Day 333 Bible Readings – 2 Peter 3: 8-9 (ESV)

Daniel 4: 19-37, Daniel 5: 1-16, 2 Peter 3, Proverbs 20: 25-30

2 Peter 3: 8-9 (ESV)

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

In verses 8 and 9 from 2 Peter 3, Peter writes about the difference between us and God regarding time. As humans we do not have the same view of time that God does. We do not live forever and have a very short time here on earth. We cannot wait forever for God’s justice because we want to see God’s justice done during our very short time here on earth.

We have to remember always that God has a pan, and God’s actions have to harmonize with the plan. Waiting for prayers to be answered is one of the hardest parts of my faith journey. Doubt fills my mind if God even cares for me. I start to question everything I’ve done in my life and beat myself up for not being better. I have to constantly remind myself that God loves me, and everything I have in my life is a gift from God. Some days I am just grateful to God that I have another day to live and breathe. Peter is right when he wrote that God is patient with all of us, and will not come back until all are saved. Until then we have to keep focused on God and his words, because dwelling in God’s words give us patience and reminds us of God’s love and how he always fulfills his promises.

Day 332 Bible Readings for November 29 - Proverbs 20: 15, 22 (ESV)

Daniel 3: 13-30, Daniel 4: 1-18, 2 Peter 2, Proverbs 20: 15-24

Proverbs 20: 15, 22 (ESV)

“There is gold and abundance of costly stones, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel…Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.”

Verses 15 and 22 from Proverbs 20 stood out for me in Day 332 Bible readings. I love jewelry and I have spent a lot of money on it, but I think Solomon is right. Knowledge is like a jewel and more precious. I have been fortunate in life in that I was able to spend money both on knowledge and on jewelry, but money spent on knowledge was definitely worth more than money spent on jewelry.

Solomon repeats what is mentioned so many times in the Bible. Only God can judge people. It might take awhile to see God’s judgement on people, but it does come eventually but not necessarily in the way we want. God has his own timing and his own way of judging people, and from personal experience it will always satisfy you.

Day 331 Bible Readings for November 28 – 1 Peter 2: 17-18 (ESV)

Daniel 2: 24-49, Daniel 3: 1-12, 2 Peter 1, Proverbs 20: 1-14

2 Peter 1: 17-18 (ESV)

“For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.”

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

When I read 2 Peter 1 verses 17 and 18, I thought about what an amazing thing Peter could be grateful for every year if he celebrated Thanksgiving. Peter heard God’s voice booming out from the heavens that Jesus Christ was God’s beloved son. This scene of God’s voice booming from the sky has been depicted in so many movies, and even parodied in a couple of Monty Python movies. I love the image of it and the sheer wonder of physically hearing God’s voice booming out from the sky. The gospels and now Peter’s letter does not give us the finer details of how God’s voice sounded when they heard it. They leave it our imagination.

I’ve always wondered what the disciples thought and how frightening it must have been for them to hear the voice of God booming from the sky. They also never describe the look on Jesus’ face when he heard the voice. Did he have a proud smile on his face as if thinking “that is my beloved father God”? I like to think that the disciples must have been so grateful to have such an undeniable physical confirmation that Jesus Christ was indeed the son of God. They would have given thanks every Thanksgiving that they were able to hear the voice of God. What miracle of God in your life are you grateful this Thanksgiving season?

Day 330 Bible Readings – 1 Peter 5: 6-7 (ESV)

Daniel 1, Daniel 2: 1-23, 1 Peter 5, Proverbs 19: 23-29

1 Peter 5: 6-7 (ESV)

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

In verses 6 and 7 Peter tells us that we need to have a humble attitude towards God and accept whatever place he has for us in his plan, even if he has us in a humble place. God knows when it will be right time to exalt us. We need to cast all our cares and worries to him, because God loves and cares for us.

I know that following God’s plan is humbling, because it has often gone against what I want to do with my life. I like to think that I know what is best for my life, but I’ve learned over the years that God knows way better than me what is best for my life. That learning hasn’t been easy for me but I’ve trusted God since I was a child and I’ve relied on my memories of God answering my prayers in ways I could never have imagined, to get through my doubts about God’s plan for my life. And God has never failed me. Frustrated me yes with his timing, but God has always come through for me.

