Day 365 Where do we end our journey through the Bible?

We began this journey through the Bible with the awe of creation! Our final chapter is also about a tree but this one bears fruit..."Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever." What a finish a tree of fruit for every month and a light that needs no lamp or sun! We finish as we began in the awe of the Almighty God! May the awesome God from Genesis to Revelation bless you all!

Day 364 What good does grumbling do?

One of the ways we end our read through the Bible is with the thought..."grumbling does no good." Here is what the one chapter Book of Jude writes..."They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit." Have we ever considered that grumbling not only does no good but is also a sign of not following the leading of the God's Spirit? As I recall Israel, God did not bless the grumbling against Moses in the desert either!

Day 363 Who do we imitate?

Who do we imitate? Have we ever considered there is both good and bad behavior that we imitate? The Book of Third John writes about this in saying..."Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God." Who do we imitate? Hopefully we imitate the good. May our prayer be to follow after Jesus!

Day 362 What is another obvious teaching?

John 4 is another obvious teaching in the Bible...Love is of God and validates everything we do..." Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us." How obvious is this message and how needed is this message today!

Day 361 What is the most dangerous danger?

In reaching back to previous reading, I wanted to reflect one of the greatest negative forces in the world. What is this dangerous force in the world? War? Weapons? Hate? These are imposing. James teaches the tongue is deadly with it[s poison. No one can tame the tongue! Loose lips sink ships as the saying goes. How true. How true.

Day 360 Does John state the obvious?

God loves us in sending Jesus. How do we respond to the love of Jesus? By serving others in need! John writes..."This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" A question that may not have an answer other than appropriate action.

Day 359 What to do if we sin?

What do we do if we sin? John writes..."If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins." In chapter two he writes..."If anyone does sin we have an advocate with the Father." This message bridges all sinners to the Cross. What would we do without this good news?

Day 358 How should we use our gifts?

I Peter teaches as Paul did about using gifts..."Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." I had not noticed this passage before. The message...do what you do well!

Day 357..."My goodness! A witness of Godliness?

Can we convince others to follow Christ through being good even in the face of mistreatment? Jesus taught this in the Sermon on the Mount. Paul would say "yes" in Romans 12. Paul writes of overcoming evil by doing good. I Peter also makes the claim in today's reading..."Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

Day 356...Who receives grace?

Who will receive grace and who will not? Anyone can receive grace if they humble themselves before the Lord. The proud will receive grace. This is what James writes...""God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." Humility is always the way to go.

Day 355 "Which is better faith or works?"

Which is better faith or works? The answer is which one you did last. Here is James expanation..."What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." Balanced Christianity.

Day 354 Why be kind to strangers?

Being kind to strangers takes very little effort and could hold Kingdom of God potential....Why are we to be kind to strangers? You never know who it might be is one reason. Hebrews says..."Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."

Day 353 What pleases God?

We seek a life to please God. What pleases God? Faith. Hebrews 11 says..."And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 12 has an image of running a race. (olympics are not new) "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Amen!

Day 352 What precedes the faith chapter?

Chapter 11 in Hebrews is known as the "faith chapter." We will read that tomorrow. What precedes the faith chapter? Here is the beautiful teaching..." let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. " Spurring one another on to do good deeds! What a concept!

Day 351 Who is Jesus compared to in Hebrews?

Who is Jesus compared to in Hebrews? And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.' "Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant." As Jesus comes...Melchizedek is no longer necessary. Jesus is also easier to spell.

Day 350 What is the unpardonable sin?

What is the unpardonable sin? Hebrews teaches..."It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace." Is this sin possible for the Christian? No. This sin is of a deliberate nature. (see Hebrews 10:26) God forgives all those who come to Him but those who turn away have no other places to turn for forgiveness. As long as a person has a guilty conscience, they could not have commited this sin. Why? A person who has commited the unpardonable sin has no desire to turn to God and receive forgiveness. This is also known as the "hard heart." The good news is that any who turn to the Lord can receive forgiveness.

Day 349 How can you rob God?

