Two year Bible reading program.

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:23 Understanding to grow in The resurrection turns grief into gladness. The detail is important. The body was wrapped up tightly and entombed behind a massive rock. The women saw it all so there could be no mistake when returning. Yet not only was the rock removed and the tomb empty, but they saw two resplendent men they later identify as angels who told them this was just as Jesus had predicted. We then read of two appearances to disciples. And these were no flighty hallucinations. He ate with them, walked with them, conversed with them and taught them before being seen to rise up into heaven. The key point seems to be that all this was just as scripture predicted, confirming Jesus as the ...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:22 Understanding to grow in The rejection of Jesus comes to a climax. Friends, soldiers, rulers, people - even God seems to be against him (23v44). With great irony, the only ones who get it are the criminal crucified next to him and the centurion putting him to death. What grace. And what assurance no matter how many our sins. The darkness highlights God's anger is being poured out on the sin that Jesus is bearing for such people. The torn curtain declares that this opens the way to God's kingdom. As you read note the different responses to Jesus and their equivalents today. Luke 22:39-23:49 Finish this reading by pausing to ask yourself: 1) What’s the main thing it teaches me...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:21 Understanding to grow in The Christian is to live with a constant eye on Christ's return. That's the theme here. 21v5-38 is much dicussed. Verses 5-24 seem to predict the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple that took place in AD70. This was hugely significant in showing that God had removed his special favour from Israel because of her rejection of his Son. Verse 24 then spans the church age when Jerusalem will be dominated by non-Jews (Gentiles). Verses 25-28 describe Christ's return at the end of that period. The point is that as these various events take place (v5-24 within a generation) they mark the drawing close of the end, nudging people from then on to ensure they are...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:20 Understanding to grow in Jesus finally arrives in Jerusalem and enters the last week of his life. He intentionally enters on a colt - identifying himself as Israel's Messiah come to the capital from which his reign of righteousness and peace is to extend (Gen 49v10-11, Zech 9v9). But whereas some of the people recognize him as such, the Jewish leaders plot against him. They are the tenants tasked by God to grow fruit from the vineyard of Israel, but instead abuse his prophets and ultimately kill his son. The temple was the heart of the nation and the place of God's special presence amongst the people. How significant that the confrontion between Jesus and these leaders comes to a hea...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:19 Understanding to grow in Little children are totally reliant. That's the only right response to Jesus. The tax collector and beggar see that, recognizing they can only call on him for mercy. The Pharisee and rich ruler, however, assume they are somehow worthy of God's favour. And we are probably intended to contrast the rich ruler and Zacchaeus. The point is that Jesus looks for those willing to put him first. And by asking the rich man to sell everything he exposes the fact that he is not willing to. By contrast, he doesn't need to ask Zacchaeus at all. Recgnizing Jesus and overwhealmed by his grace, Zacchaeus repents in turning from his past ways and embrace generosity for Jesu...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:18 Understanding to grow in Jesus doesn't do smallprint, hiding difficult truth away. The story of Lazarus and the rich man makes absolutely plain the terrible fate that awaits those who do not turn from sin to Christ. Jesus is a master to be rightly feared and served. And his readiness to show mercy should not be taken for granted but bring a response of real gratitude (17v1-19). We must remember that one day he will return in judgment - an event foreshadowed in the flood and the destruction of Sodom. This will mean justice for all, which should be a special comfort to those of his people who have been badly treated. As you read note the responses Jesus expects an awareness of his coming i...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:16-17 Understanding to grow in What repentance will mean is now spelled out. It's cost must be counted. But it is something God rejoices to see and that his people should rejoice over too. And it should show itself in righteous living - using one's money for the Lord and continuing to uphold the pinciples of the his law. It's difficult to know why the note on remarriage is included. It seems abrupt, but may be to stress the higher expectations placed upon those in the kingdom of God as in Matthew 19v1-12. Jesus' teaching in Matthew suggests Luke is assuming his readers are aware that remarriage is permissible in certain contexts (Matt 19v9, 1 Cor 7v15). As you read consider what...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:15 Understanding to grow in The implications of how one responds to Jesus are spelled out. He brings division between those who see his significance, repent and are saved, and those who don't, who therefore refuse and face judgment. In this light the hypocricy of many of his hearers is exposed and Jesus weeps at what this will mean for Jerusalem. The parables of chapter 14 show that whilst those who might assume God's acceptance reject the invitation to be part of his kingdom, the humble and despised are invited in. As you read note the things Jesus stresses to urge a right response. Luke 12:49-14:24 Finish this reading by pausing to ask yourself: 1) What’s the main thing it te...