Day 329 Bible Readings – Proverbs 19: 21 (ESV)

Ezekiel 47-48, 1 Peter 4, Proverbs 19: 13-22

Proverbs 19: 21 (ESV)

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”

Verse 21 from Proverbs 19 gave me a chuckle because it so true. You can make up plan after plan in your mind, but the only plan that will work in the end is God’s plan. I have this wisdom so true in my own life. I had so plans for myself in high school and college, most of which never came true. In high school I wanted to be a lawyer with a CPA, so I could come back home and open up my own practice. Then in college I decided I wanted to be a language interpreter at the United Nations, so I took a language course. But two years after that I changed my mind after I heard a college alumni speak and disparage the U.N. Then I thought I wanted to work in advertising, so I changed my major. I remember going to some seminar before I left college, and we had to write down where we wanted to see ourselves in 20 years. I wrote down that I would have be living in New York City off Central Park West. Later when I did end up spending time in New York City, I decided I couldn’t live there because it was too crowded, and I didn’t think I could deal with riding the subway every day.

But if I study my life deeply, I am pretty sure that I was following God’s plan and not my own at least in the big things in life like career and where to live. If you asked me in college whether I would be reading the Bible every day and writing down my thoughts on what I’d read in a blog, I would have laughed. Reading the Bible every day was not on my bucket list. I mean it’s not like I didn’t want to read the Bible, because I did want to read it once from cover to cover. But only because my college theatre arts professor yelled at our whole class that we were missing all the references and homages in great literature because we were all Bible illiterate. But reading the Bible every day – NEVER! Yet here I am reading it every day and loving every minute of it, because I know I am fulfilling God’s purpose for my life.

Day 328 Bible Readings – 1 Peter 3: 8-9 (ESV)

Ezekiel 45-46, 1 Peter 3, Proverbs 19: 1-12

1 Peter 3: 8-9 (ESV)

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.”

Verses 8 and 9 from 1 Peter 3 shows Peter telling the Church in modern-day Turkey to have unity as people of faith. I think these verses are so relevant for today as there seems to be so much divisiveness in the world. We need to have unity as people of faith. We are all different and we have many different beliefs and customs, but we need to choose unity as people of faith as our beliefs in God and Jesus is what united us. We cannot harm others when others wrong us. Peter tells us we need to bless them instead.

I love how Peter writes that as a person of faith you are called to always bless people, even the ones who do you harm. I find myself blessing people who won’t agree with me or whose politics I don’t agree with or do not understand. I bless them and I ask God to show and school me why I am not more neutral in my feelings towards those who don’t agree with me. I don’t have want to not like people who don’t agree with me, and I want God to show me how to love everyone more even those who seem like my enemies. I don’t know if I will ever have the loving heart of Jesus Christ, but I want to try. Jesus loved everyone, even those who despised and hated him. Christ is the example I want to follow on how to treat everyone in my life.

Day 327 Bible Readings – 1 Peter 2: 9-10 (ESV)

Ezekiel 43-44, 1 Peter 2 Proverbs 18: 17-24

1 Peter 2: 9-10 (ESV)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Verses 9 and 10 from 1 Peter 1 tells people of faith that if you believe in Jesus Christ, you are part of the chosen race and part of the royal priesthood. We are God’s people who can tell the world about Jesus Christ who made us a part of God’s family. Peter tells before we believed in Jesus Christ, we were not a people. But belief in Jesus Christ has made us God’s people who can receive mercy, instead of a people who had not received mercy.

I love that because I belief in Jesus Christ, I have become part of the Chosen people, and God’s possession. I am part of the flock belonging to God, and when I am lost I know God will look for me and save me and rejoice that I am found and saved.

