May 19 Bible Reading

Matthew 3

How amazing would it have been to see John the Baptist baptize the Messiah!  Even John had called out that He was the Lamb.  While John was pleading with people to repent, the man who would take the punishment for their sin showed up.  This is also a beautiful picture of the Trinity.

Psalm 6-8

In Psalm 6, we see that David knows who God is.  He knows that He is powerful and faithful to answer prayers, but doesn’t see immediate results.  We live in a world obsessed with instant gratification.  We tend also to want quick results, but David demonstrates that we must be patient and have faith that God is in control and will act when He wills.  Then in Psalm 7, David reminds us that the Lord is our refuge when we are pursued by enemies.  I don’t face the enemies like David did; no one is out to kill me. However, we are all battling against a greater Enemy every day.  W must trust that God is our shelter and that we can abide in His protection when we are attacked.  Verse 10 says, “My shield is with God who saves the upright in heart.”  I pray that I will be upright.  Psalm 8 focuses our minds on the Majesty of God.  The whole earth is obligated to praise Him, for He is great and greater than all of the things that He has made.

Genesis 5&6

Again, we see that sin is taken seriously by God.  So much so that He is willing and does kill all but 8 people on earth.  God abhors sin, and rightly so.  Sin is the most opposite thing of God.  God is Holy, Pure, and Righteous.  His presence cannot even be around sin.  How heartbreaking it would be to watch the creation and people that you’ve made in your likeness rebel and become an ugly, twisted thing it was never intended to be. 

Isaiah 7-9

Here we see that the Messiah is promised.  Any time I read these lines, I hear the song in my head.  “For unto us a child is born,/ to us a son is given;/ and the government shall be upon his shoulder,/ and his name shall be called/ Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,/ Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  After prophecy of war and wrath we are promised a Savior who will make peace.  He will rule with peace.  It can make us look forward to the day when the dream of peace will be reality because of the work of Jesus Christ.

Romans 3&4

I am unrighteous.  I am a sinner in need of a righteous substitute.  God has such incredible love that He would die for the unrighteous.  The same God who is so holy and pure that he had to flood the entire earth because of its sin, died for the unrighteous.  It is amazing that Christ would do such a radical thing.  We are also reminded that God’s condemnation is just.  I tend to wonder why I receive forgiveness and someone else is denied redemption.  As I will read in chapter 9, it is not my place to ask that question.  God decides and is never wrong in His judgement.  Sin will always deserve punishment.  It is only by grace that righteousness is imputed to us instead of sin.  We are saved by grace through faith.  It is incredible that God would make a solution to our condemnation to Hell so easy to obtain.  We do not have to work for Salvation, but simply have faith that God worked through Christ’s death and resurrection to save us.  God is truly amazing for His love.

Joshua 7-9

We must trust that God’s ways are best, and we must not go through life without seeking God’s counsel.  The people of Israel and Joshua’s problem was that they thought they knew what was best for them, and that God was unnecessary.  It is strange to think that the same people who had just seen the Jordan parted would for get that they should seek God’s advise before proceeding with what God had told them to do.  The disciples had the same problem.  The people closest to Jesus, who had seen Him do incredible, supernatural things, soon forgot and doubted.  We can fall into the same pattern of thinking.  We must trust that God’s way is always best, and when we disobey, God does not take it lightly.  I pray that I would remember God, and consult Him as I walk.