We can rob God when we do not use the gifts He has given us, wasting time, and when we fail to give the tithe. Malachi teaches this and says..."I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty.
"But you ask, 'How are we to return?' "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Time for us to make a deposit in the blessings God seeks to give!

Day 348 Why read the Bible?

There is another stated reason for reading the Bible is in Hebrews..."For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Sharper than a two edged sword for cutting to the truth. Now that is convincing. A great passage as this journey through the Bible winds down.

Day 347 Who is the homeowner of homeowners?

Yesterday, we had Jesus as a captain. Today, He is the homeowner of all homes. This is another unique analogy..."Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast." By the way home in Jesus is a home value that never depreciates!

Day 346 Who is the Captain of Salvation?

In reading chapter two of Hebrews verse 10 stood out...^" For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. " The writer of Hebrews is unknown but he must have had an affinity for the sea with this metaphor. Jesus is the Captain of the Ship that matters most!

Day 345 What Book is a sleeper?

Hebrews is not one of books of the Bible that pop up on everyone's favorite list. I consider it in my top 10. Why? The Faith Chapter, 11, is one of my top five chapters in the Bible. I also am greatly inspired by chapter 12. Do not be discouraged by chapter 1 which is difficult reading. The reading is a great later. Hebrews is a sleeper. The Book is also known as an Old Testament like Book in the New Testament. When we read the language of sacrifice, we will understand why.

Day 344 What Book is the shorter than study notes?

What Book of the Bible is shorter than study notes? That would be the Book of Philemon. In this Book Paul appeals from prison to receive Onesimus. Paul says "receive him as you would receive me." Paul anticipates making a visit soon and also asks for a place to stay. This Book is one chapter and not very complicated. Perhaps the theme is receiving others with hospitality.

Day 343 "What is worse than being too cold or hot?

John writes in Revelation..."I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. " There is something worse than being cold or hot...lukewarm. Passion is greater than being passive. Dr. Martin Luther King said being passive was worse than being against him.

Day 342 What does first love and the Church have in common?

Remember your first love? Ephesus did not. What lesson for all churches! Keep the main thing the main thing..."Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." Amen.

Day 341 What are great words to hear?

What are great words to hear? How about Paul's..."I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Let it be said Lord when we look back at our life! Amen .

Day 340 What is the form of religion?

Paul warns against the "form of religion"...what is that? John Wesley feared that the people called Methodist would have the form of religion but not power. How today we can focus on the shapes and opinions of religion but miss God's power. God is able! God is near! In God the impossible happens. These are the kind of statements a person with God makes. The "form of religion" is just acting religious for the organizations sake. One strong distinction is "knowing about God and knowing God...there is a difference. Here is the complete verse..."
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them." Notice the warning...have nothing to do with them!

Day 339 Does the Bible speak of today's economy?

Does the Bible speak of today's enonomy with four dollar gas prices and foreclosures? Of course! Look at Haggi 1:6..."You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." Any doubt the Bible does not speak to today's economy. Holes in the pockets? Working and going through wages. Thousands of years ago and today. So true. Amen.

Day 338 What is a spirit of timidity?

All of my life I have wrestled with 2 Timothy 1:7. God did not make us to be timid but to overcome our fear. What is a spirit of timidity? I do not think it is "shyness" for there is nothing wrong with shyness. Timid behavior is giving in to reluctance, hurting feelings, wonderment if the worst happens and certainly being afraid to rock the boat. God does not give us this spirit but one of love, power, and self-discipline. Amen.

Day 337 What is the complete teaching?

One passage by itself can leave out valuable supporting passages or even passages that unlock the meaning of the message. Take the passage..."the love of money is the root of all evil" for example. The supporting passages elevate the message..."But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." The surrounding passages add depth and height to the teaching of Paul.

Day 336 Does the Bible say anything about paying church ministers and staff?

Notions are that those with callings in the church are not it for the pay. Obviously, a "calling" is not about a career but the joy of serving the Lord. Paul does say ministers and staff deserve their wages. Here is what the Bible says..."The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages." How about that!