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