Day 326 Bible Readings – 1 Peter 1: 6-7 (ESV)

Ezekiel 41-42, 1 Peter 1, Proverbs 16: 7-16

1 Peter 1: 6-7 (ESV)

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

In verses 6 and 7 from 1 Peter 1, Peter tells the church in modern day Turkey that the purpose of trials in life is that God is testing the enduring quality of our faith. God doesn’t test us to know what kind of faith we have because he already knows these things. God tests our faith to show us what kind of faith we have and the strength of it. Without these tests, we would not know the quality of our faith and always be in doubt of it. But once you are tested, you will have visible proof in your own memory that your faith is strong and long lasting. These are memories you can hold onto when doubt enters your life. Knowing what kind of faith we have, will give us the strength to push away our doubts of Jesus Christ. 

Day 325 Bible Readings – James 5: 15-16 (ESV)

Ezekiel 40, James 5, Proverbs 17: 25-28, Proverbs 18: 1-6

James 5: 15-16 (ESV)

“And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

Verses 15 and 16 from James 5 tells us about the power of prayer. If you pray, God will heal you. If you repent and pray to be forgiven, God will forgive you. James also tells people of faith that they need to pray for one another for healing, because a righteous person who prays has great power.

I’ve seen so many examples in my life and in the life of friends, where God has answered our prayers. Sometimes the prayer is answered right away, and sometimes it takes a long time. But God will answer our prayers at exactly the right time for his plan in our lives.

Day 324 Bible Readings – James 4: 11-12 (ESV)

Ezekiel 38-39, James 4, Proverbs 17: 15-24

James 4: 11-12 (ESV)

“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

Verses 11 and 12 from James 4 tells us people of faith should not speak evil or judge other people. If you speak evil of other people, you are disobeying one of the Ten Commandments. And you cannot judge other people because there is only judge – God. God is our judge and lawgiver. God is the only who can judge people or in his mercy and grace, save them. If we judge other people, we are taking God’s place. God is the only one who knows a person’s heart and can judge if other people truly did wrong.

Not speaking evil or judging other people is hard for me. I have a hard time holding my tongue or giving evil looks to people who are doing wrong. I’m one of those people in a line who make a fuss when other people cut in the line. It’s one of my pet peeves. But every time I do it, I know it’s wrong because I know I’m not supposed to judge other people. I have no idea what their situation is in life. Maybe they don’t even know it’s wrong to cut in line. Who am I to judge? Only God can judge. So these are good recommendations from James for us to live by.

Day 323 Bible Readings – Ezekiel 37: 5-6 (ESV)

Ezekiel 36-37, James 3, Proverbs 17: 5-14

Ezekiel 37: 5-6 (ESV)

“Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

Verses 5 and 6 from Ezekiel 37 is the story of God taking Ezekiel to the valley of the dry bones. I love this story in Ezekiel because it shows the power of God. God tells us he can take dry bones and turn them into people. I love to imagine Ezekiel looking at the valley of the dry bones, and God telling him of his power to give life to the bones. I would have loved to see Ezekiel’s face when God gave him the power to reanimate the bones and make them into people.

It must have been such an amazing vision for Ezekiel to have because it calls back to Genesis on how God created Adam and Eve. The story of the dry bones will also remind Bible readers of Revelations because you can start to visualize God coming back and raising people from the dead. I think this is why these verses from Ezekiel resonate so much with me, because I am reminded both of Genesis and Revelations.

Day 322 Bible Readings – Proverbs 16: 31 (ESV)

Ezekiel 33: 21-33, Ezekiel 34-35, James 2, Proverbs 16: 28-33, Proverbs 17: 1-4

Proverbs 16: 31 (ESV)

“Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.”

I love verse 31 from Proverbs 16 only because I decided to stop coloring my hair and let my gray hair come out. In our modern world, having gray hair for a man or a woman is considered taboo. We are so afraid of letting people know our age, especially in our hair. Many bible commentaries report that in the time of Christ, having gray hair was seen as symbol of wisdom and experience. I also think aging was a bigger deal in time of Christ because people did not live very long lives, so if you had gray hair it meant you lived a long life and you survived by your skill or wealth.

But Solomon adds a caveat to this statement about gray hair. If you have gray hair and have lived a long life, it is because you have followed God’s law and have been favored with good health. So just having gray hair doesn’t mean a person has a crown of glory. You only receive the crown of glory when you follow God’s laws and plan for your life.