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:14 Understanding to grow in Having witnessed the authority of Jesus' words, we learn that we are to seek his teaching even more than people sought Solomon's wisdom. And we are to display lives lit up by its truth - the sort of life the Pharisees and religious leaders weren't leading, and even if it brings hostility. This life is one devoted not to what we might gain for ourselves, but to how we might serve Christ and his kingdom, desiring his pleasure and reward when he returns. As you read note the different things this life should involve and what most challenges you. Luke 11:29-12:48 Finish this reading by pausing to ask yourself: 1) What’s the main thing it teaches me ab...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:12-13 Understanding to grow in We need to think carefully as we read Jesus' instructions to particular disciples. We cannot just assume what he requires of them he requires of us - nor that we are somehow lacking if we don't see the same results. Neverthless there are principles in their ministry that challenge our own evangelism, and in the responses that challenge how we respond to the gospel and its preachers. But behind all this stands Jesus. He is the one we should give time to listen to, and the one who must reveal his truth so that we can understand it. He is the one casting out evil in order to establish his kingdom in the heart of those who don't just hear, but obey. And he...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:10-11 Understanding to grow in As the disciples are sent out the cost of following Jesus becomes increasingly apparent. It is to follow the way of the cross. But we also see just how worthy Jesus is of our all. He miraculously feeds the people like God fed Israel in the desert. He is listened to even by Moses and Elijah, God's two greatest spokesmen from the Old Testament. He is able to cast out evil, and will one day return in glory to judge all people and fully establish his kingdom. As you read note what Jesus teaches about the cost of following him and consider its implications for you. Luke 9 Finish this reading by pausing to ask yourself: 1) What’s the main thing it teach...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:9 Understanding to grow in The emphasis on faith in Jesus as Messiah continues. Here he shows himself as one with authority to forgive, to teach, to control nature, cast our demons and raise the dead. In being a sort of second Adam, he is able to reverse all that resulted from Adam's sin. What encouragement. It proves his ability to bring about the kingdom he has promised. As you read note the different ways faith in him should therefore be disiplayed. Luke 7:36-8:56 Finish this reading by pausing to ask yourself: 1) What’s the main thing it teaches me about God or his purposes in Christ? Then  praise  him for this. 2) What’s the main thing it teaches me about his w...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:8 Understanding to grow in This sermon by Jesus is given "on a level place" but repeats much of the material from the "sermon on the mount" (Matt 5-7). It gives persepective to disciples who suffer whilst the wealthy who ignore Christ seem to do so well. It is the former who are blessed as they will receive the good things of the kingdom. The characteristics of that kingdom are then outlined as love even of enemies, a lack of judgmentalism in acknowleding one's own faults, and a general obedience to Christ's words that flows from a new heart that only he can give. All this is to express faith in Jesus as the Messiah his miracles prove him to be - a faith exemplified ...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:7 Understanding to grow in The calling of the disciples brackets this reading. And it's detail stresses the implications for all: Jesus has come to call, forgive, cleanse and spiritual heal sinners. 5v33-6v11 notes that there is something new and worth celebrating about this. The long-awaited bridegroom for God's people has arrived. Forgiveness was possible for Israel under the Mosaic law as people made sacrifices looking to God for mercy. The difference now is that full forgiveness is promised without the need of the sacrifical system - and with that forgiveness, assurance that we are fully cleansed before God, and healed in the sense of being enabled to do good by the Spirit. This ...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:5-6 Understanding to grow in Here Jesus proves himself the Messiah. Israel fell into temptation and disobeyed God's law when in the desert for 40 years. Jesus resists the devil by obeying God's law when in the desert for 40 days. He is achieving where Israel failed - earning a righteous standing for those who would follow him. And in quoting from Isaiah he proclaims himself the long awaited Spirit-anointed king, sent to govern in all wisdom and justice (4v18-19 with Isaiah 61v1-3). As such he shows his authority to cast out evil and rebuke sickness. It should encourage our prayers and strengthen our allegiance to him. But the point is that Jesus is able to deal with the consequences of ...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:4 Understanding to grow in The word "Messiah" is the Hebrew version of the greek word "Christ" meaning "anointed one." In today's reading we see Jesus' identity as the Christ develop as he grows up. As you read, note the things we are told about him that should give us hope, and those that should challenge us. Luke 2:1-3:22 Finish this reading by pausing to ask yourself: 1) What’s the main thing it teaches me about God or his purposes in Christ? Then  praise  him for this. 2) What’s the main thing it teaches me about his will for me or the world? Then  pray  that home. Devotion to offer up You could read this aloud and perhaps as a springboa...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.  Wisdom to chew on Proverbs 11:3 Understanding to grow in The wider New Testament tells us that Luke was a doctor and so concerned with facts (Col 4v14). His introduction therefore builds our faith, confident that what he recorded is accurate. Otherwise it would have no persuasive power for Theophilus, its recipient. The first chapter resonates with much we've seen in Genesis. Miracle births (like Sarah's) signalling momentous events, and God fulfilling his promises to Abraham (through king David's line) by finally bringing the offspring who will save and transform his descendents into the great nation they were always to be. The promise of God coming to his people that ended the Old Testament is being fulfilled ...