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.