My decision to let my hair go gray came from the Holy Spirit. I believe I was encouraged to let my hair go gray because Holy Spirit is teaching me lessons about vanity. I think the lesson is my beauty comes from what is inside me and not from what I look like to the world. And what is inside me is my love for God, and I need to reflect to the world how I am trying to develop a Christ-like nature. It’s a tall order, but with the help of the Holy Spirit I know I will improve in this area of my life.

Day 321 Bible Readings – James 1: 2-4 (ESV)

Ezekiel 32, Ezekiel 33: 1-32, James 1, Proverbs 6: 18-27

James 1: 2-4 (ESV)

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

In verses 2 through 4 from James 1, James tells us that when we have trials in our life we need to glad because it means God is testing our faith. James tells us that when we pass the tests that God gives to us, it means that our faith will become stronger and more steadfast. James also tells us that the constant testing of our faith by God means that our faith becomes perfect and complete, and that we will lack in nothing.

When I first read these verses, I first thought to myself why is God testing me? Doesn’t he already know my mind and the depth of my faith? Yes God does know us inside and out, but I don’t think that is why he tests us. I think God tests us because we don’t know ourselves as well as we think we do. As humans we seem to only know what we truly believe in and what we feel when we are tested. We seem to only know how strong our faith is when we face trials and test that tempt us doubt our faith and doubt God. I know that is the way with me.

I used to always think of myself as “Doubting Thomas”. I was the one who constantly needed proof of God’s love for me and his existence. I was the one person who would need physical proof that God rose from the dead; I would not believe it by faith alone. But I no longer think of myself as “Doubting Thomas”. I’ve had enough trials and tests of faith in my life to know that some of the doubt has gone away, although it hasn’t been erased completely. So I know from experience that the trials of God do work. Does it mean I like it when God sends test my way? No, but I understand why he sends them now. I know that God wants me to have self-confidence in my own level of faith, and that can only happen when I am going through a trial and I pass and have memories to look back on when the doubts rise again.

Day 320 Bible Readings for November 17 – Hebrews 13: 5-6 (ESV)

Ezekiel 30-31, Hebrews 13, Proverbs 16: 8-17

Hebrews 13: 5-6 (ESV)

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Verses 5 and 6 from Hebrews 13 is advice from the writer of Hebrews about how to view money. We need to be content with what we have and keep our life free from the love on money. I don’t think this means we cannot make money, but we cannot worship money like a God. The money we have needs to be seen as part of God’s plan, and everyone has a part to play in his plan. We need to always keep in the mind that God is who we worship, because God will never leave or forsake us. When we have strong faith in God and his plan for us, we can confidently say that God is our only helper. We do not have to fear not having money, nor do we need to listen to the advice of others. God is the only advisor we need to have, and he will never us or forsake but always keep us in abundance.

I think it’s hard sometimes to not pay attention to what God is telling us about money and abundance, because it can sometimes seem so contrary to what the world says about these two topics. But if we have faith in God’s plan, then paying attention to God’s advice on money and abundance is needed. God is the only one who knows what we need and what will make us happy. I don’t think we can even trust what our heart tells us because our nature is so easily turned to sin. God created us and knows us better than we know ourselves, so we need to follow his plan for our lives.

Day 319 Bible Readings for November 16 – Hebrews 12: 28-29 (ESV)

Ezekiel 28 & 29, Hebrews 12: 14-29, Proverbs 15: 31-33, Proverbs 16: 1-7

Hebrews 12: 28-29 (ESV)

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”

In verses 28 and 29 from Hebrews 12 the writer of Hebrews tells us that we need to be grateful that we have faith in the kingdom of God that is unshakeable. We live in an unstable world, but the kingdom of God is stable and will last forever. As people of faith we need to offer God gratitude and our reverence for his mercy. We also need to be in awe of all the things that God has done and will do in our world. We also need to be awe of God’s ability to consume sin like a fire in the world. God will burn the judgements of our sins because of our faith in his son Jesus Christ. But for those without faith, God will seem like a consuming fire when his judgement comes upon them.

