followers of Christ, which is fine for me. We’ve been friends for a long time. But I do feel the need to be around more people who are on the same journey so when I can talk to people about my bible readings, my struggles with faith, and other things going on in my life. Talking with people who also have faith in Christ gives me the perspective on how other believers feel, lets me know what they do with their doubts, and often give me their favorite bible passages that they rely on and love. I love hearing about the different bible verses that people love and can recite from memory. I’m making my own list of favorite bible verses that I want to commit to memory because they are so deeply meaningful for me. Paul’s advice on choosing your friends is such a powerful message for any new and old believer in Christ.

Day 214 Bible Readings for August 3 – Psalm 116: 1-2 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 12: 23-40, 1 Chronicles 13 & 14, Romans 15: 14-33, Psalm 116: 1-11

Psalm 116: 1-2 (ESV)

“I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.”

I love verses 1 and 2 from Psalm 116. The psalmist talks about probably what every person of faith feels about their God. You love God because he heard your voice and your pleas for mercy. Because God answered you once, you will always call on him as you live. These verses make me wonder how long it took before a person was willing to always call on her God. For some it might have been the first time, for others it might have been a long and continual pattern of feeling like God had heard you before you decided you can upon God indefinitely. No matter how long or short it look, the person’s faith God was established permanently for the rest of their life.

Day 213 Bible Readings – Romans 15: 5-7 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 11, 1 Chronicles 12: 1-22, Romans 14: 19-23, Romans 15: 1-13, Psalm 115: 12-18

Romans 15: 5-7 (ESV)

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”

Verses 5 through 7 from Romans 15 shows us Paul’s advice on how to live with people for those who have faith in Jesus Christ. Paul tells us that we need to live in harmony with each other, and to help us we have a God who will give us endurance and encouragement to live with people. Paul’s hope is if we get along with everyone, we will together glorify God. Paul tells us to look to the example of how Christ welcomed people who came up to him. Christ was kind to everyone who came up and wanted healing or who greeted him. If we look to how Christ behaved with new people, we have a perfect example of how to live with one another. Christ gave us a great example  of how to behave and live in the world. Jesus was always kind to everyone and treated everyone as an equal. He did not look down on those who were lowly or cast off from society. He even made the tax collector Matthew his disciple, even when tax collectors for the Romans were the most despised people in Jewish society. If we can emulate Christ in our behavior, we will give glory to God.

Day 212 Bible Readings for August 1 – Romans 14: 10-12 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 9 & 10, Romans 14: 1-18, Psalm 115: 1-11

Romans 14: 10-12 (ESV)

“Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess[b] to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

Verses 10 through 12 from Romans 14 gives us Paul’s advice on not judging others. Paul tells the church in Rome to not judge others because everyone will stand before God and be judged. As believers in Christ, it is not our job to judge other because that is God’s job. These verses have a special meaning for me because I feel like Holy Spirit has been convicting me these past weeks on how much I judge others. Holy Spirit has been showing me that everyone is a part of God’s plan and will be used by God to further his kingdom. I may never know the plan and how that person or group is part of God’s plan, but Holy Spirit has been instructing me that I need to have faith in God. I am always reminded of how God hardened Pharoah’s heart in the story of Exodus as part of his plan for his people to leave Egypt. By the end of the plagues, the Egyptians were telling the Hebrews to get out of their land. Their actions may not have come about had God not hardened the Pharoah’s heart. There are other stories in Bible how God took a person’s actions and used it for good as part of his plan for us.

Day 211 Bible Readings for July 31 – Romans 13: 8-10 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 7 & 8, Romans 13, Psalm 114

Romans 13: 8-10 (ESV)

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

Verses 8 through 10 from Romans 13 are Paul’s recommendation for how to live life as a Christian. If we have faith in Jesus Christ, we need to love one another or as is written “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” If we just love one another, we will fulfill all of God’s laws including the laws in the ten commandments. I like how Paul explains “loving your neighbor as you love yourself.” I try to live my life this way. I try to treat people as I like and want to be treated. I don’t always succeed, but that is my intention when I interact with other people. I don’t wish bad things on people when they don’t agree with me or persecute me. I know what it is like to be mistreated and persecute unfairly, so I try not to mistreat or persecute other people. I think Holy Spirit is trying to teach me to everything that happens to me in my life as part of God’s plan, to always look at each event or circumstance as a gift from the God. There’s a treasure if you look for it in any event or circumstance no matter how awful. But you need much faith in God to think this way, and that is perhaps part of the teaching for me from the Holy Spirit.