What I like about these verses is I know my faith in Jesus Christ is like a rock in what can sometimes feel like a chaotic and unstable world. God's love for me is unchanging, and stable like his kingdom. When it sometimes feels like everything is crumbling around me, I know I can look back at how God has been faithful in my life. These memories and my faith give me a rock to cling to so I can feel stable in the churning waters of my life. 

Day 318 Bible Readings – Hebrews 12: 1-2 (ESV)

Ezekiel 26-27, Hebrews 12: 1-13, Proverbs 15: 21-30

Hebrews 12: 1-2 (ESV)

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Verses 1 and 2 from Hebrews 12 reminds us that we can endure because of our faith in Jesus Christ. We do not have to hold unto our sin because we are surrounded by people of faith who have gone before us. The writer of Hebrews tells us that we can endure the plan that God has laid before us, if we look to Jesus the founder of our faith. Christ endured death on the cross for us, and is now seated next to God his father.

I love this advice. I think sometimes to have faith in God is such a hard thing. If we look to Jesus Christ and all the suffering he endured to fulfill his father’s plan on earth, we can endure anything. Christ is example that we need to keep always before us. We will never have the purity of Christ in our actions, but he set the standard for obedience to God and what he was willing to go through to see his father’s plan fulfilled on earth. If Christ was willing to suffer death on the cross for us and to fulfill God’s plan on earth, how can we not try to everything we can to fulfill God’s plan for us and humanity

Day 317 Bible Readings – Proverbs 15: 15 (ESV)

Ezekiel 24-25, Hebrews 11: 17-40, Proverbs 15: 11-20

Proverbs 15: 15 (ESV)

“All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.”

Verse 15 from Proverbs 15 is great advice from the wisdom of Solomon. If you think your life is afflicted, you will feel that there is no joy in your life. But if you have a positive feeling in your heart and are cheerful, life will seem like a continual feast to you. The other way that this advice has been expressed is you either see the glass as half empty or half full.

I’ve heard some people of faith say that God wants us to always be cheerful and to always look on the bright side. This kind of attitude shows how much trust and faith that you have in God, and that you feel that whatever happens to you is a positive thing. But if you feel that your life is a mess, it may show that you have little faith in God because you don’t see how his plan is working in your life.

I think having a cheerful heart might have something to do with faith in God, because if you have total faith in God you will see everything that happens to you as part of God’s plan and will always see it in a positive way. If you have little to no faith in God, you will see everything that happens to you as bad sign or proof that God doesn’t love or care about you. But to have a positive attitude or cheerful heart is a choice based on your faith in God.

Day 316 Bible Readings – Hebrews 11: 1-3 (ESV)

Ezekiel 22: 23-31, Ezekiel 23, Hebrews 11: 1-16, Proverbs 15: 1-10

Hebrews 11: 1-3 (ESV)

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”

Verses 1 through 3 from Hebrews 11 gives us a great definition of faith. When you have faith you assure yourself that even though you don’t have the physical experience of something you want, you know without a doubt that whatever you are praying for will manifest itself into the physical world. Then the writer of Hebrews 11 compared faith to how God created the world. God spoke the world into existence. God had the faith to just say something existed and it came to be. God didn’t have to see the world to create it.

I love this definition of faith; that you can just speak into existence something that doesn’t exist and you know without a doubt that it will happen. But I know faith hasn’t been this simple in my life. Sometimes I’ve had to wait for a very, very long time for my prayers to come true. And my prayers were often answered in ways I wasn’t expecting; sometimes it was better and sometimes it wasn’t. But I never gave up my faith, even though I was sorely tempted to at the time. I think having faith is often the easy part of the journey. It’s the waiting period that is the hard part. I have so much evidence in my life that God has almost always answered my prayers, but this knowledge doesn’t make the waiting time any easier. I sometimes think the waiting time is when God is testing me to find out, do I really want what I am praying for? And sometimes the waiting has made me change my mind on what I thought I wanted. But when God did answer my prayers, I was always so amazed because the experience was always better than I thought it would be. These are the true miracles in my life that I hold onto when I am in a waiting period, waiting for my prayers to be answered.

Day 315 Bible Readings – Hebrews 10: 23-25 (ESV)

Ezekiel 20: 45-49, Ezekiel 21, Ezekiel 22: 1-22, Hebrews 10: 19-39, Proverbs 14: 25-35

Hebrews 10: 23-25 (ESV)

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

In verses 23 through 25, the writer of Hebrews 10 tells us that because of the death of Christ, we need to hold fast to the new covenant given to us by Christ and the promise of his faithfulness. The writer of Hebrews 10 also tells us to seek the community of faith so we can encourage each other with love and to do good works. We must also remember to meet together as a community in worship. When we meet together in worship, we can encourage and love another as people who have the same faith. The writer also tells us that we need to always keep in the mind that we do not know when Christ will return to earth, so we need to always live our lives as if that day is near. I believe the writer might also mean that since we do not know when we will leave this earth, we need to treat every day as if it’s our last day and worship Christ because we might be seeing him sooner rather than later.

I think these verses are great advice for any person with faith in Christ on how to live in the world. If we live every day thinking we might meet God the next day, then we will live very different lives.

Day 314 Bible Readings – Proverbs 14: 23 (ESV)

Ezekiel 19, Ezekiel 20: 1-44, Hebrews 10: 1-18, Proverbs 14: 15-24

Proverbs 14: 23 (ESV)

“In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.”

Verse 23 from Proverbs 14 stood out to me today. It might not seem like it sometimes, but I do believe that in all hard work there is some kind of profit. Most of the time that profit is financial, but sometimes there are rewards as well. I’ve always liked jobs where I was so busy that the day just flew by, and by the you know it was time to go home. Some people have said that hard work also builds character because you can see just what you are made of if you are made to work hard. There is also at times a sense of satisfaction when you work hard, and you see your work come to life. Even if it’s just planning an event which takes a lot of hard work, to see all of your plans come out exactly as you wanted is such an amazing experience. By the same token if you just talk about doing something and never do it, then there will not be a financial reward or satisfaction. You never get to see the dream you had in your heard work out and take shape in real life. You never get to see your idea become a reality and think, wow I thought that up. Or  I built that thing or I planned this amazing event and it worked and made everyone happy.

Day 313 Bible Readings – Ezekiel 18: 21-22 (ESV)

Ezekiel 17-18, Hebrews 9: 16-28, Proverbs 14: 5-14

Ezekiel 18: 21-22 (ESV)

““But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live.”

Verses 21 and 22 from Ezekiel 18 reminds us that if you repent for your sins and decide to follow all of God’s laws, God will forgive you and you will not die. God will forget all the wrong you did, and only remember what you did after you repented for your sins. Even though these verses were written in the Old Testament by the prophet Ezekiel, they are telling us how the new covenant of Jesus Christ will work. These verses also tell us we determine our own fates by our actions. Even if have committed wrong, we can always repent and ask God for forgiveness. We can also decide to change our life and behavior to follow all of God’s rules and do what God considers just and right. God loves us so much that he will forgive us for our past bad behavior. God will give us full restoration when we repent and ask him for forgiveness, and show him by our actions that we have changed.

Day 312 Bible Readings – Hebrews 9: 13-15 (ESV)

Ezekiel 16, Hebrews 9: 1-15, Proverbs 13: 20-25, Proverbs 14: 1-4

Hebrews 9: 13-15 (ESV)

“For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.”

Verses 13 through 15 from Hebrews 9 gives us a comparison of the blood and sacrifice of animals that were part of the Old Covenant to the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ with his death on the cross. The blood of animals were used in the temple as part of the Old Covenant for the purification of the flesh. The blood of Christ purifies our whole life so we can serve God. Jesus Christ offers us a new covenant so people who have faith in him will receive the benefits of the Old Covenant. Belief in Christ also and redeems us from any sins committed under the original first Covenant.

 I like how the writer of Hebrews compared the death of Christ to sacrificial rites of animal that were part of the Old Covenant. The death of Christ freed us from having to sacrifice animals to redeem ourselves. Many say the death of Jesus Christ is an upfront sacrifice that cleanses and redeems all people from sin for now and for all time. The people who followed the Old Covenant had to constantly offer sacrifice to atone for their sins. The death of Christ freed us from having to offer sacrifices, and gave us instead a loving father who wants us repent for our sins and who will always take us back with loving arms.

Day 311 Bible Readings – Proverbs 13: 11-12 (ESV)

Ezekiel 13-15, Hebrews 8, Proverbs 13: 10-19

Proverbs 13: 11-12 (ESV)

“Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

I like verses 11 and 12 from Proverbs 13. Solomon tells us that if you gain wealth too easily or by dishonest it will dwindle. Some would call this kind of wealth “easy money.” The bible commentarians have said that this kind of wealth will not last because it was not gained by providence or the blessing of God. Instead, Solomon tells us that wealth gained over time will increase. Wealth that is gained by hard work and good habits. This type of wealth has God’s blessings and providence. There are many tv shows that talk about people who have gained money by winning the lottery, and then how they lost or ended up being poor again in few years. I also think that if you have to work hard for your money, you appreciate it more and spend it more wisely.

Solomon then talks about how when you hope for something, pray for something, and it doesn’t come it makes your heart sick. People can only take frustration for so long before they give up in despair and depression. But when your hope, your prayers are fulfilled it sustain you for a long time because you have a permanent reminder of the goodness of God in your life. I think the only way to keep your heart from getting sick when your prayers are not fulfilled for a long time, is to keep your focus on God. You need to read the Bible and dwell in God’s words. You need to remember all the times God did answer your prayers, and remind yourself that God is always faithful and keeps his promised to those who are faithful to him.

Day 310 Bible Readings – Hebrews 7: 23-25 (ESV)

Ezekiel 10-12, Hebrews 7: 11-28, Proverbs 13: 1-9

Hebrews 7: 23-25 (ESV)

“The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

Verses 23 through 25 from Hebrews 7 shows another reason why Jesus Christ is superior to any priest on earth. Since Christ was resurrected he holds the office priesthood forever. Christ is able to save all those who faith in him. Pastor Guzik has commented on these verses that the salvation that Christ “gives is also unchanging, permanent, and secure.” Others have also interpreted the word “utmost” to mean that Christ can save us in the most comprehensive sense. Christ also lives to pray for us, and he never gives up on us. Even if we have given up on ourselves, Christ will never give up on us. I know that I have hit rock bottom at times in my life and was ready to give up on everything, but then Christ came to me and told me to not give up. Christ is the only person who was ever able to bring me back from the brink of the deep hole of hopelessness and depression. I’m still not sure why Christ saved me because I was never an obedient follower, but as long as he had faith in me, I felt like I could never give up on life.

Day 309 Bible Readings – Proverbs 12: 18-19 (ESV)

Ezekiel 7-9, Hebrews 6: 13-20, Hebrews 7: 1-10, Proverbs 12: 18-28

Proverbs 12: 18-19 (ESV)

“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.”

In verses 18 and 19, Solomon tells us how a wise person needs to communicate to people. When a wise person speaks to someone, their words need to bring healing. A wise person’s words shouldn’t speak words that hurt and can feel like sword thrusts. Solomon then tells us God loves a wise person who loves and speaks the truth. God will ensure that their words of truth will last forever. But if you lie, your words will not last especially compared to the words of truth. I like this advice because words can hurt people, and who wants to do that? Isn’t it better to always speak words that bring health and healing. I also like the concept of always telling the truth because the truth is beautiful and it does last forever. Who doesn’t want their words forever remembered?

Day 308 Bible Readings – Proverbs 12: 15-16 (ESV)

Ezekiel 4-6, Hebrews 5: 11-14, Hebrews 6: 1-12, Proverbs 12: 8-17

Proverbs 12: 15-16 (ESV)

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.”

In verses 15 and 16 from Proverbs 12, Solomon tells us how a wise man needs to behave. If you are a fool then you will always think you are right, while a wise man is more cautious and always listens to advice. I can see myself as the fool when I was younger when I thought I was right about everything. But as I grew older, I learned through some hard lessons that I wasn’t always right about everything, and I needed to always listen to the advice of people that I trusted.

Solomon also says that when a fool is frustrated, he will let you know. A wise person will keep their emotions to themselves and ignore insults. It’s always good advice to keep your emotions to yourself and not let others know what you think, in case they hold it or use it against you. This is advice that has been carried down over the years and continues to this day with every person who considers themselves a success guru. This is a lesson I am still struggling with, but I am getting better at not getting so frustrated when things don’t go my way. With coaching from the Holy Spirit, I know I will continue to improve in becoming a wise person.

Day 307 Bible Readings – Proverbs 12: 1 (ESV)

Ezekiel 1-3, Hebrews 4;14-16, Hebrews 5: 1-10, Proverbs 11: 29-31, Proverbs 12: 1-7

Proverbs 12: 1 (ESV)

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.”

Verse 1 from Proverbs 12 shows Wisdom telling us to keep learning, and to make learning a discipline that we do daily. If we love the discipline of learning, then this means we love knowledge. But then Wisdom also us that sometimes we may get it wrong and, we must therefore love correction. How can you improve in any area of your life if you are not willing to be corrected?

I think this verse applies to every day practical things, but also to our relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. We must be willing to constantly seek the knowledge of God and his plans for our life. We must read the Bible daily and learn to accept God’s correction in our life. How would we know we are being obedient to God, if he does not sometimes need to correct us? When I get corrected by the Holy Spirit, my first reaction is the feeling of anger. The little child in me rises and says “I can do anything I want, and no one is going to tell me what to do.” But after a minute, I calm down and realize what a good father-God I have. God cares about me so much that the watches my every move, and if I do something not in keeping with God’s plan for my life, he steps in and corrects me using the Holy Spirit. His swift intervention into my life always keeps me on track and makes my life path smooth. No life is ever trouble free; God did not make that promise to his followers. But with God guiding us, we can always expect that God will do his best to smooth out the path for us as much as possible.

Day 306 Bible Readings – Joel 2: 25 (ESV)

Joel 2: 18-32, Joel 3, Hebrews 4: 1-13, Proverbs 11: 19-28

Joel 2: 25 (ESV)

“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.”

I love verse 25 from Joel 2. Joel tells us that God promises restoration after he has punished us. God will restore everything to us that was taken from us even though it might seem we have lost everything. God’s promises tell us that he is not an unkind an unjust God. God will punish us when we fall away from him, but when we repent, he will welcome us back and he will restore everything that we lost. I think God’s restoration also applies when we lose everything due to other circumstances. God is a kind and good father. He will never hold back his love from us. He will take care of us and restore to us everything that life has taken from us.

Day 305 Bible Readings - Joel 2: 12-13 (ESV)

Joel 1, Joel 2: 1-17, Hebrews 3, Proverbs 11: 9-18

Joel 2: 12-13 (ESV)

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.”

Verses 12 and 13 from Joel 2 shows Joel telling the southern Kingdom of Judah to repent because we have a gracious God. Joel doesn’t say repent and return to God because if you do not, he will punish you. Instead, Joes tell us God will be merciful and heal us because he is slow to anger and loves us. These verses remind me of the parable of the Prodigal son. When the son returned, the father celebrated his return. God will treat us in the same way. When we realize what we’ve done wrong and repented with action, God will celebrate our return and love us. God may also relent over his judgement over us. Joel reminds us not be afraid of acknowledging when we’ve done wrong and coming back to God. God loves as a father loves a child, and he will celebrate the return of his prodigal child.

Day 304 Bible Readings – Obadiah 1: 15 (ESV)

Obadiah 1, Hebrews 2, Proverbs 10: 31-32, Proverbs 11: 1-8

Obadiah 1: 15 (ESV)

“For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head.”

When I read verse 15 from Obadiah 1, I was reminded of Jesus’ words from the sermon on the mount – “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7: 12 (ESV)) Jesus studied the Old Testament and knew it well. I love that the teachings of Christ reflected what he learned from the Old Testament, so when we read the Old Testament we are constantly reminded of what Jesus said in his teachings. Christ unified the Old and New Testament in his teachings and reflected what he tried to do in his life before he was crucified. We can read about the power of God in the Old and New Testament from prophets like Obadiah and in teachings of Christ.